The Palaces of the Twelve Sacred Beasts

Translated by Shiya of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

His first time meeting that child was… April, wasn't it?

He curled up into a ball at the corner of a street, aching all over, while feeling melancholic.

That child had been standing there for quite a while now; finally he decided to come over albeit still hesitantly, staring at the animal with unknown motives.

What the hell are you looking at?!

He took a peek at the child, shut his eyes tight and didn't move an inch afterwards.

"You…" That child's voice was really soft, the child squatted down to pat his dirty fur.

He opened his eyes, a little shocked; the child's palm was tiny but warm. He subconsciously pulled his head back.

"Where does it hurt?" The child acted even more cautiously, his movements softened as well.

Humph.

He shifted his posture towards the child's chest; just when he found a comfortable position and took a sigh of relief, he heard the child say—

"I will take a look at the wounds… now be a good kitty and stay still."

He instantly opened his fiery red eyes, feeling insulted.

What did this punk of a child just called him?! A kitty?!

But wait… wait a second.

For some reason, a gush of warmth seeped and flowed into his body as he was in this child's embrace.

In the gloomy and melancholic April evening, rain poured at the height of ripening plums, forming scores of puddles and reflecting pale yellow lights.

The boy hugged the tiny animal which could be likened to a cat but also a dog, lightly resting the creature's head on his neck; the little thing was a bit dirty, and traces of dried blood trailed along the brown fur.

He laid his nose on the boy's neck and took a sniff.

What kind of smell is this?

Hints of softness, hints of warmth, but not potent like the sun… more resembling the tame, jade-like moon.

Before he fell asleep, he really wanted to look at the boy's face clearly, wanting to remember it.

One day, he would…

————————

Tong Ying's mind went blank.

He could still feel traces of Gu Ting Yu's temperature on his outstretched fingertips; on the cluttered ground, flames surrounded them; Zhuo Yin, Qing Que, and Nian Xing tried their best to fend Tong Ying off, but their retaliation was no more useful than throwing eggs at a wall.

When he touched Gu Ting Yu, a sense of nostalgia scorched his chest; Tong Ying hesitated for a split moment, thus allowing Ye Yin Ju to get Gu Ting Yu back.

"Dammit!"

Leaving the trio on the ground to their fate, Tong Ying swallowed his doubts and went after Ye Yin Ju.

When dusk arrived, Tong Ying looked at the remaining sun and the red-dyed skyline, thinking how that leopard was weaker than a kitty, but he still let them get away.

… Kitty?

Tong Ying's mind went blank once again.

He was furious at the thought, whoever said he was a cat must be blind, there's no way that a cat would be this good-looking, right?

Shaking his head, he remembered something that happened a long time ago, so long that he had already forgotten all about it…

Tong Ying was a fox who belonged to an ancient renowned Fire Fox Tribe, and who hated trouble more than anything else.

However, when Tong Ying saw the nine tails on himself, he immediately thought it was annoying.

So annoying. With these things there, he'd have to count how many lives he still had left. If that's so, I'd rather cut them all off.

The first thing he did when he first learned to turn into human form was to observe humans—not just simply looking, but peering into one's soul.

Slowly, he found that he could project the faces he saw onto his own.

This was how his"thousand faces" were formed.

However, at the beginning… the only person he had wanted to see again was……

"Ah… So annoying!" Tong Ying squatted down on the floor as he scratched his head, "The Evil Source better be true to his words, he'd better tell me who the human that day was after I finish this human off."

At the same time, another person was restlessly dashing forward among the trees and rocks.

Ye Yin Ju was frantically trying to find a place to hide.

To think that he bit and injured a person, but then he just started finding people to save the person out of a sudden! When Tong Ying touched that pale and frail person, fear pierced through Ye Yin Ju's heart like a sharp sword.

The more he tried to untie his thoughts the more they seemed to tangle up, it was a Gordian knot.

Ye Yin Ju lowered his head; blood seeped out from the corner of Gu Ting Yu's mouth. The wound on his neck was terrifying just by looking at it, though in truth Ye Yin Ju didn't have it in him to bite through that frail artery…

There are still some things I don't understand, so… don't you die on me.

Ye Yin Ju finally arrived at the cave he used to hide in a lot; a huge boulder hid the mouth of the cave. Ye Yin Ju took out a silvery needle carefully, stabbing it into a concealed slot under the huge boulder. A few moments later, the huge boulder rolled to the side.

Ye Yin Ju swiftly hid in the cave, closing the entrance with the huge boulder, then turned around and kneeled next to Gu Ting Yu, who was on the ground.

Upon opening the collar of Gu Ting Yu's shirt, a gruesome wound on his neck was revealed. Gu Ting Yu was leaning on the cave wall without an ounce of strength; his breathing was so weak that it could just barely be heard. Ye Yin Ju didn't even notice himself that he was trembling when he held Gu Ting Yu's head with his hand, as he kneeled down to carefully lick the other's wounded neck.

