Beneath the shining light of a full moon, Zhang XiYi walked himself to a particular spot, where Damu Lan would often reminiscent memories during each of the passing months of a full moon.
It was a cliff not far from Damu Lan's chamber, and as Zhang XiYi walked, he could feel the wind dancing along his path. The bamboo leaves covered a certain sight, but he could promptly see Damu Lan standing tall at the usual place. Just as Zhang XiYi was about to call out his name, a sight caught him by surprise—next to Damu Lan, stood Lu Ye.
Damu Lan was tall, even taller than Zhang XiYi himself. Although Lu Ye did not match Zhang XiYi's height, from a distance, Lu Ye's head aligned near Damu Lan's ears.
Damu Lan had always preferred solitude when the full moon passed by, especially at that very spot. Thus, Lu Ye's presence was somewhat strange to Zhang XiYi.
"Damu Lan," Zhang XiYi called out to him nevertheless.
Both Damu Lan and Lu Ye turned to look at the newly arrived presence. Zhang XiYi's gaze accidentally met Lu Ye's. As he stared back at those deep brown eyes, a chill got to his spine. As if the eyes that had always looked innocent and pure now seemed tainted with the color of blood when the light of the full moon washed over him.
"Xi Yi, you're here too." Damu Lan remarked, responding to Zhang XiYi's call.
The word "too" sounds somehow unpleasant to Zhang XiYi. Previously, it had always been him to stand there. To tell the truth, he forced himself to make sure Damu Lan grew accustomed to his presence and it took quite a few attempts before Damu Lan stopped dismissing him, so what was Lu Ye doing there, freely?
Zhang XiYi suppressed his thoughts and walked towards Damu Lan. Understanding, Lu Ye cupped his fist and bowed to Damu Lan, bidding him good night and started walking off. As they both walked towards the opposite path of one another, neither Lu Ye nor Zhang XiYi spared each other a single glance.
Zhang XiYi halted by Damu Lan's side, his gaze shifting upwards. Then he turned to Damu Lan directly. "What're you doing Damu Lan?"
Without looking at Zhang XiYi, Damu Lan kept his head tilted, his eyes fixed on the full moon.
"What do you think?"
"Appreciating the beauty of the full moon, again?" Zhang XiYi retorted.
Damu Lan smiled. He smiled, though it was a fleeting expression.
"You've been smiling quite easy as of late," Zhang XiYi remarked.
"Is that so?"
"That disciple of yours is really something. He even surpassed my capable Hua Ran."
"You're exaggerating him. It's thanks to Little Hua and the rest of your disciples that he was able to learn as much."
"Are you trying to make me feel better?" Zhang XiYi asked, chuckling.
Suddenly, a disciple came running to them, his breath catching in a huff as he bowed in hurry and informed.
"Ancestor Zhang, Qing Zhu Jun! We've got trouble! The residents of The Grim City are causing a ruckus at the entrance gate!"
A vein throbbed on Zhang XiYi's forehead, his hands clenched and his face flushed with anger as he listened.
"Damu Lan, we better hurry before they started destroying things in here again."
"..."
"Damu Lan?" Zhang XiYi turned his head to look at Damu Lan, who was looking down in acknowledgement, yet, his expression looked rather—uneasy. This never occured in the past.
"Xi Yi. You go first. I'll come after."
"Be quick with whatever you're planning!" Zhang XiYi replied, swiftly fled from the spot along with the disciple.
Damu Lan only watched as Zhang XiYi departed. Then, he flew his way towards Lu Ye's room.
Just when Lu Ye was about to investigate the commotion, Damu Lan arrived just in time before he left.
"Master? What's happening? Why are they in such a hurry?" Lu Ye asked.
"Disciple." Damu Lan grabbed Lu Ye's shoulders, pushing Lu Ye back into his room with force. His gaze fixated on Lu Ye.
After a pause, he added. "Stay inside until I return."
"Why, master? What's going on?" Lu Ye asked, confused.
"Do not leave your room, no matter what happens, until I come back." Damu Lan pushed open the door and then closed it behind him, leaving Lu Ye in confusion confined within his own room.
