The night has finally come and with it the Dark Hours rise.
Nanming at first felt wary that a Jiangshi or a Ghost might appear out of nowhere, but it's not the case, maybe this place was protected?
Nevertheless, the air is odd around him, it felt electrifying and charged with energy that makes him shiver.
But since it was the Full moon, he simply regards it as the Moon charge phenomenon.
Nanming stood there in the pavilion overlooking the city, then a figure appeared.
He was as old as he is, with black hair and red eyes.
Nanming instantly recognizes him from that time when he was admitted to the family.
"Greeting brother, I am Wu Chen, the 6th Heir"
He said with absolute confidence, yet it wasn't the arrogant type. It gives off humble sense beneath the prideful exterior
"I'm Wu Nanming, your new brother"
Nanming said in return, his face was as cold as ever
"Hmm, no one has taught you manner yet, right?"
He asks, acting smug. But that was it, somehow it felt empty, like it was just an act.
"Not yet, I am still foreign to the Demonic Sect mannerism and ethic"
Nanming gaze turns towards the city.
Chen then moves into his side and crosses his arm
"The city sure is magnificent huh"
He said with a prideful look, looking over the light filled landscape from the hustle and bustle of Jiangnam city.
"This is the might of the Demonic Sect, and it is my dream to one day. Make it even bigger and brighter! The light of Jiangnam will one day make the stars dimmed in awe!"
He said as he flaunts his arms into a domineering pose.
Nanming saw the Demon King in him, it's just that the Demon King is a lot more subtle than he is.
"Have anyone every told you that you are childish?"
Nanming said, though somehow, he felt like he wanted to laugh.
A notion that quickly gets swept under the weight of his mind.
Chen immediately drops his act as his face falls into that of an embarrassment.
"Ugh you're like big sis Hu Mei"
He said as he tries to maintain his dignity while averting his gaze.
"Who?"
Nanming said while tilting his head.
"Big sis Hu Mei, wait you haven't met her yet?"
"No"
He said with an empty voice
Chen moves closer to him and gazes at Nanming face with absolute confidence
"You would be surprised by how beautiful she is, now that I look at it"
He then pushes the hair around Nanming face upward, revealing his soft and gentle face and that purple eyes.
Yet it was blank without anything reflected on it, like a dead person
"You look like a girl yourself"
He chuckles
"I bet that even Big sis Hu Mei is no match for your—AW AW AAW"
Nanming twist Chen hand effortlessly
"Enough"
He said, but he then releases Chen hand and walks away.
"Hey! Let's go to her place tonight"
Chen said, Nanming ceased his stride and looked back at him
"You must be joking, its past curfew. And it's during the Dark Hours too"
Nanming said as he planned to walk back to his room.
But then Chen grabs his shoulder in a playful smile and said
"Come one, we're the Demonic Prince. Since when rules bother us so much?"
Chen then drags the unwilling Nanming out of the manor through the back wall and they run into the empty courtyard towards Hu family Manor.
The Crimson Palace outside of Lady Hwang manor was shrouded in thick mist, both boys relied heavily on the lantern light and flowers that dotted every path.
But Nanming is currently thinking about other things, Chen is silent.
He cannot sense his existence.
'I didn't sense him back then and even now, could it be that he is that powerful? Or is it because of the moon's charge?'
He thought, then he noticed something he cannot fully grasp about Chen.
'kill'
Nanming sense flairs up as if telling him to kill Chen. Why is that?
"Ugh, it smelt really bad here"
Chen said as he pinched his own nose.
Suddenly he realizes something, the air tonight is oddly charged with a foul smell.
Like a rotten flesh inhabited by a maggot and has been pissed on by a beast and drunk man alike.
A smell familiar to him, the Black Blood of Spirit, Plasmatic Spirit Blood.
"Stop…"
Nanming shouts with blank face
Chen immediately stops and is confused
"Why?"
"Theres a reason why we have a curfew, this night is the night of the Full moon and in the Dark Hours too"
He said as he unsheathed his blade, the dark red glow of it is enchanting and dangerous at the same time.
"…There is a Great Spirit around here…"
His tone is grim, despite his stoic face and the fact that he understands nothing about the terminology Nanming spat out, the fact that he unsheathes his blade is enough for Chen understood the gravity of the situation as he holds his own blade
"What sort of Higher spirit was it?"
