I woke up at five in the morning. While he was still asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake him up. I touched his cheek and looked at his face. But at the moment I remembered yesterday shufu and I discussed about the left arm. It should be summoned. Otherwise, it will create more trouble. The arm's owner may had a terrific death. If that arm really has this strength it must be cut along with the person's soul. That is too brutal. I freshned up and went to the mingshi.
It was the building of our Lan Sect used to summon spirits, with walls made from a special material and incantations carved on them.
The door of the mingshi was black and made of wood. It was tightly locked, only able to be opened from inside. It was not only difficult to violently destroy it from the outside.
We put the arm on an array in the ground and started the summoning process. Shufu and I sat down and played the music "evocation" on the zither. It used the corpse, part of the corpse, or loved objected of a deceased person as a medium for the spirit to follow the melody.
We played "evocation" together with some of our disciples. But the arm isn't reacting to our music. It became aggressive. While the situation is in danger, the bells on the Mingshi started to ring. Mingshi was on the western side of the cloud recesses.
Shufu couldn't hold it any longer. He started bleeding from his qiqiao and he fainted on to the floor along with someother disciples. Ever since the mingshi was built, there were almost no cases where the summoning failed. This made everyone more worried.
I told the surviving disciple to run away from mingshi. That arm will start to attack if he stay here any longer. With a loud bang the black door bursted open and the white-clothed disciple rushed outside, staggering and stumbling.
As his legs weren't steady, he rolled down the stairs as soon as he came out. The door of the mingshi instantly closed again, as if someone angrily slammed it shut.
While I continued to play the music suddenly someone kick the mingshi's door and commanded, "open."
The mingshi's door opened abruptly, as if it was laughing wildly with a gaping mouth. Wei Ying entered in a flash, and the door closed right behind him.
This arm has a dark energy. We couldn't complete it. Even I couldn't hold it any longer.
It stood on the ground, as straight as a stick, with the side where it was cut off on the bottom. Four of its fingers were clenched into a fist, yet its index finger pointed toward the sky, as if it was angrily pointing at someone. The steady flow of dark energy that filled the mingshi was emitted by this.
Everyone participating in this spirit summoning ritual had either ran away or passed out. I was the only one still seated properly, at the main position on the east side.
The zither lay on my side. Although my hand wasn't on the strings, they continued to vibrate on their own. When he came in I raised my head. Why this arm doesn't reacting to evocation? I thought.
Wei Ying saw my shufu laying unconscious on the ground. So he replaced into his position, turning around and stepping toward the far west, directly across of me. He pulled the bamboo flute from beside his waist, and lifted it to his lips.
I realised that he wanted to play evocation with me. So I played the music with him.
The arm seemed as if it was angered, with veins twitching visibly. The sense of suppression in the air felt heavier. If someone else was guarding the west side, they would have fallen long ago and ended up in the same way as shufu with their qiqiao bleeding.
We both acknowledge the truth about the arm's strength. As I expected, the dead person's soul was cut apart alongside with his corpse!
Since "Evocation" didn't work, my fingers shifted, and started playing another tune.
This song had a calm melody, different than the sinister, questioning one from before. Its name was "Rest". Because both of these songs were quite well-known in the cultivation world, it wouldn't be strange for anyone to know how to play them, and Wei Ying naturally followed me.
While playing he played the flute with many mistakes and it was too annoying to my ears. I understood why. He is trying to hide his identity as he is the great Yiling Laozu himself who is playing the song "rest" with me. I already figured out who you are. So don't pretend that you are not Wei Ying.
After a while, I finally couldn't bear to continue as if nothing was wrong any longer, and raised my head to look at Wei Ying with an expressionless face.
Wei Ying thickened his face, pretending that he didn't see anything, his tune venturing even more off. As he turned around to continue playing, something strange happened behind him. He turned around to look, and was shocked as he saw it. Shufu, who had lost consciousness, actually sat upright again. He pointed at Wei Ying with a trembling hand, his face covered in blood and rage, and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Stop playing! Get out! Get out now! Stop..."
Before he even finished saying what to stop doing, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell down in the same place, sinking into the deep coma yet again.
See your playing made shufu annoyed. Stop pretending. That flute nothing compared to his ChenQing. His flute ChenQing was known far and wide. It's sad that he lost his spiritual tool. Because the flute he used was just an ordinary bamboo flute, so it's really obvious that he made mistakes in the notes.
Our guqin and flute duet actually angered shufu so much that he woke up and fainted again. This showed how horrible it sounded... Yet, even so, the hand still drooped gradually, under the combined forces of the guqin and the flute. We both finally managed to suppress the arm even though the duet is horrible.
