Meng Yao and Jiang Yuze mouth gape wide open.
XiaoSheng shift his left feet to the back, widen his stand. "Explain yourself! Or leaving might not be an option for you in eternity!" His words a fully hostile and his eyes glare dagger at Zhang Cheng. If he says the wrong thing, XiaoSheng will not hesitate to murder him.
Why? Isn't it a good thing he can break the thing? That what a normal person would think. But to war veterans who had witnessed how terrifying the Demon Lord's power, the semblance of him shakes fear in his heart.
Meng Yao jerk her head up to him, "We have– eh... A good explanation for this!" She tries his best to appease his anger. But XiaoSheng didn't even give her a glance. She look over to the two people at the back and then at Zhang Cheng.
Wu Haoyu sigh and put a hand to Meng Yao's shoulder, reassuring her, her panicking and nervous expression is hard to look at. "Yes, we do." He glare Zhang Cheng. "Zhang Cheng, this is your cue. Don't just watch and wait for a fight to happen. Give an explanation!" His put his voice volume up to insure he heard him.
Zhang Cheng with a reluctant expression do as he say, "Beforehand, I must clarify I'm not his son or of any means related to him." He has a tired look that indicates he has already explained this multiple times. "My family name should not be tarnished by this misunderstanding. I have in my vein my mother and my father's blood."
"What explanation can you give me regarding your relationship with the Demon Lord? Any related to the Demon Lord that brings risk to the peacefulness of the world must be persecuted and discarded!"
"Not even when I can help keep world peace?"
XiaoSheng quirk his smile arrogantly, "How so?"
"Only I have the ability to destroy all the mystical items. What that implies is, I not only I can prevent the Demon Lord from resurrecting, I can completely erase the Demon Lord from existence in the afterworld and never to be reborn again."
"How do you have that ability?"
Zhang Cheng look hesitant. He open his mouth, and close it back. It a bit before he open it again with resolution in his eyes. "It's 14 years ago, the Demonic Cult was looking for a compatible sacrifice to the resurrection of the Demon Lord. I was the perfect fit for it. Very so that I can also be vessel for his soul."
"It succeeded. But my parents also successfully save me by resorting to... Demonic practices. As you know, people do not take kindly to the rightousness turning to the forbidden teachings. It cost them everything. Their pride, honor and name." There's a pause in his sententence, "My soul once intertwined with the Demon Lord seems to pass as his also."
He look over at the faces of everyone in the room. Which are all identical look of shock. "I sufficiently explain my story,"
Wu Haoyu quirk his lips up and blink frantically, "Honey, dear. What do you mean. By my family intervention with that ordeal– that is not how it goes. I do not remember a child in the story." That's the wrong script, my dear protagonist.
It's supposed to be– he was chosen by the heavens to be the one that can broke the Four Mystical Artifacts and save the world. There's no complicated plot and it should be just that simple!
Zhang Cheng looks to him, "What I said is true."
"What's your prove? Weren't you– basically one year old baby by then?!" Wu Haoyu persisted. He knows himself what he said doesn't make sense, because a baby is often used as an of object of sacrifice. But what Zhang Cheng explained doesn't align with the novel. Which is even more absurd.
Up until now, the novel never given him any wrong information.
"I can actually show you." Zhang Cheng stated and turn to look around found nothing of what he's looking for. He turn to XiaoSheng, who was wearing a perplexed expression. "Can you tell us if there a river of water nearby, Slayer of Demon?"
XiaoSheng crossed his arm, he sigh. "I don't know what is it that's more justifiable, killing you or helping you. You were only just a child after all. But, assuming If I take what you said is true–" He stretch his head close to Zhang Cheng's. "As long as you live, there's possibility that the Demon Lord can come back from the death. A thousand life for one."
The heavy weight of his words and power that he hold in his own domain, the three feel coldness under their skin. XiaoSheng is a powerful foe that Meng Yao, Jiang Yuze and Wu Haoyu are very doubtful they can win.
Zhang Cheng hold no fear in his eyes, he answer unhesitatingly; "I say the intellectual decision is to help me. Only I can destroy the four Keys, thus I can complete erase the Demon Lord existence. There will be no need for a second 10 years long war."
