The next day when Wei Xing was in the main hall acquiring the latest news about the Demon Realm, several elders and guards couldn't help but stare. On Wei Xing's left cheek was clearly a red palm print. Someone managed to injure their demon lord? Which demon dared to lift their hand against their demon lord? That demon must have balls of steel! In fact, mostly everyone in the room was sure that the demon who hurt their lord had probably been cut up into tiny pieces and fed to demon beasts!
While they were thinking this, Hua Jian soon appeared by Wei Xing's side. His appearance shocked them even more. The Hua Jian who was known for keeping up his beautiful appearance, was sporting a scorched head. No one would dare to ruin his appearance as they remembered how Hua Jian had violently destroyed a female demon who fought with him over another man. Just what exactly happened to two of the strongest and most violent demons in the Demon Realm?
It turned out, after the sizzling hot kiss and confession in the hot spring, Xiu Xiang had slapped Wei Xing then warned him to not go even a hundred step near her until her anger had appeased. Before she left the hot spring, she made him get rid of the golden bracelets that confined her energy. Then, she went in search of Hua Jian. After hearing from him how he had helped Wei Xing planned out everything, she burned all his hair off out of revenge. After that, she had confined herself within Nightless Courtyard.
The barrier came down after she entered the courtyard, but Wei Xing didn't dare follow after her. He decided that it was best to let her vent her anger first.
"Xiu Xiang must be hungry by now. Have the cooks send her some food," Wei Xing said thoughtfully to one of the guards when he finished looking at the report. No one would believe that this was the same Wei Xing. He seemed to have shed the heavy and overbearing presence around him. There was even a smile on his face. It was as if the Demon Lord Wei Xing never existed. Some of the demon guards even thought they saw flowers sporting around him.
Wei Xing had just absolved the harem. Those who had some abilities were kept and sent off to certain divisions. As for those who had beauty but no abilities were quickly kicked out of the palace. All he had left to do now was to deal with Bai Qing.
The doors to the main hall opened with a guard quickly rushing through and falling on knee before Wei Xing.
"My lord, Lady Bai Qing is outside asking for an audience."
"Let her in."
The doors opened again and Bai Qing entered. She was dressed in a lovely pink dress. Her hair had been pinned up beautifully. She was adorned in lavish jewelries. If anyone saw this, they would think that she was the lady of the palace instead.
"My lord," she greeted. Looking straight at Wei Xing, she said, "I heard that you wish to return me to the Human Realm."
"That is correct," Wei Xing said as he smoothly set aside the document he had been scanning through.
"Why? Have I done something to offend you? I will take on any punishment you give me," Bai Qing pleaded. Her eyes started to tear up, moving even the hearts of some of the demon elders there.
"Xiu Xiang will misunderstand me if you continue to stay here," he replied.
"Then doesn't this mean that her love for you isn't genuine?" Bai Qing argued.
Her words sunk in, sowing doubt in Wei Xing's mind once again. He shook his head, sticking firmly to his decision.
"I've already decided. Prepare your things and Hua Jian will send you back," he said sternly.
"Wait, my lord! You're doing this because Xiu Xiang told you to, didn't she?! Let me talk to her! I've long abandoned my sect! They will never let me return there! I have nowhere else to go! Haven't I faithfully served you all these years? Let me stay here! I promise I won't do anything to make her misunderstand!" she pleaded.
Wei Xing once thought that if he hadn't fallen for Xiu Xiang first, he might've fallen in love with Bai Qing. In fact, somewhere deep inside of him, he felt that the person he should've fallen in love with was Bai Qing. However, his heart just doesn't seem to beat for her as it does for Xiu Xiang.
He thought about all the things that Bai Qing had done for him over the years. He may have turned into a demon but he still held a righteous heart.
"Considering your actions in the past years, I will talk to Xiu Xiang. If she insists that you leave here, I will have Hua Jian escort you back to the Human Realm," Wei Xing said finally.
Did everyone hear that correctly? Their demon lord was going to get permission?
An entire day seemed to have past already. Xiu Xiang spent her day cleaning up the bamboo hut and then the pavilion. It was the only thing she could do for her master and her master's lover after they helped give her a second chance at life. Sitting inside the pavilion, she sipped on the freshly brewed tea. A tray of food laid untouched beside her tea set. Earlier, a servant came to the courtyard to deliver food at Wei Xing's order. Every dish on the table was her favorite. Seeing the dishes, it reminded her of the food she ate back in Lotus City. She had an inkling that the stalker back in Lotus City was Wei Xing, otherwise how could he know what she likes to eat?
The more she thought about this, the more she realized other things. If Wei Xing was the stalker, then he was the person who had kept her fed when she was back in Tian Ling Sect. Had he been watching over her all that time? The random plates of food that would appear in her dilapidated hut was all made by him? If this was true, it confused her even more. Why did he do that? He had no reason to. She even tried to steal from him once!
