Surrounded by sky-towering red walls, Mei Ying stood outside of the soaring Crimson Flower Palace with Jian Yu, Xiao Dan, and Hong Rui. Behind them was a long path of marble steps, leading up to the palace. It was a majestic estate despite the ugly rumors among the righteous cultivators. While the four were in a small circle themselves, many eyes were watching their every movement and surroundings. Armored guards were stationed everywhere.

“That, there, is the legendary Flaming Forest as mentioned by Bing Wen.” Lowering his eyes, Jian Yu exuded a steady calmness. His long, dark lashes trembled faintly. “The former Demon King and I fought around Feng Cheng, which gave rise to mountains of eternal red forests.”

“It’s beautiful…” The huntress murmured, absent-mindedly.

Her poor eyes lingered on the blurry but bright red flecks of light. The thin mass drifted above the peaks in the far distance, beyond the palace grounds and looming over the entire city. From faraway, the way the orbs turned, tossed, and distorted through air created the illusion of red maple leaves.

Mei Ying turned to her friend, smiling. “Can I cultivate spiritual energy in the Flaming Forest?”

One side of Jian Yu’s red lips twitched. His right hand nearly curled up by his side as the long, crimson outer robe billowed out with the gentle, cool wind. His half-ponytail, with the red ribbon, wavered from one side to the other.

“Only Hong Rui and I are able to enter the Flaming Forest.”

“Why is that?” asked the naive huntress.

“The remnants of our great Demon King’s spiritual energy were so great, they became the red leaves of the Flaming Forest trees.” Xiao Dan piped in, softly. The servant met Mei Ying’s eye and continued, “But they have also casted a powerful magical barrier to keep unworthy ones out of the area; hence, it’s impossible for ordinary folks and evil doers who had descended to the Netherworld...to ever escape from Feng Cheng.”

Mei Ying felt her jaw drop and turned to her handsome friend. “Jian Jian, what must I have to enter that place?”

“That’s...a secret, ah.” The young man then raised his head and grinned at Mei Ying. It carried his trademarked mischievousness, along with a bit of charm. However, it was also brief, swiftly reverting to a thin line. “But I digress. Going back to the other matter, if you do not wish to tour the capitol, then, I understand.”

At that moment, Mei Ying felt a strange prickling from her heart.

In regards to the Netherworld, the realm was quite beautiful and a worthy rival to the Heaven realm. This, Mei Ying noted silently to herself for her fear of the ancestors rolling in their graves… Upon that thought, her eyes caught the fiery red and gold streams of an eternal sunset glazed across the gorgeous skies overhead. A strong, ecstatic surge filled her chest while dark, lavender clouds rolled through and through, gradually pushing the swirls of faint periwinkle, flaming red, and sun gold splashes from one end to the other. The atmosphere was a mix of bright and dark stretches forging into one ombre effect.

Still, the attraction of the Netherworld, the Mortal realm, and possibly even the Heaven realm...cannot compare to Jian...Yu’s smile--no--robe.

“AH!” Hong Hui sighed obnoxiously, folding his arms behind his head. He raised his bare chest forward. “Your Highness! Just say it already!” The man rolled his head and grinned at Mei Ying. “Use your head, little Miss! Did you really think that he woke up early and carefully picked out your current attire...just for you to go back, wearing those mourning clothes and meditate?”

In a lower tone, the demon went on, “If I didn’t know better, I would think that you are playing games here…disrespecting the Demon King like this.”

That last sentence was enough to cause a wave of remorse through Mei Ying.

“Hong Rui.” Jian Yu glowered at the man. “You will respect her.”

‘And when you cannot speak, I will be your voice.’ This was what the huntress recalled while she watched her friend’s red eyes hardened into stone.

Hong Rui casted his gaze to the ground and, in a heavy swoop, fell onto one knee. He bowed his head. “This servant stepped out of line. I apologize, Your Highness.”

It was not right.

“No, this one was overstepping the boundary of my guest status.” Mei Ying stammered out, stepping in front of the demon. “This ignorant one changes her mind. I...was really rude and inconsiderate…”

Just as she lowered her head as Hong Rui did--a pair of hands gingerly held onto both of Mei Ying’s shoulders.

Oh. She was stopped from bending her knees.

“Don’t bow.” In between Jian Yu’s lips was a small, sad smile.

A rush of red maple leaves flew and scattered around the courtyard.

Ah, did the Spring God, Prince Qing Di, tell me not to do that as well? The young woman wondered. If I was the Ninth Flower Immortal...in my first life, I should have been subservient to the Spring God...and to even a Demon King, the Netherworld God. After all, a flower spirit is only a little flower.