His eyes were tame, with strong but complicated feelings.

Ye Yin Ju's saliva had healing properties, but except for himself, he had never used them to heal anyone before.

Ye Yin Ju lightly licked Gu Ting Yu's neck and stopped the bleeding; like a couple kissing each other lovingly, he was carefully controlling strength, even his breath softened as Ye Yin Ju continued.

Gu Ting Yu's skin was cool and chilly, tender to the touch, and his Adam's apple was small… Ye Yin Ju traced his lips along Gu Ting Yu's neck, as if he was bewitched by Gu Ting Yu. His lips that were covered in blood were exceptionally red. His long night-like hair entangled with Gu Ting Yu's own.

Small, intermittent kisses landed on Gu Ting Yu's cheeks along the way. Ye Yin Ju licked his ear lobes.

His arm pulled Gu Ting Yu into an embrace to rest on his shoulder; Ye Yin Ju was shocked by how thin the human beneath him was.

Inside his heart, there was a hint of confusion, three portions of worry, and five portions of regret. However, when he closed his eyes, the only feeling that remained in his heart was relief.

Hugging Gu Ting Yu, Ye Yin Ju nestled his head up to Gu Ting Yu's cheek.

Never mind; for now he would stop thinking about the things which could not be dealt with.

An assassin didn't have the right to think about the future, anyway.

——————————————————————————

Gu Ting Yu had a dream.

He was in a state of confusion and extremely tired.

There was a voice in his heart, saying, 'Sleep, the world will be calm eventually.'

Gu Ting Yu really wanted to just sleep, curled up in the darkness, but his consciousness kept receding.

Things that he must face seemed so insignificant now.

But whenever Gu Ting Yu thought about leaving this world, for some reason he felt pain in his heart. If he could just pretend not to see and not to hear, then everything would be a lot easier…

Blood was lost along with temperature bit by bit, Gu Ting Yu went into a cold palace inside of his dreams, circling around and inside, again and again, finally he stood silently in front of the crossroad, silently in the darkness.

He had a weird feeling all of a sudden—he found himself not really caring whether he could leave this place.

Among his chaotic thoughts, Gu Ting Yu could vaguely make out something important stuck in them, it was tiring, it was painful, but… it was also the only sign of warmth.

Ah.

I remember now… They are waiting for me.

"Umm…" When he opened his eyes, Gu Ting Yu didn't have an ounce of strength in him, and his neck was also in immense pain; he gasped for air as his vision slowly adapted to the dim environment.

Gu Ting Yu realized that he lay inside a cave; the opening of the cave was blocked by a huge boulder, and broken rays of light seeped through the gaps.

Having no idea how much time had passed in his slumber, Gu Ting Yu frowned as he tried to prop himself up. Instead of doing that, he found a suffocating pain around his chest, which was when he noticed an arm hugging him.

Making use of the scarce threads of light that came into the cave, Gu Ting Yu observed the man sleeping beside him.

The man was deep asleep, his breaths were regular and drawn-out; noticing Gu Ting Yu's movements, he didn't wake up at all, and instead he increased the strength in his arm, pulling Gu Ting Yu closer to his chest.

Gu Ting Yu didn't react at that moment. Instead, he just felt that this man beside him was extremely tired; the man's brows and forehead were creasing, showing his exhaustion.

Suddenly remembering something important, Gu Ting Yu struggled to sit upright, looking around; worry and insecurity grew in his heart.

Why aren't Zhuo Yin and the others nearby?!

Ye Yin Ju behind him woke up abruptly, he sat up and saw Gu Ting Yu, feeling a hint of relief.

"Who are you? Where are Zhuo Yin and the others?" He was unable to conceal his insecurity, so his voice was a little shaky.

Ye Yin Ju opened his mouth but didn't say a word, even though all he wanted to ask was just, do your wounds still hurt?

"Talk already! Where are they?!" Gu Ting Yu saw that Ye Yin Ju didn't say anything. Feeling sick, he coughed up strands of blood.

Seeing Gu Ting Yu care so deeply about other men, Ye Yin Ju felt a hint of envy, but he couldn't help but step up and support Gu Ting Yu, seeing his helpless state. Trying his best to use a calm voice, he said, "They sustained grave injuries. Though I don't know where they are currently, I know where they will be."

"Grave injuries?" Gu Ting Yu repeatedly muttered the two words, as his body trembled uncontrollably.

Did he get in their way again?

Did they got hurt from protecting him again?

How badly are they hurt……

A hand lightly brushed away the tears that swelled up in Gu Ting Yu's eyes, tears which Gu Ting Yu himself had no idea he shed. Ye Yin Ju brought his fingers wet with tears to his nose, and doubt surfaced on his intentionally cold and stiff face.

"I can bring you to them, but there are things that I want to make clear first."