Eight Broken Strings

Chapter 3

Tonight their usual group of Jin Ling and Ouyang Zizhen plus ten Lan disciples was down to just Jin Ling, Sizhui and Jingyi.

Under the recommendation of Hanguang Jun, the two Lans had studied ahead thus being excused from today's assignment. The other eight did not receive the same advice and was currently sitting in their rooms doing their homework.

Ouyang Zizhen on the other hand got set up on a date and he made a oath to himself to make it the best date humanly possible. Because of his romantic pursuits he is now unable to attend this night hunt.

Usually the Ghost General joins the juniors as a extra layer of protection but today was the day he had decided to visit his old home in Yiling. The night hunt was taking place near Nightless City so they agreed if things got really bad, one of them would simply fly over to Yiling to get Wen Ning.

Sizhui and Jin Ling were perfectly fine with it being the three of them. Jingyi... was not.

"No flirting, no kisses beyond light pecks, and if you're so adamant on having sex do so quietly AFTER I'm asleep!" These were Jingyi's conditions as a frequent third wheel. Usually he had fourth wheel Zizhen with him but like stated earlier, Zizhen was occupied.

-

"According to the locals, in the past few weeks everyone that was alive during the Wen's reign has been having similar nightmares after visiting Nightless City. Sizhui are you sure this is a good idea? Weren't you also alive during the Wen's reign?" Jingyi asked, the three making their way down the overgrown road to the decade old ruins.

"I was a infant at the time. What terrible nightmares could I possibly have from the place?"

"Mmm don't say I didn't warn you."

Nightless city was heavily overgrown. The place was full of resentment energy, chances are after the battle against the Yiling Patriarch it was never properly exorcised. As such it was almost suffocating in death heavy locations such as the battleground from the sun shot campaign.

"Let's check the main hall, perhaps there's artifact causing the nightmares." Sizhui suggested, earning nods of agreement.

Upon entering they found the room even worse than the battlefield. The resentful energy was so bad that plants didn't even manage to weed their way in. That banquet after the sun shot campaign must've really angered the late Wens.

But alas even after a whole day of searching they found nothing. Sizhui even played inquiry and was only met with assholes who didn't feel like responding to him. It was a very unproductive day for them.

In the end they headed back to town and booked rooms for the night.

*Papapa starts here, this is the first time I attempted writing it so bear with me if it sucks(also it's short)*

Jingyi told them to be quiet. They were quiet. Well... Sizhui was anyways.

"A-Ling you're too loud. You'll wake Jingyi." Jin Ling angrily punched the bed next to Sizhui's head.

"It's your fault and you know it!" He hissed, only to reduced to once again a moaning mess on top of the older boy.

"Mmm do I?"

Sizhui was gentle compassionate person, Jin Ling knew this. But in bed he was a sadist. He would take the same slender fingers that he played the Guqin with and play Jin Ling instead. Pressing and rubbing with pinpoint accuracy on the spot inside him that made the boy see stars.

His body was already oversensitive from his earlier orgasm and now the boy felt another one coming. He burrowed his face against Sizhui's neck as he came for the second time from fingering alone.

"Alright." Sizhui pulled his fingers out with a pop. "We should stop here for tonight."

"What?? Just like that?? But you didn't put it!"

*Papapa ends here I don't trust myself to write more*

"It's late and you would've been too loud. Besides I have a bad feeling about tomorrow." Jin Ling propped himself on the head disciple's chest. Oh no, they were n o t going to sleep without addressing that.

"What do you mean?"

"Today at Nightless City.. Did you feel like someone was watching us?" Jin Ling thought back to earlier in the day.

"Not that I can remember. There was a lot of resentful energy there. Maybe it was simply a spirit or it messed with your senses. Don't dwell too much on it. If it bothers you too much we can ask Uncle Wei when we get back." Sizhui stared back for a few moment before he seemed to calm down.

"Alright. I'll go prepare a bath then let's head to sleep before midnight strikes."

~

Sizhui found himself in a plain white room. When he tried to open the door he found it to be stuck. Same with the window.

"Who are you?" The head disciple turned around to see a toddler in ragged robes. His breath stiffened. It was him.

"Who are you?" Wen Yuan repeated. "Why did you leave everyone?"

"I... I was a young... I didn't know what was happening till it was too late..." The child balled up his fist, grabbing his older counterpart's robes. Tears bursted from his eyes.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU CLING TO THEM?! GO WITH THEM TO JIN LIN TOWER?" His expression fell flat. Eyes devoid of light. "Why didn't you die with them?"

Sizhui was speechless. Thoughts flew past his mind one after another.

Why didn't he die with everyone else?

Why is he alive?

Weren't all the wens supposed to die?

"It's okay.. you can join them now." The teenager didn't even get to respond when blood flooded in from the walls, pooling at the floor. The white uniform of the Lan sect was stained crimson as the blood rose higher.

He couldn't move his body. Frozen in place as all he could was watch the blood slowly submerge him. He held in his breath for as long as he could but eventually ran out of air. The crimson liquid taking the opportunity to flood his lungs.

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Leaving it here for now, these chapters have been shorter than my one shots but then again those are one shots. My outline had another part after the dream in this chapter but I thought it over and it made more sense for it in the next chapter.