Ch22 – YiLing Lauzao
Lan Zhan and Wei Ying could only look at each other in confusion, unsure when the elder Lan brother had even got involved in this step of the rescue. Deciding they would find out when he appeared Wei Ying just shrugged and faced the others.
'Well rather than standing around wondering what my brother-in-law is going to pull out his sleeves, lets get this large area cleared shall we?'
Everyone nodded in agreement. Happy to finally have something to do other than just stand around and re-live painful memories. Working in groups they managed to get the large open area clear of all the rubble and large pieces of old columns and statues that had once filled the space. For the older members of the group this alone reminded them of the time they were there for 'education purposes' when all these piles of rubble had actually been in place. For the two younger ones however they just whispered excitedly as they tried to work out what a particular piece once was.
Just as they had finished their task a sword glare appeared in the sky. Lan XiChen landed, gracefully beckoning his sword back into its sheath as he surveyed all around him. However unlike the normal greeting people expected of anyone of the Lan Sect, Lan XiChen simply ignored everyone for a moment, looked around and then walked over to one of the sides of the central area. No one could work out what he was trying to do, but no one was brave, or foolish, enough to interfere either. Eventually Lan XiChen found what he was looking for and began drawing something on the floor while murmuring to himself. The whole thing looked strange.
Lan XiChen sprang back as he finished his drawing and the air seemed to warp and begin circling slightly. None of the watchers had ever seen anything like this before. Wei Ying looked over at Lan Zhan who had gone even paler than normal.
'Forbidden magic' he muttered under his breath.
Wei Ying didn't need to ask what he meant, he fully understood. Lan XiChen must have gone into the forbidden archives at Gusu to find this...whatever it was…..and bought it here. Before he begin trying to figure out why though a familiar face appeared through the odd circle. Wen Ning carried with him four unconscious men, deposited them on the floor and then disappeared again only to reappear a fee seconds later with four more. Before Wei Ying could open his mouth to ask the question he was sure was on everyone's lips. Jin Ling spoke up in a curious tone that could only come from a youth.
'ZeWu Jun…..What is that?
'It is a secret of the Gusu Clan' Lan XiChen said blandly, effectively cutting off any further enquires into the subject. 'We usually do not use it, however we need to get as many people through as possible in a short time.' He looked at the two younger ones, the Sect leader look back on his face and tone. 'DO not enter it though, only those who are dead may enter it safely.'
'And the people he is bringing through? They are still alive.' Jiang Cheng spoke up, noticeably avoiding using Wen Ning's name just like he avoided looking at the man himself.
'In their current state they are neither alive nor dead' Lan XiChen said blandly. 'A nice loophole we can use in this instance.'
Jiang Chen began muttering about the logic of the Lan's while both youngster's inched as close to the strange phenomenon as they could before a look from Lan XiChen had them backing up again. Wei Ying squeezed Lan Zhan's hand to try and reassure him his brother would be ok. Sooner than expected Wen Ning had gotten everyone through the strange circle. When Lan Xichen raised his hand to close it again Wei Ying spoke up quickly.
'Brother in law wait' XiChen paused, and an Wei Ying turned to Wen Ning. 'Wen Ning you need to go back before he closes it. You can't be around here.' Seeing an odd look from both men he sighed and said honestly. 'I will be using a lot of resentful energy, I don't know what that would do to you. The last thing we need is you going rogue and killing someone by accident.'
This last sentence made everyone think. They all knew what Wen Ning was capable off, especially if he lost his sanity and wasn't under the control of Wei Ying. One by one everyone nodded and Wen Ning bowed his head in acquiescence before walking back through the circle. Lan XiChen flicked his wrist and the circle closed.
Wei Ying silently stepped up between the row's of bodies and lifted ChengQing, looking at the flute silently for a moment. There were nearly one hundred people laid out on the floor at his feet, he didn't know if he had the ability or physical strength to withstand what he was about to try. A hand once again rested on his shoulder. He didn't need to look around, he knew who it was just by the touch.
'Together' Lan Zhan whispered.
'Together' Wei Ying echoed.
Then he bought ChengQing up to his lips and began playing.
