Chapter Text
The day dawned crisp and clear. The just-risen sun shone softly onto the majestic forest. Glimmering through the leaves, it sparkled onto the petals of various colored flowers. A few artistic, fluffy clouds casted over the light blue sky.
Light steps thudded against the dirt road. Birds twittered as they curiously stared after the strange traveler.
The said traveler slowed in his tracks as his maroon eyes shifted upwards to the heavens. His eyes sparkled slightly at the sight of the birds singing and fluttering around. Relishing in their freedom.
Yoriichi had been traveling around this world for a few weeks now. The place was unique to him. Muzan Kibutsuji didn't exist here and neither did his demon followers.
However, he came to terms that this place wasn't void of any evil. Ghosts were common here, and to him they were no different than demons.
Yoriichi also quickly realized he became a 24 year-old once more, as he had reached the age of 85 back in the sengoku era before he passed away.
With a huff, Yoriichi went to stand beneath a few trees. He'd been walking for about 7 hours already. A quick break wouldn't hurt.
He closed his eyes and relaxed to the singing of the birds. A small, light breeze hit his face, calming his nerves.
When was the last time he felt so carefree?
The soft silence was sadly interrupted by a soft ringing of a bell that made itself known to him.
His eyes fluttered open and caught sight of a shimmering, silver butterfly flapping over to him. Yoriichi slowly reached out his index finger, careful not to spook the little creature.
The butterfly perched itself on-top of his finger, flapping its wings, showing off how glorious they were.
A small, tender smile spread across his lips as he stared down at the butterfly, his gaze soft.
"How beautiful you are", he softly complimented, slowly turning his finger to analyze their wings.
"Good day", a pleasant voice spoke out behind him suddenly.
Yoriichi turned around, the butterfly giving flight at the sudden movement, coming face-to-face with a handsome young man who looked around 17 years old with dark, kind eyes. His long hair, kept up in a half ponytail, swaying along with the breeze. White robes adorned his slender figure with arms and neck wrapped up in bandages.
Yoriichi quickly offered a bow in greeting. "Good day."
The man smiled warmly. "I happened to pass by and saw you. You seem lonely. Are you a traveler?"
Yoriichi nodded. "Yes, I am merely a traveler. May I ask you for your name?"
"Ah, yes, sorry. This one is Xie Lian, and who might you be, sir?"
"Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Xie Lian let a sheepish grin grow across his lips. "That name is foreign to me. Are you by any chance a foreigner? Your clothing is also very different." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
Yoriichi hesitantly nodded. "Yes... I originate from a foreign land."
"I see, how long have you been traveling for?", Xie Lian questioned, relaxing a bit around this stranger, not sensing any malevolent intent.
"Seven hours", the redhead nonchalantly stated.
Xie Lian's jaw fell to the ground in shock. "...You must be very tired. How about I treat you to tea. There's a village not so far away."
Yoriichi's eyebrows knitted together. This teen in-front of him didn't seem like the wealthiest man around. He seemed like he was barely taking care of himself.
He sighed softly. "Are you sure? There is no need. I'm not tired."
"Please, I insist", Xie Lian smiled, beckoning the other to follow him.
Yorrichi reluctantly nodded and started following behind Xie Lian.
As they neared an old, wooden tea shop, they caught ear of a few women gossiping while walking passed them.
"Did you hear? Another incident happened on Mount Yujin."
"What?"
"Another missing case..."
"That's true.."
"When would all this come to an end..."
"Another girl is missing."
Yoriichi quirked an eyebrow and turned to his companion, who checked the shop's sign. "Do you know anything about this, Xie Lian?"
The other only let a grin slip. "That's exactly why I'm here."
Before Yoriichi could question him any further, the old shopkeeper took notice of them and quickly approached.
He kindly guided them into the tea house. "Welcome." He lead them to one of the tables next to the window, "and take a seat please."
Both handsome young men sat down next to one another. Xie Lian taking the time to remove his bamboo hat and letting out a sigh of relief of finally leaving the heat of the raging sun outside.
Yoriichi looked over at the shopkeeper and humbly spoke, "A pot of tea, please."