Chen asks as he scans around the courtyard, searching for something that might be suspicious, anything at all since he doesn't really know what spirit might look like.
"The smell is wet, slightly moist and charged, its either lightning or water Spirit… Or worse"
"What do you mean worse?"
"There are two Higher spirits"
-Where is everybody?
From within the mist, a voice permeates, it was as if whatever words were spoken, it travels directly into their mind, sort of like telepathy.
-But I want to play Hide and Seek…
Then, a figure appears.
A womanly visage, hunchback wearing white clothing akin to a funeral. The face is pale white.
She strides along the ground, not quite there but exists
"You jinx"
Chen mutters
"I merely stating the possibility"
But their bickering was stopped halfway by the visage suddenly turning her head, revealing two faces melted into one.
First half is a wet skeleton still drenched in blood while the pristine face in its other halves
-You, who are you?
it asked, yet the mouth didn't move
"No matter what happens don't answer it"
Nanming whispers
The figure moves closer to the two of them, the air crackles and freezes over, as if the personification of winter itself is present.
The smell was foul, Chen almost puked but he persevered, not knowing what would happen if he dared react.
-One, Two, Three….
The female figures speak
-Lets play a game of hide and seek
The skeleton figures speak
-I Count
the female figures then twitch, detaching itself from the skeleton
"YOU HIDE!"
The skeleton screams, making the surrounding air crackle in lightning
"Run!"
Nanming grab Chen hands and run away as fast as he could, far, far away from the two spirits.
They hid behind a wall leading to the inner courtyard, Chen wheezing and tried to regulate his breathing.
But Nanming is still calm and overlooking the two spirits
"Minor Deity, how?"
Nanming said in disbelief, Chen is visibly shocked and terrified.
"D-Deity? Hey Nanming, are we cursed now?"
He looks wary, far from his usual confidence self
"No, they are transforming…"
Nanming explained as he sheathed back his sword
"What's the difference between the two of them?"
Chen asks, his curiosity overrides his fear.
"Don't know, just be wary of the Skeleton since that is the spirit, the other half is a Ghost"
"So, the problem is the spirit" Chen clarifies.
"For now, until the ghost finished its countdown, we only have to worry about the spirit, come closer Chen, I will cast a spell"
Nanming said, Chen then complied and watched as he muttered an incantation.
"Higher spirit of lightning, I beseech thee, heed my plea and grant us mercy from your blood and blessing and curse. Lighting purification"
Then, two symbols appear out of thin air.
It hovers for a second before it explodes and envelops both Nanming and Chen
Nanming is visibly tired from that action, he clutches his chest and stabilizes his own Core.
"…Why is Kirin responding?"
He quietly cursed; he just wanted a minor lightning deity to respond instead of the damn Kirin.
"Remember, I can only do this once. So don't do any action that could revoke the spell, such as cursing"
Nanming said, his breathing has become more stable
"That's oddly specific huh"
Chen interjects as he rubs his hand, the sensation of static electricity coursing through his body is tingling
"Lady Kirin the Divine Hare detest violence and impeachment. If you don't do any of those, she won't care too much"
Nanming said
"Doesn't that mean if we attack the spirit, the spell would be revoked. Wait, did you say Kirin?!"
Chen said in disbelief.
He knows that Lady Kirin is a god worshipped by the people around Hanji in the Southern Region.
"It doesn't matter yet, Lady Kirin also hates other Spirit, don't ask me why"
Nanming said, he was tired from having to answer all those questions
The Skeleton then found their position
"THERE YOU ARE!"
It screams, revealing the grotesque, half burned organ inside of its bloody skull
Nanming immediately sprang into action, swinging his sheathed blade into the skeleton arms.
The Lightning Purification not only defended them against the Ghost lightning property, but it also infused their weapon with Moon energy, allowing them to hit the Spirit
SWIISH
"AGGGH"
It screams as Nanming slam his sheathed sword to its left arm repeatedly.
Then, it swings its other arm towards Nanming, but it was stopped by Chen sudden intervention
BLAM
Chen Aura flared up in red as he then activates his technique, 'Three great sword attack'.
He spins three times in a half-circle.
Taking turn hitting the skeleton arms.
Each time he swings, the momentum increases, worsening the attack
"FILTH! DIE DIE DIE DIE. I CURSE THEE TO AN ETERNAL PAIN!"
The skeleton opens its maw, then a torrent of blue lighting tore through the grounds.
