LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 155:
Chapter 155: The Fire-Chasing Moth:
A girl’s life could change drastically.
Wu Yingxue had once been the princess of Daqian, basking in glory and wealth.
But at sixteen, her world crumbled. She became a fugitive, lost her parents, and her life was forever altered.
The root of all her pain pointed to one figure: the Emperor of Daqian.
A demon wearing human skin, orchestrating endless tragedies with cold indifference.
Wu Yingxue’s teeth clenched as she glared at the dragon-robed figure before her.
“Emperor! Bastard Emperor!”
In the oppressive darkness of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, where silence reigned and the night seemed to swallow all, her furious cry shattered the stillness.
The demon remained unmoved, his gaze cold and lofty.
Every slight movement radiated a dangerous aura, making her body tremble instinctively.
“How interesting,” the demon mused. “A fish that slipped through Dingyuan’s net.”
He clapped his hands mockingly, his tone laced with amusement.
“The last person to stand before me did so for food. And you? What compels you to be so foolish?”
He waved his hand casually, and a suffocating energy sealed the sky and earth, cutting off any escape.
But Wu Yingxue had no intention of running. She gripped her spear tightly, her voice steady.
“A dream.”
“A dream?”
“He gave me a dream,” she said firmly. “A dream where everyone can eat their fill and live a decent life.”
Her answer was so simple, so illogical, that it left the demon momentarily stunned.
Then, he laughed coldly, his expression turning mocking.
“Such naïveté,” he sneered. “Do you even understand the nature of this world? There are endless demons, countless demon gods, and demon saints. Humans are weak, pitiful creatures.”
The demon’s voice grew quieter, almost contemplative.
“Once, I also thought of resisting.”
“But human strength has limits. Against the infinite power of demons, resistance is futile. That’s why I joined them. Better to adapt to the inevitable than to be destroyed by it.”
For a moment, it seemed as though the demon was lost in his memories.
He recounted a tale from thousands of years ago when he, along with many others, had been captured by the demon Qinglong and raised as livestock in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Some humans resisted. Some tried to escape. All failed.
Eventually, the then-Emperor of Daqian gave up. He abandoned his faith in martial arts and sought refuge with Qinglong, drinking dragon blood to become a half-dragon.
By creating Daqian, he raised warriors as food for the demons.
“You see,” the demon said, “there’s no point in dreaming of a better world. But if you surrender, I’ll ensure you survive.”
“Get out of here, you b*****d!” Wu Yingxue roared, her face twisted in anger.
Without hesitation, she lunged forward, her spear striking like a relentless storm.
Snap! Snap!
The weapon cracked loudly as it struck the demon, but it left no wounds. Instead, the recoil almost caused her to lose her grip.
“Is that all?” the demon mocked, his voice icy. “You’re just as foolish as your father.”
His human hand transformed into a dragon claw, covered in green scales. With a casual swipe, the sheer force sent Wu Yingxue flying.
The blow, brimming with power far beyond the innate realm, was something only a demon king—a being equivalent to a martial immortal—could deliver.
Wu Yingxue crashed to the ground, tumbling through dirt and trees.
When she finally managed to stand, blood streamed from a gash on her forehead, blurring her vision and staining her cheeks.
“Don’t fall… don’t fall yet,” she muttered to herself, gritting her teeth.
She planted her spear in the ground and forced herself upright. Her body shook, her clothes were in tatters, but she stood firm.
Though the survival army had fled, they couldn’t have gone far. Wu Yingxue was determined to buy them more time.
At the same time, an audacious dream burned in her heart—a dream so bold it felt impossible.
She wanted to defeat Emperor Daqian, kill the demon king, survive, and reunite with Xu Xi.
“I’ll see him again,” she whispered. “I’ll tell him, ‘Sir, I’m back.’”
But the dream seemed unreachable, a distant hope.
“Sir… I…”
Her voice faltered as blood bubbled in her throat.
Every step, every strike, brought her closer to death. Yet, each time she neared her limit, an indomitable fighting spirit reignited within her, fueling her body with fleeting strength.
The demon frowned, clearly annoyed. “Noisy.”
He raised a single finger and swiped through the air. The movement summoned a destructive wave of dragon energy, its force shattering the night sky and splitting the earth.
The attack was unstoppable. Wu Yingxue couldn’t evade it. She didn’t even try.
“I must… I must hold on… and let Sir escape…”
Blood dripped from her mouth as she smiled—a broken, tragic smile.
She gripped her spear tightly, channeling every ounce of her energy and blood into one final, desperate strike.
The spear ignited in a burst of orange-red flame, cutting through the darkness like a moth diving into fire.
Her determination, her love, and her dreams fueled that single attack.
Tear!
The flames blazed against the overwhelming darkness, a fleeting yet brilliant light in the night.
…
“Yingxue, is this all you’re bringing?”
“Yes, sir. We’re heading into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. It’s easier to travel light.”
“That’s true. You’ve always preferred to keep things simple.”
The day before they began their journey, Xu Xi had noticed how little Wu Yingxue packed.
Sir…” she murmured now, her voice weak.
Her spear fell from her limp hands.
The moth chasing the flame had burned itself out.
Wu Yingxue collapsed heavily, her strength utterly spent. A small sachet at her waist spilled open, scattering paper flowers she had hidden. They were stained with blood, their delicate petals turning a deep red.
She reached out, trying to grab them, but her fingers couldn’t reach.
Then, another hand appeared, picking up the flowers for her.