The Lingwei

Xiao Yuer struggled tirelessly, yet the grip around his neck didn't seem to loosen at all. Instead it only tightened, forcing Xiao Yuer to cough up more blood which made his lips redder as his body dangled in the air.

"How did you escape my nightmare and how did it affect you?", Came the question again. Slitted eyes glowing brighter.

Xiao Yuer turned. He met the beast's gaze. Frowning for a moment, he could only question himself for answers.

It was indeed strange for him to have embraced that previous terror if that was the case. From Xiao yuer's thought, he was fully aware that he had never encountered this beast, talk more of it attacking him. However this nightmare attack he was hearing, was through A-ling, which means that the attack was contagious!

If so, then, why was the beast itself questioning it's ability? Wasn't it aware that it was contagious? Or was it that it wasn't contagious?

"Speak!". Xiao Yuer was drawn back from his thought.

Remembering all that happened, he didn't even try lying. "I got affected through the boy you want. B-But, it was a voice that made me escape your nightmare." He struggled with breathing as he answered.

The beast didn't seem to dwell much on Xiao yuer's answer as he had other matters at hand. He looked at Xiao yuer's apartment which was surrounded with repelling talismans then shifted his slitted eyes to Xiao Yuer. Smokes exited small slits which could be mistaken for nostrils and it said.

"The boy. The one whom you live with. Bring him for me and I shall let you go."

A-ling was the first thing that broke into Xiao yuer's mind!

Why and what does he need the little boy for?

""What and why do you want him?" He asked amidst his parched throat. Coughing afterwards, with trails of blood on his lips. It's foul tasted similar to rusted iron. Almost nauseating.

"Humans and silly questions..." The beast waved it's head to side. Staring once more at Xiao yuer's home surrounded by talisman. "... I wonder when you'll learn to understand that not all orders requires a reason. Give me the boy and save your life. Or choose otherwise. " It faced Xiao Yuer, rattling on," ...Won't you like to save your life? "

Xiao Yuer felt the grip on his throat tighten, forcing him to spit out more clumps of crimson which stained the dark green scales of the beast. The gruesome sight deemed less important to the beast who hissed then looked away. Growing impatient and irritated. He needed to complete his task and exit this town as soon as possible before those little hunters would find him. Those little pest who hunted down his master's race.

"Speak, human, or I'll snap your frail neck into two." It threatened, angered. Glaring ferociously at Xiao Yuer who was puzzled on what to choose.

Xiao Yuer sighed internally, regretting why he came back alone. "Would... you kill the boy if I hand him over to you?" He muttered pitifully, spitting out another clump of blood. His silver eyes dimmed though he rebuked the thought of death.

Considering his life while remembering the lots that was to be done, he needed to deal with Wu Zhong no matter what. Besides, him trying to perform the alchemy of soul technique was basically useless due to how weak his body was to harness it's potential as it could shatter his soul into oblivion.

Xiao Yuer was taken aback when a low dry laughter— seemingly a whispering laughter— exited the razor sharp teeths of the beast.

The beast swung him to the side, opposite their apartment quite distant. "Do you realize that you are in a wrong position to question me? I would rather maul you and come back for the boy." It clenched it's palm tighter as it's breath razed Xiao Yuer once more. Yellow folded pupils squinting closely at it's prey as if considering the next thing to do. "Perhaps, a death wish is all you wanted and it would be granted. "

As if this words had gotten right into Xiao Yuer. He slightly shivered in fear, feeling those stench breath against his skin, he waltzed his face to the side. Almost breaking down in discomfort he finally agreed, "Fine, fine. I'll bring him for you. Can you now let me go. Let me go and I'll get him. " His words were uttered in a hush.

.... ?

The beast pause stretched for few seconds as it seemed to consider Xiao yuer's words.

His prey was tricky, he thought, but still decided to test him out. It would not be a problem to finish him up if he ever tried tricking him. Reluctantly, just when it was about to consent to Xiao yuer's acceptance, a large shadow loomed over, spreading a gust of wind that made it slightly shudder.

Yellow eyes were unable to see anything as they glanced around. The earlier movement was to quick that only phantoms could be seen.

Xiao Yuer whom closed his eyes out of instinct when the gust of wind passed, was totally unaware as a sharp blade quickly crossed the space between the beast and him!

SLASH!

