Han Zhan’s hand paused mid-stroke, the cloth stilling on the blade. He looked up, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Dage, if you’re ugly, then what would that make me? Hideous?"
Han Xin’s lips twitched into a faint smile, but it quickly faded. "Someone called me ugly the other day," he said, his tone more serious. "They called me an ugly bastard."
Han Zhan’s brow arched. Who in all the realms would have the nerve to call Han Xin ugly? That could only be a lie. "You are neither ugly nor a bastard. They probably just wanted to get under your skin. Humans do that sometimes," he replied but Han Xin glanced at him before asking,
"And what if they had the truth-seeking whip wrapped around them?"
Han Zhan’s expression softened, and he set the sword aside, giving Han Xin his full attention. "Who would dare say such a thing?" he asked, his voice laced with a protective edge. The fact that they said it with the whip wrapped around them meant they truly believed that he was ugly.
Han Xin sighed, his fingers tracing the intricate flower on the pendant. "He truly meant it. Maybe I should have shown him my real appearance. He would eat his words." For the sake of humans he changed his appearance slightly so as not to blind humans with his ethereal face but despite all of that he was still so dazzling that people would stare at him. That little half-demon was the only one to disdain him, calling him an ugly bastard.
Han Zhan leaned back, a thoughtful look on his face. " Anyone who thinks you are ugly is blind. They need their eyes checked." Han Xin smiled slightly wondering if he would be able to return this pendant back to its owner.
Seeing that his cousin’s mind had already drifted off somewhere else, Han Zhan picked up his sword once more. He wondered if the person who called him ugly was the same person that jade pendant belonged to.
His fingers suddenly stopped moving and Han Xin sat up clutching the jade pendant in his hand. His senses tingled with unease. "Did you feel that?" asked Han Zhan his voice tense as he stood up abruptly.
His eyes scanned the sky through the open window. What had been a sunny day was now darkened by ominous clouds, swirling with unnatural energy. The wind howled making the blossoming flowers rain down underneath the cherry blossoms.
Han Xin nodded, his grip tightening on the pendant. "Something new... and terrifying has been born," said Han Zhan his intuition telling him that they should go and hunt whatever it was before trouble befalls the human realm.
Han Zhan sheathed his sword, his expression grim. Han Xin put away the jade pendant and got up saying, "We need to return to the divine realm. The Heavenly King must know what’s happening. We need further instructions."
"You mean your father? If uncle hears you calling him that he will fake a heart attack again," said Han Zhan with laughter in his voice. He was recalling the time that old man beat his chest while pointing at the then little Han Xin with a trembling finger.
Han Xin chuckled softly as they walked out. They were smiling but their hearts were heavy with the foreboding sense of impending doom. They didn’t know who or what was out there, neither did they know how troublesome it would be in the future.
Years later it turns out they were overthinking it. Since that day, there had been no blood bath or massacre. If anything there was a long period of peace. If it weren’t for the blood-red moon that shone once a year in the north, the people would have forgotten that there was a demon realm in the vicinity.
The one responsible for such a tranquil period was staring at the grotesque statue before him. It was like a mockery of his own likeness, a misshapen lump of stone that bore no resemblance to his regal appearance.
The demon king from the eastern realm had commissioned it, believing it would curry favour with Demon King Xiang. Foolish.
"Insolence... it looks nothing like our master. Are you mocking him?" asked Mei her smile both dazzling and venomous at the same time.
"No, you mis—," stammered the servant from the eastern realm afraid his king would offend Demon King Xiang.
"Let’s skin him. I need a new cloak. I heard he is a fox demon," said Lian, taking out her sharp blades, ready to skin him at her master’s orders.
The Demon King of the eastern realm tried to remain calm but his knees were trembling slightly. "Your Excellency... I come in peace. You should at least hear me out," he said and Xiang Yu raised his hand gesturing for his minions to stand down.
He approached the statue, his boots echoing in the grand hall. He circled it, disdain curling his lips. The sculptor had captured none of his elegance, none of the raw power that simmered beneath his skin. Instead, it looked as if a blind devil had chiselled it during a drunken stupor.
"An abomination," he murmured, tracing a fingernail along the misshapen jawline. "A fitting tribute to my greatness, wouldn’t you say?" His courtiers exchanged nervous glances but none dared to answer.
"What is it that you want?... All these years and none of you Lords congratulated me as the new king of the north. I heard my father got a grand feast and all of you flocked to the Shadow Jade palace with gifts... so you coming here must mean you have run out of options." Demon King Yao swallowed his Adam’s apple, bobbing. He had indeed come here intending to ask for help.
His realm was constantly engulfed in flames, and his subordinates were slaughtered by the treacherous demon king of the south. That tyrant had asked for his only daughter’s hand in marriage but he refused thinking that brainless bull Mowang would leave. Instead he started to attack his realm slaughtering them with no restraint. They fought back but they undoubtedly lost a lot of their army.
Demon King Mowang vowed that he would return soon to pick up his bride. He sought the West’s help, but they didn’t even open the gates for him. Left with no choice he came to Demon King Xiang for help.