The Devil Lotus 7

The darkness was suffocating them like an old stinky blanket. The air was heavy with blood and fear. Shen Ming was chained to the wet and smelly wall like a lifeless doll. His broken ribs ached with every breath. His once fair face was like a canvas with bruises everywhere. Below him, his fellow brother Li Wei was moaning weakly, his right arm twisted unnaturally.

"Shen Xiong," Li Wei slowly whispered weakly.

"Are we going to die?"

Shen Ming did not answer. No, he didn't have the strength to answer.

"We will not die; the sect will come." Duan Xia, who was sitting against a wall, replied with pursed lips.

"San Jie?" Shen Ming whispered softly.

He and his other eleven brothers were exposed to the cruel punishments of the Lotus sect. And San Jie? He tried to save them. but,

"He's fine, he should be fine." Xu Jin said tremblingly. The room was dark and cold.

"Sorry," Shen Ming whispered slowly.

"It's not your fault, Shen Xiong." Duan Xia whispered, tears streaming down her red cheeks.

"It's all because of me."

"No!" Xu Jin said firmly.

"This is all because of those bastards. It's not our fault. When the Wen Sect finds out about this, they will have nowhere to run." Her tone flared with anger.

The Lotus sect was well known for its cruelty. Judging by the pained screams of torture echoing from another chamber, Shen Ming felt that their time was fast approaching as well. He only wished in his heart that the echoing voice was not San Jie's. Apart from that, if there was even one sound, it was only the sound of a drop of water falling rhythmically from somewhere.

"Yu Shixiong," Luo Cheng whispered. His situation was no different from Shen Ming's.

"He will come. Whoever ignores us, Yu Shixiong will not." Ma Dong, who had been silent until now, said.

"Even if he comes, what will he do? I wish Yu Shixiong would not come. I can't bear to see him half dead here too." Xu Jin said. At the same time, heavy footsteps echoed across the room.

Everyone huddled against the walls in fear as the light of a torch fell across the iron bars.

A tall, thin figure dressed in crimson robes stepped through the iron bars. A murderous look in his eyes. His voice was full of sarcasm.

"Still holding out hope?" He said contemptuously through gritted teeth.

"Like that girl said, if your shixiong come, we promise to welcome them too."

"San Jie?" Shen Ming asked awkwardly. "Where is San Jie?"

"Oh, that darned punk?" asked the Lotus Sect guard with a cruel smile. "Most likely dead by now."

"You Bastard!" Duan Xia wailed. "You should go to hell."

"Oh, still talking back?" He drew a whip from his waist. Static cracked from its leather tip.

"Let's play a little game and see how far you can talk back."

Shen Ming was shocked. Can't be! Not so! San Jie, you must live!

He is indeed his rival. But death? Please live San Jie!

The Lotus Sect guard opened the door made of iron bars and stepped inside the cell, swinging his whip from side to side.

"We will avenge him," Shen Ming stammered, trying to draw the guard's attention away from Duan Xia.

Surprised by Shen Ming's sudden boldness, the guard scoffed.

"Get revenge on him? With what? With broken knees and empty threats? You're all just chickens waiting to be crushed."

Said the guard, delivering a quick kick to Shen Ming's stomach. Shen Ming, who was hanging from the chains, was quickly thrown to the sides, lifeless. "Ah"

Luo Cheng was enraged at this. "Don't underestimate us, you bastards! Do you think we can't burn your entire sect to the ground? Even if we die here today, the Wen Sect will avenge us!"

The guard's amusement waned and this time he was really angry. He swung the whip rapidly and a pained wail erupted from Luo Cheng as it struck. But he was smiling.

Luo Cheng was smiling unnaturally. Even the guard was a little surprised by this.

"Is that all? It didn't hurt that much. Why don't you come over and hit me." Luo Cheng said, grinning and baring his reddened teeth as blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Shen Ming's heart raced as the enraged guard slowly advanced, aiming his whip at Luo Cheng's face. Luo Cheng! you idiot!

