Chapter Five: A Bizarre Origin (Part I)

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Jade Abyss, brimming with smug satisfaction, leapt into the air once more. Since she could not afford to use force lest she injure Stone Army, this rare treasure of a training partner, she unexpectedly launched into a long-winded attempt to persuade him, urging him to stop concerning himself with the lives of irrelevant people and leave with her.

“Crimson Sun, why can they dispel our spells so easily? Is the Demon Realm really that powerful?”

Stone Army paid no attention to Jade Abyss’s lengthy speech. He busied himself pulling out every medicinal pill he had obtained from the Alchemy Bureau, letting Crimson Sun choose for herself. Then he took out a heap of food, fruit, and several bottles of mineral water for everyone to eat and drink, working with great enthusiasm.

Under the eyes of the entire crowd, these several Netherworld spies calmly sat down on the ground within the encirclement, eating, drinking, talking, and laughing. The demons grew impatient with waiting, but they were so intimidated by Jade Abyss’s “lewd authority” that they had no choice but to send members of their tribes back to deliver messages and summon reinforcements.

“You must have heard of the theory of the Five Elements, haven’t you?”

Crimson Sun swallowed an Essence-Nourishing Pill and circulated her spiritual power in secret. She quickly realized that her injuries were too severe for the pill to have any real effect, but she refused to let it show on her face, afraid that Stone Army would worry.

Watching Crimson Sun heal herself, Stone Army’s attention soon shifted to something else. He asked, “By the way, you… how did you get hurt?”

Crimson Sun did not answer. She slowly surveyed their surroundings before continuing with what she had been saying. “Water generates wood, and earth overcomes water. That is merely the basic cycle of mutual generation and suppression among the Five Elements. Within the greater scope of the Five Elements, however, wood can also overcome water. Of course, this does not mean that the spells of our Netherworld are inferior. As the saying goes, ‘Every measure has its limits, and every inch has its strengths.’ When the powers of both sides are evenly matched, this cycle of mutual suppression becomes the key to defeating one’s enemy. Unfortunately, you have practiced for too short a time and still do not know how to employ the appropriate spells according to the circumstances. In time, you will naturally remember.”

There was something rather strange about Crimson Sun’s words, but Stone Army failed to notice. He pressed her again, “I’m asking you—how did you get hurt?”

“I did it.”

Floating Yao suddenly cut in from the side. “I secretly harmed Sister Crimson Sun with Affliction Powder and sealed her spiritual power, so…”

“Forget it. You cannot be blamed.” Crimson Sun spoke gently. “You did not trust me then, and my attitude was not very good either, so… In any case, I understand. This poison is powerful, but once I return to the Netherworld, I have my own way of breaking it. Don’t worry.”

Floating Yao turned her head away without speaking. Tears swirled in her eyes before finally spilling down her cheeks.

* * * * * * * *

Stone Army sighed, not knowing what to say. He knew nothing about the whole affair. Though Crimson Sun appeared calm and unconcerned, he could not shake the ominous feeling in his heart, yet he had no idea what he ought to do.

“Wait, Crimson Sun! I just remembered something. Look at this—will it help?”

Stone Army suddenly brightened. He removed the Netherworld token from around his neck and handed it to Crimson Sun. “Big Brother Night Demon came looking for me to borrow this. He said the ghost spirits inside were very powerful and could help us.”

Crimson Sun showed no particular surprise. She accepted the token, examined it carefully, then smiled faintly and handed it back to Stone Army. “So you’ve found all six ghost spirits?”

“Er…”

Stone Army felt a little guilty and did not know what to say. He was unwilling to lie only when he was with Crimson Sun.

“All right, stop worrying needlessly.” Crimson Sun smiled, seeming to have recovered considerably. She drew a small transparent comb from her robes and slowly combed her disheveled braid. “I’m going to tell you three things. You must remember them clearly.”

Though her expression was relaxed, her tone was serious. Stone Army immediately focused and listened intently.

“First, the ghost spirits within the Netherworld token must never be released in the Demon Realm!”

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“Why?” Stone Army stared at her in astonishment.

Crimson Sun gazed deeply at him. “Let me ask you this. Suppose you had been locked in a prison for years, and the only times you ever saw daylight were when your master released you to carry out his commands. Then, one day, you suddenly regained your freedom, only to discover that you had arrived in a new place—a place your formidable master could never reach. What would you do?”

Stone Army answered without thinking. “I’d be happy! I’d run away!”

“Exactly.” Crimson Sun smiled softly. “They would do the same.”

“If that’s the case, then I’ll just release them all,” Stone Army said without hesitation. “Even if they don’t help us, regaining their freedom would still be something worth celebrating.”

Crimson Sun let out a quiet sigh. A trace of sorrow flickered through her eyes as she looked deeply at him. “You… The Demon Realm and the Netherworld are mutually hostile. If you release them here, would you truly be helping them, or would you be harming them?”

Stone Army had not considered that. He scratched his head. “You’re right. I forgot about that part. Then I’ll release them after we return to the human world.”

