ZHUO YI CHEN
Deep inside his mind, Zhuo Yi Chen sat on a stone, gazing at a grayish shore in the distance. The wind was gentle and warm, as if inviting him to enjoy the peace the place offer, even as his heart was in turmoil. There was something inexplicable pressing down on his body, as if a force was trying to keep him in place, preventing him from moving, but without actually harming him. Zhuo Yi Chen could feel that his body had weakened considerably, though he couldn't remember why he felt so drained, nor why he was there to begin with.
The last thing he remembers was being face to face with his ancestor in a very cold place covered with falling snow and it was such a shocking surprise to be in the presence of someone so legendary and pillar of his Clan, that he had lost his ability to speak for a moment, completely frozen in place and just look at him as if he were gazing into an enchanted mirror.
In terms of appearance, Yi Chen thought they looked very much alike, almost a perfect copy of his ancestor, except for the great demon's long gray hair and his shining ethereal blue eyes, as deep as an ocean of stars. Once, Zhao Yuan Zhou had told them that, to demons, long gray hair was beautiful and showed their strong power to others, and looking at Bing Yi wavy ash gray hair falling like waterfall on his back, he had to admit that he couldn't agree more.
However, in terms of power, they seemed to have nothing in common, as Bing Yi's body radiated such a powerful concentration of demonic energy at its core that only the gods possess, while he could hardly bear the pressure to get close enough to the legendary great dragon without falling on his knees.
"My Ying Long was so willing to sacrifice himself for the common good... but he never thought twice about my feelings until the end. He was too cruel to me, just as your Ying Long is just as cruel to you in this life..." Said Bing Yi, and before he could ask any questions, Zhuo Yi Chen ended up waking up on that endless ocean shore, more confused than ever.
The last time he was there was when they were working on Ran Yi's case and his ability to control dreams. At some point he got caught up and fought against Zhu Yan before realizing it was all a nightmare. He knew the place belonged to the wilderness, but he had no idea why he was there or what was happening to him.
"Apparently, this is his favorite place in the wilderness." A voice said behind him and Yi Chen turned his head to look at the owner of the voice that now sounded familiar.
"Bing Yi..." Whispered Zhuo Yi Chen, not too surprised this time.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you before, Zhuo Yi Chen. I was not aware of your circumstances or the danger you were in. I felt the connection between our souls when my blood was released from the stone and I took the opportunity." He explained as he sat beside him.
"What do you mean? What circumstances are you referring to? I have no idea what's going on, why I've been stuck in this dream or for how long. Are you really my ancestor Bing Yi?" Zhuo Yi Chen keep asking, and the great dragon smiled fondly at him.
"As I said, I'm sorry that I took over your body and left you in the dark about what happened to you on your Demon Hunter Bureau, but I can give you the answers if you still want them. Although I must warn you that it will hurt to know what happened while you were trapped in my demonic energy. I was wrong... I'm sorry." Bing Yi apologize and Yi Chen just wonder of what kind of dream he had been trap into this time.
"This isn't a dream, but the shared consciousness of two soulmates who crossed paths in a previous life. Right now, your great demon Zhu Yan is transferring energy into your body because you're dying..." Bing Yi began to tell him the story and just as he expected, his young reincarnation's memories were affected by the broken bond with his sword and his demonization.
"What?!" Zhuo Yi Chen shouted, suddenly standing up in shock.
"Don't you remember what happened to you in your last fight?" Bing Yi asked calmly.
"My last battle? What do you mean? I was trying to save Zhao Yuan Zhou after his malicious energy took over, and... I failed to seal him and then... Li Lun possessed Bai Jiu's body, and I couldn't harm the boy..."
"Ah, that was too noble of you, but it was to be expected of someone with my blood. Nevertheless, in a real battle in were everyone risked their lives, sparing someone will become your doom, as it happens to you, because Zhu Yan crack the sword before and your 'boy' shatter it with his young hands after. Thus breaking you along with it..."
Finally understanding his predicament, Zhuo Yi Chen cursed under his breath and sat back down. Of course, he didn't regret not killing Bai Jiu under Li Lun's influence, but now that his sword was broken, he couldn't save himself, let alone the possessed boy.
"If the sword broke, he's wasting his energy on me. The bond I share with the Cloud Light Sword is not the usual one. The sword chose me as its master, and our fates will be forever linked, both in life and in death."
"Indeed, the sword is one of the kind, meant to be used to its full potential with the one who is equally linked to me and Ying Long in equal terms."
