" Wen qianbei what is wrong?"

The Juniors were following Ghost General to Yingchuan Wang sect, when suddenly he stopped, sensing something.

"We are surrounded." Ghost General said.

"What do you mean?" Ouyang Zizhen asked.

"Stay quiet and on guard."

The juniors unsheathed their blades and formed a kill circle joining each other's back. There were mild rustles of leaves and sound of footsteps slowly growing closer. They all held their breaths and prepared themselves for anything to come.

"There are more than 20 people." Ghost General provided.

A talisman flew in their direction and Ghost General sliced it in two and the moment he did it, clouds of smoke surrounded them, blinded them of their directions.

"Is everyone alright?" Wen Ning asked and there was no response. He would be coughing hard in the smoke, had he not been dead. He looked around but there were thick clouds of smoke everywhere. He couldn't sense a thing. He blindingly moved around, trying to find the juniors. There was a sudden beam of light which hit Wen Ning straight to where his heart would be. Wen Ning stumbled a little and steadied himself. He patted the area where the light had hit but there was no wound no nothing. In fact, Wen Ning felt....happy?

"Wen Qianbei!" Ouyang Zizhen asked but the only reply he got was the silence of the smoke. He called again and this time he was replied with a voice.

'Ouyang Zizhen of Baling Ouyang Sect.'

Ouyang Zizhen didn't recognize this voice and become steady at once, he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from.

'The first born and soon to be the Sect Leader.'

"Who are you?"

'But always rebels against his father, what an ungrateful child.'

Ouyang Zizhen didn't falter, he held his blade high, ready to pounce the moment he saw any changes.

'Studying Jiaohuan to retrieve the soul of young Miaden A-Qing.'

"How do you know that?" Ouyang Zizhen thought it was his inner voice at first, but he wouldn't want his inner voice to be this unpleasant.

'Madly in love but only to be heart broken.'

"What do you mean?"

'Poor child, doesn't even know that Maiden A Qing has embraced the Earth.'

The fear creeped on Ouyang Zizhen, thinking the possibility of it happening. He had been studying so much just to bring back maiden A Qing. But if she returned to the Earth, there would be no way to bring her back.

"You're lying!"

'I guarantee you I'm not. You could ask Daozhang Zichen, he himself bid farewell.'

"Shut up! Shut up! Stop lying!"

Ouyang Zizhen begun to cut through the smoke only to be sunk deeper into it.

'What a great future leader! Can't even protect the maiden he loves.'

Shut up!

The terror had completely over powered him. The loss of love was so heavy that his blade fell on the ground and so did he.

"If this is a joke then it's a bad one, come out Zizhen!" Lan Jingyi called but to no avail there was not even a single soul beside him. He mounted his blade to raise to the sky but the heavy smoke pulled him back.

'That boy had fallen.'

Came a voice which made Lan Jingyi jump in surprise.

"W-who are you? And what do you mean by that?"

'Exactly that, The boy you spoke of has fallen.'

"Zizhen? Where is he? Can you take me there?"

'Why would I take you there?'

"Aren't you my secret guardian to guide me through the dark?"

'A what?'

"Fine no need to be salty, I'll find him myself. Just give me a hint."

'...'

"Hey don't disappear! It's too boring otherwise."

'...'

"Fine! don't talk!" Lan Jingyi humped at the rude voice of his imagined guardian.

'The boy you fell in love with has fallen.'

"Aiyaaa sshhshhhhs!!! What if he hears you!"

'...'

"Tell you what, you keep this a secret and I'll let you pet Huangang Jun's bunnies, they are really soft!"

'...'

The voice gave up and disappeared.

Jin Ling blindingly waved his hands around to make the smoke disappear but suddenly he saw a figure, he made his way closer cautiously taking every step but that figure turned out to be a tree and bumped on it crashing to the ground.

Aish!

When he fell to the ground, his eyes landed on his bell! Right his bell had the power to calm the mind and protect him from low level beings. So, he rang it!

And it did the trick. The smoke lifted up and the three were united again.

Wait three!?

