The sky bled little crimson as the sun was about to go down behind the mountains.
Liang and Jún moved silently through the underbrush, following Master Zi Chen's instructions to get bloodshed leaves and spring water near the Temple Stream.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
No birds, No wind. Not even the buzz of insect. Just the low cruch of leaves beneath their boots and the faint sound of stream ahead.
Liang and Jún were walking together. Jún was already walking with Liang. In his mind he started having some intrusive thoughts.
"Ahh..... I really didn't wanted to walk with this moron. But since he is alone with me, how about I push him into the stream and let him float to his death.....?"
Jún glanced at Liang, thinking of doing that but he instantly dropped the idea.
"No.... if I did that Master Zi Chen will surely save him. It is worthless to do so much of hardwork."
Liang and Jún were walking to the stream suddenly
Liang stopped.....
Jún walked little bit forward but he also stopped as well, he turned back and asked.
"What....? Why are you standing there like a statue."
Liang turned back and said "Do you feel that brother Jún?"
"What!?" Jún asked.
Jún walked upto Liang and tried to look what Liang was trying to tell him.
Jún looked and he felt that someone was watching them.
"Do you see now brother Jún?" Liang asked again.
Jún nodded, brow furrowed. "Yes..... something is watching us."
Behind them, shadows shifted.
But when they moved little closer ---- nothing.
They saw nothing.
"Ah.... there was nothing there. You are such a scared little cat. I don't think you will be able to compete for the throne in future." Jún taunted Liang but Liang was adamant.
"No brother Jún, I am telling the truth, I really felt that someone was there."
"Haaahh..... don't try to defend yourself, can't you see....? there is nothing at all. Now stop pretending."
Jún ignored to Liang's words and went to the stream, Liang was looking back again and again to check whether someone is following them or not. Liang was left behind but after some time he also went to the stream with Jún.
Both Liang and Jún didn't saw anything at that point of time but it was their misunderstanding.
High above, clinging to the bark of the dead tree like a grotesque parasite, Zhēnwū watching them through his dark hollow eyes.
His breath echoed like wind through catacombs, chilling the very air.
The demon did not attacked.
Not yet.
He was commanded himself to observe right now. He didn't exactly know who was Liang so was making guesses.
"I don't know who Liang is between them..... I guess I have to find out."
And so, he followed --- crawling silently from tree to tree, like a living shadow. Where he passed, the bark blackened. Leaves withered. Roots coiled in pain.
Liang and Jún were now standing right beside the stream.
"Ahh.... so here the stream." Jún said. "And here are also the bloodshed leaves."
Liang was still concerned, he was still feeling like someone was following them, so was constantly moving his eyes around here and there.
"HEY!" Jún said to Liang's attention.
"Why are you constantly moving your head around. What you are looking for?" Jún asked.
"I am not looking for anything brother Jún. I am just making sure that somebody is following us or not."
Jún rebuked at him.
"Oh dear God..... can't you understand! You saw it! I saw it! There was nothing there at that point of time. Am I right?"
Liang nodded his head.
"Yes brother."
"Then why are you wasting your time huh.....? Do you want to showcase that you are smarter than me now?"
Jún was trying to have an argument with Liang but Liang was calm and tried to make Jún understand. Behind them from the trees Zhēnwū arrived and he was quietly looking them arguing.
"But brother....." Liang was trying to say something but Jún didn't let him talk.
"Just keep quiet! And stop with your nonsense. Take this bottle and go fill the water in it, I will collect the bloodshed leaves." Jún commanded.
Jún handed the bottle to Liang, Liang without saying anything further. He politely agreed to his brother's command and goes to fill the bottle.
Zhēnwū was observing them silently from behind.
"Hmm.... that boy wearing a royal suit looks like a prince. Maybe he is Liang and this boy with him looks like him to be his servant. He is there for taking his commands and orders. Also he is wearing normal clothes. Yes this boy right there is Liang."
Zhēnwū with his logical reasoning believed that Jún was Liang and Liang was his servant. He started to make plans of kidnapping Jún thinking he is Liang.
"Okay... this is the perfect time of kidnapping Liang, there is no Zi Chen around. But first I have to deal with this servant."
Zhēnwū locked his evil eyes on Liang. His intentions were not looking good.
Suddenly Liang felt something suspicious happening behind him. He turned around and saw the tree on which Zhēnwū was hiding was started to rot, the bark was blackened. Leaves withered. Roots coiled in pain.
"Brother!" Liang called Jún and Jún looked at Liang while he was collecting the bloodshed leaves.
"What?" Jún asked.
"Look at this tree here."
Jún goes on to see that tree Liang pointed at.
"It is rotting." Liang said.
Jún at first felt something strange but he didn't paid much attention to it.
"Yes.... it is strange but I guess it is non our concern. We should continue with collecting spring water and bloodshed leaves."
Liang then suddenly saw the show the shadow of Zhēnwū.
"Brother look something is there!" Liang pointed.
But before Jún could look Zhēnwū vanished.
"Are you trying to make fun of me?" Jún asked in higher tone.
"No brother.... this time I seriously saw there something." Liang was trying to make Jún believe but instead Jún got irritated.
"SHUT UP! GO THERE AND FILL THE BOTTLE! STOP WASTING MY TIME!" Jún shouted.
Liang was now silent, Jún goes back to collect the bloodshed leaves and Liang also gone back to collecting spring water.
Zhēnwū came back holding a big stone in his hand, having bad intentions in his mind.