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Chapter Text

PROLOG | 序幕

That Ocean Eyes | 那 海洋的眼睛

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The waves lapped tranquilly against the beach rocks. On the same shore, His home in Dahuang. Without a sound, only cold loneliness wrapped the beach. Zhao Yuanzhou sat on the large rock he always sat on, staring out at the endless Dahuang ocean with no end in sight. Today was also as calm as usual.

But even now, it was too calm for a Great Demon Zhao Yuanzhou to face alone. He had lived for ten thousand years. The calmness and silence, he had long grown used to that. But this time, it was different. He missed his ocean. He missed the coldness of those ocean eyes that always looked at him with various ripples of emotions. Missed how the more he looked into those two eyes, the more he sank into the sea of ​​warmth of life that he had been searching for that dozens of millennia.

The sword that was currently in his left hand remained still. It no longer emitted its bright blue light glow when near him. It no longer gave him the hot sensation he used to feel when he touched it. Previously, it had become his obsession to seek death. But now he just wants to reverse time to let the blue glow return. The same blue light as the color of his favorite beautiful eyes that he longed for. Even now, with the Yungguang Sword resting in his hand. Its blade, in direct contact with his palm gave just coldness and silence. As if it understood every emotions that drowned Zhao Yuanzhou entirely.

The legendary sword fell silent as its master disappeared, embracing his death.

The sole owner of the legendary sword of the BingYi clan. The one and only great young master who was loved by all the people of Tiandu. The owner of those eyes that as cold as the deep ocean that Zhao Yuanzhou longed to look at. The beloved Zhuo Yichen Darren. The Commander of the Demon Hunting Bureau from the BingYi Clan descendants. The strongest Tiandu protection symbol.

His only Xiao Zhuo was gone.

His only reason to reside.

His only soulmate.

His love.

