1.
If there was one thing Wen Xiao knew is that sometimes books lie. She tossed the current book she was reading onto the table next to her with a grumble.
There was a case they needed to solve and it was the water bride’s case. She loudly sighed through her nose and closed her eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Just remembering when they signed the scroll and was given a 5 day time period to solve the case, she wanted to throw the scroll away.
It isn't a lot of time and they need to work fast. Wen Xiao put her anger away and picked up another book. She flipped it open, hoping to find some new information when she began to read the contents.
“Courting Rituals of Great Demons began when…” She read out loud. This doesn't sound right.
She flipped the book cover and read the title. “The Guide to the Courting Rituals of Great Demons.” She flipped to the first page again. “Great Demons are proud creatures and have known to choose only one mate.”
If Wen Xiao didn't know better, she thinks someone bought a prank book. She almost put the book away but something about it drew her curiosity in. She continued to read the page not realising she was getting immersed in the book. Each page sounded bizarre but yet it made sense.
‘One of the ways of a Great Demon courting is the very known interest of the chosen mate. Known methods of interest are
- Teasing
- Feign interest of the mate’s looks
- A spar
- Gentle coaxing
- Compatibility of a dominant and submissive natures
Wen Xiao blinked at the last note. Dominant and submissive? Natures? She's never heard of this trait nor did her master say anything about it to her. Even the Great Demon, Zhu Yan didn't say anything, yet he wouldn't answer if Wen Xiao asked.
It piqued her curiosity. Dominant and submissive. She stood up with the book in her hand and made her way to one of the shelves. She browsed through each one, pulling out a few books and sat back down. She flipped it open, glancing between the two books, comparing the information about dominants and submissives.
Wen Xiao went through the few books and sighed again. The only thing she could find was something about sexual positions. She doubts it has anything to do with courting for Great Demons.
She blew strands of hair from her face, debating on asking Zhao Yuanzhou instead. It would be easier, she thinks but paused for a moment. At the lake, when Zhao Yuanzhou was sensing any malicious energy, she remembered seeing the white ape demon glancing at Zhuo Yichen.
Wen Xiao didn't think much back then but now looking back at it, she realized Zhao Yuanzhou might be trying to impress Zhuo Yichen. Why? She has no idea but it did explain about Zhao Yuanzhou's teasing.
Zhuo Yichen wasn't impressed and Zhao Yuanzhou's expression fell but his eyes twinkled with amusement. Traits of teasing and wanting to impress a chosen mate was written in the book.
Wen Xiao decides to dig further. The concept of dominant and submissive natures in demons seemed intriguing and she wanted to know more. She grabbed the book about rope binding when Zhuo Yichen hastily walked in.
Wen Xiao shoved the book into a different pile before Zhuo Yichen could question her. Her disgruntled nephew sat in front of her with a tight frown. She offered him a placating smile.
“What's wrong?” Wen Xiao asked, pouring tea for Zhuo Yichen. “Did Zhao Yuanzhou do something again?”
Zhuo Yichen narrowed his eyes at the offered teacup and Wen Xiao knew she hit the mark. It's always about the white ape demon. Her Xiao Zhuo is usually so composed but with Zhao Yuanzhou around, Zhuo Yichen becomes a different man.
“He!” Zhuo Yichen yelled before snapping his mouth shut when his voice echoed in the library.
Wen Xiao raised an eyebrow. “What did he do?”
Zhuo Yichen huffed. “What else? Lazing about, scaring Xiao Jiu, and everything else that's wrong. He's hiding something and refuses to tell us.”
Wen Xiao hid her smile by pressing his lips together tightly. She watched Zhuo Yichen take deep measuring breaths before huffing. An idea suddenly came to her mind and she wanted to test out the theory she's been toying.
“Xiao Zhuo,” she called, gaining his full attention. “Have you ever heard of demons having a different kind of nature?”
“What kind of nature?”
“Dominant and submissive nature.”
Zhuo Yichen looked puzzled. “I’ve never heard —”
Wen Xiao watched his face morphed into something like he bit a lemon. A slight red dusting coated his pale cheeks and Wen Xiao was even more intrigued.
“So you’ve heard about it,” she grinned. “What do you think Zhao Yuanzhou's nature is?”
Zhuo Yichen scoffed. “A pet monkey.”
Wen Xiao's lips twitched in a restrained smile. “Be honest with me. What do you think?”
Zhuo Yichen eyed her skeptically but he will never deny her. “Dominant maybe? He's already bossy as it is. He doesn't need any more praise or compliments before his head gets too big. Great Demons he is.”
“But how would we test what kind of nature he is? We're only guessing he's a Dominant but we're human,” Wen Xiao pointed out and Zhuo Yichen sighed.
“Why are you asking these questions?”
Wen Xiao debated with herself to show Zhuo Yichen the book when Zhao Yuanzhou himself glided in like he owned the place.
“Xiao Zhuo-daren,” Zhao Yuanzhou called with that saccharine voice of his. “I didn't realize you were such a bookworm like our Wen Xiao.”
Zhuo Yichen stood up, drawing Cloud Light sword out from its sheath. “Another word from you and I'll make your fur into a rug.”
Zhao Yuanzhou gaped at Zhuo Yichen. “Wen Xiao, look at him. He's threatening me now!”
“I’m not getting involved in your flirting,” Wen Xiao said, grabbing her stack of books. “Don't burn the library down or I'll join Xiao Zhuo in having a new rug for my room.”
She fled before things escalated but she felt delighted in hearing Zhao Yuanzhou's spluttered cry.
~~~
Things didn't go according to plan when Zhao Yuanzhou chased after the demon hunter and Wen Xiao followed. Zhao Yuanzhou's arm shot out, halting her from going any further and the demon hunter smiled at them strangely.
When they were attacked, Wen Xiao felt her eyes burn and she nearly screamed in pain. She collapsed to the ground, resisting from digging her own eyes out to stop the pain. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at the familiar face of a demon she hated.
Li Lun smirked at her, leaping away for safety and looked at them like he owned the world. Wen Xiao gasped, realizing if she can see Li Lun's form, it would mean the person next to her would have their other form too.
Wen Xiao slowly turned her head to look at Zhao Yuanzhou, hoping it would be a lie. She saw Zhao Yuanzhou's hands tremble with restrained fear and his red eyes kept darting everywhere but at Wen Xiao. She looked up to see red markings on Zhao Yuanzhou's cheeks, wine red hair that seemed to flow like a blood red river.
Red tendrils of energy coated his body like another layer of cloth. It sets for a terrifying figure. Wen Xiao felt fear at the sight of Zhu Yan's other form.
“Zhu…Zhu Yan?” Wen Xiao softly gasped and her eyes met Zhu Yan's fearful look.
Li Lun tilted his head, watching them with interest but his gaze stayed on Zhu Yan. “This is Zhu Yan's look after many years of cultivation,” Li Lun said, gaining Zhu Yan's attention. “Do you want to see his true form?”
Zhu Yan glared at Li Lun. The two demons stared at each other when Li Lun walked forward, lifting up the toy drum. Zhu Yan moved, standing in front of Wen Xiao when Li Lun sent a wave of energy blasting at them.
