Pei Sijing/Wen Xiao
The night was peaceful after such an extraordinary day of training. The intensity of both the failure and the success was still engraved in Commander Pei Sijing's memory. At that moment, she stood before the open door of her room, with Wen Xiao staring intently at her from behind. She held the bow Wen Xiao had given her on that special celebratory night—an excellent choice on her part—but, unlike usual, she held no arrows, only her own divine energy shaped into one. This unexpected awakening had opened up a whole new world to her and allowed her to understand her own divine energy.
When Zhu Yan began to undo the layers of her sealed core, she felt her inner energy, along with her body, grow stronger with each layer he removed, even though the side effect was pain and weakness for a day or two. Sijing was, then, certain that they were on the steady path toward the evolution of their humanity, into something closer to gods. Since according to Zhu Yan's explanation, that was the expected outcome, and that had assured her of a brighter future, in which they could face stronger demons, even if they came from the other side of the gate. She was sure, that all of them would become strong enough to protect humanity, as was their duty. However, she never, ever imagined that the potential hidden within her own core for so long, could be so mighty.
Not even in her wildest dreams, had she imagined that one day, she could create arrows with the energy of her own core, much less charge them with a considerable amount of power that flowed to her, as easily as she breathed. It was... overwhelming, and even more so with Wen Xiao's guiding her on every shot. Her presence in her mind was both calming and powerful, but Sijing could also sense that Wen Xiao, herself, was under an external influence. Most likely, the Baize goddess was awakening Wen Xiao's divine blood, just like the blood of the rest of the gods, when the power of Ying Long, drawn from his star's constellation, truly brought them to life.
"You look incredible, Sijing, like a warrior goddess sent to conquer all evil in the world with your divine energy, coming straight from heaven." Wen Xiao admired her perfect posture, the precision and control she always possessed, with a bow in her hand. Sijing smiled as she turned to face Wen Xiao. Her divine arrow vanished as she lowered her bow.
"You look amazing, yourself, Wen Xiao. Are those the same golden eyes Zhuo Yixuan had?" Sijing asked as they both entered the room and sat on the edge of her huge bed. Since their training ended, and they had time to rest freely, they had both tried to test their new abilities and understand them better. In doing so, Wen Xiao discovered that she could use her own version of Yixuan's golden eye, but hers were slightly different.
It turned out, that with her version of the divine golden eyes, she could not only see beyond illusions, but she could also see a few seconds into the future. That, along with their already established bond, could be temporarily shared, just as they had done before. It came at a price, like Wen Xiao suffering a severe headache later on, but in a life-or-death situation, those precious seconds of insight, could make all the difference, and Bai Jiu's healing abilities had also increased, so a headache was easy to get rid of.
"It's a little confusing. I can see what you'll do next, just a little, not very far ahead, but it's so surreal it's hard to believe." Wen Xiao sighed, as she lowered her gaze and closed her eyes to return her sight to normal. Sijing gently drew her closer while softly massaging her temples.
"Does your head hurt now?" Sijing asked as she continued her circular touch on the sides of her forehead. Wen Xiao smiled slightly, but relaxed under her care.
"Not really. It seems the more I need to see through the veil of possibilities, the clearer the vision becomes. But that will also make the pain more intense afterward." She explained, and Sijing gently kiss her forehead, before releasing her.
"That's fine. It's not like you'll be using this vision all the time, only when necessary. If you need to practice a little before going through the gate, do it for a few minutes every few hours. That will help you get used to it, but not enough to cause too much pain. There's no need to tire yourself out, unnecessarily. It's not like you're going into the demon world alone. We'll all be there, looking out for each other. This is a joint effort, and we've all become powerful enough to give even Zhu Yan a hard time." Hearing that, Wen Xiao's open her eyes, and she chuckled.
"That we did. I'm sorry we give Zhu Yan and Li Lun a scare, but oh well... the two bullied us before, so..." They both laughed a little more.
