The next day, every young Master and each disciple from all clans were instructed to sit through joint meditation and lectures. Kang Lei rushed down the hall accidentally bumping into someone. He spun around to see a pretty young woman, wearing a light pink colored robe. Kang Lei lowered his head and bowed, please forgive me my lady, for I was most unkind." The young madam blushed, bowing slightly and continued walking, her servants following behind her, glaring at Kang Lei. Awkwardly, Kang Lei nodded again, and continued down the hall to the lecture room. Running into the room and sitting right before lead clan disciple elder Hai Lu turned around and began the lecture.
"Kang-ge, sp…sssssssp! Kang-ge!" Ba Chen whispered loudly, leaning forward waving his hand like a mad man as he sat four people away and Kang Lei nodded with a smirk.
"Pay attention young Master's, the lecture has started.", said elder disciple Hai Lu, scaring Kang Lei and Ba Chen. The two nodded respectfully and faced forward.
After many hours of lecturing on cultivation, honoring your brothers and unity against evil many of the disciples heads were nodding heavily and suddenly elder disciple Hai Lu stopped talking when he saw a hand go up, "Yes young Master Vu, what is it?"
"I can't help but to notice you've skipped over proper means of cultivation this year.", said Vu Zhan.
"You are quite the scrupulous young Master, but yes, it is not necessary this year.", answered elder disciple Hai Lu.
Hai Yin cut his eye at Vu Zhan; he could smell trouble in the air.
"Why is that?" Vu Zhan said with furrowed brows, "it wouldn't have anything to do with the coming of a new main clan would it?" he finished his words sounding quite rudely.
Kang Lei closed his eyes trying to remain calm, Vu Zhan would attack him whenever he got the chance.
"Things are being revised young Master, it is nothing for you to worry about." said elder disciple Hai Lu.
"If you have something to say, then say it." said Kang Lei and all eyes were suddenly focused on him as whispers filled the room.
"Then I will! Your cultivational methods are blasphemy! The three main clans will never accept you or your sacrilegious clan! They should've burned Kang Yu-Huan alive instead of exiling him!" Vu Zhan said rudely.
"Young Master Vu!" elder disciple Hai suddenly yelled, startling the entire room.
"Hmm!" Vu Zhan said softly, rolling his eyes.
Kang Lei's blood was boiling, and his hands were quaking, saying that he was angry was indeed an understatement. Taking a deep breath and letting out a heavy exhale, he suddenly stood.
"Young Master Kang?" said elder disciple Hai, with his hand tightly gripped on the handle of his sheathed sword, prepared for an attack from the young Master. Seeing that even an elder was afraid of him, Kang Lei roughly cupped his fist, bowing out of respect and exited the lecture hall. He had been instructed over and over to represent the Kang clan, so there was no way he would be able to sit in that room any longer without making a scene.
"Kang Lei!", a voice sounded as he stormed away. Kang Lei sighed and turned around to see Hai Yin running behind him.
"If the elder disciple Hai Lu has sent you on his behalf, don't both..!" Kang Lei began to say, but Hai Yin interrupted him.
"I was sent on no one's behalf." Hai Yin suddenly said cutting in. He then stepped back, cupped his fist and nodded, "Please forgive Vu Zhan and his rudeness. The Vu are a proud clan, they will not bend to another's will so easily."
"It's not like there's no truth to what he says.", said Kang Lei, his brows furrowed, although he looked more hurt than angry. Noticing the look on Kang Lei's face, Hai Yin suddenly grabbed his wrist, and began pulling him as he walked.
"Hey! What are you doing? Let me go!" Kang Lei complained, pulling his arm away.
Hai Yin spun around, his long dark silky hair flowing over his shoulder as he turned, "Roaming during lecture's is forbidden, if you stay here, you will be caught." Kang Lei eyed both sides of his peripheral and then nodded, quickly following behind Hai Yin. The last thing he needed was for clan Leader Kang to be notified of him causing trouble.
After the two had quickly made it out of the lecture hall area of the manor, Hai Yin led Kang Lei through the thicket and past a clearing to the cliff side of the sacred sect. of Mount Grace. Kang Lei walked to the edge of the cliff, getting a quick glimpse of the long way down that could not be seen from the mist the waterfall created. Nervously, Kang Lei stretched one corner of his mouth and stepped back, turning around to Hai Yin.
"What is this? Where have you brought me to?" said Kang Lei.
Hai Yin walked forward bringing himself to the edge of the cliff, so that he and Kang Lei were side by side, facing opposite directions. "This is where I come whether I am happy or sad or if I am simply in need of quiet and seclusion. Since you will be here for a while longer, I will share this space you."
Kang Lei quickly looked toward Hai Yin, "So this is your safe haven? Why would you lend it to an outsider?"
