Rely On Me

The next day, the three clans prepared to depart from The Flourishing Ancient Woodland Sect, the clan leaders and their young master's biding their farewells.

"Clan leader Vu, I will light a candle in Mount Grace for Lady Chiang. Do not be too hard on yourself the days to come brother.", clan leader Hai spoke as he gripped the hand of clan leader Vu.

"Mn", clan leader Vu nodded as they let go of each other's hand.

"Yes, mourn if you need to, holding back your feelings does no one any good.", clan leader Ba added. When clan leader Ba had finished speaking, the two clan leaders that had already said words of encouragement turned to clan leader Kang, and the large man standing a few inches over everyone stiffened for a moment.

Clearing his throat first, clan leader Kang raised a brow before he spoke, "clan leader Vu, you are in my thought's.", the large man nodded.

"Hmmph!", clan leader Vu shunned clan leader Kang before flapping his wide sleeves and walking away.

"Ahh! Do not worry, he will come around.", clan leader Ba chuckled raising a hand to slap clan leader Kang's shoulder, but the large man simply narrowed his eyes, causing clan leader Ba to chuckle nervously, quickly withdrawing his hand.

"Clan leaders.", clan leader Kang nodded before taking his leave.

"Kang-ge, will you invite us to The Unholy Sect sometime? Too much time should not pass before we see each other again!", Ba Chen whined as he squeezed the young master tight.

"Ba Chen, and what will you do at The Unholy Sect, follow me around all day? We are practically joined at the hip.", Kang Lei chuckled as he struggled to pry the young master off of him and Hai Yin simply rolled his eyes.

"But it is not a bad idea.", Vu Zhan cut in, as he nervously stared at the ground and all the young master's quickly turned their heads toward Vu Zhan in unison.

"Vu Zhan, you want to visit The Unholy Sect too?", Ba Chen asked as he let go of Kang Lei with both brows raised.

"I simply mean, I do not mind if I go, nor do I mind if I don't!", the young master blurted out, embarrassment written all over his face as it flushed a shade of red.

"Then I will have to invite you.", said Kang Lei, a full smile making its way onto his face. With raised brows, young master Vu's eyes met with young master Kang's, and his face only burned redder.

"Well goodbye!", the young master shouted as he power walked away.

"Goodbye Kang-ge, Hai-ge!", Ba Chen nodded before he ran off after young master Vu.

"So this is goodbye again Hai Yin.", said Kang Lei.

"So it seems, let us not make a habit of meeting on such unkind terms.", said the young master, as a warm smile made its way onto his face.

"So you only want to meet on friendly terms? Hai Yin, do you enjoy spending time with me that much?", said the young master as he leaned forward with a silly grin on his face.

"You!" said Hai Yin as his fair yet rose tinted skin burned a shade darker, young master Kang had thrown back in his face an exaggeration of something he had actually said.

"I am only joking Hai Yin!", the young master cackled.

"A-Lei!", clan leader Kang called as his clan gathered outside of the gate.

"Mn.", Kang Lei quickly turned to nod to his Father.

"Do not worry, you carry luck with you, I have a feeling we will meet again soon.", said the young master with an eye creasing smile as he nodded, and turned to leave.

"…", leaving the young master flustered and confused, Hai Yin only nodded back, just what did he mean by that?

***

After a day's journey, the Kang clan and its disciples had returned to The Unholy Sect and young master Kang had made a quick dash to his Grandfather's chamber while his Father was occupied with the things he had missed while he was away.

Quietly opening the door, the young master had intended to startle Kang Nana as she sat caring for the old man, but he was alarmed to hear the girl sniffling. Opening the door all the way and stepping in, Kang Lei intentionally made his presence known.

"Oh young master, you have returned!", the puffy eyed, red faced girl quickly stood, bowing and cupping her first, but without warning Kang Lei pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "Yyyoung master?", Kang Nana stuttered, flustered, and startled beyond belief.

"Nana, what is wrong? Why are you crying?", Kang Lei asked as he let her go, his blue eyes staring at her intensely.

Lowering her head, Kang Nana blushed a bit, tucking her loose hair behind her right ear. "It is nothing you need to concern yourself with young master, please do not worry about me!", Nana answered as she sat back down, fluffing out the duvet she had brought for great master Kang Yu-Huan.

Placing himself beside Kang Nana, the young master tilted his head, "Nana, you are like my sister, it hurts me to see you in such a state. Please, rely on me a little."

