Chapter 22 Departing Home
Chapter 22 Departing Home
While I sat on the couch feeling bored, Zi Yan went to the bedroom to pack our things. As I lazily looked around the living room, the box that Count Fei Zhen had brought caught my eye. I wondered if Zi Yan had seen its contents yet.
I didn’t even know what that fatty had brought. The black wooden box was crafted very delicately. In the center was a red gem, and the sides had intricate carvings etched into them. Metal covered the edges and corners. Could the box be pure gold? I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find a way to open it. God dammit, isn’t this bloody fatty making things too difficult for me?
Zi Yan’s voice interrupted me as I was about to crush the box with chi.
“Lay-lay, I’ve packed our belongings; we can leave at any time.”
As she finished speaking, Zi Yan appeared carrying a backpack that was more than likely filled with our tailor-made clothing along with some essential items we would need on the journey. When Zi Yan saw me, she asked curiously, “Um… what are you doing?”
“I want to see what that pig brought, but no matter what I try, I can’t open the box. I’m so frustrated that I’m about to break it open.”
After hearing what I said, Zi Yan quickly ran over and snatched the box away from me. “You’re really stupid. Let me open it for you. It’s such a beautiful box; it would be a pity if you were to break it.”
I smiled at her and replied, “Do you like the box? If you do, then I’ll give it to you. Perhaps a few gemstones too. Girls love those the most.”
Rolling her eyes, Zi Yan retorted, “Do you think of me as one of those common women? Everyone desires beautiful things—it’s only natural—but I don’t see gems as anything precious. I prefer things with inherent, natural beauty. Now watch. This is how you open this type of box.”
As Zi Yan spoke, she gently pressed the red gem in the center of the box, turned it counterclockwise, and then pressed the gem again.
Kecha!
The top of the box separated at the center and swung open.
The entire room was instantly immersed in the rainbow luster from the various gems the moment the box opened. Seven distinct, dazzling colors of light shone out of the box, and my vision blurred from the intensity. Staring at the wonders inside the box, Zi Yan and I were completely astounded.
The interior of the box was covered in blue velvet flocking with twenty small indentations pressed into it. Each indentation held a single gem. With a glance, I counted: five black gems, three red, three blue, three yellow, three green, and three purple. I had seen gems before, but I had never seen ones as brilliant and lustrous as these.
“Zi Yan, how are they so bright?! I was momentarily blinded.”
While lightly fondling each gem, Zi Yan said, “Amazing. That fatty must be spitting blood. These are the highest-grade gems I’ve ever seen. I’m certain they’re top tier. Look at this red one—it’s Bloodstone. I don’t think such pure Bloodstone has ever been seen in the palace of the Dragon God Empire. It refreshes the mind and restores one’s consciousness.
“I would guess this blue one is cultivated. Although I’ve never seen it before, I’ve heard that the Demon Race possesses an extraordinarily solid gemstone called Diamond, and the Blue Diamond is the highest grade among all diamonds. That’s all I know about diamonds.
“This yellow stone is also uncommon. Look at its crystalline body. I’m unsure, but I think this yellow stone is Orpiment. I can’t remember if that’s the proper name, so I’ll just call it that. The imperial jade seal used by the emperor of the Dragon God Empire is carved from Orpiment, but it doesn’t have the purity of the few in front of us.
“That green one is Turquoise. I know its name but not its purpose.
“This purple one is a Crystal of the highest grade that stores magic. Among all the gems here, it’s probably the most practical. With these three purple Crystals, someone could store a supply of magic power more than ten times the amount I currently possess. If I had them, I doubt I would ever need to worry about running out of magic power.
“While these gems can’t raise the user’s ability level or increase the strength of magic, they would allow me to continuously use magic power at my current level for quite some time before they were completely emptied. Out of all these gems, the only one I’m unfamiliar with is the black one. It isn’t Crystal, nor is it Jade. I wonder what its purpose is. The black gem is probably a special product of the Demon Race.”
