Chapter 80

The interior of the Burial Mounds was a catastrophic ruin. The hundreds of interconnected caverns that had once formed a vast network had collapsed by half in the great tremor, their passages choked and blocked by fallen rock.

Shen Qingqiu picked his way through the wreckage with difficulty.

Suddenly, a faint trace of demonic aura seeped from a massive pile of arched stone slabs.

"Luo Binghe?" Shen Qingqiu called out instinctively.

Don't tell me the brat, sealed by Yue Qingyuan's grand restriction, got buried alive?

He leaped over and lifted the topmost slab. What lay beneath was a patch of damaged, bluish scales.

As the scaled body rose and fell weakly, stones of all sizes tumbled away. Zhuzhi-lang, in his serpent form, had coiled into a small fortress, shielding Tianlang-jun perfectly within its center.

The demon lord's body was even more corroded than before, looking as if his head might roll off at any moment. He opened his eyes, saw Shen Qingqiu, and greeted him. "Peak Lord Shen."

"How are you two faring?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

"Zhuzhi-lang is not well," Tianlang-jun replied.

That was an understatement.

The two massive yellow orbs that usually shone like bright lanterns were now dim and unfocused, though a faint light still lingered within them. Bluish scales had fallen away in patches, revealing mottled red and black flesh beneath, the serpent's body a tapestry of wounds.

Shen Qingqiu helped shift the rocks pinning its tail and found Zheng Yang still embedded in the serpent's flesh. He reached out, grasped the hilt, and pulled it free. Blood loss meant little to a demon, but the damage from Zheng Yang—a spiritual sword of the highest grade—was far more severe.

Tianlang-jun pressed a hand over Zhuzhi-lang's wound. "I thought Peak Lord Shen didn't care much for him."

"Who said I didn't care?" Shen Qingqiu countered. "Communication is just... difficult at times. How is he?"

Tianlang-jun stroked the triangular serpent's head but didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "What does Peak Lord Shen intend to do now?"

"Destroy the sword, of course."

"The Heart Devil Sword has already fused with Luo Binghe's soul and spirit. Their lives are now bound as one. To destroy the sword now would be to kill him."

Shen Qingqiu answered without hesitation. "Then we find another way."

"Even if it means failing to stop the merger of the two realms?"

Shen Qingqiu took a sharp breath, irritation coloring his voice. "...Then so be it! We do our best. We'll deal with the rest when it comes."

Tianlang-jun finally smiled again.

"Peak Lord Shen, you truly are a strange man. To borrow a phrase from your kind: seemingly heartless, yet deeply sentimental. It is so with Zhuzhi-lang, and even more so with my son." He sighed, a note of wonder in his voice. "It seems I really can't bring myself to hate humans."

No stranger than you, old man. Shen Qingqiu felt the conversation had run its course. "Have you seen Luo Binghe?"

Tianlang-jun looked puzzled. "I thought Peak Lord Shen knew? Hasn't he been right behind you all this time?"

Shen Qingqiu's eyes snapped open. A chill shot down his spine as he slowly turned his head.

Luo Binghe stood directly behind him, his gaze fixed intently on Shen Qingqiu's back.

There was no telling when he had started standing there. Or for how long he had been following.

Luo Binghe smiled. "Shizun, give me the sword."

Shen Qingqiu remained impassive, raising the Heart Devil Sword. "You can come and take it."

Luo Binghe took a step forward, then suddenly froze. The corner of his mouth twitched, and his shoulders began to tremble.

Shen Qingqiu held the sword horizontally before him. "What's wrong?"

"Get away," Luo Binghe ground out through clenched teeth.

Before Shen Qingqiu could respond, Luo Binghe pressed a hand to his temple and unleashed a violent blast of energy. "All of you, get away! GET OUT!!"

The words weren't for him. The blast didn't strike him either, but shot past his shoulder to obliterate a section of the already pitted cavern wall.

"Hallucinations from the Heart Devil Sword," Tianlang-jun offered helpfully.

Shen Qingqiu didn't need the explanation; he could guess as much. Luo Binghe was clearly seeing things others could not. Spiritual and demonic energy erupted chaotically from his hands, striking the empty space around him as he battled invisible foes.

