After wrapping up his phone call with his brother, Yichen found himself surrounded by eager faces brimming with anticipation. Some were eager for tidbits of information obtained from the conversation, while others, like Yun Guang, seemed thoroughly entertained for another reason. Yun Guang, in particular, appeared to relish the notion of Yichen mulling over the idea of using his brother's findings as an excuse to face Zhu Yan again with something more than an awkard apology. Regardless of individual reactions, one thing was clear: everyone had learned that there was apparently another demon in Japan, and Yixuan was actively trying to identify who he might be.
"So, what did he say?" Wen Xiao was the first to break the silence, her curiosity overriding any attempt at restraint. Yichen sighed lightly.
"As you hear, my Ge discovered a sealed demon during his investigation at Mount Takao. It seems he can communicate with him in a way similar to how Zhu Yan and I do. He conducted a test and found that the demon had a connection with Zhu Yan. Then he asked me if I could ask Zhu Yan to give him a name. I happen to remember what Zhu Yan told me before about his demon friend, so I offered him that name." As Yichen summed up the situation, Yun Guang couldn't help but flash an amused grin, as if he'd just been handed the most entertaining story he'd heard in ages.
"And Xiao Xuan simply accepted that name without confirming it with Zhu Yan? That's unusual. He's usually much more meticulous than that," Yun Guang remarked.
"He's convinced it's the right name. But if it's not... well, I can always ask Zhu Yan... if he ever comes back." The last part slipped from his lips like a secret, prompting Yun Guang to lean closer, draping an arm over his cousin's shoulders.
"This whole situation is getting more intriguing by the moment. It's as if each of the Zhuo brothers from the main family has a demon tied to them in some way. Demons that seem to be deeply linked to our ancestors or, more specifically, your past lives. Xiao Chen, what kind of bond did you share in those days to leave such a mark on a demon's memory for all this time? Now I can't help but wonder, do I have a demon lurking out there, waiting for me? Sure, I'm not from the main branch, but I'm still your guardian, after all..." Ying Lei erupted into laughter as Yichen quickly backed away, retreating in long strides toward the passenger seat of his van.
"If you, oh great and glorious Zhuo guardian, have spare time to crack silly jokes, then you've got enough time to focus on our task. We need to find somewhere safe to set up camp before nightfall. After all, the Guilin Mountains are still a long way off, and there are fewer towns on the way. Maybe once we've set up camp tonight, you can dream up your own personal sealed demon to pester in your fantasies all you want," Yichen fired back with a smirk.
For a moment, genuine laughter filled the air. Even Yun Guang chuckled along, unbothered by his cousin's teasing. In fact, he welcomed it, because in that playful banter, he recognized the closeness they'd shared as kids. It was proof that, little by little, Yichen was letting him in again.
"Alright, you got me, Xiao Chen. Let's hear what our esteemed leader has to say," Yun Guang announced as the group started making their way toward the vans.
"Let's dig a bit deeper into our findings. Xiao Guang, you'll take the wheel this time. Ying Lei, try reaching out to the monks again and, if possible, ask them to send over pictures of those ancient scrolls and then send them to everyone. What seemed like meaningless symbols before might start making sense now. It's worth a shot. Captain Pei, you'll take the lead on the road, and Wen Xiao will keep an eye out for any approaching spiritual threats. As for me, I will..." He hesitated, suddenly looking a little self-conscious.
"Yeah, apologize to Zhu Yan, we know," Sijing finished for him.
"I was going to say I'd try to learn more about this new demon," Yichen said with a weary sigh. However, the smirks he got in return told him nobody was buying it.
"Xiao Bai, you can give me something for a coming headache..." The traitors, Yichen, though, as he closed his eyes. Bai Jiu smiled softly, digging into his backpack, glad he could help his Xiao Zhuo Ge, even if a little.
Soon after Yichen closed his eyes, he found himself drifting into the astral plane. This place could change its appearance based on who entered it. For him, it was typically a shadowy realm he struggled to perceive clearly, but this time, it resembled a place from the past. It wasn't exactly a forest like what he was in before, but more like an expansive garden with an ancient house in the distance.
The atmosphere felt warmer compared to the usual coldness of the astral plane. The air was soft and carried the scent of blooming trees. It felt peaceful, vivid, and even inviting, for which he briefly wondered if he was experiencing another retrocognition journey. However, since he wasn't possessing a severely injured version of himself dressed in hanfu, he knew that wasn't the case. Perhaps Zhu Yan had entered before him, as was often the case, which made him smile softly for a moment before catching himself. He let the smile fade, realizing now was not the time for assumptions that could be misleading.
"Zhu Yan! Zhu Yan, are you there?" Yichen shouted, secretly wishing for the same swift appearance he had experienced when he called out his name in a panic while running for his life. But instead of a quick response, he was greeted by an eerie silence.
"Zhu Yan? Can you come back? Do you hear me?" He tried again, stepping into the serene garden near a magnificent tree bursting with lovely white flowers.