Jin Ling and SiZhui could only stare at the scene in front of them. Of course they had heard stories of the YiLing Patriarch and what he could do. But around them he had always just been Wei Ying, even when he had been using ChenQing he had never done so with his full power. The older men had already pulled them back to the other edge of the main square but the boys where still fixated on what was happening the other side. They could only watch as their father and uncle somehow disappeared and the man who had terrorised the entire cultivation world appeared in his place….the YiLing Patriarch.
The tune coming from the flute wasn't what anyone expected. It was soft and enticing, almost drawing the eyes of everyone present against their will. Although it was soft there was an undertone to the tune which all those listening couldn't help but find hauntingly beautiful. How could such a thing be dangerous?
It began slowly. One spirit emerged from inside the building at the top of the stairs, a leg dragging uselessly behind it, and arm limp at its sides. The grimace on the spirits face never changed as it made its way down the steps, unerringly headed towards the side of the area where Wei Ying and Lan Zhan stood. After the first spirit appeared, a few more where close behind. Each spirit appeared in worse condition the one before it. To the two younger members of the group this sort of thing was extraordinary. They had seen monsters and demons but never anything as horrible as this, these people used to be human and where made like this by other humans. However looking at the more senior members of the group who stood impassive they realised just how sheltered their lives had been. The men around them had obviously seen this, and worse, in their lives.
The the floodgates began to slowly open.
Wei Ying could feel them before he saw them. Could feel the resentful energy reach out like a caress at first. It felt pleasant, not unlike Lan Zhan's touch. Then as more spirits began responding to his tune the gentle caress became a harsh grip, getting tighter and tighter. Not around his physical body but around his mind and soul. He had never used this much power in one go before, not even the last time he stood here and fought against everyone who loathed him and everything he stood for. His chest tightened at the pressure but he forced himself to carry on. He had only just begun, he had much more to do.
The spirits now formed a ring around Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, a few spirits deep. Those looking on couldn't tell where one spirit began and the other ended they, were so densely packed. Wei Ying hadn't moved his eyes at all, hadn't responded to any of the spirits answering his call. It was almost as if he were a Master calling for his dog and just expecting it to answer.
Lan Zhan had had his hand on Wei Ying's shoulder since this all started. He had felt the surge in power in his husband when began playing ChenQing and began a slow power transfer of his own to try and offset any drain on his body. However it wasn't long before Lan Zhan felt something different that made him rethink things. One of the first things cultivators where taught was how to keep up a spiritual defence around their own minds to prevent themselves getting possessed by the same spirits they hunted. By the time they got to be Lin Jing's and SiZhui's age this process was second nature and by the time they reached his and Wei Ying's age they didn't even feel the pressure on that barrier when it was attacked anymore. However there were so many spirits surrounding them that even he could feel the pressure begin to build. If Wei Ying was putting all his energy and concentration into controlling all these spirits then how much energy would be left over to protect his mind ?Lan Zhan didn't know! Switching his attention from simply passing power to protect his loves physical body, he turned it to begin protecting the others mind from invasion.
Looking from the outside the others were totally unaware of the internal fights both men had going on. It looked slow, almost peaceful, as each spirit arrived in the circle. If it hadn't been for the growing sense of resentment in the air, and the growing dark energy that now circled both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying, no one would have noticed what was going on. Suddenly the tune coming from ChenQing changed. The soft, gentle, enticing sound vanished, and in it's place sounded a fast, harsh tone, almost like a drum beat. Some of the spirits moved straight away towards the men laid on the ground. Others stood still, while others still advanced slightly towards the pair in the centre of the circle. The two younger members of the group were still staring wide eyed at the man they had known only in stories as an extremely powerful cultivator. To them he had always been a fool who enjoyed to laugh and drink, in the back of their minds they had always known he was powerful or how could he stand up to HanGuang Jun...but this! The amount of power coming off him right now seemed impossible for anyone to control. Suddenly those fantasy stories surrounding Wei Ying became a little less far fetched. Both youngsters couldn't help shivering at the idea that this man in front of them was so impossibly strong.
