"They're not chasing us?" asked Wu Xingyu.
"The Three Ghosts?" Song Yehai stopped in his tracks and tentatively looked behind. There was no incoming footsteps, human voices, spiders or snakes. "No, it doesn't look like they are. But there's no way they're willing to let us go just like this."
They were standing alone in the middle of a sparse woodland. The immediate surroundings were relatively quiet. Only very small insects and distant chirps of passing birds could be heard. The evening was almost turning into sunset.
"You're right," agreed Wu Xingyu. "They'll surely be coming after us once they've dealt with the fire. At least we got the venoms. We mustn't stay here for long. Let's keep going forward."
Song Yehai suddenly took Wu Xingyu's arm that was swollen, purplish and hard to look at without wincing. A number of tiny, red blisters had risen closely around the fang marks, some already burst and their pus released. His fingertips had started blackening and his veins all the way up to his shoulders were enlarged, protruding and mixed with red, resembling brown and purple snakes.
"You intentionally let the fire viper bite you?"
Wu Xingyu opened his mouth but quickly covered it as he was met with a violent coughing fit. A splatter of viscous blood painted his palm into an alarming dark red. It emitted steam and a smoky, virulent smell. Wu Xingyu shook it off before his hand would start to burn.
Song Yehai held Wu Xingyu before he fell on his knees and felt his forehead. "You're burning up."
"A fever is one of the symptoms," said Wu Xingyu softly. He unconsciously began to shiver.
Song Yehai's eyes tensed. He gently helped Wu Xingyu sit down on the ground and wiped the cold, clammy sweat that trickled down his forehead. "Breathe normally. Try to relax. Keep your arm below your heart."
Wu Xingyu followed the instructions but struggled to contain his coughs that disrupted his efforts. Song Yehai removed his outer coat and draped it around Wu Xingyu. The scent of medicinal herbs and salts wafted from the collars to his nose, drifting him into a hazy sense of healing and recuperation. He gripped onto the lapels and immersed himself into this deeply therapeutic feeling, like sinking into a bath of herbal water. "Thank you."
"This is how you planned on getting the poison if they wouldn't give it to us?" Song Yehai's voice was tinged with more pain than Wu Xingyu was in.
Though Wu Xingyu understood Song Yehai's reason for distress, he did not regret employing this method. "I'll be fine. I can keep it under control in my body and then expel it out."
Despite his reassurance it was really no easy task. Wu Xingyu mustered both his spiritual energy and his willpower to keep the venom from overtaking his vital organs and his body temperature from overheating. Thick liquid clogged his throat just as strong dizziness became robbing him of his balance. Without warning another urge to vomit erupted and Wu Xingyu coughed up another mouthful of hardened blood, phlegm and spittle just as his vision began to distort like that of dreams.
Song Yehai took Wu Xingyu's unbitten hand and channelled a stream of spiritual energy into him. The hallucinations slowly disappeared and his shivering lessened but his sight was still blurry, his head lightweight and blood still curdling in his larynx. Song Yehai attempted to channel more energy.
"No need for more," Wu Xingyu pulled his arm away.
"Here," Song Yehai took out some detoxifying pills.
"No, I can't take any," declined Wu Xingyu sharply. "It'll affect the venom's toxicity. Let's just find a place to rest a bit for now."
Song Yehai stored the pills back in their bottle. He lifted Wu Xingyu in his arms. Staring at the blue of Song Yehai's inner robe, Wu Xingyu thought he was being embraced by the waves of the vast, warm ocean. Resting his head against Song Yehai's shoulder, he discretely looked up. The sunlight shone upon Song Yehai's side profile, enhancing his handsome features. Tracing along the flawless outlines Wu Xingyu marvelled his long lashes, arched brows, glistening eyes and fair, smooth skin as he took this opportunity to stare at Song Yehai's face up close. A secret, wishful yearning of just staying in Song Yehai's arms forever emerged from his heart.
Before Song Yehai could take off he was alerted by the presence of someone who carried a purple silhouette. "Who's there?"
Shuying appeared from the forests, her eyes unable to look ahead as though she was hiding something. "Um…" the minute she looked up, her shyness mutated into horror. "What do you think you're doing?"
Song Yehai held Wu Xingyu tighter.
"Y-y-y-you…" Shuying pointed a finger at them. "You're carrying him like that?"
