It was around two in the morning when Li Lun felt Zhu Yan's energy approaching the gate where he stood, gazing at the colorful forest that belonged to the other side. He could see far from the rift, but the leaves he had scattered throughout the demon world gave him a clearer view of what was happening beyond. These leaves could retain information about their location. Something that would be useful for their next mission. He had already absorbed the most recent information, integrating it into his memories, so he could show it to Zhu Yan later. But since the monkey had arrived there so early, the place was as good as any.
"Zhu Yan, I'm impressed you left your lover's bed to come here. You're always so obsessed with him and reluctant to leave him. Zhuo Yichen also clings to you, like the monkey you are, every time you two are alone," Li Lun said without turning around, and Zhu Yan stopped beside him.
"My Baobei is very possessive at night, true. But when I need to, I can trick him a little. He is so adorable hugging my pillow, thinking it was me. He's so beautiful..."
"You're so wiped, but so was Ying Long before you." Li Lun stared at him for a moment, and Zhu Yan smirked.
"You're no different either, Li Lun. We could all feel you sulking when we bonded because Yixuan's consciousness was absent for a short time. I bet for you to have come to yearn for his presence so deeply, you should have at least kissed him, right?" Zhu Yan asked with a dare on his dark gaze, and Li Lun narrowed his eyes.
"What we did is none of your business."
"Of course, the same thing my Baobei and I do too. Now let's talk about our purpose here. What can you see from the other side? I can see quite far, but I'm aware that things, may not necessarily be as I see them. The demons have evolved while the dimension's energy was tainted."
"Some high-level demons are approaching the gate. They may have feared you before, even more so when you release your demonic pressure, which should resonate within the demon world as well. However, those high-level demons, now under Cheng Huang's influence, might dare to do something regardless of fear. I'm afraid we're running out of time."
"Our humans aren't yet ready to try them without knowing how to use the bond. At least in a basic way that can help them save their lives. If we enter without proper preparation, it could backfire on us."
"That's true, which means we'll have to work through a single, very tough training session. And for goodness' sake, don't take it easy on them—the demons outside won't hesitate to kill them if the opportunity presents itself."
"You bully my Baobei enough. He was even traumatized when you made him behave like a frog. He had bad dreams about it."
"Yet, I'm sure that was a great opportunity for you to take advantage of. Still, that might save his life in a future. Zhu Yan... you've known me for a long time. I won't dare bully those who are yours without a good reason, and they learned pretty quickly after that."
"I agree. They did," Zhu Yan admitted with a sigh. "Let's switch places this time and I will be the mean one for this. I'll remake the dimension to mimic the demon world, its beauty and its dangers. Since you're more mobile and can scatter your leaves farther, you'll ensure no one gets hurt. I'll make mirror demons of those you saw coming, if you're willing to share your memories," Zhu Yan said, and Li Lun smirked.
"Of course," he said, using his demonic energy to extract the memories from his forehead, and pass them to Zhu Yan. The dark blue light of his power, light Zhu Yan's forehead and after a moment, Zhu Yan opened his eyes and glanced back at the mansion.
"Nine of them, the nine demon stars. That might be a bit troublesome. None of them are easy to defeat unless I use my full power, but that would give me away, and more demons will come and try to kill us all." Zhu Yan expressed his concern about what he perceived from these demons. He knew them from the war, strong and ferocious.
"Indeed. Fortunately, they're not working together yet, which means we must defeat them one by one, quickly and stealthily. Besides, they're several days away, which may give us extra time for them to get used to the bond."
"Come back with me, Li Lun. We have a lot to do. Once my Baobei and his friends wake up, we'll get into this. We may need more than just a bond with those demons. Luckily for us, most of them, besides being strong, aren't too smart."
"So true," Li Lun smirked, "but Huanjing is on another level. He won't be easily fooled," Li Lun said, and Zhu Yan turned back for a moment.
Huanjing was an old fox demon, cunning, lethal, and difficult to kill. He could use his fox magic to poison, confuse, and possess others, as well as predict the future to a certain extent—not too far ahead like his father, as he hadn't yet become a great demon, but enough to be difficult to kill.
