The next morning, Zhuo Yichen woke up feeling refreshed, still curled up in Zhu Yan's arms, which made him smile broadly, because he had to admit that it was the best way to start the day, feeling welcome and protected as soon as he opened his eyes.
"I see you're in a good mood, Xiao Zhuo. If I had known you were going to be like this every morning when you woke up, I would have stayed in bed with you longer, so you wouldn't argue with me so much." He heard Zhu Yan whisper, and Yichen sighed.
"Please don't ruin it, it's a very nice feeling, let me enjoy it a little longer..."
"Ah, but Xiao Zhuo, there's a better way to make you even happier..."
"Huh? What are you talking abo..." But Zhu Yan kissed him directly on the mouth to silence him, gently, just to prevent him from saying anything else. Seeing Yichen's eyes shining with new desire, he kissed him again, this time longer, showing his young lover how to get the most out of kissing, neither forceful nor overly passionate, simply savoring the sensation, letting it sink in so that his heart beat faster, so that his senses exploded beneath the gentle tenderness, so that the heat began to grow just right.
Soon, Yichen moaned under his kiss, his body twisting to better mold into him and position himself at a more comfortable angle. Zhu Yan was overjoyed to discover that his young lover was a fast learner, no longer shy in the intimacy of his room and his touch. He followed his lead, but also demanded more, so Zhu Yan made the kiss a little more passionate, just enough for Yichen to press against him, lightly exploring his back, his waist, his hips, and ended the kiss before it became too intense. Yichen gasped as their foreheads brushed, their lips barely parted.
"Zhu Yan..." Yichen whispered, still with his eyes closed, and then kissed him again, this time opening his mouth to allow Zhu Yan to explore and have his own, letting the great demon set the pace, but also demanding more.
Zhu Yan should have known that his demon hunter, being so young and impulsive, would become greedy in the face of intimacy, but he did not care, rather, he took pride in provoking such strong feelings in him. Feelings that Yichen had hidden deep within himself, suppressing them with a coldness so unbecoming of his kind heart out of fear. But in Zhu Yan's mind, Yichen didn't need to fear anything, neither his mortality nor his uncertain future, because he was going to ensure that his parents' story wouldn't repeat itself, that their love would cross boundaries and defy fate if necessary.
"Xiao Zhuo, you're too good... but you should know that it also makes you very tempting..."
"Fine, let me be tempting..."
"What happened to my shy Xiao Zhuo?" Zhu Yan asked between kisses.
"The old Yichen didn't know any better..." At this, Zhu Yan broke off the kiss and burst out laughing, making Yichen blush.
"Stupid monkey, it was getting so good..."
"Of course it was, but you're so adorable when you're so straightforward that I can't help but laugh."
"Please don't start teasing me..."
"I won't, but we have to get out of bed, both of us, or we risk never leaving this room at all. And I have seals to undo, a dragon god to find, and a war to end, so the weight of responsibilities weighs so heavily on my shoulders that I have to forgo pleasure with my beloved, even when all I want right now is to make him mine." Zhu Yan winked at him as he got out of bed, making Yichen blush harder. There was his shy Yichen, and Zhu Yan smiled even more pleased to discover that he could bring about such changes, from bold to shy, then from shy to bold. It was fascinating.
"Go ahead, I need to change and freshen up..." Yichen said as he sat on the edge of the bed to get out.
"Xiao Zhuo, there's no need for that, isn't the reason I'm here to bring out the best of me? Clean. Change." He used the one-word spell on him twice in a row, just as Yichen stood beside the bed and the young man felt the reddish energy of his spells hit him with full force, causing a tingling sensation throughout his body for a few seconds before he found himself dressed in new, fancy clothes, his hair tied back in a ponytail with the bells his brother gave him falling down his back, and a clean feeling, as if he had just stepped out of a hot spring.
To say that Yichen was dumbfounded was no exaggeration, as he stood there staring at himself in amazement. The rich feel of the black and gold silk with exquisite embroidery of a dragon coiling around him, as well as the sheen of his skin, not to mention that he could almost feel the kiss of warm water tingling on his skin, was incredible.
"You... how..." Yichen was speechless.
