The night passed peacefully, undisturbed, offering a much-needed reprieve. It gave them the chance to truly rest and face the new day with renewed energy—and what a day it was. The sun shone brightly, the sky was a flawless expanse of blue, and the cool remnants of the night lingered in the air. All around, the tundra stretched endlessly in quiet majesty, its vastness only broken occasionally by snowy mountains rising in the distance.
Considering the tundra's open expanse and its wide, unobstructed views, they decided it was wise to cover part of their journey on foot. This strategy allowed them to lure any potential demon into attacking in such an exposed area, where they would have ample space to engage under more favorable conditions, rather than risking an encounter near their actual destination. A confrontation there could prove far more dangerous and difficult to manage.
They headed north for several hours, maintaining a steady, unhurried pace while remaining vigilant for any signs of potential danger. Since the previous night, Wen Xiao couldn't shake the persistent sense that something was amiss, though she couldn't quite pinpoint the reason. Yun Guang shared a similar unease, leading him to stay near Siheng, yet close enough to Yichen should the need arise for him to transform back into a weapon.
Then the atmosphere became more heavy, the kind that seeped into your chest and pressed down hard. Siheng glanced at Yun Guang as they walked side by side and remarked with a dry chuckle.
"The tension in here... it feels like you could slice it to ribbons if it were something tangible." Yun Guang offered a calm nod, his tone firm yet understanding.
"When you're bracing for trouble, it's natural to feel this way. Given our situation, anxiety comes with the territory."
"Do you think he'll actually show up?" Bai Jiu interjected, his question directed at Wen Xiao. Wen Xiao hesitated for a moment before responding, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Honestly, I don't know. Ever since our last encounter, I've had no clear sense of how things will unfold—just this conflicting instinct that it could go either way." Ying Lei's expression darkened as he interjected.
"Does that mean the one who clouded your perception earlier was Qiongqi all along? Was he there, observing the entire battle from beginning to end?" Ying Lei asked with a hint of concern, his gaze darting around nervously, as though the formidable demon might be lurking nearby.
"Even if he watched the fight from afar—after all, nearly every demon in existence probably either witnessed or sensed it—it ultimately changes nothing. Great demons possess a complexity that makes them harder to decipher than those of lesser ranks. Their cultivation stands just a step below that of the gods, granting them abilities that often evade simple interpretation. So there is no need to panic if Wen Xiao cannot get a good hold on him. In the past, humans greatly feared Qiongqi. He ranked among the four perils for good reason. His malevolence was profound, leaving a trail of death among ordinary humans while enticing criminals to keep accumulating karma. This time, the question isn't whether he will show, but whether we can outwit him," Yun Guang elaborated.
"So, had either of you great demons faced him in the past?" Sijing inquired, her curiosity evident. After a brief exchange of glances between Li Lun and Zhu Yan, the latter let out an amused chuckle.
"Let's just say Li Lun took up most of my attention during the war. He made it clear to all demons that I was his chosen opponent, and anyone who dared interfere in our battle would face his wrath without mercy, no exceptions. Does that sound about right, Li Lun?" Zhu Yan turned to him with a sly grin. Li Lun, however, gave no response, acting as though the comment had never been made.
"In other words, he was utterly fixated on Zhu Yan. Completely single-minded," Bai Jiu murmured to Ying Lei.
"I heard that," Li Lun muttered with a grim tone. "I wasn't obsessed; I simply had unfinished business to resolve with him."
"For several hundred years after the war, I might add. That business certainly spanned a long time," Siheng added under his breath, smirking. Yun Guang couldn't hold back his laughter at that.
Yixuan glanced at his husband and offered a warm, affectionate smile as he gently took his hand. He could tell he was upset, though not as much as he might have been in the past. It seemed he was learning to be less irritable with others—a change Yixuan definitely appreciated.
"We should focus on looking for any signs of impending danger," Yixuan said, redirecting their attention into something else.
"What a charming way to protect your husband from teasing. How adorable," Wen Xiao giggled softly.
"My Ge has always been like that—protective to a fault. He is the best." Yichen chimed in, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as he recalled how Yixuan used to do the same for him when they were younger.
"Baobei, I'm very protective of you too," Zhu Yan muttered, sulking slightly as he stayed close to Yichen. In response, Yichen reached out and gave his shoulder a gentle pat.
"Of course you are. But my Ge just happened to be there for me first," Yichen said with a smile.
"Ah, but his love for humans—especially the pretty, half-dragon ones—makes him dangerously territorial. Too bad such dominance won't last much longer." The words boomed from a deep, resonant voice that seemed to echo across the vast tundra like a thunderclap from the heavens.
