Chapter 178 - He Will Do It All Again

Zhang Xu Lan had always pride himself to be like his father: strong, in control, intelligent. Yet, right now, all he wanted was to leave and break something, someone with blood preferably. His skin was itching again and he squeezed his hands until nails bit into his palms. He forced himself to walk and not run to his blonde uncle. He tried not to show he was struggling before his students, his father, and Uncle Mo.

"Uncle Yue," he whispered and golden eyes turned to him with a smile.

"Lan-er."

"Where… where is Uncle Li?"

"He is away for a while, nephew. Is everything alright?" Ying Yue noted the sweat slowly building at the pinkette's hairline.

"When… when will he be back?"

"I do not know."

"I… I need his help, uncle. Can you call him back? I don't think… I can't hold it back," he shut his black eyes and his body shook from the need for release.

"Go to the mountain. The one where you worked with him. Now."

The pink haired boy nodded and left quickly, and he went to his redheaded brother who was working with a group of students in their postures.

"Master Xu, a moment please."

"What is it, Ying Yue?" Xu Ling questioned when he joined him at the side away from the students.

"Xu Lan is reaching his need again. Ah Li cannot leave the Netherworld at the time."

"Where is he?"

"At the mountains. Ah Ling, I will go. He would never forgive himself for hurting his own father."

"But-"

"No. You stay brother. We will return when he had his fill."

Ignoring the call to his name from his eldest brother, they could not waste more time. Reaching the mountains, he could already feel the darkness slipping in the air. Quickly settling down, he could see the curly pink hair swaying with the swirl of darkness. Ying Yue called forth his energy and saw black eyes targeted him before his nephew rushed forward.

When their blades clashed, Ying Yue was reminded of the times he and his husband fought. He huffed softly as a smile curled at his lips. The crackle of golden light with dark purplish black flashed around them. Ying Yue winced when a particular sharp dark lightning cut through his skin. They continued until his nephew tired and they were covered in light bloodied scars.

"Lan-er, are you alright?"

His nephew was sitting on the ground with his back to the trunk of the tree and head lifted to the sky.

"Thank you, Uncle Yue," Xu Lan breathed out with his eyes closed, "I know the Ghost King said I needed to accept it and I am, but… it is so hard to control it."

"Nephew, maybe that is the problem."

"Huh?" Black eyes turned to him.

"I know you do your best to stay in control, to show there is nothing bothering you, but maybe that is the reason it calls to you so incessantly. Maybe you should come here every day once you feel it calls to you, even slightly. The more you catch it early, the easier it will be."

"Do you think so?"

"To be honest, I do not know, Lan-er. I only have Heaven's touch like your father and uncle. Wang Li is the only one to understand your predicament."

Xu Lan sighed and frowned looking at him.

"It had been many moons since he left, Uncle Yue. Is he going to make you wait for centuries again? Why must he always leave? Will I have to do that too?"

"He is the Ghost King, Ah Lan. He has responsibilities that he must uphold like we as cultivators must follow."

Ying Yue looked away and rubbed his ring. He answered his nephew softly and although he understood why his lover must return, he also understood what Xu Lan asked. He disliked waiting for his husband, but he would rather wait then to never see him again. He just hoped he wasn't waiting forever.

"I apologize, uncle. I know it makes you sad."

"Lan-er, let's focus on calling forth your dark energy to one hand and your light energy to the other," he instructed and watched his nephew nod.

He waited as black eyes closed to concentrate. Soon, Ying Yue could sense and see the task being completed. Smiling, he watched the grin split across the pinkette's face.

"Now, Lan-er, send them to your blades."

"Okay!"

==

(Netherworld)

Wang Li meditated most days as he waited for Ye Wu to return. He could feel his spiritual energy swirling inside his core, but it was less than before. He sighed and opened his silver eyes to the cold walls around him. Standing and leaving the cavern, he walked around the quiet grounds. Ghosts and demons roamed around the mockup village. He was thankful Ye Wu listened to him.

After seeing ghosts being happy to live a life again in his village, Wang Li released certain demons and ghosts to walk around with no fear. There were still some in cages, but much less now since the battle, the one Han Mo coined Great Death. He did what he did, sacrificed whoever, whatever, for Ying Yue.

He will do it all again.

The prophecy was completed, so him being with his wife should be perfectly fine.

'Then why are demons acting up now,' Wang Li frowned as he stood on the roof of the village in the Netherworld. Crossing his arms, the Ghost King looked out into the crowd below and watched a child looking up at him. He offered a smile and the child returned it, before running off. A presence joined him on the roof, and he glanced over.

