Li Wei stand up alert, he coding to Qiu not to make a move, he want catch the uninvited guest on their carriage. Qiu gulp his saliva, it's worried him cause he know who in the box, he know she will be found out, but he not expect it will be this soon.

Li Wei approach the box, and slowly open it.

"Ling Hua?" He surprised is her who hide in the box. No wonder he not meet her anywhere before apparently she has hide in the carriage. Li Wei turn his gaze to his aide, he know she not daring enough to doing like this thing by herself.

Qiu know his mistake and just bow his head not dare to see to his master. Ling Hua know from the general gesture that he was angry, she immediately out from the box. But she has to long in the box all over her body was sore and feel numb, she tumbled as soon as she out her feet from the box.

The anger in his face suddenly gone, in fast he grab her avoid her for fall and hit the ground. He help her sit on the chair beside him.

"General don't be mad at aide Qiu, it is me who coerce him.

"Did you think i will believe that you was the one who coerce him."

Ling Hua bow her head, she know he really angry right now. "I'm indeed has make a mistake and angering you, but i really worried about you and want to come too. But if you still get mad, i can back to the camp right now." She mumbled.

"Are Qiu also teach you how to talk like that?" He glare at her not because he angry instead worried she will get hurt. "Okay, you can back to the camp right now."

The general word make the two look to him in surprised. Qiu has told her in case they get caught and that the general indeed angry at first but he will never let her go back alone to the camp so he forced to take her to the north. But what happened know was out of his calculation. Her face still bow but the general can see how sad she is. She not spout a word and move slowly want to come down from the carriage.

"Nah, you make me crazy." The general grab her wrist and pull her back to sit beside him. His word before was because he was angry but he never expect she really will do what he said.

He reach out the bowl in his hand to her, it's his lunch but he gave it to her. He force her to take it when she refused it, she take the bowl and eat slowly. She still bow her head no much talking like usual, it's look like the general still angry at her. She want go back sit in the box, but the general avoid her, he ordered her to sit beside him. He not talk to her along the way, she just bow her head not dare to see him. But the journey still far away, the wind breeze burst in from the window blow her face. Slow but sure see sleepy, more then one time she almost tumble her head to the side and finally she really fall asleep lean on the side.

He place his robe on her body to warm her, he move her head on his shoulders, her face look peaceful like all the worried of her before gone. "You really don't have idea how much i worrying you. How brave of you until hiding in the box just to come with me. How if something happened to you, what will i do." He kiss her forehead gentle and hug her before he close his eyes followed her to sleep.

--oOo--

It's a cave that been made to temple, many people kneel on the ground and praying. She sit between the general and Qiu, they kneel on the ground like the other. They were investigating about the mass murdered case, it's involve a sect in this desolate place.

From the information Qiu has gathered, a sect had appear, and it's was the source of the murdered story come from. The sect was located on a remote place and it's in the middle of the forest, it's was in the cave where they were this time. From the witnesses that survived from the murdered, every month when the moon in full, the sect will hold a ceremony. A virgin must be sacrificed for the god.

They has ask for the information from the surrounding since the first, but they never seeing the god, only the chosen sacrifice that can seeing the god, but they can still meet with the sect leader. There she is walking along the red carpet to sit on the throne and conduct the ceremony.

When she walking the cave fill with many fragrant of flower, not just that, like magic every time she walk from below sprout many type of flower. The lady covered her face with red veil similar to her clothes. She pause in the middle of her walk and stare to Li Wei.

Li Wei heart ached in sudden when she gaze to her, it's feel like being twisted.

"Open your mask!" She shout to him.

Li Wei open his mask slowly and make almost of the people there frightened.

"You not him." Said the lady after see his ruined face and turn away continue walking to the altar. The pain in his heart gone at the same time when the lady walked away from him.

"Are you alright." Ling Hua look worried to the general, he pat her shoulder to calm her down and saying he was alright.

He use his mask back, and the ceremony held a while after. A virgin been carried in sedan and placed on the altar. She look scared but can't moved, her hand and foot been tied up.

The lady ordered to start the sacrifice. A man in black come approach the girl. His appearance like the assassin that attack Li Wei a month ago. He withdraw his sword and aiming to the girl heart.

It's crazy the lady want sacrifice the girl, but other in the room look indifferent. They look like been hypnotized by her magic, but why only he that not affected, even Qiu beside him also like being hypnotized. Li Wei jump from his place and attack the man in black.

The lady gasp in surprised, there a man not affected by her spell. He was fight with the man in black, when some of other man in black come and attack him at the same time. He stab the man in black one by one, like before they turn to dust every time he stab their heart.

The lady stand from the throne, "Who are you, why you not affected by my spell?" She summoned her weapon, a whip suddenly appear in her hand. In fast she blow it to Li Wei, he jump dodge her attack. But in the end she manage strike him, he fall back for meters. She blow another strike, a golden light come from the jade pendant in Li Wei belt blocked the whip. The whip turn back to her master, she jump and dodge from her own weapon.

"Dragon jade pendant." Said the woman shocked.

Suddenly a black shadow appear from room behind the throne. The shadow fly approach Li Wei, a hand appear from the shadow try seized the jade pendant. The jade pendant glowed again brighter than the first time. The black shadow thrown off by the light, the lady too. Li Wei covered his eyes, the light dazzling his eyes and fall passed out.

--oOo--