Clan Leader Kang's Right-Hand Pt. 1

After a two-day journey, young master Kang returned home to the Unholy Sect. As he approached the gate, two disciples saluted to him, "young master Kang!", they nodded.

Also nodding, Kang Lei smirked walking through the spiritual gate, then he suddenly stopped. "Have I returned before clan leader?", the young master asked hopefully.

"Yes, young master.", the disciples responded in unison.

"Wonderful!", said Kang Lei as his smirk turned into a grin, it seemed as though things had worked out in his favor after all.

"Young master, young master.", the servants greeted Kang Lei as he entered the manor. Nodding with a smile, the young master kept walking, making his way to Kang Yu-Huan's chambers.

Opening the door gently, Kang Lei peeked his head in to see Kang Nana sitting beside the bed with a wooden bucket on her lap, wiping Kang Yu-Huan's face with a damp towel.

"Great master, your temperature has been quite cold lately, shall I get you another duvet?", Kang Nana spoke, her voice sweet and friendly even though she was talking to an unconscious man. "I will bring you one when I have finished washing your face, we must keep you looking presentable, clan leader will return soon and young master Kang. Do you think he is well great master? He has not been able to sit still and I barely had the chance to look at him last time before he dashed off again, young master is certainly a busy little bee these days.", said Kang Nana.

As he listened, a smile made its way onto Kang Lei's face, this was the reason he had convinced his Father to allow such a young girl only his age to care for his Grandfather, she was one of the few people that still treated him with humanity.

"Nana, your busy little bee has returned.", said Kang Lei, opening the door wider and Kang Nana turned around, a surprised look on her face. Quickly putting the bucket of water down on the floor and tossing the damp towel into it, Kang Nana jumped up hugging the young master standing in the doorway.

"Sorry, sorry.", Kang Nana apologized, letting go of Kang Lei, cupping her fist and bowing to the young master.

Stepping into the room, Kang Lei let out a chuckle, "Do not be so formal with me Nana, we grew up together, you are like my sister.", said Kang Lei walking over and sitting on the other side of the bed. Smiling nervously, Kang Nana followed, placing herself back down where she had placed the bucket of water, she hated when Kang Lei referred to her as his sister.

"Have you been well Nana?", Kang Lei asked.

"I have, and what about yourself?" Nana asked, as she proceeded to washing Kang Yu-Huan's face again.

"I have been well, how is Grandfather?", Kang Lei asked, turning his attention to Kang Yu-Huan, his lifeless body still on the bed.

"Great master has been sleeping mostly, he get's cold quite often though so I will bring him another duvet.", Kang Nana responded.

Kang Lei furrowed his brows, although he appreciated Kang Nana, she was the only one who would give him an honest answer when it came to his Grandfather. "Has my Father forced him to sleep again?", the young master asked.

"Mn.", Kang Nana nodded.

"What has happ…"

"Please do not ask me anymore questions young master, you know clan leader's wishes however I cannot bring myself to lie to you.", said Kang Nana, making eye contact with the young master, his blue eyes shining brilliantly.

Relaxing his brows, Kang Lei allowed a smile onto his face, "thank you for always being honest with me Nana, that is one of the reasons why I love you."

As Nana's heart began to race, she quickly looked down at the bucket of water on her lap, her face burning a deep shade of red. The things young master Kang said were often innocent, but to her, they meant more when they came out of his mouth and poor love-stricken Nana couldn't help, but to blush.

"Yyy...you're welcome young master Kang.", Kang Nana stuttered.

"I see you have returned young master Kang.", said a familiar voice.

Kang Lei snapped his head toward the door, jumping up from the floor, "Xing-ge, what a surprise, did you return just now?" the young master asked nervously.

"Why no young master, I've been here, waiting for you actually.", Kang Yixing answered.

"I see.", Kang Lei responded, his eyes glancing around the floor nervously.

A smirk made its way onto Kang Yixing's face, "do not worry young master Kang, clan leader does not need to know of your absence."

Quickly making eye contact with Kang Yixing, Kang Lei was cautiously surprised, the most trusted disciple of clan leader Kang had most certainly been a little unruly lately, but there had to be a reason didn't it?

"For what reason do you have to keep this secret from my Father? What must I offer you in return?" Kang Lei asked, his brows furrowed.

"Young master Kang, you are like my little brother, is it not the duty of an older brother to sometimes cover for his siblings?", Kang Yixing responded, with a smile.

