Chapter 10

The next morning, the atmosphere within the group was… strange…
Very strange.
Wen Xiao noticed it first.

Zhou Yi Chen was walking ahead as usual, expression cold and composed.
Zhao Yuanzhou was walking beside him.
Also as usual.

Yet somehow-
Something felt different.
Wen Xiao narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“Did something happen last night?”
Both men answered immediately.
“No.”
“Nothing.”

The exact same time.
Wen Xiao looked even more suspicious.
“…Right.”

Pei Sijing glanced between them once.
Then decided she did not want to know.

Bai Jiu was too busy eating pastries to notice.
The mountain path back to Tiandu was beautiful.

Ancient trees stretched toward the sky, their branches heavy with white blossoms.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves.
Zhou Yi Chen slowed slightly.
His gaze lifted toward the trees.

The sunlight painted gold across his features.
His long hair shifted gently in the wind.
For a moment-
Even he looked peaceful.
Zhao Yuanzhou watched him.
And immediately got an idea.
A terrible idea.

A small smile appeared on his face.
His fingers moved subtly.
Demonic energy drifted into the branches above.
The flowers trembled.
Then-
Thousands of petals rained down.
Directly onto Zhou Yi Chen.
White blossoms covered his hair.
His shoulders.
His robes.

For a brief moment he looked less like a demon hunter and more like a celestial spirit that had wandered down from the heavens…

Zhou Yi Chen blinked.
Then slowly turned around.
His expression was completely blank.
Which was usually a bad sign.
Very bad.
He looked directly at Zhao Yuanzhou.
“…Did you do that?”
Zhao Yuanzhou smiled.
“No.”

A flower petal was literally still floating off his fingertips.
Zhou Yi Chen stared.
“…Liar.”

“It suited you.”
“Zhao Yuanzhou.”
“You looked beautiful.”

The surrounding temperature dropped instantly.

Zhou Yi Chen grabbed a fallen branch and threw it directly at him.
“Stop treating me like some flower arrangement!”
Zhao Yuanzhou caught it effortlessly.
Still smiling.

Thankfully, before Zhou Yi Chen could actually stab somebody-

A distant shout echoed through the mountains.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
The entire group stopped.
“…”
“…”
“…That was Bai Jiu.”

A second scream followed.
“THERE’S A DEMON!”

Everyone immediately rushed forward.
Near the edge of the road stood a small Mountain God Temple.
Old.
Weathered.
Half-hidden among the trees.
Bai Jiu was standing outside pointing frantically at the doorway.

His face was completely pale.
“I SAW IT!”
Wen Xiao frowned.
“Saw what?”
“A demon!”
“Where?”
“There!”

Bai Jiu pointed toward the dark temple entrance.
“I swear it looked at me!”
Pei Sijing immediately rested a hand on her weapon.

Zhou Yi Chen’s expression hardened.
“Stay behind me.”

Yun Guangjian appeared in his hand.
Its silver light illuminated the shadowy entrance.
The old temple suddenly felt much colder than before.
Zhao Yuanzhou’s smile disappeared as well.
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Interesting.”
Wen Xiao looked at him.
“What?”
Zhao Yuanzhou stared into the darkness of the temple.
For the first time all morning-
He looked serious.
“There’s definitely something inside.”
The wind howled through the trees.
The temple doors creaked open slowly.
And together-
The Demon Investigation Bureau stepped inside.

❄️❄️❄️⚔️✨✨✨

The moment they entered the Mountain God Temple, the group naturally split into two teams.
Wen Xiao, Bai Jiu, and Pei Sijing headed toward the rear halls.
Meanwhile-
Unfortunately for Zhou Yi Chen-
He was left with Zhao Yuanzhou.
The two walked side by side through the old temple corridors.
Dust floated through shafts of sunlight.
The place was eerily quiet.
Too quiet.
Zhou Yi Chen narrowed his eyes.
“…This isn’t another one of your tricks, is it?”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked offended.
“My tricks?”
“Yes.”
“The flowers.”
“Oh.”
“The staring.”
“Oh.”
“The waist grabbing.”
“Oh.”
Zhou Yi Chen stopped walking.
“…See? You’re admitting it.”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked completely innocent.
“I admitted nothing.”
“You literally said ‘oh’ three times.”
“I was reflecting.”
“On your crimes?”
“On your beauty.”
A vein twitched on Zhou Yi Chen’s forehead.
“Zhao Yuanzhou.”
The demon smiled.
“What?”
Zhou Yi Chen pointed at him.
“Do you know what normal people call this?”
“Hm?”
“Harassment.”
Dead silence.
Zhao Yuanzhou stopped walking.
“…Harassment?”
“Yes.”
“That is a very serious accusation.”
“You deserve it.”
“I brought you to see stars.”
“You grabbed my waist.”
“You would’ve fallen.”
“I would not.”
“You absolutely would’ve.”
Zhou Yi Chen looked ready to throw him into a river.
For some reason, that only seemed to amuse Zhao Yuanzhou more.
The argument continued all the way through the temple.
Until suddenly-
They both stopped.
At the same time.
Because they felt it.
A strange energy.
Faint.
But real.
The courtyard ahead was no longer empty.
A figure stood beneath the old trees.
Young.
Perhaps eighteen or nineteen.
Bright yellow hair caught the sunlight.
The youth looked completely relaxed.
As though he had been waiting for them.
Around him-
Several soldiers were sprawled across the ground.
Groaning.
Clutching their stomachs.
Unable to stand.
Zhou Yi Chen’s expression sharpened immediately.
His hand moved to Yun Guangjian.
“Who are you?”
The youth blinked.
Then looked delighted.
“Oh!”
He pointed directly at Zhao Yuanzhou.
“There you are!”
Silence.
Zhou Yi Chen slowly turned toward Zhao Yuanzhou.
“…You know him?”
“I don’t.”
The youth immediately looked offended.
“You do!”
“I don’t.”
“You absolutely do!”

