Late at night, dark clouds veiled the moon.
“You must entrust yourselves to each other without reservation. You will be the one remaining glimmer of light amid the vast, dark calamity…”
Xiang Xian lay on the bed. Beneath his bathrobe, his naked, sturdy body continuously sweated.
Demonic Qi spread endlessly in his dream realm, with layer upon layer of scenes overlapping. Numerous strangers appeared by his side, like countless memories that did not belong to him flooding in all at once.
On a massive Floating Island, Xiang Xian rode a Golden Dragon, leading Chaosheng, Wu Yingzong, and several strangers toward the grand island. Xiao Kun had transformed into a gigantic Demon God, his chest bared to reveal a throbbing heart that flickered with eerie blue light.
“Xiao Kun—!” Xiang Xian roared in fury, gripping the Wisdom Sword as golden light swirled around him.
Xiao Kun raised his Tang Dao, and the flood of Demonic Qi between heaven and earth converged toward him.
“I hate you.” Xiang Xian drew the Moon Eclipse Bow, choking out the words as a Vajra Arrow coalesced on his bowstring.
“I love you.” Xiao Kun’s voice echoed through heaven and earth.
A burst of golden light erupted. The Floating Island shattered, turning into millions of shooting stars that streaked toward the mortal world.
Xiang Xian shouted madly. In the fragmented dream, he instinctively chased after Xiao Kun, calling his name.
“Xiao Kun! Xiao Kun!”
“Wake up!” Xiao Kun’s voice sounded by his ear. “It’s me! Xiang Xian!”
Xiang Xian was drenched in sweat, as if he had been fished out of water. His bathrobe had come undone during the nightmare. Xiao Kun shook him repeatedly and placed a hand on his forehead.
Xiang Xian snapped awake and suddenly seized Xiao Kun’s hand.
Xiao Kun said worriedly, “You were dreaming.”
Xiang Xian released Xiao Kun, let out a long breath, waved his hand, put on his bathrobe, and steadied his mind.
“What time is it?” Xiang Xian’s head throbbed intermittently.
“Just dawn.” Xiao Kun had gone to sleep early and woken early too. His energy was fully restored. Right after waking, he heard Xiang Xian having a nightmare and shouting his name from the next room, so he hurried over to check.
“What dream?” Xiao Kun had not yet changed clothes as he comforted Xiang Xian.
“Exorcism matters.” Xiang Xian lowered his head and gazed at the morning sunlight streaming into the room.
“Did this happen often before?” Xiao Kun knew that some soldiers, after experiencing great battles and witnessing comrades die before their eyes, would suffer trauma and frequently have nightmares.
Xiang Xian said, “Not the first time, but I rarely have nightmares like this.”
Xiang Xian was deeply confused. Xiao Kun patted his head twice, then got up to return to his room and change clothes.
Soon after, Xiang Xian came to wait outside Xiao Kun’s room.
“I dreamed I was out of control, exorcising demons.” Xiang Xian said.
Xiao Kun was thinking of something else. He asked, “During Sword-Holding Divinity Descent, you recognized me, right?”
Xiao Kun did not fully understand Xiang Xian’s inner world during Sword-Holding. From observation, Xiang Xian seemed to enter a state of emotionless combat, with all humanity discarded and vanished, leaving only divinity.
“No! Don’t ever think that!” Xiang Xian said tensely. “You must stay away! Got it?”
“Alright.” Xiao Kun nodded instinctively.
Xiang Xian said earnestly, “During Sword-Holding, my six senses are briefly sealed. The Wisdom Sword draws all my power. It’s the sword that slays demons; I’m merely its host. If you don’t stay away and I hurt you, it would cause me endless pain.”
Xiao Kun said, “But you clearly recognized me and were willing to lower your sword at the last moment!”
“Did I?” Xiang Xian looked utterly bewildered.
Xiao Kun said, “Yes, twice.”
Xiang Xian recalled the past and said, “After drawing the sword, I did seem to hear someone calling me, but it wasn’t clear. In any case, don’t take risks.”
“Got it.” Xiao Kun replied. “I won’t do anything stupid. Relax.”
The two arrived in the hall, where Wu Yingzong had prepared breakfast—hot pot cooked over a charcoal stove. Chaosheng was still sleeping.
“What else did you dream?” Xiao Kun asked again after sitting down.
Xiang Xian answered, “I dreamed of you… I died.”
A trace of desolation appeared on Xiang Xian’s face. Xiao Kun stopped pressing and instead comforted him.
Xiao Kun said, “When I was little, I had a dream too. I dreamed I was in a dark underground palace tomb, surrounded by nothing but corpses.”
Xiang Xian finally fully composed himself and said, “It’s fine. It must just be from being too exhausted these past days. Old Wu, go check on Guo Jing’s condition.”
Wu Yingzong acknowledged and went out. Xiao Kun observed him and knew he was much better.
“Best to set out today,” Xiao Kun said. “We can’t delay any longer. We’ve stayed in Kaifeng long enough.”
Xiang Xian had no objections. He also wanted to leave soon. Otherwise, in a few more days, once the Song Court came to its senses, the Exorcism Division would face endless visitors.
Xiao Kun said, “We have quite a few enemies. The known ones include…”
Xiang Xian set down his chopsticks, knowing Xiao Kun needed to seriously analyze the current situation.
Xiang Xian said, “On Mount Song, your little flame. You called her Yan Yan.”
“Shut your mouth,” Xiao Kun threatened. “If you keep cracking jokes, I’ll dock your pay. Her name is Yan Yan anyway.”
“You probably don’t even know where to collect your pay.” Xiang Xian laughed.
