After several hours, when almost everyone had retreated to their tents for rest, Yichen slowly began to regain consciousness. As he slowly opened his eyes, the vast night sky stretched above him, accompanied by the soft caress of a gentle breeze.
The first thing that caught his attention was the peculiar blue luminescence enveloping the space around him, interwoven with a faint red hue emanating from above. It was a barrier—he realized it—and a powerful one that for some reason reminded him of Zhu Yan.
A hint of fatigue still lingered within him, yet his spiritual energy had returned to normal. This swift recovery meant that several hours had passed, for he typically needed a lot of time to bounce back from overexertion.
As he shifted his gaze, he noticed Yun Guang seated beside his sleeping bag, deeply engrossed in an old notebook resting on his lap. Yichen breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his cousin, unharmed and at ease, absorbed in the pages of the notebook illuminated by the peculiar blue glow. If his cousin was safe, then surely the rest of the team was too.
Intrigued by the light, he directed his attention to the left, where a few tents stood, their fabric also bathed with the glow of blue campfires that shouldn't exist. This strange sight reignited Yichen's curiosity about the events that had unfolded during his unconsciousness. So, he shifted his focus back to the one person who could provide the answers he sought.
"Why do you seem so engrossed in that old notebook?" Yichen inquired, pulling Yun Guang back from his thoughts. Yun Guang smiled warmly at his cousin and gently took hold of Yichen's hand to check his pulse.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, cousin. For a moment there, we feared you'd decided to spend eternity hanging out with Zhu Yan on the astral plane. Tempting as that might be—considering the lengths he goes to save you—this is your reality, here in the human world," he teased playfully. Relief washed over him as he felt Yichen's pulse steady and his spiritual energy stabilize. All signs pointed to Yichen's recovery, as strong as ever.
However, even though Yun Guang's tone was playful, it did not escape Yichen's notice that Yun Guang mentioned Zhu Yan with such familiarity—as if he knew him personally. Or that he claimed Zhu Yan had saved him and had gone to extreme lengths to do so—something of which, of course, he had not the faintest idea.
He was aware that he had spent a considerable amount of time with Zhu Yan in the astral plane, yet his memory of being saved belonged not to that era, but to a distant past—his past life, to be exact. However, he suspected that this was not what Yun Guang was referring to at all. Which only makes him wonder what happened to his team while he was gone.
"Yun Guang... what happened to you guys? Spare no details, I want to know it all," Yichen insisted, sitting up over the sleeping he was resting in.
With eagerness bubbling within him, Yun Guang began to recount the extraordinary events they had faced. His story unfolded like a scene from a fairy tale, capturing the essence of everything that transpired after he had fainted.
The revelation that Zhu Yan could perform soul projection and actually saved his team astonished Yichen just as much as it did the others, but even more surprising was the realization that the specter they believed haunted the town was not a kid ghost at all, but a genuine demon. Then there was the intriguing story of the teacher who had moved to the town, delving into research on the effects and variations of talismans.
"What do you think about this?" Yun Guang's gaze was steady as he spoke, his tone even. "You and I may approach things differently at times, but when it comes to investigations—well, we've always found common ground." Yichen let a brief smirk tug at his lips.
"That's true. Luo Ming got a few things right, like how most common talismans couldn't neutralize negative energy. But what he failed to realize is that this isn't exactly groundbreaking knowledge. Everyone in the trade knows this. The art of crafting talismans is very complex, and few truly master it. Agencies with our expertise stand out for a reason. We learn the craft from the best, which are the Kunlun Mountains monks. So, that particular observation of his wasn't enough to ring alarm bells."
"Agreed," Yun Guang nodded. Yichen leaned back slightly, his expression growing more contemplative.
"What should've grabbed our attention was the failure of those talismans to repel ghosts entirely. That was no small issue—it should've set off every warning signal we had. On top of that, the talismans Luo Ming sketched in his notebook were unusual, unlike anything we've encountered in Tiandu, the hub for most ghost-hunting agencies. That city thrives on efficiency of the craft, no matter the variation. Thus, any talisman meant to gather negative energy or ghosts, like that, will never go unnoticed there."
