Hunter winced as Saiphan shook her colossal foot, a look of disgust crossing her majestic features.
"This foul creature's gooey remains are lodged between my talons. Such an annoyance as it is so hard to reach."
He Xiangu narrowed her eyes. "Cease your fussing, you're acting like a Celestial enchantress. My trusted pet Sleidai can clean your toes; his tongue can get into hard-to-reach places."
Hunter shuddered. It reminded him of those toe-sucking leeches back in the tower. "The last thing we need is a Komodo dragon with a foot fetish."
Rolling her eyes, He Xiangu waved him off and whistled. The piercing sound was short and sharp, and from the far-off shadows of the compound came swift motion signaling the approach of Sleidai with an eager gait.
The big dragon's eyes went wide, a grin forming on her massive maw.
Sleidai kept at a distance, warily eyeing the massive dragon, while He Xiangu encouraged the her pet komodo dragon to come closer by waving the demon ear lugs as a promised treat. The little dragon's scaled body twitched with nervousness the closer it got.
"Don't worry, Sleidai, the big dragon is our new companion," her voice was soothing, almost maternal, taking Hunter by surprise.
The mighty dragon lowered its head and gazed upon the small creature before her. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she inhaled a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and nuzzling Sleidai.
"Aren't you a lovely specimen," the water dragon spoke, her voice deepening with affection. She flicked her gaze from Sleidai to Hunter and He Xiangu. "Normally, these beasts look like drowned rats with mange to me, even the young ones, but this one is cute." Her tail swished happily. She gestured to the soft crimson wattles beneath the Komodo's chin. "Such unusual colorful markings and beautiful eyes like dark marbles. Not common like those with orange eyes and shitty brown-green scales."
He Xiangu cocked an eyebrow. "Perhaps that's why the trader killed his family and tried to sell him for such a high price. His eyes have grown darker because of all the tar-black demon beast blood he's consumed."
Hunter scanned the compound for any signs of demons alert to their presence. Despite the arrival of a large dragon who smashed the portal guardian, all was quiet. There was no guarantee that would last for much longer. "Now that you've been introduced, I think it's time we make ourselves scarce. I'll make contact with Claude about returning to the tower."
He Xiangu frowned. "I'm not going anywhere until I have my mother's book."
He shook his head. "It's too risky. How we haven't been discovered already, I don't know."
He Xiangu brightened. "You think I haven't snuck around this place for years, avoiding guards? Even with the big dragon here," she paused and tapped the side of her nose, "I can be stealthy, and Sleidai is excellent at sniffing out demons before I can see or hear them." The Komodo dragon flicked his tongue out as if tasting the air. He looked in anticipation at He Xiangu. "Lead us back to the entrance nearest my quarters so we can avoid my father and the other demon guards." Gesturing to a twisted tree covered in red and black leaves the size of watermelons, He Xiangu turned to the big dragon. "Go stand in the shade of the tree, ignore the strong odor of maidens' morning piss if you can. We will return as soon as I have my mother's book." Saiphan looked at the tree in disgust. Lowering her tail, she plodded over.
Without waiting on Hunter, He Xiangu strode off with her pet Komodo loping alongside her, its tongue flickering in a continuous motion. Hunter cursed under his breath and rushed to catch up. In his mind, he called out to Claude, the god who had summoned the tower of ascension.
If you're listening, Claude, I'm ready to return with the next initate He Xiangu, but there are complications. I've convinced her to come to the tower, but to ensure that she does, there'll be two extra joining us, her pet dragon and a water dragon." He rushed the last part of that in his mind, hoping it wouldn't be an issue bringing a big dragon back to the tower. In contrast to He Xiangu, the dragon wouldn’t require the cultivation energy that Bravo would need to progress through the Refiner Gate like Hunter had done.
There was no answer. "Are you there, Claude?" Still no answer. He hoped he was listening. There was no way Hunter was strong enough to transport them back through space and time, certainly not as a low-level cultivator.
A cold knot of dread twisted in his gut. What if Claude refused? What if He Xiangu got caught with the mask while they tried to escape?
He caught up to He Xiangu. "I know you say your dragon is alert to any danger, but I still think it's too risky."
Shaking her head, He Xiangu didn't spare him a glance. "I need to get the storybook, I know it is there but its years since I’ve looked at it; you've lost a parent, you know what it's like. Once I leave here, I may never be able to return."
