Chapter 93: Misstep
At noon, the Wushan area was still under a torrential downpour, with the sound of rain outside the cafeteria like a curtain of water hanging from the eaves.
Today, not many students were dining in the dormitory area's cafeteria, as most followed their leaders to work and ate at the cafeterias in their respective work zones.
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong went to get their buffet-style lunch in the cafeteria. The arrival of the demon king for an inspection instantly put the entire cafeteria on edge. A group of people in black appeared out of nowhere, among them a snake demon trailing behind. Whatever dish Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong looked at, the snake demon promptly brought the whole platter over for them to choose.
"No, no," Jiang Hong said, "You're too kind."
"You're the one who's too kind, Your Majesty..." the snake demon was even more nervous than Jiang Hong.
"Don't call me Your Majesty," Jiang Hong squeezed out through clenched teeth.
Hearing the term "Your Majesty," Lu Xiu maintained his usual disregard, asking, "Do you want to try the crispy skin suckling pig?"
"That looks good..."
Immediately, a middle-aged man hurried over, saying, "Why has His Majesty suddenly come down... I'll have them roast a fresh one right now."
"No need," Lu Xiu said, "It's a waste, and it wouldn't be nice for the pigs here to see that."
Jiang Hong thought to himself, then Lu Xiu introduced the middle-aged man, "This is Huang Shan, the chief logistic officer of the sacred land, previously worked with Principal Xiang. Feng Li manages inside the palace, Huang Shan manages outside."
While talking, they had chosen their dishes and found a quiet place to sit. Huang Shan then had someone set up red carpet stakes and barrier tape around their table, ready to stand by.
"You can go back," Lu Xiu said, "We don’t need to be fed."
Jiang Hong: "......"
Huang Shan replied, "Yes," and retreated with the group of people in black.
"There aren’t many people today," Jiang Hong observed, noticing several students greeting him and Lu Xiu from a distance. It seemed everyone had gotten used to Lu Xiu’s identity, not treating him with the same mixture of awe and fear as the demons did.
Lu Xiu nodded casually, saying, "They've all gone to intern at the Affairs Department."
"What do they do there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Whatever demons usually do," Lu Xiu answered, "Eating, drinking, playing, organizing entertainment activities, cultivating, administrative management of various areas."
The sacred land oversees all demons scattered across the country, handles conflicts with exorcists, captures wandering wild demons, organizes team-building activities, and unites demons of different races... Essentially, that's what it involves.
"Guess who among the demon kings is the most popular?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Of course, it's you," Jiang Hong replied, "Isn't that obvious?"
Lu Xiu paused, then smiled, a rare occurrence, saying, "I don’t take interns. I meant besides me, who do you think it is?"
Jiang Hong: "Hmm... maybe Feng Li? Or maybe students choose according to their corresponding demon king?"
Lu Xiu hummed in agreement, "Human students also choose departments, but based on their preferences, Liu Heng currently has the most picks. Next is Feng Li, and then Lu Chaoyang."
"What about the Ghost King?" Jiang Hong thought, everyone really doesn’t want to intern in a graveyard. Human students, perhaps curious about creepy places, might choose the unconventional route and pick the Ghost King, but being from exorcist families, they're used to such oddities.
"Not a single one," Lu Xiu said.
"That's quite extreme," Jiang Hong hadn't expected that absolutely no one chose the Ghost King.
Lu Xiu: "He doesn’t really want interns anyway. Last year, two senior students chose him, but all the Ghost King did was sleep, leaving the interns to guard graves under a bunch of zombies. This year, no one went."
After lunch, as the rain lessened, more students appeared in the residential area. Huang Shan and the group in black were still waiting outside the cafeteria, quickly setting up an umbrella as the two emerged.
"We're going to the city," Lu Xiu announced.
"The car is ready for you," Huang Shan replied.
At the main entrance, the garage door opened, and Lu Xiu chose a four-seater sedan, getting into the driver's seat. Jiang Hong, surprised, asked, "When did you learn to drive?"
Lu Xiu: "I just picked it up; I got my license only a few months ago. Come on, these cars all belong to Principal Xiang."
Thus, Lu Xiu, with Jiang Hong, drove out of the sacred land.
Leaving the sacred land and returning to the dilapidated villa district, Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu seemed to simultaneously breathe a sigh of relief.
Jiang Hong suddenly burst into laughter, and Lu Xiu, clearly understanding the reason, glanced at the rearview mirror and slowly descended the mountain in the drizzle.
"Not replying to your messages much because I was using the wifi in the sacred land, it's better to speak less," Lu Xiu explained, "After all, it's not a place I'm familiar with."
