After finishing the call with his brother, Yixuan left his room in search of his father to share what Yichen had revealed. The news left them both deeply unsettled, raising concerns about urgent matters that could endanger their family and the community at large, due to reasons still shrouded in mystery. After a brief deliberation, they decided to split the group into smaller teams. Since they had brought with them a considerable group of the second branch of the family, they planned to investigate the talismans found in the places where the most serious incidents had occurred. Its objective was to determine if any of the talismans drawn by that teacher were found in said sites.
Although the allegations remained unconfirmed, they recognized the importance of continuing the investigation in case the worst turned out to be true. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yixuan requested permission to examine the talismans in the place where his previous case had taken place, accompanied only by a distant cousin. He chose this option because he knew he could trust his good friend to keep the secret if necessary. However, Yixuan had another motive: he was determined not to miss the opportunity to discover the origin of the voice that had spoken to him the night before.
Once the preparations were completed and the research areas were properly assigned, they set off. Later, all the teams would meet in the office to share the information collected, whether minor or highly relevant. Depending on their findings, they would decide what steps to take, if any. The proximity of Mount Takao made the Yixuan's journey briefer than the rest. However, the hike itself proved as taxing as it was breathtaking.
"Xiao Xuan, do you think we'll encounter anything dark here? I mean, I get that there are spirits in places like this, but these mountains... they feel purified. Almost as if something ancient and powerful has been guarding them," his friend, Shen Ruilin, mused, walking a few steps behind Yixuan.
The second branch of the Zhuo family was made up of relatives linked to the main family through marriages over the generations. The Zhuo residence was large enough to accommodate anyone who wished to join, so everyone was welcome to live there. Likewise, they were given opportunities to work in the family business without requiring any financial contribution.
The only requirement was to abide by the rules and follow the leadership of the main family. There was no resistance to this system, as the Zhuo family was known for its uprightness and fairness in treatment. They simply did not tolerate mistreatment or abuse. Therefore, everyone maintained a good relationship with each other.
"Worshipped sites enjoy a unique protection, strengthened by centuries of prayers. Only the most powerful spirits can break the tranquility that such devotions have forged, and even then, such disturbances are rare. However, the presence of tainted talismans could explain any disturbance. And if not, it's still a clue worth investigating. Stay alert and keep looking for anything out of the ordinary," Yixuan advised, occasionally shifting his gaze to the protective talismans that surrounded them.
Trusting his instinct, he let himself be guided towards the area that seemed to demand his attention the most after several hours of walking through the forest. At first, just as on his first visit, nothing seemed unusual to his cousin. There were no strange talismans, no spirits lurking in the shadows, no eerie atmosphere. However, for Yixuan, that pulsating sensation was still very much alive as they approached the place in question.
As they got closer to the point where the disturbance was most intense, Shen Ruilin began to feel it for the first time as well. They stopped and looked around in the hope of identifying the source, but they found nothing out of the ordinary. There was no indication that anything sinister was happening there.
"Xiao Xuan, I owe you an apology for joking along with others about your feeling something off in these mountains. You were absolutely right, as sharp as ever. There has to be something here; I can feel it now," Ruilin commented with a hint of shame for not supporting his friend this time.
"I make the joke about it myself, so there's no need to apologize. Plus, we are dealing with the kind of things we haven't encountered before, so it would've been hard to notice anyway," Yixuan replied.
"But you did, Xiao Xuan, which proves that the main family talent is exceptional for a reason," Ruilin said, giving Yixuan a gentle tap on the shoulder. Yixuan chuckled.
"My father didn't sense it either, Xiao Lin," Yixuan noted, though his cousin only smiled with pride.
"That means you're just as special as your Didi. I know you adore and admire Xiao Chen, but as your cousin and friend, let me tell you: you're not inferior to him. Even if you've never thought about it—because Xiao Chen is the apple of your eye, and your bond with him has always been free of rivalry or inferiority since childhood—I think it's still good for you to hear it, just in case. As the older brother who is calm, talented, and an excellent leader, you are one of the strongest pillars holding up the Zhuo family," Ruilin said with sincere admiration. Yixuan smiled warmly at him, though deep down he wondered why his cousin seemed to think he lived in his brother's shadow, when in reality, they had always stood side by side.
"Thank you, Xiao Lin. Truthfully, I couldn't wish for a better family to be a part of, but just to clarify something, our parents have always made sure that Xiao Chen and I always treasure each other as brothers, because that is the most important part of being a family. Talent means nothing if you have no support when you need it most." Yixuan pointed, and Ruilin agreed.
