Chapter 175 - Give Time

"Master Li!" The students were relieved and so was Ying Yue. No one died. Looking back into the lake, he turned his eyes to stared at Snow. His brows furrowed and he tilted his head as his mind continued to piece together his thoughts.

Wang Li had joined them on the grounds by the lake and placed Li Hien onto her feet. She was embraced as well as the other student. On their way back, Ying Yue moved close to his lover and held onto Wang Li's arm.

"The demons…"

"Are stopped."

"Snow…"

"Yes."

"I see…"

'So Snow was… Snow was the water dragon.'

"My love," Wang Li placed a kiss on his head, "Snow is a part of me. I could not let you or your students get hurt."

"I… thank you."

Wang Li pulled him in closer and he sighed content. When they arrived at the mountains, his brothers and the rest of the students were there. No one was harmed and he was thankful, but he could tell Wang Li was staring too hard at the pinkette boy.

"What is it?"

His husband did not answer but squeezed his hand as they calmed down from the high of battle. Ying Yue was still upset at himself. If Wang Li was not there, he would had lost 2 of his students and more innocent villagers. He would need to speak with the sectors about the up rise in demons. They will not be happy, but he hoped his husband would join him. He always felt calm around his lover in times like these.

"We must speak, Ah Yue."

Ying Yue nodded his head and followed Wang Li over to his family.

"Snow will distract the children while we speak," his husband stated and Ying Yue felt worry claw at his heart.

"What is the matter, husband?"

"Xu Lan is cursed."

"Wh… What?!" The pinkette's eyes widened into saucers.

Xu Ling stood before his son and glared at the Ghost King. Far enough away to have eyes on the students with the big cat, they did not hear his son's shout. The redhead stomped into the man in red's space and scowled.

"You cursed him! I knew it was a terrible idea for you to even lay hands on my son! Was tainting my brother not enough for you?"

"Big brother!" Ying Yue raised his voice upset and flustered.

The redhead seethed out and turned away sharply, making sure he was still standing between his son and the Ghost King. Han Mo was staring with furrowed brows and glanced back and forth at his nephew and his king.

"How?" He questioned and Wang Li glanced over at the pink haired female, currently passing the water to the students.

"Your mother did many wrongs before you were conceived, Xu Lan. Those wrongs she committed were against the Head Demon in the Netherworld."

"Ye Wu… he put a curse on Lan-er?" Ying Yue questioned and Wang Li nodded.

"It was to punish Nuying for the many slights she took upon him. To release the curse, Xu Lan would need to pray to Ye Wu 69 moons, twice each day."

"How do we know the demon is not lying?" Xu Ling gritted out, "How do we know he does not just want my son to be humiliated?"

Wang Li did not reply back and the redhead growled and grabbed his son's arm to leave the conversation, but the pinkette pulled back. His golden eyes looked back to his son and he deepened his frown.

"You said my mother, Nuying, the one over there with her memories blocked… You said she did things that the Head demon can never forgive?"

Zhang Xu Lan spoke quietly, trying to understand it all. Whatever his mother did must have been bad, terrible, for a demon to react with a curse. What could his mother have done? What slights did she do to incur the wrath of Ye Wu?

The blood ran cold in his body as he looked over to the man in red.

"Was…" he swallowed, "Was it because… Is he my father?"

"What are you talking about? I am your father, Xu Lan!"

"Then how did I get demon blood in me? It had to be because Ye Wu was angry with mother and casted her aside for the wrongs she committed to him. Being casted away, she met you and fell in love then I was birthed and… You have Heaven's touch father, but not demon. I… I have to know," the pinkette turned to the Ghost King, "Please, Ghost King. I must know if it is true."

Xu Lan trembled with the thought. If he was the demon's son then… would he have to leave and live in the Netherworld? He could not imagine how terrible it would feel to miss the redhead who raised him or the family he had made. He felt a hand land on his head before it moved to lift his chin.

"Zhang Xu Lan. Your father is Zhang Xu Ling, a respected cultivator, chosen by the Heavens. Your mother is a beautiful woman who fought to survive the best way she knew how. She is a demon, but should not have less of your respect," Wang Li stated sternly, "You have the gift of both realms. No one in this world have the amount of powers you possess, not even I. If you wish to protect your father, your uncles, your friends and family, then listen well. Get rid of the curse. Accept your blood. Train your powers as one and protect them. Protect them all."

"Did… did you say I am stronger than you?" The pinkette murmured and Wang Li grinned.

"I said you possessed more power than I."

"But I can be."

"…"

The pinkette grinned and pulled away with a sparkle in his eyes.

"I will pray to him and I will do as you say, Uncle Li. I will be strong enough to beat you, stop you if I must."

Wang Li laughed and nodded, patting the Xu Lan's head.

"Very well, Lan-er."

"Eh? Don't call me that when I am trying to, trying to say I am better than you."

"You are."

"What?"

"You are better."

"…"

Xu Lan opened and closed his mouth, before he just laughed. Wang Li saw the tension bleed off the boy's body, even Xu Ling's as well. Han Mo offered to help set up an altar for Ye Wu so they can start the prayers. Ying Yue was about to help, but Wang Li held onto his wrist. Turning, he was pressed into his husband's strong chest.

"We must speak alone, my love."

"Is it about Lan-er?"

Ying Yue glanced up and he saw sadness in those silver eyes, the same type of sadness that he remembered for so many centuries.

"No."

"I have not said anything."

"No. Ah Li, you said you wouldn't leave me."

Wang Li's eyes widened for a second, before he quickly grabbed Ying Yue and threw him over his shoulder. He heard the slight protest from his wife, but he continued to their rooms smiling and waving to the students who glanced over. It was still light out when they entered their room.

Kicking the door close, he threw the blonde off his shoulder and onto the bed. Boxing his wife in between his legs and holding the wrists down on the bed, he could see the anger simmering behind golden eyes.

"I need you to listen."

"No."

"Ah Yue."

"No! You can't- I told you, Wang Li. If you leave me again, my heart will not be able to take it! Don't do this again, Ah Li. Whatever the reason is, it isn't worth it! Do you want to leave me so much? Do you not care for me any longer? I can't-"

Wang Li kissed him and he tried to move his lips away, but his husband was insistent. If that was how Wang Li wanted to do things, then he will have to play his lover's game. Ying Yue kissed back hard, banging their teeth against one another and biting his king's tongue and lips. They kissed and kissed, while the rest of their body was still and tensed.

"Ah Yue," Wang Li panted out and placed his forehead against his marked one, "It will not be long. Not as long as before I returned. I promise."

Ying Yue turned away and cried upset tears, staring at the wall.

"Do not be upset with me, my beloved. I would do anything to be beside you, Ah Yue."

"No. You will do everything to hurt me."

The hands on his wrist tightened before they were removed and Wang Li got off him. The bed lifted from the removal of weight and he continued to stare at the wall.

"Do you wish for me to leave?"

Wang Li questioned softly and Ying Yue jumped up and punched him on his arms then his chest, not hard, but enough to ease the pain he was feeling.

"Of course, I don't! I want you to never leave me, but you are. You already made up your mind!" Ying Yue covered his face and cried into it, "Why?"

Wang Li sat beside his wife and moved the hands away from the beautiful face. He took out his handkerchief, white with a golden koi fish, and wiped at Ying Yue's face. He offered a smiled and a kiss on both cheeks, before rubbing them gently.

"Pang Xi will die soon. I wish to give time for Ye Wu to be with him again. Will you not agree?"