The Departed

"There it is again! It's the same woman we heard before, do you think one of the young Madam cultivators are in trouble?" said Ba Chen, but no one answered.

Hai Yin took a few steps forward, putting some distance in between he and his comrades so that he could focus more on the direction the crying was coming from when Kang Lei suddenly yelled, "Hai Yin!" Hai Yin spun around to see a concerned look on Kang Lei's face, his blue eyes seemingly glowing in the dark of the night.

"Our senses are impaired; we have been running in circles!" said Kang Lei, his tone quite uneasy.

"In circles?", said Hai Yin confused.

"There!" said Kang Lei as he pointed to the same nearby rock that Ba Chen was hiding behind when they first found him.

With his brows furrowed Hai Yin's eyes grew wide, "a dark spirit is simply playing with us, be on guard." The cries of a woman began to sound again and although every urge in the body told them to rescue the damsel in distress, her cries had to be ignored. Not only were her cries a driving force for any honorable man to run off in the dark and save her, but they were the very source of what was causing the three to become impaired in the first place.

"Kang-ge, will we really not help the woman?"

"This is no woman!" Hai Yin suddenly said firmly.

"How do you know?" Ba Chen asked.

"We just know!" said Kang Lei not explaining himself any further, growing annoyed by Ba Chens constant useless chatter in this dire predicament. As the cries began again, Hai Yin and Kang Lei nodded to each other. With closed eyes, the two stood with their backs to one another, placed their index and middle fingers together, while Ba Chen nervously stood in between them.

"Ba Chen, the spirit will appear when it realizes her weeping has no effect on us. When she does, you need to run and hide!" said Kang Lei firmly.

"Mn!" said Ba Chen as he nervously looked around the dark woods, where the sound seemed to have returned, whatever Kang Lei and Hai Yin were doing seemed to be working.

The sad cries of the woman continued for a while and suddenly they turned into dark demented, blood curdling wails. A shiver ran up Ba Chen's spine as the wails sounded and suddenly Kang Lei's eyes snapped open.

"There!" he yelled as he pulled out a talisman, flinging it into the direction he was sure the spirit would appear. The blood curdling screams sounded again, almost as if the being were in pain before a creature unlike anything they had ever seen emerged from the woods. With dark grayish rotting flesh and long contorted limbs, a long haired, red eyed spirit came flying out of the woods toward the three, blood curdling wails sounding out of her mouth as she did.

"Go!" Hai Yin yelled and without hesitation, Ba Chen took off running in the opposite direction.

Hai Yin drew Endian- (grace), his sword, and a beam of white light forced its way into the sky, similar to the light of the moon as did Kang Lei. Although it showed no beam of light, Juntuan's black lacquer blade with a faint line of red stopping just before the tip shined brilliantly in the night.

The two jumped back as the ferocious spirit of the weeping woman charged at them, screaming at the top of her lungs. With one swing, Endian sent out a wave of light toward the spirit and it awkwardly bent itself backwards, its spine sticking up in the air as its head was nearly touching the ground. The spirits bones cracked loudly, if it even had any at all as it stood upright, and again it let out a blood curdling scream.

Hai Yin and Kang Lei quickly jumped out of the way as the weeping woman threw her unusually long arms toward them. Although they had gotten out of the way in time, her arms cracked, increasing in length and awkwardly bent in the direction the two had dodged to.

Kang Lei managed to dodge the oncoming hand grabbing at his throat, but Hai Yin did not, unaware that this spirit had such an atrocious ability. As the weeping woman's hand grabbed his throat he instantly fell to the ground, it roughly dragging him backwards toward her as she screamed. Kang Lei quickly darted, jumping into the air, with an overhead swing of his sword, he swiftly brought it down on the arm of the spirit, slicing her long limb in two. The weeping woman yelled louder as she retracted her arm, a black liquid seeping from the severed limb.

