Prologues and Chapter One

PROLOGUE ONE

Wen Xiao finally climbed to the top of the mountain, looking east into the distance. She ran urgently, white-fair cheeks blushing red, black hair soaked with sweat and sticking messily to her cheeks.

Suddenly, Wen Xiao’s breath stopped.

In the eastern Wilderness, the sun and moon hung at the same spot, red light spilling over. Just now that red light was like a slender thread of silk; at this moment, it was like a blood vessel stretching across the horizon.

This sky-born phenomenon certainly meant great calamity.

To think of her master at this moment still caught in a tangle with Li Lun, Wen Xiao’s heart grew even more unsettled. So the slender form of a young woman continued her staggering run toward the sea…

Just then, by the Wilderness sea, the cosmos suddenly changed, making it difficult to tell if it was day or night.

Black clouds blotted out the sun, thunder roared like a great beast, reverberating in all directions, deafening. The black reef rocks tightly bit the shore like the teeth of a huge animal, strong wind brought a surge of mighty waves, heavily pounding the incisors of the hard reef, breaking them with each strike. Foam heaped thickly in the rock crevices.

The sky and the sea were black.

In this oppressive sight, a black silhouette and a white silhouette stood facing one another in battle.

“Li Lun, you refuse to obey the Baize restraint command, selfishly leaving the Wilderness to wantonly slaughter the innocent in the human world. Do you understand your crime?” The woman standing on the reef rocks held a short flute in her hand, features cold, white clothes fluttering in the wind.

The young man called Li Lun hung in the air, ink-stick dark hair and black robes. Demon power covered his whole body like hell’s fire, curling and rising, unbroken by the blowing winds. Willful to the end.

“Zhao Wan’er, you are an ordinary mortal. Why are you meddling in the affairs of the Wilderness?” Li Lun’s breath stirred restlessly.

“I bear the immortal power of the Baize, rightful protector of the Wilderness. Of course I would be in charge.” Zhao Wan’er’s dignified voice, solemn and respectful, echoed between heaven and earth, a boldness unique to the Baize Goddess.

“Then I’ll kill you! Show me how you’re in charge!” The area surrounding Li Lun was suddenly heavy with the aura of death, a breathtakingly cold intent in his eyes.

Wen Xiao hurried to the seaside in a flash, and realized the scent of air was not the way it had been in bygone days. It was dirty; an exhalation of cruelty’s breath, the smell of burning rot surging around her, assailing her nose.

“Master!” She ran towards the reef rocks, calling out to Zhao Wan’er.

Li Lun heard her. He glanced down at the small figure running toward Zhao Wan’er, no more than 16 years old, a frail mortal. Humans were always like this, these infants of mundane flesh, like a mantis trying to obstruct a chariot, overestimating their abilities.

Mole crickets and ants. Nothing more.

Li Lun thought this was an interesting thing. Inside his flamboyant cloud of demon energy, he slowly curled the corner of his mouth and lifted his hand holding a pellet drum—a two-leveled drum, a larger drum atop a small one, decorated with the ancient pattern of a colored drawing. With one finger gripping the drum’s handle, he easily turned it. The pellets struck each side of the drum’s surface, sending out a loud and clear ding-dong.

In a split second, in one deep and resounding hum-hooting of power, overwhelming and all-pervasive, Wen Xiao felt a savage thump on her forehead. One by one, her five senses completely vanished…

Ice, a bone-piercing cold.

A pounding against the skin, slicing like a knife.

On a lifeless, beautiful face, the eyelashes gave a tiny tremble as Wen Xiao regained consciousness. The space between heaven and earth remained a dark and gloomy expanse. She didn’t know how much time had passed. Wen Xiao tried to stand, but her legs had been submerged in the blisteringly cold sea water for so long that she couldn’t stop shivering.

“Master… Master!” She called out urgently between her heavy sobs.

Wen Xiao staggered to run toward that reef rock, unintentionally catching a sight that brought her to a sudden stop: Zhao Wan’er’s clean, white skirt soaked in the foul sea water; a massive, horrible bloodstain at her chest; her body powerless like paper floating in the waves with not even the slightest hint of life. Her face was deathly pale, her lips black; her eyes still open, like heavy, dark clouds; pupils already round, ash-gray voids.

Wen Xiao opened her mouth, hoarse throat unable to form a whole syllable.

Her master possessed the title of Baize Goddess of the Wilderness, able to command countless demons. There was no power that could injure her. How… How could she be dead?

Wen Xiao’s chest rose and fell fiercely, gasping for air, eyes wide, staring fixedly at her master’s corpse. Right before her eyes, that white form was swallowed by an overwhelming darkness until it was nearly gone. Wen Xiao lost consciousness again.

A sky-born phenomenon certainly meant great calamity. Wen Xiao didn’t understand, didn’t know this great calamity that no one had the power to stop.

The sky is constant, the sun and moon rise and fall past the horizon, the four seasons alternate; and the cycle returns to the start. 

PROLOGUE TWO

After the death of the Baize Goddess, the Baize power was unaccounted for, causing a state of great disorder.

In the space between heaven and earth, stuck in a little mound of dirt, there was a piece of rotten wood with no writing on it and no drawing. This was the burial mound Wen Xiao made for Zhao Wan’er.

Wen Xiao brought a bunch of wildflowers to place in front of Zhao Wan’er’s grave. After, she knelt there in the dirt, ruined and silent. The figure of a tall, imposing man came to stand behind her. This man wore a mask over his face. It bore a decorative pattern, burned at the edges, not really hideous, but still strange. Out of the ordinary, this mask changed with his mood. At this moment, his mood matched Wen Xiao’s, so the corners of the mouth on this fierce mask turned faintly downward, endlessly heartbroken.

Wen Xiao had never seen the face beneath that mask. She supposed that, compared to the mask, it might be even more horrible. Wen Xiao had also never learned his name, she just called him “Great Demon.”

Great Demon was her master’s old friend.

During Wen Xiao’s childhood, Great Demon often came to find her master. Wen Xiao still remembered the first time she met Great Demon; he always had the appearance of someone weighed down with heavy matters and anxieties. Sometimes he stood very still and silent, but she didn’t know what he thought about; a figure in the dim light of night as they melted into one another, indistinguishable, always able to frighten Wen Xiao out of her skin.

Later, Wen Xiao became more familiar with Great Demon. She most liked to leverage the powerful reputation of her master to make the Great Demon push her on a swing, even if he was unwilling and his mask changed to a disdainful expression. Yet, every time, he did as he was instructed and gave the swing a push.

Wen Xiao remembered, on the day her master died, Great Demon carried her home on his back.

Beyond that, that day’s memory was like the road that Li Lun smashed to pieces with brute force, disorderly, confused, incomplete.

After that day , Wen Xiao often had nightmares and each time she awoke from one, Great Demon was there. His expression sad, he stood looking as he had the first time she saw him, a figure merging with the darkness. He told Wen Xiao that Li Lun would not appear again.

Now, with master dead, only she and Great Demon remained. Did he miss her, too?

“Great Demon, what does death feel like?” she asked softly.

Great Demon thought a moment, then answered honestly: “I haven’t died, I can’t answer.”

Wind whistled past their ears, Wen Xiao’s eyes blankly looked toward the grave. “Master said death is just a person going to a far, far away place, and they can never come back.”

Just like a drop falling into the Wilderness sea, unable to be found again.

Through the mask there came a barely audible sigh.  Great Demon said: “But my other friend told me dead demons turn into stars in the heavens. He told me, don’t be sad because of death, don’t become incapable of resisting sad things. Use all your strength to grasp tightly to what you can get, cherish them. Finally, calmly accept the things you have no way of changing, like death, like fate.”

Bitterness filled Wen Xiao’s heart. Fate only played tricks on people, how could she accept it calmly? Fate had taken nearly everything, fate had made her the Wilderness’s new Baize Goddess, yet without the power of the goddess, no different from an ordinary person, even inferior to an common person. She had a hollow reputation, so what could she do? She could only look on helplessly, watching everything her master gave her life to protect fall apart.

Wen Xiao stubbornly tensed her lips and pinched the hem of her skirt tightly between her fingers, refusing to cry. She could not let fate have its way.

“Can fate possibly be changed?” Wen Xiao’s voice trembled.

“He says it can, but I don’t think so.” Great Demon thought a moment, then answered honestly.

“Are you mortal, too?” Wen Xiao looked down, expression dark and dull.

“Yes.” But sometimes death wasn’t so easy. Great Demon didn’t say that.

Wen Xiao couldn’t believe him. Shocked, she turned her head to look at Great Demon’s back. He was mortal? Wen Xiao only knew Great Demon had lived a long, long time; she’d never thought he was also mortal.

Unable to clearly explain her fear of death, fear of parting, fear of loneliness, or anything, Wen Xiao fell silent for a time, then she couldn’t hold back the sobs any longer. Her shoulders shivered as she cried.

“Don’t worry, I won’t randomly die. I will always accompany you. A demon’s life is long compared to a human’s, I won’t abandon you to be alone,” Great Demon hastily explained, the expression on his mask becoming somewhat helpless.

“I don’t believe you. You just said it: Everyone dies, fate can’t be changed!” Wen Xiao cried out like a child. Tears blurring her vision, Great Demon handed over a sheet of paper stamped with a handprint of blood. 

Wen Xiao looked at Great Demon’s hand where the wound had yet to heal, his slender fingers still wet with blood.

“Keep that safe. In the future we’ll see who is right.” Great Demon turned to Wen Xiao, mask changing to a smiling face as he handed Wen Xiao this contract of his solemn promise.

After Wen Xiao conscientiously folded it, she placed it in her bag with the greatest of care. Then, she wiped her tears and her swollen-red eyes, and smiled at the Great Demon.

Great Demon gently patted Wen Xiao’s slim shoulder, reassuring. His hand wasn’t cold, it felt warm like a human’s hand. His voice came softly: “As a matter of fact… the years are endless, life isn’t necessarily good, and death isn’t necessarily bad. What’s most important is…”

“Is what?” Wen Xiao didn’t understand.

“Why we live and why we die.”

Wen Xiao still didn’t understand, but Great Demon seemed as if he had no plans to go on and explain. Perhaps he didn’t understand himself. Great Demon sat down beside her, softly humming a Wilderness lullaby.

In the vast space between heaven and earth, amid the weeds there sat a grave, a human, and a demon.

On that windless, moonlight night, Great Demon carried Wen Xiao on the long road from the empty Wilderness to the lively, bustling human world. His footsteps never stopped, as if rushing toward a fixed destination. A familiar uneasiness grew in Wen Xiao’s heart as she clung to Great Demon’s back, fingers gripping tight in his clothes.

“Great Demon, where are you taking me?”

“Tiandu.”

“You’re not going to keep looking after me?” Wen Xiao’s tone made it hard to tell: Was she angry at the thought of being abandoned, pleading in fear, or both?

Great Demon paused, head lowered, as emotions churned in his heart. His body shook. After a time, his words flowed steadfast without hesitation: “I will come find you.”

CHAPTER ONE: DEMON HUNTING BUREAU

“Wen Xiao… Wen Xiao…”

Through her muddled consciousness, someone softly called her name by her ear. Seawater, black reef rocks, blood stains, white clothes… Broken memories flashed through her mind one by one, visions of that space between heaven and earth separating, twisting, distorting until Wen Xiao saw a great demon in a mask crouched down, calmly gazing at her.

The noisy wind stopped blowing, the waves quieted, and the Wilderness fell silent as if had frozen. Great Demon lifted a slender finger to grip the bottom of his mask, leaving a bloodstain. He slowly lifted his mask… pale skin, lips red like blood. He gradually curled the corner of his mouth revealing white teeth in a demonic smile.

