Chapter 129 - I Am Already Dead

Golden eyes narrowed intensely at Wang Li and Ying Yue stepped to cover his lover, as if to protect him.

"It must be Ye Wu. Do you know where he is, Ah Li. We can stop him together, all of us."

"Ah Yue," his husband's voice was soft and he turned fully to face his lover. He felt trembling fingers cupped his face and his golden eyes widened. Wang Li was trembling… his husband had never trembled even from being hurt, so feeling the slight shakes against his cheeks...

He inhaled sharply.

"They want me. No one needs to get hurt."

"No! I won't let them kill you! We will protect you."

Wang Li watched as his sweet wife looked at him with big worried eyes. Tears hanging at the edge of his tear ducts and he found himself smiling. No matter where they were, they will always sacrifice for one another like a never-ending cycle.

'When will you learn, my love. You cannot save me.'

"You should let me go," he let out a small smile, "I am already dead."

Ying Yue's legs let out and he tumbled forward, clutching tightly to his lover in tears. Shaking his head, he kept saying no over and over again. He felt a hand on his chest and a pained scream escaped his lips. It felt like a searing knife cutting him open and he realized what was happening.

The dark energy unwrapped itself from his own core and Ying Yue tried to hold onto the only thing he still had of his lover, but it continued to pull away.

"Thank you for holding onto it," He heard Wang Li whispered, "Now you will no longer hurt."

"No! Ah Li! Please!"

He was shouting and crying, but he felt so tired and weak. Wang Li shushed him, rocking him and humming the song, their song. His cries softened and his eyes fell heavy, until all he could hear was the baritone voice of his lover.

The Ghost King kissed his wife's temple longingly, before placing him gently on the floor.

"My king…"

Mo Chou spoke quietly and he closed his silver eyes as he stood.

"Do not let him come find me," He stated quietly, "I'll make sure they are not harmed."

"My brother may not join you, but I will."

"We will also-"

"No."

Wang Li said sternly and looked down at his arm where his energy was pumping strong inside him with a golden tinge. He glanced down at his lover's sleeping form and clenched his hand, dispersing his power throughout his body. He reached out and called for his sword.

"Reaper."

The room chilled as the thin black sword crackled in the hold of her master. Wang Li relaxed feeling the reunion of his blade in his grasp. Looking at the people before him, he glanced back down at his wife.

"He would not forgive me if any of you were hurt."

Wang Li paused and glanced at his fingers where the ring appeared, gold etched in the name of his lover. He closed his eyes and pulled the ring off. Handing it to the redhead, he turned and headed off on his way.

"My king-"

Sect Leader Zhi cried out, but the redhead stopped him with an arm as his golden eyes stared at the retreating back of the Ghost King. His eyes slid to his brother's sleeping body and he held up the ring with his fingers.

"Are we really… letting him go alone?" Sect Leader Yang questioned with furrowed brows.

"Cultivator," Sect Leader Jing spoke up, "What is your decision?"

He let out a deep sigh with a frown gracing his face.

"We will fight. My brother will do everything he could to rush to him. This is how it had been. This is where it will end."

"You will let him go?" The female questioned, "Even when the Ghost King state not to let him go."

"I am not his babysitter, what he wishes to do will be done. It is in the prophecy. I will go after my family-"

There was a knock on the door and the guard spoke up.

"Cultivator Zhang Han Mo has arrived."

Xu Ling's eyes widened and saw his brunette brother walking in, but something wasn't right. The way he was walking looked languid and his middle brother never slouched in his stance. He noted the twitching of fingers and how pale his brother's skin looked.

'Did the Ghost King knew my brother would arrive?'

"Brother, where were you?"

He watched as the brown-haired man turned with his head still lowered to find the blonde on the floor. The redhead narrowed his eyes and stepped to block the view of his vulnerable young brother. He glanced over at Sect Leader Yang who went to drag his blonde brother away.

This only led to the brunette to laugh slowly, before it turned into a hysteric one. Xu Ling quickly grabbed his charm and smacked it against his brother's crown.