The man bowed. "Okay."
Before he could leave, Xie Lian quickly stopped him to ask, "Sir, is there anything weird happening recently?"
Yoriichi also eyed him, a curious glint in his eyes.
The man's expression paled and became nervous. He stumbled over his words, "Well... speak no evil, see no evil." He left it at that and began walking away to prepare the two's tea.
Xie Lian's head dropped in disappointment at that answer. Yoriichi stared at him silently, before, "Xie Lian, can you tell me what this is about?"
Xie Lian sighed and nodded slowly, "I might as well. Tsugikuni Yoriichi, I-" Yoriichi quickly cut him off.
"Please, call me Yoriichi. There's no need for formalities ."
Xie lian chuckled lightly and smiled. "Alright, then you can just call me Lian or Xiao-Lian. I believe I am younger than you." Not really, but I can't let him know I'm a god...yet. "Or?"
Yoriichi nodded steadily. The young man did appear younger than him, but he knows looks can be deceiving.
Xie Lian smiled with a nervous laugh, "Anyway, where do you come from Yoriichi?"
He changed the subject. I'll allow it, i'll ask him later again. Yoriichi hummed.
"I come from Japan."
Xie Lian held his chin in thought. "I believe I've heard of such place, though I'm not sure."
"Don't worry. It's not well known", stated Yoriichi.
The God's eyes locked onto the redhead's robes. "Are these traditionally worn in your country?"
Yoriichi nodded.
The deity smiled. "It suits you well."
"Arigato", Yoriichi thanked softly, a barely visible smile on his lips.
"Eh..?", Xie Lian tilted his head in confusion. "What was that?"
Yoriichi quickly realized his slip up. "Sorry, that's the language of my country. It's Japanese. It's means 'thanks'."
"I see." Xie Lian slowly took in the new information.
Yoriichi suggested with a small grin, "Do you want to try saying it?"
Xie Lian's expression brightened up. "Sure!" He inhaled a breath for encouragement before saying,"Ai-gato...?"
Yoriichi quickly muffled a silent snicker. Xie Lian immediately blushed brightly. "Please don't laugh..." he slouched in embarrassment.
Yoriichi patted his arm as a reassurance. "Forgive me. Let me help you. A-ri-ga-to." He slowly pronounced the word.
"A-ri-ga-to", Xie Lian followed, a clear accent evident in his voice saying the word. A huge grin appeared on his lips as he got it right.
Yoriichi clapped his hands, applauding the prince's success.
Xie Lian happily spouted as he spotted the grin on Yoriichi's face, "You know. You have a beautiful smile and laugh, Yoriichi."
Yoriichi only nodded in confirmation. "Arigatogozaimasu."
Xie Lian froze. "Eh? You said it differently this time."
Yoriichi sweat dropped. "Don't think to much about it, Xiao-Lian."
The same soft jingling of a bell reached them. The sight of the familiar transparent, silver butterfly fluttering above their heads, leaving behind a trail of sparkles amazed them quickly.
Xie Lian quickly rose to his feet, and rushed to the window where the butterfly vanished out of. His eyes raced back and forth trying to spot it again.
Yoriichi stayed seated. His eyes glimmered once more, as he grew mesmerized by the small animal.
''Truly beautiful...", he mumbled out.
'Your Highness.' rang through Xie Lian's mind.
Xie Lian looked around, believing someone had called him, however knowing it couldn't be Yoriichi.
"Xiao - Lian?", the said male called out, a bit concerned.
'Your Highness?'
The Prince brought two fingers to his forehead.
'Ling Wen?'
'Good news, Your Highness!' Ling Wen's voice echoed through the communication.
'There are two junior officials from Middle Heaven coming to your aid. They should be there now.'
'Junior officials?'
Xie Lian turned around only to see Yoriichi blankly staring at two other young men seated on the other side of the table. The said men giving him dirty looks.
The two officials averted their hardened stares over to Xie Lian after they noticed his attention on them. Yoriichi frowned.
Xie Lian sweat dropped. "Ling Wen... it seems as if they come to behead me, instead of aiding me."
