Only Human Here 4

“Is this the barrier you were talking about?”

 

Azu stared doubtfully at the graffiti-covered wall before him. It was adorned with peculiar patterns and, in the center was a line of red-painted words: Go fuck yourself.

 

“Right here.” A strand of grass was hanging out from Wei Huan’s mouth. He muttered, “I came through here last time.”

 

Azu remained somewhat skeptical. After sneaking out, Wei Huan guided him around the Dark Zone, covering almost every nook and cranny. Finally, they stopped in front of this wall which Wei Huan confidently declared to be the entrance through Kunlun Xu’s barrier. But… how come it didn’t look that way at all?

 

“How do you plan to get in?” Azu crossed his arms, observing Wei Huan.

 

In truth, Wei Huan was uncertain as well. He believed that as long as even a shred of his demonic power still existed, he should be able to pass through this wall. If it didn’t work out, he could sneak around the Dark Zone for a lesser demon and borrow its power to breach the wall. But, honestly, Wei Huan hadn’t tried any of these methods before. After all, in his previous life, he was a powerful demon, free to go wherever he pleased.

 

“I’ll give it a try first.” Wei Huan extended his palm and placed it against the wall, attempting to gather his demon power as he had done before.

 

Azu watched, his heart pounding, “Is it possible? You’re not a demon; how could a human breach such a barrier?”

 

In the next second, a white light flashed and Azu instinctively took two steps back.

 

Excitedly, Wei Huan turned to Azu and said, “Look! I did it! It’s…”

 

But in the following second, a person crashed out from the other side of the wall, knocking Wei Huan, who thought he had rediscovered the password, to the ground.

 

“What the hell…?” Wei Huan patted his bottom as he got up. Beside him was a thin and disheveled young boy searching for something on the ground.

 

Pointing at the boy, Azu stammered, “W-where did he come from?”

 

Wei Huan gestured towards the wall with his chin. “I told you there was a barrier, but you didn’t believe me.”

 

Terrified, Azu hid behind Wei Huan. “T-then he must be a demon, right?”

 

“Why are you so afraid of demons?” Wei Huan gave him a glance, but Azu responded excitedly, “Of course I’m afraid! Only someone like you who just escaped from the Research Institute wouldn’t be scared. You have no idea of the dangers…”

 

“Yet you’re acting like some kind of secret organization? How did your organization even recruit you?”

 

Azu argued, “We’re not a secret organization! We’re a group that protects humanity!”

 

That question led the conversation in a new direction. It seemed they were at odds with the 137 Research Institute. Was their base in the Dark Zone also meant to monitor the Institute? Neither Leia nor Azu seemed to be the primary combat force. There should be other members… And the leader, who was he?

 

Too little clues and too many questions.

 

“Enough of this idle talk.” Wei Huan attempted to change the subject. He walked a few steps toward the lesser demon from before. “What are you looking for? Let me help.”

 

“Glasses,” the boy said timidly, his head barely raised. Wei Huan spotted them right away and said, “Here they are.” He picked up the glasses and handed them over. “Here you go.”

 

Deep down, he found it odd. Since he came through from the other side undoubtedly, the boy was most definitely a demon, but a demon wearing glasses…

 

“Thank you, thank you.” The boy stood up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his pants. At this moment, Wei Huan noticed the family mark on his wrist: two partially overlapping bright yellow circles. Traditionally, the more vibrant the color, the purer the bloodline. 

 

Chongming¹? 

 

The boy looked up, shyly smiling at Wei Huan. “Thank you for helping me.” Then he glanced around and said, “Excuse me, but where is this place?”

 

Azu found him less intimidating now but still stood behind Wei Huan. “Don’t you know? This is the Dark Zone.”

 

The boy was startled. “Dark Zone?” He mumbled to himself, “Oh no, how did I end up here?”

 

It seemed he had miscalculated the dimension-traversing technique. Wei Huan watched him, his spirits lifting. This was perfect—a child with the bloodline of a high-ranking demon. No more worries about the Kunlun Xu. With this in mind, Wei Huan’s voice carried a hint of excitement as he spoke, “I’m Wei Huan; this is Azu. What’s your name?”

 

The young boy pushed his glasses up, his face carrying a hint of shyness. “Jingyun.”