Suddenly, a rolling thunderclap burst by Wen Xiao’s ear…

She woke with a start sitting at her writing desk. Outside the library, rain howled and pounded, thunder rolling continuously. Cool breezes blew in from all sides, ruffling book pages.

She’d dreamt again about that Great Demon who didn’t keep his promises.

A stout library official hurriedly set down a book, raced over to find an inkstone, then used it to press down fluttering pages. Turning his head, he only then noticed Wen Xiao sitting there blankly, her eyes unfocused, with blood flowing from her nose. He jumped, startled, and hurriedly gestured at her nose. “Aiya, Wen… Official Wen, why again…?”

Wen Xiao was used to this. She wiped the blood from her nose with a silk handkerchief and stood to quickly run out of the room. “I have to go!”

“Use the rear door! Don’t let them discover you snuck out again! Ai…” the library official called after her.

“I understand, I understand, don’t worry…” Wen Xiao said as she walked further away.

---

This rain in Tiandu was truly fierce. Wen Xiao held a bamboo umbrella. She’d already shed the inexperienced young girl she’d been. She was now a woman with glossy skin and eyes like water and almond, lovely but not flirtatious, black hair worn in a bun without complicated adornments, save for a writing brush stuck in her hair serving as a hairpin.

Sunset and sunrise, sunrise and sunset, in the blink of an eye Wen Xiao had already passed her eighth year at the Demon Hunting Bureau. Before she’d come here, the Demon Hunting Bureau had gone through a significant event.

Eight years earlier, with the death of the Baize Goddess and the Baize power still lost, many demons took advantage of the turmoil to steal away from the Wilderness—among them, the most notorious and vicious demon, Zhu Yan. He massacred the Demon Hunting Bureau. Overnight, the bureau filled with mountains of bodies amid the rivers of blood. Not even a half month of heavy rain could disperse the heavy smell of death.

Inside that mountain of the dead was the Commander of Demon Hunting Bureau, the older brother of one Zhuo Yichen. From then on, the Bureau declined with each passing day. Chongwu Camp seized all the duties that had once belonged to the Demon Hunting Bureau.

This year, the Bureau’s soldiers were in even shorter supply, the rear door all but unguarded.

Wen Xiao left through that door. Her walk unhurried, she veered toward a narrow alley. All around was quiet, very few pedestrians about. On either side, rain battered the upturned eaves, pouring in ribbons along the green-tiled wooden walls. The green vines and moss were exceptionally vibrant.

Rapid winds hitting her face, Wen Xiao caught a scent, a moist fragrance of grass and trees, and… the delicious aroma of noodles.

Steam rose from the soup pot. The noodle vendor let out a sigh as he gathered his drenched wooden tables and chairs, muttering that if it rained again, he’d have no way to do business. The oilcloth canopy covered only one table easily. Plaited bamboo hat on her head and gauze veil over her face, a girl in pink clothes sat there happily drinking tea.

Following the scent of noodles, Wen Xiao stepped beneath the canopy, closing her umbrella.

“One bowl of plain noodles, thank you.” Wen Xiao casually sat down opposite the girl in pink.

The shopkeeper eagerly echoed her order. With his worries about having no business soothed, he set to work happily boiling noodles.

In the blink of an eye, a bowl of steaming noodles was set down in front of Wen Xiao. Clear broth with drops of oil floating on the surface, topped with sliced greens and a scatter of scallions.

Black-veiled eyes calmly observed Wen Xiao’s every movement. Wen Xiao minded her own business and lifted a small bottle from the tabletop. On the bottle, a narrow bamboo label marked it “Sugar.” Wen Xiao looked at the label, expression vexed, and lifted her head: “May I trouble you, little sister? I don’t know this character. Could you tell me if this is salt or sugar?”

The girl in pink leaned forward, examined the character, gave a little laugh, then answered, “Salt.”

“Thank you, little sister.” Wen Xiao lifted the bottle and poured some into her noodles.

The black veil lifted in a puff of wind, revealing a glimpse of the girl’s charming, adorable face. Only 15 or 16 years old, she had round cheeks, large eyes shifting, corners of her mouth betraying a cunning smile.

Wen Xiao watched the girl. With a smile, she asked, “Little sister, you are so pretty. Why are you wearing a hat and a veil?”

“The sun is so bright. I’m afraid I’ll get sunburnt and no amount of pearl powder would be enough to make my cheeks white.”

Wen Xiao looked to the downpour beyond the rain canopy. “That makes sense. Little sister, could you hand me a pair of chopsticks?”

From the thick bamboo tube, the pink-clad girl extracted three chopsticks and handed them to Wen Xiao.

Just as she handed them over, in the blink of an eye, Wen Xiao seized her wrist. The chopsticks clattered to the tabletop. The girl’s pupils shrank. Her free hand slapped the table and the fallen chopsticks shot into the air, flying straight for Wen Xiao’s face. When Wen Xiao dodged, the girl in pink turned to run.

Wen Xiao’s ice-cold fingers nimbly coiled like a snake and firmly tugged her to a stop. Frowning, the girl in pink turned, grabbed a tea cup from the table, then the teapot, and threw them one after another.

In a great rush, the bamboo hat fell and from within the girl’s thick coils of hair emerged two, long downy ears. Her lantern-red eyes filled with fear. Wen Xiao dexterously crossed the table. Before the girl could escape the awning, Wen Xiao again grabbed her wrist. This time the girl’s tears of pain fell quickly, and she glowered resentfully at Wen Xiao.

Wen Xiao still gave an indifferent laugh. “Sure enough, the prettier the child, the more deceitful they are.”

“You deceived me first. You have a writing brush in your hair, but you said you were illiterate. You’re worse than I am.” The girl’s cheeks puffed indignantly.

Wen Xiao wasn’t annoyed, but she gentled her grasp on her wrist. Then, she flicked her other hand in an elegant arc and sprayed powder at the girl in pink.

“You…what is this?” The girl had a bad feeling.

“An essential knockout drug—Huanling powder. Never fails. It cures the disease of telling lies.” At that, Wen Xiao released her with a sweet smile, voice kind and honest, not forceful, eyes black in the settling twilight.

She bent over to tie up the pink-clad girl, just in case she tried to run as they traveled to the Demon Hunting Bureau. Then, she put some money on the tabletop, wishing good luck to the shopkeeper who had passed out from fear. Feeling guilty, she added a few more coins.

---

Two streets away, in a sparsely populated area, there was a large, four-sided former residence. A red-painted sign with a black and gold inscription hung crookedly over the entrance. It read “Demon Hunting Bureau” in three large characters. This was the Bureau’s front gate. A thick layer of dust coated it, and rings upon rings of spiderwebs, so that the characters were very dim.

A man carrying an umbrella gazed at this inscribed board. He was tall, his bearing imposing in long, black robes. Rainwater dripped down from the edges of his umbrella as he lightly tipped it upward to reveal pale skin and blood-red lips. Slowly, the corners of his mouth crooked upward, showing white teeth in a demonic smile.

He turned the umbrella handle in his grasp; the small bells hanging on the fringe let out clear, tinkling chimes. The guard leaning fast asleep against the lantern post awoke with a startle. He looked down the steps at the man holding the open umbrella and shouted, “The Demon Hunting Bureau is closed to the public. Unauthorized people cannot enter.”

The umbrella’s edge tilted upward again to show a handsome face with thick, straight eyebrows. He looked little more than 20 years old, though white hair streaked his temples. The smile he gave was polite, if one could overlook the aura of menace surrounding his body.

“I’ve come to pay a visit to Commander Zhuo Yichen. I must trouble you to announce me.” His voice was gentle and kind.

The guard’s tone gentled a little in response. “Do you have an invitation?”

“I do not.” His smiled remained as he answered plainly.

The guard’s brows knit in confusion. “Why have you come to pay a visit?”

“I have some free time, so I came to share a cup of wine with Commander Zhuo Yichen.”

At that, the guard raised his hands to shoo the man away. “Commander Zhuo is busy. Where does he have free time to drink wine with you? You’re just an admirer our refined and elegant commander and want to visit here because of his reputation. I see lots like you! Get out of here! Go!”

“But I’m not a person,” the man explained with a smile.

The guard stared blankly. Hearing those words, he slowly lowered his hand.

“I’m a demon. You, go deliver a message. Tell Commander Zhuo Yichen that the demon he has always wanted to kill, Zhu Yan, has come to find him.”

As the man’s smile grew warmer, the guard’s whole body felt colder, his scalp tingling. He backed up in fear and let out a shout as he fled inside the building. “Zhu… Zhu-Zhu-Zhu Yan! A demon is at the door! Commander Zhuo—!”

The man frowned, regarding with disdain the guard running off and stuttering out his name. He lifted his head, returning his gaze to the dust-covered “Demon Hunting Bureau” sign. He raised an eyebrow, then lifted his pinched fingers to whisper an incantation through red lips. The inscribed board abruptly moved, shaking off the cobwebs and dust until it was clean.

The man lowered his head with a thin, satisfied smile.

---

Down the long street, two figures—one blue and one white, one short and one tall—walked beneath a single umbrella. One strolled carefreely, eyes ahead and smile on her lips. The other walked bearing a pitiable expression, following unwillingly. A strip of red cloth, a demonic rope marked with runes, bound their hands together.

“… You’re from Chongwu Camp?” the girl in pink asked. When she journeyed out today, she’d forgotten to consult the divination almanac, and now she’d fallen into the hands of a Chongwu Camp soldier. Wouldn’t it be better to die? Thinking this, her large eyes filled quickly with glistening tears.

“I have no martial arts talents, how could I be from Chongwu Camp? I’m just interested in demons, that’s all.”

Not from Chongwu Camp… Could this be just an ordinary person? An ordinary person who isn’t scared of demons?

“Who are you? You don’t fear demons?” The pink-clad girl gave a puzzled blink-blink of her eyes.

“Just one little rabbit who loves to tell lies. How could I, Wen Xiao, possibly be afraid?” Wen Xiao looked at her, her meaning clear.

“You’re Wen Xiao?” The girl practically yelped at hearing Wen Xiao’s name. Surprise, fear, respect, and still a little doubt and suspicion crossed her face in turns. Lastly, she earnestly looked at Wen Xiao from head to toe, evaluating.

Wen Xiao observed the girl’s reaction, smilingly slightly, but that smile still showed some frustration. “Ah, so sure enough, I’m quite famous among demons…”

The girl’s long, downy ears darted into the black coil of her hair, mouth gaping. “No, no, no, you’re just an unknown little girl. No one knows who you are.” In her heart, however, she thought, right, right, right; there’s not a demon who doesn’t know Official Wen Xiao! The Wilderness’s newly appointed goddess, her reputation simply reverberated like thunder, a very important name, renowned far and wide. It’s just a pity…

Wen Xiao reached out to lightly pinch the rabbit ears. “Deceptive Beasts. They look like rabbits, have human faces, and can speak—speaking ‘East’ while pointing West, speaking evil and acting nice… The one mostly likely to lie is you, isn’t that right, little liar?”

Wen Xiao remembered the accounts in the books: Deceptive Beasts say one thing and mean another, the words of their mouths contrary to the wants of their hearts. So, at the very beginning, she intentionally asked the Deceptive Beast a question to observe its reaction.

The Deceptive Beast used her hand to protect her ears, rejecting Wen Xiao’s attempt to play with her rabbit ears. “Wrong! Absolutely wrong!” Right, right, right, everything she said was right.