Wen Xiao lifted her arm up, blocking the power when Zhu Yan quickly blocked Li Lun's power with his own malicious energy. Another wave of power sent Zhu Yan a step back. He had to protect Wen Xiao, and it prevented him from leaving Wen Xiao's side until Li Lun stood a few feet away from Zhu Yan. Malicious energy slowly disappeared and Zhu Yan met Li Lun’s gaze head on.
“What do you want?” Zhu Yan asked with a glare.
“I just wanted to catch up with my old friend,” Li Lun said, watching Zhu Yan. “What's wrong with that?”
“It's not…” Zhu Yan mumbled, glancing away from Li Lun and then looked at him again with a twitch of his lips.
Wen Xiao looked between the two, sensing something else that the two were hiding. Her mind was reeling with the revelation of Li Lun's form and she felt her temple throbbed from a buried memory. She pushed herself up from the ground, realising Li Lun isn't attacking them.
“He's stalling us,” Wen Xiao said, shooting Li Lun a glare. “He lured us here. Xiao Zhuo and the others are in danger.”
Zhu Yan blinked his eyes in realization and his posture shifted which didn't go unnoticed by Li Lun. Wen Xiao saw the shift in Li Lun’s eyes.
“They are human and don't know any magic. Zhuo-daren and the others are fine. There's no demons around them either except here,” Zhu Yan said, maintaining eye contact with Li Lun.
“You have two choices,” Li Lun offered. “One, you can go and save your friends and leave her here or let your friends die and she as well.”
“Zhao Yuanzhou, go,” Wen Xiao whispered, worried for Zhuo Yichen.
“I can't,” Zhao Yuanzhou mumbled. “I have to protect you. I made a blood oath.”
Wen Xiao knew the implications of Zhao Yuanzhou breaking the blood oath. His soul will be destroyed and she'll have no one to protect her. Li Lun studied them for a moment and Wen Xiao felt the shift in his stance. Even without the Baize token, she knew to never trust a demon, even a powerful one.
Li Lun opened his mouth and Zhu Yan's eyes flashed with a red glow. Li Lun shot his hand out, conjuring a shield in the nick of time to block Zhu Yan's sudden attack. Wen Xiao stumbled back with a soft cry, throwing her arms up to block the leaves flying into her face.
“Zhao Yuanzhou!” Wen Xiao yelled.
Li Lun summoned a swirl of leaves, throwing it at Zhu Yan who blocked it. Zhu Yan saw Wen Xiao trying her best to protect herself and he flew to her side.
“Shield,” Zhu Yan uttered his one word spell and a shield protected them.
Wen Xiao looked up at Zhu Yan and saw the pinched look on Li Lun's face. When the shield disappeared, Zhu Yan stood in front of her, one arm out to protect her.
Li Lun narrowed his eyes. “Kn—”
“LI LUN!” Zhu Yan yelled, cutting Li Lun off.
Wen Xiao jerked in shock and Li Lun froze. She couldn't see Zhao Yuanzhou's face but she saw Li Lun's wide eyes. It gave him the look of someone who wasn't expecting to be called.
Wen Xiao’s eyes burned from the Truth Eye. Her body had grown weak and she collapsed onto the ground with soft laboured breaths. Zhao Yuanzhou glanced at her and knelt down to cover her eyes.
“Are you afraid she'll see your true form?” Li Lun asked.
Zhao Yuanzhou used his power to ease the pain on Wen Xiao's eyes. “A mortal body cannot stand the Truth Eye for too long.”
Wen Xiao felt the pain eased and she slowly opened her eyes. Everything looked normal and for a moment, she feared who she would see kneeling next to her. She carefully turned her head and found Zhao Yuanzhou smiling at her.
The Zhao Yuanzhou she knew. The demon with the human skin she was familiar with and he helped her up. They faced Li Lun together when he raised his drum, ready to attack when Wen Xiao threw a handful of white powder into Li Lun's face.
Zhao Yuanzhou blinked a few times. Li Lun leaped away, shielding his face from another attack. Wen Xiao grabbed Zhao Yuanzhou's hand without hesitation and ran away with him.
“This trick again?” Zhao Yuanzhou exclaimed, glancing over his shoulder to see Li Lun collapsed. “Didn't you say you wanted to end the blood feud today?”
Wen Xiao grinned at Zhao Yuanzhou. “A gentleman's revenge is never too late. A woman's revenge must be flexible.”
They fled to where Zhuo Yichen is but found a scattering of dead bodies on the ground. Wen Xiao went to Pei SiJing and they immediately held hands. Zhao Yuanzhou stood next to Zhuo Yichen with his usual searching gaze.
“Are you guys okay?” Zhuo Yichen asked and Wen Xiao shook her head with a smile.
Pei SiJing gripped Wen Xiao's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Zhao Yuanzhou's keen eyes caught the wound on Zhuo Yichen's palm. The scent of blood was faint and Zhao Yuanzhou felt concern grew in his heart.
Zhao Yuanzhou reached for Zhuo Yichen's hand but the demon hunter shifted it away from the demon’s touch.
“I don't need it,” Zhuo Yichen said, avoiding Zhao Yuanzhou’s knowing gaze.
The soft sigh from Zhao Yuanzhou was all Zhuo Yichen needed before his hand was grabbed. Malicious energy flowed from Zhao Yuanzhou's hand and healed Zhuo Yichen's minor wound.
“Here’s some free demonic energy,” Zhao Yuanzhou smiled knowingly. “So it’ll be easier to kill me in the future.”
Zhuo Yichen looked up at Zhao Yuanzhou. They held eye contact for the time Zhao Yuanzhou took to heal Zhuo Yichen.
Wen Xiao cleared her throat, sensing the growing awkward atmosphere between everyone. Zhuo Yichen pulled his hand free immediately with a grumble and Zhao Yuanzhou looked away. Nothing else was said between them and they decided to return to the Zhuo mansion.
~~~
Wen Xiao felt like she's witnessing some form of a demon courting dance in front of her. There was a lull in their cases and Li Lun hasn't shown himself in awhile too. Her current form of amusement — besides reading till late at night or trying to get Pei SiJing's attention — is watching Zhuo Yichen chase Zhao Yuanzhou around the Zhuo mansion.
“You crazy monkey!” Zhuo Yichen yelled, throwing an ice spell at Zhao Yuanzhou who twirled away with light steps.
“Xiao Zhuo, you wound me,” Zhao Yuanzhou teased with a grin. “How can you attack your teacher for teaching you about your clan’s techniques?”
“Who said you were my teacher!?” Zhuo Yichen’s fingers lit up with a blue glow and he dragged his fingertips across his blade.
Cloud Light sword glowed blue and little droplets of water formed into small balls around Zhuo Yichen. Wen Xiao watched with rapt attention as the little balls froze and grew sharp spikes at the end.
Zhao Yuanzhou watched with a critical eye and nodded. “Not bad, not bad.”
Without warning, Zhuo Yichen threw his ice spell and the ice spikes went straight towards Zhao Yuanzhou. The white ape demon quickly summoned his umbrella and twirled it around with the sound of bells tinkling.
The spikes bursts into little fine dusts when the tip hit the umbrella, leaving the faintest chill in the air. When the last ice spike disintegrated, Zhuo Yichen lunged forward with his sword thrusted out.
Zhao Yuanzhou lifted his umbrella and deflected the attack with a simple side step. He danced away with light steps and cheekily whispered a spell.
“Fall,” Zhao Yuanzhou muttered and Zhuo Yichen slipped on his next step.
