Guardian: The Broken World

-Lin Jing-

"So you are the ones that will replace the wards? Is it safe now?" The village leader asked them. "I mean, the other guy told us that you have an earlier encounter with the mountain ghosts. The sky darkened so suddenly and then there was some thunders and strong wind. I was told that the village will be more peaceful now and that the bad ghosts were take care off. Is it true? The Chief Guardian was in a hurry, you see, because there was someone injure, I think and..." Lin wasn't the patient kind so he decided to interrupt the village leader speech before nightfall could fully set in.

"Yes, we found some troubles on our way here, but as you were told, the problem have been solved for the most part and yes, we will be replacing the old wards with stronger ones, just in case something else show up. So please excuse us, the wards must be replaced before nightfall and we have less than an hour until then." Lin pressed.

"Oh, of course, go right ahead. You will be staying in the village best Inn and I'll make sure they serve you a feast tonight to show our deepest thanks." At that, Lin's eyes almost shined with stars. He was already looking forward to a feast, he was truly starving.

"Thank you, that's quite kind of you. I assure you we will work hard on the wards. Please excuse us." Zhu intervened, as Lin was pretty much drooling, probably thinking in all kinds of culinary delights.

"Yes, yes... I just hope that your teammate recovers well. The Chief said medical treatment wasn't necessary." The village leader said and both Zhu and Lin almost roller their eyes. He was just looking for something to gossip with the other villagers. If only they knew...

"He will be alright in no time, he quite strong, just a bit exhausted after performing a... cleansing. You know, Guardians stuff." Zhu added, smiling, then bowing a bit and ran away, closely followed by her companions.

"Geez, I thought he would never let us go." Lin said.

"Yeah, now do your part. We need to do this as soon as possible or Chief Zhao will have our heads served in silver platters. He already is way over his head with worry." Zhu said.

"Honestly... to think that the Professor was actually the Ghost Slayer. He showed such power, then, fainted." Lin said while walking to the center of the place.

"That was my fault. I was so scare. They were pointing at us and I just couldn't take it anymore. I owe both of them a big apology." Wang said.

"Me too." Sang added.

"You guys have it hard. The Hanga tribe killed everything they didn't like or got out of their hands. The rebellion of the slaves just make their downfall bloodier." Lin sadly said.

"I... was the one who initiate that... and it end up killing us both." Sang apologize.

"You would have end up killed sooner or later, but that's all in the past now. Your home is going to be at peace once again and hopefully for a long time. Now, let's do this." Lin begin his chanting, taking out Zhao's special talismans and allowing Zhu to place a cold hand over one of his shoulders, so she will be able to transfer him some of her energy for the big task. As his incantation progressed, the old wards detached themselves from all buildings and homes and the new ones replaced them, sealing the whole village with multiple layers of protection.

"Wang? Does it feel right, stronger?" The ghost girl closed her eyes to inspect his work and accented.

"Yes, it's well done. It's a bit less strong that the Chief placed in the Professor's dorm, but it's still quite solid." She assure him. As a ghost herself, she was able to sense the strength of the barrier, pretty much as any other ghost.

"Okay then, we are done at least this part. Looking for the pillar of nature is going to be another matter entirely. I wonder if it will possible now that the Ghost Slayer is down." Lin wonder.

"He is far from being down, don't go around saying such foolishness." Lin jumped up, as Chu cold voice suddenly came from somewhere behind him.

"Also, don't talk about his identity so openly or carelessly. You never know who may be hearing your stupidity. I'll add another layer of protection, just in case some demons show up tonight." Chu said, before disappearing again.

"I hate that guy..." Lin said, while his heart recover from the sudden scare, Zhu however laughed.

"Serves you right. You should had known better than to talk about him, when his knight in shining armor is around. Now, let's go and check in. I need to unpack and take a hot bath." Zhu added, beginning to walk away.

"Since when snakes takes hot baths?" Lin mutter under his breath.

"Since I'm a gorgeous woman." Zhu responded giving Lin a red eyed stare, making his shudder. Sometimes, she was scarier than Chief Zhao, Chu Shuzhi and the Ghost Slayer combined.

-Yunlan-

The night had finally come to River Village and there seems to be an air of festivity all around. The village was always plagued with multiple ghosts at the first sign of night, but three hours had already passed and there was not a single one in sight. So most people were celebrating the end of their misery and suffering. However, for Zhao Yunlan, there was nothing much to celebrate, until Shen Wei was back to him.

"Stop pacing right and left, like a lunatic. When his time to wake up comes, he will." Da Qing complained for who knows how many times. He had lost count in the first fifteen minutes.

"You knew... why didn't you tell me?" Zhao asked the cat a bit angry.

"It was not my secret to tell, so don't go blaming me." The cat calmly respond. "Are you going to reject him when he wakes up? Because he is someone else other than the Professor you are so in love?" The cat asked with curiosity.

"Why would I? Do you truly believe that I will stay be the side of someone I plan to send away for three long hours, while being worry sick for that much amount of time?" Zhao responded, finally taking sit by Xiao Wei's bed. He looked down to him and make sure he was properly cover, so the cold of the mountains will not get to him, even when Shen Wei had told him the cold was not a problem for him.

"Then why are you mad?" Da Qing pressed.

"He put himself at risk, stopping me from helping him. Since I was a child, I had been consider more than a common human. I could summon celestial fire, thunder, make stronger wars, fight back against ghosts of all kinds and was recruited by the Order before reaching ten years old. I can do more than ordinary, maybe not on his level, but definitely better than any other Guardian, yet, he think I need to be protected..."