I stared blankly at Zi Yan. It was as if she were a book from heaven revealing knowledge to me.
“You’re truly a talented girl. If I were here alone, I’m certain I wouldn’t have known anything. If there are any gems you like, then take them.”
Zi Yan smiled. “Don’t forget your words! Since you’re so sincere, I’ll just take two of the purple Crystals. Consider them tokens of love you gave to us two sisters that can also store magic power.”
I gestured for Zi Yan to do as she pleased, and she merrily picked out two of the high-quality purple Crystals.
“As long as you continuously channel magic power into the crystal, you can access it later when you need it. Look! It’s so pure… so beautiful.”
She carefully placed them into a small pouch and then stuffed the pouch in with her clothes.
Teasing Zi Yan, I said, “And you said you didn’t like gems and that you weren’t a common woman. After seeing this purple Crystal, you revealed your true colors.”
Hitting me lightly, Zi Yan said, “Meanie, you should probably keep the others. You might need them in the future.” While speaking, she passed me the box.
Looking at the wondrous gems inside the box I held, I smiled and said, “These things can’t be eaten. What’s the use of having them? I should just give them all to you.”
As I tried to pass the box to Zi Yan, she stopped me with a touch and said sternly, “You shouldn’t look down on these gifts. It’s quite possible that everything in this box represents the entire fortune of that fatty and his uncle. If you run out of money in the future, you could simply take one of these gems and sell it for an enormous sum. Speaking conservatively, any one of the gems in this box could be sold for at least a few hundred thousand gold coins. Some of them could sell for tens of millions of gold coins.”
Upon hearing those numbers, the color immediately drained from my face.
“Whu… what?! Millions of gold coins?”
Zi Yan nodded seriously. “That’s why you must keep them and guard them carefully. Once I return home, I’ll take the two pieces you gave me and have them made into magical staffs for Zi Xue and me. They will be very beneficial to our magic cultivation.”
I was still bewildered by the numbers Zi Yan mentioned. With so much money, does that mean I’m a billionaire? It would seem the Gu brothers were truly unfamiliar with what happened in the lobby. That fatty had really liquidated his entire fortune to save his life.
In reality, what I didn’t know was that Count Fei Zhen hadn’t sought the help of the Gu brothers to avoid purchasing the gems. In fact, he feared that the Gu brothers would demand a duplicate set of gems as tribute. Even if he sold himself by weight, he wouldn’t have been able to afford that in time. Money could be earned again—especially with that fatty’s level of corruption—but losing his position would have consequences too dreadful for him to contemplate.
Of course, the main reason Count Fei Zhen invited the Gu brothers was his hope that they would discover some flaw in my identity. Once I died at their hands, he would be able to keep the gems and restore his fortune.
If someone were to list the ten most corrupt officials of the Demon Race, both Count Fei Zhen and his uncle would certainly appear on that list. This city stood at a crossroads of many commercial and political interests. Goods and materials flowed through it constantly, and it also allowed the Demon Race to easily launch attacks against the Dragon God Empire.
And the corruption that came with that…
“Lay-lay, these gems are intrinsically beneficial to you. I think it would be better if you kept them on you. The box is inconvenient, and you’re far too careless. It would be strange if you didn’t lose them after a short time.”
“Am I really that careless? Then how should I carry them? It’s not like I can glue them to my body.”
While Zi Yan supported her head and thought, I couldn’t help but notice her sweet scent for the first time that day.
“There’s a way!” she suddenly said. “Just wait here. It’s still early. I’ll be back soon.”
She ran out of the room as soon as she finished speaking.
I shouted after her, “What are you trying to do? We’re strangers in this place. Be careful!”
Zi Yan yelled back, “Got it! I’ll be back soon.”
After Zi Yan left, I couldn’t help but shake my head.
Am I still the same Lei Xiang as before?
When faced with Zi Yan or Zi Xue, I could no longer maintain my cold facade.
Do I regret it?
