Xiao Ping and Lian Mei ran through the dense underbrush, their bodies battered and their minds weighed down by the horrors of the past days. The towering trees of the Qinxu Forest seemed to stretch endlessly above them, their canopies casting eerie shadows that danced in the dim light filtering through the foliage. For two days, the duo had pressed onward, the memory of Lu Feng's betrayal and the savage attack by the Duskmaw Ravager haunting their every step. They didn't dare to stop anytime until they found a good place to hide or until they found others.
Xiao Ping adjusted his grip on his twin daggers, their blades still stained with the blood from the fight with Lu Feng. The trusty blades had helped them get small animals for food in the past two days. His breathing was laboured as his wounds, especially the head wound, needed attention, which he had not been able to get because of their flight. But his resolve remained firm. Beside him, Lian Mei clutched her herb pouch tightly, her spiritual energy faintly radiating around her as she kept watch for any threats. She had resolved to always be on her guard.
"How much further can we go like this?" Xiao Ping muttered, breaking the silence, his breathing ragged and strained.
Lian Mei's voice was hoarse but determined. "Until we're safe. We can't afford to stop now." She cast a wary glance over her shoulder, half-expecting Lu Feng or the Ravager to emerge from the shadows at any moment.
Their journey had been relatively uneventful since their last skirmish with a pack of Wolves. Though the beasts were fierce, they had posed little challenge to the pair, even in their weakened state. Yet the tension in the air remained obvious, the oppressive atmosphere of the forest weighing heavily on them. They didn't even bother picking herbs anymore, their survival was topmost in their minds
As they pushed through another thicket, Xiao Ping stumbled, his exhaustion catching up with him. Lian Mei caught his arm, steadying him. "Careful," she said, her green eyes filled with concern. "You're still recovering."
"I'll manage," he replied, though his voice lacked conviction. He straightened, forcing himself to stand tall despite the aches in his body. "We've come too far to stop now."
Suddenly, the sound of voices reached their ears, faint but unmistakable. Lian Mei's heart leaped as she exchanged a glance with Xiao Ping.
"Could it be?" she whispered.
Xiao Ping nodded, his grip tightening on his daggers. "Let's find out. Stay alert."
The pair moved cautiously toward the source of the voices, weaving through the trees until they came upon a small clearing. Relief flooded Lian Mei as she recognized the familiar figures standing in the center. Zhang Wei, a core disciple of the sect, stood at the forefront, his tall and imposing figure exuding authority. Beside him were Mei Ming and the Lei twins, Lei Chen and Lei Yun, their expressions wary as they discussed something in hushed tones.
"Senior Brother Zhang Wei!" Lian Mei called out, her voice trembling with a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
The group turned in unison, their eyes widening as they took in the sight of the disheveled duo. Zhang Wei stepped forward, his piercing gaze scanning them. "Xiao Ping, Lian Mei," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "What happened to you? Where are the others?"
Lian Mei's knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, unable to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. Xiao Ping knelt beside her, his face grim as he began to speak. "We were ambushed," he said, his voice steady despite the pain in his eyes. "Lu Feng betrayed us. Tian Rong and Yu Yan… they're gone."
A heavy silence fell over the clearing as the weight of Xiao Ping's words sank in. Mei Ming gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, while Lei Yun clenched his fists, his jaw tightening in anger. Zhang Wei's expression darkened, his brows furrowing as he processed the news.
"Explain everything," Zhang Wei ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ping then recounted the events of the past days, from their initial encounter with Lu Feng and Bai Fu, the death of Tian Ronng and Yu Yan, to their parting ways, their encounter with the Duskmaw Ravager and then Lu Feng's treachery in trying to kill them and the brutal confrontation that followed. He described how they had barely escaped with their lives, the Ravager's appearance providing the distraction they needed to flee.
Lian Mei's voice shook as she added, "Lu Feng has turned to forbidden arts. The spear he wields... it's steeped in dark energy. He's confessed to killing Tian Rong, Yu Yan and other sect members to fuel his power. He wanted to kill us too."
