The silver light of the moon fell on Xiao-Kai’s face, further defining his young but striking features. Like the pillar of Heaven, his tall nose supported the lines of his face, giving it a sense of loneliness and pity. Though hidden by dirt and soot, a truly handsome and youthful face lay beneath.

Yuelong stared, speechless. Lanyue…he really does look like you. Yuelong shook away the thoughts of the past. He grasped the boy’s cold hand tightly and led him towards the village.

“So, Xiao-Kai,” said Yuelong. “Why did you call me glowing ge-ge?”

“Because…” Xiao-Kai stopped his steps. Biting his lower lip, he looked down at the forest grounds. Finally, he looked back up at Yuelong. “You won’t leave me if you know the truth, right?”

Yuelong looked back at the dirt-covered boy. In the depths of his heart, he promised, No, I will never leave you. It must be Lanyue’s will that I take care of you… Seeing his own reflection in Xiao-Kai’s dewy eyes, Yuelong finally replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. I won’t leave you alone.”

Xiao-Kai took in a deep breath and released it slowly. Then, he said, “I can see things that normal people cannot.” Xiao-Kai looked up at Yuelong. His eyes were pleading for someone to understand him.

Yuelong smiled. “I thought it was something serious. Is it just that?”

Lost for words, Xiao-Kai looked at the ge-ge in front of him. “But… But…” His words were stopped by a warm weight settling on top of his head. Like a hot cup of tea in winter, the warmth crept down his spine and spread throughout his entire body. All those lonely winters and starving nights vanished with just that small gesture.

With his hand on the boy’s head, Yuelong smiled. “I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.”

The boy’s lips trembled at Yuelong’s words, and fat tears rolled down his cheeks. “Glowing ge-ge…” He wiped them away with his dirty sleeve, leaving a black mark smeared across his face.

Yuelong gave a light chuckle. He wrapped the edge of his sleeve around his index finger and rubbed the black mark away.

“I’ll need to get you some new clothes, too.”

Xiao-Kai could hardly believe it. He threw himself at Yuelong, wrapping his arms around his neck. 

The hug caught Yuelong off guard, and he nearly lost his balance. The boy’s dirty collar smelled of the forest floor. How many nights have you spent sleeping in the forest? Yuelong patted Xiao-Kai on the back.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” comforted Yuelong. “Now, let’s get back to the village for some warm food.”

Hand in hand, the two chatted all the way back to the village.

“How old are you?”

“Thirteen!!” Xiao-Kai smiled at Yuelong, his eyes in the shape of rainbows, and filled with the innocence and purity of the boy’s heart and soul. Yuelong thought back to when Lanyue was at this age. Lanyue had already grown to be a lot more open and outgoing compared to how Xiao-Kai seemed now. Yuelong hid the sadness from his face. This boy must have gone through too much of life’s harshness for too long, to be as timid as he is.

“So, why did you call me glowing ge-ge?” asked Yuelong.

“Well, because you are glowing.”

“Me? Glowing?” Yuelong gave a small chuckle.

“Yeah!”

“How do I glow then?”

“Umm…You glow in certain places… It changes sometimes.”

“Oh? Like where?”

“Like ge-ge’s forehead! And hands! And now...everywhere!”

Yuelong smiled. “So apart from me glowing, what else have you seen?”

With the dim lights of the village coming into view, the smile on Xiao-Kai’s face faded.

“A lot of things…”

Sensing that Xiao-Kai wasn’t comfortable with the topic of discussion, Yuelong changed the topic. “Let’s get you some food first.”

Maybe I’ll ask later in the future, when he’s settled down and safe. But his vision… Could it be?

Yuelong was distractedly reaching into his robes. Oh right, I didn’t bring my wallet. But there is a place where I might be able to get some food for Xiao-Kai.

“Xiao-Kai,” said Yuelong. “Let’s go meet a jie-jie I know.”

“Mhm!” Xiao-Kai nodded.

Strolling through the quiet streets of Xian Nu village at night was one of the most pleasant things Xiao-Kai had ever experienced. Not only was this the first ever chance he had to walk openly on the streets, but he now also got to enjoy this with someone he could rely on. Before, he could only ever sneak around in dark alleyways, never daring to walk out in the open. The only time he would use the main street was when he needed to run from shopkeepers.

A faintly glowing green column appeared in Xiao-Kai’s vision. He looked up at Yuelong, wondering if the man sees it too. But Yuelong’s eyes were focused on the street that lay ahead of them, the dark circles under his eyes seeming to worsen with each passing step.

“Ge-ge?”

Before Yuelong had a chance to answer, a rumbling sound came from their left.

A mob of people armed with torches, scythes, and pitchforks were marching towards them.

Yuelong stepped forward, hiding Xiao-Kai behind himself. But the crowd surrounded the two on all sides. Their faces were masks of anger, some, of disgust.