Glancing up, Kang Nana rose her head to see a small smile on the young master's face although she could see that he was quite worried. Looking back down, Kang Nana finally spoke after letting out a sigh, "young master, while you were away, I buried my Mother and Father."

"Wha...what?! What happened to them?!", the young master's tone rose several pitches.

"A night hunting accident, they were unable to escape.", Kang Nana responded, her voice shaky. Dropping his head, the young master let out a heavy sigh as his eyes watered, it seemed that death was everywhere he turned lately.

As the room remained quiet for a moment, Kang Lei suddenly jumped up. "Nana, come with me.", he said with a smirk.

"Come with you? To where young master?", the emotional confused girl asked.

"To town, there is some place I want to take you.", said Kang Lei, his smirk turning into a grin.

"But young master, there is so much to be done, I cannot just leave!", Kang Nana protested, but Kang Lei only grabbed her hand, pulling her up and leading her out of the Great Master's chamber.

"Hurry Nana!", the young master began to run down the hall, pulling Kang Nana along behind him.

"Young master!", the small girl giggled, as her short legs were having a hard time keeping up with Kang Lei's long strides.

As the two had successfully made it out of the manor, with many disciples nodding as they passed, Kang Lei had led Kang Nana into town.

"Young master, young master!", the different towns people and vendors greeted Kang Lei as he strolled by with a smile nodding this way and that way.

"Young master, I have a bag of kumquats for you, free of charge!", said a vendor as they passed. Turning around and walking backwards, Kang Lei held out his hands, motioning for the man to throw him the bag of kumquats.

With a smile, the man nodded, tossing the bag over and the young master caught it effortlessly, "You are too kind my good sir, I shall share them with my sister.", said Kang Lei with a smile as he nodded, turning back around, reaching into the bag, grabbing as much as his hand could carry and passing them to Kang Nana.

"Thank you, young master.", said Kang Nana, as she accepted the kumquats. Pulling a piece of fruit out of the bag, the young master began to nibble as they walked. "Young master where are we off to?", Kang Nana asked, before biting the kumquat in half.

"You are always cooking for me Nana, I want to treat you to a meal for once.", said Kang Lei.

"Young master, you do not have..", Kang Nana began to protest, but Kang Lei interrupted.

"Nana, I was not present when you needed me most, please allow me to be here for you now.", said Kang Lei, lowering his head as they walked.

"Mn.", Kang Nana responded, a small smile gracing her face.

After passing through the vendors walkway, Kang Lei and Kang Nana made it to a tavern, being seated almost as soon as they entered.

"What are you hungry for Nana?", Kang Lei asked with a smile. Quickly looking down, away from the young master across from her, Kang Nana fiddled with her fingers in her lap.

"Hmm, I do not know, what is their cheapest meal?", she finally responded.

"Oh Nana!", the young master whined and Kang Nana looked up to see him hunched over with his chin resting on his hands, a cute pout on his face. "What kind of man do you take me for Nana? Do you really think I would offer to treat you to a meal and not be able to pay for it?", Kang Lei's pout turned into a grin as he chuckled.

"Uh no…I...I just!..", Kang Nana stuttered, but Kang Lei's grin only grew wider.

"Nana, get what you like, I promise I can pay for it.", Kang Lei said with a straight face as he sat up, raising a stiffened open hand to his forehead, giving a salute.

"Mn!", Kang Nana nodded as she smiled.

"Young master, have you decided what you and the young miss would like?", said a staff man coming back over.

"Mn, I'll just have sweet red bean buns and something strong to drink." said Kang Lei.

"And you miss?"

"I'll have pork bone wide noodle soup.", Kang Nana ordered.

"Will that be all?" said the staff man.

"Uh young master, shouldn't you eat something other than sweets? You will be hungry later if you only eat sweet red bean buns.", Kang Nana worried.

With a smirk Kang Lei nodded, "I'll have dumplings as well.", said the young master and the staff man nodded walking away.

"Dumplings? Young master Kang will eat dumplings? I remember it was not long ago that you were not too fond of my Grandmother's dumplings!" said Kang Nana, surprised.

"I've eaten them a few times during my travels, they are starting to grow on me, besides, Grandma Kang could not cook.", the young master chuckled.

"Young master Kang!", Kang Nana gasped reaching her hand across the table and popping Kang Lei on the shoulder. The poor girl was doing her best not to laugh, and her Grandmother must be flipping over in her grave right about now.

