MD Ch 1 Part 4

In this life-or-death situation, I couldn’t even think of a way out, and even if I could, my current physical condition made escape impossible.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to live, but living like this was too painful. I glanced at the Vermilion Bird, now devoid of reason and connection, managed a weak smile, and closed my eyes, resigning myself to death.

I couldn’t guarantee that I would return home if I died.

But living in this world was too agonizing. Here, I was merely a villain who had committed countless sins and was hated by everyone, destined to live in perpetual torment.

I wasn’t sure about my life or death in the real world, but I couldn’t endure this any longer.

Somewhere beyond my line of sight, Gu Jincheng gripped his sword hilt tightly, but ultimately didn’t draw his weapon.

With my eyes closed, I waited for the agonizing pain of being torn apart by the Vermilion Bird, but the anticipated agony never came. Instead, a faint ringing filled my ears, followed by screams erupting from all directions.

I opened my eyes to see what was happening and froze.

The Vermilion Bird’s appearance was strange. It had clearly seen the blood on its beak, which seemed to further incite its desire to tear into me. Its body twitched spasmodically as if struggling to suppress the urge. Then, suddenly, it spread its wings and leaped into the air, slamming itself against the iron bars again and again and again.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The heavy impacts reverberated through the air, each blow striking my heart. A gruesome scene unfolded before my eyes as the Vermilion Bird’s wounds reopened, showering the area with crimson rain.

The sight was so agonizing I wanted to stop it. I would rather die under its beak than watch it self-destruct. But I could only manage a muffled whimper, the words trapped in my broken jaw.

As if hearing my faint cry, the Vermilion Bird lowered its head and looked at me. As the drug’s effects intensified, its rationality dwindled.

Suddenly, as if it had come to a decision, the Vermilion Bird swiftly descended, landing before me. It gazed at me with an achingly complex and tender look. The wind generated by its descent rustled my robes, sharpening my senses.

What followed was a scene I would never forget, a scene that would bring tears to my eyes if it ever appeared in my dreams.

With a heart-wrenching cry that seemed to shake the heavens, the Vermilion Bird erupted in crimson flames, like the fires of hell. A series of deafening explosions followed, each blast tearing through the air.

And the Vermilion Bird… as if to avoid harming me, directed the flames upwards.

I never knew its loyalty ran so deep. To protect Yu Ke from harm, it didn’t hesitate to abandon its cultivation and embrace nirvana.

How could the Demon Lord of the cruel and lawless Demon Realm have driven the Vermilion Bird to such an extent?

Screams echoed all around, but I closed my ears, refusing to listen. I stared at the blazing flames, the heat drying the tears that streamed down my blood-stained face, leaving only streaks.

My mouth filled with an overwhelming bitterness. For the first time, I felt true despair, and I wept.

The raging flames burned as if they would never extinguish, until finally, the Vermilion Bird was reduced to a pile of ash. As the fire subsided, its color fading, a single red egg rolled out from the embers. The symbol of the Vermilion Bird, emblazoned on its surface, glowed brightly, illuminating the stone slab and me.

Unable to use my weakened limbs, I used my elbows to drag myself forward, inching closer.

Slowly, painfully, just as my senses began to numb, I reached the Vermilion Bird’s egg. I curled my body around it, embracing its remaining warmth. Holding it tightly to my chest, I closed my eyes, listening to the faint heartbeat resonating from within.

My foolish Ah Jiu.

As the formation surrounding the altar gradually dissipated, I heard murmurs and sighs from outside. I could barely make out the words, nor did I want to.

I sensed someone approaching and opened my eyes to see a pair of clean shoes. Looking up, I saw Song Qiyuan, his face dark. He stared at me with a complex expression, seemingly unable to comprehend why I, the Demon Lord, would act in such a seemingly undignified manner.

Me, clutching an egg, definitely didn’t fit Yu Ke’s image.

That complex expression on Song Qiyuan’s face didn’t last long, quickly shifting into one of disdain and mockery. Even with the egg between us, I could feel the weight of his contempt.

“Xiao Yun, the wounds on his body are sufficient. Throw him into the Salt Pool.”

The Salt Pool, huh? Haha.

The Salt Pool Song Qiyuan mentioned was literally what its name suggested, similar to a dead sea. Not only was its salinity incredibly high, but the Qingcang Sect had somehow tampered with it so that the water had lost its buoyancy. In other words, anything thrown in would sink.