Wen Xiao continued, “Deceptive Beasts, even though they’re demonic animals, have the natural instinct to goodness. They are not vicious beasts—”

“But you still captured me!?” the Deceptive Beast interrupted.

Wen Xiao raised an eyebrow and began leisurely listing the beast’s crime: “Although not a vicious beast, you used your beauty to wreak havoc and disturb the peace. Of course I have to capture you. Half a year ago, you disguised yourself as a merchant to swindle ten taels of gold from the rice merchant Mr. Zhang. One month ago, you deceived the sincere heart of Wang, the great painter of Qingxin Studio. Now, Mr. Zhang has suffered grievous losses. Doubting him, his wife took his money and left with his adopted daughter. He had no choice but to report you to authorities. As for that Master Wang, after losing his heart to you, he’s been ruined, crying all day long.”

The beast’s face reddened as she listened. These situations weren’t as simple as they seemed. She anxiously opened her mouth, unable to stop herself from giving an explanation. “Big sister, don’t listen to idle talk. That Mr. Zhang is indeed a philanthropist renowned throughout the countryside. He heard of the drought that ruined the harvest, so he spent quite a lot of money to buy up all the rice from a few nearby villages. He says rice and grain will be in short supply in the future, so it’s a good idea to ensure that the people of Tiandu will have food to eat. … How could I deceive him! The heavens punish with lightning those who deceive good people!”

The beast’s face grew only redder as she explained it all in one breath, finishing with a vexed stamp of her foot. With a resigned droop of her shoulders, she let out a long sigh.

Wen Xiao attentively listened to her. Because the truth in the Deceptive Beast’s heart would contradict her words, she must be speaking in opposites. “Mn, I understand now,” Wen Xiao said. “Mr. Zhang was hoarding rice to swindle desperate people. He’s a profiteer.”

“Wah!” The Deceptive Beast lifted her head, big eyes bright like fire.

“And Master Wang?” Wen Xiao continued on.

“Master Wang is an exceptional talent,” the beast replied. “From the singing girls at the dance hall to the daughters of wealthy families, there’s no one who is not filled with admiration for his knowledge and logic. Master Wang has friends everywhere. He abandoned his former lover for me…”

Wen Xiao nodded. “Understood. Master Wang was never satisfied with what he had. His high morals were merely a gold coating over scum.”

The Deceptive Beast vigorously shook her head and added, “Ah! My love for them was more solid than gold!”

Wen Xiao fully understood. “Mn. You were pretending.”

“Big sister, I really did nothing wrong.” Saying this, the beast’s eyes drifted to one side and she looked a little afraid.

“Your heart is very clear; these were bad things. Living creatures take many forms; good and evil intermingle. But evildoers will naturally meet someone’s laws to give them the punishment they deserve. You deceived and seduced. Although your original aspiration was good, you still disturbed the peace in the human world. The penalty should be death,” Wen Xiao said firmly and the beast seemed to wither, her ears drooping.

Wen Xiao couldn’t bear to see this, so she comfortingly added, “Don’t worry. This isn’t so big a deal. You’ll be imprisoned a few months, then returned to the Great Wilderness, that’s all—”

Suddenly, the Deceptive Beast began to shiver from head to toe.

Wen Xiao didn’t understand. “Why are you getting so nervous? You’ll be cared for while you’re locked up. You’ll have food and water. Don’t worry—”

The beast fixed her gaze behind Wen Xiao, complexion paling and breath coming short. “No, no… Big sister, look…”

Before she’d even finished speaking, the clatter of horse hooves neared. Whips cracked like an oncoming thunderstorm and a black horse bore down on Wen Xiao. Watching passively as the black horse was about to strike her, the rider unhurriedly drew tight the reins and finally halted the fine steed. Wen Xiao lifted her head, but stayed rooted to her spot, bamboo umbrella in hand, making no attempt to dodge.

The man atop the black horse wore a military uniform with a token of authority fastened at his waist. On it were two characters spelling “Chongwu.” Three people in matching uniforms rode behind him, all of them soldiers from Chongwu Camp.

“Hand over the demon beast.” The leader had the bearing of command and his order invited no questions.

Wen Xiao slowly raised her head to look directly at him, unyielding as she replied, “I am the archivist of the Demon Hunting Bureau. I have the authority to bring this Deceptive Beast back to the Demon Hunting Bureau.”

The leader laughed. “Demon Hunting Bureau? Isn’t your courtyard covered in moss and spiderwebs? That place became nothing but a name a long time ago, and you still think you can challenge Chongwu Camp’s authority? Step aside at once!”

Wen Xiao said, “This Deceptive Beast is small and weak with little power. Though it tells lies, its heart is kind. Those it deceived were evil people. Its actions require punishment, but that punishment should not be death.“

The beast watched as Wen Xiao protected her, her gaze flashing. This was the first time anyone had spoken for her. Common people only knew that her mouth spoke lies. Once branded a liar, they could never believe her heart held any goodness. But in this world, there were so many robbers, murderers, arsonists, heartless philanderers and two-faced hypocrites. Do good and evil ultimately lie in the heart, or only in what can be seen and heard? She and Official Wen Xiao were strangers who met by chance, yet she understood the misery in her heart, listened so carefully to her words. Official Wen Xiao listened to her and saw her true heart. The beast’s gaze filled with gratitude. She thought, if Official Wen Xiao became the true goddess of the Wilderness…

The leader knew that the winner of this struggle would certainly be Chongwu Camp. But he didn’t like this woman who stayed so calm in this volatile situation. He wanted to find her weak spot, to provoke some sort of response. He bent over to sneer at her, a dangerous glare. “…I’ve heard that you’ve protected demons since childhood, always so softhearted towards them. You’ve freed so many monsters. But then, eight years ago, the evilest of them all, Zhu Yan, attacked the Demon Hunting Bureau and nearly destroyed them completely. Would you plead for him, too?”

Wen Xiao was struck silent a moment. Then, she leveled him in her gaze and said, “The demon beast Zhu Yan is a murderous evildoer. But Chongwu Camp uses murder to stop murder. What’s the difference, then, between you and Zhu Yan?”

At these words, a few Chongwu soldiers stopped smiling, expressions turning ruthless.

“Shut up! Attack!” With this command from their leader, several men suddenly drew their weapons, rushing forward to seize the Deceptive Beast.

At once, Wen Xiao pulled the dagger from her waist to face the enemy. But then, suddenly, a familiar pain sliced through her chest like a hand recklessly yanking at her heart.

Why at this moment? Why now?

In an instant, Wen Xiao’s strength failed. The dagger slipped from her hand and fell to the ground. She panted, struggling to breathe, and collapsed with a hand to her chest.

Upon seeing this, the Deceptive Beast anxiously tugged on Wen Xiao. “Big sister, why are you putting on an act right now?”

“I’m not acting…” Wen Xiao’s voice grew even weaker and frailer, her face devoid of color.

A Chongwu soldier needed no more than that pause to charge forward, sword lifted to slash at the beast.

Wen Xiao shoved the Deceptive Beast away from her, using all her strength to keep the Chongwu’s blade distant. Her knuckles whitened, arms shaking. The disparity between her and these Chongwu forces could not be greater. He brought his sword down bit by bit with incredible force…

The burly fellow wielding the blade eagerly watched Wen Xiao exhaust her energy with this weak resistance. He sneered at her, laughing, yet the power in his blow was unaffected. It delighted him to see her overwhelmed and all her attempts to resist fail.

“Go!” Wen Xiao roared out through gritted teeth.

Everything happened quickly. The Deceptive Beast’s response was too late. As if Wen Xiao’s cry woke her back up, she turned to help the fallen goddess. Wen Xiao withdrew her hand. The icy blade stabbed her shoulder. Blood soaked her blue clothes. The pain didn’t stop her from grabbing her dagger and swiftly severing the red cloth binding her and the Deceptive Beast together.

“Go!”

A short distance away, the Chongwu leader plucked an arrow from his quiver. Above the arrow’s metal tip was a round red ore that looked like crystal. Indeed, this was a kind of extremely solid ore capable of rendering all demons half-dead with fright. He whistled, narrowed his eyes to take aim at the Deceptive Beast, and drew back the bowstring with an unhurried hand, like teasing prey in a trap.

The Deceptive Beast gritted her teeth and finally made up her mind. She turned to jump high into the eaves.

Wen Xiao watched the demon’s departing form, her jaw slack with a weak smile. Today, in this situation, they both wanted to take flight. It hardly seemed possible, even if one of them escaped unscathed, to call this a victory.

Whiz! Beside Wen Xiao’s ear there came this sound of splitting wind. Dong! A heavy object fell to the ground. Wen Xiao’s fragile smile died on her lips. A pink-clothed form already lay still on the road.

“Fall in!” The leader called out, ready to get on with his business, reluctantly sheathing his weapon.

Wen Xiao immediately crawled to the dying demon. The beast’s body was run through with an arrow, arrowhead tearing through flesh where a strange, red smoke rose from the wound like a fast-evaporating mist of blood. Wen Xiao softly held the beast in her final moments. Something seemed lodged in her throat, trapping her breaths. The throbbing ache in Wen Xiao’s heart was even more intense.

“She has never committed any heinous crimes, why do you insist upon killing her so ruthlessly?” Eyes red, Wen Xiao glared resentfully at the Chongwu men. 

The leader snorted coldly, snapped tight the reins, and leisurely turned away. “Chongwu Camp has orders to punish demons, so this was the fulfilment of our duties. Swords have no eyes, so if people from the Demon Hunting Bureau insist on blocking the way, any wounds received have nothing to do with Chongwu Camp. We’ll take our leave.”

The Deceptive Beast’s two rabbit ears drooped weakly. She extended a finger to gently tug on Wen Xiao’s sleeve. She opened her mouth, wanting to speak but instead spat out a mouthful of blood. Big sister was okay; she won.

“You want to say something?” Wen Xiao hurried to look at her. She bowed her head to bring her ear close to her.

The beast smiled. Bloody saliva blocked her throat. Her voice husky, so weak it was nearly covered by the sound of rain, she said, “Big sister, thank you…”

Wen Xiao was panic-stricken to hear those words, misery rising in her heart. Deceptive Beasts said ‘East’ while pointing West, spoke evil and acted nice, so she’s blaming me… She should blame me.

“I’m sorry. This is my fault. I’m useless. I couldn’t save you.”

The beast shook her head. She still wanted to say something, but could no longer utter a single syllable. She could only gurgle on the blood flowing from her mouth until she finally closed her eyes.

The heavy sensation in Wen Xiao’s chest grew light and lighter. The Deceptive Beast’s body glowed with a flickering light, tiny pieces floating upward to disperse and dissipate her form into the misty rain.

The soul flew away and scattered.

Demons kill humans, humans kill demons, demons kill demons, humans kill humans, as long as those with power behaved unscrupulously, making no distinction between good and evil, regarding life as no more than grass, this world’s slaughters would never end. The Baize Goddess should be the check and balance on all this chaos, but Wen Xiao lacked the goddess’s powers. Now here was the proof. She couldn’t protect a small, powerless Deceptive Beast, let alone protect the common people. It was laughable.

Wen Xiao lifted her head to watch those rising spots of light, drifting close with the raindrops that fell into her eyes to mix with her tears.

The rolling thunder crashed overhead and the heavy rain fell in torrents over a desolate, silent street.

Only Wen Xiao remained, kneeling quietly on the ground, her arms embracing empty air.

---

The soldier sent to deliver the report was taking a long time to return, the man with the umbrella thought; he probably wouldn’t return at all. So he simply opened his umbrella and walked into the Demon Hunting Bureau.

