.
The Luo Abyss battle was sheer chaos, at this point.
All Elder Shuǐ's followers had, mostly run away, but a few had helped him escape fron this new level of fight, and were safely guiding him back to Jade City.
The Clan Leaders of the Alliance still battled the stronger opponents on Elder Shuǐ's side.
But the only people left fighting near the abyss, were Yin Long and Yun.
Shuǐ ChangSheng, Zhao ZhuYong, Shuǐ ChénLín and LanFen had arrived in time to see Yun use one of his deadly techniques on Yin Long, who was still in his demon form, but appeared to be severely hurt in several places.
"Thousands and thousands of years have passed, and my silly disciple is still so weak." Yun's words pulled them out of their thoughts. "Even without my original body, you still cannot touch me."
He swung his hand, and just like in the memories, Yin Long was thrown a great distance, by the force of a thousand waterfalls.
Yun appeared right behind him, before he could even land, and kicked him back towards the abyss.
"Hmph! You're more pathetic than before!" Yun continued, from within Shuǐ JunHo. He had glided to follow, as Yin Long skidded towards the edge, halting just before he went over.
"You've even lost your demon form. How disgraceful." Yun landed right in front of him.
Yin Long had indeed reverted to his usual appearance
"High Grandmaster!!" Shuǐ ChangSheng and Zhao ZhuYong chorused, as they lunged towards Yin Long.
They had barely been able to follow their speed, but it was clear that the High Grandmaster had been right, and he was indeed no match for Yun Qin.
And besides Yin Long had probably transferred more than a little of his powers to Lien...
Seeing as in the memories Lien had become a Lily, it only made sense to assume that Yin Long had spent a lot of his lifeforce to bring her back and raise her into the Lien they had met.
The Yin Long that was currently fighting Yun, possibly possessed only half of the powers he had possessed in the memories.
Yun raised his sword, and it was instantly surrounded by an impossible amount of qi. "You're an eyesore, so die here in the same place you killed me."
Yun brought the sword swinging downwards and Yin Long shut his eyes, but the sword was blocked by a qi shield.
The shield broke, unable to stop the sword, but it had bought Zhao ZhuYong just enough time to grab Yin Long and appear a considerable distance away.
Shuǐ ChénLín had created the qi shield, and he followed and landed beside them, carrying LanFen. Shuǐ ChangSheng joined them.
"A-Chén!" Shuǐ ChangSheng studied his son. "Are you okay?" He asked, and Shuǐ ChénLín nodded as he dropped LanFen, who instantly bowed to Zhao ZhuYong.
"Fa- F- Father!" The word still felt unfamiliar to her tongue. "I misspoke the last time. I wanted to go after you, but -!" Her words were cut off, as Zhao ZhuYong had rushed to her and gently gripped her shoulders and lifted her.
"A-Liu! Are you hurt anywhere? Tell me where you're hurt!"
A bit surprised, LanFen shook her head. "I- I'm fine..."
Zhao ZhuYong sighed in relief, then furrowed his brows.
"Zhao LanFen! Should I become one of those fathers who do not allow their children leave the house?! Through out the past year, it was one danger after another, and these past few days... What haven't I heard, in these past few days?!
"And now, I arrive to see that you've been thrown into an abyss?!" He yelled, shaking her and gripping her shoulders a little tighter.
Shuǐ ChénLín stared at his 'father-in-law' in shock.
So far, Zhao ZhuYong had always spoken calmly and knowledgeably, like a self-respecting, enlightened gentleman.
Even when he had first arrived at Luo abyss, he had calmly directed Shuǐ ChénLín to look for LanFen.
But now...
Zhao ZhuYong gestured towards Yun Qin, who still stood near the edge of the abyss. "Did you really want to see if I wouldn't become like that crazy fellow over there? Wouldn't I lose it, if you had-!"
Zhao ZhuYong suddenly realized the number of eyes on them, and he caught himself. "Ahem!" He released LanFen's shoulders and neatly folded his hands behind his back.
"Er... Ahem! A-Liu, I meant to say, it's good that you've returned. Revenge is destructive, and shouldn't be taken lightly." He said importantly, making Shuǐ ChangSheng shake his head.
Unlike the rest, Shuǐ ChangSheng was used to the hot-headed version of Zhao ZhuYong, though it had been years since he had witnessed it.
"Like father like daughter, I see." Yin Long spoke from behind them, dusting his robes. "From what I always heard about Wang ShanMei, she was quiet and softly spoken, but you... I always wondered why Zhao LanFen was like this, till now."
"Master!" LanFen bowed to him. "Ehehe. I didn't think I would see you here!"
Shuǐ ChénLín noticed the jade pendant that swung from Yin Long's belt, and he hastily bowed. "High Grandmaster!"
