"Lan Zhan" Wei Ying whispered "it's alright" he tore a piece of his robe and tied it against my hand from where it was bleeding "we'll try and win this battle" winking at me he enquires "will you be there by my side?" but before I could give him my answer, from my peripheral I could see a flash and as it slashed down on Wei Ying, my Bichen intercepted the attack. Placing him behind me, I look at the cultivator who dared to attack my Wei Ying.

"Stay where you are!" My voice is calm but not my soul.

"Please let's not fight" someone tries to placate from behind when we hear a series of scream "The corpses are right outside. The incantation that Su She broke has attracted the corpses to attack us again!"

"Son, be careful. You need to be alive for the sake of the sect" another father hugged his son. Panic, everyone were under grave threat.

For now if they were unharmed it was because of Wen Ning who was defending the occupants inside the cave. Seeing him fight alone, Sizhui unsheathed his sword and charged outside. "Sizhui" I see Jingyi yell "wait for me!".

My heart sinks when I witness both of them being covered in dark essence of the corpses they were fighting with.

"Lan Zhan" I turn to look at Wei "I think I have a way to help but I would need your help" he whispers.

"What are you planning?" He knows I will support him but the determination in his eyes right now makes me worry. Please don't tell me you're going to sacrifice yourself?

Gently taking my hand in his he smiles "I am going to draw incantations on my body" my eyes widen and he threads his fingers with mine "I am going to attract them towards me. My body is going to be the Spirit Attraction Flag for them but Lan Zhan, I can't do this alone. It would be possible only if you're with me for every step I take. You fight them while I want to bring close to the bloody pool" he grins "will you help me?". My heart breaks. Here he is being a martyr when no one cares for him, saving few. But he needs my help and I will always be there by his side.

"Hm" is all I reply and he grins.

"Kids!" He yells and I watch the young disciples of various Sects scurry next to him eating up all the instructions he is giving out.

Removing his outer cloak, using the blades of my Bichen he cuts his fingers and as discussed with me he draws many incantations over his body. What was once a white Gusu inner robe is now marred with blood. Collective gasps resonates around the cave. Never before has anyone seen a live Spirit Attraction Flag. Once the corpses would be attracted towards Wei, they cannot be stopped unless they seek his blood. My Wei is playing with his life for these wretched people who have no ounce of care for him.

"Senior Wei" Sizhui gasps "this is not safe" he looks around "you're planning to sacrifice yourself?"

"No I am not. When the corpses enter, I want you to take everyone with you and escape. They will not harm you so don't fight with them" Wei Ying instructs.

"But what about you?" Jingyi persists and Wei smiles "don't worry about me, I have Hanguang-Jun to protect me" he winks.

"But" ZiZhen tries to intercept and Wei shakes his head "Not a word. The best way to help Hanguang-Jun and me is for you all to be safe. I have Wen Ning with me, I'll be alright".

Watching their faces etched with concern for my Wei Ying was a balm to my soul. No one had ever cared for Wei Ying for so long. He had always been alone. The ones who were close to him took away everything that was precious of his. He was a man who never once complained. Always wore his smile on his face even when death was welcoming him. His words "Let Go, Lan Zhan" even today is a nightmare for me. It is only when his scent allures me at night that it feels like a warm lullaby for me.

His eyes seek mine and I know he's ready. Taking out his flute, he nods "Wen Ning! Let them in". At once all the corpses charges to where we are.

This time it was not a battle to win for glory, but it was a battle for my life. My Wei Ying. I had to win this. For him, for his trust in me, Wei Ying's Lan Zhan had to win it for his love.

Our moves were synced, each step he too backward, was a step I matched. But with each step, we were being cornered, they were too mesmerised by the incantation. Wen Ning had his own battles in his hand.

Amongst the roars and unholy screeches we heard familiar voices. Voice of the kids who were asked to leave. Wei Ying was aware and so he commanded "Wen Ning, throw them out" as my Bichen sliced another corpse I hoped they pay heed to Wei's warning. Even though they are cultivators but at the end of the day they were merely children.

Seeming though, I did forget, being children they were also stubborn, when Wen Ning was being distracted by a corpse, they snuck into the cave and were ready to charge.

Behind Wei Ying I could see the Pool of Blood and I nod. We were close but the corpse were closer to us. It was becoming difficult to fight, I also had to protect my Wei Ying.

Just then we heard the loudest and the most grotesque sound ever known to mankind. My immediate reaction was to protect Wei Ying. Leaving the corpse aside, I covered his body with mine and he clutched my arms as we witnessed a gore covered mutilated corpse jump out of the Pool of Blood. If he had eyes, he would be glaring at all of us. Without any command he started to rip the other corpses apart. Seeing the new gore bloody corpse, the other corpse under the command of the Tiger Seal started to whimper, they knew they were of no match. The gore covered corpse was filled with highest resentment.