No sooner had the words settled than an indistinct form took shape out of nowhere, plunging at an alarming speed toward Yichen. His target was unmistakable: his heart.
For most, evading such a deadly strike would have been nearly impossible—particularly for Yichen, who was still transitioning into inheriting all his dragon abilities. His powers were growing but not yet to his full potential. The agility possessed by Zhu Yan and Li Lun still remained beyond his grasp.
Yet, to Zhu Yan's eyes, Qiongqi's deadly charge was laughably slow. No threat, no matter how fast or fearsome, could pass his notice, especially when the threat was directed toward his beloved husband, not while he stood by. To attack his mate so brazenly? Such folly was both idiotic and unforgivable.
With effortless grace, he positioned himself in front of Yichen, wielding the umbrella gifted to him by the demon hunters at the Citadel for the first time. Infused with his raw demonic energy, the umbrella became his weapon as he clashed head-on with Qiongqi's deadly bone-tiger-head glaive. Their collision reverberated like the roar of an enraged dragon meeting a ferocious tiger, a sound so fierce and piercing that it shook the very ground, heated the air, and caused it to ripple faintly under the strain.
In that same moment, Yun Guang had swiftly pulled Yichen back, stepping behind Zhu Yan just as he summoned his weapon. Without hesitation, Yun Guang conjured a protective barrier around them, shielding them from the destructive aftermath of the explosive confrontation unfolding before them. He transformed back into his weapon form, seamlessly returning to Yichen's grasp, ready to be wielded for both defense and attack.
The others instinctively pulled back as Zhu Yan and Qiongqi clashed in a flurry of fierce strikes. Zhu Yan was resolute—there was no way he would let Qiongqi get anywhere near Yichen. But Qiongqi had more than just brute strength on his side.
"Ah, Zhu Yan, your unwavering loyalty to your mate is beyond question, but where's the thrill now that you're shielding him from harm? You know how much I relish judging the so-called righteous—and what could be more virtuous than a pair of Bing Yi's descendants? Why don't we liven things up a little and indulge in some real entertainment? My games are far superior to the empty skirmishes Li Lun tossed your way for ages, wouldn't you agree?" Qiongqi's mocking tone was clearly testing Zhu Yan's limits, his patience with the demon fraying with every word. Then, with a devious grin creeping across his face, Qiongqi casually waved his free hand, conjuring an arsenal of weapons adorned with sinister demonic skulls.
To the humans' dismay, the assortment of flying weapons was far more terrifying than mere grotesque appearances. Bai Jiu watched in shock as the skeletal heads attached to these weapons snapped their jaws open as though attempting to bite anything within their reach.
Their deafening roars echoed through the air, unnervingly lifelike, sending reverberations akin to shock waves that inflicted internal damage. In the nick of time, Ying Lei managed to yank a stunned Bai Jiu out of harm's way before one of the monstrous creations could strike him.
"What in the world are those things?!" Bai Jiu shouted, plunging his hand into one of his magical pouches. He hastily retrieved several alchemical pills and hurled them toward the flying abominations, desperately aiming to do some damage to the bones. But their agility and savagery made them nearly impossible to hit effectively.
Pei Sijing, Wen Xiao, and Siheng struggled to land a hit on the living weapons in much the same way. All they could do was dodge and evade as best they could, knowing that being bitten was not an option—even if Bai Jiu had the ability to heal their wounds later.
Each bite from their jagged, serrated maws was capable of ripping flesh from bone—a nightmarish end for anyone unfortunate enough to be caught by them. Worst of all, these weapons seemed to possess a sinister will of their own, attacking freely without the need for direction or control.
Realizing that only those equipped with swords—like Yichen, Yixuan, and Ying Lei—could effectively fend off the atrocities, Li Lun decided to take action. He summoned his vines and skillfully molded them into solid long spikes, creating improvised weapons for those who lacked swords. This provided them with at least some means of protection against the biting weapons.
The fight ahead was bound to be a grueling close-quarters battle, because this time they will not have the luxury of casting spells or using attacks that require preparation. Pei Sijing, Wen Xiao, Bai Jiu, and Pei Siheng quickly reached for the spikes nearest to them. Although each had their own area of expertise, their training as demon hunters required mastery in hand-to-hand combat with other weapons, ensuring they were prepared for such moments.
However, handling a long weapon similar to a rod wasn't something that came naturally to everyone. Bai Jiu and Wen Xiao, for example, excelled more with daggers than with other types of weapons. This was something Ying Lei, Pei Sijing, and even Yichen fully understood. Yichen also recognized that Siheng was more accustomed to using threads, so they made an effort to stay nearby and step in if assistance was required. Meanwhile, Yixuan and Li Lun position themselves in the middle of the group, keeping a watchful presence over them all.
