Immediately, Mei Ying pulled out the silver chain-whip, which was loosely hidden under the dress’ sash. Not wasting another second, she lunged the glinting scourge forward. In a blink, it spanned ten times more than its original length. Zhufu!

A burst of light clashed against the metal links.

Like a frightened child, the extensive chain of Zhufu snapped back. The whip shivered and coiled around Mei Ying’s waist, tucked under the white dress’ sash.

Wind swept over Mei Ying’s head. Silk brushed across the young woman’s cheek as the person flew past her and toward Yong Nian.

Behind her, there was a soft clink of metal and jewelry. The huntress felt the faint presence. It was intentionally leaked to demonstrate the centuries-old gap of difference in power.

That man’s aura carried no evil or malicious purpose at all.

Turning around, Mei Ying maintained her composure.

“Young Miss!” Xiao Dan cried out. The servant girl’s complexion went white. “Th-That is…”

The huntress watched the black-and-gold inner robe flutter back, which revealed his long hair that flowed like dark rivers and his indifferent face. The person still wore his clothes loosely with little care. With this same demeanor, the Netherworld Official had one grip of Yong Nian’s red scarf, pulling the other toward himself.

He too looks familiar… The imagery was foggy. Though her shifu had returned the memories, there were so many pieces that needed to be set in sequential order. It was like fragments of a mirror that yearned to be put back together.

All the guards, who had gathered around Yong Nian, stumbled back. They too did not sense the older demon before.

Now, as the stronger person glanced upon them, one by one, the ghosts refused to challenge him. They swallowed the lumps in their throats, flickering their dark eyes at each other.

“Step back.” The long, white braided-ponytail came to view, reminding Mei Ying of the twin girl being present. Standing before the huntress, Xiao Dan stretched her arm out. The broad black sleeve closed off the huntress’ line of sight. “It’s Number One.”

As in...the First Netherworld Official? He may be the strongest of all eighteen elite demons that served Jian Yu, based on his overall spiritual energy.

Ah, he was also the man who greeted Jian Yu when we arrived here. The huntress soon noticed the shattered metal crystals across the hall. The floor had ruptured violently from the tall, glinting clusters of light and rocks. No wonder...why Zhufu was so scared… Such brute strength…

“Hong Rui!”

Joining the two maidens was none other--than Jian Yu. He was dressed in his finer and more elaborate crimson outer robe, with wide sleeves outlined by black. Even the lapels of his attire were black as night. Then, there was the flame crest that burned brightly between his dark brows.

When did he get here? The huntress met Jian Yu’s gleaming eyes and his mischievous grin. He glanced at Xiao Dan, then stood shoulder-to-shoulder, by Mei Ying. Perhaps, a guard reported Yong Nian to him through a spiritual communication channel.

To her surprise, the young man reached over and gently patted Mei Ying’s head. He avoided the ornate loops of hair and silver decorations. As Jian Yu stepped away from the maiden, he touched the crimson flower-shaped jewelries and dangling beads.

Red blurred across the hallway from one side to the other. Instantly, Jian Yu warped in front of Hong Rui. Yong Nian was gone.

Just when Mei Ying was about to ask about that person, she heard tiny, high-pitched chirps of what sounded like a bird.

Jian Yu laughed. He turned at his heel, holding a cage for Mei Ying to see. In it was a red-and-black bird, with a tiny scarf around its feathery neck. The pet jumped up and down on its little perch, flapping the wings in a wild display.

Oh… Jian Yu turned Yong Nian into...

“Your Highness!” cried the bird. “Turn me back! Turn me back!”

“Haha!” With a chuckle, Jian Yu handed the cage and its captive to a nearby guard. Their dark eyes were set on the white-robed maiden that stood afar. “Please take this idiot back to his Hall of Punishment where the sinners await their sentence.”

“Of course, this servant will return him to his assigned Hall of Punishment and role of duty.” Bowing her head, the guard did not dare question anything. She accepted the coop and started to walk away with it. “Fourth Official, who will oversee the Hall of Punishment, Mirrors of Retribution, but you? Imps cannot substitute for you all the time.”

According to the main cultivation world, people generally believe that in the Netherworld, there are not only ten Judges but also eighteen Halls of Punishment to carry out eighteen types of sins, which were overseen by Netherworld Officials.

A few other armored guards followed the woman, with glaives in hand and shook their heads at the bird that wailed, “Your Highness! Nevermind! I’d rather have my arms off than be stuck like this! Ahhhhh!”

“You mean your wings!” Jian Yu raised his chin. He was merrily entertained, given by his widening grin. “Your wings, ah!”

Once the pitiful creature had been carried out of sight, the young man added, “Yong Nian won’t be a bird any longer than a whole candlestick...”

“Does he know that?” Followed by Xiao Dan, Mei Ying made her way over to her friend. She tapped her folded white fan against Jian Yu’s arm, teasing, “You turned him into a little bird, after all!”

When the naive huntress withdrew her fan, Xiao Dan’s red eyes grew large. The adolescent turned her head, looking at the Demon King, back to Mei Ying, and even to First Official.

