Ghost Raven

"We thank you for your help." Lin Xiaoyan spoke with a curt nod at Yan Ruyi.

The ice sculpture had been disposed properly, and everyone had been excused to go back to their quarters or duties, leaving the authorities, the three young masters, and the guests behind.

Yan Ruyi smiled, shaking her head as she spoke. "It's nothing. I'm sure one day, we the Yan family, will ask for your help too."

Master Zhang chuckled at the young lady's polite attitude, his eyes forming crescents as he looked at the faces of everyone present. "I see that Huayang's four most powerful families have gathered in one place."

"I heard you four, are called the Four Pillars of Huayang." He continued, referring to Yan Ruyi and the three young masters. "Seeing you all together, makes this old man's heart filled with joy.

"We used to gather often." Lin Xiaowei chimed in, "But this is our first gathering, ever since Jiang Yichen and Yan Ruyi called off their engagement."

The smiles on everyone's faces was immediately wiped off. Lin Xiaowei was the only one who still had a smile on his face, not expecting his words to revive old wounds.

"You little…" Master Zhang refrained himself from swearing at the ignorant young man.

"I told the servants to prepare tea in the reception room." Lin Xiaoyan spoke up to change the subject, before facing Yan Ruyi. "Please come along."

Lin Xiaoyan and Master Zhenyu then left the younger ones behind, knowing that they might want to catch up but were self conscious in their presence.

"I didn't expect you to be here as well." Yan Ruyi said, once the elders were out of sight, with her burning gaze directed at Jiang Yichen. "I heard you were kicked out of the Shao sect."

"Right." Jiang Yichen nodded. "You are really good at keeping track of the things I do."

Yan Ruyi's magenta eyes seemed to glow, her anger barely suppressed. "Everyone was talking about how you got kicked out, yet again. I'm not interested in your life, I just happened to hear of it." She defended herself against Jiang Yichen's claim.

"I see." Jiang Yichen said before facing his friends, "Our precious guest here, seems uncomfortable with my presence. I think it's best for me to excuse myself."

With that said, he left them without turning back.

"Let's go." Lin Xiaowei said with a strained smile, showing Yan Ruyi the way to the reception room while Feng Zhenyu silently followed.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yichen went about, in search of Mingyu, who was suddenly missing.

When all the Mages and servants were excused to leave the area of the Training center, Mingyu had told him he had wanted to use the bathroom, and seeing the state Mingyu was in, Jiang Yichen didn't question him, and just let him leave.

But now, he was regretting it. Mingyu was a sly Assassin and couldn't be trusted that easily. He shouldn't have let him out of his sight.

Spotting two guards standing guard in front of one of the pavilions, Jiang Yichen approached them. "Hey, excuse me." He said, getting their attention. "Did you see my manservant? He's about the same height as me, has red hair, and a very pretty face."

The guards simply shook their heads in response.

"Darn it." Jiang Yichen exclaimed in frustration. "Where could he have gone."

Achoo! Mingyu who was being searched for, sneezed loudly as he walked in hurried steps, along the path that led out of the Jinxing pavilions.

"That Transmigrator must be a spy sent here by the Yewang." He said to himself, quickening his steps further. "I must find the Yewang."

"Without me!" Jiang Yichen's voice echoed from behind Mingyu, causing him to halt.

Jiang Yichen took the chance, and then ran to him, blocking Mingyu's path with both of his hands raised sideways, while eying Mingyu with displeasure. "I thought by now we'd already formed a bond, no matter how little."

Mingyu looked him in the eyes, and said with sincerity in his voice, "That's exactly why I decided to leave you behind. My original plan was to take you with me, and kill you."

Jiang Yichen scoffed. "Oh, how kind of you." He said, his voice dripping with mockery. He then closed the distance between the both of them."Too bad, that's not what I want."

"You had the chance to kill me back at the house when I was having my bath. I even risked my life by following you here. Now it's up to you to choose either to kill me, right here on this very spot, or become my master after unsealing my spiritual core."

Mingyu frowned, glaring at the stubborn mule that was standing way too close to him. "I'm warning you. Anyone who came this close to me, ended up dying by my hands."

Jiang Yichen's gaze shifted from Mingyu's face, and landed on something else behind Mingyu, and whatever it was that he saw, made his eyes widen in alarm. "I think you might just be the one to die tonight." He said, pointing behind Mingyu.

Mingyu looked at Jiang Yichen like he was crazy, but he still turned back to see what Jiang Yichen was pointing at.

Behold, right on a roof, stood Wuying, the ghost raven, glaring towards their direction.

"If that thing attacks you, will you turn into ice, just like that Transmigrator?" Jiang Yichen asked, and Mingyu looked back at him. The expression on Mingyu's face was enough to answer Jiang Yichen's question, and so, he said, "You should run. I'll try to save you."

Mingyu didn't know how Jiang Yichen planned to somehow save him, but he didn't have the leisure to think at the moment or question Jiang Yichen. He simply nodded, and took to his heels, running at a random direction.

Jiang Yichen also ran, going in the opposite direction.

The loud cackling of the raven filled the air as it flew above Mingyu's form, chasing after him.

Mingyu ran as fast as he could, his footsteps light on the ground, but there was still no distance between himself and the raven, which kept hovering over his head.

At a point it even seemed like the raven was merely teasing him, and could have easily ended him in a second, if it really wanted to.

Out of breath, Mingyu still kept running until he finally stopped hearing the cackle of the raven. Thinking he had outrun the ghost raven, Mingyu looked up, only to see it still flying silently above him.

That had caused Mingyu to lose concentration, and his legs ran into a large log of wood on the road, tripping him over to the ground.

Pain shot through Mingyu's legs, but that was the least of his worries at the moment. The ghost raven cackled mockingly at him, as it descended towards him at a fast pace.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yichen had run all the way to the Training center where the ghost raven's ceramic statue was kept on a table.

Without hesitation, Jiang Yichen pushed the ceramic statue off the table, making it clash unto the floor into a million pieces.

At the same time, Mingyu raised his hand above his face, accepting his fate as he expected the raven to descend upon him at any moment.

But nothing happened. Surprised, Mingyu slowly moved his hand away from above his face.

Wuying was gone!