Chen Jiu's heart raced as the demon's enraged roar filled the air, making even the trees tremble. This might be the last chance I get.
"He's escaped the formation!" Chen Jiu shouted, desperation tearing at his voice. "GET THE IMMORTAL BINDING ROPE!"
But even as disciples scrambled, the bindings snapped again and again, crumbling like dried leaves under the demon's relentless fury. Sweat trickled down Chen Jiu's brow as he watched, panic creeping into his chest. He knew the stakes. He had only one option left, and he dreaded it.
If this goes on... I might have to sacrifice my own cultivation.
At just 23, Chen Jiu was a rising star in the cultivation world—the strongest among the sects, second only to the infamous Demon Lord he now faced. Yet, even he felt the strain of this battle. He had reached the Nascent Soul stage, a rare feat, but the gap between them was far wider than he'd calculated. To break through, he needed a rare treasure held by the Demon Lord. But none of his talent or training had prepared him for the demon's sheer ferocity.
"This is it," he muttered, gripping his sword tighter. "Start the Blood Array Formation!"
Gasps rippled through the disciples and elders surrounding him. The Blood Array Formation—a brutal, ancient spell that trapped souls, forever denying them reincarnation. It was forbidden, a last resort that condemned the caster as much as the victim.
It's either him or me.....
"Are you certain, Sect Leader?" an elder asked, his voice laced with fear.
"We have no other choice." Chen Jiu's gaze was steely. "Either we end this now, or he kills us all."
With grim determination, the disciples and elders formed a circle around the Demon Lord, their faces pale but resolute. They slashed their palms, letting blood drip into the formation. The air grew thick with the metallic scent, and the ground itself seemed to tremble as the ancient spell came to life. Runes ignited, weaving into a glowing net around the demon, who stood at the center, eyes blazing with fury.
The Demon Lord growled, feeling the binding power latch onto his spirit, weighing him down. Pain surged through his limbs, and every movement grew heavier. But he gritted his teeth, his thoughts straying to his family. As long as my family is safe... I can endure anything.
From within the circle, he looked skyward, feeling the weight of fate press down on him. "Ah Ning..." he whispered to himself, sorrow flickering in his eyes. "Live well. Keep our son safe."
"HE'S TRAPPED!" an excited disciple shouted, breaking Chen Jiu from his brief trance.
Chen Jiu's pulse quickened. This is my chance. He took a step forward, drawing his sword with trembling hands. "It's time to end this," he declared, his voice laced with determination. His gaze hardened, and he channeled all his energy into a single, deadly technique: "Abandoned Lake." The air around his blade shimmered, infused with raw spiritual power as he slashed toward the Demon Lord's throat.
The Demon Lord watched the strike with heavy eyes, feeling the cold bite of fate closing in on him. His strength was fading; the poison in his veins had done its job, robbing him of the power he once wielded. How pathetic… If I weren't poisoned, I'd never have let it come to this.
As Chen Jiu's sword struck, blood sprayed across the formation. The Demon Lord's vision began to blur, the world fading to shades of red and darkness. He stumbled, his knees buckling as his strength left him. Memories flashed before him—his wife's gentle smile, the first time he'd held their son, the warmth of family he'd once fought so hard to protect.
Ah Ning... I'm so sorry. He reached a shaking hand towards the heavens, a final plea. "Ah Ning… may you find peace. Raise our son well... tell him his father loved him."
His voice faded, barely a whisper as the strength ebbed from his body.
Chen Jiu watched, heart pounding, as the Demon Lord crumpled to the ground, his hand falling limp. Silence swept over the battlefield, the kind that felt suffocating, heavy with loss. Chen Jiu gripped his sword tightly, staring at the man he had once called his greatest enemy.
He was a monster… but he was also a father, Chen Jiu thought, a pang of regret piercing through his victory.
As the Demon Lord's body lay still within the formation, a faint, ethereal glow rose from his form—a final fragment of his spirit. It flickered, like the last ember of a dying flame, before fading into the air.
The elders and disciples collapsed to their knees, exhausted and bloodied, but Chen Jiu stood rooted, haunted by the last look in the Demon Lord's eyes.
*****
"Mom, I'm tired… wuwu… where is Daddy?" a small voice cried, tears streaming down the child's cheeks.
"Dear son, your father is doing everything he can for us. Just stay close," his mother replied, her heart heavy. Suddenly, she heard distant cheering and laughter
.
"Mommy?" the child asked, sensing her tension.
She paused, scanning their surroundings. Leaning down, she whispered urgently, "Dear son, listen to me. Someone is following us. Be quiet. Mommy will handle this."
"Mommy loves you, baby. If I don't make it, you must run. Run far away from this world. Don't let it corrupt you. You have to live peacefully and stay hidden. Mommy has to go now. Promise me you'll be safe."
With tears in her eyes, she kissed his forehead, knowing this might be their last moment together.
"Oh my, what a beautiful mother and son pair. It's hard to believe a child like this is the son of the Demon Lord," a mocking voice sneered from the shadows.
"Filthy blood…" the child echoed, struggling to grasp the meaning.
"SON , RUN!" she urged, desperation in her voice.
"I don't want to leave Mommy!" he cried, clinging to her.
"Pfft! A mama's boy, huh? What a joke," the enemy taunted, gathering energy in her palm, aiming it directly at the child.
"SON!" The mother lunged forward, instinctively shielding her son with her body.
"MOMMY!!" he screamed, his heart shattering as he watched her sacrifice herself.