ZHUO YI CHEN
Shortly after leaving the forbidden area of the Bing Yi clan, they decided to fetch Ying Lei so that everyone could remain together, make plans for their next move, and recuperate from such a grueling and emotional experience. Yi Chen was still unaware of the true power and essence of his new core, which was now a combination of abilities from the most powerful demons of ancient times. However, he planned to learn as much as he could about how to use it and get the most out of it. There were things Zhu Yan still didn't know, and one very powerful spell Yi Chen wasn't sure he could actually cast.
Wen Xiao and Pei Si Jing were already familiar with the story, so Zhu Yan told the young mountain god what had transpired in Ying Long's Domain. He also discussed with him about the dragon scale that was required to fix the sword. Ying Lei gazed at the Commander with the same awe Bai Jiu would have if he were still there with them, listening in amazement as he changed from a mortal into a great demon—likely a very strong dragon—albeit in excruciating pain. Zhuo Yi Chen could not control his sadness when he saw that look on Ying Lei's face when he was seated quietly in a meditative position. It was so alike that it gives him pain.
He wanted to save Bai Jiu as much as he wanted to keep Zhu Yan alive, but to do so, he still needed to reforge the sword and find a way to free him without risking his life. Yes, he knew what to do once the sword was whole in his hand, but getting Li Lun, distracting him, or fooling him for long enough to be able to purify him was no easy task.
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhuo... we'll get Bai Jiu back and I'm sure he'll be very happy to see what you've become." Ying Lei said to Zhuo Yi Chen seeing the sadness in his eyes, as clear as day, and Yi Chen smiled slightly at him.
"Finding Li Lun when he doesn't want to be found will be hard..." Yi Chen whispered as he closed his eyes.
"I agree. Last time he appeared because he wanted to stop us from finding a way to restore the Cloud Light Sword, and now that we know how and the Commander has become a full demon, he'll be more cautious when he appears again, most likely when he has some advantage." Pei Si Jing said.
"Oh, come on, don't look down on me. I'm a great mountain god after all and I have my ways. Listen, just when Li Lun showed up to try and stop us at the Kunlun Gate and we got into a fight, I managed to throw some very special spices mixed with my spiritual power on both of them. The properties of these spices are such that even if they get into a storm the smell will not wash away. So no matter where he hides, I'll be able to smell and find him." Ying Lei assured him with his usual enthusiasm, which made Zhuo Yi Chen smile, this time proudly before the daring feat of the young mountain god.
"Your keen sense of smell is a great help, along with your ingenuity with spices, Ying Lei. Well done! You are truly a mountain god." Yi Chen told him, and the young man almost blushed with joy. It wasn't that often that Zhuo Yi Chen praised someone, and Ying Lei honestly didn't expect that he would ever be able to impress him in any way beyond his good cooking.
"Oh my... did... did Mr. Zhuo just praise me? This is so very rare and unexpected... I don't even know what to say after that." Ying Lei said cheerfully while rubbing the back of his neck in good embarrassment, under the watchful gaze of Zhu Yan, who was not as amused as the mountain god.
"After traveling through the forbidden area and become a full demon, Xiao Zhuo's ability to use sarcasm improved, that's all." Zhu Yan mocked the mountain god, seeing him way too happy for his liking, however, his words caused both of them to turn to look at him in turn with cold glances, not just Ying Lei.
"Really? So asking Ying Long to find a way to save you without me killing you was also sarcasm, right?" Yi Chen asked, and his gaze seemed to chill Zhu Yan to the bone. The latter trembled under its weight and swallowed hard, only managing to give him an apologetic smile.
"Of course not, Xiao Zhuo. My bad... don't be mad." The great demon apologized while raising his hand in defeat, though obviously insincerely, prompting Wen Xiao to approach Pei Si Jing and whisper to her ear.
"Who would have thought that the great demon of the Wilderness would end up dancing in the palm of the mortal-turned-another-great-demon he mocked so badly before? He's so done for... and he ask for it too..." Wen Xiao almost laughed, while Pei Si Jing agree wholeheartedly.
"I heard that..." Zhu Yan said as he looked at Wen Xiao, but she merely winked at him mischievously.
"The problem is that the sword needs the dragon scale, and it must be handed over voluntarily. Ying Long said we should travel east to the Longyu Clan." Zhuo Yi Chen said as he looked at Zhu Yan to tell them more about the Dragon Clan.
"They have always lived in isolation in the eastern part of the Wilderness, that's true, but after the Gate collapses, I hear they disappear, so they could be anywhere right now. Also, freely giving away a dragon scale will be more difficult than finding them, as there are some... consequences... that no one in their clan will like." He said, deliberately concealing the part involving a dragon offering his life in return, as the last thing he wanted was for Xiao Zhuo to find out about that trick if he hadn't already.
As a newly 'born' dragon demon, it was too early for Xiao Zhuo to be powerful enough (despite gaining a very strong core as a starting point) to fully manifest in his dragon form, which would give him the chance to give away his own scale after a first transformation. Something that would always scare the hell out of him if it ever happened, as there were always unexpected life and death circumstances around them, so he kept it hidden.
