In the Shadows

Chapter 21

As the mob chased Wei Ying through the winding corridors, their fervor waned as they stumbled upon the open door leading to Lan Zhan's study. The room was a sanctuary of knowledge, adorned with precious artifacts, countless scrolls, and tomes filled with centuries of accumulated wisdom. Beautiful paintings of the two lovers in their distinct robes adorned the walls.

The angry mob, momentarily distracted, halted their pursuit of Wei Ying and instead seized the icy white sheathed sword from the wall, admiring its craftsmanship. Soon, their rage overcame them, and they began to ransack the study, setting fire to the precious scrolls and tomes that Lan Zhan had painstakingly preserved over the centuries. The scent of burning parchment reached Wei Ying, who abruptly halted in his tracks and raced towards the study, pushing aside the villagers in his path.

He arrived just in time to witness everything turn to ash. His heart sank at the sight of the guqin, still intact by a small table. Desperate to salvage even a fragment of their shared history, Wei Ying reached for the instrument, but the mob, driven by blind fury, quickly set it ablaze. The flames reflected in Wei Ying's eyes, igniting a fierce anger within him. Lan Zhan's efforts to safeguard their memories had been reduced to ashes.

As Wei Ying stood helplessly watching the destruction, arrows began to rain down upon him. The mob, unwilling to let him go unscathed, wounded him in several parts of his body. Despite the pain and heavy bleeding, Wei Ying summoned his flute, and a haunting demonic tune resonated through the air, beckoning the resentful ghosts that lurked in the shadows to his side. Blackness enveloped him as the resentful energy began to mend his wounds.

Fear gripped the mob as they witnessed the ominous darkness surrounding Wei Ying. In a desperate attempt to fend off this supernatural force, they hurled everything at him – from axes to torches – causing him to stumble and drop his flute. The black shadows dissipated as quickly as they had appeared. Wei Ying, undeterred, swiftly retrieved his flute, only for an arrow to pierce through it, shattering the instrument into pieces.

Wei Ying stood amidst the chaos, the mob closing in, his spirit broken. Exhausted and ready to embrace whatever awaited him, he closed his eyes, bracing for the searing pain of Bichen's impending strike. But to his surprise, the expected agony never came. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a shocking scene – Wen Ning, his loyal companion, had intercepted the fatal blow meant for him.

Wen Ning's body fell onto Wei Ying, the sword piercing through his chest, leaving him severely wounded and on the brink of death. Wei Ying's eyes widened in disbelief, his trembling hands carefully lowering Wen Ning to the ground. The villagers' distant screams mixed with the sounds of a wolf tearing through its prey, further escalating the chaos within the burning castle.

Amidst the flames, Wei Ying gently laid Wen Ning down, ready to confront the enraged mob. The man who had struck Wen Ning, overcome with fear, shook uncontrollably as tears and blood painted Wei Ying's face. The confrontation was brief, ending with the man sprawled on the ground, eyes wide open in terror even after taking his last breath.

As the castle burned, the fire's relentless advance forced villagers to flee, gasping for breath in the thick smoke. Carrying the wounded Wen Ning, Wei Ying emerged from the chaos, the mob's screams and the crackling of the flames echoing behind him. Outside, Wen Qing and Lan Zhan, together with two wolves, valiantly fought off the remaining assailants.

Rushing to Wen Ning's side, Wen Qing saw the sword lodged in his chest and instinctively reached to pull it out. Before she could act, Wei Ying intervened, his voice strained but resolute.

"Don't. Pulling it out will kill him."

Desperation etched on her face, Wen Qing pleaded, "We can turn him, I'll feed him my blood!"