"And how exactly do you plan to get those with divine blood into the Crystal Valley? No human can withstand the power contained there, with or without divine blood. Even I had a hard time fighting the freezing spell with every step I took inside the valley, and I didn't stray too far from the border. If this is Bing Yi's doing, he knew exactly what he was doing and succeeded to keep the demons away. I think it's best if Zhu Yan and I handle this on our own and the others stay." Li Lun said, and Yixuan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The last thing he expected from Li Lun was for him to suggest leaving them behind. Since he had only spent a couple of days with them, Yixuan was sure that his resentment toward humanity would last a while longer before he changed his mind. However, perhaps Li Lun had been lying to himself all this time and, deep down, he longed for friendship or companionship, even if it came from those he claimed to hate. But even that he doubted. A single day was enough for him to go find a gift for him, whether compelled or not, he was still willing, and Yixuan felt very honored to have been the one Li Lun had reach for.
"That won't do. Since Yun Guang doesn't remember what happened the last time Bing Yi used him, it means I'm the only one who knows the way to the valley, the formation under the snow, and the location of the cave. When I saw the flower, I remembered the nightmare I'd forgotten when Bing Yi possessed me. Now I can clearly remember how his dimensional sphere passed through the Crystal Valley and where it ended up. If you two enter alone, you'll get lost, as the valley is designed to trap and confuse demons, regardless of their strength." Yichen said, and Li Lun snorted.
"In that case, what can you do? You may know the way, but you won't last ten minutes inside that Crystal Valley."
"I am a descendant of Bing Yi, born with his blood, I can handle it..."
"And having his blood didn't stop the flower from influencing you and nearly killing you."
"Perhaps it wasn't the flower, but my sealed memories."
"Which means Bing Yi sealed them for a reason."
"They also came back for a reason."
"So, will you let your brother take the risk? Is that how little you care for his life?" Li Lun insisted and Yichen anger was about to flare out.
"What did you say? How dare you?" Yichen was about to move in outrageous rage, but his brother held him firmly.
"Didi, it's alright, most demons are different from us. They don't see things the same way we do. Li Lun is just worry on his own way." Yixuan gently squeezed his brother's hand to stop him from arguing any further.
"But he..." Yixuan shook his head.
"Don't mind it." Yixuan said as he look at Li Lun in defiance.
"You are fragile creatures, Zhuo Yixuan. Even the greatest of my kind hesitate to set foot in that valley. Yet you humans speak of entering it as if courage could protect you from turning to glass." His voice held a hint of arrogance, but his gaze, sharp and dark, never left Yixuan.
"You think we are fragile because we did not come into this world wrapped in power, because our bodies cannot withstand serious wounds and are easier to break than demons. But, Li Lun... fragility does not mean weakness, fragility is not shame, it is proof that we value life enough to risk it. We choose this path knowing that each dawn could be our last. What matters is not how long we live, but who we protect while we can. We became demon hunters knowing that death could reach us any day. And yet, we choose this life. Not for glory, but to protect those we love."
"Love? Foolishness more likely. Love makes you blind. Your brother should have forbid you to take unnecessary risks. If he cared for you, he would not allow this. He is reckless with your life." Yixuan's lips curved faintly, not in mockery, but in patience.
"No, Li Lun. He cares enough to let me stand beside him. To ask me to stay behind would wound me deeper than any blade. For us, regret is heavier than death. To watch those you love march toward danger while you do nothing, even when there is a chance you can make the difference... that is the cruelest fate of all. And he loves Zhu Yan too deeply to allow distance between them, when the world is in danger." Yixuan's words were not fiery. They were patient, deliberate, each syllable chosen like a stone placed into a river, redirecting the current rather than trying to stop its flow.
"For us, regret is a wound sharper than death. Living with the knowledge that you could have been with your loved ones and chose not to is unbearable. That's why I must go. Not because I seek danger, but because staying would break me like no demon's claws could." The silence stretched, and Li Lun's eyes burned, not with disdain, but with something dangerously close to fear. He clenched his fists at his sides, as if holding back words too dangerous to speak.
"You... would rather risk death than live with such weight?" Li Lun asked as his gaze intensified on the man sitting on the bed, right between his brother and the young healer.