Such a big courtyard with not a soul in sight, silent save for the plink-plink of raindrops falling on slabstones.

The man with the umbrella’s ears twitched; behind the falling rain, he became aware of every little sound:

Behind a pillar, a hand held a plumed arrow between finger and thumb, slowly putting it to bowstring.

On the second floor, several pairs of black boots softly moved along wooden planks, moving with small steps.

Looking closely, several black shadows crept over the rooftops, knife-wielding hands pressed tight to the moss, waiting for action.

The man with the umbrella’s lips curved in a light smile and he murmured, “Three, two, one—” He turned suddenly, folded his umbrella, and extended it like a sword. The tip of his umbrella instantly collided with a sword speared at him from behind. The umbrella flared open, becoming a shield. A powerful force surged from the umbrella’s surface, sending the surprise attacker flying back.

The dark figure leapt off the eaves, a silvery-white sword in hand. The sword pulsed with a dim silver-blue light. The man lifted the umbrella, conveniently blocking the down-slashing sword. The sword-wielder clearly excelled in martial arts—the surge of power from the umbrella only blasted him backward—yet his sword couldn’t pierce what looked like a flimsy paper-thin umbrella. The man holding the umbrella leisurely scanned upward, over the edge of his umbrella, until he saw two cold, ice-blue eyes.

The man with the umbrella understood clearly now. The Cloud-Light Sword. Looked like this was the Demon Hunting Bureau’s Commander Zhuo Yichen.

Zhuo Yichen met the eyes of the man with the umbrella, brows knit in displeasure. The sword blade bent as he used it to flip himself and launch straight at the man.

Zhuo Yichen dressed all in black, valiant and formidable, black hair bound high. No more than 20 years old, he had refined features but a murderous intent in the pinch between two unusual eyes, pale and blue like ash.

The soldiers prostrate atop the houses and those with bows drawn were clearly under his command. They rapidly gathered to surround the man with the umbrella.

The man smiled delicately and lifted one finger to push away the sword aimed right between his eyes. His lighthearted tone broke the stern atmosphere. “Ah, unexpectedly, the Bingyi Clan’s Cloud-Light Sword is in your hand. Commander Zhuo Yichen is remarkable.”

“A demon’s mouth is not worthy to speak my name!” Zhuo Yichen’s eyes churned with fury. He aimed the sword back at the man with the umbrella.

The man smoothly evaded the swing and continued, “Commander Zhuo, I forgot to introduce myself. These days I’m called Zhao Yuanzhou. Would it be possible, for the time being, to stop speaking of the past?”

Zhuo Yichen ignored him. His movements were direct and efficient, his attacks ruthless and deadly.

From the handle of his umbrella, Zhao Yuanzhou withdrew a sword. Then, he immediately turned the umbrella around and stabbed right at Zhuo Yichen. The umbrella opened to block Zhao Yuanzhou’s body and face. Zhuo Yichen flashed a look: his hand was already empty—his long sword under the umbrella like sliding into it as if into a scabbard.

Zhuo Yichen only felt a tingling in his wrist from the shock when his sword slipped from his hand. The umbrella closed like the mouth of a monster tidily swallowing it down. Then, the umbrella shot out and landed back in a slender hand.

Zhao Yuanzhou clutched the umbrella and casually sat atop the eaves, waving his hand to stop. “Your Demon Hunting Bureau has been desolate for eight years, rooftop tiles broken and overgrown with long grasses. Recently, there’s finally been an opportunity to rebuild. I specially came here to congratulate you, and Commander Zhuo attacks me with a sword. Ai…”

And just why had the Demon Hunting Bureau become desolate? How could the cause of that disaster have such audacity to say that? Zhuo Yichen’s eyes reddened with tears, his breaths coming fast and violent; it was as if that bloody night eight years ago stretched before him in this very moment.

“Zhu Yan, you are guilty of monstrous crimes. Today, I will get my revenge and kill you.”

“If you want to kill me that Cloud-Light sword isn’t enough.” Zhao Yuanzhou casually raised a finger and spoke a spell. The tip of his finger glowed with an indistinct golden rune. “Move.” Dozens of rooftop tiles on either side of them flew at Zhuo Yichen like fluttering flocks of black birds.

Zhuo Yichen lifted his left arm. A mass of white light formed a shield. The flying tiles struck only the light and shattered on the ground in a messy heap. He then pushed off with one foot, lifting to the air in a leap at Zhao Yuanzhou, bearing down menacingly. His clenched his empty left hand and the sword that had been hidden in the umbrella flew back into his grasp. The sword blade stirred up a billowing, turbulent cyclone of air and in the blink of an eye, Zhou Yichen stood before Zhao Yuanzhou.

The soldiers had never seen their Commander Zhuo like this, like someone gone berserk, ready to fight to the last gasp. They were in formation, but no order had been given and they dare not rush into action without command.

Zhao Yuanzhou, on the other hand, did not bat an eye. He stood, hands clasped behind his back. His eyes closed as a sword stabbed into his chest. Zhuo Yichen couldn’t figure out what trick he was up to this time, but he had been waiting for this moment for so long, for Zhu Yan to repay blood with blood. Zhuo Yichen’s thoughts of slaughter thickened, the Cloud-Light sword’s rays glowing only more magnificent…

“Commander Zhuo, spare his life! Commander Zhuo, spare him!”

The shout penetrated through the courtyard. A man, older than 40 years, dressed in the robes of an official, ran in with his hands raised. This was none other than the Deputy Commander, Situ Ming.

Panting, Situ Ming rushed near just in time to see the usually soft-spoken Commander Zhuo looking murderous, like he’d been replaced by a different person. And his sword was already buried in Zhao Yuanzhou’s chest.

Situ Ming looked, then, at the stabbed man, who stood with eyes closed. His breath caught in his throat. Was he too late? Was he already dead?

“I can spare a man, not a demon.” Zhuo Yichen stood perfectly straight, eyes trained on Zhao Yuanzhou. The sword in his hand didn’t yield even the slightest amount in good will.

“Nn…rigorous. Zhuo Daren is truly rigorous.” Zhao Yuanzhou abruptly opened his eyes and spoke, startling Situ Ming.

Situ Ming hurried to Zhuo Yichen’s side and lightly grasped his sword arm, wanting him to retreat. Voice kind, he said, “Commander Zhuo, for now, let’s not worry about whether he’s a man or a demon…”

Zhuo Yichen didn’t move.

Situ Ming sighed at his stubbornness—ten horse-drawn carriages couldn’t move him. If only Official Wen Xiao were here, she might be able to persuade him. Yet, if this person was really Zhu Yan, if the murderer of Zhuo Yichen’s father and older brother stood now before his eyes… who could endure it? Such a difficult, personal job required even greater reliance on their higher principles.

Situ Ming turned to Zhao Yuanzhou, adopting the stern face of the Deputy Commander. He pulled a fold of parchment from the breast of his robes. “Did you write this letter to Lord Fan?”

“I did.”

“Is what you wrote true?”

“Of course, it’s true. I’m no Deceptive Beast,” Zhao Yuanzhou responded with a smile, everso cooperative.

Situ Ming shot him a doubtful look. Could this person really be the vicious, blood-thirsty Zhu Yan? He had no demonic aura at all. He seemed to be just a gentle, proud, ethereally handsome man who was all smiles, harmless to both man and beast…

“Obviously you’re not a Deceptive Beast, you’re a vile white monkey,” Zhuo Yichen spat coldly.

“White ape. Ape.” Zhao Yuanzhou quickly corrected him; there was a huge difference between a monkey and an ape!

He still had the heart to joke? Zhuo Yichen scowled in displeasure and stabbed the sword deeper another inch.

Zhao Yuanzhou winced in pain and lifted his hands in surrender. “Okay…monkey. I’m a monkey.”

“The words of evil beasts cannot be trusted. Today I must kill you and have my revenge!”

Two gazes met. Zhao Yuanzhou looked clearly into Zhuo Yichen’s eyes to see his murderous rage hadn’t diminished even a bit. His smile dropped entirely, face turning cold like ice-frost as dim, red power gathered around his whole body.

“My patience has run out,” he said. “You can strike me down, but all 16 guards here will accompany me to the grave with their hearts and veins shattered.”

Demon! He was truly a vile demon!

Frightened by the swirling demonic energy, Situ Ming unconsciously stepped back while his brain tried to make sense of this sudden, dramatic change. If Zhu Yan wanted to slaughter everyone within the Demon Hunting Bureau again, then he could just get started. Why write a letter? And just now, it seemed his provocation was to let Commander Zhuo vent his rage by stabbing him in the chest. All the while he gave a welcoming smile. It was clear: The words in that letter were genuine and true. So this change, this threat to the lives of others, was an admission of defeat—now, he would try to scare Commander Zhuo into temporarily putting aside his hatred to discuss matters of vital importance.

Straightening out these thoughts, Situ Ming gathered his courage to move closer to Zhuo Yichen and to try one more time to persuade him. But before he could utter a word, Zhuo Yichen’s gaze sharpened and he took a fighting stance.

Zhao Yuanzhou’s lips moved slightly. A soldier let out a horrible shriek as he fell to the ground, paralyzed, vomiting a mouthful of blood. He lay there twitching in agony.

Situ Ming understood the gravity of the threat and called to Zhuo Yichen, “Mr. Zhuo! Commander Zhuo! Please put away your sword!”

Zhuo Yichen stood silent, unmoving in the falling rain, eyes red and trained unyieldingly on Zhao Yuanzhou. He wouldn’t give in. The grasp on his sword only tightened, but his hand trembled.

“I will count from three,” Zhao Yuanzhou said. “Will you put away your sword? Three, two, one—”

Victory or defeat was actually decided long ago. Zhao Yuanzhou used the lives of others to threaten and coerce, knowing for certain that Zhuo Yichen dare not lose the gamble. The veins on Zhuo Yichen’s forehead bulged. Finally, he grit his teeth and withdrew his longsword from Zhao Yuanzhou’s chest.

The fallen soldier stopped twitching. He gasped for breath and two of his fellow soldiers rushed forward to carry him away.

“Are you unhappy?” Zhao Yuanzhou asked.

Zhuo Yichen didn’t answer, breathing tight and heavy.

Zhao Yuanzhou smiled. “It’s okay to feel unhappy. The affairs of this world, they don’t go as planned nine times out of ten. Commander Zhuo, you better get used to it.”

“You despicable villain, there will come a day when I will use my Cloud-Light sword to pierce your heart—” Zhuo Yichen raised his sword anew to point it at Zhao Yuanzhou.

“You mean like this?” Zhao Yuanzhou abruptly took a step forward and diligently, step by step, let the sword plunge into his heart.

Zhuo Yichen stared at Zhao Yuanzhou in disbelief, but what surprised him was not the sudden, drastic movement. What surprised him was…his Cloud-Light Sword had already penetrated deep into the demon’s heart, and yet he was not dead. 

It seemed Zhao Yuanzhou could read these thoughts. Mockingly, he said, “Wasn’t I just telling you? Looks like Mr. Zhuo simply didn’t listen. You cannot kill me. Is that even more painful?”

Situ Ming thought to himself, This demon really knew how to find a person’s heart. Commander Zhuo was forthright and honest; he couldn’t stand provocation like this. He didn’t dare allow these two people to continue talking and hastened forward to mediate between them. “Mr. Zhuo, consider the bigger picture. Let’s listen to what he plans to do.”

Zhuo Yichen sheathed his sword, turned his back, and didn’t speak another word. Since he couldn’t kill Zhu Yan, he already understood the demon’s purpose in going about things in such a roundabout way.