A single word echoed in my heart.
No.
Not only did I not regret this change, I actually liked my life the way it was now. The two of them had warmed my heart in a way I had never experienced before. From beginning to end, they allowed me to understand what it felt like to have family.
More than two hours passed before Zi Yan finally returned to our suite. In her hands she held a black object, and I wondered what it was.
“Why were you gone so long? It’s almost noon. If we leave any later, we won’t arrive in time.” I couldn’t hide my complaint.
Smiling, Zi Yan cooed, “Why are you in such a hurry? Look!”
As she spoke, she unfurled the black object she had brought back.
It was a vest.
Several small pockets covered the front.
Suddenly I understood.
“So you’re telling me I should put all the gems in this vest?”
Zi Yan nodded enthusiastically. “Hurry and try it on! You wear it under your shirt next to your skin. There are six pockets in total, and each one contains five smaller pockets with fasteners. The gems shouldn’t move around once you place them inside.
“The idea came to me while we were talking, so I asked the tailor to make it. If you acquire other small valuables in the future, you can store them in the vest as well. Not only is the design good, but the material is excellent. The vest is made from the hide of a maxi-fish-hawk. The material is light and thin yet very durable. It’s as comfortable as a second skin. Even if you wore it every day for the rest of your life, it wouldn’t break.
“To make sure of that, I had them add two slits to the back of the vest. Even when you transform, it won’t rip.”
After Zi Yan handed me the vest, I could still feel the warmth lingering from where she had held it against her body. My heart fluttered.
As she pushed me toward the room, Zi Yan said, “Stop daydreaming! Hurry and put it on. Weren’t you just complaining that it’s late?”
After I put on the maxi-fish-hawk vest, I noticed how comfortable it was. More importantly, my heart felt much more at ease. I silently swore that for Zi Yan’s sake, I wouldn’t casually remove the vest.
Zi Yan examined me carefully.
“The vest fits quite well. I’m impressed with the tailor’s skill. Here, let me put the gems in the pockets for you.”
Although Zi Yan was tall for a girl, by human standards her head only reached my shoulders. As she placed the gems into the vest pockets one by one, my heartbeat quickened when I felt her soft hands brush against me through the thin layer of cloth.
“Very good. All the gems are in the vest. My design is pretty good, right? Um… why is your face so red? Did you catch a cold? Ah!”
Zi Yan quickly jumped aside and looked at me with a huff.
Absentmindedly, I looked at her, unsure how to respond.
Pouting, Zi Yan scolded me, “I will NOT allow you to think such bad things!”
Clumsily I replied, “What bad things? I wasn’t thinking anything.”
In a demure yet playful tone, Zi Yan said, “Shameless bastard. We need to hurry. On my way back, I asked the innkeeper to prepare some rations so we can eat on the road.”
We left our suite and met the innkeeper so I could settle our bill. To my surprise, the inn’s director refused to accept my money no matter what I said, bowing repeatedly at the same time. I had no choice but to leave, though not before tossing a bag of gold coins onto the counter.
As Zi Yan and I hurried out of the building, I saw deep respect and gratitude in the innkeeper’s eyes.
By the time we reached the east gate, the Gu brothers were already waiting. Although they had been there for some time, they appeared perfectly at ease. I had expected more representatives from the dignified Fallen Angel Legion, but there wasn’t even a single attendant.
The Gu brothers both wore black warrior suits and carried long swords on their backs.
Upon seeing them, I immediately apologized politely.
“Elder brothers, I’m very sorry. We were delayed by a few small matters, so your younger brother is late.”
Gwynn smiled and said, “It’s fine. Let’s hurry and begin our journey.”
As the Gu brothers set out, Zi Yan and I followed along on Black Dragon. Even with the two of us on his back, my god-like steed never fell behind. If not for my deference to the Gu brothers, Black Dragon would have overtaken their mounts; as it was, I kept him at a relaxed pace beside them.
