CHAPTER 6

Zhang Chen bent down on a trail. He held the soil in his fingers softly feeling its texture he stood up. He let out a sigh as he looked ahead of the trail. He got on his horse before going ahead. He had been searching for any clues for the past month and he had finally found a hint he was not going to let it slip through his fingers.

He rode until he came to a stop outside an old house. He dismounted and walked towards the entrance, before he could knock on the door it opened revealing an middle aged woman. She was dressed in a worn out dress but it was clean and neat. She had scars on her face but they had faded away with time . Her skin was tanned implying she had been hard at work in the fields or mines. She gave him a soft smile as she looked up at Zhang Chens tall form.

"Sorry to disturb you but the is there an inn around here?" he asked her.

"This place is deserted there is hardly any people for miles. If you wouldn't mind you can stay here." She said eyeing him.

Zhang Chen felt an eary feeling settle in his stomach feeling there was more than she was letting on he agreed to stay the night.

She welcomed him and fed his horse before preparing some food. She had earlier on showed him a rook he could use for the night and had retreated to the kitchen.

He sat down on the outside porch as he looked around. The trees created an uneasy atmosphere the darkness swallowing up everything in its wake leaving behind an abyss. He let out a sigh as he looked behind him to see the woman holding a tray of food. She placed it beside him with a subtle smile before walking away.

Zhang Chen looked at the food then as the retreating form of the woman. He lifted up one of the bowls and sniffed it. He didn't sense anything so he ate the food not wanting to be rude plus the woman was sneakily peaking at him thinking he couldn't see her.

After eating he helped clear out the dishes in a bid to explore the house further without looking imposing. He was just about to enter the kitchen when the woman suddenly stood in front of him and took the tray away from his hands. He tried to protest but she insisted she does it alone. She walked into the kitchen and closed it behind her leaving Zhang Chen with questions.

Just as he had suspected there was something in the kitchen but what might it be?

He sat for a while when he felt his body get heavier deciding that was it was the night he retreated back to the room the woman had showed him. He lay on the bed the an uneasy feeling washing over him his body was getting heavier and so were his eyes.

He suddenly let out a chuckle at the realisation of what was really happening. He knew she put something in the food he just didn't know what.

He decided to play along to see what was really happening in the house. He held onto a vase that was seated on his bed side and smashed it before taking a small piece of it and holding it in his palm. The sharp edges dug into his skin but he was used to it.

It was after midnight when he heard noises before the door opened. The voices were not only of the woman but also of another person. He lay on the bed still as he waited for them to do whatever they intended.

"He will make a fine specimen." The new voice stated their voice was unusual and sinister.

Zhang Chen felt sharp long finger nails running down his body making him feel like throwing up but he remained unmoving.

"Where did he come from?" The voice asked.

"he just knocked on my door it was like a present." The woman said excitedly.

"Come in." The voice said .

The door opened and Zhang Chen could hear footsteps walking towards him.

Taking that as his cue using his core strength he stood up his whip in his hand. He lashed it as the nearest person.

His whip was known as the scorpion whip it was laced with numbing poison and with his skills on one could escape him.

He looked at the people in the room who were looking at him shocked.

"I thought you said you dragged him!" the man who Zhang Chen had identified as the owner of the voice roared.

"I did, " the woman shuddered. She was just about to run out of the room when Zhang Chen lashed his whip at her bringing her towards himself. The door was covered there was no escape. He threw her against the window making an opening. She was already numb so she would feel the pain afterwards.

He jumped through the hole and run to his horse.

On a normal day he would have defeated them without any worry but he felt his body was heavy and wad getting heavier.

He quickly got onto his horse and rode out the exit but they were hot on his heels. He rode without looking back he had already created some distance between them when his body gave way and his hands let go of the horses leash making him fall to the ground.

He felt the impact as his body hit the ground his horse was still going ahead.

He tried standing but his body gave way.

He didn't like getting drugged at all in fact he hated it. It made him feel less in control. He looked up at the sky deciding to calm down a bit there was quite some distance between him and them so he just had to get off the roadside first. He tried moving but his body wouldn't cooperate. He could hear horses getting closer.

Suddenly a pair of hands held his body dragging him into the bushes juts as the horses rode past.

"we have to stop meeting this way." A familiar voice said as Zhang Chen fell into a dark abyss.

****

"Did you not learn from what I told you?" A woman screamed loudly as she threw a set of cups and pot down. She angrily stood up and walked towards a man who had his back turned to her.

Silence filled the room as they both stood there no one daring to make a move.

Zhang Chen looked at the scene unfold before him he didn't know what was happening.

"It has happened multiple times he is not good for you." She said trying to be reasonable as she held the man's shoulder but he didn't move. Her voice was calm and pleading.

Zhang Chen could barely make out their faces. He was standing behind them but from the looks of it they were both of good origin the woman wore a beautiful silk dress and white hair cascaded down her back falling almost at her knees. She had a pearl crown on her head with pearl and gold ribbons cascading down her dress.

"I can't loose you again." She said her voice filled with sadness he stepped back. " I will do everything I can to save you even if it means killing him!" that got the attention of the man who suddenly turned back his face was unreadable as he looked at the lady.

He was so beautiful. He also had white hair depending down his face and a crown on his head with grey mysterious eyes he was also adorned in white and blue.

He looked oddly similar to Zhang Chen making Zhang Chens eyes go wide when the man's eyes met Zhang Chens.

The man looked at Zhang Chen for a bit as sadness filled his eyes before he looked away. The woman suddenly turned to reveal a beautiful maiden. Her eyes were blue revealing an ocean behind them.

They saw him.

How could they see him?

He thought it was a dream.

"you came," the man said his voice though more distant and hoarse was quite similar to Zhang Chens.

Zhang Chen tried moving back but he was met with a wall.

"who are you?" Zhang Chen asked.

"He is you." The woman said as she sat down on the only chair in the whole room.

"What?" Zhang Chen asked confused.

"We don't have time for this!!! You have to save him no matter what do not meet the blind bandit!!" He said getting close to Zhang Chen his voice was desperate.

"You called me here?" Zhang Chen asked feeling even more confused." Who are you talking about?"

"you will find out soon no matter what you do not let him meet the blind bandit,"

"Him who?"

"Quishi." The man said desperately.

"He doesn't understand!" the woman said suddenly standing and pushing past the man.

The woman suddenly held Zhang Chens hand and held them. Her grip was so tender and soft.

"He will not be able to escape the destiny laid out." She said her eyes were filled with pity as she suddenly hugged Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen stood paralysed with both question and worry.

"The man suddenly sat down his face fallen into despair. As he murmured "there has to be a way."

"You have to go..."

Before Zhang Chen could ask any more questions he was shoved into a dark abyss before he suddenly sat up. He was breathing heavily as he looked around.

He was lying in an oddly similar room.

It finally clicked. It was the room the woman had introduced earlier. He got up suddenly making a wave of dizziness rush through his head but he held onto a nearby wall stabilising himself.

Did the woman catch him?

He asked himself as he opened the door. It was already day outside. He walked down the steps before hearing a voice without any hesitation he grabbed the person by their hand twisting it and grabbing onto their neck he walked into the open. His eyes widened at the familiar faces in front of him.

"you are awake?" Red said as he looked up.

"Red?!?"