I Want to Gamble Once

Ye Xuan held the bracelet that still carried a trace of lingering warmth. Kneeling on the ground, he heavily kowtowed three times toward the empty cave.

"Master, have a safe journey."

"Your disciple will shoulder the burden of your vengeance."

"But as for this affection... your disciple wants to gamble on it one more time."

Ye Xuan stood up and tucked the bracelet into his robes, his gaze becoming unprecedentedly cold.

The terrifying coercion of the Nascent Soul stage suddenly erupted, shattering the entire back mountain.

"Zi Yao..."

"I'm coming."

"This time, no one can take you away from me."

"Whoever stands in my way, I will kill!!"

Yin Demon Sect, Main Peak Great Hall.

Today, the Yin Demon Sect was decorated with lanterns and festoons.

However, this festive red was not the red silk of the righteous path, but animal skins dyed red with the blood of countless mortals. Inside the high-hanging lanterns, it was not candles that burned, but the wailing living souls imprisoned within.

The ghostly aura was chilling, and the stench of blood assaulted the nose.

Today was the grand day when the Sect Master of the Yin Demon Sect, Old Devil Dry Bone, was to marry his personal disciple, Zi Yao.

Though called a marriage, it was actually a harvesting.

Everyone in the demonic path of the Southern Province's cultivation world knew perfectly well that this was nothing more than a man-eating feast. The top-grade human cauldron that the old devil had raised for ten years was finally ripe.

The Great Hall was filled with guests.

Those senior brothers and elders who used to swarm around Zi Yao to curry favor were now toasting each other, their faces wearing lewd and expectant smiles.

Zi Yao wore a phoenix coronet and robes of state, which seemed incredibly ironic at this moment. She was forcibly held down beside the main seat by two emaciated demonic cultivators.

All the spiritual energy in her body had been sealed. Her stunningly beautiful face wore exquisite makeup, but it could not hide the deep-seated resolve and madness in her eyes.

The old devil wore a dark red wedding robe, his mummy-like old face smiling so wide it resembled a blooming chrysanthemum.

"The auspicious hour has arrived!"

Following the sharp shout of the master of ceremonies.

The old devil reached out his hand, withered like a chicken claw, to lift Zi Yao's red bridal veil, letting out a sickening cackle:

"Hehehe, my good disciple, let your master love you properly..."

At this very moment.

Zi Yao abruptly raised her head. The red veil slipped off on its own, revealing a pair of eyes brimming with hatred.

Although her spiritual energy was sealed, she still had her voice!

"Do it!"

This harsh shout, shrill and piercing, resounded throughout the entire Great Hall.

This was the signal.

It was the web of rebellion she had woven over the past ten years, enduring humiliation, navigating among countless men, using ambiguity, promises, and tears.

She believed that with this single command.

Eldest Senior Brother Liang Yue would summon his natal flying sword and thrust it into the old devil's back.

Law Enforcement Elder Li Yinshan would activate the Sect Protection Array to trap the old devil.

And Junior Brother Wang, Deacon Sun...

Those men who had once sworn they would climb a mountain of swords and plunge into a sea of fire for her, who were willing to betray the sect for her, would definitely swarm forward and hack this heavily injured, unhealed old devil into a million pieces!

However.

One second passed.

Two seconds passed.

Inside the Great Hall, there was a deathly silence.

Eldest Senior Brother Liang Yue was still drinking, not even batting an eyelid.

Law Enforcement Elder Li Yinshan was currently groping a maidservant, a mocking sneer hanging on his lips.

Those junior brothers who usually fought out of jealousy over her now acted as if they hadn't heard anything. Some even looked at her as if she were a fool.

Not a single person moved.

Not even a single cup was dropped.

Zi Yao's face turned as pale as paper in an instant.

She looked in disbelief at the eldest senior brother off the stage, who had once solemnly vowed that he loved her to the bone, and shouted tremblingly:

"Senior Brother Zhao!! What are you doing?!"

"Have you forgotten the oath you made to me in the back mountain? You said that with just one word from me, you would kill him! You said you would take me far away!!"

Liang Yue slowly put down his wine cup.

He stood up and smoothed his robes. Where was the slightest trace of his usual infatuation? There was only thick mockery and disdain.

"Junior Sister, your senior brother indeed said that."

Liang Yue chuckled lightly and pointed at the old devil on the high platform:

"But, our esteemed Master promised me that once he is done harvesting you, your remaining broken body... will be rewarded to me to play with for three days."

"What..." Zi Yao felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

She abruptly turned her head to look at the Law Enforcement Elder:

"Elder Li! What about you? Didn't you say you hated this old devil the most for hogging all the resources? Didn't you say I was your precious darling?!"

Elder Li burst into loud laughter, his fat jiggling:

"Precious darling? Zi Yao, aren't you taking yourself a bit too seriously?"