"But aren't WeChat messages encrypted?" Jiang Hong asked, "Wait… what do you mean?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, who hesitated but finally said frankly, "We can talk in the car, there should be no eavesdropping in Xiang Cheng's vehicle."
Lu Xiu casually turned on the audio system, playing soft and soothing music.
Jiang Hong thought, their only enemy was Yinghuo, could it be that the sacred land was also...
"Of the four demon kings, at least one has been turned," Lu Xiu said, "Who do you think it is?"
Jiang Hong was startled, exclaiming, "That can't be!"
"Mm," Lu Xiu neither confirmed nor denied.
The thought that one of the four demon kings under Lu Xiu had been turned was equivalent to having a traitor among the eight S-rank exorcists! This was far too dangerous!
Moreover, Lu Xiu's situation was more complex than the Exorcism Commission; even amidst chaos and infiltration, the Commission at least had Grand Exorcist Chen Zhen at the helm, akin to Xiang Cheng in the sacred land at this time.
However, the demon race didn't have this. The highest authority among the demons now was Lu Xiu. With Xiang Cheng's return date unknown, it meant Lu Xiu had to resolve this trouble alone, without anyone to consult—Cao Bin being human, couldn't interfere in demon affairs, and the same went for Chen Zhen and others.
This seemed to be the greatest challenge Lu Xiu faced since becoming the demon king.
"I think…" Jiang Hong said, "It's terrible, the Wanwu Book can't distinguish between the original and the replicas..."
Lu Xiu replied, "It's not a replica, but someone who has been turned."
Jiang Hong: "Why? What's the benefit in following Yinghuo?"
"Demons and devils," Lu Xiu said, "Not just humans, many demons also believe that demons and devils are one and the same. In fact, from ancient times until a few centuries ago, when the Heaven Devil descended, it could still command the demons, using them as the vanguard. Even now, this notion still exists."
Jiang Hong: "But what's the benefit of following a ‘devil’?"
"To regain control of this world," Lu Xiu explained, "Just this reason alone is hard for many demons to resist."
Why should the world be ruled by humans? Because of their science? Their wisdom? Why can't demons be the masters of the world, instead of disguising themselves as humans, hiding in the civilization created by humans, abiding by their rules?
Jiang Hong had also heard in Cao Bin's class that Lu Xiu being recognized as the demon king was more accepted than Xiang Cheng, of course, only covertly acknowledged, buried deep in the heart.
"Do you remember the Sword of Wisdom?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked, turning the steering wheel to get on the highway.
"Of course," Jiang Hong said, "Principal Cao summoned the Sword of Wisdom at the school anniversary celebration. It was so cool!"
Lu Xiu continued: "Before leaving, Principal Xiang hid three treasures using 'Void Storage' method. One is at Cangqiong University, and the other two are in the demon's sacred land. Guess what they are?"
Jiang Hong said, "I don't know, I... huh?"
Lu Xiu then gestured for Jiang Hong to look at a small figurine in the car, a statue of Acala, similar to the one Jiang Hong saw at school, with six arms, each holding a different weapon.
"From top to bottom, they are the Demon-Subduing Pestle, Sword of Wisdom, Great Sun Wheel, Moon-Eclipsing Bow, Demon-Binding Rope, and Vajra Arrow," Lu Xiu continued, "I guess it’s the Moon-Eclipsing Bow and Vajra Arrow."
Jiang Hong: "So, like at school, when the sacred land is in danger, someone can summon these two weapons from the void?"
After the summer's journey of forging swords, Jiang Hong had gained a basic understanding of the artifacts — Acala's artifacts are the most powerful forces to counteract 'devils'. Besides, there's also Chen Zhen's Heart Lamp. One could say that the six artifacts and the Heart Lamp exist to vanquish devils.
"Maybe?" Lu Xiu said, "But the artifacts need someone to entrust them to... Do you think you could find them?"
"Me?" Jiang Hong said, "How could I!"
Jiang Hong was practically powerless, if not for the Samadhi True Fire Cao Bin gave him, he was almost no different from an ordinary person.
Lu Xiu said, "Xiang Cheng mentioned before leaving that the prerequisite for summoning an artifact isn't about how powerful you are, but depends on your enemy, whether you can overcome this enemy, and having the belief and confidence to protect everything behind you... In other words, even an ordinary person can gain this immense power when their family is about to be killed."
Jiang Hong, half-laughing, half-crying, said, "Then I'm even less confident. Maybe in Chongqing... well, there are more exorcists with stronger beliefs and reasons than me, right?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong but didn't speak.