“Think everything through before you act,” Crimson Sun said indifferently. “If you can be certain they bear no ill will toward the human world, then do as you please. I’ll simply pretend I never knew.”

“Ill will?” Stone Army immediately thought of the wicked things the Devourer Spirit had done with him. His heart tightened, and he secretly congratulated himself for not acting rashly and ruining everything. “You’re right. Those fellows really are difficult to deal with. Ah, I can’t tell whether they bear us any ill will either. By the way, you should know them better than I do. Why don’t you decide for me? As long as you agree, we’ll release them.”

Crimson Sun smiled sweetly. “What difference does my agreement make?”

“Of course it matters!”

The words had barely left Stone Army’s mouth when he suddenly grew embarrassed. He stole a glance at Crimson Sun and noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed as well. He quickly looked away and stammered, “If the ghost spirits can’t be released casually, then why did Night Demon still ask to borrow the token?”

Crimson Sun looked somewhat puzzled too. “I don’t know. But he must have been deceived by someone with malicious intentions…”

“Malicious intentions?” Stone Army was startled. “Could someone be trying to harm you?”

Stone Army had seized upon the heart of the matter so sharply that Crimson Sun was mildly surprised, though she did not wish to reveal it. “How could that be? I think… perhaps someone was merely playing a joke on him?”

Who could possibly joke about something like that? Stone Army did not believe her at all. Yet Crimson Sun clearly did not wish to continue the subject, so he let it go. “Then… what’s the second thing?”

“Yes, the second thing. See what happens when you interrupt me!” Crimson Sun chided him, though it was obvious she was not truly angry. “The second thing is that you must never easily trust anyone.”

“Anyone? Isn’t that a little too broad?” Stone Army said with a smile.

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Crimson Sun spoke solemnly. “Don’t be so careless. Everything I’m saying is for your own good!”

“That’s difficult. Surely I can trust my mother, you, and the Sea, can’t I?”

Hearing Stone Army place her alongside his own family and friends showed that he already regarded her as someone he trusted absolutely. Crimson Sun froze for a moment. A thread of guilt and tenderness rose within her heart. Her beautiful eyes rested on Stone Army, and for a long while she said nothing.

* * * * * * * *

Floating Yao sat on the snow several steps away from Stone Army and Crimson Sun, taking tiny sips from the mineral water Stone Army had brought. Her long jade-green hair shimmered in the sunlight with dazzling brilliance. Wearing a complicated expression, she stared blankly at Stone Army and Crimson Sun as they leaned toward each other and spoke in low voices, sinking into thought.

Because of the sudden upheaval, she had become a “traitor” in the eyes of Spring Lady and Le Tu overnight. At that very moment, her grandfather had suddenly disappeared as well. Unable to defend herself, she had been on the verge of public execution when Crimson Sun and Little Troublemaker had suddenly appeared and rescued her and A Li. From then on, she had been forced to flee alongside Crimson Sun.

Her once peaceful life had fallen apart the moment Crimson Sun appeared. Floating Yao had originally been the granddaughter of a clan chief respected by everyone, but in the blink of an eye she had become a “Netherworld spy” whom the entire clan wanted dead. No one was willing to give her even a chance to explain herself. Even her grandfather—the one person who could have proven her innocence—had been framed by Spring Lady, gravely wounded, and left hovering between life and death.

If she wanted to prove her innocence, she first had to stay alive. After agonizing over it, Floating Yao had no choice but to embark upon a life of flight. Along the way, she and her pursuers had fought battle after battle, each one fraught with danger. Fortunately, she had encountered her unlikely friend Purple Reed, who concealed them in a snowy valley. Only then had she been able to catch her breath and hope for calmer times, when she might devise another plan.

At first, she had hated Crimson Sun from the depths of her heart. Yet circumstances forced them to “weather the same storm,” and whenever she thought of it, she wanted nothing more than to cut the wicked woman who had utterly destroyed her peaceful life into a thousand pieces.

But as they traveled together, she discovered that although Crimson Sun’s manner was always cold, she was never truly bad to her. Several times, when danger struck, Crimson Sun had risked her own life to save her without hesitation. Floating Yao was an exceptionally clever girl. After her initial anger and grievances had subsided, she gradually calmed down and began analyzing the truth of the matter—

I am merely a demon of ordinary cultivation, with no special value to exploit. Would the Netherworld really send a spy to spread such an enormous lie merely to frame me? If this was all a trap designed to kill Grandfather and me and smoothly seize the position of clan chief, then why would Crimson Sun save me again and again, even going so far as to suffer severe injuries for my sake? Besides, Grandfather himself admitted that my father was from the Netherworld that day. Thinking back carefully, neither his tone nor his expression had seemed as though he had been bewitched by medicine or magic. If all of this was true, then…

Floating Yao glanced at Crimson Sun, who was pale yet gazing at Stone Army without a care in the world, a faint smile on her lips. For some inexplicable reason, warmth suddenly welled up in Floating Yao’s heart.

This woman called Crimson Sun was, after all, a good person! Though she was a spy from the Netherworld and a complete stranger to me, she had still been willing to risk her life to save me when I was in danger…