While the two lovers were hoping to see each other again soon, a person silently crept up to a certain cell in the dungeon of the demon king's palace. He wrapped his slender fingers around the bars, looking at them intently. They were new. The demons sure were lavish. Did they think he wouldn't destroy them again?
His grip tightened but his magic didn't activate in the end. Instead, he turned to look at the person inside. A dragon. Why was the demon king so fond of imprisoning dragons? This one was another one though. Mn, had those other two escaped?
He tilted his head to the side, examining the white-haired dragon inside the cell. He looked scholarly with that scroll in hand but his strength didn't seem any less than that of the two from before. Maybe they knew each other?
An Bai tensed and finally lifted his gaze from the scroll. His pupils contracted at the sight of the other person. When … No, wait. An Bai lowered the scroll and gulped. The mark on his forehead … This person should be a fallen god.
He took a shaky breath and put the scroll back into his spatial ring. If this person attacked, it wouldn't help either but at least he would be able to die in a dignified manner. Although … dying with a scroll in hand wouldn't be too bad either.
"A pair of dragons … One of them has red hair and the other is blond. Do you know them?"
An Bai's brows wrinkled. Red and blond hair? That sounded a lot like Fu Heng and Fu Min! "May I ask … why you want to know this?"
"They were imprisoned here before."
An Bai got up. "Before? Before what?"
"Before I let them go." The fallen god brushed a finger along the bar next to him. "I could let you out too."
"Why would you do that?"
"You're a dragon."
An Bai stared at the person that seemed to think this was self-explanatory. Unfortunately, he didn't understand at all. "Because I'm a dragon? But aren't you with the demons?" After all, why else would he be here?
The fallen god hissed at him and let go of the bars, his expression darkening. "I'm not with the demons! I will never be!"
An Bai backed off and nodded hurriedly. "So you're …" He wanted to ask if he was on their side then but reconsidered. His previous question had already set this person off. He couldn't risk it. "So you're not. That's good."
The fallen god stared at him with wide eyes. His gaze seemed to drill into him.
An Bai looked away. Ah, he shouldn't have spoken with him at all. Wasn't it said that all fallen gods had lost their sanity? Talking with a lunatic wouldn't lead anywhere.
"You … Why isn't your soul bound? You're a dragon. You should bind your soul to your partner."
An Bai glanced at him. The flash of fury had disappeared completely and instead, he just looked curious. Maybe there was a little reproach in his eyes but he couldn't detect any anger.
An Bai's eyes flashed. Could it be? If he remembered correctly, then there were different reasons for gods to fall and most of them were tied to emotions. So maybe … this person had lost himself to love? A romance gone bad or maybe one that had never flourished in the first place? In that case, he might be able to get out of this.
"That … is certainly true. It's just that I haven't found my destined one yet." He tried to smile and even though the fallen god didn't reciprocate, at least he didn't erupt again. An Bai's heart settled down. Maybe this wasn't hopeless.
He continued to smile and nodded at the god. "My name is An Bai. What is yours?"
The fallen god tilted his head again. It had been a long time since somebody asked for his name. "Xiang Yu."
"Oh. Xiang Yu, may I ask you something?"
"Mn." The fallen god turned to the side and walked a few steps in front of the bars.
"The two dragons you asked about … Can you tell me more about them? They might be friends of mine."
"They were imprisoned by the demon king. That fake dragon wanted to free them."
"Fake dragon?"
"Mn."
"Who is that? Someone who pretends to be a dragon?"
The fallen god stopped walking and nodded. "He looks like one but, actually, he's not much better than a demon."
An Bai wrinkled his brows. Who was he talking about? Well, that wasn't important now. "Xiang Yu, the two dragons that were imprisoned … You helped that fake dragon too rescue them?"
The fallen god nodded.
"Then what happened with them?"
"They left."
"The dungeon?"
The fallen god nodded again, making An Bai sigh.
Ah, talking to this person was hard. On one hand, he seemed like he wanted to talk, but on the other, he wouldn't answer even when asked. Just how was he supposed to obtain answers from him? It would probably be easier to get out of here and try to contact Fu Heng and Fu Min on his own.
Thinking of that, An Bai stepped closer. "Xiang Yu, you said you could let me out. Is that true?"
"Mn." The fallen god reached out and touched the bars again but An Bai lifted his hand.
"Wait!"
The other stopped indeed and looked at him puzzled. Did this person not want to be let out?
An Bai walked forward and also grabbed the bars, looking at Xiang Yu inquisitively. "You … have a high opinion on dragons that bind their soul, don't you?"
"Mn."
"In that case, could you do one of them a favor?"