Those dark eyes stared into his, the black symbol between them eye-catching on the pale skin. Xin Lan froze, his mind erupting with a hundred thoughts at the same time.
A fallen god. This wasn't his first time seeing one but he suddenly felt that this was a very good moment to do so again. His Master was already dead and an eternity of suffering through the tantrums of his child didn't sound too enticing. Maybe trying how he would fare against a fallen god again might not be too bad.
Xin Lan flexed his fingers and eyed the person in front of him. He had … too many weak points to count. Xin Lan furrowed his brows. The fallen god was just standing there, looking at him gloomily but without the slightest caution. Well, maybe a fallen god didn't need to be cautious. Maybe he was sure he could win even without being prepared for a fight. Xin Lan continued to wait.
The fallen god slowly tilted his head to the side. "Dragon?" He paused and finally furrowed his brows, the symbol between his brows creasing. "No, you're not a dragon."
Xin Lan's hands twitched, his claws unconsciously extending. Not a dragon? He'd show him! He jumped forward and lashed out but the fallen god moved back, evading the strike. He didn't try to attack him and just stood there again, looking at him as if nothing had changed.
Xin Lan stared at him incredulously. What was this guy doing? "You are …"
The fallen god continued to stare, making him uncomfortable.
Xin Lan cleared his throat. "What do you want?"
This time the fallen god blinked as if this question surprised him. Xin Lan grimaced and when he looked closer, he felt that he must have imagined it. This person certainly hadn't been surprised. Just look at those lips that were pressed in a tight line!
"You're not a demon either."
Xin Lan frowned. "What are you even talking about? I'm of the dragon race."
"No." The fallen god shook his head as if he was sure that this couldn't be the case. He continued to stare at Xin Lan, trying to figure out what exactly he was.
Xin Lan turned away. The gods often turned mad when they fell. He shouldn't even try to hold a conversation with one of them. He stepped past him and continued down the corridor. Behind him, nothing could be heard.
When he turned into the next corridor … he saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. Xin Lan lashed out again and once again the fallen god evaded him. He tsked. "What are you doing, following me?" And how come he hadn't noticed? He stepped away and examined the person opposite him again. He still stood there like a normal person as if he had never fought a single fight. Just how had he sneaked up on him like that?
"What are you?"
Xin Lan's brows twitched. Could this person get any blunter? "I already told you that I'm of the dragon race."
The fallen god frowned and reached out.
Xin Lan stepped further away. He might have thought about fighting and losing his life but in the end, he didn't dare to do so either. He had only fulfilled one of the three promises he had given his Master. The throne of the dragon realm was still empty and as for his Master's child … Hadn't he failed to get a position in the demon realm even up until now? He had been exiled from the dragon realm for so long, how come he still remained without backing and perspective? Don't tell him he had hoped that Jinde would take pity on him and ask him to come back if he pretended to struggle?
The fallen god observed him and followed him. His steps made no sound, not even his robe did despite swaying around his legs. It was as if nothing dared to disturb his tranquility.
"Just what do you want?"
"What are you?" Once again, he just repeated that question as if there was nothing else in the world he had to do and he would spend all his time on inquiring this information.
Xin Lan was already fed up. He snorted. "What? I thought that thing between your brows is the Mark of Wisdom? Can't you find out with that?"
"Wisdom?" The fallen god reached up, touching the black lines between his brows. His expression blanked and his gaze went right through Xin Lan. It was as if he couldn't see him anymore.
Xin Lan snorted again and shook his head, turning away and leaving. Every now and then, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that the fallen god wasn't there anymore. He wasn't and it took several months before he saw him again. From then on, it had always been like that. For a long time, the fallen god would vanish without a trace and then he'd suddenly appear in front of him, staring at him with those dark eyes, keeping quiet.
With time, Xin Lan had learned to ignore him. Even if he was there, he hardly noticed him anymore. How ironic that this was the person he needed to find now.
Xin Lan smiled wryly and remained focused on that first moment they had seen each other. He needed to go back from there but not in his own memories but in Xiang Yu's. Just how … He frowned. This should have to do with the pulse of life. After all, he had touched it with his spiritual energy. Most likely, he could use it somehow.
He raised his hands and tried to manipulate his spiritual energy. It didn't move. Xin Lan paused. Just what was happening here? He raised his hands further and took a closer look, finally seeing the red threads that clung to his fingers.
Ah, so this was what he had been searching for.
He looked at them a moment longer before he lifted his gaze to Xiang Yu's face. With a smile, he stepped closer, bridging the gap that he had maintained back then. He reached out, touched Xiang Yu's arm and waited.
The red threads remained on his fingertips but trembled just like the pulse of life had down on the ground of the river of forgetfulness. Finally, they crept down onto Xiang Yu's sleeve and made their way toward his hands. And then … blood splashed onto the ground in front of Xin Lan's feet.