"Yes. And if fate grants me the opportunity to protect you as well, Li Lun, I will not hesitate. That's not weakness or foolishness. It's what makes me human, it's what defines me. This is the code we carry into every battle, the code we live by." The words hung in the air, and for the first time, Li Lun faltered.
The great demon, who had hated humans for so long, felt his breath catch at Yixuan's silent assurance. He told himself it was irritation, that this hunter was infuriatingly stubborn. But when Yixuan's serene gaze fell upon him, he felt something dangerous stirring inside, an unfamiliar and unwanted ache, an impulse to protect this fragile, stubborn human, not out of disdain, but something dangerously close to... affection.
"Then by all means, go ahead and meet your end. I won't stop you... but I hope you understand that watching you die, when it could have been avoided, is also a way of break someone else's life." Li Lun stared at him for a moment before storming off in his leaf form, away from him and the rest of the senseless suicidal humans.
As soon as he left Zhu Yan's barrier, he headed for the Forest of Convergence, where he knew Ao Yin was waiting for him. It had been a while since they had seen each other face to face, and not through the waters of the scry spell. He had planned to see her yesterday, while he was keeping an eye on Zhuo Yixuan, who was going to the Citadel, but he got distracted and forgot. Since she always carried his leaves with her, it was easy for him to reach her, and since he needed to distance himself from that dangerous and stubborn man, he thought it would be best to better understand what was really happening in the forest.
Outside Zhu Yan's barrier, a low purple mist clung to the ground, swirling lazily around gnarled roots and stones as if reluctant to depart from the night's embrace. A chill breeze wove through the branches, rustling leaves like whispers among conspirators. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying foliage, creating an intoxicating blend that hinted at magic and menace alike. An undercurrent of tension crackled in the air, as if the very essence of the forest was aware of an impending disturbance.
Li Lun felt restless as sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting fractured patterns on the forest floor, where a carpet of ferns rustled softly in the cool breeze. The purple mist carrying demonic energy feel heavier than usual, almost suffocating as he waited for Ao Yin to show show up where he stood with his arms crossed, his dark silhouette framed by the soft light filtering through the treetops, a figure both imposing and regal against the backdrop of twisted trunks.
As usual, he didn't have to wait long, as he could soon feel her approaching, careful but steady, moving as swiftly as the breeze, confident in the protection she always carried with her, as his leaves were not only there for them to communicate with, but could be used as a shield, as a means to easily escape any danger, activating his power to teleport anywhere she needed, including the demon world if there was no other choice.
"Master Li Lun, it is a great honor to finally see you again." She said, bowing to him in a sign of deep respect.
"It's indeed, good to see you again after so long. I thank you for all those centuries of loyalty you showed me when you had no reason to, as you are free to do as you please."
"While you walked the human world, you always protected me from humans who wanted to use or kill us, and in gratitude for your endless protection, I gladly placed myself at your service. I was never forced to do anything you asked of me, because it was always of my own free will." Ao Yin said with a smile she rarely showed to others.
"I see. Then please tell me what is really happening in this forest. Why does it feel so oppressive? Are the humans acting against the demons, as they did before the truce Zhu Yan proposed to the human High Commander?" Li Lun asked suspiciously, as although he trusted the humans inside Zhu Yan's barrier, he didn't trust those outside so easily.
"Regarding that, I have to admit that humans had decreased their hunting of demons in the forest, just as the great demon Zhu Yan had requested. I couldn't say whether they did so because they genuinely wanted to maintain the truce or because they feared his retribution if they didn't. From what I could observe myself, they did not hunt demons who retreated, fled from them on sight, or did not attack first. However, this change in approach them caused something unexpected among the high-ranking demons."
"What do you mean?" He asked, his eyes narrowing, as he listened to Ao Yin's story about how the demons reacted to been let go or less hunted, and he was quite surprised to learn of the strange behavior the forest demons were beginning to display in consequence.
