It was absolute chaos as they arrived. Either two more or more buildings were set on fire, people in red robes running around with torches while others fend off the student disciples and the Lan Clan with swords and war cries.
Lan Wangji looked fanatically for his uncle and brother, Hua Ying looking for the others. "Lan Zhan we'll split up and cover more grounds!" Lan Wanji looks to him, eyes wide with both anger and haste.
"I can't leave you." Hua Ying chuckled. "Cute of you but I will be fine. Find your family and help your clan, I'll find the others."
Lan Wangji seemed hesitant but the place was about the burn and needed to make sure his uncle and brother were okay and to figure out why the Wen Clan were setting fire to everything and raging war.
"Don't worry we'll help." Zhou Zishu came by with his husband behind and their son close behind. "I'll go with the Lan, Wen Kexing you will take Chengling and follow A-ying.
"Wen Kexing wanted to say something to change their roles but Chengling stopped him. "I'll go with them. We should hurry, the fire is getting worst!" Deflated, the former Ghost Chief agreed and they separated ways.
~~~~~~~~~
"Ugh! What the hell is happening!" Jiang Cheng yelled as he slashed away at a wen and had them ladened on the floor.
More started to charge just as he was finished with one. Good thing he got extra training from that hell mountain or he would have been running by now.
"I don't know. Ah! Watch it you. People can get very hurt!" Shouted Nie Huaisang, his head popping out from behind a pillar where a sword lodged itself in.
Jiang Cheng tsked. "We're in the middle of an attack you idiot! Want him to apologize over tea?!" He kicks at another attacker, guiding his sword swiftly under their throat and slashing away.
Nie Huaisang rolled his eyes only to scream midway of dodging from getting his fan getting destroyed. "How dare you..That's it."
Jiang Cheng had only cut down one more guy before he saw and heard Nie Huaisang running his sword through a member of wen clan with his sword, push their bodies off his sword and continued his rage. And all the while screaming about almost destroying his special fan Fang Xuanyu bought him.
And speaking of that Fang, A-Xuanyu came running over, someone behind him that looks to be from that Jin clan -well from the red dot on his forehead he supposed.
"Where have you been?" Jiang Cheng asked angrily as he walked up to him. Fang Xuanyu stopped before him. "I was caught up at the barrier. There is a whole fleet of Qishan Clan warriors outside..And things are burning,"
"we don't know. It all happened to fast. They just came in with fire and started burning and killing." Jiang Cheng explained with his usual scowl of disatisfaction. Fang Xuanyu sighs, rubbing his head. "A-ying? where are they?"
"Last I remember I don't know their whereabouts. They could be anywhere." Jiang Cheng tsked again and Xuanyu let's out exasperated groan. "Ok, well help out. Get and help those in need. Yao will you help?" That's when Jiang Cheng looks to this guy, this boy again with confusion. "I'll help." He said. Xuanyu nods. "Who is he?"
Xuanyu smiled sympathetically. "Oh not you too with the secrets. You know what, I don't care. Let's get those bastards from ruining my day." And the Jiang was gone, dashing up the roof, Yao going somewhere else.
"Xuanyu!"
His attention was taken and his arms were filled with a body embracing him tightly. Their eyes met and Xuanyu thought something was wrong. "Huaisang? What is it? Are you ok?" He nods and pulls away. "Almost lost the fan you gave me, punished a guy for it to. " he said with pride. "R-Really?" Xuanyu blinked. Huaisang smiled and nods shyly. "It's a cute gift, no one touches it."
Xuanyu stood there steaming from his ears and bright red to his cheeks. Huaisang always had a way with words that it causes his brain to malfunction but it wasn't the time for that. Well unless if his brain can focus again.
"A-Xuanyu-ge!" Attention snatched again as he snaps his head toward the call of his name. "A-ying?"
"Hua Ying!! Your ok!" Nie Huaisang shouted as Hua ying came running towards them and engulfing them into hugs. Xuanyu grabs Hua ying and checked him. "Are you ok? Are you hurt? What is happening?"
Hua ying pulled away. "Qishan Clan is raging a war. Their after something here in Lan. Since they were declined they went to rage war and burn everything. Just to have them submit." He explained.
With more confused looks from his cousin, Nie Huaisang mumbled in disbelief.
"The campaign.."
"Yes that! It's that."
Xuanyu shakes his head. "Hold on, how do you know that." "Wen Ning informed me. We have to get everyone out of here before their casualties get worst." He told his cousin, a plead to it as well as the haste is needed.
Xuanyu nods his head. Nie Huaisang however had something else in mind. "Who..who are they?" He pointed to the one in long flowing robes and a white fan, his face held a sly smirk as a boy beside him watched closely.
Hua ying put Nie Huaisang's finger down. "No now. We'll explain everything later. We have to get things settled before the rest of their troops appear."
