When the worlds of the nine-tailed fox prince, the king of the diabolical realm, and the pure white dragon, renowned for his justice and kindness, collide, an extraordinary tale of love and harmony unfolds. At first, their realms seem incompatible...
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Wangji's POV:
The night was colder than I had anticipated, the air biting against my skin as we ventured deeper into the woods. I hadn't wanted to come especially not with Shizui, or any of the younger disciples. But when Shizui had looked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, pleading in that small voice of his, I couldn't say no. I had never been able to refuse him. Not when his gaze reminded me so much of him of Wei Ying.
Shizui had that same sadness in his eyes tonight, that same quiet desperation to be near me, to be involved in whatever mission the sect called us to. And I... I couldn't deny him. I had never been able to deny Wei Ying either. They were so alike in ways that both comforted and broke me.
The forest loomed around us, the trees swaying under the weight of the wind, and I could feel Shizui's small hand gripping my robes more tightly with each passing minute. His fear was palpable, almost as tangible as the cold night air. He had always been afraid of water, and tonight, our mission had led us to the very thing he feared most a lakeside village.
The sound of the water lapping against the shore was a cruel reminder of what lay ahead, and I could feel Shizui's body trembling beside me. I glanced down at him, his face half-hidden in the shadows, and my heart clenched. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't have to face his fear like this. But I had brought him, hadn't I? His soft voice, his pleading eyes...
I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head, letting my hand linger on his back in a silent promise. "It's alright, Shizui. A-Die is here. I won't let anything happen to you."
He nodded, but the grip on my robes didn't loosen. His eyes remained fixed on the water, and I could feel his heart pounding against his chest, quick and shallow. My arms tightened around him instinctively, and I wished, more than anything, that I could take his fear away. That I could shield him from the darkness of this world the way I had always wanted to shield Wei Ying. But just as I hadn't been able to protect Wei Ying, I couldn't always protect Shizui from what awaited him.
Beside me, Brother walked silently, his presence a steadying force as always. But even he seemed uneasy tonight. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made even the most seasoned cultivators wary. Though the younger disciples were ahead of us, laughing and chatting as if nothing were amiss, both Brother and I knew better. The forest was far too quiet, the breeze carrying something sinister with it.
"Stay close," Brother murmured, his voice low, barely audible over the wind.
I nodded, adjusting my hold on Shizui as we moved forward. The water shimmered darkly under the pale moonlight, and Shizui's breathing hitched, his grip tightening even further. I could feel his little body trembling more violently now, the anxiety rolling off him in waves. My heart ached for him, for this fear he couldn't shake.
And then, it happened.
A scream sharp, high-pitched, filled with terror ripped through the night, freezing my blood. I whipped around, my senses heightening as I searched for the source of the cry. The younger disciples, once so carefree, were now scrambling, their panic evident in the way they moved. The calm waters of the lake had transformed into a chaotic mess, the surface churning as something massive rose from its depths.
