The Monster of Strain

"Ba Chen tell us, what kind of monster is this?", Kang Lei asked curiously.

Throwing his arm around Kang Lei's neck young master Chen brought Kang Lei down to his level and began his tale. "The people of Pi have contacted the great Ba clan as they are in desperate need of our services." Ba Chen explained dramatically. Gasping young master Kang raised his brows, quite interested in what he had to say while Hai Yin rolled his eyes.

Putting his arm up to the sky Ba Chen continued his tale, "People have been disappearing from their beds in the middle of the night never to be seen again so we must put an end to this monster once and for all! Kang-ge, Hai-ge, join us?"

"Yes, join us!", the other disciples joined in, comfortable with the idea of having the more, the merrier.

Rolling his shoulder so that Ba Chen would remove his arm, Kang Lei positioned himself closer to Hai Yin, who had now become quite interested.

Leaning himself closer, the young master spoke, "Hai Yin, you are aware of Ba Chen's limited capabilities, why don't we stick around to make sure that the Ba clan completes this night hunt?", Kang Lei spoke in a low voice so that young master Chen wouldn't hear.

"You are in no condition to be of any help, go with Ba Chen to an inn, I will deal with this.", Hai Yin responded. With his brows furrowed, Kang Lei cocked his head to the side with a smirk, "Hai Yin, am I simply a damsel in distress to you?"

"Kang Lei.."

"It is settled then, we will accompany the Ba Clan on this night hunt!", the young master spoke loudly so that Ba Chen would hear as he glared at Hai Yin with a smirk on his face, his blue eyes intensely insinuating that he should never be doubted again.

"Wonderful, let us go then!", said Ba Chen leading the way and his company followed. The two young masters glared at each other for a moment more before Hai Yin turned away, following behind the Ba clan with Kang Lei following behind him.

The heir to the Ba Clan marched enthusiastically ahead of the group of young cultivators with the others behind him and Kang Lei skipped ahead, positioning himself next to Hai Yin.

Leaning up with a smirk, Kang Lei got Hai Yin's attention, and although the young master saw Kang Lei in his view, he decided to ignore him anyway. "Hai Yin do not be angry with me. I am a promising young cultivator after all, should I not be treated as such?", Kang Lei pouted, dragging out his sentences, practically whining as he spoke.

Glancing at Kang Lei for a moment, Hai Yin rolled his eyes, directing his attention back ahead.

"It is my duty to look out for the heirs of our brother clans, I have never in no way shape or form doubted your capabilities Kang Lei.", Hai Yin finally responded. Kang Lei bit his bottom lip as his smirk turned into a grin, "Hai Yin, are you worried about me?", he asked, causing Hai Yin to cut his eye his direction.

"Stop talking nonsense while we are on a night hunt.", Hai Yin replied power walking ahead and Kang Lei giggled behind him.

As he had walked up ahead, Hai Yin positioned himself next to one of the Ba clan disciples, "what more can you tell us about this monster?", the young master asked and Kang Lei appeared on the other side of the disciple interested in what he had to say as well.

Pulling out a small brown book from his robes, the disciple began to flip through the pages, stopping when he found what he was looking for. "None of the last few generations in our Sect has ever laid eyes on it so we don't have much to go on, but I found some notes in the book of beast and copied them for our hunt, hopefully they'll be of some use.", said the disciple.

Taking the book from the disciple's hand, Kang Lei began to read aloud as he walked, "The beast of strain(music), youth go missing when this beast is near and the sound of a soothing melody can…be…heard.", the young master finished reading, adding a pause in between each word as he was immensely disappointed. Closing the book and tossing it back to the disciple who clumsily caught the book, nearly dropping it first as he hadn't expected Kang Lei to give it back in such a manor.

"Was that all that was in your Sects book of beast? We might as well be on our own.", Kang Lei complained.

"At least we learned that it uses music.", said Hai Yin and Kang Lei rolled his eyes.

"I mean no offense young master Kang, but how have you never heard of such a monster?", the young disciple asked nervously.

With a smirk, Kang Lei nodded, "There are imps, monsters, ghost, and demons that exist in our world, even a Kang can not possibly know them all. Do not preoccupy your mind with hearsay and stay alert, okay?", said Kang Lei, his smirk turning into a smile and the disciple nodded anxiously.

Tripping and looking downward to see what he had stumbled over, Ba Chen stepped back, and his soul nearly floated away, "Kkk...Kang-ge, Hh…Hai-ge, I think I found something!", the young master stuttered. Hurrying to the front, Kang Lei and Hai Yin rushed to Ba Chen's side.

