Wu Fulin did not pry further, but he never responded to Qi Wenxin’s strange remark either. 

Both had already left Fuhou, but Wu Fulin’s clothes were still wet. With no change of clothes in the middle of a lustrous forest, Wu Fulin wanted to get back to Xiatong, and to also conveniently ask around for more information about the ghost’s manifestation.

As they walked back to the city, Wu Fulin started to shiver slightly from the cold breeze. Qi Wenxin huffed, still not daring to look at Wu Fulin–who was practically half naked from how his skin showed through the white thin inner robes. He removed his own outer robe and threw it onto the shivering beauty. 

The wet robe hit Wu Fulin’s shoulders, making an unsatisfying blop! 

“Eek! It’s still wet!” Wu Fulin exclaimed. 

“Better than walking around with your butt showing!” Qi Wenxin reasoned. Qi Wenxin’s robes were black, and opaque even when wet, unlike Wu Fulin’s heavy white outer robes–which were also partially armored–and translucent inner robes.

“Whose butt is showing?!” Wu Fulin’s brows knitted at the bad joke, yet his lips curved into a playful smile.

 

They reached the city finally. Instantly, Wu Fulin was greeted by three disciples of his, and two other masters arrived at the scene.

“Wu Fulin! Where are your clothes? Haven’t I told you that it’s for your protection?” one of the masters said. 

This master was Ba Qing, courtesy name Ba Qimeng. Many referred to her as Warlord Leishen. She was the master of Mount Leidian of the Nine Heavenly Mountains, so well-known that anyone would describe its name as thunder piercing the ears. Her voice was deep and sharp, yet clear, powerful words like falling pillars from the sky. 

Similar to Qi Wenxin, Ba Qing inherited a fierceful look from the warlords before her. Unlike a soft maiden, her eyebrows were thin and sharp. Plum-colored lips that were seemingly unkissable with a mole on the right side just below them. Ba Qing’s eyes were always glowing like a blinding ray of thunder, grazing anyone with just a look. But one had to admit, she was another peerless beauty in the cultivation world, only her heart was unobtainable and like that of a stone. She wore a long elegant robe, going from purple to ombre black with lightning patterns at the end. At her side was the legendary Beiguang sword, sharp and mighty just like its owner.

“Ba-Shimei, those robes were as heavy as full-body armor. It would get in the way of Wu-Shidi’s Sword Art, which requires him to be swift and fast,” the other master said.

Shi Ruyi, master of Mount Jueqi out of “the big nine,” courtesy name Shi Quanwei. He was notorious for titles such as Galestormlord Dongfeng, Windrider from Heaven, and Yaoye Sword Reforged. Unlike Wu Fulin and Ba Qing’s Mountains, his sect in particular only took in male disciples, the counterpart to Mount Shengkai, well-known as “Emei Sect,” female-disciples-oriented. Mount Jueqi was heavily known for its strict principles and rules, as well as cultivation relating to the wind. Although he was one of the Seniors of the Nine Mountains, he never let his titles drift his bonds with other sect siblings. 

Shi Ruyi had a more soft-hearted personality and a kinder look. His inky black hair draped behind him elegantly, like a calm body of river flowing smoothly down his back. Shi Ruyi fancied himself with Mount Jueqi’s traditional master’s robes today; white, with teal and blue outer robes, with the legendary Yaoye Reforged at his side.

“And it absorbed a crazy amount of water. If I was fighting in the water, I’d drown before I could slay any ghosts,” Wu Fulin commented, pulling at Qi Wenxin’s robe that was awkwardly draping over him.

“You were fighting?” Ba Qing glared at Wu Fulin, making him shiver all over.

“Ba-Shijie… I don’t need protection–” Wu Fulin got cut off.

“What if he comes for you?!” Ba Qing sounded rather aggressive, with concern written all over her face.

“Ba-Shimei, I understand your anger but Wu-Shidi had made up his mind about coming back.” Shi Ruyi stood between Ba Qing and Wu Fulin to stop them from fighting. “But Wu-Shidi, please don’t be so reckless like the last time.”

Wu Fulin only huffed, looking away from his sect siblings, like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Ah, my apologies, we were just making sure Wu-Shidi is well,” Shi Ruyi finally noticed Qi Wenxin, who had been silently standing next to Wu Fulin the entire time. “You are…?”

“Qi Wenxin.” 

“An old friend,” Wu Fulin immediately chimed in right after Qi Wenxin spoke.

“...” 

“Since when do you have friends?” Ba Qing teased, tilting her head to the side–away from Shi Ruyi’s silhouette–to send her mocking gaze at Wu Fulin.

“Ever since you drank vinegar from being rejected by a lord during your apprenticeship!” Wu Fulin replied, reciprocating Ba Qing’s tone.

Hearing this, Ba Qing jerked forward at the same time as Wu Fulin. Both started to rough-play as they sandwiched Shi Ruyi.

“Ah, just like the old times,” Shi Ruyi spoke, and with a strong thrust of his arms, he pushed both of them away, sending them both rolling on the ground in opposite directions.

“Something’s missing,” Qi Wenxin suddenly said, making Wu Fulin recollect himself within seconds.

“What is?” Wu Fulin asked. 

Ba Qing also recollected herself, walking back to the group as she listened in.

“You were here with five disciples,” Qi Wenxin recalled.