"Are you referring to Li Lun forcing us to behave like animals, or Zhu Yan giving you such a hilarious transformation?" Pei Sijing teased, and Wen Xiao pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. Sijing laughed, recalling that particular form, Zhu Yan had come up with. To be honest, it was the cutest and strangest thing she'd ever seen.
"It wasn't funny. He gave me mismatched features on purpose. He was worse than Li Lun, actually." Wen Xiao complained, and Sijing laughed even harder.
"Sijing! That was embarrassing!" And it was, Pei Sijing thought, but there was no need to bruise her ego now.
"I'm sorry... Zhu Yan just has a vivid imagination, that's all. But we all know he likes to tease around, and Xiao Zhuo is a prime example of that, so don't take it personally. He means well and has done a lot for all of us. It was thanks to him, by showing us how badly we could fail, that we were able to get to this point. He gave us that final push and was willing to pay the price. So don't give him a hard time, alright?"
"I won't. I was just pointing out that he was mean to me, nothing more. Now, tell me, what did you feel when we teamed up, and how did you figure out how to draw the power of the Ying Long stars to use as arrows? It was so amazing and unexpected that I was shocked to see it happen so naturally." Her curiosity was piqued, and Pei Sijing knew it meant a long conversation, so she got up and helped Wen Xiao to her feet too. Then she pulled back the covers, so they could both climb into the middle, rest on soft pillows, and warm themselves under the luxurious blankets.
Once in the comfort of their proximity, Pei Sijing told Wen Xiao everything she felt at that moment. The pull of a greater power, the faint presence of her god whispering spells of which he was unaware of, the feeling that she could harness Ying Long's power, then the sharpness that intensify when she bonded with Wen Xiao. The way of her guidance made her shots, not only more accurate, but also deadly.
Ultimately, it was at that moment, that they all truly united as one, with the thought of doing better than their last failure. Hearing Bai Jiu say with such heartbroken voice, how disappointed he was in himself for not being able to do anything, neither to save himself nor others, was their greatest motivation to prove that they could do much better. And thanks to that sorrowful confession, which wasn't so different from what the rest of them were thinking from their own poor performance, it was the cornerstone that cemented their resolve.
As they sat in that circle, cultivating the demonic energy offered by Zhu Yan (though it was actually Ying Long's), they pushed themselves even harder. No one wanted to hear Bai Jiu's disappointing speech again, no one wanted to fail, no one wanted to hold back Zhu Yan and Li Lun, no one wanted to give up, as their human world depended on them carrying out a successful mission. It was unacceptable for them to simply fall for illusions created by demonic flowers, so they deepened their cultivation and felt their bond deepen, too.
It filled them with Ying Long's energy, as if responding to their determination and desire to become stronger. And they seized the opportunity, all at once, joining their willpower to call upon their respective gods, their own blood. Then, they felt their cores resonate, growing stronger, allowing them to break through their own limitations and forge new rules. The rules that their new-found divinity, allowed them to be more than humans. The rules that gave them the opportunity to evolve, as Zhu Yan was already attempting, but faster.
It was such an overwhelming feeling, that it felt like a dream, a very powerful dream in which a dormant part of them awakened, but this time maintaining their core stability. Now, they obtained that divine protection, not only from the power Ying Long left behind, but also from the other gods who chose to give humans their blood to survive. They had begun to awaken, and from then on, they would only grow stronger.
After their long conversation, Wen Xiao seized the opportunity to take 'advantage' of her Commander, and kiss her senseless. Now, having crossed the line between Commander and subordinate, she dared to do so, forging a more romantic relationship. That night, they were alone in the room, and still feeling the deep connection, there were no excuses not to indulge in what they both desired.
Love was a powerful feeling, after all. And in a world where young people had to fight demons to survive, propriety or decorum were optional in her mind. Any day could be your last, every day could mean never seeing your loved ones again. There was so much to hold onto, so Wen Xiao lived free of expectations, even though her own father had his own regarding her.
