This time Lian Yuexia sat on the floor. leaning back on the bed. He sighed and looked up at the roof. Then he raised his hand and grabbed Qing Dabai’s arm. “For you, my friend.” It was said softly as Lian Yuexia closed his eyes for them to open at the entrance of the cave. Leaning on some rocks he seen that it was still sunny and bright in the dense forest, yet the cave seemed to leak nothing but the shadowy underworld of darkness. Thinking that this place was the same as he dreamt of, then he could go to the cabin and see if there was anything he could use.  

“ANYONE? HELP ME! SOMEONE!” Someone called out from the cave as it echoed. Lian Yuexia recognizes the voice as Qing Dabai’s.  

“Qing Dabai I'm coming for you.” Getting up Lian Yuexia grabbed rocks and shoved them into his sleeves then he began to walk into the cave. But a firm hand pulled him back before he could fully be engulfed in the darkness. 

“You can't!” Moon eyes darkened as they meet the blurred faced man again. The blurred man noticed Lian Yuexia’s distain for him stopping him a second time. “You will not come out of this one unscathed. Listen to me last time it was because you had help; this time you are alone.”  

The man tightened his grip on Lian Yuexia’s shoulder. Full of determination, Lian Yuexia pulled away from the grasp and pushed the other back. “No, you cannot expect me to not go save him. It is important to me that I do this. They always need me, and I cannot leave them; it killed one when I did.” This left the man speechless. He couldn’t fight back as Lian Yuexia made his point. 

Lian Yuexia looked at the blurred face, he was frustrated with everyone trying to tell him what he had to do. Leaving his Young Master or friend wasn’t something Lian Yuexia could easily do, as Qing Dabai was really important to him. The need to protect Qing Dabai was engrained in Lian Yuexia since he was young.  

“I'm doing this I'll be out just let me do this.” Turning back to the entrance to the cave, Lian Yuexia walked into the darkness to save his friend.  

It was quiet, just an occasional thud would be heard as Lian Yuexia dropped pieces of stone on the ground as a foot trail. The deeper he walked the darker it got. He could see the bare minimum of the walls but even that was being shrouded in the shadows quickly. A dripstone was not too far in front of Lian Yuexia and the dark prevented him from seeing it. Running right into it, cause a cut to form on his temple as a stream of thick red liquid rounded his cheek.  

Using his foot Lian Yuexia made sure the last rock was close by and then move around the dripstone. Walking even further with every clatter of the rock and the routine of his foot making sure it was in its proper place. The darkness was becoming dense and oppressive. It felt as if trudging through thick sludge, it weighed on Lian Yuexia.  

Shaking as if he were a leaf Lian Yuexia walked through the darkness. Unable to see inches in front of him made Lian Yuexia anxious. It reminded him of the day his grandmother had disappeared; no when she was sacrificed to seal away Qinglong.  

“It’s your fault.” That female voice from before whispered into his ear. Lian Yuexia pulled back and covered his ear. “They died because of you. Why can you live but not them?” The voice whispered into the other ear. It felt like the woman’s warm breath was grazing his ear, but the words chilled him to the core.  

“Who are you? What do you want?” Lian Yuexia called out to voice. The dark made him disoriented as he spun around. Trying to feel for the rocks with his feet, Lian Yuexia realized he had wandered from the path he had created on the ground. “Qing Dabai!” he called out hoping to get the others response.  

“Who is that? Help me where are you?” Qing Dabai’s voice called out to Lian Yuexia, making him feel relieved. The echo continued as he walked.  

“Keep talking ill find you!” he shouted back.  

“I'm with someone else here. There is a light. Hurry!” Qing Dabai called out. Lian Yuexia followed the voice, but the dark was like thick paste slowly drying as he walked. Lian Yuexia started feeling constraints on him as if something was wrapping itself around his arms and legs.  

The ripping of clothes could be heard as Lian Yuexia continued towards the voice. Something else was also in the dark and now it was targeting Lian Yuexia, who had started to rush towards the other. The more he pulled the harder it was for Lian Yuexia to continue without feeling the fresh cuts on his skin. This sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach made him struggle even harder. But a younger version of Lian Yuexia stopped him from moving forwards. The fresh cut on his cheek dripping blood down his chin. He stopped and stared back as the thing in the dark tightened around him.  

They stood only feet apart but the younger version of him stared through those cloth covered eyes. Feeling the thing in the dark start to drag him back, Lian Yuexia fought back only for him to be thrown on his back. Staring at what he thought was the top of the cave, Lian Yuexia saw the cloth covered eyes again.  

“Why do you live?” The voice was so quiet almost as if he was afraid to ask. “What did we even do?” this time the younger version asked a bit louder. Making Lian Yuexia look at him even more. This was an almost exact copy of himself from his childhood, having gray hair, tattered clothes but... His eyes weren't the normal blind looking eyes they were sinister looking red with a horrible feeling of never-ending hunger behind them. 
 
