15 minutes earlier, Lady Hwang Manor.
Wu Chen was invited by his mother to attend her tea ceremony, finding no fault in accepting it Wu Chen complies and now he is in the manor.
"How's the Academy been Chen?"
Lady Hwang asked, she wore a thick veil to conceal her face, but it didn't conceal her face.
"It's been fine, I am learning well and I had a lot of friends"
Wu Chen said in turn, smiling as he sips the black tea his mother brewed. It is delicious and soothing, though he lacks words in describing it.
"I'm glad to hear that, seeing that you hardly replied to my letters, I was curious at your situation"
She smiles, yet there is a dangerous edge in those smiles. The sort of thing that screams hidden danger.
"I… was busy and forgot to read it"
Wu Chen presents his excuse, averting his gaze and rubbing the back of his head while he's at it. Causing Lady Hwang to pout her lips, but then she beckoned him to approach her.
Wu Chen did so as she wished; Lady Hwang then told him to sit on the ground so that she could caress his hair.
"My, what a tangled mess. I for sure thought that someone as thorough as you would take some time to tidy yourself"
She remarks, pulling out the hair crown that tied Wu Chen hair into a ponytail. He used to tie his hair according to his father's own hairstyle but perhaps he changed his mind, and something were the cause of that.
"I don't have the time to tie my hair"
Wu Chen lies, he simply didn't want to tie his hair like the Demon King, so he just tied them to not interfere with his activity.
As he felt his mother gentle hand brushed his hair with her slender fingers, feeling her warmth radiating to his scalp and head. Its comforting being like this, unguarded and free.
"Chen, is there something bothering you?"
At his mother's word, Wu Chen smiled bitterly. Of course he can't hide his feelings from his mother, if it's anything about him, she would've known in due time.
"…I…"
Wu Chen stammered his words, a part of him wanted to keep it a secret. The other part wanted to confess, to reveal every feeling he had in his heart. But he chooses not to, revealing his weakness is unbecoming of him.
"I feel fine actually, just…. Tired"
That's it, that's the only word he can utter about himself. Tired, and he didn't lie about it this time.
"It feels like I have a lot of burden stack atop my shoulders, slowly sinking me into the ground…"
Politics, Socialization, Promise Keeping, Tea Party, Confession, Alliance negotiation, meeting and all sort of things were for him alone to bear.
A King must be resolute; they must be tenacious.
But there comes a point where all of this becomes unbearable weight for his head and mind, for as long as he knows he is still a human.
"I see…"
Lady Hwang said in gentle tone that soothe his heart, she then grabs an ornate pearl hairbrush and tends to his matted hair, feeling its rough and jointed flock and straightened them up gently, pressing the coldness of the brush pearl teeth to smoothen his hair.
"You hold onto that burden yourself, no?"
She said as she smoothens his tangled hair.
"Much like this tangled hair, if you burden your duty all to yourself it will eventually tangle into a mess"
Her words pierced through his thoughts, giving him an answer he didn't know existed.
"…Then what should I do?"
Yet he didn't know the answer; every path leads to dead end; his reasoning met an impasse and slowly, he realized that Wu Yincang's way of 'persuasion' might be better after all.
"Look inward towards yourself, the best answer you have is already inside of you"
She said as she placed her hands to his chest, hugging him while she was at it. Her warm body covered in pleasant musk does wonder to ease some of Wu Chen fatigue of body but not his mind.
He is still confused, and perhaps his mother noticed it and gives a final piece of advice.
"You have a lot of friends, right? Let them do some of your duty, whats a King without their retinue?"
Wu Chen blushed at her sentence, lightly ashamed that a word he used so frequently was pitted against him, so childish.
"Plus, you have Nanming, I heard he's becoming smarter by the day, and he even skipped a Semester"
She's right, Nanming is smart now to the point that even some of the Fifth Semester Theorem students were shocked by the fact that Nanming scored Ninety-Seven from the competition and only has one unanswered question preventing him from achieving full one hundred mark.
Lady Hwang then tied Wu Chen's hair into his own distinct hair style, pulling all his hair to the back of his head while she leaves the front bang to frame his face, and using his hair crown, she tied the excess back of his hair to fan out.
"There, it's easy enough that you should be able to tie your own hair"
Lady Hwang clapped both of her hands; Wu Chen smiled lightly at his mother's handiwork. Feeling his new hairstyle and playing around with it.