Both Lan XiChen and Jiang Cheng itched to reach forwards and grab their respective brothers out of that circle. Standing as they were the two where at the complete mercy of hundreds of spirits, all resentful and all waiting to spill that resentment on the nearest living person they could find. However even though both men were experienced enough to know how easily this could go wrong they knew that they could not interfere before Wei Ying had completed his task might or it could result in the very thing they both feared. They also knew that the only thing keeping hundreds of resentful minds at bay right now was Wei Ying himself.
The darkness around Wei Ying and Lan Zhan suddenly increased dramatically, so did the sense of resentful energy permeating the air. Jiang Cheng had to brace himself to stop from shivering, He had been fighting the last time Wei Ying had used this much spiritual energy but he couldn't remember such a feeling of thick resentment all around him. Looking down at the two youngsters with their wide eyes and mouths as they looked at the scene playing about in front of them. Noticeably neither of them could stop the slight tremor in their hands. He's scary as shit the first time you see him like this isn't he? Jiang Cheng thought before turning back to watch with everyone else. He's scary as shit any time you see him like this, Jiang Cheng corrected in his own mind.
Very slowly the rest of the spirits turned and walked towards their assigned targets, although it was clear some walked slower than others. Wei Ying's tune had changed again as if he was urging those stubborn spirits forwards. Neither Lan Zhan or Wei Ying could be seen clearly now, the black energy that swirled around them had almost obscured them from view completely. All that could be seen was Wei Ying's fingers on ChenQing and Lan Zhan's hand firmly gripped on Wei Ying's shoulder.
The tune changed for the fourth time and at each of the unconscious bodies one of the spirits transferred into mist before disappearing into the body on the ground. Everyone else stood around silently.
'It's been nearly two hours' Jiang Cheng whispered to Lan XiChen, as much to keep their conversation away from the youngsters as not to disturb what was going on the other side of the square.
'I know.' Lan XiChen sounded a little worried. 'Even with Wanji's help I'm not sure how much longer he can last using this much power.
Jiang Cheng nodded.
'I know even if he doesn't burn out physically, his mind…..'
The unfinished sentence hung between the two men.
'Only he could do this' Lan XiChen said in a defeated tone. 'I would rather it would have been anyone else, but but of all of us only he could do this and have any hope at all of succeeding, let alone living afterwards.'
'Lan Zhan?' Jiang Cheng asked quietly
Lan XiChen only lowered his eyes and slowly shook his head. Jiang Cheng wished he had never asked, he knew the answer. Either both of them would come out of this is one piece or neither of them would. He might not be the only one loosing a brother if this went wrong. Jiang Cheng sighed again and just hoped for the best outcome.
Lan Zhan's head was pounding as sweat dripped in his eyes, he couldn't even see Wei Ying anymore through the thick black energy surrounding them. The only way he knew Wei Ying was even still there was through the constant contact with his palm. Wei Ying's robes though were no longer dry but rather as sweat soaked as his own. Lan Zhan grimaced as once again a consciousness threw itself against the inner barriers of his mind. His control had been slipping, bit by tiny bit as he fought to keep his power flowing into Wei Ying. He had no room to think, if he had he would have realised that all these assaults on his own mind were just a diversion. Something to drain the power of the gatekeeper. After all, without Lan Zhan's protection Wei Ying's mind would be wide open and the man too physically and mentally tired to protect himself.
After what seemed like an eternity the second spirit turned into mist before disappearing just like the first. Where there had been hundreds of spirits stood just a few hours before was now empty. Only the drum beat created by the flute remained. It stayed that way for a few moments. No one willing to move and disturb the final part of the process. Eventually the flute suddenly stopped. Everyone a collective sigh of relief at such a dangerous task not backfiring on them. The mist began dissipating around around Wei Ying and Lan Zhan and the Jiang Cheng and Lan XiChen told the younger boys to stay back as they prepared to give any aid needed.
They had anticipated staggering, maybe even unconsciousness.
They had anticipated exhaustion and dehydration.
What they hadn't anticipated, was that as the dark mist dissipated they saw Lan Zhan desperately trying to breathe and Wei Ying's hand firmly clasped around his throat.