Remembering You For Eternity

2.35 Return of The Yin Maiden (2)

"The atmosphere in town is very subdued," was what YuLan thought as soon as she stepped foot into the gates of Ru'an.

Looking from behind her veil, she looked at the long line of visitors that were still awaiting for security clearance at the gates. For her though, her access into town had been fast-tracked; the soldiers that were guarding the gates did not cause her any trouble. One of the soldiers had one look at her sect's robe she was wearing and he smiled amiably,

"Exalted Daoist, please stay for as long as you wish. Ping sect is our benefactor, having rid Ru'an of Daemons."

YuLan's heart thumped as she lifted her veil upon hearing the soldier's words. The appearance of her uncovered face caused the soldier to startle for a split second,

"Sir, does that mean my martial siblings are in town?"

The soldier blinked and stammered his incoherent response, causing his superior to nudge him with his elbow. The older gentleman smiled at YuLan,

"Exalted One is correct. A few Daoists wearing the same robe and insignia as yours had stayed in Ru'an, along with a few other sects' Daoists. This one believes that amongst them, were Daoists from from Wu Shan sect and Hui Lin sect."

YuLan's eyes brightened at the mention of Wu Shan sect. She had been travelling for days without stop, trying to catch up to her martial sisters and friends. From Sage Hu Lan, she found out the last location of Cao Lu, but after the latter's last known location, Cao Lu had not sent any news back to the sect. YuLan could only try to gather information from villages and towns she passed to find out their whereabouts.

It seemed to be her great luck as well that Wu Shan sect – hopefully Zuo ZhouLei was amongst them – seemed to be travelling together with her martial sisters.

"Ah, but they have left town just a couple of days back, have they not?" The younger guard reminded his superior.

YuLan's spirit quickly deflated like a pierced balloon.

She had been stuck in Ping sect for eight years, and as soon as she woke up from her dreamscape that granted her the ascension to Sageism in the shortest time possible, – if such duration could be called as short – all she could think of was Zuo ZhouLei. To hell with malice and Daemons. For one who had lived through a couple of lifetimes, to have met her beloved one again, and to have that beloved one so near yet so far – like a carrot being hung by a stick upon a donkey's head... .

"Alright, I am thinking too much," YuLan sighed inwardly. She certainly was no donkey, despite how delicious the carrot-named-Lei would be.

"Surely Lei would understand my absence. Surely, my martial sisters would have told him that I had no choice... ."

The veil covered her face once more, and the older soldier pointed towards a direction,

"Ah, but I recall that a few of them actually stayed behind. There had been a few casualties because of those Daemons. Heavens, I still cannot believe even the town's vice-magistrate was one. I think that among the injured, is one wearing Wu Shan sect's uniform."

YuLan's heart thumped loudly, and though she managed to bow slightly to the soldier as her gratitude for his information – not caring whether or not he saw it, she immediately exerted her qi into her 'Hui', flying at the direction the guard had pointed towards.

"How could I be so absentminded? Now that I pay attention, this qi signature... , belongs to Cao Lu. But, the other two, their energies are erratically fluctuating. I don't know who they are, their qi are much too distorted... . Oh heavens, please don't let it be Lei... ."