28 The Single Drop Of Blood

-Yunlan-

That Zhao was completely taken by surprise with the sudden out of nowhere strong attack, was more than an understanding. If Shen Wei had not pull him out, he would have returned to the reincarnation weal by now, yet the damage caused by the kid's fire was without doubts, great. He had manage to at least turn into aches a few dozens of demons in just one shot.

"Just who are you?" Zhao manage to ask, still in the Ghost Slayer cold embrace.

"I... I'm so sorry... please forgive me, Chief Zhao, Your Honor..." Guo hastily said, bowing none stop to them.

"Sorry for what, you did great kid! That was quite unexpected, but Hell, well done..." Zhao said impressed.

"Guo, please be more careful. That's a powerful weapon, you hold." The Ghost Slayer reproached him in a serious tone. He didn't mind the demons killed with his attack, but his Yunlan was almost one of them. However, he couldn't really get angry at him, because his weapon was an emotional one and he knew well that some things could not be fully controlled and fear was just one of them.

"Ah, Your Honor, don't get too angry. He is good with that thing whatever it is. Now, we should join Chu Shuzhi too. There are plenty of more demons. Guys, just be careful and if things gets hard, just go back to where is safe. Got it?" His team assented, already moving to join the pumped up master of treads and he wasted no time in summon his own sword.

"Zhao, just stay close to me." Shen told Yunlan before he could go and be lost in the fight.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on letting you out of my sight." Which was true, because he was conscious the demons were going after him to steal the pendant with his fire. "Hey kid, if you see another opportunity, just fire up, but stay behind the barrier." Zhao added to Guo who assented, tightly holding his enchanted baton, while doing his best not to fry his own team.

After that, the Ghost Slayer and Zhao joined the fight, always aware of the other movement and closely decreasing the numbers of demons. Zhao used his fire and even some thunders when the numbers begin to overwhelm them, but his beloved was simply too fast and deadly to allow a demon to come close enough to wound him. As the minutes passed, both of them begin to truly act as one, while letting Shen to take the lead and he follow his deadly dance.

Lin for his part, had manage to enchant a good numbers of demons to fight against one another, while occasionally using his dagger or a talisman to keep himself safe. Zhu pretty much poisoned everything near her, summoning a deadly cloud of poisoning gas that killed almost instantly. Guo, occasionally shoot up a ball of fire, mostly near Chu when he was in a pinch.

In all, the Guardians and the Ghost Slayer were doing quite well against the demons, especially Shen and Zhao who was keeping up with the fierce side of Shen, although he was still not on his level. Then, something unexpected happen. In the heat of the battle no one notice there was something other than demons lurking in the shadows. Too busy fighting, not even the Ghost Slayer notice the repressed energy and as the new comer shoot an enchanted black arrow, he barely have time to push Zhao out of its way, and dodge it. The arrow didn't exactly pierce him, it only scratch one of his shoulder, yet, as a single drop of his blood fall on the ground, there was a piercing sound like that of a wolf howling, although it was hardly the same.

"Your Honor!" Chu yelled, forgetting the demons he was fighting and transporting himself to his side.

"I know, go back to Guo, I will bring the other Guardians with me." The Ghost Slayer said, a bit agitated, which make Zhao worried.

"Shen Wei, just what was that? And are you okay..."

"Sorry, Zhao, I will explain later, she is coming out." Shen Wei engulfed Zhao in a dark cloud of his energy and did the same the rest of the Guardians, bringing them back to the entrance of the temple where it would be safer, just in time to witness something even more out of the world than never before.

The whole ground seem to tremble as a colossal spectral scarlet red fox with nine tails materialize over the demons with a fierce cry of what sounded like anger and opening its mouth, the entire valley between the mountains was cover with fox fire, which completely consumed the remaining demons instantly, leaving only its ashes.

"I'll be damn..." Lin whisper, not truly believing his eyes, but for Zhao was different because he was using his third eye, which allowed him to see more than just a deep red fox, but also the human form of woman from which the spectral image came from.

"I'm guessing that's the she, you were talking about earlier, right?" Zhao asked.

"Yes, that's Ming Yue, the protector of this temple." Shen Wei said, reverting back his cloak.

"Whatever she do, Zhao don't you dare stop her. She is already mad and if you enrage her more, we are all done for. Trust me in this, she is really that scary..." The cat said.

"Huh? Why would I want to stop her? Isn't she on our side? I mean, she just took on the whole bunch of demons all on her own." Zhao said, not really getting what was the big fuss about her.

"About that, Yunlan... she is like a mother to all who lives in this temple." Shen said.

"Meaning?" Zhu asked for Zhao, as she saw his confusion.

"She is obsessed with her little ghost, pretty much the same way Zhao is obsessed with his lover too, that's the meaning." The cat said and Zhao frowned.

"Were you injured, Shen Wei?" Chu asked, while he watched the fox trample the ashes, like if making sure there was nothing left to kill.

"Just a scratch from an arrow." He said sighing.

"So that's why she so mad. A single drop from you is enough to half-awake her, she remained here to protect you, after all." Da Qing said.

"Well the good news is that she isn't fully awake, otherwise it wouldn't be just a spectral form." Chu said a bit relieved. She will go back to sleep probably as soon as she makes sure her beloved ghost is safe and sound.

