Something has changed. The paths have now switched. A deluge of white fog swarmed the area rapidly.
Xuanyi gathered the five of us closely.
"Area illusion," he whispered.
Good luck to Xuanjing and Xiaohua. I didn't like Xiaohua, however one could not help but feel sorry for him. Judging from the situation at hand, it didn't bode well for him.
From reading the books, an area illusion of this magnitude requires a group of undistracted practitioners. There is definitely a reinforcement group. The twenty who stormed into the headquarters were just a distraction at best.
Then there was Xuanjing, who had looked after me. My loyal bodyguard certainly did not deserve to be thrown into such damning circumstances.
Thirty-five years of my life on earth - the worst I had seen were dead, rotting bodies and a flattened landscape scattered around in a post tsunami area with roaming military trucks. Add the part about one of armed militia who pointed a barrel of his rifle at our group of healthcare professionals who trying to help whoever was alive. He could have shot us dead with an aim and fire of that AK-47.
I survived that, only to be killed in a car accident fifteen years later.
What a joke.
Now all my actions were to run and hide behind someone when in danger.
Shadows were surrounding us now. Mingyan and the other two were shuddering in pure fear. I could smell it. Now all my actions were to run and hide behind someone when I know what death is like and the process. These three kids don't.
Inhale deeply and slowly - can't lose my shits over this. I am with frightened kids even though I am in the body of one.
My heart was thumping loudly as an overload of adrenaline surged. Adrenaline is good. It numbs pain.
Stay steady, don't panic. Exhale slowly. Draw Yoturuki and grip its hilt hard. Taichi may be a shit skill to use but it is better than nothing.
We tightened our group back to back. Xuanyi still looked calm.
Now all my actions were to run and hide behind someone when I know what death is like and these kids don't. I should be like the Rock of Gibraltar now - solid and strong, ready to face the storm.
A loud growl from somewhere in that white fluffy thick haze surrounding us now.
A few pairs of glowing red eyes appeared. More growls.
F**k my crumbling rock of Gibraltar. Self inspiration is no inspiration.
Mingyan uttered a small cry while the other two disciples gulped.
"MmmmO... bbbbbbb...e... aast," stuttered one of the male disciples.
Thank you very much for pointing out the obvious. Good doggy...just stay there. Don't come near me. Go near the stutterer. Shoo. Shoo.
Then a loud growl came out *from* me.
Xuanyi stared at me. My damn stomach was growling from hunger. Talk about time and place for everything.
"Ready your weapons," Xuanyi ordered.
I could feel the heavy breathing on me behind the thick curtain of the fog. A grunt. I jumped as the others were moving against each other. We are our walls now. Back to back against each other pushing.
Except for Xuanyi, everyone's weapons were trembling in rhythm with each other. About to be mauled, mangled and devoured by mo beasts was no joking prospect. Mingyan was already trembling and crying.
My eyes squinted at the whitish fog wall between the creature and I as the breathing grew heavier. I don't want to be monster meat. My legs were shaking. My sweaty grip from on Yoturuki was unsteady. The sword seemed to sense it.
Out of the blue, a crystalline sound echoed from Yoturuki. A mysterious musical tune started playing. The sound was like the vibration of a thousand crystal glasses. Then Yoturuki emanated a purple glow. Its hilt started to shake violently in my hand. My other hand shot out to grip it.
"Hold your sword steady," Xuanyi snarled at me.
"I cannnn't."
Too late, it flew out of my hands.
Nothing can really dash one's ego more than when one own's weapon is fleeing the scene before its wielder. Yoturuki flew straight into the fog.
So what did I do?
"NOOOO… Don't…," Xuanyi's voice called out.
Too late. Before I knew it, my legs have gone into auto mode and chased after Yoturuki.
Damn, that totally cut me off from the group. I am alone, lost in this huge white cotton wad of a fog. Yoturuki was hovering with its purple glow. The sword was trying to bring me somewhere.
Suddenly, the scenery turned black. Pitch black.
***
"Shit, third prince," Xuanyi cursed.
