Peach Demon

Chapter 2.1: The Lights Wane

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Shangguan is so earnest~ still searching for Ah Zhuo with his last threads of hope~ To those of you supporting this story, thank you so much!!! The last part will be unlocked tomorrow!

Chapter 2.1: The Lights Wane

Why would she leave? Furthermore, where would she go?

These two questions continued to perplex Shangguan Qihua. He hadn"t the faintest idea where she was or where she could be. Therefore, he could only search for her in a blind and frantic manner. He would be full of hope one day, only to lose hope the next. Back then, he had asked Ah Zhuo why she was willing to help aid him in his revenge. Ah Zhuo laughed and said, "You humans need some ambitions in your life, the same applies for us demons."

However, he had always been unaware of just what Ah Zhuo"s ambitions had been.

After leaving the Hundred Li Slope, Shangguan Qihua went on to revisit all of the places that he had been to with Ah Zhuo. All of the mere gra.s.s and wood around him formed memories that had twisted around his thoughts, unable to be dissipated.

As he walked past the dense old forest, the Ah Zhuo in his memories giggled as she stomped around the small creek. As he lay outside the temple, hearing the rustling of the snowfall, the Ah Zhuo from his memories was seated on the other side of a bonfire giving him a breakdown of the highlights her that day. The dense and frigid air penetrated into one"s heart, soaking into his memories and thoughts. As he pa.s.sed through the Red Light District in an alley shaded by willows, when he heard the falling and crescendoing of the singer"s frigid voice groan, he could hear the Ah Zhuo from his memories singing, "Between this yearning that penetrates the bone…"

Back then, Ah Zhuo definitely wouldn"t have guessed that one day, the plain spoken and slow witted Shangguan Qihua would actually be living in yearning so deep that it would eventually penetrate the bone…

Everyday filled him with excitement and then disappointment.

In the twelfth lunar month of the eighth year of Emperor Wuzong"s reign, Shangguan Qihua had arrived at Shaolin. He paid his respects to the master of the Shaolin, a bald monk who was just as gentle and tranquil as in the past. He inquired whether the monk had seen the girl in pink who had accompanied him here to the gathering where he had eliminated the master of the Demonic Sect.

The monk gently shook his head.

Shangguan lowered his eyes, "Can I go to the terrace where I originally got rid of the demon?"

"Benefactor Shangguan, please do as you please."

Two years earlier, after Shangguan Qihua and Ah Zhuo left the Hundred Li Slope, Shangguan devoted himself to his revenge scheme. He had money and martial arts, but no one who could follow him besides Ah Zhuo. Shangguan wanted to create an awe inspiring name for himself, so he wanted to recruit soldiers and buy horses, but his old background was not enough to gain human sympathy or support. Right when he was thinking about spreading out his sphere of influence, he just happened to see the a.s.sembly of the brave and chivalrous monks who had gathered to eliminate the master of the Demonic Sect of the wulin. They had summoned all kinds of people from the community to jointly discuss banishing the Demonic Sect.

Shangguan Qihua hadn"t yet thought of other methods of revenge when Ah Zhuo dragged his arm and said, "Go, let"s go."

Shangguan was shocked, "I, really am not brave and chivalrous…"

"Believe me, now you can sweep away the current wulin," Ah Zhuo patted his shoulder as he said, "Go, let"s first buy some attractive clothes."

Later, he wore some white clothing that fluttered in the breeze, that Ah Zhuo picked out for him. When the Eliminating the Demonic Sect a.s.sembly was halfway through, he appeared on the terrace in the center of the gathering. With his usual wooden face, he looked at his surroundings and saw that everyone around him were very prestigious great heroes with power that could shake the world. When he thought about how he was about to show off in front of these heroes, he felt like silently retreating a bit.

In due course, Ah Zhuo carried a Master of the Demonic Sect over and fiercely threw him onto the terrace, raising her voice to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, my n.o.ble master is here to give everyone an introductory present."

Shangguan Qihua had indeed caught this Sect Master. He only followed Ah Zhuo"s directions and patted his head. Then, this Sect Master had fainted. Shangguan never knew that Demonic Sect people collapsed at the first blow. Or how his body had gained so much strange energy…

The moment Ah Zhuo finished speaking, the entire scene erupted into an uproar.