"Zizhen!!"

Lan Jingyi shouted when he saw him captured by the Yi Weichun. Now he understood what the voice was trying to say and even whom the voice belonged to.

"Well that was quick!" Yi Weichun had his blade right on Ouyang Zizhen's throat, ready to slice any moment. Ouyang Zizhen looked broke, like the life itself had been sucked out of him.

Ghost General made a shield with his body in front of the other juniors. But they soon were surrounded by the rows of Corpses.

"How are you controlling the corpses?" Jin Ling asked annoyed by the view around him.

"Why? Can't I control them?" Yi Weichun smirked.

"No! only-"

"Only Yiling Laozu can?" Yi Weichun cut his words. Jin Ling was getting furious. How dare this man try to imitate his Shushu?

"Suddenly it becomes okay for Yiling Laozu to control corpses?" Yi Weichun asked and Jin ling was stunned.

"What are you trying to imply?"

"As I recall, Sect Leader Jin had always hated Demonic Cultivation and Yiling Patriarch even more. After the revealing the truth, it becomes okay for him to use Demonic cultivation? I just find that amusing."

They were all silence, trying to figure out he meant when the man continued again.

"Oh, I get it! Now that he's back, you're going to use him again like how Sect Leader Jiang did in Sun shot campaign and then you're gonna throw him away like a trash again."

"My Jiujiu never used anyone!!" Jing Ling was beyond furious, first this guy imitated his Shushu and now he's insulting his Jiujiu.

"Oh? Then why did he not accept him back?."

"You-" Jin Ling couldn't utter the words, but he knew that his Jiujiu missed Shushu a lot. If he could, he would have welcomed him back with open arms. But they had just lost too much time and the choice was not his alone.

"Let me remind you Sect Leader Jin, you haven't even apologized for stabbing him. And that's the least of your crimes."

But he wanted to! Just as Wei Wuxian apologized to him, he had also wanted to apologize but now he was gone! When would he return? Will he be able to apologize? The guilt was swallowing him alive. he had taken everything for granted, he never thought a day would come when he would pray for Yiling Patriarch to come back. And more than ever he wanted to bring his both uncles together, and maybe become a family again?

"Jin Gongzi, don't listen to him! He's trying to provoke you." Wen Ning said.

"And what about you Dear Pet General! I got news for you, would you like to meet your Jiejie again?"

"What?"

"You heard me, the one and only Wen Qing!"

"Hahahaha You're so deep in the woods, you don't even know what is happening in all the sects." Yi Weichun laughed hysterically

"Shut up! Stop provoking everyone! And let go of Zizhen!" Lan Jingyi had been patiently waiting for Yi Weichun to shut up but he didn't.

"Ah the famous Twin Druzy, except your twin isn't here." Yi Weichun was mocking every one of them, trying to evoke a reaction. Ghost General gestured them to calm down.

If he protected Zizhen, the corpses would attack the others. Wen Ning was thinking of a way, a strategy to save all three of them at the same time.

"Ah don't worry, I will unite all of you with Lan Shizui or should I say Wen Yuan soon."

The three juniors had the shocked look. How did he know of this?

"Where is Shizui?" Jin ling asked, full of rage.

"Oh, Sect Leader Jin, pardon me for the lack of reception. Would a little blood bath be entertaining?" Yi Weichun said and made a small cut on Zizhen's neck.

"Stop!" Lan Jingyi shouted and only then Zizhen realized what was happening around him. The pain in his neck was nothing compared to his broken heart.

"You guys leave! Don't worry about me!" Ouyang Zizhen shouted and Yi Weichun only tightened his grip.

"Now Now, just because your love died, didn't mean you should throw your life away."

Ouyang Zizhen bit his lower lips to hold back the tears that threatened to escape. Jin Ling gasped hearing that statement.

"Maiden A- Qing..."

Now Lan Jingyi realized why Ouyang Zizhen looked so broken. And it made Lan Jingyi's heart churn. He might be dense but he wasn't numb to the pain.

