It was the first time that a kiss felt like a kiss. It tasted like mint as his mind slowly unwound in the freshness of it. Maybe the kiss was too tender that Mo XuanYu felt drifting away into the cloud of drowsiness. 

Before,he had always been violated, being forced into submission, raped  and abused in front of many eyes. It was the first time, Sang Xi has touched him in such an intimate way that Mo XuanYu had found himself melting in  his arms. 

The moments later he could only hear faint voices as his eyes slowly shut down. 

"..S-sang...Xi..." Mo Xuanyu muttered as he fainted in Nie Huaisang's arm. 

"Take him to The Stone Castle." Nie Huaisang called the guards and handed Mo Xuanyu to them. 

When they were out of sight, Nie Huaisang took out grub out of his mouth and throw it away. It was the sleeping medicine wrapped in mint leaves. 

"I'm sorry Mo-Xiong, I promise it will end soon." Nie Huaisang whispered to himself and took out his blade. 

With a sabar in his hand, Nie Huaisang finally stepped out!

. . .

Even when the juniors searched high and low, they couldn't find Lan Shizui. They needed him to see the Music score so he could distinguish between the right and wrong melody. They thought he was with Hanguang-Jun. When not there, they looked for Ghost General but Lan Shizui was no where to be found, not even in the burial grounds.

it was then that the Ghost General realized something and without even explaining himself to anyone, he dashed into the direction of Yingchuan Wang Sect.

. . .

He had no idea how long he's been there, the darkness messed up his sense of time and the smell of his own blood disturbed his thoughts. But if there was one thing he was sure of then it was that the Yi Weichun  brought him to such a place. 

"I see that little Wen is awake." Yi Weichun entered the bloody chambered. It was where most of the people were tortured. 

"Here I brought you some food." Yi Weichun forced the bread lobe into his mouth.

"Aren't you gonna... set an example... out of me.... w-why... bother feeding me?"Wen Yuan said between the pants. Wen Yuan was kidnapped on the same day Lan Jingyi went for Baling Ouyang Sect. It was also the day when Jin Ling confessed his love and Lan Shizui snapped at him for the first time. Lan Shizui didn't recall how it happened, he went to buy Ten zi xiao  just like his father would but the sudden darkness engulfed his eyes. 

"It's quite the contrary, do you know what is happening in the cultivation world right now?" Yi Weichun traced his Jian over Wen Yuan's naked body. His wrists were sore because of chains and his eyes were covered with the black band. Wen Yuan twitched a little as the cold blade touched his wounds. He was filled with scratches and scrapes. Without waiting for his reply Yi Weichun continued,

"The war."

"Do you think you're strong enough to take down the Great four sects?" Wen Yuan said with clear annoyance in his tone. 

"Great 4 sects Hahahaha, don't make me laugh! you really don't know a thing or do you pretend to be innocent Wen Yuan?" Yi Weichun almost pierced his blade into Wen Yuan's skin making him flinch in pain. 

"Allow me to enlighten you Young Master Wen," 

"Qinghe Nie sect, do you think the cultivators didn't notice the arrays placed all over the Unclean  Realm? The cultivators dare not to risk anything again by submitting to oppression. Despite everything the leader is still a head shaker." 

"LanLing Jin sect has the most enemies, I mean who's to blame? the cultivator world lost too much to the atrocity of previous two sect leaders. The entire world is aware of what happened to Tingshan He sect. How much do you think can the Leiling Qin Sect could protect sect leader Jin?" 

"The Gusu Lan Sect, the most hypocrite sect of all, they would sacrifice anything and everything in the name of righteousness. Have  you wonder why the Moling Su sect was quiet till now? it was only a matter of time before they prepared to avenge for their sect leader Su She."

"Many Cultivators are envious of Yunmeng Jiang Sect. The Teenage who rebuilt his entire sect out of plain dirt.They wholeheartedly believe that Yunmeng JIang sect has been hiding treasures like a second Yiling Laozu, otherwise how could a mere child raised the sect so high? Do you think they would let go of a chance when the Sect leader himself is away and let me tell you about Meishan Yu sect, it was successfully conquered thanks to your friends. They made it easier for us to invade it, while they Heroically kept fighting the Gonggong. The Yao Sect and Baling Ouyang sect don't even stand a chance against the resources we robbed from Meishan Yu sect." 

"All the great 4 sects are under Siege! and the fun part is, The Ying ChuanWang sect is not participating in any of those." 

As much as Wen Yuan wanted  to struggle and strife he couldn't. Even the tiny seed of hatred is enough to sprout a tree of evil. Little things add to create great asset and the worst thing was that the Coronation of Sect Leader Nie gave many mouths the chance to spread these little seeds. 

Sect Leader Lan and Sect Leader Jiang were away, Hanguang Jun was ill. Even though Lan Qiren was strong, he was old. The Yiling Patriarch was no where on the mortal realm. Who would protect all the sects? Ghost General ? who needed  Yiling Patriarch to unlock his true powers or the Juniors? who brought nothing but trouble? 

"And you want to provoke the sects by evoking their hatred for Wens through me? " Wen Yuan had already lost too much, with everything in chaos who was he to fight? The least he  wanted to know was where he stood in the grand scheme of things.

"Didn't I tell you, its  quite the contrary. You Young master Wen will be the leader of  us all. The Qishan Wen sect will revive again!" 

[Continuation in ch 44]

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Sorry for the errors  and thank you for reading.