Chapter 82
Xiao Xingchen's sword swung against the fierce corpse, as he heard Xue Yang laugh while Xiao Xingchen defended himself.
He hadn't expected there to be so many corpses. Even with a false Yin Iron, the fierce corpses themselves contained quite a bit of resentful energy between them, and if Xiao Xingchen wasn't careful, then it could quickly overtake him.
He needed to be careful. With each and every one of his attacks, he blocked the fierce corpses, before issuing his own attack to cut the body he was fighting against.
He hated fighting against fierce corpses, especially ones that had been animated like this. Corpses who were once at rest, but had been brought back because of someone else's greed. It was not their own resentment that drove them, but the resentful energy of the Yin Iron knock off forcing them to act.
Bodies that deserved to be at peace, but instead of resting, they were forced to attack as such. Bodies that did not deserve to be desecrated as such.
The problem as well, was that without being cleansed and the source of resentful energy removed, it could be difficult to fully cut down a fierce corpse. Not while the source of the resentful energy was still very much present and forcing a continued stream of energy towards them.
And he was all alone.
Most of the other times when they were fighting in the war, he had Song Lan to back him up. He hadn't been alone since he came down the mountain.
But Song Lan was gone.
Song Lan had needed space.
And Xiao Xingchen was all alone.
They had been separated because he'd acted with his own desires instead of asking Song Lan what he'd wanted.
He couldn't bear to see Song Lan so injured like he'd been. But he'd taken away Song Lan's autonomy. He'd taken the choice away from Song Lan and hadn't let him decide for himself what he'd wanted.
It was wrong of him. And he knew that. He'd always known that. But he'd done it anyway, without giving more consideration to his zhiji. He would just have to live with that fact. And give Song Lan as much space as he needed. Even if that meant never seeing him again.
He took a deep breath. He couldn't let himself get caught up in his misery and lose sight of the battle ahead of him.
He slashed the bodies, cutting them down as much as he could, without trying to completely disfigure them. If he could, he would bury them all after, ensuring they would properly be able to rest and get the respect that they deserved in their death.
"You fight like a god," Xue Yang laughed, "We should fight after this, Xiao Xingchen. I'd love to see how you look when you're under me. On the ground, completely helpless and unable to defend yourself. How beautiful you'd be. Don't you agree?"
"Do not speak to me like that," Xiao Xingchen said, feeling uncomfortable by his continued flirting. Even if Song Lan never wanted to look at him ever again, he'd still hold Xiao Xingchen's heart for the rest of his life. There was no room for anyone else in his heart. He was Song Lan's.
"Does it bother you?" Xue Yang smirked, as he sent more bodies after him, "You're not with him anymore. Your precious zhiji left you behind. And after you gave him so much. You gave him an eye, after all. Don't worry though. I'll get it back for you. I'll carve it out of his face and present it to you with my love."
"You do not know how to love," he gasped, pushing through a corpse, feeling a bit out of breath, "Love is kindness and compassion. It is about giving. Not taking. It is about understanding the one you care for."
"And yet, you still gave him your eye without him asking, didn't you?" Xue Yang said cruelly, "Isn't that why he left you? Because you gave and he did not want to take? How did that work out for you then? At least my way, I get to be happy while others suffer."
"I would never want someone else to hurt to make me happy," Xiao Xingchen cried out, "Do you think I'm happy even though Song Lan was upset with my choices? It hurts me knowing I hurt him. I was selfish and wrong. And Song Lan was right to be angry with me."
"Even when you're wrong, you're still so pure," Xue Yang laughed, "I'm going to enjoy breaking you, Xiao Xingchen."
He felt a corpse cut his arm, and he let out a small cry of pain as a patch of blood stained his robes.
"Daozhang!" he heard A-Qing cry out, and he let out a startled sound, turning to see her standing there on the side lines. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be safe! She was supposed to be back in the inn!
"A-Qing!" he gasped, "A-Qing, you need to go back right now. It's dangerous. You can't be here."
"I was worried about you!" she let out a pained sound, "I can't leave you here on your own! You're hurt!"
"Who is this?" Xue Yang said, with interest.
