Chapter 104 - Sir Ghost

When the sun set and they were losing light, Ying Yue was sore and covered in dirt.

When his brother said he would help him think on his feet, the brunette was not lying. From being tricked to dirt being thrown at his face, he was exhausted. He entered the inn and immediately asked for a bath. The owner nodded and looked at the brothers.

"We will join later, go enjoy the bath alone. You deserved it," Han Mo laughed and patted his shoulder.

So following the female to the back of the inn, he was taken to the steaming bath. Smiling and thanking the owner, he undressed and entered the area. What he did not expect was another person in the bath. Scarred bare back faced him and the man was adjusting something before him.

"Hello," he greeted and wrapped his waist with the towel and stepped into the pool.

When the man turned back, he found himself grinning.

"Oh, it is you again!"

Hair pulled up into a pony and face covered in a mask, Ying Yue moved closer to the man who dunked deeper into the water. Only the man's head was visible and Ying Yue let out a soft laugh.

"I thought you returned to your village."

Fingers wrapped around his hand underwater and he felt his ring being pulled. Quickly pulling his hand to his chest, he frowned at the man. Fingers wrapped around his other wrist and he felt a finger stroke against his palm.

'Sorry.'

"It is alright."

'Lover.'

"Yes."

'Happy.'

"Happy for me or am I happy?"

'Both.'

Ying Yue smiled and held up his hand to look at his ring.

"I love him. I am happy."

'Where.'

"He is… he is at home."

'He. Home.'

"My husband, yes."

'Wait. Forever.'

"Yes. I will."

The fingers tightened slightly around his wrist before they slid away. He leaned against the wall and sighed. Soaking in deeper, he closed his eyes and felt a finger on his thigh. Tensing up, he turned to the man and felt the movement.

'Miss. Him.'

"Yes. Everyday," Ying Yue lifted the man's hand to his shoulder, "Write here, okay?"

'Sorry.'

"It is okay. What is your name?"

'Ghost.'

"Ghost? That is… that isn't your real name, is it?"

'Maybe.'

Ying Yue smiled and shook his head.

"So, are you here for something, Sir Ghost?"

'Yes. Secret.'

"Eh, you are mysterious, Sir Ghost. I understand, but please, do not keep the secret alone if other may help."

He faced the bamboo wall before him and sighed. He felt fingers stroke his skin and he smiled at the mute man.

'Okay.'

He heard his brothers chatting and he moved to the entrance, waddling through the water to greet them.

"Come in brothers, the water is nice and warm," Ying Yue turned to speak with his mysterious friend, but saw that he was alone. Blinking around confused, he moved to where the man was and saw nothing, like the man was never there.

"Who are you looking for?" The brunette questioned as he entered the nice bath.

"What took you two so long?" Ying Yue decided to ask instead of answering.

"We were just discussing when you fight Sect Leader Bo. Don't worry, Ah Yue. Your big brothers will take care of you."

He felt the pat on his head and he laughed feeling warm inside. The sound of a meow caught his ears and he saw Snow bouncing over. Jumping into the water, the little cat patted over to him and Ying Yue laughed even harder.

"Do you miss me that much?"

"Meow."

As they ended their soak in the nice bath, Snow jumped out of the water and shook himself off. The kitten paused and sniffed the air as his ears perked up.

"Come Snow, let's go eat."

The kitten paused for a moment tilting his head, before bounding off to his owner.

==

Today was the day. He was nervous and worried, but his brothers' confidences settled his mind. After more training and sparring the previous day, he could admit he felt more ready. His body was not as sore thanks to the brunette's medicine, so he took a deep breath and entered the palace.

They followed a young servant to the training grounds where warriors were gathered. Their leader stood proud with hands on his hips and a smirk on his face. Ying Yue held his sword at the hilt and walked forward.

"Sect Leader Bo."

"Heaven's Chosen, you truly are a man of your words. Do you still wish to challenge my sector for the freedom of these?"

