The dimly lit Shu Hai Inn sat tucked away in one of the quieter alleys of the town, its wooden beams groaning softly in the evening wind. Lanterns flickered along the eaves, their gentle glow casting shadows that danced on the worn floorboards. The scent of jasmine tea and old paper filled the air.
Lian Yue stepped inside, her robes lightly dusted with the scent of night air and battle. Her feet moved calmly, but her heart was anything but still. Questions echoed within her — sharp and unrelenting — ever since the match earlier. The moment she had locked eyes with him, she had known.
And now, he was here.
He sat in the far corner of the inn, draped in crimson like a splash of blood against the dim wooden walls. The man who called himself Xingtian looked up with a familiar smirk that hadn't changed since their first meeting. One hand rested lazily around a teacup, steam curling up between his fingers. He looked entirely at ease — like he hadn't just stood in an arena beneath the eyes of thousands, like he hadn't fought her brother.
"You're late, A-Lian," he greeted, voice smooth as silk and just as hard to hold onto. He raised his cup in a mock toast, eyes gleaming. "Long time no see. How are things?"
She approached, sitting across from him with the grace of someone who wasn't sure if she was about to start a conversation or a battle.
"Good," she replied, evenly. "And you, Mr. Xing?"
He chuckled, resting his elbow on the table. "Good here too," he said airily, his teasing tone lingering in the air. "Did you watch today's fight? The Demon Lord's moves were rather impressive, weren't they?"
Her hand hovered briefly above the teapot before she gripped it a little too tightly. "Yes," she said calmly. "They were." A pause. "Let's eat while we talk. I'm starving."
She picked up the menu but barely glanced at it before closing it again. "I'll have something light," she said, smiling softly. Then her voice shifted — sharp and unwavering. "What about you, Mr. Xing — or should I say... Demon Lord Xingmu?"
Silence.
The words struck like a bell in an empty temple. For the briefest moment, the smirk vanished. Something unreadable flickered across his features, then just as quickly, he exhaled, leaning back into his chair with a calm smile — too calm.
"I still prefer Xingtian," he said lightly, as if her words had been no more than a passing breeze.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but the waiter arrived, blissfully unaware of the tension between them. They placed their orders — a bowl of noodles for her, a plate of stir-fried greens and lotus seed buns for him.
"We should eat first," Xingtian said, picking up his chopsticks. The words were casual, but his eyes never left hers — as though weighing her, studying her reaction.
The quiet clinking of porcelain and the soft sipping of tea filled the space between them. Somehow, the silence didn't feel heavy. It felt familiar. Comforting, even.
After their meal, they stepped out into the night. The streets were nearly empty, washed in silver moonlight. The cobbled road beneath their feet shimmered faintly with dew, and the shadows curled like silent witnesses.
"Why did you leave the match halfway?" Lian Yue asked, her voice calm but cutting through the night like a blade.
Xingtian chuckled softly, his hands tucked behind his back as he walked beside her. "What do you think? Do you believe I was scared?"
"No." Her answer came without hesitation.
He turned his head slightly, catching her gaze with his own. There was amusement in his eyes, but behind it, something unreadable — "I wasn't there to fight, A-Lian. I simply wanted to send a message."
"To my brother?" she asked.
"To your sect," he replied, casually. "He keeps sending uninvited guests to the Demon Realm. That drenched fool beside me during the fight? He was a spy."
Lian Yue froze mid-step. "A spy?" Her voice wavered.
Xingtian nodded. "I don't take kindly to interference."
"I... I apologize," she said slowly, bowing deeply. "On behalf of my brother and the Eternal Lotus Sect."
He paused, watching her quietly. "Apologies aren't necessary," he said, resuming his steps. "Just keep your people out of my affairs."
They walked for a while in silence, only their footsteps echoing in the night. The breeze stirred her sleeves and carried with it the distant cry of an owl.
Then, softly — "I've heard things," she said. "Stories. That you massacre innocents. That you burn cities. That you... enjoy it."
He stopped, turning to face her fully now.
His eyes, calm as still water, met hers without flinching. "So," he said. "You've wanted to ask this all along?"
She didn't answer.
"Well?" he asked. "Do you believe it?"
Lian Yue looked down, then back up — her voice steady. "No one should believe rumors blindly. Not until they've seen the truth for themselves. But… I'd be lying if I said I didn't doubt you. Before."
"Before?" he echoed. "And now?"
"Now… I don't think that way."
There it was — the quiet truth.
Xingtian blinked, and then smiled — a slow, almost boyish thing. It softened him more than any words could. Without saying another word, he turned and continued walking. She followed.
At the crossroads, he stopped.
From within his robe, he withdrew something — a crimson pendant shaped like a teardrop, with a smooth, polished stone that shimmered in the moonlight like living fire.
He held it out to her.
"Here," he said quietly. "A token of our friendship."
Lian Yue stared at it, then at him. "No. There's no need—"
But before she could finish, he stepped closer, the distance between them vanishing in a breath. Gently, his fingers brushed the side of her neck as he slipped the cord of the pendant around it. His touch lingered — not possessive, not demanding. Just... present.
Then he leaned in, his lips close to her ear, and whispered something she couldn't quite process in the moment — something soft, something meant only for her.
And then — he vanished.
Like mist in moonlight.
Lian Yue stood frozen, breath caught in her chest. Slowly, her hand rose to touch the pendant at her throat. It pulsed faintly against her skin, like it held a heartbeat of its own.
"Again, he disappears…" she whispered.
But this time, her voice didn't carry frustration. It carried something quieter, deeper — a mix of wonder, and the first stirrings of something she didn't yet have words for.
The pendant glowed softly in the night,She clutched it tightly.
And walked on.
--------
> Author's Note:
Here's a fun little question for you!
Why do you think Xingtian insisted on eating first, even after Lian Yue brought up his real identity?
A) The food looked too delicious
B) He wanted to avoid the topic and collect his thoughts
C) He didn't want Ah-Lian to go hungry
Let me know your guesses in the comments!