I opened my eyes and looking around I noticed that everyone else was staring at me.
"Láo Yuè?" I heard Hàorán calling my name.
"What happened?" I asked as I touched my temples feeling a very mild headache.
"You passed out." Hàorán replied.
"How's that possible?" I asked myself as I tried so hard to recall what had happened to me.
"The Guó Elder said that you were seeing memories." Wú Hào replied.
"Yes." I confirmed recalling the scenario.
"What did you see?" Wú Ruì asked.
"They really were mediums." I replied.
"Did you see the one who killed them?" Déng Mō one of the others asked.
"I don't know." I replied, "I couldn't see the face of the murderer as I was only living the victims' final memories." I added.
"I see." Hàorán remarked.
"What's happening to me?" I asked, "This has never happened before." I added.
"Guó Elder believes that perhaps it's your own energy although why we still can't confirm." Wú Hào said.
"What's wrong with it?" I asked.
"There's more to the powers that you posses and the energy that you are gaining each and every day is immense." Hàorán replied.
"Why?" I asked.
"No one knows." Wú Ruì replied.
"The equilibrium between the two antagonistic for es is starting to crumble and when it does consequently then they are going to corrode and fight your body." Hàorán added.
"It's funny how I can see the final memories of the others but I am rather blind to my own." I said.
"You need to be careful from now on because if your channels keep widening then what happens is that it attracts more and more energy to your body both good and bad and should that happen then it shall disrupt your internal equilibrium." I recalled the words of Grandmaster Liāo.
"Are you alright?" Wú Hào asked.
"I'll be fine." I replied, "we still have a victim to catch after all." I added.
"But the health of one of us matters." Wú Hàorán remarked.
"Don't worry so much about it." I replied.
"The orders aren't for us to catch the murderer, we are supposed to annihilate him." Wú Ruì said.
"As if it would be that easy." Wú Hào asked.
"We are the red lotus." Wú Ruì said.
"Whatever it is." I spoke up as I forced myself onto my feet and looked at the window noticing that there was a saffron firmament outside.
"Wait, how long was I out?" I asked.
"Six hours." Wú Ruì replied.
"Six hours?" I re echoed.
"Blame Hàorán, he is the one that said that we shouldn't bother you." Wú Hào said.
"We are running out of time, we could have another victim at dusk." I muttered.
"You are the brains." Wú Ruì said.
"We strike tonight." I replied
"Are you sure that you are alright?" Hàorán asked me suddenly.
"We need to be on standby because if Po Xinēn the murderer is still within the city then that means that in a while there are going to be a few more victims." I replied ignoring his questions.
"According to the memories that you saw, where did the murder take place?" Déng Mō asked.
I closed my eyes as I tried to recall very clearly the yard where it had taken place and there I could see a sign post on my right that was wooden and the characters written in gold.
"Xūwa brothel." I said as I opened them.
"We can't be guaranteed that he might come out this night and we can not be too certain that he is going to turn up there again." Wú Hào said.
"We aren't certain that's why we are going to lure him toward ourselves." I replied.
"How?" Hàorán asked.
"The victims were present because they are pure but amongst all of us here we are cultivators so not one of us can even qualify to be a medium so we shall just get a normal person." I replied.
"Who's going to be willing enough to stand in the face of death and act as our bait?" Wú Ruì asked.
"I'd never thought that I would say this but there must at least be someone that we can find, moreso the people that live on the streets." I replied.
"Are we going to get that far?" Wú Hào asked.
"Think about it, lightening doesn't strike the same place more than once, if there is something that I know about Yuánpīng city then it is that given that the murder happened in the Western Quarter because it has very few people that are alert and there are barely any authorities and city patrols that move around the area, it shall be the same tonight, we only have to survey the areas around there because I believe Xūwa brothel is located there as well." I said.
"How did you know?" Wú Ruì asked.
"How often have we been to Yuánpīng?" I asked.
"Many times." Wú Hào replied.
"That makes sense." Hàorán remarked and at that moment I conjured a talisman and I was able to change into my scarlet attire and my very long red cape.
My face was partly covered by a red mask and my chest had a small piece of soft armour that was attached to it.
