Chu Haoyu was livid! He had spent half the morning trying to get Wu Chen alone, but Lu Yong wouldn't leave his side for any reason. With his cultivation, he would only need one finger to smash Lu Yong into dust. If he hadn't been trying to make Wu Chen fall for him, that's exactly what he would do to him, too.

He gritted his teeth in frustration. He had to be careful. In the world of cultivation, no matter how powerful you were, there was always someone stronger. In his case, he had already had Wu Chen taken from him once. To get him back this time, Wu Chen had to come willingly. This was the geis placed on him by the gods, and he dared not anger them any further.

Why couldn't he just forget him and move on? He was in the 8th stage of Nascent Soul. He had lived for centuries. He could have his choice of men or women. But this man, this Wu Chen...he couldn't let go even after 300 years of having him at his mercy. He would have him again. Wu Chen was his, and he always would be.

He stuffed the last of his supplies into his Void bag angrily and watched as Lu Yong brought the horses around for him and Wu Chen. He narrowed his eyes and considered his options. It was risky letting them go off together alone. Wu Chen already had strong feelings for his Guardian, but he felt sure he wasn't truly in love with him yet. If he could get rid of Lu Yong and take his place by Wu Chen's side on his quest, the rest would be easy.

For now, he had a meeting to attend. He would have to rely on the mark he left in Wu Chen's Sea of Consciousness to find them the next time he could get away. His plaything would just have to wait.

*********************************************************

Wu Chen smiled up at Lu Yong as he took the reins. The townspeople had been kind, and he was happy to have met Long Wei. It was a relief to know that there were still good administrators in the world. He was more than ready to get back to traveling, though. They had a long way to go to get to the temple.

Chu Haoyu approached them with a wry smile. 'Well, I'm off to get that opportunity. I guess this is farewell.' He smiled at Wu Chen, ignoring Lu Yong completely.

'Safe travels, and I hope you succeed.' answered Wu Chen, still feeling a bit awkward. Lu Yong simply glared at him, his stance clear.

'Oh, I will,' he winked at Wu Chen, 'I usually get what I'm after.' He smirked at Lu Yong and turned his back to walk away. Throwing his hand in the air, he waved and called out, 'Safe travels, and don't forget my offer.'

Lu Yong watched him go, his face dark and his fist cracking. He felt a hand on that fist and turned to see Wu Chen shaking his head.

'He's just riling you up.' he said, smiling. 'Come on. We have a long road ahead.'

Lu Yong relaxed and smiled. 'You're right.'

Wu Chen grinned, 'Yes, I am.' He shaded his eyes against the sun. 'It's already late morning. If we're going to make our next campsite before dark, we'd better get going. Did you get a chance to talk to Long Wei about the Guilin Forest?'

They mounted their horses and began riding out of town leisurely.

Lu Yong nodded his head in response. 'Long Wei said that near town there aren't too many issues with forest beasts and the like. However, there's a stretch near the northern boundary where disappearances have occurred.'

Wu Chen sighed, 'It figures. I suppose that area is near the route we'd planned.' Lu Yong nodded. 'Right. Can we avoid it?'

'No,' Lu Yong shook his head, glancing at Wu Chen. 'The path through the mountains is the shortest way to the temple. Unless we want to add weeks to our travel, and possibly even more trouble, there isn't much choice.'

'Any idea what's causing the disappearances?' he asked Lu Yong. It was always better to be prepared.

'It's a spirit beast they're calling Devil Bear. I don't know its cultivation level, but nothing below Foundation Level has survived. Mortals don't stand a chance.' He shrugged his shoulders. 'We'll try to avoid it. If we can't, there's always a use for its beast core, and the hide will be welcome.'

Wu Chen laughed, 'I have no fear on this journey with you as my Guardian.'

Lu Yong smirked, 'As it should be.' He kicked his horse and pulled away as Wu Chen shook his head behind him.

They reached their campsite just as the sun was setting and set up camp quickly. Lu Yong took care of the horses, then set up his usual arrays of concealment, sound, and protection. Wu Chen watched him work quietly. Arrays weren't something he was trained in, but he had become increasingly interested during their journey. They were definitely handy to have in situations like these.

When Lu Yong finished the complicated arrays, he sat down close to Wu Chen and pulled him against his chest, wrapping his arms around him. Wu Chen smiled and leaned back against him. He felt safe and comfortable with his Guardian. His heart beat faster just being near him.

'Lu Yong,' he began, his eyes watching the fire. 'Can you teach me about arrays? Our clan doesn't use them much, but they do seem very helpful.'

'I can.' Lu Yong kissed the top of his head. 'It's good that you're interested. Anything that keeps you safer makes me happy.'

Wu Chen smiled, and his ears reddened. 'It's important for you to be safe too. It isn't just about me.'

'I know.' Lu Yong hugged him and kissed the top of his hair again. 'Do you want first watch or second tonight?'

'I'll take the first watch. I'm too well rested after the past few days.' he pulled away from Lu Yong to sit nearby. He took out Xiao Lei and began cleaning it.

Lu Yong spread a blanket down and laid down to sleep. He watched the sure movements of the cleaning rag, and then his gaze traveled up to the firelit features of his ward. He would never tire of looking at him. Sometimes, he was afraid to close his eyes in case he disappeared again. He had been so sure that he would never see him again in his lifetime.

For many years, he had nothing but guilt and memories. He had trained hard just so that he could rescue Wu Chen. He spent a fortune trying to find where he had been taken but never had so much as a whisper of information. If the gods hadn't stepped in, he would still be in the clutches of that bastard cultivator. Lu Yong had never felt so helpless, and worthless, in his long life. If he ever found out who that man was, he would tear him to pieces with his bare hands.

He had to get stronger. All cultivators had to continue moving forward, that was just part of cultivating. This, though, was different. If he'd been stronger, he would have never lost Wu Chen in the first place. The more powerful he was, the safer his lover would be.

He was near the 6th level of Nascent Soul, but it would take some work to finish getting there. Yes, it was extremely difficult to reach the next level, but that wasn't going to stop him. He would have to keep his ears open for information leading to opportunities for both of them.

Wu Chen had noticed the gaze of his Guardian, and he was both happy and sad to have it. They had an exciting jump in their relationship the last few days, but the truth was he was starting to feel a little guilty. Now that the excitement had died down, he'd had a chance to think with a clearer head.

He had heard hints in the story Lu Yong had told him, and he wasn't stupid. He suspected that Lu Yong deeply loved Wu Chen back then and possibly still did even now. Didn't that mean that he was taking advantage of Lu Yong's loneliness? What if some miracle happened, and Wu Chen was freed to be with Lu Yong again? If Lu Yong was with him, then wouldn't that be a slap in the face of the man willing to sacrifice his life for Lu Yong? How disrespectful was that to one of his clan's greatest heroes?

He snuck a glance at Lu Yong. He had his eyes closed, and his breathing indicated he was finally asleep. His pulse quickened just looking at him. In his sleep, his features softened, calling attention to his long lashes. He shook his head to clear it.

Maybe it would be best if he took a step back. It's not what his heart wanted, but his conscience was taking a hard hit. If he really cared for Lu Yong, he should help him rescue Wu Chen. Then Wu Chen would be free, the myth would come full circle, and Lu Yong could be with the man he truly loved.

Wu Chen's chest felt heavy, and for a moment, his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. He needed to get a handle on his emotions. This was the right thing to do for his Guardian, whom he cared for and respected, and his hero, who taught every member of his clan the righteousness of sacrifice for another. He would keep his distance and the memories of the last few days as well.

It was the right thing to do.