It landed with a crash, it's huge body taking up all the space in the now too small clearing. Its eight eyes gleaming red with malice appraised their group with growing hunger, ready for such easy prey. Its legs as many as eyes had claws and pincers opening and closing with speedy accuracy, and how could they ignore that scorpion tail ready to strike? Its many rows of sharp teeth clenching, sticky saliva dripped from its jaws as it hungrily waited.

They unsheathed their swords and attacked but it was surprisingly agile, vicious and cunning. Sparks flew on impact with their metal upon contact with its steel like legs and the multiple sharp weapons of the creature became harder to avoid.

"Aim for the belly," Lan Zhan said, abandoning Bichen and summoning Wangji, his guqin.

Blue rays of suppression engulfed the beast and for a split second, it seemed subdued...but then it sprang into action. It increased its speed to attack more ferociously, biting and stinging, it's tail whip lashing haphazardly in all directions. It caught one of the disciples and flung him far away after piercing him with it's tail.

Just when they thought it was impossible to beat, a melody drifted towards them through the trees.

What a welcome sound! Lan Zhan's heart beat faster at the familiar sound and he redoubled his efforts, his instrument sounding beats with no space in the gaps.

And then he appeared.

Wei Ying looked... amazing. His black robes fluttered around him as he walked forward, a cheeky brow raised in his direction, a swagger in his steps and a mischievous shine in his eyes. More beautiful than he remembered, magical and real.

But as welcome as he was, this brief, momentary distraction proved to be a serious mistake. The young ones, so glad to see him, took their eyes off the beast for a single second and the creature took its advantage. It grabbed Lan SiZhui in a claw and was about to strike, when Wei Ying propelled himself in between, and with a sharp knife, managed to blind the beast completely. But not before it struck his back and let go of both warriors.

It screamed in pain and they held their hands over their ears. It flopped onto it's back in pain, exposing it's soft, vulnerable underside and Lan Zhan let Bichen finish it off.

Lan SiZhui had minor injuries but to his horror, Wei Ying lay on the ground, unmoving.

Lan Zhan rushed to him, and Wei Ying smiled faintly, with obvious difficulty breathing.

"SiZhui?" He gasped, trying to keep his eyes open.

"I'm here, Senior Wei!" Lan SiZhui slowly came forward, his face grimacing in pain.

"Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.

"I'm alright, Lan Zhan, don't worry." He said, but he was too pale, beads of sweat covering his face. And when he tried to get up, he simply had no strength.

"I have you." Lan Zhan gently picked him up and mounted his sword. "Let's go back to Cloud Recesses."