The mountain shuddered again, sending clusters of rubble raining down. Shen Qingqiu glanced at the two behind him and shouted, "Follow me!"

Luo Binghe did indeed follow.

The chase began—one fleeing as if on the wind, the other pursuing like a vengeful spirit, yet matching the pace perfectly. Shen Qingqiu felt like a bone, leading a mad dog on a string.

At that moment, the System prompted: 【"Luo Binghe" Rage Value: 300. Multiplied by Heart Devil Sword coefficient of 100. Current State: 3000.】

Shen Qingqiu roared internally, Where the hell is the key item?! Spit it out already! The jade Guanyin! The jade pendant! Hurry up and produce it!

System: 【Hello. Key item drop loading. It is suggested you utilize other available tools in the interim.】

Loading my ass—! What other tools? Show me!

System: 【Friendly Reminder: The premium version of the 'Scene Prompter' purchased during your last upgrade has not yet been utilized.】

Shen Qingqiu skidded to a halt.

To be honest, he still hadn't figured out what this 'Scene Prompter' thing was or how it worked.

But based on his one and only prior experience with it... it seemed incredibly useful!

Through gritted teeth, Shen Qingqiu thought, ...Do it!

Let me witness the domineering, acid-sharp awesomeness of the premium version. Bring it on!

The moment he mentally slammed the "CONFIRM" button, the ground gave way beneath him once more.

During the fall, only one thought crossed Shen Qingqiu's mind:

Prompter my ass—this is a fucking bulldozer!

Yet, as he tumbled, stone shadows rolling above his head, he was not struck by the collapsing mountain.

Someone shielded him.

Even in his addled, confused state, Luo Binghe's instincts took over. He used his own body to block the falling debris.

With a single arm, he shoved aside a massive boulder that had crashed onto his back, showing no sign of strain. He looked down, his dazed eyes meeting Shen Qingqiu's. A flicker of clarity seemed to pass through them, vanishing as quickly as it came. He blinked, confusion flooding back in.

Dark red patterns spread from his forehead, crawling across his deathly pale face and snaking down his neck.

The Heart Devil Sword, which had fallen nearby, seemed to resonate with the markings on his body, its light pulsing dimly and brightly as purple radiance and black mist swirled around it.

"Shizun...?" Luo Binghe mumbled.

Shen Qingqiu made an affirmative sound. Seeing blood trickle down Luo Binghe's forehead, his own throat tightened.

"Shizun, is it really you?"

"...Yes."

"You're really here? You didn't leave with them just now?"

"I'm not leaving."

Luo Binghe slowly bent down, burying his face in the crook of Shen Qingqiu's neck. "Shizun, it hurts," he whispered. "My head hurts."

His tone held the plaintive note of a child seeking comfort, yet the pain seemed genuine. Shen Qingqiu slowly raised his arms, wrapping them around Luo Binghe's shoulders and back, patting him gently. "Be good. It will stop hurting soon."

"If I'm good, it won't hurt anymore? And Shizun won't leave me alone again?"

"It will stop soon," Shen Qingqiu repeated softly.

"I don't believe you," Luo Binghe muttered.

Suddenly, his agitation returned. "I don't believe you! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" he roared.

Seeing him flare up again, Shen Qingqiu gripped his shoulders and jerked his head up.

The angle was off. Teeth collided with teeth, a sharp, painful impact.

Luo Binghe, his lips now sealed, simply stared, eyes wide with shock. He blinked once, twice.

Shen Qingqiu was also staring. This mutual wide-eyed gawking felt utterly absurd. After a long moment of the standoff, he gave in, closing his own eyes first. His lashes trembled as he deepened the kiss.

To be honest, with their teeth still aching and lips numb from the collision, it was less a kiss and more a clumsy gnawing.

But Luo Binghe clearly enjoyed the gnawing. He nibbled at Shen Qingqiu's lips, his breathing growing increasingly ragged. Suddenly, he pushed Shen Qingqiu back, pinning him to the ground.

Riiip. Several sharp tears, and Shen Qingqiu's outer robe was shredded to pieces.

