WangXian Forever 5

Chapter 88 Sneaky

Hui Gai had discovered many things, most of which he didn't bother burdening his friend about. On second thoughts, perhaps he should have at least told Li XiWang because it would have prevented her worrying for nothing.

And their worrying really was unfounded, because whenever Hui Gai had a free moment, he was conducting experiments on himself.

For example, he had learned how to make himself longer, taller, smaller and shorter. He had learned to appear like a wispy grey smoke, easily dismissed as something ordinary and not worthy of any note.

And most importantly, he had learned not to care too much what people thought, either of himself or what he had done. As long as Pengyou wasn't upset with him, then everything was right in the world. He had his priorities and beyond those, nothing else mattered to him.

So now, as he floated above the green grasses, too long and dry, he wondered where those assassins had got to. The valley seemed dead and empty, nothing stirring, nothing to disturb the quiet cacophony of nature.

He sent out spiritual waves trying to detect where they could have gone, but there was nothing.

He knew his friend feared for Zhitiao's safety, and he was aware of the urgency in this mission, but he had to find her first.

The Children of the Tree were the true disciples of nature, blending into the scenery and lying in wait. Their secret expertise was remarkable, their skill profound and professional. If they wanted to stay hidden, it would be difficult to track them.

Scouts had reported back to Hongse that they were still present in the valley, so it was just a matter of finding them, for they surely would stay close to their prey.

Hui Gai also thought that they would consider staying quite close, just in case their intended victims decided to make a run for it. He sniffed the air, smelling old wood burning nearby.

He floated ahead and ran smack bang into a ward.

That's why he couldn't see them!

They had warded themselves into a protective bubble, silencing any untoward noises and preventing anything from entering.

Except him.

Wei Ying had taught him enough about breaking wards on the sly, to make this just an exercise he could perform with his eyes closed.

And true to form, no one batted an eyelid when he drifted past.

The camp was organised and well run. On one side the injured were being tended to and on the other, food was being cooked for the troops.

So this was the day to day running of the campsite. He had to find out where they held prisoners.

A few more moments of drifting and he heard loud voices coming from inside of a tent, so he slipped inside undetected, watching and listening.

A woman with extremely sharp features, a slash of red where her mouth should be and strong black eyebrows furrowed in defiance. Her hood was thrown back to reveal jet black hair and hazel eyes much the same as everyone else. She spoke in a controlled voice barely above a whisper, but the rage held in check was blatantly obvious, especially to the woman being talked down to.

"So you have no idea how long they're going to stay there? What did the traitor tell you?"

"She has remained tight lipped about everything. Nothing seems to work, no threats, no cajoling, no promise of rewarding her. Nothing..." The woman currently kneeling in deference didn't dare to look up.

Just as well, because the sharp featured woman extracted a dangerous looking whip made out of black leather, and cracked it, smirking with satisfaction when it hummed with energy.

"Let's go."

She marched out of the tent with her subordinate meekly following.

Hui Gai also followed as close as he could, revising his former plan.

There was no way he would allow this fiend to hurt Zhitiao, but at the same time, getting her out before she was hurt was going to be...challenging.

They entered another tent, this one smaller than the previous one.

It was bare but for the woman chained up in the middle.

So far, she looked alright, if slightly weak. Hui Gai doubted if they had fed her. But as even he looked closely, he saw stains on her brown robes.

Uh oh. Pengyou wouldn't like that at all.

"Are you going to talk?" The sharp faced woman drawled, flicking the whip in her hand in an almost playful way.

Zhitiao closed her eyes.

The woman drew her hand back and sent forth a strike of her whip, fully expecting it to hit her target...but the long length of it disintegrated just before it could lick the air in front of Zhitiao.

Seconds passed, and they all looked at each other.

"What just happened?" She demanded, looking at her empty palm.

She turned to the unfortunate sister standing next to her. She held her hand out expectantly. The second one handed her a sword.

The woman stared at it disdainfully.

"Alright. It will have to do." She stepped forward ever so slowly, rubbing her thumb along the edge of the blade.

Then she pointed the blade at Zhitiao's cheek.

"Do you know what the price is of being a traitor? Of selling out your sisters?" She spoke calmly as if having a normal conversation.

"I thought you might be more interested in the truth. Sadly, I was mistaken." Zhitiao replied.

"The truth?" This was said in a shrill voice. "And what do you know about the "truth"?"

"Our Mother died because we locked up our sister. Our Mother loved us all equally, and yet...and yet we were unable to reconcile our differences. Do you not wish for a better outcome, sister?"

"Nonsense!" She screamed. "You dare to take the name of our Mother? When you yourself have betrayed her? You have gone against your blood sisters and expected what? That we would welcome you back with open arms!?!?" She scowled. "You naive fool! Open your eyes! The world is filled with betrayers like you, so quick to change sides."

Hui Gai smirked at that one. Eight hundred and sixty three years of loyalty compared to a few weeks of free thinking...

But he'd had enough now, and his friend was waiting.

He sent forth blinding black smoke that wrapped around the two unsuspecting females while Zhitiao looked on in amazement. He disintegrated her chains, grabbed her arm in his true form and teleported them out of there.

They materialised in the main altar room, just as Wei Ying was about to explain his epiphany.

"You came back for me!" Zhitiao threw her arms around the demon.

"Eww. Get. Off." He extricated himself from her death grip and decided to ignore both her and her twin who had replaced his body in her arms.

They were both squealing with joy.

Hui Gai rolled his eyes.

He turned to Wei Ying who shuffled towards him without hesitation.

"I told you." He grinned smugly.

"You were right, Hui Gai. I should have trusted you." Wei Ying held his arms open.

Hui Gai gladly enveloped him in a loose hug.

"This doesn't count since I can't do it properly. You still owe me." He shifted their positions so he didn't have to look at an increasingly irate sword wielding husband.