"Zizhen! Don't give up! You studied so much. I'm sure there's a way!!" Lan Jingyi shouted, although previously, he would have wanted Zizhen to give up. But if it meant, that he had to see a broken Zizhen, he would rather have his own heartbroken instead.

Ouyang Zizhen smiled.

he raised his hand and touched the blood that oozed out of his neck then he slid his two fingers from the tip to the hilt of the blade making his captivator paralyzed in his spot.

"You- what did you do to me?" Yi Weichun was frozen like a statue, struggling to move. Ouyang Zizhen carefully moved away from his grasp.

"You're right, I did study too much." Ouyang Zizhen realized he could use that knowledge to his advantage, the study of the souls. He had made Yi Weichun's soul freeze in time, although it will be only efficient for few minutes but it was enough for him to escape.

Wen Ning took advantage of that and begun to slaughter the corpses away, clearing the path for the juniors. But he heard the laughter of the man behind.

"Hahahaha marvelous! How wonderful it is to see the family kill each other!" Yi excitedly announced. He was still under Zizhen's spell but he could do so much as talk.

"What are you trying to imply?" Wen Ning was furious this time. He had enough out of his mouth.

"Aww you don't recognize them? Take a closer look aren't they your family?"

Ghost General immediately turned around to dodge the attack of one of the corpses and his eyes fell on the robes. The Qishan Wen Hanfu! It was dirty to the point that the mud has smeared all the pattern but motifs were there. The Sun motif of Qishan Wen sect. Another corpse slung its arm but Wen Ning wasn't able to move so it hit his face and he landed on the ground.

"Hahaha I spent many months collecting their remains, you should at least greet them properly."

"H-How did you?"

"How did I bring them back without demonic cultivation? I just needed the blood of a pure Wen- Aghh"

Before Yi Weichun could finish his sentence, a punch was landed on his face.

"What did you do to Lan Shizui?" Jin Ling held him by his collar, his eyes bloodshot.

"The numbers of corpses I revived, there's only so much blood he could offer, you can connect the dots- Aghhhh" Jin Ling hit him again and again and again until Ouyang Zizhen stopped him. Lan Jingyi was trying to fend off corpses because Wen Ning was unable to move, too frustrated by what he just learnt.

Can't they let his family rest in peace? How many times, he had to bear with the insults? But they kept disturbing their peace over and over again. The resentment in Wen Ning begun to grow.

"We need to get out of here, Jingyi can't hold any longer." Zizhen urged Jin Ling and ran in the direction of Ghost General. There was a sudden swish of the unknown blade In the air that made the corpses fall on the ground. Taking advantage of that, Lan Jingyi held Ghost General's hand and pushed him along the way. The four of them followed the direction, the unknown blade was leading to. They kept running until they found a cave to hide. There awaited a man who looked like an ordinary human and his daughter, about 5 to 6 years old. They gestured them to come inside and they offered them water to calm themselves.

They all were somewhat lost in their own thoughts and voice broke them off of their trance.

"Wen Qiongling." It was a female's voice. Wen Ning looked up to see and immediately called,

"Mian Mian!"

"Yes!" came the reply from the daughter instead.

"Why are you calling my daughter's name?" The father pulled his daughter closer protectively.

The older lady chuckled and sheathed her blade. The juniors recognized the blade, it was the one that led them here. So, she protected them. Lan Jingyi and Ouyang Zizhen wondered if she was one of the cultivators from Meishan Yu Sect. Upon a closer look, Jin Ling however recognized the blade.

"Your blade!" Jin ling almost shouted. The blade was forged in Lan Ling Jin sect, no doubt about it.

The female cultivator smiled and bowed to everyone,

"I'm Luo Qingyang of Guangling, former disciple of Lan Ling Jin sect."

The Juniors gasped.

Luo Qingyang sat next to Wen Qionling and patted his shoulder in comfort. She took out her fragrance pouch which looked oddly similar to Hanguang Jun's money pouch. Wen Qiongling took it from her and begun to rummage inside, looking for something.