"You are a double edged weapon, boy. An unorthodox entity. How can we trust a word of a boy only yet to adolescence? Humans change, it is in our nature. By the time you reach your adulthood, there's no guarantee you still keep your noble righteousness. War is rather simple."
Zhang Cheng didn't open his mouth for a minute, there's truth in his words he can't denied. But his resolution still unwavering, "There's need not for war."
"The righteous cultivator will simply win it."
"It is not worth a village being burn, a thousand lives lost, a child without a father and mother, the suffering of going through each day knowing death will greet you— not even close. Winning or not isn't the problem. And you, my lord, know what war brings." Zhang Cheng stood his ground. "You can choose a decision that avoids all that."
Only sound of the wind come after that intense moment. Zhang Cheng is daring enough to argue with an entity who literally own the domain they're in and a legendary hero. But the three with a common survival instinct, holds their breath and hoping the next coming out of XiaoSheng's mouth doesn't rhythm with die.
XiaoSheng pause for a moment, "You have yet to prove to me how many truth your words hold." Wu Haoyu, Jiang Yuze and Meng Yao made an audible sound of relief. Thank goodness they don't have to fight.
"What you have to show will be the judging force of my answer on whether to help you." XiaoSheng take the lead and walk them towards a certain direction.
"On a scale of 10, rate how confident you are this is will go smoothly?" Wu Haoyu crossed his arm. His brows furrowed, his mind still lingering on Zhang Cheng words that collieded with the novel. "I mean how many of what you said was the actual truth?"
Zhang Cheng glance at his with strange look, "I don't understand what you mean, I never told you any lies all the time we ever talk, Wu Haoyu. I don't know why you keep insisting I lied." His voice hold tone of slight irritation. He soften his frown, "Just trust me, alright?"
There's no answer that Wu Haoyu can give. Knowing something important and that things gone incredibly wrong, and that something is what he base his entire existence. But, he literally can't express and describe it; the helpnessness makes his skin tremble in frustration. "Huh! Well probably. Your words doesn't have any credibility. What makes you think I trust you?" His emotion got redirected to Zhang Cheng.
"You don't trust me...?"
"Yes!" Wu Haoyu regrets it immedietly, the fog of anger dissipate completely when he saw Zhang Cheng looked hurt by his words.
[ Villain Points: 15+]
For one in his entire life time in this world, he hated the notification noise of a vp. It show him how much he hurt Zhang Cheng feelings. It was him that hurt Zhang Cheng, not "Wu Haoyu", made it an even worst realization.
"You are right. I have to earn people's trust." Zhang Cheng quickly recover his emotion and his expression turn reserve and indifferent as if he was uneffected. It was awkward a moment after.
"Good." He force the words out. In for a penny, in for a pound. They were starting to get close to one another, it's almost like they are friends. But that never will happen.
They both eventually got saperated, Wu Haoyu watches from behind all the people that's in front of him. Betray them and join the forces that want to revived the Demon Lord– that's the blueprint of the plan. There's 4 year left. Anxiousness eating away his heart, he was unconsciously bitting his finger only when it bleed he winches and that he stop.
Jiang Yuze come for a moment and advice him not make a habit of bitting his finger, Wu Haoyu reply with an uncaring attitude and Jiang Yuze return the same behaviour. "If you die, I will be the first to say it's your own fault."
"Piss off," Wu Haoyu scowled.
Jiang Yuze then mind his own business. Walking in a slow uncaring motion, umbrella on hand while humming to himself a tune. When they first met, Jiang Yuze strike him as a cheerful and youthful boy, it was a facade though. A mask to keep people from getting to close to him. His real self is this reserved and aloof, but carefree and likes to sinically joke.
They both mask who they trully are, probably that's the reason why they got along in the library.
Zhang Cheng and Meng Yao walk together their pace sync in perfectly. From this far away, Wu Haoyu couldn't hear much. Zhang Cheng smile. Meng Yao return the same beautiful smile at him. They both looked like they enjoy each other's company. Wu Haoyu's happy that they found each other, now, no matter how bad it is going to be, they'll have each other's support.
Beyond that, Wu Haoyu feel empty. Meng Yao is going to be the love of his life. Meanwhile, Wu Haoyu lamented the fact he can't even be his friend.