Zhao Yuanzhou reached forward, wrapping an arm around Zhuo Yichen's waist and they twirled on the spot. Both stared at each other like nothing else was around them. Neither knew of their one person audience, watching their little spar with interest.
Wen Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Dominant, huh,” she mumbled. Maybe she should add some steps in that book. Flirting while sparring definitely needs to be added in, she teased herself, hiding a smirk behind her teacup.
Zhao Yuanzhou released Zhuo Yichen but they were still nose to nose with each other. “You're too close,” Zhuo Yichen said softly but his voice echoed loudly in the quiet area.
“Xiao Zhuo,” Zhao Yuanzhou lazily smiled. “Looks like I won our little spar.”
Zhuo Yichen stepped back with a glare. “Who said you won? You didn't take a look at yourself.” Zhuo Yichen pointed to a small tear on Zhao Yuanzhou's sleeve.
Zhao Yuanzhou looked down and found the small tear. He moaned at his robe but gave Zhuo Yichen an approved nod, like a very proud teacher.
“Should I reward you, Xiao Zhuo?”
“I don't need your rewards. Next time I'll make you kneel and turn you into my new chair.”
Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes twinkled. “Xiao Zhuo-daren, I didn't know you were into such…interesting techniques.”
Wen Xiao watched Zhuo Yichen paused and the brightest red she had ever seen bloomed on Zhuo Yichen's cheeks. His loud yell startled her. She watched Zhuo Yichen chase Zhao Yuanzhou again with a loud promise of beating the monkey. Wen Xiao giggled softly, shaking her head at her lost entertainment.
~~~
Wen Xiao should rethink what dominant and submissives are once more. Li Lun had managed to trap them in the Zhuo mansion. Zhao Yuanzhou stood next to her and Zhuo Yichen too, confusing Wen Xiao for a moment. Li Lun stood at the top of the stairs, staring at them with concealed hatred but his eyes never stray away from Zhao Yuanzhou's.
“I think it's time they learn what you really are,” Li Lun said and Zhao Yuanzhou tightened his grip on the umbrella.
“What do you mean?” Wen Xiao asked.
“You'll find out soon enough,” Li Lun said, taking one step at a time till he stopped at the middle of the stairs. “Kneel.”
Zhuo Yichen frowned. “We aren't kneeling for you. We won't obey or do whatever deed you're planning,” Zhuo Yichen said loudly and held Cloud Light sword protectively in front of Wen Xiao.
The sound of someone falling to the ground alerted them. They turned to find Zhao Yuanzhou kneeling with a pained look. Li Lun smirked, walking down the stairs until he stood in front of Zhao Yuanzhou.
“Zhao Yuanzhou, what are you doing?” Zhuo Yichen hissed.
Wen Xiao's eyes slowly widened. Compatibility between a dominant and submissive. It dawned on her that Li Lun and Zhao Yuanzhou are compatible with each other. The two great demons in front of her must have together in a relationship before.
Li Lun reached down to cup the bottom of Zhao Yuanzhou's chin. The white ape demon’s eyes fluttered close, feeling the familiar touch of a dominant he hasn't felt in so long. Li Lun hummed, tilting Zhao Yuanzhou's chin up with slow movements.
“Look at you,” Li Lun said, tilting his head to examine Zhao Yuanzhou. “How long has it been since you had someone command you?”
Zhao Yuanzhou let out an involuntary whine. Wen Xiao was shocked and Zhuo Yichen froze. Both didn't know how to react and Zhuo Yichen slowly pushed his sword out. Li Lun's eyes snapped towards Zhuo Yichen and gripped Zhao Yuanzhou's chin hard.
“One move and I'll send him into a sub drop. Neither of you will be able to pull him out of it,” Li Lun warned.
Zhuo Yichen slowly slid his blade back in. Li Lun nearly scoffed but the soft whine Zhao Yuanzhou made had Li Lun turning to him. The pagoda tree demon hummed, shifting his grip to cup Zhao Yuanzhou's cheek.
Their spectators watched as Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes opened slowly to stare up at Li Lun like he was the only thing Zhao Yuanzhou needed. Zhao Yuanzhou closed his eyes again and nuzzled Li Lun's palm like a cat.
“Why don't we show them?” Li Lun hinted. “Kiss me.”
Zhao Yuanzhou immediately surged upwards, pressing his lips hard against Li Lun. Li Lun glanced at Wen Xiao, hoping to see her jealous reaction but he found her watching with wide curious eyes. The one person he didn't expect to be glaring at them was Zhuo Yichen.
The Bing Yi heir gritted his teeth hard, clenching his sword’s handle so tightly till his knuckles turned white. Li Lun was intrigued by this reaction. The Baize Goddess doesn't seem jealous at all but the Bing Yi heir is.
Zhao Yuanzhou pressed his lips harder against Li Lun, sensing the dominant was responding. The action brought Li Lun's attention back to the submissive in his arms. He broke the kiss, pushing Zhao Yuanzhou away. Li Lun wrapped his hand around Zhao Yuanzhou's throat.
“Zhao Yuanzhou!” Zhuo Yichen yelled loudly, taking a step forward but Wen Xiao quickly grabbed his arm. “Let me go, Wen Xiao,” Zhuo Yichen hissed.
“Just wait,” Wen Xiao hissed back. “If you attack now and Li Lun sends Zhao Yuanzhou into a subdrop or whatever it means, there's a chance Zhao Yuanzhou will get hurt.”
Zhuo Yichen knew Wen Xiao was right but he couldn't stand the sight of Li Lun touching Zhao Yuanzhou. It brought a hot anger in his chest and it made him want to hurt the pagoda tree demon. The jealous feeling wasn't helping either. Zhuo Yichen wanted Zhao Yuanzhou by his side, to have the white ape demon near like a possessive dragon who guards its treasure.
“Zhao Yuanzhou,” Li Lun said, relishing the feeling of having his hand on Zhao Yuanzhou's throat. “What do you want?”
Zhao Yuanzhou whimpered, slowly opening his eyes. “You.”
Li Lun squeezed Zhao Yuanzhou's throat, hard enough to not cut his supply of air. The gasp was loud and Zhao Yuanzhou groaned at the feeling of his ears buzzing. It sent a jolt down his body and it made Zhao Yuanzhou weak to his knees.
Zhuo Yichen couldn't stand it. His jealousy took over and a small portion of rationale left his mind. He unsheathed Cloud Light Sword, ignoring Wen Xiao's cry and summoned small droplets of water from the pond. The droplets turned into icicles, glistening in the white light and Zhuo Yichen threw the icicles at Li Lun.
Li Lun immediately released Zhao Yuanzhou and threw a protective barrier spell around them. The icicles shattered into fine dust and Li Lun smirked.
“Zhuo Yichen,” Li Lun called, studying the fuming human. “That —”
“Zhao Yuanzhou, come here now!” Zhuo Yichen commanded.
Li Lun's eyes widened at the familiar ripple of a command. A dominant’s command.
Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes glazed over from the strong command. He stood up without a word and quickly headed towards Zhuo Yichen. Zhuo Yichen pushed Zhao Yuanzhou behind him, standing tall and fierce in front of them.
“A dominant?” Li Lun whispered but he saw the slight sway in Zhao Yuanzhou's stance. “Release.”
