WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 84 Strike

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan hurried forward, Lan Zhan keeping a death grip  on his hand. Wei Ying had to run to keep up. He was just about to protest when they heard the first screams. He pulled out Chenqing and not a moment too soon, for a flurry of darts came their way, deflected easily enough.

Lan Zhan summoned WangJi and began sending out pulses of blue energy, the waves dispersing the darts and making them collide, metal chinks falling all around them.

"Come out and fight properly, cowards!"

Wei Ying heard Hongse yell.

There was a low ripple of mocking laughter, before the second onslaught.

And then they heard it.

The low, melancholic groaning of bodies that should be resting, bodies that had no business being out of the ground. Wei Ying felt the pull in his core, a natural repulsion, and attraction to the resentment energy. His core was white now, but his ability to control corpses was still inherent.

Without hesitation now, he was about to put Chenqing to his lips, when a warm hand stopped him.

"Lan Zhan?"

"Be careful. Remember what you promised." Golden eyes burned with intensity, branding him.

Wei Ying reached up and kissed him deeply.

"You too."

One last look at that gorgeous face, and he steeled himself. Closing his eyes, he began to play.

He tuned out the other noises, the clash of steel on steel, the welcome sound of Bichen slashing through rotten skin, the dragging gasps from unsuspecting victims. The air around him magnified, as Wei Ying sent out his commands, the corpses now confused on who to obey.

Lan Zhan watched, while fighting, the beauty that was his husband, and thanked the Gods that Wei Ying was his. He watched the wisps of black smoke gradually increase, wrapping around the silhouette of his obsidian robes flashing with the odd glimpse of red. The power behind the notes threading through the air around them made his hair rise up; for the Yiling Patriarch was a stunning piece of art.

Wei Ying had trained for hours every day, just for such a moment as this. His core shone with a white light, strong and all encompassing and within a few minutes, all the corpses were slain. A hand on his arm had him opening his eyes, and Wei Ying stopped playing.

Lan Zhan was looking at him so proudly...but there was no time to talk, for now, the real fighting began.

Lan Zhan called upon Suibian and handed it to him with another warning look.

Hundreds of hooded figures surged forward fighting hand to hand, swords already drawn. Wei Ying was already fighting before he had a chance to think about, blocking and parrying, not even a second's break. Out of the corner of his eyes, he kept a watch on the swirling white figure, hacking his way back to his side.

Their swords had to keep moving for above their heads, a rainfall of sharp arrows pierced the skies looking to wound and maim. But even as they fought valiantly, Wei Ying could see their side bending under the immense pressures of the constant battle. They had already been tired, travelling non stop for the previous two days, and to have to fight on top of that, was just too much to ask.

A slash of red on white cloth distracted Wei Ying just enough to allow his attacker to slide in her sword, aiming for his ribs, which he managed to deflect, but he did not see the dagger in her other hand, which she lodged in his abdomen.

Wei Ying pushed himself away in order to gain space and give him space to weild Suibian in a deathly strike, finishing her off in one strike. But the knife wound was deep, and their attackers relentless. He tried to seal the cut using spiritual energy, and fight at the same time, but his vision blurred more than once and he stumbled.

It did not go unnoticed by Lan Zhan, who was further away than he would have liked, surrounded by multiple attackers of his own. Furiously he fought, Bichen a white light in the dark skies, flashing dangerously around him, cutting down his enemies.

All around was chaos and confusion, for the twins had been given swords of their own, and they fought valiantly, back to back facing women from their own family and sisterhood.

Blood spilled soiling the ground and when it did, the assassins called upon the resentment energy again. Far away they could hear the stomping feet of corpses rushing to join the fight.

Would this ever end?

Wei Ying bent over, exhausted and weak from blood loss, and luckily that was exactly when a sword aiming for his head was about to strike. Lan Zhan deflected it and dispatched its owner to the nether worlds, while catching Wei Ying's arm.

"I'm alright, Lan Zhan. It's just a scratch." He managed to say, before another group of savage fighters surrounded them and he was separated once more.

Where the energy came to fight was a mystery, but Wei Ying passed Suibian through bodies like a hot knife through butter. The sea of warriors came between them and Wei Ying was heavily outnumbered. An unfair parry behind him, and a simultaneous attack in front, paired with his injury, caused more wounds before he was forced to drop his sword.

"Don't kill him!" A fierce voice shouted above the din of fighting.

They held a sword at his neck.

"Stop! Stand down or we'll finish him!" The same voice rang out, capturing the attention of all fighters.

Wei Ying could feel his eyes closing on their own, but he held on, disappointed in himself. They were going to lose because of him, and he only hoped that the price they paid would not be too high.

Gradually the noises silenced, even the wind that had been so active before was quiet as if it too, were holding its breath.

"Wei Ying!"

Wei Ying heard his name called and struggled to open his eyes, but he saw enough. He gathered his strength and stamped down on the feet of his assailant.

Lan Zhan had felt his world stand still when he had glanced over merely seconds later, and seen Wei Ying bent over first, and then captured.

Was he hurt? He frowned trying to see, but wave after wave of attackers had him using all his skills, while his worry increased...and then that dreaded shout. His blood ran cold, with fear and then rage to see the shrill blade at his lover's neck. And the disappointment in his eyes...

Lan Zhan knew Wei Ying was blaming himself but he vowed for a chance to make it right. Just one look was all he needed...one look...

Seeing his chance while the Children of the Tree were whispering about something, he called out his name, knowing without a doubt that Wei Ying would know what to do. The moment that he stamped on their feet, Lan Zhan sent Bichen to cut all their heads off in a magnificent show of his superior mastery. He followed the sword in a flash and grabbed Wei Ying, but to his surprise, the assassins, the ones that were still alive, melted away into the night.

He could no longer care about anyone else, not when Wei Ying was pale and unsteady. Lan Zhan grabbed his waist and was surprised when his fingers slipped off, coming away crimson with his blood.

Hongse came running towards them then, saw what had happened and began to gather energy. Her sisters followed suit, all of them creating a mandala of white energy beneath their feet, widening to encompass them all. It lifted them high up towards the cliffside where the temple was situated, carved into the hard rock.

"That's so cool..." Wei Ying whispered, before he passed out.