The room was simple but clean, with a bed that didn't look like it would collapse under him and a small table with a bowl of fresh water. It was no five-star hotel, but it was enough to keep him comfortable for the night. He walked over to the washbasin and splashed his face, the cold stinging his skin just enough to wake him up.
He caught his reflection in the small polished mirror above the bowl. His eyes looked tired—more than tired, really—but they also held something sharper now. A purpose.
After taking the pill, he felt stronger and suddenly had an idea. He glanced around the room to ensure everything was in place. Taking a deep breath, he summoned his inner fire qi. Though it was exhausting, Wooyun was thrilled at the thought of fire at his fingertips. Concentrating, he ignited a spark, and to his amazement, a soft flame erupted from his hand, causing him to gasp.
"Oh my god. What the hell kind of witchcraft is this?! I can actually summon fire!" He exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief. Once the flame was extinguished, he dazedly walked towards the bed.
He sat on the edge of the bed and let his thoughts wander. It was strange how quickly he was adjusting to this world, this power, and the presence of someone like Baek Junghwa. Well, one of Lee Wooyun's known traits was his ability to adapt to anything. His best friend Kangdae always joked that if he were ever to be dropped off on a remote island with nothing but the clothes on his back, he'd find a way to survive. Of course right after freaking out.
He couldn't help laughing out loud. "Unbelievable."
With him all washed up, he left the room and headed down for dinner. As soon as the innkeeper saw him, he swiftly made his way towards him and let him know the private room was already ready and that his companions were already seated.
Wooyun nodded and was led to the room. The door slid open with a soft creak, revealing a cozy space awash in amber candlelight. Junghwa sat at the head of the low table, robe draped elegantly around him, one hand lazily cradling a ceramic cup. His eyes flicked up the moment Wooyun stepped inside, and the corner of his lips curved ever so slightly.
"And here I thought you might've fallen asleep. Glad to know my worries were for nothing." Junghwa drawled, gesturing to the seat next to him.
"I didn't want to miss a free meal, Wooyun shot back, settling beside him.
Across from them, Jaha barely acknowledged his presence, his attention fixed on the slice of beef he was dissecting with surgical precision.
"You're suddenly more talkative." He said coolly.
Wooyun's gaze flickered towards the first guardian who was still focused on his meal. "I could say the same for you."
Junghwa chuckled lowly at his words, the sound warm and dangerous. Jaha on the other hand didn't enjoy Wooyun's clever quip. He quickly diverted his gaze from Jaha's deadly glare and focused on the meal in front of him. The food, thankfully, was just as good as it smelled. Wooyun helped himself cautiously, half-waiting for someone to slap his hand away, insult his table manners, or tell him he was unworthy of eating. But neither came. Months of being starved of food left a mark on him.
A mark he honestly hated but one that would stay with him for a long time. He nearly cried with he brought the food to his mouth, it actually tasted like something. It was neither unseasoned, grainy, or bland. Unlike most of the food he had grown accustomed to eating.
Even the rice had flavour and the taste brought so much joy to Wooyun that he had forgone all manners and proceeded to shove everything he could fit in his mouth. Jaha scrunched his face in distaste while Junghwa kept a watchful eye on him. Although his mouth curled into a smile, his eyes were dark and carried some weight to them.
As he watched Wooyun wolf down his meal as if he'd never had any food before, he couldn't help pushing the extra bowl of rice that Jaha had ordered for himself.
The young man was about to protest when he heard a low, almost menacing voice resounding in his head. "You've had more than enough to eat. Share." Though his last words sounded playful, Jaha knew better than to take them lightly. So he begrudgingly gave his bowl of rice away, and Wooyun graciously accepted it.
The first guardian's face twisted into a complicated expression before going back to his meal. Once they were done and Wooyun was satiated, he couldn't help unconsciously rubbing his belly. Damn, that was the best thing I've had in the last few months. He thought to himself.
That's when he felt two pairs of heated eyes staring at him in awe and mild disgust. He slowly looked down at the pile of empty plates he had just devoured and his cheek slowly burned red when he realized how uncivilized he had acted just then.
What's wrong with you Lee Wooyun?! He chastised himself. I mean even if you haven't eaten good food in a long time, you should still mind your surroundings. Though he felt embarrassed, he was also too happy to care what they thought of him. He had been burning a lot of calories lately, and with no hardy and nutrient-dense foods to keep up with all the work he's been putting in. In fact, Wooyun could probably eat more if he wanted to, but he held himself back on the account that this wasn't being paid from his pockets but the demon lords.
The last thing he wanted was to be more indebted to him than he already was. As if sending his thoughts, the demon lord smiled, his fingers strumming against the table in mild amusement. "Worry not little chick, your insatiable appetite is due to your quick progression. Cultivating takes a lot of energy and since you're still at the beginning stage, that energy that's been lost needs to be replenished. What better way to do so than eating?"