❄️❄️❄️✨⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️

Before Zhao Yuanzhou could defend himself-
A loud crash echoed from the courtyard.
Both men immediately became alert.
Yun Guangjian appeared in Zhou Yi Chen’s hand.
The two rushed outside.
Several soldiers were sprawled across the ground.
Groaning.
Holding their heads.
One man appeared to be crying.
Another was muttering about seeing ghosts.
And standing calmly in the middle of the courtyard-
Was a youth with bright yellow hair.
His arms were crossed dramatically.
His robes fluttered in the wind.
He looked entirely too pleased with himself.
The moment he saw them-
He pointed dramatically.
“YOU!”
Zhou Yi Chen frowned.
“…Me?”
“No.”
The youth pointed at Zhao Yuanzhou.
“YOU.”
Then he pointed at Zhou Yi Chen.
“And YOU.”
A pause.
His eyes narrowed.
Then suddenly-
“…Are you two a couple?”
Dead silence.
Zhou Yi Chen almost dropped his sword.
“What?!”
The youth nodded confidently.
“You argue exactly like one.”
“We do not.”
“You do.”
“We don’t.”
“You just proved my point.”
Zhou Yi Chen looked ready to commit murder.
Zhao Yuanzhou looked delighted.
The youth dramatically flipped his hair.
“I knew it.”
“You didn’t know anything.”
“I know everything.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Your communication is terrible.”
“Who even are you?”
“Exactly.”
The youth pointed triumphantly.
“A couple.”
Zhou Yi Chen took a deep breath.
A very long one.
The kind people took before violence.
Zhao Yuanzhou finally stepped forward.
His golden eyes studied the youth carefully.
For once, he looked serious.
The youth immediately straightened.
“…Ah.”
His expression shifted.
“You can tell.”
Zhao Yuanzhou nodded slightly.
“Half-god.”
A pause.
“Half-demon.”
The youth’s eyes widened.
“Oh.”
Then he grinned proudly.
“You’re good.”
Zhou Yi Chen looked between them.
“You know him?”
“No.”
“But I know what he is.”
The youth puffed out his chest.
“Since you seem capable of recognizing greatness-“
Zhou Yi Chen already regretted this.
The youth raised one foot onto a stone dramatically.
Wind blew through the courtyard.
For absolutely no reason.
“I am Ying Lei!”
Nobody reacted.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The youth looked disappointed.
“That wasn’t impressive enough.”
“It wasn’t,” Zhou Yi Chen agreed.
Ying Lei sighed dramatically.
“Fine.”
He cleared his throat.
“My name is Ying Lei.”
“Spirit of this Mountain God Temple.”
“I have cultivated for over ten thousand years.”
Bai Jiu suddenly appeared from another corridor.
“Ten thousand?!”
Ying Lei pointed at him.
“Finally.”
“Someone appreciates greatness.”
Wen Xiao walked out behind Bai Jiu.
“…He’s loud.”
Pei Sijing followed.
“…Very loud.”
Ying Lei ignored them.
Instead he looked toward Zhao Yuanzhou.
His expression became more respectful.
“You recognized my bloodline.”
Zhao Yuanzhou nodded.
“The aura is familiar.”
Ying Lei smiled proudly.
“My grandfather is Ying Zhao.”
Even Zhao Yuanzhou’s eyes flickered slightly.
Now that was a name worth mentioning.
Ying Lei immediately became smug again.
“Grandfather oversees the barriers of the Great Wilderness.”
Wen Xiao blinked.
“The Great Wilderness?”