The juniors were staring at them, thinking about the endless possibilities of their relationships when Ghost General said,

"She's married and has a daughter, now form a line so I can treat your wounds."

The juniors all gave awkward smile, were they that obvious?

Wen Ning was cleaning the wound on the Ouyang Zizhen's neck and asked,

"We can't be too sure about what Yi Weichun said, he might be lying."

Ouyang Zizhen gave a sad sigh

"I know I was being selfish back then but right now I'm worried about Shizui."

"How about we travel by air to Yingchuan Wang sect? If we join our blades then we can carry Senior Wen." Lan JIngyi said.

"Young Masters, you don't know what is happening out there, do you?" Luo Qingyang asked them crossing her arms. They all looked at her inquisitively.

"How bad is it?" Wen Ning asked.

"Bad enough! You could say, it's another Sun Shot Campaign."

There was silence, When they left everything was fine. How did it go so wrong in such short about of time?

"They have the Moon Oracle." Luo Qingyang said.

"But that's my-" Jin Ling spoke up only to be cut by the female cultivator.

"Yes, Meishan Yu sect had fallen. Madam Luo and cultivators managed to save some of the scrolls and scriptures but all in all it's like a second Louts fall."

The four them didn't believe. It was too unreal.

"That is not all. Every sect is surrounded by either rogue cultivators or fierce corpses."

"What!?"

The war they had spoken of came too soon. They weren't prepared but when did war came with an invitation. The worst part was, the sect leaders of Lan, Jiang and Jin sects were away.

Should they go back to their sects and protect it or should they find and rescue Shizui?

"We need to rescue Shizui immediately!" came a voice from twin druzy. He was not willing to leave the battle field unless with his twin. They had sworn to be together through thick or thin.

"Young Master, I understand that you want to save your friend but right now we need to think rationally rather than emotionally." Luo Qinyang advised but the juniors refused to listen.

"Listen to me, you guys go back to your sects and protect it. I will go alone and save A- Yuan." Wen Ning said. The juniors refused.

"I will go with him." Luo Qingyang said.

The juniors looked at Wen Ning with pleading eyes. Wen Ning sat in front of him and patted their heads.

"I promise I will bring back A-Yuan. Right now, your people need you! It's time to pay them back for the love they have given you." Wen Ning said and unknowingly, his lips had curled up, forming a sweet smile. The juniors stared at him with shock but they quickly melted into it and agreed to return back.

The corpses can't feel.

Wen Ning gave them extra medicine, in case of sudden injury and advised them to not fly In open sky. They should rather use trees to hide and not be impulsive to attack if they spot enemy. The juniors obediently listened and one by one they all flew away.

"I assume you have a plan?" Luo Qingyang asked. Wen Qiongling looked at the figure of father and daughter who were playing together with a mini bow and arrow as if, playing during night hunt was the most normal thing for them.

"What about them? Will they come along?"

"They will!"

Wen Qiongling looked at her in confused.

"It's not a suicide mission, they will be fine. They have accompanied me many times."

"But-"

"Even the most capable of cultivators becomes helpless? Trust me Master Wen, the things normal humans can do we can't even imagine."

Wen Ning was shocked, confused and worried. How come this maiden know what he was thinking? Was she a mind reader?

Luo Qingyang chuckled.

"Master Wen, I am not a mind reader. I always thought corpses can't express emotions but you've been clearly showing what you feel. Maybe there are exception? we all know how Master Wei was."

Now that she had mentioned, Wen Ning begun to wonder as well. He had been feeling, different things. He remembered being frustrated and angry and even warm and happy. He begun to feel strange ever since...that light in the smoke.

Was that also why, Yi Weichun said so many things about them? How did he know so much?

Oracle of the moon.

Wen Ning suddenly remembered. And that was probably how they knew so much about them. Oracle of the Moon was the celestial tool. Back when Moon was the place of souls, the Oracle was bestowed upon them for spirituality and protection. When cultivation developed, people stopped asking moon and hence the Oracle was no longer used. With long and hard politics, it probably ended up in Meishan Yu sect and now it was with Yingchuan Wang sect. And if they really have the Oracle then those corpses...