“No, he does not!” Jian Yu lightly went on, “However, he should be doing his job, not sneaking around and looking for maidens...”

Upon hearing this, Mei Ying could not help but laugh, “Haha! Jian Jian, you…! You like playing tricks on people, huh?”

Her handsome friend’s smile softened. “And you like my sense of humor.”

Caught off guard, the huntress pursed her lips together. Maybe it was her imagination but the young man seemed to imply that he bickers and pranks people because of...her… Mei Ying stroked her chin for a moment, thinking over Jian Yu’s response.

“Jian Jian is right…” There was no denying that. “Not only are you funny, you are also very strong and good-looking…” Curiosity blossomed in the young woman’s headspace. “By the way, do you have a lover or wife?”

At the corner of her peripheral, Mei Ying saw Xiao Dan mouthing inaudible words to herself.

Standing by Jian Yu was the demon, who had confronted Yong Nian. The half-naked man casted a sidelong glance at Mei Ying, then, back at the Demon King. Hong Rui’s red lips tugged up. Gradually, he too laughed, which then became louder and louder, filling up the entire vast hallway.

“Hahaha!” Hong Rui clapped his large hand against the young man’s back, chuckling, “Yes, does His Highness have someone?”

Jian Yu lowered his eyes to the tiled floor that reflected everyone’s figures. He did not say a word.

“Number One, please.” Raising her sharp gaze toward First Official, Xiao Dan still had her grasp on the shimmering glaive. “His Highness wished to have breakfast with his guest of honor, the Young Miss here. It would be rude…” Glaring at the armored guards that lingered around, she huffed, “...if we are to delay them any longer than necessary. The Young Miss needs to meditate later, acclimating her cultivation to the miasma here and avoiding harm to the body, heart, and mind.”

Hong Rui froze. He nearly gaped at Mei Ying, looking up and down at her. “Then, you are…”

I am...what? The huntress wondered. It was intriguing that the person, who appeared cold and distant before, was more expressive when the other Netherworld Officials were absent.

“Enough.” Jian Yu hardened his voice, causing dozens of nearby ghosts and other demons to stiffen. They straightened their backs. “Guards, return to your posts. Hong Rui, shut up.” Sweeping his gaze over Mei Ying, he gently said, “Go ahead and eat. I will catch up.”

The young woman felt all the stares from around her. She nodded, awkwardly. “Then, we will be off…”

Jian Yu became still and turned around to face the curious guards, many of whom did not move at all. Immediately, they stumbled back with pale faces, metal plates clang, and the ghosts scurried away like mice. Jian Yu’s shoulders loosened, and the young man returned his attention to Mei Ying and Xiao Dan.

To the servant, he smiled. “Xiao Dan, take the Young Miss to the dining hall and feel free to eat with her. Hong Rui and I will need to talk for a moment before joining you two.”

❁❁❁

It was strange, eating a delicious meal in the same dining hall where Yong Nian was literally cut down the night before. But it was expected that a Slayer-ranked demon, especially one of centuries-old, was likely to survive from the injury. Besides, the enormous space was mostly quiet, saved for the gentle rings of utensils weaving through food.

Having taken a chair next to Mei Ying, the servant girl narrated:

Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, there once lived a poor orphan boy in the Mortal realm. He was brought into the world and abandoned in the woods to die; however, he was found and raised by a beggar. Over time though, she passed away, leaving the boy all alone in the cruel, cruel realm.

One day, the orphan was chased out of a mountain village and ran up to the mountaintop. He wept his eyes out from hunger and sadness for he did not know what to do other than to lie and steal, sinful deeds needed for his survival. The child felt unloved and hopeless for his future. With this in mind, he climbed up a tree to sleep for the night.

The next day though, he woke up and climbed down the tree, only to hear a young woman sing and dance. It was the loveliest voice that the orphan had ever heard. But he hid behind the tree, feeling too ashamed to let her see how dirty he was.

He knew he should not but the orphan peeked behind the tree. He wanted to see what the young woman looked like, and what he saw...took his breath away.

Why, it was a beautiful celestial maiden! She was dressed in her finest silk robes and sash, dancing around and around the meadow and trickling stream. Wherever her white feet touched, flowers sprung out with dew drops falling off their sweet petals and leaves.

Having descended from the Heavenly realm, this young woman was none other...than…

“Other than…?” Mei Ying raised her brow at Xiao Dan who had stopped speaking. “Who was this Heaven Immortal?”

The huntress finished up her breakfast, a small bowl of warm congee. What was once a pearl-white thick concoction of boiled rice, shredded chicken, and leafy greens--had turned fiery red after Mei Ying mixed the hot chili oil in. She set the bowl down on the tabletop.

“I can’t believe that my brother did not tell you that old tale…” Xiao Dan leaned against the back post of the chair and sat up properly again. She mumbled about the twin brother running errands. “Aiya, Xiao Li…”

The adolescent rubbed her fingers against the end of her long, white braid. She added, “...but this ignorant servant forgot who the celestial maiden was. Young Miss, why don’t you ask His Highness to finish the tale for you? He definitely remembers it by heart. Let His Highness know that you want to hear about The Orphan and the Cursed Heaven Immortal.”

