Chapter 161 - Infliction

'Lory promised me when this all thing's over you will stay with me... every step all the way!'

'Lory, you have to let me go!'

'Princess, they are COMING!'

'LORIENT!'

Suddenly a white cold hand holds her head, he pressed his pale face and bloodshot eyes towards her, he roars at her with blood flown from his eyes 'WHERE IS SHE!'

Lory wakes up panting there a thin layer of cold sweat on her forhead, Zhao Li Xin immediately helps her to sit "What happened, Lory what happened?" he cupped her face anxiously.

Lory eyes move right and left as if she looking of something until she aware Zhao Li Xin worried eyes towards her, Lory moves up and down rapidly only after Zhao Li Xin embraces her she gradually calm down, even though inside the carriage is warm but she feel so cold she curls inside Zhao Li Xin embraces.

"I feel cold," Lory said weakly.

Zhao Li Xin used his Qi to raise his temperature at the same time warmed her up "You feel better now?"

"Hm…" She answers softly.

Lory didn't realize she was screaming in her dream, her scream loud enough to make everyone carriage stop, Jin hao already step down out of his carriage but Zhao Li Xin sign him from the window for not come in, Yang Xi Ying who also worried can only prop her head out of the window but when Zhao Li Xin carried star move again they had no choice but follow him.

"Bad dream?" Zhao Li Xin asked.

"She answers weakly "Yes…."

But the dream for his princess is never simple, he knew a dream can be something more if involving Lory that's why he becomes unsettling he scared she would fall unconscious for days just like before whenever that happened he feel helpless he can't do anything but wait.

"Where are we?" Lory's minds slowly become clearer.

"We will arrive at Jiu Yun sect less in an hour" Zhao Li Xin tighten his embraces he rests his chin on the top of her head "Are you feeling well?" he concern.

"I'm fine…" Lory replied softly.

"Do you feel cold?" he asked again.

"I feel better now" she smiles hearing his usual nagging.

"You feel thirsty? I'll make tea for you…" he released her to make some warm tea but Lory grabs his robes.

"No, don't do anything….stay like this…" she pleads him to hold her, Zhao Li Xin heart aching when he sees her pleading looks he smiles at her then he wrapped his hand around her, in time like this he feel his princess is so small and frail like a crystal glass he wonder if she broke if he held her too tight.

Zhao Li Xin sighs deeply how he wishes he can lock her somewhere safe, he wishes he can wash her pained away but sadly he can't, how could he, someone who never concerns himself with family, friends or home could never understand how painful to lose all of that's.

That is why he never knows what the right word is to say to comfort her, he only knows to hug her and told her his here and he will always be here.

"Milord we arrived," Mong Ki said from outside.

Zhao Li Xin help Lory to wear her fur cloak, he raised the hood to cover her ear from the cold wind then he covers both her hands with fur gloves, now she looks like a ball of fur when she got out of the carriage.

"We can only walk from here," said yang Xi Ying who also wears a cloak but thinner since she also cultivator the cold didn't bother her like Lory.

"Are we going to climb up?" Lory only sees yellow and red leaf trees all over the place.

"We are, it's an hour walking normally then we need to climb the stairs to reach Jiu Yun front gate" Yang Xi Yin worried for Lory because she's not cultivator, this much walk is nothing for them but for Lory is a taxing job.

Zhao Li Xin without asking permission carry her in 'Princess carry' it's happened too often she already expects it, Jin Hao and the Mong's also immune about this only Yang Xi Ying blushing when she watches their intimated interaction, Yang xi yin bodyguard also looks uncomfortable but they did not dare to show it.

"Let's go!" Zhao Li Xin said with an expressionless face.

Zhao Li Xin takes a long leap he bounce from tree to tree in high speed follow by Jin Hao and the others, yang Xi Ying who have lower cultivation is almost left behind, fortunately, Lory told Zhao Li Xin to decreased his speed only then Yang Xi Ying could catch up with them, ten minuted later they arrived at the front of the stairs.

