The now wanted suspect with posters plastered all over the walls of Chang'an had already used a teleportation technique to return to the small fishing village where he had garnered a celebrity status.
Every year at the Red Moon festival Xiang Yu would be there. Even when they had sudden attacks during the year, Xiang Yu would take time out of his busy schedule of hunting down demons to help them. Why would they ask him?
It was because the big sects didn't care for small villages like them unless it was a high-ranking demon terrorising people. On the other hand, small sects usually needed payment to come all the way to assist. This left such a poor village that relied on fishing vulnerable.
Xiang Yu would protect them at the simple cost of a place to stay and a meal. For five years he protected the village and made it much safer that the small monument had become an entire shrine.
The fishing village lay silent in the dead of night the moon casting its glow on the riverbank. Where the soil met the water, a bright red light shone. It was a flare of an ancient technique only exclusive to the leaders of the big sects.
Runes burned into the earth, etching patterns of an ancient language. From the incandescent centre, three figures materialised. Xiang Yu stood at the heart of it, his half-demon aura cloaked. Lian perched on his shoulders, her laughter like wind chimes. Mei clung to his leg tightly like she was afraid of being left behind.
"You can get off now," said Xiang Yu, his voice stern. But the twins giggled, their eyes alight. They clung tighter, defying their master with no scruples.
"Master we are tired," said Lian clinging tightly almost choking his neck.
"Yes, we are tired," chimed in Mei the two of them working together to wear their master down. Xiang Yu pretended to be exasperated. He took a step close to the water and pretended to swing them toward the river's edge. Their laughter echoed like a chorus of starlings.
Xiang Yu shook his leg and Mei screamed while giggling the water almost touching her dress. "No! Don't," she yelled in between giggles her grip tightening. Lian wasn't spared either. Xiang Yu tickled her and she loosened her grip while laughing happily.
This warm scene was witnessed by a figure standing afar. It was Dan Dan and she was all grown up now. As she stood underneath the moonlight her dress flowed like a cascade of silk and stardust. She smiled as she ran over and the twins finally let go of Xiang Yu hugging their dolls tightly.
"Sister Dan," the two called out simultaneously as they ran over. Dan Dan hugged them both. She was excited to see them after so long. Xiang Yu had brought the two injured little girls two years ago to their small village. She and her mother helped to nurse them back to health. From then on the girls would occasionally come and stay with them.
"Look, sister Dan. Master got me a doll. Isn't it pretty? It has seen storms and sunsets," said Lian and Mei almost rolled her eyes. Wasn't she the one who was clamouring about wanting her doll instead?
Unaware of the fight earlier, Dan Dan smiled and said, "Wow, they look so pretty. Your master spoils you," before glancing at Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu didn't say anything. He didn't have much but he still bought it for them. After everything they had been through they deserved the best.
Ten minutes later the two of them were sitting outside the kitchen with the dying embers reflecting on the sides of their faces.
The two girls had already fallen asleep on the straw mat exhausted after a day of visiting the city. Dan Dan handed Xiang Yu a cup of tea before sitting next to him. Xiang Yu raised his cup to take a sip but just before the rim of the cup touched his lips he said, "Dan Dan, can you take care of them for me for a few days? I have to do something and it's too dangerous."
Dan Dan glanced at him with a look of concern in her eyes. She could never understand why Xiang Yu did all of this. Wasn't it good to just to stay in the village and live a simple life. She didn't understand but she knew better not to ask.
By the time the twins woke up the next day their master was gone but they didn't fret. It was as though they were used to him disappearing on occasion.
And where exactly was Xiang Yu? He was perched on a rooftop overlooking Bai Ting town his silhouette blending with the night. He was dressed in black, his aura like that of a malevolent spirit. His crimson eyes were like those of a beast on the prowl. He stared at a closed door with protection talismans pasted to the wood.
For years this town had been terrorised by a demon kidnapping children from their homes at night the moment they turned eight. The space between each abduction was six months to a year but soon it reduced to three to four months. Now they were losing children every two weeks.
The high-ranking demon was elusive and had evaded the cultivators who had come to hunt it down for years. Because of its escalation, it drew the attention of major sects and suddenly Bai Ting was filled with young disciples sent here for experience. They placed tailmans on the wooden doors for the children who were eight years old and waited for the demon to show its face.
Xiang Yu had already encountered this demon in the past but it was too powerful for him then. This time however he would make sure its blood would be spilt and its demon core would finally be his. There were five children at the age of eight in the town hence they were multiple doors to guard but Xiang Yu knew that it would come from this courtyard specifically.
That's because the child was a few hours shy of turning eight and the house was at the edge of the town wall. This child would undoubtedly be an easier target for the demon. Because a lot of the senior disciples from the major sects were having a pissing contest they chose to guard children who had turned eight years old already. This meant only a few manpower was dedicated to this child's home.