"Don't touch her," Xiao Xingchen said pained, despite knowing that if he showed he cared about A-Qing it would only make Xue Yang all the more likely to hurt her.
"So you care about her," Xue Yang said with a gleam in his eye, and Xiao Xingchen knew he had to do whatever it took to keep A-Qing safe. He couldn't let her get hurt because of Xue Yang's obsessions.
"She is just a child," Xiao Xingchen said to him, as he began cutting down the corpses with an added sense of urgency. He couldn't let Xue Yang win. He couldn't let Xue Yang hurt someone else he cared about.
"I was just child when someone ran over my finger," Xue Yang shrugged, "There's not an age limit to learn that you are not cared for in this world. The sooner she learns that fact the better her life will be. The world will chew her up and spit her out. She will learn it one way or another."
"She's already learned it," Xiao Xingchen pleaded, "She's lost her vision. Please, Xue Yang. Do whatever you want to me. But leave her alone."
"So you'd let me hurt you to keep her safe?" Xue Yang asked with added interest, "She means that much to you?"
"Please," he begged, as the corpses began to hold him down, and he heard A-Qing let out a scream in response. He knew he needed to fight, but the need to keep A-Qing safe triumphed it all. Even if there was no guarantee that he wouldn't just hurt A-Qing afterwards. But maybe he could lure Xue Yang away from this town. Away from her.
He let out a cry of pain as body parts began grabbing him, and he wondered what would happen to him after it was all over.
Would Xue Yang kill him? Hold him hostage?
He tried to throw off the bodies, but there were so many of them.
And distantly, oh so distantly, he heard someone calling out his name.
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Song Lan missed Xiao Xingchen.
He did not regret leaving Baoshan Sanren's mountain and leaving Xiao Xingchen behind, especially since he had needed time to process everything that had happened.
He'd lost so much in so little time.
He lost the home he grew up in.
He lost his vision.
And when he'd woken up, he didn't know how to process the fact that Xiao Xingchen had given him one of his own eyes without even asking him.
It had hurt, knowing that the decision had been taken away from him.
He wouldn't have particularly enjoyed being blind.
But he hated even more that his zhiji was hurt because of what happened. Xiao Xingchen didn't deserve that.
He knew that there was no other choice that Xiao Xingchen would've made. His zhiji had always been too kind for his own good. That was why Song Lan loved him so much. Because Xiao Xingchen was kind. He was honest. He was a powerful cultivator, but he cared so much with his entire heart.
Song Lan missed him, so much.
And as much as he hated it, he had to admit if Xiao Xingchen had been injured, he probably would've done the same thing if he knew how. He would've given Xiao Xingchen everything.
The problem was finding Xiao Xingchen once more. He'd wanted space, but by time he'd come around to it, they'd been separated for months. And while the Cultivation World was not large, it could be hard to track down a rogue cultivator who was always on the move. Instead, he had to follow traces of rumours and leads, trying to figure out where Xiao Xingchen currently was, and where he would go next.
Unfortunately for him, he had always been a bit behind.
But then the rumours of Yi City started to spread, and Song Lan knew that Xiao Xingchen would be heading there.
He just hoped Xiao Xingchen wouldn't be gone by time he arrived.
He walked around the town at night, noting to himself just how quiet it was. That itself wasn't an anomaly. It was rarer for there to be a mass commotion at night, however this felt wrong. It felt unnatural. There wasn't even the sound of animals. Of small coming and goings.
Instead, it felt like a ghost town. Like there was nothing and no one left behind.
What had happened in this place? Where had everyone gone?
He heard screaming in the distance then, and Song Lan immediately took off in a run. Even with his limited eyesight, he could make out the shapes of the buildings, and he used the pulse of resentful energy as a guide for where to go.
He felt the dread in his body as the voice of a child cried out loudly, as Song Lan moved quickly through the town.
When he approached the sense of the resentful energy, he felt his heart stop. There, in the centre of the town was a swarm of fierce corpses, attacking a cultivator as Xue Yang laughed while watching and a small girl cried off to the side lines.
"Stop, you're going to kill him!" the girl screamed, and Song Lan froze as he realized just who was in the middle of the fierce corpses.
