Chapter 173: Ephemeral
The lightning bolt that is as aggressive as a striking viper splits the ten-storey hospital in half, causing it to collapse.
Suddenly, the violent gales bring with it a fragrant scent of bamboo. Silver rays of light shine out from the pile of rubble that used to be a building. Closely following the flash of light, a power reminiscent of nature itself rips through the air, scattering the lightning before it can strike the ground.
A lean figure falls from the sky, the clothes wrapped around his frame now torn and tattered. Drops of scarlet blood flowing from the various lacerations on his body stain the ground beneath as it follows the body downwards.
A white-haired, white-robed figure leaps out from the debris, arms reaching out to catch the falling person. Eyes closed, Long Zhanye feels himself being drawn into a soft embrace, surrounded by the smell of bamboo, a scent he is extremely familiar with…
"Little Yuan," Eyelids open half-mast to reveal golden pupils as a faint smile curves his lips, Long Zhanye whispers.
"I"m here." Huo Zaiyuan tightens his arms around his lover, touching down lightly onto solid ground, a hand reaching up to roam lightly over Long Zhanye"s bloodstained face. "Fortunately…all of you are all right."
Behind, a large piece of broken concrete is pushed away and Lian Xiang climbs out, coughing a little from the still-settling dust. Looking at the two embracing, lost in their own world, the corners of his mouth lift upwards.
So what if he helped defy the Heavens? As long as he is able to see him smile, he would do it a thousand times over!
~~~
"Haha…he"s dead! He is finally dead, I finally killed him…hahaha!!"
Within the dim jail cell, a woman"s loud, maniacal laughter rings through the area. The shackles clamped around her wrists and ankles jingle with every move.
Tap, tap, tap…
The slow, deliberate click of combat boots on the cold, hard ground grows louder by the second, the soft noise seemingly loud in the relatively quiet atmosphere of the prison. Along with the footsteps, one can also hear the sound of something being dragged over the floor.
Very quickly, that person arrives outside the cell door. A key is slotted into the steel lock, the "clack" announcing its unlocking ringing out clearly. With the faintest creak, the steel door swings open.
The thing that was dragged behind this figure is carelessly thrown in. Like a dirty rag being tossed aside, a man sporting broken hands and legs is dropped to the floor in a sorry heap.
The raving mad woman sitting chained to the back wall of the cell abruptly halts her crazy laughter. Her entire body stiffens as her gaze falls onto the crippled man flung on the ground. A moment later, a startled expression crosses her face before she throws herself towards him. However, her actions are stopped short by the shackles binding her. No matter how much she struggles, she cannot hope to touch the man now emitting pained whimpers.
"Shouldn"t you thank me? I mobilised the entire army in order to find your son, bringing him here from the furthest ninth district"s separate housing," Slowly stepping into the small cell, a smooth, pleasant voice says. But in the woman"s ears, it sounds like the voice of the devil himself.
This man is indeed the devil.
"You…what did you do to my son…you fiend! Devil!" Not stopping in her struggle, a desire to tear free of these blasted chains to protect the man on the ground rises. Her furious hollers are half threats, half garbled words. The glare piercing the soldier in the cell contains a murderous glint.
"I didn"t do anything too excessive, just used him as a punching bag to train a little. Fiend? Devil? Tsk, tsk…don"t use that plaything"s t.i.tle to compare with this deity." Scoffing coldly, Long Zhanye"s eyes displays all the despise he holds for Zhou Huijiao. Lifting a foot, the heel of his boot grinds harshly on the back of the man lying pitifully upon the hard ground.
Right now, Huo Jiaobao is a sorry sack of mere flesh and bones, with no strength in his body. Weak to the point of not being able to withstand another blow. This one step from Long Zhanye causes his wound-ridden body to twitch in agony, a mouthful of fresh blood spurting out between his lips.
"Y - you…let go of my son! I will kill you!" Zhou Huijiao"s hands curve into claws, scrabbling uselessly at the air.
"Let him go? When you a.s.sa.s.sinated my little Yuan, was there any mercy in your heart?" Looking at the woman baring her teeth, Long Zhanye replies frostily.
"So it turns out…you are that mongrel-child"s accomplice…haha…that b.a.s.t.a.r.d died well. Died well. I killed him…hahaha…" Another bout of insane laughter breaks out as Long Zhanye"s words make her recall her recent kill.
"Ahh - !!"
Just as Zhou Huijiao"s crazy laughter rings out, Huo Jiaobao suddenly moans in pain. For Long Zhanye ruthlessly drove the dagger that was stuck in Huo Zaiyuan"s chest through one of Huo Jiabao"s palm, effectively pinning this man to the cell"s floor.
