Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 3 - 3 3 Royal Family Surnames

The nascent corpse demon was taken aback, never having anticipated that his senior brother, who had just perished because of him moments ago, would be posing such casual inquiries.

He replied with honesty, "My recollections from before my demise are fragmented, with a substantial portion lost entirely. I recall only that my name was meant to be Baili An, originating from the demon race. Now, resurrected in death, it appears a new name is in order."

His gaze flickered, clearly still unaccustomed to the sensation of regaining consciousness after an extended period of dormancy.

He continued after a brief pause, "During my slumber, I perceived enigmatic whispers, addressing me as...

Si Chen."

"Si Chen?" The girl's eyes widened minutely as she scrutinized him from head to toe.

"The 'Ancient Records of Gods and Demons' state that corpse demons once held dominion over the Three Worlds, their numbers immeasurable. Yet, only sixteen were recognized as possessing true Royal Bloodline. Each was consecrated in the Blood Pool, a concoction of the Demon Vein and Royal Blood, prepared by Corpse King Jiang Chen—these constitute the genuine lineage of the Corpse King."

Unfamiliar with these details, Baili An inquired with bewilderment, "So?

What connection does this have to me?"

The girl appeared somewhat perplexed, finding the entire revelation rather absurd.

"Furthermore, the true lineage of the Royal Family, though their specific names remain unrecorded, is mentioned in the fragmented 'Ancient Records of Gods and Demons' as uniformly bearing the surname prefix 'Si.'"

Though Baili An had no knowledge of who Jiang Chen might be, the name sounded immensely powerful.

He contemplated for a moment before earnestly stating, "Are you suggesting I am one of the royal bloodline members among the corpse demons?"

The girl offered a smile, gently shook her head, and elaborated, "Corpse King Jiang Chen has been immured for ten millennia, utterly devoid of freedom. His sixteen royal descendants were all annihilated by the Golden Crow's extreme punishment under the fierce sun. The lineage of corpse demons is inherently formidable, capable of shifting mountains and felling deities, yet you..."

She examined him once more, unable to suppress a sense of amusement, "...are merely a newborn who has yet to even awaken the corpse demon 'Talent.' If you belonged to the royal lineage, how could you have been so completely defenseless against your senior brother just moments ago?"

"It appears that following your death, a senior corpse demon, in admiration of one of those sixteen, bestowed that name upon you," she surmised.

During their exchange, the girl's gaze fell upon the small sword embedded in his chest, causing her to frown. "You claim no memory of your life before death, which aligns with a corpse demon's characteristics. However, to be born in such a state undoubtedly signifies a tragic demise, retaining some residual consciousness. Thus, you should be aware of who exacted your death, shouldn't you?"

"I have no recollection," Baili An responded truthfully.

"You do not remember?" The woman's tone elevated slightly, her eyebrows drawing together. "Then how will you exact revenge in the future, and against whom?"

The young corpse demon tilted his head in confusion, asking, "Why must I seek revenge?"

The woman's eyes widened, finding the situation both ludicrous and poignant. "Someone killed you, and you harbor no intention of seeking retribution against your killer?"

The young corpse demon shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "I cannot even recall my past; how could I trouble myself with such matters?

I am but a dead soul, I should not have reawakened. Now that I have, I can scarcely consider myself truly alive. Why should I venture into the world and disturb its established order?"

The woman remained stunned for a considerable duration before murmuring, "You possess a truly broad perspective."

The young man offered another bitter smile. "I can hardly be considered a person at this juncture. My sole desire is to locate a venerable monk who can guide me toward transcendence."

"That is impossible!" she exclaimed impulsively.

Upon uttering these words, she recognized that her reaction might have been immoderate, her face gradually flushing with color.

"Why?" the young corpse demon inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.

The woman pressed her lips together, observing that this young man, with his innocent disposition, should not have embarked upon such a fated trajectory.

Despite the nobility of his intentions, the world was exceedingly harsh, and she felt compelled to clarify the situation for him.

"While highly revered monks do exist in this world, they are exceptionally scarce. Moreover, contemporary Buddhist sects are a far cry from their former glory of centuries past."

"Their approach towards demonic entities such as yourself has always been ruthlessly decisive. They would not recite scriptures for your transcendence but would instead eliminate potential future threats by binding you beneath the scorching sun to endure torment until you are reduced to ashes."

The youth, a corpse demon, turned pale; he bowed his head, remaining silent, appearing quite pitiful.

A sense of regret washed over the woman. This young man, she mused, was ill-suited to be a corpse demon, and unlikely to endure the hardships of the netherworld.

Though the urge to bring him back to her sect was strong, given that he had slain her senior brother, a quicker demise likely awaited him there.

Abruptly, a ferocious gale swept in from outside the coffin, howling ceaselessly, as if innumerable vengeful spirits were lamenting their fate.

The slanted coffin lid above them rattled violently with the malevolent wind, and under the woman’s horrified gaze,

it sealed shut once more…

Her face drained of color as she uttered, “It’s finished.

My senior brother had mentioned that this coffin could only be opened by one who knew its vitality gate, a secret I have no knowledge of. Will I be imprisoned here for an eternity?”

She cast a despairing look toward the young corpse demon, identified as Baili An.