Zhao Yuanzhou restrained his demonic energy, then he casually lowered his fingers to his heart. With a flow of golden light, the blood vanished, the flesh healed, and his sliced clothing was like new.

“You presented a petition to the emperor requesting that the Demon Hunting Bureau be restored,” he said. “Although the prime minister does his utmost to vouch for you, the Chongwu Camp has become an obstacle. Emperor Xiang has not yet given his approval, so I’ve come today to give you a present.”

Situ Ming asked, “What present?”

Zhao Yuanzhou pointed at himself. “Me—the great demon Zhu Yan, arrested and brought to justice. You can take the credit and receive the reward. Mr. Zhuo, does this gift satisfy you?”

Zhuo Yichen gave a grunt of disapproval. “I’m still not satisfied.”

“No? Mr. Zhuo is so greedy. Then how can I satisfy you?” Zhao Yuanzhou said with an exaggerated pout.

Zhuo Yichen turned back to face him. The seething hatred was gone from his eyes. Instead, his expression was placid like a frozen lake. “Let’s talk again in a place that better suits you.”

Chapter One (continued)

Zhao Yuanzhou gave himself to the custody of Zhuo Yichen in a place that better suited him—the Demon Hunting Bureau’s dungeon. This place was heavily guarded and completely dark. The drifting air, damp with the thick scent of mildew and moss, was nauseating to breathe. The only light came from torches hanging on the walls, showing just enough to make it even more gloomy and unsettling.

Zhao Yuanzhou’s hands and feet were secured with heavy chains, the other end secured to the wall. The craftsmen used dark iron, specially designed to bind savage demons; a hard, unparalleled material. Even a demon of tremendous strength would be challenged to break free. The chains were coarse and cumbersome, restricting the movement of the hands and feet, scraping away at the flesh, forcing obedient motionlessness.

The imprisoned Zhao Yuanzhou, bored to death, shook the shackles until they clanged. The door to his cell was already locked. Outside it, Zhuo Yichen and Situ Ming ordered the guards to temporarily withdraw as they discussed official business together in hushed tones.

“Commander Zhuo, your Cloud-Light sword… Why can’t it kill him?” Situ Ming asked, probing gently to understand the doubts in his heart.

Zhuo Yichen lowered his head and remained silent for quite a while. He clearly didn’t know the answer either.

“Do you want to know?” Zhao Yuanzhou offered from within the cell, looking pleased with himself.

Zhuo Yichen snapped at him, “Despicable! How dare you eavesdrop!”

“Eavesdrop? I haven’t moved,” Zhao Yuanzhou said, feigning insult.

Zhuo Yichen stepped close, sneering at him. “Mr. Situ and I were talking quietly, yet you managed to hear us. You’re not a monkey. You’re a dog—only a dog’s ears would be so sharp.”

Zhao Yuanzhou pondered this a moment. “I think dogs have a strong sense of smell… Mr. Zhuo, don’t forget, I’m a thousand-year-old great demon. My five senses are outstanding. Even if you stand that far away, as far as I’m concerned, it’s like you’re bending down beside me to whisper in my ear—”

“You wanton—!” Zhuo Yichen couldn’t stand this provocative talk and drew his sword to point at Zhao Yuanzhou again.

Zhao Yuanzhou’s gaze dropped to the Cloud-Light sword, concealing a smile. “Mr. Zhuo, do you want to know the answer or not?”

“You have something to say, say it!”

Zhao Yuanzhou looked quite pleased with this response and said casually, “You are a descendent of the Bingyi Clan. Since ancient times, the Bingyi Clan’s bloodline has been a natural enemy of the Wilderness’s demon clans. The Cloud-Light sword has been more than enough to kill gods and slay demons, but…”

Zhao Yuanzhou made as if to speak, then stopped, successfully rousing Zhuo Yichen’s curiosity.

“But what?”

“You’re using it wrong.” Zhao Yuanzhou curled his lips in a rather dangerous smile.

Zhuo Yichen’s raised his brows, looking at him. “And I suppose you know how to use it?”

Zhao Yuanzhou rattled his shackles, a hint, encouraging Zhuo Yichen to step close again. “Naturally. But this is the Bingyi Clan’s greatest secret, so I must whisper it to you, Mr. Zhuo—Outsiders should not hear a word of it… It’s a shame about these chains…”

Zhuo Yichen responded derisively, “The Bingyi Clan’s greatest secret. Yet, as a member of the clan, I don’t know it and you do. You think I believe you?”

 “What’s wrong with that?” Zhao Yuanzhou replied. “I’ve lived long enough. To you, it’s a secret. To me, it’s old news. Hear me out. What’s there to lose? Or is Mr. Zhuo afraid?”

Of course Zhuo Yichen didn’t trust Zhu Yan, but deep in his heart he considered his words.

Seeing this, Situ Ming hurried to restrain Zhuo Yichen, lest his eagerness for revenge poison and bewitch his wisdom. In a low voice he reminded him, “Mr. Zhuo, demons are treacherous. Don’t allow him to fool you.” He turned to face the shackled Zhao Yuanzhou and deliberately raised his voice to an interrogative volume. “In your letter you said you could help the Demon Hunting Bureau solve the recent cases in Tiandu of brides kidnapped and murdered by a water ghost. Is this true?”

This was the most crucial issue right now. Within the last month, the water ghost’s death toll had reached 81 and the imperial court regarded this as quite important. Chongwu Camp had already been investigating for several days yet still had no clues. If the Demon Hunting Bureau could solve the case before Chongwu Camp, it could restore their status.

“It’s true,” Zhao Yuanzhou replied.

Situ Ming remained on guard. “Why would you want to help the Demon Hunting Bureau for no reason at all?”

Zhao Yuanzhou shrugged, expression innocent. “I have no demands or desires. I sincerely and genuinely want to help the Demon Hunting Bureau. For many years now, Chongwu Camp has wantonly killed demons and beasts. They’ve done so much evil. I’m a Great Demon—naturally I want to help avenge lesser demons. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. You humans have that written in your military strategies, don’t you?”

“Eight years ago the Demon Hunting Bureau was destroyed and Chongwu Camp gained power, all thanks to you,” Zhuo Yichen hatefully replied. “Anyone can help the Demon Hunting Bureau except you!”

Situ Ming took an uncertain step forward. “You’re really agreeing to help us?”

“With all the power I have, without restraint,” Zhao Yuanzhou said. “…But I have one condition.”

Zhuo Yichen snorted coldly. “Just now you said you have no demands or desires. As expected, it’s all lies.”

“What condition?” Situ Ming asked.

Zhao Yuanzhou said, “I want one of your Demon Hunting Bureau people to accompany me on the investigation.”

Situ Ming hesitated. “Who?”

“You both know this person.” Zhao Yuanzhou smiled. “It’s Mr. Situ’s adopted daughter—Miss Wen Xiao.”

---

The rain had already stopped.

Down the alley by the Demon Hunting Bureau’s rear door, the light-blue silhouette of a lost soul moved at a slow, unsteady pace. Wen Xiao couldn’t recall how long she’d sat in the rain when a child broke into tears, frightened by her ghostly appearance. As if the child’s wailing woke her from a long dream, she quickened her steps and fled, embarrassed. By now, her clothes were already half dry, a few threads of damp hair stuck to her forehead.

After entering the rear door, she soon discerned the unusual atmosphere. Footsteps sped in her direction. Wen Xiao quietly touched a hand to the dagger at her waist.

The approaching steps belonged to another library official. 

“Official Wen, thank heavens you’ve finally returned… Quickly, come with me. We must hide. Wait, are you injured?” His eyes dropped to the bloodstain on her shoulder in surprise.

“It’s not serious. Why do we need to hide? What happened?” Distracted by worry, Wen Xiao’s grip on her dagger slackened.

The library official vigilantly glanced all around. Once he’d confirmed safety behind him, he took a step forward and spoke in a trembling tone. “A demon barged into the Demon Hunting Bureau!”

Wen Xiao found this hard to believe. “A demon barged into the Demon Hunting Bureau? It must have a great deal of courage…”

The library official gave a vivid description, hands gesturing to paint the scene. “Not only his courage is great, his whole person, everything about him is great…great-great-great…a great demon!”

“Great demon? What kind of great demon?”

“Zhu Yan.”

Hearing that, Wen Xiao’s expression fell.

Eight years ago, Great Demon had delivered her to the front door of the Fan mansion. The housekeeper had brought her inside where Fan Ying asked her family’s name. He said he knew her elders and took her in as his adopted daughter. But Wen Xiao had never realized her family had such lofty connections. She couldn’t bear to think how Great Demon had arranged this place for her, how he’d clearly spent a lot of thought and effort to find such family relationship in the human world.

The Fan mansion was both very big and very small. The sky overhead, framed by square eaves, seemed so much less vast than it did in the Great Wilderness. She couldn’t get used to it. The servants were very respectful of her and kept their distance. She felt very alone. She often laid on her stomach, gazing out through the window and hoping Great Demon would honor his promise to come find her. She spent each day lost in this hope as summer turned to fall.

As winter set in, Tiandu experienced a major event. Wen Xiao remembered that night, how the Fan mansion was busy with people coming and going nonstop. She hid herself behind a pillar to eavesdrop on Fan Ying talking with one of his officials. Only then did she understand what had happened.

For six months, a great number of demons of in the Wilderness had taken advantage of the upheaval to flee into the human world and there’d been no lack of those who’d then seized the opportunity to inflict harm. Only thanks to the Demon Hunting Bureau, the world of humans had not fallen into chaos. But this time, the demon Zhu Yan had left the Wilderness and come to Tiandu. After the Demon Hunting Bureau tracked him down, they wanted to do their duty and kill him—but instead, Zhu Yan slaughtered them. A mountain of corpses lay inside the Demon Hunting Bureau, blood flowing like a river. The only survivor of the entire Zhuo family was the youngest son, Zhuo Yichen.

At this point, all that remained in the empty hall was a sigh. Without thinking, Wen Xiao had sighed, too, then clamped a hand over her mouth and darted off. As she ran into the courtyard, she saw an unfamiliar face. A teenage boy sat quietly on the stone steps in mourning clothes, eyes lowered and silent.

This was the first time Wen Xiao saw Zhuo Yichen. After this, she stopped waiting for Great Demon all the time, but instead spent her days at someone else’s side. Wen Xiao and Zhuo Yichen—one the Baize goddess with no Baize goddess power, the other the wielder of a hollow Cloud Light sword he didn’t know how to use. Two people who had lost everyone they’d loved. They were the same. Their meeting seemed like fate.

Zhuo Yichen gave up the Zhuo family’s estate to become the new Demon Hunting Bureau. Wen Xiao knew that the Demon Hunting Bureau had been his father and elder brother’s life’s work, their most important mission left to their only remaining son. She also knew how much Zhuo Yichen hated Zhu Yan. With his talents, she wouldn’t worry about him against any other demon. But if his opponent was Zhu Yan… Wen Xiao could not settle her fearful heart. She practically ran the whole way to the dungeon.

The guard at the doors immediately blocked her entry. “Commander Zhuo gave orders. No one is permitted to enter the dungeon.”

“Not even me?” Wen Xiao asked impatiently.

The guard lowered his head in a respectful salute. “Official Wen, not even you.”

---

In the dungeon, an enraged Zhuo Yichen listened to Zhao Yuanzhou’s demand that Wen Xiao accompany him.

“Keep dreaming!” He would never allow Wen Xiao to be so close to danger.