Three whimpering kids, too scared to move, mo beasts before them and now the third prince had sprinted off. His reaction was too slow. His life will be forfeit, and so will Xuanjing's if the third prince was found dead. The others, all just kids, will die if he left them with the mo beasts.
"Come," he yelled.
None of them dared to move.
Before he knew it, a bright explosive burst of purplish light distracted them, throwing them back. The fog immediately cleared. Together with the creatures in it. The clear skies with the twinkling stars once again appeared.
Every one got up and dusted the soil off their clothes, only to stare in front.
Twenty meters away was the lonely figure of the third prince in a fighting stance, surrounded by a purplish aura. His sword was circling him protectively.
Xuanyi heaved a sigh of relief. Then he realised that they were not out of danger. There was something odd about the qi. It was not ling qi. Or any energy he knew of.
"Third prince." he ran towards the third prince as the others followed.
No response. The third prince appeared frozen.
"Third prince?" Mingyan uttered.
The third prince's eyes were glowing red. No one could get close to him. The sword was preventing it like a shield.
"Don't go near," a female voice called out. "Come towards me."
A woman, one of the elders, appeared.
"Master Xiangu," Mingyan greeted as she hurried over with the others.
"That Xiaohua is in the cave with the prince's other bodyguard. Xuanjing, is it? Master Jianfa and Tianxiang found them in time," Xiangu said to Xuanyi.
"I don't care about your business, but just what is going on here with the third prince?" Xuanyi pointed at the strange sight in exasperation.
Xiangu bit her lips. "It is xuan qi. It is very rare for a mortal to wield such energy… unless they have died and returned to life. Or it can come from a treasure granted by the deities. That's all I know."
Xuanyi sighed. It made sense. The third prince had been poisoned twice, and the second attempt was nearly successful. From what everyone knew in the royal palace, he was like a living corpse for months before a sudden recovery. Maybe the heavens were watching over this child. Then again, that sword could also be a source of the power. If the sword is from the King's personal armoury, it won't be surprising.
"Will he die?" Xuanyi looked at her in horror as the thought popped into his head.
"No," replied another elder, bald and sturdy looking, approached with his staff in hand.
Xuanyi recognised him as Master Tieguai of the Staff. A highly skilled practitioner rumoured to have lived for a few hundred years through cultivation.
"Tieguai, do you know anything further about this?" Xiangu asked.
"Something more," he beckoned them as he walked towards the pavilion.
"Tieguai, the intruders?" Xiangu raised her eyebrow.
"That's the thing. They left after this. Plus a few of the disciples had reported the ones outside our headquarters have retreated very quickly."
A loud cling. The sword dropped. The third prince crumbled to the ground.
***
"Jianfa, the sword also stung you?" Xiangu and the two elders, Tieguai and Tianjin, gathered around him cautiously to glance at it in the room of the now resting prince. His bodyguards were now looking after him.
Master Jianfa nodded as he rubbed his stung hand. Damn thing, all he wanted to do was return it to the owner. The xuan qi emanating from it was starting to weaken.
"What do you mean, also stung? You didn't tell me about that when you asked me to pick it up," he snapped angrily at Xiangu.
"Oh that hehe, I thought it was just me…"
He grumbled and added, "Seems like it only recognises the prince as its owner."
Pointing to the blade, Jianfa continued, "the etchings on the blade are interesting. They are the corresponding lunar phases of Xiayue and Hanyue. I would say that it is one of those rare treasures. Even I have not heard of such a sword."
"So the xuan qi isn't from the prince?"
"I don't think so. I feel nothing from him. This weapon could be granted by a deity of some sort. I won't be surprised. There's his cousin who is an immortal. Not to mention, his father has the Xueling sword and that one also has a soul of its own. That was granted by one of their ancestral deities. But Xueling doesn't use xuan qi… it has a ling qi of its own," Tianjin said.
"So the bigger question. What did the intruders want from Xiaohua? Now with this sword, it might also make the third prince an additional target," Tieguai mused.