ZHUO YI CHEN
"Xiao Zhuo... I think the one who should be on the lookout for someone else doing something perverted is me. I've lost count of the times you've kissed me out of the blue... more than I have, for sure..." Zhu Yan teased him, and Yi Chen sighed while looking at his great demon.
"I admit that sometimes I lose a bit of control... This whole demon thing is new to me, and ever since I became a full demon, it's been harder for me to contain certain emotions." Zhuo Yi Chen confessed, and Zhu Yan approached his beloved.
"Mortals have too many restrictions that we demons don't have. You will soon realize how attractive something can be, from smell and sight to taste. I told you before that for a demon, having gray hair was beautiful, a sign of power, yet you stepped on mine. Then you were still a mortal, so let me ask you again, Xiao Zhuo. Are you attracted to gray hair now?" He asked and Yi Chen swallowed hard as he looked at Zhu Yan's beauty and knew he could not deny the attraction his appearance caused in him.
Even as a human, his feelings for the great demon had gradually changed from hatred to annoyance and then to friendship. Just before his body absorbed Bing Yi's blood, his feelings intensified into soulmate territory, and he found himself observing him more closely, finding him attractive, understanding his pain, and wishing to save him from himself. The change had been subtle at first, but upon becoming a demon, it intensified to such an extent that he now struggled to control it. It was undeniable that the way he viewed him from his new demonic perspective made Zhu Yan's appearance truly exorbitant.
"I am, it's beautiful..." Yi Chen finally admitted, although the word beautiful didn't really describe how gorgeous he was.
"Beautiful to a point of wanting to kiss me again?" Zhu Yan asked next.
"Yes."
"Then what are you waiting for, Xiao Zhuo?"
"We should go meet with Wen Xiao. She said is urgent..."
"Certainly, it can wait a few seconds."
"If we kiss is not going to be seconds."
"Oh? For how long do you want it to last, Xiao Zhuo?" He asked way too close for Yi Chen to think straight.
"It's not for how long I want it, Zhao Yuan Zhou, is for how long I get lost on it." Zhuo Yi Chen whisper as he closed his eyes, sensing Zhu Yan closer to a point he could feel his breath brushing his lips.
"Don't worry, Xiao Zhuo, I can get you out of that abyss before you lose yourself..." Said the great demon as he closed the distance between them and kissed him. Yi Chen didn't resist the kiss, but he tried to focus on something else, as they had urgent matters to attend to. However, it was difficult to tear himself away from those soft, warm lips, that rich, sweet peach scent, that throbbing energy inviting him in, the feelings that bound them so intimately, not to mention the hands holding him in place.
If Ying Lei hadn't called them when he did, by now they would probably be doing things far less innocent than kissing, and the heat of his body was just one step away from melting his new core in waves of desire and need. No, there was no way he could control it yet; it was too new, too raw and unbridled, and he was completely hopeless in the face of all these new sensations he wasn't used to. Circumstances beyond his control had lit that previously forbidden fire into a blaze and now he simply didn't know how to extinguish it or if he really wanted to let it go out.
Perhaps becoming a demon had indeed changed him in more than just physical terms, such as his new compulsion to call him Zhu Yan, instead of his usual Zhao Yuan Zhao, or intensifying the feelings that were already there but he had repress them. Either way, he was doom, thus this time he let Zhu Yan take control of their kiss and hoped for the best.
The great demon was more experienced with all his centuries of cultivation and was aware that Wen Xiao was waiting for them to be one step closer to repairing the sword they needed to save others. Thus he give in, letting Zhu Yan explore his mouth and press them closer as he pleased and just when Yi Chen thought that the heat would derail him once more, Zhu Yan pulled back, though completely out of breath.
"Was that enough for you, Xiao Zhuo? It wasn't long enough to burn you out, but it wasn't fast enough to leave you wanting more." Zhu Yan whispered in his ears, causing Zhuo Yi Chen to blush as his body shuddered.
"You teasing demon..." At that, Zhu Yan smiled.