"The fox demons have always been the most troublesome, including Cheng Huang, who is also half-fox. They become overly obsessed when they lose something, and wish to burn the world down for it. It's sad that the demons my father sacrificed his life for, became even worse than they were in the war. If Nuwa had completed the seal, his power of creation would have purified them of the tainted energy they gained from human malice." Zhu Yan wished with all his heart that one day his father's dream would come true.
"Zhu Yan... about Ying Long... the war... I..." Li Lun could now see many things that he had either blinded himself to or denied due to his own stubbornness. He traveled with them for so long, knew them all well, but in the end, he fought against them.
Seeing Li Lun's mood darken, Zhu Yan patted him on the shoulder sympathetically.
"My father never thought ill of you, not even when you joined the demons and fought against us. In demonic terms, you were very young when the world was engulfed in blood and flames. That you chose the demons over humans was only natural. Don't feel bad, because it was probably meant to be. But now, we can fight on the same side. Travel like we did thousands of years ago. Not alone, but I think you don't mind the company this time, do you?" Zhu Yan joked, and Li Lun smiled, a sincere one.
"No, I don't mind. I... It feels better than when we first met, when we became best friends. Zhuo Yixuan... he..." Li Lun paused on their way back to the mansion.
"Come on, Li Lun, you don't need to explain anything to me. I have a Zhuo too, remember? But I bet you don't mind kisses like my parents used to give each other anymore, now that you're doing them yourself... Wait!" —Li Lun flew with the night wind like a flurry of leaves and Zhu Yan laughed.
"You grumpy tree demon head! I take it back!" Zhu Yan cried in amusement. Then he walked the rest of the way, to meet his beautiful Baobei in the cold night and hug him to his heart content. And Yichen, unconsciously, clung to him and nuzzled his neck with his nose, which was his new way of showing his affection. A dragon way, that his parents used often. Perhaps his beloved was starting to awaken his dragon blood. Either way, he was too cute.
The next morning, after breakfast, they returned to Zhu Yan's training dimension. However, this time, as far as the eye could see, standing on a high cliff overlooking a magical forest, everything was bright and colorful. The sight was breathtaking for those who had yet to glimpse it, strange and mystic, yet quite odd to their human aesthetic.
"Is the demon world really like this? I imagine something less... bright," Bai Jiu asked in amazement, and Zhu Yan nodded.
"Yes, but don't be fooled by its beauty. This is not a safe place for humans. In that forest, any plant can trap you and absorb all your energy and life force, yin or yang, divine or not, and leave your lifeless body to dry up. Because of this, you cannot enter the demon world as humans." At Zhu Yan's words, Bai Jiu frowned, staring at the great demon as if he had gone mad.
"What do you mean by that? We're human, and nothing can change our nature unless we reach semi-divinity, which we won't achieve until we reach Crystal Valley." The young healer pointed, and the rest of the unit looked at Zhu Yan expectantly, but Yichen had a bad feeling about it.
"Sure. It's true that your human nature can't be changed, but that doesn't mean it can't be disguised. As a powerful great demon, I can use an illusion spell on you to change your appearance to demons. With it, I can mask your scent and divine energy so you seem demonic." Zhu Yan explained, and for some reason, Yichen and Wen Xiao exchanged looks of understanding.
"This is going to be bad," Yichen thought, and Wen Xiao's eyes widened as she stared at him, as if she'd heard his voice in her mind.
"Did you hear me just now?" Yichen asked, not quite sure how he did it, but Wen Xiao smiled at him with a thumbs-up.
"I did, Xiao Zhuo. This link is great. Can you hear me too?" she asked into their mental connection, and he nodded.
"Loud and clear, Wen Xiao."
"I had a bad feeling about Zhu Yan using a disguise spell on us..."
"No kidding, he's bound to go too far."
"He'll make us look hideous, right?"
"Absolutely, yes. And he will enjoy it." Yichen vouched for it when, almost as if on cue, Zhu Yan used his one-word spell on Wen Xiao and then...