Xiao-Kai looked at the people in the crowd. He was very familiar with some of them. Some were shopkeepers who had chased him, beaten him, and threatened him before. But one thing now was certain: these people weren’t normal right now. A green glow radiated from their stomachs and leaked out from their eyes.

“Ge-ge…” Xiao-Kai muttered, “They’re all glowing.”

“You see it?”

“Mhm.”

“It is late in the night, everyone,” Yuelong said to the mob. “I wish to rest. But if this is something important, then I shall lend you my ears and do my best.”

“Hmph!” spat a man who seemed to be the leader of the group. “You know what you did! So stop pretending!”

“He’s definitely a fake!”

“A real sacrilege!”

Yuelong was confused. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You broke into Shengyu temple and destroyed the offerings! You even stole!” the mob leader said. “Get them!”

A man snatched Xiao-Kai from Yuelong and held a knife to the boy’s throat. The rest of the mob pointed their torches and tools at Yuelong.

“Don’t try anything funny,” the mob leader threatened, jabbing his finger into Yuelong’s chest, “or the thief boy dies!”

Yuelong clenched his teeth and sighed. He nodded once at the mob leader and looked back at Xiao-Kai. He was simply too exhausted for any more fighting. He needed more time to replenish his energy.

“Take them back to the temple. Daoist Deng is waiting,” the mob leader commanded.

So, it’s that evil Daoist and the snake that are behind this…

“You’ll live to regret the day they made an enemy of Lady Jiutian!” the mob chanted.

Now that Xiao-Kai had been taken hostage while his energy was still depleted, Yuelong could only follow the crowd back to Shengyu Temple.

With a strong hand gripping his shoulder, Xiao-Kai followed behind Yuelong. As they came closer to Shengyu Temple, the green column that the boy saw earlier grew even more vivid. It extended from the temple roof straight up towards the sky. Like the flames of a fire, energy flowed out from the column. It chilled the boy.

The further up the temple stairs they went, the more unsettled Xiao-Kai felt. It was not like the discomfort of sleeping in an alleyway or on the cold forest ground; it was a discomfort of the insides. It itched and jabbed at his heart. Horrifying visions of blood and darkness began to appear in his mind. Loneliness and hunger rushed like a torrent into his heart, drowning him.

“Xiao-Kai! Focus!”

Xiao-Kai looked up and met of Yuelong’s steady eyes. Like the sacred fire that all wild beasts feared, the strength of Yuelong’s gaze pulled Xiao-Kai out from the cold abyss.

The mob opened the doors of the temple and pushed Yuelong and Xiao-Kai in. With a loud bang, the doors were slammed shut.

The temple was lit poorly by two candles remaining on the offering table. The shadows cast from the low angle made the statue terribly sinister. The statue, although carved to be poker-faced, now seemed to be grinning in delight.

Xiao-Kai immediately tried one of the doors, but it had been locked from the outside.

“What are we going to do?” cried Xiao-Kai.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you get hurt.”

Yuelong looked back at the statue of Lady Jiutian. He noticed that there were a few oddly shaped things lying on the floor. It was only when he got closer that he realized that they weren’t objects but people bound in ropes!

With a sharp stroke of his finger, Yuelong severed the ropes.

“Madam Chen! Are you alright?”

Madam Chen’s lashes fluttered and slowly opened. Her gaze fell on Yuelong, before a look of horror appeared on her face. Before she had any chance to speak, a cold laugh came from the room behind the statue.

“Well, well, well. The guests have arrived.” Deng Lu appeared. With his fu chen in his right hand, he leisurely walked up to the offering table.

Yuelong helped Madam Chen to her feet.

“Deng Lu, you have swayed from the righteous path,” Yuelong condemned. “It is not too late to stop.”

Deng Lu laughed. He gazed into Yuelong’s eyes. Though he was only backlit in the dim room, Deng Lu’s eyes still shone, not with supernatural abilities, but with the wetness in his eyes. Hidden beneath his evil front was something he wished to tell Yuelong but couldn’t.

A harsh voice echoed throughout the entire room. “Enough chit-chat! Deng Lu, move aside!”

The snake!

Deng Lu bowed towards the statue and slowly backed away, leaving the two to face the statue on their own.

The statue’s grin became wider and even more menacing in the flickering candlelight. Xiao-Kai trembled at the sight.

“Cangming!”

Once again, the blue sword slipped out from Yuelong’s sleeve and nestled its hilt in its master’s hand. With three light slashes, he cut the ropes that bound the other four people on the floor.

The eyes of the statue suddenly turned red. Its grin was now truly that of the devil. Then, a loud hissing came from the temple walls, and a black snake started to slither up around the statue. When it reached the top, the snake’s head poised in the air, with its black tongue flickering in and out of its mouth.

“Ssso, we meet again!”

RadishTyrant

Originally, I had plan this arc to be slightly bit longer, but considering the fact that it might take a while for the story to get more interesting, I cut some stuff out and went straight for the final battle!

Edited by: LatentMusings