Bewildered as he was, Lu Ye found himself powerless to defy his master's order. He was a quiet and docile disciple under Damu Lan's wing, dutifully obeying even as his heart yearned for rebellion—irregularly. But still, he remained obedient, akin to a lamb willingly following its shepherd's lead.
After a considerable amount of time had passed, Lu Ye had only been seating himself on his bed, doing nothing at all. That's right. Absolutely nothing. He might have dozed off here and there, giving off the impression of pure laziness.
He rolled his eyes aimlessly in boredom, until his gaze happened upon a rather peculiar furniture…a mirror? His head tilted in confusion. Has there always been a mirror there? Had he placed a mirror there?
The mirror was ancient-looking. Its frame adorned with lingering specks of dust, yet the golden sheen remained shining, shimmering like a hidden treasure amidst forgotten treasures.
He approached the mirror with a cautious step. The mirror was halfway his height, forcing him to stoop down to catch a glimpse of his reflection. Then he wiped the dust from the mirror's surface.
Instead of his own reflection, a black silhouette emerged from within. The figure stood as tall as his master, Damu Lan. But his hair was rather short and messy and his forehead adorned a vibrant red mark. The color of the mark pierced into Lu Ye's, causing him to blink. His eyes focused on the mirrored image before him. An image of a man, a face that could command the attention of a crowded city, a captivating presence demanding both admiration and respect. Yet, his skin, as pale as that of a ghost, gave him a gloomy appearance and he almost didn't even seem alive.
Both of his eyes shared the same shade of red. The corner of his irises were deep, dark crimson, gradually fading to a fiery brightness as they approached the pupils. His pupils were like that of a cat, narrow and slender, as thin as a blade of grass, staring back at him. The man within the mirror looked rather ferocious and vicious, his gaze locked onto Lu Ye—or so he believed, until he realized that it was the expression he had on his own face!
He had noticed this strange occurrence earlier, for some reason, with each passing month of the full moon, he had some surge of rage brewing within himself, yearning to be unleashed. He hadn't known of the reason so he had suppressed it, keeping it contained within himself. Much to his worries. Damu Lan was like a key to unlock the door to his inner peace. Only by seeing him could Lu Ye feel at ease. For why he was at that spot instead of Zhang XiYi for that very reason.
As Lu Ye stared into the mirrored gaze, he realized he had no memories of encountering this man before.
Driven by instinct, Lu Ye cautiously reached out his arm to touch the mirror's surface. Yet, to his surprise, the reflection's response was different. Instead of mirroring the action by extending its arm towards the surface, the figure promptly seized Lu Ye by the neck, just as it had occurred in his recurring dreams. Though by now, he was somewhat accustomed to being strangled, Lu Ye still coughed and attempted to free himself from the grip.
But, he was unable to do so. He couldn't touch the hand that held him captive. So his hands instinctively waved, clawing at a nonexistent illusion.
"Da...Mu...Lan..." were the words he managed to utter before his consciousness began to fade. His eyes rolled back and his vision started to falter.
"My lord," the familiar, same voice called out once again.
Suddenly, everything disappeared into thin air, and Lu Ye dropped to his knees, coughing and desperately catching his lost breath. As he looked up, the mirror...was gone. He sat on the floor, bewildered by this scene. He truly couldn't comprehend anything. First, he always had to be the one strangled to the brink of death, and then comes the voice acting as a savior.
What was happening? At present, he was no different to a bird with clipped wings, unable to soar in the sky of understanding, for he truly had no idea.
After that, he stood up and walked himself to his bed. His posture appeared somewhat limp and lacking energy. His movements were sluggish and he trembled while his throat still tingled with sensation. Just then, his door was knocked and Damu Lan dashed in a hurry. Worry etched on his face.
"Master...?" Lu Ye's voice trailed off, surprised by Damu Lan's hurried arrival. Though Damu Lan had the ability to fly, it seemed he had rushed here on foot.
"Are you...alright?" Damu Lan asked. His voice filled with tangled emotion.
Lu Ye brushed his neck. There really wasn't any visible mark. So he would always choose to disclose the truth to his master about his dreams, so as not to worry him, he simply smiled briefly and nodded.
