Chapter Text
Jiang Cheng had his head buried in his work in his office. It was late into the night and the candles were already burning low. He was almost done with this bit of work he ha
“Jiang Cheng.”
He looked up with a frown and walked to the door. He opened it up but there was no one in the hallway. Yet...he had just heard someone call his name. Which was odd since all in his sect called him Jiang-zongzhu or something similar.
“Jiang Cheng.”
“Who’s there!” He demanded summoning Zidian out.
“Now...now...you do not have to be so quick to fight me.” This time the voice was closer and turned, lashing Zidian out at a figure sat on his desk. Yet, the whip only left a crack in his desk and the figure just chuckled with amusement as he side-stepped the whip.
“Now that was not very nice of you. I come all this way by request of a friend and this is how you greet me. You are your mother's son...but perhaps not in the best of ways.” They said causing anger to flash across Jiang Cheng’s face and attacked them again with pure rage. The attack was pointless since Zidian still lashed against the air leaving a crack in his floor. This figure had dodged again and was standing a bit away from where he had first attacked.
“What. Are. You.” He asked with gritted teeth.
“Ah. So you finally realize that I am not your normal visitor. I am Arakaz and your weapon has no use against me. I am not like these other men, spirits, or ghosts you deal with. I-” Arakaz was cut off as Jiang Cheng flew at him with his sword drawn. He slashed through the air as Arakaz vanished and reappeared behind him with a deep sigh.
“You won’t even let me finish. You are quite the ru-” Jiang Cheng cut him off once more and turned, thrusting his sword forward but it just cut the air passing through Arakaz.
“Fine then. If you want to fight me, let's have a proper fight at least.” He said with a sigh. He did grin though as he moved backward out the door. Jiang Cheng charged after him and looked down the hallway. Whatever that thing was no longer there but Jiang Cheng called for the members of his sect to hunt down whatever was there.
They searched the whole place but everything was normal. Or at least it seemed to be. Jiang Cheng and two of his Sect’s members searched the Ancestral Hall since at that point that was the only area unsearched. As Jiang Cheng stepped through the doors he glared at this creature, Arakaz, who seemed to be standing in mock prayer at the altar.
“There!” Jiang Cheng yelled and charged at Arakaz who turned his head some. He moved around him and ran right past the two disciples who stood there in confusion. He gave Jiang Cheng a bow before vanishing into the darkness outside.
“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING JUST STANDING HERE? THAT THING WAS RIGHT HERE!?” Jiang Cheng shouted at them storming over in rage.
“Jiang-zongzhu...there was nothing in here,” One of them said the other nodding in agreement.
“What!?” His voice was still harsh but the rage seemed to freeze as he heard what they said.
“There was nothing here,” They repeated uneasily. Jiang Cheng moved past them and stepped out into the night. He looked around at the darkness with a deep frown.
What was this thing…
A week later Jiang Cheng was sitting in his room, it was just before a night hunt. He was still on edge from that encounter. He clearly saw that thing, both saw it and heard it. Yet, the others could not see it and no one else in the Sect could find any trace of it. He still had people go out to scout the area and set up traps. He even still had the shifts the guards doubled as he still had to catch and destroy this thing.
He also tried to find any reference to a creature that only one person can see. Yet, he came across nothing that said anything of the sort. Even with this being the case he was more on edge now. Since he keeps feeling like someone- something is following him. Watching him closely. He is sure that this creature is still lurking in the shadows. He hopes that tonight's hunt will draw it out and he can find what it is and destroy it. Still, in his mind, he came to the conclusion that whatever it was, was something that can hide its presence just like powerful creatures that they have come across already. He already had some ideas of how to destroy it once it got close again.
However, before he left his room he felt something behind him. He turned quickly summoning Zidain once more. Behind was nothing though, just empty space.
“A bit paranoid tonight,” A voice spoke, causing him to lash the whip against the wall inches away from where the creature actually was.
“Close but you seemed to have missed me,” Arakaz said with amusement in his voice. Jiang Cheng whipped Zidain again through the air. Arakaz just vanished and reappeared a bit away from his original spot.
“Really? You still want to fight? Very well then. Let’s go.” Arakaz sighed and moved at Jiang Cheng faster than he had a chance to react. Jiang Cheng moved his arms up to defend himself as quickly as he could but...nothing. Nothing happened.
He lowered his hands and looked around the room on edge. There was nothing there but the window was open. He glared and went to it and saw the creature standing below. Jiang Cheng went after him, lashing the whip out whenever he got close enough.
Yet, this thing was fast and dodged quickly as it moved fast through the darkened pier. It did stop by one of the gates and turned to face him. It stopped right past the corner and Jiang Cheng moved quickly Zidain quickly. The whip crackled in the air and hit the target before it. A shocked and pained cry rang out.
Jiang Cheng paused though as it sounded like...he ran and turned the corner and saw Jin Ling on the ground clutching his arm. Zidain left a mark there and it was a bit deep as he was holding nothing back. “Jin Ling! What...What are you doing here?!” He demanded still running on adrenaline and rage at this thing.
“Jiang-zongzhu. We were coming to tell you we were leaving for the night hunt.” Lan Jingyi said. Jiang Cheng blinked and looked from the young cultivator to his nephew who was being helped off the ground by Lan Sizhui. Had he forgotten they were coming for the night hunt?
“Are you alright?” Lan Sizhui asked.
“I’ll be fine,” He replied with a small grunt keeping his arm close to him. He looked at his Uncle and saw him look from them and around with narrowed eyes.
“You did not see it?” Jiang Cheng asked, finally looking back at them.
“See what?” Jin Ling asked.
Jiang Cheng was about to answer when a movement to the side of him caught his eye. He turned and saw it standing there. He glared darkly and just charged at him once more, lashing out even with more rage. However, to Jin Ling and to those with him. They just saw the Sect leader attacking nothing but air. Then running further into the darkened Pier after something that was not there.