WangXian Forever Book 8

Chapter 78 Demon Master

OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE, IF YOU WON'T KILL HIM NOW, I WILL! Zago threatened.

Wait. Hui Gai commanded.

Something in his tone made her become quiet.

So far, Hui Gai was aware that they knew next to nothing about Rumi. Nothing about where he had come from, nor what he was doing there in that market place when he had attached himself to Wei WuXian and the Other One.

This was his chance to find out.

But he had to be careful.

It was too easy to slip up and make a mistake...because he was certain that by the end of this conversation, one of them was going to die and it wasn't going to be him.

Hui Gai had never felt like this.

Usually his emotions were tame, easily controlled and harmless. But right now, cold revenge for a little boy, it flooded his system making him eager to spill blood.

This anger...no...it was far more potent than that. It was making him want to lash out at this Demon...but a little voice inside his head told him that it was this Demon's master...not him, who had killed Rumi's parents.

Just that thought alone stayed his hand.

"I bet you don't remember anything, huh?" The Demon was saying.

WHAT?? RUMI WAS THERE? WHEN THEY KILLED HIS PARENTS??

Zago was distraught at that.

Hui Gai was too, and glad that the simple shock of his words was nullifying any action Hui Gai wanted to take right now.

The evil Demon laughed again at the open shock in Hui Gai's eyes. He had been so surprised that he'd forgotten to mask what he was feeling.

"How?" He ventured, needing to know more.

"Do you remember your parents at all, little one?" The Demon sneered, taking his hand after Rumi shook his head silently.

He started walking around the lip of the crater towards the mouth of the cave. They still had a long way to go.

The smell of whatever acid and other gases present in the caldera were getting stronger as they progressed.

"Then let me remind you." He tapped on Hui Gai's bald head for fun. "Might jog your memory." He laughed as if he had just told a funny joke.

Hui Gai was this close to using his full strength and pushing the awful excuse for a demon into that foul-smelling pit. But he wanted to know what he was going to say.

"Your mother was the heir to the wisest demon clan of the Nether World, back in that time. She was so beautiful...and talented, and charming...sweet too."

Hui Gai thought this evil Demon was speaking as if he was half in love with her already.

"When she came of age, the whole of the Nether World was anxiously waiting, because tales of her beauty and prowess had crossed the lands. Everyone knew about Qiangda and her fame spread like wildfire. Her parents were worried that Yao Wang would hear of her beauty and come to claim her, so they locked her up inside a white tower to keep her safe.

"Demons gathered, protesting at this action. Her father had no choice but to host a ceremony. It was going to be a challenge, something so difficult for anyone to pass that her father would be justified in keeping her to himself.

"The day of the ceremony drew nearer and nearer, and suitors came from all across the lands. Not all of them were going to participate, because the show that was to come would be worth arriving to see it.

"In the end, there were twenty finalists. My Master was one of the few. He had recently tamed a JingLing and was granted three wishes. One of these, he had asked what the future held for himself and of course, my Master was a capable Demon. IS a capable Demon." He corrected himself, furtively looking around.

So, he's scared of his master, Hui Gai thought.

Just give me a sign, Zago begged, itching to kill him.

It's just getting juicy. Wait. Hui Gai told her.

They were around halfway to the mysterious cave now.

"Then?" He asked.

"Then, something even more unexpected happened. The ceremony was to last a total of five days. Each day, four contestants would be eliminated. On the last day, my Master won, victorious after killing all of his competition." The Demon continued.

Hui Gai made a face but changed it back to normal when the Demon glanced back at him.

They were travelling along a precarious path...more a trail of loose stones and debris, and one wrong footing could throw them into the pit of acid. Hui Gai was even more careful, making sure his weight was leaning away from the edge, because if the bigger Demon slipped, they would both fall in. He had to find a way to make the other let go...

"There was a fanfare and fireworks and everyone was celebrating. My Master asked to see Qiangda...to meet her before their extravagant wedding would take place. Her father made up all sorts of reasons as to why they could not, stating traditions previously unheard of. My Master became suspicious and threatened Qiangda's father...your grandfather, and then only, did he admit to the truth."

Hui Gai was really caught up in the story. He made a mental note to investigate everything this stupid Demon was telling him, memorising every single detail. Then he planned to tell Wei WuXian everything he had learned, because little Rumi deserved to know everything, everything about his family.

AND THEN WHAT? Zago shouted.

It seemed he wasn't the only one who was interested...

"The truth was, Qiangda was no longer in the White Tower. She had run away, eloped with the albino Demon in her care. They had fallen in love long ago...and now her father had sent out guards to look for her. But they had both disappeared."
The Demon finished, with a sly smile.

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A/N

Dear Beautiful Readers,

I've updated three times today! Woohoo...now it's time for work...see you later.

Charlie.