No.
"Xue Yang!" he roared out, hoping to distract the man and pull the attention onto himself instead. He couldn't let Xiao Xingchen get hurt, not when he'd just found his zhiji once more. Not at the hands of Xue Yang. He'd already taken so much from Song Lan. He would not take Xiao Xingchen as well.
"Oh look, it looks like your old lover has returned," Xue Yang smirked at Xiao Xingchen, "Do you think I should finish killing him? Then you'll really be in pain."
"Don't touch him," Xiao Xingchen gasped out, clearly injured and Song Lan felt his heart break. He'd left Xiao Xingchen. Left him alone because of his own pain, and now Xiao Xingchen was in the middle of all of this. He was hurt. He had faced Xue Yang on his own.
"Fight me," Son g Lan drew his blade as he flew towards Xue Yang, flourishing it towards him, "You will not lay a finger on Xiao Xingchen."
"What's it to you?" Xue Yang taunted him, "You're the one who left him, even after he disfigured himself for you. Who are you to hurt him like this? I'm the only one he should feel pain over. Now, I'll just kill you in front of him and then he'll have no choice but to get over you for good. He'll be all mine."
"He doesn't belong to anyone but himself," Song Lan slashed, cutting Xue Yang's robes as the demon laughed and jumped backward, all the while a corpse attacked Song Lan then.
"So you still care for him," Xue Yang noted, "Then perhaps you should've stayed. Then he may not have been as hurt as he is now."
"Shut up," Song Lan made out, as Xiao Xingchen struggled to fight the corpses off. And Song Lan knew he could make a choice. Keep going after Xue Yang and try and defeat the source of the energy, or free Xiao Xingchen from the pile of corpses. There was nothing saying that Xue Yang wouldn't come for them with even more force if Song Lan stopped his attacks.
But seeing Xiao Xingchen struggle, he couldn't stop himself from rushing over to his zhiji and cutting back the corpses alongside him.
"Song Lan," Xiao Xingchen breathed out, as they came face to face for the first time in months, "You came."
"I'm sorry it took me so long," he said, wanting to cry. Xiao Xingchen had a deep cut on his side. And his always beautifully styled hair was in disarray. He had a sliced cut on his face, and he looked as if he hadn't slept properly in months, "I'm sorry, Xiao Xingchen. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I never should've left you. I was wrong. I'm so, so sorry."
"No, I was in the wrong," Xiao Xingchen shook his head frantically, as they pushed off corpse after corpse, pushing them all backward, "I should've asked you first. I never should've acted without talking to you. You were right to be angry at me. I was wrong, Song Lan. I'm sorry. I'll never do anything like that again. Please forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive," Song Lan said, wishing he could kiss Xiao Xingchen right there and then, but he couldn't. He couldn't do anything until Xue Yang was dealt with, "I'll stay by your side if you'll let me, A-Chen."
"Please," Xiao Xingchen let out a choked sound, "Please stay."
"How romantic," Xue Yang remarked, "I thought you were here to capture me. Instead, I seem to be watching the two of you get back together again. What a shame that it'll be a short reunion. I still have plans after all. And I can't risk the two of you getting away and revealing it. I'll just have to kill Song Lan and take Xiao Xingchen for myself."
"You're the one who is going to be captured!" Song Lan roared as he freed Xiao Xingchen finally, and the two began moving in harmony, fighting against Xue Yang, attempting to bring the man down. He had to admit, with two swords instead of one, it made it far easier to fight Xue Yang. Even with all the corpses that Xue Yang was sending their way, with two, one could fight the corpses while the other attacked Xue Yang. And they moved in tandem, attacking both the corpses and Xue Yang together, not wanting to let up for even a moment.
"How unfair," Xue Yang exclaimed, "For both of you to be attacking me like this. I don't like these numbers."
"You're the one with all the fierce corpses," Xiao Xingchen remarked, and Song Lan laughed. How he'd missed his zhiji.
For years, they had been by each other's sides. And while they'd been separated, it had been the loneliest time of Song Lan's entire life.
