"Xue Ma."
Xue Ma stepped forward and gave a curt bow, "Yes, Shizun." Without being told she lowered herself to the ground and began to draw a circle in the dirt. She mumbled to herself as she incorporated complex symbols into the circle. Once finished, she lifted her finger and closed her eyes. The ground around her rumbled and a few pebbles lifted into the air as a light blue hue elapsed the symbols she created.
For a moment, everything was silent. Liang Shufen watched with a judging gaze. Subconsciously he began to pinpoint sections where her finger had hesitated and a small bump in the circle was made. To normal humans it would appear to be a perfect circle, but as an immortal, something like this was easily spotted.
Xue Ma's eyes snapped open and the blue hue faltered before morphing into darkness once more. "This one has found them, Shizun."
Liang Shufen nodded and gestured for her to lead.
Xue Ma took the lead and the three quickly made their way deeper into the forest.
Liang Shufen was the first to hear it. The loud shouts of anger, the demented growling and the screams of pain clashing against one another.
"Shizun?" Chun Hua walked up to him, her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed. Her hand clenched her sword so tight that her knuckles were turning an abnormal white.
Liang Shufen reached for her hand and gently patted it. Chun Hua flinched and lowered her head.
"Sorry Shizun. This lowly one-"
"When facing a demon for the first time, one should remain calm." He let go of her hand and faced forward, but his eyes were still on her, "I do not expect you to be perfect, but do not show fear in the eyes of death."
Chun Hua gulped. She bit her lip and took a deep breath. "Yes, Shizun."
Liang Shufen glanced at both of his disciples before walking into the clearing.
The clearing was a mess. The trees were bent and cracked, blood splattered against the grass, dying the decaying grass a demented red. Pieces of clothing lay in the blood and for a moment Liang Shufen worried that he was too late, but he was reassured when he noticed his two idiotic disciples on the left side of the clearing.
His two idiotic disciples were dripping in sweat, their faces flushed yet their skin sickly pale.
Xing Fu was holding his sword in one arm while his other arm lay limply at his side. It was twisted at an odd angle and blood poured down like a waterfall down his hand. He was panting and letting out small curses as he tried his hardest to deflect the demon's attacks.
Qing Jie wasn't doing any better. His left eye was shut as blood flowed down his face. He kept spitting out blood as it dripped into his mouth. His robes were ripped open and deep claw marks ran across his chest, his skin peeled outwards with blood oozing from it. His face was contorted into pain, but he also kept trying his hardest to fight.
The demon they were fighting was the size of the trees. It had the body of a tiger, but it was pitch black with red glowing stripes. The blood dripping down its ripped open mouth and sharp claws only amplified the eerie black eyes. Its growl was like a rumble of thunder as it swept towards Xing Fu.
Xing Fu raised his sword, ready to fight, but his body wasn't strong enough. He was able to protect his body with his sword, but his body was flung backwards and into a tree. A sickening crunch and loud snap resounded in the small clearing as he fell to the floor, his sword dropping beside him.
Tucking his child even deeper into his robes, Liang Shufen wasted no time in joining the fight.
Xue Ma and Chun Hua followed suit.
Xue Ma wasted no time in getting to Xing Fu's side. She pulled out some talismans and began to draw as she mumbled strange words. While Chun Hua sprinted to Qing Jie's side, her sword ready as she stood a little in front of Qing Jie.
Liang Shufen stood in the clearing, staring down the demon with calmness that his disciples had never seen. The demon growled and swiped with the same strength from before, but Liang Shufen easily deflected the attic with a single swipe from his sword. The demon fell back with a loud thud, its growling growing louder.
Not wanting to waste any more time Liang Shufen calmly raised his sword out in front of him. Taking a deep breath he concentrated his Qi into his sword, emitting a bright white glow that only grew with every passing second. After a couple of seconds passed Liang Shufen let go of his sword. Stretching out his arms to the side, his sword began to multiple. Each sword glowed the same intense white and with a single word from Liang Shufen the swords flew directly at the demon.
Liang Shufen could feel his son moving in his robes, until his head was poking out just enough to where he could watch the small demon extermination.
