"For the next 6 months, we are ordered to patrol the streets of capital city for any unusual demon activities. Remember the shadows are our domain. Remain undetected." A Night Raven troop leader announces to the organized rows of Night Ravens.
I peek over the shoulders of the men in front. I can't see much and panic when the men crossed their right arm over their chests saying, "The shadows are our domain!"
A few words behind, I mimic their cry, "Shadows! Domain!"
Yes, no one will be able to track me if I leave Bleak Night tonight. Concealing my identity, I dressed myself in a Night Raven uniform and followed a group of Night Ravens. It appears Night Raven troops were back at Bleak Night to be reassigned missions. Luckily, I spotted them and can use them to run away.
Before I knew it, the Night Raven guards one by one disappear in a mist of black smoke.
Have they teleported to capital city? I can't teleport! Will they figure me out?
The Night Raven Guard next to me is about to teleport out of Bleak Night. I quickly grab his shoulder and am transported with him.
"Huh?" He turns to me when we arrive in a dark part of the city.
"Thanks for the ride!" I run off in a random direction down the alley.
No joke, we are now in capital city. I never dared to venture here because it is close to my previous family's city. And if the Prime Minister happens to find me then I would immediately be put to death for evading marriage with his nephew. Or worse, be forced to marry his nephew Old Man Liu.
I've only been to the capital city on trips with my father, and was rarely allowed to go out. It is an unfamiliar area, but as long as I can hide for the time being, I can aim to survive.
Besides Yang Zi Huo himself won't want to step foot in capital city. He is a Sect Leader of Jianghu and that is enough reason for the royal family to be unwelcoming of his presence. Although I'm still not so sure what he was doing at the Prime Minister's birthday celebration all those years ago.
I run towards the busy street with music and light. Heaving, I catch my breath at the side of the road and watch people enjoy themselves with wine and conversation.
"The beauty of Whimsical Flower Pavilion is coming!" A man cries and points.
I look over with the crowd to see a lifted platform covered loosely with rosy transparent curtains.
Eight men carried the platform, parading this beauty through the street. I can faintly make out a thin person lying on top with the curtains concealing their actual appearance. A silver mask covers half the face, only the image of small lips and high bridge nose could be seen.
How is this person a beauty when we can't even see the face?
"Yueguang! Yueguang! You're so beautiful!" A man pushes past me towards the crowd accumulating to greet this beauty.
"Yueguang! Please allow me to be with you!" Another person screams.
"Yueguang! I love you!!!"
Standing outside of the sphere of influence, I observe the group of people going crazy. They really love this Yueguang beauty. Reminds me of how people in Yeguang city treats Yang Zi Huo.
The platform glides by with the crowd following, cheering endlessly. A wind blows, opening the curtain slightly. The person on the platform happens to look into the admiring large gathering, but our eyes meet. A quick flash of red flickers in the pair of eyes.
"Demon." A sense of fight or flight overtakes my body.
This beauty that everyone is so enamored by is actually a demon!
The demon Yueguang lives at Whimsical Flower Pavilion. If I can just notify the Night Raven guards about this, they can take care of it! Just how am I going to find them?
Secretly following the platform to the entertainment house, the figure steps off with grace as a fairy of utmost elegance. Dressed in layers of loose silk, the figure enters the building and everyone stares in awe.
Up the red stairs, the beauty disappears down the hall.
"I don't think I should track it any longer. It's a job for the Night Ravens to figure out," I tell myself.
"Sir! Sir, please come inside and have a drink!" A young woman with a revealing chest grabs my arm.
"Ah, no. I'm not--"
"Come and have a drink! Play some games with me, all right? Jie Jie is bored." With great strength, she pulls me inside.
I sit with her at a table. The pillows are low on the ground, providing a soft landing for me as she forces me to sit. The table is filled with snacks accompanying wine.
I really don't want to waste my money on this...
"Sir, you're so handsome!"
Should I be insulted? She thinks I look like a man and even called me handsome. Yang Zi Huo has never told me that I was pretty now that I think about it. He likes men then?
"What is the deal with this beauty, Yueguang?" I ask when she hands me a wine cup.
"Oh, Yuegang came here five years ago as a courtesan. The beauty that has surpassed all in just that mere amount of time. Everyone comes here asking for Yueguang. Don't tell me you want to see Yuegung too? When you already have me here?!" She pouts.