"And yet, I have to watch the two of you flirt right in front of me," Xue Yang glowered, "Xiao Xingchen is supposed to be mine. Just because you came back doesn't mean you can have him again."
"You're right, it doesn't," Song Lan admitted freely, "But it doesn't mean you can either. If he does not want either of us, it is his right. That is what love is. Accepting and loving the other person wholly even if they don't feel the same way about you. I can never make it up to him for the pain I've caused. But I can spend the rest of my life trying."
"You do not need to make anything up to me!" Xiao Xingchen tried to exclaim, but Song Lan ignored him. He would go out of his way to take care of his zhiji going forward now that he'd finally found him again.
He watched Xiao Xingchen strike his sword forward, as this time, the blow landed upon Xue Yang directly.
Whatever the weapon Xue Yang was wielding, it was in no way as strong as the Yin Iron. And they had defeated him even when he'd had a piece of that. This should be nothing.
He took the chance then, stepping forward as he swung his sword towards Xue Yang again, this time taking off the villain's hand.
"My hand!" Xue Yang cried out, as he clutched it close to his body, while the piece of the Yin Iron lay on the ground in front of him, "You're going to pay for that! I murdered an entire clan for taking my finger. What do you think I'll do to you for taking my hand?"
Xiao Xingchen moved quickly, grabbing the weapon and placing it into a warded qiankun pouch.
And without it, the fierce corpses around them began to fall to the ground, no longer fueled by active resentful energy.
"You will do no such thing to any of us," Song Lan told him, "You've caused more than enough pain. You will not hurt a single person ever again. You're going to face justice for every person you've hurt. For every life you've taken. For every crime you've committed. It's time for you to properly be punished for all your crimes, Xue Yang."
Xue Yang laughed, "Do you really think that this is the end for me? I have powerful people backing me up. They'll protect me and get me out of this. I'm not going down so easily."
Xiao Xingchen moved then to tie up Xue Yang tightly while Song Lan kept his sword pointed at Xue Yang. Whether he liked it or not, Xue Yang had proven to be an extremely tricky person. He'd gotten away from captivity countless times, and Song Lan did not trust him to not try and escape again. Even if he were guarded, the chances of his escape were far too high.
"Song Lan," Xiao Xingchen said, when Xue Yang was contained, "Song Lan, you came back."
"I'm sorry it took me so long," Song Lan said, cupping Xiao Xingchen's face, "I never should've left you. I love you so much, Xiao Xingchen. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive," Xiao Xingchen shook his head quickly, as he held Song Lan's hands that were on his own face, "I love you too. I'm sorry. I will never make another decision like that again without talking to you first."
"I will never leave when things get hard ever again," Song Lan told him, "I love you, A-Chen."
Xiao Xingchen leaned forward, pressing his lips to Song Lan's lightly, and Song Lan pulled him into his body as he kissed Xiao Xingchen back fervently.
"Daozhang!" he heard a voice call out, and Song Lan pulled away from Xiao Xingchen reluctantly, as he saw the small girl from earlier begin to cry as she stumbled towards them, "Daozhang, are you okay?"
Song Lan raised a brow as he saw the girl throw herself into Song Lan's arms, holding him tightly, "I was so worried."
"A-Qing," Xiao Xingchen chided her gently, "Why did you leave the inn? I told you to stay there safely so you would not be in danger."
"I was worried," she said, a bit sheepishly, "You were all on your own. And this town felt evil. I didn't want you to be alone."
Xiao Xingchen's eyes warmed towards her as he patted her back gently, and Song Lan smiled at the sight.
"Do you care to introduce us?" Song Lan said after a moment, wanting to give the two of them their space after what was clearly a traumatic experience.
Xiao Xingchen pulled away from her, as he bit his lip, "Song Lan, this is A-Qing. I met her shortly after we were…separated. She's been my travelling companion."
"Seems like she's more of your daughter," Song Lan commented, as Xiao Xingchen's cheek flushed.
"Do you have a problem with that?" the girl demanded immediately, and Song Lan laughed lightly, touching Xiao Xingchen's hand.
