MD Ch 2 Part 3

Yu Ke’s bedchamber wasn’t overly luxurious, but its color scheme was certainly bizarre. The jarring, blackish-red decor, with varying shades of red throughout the room, was quite an assault on the eyes. A jet-black stone bed dominated the inner chamber. I didn’t know what material it was made of, but it looked incredibly cold.

Crimson curtains draped all around the bed. I’m not exaggerating; they were the color of fresh blood, and the sight of them sent shivers down my spine.

After ordering Gu Jincheng to withdraw, I parted the curtains and sat on the bed. A chilling coldness seeped into my bones. The sight before me made me dizzy and nauseous. My trembling was completely unbecoming of the powerful Yu Ke, but I couldn’t help it. The scene I had just witnessed would have been enough to horrify anyone comfortably living in the 21st century.

It was carnage, endless carnage. A battlefield strewn with corpses and a sea of blood.

This was the backdrop of 《Heavenly Demon Tribulation》. During the War between Immortals and Demons, the Heavenly Demon, allied with the villains, massacred ordinary cultivators. Later, a powerful cultivator sacrificed himself to create the Heavenly River, a barrier to hold back the demonic hordes.

However, the images that had just flooded my mind were fundamentally different.

The scene imprinted in my memory showed a cultivator with an immortal-like demeanor, coveting the demonic race’s inherent power and bloodline, initiating the attack. The ensuing conflict escalated, engulfing the entire continent in war. The final battle was incredibly fierce. The leaders of both sides, with the power to destroy heaven and earth, fought for days before perishing together.

The battlefield was completely obliterated, leaving a massive valley, spanning a hundred thousand li, cleaving through the heart of the continent. For three years after, torrential rain poured down, eventually forming the current hundred thousand li Heavenly River.

The faces of the two combatants were blurred. One was dressed in fiery red, the other in pure white.

Come to think of it, they must have been the most powerful figures of their time, yet I hadn’t created any detailed episodes about them. When I first wrote the novel, I only introduced this history as background, without delving into specifics. So, who were they exactly? I knew nothing about their identities.

This feeling of being completely clueless was unsettling. A sense of foreboding prompted me to investigate further.

I lowered my head and extended my divine sense into the icy black stone bed beneath me. My formless consciousness enveloped the bed and slowly seeped inside. The stone bed’s density wasn’t high, allowing my divine sense to penetrate through the minute gaps, meticulously exploring its interior.

Deeper inside, within the intricate crevices, countless complex and tiny inscriptions were carved. I couldn’t decipher their meaning.

Perhaps the real Yu Ke would have understood them, but I had none of his memories. I was only able to use my divine sense thanks to this body’s instincts; otherwise, I was no different from a novice cultivator.

However, as a writer skilled in crafting narratives, I could at least surmise that this stone bed held the true secrets of Yu Ke. The utterly wicked villain, unyielding to the cultivation world, wasn’t as simple as I had portrayed him in the novel.

I needed to uncover what exactly had been added to this world. It was a real headache. As my divine sense continued to probe deeper, a faint bluish-green light emanated from within. I hurriedly directed my consciousness towards it, but the moment it made contact, it was completely repelled.

For a moment, my mind went blank, a sharp pain throbbing in my head. It took some time for me to regain my senses.

What the hell is this stone bed? My cultivation level and physical strength are unmatched in this continent. My divine sense should be considerably strong, yet it was so easily repelled by this small stone bed?

This is absurd! If that had been an attack, I would have been completely defenseless. Fortunately, the stone bed remained inert, emitting no trace of any technique. I quickly got up, took several steps back, and stared at it for a long while.

I don’t want to sleep on this bed. What should I do?

No matter how much I looked around, there wasn’t another place to sleep, not even a small cot. Yu Ke definitely slept on this bed.

“Demon Lord, why aren’t you resting yet? Is something troubling you?”

“!”

