Lu Han was pouring the vial that had brewed into several bamboo containers. He had nearly finished, it was the last bottle he was working on now. The smell of the vial was nauseating, but he tried to ignore it. Once the container was finished, he put the cloth coated cap at the top of bamboo container and tied it with small rope. He took the bamboo container and put it inside a wooden box where the other vials were neatly arranged. Everything was done. He just needed it to bring to Jun Mian, who was in town already, distributing the previous batch of vial Lu Han made.

He lifted the box but suddenly dizziness attacked him. If he hadn't dropped himself to the nearest chair, he would have fallen to the floor and dropped all the vials they had made with tremendous effort. He pushed the wooden box to the middle section of the table, holding his head as pounding headache came all the sudden. Chen, who was nibbling a nut on the edge of the table, squeaked and ran to Lu Han immediately.

"Gege! Gege! What's wrong? Are you alright?!"

It took several times for Lu Han to finally open his mouth and answer Chen's question. He was panting really hard, hands pressing his chest and trying to balance the flow of his vital energy. The headache slowly subsided and he was starting to breathe normally. Smiling weakly, he shook his head to Chen.

"It's okay. It's nothing, Chen. I'm fine. I'm just ..., dizzy ...."

Chen was too smart to be lied like that.

"You don't play dumb with me, Gege! I know you were hurting a moment ago! It is because of the vial, right?"

Lu Han sighed. His headache had gone, but worry started growing inside his heart.

"Look, Gege, if you keep on doing this, something will go really, really, really wrong!"

Lu Han still tried to smile, even though he way beyond aware that Chen spat was very true.

"It is okay, Chen. I know what I am doing ...."

"All you care about is Jun Mian, Jun Mian, and Jun Mian! Adding your vital essence to that vial costs you centuries of self-improvement. You are basically throwing away your vital essence that you have earned for hundreds of years! No only does it decrease your magic, it also disrupts the energy flow inside you! It decreseas your time span as well! It is dangerous!"

Lu Han sighed. Chen might be noisy and his squeak was too loud at times, but never once he raised his voice to Lu Han like this. Chen was very concerned on him and he was really touched by that but he had made his choice already.

"I just don't want to see him work so hard, Chen. I just wanna help him, that's all."

"Yeah, but you may not live to see him again! Gege, this is serious!"

Lu Han sighed, blinking his eyes several times. Breathing in and out slowly for a moment, he shook his head as he tried to calm down his own heart.

"That's okay. Nothing would turn out that bad.  It is just a small portion of my vital essence anyway. It wouldn't kill me to spare some for helping people."

"Of course it is, Ge! Why are you so stubborn!"

Lu Han smiled and rose from his seat.

"I am okay. Don't worry about me. I have to go now."

Lifting the box, Lu Han headed for the door. Chen was squeaking behind him again, screaming at Lu Han on top of his lungs.

"Gege! Gege! Wait! GEGE!"

Lu Han walked fast and hopped to the boat. He felt really bad for ignoring what Chen was practically screaming at him. However, he loved Jun Mian and vowed to do everything for his sake. He would help his husband no matter what it took from him, even if it had to cost his own life.

Rowing the boat quickly, he headed to the town, willing to catch up his husband.

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Far in the town, Jun Mian was busy pouring down the vial he brought from home. A long line of people formed before him, all bringing bamboo cup, porcelain cup, metal glass, or anything that could contain the medicine on their hands. Their face was ful of hope as the line moved slowly, inch by inch in front of Jun Mian, eager to get the newest batch of vial he made at home. Jun Mian couldn't contain his happiness upon seeing the relief on the face of people. His medicine could finally cure people. He had worked his off to this phase and finally he could see people reviving by his vial.

"Slowly, please, folks. Don't rush. There's enough medicine for everyone." Jun Mian spoke as he poured down the vial to the container. Everyone thanked him, showering him with gratitude. Jun Mian just smiled and bowed to the people, repeating his line that he was beyond happy to help.

Jun Mian was so absorbed with his work that he didn't notice that someone had come to his side. Only when that person patted his shoulder lightly that he was aware of the person's presence.

"Ah! Master Yi Fan! Forgive me, I didn't see you there."

The abbot before him smiled and shook his head. "It is okay, Jun Mian. You are really busy helping people. Someone should really help you."

"I am fine by myself, Master. I just pour down the vial anyway. There's nothing hard on that."

One of the patients who had got his share of vial approached the abbot and handed him a porcelain cup containing his vial.