The low chuckle that came out of his lips made Wooyun look down in shame. He could tell his words were supposed to bring him comfort, but instead, they only made him feel like a pig. Well, he was well fed so he would let it slide.
That night, Wooyun slept comfortably for the first time in a while. He woke up the next day feeling nice and refreshed. Since they still had a long way ahead of them, the group set off as soon as the sun rose. Silence overtook them once again, but this time, Wooyun broke it. "So, what's the north like?" Junghwa raised a brow, while Jaha's expression remained…expressionless.
Wooyun wondered if he had asked the wrong thing when neither man spoke. Is this a taboo subject or something? Like a don't ask, don't tell situation? Before his question could be answered, there was a commotion outside then the carriage came to a halt. Wooyun looked out the window—just in time to see rustling in the underbrush. A sharp whistle cut through the air, and a moment later, arrows rained down from the trees.
The coachmen cursed under his breath but not from fear, instead from annoyance. He scrambled down from his seat, arms raised as he took in the group that now emerged from the shadows. "Looks like we're surrounded," Jaha said calmly, though there was a slight edge in his tone as if he too was annoyed by the disturbance. "And from the looks of it, they seem to be men of the green forest* Junghwa didn't move a single inch, sitting back completely unbothered. He merely flicked a fleeting glance through the window but did nothing more.
Rough-looking men circled the carriage, clad in mismatched armour, faded black cloaks clung to their backs and the leader of the group—a wiry older man with a jagged scar across his left eye, looked at the carriage with great interest. "Well, well," the scarred man said in a gruff voice as he hit his club against his hand with delight. "Look what we have here, some fancy nobles who've most likely for some dough to spare.
His gaze then flicked to the window where he got a glimpse of both Wooyun and Baek Junghwa. "Come out nice and easy and we'll spare your little lives." He commanded.
Wooyun, whose gaze hadn't moved away from the men, widened. Is this guy blind or something? Can't he see this carriage doesn't belong to just anyone but the demon lord of the north? That's when he realized that the Blood Moon Sect's insignia wasn't currently on the carriage. Baek Junghwa had the habit of travelling inconspicuously so he avoided any branding that indicated where he was from. Still, the lack of identification was no excuse for these bandits to act so boldly. Could they not feel the demonic energy radiating from Junghwa right now?!
Just as Wooyun wondered what would happen, Baek Junghwa opened the carriage door leisurely and stepped out. The bandits raised their weapons, but Junghwa merely held up a single hand. "Looks like you gentlemen are as dumb as the rumours say."
The northern region, although known for its harsh environment, was ironically the safest place in the empire. Things like bandits were completely unheard of because no one would dare cause problems in the Demon Lord's territory. So this was Baek Junghwa's first time seeing men of the green forest in person. His eyes danced with amusement, but there was also a scary glint in his eyes that showed how little patience he had for these men as well.
The scarred leader barked a laugh. "That so?"
"Yes." Junghwa smiled—cold and serene. "You see, anyone with a semblance of intelligence would no better than to pick a fight with a storm. Even a bug knows to skitter away when faced with the danger of being squashed."
Jaha emerged next to him, his fingers casually resting on the hilt of his blade. Wooyun's eyes widened as he didn't even realize Jaha had left the carriage. "Just when?" He muttered.
The forest fell silent as the two men stared at each other. Then, with one flick of Junghwa's wrist, the first bandit dropped to the ground, a clean gash across his chest, though none had seen the Demon Lord move. The precious smirk on the scarred man's face vanished at that moment as he watched one of his men writhing with agony on the ground.
"What—" before he could say anything else, Junghwa flicked his head at Jaha who stepped forward. Wooyun who was watching the scene from the carriage expected the first guardian to pull out the sword that hung on his waist out instead something incredible happened.
Jaha pointed his index finger at the group of men before him. The leader blinked, snapping out of his daze, and stared at the guardian in disbelief. He had been ready to fight with his spiked club but was instead confronted by just a finger.
"What? Are you being serious?" He exclaimed. "You intend to fight me, the mighty Dosung with that?!"
He then let out a full-bellied laugh and his subordinates followed suit. Jaha stood completely still, his expression as unchanging as a statue. Wooyun watched closely, curious about Jaha's next move.
Was he really planning to fight them with just his fingers? Even as the first guardian and Baek Junghwa's right-hand man, wouldn't weapons defeat fists?
Wooyun soon realized he was mistaken when Jaha opened his mouth and spoke two words:
"Phantom barrage," he said in an eerily calm voice, unleashing an invisible beam of energy from his fingertip. It struck a man beside the laughing leader, and in an instant, a group of men fell to the ground with a loud thud.