"The power of a great demon is limitless, if you know how to use it well." Zhu Yan smiled proudly at him, and Yichen smirked.
"Show off, let's go." He said as he took his hand and opened the door for them to leave. Once in the hallway, he saw Bai Jiu coming out of Ying Lei's room, blushing, and Yichen coughed loudly, causing the young healer to turn around and blush even more.
"Xiao Zhuo, Ge, good morning." He said as he greeted him from a prudent distance, but Yichen missed their previous closeness, so he put an arm around Bai Jiu's shoulders and pulled him towards him, making him smile broadly.
"I won't ask, so you don't need to explain anything. I know Ying Lei isn't the type to take advantage of others, much less someone he likes..."
"It's not what you're thinking, he's not even in the room, he left early to make us breakfast, it's just that after helping him with the dishes last night... well, something a little embarrassing happened and I was so... agitated that I drank way more than I should have and passed out. Ying Lei took me to his room, which was the closest one..."
"Xiao Jiu, as I told you, you don't have to explain to me or anyone else what you do in your private time, let alone behind closed doors. Besides, you two make a good match."
"So... you knew?" Bai Jiu asked as they walked down the stairs.
"The attraction you two feel for each other is no secret to anyone, Xiao Jiu. It's plain to see, it always has been."
"Like yours and the great demon?" Bai Jiu asked, glancing lightly at Zhu Yan, who was almost pouting behind them.
"Sort of, I guess... but it doesn't matter. Ying Lei suits you nicely, and you're already so close to each other that you feel like soulmates. That's amazing." Bai Jiu blushed even deeper.
"I think we kind of are... soulmates I mean. So you... don't mind, right, Ge?"
"Of course not! You're old enough to know what you want and need, and Ying Lei is perfect for you in almost every way." Bai Jiu smiled at him, and they entered the kitchen to greet Ying Lei, who was busy finishing breakfast.
Turning to greet them, Ying Lei smiled twice as happy at Bai Jiu, who hid behind Yichen, nervously grabbing his hair bells, still a little embarrassed from the awful, embarrassing, kissing mess of the night before. But Yichen pulled him forward so he could face his partner.
"Here you have him, Ying Lei. He's a little shy right now, so treat him well." Yichen said, slighlty pushing Bai Jiu toward Ying Lei, almost feeling as if he were giving his little brother away in marriage. Ying Lei smiled.
"Of course, Xiao Zhuo. You too sit down, Zhu Yan... Bai Jiu, help me carry the dishes. I've prepared something special for you. Your favorite." Ying Lei said as he took the young man by the hand and led him to where he had placed the large jar containing his freshly made almond cheese.
"Almond cheese! Ying Lei, this is awesome! It's been years since I taste it! Thank you!" Bai Jiu exclaimed and squealed with delight as he grabbed a spoon to try it, savoring it as if it were the most delicious thing he had ever eaten, and Yichen smiled at the two of them.
"I'm happy for those two..." Yichen told Zhu Yan who sit next to him, closer than he should have, but Yichen didn't mind at all.
"Xiao Zhuo, you're happy for all of them. Your entire unit is already paired up by now." Zhu Yan pointed out, and Yichen had to agree after everything he saw last night. The awkwardness, the stares, the casual touches, the dances, he could see that even his brother's unit was also paired up, though not as smoothly as theirs.
"I agree, by the way, you didn't spy on them, did you? I mean, while I was sleeping. I know you put up a soundproof barrier in every room, but you can still see through the walls, right?" Yichen looked at him suspiciously, and Zhu Yan laughed.
"Ah, my Xiao Zhuo has an incredible imagination. Why would I want to look at others when I was holding the one I most desire to see?" Yichen blushed.
"You shameless monkey..."
"You accused me first..."
"Fine, oh, holy monkey, I was wrong..."
"Ape."
"An ape is still a monkey, right?" Yichen smirked.
"Xiao Zhuo!"
"Am I wrong?"
"Oh, you're not mistaken, he is a monkey. A very annoying one." A voice came from the open window as Li Lun's leaves manifested to give him human form.
