Desire of the demon

The demon cultivator glared at Li Huo, his eyes burning with malice and hate.

Li Huo, unbothered, furrowed his brow. What should I do with this one? His eyes narrowed as he studied the restrained figure. Then, an idea struck him.

Without a word, Li Huo grabbed an extra bedsheet from the corner of the room. Ignoring the demon cultivator's pleading gaze, he wrapped him tightly, binding him like a cocoon. Hoisting the squirming man over his shoulder, Li Huo stepped onto the balcony and leaped into the chaotic scene below.

The academy grounds were in ruins—rubble scattered everywhere, and the air was thick with grief. Students gathered the bodies of their fallen comrades, their tearful farewells echoing through the destruction. Instructors moved among them, shouting orders and trying to restore some semblance of order.

Li Huo walked through it all, his expression cold and detached, heading toward the outskirts. Before he could slip away unnoticed, a sharp voice called out behind him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" an instructor demanded, his tone firm and suspicious.

Li Huo stopped in his tracks and turned, a sorrowful expression plastered on his face. "Instructor," he began, his voice trembling, "this is my best friend. We did everything together… We laughed, we joked, even looked at girls together. I—I just can't let anyone else bury him." His voice broke as he wiped his eyes. "Please, let me do this myself."

The instructor studied him for a moment, his stern gaze faltering. Finally, he waved a hand, clearly too tired to argue. "Fine, fine. Make it quick and come back safely."

"Thank you, Instructor!" Li Huo said, bowing deeply, a sly smile flickering across his lips as he turned away.

Once he was a safe distance away, Li Huo scanned his surroundings to ensure no one was watching. Satisfied, he bent down, grabbed a random corpse from the ground, and channeled his internal energy into his legs. In a blur of motion, he disappeared into the nearby forest.

---

Deep in the woods, Li Huo dug a shallow grave. He tossed the random body into the hole and quickly buried it, covering it with dirt. Then, he turned his attention to the demon cultivator, still bound in white sheets. As Li Huo untied him, the man's gaze burned with feral hatred, like a wolf ready to pounce.

"You're about to die, and you still have the audacity to glare at me like that?" Li Huo said, his tone dripping with disdain. He lashed out, kicking the demon cultivator hard in the stomach, drawing a choked gasp from his victim.

Instead of begging for mercy, the demon cultivator erupted into manic laughter. "Hahaha! Do you think killing me will save you? You're nothing but an ant! My master will find you. He'll slaughter you and your family, torturing you for eternity!" His twisted grin widened, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with malice.

Li Huo's expression didn't waver. "Oh, you mean this tattoo?" He gestured toward the mark on the demon cultivator's arm. "Don't worry—it won't latch onto me once you're dead."

The demon cultivator's laughter faltered. "Wait... how do you—?"

Before he could finish, Li Huo's foot shot forward, dislocating his jaw with a sickening crack. The man's words turned to muffled groans as blood dribbled from his mouth.

Li Huo didn't stop. With precision, he connected internal energy on his fingers and cut the demon cultivator's arms and legs off with precision,ensuring that no blood splattered on him. The man's screams filled the forest, but Li Huo's expression remained cold and indifferent.

"You'll bleed out in a minute or two," Li Huo muttered, standing over the writhing body. "I just need to be far enough away when it happens to avoid that damn tattoo."

Without a second glance, he focused his internal energy into his legs and darted away at an unimaginable speed, the forest blurring past him.

Later in life, as a demon cultivator, Li Huo came to understand the limitations of the tattoo. It would bind itself to the one who killed its bearer, but if the bearer died a natural death and no one was near, the tattoo would simply fade into the surroundings, leaving no trace.

Racing through the forest, his movements swift and fluid like a shadow, Li Huo's lips curled into a sneer. "How could a mere elder's petty trick hope to stop me?" he thought, his eyes burning with dark resolve. Once hailed as the ruler of demons, he was not someone so easily bound.

---

[You're as ruthless as ever.]

Li Huo ignored the system's remark. It's not about being ruthless, he thought. I could justify my actions by saying he was evil, that he would've killed more people if I let him live. But what's the point? In the end, I killed him. That's all that matters.

[...]

"Well?" Li Huo asked aloud. "tell me when he's dead."

[What?!]

"Will you tell me or not?"

[Okay, okay. He's dead now.]

"Oh, good," Li Huo replied.

Back at the academy grounds, Li Huo returned to his dorm room. He swiftly retrieved a necklace from his desk. This wasn't just any trinket; it was the only thing that reminded him of her. He stared at it for a long moment before slipping it around his neck.

---

Outside, Sha Li was waiting by the dormitory building.

"Why are you here?" Li Huo asked, mildly surprised.

Sha Li rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought I should thank you in person for saving my life." Bowing deeply, he said with sincerity, "Thank you, Li Huo. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you or that demon cultivator."

Li Huo looked at him and thought, It wouldn't matter if he told anyone, but whatever. "As a friend, it's my duty to guard your life with my own," Li Huo replied shamelessly.

Sha Li's eyes glistened tears formed in his eyes threatening to spill at any movement but still he held back his tears and said in excitement."Damn, Li Huo! From now on, you're my only real friend!"

[Cringe.]

"Shut up!" Li Huo barked at the system.

---

After their brief emotional encounter they both reached the academy gates, where Instructor Hua Rong was waiting in her car.

"Hurry up and get in!" she called, honking impatiently.

Li Huo climbed into the back seat while Sha Li took the front. As the car sped off, the academy grounds faded into the distance, but Zhang Wei, the second-in-command, stayed behind to finish organizing.

"How many died?" he asked one of the instructors.

"150 bodies recovered. 160 students remain alive, including the ones Instructor Hua Rong took with her."

Zhang Wei frowned. "There were 311 students. What happened to the last one?"

An instructor stepped forward hesitantly. "There was… a boy. He said he wanted to bury his friend separately."

"And you let him?" Zhang Wei's tone turned sharp.

The instructor lowered his head.

Zhang Wei sighed. "Fine. Report 151 casualties to the higher-ups. We'll spare Sister Hua the trouble of explaining discrepancies. Dismiss everyone."

With that, the remaining instructors packed up and prepared to leave.