Elder Li stood up, his eyes becoming incredibly lewd and malicious:

"This old man played along with your act for three years, and even offended a few fellow sect members for you. And the result?"

"I stayed in your cave dwelling for three days, and I didn't even get to touch your hand! When I wanted to take things a step further, you would cry and tell me that you wanted to save the best for your wedding night."

Elder Li's face darkened, and he spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground:

"Ridiculous! You didn't even want to give up your body, yet you expected us to rebel?"

These words were like a resounding slap, striking Zi Yao fiercely across the face.

The surrounding senior and junior brothers also joined in the jeering, revealing their ugliest true colors:

"Exactly! You can't just expect to get something for nothing like that, can you?"

"Acting all pure and innocent all day long, but in reality, you're just a tease of a whore!"

"Truly utterly ridiculous! You want us to risk our lives fighting our Golden Core stage Master for you? Are you even worthy?"

"If you had let us have our fun earlier, maybe we would have had a rush of blood to the head and helped you out. But now... hehe, waiting to pick up Master's leftovers isn't bad either!"

The roars of laughter and curses surged forward like a tidal wave.

Zi Yao stood on the high platform, trembling all over.

She looked at these familiar faces, at this group of men who had once been so deeply affectionate toward her.

It crumbled.

Her world completely crumbled.

So... this was the demonic sect.

So... this was human nature.

She thought she was a master at playing with people's hearts, thinking she could use her beauty and false affection to leverage power.

But in the end, she was the clown being played for a fool by everyone.

"Hahahaha..."

Old Devil Dry Bone laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes.

He grabbed Zi Yao by the hair, forcing her to tilt her head back. His old face, resembling dead tree bark, leaned in close to her, reeking of a foul stench:

"My good disciple, have you seen clearly now?"

"These are your allies?"

"Did you really think your master had gone senile? Your little tricks have long been seen through by me; I just treated it as a bit of entertainment!"

"Now, the farce should come to an end."

"Riiip!"

The old devil gave a violent tear.

The bright red wedding dress on Zi Yao's body instantly shattered, revealing the thin inner garments and her snow-white, jade-like skin underneath.

"Ah!" Zi Yao screamed, desperately trying to cover herself, but she was pinned firmly against the offering table by the old devil.

"Stop struggling! Today, even if the Heavenly King himself came, he couldn't save you!"

"Just obediently become the nourishment for your master to break through to the Nascent Soul stage!!"

The old devil opened his large mouth, about to bite into Zi Yao's snow-white neck.

The demonic cultivators below the stage widened their eyes one by one, howling with excitement, anticipating this live erotic show.

Zi Yao closed her eyes.

Two trails of bloody tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes.

It was over.

Completely over.

Ye Xuan... I'm sorry...

I should have listened to you... I should have run away sooner...

If there is a next life...

Just as Zi Yao was about to bite her tongue and commit suicide, determined not to let this old devil have his way even in death.

An earth-shattering boom instantly drowned out all the noise.

That wasn't thunder.

That was a mountain collapsing!

The grand mountain gate of the Yin Demon Sect, which had stood for a hundred years, along with the giant stone stele engraved with the words "Yin Demon," exploded into pieces in an instant!

Amidst the sky full of dust and smoke, an aura so terrifying that it made everyone's soul tremble crashed in like an awakened primordial beast!

"Who?"

Old Devil Dry Bone stiffened, whipping his head around, a flash of horror in his eyes.

This aura...

This pressure...

This wasn't just Core Formation... this was... Nascent Soul?

The dust settled.

A figure walked through the air.

He wore a snow-white robe that seemed entirely out of place here, his black hair dancing wildly in the astral wind.

His face was expressionless, holding only an indifference that viewed all living beings as mere grass.

His hands held no weapons.

Because his entire being was an unsheathed, peerless fierce sword thirsting for the blood of all living things!

"That's..."

Below the stage, Liang Yue's eyes widened, his wine cup dropping to the ground with a clatter:

"Ye... Ye Xuan?"

"That trash servant? How is that possible!"

Hearing the name "Ye Xuan," Zi Yao, who was lying in despair on the altar, snapped her eyes open.

She saw him.

The boy who had once cried by the river.

The husband she had called trash and pushed away for the sake of her revenge.

At this moment, descending like a god or a demon.

Ye Xuan hovered at the entrance of the great hall, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

When his eyes landed on Zi Yao, whose clothes were torn and who was pinned to the altar.

His originally indifferent gaze instantly transformed into a monstrous sea of blood.

"You all..."

Ye Xuan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly echoed in every corner, carrying a chill from the Nine Nether Underworld:

"Must die."

"Arrogant!"

Although Old Devil Dry Bone was shocked by Ye Xuan's cultivation, he was, after all, a veteran at the peak of Core Formation, and this was his home turf!

