Abide With Me

The Soul Thief

Lan Zhan's eyes never left Wei Ying's face even as Lori took him through the steps of Jiyi Kongzhi. Already proficient in Empathy and anyway a quick study, Lan Zhan used the time to minutely study Wei Ying, who was red-nosed, misty-eyed and had tear tracks down his dusty but adorable cheeks.

Under Lan Zhan's stare, Wei Ying's lips trembled and he bit his lower lip to keep from gasping at the intensity of that gaze. It was as if Lan Zhan's very soul spoke through those expressive eyes, pouring out all his love and longing. The tips of Lan Zhan's ears were a nice shade of red. Wei Ying recalled Lan Zhan's uncharacteristic ardour a while ago when they had first met in the Grotto after separating at the Amethyst Inn.

Wei Ying cleared his throat and said "Hanguang Jun!" This form of address and Wei Ying's expressive eyebrows reminded Lan Zhan that they weren't alone. Lan Zhan calmly held out his hand and Wei Ying had no choice but to put his hand in. Lan Zhan immediately interlocked their fingers while gently extending his senses to Wei Ying's meridians. All major organs and systems appeared normal. Except his heart. Wei Ying's heart was full and he was beyond excited. This could be attributed to Jiyi Kongzhi to some extent but was largely due to Lan Zhan's own presence. Suppressing a smile, Hanguang Jun inclined his head and acknowledged, "Yiling Laozu!"

The look in Lan Zhan's eyes and his nearness produced a shudder that Wei Ying could barely hide and he turned to Lori while trying to extricate his hand from Lan Zhan's. Lan Zhan would have none of it, he merely tightened his grip! Wei Ying's ears, nay his entire face was red and he stuttered, "H-Hanguang J-Jun, let's finish the remaining miners soon, it is time for Linghun Qiezei's night round."
"Mmn" Lan Zhan's eyes spoke volumes and Wei Ying suddenly felt nervous and skittish.

Lori glanced from one to the other, and shaking her head, spoke loudly, "Hanguang Jun, Yiling Laozu, there will be time enough after Linghun Qiezei leaves. I know a cave where you can rest for the night."

That galvanized Lan Zhan into action and once he started, his speed was greater than even Lori's, driven as he was by his desire for quality time with his soulmate!

A frisson of awareness rippled through the Grotto, followed by a wave of cold so intense that it produced a bone-deep ache in most of the miners. Though highly accomplished cultivators themselves, Lan Zhan, Wei Ying and Lori were not unaffected.

"Quick, it's Linghun Qiezei!" said Lori, pulling them behind a rock formation. "Wait here!" She stepped out and spread both her wings wide, and in a sibilant whisper, uttered just one word - 'Sleep!' One by one, each of the miners collapsed where they stood and curled into natural sleeping postures.

As Lan Zhan and Wei Ying stood hand locked behind the rocks, they heard Lori speak. "They have been manipulated. An-Nengliang has been collected. They were fed, it has been 3 days now. I have put them all to sleep for now. What are your orders?"

"I have not yet found a way to get the An-Nengliang to obey me. Ask it why that is so," Linghun Qiezei queried. Lori had been expecting that Linghun Qiezei's efforts would come to naught and that she would be expected to step in. Already aware of the tradition of the "Chosen Ones" among the Royal DaNi, she had no illusions about her own ability to convince the An-Nengliang. She thought she could, however, communicate with it and ask for help in fighting against Linghun Qiezei. She vowed to make this chance count, or she'd die trying!

"Look!" cried Lori, apparently in excitement, pointing at the roof of the Grotto, a few zhang away, in the direction of the An-Nengliang.
"What is it?" asked the Gryphon, intrigued.
"Didn't you see the rainbow colored lightning in between the dark An-Nengliang clouds?" Lori asked with eyes wide and feathers aflutter.
"Where?"
"Come, quick," she urged Linghun Qiezei towards the direction of the An-Nengliang cloud, a good 50 zhang away from where Lan Zhan and Wei Ying stood hidden.