"On your feet!" yelled Kang Lei as he helped Hai Yin up from the ground, who was coughing and struggling to catch his breath. After making sure Hai Yin was out of harms way, Kang Lei turned back to the spirit, pulling out another talisman only this time he swiped his finger down the sharp end of his own blade. Quickly writing a symbol with his own blood on the talisman, he flung it at the ferocious spirit, all before dodging another oncoming attack. The talisman speedily placed itself on the forehead of the weeping woman, throwing its head up to the sky violently it screamed as the talisman burned into its rotting flesh, it no longer had free will over its body.

Hai Yin stood as he watched the ferocious spirit of the weeping woman, she screamed moving violently, trying to figure out why she was indeed stuck. "How long will that hold?" Hai Yin asked anxiously, with limbs like that, getting too close would be risky.

"Not for long, but it's more than enough time!", said Kang Lei with a smirk on his face.

"We must destroy it now!" Hai Yin said firmly raising Endian for an attack, but Kang Lei stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait! My intention is to immobilize her, not eliminate her! I want to trap it!" said Kang Lei.

Hai Yin snapped his head at Kang Lei, "are you mad Kang Lei?", he shouted.

"No, but I am a Kang! We do not eliminate ferocious spirits, we suppress them!" said Kang Lei as he sprinted toward the spirit, and Hai Yin hissed, following behind him. Bringing his finger down his sword once more, with bleeding fingers, Kang Lei drew a rather large symbol for entrapment onto the ground with his own blood. As he drew the symbol, although still confined, the spirit became more agitated and Hai Yin noticed, keeping his eye on the weeping woman.

"She will break free, there will be others to catch!" said Hai Yin with urgency in his voice.

"I am almost done!" said Kang Lei as he closed his eyes, holding up his left hand, raising his middle, ring and pinky fingers together. Suddenly the weeping woman let out a loud yelp as she broke free of the talisman. With one limb, her arm folded abnormally around the body of Kang Lei, lifting him up into the air and slamming his body over and over onto the ground. Kang Lei gasped as he hit the ground multiple times, the spirit throwing him to the ground and lifting him back up again all while squeezing the life out of him.

Hai Yin raised his sword, swinging it twice as a beam of light flew toward the spirit as she screamed. The first beam made contact, cutting its body in half, but the second beam missed as the spirit used its upper half to throw itself out of the way. Hai Yin clutched his sword tight in his hand as he charged forward with the intent to behead the ferocious spirit of the weeping woman, but Kang Lei stopped him, "No don't!" Kang Lei struggled to let his voice carry as his body was being crushed.

Hai Yin hissed loudly, continuing forward, ignoring his partners demands as he swung Endian with all his might, decapitating the head of the weeping woman. The weeping woman instantly collapsed onto the ground and her body turned to ash. As the spirit of the weeping woman dispelled, Kang Lei fell from the sky and Hai Yin quickly sheathed Endian, jumping up to catch him as he fell. Catching Kang Lei over his shoulder, Hai Yin landed roughly onto the ground, the two of them falling awkwardly.

"Is it over?" Ba Chen said peaking out from behind a large rock and running over to the two.

Kang Lei coughed, moaning every time he did as a wave of pain passed through his body. Hai Yin lightly pressed his hand down Kang Lei's abdomen, "A rib is broken, we must go back first."

Kang Lei groaned again, "You! Why did you destroy it?", he said painfully aggravated.

Hai Yin dimmed his furrowed brows deeper, "Is the essence of the dead more important than your own life?" Hai Yin scolded.

"…." Kang Lei only furrowed his brows, looking away. He had a task unfulfilled, what would clan Leader Kang think when he heard of the weeping woman's elimination?

"Let's go." Said Hai Yin as he helped his partner stand, placing his arm around his neck. Letting out a sharp gasp, Kang Lei bit his bottom lip as the pain in his abdomen worsened.

"Kang-ge, let me help!" said Ba Chen as he gently lifted Kang Lei's other arm, putting it around his neck, the three of them walking back together.

Making their way out of the woods, the three were met with doctors and were taken to be treated for whatever injuries they sustained.

Later that night, Hai Yin made his way to the main hall after his wounds were treated where his Father was waiting for him. Cupping his fist, Hai nodded to his Father, kneeling on the cushion beside him.

