Liang Xiu paced the periphery of the training field, eyeing the disciples as they went through their forms, watching diligently for any mistake. They swung their swords with careful precision, a tension in the air as they did so, eyeing her every move. She was far past tense, verging on irritation, and the disciples gathered could tell— and they were keen to keep on her better side, unsure of what could come of her frustration. She didn't have the temper of YunmengJiang's sect leader, but regardless, she was not to be trifled with— and they knew it.
Her frown deepened at the thought of Jiang Wanyin— the man had been nowhere to be found when she went to collect him for morning training, which was unusual, to say the very least. He was a stickler for schedule, and even if he was deviating, she knew for certain he would be present to train the newer disciples. He was always present for training.
She turned a corner, adjusting the grip of one of the newer recruits as she did so, continuing to make her way down the line. She wondered if he had somehow managed to get sick overnight— but if he had, she would have appreciated knowing ahead of time that she was going to have to run drills on her own. Honesty, she thought, it's the least he could do in that situation.
As she rounded another corner of the rows she had put the disciples in, the sound of rushed footsteps caught her attention, and she turned towards the open corridor the sound came from, placing a hand on the hilt of her sword. Moments later, a familiar form ran into the courtyard, catching onto a pillar, panting as if she had run the entire stretch from the main buildings of Lotus Pier to the training fields she stood in now.
Liang Xiu took a few quick steps forward, before stopping herself. "Mingyu?" She called out, and in response the other woman looked up at her, eyes wide to a point that seemed near panicked. Liang Xiu felt her breath catch as they locked eyes, as she waited for Mingyu to speak.
"We need to talk," Mingyu said, pulling herself up, eyes shooting to the gathered disciples, who had stopped their drills in favor of turning their attention to Mingyu's abrupt arrival. Liang Xiu quickly turned to those gathered in the courtyard with a critical eye, and they at least had the decency to appear somewhat ashamed in response.
"Continue to run your drills while I step out to talk to Mingyu. I'll be sending an elder disciple to watch over you momentarily— so no slacking."
Minutes later, she found herself staring down at a broken door in horror as Mingyu quickly ran through what little she knew. "I was doing my usual morning rounds, and when I arrived at bosses room, I found this," She gestured to the broken door, before beginning to point out the smaller evidences of disturbance, "Door broken, things thrown on the floor— my first thought wasn't exactly concern, but as I looked closer— none of this seems like it was done intentionally."
Liang Xiu looked over the few broken pieces of glassware in the room, the upturned table, the general state of disarray, before finally settling on the door as it lay in the entryway to the room. Mingyu was right, none of it seemed to lay in a way that indicated that it was done intentionally by their Sect Leader— if fact it looked more like evidence of a fight. She turned to meet Mingyu's eyes.
"I asked around, just to be sure- no one has seen him since last night."
Liang Xiu balled her hands into fists, taking a deep breath, nodding to herself once. "Summon the spiders."
Jiang Cheng sucked in a breath as he pulled up the sleeve of his robe carefully, inch by inch exposing the rough and bloodied skin of his arm. He hadn't known earlier that the injuries were this bad, but examining it now revealed the true extent of his injuries— he was certain to have to throw away the top of his robes, the entire lower half of the sleeve darkened with half dried blood. The doctor at his side tuted quietly, reaching for their array of tools and pulling a few jars of salves as they did so, placing them closer to the table's edge, the ceramic making small clinking noises with each container placed— the only sound to be heard in the room.
YOU ARE READING
Emphyreal Divide
Fanfiction"Zewu-Jun?" he asked, voice hoarse and scratchy in his throat, as if he hadn't spoken in some time. The other man turned his focus directly on Jiang Cheng then, and he could see lines of worry fade away as he did so, relief bleeding into his express...
