The Cold Lake

Wei Wuxian

After they run away from the angered old woman, laughing like little kids, they reached the Inn without encountering more people. Fortunately, the suggested Inn was open at that early hour and they paid for a room where they could finally lie down the heavy Zixuan. Seen that the Inn had a lovely backyard with tables, they order breakfast for all, to share it outside, where they could had more privacy.

Lady Yanli had offer to stay with her fiancé until he wakes up, to explain him what happen, but surprisingly enough, his sword spirit (Suihua) had come out of his blade and told her to go down with the group and have something to eat for the hard day ahead of them, as he was going to take care of his Master for her.

Suihua told her this with great respect, which greatly pleased Jiang Cheng, because at least the handsome sword spirit was less arrogant than his Master. Thus, they go out into the nice backyard with a few plum trees for a beautiful view and with tables they united, so they all could sit together and had a small talk. A pretty waitress served them, putting down the many plates with delicately and Wei Ying smiled at her as she put them over the extended table.

"Students from the islands?" The waitress asked him, smiling back.

"Yeah, we are here as part of this year gathering." Wuxian answer, having a small taste of the delicious breakfast.

"Wei Ying, food is not spoken." Wangji, sat by his side said in a low tone.

"Ah, Lan Zhan, we are not in the Cloud Recesses and how are we supposed to know each other if we don't speak?" Wei asked and Wangji remained silent, tasting his also. The waitress smiled in return.

"It's good to have so many students around. They said it gets lively in town in each gathering. Where you sent here to investigate the odds happenings near the Cold Lake?" The waitress asked, thinking they had go down to investigate the case that had the neighbors of the lake quite frightened.

"What do you mean?" Wangji asked immediately. The town was under the Lan Clan protection and anything happening in there was theirs to investigate and resolve, if there was the need. The young woman looked at the younger Jade with excitement, because not every day you get to see one of the beautiful jewels of the Lan Clan and even less speak with him.

"Oh, you don't know yet? A few weeks ago some strange things begin to happening around the Cold Lake. At night the lake its cover with a dark mist, while the ice melt for a few hours. Those who lived close to the lake said that strange noises come from inside the lake. Also, wild animals that wonder into the forest that surrounds the lake became feral, trying to prey on the neighbors. The doors are left with claw marks from supposedly wild dogs and there are some who said are also marked by an unknown man eating beast that lives inside the lake and it's released when the ice melt." The waitress said.

"Excuse me." Lan Zhan said, standing up and moving away from the group. Wei Wuxian make the attempt to follow him, however, just by mentioning wild dogs, it make Wuxian's have gosebumps, paralyzing him into his seat and Wangi was aware of it, but it was his duty to go investigate.

It was actually strange that such case had not reach his brother, otherwise he would had been sent to investigate it right away. He try to use a teleporting talisman, but maybe because Lord Zheng had send them there, the talisman didn't work.

Next he try to send his brother a spiritual message by spiritual butterfly, which burst into flames immediately. Obviously, the white spirit of the islands had make sure they will not try to go back by any means, not even to reach Xichen normally. There was only one way left...

"Bichen." Lan Wangji softly said and she was by him in a second.

"Lord Zhan." She greet him, with a graceful bow.

"Can you reach my brother's Shuoyue?" Shuoyue was his brother sword spirit and it was his last resource to reach him, as swords spirit could communicate with each other when bonded, like in their case that were bonded by blood.

"I can try." She said and closed her eyes to try communicate with her Master brother, but failed.

"I'm sorry, Master Zhan, but it seems that the islands are completely sealed by Lord Zheng. He doesn't want any of us back to the Cloud Recesses until tomorrow morning, as he said." Bichen said apolitically. Wei Ying had come to look for him finally and saw the stunning beautiful lady all in white that make Suibian feel warmer in his hands.

"Are you blushing?" Wuxian asked internally and mockingly.

"I am not!" Suibian deny it, but in fact he was, indeed and Wei smiled.

"I don't blame you, she is indeed quite the beauty, like her Master." Wuxian added, admiring the perfect posture of the younger Jade.

"Then, you keep your eyes on him and away from her." Wei was tempted to laugh.

"As if I could dare put my eyes on her. Lan Zhan will kill me if I ever dare to disrespect her." Suibian rolled his eyes inside the world of his blade.

"He will kill you for another reason...." Suibian whisper, meaning his Lan Zhan will kill him for putting his eyes in someone else instead of him. The young man wasn't too expressive, but around his Master, he showed the most concern and care. It was obvious Lan Zhan was at least interested in Ying, but he had no doubts that soon enough, giving the fact they will spend most of their time together from a year, his feelings will eventually escalate to something deeper like love.

"Wei Ying, you lucky bastard...." Xuanyu said and Suibian sighed, but Wuxian ignore them both, coming closer to Lan Zhan.

"Lan Zhan..." Wuxian begin saying.

"I need to go." Lan Wangji said back, giving a step forward, to get out of the Inn, but was stopped by Ying.

"Wait! Where are you going? What happen?" He asked and Wangji turned to look at him. Bichen had gone back to her blade, sensing the two needed their privacy.