He turned away from them. 'Did you trick them into being here?' No answer followed.
'Ling Wen? Ling Wen?' He desperately called out, but the woman did not answer once more.
His eye brow twitched as he returned his gaze back to the two new arrivals. He also quickly noticed Yoriichi's grasp on the hilt of his sword.
He quickly sat down and patted Yoriichi's arm to calm him.
"Calm down. They are familiar," he quickly stated. Yoriichi's eyed him from the corner of his eyes, before nodding, relaxing his hand from his katana.
The shopkeeper finally came over, pouring both Yoriichi and Xie Lian a cup of green tea.
Xie Lian merely smiled, while Yoriichi thanked the man. Xie Lian quickly took a sip of his cup, before questioning the two in front of them, "So you are?"
"Nan Feng", quickly spoke the young man on the right, looking about 18-19 years old. Strapping and unbridled, he had an overall handsome appearance. His eyes held an unrestrained wildness in them.
"Fu Yao", added the other on the left. He seemed to be the same age as Nan Feng. He had pale skin with an exquisite face, dark robes fitting his figure. While his feature are delicate and beautiful, they are also cold and refined.
Xie Lian nervously smiled. "I wasn't asking your names."
Yoriichi quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you said they are familiar."
Fu Yao's eyes snapped to him. He scowled with his arm crossed over his chest. "And you are?"
Before Yoriichi could speak, Xie Lian spoke for him. "His name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
Nan Feng's eyebrows knitted together. "That's a foreign name."
"He's a foreigner", Xie Lian stated.
Fu Yao hummed, "you speak our language well..."
Yoriichi only nodded.
"Anyway", Xie Lian quickly continued, "Thanks for coming. Could you pease tell me which God you are working for?"
Yoriichi's eyes widened a bit. God? I'll ask after, best to stay silent for now.
His mind began spiraling. He had noticed many temples and quickly saw that these people worshipped multiple gods. He didn't comment as he respected them. However, a god's follower sitting in-front of him, stunned him to the core. It sounded more like a fantasy than reality to him.
Nan Feng immediately answered Xie Lian's question, "General Nan Yang."
Fu Yao followed with, "General Xuan Zhen."
Xie Lian quickly choked on the tea and spat it out from shock. Yoriichi instantly took action, patting Xie Lian's back while he coughed.
Xie Lian slightly trembled as he asked, "So... it was the Generals who sent you here?"
The two did not react as they spoke, "General Nan Yang has no idea."
"So it was with General Xuan Zhen."
Xie Lian merely blinked at them.
Yoriichi pitched in, "May I ask why you are here?"
"We are here to aid him."
Xie Lian cleared his throat and slowly voiced out, "Do you know... Who I am?"
"You were the Crown Prince of XianLe Kingdom", stated Nan Feng.
Fu Yao added with a roll of his eyes, "You're the conscience of men, the attention of the world."
Yoriichi paled. A prince? He blinked over at Xie Lian in puzzlements. The man barely seemed looked after and you're telling him he's a prince?
Xie Lian pointed out, ignoring Yoriichi shocked expression, "Did he roll his eyes?"
Nan Feng spoke out, he voice monotone, "Yeah, just kick him out."
Fu Yao scowled before smirking with pride, "Why? You should be kicked out."
An invisible lightning zapped between them as they sent harsh glares to one another. Slamming their hands on the table in anger, they stood up and got ready to cuss one another out.
Yoriichi tuned them out, putting his full attention on Xie Lian, who quickly tried to stop the two from fighting. "Wait a sec!"
"Xiao-Lian, why didn't you tell me you were a prince? I would have addressed you more formally", Yoriichi softly spoke, tugging at the said prince's sleeve for his attention.
Xie Lian turned his panicked state toward the other. "Please, I thought we established that there is no need for formalities, Yoriichi. Either way I am no longer a prince."
The last statement further increased Yoriichi's curiosity.
The two junior officials perceived the name uses, quick to redirect their anger at the two.
"Xiao-Lian?!"
"Yoriichi?!"
"Is there a problem?"
"Why are you two so familiar?!"
"Is there something you aren't telling us, Your Highness!"