Yichen was no longer looking at the beautiful Wen Xiao he was used to, but at something else. He coughed a little in amusement at her demonic appearance, causing Wen Xiao to lower her gaze and scream at what she saw.
In her place was a petite, slightly plump demon woman with enormous eyes. One indigo blue and the other red. Her limbs were somewhat exaggerated, with short arms ending in big hands, adorned with long fingers, sporting blue claws. Her hair was a striking cascade of gravity-defying wavy strands, styled in two high ponytails, falling on her chest, adorned with ribbons. Their colors were dramatically uneven. One half, a bright electric blue, and the other a deep crimson red.
Her skin was a soft shade of pink, dotted with tiny freckles that gleamed in the light, wearing a black leather dress that framed her plump body to her knees. Her ears were full of fur and pointed like a cat's. She also had small horns protruding from her forehead, painted in mismatched bright colors, each a different size. And to complete her new look, she had a fluffy tail playfully wrapped around her waist. Overall, she was odd, in a funny way.
"Zhu Yan, you wicked monkey! What the hell is this?! This can't be how a real demon looks like! Change it!" She demanded, while Bai Jiu, Ying Lei, Zhuo Yichen, Pei Siheng, and even Li Lun tried to hide their urge to laugh out loud, but Pei Sijing eye her with admiration, and Yixuan with visible amusement.
"Why? I think it suits you wonderfully. You're always so fearless, so straightforward, you can wear this disguise with pride. Right, Pei Sijing?" Zhu Yan asked, giving Wen Xiao the final blow.
"Sure, she looks completely adorable," Sijing confirmed, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.
Wen Xiao wanted to cry her eyes out, and turned to look at Yichen in a silent plea for help, but her friend was obviously busy trying to hold back his laughter. Then she gazed at Siheng with her mismatched eyes, and her brother-in-law couldn't hold back any longer, and burst out laughing uncontrollably. He was still beginning to feel human again, which made Wen Xiao feel both happy and upset at the same time. The others also gave in, so there was only one hope left. She looked at Zhuo Yixuan with large, pleading eyes that almost made him burst too, but he held back.
"Zhu Yan, she looks cute —in a way, but as someone who has hunted demons for just over a decade, her appearance is too flashy to be convincing to a real demon. At least, fix her mismatching her hair color, eyes, and horns... the rest... well, it should more or less do," Yixuan said apologetically, as he hadn't asked to completely change her, but for Wen Xiao, that was more than enough.
"Thank you, Zhuo Yixuan, your kindness is endless. I will be eternally grateful for this." Wen Xiao gave him a slight bow, and Yixuan find it a bit awkward, to have her bow to him while looking like that.
"No need." Yixuan dismissed her offer and turned to Li Lun. A silent plea reflecting in his sharp gaze too, and Li Lun caught it almost as if he'd said it out loud.
"Zhu Yan, no matter what, Zhuo Yixuan is mine to disguise. Don't you dare try anything with him," Li Lun warned the mischievous monkey, and Yixuan sighed in relief, as he gave him a charming smile.
"Of course, Li Lun. It's not like I can mess with my dear brother-in-law or my Baobei would kill me." Yichen snorted.
"You're absolutely right," Yichen muttered softly, knowing Zhu Yan would hear him loud and clear.
"And I thought Li Lun was the mean demon. How wrong I was!" Wen Xiao grumbled as she stared at the lovers, prompting Yichen to give her a guilty smile.
"Right, who's next?" Everyone took a few steps back, except for Wen Xiao and Pei Sijing, which meant their commander would be next by default. However, Pei Sijing wasn't one to back down from a challenge and smirked at Zhu Yan.
"Go ahead, great demon. Do your worst!" she challenged him, and Zhu Yan moved his hand to perform his next one-word spell, and after hitting her with a puff of red smoke, her new appearance was revealed. And what look she had!
Her face exuded an intensity that evoked great experiences. Her full, vibrant red lips, contrasted sharply with her light, ghostly gray skin, resembling scales that gleamed in direct light. However, her eyes were perhaps her most captivating feature. They were large, but unlike Wen Xiao's, hers were almond-shaped, shining like molten gold, with slanted pupils that hinted at her ferocity.
