Poppy’s blood-red eyes suddenly filled with fear as the dazzling light entered the chamber, like swords and spears aimed at her, causing pain throughout her body. The light was so bright, and she, accustomed to darkness, naturally felt discomfort. But when she regained her senses, she saw only a glaring ball of light, blinding her, unable to see Xiaotu’s original form. Poppy, always connected to Xiaotu’s body, now felt nothing, as if Xiaotu had vanished from this world, all communication severed. Her blood-red eyes were filled with rage; she was so close, just a step away from replacing her, from success. Her clenched fists trembled with indignation. What was happening? The sudden beam of light, this strange scene, none of it was under her control. How could this be? She had waited for millions of years; she was unwilling to accept this! She must have her revenge!
Her sharp fingers reached skyward, like the hand of hell, raising into the air. The dark power was slowly awakening, and the energy most absorbed by the “Black Enchantment” in the center of the chamber surged into Poppy’s body, a satisfied sigh escaping her as she felt the extraordinary power entering her. How wonderful, the long-lost power was finally returning to her body. Her red lips curled into a seductive smile, like a blooming poppy, tempting to sin. Evil was slowly resurrecting, the grievances buried for millions of years in the underworld were awakening, growing stronger…
Outside, a black skull totem suddenly appeared in the sky, its mouth wide open, devouring something. The threads of light began to dim. There was an uproar; it was the totem of the demons, known to all, the symbol of Poppy, the female demon, the true ruler in the hearts of all demonkind, ruling over all things evil. In the world of demons, it was so bloody, so cruel; the strong ruled, and the weak perished. The colder the heart, the higher the magical power, the more savage and bloodthirsty one was, the higher their status. Now, Wang Xie had long lost his former momentum because he had known love. Pity is a taboo for a demon, and an even greater one for a demon king. He could no longer suppress the ambitions of many high-ranking demons; they had long been restless, just waiting for a chance to oust him. No one knew the anguish in his heart, nor the immense pressure he bore as a demon king. He loved Xiaotu; for her, he would give up everything. Yet, he was also striving to hold onto his position as the demon king, all for Xiaotu, because as long as he was there, he would never let the demon race harm her. Did she know how many people were after her life now that she hadn’t fully regained her powers? All he could do was shield her from all adversities.
They were all wrong; the mistake was in not truly understanding each other, not communicating. They always assumed that the other would understand their actions. But how could others understand if you don’t speak out? Even the most loving couple can’t truly achieve perfect empathy. After all, they are not parasites in each other’s stomachs; how could they know everything clearly?
“‘The Opium Demoness has returned, look, that’s her sign to us. She must have come to save our demon race because our king has done something disgraceful to our kind!” Someone shouted, leading the uproar, but certainly not with good intentions! This was undoubtedly pushing Wang Xie Wang Huo into the pit, aiming to overthrow him.
“We welcome the Opium Demoness; our sin lies in not knowing of your return.” A dark mass of people knelt on the ground, chanting loudly, all in reverence towards the black totem in the sky. Darkness enveloped the land, and despite his magnificent black attire, he was in a state of disarray. Oh heavens, what could he feel now? Listening to the fervent chants, his heart twisted in pain; this day had finally come… Xiaotu, I failed to protect you…
The day he left without a word, he immediately returned to the demon realm because the demonic nature he could barely suppress in the golden hall had not subsided after several days; instead, it grew stronger. Every time he saw Xiaotu, he felt an urge to bite into her throat and drink her sweet blood. Moreover, a strange voice often echoed in his mind, “Kill, kill, kill,” with the scent of blood lingering at his nose.
That night was so silent, the deep night so still. “Kill her, kill her, sever this emotional tie, and you will remain the supreme demon king.” Under the flickering moonlight, a figure appeared before him, with those blood-red eyes so similar to hers, yet so different.
“Who are you?” Wang Xie asked coldly, his voice devoid of any warmth. Those blood-red eyes and that voice were not unfamiliar; it was the same voice that had been lingering in his ears these past few days. His alertness heightened immediately; these eyes even made him tremble slightly.
“Opium.” Just these two simple words made Wang Xie’s heart sink. She was the one who ruled all evil forces, the Opium Demoness, who had recently controlled Xiaotu, the one who shared a body with Xiaotu. Though he was astounded, he showed no sign of weakness; he had to stay calm, to remain composed!
“Why do you disturb my mind? Is the suppression of my demonic nature these past few days also your doing?”
“Indeed, you are clever; everything has indeed been my doing. Foolish people, they all think I’ve fallen back into slumber, how could that be? After waiting for a million years, I’ve finally seen the light of day again. How could I let myself be defeated by mere affection?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“It’s simple; I want you to serve me.” Those blood-red eyes gazed at Wang Xie, seductively. “No, I believe in the love between me and her, and I will not serve you,” Wang Xie declared firmly, looking into those blood-red eyes.
“Love? Ridiculous, love is the most useless thing in this world! One day, you’ll realize how fragile the love you speak of truly is.”
In the wind, the figure of the man standing tall was heartbreaking. Seeing the crowd’s reverence for the skull mark in the sky, he silently said to himself, Opium, you’ve won…
He thought he would never be controlled; he believed in his willpower, in his unwavering love for Xiaotu. But on that day, her cold gaze and indifferent words pierced his heart, trampling on his once passionate heart.
When Dragon King arrived at the secret chamber, he was met with such a scene. Willow Green lay unconscious in a corner, and in the center of the chamber, a huge black shield had formed. A woman was raising her right hand, absorbing a continuous stream of energy. When Dragon King saw that familiar face, his mind went blank, almost mistaking Opium for Xiaotu, for their faces were too similar. But the aura of evil emanating from Opium quickly brought him back to reality; this was not Xiaotu. Xiaotu had a faint, holy golden light and the scent of cherry blossoms, but this woman reeked of blood. He soon understood; this was the Opium Demoness who, millions of years ago, attempted to dominate the world, nearly bringing it to ruin under the demon race’s rule. He remembered the stories Water Duke had told him, especially the battle between Xiaotu and the Opium Demoness, which had left him sleepless with worry.
Looking aside, he saw a glowing orb, its light so pure and powerful that even he, the Dragon King, could not resist. What was this thing? Where was Xiaotu?
“Opium, give her back to me!” A water column formed instantly, rushing towards Opium. Caught off guard, Opium, who was in the midst of absorbing energy, seemed flustered. With a wave of her sleeve, she deflected the water column. Her blood-red eyes, filled with anger, stared at Dragon King. “What are you doing here, Dragon King? Go back to your Crystal Palace!”
“I will not tolerate your insolence, demon! Give her back to me!” He thought this demon had taken Xiaotu. Here is the of the Chinese text into English:
