Happenings Of The Night

After Kang Lei was able to stand, he insisted that they head out immediately to the unknown location hidden on the map, going against his traveling companion's better judgement. Kang Lei trailed behind while Hai Yin walked his normal pace, glancing behind him from time to time, the young master finally stopped. "Enough, you need to rest."

"There will be plenty of time to rest, we have to keep going.", said Kang Lei as he continued walking past Hai Yin, stumbling here and there.

Hai Yin sighed, placing himself on the ground, sitting in the lotus position. Kang Lei continued walking slowly, until he realized that he had only heard his own footsteps. With a brow raised, Kang Lei turned around to see Hai Yin, sitting on the ground.

"Hai Yin, what are you doing? Time is of the essence.", Kang Lei complained.

"Soul projection requires a great deal of spiritual energy, you need to regain your strength.", said Hai Yin, closing his eyes, refusing to move from his spot.

Kang Lei sighed, walking back over and sat down next to Hai Yin, "Why are you being so stubborn?" the young master had the nerve to ask.

Hai Yin opened his eyes, squinting them at Kang Lei. "I could ask you the same question."

Also squinting his eyes, Kang Lei had a mind to shoot a snarky comeback, but Hai Yin unexpectedly grabbed his wrist. Turning it over, Hai Yin placed his index and pointer fingers an inch above Kang Lei's wrist and began passing his own spirit energy.

Surprised, Kang Lei looked up at Hai Yin, an earnest expression on the young master's handsome face. "Hai Yin, you don't need to do this, you've already given me some. If you give me too much, I cannot be held responsible for any bit of fondness that I develop for you.", said Kang Lei teasingly, gently pulling his arm away, but Hai Yin held on.

"Hai Yin…"

"Shh!", Hai Yin hushed Kang Lei and the blue-eyed young master brought one corner of his mouth tight. Although he found it fun to tease Hai Yin, Kang Lei had heard rumors of cultivators developing temporary affections for the one that had passed them a large amount of spiritual energy at one time, but he had never known anyone that had experienced it firsthand.

After a short while, Hai Yin stopped his spirit energy transfer, raising his head to look at Kang Lei, "How do you feel?"

Successfully pulling his arm away this time, Kang Lei stood, rolling his shoulders back, "Good as new.", he said with a smirk on his face. Nodding Hai Yin stood and the two of them made their way to the edge of the town of Pi, an octagonal shaped river awaiting their arrival.

The two young cultivators had been walking for a while and Hai Yin kept eyeing his travel companion, who kept looking around as they walked. "Kang Lei, are we lost?", he finally spoke.

"Ha, ha! no, no, we are not lost. All I need is to look at something once and it sticks; I am sure we are close.", said Kang Lei, a nervous chuckle coming from his lips. Stopping in his tracks, and pulling out his sword, young master Hai jumped onto his blade, ascending into the sky to get a better view. After a few seconds he came down, sheathing his sword and continued walking.

"Well?" Kang Lei asked, as he followed behind.

"We are almost to the lake.", he responded.

"Ha! See, you must learn to trust me Hai Yin!", said Kang Lei, running to catch up with a smile. Hai Yin smirked, directing his attention forward until he smelled smoke in the distance and on cue the young masters made eye contact, cautiously hurrying up head.

As the smell of smoke got stronger, the two young masters came up on a light shinning in the distance. As they got closer to the source of light, they saw a little house sitting in a clearing of the woods, the chimney smoking and a fire the source of light shinning through a window of the house. With their swords in hand, two disciples circled the perimeter of the house, their robes colored black and mulberry. Kneeling in the thicket, Kang Lei and Hai Yin watched from a safe distance.

"Could this be what was circled on the map?", Hai Yin whispered.

"It has to be, those are disciples of the Kang clan.", Kang Lei whispered, his brows furrowed. "I need to get closer.", said Kang Lei and Hai Yin cut his eye instantly realizing what he meant. Before Hai Yin could protest, Kang Yixing came walking out of the house.

"What the hell is he doing here?", said Kang Lei. One of the disciples walked over, taking something from his hand and Kang Yixing returned inside of the house. At the same time, the two young masters made eye contact, and nodded to each other.

Quickly, Hai Yin positioned himself behind Kang Lei while the blue-eyed young master closed his eyes and crossed his two index fingers.

"Kang Lei, hurry back.", Hai Yin spoke, his voice soft, but his face stern.

"Mn.", Kang Lei nodded, and with a smirk forming on his handsome face, his body jerked, collapsing backward onto Hai Yin. Setting his spiritual timer, Hai Yin stared down at the young master in his arms with his brows furrowed. After the last soul projection scare, he was more than uneasy about a second use so soon, not to mention soul projection used so much of a cultivators spiritual energy, it often left them quite helpless for an extended period of time.

As Kang Lei's blurred vision came too, he closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. Looking down at his own body, the young master discovered that he had this time taken over the body of a wood mouse.

