章 21: Deep Within The Mountains
-Yunlan-
The next morning Zhao found himself in Shen Wei's arms. The twin bed barely have enough space for one, let alone for two grown men, so he was pretty much crushed against the wall from one side and Shen from the other. It was rare for Wei to sleep in, last time he had found his bed empty when waking up, then he remember his conversation with his Ghost Slayer and understood why he had stay with him during the whole night.
"Shen Wei, are you awake?" Zhao asked, turning in the bed to face him, and his movement make Shen open his eyes. He looked gorgeous and even more so, when free of spectacles that were in the way to fully appreciate those long eyelashes.
"I am now. Good morning..." Zhao didn't waste time to give him a feathery kiss and Shen Wei smiled.
"You certainly don't waste time in kissing me at any opportunity." Shen said with a sigh. This time there was a little pain involved.
"Haven't you wait long enough for me? Oh damn, the pain... are you..."
"I'm fine, sometimes I manage to block it." Shen looked back to see the time. It was 8:12 in the morning, so he removed the covers and go out. "Go take a shower, the others will be knocking at the door at any time."
"Care to join me?" Zhao pervertedly said and Shen grabbed a pillow from the other twin bed and throw it to him.
"No, that would kill me for sure, because I would not be able to resist such temptation. Go now, I will prepare the necessary things for the trip." Shen said, occupying himself with the task. Soon after, Lin Jing came, knocking at the door and telling him that breakfast was served.
"Thank you. I will drag him there as soon as possible." Shen said to the monk, who wish him good luck, but after refreshing himself, Zhao resumed his Guardian role. He needed to control himself in order to help Shen Wei with the pain. After a few more minutes, both Yunlan and Shen Wei walked in the dining room and meet with the rest of the team. Zhao sat right beside his beloved and begin devouring his breakfast as usual.
"Any more clues of where to look for the artifact first?" Zhao casually asked between mouthful and Lin took out a map, putting it in the middle of the round table.
"The locals said that an old legend passed on by generations, tells that deep within the mountains at the north side of the village, there is a place considerate holy. They said that no ghost or demon dare to go near it and that was capable to bring down the village if tainted. There are some rumors that it can even cause earthquakes. A few years ago there was a big one, it was in the news and all."
"Where exactly?" Shen Wei asked with interest and Lin pointed at a spot in the map.
"Hum, I not really sure, but it must be somewhere around here." Lin said and then Shen Wei closed his eyes and concentrate near the marked area. Unfortunaly for him, the woman from last night, who casually passed near their table carrying a juice jar, notice he had his eyes closed and thought he was feeling unwell.
"Oh, Sir, are you in pain, do you need some help?" She hurriedly asked him, cutting out his concentration and making Zhao annoyed in the spot.
"No, thank you. It's only a mild headache, there is no need to worry." Shen kindly smiled at the young woman who blushed instantly.
"Oh, well... if you need anything, just look for me, okay?" Zhao coughed, Lin froze, Guo who was taking notes flushed and Zhu was holding a laugh.
"No need, thank you." Shen politely decline, beginning to feel Zhao's own energy rise.
"Okay, then..." She said, a bit reluctantly, then left.
"That's it! I will lock you up inside a very strong barrier and never let you out." He said making Zhu burst in laugher, then Lin couldn't help himself and finally, Guo smiled.
"Yunlan!" Shen flushed in embarrassment.
"Okay, back to the point, did you manage to find out something before you were interrupted?" He asked, letting his annoyance with the woman slide.
"No. Let me try again..." He said closing his eyes for the second time. He released a bit of his energy that could not be notice by common eyes and spread it far in north part of the village. The distance was relative short compared to the seal of Hell, so he had a good image of the mountains ahead of them and yes, there was a certain spot he thought was protected by what felt like a seal.
"Shen Wei?" Yunlan ask with curiosity. He was getting used to his dark energy and he kind of have a hunch he had already found something.
"There is a kind of seal near..." He said while pointing at an area in the map. "Right here. However, it's a very strong one, as the legend said, whatever or not we can access it is yet to be seen." Shen added.
