Shooting Star [Never Let You Go, Again Book 2]

5: Endurance through time

Lan Wangji's head shot up in shock. "What?" His aura intensified. A sharp, harsh breeze blew around him, picking up leaves and dust, turning the air around him into a cloud of dust and debris. Up above, a massive white fluffy cloud began to turn grey. The true anger of an immortal.

"Remain calm. Not instantaneous danger. Calm down so you can grasp what I say," the Priest requested in a cool voice that eased Lan Zhan's nerves. The sky cleared up and the wind retreated.

"Good. Now, then, I'm guessing it's something to do with the Devil?"

"Yes, Priest. Devil's Trademark."

"Oh, dear. Is that so..." The Priest looked down at the grass.

Lan Wangji strained to remain calm. "What is it, Priest?"

The Priest looked up at him. "The Devil's Trademark can not be banished. It's the logo the Devil leaves on one who'd been possessed by the Devil, to enable it to return and torture the man until the man agrees to a deal. The deal is simply to let the man go if he can sate it. Mind you, the man cannot kill himself because that wouldn't make sense: that's not saving yourself. Also, usually, the Devil tends to manipulate the Trademark bearer to kill someone else. Tends to be the one person closest to his heart."

So this was why Wei Ying didn't want to tell anything he knew. Which also meant he knew all of this. A-Ying... Lan Zhan sighed.

"Priest, would a sacrifice work?"

The Priest smiled knowingly but shook his head. "Depends on your motive."

"Priest?" Lan Zhan didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Immortal One, think carefully. What is your sacrifice? And, exactly what is your motive in sacrificing?"

"Wouldn't sacrificing myself sate the Devil?" Lan Zhan asked.

The Priest smiled at the helplessness and worry in his soft tone, contrasting and clashing with the definite resolve in willingly killing himself. "Of course it will. You and your lover are the closest to each other. So, yes sacrificing yourself to satisfy the fiend will work. But is that your motive?" The monk's eyes were gleaming with wisdom. "Is your motive to sate the Devil? Or to save your lover?"

"Quenching the Devil's thirst would save my lover."

"Wrong."

Lan Zhan started.

"Wrong. Absolutely wrong. Let me ask you something. What would be gained out of satisfying the Devil?"

"A-Ying would be freed from its grasp."

"True. But if that comes at the cost of your life, do you think your love's life will really be saved? Or will they fall into greater despair?"

Lan Zhan blinked as understanding washed over him. Without him, A-Ying would lose his sanity anyway. He slowly nodded. "Then what am I to do?"

"The greatest solution would have been to satiate the Devil, and by doing so, save your love. But since both can't be done together, then that solution is no longer valid. The one thing possible would be... Immortal One, may I know who you are?"

"Lan Wangji. Yin Yue Xian."

The Priest smiled and nodded. "And this afflicted man is your husband? Xingguang Xian?"

"Yes." Lan Zhan bowed his head.

"Then you need not worry so much."

Lan Zhan looked up again, golden orbs glimmering with curiosity.