Foreboding

Shi Lei's markings flickered painfully, reacting aggressively to what he was seeing. Hai Xia And Shi Lei approach the portrait. Shi Lei's eyes narrowed then he sighed. "I think they got my nose wrong Xia Xia." He ripped down the note attached and unfolded it with nimble fingers. Hai Xia ran a finger over the portrait, noting the ink had only dried recently. Shi Lei's jaw clenched as he read the words written in blood. "Peak Lord Shi Lei belongs to Ghost Kingdom." underneath the bold words were small letters spelling out 'I know your secret' with a dangerous smirk curving his lip, Shi Lei crumpled the parchment in his fist. Hai Xia wrapped his long fingers around Shi Lei's curled fingers, slowly unfurling them. Plucking the parchment from his hand Hai Xia opened the note reading the words quickly. He glance at Shi Lei, a question in his eyes. Shi Lei avoided his penetrating gaze. His disciples had surrounded them at some point. He pulled his face into a fake grin. "Everyone back to your studies, someone was just pulling a prank." Accepting this answer the disciples nodded and walked back to their respective classrooms. "Anyways...Xia Xia let's see what aggravated my friendly little White Poison spirit!" Hai Xia nodded, one hand pushing open the heavy wooden doors that lead to a hall with massive pillars and detailed music notes on the floor. Shi Lei hadn't really looked around the last time he was here due to obvious reasons- however he did think it was quite pretty with all of the ancient artifacts lining the walls. Glancing around and searching for anything out of place, a white jar came to view. The White Poison spirit had been successfully sealed within after he had collapsed. Hai Xia's gaze also strayed to the jar for a moment. Shi Lei was quiet since his mood had been dampened by his lovely portrait plastered outside. Glancing at the spot where he was strangled earlier he tilted his head, eyes narrowing. A small pearlescent bead was sitting next to the platform he had been on. He reached a hand out to grab it but was quickly halted by Hai Xia's grip on his wrist. "Wait." He tapped the pearl with his sword only for it to shriek and explode into more pearls. "Madam Gu Cheng's" he said calmly as the pearls continued their shrieking. Shi Lei winced at the sound, pulled out a few talismans and sent them towards the pearls, silencing the incessant pearls. Shi Lei fiddled with his fan, flicking it open to fan himself. His gaze stayed narrowed on the pearls whilst he tried to remember a Madam Gu Cheng. To be fair he had been in seclusion cultivating for eighteen years. "She is one of the head demons. Banished from the Ghost Kingdom for her evil deeds." Shi Lei glanced at Hai Xia who had apparently read his mind. His brows angled upwards. "And what exactly do you have to do to get exiled from a place like the Ghost Kingdom?" Hai Xia smirked at Shi Lei through his beaded mask. "It's actually not that hard. The Ghost Kingdom has rules that must be followed just like any place."

Shi Lei nodded along, that made sense after all, why wouldn't they have their own rules? "But what did this Madam Gu Cheng do that was so evil?" Shi Lei questioned Hai Xia without thinking twice only to see Hai Xia's body tense. "She Cursed the King of The Ghost Kingdom." Shi Lei's mouth made a silent oh pondering how someone could even think about cursing The Ghost King. "Seems like she made a target of herself for no reason." Shi Lei mumbled "Mm." Hai Xia nodded firmly. "So why would Madam Gu Cheng feel the need to mess with my beautiful portrait and The White Poison spirit." Shi Lei continually fanned himself as he slowly traced his steps from earlier, coming to stand at the center of the hall where the thing had grabbed his ankle. Hai Xia watched him as he too thought of why this person would come to White River Sect and specifically Singing Arrow Peak. "Ahh!" Shi Lei quickly held out a hand to Hai Xia his pale green eyes aglow. "The note please Xia Xia." Hai Xia Reached into his sleeve producing the crumpled up parchment from earlier. Shi Lei's glance flicked up to Hai Xia smugly before he proceeded to lick the page. Hai Xia grimaced slightly. "Undignified." Shi Lei only smiled at him warmly. Turning the page around he showed the hidden message written beneath the red blood on the page.