Zhao Yuanzhou’s ears twitched. He heard familiar footsteps outside the dungeon and gave a laugh. “Keep dreaming? But I don’t need to dream; it will happen. Right now, this is my essential requirement. You do not have the authority to say ‘No.’”

Zhao Yuanzhou suddenly flew into the air, the shackles clanging in their brackets on the wall. His back collided with a stone wall that turned instantly to golden, rippling light and he passed right through. When the golden light disappeared, the cell was empty save for the shackles still fixed to the wall.

Zhuo Yichen charged into the cell at once, pulling at the chains embedded in the walls and bristling with anger. Behind him, a whimper. Zhuo Yichen turned to see Zhao Yuanzhou strike Situ Ming unconscious with a single strike to the neck. Then, at the prison cell’s door, Zhao Yuanzhou looked at Zhuo Yichen with a smile. He raised a hand and locked the gate with a click, trapping Zhuo Yichen inside.

Smile still in place, Zhao Yuanzhou turned and strode quickly toward the corridor. The guards stirred and charged at him with swords drawn. Zhao Yuanzhou lifted a finger to his lips and said in a soft voice, “Dream.”

In the twinkling of an eye, the guards dropped to their knees and fell soundly asleep. Zhao Yuanzhou stepped right over them, taking the last step with a bit of a skip, his long sleeves fluttering.

---

Wen Xiao anxiously paced at the prison’s entrance, making things difficult for the guard following orders. She grew only more uneasy about what could be happening inside the dungeon. Suddenly, the guard and Wen Xiao heard a whispering wind coming from the dungeon, yet saw no one. At this ghostly sound, everyone except Wen Xiao collapsed to the ground and fell deeply into dreaming.

Wen Xiao fixed her eyes on the empty corridor to the dungeon, alert and on guard. She knew it: Zhu Yan was coming. What happened to Xiao Zhuo? She couldn’t bear to imagine it, forcing herself to stay calm.

A figure swept out from the shadows of the corridor. Wen Xiao’s heart pounded like thunder. In the blink of an eye, the figure dropped down in front of her. A bouquet of fresh flowers appeared in his hand, white flowers gently drifting in the wind, and he offered them to her.

“A gift for our first meeting. Do you like them?”

Wen Xiao stared dumbfounded, then looked to the bouquet held before a handsome yet unfamiliar face. Two dark eyes gazed at her with weight and meaning.

Flowers… Memories of the Wilderness flickered through her mind. Every time Great Demon met her, he brought a bundle of flowers. Wen Xiao paled, legs weakening beneath her. Startled, Zhao Yuanzhou tossed aside the flowers to catch her before she fell. An arm around her waist, he pulled her to his chest.

“A mortal woman taking such initiative?” Zhao Yuanzhou said, teasing in his voice but none in his eyes.

“I’m in poor health, so my body is weak. Sir, please take no offense.” Wen Xiao let a bit of a smile cross her beautiful features. She gave an unusual laugh and Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t know what to make of it for a moment.

“You’re not afraid of me?” he asked. “I’m a demon.”

“I know. You’re the Great Demon Zhu Yan. You look familiar. Have we met before?”

Zhao Yuanzhou smirked. “Such an old pick-up line. Are you serious?”

“I’m Wen Xiao.”

Zhao Yuanzhou looked in her eyes and spoke his name. “Zhao Yuanzhou.”

“I didn’t expect the powerful Zhu Yan would have a stage name.”

He glanced at Wen Xiao’s injured shoulder, then let out a little laugh. “Even a sly little rabbit has three dens. A great demon like me having a few names is not worth mentioning.”

“Mr. Yuanzhou, my legs aren’t weak anymore. You can help me stand now.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuanzhou did. Once she was steady, his finger casually brushed her shoulder wound with a stream of golden light.

Suddenly, the silver-blue glow of the Cloud-Light Sword extended straight behind Zhao Yuanzhou. He turned and the blade collided with finger glowing red with demon power.

Zhuo Yichen fell to the ground, unharmed, sword still aimed at Zhao Yuanzhou. “Let go!” he ordered sternly.

Zhuo Yichen had come out faster than Zhao Yuanzhou expected. Still supporting Wen Xiao by the arm, he conspicuously let her go and turned a wronged expression her way. “Did you hear that? He told you to let me go.”

Zhao Yuanzhou only now realized Wen Xiao’s expression was all smiles, and he had no idea when she’d pulled the dagger. She pressed its tip to his neck. Zhao Yuanzhou chuckled dismissively. “Zhuo Yichen’s Cloud-Light sword can’t kill me. You think this little knife of yours—Aiya! You—!”

Before he’d even finished speaking, Wen Xiao slashed with the dagger, marking his neck with line of fresh blood. “You can’t be killed, but you can still feel pain, right?”

Zhao Yuanzhou covered his neck and gaped at Wen Xiao. He knew that smile had been out of place! She was clearly more than a little crafty. “So ruthless? Fine, then I’ll also—Wait, wait—” Zhao Yuanzhou staggered, then dropped unintentionally to sit on the floor. He weakly pointed at Wen Xiao. “What did you put on that blade?”

Wen Xiao squatted down to gather the fallen flowers, inhaling their fragrance. “Huanling Powder, a demon knockout drug. A gift for a gift. Your flowers are pretty, I accept.”

A moment later, Zhao Yuanzhou blacked out and dropped heavily to the ground.

Wen Xiao put away her dagger and joined Zhuo Yichen. “Lock him back in the dungeon.”

Zhuo Yichen hesitated in his reply. “The dungeon…lock…can’t hold him. He just escaped from there.”

“Really?” Wen Xiao turned to inspect the collapsed Zhao Yuanzhou, then deliberately raised her voice. “Then I’ll just keep slashing[1] him with my dagger.”

Zhao Yuanzhou jerked suddenly upright. “No-no-no-no. Don’t slash me. I promise I won’t escape, okay? I’ll take myself back. … I promise I won’t escape…” After standing, he obediently trotted back into the dungeon.

A shocked Zhuo Yichen watched him depart, then looked at Wen Xiao, mouth gaping, at a loss for words.

“His acting was terrible, I could tell at a glance,” Wen Xiao explained, chuckling at his confusion.

Zhuo Yichen just shook his head and pulled out a small bottle. He handed it over to her. “You’re injured. Use this powder to recover a little faster.”

Wen Xiao blinked, looking at him blankly a moment. She took the bottle and gave him a small smile as thanks. 

---

As night fell, Wen Xiao sat alone looking into a bronze mirror to treat her wound. The blood stain on her shoulder had already dried, clothing and flesh practically glued together. She took a deep breath, them bit down hard on the towel between her teeth as she began peeling the cloth away from her skin.

Her clothing dropped to reveal a clear, unblemished shoulder. She was astonished to see the wound had been healed without a trace…

She changed into fresh white robes, and sat down at a long, narrow desk. A single lamp illuminated a stack of books, all records about deceptive beasts. She scanned the pages with ink brush in hand, adding her own notes.

“Deceptive beasts, resembling rabbits, can speak in human form…speaking ‘East’ while pointing West, speaking evil and acting nice…” Wen Xiao repeated to herself in a whisper, as memories of the Deceptive Beast returned unbidden. What the mind thought the mouth could not speak; the words spoken always ran counter to the wants of the heart. Wasn’t this a kind of curse?

Cool night breezes blew. Quiet settled all around. The only sound was the rustle of Wen Xiao’s ink brush against paper. She picked up one of the old, shabby books and pored over it, looking for records related to deceptive beasts. “From birth, deceptive beasts are doomed to never express sorrow, heart and mouth in contradiction. In their whole lives, only in the moments before death can they abide by their hearts and speak their true meaning.”

Wen Xiao felt panic-stricken, thinking back to the words spoken with the Deceptive Beast’s last gasp of life. “Big sister, thank you…”

As the beast died, the light and dark of the world gradually blurred before her eyes, her life flashing through her mind in a fractured tableau. When she’d been in the Great Wilderness, she feared the more powerful demons, darting and hiding from them all day long. Later, she took advantage of all the chaos to flee into the human world. Yet, even in the human world, she had to dart and hide, fearing the Chongwu Camp would catch her. It was unavoidable, she realized, even if she did nothing wrong; just to have been born a demon was wrong.  She was insignificant, so who could ever care about the fate of one little demon beast? The tableau of a life settled on a final image, the sight of a person’s narrow back, a person making herself a shield, risking her own life to protect a little demon beast. It turned out, there was someone who cared about her fate, someone willing to fight to defend her. Official Wen Xiao. … How could she be so stupid?

From birth, deceptive beasts are doomed to never express sorrow, heart and mouth in contradiction. … Only in the moments before death can they abide by their hearts and speak their true meaning. … So her “thank you” had been sincere.

Slowly, drop by drop, the Deceptive Beast could no longer feel the rain falling on her body, could no longer hear Wen Xiao’s words. She’d heard that humans see a vision when they die. Their parents and their elders come to meet them, so they’re not alone. What about demons? Why did she only see a vast expanse of white? When would the rain stop falling in Tiandu? She really wanted to stand and bask in the sunlight.

A single tear drop fell to the book’s pages, smudging the ink.

---

Zhuo Yichen was also still awake deep into the night. There was one sentence he simply could not let go.

He walked into the dungeon to see Zhao Yuanzhou seated in meditation with his legs folded beneath him. Finally reacting to his approach, Zhao Yuanzhou opened his eyes and lazily yawned. “I almost fell asleep waiting for you.”

“You knew I would come?” Zhuo Yichen asked in a frosty tone.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to let it go.” Zhao Yuanzhou shifted his shoulders.

“I can’t let your life go. You carry the burden of a countless human lives. Your death won’t be worth grieving.”

Zhao Yuanzhou stood and twisted at the waist to stretch. “So, of course, you’ve come because you desire to know the true way to use the Cloud-Light Sword, which is the only way you can kill me.”

Zhuo Yichen remained silent.

“I can tell you.”

“But you have conditions.”

“I do,” Zhao Yuanzhou answered simply.

“What do you want?” While Zhuo Yichen believed Zhao Yuanzhou was motivated to help the Demon Hunting Bureau this time, he clearly had other schemes in mind. Nothing was as simple as he said. But Zhuo Yichen couldn’t see through Zhao Yuanzhou to the shape of those schemes. No matter what, he would never agree to anything immoral.

Zhao Yuanzhou took a step closer before speaking. “I require an oath from you, one from which you must never back out.” He paused, then said solemnly, “I want you to kill me. I will teach you the true way to use the Cloud-Light Sword, then you’ll kill me.”

Zhuo Yichen’s pulse immediately thumped like a drum. Zhao Yuanzhou’s condition was that he had to use the Cloud-Light Sword to kill him? He looked at him doubtfully. “You really want to die?”

“Yes, and I must die by your hand.”

Zhuo Yichen couldn’t believe him. He knew, if Zhao Yuanzhou sincerely sought death, he must have a thousand ways of accomplishing it. Why did he insist on finding Zhuo Yichen? It couldn’t be to atone for his crimes. Just the idea was laughable.

“I know what you’re thinking. I’m more vile and wicked than the legends say. Not only do I absorb the malicious energy of Heaven and Earth, but I’m also a vessel that contains it. Do you know about malicious energy?”

“I do,” Zhuo Yichen replied. “It can destroy Heaven and Earth, cast the world into darkness, and cover the land with the bones of the dead.”

“So, even though there are a thousand ways to die, none of those thousand is the optimal solution,” Zhao Yuanzhou said. “When I die, a new vessel will simply be born into the world to replace me, absorbing the unending, unextinguishable malicious energy. Whether this new vessel will be good or evil, just or unjust, cannot be predicted. Your Cloud-Light Sword can disperse all malevolent spirits. Death by your sword can bring an end to the vessel’s cycle of rebirth.”