"Well at least this time it will be easier to escape an attack if need be.", Kang Lei thought as he hurried toward the house. Because this wood mouse possessed no backbones, Kang Lei didn't need to enter through a window this time, he was easily able to slip into a tiny crack on the side of the house.

Entering into the house, Kang Lei hurried out of the bedroom where he had entered and made his way to where the fireplace was burning. As he entered the room, with a blanket draped over her body, sitting in a rocking chair sat a woman with Kang Yixing standing in front of her. Her hair was long, reaching her side as she sat, and her skin was pale like porcelain jade. The woman's lips were full, her eyes double lidded and large, almost feline like. To say that this woman was beautiful would be nothing, but an insult to what she really looked like. To get a better look, Kang Lei sneaked closer, standing behind the leg of the other chair nearby Kang Yixing and the woman.

"Are you well my lady?", Kang Yixing asked.

With a smile the woman spoke, "I am.", her voice sweet and smooth like honey.

"Motherhood suits you well, how is the child?", Kang Yixing responded

"Child? Was this Kang Yixing's lady?", Kang Lei thought to himself. Adjusting herself first, the woman lifted the blanket draped over her revealing a baby, still small, it had to be a newborn.

"She is beautiful like her Mother.", said Kang Yixing, a smile forming on his face and the woman smiled back.

"Clan leader Kang has sent me to see if you are comfortable and if there is anything that you require?"

"We have more than enough. I simply wonder if he will have time to visit. His daughter is two weeks now and she has yet to meet her Father.", said the woman.

"Clan leader is very busy these days, but I will let him know his presence is missed.", said Kang Yixing.

"Mn.", the woman nodded, rocking her baby that began to whine. Hearing this Kang Lei was utterly dumbfounded, he had gone against his Father's wishes only to discover that he had a little sister clan leader Kang was keeping a secret.

"If that will be all, then I shall be on my way. If there is anything that little A-Hua requires, please do not hesitate to tell the disciples posted outside your door, they will relay the message to me and I will see to it in a heartbeat."

"…" The woman nodded as did Kang Yixing, turning to leave, but as he did, he noticed Kang Lei's mouse body poorly hidden behind the leg of the second chair in the room. Frozen for a minute, Kang Lei became nervous thinking that Kang Yixing would attack him, but instead he raised a brow, turning up his lip instead. His body shivered slightly like he had grown disgusted and he proceeded to exiting the house. Closing the door behind him, Kang Yixing stopped outside of the door and Kang Lei made a dash to follow him, effortless slipping under the door.

"The number of rodents and birds in these parts are revolting, buy a feline of some kind and give it to lady Yuke, she and the child will need it.", said Kang Yixing, pulling a golden rock from his robes and giving it to one of the disciples. The disciples nodded respectfully to their superior and Kang Yixing turned to leave, quickly disappearing into the night. Sighing internally, Kang Lei closed his eyes, and in an instant, his soul was pulled from the body of the wood mouse he had possessed.

The young master's eyes snapped open, his eyes empty and black, but the piercing blue soon returned, his eyes shinning brilliantly like they once had. When Kang Lei came to, Hai Yin towered above him, his dark brown eyes widely intense.

Holding his arm, Hai Yin helped Kang Lei sit up, the young master's shaky hand grabbing his head as he was a bit dizzy. Without hesitation, Hai Yin grabbed Kang Lei's wrist, flipping it over and holding his two fingers above it. Again, Hai Yin began passing his own spirit energy, only this time Kang Lei made no efforts to refuse.

After minutes of silence, and Hai Yin passing his own spirit energy, Kang Lei no longer felt so strange.

"Hai Yin enough. I am fine.", said Kang Lei, pulling his arm away, his voice lethargic. Hai Yin looked up, the two young master's eyes meeting for a moment. Stopping the flow of energy, he was sharing, Hai Yin's lips parted slightly before he released Kang Lei's arm.

Kang Lei's throat itched, and he let out a low cough, but it soon turned into a chuckle and Hai Yin stared at him with confusion.

"What is so funny, what happened inside of the house?", he asked.

Turning toward Hai Yin, Kang Lei coughed again, after, clearing his throat. "I feel as if I have wasted your time.", the young master spoke.

"…", saying nothing, Hai Yin only stared in wonder, one brow raised.

Turning away from Hai Yin, Kang Lei directed his attention to his lap, letting out a sigh first before speaking. "Apparently I am now a big brother."

After Kang Lei had regained most of his strength and could walk without stumbling, the two young master's walked through the woods, nearly making their way back to town. Hai Yin glanced at his traveling companion from time to time as they walked. The young master had been quiet and was pouting like a child, kicking his legs out in front of him as he walked.

Directing his attention at the ground in front of him as he walked, Hai Yin finally spoke, "Does it bother you?"

Hearing Hai Yin's voice, Kang Lei had been brought back to reality as he quickly stopped pouting and turned his head toward the young master at his side. Letting an awkward smirk grace his handsome, distressed face he redirected his attention to the road ahead. "Well no, it doesn't. My Father is a Kang without a wife, it is no surprise that he is lonely from time to time."