“I thought I saw five just now?” Wu Fulin blinked, raising an eyebrow at Qi Wenxin as if he was challenging his memory.

“Ah? Only three came to us,” Shi Ruyi scratched his head, looking at Ba Qing to see if she had anything to say. But she only shook her head with a confused look.

“Mei Xie! Li Touliang!” Wu Fulin took a quick look at the three younger disciples and realized right away who was missing. 

Even a passerby could hear the panic in Wu Fulin’s voice. Like a parent whose children got lost.

“Was the lake you were fighting in made out of Granny Meng’s soup or what?” Ba Qing rolled her eyes. 

“Also,” Wu Fulin turned his head to Ba Qing and Shi Ruyi. “If I recall correctly, Mount Zhifen should’ve been on this case. Or else Xiatong wouldn’t be living in fear like this.”

“About that… They’ve retreated,” Shi Ruyi shook his head disappointedly. “They suffered the biggest loss, hence why the Grandmaster had summoned you, Mount Leidian, and Mount Zhengcheng to take over this case.”

“Cowards…” Wu Fulin huffed, crossing his arms. 

“For now, we should get Wu-Shidi some new clothes and take off to find his disciples immediately.” Ba Qing said, mostly directed towards Shi Ruyi. “But Wu-Shidi should stay behind. That’s final.” 

 

On the other side, Li Touliang had already looked everywhere, even checking the forest where Wu Fulin was. He didn’t even realize his Shizun had gone back to the city.

“What the hell?! Where could he be?” Li Touliang yelled in exhaustion, his legs curved and bent, unable to move any further. 

“We should head back,” a voice said, its tone playful and ominous.

“No, we’re here to exter–” Li Touliang suddenly got goosebumps all over his body. He was alone when he left, who could be tailing behind him?

Alerted, Li Touliang unsheathed his sword, observing his surroundings like a hawk. He tried not to show his anxiety or fear, like his Shizun had taught him. Ghosts fed on fears.

Just like Mei Xie.

“Boo!” She jumped out of a bush, with small branches stuck in her hair and her clothes dirtied from dust.

Li Touliang just stood there, looking at his junior with his eyes flared up like flames. He was so angered that Mei Xie could imagine steams coming out from his ears.

“Mei Xie! What did I tell you?!” Li Touliang went over to Mei Xie and grabbed her by the back of her collar. Without giving her a chance to respond, he started to drag her, forcing her to move–or rather, moonwalk–along with him as they tried to find their way back to Xiatong City.

“Li-Shixiong! Ow ow, you’re choking me!” Mei Xie complained, scratching at Li Touliang’s wrist to make him let go of her. But he was unwavering, gripping onto her collar even more.

“You little rascal…” Li Touliang huffed, walking even faster. Though his pace got slower the more he realized the situation he and Mei Xie had walked into. This city that they’d reached… 

Was not Xiatong.

“And you? You too!” Mei Xie yelped, sneakily got out of Li Touliang’s grasp somehow. But before she could celebrate, her eyes opened even wider than her senior’s upon the view of a city… that was marked with war banners and soldiers horseback-riding through with full-body armor. “This is… Xiatong?” 

“No…” 

Li Touliang grabbed onto Mei Xie again, this time her wrist. Both of them began to frantically run in the direction where they came from. Their paces constantly changed from fast to slow, indecisiveness and confusion began to grow. Both came up with the idea of splitting up. Mei Xie would run East from the City’s gate, and Li Touliang would run West from the City’s gate. But to no avail, they kept returning back to the city. 

They were running in circles. 

The faster they ran, the quicker they came back into the city again. They tried everything they could possibly think of to break the loop. They couldn’t even tell the time, or how long they’d been running for. At some point, panic had already consumed Mei Xie. She couldn’t help but cry, calling out for her Shizun in desperation.

“What the…” Li Touliang cursed, his eyebrows knitted, and for the first time, Mei Xie saw fear on Li Touliang’s face.

“How about we just explore this place?” Mei Xie suggested, wiping away her tears to encourage Li Touliang.

Li Touliang collected himself shortly, sheathing his sword, and began to walk down the eerie street with Mei Xie. The gate at the other end of the street suddenly sprung open, and soldiers began to come in solemnly, with carriages that carried a putrid smell of dust and blood. The soldiers themselves had their heads hung low, faces drooped down in immense loss and hopelessness. 

Mei Xie wanted to take a step towards them, but then Li Touliang suddenly yanked her back, making her fall on her ass. She was about to complain again, but then her throat closed up when she was a second away from death. Something had attempted to strike her out of nowhere, but Li Touliang had blocked it with the hilt of his sword. It was moving too fast for either of them to see what it was. But it left behind a certain domineering air as if to intimidate its prey.

“Mei Xie! Are you okay?!” Li Touliang’s voice was bold and urgent, yet his hand said otherwise as it shook in fright.

Mei Xie did not reply, clumsily taking out the signal firework that she brought with her in case of emergency. Although both were unsure if using it at this time would be appropriate, they had no choice but to use it.

If the ghost could strike, then it could kill.

Mei Xie was now just a little girl in terror, holding up the signal firework. With a twist of her palm, she activated it. The two disciples looked at the little spark as their last hope, as it flared up and exploded into the air above, dancing like shattering embers and fireflies. 

Just as the glowing light of the signal firework faded into the darkness of the sky above, Li Touliang started to feel something grabbing at his ankle.