Dark blue hair and mirthful purple eyes on the grinning face of a tanned man.

"My king."

"Mo Chou."

The man was still a boy in his eyes, a boy who came to him as the end of the war neared. Blood was on his hands and death reeked into his skin, but the young Mo Chou showed little fear. The boy cared so much for him when he had done nothing but take the boy's family. He did not understand it, but he was grateful for the company.

"My king, it had been a long time. How are you?"

"I am well, Ah Chou," he reached out and pulled the blue strand, tugging the laughing man.

"Eh, no need to be rough."

"I did not tell you, Mo Chou," Wang Li cupped the tan face, "Thank you. You have done well."

The navy haired man grinned and bowed with the tip of his ears red.

"Did you enjoy your life before you came?"

"As much as I could before I died. My brother made sure to keep your temple from being ruined. I don't know if this is still true, though. Haven't been to the surface in centuries."

"You haven't asked Ye Wu to let you up?"

"Last time I spoke to him, he tried to kill me."

Wang Li furrowed his brows and his lips thinned.

"Why?"

"You know why, my king. He doesn't like to share."

"But you are mine, Mo Chou. He should know this."

The purple eyed man laughed and nodded.

"I'm sure he doesn't care."

Wang Li frowned and cupped the back of the boy's head. He stared at the once brown eyes, now purple, and hummed.

"I shall remind him when he returns. For now, Chou-er, join me."

"I am not a child anymore," the man flushed murmuring his words.

Wang Li laughed and jumped down from the roof and the boy followed.

==

(Surface Realm)

Li Chu still struggled on her blade as they flew through the sky, but it was steady enough for her to follow, not to add another weight. She and her classmates were following Master Xu through the sky to their mission in the North Sector. The team settled and she joined her sister on the grounds. Master Xu held a finger to his lips to quiet them. Sounds of zips through the sky was like echoes in their ears.

Xu Ling narrowed his eyes and pointed at certain points. His students, being studious, followed his lead and moved quickly to their spots. He pulled out a marked talisman and his students did the same. Slamming it to the ground, they all sent their energy into the charm and the zips in the air revealed 3 female ghosts. They looked human with wings and colorful skins. Their hairs were longer than their small body, wispy like smoke. When they notice eyes on them, they giggled in a high-pitched tone, as if they were happy they got caught.

"Time for you to return," Xu Ling stated and the fairy-liked ghosts laughed as if what he said was humorous.

They fluttered around and he observed the ghosts split nearing the students and himself. Their unearthly face was soft and inviting, but Xu Ling knew these ghosts could be deadly. Reaching out to place a tag onto the ghost nearest to him, she fluttered and gasped. The other two ghosts heard their struggling of the one tagged and they tossed out particles into the air.

When they saw their audience still on their feet with set eyes on them, they panicked shouting at one another in high pitched squeaks. Xu Ling nodded to Li Chu and Li Hien to complete the capture. The twins nodded back and quickly moved their fingers, sending their energy through it to create a small cage over the ghosts. They worked in tandem as the bluette and brunette weaved and tightened the barrier.

When they were finished, the ghosts looked up at them with wide big eyes, scared and fearful of harm.

"Not falling for it," Li Chu smirked, "Time for you all to return home."

One of the fairy-liked ghosts squeaked at her, like she was begging, but Li Chu reached forward to send them back, but her master held her wrist. Golden eyes were looking in a direction with his blade before him.

"Master?"

"Something else is here. Hold the barrier."

Li Chu looked over at her sister and they focused on keeping the cage locked. Xu Ling could feel the prickling on his skin and it felt like it was Ye Wu, but he knew it couldn't be. Ying Yue had already told him who was occupying the demon's time, though he did not need that information. It still made him squeamish inside.

'Then who is this?' The redhead frowned searching the sky.

Just as he finished his thought, a large claw came at him. Catching it with his blade, he came face to face with a large wolf. Its teeth were overcrowded and sharp, drools were slipping through growling lips, and the blackened fur felt as if heat was emitting from it. Sending the large monster back, the wolf jumped back and howled. More wolves appeared surrounding himself and his students. He could hear the whimpering of the ghosts as they closed in. He tapped one of his student and wide scared eyes looked at him.

"What should you do when you feel you cannot win?"

"I… get, get help."

The redhead nodded, not once removing his eyes from the wolves around them.

"Do it."

The student nodded and dug into his robe with trembling hands. The flash entered the air, signaling his brothers and his son.

"Do not be afraid. You were all chosen to walk the path of the Heavens. Gather your strength and ready yourself."

"Yes, Master Xu."