"We need to think of a plan to enter Yingchuan Wang sect." Wen Ning said. They needed to find A-Yuan at all cost.

"Mommy can I help?" little Mianmian asked with the bow in her hands.

Ah!

Luo Qinyang thought of a plan and she discussed it with Wen Qiongling and other.

. . .

The three of them made a stop when they saw Diety Binding nets hanging on an odd tree. But instead of any ghouls or monsters, there were children trapped in.

Song Lan wrote down with his sword.

'it is a trap, be careful.'

The two sect leaders nodded and decided to observe a little first.

Upon the closer look they realized that it was the tree of Penghou; the Tree spirit that meant there was no danger to them. Song Lan made his way towards deity binding nets and rescued the two children when suddenly a light beam struck him to the place where his frost mark was. Song Lan stumbled a little and steadied himself.

"Are you okay uncle?" asked one of the children. The children looked terrified of the corpse but were worried at the same time. Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng immediately stepped out and checked the kids for injuries. Song Lan didn't know why but there was burning sensation in his mouth and some sort of pain where his frost mark was.

"Is uncle okay?" The Younger child asked whom Jiang cheng was holding. Jiang Cheng also didn't know what was wrong with him, in fact there were many questions in his mind.

How did the children come here? Why did Penghou trap them? What was happening to song Lan? But to ease the little creature in his hand, Sandu Shengshou eased his face muscles and smiled.

"He's alright. What about you? Are you hurt?" the child in his arm nodded and cuddled into him for comfort. He had been scared from the events.

Lan Xichen was staring without blinking. How could someone smile so beautifully? The child, Lan Xichen was holding slipped through his grip and went towards Song Lan. He placed his tiny hand on his (SL) cheeks.

"It's alright, Mommy said if you be good then gods will take away the pain."

Despite how hard it was, Song Lan endured the pain and smiled at the children. Song Lan didn't know why but he could see his siblings and A Qing in every children he saw.

The two sect leaders investigated the area, specially the Penghou. While Song Lan was resting under the tree with the two children. They were Er wa and Sang pang from Liyang. They were far from home and the only thing they could clearly describe was that they were playing by the river when they heard noises from the town. They were going by when Er Wa, the younger slipped and fell into the river so Sang Pang was trying to help him. They didn't know how they were captured in the Diety binding nets. But it was easy for the 3 elders to guess. The Penghou fetched them from the river and brought them here where it was safe. But from what? And what were those noises they spoke of?

Jiang Cheng was sighing and preparing the talisman and Lan Xichen was on guard incase the cause of those noises appeared.

"Wanyin, don't worry. Sect Leader Jin would be alright."

Jiang Cheng didn't say thing but sighed again. Jiang Cheng wasn't worried, he was scared. Scared of something terrible to happen to his nephew. He had this bad feeling crawling up in his stomach and it was making him restless.

After preparing the talisman, Jiang Cheng handed it to Lan Xichen. He took it and placed it at the heart of the tree and then the Penghou changed its form.

Penghou was the shape shifting tree spirit, mostly of a tail less dog. Jiang Cheng's face grew softer when he saw the spirit Dog and it didn't escape Lan Xichen's eyes. Jiang Cheng caressed the spirit and ruffled its fur, familiarizing it with himself.

Lan Xichen could help but ask

"Wanyin, you like dogs?"

"Mn" came a simple reply.

Lan Xichen was smiling fondly, the way Jiang Cheng was patting the spirit so softly and full of love. It might be to familiarize the spirit so it will answer their questions but Lan Xichen could see the genuine affection in Jiang Cheng's eyes. If cultivators saw him with the dog then what would they think of him? Will they still call him Sandu Shengshou?

"Wanyin, why don't you adopt one?" Lan Xichen was beaming, absorbing the radiating warmth that escaped out of Jiang Cheng. But Lan Xichen couldn't have predicted the reply which Jiang Cheng gave him.

"And give Wei Wuxian another reason to not step in the Lotus Pier?"