Zhang Wei's fists tightened at his sides, his jaw clenching as a storm of emotions flickered across his face. "Lu Feng… that fool has gone too far."
"Senior Brother," Lei Chen said, his voice quiet but firm. "What should we do? If he's truly embraced forbidden arts, he's a danger to us all."
Zhang Wei nodded, his gaze shifting to Lian Mei and Xiao Ping. "First, we ensure your safety. You've been through enough. Mei Ming, tend to their wounds."
Mei Ming stepped forward, her gentle demeanor a stark contrast to the tension in the air. She kneeled beside Lian Mei and Xiao Ping, her hands glowing faintly with spiritual energy as she began to heal their injuries.
"Thank you," Lian Mei whispered, her voice barely audible.
Zhang Wei turned to the Lei twins. "Lei Yun, Li, scout the area. Make sure we're not being followed."
The boys nodded in unison, their expressions serious as they moved to carry out their orders. Zhang Wei's attention returned to Xiao Ping. "You said the Duskmaw Ravager was drawn to Lu Feng's dark energy. Do you think it's still pursuing him?"
Xiao Ping hesitated before answering. "It's possible. The Ravager seemed fixated on him. But whether he survived that encounter... I don't know."
Zhang Wei's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "If Lu Feng is still alive, he won't stop. His actions endanger not just us, but the entire sect. We must report this to the elders. But that will have to be after the mission. We were also chasing after someone when you caught up to us."
Lian Mei looked up, her green eyes filled with determination. "We can't let him get away with this. Tian Rong and Yu Yan deserve justice. There's also the risk he poses to other members of the sect. Who knows who he will target next because the dark powers are always hungry for more, so he won't stop."
"And they will have it," Zhang Wei said firmly. "But for now, we must continue on our search for Gao and his group. They need to pay for what they did to Lei Chen. The Qinxu Forest is large, and we still have the sect mission to complete. Coupled with our search for Lu Heng, this is not our only concern. Rest while you can. We move at dawn."
As the group settled into the clearing, the tension began to ease, though the weight of their losses remained heavy. Xiao Ping and Lian Mei shared a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.
Li looked at the newcomers and felt slightly sad for their loss, as he was not familiar with them or their dead group members. But looking at the direction of the forest where Xiao Ping and Yu Yan had come out from, he felt an unexplainable anger from deep within him. Li felt a prickling in his brain, and he narrowed his eyes as he stared intently at a cluster of small trees close to the edge of their clearing. He got a glimpse of malevolence emanating from the direction and unconsciously moved in that direction. Something inside him was reacting aggressively to what was in that clump of bushes.
His eyes turned red as he got closer, but suddenly, there was a scurrying in the bushes Li was moving towards, and then there was silence. The malevolent presence was gone.
'Li!' the sharp voice of Zhang Wei brought Li back from his trance and he became himself again. He found himself at the very edge of the clearing, beside a clump of smaller trees that formed a kind of thicket. He turned around and found the others staring at him in wonder. He didn't understand how he had strayed so far from the group. But he was still conscious of the stirring of power within him. He had been gearing up for a fight unconsciously, as was seen in the way he was holding his sword.
'What happened to you, Li?' asked Lei Yan as Li walked back to the group, 'you stared into those trees and zoned out. We've been calling out to you without response.'
'Are you ok, Li? Mei Ming asked with concern, seeing his pale pallor.
Li simply nodded and sat down tiredly as the entire encounter had left him drained.
Zhang looked closely at Li, seeing the red flashes and the motes of redness floating on his retina. He moved closer to Li and whispered to him, 'Control it Li. You can'.
'I cant for much longer; its wants to come out and something in this forest is making it restless and angry.' Replied Li helplessly
'Just try' insisted Zhang Wei as he stood up and ruffled his hair before moving to Lei Chen and continuing to prepare their camp for the night.
Li felt his powers surge again and the malevolent look once more. His head jerked up, and he glared into the forest.