Moments later, he parked the car on the roadside. They had reached the courier station, but neither of them got out of the car.
"What if I were in danger?" Lu Xiu turned his head, looking earnestly at Jiang Hong, "I mean, just if."
Jiang Hong: "Then I would definitely... um, I would hope, no matter what, but they wouldn't choose me."
Lu Xiu didn't continue the topic. His hand rested on the steering wheel, staring ahead as the windshield wipers swept layers of rainwater, the outside world blurred by the mingling wind and rain.
"You never asked me if it was me that day," Lu Xiu said again, "The destruction of the buildings on Taikang Road."
"It wouldn't be you," Jiang Hong said.
"Indeed, it wasn't me," Lu Xiu said. "But you weren't there at that time. Didn't you suspect that I, overwhelmed by emotions or having lost myself momentarily, could have done something like that?"
Jiang Hong said, "No, it wouldn't be..." He then looked at Lu Xiu somewhat doubtfully, "Are you under a lot of stress? Why would you lose control?"
Lu Xiu quickly said, "It was just an analogy."
Jiang Hong thought for a moment, then said with a smile, "No, based on what I know about you, even if you're upset, you wouldn't kill or set fires. You'd just find a place to sit quietly. You've been doing this for a hundred and sixty years. You only act against those who are at your level, like taking on the Exorcism Commission headquarters alone, which was very cool. But you never abuse those who are defenseless."
Lu Xiu fell silent, and after a while, said, "Thank you."
"What are you talking about!" Jiang Hong laughed, reaching out to ruffle Lu Xiu's hair, a gesture they often shared. But his hand was caught by Lu Xiu, making Jiang Hong's face flush red.
Lu Xiu seemed to want to keep holding his hand, but realizing something, quickly let go and looked out the car window, asking, "What if it really was me?"
Jiang Hong: "There are no 'what ifs.'"
Lu Xiu: "But I'm saying if."
Jiang Hong: "There's no such hypothesis. Since it wouldn't be you, I don't need to consider whether to kill you or help you escape. Because I wouldn't love... wouldn't... wouldn't be with someone like that, not even as a friend."
Lu Xiu silently watched Jiang Hong, who knew he still hadn't answered Lu Xiu's question.
"If I really had to make such a difficult choice," Jiang Hong finally said, "I would inevitably lean towards you, but it would be too painful for me."
"How can you think like that?" Lu Xiu said anxiously, "If one day I lose myself, you must find a way to wake me up, even if it means shooting me with that arrow. You have to believe..."
"Impossible!" Jiang Hong said.
"You know where my weakness lies," Lu Xiu said lightly, "Only you can summon me. I will always respond to your call, anytime, anywhere, even if you seldom call me... but I will come, right? The bond between you and me, Feng Zheng, was destined from the beginning..."
"The Vajra Arrow of Acala only removes the demonic heart, and only by removing the demonic heart can someone truly be saved from darkness... and the Vajra Arrow symbolizes..."
"Stop talking," Jiang Hong said, "Besides, it wasn't you that day. If I had recklessly gone there, I would have been burned to death by its fire."
Lu Xiu then fell silent.
Jiang Hong felt somewhat distressed by Lu Xiu's series of hypothetical questions, as if undergoing a moral trial.
"But I can't do it," Jiang Hong said, "I don't have the ability. Maybe my master would be more suitable?"
Jiang Hong was well aware that if they were lovers, perhaps one day Lu Xiu would wake up and calm down because of him.
But he couldn't do that now.
Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu looked at each other for a long while until Lu Xiu gently tapped Jiang Hong's chest over his heart with his finger. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he remained silent.
"I'll get your parcel," Lu Xiu said, "The rain is too heavy, you stay in the car. Give me the herbs; I'll mail them for you."
Sitting in the car, Jiang Hong kept pondering over the meaning of Lu Xiu's recent words.
Soon, Lu Xiu returned with Jiang Hong's parcel, glanced at it, and asked, "Did Lao Sun's cleaning robot break down?"
"Yeah," Jiang Hong was still somewhat preoccupied, "It has cultivated an inner alchemy, but it still can't transform into a human."
Lu Xiu: "It's not yet fully aware of its 'destiny'. One day it will understand."
Jiang Hong was still thinking about which demon king could have been turned. It seemed Lu Xiu's situation was not safe. What was the other party waiting for? Were they preparing something?
Who could it be?
"How did you find out?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu: "?"
Having spent much time together, they often understood each other's thoughts. Lu Xiu quickly grasped what Jiang Hong was asking and replied, "Do you remember the little fox Hu Qing who escaped from the sacred land last time in Xi'an?"