Li Lun took his rattle drum, a gift from Zhu Yan after attending a human festival alone, and struck it with his hand. He channeled his demonic energy to magnify the sound a million times over. With this power, he precisely directed the sound waves, sparing humans from harm while targeting only demonic weapons. The impact sent these weapons wildly flying backwards, although not with enough force to shatter their bony structures, which he had secretly hoped for.
"That's a great move," Yichen remarked, complimenting Li Lun for the first time. Unfortunately, the effect, although effective, was short-lived, and the situation quickly reversed as they came rushing back at them with even more screaming.
Driven by instinct, Yichen infused Yun Guang's blade with his blue flames. The searing fire collided with the skull, causing it to erupt in an even fiercer roar. The resulting sound created a strange, unidentifiable disturbance that defied explanation. Yet, its intensity held a force capable of piercing through flesh. Ultimately, the more their forces clashed, the greater the toll they suffered.
Bai Jiu felt a wave of dizziness wash over him as pain flared in his chest. Desperate to alleviate the suffering, he called upon his healing powers and channeled them through their shared connection, intending to heal everyone simultaneously. Strangely, instead of recovery, they all coughed up blood.
"Wow, what the hell just happened?" Siheng said in shock as he wiped the blood from his mouth, his voice breaking the heavy silence.
Bai Jiu panicked for a few seconds, his thoughts spiraling as he exclaimed, "I don't understand why it turned out like this! It wasn't supposed to affect us in that way!" His distress was quickly overshadowed by the danger in front of him, and if it weren't for Ying Lei intercepting the incoming skull-shaped weapon aimed for his throat, Bai Jiu would have been killed on the spot, which scared the hell out of Ying Lei.
"Stay sharp! We're up against a great demon now. Things are bound to go south, but don't let it distract you!" Ying Lei commanded, parrying the cursed weapon expertly while protecting his shaken boyfriend.
Meanwhile, Yixuan felt the urgency to channel his purification powers through his sword, following the example of Yichen, who had already infused his weapon with blue fire. He hoped the purification might counteract the chaotic bone-like living weapons.
While purification had no effect on humans, it significantly weakened anything infused with demonic energy that wasn't directly tied to them, such as Li Lun and Zhu Yan. For now, it seemed like the safest approach to take, especially given that what happened with Bai Jiu wasn't supposed to happen—not even by accident.
As the surge of purification energy rippled outward, the ground beneath them trembled briefly, and crimson, malevolent energy seeped from tiny fissures, spreading the poisonous, blood-red fog.
Sensing the looming peril and recognizing there was no time to hesitate, Ying Lei acted instinctively, adrenaline coursing through him. In the blink of an eye, he summoned his teleportation ability, focusing on a safe zone just beyond the crimson cloud's reach to protect everyone from the noxious threat.
The group reappeared mere meters away, bringing Zhu Yan along by default, who had been deeply engaged in an intense fight with Qiongqi. But as soon as their feet touched solid ground again, a massive seal inscribed with demonic runes suddenly ignited, encompassing nearly the entire tundra. From a distance, Qiongqi's chilling laughter echoed as he watched his carefully laid trap spring to life, his satisfaction palpable.
He had observed them closely throughout their battle against the Black Calamity and in its aftermath, waiting for the perfect opportunity. By then, he knew the strengths and weaknesses of every group member as intimately as he knew his own.
Yet, Zhu Yan remained a mystery. Caution was warranted when dealing with him, for among demons, Ying Long was the one god feared above all. As Ying Long's son and heir to similar abilities, Zhu Yan naturally inspired dread by default; his true capabilities were shrouded in uncertainty.
Despite Qiongqi's constant surveillance, he could not determine the full extent of Zhu Yan's strength. The spike in demonic energy Zhu Yan displayed when protecting his mate mirrored the terrifying surge seen in Ying Long when protecting Bing Yi.
As a deity on par with Pangu, possessing powers vast and foresight stretching across centuries, Ying Long was undoubtedly, unbeatable. Even Cheng Huang, audacious in many ways, refrained from challenging Bing Yi or Nuwa directly until Ying Long's death was assured.
Nevertheless, Bing Yi was no easy target, either. His calm and collected exterior concealed immense power, capable of unleashing attacks far deadlier than anything witnessed during his descendant's display. In this regard, Zhu Yan—beneath his playful facade—emerged as a formidable and unpredictable wild card among them.
Still, as long as he provoked Zhu Yan with his mate safety, carefully unsettling him without crossing the limit, he maintained his advantage. And it worked. Zhu Yan was compelled to create distance between himself and his mate, trying to shield him as the trap unfolded—one woven from countless weapons forged from the remnants of those who had fallen to the judgment seal.