The beast blinked. Xiao Yuer peeled his eyes open, watching black blood slowly spill into the air as if a fountain, and in the next second felt gravity pulling him downwards that Xiao Yuer was unable to use his hands as support.

THUD!

A sharp pain seared from his butt and stretched forth to every part of his body. It made him cough up another clump of blood that made Xiao Yuer wonder why he wasn't dead yet. Xiao Yuer's head embraced a cloud of dizziness. It lasted for few seconds before he regained his sight. He coughed again.

As he tried patting his chest to subdue the cough that tightened his chest, A yelp broke the silence. Xiao yuer's eyes widened. He didn't even waste time grabbing and tossing away the sliced piece of arm that still held his neck. It flew across few inches before it fell with a_ THUT!_ Black blood still oozing out of it.

Ignoring his cloth, Xiao Yuer now looked up. Now coming to a realization that the beast's hand had been chopped clean! But by... Who?

It was at this same time that the beast looked around. Another pair of smoke exiting those slits. It ignored the lightness and oozing blood on the severed arm and solely focused to finding what instantly took it's arm. Xiao Yuer eyes traced around as well. He wiped his bloodstained lips.

Above one of the roofs nearby stood a predominant figure with six capes swaying behind it.

Concurrently, almost at the same time, the eyes of Xiao Yuer and that of the beast spotted the figure!

The rays of moonlight exposed a magnificent frame as if a dignified god stood among them!

Xiao blinked when he heard the figure speak. "You really are one experienced concealer I have never faced in my years. Just a few more days and I would have been out of here thinking that nothing went wrong. It's really unfortunate that your days ran out of luck. "

" Hmm... "

Xiao Yuer squinted his eyes, he leaned closer a bit. As the figure spoke with six capes and long hair carelessly swaying behind it, Xiao Yuer noticed something. From the rays of moonlight that fell on them it was more than easier for them to see each other's faces. However, although the man was back facing the moon. As far as he was not wearing a veil or a mask, Xiao Yuer would surely be able to discern how his saviour looked like.

Xiao Yuer squinted his eyes and peered more. Tracing facial features, It turns out to be that it was the stranger whom he just met moments ago at the Chalou!

That cold and Arrogant bloke!

Xiao Yuer restrained himself from calling his saviour a jerk, Instead, he just sighed. He should really be at his mercy for saving him. A thought popped Xiao yuer's head and he mumbled within. How was he quick when he was blind, and how could he tell that something bad was happening here?

With the many questions buzzing Xiao yuer's head, he could only ignore them and stand up. His dazzling silver Hanfu now had stains of red and black on it. It was like a horrible polkadot design, slowly corrupting the stainless beauty of his Hanfu, and Xiao Yuer hated it.

With a groan he made way for his apartment. Clicking sound of his shoe distracted the others for a moment before it halted. Xiao Yuer stood before his apartment with eyes flashing in interest.

....

An eerie silence descended. Replica to that of a graveyard, it went on for seconds with only low breaths coming from Long Haoyu and Xiao Yuer. Gentle waves of breeze blew, resonating like mild whispers into their ears.

"You... Ha! You are here to kill me isn't it?".

Just after this words sounded, a crazed laughter of scorn drowned the nocturne silence with it's despair. Xiao Yuer felt quite bugged by the laughter. From a corner of his eyes, he noticed the calm expression the other figure wore. Like a celestial being members of the Tianshang De sect communicated with. Truly, truly, doesn't he have another expression asides being calm?

Once the laughter had died down. Only then did the figure speak....

"Indeed. I am here to kill you." Long Haoyu nodded. The long, slightly curved blade he gripped on flashes a murderous moonlight Xiao Yuer saw. "... However, before I would do so, It would be an honor to know the name of what hideous creature I'm up against?"

Smokes shot out of those slits again, then the creatures lips parted. " Ever heard of the king of nightmare? "

The king of nightmare?

Xiao Yuer drew his brows at the corner. Back during his youthful age, he'd read a whole lot about dark mystical creature. Ranging from the most perilous, Xiangmo, to Xuanwu to ghouls, ghosts and others. In the book of the dark arts, there was only one mystical creature known as the king of nightmare.

The Lingwei...

I'm really sorry for the lack of update. School and stuffs has been holding my schedule. The good news is... I'm stockpiling for this book while trying to satisfy my HEARTBOUND readers.

... Please bear with me. Yeah, I hope to get a hundred plus colls on this book for next month!