"Their already here, just below the mountain."
"Then we better act quickly."
They all came up with the plan and got to work. They splitted up and found who they needed, helped who needed to be help while the fires were to be helped put out.
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Yao managed to find the person he was looking for due to all the chaos and smoke in the air. He spared a glance down below to see the one person who he despised but still needed to help either way.
With a scowl, he jumped down and makes it to them, help cut down an attacked close to ambushing him from behind. When he came down, the ones that came with to fight pointed behind him and their eyes met.
"Watch your surroundings, Jin Zixuan."
Jin Zixuan looks down to his feet to see the body Meng Yao just cut down so quickly. Their eyes met again. There was a good bit of silence between them.
"What? Have nothing to say?"
Jin Zixuan looks away, not knowing how to approach the other after having seen since they splitted.
"You could have let me die."
"Young Master!-" Jin Zixuan rose his hand up to silence the other disciples who followed him. There he turns his eyes on once half brother, the one he put his hands on just because he was "weak" just because he himself was weak to the truth. "I mean it."
"Your so dumb." He hissed, venom laced in his voice but he didn't say much about. "I know."
Meng Yao rolled his eyes. "We're getting out of here. Hurry it up and let's go." He said coldly. Jin Zixuan nods his head and looks to the others. "We're going now. I don't want to hear anything!"
"Y-yes young Master." With that they left it as ir was and followed Yao to a place safe and out of the ruined Lan Clan. When they did Yao goes to leave again till Jin Zixuan stopped him.
"Meng Yao,"
He stopped and looked back to him, expression dead but held a small glint in them. Something happened these past few days, he just wondered what it was.
"I'm..sorry..for the past.." He began, lowering his eyes down to the floor. There was silence between them for a while before a scoff was heard.
"Idiot.." he answered. But it wasn't venomous, or cold this time. It was an insult and he doesn't take to kindly to insults but if it meant mending something for his wrong doings then so be it. He'll swallow his pride.
"I don't care. I'm not with you anymore. Take my answer as closure or whatever," That, that was all he needed to hear. His words were taken and he got an answer. "I'll prove myself to you."
Yao scoffed a laugh. "Do what you want bird boy."
But just before he left he spoke again. "Oh, and my name is Fang Yao now. Use it next time."
Jin Zixuan blinked and Yao was gone. He sighs and that's where he heard the voices of his group.
"Isn't that Meng Yao?" One went.
"I thought he was dead?" And another asked.
"But he's right in front of us, no?" His eyes wide with confusion.
Jin Zixuan tsked and looked to them with a glare. "His name is Fang Yao. Meng Yao is dead. And we are keeping it like that. Say anything about this back home and I'll take away your cultivation rights." He warned coldly before looking away from them and to the building fire.
A smile now slowly gracing his features after the encounter.
Fang Yao..
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
Most of the Qishan madmen were killed, only a few were left but that wasn't the problem. The place was on fire and Hua ying was yet to get people out of here and out of the smoke that was getting thicker by the minute.
"Come on get up no time to lay down." Was what he heard from his uncle, coughing from Chengling as he to tried to help a Lan badly hurt. He bagn thinking. He didn't want to bring his tigers out in this, their lives are precious to him.
No, what he needed to do was use another alternative to make this rescue and recovery easier. Then it soon clicked when a single silver butterfly batted it's wings in front of his eyes.
The light reflecting in his eyes as if in a slow motion of time. He had the perfect idea.
"Kexing-Shu!" He ran to him. Wen Kexing rose brow just as his nephew came by. "What is it now?"
"I have an idea. I know how we can get these people help. I can get the smoke cleared out."
"How?" His eyes narrowed. Hua ying happily showed his butterfly clips and things began to click. "Ah, you smart boy."
Hua ying chuckled out of pride. "Why thank you. Now be ready to run. We have to get them out of here before a whole army comes up." Kexing nods and gets Chengling to help him.
Meanwhile, Hua ying stood there and let's his millions of silver butterflies out and flying about. They already knew the plan and began to round up the smoke. Sworming round it, lifting it with their silver dust as leverage.
"Huì and Zhòng!!" Both spirit animals popped out of his shadow and roared in their might glory that they were. "I need you to help me carry some people and they them out of here. Quickly, ok?"
Huì and Zhòng purred and grumbled in agreement and they got to work.
~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~
There was cave outside of the residents, all who needed shelter ran to that mountain and entered it. It was a secret passage that covered the entrance with the solid surface of a regular mountain.
Everyone was hurried into here before the war cry of the warriors came inside of the barrier, the now weakened and close to destroying barrier.
The whole cave was filled with people who needed help and care, needed answers after that it all, many looking to Lan Qiren and Lan Xichen. It was absolute madness that no one knew would happen.
"What is going on!"
"We want answers, why is the Qishan Clan attacking us!?"