"Ah! I remember," Jiang Hong immediately said.
"It's a complicated story," Lu Xiu explained, "You can understand it as him discovering a communicator in the sacred land."
"Was it that octagonal wind chime?" Jiang Hong linked it back to an earlier incident.
"Yes," Lu Xiu said, "You have a good memory. We are currently tracking down the holder of 'Bafang Yunlai.'"
"Hmm..." Jiang Hong said, "Why are you sure it's one of the demon kings?"
Lu Xiu: "Because it was found in the palace area, and only the four demon kings frequent there."
Jiang Hong: "But the Ghost King rarely goes there."
Lu Xiu: "Maybe his suspicion can be ruled out, but just to be cautious..."
Jiang Hong: "I can try to investigate. I have that pot."
"It's too dangerous," Lu Xiu said, "Even if you can become invisible, it’s not appropriate..."
Jiang Hong: "I can do it, I promise not to be reckless..."
Just then, Lu Xiu's car came to a stop.
At the intersection stood a young man holding a white cane, blocking the entire road back to the sacred land. He turned around, seemingly hearing the car's engine in the rain.
"Is someone there?" the young man called out, "Just passing by?"
The rain was pouring heavily, soaking the young man completely. He wore a T-shirt and black shorts, shivering with cold, his eyes covered with a black cloth, carrying a shoulder bag.
As Lu Xiu pondered, Jiang Hong rolled down the window and leaned out, asking, "Who are you looking for?"
"Shengdi Gaoting Ya Yuan! Building 13, Room 401," the blind young man asked, "Is this the place? It feels like there's no one around."
Lu Xiu: "?"
Frowning, Lu Xiu was uncertain, and Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, asking him. Lu Xiu thought for a moment, then said, "What do you need?"
"There's a person named Meng Tian who ordered a drone's after-sale maintenance service from me. This service requires a home visit for adjustments. Do you know him?" the blind young man continued, water dripping continuously from his body.
"It's the Ghost King," Lu Xiu mouthed, and Jiang Hong, without time to question why the Ghost King liked drones, immediately gestured, asking if it was okay to bring someone into the sacred land. He also pointed to his eyes, indicating the man was blind, guessing that wouldn't be an issue?
Lu Xiu nodded, and Jiang Hong said, "Get in the car! I'll take you to him."
"Thank you so much!" The young man with the white cane made his way to the car, and Jiang Hong, sitting in the passenger seat, reached over to open the door.
The blind young man got into the car, and Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong stopped discussing matters of the sacred land. Lu Xiu glanced at the young man a couple of times in the rearview mirror. Jiang Hong, recalling that Lu Xiu was wanted by the Exorcism Commission, raised his eyebrows in query, but Lu Xiu signaled it was okay.
"What's the topic for class S this year?" Lu Xiu asked, "Are you prepared?"
"Ambush," Jiang Hong replied, also recalling the sword he made last semester, which Lu Xiu had never used, waiting for the right moment.
"Starting to learn ambushes?" Lu Xiu pondered.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Hong asked, suddenly thinking that Lu Xiu coming to the sacred land might be a huge trap set by Cao Bin. He vaguely felt that everything was not as simple as it seemed.
"Ambush is difficult," Jiang Hong said, "It's too complex, with countless details. I still have to make a flowchart."
"Yes, that's true," Lu Xiu said, "Principal Cao taught me a bit... I didn't learn it all, but it's okay. During this time, you can do your homework in my study."
Jiang Hong glanced at the blind young man in the back seat. His hair was still dripping, but his features were very handsome. His lips were slightly curved, showing a gentle red hue, and his ears were well proportioned, with a straight nose. His face, thin and defined like Lu Xiu's – perhaps because an important part of his face was covered, his appearance seemed more attractive. When a mask or blindfold is worn, the other facial features are emphasized.
He was very well-behaved and quiet, not interrupting Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu's conversation. Only when there was a lull did he timely say, "Thank you so much... my name is Yi Feng, I didn't expect it to rain this heavily today."
"It's going to rain for a while," Jiang Hong said, "The weather forecast says it will rain for the next week."
Yi Feng said, "Did I go the wrong way? It feels so far. If it weren't for you two, I definitely wouldn't have made it back today."
Lu Xiu said, "No problem, don't mention it. This is a live streaming base, the house numbers are a bit confusing. It's a bit of a search once you get in, but he'll take you there."
"I'm Jiang Hong," Jiang Hong introduced himself, "Nice to meet you."
Jiang Hong was oddly happy to meet an ordinary person, feeling like he had encountered a fellow townsman in a land full of demons.
