~~~

They are welcomed back with awe.

Many harbored doubts when Liu Jin and the other disciples left to search for Feng Hao. Now, they return not just successful but with nary a scratch and stories of a daring rescue. Ten, in particular, is all too eager to spread an animated and heavily exaggerating retelling of how Liu Jin supposedly fought off two Core Disciples.

It occurs to Liu Jin that bringing the disciple from the Armory with him may have been a mistake. Ten already believes he should leave the Eternal Flame Clan to start his own Sect. Being witness to their success in rescuing Feng Hao has only served to fuel that fire.

Still, there is little point in stopping him, not when there are so many more pressing things to focus on.

“Should we expect the Core Disciples to come here?” Fan Bingbing asks once they have moved inside the temple for privacy. She and Liu Jin, along with Lu Mei, Huang Shing, and Feng Hao, all sit in a circle, using stone seats made long before any of them walked this earth.

“We should,” Liu Jin replies. “They don’t seem to have chased us, but the temple is a natural place to look.”

“It is odd that they didn’t chase after us,” Lu Mei says. Her face bears a look of casual indifference, but Liu Jin knows how much it tired her to use the Eternal Flame. “Even if they couldn’t physically reach us due to the curse of the Earth Realm, nothing stopped them from following us.”

“Perhaps they thought they didn’t need to. They probably believe Qu Rou is still guarding the temple.”

And why wouldn’t they? The idea of a group of Inner Disciples defeating one of their brethren must seem absolutely ludicrous. Maybe they let them run away because they thought they were running right into the arms of one of their companions.

“Maybe they didn’t want to hurt the Young Master,” Huang Shing says, scratching his head. “They seemed really insistent on having him.”

Liu Jin hums and nods. Though he had accused them of not caring whether Feng Hao lived or died, that might not have been entirely accurate. He had just been too eager to discard the possibility of using Feng Hao as a hostage. If they didn’t care about Feng Hao, they wouldn’t have wasted so much time trying to get them to stand down. They most likely did not wish for Feng Hao to become collateral damage.

But why?

They hadn’t denied they didn’t care for the contest, so why did they care about Feng Hao?

“Perhaps they left to report what happened,” Liu Jin says, turning towards Huang Shing. “You said it was one of the Core Disciples who came up with the idea of remaining in the Eye, right?”

Huang Shing nods. “Yes, it was Senior Brother Yong.”

A powerful Core Disciple with authority over his brethren. If he was in charge of the other Core Disciples, it could have been him who ordered Qu Rou to stay near the temple.

“It is disappointing Senior Brother Yong is involved with this,” Huang Shing admits with a troubled look on his face. “He seemed nice.”

Lu Mei laughs.

“Many people seem nice. The worst make a dedicated effort to do so, so they may better stab you in the back. We cannot trust any of the Core Disciples representing Lord Feng Shang, especially not if what the Young Master says is true.”

“It is!” Feng Hao nods fervently. “Those disciples had the taint of the monsters on them too!”

He looks to Huang Shing for support. The older disciple nods.

“I couldn’t feel it at first, but though it was faint, it was there. They felt like the nasty creatures chasing after the Young Master.”

“The monsters that felt like death,” Liu Jin says, rubbing his chin. “We have not encountered something like that during our journeys, but if the two of you say it, I believe it. Besides, we can all sense the lingering taint on you two.”

Something about it strikes Liu Jin as vaguely familiar, but he can’t quite place it.

“If the Core Disciples have that taint, do they have it because they were working with them?” Fan Bingbing asks. “Or are they like the Young Master and Brother Huang who have it because they came in contact with them?”

“If those things led them right to the Young Master, they must be working together,” Lu Mei says.

“It is a strong possibility,” Liu Jin says. “Yet another sign that something is wrong with this contest and with Lord Feng Shang’s faction.”

“But what does it all mean, Brother Jin?” Huang Shing asks.

“Right now? Not much,” Liu Jin admits. “After this is over, quite a bit. Something is happening. However, that’s a talk for later.”

He rubs his forehead.

“Right now, we should focus on survival.”

“We should evacuate then,” Fan Bingbing says. “The only reason we have remained in the Dead Plains is that we needed to bring the Young Master back. That condition has been cleared.”

Liu Jin frowns. He’d have liked to find Senior Brother Khong and Senior Brother Guo before leaving. Pan Qiu as well since he is somewhat responsible for him. However, staying here might lead them to be attacked by three Core Disciples. Those are not odds they can beat.

“My brother is still out there!”

“Young Master Feng Zhi’s survival is of great importance to the Sect. I daresay Lord Feng Gui will not be happy if he died,” Fan Bingbing admits. Liu Jin feels pity for the way Feng Hao’s face lights up. He knows what is coming next. “Young Master Feng Zhi is far more capable of protecting himself than we are of protecting him… or ourselves for the matter.”

“You don’t get it!” Feng Hao shouts. “He was tired after fighting that creature! There’s no telling what could have happened to him.”

Liu Jin frowns. Feng Zhi and Feng Hao. Is the Feng family being targeted by the creatures? If so, why? Because of the Eternal Flame?

“I will need to examine you both once we finish here,” He tells Feng Hao and Huang Shing. “Especially Brother Huang. You are the one wounded.”

“Eh, it will heal.”

“Nevertheless, I will not have us take unnecessary risks,” Liu Jin says. “But right now…”

He sighs.

“Have everyone get ready to leave.”

“But my brother!”

“Young Master, there are ways in which we can locate him, but right now, our priority should be the lives of all the disciples here. Some are still wounded from their travels.”

The wounded. Liu Jin clenches his eyes shut. Bei Hong and Bei Duyi are in no condition to make the trip back. He will have to force their recovery. It will hurt them, but there is little time to worry about such things.

“We have no time to waste.”

