Wisps of blood mist ascended into view.
Tang Sui's pupils contracted. It was then she noticed that blood-colored mist was continuously seeping from the Slaughter King.
As the blood mist overflowed, the strange blood-colored patterns on his body grew fainter and fainter. The Slaughter King's blood-red eyes flickered, and his immense demonic power began to wane, as if vaporizing and disappearing.
"What, what is happening?" Tang Sui looked at the blood mist emanating from the Slaughter King with some helplessness, wanting to reach out but not daring to, afraid that the mist would be absorbed by her.
The Slaughter King lowered his eyes, knowing full well the blood mist escaping his body. He did not answer Tang Sui but raised his hand, placing his large palm on the crown of Tang Sui's head, smoothing down her disheveled hair.
Although the body temperature of demons was usually cold, Tang Sui felt a faint warmth on her head.
No, perhaps it was not her imagination.
Only when she was extremely close did Tang Sui realize that the blood mist emanating from the Slaughter King actually had warmth.
It was like freshly drawn warm blood, which had turned into vapor under high heat.
Tang Sui did not know what changes were happening within the Slaughter King, but the only thing she could do was to grip his wrist and begin to transfer her recently replenished demonic power.
"No need to waste your demonic power, Sui."
He sighed, calling Tang Sui by her true name.
Tang Sui's eyes reddened, and she stubbornly shook her head, continuing to transfer her demonic power to the Slaughter King.
She remained silent because she feared that if she spoke, she would be overwhelmed by the fear and panic in her heart and cry out weakly.
Having understood from their time in the Slaughter City that the other party disliked her crying, Tang Sui secretly took a deep breath, holding back her tears.
"Demonic power is useless. This is the law."
[...It is the law.]
The Slaughter King's last three words overlapped with the system's weary voice.
But the system's explanation was more comprehensive than the Slaughter King's.
[He took the punishment for changing your fate.]
The system added.
Tang Sui, who had suddenly understood the cause and effect, looked at the Slaughter King with excitement, her words becoming somewhat incoherent: "But... clearly... it was I who made the move! You were already constrained... why... why did you still take it upon yourself for me..."
"Don't be sad, little one. This might not be a bad thing for me." The Slaughter King's gaze was remarkably calm, so calm it inexplicably exuded a touch of gentleness and release.
Tang Sui looked helplessly at the Slaughter King, whose demonic aura was gradually fading. Her lips moved, wanting to say something more, but she saw him smile. The hand on her head moved, ruffling her hair.
"I always knew where my end lay."
His enormous bat wings dissipated like fleeting data, transforming into spiritual particles.
Tang Sui's gaze remained fixed, afraid that in the blink of an eye, the Slaughter King would disappear.
"My destination, I am no longer able to advance."
The blood mist grew thicker, and the swirling currents were mixed with wisps of heat, softening the Slaughter King's cold, eerie profile.
"But you are different."
The hand resting on Tang Sui's head lowered. Tang Sui's eyes widened, and in her pupils, a phantom of a giant, three-headed bat appeared behind the human form that was gradually transforming back into a normal human.
"Perhaps one day, you will truly reach that legendary realm, break through the void, and bring me back to our true homeland, back to... his side..."
He sighed, and visibly, was returning to his original form.
Tang Sui reached out, wanting to hold onto the beastly shadow, but her voice trembled uncontrollably, "Since... since this is not your destination, you..."
Her voice cut off abruptly. In the next moment, countless blood mist emanating from the human shell condensed onto the three-headed blood bat above the fallen man. With a scream, it solidified into an object radiating blood-red light, which slowly fell into Tang Sui's palm. Along with its unfinished last words, it was transmitted into Tang Sui's heart—Sudan Novel Network.
"Perhaps one day, we will meet again in the familiar Heian-kyo."
A hoarse female voice, vastly different from the deep male one, echoed in Tang Sui's mind.
This was the true voice of the bat wings.
"Girl, don't be sad for me. I am always here, and I will wait for the day we meet again in Heian-kyo, by his side."
The bat wing spirit, shimmering with blue light, lay in Tang Sui's palm. On its surface, the human-like bat demon's expression was vivid. Her sinisterly beautiful face was framed by a smile as she gazed at Tang Sui, like an elder looking at a junior, with a familiar warmth in her eyes.
"Buzz—!"
Grief surged like a tide. The pressure that had been building since the defensive battle of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan finally crushed her.
Like a child who had fallen, she continuously wiped away her overflowing tears with her hands, but found they would not stop.
All her pretense of strength was shed, revealing Tang Sui's most vulnerable side. She sobbed, releasing the spatial domain's authority. The colossal forms of the Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape appeared on the vast, chaotic land strewn with battle scars.
Xiao Wu and Tang San also unexpectedly welcomed the light.
Before they could express their astonishment or inquire about the unconscious stranger on the ground and the lingering, thick scent of blood, they were drawn to the sight of Tang Sui, who had abandoned all grace and was weeping like a child.
"Sui Sui?" Tang San, his gaze fixed on the terrible battle remnants around them, looked at the sobbing Tang Sui in astonishment. "What happened?"
"Brother... I, I don't have a grandfather anymore..." Tang Sui, clutching the bat wing in her palm, lowered her head and wept sorrowfully. Dirt and blood matted her hair, and her clothes were tattered, making her look utterly miserable.
Tang San's eyes narrowed, and an incredible thought surfaced in his mind—the Slaughter King saved them?!
But the Slaughter City was hundreds of kilometers away. How could this possibly be? How did he find them?!
Although she didn't know what had happened, Xiao Wu knew what Tang Sui needed at that moment.
"Sui Sui."
Xiao Wu came to Tang Sui's side, extended her long arm, and embraced her. "I'm sorry... and... thank you."
Sorry for putting you all in danger, and for causing you to lose your 'grandfather.'
Thank you for being willing to come to the Star Dou Great Forest, facing the deadly threats of countless powerful enemies, to save me.
This statement seemed to trigger something. Tang Sui, holding the bat wing, turned and threw herself into Xiao Wu's arms, weeping uncontrollably.
--- Off-topic ---
Those who guessed the Slaughter King was Yato no Kami earlier were wrong. The setting from the beginning was that he was a spirit that had become sentient (not really). Every spirit was transformed from a great demon, alas.
PS: The bat wing is not a separate entity; she is the spirit, and the spirit is her.
Here comes the supplementary update for National Day, heh.
Take it step by step, don't panic. After all, the socially awkward Mo Li still has to work for a lousy boss.