"You say they are gathering to plot against the hunters?" He asked Ao Yin, his voice low and rumbling like thunder rolling over mountains. Ao Yin nodded, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Yes, my lord. They speak quietly, trying to hunt them down, and are gathering in greater numbers to ambush them when the opportunity arises. So far they have been unsuccessful, as they do not coordinate their attacks well and the hunters in the forest are very experienced, but one or two units have had difficulty getting rid of them. As you suspected, something is stirring within them and it may not work in their favor, if they don't know how to work together. If this keep up, I'm afraid that the humans will blame Zhu Yan for not keeping the truce and start another war." Li Lun's brow furrowed, this was no ordinary rebellion among solitary beasts.
"It must be related to Cheng Huang, somehow. That divine beast is currently a fox demon god, illusions, confusion, and lies are part of his abilities. If the war escalates, it will benefit him greatly, getting rid of humanity's sole protector, which will make way for the demons to conquer them, and then he can dispose of both in one fell swoop. We must uncover his plans before it's too late." He murmured, feeling a pang of unease in his stomach.
"Will you tell this to the great demon Zhu Yan? So far, I don't think the humans suspect treason, but they might very soon. A war will only bring more death... to both, humans and demons alike." Ao Yin warned him, and Li Lun noticed a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"Are you worried about humans now?" He asked, not accusingly, but curiously.
"No living demon can match human cruelty, deception and hatred, that's a fact that will not change no matter how many centuries passes, but... I also know that not all humans are beasts. There are some exceptions, very few exceptions..." She said almost timidly, perhaps afraid that he would be angry with her for trusting some of them.
"Oh? Did you run into any of those exceptions?" Li Lun asked, now fully remembering Zhuo Yixuan and their conversation.
"A few years ago, I ran into a human girl living on the streets. She stole food and clothing all over the town for herself and those she cared for, whom no other human would care for. When I first met her, I thought she was just another street thief, but as I followed her, as she steal something from me, I saw her giving the stolen food to two other children who were starving. When I confronted her, she gave me back what she stole and apologized, saying she was sorry, but that she wanted to live and protect her brothers, even if that mean taking what didn't belong to her and I... felt sorry for them. They were no different from us demons, just trying to survive a day at a time."
"So... what did you do with them?"
"Because I can shape forms, I trick humans into offering them a place to stay and work, and I take care of them from time to time. They always welcomed me with open arms, calling me their older sister and helping me with anything I needed. Even now that they've grown up healthy and productive, they still welcome me as one of their own." So even Ao Yin encountered what Yixuan insists on calling family.
"Their names?" At this, Ao Yin panicked for the first time in her life in the presence of the demon she had admired and even loved for most of her life. Li Lun, of course, knew this and smiled sweetly at her.
"If humans have proven themselves trustworthy to you, you have no reason to fear my retaliation. I was merely curious." She sighed in relief.
"Their names, Qing Feng, Fei, and Ran Yi. The three orphans I consider exceptions among humans. They have no ill intentions and strive to live a better life. They also don't harbor hatred for demons in their hearts, like Qing Feng, who once saw me accidentally shapeshift. Even if she could have betrayed me and send the demons hunters after me, she never said a word, not even to Fei and Ran Yi, and yet she always greeted me with a beautiful smile."
"I see... I'll definitely tell Zhu Yan about the demon gathering. Keep your eyes open and stay out of harms way. We don't know how long this truce will last, and a war could be about to break out."
"Of course, My Lord, be careful as well. Cheng Huang, if he ever escapes Bing Yi's seal, will kill anyone who gets in his way, and he is now the only demon god alive."
"I know, go back." He said as he used his teleportation abilities to send her back to Tiandu, where she had lived for so long.
He was going to observe the demons for a while before returning to the mansion. Despite his struggle to believe he was just another piece in a grand game between gods, he couldn't prevent the two units from splitting up, given how things were developing in the forest, just as Yun Guang had said. It was inevitable that if one unit had to go to Crystal Valley to save Bing Yi, the other would have to take care of the demon problem in the forest and prevent another war. But that also meant that his growing concern for Zhuo Yixuan would eventually lead him to fall in love with him, and hard.
AN: Oops, the three little demons turned into humans in this story (perhaps karma) and I think that Ao Yin had a thing for Qing Feng, which is unexpected, but then again, they do with me what they want. LOL. I hope this insight into Li Lun internal struggle of denial and acceptance turn out to be believable, as it happen so fast that even I am amaze. Anyways, thanks for reading, I hope you like it and until next time, take care.