His Demoness

51 ⚔️ Reunion

Stepping out of the boat, Xiaoyu stuck close to Zhijian's side. They approached the fortress slowly, noting the cracks in the blackened walls and the sturdy-built wooden gate in the middle.

Something struck at the ground, just mere inches away from their feet. It was an arrow – one that marked the line that they shouldn't cross.

Several figures emerged on the fortress walls. The guards bunched together to watch and draw their arrows at them.

"Trespassers – stay right there!" one of the men warned. "If you take another step, I promise that the next few arrows will be aimed for your hearts."

Instinctively, Zhijian grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him.

"We come in peace," he said loudly. "Please, we don't have anywhere else to go. We were ousted from our families."

The guards remained guarded, their wary eyes watching them. Nobody moved for a few seconds, until someone shouted an order.

"Drop your sword."

When Zhijian hesitated, the same man repeated his words. "Drop it. Now."

Zhijian clenched his jaw as he struggled with making a decision. Xiaoyu watched as he tossed his sword away with great reluctance, knowing how much his sword meant to him. When it clattered to the ground, they heard the sound of running footsteps followed by the creak of the fortress gate opening.

Two rows of guards came running out. They surrounded the pair in a circle, their swords were drawn and pointed at them – the unwanted guests.

Their leader – a stout, menacing-looking man – stalked up towards them and swept his gaze over their tired appearances. His eyes widened slightly when he realised they were just youths.

"Lost lambs?" he asked in a gruff voice. "Where are you guys from?"

"A village south of here, located right next to the Phoenix City."

"Well then... What brings you here to our humble home?"

Zhijian swallowed, the jut of his larynx bobbing in his throat. "We don't have a place to go anymore," he replied. "Our families forbid us to be together and we ran. We heard about this village from some of the folks in our town. Please, we don't have anywhere else to go."

With an inscrutable expression, the man appraised them from head to toe.

"Children nowadays..." He grumbled under his breath, shaking his head. "So impulsive."

With a flick of his fingers, he signalled to his guards to lower their weapons. "Come on," he gestured for the pair to move. "Follow me. I'll show you to the rest of our people."

They trailed after him. Xiaoyu stayed close to Zhijian's side, her hand gripping his clothes tightly while she took a moment to observe their surroundings.

From the outside, it was a rather shabby sight but once they were inside, it was different. Beyond the fortress gate was a small village of red cottages that glowed with warmth, surrounded by tall mountains raging on all sides. Men were occupied with their physical labour, women were huddled in groups as they chattered and worked on their chores. The sound of children's laughter filled the air.

No matter how old they were, there were smiles seen on every face.

"Don't be afraid. We're all very nice people," their guide patted Zhijian's shoulder. "Anyway, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Qu Hujiang. The leader of this small, humble village."

As the group headed deeper into the village, the more stares they received. When they stopped beside a campfire ring, a crowd had gathered around them. A buzz of excitement filled the air as the people observed Zhijian and Xiaoyu with interest.