Morning arrived, finding Yetao increasingly frustrated at waiting for rescue. "We should find a way out ourselves," he declared, standing up and dusting sand from his clothes. "Let's explore the island. If there's such a strong barrier, there must be a force inside maintaining it, right?"
His astute observation struck Bambam with guilt like an arrow, knowing he was that very force.
"Since you're weak, stay close to me. I'll protect you," Yetao added, his protective instinct sending a second arrow of guilt through Bambam.
Forcing a fake smile, Bambam followed, as Yetao set off to explore their surroundings. As they ventured deeper into the island, Yetao grew increasingly perplexed by the absence of other living creatures. The island seemed unnaturally devoid of life—no birds singing in the trees, no small animals scurrying through the underbrush.
Just as frustration threatened to overwhelm him, Yetao spotted a mango tree heavy with ripe fruits. His eyes lit up with childlike excitement, his hunger awakened at the sight.
Without hesitation, he scrambled up the tree with nimble movements and plucked a fruit. Juice dribbled down his chin as he bit into it. "I feel alive again," he sighed blissfully, lost in the sweet taste.
Bambam laughed softly at his playfulness, watching from below with fond amusement.
Gathering an armful of fruits—enough for them both—Yetao prepared to descend. His excitement made him careless, and his foot slipped on a mossy branch. He tumbled from the tree with a startled cry.
Before he could hit the ground, Bambam caught him with unexpected grace, his strong arms cradling Yetao against his chest. Their eyes locked in a moment of suspended time, the atmosphere suddenly charged with unspoken tension. Around them, leaves rustled in the morning breeze, but all they could hear was the racing of their own hearts.
Yetao swallowed hard as their gaze intensified. Before his darker desires could consume him, he pushed a passion fruit against Bambam's lips and quickly scrambled to his feet.
Bambam stood speechless, the fruit in his mouth, watching as Yetao backed away.
"Tasty, right?" Yetao asked with a forced smile, his voice slightly higher than normal. "Eat a lot. We need all the energy we can get going forward."
But his thoughts were the opposite of his expression "Hu yetao....did you get deprived of handsome men? He's already pitiful due to your recklessness and you're doing what now?", Yetao screamed internally.
As he continued backing away, Yetao's foot caught on a protruding rock. He fell backward with a surprised yelp, landing hard on his backside. The ground beneath him shifted and groaned, revealing an underground doorway with stone steps descending into darkness.
"Wow!" Yetao exclaimed, his embarrassment forgotten in the wake of discovery. "What is this eerily beautiful cave?" His voice echoed with renewed excitement.
Bambam helped him to his feet, but his expression lacked Yetao's enthusiasm—as if he already knew what lay below.
"Let's go check it out," Yetao urged, already starting down the steps without waiting for agreement.
Bambam sighed heavily, watching Yetao's retreating form. "It's not like I can tell him we've already been there once," he thought to himself. "I'll just go along with it."
With resignation, he followed Yetao into the depths of the mysterious underground passage.
As the passage grew darker, Yetao conjured a flame in one hand while firmly holding Bambam's with the other, intent on protecting his supposedly weaker companion. Bambam gazed at Yetao with a longing that seemed to transcend centuries, his eyes reflecting memories unknown to the other.
The path eventually opened into a spacious hall dominated by a striking statue—a figure with a woman's head and a serpentine body. Yetao approached it curiously, examining the inscriptions at its base.
"Nüwa? Is that this statue's name?" he wondered aloud, tracing the ancient characters with his fingertips.
Bambam observed the chamber, lost in recollections of a shared past that only he remembered. Seeing Yetao's reaction—so similar to before—drew an unconscious smile to his lips. But the smile faded as darker memories surfaced, bringing echoes of Yetao's final words in the past: "I could die rather than live by your side."
Bambam trembled as he remembered the tragedy and the present Yetao noticed it.
"Why are you trembling? Are you scared?" Yetao's concerned voice pulled Bambam from his reverie. He quickly composed himself, assuring Yetao that everything was fine.
Relief washed over Yetao's face before excitement took its place. "I guess we can escape the island with this," he said, pointing to an inscription beneath the statue.
"'Offer your light and darkness, you shall receive a gift,'" he read aloud. "Maybe this statue will come alive if we give it both energies and make a wish? Then we can ask to leave the island, right?"