The rest of the clothing was removed by Shen Qingqiu himself. In the frantic tugging and pulling, his lower garments were pushed down to his knees, while his upper body was left with only a single inner robe hanging loosely, slipping off the curve of his shoulder.

[CENSORED]

Shen Qingqiu could barely breathe in his crushing embrace. The fingers of his right hand scraped bloody trails into the rock beneath him. Every gasp for air was broken, fragmented.

He couldn't hold on.

He really couldn't hold on any longer.

Just as dizziness overwhelmed him and the darkness at the edges of his vision began to swallow everything, a faint white light streaked past.

Ting.

A clear, crisp sound as something landed. It fell right beside Shen Qingqiu's bare shoulder.

Luo Binghe, ever vigilant, glanced up. For a split second, he seemed to falter.

Then, his pupils contracted to pinpricks.

The blurred images before him slowly aligned, growing sharper and clearer.

He looked down slowly, his face instantly draining of all color.

Beneath him lay Shen Qingqiu, robes torn to shreds, legs trembling so violently they couldn't close, eyes rimmed a furious red, looking on the verge of collapse.

Luo Binghe stared in disbelief. He reached out a hand to touch him, then froze mid-air, not daring to make contact. "...Shi... zun?" he stammered.

Finally hearing Luo Binghe call him 'Shizun' normally again, Shen Qingqiu felt as if he had come back to life. He drew in a ragged breath.

The breath was so labored it sounded more like a sob.

"Shizun..." Luo Binghe whispered, dazed. "I... what have I done?"

Shen Qingqiu wanted to clear his throat and say, Nothing much. You just fucked your Shizun, that's all. But his throat refused to clear. Instead, he coughed, and a trickle of blood spilled from his lips.

They both froze.

Before Shen Qingqiu's tears could fall, Luo Binghe's came first.

Drop by drop, they struck Shen Qingqiu's cheek, tracing wet paths down his skin.

Shen Qingqiu had always been terrified of women's tears. Now, he found himself even more terrified of Luo Binghe's. Ignoring the throbbing ache in his lower body, he reached up to wipe the boy's face, soothing him as one would a child. "There, there. No more crying."

Tears fell from Luo Binghe's eyes like beads from a snapped string, rolling down Shen Qingqiu's shoulders. He held his master awkwardly, voice choked with sobs. "Shizun, please don't hate me… I didn't know… I never wanted to hurt you… Why didn't you push me away? Why didn't you just kill me?"

Shen Qingqiu patted his back in a slow, steady rhythm, as if smoothing ruffled fur. "This master knows. This master was willing."

Even as he offered comfort, a wave of bleak desolation washed over him.

He was the one who'd been ravaged!

So why was the ravager crying harder than the ravaged?

The one who'd been fucked senseless now had to comfort the one who did the fucking!

A deflowered Luo Binghe was proving more difficult to handle than a deflowered maiden!

"...You need to… pull out first," Shen Qingqiu said helplessly.

Tears still clung to his lashes as Luo Binghe carefully withdrew. His gaze fell upon the devastating mess between Shen Qingqiu's thighs, and his face drained of all color.

Yet, with trembling hands, he gently adjusted Shen Qingqiu's inner robe and draped his own outer garment over his master's shoulders.

Shen Qingqiu didn't dare look down at himself. He slowly brought his legs together, facial muscles twitching faintly with the effort. He fought to keep any sign of pain from his expression.

To divert Luo Binghe's attention, Shen Qingqiu reached for the jade Guanyin pendant that had fallen nearby, gesturing for the young man to lower his head.

Internally, he was cursing the system ten thousand times over.

Damnable system! Absolute bastard!

Couldn't it have dropped the crucial item sooner?!

Why not sooner?!

Did it have to wait until after the deed was done?!

What fucking use was it now?!

What. Fucking. Use!

Or was the implication that without the drop, the act wouldn't have finished?!

"I thought…" Luo Binghe stammered, "I thought it was lost forever… I never thought I'd see it again…"

Shen Qingqiu fastened the red cord around his neck. "Keep it safe from now on. Don't lose it again."