CRASHHHH
It almost hit Nanming who thankfully just dodged out of the way. But it hit his left hand, burning it
"…"
Though he seems to not care about his injury, Chen on the other hand, is utterly terrified of the deep wound
"Shit, are you alright?"
He panicked as he tried to mend his wound, but Nanming pushed him out of the way as another torrent of lightning pierced through
"Focus!"
Nanming shouts, then two of them began to move in unison.
Chen attacks the Spirit while Nanming cast another spell
"Higher spirit, divine ancestor, I seek the nether and heaven to cast its net and purify you. Three form purification: Destruction of Soul"
He then summons a weird array that summons chain and attacks the skeleton
WANGGGGG
It screams in pain and wails around as it tries to attack the array
"No use, thy time is counted, this is the end, Higher spirit, die. Purification!"
Nanming then holds his hand into the array, feeding it his energy as the chains grow even thicker and tangles around the skeleton
"NO, NO, NO, FILTHY BRAT! I WILL REMEMBER YOUUUUuuuuuuuu!"
The skeleton was completely absorbed into the array, leaving nothing behind
Nanming breath quicken, he clutches his chest before collapsing.
But before he could hit the ground, Chen catches him just before he falls
"Are you alright?"
Chen said as he tries to heal him using his own energy
'Shit, this is all because of me, if he dies here. I could never, ever forgive myself'
His face turned pale and grim as he panicked, his hand in Nanming chest as he tried to send his energy into Nanming core to heal him with no effect since Nanming core refused to accept Chen energy.
"C-Chen…. Run"
Nanming manage to say
But it was too late, both forgot the true danger.
The Ghost has finished counting
-Three, Two, One.................................. ZERO!
-Ready or not…Here I….
"COME!"
The ghost, now its half face twisted into a grin that arches into the tip of her ear as it leaks viscous black liquid.
It smells like a rotting corpse filled with maggots and worms.
A Plasmatic Spirit Blood
"HAHAHAHA BIG BROTHER, YOU ARE SO BAD AT HIDING? AND NOW… LOSER GOT BURNED"
The viscous black liquid turns into a fire that envelops the entire ghost bodies, burning its pristine white face.
The heat is so profound that it burns the surrounding marble floor and even damage Chen Inhibitor
"BURN LIKE I DID!! BURN!!!"
Chen quickly collapses, yet his form shielded Nanming from the flames.
"MY KING! WHY DID YOU BURN ME!!!!'
The female ghost then raises its arm, ready to strike.
Nanming, who is still conscious, tried to rise back up but failed, and at the corner of his eye, emerge a boy.
He has a red eye and jet-black hair; with a gesture he extends his hand.
The arm of the Ghost that is about to attack was deflected by whatever the mysterious boy conjures up, and he vanished just like that.
The Ghost tried to recover, when its arm was about to come back down again—
TRANG
"Hex Arts 5: split"
"AGHHHGHGHGHHGHGHGHG"
The ghost arm is suddenly being cut by something as a green flash arch and severed it cleanly. The detached limb burning away in green flame
A new figure emerges, its entire form was covered in straw cape and straw hat, obscuring its face and body.
But its bandaged hand emerges as he cast another spell
"Hex Arts 5: Perforating Kill"
The figures then reveal a green sword and dash at breakneck speed into the ghost, the ghost tries to defend.
WOOOSH-BLAR
But the figures are simply too fast and end up slashing another one of her arms and it burns the same way the other one did.
"AGGHHHHHHHHH"
It screams in pain as its flame burns fiercer
"Hex Arts Ultimate:"
The figure then melds into the shadow
"Netherflame Style: Three Thousand Banishing Strike"
SWISH-SWISH-SWISH-SWISH
Then multiple slashes within slash within slash, collapsing into each other in a sickly green color, repeatedly slashing at the Ghost.
Before the figures sheathed the sword and blew the ghost away in one swift strike
The figures then make a sign of prayer before heading back.
But he remembers that there are two boys here.
"…To think that they can banish a Spirit. Simply profound skill"
He said before picking up the two boys as he retreats in the direction of the Demon King manor.
.
.
.
Demon King Manor, the Wind Manor.
"I hope this plan is worth moving away the Heavenly Demon from this Palace. Viren is quite displeased"
The Demon King said, wearing a white mask, only his eyes shine through.