"That's me... a mocking demon who loves you, Zhuo Yi Chen..." Zhu Yan whispered in his ear for the second time and something inside him stirred at the confession, but before Yi Chen could seal that feeling in another heated kiss, Zhu Yan placed a finger on his lips and gave him a gentle smile.
"Let's finish this later.... Let's go." He stood up while extending a hand to his lover, but Yi Chen was too caught up in his raw feelings to not say it back.
"I love you too, Zhu Yan..." Yi Chen confessed and accepted the offered hand, letting the great demon help him to get off the bed to press him against himself once again.
"Don't tempt me so much, Xiao Zhuo, or it will take hours for us to leave this room. You were appealing to me before, but now you're irresistible. Change works both ways, Yi Chen, remember that..." Hearing such words, Zhuo Yi Chen blushed deeply and, knowing embarrassment all too well, he pushed Zhu Yan away and opened the door to leave in the hopes of calming his beating heart, followed closely by his amused great demon.
It was a good thing that the place was cold with all the water surrounding it, because Zhuo Yi Chen was in a melting stage, thus he needs something to anchor him back into his compelling reality. So he walked forward in great strides, ignoring the great demon behind him who was probably having the time of his life as he watched him run away as fast as he could.
Love, of course, complicates things far more than hate, and it will take time to get used to all the ups and downs that its presence brought. Still, a part of him was glad that he became a demon with less need to restrain himself than when he was a mortal, because it made things easier for him to deal with, than just focusing on his conflicted feelings and also gave him a reason for Zhu Yan to stop thinking about death. If the great demon was in love and he was loved back, then he had no reason to want to die, let alone at his hands. So, Yi Chen was relieved and hoped that for once things would go his way and they could reach a happy ending.
The kiss, although it seemed to last for hours, was actually only a few minutes, so the rest of the team didn't have to wait long for them to show up. Although Zhuo Yi Chen's ears, still on fire, gave those gathered a glimpse of what happened behind their close door. Wen Xiao smiled at them, glad that everything had gone well, though deep down she was worried about her own crisis, when finding that she had been poison, which she decided to hide from them, including her beloved huntress. They have more pressing matters at the moment and she still has time to think of a solution before was too late.
"Wen Xiao..." Zhuo Yi Chen began, knowing how difficult it would be for her to see the woman who had murdered her father, but she stopped him by raising her hand and looking at him.
"It's fine, Xiao Zhuo, your aunt is strong at heart, even if she seems weak in every other way. I assure you that the day will come when I will surpass even the great demon." She said as she looked at Zhao Yuan Zhao, who sneered before casually covering his mouth.
"I'm sure you will. Were you able to find the princess then?" Zhuo Yi Chen asked, and she nodded.
"Yes. Her seal was still in place, so I undo it, and she's about to join us right now." She informed them, as they were a bit late for her first explanation, and Zhuo Yi Chen felt a surge of pride for her.
"The problem is, given her bad experience with men in the past and the reason for her rampage back then, she is quite unwilling to deal with men, so I think it's best for everyone to leave, except for the great demon. I may need him at some point." Wen Xiao told them, and Zhao Yuan Zhao looked at her intrigued, as if trying to guess her next move, which didn't bode well for him if he read her right.
"Goddess, can you specify what great demon you mean, because there are now two of them." Asked Zhao Yuan Zhou and Wen Xiao chuckle.
"The white monkey, of course." She said sweetly.
"Ape."
"Monkey..." Yi Chen refuted.
"Xiao Zhuo, not you too..."
"What do you mean, not you too? I called you that way from the beginning."
"Are you angry because of what I said before? I was just pouring my heart out to you, nothing more..." Zhao Yuan Zhou teased him back and, right on cue, his ears flamed up almost instantly, making his great demon laugh.
"Fine! I'm leaving, but I hope you, oh great monkey, do your part right."
"What part? She said the princess hates men and I can prove to you here or, more preferably, in private, that I am indeed a male." Zhao Yuan Zhou squeezed Xiao Zhuo's button harder, further intensifying his blush and Ying Lei couldn't contain himself this time and burst out laughing.
"You perverted monkey, have some shame! Wen Xiao, he's all yours..." Zhuo Yi Chen said to her as he turned around and started to walk away, but was grabbed by Zhu Yan before he could take more than a few steps.