Zhuo Yichen thought deeply upon his words. His sword could end Zhu Yan as the vessel of malicious energy, prevent the birth of another, crush the possibility that an inherently evil demon would use the malicious energy for evil deeds, and save a good-hearted demon from a fate of being used by the malicious energy. This truly would be the best solution, but was Zhu Yan good or evil? Was he capable of such good intentions?

Zhao Yuanzhou strolled to the cell door. The two of them faced one another with only the bars separating them, so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Zhuo Yichen’s eyes shined with an icy light as he stared at Zhao Yuanzhou. He slowly lifted fingers to the sky to swear an oath: “I, Zhuo Yichen, make this vow: As long as Zhu Yan teaches me the true way of the Cloud-Light Sword, he will certainly be slain by that sword. Should I betray this oath, the heavens will strike me down and scatter my soul.”

At least making this oath wouldn’t be a problem. He was determined to kill Zhu Yan with his own hands anyway.

---

At another equally dim dungeon in Tiandu, a whip cracked without ceasing, followed each time by a sad, shrill cry. In an open space there was a large, spacious writing desk with a writing brush, blotting paper, and inkstone carefully arranged. A very lean hand carefully painted a picture.

The hand’s owner wore oversized white robes and an unusual mask. Completely indifferent to the wretched crying, he spiritedly drew a picture of the God of Fire Zhu Rong. He painted a flame. In the painting, Zhu Rong’s whole body was red with flames. Just as he was about to dip his brush in the pigment again, he realized his small dish of color had already dried. He clicked his tongue in disappointment.

An attentive man named Zhen Mei, a Chongwu Camp general, stood at his side, wizened in stature though young in years. He quickly understood and lifted the small dish. “Advisor, wait a moment,” he said, then ran off with little steps toward the depths of the dungeon.

A moment later, an even more horrible cry sounded. The whipping noise ceased. The terrible shrieking ceased. Zhen Mei soon returned with hurried steps, carrying the small dish. He placed it carefully on the table. It was filled with red pigment.

The advisor dipped his writing brush, smelled it, and was quite pleased. A final stroke, and he lifted the painting to look it up and down. He turned to the man at his side. “Zhen Mei, what do you think?”

Zhen Mei did his utmost to flatter. “A ferocious glare, a body of flames. This portrait of the Venerable God of Fire is very lifelike. Worthy of being called superb.”

The advisor laughed heartily. “The color is key.”

Zhen Mei hesitated, then said, “Master, I heard they’ve captured Zhu Yan… Zhu Yan, the great demon of the Wilderness, is truly assisting the Demon Hunting Bureau. They are our enemy.”

The advisor continued his infatuated admiration of the painting, paying no attention to Zhen Mei’s anxiety. “No need to worry. The Demon Hunting Bureau is nothing but a pack of stray dogs. It’s all but dead. As for Zhu Yan, he’s exactly who I’ve been waiting for. A great undertaking many years in the planning is at long last ready for ink to meet paper.”

Zhen Mei’s face lit up with a pleased smile. “Congratulations, master.”

As they talked, two Chongwu Camp soldiers carried a corpse from the depths of the dungeon. A cloth covered the body, obscuring its appearance. An arm hung heavily down from beneath the cloth. The skin was shriveled and marked by whip scars. On the wrist, a gash so deep it exposed the bone still dripped with blood…

Who this dead person was, no one cared. He was just one of the many demons Chongwu Camp suspected of involvement in the Water Ghost bride kidnappings and murders. Beaten, interrogated, and killed to no result, his life became meaningless.

But his blood was red enough to paint flames, to be delivered to the advisor in a small dish by Zhen Mei. In the end, this was the whole value of his life.

---

A long conference table lay in the meeting hall. At this moment, both sides of the table were occupied by eight officials. They leafed through a mound of documents piled on the table before them.

At the head of the table sat the instigator of this search, Demon Hunting Bureau’s Fan Ying. Fan Ying was approaching 40, lean and scholarly, dignified in appearance. He leaned in his seat toward Deputy Commander Situ Ming. Fan Ying picked up a long document to scan through it, neither too fast nor too slow. “The records of every demon executed by Chongwu Camp for the last eight years is here,” he said. “Whether Demon Hunting Bureau can be restored at this time depends on this, so Mr. Situ, I trouble you with this task.”

Situ Ming respectfully answered, “Your subordinate will do his best, only… even if we manage to investigate Chongwu Camp’s every wrongdoing, what’s the use?”

“Hang the bait and cast the line, then we wait quietly for the fish to swallow the hook.”

Situ Ming nodded, then removed a document from the breast of his clothing to hand to Fan Ying. “Mr. Fan, the restoration of the Demon Hunting Bureau demands we select the first elite troops who will charge into the fray and swiftly solve the case of the water ghost kidnappings and murders. The prime minister drew up this alternative list of candidates. Twenty eight of them altogether, each possessing extraordinary skills and unwavering loyalty.”

Fan Ying gave the long list only a passing glance before dismissing it. “Five people will suffice. A jack of all trades is a master of none. Quantity without quality is useless. I have already prepared five tokens.”

At these words, an attendant stepped forward with a tray where three tokens had been neatly arranged. Each bore three characters 缉妖司 (jī yāo sī) – Demon Hunting Bureau.

“The first was given to Zhuo Yichen, Commander Zhuo. It will be his decision who receives the two remaining tokens.”

Situ Ming[1] stared at the tray with some uncertainty. “There…there are three of them…”

Fan Ying lifted his eyes to Situ Ming, his expression equally uncertain, then weakly restrained. This subordinate of his was a generous and loyal person, though he lacked cunning. However, he had an eagerness to learn, so he could only provide the lessons. He closed the prime minister’s document and turned to Situ Ming to patiently explain. “Two are already in their hands. These two people would certainly not be on the prime minister’s list of candidates. Ah, no, not two people. I should say one person and one demon.”

Only then did Situ Ming realize who they were. Chagrined, he shut his mouth and turned his attention back to the case files.

---

[1] I was confused about the way in which these characters differed from the versions that appear in the TV series. I now believe the production swapped their names. So, Fan Ying is actually the subordinate of Situ Ming in the show, not the reverse as it appears here in the book. This may lead to some confusing images here and there, but otherwise shouldn’t confuse anyone who hasn’t seen the series. Carry on!

---

Situ Ming allowed Wen Xiao to enter the dungeon, but Zhuo Yichen discreetly added more guards to ensure her safety and report to him immediately.

So, early in the morning, Wen Xiao hurried to the dungeon. Seemingly for no reason, she awoke with blood flowing from her nose over her lips… She’d had another terrible nightmare. After this nightmare, she recalled when Great Demon carried her away from the Wilderness on his back. She’d seen a strange mark behind his ear that shimmered faintly with silvery light. As she wiped her nose clean, she had a vision of blood fallen on fresh flowers. She was anxious to confirm some things.

She arrived at the door of Zhao Yuanzhou’s cell to discover him lying still on the floor with his eyes closed, face pale, and blood staining the corners of his mouth. Wen Xiao instantly asked the guard at the door, “What’s going on?”

The guard looked in and was equally startled. “This…this…this…Miss, I don’t know either…” He trembled through his reply. “When Mr. Zhuo was here last night, he was still fine.”

“Xiao Zhuo? Commander Zhuo came here?” Wen Xiao pondered this a moment, then “Open the door,” she said.

The guard hesitated, remembering Commander Zhuo’s order, but he dare not disobey Official Wen either. Finally, he unfastened the lock. Just as he was about to signal additional guards to approach, Wen Xiao stopped him with a wave of her hand. No one needed to accompany her. She wanted to meet Zhao Yuanzhou alone.

She entered the cell. After a glance around, she looked down at the motionless Zhao Yuanzhou on the ground. She walked over to him and crouched down behind his prone form, close enough to inspect the skin behind his ear. That place was absolutely empty, no sign of the unusual mark she’d remembered.

He was not Great Demon.

The lingering hope she’d held in her heart drifted away. It hurt worse to be without it. She lowered her eyes, only to see Zhao Yuanzhou’s eye peek open and his closed mouth fighting a smile.

“Get up, stop pretending,” she said.

Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t move.

Wen Xiao lifted the Demon Hunting Bureau token, dangling its tassel to lightly brush against him. Still, Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t move.

She took out her dagger, raised it, and aimed at his thigh. Halfway through the plunge downward, Zhao Yuanzhou bolted upright. “I didn’t expect Miss Wen Xiao would be so concerned about me,” he said. “I can’t help but feel touched—Aiya! What the—!”

Wen Xiao stabbed his thigh anyway, pulling it out neatly after.

Zhao Yuanzhou wailed piteously. “I already sat up and you still stabbed me?!”

“I’m prepared for all contingencies. I’ll stab you with my dagger first and the Huanling Powder on the blade will restrain your demonic power. Otherwise, I’m afraid you might hurt me.”

“It’s you who keeps hurting me!” Zhao Yuanzhou replied dejectedly. “Humans and demons shouldn’t touch each other. Why did you come looking for me?”

“I came to bring you a gift.” She handed him the Demon Hunting Bureau token.

He accepted it with a smile. “Ah, seems Mr. Fan accepted my proposal. It’s only polite to repay in kind. I’m a very polite person. Tell me, what do you want?”

“I want an answer.”

Interested, Zhao Yuanzhou moved closer to her, his curiosity on full display. “What do you want to ask?”

Wen Xiao smiled dryly. “Why did Xiao Zhuo[1] come to see you?”

Zhao Yuanzhou’s smile dropped immediately, gaze cooling with hot jealousy. “Why are you concerned about him? He’s a mediocre, unremarkable man.”

“Xiao Zhuo is not a mediocre man.”

Zhao Yuanzhou might as well have been a child for the way he retched and repeated Wen Xiao in a mocking tone. “Xiao Zhuo… Xiao Zhuo…Yuck.”

Wen Xiao responded to this childishness by raising her dagger again. “Are you going to answer or not?”

Zhao Yuanzhou rushed to stop her. “This arrangement between Commander Zhuo and me is private. How could I so easily tell an outsider?”

Wen Xiao put away her dagger and coldly looked him up and down. “‘Outsider?’ You, Zhao Yuanzhou, specifically asked to catch demons with me. And now you call me ‘outsider?’”

Zhao Yuanzhou propped himself up with his hands behind him, eyes on hers. “Don’t you carry a brush and a small notebook every day to take notes about we monsters of the Wilderness? I thought you’d be interested in capturing demons.”

“I’m not interested,” Wen Xiao denied directly.

Zhao Yuanzhou laughed. “All women in this world say one thing and mean another.”

Wen Xiao leaned in to press her dagger threateningly to the fragile skin beneath his jaw. “How much have you secretly investigated about me?”

“If I didn’t specifically request you, I’m afraid that you—with your weak, ‘knocked over by a strong wind’ body—would never in your lifetime get to join a demon-hunting squad.” He smiled.

Wen Xiao raised an eyebrow. “When did I say I wanted to join?”

Zhao Yuanzhou tilted his head away from her dagger. “See? What they say in the novels is right. Women, ah, they love to say one thing and mean another. Before I came here, I did ask around about the Miss Wen Xiao who has devoted herself to helping demons and monsters, stealing them away right before the eyes of the Chongwu Camp to rescue them and release them in the Wilderness… You always love to say, ‘Humans are divided into good and bad. Demons, too, are divided into righteous and evil,’ right?”

