In his dream or perhaps it was the astral plane, the demon's casual mention of crossing paths in a previous life struck him with an almost electrifying force, leaving him shaken to the core. The thought of a shared history from a past life, along with everything that comes with it, was nothing short of wild and unique. Though he had never doubted the possibility of reincarnation—living in a world governed by supernatural laws—it was the sheer weight of this revelation that caught him off guard, stirring emotions he wasn't ready to face.
Though the power gap between them felt as immense as a god looking down at a junior cultivator, he couldn't shake the undeniable thrill that swept through him the moment he first laid eyes on the stunningly handsome demon. Fear and malice were nowhere to be found from the very start. Instead, he felt an inexplicable captivation that defied both understanding and logic, until it was explained to him just now.
However, he knew nothing about that demon, despite the unexpected pull he felt, and perhaps that was the demon's true power. What if he was playing with his emotions, weaving a web of manipulation for a purpose? What if he intended to lure him to that mountain, only to set him free and unleash revenge upon the world? He had to ground himself in logic, casting aside his emotions, and approach the situation as he always did—methodically. He needed to focus on the facts and track down Siheng before it was too late.
"Past life? How am I supposed to trust you? Demons have hardly been reliable before, and I seriously doubt someone who's been sealed away for who knows how long has returned with noble intentions." Yichen's skepticism hung in the air, his rational mind firmly gripping his thoughts while emotions swirled just beneath the surface.
He maintained a steady voice as the demon drew closer, exuding a calmness that felt both eerie and oddly familiar. Despite his conscious mind resisting any connection, something buried within Yichen's very being seemed to stir in recognition. The demon chuckled, a sound laced with a hint of nostalgia, as if recalling a long-forgotten memory.
"You've always been like this—right from the day we met for the first time. You scrutinized every action I took and questioned every reason behind my choices. Even when trusted friends vouched for me, earning your trust was no easy feat. But you did, Zhuo Yichen. After that, we became inseparable, like two halves of the same coin. We rarely worked apart, bound by a connection deeper than anyone could comprehend. We were in l..." Yet, Zhu Yan halted, the next word caught in his throat.
For years, they were more than just partners; they were lovers. Together, they forged a powerful alliance in the human realm, earning respect not only as demon hunters, but also as protectors of the realm. This is because the three great demons whom the gods allowed to remain in the human realm after the veil between the human world and the wilderness was repaired, were tasked with tracking down the rogue demons who had escaped and returning them to their rightful places. Yet, an unforeseen betrayal shattered everything they had meticulously built, and the world itself paid the price, along with the rest of them.
"I'm not naive enough to entertain the idea of a past that likely cannot be proven or relived. So, regardless of how much you insist on telling me about the wonders of our former partnership, it holds no significance today. The world has changed since you were confined within that mountain. For your information, we humans of this era are not easily impressed or swayed by sweet talk. Spare your effort in trying to sway me—it won't work. My priority is solely to find Pei Siheng alive, if possible. Nothing more, nothing less." Even though Zhu Yan had prepared himself to hear those exact words in a time when all their shared memories had dissolved into nothingness, the pain of hearing them still stung.
For him, every night, he whispered Yichen's name like a quiet invocation, and every hour that passed brought him the lingering memory of Yichen's touch on him, the comfort of his presence. Not a single moment passed without the pain of their heartbreaking and tragic separation tormenting him. And now, standing before his past lover, whose beauty remained as captivating as ever, a deep sorrow overwhelmed him. Even so, he had to bury that pain deep inside, even as his heart broke silently beneath the surface.
Yet, Yichen couldn't ignore the sharp pang in his chest when he noticed the faint shift in the demeanor of the demon who called himself Zhu Yan. He couldn't quite understand why a wave of sorrow washed over him, but its intensity was undeniable. A frown crept onto his face at the abrupt emotion, while Zhu Yan, seemingly unaffected once again, met his gaze with a calm, knowing smile.