Pei Sijing had been close to death once, and had almost lost her younger brother in that deadly fight, so she knew better than anyone how fragile life was. Therefore, she too defied expectations and was grateful for everything she had gained since being chosen to lead that wonderful unit. She was fortunate to have another family to care for and protect, and this time she would make sure not to lose any of them. And if she had found a lover when she least expected it, then that was the icing on the cake. A dream come true, when she had already resigned herself to being alone with her brother for the rest of her life.
However, the gods had given her more than one chance, and Siheng was on the path to becoming human again, or at least something more divine. All she needed now, was to move forward and never look back. Win or lose, there was no other path, but she had a real chance to set things right—for herself, for her brother, for Wen Xiao, and for everyone else.
Extra Especial 🥰 Pei Siheng/???????
Elsewhere that night, Pei Siheng sat on the floor by the sliding door leading to the balcony, a bottle of wine in his hand, gazing at the stars. Technically, he was still a human soul trapped in a puppet body, but since becoming part of the bonding spell, he had slowly begun to feel less like a puppet and a little more human.
Before, he felt nothing—no cold, no heat, no physical pain, no hunger, no exhaustion, no need for sleep. For years, all he had felt was the suffering of being a soul trapped in an look alike, wooden body. Unable to stay by his sister's side for long enough to matter or help her hunt demons, because his power was weak, and he could only use strings as weapons or a short swords. Nothing impressive, nothing that could truly harm a demon, nothing that could ease the heavy burden his sister carried over her shoulders.
But then, the spell was done, and finally, Pei Siheng felt alive again. The combined divine energy of so many different gods he had access to, began to ripple through his own wooden spell, set in motion by that cursed demon, who had nearly killed them all. Now he could feel, still less than what he desired, but enough to be glad he had endured that curse and loneliness, to had a real chance to become who he once was. In that moment, he could sense the energy emanating from the bond that nourished him and cultivate it. His threads were now strong enough to cut through anything—flesh, wood, metal, or stone. And best of all, he could start a new life and give his sister the freedom to embrace the chance she had at hand.
So, when his wooden skin began to transform into real one. When he began to feel pain and a little hunger, tiredness, and drowsiness. When he could bleed again and had fun, he secretly took one of Ying Lei's bottles of wine, carried it to his room, sat on the floor, and opened it, enjoying the sweet aroma of the wine. It was the second-best feeling so far, smelling and tasting it, surpassed only by the sensation of embracing his sister, and feeling her warmth, after a long period of numbness.
Pei Siheng savored the sweetness of the wine and embraced the heat that accompanied it. Something he had lacked in life, but he found it again with a broad smile, that felt neither stiff nor forced. He drank more, not caring if a little escaped from the corner of his lips. The sensation was exhilarating, and he hoped to get truly drunk. It would be hilarious if he went around and made a fool of himself and his sister had to scold him for his silliness. He smiled even wider.
"You sure are having fun by yourself." A voice to his right interrupted his thoughts, and Pei Siheng looked at its owner, surprised to see who it belonged to.
"Yun Guang? What a surprise. Aren't you supposed to be with Zhuo Yichen all the time? After all, he is your master." He pointed, but the ethereal and handsome young man simply approached, for the balcony of the second and third floors was a single, long one, overlooking all the rooms.
"My Master is in good hands, so he don't need me right now," he explained, sitting next to Siheng.
"Are you sure? Who knows? Maybe Zhu Yan will say something to Xiao Zhuo, that will force him to use you against him," Pei Siheng joked, and Yun Guang smiled.
"If that were the case, like in the past, I'd have even more reason to stay away from my Master hands. It's a given that he would never harm his boyfriend, even if he's sometimes tempted to. We all know Zhu Yan gets carried away a bit, more than is good for him." Yun Guang smiled again, and Siheng did too.
"True. They are both so chaotic, but they're perfect for each other. Now, tell me, are you alright? I know you took some of the damage during training too."
"Yes, but since I'm technically a sword, I can withstand backslashes without taking any real damage. I'm the core of the spell for that very reason, so there's no need to worry about me..." Yun Guang looked at Siheng more closely, as if trying to sense his current state.
"I suppose you're wondering about me now, aren't you? I'm fine too, more than fine. I can even taste this celestial wine and enjoy it, like I used to in the past."