Now they were all ensnared in his dominion, and he relished the anticipation of their fear gradually morphing into despair, all without needing to lift a finger. Only one move remained to finalize his sinister game. To cut Li Lun from the picture entirely, rendering him powerless to even save his own mate. The spectacle that awaited was bound to be utterly satisfying, a twisted delight.
His weapons hovered menacingly around the group, like vultures circling their prey, poised to strike at his command. With everything under his seal now subject to his judgment, he swiftly conjured an invisible cage around Li Lun. This cage, much like a barrier, was reinforced with runes that negated the seal's effects on him but confined him within an unbreakable trap.
Seeing Li Lun trapped behind the rotating rune cage, Yixuan immediately attempted to reach him. Li Lun also fought back, striking the seal with all his might, but escape eluded him. Yixuan turned to his sword in frustration, while Li Lun called forth his vines and pounded his drum. Yet, no sound penetrated the cage; instead, it reverberated within, destroying the vines and causing him harm.
"Li Lun!" Yixuan's voice was tense with concern, tinged with frustration at their forced separation. It was a spectacle Qiongqi savored with gusto.
"Easy there, Li Lun. You've shown yourself to be the kind of wicked demon I admire. You're spared from the punishment game we're about to play. Just stay put and watch it unfold. To be clear, under my rule, you can't defy or escape your seal." As these words sank in, Li Lun's comprehension gave way to a profound, dread fear he had never known before.
Li Lun's intense gaze pierced through Yixuan, despair evident not just in Li Lun's eyes but felt deeply by Yixuan as well, as though it were slicing into his very bones. Although Li Lun wasn't at a breaking point yet, he was engulfed in a darkness akin to a growing void. For Yixuan, this was deeply alarming, prompting him to repeatedly try to break the unseen barrier, unable to restrain his urgency.
"Qiongqi! You scoundrel, release me! I'm just as much a member of their group as Zhu Yan is! If you're set on playing games, then include me in them too!" Li Lun shouted, feeling the weight of Yixuan's relentless efforts to free him, which was heart-wrenching to witness. Still, Qiongqi laughed harder at his desperate screamings.
"Sorry, Li Lun, I can't let you participate in this game. I stick to my rules just as you do. Back when the gods waged war on the demons for humanity's sake, you held your ground, fighting even your closest friend as though nothing was more important. It was remarkable. You betrayed your friend simply because you couldn't tolerate humans. Your disdain for them was something extraordinary. Even if that man in front of you eventually became someone you consider a suitable mate, it doesn't alter the fact that your wickedness earns you a pass under my judgment." He went on.
"I just need to eliminate your mate for you, and once he's gone, you'll be free to choose another lover, a better one. Preferably a demon of your same caliber. But Zhu Yan is off-limits too, so you'll need to look elsewhere, understand?" This infuriated Li Lun further, not only because it dredged up actions he regretted and emphasized how mistaken he had been, but also because it put a deadly target over Yixuan's. It was deeply shameful, especially now with Yixuan watching him with such hopelessness.
"Ge, there's no reason to be concerned about him. We just need to eliminate the source, and Li Lun will be free to reunite with you permanently. I understand your connection with him, now that I have a similar bond with Zhu Yan. As brothers and descendants of Bing Yi, we don't yield easily. Just like during the past war, whatever stands in our path to happiness will be dealt with." Yichen said as he gently guided his brother away from Li Lun's confinement.
"Baobei, you're absolutely right, and remember, your husband is here too, ready to support his brother-in-law along with his grumpy friend. Let's leave the past in the past, as they say. I've never held any hatred towards Li Lun and I won't start now. Some things are destined to happen without needing explanation or blame. Let's finish this, Qiongqi. I'm getting weary of the overconfident demons and their games," Zhu Yan remarked while drawing Yichen closer. The air filled with the sound of clapping, as if a crowd had gathered for an opera play.
"That's precisely what I expected from such a formidable couple—balanced, fiery, and fearless to a fault. I hear your argument, and I declare you all guilty of excessive moral righteousness. Sentence: death. Now, let the game begin!" With those words, more living weapons appeared around the seal. It seemed they would have to fight dozens at once to survive until the next daybreak. Li Lun punched the barrier with his bare fist, crying out Yixuan's name in utter desperation.
AN: So the judgment game begins! Who will suffer the most? Li Lun? Yixuan? Zhu Yan? Yichen? Bai Jiu? The girls? Or the sword-puppet couple? Make your bets. Who will snap first in this game? Lol. I hope you like it, and until next time, take care.