A few daring ones tried to attack when the gore covered corpse screamed unholy. A few seconds of silence and from deep within the Pool of Blood few more gore cover corpse shot out. Each of them started tearing the corpses apart.

What is happening?

My heart thunders when I find a small hunched back gore filled monster walking towards Sizhui. I was about to leave when I find Wei holding me back "Wait!".

"What?" I enquire. Why is he stoping me? Sizhui is in danger. I try to move away when he tightens his hold against me "Wait Lan Zhan" he whispers and I find his eyes are glazed with emotions that I have never seen before.

The gore filled monster trudges carefully towards Sizhui. I find Jin Ling and Jingyi ready to strike but what surprises me is the amount of calmness and trust in Sizhui's eyes. Just when they were about to touch eachother another corpse runs towards Sizhui to attack him and the gore filled corpse screams unlike it's previous clam self to attack the corpse who dared to attack.

In the meanwhile Wen Ning walks upto both of us and with a nod from Wei Ying, he helps the gore covered corpse. It was a bloodbath and in the end, the cave appeared true to its name. The Yiling Patriarch's demon cave. Having annihilated the corpses under the command of the Tiger Seal, the gore covered corpses walked to where we were. They had all calmed down. Wen Ning approached them slowly, not that he was scared but if there was any emotions running through the Ghost General at this moment, it would have been that of tears.

"Uncle four, Grandma?" He slowly enquires "it's you isn't it? You have been waiting for Master Wei?".

It's them. These corpses standing in front of us they were once the warm common folks of the Wen Sect. They were the ones for whom Wei Ying fought with the entire realm. They were also the warm people I once met right here. My eyes shifts to Sizhui, they're his family. That corpse who approached him was his Grandma.

A movement from my side brings me back to the present as I find tears in Wei Ying's eyes. He lost everything for them and in the end, it did not matter. They still lost their lives for no sin that they committed. At the end no amount of sacrifice was ever worth the pain each of them were going through. The Lan Lingjin Sect after the First Siege had thrown their bodies into the Pool of Blood.

With a smile he always wore, he bowed down "Thank you for saving us. I owe you my life". Warmth and respect for them coursed trough me. They were his family. They trusted him. They knew he would be back. Looking at their spirit and not condemning them in any manner, I too bowed with Wei Ying. They were Sizhui's ancestors. They were my family too.

Watching Wei Ying and me bow, the young disciples too joined us and Wen Ning, for him time had stopped. He was with his family albeit for a short time.

They slowly reciprocated our bow and within next few seconds their body perished into black charred ashes. Wen Ning quickly bent down to collect them before they could be blown away by the wind. Warm young hearts decided to help him out, each disciple removing their perfume small sachets, emptying them and replacing them with the ashes.

"Stop!" Someone yells and we turned to see a cultivator glaring at Wei with contempt "you think you're a hero now?" Turning his wrath towards the children he chides "his one deed does not make him a hero".

"What do you want from me?" Wei Ying questions calmly but I soon realise something is not right. Minute by minute he's becoming paler.

"I want you to go back to hell!" The cultivator shouts.

"Don't you think I am already there? You remember only the pain I caused you, but I remember every single thing. I live with that nightmare even when I am awake. Don't you think even I lost everything at the end of it? I lost the family who gave me birth. I lost the family who took care of me. I lost my family who accepted me as the way I was back then and right now I lost them all over again. Do you realise that at the end of it, I was really not self-centred? I was just fighting for a right cause when none of you bothered to" Wei turned to look at me and his eyes were blurry.

Wei Ying?

"Let's all rest for now. The nearest place is Yunmeng. Let's all head to Yunmeng and then we shall discuss what the next course of action has to be" OuYang Sect Leader suggests as he tried to placate the situation and the rest agreed.

"Elder Lan" Wei Ying's voice was coarse "ZewuJun could still be under the influence of Jin Guang Yao. He has the Tiger Seal with him. Let me help you. Let Lan Zhan be there for his brother".

Wei Ying?

With and imperceptible nod, uncle walks away and Jiang Cheng's gaze lands on both of us "You still have the courage to step into Yunmeng!" He mocks but does not deny us the permission.

With a faint smile Wei Ying looks at me only to faint and I am quick to catch him. Voices of concerns and yells surround us "Senior Wei" as I hold him in my arms.

Being a Spirit Attraction Flag has weakened his soul. Uncaring for what people would think of us, I quickly lift him in my arms and walk out of the caves carrying him all the way to the pier.

Come back to me Wei Ying. Please.

Wow, this is the longest chapter I have ever written with a word count of 2109.

Hope you guys have loved this chapter. I can see Lan Zhan is becoming more and more bolder. He does not seem to care for what anyone thinks. Yay.