Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 80: A smile so enchanting it can steal a man’s soul

Chapter 80: A smile so enchanting it can steal a man’s soul

Xiang Yu had done this before. He had been punished countless times by his master when he was young. Either he would take ten sticks or kneel. The punishment didn’t seem too bad. He could take it.

Well, that was until he glanced at the incense stick. His initial confidence wavered as he took in its considerable size. "Absolutely not. That will kill me," he said and that wouldn’t be the last time he would say such a dramatic sentence. A little girth and length never killed anybody.

The monk’s eyes softened with understanding, but his tone remained firm. "Your Highness, please don’t insult this old man. Actions have consequences and these are the consequences of breaking the rules. Perhaps the goddess will even have mercy on you and bless you with a prosperous marriage and many children."

Xiang Yu, "..."

Why was everyone trying to involve themselves in his private business? He couldn’t help but stare into the deity’s eyes his gaze almost saying you better not. He was a grown man who couldn’t get pregnant, so what was this old monk talking about, ’bless you with many children’?

With a deep sigh, he lowered himself onto the pebbles, the sharp edges digging into his knees. He clenched his jaw wishing to pick a fight with the Divine Emperor. It was all that god’s fault for not warning him not to go hunting. And as the incense stick began to burn that’s exactly what he did.

Disregarding the monks moving quietly while going about their daily tasks, he closed his eyes, retreating into his spirit space, the realm of his own making. He lay on the plush bed, idly tossing a cuju ball he had conjured from thin air. "I am bored," he declared, his voice echoing in the vast emptiness.

In the divine realm, the Divine Emperor, who was sitting beside his son, pursed his lips. His expression turned to one of mild exasperation. "What do you want now, Xiang Yu?" he asked, his tone weary.

Xiang Yu sighed dramatically lying down like a salted fish. "Nothing, I just wanted to chat," he replied before launching into a tirade about his recent misadventure. "I was caught hunting by a group of monks and got arrested. Do you know who I blame? It’s all your fault for not warning me."

The Divine Emperor raised an eyebrow, refusing to let that pot fall on top of his head. These were insignificant to the plotline, so how was he supposed to know that Xiang Yu would stumble upon it and offend some monks? "I will not be held responsible for your actions. Was a vegetarian diet for a day so unbearable that you had to go hunting?" he said firmly. He didn’t want to be Xiang Yu’s source of entertainment for hours so he continued saying, "If you have nothing of importance to say, I will take my leave."

"Wait wait wait!" Xiang Yu called out. He was quite curious about the relationship between the Divine Emperor and Han Xin. He never understood why the ruler of the entire heavenly realm was so concerned with a mere disciple of the heavenly sect. It was puzzling. "What is Han Xin to you? You seem to care so much about him."

The Divine Emperor’s expression hardened. "That is none of your concern," he said curtly. He didn’t want this little demon king to know more about his son. After this was over, he was hoping they would stay as far away from each other as possible thus he immediately shut it down.

"If you need something to keep you entertained watch this. Don’t bother me unless you are in real trouble," he said and with a wave of his hand, a floating screen appeared before Xiang Yu, flickering to life with vibrant images.

Xiang Yu’s brow arched in curiosity. This venerable one was about to discover a whole new world, the world of television shows. "This will be a good tool to teach you about other worlds," the Divine Emperor explained before leaving him to his own devices.

Dazzled, Xiang Yu settled in to watch a comic show, losing himself in the colourful antics and stories. Hours passed unnoticed, the pain in his knees long forgotten as he immersed himself in this new form of entertainment.

***

Xiang Yu knelt from morning to noon under the relentless sun, but he felt none of its scorching heat. Occasionally, his shoulders would tremble from laughing at what he was watching but the monks misunderstood.

They thought the princess was crying but they could only pass by with a look of concern. They didn’t dare approach her as this was her punishment, and she was meant to reflect on her wrongdoing and hopefully learn from it.

As the afternoon wore on, the sound of hooves broke the stillness. A horse galloped towards the temple raising a cloud of dust. General Han dismounted with a terrifying aura. If people didn’t know any better they would think he was here to spill blood.

The monks that were around scurried over, bowing deeply while attempting to block his path. "General Han, this is sacred grounds. Yo-," said one of the brave ones. However, Han Xin’s fierce glare made him stop talking and they wordlessly stepped aside without a word.

Han Xin strode into the temple, his eyes scanning the dim interior for any sign of Princess Xiu. Finding none, he moved towards the garden, his steps quickening with a mix of frustration and anger. With a simple glance, he spotted her. She was kneeling with her back towards him, her shoulders trembling.

Han Xin’s steps froze. He had arrived at the military camp earlier and learned from Yi Nuo that Peng Xiu had been taken to the temple after being caught hunting. Assuming it was a master plan to escape, he rode here in haste. But now, seeing her like this, he realised he was wrong. She was crying, her figure lonely and fragile amidst the swirling incense smoke.

Sudden awkwardness settled over him. He couldn’t reconcile the Peng Xiu, who had crafted papers laced with poison, with the Peng Xiu, who now knelt, crying and alone. He stood there, unsure of what to do, feeling a strange mix of pity and confusion.

"Princess Xiu," he called softly, his voice breaking the silence but she didn’t respond, her shoulders continuing to tremble. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, until he was standing right behind her. He reached out a hand, then pulled it back realising it was inappropriate.

"Your Highness," he repeated, more firmly this time. Slowly, she turned her head but instead of a tear-streaked face, she was laughing. A smile lit up her face, one that Han Xin had never seen before.

It was genuine and carefree, her eyes glossy and enchanting enough to steal a man’s soul. For a moment, Han Xin was captivated, unable to reconcile this image with the Peng Xiu he had seen in the past couple of days.

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