"And what about you?", said Hai Yin, suddenly stopping.

"Huh?", Kang Lei responded, also stopping.

"Are you also lonely?" Hai Yin asked.

Caught off guard, Kang Lei for some strange reason had no idea how to answer. The two young master's stared at each other for a moment, anxiety swirling in one's eyes and warmth in the others. Still, the two young cultivators' gazes were glued upon each other and without warning Kang Lei's blue eyes began to water. Panicking, Kang Lei didn't understand why he suddenly felt the urge to cry, but at the same time another feeling attacked his senses. Leaping forward, Kang Lei grabbed onto Hai Yin, knocking him down, as an arrow had just missed his head. As the two landed onto the ground they rolled a few times, with Kang Lei landing on top. Lowering his head quite close to Hai Yin's, Kang Lei ducked as another arrow flew at him. Lost for a moment, Hai Yin stared up at Kang Lei who had just saved his life lying above him, he could feel the young masters heart racing against his chest. Quickly snapping his head below, Kang Lei glared down at Hai Yin who laid beneath him, "Find cover!", he yelled and just like that Hai Yin had come to his senses. Kang Lei jumped up, diving behind a tree, multiple arrows just missing his body and Hai Yin did the same, making his way to another tree as a barrage of arrows came flying at them.

Leaning his head out for a moment, Hai Yin quickly pulled it back as an arrow was flying at his head. "Kang Lei, can you see them?!", he asked.

"No!", the young master responded, occasionally popping his head out when he had a safe moment to glance.

Clicking his teeth, Hai Yin did his best to make out who was attacking them, but he couldn't see anything as well without risking getting hit by the quick arrow that were flying at random.

Pulling a talisman out of his robe and savagely biting his own finger, Kang Lei quickly doodled on the talisman, making eye contact with Hai Yin. Nodding in unison, Kang Lei flung the talisman in the direction the arrows were coming from. As the talisman speedily landed onto a tree, in an instant it exploded, knocking down a few trees and creating a large cloud of smoke. As soon as the cloud of smoke appeared, using the tree he was hiding behind for a boost, Hai Yin ran up the tree, jumping high into the air, swiftly drawling Endian and with one powerful swing, a beam of light flew from the sword and zipped through the smoke. When Hai Yin landed, he nodded to Kang Lei and the two of them darted over to the cloud of smoke with their swords in hand, whoever was attacking them had fallen to their mercy.

When the two made it through the smoke, they took cover on opposite sides, Kang Lei on the left and Hai Yin on the right as they heard the groans and moans of men. Squatting, Kang Lei saw faint movement, slowly moving through the smoke, but he could not yet make out who it was.

On the right side of the smoke cloud, Hai Yin watched and waited as well as he saw faint movement in the distance.

"What are we waiting for?", a voice said at the young master's side and without thinking he replied.

"We're going to attack when the smoke is clearer.", but as Hai Yin ended his sentence, he realized that Kang Lei was not near him so who was he talking to?!

Doing a double take, Hai Yin saw that young master Chen was also squatting down beside him. "Ba Chen?!", he called out flabbergasted that the young master had suddenly appeared.

"At your service Hai-ge", he said with a smile and Hai Yin furrowed his brows.

"Tell your men that we are not enemies!", Hai Yin yelled.

"Oh!", Ba Chen jumped up awkwardly chuckling. "It is young master Hai; he is not a threat!" Ba Chen yelled and as the smoke cleared, you could now see that it was a group of four Ba clan disciples getting up off the ground.

Sighing heavily, Hai Yin stood turning to Ba Chen. "Hai-ge, you said "we?" Who else is here with you?", Ba Chen asked.

"Me!", said a familiar voice coming from behind and the two turned around to see a large smile on a familiar handsome face.

"Kang-ge!", yelled Ba Chen, his excitement unable to be contained as he ran over wrapping his arms around Kang Lei, hugging him tight. Holding his hands as high as young master Chen's grip would allow, Kang Lei awkwardly patted Ba Chen's back as he chuckled and with his brows furrowed, Hai Yin watched this strange mess of a situation.

"Kang-ge, I didn't think I'd ever see you again after what happened at the bonding banquet, have you been well?", said Ba Chen finally releasing Kang Lei from his grip of death.

"I have and yourself?", Kang Lei responded, a smirk on his face as he was unable to help but laugh at how child like Ba Chen was when he was excited.

"I've been great!", Ba Chen added.

Growing annoyed, by the fact that these two were catching up and Ba Chen had not yet explained what was going on, Hai Yin cut in, "Ba Chen what are you doing out here? You could've been killed just now.", he asked.

Turning around with an awkward smile, Ba Chen let out a chuckle, "we are night hunting, there have been rumors about a monster in these parts. I'm going to kill it and make my Father proud", said the young master, nervousness in his voice. Glancing at each other first, Kang Lei and Hai Yin both turned to look at Ba Chen as he began to chuckle for no apparent reason. This nervous wreck of an heir and cultivator was night hunting for glory? This should be interesting to say the least.