"Is something wrong?"
"You can only carry women like that! You don't carry men like that! How dare you disrespect Grandmaster Wu like that! Put him down now!"
Song Yehai looked unamused as he calmly asked, "What are you doing here?"
"You put him down first!"
"I can't do that. Xingyu has been badly poisoned."
"Yes, I know that! I saw the Fire Viper bite him. I have the antidote that can save him."
Wu Xingyu wearily drifted his eyes at Shuying. "The antidote?"
"It'll cure the venom in you."
"Thank you, but I don't need it."
Shuying rushed to stand right beside Wu Xingyu. "Grandmaster Wu, don't speak. You got badly poisoned. You need the antidote to recover. Here," she held out a bottle and tried to bring the opening close to Wu Xingyu's mouth. Song Yehai took a step back, pulling Wu Xingyu away from the bottle. Shuying glared at him. "What are doing? Why won't you let him take the antidote?"
"He doesn't need it."
"What do you mean he doesn't need it? You want to him to die?"
"Did you steal that from the Snake Bride?" Wu Xingyu asked.
"Don't worry about how I got it," said Shuying. "Quickly take the antidote before the venom kills you."
"Take it back to the Snake Bride," ordered Song Yehai.
"You want me to take it back?" questioned Shuying with a look of disgust. "So you do want him to die!"
"No, I do not," refuted Song Yehai, his tone a little harsh as though carrying some anger at the accusation.
Shuying pulled out her dagger. "Grandmaster Wu, that man wants you dead!"
"It's not that," Wu Xingyu attempted to step in.
"Unhand Grandmaster Wu!" Shuying lunged forward and thrust her dagger forward. Song Yehai leapt back to dodge it. Shuying chased after him but tripped and fell flat on her face. Her foot was caught in an entanglement. "Fucking forest vines!"
"No, that was my whip," corrected Song Yehai. He walked up to Shuying.
"Shuying, I really don't need your antidote," said Wu Xingyu. "I let the Fire Viper bite me on purpose."
"What?"
"I need its venom. Since the Snake Bride wouldn't let me take some, I figured this was the only way to get the venom. I can expel it out of my body. But if I take your antidote, the venom I expel out won't be as potent. Which is why I can't take the antidote."
Shuying got back onto her feet. "If you just asked me, I could've just stole some of the venom for you. You didn't have to go through all this pain."
Wu Xingyu smiled and reached out to gently pat her on the head. "Thank you. But I can't let you do that either. The Snake Bride won't let you off easily."
Song Yehai had his whip let go of her foot. Shuying picked it up by the handle and handed it to him without making eye contact. "Where will you go from here?"
"We'll find some place to rest for tonight," replied Song Yehai.
"Then you should go this way," Shuying pointed at a direction. "A little further down is a pretty nice town. You'll find a nice place to rest there."
"Thank you."
Shuying turned her attention to Wu Xingyu. "You be sure to get well soon."
"Thank you Shuying," said Wu Xingyu. Shuying turned around and retraced the route she took to reach them.
Following her direction Song Yehai began heading down the path when his footsteps slowed until they completely stopped. The sky above darkened without warning, snuffing out every ray of daylight. Thick, foreboding thunderclouds shrouded heavily above them, creating an ominous atmosphere. The winds picked up, howling ghostly tunes as they brought the rancid scent of decay and demons.
Song Yehai's pupils constricted. "This is bad!"
"A horde of demons?" cried Wu Xingyu in horror.
A horde of demons rained down upon them. Screeching and snarling, their monstrous bodies twisted and contorted erratically as they charged from the skies to the earth. All animals native to the forest ran as fast as they could for their lives. The demons chomped about rapidly, trying to catch a bird in their jaws. The demons that have landed chased after the land animals.
A worm-like, multi-legged demon crawled up to Song Yehai and Wu Xingyu. Saliva drooled from its hungrily clanking mandibles. Song Yehai evaded its attempts to bite him and ran around it. Another demon, a mishmash of moth, mantis and spider, swung its scythe-like forelegs at them. Song Yehai was forced to jump back only to find himself completely enclosed with no way for escape. He carefully placed Wu Xingyu down and then unsheathed the sword he had been carrying at his waist. The demons backed fearfully away from it.
"I haven't used this sword since the Demon Lord's defeat," Song Yehai pointed the sword at them. Shimmers of divine light pulsated out of the blade. "Come at me if you aren't afraid of death."