~~~

“Ugly, isn’t it?” Huang Shing says as Liu Jin looks at his arm.

“It is not the worst I have seen,” Liu Jin says, recalling the black mass he extracted from Xiao Heng so many years ago. It still rests deep inside his spatial pouch. “However, it is rather interesting.”

“Brother Jin, you find the oddest things interesting.”

“So it seems,” Liu Jin says as he sends his Qi into Huang Shing’s arm to carefully examine his muscles and meridians. His face remains completely neutral as he does. After several minutes, Liu Jin makes up his mind. “Hold still, please. This might hurt a little.”

“Hurt? What will hurt?”

“This.”

One of Liu Jin’s needles sinks into Huang Shing’s wounded flesh. The young man winces as not just the needle, but Liu Jin’s Qi starts burrowing into his body.

“Brother Jin! Why-”

“Don’t. Move.”

Liu Jin’s red eyes root Huang Shing to the spot, conveying the seriousness of the situation. The sliver of Liu Jin’s Qi inside him morphs into a tiny snake that is not even a hundredth of an inch long. It wiggles around until it finds its target.

Tiny fangs grab hold of it.

Liu Jin pulls.

Huang Shing’s Qi spikes. His hands clench tight around his seat, and were the temple made of less sturdy materials, his fingers would have gone right through the stone.

Huang Shing watches, horrified, as Liu Jin slowly takes out the needle and out follows a mass of pink writhing flesh. It is no bigger than an eyelash, yet the flesh grows before his very eyes. As soon as it has been removed from his body, Huang Shing leaps so far away his back ends up pressed against the wall.

“As I said, interesting,” Liu Jin says as the corrupted flesh continues to grow over the needle. “It seems it was dormant until it detected a threat. How insidious.”

“Don’t let it touch you!” Huang Shing yells, pointing as the flesh keeps growing. “If it does-”

“Yes, I can sense it,” Liu Jin says as the mass of flesh makes contact with his skin. “It tries to merge its cells with mine. Don’t worry. I can keep this level of damage contained.”

He rubs his chin with his free hand as the flesh keeps growing.

“Interesting. It is not trying to decompose anything. The opposite. It seems to be speeding up the rate of cellular reproduction but in a completely disordered way.”

“Brother Jin! I don’t understand half of those words, but you are far too calm right now!”

“There seems to be some sort of will guiding this thing,” Liu Jin continues. He closes his eyes. “What if…”

Qi meets Qi. Corrupted life clashes against his soul.

“I see. So that’s how it is…”

Liu Jin snaps it.

The flesh withers and dies. It falls to the ground in ashes, leaving Liu Jin’s hand unharmed.

“It worked,” Liu Jin says, examining his hand. “Perhaps I was too quick to cut the link. I think there is something else I could have tried. Oh well.”

He turns to Huang Shing, who is staring at him open-mouthed.

“I am sorry. It seems I have alarmed you.”

“I...” Huang Shing opens his mouth and closes it five times before he gives up and shakes his head. “No, I’m not going to think about it. Brother Jin is Brother Jin, I guess.”

He looks at the ashes.

“That thing was inside me.”