"I never took you for being so sentimental, something that could get you killed. I understand the need to keep memories of your mother alive. I have my mother's medallion in the tower, but I came across it when I found my mother's dead body; I didn't risk danger to retrieve it." He felt a cold chill thinking of his uncle and the consequences of him having that medallion. Uncle Eratos was as power-hungry and depraved as He Xiangu's father. It made him want to double down even more on discouraging He Xiangu from taking such a risk.
A deep growl welled in the back of He Xiangu's throat. "You make it sound like I'm being reckless, but the last time I checked, you're not a god, so stop acting like one. Like all skills, your identify ability has limitations, and you haven't told me much, so until I know any different, I'm getting that book. I remember there is information in there about the mask that could be useful, and I'm going to get it, whether you help me or not. You can always return to that tower you speak so highly of, if you're afraid to go any further."
“That’s not …”
Under the shade of the high wall surrounding the inner courtyard, Sleidai froze mid-stride, his head low and tail jutting straight behind him. He Xiangu moved further into the shadows, pressing her back against the wall and urging Hunter to do the same. His heart hammered in his chest at the sight of a demon guard on patrol, the glint of his cruel blade edge catching the crimson light, sent Hunter's heart racing even faster.
As soon as the guard disappeared down the far end of the courtyard, He Xiangu exhaled, her relief echoing Hunter's. Sleidai picked up the pace, keeping to the shadows until they came to a stone arch covering an iron door. He Xiangu glanced around the courtyard, silent as the graveyard. Seeming safe to proceed, she crept closer to the door and placed her hand upon a dark symbol etched into the metal. The door creaked open beneath her fingertips.
Inside, a dark corridor stretched out before them, with oil lamps burning a deep red glow, casting flickering shadows around them like dark specters. Before long, they stood in front of another door.
Sleidai looked at He Xiangu, his dark eyes hungry.
She gave him a gentle pat and offered him the last of the demon ear lugs. On the far side of the door was a windowless room, sparsely decorated except for a large bed and a table. Above it’s bare wooden surface was a simple shelf stacked with books. Without pause, He Xiangu went directly there, her fingers drifting over the spines until she found the book she was looking for. Pulling it into her grasp, she opened it, and the musty scent of timeworn pages filled the air.
At first glance, it looked like a children's illustrated storybook, with pictures of magical beasts gracing the pages. Their vibrant colors were a stark contrast to the aged pages and faded leather binding, so real it seemed the characters might leap off the page.
A momentary silence fell over He Xiangu, her eyes resting on an open page. She tapped it with her finger, tracing the lines of the mask painted on the page. "I was right; this is the same mask my mother told me about when I was very young. It was infamous, corrupting all those who dared keep it in their possession." As if doubting her own words, she produced the mask from the storage ring she had stowed it in for safekeeping.
“It’s identical.” Hunter observed, his gaze darting from the mask in her hand to the one illustrated on the page. In a heartbeat, the air shifted, humming with an aura of untold power.
He Xiangu paled. “The cave wasn’t only the mask’s shield; it was an aura suppressor. Now, I might as well be holding a chi beacon. Every demon and cultivator in realms above and below will know its whereabouts.”
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Hunter’s stomach lurched. “Including your father.” He almost choked on those words, his mouth going dry.
He Xiangu snapped the book closed. As she did, a note slipped from its pages and fell to the ground. She snatched it from the air, her eyes widening in alarm. “That script, I recognize it—it’s my mother’s.” Her voice trailed off as she read the note.
Hunter didn’t need to ask whom it was addressed to, as He Xiangu’s eyes misted over.
The dim light from the corridor was abruptly eclipsed by an imposing shadow that filled the doorway. “Daughter,” her father’s voice boomed, “ I see you have returned with the mask. My orders were clear: return it to me immediately.”
He Xiangu’s eyes sparkled with an indomitable spirit, her gaze locked on her father. The air crackled with the latent energy of their confrontation, a silent testament to the clash of wills.
“Father,” He Xiangu spoke the words as if they were poison, “did you know we were sent to certain death facing the Killer Ginseng from another realm, or is it only your guards that are treacherous?”
