Chapter 106 - Are You Free

When he woke, he woke up to licks from his kitten. Lips curling, Ying Yue pulled Snow against him. Blinking around, he saw he was not in his room at the inn. The ceiling looked different and the room had-

"You've finally awakened," the female smiled.

Her dark hair curled down her waist and she smiled at him vacantly. Dressed in golden fine robe, she looked elegant with her hands folded over her lap. Sitting up slowly, he got off the bed and joined the female at the table. The lady poured him tea and drank from her cup quietly.

"Thank you for caring for me, miss."

Brown eyes glanced at him and hummed.

"You have been recovering for five nights, Chosen One. You were close to dead when my warriors found you."

His eyes widened from what she said and he touched his chest feeling a slight ache.

"Was there anyone else in the cell… when I was found?" He asked quietly.

"No. Just you and that cat of yours."

'Oh… was I dreaming again… like before?'

Ying Yue wondered and his thoughts went back to the warm palm against his cheek. They were calloused and chapped lips pressed against his forehead. They did not feel like Wang Li's, but it had to be his husband, right?

Shaking his head, Ying Yue sighed and looked at the female.

Dark black hair and pretty brown eyes. She looked familiar, but he couldn't remember from where. Then reality set in and his eyes hardened.

"What about Sect Leader Bo?"

"We will decide what to do about him."

Ying Yue nodded and took a drink of his tea.

"My brothers?"

"They are outside."

"Thank you. Are you the sect leader?"

"I am."

"Did Sect Leader Fang step down?"

The female leader set her teacup down and stared at the platinum blonde. She searched his face for something that he didn't know, before she let out a soft sigh.

"He died recently."

Ying Yue's eyes widened and he bowed to the female.

"My apologies."

"… so it is true."

"I am sorry?" He questioned lifting his head.

"You do not remember my name."

"I… do not."

'Am I supposed to? Did I meet her somewhere?' Ying Yue questioned confused.

The female hummed and tapped twice with the wooden portion of her fan on the table. The door opened and he looked over to see his brothers entered. The brunette quickly rushed to him and looked him over with furrowed brows.

"I am fine, brother."

"You almost died… again!" Han Mo wrapped his arms around him and he leaned against his brother.

"Sect Leader Bo should be punished, Sect Leader Jing," the redhead stated sitting beside him, closer than he normally would.

"I understand your feelings, but it is not my decision alone to give punishment."

Ying Yue ran the female leader's name around his head, but he still could not figure out if he ever met her.

"Thank you, Sect Leader Jing for saving me and caring for my brothers and I. I hope it was not too much trouble?" Ying Yue bowed and smiled at the female.

"It was very troublesome, Chosen One," the female stated flatly and was about to continue, but another voice entered.

"Here? Oh, hello," a young man with dark blue hair and a bright smile, "Why did you not tell me he is up, Ah Jing?"

"He just woke up, Sect Leader Zhi."

"So formal. Are you putting face?" He laughed and joined them at the table, "I am glad you are looking well, Chosen One. We all feared you did not survive such torture."

"Thank you for your assistance, Sect Leader Zhi. I owe both you and Sect Leader Jing my life."

"It was about time. Ah Bo was getting out of hand. Good thing he came and spoke with me and good thing Ah Jing was doing nothing."

"I was doing something," the female leader stated with a frown.

"Of course, you were," Sect Leader Zhi rolled his eyes.

Ying Yue paused in his sip and placed the teacup down. He thought about what the man had just said and the same word rolled around in his mind. He glanced at his brothers and they seemed to be in their own thoughts.

"Sect Leader Zhi, if I may ask… who is the person who came to you."

"Hm? Ah… he was quite an attractive man," the male leader tapped his chin, "Dark hair with a pretty face. He wore red… he actually looked familiar…"

Ying Yue's heart raced, and he found his face warming up in happiness.

Was it who he thought it was? Could it be Wang Li, his lover? Rolling his ring, he bit his bottom lip and looked at his tea. If it was his husband, then why had his lover not returned to him? If it was his king, why was he hiding?