"Wait," Shen Ming shouted, gathering his strength.

"Don't you really want to play?" Shen Ming said while whispering something secretly to Duan Xia.

Bonding Talismans!

Although Luo Cheng and Shen Ming were chained, Duan Xia and the rest of the people were not.

Reaching into her coat sleeve, she slowly pulled out a crumpled talisman. She had no idea if it would work. The guard seemed to have considerable spiritual strength. But worth trying.

Duan Xia slowly infused her qi energy into the talisman as the guard's attention was drawn to the moaning Shen Ming.

But there was something that no one saw. Colorless spiritual energy was gathering in Luo Cheng's hands. His gaze was like that of a wild wolf. As if realizing that something was wrong when Duan Xia released his talisman, the guard turned around and dodged the talisman with the rope, sending Duan Xia a swift whip.

"Stupid Bitch!" Just as he raised his whip for another attack,

 BOOM!

Breaking free from the chains, Luo Cheng fired a powerful stream of spiritual energy at the guard, knocking him to the ground like a felled tree.

"Duan Shimei are you okay?" he asked with a frown.

Duan Xia covered her face with her hands. Blood was oozing from her hands.

"Duan Shimei?"

"Duan Xia, my God!"

"Xia-er, god let me see." A wail arose from them. Xu Jin sat in front, covering Xia's face with her body, and slowly examined her face.

Luo Cheng also unchained Shen Ming and before he fell like a felled tree, Li Wei held him.

"I'm fine," Duan Xia whispered awkwardly, trying to hide her pain and tears. On one side of her face was a long, bleeding scar that ran the length of her cheek.

Anger was roaring in Luo Cheng's eyes.

Although it was Duan Xia who had been injured, it was Xu Jin who was crying in pain. Duan Xia's face cannot be restored. Xu Jin knew it well.

"Luo Xiong, find San Jie! Can you?" Shen Ming asked, not taking his eyes off Duan Xia. A tear was falling on his cheek.

"We must save San Jie and avenge Duan Shimei!"

Clasping his hands and staring at Duan Xia for a while, Luo Cheng took off the guard's outer robe and put it on, taking the whip from his hand. "Stay here," said Luo Cheng, handing Shen Ming the key from the guard's waist.

"When we find San Xiong, let's get out of here together." Luo Cheng closed the iron door of the dungeon and walked out without looking back.

***************************************************************

The Crimson Phoenix Pavilion was shining like a golden jewel in the night. Lanterns decorated almost every place there. The sound of people's laughter and music was emanating from within.

It was a playground of entertainment for the city's elite.

That is why the watchman did not forget to throw them out the moment they set foot.

"This is not a place for beggars."

Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan looked face to face. It seemed that their trade makeup was not working.

"Come with me." Pulled by Yu Lingyu's hand, Wu Xuan flew to a large shop nearby. "To them, looks are everything." He muttered, looking at the new clothes.

"Give us the most expensive clothes here." Wu Xuan shouted to a servant there. He carefully observed Wu Xuan from head to toe. He seemed to be asking if the average merchant could afford that price. Wu Xuan pulled out some gold pieces from his purse and waved them lazily.

As soon as he saw the gold, the servant's attitude changed rapidly. "Come in, gentlemen." He said bowing to the ground.

Before long they were dressed in the finest and most expensive clothes. Wu Xuan was wearing a robe inlaid with silver on dark black, and the small bells on his girdle jingled as he set foot.

Yu Lingyu, on the other hand, was dressed in crimson like a groom preparing for a feast.

"This color." He said with a frown. Looking at the phoenix-shaped hairpiece on his hair, Xuan smiled quietly.

"Remember what I said, Master Wen Jian." Wu Xuan said as he handed Lingyu a folding fan.

"If Wen Jian finds out, we're in big trouble." Temporarily, Yu Lingyu muttered, borrowing the name of Wen Jian, the son of the richest merchant in the empire.