"So you decided to show up? Tired of watching from afar? Li Lun, you're losing your touch, I assure you, Zhuo Yixuan doesn't bite." Zhu Yan said to Li Lun as the tree demon sat down beside him and they stared at each other.
"Hey! My brother isn't a dog!" Yichen scolded.
"Xiao Zhuo, a dragon can bite too, don't get me wrong. I have the deepest respect for my dear brother-in-law." Zhu Yan mocked him, and Yichen was once again reduced to a blushing mess.
"Hey! I hope there's hangover soup for breakfast, because my head really hurts like hell..." Cao Wei said as he entered the kitchen, followed closely by Jiang Ren, who seemed more relaxed than ever, even happy. Being a little suspicious about the fact that the two arrived together, since Jiang Ren used to show up much earlier than Cao Wei, who was almost always the last to arrive, Yichen observed Cao Wei more closely and saw how he placed one hand on his lower back as he walked towards the table, and as Jiang Ren walked a little slower than usual, yet he looked so pleased, he realized that they... had those two really... done it? Yichen blushed and Zhu Yan grinned, seeing an opportunity to make him burn even hotter.
"I see someone beat us to it... and most likely, there was a swap too." He leaned over to whisper in Yichen's ear.
"Zhu Yan!" Yichen shouted before starting to cough, and Li Lun snorted.
"If you keep teasing him like this, you'll kill him one day..." Li Lun pointed, and the two men sat down on the chairs opposite them.
"Hey, are you okay, little brother?" Cao Wei asked innocently, as by the time Zhu Yan teased Yichen, they were still out of earshot.
"Don't worry about him. Just kill the monkey and you'll do yourself a favor. Otherwise, your little brother will soon die in flames." Li Lun pointed, and Yichen wished the ground would swallow him up, but Zhu Yan still dared to laugh, while the others looked at them in confusion. Then the door opened again, and two more figures entered, two beautiful women, one smiling broadly and the other nodding in acknowledgment.
"Good morning, I see you're already enjoying yourself, Zhu Yan." Wen Xiao said as she sat next to Cao Wei and Pei Sijing next to Wen Xiao.
"You have no idea..." Zhu Yan said, and this time Yichen stepped on him, making him gasp while pouting at Yichen, who pretended not to see him.
"Xiao Zhuo, that was mean..."
"Serves you right, you deserve it, shut up already."
Seeing them in such high spirits, Wen Xiao smiled, but before she could join in the fun, the door opened again and two more figures appeared. These didn't look too good though with puffy eyes, some tension, and a forced smile, at least on Mei Lin's part. It was clear the pair had quite the night, most likely arguing for real this time, and even if they had entered together, there was no indication they had shared a passionate night, just a painful one.
"Mei Lin, did you and Yiming have another fight? Come on, girl, give him a break, he cares, you know?" Cao Wei pointed, but Yiming smiled at him.
"It's not like that, Cao Wei, don't worry about us, we won't fight again." Yiming said as he sat next to Jiang Ren, finally showing a more relaxed expression. Cao Wei and Jiang Ren exchanged glances but said nothing. Then Yiming looked around for a moment, not seeing his best friend among them. Ying Lei began placing the dishes on the table along with Bai Jiu.
"Where's Xiao Xuan? Isn't he usually here at this time?" Yiming asked, and everyone looked at each other.
"He came earlier and said he might be a little late. He wanted to do something before breakfast, a task he'd been given or something." Ying Lei explained, and Yichen looked at Li Lun.
"Was that your task?" He asked the tree demon.
"I suppose so, but he didn't have to do it so early, there's no time limit." Li Lun defended himself.
"Then this won't do. Today is our turn to undo the seal. He needs to eat something, because after removing it, only pain awaits us. I'll go get him. You can start breakfast without us, I will make sure to bring him back with me." Yichen said as he got up and left the kitchen to find his brother.
"What task did you assign him that he's starting to do, so diligently first thing in the morning?" Zhu Yan asked Li Lun curiously.
"I'm not going to tell you."
"Come on, don't be so stingy."
"That's none of your business, monkey."
"Grumpy tree head, you haven't changed at all."
"Neither had you..." As they argued, the others watched.