"Thank the gods, here she comes..." The cat said, moving away from Shen. Soon after, a woman with long red hair appeared in front of Shen Wei and hug him tightly, making Zhao tense at his side.

"My little ghost, damn crows that dare to hurt you..." She whisper and they all shared a surprised look.

"Ah, Lady Yue..." Shen said, side looking at Zhao, who was momentarily distracted by the little information.

"What do you mean crows?" Zhao couldn't help but ask and so the fox lady, with golden eyes lose her hold on her gentle ghost to have a better look at the man at his side.

"Kunlun... it's being a while." She whisper coming closer to him. Still, as a former god, Zhao didn't flinch at her proximity, not even when she sniff him, close to his neck.

"You are a human now... so the stories the monks told me were actually true. I hope you are not giving troubles to my little ghost, he is injured, you know?" She asked going back to sniff at Shen Wei's tiny cut.

"Lady Yue, don't worry about this, it's just a scratch..." Shen intervened giving her a reassured smile.

"Dark magic... they used dark magic on you. A shame the damned crow got away before I could crush it." The fox lady said, putting a hand over his wound, healing him instantly with a greenish flame.

"Lady Yue, what do you mean crow? Was a fairy from the crow tribe among the demons?" Da Qing dared to ask again, as that was a very important tip of information.

"Oh, little kitten, you are still around? I'm so glad!" She said, taking him on her arms almost squishing his guts out. Zhao half smiled, kind of liking the fox lady, despite her obsession with hugs.

"I can't breathe!" Da Qing manage to said, and Zhao was about to save him, when Shen Wei kindly took the cat from her.

"My apologies, Lady Yue, he is a bit old now..." Shen said while Da Qing resisted the urge to crawl to Shen Wei's neck, and away from her.

"He is? Oh well... yes, there was a crow flying away when I manifest. The magic used on my little ghost is definitely theirs. Are the tribes at war now?" She asked, a bit sleepy.

"The whole world seems to be at war if you ask me, the seal of Hell had even weaken." Zhao said.

"Ah, the seal... I told Nuwa once that a seal was not enough to prevent a war. Only with GongGong's essence fully erased, the world can find true peace."

"Pardon me lady, but what's that supposed to mean?" Zhao asked.

"GongGong or Kanghui, was a strong water god, but his power was a very destructive one and he was easily angered. He was also ambitious, cruel and full of himself. Many called him a demon, before he even create them. Once, he wanted to prove he was more powerful than the fire god Zhu Rong and he challenge him to a battle for the god's throne. They battle in the celestial realm for days before falling on earth with GongGong as the loser. Ever since, he was eager to take revenge, so he secretly went back to the heavens and stole Kunlun's fire and out of it, he created two very powerful beings we called ghost, which is my little ghost here and his twin brother the little lost one."

"However, as he keep up creating other beings, he was discover. A few gods then went to the underworld in search for him and strip him of his godly powers with an ancient spell. However, that wasn't enough to keep him from trying as he pretty much did his best to make his two best creations help him regain his powers, but my little ghost, was too kind and left to follow Kunlun who was searching for his fire and the little lost one, wasn't strong enough to defeat Kunlun which he hated the most, just yet."

"After rumors of a rising, Zhu Rong went back to the underworld and sealed GongGong's body in the deepest part of Hell, then Nuwa sealed the whole level. Nonetheless, as long as GongGong is not killed and turned to ashes, just like his creations, chaos will always exist, because that is his essence. Destroy GongGong fully and the world will be free of chaos coming from the underworld..." The lady fox said barely keeping her eyes open.

"Thank you lady Yue..." Shen Wei said, kindly smiling to her.

"Ah, my little one, you were created for war, but Kunlun's fire held both destruction and salvation within his flame. You inherited salvation, from which I'm so glad, because you became the hope to all gods. Treat him well Kunlun, otherwise, I will hunt you down to the down of earth." Ming Yue said, slightly kissing Shen Wei's cheek, just before she disappeared back to her resting place.

"That was..." Zhao begin, not too sure of how to describe all the things she said in such a short among of time.

"Quite insightful..." Zhu whisper.

"The crow tribe..." Da Qing repeated.

"Well, at least we have a clearer picture now." Lin joined.

"Forget that, I'm starving. You Guardians make the plans and I will see how can I help, come Guo, you deserve something good tonight." Chu said, taking a blushing Guo with him, earning a laugh from the rest.

"Ah, will he survive the night?" Lin joked.

"Never mind that, Shen Wei, babe I have my own plans." Zhao teased.

"Yunlan!" He blushed.

"What? Don't I deserve something good too?" Zhao keep up.

"You idiot, control yourself or you will fully wake her..." The cat shudder and Shen Wei smiled.

"She is gone now." Zhao said with confidence, however, a strong wind seems to pick up and they watched as the ashes remained in the ground in front of the temple were carried away by it. Soon after, they hear a faint voice saying, 'hunt you down to the end of earth', which make the others laugh.

"You were saying Chief Zhao?" Zhu asked while trying to contain her laughter.

"Dinner sounds fine, shall we go?" Zhao suggested instead and a humored Shen Wei took his hand as if he was still blind and guide him back to the temple, while internally enjoying the protection his temple always offer him and those he loved. Later on he will allow Zhao a few more heated kisses before calling off the night, once again falling asleep in his arms.

AN: Thanks for reading.