{Done from Gu Xing's point of view}
Two days to travel to where the war between factions were, a land baron of any and all life. Not even the soldiers on that field were truly allowed to be called alive, and the same shall happen to us the moment we join.
Everyone in Division 4 had already set up their own tents, sharpening their blades and preparing themselves for war. We only have one objective and one alone, to hunt the monkey that will rise to the heavens.
"We set off at dawn tomorrow. We do not needlessly need to engage in battle. All we must do is find the monkey and kill it."
And when the sunset for tonight and rose for a new tomorrow, the 4th Division was ready to set off.
Hiding behind piles of bodies as cover, mountain ranges and holes in the ground. We did everything that we could to avoid being caught. But of course they couldn't escape everything.
Over the course of 3 days of traveling on the battlefield, we managed to escape the jaws of a tiger thrice. A few of us had been injured, but not enough to be jeopardy to the mission.
Holding my hand out to the side, I stopped everyone behind me from advancing forward as the sounds of the ground changed.
The clashing blades and roaring men had been replaced by the sound of something heavy, something fast but dense. The cries of battle turned into ones of fear and flee, it was a one sided domination.
"Tend to the wounded and make sure they're stable. I'll go off ahead and I'll report back once I'm done."
The 4th Division's eyes were filled with trust, so as I left, I knew they would lay low. They would be fine. I would return back to men ready to fight by my side as the other squads before them did.
It only took a few leaps of Qigong to reach the peak of a mountain that stood at the side of the battlefield.
Looking down at the land of blood below me, the Orthodox's warriors were pushing back the demonic faction with what seemed to be all their might as everyone of our fleeing men were struck down from behind.
And the one in the middle of it all was a tall and clearly muscular man, his head of hair blonde as a mask that of a monkey's covered his face. The sound of a heavy dense clanging came from the staff at his side.
This couldn't be anyone else other than the monkey.
All we needed to do is return back to camp and inform the other Divisions of this as we join forces to hunt the monkey. At least that was the most logical thing to do.
Leaping down the mountain and through the baron tree twigs and branches, I rush back to the cover where my men were once hiding only to find blood splatters in their place.
The way the blood had splattered onto the floor and nearby rocks suggested it wasn't a blade that had done this, but rather something blunt. There were signs of an obvious scuffle, footprints dug deep into the dry ground as they combined into a defensive formation.
But who would have found us? Was either another scouting squad? But if that was the case, there would be many more footprints, and from what's left to see, it was only two people that drove my squad to act.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I pull out the metal fan the Ice Witch had provided for me as I readied myself for battle. Rushing back in the direction of our camp, I could see my Division not far too far off from where they were hiding…
And the opponent they were facing was…
The monkey? But wasn't he- No… Snap out of it, Gu Xing, there's one more person I need to look out for.
Looking around before revealing myself, I spot a girl wearing a lamb's mask, supporting the Monkey with talisman and scriptures.
She's too far for me to reach in a single leap…
Closing my eyes, I let the darkness of the world surround me, the stars in the night sky shining ever so brightly. First he'll shift his leg back, then strike the furthest person on the left of the defensive formation with his staff.
For the light of the world could return to my eyes, I had lept from the bushes straight at the monkey right as he shifted his body to match the shift in his leg, catching him off guard as I swing my fan at his face.
Feeling contact, I continue on with my swing, only putting up my guard as he directs his swing to me, shattering the bones in my right arm as I'm sent flying back.
"Commander Gu!"
How is there a monkey both here and on the battlefield..? Which one is real? Are they both real?
Endless questions flooded into my head as I sat there in the ground, blood flowing from my head and into my eye as I took some time to catch my breath.
Oddly enough, everything remained still, no one had moved after the exchange.
Getting back onto my feet and clearing my vision, I stared at the man before me. Tall, muscular, blonde hair, his white robe with gold and red accents. His face was round, but not fat, giving off the air of innocences, the perfect face for a hero starting his journey.
"Gu Xing..?" The man muttered from beneath his breath as he lowered his guard.
The girl behind him took off her mask as well, revealing her defined features, her eyes golden like the sun, long hair cascading from beneath the veil on her mask.
"Brother..?"
Dropping my only weapon onto the ground, I couldn't believe it. "Yu Yang..? And Sister Yue? What's going on? Why are you two fighting with the Orthodox faction?"
"We could ask you the same," Yu Yang shot me what almost seemed to be a glare. "If you were still alive after being abducted by the Demonic Cult, you could've at least visited us! Do you know how many nights you left your sister crying?!
We decided that if you were still alive somehow, that we would become strong enough to rescue you… So why are you here..? What deal did you make with the devil?"
"Devil? I didn't make any! They saved me! It's the only reason I'm still alive despite my Yin Body!"
"So was that it? They helped you live your life so then you could take the lives of others! You were the purest one of us all! You had dreams! You had goals! You wanted to be a hero of the Orthodox! Wise and strong like the Sword Saint!"
"I found family here, Yu Yang! I found others that wanted to live! We aren't being manipulated, we're simply doing our best to survive!"
Yu Yang clenched his pole, raising up in preparation to throw it at me, only to be halted by my sister who had now stepped forward. "Please… Gu Xing… Let's return. You're still alive, so that's all that matters. You have family waiting for you here too."
Too? Yue Liang… My older sister. Is that how you see it? You aren't rejecting how I am now, you aren't denying me the family I had found in the Demonic Cult.
"I-... I can't. I have people here I want to protect… They're family. I can't simply leave it all behind. Our community, our celebrations and traditions."
The Demonic Cult isn't some Cult that worships the devil. We're much closer to stray dogs that bonded into a community. Power is what we worship.
Not to kill, not to steal, not to enslave, but to survive. That is the Demonic Cult I grew up in.
"Gu Xing…" Yue Liang softly spoke. "Please… We hold positions of power in the Orthodox faction, we can spare you from your origins if you wish to return with us."
"Forget it, Yue Liang. He's already been brainwashed by the Demonic Cult."
"Yu Yang, please-"
Before our reunion could go any further, Yu Yang swung his staff through everyone in my division, completely destroying their defensive formation with overwhelming power.
"You bastard!"
In the blink of an eye, my left shoulder had been crushed into bits and pieces by his flying staff. Falling to the floor and screaming in pain as he broke my right leg.
"Yu Yang! Please… Leave him be…"
"He'll die from the blood loss anyways… Let's go, Yue Liang."