Instantly, after the last echo of the guqin, the doors of the mingshi sprang open, pouring in a flood of sunlight. It was likely that the alarms of the watchtower stopped ringing. All of the disciples who surrounded the mingshi rushed inside, their voices calling "HanGuang-Jun".
I pressed my hand on the guqin, suppressing the residual sound of the strings' vibration, and walked over to shufu to check his pulse. With me leading, the rest of the people soon calmed down. The older seniors laid the bodies of the bleeding few flat on the ground and started to treat them. As they used needles and medicine, another group of disciples carried a large bell over, intending to cage the arm inside. Although it was a bustling scene, everything unfolded in an orderly fashion. Everyone whispered softly, with nobody making loud noises.
A few people worried, "HanGuang-Jun, neither elixirs nor acupuncture work. What should we do?"
With three fingers still set on shufu's wrist, I remained silent. Shufu had directed at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, spirit summoning ceremonies before. Of those, a lot included fierce spirits. Seeing even he was harmed by the energy of resentment, it was clear that the amount of resentful energy within this ghost hand was unprecedentedly strong.
Wei Ying stuck the bamboo flute back beside his waist. He squatted down beside the bronze bell and gently stroked the inscriptions on it. As he was thinking, he suddenly saw a downcast expression on SiZhui's face, "What's wrong?"
After hesitation, he spoke in a low voice, "It is just that I feel slightly guilty."
Wei Ying asked, "Guilty for what?"
SiZhui replied, "This hand was coming for us."
Wei Ying smiled, "How do you know?"
SiZhui said, "Spirit-attraction flags of different levels are drawn in different ways and have different amounts of power. The spirit-attraction flags we drew at Mo Village had a range of only twenty-five hundred meters in circumference. Yet, this ghost hand has a strong killing intent, feeding on human flesh and bone. If it had been within that range in the beginning, with its level of malice, Mo Village would have been a river of blood since long ago. However, it appeared after we arrived... This means that it must have been set there purposely at that time, by someone with ill intentions."
Wei Ying responded, "Your academics are quite strong. That was a great analyzation."
SiZhui lowered his head, "If so, for the lives lost at Mo Village, we should... we should also be responsible. And, now, we also involved Lan QiRen and the others in this matter..."
I wanted to tell Wei Ying that he is A yuan. But not yet. After a while of silence, Wei Ying patted his shoulder, "The one responsible shouldn't be you guys, but the person who sent out the ghost hand. In this world, there are some things impossible for one to control."
I removed my hand. The people of the Lan Sect hurried to ask, "HanGuang-Jun, how is it?"
I replied, "Trace to its source."
It's the only way. Wei Ying agreed with me, "That's right. If we trace to its source, find the full corpse of this ghost hand, understand who he really is, then there'd naturally be a way to save them."
JingYi spoke in a criticizing tone, "You make it sound so simple. The spirit-summoning did not work, and it became this big of a mess. How can we possibly find it?"
I stated, "The northwest." The arm showing the direction where its other body part is.
SiZhui wondered, "The northwest? HanGuang-Jun, why is it the northwest?"
Wei Ying asked, "Hasn't it already been shown to you guys?"
JingYi was puzzled, "Shown to me? Who? Who showed it? HanGuang-Jun did not."
Wei Ying spoke, "It."
The people suddenly realised that what he was pointing at was the ghost hand!
The arm steadily pointed at one direction. As someone changed its position, it stubbornly turned back around, back to where it originally faced. Nobody had ever seen a situation like this before, and all were shocked. JingYi stammered, "It? What... What is it pointing towards?!"
Wei Ying replied, "What else can it be pointing towards? It's either the other parts of its corpse, or the murderer who made him this way."
Hearing this, a few boys who stood in the northwestern direction quickly shuffled aside. Giving him a look, I slowly rose, speaking to the disciples, "Take care of shufu properly."
The few nodded, "Okay! Are you going to travel down the mountain?"
I gave a slight nod. Wei Ying had already stealthily shifted behind me, talking to himself in a loud, cheerful way, "Yes, yes, yes, we can finally get off this mountain and elope together!"
I smirked at his comment. Everyone looked as if they couldn't bear to watch the scene any longer. The expressions of the older disciples were especially scary, but a few of the boys were already used to it. Shufu's face seemed to twitch again, as he lay unconscious on the ground. The disciples thought, If he spoke a few more sentences, maybe shufu would be angered awake again...
I took Wei Ying alone for tracing the source of that left arm. This arm was quite strange, and could possibly harm other people if it wasn't handled with caution.
During our journey he tried to escape from me. However, even though he attempted to run away multiple times, it always ended with me carrying him back with one hand holding the back of his collar. I catched him red handed for twelve times. During one of his escapes it made some people disturbed. That was his twelfth escape.