 

“Nice name.” Wei Huan patted Jingyun’s shoulder and asked, “Are you heading to Shanhai?”

 

Jingyun’s expression displayed obvious surprise. “How did you know?”

 

Wei Huan leaned in and gave him a meaningful look before draping his arm around Jingyun’s shoulder. He lowered his voice, “That’s not all; I also know that you’re a Chongming Bird.”

 

“You-?” Jingyun instinctively lowered his head, using the lenses to hide his eyes. “How did you…?”

 

“Don’t cover it. It wasn’t your eyes.” Wei Huan removed Jingyun’s hand from his face and turned his wrist. “It was this.”

 

Before Jingyun could react, Wei Huan continued, “Are you lost? Let’s work together then. You lead me through the barrier and I’ll guide you to Kunlun.”

 

Azu immediately intervened, pulling Wei Huan aside. “How dare you say those two words!”

 

“Blame my careless mouth.” Wei Huan gave his own lips an indifferent pat and winked at Azu. “Do you want to go? Shall I take you with me?”

 

Azu released his grip. “Better not…” Then he recalled something: “No, aren’t you afraid? What if the demons up there put you in captivity or even eat you? What will you do then?”

 

“Captivity?” Wei Huan’s face showed doubt. “What era are we living in? How could there still be humans held in captivity?” 

 

In the Demon Realm, there was once a trend of human captivity. However, due to the brutality of some demons who’d imprison and slaughter their humans, causing severe harm, Wei Huan’s grandfather strongly promoted anti-captivity laws. These laws put an end to history where demons could treat humans as slaves at will. Nevertheless, despite the legal prohibition, some influential demon families still violated the law.

 

“I’d like to ask which era you’re living in!” Azu was even more speechless. “Don’t you know just how many humans have been kept in captivity? Too many to count! Especially during the time when Fanzhou’s Conservative Party stood down and the puppet party had just taken over the Human Realm – almost every influential Demon Clan had humans kept in captivity. At that time…” 

 

The more Azu spoke, the more excited he became. After calming himself down a little, he continued, “At that time, there were even humans who’d traffic their own kind, right on the Dark Zone’s black markets. The price of a human’s life wasn’t even worth a meal at a higher-end organic restaurant.” 

 

Wei Huan was shocked to the core. It wasn’t like this when he was still alive. 

 

The era changed far too quickly. 

 

“I wanted to ask – what is ‘captivity’?” Jingyun timidly interjected.

 

This little Chongming bird didn’t even know what ‘captivity’ meant? Wei Huan was even more astonished. After all, Chongming Birds were high-ranking demons, so it was surprising that he didn’t know.

 

Even so, Wei Huan patiently explained, “You’re a demon; I’m a human. If you were to capture me now, you’d use your demon power to brand your family mark on me. That would make me a slave of the Chongming Bird family, stripping me of personal freedom. Every move I make would be under your surveillance, and…” Wei Huan paused. “If you just exerted even a small amount of demon aura, I’d die. It’s easier than crushing an ant.”

 

Azu felt a shiver down his spine as he listened. The way he spoke so casually about it was chilling.

 

“That’s terrifying.” Jingyun swallowed nervously. “No wonder it’s called ‘captivity’; it’s like treating humans as livestock.”

 

“Initially, this kind of demonic technique wasn’t called ‘captivity’. There were many variations; this is just the most heinous and crudest form – to treat humans like animals to be slaughtered. Over time, it gained the name ‘captivity’.” Wei Huan furrowed his brow for a moment. “The formal term for this technique seems to be ‘Covenant’. It wasn’t originally meant to capture humans. There are many ways of using it, even between demons. I believe that the most powerful variation is the ‘Blood Covenant’, but I don’t remember its specific effects…”

 

“That’s enough; stop talking.” Azu rubbed his arm. “I’m getting goosebumps.”

 

“You know so much, yet you’re still human,” Jingyun said, “But how can you lead me to Kunlun Xu? I’ve never been there.”

 

“Don’t worry, I have a trick.” But Wei Huan was puzzled. Jingyun’s Chongming Bird Clan was indeed in Kunlun Xu and was quite close to the Nine-Transforming Phoenix Clan. So how did this little Chongming bird end up getting lost?

