"What's it like being a human?" Xiao Man asks me.
"What's it like being a demon?" I ask her back.
She jumps onto a huge rock by the shoreline. "It feels powerful! I can jump high and live for a long time!"
"Wow." I continue my walk on the beach not really interested in a conversation with this spunky mini demon.
Flying over my head, she lands and suddenly asks, "Are you Jing Feng Lao Shi's girlfriend?"
"I'm not. We're friends... Kind of."
"Great! I still have a chance to be with Jing Feng Lao Shi!" She smiles to herself, clapping happily.
"Does he teach the children here?"
She answers, "Aw, Jing Feng Lao Shi teaches at the orphanage here. I go there to learn with the other children."
Indeed the state of the demon clan is in jeopardy. If demons are fleeing to the Mortal Realm then things in the Demon Realm must be beyond livable.
"What's it like living here? Don't you and your family want to go back and live in the Demon Realm?"
"I don't know. I was born here. My parents often talk about the world there, but it's nothing to me but a place I've never been to."
"I see... What do you think about Bleak Night Sect? Do most demons hate them?"
"Bleak Night? I know that we live in the Mortal Realm by their rules. They act like constables for demons here. They're not too bad. Not like Wicked Mist."
Does she not know Qin Yu is from Wicked Mist? It seems he goes by Jing Feng here. They probably don't know his true identity.
"Do you think Wicked Mist is bad?"
She says, "They're not just bad, they're full of extremely corrupted demons. They wish to conquer all mortals and claim the earth as theirs."
They really are ambitious.
"My parents left the Demon Realm because of war. They didn't expect one to erupt in this new world. I guess you can't change the people no matter where you go."
"You're right." She's smart for her age. Then again, being a demon she must be hundreds of years old and still look like a child.
At least she has her family here, and they're trying their best to accommodate a new realm despite the animosity between Bleak Night and Wicked Mist.
Among the crashing waves, we hear a loud collision coming back from the fishing village.
"What's going on?" I feel an ominous presence.
"Jie Jie! Hurry! Let's go back!" Xiao Man runs ahead with speed beyond human capability. I quickly dart after her.
We reach the village with houses falling apart doused in ice crystals and burning flames.
"Mother! Father!" Xiao Man calls out.
"What the--" Before I could manage to put words together, what looks like a meteor falls out of the sky, creating a crater with massive strength when it collides with the earth.
I shield Xiao Man from the circulating dust.
As the wind of dirt dissipates, I see a figure fly down and lands gracefully among the wreck.
"Where is she?" He asks.
I gulp. Yang Zi Huo?!
Qin Yu crawls out of the hole. His strength completely depleted.
He laughs, "Why do you care for that mortal girl? By now, she's already been digested in demon intestines."
Yang Zi Huo's eyes flare a light blue. I fear for the worse. He's going to destroy this little village!
"Xiao Man go hide!" I yell and push her aside.
Running in front of Qin Yu, I glare at Yang Zi Huo. "Stop."
His eyes return to a calm dark blue.
"Yuxing?" He takes a step forward, but stops as his face twists into a menacing expression. "Come here. Now."
I don't care to abide and say, "Look at what you've done to this village! Destroyed these people's livelihood, their home! This is supposed to be a no fighting zone for demons. Aren't you ashamed as Sect Leader of Bleak Night?!"
Yang Zi Huo doesn't respond. Suddenly he reaches out and grabs me by the hand. Pulling me, he holds me tightly in his arms. A ball of fire is released from his left palm, shattering a ice spike aimed for my head.
Qin Yu uses this opportunity to grab me. He fails to pull me away as Yang Zi Huo pulls out a sword. I push Yang Zi Huo off and block his blow to Qin Yu's head with the Meteor Sword.
Yang Zi Huo's strength is strong. As soon as his blade met mine, I know I was going to take a powerful hit. However, at the last second Yang Zi Huo raises his sword and backs away.
"Qin Yu, leave now," I warn.
"Rong Xin--"
"Leave now or you'll never have your revenge!"
He doesn't argue. Transforming into a large demon snake, Qin Yu flies off.
"Yuxing, why are you--"
"You idiot!"
Yang Zi Huo closes his mouth.
I point the Meteor Sword at him. "You call yourself a leader? You destroyed this innocent demon village! I'm so mad at you."
"Mad? Mad at me?" He sneers.
"Yeah-- Yeah! Where are the little orphans going to live now, huh? Big Demons like you make a mess of things and go off on your little power trip elsewhere, leaving the rest of us to build our lives back up. As if we have much of it left to put back together."
His sword disappears in a dark haze, and he takes a step towards my blade.
"Is this how you feel every time you meet me? In our liftimes together?" He asks.
"I've loved you and hated you a hundred times over." I stare at the ground while telling him the truth. "I've longed for you, cried for you, died for you and despised you for so long. I don't know how to love anyone anymore."
I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of my tears. I will not give this man another drop of emotion.
"What will make you happy, Yuxing? If not being with me will make you happy then I will... force myself to let go." His words sound genuine and so surreal. Will we really be done with one another?
"If you can go back in time and make it that I've never met you then maybe I can be happy. If your existence could be erased from mine then it will be the only way to appease me."
Yang Zi Huo and I stare into one another's eyes. His eyebrows furrow slightly.
"I've... loved you for so long it's become as natural as breathing. I don't know how to live without loving you," he tells me suddenly. "But I realize that my love is indeed a curse, a poison."
Dropping my stance, the Meteor Sword evaporates in a white fog.
Yang Zi Huo pulls me into an embrace. His cold body surrounds mine. I stand stiffly until he releases and holds my hand.
He says, "For now... Let's go back to Bleak Night. Chuju and Ming Yan are worried about you."