Call On Me

9

I stood a bit of a distance from the training grounds. Just from where I stood, Lan Zhan was actually doing a good job teaching these young disciples of mine. Seeing him actually stop any individual and help them adjust their forms was sweet to see. I know Lan Zhan is not one to like touch or even initiate it, he still does it sparingly just to help my few disciples.

I was hesitant to go over. It wasn't that I didn't want to be near Lan Zhan, but I didn't want to disturb the training. I also didn't want to explain to him why I'm suddenly so fatigued and unable to help him. If he knew of these treatments I was going through, he might worry. I didn't want that.

"Ying-Ge?" A'Ning said behind me, "I can take your place in helping them today."

"I appreciate it," I said, "but I need someone to do a perimeter check. Can you take another disciple with you and just make sure everything is okay?"

"Of course, but is there a reason for it?" A'Ning asked.

"With these sects coming our way, I need to make sure Wen Ruohan hasn't found his way here. I also want to make sure that no other sect has the idea of bothering us for aid. We cannot afford to be careless during this time," I explained.

"Very well," A'Ning said, "I did get reports back from some people in Yiling. There has been more activity of resentment and fierce corpses showing up. It seems that something is stirring up the energy there."

I nodded, "I will have to see if I can spare a few days to go have a look myself."

"Perhaps, since Hanguang Jun is here, why not ask him to accompany you?" A'Ning suggested.

I smiled, "I will consider it."

"Alright," A'Ning said, "I will go attend my duties."

I nodded and watched him leave. I let out a sigh before finally going over to the training grounds, "Hanguang Jun, may I have a word with you for a moment?" I asked.

He nodded and told the group to keep working. He then came over to my side, "What is it?" He asked.

"My head disciple has told me that there has been some disturbances in Yiling. I have to look into it myself since there isn't anyone here to handle the matter properly," I told him.

"What kind of disturbances?" He asked.

"Resentful creature appearing more frequently," I told him.

"Since you are limited in fighting, allow me to accompany you," he said, "I would be much more comfortable knowing that you are safe."

I smiled, "are you worried about me?"

"Wei— Leader San, I am," he replied, "you lack spiritual power and you need it to handle resentful creatures."

"Not exactly," I said, "I have managed on my own for the longest time now. I have learned new self-defense skills and I can still use some talismans and charms. I am not completely useless."

"I did not mean it that way," he said, "but please just allow me to join you."

I sighed, "alright," I said, "I cannot control you as you are not part of my sect. Plus you are your own person and come from a righteous background. I expected as much that you'd want to come anyway."

"Then why argue with me?" He asked.

I smiled, "Hanguang Jun, don't I always try to work you up?"

Lan Zhan snorted, "that does not work much anymore."

"Are you trying to challenge me?" I asked as I took a step closer to him, "do you wish for me to really tease you like I used to?"

Hanguang Jun seemed to have stiffened at my words. He looked as if he was a bit unsure but he still tried to hold his ground, "I am not trying to challenge you," he said.

"Sure," I said. This little bit of teasing and being playful was already a bit much on my mind today. I could tell that the fatigue from my treatment was building the more I stand here and taunt him. I even felt a bit nauseated. It was side effects of this treatment. Plus my body just took in a large amount of raw spiritual power from Wen Qing and Wen Ning, and it only made my body feel like a fuse waiting to be set off for a bomb. I was very fragile right now, "right," my speech, I could tell, was starting to slur a bit, "I need to get going."

"Leader San, you look a bit pale," Lan Zhan pointed out, "are you alright?" It was as if my legs grew weak at this very moment and I suddenly started to collapse, "Leader San?"

Lan Zhan grabbed me to help keep me steady, "what's wrong?"

"Hanguang Jun," I heard Qing-Jie call out, "can you help bring him to the infirmary and I will explain everything to you there?"

I felt him pick me up, "alright," he said.

I was too weak to protest or even fight his hold, "Leader San just went through a treatment and it usually takes a lot of energy out of him. I told him to take it easy but here he goes running around again," Qing-Jie explained.

"What kind of treatment?" Lan Zhan asked.

"It's a treatment that I have come up with specifically for him. Using a herbal medicine to help ease the pain and strain of the treatment, I infuse spiritual power into dozens of needs and send them into Leader San's meridians. It helps charge up the little energy he carries and in turn, it helps him fight when needed. It's a monthly treatment, and we hope that doing this enough will help him heal from his core being gone," she answered.

"The medicine you use to help him, you are running low on it due to sending supplies out for the war," Hanguang Jun said.

"You guessed it," Qing-Jie replied, "it's his medicine that gets cut most."

I could tell by looking at Lan Zhan, he now understood some things. Knowing him, he knows me enough by now that I tend to think more of others than I do of myself.

"I have a way to help him," Lan Zhan said, "it just requires at lease an hour of me playing my guqin for him."

"I had a feeling you did," Qing-Jie countered, "and there are a few ways to help him, but some of them are a bit harder to use."

"Like?" Hanguang Jun asked.

"If he had someone who was compatible to his spiritual energy, this treatment would also go a lot smoother," she answered.

"How do you test compatibility?" Hanguang Jun asked.

"Just a simple talisman and a couple drops of blood," she replied.

"Then test my compatibility," he said.

"No," I finally managed to get a word in, "Hanguang Jun, you have helped enough."

"I wasn't asking," Lan Zhan said, "and you just told me I am my own person and you cannot decide things for me. I know what I am doing. I will test my compatibility."

I sighed, I was afraid of that, I thought.