Zi Yan’s eyes soon closed as she nestled in my arms. There was no telling how long she had been asleep. Since we were traveling on the royal highway, the road was well maintained and smooth. With Black Dragon galloping at a steady pace, my arms became the perfect place for a nap.
As I affectionately caressed Zi Yan’s long, pale blue hair, I asked Gwynn, “Gu brother, I was wondering what the situation on the front line is like. Are you aware of it?”
Gwynn smiled bitterly before replying, “We’ve fought for so many years. What else could it be like? Victory and defeat take turns over time. According to the news that reached the imperial capital before we departed, when the battles first began we had a slight advantage over our enemies, but that advantage has slowly been worn away. The Dragon God Empire is not an easy foe to defeat. I heard that on the Beastmen side of the war they managed to kill a Dragon Knight, but in the process their Behemoth Legion lost nearly one hundred warriors. Those are some of the heaviest losses our side has suffered in a single battle in the past thirty years. Those buffoons don’t know what they’re doing—brainless trash sacrificing their own clansmen for nothing.”
Hearing Gwynn criticize the Beastmen, my heart became uneasy. Frowning, I defended them. “There are too many tribes within the Beastmen race, and it’s impossible to unite them. Every region governs itself with its own rules. Although their reproduction rate is high and their strength is formidable, they have never managed to develop a unified society. Only the Behemoth Legion can consistently challenge the enemy in battle.”
Griffin snorted coldly. “Hmph! The Behemoth Legion? Compared to those of us from the Fallen Angel Legion, they are sorely lacking in both power and ability. If we compare individual strength alone, even a Dragon Knight might not match a Fallen Angel. They only overpower us with the help of their Divine Dragons. If I could cultivate to the Four-Winged Fallen Angel stage, I would slaughter them and crush them completely.”
When I heard Griffin speak about becoming a Four-Winged Fallen Angel, I couldn’t help but feel moved. I had always cultivated the Heavenly Demon Art alone, so this was a rare chance to ask questions that might help my own training. “If I may ask, what tier have my two elder brothers cultivated to?”
Gwynn answered, “We’ve both reached the initial stage of the fifth tier.”
“Oh!” I said. “At that pace, it won’t be long before both elder brothers reach the Four-Winged Fallen Angel stage.”
The Gu brothers glanced at each other.
Griffin frowned. “Are you mocking us?”
My face went blank. “Why would I mock you? Your younger brother is speaking sincerely.”
Griffin snorted. “Hmph! Sincerely? Don’t you know that most members of the Fallen Angel Legion are already at the fifth tier? Only a very small number have ever reached the sixth tier.”
I shook my head. “I don’t fully understand. I’ve already reached the fourth tier myself, and my progress has been rather fast. If cultivation continues at this speed, wouldn’t it be possible for both elder brothers to reach the Four-Winged Fallen Angel stage in a relatively short time?”
Gwynn sighed and shook his head. “Did His Majesty never tell you about the bottlenecks that appear when cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art?”
After the initial shock faded, I shook my head again. “No. His Majesty only passed the Heavenly Demon Art to me when I was six years old and left me to cultivate on my own. I’ve seen him fewer than five times in my life. Each time we exchanged fewer than ten sentences. He rarely explains anything, saying I must comprehend it myself.”
Gwynn nodded in understanding. “That explains your earlier comments. Let me clarify. From the fifth tier onward, the Heavenly Demon Art encounters a bottleneck that blocks further progress. Only by breaking through that bottleneck can one advance to the next level. Take us as an example. We’ve remained at the fifth tier for four years, yet we’re still only at the initial stage. Sigh… it’s extremely difficult. Our father broke through the sixth-tier bottleneck at the age of sixty-seven. That alone is considered extraordinary within the Demon Race. His Majesty completed the Four-Winged transformation at the age of fifty-four—something that has not occurred in thousands of years of Demon Race history. Even with our natural talent, breaking through to the fifth tier before the age of fifty was incredibly difficult. As for reaching the Four-Winged Fallen Angel stage… we don’t even think about it. Unless a miracle occurs, we will never reach that realm.”