"The Scarlet blade is here." Wú Ruì said as they all did the same changing into their attires.
"Enough of the grand welcome." I muttered.
"You heard our strategist, we get ready to attack." Wú Hàorán said as we all gathered around and waited while the sun slowly started to set as we closely watched it waiting for the stars to dominate the night sky.
It was already dark and we had waited right around some nearby buildings on the rooftops.
I was right next to Hàorán and we looked at a small alley that was not so far from Xūwa brothel where a drunkard was seated.
It was getting late and there wasn't a single thing that came into our view except for the man who was lying there isolated and all alone.
"It's been hours and we have been waiting, how sure are we that he is going to strike here or that he is even coming out tonight?" Déng Mō asked.
"It's possible that he is on the other side of the city and all the other quarters are most likely to be in chaos but the security is relaxed at this time of the year and I believe that winter is not so far away." Wú Ruì said.
"Gather a few of you and scout the city, should you sight anything very strange then don't hesitate to fire the signal." Wú Hàorán ordered.
"Yes." Wú Hào said as he led a small party of Scarlets away leaving both me and Hàorán.
"Why didn't you go with them?" I asked.
"Someone else must stay and watch your back." Hàorán replied.
"Why?" I asked, "I can fight anything on my own." I added.
"You never know how strong the enemy might be and two heads are better than one." Hàorán replied.
"Though why have my back in particular?" I Asked.
"If anything were to happen to you I don't think that I could ever forgive myself, regardless of the person that I have become this very moment, I want to be by your side through everything." Wú Hàorán replied.
"You can't." I said. "who knows, you'll one time become one of the twelve elders of the Red Lotus, you'll have a wife and children to call you father." I said.
"I never asked for any of that, I could give it all up." He added.
"For me?" I said sarcastically.
"Perhaps." Hàorán replied seriously.
I studied his eyes for a while before I exploded into laughter.
"You almost had me there." I said as I looked away and at that very moment, Hàorán also laughed in a lowly manner.
"I wish I did." He muttered under his breath as we watched very carefully while a very mild wind howled about the place it attracted our attention.
"Do you think that he is coming?" I asked.
"If you said that he would then he certainly will." Wú Hàorán replied.
"You can never be too sure." I said.
"Let's just wait and see." Hàorán replied.
"Alright." I replied.
At that moment we looked at the man that had been lying on the streets as he seemed to awaken and become quite sober after he stood up and faced our direction.
"Is he looking at us?" Hàorán asked.
"I don't think so." I replied as I turned around and I looked at the back where all the other buildings were.
Hiding behind the other side of the roof we were certain that we were unseen and at that moment as the man shrieked with fear Hàorán touched me.
I turned around and looked at him while he pointed at the ground beneath where at that very moment, I could see what it was that made the man look so frightened.
"It's him." I said as I recalled the man from the restaurant his attire still the same like it had appeared earlier in the day.
"Stay away from me." The old drunkard said.
"I am not going to harm you." The man said.
"It's Po Xinēn." Hàorán said.
"We should stop him now." I said as I spread my arms and then I flew down right in front of the drunkard and the evil exorcist.
"Láo Yuè." Hàorán called me and he followed as he stood right between us.
"Finally you come out of hiding." Po Xinēn said.
"Po Xinēn?" Hàorán called angrily.
"At least someone here knows my name." The man replied as he pulled the long veiled object that was hanging on his back and he conjured it right in front of himself as it turned out to be a very dark guqin in the shape of the a serpent.
"Take him away." I said to Hàorán.
"I can't let you face him alone." Hàorán insisted.
"Then hurry up and come back because a victim's life is at stake here please, I am powerful enough." I said.
"Sure." Hàorán replied, "I'll be back shortly." He added as he walked up to the old man and touching his arm he flew away with him leaving me and Po Xinēn behind
"Someone's a hero, such a good nerve that you have young man after all these years." Po Xinēn said.
"I won't let you get to him." I said.
"I wasn't here for him in the first place anyway." Po Xinēn replied which attracted my curiosity.
"Really?" I asked.
"I came here for you." Po Xinēn replied as he plucked the strings of his black Guqin and right from them a black and red wave of yīn energy flew towards me while I pulled out my short red swords and I guarded against it.