"What is it?", Hai Yin asked.

"Look! It is a footprint!", Ba Chen frantically clamored as he pointed to the ground in front of him, his arm shaking.

Squatting down Hai Yin got a closer look and Kang Lei simply bent over, turning his head sideways and after a few moments the two stood glaring at Ba Chen with annoyance. "Is it the monster?", the young master asked, and the disciples gathered closer anxiously awaiting an answer.

"Ba Chen, that footprint is your own, do you really mean to bring this monster to an end?", Kang Lei asked shaking his head in dismay.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Ba Chen chuckled nervously, "So it seems, let us move onward!", Ba Chen continued around the two disappointed young masters with his four disciples following behind him, it was starting to feel like they were on a wild goose chase.

An hour had passed, and Kang Lei had trailed off to the back of the group again with Hai Yin walking at his side. Slowly, Kang Lei's feet dragged, his legs feeling heavier by the minute.

���You need to rest.", Hai Yin said softly, intentionally keeping what he had to say for their ears only.

"…", not saying anything at all, Kang Lei stopped walking and sat down on a rock.

"We will rest here for a minute.", Hai Yin raised his voice, alerting the group ahead and they all stopped, resting their feet as well. Sitting down beside Kang Lei, Hai Yin grabbed the young master's wrist, flipping it over he began passing his spirit energy.

"Hai Yin, I warned you about doing this too often.", Kang Lei teased, even though he didn't have the energy to do so.

"…", with his eyes closed, Hai Yin continued to pass his spirit energy. Saying nothing, a simple smirk appeared on Hai Yin's face, but young master Chen made a sudden appearance, causing it to fade just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Kang-ge, are you unwell? Shall we go back?", Ba Chen asked.

"I am fine, I just need a minute.", Kang Lei said with a smile and suddenly an unnerving tune began to sound through the woods. The melody was haunting, yet its strange notes were beautiful as well, one couldn't help, but to enjoy it as the feeling of longing, yet happiness swept over everyone in its vicinity.

"What a beautiful song, where is the music coming from?", Ba Chen asked as he looked around, the other disciples just as confused as he was.

"Hai Yin." Kang Lei warned, as he knew this melody was unnatural.

"Do not stop me, I will need you for this.", the young master spoke, his eyes still closed.

"…" Not saying anything, Kang Lei stared at Hai Yin, the young masters handsome face seeming to glow from the light of the moon. Furrowing his brows, Kang Lei closed his eyes, focusing his meridians.

As the tune continued to play, one of the disciples on guard with his sword in hand, dropped his blade as he mindlessly began to wander away from the group.

"Xiyi, you should not wander off on your own!", one of the other disciples called out, but it was no use as he kept wandering.

"Hai Yin!", Kang Lei said once more, but this time Hai Yin's eyes snapped open as he let go of Kang Lei's wrist. Jumping up, and running ahead, Kang Lei snapped his fingers, knocking the disciple out of his stupor.

Now leading the group, Hai Yin and Kang Lei cautiously advanced toward the sound of the melody with the rest of the disciples behind them, and young Master Chen in the very back.

With their swords in hand, eyeing their surroundings, the group of young cultivators anxiously awaited the monster's appearance, but instead they heard the giggling of a little girl?

"Did you hear that? Has a child gotten lost out here in the woods?", one of the disciples said, but Hai Yin and Kang Lei did not answer. Eying their surroundings, as they advanced, Kang Lei and Hai Yin suddenly the felt a strange presence.

Seeming as though it were out of nowhere, a little girl suddenly appeared before the group. The little girl seemed like she was homeless, dressed in an overly large dingy male top, with her hair fixed in two sloppily hanging pigtails. With no shoes, or coverings, the girl stood barefoot, her little legs and feet dirty, blackened from the ground she had been walking on.

"Little Madam, let us take you home, I am sure your Mother and Father are very worried.", said Kang Lei with a friendly smile but the little girl simply stared at him without moving.

"Mommy.", she suddenly said.

"That's right, let us take you to her.", said Kang Lei, cautiously walking closer, but Hai Yin suddenly grabbed his arm, "Do not go any closer.", he warned.

"I am not blind Hai Yin, I see it.", Kang Lei whispered as he pulled his arm away, continuing forward and eyeing the thing that was hiding in the shadows, not far from the little girl.

"Mommy!", the little girl began to yell and suddenly the melody stopped, as a dark shadow materialized beside her, gripping the little girl's hand. Jumping backward, Kang Lei rejoined the group of young cultivators, each of them on guard holding their swords.