“Living is just what some have to do.” Lian Yuexia managed to say as the thing in the dark wrapped tighter around him. The younger version looked at himself struggling against the thing in the dark. His red eyes scanning him looking for the answer on him.  

“Yessss... That may be true, but I am not talking about that Lian Yuexia. You must remember... remember me and remember what happened long ago.” The younger version bent down and clasped his hands around Lian Yuexia’s neck. He wasn’t squeezing him but just staring at him with those eyes.  

“Do not do this please... beg you. I am not who you think I am. I beg you please.” Lian Yuexia didn’t show fear, nor did he seem scared at all. It’s as if he knew this version of himself needed this or that they needed it. But whatever he had thought Lian Yuexia had done, then Lian Yuexia would be willing to take the punishment.  

“Your eyes.... They speak as if you want nothing, not like that time when they yearned for everything. Who are you?” Several voices started to come from the young Lian Yuexia. A long and drawn-out sigh came from Lian Yuexia as he stared past his child self, a bitter smile on face.  

The darkness which he could brealy see past the white hair. He gritted his teeth as the thing in the darkness started to squeeze tighter around his chest and stomach. Even if his conscious was slipping it was impossible as Lian Yuexia was already in the dream world.  

Bright light appeared above him and the things that held Lian Yuexia down and the younger version of him had disappeared with a dozen screams. Slowly Lian Yuexia got up holding his chest as the pain was still there, but his face lights up as he saw his young master there with a torch in hand. 

Lian Yuexia looked at Qing DaBai. He looked the same but there was something off about him. His clothes were the same as the day Lian Yuexia was going to be sacrificed but something seemed to be off. Yet, he ignored it and smiled out of relief. 

“Young Master are you alright? Has anything hurt you?” Lian Yuexia started to check him for any wounds. 
 
“Lian Yuexia why are you here? Why isnt it my father?” Qing Dabai questioned. 

Composing himself again Lian Yuexia bowed to his Young master. “Young master, I am glad you are well. Master couldn’t come himself due to having spiritual energy that was too impure. Ive come to help you leave this place.” Lian Yuexia went to see if he could find the rock trail, but Qing Dabai stopped him.  

“What just happened? Do you know what this place is?” Qing Dabai gripped the others wrist tightly. His strength was hurting Lian Yuexia but because Qing Dabai was his young master Lian Yuexia was quiet about it. 
 
“I do not know where this place is. But I do know this is a world connected to the spiritual realm and living world Young Master. We must leave here it’s the darker place where demons and such live.” Lian Yuexia pulled along with Qing Dabai who still had a tight grip on his wrist. Together they walked, hearing whispering and the occasional scream. 

The little bit of light that Qing Dabai had from the torch Lian Yuexia looked for the rocks he had used for a trail to the outside. He looked at the barely illuminated ground as they walked.  

“This cave is meant to torture those who have wronged others. But.... Lian Yuexia you shouldn’t be here. There are the lost looking for you for revenge. What did you do to them?” Qing Dabai asked coldly as he tightened his grip, making Lian Yuexia wince. 
 
“Young Master I do not know what you mean. Lost looking for me? Why would they look for me. I am nothing but a servant and sacrifice for those who have wrong them.” Lian Yuexia’s words flowed out without thought. “If it were up to me, I would have left years ago. Due to the abuse that was caused to this one. However I chose to stay because.....” Lian Yuexia looked at Qing Dabai and saw the way out behind him, yet it seemed to be moving to close. 

“I stayed because you needed someone to stay... and because you all are my only family. Goodbye” Lian Yuexia took the torch from Qing Dabai and then pushed him with all of his might to get him across several feet out of the cave. The last thing that Qing Dabai saw was Lian Yuexia watching him with a satisfied demeanor as he flew through the cave’s thresh hold. But the demeanor changed as Qing Dabai made it out of the cave as he could feel the thing in the dark wrapping around his feet to be pulled away from the entrance and the torch left on the ground. 

Qing Dabai sprung up from his coma and was blinking trying to get a feel of the room. Rubbing his eyes lightly Qing Dabai could see the world differently; the colors seemed to be dimmer while he could see further. Feeling something weighing on the side of his bed Qing Dabai looked down. Dozen’s of cuts and bruises on his face and neck could be seen on the man on the floor and he knew who this was.  
 
“Lian Yuexia! Wake up.” Qing Dabai yelled at him, but nothing came of it. “Your family wake up please... You’re the only one who can help us, wake up please.” The ward was only made for a time limit of a few hours. It fell and the door opened with Madam Xue slamming it open to see her son trying to wake the bad omen.  

“Get away from it NOW!” She screamed but was ignored by her son. Little did she know that in front of the gates was an irritated and irrational beast. He had little patience as the doors were smashed open causing a commotion.  

The demonic god of the north had appeared, and he is coming for his world.  

“It’s Qinglong!”