Chapter 93: Misstep
At noon, the Wushan area was still under a torrential downpour, with the sound of rain outside the cafeteria like a curtain of water hanging from the eaves.
Today, not many students were dining in the dormitory area's cafeteria, as most followed their leaders to work and ate at the cafeterias in their respective work zones.
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong went to get their buffet-style lunch in the cafeteria. The arrival of the demon king for an inspection instantly put the entire cafeteria on edge. A group of people in black appeared out of nowhere, among them a snake demon trailing behind. Whatever dish Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong looked at, the snake demon promptly brought the whole platter over for them to choose.
"No, no," Jiang Hong said, "You're too kind."
"You're the one who's too kind, Your Majesty..." the snake demon was even more nervous than Jiang Hong.
"Don't call me Your Majesty," Jiang Hong squeezed out through clenched teeth.
Hearing the term "Your Majesty," Lu Xiu maintained his usual disregard, asking, "Do you want to try the crispy skin suckling pig?"
"That looks good..."
Immediately, a middle-aged man hurried over, saying, "Why has His Majesty suddenly come down... I'll have them roast a fresh one right now."
"No need," Lu Xiu said, "It's a waste, and it wouldn't be nice for the pigs here to see that."
Jiang Hong thought to himself, then Lu Xiu introduced the middle-aged man, "This is Huang Shan, the chief logistic officer of the sacred land, previously worked with Principal Xiang. Feng Li manages inside the palace, Huang Shan manages outside."
While talking, they had chosen their dishes and found a quiet place to sit. Huang Shan then had someone set up red carpet stakes and barrier tape around their table, ready to stand by.
"You can go back," Lu Xiu said, "We don’t need to be fed."
Jiang Hong: "......"
Huang Shan replied, "Yes," and retreated with the group of people in black.
"There aren’t many people today," Jiang Hong observed, noticing several students greeting him and Lu Xiu from a distance. It seemed everyone had gotten used to Lu Xiu’s identity, not treating him with the same mixture of awe and fear as the demons did.
Lu Xiu nodded casually, saying, "They've all gone to intern at the Affairs Department."
"What do they do there?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Whatever demons usually do," Lu Xiu answered, "Eating, drinking, playing, organizing entertainment activities, cultivating, administrative management of various areas."
The sacred land oversees all demons scattered across the country, handles conflicts with exorcists, captures wandering wild demons, organizes team-building activities, and unites demons of different races... Essentially, that's what it involves.
"Guess who among the demon kings is the most popular?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Of course, it's you," Jiang Hong replied, "Isn't that obvious?"
Lu Xiu paused, then smiled, a rare occurrence, saying, "I don’t take interns. I meant besides me, who do you think it is?"
Jiang Hong: "Hmm... maybe Feng Li? Or maybe students choose according to their corresponding demon king?"
Lu Xiu hummed in agreement, "Human students also choose departments, but based on their preferences, Liu Heng currently has the most picks. Next is Feng Li, and then Lu Chaoyang."
"What about the Ghost King?" Jiang Hong thought, everyone really doesn’t want to intern in a graveyard. Human students, perhaps curious about creepy places, might choose the unconventional route and pick the Ghost King, but being from exorcist families, they're used to such oddities.
"Not a single one," Lu Xiu said.
"That's quite extreme," Jiang Hong hadn't expected that absolutely no one chose the Ghost King.
Lu Xiu: "He doesn’t really want interns anyway. Last year, two senior students chose him, but all the Ghost King did was sleep, leaving the interns to guard graves under a bunch of zombies. This year, no one went."
After lunch, as the rain lessened, more students appeared in the residential area. Huang Shan and the group in black were still waiting outside the cafeteria, quickly setting up an umbrella as the two emerged.
"We're going to the city," Lu Xiu announced.
"The car is ready for you," Huang Shan replied.
At the main entrance, the garage door opened, and Lu Xiu chose a four-seater sedan, getting into the driver's seat. Jiang Hong, surprised, asked, "When did you learn to drive?"
Lu Xiu: "I just picked it up; I got my license only a few months ago. Come on, these cars all belong to Principal Xiang."
Thus, Lu Xiu, with Jiang Hong, drove out of the sacred land.
Leaving the sacred land and returning to the dilapidated villa district, Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu seemed to simultaneously breathe a sigh of relief.
Jiang Hong suddenly burst into laughter, and Lu Xiu, clearly understanding the reason, glanced at the rearview mirror and slowly descended the mountain in the drizzle.
"Not replying to your messages much because I was using the wifi in the sacred land, it's better to speak less," Lu Xiu explained, "After all, it's not a place I'm familiar with."
