Before sunrise, the royal guards had flooded the White Lotus Hall, with Yu Zhong taking the lead. All four personal guards of Zhang YaYun were present.
Wei KaiJun looked like he just awakened from the dead. Heavy rings hung around his eyes as he scratched his shoulder, yawning.
"You know," The monkey complained. "We could have done this, like, after sunrise. Why did YaYun kick us up so early?"
"He won't have time once the meeting starts. They have been dragging it out lately. The sooner we get this over with, the better," Yu Zhong grumbled as the snakes slowly crawled out of the White Lotus Hall, yawning and stretching their limbs.
None of the snakes had expected such an early wakeup call, and even though the prospect of LiangLin receiving his snake body back was wonderful, so was sleeping a few more hours.
All except Lan QingYu was present.
The green snake had refused to move out of the hall, he didn't want to see the emperor. So, the white snakes left him behind, for now. It was better to leave QingYu to rest and mull over his thoughts alone.
LiangLin would solve the issue named Yating, he just hoped he had enough time. Once the snake was returned to him, they would have to leave the palace, eventually. There was nothing here for them anymore.
LiYue was stumbling across the yard like a newly hatched duckling before she slumped over ChangNing's stretched out arms.
"Ugh, it's too early. I need my beauty sleep. Carry me so I can take a nap for the time being..."
"…"
ChangNing's cheeks heated up as she held the white snake awkwardly in her arms. Not knowing what to do, she stayed silent.
"I can carry you, second sister," LiangLin offered. He was still a little drowsy from the encounter with the fox spirit, but he didn't feel like dying anymore. Besides, he had come to like ChangNing a lot. She was so calm, it was refreshing. He didn't want her to be teased, or even worse, strangled by LiYue any time soon.
"No…" ChangNing mumbled as her cheeks flared a darker shade of blush. "I-I can, no problem."
"Hehehe," LiYue was practically jumping in place before she climbed over ChangNing's back and sprawled out leisurely over her shoulders. Making herself comfortable, LiYue cooed into the husky's ear, "I snore, so you have been warned."
Wei KaiJun had been silently watching the little scene unfold until he turned his eyes on a yawning LiAi.
She shot him a warning glare.
"I can walk just fine, monkey!"
"But I didn't even say anything!"
"I could see it from the way you stare at me! Keep your hands to yourself, or I'll have a pair of lucky monkey's paws as souvenirs to bring back home!"
"You are evil!"
-.-.-.-
LiYue hadn't been kidding. Her rumbling snore echoed in the empty hallways and yards as the crew was escorted forward. She came to and jumped down once they arrived at the Crescent Moon Hall.
Zhang YaYun was already there waiting for them. His eyes drifted over the crew, and the mood sullied as he noticed Lan QingYu missing from the crowd. He gave them a polite nod of acknowledgement but said nothing as they stepped up the few stone steps, crowding the area.
LiangLin shot a pitying glance ChangNing's way. She was probably partly deaf by now with how close LiYue had snored to her ear. But to his surprise, ChangNing had a little smile on her lips.
Dog shifters were weird, LiangLin decided as his attention fell back on the Crescent Moon Hall and its heavily locked and latched door.
These were the locks that kept him away from seeing – no - maiming that sorcerer. There were four locks in total, each opened with a separate key.
Yu Zhong was the first to step forward. Under the snakes' watchful eyes, he drew out a black iron key from his sash and opened the top latch with a loud clack.
Xie JingYi opened the second lock with the brass key hanging around his neck. The key had been hiding within his robes this entire time.
LiangLin memorized that down for later, and so did his sisters from the way they had exchanged glances with each other.
Wei KaiJun and Zhi ChangNing opened the two last locks. Both of their keys were safely put away in their sash.
As the doors were pulled open, LiangLin was the first in line to rush inside. What waited for him was not the shameless one-eyed bastard like he had secretly hoped, but a large hall, bare of any furniture.
A round stone slab stood in the middle of the hall, reaching up to his waist as LiangLin circled the stone bed, walking along the far edges of the hall. He could barely fit through the narrow path, and he was slim. His eyes moved along the carved lines over the stone, then over at Yu Zhong, who struggled to squeeze through the area. His frame covered all who walked behind him.
LiangLin held in his smile as he watched Yu Zhong's struggle for a while before his attention fell back on the stone.
Despite YaYun calling it the dragon's bed, it had carvings of all zodiac animals, each in their rightful place and order. LiangLin came to a stop before the carving of a snake coiled next to the dragon. He looked over the lines leading from each animal into the centre of the stone.
What appeared to be incantations were carved in an intricate formation, forming a twelve-edged star in the middle. The stone bed looked more like a sacrificial ground than anything else, and LiangLin could feel a little tension gathering in the air. His sisters must have come into the same conclusion as him.