"Wait, not even you?" Zhao asked a little surprised.
"I'm not a full god Yunlan, there are things I can't do. Go gather your things and as soon as we are out of the village I will transport you all as closer as I can." Shen offer.
"Alright then guys, just make sure you have the means to protect yourself in case something unexpected happen. A holy place doesn't necessarily mean a safe place, do you got it?"
"Yes, Chief!" Lin and Zhu responded in unison. Guo just close his notebook and tightly hugged his bag in where the baton Chu gave him lie inside. Just as he had told him before, he was not going to join them as he was once again out on an errand. So it was up to him to defend himself.
"Guo, don't worry, I will not let anything happen to you. I promise Chu that I will too." Shen kindly said to him, when slightly holding on of his shoulders.
"Ah, I know. Both of you had always keep me safe." Guo responded.
"Yes, you are worthy of that and more. Stay strong." Gou smiled happily. He had always felt deep admiration for the Ghost Slayer, not because he could protect him, but because he was kind.
Fifteen minutes later, as they had walked far enough from the village into the half cover with snow small road, Shen Wei make all Guardians and Guo make a circle around him and he open a portal that looked like it was swallowing them and in a blink of an eye, they found themselves deep within the mountains at the end of a long cliff. They all could feel the seal, but Zhao thought that it was somehow familiar to him.
"Zhao, this is as far as I can go... you are a descendant of Nuwa, right?" Shen asked Zhu.
"Yes, should I give it a try?" She asked, looking at Zhao for approval.
"I'll go with you, the rest of you, stay away just in case something happen." Zhao warned and give Shen one of those smiles that meant, don't worry babe, I will be fine, for which he closed his hands into fits, because he was unable to get in, even if something did go wrong.
"Be careful, both of you..." Shen said, earning a genuine smile form Zhu.
"Damn Chief, he is too good for you. Such a lucky bastard..." Zhu murmur.
"You have no right to be jealous of me. You were scare of him that first time, remember?"
"And I was right, he is the Ghost Slayer..."
"He still is now. Hey, don't try to steal him, he doesn't like women."
"He is totally blind, don't worry." Shortly after, they were as closer as they could to the face of the cliff, but they couldn't see any kind of entrance. Zhao suggested they separate to inspect the stone. He looked closer, trying to find anything out of ordinary, but found nothing at all.
"Hey. Chief Zhao! Come here, I found some writings." Zhu yelled and Zhao hurry to join her. She pointed at a set of writing, that also looked familiar. Thinking back, wasn't the same kind of writing that manifest itself in the Guardians book? Wait, he was Kunlun, the founder of the Order, so that writing was actually his, back when he was a god, so this one should be his as well. Yet, he couldn't read any of it.
"Shen Wei! How do I read a gods message?" He yelled, looking back at him, knowing he will get what he meant, which translated as how do I read my own writing?
"Use your third eye! It will become clear!" Shen Wei yelled back from at least ten yards away. And so Zhao closed his eye and concentrate in his recently awakened third eye and just like his Professor told him, the writing became readable.
"You who wish to enter, beware of the gods rage, a great fire may be your punishment if proven unworthy." Oh, this is ridiculous, he was about to punish himself centuries later?
"What's that's supposed to mean? It's just a warning..." Zhu voiced her disappointment.
"Well it said a great fire, which coincidently I can summon. Let's just try it..." As Shen watched Yunlan extending his hand, he had a very bad feeling.
"Yunlan, don't!" Shen Wei screamed as he saw the summoned fire hit the stone wall, but the seal didn't allow him to come any closer as when he try it, it send him back with force.
"Oh Hell..." Zhao Yunlan whisper when a huge white bird manifest over them. Zhao sallow, truly believing that the situation was definitely ridiculous as he was going to be killed by an ancient trap he made himself. He instinctively held Zhu in an attempt to at least protect her and waited for the worst, while he could hear Shen desperate yells from the other side of the seal.
"I'm sorry Shen..." He whisper, just before something white cover them.
"Zhao!!!" Was the last thing he heard before everything went black.
AN: Yey, a really fast update and cliffhanger!
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