"Your parents got that right, because, no offense intended, your brother, despite being a monster in terms of spiritual power, faints when he overuses his power. So he indeed needs the support when such times come, which is usually you or Yun Guang." Yixuan smiled at that before he focused back on their investigation.
"Let's see if we can uncover what's hidden here." Yixuan infused several talismans with his spiritual energy, sending them out to see if any concealed formations could be revealed, but nothing changed.
"Still nothing? That seems impossible; I can sense something, even if faintly. Xiao Chen warned us about demons, right? Real ones, like the one that attacked Qinghe town. Could this be another demon in hidding?" Ruilin asked, pulling out a thermal device from his backpack to check for any temperature changes that might guide their investigation.
"I honestly don't know. Perhaps we should look beyond equipment or talismans. Our eyes can deceive us, so I think it's time to awaken the third eye. I'll activate it for a few minutes and explore while you cover me in case anything unexpected happens." Ruilin agreed and readied a set of talismans, prepared to use them if necessary.
"Be mindful of your time when using it, as forcing an awakening of the third eye consumes a significant amount of spiritual energy that only a few can withstand, as it's no longer a natural gift." Ruilin reminded him, prompting a slight smile from Yixuan.
"I know, but I got the feeling this is the right way to find the mystery of this mountain. Stay sharp and ready, and I will take care of the rest." With that, Yixuan started to perform a series of specific spiritual hand seals to awaken his spiritual sight for a short period of time.
The first sensation he anticipated in the spiritual realm was the energy that flowed like a river, touching everything—from trees and rocks to soil and even the air itself, infusing the place with an otherworldly essence. It had appeared this way during his training sessions with the monks, as though he was within a world that moved at a different speed and frequency than their own. Here, even falling leaves left a trace of their descent, the wind carried a unique resonance, and the air smelled almost smoky.
With each breeze, translucent currents were unveiled. Trees were interconnected underground by immense veins of blue-green light, their roots pulsing slowly like breathing lungs. The moss on the stones emitted a faint green glow, interwoven with numerous flowing threads. Yet, his immediate attention was drawn not to these sights, but to a deep voice that seemed to ride upon the weighty wind.
"Yixuan..." the male voice called, causing Yixuan to turn around, uncertain of its source. A wave of energy then swept through him like a phantom—cold, yet neither piercingly chilling nor unpleasant. He turned again and focused his gaze on a section of the mystical forest, into an area that felt as out of place as he did.
In that area, unlike the rest of the realm, the energy seemed to skirt around rather than pass through it, as if deliberately avoiding the thicket of woods. It felt as though the resonance existed on a separate layer entirely. Everything seemed to bypass this place much like oil avoids mixing with water. There was also an intense pressure emanating from the woods that induced an unfamiliar discomfort in him since his arrival in that realm.
Despite this, it was precisely this sensation he had been searching for. Even though the short walk to get closer felt like moving through water, exhausting and breath-stealing, leaving behind afterimages of himself in the process, he pressed on, aware that his spiritual energy might soon be overwhelmed. He especially urged himself even more when the voice called his name for a second time.
"Zhuo Yixuan... Almost there, come..." The voice pressed and his heart pounded, not from the strain of the environment but from anticipation.
Since he had first heard the male voice call to him, something within him had been bouncing with excitement. It felt as though he was on the brink of unraveling a mystery that resonated personally more than professionally. The man who called him seemed to know him, or at least he knew his name, and that alone intrigued him. The question of how this entity knew his name fueled his desire to find him, curiosity overtaking him.
While there were indeed powerful spirits capable of reading memories, they typically required close proximity. In that particular case, despite the distance of several miles, the voice was able to resonate with him as though it had been waiting for him all along. Rather than fear the unknown, Yixuan felt drawn to it, fascinated by the depth of the mystery. Yet despite this, he remained cautious, keeping alert for any real danger that could emerge from the shadowy trees.
Despite how exhausting it was, Yixuan stepped closer to the trees, slipping between their tightly packed trunks that encircled a vast ring. At the heart of this circle, he saw a powerful seal. Bright, crimson symbols adorned a mysterious dark dome, casting an otherworldly glow over whatever lay beneath. Even with the keen perception of his third eye, he could not pierce its veil. The energy from the spiritual realm, too, seemed to fail to go against it, deepening the enigma that shrouded the seal.
