WangXian Forever Book 8

Chapter 31 Ultimatum

This Demon was huge.

Way taller than Hui Gai, this one looked menacing and evil.

His black scales shone with a midnight blue glare in the moonlight, and he stared back with an obvious interest at Wei Ying. His eyes were of a deep red, the pupils a slash of black like a buttonhole. His tail was swishing behind him, and Wei Ying was reminded of angry cats just before they strike. He smiled horribly...calculating.

He was simply put, powerful.

His muscles were big and bulging, thighs like the trunks of the trees Lan Zhan liked to uproot now and again. His arms were like pillars of strength.

It oozed out of him like a physical presence, an aura that made Wei Ying want to leave, because he wasn't stupid.

But he forced himself to stand his ground, though his exhaustion wasn't helping at all. He could feel himself wavering, and he stood with his feet a little further apart to maintain his balance.

Whatever this Demon wanted, Wei Ying hoped he would hurry up, because he wasn't sure how long he could remain upright and awake now.

And yet he knew, he could not show any sign of weakness. This was an unfortunate time, but in front of him was an opponent who he had to beat.

"You must be quite powerful." Wei Ying said, wanting to break up the tension that was steadily rising.

The forest was thick with it, stifling and greedy.

Wei Ying really wanted to sit down. Lying down would be even better, but since the first was highly unlikely, the second was just a fantasy at the moment.

"Enough that I could destroy your friend, the current king." He spat out the last word with dislike and resentment.

"Of the Nether World?"

"Hmm."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I don't...not any more. Before I found out about..." He stopped speaking, as if catching himself from saying more than he should.

"What exactly do you want?" Wei Ying demanded. He swayed with fatigue, hating it when the Demon noticed.

His red eyes had lit up with interest.

"What is wrong with you?" He sniffed the air, and then carried on sniffing, and came closer.

Wei Ying wanted to step back, but he stood his ground.

And then he thought of Hui Gai, but it seemed the Demon also realised what he could do at the same time and faster than the speed of light, tossed four talismans into the air, effectively trapping them inside a bubble of energy.

Wei Ying sensed more than knew that no messages could get out of this protective barrier, no more than Hui Gai could sense where he was, because of it.

He was completely at this Demon's mercy now.

************

"I can't." Hui Gai said to Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan had asked Hui Gai to take him to wherever Wei Ying was...but he couldn’t sense his friend's presence anywhere...certainly not in this building any more.

"What about the room where he is?" Lan Zhan was desperate.

Hui Gai grabbed his shoulder and they teleported from the bottom floor of the drinking house, straight into that room. To their horror, Zago was passed out on the floor.

Hui Gai and Lan Zhan crouched next to her.

Hui Gai unwrapped a lollipop and held it under her nose...and she began to stir slowly, clutching her head.