Chapter 56

It's double updates today! Chapter 56 and 57. So I leave this in case if you didn't get the notification for the other.

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Silent gloomy trees loomed around, dipping the glades in a slight darkness. A gentle drizzle descended down the dark clouds of the gloomy morning sky. Li Yan pulled the reins and the black steed reared, pausing in it's tracks obediently. Li Yan got off the steed and walked forth a several steps.

"You've been following Zhen for three miles long." He spoke in a grim voice. "What are your intentions?"

Nothing stirred around for a while. Then suddenly from behind a tree, out appeared the handsome general of Li Yang. The sheathed sword was still clenched in his left hand. His face was frosty cold. "Your Majesty..." He spoke indifferently.

Li Yan looked at him, rolling his eyes. "Shendu? What do you mean by this?"

"..." Shendu did not speak. He simply stared at Li Yan. His sharp eyes preened over Li Yan's body. "You've injured your cultivation." He said expressionlessly.

"None of your matters!" Li Yan turned to go. But suddenly Shendu shoved his sword forth, boldly barring Li Yan's way.

Li Yan's eyes darkened. They flashed in a dangerous light. He looked at the sheathed sword barring his way with eyes full of murderous intent. "Grand Martial Shen, what do you mean?"

Shendu did not look frightened in the least by his bold actions. "Fight me!" He said in a resolute voice.

"..." Li Yan rolled his eyes. "Are you rebelling?"

Shendu still looked calm and restrained. "No Your Majesty, it was such a long time since we sparred last."

Li Yan smirked derisively. "No matter how many times you spar with me, Shendu, the result will be still the same. I win and you loose." He shove away the sword in his way with his strong arm. "Don't trouble Zhen, Zhen had something important to do."

But suddenly Shendu raised his leg and kicked Li Yan in the bowels. Though he did not trigger his terrifying martial spiritual energy, still the kick wasn't light.

Li Yan did not expect this move even in his dreams. He was thrown a several steps back. He spat out blood. It was because he hadn't recovered his cultivation fully since the day he unexpectedly had to help Zhanhua. His eyes were suddenly red. He was breathing hard. He raised his face to Shendu. "You really dare!"

Shendu passed his fingers across the sheath of his sword unconcernedly. "As I said before, big brother, it's a long time thence we met last. Things might have already changed a lot, don't you think so? And how would you know if you don't try?"

"You should try it on your enemies!" Li Yan said in an angry voice. "And I'm not your enemy. I'm your Master!"

Shendu did not say anything. He was really a man of few words. He simply dropped the sword and attacked Li Yan with his arms. "I said, fight me!"

Li Yan couldn't take it anymore. He was angered so he triggered what little was left as his internal force and attacked Shendu with his palm. But he did not know whether it was intentional or not. Shendu shoved his palm towards him too.

Thus, their palms met and banged against each other. There was a sudden flash of silver and golden spiritual lights, drowning the entire glade in a wavy spiral of terrifying spiritual energy and the dry leaf clad earth around the radius of fifty meters were instantly cleared out in it's power. Several trees felled down with a deafening din as waves and waves of molten energy left the pair of connected hands.

And for a split second, drawn by sudden anger, a deep golden light flashed across Li Yan's pupils before they turned black again. Though it was only for a millisecond, Shendu was very sharp. He didn't miss this. And for the first time in his life, like it had never happened before, he was shocked to the extreme.

Golden pupils??? How on earth was this possible!!?

His jaw dropped in incredulous disbelief. But he was a person who was always restrained. So he sustained his confusion and pressed his palm upon the emperor's palm tighter.

Suddenly Li Yan was stunned. He looked at the other person in incredulous disbelief. He thought Shendu was serious about attacking. But it was a while before Li Yan actually realized he did not sense any murderous intent from Shendu.

Instead, a pure and a steady stream of spiritual energy flowed into Li Yan's palm. That energy flowed down his arm through the torn spiritual veins, reached his heart and refreshed him. It felt terrible, but friendly.

Shendu was actually... healing him...

Li Yan was stunned. His eyes widened. "You -!" He tried to draw back his hand.

But Shendu clasped his long and pale fingers with him. "No, Your Majesty, if you draw back your hand now, we both will get injured beyond repair!" He said in a stern voice.

"Why do you have to go through all these, Shendu?" Li Yan said darkly. "You should have simply asked me to unseal my cultivation myself. You -"

"Your Majesty is still the same. No matter what kind of a serious trouble you run into, you don't use your cultivation and only rely on physical strength. But if you don't unseal your cultivation, how can I help you?"

Li Yan did not know what to say. He sighed. "What I wanted to say you is, I didn't ask you to help me, Shendu. I can recover myself."

"The wounds are old." Shendu said expressionlessly. "Which means you've tried but repeatedly failed to recover this far. And you had been poisoned meanwhile, which leaves only me as the person whose cultivation is the next strongest enough to neutralize yours and help your cultivation recover."

"But-"

"Your Majesty, you know it by yourself better than me how many people even among the ministers want you killed. It's too dangerous if you can't protect yourself!"

"Then what about you?"