Yetao's unbridled enthusiasm was too precious for Bambam to shatter. He simply smiled and nodded, willing to play along with the fantasy.
"I can do both magics since I'm close to completing my cultivation. What about you?" Yetao asked.
"Light?" Bambam answered, just as he had in the past.
Surprise flickered across Yetao's features. "I didn't know there were other demons who could do light magic, since most think it's a waste."
Bambam merely smiled in response, thinking to himself, "Of course I'm more skilled in dark energy. But I don't think I can control it here."
They positioned their hands on an orb placed before the statue and began channeling their energies. A soft glow emanated from the sphere, intensifying until a pearl materialized atop it.
Yetao plucked the pearl from its resting place, examining it from every angle with childlike curiosity. "What could it be? Should I eat this to get out?" Before Bambam could stop him, he attempted to bite the pearl, only to recoil with a pained groan as his tooth met unyielding hardness.
Bambam couldn't contain his laughter at the ridiculous sight.
"I'm trying to risk my life here and you're laughing?" Yetao snapped, his pride wounded.
Bambam quickly stifled his amusement, though his eyes still danced with humor.
"Forget it. I'll melt this pearl and eat it tomorrow," Yetao declared impulsively, storming away with an indignant pout.
As Bambam watched him go, another memory surfaced—the past Yetao holding a similar pearl, his face radiant with joy as he declared, "We made this gift ourselves. I'm going to cherish it for life." That smile had been bright enough to rival the sun itself.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself against the weight of remembrance, Bambam followed Yetao back toward the surface, the shadows of their intertwined past and present stretching before them.
Yetao held the pearl above his face, squinting as sunlight filtered through its translucent surface. The iridescent orb caught the light in mesmerizing patterns.
"But I don't have the heart to eat it," Yetao murmured. "It's so pretty."
Beside him, Bambam's gaze lingered not on the pearl, but on Yetao's face. "Yes, pretty," he agreed softly, though Yetao remained oblivious to the true object of his admiration.
The day slipped away as they searched fruitlessly for clues. As evening approached, Yetao fashioned a makeshift pendant, threading the pearl onto a rope and hanging it around his neck. Watching this, Bambam's eyes welled with tears—memories threatening to surface. He tried to conceal his emotion, but Yetao noticed.
"You..." Yetao moved closer, fixing Bambam with a suspicious look. "Foxes have a high sense of perceptiveness. Don't think I don't know."
Bambam averted his gaze saying, "I don't understand what you mean."
Yetao pursued Bambam's wandering eyes, closing the distance between them. "You keep getting distracted while looking at me. In the cave too, and now. You look at me like I'm your long lost..."
Bambam backed away, panic rising in his chest.
"...brother," Yetao finished.
Bambam sighed with relief, but something about the statement irritated him. His expression shifted as he stepped forward. "Why do you say BROTHER? Does it look like I'm looking at a BROTHER?"
Now it was Yetao's turn to retreat, intimidated by Bambam's intense gaze. He stumbled backward and began to fall, but Bambam caught him. The setting sun cast golden light across Yetao's face, making his eyes sparkle. In Bambam's eyes, Yetao saw his own reflection, illuminated by evening light. The sound of waves receded, leaving only the rhythm of their heartbeats.
Bambam felt a surge of courage. He had longed for this embrace for so long. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and pressed his lips briefly against Yetao's.
Yetao's eyes widened in shock and confusion.
"Do brothers do this?" Bambam whispered. "But strangely, I want to do this with you."
A flush of crimson spread across Yetao's cheeks. Encouraged by this reaction, Bambam kissed him again, properly this time. Yetao surrendered to the moment, closing his eyes despite his inexperience. Just as he lost himself in the unfamiliar sensation, the pearl at his neck began to glow, interrupting their perfect moment.
They broke apart, startled.
"What is this?" Bambam thought. "This did not happen in the past."
Yetao removed the pendant and held the pearl in his palm, studying the mysterious light. As they watched in confusion, cracks began to spread across its surface. Bambam, fearing for Yetao's safety, snatched the pearl away and placed it on the sand, pulling Yetao back.
But Yetao, sensing no danger, broke free from Bambam's protective grip and approached the cracking pearl. When it finally split open, a tiny tortoise—no larger than a pea—emerged.