Gone.

~~~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~~~

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

第一章

Dream of Return

回归的梦

However, fate was playing with his life again this time. How could Zhu Yan who was a demon of tens of thousands of years still be unable to break throuh the heart of Zhuo Yichen who was always cold to himself but gentle to the world?

How could his Zhuo Yichen Daren, with his already fragile human body, who was still in so much pain because of BingYi's blood that forced him to become a demon. Be expected to bear the weight of torment for breaking his oath.

An oath that demanded he kill Zhao Yuanzhou with his own two hands.

How could he let his Xiao Zhuo Darren choose to sacrifice himself to save the Great Demon Zhu Yan?

The same Great Demon who had brought misfortune into Zhuo Yichen's life. The murderer of his beloved father and brother. His Xiao Zhuo did not belong in this broken world. His Xiao Zhuo was the most gracious soul in existence.

He never complained. He never faltered. Even in his final breath, he stood still with his kindness.

Xiao Zhuo, I have wronged you. I made too many promises and many of those I didn't keep. I just keep hurting you again and again. Even in our lives, this time.

Xiao Zhuo, the Yunguang sword is intact. I have repaired it. It just waits for its owner to hold it again.

Xiao Bai Tu has been saved, don't worry, he is currently in the recovery stage. He has been taken care of in Kun Lun Mountain by Ying Lei, of course, our Xiao Jiu's favorite brother. He missed you, Xiao Zhuo. The first thing he did after opening his eyes was looking for you. Never a day passes without his bawling. Amazingly enough, our Xiao Bai Tu is still with his swollen eyes and weak body. He continued to look for a cure potion. He hoped it could help you recover.

Also, Yinglei was fine. I have given a protection spell on him. He wasn’t injured too badly. Just a few bruises and cuts on the arms. His core remained intact. Our precious Young Mountain Gods. He will always be our bright boy Ying Lei, even though he has to bear Ying Zhao's responsibility here and now. He always brings sweet pear soup every morning for you. He kept trying to cook it until he found the perfect taste. He noted it down, hoping it was the same recipe you always cooked for us.

Nuwa, Fuxi, and YingLong are helping the process of releasing Lilun from Bai Jiu’s body. LiLun also received his punishment, his cultivation age returned to when he was a teenager. Almost half of his strength has been sealed by the Baize Goddess. Eventually, he, side by side with Ying Lei, helped strengthen Da Huang's Eight Diagram Protective Disc Seal with Baize Goddess. For this reason, Wen Xiao decided to slacken the restriction on his strength.

Don't worry about Wen Xiao, she has Pei Darren beside her and I will always guard her from behind like how you always do. Pei Darren has taken over as the current vacant commander of the Demon Hunting Bureau after you gone. I know she can handle it well. Pei Siheng is also helping to train the other low-level demons to help the bureau.

It is a shame that Mr. Wen Fan was killed while protecting Wen Xiao from Wen Zongyu's attack. Wen Zongyu turned him into a demon. It resulted in his human body not being able to handle it. By the time I went back to the Bureau, his body had already turned into dust. Wen Zongyu tried to take the 7 Rainbow stone that has BingYi's blood in it, the one who made you into a demon. He also tried to take my demon core. He almost burned down the Bureau if I wasn’t quick enough to teleport us to Kunlun Mountain. Back then, I asked Bai Yan to protect your body in Da Huang.

Xiao Zhuo, we managed to defeat that scoundrel Wen Zongyu. We succeeded in tricking him with the information from Xiao Jiu, Ao Yin, and Wen Zongyu's lover. Even though the success rate was only 20%. At least with the help of Ying Lei, Li Lun, and Wen Xiao’s Baize Goddess power, the seal of Dahuang was still safe and intact despite the brutal attacks from Wen Zongyu. He had experienced awakening as the Demon of Calamity. That scum managed to take A Fei demon core and killed his followers to take the malicious energy. With that exploding force, he brutally attacked anyone and tried to break the seal.

I have to thank that old dragon, without the additional strength from YingLong, I might not have been able to defeat Wen Zongyu with the remaining energy I had back then. It turned out that repairing the Yunguang Sword required more than half of my cultivation life's spiritual energy. Next time, don't break the sword again, okay? Don’t take this risk again, Xiao Zhuo. I beg you.

Xiao Zhuo, if I knew that you would choose to take out the Flame of Immortality and choose to transfer all the malicious energy in my body to yourself, I would not have chosen to wake up from YingLong's illusion test at that time.

I should have immediately taken you away when you chose not to refine the Yunguang Sword.

I would have found another way to make your body adapt to the blood of the Great Demon Bingyi without major risks.

I shouldn't have been a coward and forced you to make this decision of yours.

I shouldn’t have been so eager to always deny the fact that I'm still obsessed with dying at your hands.

I always knew that you were hesitant to kill me.

I'm sorry, Xiao Zhuo. I will not ask you to kill me again.

So please wake up.

Xiao Zhuo, I have completed Nuwa and Fuxi's mission to prevent Wen Zongyu's awakening into a Demon of Calamity. And also repaired the Da Huang's Eight Diagram Protective Disc Seal. That time, Fuxi & Nuwa promised me a peaceful death if I completed the mission.

But you know, Xiao Zhuo, I no longer seek death like the last promise I made to you. This time, I will live and will find every piece of your soul to revive you again. You have to live, Xiao Zhuo, because now, ah, not now but always you are the only reason I choose life over death.

I want to look into your brilliantly sparkling eyes again, watching me. Those eyes represent the calm mystery of the endless, deep blue ocean, lulling me with the ripples of its waves.