"I don't wish you go back to the border fortress anytime closer. So I can naturally recover myself at my residence at the General's Manor."

Li Yan shut his eyes. Shendu's cultivation was amazingly compatible with his. Even the pure spiritual energy that was passed to him were so strong that even he felt his vitals going numb in the force. He felt his shattered core gently reforming back. He felt his torn spiritual veins gently merging back.

Shendu did not stop. His face looked pale. Sweat drooped down his forehead. His closed eyes were creased and lashes trembled slightly.

Li Yan did not know what to feel. "Why would you do this?" He asked in a heavy voice.

Shendu's lips twitched.

"Your Majesty..."

"Yes?"

"I have to concentrate..."

"Oh..."

"So shut up!"

"..."

Li Yan pursed his thin lips silently. And Shendu did not stop. After a whole half an hour, when finally Shendu felt that Li Yan had recovered fully, he slowly withdrew his palm.

"Forgive me for being rash before, Your Majesty, if I tell you I wanted to help you, you won't let me. So..." He wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his tight black sleeve. A thin trail of blood seethed down the side of his lower lip. He wiped it away casually too.

"You've drained yourself." Li Yan said gloomily.

"Your Majesty's safety is more important than mine." Shendu replied indifferently picking up the sword that he had dropped. "So, Your Majesty, let's get straight into the matter. I have some old scores to settle down with you." He pointed the end of the sword towards Li Yan. "A matter regarding Shen Nuo."

"..."

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The sky was turning gloomy. Shen Nuo rode his horse, guiding it gently amid the trees in no hurry.

He promised to meet Zhanhua at this forest. Why wasn't Zhanhua still here? Shen Nuo did not know. Some uneasiness in his body was gradually growing. Sweat drooped down his temples. His hair was wet as if he had bathed. The dress sticked to his back. It was too hot. Why was he feeling like this?

It was the same as the night before. But this time, it was intense.

His face was now flushed faintly and his breath gradually scattered. He slowly loosened his lapels to feel more cooler air. Every time his skin got contact with something, he would feel electrocuted. No. This won't do. He need to find water. He need to soak himself in.

He weakly lowered his upper body and loosened the stirrups that were tightened to his boots and tried to get down the horse. In his lame attempt, he felled down from the horse. He screamed hoarsely in pain. The steed was startled. It ran away.

Shen Nuo's sight was now blurry. He saw his horse galloping away. Also fine. He must have scared that beast away. It was not like he can catch it back now. He could only wait until the uneasiness in his body dissipate. He was sure if he didn't return to the camp by evening, Li Yan would definitely come in search of him...

He tried to get up. But he felled back as a stab of pain attacked his left ankle. He hissed. He did not hear the sound of hooves at his back. Zhanhua got down from his horse and immediately hurried to Shen Nuo. He knelt down infront of him.

His eyes were very red. "Even though I took a completely different route from yours, still we crossed each other's way, didn't we?" He said hoarsely with an unfathomable light in his eyes. "This world is really big!"

Shen Nuo felt uncomfortable. "You! Get away from me!"

Zhanhua sighed. "It's alright! You've sprained your leg. Let me check it, ok?"

Shen Nuo couldn't refuse so he had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Zhanhua gently pulled away Shen Nuo's boot and sock of the left leg and looked at the smooth skinned milky white ankle. It was swollen red. Zhanhua pursed his thin lips, wrapping his palm around the swollen ankle and it felt so warm. And comfortable.

Shen Nuo did not know what to say. "Umm, sorry about that day." He said in a low voice, looking guilty.

Zhanhua shook his head. "It was my fault for being bold at the deserted lane. I must be the one to say sorry."

Shen Nuo gulped. "I know how you feel. But -"

"I understand." Zhanhua smiled and that smile was wrenched with pain. "I got carried away too much and uttered some irresponsible nonsense. This subject is really ashamed. I hope Consort Shen can forget it."

Shen Nuo sighed. "Why do you sound distant now? Zhanhua, I want you as a friend. It had got nothing to do with other matters. I can't loose you, do you understand?"

Zhanhua's fingertips trembled. He did not say anything at the end and decided to remain quiet. After several minutes, he slowly withdrew his hand. "The drizzle is getting heavier."

Shen Nuo wasn't dumb. He got the meaning. If it was drizzling, then they must find cover. And if they should find cover, since Shen Nuo couldn't move on his own...

"Can you still ride a horse?" Zhanhua asked doubtfully. "I can lend you mine."

"No!" Shen Nuo said furiously. "Rather not. Can't risk my other leg too."

Zhanhua looked at him with deep dark brown eyes. "So then it leaves only one other way. Consort Shen, shall I?"

Shen Nuo felt lame. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. While he was in a furious fight mentally whether to say no or whether not to say no, Zhanhua pulled him into a bridal carry as if his weight was nothing.

Shen Nuo's eyes widened. "You! Put me down!" He slapped Zhanhua's shoulders furiously. "What if someone see?"

"Consort Shen sprained his leg and cannot walk. I'm just helping. There was a little cave on my way here. I'll take you there to rest."