Zhao Yuanzhou gasped loudly, sinking down to his knees. Wen Xiao grabbed hold of him, sending a worried look to Zhuo Yichen. Zhao Yuanzhou closed his eyes, breathing hard and deep, slowly reorienting himself. He carefully opened his eyes and pushed himself up with Wen Xiao's help.
“Zhao Yuanzhou,” Zhuo Yichen called, never taking his eyes off from Li Lun.
“I'm fine,” Zhao Yuanzhou answered hoarsely. “I'm fine.” He pet Wen Xiao's hand in reassurance. “Let's finish this.”
~~~
“Zhao Yuanzhou,” Wen Xiao called, standing in front of Zhao Yuanzhou with a small glare. “What is a dominant and a submissive?”
Zhao Yuanzhou blinked at her in shock and he glanced at Zhuo Yichen who ignored them by cleaning his sword. Zhao Yuanzhou cleared his throat, unsure of how to answer the question.
“Wen Xiao, why do you want to know about it?” Zhao Yuanzhou asked.
“Because Li Lun said to kneel and you knelt,” Zhuo Yichen answered, never taking his gaze off from his sword. “And you were like a dazed person when you came to me after I told you to come.”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked away with a conflicted look. “That's…”
“Zhao Yuanzhou, we need to know if it will interfere with any cases given to us,” Wen Xiao said. “Would you be kneeling to every demon that tells you to kneel?”
Zhao Yuanzhou shot Wen Xiao a glare and his eyes flashed red in warning. Cloud Light sword glowed blue and Zhuo Yichen grabbed Zhao Yuanzhou's arm.
“Stop it,” Zhuo Yichen warned.
Zhao Yuanzhou immediately sank, leaning against Zhuo Yichen with his lips tightly shut. Wen Xiao and Zhuo Yichen waited with bated breath and Zhao Yuanzhou slowly pushed himself up. He let out an involuntary shiver and sighed.
Zhao Yuanzhou blinked a few times, slowly centering himself. He shook his head and rubbed his temples to stave off the headache brewing.
“Before I explain,” Zhao Yuanzhou said. “Xiao Zhuo, what do you know of Bing Yi's nature?”
Zhuo Yichen paused in his cleaning. He frowned. “I don't know.”
“What does Bing Yi have to do with you?” Wen Xiao asked, confused.
“Because our Xiao Zhuo is a dominant.” Zhao Yuanzhou poured himself a cup of tea. “Bing Yi, from what the stories said, was a dominant. A strong one and rumors say the Bing Yi clan may have inherited the trait. No one showed any traits till now.”
“Nonsense,” Zhuo Yichen huffed.
“Xiao Zhuo. You literally just gave me a command without even knowing it. You're human but only demons have this trait.”
“So you're saying that Xiao Zhuo is a dominant?” Wen Xiao asked. “Then how come Li Lun could command you? Zhao Yuanzhou, are you a submissive?”
“A dominant is someone who can easily give commands to a submissive. Commands are easy. Simple like one worded commands. Stop, kneel, beg, and so on,” Zhao Yuanzhou explained.
“Then what about two words? Kiss me, stand up?” Wen Xiao asked, intrigued by the whole concept.
“Anything,” Zhao Yuanzhou answered. “It can be anything that a dominant can turn into a command. But give too many commands to a submissive in a short span, it'll send the submissive into a subdrop.”
“What's a subdrop?” Zhuo Yichen asked, fingers twitching for the answer.
“Something not good,” Zhao Yuanzhou briefly said. “It can be dangerous and deadly. Submissives can die from a subdrop if they're not pulled out from it quickly.”
“Is it that dangerous?” Wen Xiao asked worriedly.
Zhao Yuanzhou offered her a reassuring smile. “A dominant can also get into a drop. It's different from a submissive but it's possible.”
“Have you been in a drop before?”
Zhao Yuanzhou didn't respond and they knew the answer. Wen Xiao changed the topic, dismissing the sudden dark atmosphere.
“How does a submissive get pulled out from a drop?” Wen Xiao asked.
“By the dominant,” Zhao Yuanzhou said then grinned. “With some tender loving care.”
Zhuo Yichen flushed red. “Who needs tender caring!? You obviously don't need it!”
“Xiao Zhuo, you hurt me with your sharp words,” Zhao Yuanzhou pouted, grabbing his chest in a dramatic sigh.
“Then will you be kneeling for dominants giving you commands?” Wen Xiao asked.
“No,” Zhao Yuanzhou immediately answered. “Only when a submissive is compatible with a dominant will they listen. My compatibility is too high for the lower demons to command me.”
“So in other words, only Xiao Zhuo and Li Lun can command you,” Wen Xiao pointed out.
Zhao Yuanzhou flushed red and it was Zhuo's turn to grin. “Do I need to douse you in cold water? You seemed a little red, Zhao Yuanzhou.”
Wen Xiao rolled her eyes. “Definitely compatible,” she mumbled.
~~~
Wen Xiao sipped her warm tea with a relaxed sigh. It was a peaceful day for her. The whole situation with Wen Zongyu had ended. Bai Jiu was hurt but it took him a few weeks to heal. Ying Lei was alive too, helping nurse Bai Jiu back to health and Pei SiJing was more than happy to have her brother back with her.
Wen Xiao wondered where did Zhuo Yichen and Zhao Yuanzhou go. After saving everyone in Tiandu without having to sacrifice Zhao Yuanzhou's soul, Zhuo Yichen had grabbed Zhao Yuanzhou and fled. Wen Xiao has no clue as to where they went but she only hoped to see them again.
“Xiao Zhuo ge!” Bai Jiu’s loud dolphin scream was the only indication Wen Xiao needed.
She looked up to see Zhuo Yichen climbing up the stairs and she found herself staring at him. This Zhuo Yichen is different. His long black hair has large strips of white hair. It was tied in a low half ponytail. He stood tall and it made him look regal in his black and blue attire. Thin dark blue cracked lines were pulsing against his neck, showing his demon status.
Wen Xiao ran from her spot on the veranda. She ran as fast as she could till she stopped in front of Zhuo Yichen. They stared at one another and gave each other the largest smile they could. A smile of relief and family love. A smile that said ‘You’re home’.
“Wen jiejie, look out!” Bai Jiu screamed, running to stand next to her with a trembling arm out.
Wen Xiao looked up to find two new guests standing at the back, not daring to come in. Her eyes widened and she took a good look at the one demon she cared for. Wen Xiao took a step forward and Zhuo Yichen moved to the side, pulling Bai Jiu along. Zhuo Yichen knew he couldn't stop her with the determined look in her eyes. She made her way to the two demons and raised her arm.
Zhao Yuanzhou stayed still and the hard slap echoed loudly in the silent hall. Zhao Yuanzhou slowly looked at Wen Xiao's tear filled eyes. It pained him to see her like this.
She raised her hand again and hit his chest once and then twice. She pounded on his chest with angry tears and he let her vent her frustrations and anger before she stopped with loud sniffles.
“I should have tied you up,” Wen Xiao wetly said. “You stupid monkey.”
Zhao Yuanzhou took her beatings without a word. He gently brushed her tears away. “I know,” Zhao Yuanzhou said, giving her a sad smile. “But I couldn't let you die like that.”
“That isn't your decision to make,” Wen Xiao gritted her teeth, sniffling hard. “You promised me to be by my side, to protect me…”
“And I still would do the same. Watching you die was like watching Zhao Wan’er die too.”
