“Oh. Ohhh… Buddha’s tears,” Tou He said as he looked around at the foreboding surroundings. He gulped and clutched his tong fas tighter, the pair of half-T short sticks a polished burgundy wood. “We should run faster.”
“Trying,” Wu Ying said then shut up, saving his breath.
Hours. Lunch was eaten on the run, passed from one cultivator to another. The pieces of meat and congealed, glutinous rice were wrapped in green leaves for freshness. The food tasted strange, having been stored and reconstituted from the enchanted storage rings, but in these circumstances, it was the perfect supplement. Eventually, as Wu Ying and the other lower-level cultivators trailed farther and farther behind the group, Chao Kun made another appearance with bottles of pills.
“These are chi restoration pills,” Chao Kun said. “Place under your tongue. Do not chew. Let it dissolve slowly and pull the energy into you. There are three pills in each bottle. Only use them when you are low.”
“Thank you, Senior,” Wu Ying and the other cultivators chorused.
“No need. This is from Elder Wei.”
Wu Ying hesitated, but after seeing how the other cultivators perked up the moment they placed the pills under their tongue, he took one out and used it. The first thing that struck him as he closed his mouth was how bitter the concoction was, making his face pucker up. The next was the surprising fruity fragrance that filled his mouth. As Chao Kun urged them onward, Wu Ying took off running, breathing through his nose and drawing forth the chi the pill released into his body. The chi from the pill was unaspected, ensuring all of them could make full use of it. Wu Ying knew the aspected cultivators would make less optimal use of the pills than he did, but then again, they were of higher cultivation level. So it probably all balanced out.
Given a second wind, the group sped up, leaving their surprised pursuers behind for an hour, but soon, the clash of weapon and shield surrounded the group once more. This time around, the tempo of the shieldbeat had increased and synchronized. Each clashing filled the forest, pushing at Wu Ying’s chest with the force of their impact.
“Get ready,” Li Yao, who had taken her turn running beside the slowest of the group, warned the cultivators. “They’ll be coming soon.”
Wu Ying nodded, his jaw clenching tightly. All around, he saw the guards pulling in close to the expedition group.
“Hurry up. We’re nearly there!” Elder Po’s voice came from the front, drawing their attention.
When Wu Ying mouthed “Where?” to Li Yao, the cultivator shrugged.
But in answer to Elder Po’s declaration, the entire expedition sped up again. Wu Ying fumbled for a second, tossing his second pill from Elder Wei’s stash into his mouth and storing the pill bottle. It was a waste in a way, for Wu Ying could tell he had not fully assimilated the first pill. Worse, the continued use of the pills would leave toxins and impurities in his meridians, forcing him to extend his cultivation time.
But better a longer Body Cleansing than dead.
The first attack came from their right, a trio of impatient xing tian charging forth from the undergrowth. Tou He and the other pair of cultivators on the right flank took the attack straight-on, never breaking their stride. One threw a curving metal disc that slipped above a shield, tearing off a xing tian’s ear as it blinded its target. A second guard fired bolts from a repeating crossbow[25] and peppered a xing tian who managed to block all but two of the bolts. Unfortunately for the monster, the cultivator had poisoned the bolts, and the demon stumbled as the poison entered its bloodstream. Tou He caught the last demon’s descending axe high with the tong fa before hooking the weapon and striking the axe out of the demon’s hand with his other weapon. A quick series of strikes cracked and broke the creature’s knee, allowing Tou He to disengage and catch up with the expedition.
As if the initial attack was a signal, more probing attacks were launched at the group. As the attacks intensified, the group was forced to slow its headlong rush. Wu Ying soon found himself facing off against a pair of xing tian, his sword weaving a defensive formation as he fought off the striking axes. The shields the monsters wielded blocked any attacks he could throw, forcing Wu Ying to constantly retreat and opening a line in their formation.
All around, Wu Ying caught glimpses of various cultivators locked in battle. A porter, smashed to the ground by a shield, gasped his last as an axe buried itself in his chest. Li Yao battled three xing tian by whirling her spear above her head and conjuring a series of ice spikes that cut into her opponents, pinning them in place. As quickly as the demons fell, others took their place.
As the line was about to collapse, Elder Dong appeared, jumping high above their heads. As he spun through the air, he threw a series of inscribed yellow talismans. The talismans unerringly struck the xing tians’ foreheads and carried the demons out of the line before exploding and wreathing their targets in flame. In the brief respite, the cultivators regrouped, breathing heavily and favoring wounds.
“Do not stop. I will hold them off!” Elder Dong directed the group.
In Elder Dong’s hands, his axes appeared before he threw them out to strike and injure the xing tian who had already begun to charge. As one, the remaining members of the expedition took off, heeding the Elder. Wu Ying’s last glimpse of the Elder was Elder Dong slowly backing away, his axes flying from his hands, still burning with flame.
“Will he be okay?” Wu Ying gasped.
“Shut up and run,” Chao Kun ordered with a snarl. But even he threw a worried glance backward.
As the Elders took a direct hand in the running battle, the next few minutes were easier. In short order, Wu Ying found the group slowing down and bunching up. Elder Po fell back to watch their back as Wu Ying saw the reason for the expedition stopping. A wide canyon lay before them, separating one mountainside from the other. Between the two, from far below came the light rumble of water.
“What are we going to do?” one of the cultivators said.
Already, the rhythmic drumming of the xing tian approached. Wu Ying looked behind, seeing nothing but undergrowth and the thin line of combat cultivators.
“Relax. Once we cross, the xing tian will not be able to harm us,” Liu Tsong said.
“But how will we cross!” the same worrywart cried out.
In answer, Liu Tsong pointed at the edge of the canyon, where Elder Li and Ru Ping stood. Elder Li continually struck her cane on the ground, and as Wu Ying watched, earth formed and added to the dirt beneath Ru Ping’s feet. The man strode forward, dispersing seeds before him that fell and grew, anchoring the formed earth and creating a green-carpeted bridge. As the pair walked forward, the bridge formed beneath their feet.
The remaining members of the group stared in awe for countless seconds before Chao Kun’s voice cut in. “This is not the time. Watch yourself. The xing tian will attack us for real once they realize we are trapped.”
“And we’re down one Elder already,” Tou He said.
As if to punctuate his words, sudden explosions erupted from the treeline. Elder Dong stumbled out of the vegetation, past the line of guards who parted to let him through. Li Yao grasped the Elder and held her cold hands over his bleeding wounds, freezing the blood that dripped from the injured Elder.
“Do not worry, child. It’s mostly superficial,” Elder Dong said, chest heaving as he drew in air.
The Elder made no move to stop Li Yao however, allowing her to continue her ministrations. Once Elder Dong caught his breath, he fumbled out a healing pill and swallowed it, closing his eyes to cultivate and heal.