"Exactly," Yun Guang added. "Tiandu's landscape makes it impossible for something so unconventional to exist without raising suspicion. But displaying those talismans openly in Shanghai, to the extent that even a teacher noticed them? That was bold, almost reckless. They took advantage of the lack of scrutiny outside Tiandu, where agencies are fewer and less prone to deal with more than what they need to. Most agencies operating outside Tiandu are secondary branches handling minor cases. They tend to call for headquarters' help only when more serious cases come up. That lack of oversight worked in their favor."
"That's true for us too, isn't it? We've placed too much trust in other agencies to manage the safety of cities beyond our immediate reach. When summoned, our sole focus was on confronting the spirits and saving those in danger. The talismans scattered around were never our concern, as they weren't deemed a priority. Protecting every corner of the cities was an unfeasible task to begin with, so certain areas inevitably went unguarded. Because of this, we never considered that the talismans themselves might have been part of the problem all along." Yichen sighed, his tone carrying a hint of weariness.
"We've certainly missed crucial things, but like you said, it's unrealistic to think we can be everywhere at once. Besides, much of the responsibility of city safety rests with the government—they're the ones issuing the contracts for the permanent talismans used across cities. To my knowledge, those have never failed, which partially absolves the government from any collusion in whatever the Chingwu Agency might be plotting. The truth is, they likely chose specific areas for their schemes—places hidden from view, dark alleyways less frequented. Even if we had multiple offices in Shanghai or any other city, such isolated spots might still have escaped notice." Yun Guang spoke with a touch of reassurance, soft yet resolute.
"No more from here onward. When morning arrives, we need to relay this information to the elders so they can initiate their own investigation and take action. Pei Sijing can share the intel with her contacts within the police force, and I'll inform my brother as well. Although I'm uncertain about the Chongwu Agency's influence in Japan, they must understand the potential danger of stumbling into those traps lurking out there." Yichen has much more to discuss with his brother than addressing this catastrophic scheme.
"I'll handle speaking with the elders on your behalf, but Yichen... time is slipping through our fingers, now more urgently than ever," Yun Guang interjected, his tone laced with urgency. Yichen already felt the weight of guilt for delaying their mission.
"I know, but we'll proceed more cautiously from this point on. Yun Guang..." Yichen paused in hesitation, as if choosing whether he should ask or not the questions that popped in his mind, causing Yun Guang to almost roll his eyes in frustration.
"Come on, Yichen. You ought to trust me more now than you ever did before. I'm your spiritual anchor, for heaven's sake..." Yun Guang grumbled, his bitterness evident. Yichen couldn't help but smile in response.
"My apologies—old habits are hard to break. It's not that I distrust you; it's just that I have always thought that your allegiance leans more toward the elders than toward us..." He referred to himself, his brother, and his parents. As members of the main branch, they still found themselves overshadowed by the authority of the elders, especially his grandfather.
"Becoming the official family guardian under the elders was never my choice. It wasn't something I sought after—it was simply decided for me and my father after my mother's death. But let me assure you, Yichen, my loyalty has always been centered on you. Since the day you were born, I've been devoted to safeguarding you—not just openly but more often behind the scenes in ways you may never even realize." He paused for a moment, allowing a moment for Yichen to process the revelation.
"Our special connection since kids made it effortless for us to be spiritually bonded, and that bond is unbreakable. Even when I tease you now and then, I would never betray you—not even if it meant abandoning everything else for your sake. You are my priority in moments of crisis and danger, Yichen. Even the elders are well aware of this fact, regardless of them choosing to ignore it," Yun Guang admitted candidly, his words catching Yichen off guard again.
"But why? I'm merely the second son of the main family branch. Why prioritize me above all others? Especially considering how challenging I've been over the years." Yichen asked with genuine curiosity, looking into Yun Guang's unwavering gaze.
"There isn't a particular reason. It's just something I was born with—a sort of heightened instinct, if you insist on having an explanation. You're aware that my birth was unusual, and even the monks couldn't determine the spirit I was meant to be the reincarnation of. Perhaps we too shared a connection in a past life, not just with Zhu Yan." The possibility seemed more plausible now, perhaps even more so than Yun Guang himself had realized.