As the dark shadow finished taking shape, a woman soon appeared, her eyes large and like the little girl she too was dressed in oversized clothing and barefoot, her hair long and tangled at her sides.

"Hhh...How can this woman do that?!", Ba Chen yelled, shaken by the fact that this woman had materialized out of thin air.

The woman stared at the group of young cultivators, still holding the hand of the little girl. Bringing her lips tight and closing her eyes, the woman began to rock her head from side to side as she hummed the same haunting melodious tune that had led them to her.

"It's…It's her! It's the monster of strain!", the young disciple that had brought his notebook called out.

Glancing at each other for a moment, the two young masters nodded. Reaching into his robes and pulling out a talisman, Kang Lei ran his thumb down his blade, quickly printing on the talisman and flinging it on the head of the monster. As if something had caught the monsters throat, her song went flat and she let out an ear aching screech as the talisman burned into her flesh. With lighting speed, Hai Yin flew forward, ripping the little girl away from the monsters' hand.

Louder the monster screeched, when she realized that she had lost her prey. Spinning around with the intention of following young master Hai, she suddenly stopped as a voice sounded behind her.

"Now!" Kang Lei yelled to the disciples after he made sure that Hai Yin and the child were at a safe distance. Charging forward, all four disciples, plus Kang Lei made their way toward the monster as it struggled to break free of the talisman. As the young cultivators neared, the monster's jaw suddenly extended all the way down toward its chest, the sides of its mouth ripping the more it stretched. Letting out a sonic like wave, with a powerful yell, the group of young cultivators had no choice, but to shield themselves as the blast forced them all to go flying backward.

Finally breaking free of the talisman, the monster of strain began to twitch awkwardly, as it let out a loud growl. Large, jagged teeth grew in its extended mouth and long sharp claws emerged from the tips of its fingers. With blood streaming from their ears, the group of young cultivators jumped on their feet, watching with horror as the monster transformed. Clenching his teeth, Kang Lei suddenly darted forward with his blade overhead. Intending to slice the head of the monster in half, Kang Lei swiftly brought his sword downward, but the monster opened its mouth, sending the young master away again with another wave. Catching himself, Kang Lei doubled back, jumping up into the air, swinging his Juntuan, it releasing a beam of red flying toward the monster. Caught off guard, the monster took the blow, roughly getting knocked backward, but it stood its ground. Feeling that this young master was too bold, the monster rushed toward Kang Lei, opening its mouth, attacking him with another wave, sending the young master flying back first into a tree.

"Young master!" a disciple yelled, darting toward the monster as he saw young master Kang go down. "Die you beast!", the disciple yelled as he pushed his blade forward into the monster's stomach, but to his surprise, the blade could not penetrate its flesh. Looking back and forth at the monster's stomach and his sword, the disciple was frantically confused. Letting out another jaw ripping scream, with breakneck speed, the creature threw its hand at the disciple's neck, its claws slicing his throat open.

"Xue Qin!", another disciple yelled, angered, by the death of their comrade, he charged over, swinging his blade back to back at the monster. Each sloppily angered swing colliding with the forearms of the monster as it defended itself, yet the monster was unaffected as no blood had been drawn.

After struggling to get to his feet, Kang Lei sped over, "Move!", he yelled, and the disciple jumped out of the way as the young master flung another talisman onto the forehead of the monster, it exploding and creating a cloud of smoke. The group of young cultivators stood watching for a while as the smoke began to clear, but all eyes grew wide in disbelief as they saw that the monster was unharmed.

"Young master Kang!", one of the disciples called out, "It's flesh is too strong, what should we do?!"

Feeling his body growing weaker, Kang Lei glared at the roaring beast with his brows furrowed and his teeth clenched, he was too at a loss at this point. Deciding not to think any more of it, Kang Lei proceeded to charge forward, but a beam of white light forced its way through the trees, the beam knocking the beast backward onto the ground.

Landing in front of Kang Lei, Hai Yin stood, the glow of his off-white robe glistening from the light of the moon. Slightly turning his head toward Kang Lei, the young master spoke, "The girl is safe.",

"Hai Yin!", Kang Lei called out, but the young master had already charged forward, laying heavy attacks back to back on the monster. With warp speed each of Hai Yin's swings, slashed at the monster's body, but she simply yelled in annoyance as the hard metal hit her abdomen.

Jumping back, Hai Yin's head snapped at his blade, then back to the monster as he realized that the attacks, he had landed did nothing.

"Young master Hai, its flesh is too strong, our blades cannot penetrate it's flesh!", one of the disciples called out as the monster charged toward the young master.