"Where did this wild bastard come from, daring to ruin the Patriarch's good deeds! All disciples, hear my command! Form the array! Kill him!!"

Following the old devil's order.

Hundreds of demonic cultivators in the hall instantly snapped out of their shock.

Even if Ye Xuan's aura was terrifying, they had the advantage in numbers!

"Kill!!"

"Slaughter him! Refine his Nascent Soul into a pill!"

In an instant, hundreds of magical treasures, flying swords, and toxic miasmas blasted toward Ye Xuan like a violent storm.

Colorful spiritual lights blotted out the sky, creating a truly horrifying spectacle.

Facing this overwhelming attack.

Ye Xuan didn't dodge.

He didn't even pause his steps.

He simply raised his right hand slowly and gave a light squeeze toward the void.

"Master Wei once said, prove the Dao with strength."

"Today, I shall prove the Dao with slaughter."

"Immortal Slaughtering Art—First Stance."

"Blood Sea Pagoda."

As Ye Xuan's hand clenched.

The space in the entire hall seemed to freeze in an instant.

Immediately after.

All the magical treasures and flying swords blasting toward him hit an invisible wall three feet away.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

They all shattered! Reduced to dust!

But this was only the beginning.

In the next second.

A red ripple, centered on Ye Xuan, spread outward in a ring.

That wasn't a spiritual energy ripple.

That was materialized killing intent!

"Pfft!"

The dozen or so Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators leading the charge didn't even have time to scream. Their bodies, like overinflated balloons, instantly exploded into mists of blood!

"Pfft pfft pfft pfft!!"

Wherever the ripple swept, human lives were cut down like weeds.

Those normally ferocious demonic cultivators were as fragile as paper before Ye Xuan.

Blood instantly dyed the ground red, converging into rivers.

"What... what kind of demonic art is this?!"

"Impossible! He's just a trash spirit root! How could he be this strong!!"

The remaining people were scared.

Completely terrified.

"Run!!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd instantly panicked, frantically fleeing in all directions.

"Run?"

A cruel sneer curled the corners of Ye Xuan's mouth.

His figure suddenly vanished from the spot.

When he reappeared, he was standing in front of the eldest martial brother, Liang Yue, who had once mocked him.

"Senior Brother Zhao."

Ye Xuan looked at the shivering Liang Yue, his tone as gentle as if they were catching up:

"I seem to recall you just said you wanted to take Master's leftovers?"

"No... Junior Brother Ye... No! Grandpa Ye! I was wrong! I was just joking!!"

Liang Yue, terrified to the point of voiding his bowels, kowtowed frantically.

Ye Xuan ignored his pleas.

He reached out and gently grasped Liang Yue's skull.

"Since your mouth is so vile, you won't be needing it anymore."

"Soul Search, Bone Crush."

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Liang Yue let out a scream that didn't sound human.

Ye Xuan didn't kill him directly. Instead, he injected violent spiritual energy into his body, crushing his bones inch by inch.

From his fingers, to his arms, to his spine...

Finally, like throwing away garbage, he tossed the limp, puddle-like Liang Yue aside.

"Next."

Ye Xuan moved like lightning, like a starving tiger charging into a flock of sheep.

"Elder Li."

Ye Xuan appeared before the fat elder, his gaze falling on those greasy hands:

"This hand touched her waist, right?"

With a swift chop.

Elder Li's arms were severed at the root, blood spraying wildly.

"This eye looked at her body, right?"

"Pfft!"

Two fingers thrust out, bursting the eyeball.

This wasn't a battle.

This was a massacre.

A one-sided, torturous purge.

Screams, pleas for mercy, and the sound of crushing bones wove into a symphony of hell.

In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

In the entire hall, apart from Old Devil Dry Bone and Zi Yao on the high platform.

Not a single person was left standing.

Rivers of blood, corpses strewn everywhere.

Severed limbs hung from the rafters, and the blood had dyed the festive red silk a dark crimson.

Ye Xuan stood in a pool of blood. His white robe was now thoroughly soaked, turning a glaring scarlet.

His face, his hands, were covered in blood.

But his eyes shone terrifyingly bright, so bright that one dared not look directly at them.

Step by step, treading over the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, he walked toward the high platform.

"Tap."

"Tap."

"Tap."

The footsteps sounded like the grim reaper's countdown.

On the high platform.

Old Devil Dry Bone was scared silly.

Although he was at the peak of Core Formation, he could sense that the aura on Ye Xuan was that of a true Nascent Soul!

And a Nascent Soul with monstrous killing intent, one that had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

"Don't... don't come any closer!!"

Trembling, Old Devil Dry Bone grabbed Zi Yao, using her as a shield. He clutched her throat and roared with a false bravado:

"Ye Xuan! Don't come any closer!"