The first person to speak was still the Shaolin host, "May I ask the name of this young hero?"

He slowly replied, "Shangguan Qihua."

In this group, some would recognize the name of the door keeper of the small sect, thus, they all began to perk their ears up in bewilderment. However, none recognized him. The host asked again, "May I ask what sect this young hero is from?"

Ah Zhuo who stood nearby touched the corner of her mouth, and Shangguan quickly flashed his internal energy, emitting a cold laugh, "Hmph."

This small syllable made the whole scene feel a burst of pain in their chest. Ah Zhuo blinked as she added, "My n.o.ble master has always disliked people asking after his family background."

Experts would inevitably be eccentric. Ah Zhuo thus said this.

The host said, "May I ask what this young hero has come for today?"

Shangguan Qihua was silent before saying, "Recruit soldiers and forces to slaughter the Demonic Sect." He said "slaughter", not "make them decline" or "expel them". Ah Zhuo looked at him indifferently, not speaking.

"Lad, you"re pretty arrogant." A 40-ish man who held a broadsword stood up, "Today, in this place why do you want to wrong us and make us your soldiers?"

Ah Zhuo rubbed her eyebrow. Shangguan Qihua c.o.c.ked his eyebrow, "Yes?" His pitch raised, complete with disdain and provocation.

Ah Zhuo coolly said, "If you feel it would be demeaning you, why don"t you come up and cross swords with my master?" Shangguan looked at the opposing side"s broadsword with the words "Azure Dragon" engraved in it, and his expression flashed with a bit of weakness.

That man heard this and leaped onto the terrace. Shangguan subconsciously wanted to back away, but Ah Zhuo softly pushed him back, and then fiercely pushed on the corner of her mouth. Shangguan was driven onto the perch to do something way beyond his ability. His scalp hardened as he transferred his internal strength to his head, and thus coldly laughed again, "Hmph!"

The other side was shocked from head to toe. He silently appraised Shangguan, suddenly laughing, "Sure enough, you are a rare talented young hero! w.a.n.g Gan and my broadsword will be one of your troops!"

Shangguan blankly looked at everyone. He looked back at Ah Zhuo, but Ah Zhuo only looked up at the sky with pride, smartly sticking out her tongue.

The mysterious youngster, Shangguan Qihua became famous with just a move at the Eliminating Demonic Sect a.s.sembly.

Henceforth, his name became the most feared characters in the Demonic Sect.

However, common people did not know that after the Eliminating Demonic a.s.sembly, he was fiercely scolded by his maid, "Look at yourself! What great hero?! Is there such a hero that shakes so badly after getting off stage?! What are you afraid of?!"

"Ah Zhuo," In that moment, Shangguan only looked at her, not knowing how to express his feelings, "I am very happy." He reached his arm out to hug her, while burying his head in her neck, continuing to call out, "Ah Zhuo, Ah Zhuo."

Ah Zhuo sighed, "You really seem like a big dog who only begs for petting now." When she finished, she hugged him, her even breaths on his ear.

Shangguan Qihua remembered that moment to this day. That day, the hands that patted him were so soft that they made one become intoxicated.

Two years after that day, he stood on the same terrace, without any hatred or vengeful thoughts, without the fright that came from being stared at by an audience. Only the light from the sun in winter accompanied him along with the wind that blew on his face.

He whispered softly on the stage with not a soul in sight, no longer keeping his longing heart silent, "Ah Zhuo, I really long to see you again."

After leaving Shaolin, Shangguan Qihua didn"t know where to go for a moment. In his memory, it seemed, after he had become famous, he rarely had moments that he could spend alone with Ah Zhuo. He was busy taking his revenge, as he eliminated the Demonic Sect. Every time he looked back, there was always a pink figure behind him who silently looked at him, her smile especially brilliant.

Gradually, this became proper and expected.

No matter what, Ah Zhuo began to always be there.

Translated by Tranzgeek

Edited by Ely and ADVYYY

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