Tales Of Ayakashi

CHAPTER 6

Black Onyx King exhaled a puff of smoke, as he looked at his brother, his red eyes unusually grim. "This time you've really pissed off a big-wig,"

Ayakashi sneered. "Heh! You can't live in this world without offending anyone. I didn't get here by being nice to people," 

"Ah...and that's exactly what's going to come and bite you back," Black Onyx King said pulling out his pipe. 

"Who is it?" Ayakashi asked. 

"Have you heard about the divine beast clans?" 

"Eh...mah~ I've heard rumors," Ayakashi said, his brows furrowing. 

"In the beast realm, they have four noble clans, much like the Yokai. You might've heard about them. The Dragon clan, Tiger clan, Phoenix clan and the black tortoise clan. Or that's how it goes according to the strength ranking. Their shape-shifting techniques are much like how the yokai shape shift, but there's one glaring difference. Us, Yokai can only shape shift when we reach immortality in our cultivation," Black Onyx King explained. 

Ayakashi's eyes narrowed. "The beast clan can shape-shift from birth, is that right?" 

"Yeah, they can," Black Onyx King nodded. 

"He~h? Interesting. Then? Who did I offend that had made you so cautious?" Ayakashi tilted his head, smirking. 

"Have you heard about the beast king?" Black Onyx King answered with a question. Ayakashi was a thrown off course and he frowned. "The beast king, eh? Not that I know much, but he must be pretty powerful, right?" 

Black Onyx King nodded. "Almost as powerful as the Heaven Sovereign, I heard." 

Ayakashi's  eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. "Oi? Are you serious?" 

Black Onyx King shrugged. "At least that was how powerful he was 1000 years ago," 

The room descended into silence. Neither of them spoke. Ayakashi crossed his arms over his chest as he frowned. 

Behind him, flecks of sunlight filtered in through the open screen, and the morning breeze rushed over him, playing with the loose tendrils of his hair. Black Onyx King, who was standing leaning against a wall directly in front of Ayakashi, squinted and turned away from the sunlight, as it fell into the room. 

Ayakashi pursed his lips, pondering. "How did I managed to offend such a guy, anyway?" he asked. 

Black Onyx King closed a single eye, as he thought. "Who knows? Maybe you pulled one over him back in the day and he decided now was the time to come collect the past debt?" 

"No, for some reason, I can't imagine someone as powerful as him causing such a ruckus huge enough to have both Yamanuki and you come here to warn me over something like that," Ayakashi said, worried. 

Black Onyx King nodded. "True, but then again, he was rumored to be somewhat of an eccentric. It would be just your luck if the guy happens to hold a grudge. But... don't worry," he said, exhaling. "It's just rumors at this point, anyway," he put his pipe into his mouth as he mumbled around it. "I have a few of my subordinates keep an ear to the ground, but so far, everything was just smoke and no fire," he said, trying to sound reassuring. 

Ayakashi's brows furrowed in worry. "I wouldn't be worried if it were just me," he said, after a while. 

Black Onyx King's eyes widened and he looked at Ayakashi, shocked. His hair was covering his eyes, hiding his expression, but Balck Onyx King knew that his brother was quite serious. 

"Is it that serious?" he asked, worried for Ayakshi. 

Ayakashi bowed his head, then gave a slight nod. Black Onyx King's hand that was holding the pipe trembled. "You do know what happens to plant demons when they assume a human form, don't you?" he asked, cautiously.