 

Jingyun had been worried, too. His dimensional-crossing technique wasn’t working anymore. If he didn’t hurry to Shanhai, the door would close. “Can you really take me there?”

 

Wei Huan raised four fingers to the sky and said, “I swear on the Heavens.”

 

“You’re crazy!” Azu pushed him. “You really want to go? It’s almost dark, and you… What if something happens up there?”

 

“What’s there to fear in the darkness? Demons don’t have the habit of going berserk just because it’s dark.” Wei Huan grinned and patted Azu’s shoulder. “Besides, I have to go for my own sake. If I go, I have a chance to survive. If I don’t, I’ll just be waiting to die.”

 

Scared or not, he had to go; there was only one path to take.

 

Jingyun’s palm touched the wall, emitting a yellow light that began spreading. He turned back and reached out his hand toward Wei Huan.

 

“Then… Be careful! If things don’t work out, find a chance to come back! I’ll be hanging around here every day!” The residual sunset cast a reddish hue on Azu’s face, making him look foolish yet sincere.

 

Strolling around a dead end? This guy was oddly cute.

 

Wei Huan grabbed Jingyun’s arm and looked back at Azu with a bright smile on his face.

 

“Alright. Wait for me.”

 

Following Jingyun through the wall took only a moment, but the barrier had multiple layers. They arrived in a vast and misty place. Jingyun whispered, “I got lost here earlier.”

 

It was easy to guess that this misty barrier was set up for intruding demons headed to Kunlun Xu. Wei Huan had grown up in Kunlun Xu and snuck out many times. Although he was now a human, he was lucky to encounter a fellow wind-based demon with similar magic. Even his own family was in Kunlun Xu. It seemed the Heavens were aiding him in returning to Shanhai.

 

“I’ll help you.” Wei Huan sized up Jingyun and asked, “Do you have any tokens from the Chongming family?”

 

Jingyun shook his head.

 

How pitiful. Wei Huan shrugged. “Alright, then how about your wings? Show them to me.”

 

“How do you know everything?” Jingyun obediently revealed his wings. The feathers were a vibrant orange-yellow and were quite eye-catching. Wei Huan plucked a feather and said, “I’m a demonology doctor.”

 

“Really?” Jingyun’s eyes lit up. “Where did you graduate from?”

 

“I awarded it to myself.” Wei Huan raised an eyebrow and said, “Now silently recite the Chongming Clan’s secret technique.”

 

Jingyun closed his eyes. Their surroundings started to fill with a yellow glow. “But I still don’t have a sense of direction.”

 

“It’s okay. As long as it does, we’ll be okay.” Wei Huan lightly brushed the Chongming feather over Jingyun’s eyes while silently reciting the passage to traverse to Shanhai. Then he tossed the feather into the air, saying, “Don’t think about anything; just recite the technique silently.”

 

Caught in the whirlwind, the feather spun above them before suddenly flying southward. Even with closed eyes, Jingyun felt the mist-barrier breaking, so he grabbed Wei Huan’s arm to lead him out. 

 

The barrier’s changes were astonishingly fast. In an instant, they found themselves at the entrance of Shanhai Academy. Jingyun was perplexed; he had only recently learned the dimensional-crossing technique and he had only intended to go to the Demon City in Kunlun Xu, not directly to Shanhai. Yet, here they were.

 

Shanhai Academy’s gate towered, reaching into the clouds. Unlike other academies that had magnificent signs, their gate was bare. It had been this way since its construction. Though called a “gate,” it was, in fact, a barrier. It was crafted by the founding headmaster, Phoenix, and it opened once every ten years, signifying a welcoming of students from all demon clans. However, this gate had its own will.

 

A massive tiger approached the red gate, about to enter, but a white light blocked its path, preventing its entry. The tiger immediately transformed into a human. They tried again but failed.

 

The gathered demons began to discuss

 

“Even such a powerful tiger demon can’t enter.”

 

“Yeah, looks like I don’t stand a chance.”

 

“I’ve heard that the gate of Shanhai evaluates a student’s potential and comprehension, not just their strength.”

 

Seeing this scene unfold, Jingyun became uneasy, unconsciously taking a couple of steps back. Wei Huan caught his arm and said, “Don’t run away.” He whispered, “This tiger demon has a heavy aura of malice; it has killed many before.”