"Shizun helped me that day," Luo Binghe murmured, dazed. "Has Shizun… has Shizun been carrying it with him all this time?"

It had been sitting in the system's storage space. Saying he'd kept it on him wasn't technically a lie, right?

Shen Qingqiu gave a weak nod.

Luo Binghe's arms tightened around him. Through his shimmering tears, he suddenly noticed the dark markings on Shen Qingqiu's arm were rapidly fading. The scorching heat of his own forehead and cheeks was also receding at an alarming rate.

"What are you doing?!" Luo Binghe exclaimed in horror.

Shen Qingqiu held him fast, locking him firmly in the circle of his arms, refusing to let him struggle. "Nothing," he said, his voice low and firm. "I told you, the pain will be gone soon. Be good. Don't move."

"...Shizun," Luo Binghe's voice broke, "are you… are you going to draw the demonic energy from the Xin Mo Sword into yourself again, like last time?"

"It's not the same as last time."

"How is it different?!" Luo Binghe's fists slowly clenched, his voice trembling. "Shizun, how can you do this to me? For the sake of others, you would endure this torment a second time?! Do you think… do you think I can bear to watch it again?"

"Luo Binghe, listen to me!" Shen Qingqiu's tone turned sharp.

Luo Binghe immediately fell silent, tears welling in his obedient eyes.

"What I did last time," Shen Qingqiu said, "was an escape. That much is true."

"But this time, I am not doing this for anyone else. Not for any other reason."

He spoke each word with deliberate clarity. "This is only for you."

"...Only for me?"

Shen Qingqiu nodded. "So, never say again that no one wants you, that no one chooses you."

"Your mother fought with her dying breath to bring you into this world. If she hadn't wanted to give you a chance at life, you would have frozen to death on the Luo River long before anyone could find you, in the dead of winter, on that sheet of ice. How could she not have needed you?"

Shen Qingqiu's voice softened. "...And your Shizun will not abandon you either. You should believe that by now."

"I know, I believe you!" Luo Binghe said frantically. "Shizun, stop. Please, stop this now. Your body can't withstand so much demonic energy!"

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. "I can't stop."

Luo Binghe looked at him, then suddenly moved to stand. "Then I'll destroy the Xin Mo Sword."

Shen Qingqiu grabbed his arm. "You said it yourself—my body can't handle the energy. But half of it has already been transferred. Destroying the sword now is pointless."

Luo Binghe sank to his knees.

"None of this is Shizun's fault," he whispered. "I ruined everything again. It's all my doing."

"If only I had known Shizun cared for me… If only I had regained my senses sooner… it would never have come to this…"

Shen Qingqiu sighed inwardly.

I told you before, the world has no 'if only's.

Who among us is truly wiser?

"Who made you my disciple?" he said aloud. "A teacher's failure in instruction is his own fault. No matter the transgression, this master has no reason to let you shoulder the burden alone."

Luo Binghe took Shen Qingqiu's hand and pressed it against his own damp cheek. Suddenly, through the tears, a smile broke through.

"Shizun," he said softly. "Let's go together."

"Together?"

"Shizun, you are my vessel. And I am the Xin Mo Sword's vessel. In a moment, I will destroy the sword. Shizun dislikes being a burden to others, so we won't be a burden. No merging, no grand schemes. Just here, in the Burial Mounds. Let us vanish into smoke and ash together. You'll be with me, and I'll be with you."

…

So, the male lead and the villain were going to journey to the Yellow Springs right after bedding each other?

Fine.

Damn it all. With such a bizarre ending, this is bound to be a once-in-a-millennium masterpiece, destined for the annals of harem novel history, remembered for all eternity!

Shen Qingqiu let out a dry, humorless laugh.

Luo Binghe's feverish heat seemed to have seeped into him. His head swam, growing dizzy.

As darkness crept at the edges of his consciousness, Luo Binghe's voice grew distant and faint.

In his haze, he felt as if Luo Binghe had truly picked up the Xin Mo Sword.

So be it.

Perhaps this isn't so bad.

But one voice remained crystal clear, cutting through the fog.

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