The Night Breeze Whispers Your Name

20. Too Good To Me

I gently laid Mu Ning's body inside an abandoned wooden carriage, and as soon as our physical contact was broken, my humanity switched off. A strong desire for revenge took control of me and I felt my red eye flickered with anticipation. I walked into the centre of the battle and shouted to people to retreat or die. Probably, they felt the demonic aura emanating from me because they listened to me obediently.

Good. Mu Ning wouldn't like it if I accidentally hurt common people.

I watched them retreat while dragging the others with them impatiently before focusing my attention to the Demon Valley freaks. They were a huge group of qi-deviants, lunatics, sorcerers, half-demons... As the real demons didn't bother to attack clans, handling the attackers was easy for me, especially when the curse mark was gone.

I closed my eyes and let the demonic power emit from me. The sounds of screams were soon heard as the freaks caught on inextinguishable fire. As they ran around with flames on them, I raised Mu Ning's sword and slashed them randomly with never ending hatred.

At dawn, I was done.

With exhausted steps, I walked into the main palace under the fearful yet admiring gaze of Mu people.

"I need some water and two sets of new garment," I said matter of factly. I wouldn't touch Mu Ning while being covered with that disgusting blood of the freaks.

Out of fear or gratitude I am not sure, but I got what I wanted. After an incense stick of time later, I left the palace, good as new. I was also given a huge bag which I didn't know was in it. On the road to the carriage, I got a horse and connected it to the carriage. Then I shifted Mu Ning into a safer position inside the carriage before I spurred the horse, taking my beloved Mu Ning away.

I rode and rode until I found what I was looking for. Gently, I gathered Mu Ning from the carriage and carried him to the riverside. There, I cleaned the remaining bloodstains and changed his robe with the green robe I took from the Mu palace. When I was content with my work, I carried him to the spot under a willow tree.

Mu Ning looked very peaceful and eternally beautiful among the sea of purple-blue Liverleafs. Indeed, I was a bit creepy, but I couldn't rip my eyes off him. With an undying enthusiasm, I kept watching him until the sun reached the top.

Then Mu Ning opened his eyes.

"Hong Huo?" he asked with a hoarse voice as he half-opened his beautiful eyes.

"Mnn," I replied, happy tears welling to my eyes. With a smile, I grabbed his arm and helped him to sit.

"What happened?" Mu Ning asked, confused, when he saw where we were, "how come I am alive?"

"The battle is over, the Demon Valley was defeated for good," I explained, omitting the fact that I did it alone. Ironically enough, the commander of the Five Alliance Army was the first to run away.

"You did it," he said with an all-knowing tone, "you both saved Mu and me," he said as he grabbed my hand.

I blushed profoundly in the face of the intimate gesture. Feigning a cough, I said "well, it was all thanks to you, if you didn't break the curse mark, I couldn't do it."

Mu Ning patted my hand as he shook his head, "you are being humble again," he said with a smile, then he frowned as if noticing something important. Gesturing at the surroundings, he asked "by the way, why are we here?"

"I wanted to give you a nice view when you opened your eyes."

Mu Ning gasped and directed a strange glance, "when you talk like this, I am confused."

"Like what?" I asked innocently as I had no idea what he was talking about.

"Like this," he repeated with wide open eyes, "as if you..."

"As if I...?"

"... feel something for me," Mu Ning explained finally, tilting his head downwards with apparent shyness.

I was silent for a second, trying to decide how to respond. I wanted to confess that I loved him dearly, but the fear of rejection covered my heart. I couldn't bear to see disgust in Mu Ning's eyes and if he said he didn't want to see me again, I would die.

"Hong Huo?" Mu Ning pressed lightly as the silence grew awkward.

"Would you mind?" I asked in the end with a shaky voice, my eyes refusing to meet his.

"Hmm?"

"Would you mind if I said I have... feelings for you?"

I heard him heave a sigh and my heart almost shattered to pieces. Almost. If he didn't pull me towards himself and smash our lips. A strange feeling seized me and I felt like dying out of happiness.

"Thank you," Mu Ning whispered when he pulled himself back.

"For what?" I asked in a daze, my brain refusing to function.

"For saving me," he said, cupping my face, "I would regret dying before I had a chance to confess my feelings."

I trapped his hands between my cheeks and hands, "so, you mean you like me too?" I asked with hesitation, fearing I was dreaming.

"How do I not?" Mu Ning chuckled softly, "you are too good to me."

"No, YOU are too good to me," I said and pulled him towards myself to capture his soft lips again.