17- Shadows

With no intention to answer, Shi Lihua disappeared back into the forest. His expression under the oil lamp was passive but unless you looked closely, you wouldn't know he was very displeased.

"Shixiong!" Panicked footsteps rushed behind him. He didn't have a moment to react before his body was wrapped tightly into the other person's body.

Bang!

He heard his head cracked. His body slammed so hard into the ice-cold ground that it took him a moment to register the pain. Shi Lihua's eyes in the process caught the others' pair. And there was only shock and panic.

A shadow flew above them just before the light from the lamp was extinguished from the snow.

Wu Huan was about to say something but he had no time to because suddenly, a glare of sword directed down at them. Shi Lihua had two seconds to roll Wu Huan away from death.

He rushed up with the sharp pain of his injury and heaved labor breath before gripping his junior brothers' collars. They jumped up momentarily into the air, just enough for another shadow to miss from below. When they landed, he stumbled from the pain.

"Shixiong, move behind me!"

[This knucklehead.]

Just as his sword, Tian Jian, rose to unsheathe, another sword appeared even quicker. It clanged with the attacker's incoming one. Having Wu Huan occupying one of the enemies, Shi Lihua roughly counted the shadows.

Three were coming for him and two were battling Wu Huan.

He turned to grab his junior brother again, kicked him to a safe place then spun rapidly with his sword the moment the enemies closed in. Light spiritual energy seeped off from his figure and eventually, the person became a ball of peach blossom light.

Black mask, and red ropes. The enemies looked small and agile, but nonetheless, he could tell that they were very skilled with their swords from the way they were fought.

[They are backing off. It's my chance...] Wu Huan attempted to move.

"Shit!" A long slender blade blocked to him perfectly in time. Wu Huan stumbled back his heart jumping out of his chest as his butts thudded loudly on the snow. He watched blades after blades emerging from Shi Lihua's palms. The enemies wasted no time to scramble to dodge the oncoming dozens of swords. At least, they were skilled enough to swat off the first and second wave but when the third wave made an appearance, the shadows simultaneously retreated back into the forest.

Shi Lihua slowed to a stopped. He puffed out a breath of air. "..." His dark phoenix eyes glared at the retreating figures.

"Shixiong..." Snowflakes dusted his hair and cloaks. Wu Huan trodded across the snow. "That was...but are you ok?"

"We're going back to the Mo Manor." His thin voice seemed to be carried away by the wind. Shi Lihua took a step, shut his eyes, and suddenly fell.

"Shixiong? Shixiong?" Fortunately, he caught the body on time. Something sticky soaked his palm. Wu Huan stared at the red wetness. "You hit your head and you were willing to fight them alone?" Well, no amount of lecture spoken to the unconscious person could be drilled into his ears. Wu Huan decided to piggy back-ride him back to the Mo Manor.

The warmth seeping into his back was enough to distract him from the night air. He used to lament heavy snow at this time of the year, but at that moment with this person on his back, he wished it would snow heavier and heavier and heavier until all his senses sucked at the rare pleasant warmth forever.

[You're trudging into dangerous territory.] The moon seemed to talk to him through the crack of the woods. Wu Huan didn't stare at it for too long fearing his guilty conscience would struggle him to death.

-

Peng Yu and her orange side profile.

Her eyes were warm and her smile was grateful.

"It's not your fault. And I forgive you."

[Forgive? About what?]

Shi Lihua woke up to an orange glow, he thought for a moment he was still in his dream. The back of a person came to his visibility. His long black ponytail catching all the snow. "Wu Huan," he grabbed his coat.

"Shixiong," his face was a mixture of bitterness and sorrow. Ever since Shi Lihua met him, he never looked so disturbed. "Go back to rest for now. We will find a doctor to treat you."

[Fire?]

"Fire? But that's Mo-" He finally recognized the manor structure even though the fire already consumed and burnt down more than half the property. They were watching by the back gate where Peng Yu once stood.

"Peng Yu!" He stumbled using his arm to prop himself up. "Where is-"

Wu Huan stopped him, hugged him into his arms, and said nothing at all. If he didn't stop him now, there was no way Shi Lihua would be conscious anymore.

"Let me go," he pleaded. "Let me go... Please. Peng Yu. Sister Jinjing. Uncle Tao. Uncle Feng Yu...Where are they?"

"..."

It must have been midnight. They sat there until their hair was wet. No words were exchanged either.

Later, Shi Lihua abruptly rose up, his coat nearly slipped off from his shoulders. "Tell me what happened."

"The fire must have started right after Shixiong left. When I carried you here, it was already halfway finished. People were everywhere lining up the...the dead bodies. They said...they said no one survived."

It took a while for him to hear a response. "There's no possibility no one could escape a fire. Someone could easily spot the fire and alert everyone."

A stare.

"Unless...the culprit was just burning the corpses."

Wu Huan alertly followed when Shi Lihua left to the front courtyard. Fortunately, the bodies were already moved away and the manor's alley was also usually quiet. If they were to be seen now, people would undoubtedly point fingers.

"Shixiong, your head injury. You need to be treated first."

"Uncle Tao is still alive. Feng Yu, as well. That's right. They weren't home. I need to see them."

When they reached the city center, Shi Lihua was pulled back. He was still weak from his brain shattering headache so he could only swat his hands away. "What?"

"Let's rest first," Wu Huan spoke. He scanned the several lights from shops. It wasn't midnight yet. "In an inn."

"I said-"

"I'm not asking for your opinion. Shi Lihua, I won't let you run around bleeding from your head. Come with me or I'll forcibly do so myself." His eyes were as dark as a night river. Without even giving time to hear a response, his strong grip pulled the other person forward.

Of course, Shi Lihua was angry.

That was no way to talk to your senior brother nor had he ever been pulled along like a cart for the likes of this person. Who cared about his head? Because of him, the Mo household lost all their lives. Didn't he know it was his fault? Did this junior brother of his know that he was the one to blame?