Chapter Thirty Three

The smell of blood was the first thing he noticed. The second was freshly upturned earth and heated steel. Then, the last smell he could identify was that of a familiar chilly lingering morning dew which was entirely different from the mossy greenery surrounding them. It was fragrant, and if not for his keen sense of smell perhaps not even possible to identify in the chaos. Their hearts were tightly strung into the sky as the steady pace they were moving at doubled in an instant. When Da Chuanli and Wang Minglan with the last of their tiny group arrived where the smell of blood was the strongest.

All of their eyes widened at the destruction only a powerful beast would be capable of making. A large wall of ice cast a shadow upon the people standing below etching its way straight into their hearts. The terrified wailing of someone on the side being held by an equally shocked and pale Shao Lin. But the wreckage wasn't what made them freeze up. In the center of it all a pitiful snow-white hand was still attached even without the rest of the body on the handle of a haunting cold blade. Like a horror story, the wrecked hand was messily torn by force at the wrist leaving a chunk of hanging flesh just barely covering the whites of the bone. Thus, showing just how stubbornly the owner held onto her blade even in the face of death.

Qing Mianyang pushed away Shao Lin, and doubled over onto all fours gagging. Wang Minglan's knees gave underneath him shocking Da Chuanli out of his blank state as he tightly took hold of his master's arm. "Master!!" Yu Ya rushed to Shao Lin's side frightened. Calling the four's attention to their just arriving group. Spotting Wang Minglan's pale countenance Qing Mianyang wailed louder and slammed her head into the dirt before anyone could stop her. Crying at the top of her lungs, anyone could see her grief and trauma at a glance.

"MASTER! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRRY! MASTER PLEASE PUNISH ME I'M SORRY-! WAAAHHH~!!!" Gao Chang with red-rimmed eyes didn't cry, his teeth were gritted and he closed his eyes tightly so he couldn't see either his master or the thin white hand on that blade. How could they have not noticed? From the looks of it, the battle must have been so fierce even the dead could have heard it. So how could neither he nor Elder Shao notice? How?! But if he was beating himself up over reality, he couldn't imagine how elder Shao felt at this moment in time. "Sect leader don't-!!"

Yu Ya's cry shocked them all out of their horror and they didn't know when or how but Shao Lin was slammed into the ground by Minglan whose face was distorted in grief. His eyes were redder than anyone else's, jerking the dazed man whose breath was knocked out of him by the collar. Nose to nose no one else dared to breathe or interrupt his despair as he roared at Shao Lin. The second most capable within their group rightfully without caring for image or past. "SHAO LIN! YOU-! YOU-!" Shao Lin didn't fight back at all letting Minglan toss him around like a ragdoll appearing mournful, and most of all regretful. Unable to find any words he could say to his old friend who appeared to be restraining himself from doing more besides shaking him.

"You lied to me! You told me she was-! That she was-!" His hands shook violently just like the cracks appearing in his voice shattering the man's hope. He knew! He knew the An Xing realm was dangerous, and even more dangerous for his daughter who once belonged to this realm. He knew that An Xing was the most dangerous place for his daughter but trusted in her ability to hide well. But what was this?! He choked on an escaping sob shoving the limp Shao Lin away out of anger and fear of doing something worse to the man. From Qing Mianyang's cry, and the terrible battlefield left behind, he already understood at a glance what most likely happened.

There was no scenario in which Wang Lan Biyu would allow anyone to face the consequences of her past for her. Least of all, people belonging to his peak. Covering his face Minglan gave a deep shuttering breath. Refusing to look at anyone as he could only see the hand hanging onto that cold blade with a death grip and recalled her strange behavior from before. "It was my negligence..." Da Chuanli silently stood where he had arrived, as beside him Chun Hua staggered a step towards the hand only to fall to her knees with trembling lips. Unable to process the scene in front of her as real. "S-Senior brother. Senior brother, this-this isn't possible."

He turns to see the girl covering her mouth as her shoulders shake seeming in shock. "Sister-" She whimpered as the name was cut by a sharp intake of air as if preventing herself from breaking down too. "-Sister Wang, I saw her. I saw her, just-just before the p-p-portal, she-" Chun Hua wipes her falling tears fiercely under his quiet stare appearing stubborn in believing reality was a trick. "-she smiled at me! Just less than a few days ago she finally smiled at me!! She only just started wearing the things we gave her! She took our hands on her own! YOU SAW IT! YOU ALL SAW IT!!" "Chun Hua ENOUGH!!"

Gao Chang was the only one who could maintain his composure enough to stop the hysterical girl. Not needing to look to know their master was feeling the most pain and didn't need her reminder, and indeed Chun Hua turns to their deathly quiet master. Before clamping her mouth shut, occasionally Da Chuanli could hear her sharp intakes of air and soft whimpers. Gu Ping stood to the side much like Da Chuanli with not much of a reaction, however one could tell it wasn't that he wasn't sad. He was just in disbelief and didn't know what to do with himself. What to do with himself? Da Chuanli became a bit baffled when he thought this.