'Yin Long is the High Grandmaster?! No, not just that...' Shuǐ ChénLín thought. 'The High Grandmaster is LanFen's Master?!!'
Will he continue to discover amazing facts about LanFen?
He glanced over at LanFen, wondering why she never mentioned it, but no... LanFen was now staring at him in confusion, which made him realize she probably didn't even know what the Jade pendant meant.
Afterall, only those within the Wulin would recognise it, and LanFen had practically been a ghost in the Wulin, until fairly recently.
But still...
"Zhao LanFen! You didn't know your own master was the High Grandmaster?!" He spoke into her mind.
"High G- Grand- - Master?!" LanFen spoke aloud without realizing, and turned back to Yin Long. Then hastily bowed her head again. 'Eish!! Did he deliberately hide this from me?!'
"I can still hear your thoughts, when you're being careless." Yin Long shook his head in amusement. "At first, I wondered why you were audacious enough to invade my home, and even help yourself to my kitchens.
"By the time I realized you had no idea of my title, your utter lack of formality was too amusing. Besides, quoting your thoughts back, 'The High Grandmaster is surely an old fogey, who has forgotten his responsibilities to the people!' Wasn't that what you believed?"
"Ehehehe, Master, I know you're not petty enough to take those words to heart..." LanFen bowed lower, then thought. 'How petty! To even remember such a thing!'
"Foolish disciple! I can still hear your thoughts!"
Meanwhile, over by the abyss, Yun Qin cocked his head at them. "In the many years I've walked this earth, I haven't been so disrespected...
"Did you forget I was here? What is this pathetic display before me?!"
They all brought out their weapons, but Yin Long appeared in their front.
"Isn't this 'pathetic display', something you once knew how to feel? But I guess it's something you no longer remember." He swung his hand outward and the white thorny chains came out again, though he didn't transform fully.
"Ahahahahahaha!" Yun Qin laughed. "Forgotten? It's more like I discarded them. You, who I was fond of, corrupted Lien and made her give her life force, just to end mine.
"I slept for thousands, and thousands of years, and I only fully awakened two hundred years ago... Imagine my frustration and ire, when I opened my eyes." There was clear anger on Yun's face.
"Imagine my immense displeasure, upon realizing that the humans hadn't merely survived... They had flourished and become so powerful. Now they cultivate with the elements, and can even cultivate towards immortality on their own..."
Yun signed. "However, I calmed myself. There was also an advantage. Now that they lived in a structured society, there were higher stakes, loftier positions, and with those came greed and blind ambition.
"And so I decided to embark on my goals once more, and destroy all humans, beginning with Xin Dao, where it all began."
"Hmph! Your ability to deceive yourself, has greatly
increased through the years. I corrupted Lien? No. You backed Lien into a corner, and she begged me to let her go, so we could destroy you.
"And did you mention greed? 'Greed' itself is merely 'discontent', until you let it consume you.
"Afterall, one seeks to grow because they are discontent with where they are. One also seeks to acquire knowledge, because they are discontent with the knowledge they already possess.
"Even you became 'greedy', the instant you decided to love Lien, and even strove to become a human.
"However, your hatred is worse than greed. With all your immense powers, humans are far stronger than you. They lose their loved ones everyday, because of the same greed and ambition. They swear by revenge and strive and strive to achieve it." His irises darted to LanFen and back.
"Yet, they largely direct their hatred towards a person, or a group of people, unlike you.
"I won't deny there are always exceptions, who might seek to destroy the world. There are even those who hate us demons and might destroy us all, if they had the power to do so.
"However, my question to you is, in what way are you different? Since you've lumped yourself in with the lowest of the low?
"Did it never occur to you? The loved ones of the innocent people you've killed, view you the same way you once viewed Wei Jun!"
It was as if the mention of that dreaded and hated name, caused something to charge the air, and Yun threw his head back and screamed.
A loud, piercing and pained scream.
He stopped suddenly and charged at Yin Long. Yin Long sent numerous vines of the thorny white chains at Yun, and they barricaded him within a large thorny orb, which floated in space.
LanFen stood wide-eyed, as she watched the large white thorny chains, roll themselves into the giant orb. 'This technique is-!' She sharply turned to Yin Long.
"Master! This is...!" But Yin Long had waved a hand, and a giant qi shield suddenly appeared, cutting him off from them.
LanFen had run into the shield, and it flung her backwards, but Shuǐ ChénLín caught her, just as Shuǐ ChangSheng and Zhao ZhuYong joined them.
"This shield surpasses the Light realm." Zhao ZhuYong explained, as he tried directing power spells at it, to no avail. None of us can get through."
"Master!" LanFen shook her head at Yin Long, who turned to face them. He looked at her a bit sadly, but looked away.