Surprised, I asked, “Is it really that difficult?”
Gwynn laughed softly. “When you reach the fifth tier, you’ll understand exactly what we mean about the Four-Winged transformation being unreachable. Those Dragon Knights from the Dragon God Empire are nothing without their Divine Dragons. Three of them combined wouldn’t be a match for His Majesty alone. That damned Dragon Clan only knows how to side with the humans.”
Although I had never seen the strength of a Dragon General, I had already witnessed the power of the Dragon Knights. If the Demon Emperor could rival three of them without their dragons, his strength must be unimaginable. After hearing this, my determination to cultivate toward the Four-Winged Fallen Angel stage grew even stronger.
Griffin continued speaking. “It’s truly unfortunate. Once His Majesty reached the seventh tier, further progress became extremely difficult. That old man is already over sixty years old. You might not like hearing this, but once the older generation dies within the next ten years, I’m not sure the Demon Race will still be evenly matched with the humans given the current situation.”
Curious, I asked, “Is there no one among the younger generation capable of breaking through to the sixth tier?”
Griffin slowed his horse slightly and tilted his head. “It’s not that there are no talented demons among the younger generation. But after reaching the fifth tier, talent alone isn’t enough to break through. Certain favorable circumstances are required as well. Those kinds of opportunities cannot be forced. But you’re still very young. Aside from the princess, you’re the youngest person I know who can become a Two-Winged Fallen Angel. After another twenty or thirty years, you might actually break through the sixth tier. When the time comes and you sit on the Demon Emperor’s throne, don’t forget about us brothers.”
I pretended to look downcast. “With my identity, you shouldn’t joke about me becoming the Demon Emperor. I’m not even considered true royalty.”
Griffin laughed loudly. “Haha! Nothing is absolute. If you break through to the sixth tier and reach the realm His Majesty currently occupies, who would care about your lineage? In the Demon Race, a Four-Winged Fallen Angel is considered a messenger of the Demon God. If someone ever reached the Six-Winged transformation, becoming emperor would be effortless.”
I had never once considered becoming the Demon Emperor. Authority meant little to me. But the overwhelming power of a Four-Winged Fallen Angel stirred something deep in my heart. Becoming a peerless warrior had always been my dream.
Smiling, I said, “Those matters belong to the future. Whether I have that opportunity or not, I won’t forget either of you, elder brothers. By the way, His Majesty injected his magic power into that sister I’ve never met and dropped two tiers of the Heavenly Demon Art. I wonder when he will recover. If the Dragon Generals were to act, no one could stop them.”
After hearing me mention this top secret of the Demon Race, the two of them trusted me completely.
Gwynn said, “You don’t need to worry about that. The Dragon Generals won’t easily take action. Their destructive power is too great. A thousand years ago the three races made an agreement: once someone reaches that level, they are forbidden from participating in ordinary battles and can only command from behind the scenes. Every ten years the leaders of the three races meet in an uninhabited place and fight each other. I heard there is always some kind of wager involved, but only those at their level know the details. I once asked my father about it, but he refused to tell us.”
Griffin snorted coldly. “It’s fine if he refuses to tell us, but he even said we’re trash and that we’ll never reach that realm in our lives. Our family already has three Fallen Angels, and he’s still dissatisfied. I truly don’t know what he expects from us brothers.”
I asked, “What are the results of those competitions?”
Gwynn shook his head. “I’m not sure. They’re probably all draws. If you ever have the chance, you could ask His Majesty yourself. But unless you reach that realm, he probably won’t answer you.”
Following them really was a wise decision, I thought. I’ve learned many secrets about the Demon Race.
Zi Yan, who had been sleeping deeply, suddenly sat up and rubbed her blurry eyes. “Where are we now, Ah Lay?”
I forced myself not to laugh. “I’m not exactly sure where we are, but we’ve probably traveled around sixty miles since we left.”
