Summer memoir (YiZhan FF)

Twenty four

Jin Ling slashed a branch that was blocking their way, same as the others who are aggressively slashing and tearing vines and branches that was blocking their sight. It has been six days since they were out searching for Jingyi and there's still no sign of Jingyi anywhere, but none of them wants to give up looking for him.

"This path is unusually so stuffy. I don't remember going this way at all, are we lost? " Zizhen asked.

"No, i remember going this way, but you're right. Does these branches grew overnight? They're so thick " Jin Lin answered.

"Mn, seems like it. But we're on the right path. It just seems harder to go through.. maybe this is intentional? " Sizhui seconded.

Jin Ling and Zizhen agrees with what Sizhui said. How can vines and branches grow in just a short span of time? Unless someone intentionally grew these.

They were all having a hard time cutting through those thick branches when they all heard a scream coming from behind.

All of them tilted their heads to see what happened and Jin Ling was the first one to react at the scene.

"W-What is that? "

A black smoke was holding a disciple of the Ouyang sect on his neck, lifted from the ground. He was struggling to catch his breath.. until he cannot grasp for air and his body went pale.

The black smoke dropped the cold and lifeless body on the ground and they all heard a terrific laugh thundered the place. The branches they slashed earlier began to grew again, even more bigger and sturdy, and some of it seems to have a life of their own, flipping and slashing anyone it passes.

They were all scared, especially the disciples who were now being attacked by the black smoke and those vines and branches. Some were fighting bravely while some was trying to run away.

The three juniors just stood there in shock. The past days were peaceful, none of them expected this would happen.

Jin Ling, although scared. Took a step forward and aim his arrow at the black smoke.

This made the two draw out their swords and they all fiercely made an attack towards their target.

Sizhui brought out his Guqin and attacked the black smoke using the sound coming from his strings while Jin Ling who learned how to make spells for talismans from Wei Wuxian, drew an enchantment on his bow and arrow using his blood. Zizhen bravely used his sword to attack and defend himself while fighting the black smoke, he is exceptionally good at sword fights and with his agility and speed he could dodge the attacks coming from the black smoke.

But something worse is happening, the disciples that was killed by the black smokes started to arise, like the corpses they once fought with. With those black marks on their necks and the urge to kill them, they just seem to be more vicious and savage.

The three juniors who now leans back to back with each other are breathing heavily as they watch how this chaos unfold in front of their eyes.

One moment there were peace, but now all they can hear are the cries of the Ouyang sect's disciples.

"What are we gonna do? " Zizhen asked. He's already tired but his adrenaline is still kicking in.

"We fight " Jin Ling.

Sizhui was being troubled by what happened, he thinks that this was all his fault. Letting all of them come when it was just his problem to find Jingyi.

"Sizhui! "

Sizhui groaned in pain as a disciple who was turned into a corpse that was handling a sword slashed towards them and wounded Sizhui on his arm.

Jin Ling cursed and slashed the corpse before pulling Sizhui away.

"Focus! " He yelled at Sizhui before fighting off other corpses. Zizhen was busy fighting other corpses on his own.

Sizhui nodded and started fighting these corpses as well.

"Zizhen look out! " Sizhui screamed when he saw a corpse ready to attack Zizhen behind his back.

Zizhen has no more time to dodge as he was defending himself from three other corpses in front of him. Jin Ling and Sizhui couldn't do anything as they have their own battles to fight.

Zizhen closed his eyes shut and was ready to accept his death when he heard a chain dangled and in an instant, the corpses Zizhen was fighting with was smashed here and there. A man dressed in black robe, with his long hair lose, all messy and dishiveled.

"S-Senior Wen! " They all exclaimed.

Wen Ning who came to rescue has controlled his chains and used it to grab and make the corpses fly away.

When he knew that he has time to gather the juniors, he stood there with them and gathered them in one place.

"Escape from here, quick! I will be with you in a minute. " He said.

Jin Lin nodded and so as Zizhen after a couple of seconds thinking. But Sizhui was so worried and almost stay behind to fight with Wen Ning.

" Come on Sizhui! " Jin Ling groaned and pulled Sizhui, then they all fled and made their way to a safe place, away from the fight.

Soon they heard a roar even though they were now kilometers away from the area. Then a few minutes later Wen Ning appeared beside them. His chest are now visible because of the fight, his clothes was ripped, making his black marks noticable.

"Are you alright? " He asked the three juniors but he immediately noticed the red stain of blood on Sizhui's arm.

"You're wounded. Wait here. " He said and went on his way to find herbs that could help lessen the pain and can cure the wound on Sizhui's arm.

The three were left alone, and that was the only moment they breathed and sigh in relief.

"We're so sorry for your loss. " Jin Ling mumbled when he regained his breath.

"I don't know what to say.. " Zizhen was loss for words, he don't know if any of his men survived.

"Sizhui, what's wrong with you? " Jin Ling asked the distracted Sizhui this time.

"I-I'm sorry. This is my fault. " He uttered.

"How can this be your fault? None of us knew this would happen. The more important thing is that we're alive. "

Zizhen nodded his head to agree with what Jin Ling said.

" We're lucky enough that Senior Wen arrived to help us in time. "

Sizhui sighed " still.. i should've just gone back alone. "

"We are your friends, Jingyi is our friend so why would we let you roam that forest alone? If by chance that you have to go through all that by yourself, you could've been dead by now. "

A tear escaped from Sizhui's eyes. " Thankyou "

A few moments later, Wen Ning came back with herbs on his hand. His sister was once a doctor and he learned the basics of how to treat a wound with herbs. He still remembers it perfectly and he treated Sizhui's wounds using his knowledge in this field.

They set a bonfire and the four were all leaning with each other with Wen Ning at the center while Jin Ling was leaning on Sizhui's shoulder.

Just as they were about to fall asleep. They heard foot steps which made them alert. Jin Ling grabbed his Bow and arrow, Zizhen with his sword and Sizhui was inticipating who that someone is while Wen Ning was getting ready to attack.

"G-Guys? "

They were all shocked to see a boy, wearing his white clothes dirtied with mud and sorts of leaves hanging around his hair while his forehead ribbon was used as a hair tie, step out from the dark side of the forest.

"What the heck Jingyi?! "