Thinking about his son watching him, Liang Shufen couldn't help but let the pride overtake him. Wanting to show off to his son, he moved the swords in a unique dance, hitting the demon so that it would cause damage, but not bring it down.
His son let out a small gurgle and glanced up at him with his big wide eyes.
With a small smile he held clenched his hands and the swords paused, turning their focus on the demon. He took a deep breath and got into position to attack the demon head on, but he never got the chance.
A sword pierced through the demon's skull with such a fierce force that it created a dent in the ground.
"Hahahahaha! Looks like I won this time!" A loud and playful, yet annoying, voice yelled.
Laing Shufen's smile instantly fell. With a snap of his fingers his sword returned to his side and the mirror swords vanished. He gently patted his sons hair and tucked him back in his robes. His son made a sound of protest and Liang Shufen gently whispered, "Not right now, little one."
"Did you see that! One hit and it was down!The obnoxious man said as he pulled out his sword and jumped down from the demon's back. His golden and white robe was just as Liang Shufen had remembered, an eyesore that needed to be burned as soon as possible.
"Then it obviously wasn't a hard kill. Hardly worth celebrating over." Another man in dark purple and silver walked out of the forest and into the clerking, looking unimpressed from the kill. Liang Shufen's frown deepened.
"Don't say that, Wang Yuanjun said it was a higher level demon." They both gazed back at another man in green and gold who entered with a calm expression nodding his head.
"See." The man in gold smirked.
"Still, nothing impressive if it went down in one hit." The unimpressed man walked over to the demon, eyeing the multiple wounds on its body. "Hmm, from the looks of it, you were just the finishing blow. So technically, not your kill." The man returned the smirk and the man in gold scowled.
"So." The man scoffed, "just because it was injured doesn't mean it was an easy kill. For all we know the attacker could just be some low life culti….oh." The man in gold gave a sheepish grin as his eyes landed on Liang Shufen's retreating form.
"Liang Shufen." The man in purple gave a curt nod. "I did not expect to see you off your Peak."
Liang Shufen stifled a sigh and gave a curt nod back, "This one did not expect to see the esteemed Sect Leaders here, so close to my Sect." He gestured to the mountains in the distance.
"Aww, don't be like that. We are all Sect Leaders here. You can call us by our names." The man in gold practically skipped over with the same annoying smile on his face.
"This lowly one dares not." Liang Shufen dryly responded. "Now, if you will excuse this one. This one had other matters to attend to." Laing Shufen turned towards his disciples, gesturing for them to follow. "Xue Ma, Chun Hua, help your fellow disciples with their swords, we leave for the Sect immediately."
"Yes Shizun!"
"Liang Shu-"
"Don't call me that!" Liang Shufen growled. How dare they call him so casually. They don't have the right to call his name. "You lost that right long ago." He whispered.
"Liang Shufen. Please spare this one a moment of your time. It has been a long time since this one has seen you and it would be beneficial for this one to check on your condition." The man in purple stepped forward, blocking the other two and even pushing them slightly back.
Liang Shufen glanced at the three.
The man in purple, Gao Donghai, was the Sect Leader of Pingfu Sect. He was known to be an intelligent man, cold and indifferent, but those that truly knew him, knew that he disliked talking to those he considered beneath him. He always wore a purple robe, the colors of his Sect, with silver cuffs on his wrist. Out of all the Sect leaders he was the only one to not carry a sword around with him, instead a dark silver pouch was tightly secured to his waist, next to his jade pendant. His long black hair was tied loosely in a ponytail that draped over his right shoulder.
Liang Shufen would have liked to stay as far away from the man as possible, but his Sect was known for their healing and refined pills. He was the only one capable of helping him and he knew that. Liang Shufen hated them and would never forgive them, but out of the three only Gao Donghai tried to help him.
Perhaps that is why he tried so desperately to get his attention focused on him rather than the two idiots standing silently behind him.
Wei Zhao and Wang Yuanjun.
Wei Zhao was the Sect leader of Zhanshi Sect. A Sect that specialized in nothing but strength and prided itself in vanquishing demons. Wei Zhao himself was an obnoxious loud mouth with no filter or sense of personal space. Despite his Sect colors being a dull yellow, he chose to wear a white and gold robe with bright gold cuffs on his wrist that had dragons carved into them. Instead of wearing the usual one jade pendant, he fashioned two jade pendants next to his flashy sword. His black hair was tied tightly into a high ponytail with a bright golden crown. Liang Shufen truly hated this man.
