Chapter 12: Traveling Together Part 5

“After Sa Luan was taken, I was truly desperate… I ran to Yaojin Palace. It had deep ties with the Mortal World Demon Subduing Division over three hundred years ago. I sought help from a senior there, who took me to the Kunlun Mountain White Jade Palace. The White Jade Palace counts as half my sect, and Chaosheng’s status makes him barely my little junior brother.”

Xiang Xian looked into Xiao Kun’s deep blue eyes. Xiao Kun’s eyes were strikingly beautiful, like blue gems, with light seeming to flow within them under the lamplight. Most Han people found the features of Semu people strange and kept their distance, but Xiang Xian thought them beautiful.

“You still have something unresolved in your heart,” Xiang Xian said casually.

Xiao Kun simply confessed, “When I took Sa Luan and fled Shangjing, I had no choice. To save his life, I acted against mortals.”

Xiang Xian: “Oh—”

He had indeed sensed something off in Xiao Kun’s emotions when he mentioned it, and now he understood.

“Though I didn’t use spells, I broke Master’s teachings,” Xiao Kun said. “Master once said that unless absolutely necessary, we must never act against any mortal.”

“My master said the same,” Xiang Xian said. “But it’s fine—that was necessary. I’ve killed mortals.”

Xiao Kun raised an eyebrow and looked at Xiang Xian. Xiang Xian continued, “Seven years ago, while capturing a demon at the Miluo River, I killed a father who threw his daughter into the river. I don’t care, so don’t take it to heart.”

“Very well.” Xiao Kun set his porcelain bowl down heavily on the table. “By rights, exorcists shouldn’t meddle too much in mortal affairs, but with Sa Luan captured by Mr. Ying, who knows what torment he’s enduring.”

Xiang Xian immediately said, “I understand.”

Xiao Kun nodded.

Xiang Xian knew their goals aligned: first, find the Heart Lamp’s whereabouts to gain the power to confront the Heavenly Demon. Beyond that, the demon person who abducted the Yelu family bloodline surely had close ties to the Heavenly Demon. Perhaps after retrieving the Heart Lamp, they would head to Mr. Ying’s lair in the Heavenly Demon Palace to investigate.

“I need your assistance,” Xiao Kun said suddenly. “I’ve been thinking about this the whole way.

“When I sought help, Senior Yuzhou asked how many people were in the Exorcism Division. I couldn’t answer—I couldn’t tell him there was only me. I know I can’t defeat the Heavenly Demon alone.

“So, I must rebuild the Exorcism Division, enter the Heavenly Demon Palace, and slay Mr. Ying. Whether it’s called the Liao Demon Exorcism Division or the Song Demon Exorcism Division doesn’t matter. Now I’m the Chief Emissary, and I hope you’ll be my Deputy Emissary.

“You possess the Wisdom Sword, rose to fame young, and served as Deputy Envoy of the Bianjing Demon Exorcism Office. Your responsibilities are as heavy as mine. We have no grudge between us. Afterward, I often wondered why, at Shuhu’s place, the ones to hear the ‘Heavenly Mandate’ were you and me, not others. Perhaps that’s our fate.”

Xiang Xian was a bit surprised. He’d thought Xiao Kun would remain ambiguously friendly or hostile as before, but upon reuniting, Xiao Kun had figured it out himself first.

“For us, the rise and fall of mortal dynasties isn’t the priority,” Xiao Kun said. “Entering the Heavenly Demon Palace and defeating the enemy—that’s the real matter at hand, right?”

Xiang Xian pondered silently. He was thinking of another issue: Shuhu’s words aligned the fall of the Song with the Heavenly Demon’s birth—both in two years. Was there a special connection between them?

Xiao Kun thought Xiang Xian was still hesitating and tapped the table. “Even now, are you still hung up on the divide between northern and southern Exorcism Divisions?”

Xiang Xian glanced at Xiao Kun and smiled.

Xiao Kun frowned slightly, not understanding.

“I’m willing to assist you,” Xiang Xian said.

“This is your own affair too,” Xiao Kun said. “If you weren’t a Deputy Emissary, I wouldn’t waste words on you tonight.”

“But saving your Young Master,” Xiang Xian replied, “isn’t something I have to do.”

Xiao Kun knew Xiang Xian was about to set terms. He said, “I’ll handle rescuing Sa Luan myself then. If you’re even slightly unwilling, I won’t ask you to act.”

Between Song and Liao, things had been ambiguous for centuries—love and hate intertwined, sometimes allies, sometimes enemies. Xiang Xian suddenly found it both laughable and tearful; his relationship with Xiao Kun was rather like that between the two nations.

“Of course I can help you with that,” Xiang Xian said. “Without the Wisdom Sword, even if you get the Heart Lamp, you won’t be able to face the demons alone. In exchange, you help me with one thing.”

“Say it,” Xiao Kun prompted.

“Do your utmost to prevent the ‘Heavenly Mandate’ from the Shuhu Prophecy from coming true,” Xiang Xian said.

“Which one?” Xiao Kun asked, a bit puzzled.

Xiang Xian: “The first one, of course! I don’t want Great Song to perish. What are you thinking?”

Xiao Kun suddenly recalled the third prophecy.

When both thought of the same thing at once, the atmosphere grew awkward. Xiang Xian rubbed his forehead, avoiding Xiao Kun’s gaze.

“I’ll do my best,” Xiao Kun said as he stood and returned to his room.

Xiang Xian thought: What are you dodging for? The three of us are still sharing a room tonight—we’ll see each other soon.*

But the night view was pleasant, so Xiang Xian wasn’t in a hurry. He sat in the pavilion by the river a while longer until the Min River lights went out completely. Then he silently passed through the inn’s second-floor corridor and pushed open the door.

Two beds: Chaosheng occupied one, sleeping soundly. Xiao Kun lay on the floor on one side, covered with a blanket, leaving the other bed for Xiang Xian.