before dawn || jing yuan fanfiction

Chapter 10: Dan Heng's Determination

The three suddenly looked at Jing Yuan and me when they heard Kafka say that with each one having their own expressions.

I simply waved to Dan Heng as I mouthed to him, "Are you okay?" In which he nodded back and smiled.

Jing Yuan laughed at Kafka's introduction.

"Jing Yuan..." Blade looked at Jing Yuan with a hint of distaste.

Yanqing had a surprised look as he was still kneeling on the ground after the fight trying to catch his breath. "General!"

"Many years have passed since the two of you departed the Xianzhou, and yet the circumstances of your return appear to be equally unhappy. If you still thought of me as a friend, you should've forewarned me." Jing Yuan began to speak.

It seemed that Jing Yuan personally knew Blade and Dan Heng as friends but it was clear this joyous reunion. Also, why did he lie to me by not knowing Dan Heng?

Blade kept his reply simple. "My task is complete."

"Mm, that it is." Jing Yuan nodded before looking at Kafka. "Thank you for assisting the Xianzhou in this small matter. Take this person away — I will pretend I didn't see anything this time."

Yanqing was shocked and confused at his statement. "General!? I..."

"Now is not the time." Yanqing was surprised at Jing Yuan's sudden loud and serious voice and simply looked down at his feet as Yanqing had no choice but to listen to him.

We watched as both Blade and Kafka took their leave. Who knows where they will go, will they stay hidden here in Xianzhou until things calm down?

"It has been a long time... old friend." Jing Yuan greeted Dan Heng.

"I'm not him," Dan Heng bluntly stated.

Jing Yuan simply smiled and apologised. "Mm... I'm sorry."

Dan Heng begins to come closer to me, signalling me to follow him to leave.

Jing Yuan noticed this and stopped him.

"You cannot leave yet — your Astral Express friends are waiting for you in Scalegorge Waterscape. Shall we go and see them together?"

Dan Heng had no other choice than to give up and listen to Jing Yuan. It was a silent ride as none of us talked as we reached our destination.

I tried to fill the heavy tension as I realised Da Heng was nervous. It was clear he worried about showing his new appearance to the others and whatever burden he was carrying. Jing Yuan and Dan Heng haven't explained anything to me yet so all I could do was wait until Dan Heng was comfortable enough to tell us when we grouped up with the others.

So I began to talk to Dan Heng about the fun things Welt, March, Caelus and I have done in Xianzhou. I also asked him about Himeko and Pom-Pom in which he explained they were doing well.

Dan Heng seems to know the place as we reach our destination and look at Jing Yuan in shock. "Caelus, March, Mr. Yang... You brought them here!?"

"Yes, they are waiting in the Dragonvista Rain Hall. Go, your friends are waiting for you," Jing Yuan explained.

Wherever we were, this place seemed to be an important place as Jing Yuan continued to explain to Dan Heng about the Xianzhou situation as we walked and stopped by the dead bodies of the monsters from the Antimatter Legion.

"Do you know something? When Dan Feng committed his great crime, the Ten-Lords Commission advocated strongly for him to be destroyed. The Vidyadhara, on the other hand, were split evenly in their favour and disfavour of the motion. Haha, the dragon transmutation inheritance was not intact, after all. The senior Vidyadhara hated you, yet did not dare to kill you." Jing Yuan casually explained.