"Yun is far too powerful for any of you, so I will hold him off for some time." Yin Long spoke, his voice echoing from the other side. He turned to Zhao Zhuyong.
"You and Shuǐ ChénLín should take Zhao LanFen to a place where she can meditate and master this." He held not a hand, and a roll up bamboo scroll and a small urn appeared.
They both passed through the barrier, and floated to LanFen, but Yin Long continued talking to Zhao ZhuYong.
"You lived as a healer so you should understand what I will tell you. LanFen has to eat those pills before she begins meditating, and you have to transfer qi to her, throughout the entire process.
"The pills will combine with your energy and help her heal faster. They will also temper her body for this cultivation method... It is risky, but it's the only way to handle Yun.
"I thought we would have more time before LanFen had to Master this, but my silly disciple brought Shuǐ YanXuan and Yun out of hiding, a lot faster than I expected."
Zhao ZhuYong looked sceptical, as he studied the scroll in LanFen's hand, but Shuǐ ChangSheng voiced out what Zhao ZhuYong was thinking.
"Wouldn't this technique harm Zhao Liu?" Unfortunately, his question triggered Shuǐ ChénLín, and he hastily stepped In front of LanFen.
"High Grandmaster, forgive my boldness..." He cupped his hands and bowed respectfully. "Even if it's someone as great as you that is asking, I won't let Zhao LanFen do anything that will harm her in any w -. Ah!" LanFen had kicked him and appeared in front of him.
Her spirit power had been slowly returning, so she directed most of her qi to the stab wound in her side.
"Master, I will do as you have sa-." But in the blink of an eye, Zhao ZhuYong himself had seized the scroll, before LanFen could finish.
"Father!" LanFen protested, but Zhao ZhuYong merely scowled at her.
"If I had lived a happy life with you, I might have allowed it... I would have cooly said, 'My child is doing this to save everyone'!
"But as it is, I don't even have the happy memories with you, that would let me survive loosing you. I just found you after a lifetime... Are you asking me to let you go again?"
At LanFen's silence, Zhao ZhuYong turned back to Yin Long, an apologetic look on his face, but Yin Long just shook his head.
"You humans... Do you fail to see the bigger picture, because your lives are so short? You should know by now, that only Good's willingness to sacrifice can end an Evil of this magnitude. Do you think I didn't want to hang onto Lien Mei, to the bitter end?
"I even let her go a second time, when I sent her over to meet you!"
Zhao ZhuYong understood his words... They all did.
From what they had seen in the memories, Yin Long could have refused to let Lien spend her lifeforce to destroy Yun.
But even after all that, the demon version of Lien would have been safe with Yin Long, if he hadn't sent her to warn Zhao ZhuYong and Shuǐ ChangSheng about the Elder...
"But why must it be LanFen?" Zhao ZhuYong asked.
"Yes! I will willingly step in!" Shuǐ ChénLín took LanFen's hand. "Why not me?"
"Because the technique can only be mastered by Zhao LanFen." Yin Long simply replied. "To begin with, it can only be mastered by a human, and you already fail in that regard. Next, it can only be mastered by someone in the Light realm and above."
LanFen cocked her head in curiosity. "But Master, I'm just in the Black Realm."
Yin Long shook his head. "I can sense you're in the Light Realm... Didn't you inherit the boy QingJun's powers? I can sense it from you."
Shuǐ ChangSheng and Zhao ZhuYong turned to look at LanFen in surprise.
"Hehehe, things just happened that way." She explained, and Yin Long continued.
"You probably sealed QingJun's power away, because your body couldn't handle it. But those pills will help and the cultivation will take you even further.
"In addition, your kind heart led you to acquire something else that is quite unique."
"What did I acquire?" LanFen asked, but Yin Long had already turned back to the rest.
"The most important reason it must be Zhao LanFen, is that she had to pass a special body tempering technique, while I was curing the spirit-eating poison.
"She had to survive in a fire and ice pit for three months each, and that makes her the only person that can withstand this cultivation method. Because of that, I've even tailored it to fit her even further."
Zhao ZhuYong looked at his daughter sadly.
He hadn't even known what LanFen had gone through to cure the poison, and now he wanted nothing more than to protect her from all danger!
Meanwhile, Shuǐ ChénLín also remembered how he had felt, when he first heard about it. His heart tightened, and he felt more determined to keep LanFen from 'withstanding' anything dangerous.
"What about the White Lotus Sword that destroyed Yun Qin in the past?" He couldn't stop himself from asking. "Wouldn't we be able to use that to defeat him again? Why put LanFen's life in danger?"
Zhao ZhuYong and Shuǐ ChangSheng had turned to Yin Long with hope, but Yin Long eyed Shuǐ ChénLín in mild surprise.
"Ho? How did you know about something like that?"