It was on a late night. While it's time for sleep, as I expected he jumped off the window sill. But I went after him in the other way around and he bumped into me.
He asked, "Hanguang Jun, it's already so late. Yet you're still not asleep?
I said calmly, "go back."
He responded, "I don't want to."
I grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the inn. He shouted, "aaaaahhh somebody save me."
His shout made a lady woke up from her sleep. She slammed the window open and scolded him. "Who is that, howling like a ghost in the middle of the night?"
Wei Ying wailed, "Aunty, hurry and save me! This man is abducting me." Pointing at me.
The lady was confused, "huh? What are you saying? He is abducting you?"
He complained, "that's right, he is abducting me for many days and nights now... He won't let me escape."
The lady scolded him, "hmph. Nonsense. You're trying to fool me? He looks like a prince. What do you look like?"
He was confused. But the lady continued to scold him, "him, abduct you? More like you're clinging to him, refusing to leave?" I felt it funny when she said that.
While she was scolding the night watchman of that street came rushing towards us, "this late at night, who's out here causing trouble? Gongzi, is this man pestering you?"
I said, "no."
He talked, "ahh! It's me. He is clearly not letting me go. How did it turn into that 'I'm the one sticking to him? Do you people have any conscience left? Any sense of morality at all?"
The night watchman also started scolding him, "rubbish, no matter how one sees it, it's you shifting the blame onto him. You want someone to hit you?"
The lady talked with me, "that's right, gongzi, these rascals are far too common, truly revolting, ah do you need any help?"
Wei Ying asked them, "hmph. Fine. How about you people help him to chase me away?"
I said, "hmph. No need."
The night watchman asked me, "do you really not need our help? Gongzi?"
The lady agreed with the night watchman, "yes that's right. If you have any difficulties just tell us."
I sighed and said, "this is a personal matter."
Then I lift him by collar and walked away from the lady and watchman. Wei Ying continued to shout again, "let go! Aunty, uncle! Don't just stand there refusing to help a dying man..."
Finally I managed to drag him into the inn. I throw him into the bed. He wailed in pain. I said annoyingly, "this is the twelfth time. Get some rest." He wailed on the bed and finally fell asleep.
Next day he changed his strategy, sticking to me as hard as he could. We continued our journey towards the north west. Since it became dark, we decided to rest in an inn.
The inn keeper recognised who I was, "oh Hanguang Jun, it's been a while."
I helped that inn keeper once during my night hunt. The inn keeper continued to talk, "if it wasn't for you back then, I'm afraid my inn would have been turned upside down by that female ghost until I no longer do business. I heard that the incident at Mo Manor was also resolved by you. You truly deserve to be called a chivalrous gentleman." He clasped his hands in respect.
I said, "nothing difficult."
Wei Ying was standing next to me. He chuckled to my comment.
The inn keeper asked, "eh? Who is this?"
Wei Ying smiled at him and said, "you mean me! My surname is Mo!"
The inn keeper was surprised, "oh! oh! Mo Gongzi..." He nodded.
The inn keeper asked us, "May I ask how many rooms the two of you need?"
Wei Ying said, "Huh! Of course one! Does my relationship with your Hanguang Jun like we need two rooms? Hm?"
The inn keeper became confused and speechless while hearing his words. But I said, "two rooms." I have to control myself.
The inn keeper fumbled and said, "oh right! So two connecting rooms then!"
I nodded. Finally we got two connecting rooms. After my bath I went to my room. I opened the door and walked in. Meanwhile he was already on my bed, under the blanket.
He invited me, "hey Hanguang Jun! Aiyoo you're back! I've waited so long for you. Come, get in to bed. I've already warmed the bed for you! Look! Come on!"
I sighed and replied calmly, "your room is next door."
He stubbornly talked with me, "what next door? I see this room of yours is better. I like it here."
I can understand from his intentions. He really at his best to disgust me. But I don't care about his tricks. I endured everything for him. I turned away from him and tried to walk away. I'm really afraid that someday I will lost my entire control. I almost lost myself years ago at Baifeng Shan because of him. He is making me more and more panicked.
He grabbed me from behind and asked, "don't go Hanguang Jun. Why are you going out?"
I said, "change room." Since you like it here. Then you can sleep here.
He asked, "why you must change the room?"
I said, "you like it. I'll let you have it."
Wei Ying said, "that's too much trouble, we can share the room! Squeeze a little."
I took a deep breath and said, "As you wish."
I walked closer to him and he giggled in happiness. Why are you doing this? Do you really love me, Wei Ying? I love you so much. I sat beside him.