"I thought I heard you...calling out to me," Damu Lan added, "I must've been imagining it, then."
Calling out to him? Indeed, there had been a fleeting moment where Lu Ye had called out Damu Lan's name when his consciousness was taken away, but how could his master have heard it from such a distance? To add with that his voice hadn't been that audible…
"This disciple is fine as he is. Master need not to worry." Lu Ye responded.
"It seemed Master had run here by foot. Couldn't master fly? This disciple couldn't shake off the guilt of making his master run such a distance."
Instead of asking about the commotion, Damu Lan was taken aback by Lu Ye's concern for his well-being. It was a role-reversal that struck him, even though Lu Ye had always been attentive towards him, especially when he was drunk.
"I forgot to fly." Damu Lan replied merely. He wiped away sweat that trickled down his skin. As fair as his skin looked, running from Qing Shan Sect's entrance gate to Lu Ye's room must have taken a lot of energy, so his face was flushed with red hue.
Really, he really forgot to fly. It struck Lu Ye then, that his master could be just as absentminded as that. He recalled moments when Damu Lan had eaten his porridge messily, with bits scattered around, and instances when his master had spilled wine wherever.
Lu Ye couldn't help but notice that his master seemed to reveal such a side only in his presence. It was as if Damu Lan felt comfortable enough to let his guard down and display those acts that are not 'cold and solitary'. So he could not hold back but to comment,
"Master has always been a clumsy person. I almost felt pitiful."
Rather than taking it as offensive, Damu Lan's lips twitched before curling upwards, his brows softened, and his gaze turned gentle. A beaming smile graced his serene face, revealing his teeth and nearly closing his eyes in bliss. Lu Ye felt as if he were about to burst out laughing. No one would believe such a tale if it were told to the immortals, let alone the future generations. With that thought, Lu Ye couldn't help but release a slight chuckle, relishing in the lighthearted moment as he said, "I'll prepare porridge exclusively for you. So master, do not go back and spill wine for tonight." Lu Ye smiled messily.
.
At the Qing Shan Sect's entrance gate, crowded with the disciples of the Qing Shan Sect. The residents of The Grim City, though their city had been destroyed by Zhang XiYi and the remaining members of the sect a thousand years back, they still referred to themselves as the residents of the The Grim City. After all, they had only been going on seclusion ever since their leader had been killed. They stood loyal to their ruler after all those years.
"What's the purpose of you coming to our sect uninvited?!" Jin An shouted. His voice carrying a commanding tone rather than his usual playful demeanor.
Jin An continued, "The sect leader is not here to accompany your wish! I demand that you leave!" He brandished his hand fan in a dismissive gesture.
"Huh! Who cares about your current sect leader! Bring us Damu Lan! He'll tell you about this!" One of the The Grim City residents spoke up.
"Are you not satisfied with the testimony? Bai Chang's head is not here! Didn't you make your thorough inspection? Even go as far as to shed blood in our sect!" Jin An shouted once again.
Amidst the commotion, Hua Ran stood beside Cang Ren. Since his master had not yet arrived, Hua ran could only whisper to him, asking, "Master Cang Ren, their eyes are so red...everyone shared the same shade of red. Why is that?"
Cang Ren crossed his arm, attentively listening to the inquiry before responding, "They are all evil spirits inhabiting a living body. Conscious devils."
"Conscious devils?"
"Unlike unconscious devils whose souls fell into their evil spirit but failed to harness the mass power of darkened energy, conscious devils are those who fully succumbed to it. They are an evil spirit who had no morals against their malice. They won't spare a glance if they wish to kill and eat a bear, let alone a human."
Hua Ran felt his spine chill listening to this.
"I've heard of Bai Chang this and that, but my master never told me much about him..."
Cang Ren patted on his head and sighed. "How unfortunate. How unfortunate...that your master is that Blade Knight, Zhang XiYi."
"His hatred towards devils, especially Bai Chang goes beyond even the sea knows where. Hua Ran, speak of that name in front of him so easily and a veins will throb throughout his entire body." Cang Ren said.