Shuǐ ChangSheng bowed. "In the depths of the Abyss, we all somehow saw the past. We witnessed how Yun found Lady Lien, and everything that happened up till you took the Lily from the grave."
LanFen and Shuǐ ChénLín both looked at their fathers in surprise, as they hadn't even known they had been in the abyss as well.
"It must have been triggered because We came across the cave, where you buried the sword's hilt."
Yin Long appeared to be quite shaken...
Those memories weren't something he would have wanted any one to witness, but his gaze dropped to LanFen's fan, then to the jade pendant, which was around her neck.
"There are a few instances, where a place holds memories, especially when a powerful individual dies there...
"You went down Luo abyss with items that were connected to Yun and Lien... Specifically a place where Lien spent her life to destroy Yun."
He swivelled, turning back to face the giant orb of white thorny chains. "There is no time to bother with all that... If anything, the memories should tell you what is at stake, and remind you of the sacrifice that bought thousands of years of peace.
"If you even want to glimpse that sword you mentioned, then allow Zhao LanFen cultivate the scroll. Lien Mei wasn't fully alive back then, so the method we used wasn't complete... I spent thousands of years, refining this cultivation manual over and over, get you won't even try it.
"As I said earlier, I can hold off Yun for quite sometime... You can choose to save your loved one, and let the opportunity go to waste. Or you can choose to let LanFen train, and save the world."
He disappeared from their sight then, and they noticed the giant orb swell slightly, and it now pulsed with life.
'Master, are you really going to spend your own life force for this?' LanFen thought to herself. Then she turned to her father, cupped her hands and bowed.
"Father. Forgive me for going against you... I did not accept Master Yin's words without thinking. That technique..." She paused, then swallowed. "I accidentally read one of Master Yin's writings, while serving him one day, and it bore a diagram of that large thorny orb.
"Master Yin might die if he uses that technique, but he still did it. Master is putting his own life on the line, even though he doesn't need to. Lady Lien was the only thing left he cared about, yet he is trying to help us like this...
"If we are clinging to our own lives, are we even human?"
"Zhao LanFen! This is why I wanted to take you away from here!" Shuǐ ChénLín shook his head at Zhao ZhuYong. "Lord Zhao, please do not permit such a thing! I will die a thousand deaths, before I let anything happen to-!"
"Shuǐ Chén. You should know me quite well by now." LanFen had turned to him, and she fought down the insane urge to go to him.
"I'm not flippant with my life, and I will never leave you behind without a fight."
"You say that, and yet you even cast yourself into the abyss!" Shuǐ ChénLín accused.
"That was different. I saw you directly in danger, and I reacted. Isn't that what you did with the Mantis, in the demon aisle? In this case, I would gladly run away with you, but Master Yin says it has to be me.
"Like in the demon aisle, the person I need right now, is the 'Shuǐ Chén' who allowed me adopt Shushu. Master only said the technique was risky. He didn't say I would die."
Shuǐ ChénLín wanted to protest, but instead he staggered back a step. He knew this was the type of person Zhao LanFen was.
The type of person she had always been.
He had known from the start, and like in the demon aisle, when she had adopted Shushu, there was nothing he could say that would dissuade her...
LanFen turned back to her father. "Father. If not for your own sacrifice, I wouldn't have lived to this point, and Mother wouldn't have been able to watch me grow for fourteen whole years. I really have no right to ask you such a thing, but I must. Please return the scroll to me."
Zhao ZhuYong hesitated a good while, before finally sighing and placing the scroll in her hands. "A-Liu, you have matured far too quickly! And I wasnt there to personally fill your days with the joys a child should have..." He placed a hand on her head.
"My child... The only thing left of ShanMei in this world... As you said, the High Grandmaster only said the technique was risky. You are a rare genius, so I will choose to believe nothing will happen to you. This father of yours, will protect you till the very end!"
She nodded at him, then held out her right hand to Shuǐ ChénLín.
Shuǐ ChénLín seemed like he would refuse to take her hand at first, but after a while, he firmly grasped her small hand, fighting back the urge to carry her far away.
"Shuǐ Chang, we will return as quickly as possible." Zhao ZhuYong told his friend. "You should summon the Clan Leaders, and other Alliance members that are still alive, so you won't be in danger, if the High Grandmaster isn't successful for too long."
Shuǐ ChangSheng nodded at him. "You shouldn't worry about me, at a time like this." They both clasped hands, then seperated. "Take care of Zhao Liu."
Zhao ZhuYong nodded before turning away. "Let's go." He said simply, and then leapt into the air.
"Umh." LanFen and Shuǐ ChénLín both replied. Shuǐ ChénLín's hand went around LanFen's waist, and he leapt into the air, after Zhao ZhuYong.
.