Side Chapter: Xuan Shen and Deng Shi (6). Xuan Shen vs Deng Shi.

Outside of Qing Ruo within the Reflecting Moon's Cultivator Forest at a certain clearing. Deng Shi and Xuan Shen were facing off.

Deng Shi stood dressed in a long black coat with silver trimmings and a white rose on its back. Paired with a pair of black knee-high boots and pants, held up with an ornate silver belt. The top of the coat was open revealing a bit of her chest and silk bindings.

Her hair unbound blew in the wind as she held onto her unsheathed sword. A monstrous weapon that was 7 feet long. With a silver pommel and a grip wrapped in black bindings. The guard extended out like a pair of black wings and the hilt itself resembled a black kris. The blade itself was black thin and double-edged. Made of a special material that caused the blade to weigh almost 300 pounds.

Her sword was held casually in her left hand with its blade pointing upward. Her body was slightly turned with her left leg slightly back as she held Xuan Shen in her gaze.

Xuan Shen himself was dressed as he usually was in the Reflecting Moon attire. In his hand was one of his personal weapons. The pommel was a white ring with a purple tassel. The handle was a plain white and the hilt was purple and resembled a crescent moon. The blade itself was also white and was 15 inches.

And Xuan Shen himself was silently holding Deng Shi in his gaze.

In truth, they had been gazing at each other for some time now. Deng Shi was on guard. Xuan Shen was known not only for his strength but also for his overwhelming speed. And so she intended to react to his famed fierce and dominating offense. But Xuan Shen had yet to move. Just staring at her.

Then she thought that he was waiting for her to move and use that opportunity to end her. So, she stayed put intending to wait out his patience. Yet here they were minutes after just looking at each other.

Now, almost an hour after this battle was supposed to begin, they had yet to actually start fighting. But she was adamant there was no way that she would walk into such an obvious trap and so;

*** Four Hours Later. ***

They were still in the same place. Same position.

"Did he fall asleep?" The thought sounded stupid even to her but at this point, Deng Shi was starting to get more than a little concerned.

Hesitantly she stepped forward a little and then jumped back. His eyes had followed her, but an attack never came. Instead, a bit of laughter did.

And she snapped, outraged she stepped forward and appeared before Xuan Shen. Thrusting her blade into him. But he didn't resist or defend himself. Her sword pierced flesh and she hesitated. Then she continued slowly driving her blade toward his heart. Slower and slower until it neared his heart. Then stopped as the tip of the blade met the soft thump.

For a moment the two stayed like that. Deng Shi her eyes closed. Feeling weak throughout her body. Then slowly she opened her eyes and drew her sword back. Then drove it back in all the way up to the hilt.

Blood stained the grass beneath them, and Xuan Shen dropped his blade lifelessly.

"Why?"

A question to herself and him. As her head lay close to his chest. But the answer she got was a blood-filled cough and then a sigh.

"I don't want to fight you. Even if you are the *********** of the *****'* ****."

Deng Shi dug the blade in deeper before responding. With a clear trace of anger.

"You value your life so little?"

"… no, just, a life filled with regret isn't something to hold onto."

"Explain."

Deng Shi said digging into him again. Frustration evident on her face.

With a soft exhalation of blood tainted breath. Xuan Shen began to slump over.

"… a life without you."

Deng Shi's hands were trembling. In fact, they had been trembling for some time now.

"Stupid."

Her voice was a soft, cold whisper. Him leaning forward so had caused her head to rest on his chest. And that was the only reason he was still standing.

"I thought if we couldn't live together… then maybe we could die together… but… that was selfish of me…"

Xuan Shen's voice trailed off and for a moment Deng Shi stilled but the weak low thrum of his heartbeat calmed her. And then she stilled again when she felt a finger on her cheek.

"… I want to know you… love even more about you… to-. At the very least, I don't want to lose you."

Deng Shi trembled like a scared child and her voice came out just as weakly as Xuan Shen's.

"Y-you shouldn't be able to do that. You're the ****** of the ***** ******. You're one of the people I need to stop."

Xuan Shen laughed but, in the end, he fell into a cough.

"… I defied that fate… I am no one's chess piece. And you… you don't have to be either."

Xuan Shen his eyes closed stilled. And Deng Shi slowly but surely pulled out her sword dropping it into the ground. And by chance, the two swords interlocked.