"She's your woman, right?"

"If you take one more step, I'll crush her throat! I'll make her die with me!!"

Zi Yao, choked and unable to breathe, her face flushed red.

But she didn't struggle.

She just stared fixedly at Ye Xuan.

Looking at the man who came bathed in blood.

Looking at the man who would slaughter everyone in the world for her.

At this moment.

Fear vanished.

Despair disappeared.

Replaced by an unprecedented, almost morbid worship and infatuation.

He is a god.

He is my god.

The former trash Ye Xuan was dead.

The man standing before me now is the strongest in this world!

Only such a man is worthy of me, Zi Yao!

"Ye Xuan..."

Zi Yao struggled to squeeze out a few words:

"Kill... kill him... don't worry about me..."

Ye Xuan stopped in his tracks.

He stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the two people on the high platform.

Facing Old Devil Dry Bone's threat, he suddenly laughed.

A laugh full of contempt and arrogance.

"Threatening me with her?"

Ye Xuan tilted his head slightly, a flash of golden light passing through his eyes:

"Old thing, you know nothing about true power."

"Kunpeng's Carefree Roaming—Instant Kill."

Without any warning.

Ye Xuan's figure vanished into thin air from where he stood.

Not even a ripple in space was produced.

The next instant.

Old Devil Dry Bone only felt his vision blur.

Immediately after, he felt his field of vision begin to spin, the world turning upside down.

He saw the high platform, he saw Zi Yao, and he saw Ye Xuan's back.

He also saw a headless, blood-spraying, withered body, still maintaining a choking posture.

That... is that my body?

"Thud."

The old devil's head rolled onto the ground. Even in death, his eyes were wide open, unable to figure out how he had died.

Ye Xuan stood beside Zi Yao.

With one hand, he gently caught the collapsing Zi Yao.

His other hand was slowly withdrawing, its fingertips still dripping with the old devil's blood.

Instant kill.

A Nascent Soul killing a Golden Core was like slaughtering a dog.

Inside the grand hall, it was completely silent.

Only the sound of dripping blood remained.

Leaning in Ye Xuan's embrace, Zi Yao felt the heavy stench of blood, yet she thought it was the best smell in the world.

Trembling, she reached out a hand and caressed Ye Xuan's bloodstained face.

"Husband..."

Zi Yao's voice trembled, her eyes sparkling with fanatical starlight:

"You... you're so strong..."

"You really... killed them all..."

"Did you... become a demon for me?"

Ye Xuan lowered his head and looked at the woman in his arms.

Looking at her torn wedding dress, looking at the worship in her eyes.

His heart ached so much at this moment that he couldn't breathe.

Because he knew what had been traded for this cultivation base, for this massacre.

It was exchanged with his master Wei Wuji's life.

"Yes."

Ye Xuan's voice was hoarse, carrying endless exhaustion:

"For you."

"To take you away."

As he spoke, he took out from his robes the still-warm bracelet that emanated a dark golden light.

It was a betrothal bracelet.

It was the immortal artifact that Wei Wuji had transformed into.

"Zi Yao."

Ye Xuan took her hand and slowly slid the bracelet, stained with his and the old devil's blood, onto her slender wrist.

"From today on, wear it."

"As long as it is here, no one will ever be able to hurt you again."

"As long as it is here, I, Ye Xuan, even if I have to slaughter all the gods and buddhas in the sky, will protect you."

The golden bracelet settled on her wrist.

"Ring..."

A crisp ringing sound echoed in this blood-colored hall filled with corpses.

Zi Yao looked at the golden bracelet on her wrist, then at the man before her who resembled a demonic god.

She suddenly threw herself into Ye Xuan's arms, hugging him tightly, and frantically kissed his bloodstained lips:

"Husband! I love you!!"

"In this life, the next life, for all eternity! Zi Yao is yours!"

"I don't want to think about revenge anymore, I don't want to think about power anymore... I only want you!!"

Ye Xuan hugged her back tightly.

Amidst this mountain of corpses and sea of blood, in this hellish wedding venue.

The two embraced tightly.

Ye Xuan closed his eyes, a teardrop sliding down the corner of his eye.

Master...

Look.

She loves me.

She really loves me.

I won the bet...

However.

Immersed in the ecstasy of regaining what was lost, Ye Xuan failed to notice.

Zi Yao, leaning against his chest, after her brief moment of frantic infatuation.

When her gaze swept over the corpses of the experts in the hall, and over the terrifying destructive power caused by Ye Xuan's casual strike.

The worship in the depths of her eyes was quietly undergoing a qualitative change.

Power.

This is absolute power.

So, rules can be broken.

So, as long as one is strong enough, they can do whatever they please.

What if... what if I could also possess such power?

What if... I could get the secret to his strength?