Wen Xiao snapped her mouth shut. She studied him and turned her face away upon hearing her master’s name. It stung but she knew she couldn't stop him. She wiped her tears with a rough hand and froze at the other demon standing next to Zhao Yuanzhou. She blinked her eyes a few times.
“Why are you…” Wen Xiao mumbled, surprised and unsure.
Li Lun shifted on his feet, looking at her with his own piercing gaze before he looked away. Wen Xiao took in Li Lun's look. Medium length black hair tied in a short half ponytail with a small wreath of branches used as a holder. Twin gold beads hung from Li Lun's hair. He wore a black robe with dark brown stitching on the cloth, giving it the look of roots climbing up Li Lun’s body.
“Li Lun,” Wen Xiao said, tense and confused.
“Wen Xiao,” Zhuo Yichen called, standing in front of Li Lun. “It's fine. He's with us.”
“But didn't he…Xiao Zhuo, what happened?”
“It's a bit of a long story,” Zhao Yuanzhou replied instead.
“Xiao Zhuo ge, why is he here?” Bai Jiu whispered, trembling next to Zhuo Yichen.
Wen Xiao doesn't blame Bai Jiu for what happened to him. The things Li Lun has done to them would be a wound that will take a long time to heal. Wen Xiao suddenly wished Pei SiJing was here. She would be delighted to watch Pei SiJing give Li Lun a hard beating. Wen Xiao placed a comforting hand on Bai Jiu's shoulder.
Zhao Yuanzhou swayed on the spot before he fell to his knees. Zhuo Yichen and Li Lun reached for him immediately, grabbing each of Zhao Yuanzhou's arms to pull him. Wen Xiao took Zhao Yuanzhou's hand and found it trembling in her grip.
She looked at Zhao Yuanzhou in alarm. “Why are you trembling? Are you sick? What about your demonic energy? Is your demonic core fine?”
“Wen Xiao,” Zhao Yuanzhou tried to reassure her.
“Zhuo Yichen,” Li Lun's deep voice cut through all of the air like a sharp blade. “Zhao Yuanzhou will drop soon.”
Zhuo Yichen's eyes widened. He nodded. “Wen Xiao, I'll explain later, just not right now.” Zhuo Yichen glanced at Zhao Yuanzhou worriedly and saw the strain in his eyes. “This way,” Zhuo Yichen told Li Lun.
Wen Xiao could only watch them leave as one, heading deeper into the Zhuo mansion. Bai Jiu looked confused and he turned to her. She shrugged in answer. She'll have to wait for Zhuo Yichen to explain later.
~~~
“You're a dominant and Zhao Yuanzhou is a submissive,” Wen Xiao parroted. “And he's compatible with you and Li Lun.”
Zhuo Yichen nodded, picking up his tea cup and taking a sip. “We found out in the last thousand of years or so.”
“Wait,” Wen Xiao lifted her hand, halting Zhuo Yichen's actions. “What do you mean thousand of years? Xiao Zhuo, you and Zhao Yuanzhou have been gone for 2 months. What did you do?” She narrowed her eyes like a mother threatening her child.
Zhuo Yichen faulted and quickly cleared his throat. “That's…we…W-Wen Xiao, don't get mad.”
“Define mad?” Wen Xiao crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“We used the sundial to help Li Lun and Zhao Yuanzhou cultivate their demonic power again,” Zhuo Yichen mumbled like a child not wanting to anger their parents.
Wen Xiao's mouth fell open in shock. “You used the sundial to cultivate!? Xiao Zhuo!”
“Sorry. I didn't know what other way to help them in a shorter time period.”
“That's…” Wen Xiao sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Xiao Zhuo, why didn't you tell me before you took Zhao Yuanzhou away?”
Zhuo Yichen fidgeted. It was rare to see him act like this and Wen Xiao found it enduring. The silence grew and Zhuo Yichen can be stubborn when he refuses to answer. Wen Xiao poured him another cup of tea, deciding to change tactics and get the answer she wanted.
“What about Li Lun?” Wen Xiao asked, pouring her own cup of tea. “He seemed,” she paused and that caught Zhuo Yichen's attention. Ah ha! “Familiar with you.”
Zhuo Yichen glanced away with a slight dusting of pink on his cheeks. “We've been in the sundial for a long time.”
“2 months isn't very long,” she teased. “But time works differently there, isn't it?”
“It does…”
“Then I suppose feelings would develop in their own way. And you said you're a dominant and Zhao Yuanzhou is a submissive. Does that mean you've given Zhao Yuanzhou commands to follow?”
Zhuo Yichen's cheeks turned even redder. He avoided her knowing gaze and quickly downed the warm tea. He stood up hastily and left without a word. Wen Xiao giggled to herself, knowing she embarrassed Zhuo Yichen with how red his ears were. She'll have another time to tease her Xiao Zhuo but for now, she's glad that they're home.
~~~
Wen Xiao hummed to herself, walking gracefully through the hallways of the Zhuo mansion. She rounded the corner then immediately back tracked. She hid behind one of the large pillars and peeked around it.
Hidden in the corner from prying eyes, two demons were pressed up against the stone wall. Wen Xiao watched as Li Lun pushed Zhuo Yichen further up against the wall and kissed Zhuo Yichen like a desperate man. Zhuo Yichen softly moaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Li Lun's wide shoulders and gripping his robes tightly.
Wen Xiao bit her lips hard, to stifle any noise. She watched with interest. She knew there was something going on between Li Lun and Zhuo Yichen but she didn't expect the feelings to be that deep. Two dominants kissing each other.
Is that even compatible, she wondered. She needed to write it down later in the book but she continued watching. She heard Zhuo Yichen's soft voice breathlessly whisper Li Lun's name when they broke the kiss.
“Do you want this?” Li Lun asked softly, nuzzling Zhuo Yichen's neck with his nose and the dragon demon tilted his head to the side. “If we're going to progress further, the bedroom is the better choice.”
“You're the one who pulled me in here,” Zhuo Yichen retorted back.
“You kept staring at me, little hatchling.”
Zhuo Yichen opened his glowing blue eyes and glared at Li Lun. “I'm not a hatchling.”
Li Lun smirked. “Between Zhu Yan and I, you're still a hatchling. You're only a thousand years old whereas Zhu Yan and I are older than you.”
Zhuo Yichen gasped when Li Lun pressed his body against Zhuo Yichen's front. His grey blue eyes fluttered close and Li Lun leaned close to Zhuo Yichen's ear.
“So where? Answer me, hatchling.”
Zhuo Yichen moaned at the command. “Bedroom.”
“Good,” Li Lun purred and he pulled away to glance over his shoulder.
Wen Xiao immediately hid herself. She waited for a few moments and slowly peeked out again. She knew was caught when Li Lun raised an eyebrow at her. He grabbed Zhuo Yichen's hand and pulled the slightly dazed demon to Zhuo Yichen's room.
Wen Xiao watched them disappear before she practically ran to the archives. Her cheeks were slightly pink but she quickly grabbed the book and flipped it open. She scribbled down what she saw with vague descriptions but enough to be understandable.
‘Dominants can be compatible with dominants. If a command is given and the other responds, it's a given fact of the compatibility.’
~~~
Wen Xiao casually walked into Zhuo Yichen's room with a tray of tea and snacks. It was slightly past midday and she had some free time from her duties as the Baize Goddess. Gently placing the tray, she glanced at the bundle of blankets on the bed and huffed.