Pei Sijing's demonic form had thick, wavy hair, that gleamed with deep black hues and silver streaks. The tips of her hair seemed to flicker like flames, enhancing her ferocious appearance. Protruding from her head, were two delicate horns, elegantly curved and adorned with intricate carvings. Her hands ended in sharp, black claws, and she was now at least three heads taller than Yichen. She wore obsidian-black leather pants and top, which highlighted her defined feminine figure. Overall, she was both attractive and dangerous.
"Oh, my lovely Commander, you look stunning, beautiful, and sexy. I wish I could look like that..." Wen Xiao complained once more, as she drooled over her lover, making Sijing smile.
"I must say, she looks great—fierce and dangerous, yet with the charm of a demon seeking prey. This should be a perfect one." Ying Lei pointed out, hoping that when it was his turn, he could look just as fierce and alluring.
However, in reality, when it was his turn next, he turned to be more like a red panda demon than anything else. His body was slender, but slightly muscular, reminiscent of the playful creature with agile limbs, perfect for swift movements. His fur was a soft, warm beige, flecked with subtle, deep red spots and black. The hues shift slightly in the light, showcasing his mystical nature.
Overall, he was adorable, with rounded cheeks and a small, upturned nose. Yet, his sharp canines peek out when he smiled, hinting at his demonic nature. His ears were pointy, but adorned with tufts of fluffy fur. His hair was styled in wild, tousled spikes, not too different from his own, but with different color. Its layered appearance, gave it volume and movement. To top it off, he had glowing amber eyes, with golden flecks that seemed to sparkle mischievously, and his woolen robes closely matched his real ones. Additionally, he had a long, bushy tail with vibrant red and white stripes.
Immediately after seeing Ying Lei looking so fluffy, Bai Jiu touched him. To feel how soft he was with a big smile on his face, which made Ying Lie feel ticklish, and try to move away from the young healer while laughing.
Next up was Bai Jiu, who was already expecting something impressive. However, Zhu Yan had other ideas for him, than making him look stronger. What he got, was something cute, but practically harmless. Damn Zhu Yan for being so soft on him, and Wen Xiao welcomed him into her club, for inappropriate demons, but at least he was charming.
Bai Jiu's disguise was that of a rabbit demon. A rabbit demon! Even a red panda was more ferocious than a rabbit. And even Li Lun joked that he was like something any real demon would pounce on. Soft and fluffy, with slightly moon-like fur, making him an easy target, with nothing to defend himself with. His skin was pale, with a pearly sheen, giving him an unearthly glow. On the backs of his hands, traces of white fur could be seen, blending seamlessly into his skin. He was still small, only a few inches taller than he was in reality.
To match his adorable appearance, his hair was long and silky, cascading down to his shoulders, silver, almost white, with hints of lavender here and there. He had long ears that rose from the top of his head, fluffy and oversized. The insides of the ears were a soft pink, contrasting beautifully with the silver fur. However, his eyes were a captivating, almond-shaped shade of pink, enhancing his innocent, and playful demeanor. But to his horror, a fluffy, dotted tail, peeked out from under his flowing robes, made of a light, airy fabric in shades of pastel blue and cream. Everything about him screamed softness! Hey demons, come and eat me!
"Xiao Zhuo Ge! The great demon is harassing me again. How come I'm a rabbit demon, of all things? With this appearance, I'll attract demons from miles away!" Bai Jiu also complained, grabbing his arms and looking at him with adorable, watery eyes, that only made Yichen want to hug him, instead of asking his mischievous great demon to change him again. He was so lovely and friendly, that it was a shame to change him.
"Ah, Xiao Jiu..."
"Xiao Zhuo Ge, please..."
"Zhu Yan... perhaps he's really too cute." Yichen tried to resist those soft pink eyes.
"He liked Ying Lei's fluffy red panda form so much, that he even chased after him to touch him. So I gave him the second-cutest one. It was his decision, not mine." Zhu Yan whined, which was somewhat true.
"I like it, Xiao Jiu... come here. I'll protect you, my dear little rabbit." Ying Lei teased him.
