Zhang Wang was plagued with a lot of problems.
First of all, there were stuck in strange underground tunnels, dug up by some sort of weird, giant Man-Eating Worm. That was a very big problem.
Secondly, they were following a stuck-up little Princess who was either fearless or stupid or both. Zhang Wang was beginning to question the rumors of her OP-ness and was beginning to chalk it up to some sort of dumb luck or something. That was another very big problem.
Thirdly, here was the whole thing where Yu Yanlin was getting more playful, less shy. His teasing, his eagerness and mirthfulness were so unexpected to Zhang Wang. Threw him off balance. And made him lose focus. And also his apparent grip on reality.
There were random flickers of time where he'd realize that this person was the Cruel White King who committed countless of atrocities. And times he'd be reminded of Yu Yanlin's power and his prowess. But where did Zhang Wang's usual envy and jealousy go?
Lost to his lust, probably.
With a frown, he stumbled a little on a random divot in the ground and Yu Yanlin moved instantly and caught him before he could steady his balance. Zhang Wang flushed, embarrassed. "I'm fine."
He was answered with a chuckle, "I know that."
And again, he really wished that Yanlin didn't have that dumb blindfold on top his eyes, because Zhang Wang really thought them pretty. He coughed, awkward. It was only when the Princess called for them that he was snapped back to reality. "Can you two lovebirds hurry up, please?"
He rolled his eyes and almost snapped back at her, 'We're not lovers!' But alas. That wasn't a truth he had the luxury of admitting. Forced to not only accept, but play along with the intimacy, Zhang Wang conjured up a different response, "My Huhu is so handsome, how could I not get distracted?"
Yu Yanlin coughed and privately wondered if this was another one of those weird lies that Xhang Wang sworn by for the sake of convenience.
In the end, it was not something he could understand. Even if this was all an act, Yu Yanlin didn't really understand what romance was meant to consist of in the first place. He only acted toward Zhang Wang what he thought was proper and the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms has yet to complain. So Yu Yanlin assumed he should just keep it up. Whatever 'it' even was.
They continued down the corridor. The tunnel neither expanded nor contracted and instead was a constant, rounded shape that was dug by one long, serpentine body. Below their feet was a pile of rubble. Unlike normal animals that might have burrowed into earth and dirt, this vicious creature dug through pure stone and wove through it with little effort.
Zhang Wang trailed his palms over the rocky walls. The tunnel was narrow enough that it was uncomfortable for two people to walk side by side. And for that reason they walked in a single file, with Princess Ariunbayar and the demon king in the rear.
The Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms' fingers trailed over a strange, dry and flaky substance. He retracted his hand out of shock and disgust at first but the thing caught his attention. Summoning a spirit light closer, he saw that it was thin, see-through film with a strange scaly texture.
"What's that?" Yu Yanlin pressed up against his side, tilting his head downward as though he could see. But Zhang Wang could hear him breathing in deeper.
Was he smelling it? Zhang Wang instinctively passed the substance over and watched the demon king hold it up to his nose before pulling it away.
"Shed skin," Zhang Wang said eventually. "Looks fresh too so I guess you weren't off with your suggestion."
"Hm." Was all the demon king said before putting the thing back down.
During this time Ariunbayar had already wandered off far ahead, her footsteps echoing silently back toward them. "Hurry up! Come here!" She called. There was something urgent in her voice, a small lift like she had just happened upon something.
"Oh, I guess she found something." With his curiosity piqued, Zhang Wang quickened his pace down the narrow corridor to catch up to the Princess of the Steppes.
"..." Again, Yu Yanlin said nothing as he followed suit.
But the narrow tunnel came to an end. It opened up into a wide cavernous space, where their steps echoed against the tall ceilings. There was no light that reached into these depths. A bone chilling frost made their breaths fog up against their faces. A strange, shuddering feeling crawled down Zhang Wang's spine.
There wasn't a draft that could be felt within these depth. And though it made sense that the temperature might lower; there was no reason why it would turn so utterly cold that Zhang Wang wanted to rub the goosebumps out of his arms and hide his fingers in his sleeves.
Just what was this place?
Similar to the other opened area, there were many narrow tunnels that led to and fro this naturally-formed hall. The walls however, seemed to be made of darker rock. And when their spirit lights fluttered in the air, they flickered; brightness dying. The usual light that came off them() did not travel far.
Zhang Wang could barely make out Ariunbayar's figure even though she was standing less than an arms length away from him.
"This place isn't pure," Yu Yanlin pointed out.
They heard it before they saw it.
Rocks rumbled as a large body shifted. Zhang Wang couldn't see anything but he summoned his bow and quiver from his interspatial ring.
Ariunbayar armed herself as well, calling forth a giant fireball with a spell. The ball of fire hovered in front of her face, twirling and grew till it was about half as wide as the princess herself. But similar to the spirit lights, whatever brightness that was meant to glow from the flames were devoured by the strange darkness, not allowing it to luminate much around them.
But it was enough to see the faint outline of a sinuous thing ahead of them.
"Be careful," Yu Yanlin stepped forward, "the thing that dwells down here has absorbed whatever evil has permeated through this cursed earth. He put a protective arm in front of Zhang Wang. This strange act of chivalry would have normally made the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms rolls his eyes. But instead, his attention was fixated of the piercing chill and stuffy air. Even if Ariunbayar summoned fire, he didn't feel warmed by it at all.
He flexed his finger and drew an arrow, just to stay at the ready.
Ariunbayar shot her fireball forward. It was hovered in front of her leisurely, traveling at snail speed before suddenly launching forward like a giant blaze of lightning.
Darkness collided with light.
And thunderous boom. Hailing debris.
Something slithering and churning up rock and dust. But it was dark and they could barely see a thing. Zhang Wang tried to help their visibility with more spirit lights. He heard something like a sharp hissing. And just as he released a large glowing light to stave off the darkness ahead of him, a set of extended fangs were lunging their way.
"Fuck!"
He couldn't quite follow what came after.
A rain of arrows and Zhang Wang's world was a blur. He was lifted off his feet, Yu Yanlin never failing to carry him off to safety.
It took him a moment to realize his blunder, Zhang Wang's heart sank at his own inability. Whatever creature that was hissing and raging in the dark was monstrously large, frantic and freakishly quick. Quick bursts of light followed Ariunbayar's arrows and little explosions when off when those arrows hit the creature's skin.
Zhang Wang couldn't even tell what the fuck was going on! It was so damned dark! But apparently even in the darkness both Ariunbayar and Yu Yanlin didn't have a single issue. In fact, Yu Yanlin didn't even have an issue with total blindness. Zhang Wang felt so useless in comparison.
"Are you okay?" The demon king asked. And with a scoff he pushed Yu Yanlin away.
"Just peachy."
There was still a battle before them. Ariunbayar matched the serpentine beast in speed but she couldn't help but feel like she wasn't making much progress with it either. No matter how many enchanted arrows left her fingers the monster did not lose any speed nor strength, pursuing her endlessly.