Their return to their bodies was a bit abrupt, as both were thrown back, where they sat in the lotus position, falling to the ground with a gasp, as if they had breathed for the first time in hours, which was just the aftereffect of leaving their bodies while still joined and then rushing back.
"Xiao Zhuo!" Bai Jiu instantly went to his brother, helping him sit up while the rest of his unit gathered around him. Fan Ying and the tower's master hunter helped Yixuan up, as he seemed a little weak after the experience. Apparently, using the golden aura to project two spirit elsewhere took its toll on both of them, but more on Yixuan, as it was his ability.
"What happen? Xiao Zhuo, are you okay?" Wen Xiao asked first, and Yichen coughed lightly before he could answer.
"We met with the great demon Zhu Yan. He told us a lot about the story of the demon god Ying Long and Bing Yi, and guess what? He's Ying Long's son and was here before the war of the gods began. According to him, our legends from that time have been wrong from the start. Wen Xiao, you will be thrilled to hear everything he knows about our past history and the most unexpected thing of all is that he wants to teach both, our unit as well as my brother's because..." At that moment he looked at Yixuan for his approval, which he gave while nodding his head.
"Because what? Come on, man! Don't leave us hanging." Ying Lei asked excitedly, intrigued by their encounter with the great demon. The long wait for them seemed eternal, and they worried that something would happen to the brothers, because although Zhu Yan didn't seem inclined to harm them, he was still a demon and perhaps he was only luring them to do something evil behind their backs.
"He said that something else is stirring in the demon world. Something that might cause us great harm along with the demons in their realm. That Ying Long was the one who sealed all the demons to end the war with the gods and died for it. Then, Zhu Yan was tasked with ensuring his father's sacrifice will hold and he had been protecting humanity in the shadows, for well... forever." Yichen said, and a silence fell among the group, staring at each other as they processed the rushed information.
"Fan Ying, I know this may sound crazy, but I know what he told us is true. You know that I have previously mentioned to you that there was more to the history of the demons than what we inherited from the legends, and I let you know that Zhu Yan protected us from his fight against the other great demon with his barrier and that he, so far, has done nothing to show that he wants to conquer us. We should listen to his advice at least this time, because he said that he might not be able to deal with that demon or god that could destroy us completely and that he would need our help. If he is telling the truth, and I believe he is, if he succeeds in awakening our divine heritage completely, that will only benefit us, even if he lied." Yixuan said to the man that have never doubt the young man sharp instinct.
Ever since his youth, Zhuo Yixuan was special, with keen instincts that couldn't be underestimated. His insight and ability to discern others, even when they were lying, and his ability to purify and even tame lesser demons with his golden aura, along with his many skills as the son of one of the best trainers in the city, were exceptional. Therefore, he had no reason to believe that his divine powers wouldn't work on the great demon, for he was certain that the stronger the demon, the more Yixuan could use his divinity, as he did when he attempted astral projection and went straight to him, like a moth to a flame.
"I believe you, Zhuo Yixuan. What are the conditions of this training? Did he demand anything in return? Can we trust him?" Fan Ying asked, and Yixuan looked at his brother, thinking that even if Zhu Yan didn't make any demand to train demon hunting units, he had at least made it clear that he wanted to get to know Yichen better.
He had to admit that he was a little worried about it, but in the end, his brother was already an adult capable of making his own decisions, and so far, from what he had seen, from the way they argued, the way Zhu Yan flirted with his brother, and the way Yichen allowed it, even excited to see him again... it was something that was inevitable. Sometimes fate was too stubborn to let go of things that were meant to stay together, like Bing Yi being with Ying Long in the past.
"He hasn't made any demands... at least not yet." Yixuan replied, seeing his brother realize that maybe, just maybe, he was the only thing that intrigued the great demon, or at least amused him, enough to want them around, when he had never allow a human by his side before. Though Yixuan doubted it was out of simple boredom, but out of curiosity and the calling of their blood.
Zhu Yan didn't mention it, but he was sure that the reason he even contacted Yichen and tested him in combat was because he had Bing Yi's blood and it was also the reason why he had approached him that time they locked eyes, not to mention asking for a meeting with both of them, so he already knew that they were brothers, meaning that he must be keeping an eye on him for more than just a staring contest.
"It's highly unlikely that a great demon would offer help to humans for no reason. He must desire something, even if he doesn't say so openly yet. Very well, as the highest-ranking demon hunter here, I'll go meet this demon and see for myself if he's truly offering us help out of pure kindness or not." Fan Ying said, but Yichen knew he shouldn't remain silent when they finally discovered the relationship between his ancestor and the demon god.