"I should leave now mom, the Academy wont like it if I gone for too long"
Wu Chen said, noticing the sun has already tilted away from its apex. Lady Hwang seemed disappointed, but she didn't say anything.
As Wu Chen walks, Lady Hwang calls out to him once more.
"Yes?"
Before she pulled Wu Chen to her embrace.
"I love you"
She said as she parts her veil slightly to kiss the top of Wu Chen head, Wu Chen flustered at the contact, feeling a bit shameful from the act but he makes no effort in pushing away from it.
He then nods and leaves, just as he was about to exit the manor, he looks back at his mother and waves. His mother waves back, and he leaves.
The moment he stepped outside the manor, the dominating mist took over, covering the bright sun and leaving the dim light of the lantern as the only source of light.
He was accustomed to this so he could walk with ease, but as he was about to leave Crimson Palace, his mind gave way to a certain thought. Inspired by his mother's word about not leaving any burden behind, he decided to… reconciled with the Demon King.
As he walks towards his Pagoda, he stumbles upon both the Demon King and Nanming. They walked together into the distance; Wu Chen was stunned by the sight for a second before he decided to shadow their steps and follow them.
Until they reached an old manor, for all his life, Wu Chen never knew the story behind that manor. He knows that the Demon King frequents them, but he didn't know the reason as to why.
"This is the house of my late brother; your uncle should he… remain in this world"
He can hear the Demon King whispers towards Nanming, the voice is faint but thanks to his enhanced hearing, which Wu Chen himself didn't know where he got them, managed to hear that weak voice.
But whats this about uncle? They have one? No, why did the Demon King only tell Nanming about that fact?
Wu Chen was lost in his thought, he had an assumption that the Demon King hated all of them including Nanming and he is only here because the Demon King has a plan for him.
But seeing the Demon King face without a mask filled with sorrow, speaking the truth only to Nanming puzzled him, does he only regard Nanming as his son? Then who is he, who is Wu Chen then?
Suddenly, the Demon King hugged Nanming and started sobbing.
Wu Chen was astonished, dumbfounded and shocked by the scene he just witnessed. The Demon King, who apathetically dismissed his complaints and worries, are now hugging someone else and crying.
His heart sinks when he saw this scene, anger boils up as his mind is filled with… with, confusion.
Is he still lacking? Is Wu Chen unworthy in his eyes? So much so that he isn't even considered his son when he is The Demon King real son?
And instead of his real son he hugs his adoptive one? Is that what it is? Is Nanming a lot more worthy of being called his son?
The maddening thought recoiled in his head, the countless intrusion stack atop another formed a wall of questions that didn't answer anything.
And before Wu Chen knew it, he was already outside of the Crimson Palace. The look of shock and disillusionment painted his face; he still cannot comprehend the fact that the Demon King favors Nanming more.
He is smart yes, powerful too, but is he better than Chen? He is just someone who is adopted from middle of nowhere meant to serve the Demon King's plan, whatever his plan is.
To think that he was beaten by Nanming, he cannot let this go, he will be acknowledged by the Demon King. And he will rise even higher than even the Demon King himself.
.
.
.
In the Crimson Palace, Nanming was escorted by the Maws who transported him using some kind of mist to instantly teleport into the Academy.
It was already Afternoon by the time they arrived, Nanming thank the Maw and it seems that he was overjoyed given that he kowtowed himself before leaving.
"…"
Now what?
He doesn't have anything to do anymore since his class starts next week, training? Wu Lixian is busy with her exam, and Nanming has already memorized all the books in the library.
He should meet Chen then, talking probably, or maybe sparring.
As he walk towards the Dorm where Chen is in, he met Gu Liang who busy himself in memorizing alchemical books. He was engrossed in the book that he failed to see Nanming and crash into him.
"Ow…"
Gu Liang falls to his, but when he was met with Nanming sturdy body, as he raises his head up and see his face he immediately apologizes while picking his book up.
"I apologize Wu Nanming, I failed to see you"
"Its fine"
Gu Liang the rise and maintained his outlook, straightening his posture and speaking in crafted tone once more.
"I've heard of your recent achievements, being bestowed the right to leap a Semester over is unthinkable, I congratulate you"
Gu Liang said as he performs a smile, Nanming just nods and intent to go straight towards Wu Chen without dilly-dallying.
"I appreciate it, but I must seek my brother Wu Chen… By chance was he in the dorm?"
Nanming said those words with smooth voice, surprising Gu Liang that Nanming managed to learn and even said those smooth line.
But he hides his surprise and quickly answers Nanming questions.
