Ch23 – Sacrifice

For a moment there was no movement, all the observers where shocked into motionlessness. Both Lan XiChen and Jiang Cheng where thinking the same thing 'Ohh no not again, please this can't be happening again!'. Jing Ling and SiZhui couldn't help but stare at the scene in disbelief, after all everyone knew how much the two people loved each other almost to the point of nausea. Even after all these years that love had never lessened. It seemed impossible that what they were seeing could actually be happening. All of a sudden though a loud gasp of air coming from Lan Zhan's throat broke the spell around everyone and they all moved simultaneously.

Lan XiChen moved towards both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan while Jiang Cheng moved directly in front of the younger members of the group. He stood there staring at two and whispered through gritted teeth, pinning them both with a glare.

'Get over there and protect those unconscious cultivators. DO NOT move any closer than that.'

Neither of the two had never heard Jiang Cheng ever speak in such an authoritative tone, not even when he had been threatening to break his nephews legs every other day. Expecting the younger two to follow orders Jiang Cheng turned his back and made his way over to where the other three where still stood. It was like the scene was in slow motion. Lan XIChen had his hand around Wei Ying's wrist, trying to wrench it off his brothers neck. Given the natural strength of a single one of the jades of Lan, Wei Ying should not have been able to hold on to Lan Zhan. Fighting against both of the brothers would have been impossible under normal circumstances. But these circumstances where far from normal.

When Jiang Cheng arrived at Lan XiChen's side he couldn't help but gasp himself. Wei Ying's eyes were solid black with no visible pupils. There was also no recognition on his face to either himself or Lan Zhan. Even the first time at nightless city, all those years ago, Wei Ying had not seemed this detached from reality. He moved to place a hand on his brothers shoulder, trying to get some kind of recognition in those black eyes.

None came!

Instead Wei Ying's gaze remained fixed firmly on Lan Zhan. With a visible effort Lan XiChen eventually managed to get Wei Ying's hand loose enough for Lan Zhan to get an audible gasp of breath.

The two lovers looked at each other in the eyes as Lan Zhan whispered through his aching throat.

'Wei Ying!'

If anything the grip on his throat tightened. Wei Ying's eyes still showed no glimmer of recognition, however a voice did appear. But the voice that appeared was not Wei Ying's.

'Nice to see you all again!'

Both men still fighting to free one man from the other froze once again. The voice was dripping with venom, dripping with evil and resentment, and both men recognised it even after all these years. It was a voice you didn't easily forget. It belonged to a man that even by the standards of the mythological YiLing Patriarch, was evil and inhumane.

'Wen RouHan!' Jiang Cheng grated out as Lan XiChen, once again, managed to snap out of whatever had been fixing him in place and resumed trying to break his brother free of the iron grip on his throat. 'How did you manage to posses my brother?'

A demented laugh came from Wen RouHan, sounding even more insane by the fact it came from Wei Ying.

'My friends kept that one occupied' the voice spat in Lan Zhan's direction, 'Wei WuXian was far to exhausted to fight me off...at least for long.'

Jiang Cheng cringed and even Lan XiChen narrowed his eyebrows at such a statement. It was true, they had all been so focused on getting everyone cured before they either died or where permanently injured, that all of them were exhausted. Wei Ying of cause had done most of the healing and didn't even have a golden core any more to help him recover. How could he have been expected to fight off an assault by the spirit of someone as strong as Wen RouHan? maybe he could have done if he was at full strength but, when he was at his weakest? Just when Jiang Cheng was about to open his mouth to speak to Wei Ying himself, all three men got thrown across the area until they were several feet away from their original position.

The possessed 'Wei Ying' now stood in the centre of the square all alone, surrounded by a shattered city, both new and old. As well as circle of newly blackened stone, radiating from his feet. The aura coming off of him was extremely strong, and the feeling radiating from him was almost overwhelming, making one want to keel over and vomit.

Despite being choked and flung to the ground Lan Zhan managed to force himself to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath. His breaths where obviously being consciously managed as he once again looked over to Wei Ying, clear distress visible on his normally impassive face, before throwing up a mouthful of blood on the stone floor.