"I'm glad for you. I know it's been a long time since you became a spirit trap within something unnatural, like me." Yun Guang's words shocked Pei Siheng to the point that he stared at him, as if he were insane.
"What do you mean by that? I thought sword spirits were more than that. You can change your form at will, right?" he asked, still surprised.
"Yes, I can, but nothing changes the fact that I am a sword, forged from a magical mixture of metal, bone, and blood, but in essence, still a weapon."
"Then, do you dislike what you are? You don't look like you do, to be honest." Siheng asked, taking a sip from his wine bottle.
"I don't. Ying Long was too kind, for even a sword to regret being forged. He gave me consciousness, the means for cultivation, the power to shift forms, and even granted me with a free will of my own. So I'm happy with who I am. I was just saying, that I understand how you feel, even though our experiences are different." Siheng sighed in relief, then smiled as he offered Yun Guang his bottle to drink from.
"Tell me, can sword spirits drink and get drunk?" Yun Guang blushed slightly, as he picked up the bottle and took a long swig of the sweet but strong wine.
"Yes, I can. In fact, I got drunk a few times, with Bing Yi and Ying Long when Zhu Yan was younger. I miss those times... they were both amazing gods, and it was fun to play with Zhu Yan when he was bored. That was before Li Lun joined us. We were a family... a strange one..." Yun Guang gazed at the stars with a mixture of melancholy and affection.
"Then, it must have been very hard for you to lose them all. I know it was Bing Yi who caused you to lose your memories of what happened to him in Crystal Valley, but you could have crossed the gate on your own, if you had wanted to."
"My connection with Bing Yi was served by his own will, so I became dormant afterwards, until Yichen wake me up," he explained.
"Why him and not Yixuan? I've always wanted to know the answer to that, ever since I saw you in your human form."
"The boy was special. He loved his brother so much, specially after his mother die, that he always pushed himself to the limit to impress him. He worked incredibly hard during his training, even when he could barely hold a sword in his small hands—my sword. For he would often pick me up late at night, when no one was around, and pray to grow stronger. Not only that, but he would also cry when no one else was looking. It reminds me of why I was created in the first place. So I granted him his wish."
"How touching... I was like that with my sister when I was younger. Always pushing myself to the limit so I could help her in the future. But I was a sickly child, and most of the time, I only ended up making things more difficult for her. However, somehow, I improved and became a demon hunter in her unit. Then, we ran into that cursed demon who was much stronger than all of us combined, and that's how I ended like this. That wicked demon intention, wasn't to spare me from death, but to make me suffer until I wished I were dead." That was the first time he open himself to those dark times and Yun Guang knew it.
"No one should have to go through such trauma. Here, drink some more." Yun Guang handed him back the bottle, still half empty, and Siheng gladly took it and drank, feeling oddly lighter.
"Luckily, all that is in the past, and I can start over. This time, I won't fail..." Yun Guang nodded in agreement.
"You won't. None of you will fail... I'll make sure of it, too. I owe, all your safety and happiness to Bing Yi and Ying Long. So I assure you, I'll bring you, as close to a god as possible." Yun Guang said, looking at him with those beautiful turquoise eyes that made Siheng blush for a few skipped heartbeats.
"Can I ask you something else? Are you the one channeling Ying Long's power into my bond?"
"Yes." He confessed, and Siheng bowed to him in deeper respect quite suddenly, that make Yun Guang move back a bit at their closer proximity.
"Thank you..." He keep his bow for a few seconds longer and Yun Guang, slightly tapped him on the back in acknowledgement.
"No need. How about we go get some more wine from the kitchen?" Yun Guang asked with a mischievous smile, which Siheng returned.
"That sounds good to me, but we need to be quick and stealthy. I'm warning you, Ying Lei and Bai Jiu are making up in the backyard." Yun Guang laughed.
"Alright, let's go..." And so they did.
AN: The girls are hot for each other too and Siheng found his soulmate? Let me tell you, they will get drunk. 😂😂 🥰 Thanks for reading and until next time, please take care.