Chapter Text
Luo Binghe, the demon lord, a man of 3000 wives, the protagonist of the stallion novel "Proud Imortal Demon Way". Such fancy titles would make people kill to get even a grasp of it, but not Binghe. All of it felt so meaningless, so empty, so useless. Like he got to the top of a mountain, the world at the palm of his hand, everything one could desire for he obtained, the power, the wealth, the influence, the pleasures. All might think he's the happiest man on earth, drowning in a satisfaction that hugged his being in a delightful embrace.
But that wasn't the case. After Shen Qingqiu's death, he felt like an empty shell, like he was the one who died that day, just a corpse roaming through the world, day after day. That wasn't living, it could barely be called surviving.
A man without a purpose, a bird who had finally achieved its freedom, but there was no one who it could sing to again. Everything felt so useless, like a prayer of a dead God.
Luo Binghe had everything, except something he yearned for the most, someone, Shen Qingqiu, Shen Jiu, his shizun, the man he hated most in this world, his biggest sorrow, his biggest mistake, the one whom he offered his heart, only to be crushed between his fingers. Later, he became his obsession and worst enemy. But this venerable one would not mourn, for this one's shizun had not yet won. To think he would just let him rest after leaving Binghe so miserable? Impossible, this one always gets his way, no matter what it takes. Shizun would not leave triumphant, not even if he needed to crawl into hell himself to drag that man back to his arms.
Like a starving beast finding a new prey, Binghe found a new purpose, and his hunger wouldn't be fulfilled so easily.
He would bring Shen Qingqiu back.
"Shizun, wait for me."
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Firstly, he needed to repair his shizun's body. He sewed the already rotting limbs into the corpse with ropes made of demonic energy. The putrid smell was unbearable, but Binghe seemed unaffected by it. He was too determined to even think of what he was doing.
The skin was barely holding onto the flesh, some parts almost melting to the touch. He was using spiritual energy to keep that corpse from completely falling apart.
"Oh shizun, you always despised my demon blood, I wonder how you'd feel knowing that it's that same blood that's keeping you in place. Would you be disgusted to death perhaps?" He laughed, not of happiness, but out of pure bitter mockery.
The dead seemed to slightly frown under that remark, or maybe it was the lighting of that dark room. Not even Binghe himself was sure of it. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, that his shizun could still hear him, that he was still alive and everything could still be reversed, that he was still that little disciple at Qingjing peak, so naive and innocent, trying to get his master's attention and failing miserably, resulting in a scolding and a beating.
At that time, it only fueled his hatred for Shen Jiu. But now, recalling those memories almost brought him a strange feeling of warmth.
Wait- what was he thinking? The demon lord feeling nostalgic? How pathetic, so pitiful.
Luo Binghe couldn't help but laugh. What was wrong with him? He had almost forgotten himself for a moment.
Looking at that corpse again, anyone would vomit at the sight. The decomposition had already started to consume his ethereal features, a few maggots could be seem at the end of his throat, and the gas was slowly accumulating on his insides, his skin once peerless, was nowstained with the marks of putrification, his ruthless gaze now seemed to be asleep, never to wake up again.
Even if the sight was unsettling, Binghe couldn't help but admire it, neither with love or hatred. He only looked at that person with an empty gaze, showing no emotion on the outside. Perhaps he really was emotionless.
After that day, the feeling he got could only be described as numbness. He hadn't shed any tears for Shen Jiu, neither did he want to, he would never cry again for that person, in life or death.
"Oh shizun, you look so peaceful like this
Anyone would describe it as angelic. You look like a true immortal, only if you weren't so ruthless... Always so cruel with me. Was it because of my blood? My origins? Could I even be blamed for it? But now I can. I am the monster you always described me as, a sinner beyond redemption. Are you ashamed of me, shizun? That it was your discipline who turned the cultivation world upside down, making a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood? Do you regret it? Are you fuming in hell right now? Fear not Shen Qingqiu, soon we'll be reunited once again, never to be separated. You won't rest in peace as long as I breath". Luo Binghe said as he slowly enveloped his arms around Shen Qingqiu, bringing him close in a tight embrace.
The moon outside shone brightly, illuminating the room as they laid down in bed. Only Binghe's breath could be heard, his heart the only one beating, but deep down, it was as if the person in his arms was still breathing, calmly resting under his care.
"Rest well, Shizun. For now."