Kunlun Mountain Part 4 - The Return

Chapter 16 - Into the Forest

Three days left

Honghui sat atop of a pure black horse, one of the few that remained in his realm, but being a thorough bred, he had kept it, though more as a collectors item rather than a war horse.  Now fully dressed in his deep purple war robes, he looked out over the open plains and into the far distance.  They were only a day or two behind the Ghost Tribes armies that were bringing up the rear, and knowing Mo Yuan, he would be at the very front.

"That bastard." he whispered low as his armies behind him caught up.  

Briefly his mind went back to that day.  He was never able to dwell on it for too long, because even now, the pain was excruciating.  For him alone, she had given up her life to save his.  She had told him to wait for her, and so he had taken her ashes and had them made into a sacred tablet that contained a spell that would release her ashes when she was ready to return, then building the little temple with his own hands, he had placed her there to keep her safe.  But it had been over 100 thousand years.  He had waited faithfully for her return, yet there had been no sign of her, not even her star was shining above him.  And in the end he gave up.  He stopped hoping and dreaming for the day she would walk back into his arms.  He stopped believing in her final words. 

And for a few hundred years more, he slowly allowed his life to move on.  He stopped visiting her temple, and he stopped dreaming of her.  And then he met Bai Qian.  A woman he fell in love with.  One he was fully prepared to let his past go for.  But he couldn't even keep her.  And it was all that mans fault.  He fully blamed Mo Yuan for taking them both off him.  The man was a leach, the very scourge of the earth.  Not only did he have Bai Qian, but he had to have Shao Wan too.  A man he had given his friendship, his trust and his love to.  He had taken it all.  But not this time.  There would be no forgiveness and no mercy.

Ordering his men forward, he knew they could catch them within the forest he could see just ahead of them.  It would be the perfect place for an ambush, because as yet, they had not noticed their approach.  Hidden behind a thick barrier, they would not feel their presence until he was almost on top of them.

"This time Mo Yuan, I swear you will die.  You will stay dead and I will take Bai Qian." He said softly as he gave the order to not only move forward but to spread out.  

"When we arrive,fully surround them.  But that man is mine." he ordered as he then gave his horse a swift kick to move.

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Somewhere in the far East

Sitting on her crystal dais that Lanhua had prepared for them, Bai Qian slowly went into herself.  It had been a day since she had checked on Mo Yuan and though she could see that Qing Cang had full control of his mind and actions, his soul pieces had not quite merged within Mo Yuan soul center.  They were only a day or two away from completion and she was ready to go.  

Now focusing her energy on Mo Yuan only, she was able to assess his state even though Qing Cang had control.  Mo Yuan had done exactly what Lanhua said he would do.  He had weakened and let himself be taken over.  Since Qing Cang had gained his sons essence, and Mo Yuan had lowered the barrier as she had requested, everything was falling into place.

Then removing her inner sight, she brought herself back to her own mind for a short respite before shifting her attention to Honghui.  He too was playing his part as Lanhua said he would.  And though she felt exceptionally guilty for the pain she could feel coming from him, she knew that when the time came, that pain would ease and an eternal peace would take over.

She could feel the hatred he had for Mo Yuan then, and she understood it.  Mo Yuan had truly hurt him, a man he had considered his brother and best friend.  Even though thousands of years had past, Honghui had held onto his love for that woman.  Though she could not read his thoughts, she could feel his emotions and where they stemmed from.  But over time, he had let her go and focused on her instead, he had fallen in love with her, and naively she had led him to believe they had a future together.