Delight transformed Yetao's face. He carefully cradled the minuscule creature in his hands. The tortoise hadn't yet opened its eyes, but its diminutive form was undeniably adorable. Yetao smiled with childlike excitement; never had he seen such a charming tortoise. He gently poked the creature with his fingertip.
To his astonishment, the tortoise absorbed his yin energy. Yetao watched, wide-eyed but transfixed, as the tortoise grew to the size of his palm. When it finally opened its eyes and looked at Yetao with what seemed like a smile, Yetao's heart melted at its cuteness. Any questions about the tortoise's origins vanished from his mind.
Throughout this transformation, Bambam stood eerily silent, lost in memories of times past. His expression darkened as he approached and offered his own energy to the tortoise deliberately. In a flash of light, the tortoise transformed into a child who immediately turned to Yetao.
"Mommy..." the child smiled adorably in Yetao's arms.
Yetao froze in shock.
Bambam staggered backward as a voice from his memories echoed in his mind: "I hope you don't hurt mommy more." Then another fragment: "You'll understand why I did it in the future..."
He recalled asking Yetao about his cracked pearl once before, receiving the answer: "It's a mark of love" accompanied by a bright smile.
Tears filled Bambam's eyes as another memory surfaced—Yetao's final words to him: "I could die rather than live by your side."
Understanding dawned on Bambam, and he laughed at his own foolishness while the child in Yetao's arms watched him innocently. Concerned by Bambam's erratic behavior, Yetao was unprepared when Bambam suddenly embraced both him and the child tightly.
Though confused by this whirlwind of emotions, Yetao recognized Bambam's need for comfort. He balanced the child in one arm while patting Bambam's back with his free hand.
As Bambam wept against Yetao's shoulder, a single thought formed in his mind:
"I'm sorry... Zihao."
Epilogue from the past that Bambam's thinking about:
In the past, after donning the pearl pendant, both Yetao and Bambam had departed for the snake realm. They had bid farewell with smiles as night descended.
Yetao had climbed to the roof, where he sat watching his pearl glimmer in the moonlight. As he gazed at it, a strange light began to emanate from within, and to his shock, the pearl started to crack. Yetao held it carefully in his palms, witnessing a small tortoise emerge from the fragments. Joy and surprise washed over him at the sight of the tiny creature.
When he cautiously patted it, the tortoise grew larger, absorbing his yin energy. Yetao became lost in its charm, continuing to pat and play with it as the tortoise flipped upside down playfully.
"Wow... why are you so cute?" Yetao had marveled, thoroughly amused.
Looking at the broken pearl, he had gathered both the tortoise and the shattered pieces, taking them to his room. There, he had carefully glued the fragments back together and returned the pendant to his neck.
"I can't let our first self-made gift be wasted," he had said with a smile, thoughts of Bambam warming his heart. "Now, shall we make a name for you?" He had spent the entire night searching for the perfect name for the tortoise.
The following day, Yetao had attempted to explain what happened, but when Bambam accidentally touched the tortoise, it transformed into a child. It hadn't taken long for Yetao to guess the reason behind this transformation. Swallowing his words, he had fabricated a story.
"I just found him on the shore yesterday. I didn't know he could transform into a child though," Yetao had forced a smile, concealing his trembling voice with feigned excitement.
Bambam had believed the tale, though he examined the child with suspicion. When the child called Yetao "Mommy," Bambam's expression had darkened with annoyance. Yetao had instinctively shielded the child, noticing Bambam's reaction.
Despite his forced smile, Yetao's thoughts had scattered in all directions. Sensing Yetao's protective instinct toward the child, Bambam had sighed.
"Did you name the tort... I mean the kid?" he had asked.
Yetao had nodded. "Zihao, as in 'a brilliant son,'" he had replied with a smile.
Bambam had then noticed the crack in Yetao's pearl pendant. "What happened to the pearl?" he had asked, concern evident in his voice.
After a moment's reflection, Yetao had answered, "I was just over the rooftop looking at this in the moonlight while thinking about you, it slipped and got cracked." With a tender smile, he had added, "It's a mark of love."
His thought added....
"I can't let our love bloom from responsibility"
Author's note:
Nüwa- Goddess of life creation
Yin (darkness)- feminity [Foxes can transform into a woman too since they possess both yin and yang energy]
Yang(light)- Masculinity