Fated | Fangs Of Fortune [ZhuYi]

Chapter 25 : The Lantern Festival

Zhu Yan felt it the moment he stepped into the Demon Hunting Bureau—a familiar trace of demonic energy hanging thick in the air. His heart skipped a beat, a rush of panic flooding his senses. He didn't need to think twice. Yichen was alone.

"Li Lun!" Zhu Yan shouted, the name echoing through the dimly lit halls as he dashed toward Yichen's quarters. The lantern in his hand swayed dangerously, its flickering flame barely illuminating his frantic steps.

He burst into Yichen's room, the door slamming against the wall with a loud thud. Zhu Yan's sharp eyes swept the room, his gaze locking onto Yichen, who was seated by the balcony, a steaming teapot before him.

"He's gone" Yichen said, his tone maddeningly calm as he poured tea into his cup. But the way his hand trembled ever so slightly betrayed the truth behind his facade.

Zhu Yan dropped the lantern where he stood and crossed the room in an instant, his voice thick with urgency. "Are you hurt?" His eyes darted over Yichen, searching for any sign of injury, his hands twitching at his sides, ready to act.

"No" Yichen replied, his voice hollow and distant.

Zhu Yan's brow furrowed, his worry deepening as he crouched beside Yichen, forcing YiChen to meet his gaze. "Are you okay?" he asked again, his words softer now, yet more pressing, as if he could pull the truth from Yichen by sheer will alone.

For a moment, Yichen held his gaze, the weight of his exhaustion and pain unmistakable in the depths of his dark eyes. "No" he admitted at last, his voice a broken whisper.

Before Zhu Yan could respond, Yichen's body betrayed him. He doubled over, a violent coughing fit wracking his frame. Blood spewed from his lips, splattering onto the table and soaking into his robes.

"Yichen!" Zhu Yan's voice cracked, raw with panic. He reached out, gripping Yichen by the shoulders to steady him as his body trembled with each ragged breath. Without hesitation, Zhu Yan pressed his palm against Yichen's back, his fingers glowing with a faint scarlet light as he began transferring his energy.

"Don't fight it" Zhu Yan muttered, his tone firm yet soothing as his demonic aura enveloped Yichen in a protective warmth. The room seemed to hum with an otherworldly resonance as Zhu Yan poured his strength into him, his own breath growing heavier with the effort.

"Let the energy flow" Zhu Yan continued, his voice steady, "like wind moving a cloud across the sky, like light piercing through the darkness, like water flows downhill, Let it flow"

It didn't take long for Yichen's body to radiate a faint azure glow. The tea in the teapot and the water in the pond began to freeze, the air around them turning cold with the intensifying power.

Yichen's breathing began to slow, the tension in his body easing as Zhu Yan's energy worked to stabilize him. The bloodied swordsman leaned back slightly, his head lolling against Zhu Yan's shoulder as his coughing finally subsided.

"You idiot" Zhu Yan muttered under his breath, his voice thick with both relief and frustration. "Do you have any idea how close you were?"

Yichen let out a weak chuckle, strained but still tinged with his usual defiance. "I'm fine" he rasped, though the blood on his lips and the pallor of his face told a very different story.

"Fine?" Zhu Yan scoffed, his hand still pressed against Yichen's back as he poured the last of his energy into him. "You call this fine?"

Yichen, still half-dazed, glanced up at him. "What... what was that?"

Zhu Yan's gaze softened, though his expression remained serious. "I'm fulfilling my promise. That was a technique from the Bingyi Clan. You won't have to rely on your blood anymore. It was meant to wait until you were fully recovered but... it couldn't wait any longer."