"You have a point, High Commander Fan Ying, but I think this is more of a personal level for him. Zhu Yan knew Bing Yi for a long time, and now it turns out that two of his descendants are out in the forest hunting demons at the same time. You could say he's feeling somewhat... nostalgic, as he recognize our blood, a blood from his long past." Yichen explained, though Yixuan still believed it was more than nostalgia, but perhaps there was something to that as well.
"Ah, I see... Were they friends?" Fan Ying just had to ask the one question Yichen didn't want to answer nor explain it, thus subconsciously, Yichen blushed.
This didn't go unnoticed by his fellow unit member, Wen Xiao, who was now beginning to put the pieces of Zhu Yan's puzzle together. The demon's keen interest in Zhuo Yichen, the way he held him so tenderly when he was about to fall, Yichen's blushing at his proximity, their bickering, the way the great demon seemed to be amused by toying with Yichen in battle while flirting with him for no reason at all. It was obvious that Zhu Yan was looking for something in Zhuo Yichen more than his older brother, and he doubted it was friendship.
"More or less..." Yichen said trying to avoid eye contact with the others, but the redness in his ears and the nervousness in his voice made it clear that wasn't the case. Seeing him so nervous, the master hunter laughed out loud, imagining what those two demons would have been like in the past if the young Zhuo had been so embarrassed.
"Well... they were... I mean... Bing Yi and the demon god Ying Long... in the past, they..." Yichen struggled to say it, so Yixuan sighed and smiled kindly at his brother. There was no need to be embarrassed to say that the two gods loved one another and were together as mates.
"They were lovers when they walked this realm, so in a way, Zhu Yan is indeed interested in Bing Yi's descendants. Besides, he made a promise to Ying Long before sacrificing himself for the good of all the realms, and he's keeping it. I don't think he had any ulterior motives, but of course, that's for you, Fan Ying, to judge for yourself. He requested that Yichen's unit meet with him and you, using the teleportation you used earlier. I'll gather my team and use mine as soon as we're all together. He said time is of the essence, so you must leave now. The accommodation is already prepared, we were already there." Yixuan said, and Fan Ying nodded, so Pei Sijing's unit and their High Commander gathered together. Yichen used Ying Lei's teleportation relic, and they soon arrived at the gates of an extraordinary three-story building brimming with luxury, leaving most of the unit speechless.
"Where did this come from? It wasn't here an hour ago..." Fan Ying whispered, just in time for Zhu Yan to see his shocked expression, similar to that of the brothers who preceded them.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I hope you like it, it's been a while since I've been in human houses." Zhu Yan said, and Yichen huffed on his comment.
"Yeah, right... I bet he knows more about human accommodations than we do." He whispered softly under his breath, which Zhu Yan of course hear it like he had said out loud.
"Xiao Zhuo, really, you know I've been here for thousands of years, that it's not a secret." Zhu Yan said, approaching the young demon hunter.
"Yes, you're old, alright..." Yichen chuckled as he looked away, but the great demon only saw an opportunity to mock him further.
"That's right, Xiao Zhuo... and being old means I have more experience than you imagine, so of course, I can gladly teach you about your ancestors' divine magic and about yourself, of how to become a better hunter, or how to enjoy some well-deserved and pleasurable fun in the right hands..." He whispered those last words directly into Yichen's ear just before blowing on it, causing Yichen to take several steps back, blushing like an erupting volcano with an indignant expression that spoke volumes, even if the other didn't hear his last mocking comment.
"You shameless monkey! I should finish you off right now!" Yichen shouted as he grabbed the hilt of his sword, which was glowing a deep blue, just as his blush glowed equally intensely red, and his heart beating like he had been hunting demons for hours. Zhu Yan laughed as he approached again.
"Oh really? Are you that eager to dance with me again, Xiao Zhuo? I'd love to, as it would take more than superficial threats to defeat me, but you can always try..." He whispered with a wink, unnerving Yichen even more, who was about to accept his offer. Fan Ying stood in front of Yichen to try to calm things down, and Bai Jiu grabbed his new brother's arm and pulled him away, fearing they would start fighting for real.
"Great Demon, he's so young, don't mind him..." Fan Ying said, but Wen Xiao stepped forward and greeted Zhu Yan with a small bow.