The brunette paused abruptly in his laugh and the redhead glanced at the others in the room to find Sect Leader Zhi's brother was no longer in the room, along with his little brother and Sect Leader Yang. He felt his tension loosen slightly, knowing that if any harm were to come, he knew Mo Chou was a warrior.

Sect Leader Yang… he doubt the man knew his way in battle.

His brunette brother snapped his head up suddenly and they finally were able to see golden eyes no longer there. It was covered with inky black ooze and he could see it moving, living inside his brother. Xu Ling reached out and cupped the man's shoulder, gripping it tightly. He sent his spiritual energy out like bursts into his brother to cleanse the brown-haired cultivator.

This only resulted in a loud screech from the man. Head thrown back, the black ooze shot out of the eyes of his brother splattering around them. Some were caught on their robes and it slowly was burning holes.

"Avoid it!" The redhead shouted and he heard screams from warriors who ran in to assist. The inky ooze was burning through their skin and Xu Ling quickly pulled out 3 different charms: freezing, sleeping, and warding. The ooze stopped shooting out and he quickly bound his brother into a barrier of his own.

"Big brother…"

He did not respond but was intently listening to see what else would be said. He had to make sure this was his brother, not some demon or ghost taking over the brunette's body.

"Torture… I was tortured… you weren't there… you weren't there!"

"You are not a child."

"But you are my big brother! You are supposed to protect me!"

"You are responsible for getting caught."

"What!" His brother glared at him, "You! You are rude and mean and nothing of what should be Heaven's choice! You care for no one! You think Lady Nuying does not know?!" The man laughed as the ooze slipped down his eyes like inky tears,

"You think she does not know you do not love her? That you only laid with her because you only care for her beauty? She told me! Hah! She could careless because she had your child and the Heaven's would need to bid her wish or she will kill him. Did you know that?! How perfect you two are, so deserving with such heartlessness!"

Han Mo laughed and laughed, wheezing as he was on his knees staring at the floor. It was just so funny to him. Everything was funny! He could not stop his grin or the way he felt giddy and angry all at once.

'Hate! Hate! Hate! Funny! Laugh! Happy! Hate! Laugh! Hate!'

"Fu Shen."

The redhead heard the sharp inhaled of breath. He watched as ink trailed face stared at him with wide eyes. He observed the tension on the once relaxed shoulders, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Who is he?"

The redhead waited for an answer from the brunette and he watched the slow blink from his brother.

"Ah Shen…"

"Who is he?"

"Ah… Shen…"

"Who is he?"

"Ah Shen… Ah Shen. Ah Shen! AH SHEN!"

He saw his brother grabbing his head and a deep scream echoed into the room. He stepped forward, but the bright golden light covered his brother. When the glow left, he could hear the panting from the brown-haired male and he took a cautious step forward.

"Ah Shen… he…" his brother started before he frantically touched around him, "Where is it?! Where is-"

A small purple perfume bag that weaved to hang under the white crane was held before Han Mo.

He reached for it and let out a relieved breath. Closing his eyes, he grounded himself and glance up to see his brother kneeled before him. Xu Ling's warm hand cupped his shoulder and searched his face.

"I apologize for not being there."

He let out a soft laugh and wave it off.

"I can't believe I got caught. Ah Ling… what I said…"

The redhead shook his head and helped him up. He looked over at the sect leaders and saw some of the warriors with holes in their outfits and burns on their skins.

"Forgive me."

"It was not you, cultivator. You were abused," Sect Leader Zhi walked over to him, "Are you well?"

"Where is Ah Yue or our king? I must tell them what I saw."

"The Ghost King had left to save you and the others," the female leader stated with creased forehead, "Yet you are here. Did you escape?"

"He went-! Is Ying Yue with him?"

"No, he is unconscious," the redhead stated and the brunette swallowed hard.

"He is walking into a trap. They will kill him. That demon, Ye Wu… brother," his golden eyes stared, "… too strong."

"What?"

"He… I felt like I was suffocating being near him… his power is immeasurable. I am unsure how we could defeat him. His siblings… they want him to release their youngest, the only one left in chains, but he refused them. Ah Ling… Lady Nuying and your child…"

"Are they well?"

"They are not chained."