The sheer number of blossoms made it hard to see more than a meter or two of the trunk, but the fragrance was quite lovely. He thought about sitting under that tree, waiting to see if Zhu Yan would be willing to meet him again. Perhaps he just needed a little more time. Yichen had arrived much earlier than he had intended. But besides his strong desire to mend things, he knew his brother needed him too, and he worried he may be in trouble.
He let out a deep sigh and settled down, leaning against the tree trunk. After a few minutes of waiting without any sign of Zhu Yan, Yichen began rehearsing his apology in soft whispers, trying to calm his nerves by playing with a fallen branch he found on the grass. If Zhu Yan didn't appear by the time he had organized his thoughts, he resolved to head back and try again later.
"You know... I honestly didn't intend to kiss you, Zhu Yan. It was never something I considered before, I promise. But when I gazed into your eyes, I felt this unusual connection surge within me, as if everything suddenly fell into place. I swear it was an impulse I couldn't fight against... but I never meant to disrespect you or cause you any pain. I realize I messed up, and I'm truly sorry..." Yichen sighed again.
"Alright, that sounds way too strange. He'll think I'm just making up excuses for what I nearly did... but honestly, it was somewhat beyond my control. I mean... Zhu Yan can be quite tempting. He's definitely good-looking, handsome even, but I don't have those kinds of feelings." At least not yet, he thought and then stopped in panic as to where his thoughts were heading, which led him to throw the twig in frustration.
"Damn it! Why is it so confusing?" He shouldn't be thinking like that. Maybe his long-ignored needs were finally clamoring for attention. Flushed with embarrassment, Yichen let out a small groan and glanced up at the tree for the first time. To his utter horror, perched comfortably on a thick branch above him was Zhu Yan, who had been watching him with a mix of amusement and surprise all along.
"Zhu Yan! You...!" Yichen's voice rose in a yell as he abruptly stood, ready to flee and switch roles this time. Yet before he could take a single step, Zhu Yan materialized in front of him, so close that retreat became impossible. This time, there was no trace of the earlier amusement in Zhu Yan's gaze. Instead, his eyes bore that profound intensity that had caught Yichen off guard before. The very look he found himself powerless against and drawn to. But something had shifted. Yichen felt no urge to kiss him now. Instead, his curiosity stirred. What was it in Zhu Yan that carried such depth, a depth sharp enough to cut straight through him?
"Xiao Zhuo," Zhu Yan said calmly, his voice steady yet soft, "I accept your apology, and I owe you one as well for my earlier rudeness. My intention was merely to tease you a little, but hearing your honesty just now made me realize you deserve better than that. You're a young man, so it's natural to feel some confusion," he continued, his words deliberate but warm. "And if those feelings were entirely your own, I wouldn't hesitate to let you kiss me. Truly, I wouldn't. But as for what you said earlier, about me thinking of your previous impulse as something beyond your control as an excuse, I don't. Vulnerability can open the door to forces we don't quite understand or be prepared for. So I take no offense in what happened. I recognize that it wasn't fully you." Zhu Yan's gaze softened even further, his tone growing gentler yet resolute.
"But Xiao Zhuo... if one day you find yourself wanting to kiss me, not because of any outside influence or fleeting impulse, but because it's genuinely what you feel, I will gladly kiss you back. Until then, let's leave things as they are for now, and just be friends." For Yichen, those words resonated deeply, not because Zhu Yan was leaving the door he had unintentionally opened wide enough for him to step through if he ever chose to, but because Zhu Yan was safeguarding his agency.
He had realized that he was under a certain influence at that moment and had offered him a way out. More than that, by admitting his awareness, it made Yichen realize something else: the pain he had seen on Zhu Yan's face before leaving, and perhaps even his panic, wasn't born from his audacity of attempting a kiss. It came from the fact that the one initiating it wasn't fully in control of himself.
Perhaps in the past, Zhu Yan had felt some kind of affection for the demon hunter Zhuo Yichen. Maybe he had even been in love with him. But that wasn't who Yichen was, and it might not ever be that way at all. However, Yichen was starting to see the real Zhu Yan behind the teasing, and although there were many layers yet to uncover, he now understood much more about him than before their almost kiss.
With this clarity, Yichen now grasped why he felt hurt. Zhu Yan couldn't engage in something that felt forced, and that was a stance Yichen found both admirable and respectable. He was beginning to see that Zhu Yan wasn't so different from humans when it came to emotions. He also understood pride and sincerity all too well.
Could he offer Zhu Yan the opportunity for friendship? It wasn't as if Zhu Yan was requesting him to fall in love with him, though he might secretly wish for it. He could simply clarify that his interest didn't align with what Zhu Yan desired. Attraction was one thing, but love was something entirely different. Perhaps if Zhu Yan accepted that distinction, friendship could be a possibility.
"A friendship is fine, Zhu Yan. I agree to it... but anything beyond that might never happen." Yichen made sure to emphasize this point clearly.
"Naturally, Xiao Zhuo, I wouldn't have it any different. Here..." Zhu Yan smiled softly and handed him one of the white flowers from the tree he had been playing with as he patiently waited for his arrival. Yichen sighed as he looked at the flower.