He let his hand slip once again and faster that at the time, I went up against him as I bent backwards and let the force pass above me slightly missing it's touch.
Time appeared to slow down when I noticed that in the force I could see what would have been a thick cloud of dark smoke that accompanied the wave along with sharp edges so faint like a wave of invisible swords thrown at me.
"You look quicker than I had thought." Po Xinēn said as I used my inner energy and I conjured with my own power what appeared to be a shield that repelled the waves.
"Is that all that you have got?" I asked as I launched myself towards him at the speed of wind, trusting that I was much faster than he was but he moved out of the way and stationed himself right behind my back all of a sudden.
"No, but thank you so much for asking." The man replied as he suddenly started to play multiple notes with his Guqin once again.
At the time, the characters of the notes themselves flying only seemed to surround me from every direction and they all started to close in on me while I stood in the middle of the invisible sharp Spiritual blade edges.
I hurriedly launched myself up into the sky as I twisted my hands and span one of my swords around me to hit all the strings while other with my left hand was facing behind.
Once I had cut away all the strings, I flew with my sword pointed toward Po Xinēn with all the might that I could find and he still stood for a while.
He saw me coming for him even with my quick reflexes and actions as though he knew my every move that he lifted the Guqin and he repositioned it vertically while looking at me.
He struck the strings and out of it emerged a very large force that I tried with my swords to get a solid hit on him but a shield was right in front of my face every time I was so close to penetrating an open window.
"He is reading my mind perhaps." I thought to myself as I flew backwards after a failed attempt and I landed on my feet.
The tune of the Guqin suddenly changed and it became a little bit faster than it had been initially except that at the time there wasn't a wave that was heading towards my direction, only a much larger pile of pure dark energy which was surrounding him.
"What are you doing?" I muttered under my breath and he seemed to hear me.
"You'll thank me later." He replied.
"All that energy is enough to destroy the whole quarter." I remarked
"I know." Po Xinēn replied.
"Then you...." I halted wondering what to say to him.
"It's all yours." Po Xinēn replied as he halted and eventually plucking all the strings at once, they tore while the large wave was cast towards me.
I held my cape and started to spin around but before I could do anything in my own defense, another person right behind me quickly took me into their left arm in what seemed to be a hug and with their sword pointed at Po Xinēn the wave collided with it while he stood firm against all that immense power I was utterly surprised by the gesture.
The wind blowing his face I could clearly tell that it was him from the restaurant, Liú Shuài that I had seen and the dignified third Childe of the Liú Clan.
As the power was getting too much he lifted his sword and pointed it backwards to deflect the energy while I could feel my body reacting on its own and I could see my veins were starting to turn red and yellow with energy flowing through them.
The wave had seemed to die out on his sword for a while.
"You won't harm another victim." Liú Shuài said so confidently as I turned right behind his back and looking at the very place where the dark energy had disappeared it appeared once again as though breaking out of a small veil and consequently widening with time.
"It's a little too late for that because my mission here is complete." Po Xinēn replied.
I pushed Liú Shuài away breaking free from his grip as he hadn't processed the situation and at that moment swifter than it had gone the force collided with my body first. ~~~~~~~~~~
I cried out myself being lifted into the sky while I shone with darkness and a red mist all around me, the other Scarlets I saw approaching me in a distance while Po Xinēn conjuring a thick dark cloud he vanished.
I could feel so much pain at that moment sinking deeper into my flesh and marrow and it was then that I saw Liú Shuài flying up towards me and right in his hand there was a small piece of Jade with him that started to brightly glow.
Before the dark energy had completed its entrance into my body, I could feel it coming out once again while we were only floating higher and higher eventually we could see some of the rooftops in the city.
The energy entered the Jade slowly and I could feel all kinds of voices coming up towards my head, my veins were slowly turning normal and I was running out of strength.
Eventually, the last bit of that dark energy expelled from my body Liú Shuài caught the pendant while I slowly started falling down from the very tall height.
I felt a pair of strong arms around me and there looking up at my saviour it was still him descending with me while I was uncertain whether he knew me despite the fact that he stared do intensely at my face there must have been something interesting on my mask that left him quite intrigued.