"Xiao Zhuo, don't be angry.... I need to cast a spell on you, so don't go yet."
"What spell?" Zhuo Yi Chen asked suspiciously as he looked at his big demon seriously.
"A spell for you to listen to everything that will be said here. I can use a one-word spell on the others, but not on you, remember?" Which was true, so Yi Chen simply sighed and closed his eyes, not wanting to really see what he planned to do next.
Fortunately for him, Zhu Yan simply used the energy from his forehead and transferred it directly to Yi Chen's, as he had done on other occasions, and then let him go. He then cast the one-word spell with the others who later joined Zhuo Yi Chen to wait for the princess to arrive.
It didn't take long for the dragon princess to arrive there and both Wen Xiao and Zhao Yuan Zhou greeted her, though not with much warmth, as even Wen Xiao wasn't very happy with her presence despite her previous assurance that she was fine with the meeting.
Some feelings were hard to suppress, after all, and even if Zhu Yan himself had killed her Master, at least she knew that he wasn't the one who had actually dealt the killing blow, but the malicious energy whiting him and before that they have been the best friends. None of that existed with the princess, so it was harder to come to terms with that loss.
"Baize Goddess." The princess greeted her and then looked at the great demon beside her with a hint of displeasure.
"Are you Zhu Yan?" She asked.
"See? I told you that everyone in the Wilderness know me." Zhu Yan said quite pleased.
"Of course, you're notorious enough to be wildly recognized. Nothing to be proud of though." She finished saying and the great demon swallowed his pride as the Goddess smiled and so did the others listening from afar.
"Baize Goddess, why did you free me and why ask me to come here?" The princess asked curiously to know her reasons, although she already have an idea of why.
"I'm going to be honest with you. I want to ask for a dragon scale." Wen Xiao said bluntly and the princess smiled knowingly.
"I see. I wonder why so many people suddenly want to get their hands on a dragon scale." She said, and Zhu Yan frowned at the implication of her words.
"Who else asked for it?" He voiced his concern.
"That's not for you to know, and is not like it matter anyway, because at least one of them has already gotten what he deserve, and the other will soon too." She said, looking directly at Zhu Yan, which didn't sit well with Yi Chen, who watched her dark gaze on him.
"Fair enough. Then..." Wen Xiao try to change the direction of the conversation as she felt the tension on the great demon, but she was suddenly interrupted by the princess.
"Forgive my rudeness, Goddess, but why do you need a dragon scale? I'm sure you know it won't be easy to get." The princess asked in turn and a group of demon hunters held their breaths in the distance, hoping that the Goddess would give her a sufficient reason to voluntarily offer hers.
"I was poisoned with something that can't be detoxified by ordinary means. I was told that only a dragon scale can save me from a slow painful death." She said after a brief pause, and Ying Lei clapped, impressed by the convincing story she was telling.
"She is too good at this, huh? That was well thought." Ying Lei praise her quick wit.
"Beside books about demons, she must have read some novels in the archive." Yi Chen said as he thought of it.
"Novels? When I was young my grandfather wouldn't let me read any, so why does the Demon Hunter Archive have them and so easy to find? He said they were too vulgar." Ying Lei asked and Zhuo Yi Chen sighed as Pei Si Jing looked hopelessly at the young mountain god.
"The novels that Wen Xiao read in the Archive are not the same ones your grandfather refers to. I don't even know why they told you about those... did you ask for them?" Yi Chen rubbed his forehead with frustration.
"I'm totally innocent in that. I was just curious when I saw one of the old mountain gods with one."
"I guess guarding a frozen mountain for centuries can be a bit... boring." Added Pei Si Jing and with her straight face to that. Ying Lei almost laughed, if they were not interrupted by the conversation that took place bellow.
"Poison? Who say that to you? Who told you about the properties for a dragon scale?" The princess asked not fully convinced.
"Bai Yan, the descendant of the Divine Tree of Jianmu. She told me of the scale and naturally, I release you so I can live." Wen Xiao said.
"We all want to live and so do I. Why should I help you of all people?"