'My... Wei... Ying' He managed to speak through gasped breaths and mouthfuls of his own blood.

Another long laugh came from Wei Ying's body as his gaze focused back on Lan Zhan, although it was clearly not Wei Ying speaking.

'Ohh dear…...don't tell me you two are in a relationship?' The laugh became louder 'The incorruptible Lan Clan actually has a Cut sleeve in its ranks…...that's hilarious…...no wonder Wei WuXian is fighting me so hard!' The voice became even more mocking. 'He has no chance of beating me, yet he is trying his hardest to fight me just to save his little cut sleeve lover'

Wei Ying's hand raised, ChengQing firmly gripped in the palm. Looking at the flute hungrily as if he couldn't wait to try it out, Wei Ying's body turned slightly away as if he was concentrating on something else for a moment. Jiang Cheng and Lan XiChen where just now regaining their consciousness with fingers twitching and groans coming from moving bodies. Lan Zhan had managed to crawl a little closer to Wei Ying, his arms wobbling and nearly collapsing with the sheer effort of it. His already laboured breathing was getting worse, so bad he couldn't even speak. 'Wei Ying' just stood there in the centre of the circle, lifting the flute leisurely to his lips as if he were practising in his own home. Completely ignoring the carnage around him.

Lan XiChen's hand managed to grab hold of his brothers ankle just in time to pull him backwards as Jiang Cheng forced himself in front of the other two. His hand shook as he faced his own brother, now possessed by the spirit of one of the most dangerous cultivators ever known. He forced his heart into a normal rhythm facing one of the most dangerous spirits in the body of one of the most powerful. I can't do it! I know what i have to do but I can't do it! Jiang Cheng thought to himself fearfully. Wen RouHan had picked the perfect body in the perfect place. Non of the men present would be able to kill Wei Ying for a second time, certainly not here.

The self important look on 'Wei Ying's' face suddenly changed to one of almost manic anger.

'He can't access Wei Ying's cultivation power.' Lan XiChen whispered to himself while still wrestling with his brother. Lan Zhan seemed to be just as unresponsive and possessed as Wei Ying, however the type of possession was just different. Lan Zhan's eyes had not moved from his husbands, he was constantly trying to crawl away from his elder brother towards Wei Ying. It was almost as if he hadn't realised Wei Ying was being possessed, let alone who by. Lan XiChen's own hand was aching from the effort of holding his brother back, but Lan Zhan didn't seem to be feeling anything despite now almost constantly throwing up blood.

'Maybe there is non' Jiang Cheng realised with a start 'Wei Ying used up all his spiritual energy, and even used some of Lan Zhan's…...that's the only reason he could get possessed'

The manic cackle had resumed as 'Wei Ying' had thrown ChengQing on the ground in a fit of temper and turned around to move towards the unconscious cultivators, defended only by the two youngsters. Both boys bravely pointed their swords at the man walking slowly towards them, but surprisingly 'Wei Ying' stopped at the body of the first unconscious cultivator. Leaning down only for a second, and rising up with a fully drawn spiritual sword in his hands. Staring unblinkingly at the two defenders he sneered as he spun it around with the practiced movement of a sword master.

'Who to kill first?' he mused as if talking to himself but loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

Neither youngster stepped forward, but neither did they retreat, they just stood their ground. Something about this made Wen RouHan even more amused when speaking with Wei Ying's voice.

'This is what the so called great Sects are producing now….scared little boys who aren't fit to be away from their mothers skirts! Or maybe your like those pathetic three over there and can't get over who I look like'….the sneer got wider but he didn't approach any closer, instead he turned around and began walking back towards the elder three men with just a look over his shoulder. 'Be thankful you aren't worth my time children'.

'Wei Ying' stepped another few steps closer to the three men, still mostly on the ground. All three had managed to get to their hands and knees but didn't have the physical strength to stand up further. Jiang Cheng's sword was still pointed at his brother but his hand was visibly shaking, Lan XiChen's attention was being taken up with Lan Zhan who wasn't listening at all to his elder brother and was just constantly whispering over and over again as if it was a prayer.