I couldn't feel intimidated because I could trust the mask and the hood on my face made me all the more mysterious enough to draw his undeserved attention.
We landed on the ground and at that moment the other Scarlets had surrouned us with Wú Hàorán pointing their swords at him and others preparing for close combat.
I struggled and becoming independent of my saviour's support I stood onto my feet.
"Thank you." I said calmly.
"Hmmm." Liú Shuài muttered sluggishly when Hàorán walked up to the both of us and took me in his arms pulling me aside.
"Who are you?" He seriously asked.
"No body." Liú Shuài replied.
"Be kind to him, he just saved my life." I said.
"You are a Liú Clan cultivator." Hàorán remarked.
"It's good that you seem to know me, I won't bother you any longer." Liú Shuài said as he kowtowed to all of us.
"We'll leave here then." Hàorán said.
"Good." Liú Shuài replied.
"You haven't seen us and neither do you know us." Hàorán emphasized.
"Don't worry, as we came so shall we part, this incident I'll keep confidential." Liú Shuài replied as he leaped into the air and he flew away from the scene while holding me, Hàorán led all the other Scarlets into flight and we had deserted the place.
"We have failed." I said.
"It doesn't matter." Wú Hàorán said.
"There could be many more Innocents at risk because of him." I muttered.
"This Po Xinēn is really powerful." Wú Ruì said.
"He's third on the Līngyuè list, what more would you have expected?" I remarked.
"We might have underestimated him." Wú Hào said.
"Yet for some reason I found him to be quite reserved." I said.
"What happened to you?" Wú Hàorán asked so concerned with the look on his face and perhaps eager to change the topic.
"I don't know." I replied, "whatever it was I can't tell but had it not been for him, there was so much rage and anger within me that bad thoughts corrupted my mind I felt awkward and myself losing my temperment." I replied.
"What bad thoughts?" Hàorán asked.
"For the first time I wanted to kill, for the first time I wanted to destroy everything around me, for the first time Hàorán, I was thirsty for blood and power that looking at all of you around me, I felt evil presences." I whispered.
"Don't worry, all will be well." Hàorán comforted me.
"How I certainly hope so." I replied as I tightened my arms around his neck and rested having fought that battle.
"We lost." Hàorán said to the Guó Elder as he bowed his head.
"Our apologies." We all replied right after him as we did the same.
"It wasn't entirely useless." The Guó Elder replied, "The Red Lotus can't seem to handle him as well." He added.
"How is that not entirely useless?" Wú Ruì asked.
"Now you see and understand what immense power you are up against." the Guó Elder replied.
"But I fought him." I said, "And Liú Shuài......" I added halting halfway.
"Liú Shuài?" The Guó Elder asked.
"He's a Childe of the Liú Clan." Hàorán replied.
"I know." The Guó Elder replied, "but what was he doing there?" He asked.
"Earlier yesterday he had a conversation with Po Xinēn and at the time he promised that he'd take his head." Wú Hàorán replied.
"At the time that he arrived, he saved my life." I added.
"So is he now a bounty Hunter?" The Guó Elder asked.
"He rather seemed to have a personal grudge." I replied.
"But we too have questions of our own if you don't mind?" Wú Hào said.
"Tell me." The Guó Elder replied.
"At that time when we arrived, Po Xinēn wasn't just fighting Láo Yuè." Wú Hào replied.
"Yes." Wú Ruì said, "He thrust a very large yīn energy wave towards him and Liú Shuài deflected it into the void but not so long afterwards, it broke free from it." She added.
"What more happened?" The Guó Elder asked as his hair started to glow much brighter than it was glowing initially.
"I don't know." I said, "It seemed to come back to me." I said.
"This is something very serious." The Guó Elder said.
"How serious?" Hàorán asked.
"Everyone out first." The Guó Elder replied.
"Sir...?" Hàorán said.
"Out." He shouted on top of his voice and slowly we all turned around.
"You." He said and turning my head I realized that he was pointing at me.
"Yes?" I replied.
"Stay." The Guó Elder Commanded as I looked at Hàorán.
"Yes." I replied while all the others walked out of the cabinet leaving there the both of us.