The Demon Emperor’s aura flickered with dark intensity, as if his gaze could pierce her resolve. “Such accusations…”
Keeping a firm grip on her mother’s letter, she raised her free hand. “Spare me your feigned ignorance!” Her tone was as blunt as a hammer strike. “My mother’s death wasn’t by the hand of fate; you gambled her life for more power. You lied to me, claiming our legacy was one of honor, not of vile sacrifices made at the altar of ambition.”
A crimson tinge befell her sharp gaze.
The Demon Emperor’s presence filled the room, his suffocating aura causing Hunter’s knees to buckle, sweat beading on his brow. “What you speak of is madness. I loved your mother; I have protected you all these years when many in the Underworld have called for your end.”
He Xiangu thrust the letter towards him, her gaze unwavering. “I was too young to read this, but my mother’s last words reveal the truth. It was not her weakness that led to her demise but your ambition. You traded her life, her spirit, for power, binding her essence to cursed artifacts that bolster your reign.”
The Demon Emperor grimaced before quickly suppressing it. “Power demands sacrifice, He Xiangu. It is the way of the Underworld.”
“No.” He Xiangu’s free hand balled into a fist. “That’s your way, not mine. Power built on the suffering of those we love is a curse, not a blessing. I refuse to follow such footsteps.”
“The power of the mask has overcome your human senses.” He stretched out a clawed hand. “I knew it was a risk, given you were only half-demon. Now give it to me…”
He Xiangu stepped back, keeping a firm hold on the mask, and the note in her other hand. “You knew the mask was dangerous to me?” Her voice cracked, betraying her veiled hurt.
Her father’s clipped tones cut like a knife. “Half-demon…half the risk.”
He Xiangu shook her head slowly, a hint of sadness echoing her deep breaths. She shot Hunter a meaningful look, as if to say, "Where is our escape route?"
The Demon Emperor took a step forward, casting Hunter in oily shadows, tendrils of hate reaching for him, which he recoiled from. “This wretched boy has turned you against me.” His eyes lit with killing intent as he took another step, the ground quaking beneath him.
“Oh, father, you think my heart is so easily turned by a man, or that this is the first time I’ve had such attention.”
That statement shocked her father into silence. "I knew not to trust that dark sect cultivator around you. That is why you have a chastity belt, and I hold the key."
He Xiangu scoffed, dismissing his insinuation with a wave of her hand. "I have no time for dark sect cultivators," she said, her tone laced with scorn. "I have much higher standards. Remember the demonic cultivator Jin? Now, he was gifted with his hands and had a rare affinity for metal. Crafting a duplicate key was hardly a challenge for someone of his talents—"
"Enough!" Her father's voice thundered, cutting her off mid-sentence. "You dare speak—"
"Yes, I dare," He Xiangu shot back, her defiance clear in her eyes. "I am not your property to be kept under lock and key."
"You behave like a child," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. "It is not wise to disobey me. Hand over the mask, and once I have claimed its power for myself, I will ascend to challenge the gods across all realms. With that power, I can strip away your human weaknesses and transform you into a full-blooded demon."
But He Xiangu, undeterred by his threats, ignited a cigarette with a spark of defiance. "I am your daughter no longer." She clutched the mask tight against her chest, a puff of smoke escaping her lips swirled around the edges of the artifact.
The Demon Emperor snorted, his nostrils flared. "Such a disgusting habit. Put that out immediately. It is my right to dictate your actions. I can and I will enforce my wishes upon you!”
He Xiangu shifted her gaze to Hunter, the cigarette dangling from her lip. “There is nothing more for me here. How do we get to the tower?”
Cycling his chi, Hunter took a few steps into the shadows, hoping that his Dust Storm Whip could dampen any attack. “I’m working on that….access is easier outside the palace walls.”
The Dark plasma flared like a hooded robe encompassing the Demonic Emperor. “You’re not going anywhere with that mask or cultivator. You hurt my demonic heart, such a betrayal from my own daughter!”
With a sharp inhale, the end of He Xiangu’s cigarette lit on fire. She spit it out, a look of disgust sombering her expression. “Sorry to be such a disappointment, but you’ve hurt me too. You've betrayed both myself and my mother. No.” She ripped the page and shoved toward his face. “Your blade of pain runs deep. Take this. I’ve read it, and I’ll never forget the words. You deserve to know them too.”