Cursed Heaven Immortal? The huntress pondered on the last few words before shaking it off. It was much too early in the morning… She nodded. The silver ornaments and hairpins in her elegant hairstyle danced back and forth, chiming like giggling bells.

“I will ask him to tell me that story then...” Mei Ying stopped to sigh. “He and Hong Rui had been talking for a long time.” She creased her brows together. “Wait..."

“Gods and Immortals do not need to eat.” Remembering this, the naive huntress went on, “According to my shifu’s teachings and other cultivators, when one becomes an Immortal, they are said to not feel hunger and no longer need food to sustain their nutritional needs. But why does Xiao Dan eat then…?”

“Well, when you are homesick…” Between her chews of congee, the teenager continued, “...food that reflects a bit of home might make you feel better.”

Mei Ying thought hard, struggling to recall Xiao Li’s bitterness toward his birth parents. There was a thin line being walked on. “What does...congee remind you of?”

At this moment, the servant swallowed her food. She brought up her elbow against the glittering tabletop and leaned against her arm. Xiao Dan slowly set the spoon down in her bowl.

With bright eyes, the demoness replied, “Once, I was a little girl in the Mortal realm...and met a pretty woman who fed me and Xiao Li congee. Then, the Ghost War came…” She frowned, twisting her face into fair regret. “We were supposed to flee the city with her before the cultivators arrived…”

“However, only Xiao Li and I made it out.” Resentment arose from the adolescent’s aura. “We were betrayed...by the so-called ‘righteous’ cultivators who were supposed to protect us. For that, the kind woman paid with her life.” A dry chuckle trickled in. “...‘Righteous’? Young Miss, if their words do not match their actions, beware.”

Yes, a hundred years ago, the Ghost War cost lives from both sides and even the innocent ones who were caught between the great fires. Those were suspected to be demonic cultivators or affiliated with the Xu cult members, those who were harboring even the righteous ones, and those who were trying to escape war...were not unscathed at all.

Xiao Li and Xiao Dan may have been children during the Ghost War campaign and before the fall of the Song clan. Mei Ying nodded to show her agreement. The results of being betrayed by ‘righteous’ cultivators might have partially driven the twins into becoming demons. Their distrust of all humans, not just mortals, are…

She watched Xiao Dan dip her spoon into the dish of boiled rice and chicken. The soft aroma of fresh scallions, pepper, and meat were nostalgic to the nose. Mei Ying’s request for the commoner’s dish did not shock Xiao Dan at all. It was as though the servant had long expected this.

The teenager managed a pretty smile. “This servant apologizes for the gloomy topic.” Her eyes were casted into the steaming meal. “But if it were not for the Song clan…” With a clatter, the spoon fell from Xiao Dan’s grip to the palace floor.

A sense of unease grew. Mei Ying focused on the shining utensil that laid against the tile. She soon met the girl's wide eyes.

While most people would be offended and are quick to defend their cultivation sect or clan, the huntress was unlike her peers.

After all, the rumors of the Song clan’s fall from the main cultivation world had always been a bit too simple.

Whether it was Kong to be blamed for or the clan members themselves underestimating the strength of Jian Yu the Demon King, everything did not add up to the outsider. One--the Song clan was the smallest of the top ten cultivation sects at the time. Excluding the former Xu cult, a once-righteous-sect-turned-demonic-cult, it would be easy for eight groups to bully the one. Two--other than the two factions in the Ghost War, it would not be surprising if there was a third that would take advantage of the chaos. Three--if he did, why did the Demon King strike at the Song clan first with the rain of Red Omen?

Yes, if it was Jian Yu’s doing, according to the lore, the Demon King struck the Song clan first before the other righteous cultivation sects joined in to protect the Song cultivators; hence, perishing from the red flames.

Whatever it was--someone had either set the clan up or forced Jian Yu’s hand then...

"Xiao Dan..." The huntress was about to continue speaking when the sky-towering doors swung open, sending deep, rumbling echoes through the vicinity.

Jian Yu and Hong Rui both entered the dining hall, step by step.

❁❁❁

“You...don’t want to tour Feng Cheng?” asked Jian Yu, trying to clarify what he had just heard.

Though adorned with glittering white and silver from head to toe, though pleasing to the eye for anyone around, Mei Ying shook her head. “No, I want to find a quiet place to meditate. Wouldn’t it be better to circulate some spiritual energy from the Netherworld before walking around and breathing in Feng Cheng’s miasma?”

Yes, she thought this through, wafting cool air against her skin with the white fan.

It was then that Mei Ying accidentally found herself staring at the great flickering sea of crimson masses that surrounded the entire city. While her vision was not clear, the rolling descent and rising red mountains were captivating above and beyond the palace walls that dwarfed in comparison of size.

As if to draw Mei Ying in more, a single orb of red light floated closeby and kissed the fan’s painted flower.

That...was the legendary Flaming Forest. A potential place for cultivating spiritual energy.