Noisy Rain Magazine Issue LXX

Still performing on his flute, Master Gui skillfully flicked his outer robe onto Wang Shu
to cover his chest and other wounds, protecting the skin with its cooled inside from the
slowly dying heat and insects still hungry for live flesh. Nian Zhen wanted to drop to his
knees as the pre-shock settled in, but he stood tall and held the immensely weakened Wang
Shu at his side once again, his fingers digging into the robe, and the muscles in his already
defined hand popping. It didn’t take too much longer for the ill-fated couple to be knocked
onto their knees with surrender when the third and final melody caused the surrounding
insects to begin to buzz along with the minor scaled music. It was eerie and biting to the
ears of the two Juniors, and Nian Zhen even covered Wang Shu’s. The latter relaxed into
his body and allowed him to do so, only wanting this entire debacle to be over and
through.
Master Shen stayed behind with the back up, cultivating Lords from the main parts of
Yun Gu to take care of whatever was left, while Master Gui PeiZhi guided the young Lord
and Junior Shu down the hill. He was quiet on his sword while Nian Zhen flew on his own
with Wang Shu in his arms like a princess. The Master shook his head and exhaled.
Halfway flying through the five li, the other Juniors were waving their arms on the ground
with the villagers and other help from the main city. The closer they got, the more the three
could hear the weeping villagers that were finally being released from the wu wang
weeping and shouting with joy as the weight on their shoulders was expelled. The Juniors
almost wept, themselves seeing the state of their two peers, surrounding Nian Zhen who
refused to let go of the barely conscious Wang Shu with their concern and cheers. Master
Gui relayed the events known to the other cultivators before sending some of them off to
help his partner further and clicking his tongue with a chi. This was to part the Juniors and
call for the young Lord to follow him back to the village for medical attention and a tongue
lashing.
Wang Shu did take an involuntary nap as he was tended to so as to replenish his energy
before the group travelled back to their respective sects. Nian Zhen and the former were
heading further to face Lord Nian in the XiaoLi Nian sect. Nian Zhen furrowed his arched,
deep red brows while the usually gentle and cat-like Master Gui PeiZhi ripped a new hole
in the side of his neck with his harsh words of reprimand. He wrapped and rewrapped a
wound on his hand from the desolate tumble which was equal to him nervously twiddling
his thumbs. However, Master Gui had stopped his berating when he saw that tears were
wetting the bandages Nian Zhen was becoming frustrated with.
“I know I was wrong. I’m ready to be punished by you and Father, but I can’t even lift
my head at the thought that I let him get so hurt…” It wasn’t unusual to see young Lord
Nian expel his emotions through tears, since the spunky young man was always filled to
the brim with passionate waves of feeling, but it was rare to see him break down in such
a way. Master Gui sat next to him on the cot and flicked his chin up gently with a nimble
finger. Nian Zhen sniffled. “Shizun, he could have died because of me. Did you know that
the whole time, he wanted us to go back? It’s my fault. It’s really my fault…”