"What did you say?" The Guó Elder asked this time as he closed the distance between us and his face looked much more serious than it had initially been before.
"For some reason the yīn energy, it seemed to come back to me." I replied.
He looked at me and then he started walking around while his eyes glowed much brighter and he seemed to see something in me.
"Did you feel anything?" He asked.
"No." I replied.
"It's impossible for something to just escape the veil between the real world and the void." The Guó Elder asked.
"I don't understand." I remarked.
"You are not alone." He said.
"What are you saying?" I asked.
"The Yīn energy didn't just come back to you." The Guó Elder replied.
"Then what happened....?" I asked.
"Your body, or your sub conscience, whatever it was, that energy was drawn to it and somehow summoned." The Guó Elder replied.
"What's happening to me?" I asked.
"I don't know exactly." The Guó Elder replied, "within you there are two antagonistic forces and you survive at their equilibrium." He added.
"My channels." I said as I recalled the words of Grandmaster Liāo.
"You need to be careful from now on because if your channels keep widening then what happens is that it attracts more and more energy to your body both good and bad and should that happen then it shall disrupt your internal equilibrium." she'd warned me.
"They are widening, aren't they?" I asked.
"You seem to finally understand it." The Guó Elder replied.
"But how is that possible?" I asked.
"There's more than what is really being spoken about the attack yesterday night." The Guó Elder remarked.
"Yes." I agreed, "I noticed." I added.
"It's likely that Po Xinēn conjured that yīn wave because he knew about my current situation." I said.
"What makes you think so?" The Guó Elder asked as he moved around and halted right in front of me.
"He wasn't there for the victim that we were trying to protect, instead, he was there for me." I replied, "it's like he knew that I would be there at that time and he himself told me." I added.
The Guó Elder turned around.
"You are a Scarlet, a member of the red lotus at that, what would an outsider, a wanted criminal and a fugitive assassin of the cultivation world know about your identity behind that scarlet mask?" The Guó Elder asked.
"I don't know, perhaps we were acquainted before." I replied.
"Nothing makes sense." The Guó Elder remarked, "perhaps you knew him in your anonymous past but it's been five years of secrecy that could change so much." He said.
"Perhaps." I said, "but there's not a single person that I remember, and neither is there a single person that knows I still live.
I know not of anyone that is looking for me, worse, I am certain that even if they hoped that I'd survived not a single one of them knows that I am a member of the Red Lotus still." I added.
"Look around you Láo Yuè, feel all those people." The Guó Elder said, "sometimes you must restrain yourself because if you don't I am afraid that you'll end up hurting all your friends and my assumption is that the things that you are trying to chase down could bring you nothing but calamity." He added.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You possesed the intent to kill, you craved human blood, you sat on the wings of death though you didn't soar on them long enough to finally make it to another's embrace but at this time you are much more dangerous than you have ever been." The Guó Elder replied.
"Why?" I asked, "How did you know?" I said very much surprised.
"There's more to these eyes of mine and it requires so much power to summon what has already been cast into a void, you did it except that this time it was every bit of yīn energy which couldn't just alter the internal equilibrium but it could let a dark side in you take over so all the worst thoughts one could have possesed are plausible to have turned into an occurrence if aid was delayed." The Guó Elder replied.
"I bowed my head as I lifted at my hands and I looked at the scars in them.
"No one can fight this and no one can control it Except for you, if only you could understand what you really are and perhaps what happened then you could have every strength that you have ever needed to fulfill the purpose for which you were made but unlike all other cultivators that I have known you are much different from all of them in every physical and spiritual aspect." The Guó Elder remarked.
"Even I can't understand, I don't remember who I really am, but if I am a danger to the Red Lotus, why not kill me and end my life?" I asked.
"That decision isn't mine and neither is it yours to decide as well, it's the calling, it's your own fate but as I can see and as not everyone can know, you are evolving Láo Yuè and just as you are doing so you are both a threat and at the same time an aid that is either unwanted or needed.
There's not one person that can decide what tomorrow holds, and not even know and realise all the mysteries of this world, how can I tell the strange force of immense power that is burning deep down inside you, it reinforces the power of a mark I still can't possibly tell but can expect to break free with time." The Guó Elder replied.