It is as though not all things are what they seem.

While the maiden expected Jian Yu to look past her as Shifu often did, it was different. Jian Yu was peering right into Mei Ying’s soul. His gaze was crystalline clear, honest, and...sincere. He was not searching for anyone--but for the useless young woman in front of him.

Both Hong Rui and Xiao Dan murmured in shock, “Your Highness…”

There was a moment of hesitance. Jian Yu chuckled lightly. He let go of Mei Ying and retreated a few steps back, dropping his red sleeves to the sides. With him, the icy feel of his touch left the young woman’s shoulders as well.

“Well, what...does Mei Ying want to do?” He flickered his eyes to anywhere but the person herself. The young man hid his hands behind his back and stood afar. “These two will accompany us for today. Xiao Li is out on his overdue errands.”

Just like that, Jian Yu turned around to wait quietly.

The huntress studied the person’s awkward figure from behind. In another life, did you owe me a heavy debt of karma? Perhaps, it is why you are willing to endure humiliation from Bing Wen, the berating of Wei Sheng, and the risk of being caught by Prince Qing Di...all just to help me.

“Feng Cheng.” As her friend’s back stiffened, Mei Ying laughed. “This ignorant nomad would like to do some sight-seeing in Feng Cheng...if that is alright with His Highness.”

“Haha...” Without turning around, the other forced out a chuckle. “Please don’t call me that. Things don’t have to change between us just because it turns out that I am the Demon King.” At last, Jian Yu looked past over his shoulder.

“I will keep that in mind then.” Mei Ying smiled. “Jian Jian.”

While the memories would need time in re-arranging, the huntress was sure that his face, though slightly changed, had surfaced before in the sea of imageries, many times over.

The late Shaman Hua’s intuition as a shaman was impeccable.

❁❁❁

In the Mortal realm, the righteous cultivators claimed that Feng Cheng was the ashened capitol of the Netherworld, destroyed and neglected by the evil, bloodthirsty Demon King. The streets would be cluttered by rotting corpses, red and black blood mixed with limbs and feces, and the lanterns were fueled by human souls. Demons and walking corpses would be feasting on each other’s flesh. Any inhabitant with an ounce of sanity left was starved beyond recognition since the only person who remained rosy-cheeked and fit was the merciless Demon King, also the Netherworld God himself.

Fear-stricken and at His mercy, the inhabitants would not dare question the Demon King’s rule and order.

But everything was a lie.

“Your Highness, how have you been?”--“Your Highness, you look dashing as ever!”--and “Your Highness, you are glowing today!” crowded into Jian Yu’s proximity as both Hong Rui and Xiao Dan jabbed all the excited people to the side, with glinting glaives.

Streaming aromas of frying lard, hot pork, blazing peppers, and pan-cooked noodles filled Mei Ying’s nostrils. Silver smoke blew in, causing her to close her eyes for a moment. Then, there came the bizarre-looking residents of Feng Cheng: numerous people with large chicken heads and wings, a few snakes in lavish outer robes, a giant boar with long hair and tusks on bipedal feet, a man with furry deer legs, and women with bat wings. Amongst the enormous crowd were also sheer ghosts and a couple of walking corpses with a hint of self-awareness.

As soon as the four teleported into Feng Cheng’s busy marketplace, it was as though the residents had expected their arrival. When Mei Ying and the others tried to squeeze their way through the golden city street, the people started shouting and swarmed them. They then began to smile and joke as Jian Yu placed his arm around Mei Ying, hiding her face with his broad sleeve.

“Who is she? Who is this celestial maiden, Your Highness?!” A voice yelled out from the bustling mass. “I wouldn’t blame her for swooning in your arms!”

“Is she the ghost of a princess?!” A woman cried out. “If you spirited her away, we support your decision!”

As Jian Yu made his way through the buzzing masses, he lifted his other hand to massage his temple, mumbling.

“Your Highness…” Hong Rui pressed his lips together, hiding his laughter. His broad shoulders shook. As the demon walked in front of Jian Yu, he avoided his king’s cutting glare. “Did you know...that people hide their love like a flower that seems too precious to be picked?”

“Shut up.”

“Jian Jian, you are incredibly popular in Feng Cheng!” remarked the naive woman, peeking past the red sleeve.

“Yes, that must have been mentioned in the standard manual guide for righteous cultivators.” The sarcastic tone was hard to miss.

“Ha ha…” As the residents slowly moved to form a line on either side of the street, Mei Ying tried to speak over the roaring cheers, “Also, isn’t Hong Rui the First Netherworld Official? By calling him on a first name basis, are you, perhaps, close?”

