Chapter 204: Demon's Solace
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{A/N: First, I wanted to give Liu Erlong an external spirit bone in the form of nails but then I realized that I don't need to spam external spirit bones. There are already two of them— Xie Xan eyeballs and Bibi Dong's wings.}
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Despite her experience with the fifth spirit ring, Erlong still struggled during her breakthrough. The beast might have gotten ambushed and could never recover from the attack but that didn't mean it wouldn't exact vengeance. With Ah Yin channeling mental energy constantly through her domain into Erlong, she took almost four hours to conquer her demons this time. It took additional two hours to complete the process as six spirit rings soon floated around her— Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, and Black.
Only after confirming a few things did Ah Yin retract the tent made of vines to reveal a perfectly clothed Erlong. She had cleaned herself up, naturally and stood up with a slightly strained sigh. When approached, she even looked a bit unresponsive. The entirety of her suppressed cultivation had caused her to achieve consecutive breakthroughs even if the energy from the spirit ring wasn't noteworthy yet no joy could be seen on her face.
"There aren't any spirit bones, I checked," Liu Erlong stated before growing silent altogether. She had given her quiet confirmation as Ja Sun stored yet another corpse into his storage ring.
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"I feel like I should say something," Ja Sun looked towards Ah Yin with an earnest expression. The day had ended fruitfully. After such a long period, Liu Erlong had finally managed to find a satisfying spirit ring yet when she should be feeling gleeful, drinking with others across the fire and laughing and cheering, she sat on her chair with an inexplicable gloom covering her expression.
"No, you'll make things worst," Ah Yin shot him a reproachful glance.
"I didn't mean for them... If I don't let it out, I will feel bad tomorrow for the entire day... it's for my joy," Ja Sun chortled.
"If you think that's what you really want for Erlong... then go ahead. Who am I to stop you?" Ah Yin relented as Ja Sun fell silent altogether himself.
"Man... at times like this, you should be cheering me up," Ja Sun finally sighed in defeat. He had many ways to cheer up a teammate in the gloom but all of it required the charm of a leader that disregarded the concerns of a subordinate and already having removed that kind of burden and enjoying his life, for the most part, Ja Sun didn't want to change it for a single event which could easily be solved if any one of the affected party spoke up.
"Oh, I'm sure I can cheer you up, in three more days," Ah Yin smiled, not particularly shy when it came to teasing her significant other, "Or, you could spend my night cheering you up now~!" She leaned towards Ja Sun and sighed somewhat hotly as Ja Sun scoffed, "Begone, harlot! You shall not distract me from my breakthrough and when I do..."
"All this fur will be mine. I win either way," Ah Yin squinted comfortably as she nuzzled against his furry shoulders. Being the transformation of the top-grade spirit beast, Ja Sun's fur was definitely top-tier, too.
"Just buzz off into your rooms!" Liu Erlong finally snorted.
"Yep!"
Ja Sun picked Ah Yin up before disappearing into their tent and zipped the entrance close.
Only Liu Erlong and Yuehua remained now.
*Crackle*
The fire continued to let out gentle crackling noise as it burnt through the wood. Erlong would sometimes toss in a stick or two just to see them burn once again while Yuehua felt more stifled every passing moment.
"E-Erlong—" Yuehua finally gathered her nerve. By now, the two realized that it was nobody's fault. Erlong loved carnage and Yuehua couldn't simply stomach it. The only thing that made them feel this moment of crushing awkwardness was the fact that they had grown closer over this period of contact. Yuehua was the one to generally reign in Erlong in the Southern Entrance of the Giant's Forest. They made a pretty good team of brains and brawns, too.
"Do you remember that day when Shandian came to investigate about the matter of Yuanzhen's disappearance?" Erlong interjected with a monotonous voice. Her shoulders sunk slightly, too.
Her question made Yuehua recall one particular event that may have truly caused the Spirit Hall and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to enter a period of conflict despite the group's effort to cover up their hand in Yu Yuanzhen's demise.
---
"What the hell does he want? And why the fuck are you here?" Erlong glowered, no longer able to laze on the favorite side of her couch— her spot, if you will— as her spirit energy gathered and the hint of the Superior Lineage of the Infernal Dragon King suppressing the two tyrants in front of her. One young and heroic with flowing blonde hair while the other one old and disgusting to look at by Erlong with dull grey hair signifying his old age.