"About that, I may have a way with at least one dragon location and with enough luck maybe her willingness as well..." She said as the others looked at her in surprise.
"Do you know where to find a dragon?" Ying Lei asked first and Wen Xiao nodded.
"What dragon?" Pei Si Jing asked next beside her and Wen Xiao sighed before looking at her with deep sadness and immediately the huntress offered her hand to the goddess to give her support. Between them no words were needed to know when to offer their sympathy and she had been the one to ask the question in the first place.
"Princess Longyu herself." She told them and both Zhuo Yi Chen and Zhu Yan looked at each other before focusing their gazes on Wen Xiao in Pei Si Jing's hands. Ying Lei was a bit at a loss as to why they all looked worried, so Wen Xiao answered his unasked question for him.
"She was the one who killed my biological father and the reason Fan Ying adopted me. That's why I went to the Demon Hunter Headquarters to study the demons I was chosen to protect as the next goddess," Wen Xiao told her, and Ying Lei then understood the sudden change in mood.
"Ah... well... that's hard..." Ying Lei said to her shyly.
"Wen Xiao... we can look for the other dragons if it's too strenuous for..." But Wen Xiao was not going to be any less determined than the rest of them who had also gone through their particular tragedies and had already sacrificed so much so that the balance between dimensions and races would continue.
"Xiao Zhuo, we don't know where the dragons went and it could take us weeks or months just to find a hint to point us in the right way and right now we don't have such time to waste. The longer Bai Jiu is possessed the harder it will be for him to return. I can take care of the Princess, I just need to confirm something with Bai Yin. I will talk to her and once I get my answer, I will go get the Princess."
"Did the previous goddess imprison her? Because, Li Lun escaped from her prison when the Gate collapsed, so is she still there..." Ying Lei asked.
"My Master did imprison her and that's why I need confirmation. Considering her crime, her seal was one of the strongest she cast, so there's a good chance she's still there." Wen Xia replied.
"Then we all should go together..." Zhuo Yi Chen insisted, but once again Wen Xiao was not having it.
"There is really no need for that, just a few simple questions do not require all of us to be present and besides, you can use the remaining of this evening to rest and get a better understanding of the demonic energies you now have within you. Inheriting a powerful core will be hard to master and I bet some monkey is dying to teach you all the tricks that a great demon can do with it." Wen Xiao mocked Zhu Yan, but it was Zhuo Yi Chen who blushed like crazy, while Zhu Yan laughed quite pleased.
"Fine with me, what do you say, Xiao Zhuo?" He asked his demon hunter with an almost devious grin.
"Training yes, but nothing more than that." Zhuo Yi Chen warned him as he looked at Zhu Yan as if he really intended to do more than just tell him how to use a demon core.
"I never suggested otherwise, Xiao Zhuo. What were you thinking when you said that? Care to explain? I'm all ears..."
"You! Perverted monkey, why are you pretending to be pure and innocent? It's not like anyone here doesn't know how mischievous you are." And Ying Lei nodded to the Commander's point. Once a great demon was truly smitten, anything was possible, and, given Zhu Yan's personality, using training as an excuse to do something more was almost mandatory, he thought.
"Ah, yes, that's true, but isn't that precisely what you like most about me? I dare you to say otherwise. We can already tell by that beautiful, albeit red, face of yours right now."
"It's anger!" Zhuo Yi Chen shouted, but Zhu Yan just smiled.
"Of course... a blush from so much anger... how cute..." Zhu Yan said and Ying Lei once again nodded his head mindlessly agreeing as well. At that moment, Zhu Yuan arched an eyebrow, as if disapproving of anyone else finding his Xiao Zhu cute and after Pei Si Jing cleared her throat while looking meaningfully at the young mountain god, Ying Lei finally got the message and smiled while rubbing the back of his neck.
"Hey, don't misunderstand, it's true that Mr. Zhuo is sometimes... quite cute, but that doesn't mean anything..." Ying Lei explained and Zhuo Yi Chen sighed.
"Don't worry, Ying Lei, he knows it, we all know it, so don't let it get to you. Apparently it's in his nature to be like this." Zhuo Yi Chen said a little wearily and Wen Xiao gently patted his back.
"You're got it hard, Xiao Zhuo... so are we agreed? I'll talk to Bin Yin while you deal with your great demon?" Wen Xiao asked, and Zhuo Yi Chen had no choice but to agree.
"Fine. Let me know when you're ready to bring the Princess, and we'll take care of her together. Everyone can lay down until then." Zhuo Yi Chen said, and Wen Xiao nodded.
After that, Zhu Yan escorted the rest of the team to a place where they could spend the night. Wen Xiao, having spent years in the Wilderness in her training, was already familiar with the place, so they arrived at their rooms without worry. Well... for Zhuo Yi Chen, being alone with Zhu Yan after everything that had happened between them inside Ying Long Domain was a cause for concern, but he was sure it wouldn't be something he couldn't handle.
