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

34: He Missed You

Wei Wuxian was the first to jump off Bichen when they neared the lass. A young girl sat on the ground, curled up into a ball, screaming. While Lan Zhan sheathed Bichen, Wei Ying ran to the girl and knelt down before her. "Young Mistress, what is it?" He asked, gently gripping her elbows to make her come to her senses.

The girl shook her head, mumbling something. Wei Wuxian leant in to listen.

"Please don't kill me, please don't kill me..."

"Little one, I won't harm you. Look at me, I'm a friend! I'm here to help! We both are," Wei Wuxian gripped her elbows slightly tighter.

She raised her face to look at the speaker. Face pale with fear, eyes leaking like running water, tiny frame trembling, she blinked at the smiling man looking into her almond eyes. She looked around to find another man in white, tall and glorious, standing beside the first. One felt as warm and welcoming as sunshine in its human form, while the other radiated a calming coolness. Together, their presence made the little girl feel uplifted and at ease. She smiled through her tears at the friendly faces.

"Hm? You look familiar, little girl," Wei Wuxian mumbled. "Calm down now. We're here to help, you can trust us. See this?"

The friendly man held up a gleaming black flute with a bright red tassel hanging from its end. The girl gasped. "Chenqing? You're Master Wei!"

Wei Wuxian blinked. "Er... Well, I did expect you to say one of the hundred titles but... Oh wait, I know you!" He pointed a finger at the smiling girl. "You're the little girl I met my last time here! I was injured and you took me to your mother who treated me?"

The girl beamed and nodded.

"Thank you," the taller man nodded to her.

She nodded back. Him thanking her for saving Master Wei was enough for her to guess his identity even without the white robes and sword and zither. "Yin Yue Xian?"

"Mn."

"Now you trust us?" Wei Wuxian asked her.

She nodded. "The thing took Mother. It wasn't an animal. A tall, big man with grey skin."

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Black lines running up his neck?"

The girl nodded. "It's a fierce corpse, isn't it, Master Wei?"

Wei Wuxian nodded. "You stay here. A-Zhan darling," he turned to his husband, "Will you stay here to protect her? Don't talk of coming with me, it's just a fierce corpse and you know who I am," he winked both to his husband and friend before leaping up onto a branch high above.

He peeked over the canopy to see the corpse running far away. Smirking confidently, he gripped Chenqing and leapfrogged from tree to tree towards the undead culprit. The corpse, sensing the threat approaching him, picked up pace. Wei Wuxian was horrified to see the good lady who had treated him lying on the ground, unconscious. "Oh no, corpse poisoning. Never mind, I'll get her first," Wei Wuxian muttered under his breath before jumping onto the ground beside the woman. With Chenqing at his lips, he played out an eerie manipulative melody. Two minutes passed before the corpse skidded to a halt. It trembled rapidly as it tried to resist the draw of the melody. But alas, not even the Ghost General could outlast the command of Chenqing; so round it spun, dazedly walking towards the Corpse Caller and Demon Master. While playing Chenqing, Wei Wuxian slipped his left hand's third finger to rub against Chenqing. Out flew a black threadlike spirit, shooting straight into the corpse's chest. The man stilled.

Wei Wuxian leered as he took Chenqing away from his mouth and gripped Heixing. Twist! went both ring and neck.

"Yes!" Wei Wuxian leapt in joy. A-Zhan! It works!