"When I was on the astral plane, I was drawn into my past life—right into the body of Zhuo Yichen, the demon hunter, dressed in expensive hanfu. During that era, real demons roamed freely. I woke up in his injured body, relentlessly pursued by one of them, and was ultimately saved by Zhu Yan in his unsealed form, when his powers were raw and untamed." Yichen looked at Yun Guang more intently.
"But what truly left an impression on me, whether that experience was real or not, was the weapon my past self carried—a mighty sword supposedly passed down through the Zhuo family from Bing Yi. Yet, I never knew anything about this legacy beyond legends claiming the connection of our family to the dragon god. We currently have no such sword in our hands, at least not that I know of." This revelation caught Yun Guang off guard, leaving him visibly stunned.
"There is no sword like that, nor any scroll detailing techniques for wielding such a weapon passed down through the generations. I'm certain of this, Yichen, for I have been inside the vault containing our most treasured relics from ancient times. There is nothing of the sort there." Yun Guang's voice was firm, carrying the weight of conviction, yet deep within, something stirred. Because, for the first time in his life, he felt an undeniable sense that a sword truly should have been in Yichen's hand.
His heart began to pound in his chest, once again stirred by that inexplicable connection he always felt around Yichen. Most of their family attributed his protective instinct toward his young cousin to a sense of duty, a natural bond forged through shared blood as Yun Guang was, after all, a Zhuo by lineage.But for him, it had always gone beyond that.
Yichen wasn't the only Zhuo in the main family branch—there was also Yixuan, the eldest. Considering that Yixuan was just a year older than him, it would have seemed more natural for Yun Guang to feel a closer bond with Yixuan than with Yichen, which was a few years younger than him. Yet, the moment he first laid eyes on Yichen as a baby—those piercing blue eyes gazing back at him—he felt an unshakable pull, one that had lingered ever since.
"What if it remained a secret even from you? Yun Guang, I grasped it in my hand, feeling its power surge through me as if it had always belonged there. This sword was more than mere metal; it possessed a will of its own. It could even cast a strong shield to safeguard me. Let me assure you, the experience felt too vivid to be a mere dream, as if I had been drawn back into my past for a good reason."
"When I awoke in the astral plane, I had no time to share the details of my unexpected soul exchange with Zhu Yan. But the fact that he worried for me, unable to pull me back from the depths where I had drifted, is proof that I indeed was somewhere else. You recalled how urgent his voice was when he pleaded with you to reach for my soul—proof that this was no mere illusion, nor a figment of my imagination. It was real," Yichen clarified. For Yun Guang, however, the revelation was overwhelming, leaving him struggling to process it all at once.
"Yichen, our family may not be flawless, but it has never harbored ill intentions over its own members through deliberate deceit. The elders might be strict in our upbringing and in safeguarding the legacy of our clan, ensuring its strength and continuity. However, it's hard to believe they would intentionally keep something so significant hidden from all of us." Yun Guang released the notebook and gently took Yichen's hand, as if to offer reassurance that their family was unlike the Chongwu's and had no part in any wrongdoing.
"Just think about it, if such a weapon were still in our possession, it would have surely been wielded with pride. The Zhuo clan has always valued loyalty, which is precisely why you were entrusted with command of the agency while your father and brother are abroad. In any other organization, someone as young as you—even with all your talents in the field—wouldn't have been granted such authority. This history of trust makes it unlikely that the elders would conceal a secret of this magnitude. If that sword was indeed part of our ancestral legacy in the past, it must have been lost to us over time. Still, the lack of any record about its existence raises an intriguing question—one worth looking into." Yun Guang left the door open, convinced this trail was worth exploring.
"So, you've decided to dig deeper into this? I can't shake the feeling that this is a vital piece of our history we need to uncover. The world back then wasn't anything like it is now, and humans even struck alliances with powerful demons like Zhu Yan and someone called Li Lun to hunt down other demons. And I'm talking about actual demons, not the ones occasionally born from resentment that we've dealt with before."
"I was chased by something straight out of a nightmare—terrifyingly strong, beyond anything I could handle in my current state. Maybe back then, I was trained for threats like that, but as I am now, I felt completely out of my depth. There's something about that past that was either deliberately wiped from existence or maybe just forgotten, but we have to uncover it. Whatever happened back then holds the key to solving the issues we're facing now. Yun Guang... we need to figure this out." Yun Guang, ever the believer in his cousin's instincts, nodded firmly.
