Kill, or be killed.
Such was the way of the world. Everything you desire, you must seize, for who would simply deliver it into your hands?
Scheming. What’s the use in scheming? After all, man proposes, god disposes. You could make thousands upon thousands of plans, only for heaven to ruin them all, wouldn’t that be a joke?
If you wanted to become fearless, you had to become powerful. If you couldn’t tread on life, life would tread over you — not that you need to understand what that means, for right now you are lesser than I, and your flesh and blood is mine by right.
That withered hand, smelling of rot and decay, reached towards him out of the dark, yet he was powerless to even scream. His breath caught in his throat. His entire being was paralyzed by fear.
The utter helplessness, the terror of having nowhere to run, the knowledge that there was nothing to do to prevent himself from being used, as well as defiance and rage, filled him to the brim — Bai Li woke abruptly, gripping the bedsheets. His nails had lengthened almost three inches into claws that were sharp beyond compare. They poked holes into the bed like it was made of tofu, and gouged streaks of blood into his palm.
But the blood that seeped from his injuries was black as well and dripped like ink. Perhaps all of his insides were just as dark; heavens knew how he managed to look so pale and delicate.
Lured by the scent of blood, his shadow began rising from the ground, climbing onto his bed. The things inside it were stirring in anticipation, like a dog drawn to a hunk of raw meat. It curled around his bleeding palm, greedily, gluttonously. It seemed animals weren’t the only ones that would die for the sake of sustenance, even demon creatures would risk their lives for food.
Finally, one of the “black shadows” gave in to temptation. A portal tore open through the air. A black claw reached out from within and shot towards Bai Li’s wrist. Bai Li had been sitting numbly on the bed when he suddenly raised his head. His eyes were terribly empty. A cold malice emanated from within those pitch-black depths. He raised his hand and caught the shadow in his grasp, his nails digging into its body. It popped like a ruptured bladder and let out a thin scream as it dissolved into black mist and was sucked into Bai Li’s mouth.
Bai Li, not the slightest concerned about getting a stomach ache, chewed it up and ate it like it was a midnight snack. The shadows that’d been eager to have a go just a moment ago slowly backed off, cowed by the show of violence.
Bai Li lifted his hand, looking at his nails and wounds dazedly. A while later, he seemed to wake from a trance. His sharp nails slowly returned to normal. He bent down and gently licked the blood off his palm. The injuries that he licked stitched themselves together as if his tongue was made of needle and thread or something, turning back into an unblemished expanse of skin. One could hardly tell that it had just been dripping so much ink-like blood.
Bai Li lit a lamp with the wave of his hand, then curled into a ball and buried his face in his knees.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
He thought, what do I do, I’m still scared.
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Aided by luck and opportunity, he’d successfully torn his way out of the Hall of Demons. There was nowhere in the world he couldn’t go, but every night, every time he truly fell asleep, his dreams would drag him back into the boundless, bottomless, lightless abyss.
The more he feared, the more he raged. The more he raged, the more he lost control of himself.
Bai Li glowered icily at his shadow and said to himself, “Stop deluding yourselves, you can’t escape. You’ll never defeat me.”
But very quickly, he became uncomfortable. He felt as though his entire chest was packed full by icy killing intent; he couldn’t find a single scrap of warmth within him.
This was the only one he couldn’t control. This was the thing that that man had left in his veins, but he had chosen this path in the end.
Bai Li unthinkingly got up from the bed and headed straight outside towards Shi Wuduan’s room. Shi Wuduan was piled under two bed’s worth of blankets. Bai Li bent down and pushed aside his bed canopy. He looked at him for a while and recalled that moment during the day when he had truly wanted to kill him.
He’d crawled out of the deepest pits of hell, his heart totally possessed by the mirage of a happy, charmed, carefree life in Cangyun Valley. That hope was his beam of light, the ladder that’d allowed him to ascend out of the darkness. But when he finally left, he found that things had changed in the passing of time. He couldn’t return to Cangyun Valley. The people were different too.
And now, even you must become my enemy, even you must stand in my way.
Bai Li gently lifted a strand of Shi Wuduan’s hair from where it rested on his cheek. He looked at his lovely eyes, closed insensate in sleep. Suddenly, he thought in despair, if I really can’t go back, I should just kill him and get it over with, sever all these painful ties, and spare myself the agony. His nails began extending again, severing the strand of hair at the slightest touch.
The instruments of death on his fingers were right beside Shi Wuduan’s head. Bai Li stopped. He looked at him in fixation, his turbulent emotions reflected within his eyes.
A moment later and he sighed. His nails retracted again. Bai Li sat on the edge of Shi Wuduan’s bed and thought vacantly, but if I lose him too, what will I have left?
His head sagged. Several breaths passed before he suddenly remembered the waistband that Shi Wuduan had revealed during the day. He bent down and picked up the clothes tossed on the floor. As expected, he found a ratty old hair tie hidden under the waistband.