"Am I a sink?" I said.
"You shall never stop taking in, when power of every kind is drawn to you, you are as mortal as immortal knowing that about not anything can kill you and also the growing energy shall shatter your meridians and turn you to ashes." The Guó Elder said.
"I understand." I said.
"That's all." The Guó Elder said.
"What about Po Xinēn?" I asked, "what are you going to do about him?" I added.
"There's not many places for him to hide and even if there were there are very many places for him to strike as well." The Guó Elder replied.
"One thing's certain though he never misses his catch so if you have survived today then he's coming back for you any moment from now on." He added.
"Am I supposed to kill him?" I asked.
"That itself and facing him are up to you to decide but heed my advice first, you must try and find out what you really are because as the worst could come to pass when he is around you, avoid him if you can and block your channels if you must." The Guó Elder replied as he pointed at me and with a great force I was launched out and I found myself standing before the cabinet of the medicines. ~~~~~~~
"Láo Yuè?" Wú Hàorán called me and I turned around and I looked at him.
"Hmmm." I muttered.
"How was it?" Wú Hào asked.
"Nothing." I replied, "I just need some time alone." I said as I walked out of the pharmacy leaving everyone else behind.
I was wearing the blue and white hanfu that was my disguise and the veiled hat was still on my head as I roamed the busy streets somehow invisible to the world.
I was entirely lost in thought as I kept on recalling the words of the Guó Elder and halting in my footsteps, I felt a certain presence at that moment that I slightly raised my eyes and looked right ahead a couple of feet away about eight from me.
It was him, Liú Shuài who was looking intensely at me much as I was unsure if he recognized me.
He had a very serious expression and looking closely at him in the day light I noticed that he had very long and perfect pitch black hair, his face was round and ending in a flat chin and his eyes fairly small and bright nonetheless.
His forehead and his jaw line were both wide and judging from his build I could tell he was someone muscular slightly bigger than I was and also a few centimeters taller.
He had a beautiful white Jade pendant that was attached to his silver belt shaped like a plum blossom with a small nose ridge that he was no different from how he had looked at the restaurant only at that time much clearer.
I recalled how tightly he'd held me to defend me from the wave and how he saved me from the height when I was falling from the sky that I couldn't help but feel my face flush underneath
"Liú Shuài." I muttered under my breath certain that he hadn't heard me that I had to pretend to ignore his presence.
Slowly, my feet took me closer and closer to him as he seemed to do the same while holding his sword tightly as well.
As we got closer and closer to one another, I walked past him and continuing my own way I felt a very tight grip on my hand that I was forced to turn around and see who it was.
I didn't say a word as Liú Shuài kept quiet himself while he seemed to study me curious to know who was behind that veil, a part of me lacking in the strength to rebel as well.
I wouldn't be willing to let him see at all though the veiled hat itself wasn't my guarantee to privacy so with another covering my nose and other lower parts of my face I was very confident I didn't let that gaze intimidate me.
"I'm sorry." Liú Shuài said, "I just thought that you might be someone else." He added in a deep and reserved tone.
"Hmmm." I muttered as I nodded my head in approval of his apology turning around and walked away still thinking of his face.
With every step that I took I could feel my heart beating much faster and faster and I felt inwardly that the tone of his voice was familiar yet I couldn't point out where exactly I had heard it from before or to whom it belonged to.
As I continued step by step I halted and at that moment absent minded I bumped into someone else.
"I am sorry." I said as I raised my eyes to see who it was amidst the crowds.
Those dark and soulless eyes were familiar and so was the evil grin on that face, the long hair which looked wavy though adorned into braids and the shadows underneath those cheeks and eyes all well exposed.
"Po Xinēn?" I said surprised.
"Long time no see." He replied as he held me tightly and dragged me into an alley while myself in his embrace we were instantly engulfed in a thick dark cloud and we puffed as I found myself in what appeared to be a forest on the ground.
I stood up on my feet immediately as I looked at my captor.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"You." Po Xinēn replied.
"Has the Līngyuè Transaction put a price on my head?" I asked.
"Why must you be so stubborn, no one asks a captor questions." He said to me.