 

“You can see?” Jingyun was surprised.

 

“I’m guessing.” Wei Huan indeed could see; despite lacking a demon aura himself, he could sense the aura of others. The tiger demon emitted a purple-black aura, laden with malevolence. Shanhai Academy never accepted such students.

 

“But I…”

 

“Enough with the excuses. Come with me.” Under the gaze of onlookers, Wei Huan dragged Jingyun towards the gate. Jingyun kept retreating, trying to hide behind Wei Huan. “I can’t do it.”

 

“A man can’t say ‘I can’t’.” After saying this, Wei Huan suddenly used force to push Jingyun towards the gate. Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Jingyun actually vanished as if he had passed through the red gate.

 

“Huh? Did that guy just go in?”

 

“Even the powerful demons before him couldn’t get in.”

 

“Wait, he came with a human, right?”

 

Realizing this, the atmosphere among the demons gradually changed.

 

“How could a human dare to come here? Could he be the pet of that little demon from earlier?”

 

“And he dares to leave his human here? Isn’t he afraid of it getting eaten?”

 

“Tsk, the world has really changed; humans even dare to enter Kunlun Xu.”

 

The comments turned more and more derogatory, but Wei Huan ignored them, stepping towards the gate of Shanhai University. Yet, in the next moment, he felt a surge of fierce demon aura behind him, full of malice. Swiftly sidestepping, he narrowly avoided the tiger demon’s sharp claws. Turning around, he sprinted away from the tiger demon, creating some distance.

 

The fading light made the tiger demon appear even more ferocious. In its human form, it was nearly two meters tall, its eyes red, tiger stripes faintly visible on its face, and hands still shaped like tiger claws. One swipe could easily tear apart Wei Huan’s human form.

 

“What kind of trash are you? Do you think you’re worthy of being here? I’ll skin you alive today!” The sharp claws extended, coming dangerously close to Wei Huan’s face. Swiftly avoiding the tiger demon’s right arm, Wei Huan leaned in, crashing his elbow into the tiger demon’s right cheekbone. In the next moment, he smashed into its left cheek, followed by a forceful kick to its chest with his left knee. As he raised his elbow, he fiercely slammed it down on the top of the tiger demon’s head in rapid succession. The speed of his strikes was astonishing.

 

“This human is not simple.”

 

“So fast… But, hey, humans can only be humans. He’s got nothing but death waiting for him.”

 

The tiger demon’s skull was struck forcefully, causing it to stagger back in pain. Wei Huan, still grimacing, rubbed his elbow. “Ouch, that hurts… I hope your skull didn’t break.”

 

Annoyed and humiliated, the tiger demon transformed back into its original form and lunged at Wei Huan, its speed now several times faster. While he had been jesting earlier, Wei Huan didn’t underestimate this fight. Although he wouldn’t have taken this kind of demon seriously in the past, that was before he’d been reborn.

 

However, just as the tiger demon lunged at him, Wei Huan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.

 

This was bad – it’s the venomous hook kiss.

 

Realizing his mistake, Wei Huan gritted his teeth.

 

Wait, that familiar demonic aura…

 

A name appeared in his mind and, in an instant, several golden lights flashed across the night sky, tearing through the darkness. These lights seemed tangible, like numerous sharp blades flying down. The tiger demon let out a pained howl. Wounds appeared without visible injuries and blood began to splatter.

 

Seeing these light blades, Wei Huan immediately realised. Between him and the demon attacking, a stretch of land suddenly burst into flames, forming a natural, impervious barrier.

 

With his back facing the gate of Shanhai Academy, Wei Huan heard a voice he was all too familiar with in his previous life. It was as cold and aloof as back then. Perhaps due to the poison’s effects, his fragile human heart felt a disruption in its rhythm.

 

“Do you still want to fight?”

 

Turning around, dozens of arrow-like flames clustered towards Wei Huan, surrounding him in a circular pattern. The approaching flames illuminated the deep night, making the air feel scorching hot.

 

Just like the past, uncannily similar to the stunning scene of their first meeting ten years ago.

 

Wei Huan raised his hands in a surrender gesture, a serene smile on his face. “No, no more fighting.”