Sorrow In Autumn

Chapter 10. Guo Changcheng

Just a short chapter.

Merry Christmas!!!

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In the room next door, Guo Changcheng had been carefully laid out on the bed, peacefully sleeping. His chest rising an falling evenly and not a hint of an expression marred his young face. The relief was palpable though short-lived.

He did not trust Zhao Xin Ci, not his intentions or his sudden goodwill and beyond his concern for Xiao Guo himself, the young man was the only key he currently had to Kunlun's whereabouts. That made him extremely valuable.

Everyone from Chu Shuzhi to Fourth Uncle had tried at least once to find Kunlun and even more had kept their ear to the ground, waiting for a sign. Once awakened from the sleep curse, Xiao Guo should be able to tell him exactly what Kunlun had said

Shen Wei checked for anyone else in the room and felt the echo of Zhao Xin Ci's wards, then crossed to the bed. Zhao Xin Ci had ordered another pot of tea as they had passed the stairs, mouth quirking as he saw Li Qian at the bottom step. Watching Shen Wei as he checked for the more obvious working of Kunlun's power, the cunning General settled by the table.

"There is no sign of anything." He stated with a hint of impatience, gesturing to Xiao Guo.

Shen Wei smiled thinly. "Kunlun has remarkable skills. One of them is subtlety."

Zhao Xin Ci did not rise to the bait, only frowned no doubt thinking, that the reports regarding Kunlun were full of showy behavior and this did not match with what Shen Wei was hinting at. Kunlun had many layers and that clever mind had spent years weaving an image of himself that both provided protection from his enemies and a cover for his other work.

Shen Wei turned so he was facing Zhao Xin Ci and settled by the bed. He took Guo Changcheng's limp wrist and focused his own turbulent power. Unlike everyone else, possibly in the entire world, he knew the kiss of Kunlun's magic, his power and many of his tricks.

It was too dangerous to lose himself, to mesh with Guo Changcheng's energy and being. The easiest and quickest way to find the threads of Kunlun's spell, but he did not trust Zhao Xin Ci. Not enough to turn his back.

The healers at the sanctuary had searched and the priests had checked. Zhao Xin Ci had no doubt tried everything non-lethal he could, in the hours he had kept Xiao Guo here and Shen Wei would not have been surprised if he had brought 'specialists' with him.

Dark energy gathered in his hand he noted Zhao Xin Ci's immediate unease. It wound its way into Xiao Guo's system, seeking the threads of Kunlun's power, the warmth and beauty of his precious life-force, his echo. The years he had spent with the gateways, offering his own energy to the vast network of Kunlun's greatest spells had tuned his power to Kunlun's. Now it sought the traces, like a moth of a flame.

He blinked in wonder, feeling the outline of the spell, hidden beneath layers where no one would think to look. This was more than a trace. This was a talisman hidden within Guo's body. The winding threads of Yunlan's work shimmered as he touched them, almost as if in greeting.

Those who had tried before didn't know Kunlun, would never have detected this. There was no way he could have done this quickly either, Shen Wei realized. Kunlun must have convinced Xiao Guo to allow this and it would have taken hours. Perhaps days, pockets of time where Yunlan added more to the existing work.

Zhao Xin Ci saw his expression flicker. "Well?" He asked.

Shen Wei had no desire to share all of his findings with this man but for now he was caught. Xao Guo's life hung in the balance along with Zhao Yunlan's. "Kunlun hid the working of this spell in Guo Changcheng's bones."