Ji Wen's body turned ice-cold as the whip sword wrapped around his ankles slowly slid upwards like a snake coiling around his body. The chill spreading all over his body was out of fear but how could he be afraid of his own son? That didn't make sense at all.
Ji Yao could also sense his uneasiness but he didn't really want to hurt his father. He merely wanted to stop him from hurting Rui Fei so he restrained him. It's just that knowing his father was a little terrified of him made him feel a little upset.
Tightening his jaw he swallowed down his turbid emotions before saying, "Fath... it really breaks my heart knowing that you are a little afraid of me.... I, I just want to stop you from hurting him."
The more he spoke the more his voice sounded aggrieved. He had done his best to take care of things in his father's absence only to have his boyfriend chased around with a broom as soon as he met his parents. How can he not be angry?
Ji Wen who had mostly been met by an indifferent cold face or angry gaze when facing his son turned his head slightly to look at Ji Yao's face. He hadn't seen his son this aggrieved before. He couldn't understand how his son could fall in love with the same sex but other than himself this was the first time he had seen Ji Yao care about someone.
His eyes stung a little as he shifted his gaze to his wife who was suppressing Huishe Yue to get to Rui Fei. They both hadn't done right by Ji Yao and were still doing him wrong despite having proved himself countless times. His son was sensible and never blamed him for all his wrongs so why couldn't he be reasonable as well?
Ji Wen's heart softened with his taut muscles relaxing. He couldn't believe that he was just about to go against his wife. Call him stupid but he really wanted his son to be happy. "*Sigh.... I will stop her," he said and in response, Ji Yao instantly loosened his grip before letting him go.
Ji Wen raked his fingers through his hair as he exhaled sharply. Maybe he was building his courage to go against his wife or he was trying to suppress the urge to beat up Rui Fei that his expression looked grim. "I will stop her on one condition..." he said pointing at his son.
Ji Yao who had just convinced his father to help him felt a lump stuck on his throat as he stared at him intently. He unconsciously rubbed his palm with a slight look of nervousness.
Seeing his nervous look Ji Wen was satisfied. He placed his hand on Ji Yao's shoulder and tightly gripped it before saying, "I get to strike him with lightning once and.... that you don't share a room, cabin or even sleep under the same rock until I figure this out."
Ji Yao, "..."
"That's more than one condition," he said thinking Rui Fei would be more inclined to the first condition rather than the second. Even he was unwilling to sleep in separate beds with Rui Fei let alone sleeping in separate rooms.
"Fine, they are two conditions and it's up to you to take it or leave it," said Ji Wen as he removed his hand from Ji Yao's shoulder, "you can just watch your boyfri- haa... that boy turned into grilled skewer."
Ji Yao harshly bit his lower lip as he averted his gaze. "Fine," he said his head lowered with a layer of mist in his eyes. He just hoped his father won't be too harsh in his strike.
A gratified smile appeared on Ji Wen's face as he leaned backwards and flipped his body mid-air before diving downwards towards Qilin Hao. Ji Yao was about to follow when he heard a whisper in the violent wind.
At first, he thought it was his illusion but the faint voice spoke to him once more. It sounded like the soothing sound of wind chimes on a calm summer night calling out to him. The language was somewhat familiar to him but how he could understand it he had no idea.
In a trance, Ji Yao subconsciously turned around staring blankly into the horizon obscured by violent dark clouds and vicious tides. As he aimlessly stood there he felt something moving in his storage threatening to break out.
Fearing his ring would get shattered if this continued he opened it and out came the five keystones each illuminating a bright glow. Vexed Ji Yao studied the five stones hovering in the palm of his hands. Despite studying it for a very long time he still couldn't fathom what was happening.
Qilin Hao had been so focused on thrashing this Huishe that she didn't notice when the keystones in her possession suddenly vanished only to reappear in Ji Yao's hand completing the set.
Ji Yao's heart began to pound hard against his chest as the seven keystones happily hovered above his palms. The voice amplified in his mind repeating the same phrase over and over again. It was in the language of the Nocru but he could understand it.
"That which has been taken apart.... shall reunite as one.... tearing open the veil between....," spoke the whispering voice over and over again.
Ji Yao who was struck dumb at this point saw a pattern that clearly wasn't there before appearing on the keystones forming an artistic circumference that could whisk one's soul away.
While this was happening the bright lights from the keystones suddenly converged as one and began to slowly seep into his skin before directly flowing into his aetherial veins. Ji Yao wanted to fight it but it seemed he couldn't.
There was no point fighting it as it took over his aether and before he knew it his mind was taken over with the pattern from earlier appearing around the perimeter of his pupils.
Funny enough it was Rui Fei who noticed something was wrong with Ji Yao first. With his uncle protecting him he finally managed to escape this crazy lady only to spot Ji Yao staring blankly into nothingness like a statue.
Concerned he hurried over calling out, "Yao-ge!" but before he could go far his neck was suddenly strangled by a whip sword and tugged backwards. Qilin Hao had spotted the rat trying to slip away so she attacked Huishe Yue with her eternal flame before cracking her whip sword in that kid's direction.
She harshly tugged the whip sword as a blazing flame spread from the hilt to where it was wound around Rui Fei's neck. The flame spread exponentially her intent clear. Ji Wen who had been shoved aside by Qilin Hao got back at his feet wondering what his son was doing.. He thought he would follow behind and help him separate these three but apparently not.