"Little of Bai Chang's information is included in Damu Lan's historical compilation book and scroll. You may search for it yourself later—or you may ask the person himself."
"After all, I would not know of him as a person as good as Damu Lan does."
"Our lord had always carried such a deep grudge against the sect for many years. Even after massacring the people, he has yet to find peace!" The devil looked just like any other human, his outfit himself was just as neat and clean. Except for those red colored eyes.
Suddenly, a powerful strike resounded, shaking the earth before everyone's eyes. It was a forceful strike of Zhang XiYi, his gaze filled with rage that would not even flinch at the slightest joke.
"How shameless of you to enter unwelcomed!" He shouted, pointing his sword at the trembling devil right in front of him. "Would you like to taste the edge of my blade?!"
The devil shivered in fear. It seemed the devil isn't one to lead the city at present, but his mouth sure was audacious.
However, a hand slowly lowered Zhang XiYi's blade. The figure was cloaked in a hood, concealing his image, but his voice flowed soothingly like a lullaby, almost rivaling that of Cang Ren. Though his visage remained obscured, it was clear that a grin adorned his countenance beneath the cloak.
"Let it be. We are not here to spill blood. We will leave as we enter."
Footsteps echoed, bringing silence upon the crowd. Then, Damu Lan made his appearance. The wind blew strongly, gracefully dancing through his long white hair as he adorned his fur cloak and placed his hands gracefully on his back. His expression and voice displayed sternness and depth.
"What's with the commotion?" Damu Lan questioned.
The shameless devil from earlier shouted once again, "Look who finally decided to show up, Damu Lan!"
With a touch of sarcasm in his voice, Damu Lan retorted, "You called for me. Or would you rather I remain in my room?"
"How impudent-" as he was about to finish his insult, the figure in cloak raised in hand, signaling a halt.
"..."
"What's the purpose of your visit? Let's get this over quickly." Damu Lan asked again.
"Lord Yin had disappeared." The figure stated in a single sentence.
Damu Lan's eyes widened slightly at the mention, then asked, "Lord Yin…as in Yin Xuan?"
"You guessed right. So Lan Ye does know him, after all. He went missing six years ago. We had been seeking for his soul, but there was no response. Considering that you do, in fact, know him, I demand you explain." The figure retorted.
"That's right! You killed our Lord Bai and even separated his head, denying us the chance to revive him! And now you're going to do the same with our Lord Yin?!"
A brief pause dawned upon them for a while, the words hung in air before murmurs arised. Their custom was to revive their lord. Only if the attempt was unsuccessful would they select the new lord to lead the city.
"Da…mu…Lan" At some point, a familiar voice could be heard ringing within his ears. He certainly would not miss the person belonging to the voice.
"..."
Damu Lan gulped for who knows why.
"I did indeed kill Mo- Bai Chang. But just like I stated, heavens know where his head had gone. And as for your lord Yin," Damu Lan paused, catching his breath in a hurry, "I play no part in his disappearance."
"Shameless! You definitely know something about both matters!"
"Who knows? I certainly not," Damu Lan replied tersely, simply turning away and fleeing the scene.
Then, another strike landed just before the devil.
"Who is the shameless one, here?" Zhang XiYi scowled in fury. It looked as if his anger could no longer be tamed.
"Damu Lan! Until when are you going to play dumb?!" The devil shouted as he saw Damu Lan's figure which was fading away. But the devil's words were abruptly cut short as Zhang XiYi swung his blade towards the devil's neck, only to have the strike blocked as swift by the mysterious figure.
"We leave as we enter. No blood shall be spilled today. Lord Zhang must know how promises are meant to be kept."
It took Zhang XiYi by surprise. Other than Mo Yun—Bai Chang and Damu Lan, nobody had ever managed to catch his blade before.
As the mysterious figure turned and left the sect, the rest of his subordinates retreated, following his lead.
※ Name note
爺（爷）yé, this word means grandfather or something like elders. Calling someone xx爺 represent giving respect to the person, admitting that this man hold higher power in society or group, is a pro guy (nothing to do with the age or being a grandfather) but 爺 can only used for male.
Therefore the man referred to Damu Lan as 兰爺 (Lán yé).