Across from him is a figure, wearing a straw hat and a rain cape was sitting across the Demon King at a table filled with all kinds of sweets and condiments which hadn't been touched at all.
The figure is speaking with a youthful yet somehow tired voice.
"It will work, if the 'intruder' is someone who knows about the Crimson Palace, they will only attack when the Heavenly Demon is—"
But he was unable to complete his sentence before other figures appeared, wearing Red Demon Masks. One of the Demon Maw.
"Your Lordship, a man with the name of Hie Tiang is seeking audience, and he brought Prince Wu Chen and Wu Nanming together with him"
The Demon King instantly response.
"Chen and Nanming? Bring him in…"
The Demon King said, the figure prostrates himself before leaving. A moment later
The man with a straw cape enters
"Hie Tiang greet the Demon King"
He said, behind him is Wu Chen and Wu Nanming. Their faces were fine but there is a subtle sign that it was healed, the Demon King quickly took notice
"We greet your lordship, Demon King!"
Both said while bowing.
"Blue Tael Hie, what of the extermination?"
The caped individual asks
"Answering to Sect leader Han, the extermination completed in 3 moves, 1 of which is an ultimate technique"
The straw caped man, Hie Tiang answers with incredible detail.
"Ho? You've grown, to defeat a Minor deity in just 3 move and only 1 ultimate"
The rain caped man called Han answers, impressed as he edged off from his seat.
"Regrettably, this one only delivers the killing blow. These two young masters weaken it severely by killing the spirit while its transforming, allowing me to move in for the kill"
Hie Tiang explained.
"WHAT!"
The Demon King voice echoes through the entire Manor, in shockwave of shocked and disbelief. Han and Hie Tiang recoils in its wake.
"You two! You stay past your established curfew?!"
The Demon King said, demanding answers. It's rare for him to lose his composure like this.
Wu Chen is visibly cowering, but Nanming manages to stay calm and still.
Nanming prepared to bow and take the blame, but Chen went in first.
Hitting his head onto the floor as hard as he could as if knowing that Nanming would take the blame.
This action surprised Nanming.
"It is my fault and my intention to bring my brother, Wu Nanming to the Hu Clan manor. I shall withstand any punishment meant for me and my brother!"
Chen said fearlessly, truly a quality befitting to be a ruler, ready to take all punishment for his companion.
Nanming decided to also bow down the same way Chen did
"It is also my fault that I was unable to convince my brother Wu Chen and failed to stop him from defying the Demon King's order!"
Nanming said with the same brave display as Chen.
"Hahhhhh"
The Demon King sighed as he tapped his mask restlessly, torn between being impressed and outraged.
"Enough of this, I shall overlook this matter since you help bringing down the spirit that has troubled us for the past month"
The Demon King then turned his heads to the man named Han.
"Sect leader of Netherstride, your job is done. I will send the agreed payment to Mount Kirin as soon as possible"
"Ah, there's no need Demon King, since we only deal with a weakened spirit. We will only take 1/3 of the agreed payment"
Han interjects,
"You really are as the rumor says, no wonder the Divine Spirit herself favors you"
The Demon King said, Han averts his gaze and sweat at the mention of 'the Divine Spirit favors you'
"No need for the flattery, I am merely doing what is best for our Sect. And trust is what makes a mountain bow, I should take my leave"
Han said before he stood and ready to leave, but the Demon King stopped him.
"Wait, sect leader Han. If it's not so inconvenient, would you care to join me for some tea?"
The Demon King said
Han saw no fault in accepting it, he might even be graced with the wisdom of Sect management by talking with him since he is quite a new and young Sect Leader.
He decided to sit back down and comply.
"I'll have the pleasure then"
He said, but he wonders how the Demon King can drink tea with his mask on?
The Demon King then sent a servant to serve both a tea, the prince's stay kowtowed to repent for their mistake, even though the Demon King didn't specify it, they did it out of guilt.
But Nanming merely mimicked Chen action and have no idea why they did this
Then, the Demon King asks both what truly had happened
"You two, tell me everything about this night"
The Demon King asks
Chen then answers everything that had happened, the emergence of the spirit, the ghost and the skeleton and including how they fight the spirit.
Chen also tells the Demon King vaguely about Nanming ability to cast spell but didn't tell him outright.
"But how did the young prince know about the Ghost existence to begin with? Ghost will normally only let you hear them speaking and not their manifestation"
Han said.
