Outside Gumo City, the Ba Army massed in dark ranks.
“We couldn’t hold back that war dead corpse ghost,” Wu Yingzong said. “Gumo has become their territory. They’re resurrecting the dead.”
“Mm.” Xiang Xian held Xiao Kun and laid him flat in the temporary camp.
“Don’t bother with me anymore,” Xiao Kun said, his eyes filled with black qi. With his last shred of reason, he persisted, “I’m the one holding you back…”
“What are you saying!” Xiang Xian snapped. “If you hadn’t protected me to get the Heart Lamp, we’d both be dead by now!”
White light glowed from Xiang Xian’s hand as he pressed it to Xiao Kun’s chest, helping dispel the black qi. But as the Heart Lamp’s power entered his body, Xiao Kun trembled. His skin cracked under the scorching divine light, and he writhed in agony.
“No, no.” Xiao Kun said, “Xiang Xian, listen… I’m not human. I have a half-demon body. My father was… a war dead corpse ghost.”
Xiang Xian and Chaosheng tried every method but couldn’t heal Xiao Kun’s wounds, and the Ba Army drew ever closer.
“You have to save the people first,” Xiao Kun said. “I can hold on a bit longer. Save the civilians here. Go, Xiang Xian—they need you… Listen to me… Be good, Xiang Xian!”
The Ba calamity began. Ancient corpses in Gumo, Korla, and other places revived. A black tide roared across the Southern Tianshan like a tsunami. Xiang Xian rallied the civilians and set off on the road to Gaochang.
Xiao Kun strained to suppress the demonic qi King Mu had planted in him and covered their retreat alongside Xiang Xian.
In a Gaochang inn, Xiao Kun sat shirtless, wrapped in bandages. Xiang Xian anxiously checked his wounds.
“I promise you,” Xiao Kun said.
“What?” Xiang Xian asked, puzzled.
“I promise you,” Xiao Kun said solemnly. “From here on, we’ll face the Heavenly Demon together, just as in Shuhu’s Prophecy—believing in each other.”
Xiang Xian finally realized Xiao Kun was responding to his earlier invitation to join the Great Song Exorcism Division.
“Don’t go all out in battle,” Xiang Xian said. “Don’t push yourself. There’ll be a way to purge the demonic qi from you and destroy your demon seed.”
“I have obsessions, and they don’t come from nowhere. It’s because in this life, I’ve never had friends.” Xiao Kun said, “From birth, the Liao People saw me as a monster. If not for the Yelu Family…”
“You’re no monster,” Xiang Xian said gravely. “Xiao Kun! You’re human!”
Xiao Kun just smiled and said, “When I was young, learning from Master, I was always beaten or cursed. I haven’t had many happy times in this life.”
His words carried a sense of finality, and Xiang Xian felt an ominous premonition.
“Don’t say such things,” Xiang Xian said. “I want you alive, Xiao Kun!”
“No, let me finish.” Xiao Kun said earnestly. “I didn’t fight you for the Heart Lamp because I knew it wouldn’t choose me. All these years, I’ve harbored hatred in my heart—hatred for my father, hatred for you Song People…”
Xiang Xian gazed into Xiao Kun’s beautiful indigo eyes.
“I have hatred,” Xiao Kun said. “And I’m neither fully human nor demon. I knew the Heart Lamp wouldn’t pick me… Maybe that’s why ‘Mu’ planted the demon seed in me.”
Faint black qi lingered around Xiao Kun, while white light shone from Xiang Xian, scattering the black mist like a gentle breeze.
“I’m glad,” Xiao Kun said. “It’s embarrassing to say, but even though I was gravely injured, you held me, refused to abandon me, and saved me.”
Xiang Xian’s eyes reddened. Xiao Kun smiled and said, “I know you’d do the same for anyone, but I still appreciate it. It lets me know there’s still someone in this world who values my life.”
Xiang Xian waved it off, signaling him to stop.
“You won’t die,” Xiang Xian said, turning his back to Xiao Kun. His lips trembled, and tears flowed uncontrollably. “You absolutely won’t, Xiao Kun.”
In the pitch-black night, visibility was zero all around.
“I’ll give you a chance…” Sa Luan’s voice echoed in the darkness. “Xiao Kun, come to my side. Make up for all your mistakes.”
Xiao Kun trembled violently. Demonic qi surged in his heart meridian, nearly permeating his whole body amid Sa Luan’s mad laughter.
“No, I won’t,” Xiao Kun said shakily. “I won’t fall to demonic temptation as you wish, Sa Luan!”
“If you won’t, I won’t force you. Then let’s both plunge into endless reincarnation—!”
The dream shifted again:
Outside Gaochang City, the battle shook heaven and earth. Xiang Xian unleashed the Heart Lamp’s radiance, sweeping the entire battlefield. Xiao Kun, dragging his broken body, used Blood Sacrifice Slash to cleave Mr. Ying in half.
Thick black qi coiled up like ink, and the sandstorm receded. King Mu appeared once more. The Heart Lamp’s white light clashed against the demonic qi. Several demon persons shot toward them.
“Time’s up,” King Mu said gravely. “You were born of the Earth Abyss and Kunlun. Come—Heavenly Demon Palace is where you belong!”
“Xiao Kun—!” Xiang Xian roared.
Xiao Kun shielded Xiang Xian, and both were pierced by King Mu’s Demon Spear in one strike. Xiao Kun’s blood sprayed all over Xiang Xian, streaming down his neck, chest, and legs.
Black fire swept in, abducting Xiao Kun. Xiang Xian exhausted the Heart Lamp’s power and could hold no longer. An explosion destroyed the Ba Army before Gaochang City, and he collapsed to the ground.
Chaosheng wanted to treat Xiang Xian’s wounds, but Xiang Xian clutched his chest injury, staggered to his feet, ignored Chaosheng, and chased after the direction Xiao Kun had been taken.
In the end, he collapsed in the middle of the desert outside Gaochang City.
The dream flashed back to Kaifeng City:
Xiang Xian had lost Xiao Kun but gained Mu Qingshan, who had defeated the Black-Winged Great Peng Bird. The team had lost a member but gained fresh blood.
