Chapter 6: Demon Clan Part 2

Hong Cheng stroked his beard, eyed Xiao Kun, and smiled—a smile whose appreciation or mockery was unclear.

Xiao Kun said politely, “Though I cannot face an army alone, killing one or two people is nothing. Even Yelu Dashi is just a fool waving a flag and selling his head in my eyes. Anyone who dares betray the Young Master must serve as an example.”

Hong Cheng soothed him, “Rumors, mere rumors. Lord Xiao, don’t get angry.”

Xiao Kun stared at the tea in his cup but did not drink.

Hong Cheng continued, “What are your plans, Lord Xiao? With Jin occupying the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, even Western Xia seems unstable now.” He sighed worriedly. “The court is investigating all Liao People who fled here. I wonder how much longer we can hide.”

“No need to worry,” Xiao Kun said instead. “Once we get word from General Yelu, I’ll take the Young Master north soon.”

“Mm.” Hong Cheng nodded. “You’ve truly had it hard.”

Xiao Kun said no more and quickly turned to leave.

Sa Luan faced a mirror, examining the red mark on his forehead from Xiao Kun’s lesson. At the sound of footsteps, he jumped up like a mouse seeing a cat. He turned, met Xiao Kun’s gaze, mouth agape, trembling nonstop.

“We have to go,” Xiao Kun said gravely. “Pack your personal belongings.”

“Wh-what?” Sa Luan said. “Go? Where to?”

“Not decided yet,” Xiao Kun replied. “We’ll leave Yinchuan first. Bring more clothes. Hong Cheng has sold us out to the Western Xia court. Tonight at midnight, Xia Army soldiers will come to arrest you.”

“H-how do you know?” Sa Luan stammered.

“Pack!” Xiao Kun barked. Sa Luan panicked at once. Memories of fleeing Shangjing replayed. He fumbled under his pillow.

“Where’s the Imperial Jade Seal?” Xiao Kun said. “Bring the Imperial Jade Seal. Forget the rest! What are you still looking for?!”

When Shangjing fell, Emperor Tianzuo Yelu Yanxi had entrusted the Imperial Jade Seal, along with Crown Prince Yelu Yari, to Xiao Kun. It was of utmost importance. Passed down since Qin times, through Han and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it had been carried to Eastern Jin by Grand Demon-Exorcist Chen Xing, then to Sui and Tang. After Zhu Wen usurped Tang and the land split into warring states, it fell to Later Tang’s emperor, the Shatuo man Li Congke. Later, Shi Jingtang—the infamous Puppet Emperor—rebelled, and the seal went to Shi Jin.

Soon after, the Khitan invaded Jin. Emperor Shi Chongui died, and Liao Taizong Yelu Deguo brought the Imperial Jade Seal back, passing it down through generations until now.

Sa Luan found the Imperial Jade Seal and handed it to Xiao Kun, who stowed it safely. He glanced out the back window.

Xia Army soldiers had already surrounded the Hong Mansion’s Separate Courtyard. To Xiao Kun, these mortals’ combat power was negligible, but with Sa Luan in tow, he needed a better plan.

Sa Luan suddenly grabbed Xiao Kun. “Hong Cheng just sold us out like that? You’re not going to kill him?”

Xiao Kun glanced at Sa Luan but said nothing. Sa Luan demanded, “I order you—kill them! Kill everyone here!”

Xiao Kun said, “Sa Luan! Get a grip! Would killing now solve anything?”

The clamor grew louder as the Xia Army entered the Separate Courtyard. Knowing Xiao Kun would hear and come out to check, they had set up dense ranks of strong crossbows on walls, rooftops—every ambush spot for archers—and aimed a massive poison-quenched crossbow at the courtyard door, its tip gleaming coldly.

“Be careful of Xiao Kun. He uses Demon Magic,” the steward warned tensely.

As the words fell, the back wall of the Separate Courtyard exploded with a boom!

Instantly, the Myriad Arrows Simultaneous Release fired—but a gale diverted them. A Golden Dragon shot into the sky, carrying Xiao Kun and Sa Luan out of the city in a flash. A paper fluttered down from the air, pinned firmly to a pillar by a flying arrow:

【Traitors to their lord will meet their due end】

The gale howled. The night sky cleared. Yinchuan City’s hundreds of thousands awoke to the dragon’s roar. Many saw the gleaming Golden Dragon streak toward Helan Mountain’s peak.

Xiao Kun could no longer afford to hide. He had to get Sa Luan out of danger immediately. Sa Luan let out a shout—whether from fear or excitement, who could say.

This was the second time in his life he had ridden a dragon.

“Master!” Sa Luan said. “Does your dragon breathe fire? Let’s go back and teach them a lesson!”

Xiao Kun did not reply.

Sa Luan shook Xiao Kun from behind nonstop. “Why not use it to kill the Jin Troops?! Say something! Take me north—let’s find the Jin Troops’ camp and slaughter them all!”

“No, we can’t,” Xiao Kun replied.

“What?!” Amid the whistling wind, Sa Luan shouted, grabbed a dragon horn, and tried to turn it back toward Yinchuan City for revenge.

“I said, no!” Xiao Kun snapped. “I’m an Exorcist. I cannot use Magical Power against mortals!”

“Why?!” Sa Luan still argued with Xiao Kun in midair.

“No reason.” Xiao Kun knew he couldn’t understand. “Stand steady!”

Soon, the Dragon Jade Pendant’s glow faded. The Golden Dragon descended slowly on Helan Mountain’s west side and landed quietly in the wilderness at its base.

In a quarter-hour, the Golden Dragon had flown nearly a hundred li. Still within Western Xia borders, the place was now utterly deserted.

Helan Mountain’s black silhouette loomed on the horizon like a giant slumbering in the night. Farther west stretched endless wilderness, wind howling across the plains, wolf howls echoing now and then.