"But aren't WeChat messages encrypted?" Jiang Hong asked, "Wait… what do you mean?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, who hesitated but finally said frankly, "We can talk in the car, there should be no eavesdropping in Xiang Cheng's vehicle."
Lu Xiu casually turned on the audio system, playing soft and soothing music.
Jiang Hong thought, their only enemy was Yinghuo, could it be that the sacred land was also...
"Of the four demon kings, at least one has been turned," Lu Xiu said, "Who do you think it is?"
Jiang Hong was startled, exclaiming, "That can't be!"
"Mm," Lu Xiu neither confirmed nor denied.
The thought that one of the four demon kings under Lu Xiu had been turned was equivalent to having a traitor among the eight S-rank exorcists! This was far too dangerous!
Moreover, Lu Xiu's situation was more complex than the Exorcism Commission; even amidst chaos and infiltration, the Commission at least had Grand Exorcist Chen Zhen at the helm, akin to Xiang Cheng in the sacred land at this time.
However, the demon race didn't have this. The highest authority among the demons now was Lu Xiu. With Xiang Cheng's return date unknown, it meant Lu Xiu had to resolve this trouble alone, without anyone to consult—Cao Bin being human, couldn't interfere in demon affairs, and the same went for Chen Zhen and others.
This seemed to be the greatest challenge Lu Xiu faced since becoming the demon king.
"I think…" Jiang Hong said, "It's terrible, the Wanwu Book can't distinguish between the original and the replicas..."
Lu Xiu replied, "It's not a replica, but someone who has been turned."
Jiang Hong: "Why? What's the benefit in following Yinghuo?"
"Demons and devils," Lu Xiu said, "Not just humans, many demons also believe that demons and devils are one and the same. In fact, from ancient times until a few centuries ago, when the Heaven Devil descended, it could still command the demons, using them as the vanguard. Even now, this notion still exists."
Jiang Hong: "But what's the benefit of following a ‘devil’?"
"To regain control of this world," Lu Xiu explained, "Just this reason alone is hard for many demons to resist."
Why should the world be ruled by humans? Because of their science? Their wisdom? Why can't demons be the masters of the world, instead of disguising themselves as humans, hiding in the civilization created by humans, abiding by their rules?
Jiang Hong had also heard in Cao Bin's class that Lu Xiu being recognized as the demon king was more accepted than Xiang Cheng, of course, only covertly acknowledged, buried deep in the heart.
"Do you remember the Sword of Wisdom?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked, turning the steering wheel to get on the highway.
"Of course," Jiang Hong said, "Principal Cao summoned the Sword of Wisdom at the school anniversary celebration. It was so cool!"
Lu Xiu continued: "Before leaving, Principal Xiang hid three treasures using 'Void Storage' method. One is at Cangqiong University, and the other two are in the demon's sacred land. Guess what they are?"
Jiang Hong said, "I don't know, I... huh?"
Lu Xiu then gestured for Jiang Hong to look at a small figurine in the car, a statue of Acala, similar to the one Jiang Hong saw at school, with six arms, each holding a different weapon.
"From top to bottom, they are the Demon-Subduing Pestle, Sword of Wisdom, Great Sun Wheel, Moon-Eclipsing Bow, Demon-Binding Rope, and Vajra Arrow," Lu Xiu continued, "I guess it’s the Moon-Eclipsing Bow and Vajra Arrow."
Jiang Hong: "So, like at school, when the sacred land is in danger, someone can summon these two weapons from the void?"
After the summer's journey of forging swords, Jiang Hong had gained a basic understanding of the artifacts — Acala's artifacts are the most powerful forces to counteract 'devils'. Besides, there's also Chen Zhen's Heart Lamp. One could say that the six artifacts and the Heart Lamp exist to vanquish devils.
"Maybe?" Lu Xiu said, "But the artifacts need someone to entrust them to... Do you think you could find them?"
"Me?" Jiang Hong said, "How could I!"
Jiang Hong was practically powerless, if not for the Samadhi True Fire Cao Bin gave him, he was almost no different from an ordinary person.
Lu Xiu said, "Xiang Cheng mentioned before leaving that the prerequisite for summoning an artifact isn't about how powerful you are, but depends on your enemy, whether you can overcome this enemy, and having the belief and confidence to protect everything behind you... In other words, even an ordinary person can gain this immense power when their family is about to be killed."
Jiang Hong, half-laughing, half-crying, said, "Then I'm even less confident. Maybe in Chongqing... well, there are more exorcists with stronger beliefs and reasons than me, right?"
Lu Xiu glanced at Jiang Hong but didn't speak.
