The Nether Realm was silent.
Dark flames burned low, casting long shadows across the cold land. The once powerful domain now felt empty, as if something important had been taken away from it.
At the center of a frozen chamber, surrounded by layers of ice and dark energy, lay the sealed body of the Demon Queen, Bailin Xue.
Her eyes were closed, her expression calm, as if she were only sleeping.
But she did not move.
In front of her stood Hei Yan, the Demon King.
His tall figure seemed heavier than before, his usual overwhelming presence now filled with something deeper—pain.
He stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her unmoving form.
"You said… you would not lose," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "You said no one in heaven could stop you."
There was no answer.
Only silence.
He slowly reached out, his hand hovering just above the icy surface that held her.
"For the first time…" he continued, "you broke your promise."
His eyes darkened, but beneath the anger, there was something else—something softer, something fragile.
"I should have been there," he said quietly. "I should have stood beside you."
The flames around him flickered, reacting to his emotions.
"But it is not over," he said suddenly, his voice growing stronger. "Do you hear me? This is not the end."
He placed his hand firmly against the ice.
"I will wake you," he declared. "Even if it takes a hundred years… a thousand years… I will break this seal."
His voice echoed through the empty chamber.
"You belong here… by my side."
For a moment, the flames around him rose higher, as if responding to his will.
Then everything became still again.
But his words remained.
A promise.
years later…
The night was dark, and the forest was filled with the sound of hurried footsteps.
Branches snapped under pressure, leaves rustled violently, and the air carried a faint trace of blood.
Two figures ran through the forest, struggling to keep their balance.
Yeluo Zhen and Xuanji Yin.
Both of them were injured.
Blood stained their clothes, their breathing uneven, their movements slowing with every step.
"We can't keep running like this…" Xuanji Yin said weakly, her voice shaking.
Yeluo Zhen held her arm, supporting her as they moved. "We don't have a choice," he replied. "If we stop, he will catch us."
A heavy presence suddenly filled the air.
The wind grew colder.
And then—
A figure appeared in front of them.
Buifan Rong.
He stood calmly, as if he had been waiting all along. His eyes were dark, unreadable, yet filled with a quiet intensity.
"You cannot escape," he said simply.
Yeluo Zhen stepped in front of Xuanji Yin immediately, his body tense despite his injuries. "We were not trying to escape," he said, forcing a faint smile. "We were just buying time."
Buifan Rong's gaze shifted slightly toward Xuanji Yin.
For a brief moment, something changed in his eyes.
But it disappeared quickly.
"You betrayed the Nether Realm," he said coldly. "You chose this path."
Xuanji Yin clenched her fists, her voice soft but firm. "We chose our own path."
Buifan Rong took a step forward.
"Then you must face the consequences."
Without warning, a powerful wave of demonic energy surged forward.
Yeluo Zhen reacted instantly, pulling Xuanji Yin back as he raised his own power to block the attack.
The impact shook the ground beneath them.
Yeluo Zhen staggered slightly but did not fall.
"You're still strong…" he said, breathing heavily.
Buifan Rong did not respond. His next attack came even faster.
The forest around them began to break apart as the fight started.
Dark energy clashed with dark energy, creating violent waves that tore through trees and الأرض. The sound of impact echoed again and again, like distant thunder.
Yeluo Zhen fought with everything he had, standing between Buifan Rong and Xuanji Yin.
"You should leave!" he shouted without turning back. "I'll hold him!"
"No!" Xuanji Yin replied immediately. "I won't leave you!"
Another attack came, stronger than before.
Yeluo Zhen blocked it, but this time, he was pushed back, blood spilling from his lips.
He dropped to one knee.
Buifan Rong stopped a few steps away, watching him silently.
"You cannot win," he said.
Yeluo Zhen let out a weak laugh. "I know."
He slowly stood up again, his body shaking.
"But I don't need to win."
He turned his head slightly toward Xuanji Yin. "As long as she lives… that is enough."
Xuanji Yin's eyes widened. "Zhen, don't—"
Before she could finish, Yeluo Zhen rushed forward.
His remaining power gathered into one final attack, aimed directly at Buifan Rong.
The clash that followed was brief—but powerful.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then—
Yeluo Zhen's body froze.
The energy faded.
He slowly collapsed to the ground.
"Zhen!" Xuanji Yin cried out, rushing toward him.
She knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she held him.
Yeluo Zhen looked at her, his eyes soft despite the pain. "You're safe…" he whispered.
Tears filled her eyes. "Why… why did you do this?"
He smiled faintly. "Because… I chose you."
His hand moved slightly, as if trying to reach her face, but it fell before he could.
And then—
He stopped moving.
Xuanji Yin's breath caught.
"Zhen…?" she whispered.
No answer came.
Behind them, Buifan Rong stood still.
His gaze was fixed on Xuanji Yin.
She slowly looked up at him, her eyes filled with pain and anger. "Why didn't you kill me too?" she demanded.
Buifan Rong did not move.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then, quietly—
"I couldn't."
Xuanji Yin froze.
His voice was low, almost lost in the wind.
"I could not kill the one I once loved."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unspoken for years.
Xuanji Yin's expression changed, but before she could say anything—
Buifan Rong turned away.
Without another word, his figure disappeared into the darkness.
Leaving her alone.
Alone with the man she had lost.
The forest fell silent once again.
Only the sound of the wind remained.
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