"I don't know." I replied as I threw away my veiled hat and rotating I instantly transformed into my scarlet attire and threw a couple of small flying daggers towards him.
Po Xinēn summersaulted and landed away while I sprang at him so quickly and fearlessly with a couple of blows I rotated around him as I threw a fist towards his chest while he also struck me with his own.
The leaves around the both of us were blown away while we all gritted out teeth
"Why aren't you fighting back at your full power?" Po Xinēn asked.
"I don't need to be ultimate to defeat you." I replied as I pushed him away and summer saulting I kicked him while he stummered backwards and I landed on my feet.
"You don't seem as strong as you were yesterday, did you exhaust all your yīn energy in that wave?" I asked.
"There are more things that you don't know about." Po Xinēn replied as he sprang at me.
I watched closely before I pulled out my short swords and I also dashed towards him much faster than he was I positioned myself around and I kicked him while he stumbled but turned around as I brought my other attack.
At the time nearly cutting him with one of my blades, the attack was deflected when another heavy black sword flew in and struck me away.
Po Xinēn ceased it while it was in mid air and pointed it at me.
"This is my territory." he said.
"You are an outlaw, a rogue." I muttered.
"Welcome to the outlands." Po Xinēn replied as he picked up some leaves and throwing them at me, they instantly evolved into small sharp cutting blades.
I used my short swords to strike them away while Po Xinēn moved around me as he kept on throwing more and more eventually it was a revolution that he'd made.
"I'm much faster than you could ever be." I said.
"I know." Po Xinēn replied.
"You won't have me." I said.
"I already have you where I want." Po Xinēn said as he conjured a talisman and he threw it towards me.
I moved back a little only to collide with something that was invisible like a barrier at the moment.
Where the talisman had landed, a pile of black dust had appeared beneath and right from it a red forcefield Surrounded me as I was caught in between.
"Let me out." I yelled hitting the barrier with my hands but it was still unmoved.
Po Xinēn started to ascend into mid air while the same was happening to me and my veins were glowing much brighter and brighter again as they had shone the previous night.
He was engulfed in a dark cloud and there seemed to be a thick dark smoke that started to project itself as it appeared to be nearing me.
"Please don't do this." I thought to myself. "stop." I whispered trying to bargain with my body not to draw his energy towards me but to no avail.
At that moment as Po Xinēn closed his eyes there was a sword that came flying towards him from behind and as my veins started to glow dim in my resistance I caught sight of Liú Shuài who was flying towards Po Xinēn with his sword at hand.
Po Xinēn looked at him as he smiled ghastly while the thick dark cloud around him seemed to confine his attacker's sword it could penetrate no further to cause him harm.
Eventually as the dark shield built up while the channel that Po Xinēn had created to reach me was temporarily blocked, the shield around him somehow concentrating on Liú Shuài's side, it cast him away with a very great force that he flew backwards and landed on a tree branch nearby while Po Xinēn looked at me once again.
It was at that moment that the other Scarlets in thick red mists appeared around the both of us while the force of Po Xinēn was starting to build up and he was looking at me as the dark energy was being channeled towards my body.
Liú Shuài flew right in between with the Jade floating in front of his chest and his hands around it the channel was immediately diverted and it started floating towards Liú Shuài vigorously entering the piece of Jade that it started to shake violently in the process.
Spreading out his arms a little, Liú Shuài duplicated the Jade and while I watched the scene so amazed by it the same dark energy started to flow out back towards Po Xinēn himself.
We all watched as it collided with his body again that he only seemed to float much higher and higher as Liú Shuài seemed to struggle trying to keep his stance while the channels created by the jades seemed to go out of order they were pulling him upwards.
He focused all his strength and my veins at the moment were normalizing in their appearance while a great deal of energy was surging in the atmosphere.
My barrier broke as Wú Hàorán turned to the others.
"Kill Po." He ordered and the Scarlets threw themselves at him while they flew in a circle they revolved around him at the moment slightly higher.
I couldn't force myself to get closer fearing the outcome of absorbing the energy as it seemed too much for me to handle.
The power itself exhausted from the Jade Po Xinēn looked up as the others were making their descent upon him and the darkness itself engulfing him with their blades ready to tear him apart along with it he vanished as though he had never been.