Moments later, he parked the car on the roadside. They had reached the courier station, but neither of them got out of the car.
"What if I were in danger?" Lu Xiu turned his head, looking earnestly at Jiang Hong, "I mean, just if."
Jiang Hong: "Then I would definitely... um, I would hope, no matter what, but they wouldn't choose me."
Lu Xiu didn't continue the topic. His hand rested on the steering wheel, staring ahead as the windshield wipers swept layers of rainwater, the outside world blurred by the mingling wind and rain.
"You never asked me if it was me that day," Lu Xiu said again, "The destruction of the buildings on Taikang Road."
"It wouldn't be you," Jiang Hong said.
"Indeed, it wasn't me," Lu Xiu said. "But you weren't there at that time. Didn't you suspect that I, overwhelmed by emotions or having lost myself momentarily, could have done something like that?"
Jiang Hong said, "No, it wouldn't be..." He then looked at Lu Xiu somewhat doubtfully, "Are you under a lot of stress? Why would you lose control?"
Lu Xiu quickly said, "It was just an analogy."
Jiang Hong thought for a moment, then said with a smile, "No, based on what I know about you, even if you're upset, you wouldn't kill or set fires. You'd just find a place to sit quietly. You've been doing this for a hundred and sixty years. You only act against those who are at your level, like taking on the Exorcism Commission headquarters alone, which was very cool. But you never abuse those who are defenseless."
Lu Xiu fell silent, and after a while, said, "Thank you."
"What are you talking about!" Jiang Hong laughed, reaching out to ruffle Lu Xiu's hair, a gesture they often shared. But his hand was caught by Lu Xiu, making Jiang Hong's face flush red.
Lu Xiu seemed to want to keep holding his hand, but realizing something, quickly let go and looked out the car window, asking, "What if it really was me?"
Jiang Hong: "There are no 'what ifs.'"
Lu Xiu: "But I'm saying if."
Jiang Hong: "There's no such hypothesis. Since it wouldn't be you, I don't need to consider whether to kill you or help you escape. Because I wouldn't love... wouldn't... wouldn't be with someone like that, not even as a friend."
Lu Xiu silently watched Jiang Hong, who knew he still hadn't answered Lu Xiu's question.
"If I really had to make such a difficult choice," Jiang Hong finally said, "I would inevitably lean towards you, but it would be too painful for me."
"How can you think like that?" Lu Xiu said anxiously, "If one day I lose myself, you must find a way to wake me up, even if it means shooting me with that arrow. You have to believe..."
"Impossible!" Jiang Hong said.
"You know where my weakness lies," Lu Xiu said lightly, "Only you can summon me. I will always respond to your call, anytime, anywhere, even if you seldom call me... but I will come, right? The bond between you and me, Feng Zheng, was destined from the beginning..."
"The Vajra Arrow of Acala only removes the demonic heart, and only by removing the demonic heart can someone truly be saved from darkness... and the Vajra Arrow symbolizes..."
"Stop talking," Jiang Hong said, "Besides, it wasn't you that day. If I had recklessly gone there, I would have been burned to death by its fire."
Lu Xiu then fell silent.
Jiang Hong felt somewhat distressed by Lu Xiu's series of hypothetical questions, as if undergoing a moral trial.
"But I can't do it," Jiang Hong said, "I don't have the ability. Maybe my master would be more suitable?"
Jiang Hong was well aware that if they were lovers, perhaps one day Lu Xiu would wake up and calm down because of him.
But he couldn't do that now.
Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu looked at each other for a long while until Lu Xiu gently tapped Jiang Hong's chest over his heart with his finger. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he remained silent.
"I'll get your parcel," Lu Xiu said, "The rain is too heavy, you stay in the car. Give me the herbs; I'll mail them for you."
Sitting in the car, Jiang Hong kept pondering over the meaning of Lu Xiu's recent words.
Soon, Lu Xiu returned with Jiang Hong's parcel, glanced at it, and asked, "Did Lao Sun's cleaning robot break down?"
"Yeah," Jiang Hong was still somewhat preoccupied, "It has cultivated an inner alchemy, but it still can't transform into a human."
Lu Xiu: "It's not yet fully aware of its 'destiny'. One day it will understand."
Jiang Hong was still thinking about which demon king could have been turned. It seemed Lu Xiu's situation was not safe. What was the other party waiting for? Were they preparing something?
Who could it be?
"How did you find out?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu: "?"
Having spent much time together, they often understood each other's thoughts. Lu Xiu quickly grasped what Jiang Hong was asking and replied, "Do you remember the little fox Hu Qing who escaped from the sacred land last time in Xi'an?"
