Heart's Blood

Battle

When Bai Qian arrived at the riverbank, the carnage in front of her was lifted from her numerous nightmares into reality. Heavenly soldiers and Ghostland warriors were engaged in a fierce battle. Metal clanged against metal with the heavy tang of blood permeating the air all around her. Bai Qian swallowed back the bile in her throat.

A streak of lightening slashed through the dark clouds above catching her attention in the chaos. Did someone already engage with Qing Cang? Was it Ye Hua? She summoned her sword and flew into the sky without another thought.

She couldn't make out anything at first, just angry puffs of opaque clouds blocking her sight until she reached a clearing. The sound of thunder was deafening up here, but the clash of blades between High Gods rang out with more intensity. Bai Qian scanned the area around her. Where were they?

Her senses were on high alert as she concentrated on the sound, drifting closer to their fight. Trying to locate Ye Hua. She felt his energy rippling through the sky but with the constant movement of thick clouds and heavy wind made it disorienting.

Suddenly, a drifting cloud revealed Qing Cang barreling towards her with his battle axe raised and gleaming. She lifted her sword ready to block when she was yanked backwards by a rough pull of magic as the impact of two weapons locked up. The force of it rattled her teeth as she found herself tucked behind Ye Hua.

"Da Sao, get out of here!" Ye Hua grimaced holding Qing Cang's battle axe at bay.

The Demon Lord caught her eyes, recognition bringing an unsavory curve of a knowing smile to his lips.

"You're Mo Yuan's little bitch." Qing Cang spat in disgust. "I can't wait to see his face when I kill you."

"You'll have to survive first." Bai Qian shot a powerful dispel charm at Ye Hua's and Qing Cang's weapons. The recoil broke their standoff sending them both in opposite directions and gave her the chance to regroup with Ye Hua.

"You must leave!" Ye Hua shouted at her keeping his eyes peeled in the clouds searching for movement.

"I'm here to help!" She shouted back through the winds.

Ye Hua caught a flash of black in the clouds and then another, all of his senses engaging like a predator. Bai Qian was mirroring him, her blades glowing with cultivated magic. Between the two of them, there was more than enough power to subdue the Ghost Lord. It was just a matter of getting him to make a big enough mistake.

Suddenly, Qing Cang flew through the clouds behind Bai Qian. She saw Ye Hua's eyes widened before he could shout at her to watch out and turned her back. Both of their swords crossed to block his battle axe, but Qing Cang turned his battle axe downward and with an upsweep broke their block.

Ye Hua was first to cut in distracting Qing Cang with lightening fast sweeps of steel. Bai Qian watched their weapons dance and strategically positioned herself behind Qing Cang while he was busy with Ye Hua. When she was directly behind the Ghost Lord she charged, sword raised and ready to strike a kill blow, only to have him turn at the last possible second with a blast of shadow magic through his axe.

She countered the dark tendrils of shadows with her sword creating a stream of power between the both of them fighting for dominance at the same time Ye Hua hit the Qing Cang with a stream of his own power on the other side. Qing Cang struggled under their combined forces, but sheer will held them both off for the time being.

Bai Qian and Ye Hua knew one of them needed to let go. The sudden loss of energy could throw Qing Cang's balance off enough for the other to strike effectively, ending it once and for all. She met Ye Hua's gaze willing him to anticipate her next move and she trusted he'd be quick enough to act.

Without saying anything she withdrew her sword and magic, swinging wide to avoid the shadows threatening to take her life. Qing Cang saw her swirling out of the path of his magic and when her back was to him, he disconnected his flow of power against Ye Hua to throw a sharp blast of magic at Bai Qian.

"Watch out!" Ye Hua shouted even as he flew forward to imbed his sword into Qing Cang's back and straight through his heart.

Bai Qian heard the warning a moment too late with only enough time to raise a barrier to block out the death bolt of energy hurling towards her, but it shattered through with vengeance. Hatred as its fuel. She braced herself to take the damage but before the damaging blow hit, another force radiated outward meeting Qing Cang's energy with its own. Golden rays of light absorbed the impact of the Demon Lord's magic, but the recoil slammed into Bai Qian knocking her out of the sky.

Ye Hua dove for his sister-in-law, but it was Mo Yuan that caught her unconscious body even as Ye Hua and a fatally injured Qing Cang faced each other on solid ground. The Demon Lord laughed triumphantly as Mo Yuan clutched Bai Qian's unconscious body in absolute fear.

"It's over." Ye Hua told the still laughing Qing Cang causing him to laugh louder.

"It's not over." He shook his head, wavering on his feet as blood spilled from his heart where Ye Hua's blade struck true. "I've had a lot of time inside that bell to tie my life force to it. Upon my death, it will activate and kill every sorry soul in existence."

With the last of his breath, Qing Cang regarded Mo Yuan and the lifeless beauty in his arms. A cruel smile played on his lips even as he fell to the ground. His vengeance exacted.

The Bell of the East Emperor activated with the death of Qing Cang and began to claim the lives of those at the river. Mo Yuan's worst nightmares were coming to life yet once again, but this time he was holding his wife in his arms. She was hanging onto a thread and with one look from Ye Hua, he knew what his twin brother was about to do.

"Di Di, no!" Mo Yuan roared even if he knew it really wasn't a choice at all.

"Take care of Da Sao." Were Ye Hua's parting words as he shot straight into the bell without a backwards glance.

A firm hand gripped Mo Yuan's shoulder.

"We need to find Zhe Yan immediately. Xiao Wu can't hold on much longer." Bai Zhen wasted no energy as he jumped a cloud with both of them.