Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR ISN'T EVEN HERE

"Can you be persuaded to set aside your differences, just for this one thing?" Yao Shen asks, not at all hopeful that he'll get a positive answer.

Xie Bian fans himself harder. "Are you under the illusion that I'll be the one to approach him first?"

Yao Shen decides it's in his best interests not to answer.

Turns out he doesn't need to, because Xie Bian takes the opportunity to go on a rant about how Fan Wujiu betrayed their solemn duty as Impermanences, and took sides on a petty squabble between gods, putting others before their lifelong bond and...

Yao Shen interrupts him. "Just what is the nature of your relationship?"

Xie Bian glares at him over the arch of his fan. "I fail to see how that matters, seeing that at present we don't have even a passing acquaintance."

He slams his fan closed and smacks it down on the table with such force that Yao Shen worries he's going to crush it under his palm.

"How long has it been since you've seen the Black Impermanence?" Yao Shen asks, tentatively.

He has a bad feeling about this.

"Ever since the five kings were sealed away. I tried to talk with him but he turned me away."

Oh, that's very bad. "Uhmm...did you see him, like with your eyes?"

"How could I? When he wouldn't let me?" Just talking about it seems to upset him, but Yao Shen is coming to a much worse realization.

"I think we should go to him now," Yao Shen says, getting up to his feet.

Xie Bian opens his fan again with an annoyed snort. "I think me and Fan Wujiu have nothing to say to each other."

"I think someone was counting on you being too proud to check whether Fan Wujiu was really acting of his own volition," Yao Shen says, losing his patience with Xie Bian's scorned wife act.

"What are you trying to say?" he asks, giving Yao Shen a suspicious look.

Yao Shen makes his way out of the pavilion, trusting that he's said enough to ensure Xie Bian will follow him.

---

Xie Bian does follow after him, and agrees to lead him to Fan Wujiu's private residence, but he complains all the way there about how Yao Shen is imagining things.

"He's the one who left the Wuji pavilion first!" Xie Bian says. "He left without as much as a by your leave. I've been going on assignments to bring down the souls of the deceased on my own! There's a reason why there's two of us."

The more Xie Bian complains the more convinced Yao Shen becomes that something must have happened to Fan Wujiu.

Why would he just start ignoring his role, and Xie Bian for so long? Why not explain his actions?

Xie Bian in all white and his towering hat attracts a lot of attention, but like Meng Po, most ghosts give him a wide berth, making it easier for Yao Shen and him to navigate the busy streets.

Youdu is a whirlwind of colour with all the paper lanterns swinging in the breeze, and the crackling fires of the street vendor's stalls. If electricity has made it do the Underworld the city planning committee must have decided it ruined the traditional character.

At least at street level, because the glass and steel monstrosities balanced on top of the leaning towers look to be equipped with all manner of modern convenience.

Yao Shen is surprised when Xie Bian walks into one of those towers. Entering through an unassuming wooden door, almost falling out of its rickety frame. He goes through two flight of stairs and knocks on a closed door.