"Your priorities have always been clear to me, Zhuo Yichen. Helping others has been your calling, even before your own needs. You may not recall, but you've remained true to yourself through every reincarnation. Always so righteous and always so honorable. It's a pity, really, because that noble drive to save others was what caused me to lose you that fateful night. Yet, despite the shadows of our past, I vow that this time, I won't let history repeat itself." This was more than just an oath—it was a necessity. Losing him once had broken him completely, and losing him a second time would mean his end.
"There is a far greater threat looming in this world than anything you could possibly imagine. One beyond your wildest dreams, because humanity had forgotten the past and allowed for the evil to change their reality. I hope you reach me before the veil shatters a second time... It makes no difference whether your reason for finding me is to save this young man or something else entirely. As long as you come, I'll embrace it all. Come to me, Xiao Zhuo, before we lose this world too. I will be waiting." As Yichen stood there, utterly speechless in what felt more like an astral plane than a dream, Zhu Yan's figure suddenly vanished from view. Yichen jolted awake in his bed with a strange chill creeping down his spine.
Of course, Yichen could tell himself it was simply because he had been sweating in his sleep and the air conditioning was cooling him down, but deep down, he knew better than to cling to such an excuse. There was an undeniable sense of urgency gnawing at him, accompanied by a deep unease that he had just stepped into something far more complex and overwhelming than he'd anticipated. Something beyond a mere rescue mission.
In the bed beside him, Yun Guang felt it too. He had been stirred awake just as his cousin ventured into an out-of-body journey to a higher plane. Naturally, he knew better than to disturb Yichen while his spirit roamed elsewhere, yet his connection to him was firm enough to act as a tether if needed.
The bond between them had always been extraordinary—something no one in the Zhuo family could fully explain. Even Yixuan, despite being Yichen's brother, could not match the depth of connection Yun Guang shared with him. Normally, Yichen's astral projections left him visibly drained. But as he stole a glance at his cousin, he noticed the usual physical signs of exhaustion were there, though the spiritual strain he'd come to expect seemed strangely absent.
"Hey, are you okay? I can head out and bring you something to help calm you if you need it," Yun Guang said gently, sitting on his bed and observing his distressed cousin.
"I should have expected you to sense me... you always did before." But as the memory of Zhu Yan's first time pulling him into a vision resurfaced, Yichen turned to Yun Guang, his expression suddenly filled with shock.
"What? Did something bad happen up there?" Yun Guang asked, his concern deepening as he tried to decipher the young man's sudden alarm.
"Why didn't you sense I was in danger this time, Yun? Your instincts about me have always been spot on, yet you didn't even suspect anything was off until Wen Xiao called. It's been a while since you reacted to me, and I had almost forgotten that you should have sensed it coming long before she broke the news..." Yichen's voice faded, leaving a weighty silence in its wake.
Yun Guang felt the weight of the words, their impact hitting him just as hard as they had struck Yichen. In the midst of the swirling chaos, he had failed to detect that something was wrong with Yichen for the very first time. To make matters worse, he only recognized the strangeness when Yichen pointed it out.
"That's right, I should have sensed you were in danger long before anyone else," Yun Guang said, detecting an unusual trace lingering in his spiritual energy. "Were you just in contact with that demon?"
"I was," Yichen admitted, deciding this was not the moment to withhold information that could escalate into a ticking time bomb threatening them all.
"Did he harm you or threaten you in any way?" Yun Guang asked, a deep sense of guilt weighing on him for feeling he'd failed his cousin. He hoped this time he hadn't reached out to Yichen simply because he sensed no immediate danger around his spirit.
"No, he said we knew each other in a past life and urged me to find him right away. He warned me that something catastrophic is approaching. Yun... maybe he's lying about the past life, but I can't ignore the sense of urgency he left me with. Honestly, I've always felt there's something far more unsettling about this world than just coexisting with spirits." That much, at least, he'd shared with his team and even his father and brother.
"The appearance of this demon suggests he is incredibly ancient, likely old enough to have witnessed whatever event led the world to its current state. Though we have countless theories about it, they remain just that—unproven ideas without certainty. Meanwhile, unusual occurrences are happening everywhere, especially around certain agencies. What if these aren't isolated incidents, but rather signs of something far more significant? Even if Zhu Yan..."