“Xiao Zhuo,” she called, walking over to the bed. “You're too old to be sleeping in. It's already past midday. Are you going to be lazing about?” She pulled on the blanket and froze.
Zhuo Yichen wasn't the one she found in bed. Zhao Yuanzhou slept peacefully in it, covered in bruises that looked like rope marks and teeth marks all over his upper body. Wen Xiao quickly covered Zhao Yuanzhou with the blanket, shifting her gaze away from his debauched body.
“What are you doing here?” Li Lun's voice sounded next to her.
Wen Xiao spun on the spot and blinked innocently at Li Lun. The glare Li Lun gave her was suspicious and he glanced at Zhao Yuanzhou. Li Lun moved without a word, choosing to sit next to Zhao Yuanzhou's head and rearrange the blanket to tuck the sleeping demon in.
Wen Xiao watched the tenderness Li Lun offered and she wondered if everything that happened, would Li Lun join them from the start? Would he be the Great Demon helping her and Zhao Yuanzhou would be imprisoned? If their roles were reversed, she wondered what the outcome would have been like.
“If you're looking for Zhuo Yichen, he isn't here.”
“I've realized that,” Wen Xiao answered tensely.
“I'm not here to hurt you,” Li Lun sensed her unease. “I have nothing to hurt you with.”
“Even when I'm the Baize Goddess? I can imprisoned you where my master prisoned you before.”
Li Lun tensed up. His fingers twitched and he kept his gaze on Zhao Yuanzhou's sleeping face. He sighed loudly after a moment and brushed Zhao Yuanzhou's hair away from his face. Li Lun stood up without a word and walked away to the other side of the room where a parting was set up.
Wen Xiao followed him silently and she found him pouring water in two teacups. He slid one cup in her direction and picked up his own teacup.
“Sit,” Li Lun said. “We need to talk.”
Wen Xiao didn't like his tone but she knew better than to fight a great demon, let alone a dominant one. She glanced at Zhao Yuanzhou hidden from them before sitting down in front of Li Lun. She gave him her smile and Li Lun narrowed his eyes.
“I never understood why Zhao Wan’er chose you as her disciple,” Li Lun spoke first, sipping his water. “You're unlike her in every way.”
“I didn't know demons could tell the difference,” Wen Xiao shot a small jab and felt she won when Li Lun grimaced at her.
“Now I can see why Zhuo Yichen listens to you. If you were a demon, you're definitely a dominant.”
“Sadly I'm only human.” Wen Xiao smiled widely, picking up her own tea cup and sipped on the water. “What do you want to talk about? You don't seek me out either and you don't come out unless you're with Zhao Yuanzhou or Zhuo Yichen.”
“My presence isn't welcomed here.”
Wen Xiao knew. She figured out why Zhuo Yichen is drawn to Li Lun too. They share the same feeling of being an outcast. Zhao Yuanzhou too. The loneliness they carried is like a cloak they wear. Another layer to their fractured souls and the mutual understanding they had was what drew them together.
“Maybe you just need to show them you mean no harm,” Wen Xiao offered, glancing up at Li Lun. “A softer side of you,” she grinned.
“What do you mean?” Li Lun narrowed his eyes.
She gestured to Zhao Yuanzhou. “Maybe a bit more caring. Show the others that you're harmless or I could always force you back into your birth place and plant you into a pot. You'll make a great addition to the archives”
“For a human,” Li Lun said, leaning away. “And the Baize Goddess, you're terrifying when you want to be.”
Wen Xiao beamed happily. They sat in silence, avoiding any other topics while Zhao Yuanzhou slept. Wen Xiao suddenly stood up straight, startling Li Lun. She ran to the other table and quickly brought the snacks she carried.
“Here,” Wen Xiao placed a piece of mantou bun into Li Lun's hand. “I know demons don't need to eat but try this.”
“I don't —”
Li Lun jerked back when Wen Xiao shoved the mantou into Li Lun's mouth. “Eat or I'll plant you in a small pot.”
Li Lun bit into the mantou and chewed it. He wanted to deny that the food tasted terrible but the flavours were good. It coated his tongue and he unconsciously licked his lips, collecting the sauce stained the corners of his mouth.
Wen Xiao grinned. “It's Xiao Zhuo’s favourite. So if you ever anger him, just buy him these.”
“Baize goddess,” Li Lun mumbled. “You're worse than Zhao Wan’er.”
~~~
“Xiao Zhuo ge!”
Bai Jiu's loud shriek echoed across the courtyard. Zhao Yuanzhou winced at the volume and Zhuo Yichen nearly covered his ears. Li Lun seemed unfazed by it, sitting next to Zhao Yuanzhou. Wen Xiao rubbed her ears to stop the ringing and Ying Lei laughed loudly.
“Xiao Zhuo ge, it's terrible,” Bai Jiu said, pacing the floor while the bell in his hair rang.
“What's wrong, Xiao Jiu?” Zhuo Yichen asked worriedly, grabbing Bai Jiu's arm to stop his pacing.
Zhao Yuanzhou rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming and Li Lun rubbed the back of Zhao Yuanzhou's neck to ease the headache. Bai Jiu froze at the action displayed by the two demons before he quickly shook his head.
“It's terrible. I've been trying to grow this flower back home but it will always die before it reaches maturity. I've tried to use my blood, thinking it needed something extra but it turned black and died!” Bai Jiu cried.
“Why are you trying to grow this flower?” Wen Xiao asked. “Is it for medicinal purposes?”
Ying Lei snickered. “He wanted to grow it for Lady Bai Yan. Apparently it's her favourite.”
“For Lady Bai Yan?” Wen Xiao smiled. “Such a good son you are.” She pat Bai Jiu's head and the teenager beamed like a happy plant. “But you don't know what's wrong with it?”
Bai Jiu wilted. “No, I don't know. I wanted to give to mother but even father couldn't get it to grow.”
“Li Lun can help you with that,” Zhao Yuanzhou offered, giving a knowing grin.
Zhuo Yichen raised an eyebrow then he glanced at Bai Jiu. “It…might be a good idea.”
Wen Xiao smiled widely. “That's right. If anyone who knows plants better than us,” she turned her gaze towards Li Lun.
“A plant demon would know better!” Ying Lei joined in, smiling widely. “And we have the perfect plant demon here with us.”
“No,” Li Lun huffed.
“Li Lun,” Zhao Yuanzhou gently placed a hand on Li Lun's clenched fist. “It's okay.”
The two demons looked at each other with a silent conversation. Whatever Li Lun saw in Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes, he sighed loudly and nodded.
“Fine. I'll help you,” Li Lun said, glancing at Bai Jiu who perked up. “But don't expect me to perform miracles or something.”
“Sure, sure! Come on!” Bai Jiu grabbed Li Lun's hand and pulled the demon up with a hidden strength. “Ying Lei, let's go! We can use the portal to get there fast.”
“Eh! Who said you can use my relic as a transportation door!? This is wrong!” Ying Lei yelled, running after Bai Jiu and Li Lun.
They disappeared through one of the doors and Wen Xiao felt it was a bad idea. She was ready to call for them when Zhuo Yichen sighed.
“It'll be fine,” Zhao Yuanzhou said, picking up his tea cup and sipped on his tea. “Li Lun won't harm them. He can't afford to harm either one of them and he mentioned about a goddess wanting to plant him in a pot.”