Hai Yin turned his head toward Kang Lei, although dark brown, his eyes were indeed inviting. "I see no outsider among us, my fourth clan brethren."
Kang Lei closed his eyes for a moment and turned around toward the waterfall, "This view is quite magnificent, I thank you."
"There is no need." said Hai Yin with a nod.
"You've been apart of the main clan's your whole life; can we really just expect to ever be accepted?" said Kang Lei.
"The fact that you are here speaks volumes, do not take that lightly.", said Hai Yin.
Kang Lei sighed, "This is true."
"You are different than I thought you'd be.", said Hai Yin.
A big grin suddenly made its way onto Kang Lei's face as he let out a chuckle. "What did you expect of me? To summon devils and commune with the dead?"
A smirk made its way onto Hai Yin's face, "That is not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" said Kang Lei turning toward Hai Yin who still had a smirk on his face.
"You are the heir of the mighty Kang clan, son of the formidable Kang Shu-Huan and Grandson of Kang Yu-Huan, the Father of dark cultivation. I did not imagine you to be such a softy. Sticks and stones young Master Kang." said Hai Yin, his smirk turning into a grin as he bowed to Kang Lei.
"Aye!" said Kang Lei, trying his best to hold in his laughter as he gripped the handle on his sword.
"I am your only friend; would it be wise to attack me?" said Hai Yin as he stepped back, raising his two hands like he was surrendering.
"Touché, you shall live to die another day.", said Kang Lei with a smirk.
Hai Yin walked forward, eyeing Kang Lei's sword carefully, "These strange markings on your sword, do they act as a seal? I've never seen ones such as these."
"Ahh…yes." said Kang Lei removing the sword from his waist and holding it up to Hai Yin's view. Again, Hai Yin examined the sword, narrowing his eyes as he inspected the sheath closely, he could feel the indignant energy radiating from the sword even though it was sheathed. For a moment he zoned out until Kang Lei brought him back by lowering the sword from Hai Yin's vision.
"Fascinating isn't it?" said Kang Lei with a smirk on his face.
Hai Yin blinked a few times before looking at Kang Lei, his voice soothing and his blue eyes acting as a beacon of light for his senses that had grown somewhat clouded by the ominous energy oozing from the sword, how was Kang Lei unaffected?
"Will this seal keep the ferocious spirit confined?" said Hai Yin, concern in his voice.
Kang Lei tossed the sheathed sword up in the air, catching it in his other hand and placing it back on his hip, "This is the Father of dark cultivations own sword, Juntuan –(legion). It has been contained all these years and will remain that way. Completely harmless unless you're my enemy."
Hai Yin's eyes suddenly widened momentarily, "the Fathers sword himself?" he thought. He had heard tales of the evil blade of Kang Yu-Huan, the mighty sword that was rumored to be the dwelling place of many ferocious spirits, and here it was right before his eyes.
Kang Lei could read Hai Yin's sudden change in demeanor, so he turned toward the waterfall, his back now to Hai Yin. "Grandfather was not what people made him out to be. He was a weak man who found his own means of strength. That same man farmed an abandoned land and created a place for outsiders that needed somewhere to belong, somewhere they could exist peacefully. There was no place in the cultivational world for my Grandfather or the people he created a home for so tell me Hai Yin, was it really so sinful to have created his own?"
".…."
Hai Yin closed his eyes for a minute, relaxing his face. The Hai clan had been lectured many times on the tale of the exiled disciple Kang Yu-Huan and his improper use of cultivation and every time he was always made to be at fault. Although his ways were crooked, things had never been put into perspective the way Kang Lei had.
"Should we overlook all of his transgressions as well?", said Hai Yin.
"Rumors, unless one followed him around continuously, where would any of the stories come from?", said Kang Lei.
Hai Yin thought for a minute, lowering his head and raised it back, "Is there nothing forbidden in the Kang clan?"
"There is." said Kang Lei as he turned to Hai Yin. "It is forbidden to offer one's self to a demon or entity, that is what killed him."
Hai Yin lowered his head, "I see."
The mood had grown quite grim until Kang Lei let out a chuckle, and Hai Yin raised his head to see a big grin on his face. "Anyway, I thank you for your company once again. I suppose I should repay you, what would you like?" said Kang Lei leaning forward with both arms placed behind his back in a bit of a teasing manor like he was talking to a child.
"There is no need." said Hai Yin and Kang Lei's grin grew wider, "One day you must allow me to repay your kindness young Master Hai and I will not take no for an answer, or I will feel like I owe you too much. Anyway, I think I'll go take a rest; I doubt any sleep will be had during tonight's hunt." said Kang Lei as he waved his hand while he walked away. Hai Yin smirked as he turned to look at the waterfall, Kang Lei was interesting to say the least.