Spitting the blood out onto the ground Shi Lei winked at Hai Xia. "Hidden messages are a trade secret for creepy ghosts." Hai Xia only focused his silver eyes on the message which read 'The Forbidden Crimson hides on the arms of the peak' Shi Lei glanced at it, disinterested. "Nothing that amazing, but I would guess Madam Gu Cheng is in search of this 'Forbidden Crimson'." pausing, his nimble fingers play with Huilang's tassel. "Though she seems to think I have it, I'm not exactly dead yet so I am assuming- if she left the message- I belong in Ghost Kingdom due to my possession of one of it's Forbidden items." Hai Xia watched Shi Lei with one brow raised. Shi Lei blushed lightly under the glare from those silver eyes. He of course knew the wretched Ghost was after the ink on his arms- made very apparent by the messages left- he wasn't about to tell Hai Xia that however. The question was what her plans with him were, they couldn't chop off his arms to use the demonic power, he had to be willing and even then he was poisoned by the Red Lotus Poison so he couldn't effectively help her anyways. This also brought up the question, why would she leave a note saying he belongs in Ghost Kingdom if she has no ties to them after banishment? Sighing Shi Lei turned and noticed Hai Xia playing with a shrieking pearl in one hand. Well a currently silenced shrieking pearl. "It speaks." Hai Xia deduced as he tossed it toward Shi Lei. Shi Lei caught the pearl gracefully, his fingers bringing the cursed thing to his right ear. "Madam Gu wants back what she hid, young master." Shi Lei only raised an eyebrow tossing it back to Hai Xia. "Let's speak with the White Poison Spirit now that it has calmed." Hai Xia only nodded tapping the pearl with his finger. Shi Lei approached the jar and tucked his fan away. He glanced up at Hai Xia through thick lashes, Hai Xia had come to stand next to Shi Lei. Shi Lei thought Hai Xia was definitely too tall. coming back to the situation at hand Shi Lei began whistling the tune 'Truth' allowing the spirit to come out and speak, however if it lied even the spirit would know true pain.

The shape of a woman soon took shape. Her long hair took on a blue sheen as her patchwork of clothing hung off of her thin body. Minus the unkempt hair and scaly white patches marring her skin she would've been considered a beauty. Whoever had led her to this point had earned her wrath and was most likely dead. Her eyes took in Hai Xia and Shi Lei with quiet rage, she felt the effects of the song so she didn't dare act out. "Hello miss. we are here ask a few questions- If you would be amenable." Shi Lei smiled, knowing she had no choice but to answer his questions. Her lip curled in disdain as she shifted her head in Hai Xia's direction. "I will answer you. Not the pretty boy over there." Her voice was hoarse as if she had never spoken before this day. Shi Lei smiled "I am a pretty boy, thank you for noticing, Xia Xia do you think I am pretty?" Hai Xia only glanced at him for a second. "Mm." Shi Lei knew that one answer could mean a million things but he took it how he wanted. Grinning with teeth on display he looked as satisfied as a cat who had caught a mouse. The spirit only looked on disgusted. Hai Xia stared at the spirit until it glanced away from Shi Lei. "Who played 'Reminiscent' to you?" The Ghost pursed it's lips, probably wishing it could lie. "A man dressed in all black." Shi Lei hummed with a slight smile on his face. " A little more detail, if you would please." The spirit thought it would sweat if it could. one man was tall and silent whilst the other one was kind but infinitely scarier. "He had black hair up in a bun, he seemed to know his way around. He looked at all of the jars before finally reaching mine, as if he had been searching for me specifically." Shi Lei suddenly thought about his nightmare and how cold Tian Kuo had looked. Shaking his head to clear away the thought, he turned to Hai Xia. "I say we track down this Madam Gu Cheng." Hai Xia nodded whilst the spirit looked like she had seen, well... a ghost. "Madam Gu Cheng was here! I need to dissappear, please seal me young masters!" the Ghost began pleading fervently. "What relationship do you have to Madam Gu Cheng little spirit?" Shi Lei questioned. "She was my master! She was so cruel, the reason I am like this is because she killed my fiance and forced me to believe he had left me for another woman. Only after I became a White Poison Spirit did I learn she did this to me on purpose! Feigning to be kind one minute then cruel the next!" Hai Xia finally spoke up. "We will seal you if you tell us where to find Madam Gu Cheng." The Spirit swiftly nodded. "Thank you young masters, thank you!" She stepped closer "She is found on the path that decays under the mountain of age." Shi Lei though that the riddle was unnecessary but Hai Xia seemed to think it was enough so he let it slide. Hai Xia turned to nod at Shi Lei. Shi Lei understood and whistled to seal her back in the jar, slapping a fresh talisman on for added measure. "Well Xia Xia, shall we see why this woman is so set on having me?" Shi Lei chuckled. "Besides the obvious of course." Hai Xia Rolled his eyes as Shi Lei Winked.