To which Chen becomes speechless,
'What do I do? If I tell them about Nanming ability, will he get into trouble?' he thought
"Nanming, tell me the truth and nothing but the truth"
The Demon King then gazes at Nanming
"…I have experience dealing with a Ghost before."
Nanming ambiguously explained
"Just that?"
The Demon King asks, unsatisfied, yet he didn't plan to throw further at his past.
"Fine then"
He then declares with authoritative voices that awed Han himself.
"However, should you defy my orders once more, I will punish you both regardless of who did it"
"YES YOUR LORDSHIP, DEMON KING!"
"Y-YES YOUR LORDSHIP, DEMON KING!"
The Demon King seems satisfied
"You may go, return to the Lady Hwang manor and stay"
The Demon King gestures to return.
"YES"
"YES"
The two princes then return, the Demon King continues his conversation with Sect Leader Han
"Sect leader Han, enlighten me about this… Existence called Spirit and Ghost"
The Demon King said with neutral expression
"Alright"
Han agreed as he set down his cup of tea.
"Spirit is an existence made from the Moon Energy, while Ghost is a manifestation of someone's avarice and guilt. An old Buddhist Sect scripture once said that Ghost is just a lesser Demon"
Han explained
"Buddhist Sect…"
The Demon King rolled unfamiliar words that have been blurred by history.
"And what is a Minor Deity?"
The Demon King asks
"A higher form of Spirit. They were one stage less from becoming a fully-fledged Divine Spirit. If I must make an example, it's like the difference between a Peak Internal Realm and an Encompassing Realm Cultivation stage"
Han explained more. The Demon King nods in acknowledgement of this newfound knowledge and wisdom.
"This is clearly an attack by the Spirit King sect; the issue is why do they do it?"
The Demon King mutters under his breath for quite some time; the Demonic Sect and the Spirit King Sect have nothing to do with each other and have always stayed far from each other's path.
And knowing Va Tua, she is as clever as she is shrewd. Provoking him would only complicate her own situation.
"By the way, if it's not too inconvenient. May I ask what the history behind that courtyard?"
Han said as he pointed towards the courtyard where Nanming and Chen fought, it was out of sight, but Han always seemed to feel uncomfortable when he glances towards that specific direction.
"…"
The Demon King face went grim
"…It was a building that was used to be called the Elixir Cauldron" he said, then he glances down with a very dark face
"Of course, the cauldron being mentioned is little girl. They were burned alive for them to cultivate the Hellish Flame Pill my father once coveted"
He said with sour face
"Ahhh, I see"
Han said, not wanting to delve deeper into it.
"I advise The Demon King to conduct a full swept on the entire Sect first, this is maybe not the only Ghost that exist here"
Han said with that information in mind. Then he prepared to take his leave.
"You're leaving already?"
The Demon King said as if he was going to miss this encounter, though knowing his nature, that might be the truth.
But no, he just wanted to have an excuse not to do any paperwork.
"Well, Lady Kirin is quite in the bad mood this year. And I am too tired to handle her usual tantrum since she had a habit of just doing it out of nowhere, you know, her being a Hare and all"
Han rubs his back, feeling the years of having to serve her needs.
The Demon King knew about Han lamentation, Lady Kirin is famous for her libido.
At least that's what the rumor says.
"I see, well I should also participate in the upcoming Spirit rise on Mount Kirin"
The Demon King salute Han.
Han was in turn delighted by this news.
Because if the Demonic Sect arrives, another Great Sect will also do the same.
"I will be sure to welcome your envoy with utmost care, should the day come!"
Han gesture, Hie Tiang, who did nothing but meditate all this time, rise and did the same as they both retreat under the cover of darkness.
The Demon King then finished his tea and watched solemnly into the vast cityscape below
"Va Tua, what did I do to upset you"
The Demon King mutters, then he raised one of his arms and opened his palm
"Well, you just made a blunder… Old friend"
He then closes that palm as if crushing the Spirit King Sect
"I think it is about time for the Demonic Sect to remind the world just how cruel we can be…."
The Dawn then creeps out, so does the Demonic Sect.
The Southern Wind Blows imminently.
But just as he was about to leave, he recalls the words of Sect Leader Han.
'This is maybe not the only Ghost that exists here'
Not the only Ghost huh…
Then…
"…Will you be here too?"
The Demon King left that remark hanging in the wind and soon left.