The biting cold of the morning wind howled, bringing with it a chill that pierced to the bone.
Xiao Mu Yu sat silently on a long bench outside the magical train station, his eyes gently closed, allowing the frigid gusts and swirling snowflakes to settle on his shoulders. The man, with his calm breathing, seemed to have slipped into a deep slumber.
He chose not to seek refuge in the temperature-controlled waiting hall of the station, for the bustling crowd that flowed in and out felt perilous in his current state.
In such a throng, he could easily fall victim to a dagger thrust from the shadows, and the motive might be nothing more than the few remaining gold coins he clutched. This was the world of Valoran, rife with chaos and bloodshed.
In the past few years, he quickly learned that to survive on this continent, and to do so in peace, one must not only possess formidable strength but also maintain a vigilant awareness that should never be carelessly abandoned.
Xiao Mu Yu had always harbored a deep-seated wariness towards sentient beings.
He understood that, in contrast to the bloody and savage world of beasts, the society of intelligent beings, which outwardly maintained a semblance of order, was often rife with darkness and malice that could astonish—even terrify—the very beings that created it.
A necessary vigilance is the most fundamental prerequisite for survival—especially for Xiao Mu Yu in his present circumstances.
"How much longer until I recover?" he coldly inquired within the confines of his consciousness.
(Oh? It's only been a few days since you lost your powers, and you're already so impatient to reclaim what is rightfully yours? Hmm, if I remember correctly, this is your first time reaching out to me, isn't it? Hehehe… Human boy, does this signify that our relationship will become more intimate from now on? Hahahahaha…)
"…" The demon's mocking laughter was met with the man's icy silence.
(You needn't worry, really. Given your despicable nature, I'm certain that even if you were to lose all your powers and become an ordinary person, you would still manage to live quite comfortably.)
(After all, you are the type who can so easily discard the most cherished emotions of humanity, aren't you? Your very existence is a terrifying threat to the people of this continent. If you don't believe me, take a look at our charming and delightful Tianxin City—what remains there now besides a massive pit? Hahahaha… In this situation, it's others who fear you; you have no reason to fear anyone else.)
"If something were to happen to me, then no one would be able to communicate with you," Xiao Mu Yu said coldly, "and it would mean your soul would be forever trapped within the Night Demon Crystal, unable to escape."
(Tsk… Are you threatening me?)
"A threat? You may interpret it as such," the demon retorted, visibly irritated by Xiao Mu Yu's indifferent response. "I'm merely reminding you of your predicament, lest you forget whose hands your current freedom rests in."
(Alright, alright, human boy, you win. Who could argue with someone who is currently under someone else's roof? Ah… to be sealed by such a cold, selfish, and heartless scoundrel like you, I doubt there are many demons as unfortunate as I am. Ah, woe is me.)
"You talk too much," Xiao Mu Yu replied coldly.
(Hehehe… What's the rush? I don't recall you being an impatient fellow… Hmm, as for the reason your powers have temporarily vanished, it's quite simple. Your strength stemmed from a demonic curse, and now that the curse has ceased to manifest, your powers have naturally dissipated as well. It's the principle of conservation of energy.)
"So you mean to say that until the demonic curse reactivates, I will be unable to wield any power?" Xiao Mu Yu asked, his tone devoid of warmth.
(Oh, of course… not really, hehe… While your strength is indeed derived from the demonic curse, and since you have absorbed and mastered it, it now wholly belongs to you. The reason your powers are temporarily inaccessible is simply because your body has been under the 'care' of the demonic curse for so long, hehe…)
(So your body has adapted to the presence of the demonic curse, but now that the curse has suddenly vanished, your body is struggling to adjust, which is affecting the flow of your powers. This is entirely normal. Considering it's been nearly half a month, I estimate that in no more than three days, you will regain your strength.)
"Is that so…?" Xiao Mu Yu opened his black eyes, then closed them again, asking indifferently, "Will this situation arise again in the future?"
(Oh? In the future? Hehehe… Human boy, your question fills me with delight! Ahahahaha… You must realize that the reason you have temporarily escaped the torment of the demonic curse is that you slaughtered over twenty thousand people in one fell swoop, absorbing an excess of life force. Are you planning to indulge in such delightful experiences again? Hehehe… I've always said that city massacres are the most thrilling. You aren't becoming addicted to them, are you? Hahahaha…)
"…" The demon's boisterous laughter was met with Xiao Mu Yu's continued cold silence.
The demon, clearly interpreting Xiao Mu Yu's silence as tacit agreement, laughed even more heartily, filling the consciousness space with a cacophony of wicked, triumphant laughter.
(Hahahahahahahaha…)
At that moment, a timid, melodious voice interrupted the demon's raucous laughter. "Um… Big brother, would you like to buy a plush toy? They're very cute!"
Seemingly sensing something, the demon's laughter abruptly halted, replaced by a surprised "Eh?"