Shouts and the clinking of chains were heard nearing them. His golden eyes widened and his hand tightened around his sword. Four demons, one looking like a squid, another like a giant trunk, and the other two looked like lizards. But what surprised him was the bleeding of wounds, so large he could see through it. They limped, scowled, trembled, and whimpered as they neared the area for all to see.

'This… this is unbecoming for a sect leader!'

"How long have you had them?" He whispered.

"Heh, for many moons. Since capturing them, we have received no other demons. My Sector had never needed help, from you or that wretched Ghost King for many years."

"Whether your sector needed our assistance, Sect Leader Bo, to torture in this way does not suit leadership."

"You dare!" The man shouted and reached for his sword, "Let us battle then, tiny one. Then you will know who is the greatest of us."

Ying Yue felt fire rolling and boiling inside him and he readied his sword.

Rushing forward, his blade clanged against the leader's sword. The man's sharp blue eyes narrowed, and the smirk grew on his face. Sect Leader Bo used his qi and pushed as he dragged the blonde backwards. Ying Yue steadied his footings and twisted away, sliding his blade pass the redhead's. he could feel the demonic energy rising off the man's aura and he pursed his lips.

This sect leader… was unfit to rule, but Ying Yue could not do anything about it.

'These demons do not deserve this, even if they had killed. They should return and be dealt with there, not by him,' he told himself as he blocked a few more swings.

Noting the pattern Sect Leader Bo was making, Ying Yue strengthened his sword with his spiritual energy and rushed forward. He swung hard and the man stumbled backwards, struggling to stay up. Growling, Sect Leader Bo pushed harder, swung harder, and Ying Yue inwardly smile.

The man was slowing down.

The blonde quickly saw the opening as the leader raised his sword and went to swing upward, causing the man's blade to bounce back up. Twisting, he used the hilt of his blade to stab the man in purple, who stumbled backwards. Ying Yue straightened up and headed to the man holding his chest, scowling at him.

Before he was able to near, he felt the back of his leg kicked and he fell to his knees. The sharp pain of his knees rushed up his body and he gasped. Before he could stand, he saw a blade heading to him in a slash from left to right. Ying Yue bent backward and used the hilt of his sword to smack against the man's knee. Sect Leader Bo shouted and stumbled forward, and Ying Yue slid under the man.

Getting the upper hand, the blonde caught his footing and turned. Unfortunately, he received an arrow into his shoulder. Gasping more from shock, he saw the warriors around him with thier weapons aimed at him.

"Do you think I would go down so easily?"

"The challenge was to you, not your army."

Sect Leader Bo laughed loudly and grinned.

"You said I or anyone I assigned, well… I choose myself and my warriors."

Ying Yue frowned and glanced over at his brothers who were readying themselves, but the sect leader shook his head with a tsked.

"Chosen One, you stated it was you, that will be battling, not with your brothers. If they join, you forfeit."

"Very well."

Taking a deep breath and out of his nose, he called for his spiritual energy to envelop him in a barrier. The warriors rushed to him and Ying Yue blocked what he could, but it was hard when he did not want to harm them.

A stab, a slash, and the sound of metals clanged against one another.

Breathing hard, he waited for more warriors to enter and he tightened his hands on the hilt of his sword. Some of the warriors were wrapped in a string of his energy and others were unconscious, but he could feel himself tiring.

There was a loud sound not too far from them and he saw red from his peripheral.

Red like the robe Wang Li wore.

His heart leapt at his throat and he glanced over to only see smoke. It filled the area and he could hear the shouts around him. He felt a hand ghosted his back and he gasped.

"Ah Li?"

Ying Yue turned and saw empty air, but suddenly a warrior rushed toward him. Hitting the man unconscious, he continued through the smoke and finished off more as his vision cleared. His sword pointed at the sect leader's throat told the man in purple he had lost.

"I win, Sect Leader Bo."