"Leave it to me, Yichen. If there's one thing we excel at, it's investigating the unknown, especially when it comes to the supernatural. But I have to say, you already have a lead—a big one. If Zhu Yan shared a past with you, who else could be better suited to provide answers? I can't shake the feeling that there's more to your relationship with him. No man—or demon, for that matter—would go to such lengths for someone without a compelling reason. Either he's desperate for freedom, or there's something buried in your shared history driving him to take such reckless risks." Yun Guang's expression turned curious as he pressed his point, causing Yichen's face to flush slightly as memories of Zhu Yan's possessive and oddly intimate actions—both in the past and in the present—came unbidden to his mind.
"I'll try reaching out to him soon," Yichen assured him, still flustered but resolute. "But I can't afford to overuse my powers again—that mistake almost got us killed. Right now, we need to focus on getting to the mountains, rescuing Pei Siheng, and then returning to Tiandu to deal with whatever sinister plans the Chongwu Agency has in motion." Yichen insisted.
"Of course, we'll handle everything as quickly as possible, but for now, there's nothing more we can do. Try to rest; it's been a tough night for all of us, and you gave us quite the fright. The world can wait a few more hours. Tomorrow, Ying Lei and Wen Xiao will take over driving duties while the rest of us focus on research. I'll speak with the elders to try to figure out how far our family's history went. You can pose your questions to your brother or father, and Pei Sijing can reach out to trustworthy colleagues. We can still unravel mysteries on the move, and you can try contacting Zhu Yan once more while I keep a watchful eye on you." Yun Guang smiled at Yichen.
"It seems you have it all figured out," Yichen remarked, settling back onto his sleeping bag.
"Well, I had the chance to think things through while you rested." Yun Guang draped the cover over Yichen, just as he had done in their childhood.
"Make sure to rest too, Xiao Yun... I regret pushing you away in the past. I never harbored hatred for you, but being close to you felt like a restriction on my freedom," Yichen confessed softly, gazing at his cousin.
"I know, but this time will be different. We can lean on and trust each other just like we did when we were young. Let me be your protector by choice, not out of obligation. Whatever you decide, as long as it isn't too reckless or it's absolute madness, I will stand by you. We are a team, and our loyalty will never falter. Trust us more; we are an extension of you, after all." Yun Guang's words made Yichen blink back tears, battling the surge of emotions within him.
"I trust you..." Yichen pushed aside the cover, shifting to the edge of the large sleeping bag to make space for his cousin.
"When nightmares plagued me as a child, you stayed by my side when my Ge couldn't..." Yichen remained him, warming Yun Guang's heart. This was Yichen's way of signaling a desire to rekindle the closeness they once shared, bound by the anchor spell.
"You're too old to ask for that now. And besides, wouldn't having me sleep by your side upset your admirer on the astral plane, Zhu Yan?" Yun Guang teased with a playful glint in his eye.
"What nonsense are you spouting? That demon is not my admirer! Besides, we're blood-related family—what in the world is there to be jealous about? Even an old demon like him would understand that." Yichen shot back, his tone a mix of frustration and exasperation. His reaction only seemed to amuse Yun Guang further, eliciting a sly smirk.
"I never mentioned jealousy, Yichen. You're the one giving yourself away here..." Yun Guang pressed with mock seriousness, enjoying the way Yichen visibly bristled, his face tinged red from embarrassment. Before Yichen could muster a comeback, Yun Guang shifted to lie down by his cousin, throwing the shared blanket over both of them.
"Relax, I was only joking. A little fun doesn't hurt—it helps shake off the tension. And you're right, I'm no different to you than your Ge. You just treasure him more, as you should." His words prompted Yichen to soften, a genuine smile breaking across his face.
"My Ge is amazing..." Yichen murmured warmly, his tone full of affection.
"He really is," Yun Guang agreed, his voice quieter now, carrying an unexpected hint of fondness.
"Please, no snoring..." Yichen countered playfully, earning a smirk from Yun Guang.
"Perhaps I should. You've been quite the troublesome kid these last few years..."
"Don't you dare, or I'll kick you out."
"You can try, but I'm still physically stronger than you," Yun Guang replied with a grin.
