Another massive array was drawn on the ground, but their attention was wholly captured by the gigantic statue in the middle. This was obviously the temple of Suanni.

The statue was high, almost reaching the roof of the cavern. Its eyes reflected the torches on the walls making them flicker to life. Huge elongated and curved canines hung over his mouth, a fierce expression on his face. He had the body of a lion, yet he had the tiniest wings on his back. He was ferocious looking, definitely not a pretty sight.

Some of the disciples with them, cowered at him, too frightened to move forward. Wei Ying began looking around him, one thought making him worried.

There was only one way in, and one way out of here.

The walls were decorated with pictures, and he realised that they had spent a lot of time renovating this temple. Murals covered every empty surface. Where there was even an inch of space, red writing in an ancient script was visible. He moved closer to inspect and was revolted by the stench of stale blood. He couldn't quite believe it.

While they were looking around, Wei Ying had seen from the corners of his eyes, people dressed in unfamiliar robes bringing things in. First was a huge basin filled with water. Then, they brought in those machines. The same one he had hurriedly sketched, the same machine that sucked out the precious blue energy from innocent young babes.

He had a bad feeling.

"You wanted to know why we were harvesting spiritual energy? Here's your answer." The stranger gestured to the statue and the encompassing space. "Tonight, it is the the full moon of this month. It is a special night, because here, we will make our last offering to summon our master, our Lord, our Saviour."

Lan Zhan unsheathed Bichen straight away, and Wei Ying heard Zidian crackling behind him.

Soldiers stormed in through the the only entrance, all wielding swords.

Oh no. Wei Ying thought. This was a trap.

Before he could turn around, he felt the cold sharpness of a blade at his throat.

"Remember me, Brother?" A too familiar female voice whispered in his ear.

Lan Zhan heard it too and whipped around, Bichen ready to slice and defend.

Wei Ying saw his fear. How he hated this woman.

Lan Zhan kept his eyes on the fake sister and advanced. She stopped him with her words.

"Ah, ah, ah! I wouldn't do that. All it takes is a slip of my hand..." she smiled cruelly, doing just that.

Wei Ying gasped, both at the shock on his husband's face and the sharp pain he felt at his neck. He saw Lan Zhan watch the trickle of blood as it made its way into his clothes. He had never been so glad for his preferred red robes as he was right now.

"Stop!" Lan Zhan glared at her, not moving an inch now.

"Put away your weapons." The stranger told XiChen. "We are only...interested in one person. The rest of you must wait over there." His soldiers surrounded all the Lan clan disciples and Jiang Cheng.

Lan Zhan did not move. "Let him go. Now!"

"Why would I do that?" She laughed, long and shrill. "You were all so good until now, doing exactly what we wanted. You can be good for a little while longer, no?" Her voice turned spiteful. "Put away your sword, or I shall do more than just nick him with mine!"

Wei Ying felt the bite of steel slice fractionally deeper.

There were cries from the people already incapacitated by the soldiers. Wei Ying willed himself not to look at his brother. Instead, he focused on Lan Zhan. Murder raged in his eyes.

"Lan Zhan, I'm okay. Do as she says." He tried to infuse strength into his words, but the truth was, he would have given anything just to be able to sit down. More blood seeped down his skin.

Lan Zhan reluctantly put away Bichen. Soldiers immediately moved him to join the others at the point of their swords.

Wei Ying was dragged to the centre of the array, in front of the large statue. All of his friends, his brother and his husband stood behind him, as he was made to kneel.

"Is your name even Wei Chang Zu?" He asked, utterly drained.

"Of course not! We had to make things up, not that it mattered." She bent to whisper it in his ear.

He shuddered, disgusted with her.

She stepped away from him and slashed with her sword, two criss crossing strikes, aimed at his back. Such was her precision that he only felt the air change, and then coldness as his back was exposed. His robes fell away to his knees.

There were more gasps and an increase in volume as people began questioning what they saw. Wei Ying could only listen as they discussed his scars.

"It's so beautiful!"

"How did that happen to him?"

"That is not normal!"

"Is he a freak?"

That last one hurt the most. All of his life, he'd tried to fit in. When hurt, either physically or verbally, he would mask that pain through light words and casual speech, hiding his true feelings. No one would ever call him normal after this.

"Silence." Lan Zhan couldn't take their words. He knew exactly what was going on in his husband's head.

The stranger drew closer to Wei Ying, walking around him in fascination. He paused when he reached the mosaic that his back had become.

"Do you know what an honour it is to be blessed by a dragon? And, not just any dragon, but the Shen Ling, whose ancestors ruled the world, conquering with their wisdom and power." His fingertips lightly traced the golden scars.

Lan Zhan growled menacingly.

Wei Ying tried to twist away, but the man grabbed his shoulder in a vice-like grip, hard. He cried out.

"Start." The man ordered, high on the drug of his control.

The robed people from before brought the basin closer. They arranged the machines in a circle around Wei Ying, who had closed his eyes.

The machines were switched on. A low hum emanated from them as they began to unleash the blue spiritual energy. The man produced the silver miniature of Suanni.
He held it aloft, in the palm of his open hand, a smile of rapture on his face as he gazed with love and longing at the statue.

They watched the blue energy find a way to join the vessel. The man let go so it hung above Wei Ying's head, the buzz of the machines growing louder and louder.

"Stop! What are you doing to him?" Jiang Cheng shouted, surging forward, only to be silenced by a sword at his neck.

The fake sister looked on in amusement.

"Don't worry, it shall all be over soon." A peculiar kind of hatred settled over her features as her gaze fell on Lan Zhan.

Blue light infused the room, making the statue appear almost life-like. The torches lit along the walls went out. The stranger produced a piece of parchment and began to chant in a lilting voice. The vessel hummed louder, sucking in all the energy.

Wei Ying felt his body sway dangerously, the only thing holding him up was the hand clutching his shoulder painfully. The fake sister grabbed his hand slicing his palm. He cried out again, now totally out of it. She squeezed the drops of blood out into a sliver plate. Other disciples began splashing water from the basin around the air, as if anointing, cleansing the area.

"Suanni, our Lord and Master, come forth! Show us your true self!" The man shouted, letting go of Wei Ying, who gratefully sank to the floor.

The array in the middle started to glow, humming with power fed to it through the vessel. Cracks appeared along the walls and the ground began to shake.

The stranger began throwing drops of Wei Ying's blood at the statue, and it began to glow.

Tremors erupted, inciting cries from all, disciples and captives alike, panicking at the ever increasing danger. Bits of rock and debris started falling from the roof of the cavern, amid shouting to take cover. The walls cracked around them, the ensuing panic forcing people to run for cover.

Jiang Cheng, XiChen and Lan Zhan were among those forced out of the cavernous room into the shelter of the tunnel, separating them from what was happening in the temple itself.

Lan Zhan tried to fight his way back in, but the raging fear and dread in the faces of those opposing him, did not allow it. Against his will, they were shoved further in, pulled along by the wave of desperation as people fled.

Suddenly, an almighty crash exploded inside the room and the rest of the roof caved in. Large fragments of stone and pieces of the walls smashed onto the ground, effectively sealing them off.

Lan Zhan was clawing his way through the rubble, but the pieces were glued together with the pressure of gravity. Tears blurred his vision, with the single thought in his head, that Wei Ying was on the other side.

********

A/N

An extra long chapter is my gift to all you lovely readers! It's Bank Holiday Monday today. I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you for your continued support. I don't think I could do this without you!