"Master, you really need to have one of this. This medicine is really good. It cures the illness and prevents the infection."

From the tail of his eyes, Jun Mian witnessed as Yi Fan examined the vial. However, he felt slightly pinched at heart when he saw Yi Fan frowned upon the vial. Yi Fan even sniffing the vial and the expression he put on his face after that was unreadable. Jun Mian tried to ignore that and return his focus to the line before him.

"It is okay. You can take it. You need the medicine more than I do. I could personally ask a cup of the vial from the maker himself."

The man smiled and bowed to Yi Fan, swallowing down the vial in a gulp. Jun Mian pretended to be busy, not wanting to show his upsetness.

"Jun Mian, did you mix the medicine?"

"Of course, Master. I mixed the medicine. Not anyone else."

Yi Fan perhaps could feel the implied upsetness in his voice. He spoke more calmly now.

"My apology, Jun Mian. I didn't mean to insult or doubt you. I was just curious that you could manage to make the vial this much. Did you have someone to help you."

The upsetness slowly disappeared, replaced by embarrassment for thinking bad about the abbot. He nodded rather enthusiastically.

"Umm, yeah. I was helped, Master."

"Whom was that?"

Now he was asked the question with that demanding tone, Jun Mian couldn't help but feeling anxious. He got nervous, confused to give an appropriate answer to Yi Fan. He gulped, brain gear spinning fast in his head.

"Umm .., that ..., uh .... That ..., that was my ..., my lovely brother! Yeah, my brother helped me making the vial!"

"Brother? I don't remember you ever mentioning a brother before?"

"He, um ..., he is .... Actually, I just met him recently! Yes, he came to me and told me that he was my half-brother. Yeah, I was very surprised too, Master. But I am happy to have him in my side now. Yeah, like that ...."

Jun Mian felt really bad for lying. He dispised lies, but now he was saying it, even to an abbot. Feeling really guilty inside, he wished that the abbot couldn't see through his heart that he was lying, that the one helping him was not his brother, but his husband. He couldn't imagine what the abbot's reaction would be. He would probably be beaheaded right at that time. However, Yi Fan was just smiling calmly. The abbot nodded and patted Jun Mian's shoulder supportively.

"You are doing a tremendous benevolence to mankind. I hope Buddha repays you for your kindness, Jun Mian."

Jun Mian heaved a relieved sigh. The abbot wasn't able to read people's mind. He was safe. Really safe.

"Anyway, young man, as a token of gratitude, I have something I want you to take."

Yi Fan pulled something from his robe. There was a piece of cloth covering something slender, short, but looking precious. Yi Fan opened the cloth and a golden dagger with intricate symbols, shining even under the gleam roof, was apparent before Jun Mian's eyes. It was beyond beautiful, looking pretty and dangerous at the same time. The dagger was indeed very valuable and that made Jun Mian felt uneasy to have it.

"Master, I can't really accept your gift. I am just doing what I have to do. You don't really have to give me anything. I am fine with people smiling and thanking me. Seeing them healed again has already made me really happy."

"You are very sincere. However, don't refuse a gift given by people, please. It is a sign of appreciation to you. Consider this not a gift for your work, consider this as a gift from a senior, who wishes that this dagger will give yourself protection from any harm."

Jun Mian hesitantly took the dagger. He was still feeling not worthy to receive such gift, but he didn't want to hurt the abbot's feeling. He put it inside his cloth, securing it between his inside cloth.

"Thank you, Master."

"Amitabha."

The abbot smiled and bowed to him. Bidding a goodbye, Yi Fan turned around and went away, leaving Jun Mian stunned. The cloth wrapped dagger was pushing his stomach a bit, remnding him with a confrontation turned resolution before. He sighed, the abbot was acting really weird.

"Mr. Jun Mian, do you still have the medicine?"

Snapped from his thought, Jun Mian turned his body to face an old man holding a bamboo container wistfully looking at him. He nodded and poured his vial, completely drowned into the activity, forgetting Yifan and the dagger he gave.

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Lu Han was rowing the boat, slowly, as it was slicing the calm river surface. There were people here and there, smiling as he passed them. The sun was not too hot, it was shining warmly on his glistening pale skin. Lu Han enjoyed the ray, letting his skin bask and absorb the warmth. Some people kept glancing at him, women and even men. He was too alluring to be ignored, a pure beauty entertwined with absolute handsomeness.