After the two had eaten and slowly made their way back, Kang Nana and Kang Lei walked side by side up the stairs.

"Young master, I want to thank you for today, it meant a lot to me.", said Kang Nana with a small smile as she carefully watched the stairs as she walked.

"You do not need to thank me Nana, you are like family to me.", Kang Lei responded.

"Yes, we are quite like that, aren't we?", Nana let out a barely audible sigh.

"As I've said before, rely on me a little, I'll be here for you.", the young master stopped as they had reached the top of the stairs, turning his gaze to Kang Nana with a smile.

As Kang Nana looked up to the young master's pretty smile, her heart began to race, she could never look at him too long when he smiled like that. Awkwardly clearing her throat, Kang Nana quickly directed her attention to the ground, "I will remember to do so, but I better go see about great master Kang, if you will excuse me young master.", Kang Nana bowed slightly before she hurried away into the manor.

As Kang Lei watched Kang Nana leave, his smile slowly began to dissipate as he let out a sigh. No matter what he said, they were just words, he would never be able to fill the new hole in the poor girl's heart. Letting out another sigh, Kang Lei, perked up and made his way straight for the library.

Hours later, the night had fallen, as the young master sat still in the dimly lit library, many books and scrolls placed all around him. Letting out a loud growl, Kang Lei fell backwards, staring up at the dark ceiling. "Some heretical clan we are.", Kang Lei complained, throwing an arm over his face. He had been searching for hours through every section of the library and every book, but he could not find what he was looking for, his Father must have had them removed during his transition into clan leadership.

"There you are young master.", said a familiar voice and Kang Lei jumped up, frantically gathering some of the darker titled books he had been looking through.

"Xing-ge, do not sneak up on me like that!", Kang Lei chuckled.

"Can I ask what is it you're looking for young master? Perhaps I could be of some assistance.", Kang Yixing responded as he glanced around the pile. Squatting down, he picked up a book that had caught his attention, "Capturing the Dead.", Kang Yixing said aloud.

With wide eyes, young master Kang quickly snatched the book out of Kang Yixing's hands, placing it with the pile that he was cleaning up. "Xing-ge, did you want something?", said Kang Lei as he continued to gather the pile of books.

"Nothing in particular, I've simply come to see what you were up to, you have been unaccounted for all day.", Kang Yixing responded as he stood.

"I have been busy.", said Kang Lei as he stood, after he had made several piles of the books he had been reading through.

"So I see, is there anything that I can do to lighten the load?", Kang Yixing continued to pry.

"There is.", said Kang Lei, as he smirked at the older man.

"What is it?", Kang Yixing said with a smile, as curiosity couldn't help, but to get the better of him.

"You can put these books back for me, it will be a pain to remember where I pulled them all from.", said Kang Lei patting Kang Yixing on the shoulder and then skipping off before the man could reply. Glancing around at the many piles of books, Kang Yixing let out a sigh, "how do I always manage to let that child out smart me.", he mumbled under his breath as he began picking up books.

After Kang Lei had gotten far enough away from Kang Yixing, he stopped and continued walking properly, letting out a sigh. Those books that his Father had removed from the library were somewhere and he was not going to rest until he found their whereabouts, but it was not going to be easy.

Realizing that he would not be able to rest with so much on his mind, the young master made his way to the field of night flowers to meditate. Removing both his robes, the young master sat on the ground in the lotus position, placing Juntuan at his side. Pulling the tie out of his hair, the young master straightened his posture and closed his eyes, letting out a slow exhale. As the cool breeze of the night blew his long dark hair and gently caressed his bare skin, Kang Lei inhaled only this time he held it before letting go, fall would soon be approaching.

Sitting for a moment, the young master tried his best to tame his mind. As he sat, Kang Lei's eyes suddenly snapped open, as he quickly held up his two fingers, flinging a sharp string of spiritual energy at a bird that had landed in front of him. As the sharp string of spiritual energy penetrated the bird's flesh, it instantly collapsed, dying on the spot.

Furrowing his brows, Kang Lei inhaled and exhaled deeply. Drawing his sword and wounding his own finger, the young master drew a symbol around the body of the dead bird with his own blood. With one hand the young master held up his two fingers, and the other hand he held elevated over the bird, his palm facing downward.

"Forgive me little friend, but you will be my first experiment.", the young master spoke softly.