Baili An, with eyes that held an innocent light, responded, “Though the prospect of remaining here forever holds some appeal, I see your strong desire to depart. I shall assist you in searching for a means to open this coffin. Upon your exit, do remember to take your senior brother’s remains with you; I have no wish to keep them.”

The woman found herself uncertain whether to weep or laugh at the young corpse demon’s peculiar notions.

Baili An, who had been in a half-seated posture, struggled to rise. Having rested for centuries, he was unaccustomed to standing for the first time. Just as he achieved stability, preparing to employ the light of his sword to assess the coffin’s condition, the woman’s muffled voice resounded again.

“Baili An, do you not find the air in here exceedingly stuffy?”

Baili An, assuming she was merely engaging in idle chatter, replied, “The coffin is enclosed, naturally it would feel stuffy.”

The woman’s voice took on a peculiar quality, “But…

but I sense…

that the air is dissipating far too rapidly within this space.”

Baili An finally perceived the unusual inflection in her tone.

As a cultivator, it was improbable for her to sound so weakened after such a brief interval.

The moment he turned to check on her, a metallic clang echoed; the Seven Stars sword slipped from his grasp, tumbling within the coffin, instantly shrouding them in complete darkness.

He could no longer perceive his surroundings nor the woman’s state, which caused him disquiet.

Could it truly be a lack of air?

He was a corpse demon; breathing was unnecessary, and the space here was ample, so why the apparent suffocation?

Within the oppressive darkness, he distinctly heard the woman’s strenuous, heavy gasps, akin to someone struggling to breathe.

His heart gave a jolt; there was already one deceased individual present, and he certainly did not desire two more corpses joining the grim company.

He was still hoping the woman would expedite the removal of her senior brother’s corpse.

As he cautiously took a few steps forward, his head suddenly began to spin, and he lost his footing.

Curious, could he, a corpse demon, also be afflicted by oxygen deprivation?

A faint, intoxicating aroma drifted to his nostrils—a fragrance subtle yet pervasive, clinging like an unwelcome parasite.

Baili An grew alarmed. He was a corpse demon and should possess no sense of smell; whence then came this peculiar scent?

The aroma was unsettling, provoking a wave of nausea.

Yet, as the fragrance permeated his being, his once ice-cold body began to experience a novel sensation of warmth.

Suddenly, from the blackness, two slender arms emerged, encircling his neck.

Baili An was momentarily startled and was about to speak when soft lips met his firmly, silencing the words on the verge of utterance.

His mind erupted in a deafening roar; though his memories were lost, his basic moral compass remained intact.

He immediately grasped the nature of the strange fragrance.

It had to be an aphrodisiac!

However, he no longer had the leisure to contemplate such matters, for the woman before him had already pressed him down into the coffin.

His gaze sharpened, his actions gentle yet resolute as he pushed her away.

Frantically reaching for the Seven Stars sword on the ground, he located its general direction and plunged it into the darkness with vigor, gauging his grip and orientation.

“Ah!”

The woman cried out in pain, her senses abruptly returning. The agony in her arm pulled her back from the precipice of danger, but what remained was an overwhelming sense of shame.

She had actually initiated a kiss, and the recipient was a corpse demon.

Oh, heavens, let her perish.

Just as she was about to speak, she heard a suppressed, deep growl emanating from the young corpse demon.

Her heart leaped into her throat, seized by alarm!

Her own blood, seeping from the wound, could potentially trigger the corpse demon’s predatory hunger.

She was on the verge of being killed!

The rational Baili An and the irrational Baili An were two entirely distinct entities.

She scrambled to her feet, intending to retrieve the Seven Stars sword for self-defense,

Baili An, however, reacted faster. Dropping his sword, he reached out with both hands, expertly seizing her slender shoulders and dragging her down with a solid impact.

Completely vulnerable, the awakened powers of the zombie demon Baili An were overwhelming, leaving her utterly unable to resist.

A gust of frigid air brushed against her neck, causing the woman to recoil in terror.

Could it be that he intended to bite her to death?

Just as she braced herself for the bite, his sharp fangs retreated.

His grip on her shoulders remained, but it softened considerably.

"Boom!"

The ancient coffin shuddered violently, a disturbance entirely missed by both the human and the zombie demon.

Suspended within the stone cavern, the ancient coffin suddenly plunged downwards, vanishing into the unfathomable Abyss.

…

Li Jiujiu never imagined she would lose her virtue in such a bewildering fashion.

She huddled in a corner of the coffin like an infant, softly weeping, too afraid to meet the gaze of the young zombie demon.

She was equally hesitant to look upon her senior brother, now a desiccated corpse.

Baili An sat in a stupor within the coffin, as though he had committed an irreparable transgression.

His mind was a whirlpool of conflicting emotions; after slumbering for untold centuries and just awakening, he found himself already burdened with such a bewildering debt.

He harbored a persistent suspicion of being ensnared in a scheme, questioning how an aphrodisiac could have inexplicably materialized within the coffin.

A lingering warmth permeated his core,

though incredibly faint, it prevented his lifeless form from being utterly devoid of life, introducing a subtle current of fresh vitality within him.

If he had possessed the capacity for introspection, he would surely have discerned a minuscule Yin Yang Dao Fish gracefully circling in his lower abdomen.

However, the Baili An of this moment clearly lacked the mental bandwidth to contemplate such matters, his emotions as tumultuous as the violently rocking Purple Gold Coffin.

Huh?

Wait…

Why was the coffin moving?