"…", Kang Lei said nothing as he observed Kang Yixing, although he was indeed like a big brother, he was also clan leader Kang's right hand, so this could go either way.

"Come, the mountain of Tan awaits us, clan leader's request."

Turning back to Kang Yu-Huan asleep on the bed and Kang Nana, Kang Lei cupped his fist and bowed, "Grandfather, I will come and visit you again should I have the chance, be well.", he said standing and nodding to Kang Nana, giving her a smirk before turning to leave the room, following Kang Yixing out and closing the door behind him.

"Young master Kang, your lips are quite loose with A-Na, do you fancy her?", Kang Yixing teased.

"Shut up, Nana is like my sister, what are you saying?", Kang Lei rolled his eyes as the two walked side by side.

"But she is not blood young master, as the heir of the Kang, you will one day soon have to pick a maiden to court, is it not better to be it someone you know well?"

"My Father would never allow me to marry a servant girl, even if it is Kang Nana, a winsome trustworthy maiden who highborn heiress from any Sect could never hold a candle to." Kang Lei responded.

"Hmm, perhaps you are right, a mere pretty servant girl will not do for a future clan leader's wife."

"Funny that my Father has any say in who will marry and bear his grandchildren when he has God knows how many ordinary newborns.", Kang Lei said under his breath.

"What was that?", Kang Yixing asked, as Kang Lei had spoken too low for him to hear.

"Ah, nothing, nothing.", Kang Lei chuckled.

After making their way up the mountain of Tan, the two took off their outer and inner robes, only left wearing pants and boots. The mountain of Tan was apart of the Unholy Sect that was known for its extremely high temperatures and humid conditions, it was good for sweating and training purposes, not much else.

"Draw your sword young master, I will not go easy on you.", said Kang Yixing, a smirk on his face.

With his toned, but slender body already sweaty from the weather conditions, Kang Lei stared at his opponent with his brows furrowed. "Xing-ge, I do not expect you to, but why must we train here? What weight do I need to lose?", Kang Lei jokingly complained and suddenly Kang Yixing disappeared. Closing his eyes for a minute, the young master quickly bent a knee, lowering his head just in time as Kang Yixing's sword swiftly swung above his head. Quickly jumping backward, the young master caught himself.

"Xing-ge!", the young master yelled off-put by his blatant aggressiveness.

"I said I will not go easy on you little brother, draw your sword!", Kang Yixing demanded, as his demeanor had changed, was he still fighting a member of the Kang?

As the two glared at each other, one with an irritatingly unreadable face, Kang Yixing disappeared again, but this time a smirk made its way onto the young master's face. Spinning around and unsheathing his sword diagonally, the young master angled Juntuan to protect himself as Kang Yixing's blade loudly clashed into his own, an awkward clink echoing loudly throughout the mountain.

"You are too slow!" Kang Yixing said as the two struggled, their tension of blades pressing against each other with clenched teeth.

"I have just returned Xing-ge, what rest was there to be had?", Kang Lei shot back.

"And what rest will your enemy allow?", Kang Yixing responded, jumping backward and swinging again. Tilting his body, Kang Lei glided backward out of the way, adjusting himself and charging forward again, jumping up and swinging his sword overhead. Surprised by his sudden increase in speed, Kang Yixing raised his sword in the air, defending himself from Kang Lei's attack.

"Good, keep it up!", Kang Yixing complimented the young master, a smirk back on his face.

With God like speed the two, clashed their swords, releasing a barrage on each other back to back, Kang Lei's breath was heavy, but Kang Yixing was not yet ready to allow him rest.

"Xing-ge, you have proved your point!", Kang Lei yelled as he caught Kang Yixing's sword with his own, their blades clashing once again loudly.

"And what point is that young master?", said Kang Yixing, pushing Kang Lei back as he was taller and stronger.

With his arms trembling, Kang Lei struggled to stand his ground, and was soon overpowered by the larger man. In a last-ditch effort, Kang Lei spun out of the way, kicking Kang Yixing in the back and sending him stumbling forward, while Kang Lei jumped back, dropping to one knee stabbing his sword into the ground.

"Enough!", Kang Lei demanded as his gaze intensified on the man in front of him, his breath heavy and his knees weak, sweat dripping from all areas of his body. Also as sweaty as a mule, Kang Yixing panted heavily, "Is it enough?", he responded.

