301: story

"Kid, I advise you to give up on that idea early."

"Even if that girl isn't a Sword Wielder, with her talent, she's not someone you can covet."

"Don't be delusional..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering's words echoed like demonic sounds in Zhou Xiangyu's ears.

The more the Demon Lord of Suffering spoke, the nastier and more excited he became.

Zhou Xiangyu only felt dizzy, but the pain in his heart had unknowingly lessened a little.

"Patron of Suffering, I didn't expect you to have this side to you."

Bitter Heart's face showed a hint of surprise.

The Demon Lord of Suffering seemed to be humiliating Zhou Xiangyu, but in reality, he wanted to protect him.

After all, compared to the Jiang Family, Zhou Xiangyu was less than a speck of dust.

"Bald Donkey, I think you've eaten too much. How could I be so kind?"

"My name is Suffering. The suffering of others is my sustenance."

"Bald Donkey, you..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering heard Bitter Heart's words and reacted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

He stopped tormenting Zhou Xiangyu and instead continuously cursed at Bitter Heart.

Bitter Heart didn't know whether to laugh or cry, shaking his head, which also caused the Demon Lord of Suffering's face to sway.

"Damn it, Bald Donkey, don't shake around..."

"..."

"No!"

"No one wants to live a life worse than death like this."

"I'm going to save her!"

While the Demon Lord of Suffering was continuously cursing, Zhou Xiangyu opened his bloodshot eyes and suddenly shouted out.

After he finished speaking,

Zhou Xiangyu seemed to have found his direction again.

He walked out without a word.

The sudden change made the Demon Lord of Suffering pause.

But it was only for an instant.

"Heh hahahahahahaha..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering's laughter resounded through the sky.

Bitter Heart's face twitched.

Watching Zhou Xiangyu continuously move through the ruins and head outside, the Illusory Nascent Soul quickly floated over.

On the spot, the two shriveled corpses turned to ash.

The Illusory Nascent Soul instantly floated beside Zhou Xiangyu.

The Demon Lord of Suffering was laughing so hard he was bending over, completely lacking the demeanor of a Nascent Soul expert.

"Shut up!"

Zhou Xiangyu felt that the laughter was like golden needles, piercing his heart one by one.

When he could no longer bear it, he angrily shouted at the Demon Lord of Suffering above.

The surroundings fell silent.

A moment later,

"Hey!"

"Old Bald Donkey, look at your good successor. This little Bald Donkey actually dared to tell me to shut up..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering looked incredulous.

"Hey, my short temper... back in the day..."

"Patron, you are powerless now."

Bitter Heart spoke faintly.

In their current state, they couldn't even put on a brave front.

Their last bit of strength had been completely used up after condensing the buddha heart Demonic Seed.

If they didn't have precious materials to nourish their Nascent Soul, in a little more time, both of them would completely vanish from the world.

The Demon Lord of Suffering fell silent.

After a long while,

The Demon Lord of Suffering gave a self-deprecating smile.

"Kid, it's not that I'm trying to discourage you, but by yourself, even if you Cultivate for a few thousand more years, you won't achieve what you envision."

The Demon Lord of Suffering stopped mocking and instead spoke to Zhou Xiangyu with a serious expression.

"I won't give up."

Zhou Xiangyu paused his steps and said in a deep voice, though his confidence was lacking.

"However, it's not entirely without a way..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering's eyes darted around on his face.

"You only need to Cultivate my Demonic Technique of Suffering, taking the suffering of all beings as your source. Only then will you have a glimmer of a chance."

Behind him, Bitter Heart's face remained silent.

Kushan Temple was a righteous Buddhist sect, and its scriptures did not have such a quick-acting effect.

It could not be achieved quickly.

Hearing this, Zhou Xiangyu's steps halted, and a war raged in his mind.

After a long while,

"Hoo~"

"Senior, I will not Cultivate Demonic Technique."

Zhou Xiangyu let out a long breath, his voice hoarse as he replied softly, his expression once again downcast.

"Heh heh, you will."

The Demon Lord of Suffering didn't care.

The man and the Nascent Soul thus ascended from the ruins.

They arrived on the surface of the Ancient Battlefield Ruins.

A massive, endless chasm was embedded in the earth, splitting it in two.

"Tsk tsk, kid, this is the power you have to face."

The Demon Lord of Suffering clicked his tongue.

Zhou Xiangyu's clenched fists showed bulging veins... Several days later.

Outside the Ancient Battlefield Ruins.

Beside a lake reflecting the full moon.

A bonfire burned, with the occasional sound of crackling flames.

A young Cultivator with a haggard expression stared blankly at the burning flames.

Moths from the mountain forest were attracted by the firelight, flying into the flames.

"Bang~"

The flames burst a little, and the moth turned into ash within the fire.

"This is a moth flying into a flame."

Above the bonfire,

An increasingly Illusory Nascent Soul with two faces, front and back, floated around.

The handsome, middle-aged face looked at the scene of the moth flying into the flame, nodded, and muttered to himself.

It was unclear who he was nodding at.

"Patron, you are not yourself."

Bitter Heart looked at the Demon Lord of Suffering's behavior over the past few days, feeling somewhat puzzled.

How could the former Demon Lord of Suffering be so concerned about the life and death of a Junior?

And how could he subtly try to make Zhou Xiangyu Cultivate his Legacy?

And how could he be so agreeable?

"Old Bald Donkey."

"You and I have reached this point, we can be considered half-confidants. There's no harm in telling you."

The Demon Lord of Suffering's gaze became distant, looking into the distance, as if recalling the deepest memories of his heart.

Bitter Heart did not refute these words.

The two were intertwined, with 'you in me' and 'me in you,' though they were mortal enemies.

"Back then, before I rose to prominence, there was also a woman like this..."

"That woman was like a white moon, shining brightly, with tenderness in every gesture and smile..."

"At that time, I was penniless, with mediocre talent and no background."

"She was like a banished immortal, ethereal and elegant, while I was merely dust in the mud."

"But even so, she still disregarded her Family's objections and unhesitatingly stayed with me..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering's eyes were full of memories, his face gentle.

"What happened later?"

Below, Zhou Xiangyu by the bonfire was attracted by the Demon Lord of Suffering's words and couldn't help but ask.

"Later..."

"She met another male Cultivator who was more to her liking, abandoned me, and then threw herself into his arms."

The tenderness on the Demon Lord of Suffering's face receded, and his tone became flat.

"Even later, I discovered that what she initially liked about me was just my handsome face..."

"Cough cough..."

"Don't make fun of this old monk."

Bitter Heart's face twitched.

Below, Zhou Xiangyu's face was full of disappointment, thinking to himself, if it were Ning Chan, she would never be like this... If Mo Xuan were here and heard these words, he would definitely grumble, 'This truly is a sad and clichéd story...' "Hahahaha..."

The Demon Lord of Suffering burst into laughter, then smugly continued.

"Old Bald Donkey, as long as this kid Cultivates my Legacy and not your Kushan Temple's, it will prove that my Legacy is more exquisite."

"I will have the upper hand, and you, Old Bald Donkey, can only admit defeat."

It seemed this was the true reason for his different treatment of Zhou Xiangyu.

Zhou Xiangyu was astonished, feeling contempt in his heart; a dignified Nascent Soul Demonic Lord was actually so childish.

"Patron, this is a case of 'a dying man's words are good.'"

"This old monk naturally won't argue with you about who is superior..."

Bitter Heart showed no anger.

He had already gained a certain understanding of the Demon Lord of Suffering's change in mindset.

"Hmph!"

The Demon Lord of Suffering snorted coldly and said no more.