Gazing at the distant bubble, as Zhu Yan hurried their boat away from them, Siheng found himself lost in thought about Bai Jiu's claim that Zhu Yan had bullied Yichen. He couldn't shake off the wonder at the unique bond the pair had created from the very beginning.
"Those two always find themselves at the heart of every situation, even in the midst of demon territory," Siheng noted, his tone more observant than complaining—a truth that Yun Guang couldn't argue against.
"Zhu Yan tends to go all out in everything he does, but his heart's always in the right place. He loves to tease, especially his lover, who's just innocent enough to fall for his tricks. But trust me, despite the chaos, they're just having fun in their own special way," Yun Guang shared, eliciting an amused smirk from Siheng.
"They certainly do. I still remember that time we got caught and ended up in the steaming pool together. And as I recall it, you were enjoying yourself too," Siheng accused him, a dangerous glint in his eye, while Yun Guang smiled apologetically.
"My bad for that. I've known Zhu Yan for ages, and I was sure he'd pull something on us—especially me, considering I threatened to share some of his stories with my Didi. He always panics when I bring them up." And a gentler smile crossed Yun Guang's face at the memory, while Siheng let out a resigned sigh. He knew Zhu Yan had his mischievous moments, but he pictured them as silly pranks, the kind any kid might pull.
"Come on. Just how much trouble could a little monkey-dragon cause in ancient times?" Siheng asked casually.
"Ah, my beloved Siheng, you will be surprised. Even Ying Long and Bing Yi need a breather from watching over him, just like humans take a break from their responsibilities or go on leave to recharge. Both of them love him dearly, but Zhu Yan was not the average demon, so he often made mistakes that, although harmless, were quite troublesome." Even with the big revelation, Siheng still struggles to grasp how little Zhu Yan managed to wear out his two divine parents.
"You are kidding, right? Ying Long and Bing Yi were both damn legendary gods!" Siheng exclaimed, in astonishment.
"Honestly, I've lost count of the times either of them had to step in and apologize for all the trouble he stirred up, not to mention clean up the messes he left behind. It wasn't until Zhu Yan grasped the full extent of his power and learned to control it that they could finally start relaxing. Those early centuries of his growth were absolute chaos." That reassurance ignited Siheng's curiosity like a wildfire, almost causing Yun Guang to laugh.
It was the same with Yichen, because every time he brought the chance to tell him the stories, his Didi would gaze at him just like Siheng was doing now—excited and full of anticipation. It was a shame that Zhu Yan never let him tell Yichen about any of them, but perhaps Siheng could. Yun Guang smirked, with clear mischief.
"For the love of the gods, just tell me what he did to push two of the mightiest deities in history over the edge. Honestly, I thought you were just being dramatic. Spill it—I could use this knowledge the next time he decides to unceremoniously toss me into a hot pool again." This time, Yun Guang couldn't hold back a laugh; it was so typical of him to think like that.
"I should have known you'd want some leverage on him for your own safety—and honestly, it's not a bad thing. But before I share a few things about what he's done, keep this in mind. Zhu Yan can silence you before you even get the chance to repeat any of it." Yun Guang's warning, however, felt unnecessary, given that Siheng's curiosity was genuinely piqued anyway.
"Yeah, whatever, I don't care. Spill it. I'm listening." Siheng shifted deeper into the blankets, making himself comfortable, and Yun Guang followed suit, lying down beside him—although closer than necessary. However, Siheng didn't seem to mind, and Yun Guang, enjoying the proximity, stayed where he was in quiet satisfaction.
"Alright, here we go. Once, we journeyed near a lake much like this one. Zhu Yan yearned to play with the fish demons swimming beneath the surface, but not wanting to get wet, he accidentally froze the entire lake from top to bottom. He only intended to chill a small patch at the surface. Bing Yi had to melt the ice away and apologize to the fish demons, who found themselves rudely transformed into icy chunks. Afterwards, Bing Yi insisted on Zhu Yan practicing his control over his ice skills atop the lake, and it goes without saying that he got wet far more than he wanted. Mainly because the fish demons kept splashing and spewing water on him in revenge." Yun Guang wrapped up his tale for Siheng and erupted into laughter, unable to contain himself. Siheng quickly joined in, their laughter echoing together.
