Around Jinghua and Bingwen, screaming from disciples rang through the forest. "What did the horns mean? Surely the competition isn't over!" Jinghua asked, standing back to back with Bingwen, both of them holding their swords. "Those were warning horns. They haven't sounded in..19 years." Bingwen replied, scared out of his wits. He was right. It had been 19 years since warning horns went off in any clan. Attacks only rarely happened. But how could it happen to the Yusheng palace? It had been so heavily guarded. "Warnings for what!?" Jinghua asked angrily. Bingwen gulped. "Hybrid bandits have entered the forest." Bingwen replied quietly. Jinghua grabbed Bingwen's trembling hand. Bingwen stopped shaking, surprised. Why was Jinghua being so openly touchy-grabby? Rustling from the trees came from around the two. Jinghua's pointed ears twitched to the sounds. "Jin Si, attack!" Jinghua commanded, Jin Si rising and flying around the trees around them. Jinghua's ears sensed arrows whooshing towards them. "Activate your spiritual shield!" Jinghua commanded Bingwen. Bingwen listened. "Baiyu! Petal shield!" He said. Baiyu formed a violet barrier around them both. Of course! Bingwen thought. Jinghua, being a hybrid, has increased hearing, so whatever is about to attack, he heard.
Jinghua heard correctly but his commands weren't. A grunting sound came from the trees. Jin Si attacked the bandit but the arrows still shot. And they shot right through the shield. Right past Bingwens shoulder as Jinghua pushed him out of the way. The two fell to the ground, Bingwen clenching his wound, the fabric on his clothing ripped. Jinghua grabbed the arrow and was shocked. The tip had been dipped in poison. Bingwen grunted in pain. What was more important now for Jinghua, was taking care of Bingwen. Not only was Bingwen wounded but also poisoned. This poison was made from Deadly Nightshade, a common plant that grew in the gardens of the Ning palace. Usually if the plant is ingested, it can hurt you but this poison was made to affect the outside of the body as well. The area around Bingwen's wound was starting to turn a red color. Jin Si came flying back to Jinghua. He grabbed Bingwen's sword and put it on his back, then picked up Bingwen and carried him as Jinghua hopped on his sword. "Take me to the palace." Jinghua commanded, but once he left into the air, a voice broke out from behind him. It belonged to Yuming. Jinghua stopped, Bingwen resting in his arms. "Ning Cheng, you're alive!" She said, He turned to her. "Lady Yusheng. Of course I am. But your brother won't be if he isn't treated soon." She gasped. She then turned to a Wing clan and a Mei clan disciple. "Go find reinforcements." She told them, then turned to Yusheng clan disciples to her otherside. "Please tell my mother Bingwen has been injured and as well as some disciples are injured and dead. The rest of the kin disciples are alive." She commanded. The disciples left. "We need to get him back to the palace. What happened to him?" She asked as the two continued flying on their swords. "He was hit with an arrow." Jinghua said. "The tip was coated with poison made from a Deadly Nightshade plant. But those are only found at the Ning palace. It was stupid of me to tell him to put up a shield when obviously the bandits are hybrids. Hybrid technology is stronger than human technology." The two continued to fly their way back to the palace. Under them, they could hear screams within the forest. Jinghua had his suspicions on his father. Why was the arrow covered in Deadly Nightshade poison?
Back at the palace, all the leaders were restlessly waiting for a response. And eventually one came. Jinghua, Bingwen, and Yuming, followed by a few disciples, entered the palace. "Mei! Bojing!" Yusheng Min exclaimed as she ran to the three. "Madam Yusheng, Bing- Yusheng Jin was injured by an arrow shot by one of the bandits. The arrows are covered in poison." Jinghua told Yusheng Min. Even as Yusheng Min approached her son, Jinghua held Bingwen tightly. Bingwen grunted in pain, slightly opening his eyes. His vision was blurred. The rest of the kin disciples entered the palace. "The reinforcements have been called and are now on their way!" Wing Shen said after entering the palace. "See?" Madam Hung said, perking up and folding her fan. "Everything should be under control." Yusheng Min grunted, aggressively turning away from her and back to Bingwen and Jinghua. "What was on the arrow?" She asked Jinghua. He adjusted Bingwen's hair out of his face. "Deadly Nightshade." Jinghua responded. A shocked look spread across Yusheng Min's face. She immediately called in maids to take Bingwen to his room and give him medicine. Jinghua and Yuming refused to leave Bingwen's side so they went with the maids.