Make a choice

Leader Chang saw them off as they were set to leave.

It was a long journey ahead so they had to be prepared for what to come.

Mei jingjing had her own horse, actually she took Ilya from Li Jie making Ilya her new horse while Li Jie went ahead with the white horse.

"Young master, the autumn festival is happening soon, are we going to have a wonderful celebration?" Chao Xua asked cheerfully.

Li Jie pursed his lips. "If we turn out victorious on this, then it will be a grand celebration."

Haorang moved ahead. "Young master, where do we find the second seal?."

Daiyu glanced at him. "We'll find it at Western Sichuan."

They all glanced her way wondering how she knew. Daiyu noticed their quizzical look and had to think of a quick answer to give to them.

"Um, leader Chang told me about it, I asked him about it and he gave me the clue."

Weng Lie spoke up, "It doesn't matter how she knows, she also has the seals power, it's normal if she knows. The good thing about it is we have an easy way of finding the seal."

weng Lie seemed to convince everyone with his words except for the two stubborn couples.

Mei jingjing wondered why weng Lie was standing up for Daiyu while Li Jie kept Wondering how leader Chang would have said such to her but not to him.

The journey to Western Sichuan was a long one.

They passed through different valleys and rivers just before getting to Western Sichuan. It was a beautiful place bounded by sheer cast hills, Mei jingjing admired the view, this seals are always kept in such beautiful places.

They moved along Western Sichuan, but Mei jingjing felt her birthmark throbbing painfully in her back.

"Ouch!" she touched it, Li Jie glanced her way immediately.

"Mei jingjing, are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine." something felt off but she couldn't understand why?

"Master Li Jie, I don't have a good feeling about this place."

She said, weng Lie glanced at her. "Do you plan on getting the second seal?"

She nodded, he looked ahead. "Then we have to keep moving."

He walked out with his horse, Li Jie moved his horse closer to Mei jingjing.

"What's the problem?" he asked, she tried to shake off the nervousness she felt and smiled at him.

"It's nothing, we have to keep moving."

He nodded and they both walked off together.

Daiyu's horse led the way, they went deeper into the forest, the trees looked thick and long with the leaves shielding them from the sun, the leaves were a complete green.

Li Jie could feel something wasn't right with this place, a sudden chill went through his system.

"Stop." he said, everyone stopped at the sound of his voice.

"What happened?" Mei jingjing asked. Li Jie's eyes darted through the forest, he immediately got down from the horse and used his powers to stop an arrow mid air from striking Mei jingjing who gasped as she stared at the arrow.

Everyone looked stunned, how was the young master able to detect the arrow?

He let the arrow drop on the floor, everyone got down from the horse.

"Where did that arrow come from?" Daiyu asked.

Someone suddenly showed up with a bow and arrow, he had an evil smirk on his face reminding one of dark haunting beast.

"Why did you have to ruin my surprise?" Chaoxiang asked.

Li Jie gazed at him, the aura he felt from the beast in front of him was dark and murderous.

Chaoxiang raised his hand up, he held a half seal with golden marks on it in his hand.

"Looking for this?"

Everyone gasped at the sight of the seal in his hand.

"Hey!, give that back!" Chao Xua glared at him.

Chaoxiang gazed at him with a mocking smile "If want it, come get it."

Li Jie stopped Chao Xua from going further. "Stop, he's not alone."

The place grew quiet after Li Jie's words.

"I see, you're quite smart." Chaoxiang chuckled and three huge fire beast showed up from the bush, along with water beasts and earth beasts.

The yokai showed up as well, along with the earth beast.

"This is going to be fun." The yokai said and his gaze landed on Mei jingjing who gasped when she noticed his eyes on her.

"She's mine." he said, his handsome face looked quite victorious.

Mei jingjing hid behind Li Jie who wasn't intimidated at all.

"If you want her, you'll have to go through me." Li Jie said calmly but his tone held some kind of authority even the beasts couldn't ignore.

The yokai glared at him. "So be it." he charged towards Li Jie who moved Mei jingjing out of the way and used his powers to send the yokai to it's knee's, everyone was speechless.

Li Jie's eyes lit up as his powers were starting to take control, he kept his gaze on the yokai.

"Do you really want to do this?"

Everyone got prepared for a fight, Daiyu gazed at Chaoxiang who signaled her to play along.

She nodded and striked one of the beasts down with her fire.

The beasts charged at everyone but Li Jie was left for the three leader beasts to deal with.

They circled him while he remained calm and wasn't intimidated at all.

"I like your courage." Chaoxiang said.

"Fire beast, I assume." he said.

Chaoxiang chuckled. "Just call me Chaoxiang."

