Loyal, Brave & True

Chapter 5

"Wei Wuxian, are you okay?" she asked him, seeing him holding his chest.

He gave a nod, unable to talk while still suffering from the shock of both the fall and the landing. The sound of feet and rocks falling, caused them to look back and see the other disciples using the rope to descend.

Some slipped, others had trouble keeping their balance but Cheng, Wangi and Zixuan had made it down first, the first two rushing to the teen's side. Zhouan helped him stand by grabbing his one forearm and Wangji the other.

Seeing everyone gathered so fat, Wuxian chuckled. "You were all kicked down too?"

Cheng scoffed. "Beat it. We were just worried that you were eaten by the monster and brought shame on the Jiang Clan"

He gave a nod with his head and placed his hands on his waist. He smirked and looked at the Jin heir. "Leaving those three aside" he started, motioning for his brother, his soulmate and his new friend. "You can't be as well afraid that I was ate up, can you?"

"I'd come down to fight that monster rather than seen the mean couple insult us" Zixuan replied and Zhouan chuckled faintly.

"I understand"

"Hey!" The annoying voice everyone had despised so far was heard. "Anything unusual? *no reply* Hey!"

"If we stay quiet, do you think we were all eaten up and get too scared? I mean, that would make him leave and we would be free" the Lei heir suggested, earning a smirk and a nod of approval from the mischievous teen.

"You died out already?! How can you be as silent as the dead?!"

Everyone ignored him and instead focused on their surroundings, quickly noticing a big body of water. Walking towards it, they were met with cooler air and an endless dark lake. In the middle, a weird stone stood alone, and some palm tree leaves were on the water.

Wen Chao kept shouting but Wuxian noticed something else. "Everyone listen! The echo...we are hundreds of meters away from the outside"

However, that was not what others felt. Wangji stared at the lake intensely and Zhouan grabbed the necklace around her neck. "Something is wrong," the primer said, and she nodded in agreement, the hair on the back of her neck standing due to some weird dark energy.

Wuxian formed a talisman on the air and sent it flying, stopping above the mysterious rock while illuminating some light around it. Nothing unusual but many didn't feel arguing with the comment of the Second Young Lan Master.

Their peace was interrupted by Wen Chao who decided to descend down the rope along with his mistress and the soldiers. He quickly rushed closer to the sore along with the others.

"Young Master, a dead-end" Lingjiao once again pointed out the obvious.

"Impossible. Keep searching carefully"

"Yes!" his soldiers replied and started to follow the new order.

"You guys, get someone hung and bleeding to lure that thing out" turning to the rest of his soldiers, he ordered, and everyone looked with wide eyes and uneasiness.

"This is madness" Zhouan commented in a low voice, somehow not believing such words.

"Nonsense!" Zuxian exclaimed much louder, standing his ground. "Luring that thing with flesh and blood means leaving us to die!"

Turning his attention to him, Wen Chao challenged him with his glare. "What? Young Master Jin, do you want to try it by yourself? Make an example for us?"

"You- "

He was interrupted by Mianmian. "Young Master!" she grabbed his hand and somehow her interference made him stop before finishing his sentence.