His Demoness

3 ⚔️ The Girl in his Dreams

When Zhijian woke up, he found himself in the woods. Lost and alone.

Winter had graced them with her presence; piles of glistening snow covered every inch of the place. His breath came out in small puffs of clouds. The cold air nipped at his skin and seeped through his thin clothes, causing him to tremble involuntarily.

A small, blue orb darted past his face, startling him with confusion. As he watched the mysterious object, he reached out to touch it, feeling an instantaneous warmth that spread from his fingertips to his arm. Wisps of glowing light tickled his skin.

In a fleeting moment, the orb escaped from his hand and the heat instantly vanished. However, it hovered around him playfully for a moment, as if inviting him to follow, before shooting off once again.

Zhijian gave chase, trying to keep up and not let the orb vanish from his sight. He was led deeper into the woods, before his magical guide disappeared into a cave.

His steps faltered to a slow stop. He was beginning to wonder if this was all a trap. He was weaponless and vulnerable, but his growing curiosity overrode his feeling of apprehension.

What was it trying to show him?

Realising that he was no longer following, the orb returned to the entrance. It soared around in small, playful circles, seeming to beckon Zhijian to come closer.

For him, it was a dilemma — to stay put or follow. After several seconds of considering his options, he decided to take the risk and entered the cave. What else could he possibly lose? If someone wanted him dead, why would they take the time to bring him this far? 

As if pleased with his decision, the orb circled above Zhijian's head delightfully before flying off again. As they ventured deeper, the beauty of the cave was slowly revealed; the inside was showered in a brilliant white. Icicles hung from the ceiling, the walls and ground were coated with slicks of frozen water.

Led into the deepest part of the cave, the orb eventually stopped in the middle of an ice pond. Confused, Zhijian approached it slowly with guarded caution.

What was his little guide trying to show him?

At first, nothing seemed out of place. Everything was tranquil and still. But when he got closer, a dark shape in the pond caught his eyes – the exact same spot where the orb was constantly circling about. He treaded carefully across the slippery ground, hoping he wouldn't fall and break the ice beneath him.

When he finally reached his destination, the discovery he soon made was appalling. His body reeled back in surprise and he almost lost his balance, but throughout the entire time, his eyes couldn't tear themselves away from what was lurking inside the frozen pond.

A dead girl.

It took Zhijian several seconds to regain his bearings. Once he recovered from the fright, he took another step closer to take a better look at her.

She looked extremely youthful, perhaps slightly younger than him. Despite her pale complexion, she exuded a breathtaking beauty that would easily enrapture males if she was alive.

However, he couldn't help but notice that her face emanated a hint of sadness.

How did she end up in there?