The three charged at him at once, Li Jie sighed and missed all their attacks doing a flip backwards, he hanged in the air and clapped his hands sending a strong windforce blowing the beasts away but Chaoxiang was the strongest and made a fire sword and jumped high into the air wanting to strike Li Jie with it but he was fast enough to also make his own water sword and the two swords clashed in a fierce battle.

Chao Xua threw a sword for Mei jingjing, she's seen Li Jie practice alot so she knew a little about self defense and avoided all hits that came her way.

Daiyu was a powerful woman herself and faught greatly with her powers, weng Lie fighting by her side.

The guards faced the huge beast with their sharp swords.

Li Jie fought three powerful beasts alone, without touching any of them, he made a blunt movement which was hard to recognize. It affected all the beasts and they felt some kind of internal pain that dropped them to their knees but the fire beast was smart enough to get away from there.

Li Jie glared at him. "Oh no, you don't!" he went after him.

Chaoxiang ran through the woods with the seal and Li Jie following his trail.

Mei jingjing followed behind to make sure he's alright.

Chaoxiang stopped running and glanced at Li Jie who sent a fire blast his way but he dodged it.

"You're stronger than I thought, which is why I came prepared." he smirked and before Li Jie could understand his words.

Chaoxiang had Mei jingjing in his arms, Li Jie gasped wondering how he got hold of Mei jingjing who struggled to free herself from his hold.

Chaoxiang tsked. "This wife of yours is starting to get on my nerves."

"Harm a hair on her head and I'll cut you into pieces."

"Is that a threat?, okay let's make a deal."

"What deal?"

"I'll let her go, if you surrender yourself to me."

Mei jingjing bit his hand and wanted to make a run for it but he held her back.

"Are you that eager to die?"

He covered her mouth with his palm so she won't be able to speak.

"What do you want?" Li Jie asked trying to hold his anger as his hands balled into fist.

"I want my powers back, if you surrender yourself to me, I'll let her go."

Mei jingjing froze at his words with her eyes wide opened, she shook her head telling him not to agree to it.

"Think wisely, or else she's going to loose her life."

Tears dropped from her eyes as she kept shaking her head so he doesn't agree to it.

Li Jie found himself stuck between a hard stone, if he doesn't agree, Mei jingjing might loose her life but if he does, everyone might be in danger.

The yokai and the earth beast showed up holding Li Jie down on his knees, Mei jingjing wanted to run to him but Chaoxiang held her back.

"Oh, you want to go to your husband?, I'm sorry but that's not possible untill he surrenders to me."

He put a sharp blade on her neck making her gasp, Li Jie tensed up at the sight.

"If you do not surrender in the count of three, she loses her life."

The water beast striked Li Jie with his sword forming a long scar across his chest as blood splattered out, they kept hurting him non-stop.

Mei jingjing wanted to scream watching the horrifying scene but couldn't, the tears dropped from her eyes, why wasn't Li Jie trying to get away, it's her duty as his protector to die for him but he's still here, why won't he just go.

Li Jie didn't scream at all but his breath was heavy as he held unto his chest, the pain was clearly written on his face.

"On the count of one" he had the blade at Mei jingjing's neck.

"Two."

He was ready to slice her neck with it.

"Three."

"Fine." Li Jie gave in. "I'll come with, but let her go, it's me you want."

Chaoxiang smirked as Li Jie went on his knees.

He let go of Mei jingjing who ran and crouched beside Li Jie with teary eyes.

"M... master Li Jie."

He glanced up at her to meet her teary eyes, he felt relieved she was alright.

"I'll be fine, try and find the other seal."

She stared at his wounded chest and tried to stop the bleeding but the yokai and the earth beast took Li Jie away from her.

"No no, you can't do this!" she tried to reach for his hand but the yokai held her hand pulling her away from him while the earth beast took the weak Li Jie away.

The yokai pushed her to the ground. "Stay out of this human!"

Mei jingjing glared at him. "You won't get away with this, that I promise you!"

"How will you do that, the fire beast has the second seal and we've got your husband too, it's too late and the autumn festival is approaching in two days time. how will you handle it all?"

Mei jingjing kept quiet, The yokai walked out leaving her to herself.

Everyone who fought the beasts minions suddenly noticed the beasts retreating, confused, they went in search of Mei jingjing and Li Jie.

They found Mei jingjing but no sign of Li Jie, they hurried to her.

"Mei jingjing, are you alright?" weng Lie asked.

Mei jingjing got to her feet. "I'm fine but they have master Li Jie now."

"What?!."

They all looked dumbfounded. "What now, and they beasts already has the seal."

Mei jingjing brought out a seal from inside her sash.

"You were saying?"