CHAPTER FOUR

"Why are you worried, you should be celebrating that you're taking over the sect while your parents are still alive" Li Jun said. Liu Yang sighed.

"Can't you see why he's sad, he wanted to see the crowned Prince again"

Li Xiwang frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ehhh....there's a rumour that's going around that you and the crowned Prince were playing in the palace"

Li Xiwang frowned then laughed when he remembered the whole robe stomping incident

"I see...well then, he still has my hand fan so I guess we have to go to WangShi jaizu to get it back"

Li Jun an Liu Yang groaned.

"Why?" They asked at the same time. He smirked.

"Maybe if you came with me you won't have to be bored here all day" he said walking ahead. Li Jun looked at Liu Yang who was already looking at her, they jumped to their feet following him.

Li Qiang stopped them at the pier.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"To get his fan back before Madam Li Na becomes suspicious"

He sighed.

"Okay, I'm Li Xiwang's guard so I'm coming with"

..........⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱............

Zhang Wei and his friends were in the forest, their spirit beasts tagged along with them.

"The man said the dragon was in the forest, I don't believe him though" Zhang Jing said. Zhang Xiu Ying rolled her eyes.

"You're quite the skeptical person aren't you, I believe him, we should see if the beast is a threat or not"

"I agree with Xiu Ying, we should be more quiet" Zhang Wei said.

The snap of a twig made them freeze, they drew their swords and formed a formation, their backs pressed against each other, Zhang Shao wen chuckled.

"Reminds me of that time when we-"

"Shhh"

Zhang Wei pulled out a blank talisman from the front of his robe, he let the tiger lick it and threw it to the air.

Li Xiwang sighed as he laid down on the raft, this time we was wearing a hat to block the sun, the hat even had two veils on the sides to save his face from the hot breeze.

"It's so quiet" Li Jun said. Li Qiang nodded.

"Too quiet"

Li Xiwang sighed and stood up, just then something shot to the sky, it was a dark green symbol, the star shaped flare making them realize they were passing through the Luxi river.

"They must be in danger, you guys manoeuvre the sword and see what's going on"

Li Qiang frowned.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine, go"

Zhang Wei and his friends walked in their formation in silence.

"Do you think your parents saw the flare? We are in a thick forest after all" Zhang Shao wen said.

"They'll be here, the flare is dark green so it can be seen during the day" Zhang Wei said trying to assure them. They nodded and froze again when they heard a growl that made the trees rattle.

"Need help?" Li Jun teased, she landed to her feet and sheathed her sword. Her friends also joined them.

"Be quiet, there's a dragon over there" Zhang Wei says. Liu Yang frowned.

"Why not send your spirit beasts to attack it?"

"They look scared too" Zhang Shao wen said.Li Qiang was baffled, do the people of Zhang shi sect not know that spirit beasts are capable of defending themselves and other people?

"So basically you have them as pets? Don't you train them?" Li Qiang asked.

"Look will you help us sort out the dragon or not, don't come here to insult our intelligence" Zhang Xiu Ying said.

Just then something exploded and it started to rain, Li Jun frowned.

"Why does it rain when there's no clouds?" She said. Li Qiang looked up to the sky and frowned.

"It's not raining, its the river, Li Xiwang is in danger" Li Qiang said hoping on his sword and zoomed off.

Zhang Wei sent his beast towards the direction of the growl they heard and they followed Li Qiang.

Li Xiwang's feet glided on the surface of the water as he dodged the attack of the water dragon, the raft he was in had sunk after the dragon took a big chunk on the side.

"Li Xiwang!"

.........⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱.........

The jade teapot he was holding dropped to the floor and shattered to bits, he froze. Wang Jun frowned.

"Son? Are you okay?"

Wang Zunyan shook his head, he suddenly felt weak, dark blood slowly flowed from his nose making Wang Jing scream in panic..

"I....don't feel so good" he said and his vision went black.

..........⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱..........

"Will he be alright?"

"I don't know let me check his Qi"

They watched in silence, the drenched unconscious body of Li Xiwang made their hearts ache, what if something happened to him, how will they explain to Madam Li Na that her successor had been injured after encountering a water dragon.

Zhang Wei sighed in relief.

"His Qi is not affected so he's just unconscious, let's take him back to the palace and have the doctor check him out"

"Yes"

Li Qiang held Li Xiwang's hand, his cold body making his body shiver.

"You'll be alright"

..........⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱..........

Wang Jun and his wife paced back and forth outside their son's room, the doctor opened the door.

"He's just unconscious, his Qi took a blow from an unknown source so it will take a while for him to recover" Wang Jing sighed and nodded.

"Thank you, for helping him"

"It's alright, I'll be back in the evening to check on him once more"

"Thank you" Wang Jun said.

"what could've caused this? Do you know?" She asked.

"I don't know, I'll have his guards investigate"

..........⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱..........

It was dark and cold, his robe was wet and sticking to his body. He saw a light and ran towards it.

The further he ran the further the light seemed to be at a distance, he stopped.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

He called out but nothing. He looked around again and this time he saw something, it was a young man, his body in the foetal position, the person's lips were blue and his skin was pale.

"Are....are you okay?" He asked. The person whispered something making him frown.

"I can't hear you talk more louder"

The person whispered again, he frowned and dropped to his knees, he leaned in to listen.

"Take me with you....take me with you.....take me with you"

He frowned and sat back up, his hand pulled away the hair covering the person's eyes, he gasped.

"WANG ZUNYAN!"

His shouting startled everyone, Zhang Wei frowned. Li Xiwang seemed to be asleep rather than unconscious and he was dreaming about.....

"Wang Zunyan? Is he dreaming about him?" Li Jun asked in shock. Li Qiang felt anger take over him, he stormed out of the room.

Zhang Wei burned some incense sticks and placed them around the bed.

"Let's hope he wakes up"

"It's me, how....how did you get here?"

"I....I was knocked unconscious by a water dragon"

Wang Zunyan sat up, his pale lips making Li Xiwang worried.

"Are you here all the time?"

"Mn....ever since I was little, I was told someone will come and take me with them but the ones that have come leave without me"

Li Xiwang was worried even more, this seemed like a dream prison, is this why the crowned Prince is known for his ice cold personality? Because his conciousness was locked inside his own mind?

"I'll take you with me, come"

They stood up and walked towards the light yet as they walked the further it went. Li Xiwang frowned again, he stuck out his hand.

"Hold my hand"

With a cold shaky hand, Wang Zunyan held his hand, something sparked inside him making him gasp, his skin got it's healthy look back, even his attire had changed into its dramatic robe.

Li Xiwang smiled and held his hand as they walked towards the light. Once they arrived at the light they paused.

"Am I free?" Wang Zunyan asked. Li Xiwang smiled and nodded.

"I think so, if not....I'll take you to the light a thousand times"

He chuckled and locked eyes with him, his brown eyes staring right into his catlike eyes, he smiled.

"I look forward to seeing you again"

Li Xiwang laughed.

"Me too"

Zhang Wei and company watched as a smile formed on Li Xiwang's sleeping face, they chuckled.

"Must be a good dream"