"Ying Lei!" Bai Jiu was still on the verge of tears, but Ying Lei cupped his cheeks, placed a soft kiss on his slightly pink nose, and hugged him. After that, the complaints instantly ceased.
Wen Xiao sighed, having not received the same tender persuasion from her girlfriend, but seeing her so depressed, Sijing, pull her closer, and keep an arm around her shoulders, making her feel happy again.
Of course, Pei Siheng was going to be done before the Zhuo brothers' transformation, and he wished, almost begged inside his mind, for Zhu Yan to give him an imposing form, instead of a pretty one. When the red smoke from his spell dissipated, he glanced down at himself and gasped.
Just as he had so desperately desired, he was tall and imposing, with a commanding presence that radiated both charm and intimidation. He turned to Zhu Yan, who had heard his pleas clearly, and gave him a gentle smile. The poor young man had suffered enough, so he granted him exactly what he wished for. Siheng, overjoyed, approached his sister and hugged her tightly. His figure was slightly taller than hers.
"Jiejie! I wish my puppet body was like this. So I could protect you from all harm!" He whispered to her, and Sijing smiled at him with tears in her demon eyes.
"You were always a good demon hunter, Didi. We just encountered a demon stronger than us," she said softly. To demonstrate his strength, even if that form was an illusion, he lifted her off the ground and spun her around, making her laugh and the others smile with a warm feeling in their hearts.
The reason he was so happy was because, although he resemble a puppet demon, it was one, any demon would fear. In that disguise, his body was slender, with the elongated shape of a wood puppet. His muscles were well-defined, displaying strength while retaining an ethereal grace.
Because of his puppet-like appearance, he had a unique blend of human and wood, with a pale complexion and faint, intricate patterns resembling dark wood grain, that subtly ran along his arms and neck. He had piercing eyes of a striking aquamarine hue, with slanted pupils reminiscent of a predator's gaze. His hair was long, straight, and black, tied back in a high ponytail, with some strands cascading down the sides of his face.
His flowing crimson robes, were intricately embroidered with golden threads, depicting mythical creatures, billowed dramatically with his movements. However, what made him seem so imposing was his aura, with an almost palpable sense of dark demonic power, that made the shadows seem to deepen in his presence, and a whip that radiated traces of poisonous, smoking power, deadly and as black as the darkest night.
Finally, it was Yichen's turn, and although he told Zhu Yan not to overdo it, he did. Transforming him into the most beautiful water demon they had ever seen. He was tall, with a lithe yet toned body. His skin was very pale, almost luminescent, adorned with intricate silver patterns, that flowed down his arms and chest like glowing tattoos. His long hair, was a silver waterfall that caught the light in shades of teal and blue, with soft bangs falling over his temples. His eyes were hypnotic turquoise orbs, flecked with gold that gave him an otherworldly feel.
He had long, translucent, bluish horns on top of his head, imposing and resembling frozen water, revealing his power over of both, water and ice. His attire was a masterful combination of elegance and mobility. He wore delicate robes in shades of teal and dark blue, that flowed around him like water itself. The robe was half-open at the front, revealing a bit of his well-defined torso. The sleeves were long and billowing, tapering at the wrists with silver embroidery that mimicked the patterns on his skin. But above all, Yichen brimmed with extreme power.
"Of course he had to make it so extreme. Zhu Yan, you pervert." Li Lun chuckled as Yichen hurriedly closed his robe, blushing brightly, adding a hint of color to his pale skin, while giving Zhu Yan a deathly cold stare.
"Is he a water demon?" Wen Xiao asked, with a mockingly amused smile, and so did Li Lun.
"Come on, do you think he'll make it so simple? Think again," he challenged her.
"A water dragon?" Bai Jiu offered his own guess.
"Dragons are divine beasts. Ying Long was called a demon, because he went out of his way to help them, and some considered him a demon too. It's very rare to find a dragon in the demon world. I, of course, have never seen one, in all my travels. Nope, he is not a dragon," Li Lun explained.
"So a water snake?" Ying Lei suggested next, and Li Lun sighed.
"No. A snake isn't imposing enough."