"Zhu Yan?" Yun Guang interrupted, tilting his head in surprise. The name resonated with him, tugging at a memory that felt familiar yet elusive, like a puzzle piece that refused to fit.
"That's his name. He is a great demon." Yun Guang recalled reading about such ancient beings during his time at Mount Kunlun Temple, where all family members, trained at one point in their lives, studying the wisdom preserved in the old scrolls.
"The history of the great demons is complicated. Some lend a hand to humanity, while others plot its downfall. Yet, I sense you're catching onto something significant. We've managed six hours of sleep, but that's more than enough in our line of work. Stay here, refresh yourself a little, and change clothes. I'll wake the others, and we'll hit the road again. No one will complain if we leave early. After all, it's in our best interest to reach our destination as soon as possible." Yun Guang grabbed his black jacket from a nearby chair and headed out, deciding that a knock on the door would disturb their 'princess,' Wen Xiao, far less than a blaring ringtone.
Moments later, they returned to the vans and resumed their journey, navigating through the night. The vehicles were safeguarded against ghost or spirit attacks by several powerful talismans crafted by Ying Lei. This protection made it safe to press on into the darkness. However, for Pei Sijing, even without such measures, she would have ventured across a land teeming with ghosts if it meant saving her brother.
"Sijing... I know you haven't been sleeping well. Maybe I should drive this time so you can get some rest." Wen Xiao had suggested this before their departure, but her girlfriend declined and she slid into the driver's seat, as if her very life depended on it. It was painful to watch her so tense, and even fearful, as though every second lost might be the difference between saving her brother or not.
"I'm fine, Xiao Xi, really. Don't fret over me. As a police captain, I'm used to running on little sleep. Criminals don't operate on a schedule, so this is nothing new. Honestly, being on the road is easier than lying in bed imagining Siheng suffering somewhere in the mountains with that ancient demon—whether it turns out to be tame or hostile." In a way, Sijing's words eased some of Wen Xiao's anxiety, yet a flicker of concern still lingered in her heart.
"I trust Xiao Zhuo... he has never failed us before, and I pray this is not the exception. He's convinced that Siheng is safe, no matter the reasons behind it. But I need to be honest with you—something feels off. There's a shift in the energy around us, something I've never dared to explore too deeply. It's as if a dark presence is lurking in every corner, and I can't shake the feeling that it's stirring up ghosts and spirits all over the land, making them more aggressive. Sometimes, I even think they're feeding on us, drawing energy from our very essence, something unseen but deeply felt." Wen Xiao admitted, echoing the ominous warnings that the demon had shared with Yichen about the something dangerous brewing on the horizon.
"Fingers crossed that the demon is just bluffing, because we've already faced more than our fair share of supernatural problems. But honestly, it feels like it's not just the ghosts getting bolder. Humans are stepping up in their game too. The crimes we've tackled over the past few years are downright savage, as if something not quite human is behind them. The sheer brutality is too twisted for us to handle, especially in such staggering numbers," Sijing admitted.
"It's all becoming so strange... I just hope we find Siheng before something terrible happens, and I'm not just talking about him, but about us too. I think I finally get why Yichen can't stand red sunsets. They're downright disturbing, like a warning that bloodshed could fall on us at any time." Wen Xiao shivered in her seat.
"Let's hope it doesn't, Xiao Xi." Sijing reached for Wen Xiao's hand and gave it a firm squeeze, trying not only to reassure her but also to convince herself that everything would turn out alright for all of them.
"We will not allow it. No matter what happens, if it comes down to it, we will save both your little brother and the world. Mark my words." Wen Xiao's promise brought a smile to Sijing's face. She held on to those words, determined to believe in them and do her part to make them a reality.
AN: Ok, I know I hint to some unexplained mysteries here, but they will be explained as the story progress. I hope you like it and even if Yichen is trying to resit Zhu Yan's pull, he will still fall for him nevertheless. 😂 Thanks and until next time, take care.