Is long miles and winding stair all through the top, Lory stare at Zhao Li Xin with grateful expression there is no way she can climb that stairs without faint in the middle of it, who the hell build a house on the top of a mountain?

Zhao Li Xin take a high jump in a second a hundred stairs are skipped, then he takes another jump over and over again while carrying her with him, is amazing how he is not sweating from all that daunting exercise, it took another fifteen minuted with high-level Gin qong to reach the top of the stairs and they need to wait another five minute for Yang Xin Ying to catch up with them and she needs another minuted to regulated her breathing.

At the same time, someone open the front gate for them seems like Jiu Yun already waiting for their arrival. Surprisingly the one who welcomes them is Mu Jan Ge and Wang Ji the two elders of Jiu Yun Sect, both of them look almost the same except Wang Ji looks younger than Mu Jan Ge.

"Greeting Lord Long Ming, Master Jin, Miss Luo" Mu Jan Ge cupped his fist courteously.

"Greeting…" Zhao Li Xin nods his head.

"I really appreciated you willing to help us" Mu Jan Ge eyes brimming with hope, beside Hei Shen they don't know who else could help them now.

"Don't think about it, is because of my fiancée fond with Miss Yang so she persuaded me to help you" Zhao Li Xin show Lory position in Hei Shen to everyone else, he didn't want anyone slight her because she is a wasted.

The two elders stunned but at the same time they are glad Yang Xi Yin is Li Mo Zhen, fiancée, if not even begging and crying wouldn't move this 'demon Lord' thankfully Yang Xi Ying have a good relationship with Long Ming fiancée, but since when Long Ming have a fiancée? The elders didn't muddle with the last question his focus is Li Mo Zhen well being.

"Is a fortunate for Li Mo Zhen to have fiancée like Xi Ying" Mu Jan Ge smiles warmly.

Foor other people this might sound normal but for Yang Xi Ying it's means everything for her, she knows the elders didn't approve Li Mo Zhen to take her as fiancée because she is an outsider and also had all that rumor about her but now the two elders looking at her with gentle eyes how could she not touch by it.

"Please follow me" Mu Jan Ge shift his hand politely.

Zhao Li Xin and his group follow the elders, Lory lifts her hands to beckoned Girsha to follow her, the bird flew out of nowhere and land on her shoulder smoothly.

[Having fun yet….?] Lory teased him through telepathic conversation.

[You know how much I like mountain] Girsha chirping happily.

[Yeah, I know….] Lory giggles.

Meanwhile, the elders lead them to pass the main courtyard then walk behind the main building then they reach another massive courtyard because it is past midnight al the members of Jiu Yun Sect are already sleeping only a few of them are awaked they all carry a lantern to help illuminate their path.

They then arrived in another building who is guarded by two powerful cultivators both of them look like in high alert when the elders arrived, they scrutinize Zhao Li Xin and his group before they let them enter.

Turn out they enter a prison Lory, thankfully the prison is almost empty only two people inside it from how clean and neat they dress are and how calm their expression is, they probably just a member of Jiu Yun sect who make trouble and punishes inside the prison for a few days, the prison also looks clean didn't look like prison at all.

The elders then enter another room after they close the door Mu Jan Ge take out a key from his sleeve who know there would be a secret keyhole behind the shelf, he put the key on the hole after he twists it they hear the sound of metal clicking and a secret door is opening beside them.

Lory suddenly got excited, Zhao Li Xin holds her hand to prevent her from running by herself he never understands why his princess love secret passage and dungeon very much.

They lit up the torch then they climb down the stairs, Lory suddenly hears the sound of wailing the deeper they got the clearer the sounds become, Yang Xi Yin's face looks pale her chin is trembles and her eyes become damp from tears. Lory heart suddenly races she feel darkness slowly getting closer in every step he takes, Lory's eyebrows furrow it's been a long time since she ever felt this way, she only felt this when she was in her old world.

[Girsha, do you feel it?] Lory bewildered by the dark aura around her.

[Yes, is a curse…]