Many hours passed, and most of the masters waited on standby during this time. They had occasionally gone to help little disciples that ended up shooting off some of the warning fireworks they were given. Throughout the hours, a large tree of lights would appear in the sky. This was the symbol of An Xian Yun Peak. The ones who didn’t leave at any given time were: Fu Ran, Feng Meiying, Zhi Lao, and Shesui Lang.

Zhi Lao stood by Shesui Lang aiding him by pooling his spiritual energy into the array.

The exam here was expected to last about 48 hours, no time at all to those cultivating immortality. But to fresh disciples? It would be a decent challenge. Since their arrival, about eight hours have already passed, and Fu Ran grew more nervous with each one. Each disciple was given three flares. One or two could be used in case of an emergency, and once the lights peppered the sky, a master would visit to provide aid. However, when the third was used, the disciple who used it would be rescued, and then promptly marked as: ineligible. It wasn’t an end all, and they could simply try again next year, so Fu Ran wondered why they needed to continue the test.

Depending on which Master came to help you… You might just want to quit right away because of their bad attitudes. But the ones with the worst personality were here with me at the moment. So children, you are safe! Please, use those flares if trouble finds you!

Fu Ran found himself sitting beside Feng Meiying rocking his body back and forth slightly. She held up a spiritual weapon that she owned for as long as he knew her. It was a jade mirror of the highest quality and purity. Once it reacted to her touch, she could view any sight she thought upon, within a reasonable distance. She was watching the disciples. Fu Ran suddenly showed some interest, and eyes widened when Feng Meiying’s long fingers trailed over the mirror, changing the image to Wan Yu.

“It’s your little Nian Gao.” She chuckled. If Fu Ran didn’t hold her in some of the highest respect, he would have rolled his eyes. But he would not deny, Wan Yu certainly was sticky. His small body was already looking pretty beat up, and he didn’t seem to be traveling with any fellow disciples. Fu Ran looked at him with pity. Wan Yu had been paused for a moment on the pathway where he walked. His golden eyes were empty and distant, just like they had been when they stared at Fu Ran at the entrance ceremony. The two Peak Masters watched him for a moment, before he head raised.

His eyes met the jade mirror.

Both Feng Meiying and Fu Ran felt an intense shudder. As if they shouldn’t have seen that. Feng Meiying in a panic had swapped over to another image of a different disciple. She blinked a few times, clearly a bit unnerved. She had changed back to Wan Yu just to be sure, and now he was walking like normal… Fu Ran told himself it must have been a coincidence that he looked in that direction.

Having seen something almost paranormal he had to move, and do anything at all to loosen his muscles. It was all so mindless, but wandered the camping area for many more hours. Finally tiredness wore on his feet, and he collapsed under the tent once more. He wished tiredness wore on his mind instead. The warning signs would not leave.

I can’t handle this anymore! Fu Ran mentally screamed. He was so distraught that he couldn’t completely hide his vocalizing agony. When he let out a frustrated sigh, it was clear that he caught attention.

“Restless?” Shesui Lang asked. Yes, yes he was.

“Of course I am. I feel like no one is treating this as seriously as they should,” Fu Ran said, pouring out his worries in the calmest manner he could. His face was worn in dread. “But there is simply nothing to be done. The array isn’t finished, and the kids are still out there.”

“Exactly. Nothing to be done for now. So why not help me, instead? I told Zhi Lao to take a break and conserve some energy.” Zhi Lao had indeed vanished somewhere to rest as he wasn’t seen around. Tirelessly his Shixiong have been putting their energy into the array. He should as well. Fu Ran stood up and moved beside him. Shesui Lang was bent over the array and resting his hands above it. Fu Ran kneeled before it, focus in his eyes, and slowly began to expel his energy.

Truth be told, Fu Ran wasn’t fully mentally prepared for this level of stress.

He had spent so long worrying, that he was tired. His Calamity Recall emotionally drains him for a few hours after use. So he can’t do it too often. Only when Fu Ran got a bad feeling did he use this ability. He used it most when on large scale missions, or when he sees too many blackbirds out in the morning, or when a black cat crosses his path, or when he knocks over the inkwell onto all of his important documents, or when he catches Shesui Shixiong smiling his way-- Well, It’s not like I use it for everything… It is useful when I get a wave of bad omens is all. His thoughts weren’t focused, and he only tossed around words in his mind.

So when he heard the fast paced movement of metal, truthfully, he didn’t notice.

He could not react, nor dodge an incoming threat. He stared dazed at the metal coated in thick, deep red. It was in his direct line of eye contact, as if it connected his gut with the array in front of him. The blade was stabbed through the ground just a little bit away from the array.