"Senior brother your hand..." Hand? Glancing at his right hand Chun Hua who was the closest to him points out in a sore whisper. He was a bit baffled to see that his fingers had curled around his jian's handle so tightly it had imprinted into his palm. His brows furrowed lightly as this was not something he felt. Even if he was usually sensitive to things that happened to his own body. Gao Chang who appeared the most rational finally peeks at Da Chuanli and saw his gentle and intelligent senior brother staring at his hand red palm with complicated feelings. Ever since their first meeting, he saw his senior brother as an unprecedented talent and an immovable person. He appeared mild, but Gao Chang thought of him more as a wolf hiding in a herd of sheep their master had haphazardly gathered for his sake.

Accessories in a way. He never put anyone into his eyes, he was as selfish as their master. But he was also less generous than their master in terms of warming up to others. He treats everyone kindly and although he treated Wang Lan Biyu a bit more special. Gao Chang was positive that if any one of them had gone missing in this An Xing realm. His two-faced senior would no doubt be the only one who could take it all in a stride without faltering. Yet, what was this? Watching with growing feelings of realization Gao Chang's expression became complicated when Da Chuanli silently adjusted his stiff posture without acknowledging his unintentional actions just now.

 No one else seemed to see his mishap but him. Perhaps no one else had realized it too. From their moment of arrival, Da Chuanli had never taken his eyes off that hanging hand for even a second unless forced to. His entire body had tensed to the point of needing to be forcefully relaxed after noticing his discomfort but only after someone else pointed it out. And unlike everyone else, Da Chuanli seemed to subconsciously avoid going closer even if it was for the sake of comforting their grieving master. "...." Gritting his teeth, Gao Chang broke the tense silence by being the first to go forward to everyone else's shock. His footsteps were heavy, the dull thud of each step hammering the reality deeper into their hearts and minds.

Wang Lan Biyu was dead. Wang Lan Biyu whose face was colder than ice but heart purer than one would think was dead. Wang Lan Biyu who had stood up for them when they were being bullied as children by the others for being unfavored was dead. Wang Lan Biyu, their master's beloved and gifted daughter, was dead. "Waaah~!!" Chun Hua was first to cry out this time followed surprisingly quickly by Qing Mianyang who buried her head further into the dirt shamefully. Gu Ping finally shutters out of his shock staggering into a fallen tree and catching his fall. "Sister Wang..."

Yu Ya kept her head down while holding on tightly to the sleeve of her master who was still lying on the ground staring up at the darkening sky blankly. Da Chuanli who should have been the calmest of them all felt his legs growing numb as he watched Gao Chang robotically approach his junior sister's cold sword. Minglan was still sitting in the same place seemingly disconnected from the mortal realm. If one could see the Nascent soul cultivator's spiritual essence, no doubt they would see the roaring flames of madness before being manually calmed over and over again by his last strand of reasoning. When Gao Chang finally reached the hanging hand his mouth thins into a firm line as he slowly reached for her. For what was left of her. His hand shook and faltered, taking a deep breath he used his left hand to forcefully pull his right till it came into contact with the now frigid and stiff hand.

At this point, Gao Chang's nose soured and he shivered after making contact. Trying to eliminate all thoughts from forming in his mind he carefully tried prying the hand from the handle. To his shock, it was surprisingly easy, as if knowing someone came to release her from her struggle the hand easily gave way. ".....Apologies to sister for my disrespectful actions." He carefully wrapped her bloodless cold hand in the best handkerchief he could find on his person as he usually carried them for Rui Shi. He paused after recalling the lively girl, suddenly realizing she would most likely be devastated after finding out about Lan Biyu.

 His expression filled with sadness and when he quietly reached for the cold blade he was stunned to see it shake and hum just before he made contact. Dangerous! He jerked back in time for the wild blade to show its true nature. Like trees taking root icicles shot forth into the sky piercing all who stood above it as a show of sovereignty over the land surrounding it and refusing contact with anyone else. Da Chuanli was the first to notice as he was closely watching Gao Chang's process of retrieving the remains for their master. Despite the uncomfortable feeling in his guts. He moved forward grabbing Gao Chang from behind and dragging him far from the cold sword that had lost its owner. Left behind in the place where he once stood, was a mini glacier with a humming sword resting within. Marking the place where it and its master made their last stand together as if wanting to immortalize her last trace on this earth.

The boy who was almost skewed by ice exhaled shakily. All but Shao Lin and Minglan were shocked by the current events, the surge of murderous energy caught their attention. Minglan stood up and quietly made his way to the icy gravestone. They worried about him but knowing how capable their master was Gao Chang and Da Chuanli didn't block him. They even made way to observe as he lay a trembling palm on the icy sculpture. They couldn't see his face but noticed his shoulders shake briefly. Not knowing whether it was because of loss or anger toward the disobedient sword that refused to let them retrieve it in memory of his daughter. Minglan explains softly for his two brave disciples' sake who merely wanted to help him take back what was left of Lan Biyu.