A hand touch his shoulder, it was warm and soft. Meng Yao greeted him. He blinks a bit, didn't notice her arrival, but he roll with the flow and tries to flirt with her, telling her eyes are like gold dug from the deepest part of the soil and earth, make obvious advancement like tucking her hair behind her ear. She...take the compliment with a hearty smile. Wu Haoyu never met someone this hard solid and impenetrable. Something tells him she does this on purpose, to tell him in the nicest way possible that "I'm not interested in you so much I don't care, but I don't want to tell you that; so read in-between-the-line please."
She came to ask him about why Zhang Cheng seem to be upset. It seem to have hit him hard that he looked heartbroken, she tries to talk to him about it but he wouldn't budge, convinced her that he's just fine.
Guilt eating away his heart. Looking at Meng Yao round and concern eyes making it hard for Wu Haoyu to contain it from showing on his face, it remind him of Bao Lin. So he looks away, and try not think so much about Zhang Cheng. He toy with his hair as to stop his hand from fidgetting and selling himself away.
After a while, he found an excuse to walk away.
XiaoSheng walk very slowly, and add to that, they stop for a moment in a middle of a open crop field, problaby for rest (not sure, do spirit need rest?). They arrive at a pond, the ground was a solid concrete and it was hot, air of steam hitting their face like a soft but burning blanket.
Zhang Cheng reached into the water, looks of surprise appear on his face when he reach in the body of water and feels the water isn't hot at all.
He close his eyes.
Visual projection is not a thing in this universe, the stove in the kitchen run by woodfire, when it's hot people use handfan, if people are sick they use herbs and traditional medicine. That doesn't mean everything in this world grounded in reality however.
Like how Zhang Cheng magically manifested a visual on the lake. It involved having full concerntration on the mind, that leave the whole body unprotected, said that with little disturbance may unstable the qi in their body and cause a coughing fit of blood. The technique was last said to be hard enough that no one can do it in thousand years after the original creator. It was long lost in the history. Well, until the protagonist of course.
The slight see-through image resolution on the pond remind him of a projector. Zhang Cheng show everyone the event that happened in the past. Didn't waste even a second the visual show baby version of Zhang Cheng being place into an alter, made out of stone and was small, but he was the perfect size in it.
Two figure tower over him. The baby cried and one of the two frown while one keep an emotionless face. The isn't much words from them, but these words tells them everything they want to know. "The seed is already planted, just one more ritual to set his fate...," The voice was cold and raspy, detached of emotion.
"The body is weak." Another figure loomed beside the alter. His voice growled in dissatisfaction.
"Once the ritual is complete the body will reconstruct itself to the Demon Lord's will." Looking irritated, his back face the other way around and take his leave. It made the other unhappy. And later try to reach in for Zhang Cheng.
"Get away from my son!" A loud proclaim voice shouted from behind.
The high-ranking demon cultivator was attacked and fell off the high ground.
A man and a woman rush to pick the baby to their safe embrace. It was unfortunetly followed by a door burst open. They were outnumbered. But thankfully a friend of them come to help. It was a tall man, cloth in snow green.
It was chaos, and as it was in the perspective of a small child, they hardly seen anything of the fight. But they somehow manage to get away.
Darkness and crimson enveloping the baby's small tattered body. The child body is like devoid of any soul, the infant was deafly silent and still like a doll. The two young parents tried their best not to be overwhelmed with hopelessness.
In an epiphany, they all collectively agree to use the demonic arts to peform a ritual that cancel the previous ritual. Tears of joy escape the eyes of the two parents when the baby started to let out a sound, a cute soft murmured.
Zhang Cheng really wasn't lying. Wu Haoyu has come to terms with that realization. His eyes staring sharp on to the visual projected on the water. The man with green clothes was with a soft and dull brow, leaf-shape eyes and curve up lips– the opposite of Wu Haoyu from every angle. He's gentle and friendly but sharp and deathly when killing his enemies. Zhang Cheng parents trust the man completely to hold their baby.
He stare at Zhang Cheng fondly with a look of adoration with a slight sadness weight his brows downwards. "Little Ah Cheng, you are going to be alright. I'll make sure of it."
"No, it's already enough. I can't let you get involved with this." Zhang Cheng father stated. His wife share the same sentiments and her eyes looked on the blood on the man's elbow, "You're injured!"
"It's really fine! You two don't have to worry about me. I'm already here, aren't I? I can't get out of this so might as well lend a hand." He chuckled. The blood from his wound drip and stream to his hand.