“Yes. The monster that attacked you probably left it there.”

“It could have grown inside me at any time.” Huang Shing shivers. “It could have killed me.”

“I doubt it,” Liu Jin says. “The moment it started to act out, you would have sensed it. At most, you would have lost an arm.”

“That’s cold comfort, Brother Jin.”

“It is the only one I have to give,” Liu Jin says. “Unfortunately, there are still worse news.”

“Please, don’t tell me I have more of those things inside me!” Huang Shing begs him, looking at his body with fear.

“No,” Liu Jin shakes his head. “You are clean. I checked very thoroughly. However, that thing was being controlled by someone. Whoever is sending these creatures after Young Master Feng Hao may have been tracking you through it.”

”What does that mean?”

Liu Jin sighs and rubs his forehead.

“It means we may already be surrounded.”

~~~

Liu Jin sends Huang Shing and a group of disciples to scout their surroundings. Depending on what they find, their plans will need to be drastically altered. Liu Jin should be planning various contingencies already, but the Heavens don’t seem keen on giving him time.

“You can’t use fire?” Liu Jin asks Feng Hao as he examines him.

Feng Hao nods shyly. Though they are alone, he looks around as if afraid someone will overhear him. Liu Jin cannot fault him for that. Strong and talented as Feng Hao is, this condition makes him far too vulnerable.

“It was because of the Eternal Flame,” Feng Hao says in a voice that might as well be a whisper. “I used it to escape but now…”

He raises his hand and focuses. Sparks crackle over his palm, but they fade as quickly as they appear. Feng Hao doubles over in pain. Were it not for Liu Jin grabbing him in time, he would have fallen over.

“Young Master, there was no need for that!”

“I thought Elder Brother would need… a demonstration… that it would help…”

“It did, but you still shouldn’t have done it,” Liu Jin says, making sure Feng Hao is lying down on one of the stone platforms. “I already have experience with the Eternal Flame.”

“Right,” Feng Hao says. “One of the people flying used the Eternal Flame...”

“People have their secrets, Young Master. I ask that you do not pry into this one.”

“I understand. I promise, Elder Brother.”

Despite Feng Hao’s promise, Liu Jin knows Lu Mei’s secret is already out in the open. Ten, Wong, and Ni Cai have already seen her using her flames. Even if they could be trusted to keep quiet, the two Core Disciples know there is someone among them who can use the Eternal Flame. There will definitely be consequences, though what shape those consequences will take is not something Liu Jin knows. Right now, he’s more concerned with leaving the Dead Plains alive.

“Relax, Young Master,” Liu Jin says, forcing none of the storm raging inside him to manifest in his semblance. “Just breathe and let your Qi flow through your body as usual. That is all I want you to do.”

Feng Hao nods and tries to do as Liu Jin says. It takes him a while since he is far from calm, but eventually, Liu Jin is able to detect the problem. It is not something he would have noticed even a few months ago, but it is now obvious to him.

“Rest easy, Young Master. You have not lost your flames forever.”

Feng Hao immediately brightens. “Really!”

“Indeed. The Eternal Flame is merely… jealous.”

The young child blinks. “Jealous?”

“I apologize. That’s not the best way to explain it. Let me rephrase myself. Embers of the Eternal Flame still linger within you. The Eternal Flame cannot bear other fire, so it interferes when you try to shape it.”

“So I can no longer use flames other than the Eternal Flame?” Feng Hao asks with some fear, unaware his problem could be much worse. It speaks volumes of Feng Hao’s talent that this is the only problem having embers of the Eternal Flame inside him is causing him.

However, the same prodigious talent that allows Feng Hao to remain mostly unaffected by having the Eternal Flame in his body also makes Liu Jin unsure of how to proceed.

“There should be a way to treat this. If not me, then people in the Eternal Flame Clan are bound to know how to do it. Right now, I only ask you to rest and keep cycling your Qi, Young Master.”

“I thought we were leaving soon?”

“Extenuating circumstances have appeared. We still have some time, Young Master,” Liu Jin replies. “Rest and gather your strength. You will need it for the journey.”

“I will. Thanks-”

“Brother Jin!”

Feng Hao’s goodbye is lost as Huang Shing storms into the room. His face pale, and his breathing comes out in heaving breaths.

“It’s as you feared!” Huang Shing says and Liu Jin’s heart drops.

“How many?”

“Hundreds.”

Liu Jin closes his eyes.

“Which direction are they coming from?”

“All of them.”

~~~