Light glimmered in Wen Xiao’s eyes as she gazed at him. Zhao Yuanzhou’s gaze drifted down to the Demon Hunting Bureau token dangling at her waist. He lifted his chin. “And didn’t you eagerly accept the token? Are you still saying you didn’t want to join?”

Wen Xiao met his questions with silence, unwilling to continue wasting words on him. She only gave him a smirk and stood to walk out.

Zhao Yuanzhou called out to stop her, “I also know you’re the Baize Goddess’s disciple.”

Wen Xiao halted her steps. She turned back to face him, that light in her eye turning cold. “What’s so strange about that? All the demons and beasts of the Wilderness know I have become the new Baize Goddess. In the Wilderness, if we’re talking about fame, I’m no less well-known than you, Zhu Yan.”

“The Baize Goddess who does not have the Baize token or the Baize power is indeed well-known. A well-known joke.” Zhao Yuanzhou paused, expression no longer indifferent and his tone becoming serious. The torches flickered in a gust of wind, hiding his face in shadow. “If your Master, Zhao Wan’er, could see you now, would she be disappointed?”

Would she? She would. Wen Xiao couldn’t even ponder his intention in asking because the answer forced itself to her mind and brought tears to her eyes. She curled her fingers, silently grasping the cloth of her dress in a tight fist. She looked at Zhao Yuanzhou, that feeling of familiarity growing even stronger. Why did he bring up her master? Who the hell was he?

“Have we met before or not?”

Zhao Yuanzhou stood slowly. The shadows vanished from his face. “This question…you already asked me once when we met. Why don’t you take a closer look and decide?” He stepped closer and bent over, bringing his face close to hers. Their eyes locked, so near, and she felt his breath against the tip of her nose.

---

[1] This basically means “Little Zhuo” and is a nickname that indicates affection and closeness. At the risk of confusing people, I’m going to use “Xiao” (rough pronunciation: “shao”) instead of “Little” when people use it because it flows with their names better.

---

A pleasant smell, unusual but a little familiar, too, or perhaps it was that eight years had passed and she only now realized, with some sorrow, that she no longer remembered Great Demon’s scent. She sensed a strange humming in her ears, a buzzing, and her heart suddenly seized. She faltered back a step, clutching at her chest.

“Do you know why your body is so weak? It’s because you don’t have the Baize power.”

Wen Xiao tried to steady her breathing. “I know. I don’t need you to tell me.”

“Then you know that if it can’t be found again, you’ll die soon?”

Wen Xiao was shocked.

“It looks like your master didn’t tell you…” Zhao Yuanzhou continued, “After the death of your predecessor, Zhao Wan’er, the Baize power should have sought out a host to live within, passing the duties to a new goddess, but instead the Baize power vanished without a trace, unaccounted for to this day. Now, your body is completely without this extraordinary power. Unless it can be found, you will quickly grow weaker and die. I can help you. I came from the Wilderness, I came to help you find the Baize power.”

Wen Xiao looked at him. “I do need the Baize power. What about you? What do you want?”

Zhao Yuanzhou answered, “I also want the Baize power.”

Wen Xiao jerked upright, suspicious and alarmed. “Why do you want the Baize power?”

“Calm down.” Zhao Yuanzhou laughed. “I want the Baize power because the Baize goddess has been too slow in returning. If this drags on, the Wilderness will be finished.”

It had been so long since Wen Xiao had heard news of the Wilderness, she couldn’t help but feel dazed. She asked for details of its condition now.

Zhao Yuanzhou talked tirelessly.

After the Baize power was lost, the Wilderness was no longer stable. Last month, the Kunlun mountains, appearing like a mirage on the Great Wilderness Sea, began to collapse. Boulders tumbled down, breaking the waters into high swells, a scene of utter devastation. The tall tree growing in the stone chamber at the top of the White Tower has already withered. Ancient bloodstains on the stone tablet have already turned black. The stone tablet, once still, suddenly shook and split, and a white light carved new characters stroke by stroke: “Baize has not returned, the Wilderness will soon perish.”

If the destruction of the Wilderness is to be prevented, the Baize power must be found.

“After Zhao Wan’er died, with the role of Wilderness Goddess unfilled, the Kunlun Mountains collapsed without that protective power,” Zhao Yuanzhou went on. “Law-abiding demons remain in the Wilderness to await death; wicked and savage demons broke through the Kunlun Gate to the human world. Your adoptive father wants a thorough investigation into the Water Ghost bride kidnappings and murders; the lost Baize power is the cause of this, too. I once made a vow to protect the Wilderness, to return the demons who escaped the Wilderness, and restore peace to the human world.”

With this final sentence, hot tears shone in his eyes as he lifted them to Wen Xiao. She stared back at him with a cold eye, face unmoving.

“I spoke with such passion,” Zhao Yuanzhou grumbled, a little embarrassed. “What’s with that look on your face?”

“Your performance is over. Restrain yourself a bit next time and I’ll get into character more easily.”

Zhao Yuanzhou wiped his tears and resumed his normal expression. “Okay.”

“All common people know that Zhu Yan came to the world and destruction followed,” Wen Xiao said, tone placid; no waves, no billows; yet filled sharply with rebuke. “Eight years ago, you massacred the Demon Hunting Bureau, murdered countless people—among your victims were Xiao Zhuo’s father and older brother. You are filled with evil tendencies, guilty of so many crimes that deserve judgement. You are nothing like this responsible and righteous…demon you pretend to be.”

Speechless at her skewering criticism, Zhao Yuanzhou simply slumped dispiritedly into his seat. He raised his head to reveal eyes red with unexpected tears. His voice, when he spoke, was hoarse with barely contained misery. “Really? All common people think this way about me? Even you think this way about me…”

He looked so entirely mournful that Wen Xiao’s gaze softened and guilt bloomed in her heart. “I’m sor—”

Before she even finished her apology, Zhao Yuanzhou’s expression changed and he continued talking. “…It seems as though I have no choice but to cooperate with Chongwu Camp.”

Of course a dog can’t stop himself from eating his own shit! A skill learned and immediately put to use: This oily jerk almost succeeded in fooling her!

Wen Xiao sneered. “Your words don’t threaten me.”

“Your words don’t threaten me either,” Zhao Yuanzhou derided. “Looks like the two of us have a stalemate. One-word spell: Dawdling.”

Wen Xiao knew they couldn’t afford to dawdle, but if they were to cooperate, she needed to clarify his true intentions. He was not Great Demon, so he could not be trusted. If his goals were not pure, it was likely that more than the Demon Hunting Bureau’s 20 lives would be at risk—Tiandu or the whole human world might suffer disaster.

Wen Xiao again drew her dagger. Zhao Yuanzhou remained unmoved. “I won’t fall for the same trick twice,” he said. “You think I’ll let you get close to me again so you can stab me?” Then, he watched, dumbfounded, as Wen Xiao suddenly pressed the blade to her own neck.

She fixed her eyes on him. “What about this? No matter what evil intentions you hide, you still came to the Demon Hunting Bureau for me. If I die, your plan fails.” When she thought back on his behavior since he’d come to the Demon Hunting Bureau, at the core of his every action was her. She had to do something to force a true answer out of him.

Zhao Yuanzhou sighed and made a light stroke with his finger. “Move.” At that, the dagger yanked itself from Wen Xiao’s hands. Zhao Yuanzhou reached out, long sleeves unspooling, and the dagger sailed into his grasp.

Expression stern, he said, “If I want someone to die, they will not live. Conversely, if I want someone to live, they cannot die in my presence.” He walked to stand in front of her and sheathed the dagger before returning it to her. His voice softened as he said, “Live well.”

“Tell me why.” A string of questions remained in Wen Xiao’s mind.

“As I said, I came to help you retrieve the Baize power, for your sake, for the sake of the Wilderness.”

She couldn’t find her answer in his calm gaze, nor could she discern any trace of a lie. With a deep breath, she took a sheet of paper from the breast of her robes, then removed the writing brush from her hair. “Sign this contract as a guarantee.”

---

The guards realized the dungeon cell had gone silent and hurried to check only to see Wen Xiao seated and head lowered over a sheet of parchment as she earnestly wrote something. On the desk was a small black dish of red pigment, whether cinnabar or blood was hard to tell. Zhao Yuanzhou sat on the ground, chin resting on his hand, posture lethargic. In other words, at this moment, nothing had happened.

But examining closely, a small cut on Zhao Yuanzhou’s finger still seeped blood. He paid it no mind as he shamelessly gazed at Wen Xiao while she wrote in very thin, fine characters. For him, seeing her like this was both familiar and unfamiliar. The hint of a smile showed on his lips.

Wen Xiao finally noticed his attention. Head still down and writing unceasing, she said, “You’re staring at me. Are you nervous?”

“I’m not, I wasn’t. Don’t talk nonsense,” Zhao Yuanzhou quickly denied.

She gave a snort, then stood up and held the finished page directly in his face. “If you’re not, then sign this. I have a friend who is a very powerful great demon. He says that a contract written with demon blood will, if violated, destroy your soul and scatter it to the wind.”

The corners of his mouth hooked upward as he accepted the scroll and examined it. That smile slowly faded as he read on, shaking his head. His expression turned bitter. “‘First item: Zhao Yuanzhou must not use the Baize power to perform evil acts, must not engage in conspiratorial activities, harbor evil intentions, cause misfortune in the human world, or harm people’—You wrote all the derogatory words you could think of, didn’t you?”

Wen Xiao fixed her eyes on him and said sincerely, “What, is this hard?”

Zhao Yuanzhou declined to comment. He curled a lip in a contemptuous sneer and continued reading aloud, “‘Second item: Zhao Yuanzhou must pass to Wen Xiao his demon beast knowledge, will say all he knows without reserve, use all his strength to assist Wen Xiao in investigating the Demon Hunting Bureau case while guarding her safety, and willingly work side-by-side with her as a colleague?’” Eyebrows knitted, he raised his head to cast a suspicious look at her.

Wen Xiao, expression open and honest, said, “This is the most important item. Remember it clearly.”

“Which item is most important? Do no evil or maintain a collegial relationship? Wasn’t…wasn’t I threatening you, how did this turn into you giving me so many conditions?”

She smiled and imperiously reached out to take back the contract. “Don’t sign it, nevermind. Let’s just part ways and not think about it anymore.”

Zhao Yuanzhou intended to sign the paper with a wave of his hand before deciding that was inappropriate. He rose and walked to face Wen Xiao. Bending close, he removed the writing brush from her hair.

He was too close; Wen Xiao’s body stiffened. Zhao Yuanzhou grasped the pen and sliced it across his palm like a sharp blade, drawing blood. He dipped the brush in his blood, carefully signed his name to the contract, and gave it to Wen Xiao.

She took it and looked it over. The demon’s handwriting was strikingly delicate and pretty. “‘Zhao Yuanzhou’…no good. Be prepared for all contingencies: You need to write ‘Zhu Yan,’ too.”

He blinked at her, then obediently add the two characters of ‘Zhu Yan.’

Wen Xiao looked over the contract that now bore two names. She still felt ill at ease. After thinking it over, she grabbed Zhao Yuanzhou’s bleeding hand and pressed his finger against the parchment until a bloody print appeared.

She now reviewed the thrice-marked pledge and finally felt satisfied, giving an easy smile. Maybe this time she could find the Baize power. Maybe everything could be restored to its original order. From now on, maybe so many tragedies could be avoided.

Zhao Yuanzhou stood with arms crossed and a crooked smile on his face. But there was no complaint in his eyes as he quietly watched Wen Xiao. It’d been a long time.

END OF CHAPTER ONE