Fu Ran thought it lucky that the smooth markings were not ruined. However, something definitely felt amiss. Why did he suddenly feel sick? Was it the dripping blood from a clearly thrown blade? Was someone injured? A wave of pain washed over Fu Ran and his eyes widened in horror. Oh. Shit. It’s Mine…

Yells around him erupted, mostly indistinct between the other present disciples and teachers. Fu Ran has been stabbed through by a thrown sword, right through the abdomen. The sword was embedded a few inches deep into the array in front of him as well, practically pinning him in place like he was an insect with a push pin in his body.

“What the hell?” Shesui Lang lunged to a stand with his sword, Heng Shui Long, in hand. Shesui Lang effortlessly blocked another incoming blade. A veil of rapids followed the renowned water dragon blade, stopping this planned attack before it could touch him at all. Once the sounds of shock subsided, there was still another noise from higher up in the sky.

CRACK.

Pairs of eyes all over the mountain rose. Beginning above all of them, a crackle had begun to appear in the black sky. Even Fu Ran had lifted his head to look. The crack moved along the sky like there was a dome around this entire mountainside. “A barrier? Who the hell put that up?” Shesui Lang spoke in disbelief mixed in with disdain.

Once that crack started to crumble, a nauseating feeling hit everyone. This is what the demonic realm felt like. It was almost overwhelmingly thick and heavy compared to the thin and delicate air over their mountain home, and it had been hidden since they arrived. Perhaps so that all 'visitors' wouldn't be sensing any of the incoming dangers. This really was an ambush, Fu Ran thought.

The goal must have been… an ambush attack on scattered Peak Masters.

“Zhi Lao, keep them away.” Shesui Lang barked orders, but he immediately threw down a piece of paper near the huddled up, terrified, disciples. It landed perfectly tossed right between them. It was a barrier he had prepared ahead of time for emergencies, and it only needed spiritual energy to be activated.

Shesui Lang rushed to the aid of the students. Quickly he pulled up a palm and began to recite words like he had done 100 times over: Protect those within, let no evil pass.

“Consider it done-” Zhi Lao had just arrived on the scene, but his feet almost stumbled when he saw the condition of his pinned martial brother. He was stunned. “Fu Shidi?”

“Ah… hah… hah…” Fu Ran furrowed his brows, but still put on a smile. He wanted to say: I'm fine! but he knew it would not be too convincing with the blood slipping from the corners of his lips. Zhi Lao was by his side for a moment.

“Bear it, Shidi. I am sorry.” Zhi Lao was positioned behind him so Fu Ran couldn't see him clearly. He only managed to feel a single hand press to the space between his shoulder blades. The younger Master had started to turn his head to look at his Shixiong. Before Fu Ran could even ask what his martial brother was thinking of doing, he felt like he was being sliced once more.

AAAH! A second time in the same spot! He could barely feel the first attack until after it had happened, but this time: That blade ran over the same, already sensitive, injury. Like someone who had the gall to run a single strip of paper over a paper cut 10,000 times. It hurt like hell!

Zhi Shixiong really was the worst thing about An Xian Yun Peak. The blade had been torn from the place that had locked him kneeling on the ground, but also torn from his gut. Fu Ran tried to purse his lips, but the substance inside demanded out. He coughed up blood, turning his head to avoid it landing on the array.

This pain was a terrible amount, but it was something a Peak Master could handle. He grit his teeth and dug his fingernails into dirt.

His insides burned.

Feng Meiying took in another breath of her pipe before exhaling an oddly straight and sharp looking trail of smoke. “Reveal yourself, Yanye Jian.”

Her hand extended and in the next moment, she held a smoking black and red sword. Yanye Jian was her first spiritual weapon, and both her favorite pipe, and her preferred blade for combat. “Fu Ran.” She tossed him her Jade Mirror and demanded, “Take Jingzi-yi with you. Find the other babies and keep them safe okay?”

Fu Ran nodded wearily. “Yes.” With fast affirmation he gripped the item in his hands. With unsteady footing, he ran with the Jade Mirror. Fu Ran was quick on his feet, despite his aching stomach. Those little disciples were in danger. Long fingers were brought up to the mirror in his hand, and he waved a spiritual touch over it. The item activated with the qi, and lit up.

Wan Yu’s image shown in the mirror first. It was the only disciple he knew by name, so of course Fu Ran thought of him first.

The boy had his sword drawn in his left hand. His stance was unfitting of his smaller form. He was reminiscent of an older cultivator with a more mature style of fighting. Where on earth did he learn to do that? I was under the impression that none of you babies were trained before! Isn’t that why you want to join a sect? Wan Yu clearly seemed a bit overwhelmed with the large number of enemies around him, but his eyes didn’t show the slightest hint of understanding the danger he was in. He was surrounded.

He seemed so calm with his blade in hand. Oh, right. A-Wan could see us before right? Was that just a fluke? Fu Ran thought to himself. It was just an idea, but it was certainly worth a chance. “A-Wan! Please, Look to Shizun if you can hear me!” It was worth it to try and let his voice be heard into the Jade Mirror. Almost immediately the boy’s shoulders tensed. He once again had met his golden eyes to the pure Jade Mirror.

“Shizun?”