Thinking about the raw wounds on my body, I swallowed involuntarily. I just wanted a quick death. I stroked the Vermilion Bird’s egg in my arms, tears pricking my eyes.

I’d rather die by your beak, Ah Jiu, than be tortured by Song Qiyuan.

Gu Jincheng, still pretending to be Xiao Yun, quietly approached, took the egg from my arms, and handed it to Song Qiyuan. Then, with a stoic expression, he hoisted me onto his back and started walking towards the Salt Pool. I didn’t know if he was acting or if he had genuinely switched sides, but he was certainly playing the lackey role perfectly.

Song Qiyuan followed leisurely, and behind him trailed the crowd, eagerly awaiting my cries of anguish. The more I suffered, the more they rejoiced.

It seemed they were disappointed that they hadn’t witnessed me being torn to shreds, since the Vermilion Bird had chosen nirvana to protect me. But now, hearing Song Qiyuan’s words, they were presented with another opportunity to watch me suffer in the Salt Pool, and anticipation bloomed on their faces once more.

I scoffed inwardly. They so desperately wanted me dead…

Fine… then let me die!

Honestly, I desperately wanted to die too!

The Salt Pool wasn’t far from the altar. The places of punishment were all clustered together.

Gu Jincheng remained silent, his face expressionless.

I couldn’t tell whose side he was truly on. But if he wasn’t planning to save me, then why disguise himself as Song Qiyuan’s subordinate and approach me? Why reveal his identity before I even asked?

Both Song Qiyuan and Gu Jincheng were far more unfamiliar than I had anticipated. They were completely different from the characters I had initially created in my story.

Now, I had no hope for Gu Jincheng to rescue me. I just hoped he would give me a clean death.

It was soon the third quarter at noon¹, traditionally the time for carrying out punishments. The perfect time for an execution. The midday sun shimmered beautifully on the calm surface of the Salt Pool.

My heart was anything but calm. The sliver of vital energy Song Qiyuan had left in my dantian would stubbornly cling to life. Now, reduced to an ordinary human, I had no way to remove this powerful life force.

Even if I wanted to die, I couldn’t.

Slung over Gu Jincheng’s back, I was exhausted, but boredom led me to stare at his fake skin-covered face. As I did, a thought suddenly struck me.

A large crowd surrounded the Salt Pool, and Song Qiyuan, standing at the forefront, was a considerable distance away. Hoping for a miracle, I leaned close to Gu Jincheng’s ear and whispered,

“…..”

“…..”

Right. I can’t talk. D*mn it!

That sliver of hope vanished completely.

As I inwardly resigned myself to my fate and struggled to quell my anger, Gu Jincheng had already secured his grip, ready to throw me in.

Determined to try one last time, I quickly and discreetly grabbed his hand and wrote three characters on his palm.

“Mie” (extinguish), “sheng” (life), “qi” (energy).

Extinguish the life energy.

Even if he didn’t understand, there was nothing else I could do.

As I wrote, Gu Jincheng’s eyes widened, his pupils trembling slightly in surprise.

“Xiao Yun, what are you waiting for? Throw him in!”

Song Qiyuan’s cruel voice urged him from behind. I relaxed my body, waiting for the inevitable. I could sense Gu Jincheng’s hesitation, but my resolve was firm.

I wanted to die. Gu Jincheng, don’t save me.

If, amidst these people who relished my suffering, he granted me a true death by extinguishing my life force, then he needed to escape. Surrounded by so many righteous cultivators and with Song Qiyuan waiting to pounce, his chances of survival seemed slim.

But the furrow in Gu Jincheng’s brow smoothed out, and a look of otherworldly detachment filled his clear eyes. Despite the warm weather, a chill ran down my spine.

He lightly brushed his hand over my dantian and, without hesitation, before I could react, threw me into the Salt Pool. It was a merciless act.

In that moment, I wanted to say:

Gu Jincheng, you’re the best.

With a splash, I sank beneath the surface. The stinging pain of my wounds intensified as the saltwater seeped in, like ants burrowing into my flesh. The agony escalated as the saltwater invaded the four nail holes in my hands and feet and the two in my lungs, becoming unbearable.

My lungs rapidly filled with saltwater.

As my breath was stolen from me, just before my eyes closed, I saw Gu Jincheng, now a target, breaking free and fleeing across the clear surface of the water. And in stark contrast, I saw Song Qiyuan, preparing to retrieve me, afraid I might actually die.

I was happy.

A smile touched my lips. I desperately hoped to wake up in reality and escape this wretched world within the book.