"Great Demon, Zhu Yan, I see you've discovered he's very easy to tease since your last meeting, but please don't push him too hard. He's very kind-hearten, and by the way, I'm Wen Xiao, and this man is our High Commander, Fan Ying, and also my father. The one with the golden hair is Ying Lei, the woman beside him is our unit's Commander, Pei Sijing, and holding Xiao Zhuo is Bai Jiu, our youngest member. We're delighted to meet you, and I'm told you have wonderful stories to tell us about our past and history." She said with the courtesy of a diplomat, and Zhu Yan looked back at her with a charming smile.
"It's a great honor for me to be standing before the descendant of the Baize goddess, Wan'er."
"Did you knew her?" Wen Xiao asked in surprise.
"She was my father's best friend, and also mine, and we both mourn her passing with deep sorrow. I can also say that I met Ying Lei's grandfather, a wise great mountain god, whom I deeply respect. I met Bai Yan when the gods and demons weren't at war, but sadly, it was only a fleeting moment, a greeting. As for Huo Yi, the archer god... well, he had better things to do than spend time among divine beasts, or demons, as they called us afterward." Zhu Yan said.
"So you know about our divine blood?" Bai Jiu asked from behind Yichen.
"Yes. Divine blood carries special scents, each fused with its own power embedded in the blood, just like mine, which other demons will recognize from miles away. That's why none of them comes near this place, so I assure you, as long as you remain here, under my protection, no demon from this forest or my demon realm will harm you. So, I welcome you all to my humble home, and to your home as well, from now on." Zhu Yan said as he gestured for them to come in, as the door opened to let them in.
So they did, and the moment they entered, they were amazed by the grandeur of the place, beautifully decorated rooms with vibrant colors, hallways, comfortable seating, tables and luxurious cushions, living rooms, silk curtains gently swaying in the night breeze, beautiful plants with glowing flowers. Zhu Yan walked them around the first and second floors, where their unit would house their bedrooms.
He showed them the dining room, a kitchen that was both Ying Lei and Bai Jiu's dream come true with a variety of exotic herbs Bai Jiu have been dying to get his hands on and so much ingredients for Ying Lei to make whatever he wanted. Also a cultivation room, a small training ground that pleased Yichen, a steamy pool that will remain warm by a spell, for bathing that they all wanted so desperately, and even a girls' room, as he called it, so they could have their alone time and rest when they got tired of the men's antics, which made Wen Xiao laugh and Pei Sijing smile.
Because their previous rest was cut short by the fight between the two great demons, Zhu Yan showed each member of their unit to their rooms, and they all believed the place to be magically enchanted, as the interior of the house was much larger than it appeared from the outside. Zhu Yan promised Fan Ying that they would have a talk once everyone was rested and both units were present, and escorted him to his room, leaving Zhuo Yichen for last.
They walked down the second-floor corridor until they reached the last room, whose sliding door had a magnificent dragon painted in shimmering blue against the screen paper covering the door. Of course, Zhu Yan would go so far as to mark his room with a dragon, having seen a similar one on the sliding shoji door of the first room on the first floor, but that one gleamed gold, meaning it was for his brother. Why was one blue and the other gold? Yichen was curious as to how a great demon like him, who knew Bing Yi personally, could see them so differently, when they both shared the same blood.
"Are we really that different into your eyes, Zhu Yan? I mean my brother and I." Yichen asked, looking at him.
"Although all humans are different in personality and physical appearance, even as brothers, in terms of divine blood inheritance, in the same family, it is quite unusual for two brothers to have such different abilities. I don't know what happened in your Zhuo family lineage, but something went wrong at some point and Bing Yi's divinity split, causing you both to inherit only a portion, instead of the full divinity." Zhu Yan said as he opened the door and let him in.
"So... is really unusual... I wonder what could have happen. Father was always puzzle by it too, since is the first time it happen for as long as he knows..." Yichen said as he finally look inside the bedroom assigned to him and gasped at the sight.
"Zhu Yan, you..." Yichen whisper as he enter the wide room, elegantly adorned with oil lamps, shining mahogany tables and floor, with a few jade vases filled with exotic blue flowers, an exquisite wall painting of an almost realistic colored azure dragon soaring into the sky, just behind a king canopy bed adorned with soft silk curtains of blue and green color, gently swaying in the night breeze of an open door that leaded to a balcony to the outside with a breathtaking sight of the forest and that magical three with glowing flowers Zhu Yan love so much.
"Do you like it?" The great demon asked, and Yichen sighed.
"I'm starting to realize you're quite dramatic. You either do things big or not at all. I'm just a simple demon hunter, used to sleeping on the hard forest floor or on the Bureau's beds when I'm on duty, which aren't exactly comfortable either, but this... this is a bed fit for a king. It's too big for one man, not to mention too fancy..."