"What kind of seal is this one?" Yixuan whispered as he gazed at the enormous dome. It pulsed with a power that must have been ancient, for the symbols constantly surrounding it bore no resemblance to those he had seen in the ancestral scrolls—and the monks of Mount Kunlun possessed an immense library dating far back in the past. Now, he wondered why no one else had noticed it until he stumbled directly upon the source.
"Who are you?" Yixuan asked the one sealed within the dome, hoping for a clue regarding his identity or, at the very least, a name. After all, this mysterious being had summoned him there initially. Surely, it owed him some answers, and as he gazed at the seal, Yixuan felt he needed plenty of them.
"I can answer all your questions if you help me escape from this seal," the voice said, and if Yixuan's energy wasn't depleting, he might have laughed.
"I'm afraid that's not the way humans do things, stranger. Helping our own kind is expected, but coming to the aid of someone who's been sealed away for reasons unknown and for who knows how long is not something to be requested lightly. Humans aren't known for their generosity in such matters. As a ghost hunter, it is both my duty and my calling to protect humanity. Surely, if you seek assistance, the least you could do is provide a name," Yixuan insisted, feeling an unseen entity's smile despite being unable to see it.
"Of course, you should still value propriety. I suppose certain things remain the same while others change. Still, I'm glad you are less trusting this time, even if this means my doom. See if you can recall my name, Zhuo Yixuan, as I have never forgotten yours. I'm also curious if there's any trace of my existence left in you," the voice added with a hint of sadness. Yixuan frowned, caught off guard by such an absurd question.
"Why would I know your name? Whatever you may be—a powerful spirit or even a demon—I've never encountered you before, of that I'm certain." The one on the other side sighed.
"Indeed, we haven't crossed paths this time. However, since I have a long lifespan and the fact that this seal is ancient even under the scrutiny of your third eye, then the reasons for how I know your name and called you here are now limited. Zhuo Yixuan, your caution is justified, but I'm certain that circumstances in your time are far from ideal. Even from within this seal, I can sense that things are deteriorating rapidly. If you truly are a ghost hunter now, then your world is in a race against time." The stranger said and even if Yixuan could not trust him out of the blue, there were indeed living in dire times, and deep inside there was the fear that Luo Ming really had nailed something no ghost hunter or the world was ready to face.
"I cannot remain here for much longer, but I know where you are now. We will resume this conversation soon," Yixuan declared, and the stranger hoped for it with all his heart.
"I will wait; it's not as if there's anything else I can do. I've already been waiting for you for so long, and another minute won't matter. I just wished you had found me sooner... much sooner..." The stranger's voice carried a deep sorrow that inexplicably stirred a sense of nostalgia in Yixuan. Yet, he couldn't afford to linger. He deactivated his third eye and collapsed to the ground, as though he'd sprinted for miles back into the human world.
Shen Ruilin was immediately by Yixuan's side, offering him a pill to help replenish his depleted spiritual power, which Yixuan gratefully accepted and swallowed. He was still too weak to walk the short distance to where the stranger was due to the lingering side effects of activating his third eye, which so far only his brother could use naturally, but he knew the effort had been worth it.
"Xiao Xuan, did you discover anything out there?" Ruilin inquired. After Yixuan took a few deep breaths, he smiled at his cousin.
"I did. Help me up; we're not far. Just a bit further to the left," Yixuan directed. Ruilin gently lifted him to his feet, draping Yixuan's arm over his shoulder to support his weight as they moved toward their destination.
"Did you find out what the distortion was?" Ruilin couldn't hide his curiosity.
"A seal, a very ancient one," Yixuan revealed, prompting Ruilin to pause and look at him in surprise.
"A seal? How could something like that have gone unnoticed for so long in a place like this? Hundreds of people have traversed these mountains, many of them monks on pilgrimage who are usually keenly aware of such things," Ruilin questioned in disbelief.
"Strange, isn't it? Yet, for some reason, the one who had been sealed here was waiting for either the right moment or the right person to make contact," Yixuan explained, still puzzling over why the stranger had chosen him specifically.
He was skeptical about whether he actually knew him from a time long past, but his brother had admitted that he had glimpsed his own history and that Zhu Yan was part of it, now sealed away. So, what were the chances that this stranger, also sealed, had a role in that past? Was he being honest? Were he and his brother tangled up in something from their past that was resurfacing now?
"Xiao Xuan, you're not actually thinking about trusting a demon, are you?" Ruilin asked with concern.
"It's not about trust, but gathering more information we can verify now that we're ready to dig even into our family history." Yixuan replied.