"Don't worry, it isn't designed to be harmful," YaYun's low voice was assuring as he stopped next to LiangLin, having circled the stone from the other side.
LiangLin nodded, but his body couldn't relax. There was an expectation of the unknown vibrating in the air. The fine hair over his arms stood on ends with excitement. "How do we do this?"
With a flick of YaYun's hand, a servant stepped out from the shadows, and LiangLin nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't noticed the guy this entire time.
The servant was carrying two books in his hands, and with a deep bow, he held the books up to YaYun.
YaYun took the topmost book, and with confident movements, he flipped to a page and laid it down on the stone for LiangLin to see.
A painting of the familiar dragon bracelet graced the page, with words written in uncomprehensive handwriting, and LiangLin's eyes crossed as he tried to make out the words.
His sisters were all straining their necks to see what was on the page. But the stone bed was too wide for them to make anything out in the dim lighting. LiChun was already crawling over the stone, but the rooster pulled her back down.
"So…" LiangLin said after an awkward silence in which YaYun apparently waited for him to read and understand the process by himself.
YaYun brought out the dragon bracelet, and little gasps filled the hall as the sisters recognized the cursed item. The anticipation was electrifying as everyone seemed to hold in their breath.
LiangLin was sure the bracelet was the same, but looked different from the time it had wrapped around LiangLin's hand. There was a white snake curled around the dragon, with a little blue gemstone embedded in its forehead.
"I almost had to saw his arm off to get it," YaYun muttered, annoyance clear in his strained voice. "He wouldn't part with it."
Almost? LiangLin's brow twitched. So XueYa wasn't a one-hand one-eyed bastard, yet. He wasn't sure if he felt annoyed or relieved over the matter.
"It shouldn't be too hard to return your snake," YaYun continued as he nudged LiangLin to raise his hand for him and slipped the bracelet around his wrist.
The bracelet moved on its own, and all watched in awe as the snake curled around the dragon tighter, unwilling to let go.
"I don't feel any different," LiangLin said as the snake stopped moving, resting over the dragon's body protectively.
"Yes, we haven't started the process yet."
YaYun flipped to the second page and read the words carefully.
LiangLin still couldn't make out any of the curly whirlies for words. Whoever wrote it needed their hands cut off. It was torture trying to make out any of the words.
"Mm…" YaYun mumbled under his breath before he brought out a dagger, and LiangLin took a step back in surprise.
Didn't YaYun just say there was no harm involved?!
"We just need a bit of blood," YaYun said lightly, and LiangLin took another step back, hitting a hard wall of muscle.
Yu Zhong was blocking his path like a boulder.
"A blood of the victim and a blood of a dragon," Yu Zhong's voice was quiet, and LiangLin could barely pick up the words.
"Just a prick on the fingertip should do the trick," YaYun promised.
But LiangLin wasn't really paying attention to his words anymore.
Did Yu Zhong just say a dragon? Zhang YaYun was a dragon shifter? But weren't they extinct?
Confused, LiangLin didn't fight back as YaYun took hold of his hand and brought it over the Dragon bed. With a sharp sting, YaYun pricked his flesh open and let the blood drip over the carved snake. He guided LiangLin to press his bloodied hand over the carved creature, and they watched as the blood spread over the lines, making its way towards the centre of the table.
YaYun cut his own palm, letting the blood trickle over the dragon carving before he too pressed his palm over the stone.
Everyone's attention was on the stone slab now. LiangLin's blood already pooled over the incantations. But YaYun's blood was still dripping over the carving, making no moves in any direction.
A minute passed.
Nothing happened.
A slight flush climbed over YaYun's cheeks as he pulled the book over with his other hand and read over it once more. He was beyond embarrassed; he had done everything the book had said!
"Erm, just wait a few moments. It's just a little delayed," YaYun hurried to say, but he could feel the disbelieving stares thrown at him across the stone slab. He wanted to sink through the floor, out of everyone's sight.
The Sun came to view when the last of the blood dried and hardened over the carvings, and LiangLin was sprawled over the stone slab, dozing off from boredom.
Still, nothing happened.
"YaYun," Yu Zhong finally said, "Your meeting is starting soon."
"Are you serious?" LiAi mumbled as she and her sisters moved out of the hall, making little disapproving noises.
Goddamn it! How could the zodiac artefact book be wrong?! YaYun wanted to scream, but he held it in bravely. He turned to LiangLin, ready to apologize to the angered white snake, but the man was smiling, pleased even.
"I guess we aren't leaving anytime soon then?" LiangLin said gleefully, as he let his eyes wander the hall before they settled on YaYun, twinkling in the dim light.
Somehow, the two male snakes looked identical, but QingYu didn't have the mischievous streak LiangLin seemed to possess. YaYun was glad. He couldn't work with naughty lovers. Not outside of the bed, that is.