"I can see now why they end up exhausted. I actually feel sorry for them. How old was he then, in human years?" Siheng asked, his laughter fading.
"He was about five back then. He couldn't even take on a human form yet. Ying Long laughed too, because the sight of a soggy dragon ball of white fur in his mixed form was hilarious. He got the punishment he deserved, though. Bing Yi was very loving but strict, so when he made mistakes, he always made sure he learned how to correct them." Yun Guang stole a glance at Siheng, who had unconsciously inched closer.
"I bet he faced a lot of punishment, huh?" Siheng leaned in, curiosity sparkling in his eyes, as he mused. His hand rested unconsciously on Yun Guang's chest, a silent connection between them.
"Oh, absolutely. He unintentionally changed the course of a mighty river while searching for a pebble he had tossed in. In his eagerness to build a humble temple at the base of a sacred mountain, he ended up destroying it by mistake. Driven by the desire to see desert flowers bloom, he ended up flooding an entire desert. So yes, he faced scoldings more times than even Zhu Yan would want to recall," came the reply, a knowing smile creeping onto Yun Guang's face.
"That's why he held both respect and fear for Bing Yi back in his younger days. But once he learned to take on a human form, he started to loosen up a bit, pulling pranks on Bing Yi now and then. He even got Ying Long involved, and of course, I couldn't escape his mischief either, especially since I often walked alongside them in human form when there was no danger around." He finished as he looked at the night sky, remembering good old times.
Siheng picked up on it, asking, "You miss that way of life, don't you?" Yun Guang couldn't help but smile faintly in response.
"I do, but this time offers me even more opportunities... if only a certain grumpy ex-puppet demon would let himself enjoy life too..." Yun Guang teased, his words hanging in the air with weight. Siheng fell silent for a moment, pondering the truth behind them.
Maybe he had been more of a demon than he dared to admit, sharing more similarities with Zhi Ren than he was willing to accept. Their exchange with her revealed nothing about the hidden truths behind Huan Jing. Yet, listening to her recount how she was ruthlessly murdered and turned into a demon was devastating. Equally painful was hearing how she abandoned her humanity, forced to embrace her new reality in order to survive and feed her thirst for vengeance.
He never went that far, mainly because his sister remained by his side. Yet, being confined in the form of a wooden puppet had indeed dulled his sense of humanity to some extent. If he were honest with himself, he and Yun Guang shared so much in common that they might as well be soulmates. He could place all the blame on Ying Lei's wine for what happened with Yun Guang back then, but deep down, he knew the wine had merely given him the courage to act on his true desires.
He longed for physical connection and ached for warmth, touch, and desire. Then Yun Guang was there—the most attractive man he'd ever seen—sharing the same yearning. Seizing the moment, he allowed the alcohol to drown his reservations. For the first time, he felt another's warm body press against his, experiencing kisses and intimate touches that melted his tension until he drifted into a deep sleep.
Then, he woke up in a panic, instinctively trying to push Yun Guang away, even though deep down, all he craved was to feel truly alive again. The attraction had already taken root, and the growing need within him was becoming impossible to ignore. Yun Guang was everything he could have dreamed of and more. So why was he letting such a precious opportunity slip through his fingers?
Under such silence, feeling he had asked for too much, Yun Guang was ready to lighten the mood with more Zhu Yan tales, when Siheng drew him in and pressed his lips against his.
"You know what? You're absolutely right... I need to embrace life more fully..." Siheng then let Yun Guang return the kiss, infusing it with a passion far more intense than he could ever hope to extinguish. Not that he wanted to.
Inside Zhu Yan's bubble, Yichen faced his own challenges with the teasing monkey he loved so fiercely that his instincts urged him to claim him. Zhu Yan's decision to isolate them only intensified the struggle, as the last remnants of Yichen's human side slipped away faster than he could catch his breath.
"Come on, Zhu Yan! Break this barrier down already! I assure you, this isn't helping me calm down!" Yichen grumbled, feeling the effects of Zhu Yan's alluring scent hastening his transformation even more with the closed space. His hair had already begun shifting to a light blue, resembling Yun Guang's, while his nails extended into sharp claws.