"It's rejecting the foreign spiritual energy you carry." Sentience? Gao Chang caught on quickly and sent the now calmed sword a strange look with hints of surprise. "Sister Wang's sword has it's own consciousness?" Da Chuanli peers quietly at the blade, no one can discern the strange emotion in his gaze. Minglan didn't seem to want to leave, watching the blade that rested inside waiting for a master that no longer existed in this world. Shao Lin stood with the help of Yu Ya staring at Minglan's back guiltily. With the proficiency and aura of a master he rarely exhibits. The man solemnly and tyrannically reached through the ice as though it were just mere sand overriding the blade's protest and stunning the rest even more when he called out in a hoarse but gentle voice.

"Chi, be obedient." Chi? Da Chuanli jerked upright and stared with bated breath as the blade gave an ear-grating cry of protest again as if responding to him. Minglan's throat was dry, his nose red, and felt the back of his eyes burn as he coaxed the blade like a child. "Let's return home first for her, be good. She wouldn't want you to rest here alone." The mourning sound it gave was sharp enough to make one's ears bleed before it seemed to grudgingly give up. Knowing it stood no chance against her owner's master. When he took the handle of the blade it quieted down as if it were dead. But Minglan could still feel its uncomfortable rumble and hum of discontent the longer he held it in his hands.

Seeming to recognize him but not accepting anyone but her original owner to handle her like so. She quickly returned to the familiar form of a snake and wrapped herself around his wrist reluctantly instead. Minglan cradles the silently protesting snake as if it were a child, holding her close to his chest in a way to comfort both himself and the lost blade. Chi flicks her tongue at Minglan's sad face ignorant to all but her master's emotions, heartlessly closing its eyes to feign being a real bracelet. Da Chuanli's eyes flicker strangely at the familiar actions the little snake took. But unlike that sparkling snake, Chi really seemed to become a solid bracelet. "Minglan I-"

"Let's go, theres nothing left to see here." Coldly cutting off Shao Lin, Minglan started heading toward their original goal after meeting up together. His disciples cleverly kept their mouths shut, Qing Mianyang with the help of Gu Ping supporting her weakly stood up to follow behind her cold master. But she also didn't complain under the pressure of their master's aura. As Minglan took his first few steps he was fine, but when he almost stumbled half a second later Da Chuanli was the one to catch him speaking softly and covering for his master's mishap. "Master, allow this disciple to help you." Minglan took a deep breath, patting Da Chuanli's hand stiffly. "I'm alright." 

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Who was it?! Who was attacking them?! Was it an ambush?! But how?! No one but Golden Cloud cultivators knew what they were planning to do!! The golden-robed man pants and rode his sword holding the large cut just above his chest to slow the process of blood loss. "Wait-!! Senior wait don't leave me!!" He stiffened and looked below hesitantly as one of his people dragged his mangled body towards him with eyes full of desperation but also hope when he spotted him.

 The man riding the sword hesitated for only a second, but even that second was too late. A white sword with a purple tassel pierced the heart of the stunned victim accurately before being removed just as quickly by the masked owner who wore an indifferent expression. Feng Shuchang meets the eyes of the furious but helpless Golden Sect member as the body flops to the ground, the life draining from his eyes. "You'll regret this!!" Sending the masked man one last hate-filled glower he retreated instead of giving into the urge to run the man through. Feng Shuchang held a hand to stop his people from chasing after him while wiping his blade clean with a cloth. Feng Mei Xing questions him softly as their people gather the dead bodies into a pile to feed the beasts like sacrifices.

"Didi isn't letting him go too reckless? If he's observant enough he could recognize your sword tassel at a glance." Feng Shuchang wasn't as worried as she was explaining calmly as he cleansed his sword of blood. "Jie is worried for nothing, how many cultivators entered the realm, and how many sects took part in An Xing? Can he force every sect to comply with a search without offending the participants? Not to mention," He sneers at the blood-coated ground.

"-An Xing is a realm that has long been filled with the blood, sweat, and tears of so many cultivators everyone has long accepted this fact. The same Golden Cloud sect who denied foul play and claimed fairness to all. Will they really go back on their words just because some of their people have fallen when they denied others the same opportunity?" Feng Mei Xing's expression also fell after being reminded of the past. She pursed her lips and no longer tried to talk him out of his decision with cold eyes. Her hand reaching for the jade hanging by her hip she never took off feeling its warmth thus solidifying her resolve once more. 

Feng Shuchang sheaths his sword calling out the the rest sternly "Head out! Do not leave anything behind!" Firmly saluting the two leaders who stood dignified even beside a pile of golden corpses the Zenith Star sect disappeared into the shadows like the smudge of a glass window being wiped clean. Leaving not a single trace behind of their involvement but the massacre of golden bodies starting the flames of a rebellion against the tyrants who ruled the Golden Palace.