Gwynn laughed. “Brother, your fiancée is truly beautiful. Demon women usually surpass others in figure, but appearances like hers are extremely rare. Even within the royal palace such beauty is seldom seen.”
Zi Yan was now fully awake. Hearing his compliment, she smiled. “Thank you for your praise, sir.”
At that moment, the Gu brothers and I became alert simultaneously.
Four figures suddenly appeared in the middle of the broad highway.
On both sides of the road stood towering forests of dense trees. Because this region lay close to the Demon Race border, very few travelers passed through here. The four figures ahead did not appear particularly imposing. All of them wore black cloth masks and stood in a straight line across the road. Judging by the swords in their hands, they really were trying to rob us.
The three of us pulled our reins almost simultaneously, stopping about three meters away.
Before we could speak, the leader shouted loudly, “Stop right there! This mountain belongs to us! If you want to pass, leave your valuables behind. If you don’t leave enough… hehe… we’ll kill you!”
The Gu brothers and I looked at each other—and burst into laughter.
Three Fallen Angels being stopped by a group of bandits. If word of this spread, it would be utterly ridiculous.
I sneered coldly. “Elder brothers, please wait here. Your younger brother will deal with them.”
Gwynn suddenly extended his arm and stopped me. “My worthy brother, I would like to ask them a few questions first. Bandits appearing on this royal highway is rather strange. It won’t be too late to act after we understand the situation. Surely you’re not afraid they might escape?”
Zi Yan whispered beside my ear, “Don’t kill people so easily, okay? I don’t like bloodshed.”
I shook my head. “Killing is not something I enjoy. But if you don’t kill them, they may kill you. Compared to the battlefield, killing a few bandits doesn’t count as bloodshed.”
Gwynn rode forward and stopped about ten steps away from them. Smiling politely, he clasped his fists in greeting. “May I ask which mountain you heroes come from?”
The bandit leader laughed. “Why should you care where we come from? Hand over your valuables and we’ll let you pass. Otherwise today will be the day you all die.”
Seeing that the other party refused to answer, Gwynn’s expression darkened. “Do you fools not understand the danger you’re in? How could my race produce trash like this? Hmph.”
A powerful aura erupted from his body, pressing down on the four men simultaneously.
Just as it seemed the conflict might end there, I suddenly noticed a flash of cold light in the eyes of the person standing on the far left.
I immediately shouted, “Gu brother, be careful! They’re not ordinary bandits!”
Gwynn reacted instantly, leaping into the air without hesitation.
At the same moment, the four masked figures attacked.
Four torrents of condensed energy erupted like a hurricane. Four flashes of black light struck the place where Gwynn had been standing.
Gwynn’s horse exploded into pieces under the impact.
Even Griffin was stunned.
Gwynn wiped away a cold sweat. If not for my warning, facing a sudden attack from four opponents of this strength would have been disastrous.
His expression turned solemn. “Who exactly are you people? What do you want?”
Before they could reply, Griffin stepped forward coldly. “There’s no need to answer. I already know who you are. Tell me—how is Prince Su Er these days?”
At Griffin’s words, the four of them trembled slightly.
The leader laughed loudly. “Impressive. As expected of the famous Gu brothers. I thought my disguise was perfect. How did you recognize that we serve the prince? But it doesn’t matter. Whether you recognized us or not, this is where you die. As Fallen Angels, four against two—you have no chance. Be sensible and take your own lives. That way your corpses might remain intact.”
My heart skipped a beat. From the way he spoke, all four of them were Fallen Angels. Why would Fallen Angels be trying to kill each other?
Griffin sneered. “What nonsense. With just the four of you trying to kill us, you must be dreaming.”
While they spoke, Gwynn said quietly to me, “These four bastards are extremely powerful. When the fight begins, leave immediately. Take your fiancée and escape as fast as you can. Their target is us brothers. When you see His Majesty, just tell that old man to avenge us.”