"But Xiao, into my demon eyes you look like a king."
"Well, I'm not, so how can I feel comfortable under such luxury? Not even my room back at home is this... extravagant." Yichen said as he pointed at the wide bed.
"You will need this, believe me. When you are as exhausted as you will feel when your training begins, the last thing you will think is that this room is too much for you, but you will be glad you have it and rest like a king when your whole body aches."
"Then, can you get rid of the flowers? I'm a man who appreciates the beauty of nature, but I certainly don't need so many of them around expensive vases."
"I put them here for their special scent, which won't wither or diminish over time. The scent will help you rest better and also help you meditate, which is essential for your cultivation and the awakening of your divine blood."
"Then a smaller bed, I don't need that much space."
"Who said you won't need it? It's a bed for two, with enough room to move around without falling out..."
"You shameless monkey! I won't sleep with you even if it costs me my life!" Yichen shouted indignantly, as he blushed deeply.
"Xiao Zhu, you're so young, but it seems your fantasies are getting ahead of you. A bed is more than what you imagine just now, and perhaps you'll soon find out what I mean. The day will come when you will want me to stay here while you sleep."
"I doubt it, unless you try some dirty spell or trick..."
"I don't need any of that. I'm referring to your nightmares..." Zhu Yan said, and Yichen's eyes widened in shock as he took a step back.
"How do you know that?" He asked, with his guard up as he saw that Zhu Yan knew more about him, or perhaps all of them, than he was letting on.
"I've touched you enough to read the flow of your energy, to reach your divine core and notice the disturbance. You're unbalanced, something is disturbing your qi, which means your mind has been affected, probably when you're unconscious, hence the nightmares. I can see they're getting stronger... like I said, you'll eventually want me to wake you up. Your sword is also connected to me, as you sensed when we first met."
"How did you...?"
"It was made from my father's bones, blood, and scales, so it recognizes me as Ying Long's son, and I can sense the intent of the Cloud Light sword. That's why I also know about your nightmares. You are both resonating with something I can't yet identify, and it's spiraling out of control." Zhu Yan said, and Yichen gulped, fearing what might happen.
"Can you do something about it? Since I was a child, I've had nightmares for a while, then they disappear and return again in a strange cycle. My parents try almost everything to make me stop having them, but they only manage to delay them." Yichen asked, a little embarrassed by his previous accusation.
"I'll try to find out the reason for your disruption, but unless I conjure you to sleep, which you won't want, I can't do anything to stop them, except for what I've already prepared in this room for you to relax and rest better, or whatever that little doctor brother of yours can prepare for you with his own knowledge and experience." He said and turned to leave, but Yichen unconsciously grabbed his arm to turn him around and face him.
"Zhu Yan, I... I'm sorry for what I said earlier... I went too far. It's just that you're provoking me so abruptly, that it's really get to me, but thank you for all your help and for protecting us from other great demons as well. I still don't know if everything you said is true, but I'm willing to believe it... Also, thank you for saving me in that cliff. You could have let me fall... I owe you one for that, and I promise I'll pay you back someday."
"You don't have to thank me or promise me anything, Xiao Zhuo. Though if you insist, I won't mind living out your fantasy... In fact, I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to find out how much you imagine me doing to you in bed." Zhu Yan suggested mischievously, making Yichen blush even more intense this time. He grabbed the pillow closer to him and threw it at the monkey demon with all his might, which Zhu Yan easily dodged, of course.
"Never mind, you shameless demon! I take it all back! There is no way in hell I will fantasy with you, much less you doing anything to me, nor the other way around!" Yichen yelled in hot embarrassment.
"Oh? So you are already into a point of mutual exploration? Xiao Zhuo, you have such hot blood..." Zhu Yan teased more.
"Get out, you pervert monkey!"
"I'm an Ape..."
"Who cares?! Get out!" Zhu Yan laughed, pleased with his adorable shyness and embarrassment as he heard the young man's heart pounding as fast as the wave of heat across his face and ears. He was so easy to tease, and he loved it, very much. He left the room in delightful amusement.
AN: Ah, Zhu Yan, don't tease poor Yichen like that, mind his young heart, but then again, I love when he infuriated Yichen, making him blush. Yichen in this story is a bit more bold and challenging, as this time he grew up with a caring brother and father for all his life, thus, spoiled and self confidence, as he was well trained since childhood. Thanks for reading, I hope you like and see you next time, take care.