Later that evening, Clan Leader Kang walked toward the woods of the sacred sect of Mount Grace where the other clans were gathering, his long strides causing his son and disciples following behind him to power walk. "A-Lei.", he suddenly spoke.
"Father?" said Kang Lei.
"Should something of value show itself on this overnight hunt, I wish to see it upon your return." said Clan Leader Kang.
Kang Lei nodded, "yes Father."
The Kang clan made it to the woods where all the other clans were gathering. When everyone had arrived the game Master stepped up, "Now that all clans are present, the overnight hunt will begin. As a risk of precaution, all clan disciples and young masters must partner up!" As the game Master finished speaking, whispers and complaints began to sound throughout the crowd of clans.
Clan Leader Hai raised his hand, silencing everyone at one time, "It is for the safety of our future clan leaders, I'm sure you understand." Instead of whispers, random voices of understanding sounded amongst the clans. Heirs and disciples began to pick their partners and Kang Lei stood awkwardly knowing he wouldn't have any volunteers lining up to be his partner.
Clan leader Kang eyed his son, letting out a heavy exhale, "who will partner with the heir of the Kang clan?" he suddenly said, his deep voice, roaringly echoing through the night, silencing the moderate chatter. With wide eyes Kang Lei sunk behind his Father, embarrassed, by his sudden outburst. A moment of silence passed throughout the clans as they looked back and forth at each other and suddenly an off-white robbed person stepped forward, the light of the moon giving him an angelic like glow as the gentle breeze blew his long dark hair.
"Clan leader Kang, I will be his partner!" Hai Yin said firmly, and whispers sounded throughout the crowd again as he and clan Leader Kang nodded to each other. Clan Leader Hai smiled, proud of his son and nodded to the game master.
The game master nodded and continued, "The hunt is not over until dawn, your goal is to decrease the amount of dark beings dwelling in this section of the forest, began!"
"Do not forget what I have told you A-Lei.", said Clan Leader Kang.
"Yes Father." said Kang Lei, as he and Hai Yin nodded to each other before making their way into the woods.
The young masters and disciples made their way into the deep dark woods, each pair close knitted and on guard, this part of the woods only being used for night hunting purposes such as this.
Kang Lei and Hai Yin walked side by side, their hands tight on their sword ready to draw at any moment, but although focused, the silence was killing Kang Lei. "Once again you've come to my rescue. Hai Yin are you sure you are simply the heir to the Hai clan and not my personal prince charming?" said Kang Lei teasingly.
"We could be in danger at any moment, pay attention.", scolded Hai yin.
"Fine." Kang Lei pouted, and suddenly a scream sounded in the distance. Although faint, no one could make out if it were an actual person or not.
"Did you hear tha…" said Kang Lei.
"Shhhhh!" said Hai Yin, hushing his partner as he listened carefully.
The scream sounded again and the two quickly locked eyes with each other, taking off sprinting in the direction of the screams. As they got closer the screams stopped and things had grown quieter than before.
"Hai-ge! Kang-ge! Help me!" a familiar voice suddenly yelled. As if on cue, Hai Yin and Kang Lei stopped running.
"Ba Chen?" said Kang Lei as he noticed the young master cowering behind a nearby rock. Rushing over Kang Lei kneeled down beside him, "Ba Chen, what are you doing out here alone? Where is your partner?" said Kang Lei as Hai Yin came over kneeling down as well.
"I...I don't know, there was a woman crying so my partner wanted to see who it was and we somehow got separated. I heard screams so I hid. Kang-ge I don't want to be out here, I'm not built for night hunting!", exclaimed Ba Chen, wrapping his arms around Kang Lei's waist.
"We heard the screams as well, but not the crying woman." said Hai Yin, looking around as they noticed that the night had grown even quieter than before, not even the birds could be heard.
Kang Lei went to stand, but realized Ba Chen was still holding on pretty tight, "Ba Chen, you must let me go, how can I move with you holding onto me?" Ba Chen suddenly removed his hands, letting out a nervous chuckle, and the three of them stood.
Screams suddenly sounded again in another direction and again the now group of three took off in the direction it seemed to be coming from. As they arrived to where they were sure the screaming was coming from the three stopped.
"Why does it stop the moment we are near?" said Kang Lei.
"Hai-ge, Kang-ge, should we really be running toward danger?" said Ba Chen.
"Shh!" Hai Yin scolded and Ba Chen began to pout, being out here was indeed a mistake.
"Hai Yin, do you feel that?" said Kang Lei, and Hai Yin nodded, he did indeed feel indignant energy surrounding them, like a heavy weight that could not be explained. As the three listened carefully, the cries of a woman suddenly began.
Thanks for reading, more to come :D