Lu Han didn't really put his focus to people's attention though. All he was thinking was Jun Mian and how eager he wanted to meet his husband. Smiling like crazy, he had this sudden urge to peck his lips and them slowly. Pinching his own arm, he tried to wipe off the dirty thought. He should keep that idea for hiself until his husband came home, after that, he would throw himself away to Jun Mian and they could make love until morning.

Lu Han was still squirming by himself when he spotted someone that made him gasped in shock, completely knocking off every single thought he was having right now, replacing it with sole emotion that was creeping inside his existence now: fear.

Standing in the middle of the bridge before him, with his white robe flapping in the air as the wind blew him, was none other than Abbot Yi Fan.

He watched Lu Han as the boat kept flowing on the river. The sun that was shining on his head was blinding Lu Han's eyes. He winced his eyes, but not breaking the contacts between them. They stopped glaring at each other as the boat flew down the bridge, blocking Lu Han's view of the abbot.

The fear that he tried to shut down suddnly flared up. Lu Han was not feeling really well to pick up a fight. He needed to escape. He rowed the boat to the river bank and tied it to the tree. Once the boat was secure, he leaped forward and started running fast. Slipping himself swiftly between people, Lu Han tried to mislead the abbot by blending himself with the scene. He kept glancing at every direction, trying to see whether the abbot was following him or not. The distraction scheme seemed successful until he turned his head forward and saw the abbot standing still not far on his front.

Lu Han halted, fear gripped his heart. He walked backward and returned to the beginning of his escape. He jogged along the river bank, wishing that he disappeared from the scene. As he glanced to his side, he again caught the image of the abbot, standing calmly on the background. The fear was amplified, the feeling of helplessness devoured him inside. He once again turned his body and this time he sneaked into a tiny alley, trying to find a protection there.

The space which was provided by tiny leftover of land building was barely enough even for a little kid to pass, but Lu Han was not an ordinary human. Using his magic to flaten himself, the very narrow path was as wide as the main street. He had no difficulty in scurrying forward, saving himself from the abbot. He repeatedly glanced behind to check whether that damn abbot had caught his trail or not. Lu Han heaved a sigh, relieved when he saw no sign of his enemy.

Finally, that damn monk is gone.

Feeling safe already, Lu Han decided to get out of the maze. He got out of the tiny alley, planning to still walk on the lonely path of the town. Once he was no longer surrounded by the abbot's presence, he planned to go back home. It was probably too dangerous if he kept roaming in the city. There was absolute certainty that the abbot was in his usual demon hunting routine and he had better save himself.

!

Lu Han froze. Abbot Yi Fan was right before his eyes, watching him like a hawk.

"Do you think you could run away from me?"

Lu Han bit his lips and leaped backward, trying to escape, but the monk was faster. He jumped over Lu Han's head and landed inches before him. Lu Han had to swift the momentum to his left or he would have bumped to him.

"You can't escape from me. No demon has, except your green friend."

And that was when all the fear that was swallowing him disappear, transforming into ferocious fury.

"What have you done to my brother?!"

Yi Fan didn't say a word and Lu Han was unable to contain the sudden force in him that wanted to rip the abbot into pieces. He flashed forward and directed his magic balled fist to destroy the monk. Yi Fan, however, managed to dodge the attack and give Lu Han a punch. The punch didn't hit him, but the force from it made Lu Han thrown back. Lu Han jumped forward again, this time, trying to be more focused and aiming for a better spot, but Yi Fan was just as strong as he was infamously rumoured. All his attacks were dismissed effortlessly.

Lu Han retreated, panting and sweating hard. Enraged, he made a move with his hand, working his magic toward Yi Fan. His hand pulled the air and there was a thunderous storm rambling in the air. Yi Fan looked around and his eyes widened in shock as he saw that all the buildings around him was pulled away toward him in order to press him into grinded meat. He tried to leave the moving walls but their movement was too fast. He had no option but stomping his feet into the ground, sinking his feet down the ground and working on his magic as well. Lu Han witnessed as Yi Fan chanted some mantra and he emitted his magic more, pulling the air more harshly than before.

There was a scream from Yi Fan and he stretched bot his arms out to his side. The walls were hit by strong wave of air, boring huge holes into them and effectly crumbled them into pieces. All the building materials, woods and stones dropped from the sky like rain. Lu Han flew forward, ready to blow a ball  of energy to Yi Fan but there was a little tornado that struck him backward. It was pushing him past the air and in the middle of his struggle to get a grip on his balance, he watched as woods surrounding them began to crack and float in the air. Lu Han was cornered to a side of wall and all the pointy end of woods were aimed at him. It was his end. When his body was finally smashed into the wall, Lu Han raised his arm to cover his face and was ready to feel the excruciating pain preceeding the death.
 