After a pause he asked, "hey Hanguang Jun, are you going to sleep?"
I nodded. He said, "let's sleep together."
I agreed. I get on to the bed. We both try to squeeze together and tried to get comfortable. He started giggling and make noise. "Aiya my pillow isn't in the best position, got to change it." He opened the window and tossed the pillow away and continued to act, "aiya, how did it fall outside the window? What do I do now? How am I going to sleep without a pillow?"
I sighed and said, "get another one."
He said, "it's too late to ask for another. I can just share yours. Scoot over there a little."
I let out a relented sigh. Then he asked, "hey wait! Hanguang Jun, why are you wearing clothes to bed? How uncomfortable here. I'll help you to take it off." He tried to remove my robes. I struggled to get released.
He complained, "Aiyo, you've fastened your belt really tightly."
I grabbed his hand. He asked, "you.. you grabbed my hand, how am I going to help you to take them off?"
I sighed and said, "it's past nine in the evening."
He spoke, "yeah I get it." After a few moments later I shut my eyes and I was about to fall asleep. But he was restless.
He talked, "Hanguang Jun, are you asleep? I can't sleep."
I spoke calmly, "calm your mind."
Wei Ying spoke, "Hanguang Jun, I know the reason why I can't fall asleep. I really cannot bear it anymore. Here touch me."
He grabbed my hand and press on to his chest. I gasped. He said, "listen to my heart beat." I could feel it. His heart beat a bit faster.
He whispered, "Hanguang Jun, can you hear it?"
I couldn't hold it any longer. I hold him down and cast a body binding spell and the silencing charm on him. He couldn't move or speak after that. He struggled.
I said calmly to him, "take rest."
Finally we both fell asleep. Wei Ying suffered a ton of losses and complained about his sore body after he woke up. But I ignored him.
The next day he pulled out another strategy. In the morning, while I was on my room in the inn, I heard a knock from the door. I opened the door and saw his face covered in make up. He entered into the room and asked me, "Hanguang Jun. Heheh how does it look? What do you think of my make up skills? Tatatata!"
I sighed and said, "wash it off."
He argued with me, "wash it off? But I spent a whole hour on this. Back on Mo Manor, I've always managed to make others stare with their jaws drop on the floor. What you don't like it?"
I breathed. I couldn't say anything. He continued to talk, "aiyoo, I did all this hard work especially for you. This is the product of blood, sweat and tears. Huh?"
Really? For what? To disgust me so that I could throw you out? That's not going to happen. I turned my face away from him. He came in front of me hands behind his back and smiled mischievously. "Hey don't ignore me like that."
Again I turned my face away from him and he came in front of me. "Hanguang Jun, look at me. Do I look pretty? Is it good? Look at me."
After a pause I nodded and said, "mn." I blushed. He is so beautiful even in that hanged ghost makeup.
He asked, "really? You really think I look pretty?
I nodded again and said, "mn".
He turned away from me and was thinking about something. Meanwhile we heard another knock on the door. It was the inn worker who came to serve the morning tea. "Sir your tea......" When he saw Wei Ying's face he run for his life shouting, "aaaaaah, there's a ghost, there's a ghost aaaaah. Help me." While we stood there confused. When Wei Ying understood that his plan failed he washed his face and removed those makeup.
I went for a bath to get ready to go. Meanwhile he opened the door again and asked, "Hanguang Jun, what are you doing?"
I didn't respond to his question. He came here when I get started to disrobe. "You are taking off your clothes." He said.
I looked at him. He asked, "you were about to bathe right?"
I said, "you...." Then I lost for words. He wants to bathe with me?
He talked, "woah, this bath tub is the same as the one I had at Mo Manor. Just looking at it makes me feel like I'm home. Come, let's bathe together." I controlled myself. I didn't say anything.
He asked, "why do you put your clothes on?"
Since all his plans are wasted previously, now this time he wants to disgust me during my bath. Sorry, no matter how hard you try, I won't let you go. He talked, "I haven't taken off mine."
After a pause I said, "change the bathtub."
He spoke stubbornly, "not necessary, not necessary. To be honest, the one you use will be the one I like most. So why don't we just squeeze a little and talk?"
I let out a deep sigh. You are digging your own grave, Wei Ying. "Hehe, then I'll take off my clothes." He then started to take off his robes. "I said I'll take my clothes off. I will really take my clothes off." I didn't react to his silly tricks like I used to do in the past.
I sighed and said, "As you like."
He was surprised about my answer so he changed the course, "ah, it doesn't matter. Suddenly I'm not in the mood anymore. Next time, next time for sure okay?"
I said, "All right."
Then he left the room and I had my bath in the tub.
Following the left hand's direction, the two of us went towards the northwest.