Drawn to the mesmerising light, Wu Xingyu stole many glances. "Come to think about it, I've only seen you use that sword during our fight with Mo Xuecheng," he noted quietly.
The demon armed with scythes attacked first. With a swing of his sword, Song Yehai decapitated its head but the slash did not stop there. It travelled further out, hacking away every flesh and bone in its path before finally dissipating once it reached the outskirts of the forest with only its path of destruction left behind. A handful of demons, realising their inability to go against such power, turned and fled.
Song Yehai handgrip wavered. A single swerve had siphoned an enormous amount of energy from him. One demon attempted to strike Song Yehai from but was pierced through the body by a white sash. Pulling itself out, it twisted itself midair, wringing out the blood that was soaked in. Wu Xingyu had another coughing fit.
"Xingyu!" Song Yehai promptly killed the demon he was fighting and rushed to Wu Xingyu.
"Yehai, cough cough. I'm alright, just overdid it a bit."
Song Yehai faced the demons again, his sword shining brilliantly as he mustered his strength and fought. Once the horde had halved the fatigue caught up with his body. Trembling uncontrollably Song Yehai fell on one knee, panting heavily as the light dimmed.
A demon reached out to Wu Xingyu. Its arm was immediately amputated off. Possessed by a powerful rush of adrenaline Song Yehai completely forgot how tired he was a second ago. Brandishing his sword he prepared his next move when the demonic energy in the air receded. The darkness around him was slowly being lifted like curtains being pulled apart. Looking up, the miasmic clouds were being pushed back by white mist.
"This is..."
"The mist of the White Jade Rabbits," said Wu Xingyu.
The mist was not only in the sky but also on the earth. The demons cowered as though suffocated by its presence. In no time they fled, taking the dark clouds with them just as a white rabbit with green eyes hopped out of the mist.
"Hey little guy," Wu Xingyu petted its head. "Who brought you here?"
A few more rabbits jumped out, some onto Wu Xingyu's lap, and some around Song Yehai's feet.
Song Yehai was focused on the shadow of a young boy in his midteens who slowly emerged out of the mist. Dressed in jade green robes, he walked with a bamboo staff and carried a travelling sack behind his back and a rabbit in his arm. Seeing Song Yehai, his eyes lit up like two stars.
"Grandmaster Song."
"Qingxuan?" said Song Yehai. "It's you."
The boy walked up to Song Yehai. "Grandmaster Song, long time no see."
"These White Jade Rabbits are yours?"
"Oh, ah," the boy looked to the side hesitantly. "No, technically they're not. They were kept by my sect, but now I'm getting them home."
"Kept by your sect?" Song Yehai's eyes narrowed. "Getting them home?"
The boy sighed, his face doleful. "It's a... not-so-great... practice... of our sect." He struggled to say "not-so-great" and "practice".
Seeing his reluctance to talk about this subject Song Yehai pried no further. The boy turned to Wu Xingyu on the ground. "Is he alright?"
"I'm fine," said Wu Xingyu. "Thank you for your concern."
Song Yehai leaned down and scooped Wu Xingyu up on his arms. The boy could not hide his surprise at this action. "You are...?"
"Wu Xingyu of the White Phoenix Sect."
"Oh, you are the Snow Phoenix Grandmaster! I'm Chen Qingxuan, a disciple of the Five Swords Sect under the Wood Division. I've heard your name."
"Most people have."
"What's wrong? Are you injured?"
"I'm fine. Just poisoned."
"Poisoned?"
"From the fire viper venom," said Song Yehai.
Chen Qingxuan's eyes widened. "Fire viper venom? That's one of the deadliest venom! It kills people in a very short time. Is there even a cure for that?"
"No need to worry," assured Wu Xingyu. "I intentionally got myself poisoned."
"You intentionally got yourself poisoned? Why would you do that?"
"We needed to our hands on the venom."
A million questions sprung up in Chen Qingxuan's mind but Song Yehai stepped in before they were bombarded with further questioning, "Where are you headed towards?"
"To Pine Village."
"You're taking these rabbits with you to Pine Village?"
"Yes, a friend of mine said I could keep the rabbits there for the time being. He runs an inn, and he's got plenty of room for these little guys. Oh, I know. How about you and Grandmaster Wu stay there for the night to rest?"