At dawn, he set out once more, following the bartender’s directions.

And indeed, after pushing through the thicket of a small, gloomy forest, Fu Jing arrived at a field of rolling hills. Exhausted and relieved, he propped a hand against a nearby tree.

From where he stood, he had a great view of what lay ahead. The field was clear and bright under the moon, its vast expanse stretching into the distance—and at its heart loomed a dark yet majestic palace.

Fu Jing couldn’t help but gape in awe. Its sheer size made it seem rather close, but it would still take him at least an incense time to reach it.

Filled with resolve, he hopped down the small edge of the forest, ready to start his final trek. Before he could take his first step, however, a deep voice sounded beside him.

“There you are.”

Fu Jing came to an abrupt halt and whipped his upper body around.

Xuan Qi was leisurely sitting in a tree, one leg propped up with his arm resting on his knee, while the other leg swung idly in the air. He wore a wide grin with a grass stalk caught between his teeth.

Shooting the demon an icy look, Fu Jing immediately unsheathed his sword.

Xuan Qi nonchalantly jumped down from the tree. Just like before, he carried no weapon—aside from his claws, that is. As he strode toward Fu Jing, he spat out the grass stalk, his smile not fading in the least.

Without hesitation or warning, Fu Jing went for the first strike.

Xuan Qi easily dodged, feigning shock. “Woah, straight to business, huh?”

He chuckled and retaliated the attack with his claws.

After exchanging a few blows, Fu Jing had to admit this was definitely different from their clash in the human realm. Unlike their last fight, where he clearly had overpowered Xuan Qi, this battle seemed more balanced. They each dealt as many blows as they received, neither clearly superior or inferior to the other.

The demon was stronger, without a doubt, but a victory didn’t seem impossible. A manic grin spread across Fu Jing’s face, his heart filled with thrill and excitement and the confidence to win.

Xuan Qi also carried his usual smirk, smug as ever. But when a gentle breeze swept past them and strands of Fu Jing’s long, dark hair brushed against the demon’s face, Xuan Qi’s smile suddenly dropped. In less than a second, the balance between them dramatically shifted.

With startling speed, Xuan Qi broke through Fu Jing’s defences. In a single, fluid motion, he seized Fu Jing by the throat and slammed him against a thick tree.

Fu Jing gasped, feet dangling helplessly in the air. His sword slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground as he desperately slapped against Xuan Qi’s hand that held him in a tight grip.

Xuan Qi’s breaths came heavy and ragged as he glared at Fu Jing with a dangerously dark expression, his eyes accompanied by a red gleam. His stare was so intense that it sent a shiver down Fu Jing’s spine.

The demon had never looked this sinister before.

“You… what have you done?” Xuan Qi growled.

But even if Fu Jing wanted to speak, he couldn’t. He gasped for air as he clutched the hand that choked him, tears pooling in his eyes. It wasn’t until one tear found its way across Fu Jing’s cheek and dripped onto the demon’s wrist that Xuan Qi finally loosened his grip.

Fu Jing slumped down like a wet sack of potatoes, but Xuan Qi caught him with one of his strong arms before Fu Jing could hit the ground. Panting harshly and with trembling hands, he clutched Xuan Qi’s arms to find his footing.

Before he’d fully caught his breath, Fu Jing muttered quietly, “You were pretending…”

His head was bowed down, his long, black hair covering his face like a dark silk curtain. With tears streaming down his face, he looked like an utter mess and would rather die than be seen like this. He’d never shown weakness in front of others; this demon certainly would be no exception!

Xuan Qi was slightly dumbfounded. “What?”

“You were pretending!” Fu Jing repeated, this time louder and clearer, his voice raspy and raw.

“Pretending what?”

Furious at the demon’s feigned ignorance, Fu Jing raised his head despite himself. His bloodshot eyes were still wet with tears. “To be weak! You’re super strong! You just toyed with me!”

Xuan Qi looked down at him, his face sombre. He raised an eyebrow. “Why does that upset you? It’s not like it hurt you. If anything, it boosted your confidence.”

Fu Jing’s hands tightened around the demon’s arms. Fresh tears of frustration rolled down his face, but he didn’t care anymore. “It’s humiliating!”

Xuan Qi scoffed. “How naive can you be? Humans are the most wicked creatures of them all. There is plenty of dark energy in your realm that can be converted into demonic qi. I was never inferior to you.”

A chilling realisation dawned on Fu Jing, leaving him hollow.

So he’d been tricked after all.

Infuriated and disappointed, Fu Jing shoved Xuan Qi away and forcefully rubbed the tears from his face. “I’m going home.”

He turned to leave, but a tight grip around his wrist forced him to stop.

“No. I won. You come with me.”