The Demonic Emperor's eyes blazed a brilliant red cutting through the smoke surrounding He Xiangu.
Hunter's heart raced, cursing Claude in his mind. I have Bravo, the second initiate. Now is better than any other time to return to Tower!
With a quick grasp, her father’s claws pressed against her skin along the back of her hand. His gaze locked onto hers. “What are you talking about?”
“Proof of leadership.” She glanced at Hunter. “Sometimes you have to cut the ties that bind and start fresh.”
Hunter coughed. “Need a distraction.”
He Xiangu rolled her eyes. She crunched the note and threw it towards her father.
Releasing his grip, the Demon Emperor’s outstretched arm swooped up the paper before it hit the floor.
“Claude!” Hunter yelled, running in the direction of Saiphan. “Come on!”
He Xiangu whistled, her footsteps keeping pace. “Can't you summon us to the tower?”
Hunter’s muscles tightened as he glanced over his shoulder. “Claude never told me how, and I never asked. I assumed if I called his name then--”
With a yank of his armor, He Xiangu pivoted his body to round a corner. “Guards!”
“Wait.” Hunter shifted his balance with a quick step as the familiar silk robes rippled to life.
Claude! Thank the stars!
Knots of tension released within Hunter at the welcome sight before him. “Thank the stars you heard me. I was beginning to fear the worst.”
“Better late than never. Nothing like a last minute rescue to add a dash of excitement to your life.” Claude’s oil smooth voice spoke in a calm manner unlike the grunts echoing in the distance. “Had my notifications set to silent since I was in a Divine Realm meeting. Cannot interrupt the gods who think they're in charge.”
“Any chance you can speed the space time portaling? I'd rather us not die in the Underworld.”
A gust of wind swept Hunter's hair.
Claude laughed. His black hair, effortlessly tousled, framed piercing eyes that watched the Demon Emperor’s charge with detached amusement. Holding an elegantly simple staff, he said, "Such sound and fury, yet it signifies nothing."
A golden light spilled forth from his staff and rippled outwards. The Demon Emperor crashed into the plasma shield formed by Claude, the impact sending shockwaves through the air. The shield, shimmering with a golden glow, held firm, reflecting the emperor's rage back upon himself.
"Patience." Claude’s drawl mimicked his amusement, never leaving his gaze. "The art of space-time manipulation requires a certain... finesse. But worry not; I have invested much of my precious resources recruiting you, and I’d prefer our tales not end in the Underworld either."
Claude's gaze stopped on the beating wings of Saiphan, fresh, tarry blood dripping from her fangs. The Komodo dragon near her side, flicked its tongue, eyes bulging with fear until Saiphan whipped her tail around him in a protective hug.
“You mentioned two additional passengers…” Claude smiled at the dragons. “I believe both Tower and I can accommodate your new pets.”
“I am no one's pet.” Saiphan snapped her jaws.
He Xiangu, arms crossed, nodded towards her father, ensnared by the plasma shield, his ire blistering even in defeat. “Neither Saiphan nor I care for your godly airs. Your attitude stinks as much as my father’s.”
Claude, with a twinkle in his eye, inclined his head. “Ah, but I assure you, my dear, I possess a certain class and style, the likes of which your father could scarcely dream. And as for our dragon friend,” he paused, casting a glance at Saiphan, “I speak only in jest. In truth, she’s more of a queen than a pet.” His words, light and teasing, aimed to ease the tension, a smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
He Xiangu's expression slightly softened, a reluctant smile breaking through her stern demeanor. "Just ensure your humor doesn't outshine your wisdom, Claude. We need more of the latter today."
Saiphan raised her head with pride, her scales shimmering with a subtle, aquatic glow. "I accept no master, but I recognize respect when it's offered," she said, her voice deep and resonant, carrying the calm authority of ancient waters. "Continue on this path, and you might yet earn my favor."
Edging closer to Claude, Hunter scratched his jaw. “Will we return naked? She's not quite the one to freely flaunt her wares like the bathhouse babes.”
He Xiangu shot Hunter a salty look.
Hunter flashed a guilty smile and nervously shifted to the side. Before Hunter could utter a word a golden light from Claude’s staff intensified, wrapping around them in a cocoon of safety. The world beyond the shield blurred into the next moment of their escape.