"I get that it seems like keeping you here is only making things messier, but trust me, this isn't just any ordinary barrier, Baobei. It's a suppression barrier, so I'm already working on helping you find your way back to normal. But I really need you to tell me what about me is affecting you the most right now." Yichen couldn't help but blush, looking adorably flustered by such a personal question, causing Zhu Yan to swallow hard. If only he realized how much that sight tugged at Zhu Yan's heart.
"What do you mean by that? You're a half-dragon too! You can't honestly say you don't know what's affecting me. I just can't believe you," With a heavy sigh, Zhu Yan sat on the blankets, his reaction betraying no surprise— because he had anticipated an argument like this from the very start.
"Baobei, let me share a piece of my story with you, so you can get to understand me better," he began. Yet, a wave of guilt washed over Yichen for snapping at Zhu Yan in frustration. With a tender touch, he brushed his fingers against Zhu Yan's face, just above the crimson tattoos that were beginning to emerge on him too.
"I'm sorry... It's not that I don't understand you. It's just that talking about certain things is embarrassing for me, and you tease me so much..."
"I know, Baobei. I admit this is partly my fault, but you still need to listen to me. Just come closer and hear how your husband handled his dragon side when he was just a little ape." Zhu Yan gently took Yichen's hand in his and kissed it.
"Baby ape..." Yichen pouted, making Zhu Yan smile and plant a tender kiss on his nose.
"Alright, a baby ape-dragon, then," Zhu Yan agreed, while Yichen, slightly embarrassed, blushed but appeared rather pleased.
"Now, tell me..." Yichen whispered, his curiosity piqued.
"From the moment I entered this world, I was different from every other demon, in part because I wasn't exactly one. Instead of evolving through cultivation, I emerged as a demon, birthed from the very energy of the gods. My first form was that of a two-year-old ape in human terms. Yet, even at such a tender age, I wielded the strength of a high-level demon, just a step away from becoming a great demon, if I had delayed my birth a few more centuries..." Yichen's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Are you serious? That strong, just out of nowhere? That's insane!" Yichen exclaimed, feeling a surprising calm wash over him as Zhu Yan captured his attention, making him forget all about the scent that had been overwhelming him. This, naturally, had been Zhu Yan's intention all along, by sharing the story and a smile crept across his face.
"Well, it's nothing compared to my father, Ying Long. He was the very first anomaly a god created in the human realm," Zhu Yan added, drawing him in further.
"Him too? I thought it was just you and Cheng Huang..." Zhu Yan shook his head.
"Most gods dismissed my father's origins as mere myth—his story was simply too extraordinary to accept. The legend goes that Pangu, before his death while creating the world, left behind a hint of his energy on earth. From that, my father was born. Since Pangu was the creator of the entire universe, Ying Long inherited his massive power of creation, a force surpassing even Nuwa's. Because of this, he could also glimpse into possibilities."
"Similar to me, as I was also formed within an energy dimension, my father was not born a demon. He arose from the energy of his creation as a dragon god on Mount Kunlun, thousands of years after Pangu's death. Naturally, only a handful of gods were aware of this truth. None of the demons could fathom his real strength. They assumed he was one of their kind who had ascended to godhood through cultivation and core evolution. This was precisely what he intended for them to believe, as he was already aware that a war was inevitable." Hearing that, Yichen felt deep sympathy for his father-in-law. He had been such an amazing god and died under truly heartbreaking circumstances.
"I wish he didn't have to sacrifice his life for the worlds. In a sense, he followed in Pangu's footsteps," Yichen said, as Zhu Yan pulled him into a close hug. Gently, he laid him back down on the blankets, still holding him within his embrace. His form was already shifting back to his human side.
"Same here, but even my father couldn't bend time," Zhu Yan said, brushing a lock of black hair off Yichen's shoulders.
"But you once told my brother and me that Ying Long became a god centuries after Bing Yi and that they were divine beasts. That he was considered a demon because he fought against the gods on their behalf. Were you lying to us from the start?" Zhu Yan almost laughed, recalling the tale he had spun for them, for even most gods wouldn't believe the truth about his father's origin. Yichen pouted, on the brink of sulking at his sudden silence, and Zhu Yan planted a light kiss on his lips.
"If I were to tell you that my father was born from Pangu's energy—when tales of him as a demon god have been passed down through generations in the human world—would you believe me?" And it wasn't his lie to begin with, it was his father's made-up legend. Yichen sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice.