He waited the pain, along with the throbbing pain on his back that was hurting in pulse. However, after some moment, it was all nothing but silence around him. Lu Han lowered his arm only to see all the woods were frozen in the air.

"You are the one who made a cure for the poison of fox demon."

Lu Han lifted his head, insult was all on his expression.

"So what? Why do you care? I believe it is none of your business!"

The abbot moved toward him.

"Making the cure for those people costs you years, even centuries of your vital essence. You are very kind and benevolent to ordinary humans."

Yi Fan bowed his head in respect.  Lu Han scoffed.

“Again, why do you care? All you can see in us is just that we harm people, isn’t it?”

As he rose, there was a serenity which was mixed with grim on his face.

“In spite of your noble intention, at the end of the day, you will still harm someone.”

“Really? Who are you to talk to me like that? Who will I harm?”

“You know exactly who it is.”

Lu Han’s face hardened. He stared at Yi Fan with murderous look.

“Jun Mian is my true love! There is no way I will bring harm to him!”

Yi Fan shook his head.

“You both are from a different realm. Being together with him, you will unconsciously drain his life force. You will also distort his destiny, ripping him out of the fate he is supposed to have. He is supposed to find a girl, get married, have children, then die peacefully. With you, he would never have what he’s supposed to have.”

“Human’s lives are short, but true love is rare. Ours is true, no matter who we are, what we are!”

“He didn’t choose to love you! You took his love, you are taking away his life!”

Lu Han put his coldest, most disgusted smirk he ever had.

“Then why should it matter? He’s totally happy with me. We love each other with our heart! You damn monk, what do you know about our love? Just go chant your sutras! Leave us alone! Let us be happy! We never harm people! You should be ashamed of yourself! You call yourself a monk but all you crave to do is constant destruction to people’s life!”

There was a sigh heaved by Yi Fan.

“What if he knows that you’re a snake? Will he still love you like you told me before?”

And it was the biggest punch from Yi Fan to him. Lu Han’s chest was puffing and flattening fast. That question shot him like a thunder, making him sweating, heart beating really fast. Yi Fan's lips formed a sad smile.

“See …. That’s what I’m talking about. It is clear who is being selfish now.”

“But …, but …, but I truly love him!”

Yi Fan straightened his face, his eyes boring Lu Han’s eyes.

“Then keep you love for him by yourself. Shed your own tears over him. If you really love him, don’t ever let him shed his tears over you. You should let him slip away from your hand. If you really love him, you will never sacrifice him just for the sake of your own happiness.”

Yi Fan turned around and waved his hand. All the piercing and sharp woods which were floating in the air, aiming for Lu Han, dropped to the ground with loud thump. There was something that squeezed Lu Han's heart, making his breath somehow excruciating. Tears were b in his eyes, burning.

“Listen, White Snake, you have helped many people by sacrificing your precious vital essence. It is really noble. I have never seen a demon doing this act to people. Since you are so benevolent to people, I’ll let you go this time. Think it as a token of gratitude for you have helped mere mortal.

"Nonetheless, I want you to leave this realm as soon as possible. I want you to go back where you have belonged at the first place. Forget Jun Mian, let him live the destiny he is supposed to have. Do that and I’ll spare your life. However, if I spot you wander around this realm again, next time, there’ll be no mercy! I will destroy you and get you back in your place with force.”

Yi Fan started walking, leaving Lu Han stunned in his spot. Lu Han was not able to move, feeling helplessly devastated. It was not the fight with that monk that hurt him, but it was the words he heard from him that stained his heart painfully. The abbot's threat meant nothing for him, he could fight to death with that monk. All that stabbed his chest was his word about Jun Mian.

Being with him would never do good to Jun Mian.

Lu Han's knees wobbled and he sat dejectedly on the ground. The tears that rolled down his chees were hot and burning as the monk’s words kept echoing in his crushed mind.

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August 13, 2014

Hello again everyone! That's long hiatus, isn't it? More than a month to update. I am sorry for that. This fic was kinda hard to write, I got no spirit to continue. However, I got the light back and here I am, voitting the words for you. Thank you for the loyal readers, commenters, subscribers, and upvoters. The following chapters will be more tense, so stay tuned with this will you? :)

Schandelierre