Lian Yuexia groaned in pain as he got up to find that the chains were still on his wrist. ‘So, it wasn’t a dream.’ He thought to himself as the pain in his back reminded him of the lashing. Two disciples forced Lian Yuexia to kneel properly without caring for his wounds. Coming face to face with the nasty glare of the Sect leader he quietly waited for what was going to happen.

The Sect leader turned to the others and as he went to address them.

“The preparations have been made. For today we are sealing the Evil God Qinglong away for another thousand or more years. As we have found the purest qi in a servant. Just like a hundred thousand years ago we shall do what they did the others counterpart Zhuque. So, no evil shall have a leader nor will it be able to have a backbone in our world again.” He yelled out over the crowd of different sects.

The Beggars leader was hunched over with a long walking stick he eyed Lian Yuexia who was holding his groans back. There was a light smile on the boy’s face as he was watched by the people who have gathered around, it was like he was an animal in a cage.

Lian Yuexia could hear the whisper on his looks, and it made him want to cover his ears, but he couldn’t. He was trying to listen to his sect leader about what was going on, as he still didn’t have any idea.

 “Today we will seal off the Evil by burning this servant name Lian Yuexia his name will be etched into the list of names on the door of sealing vessels. Thanks to his great sacrifice we will no longer have to worry about evil running rampage in the world again.” The sect leader waved his hand causing the ones holding Lian Yuexia up to walk around him pouring liquor on top of him and around.

“What are you doing? No please don’t do this. Why are you doing this to me. Please all I will leave I won't bother the Qinglianpai sect anymore. Please Don’t do this.” Lian Yuexia yelled to the sect leader, but it fell on deaf ears. His eyes were wide as he tried to get out of the chains ignoring the excruciating pain from his back.

“Please, I don’t want to do this. Im not evil. Im not a bad omen please I just wanted to help Qing Dabai and find my grandmother. Please Sect leader don’t do this please!” this sentence did not fall on deaf ears, but it got a slap instead making Lian Yuexia go into silence. Cracking could be heard some looked around but paid no mind to it as it wasn’t as pertain to the scene in front of them.

“My mother, your grandmothers name is up on that door. Because of you she sacrificed herself for you or else you would have done this as a child. now shut up and do this for the greater good you good for nothing.” The sect leader stared down at him his eyes showing nothing but disdain and hatred for him. It felt like Lian Yuexia had been thrown into a lake to drown. His breath escaped him as he processed the sect leaders’ words. The cracking could be heard again and this time the Sect leader turned around to search for what it was.

“Light it while he is still quiet. Start repairing the seal now.” The Sect leader stepped away from the liquor covered ground and watched as fire started to encircle around Lian Yuexia. When the flame reached Lian Yuexia he couldn’t feel it as if his body had become numb to the pain, he was drowning in emotions that he had been shoveling down.

Still as he was engulfed in the flames no one could see anymore because of the raging fire, yet the smile stood out to a few of the cultivators. They waited for the seal to appear on the ground, but it had been over ten minutes and it hasn’t appeared. Everyone looks around to see what is going on, then they looked at the sect leader as if he did something wrong. To which he quickly sent people to search for what was going on.

Qing Dabai walked over to the fire and stood with his back facing it and stared at the crowd of cultivators and monks. He took a deep breath and stared at his father.

“The jade seal has been cracked.” He said it with a smirk and then he looked to the fire as there came a woman made from -the same white mist from days before. She looked at the Sect leader and began crying.

“I ask you to do one thing and this is how you repay me. I gave your life, I gave my life, but you still hang on to a grudge that shouldn’t be. I wasn’t going to let a child die such a way and I wasn’t going to let you die this way either.” She exclaimed loudly for all to hear. This white mist woman was the sect leaders' mother, and she was in despair and agony, as if she was the one burning instead of Lian Yuexia.

“My boy I won't let you do this to him out of anger. Nor will I allow the one inside watch him burn again. My child I have always told you that the story was wrong. Now I can say why for I was there in their home with you when Zhuque appeared in front of all with Chun Xue. And did anyone know who Chun Xue was to Zhuque… NO to our hero Lian Yuexia who was the kindest and the backbone of four heroes. Did anyone of you who are still alive today ask back then no. Now you all will suffer thinking what have I done. They were not evil they were trying to come back to their family to their soulmates. They still are. My time it’s up” She walked from the fire to the Sect leader and gave him a hug.

“I love you my son I always have but it's time to set them free. I planned this with Xuanwu. I'm sorry my child I love you, goodbye.” When the sect leader went to give the hug back, she had disappeared fully. The Jade ball cracked completely allowing the doors to the temple to open slightly. Black smoke rushed to the flame the snaping of chains and growls came from the smoke. Qing Dabai stood there for a moment before he dropped limply on his knees.

Once the smoke subsided there stood a man in ripped raggedy robes, black unkempt hair that was long enough to reach the floor. Feet touching the smoldering ground didn’t bother this man who was now carrying Lian Yuexia in his arms. Long fingernails curled around the pale arm to have a tight hold. His eyes looked around until he was staring at Qinglianpai Sect leader who was on his knees crying.  As he didn’t care about the rest just seeing his mother relived something on his shoulders The blood red eyes were filled with rage as each step towards him was a light jingle from the chains that were hanging from Lian Yuexia’s wrist.

