Ruan Qing's day began like every other.
In the morning, she would help her mother with chores and manage their physician shop.
The scent of dried herbs and medicinal roots filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of tea used to calm patients.
Ruan Qing smiled and laughed with her mother everyday, as if the conflict between them never happened.
But ever since that fateful encounter two months ago, her thoughts had been anything but quiet.
2 months ago, she had met Li Xing.
The memory was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
Her hand would slowly caress the necklace whenever she thought about Li Xing, the only evidence that her encounter wasn't a dream.
"Qing'er?" Her mother shook her shoulder, "Are you alright?"
"Sorry, ma," she muttered, hastily returning to grinding dried herbs to powder.
Her mother glanced at her, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing." She quickly changed the subject, "Do you still need more herbs?"
"That's fine for now."
Her mother knew something was up, but didn't press the issue.
"There's not much work left. I can handle the shop for the rest of the day, you can do what you want."
Ruan Qing nodded, "I'll step for a little while then," she said and headed for the door.
As she stepped into the cool evening air, she couldn't help but glance toward the path leading to the riverbank.
Every day for the last 2 months, her desire to meet Li Xing grew and grew like a tiny flame steadily fed by the wind.
She tried hard to distract herself, but his image lingered in her mind.
Sometimes, she even found herself walking halfway to the riverbank not even aware of her actions.
Even her dreams were occupied by Li Xing.
The scary thing was that....this felt natural.
As if missing Li Xing and wanting to be with him was her destiny.
She pushed the thoughts off her mind, scolding herself for holding onto someone she barely knew.
However the harder she wished to forget, the vivid the memory.
"Am I cursed?" she muttered to herself staring into the night. The stars seemed brighter than usual, and her heart ached with longing.
She clenched her fist to steady her thoughts....yet all she could think about was him.
On the outer side of the village, a group of demons gathered.
Zi Hao's every step was resounding to the demons ears.
Thud, thud, thud.
The tense silence fell over his army, too afraid to let even a sound out. The cloak on his back followed behind like a loyal follower.
The soldier clad in gleaming armor, parted to make way. Their expression were full of fear and reverence.
His purple eyes locked onto the barrier, just inches in front.
With interest, he touched the barrier which caused the surrounding army to flinch.
"Devil Emperor!" They screamed cautiously, yet nothing happened.
Zi Hao scoffed at his army while looking at his hand inside the barrier.
"My army, which has followed me through countless war, countless battles–Is actually afraid?"
Though he didn't look at them, the soldiers instead looked away from his figure with a bit of shame.
"This barrier has no effect on those that have ill will." he said as he was scanning the barrier,"To be able to put up such a intricate barrier, this immortal's not ordinary."
The soldier look to each other with worry.
However...
Zi Hao smiled.
"I want you all to watch and learn!"
His hand reached out as violet spiritual energy clashed with the barrier.
Crackling intensified and the soldiers instinctively took a step back.
The barrier pulsed once, twice, and by the third was no more under his assault.
"In front of me, those that dare stand in my way?" he scoffed with full of arrogance. "Death!"
The army behind him roared and cheered with enthusiasm.
This was the Devil Emperor that dared to wage war with the heavens!
"Now," he muttered, his voice carrying absolute command. "Advance."
His hand signaled the attack.