"I just said it might never happen..." Yichen pointed, yet Zhu Yan only smiled.
"I hear it loud and clear. Here... it's a very lovely flower." Zhu Yan offered the flower again, and Yichen couldn't help but think he was in for a long ride. Apparently, for Zhu Yan, accepting friendship did not mean giving up.
"Never mind. It seems demons can be as persistent as humans." Yichen took the flower and inhaled its soft fragrance, enjoying the delicate scent.
"Of course we can. Now you should head back. Repeated trips to the astral plane in quick succession can be quite taxing. You need to take better care of yourself," Zhu Yan insisted, and Yichen smiled, as this was not the first time he had pointed that out in both of his lives.
"Before that... um, Zhu Yan... I know there are things you can't discuss, and I don't want to hurt you, but... you see... my brother found another demon sealed in Japan. I was wondering if..." But before he could finish his current stumbling over his words, Zhu Yan's expression changed drastically, and he pulled Yichen closer, quite alarmed.
Hearing that Yichen's brother had discovered a sealed demon in Japan was something Zhu Yan had never anticipated. His mind immediately went to the possibility he feared most: that the demon Yixuan had encountered could be the one who triggered the tragedy that destroyed everything they once had.
He knew how deeply Yichen valued Yixuan; that had remained unchanged through every one of his reincarnations. If Yixuan had crossed paths with the wrong demon, one who might no longer truly be himself, history could be on the verge of repeating itself. Zhu Yan could not allow that to happen.
"Who did he find? Can he communicate with him? Is he hostile? Can he describe his appearance? Is his seal similar to mine? How did he find him?" The flurry of questions took Yichen aback, as he had never seen Zhu Yan this altered, not even when his seal had punished him; he had never seen Zhu Yan this... scared.
"Hey, calm down. Why are you reacting this way? Is that demon a threat to my brother?" Yichen asked, his voice tinged with worry.
"Not all demons are like Li Lun and me. There are some who wouldn't hesitate to kill, using cunning tricks to bend others to their will. Your brother must be cautious, and under no circumstance should he attempt to free one without knowing its true identity first," Zhu Yan warned, still holding Yichen close.
"He knows better than to free an unknown demon. But, Zhu Yan, I think the one he encountered might actually be Li Lun," Yichen replied. Though Zhu Yan's grip on him loosened, he held him close nonetheless.
"What makes you so certain of that? Not even I know if Li Lun is still alive, let alone sealed. Why would you assume it's him?" Zhu Yan asked, his tone sharp with concern, and Yichen relaxed. He could see now that his reaction was due to fear. Fear of his brother finding a demon that could kill him, like the one they faced in the Qinghe town.
"My brother seems convinced. He says he feels a strong empathic connection with this demon and insists he is not a threat. The demon addressed him by his full name and claimed to have been waiting for him for a long time. I trust my brother's judgment. He's far more cautious and insightful than I am. No one can lie to him, not even you, Zhu Yan, he is that good, I assure you." Yichen explained, gently pushing him away, just enough to create a bit of distance between them.
"Also, Xiao Xuan mentioned your name to him, to test if he was from your era, and he reacted quite strongly, just like you. And... well, I think my Ge feels guilty that the demon wanted him to give his own name in return," Yichen added, watching Zhu Yan closely. After a moment of consideration, Zhu Yan finally released him fully.
"I truly hope it is Li Lun," Zhu Yan murmured. "If it's him, he would never harm your brother, no matter the lifetime. And... if he's really still alive... a lot of pain could finally be lifted." He leaned back against a tree trunk, closing his eyes with a heavy sigh. To Yichen, he looked vulnerable, seeing that demons could carry emotional scars too.
"Zhu Yan..." Yichen started, hesitating as he reached toward him, wanting to give him some kind of comfort before stopping when Zhu Yan opened his eyes.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you earlier... but there are things that even I fear. One of them is the idea of you all unknowingly crossing paths with the wrong kind of demon. Once, we were like a family. Even though most of you have forgotten that, Li Lun and I haven't. Tell Yixuan to be extra careful. If this demon can prove he is indeed my friend, then perhaps your brother can uncover answers I can't provide." Zhu Yan said, hoping it could turn true.
"Will you help me confirm if it's truly him? Anything you can share, as long as it doesn't harm you. My Ge insists he can figure it out himself if you can't speak." Yichen smiled so warmly that Zhu Yan's heart melted all over again. Yichen was always at his gentlest when talking about his brother—not that Yixuan was any different, really. Zhu Yan chuckled softly.
"I've never witnessed such strong brotherly love in my entire life, and trust me, that spans an eternity for you, humans. And yes, Xiao Zhuo, I'll help provide your brother with some details he can use to determine if it's truly Li Lun." The grin that spread across Zhu Yan's face then made it clear to Yichen that whatever was coming next would be anything but dignified.
AN: Ah, Zhu Yan, I wonder what kind of embarrassing thing you tell Yichen about Li Lun. 😂 Can Yichen even pass them to Yixuan? Oh, my... 😂 I hope you like it. Until next time, please take care.