Xiao Mu Yu, however, coldly opened his dark eyes, ignoring the demon's reaction, and fixed his icy gaze upon the small figure standing before him.
Before him stood an adorable little girl, her petite frame barely reaching his waist. Yet, her charmingly sweet face hinted at the promise of future beauty.
She wore a somewhat dirty, tattered long dress, and the deep brush marks on it suggested her owner had once tried to keep it clean, but ultimately failed.
Her vibrant red hair appeared lively and cute, though it now seemed a bit disheveled, indicating it had not been tended to in quite some time.
On her small back, she carried a package that seemed oversized for her, and through the loosely tied opening, one could glimpse the contents—an assortment of cheap plush toys of various sizes.
At that moment, the little girl struggled to hold up a modestly crafted plush toy, her small hands trembling slightly as she presented it to Xiao Mu Yu with a mix of anticipation and fear in her eyes. "Big brother, would you like to buy a plush toy? They're very cute!"
Indeed, for an ordinary little girl, while the craftsmanship of the toy was unremarkable, its appearance was undeniably charming, suggesting that considerable effort had been invested in selecting it, particularly with an understanding of young girls' aesthetic preferences.
Had Xiao Mu Yu been an eight-year-old girl, he would have surely felt immense joy in purchasing the plush toy—alas, he was not.
Moreover, he could be certain that on this frigid morning, in this nascent little city burgeoning around an academy, there would be no little girls nearby who would appreciate such plush toys.
Of course, if Xiao Mu Yu were a connoisseur of young girls, he might have been compelled to buy all the plush toys simply for the sake of the little girl's adorable and pitiful face, along with her hopeful gaze—unfortunately, he did not seem to be such a person…
Though the accuracy of this assertion could be debated.
At the very least, it was certain that even if he were a connoisseur, he would be a practical one. Considering the few gold coins remaining in his purse after purchasing a train ticket, he had to decline the little girl's request.
Thus, he refused her, and did so decisively. No matter how pitiful her expression or how endearing her voice, he remained unwavering in his response, "I don't need it."
His cold tone seemed devoid of any emotion.
Upon hearing his frigid words, the little girl instinctively shuddered.
With a hint of disappointment, she raised her small head, only to be met with Xiao Mu Yu's chilling, lifeless gaze, causing her to retreat several steps in fright.
In her panic, she inadvertently stepped off the edge of the sidewalk, losing her balance and tumbling backward. Her small frame fell helplessly onto the icy, hard snow, and the plush toy slipped from her grasp.
Struggling to rise from the snow-covered road, the little girl endured the pain, slowly moving her numbed and aching body toward the fallen toy.
Her large eyes brimmed with tears, yet she softly murmured to herself, "Don't cry, Annie, don't cry… Annie is the bravest… Annie must not cry… don't cry…"
Despite her self-soothing words, they did little to alleviate her distress, as crystalline tears streamed down her cheeks, falling with a soft "patter."
Bending down gently, she winced as the motion tugged at her injuries, but she resolutely extended her small, frostbitten hand to retrieve the cheap plush toy.
Coldly seated on the bench, Xiao Mu Yu watched impassively as the little girl's figure gradually faded from view, his eyes, seemingly frozen by the world's most penetrating cold, exhibited no flicker of emotion before gently closing once more.
Yet, it seems a philosopher once proclaimed, "In this world, little girls are the most adorable and pure beings, a precious grace bestowed upon us by the goddesses. We must cherish, cherish, and cherish them; any creature that brings sorrow and tears to these lovely little girls will be scorned by the goddesses, forever plagued by misfortune, cast out from the light, and condemned to hell."
Let us not concern ourselves with the identity of this evidently enamored philosopher, nor the emotions he felt when uttering those words.
However, it seems that his words indeed foretold a truth of this world, as Xiao Mu Yu, the one who had clearly harmed an adorable little girl, soon found himself in dire straits.
(Hehehe… Human boy, you truly are hard-hearted; how can you remain unmoved by such a charming little girl? I'm genuinely impressed, hahahaha… But, there's one thing you must forgive me for. What must you forgive me for, you ask? Hehehe…)
(Well, it's that this little girl was simply too cute and enchanting; she captivated even me, a demon. Ah~ Why does such an adorable little girl exist in this world?… So, hehe… I forgot to mention that this little girl carries a strong aura of Heavenly Soul Locking Jade.)
(Hehehe… I suspect this little girl has been in frequent contact with a piece of Heavenly Soul Locking Jade since childhood, which is why she exudes such an aura. Of course, you needn't concern yourself with this, as you are about to venture into the Shurima Desert, where the probability of finding Heavenly Soul Locking Jade in the so-called desert ruins is quite high. Let's hurry and search! As for this little girl, she needn't matter; after all, she currently has no Heavenly Soul Locking Jade on her, right? Hahahahaha…)
His pitch-black eyes…
Suddenly snapped open.
Xiao Mu Yu sprang to his feet, his gaze fixed intently in the direction the little girl had departed.