Bai Li picked it up, hesitated, then tucked it in the fold of his robes where it pressed against his heart. He wondered, do I still have a place in your heart?
He shoved Shi Wuduan, jolting him awake as he whispered, “Move in a bit, I’m sleeping with you.”
Shi Wuduan looked at him through half-closed eyes and asked, his voice somewhat hoarse, “What’s the matter?”
“Had a nightmare,” Bai Li said shamelessly.
Shi Wuduan thought it over, but with how groggy he was, he was clearly just pretending to “think” it over. His brain was probably a pile of goop. A stretch of time later, he mumbled something in assent and rolled inwards, turning his back to Bai Li and falling silent.
Bai Li laid down next to him. A moment later, he shoved Shi Wuduan again, “Wake up, I have things to discuss with you.”
Shi Wuduan laid motionless as a dead fish. Bai Li persistently kept shaking him. When he finally got him awake, Shi Wuduan sat up like a spring, slammed a pillow over Bai Li’s face, and said in aggravation, “Are you done yet?! Shut up! Keep waking me up and I’ll smother you to death!”
This bastard was actually thinking about killing me. He’s been off ever since we went to the market; but who knew he’d have another episode in the middle of the night. This just keeps happening over and over — Shi Wuduan thought, aggrieved and angered. He bashed the pillow into Bai Li’s face like he was venting — back then when you were unhappy, who was it that racked their brains making a fool of themselves and acting like a clown to make you laugh? Back then when no one would play with you, who was it who clambered up the mountain and scaled trees to pick fruits for you? Back then, when disaster came to Cangyun Valley, who was it who charged headfirst into danger to save your life? When I thought you died, it tore me up for so many years. Yet this bastard actually wants to kill me!
Bai Li was stunned by the sudden ferocity. He’d never known that Shi Wuduan became so irritable when he was woken up. It took him quite a while to struggle out from under the pillow. His usually perfect hair had been turned into a chicken’s nest by Shi Wuduan’s roughhousing. He still felt rather baffled.
Shi Wuduan threw the pillow aside and bonelessly dropped back down. He pulled the covers over himself irritatedly, back facing Bai Li. He thought, if I keep indulging you, you little ingrate, I’ll be your fucking grandson.
Bai Li seemed to be laughing. He sat up partially, straightening out his clothes, and withdrew a small copper plate from his robes. It was only about two square inches and had a face carved on its surface. The handiwork was crude, but for some reason, in his hands, it began to faintly glow.
Bai Li bent down and hung the copper plate around Shi Wuduan’s neck. The cold chill sent a jolt through Shi Wuduan; he opened his eyes.
Bai Li leaned next to him and said softly, “Don’t take it off, it isn’t copper, it’s called ‘green glass,’ it’s… something from back there, it has spiritual properties. This piece of green glass has been immersed in my blood for over a hundred days, it can protect you on my behalf. If one day I lose control, if I hurt you, this piece of green glass can take the blow for you.”
Shi Wuduan frowned. A faint ball of light appeared over his palm, giving him a clearer view of the carving on the plate. It looked like a youth grinning cheerfully, showing all his teeth. He paused before asking, “Did you carve this?”
“I carved your image,” Bai Li responded. There seemed to be thousands upon thousands of unsaid words and indescribable adoration hidden in that short, simple statement.
Shi Wuduan was silent for a moment, and then heartlessly elbowed Bai Li, hitting him in the chin. Bai Li let out a short, muffled grunt; that unexpected blow had actually hurt quite a bit. Shi Wuduan fumed, “Cut the crap, you’re the one who’s got a face like a pancake!”
He clutched the piece of green glass, but he didn’t take it off. He merely stuffed it under his inner robes and muttered crabbily, “Go to sleep already. Keep messing around, and I’ll go ballistic on you.”
Bai Li, his hand covering his chin, slowly laid back down. He pecked Shi Wuduan on the corner of his mouth, lightning-fast, and obediently laid back down before Shi Wuduan could react.
Shi Wuduan side-eyed him as he cursed silently, the older he gets, the more degenerate he becomes.
After three days, the Cuibing bird returned, its message delivered. Half a month later, while Shi Wuduan was busying about helping Gui Huaiyang recruit troops, acquire armaments, and secure wealth, he received word that visitors had arrived, asking to meet him.
Shi Wuduan’s eyebrows jumped; he grinned evilly when no one was looking and thought, it’s about time they arrived. And now that they’re here, they can just board our pirate ship and forget about going back.
Thanks for the chapter<3
That was very romantic in his sadistic way.
Seems like they will become enemies?? I wonder why! Curious 👀
So much to sort out 🙊🙈🙉🤎
💙💙💙
Oh my god Bai Li became the brat 😂 I don’t knowww this is the first time I’ve seen them bickering sadistically but cute in a strange way.
Thank u for the chapter!!!
How did SWD know that Bai Li wanted to kill him? Also the thing about becoming enemies is very worrying 😟