"A-Yin how are your wounds?" said Clan Leader Hai, a concerned expression on his handsomely aged face.

"Nothing serious Father." Hai Yin responded.

"Are you certain it was the weeping woman?" said Clan Leader Hai.

"Mn." Hai Yin nodded.

Clan Leader Hai furrowed his brows. "This section of the woods of Mount Grace has been used for overnight hunts for many years. A ferocious spirit such as this would not be used for overnight hunts in our sect."

"Could it have wandered their itself, Father?" said Hai Yin.

"Not in the sacred sect of Mount grace it could not have!" a furious voice interrupted; Clan Leader Vu had entered into the main hall as well as Clan Leader Ba along with the other minor clan leaders.

"Clan leader Hai, although the night hunt was put to an early end and only a few of the children have sustained injuries, how could such a dark spirit have come to be a part of the night hunt?" said Clan Leader Ba.

"I will tell you, clan Leader Kang and his demon clan, nothing like this has happened in the previous years!" said Clan Leader Vu.

"And with what proof do you have to support your accusations?" said Clan Leader Hai, growing tired of Clan Leader Vu's condescending attitude.

"Is proof needed with the presence of a sacrilegious clan? Our future clan leaders and disciples were put in danger! Things could have been far worse!" Clan Leader Vu shouted.

Hai Yin stared as the three-clan leaders argued with each other, trouble was brewing, and the danger of the clan heirs was not to be taken lightly. Hai Yin stood, going unnoticed as he made his way out of the main hall. Hai Yin walked with purpose, his off-white robe flowing behind him, he had to talk to Kang Lei.

As Hai Yin made his way through the infirmary, nurses nodded out of respect to the Hai clan heir. Hai Yin nodded as well, continuing his way to see Kang Lei, but he suddenly came to a halt as he stumbled upon a heated discussion.

"How could you have allowed her to be eliminated! Two years we have searched for her! She appears right before your eyes and you fail to capture her!" Clan Leader Kang yelled at his son.

Kang Lei stared at his lap while his Father scolded him, saying nothing. Truthfully, what could he say, his Father wouldn't hear any excuse.

"Useless!" said Clan Leader Kang. Hai Yin closed his eyes for a moment, he couldn't listen to this anymore, shouldn't he be happy that his heir survived? Taking a deep breath, Hai Yin loudly took steps into the doorway as if he had just made his way there and Clan Leader Kang suddenly turned his head, glaring at Hai Yin, his tight knit brows practically stuck together. Hai Yin cupped his fist, bowing to Clan Leader Kang. Clan Leader Kang let out a heavy exhale as he left the room, not acknowledging the Hai heir that had just greeted him.

Hai Yin walked over to Kang Lei's bed, not saying anything until he was sure that Clan Leader Kang was far enough away.

"A clan meeting is being held; it is not going well." said Hai Yin.

"Did you really expect it to? We were not meant to be here after all." said Kang Lei looking up at Hai Yin, like a blue-eyed kicked puppy.

Hai Yin turned his head away, "You meant to suppress the spirit, have you really nothing to do with the appearance of the weeping woman?" he asked.

"Even if I give my word that we had no part, no one will believe us anyhow.", said Kang Lei.

Hai Yin raised his head to look at Kang Lei, their eyes locking for a moment, "I.."

"Young Master Hai, Madam Ji has requested your presence in her chamber.", said a Hai servant suddenly coming into the room.

Hai Yin nodded and the servant left. Nodding to Kang Lei, Hai Yin turned to leave the infirmary.

***

Back in the main hall, the four main clan Leaders and minor clan leaders sat discussing the events that took place during the overnight hunt.

"Clan Leader Kang, have you really no knowledge of this weeping woman?" asked Clan Leader Ba.

"I do not.", said Clan Leader Kang, his brows furrowed more than usual.

"Surely you know something, are you not the leader of the sacrilegious Kang clan?" a minor Clan leader yelled.

"How do we know he isn't the cause of this himself?" another minor clan leader spoke out.

"Truthfully, it makes sense!" added another and soon the room was full of accusations and chatter.