"You! What do you want! Let him go…if you dare to kill him, I will haunt you even as a ghost…"
"Don"t worry, I won’t let him die so easily. With the dagger you used to stab what is mine, I will carve the flesh off your precious son piece by piece…"
Afterwards, the eerie cries of pain and the sharp shrieks of a woman resonate through the darkness from the prison block, not ceasing for a very long time.
It is only when the heavy stench of iron pervades the entire cell does Long Zhanye step out, leaving a set of shoeprints behind in the viscous sludge of dark red pooling on the hard floor.
~~~
A soft bed, warm blankets…the person still hazy with sleepiness rubs his cheek on the quilt, burrowing further into the mattress even as a blissful sigh escapes him.
"Heheh…" A light laugh full of fondness rings out from somewhere next to him.
Eyelashes fluttering open, the person buried under the blankets peeks out. A handsome, smiling visage meets him. Mouth curving into an identical smile, a slender hand emerges from beneath the quilt to rest on the other man"s shoulder.
"Zhanye."
"Watching you sleep so peacefully gives me some sort of comfort." Long Zhanye"s hand travels down the curve of his body to rest on a hip.
Just before the two can kiss, Huo Zaiyuan"s brow wrinkles lightly before he shoves Long Zhanye away. "You…you reek of blood. Where did you go?"
"Eh? Your senses have become keener after your soul and spiritual vessel united. I just took a shower too." Long Zhanye also frowns, not bothering to deny anything.
"Did you kill Zhou Huijiao?" Ignoring the other"s complains, Huo Zaiyuan draws a couple of runes in the air. Following it, gentle silver light emits from the characters and falls on Long Zhanye"s body, causing a faint red mist to rise. As soon as the mist disperses, the smell of blood clinging to Long Zhanye disappears.
Pulling his beloved into a tighter hug now that he doesn"t stink, Long Zhanye grins, dropping a kiss on the long, white hair.
"I"m not a vicious murderer. Although that brainless woman deserves death, that doesn"t mean she is qualified to die under my own hands. Of course, I also cannot let her off without a little lesson. Hmph, what does she expect after stabbing you? The smell of blood on my body is all borne from that woman"s hatred and resentment, that"s all." As he says this, the expression on his face is as innocent as can be.
Indeed, Zhou Huijiao and her son are not dead yet. But after suffering through his little lesson, they are no doubt wishing someone would end their life.
Naturally, Long Zhanye will never let his treasure know about the dark thoughts residing in the depths of his heart. If it ever got out, it might make the other disappointed in him.
"Ai…so be it." Huo Zaiyuan sighs. "I died in her hands before my rebirth, and once more fell to her in this life. A predestined calamity is someone one can neither hide from nor escape…"
"I am your only calamity." Long Zhanye sulks as he hears Huo Zaiyuan"s words. Tightening his grip around his beloved, he buries his nose in the other"s hair, breathing in the soothing scent of bamboo.
"Yes, yes. You are my calamity, and my troublesome man." Huo Zaiyuan is already accustomed to this man"s territorial nature when it comes to things he considers his. Wrapping his arms around the other"s waist, he continues. "After the heavenly-defying act, my soul has reunited with my original body. Right now, my cultivation level is at the ninth level and I have regained my memories as Huo Tianji. However, this is an ephemeral phrase. Nine days later, my body will disappear and my soul will scatter once again."
"I had no option but to enact this heavenly-defying procedure. I couldn"t simply stand aside and watch as you died again." Long Zhanye"s hold tightens to the point of suffocating, but Huo Zaiyuan doesn"t protest. "I will definitely not allow your body to crumble and your soul to scatter. I finally found you again after so many millennia. I will never let go of you again…even if the Heavens themselves wish to s.n.a.t.c.h you away, they will need to step over my corpse."
He was born as the harbinger of chaos, destined to keep defying the Heavens. For the person he loves, he will willingly set the realms on fire and raze the Heavens.
Because he has nothing in this world. Nothing besides the one Huo Zaiyuan…
"Zhanye."
"Come, we"ll go pay grandfather a visit, then discuss what needs to be done next. The little monk was able to descend into the mortal world without incident, so he should know how to return to the world of Immortals. Since that"s the case, I will return with you. There are countless spiritual herbs and medicines there. I don"t believe nothing can save you." Not waiting for Huo Zaiyuan to reply, Long Zhanye immediately tosses the other over his shoulder and heads to the door.
Shocked by the sudden actions, Huo Zaiyuan smacks his hand on Long Zhanye"s back. "Ah! Don"t be impulsive! Put me down!"
"Not going to dally any longer. Even if I have to tear a hole in the sky, I will return to the Immortal Realm with you."
"Then…then put me down first. I can walk on my own!"