"Linked to Ying Long? I may be your descendant, but I have no connection with Ying Long at all." Zhuo Yi Chen said.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. After all, the sword was born from Ying Long's bones and soul," Bing Yi said with a sadness he couldn't hide.
"Legend says you two were friends who became enemies, that you killed him to stop his madness to destroy the world," Yi Chen whispered as he looked out at the ocean waves. Beside him, Bing Yi sighed wearily.
"We were friends, but never enemies. All legends tend to drift away from the truth as time goes on, and more is written into the story."
"So, what really happened between you two? Can you tell me?"
"I love him, and just like you, he forced me to kill him so that his sacrifice could save the world from the darkness that was destroying it."
"You love him? You mean you were actually lovers?" He asked in surprise, not expecting that bombshell to be dropped on him out of the blue.
"Not lovers, but definitely more than friends. For us, loving each other was enough. There was no need for a more physical relationship when our souls were intertwined on a higher level. We complement each other in ways not even lovers could. It never occurred to me to desire more of Ying Long than what we had, and what we share was abundant that we never mind crossing boundaries... only when I lost him to his own sword in my hands did I begin to yearn for more, and so the curse began."
"You mean the curse where the owner of the Cloud Light Sword vows to kill the vessel of the malicious energy? The one Zhu Yan and I are meant to fulfill?" Zhuo Yi Chen asked, now more curious than ever to know the origin of his cursed curse.
"Yes. When Ying Long sacrificed himself to illuminate the darkness in the sky, the darkness itself could only survive in a container destined to create more chaos, creating an endless circle of light and darkness that Ying Long never anticipated. Since the circle was born from us, the chaos of the world, which is also part of the creation, also chose to follow in our footsteps, and in each of our reincarnations, we hate and love each other until only one of us survives. Usually, Ying Long's reincarnation always chooses to sacrifice himself, but before that, both of them will fall in love and suffer greatly... just as you two are beginning to experience right now," Biny Yi said sadly as she looked into the young man's eyes.
"I don't love him." Zhuo Yi Chen refuted, but Bing Yi just laughed.
"Young man, who are you trying to fool? You are undoubtedly my reincarnation in this era, and I can see how much you're starting to like his company, and you're already regretting making that oath. You are no different from me than I was centuries ago and it will only get harder as you keep up walking this path." Bing Yi assured him.
"So can you break this curse?" asked Zhuo Yi Chen in the hope that he could be saved from what he knew was coming his way and hated it.
"To be honest, I don't know. We started the circle, but it was something none of us anticipated so we couldn't foresee the end." Hearing that, Yi Chen felt like crying out all his frustration and inability to break free from a cruel cycle that had already cost him so much and caused him so much pain.
If Zhu Yan had simply taught him how to use the Cloud Light Sword properly, if the great demon had simply given him the knowledge necessary to kill him for good, then he would never have had to suffer or be torn between their blood feud and the growing feelings nestling deep within his heart. It was a curse indeed, and a very cruel one that he could not escape now that their relationship had grown so close and in a way to be even closer.
"This is unfair..." He whisper as tears run down his cheeks.
"I know... it was unfair to me too. He left me to save the world, but I was left for so long longing for his presence as I became a mortal. He broke me in so many ways that can only be considered pitiful, but I still manage to hold on to a small part of him, just as Nuwa saved that drop of my blood so that you might break the cycle this once."
"Just how?" Zhuo Yi Chen asked eagerly.
"I can teach you the spell, but the rest will depend on your own luck and actions. Perhaps if Nuwa pity us enough, we can finally break free from this emotional hell."
"Then teach me and I will do my best to find a way." Yi Chen said with hope and Bing Yi smiled at him, praying that this time his soul can finally be complete in the way it was meant to be.
ZHAO YUAN ZHOU
"Xiao Zhao, will this endless energy transfer be enough to suppress Bing Yi's blood and stabilize his deteriorating condition long enough to enter the forbidden part of the Bing Yi Clan?" Wen Xiao asked for who knows how many times already.
"I can't be sure, but I assure you that I am doing everything I can to save him." He replied as he concentrated on giving Xiao Zhuo all the energy he could bear in his weakened body.
"Wen Xiao, let him do what he needs to. We're all worried about Commander Zhuo's condition and survival," Pei Si Jing said, putting her hand on the goddess shoulder to try to calm her down.