"One, though I may resign myself to die, my beloved cannot live without me. He has already threatened me with his life, so if I die, so will he..." Hearing Wen Xiao say that with such seriousness almost made Zhu Yan, Zhuo Yi Chen and Pei Si Jing spill blood from their mouths at the same time.
"What the hell? That's too much, Wen Xiao..." Yi Chen whisper still in shock.
"Is she taking your place in that story she's telling the princess, Mr. Zhuo? I mean, you and Zhao Yuan Zhou already had that story, so..."
"What nonsense..." Pei Si Jing exclaimed sharply as she looked at the beautiful woman with an even more stoic face, which Ying Lei found a little chilling.
Zhao Yuan Zhou was so bewildered that he didn't even have time to react, except to stare at her in utter disbelief. Miraculously, he almost immediately masked his incredulity when she pinched his arm to keep pretending.
"Right, Zhu Yan?" Wen Xiao asked, and Yi Chen winced in pain, while Ying Lei wanted to throw up. That act was too bold...
"Of course... I didn't expect you to tell anyone about our forbidden love. You took me by surprise..."
"They say love doesn't always have a happy ending. I said they don't know the kind of love that transcends barriers, fate and time, the kind where sacrifice is both a blessing and a curse, the kind where one cannot live without the other, of two souls becoming one. The kind of love we have..." She said, and Zhu Yan looked at her as if she had seen through all his barriers and reached his heart, because that was the kind of love he felt and shared with Zhuo Yi Chen. Oh, he's going to kill me after this, you owe me big time, Wen Xiao.
"What she say is the truth, my kind of love is beyond words and I would rather die to part ways like this. Once, her Master told me that one day I will find the person who makes me want to live and even if I doubt her back then, her word could not be truer. I did find that person and I promise to stay by hi... her side forever." Zhao Yuan Zhou said as he took her hand.
"You're so dead..." It was the expression that described what Ying Lei saw in both Zhuo Yi Chen and Pei Si Jing at that moment. May the gods have mercy on them after their souls are snatched away once the deed is over.
"Second, you owe me a life for taking my father away from me. He was innocent and had nothing to do with what someone else did to you. Have you forgotten? Because I haven't." Wen Xiao said this from the bottom of her heart, and in that moment of profound pain that everyone understood, everything in that little charade was forgiven.
"I have not forgotten about your pain... but I still have my own and is no less than yours. I was despicably deceived by a mortal that acted like a demon and he even didn't care that others die in his place. It was never my intention to kill innocent men, just the ones who toy with my heart for a scale." The princess pushed back, unfazed.
"Been a dragon with a powerful and desirable gift is not easy, Goddess. Once you have been used to the extreme, not even your pure heart could come out unscratched. I wanted to kill his wife and unborn child in my justify rage. I was willing to offer my life to him for the love he so adamantly confessed to me, just to find that he only wanted to save her from her fate by sacrificing me in turn. My revenge may not have played as I intended, for which I will take responsibility, but the crime commit against me was not light either." She said and Zhuo Yi Chen closed his eyes for a moment, thinking that if he had born a dragon instead of becoming one by chance, he may have suffer that same betrayal that all dragons could face. Never sure if someone approach him for who he was or for what they could get from him.
"That's harsh..." Ying Lei said as he looked at Zhuo Yi Chen.
"It is, but a crime is a crime and those who die were still innocent." Yi Chen said softly.
"I don't think she will give in, no matter how convincing Wen Xiao story is..." Pei Si Jing whisper as she looked at Wen Xiao with sadness.
"I agree." Yi Chen said, however...
"Not matter how rightful your revenge may be, the fact still remain that you killed innocent people, including my father. That sin cannot be reversed, but can make amends." Wen Xiao offer the princess.
"I will pay you back what I owe you, but I want something in return." Princes Longyu told her while Zhu Yan was caught between the sad stories of the two women.
"What is it?" Wen Xiao asked finally after a moment of silence.
"My scale for his inner core." The princess said as she pointed at the great demon and they all froze in astonishment and horror.
AN: Thanks for reading, I hope you have some fun with this one. Until next time, take care.