"Of course not. Still, the fact that he's connected to Pangu and didn't become a god through cultivation explains perfectly how he had the ability to create entire worlds... and why you inherited it as well."
"I did inherit his power, but it doesn't flow through me as purely as it did through him. I can create worlds, but I can't match his mastery or precision. To be honest, after I was born inside that cave, demons of all sorts constantly hunted me down." Yichen gazed at him, disbelief etched across his face.
"Why? You were so strong even as a baby monkey..." Zhu Yan coughed, a hint of disapproval in his voice.
"Ape," Zhu Yan corrected him and Yichen rolled his eyes.
"Right, right, ape. But seriously, why?"
"Well, I didn't evolve through cultivation, so I had no idea how powerful I really was. I also didn't have the instincts that demons possess. When they came after me, thinking I'd be an easy target, I kind of went overboard in defending myself. Before I knew it, more demons wanted to hunt me down, believing that if they take my core, they could boost their strength in an instant. I spent most of my childhood on the run. Facing them was relentless, and draining. I disliked killing more than anything too, so I never lingered in one spot for too long. Caves became my best friends."
"I'm really sorry..." Yichen drew Zhu Yan in closer, planting a soft kiss on his lips.
This kiss whispered of a deeper kind of love, one rooted in compassion, empathy and understanding rather than fiery passion. Zhu Yan returned the kiss with equal tenderness, careful not to awaken his dragon side once more, especially after he had managed to tame it just by sharing his family story.
"Oh, Zhu Yan..." Yichen whispered softly as the kiss drew to an end.
His thoughts lingered on how unbearable it must have been—being hunted from birth with no one to guide him, no one to teach him to control a power far too overwhelming, one that could so easily bring destruction. And yet, humanity had also tried to do the same, him included. The weight of this realization hit him hard, guilt welling up until tears silently streaked down his face.
"Ah, no, no, Baobei, please don't cry..." Zhu Yan murmured gently. "I promise, it truly wasn't as terrible as it seems. Ying Long found quite early, and after that, I was more than happy. Maybe even too happy—I probably drove both him and Bing Yi completely mad at times..." Yichen buried his face against Zhu Yan's chest, pulling him closer. Somehow, the warmth and words eased his sorrow just a little.
"You've really turned into a shameless rascal mo... ape," Yichen teased with a small smile, while Zhu Yan gently combed through Yichen's long hair.
"When Ying Long found me, everything changed. I began to understand my power more deeply. I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I learned to master them to perfection eventually. Bing Yi made sure of that, and I'm truly grateful for both of their guidance. So, Baobei, I wasn't born knowing how to be a demon or a dragon. It was a hard-earned lesson, but I learned. And you can too—though now, it's no longer necessary. Have you noticed?"
Zhu Yan gently raised Yichen's face, now free of tattoos, with no small horns adorning his forehead. His eyes had returned to their deep, dark blue hue, and his skin was once again its familiar fair tone.
"Notice what?" Yichen asked, pausing as realization dawned on him. He quickly sat down to take a closer look at himself, relieved to see everything back to normal. Then his gaze shifted to Zhu Yan, who was once more on the verge of laughter.
"You tricked me..." Yichen said accusingly.
"Not this time. I only distracted you with my most painful truths, and it worked." Zhu Yan pulled Yichen back toward him, allowing himself to be pinned down.
"I love you..." Yichen whispered softly before leaning in to kiss him again.
"Not more than I love you, Baobei," Zhu Yan murmured as the kiss broke. "But out of curiosity, what about me triggered you the most?" he asked with a teasing tone. Yichen blushed, though he no longer felt embarrassed to answer.
"Your scent..." He confessed softly.
"Ah, that... the most difficult to resist. I'm glad you prioritize listen to my words over your instincts."
"My love for you is stronger than anything, you fool."
"I know. Will you marry me, Yichen? When this is all behind us, you can claim me as many times as you wish—in this life and any others that may come..." Yichen's smile blossomed into a radiant grin.
"Yes, absolutely yes!" Yichen kissed him with such unrestrained joy that even Zhu Yan could feel it reverberate deep within his core.
AN: I have no words to describe this chapter, I even feel like crying writing this. I hope it moves you guys too. Thanks for reading, love you dear readers, take care.