"Clan Leaders!" Clan Leader Hai raised his voice, silencing the room. "Clan Leader Kang is one of the four main clans, our brother clan, the man who has helped aid us quite a lot in the past month. Is this how we treat our ally?", said Clan Leader Hai. Some of the Clan leaders whispered, others not saying anything at all and suddenly Clan Leader Kang stood.

"Clan Leader Hai, it would seem that the Kang clan has worn out its welcome. On behalf of my clan, I thank you for your hospitality these past few days, but it is time for us to be on our way.", said Clan Leader Kang.

"Clan Leader Kang, there is still one more day of the bonding banquet, surely we can sort this ordeal out, early departure is not necessary.", said Clan Leader Hai.

"With all due respect, surely it will take more than a few days of feasting and games to build a bond with a once enemy clan, farewell Clan Leader Hai.", said Clan Leader Kang, nodding and exiting the main hall, leaving everyone speechless.

"Well Good riddance! Hmm!" said Clan Leader Vu, roughly flapping his wide sleeve after Clan Leader Kang was no longer in sight.

The next morning Hai Yin made his way to the infirmary where Kang Lei was, only he was not there.

Where is young Master Kang?" Hai Yin asked a nurse, wiping down the empty bed.

The nurse nodded, "Young Master Kang has been cleared to leave medical, his injuries have been properly treated.

Hai Yin nodded, power walking where the Kang clan were staying, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Opening the door Hai Yin walked into the chamber to see that the Kang clan had already gone. Hai Yin sighed, flying out of the room.

"A-Yin, where are you in a hurry to?" asked Madam Ji as she was casually strolling down the hall of the manor to stretch her legs.

"Mother, would you happen to know where the Kang clan went?" said Hai Yin, unable to keep still as he was itching to find them and his Mother let out a chuckle as she noticed.

"They are departing, if you hurry you can catc…", but Hai Yin had taken off running before she could finish.

As Hai Yin made it to the main gate of Mount Grace, he saw both his own Clan and the Kang clan respectfully saying their farewells. As Kang Lei bowed, he seemed to be quite occupied with checking his surroundings. Hai Yin calmed his demeanor, quickly walking over, standing beside his Father.

"Clan Leader Kang.", he said as he cupped his fist and bowed. Clan Leader Kang nodded and turned to leave, his lot of disciples following behind him, but Kang Lei hadn't yet followed. Letting out a soft exhale, Kang Lei reached into his robe, pulling out a small black draw stringed sack. Loosening the string, Kang Lei pulled out a flower, although it was picked and stuffed into a tiny airless bag, it seemed to be in perfect condition. With a smile on his face Kang Lei handed it to Hai Yin.

"A red sunflower? What should I do with it?" said Hai Yin, confused.

Kang Lei's smile turned into a smirk, "This is a night flower, they do not need the light of the sun to survive and they only bloom in The Unholy sect. I bring one with me whenever I leave home because they are considered good luck charms to grow in such a grim place. I have enchanted this one so that it will never wither up and die, it will remain with this way always. Because I know that you will say there is no need to repay you, please accept this small token of gratitude as me passing something I believe is of value to you.", said Kang Lei, extending out his hand further, in the hopes of convincing Hai Yin to take the flower.

Unsure what to say, Hai Yin stared at the flower before taking it from Kang Lei's hand. He looked up to see a wide grin on Kang Lei's face and allowed a small smile on his own.

"Until next time, young Master Hai." said Kang Lei, bowing and turning to leave. As he watched the Kang clan leave Mount Grace, he looked down at the night flower Kang Lei had given him and his smile began to fade, there most likely wouldn't be a next time.

"A-Yin.", said Clan Leader Hai bringing his son back to reality. "It would seem that you've made a new friend, perhaps you two will cross paths again, worry not."

Hai Yin brought one corner of his mouth tight, "I am not worried.", said Hai Yin firmly.

Clan Leader Hai let out a chuckle, "come, let us go back first. Your sister and Mother are waiting for us." Hai Yin nodded and the two slowly made their way back to the manor.