134 If only karma was so simple (1/2)

Chen Gaoyong's spell that had meant to locate the puppeteer was but a faint silver string, flickering between reality and nothingness as it floated in the air. It led inside the Ascending Dawn Manor, down silent echoing halls. It led them through the quiet main hall where the stench of iron had already soaked into the floor, red blossoms beneath each of the women that spoke of senseless slaughter.

Yuan Xuelan ran ahead, fear gripping his heart as the horrific sight laid out in front of him. ”Shijie!” He cried desperately, remembering the promise for an apology yet to be made. But her face was not among the faces of those fallen in the hall. At first, he was relieved not being able to find her lifeless corpse but the relief was short-lived. Where could she have gone?

While Liu Sumeng wore an expression calmer, his heart was by no means peaceful. Anxiety was upon him as well, eyes searching for familiarity among the corpses.

Only after checking twice, he could say with confidence, ”She's not here.”

She was in fact not there. Yuan Xuelan caught sight of the flickering silver string. The spell was about to dissipate but he was able to follow the direction of its flowing brilliance before it finally disappeared for good.

It went down a dark hallway. Liu Sumeng's eyes were still pointed downward as he stepped closer to Yuan Xuelan and noticed a set of bloody footprints that were about the floor. They were big, a man's no doubt. Perhaps Chen Gaoyong who had come frantically in search of his daughter. Those footprints were trailing down the same hallway Yuan Xuelan was looking at.

”Let's go,” Yuan Xuelan's voice was breathless, sharing the briefest of glances with the Ivory Sword Saint before dashing down the hall.

Liu Sumeng was quick to follow him.

There was light down there. Chen Gaoyong's study was just at the end where the low light shined out upon a dark hall. Yuan Xuelan quickened his pace yelling, ”Shijie!”

But the Ivory Sword Saint yanked him back before he was able to round the corner and rush into the room. They heard it clearly, the sharp sound of a little bell. It's sound echoing and piercing but only for the briefest of moments.

A bright light exploded at Yuan Xuelan's feet. Smoke shot out like a viper, filling up the hall and their lungs in an instant. Tears pricked Yuan Xuelan's eyes, he brought his sleeve up a bit too late and began to cough. Liu Sumeng grunted at the sudden assault. But the Ivory Sword Saint was swift in his movements and brought up his hand and formed a quick set of hand seals to envelop them with a thin barrier.

Yuan Xuelan cursed loudly, sinking back into the safety of Liu Sumeng's barrier.

The smoke was sharp, not only in its sting but also its scent, like ginger. His wrist flinched, about to raise Silei and blast the smoke away in one terrible swoop with divine fire and lightning.

Long fingers gently covered his hand and Yuan Xuelan did not need any more incentive to stop his actions. He stood there obediently next to the Ivory Sword Saint without raising his sword.

”Conserve your strength,” Sumeng's gentle voice tickled the shell of his ear.

Yuan Xuelan flushed a little and nodded. He took a deep breath, calming the chaotic state of his heart.

Liu Sumeng quieted after that, stilling even his breathing to focus on their surroundings. Their opponent was both quick and silent but they were no ghost. A subtle shuffle of air, the minutest of sounds. Liu Sumeng's muscles snapped into action. Mingshui cut through the smoke.

A metallic clang.

The person who met his blow was powerful and easily pushed him back.

Liu Sumeng caught the silver edge on a scimitar in the mist of smoke. His barrier was going to dissipate if he wrapped his second hand around his sword hilt but Liu Sumeng did just that. He held his breath and pursued the slightest tells; from the rustling of fabric to the density of the smoke around them.

With a flicker of his wrist, he met that scimitar edge again. Liu Sumeng quickly stepped forward. There was a terrible strength that pushed against him but he directed it aside by adjusting the balance in his hips and wrist.

The swordsman on the otherwise was matched in skill and wrestled with him by angling the scimitar up.

Liu Sumeng felt his wrist strain for the push but he refused to relent, only stepping forward to add pressure on his foe even as the smoke was thick around him, preventing him from breathing in properly.

But he could hear air being sliced through. Yuan Xuelan lunged at their unseen foe.

A twirl, Liu Sumeng was pushed off but he used the opportunity to blow away the smoke around them with a spell. Feet shuffled and stopped a few steps ahead of Yuan Xuelan, just covering the doorway of Chen Gaoyong.

The figure was tall, clearly a man this time with a scimitar in his hand. The silver bell ringed, but it only seemed to sound sometimes while remaining silent otherwise. A black butterfly decorated his visage but there was no mistaking the face that hid behind it.

Liu Sumeng's heart was heavy, a rare scowl of rage on his countenance. Mingshui was pointed in the Guanghai Elder's direction. A part of him was not surprised but another part of him simply could not understand why.

Why?

But the question was too broad. Liu Sumeng also did not understand how. Or when. And what for?

He didn't even know where to begin and just stood there saying nothing.