"Not as much as I am." Wu Xuan let out a sigh.

"Good good, Xiao Ming." Yu Lingyu said with a slight smile. Xiao Ming was also a rich man in Lilan City and he was currently staying in the capital city of Luoyang.

"Even so, why do we have to act?"

"Although money can buy anything, there are things that only respect can buy. That is trust."

They will trust Wen Jian and Xiao Ming more than Yu Lingyu and Wu Xuan." Wu Xuan said.

This time the guard received them very respectfully. Although he was anxious to accompany them to even a more honorable seat, Wu Xuan refused.

The air inside was thick with perfumes and scents. The small conversations of the people had joined together to make a noise, and out of them came the melodious music. Dancers, dressed in dusty silk clothes, twirled and danced. Their eyes were shining like jewels. They swayed their bodies to the beat as if they could intoxicate any man. Yu Lingyu felt a chill rise on the back of his neck as he watched them dance for a while.

Wu Xuan rolled his eyes and glared at him. "Oh, why don't you have some more fun Yu Shidi?" He said in an angry tone.

Yu Lingyu "...."

Dusting his cloak, Yu Lin- oh no Wen Jian, the beautiful phoenix, slithered through the crowd like a snake.

"Wen Gongzi" As he tried to move forward, someone gently grabbed his right hand.

"What is Wen Gongzi doing in a place like this?" She said, moving closer to Yu Lingyu. "Eh?"

"You know me?" Yu Lingyu asked, trying to remain calm. The Dancer was closer to him than necessary and her long arms were dancing on his face.

"Who doesn't know Wen Gongzi? Although this is the first time I've met you in person, your reputation precedes you."

Yu Lingyu cursed the pavilion guard. The identity of Wen Jian was only to deal with the Lotus Sect. It didn't help at all that everyone here now knew about it. He looked for Wu Xuan, but his quarrelsome Wu Shixiong was out of sight.

"You are just as I heard." She said, throwing her red dust cloak over Lingyu's face, and twirling him around. "But personally, I didn't think you had such a good figure."

Yu Lingyu smiled awkwardly. Thank you, thank you. Now get out of here!

"Miss, I have a question for you." Yu Lingyu submissively asked as she dragged him to a nearby seat. "A question?" She said elegantly, offering Lingyu a drink.

"I am looking for my sworn brother. His name is Shen Ming, son of Mr. Shen of Yuxu."

Shen in Yuxu is as much an honorific title as Wen in Luoyang. They were the principal trade opponents of the empire.

"Even your friends are very advanced." She said, sitting on Yu Lingyu's lap. He screamed inwardly, trying to keep his face from turning red.

"Yes definitely!" Hearing Wu Xuan's disdainful voice, Yu Lingyu felt a great sense of relief. The dancer stood up and glanced at Wu Xuan. "And this gongzi'?"

"Oh, Xiao Ming! Where did you go?" Yu Lingyu asked feigning excitement. "Ming Gongzi? You've changed a lot lately. Life is good in Luoyang, isn't it?" As she asked, the corner of Wu Xuan's mouth curved into a smile.

"To ask me, who did you think you were?" He said pushing her aside. It was no different from the real Xiao Ming's personality. He was a very respectable and proud person. A lowly dancer like her rarely gets a chance to see him.

"Oh," Yu Lingyu interjected. "Don't be so harsh." He told Wu Xuan as he seated the woman on the seat.

"You are very kind Wen Gongzi'," she said, feigning sadness. "You're kidding me miss. Please forgive my friend. He is very sad about Brother Shen's disappearance."

Wu Xuan said "....?"

"Miss, did you see anyone suspicious here?" Yu Lingyu asked, pouring wine for her.

"There's nobody like that. Oh, sometimes a man called Lao Hu comes here. All he does is stand on the peony stage and enjoy the dance. Dressed in all black, it's a little weird." She said, gently running her hands over Lingyu's chest. "If you're lucky you'll get to see him today."