FRIVOLOUS SNOW

35|Servant

Yong Jie was sweating and he was thankful that the robes he was wearing weren't thick compared to his usual robes. The weather in HuangWu was hot indeed even the wind that blew in the place was hot to the skin. They didn't see any more houses as they advanced until they reached an area where the soil wasn't earth and grasses anymore but yellowish sand like a desert. Some plants and trees were struggling to stay alive and plants that could survive the harsh weather grew.

Two maidens were walking alone in the deserted area of HuangWu, half of their face was covered with a thin silk veil the same color of their dress.

Zi Xin giggled softly like a real maiden as he talked about the fictional man he really likes named Yong Xian, which happened to be the same name as Yong Jie's brother, so they could have a topic to discuss while walking and waiting for the demon to appear.

"Doesn't Xiao Qing likes that cold tempered man named Yao Xue?" Zi Xin said.

When did Yong Jie's name turn to Qing?

Yong Jie smiled behind the veil. "Where did Xiao An heard such rumors?" He too made up a name for Zi Xin.

Zi Xin raised his brows suspiciously. "Someone saw you two in the hot spring together!" He giggled.

Yong Jie just shook his head and chuckled softly. Zi Xin was about to say something again when they both felt another presence in front of them.

"Beautiful young maidens, sorry to interrupt your conversation with my sudden appearance."

A young handsome man dressed in violet and black robes suddenly appeared in front of them. Yong Jie was sure that the man wasn't there a moment ago. He had a friendly expression on his face but Yong Jie doubt that it wasn't the man's true face. Yong Jie was sure the man was the demon those victims were talking but Yong Jie couldn't sense any slight demonic presence or aura from the man.

"Don't young maidens know that walking alone in this country is dangerous? Didn't you heard about rumors going on about a demon eating beautiful women such as yourselves?"

Yong Jie fought from rolling his eyes. "Those were just rumors." Yong Jie chuckled.

The man chuckled and turned to Yong Jie. The man found the woman in pink robes beautiful despite half of her face was covered. The plum blossom on her forehead was beautiful and she had a pale and smooth skin behind the veil.

"So you don't believe those rumors?" The man asked.

Yong Jie secretly glanced at Zi Xin who suddenly grew silent. Maybe he sensed that it was the man they were luring and he felt scared after being in front of their prey.

"Not if we won't see that woman eating demon." Yong Jie giggled, taking the rumors as a joke.

The man in front of them chuckled loudly, amusement written in his eyes as he looked at Yong Jie. He wanted the woman.

"Do you want me to accompany you on your journey?" The man asked. "It would be dangerous with only two maidens walking around without a proper escort."

Yong Jie looked at the man who hadn't introduced himself yet.

"Proper escort?" Yong Jie asked and the man smiled, his handsome face was enough for a woman to buckle on her knees but Yong Jie wasn't a woman. "Young master hasn't introduced himself yet, how can we trust a stranger?"

The man acted surprised. "Oh! Apologies, beautiful maidens. I was distracted by your beauty that I forgot to introduce myself. This young master is called Zhu." He said and he turned to Zi Xin who looked away. Yong Jie frowned, confused whether the name Zhu was his surname or given name but he didn't bother to ask. Maybe he was only faking the name.

Yong Jie held Zi Xin's hand behind their robes feeling his hands slightly shaking. "These young maidens before young master Zhu are Xiao Qing and Xiao An." Yong Jie said.

"Young maiden Xiao An seems uncomfortable." Zhu reached for Zi Xin but Yong Jie pulled Zi Xin behind him.

"Apologies, young master Zhu. Xiao An is shy and quiet in front of strangers." Yong Jie said and Zhu stared at Zi Xin who refused to look back at Zhu as his hand continued to shake.

"Oh, what a shame. Xiao An is quite a beauty too." Zhu turned to Yong Jie and with a quick gesture of his hand, he pulled the veil that was covering half of his face as he said "excuse me," surprising Yong Jie.

Zhu sucked his breath seeing how beautiful Xiao Qing was. He planned to eat, as what the rumors said, both of the maidens but seeing it was a grave sin itself to end such a rare beauty. Zhu decided to spare Xiao Qing.

Zhu smiled, his smile reaching his ears. "I will spare you." He said as he looked at Yong Jie and before Yong Jie could react, Zi Xin roared and leaped from behind him and drew his sword, slicing Zhu's cheek who stepped back immediately.

Qing, that was concealed in Yong Jie's robes, went flying from its scabbard and attacked Zhu. Zhu only uses his fingers to stop Qing—or more like his long nails then another two swords that Yong Jie recognized went flying to Zhu. It was Mei, Yong Xian's sword, and Jinghua, Yao Xue's sword.

Zhu laughed loudly seeing two cultivators leaped from their hiding place.

"You're all been fooled!" Zhu said between his laughter then turned to Zi Xin.

"Zi Xin, step back." Yong Xian said.

"Zi Xin?" Zhu sneered as he looked at Zi Xin making Yong Jie's blood boiled. "My, my. You've been completely fooled by this Zi Xin." Zhu pointed his finger to Zi Xin.

"It's you who has been fooling around and those days of yours are going to end today." Yong Xian said as he held Zi Xin's arm.

Zhu looked at Yong Xian and Xi Zin with an amused expression. "I see. You found someone to fuel your weakened demon soul after I spared an ounce of your breath in the river."

Zi Xin fisted his hand, itching to charge to Qu Zhu, The demon responsible for his situation right now.

"What are you talking about? Mistaking Zi Xin as someone you had a grudge with?" Yong Jie said. "This hypocrite, aren't you the one killing women to fuel your demon soul here?"

Qu Zhu smiled at Yong Jie. "I usually suck the living out of those women without touching them but since I really like Xiao Qing. I don't mind touching Xiao Qing like that servant Fennu did to that cultivator beside him. I wonder how many times you did it to be able to restore your tattered condition?"

Yao Xue's hand tightened on Jinghua's hilt hearing what the demon just said about Yong Jie. Yao Xue would already cut his arms before Qu Zhu could touch a strand of Yong Jie's hair.

Yong Jie turned to Zi Xin who bowed his head down, his hands shaking not because he was nervous or afraid but because he was mad to the demon who was accusing him.

"I am not your servant anymore! You piece of s**t of a demon!" Zi Xin exclaimed, throwing the veil that was covering half of his face revealing a cursed mark of a demon running from his neck up to his cheeks.

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