They were none other than Yu Shandian, the Young Lord of the Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan acting as the leader of the clan under the advice of the committee of the remaining elders of the clan and Yu Luomian, Erlong's father and the leader of the council of elders that advised Shandian politically. In their clan, it wasn't entirely about strength but also lineage, and Yu Shandian was next-in-line for the position of the leader of the clan.
Before Yuehua could reply, Shandian who had been long burdened and more irritable than ever scowled, "Don't blow your top over nothing, Liu Erlong," he stated but his act of calling her 'Liu' instead of 'Yu' was fully noted by Erlong and Yuehua, "We have agreed to Bibi Dong's conditions and just want a peaceful conversation."
Scoffing, Erlong sat down with her left leg crossed over her right, "Well, that's all you can beg for. A peaceful conversation. I don't see you ever defeating me now, do I?"
Yu Shandian's breathing turned rough for a moment as he inhaled and exhaled deeply with his chest heaving up and down.
"Yu—... Liu Erlong, we want to inquire you about Elder Brother Yuanzhen. We found some—"
Liu Erlong glared at the man, screaming, "Shut up! You don't get to say my name!"
This is actually what Ja Sun had sent over for Liu Erlong. During the interrogation, she can just raise irrational hell and nobody would bat an eyelid. This was also better than accidentally implying anything they didn't want to.
Luomian gritted his teeth in anger. He wasn't used to this, and figured that he may never get used to it in the future either. That gaze of indignation and fury, and scorn. The latter cut deeper than any scar his body had recovered from it for it struck his pride. Yet, he was no longer in an indulgent position. The pillar of their clan had disappeared mysteriously— this was the official statement. But the meridian blood of the leader had suddenly turned dull and evaporated. This was a secret technique to keep whereabouts on clansmen's life and death.
"This will be easier if we just stay on topic," Shandian snorted, not particularly pleased by the party in front of him either, "We have a reason to believe that my father's disappearance has something to do with you."
Yu Yuanzhen may have appeared to kidnap or kill Liu Erlong in the spur of a moment but the thought must have emerged from before and may even be discussed prior only to be discarded at the time. Yu Shandian's words revealed a deeper meaning relaying that he was well aware of his father's thought of curbing her future as quickly as possible. Yu Luomian's expression didn't change at all which made Yuehua truly feel a bit more disgusted, too.
She had somewhat of an overbearing parent, too. But despite his rashness, which truly was faced by his equally hard-headed sons, Tang Peng treasured Yuehua every second she was close by. It is the virtue of a father to beat sons and protect daughters and despite there being many types of parents, to actually try and kill one's own daughter left a distaste in Yuehua's mouth.
"What reason?" Liu Erlong responded coldly.
"Don't make me tear faces here, Liu Erlong," Yu Shandian remarked as he crossed his arms but not moving an inch, Liu Erlong simply sneered.
"While your empty words only speak of figuratively tearing faces, I am motivated to tear that face from your head right here and now, ya blonde bastard! Your father is not here anymore, and this isn't your territory. Be a good river python and hiss up your younger brother's asshole!"
Shandian's spirit energy forcefully converged at this point when suddenly, a pale golden ring of light covered the room. Wark currents of energy flooded everyone's body, reducing the tension and frustration festering in their beings.
"I would like to talk to Liu Erlong alone for a moment," Yuehua sighed softly as she displayed her Calm Circle. This domain was simply the most effective manner to reduce the chances of confrontation and aside from Ja Sun whose bloodlust was as calm as it comes, everyone else would have their raging emotions forcefully curbed.
Shandian wished to speak but at this time his heart shivered momentarily. For the rare moment, an aura of unbridled dignity exuded from her body, and the unquestionable tone made Yu Shandian and Luomian leave finally.
"What's the big idea? I hate it when you force this thing on me..." Erlong mumbled, feeling dissatisfied, yet strangely, even that feeling was calmed down quickly.
Yuehua removed her domain within that moment, apology being her first instinct, "I'm sorry. It's just that we have already prepared very simple answers and don't need to..." seeing the ordinarily articulate woman hesitate, Erlong finally grumbled, "I thought we had a good thing going on after having the southern entrance to ourselves! Come on, just let it all out."
