Chapter : 1
The sound of a sword piercing bone was drowned out by the collapsing structures around her, blood dripping along the ribs of her umbrella and seeping into the ground.
Li Lingjiang knelt on one knee, gripping the jade-bone umbrella to support herself. She drew in her breath between her fingers. The magic ring on her middle finger, which had once radiated a red auspicious glow, quietly cracked.
The residual magic within her body was barely enough to keep her conscious.
Looking up, she saw the grand demonic palace in ruins beneath her. The ground beneath her was soaked in blood.
Exhausted, Li Lingjiang propped herself up. Her body bent slightly forward. Her black robes were already shredded, hanging in tatters. The sword embedded halfway in her left shoulder dripped steadily with blood. Her beast ears drooped listlessly, and most of the tendons in her body had been shattered.
She lifted her eyelids with effort, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes cold and sharp:
âI lost.â
Li Lingjiangâs finger bones clicked softly as she removed the magic ring she had worn for nearly two thousand years. It was a symbol of the ruler of the demon realm, though it had lost its luster due to the previous owner.
She felt a sense of release, as if she were finally finding a proper resting place for it.
Suppressing the chaotic magic coursing through her body, she took a step toward the Twin Stars who watched her silently. After only two steps, she felt a tearing pain in her internal organs. She paused, blood with a metallic tang sliding from her mouth. Her body wavered, nearly collapsing.
The Twin Stars instinctively reached out to support her, but Li Lingjiang raised a hand to stop them. Her voice was calm:
âNo need.â
Her dark hair had streaks of white. The thin robes accentuated her frail figure. Even in this pitiful state, Li Lingjiang retained a detached, indifferent aura, as if toward anyoneâfriend or foe alike.
The Twin Starsâ hands tightened on their sword hilts. One of them, concerned, spoke in a low voice:
âYour Majesty.â
Li Lingjiang closed her eyes, steadying her mind, and continued forward. She handed the magic ring to the Twin Stars. If she had any energy left, she might have softened her tone and said a few more words with a smile.
âYou were always meant to be the king of the demons.â
The Twin Stars looked at the once-pristine ruler of the demon realm, who under their sword had bled enough to stain her robes, radiating a terrifying aura. Her crown and adornments had long since fallen apart.
Yet even in such a state, she remained proud.
His thoughts swirled.
Li Lingjiang had abilities that ordinary demons could never hope to possess. By the age of four hundred, she had already succeeded in taking over the leadership of the demon realm. She governed with justice, unlike typical demons, and had not caused major conflicts with other races for centuries. She was a rare, enlightened ruler across the six realms.
Her power was so great that the demons once feared there would be no successor. That was until the birth of the Twin Stars. Demons were notoriously difficult to reproduce, let alone have twins from one motherâbut he had survived, drawing half of his siblingâs magic at birth, and had been recognized from infancy as the next ruler.
He had thought this day would come much later, but fate had other plans. Years ago, Li Lingjiangâs magic had begun to mysteriously fade. Even the best healers could find no ailment. Eventually, she calmly dismissed them, saying it was her fate and forbidding further investigation.
Her decline had worsened over the years. The demons were uneasy. She was barely over two thousand years old, yet already showing signs of decay, and still no one had attempted to claim the throne.
Demons were ruthless; succession was always soaked in blood, a life for a life.
Until Li Lingjiang herself proposed a contest.
âYour Majesty,â one of the Twin Stars said, eyes scanning her, âyou need not go this far. Perhaps there are other waysââ
âMy magic can no longer sustain the demonic barrier. Even if there were a way, it would be too late,â Li Lingjiang replied calmly, her gaze fixed on them like still water, without a ripple of regret or resentment.
The Twin Stars sighed slightly, realizing that she could no longer be helped.
âBy tradition, if one endures the trials, they may step down smoothly. The ruler must then be exiled to the Mountain of No Return.â
He could not keep her. Li Lingjiangâs reputation was too great. Even a faint breath of life from her posed a serious threat. One mountain cannot hold two tigers; leaving a demon of her standing was far too risky.
Li Lingjiang accepted this without complaint. She glanced back at the place she had stayed for so long and nodded silently.
âI had already prepared that place. The Mountain of No Return is⌠a fine place.â
Located on the border of the demon realm, the Mountain of No Return was close to the celestial realm but steeped in resentment, littered with unburied corpses of demons. Several former rulers had taken their last breaths there. Even demons avoided it, and over time it had become a kind of mass grave.
Unexpectedly, Li Lingjiang had already arranged everything, anticipating this outcome.