Lan Qiren quieted them all. "This is our fault..I should have taken his words seriously when gave us a option.." He apologized.
No one understood what he meant. Lan Wangji especially knew nothing of once he spoke. "Uncle?"
"They wanted us to give up our lan as theirs but we get to live here. It's a campaign they have out there for a expansion." Lan Xichen answered calmly. Everyone grew angry.
"What a load of shit!"
"I say we take the fight to them!"
"We can't do that. Don't you see our state. Think." Lan Wangji interjected seriously. He was right. Most of their cultivators and disciples needed alot of medical care. The issue is that, those that was told don't know the full truth.
It wasn't about the land, it was about what was in the land. They wanted to get it meaning this campaign was to only gain that scroll about a prophecy.
Hua ying bit his lip anxiously. He moved in and rose a hand. "Elder Lan Qiren, I have an idea." He told and Lan Qiren's face darkened. "Ever since we housed you here in the Lan Sect it had been nothing but trouble!"
"Hey, don't go blaming my nephew about anything." Wen Kexing was on his case before even spoke more. "A-ying helped save your people. Hear him out before you go pointing fingers." Zhou Zishu spoke aswell.
Everyone went silent for one they knew nothing of the newcomers only to be told they were family to A-ying.
"What was the idea Hua Wuixen"
He swallowed. "I could be bait."
"Not happening."
"No."
"Are you crazy?!"
"A-ying no."
Hua ying shook his head. "No, we can't stay here forever. They will come here and find us. I will take the shot, you stay safe."
"Your parents will be devastated if anything goes wrong. If you get hurt then the world will burn." Wen Kexing reasoned with his nephew. "That doesn't sound like a bad thing to me." Chengling mumbled only to be tapped upside the head. "Not the time for those thinkings."
"A-ying think it through."
"I did. They are here for some prophecy scroll. That is why they want the land! They don't want expansion, they want to control and have permission to the land to get what they really want!" Hua ying blurted out in the heat of the moment.
"And how are you sure?" Lan Qiren's eyes darkened. "Working for them now? Huh? Is that it?"
"I am not working for any clan. I don't have a clan I call my own. But I was told by someone of the Wen clan. She was here. She was looking herself till I confronted her." He answered. "Lan Zhan was there with me as well."
They looked to one of the Jade Twins, he nodded his head in agreement.
"I can get us out of here. I can save you if I just give up myself. It won't be long and it won't put anymore into danger."
"And what about your life! Huh? Think of that? What if you die? Who will stop the wrath of the heavens?" Xuanyu fought on. "I can't lose you again Hua ying. Don't make me."
"Your not going to lose me."
"No, Xuanyu is right." Lan Wangji walked up to the him, eyes looking at him intensely. "Their not very kind to anyone neither themselves. If you get hurt.."
Hua ying cuts him off with a kiss to the cheek, cutting the wind out of most of Lans at the sudden intimate setting. Hua ying rested his feet to the floor once again and smiled brighter. "I promise I'll be safe Lan Zhan. Watch my cousins. I won't be long."
"I'll tell your parents if things go south." Zhou Zishu insisted, like warning.
Hua ying smiled and nods. "If you have to." And with that, Hua ying was stepping back towards the entrance of the cave.
"A-ying!"
He turned once more and saw his cousin. "Dì, please don't do this. I can't lose you. Not again," Hua ying took his hands and hugged him. "I'll be fine. Promise. No harm will come to me. Plus I'll give you guys more time to get out more further. It will all be fine." He reassured.
Xuanyu frowned and gave one more good for good luck. "Be careful."
Hua ying nods and before he went off again, a hand tugged his arm and he goes spinning round. In seconds, a hand was placed to his cheek, another to his waist and there came lips...warm soft lips against his own. His shock was evident as they pulled away.
Lan Wangji's eyes were fixed him, ears as red as tomato but he didn't seem to care at the moment. Hua ying smiled all giddy.
"What a kiss," he breathed out in disbelief yet smiling, "I didn't expect you to be a cut-sleeve oh great Lan." Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes and sighs with a dead look on his face despite the color to ears. "Just be careful. We'll come break you out. No mischievousness and don't cause to much trouble to get you hurt."
"Tell them that." He snickered. The Lan didn't respond but his eyes glittered in adornment. There they stepped back and he cleared his throat.
"I'll be back. Promise..."
Those were the last words Lan Wangji heard before Hua ying walked out of the secret entrance, disappearing behind rock walls and outside to meet the people after them.
He swallowed, hands clenched tightly.
A promise is a promise..stay safe A-ying..
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Thought since my exams are literally starting next week, I thought I'll post one chapter of something. This just happened to on my mind since I didn't post in the last two months..💀🎺
It has been a while, a bit short in my opinion but I just wanted to post another chapter.
I hope you like it and I'll see you whenever I can post another chapter.❤️