Chapter 179 - Li Hien

He heard the echo from his students, and he glanced over at the twins, "Send them back and join us."

While he was finishing his words, the large wolf howled loudly and rushed forward along with its brethren. Send out a golden slash from his sword, he kept on the defense, making sure to be close to his students. Catching a claw on his blade, the redhead swung his leg and caught the hind legs of the wolf. It stumbled back and Xu Ling strike his sword at a wolf demon near a student.

He just had to keep these wolves at bay until help arrived. He stabbed into a wolf who cried in pain, but he felt as if it did nothing to deter the others. It only made them angrier. He heard the screams from his students and he turned to where it was. Quickly twisting his blade, he cut through the neck of the wolf attacking him and slashed another on his way to his wounded students.

Those who were unharmed, placed a barrier together around them and the wolves rammed into it over and over. Xu Ling's golden eyes saw the wounds, some that would leave scars if healed and some that were too deep…

"M… Master… Xu," LI Hien stuttered out as the gash across her back seeped out. The redhead quickly bent down and pulled out the medicine bottle. Her twin was holding his sister's hand with tears streaming down her face.

"Li Chu, hold the barrier with the others," he ordered as he poured it onto the wound, causing the female to scream.

"Sister," Li Chu trembled as she squeezed her sister's hand, but the brunette offered a smile.

"Master told you… to protect the barrier, Ah Chu. Go. I will be okay."

She glanced at the redhead and slowly pulled herself away. Turning to face the monsters, she dipped her brows in anger and reinforced the shield. She was going to kill them. Every single one of them.

"M… master," Li Hien said softly as she laid on her front with her wound exposed.

"Stop speaking."

She smiled and she could feel the numbing warmth against her back.

"I am happy that you are my master," she said softly and blinked away the tears, "Please take care of her, Master Xu."

"Why are you not listening to me?!" Xu Ling huffed upset as he pulled off his outer robe to wrap around the bleeding female.

"My apologies, Master Xu," Li Hien stared at her sister's back and saw their shield cracking. Her body was moved, and she winced and gasped from the pain. Clutching to her master's robe, she cried against his chest.

"I am scared," she whispered and her body shivered from lack of blood.

"Do not sleep, Li Hien. Do you hear me?"

She nodded, but her eyes were so tired. She tried to look around, keep her mind awake, but everything was becoming hazy. She felt the light slaps against her face and she stared into worried golden eyes. She saw his lips moving, but Li Hien could not hear anything. Then another face came into her view and it was her twin. She was crying and Li Hien tried to reach out to wipe her sister's tears, but her arms were so heavy.

Then she saw her brother, white hair and purple eyes looking at her in the same state as her twin. She blinked slowly and each time she blinked, things looks more and more blurry. Then, soft fur pressed against her and her head lolled to see Snow, nuzzling her with blood tainted fur. The large head licked her face with kisses and pressed his forehead to hers.

Li Hien closed her purple eyes as tears slipped down her cheek.

"No! No! No, no, no, no!" Li Chu cried flinging herself onto her sister, shaking her blue hair. Xu Ling shut his eyes tight in anger of himself for not being able to save his student. The sounds of the wolves screaming and the darkness lifting from the space around them, he knew his family took care of them.

"It… it's might fault!" A female student cried out in tears, "I am so sorry!"

"What do you mean?" Fu Shen narrowed his eyes at her.

"I… she saved me. I… I was scared and… and she saved me! It is all my fault," the female fell onto her knees and cried.

"You're right. It is your fault."

Fu Shen said coldly and Ying Yue covered his mouth as tears welled up his eyes. He looked to see Snow, who had been away for so long, sitting and staring at Li Hien. Inhaling deeply as his breath stuttered, he went to ward the area.

"Come. Let us return home," Ying Yue spoke softly once he was finished.

The way back to the school was filled with dread and tears. Many students were shaken by the strong opponent, the blood, the death. Snow had joined the redhead's blade, focus on the female in his brother's arm. When they settled in the school, no one knew what to do, but Ying Yue had to hold himself together.

"Han Mo, let us prepare."

The brunette turned to him and nodded slowly. He had to focus on taking care of the aftermath. He can't focus on what just happened. After, after he can cry.

'I need to tell Ah Li… He, he needs to know.'

"Snow," he called softly and the big cat stood slowly and walked toward him, "Go tell Wang Li. We will… we will send her out tonight."

"Meow," Snow replied in a murmur with big teary eyes.

Ying Yue ran his fingers through the spotted fur and shut his eyes. Letting out a deep breath, he pulled away and went to speak with Nuying, Xu Lan, and the students. He needed to be strong. He had to.

==

(Pang Xi's Home)

Ye Wu moaned and tilted his head to the side, revealing his long pale neck. Licking his lips, he stared down at Pang Xi with heavy lidded eyes. The green haired man smiled amusedly as he fed another piece of loquat into the demon's mouth. Pang Xi laughed softly as he chewed the fruit and leaned down to share the taste. They kissed slowly as he sat straddling the mortal man. The hands on his thighs rubbed up and down, before wrapping around to press on his ass. Pang Xi didn't push him closer or moved against him. The hands just grounded him, kept him warm.

The knock on the door sounded and he hummed confused. Pang Xi stared at the door and tapped his hips for him to get off. Sighing, Ye Wu moved away and watched the green haired man open the door. His red eyes stared at the blonde as brows furrowed up.

"Hello Pang Xi. I… I'd like to speak with Ye Wu, if that is alright?"

"Of course," Pang Xi nodded and turned to the demon. Ye Wu joined him at the door, staring at the blonde.

"Thank You. Ah Wu, can we speak alone?"

"No, we can speak right here," Ye Wu frowned crossing his arms.

He knew the demon wouldn't be happy being interrupted, but Ying Yue knew Wang Li would want to be there when they… when they send Li Hien off. Swallowing and trying to gather his voice, he looked straight red eyes.

"Li Hien had died. We will be sending her off tonight."

"I see."

Ye Wu sighed and looked at the green haired man. Grabbing the pretty face, he kissed his lover deeply and pulled away with a sigh.

"I must go, Ah Xi. I will return tomorrow."

"Alright," Pang Xi smiled and placed another kiss on those red lips. He watched the blonde bowed to him as he followed Ye Wu. Closing the door, Pang Xi covered his forehead with his hand and slid to the floor. He had been holding back because he didn't want the red eyed man to worry, but it was coming nearer. Letting out a sigh, he closed his pale golden eyes hoping he would still be here when Ye Wu returned.

==

(Lake)

Ying Yue observed Fu Shen's fisted hands and straight face, Li Chu's swollen eyes and red splotches against her cheeks from constantly crying, and Xu Ling's avoidance of their eyes. He does not know how many times he could hold them, tell them Li Hien will be with the Heavens, comfort them as much as he knew how until they felt better. The student who felt she was a fault for Li Hien's death did not eat or speak and he worried for her.

'I should have prepared for this,' he reprimanded himself.

Xu Lan, his pink haired nephew, and Nuying did their best to comfort the children and the redhead. Han Mo did his best to help Fu Shen and Li Chu, but it was as if they closed themselves from the world.

'This… this worry must be how my brothers and nephew felt when I… when Wang Li was gone from me.'

'Ah Li... Where are you?'