“Its Qinglong the demon god. He’s broke free. Surround him and don’t let him take the boy. He will be important for the sealing ceremony.” The bodhisattva yelled out. However, the call was no headed because everyone else was panicking drawing swords and running from the temple. Lian Yuexia was limp in Qinglong’s arms, as looked as if the fire had killed him this was not the case, he just couldn’t move his body. A small burst of demonic qi pulsated from Qinglong making everyone freeze as the qi was cold and angry. Still staring at the Qinglianpai Sect leader he growled.

“I have watched you all kill innocent versions of him and people just to seal me away. However, that seal has been flawed for a long time. Allowing even insects to cultivate in that place.”  The voice was deep and colder than the depths of a lake. Another pulse of demonic qi pushed out making the frozen kneel before him.

“You all are very cruel to the people whose goal was to fight the evil. Not one of you knew of the struggles and hardships we all had. Yet all you looked at me when I became Demonic god, had tongues as venomous as snakes. All four of us needed each other unlike all of you who can live on your own. However, much we pleaded with you none believe us.” With every word Qinglong took a step closer to the Qinglianpai Sect leader only stopping when he was looking down on him. Lian Yuexia started coming back to his senses as the one-sided conversation went on. He gradually woke from the trace he was in to find himself in the arms of someone else whose eyes were filled with rage. Turning his attention where the gaze fell on which was a sobbing sect leader holding himself. When the person in his arms started to move did Qinglong look down softening his eyes as he looked at Lian Yuexia.

“You are awake Yue. Don’t look what I am to do is not pleasing for your eyes.” Qinglong asked softly. Yet Lian Yuexia didn’t answer him just struggled out of his grip to stand in front of Xue Guanting. Falling back to his knees Lian Yuexia couldn’t even hold himself up due to the lashing he had gotten from the leader.  Qinglong wanted to pick him back up and skin the man who was so cruel to Lian Yuexia, but he knew that was not possible. The painting that Lian Yuexia’s grandmother had left him was still in his now singed sleeve pocket. With a light smile he unrolled it, lifted the painting and took out a smaller painting that was hidden underneath. Rolling up the larger painting Lian Yuexia placed the smaller one in front of Xue Guanting. It was a painted portrait of his mother holding a child and two men behind her with smiles on their faces. One if the men wore red and the other wore white with blue eyes that gazed at the women Qinglong glanced at the smaller painting letting a huff. The gray eyes looked at him with a smile that said I am nothing.

“I was protecting grandmother last favorite memory of you, her and your father. She kept it from you. there was another story she used to tell me when I was yo…” Lian Yuexia started to faulter a bit his eyes were becoming even duller than what they are already. To Lian Yuexia the world was becoming darker as his vision started to fail him, making him touch his eyes lightly.

“Why is it getting so dark? What is happening?” His hands started to shake and touch the ground to move the picture as he spit out blood. Immediately Qinglong pulled Lian Yuexia back and looked at his pulse seeing what was wrong.

“It's been several centuries and it is still like this.” Qinglong picked up the one who spit out blood and was about to leave when he felt resistance. It was the sect leader Xue Guanting he was holding onto Lian Yuexia’s clothes, like he was trying to keep him there or was holding on to a memory.

“You keep ahold of him, and he’ll die. Obviously, I cannot treat him here, we must leave. Now let go Xue Hujun.”  There was a murderous intent in Qinglong’s eyes as he looked down on the sect leader. Through the watery eyes Xue Guanting looked up to see the dried blood, ripped open clothes and freshly healed over wounds from the whip. The silver-ish white hair fell gently as Lian Yuexia’s body went limp heavy panting could be heard from Lian Yuexia who now seemed to be in pain. The grip that Xue Guanting had loosened for the pale hand of the sick to grab it.

“GeGe, it hurts… please GeGe help me.” Lian Yuexia was in a hazy and feverish state that was seemingly caused by the harsh punishment. Yet his hand let go as Qinglong walked away from Xue Guanting leaving him even more of a mess. ‘What have I done.’ Xue Guanting thought to himself as he took the smaller painting and held on to it becoming a complete mess. Qinglong looked back at the rest with rage filled eyes but left with Lian Yue in a rise of black smoke. Reliving the overwhelming pressure on the people who wanted to subdue him.

Leaving behind the cries of a broken man and panicked cultivators to talk amongst themselves. They were able to make it down the mountain and into a shed near a village. It was far enough away that they could rest easy and allowed Qinglong to let his guard down slightly. Laying Lian Yuexia down Qinglong set up a barrier to keep anyone from bothering them. Sitting down next to the sick he stared at him, on the inside Qinglong felt relieved and was finally able to decompress himself. Soon he started meditating as demonic qi was starting to engulf the area within the barrier he had set up. Luckily the barrier kept the qi inside so it wouldn’t affect the outside and alert anyone to their presence.