Chapter 128.1: The Great Demon's Endless Reincarnation

Inside the ancient mirror.

A man in blood-red robes, holding a longsword of the same color, walked through a vast desert. His robe snapped loudly in the wind.

From afar, his solitary figure was reminiscent of a streak of crimson sunset, lingering on the horizon.

A young girl chased after him without hesitation, clutching her bleeding wound.

Everyone watching was somewhat moved.

Ling Yayi sighed. "Despite suffering such a ruthless, merciless strike, she still chases him across a thousand miles... Palace Master, you really were in love."

Ning Tao's expression did not change. She only stared at the mirror. "She is her. I am me."

Naturally, she refused to acknowledge that young girl in the mirror was her. The scene shifted again.

That delicate young girl, with willow-leaf brows and a face carved from jade, found the man once more. She stared at him dazedly and softly murmured, "Blood Drop..."

It was as if she truly wanted to say something, yet could never bring herself to, resigned to only calling his name.

The man lifted his head. His gaze was icy, devoid of emotion. He saw only empty air and a blurry, illusory figure.

"All things are illusory. All things shall be forgotten."

The sword came out once more. A blood-red arc flashed.

This time, his strike seemed even more forceful. The girl was cleaved cleanly in half.

She had a look of utter disbelief, tears brimming in her eyes. Even then, she could do nothing but murmur his name, "Blood Drop..."

The spectators' expressions grew complicated. Anger rose in their hearts toward the figure in the blood-red robe.

"He is far too heartless!"

"Utterly devoid of emotion! He is definitely a demon!"

"I don't know what's going on. Keep watching."

Even the White Supreme's avatar showed a glimmer of melancholy in his eyes.

So this is the suffering one endures within the Myriad Demon Gate?

The scene continued. The blood-robed figure wandered aimlessly through the mortal zone.

Without the girl's presence binding him, he walked faster and killed even more fiercely. When he came across a town, he unsheathed his sword and slaughtered. When he reached a city, he drew his blade and massacred. He killed everything on sight. Then, he killed, and killed, and killed...

The spectator was horrified.

"This is a god of slaughter!"

"He's fallen into demonic madness!"

"Palace Master, how could you have feelings for such a great demon?!"

Ning Tao stared coldly, biting her lip, remaining silent.

The figure resembled the world's strongest demon, cutting down everything in cold blood.

Wind and snow howled wildly upon the city walls. A heavily armored general marched out with tens of thousands of soldiers to confront the blood-colored figure beyond the gates. An entire nation's army had gathered here.

The troops marched bravely, laying down their lives. The battle lasted seven days and seven nights.

The blood-red figure reaped lives ceaselessly, as though death's own incarnate.

At last, one night, he finally exhausted his strength. He clutched his longsword tightly, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Am I this weak...?"

He didn't understand why he was so weak. He remembered clearly that he had once slaughtered three thousand cultivators of equal rank without blinking. How could he be defeated by such an army?

The great general finally put an end to his rampage. He was captured, layer upon layer of chains restraining him all over.

People from all over the imperial capital rushed out, spreading the news joyously. Seeing him in the prison cart, they cheered and laughed in delight.

Curses and mockeries rained down upon him. Rotten eggs, stones, and spoiled cabbage were thrown at him.

The Blood Demon would be paraded for seven days and then burned at noon at the Meridian Gate.

The capital was lively for seven days. All grievances and shadowed fears were vented onto the blood-red figure. A week later, he was bound to an iron pillar, with a towering pyre below him.

A woman shouted curses at him, "Demon! Burn him! Burn him!"

"A demon like you deserves death, eternal damnation, never to reincarnate!"

As insults entered his ears, a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes. "Am I a demon?"

He felt as if he had forgotten something.

The roaring fire was lit. The smoke stung his eyes shut.

Then, a familiar voice sounded. "Blood Drop..."

A small figure flew over the crowd, hugging onto the chained man tightly. She struggled desperately to break the chains, but it was futile.

"Blood Drop..." the girl cried anxiously as the flames rose. She clung to him, trying to bring him back to consciousness.

"You..." The blood-robed man's eyes flickered with a moment of clarity. "Who are you?"

He opened his eyes, but could see nothing. He could feel someone holding him, but could see no one.

"I..." The girl tried to speak. Again, no words came. She could only keep calling his name.

The flames rose higher. Tens of thousands of onlookers looked on, smiling. They watched the fire consumed everything with great joy.

The small girl clung to the man. Even as she burned, she refused to let go. Her delicate form was swallowed completely by the flames in the frozen snow.

Snow continued to fall. The fire burned brighter and brighter, until nothing remained at all.

Ning Tao fell silent.

Ling Yayi sighed again, glancing solemnly at her. "Such devotion..."

He Wu said, "That demon deserved it. A pity for the girl who leaped into the flames with him."

A woman said, "Utterly foolish. Though we are the Thirteen Northern Demons, a demon who slaughters the innocent should neither be pitied nor loved."

Someone whispered, "Skyheart Palace Master, I never expected you to have such a past."

In the eyes of all present, the girl's actions were foolish beyond measure. Then, the scene in the ancient mirror shifted again.

Everyone froze. "It's not over?"

The White Supreme's avatar said softly, "There is reincarnation in all things. Let us witness it together."

All gazes returned to the mirror.

Again, it was a snowy world.

The girl held a baby tightly, walking barefoot across the snow. The sky was pitch-black, contrasting the white snow.

A sea of torches spread behind her, followed by a myriad of cries.

"Put down the demon infant!"

"This baby is an omen of ill fortune. Kill it!"

The girl clutched the infant, evading hundreds of pursuers. The two fled into the mountains and hid in a cave.

She stared at the baby with gentle affection. "Blood Drop..."

Then, she placed one finger near his lips. Suddenly, the infant opened his mouth wide. Rows of tiny, sharp teeth bit down. Blood stained his mouth.

The girl's heart trembled, but she only held him tighter.

Those watching grew stoic.

"That baby truly is a demon... he should be killed!"

The scene shifted. The demon infant eventually grew into a youth. He bore an uncanny resemblance to the man in the blood-red robe.

Withdrawn, he rarely spoke. Every day, he would sit by a creek, staring at the flowing water. As a fish swam past, his eyes flashed red.

Rip.

The fish was pierced through. Blood spread like red ink through the water.

The delicate young girl appeared again, full of pain.

The blood-robed youth snapped around. "I am not Blood Drop. I... am a demon. I am the Great Demon!"

After entering the Myriad Demon Gate, the Great Demon's consciousness began to assimilate with him. The path he walked was the Great Demon's past footsteps. Otherwise, how would Qi Yuan ever be captured by an army?

He was merely experiencing the Great Demon's endless reincarnations. He glanced once more toward where the girl stood and vanished.

The girl, anxious, chased after him.

The spectators trembled.

"He is the Great Demon...!"

"The Great Demon!"

The Southern Supremes probably didn't know, but the Northern Supremes were different. According to the legend, all demons of the world were born from the Great Demon.

The war between North and South—the tragedies of the Flowing Wind World were all rooted in him.

The man in the blood-red robe was actually that Great Demon. Then, Ning Tao has to be the Demoness!

Everyone gazed fearfully at Ning Tao, instinctively backing away.