Or maybe not, since once they were left alone with the door closed, Yi Chen couldn't help but get nervous. They had already kissed several times, not to mention calling each other soul mates, touching, carrying, caressing, confessing and going to extremes to save one another, so lying there and trying to cultivate his core was going to be pretty hard. This was Zhu Yan, after all.
"Don't be so nervous, Xiao Zhuo, I'm not going to do anything we haven't done before..." The great demon keep it up for a little more and Zhuo Yi Chen try to resign himself for what could come next.
"That's a lot, huh?" He said as he sat down in a lotus pose right in the middle of the bed and closed his eyes.
"It certainly is, do you have a preference? It can be... hard..." Zhu Yan teased and to his regret, Zhuo Yi Chen still blushed.
"Zhu Yan... please, no more teasing. I'm really at my limit. There is so much to do and I have so little time left. Please help me..." Zhuo Yi Chen pleaded to his great demon sitting behind him with a loving look in his eyes.
"Don't plead, Xiao Zhuo.... I know this is not the time to engage in anything other than concentrating on what we have to do to save the others. I promise I won't make any more jokes from now on. Just listen to my instructions and try to follow them as best you can. You're talented, so I'm sure you'll get the hang of this in no time."
"Alright, how do I start?" Yi Chen asked as he felt Zhu Yan's finger on his back.
"There are seven points in the demons' channeling power, much like the mortal chakras, but a little different from them, those seven points are not lined up in a straight line, as you may be used to knowing in mortal meditation. Demons have them in the center of the forehead for focus, in both shoulders for strength, in the heart for flow, in both hands to channel power out, and in the stomach for storage, which is exactly what a core is. The reason a demon spends centuries forging a core is because the demonic energy stored in the stomach needs to reach a level of dimension, which is the highest level that allows a demon to be powerful. The stronger your core (dimension) is, the more power you can store and never exhaust it all at once. For a demon to fully depleting a core is the same as death."
"Understood. So, since they are not aligned, how do I channel them? Do I start with the one on the forehead, or the hands, the shoulders...?"
"Each demon has its own way of channeling, there is not just one. The more you concentrate on one, the more powerful that point will be. For me, it's the hands, for my one-word spells and the forehead for other spells. Since you now have two demonic energies in you, you will have to figure out which one you want it to be at the top. Bing Yi's energy is more in the flow, like a water master he was, to channel it out. Ying Long, however, his power of creation probably requires all seven points, so dying could have trigger the explosion of his core and send the power into the sky. I can't be sure about that, of course, since I don't really know how the power of creation works, but at least now you can get an idea of how to control and use your channeling points and your core."
"So can I use one-word spells too?" Zhuo Yi Chen asked a little too excited and Zhu Yan smiled.
"That will depend on you. The core you obtained is strong enough to store the power necessary to use them, but be careful. No one-word spell can surpass your casting capacity. For example, I cannot use a one-word spell to kill all living beings at once, because my power is not enough to do it. If I try, my core might suffer a backlash, as if the power I channel is hitting me from within instead of manifesting itself. It can kill me outright or leave me on the verge of death."
"Alright, so don't overdo it..." Yi Chen whispered as he tried to channel the demonic energy flowing from his shoulders to his hands and back to his stomach, filling his core as he repeated the process with concentration.
The sensation was strange, a little confusing at first, for despite the harmony between Bing Yi and Ying Long's energies, their essences remained distinct. At times, he coughed blood as they collided in his core, but as he concentrated harder, he managed to separate them and channel them to opposite sides of his body. Right for Bing Yi and left for Ying Long. As for the flow, he spiraled them, one at a time, down his core to store them more orderly.
He did this for what could have been hours, until he felt ready enough to attempt a one-word spell. When he opened his eyes in the glow of two powers, his eyes changed from the usual bright, deep blue of Bing Yi's possession to an intense blue-green with flashes of azure. Then, he channeled power into his fingers and whispered...
"Move." Yi Chen commanded the teacup on the side table, and the cup practically smashed against the wall into a million pieces, causing Zhu Yan to whistle in approval.
"A little dramatic, but it was fine... like I said, you're talented," Zhu Yan told him, and overjoyed, Yi Chen turned around to hug him and, despite his initial refusal to do anything but train, kissed his great demon, forgetting about everything else for a moment.
Zhu Yan let him kiss him as much as he wanted, pulling him closer as the kiss intensified, but just when Zhu Yan thought things were about to escalate, there was a knock on the door, and Yi Chen, as if waking up from a trance, pushed Zhu Yan away, nearly falling off the bed himself.
"Mr Zhuo. Wen Xiao is ready to summon the Princess. She said is urgent." Ying Lei said from the other side of the door as Zhuo Yi Chen blushed and tried to control his labored breathing.
"Alright, we'll be there soon." Zhu Yan replied, looking at Xiao Zhuo in amusement.
"Okay... I hope everything's okay over there. I know it's none of my business, but there's no need to throw things around. Be more gentle..." Ying Lei added, as Yi Chen's blush deepened, prompting Zhu Yan to laugh hard.
AN: This is getting too long, so I will end it here. Hope you like this 'little' treat. Until next time, take care.