"If this is your way of punishing me, consider the lesson learned. I know that as an heir to the Kang, I can be too reckless at times.", Kang Lei responded.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Kang Yixing sheathed his sword, sitting on the ground in the lotus position. "Come and join me.", he said patting the ground beside him. Ripping his sword from the ground, Kang Lei stood, quickly putting Juntuan back into its obsidian sheath, walking over and sitting down beside Kang Yixing.

"I am not punishing you young master, you are to be clan leader one day and my job is to simply make sure you are strong enough so that you do not die before then, you are his only child after all."

Glancing at Kang Yixing for a moment, the young master turned his attention to his lap, "Xing-ge, while I was away I used a large amount of energy, is it normal to still feel this weak?", the young master asked staring at his hands.

"What did you use?" Kang Yixing asked, cutting his eyes at the young master."

"Soul projection."

"Ah yes, soul projection causes a considerable amount of fatigue, but you should be fine within two hours or so as long as you rest."

Kang Lei furrowed his brows as it had been two days already, "…"

"We were both too small to remember, but no one could use soul projection as good as great master Kang. My Father said that he once saw great master use it longer than five minutes with his own eyes."

"Impossible!", Kang Lei said in disbelief, even as the young master himself neared the five-minute mark, he felt as though he were slipping away.

"Maybe not young master, it's rumored that great master was also searching for another compatible host for soul projection before he succumbed to his current state."

"…" Kang Lei's lips parted, as he realized what the only other compatible host could be.

"Xing-ge…"

"But those are simply tales that the dead have left behind, there is no way to tell if they are true or false, do not think too much of it young master.", Kang Yixing chuckled, cutting Kang Lei off. "Come young master, let us soak in the hot springs to relax our bodies.", said Kang Yixing standing.

"…", nodding Kang Lei stood, rolling his shoulders back as he made his way toward the hot spring.

"Kang Lei.", Kang Yixing called out and when the young master tuned around, a powdery substance was blown into his face.

Passing out instantly, Kang Yixing caught the young master with one arm as he fell.

"I am sorry young master, but you have no idea how important you are.", Kang Yixing said aloud before throwing the sleeping young master onto his back and walking up the mountain.

Walking further up the mountain, with Kang Lei resting on his back, Kang Yixing arrived at a cave, the place set up like an infirmary with a bed in the corner and many lit candles everywhere.

"Old man, I have brought the young master.", he said, lying Kang Lei onto a bed. "Old man!", Kang Yixing called out.

"Quiet unless you wish to wake him.", said an older voice coming out of nowhere and the sound of slippers dragging on the ground as he walked.

Coming from the rear of the cave an old man approached the young master on the side of the bed, "he has grown so much since I last laid eyes on him.", the old man responded, closing his eyes and placing his palm inches above the young master's core. Holding up his other hand, the old man extended out his arms so that one hand was hovering above the young masters head and the other above his feet. Letting out a deep exhale, the old man slowly moved his hands until they met in the middle, opening his eyes and bringing his arms back to his sides.

"His qi is unbalanced; how long does clan leader intend to keep him this way?" the old man asked.

"He does not mean to ever undue the seal.", Kang Yixing said with his brows furrowed, and the old man glanced at him, confusion on his face before he shrugged. Grabbing a dust colored powder from his table, the old man placed a finger in the powder, then dotted four points on the sleeping young masters body, two on either side of his stomach, and one on each hip. Closing his eyes again, the old man raised both hands, holding them an inch above the young masters abdomen. Humming to himself, the old mans hands began to glow for a second before the light dissipated.

"The young master cannot hope to achieve greatness as long as he is this way. The seal has cut off part of the flow of his spiritual energy. I have realigned his meridians, but as long as the seal is in place, using a large amount of spiritual energy will not work out in his favor.", said the old man.

"...", Kang Yixing hissed under his breath.

"I take it you do not agree with clan leader?", said the old man, closing up the dust colored powder and putting it back with his table of strange medicines.

"He is the one great master left his sword to, the only grandson, he must serve the purpose he was born for.", Kang Yixing pointed out.

Pausing for a minute, the old man sighed, continuing what he was doing with his medicines. "My loyalties will forever lie with clan leader Kang Yu-Huan, if what you say is true, I will do what I can.", said the old man turning back to Kang Yixing.

Letting out a sigh, Kang Yixing shook his head, picking Kang Lei up from the bed, "If you mean what you say, I shall return when the time comes old man.", he nodded, exiting the cave.