Zhuo Yichen choked on his tea and Wen Xiao poured a fresh cup. She blatantly ignored Zhuo Yichen's baffled look and Zhao Yuanzhou’s knowing grin.
~~~
Bai Jiu returned with an armful of red flowers. He had the biggest smile on his face and Wen Xiao wanted to know what kind of flower he returned with. Even Ying Lei seemed happy and excited. Li Lun trailed behind them with a bored look but Wen Xiao spied a hint of something in his eyes.
“Xiao Jiu,” Wen Xiao greeted. “What flowers are these? They're very pretty.”
“They’re called Middlemist Red!”
The red flowers looked like small full stars and Wen Xiao thought it was a camellia flower. The red color was light but what caught her eye was the golden stems it grew from. It seemed to glow whenever the sunlight hit it.
Ying Lei saw her confusion and nudged Bai Jiu to explain. The doctor was too excited to explain and he jumbled his words up.
“It's a rare flower,” Li Lun explained. “Rarest in the world.”
“And there's only two species of it,” Bai Jiu said. “Oh my god! Mother is gonna be so surprised. Li Lun, thank you so much!” Bai Jiu managed to throw one arm around Li Lun's waist. He hugged the pagoda tree demon tightly before Bai Jiu ran off.
Ying Lei’a jaw dropped and Wen Xiao's eyes widened. Li Lun immediately turned around, avoiding their gazes and headed deeper into the Zhuo mansion where he'll hide in the one place Wen Xiao knows.
~~~
Wen Xiao walked down the streets of Tiandu with a basket full of trinkets and snacks. She hummed to herself, nodding at the people greeting her. She saw their stares, the kind with wide eyes and open shocked mouths. She knows why. The Great Demon behind her wasn't an ordinary demon.
She glanced over her shoulder and grinned at Li Lun. The pagoda tree demon looked uncomfortable but he dutifully held the boxes in his arms. Wen Xiao needed to do some shopping and Zhuo Yichen usually accompanied her.
Zhuo Yichen was called away for a mission and he brought Zhao Yuanzhou with him. Bai Jiu was visiting his parents and Ying Lei had returned to Mount Kunlun. The only demon left in the Zhuo mansion was Li Lun.
Wen Xiao didn't expect Li Lun to follow her but he did and he guarded her like a black shadow. She giggled at the idea and knew Li Lun wouldn't appreciate the thought.
“How much more do you have to buy?” Li Lun asked, shifting his hold on the boxes.
“I just need to get some new books and ink stones then we're done,” Wen Xiao checked her list.
Her arm was suddenly grabbed and she was pulled to the side. A whizzing sound flew past her and Wen Xiao stumbled back in shock. An arrow embedded itself into one of the boxes and Li Lun shoved her back again.
A few more arrows flew towards them and Li Lun threw a protective barrier, deflecting the arrows. Wen Xiao was alarmed. Who would be attacking them in the middle of Tiandu? People screamed and ran from them.
Wen Xiao looked around their surroundings, trying to locate who the shooter was when she spotted a familiar bow and green attire. A woman stood on the rooftop of one of the houses.
Pei SiJing drew another arrow and Pei SiHeng appeared. The Pei siblings launched their attack together and Wen Xiao gasped when she was suddenly pushed aside. Li Lun blocked Pei SiHeng’s dagger and summoned a pagoda root to block the arrow.
“Pei jiejie, wait!” Wen Xiao cried out, running to suddenly stand in front of Li Lun.
“You idiot!” Li Lun hissed.
Pei SiHeng leaped back, withdrawing his dagger but Pei SiJing was too late to stop herself from launching the arrow. The arrow flew directly at Wen Xiao's chest and it was a fatal blow. Wen Xiao felt herself being turned around and she found herself staring up at Li Lun.
He grunted when the arrow hit his back. Wen Xiao quickly grabbed Li Lun to steady him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and the tips of his fingers glowed a blueish and gold color.
“Wait,” Wen Xiao grabbed his fingers, halting him and gently shifted Li Lun. She peered over his shoulder and Pei SiJing ran towards them. “Pei —”
Pei SiJing pulled Wen Xiao out from Li Lun's hold and Pei SiHeng stood in front of the two women.
“Jiejie, what do we do?” Pei SiHeng asked, holding his daggers and Li Lun did nothing but stand there.
“Pei Jiejie, listen to me. Li Lun isn't here to hurt us,” Wen Xiao said.
“Then why is he with you?” Pei SiJing asked, eyeing Li Lun skeptically.
“Helping me with shopping.”
Pei SiJing looked confused and Pei SiHeng blinked at his sister. The Pei siblings looked at each other and then back at Li Lun who managed to pull the arrow out from his shoulder. The arrow was handed back to Pei SiJing. The demon huntress and the pagoda tree demon stared at each other.
“It's a long story,” Wen Xiao sighed, grabbing Pei SiJing's hand. “I'll explain back home.”
~~~
Pei SiJing and Li Lun held a staring contest with each other across the table. Pei SiHeng sat in between them, looking very much like a little child caught between two older siblings fighting. Wen Xiao had explained everything to the Pei siblings and she hoped nothing would happen.
Li Lun was the first to stand up. He left without a word, heading back in. Wen Xiao tried to reach for him but knew better than to stop him. She just hoped Zhuo Yichen and Zhao Yuanzhou won't come after her.
Wen Xiao felt Pei SiJing take her hand into hers and Wen Xiao looked up to find Pei SiJing looking at her worriedly. Wen Xiao's heart warmed for the other woman and she smiled sweetly in return.
“I'm fine, really,” Wen Xiao said, returning the hold. “Li Lun means no harm and he hasn't done anything to hurt us at all.”
“Xiao Jiu and the others…”
“They forgave him.”
Pei SiJing doesn't believe it but she glanced at the empty spot and how Li Lun could have easily attacked them, yet he didn't. Maybe she will give Li Lun a chance.
Pei SiJing knew the chaos that would erupt the next day when Bai Jiu let out a loud shriek. Zhao Yuanzhou held Li Lun's arm and Zhuo Yichen had a worried look in his eyes. Pei SiJing wasn't expecting to see Zhuo Yichen with a different look. Wen Xiao pursed her lips when she saw Zhao Yuanzhou's eyes lit up in a red glow.
“Zhu Yan,” Li Lun warned and he gently cupped Zhao Yuanzhou's cheek to calm him. “Breathe.”
“Li Lun is right,” Zhuo Yichen mumbled. “Zhao Yuanzhou, calm down.”
Zhao Yuanzhou took a stuttering breath and nodded. “I'm fine. I'm fine,” he repeated.
Pei SiJing looked at Wen Xiao with a raised eyebrow and Wen Xiao nodded with a grin. The women didn't have to say anything and they knew what they were seeing. Bai Jiu rushed over to Li Lun with his medical bag.
“Let me take a look! I can heal you,” Bai Jiu said, digging into his pack.
Li Lun stopped Bai Jiu with a flick to his forehead. “I'm fine. It's already healed. Are you forgetting I'm a demon?”
Bai Jiu paused. “Oh you're right,” he said dejectedly but Li Lun ruffled his hair.
“Save the medicine for someone else. Demons don't need it unless it's a dire situation.”