D*mn… it…

As I paced around the bedchamber for the fifth or sixth time, Gu Jincheng’s voice suddenly broke the silence. I was so startled that I almost cursed out loud.

“Did this Lord not order you to withdraw? Are you deaf?”

I swallowed nervously, aware that anyone perceptive might notice my distress. I desperately hoped Gu Jincheng hadn’t seen or heard anything.

However, seeing Gu Jincheng acting as usual, without a hint of suspicion, made me feel uneasy again.

“I deserve to die for my transgression.”

He quickly knelt on one knee, his unprotected head bowed before me, awaiting punishment.

After a brief, tense standoff, I calmed myself and looked back at the ominous black bed. I had to admit, Gu Jincheng’s timing was impeccable.

“Jincheng, raise your head and tell me what this bed lacks.”

Gu Jincheng obediently raised his head, glanced at the stone bed with his usual impassive expression, then lowered his head again and replied,

“Understood, My Lord.”

Later that night, lying on the stone bed now piled high with soft blankets provided by Gu Jincheng, I let out a sigh of relief, feeling warmth for the first time in this dangerous world.

Jincheng was truly a capable subordinate.

***

A sea of red filled my vision. A sticky, warm liquid clung to my skin, the coppery tang of blood assaulting my nostrils, overwhelming my senses.

I forced my eyes open, only to be met with a severed hand, covered in gore, directly in front of my face. The stump was putrid and decaying, countless severed blood vessels endlessly oozing crimson.

My neck stiffened. A wave of nausea washed over me, nearly making me vomit. I wanted to sit up and brush the severed hand off my face, but I couldn’t muster the strength. It wasn’t from exhaustion. I could see, hear, and feel, but my body felt foreign, unresponsive to my commands.

Could this be a dream? The moment the thought surfaced, I was certain. I had clearly fallen asleep on the stone bed in the bedchamber; there was no way I could suddenly be in such a nonsensical place.

Perhaps sleeping on the stone was causing this strange dream.

What could it possibly signify?

“Your divine sense hasn’t been extinguished yet? As expected, you’re strong.”

A shadow fell over me. The figure’s face was obscured by blood and matted hair, making it impossible to discern their identity.

Though I couldn’t see their face, the weapon in their hand was crystal clear!

Even amidst the blood-soaked haze, the gleaming blade sent shivers down my spine. And my body still wouldn’t move!

Judging by this person’s injuries, it seemed they wouldn’t last much longer. Their actions screamed, “I’ll die after killing you.” But it felt like they were clinging to life with the sheer determination to drag me down with them.

“But I’m still a step ahead. Today next year will be your death anniversary. I’ll be sure to offer sacrifices.”

A triumphant smirk twisted their lips as they laughed. The sound still rang in my ears as blood trickled from the corner of their mouth, down their chin, and onto my body.

Hey! You can talk, but could you not be so disgusting?

After coughing up blood, their complexion worsened. Well, of course, covered in blood, you wouldn’t see anything…

Ignoring their body’s failing state, they gripped their sword tighter and, without warning, began to stab wildly at the body I was inhabiting.

Each thrust landed, burning with searing pain. It might have been exhilarating for them, but it was agonizing for me. I was just an observer, hidden within this body, yet I felt the full force of every stab. And I mean, the full 100%!

Argh! This is infuriating! What kind of dream is this, so vividly painful?!

I was like a living target, unable to move, forced to endure this relentless assault. It felt as if their sword tip was laced with something that could extinguish divine sense; my consciousness was fading, threatening to vanish from this place entirely.

The sound of sharp piercing flesh echoed in my ears. I felt no attachment to this face, soon to be riddled with holes.

However, thanks to the torture I endured from Song Qiyuan in my previous life, I had developed a tolerance for pain, allowing me to remain conscious. That’s why my heart sank when I saw this body raise a hand to its eyes.

Are they about to self-destruct?