85 The stench of death

The wet, muddy ground was too slippery for the horses to run safely. They trudged forward, their hooves sinking into the sludge as the rain continued to pour. Lightning flashed across the sky and the heavens above them thundered furiously.

The horses grew anxious as Ji Mo Yuan pressed the group forward. He tugged at the reins when his mount attempted to turn back and gave a light kick to its flanks. However, it didn't calm the nervous animal. As Ji Mo Yuan led his guards around a corner, his horse refused to take another step and reared up.

Ji Mo Yuan wrapped his arm around Bai Yue's waist to protect her and pulled harshly on the reins. Two guards behind him jumped off their horses and ran over to control the animal.

"Stop!" he yelled at his mount over the rain. The animal had been with him for many years and never had it displayed such a strong reaction before. Unable to calm it down, Ji Mo Yuan had no choice but to jump down the horse with Bai Yue.