"Not at all. I have no interest."
"Really?" Her eyes sparkle happily.
I accept a few more drinks from her, not paying attention to her coy comments. She tries to place her body near me, and afraid she is going to find out I am a woman as well, I push her off.
"Hey, you guys can still drink and fool around when there's a demon out there?" I hear a conversation behind me.
"No demon's going to stop me from meeting Yueguang."
"This is life and death we're talking about! Two dead in the streets just this month!"
"How do you know it's a demon's doing? Could just be a lunatic on the loose."
"You think a human is capable of doing this? Sucking blood dry from a human? There's no mortal weapon that can leave a body dry of blood. I saw the body, all right? It was all shriveled up. Its bones crushed to mere smithereens."
No doubt the suspect is the beauty Yueguang they're all dying to be with.
"I'm going now." I stand while speaking.
"What? Why?"
"Ah. Almost forgot." I drop a couple of silver nuggets in her palm.
"Thank you, sir!"
"Sir, please do not leave just yet." An older woman dressed in bright green approaches me.
"What is it?" I ask.
"The beauty Yueguang has asked to meet with you."
"What?!" The girl from before exclaims.
"Someone is meeting with Yueguang!" Someone whispers.
"No way! Yueguang never asks to meet with anyone!"
"How is this possible?!"
The older woman gestures for me to walk. "Please this way."
This demon asked for me? Is it possible that the demon knows I've figured out its identity? It could be luring me into a trap.
"I'm sorry. I must decline. I have other business to attend to."
"Uh..." Her face is in complete shock.
"He denied it! He denied the beauty Yueguang!"
A man steps in front of me. "I'll go! I want to meet the beauty Yueguang!"
"Wait! You can't!" I say
"Why not? Not like you going."
Ugh, do you want to die?! It's a demon!
"Fine, I'll go. Yueguang asked for me, right?"
"Ah, good. Sorry everyone. Yueguang can only serve one customer a night, and has chosen this Young Master. Please follow me."
This is a trap. I know it. However, I just don't feel right letting some random drunk be killed knowing that the beauty is actually a demon.
"Yueguang is waiting for you inside." She bows and leaves.
There's no way I'm going inside! She's gone now. I can just leave.
"Aaaaack!" A woman scream is heard from inside.
I burst into a dimly lit room. There is a woman kneeling on the ground.
"Are you all right?" I shook her.
"I'm all right! I just broke my favorite hairpiece!"
"Eh? What?"
"Leave us, Xiao Mei." A smooth voice comes from the bed.
"Fine." She stomps off out and shuts the door.
"I'll head out too," I exused myself.
The person on the bed stands, splitting the canopy curtains. Walking over, I saw that the thin figure is a pale man with a loose robe not covering his chest. A silver mask hides his face.
I look away and hope I can call upon the Meteor Sword if he tries anything.
"You're Yuxing? Or should I say Rong Xin?"
My eyes stare into his, shocked that he knew me.
"Who are you?"
He answers, "They call me Yueguang. The beauty of Whimsical Flower Pavilion. You know me as..." He lowers his mask for me to see. "Qin Yu."
"Qin Yu!" I turn my whole body to observe him from head to toe.
His face. Still as flawless as before. His beauty really has not changed.
"How did you know it was me?" I wonder.
"How can I not?"
"Well, how are you still so young? I mean it's been years and you look the same!"
"Like those of Jianghu, I cultivate."
"Ah, makes sense."
Wait a minute... I definitely saw red in his eyes earlier.
Qin Yu pulls me by the arm. Close to his body, I freeze. "They're coming. Stay close."
"Who is coming--"
There is nothing but silence. Qin Yu holds me close in his arms as his eyes focus on the doors. From the shadows in the corner of the room, five Night Ravens made their entrance.
"Oh, shit!" I say under my breath.
"That's the Night Raven intruder I saw earlier." One of the man annouces.
The troop leader from the meeting says "That's no intruder. That's Sect Leader's wife."
"What?! She's the soon to be Bleak Night Sect Madame?!"
"Damn it, they've found me."
"Rong Xin," Qin Yu whispers my name. "Do you want me to take you away from here?"
Staring at him, hundreds of thoughts run through my mind. Finally nodding, Qin Yu smiles and tightens his hold around me. He flies me out the window as the Night Ravens give chase.