She was so lost in her own thought, she didn't notice that someone had long occupied the seat next to her.
When Wei Xing saw that Xiu Xiang didn't even notice him, he stood up and embraced her from behind. It snapped her back to reality, scaring her for a second.
"Wei Xing! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she exclaimed.
Wei Xing didn't even look perturbed by her glowering eyes. He sat back down in his seat while gently squeezing her hand.
"What's wrong? This isn't like you to look so disturbed that you didn't even notice me arriving," he said frowning.
Xiu Xiang stared at him for a long time without saying anything. He thought that she was still angry at him and made a mental note to never evoke her jealousy again. But Xiu Xiang had long forgiven him. She even felt sorry for slapping him.
"Xiang Er, I'm sorry, but don't stay mad at me too long. I waited for you for years. I don't want to be away from you even a moment longer. Even if you're angry, can't I stay beside you?" His shoulders slumped as he lowered his head.
It seemed that the great Elder Wei had learned some tricks over the years. Xiu Xiang was sure she could see the drooping dog ears on his head. Sighing, she replied, "I'm not mad anymore. Just curious about some things."
"What is it?" he asked, lifting his head up to meet her gaze.
His face had changed so quickly, Xiu Xiang wanted to smack him. He really learned some devious tricks over the years. She quickly reminded herself to be wary of him in the future.
"In Lotus City, was it you who followed me?" she asked.
"Yes."
"All the food that I like to eat, you knew what it was because it was you who kept me fed within Tian Ling Sect in the past, right?"
"Yes."
"Why? I don't remember doing anything special to merit your good grace," she said.
"When I was eighteen, in order to advance, I had gone into seclusion in a cave down at the foot of the mountain. While I was there, I was attacked by a snake. I couldn't make a move as I was in the middle of advancing. If I had tried to attack, my energy would've bounced back destroying my dantian. Someone had entered the cave and killed the snake, saving my life and my future," he explained.
"Ah...!" Xiu Xiang suddenly remembered. That was right. She had indeed saved him once, but she didn't realize that Wei Xing had seen it all.
"I saw you leaving cave right as I advanced. I knew then that you saved me, but you didn't mention anything about saving me. You just quietly left," he explained.
"So, you've been watching over me since?" Xiu Xiang asked softly.
Wei Xing nodded. His eyes lowered as he gently caressed her hand.
"I secretly watched over you. I watched as Master Feng Mian treated you along with everyone else. Since I wasn't part of North Peak, I couldn't do anything to help you. All I could do was keep you fed. I blamed my lack of power to help you. What was worse, when I found out that you had jumped off the Cliff of Abyss, I was devastated, but I believe that one day you would return. I don't know why I knew, I just did. I vowed to increase my strength for the day you return. I would protect you with all I had. I worked hard to strengthen myself. Eventually I became an elder and would you believe it? You finally returned, only you came back as a demon."
Xiu Xiang scratched her head, remembering her time down in the darkness. She turned into a demon due to her demon beast genes, not because she gave in to her inner darkness like how the original story went.
"Now that we're talking about the past. There was one thing I was curious about. When we spent that night together in the cave. You said that we were bound to become enemies... almost as if you knew that you would eventually be turned into a demon where I would have no choice but to fight against you," he said suddenly.
So, he heard what she had said? Oops. How was she going to explain this one?
"There are some things better off not knowing," Xiu Xiang said weakly. She forced a smile on her face and patted his hand to assure him, however, he wasn't having it.
"When I finally turn into a demon, you revert back into a human. It's almost like fate wanted to tear us apart," Wei Xing said glumly.
Of course, because that was how the original story was supposed to go. They were never supposed to fall in love.
Seeing how down he looked, she smiled. Her hand reached up to caress his cheek.
"Aren't we together now? You once said that there was no difference between demons and humans and you even vowed to turn into a demon. If you being a demon and me being a human will separate us, I'll just turn back into a demon."
With that said, she leaned in and pecked him on the cheek.
"Can you kiss me again? Maybe it'll make my cheek feel better," he pouted.
She eyed his cheek. It was still swollen but the palm print was gone. It could easily heal with his inner energy but as a sign of faith that he was truly repenting, he purposely didn't let it heal.
"Does it hurt?" she asked.
He nodded but quickly added, "But the pain is worth it. You're finally by my side."
Xiu Xiang quite liked the new Wei Xing. He was really adorable. Of course, it was much harder to tease him now which was a shame. It had been her guilty pleasure.
"Ah... I do have one thing to ask. If Bai Qing gets sent back to the Human Realm she will have nowhere to go. She had long abandoned her sect. If we think about all the deeds she has done over the years, it does have some merits. Why don't we continue to let her stay?"
The smile instantly disappeared from Xiu Xiang's face and Wei Xing realized he failed to remember his mental note: to not evoke Xiu Xiang's jealousy.