"No," Song Lan told the girl with a smile, "Xiao Xingchen is very sweet and kind, and I have no doubt in my mind that he truly cares about you. And it is clear to me that you also care about him as well."
He paused, taking a second to kneel down beside her. He may not be as kind as Xiao Xingchen, but he had been around many children from his time at Baixue Temple.
"I care about him very much as well," Song Lan told the girl, trying not to speak down to her, "I did him wrong when he did me a great kindness, and I am going to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to him. Would you mind if I joined the two of you in your travels?"
"You're asking me?" she said, a bit suspiciously, while Xiao Xingchen looked on in surprise.
"Yes," Song Lan nodded, "You are very important to him. I do not have the right to just join him again after everything that has happened. I would like both of your permissions to join you again, and if you do not give it to me, I will leave you both alone."
"Song Lan," Xiao Xingchen protested, "You know I would never turn you away."
"It would be your right to do so," Song Lan told his zhiji tenderly, "I do not have the right to demand you take me back. I can only ask and whatever you decide, I will do it."
"Song Lan, I've loved you since I first came down the mountain," Xiao Xingchen said shakily, "You were my first friend. My entire heart. You were not the only one who did wrong. In fact, I did you far more wrong than you did me. If you can forgive me and take me back, I promise to never do anything like that again."
"How about we say that both of us were not right or wrong," Song Lan settled, knowing they would never reach an agreement otherwise, "We both acted out of love and despair for the other."
Xiao Xingchen smiled brightly, as he leaned forward and kissed Song Lan once more.
And Song Lan could only smile into it.
When he pulled away, he looked at A-Qing.
"You really care what I think?" she said, sounding a bit unsure.
"I do," Song Lan said with a nod, "I do not want to encroach on the bond the two of you have.
"Who will you be to me?" she said, sounding a bit unsure, "Daozhang is-"
She cut off a bit nervous.
"I'd like to be your Baba if you would let me," Xiao Xingchen said gently, "But if you wish to continue as we are, I am happy to do so, A-Qing."
"I've never needed a Baba before," A-Qing said, closing herself off, and Xiao Xingchen smiled at her gently.
"I know," Xiao Xingchen told her, "You're one of the strongest people I know. You do not need me to take care of you and I have no doubt that you would be fine even if we separated today. But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to have someone take care of you. Everyone deserves to be taken cared of and shown love. Even Song Lan and I."
"You really want to?" she asked finally.
"I do," Xiao Xingchen said, and Song Lan wanted to kiss him again.
"Okay," she said finally, before looking expectantly at Song Lan.
"I cannot say I know you well enough where I'd expect you to welcome me with open arms if I asked to be a father to you," Song Lan told her gently, "But I care for Xiao Xingchen and trust his judgement. We had talked before about having kids and starting our own sect, and you seem like a brave young girl."
"I don't even have a core," she said finally.
"You don't need to cultivate if you do not want to," Xiao Xingchen told her firmly, "But if it is something you wish to pursue, we will help you."
She paused before turning away, "I've been lying to you though. And I don't know if you would still want me once you know the truth."
Song Lan looked at her curiously, but Xiao Xingchen did not seem surprised.
"Is it about your vision?" Xiao Xingchen asked her kindly, "A-Qing, I know."
"You know?" she said, a bit stunned.
"Of course I do," he said with a smile, "It doesn't change anything."
"I've been lying to you though!" she said, in disbelief.
"You were a young girl with no way of taking care of yourself otherwise," Xiao Xingchen said simply, "I do not fault you for doing what you had to do to survive. My own nephew lived on the street for a few years before he was adopted. I wished I could've taken him in but by time I came down my master's mountain, he'd been found. Let us take care of you, A-Qing."
"Okay," she said, with a whisper.
"As sweet as this is, can you just kill me already," Xue Yang exclaimed, "The only thing worse than being captured is having to listen to this domestic fluff."
Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen pointedly ignored him.
But it did bring the question up of what to do with Xue Yang now that they had him.
Especially because Xiao Xingchen was still badly injured, and they had a child with them. Song Lan did not think they would be able to make it to any major sect on their own. Which meant they needed to call for help.
And Song Lan had a good idea of which sect to go to.