"Ah! I remember," Jiang Hong immediately said.
"It's a complicated story," Lu Xiu explained, "You can understand it as him discovering a communicator in the sacred land."
"Was it that octagonal wind chime?" Jiang Hong linked it back to an earlier incident.
"Yes," Lu Xiu said, "You have a good memory. We are currently tracking down the holder of 'Bafang Yunlai.'"
"Hmm..." Jiang Hong said, "Why are you sure it's one of the demon kings?"
Lu Xiu: "Because it was found in the palace area, and only the four demon kings frequent there."
Jiang Hong: "But the Ghost King rarely goes there."
Lu Xiu: "Maybe his suspicion can be ruled out, but just to be cautious..."
Jiang Hong: "I can try to investigate. I have that pot."
"It's too dangerous," Lu Xiu said, "Even if you can become invisible, it’s not appropriate..."
Jiang Hong: "I can do it, I promise not to be reckless..."
Just then, Lu Xiu's car came to a stop.
At the intersection stood a young man holding a white cane, blocking the entire road back to the sacred land. He turned around, seemingly hearing the car's engine in the rain.
"Is someone there?" the young man called out, "Just passing by?"
The rain was pouring heavily, soaking the young man completely. He wore a T-shirt and black shorts, shivering with cold, his eyes covered with a black cloth, carrying a shoulder bag.
As Lu Xiu pondered, Jiang Hong rolled down the window and leaned out, asking, "Who are you looking for?"
"Shengdi Gaoting Ya Yuan! Building 13, Room 401," the blind young man asked, "Is this the place? It feels like there's no one around."
Lu Xiu: "?"
Frowning, Lu Xiu was uncertain, and Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, asking him. Lu Xiu thought for a moment, then said, "What do you need?"
"There's a person named Meng Tian who ordered a drone's after-sale maintenance service from me. This service requires a home visit for adjustments. Do you know him?" the blind young man continued, water dripping continuously from his body.
"It's the Ghost King," Lu Xiu mouthed, and Jiang Hong, without time to question why the Ghost King liked drones, immediately gestured, asking if it was okay to bring someone into the sacred land. He also pointed to his eyes, indicating the man was blind, guessing that wouldn't be an issue?
Lu Xiu nodded, and Jiang Hong said, "Get in the car! I'll take you to him."
"Thank you so much!" The young man with the white cane made his way to the car, and Jiang Hong, sitting in the passenger seat, reached over to open the door.
The blind young man got into the car, and Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong stopped discussing matters of the sacred land. Lu Xiu glanced at the young man a couple of times in the rearview mirror. Jiang Hong, recalling that Lu Xiu was wanted by the Exorcism Commission, raised his eyebrows in query, but Lu Xiu signaled it was okay.
"What's the topic for class S this year?" Lu Xiu asked, "Are you prepared?"
"Ambush," Jiang Hong replied, also recalling the sword he made last semester, which Lu Xiu had never used, waiting for the right moment.
"Starting to learn ambushes?" Lu Xiu pondered.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Hong asked, suddenly thinking that Lu Xiu coming to the sacred land might be a huge trap set by Cao Bin. He vaguely felt that everything was not as simple as it seemed.
"Ambush is difficult," Jiang Hong said, "It's too complex, with countless details. I still have to make a flowchart."
"Yes, that's true," Lu Xiu said, "Principal Cao taught me a bit... I didn't learn it all, but it's okay. During this time, you can do your homework in my study."
Jiang Hong glanced at the blind young man in the back seat. His hair was still dripping, but his features were very handsome. His lips were slightly curved, showing a gentle red hue, and his ears were well proportioned, with a straight nose. His face, thin and defined like Lu Xiu's – perhaps because an important part of his face was covered, his appearance seemed more attractive. When a mask or blindfold is worn, the other facial features are emphasized.
He was very well-behaved and quiet, not interrupting Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu's conversation. Only when there was a lull did he timely say, "Thank you so much... my name is Yi Feng, I didn't expect it to rain this heavily today."
"It's going to rain for a while," Jiang Hong said, "The weather forecast says it will rain for the next week."
Yi Feng said, "Did I go the wrong way? It feels so far. If it weren't for you two, I definitely wouldn't have made it back today."
Lu Xiu said, "No problem, don't mention it. This is a live streaming base, the house numbers are a bit confusing. It's a bit of a search once you get in, but he'll take you there."
"I'm Jiang Hong," Jiang Hong introduced himself, "Nice to meet you."
Jiang Hong was oddly happy to meet an ordinary person, feeling like he had encountered a fellow townsman in a land full of demons.
