The disciple stares at Madam Wang, eye wide and wild, chest heaving, sweat dripping down the side of his face.
"What's wrong?" Chu Wanning asks firmly, wanting to know what is going on, what has him running here? Why were they disturbed?
"It's sect leader." He says breathless. Both Wanning and Wang get up to their knees, worried.
"What's wrong?" She asks, expecting the worst.
"Send someone to go save him. There are people... a group has been following us. We thought we could shake them off but they are persistent. He sent me to get some help. We have civilians with us, a couple of them are injured." He says fast. Wanning stands.
"I'll go." Wanning grabs his head piece, quickly pulling his hair into a ponytail like always.
"Here are some clothes." She says pushing over a white pile of clothes. Wanning shakes his head.
"I'll go like this." He says thought he does bend down to grab the white shoes. Wanning quickly takes his shoes off and putting on the new ones that do fit. He activates his core, which make his clothes shrink and fit perfectly to his new body. "Where are they?" Wanning asks.
"They should be coming from the north west, they should be closer to town now. I was sent to sneak away and get help."
"I'll be back." He tells Madam Wang with a look over his shoulder.
"Thank you Yuheng, be careful." She says. He gives her a nod, knowing she would have said that to him anyway and not because he's like this now, even then he rushes as fast as he can out the building. Once out he starts running, not wanting to take any chances.
He almost lost his... disciple five years ago. As he climb those steps hurting and in pain he ignored it because the idea of Mo Ran dying hurt more. He thought about how he messed up. He died with regret but he doesn't regret saving Mo Ran. He does regret not treating him better. It was just hard. To not feel jealous. To enjoy the small moments without lashing out in embarrassment. To not be upfront with his own feelings. Even now he can't be that open, but he can try to tell his three disciples that he does appreciate them, that he does care and the last thing he wants to do is hurt them.
He wants them to grow, to get better like he knows they can. Especially Mo Ran. They can be amazing, and he wants them to be. He wants them to be known far and wide. He's already proud of them.
Then there's Xue Zhengyong, the only person who was, still is, willing to stand next to him. The only person who he will wholeheartedly consider his friend, though, he will never say that outloud. His heart won't be able to take the embarrassment of that but he does, deep in his heart. He's never once shown his gratitude in all these years. He doesn't want it to be that he never will get the chance to. He's done with regret.
With his mind set he picks up his pace. Not caring about the looks he's getting. His mind set on this one thing he rushes forward not paying attention to who he's passing or the stares he's getting.
"Shizun!" He faintly hears but he needs to hurry and get to the north west side of town.
The three look at each other, shocked because they are not sure they saw correctly. But Mo Ran is the first to run after their shizun. Xue Meng next, not wanting to get beat by his cousin. Shi Mei reluctantly goes forward. Slowly, as no way will he be able to catch up to them. Might as well go at his own pace.
"Shizun!" Mo Ran shouts after him(?), watching the way the small frame rushing like a blur past everyone.
"Shizun wait!" Xue Meng shouts behind them.
Mo Ran spots where the steps to Shisheng peak are, thinking Shizun will pause to start descending down the stairs. Instead he jumps forward. Launching himself forward and down faster. Mo Ran rushes to do the same, not wanting to lose sight of him, though he's not sure Chu Wanning would be consideredheanymore. He cought a sight of it for a fraction of a second but he's sure he saw the roundness of breasts. And from where he is now, tailing behind Shizun he can see the way those robes fit. It wasn't his imagination after all, shizun's body changed.
Mo Ran watches, as if he's seeing a fairy, Chu Wanning lightly land on a step far down before launching himself forward again, going down the steps faster.
Mo Ran follows, every step, as Chu Wanning runs. He is very curious to what is going. What has Chu Wanning rushing, about breaking the rules about running. Well there's no rule against it, it's more like a warning and a personal thing about running.
He follows him even as he starts hopping on the roofs of buildings. Even as Chu Wanning takes a sharp right. Going further and further towards the edge of town. He could see from the way Wanning head turn frantically that he's watching, looking for something.
Once at the edge, the only thing in their way are trees, Wanning pauses. Head looking side to side. Mo Ran comes to an abrupt stop.
"Shizun!" Xue Meng whines now able to catch up with them. "Why were you running?" He asks, catching his breath.
Chu Wanning must not have heard as he continue to look side to side. Until his head snaps in a particular direction a bit to the right. Wanning gets closer to the edge. Mo Ran and Xue Meng watch carefully.
Running out from the trees are disciples from their sect rushing with civilians in their arms. All the disciples take a second look at them, eye wide but sparkle at help. Mo Ran can only raise an eyebrow curiously. What is going on?
"Dad!" Xue Meng shouts spotting his dad rushing with a woman in his arms. His head snaps to them. His eye landing on Chu Wanning for a second before he smiles. Xue Meng rushes down to help his father.
Chu Wanning jumps down as soon as a group of people, not civilians or from their sect emerge from the tree line.
He stands in front of them, causing the group to pause.
"Who are you?" One asks, voice deep and menacing.
"I should be asking you that." Chu Wanning says, to focus on his task to care about his new voice. All the people behind him giving each other looks. This person, this woman, is saving them?