"I take it back—get out," Yichen sulked, but Yun Guang simply pulled him closer.
"I'm just joking, you fool. Get some sleep. Tomorrow promises to be a long and busy day, and we might not have much time to rest." Yichen relaxed, reminiscent of his childhood, and soon drifted into sleep as Yun Guang closed his eyes, listening to Yichen's breathing before following him into slumber.
Back in Tokyo, Japan, someone else was struggling to sleep that same night. Zhuo Yixuan wrestled with lingering anxiety, a weight on his chest ever since his team embarked on a mission to deal with a violent ghost lurking in Mount Takao. Forests were typically considered forbidden zones—a sanctuary where spirits thrived in the veil of shadows. But in Japan, the perspective was different.
Mountains had long been steeped in sacred reverence, like Mount Fuji, studded with shrines that were deeply entwined with spiritual traditions. Despite their potential to harbor restless spirits, the Japanese were not inclined to abandon these sacred sites. Folklore told tales of people vanishing into the mountains, spirited away by Tengu or other supernatural entities, back before the world changed forever. Yet even now, fear of the unknown didn't deter the people; many still sought the mountains for meditation, spiritual communion with nature, or prayers offered to myriad gods and deities.
To coexist with their mystical landscapes, they had established robust barrier systems that safeguarded well-trodden trails, keeping them free from wayward spirits. But when spirits grew overwhelmingly powerful, those barriers risked being breached, necessitating intervention.
Ghost hunters like their Zhuo agency were hired to eliminate such threats and restore the boundaries, ensuring the mountain paths remained safe for visitors. Their latest assignment had been just such a case—tracking down and subduing a troublesome spirit. Hours were spent combing through the forest until they finally found their target.
Despite its formidable strength, the spirit ultimately posed little challenge for him and his comrades, seasoned as they were in battles against beings even more menacing. Yet curiously, what truly unsettled him had little to do with the fight they had endured.
As they explored the mountain's dense expanse, an unnerving sensation overcame him—a creeping unease that clung to his mind long after their encounter. In one particular stretch of forest, something felt profoundly out of place. The air was thick with an undeniable presence—ancient, powerful, but somehow restrained.
The atmosphere carried the weight of old legends, as though some primordial force lay sealed within the mountain's depths. It seemed to pulsate just beneath the surface, watching, perhaps even waiting—trying to reach out toward those whose spiritual attunement made them aware of its quiet invitation. And since the moment he experienced it, he couldn't put it out of his mind.
They had rented an old, traditional house near a small forest, where the air felt cleaner and purer—something Yixuan needed more than anything else in that moment. He stepped out of his room and moved silently through the hallway toward the garden, his gaze resting on the distance of Mount Takao.
Though it was short in terms of purity in comparison to Mount Fuji, known to ward off spirits all on its own power due to centuries of reverence that seemed to imbue it with divine power, Mount Takao still held a mythical aura of its own. It stood quietly under the vigilant presence of Fuji, as if under its protection.
Even from a distance, Yixuan was certain he could sense a faint pulse emanating from the mountains. It had intrigued him before, and he joked about it with the others during their visit. Yet even his observant father seemed oblivious to the presence he had noticed. While they all agreed the place carried an odd atmosphere, they dismissed it as the typical aura of spiritual sites—a familiar peculiarity that didn't unsettle them the way it did Yixuan.
"What lies hidden within that forest?" Yixuan murmured into the crisp night air, his eyes scanning for clarity under the soft glow of the moonlight.
Then, as if carried by the wind itself, a voice drifted to him in response: "You finally came... I have been waiting for you..." The whispered words sent shivers down his spine—not with fear, but with an uncanny sense of recognition. It felt as though something he should know had reached out to him, tenderly touching his thoughts and inviting him to find him.
Rather than dread, Yixuan was overtaken by a rush of exhilaration. It was as though fate had presented him with a puzzle to solve, one born of mystery and wonder from a place he had never imagined would reveal such secrets.
AN: So now Yixuan feels the pull too, and things are starting to connect with one another. Also, we learn that it's no coincidence that Yixuan went to Japan, it was meant to be in this fantasy world. I know there wasn't any Zhuyi in this chapter, but there will be in the next one. Connections are important too. Until next time, take care.