As the music grew louder, the patrons of the restaurant began to sing along, their voices slurring as if they were drunk. But it was no ordinary intoxication - their eyes had taken on a glassy sheen, and they moved with a stiff, jerky gait, as if they were puppets on strings.
Bai Ye's eyes flashed with urgency as he grabbed Lian's hands and clapped them over his ears. Lian's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't struggle.
As the music reached a crescendo, Lian felt himself becoming lightheaded, his senses reeling. But with his ears covered, he slowly came back to himself.
"What's happening?" Lian asked, his voice muffled by his hands. "Why did I just zone out?"
Bai Ye's eyes locked onto Lian's, his gaze intense. "The Song of the Undead," he said, his voice low and even.
Lian's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean, Song of the Undead?"
But Bai Ye didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hands, his fingers weaving a intricate pattern in the air. The movement was majestic, hypnotic, and Lian felt himself becoming entranced.
The patrons of the restaurant, still under the spell of the music, began to move with an unnatural stiffness, their eyes fixed on some point beyond the walls of the restaurant. They were like zombies, their minds controlled by the music.
And then, Bai Ye's hands dropped, and a beautiful guqin materialized in front of him. The instrument was exquisite, its seven strings gleaming like silver in the dim light of the restaurant. The body of the guqin was a pristine white, adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to dance in the flickering candlelight.
Lian's eyes widened in awe as he took in the beauty of the guqin. "Wow..." he breathed.
Bai Ye's fingers moved, and the guqin began to sing. The notes were like crystal, pure and shimmering, and they seemed to cut through the spell of the Song of the Undead like a knife.
As the last notes of the guqin faded away, the restaurant fell silent. The patrons, released from the spell of the Song of the Undead, looked around in confusion, unsure of what had just happened.
Lian's eyes were fixed on Bai Ye, his mind reeling with questions. But before he could ask any of them, Bai Ye's grip on his hand tightened, and he was dragged out of the restaurant.
"We have to leave," Bai Ye said, his voice low and urgent. "Now."
Lian stumbled after him, his heart racing with excitement. He had a million questions, but something about Bai Ye's demeanor told him to keep quiet for now.
They ran through the winding streets of Bailao, Lian's breath coming in ragged gasps. Bai Ye, on the other hand, seemed to glide effortlessly, his long strides eating up the distance.
Finally, they stopped in front of a nondescript building, its walls a dull gray that seemed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding architecture.
Lian bent over, panting, his hands on his knees. Bai Ye, however, stood tall, his chest barely rising with exertion.
"What...what just happened?" Lian asked, his voice still shaky.
Bai Ye's eyes flicked to Lian's face, and for a moment, their gazes met. Then, Bai Ye's expression smoothed into its usual impassive mask.
"We'll talk about it later," he said, his voice neutral.
Lian nodded, still trying to catch his breath. He knew better than to push Bai Ye for answers when he was in this mood.
As they stood there, the silence between them grew, a palpable thing that seemed to thicken the air. Lian shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say or do next.
But Bai Ye seemed to sense his unease, and his expression softened, just a fraction. "Let's get inside," he said, his voice a little gentler. "We can talk more about what happened later."
As they entered the deserted courtyard, Lian's eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in the eerie silence. The buildings seemed to loom over them, their wooden beams weathered to a soft gray. Bai Ye, however, moved with an air of familiarity, his long strides eating up the distance.
Lian trailed behind him, his mind whirling with questions. What had happened earlier? Why had Bai Ye, with all his formidable power, fled from the restaurant? And what was this place, anyway?
As he pondered, Lian's gaze wandered over the courtyard, taking in the overgrown vegetation and the crumbling stone walls. He half-expected Bai Ye to wave his hand and transform the place into a luxurious mansion.
But before he could explore further, a faint sound caught his attention. Lian turned to see Bai Ye crumpled on the ground, his body racked with violent coughs. Blood-stained vomit splattered the stone floor, and Lian's heart skipped a beat as he rushed to Bai Ye's side.
"Bai Ye!" Lian exclaimed, his voice laced with worry. "What's wrong?"
Bai Ye's eyes, normally bright and piercing, seemed dull and sunken. His face was pale, and his lips were flecked with blood. He tried to speak, but his voice was barely audible, a faint whisper that sent shivers down Lian's spine.
Lian's hands hovered over Bai Ye's shoulders, unsure of what to do. He had never seen Bai Ye like this before - vulnerable, weak, and mortally ill.
"Bai Ye, please," Lian urged, his voice trembling. "Tell me what's wrong. How can I help you?"
Lian cradled Bai Ye's head in his lap, his eyes brimming with worry. Bai Ye's coughs grew more violent, each one racking his body with convulsive shudders. Blood spilled from his lips, staining Lian's sleeves.
Lian's hands trembled as he gently cleaned the blood from Bai Ye's mouth. "Old monster, please...don't leave me alone," Lian begged, his voice cracking with emotion.
Bai Ye's eyes, sunken and dull, struggled to focus on Lian's face. His hands weakly pushed against Lian's chest, but Lian refused to budge.
"My master taught me to always take care of friends and acquaintances," Lian said, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush. "I won't leave you alone, no matter what. Just tell me what to do to save you...I don't know how to take care of demons...I don't even know medicine that well...I should have listened to my master..."
Bai Ye's gaze drifted away, his pupils dilating as his body began to shudder. Lian's grip on his shoulders tightened, holding him in place as he convulsed.
The air around them seemed to thicken, heavy with an ominous energy. Lian's heart pounded in his chest, his senses screaming that something was terribly wrong.
And yet, despite the chaos raging within him, Lian's hands remained steady, cradling Bai Ye's head with a gentle care that belied the turmoil in his heart.
As Bai Ye's body trembled with exertion, a faint glow emanated from his fingertips. With a sudden burst of strength, he sat up, his eyes blazing with determination.
Lian's grip on his shoulders tightened, refusing to let go. "No, Bai Ye! You can't—"
Bai Ye's hands wove intricate patterns in the air, and a dark void materialized before them. Lian's eyes widened as he recognized the portal – the same one Bai Ye had used to send him back home whenever he was in trouble.
With a sudden surge of energy, Bai Ye pushed Lian away, his voice firm. "Go back to your master now."
Lian's face contorted in anguish, and he shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "No, no, no! I won't leave you! You can't die! I won't let you!"
Bai Ye's expression twisted in a mixture of frustration and desperation. He grasped Lian's shoulders, his fingers digging deep into his flesh.
"I'm immortal, Lian," Bai Ye hissed, his voice low and urgent. "I won't die. Now go back to your master!"
But Lian refused to budge, his body rigid with defiance. Bai Ye's eyes flashed with a hint of desperation, and with a sudden motion, he shoved Lian into the portal.
Lian's scream was cut short as he tumbled through the void, his body disappearing into the darkness. Bai Ye's gaze lingered on the spot where Lian had vanished, his eyes burning with a mixture of anguish and determination.
And as the portal closed behind Lian, Bai Ye's body slumped to the ground, his eyes drifting shut as the darkness claimed him.