"I can almost see sparks flying between them. Are they really best friends?" Cao Wei asked Jiang Ren.
"It seems so..." Jiang Ren took a spoon and a bowl, poured some congee, and passed it to Cao Wei.
"It seems so? What's that supposed to mean? They look more like archenemies."
"That's their way of showing their friendship; after all, they are great demons with a long history, so they have their ways." Said Wen Xiao, spooning some stir-fried vegetables into Pei Sijing's bowl.
"That's weirder than those two." Cao Wei pointed at Yiming and Mei Lin.
"It's more fun." Said Jiang Ren and Cao Wei sighed, having a bit of his congee.
Back in the hallway, Yichen slide the door to his brother's room very slowly, unsure of what task he'd been assigned, or whether he should interrupt it. But of course, that day was going to be hell, so he had to take care of his brother, even if he himself neglected it. When his brother was concentrated, he tended to do so, forgetting to eat to a certain extent. Yichen had to bring him food and force him to eat by any means necessary, including pouting, crying, begging, anything his brother couldn't resist, as he was his weakness. He smiled because before, as a child, Yichen had always been his brother's weakness, but as he grew older, that weakness didn't always work.
"Ge... can I come in?" He asked, but seeing his brother sitting in the lotus position on a cushion on the floor, he remained silent and simply walked over to see what he was doing. Yes, he was most likely cultivating, but there was some sort of glow coming from his lap and oddly enough, Yichen wanted to see what it was and when he did, he froze.
The glow came from a glowing flower resting on his brother's lap, and the energy they both possessed seemed identical. In reality, Yixuan was feeding the flower with his cold energy, but Yichen was certain that the flower was connected to them in some strange way. So he gazed at that fragile, beautiful thing, and somehow his head began to hurt... badly, as if he'd been stabbed in the back with an ice axe.
"Ge... it's dangerous... don't..." Yichen whispered as he tried to move to stop his cultivation, but he couldn't because the pain in his head increased tenfold, and he grabbed his head while screaming in pain.
"Ge! It's dangerous! You'll freeze to death!" He cried, staggering forward just as Yixuan opened his eyes and saw him fall in front of him.
"Xiao Chen!" Yixuan cried, grabbing his brother and yelling his name while shaking him, but Yichen's mind was elsewhere.
Soon he found himself in a beautiful field of flowers, a river sparkling in the sun, a nice cool breeze, golden clouds and a long line of snow-capped mountains in the distance. The place was peaceful, he could even see some rabbits hopping in search of the best grass to eat, and Yichen had the feeling he'd been there before, but couldn't remember when.
Then, pain struck him, and the landscape changed drastically as a wave of dark energy hit the place, transforming it into something darker. Plants changed shape, trees came to life, and rabbits turned into ferocious beasts seeking blood and destruction. One of the beasts noticed him as he lay on his knees, unable to move due to the intensity of the pain. But just as the beast was about to hack him to death, another wave of energy hit them, this time very cold, freezing everything around them, and it began to snow, turning into crystals anything that touched.
"No!" Yichen screamed as his body began to freeze, and he looked helplessly at the only thing that didn't seem to freeze, a rose-like flower that shone gold and blue, from which the cold energy seemed to be coming.
"Yichen! Xiao Zhuo!" He heard the screams in the distance, but when he turned around, the valley was frozen, only one flower shining brightly. He was dying, his eyes were beginning to close, but just before they closed completely, he saw a brilliant golden light, a sphere floating above the valley. Then it moved away, but his eyes could still follow it as it shoot at frightening speed further and further away until it entered a large ice cave within a crystal mountain, and then descended further and further until it stopped in the middle of an ice formation in the belly of the mountain, an enormous formation made with the energy of a god. A seal.
"Bing Yi..." Were the last words he muttered before turning into crystal and losing consciousness.
AN: Now, here we go! So the chaos start and we move on to the next part of the plot. Despite what Li Lun said that fate had no control over him, he was the one who give Yixuan the flower that trigger Yichen memory, so, it was his action that put things in motion, meaning he is as much tie with that red string as the rest of them. Lol. I hope you like it, and see you next time. Take care!