"..." They don't know what to say. They were grateful for his presence. "Thanks for everything."
—Shu Chang Ming. It was undeniably his father.
Wu Haoyu watches his father's face, his hand like having their own thoughts, tries to reach the image on the water wanting to touch the remnants of him.
"Wu Haoyu, you can't," Jiang Yuze firmly said. His brows furrowed. The consequences of disturbing the visual could lead to heavy injuried to Zhang Cheng especially since it linked to his mind, Wu Haoyu almost hurt Zhang Cheng again.
"Did you forgot to use your head?" He asked.
Wu Haoyu look lost and unsure of what to think. He only shakes his head after he realizes the frown on Jiang Yuze face. "I... don't know." His bottom lips quivered.
No one around seem to notice what he was about to do but Jiang Yuze, and it seems no one realize that the friend of Zhang Cheng parents were actually Wu Haoyu's father.
He misses him. But it was like a distand memory now. Trutfully, he value all the good memory better than the bad one, he never trutfully blame his father for anything. Looking at his father, finally he get to see his father clearly– he wanted to smile and cry at the time. "Just curious to see what happend if I touch it."
"I have a sword. I might just cut your hand with it." Jiang Yuze respond. Next, his expression appear puzzled and slight bit confused.
"Don't you care? I heard what you said to Zhang Cheng– "I don't trust you!~"…. Really?" he imitate his voice but dramatically and made it sound more whiny and nostril, "I get that you're stressed, but Zhang Cheng is too." He paused for a bit, "Well in all fairness, he does a bad job at showing it."
The visual projection stops now and XiaoSheng and Zhang Cheng converse with each other. Jiang Yuze didn't seem worry, probably because he trusts Zhang Cheng wholeheartedly. Many people care for Zhang Cheng, Jiang Yuze and Meng Yao for example...his father too. Wu Haoyu found relief in that. "I do care for him not getting killed. I won't be excepting broken doll wouldn't I?" He's at it again, objectifying Zhang Cheng like an asshole.
Jiang Yuze hit him on top oh his head, "Ouh! That hurt!" Wu Haoyu jerk away.
"You are such a disaster." His face turn thoughtful. "Talk to me. I notice now you don't look well. Your face is white like ashes, you sweat like crazy and way before this you walk in a pace of a snail." His brows lowered with a look of slight concern. "I think it is a sign of fever or might it—"
Wu Haoyu didn't want to hear it. All their care and worry worth better if it were for someone else and not him. He is too sincerely. It's unlike for him to care. "Yes! I'm not feeling good– is that what you want to hear?!"
Jiang Yuze didn't expect the outburst it felt outrageous when he wanted to offer help, though the anger on his face quickly was subside to indifference. "Try to turn your volume down." He murmured. And he walk away, certain if he don't they just fight and cause harm.
.....
The sky is dark. They are all tired from the long day of travelling and fighting. XiaoSheng kindly give them hospitality, foods and drinks. They all doze off to bed after devouring the food.
XiaoSheng invite Zhang Cheng for a talk, the room illuminate by candle they sit down on the cold pavement looking at the scenery that is treasures and cold stack up outside.
"The future may not seem so hopeful as you think it is," XioaSheng sinically said.
"I will carve my own future. No matter what you and the whole world says." Zhang Cheng exclaimed.
"I truly admire your spirit." He close his eyes, when he open it again his mouth stretch wide. "Alright, when you need my help. You know where to find me."
Zhang Cheng smile. He raise his glass up, "This drink in your honor, my lord."
...
The bright sky indicate they need to wake up and start their day. They got ready quickly because they don't have much to bring. They bid their goodbyes to XiaoSheng and leave with the Key on hand.
"We are done! Screw that travelling. I want to lie down and nothing." Jiang Yuze moan.
"Yes! I smell like dogshit." Meng Yao voice was cheerful.
"I finally feel I can breath." Zhang Cheng said.
Wu Haoyu almost grin looking at the teens, laughing and smiling ear to ear. But oh they are so naive. How can it be so easy? Their journey had been smooth sailling that they forgot who they were dealing with.
"Too easy!" The voice was scratching and growly like an animal. It send them all a cold feeling of fear and dread.
The noise of leaves and stick cracking slowly walking towards and around them. They were ambushed.