To this, Hong Rui answered, “I may be the First Netherworld Official, but I do not often take days off like the stupid Yong Nian. As for us being close...” There was a loud, hearty laugh, which caused the large ruby pendant of his necklace to sway with a low ringing echo. “...well, what do you say to that, Your Highness?”

“We are friends.” came Jian Yu’s response. He dropped his arm, no longer holding Mei Ying close.

“Huh?” The older demon’s eyes nearly bulged out. “IN THE PAST NEARLY EIGHT HUNDRED YEARS, YOU NEVER ONCE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS!”

“Oh, so, you and Hong Rui were good friends for that long…” Mei Ying continued to follow Jian Yu and the rest of the party, walking as closely as she could to her friend. “Here’s another question: What happened to the former Demon King after you defeated him?”

“My, my…” With her back facing the others, Xiao Dan chimed in, “The Young Miss is quite eager to get to know His Highness better…” The sing-song voice implied a hidden message that the huntress did not understand.

Mei Ying stared at the teenage girl’s swinging white braided-ponytail. Though she and Xiao Li are each other’s opposites, the twins are...also quite the same.

“After his defeat, he was no longer the Demon King.” Though this was a given, Jian Yu looked down toward his naive friend. “He became just...Hong Rui.”

The huntress almost stopped walking. She tilted her head.

However, though Mei Ying kept searching for a tell in Jian Yu’s mirthful eyes, he appeared to be sincere. Hong Rui...was the…

The fact that Jian Yu answered her with such a matter-of-fact tone was too jarring.

Shifu had told the little disciple that after the former Demon King’s defeat, the victor extinguished the corpse into ashes and scattered them across the Flaming Forest. It was what gave the red mountains its mighty power to expel all demons and other undead from escaping Feng Cheng!

Right?

“You don’t believe me.” For a moment, Jian Yu smirked at the young woman and stopped strolling along. “Are you still only listening to your shifu?”

Mei Ying nearly ran into him, only to retreat by a step. Her mind fumbled for words. Nostalgia clouded her senses. This feeling...

The huntress shook her head. “I…”

Then, slowly, a finger was pressed against the vermillion floral birthmark on Mei Ying’s forehead. She looked up.

For a second, it was not Jian Yu whom Mei Ying was seeing.

It was Yue Liang, smirking upon the little disciple. If he was here, he would call out, ‘Ying Ying…’

Behind him were the faint orbs of red light, hovering around them. Once more, they were both in the dark Minjue Forest of glowing eyes. They were also in the open moonlit meadow of leaf-blowing music. By and by, the two found themselves back inside the cave, with the bright beam of moonlight upon their faces.

But how could that be?

❁❁❁

“Hong Rui...was the former Demon King?” Mei Ying asked, waving the white fan against her warm face.

Both Jian Yu and Hong Rui glanced at each other, with a grin on their faces.

As the three loitered around by the cobblestone roadside, Xiao Dan could be heard, haggling prices with a vendor at a nearby stall of luxurious, shiny fabrics and trimmings. Mei Ying tilted her head, watching the adolescent smile politely while gritting her teeth. She was not concerned for the twin. Rather, she was scared for the merchant since the teenager’s grip on the glaive tightened more and more until the hand turned red.

“Well, that was centuries ago, Young Miss.” said the demon, crossing his arms. “His Highness then chose to spare my life at the end of our battle and asked me to stay. I took up his offer after a century of traveling since, being a king, I was unable to leave whenever I had wished. Now, with me here, His Highness could come and go as he pleased.”

He sighed, adding, “Now, I find that...you are my disciple.”

Mei Ying blinked. “...disciple?”

“Did His Highness not tell you?” Arching one eyebrow, Hong Rui turned to Jian Yu. “Hey!”

The young man had closed his eyes while standing around with Mei Ying and the other. He was mumbling, and, when the huntress leaned in to listen, she realized that her friend was counting down…

As soon as Jian Yu reached ‘one’, the entire wooden structure of the little merchant’s stall crashed to the ground. It was pitiful because the rolls of lovely fabrics were ruined, dirtied by the dust cloud, broken poles, tapestries, and ropes.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON’T LOWER IT FOR SIXTY JOSS PAPERS?!” screamed Xiao Dan. “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!”

“Xiao Dan…” With a dead-pan voice, Jian Yu opened his eyes. “If you wanted only sixty joss papers for monthly wages, you should have told me so. That could have built me ninety-nine other palaces, you know!”