Wait for me, Xiao Zhuo, I will find you.

Xiao Zhuo, I won't let you be alone anymore.

I will not repeat YingLong's mistakes.

I will take you home and won't let fate separate us again.

Xiao Zhuo, your monkey is here. I beg you, so please wake up.

Xiao Zhuo, please don't leave me.

Xiao Zhuo, I beg you.

Xiao Zhuo?

Zhuo Yichen?!

XIAO ZHUO!!!!!

Zhao Yuanzhou woke up breathless. His entire body was covered in cold sweat. His right hand was still holding Zhuo Yichen’s hand tightly. Still lying lifeless in the bed. No signs of life.

That same nightmare. The same dream that always drags him out of sleep. Some demons don’t need sleep. For Zhu Yan the Great Demon, sleep is not really necessary.

But after that incident happened. When he sleeps, he can still meet Zhuo Yichen. When he sleeps and dreams, the dream will always bring him return to the past. When he first met Zhuo Yichen. When they fight each other. When he spent time drinking tea with him. When Zhuo Yichen talks, smiles, laughs, or cries.

When his Xiao Zhuo was still alive.

That nightmare is always the same scene.

When his Xiao Zhuo didn’t wake up. His Xiao Zhuo's eyes were shut. And blood was flowing all over his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Draining the colour from his already pale skin. Zhu Yan was vainly wiping all the blood that continued to flow.

He doesn’t care that his robe was already covered in blood. In his arms, Xiao Zhuo’s remained motionless. He then pointed his finger to his forehead, extracting his spiritual energy, then directed it towards Zhuo Yichen. His efforts were in vain. It was like filling water into a cracked glass.

Zhu Yan hugged Yichen’s body, which was starting to get cold. Repeatedly calling his name. Stroking his head, hoping for a response. 

Horror surged into Zhao Yuanzhou's thoughts. He desperately trying any spell to heal the cause of Yichen's bleeding. While still wiping the blood that flowing even more rapidly. He heard Wen Xiao’s wail calling for Zhuo Yichen. But he doesn’t have the time for that. He needs to stop the bleeding. If it is not stopped immediately, Xiao Zhuo’s life will be in danger. He felt Yichen’s body just keep getting colder.

“No, No, No, NO, XIAO ZHUO STAY WITH ME PLEASE. PLEASE XIAO ZHUO I BEG YOU” Zhao Yuanzhou started to shout. His tears couldn’t be stopped.

“Zhuo Yichen, just why? How could you? Please don’t do this to me. Xiao Zhuo, please wake up. Why is this happening? How could you choose this? ZHUO YICHEN. XIAO ZHUO.” Zhao Yuanzhou hugged Zhuo Yichen’s body tightly.

He cannot control his emotions anymore. They had just completed YingLong’s illusion test. Their bodies just weren’t frozen anymore. In fact, they had just hugged and smiled at each other. They finally learn the fact that their destiny was the same as Yinglong and Bingyi’s fate. They had just successfully completed it. But why Zhuo Yichen? Why did you choose this?

In the cold cave where the Ancestors of the Bingyi Clan were buried. He also had to lose all his reason to live in this world. He had to feel that beloved body turn pale and as cold as ice in his embrace. His favourite eyes closed tightly. The blood covered all over Zhuo Yichen's pale face.

That day, he lost his Xiao Zhuo.

A knocking sound from the door brought him back to reality.

“Who’s there?”

“Da Yao, it’s me.”

“Xiao Jiu? What is it? Come on in.” Zhao Yuanzhou opened the door lock with his one world spell.

Bai Jiu entered the dark room. He was still with his sleepy face. His right hand was holding a bell that Zhuo Yichen usually wore. Hugging the quilt tightly. Then he stepped slowly towards the bed where Zhao Yuanzhou and Zhuo Yichen’s bodies lay.

“Da Yao. Can I sleep together with both of you again?” Bai Jiu stands near the bed.

“Haha, do you have a nightmare again, Xiao Bai Tu? Come here, where do you want to sleep?”

“I will be here beside Xiao Zhuo Ge. You just stay still in there, Da Yao.” Bai Jiu slowly climbed onto the bed and lay down on the empty side next to Yichen.

Zhao Yuanzhou watched his movements until he confirmed that Bai Jiu had lifted up the quilt. He locked the door again with a word spell. And lie down while staring at the ceiling. His hand was still clutching Zhuo Yichen's hand.

“Da Yao”

“Hm?”

“Hm, do you think Xiao Zhuo ge will wake up again soon?”

“Hm…, I don’t know the answer yet.”

The sound of sobbing could be heard from the little one.

“You know, Da Yao. In my dream, Xiao Zhuo ge let go of my hand and went towards the light. He wouldn’t even turn around to look at me again. Isn’t that too cruel, Da Yao? Does Zhuo ge really not want to look at me again, even in another realm?”

Xiao Jiu moved to hug Yichen’s cold body. Then cried louder and hugged him tighter. The sound of bells ringing could be heard. It’s only made the little one tighten his grip on the bell even more. Hoping to hush the sound. Because that sound only made him long for the presence of the figure of its original owner.

Not only Bai Jiu. Even Zhao Yuanzhou couldn’t hold his tears. His yearning grows more day by day.

“I won’t let it happen, rest assured, Xiao Jiu. Get some sleep, you need more rest so your body can recover. You have to be healthy to welcome Zhuo Yichen's return, isn’t it?”

“Hnn, Good night Da Yao.”

“Good night Xiao Bai Tu.” He stroked Bai Jiu’s head slowly until the little one fell asleep.

This has become their habit since Xiao Jiu woke up. Whenever he had a nightmare, he would run to Zhuo Yichen’s room. Seek Da Yao to accompany him to sleep. And hugged the person he missed the most. He just felt that the suffering of being separated from his mother was not as heavy as this.

Zhao Yuanzhou didn’t go back to sleep. He only let his eyes stare at the two people he cared ahead. Looking at Xiao Jiu. Who hugged Yichen’s body tightly, even in his sleep. Letting himself blend into the silence of the night. And waiting for the morning dawn to warm Yichen’s cold body at least a little bit.

-----TO BE CONTINUED-----