Tu Lanyin reappeared before a guarded chamber. Two female guards stood stationed at the entrance, bowing as she walked in.
Inside, a woman lounged in loose crimson robes, her long red hair cascading freely down her back. Fox ears twitched lazily atop her head.
Behind her, nine enormous scarlet tails spread wide, swaying in an elegant, predatory rhythm.
Her shoulders were bare as she sat at a table laden with dishes.
In front of it lay a dead man, sprawled in a pool of his own blood.
This woman was Yan Qinghe. Yan Wuhen's twin sister.
They were identical in every way except gender.
From where Lanyin stood, she could see the claw slashes torn through the side of the man's neck, and the hollow cavity in his chest where his heart had once been.
Yan Qinghe lifted her gaze, her red-gold fox eyes brightening when she saw Lanyin.
"Beloved?"
Lanyin didn't answer. Her eyes remained fixed on the corpse, her expression empty, dark.
"You killed him."
"And ate his heart," Yan Qinghe replied casually. "It tasted horrible, by the way."
Tu Lanyin slowly turned to look at her.
"I spoke to Brother Wuhen's new pet."
She crossed the room and settled onto Qinghe's lap. Qinghe's arms wrapped around her instinctively. It was possessive and familiar.
"And?" she asked.
"You were right. His beast core is damaged." Lanyin's voice softened. "He's… strange. And it seems Brother Wuhen bound him with a spirit mate chain."
Yan Qinghe frowned slightly. "What the hell is wrong with that idiot brother of mine? A phoenix with a damaged beast core.. is he really serious?"
Lanyin pursed her lips, resting her head against Qinghe's chest while Qinghe idly threaded her fingers through her long white hair.
"He seems nice."
"You think everyone is nice," Qinghe said with a smile, then sighed. "Find out more about him. I'll see him myself soon."
Lanyin nodded. "Okay, Master."
Qinghe smiled. Her hand slid to Lanyin's neck.
At once, a spirit mate chain shimmered into existence, shackled around Lanyin's throat, its other end coiling tightly around Qinghe's wrist.
"Good girl," Qinghe whispered, her smile widening just enough to reveal sharp canines.
…..♡…..
Su Ningyan wandered through the inner compound until he reached the garden, the red flute resting lightly against his lips as he played a soft lullaby.
It was noon.
The sun hung high in the sky, yet dark clouds drifted lazily around it, casting the world in cool shadows. The air was cold. Some leaves bloomed vividly, others had withered, and a few fell quietly to the ground.
Life and decay existed side by side, painted in colors too rich to feel real.
It was beautiful.... ethereal.
For a brief moment, Ningyan smiled.
He moved toward the edge of the garden, where the largest tree stood. Its branches resembled those of a cherry blossom, wide and sturdy.
And seated upon one of them...
Yan Wuhen.
All nine tails were fully visible, swaying languidly behind him. A smoke pipe rested between his lips, pale smoke curling into the air as his red-gold fox eyes gazed down at Ningyan.
The wind stirred his crimson hair.
He had been watching since Ningyan entered the garden.
The flute's melody echoed softly through the space. It was not noisy, it was... pleasant.
Yan Wuhen's gaze lingered.
Ningyan was beautiful.
The white robes clung perfectly to his slender frame, highlighting his pale skin and drawing attention to those striking violet eyes.
He played as though immersed entirely in the music, his eyes closing whenever the cold wind brushed through his long white hair.
Then Ningyan saw him.
He stumbled back, cursing under his breath. The flute let out a sharp, discordant note before he stopped abruptly, shoving it behind his back.
Yan Wuhen blinked.
"Don't stop, Yan'er," he said lightly. "It sounded beautiful."
Ningyan's brows drew together in a deep frown.
"I'm not playing for you," he snapped. "I was playing for myself."
"Tch."
Yan Wuhen rolled his eyes, taking a slow drag from his pipe before exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. "The flute is mine."
"Well," Ningyan replied, lifting the flute and waving it with a teasing smile, "it's mine now."
He didn't miss the way Yan Wuhen's tails twitched.
"Then you must play for me," the fox prince said.
Ningyan grimaced. "How about we make a deal?"
A brow lifted. "Oh?"
For a moment, Ningyan hesitated. Surprise flickered across his face, followed by excitement then caution. He reined it in quickly.
"I want you to help me reach Stage Two of cultivation."
Yan Wuhen's eyes widened slightly. "Beast Awakening?"
Ningyan nodded. "Yes."
"But you don't have a beast core capable of triggering an awakening," Yan Wuhen's tone was matter-of-fact, almost gentle.
Ningyan already knew this. Yet Yan Wuhen could still see it. The faint, stubborn hope lingering in his eyes.
"There has to be a way to repair it," Ningyan said firmly, rolling the flute between his fingers. "You said it yourself. That I could find something here. I want you to help me."
Yan Wuhen's lips twitched.
"I lied," he said casually. "A damaged beast core cannot be repaired."
Ningyan nodded. He had expected that answer.
So demon qi really was the only path left.
He bit down on his lower lip, then exhaled slowly. "Then I'm not playing for you. A deal requires two sides." He turned away. "Since I'm bound to you, you're stuck with me anyway."
He took a step forward to leave.
Yan Wuhen dropped from the tree, landing as light as a feather. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Ningyan who gasped.
"So… A deal for a deal?" Yan Wuhen murmured, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"Yes," Ningyan swallowed. "You can't always get what you want. I'm not brainless."
Yan Wuhen stepped closer.
Ningyan stepped back.
"You can talk to me without standing so close," Ningyan snapped.
"But I always want to be close to you."
Before Ningyan could react, Yan Wuhen wrapped his arms around him, yanking him flush against his chest. His smile was bright, satisfied. His eyes closed, fox ears twitching, tails swaying lazily behind him.
Ningyan froze, his face burning. "Let go of me."
Yan Wuhen ignored him. He lowered his head, inhaling slowly at Ningyan's neck.
"You can't resist me forever, Yan'er."
Ningyan's eyes widened. What did that even mean?
At this point in the original plot, he was supposed to be seducing the beast prince.
But now, the beast prince was seducing him.