"It's already been three days! Why can't he wake up?" She asked, frustrated not only by Xiao Zhuo's worsening condition, but also by how badly things had turned out thanks to the Chongwu's Camp disastrous intervention. If it weren't for them, Zhu Yan wouldn't have lost control when all his senses were sealed, nor would he have crack the Cloud Light Sword, which ended up broken at the hands of a friend turned traitor, turned friend once again, turned into a possessed enemy at the end.
"His condition was bad enough after the sword was broken, and it only worsened with his demonization, so for him to be alive and able to endure the past three days is already a heavenly blessing," Ying Lei told the distraught goddess.
"I couldn't have said it better," Zhao Yuan Zhou nodded, his eyes still closed in concentration.
"But it's hard to see him cry in pain as he sleeps." She said sadly.
"Trust me, I know. I know his pain better than anyone else as it's also my own." Zhao Yuan Zhou whisper.
"Oh, Xiao Zhao... I'm sorry... I just want him back as much as you do. He is as much my family as he is my friend." She sincerely apologize, which he knew it was not even necessary as they all were a bit sensitive about Xiao Zhuo's condition.
"Perhaps we can go to the Bing Yi Clan forbidden part and find a way to reforge the sword before he wakes up. If the sword is whole again, it might help improve his condition," Ying Lei offered the group.
"That place hides much more than any of you can imagine. After all, it is forbidden for a reason and no Clan secrets will be revealed to outsiders, remember?" Zhao Yuan Zhue sighed a bit tired.
"So even if he wakes up, he might not be in a condition to travel there, let alone face the secret demons of his own clan," Pei Si Jing reminded them of one more obstacle in their path.
"He will be strong enough. I'm making sure of it." Zhao Yuan Zhou said as he felt Xiao Zhuo's energy finally starting to stabilize.
"Then..." Ying Lei whisper a bit lost.
"Then we wait. I feel like it won't take much longer for him to wake up, so I advise everyone to stay outside Ying Lei's barrier, just in case he awakens as a demon again." Zhao Yuan Zhou suggested and everyone took a several steps back, to be on the safe side and avoid another disaster like last time, where they could not prevent either Xiao Zhuo's demonization or the display of power that Bing Yi was capable of in another person's body.
Fifteen minutes later, while Zhu Yan was still stabilizing his demonic energy, Zhuo Yi Chen opened his eyes taking in a breath of air that kept them all alert for any sign of Bing Yi's second awakening. However, what happened next was something no one, absolutely no one, expected to happen, of all the things that could shake them all.
Just after Zhuo Yi Chen opened his eyes, with bright blue eyes and panting, Zhao Yuan Zhou cast a one-word protective spell against the team. Meanwhile, Xiao Zhuo, sitting on the bed, stared at Zhu Yan as if he had seen him for the first time in his life. After a moment of hesitation in which everyone held their breath for what attack could come next, he simply pulled Zhu Yan close and... kissed him on the spot.
"Hmm, by the gods, what kind of attack is that?" Ying Lei wondered as he watched in amazement at the strangest way to disarm an opponent in his life.
"Xiao Zhuo?" Zhu Yan, equally stunned by the sudden kiss whispered against the other lips, unsure of who he was kissing, whether Bing Yi or his beloved Commander. However, as if waking from a long trance, Zhuo Yi Chen suddenly realized what he was doing, right in front of the whole team no less, and pushed Zhu Yan away in embarrassment.
"Oh my..." Pei Si Jing hide her laughter with her hand, while Zhuo Yi Chen blushed like crazy, and the great demon still sit in the bed smirked quite pleased.
"That was quite the welcome, Xiao Zhuo. Can we repeat? I wasn't sure who I kissed before." The great demon mocked and Zhuo Yi Chen took the closest thing he had, which was his pillow, and threw it in his face while still blushing as if his face was caught on fire.
"It wasn't me!" He shouted, though no one believed his claim.
"Well, Xiao Zhao, you were absolutely right to assure us that Xiao Zhuo would have enough energy for the journey to his clan's forbidden area," Wen Xiao added, and this time no one could hold back their laughter.
"I say it wasn't me!" But they just laugh harder. The initial bright eyes might have make them believe in his claim, but his insistence as he blushed so furiously only betrayed him. Everyone knew he was a bad liar. A very bad liar and for the more serious bad things that the team needed to tell him, such a happy time was indeed a blessing.
AN: Thanks for reading, I hope it's coming around fine. Was Yi Chen the one Zhu Yan kissed? I leave that to you guys, I just want for you to have your fun.