Shen Nuo shut his mouth. Silence followed again. His eyes were hazy and misty as he quietly stared at Zhanhua. His sharp jaws were as if carved out of snow wood. It was very beautiful...

Shen Nuo felt that discomfort spreading through again. Specially when Zhanhua's body kept unintentionally rubbing against him. He still endured until that one last moment he couldn't help but shut his eyes and moan slightly.

Zhanhua frowned and quickened his pace. He knew something was wrong with Shen Nuo even from the beginning. He saw Shen Nuo's strange behavior for a while before he felled down his horse.

Shen Nuo wasn't in his senses, it seems. So Zhanhua knew he shouldn't linger around here with Shen Nuo too much. It was not good to be seen by anyone. Besides, it was already drizzling. He aught to find a cover first. "Ok, it's alright! Let me take you to His Majesty, ok? Come." He whispered consolingly.

The moment Zhanhua found the cave he spoke of, Shen Nuo's face was twitching in pain. His entire body trembled when his side banged onto Zhanhua's sturdy chest. "No. Don't touch me!" He tried to struggle out.

But Zhanhua restrained him firmly. He was afraid Shen Nuo would fall off again. "Wait a moment! We are almost there!"

Shen Nuo's whole body was trembling violently. His face was flushed and dazed. He struggled to keep up. He wanted to thouroghly restrain himself. But finally he lost his sense and did not know who was the person infront of him anymore.

Zhanhua swiftly brought him into the damp gloomy cave, gently placed him on the stony floor with care and looked at him anxiously. "What's wrong with you? Did something happen? Why are you like this?"

Shen Nuo's pale lips were shuddering. "Too... it's too hot..." His body twisted and writhed. It was sweating profusely, making his suit almost to stick onto his skin. The exposed skin at his neck and the face was flushed red and burning hot.

Suddenly Zhanhua's face went pale. Color drained off his face and he felt as if a cold bucket of ice was dumped over his head. "Shen Nuo..." He spoke to himself almost in a strangled whisper. "Don't... Don't tell me that you're in your... heat, are you?"

He suddenly realized into what kind of a terrible trouble he must have gotten himself into this time. He was speechless. Who would have thought Shen Nuo would randomly run into heat inside the forest without any cause or a reason? What to do now? Perhaps...

He shook his head furiously. What was he thinking!!? His heart was beating wildly.

No. He shouldn't be doing this. He must find Li Yan as soon as possible. But how can he? He was almost more than three miles away from the camp. He can use the alarming firework of course. But if he use it, it would be like summoning all the ministers to this site including the whole lot of soldier who stood guard at the camp. This would definitely embarrass Shen Nuo. So what should he do?

Leave Shen Nuo behind and go in search of Li Yan? Yeah, though it was unsafe, that was the only thing he could do now, it seems. Without even wasting a second, he turned to go.

But suddenly a weak and a pale hand wrapped around his wrist. "Zhan... Zhanhua, you..."

Zhanhua's scalp exploded. No. Just no! He looked at Shen Nuo with a furious face. It was mixed with so much emotion that it looked very frightening. "Wait here!" He said in a hard voice. "I'll call His Majesty!"

But Shen Nuo shook his head miserably. Tears rolled down the sides of his face. His sight was completely blurry. His conciousness slowly scattered away. He only knew it was pain. It was too much for him to endure. He needed consolation.

However his senses of feeling and smelling had keened it seems. When he felt the clear refreshing fragrance of Camphor wafting off from the person infront of him, he wanted more of it. Yes. He had like this smell too. He had once identified this smell. Perhaps that person could help him...

So he spoke in a low and a trembling voice as it was the only thing he could do. "Please... Please help me... It hurts..."

Zhanhua's heart burned when those words entered his ears. His heart was in a terrible mess. There was only one thing he could do now. He knew he was wrong. He knew he could get punished for this. But no matter what, Shen Nuo mattered him more even if he was to be thrown into prison.

If he could temporarily leave his mark on Shen Nuo, perhaps, Shen Nuo would calm down for a while which would buy him more time to go find Li Yan.

He knelt on the stony floor with a beating heart, with Shen Nuo's waist in between his knees and he lowered his upper body, pressing Shen Nuo down the stony floor and pulling away the sweat drenched lapels. Shen Nuo's smooth skinned and wet chest along with his exposed and flushed throat came into view.

Zhanhua swallowed, his eyes going red. His fingertips slightly trembled. Only he knew how much he was restraining. "Consort Shen, forgive me..." He said in a hoarse whisper. Then he pinned both Shen Nuo's wrists above his head, wrapped his other palm around Shen Nuo's nape, slowly lowered himself and burried his head by the side of Shen Nuo's neck.

Shen Nuo moaned, raising his chin in the stimulation and wrapped his legs around Zhanhua's waist, rubbing against him.

Zhanhua pressed his lips against the scar of the deep teeth mark on Shen Nuo's neck that he had once given to him and bore his teeth down them, causing blood to ooze. Shen Nuo's slightly parted lips were trembling. He slowly closed his eyes amid ragged breaths and painful tears rolled down the side of his face, staining it.

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