"ah!"

Was all Lan Xichen could say. He suddenly recalled that Wangji especially requested Shufu to add another rule into the Wall.

Dogs are forbidden in Cloud Recess.

And now it made sense, because Young Master Wei was terrified of them. But Jiang Wanyin loved them!

Just like his Golden Core, he was again sacrificing his happiness for his brother. Even in those 13 years, He could have easily adopted one but he didn't.

He had waited for his brother for long, and he was still waiting!

This time, it was Lan Xichen's turn to sigh.

The Penghou was embracing the warmth that Jiang Cheng was showering on it and when he sensed there was no apparent danger he shifted again, this time on his own and took a shape of a human, more precisely an elderly man.

"My child what I can do for you?"

"What happened in Liyang? What did you rescue these children from?" Jiang cheng asked without wasting any time.

"You are deep in the forest, so probably don't know but the world is in war."

"What?!" Lan Xichen and Jiang cheng said in unison.

Penghou told them about the fierce corpses and how the all the sects were engaged in battle with rogue cultivators, each with different motive or revenge.

Jiang Cheng could already guess who would be attacking Lotus Pier, probably those cultivators which Jiang Cheng prisoned for attempting demonic cultivation. While Lan Xichen was aware of Moling Su sect, but he was worried about Wangji.

Penghou informed them about the safest routs to their respective sects and asked them to take care of the children, because he was already old and didn't have much power left. The two sect leaders bowed in gratitude and Penghou shifted back into the tree.

They informed Song Lan about their discovery and Song lan insisted that he would take the children back to Liyang, protect the people from the corpses and the two sect leaders should return back to their respective sects and protect it.

The three agreed and split up!

---------------------------------------

Sorry for Errors.

Explanation Time! (For Real)

I prepared a map to explain it better. (It is 101% wrong.)

First of all, the sects minor and major are distributed all over china. The major 5 sects however are comparatively closer. The associated sects are either, in the same province or pretty close by.

From the top

Like I have explained it previously that the timeline is same but characters are in different locations. Which made you guys confused. And the past flashbacks of dead characters made it even more confusing.

The characters split up to cover more ground to gather information regarding Wei Wuxian's disappearance and along the way they had night hunts and other difficulties.

Group SangXuan

They stayed in Qinghe Nie sect mostly and once travelled to Lanling Jin sect upon invitation of Qin Cangye. Right now, Nie Huaisang is in Qinghe Nie sect protecting his sect against Corpses/rogue cultivators. Mo XuanYu is in Xingle Ridge inside the ancestral burial tomb of Qinghe Nie sect.

Group XiCheng

They travelled to Baixue temple and from there to Celestial mountain and now in Liyang where they met children. (The whole province is not of Liyang, but its somewhere in that province.) Currently they are both heading back to their respective sects. They will split up from Dafan Mountain which I will probably explain in next chapter.

Group Wen brothers

They first went to Yiling, where they had paid respect to the memorial stones for their dead family. Then they visited Yingchuan Wang sect. after they split in Gusu, Lan Shizui was kidnapped in caiyi city.

Group Jingzhen

Jingyi met up with Zizhen in Baling Ouyang Sect from where they travelled to Meishan Yu sect. They met Jin ling and Fang Mengchen there. After defeating Gonngmu they travelled back to Gusu only to find that Shizui had been kidnapped. So they rushed towards Yingchuang Wang sect. Just half way there, they were ambushed, then they met Mianmian. Now the juniors are going back to their respective sects to protect them from attack.

Fang Mengchen decided to follow the Xiang River and ended up close to Baixue Temple where he met Xicheng and then split up to find juniors. Right now where he is, I don't know either.

Jin Ling

He travelled the most. Sometime to Qinghe Nie sect for Mo XuanYu, sometime to Gusu for Lan Shizui and sometime to Lotus Pier and from there to Meishan Yu sect for his Great Grandma Luo. He joined with juniors and Wen Ning and to look for Lan Shizui now returning back his own sect.

Group WangXian

Will reveal very soon.

Thank You!