"He is not; Wu Chen is currently in the Forest of Darkness. Training…"
Nanming nods at his answers.
"Thank you…"
He bowed before leaving Gu Liang alone, watching his fleeting back, before Gu Liang engrossed himself back into the book while muttering.
"Sulphurite and Chlorite may create a toxic fume, right? If I can somehow recreate the Arthrophyte of Sulphurite inside my Poison Body, wont it creates a potent toxin?"
But then he saw the Academy staff running around with panic faces, scrambling to every student and telling them something. One of these staff runs towards Gu Liang.
With grave tone, he speaks without even regulating his exhilarated breath.
"Get back to the Dorm! The Rabbit Demon is near!"
.
.
.
Wu Chen is busy hitting a tree with nothing but his fist.
The bark fell off due to the impact and lodged itself into his skin, but he didn't react, it's a training to increase his pain tolerance after all.
"Chen"
Then a particularly cold voice calls out, its Nanming. Wu Chen turned his head to meet him and smiled.
"Nanming, why have you come here?"
He said, noticing that Nanming was now taller than him with his hair growing longer and longer.
"I wanted to speak with you"
"…"
Wu Chen didn't respond, remembering the Demon King favoritism towards him has certainly left quite a… painful aftertaste in his heart.
"…Its just that I am thankful"
But his words shocked Wu Chen, he then clears his fist from any lodged bark and healed it using his Tarnished Gathering as blood flows back into the open wound.
"For what?"
"Well, for being friendly with me and accepting me as your brother"
Nanming said as he rubs behind his hair, looking restless even when his face displays none of that discomfort.
"…Well"
Wu Chen wanted to ask him, why did he think of that? But his words were lodged behind his throat.
"That being said, I wanted to repay your kindness. I will help you become the Demon King"
And his next words caused Wu Chen's heart to skip a beat, saying that means he relinquished his right to become the candidate of the Demon King. But, why? Nanming is smart, surely, he won't pass by the chance to become a Demon King, right?
"…But why?"
"-? Isn't that your dream? To make Jiangnam city sparkles brighter than the stars above"
"Aha…"
Wu Chen was reminded of his childish dream, feeling shameful that Nanming took it seriously.
"But where will you go after I become the Demon King?"
Wu Chen asked, knowing that Nanming must die if Chen were to ascend to be the Demon King. Or at least be exiled.
"Well… I don't know"
Nanming responded, his face looking down towards the ground.
"I never know where I should go…"
He was never wanted anyway; he is sure of it. All the kindness directed at him is a simple feeling of pity, not genuine want for connection.
"…Well, you're saying I was to be the Demon King, right?"
Wu Chen then approached Nanming and held his shoulder, gripping it tightly. Nanming nods in returns as he raised his head to meet Chen's face.
"Then as your King, I want you to become the Heavenly Demon…"
"…I'm sorry?"
Wu Chen giggled at Nanming tilted face, Wu Chen then smiled and spoke with cheerful voice. Happy that his brother supported his dream.
"It's only natural that I want someone capable to be near me, and you are the most capable person I know of"
Wu Chen speaks the truth; it's not crafted flattery but something that dwells inside his heart; Nanming is capable and is strong too.
"…Alright"
Nanming nods, but his face displays no emotion.
"For my brother Nanming, I promise to be the Demon King"
Wu Chen declared, offering a pink finger for Nanming to cross.
Nanming realized the gesture and done the same.
"And for my brother Chen, I promise to be the Heavenly De—"
"Found you"
BRUK
Chen watched as Nanming face was obliterated by a Black Staff, sending his entire body to fly and crashed into multiple trees.
"W-what?"
As he traced back the source of the Black Staff, finding a woman clad in full black and wearing a Rabbit mask.
Realization settled into dread, Chen recognized that infamous mask, and the figure associated with it.
"R-Rabbit Demon?"
Her long black hair disheveled and floats like a string of madness, her jet-black staff in hand was fresh with Nanming black blood spilled over it. She then smoothly brings the staff back into the ground and laugh.
"Hihihi….Hahahaha"
Before she rushed towards where Nanming was thrown, screaming as she did so.
"I FOUND YOU, YOU FUCKING DEMON!!"
Chen was stunned; her sheer presence glued his feet into the ground. As he looked at her mad form smashing the staff into the ground, presumably to pulverize Nanming.
He can't help but notice that the Fengbao Array has been activated because the orange afternoon sky was drenched in black.
The beginning of Chaos.