"-or for the time being at least. The scouts that managed to come back gave some rather troubling reports. While it's no surprise that the Gate Guardians of the other countries do not look upon you favorably as you did not inherit by succession, but it had never been to the point of killing the scouts.

"It's common practice to send scouts before the gathering to assess the situation of the other areas before traveling. It's been this way for centuries, I cannot fathom why they would suddenly find fault with this and kill the scouts. It really-"

If left this spirit tied to the Palace of the Four Gates, called Xufan, would continue endlessly on just this matter alone. Thus, Li Yu Rong lazily interrupted the spirit's prattling. "It's not that they found fault with the practice. They're trying to divert attention or are deliberately trying to provoke my anger. It might even be a bit of both."

Some were killed, but some were allowed to make it back alive. This means that some of the scouts stumbled upon something they should not have seen. At the same time, those who were allowed back were heavily injured. This terrible attempt at trying to hide this fact by allowing some to return, injured, was a deliberate ruse.

Whether or not something untoward was happening behind the scenes, whether or not this had been a purposeful attempt to rile his temper, something foul was brewing between the Gate Guardians of the other countries.

"Don't send any more scouts. Write down the names of those that died, I won't let their sacrifices be in vain. Also, add their families to the list of those to be taken care of. They gave up their chance for reincarnation to continue protecting them, the least I can do -in light of all they've done in service for me- is to continue that desire for them."

Xufan nodded. "It will be as you command, my lord."

As there seemed to be something sinister at work, Li Yu Rong began to reconsider bringing Asya along for this trip. Though there was still a week to consider things and discover more about this possible danger, he seriously felt that he would rather not take the risk.

Deep into his thoughts, he missed the rest of Xufan's report. Noting this after making quite a long speech, Xufan called out to his master several times. On the fourth call, he finally gained his attention. "My lord, the report given by the scouts that survived... did you hear me give it or do I need to repeat it?"

Opening his mouth to give a reply, Li Yu Rong promptly shut it as a twinge echoed from the back of his head. It was a faint bundle of fear. The feeling was not his own but rather it was felt secondhand. His fingers reached up toward his upper arm where the connecting array rested over his bicep.

This fear, it belonged to Asya.

Due to the fact that she was going to be heading out from the Palace of the Four Gates, he added an extra array to the mark he placed about her wrist and ring finger. Having left this place as much as he had recently, there was no way the palace would permit him to randomly take his leave again so soon.

While he was not bound completely to laws entrenched into the Palace of the Four Gates, he had to abide in them to a point. Though he wanted to go himself, his hands were tied by this fact. Therefore, to be assured of her safety, besides having Paoxiao and An Ying to accompany her, he also placed this array. If she were to feel any great alarm, he would know about it.

"Lu Se Ying." He called out.

As he pulled forth a paper and drew out an array, the called for subordinate materialized into the room as if pulled from thin air. As he finished the last connecting lines he handed the paper over. Lu Se Ying accepted it with a questioning tilt of his brow.

"Go check on her for me, make sure everything is fine." Li Yu Rong then nodded toward the paper in his subordinate's hand. "That'll guide you to the right place."

He didn't need to question who his master wanted to check in on. There was only one that could elicit such concern. "I understand master," Lu Se Ying said while cupping a fist, "I will see to it swiftly."

Before the words were even finished, the other man had slipped from the room, leaving no traces of his presence behind. It was as if he had never entered the room, to begin with.

Though he was still ill at ease, Li Yu Rong felt better after Lu Se Ying left. Though he did not believe lightly in Paoxiao and An Ying's abilities, however, were Asya to be injured they would be unable to do anything to help her. If it weren't for the fact that Lu Se Ying had important duties, that could not have been set aside, he also would have been made to accompany Asya to Mencheng.

Having taken care of this, Li Yu Rong finally gave his attention over to the frustrated spirit, once again raptly paying attention to the reports being given.

--------------------------------

The gruesome scene that Lu Se Ying happened upon was rather appalling. It looked as if someone took a bucket of red dye and tossed it all over the alley's narrow pathway. The stench of death was thick and suffocating. Still, he did not reveal himself right away. As he had not been present from the start of the scene, he decided to watch a bit to try and grasp the situation at hand.

After the last man was cut down, An Ying turned that unflinching, unfeeling, gaze to the little boy; the aura of murder still cloaked his flesh like a second skin. Understanding his intent to add the boy to the corpses at his feet, Lu Se Ying moved swiftly to prevent this.

He was beaten to the punch, however, as Nastasia pulled the boy behind her protectively. "Not bad," she said sternly, "just helping his grandfather."

Although the method could not, in any way, be considered praiseworthy, it had not been out of a malicious intent. Nastasia could understand his desire to do whatever it took to save someone he cared about. Though she was missing the words to understand how exactly the grandfather needed help, she was able to understand rather clearly that it involved money.

Even though she spoke these words and very clearly intended to protect the boy, An Ying showed no signs of listening. Instead, he moved to reach around Nastasia to pull the boy out from hiding. Not willing, she grabbed his wrist and looked him in the eyes with a strong determination to not let anything bad happen to the boy, called Little Si, that she tried to keep safely behind her back.

The minute her hand made contact with his flesh, An Ying surprisingly felt a bit of clarity enter his mind. That moment allowed the murderous feelings that wholly owned his soul, to dissipate. Blinking a bit in his confusion, An Ying let his hand drop to his side.

Seeing this occurrence played out before his eyes, Lu Se Ying still felt disbelief. The only one that should have been able to so easily stop An Ying's rampage should have been Li Yu Rong. What made the situation even more bizarre were the strange energy fluctuations the occurred the moment she reached out and touched his hand.

"See," the girl then said to the trembling boy, "An Ying nice, not hurt you."

Lu Se Ying, at the words, couldn't help the corner of his lip lifting into a sardonic grin. Whether she was aware of it or not, he couldn't say, but that boy narrowly escaped joining the corpses on the floor.