The Calm Before The Storm

Chapter 7

He started blowing on it, and the crows took flight upwards as the puppets turned and started to follow him as he and Lan Zhan started walking away from the dead bodies. Their next stop. The Cloud Recess. Lan Zhan helped Wei Ying up onto bichen, and they took flight as the crows flew above them. Painting the sky black. The puppets followed on foot. The atmosphere around the two was relaxed as they flew towards gusu. Words were not needed because they knew exactly what they were going to do.

As they flew over Caiyi Town and the people saw the crows and puppets, they grew scared, and many rushed into their houses. Praying to the gods above for death is coming, and they prayed for whoever souls will leave their bodies and this life. As they grew close to the mountain and entrance. Lan Zhan started to descend, and Wei Ying found it safe he jumped off as Lan Zhan landed, and he himself stepped off bichen. Leaving it unsheath at his side. The guards at the gate were shivering from fear. Seeing the looks on the two's faces. The crows circled above, and the puppets came to stop behind them.

The sound of the flute carried up the mountain. Lan Xichen came rushing down the stairs and ordered the two shaking guards to move behind the barrier. Soon, more disciples came rushing down the stairs, joining their sect leader. They unsheath their swords and took on a defensive stance. Lan Zhan let bichen glide slowly downwards before, and Wei Ying jumped off before Lan Zhan stepped off bichen and let it hanged by his side. The corpses came to stand still behind them.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan both looked at the guards who unsheath their swords, and they immediately sheath it again. Wei Ying draw a powerful sigil in the air and when he was done he pushed it towards the barrier. A second or two pass by as the guards look on. The wards came crashing down, setting of alarming bells across the Cloud Recess. The moment the wards fell, the crows swarmed inside. Leaving the Cloud Recess in a blanket of darkness.

Hurried footsteps could be heard coming fast towards them as they started to make their way up the stairs. Lan Zhan stopped and took out his quqin. He infused it spiritual energy and then pulled the strings, letting out a wave of spiritual energy. The footsteps died down seconds later as he put his quqin away again. Wei Ying looked at him with raised brow. He just shrugged his shoulder, and Wei Ying gave him an amused smile as they walked past the unconscious disciples who laying spread out on the steps. When they reached the top, the sect leader, Lan Qiren, and many more were waiting.

"Well, this safe me the time to go look for you all. Don't you think that they are too eager to die, Lan Zhan. "

Wei Ying spoke as he clapped his hands together.

"I agree with you."

Lan Zhan said, and sect Leader Lan and his uncle glared at the Yiling loashi with disdain.

"Wangji, do you really want to do this?. Have you not learned your lesson the first time around. You really are your fathers son."

Lan Qiren spoke anger evident in his voice as he looked at Lan Zhan.

"Yes, I do."

Shocked gasps went through the courtyard at his words. Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen looked shocked at him.

"I may be his son, but I am not him. I never wanted to lock Wei Ying away. The question should be. Did you not learn your lesson the first time around shufu and Brother?. You and the elders preach the rules, but none of you have ever upheld it in your first life and not now."

Lan Zhan all but growl out. Wei Ying felt so proud of his Lan Zhan at this moment looking at the old man close to Qi deviation and his puppet of a brother. Lan Xichen opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. The Lan silencing spell. He looked wide-eyed at Lan Zhan, who just gave him a cold and hard look.

"Lan Zhan, point out the thirty-three elders, please. I believe we have a little radish to get back, too."

Wei Ying said as Lan Zhan started to point at the elders one at a time. Wei Ying instructed the puppets to grab them as Lan Zhan points them out. The elders struggled to free themselves, but to no avail, the puppets were strong. He then instructed another two to grab Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen before he and Lan Zhan started walking towards the ancestral hall with the puppets dragging the elders and Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen to the ancestral hall.

When they arrived at the ancestral hall, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan stood in front as the puppets forced the guilty ones on their knees in front of them. They kept their hands on them as they were still squirming and trying to free themselves. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan looked looked unaffected and with cold eyes at the thirty-seven men before them.

"Old man, Lan and all of you who had a hand in hurting Lan Zhan will be dealt the same punishment you have so generously dealt out to Lan Zhan. You, the thirty-three elders, were not even so badly injured, but you all almost kill Lan Zhan for standing up for what is right and what is wrong. So Lan Zhan, tell me, was your golden core fully sealed or not."

Wei Ying spoke and asked as the thirty men's eyes grew wide from fear.

"Only partially Wei Ying. "

He answered, and Wei Ying nodded his head as he walked closer to the thirty-three men. He started ripping their robes off, leaving their upper bodies exposed. They shivered at the coldness they suddenly felt. When Wei Ying was done, he turned his head towards Lan Zhan and said.

"Will you help me, Lan Zhan?."

Lan Zhan nodded his head and stepped forward. Together, they started to seal their cores partially. They got angry looks from the men, but they ignored it. Once they were done, they returned to the front and looked at the guilty parties who now openly glared at them with hatred in their eyes.

"Before we start, I just want you to know that for the first ten lashes, your cores will be partially sealed, which is already done. After that, your cores will be completely sealed.
All of you will receive the same amount of lashes that Lan Zhan had received. Just know that I am not going to leave any of you alive. Me and Lan Zhan will take turns, and believe me, we don't care how long it will take. We intend on finishing it."

Wei Ying said as Lan Zhan handed him the disciplinary whip. When he went to fetch it, Wei Ying didn't know. He took it and felt the weight in his hands. Satisfied, he stepped forward, standing in front of Lan Qiren before giving him a small smirk. He walked behind him and, without warning, let the whip smack over his back with so much force it made the man fell forward. The puppet pushed him up again, and after that, the lashes rained down on his back. Splitting his skin as blood starting to dripped down.

When he was done, he gave the whip to Lan Zhan, who went and stood behind Lan Xichen and started whipping him mercilessly. Xichen's breath caught in his throat as the pain shot through his body. He gritted his teeth so as not to make a sound. The two worked their way through all of them before sealing their cores completely. Their backs were burning, and the blood were rolling off their backs. The skin on their backs were teared apart. They took a small break before they started again.

The crows duck off and peck at their broken skin. Their screams of pain and agony echoed through the Cloud Recess. The rest of the sect could only look on helplessly as their sect leader and the elders received punishment. With their cores sealed, they could not hold on any longer as the whip came down again and again. Many died because the pain was too much, or their hearts gave out. The two did not stop until the last one was dead. The crows help along by biting them on their raw,open, and bloody backs. The ancestral hall was drenched in their blood. The so-called righteous sect.

When they were done and satisfied with the punishment, Lan Zhan took Wei Ying's hand and led him towards the jingshi. When they arrived, he went into his sleeping area and kneeled on the wooden floor. He lifted a board and took out a few things. Wei Ying looked on in suprise and shock when he saw what exactly Lan Zhan had taken out of the hiding place. It was the drawings he had drawn of Lan Zhan during his punishment. After that, the two left.

Wei Ying started to whistle, and the puppets followed. The crows were still feasting on the dead bodies, but soon, hearing the call, they followed. They left the Cloud Recess behind them, making their way towards their little radish. Their little sunshine. The only one apart from themselves who held their heart and love in his small little chubby hands.