'Wei Ying no….Wei Ying no…'

The look on 'Wei Yings' face was one of glee as he approached and his voice full of mirth.

'You had no problem killing him last time…...ohh yes I might have been dead but I saw it all….' He looked pointedly at Jiang Cheng. 'The disloyal brother who thought more of his own face than his elder brothers life. This time I'm going to use him to kill you!' The voice lowered as if he speaking to Jiang Cheng only, not the other four people within easy earshot. 'And he will enjoy every second of it!'

'Wei Ying' approached even closer until his stomach was pressing on the tip of Jiang Cheng's sword. It was the only sword drawn to the defend the three of them, he knew he couldn't drop it. He also knew he couldn't kill his brother….not again. As if burned he withdrew his hand a little way, the tip of the sword withdrawing from Wei Ying's stomach. Grinning like a madman 'Wei Ying' stepped forwards once again, pressing the sword up against himself once more. This time Jiang Cheng had no alternative but to fall back. He hurriedly scurried back a pace on his hands and knees, making sure to remain in front of the twin jades. Wishing with all his might that either Wei Ying would snap out of this or Lan Zhan would. He couldn't fight this alone. On the side of the square he saw both Jin Ling and SiZhui growing increasingly anxious but shook his head desperately in their direction. He couldn't involve them in this either. If he did have to do the unthinkable, at least they had to remain untainted.

By this time Jiang Cheng could almost feel the breath of Lan Zhan as he continued to struggle against his brother. 'Wei Ying' had herded all three man into one little section of the square.

'The GusuLan and YunMeng Jiang were two of the clans who destroyed mine…..what makes you think I wont destroy yours in return…..beginning with you!' 'Wei Ying' lifted the stolen sword in the air, twirling it like a baton, then swung it down before stopping it millimetres from Jiang Cheng's throat. 'Come! try killing me!' Wen RouHan gloated, wielding Wei Ying's body like an impenetrable shield.

Jiang Cheng pointedly looked up into his brothers eyes. Those eyes that no longer held any recognition for any of them, but still belonged to the man he had grown up with. The man who he had once betrayed. You have to be still in there somewhere, he thought desperately to himself. Lan Zhan's voice could still be heard behind him, pleading with Wei Ying, pleading with Wen RouHan, pleading with anyone or anything to make the nightmare stop. His sword clanged to the ground as he opened his fist, moving both hands to rest on his knees. He was not going to kill his brother again, he was not going to the cause of more heartache for everyone here. Even if that meant letting Wen RouHan kill him.

'Wei Ying' seemed to look confused for a second before the sneer returned to his lips and the mocking tone to his voice.

'Sentiment and pity is weakness…..how did you all manage to defeat us'

Jiang Cheng made no noise as 'Wei Ying' lifted the sword again.

Then everything seemed to happen all at once. The sword dropped but instead of striking Jiang Cheng as he expected he heard a scream from behind him…...before he had chance to turn round to see what had happened a body had appeared in front of himself. Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan had somehow gotten away from his brother and was facing 'Wei Ying'! Was the man so far gone that he still hadn't realised the man he was currently facing wasn't the man who had loved him for so many years. Before Jiang Cheng could push the seemingly insane Lan Zhan out the way the sword pierced his shoulder. Blood ran down his hair and chest and Lan Zhan slumped backwards.

Almost simultaneously 'Wei Ying' screamed. The signature black smoke that was a Wen RouHan's resentful spirit seemed to rise from every part of his skin. The scream was one of soul crushing pain that no one who heard it could imagine. It seemed slow, but only lasted a matter of seconds before the black smoke disappeared back into the ruins of the city. Not that anyone was concentrating on that. Wei Ying collapsed to the floor, behind him stood SiZhui holding some kind of talisman and Jing Ling holding a bloody sword.

It was only then the men present realised the growing pool of blood was not just from one, but two men.