"I... feel like you shouldn't let your... bias affect your judgment that impacts our team as a whole..." Yuehua whispered, "I'm out of line, sorry. But like you said, we have shed many formalities already. I know so much about you now and so do you about me. I just... feel a little angry, no, frustrated that you would refuse to move onto greater heights..."
"What do you mean?" Erlong frowned, not even angry but more confused.
"I think, in our group, only Brother Ka-ul is someone who would easily disregard my statement yet at the same time I also believe that he would hold my statement to some merit. Any advice that I give, I meant." Heaving a sigh, Yuehua smiled, "But when I look at you, a good friend, I cannot help but feel selfish. I cannot say I envy you, that would just be an insult because no one has it easy really.
As I said... I just wished you would move on. Communicating with Clear Phoenix has revealed so much to me. The simple yet progressive thought of a spirit beast yet their kind and caring nature. I guess, deep down, I always considered you and Brother Ka-ul beasts in their own right—"
"Ugh, I'm going to vomit," Liu Erlong made a 'yuck' face, making Yuehua snort a chuckle, "Fine, my point is... if your mother was still alive, she wouldn't want you stuck up on a declining clan at all."
"Oh, that's... actually right, yeah," Erlong nodded with a hint of cold aloofness, "But she's not here. The clan that led to her demise is. Anyway, I can always move on when the clan has been snuffed out, right?
Still... I get that I shouldn't screw our team over because of my anger. It's personal... so I will keep my calm, I guess. You can take over."
Next, Yuehua calmly responded without giving too many answers but properly relaying that they did not even see Yuanzhen at all.
---
"That day... when you told my mom would have wanted me to move on... and I acted like a bitter jerk... it was because, for a moment, I thought of you as my mother," Liu Erlong smiled sadly.
"I truly didn't mean to—" Yuehua mumbled with a guilty expression.
"Do you think if my mother was alive and saw me like that, she would be the same? Throw her stomach out just after seeing what her daughter had become?" Liu Erlong inquired.
This was the source of her troubles. Would her mother react the same way?
The thought of it frightened the woman.
"I... don't know," Yuehua shook her head. She seemed to have understood Erlong's thoughts, too. While she was wallowing in her own guilt, it was clear that Erlong was going through terrible thoughts, too.
The duo fell silent again.
"I don't think she would throw up," Yuehua suddenly spoke up.
Liu Erlong silently looked at Yuehua as the woman smiled gently while gazing at the flickering fire, basking in its glow as her eyes narrowed down with a peaceful expression touching her face, "I think... she would have been annoyed to see her daughter burn her clothes up in the presence of a shameless man. I think... she would have chided you for getting so dirty after every battle.
I also think she would be worried sick about your marriage. You're a lot to deal with, after all, I would know," Yuehua's tone shook as her eyes slowly turned glazed and her view seem to blur.
A tear, however, escaped Erlong's left eye as she had trouble containing her shuddering breaths.
"Oh, and also, she would have taught you cooking. I wanted to learn cooking from my mother, after all," Yuehua tilted her head while gazing at the flames, her smile now momentarily sad.
"You're lying," Liu Erlong finally coughed and spoke, "I've become a demon..."
"A demon that we all adore. Ask anyone. Including Brother Ka-ul. He would probably cock a fist to your face for asking a stupid question in the first place...
And your mom would not only love you. She would be so proud of you... I know that we all are."
*Sniff*
Liu Erlong had her head lowered while she nodded as Yuehua chuckled, "Is the demon really crying? That's not very demon-like at all."
Tilting her head sideways, Liu Erlong glared at Yuehua. But seeing that even Yuehua had tears flowing down her face... a bit offended that there was no snot, Erlong hicked, "Shut up!"
"I won't," Yuehua chortled as they both sunk into silence, only their sobs filling the surroundings. Soon, they sat on the ground, their shoulders leaning against each other until they fell asleep while blue silver vines silently crept around them to form a protective and warm bubble-shaped wrap where they could sleep in the same position.
"Are you seriously crying?" Ah Yin inquired, dumbstruck.
"Shut up! I have no such weaknesses!" Hissed the tearful devil while Ah Yin silently hugged the man and patted his back with a smile.
"Looks like you do."
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