"Go back, this is a matter of my Clan." Wangji told him, but still, Wuxian had a strong hold on his arm.

"Ah, Lan Zhan, don't be like that. We were sent here to act as one, remember? So for the time being, we all help each other and if this affect the people of this town, the more help the better." Ying said.

"Well said Wuxian. We can all investigate this strange happening. It's not like we can return to the island anytime soon, I already try it." Jiang Cheng said from their back and both Wei and Wangji turned to see the remaining members of their small group there too.

"So, where to?" Song Lang asked.

"Cold Lake, was it, right? You lead the way, Lan Zhan..." Wuxian said, smiling charmingly at him. It goes without saying that his heart skipped another beat with such dazzling smile directed at him. He turned back to avoid seen it and started walking out of the Inn.

"Follow me." Wangji said and they all did as they were told, following the serious young Jade to the Cold Lake.

Lan Wangji

A few hours later, they were walking around the area near the almost permanent frozen lake. They notice the marks that the waitress had told him about the wild dogs on the doors and Wangji notice Wuxian staying closer to him. They talked with the locals, but they could not tell them more than the waitress, because none of them leaved their homes at night, fearing some corpses had cross the barrier and were lurking around the lake in which it was said there was a hidden cave.

"Are there any corpses inside the barrier?" Wuxian asked Xiao, but he only moved his head in negative.

"No. No corpses had cross the barrier under the Lan Clan watch, but there is a kind of disturbance in the white energy around this area." Xiao assure them.

"He is right Wuxian, the place does have an unusual amount of dark energy stored at the bottom of the lake and there is something more, a sinister presence is hiding somewhere close, but it will not get out until nightfall." Xuanyu said to Wei Ying.

"Lan Zhan, do you know about the cave is rumor to be somewhere close?" Wei asked him first, taking out a talisman.

"I know the rumor, but it was not found." Wangji responded and Wei Ying infused a man shaped talisman with his energy and then, blow it with his breath. The red little thing flew a meter or so ahead of them, came down and start walking little step that Wei Ying followed.

"Wait, Wuxian what kind of talisman is that?" Jiang Cheng asked as he follow him right after Lan Wangji.

"This is my invention. It's like Song Lan and Xingchen sword spirit. It detects nearby dark energy and can reach places we can't normally, giving it size and thin thickness. Corpses don't notice it presence, so it's quite useful for places like caves and nests. We usually had one in each eagle nest and when corpses are close to them, we know instantly and we use teleportation talismans to aid them." Wuxian explained.

"I see, quite interesting." Song Lan said.

"You said eagles? You mean those huge scary ones that lives in the east?" Huaisang asked, almost shaking.

"Yeah. They are not really scary, actually we came to the north flying them." Wei told them.

"You are kidding me right?" Jiang Cheng doubt it.

"He is not kidding." Wangji assure them and Yanli squeal.

"Oh, I would had wanted to see them. We don't have them here." She said.

"They are just big and temperamental." Wen Qing said.

"Still, that's quite impressive." Xingchen said as they keep walking. When close to the lake, Wen Ning felt something strange and as soon as they saw the frozen lake, he felt uncomfortable around it.

"Ah Ning..." His sister whisper to him, taking him by his arm to stop him from moving closer to the Cold Lake, because even she could feel the tainted atmosphere.

"So, that's the Cold Lake...." Mianmian said, moving to the shore and putting a foot over the thick layer of ice.

"Wow, be careful Mianmian... the ice can be tricky and slippery." Wuxian urged, also stepping over the lake.

His red talisman was now sliding over the ice surface, almost like it was having fun. Wangji look at it, wondering if Wei Ying was playing with it, as it was his spiritual energy the one the little thing had been infused, but then, the easy to spot red talisman disappeared around the deeper part of the lake and then, its Master was yanked forward by an almost invisible golden string.

"Wei Ying!" Wangji yelled as he watched the young man fall over his chest and be dragged over the lake surface. He try his best to run over the ice to have a hold on him, but it was indeed slippery and hard to move in haste. The others were also struggling with the ice to stop Wuxian's advance toward the deeper parts of the lake, however, it was like they were repelled by the ice bellow them, who begin to darken.

"Wei Ying!" In a desperate attempt to stop him, he throw himself over the sliding figure, barely catching his legs, then Bichen unsheathed and encrusted herself deep inside the ice, so her Master could have something to hold on and stop both of them from going further away from the rest of the group.

"Suibian! Cut the link!" Wei yelled, as he fight dizziness, having an insight of the deepness of the lake in which his talisman was been pulled in and his sword spirit immediately came out to cut the spiritual link and help his Master with the pressure of the dark energy, with dark ribbons of smoke beginning to come out from within the lake.

"Done! Let's move away..." Suibian was saying, just before the ice under them broke and the two Masters, along with their sword, were pulled inside a sudden whirlpool into the darkness.

AN: Cliffhanger! My bad, but things will get interesting from here on. What will happen to Wei Ying and Lan Zhan inside the lake? And what about the others? In the next chapter, coming soon. Thanks for reading, until next time, take care darlings. 😲😉😂😄💞💞💞🌷