"Isn't the same with you? If you were on his position, wouldn't you try to do the same?" Zhao sighed.

"Probably..." He admitted.

"Love is complicated that way Yunlan. I can only tell you to treasure what you have now, because you never known what could happen tomorrow. I think is kind of honorable of him, to try to protect you even against your will. In my beautiful catty eyes, it just prove that his love for you is deep and unconditional, something I doubt you will find again. Now open that door for me, it's time for some dry fish and milk." Zhao smiled despite himself. The old cat was a good adviser and a better parent than his own father, who he could barely talk.

His mother had always been the one closer to him, the queen of his life and so on. She had always support him, even when she tend to do so in her own particular way.

Zhao stood up and open the door of their shared room, letting the cat go find his favorite food, then go back and sit by Shen Wei's side. Ten minutes after Shen Wei had lose consciousness, his pulse had returned, making his wait a little easier to take.

"I hope you are fine, Xiao Wei, come back soon, okay? It's rude to keep your handsome lover waiting..." Zhao whisper, and was about to steal a kiss from him when Shen Wei's eyes open.

"Yunlan... I'm sorry..." Shen whisper almost against Zhao's lips.

"Are you better now?" Zhao asked, still witouth moving an inch away from him.

"Yes, you could said that..." Shen responded, blushing a bit, as Yunlan's face was simply too close.

"Then you can apologize later, I just need to do something first. You see, I was about to wake up the sleeping prince with a kiss." Zhao half smiled.

"Although I'm fully awake now, who am I to stop the Chief Guardian? Finish what you started by all means..." Zhao raised an eyebrow. He was that willing? That was more than fine with him too.

"As you wish then..." And so he capture Shen's lips with his own and kiss him to his heart content. Shen allowed Zhao to deepen the kiss as he wished and responded accordingly. Miraculously enough, this time there was no pain to interfere with that he wanted the most, so he fully enjoyed Zhao's hungry kisses one after the other.

Thinking back, perhaps it was the pendant with Zhao's fire acting up or perhaps he was too drained of energy to feel more than the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e Yunlan was giving him, but whatever the reason, he welcome it.

"Shen Wei..." Zhao murmur against his lips. "If you don't resist... I may do more than just kiss you..." Shen smiled.

"Then, should I freeze you up?" Wei whisper, while reaching his messy hair with one hand and running it through it.

"That's not helping, I'm horny..." Shen laughed this time.

"Such a shameless pervert..." There was a knock on the door that make Zhao slightly jump in surprise. He had been too focus on their kisses, he forgot there were not at home.

"What is it?" Zhao asked, when opening the door. A woman greet him with a smile.

"I was asked to pass on the invitation for dinner in the dining room. All Guardians were asked to attend, the village leader would like for you to go as well, if your subordinate feels better that is." She charmingly said, looking over Zhao's shoulder and stare at Shen, who was now sat at the border of the bed.

"He is not my subordinate, he is my wi..."

"We will be there in a few minutes. Tell the village leader we appreciate the invitation." Shen said, coming closer and smiling back at her. The woman looked quite pleased and her cheeks flushed a bit red. Oh no, in your dreams, girl, he is mine. Zhao thought.

"We will join the village leader shortly. Thank you." Zhao was about to close the door.

"Oh, I will see you then..." She said hopefully, looking at Shen and Zhao closed the door with more force than need it.

"Zhao that was rude." Shen smiled.

"She was flirting with you..."

"Ah, don't worry about that. I don't cheat, besides I don't have any interest in women or other men."

"You better not. I don't care if you are the almighty Ghost Slayer, at the end you are still my wife." Shen was once again speechless.

"Go on ahead, I will join you after some refreshing." Shen finally said after regaining his voice.

"I'll wait for you, I promise I will behave."

"You have promise that before. The leader is waiting for you and we need him to find as much as possible about the surrounding mountains. We still need to find the pillar of nature."

"Alright, just don't take too long."

"Just a wash of the face." Zhao pull him close and kiss him one more time before going out. Shen sighed and went to the bathroom, taking a towel to wash his face, but when he looked at the mirror he was surprised to find not his reflection, but Ye Zun's.

"Ye Zun!" Shen yelled looking behind him, as he thought he may be there even if he didn't sense his energy anywhere near, but found the bathroom empty.

"Oh hello, dear brother, miss me?" Ye Zun asked from the other side of the mirror.

"What's going on back in Hell? I thought we have a..."

"Be careful, brother... our father may not be as dead as we thought..." Shen Wei's eyes widen in horror.

"What do you mean? The gods strip him from his powers, seal him in the underworld a he was killed by..."

"You are not the only one looking for the Holy artifacts. If you find them first, you win, but if you lose, then the human realm will perish along with the gods. Things are a bit chaotic in here, so I may not be able to prevent another war. I force you to meet Kunlun again, because as much as I hate him, he save your life back then... I hope the pain was bearable..."

"Ye Zun, just what..."

"Take care Shen Wei, I need to go. Find the artifacts and you will be saving the world again."

"Wait, Ye Zun! What about you? Are you in danger? I will go to Hell and take you out if I must..."

"Don't come here! You are no welcome in this place and my word don't hold the same weight as before. If you cross the seal, it may be your end."

"I don't care..."

"I'm fine! Stay where you belong, I warn you... just find them first." And he was gone from the mirror, leaving Shen Wei with more questions than answers.

AN: Thanks for reading.