The Twin Stars tensed. He inhaled deeply.
âPerhaps thereâs another placeâŚâ he suggested.
âAnother placeâŚâ Li Lingjiang whispered, wincing as her injuries made her cough up blood. She casually rolled up her sleeves to wipe it. âThere are many demons there. If Iâm buried here, it will suit me.â
She looked quietly at him, seeing the hidden light in the new rulerâs eyes, and said:
âAfter I leave, we likely will not meet again. I have taught you nothing; I hope you can shoulder the responsibility. Keep our people alive and thriving.â
The Twin Stars choked on his words, staring at her with a complex expression.
Her words were devoid of emotion, yet they tightened his chest. He was only a thousand years old, still inexperienced. Li Lingjiang had always guided him, and now the protective barrier he relied on was already cracking. He had to stretch his wings before they were fully grown, to support many lives.
Li Lingjiang could always do everything, always manage with ease. He had never realized how heavy the burden truly was. Panic surged within him.
The magic ring on his fingers grew scorching hot.
Li Lingjiang continued:
âYour style differs from mine. There is no need to follow my rules. If you wish to change them, do so freely. From now onâŚâ
The Twin Starsâ expression stiffened, listening intently.
âDo not seek me out again,â she said simply. âDo not worry about me.â
He stared at her, stunned. She wanted nothingâno medicine, no aid, only to leave alone.
Li Lingjiang swallowed the coppery-tasting blood, took a few steps forward, staggering under dizziness. The Twin Stars tried to steady her but was gently pushed away.
The invincible pillar he had relied on could no longer protect them. At that moment, he realizedâthey had truly lost her.
After only a few steps, Li Lingjiang paused, breathing heavily, dragging her blood-soaked robes. Though the distance from the palace interior to the gate was short, she moved with extreme fatigue.
Yet she felt a long-missed happiness.
The Twin Stars anxiously watched her pass. He wanted to hold her robes, but as his fingers touched the soft fabric, he hesitated. It was as if he had awakened to the reality. His hands tightened on the sword hilt, knuckles white:
ââŚYour Majesty.â
Li Lingjiang responded with a soft âMm,â just as she always had. She supported herself against the palace doors, exhausted. She coughed up clotted blood, and for a rare moment, a faint smile appeared in her eyes.
The blood-red sunset illuminated the demon realm, the light falling across every inch like wildfire. Where her gaze fell, life thrived. The barrier kept them safe.
From afar came the cries of birds. From the dense trees of the divine valley, dozens of crimson-glowing demon birds emerged, shimmering like the magic ring. They circled above, their cries unendingâannouncing the birth of the new demon ruler.
Li Lingjiang forced a faint smile and made one final request:
âLet me take my black dragon with me.â
The Mountain of No Return was shrouded in dense fog from the border. Li Lingjiang rested atop the dragonâs back, eyes closed. After enduring torture, she had suffered high fevers, and had been unconscious for over half a month before she could even breathe. Her body was far weaker now.
The black dragon descended steadily, exhaling to disperse the mist, lying down so Li Lingjiang could dismount.
She sat up, weak and drowsy, nearly devoid of magic energy.
She didnât know when she might die. A day or even an hour no longer mattered.
She patted the dragonâs spiny back:
âBehave.â
The massive black dragon roared and gradually shrank to her size, resting its head behind her to prevent her from falling. This dragon had belonged to her since she took the throne. Once a demon dragon bonded with its master, it stayed for life. She had thought it best to bring it along, to avoid loneliness.
She scanned her surroundings. Everything was dim and hard to see. She recognized the place where she would reside, now gloomier than before.
Her body was wrapped in special bandages, her beast ears drooping. In her arms were the medicines the Twin Stars had insisted she take. Her usually beautiful face was pale and vacant. She coughed twice, weakly staggering forward. Magic surged chaotically around her, tearing at her body like flesh being shredded.
The Mountain of No Return had neither snow nor rain, yet the cold chilled to the bone.
She steadied herself, lowering her gaze.
âBetter to get along with the elders, then,â she murmured.
Li Lingjiang felt a measure of relief. She adjusted her robes and stepped forward. Just a half-step inside, her long-honed instincts sensed somethingâa presence.
The black dragon growled low, moving protectively in front of her, ready to tear apart any intruder.
âWhoâs in there?â she asked calmly.
After a short while, dragging footsteps emerged from the fog. A young female immortal appeared, carrying an injured white dragon. Her face and clothes were streaked with dust. Upon recognizing Li Lingjiang, her eyes lit up, then welled with tears.
âYour Majesty! I finally found you!â