"A male mermaid?" Sijing voiced her wild thought.
"That would be physically tempting, with all of them being highly attractive. Yet nope, they are not too powerful."
"So what?" Pei Siheng asked, abandoning speculation.
"A damned Leviathan, as some call it, a king. A ruler over all other creatures of the sea, a demon god. Like I said, he overdid it. No demon will believe what he feels like. They no longer exist," Li Lun said, and Yichen closed his eyes in resignation.
"Zhu Yan..."
"Baobei, you look so handsome that I couldn't help it. This is just for training. I promise to change it when we're ready to enter the demon world. This form is so suitable for you, that it's a shame not to show it off." Yichen felt a headache coming on and rubbed his forehead.
"Perverted monkey, all you wanted was to show off!" And almost everyone present agreed, including Yixuan.
"Nothing less than my Baobei," Zhu Yan admitted proudly, and Yixuan gently patted his brother's shoulder, feeling the exquisite fibers of his robe, even though they were not real, as well as his tremendous power.
"I swear, you're a dead monkey!"
"Baobei, how can you say that to your husband?" Zhu Yan whined.
"Y-you..." Yichen was sincerely speechless, while Wen Xiao laughed.
"Xiao Chen, calm down. Let's get on with it for now. We have important things to do and we need this training," Yixuan whispered, releasing a calming aura, that instantly relaxed his brother.
"Fine." Yichen gave in.
Thus, it was finally Zhuo Yixuan's turn, and since Li Lun would be masking him, instead of Zhu Yan, everyone watched as Li Lun pulled him close to ask something in his ear. Something only the Zhuo's older brother could hear.
"What do you want to look like?" Li Lun asked, putting an arm around Zhuo Yixuan's back.
"Surprise me. I trust you'll know what's best for me. To protect our unit and to make you proud of your choice." Yixuan murmured with a hint of mischief, and Li Lun almost laughed. That man... That man knew him too well.
"Very well. It will be my pleasure to offer you my best masking work. You'll be a masterpiece," Li Lun whispered to him, before using his demonic power, to envelop him in a whirlwind of leaves. When they fall to the ground, revealing his disguise, Li Lun smiles, quite satisfied.
Zhuo Yixuan turned out to be the complete opposite of his brother. If Yichen was an ocean god, Yixuan was a fire demon god, tall and powerful. His appearance was that of a young demon of approximately his actual age, mischievous and otherworldly. His eyes were hypnotic pools of flaming gold and orange. They possessed a captivating intensity that could both attract and intimidate. His long hair fell freely over his sturdy back, a silky river of crimson and reddish orange, like fire, which sparkled like flames in the light.
His skin was a warm, sun-kissed bronze hue with a soft glow. He wore an exquisite robe, crafted from an iridescent fabric that ranged from glossy black to deep red. Adorned with intricate golden embroidery, that simulated flames licking at the hem. A deathly aura surrounded him, palpable and oppressive. It sent shivers down the spines of those who encountered him. His presence was distinguished by a faint scent of smoke and ash, hinting at the fire he commanded. A fire god in Li Lun's eyes, but in terms of the power he unleashed, he was more like a great demon than an actual god.
"He's so handsome..." Yixuan heard Wen Xiao whisper, but his eyes remained fixed on Li Lun's. Longing to be alone, for that was how Li Lun imagined him, aware of the burning fire still sealed deep within his soul, patiently waiting to be released. Yixuan was surprised, yet delighted.
"So you know..." he internally murmured to Li Lun. Their souls, now joined, were closer than before.
"Of course. Every kiss you gave me spoke of the fire you harbor. One day... I will let it consume us both." Yixuan smiled at that promise.
"But first we win this war," Yixuan added to their private mental connection.
"Agree," Li Lun replied, and their little enchantment broke, when Zhu Yan coughed several times.
"You two are too hot. Let's get started with this training session. There's a lot to learn, and time is limited." Zhu Yan interrupted them, and they returned their attention to what they needed to do first.
AN: Ah, Li Lun and Yixuan are feeling the heat! LOL. I hope you like the disguised, it was fun to write. Thanks for reading and until next time, take care.