章 12: This is unnecessary!

"Stop this!" Yu Yanlin flailed, but he had not his usual strength and the Immortal of a Thousand Blossoms had an evil grin as he straddled on top of him.

"Stop struggling so much!" And grabbed both of Yu Yanlin's wrists together before securing a silver-reinforced leather clasp around them. He could feel the tickle of power that flowed through them, suppressing his already suppressed powers!

"This is unnecessary!" Yu Yanlin cried, feeling embarrassed at the next item Zhang Wang had in his hands. "My abilities are already sealed…! You know this to be true."

"Hm, I know." Zhang Wang hummed absently as he shifted his knee up to press down on Yu Yanlin's chest, pinning him down. He reached for the side of Yu Yanlin's head, not at all shy to grab a fist-full of hair to steady his hold. "But Beast Master Wei won't necessarily know that. Plus, she won't like it if it looks like I'm just willingly letting a demon wander around freely."

The bit was cruelly between Yu Yanlin's teeth, the silver part gagging him of any complaints he wished to say. He could only whine in frustration as the headpiece fitted around his skull and secured at the back. This was seriously humiliating, he thought. But the demon king had no powers and thus was but a helpless prisoner in the Immortal of a Thousand Blossom's hands.

A flush crept up his neck and settled in his face. Ah, he didn't like this but could only watch helplessly as Zhang Wang reached behind him and pulled out a blindfold. He whimpered in frustration.

Zhang Wang smiled at him sweetly, "Don't worry, don't worry my Bai Hu~ everything will be okay. Plus with this, people won't be able to recognize your striking features so easily." The blindfold was gently fitted over his eyes, turning the world around Yu Yanlin dark. He shuddered, feeling unusually frail.

It was bad enough that Yu Yanlin's powers were sealed, a lot of his senses felt hopelessly muddled compared to how sharply he was able to perceive the world at his full strength.

Senses like touch and sound became a lot sharper and vivid in response. He was acutely aware of the way Zhang Wang's slender fingers ghosted against his scalp as he secured the blindfold around the back of Yu Yanlin's head.

The demon king took a heaving breath and expelled it with a growl that sounded more like a grumble than anything else.

"Don't worry so much. It'll be fine, okay? This is the best approach I can think of. It's for your own good."

He felt a finger trace over the curve of his jaw and then a pat on the top of his head as some form of comfort. Yu Yanlin whined against his constraints. Zhang Wang was still seated above him.

But slowly the weight that felt like it was trapping him in place felt comforting instead. In the end, it wasn't like he was privileged to any rights. Yu Yanlin was plagued with a glum feeling. He lied there, pinned, and resigned.

Zhang Wang was still his Master, even if he refused the title.

The weight above him shifted and the tiger demon thought for a moment the cultivator was going to get off him but he was promptly pushed back down, "Wait, wait. One more thing."

His entire body stiffened when a hand touched the curve of his throat. Yu Yanlin gulped, helpless. He was frozen when a collar circled around his neck and clicked in place.

A weight that tugged at the front told him it wasn't just a simple collar but also a leash.

A damned leash. Was he seriously going to suffer this level of humiliation? Yu Yanlin whined again, biting at the metal bit in his mouth, growling against it to no avail.

"..." Zhang Wang supposed he should get off now. But his eyes had blown out wide, dark and dilated. Truly, he felt bad and not so different from a schoolyard bully that forced his playmate into a silly and embarrassing situation.

But he hadn't been lying when he told Yu Yanlin that this was for his own good. He couldn't just bring the damned demon king into Beast Master Wei's territory and expect no repercussions. This way, not only did it look like Zhang Wang was keeping a strict leash (literally!) around the demon he had accidentally formed a contract with but the headpieces would also serve to obscure Yu Yanlin's face and identity.

Sure the demon king didn't have his signature coloring and even his aura was completely suppressed, but Zhang Wang just wanted to be extra safe.

The demon's hair had fallen around his face in a mess from all the wiggling and protesting. Zhang Wang was unthinking as he reached down to brush a strand from Yu Yanlin's face.

But when his finger touched that dewy pale skin, the demon king jolted under his touch. The body beneath him shuddered and Zhang Wang gulped.

This was dangerous.

He pulled himself up from Yu Yanlin feeling a bit awkward and a bit heated. "Sorry, uh. Anyway, it's just going to be for this trip up the mountain!"

Even if Yu Yanlin wanted to respond, he couldn't.

There wasn't much he could do about that. Zhang Wang watched the tiger demon slowly, tentatively push himself up. His robes were askew, relieving pearly smooth skin.

Uh.

"Don't move," Zhang Wang ordered before reaching to fix Yu Yanlin's robes.

He was trying his best to keep his mind off the awkward situation that he himself was responsible for. Old grannies, donkey's ass, beehives, scriptures and Sikong Ren's face. He was trying really, really hard reminding himself of all the boring, dull, ugly, repulsive, unsexy things.

"There we go, all done." He tried not to notice how the collar bone he carefully wrapped back up in cloth was flushed pink. He tried not to notice how Yu Yanlin's shoulders were trembling lightly.

Zhang Wang licked his dry lips. "Let's get this over with as quickly as possible."

The person in front of him, bound, gagged, and blindfolded reluctantly nodded.

They left the shack. Juhua was waiting outside and quickly clung to Zhang Wang's waist as soon as he came out.

He laughed, momentarily distracted by the young girl. Her light coloring, like Yu Yanlin's, was masked with a talisman. Even though Beast Master Wei will likely see through the disguise, Zhang Wang was confident he could bullshit his way through that woman's heart.

Juhua was just a cute little child, surely there won't be any big trouble right?

Zhang Wang should definitely have taken more precautions because he totally underestimated how cruel and man Beast Master Wei could be.

It took a few hour's time to climb up the mountain, morning fell into noon.

And as they approached the summit, a telltale cry echoed from the skies.

When Zhang Wang raised his head he saw what looked like an eagle with plumage resembling that of a peacock. Its wingspan fanned out and veiled the sunlight from the ground, casting a long ominous shadow.

Zhang Wang later wondered if this had been a warning to him.

Because the next thing he knew was a damned stampede of Great Horned Water Buffaloes charging his direction.

He yelled, "Beast Master Wei, don't do this! It's just me, Zhang Wang! Ah, don't we have a good relationship!?"

But even as he shouted, he was given no mercy, the even water buffaloes had eyes glowing red with rage and chased after him at frightening speeds.

And if he was alone this was a lot easier to deal with.

But he wasn't! Yu Yanlin tugged on the leash, alarmed and tense and Juhua continued to cling to him, but she oddly didn't seem concerned.

Zhang Wang had no time for this, he pulled out his sword and spoke quickly to little Juhua, "You have to hold onto big brother, okay? You can't let go."

She nodded vigorously, with determination sparkling in her eyes. "Juhua will not let go!"

"Good!" And he didn't give Yu Yanlin any time to react before swooping up the taller man in his arms and hopping onto his flying sword. The little girl stood next to him and cling onto his robes for her dear life.

Luckily she was brave and didn't bat an eyelash when they flew off into the air, barely escaping the pointed tip of bull horns.

It was cramped on his flying sword but Zhang Wang decided this whole conundrum was worth it, if it was going to allow them to keep their lives.

But just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the eagle's caw chased after him. "Ahhh, just why!!" He screamed. Still, there was no answer and only a scary spiritual beast chasing after him for his life.