"Ah! Got it!" Sect Leader Zhi exclaimed, "It must have been that famous painter from the West Sector. Ah, he normally wore a mask so I didn't recognize him. He was quite majestic, Ah Jing. Prettier than you even."

Brown eyes narrowed at the male leader, who only laughed.

"Eh? Why would the painter come to you and how did he know of Heaven's Chosen's situation."

"Well… he said, 'Sect Leader Zhi. I have painted you whatever you wished and asked for nothing, but I beg for your assistance now. Hidden in the cells of the North is a gift from the Heavens. If he dies, many will die as well. If you could do this for me, my lord, I shall give you whatever you wish as long as it is within my limits.' I asked him how he knew and he told me he was there painting for a shoe maker when he overheard some warriors boasting about it."

"What did you ask from him?" Sect Leader Jing asked with a quirk of her brow.

"A kiss," the male leader in blue grinned and Ying Yue dropped his teacup, spilling the content across the wooden table. Yet all he could think of was his husband kissing another man.

Face flushed, he apologized and offered a smiled. He swallowed down the anger and betrayal away because he did not know if it was really his husband or not.

"You liar," the female stated and watched the servant clean the mess on the table.

"Hmm," the male leader shrugged with a smile and thanked the servant who left.

"Did you, Sect Leader Zhi, received your reward?" Ying Yue forced out of his mouth, clenching his fingers against his thighs. His heart felt like it was being balanced on a thin string, ready to fall and break into pieces.

"The kiss?" The man laughed, "Eh, Chosen One, I did not know someone pure as you would like to know."

"I am curious is all," Ying Yue strained out as his shoulders tensed.

"No, Sect Leader Jing is right, I received no kiss."

Just like that, his entire body relaxed and his heart found its balance again.

"What did you ask for?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Ying Yue blinked surprised as his brows rose.

"He is a good man, Chosen One. Living a free life one would be envious of."

The blonde smiled closed lip and nodded.

'A free life… Ah Li… is that you? Are you free now?'

Ying Yue found his smile turned into a frown as he thought about it longer.

'Why have you not come to me?'

Sect Leader Yang joined them later at the table and they continued to speak on what decision to take for the Sect Leader of the North. Once they agreed, they headed out to the courtyard where the man in purple stood with his chin held high.

"Sect Leader Bo, we have gathered and spoken," Sect Leader Jing stated on the stage with Sect Leader Zhi and Sect Leader Yang.

"And what did you find, dear Jing? That I should be stripped of my title? Hah!" The man in purple grinned, "Do you think this is the end? Do you think I am the only one who wouldn't go after him? Did you really think my warriors were strong enough to capture those demons?! They were brought to me like a present!"

"What are you saying, Ah Bo! Who brought them to you?" The leader in blue questioned.

Sect Leader Bo was laughing, cackling as if what was stated was the most humorous thing. Ying Yue searched the sect leader's face and felt a familiar sense of darkness emitting the air. His brothers felt the same and they looked around searching for the source.

An arrow shot through the air and strike its target.

"Sect Leader Bo! Get him down!" Sect Leader Zhi shouted and the man was pulled down, gargling blood as the arrow pierced his heart.

Ying Yue looked up at the roof from the distance of the arrow and found his entire body shook. He saw black hair flowing and red fabric against milky skin. Golden eyes tried to see the face, but the man was already leaving, jumping off the roof to disappear.

Ying Yue wanted to go after him, see if it was Wang Li, see who would attack Sect Leader Bo, see who this man in red was.

"Go!" His brown-haired brother shouted and rushed to the purple robed man.

He rushed after the man with his redhead brother and saw a sliver of red. They followed down roads and corners, then there were two peeks of red going the opposite directions. He glanced at his big brother and the man tilted his chin one way and left the other way.

Ying Yue ran trying to catch up to his lover who was or was not the person who attacked Sect Leader Bo.

Catching sight of black hair, he put an extra sprint into his steps and turned the corner with his sword readied.

"Stop!"