Wang Yuanjun was the strange Sect leader of Lie Shou Sect. Liang Shufen had only been to the Sect once and he never wants to go back. Lie Shou Sect focuses on studying and working alongside spiritual beast. Wang Yuanjun found delight in everything to wo with spiritual beast, even demonic ones. That was the only reason Wang Yuanjun ever followed the other two Sect Leaders. Perhaps if the man wasn't so obsessed with beast, both demonic and not, Laing Shufen would have found his company welcoming. But the man's quiet demeanor proved difficult to handle when it came to important decisions. He wore a light green robe with light gold accents. His light brown hair was tightly secured in a ponytail and his green eyes always had the same soft and calming aura. Unlike other Sect Leaders, he favored a spear rather than a sword. It was tightly secured on his back along with a small pouch.
Out of the three, this man would have been the one Liang Shufen trusted the most, but when it came to helping his family, he stood aside like the others and watched on with blade eyes, breaking any trust he had built with Liang Shufen.
For a moment Liang Shufen was going to accept Gao Donghai's request. After all, it had been awhile since his last visit and he was pretty sure that the lanterns in his room were working perhaps a little too well. But that thought flew out the moment he felt his son start to wiggle in his robes.
A cruel reminder of what could happen if his son was discovered flashed before his eyes and he quickly turned around, his back facing the trio. "This one will have to politely decline. My presence is requested elsewhere and this one is doing just fine at the moment." With that he gave the three a curt nod. Motioning at his disciples, they all got on their swords and left without looking back.
The trio stood in the clearing watching as the figure disappeared into the distance.
"Wei Zhao, Gao Donghai." Wang Yuanjun quietly called out. The two glanced back at their otherwise quiet companion, their eyebrows raised in slight surprise. "Did you feel it?" He asked, walking towards the spot where Liang Shufen had left.
"Feel what?" Wei Zhao sheathed his sword and dusted off his golden cuffs. His eyes darted between his kill and Wang Yuanjun.
"The small amount of demonic energy." Wang Yuanjun reached down, gently touching the grass where Liang Shufen had been, "It was still floating around after the demon had been killed."
"Could it be an offspring?" Gao Donghai asked.
"No." Wang Yuanjun shook his head, "This demon is male and travels alone."
Gao Donghai's demeanor shifted, "Then there must be another demon around."
"Then the hunt continues!" Wei Zhao exclaimed, his smile wide with anticipation.
"I don't think a hunt will be necessary." Wang Yunajun shook his head.
Gao Donghai raised an eyebrow at that, "And why is that?"
"Because the demonic energy is moving with Liang Shufen."
"What!" Wei Zhao's eyes widened, "You don't think- has the-wait, wait, wait, it is possible." He glanced over at the two, "Do you think that his Sect has been infiltrated by demons?"
Gao Donghai nodded, "It is possible. With how his mind has been recently, a demon-no- even a demonic cultivator would have no problem sneaking onto his Sect."
"If that is the case, then as fellow Sect Leaders we need to take the initiative to help our friend." Wei Zhao looked more excited than concerned. "We should head there now!" Wei Zhao suddenly exclaimed, already grabbing his sword and jumping on it.
"No." Gao Donghai held up his hand, quickly shutting down the other before he could fly off. "Liang Shufen's mind is too fragile for us to be bargaining in unnoticed. Especially since he blames us for what happened."
Wei Zhao groaned, "Will he ever get over that? It wasn't our fault."
"Whether it was our fault or not, he blames us."
"Then what do you propose?" Wang Yuanjue asked.
Gao Donghai paused for a moment, "Send a notice that a month from now we will be stopping by his Sect. Make it out as if we are only stopping by on the way to supervise a demonic hunt with some newer disciples. "
"A sound plan. Which disciples will we be bringing with us?" Wang Yunajun asked.
"Choose a disciple that needs help in their cultivation. This will make it more believable and Liang Shufen will let his guard down enough for us to snuff out the demonic cultivator without him knowing."
Wei Zhao nodded, "Good, good. Then we will meet back here within a month!"