“Xiao Jiu,” Zhao Yuanzhou smiled, petting Bai Jiu's shoulder in reassurance. “Maybe keep the medicine for your Pei jiejie. She's the only human here.”
Everyone turned to Pei SiJing who flushed red and immediately avoided their gazes. Wen Xiao chuckled quietly and wrapped her arms around Pei SiJing's arm. She dragged Pei SiJing away leaving the men alone.
~~~
Wen Xiao strolled through the silent dark hallways of the Zhuo mansion. She couldn't sleep and she was too excited. She got to spend the whole day with Pei SiJing and it made her heart flutter with happiness. She skipped a few steps, rounding the corner when a hand shot out and grabbed hold of her.
She was pulled into the darkness and a hand covered her mouth. She wanted to struggle against her capturer but held her tongue at the familiar scent of leather and camellia flower perfume.
“Shhh,” Pei SiJing whispered. “Look.” She removed her hand from Wen Xiao's mouth and they peered over the wall.
By the veranda, the furthest corner from the place, Li Lun sat with his back against the pillar. Zhuo Yichen sat next to Li Lun, leaning against him with his face buried in Li Lun's shoulder. Zhao Yuanzhou was draped over their lap like an overly grown cat. His head laid in Zhuo Yichen's lap and his lower body rested on Li Lun's.
The two women could make out Li Lun gently stroking Zhao Yuanzhou's hair and traced Zhuo Yichen's face with his other hand. Li Lun changed tactics. He suddenly pulled Zhao Yuanzhou's hair hard and wrapped his hand around Zhuo Yichen's throat.
Pei SiJing reached for her hidden blade but Wen Xiao stopped her with a shake of a head. They continued watching when Zhao Yuanzhou let out a soft whine and Zhuo Yichen gasped. Li Lun tilted his head to lean close to Zhuo Yichen's ear.
“Kiss me”.
The command was soft but it was loud to their ears. Zhuo Yichen fell forward to kiss Li Lun hard. Zhao Yuanzhou reached for Li Lun but was stopped with a tug on his hair. The kiss was loud and filthy with little moans coming from Zhuo Yichen. Li Lun pushed Zhuo Yichen away and guided Zhao Yuanzhou to kiss him.
Zhuo Yichen touched Zhao Yuanzhou's bare neck with a brush of his fingers. It elected a shiver from the submissive and Li Lun glanced at the two women watching them. He broke the kiss and had Zhao Yuanzhou climb up to lean his whole weight on his body. Zhuo Yichen wrapped his hand around Li Lun's wrist, tugging on it to release his neck and Li Lun did as told.
Wen Xiao knew they needed to leave when Zhao Yuanzhou shed his outer robe. She grabbed Pei SiJing and they fled silently. They found refuge in the archives.
“What was that?” Pei SiJing panted with pink cheeks.
“Dominant and submissive,” Wen Xiao said. “Apparently demons have this nature.”
And Wen Xiao spent nearly the whole night explaining to Pei SiJing. No one saw the two women in the morning and Zhuo Yichen found them curled up in the archives, asleep on top of one another.
~~~
+1
Wen Xiao glanced at her tea partner for the day. Out of everyone, she wasn't expecting Li Lun to be accompanying her but then again after everything, she didn't expect she could be friends with the pagoda tree demon. She followed his gaze to where he was staring.
Ah,she hummed quietly to herself but the twitch in Li Lun's fingers told her he heard her.
Zhuo Yichen was practicing with his sword. His movements were sharp and graceful just like himself. His white and black hair was eye-catching and Wen Xiao knows, for a demon, the color is beautiful. Her Xiao Zhuo is a beautiful man and she knows of Li Lun's relationship with Bing Yi's descendent.
She watched Zhuo Yichen twirled on the spot, sword thrusting forward when Pei SiJing walked up to him. Li Lun raised an eyebrow and Wen Xiao caught Li Lun glancing her way.
The two were too far to hear what they were saying. Pei SiJing gestured with a tilt of her head to where Li Lun and Wen Xiao sat before she left. Zhuo Yichen turned to look at them and Wen Xiao knew Zhuo Yichen wasn't looking at her.
She can see Li Lun staring back at Zhuo Yichen. The two held their staring contest before Pei SiHeng headed over to Zhuo Yichen. Wen Xiao grew curious about their interaction and Zhuo Yichen nodded at something. Pei SiHeng looked up at Li Lun and gave a nod.
Wen Xiao narrowed her eyes. Something is definitely going on.
“Li Lun,” Wen Xiao called. She turned to find Li Lun missing and in his place was Pei SiJing. “Pei jiejie? Where's Li Lun?”
“He had an errand,” Pei SiJing answered. “Today is a nice weather.”
“It is,” Wen Xiao smiled. “Do you want to go out?”
Pei SiJing nodded. They left Zhuo mansion like little kids, grinning at each other. Wen Xiao felt it was an adventure, exploring the same streets of Tiandu but with Pei SiJing by her side. They drank tea, ate sweet delicacies and many other things.
They made their way back once the evening sun came and Wen Xiao didn't want the day to end. She didn't see a certain pagoda tree root in her path nor the little ice patch on the ground. Wen Xiao tripped over the root and lost her footing on the ice patch.
She slipped backwards and braced for impact. She opened her eyes when she didn't feel pain but felt a warm soft body holding her. Wen Xiao peered through her eyelashes with a blush to her cheeks.
Pei SiJing had caught her. One arm wrapped around Wen Xiao's waist and the other held her arm. A soft look was seen in Pei SiJing's brown eyes and Wen Xiao seemed to be drowning in that pool of brown.
“This seemed familiar,” Pei SiJing commented and Wen Xiao couldn't help but laugh.
“Pei jiejie,” Wen Xiao purred. “I'm just a weak woman.”
Pei SiJing nearly snorted in laughter but the amused smile on her red painted lips made Wen Xiao fall for her even more. Pei SiJing helped Wen Xiao up. Neither moved nor said anything.
Li Lun's words rang in Wen Xiao's head. If you were a demon, you would be a dominant. Wen Xiao really wanted to kiss Pei SiJing. She wanted to know how those red painted lips would feel like against her own. Wen Xiao fiddled with her sleeve and Pei SiJing glanced at her from the corner of her eye.
Night would set soon and neither woman wanted to leave the other. Wen Xiao decided if Zhuo Yichen can have Li Lun and Zhao Yuanzhou, why can't she have Pei SiJing. Gathering her courage, Wen Xiao bravely faced Pei SiJing, who waited patiently for her. Wen Xiao grabbed the lapels of Pei SiJing’s robes, surprising the demon huntress and pulled Pei SiJing close.
Wen Xiao pressed her lips against Pei SiJing's and nearly rejoiced at the softness of it. It felt nice and Pei SiJing returned the kiss. Wen Xiao's heart sped up in rhythm and when they broke apart, their cheeks were dusted pink.
“Maybe we should take this somewhere else,” Wen Xiao mumbled.
“Mhm,” Pei SiJing whispered, taking Wen Xiao's hand into hers and leading them to Wen Xiao's bedroom.
Wen Xiao has a feeling this whole outing was planned. Scheming demons they all were but Wen Xiao isn't complaining. She giggled when Pei SiJing guided her to lie on her bed. Wen Xiao should probably reward those demons but for now she'll enjoy having Pei SiJing all to herself.
If she can have days like this, Wen Xiao wouldn't mind letting the demons do as they pleased.