The stranger was likely a demon, and since he had asked Yixuan to name him, Yixuan figured he could take the opportunity to use someone else's name and see if it triggered a reaction. Zhu Yan was apparently a powerful demon in ancient times, so if this stranger was from that era, he should recognize the name. He might be let down if he didn't remember his name, but if Yixuan can confirm a connection, it could provide a valuable lead for his brother to follow up with the real Zhu Yan and possibly get more answers.
Slowly but surely, they made their way toward the dense ring of trees. Once they squeezed through, they were met with a massive distortion in their sight. It resembled looking into crystal-clear water at the river's edge. You could see the trees beyond, but the space in between was all wavy. It was clear something was there, yet none of them could pinpoint exactly what it was, not even the traces of the seal Yixuan had seen in the spiritual realm.
"What should we do about this? Should we reach out to your dad?" Ruilin asked, unsure if they should handle the discovery on their own or call Zhuo Yiran for help.
"No. Honestly, Xiao Lin, there's one thing my father still doesn't know about what Xiao Chen told me. Let me take care of this for a bit, and if it doesn't work, then we can call him," Yixuan replied calmly, and Ruilin had no reason to argue. He had always trusted Yixuan and followed his lead, so he wasn't about to change that now.
"Okay, how can I assist?" he offered.
"Just help me get close enough to the distortion and let me sit in front of it. Then step back; if anything changes around the seal, any kind of change that feels threatening, we both need to get out of here fast. Agree?" Yixuan asked, and his cousin assented.
Ruilin helped him settle near the distortion, careful not to let him get too close. He planned to keep a watchful eye on him, but he wouldn't interfere with whatever he was up to unless it became necessary. So, he leaned back against a nearby tree and observed his cousin work his magic.
Yixuan shut his eyes and tried to connect with the stranger, not in a forced or desperate way, but with a touch of reasurance. He quickly sensed that presence nearby again. There was a pressure that Yixuan believed came from the seal, but it wasn't too much to handle. It felt more like a warning saying, "Don't get any closer," but it wouldn't do anything unless he actually crossed the line.
"You made it. Are you doing fine? I can feel your spiritual energy is pretty low," the voice echoed in his mind.
"That's part of being a ghost hunter. So, are you a demon?" Yixuan asked first.
"Indeed I am, but not the type that humans fear. I have no interest in harming your kind, especially not you. Let me ask you something in return. What is my name, Yixuan? Do you have an answer for me this time?" the voice replied, as Yixuan took a deep, calming breath before responding.
"I do. Is it Zhu Yan?" Yixuan whispered in his mind, and while he anticipated some sort of reaction, he was unprepared for the wave of mixed emotions that struck him like a hammer.
He could feel extreme sadness, relief, pain, mourning, longing, friendship, anger, betrayal, and even deep love. These were the emotions he could identify among the many that surged through him, something that shook him to his very core. He realized it wasn't a mental attack, hell, it wasn't even an attack at all, but rather his empathy had been triggered by him. Whatever Zhu Yan's name meant to this demon, it unleashed a torrent of strong feelings that had been bottled up inside him.
Yixuan's head was spinning from a mystery that suddenly said too much without a word. He collapsed onto his back, trying to sever the connection with the stranger as Ruilin hurried to his side, deeply concerned. Yet, as sick as he felt after forcefully disconnecting from the stranger, he could not indulge in weakness. He was aware of what his cousin might assume if he didn't quickly clarify the situation. So, swallowing his discomfort, he reached for Ruilin with urgency.
"This isn't a psychic attack, don't act rashly..." Yixuan whispered to Ruilin, his breath uneven.
"Are you insane?! Of course this is an attack! Just look at yourself!" Ruilin exclaimed, placing a hand on Yixuan's chest to attempt some healing. Though not his forte, Ruilin could manage the basics at the very least.
"You misunderstand; I accidentally connected with him through empathy. His emotions were just too intense for me to handle... He meant no harm," Yixuan explained in a rush. Ruilin glanced at his cousin before looking at the distortion less than a meter away, noticing that things had become even more chaotic.
"Understood, but you can't stay here any longer," Ruilin said as he scooped up Yixuan and moved him to safety. Answers could wait, but his main concern was to ensure Yixuan's safety and stability, allowing them to return later to complete what they started.
AN: Oops, Yixuan, you kind of overdid it, but hey! At least you can try again, and this time, maybe Li Lun's feelings will be delivered to you more gently. I hope you guys like it. There is more Zhu Yan-Yichen in the next one, or I can keep the focus on Yixuan and Li Lun for a bit longer. Let me know. Thanks for reading, and take care, until next time.