The Male Lead I Wronged Has Blackened

CHAPTER 44: Falling into Demonic Corruption

　　Si Yao had never seen Jiang Shuo like this before.

　　His crimson eyes seemed to smile faintly, yet within them surged an endless sea of blood red, turning his entire presence into something terrifying and murderous.

　　She knew it clearly. The Jiang Shuo before her had already fallen into demonic corruption, and he now harbored killing intent toward her.

　　Jiang Shuo stepped toward her one pace at a time. Panic rose in Si Yao’s chest as she retreated again and again.

　　“Jiang Shuo… wake up. It’s me, Si Yao…”

　　Her voice trembled slightly. But the fear in her heart was not because she might die by his hand. It was because she was worried about him.

　　In the original storyline, Jiang Shuo had never fallen into demonic corruption. If he truly lost himself now, she feared the damage he could bring to the world would be even more terrifying than the invasion of the demon and beast realms combined.

　　“Si Yao…”

　　Jiang Shuo’s voice was icy as he repeated her name. Then he smiled faintly. “Of course I know you’re Si Yao…”

　　“You deserve to die.”

　　His cold words echoed through the air, and Si Yao stared at him in disbelief.

　　Reflected in her dark pupils was Jiang Shuo’s emotionless face. Once someone fell into demonic corruption, the evil thoughts buried deep within their heart would be amplified to the extreme. All feelings would vanish, leaving behind a being of pure malice.

　　Even though Si Yao knew this was how it would be, Jiang Shuo’s ruthless words still pierced her heart all the same.

　　Jiang Shuo gave a cold snort. Seeing that Si Yao had no strength to fight back at all, mockery rose in his heart. The long sword in his hand pointed straight at her throat and thrust forward at lightning speed.

　　The man’s cold, strikingly handsome face and the blade gleaming with icy light grew larger and larger in Si Yao’s pupils. She clenched her fists and stood perfectly still, making no attempt to dodge.

　　Forget it. She owed him this.

　　When the sword was only an inch from her pale neck, she quietly closed her eyes and softly called out, “Ah Shuo…”

　　That calm, accepting voice made Jiang Shuo’s whole body tremble. He stopped at once. The tip of the sword was already pressed against the girl’s fragile neck, leaving a faint streak of blood across her fair, slender skin.

　　Her expression was unnervingly serene, as if she had already let go of everything.

　　Panic suddenly surged in his heart. She truly did not care about him at all. No matter what he did, there was never a place for him in her heart.

　　“Heh…” Jiang Shuo loosened his grip on the hilt, and the long sword fell to the ground with a clang.

　　The sound snapped Si Yao out of it. She did not seem to understand why she was still alive. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Jiang Shuo in confusion.

　　That trace of red on her pale neck stabbed painfully into Jiang Shuo’s eyes, and an overwhelming sense of regret rose unbidden in his chest.

　　He forced it down. Fixing his gaze on Si Yao’s bewildered face, his thin lips curved into an emotionless smile. So she thought death was a release. Then he would not let her have it.

　　Si Yao blinked her confused eyes at him, not understanding why he had not made his move. The next second, the man’s faintly mocking face suddenly loomed closer. Then she felt herself lifted up, swept horizontally into his arms.

　　“Jiang Shuo…” Si Yao wrapped her arms around the man’s lean, defined neck and looked at him in surprise and joy, thinking he had finally overcome his inner demons himself.

　　But Jiang Shuo’s face remained cold. Sure enough, once he regained consciousness, she stopped calling him Ah Shuo and went back to calling him Jiang Shuo.

　　Si Yao would never have imagined that this was what bothered him. She thought he had returned to normal and looked at him with nothing but relief and happiness.

　　“Shut up. Say another word and I’ll leave you here to die.” Jiang Shuo’s icy voice extinguished the joy rising in Si Yao’s heart.

　　So he was still the same as ever.

　　Jiang Shuo held Si Yao with ease. With a light push off the ground, he leapt into the air. The long sword that had fallen to the ground reappeared in his hand. He swung it, sending out a powerful sword aura that split open the sky of this world itself.

　　The sky was like a massive mirror, shattered apart by Jiang Shuo’s unstoppable sword aura. Holding her close, he leapt even higher. Si Yao watched as the endless sea of blood red collapsed piece by piece, replaced by a vast expanse of blinding white.

　　After a long while, her vision finally cleared. Jiang Shuo was still holding her, standing calmly within the sect grounds.

　　Inside the sect, the elders and disciples had held on for a long time. With the help of the sect protection array, their burden had been eased somewhat as they fought desperately against several waves of attacks from the demon and beast races.

　　Just as everyone was about to reach their limit, the Annihilation Array radiating demonic energy suddenly shattered. The crowd stared in shock, only to see a man in white, like a god descending upon the mortal world, standing proudly at the spot where the array had broken, an exquisitely beautiful woman cradled in his arms.

　　“The Sect Leader! The Sect Leader is back!”

　　“The Sect Leader broke the array!”

　　Every disciple of the Xuanming Sect was overwhelmed with excitement at the sight of Jiang Shuo. They had thought he had died within the Annihilation Array.

　　Elder Hongfang, who was controlling the sect protection array, was equally stunned. Jiang Shuo had fallen into the demon clan’s killing array, with both the Demon Lord and the Beast King confronting him. He had assumed Jiang Shuo would not survive this ordeal. Yet not only had he shattered the supreme array, he had even brought Si Yao back with him.

　　“Our clan’s array was actually destroyed… where is our Lord?” someone from the demon clan muttered in disbelief after spotting Jiang Shuo but not the Demon Lord.

　　“Our King didn’t come out either…” the beast clan members were just as confused.

　　Jiang Shuo looked toward the demon and beast clans and said coldly, “They’re dead.”

　　“That’s impossible! Our Lord’s strength is boundless. How could he have died by your hand!” A demon clan member retorted at once, fear creeping into his voice.

　　“Don’t spout nonsense, brat! The Beast King will personally take your head!” The Beast King held absolute authority among the beast clan, and they would not tolerate even the slightest insult against him.

　　Jiang Shuo did not spare even a glance for those insignificant lackeys. He merely lifted a hand, and a surge of spiritual power carrying overwhelming might burst forth. In an instant, the remaining members of the demon and beast clans were reduced to dust.

　　The strength Jiang Shuo displayed sent a chill through everyone present. Even standing before their own Beast King and Demon Lord, they had never felt such terrifying pressure. Only then did they realize that Jiang Shuo had not been bluffing. The Beast King and the Demon Lord had likely truly fallen at his hands.

　　With the Beast King and Demon Lord dead, no matter how many demon and beast soldiers remained, they were nothing more than cannon fodder. Their morale collapsed completely, and they scattered in desperate retreat.

　　Seeing that the situation was settled, Elder Situ immediately ordered the disciples who still had strength left to pursue the remaining members of the demon and beast clans with full force, cutting off even the slightest chance of a counterattack.

　　Those who were severely injured and unable to continue fighting stayed behind at the sect, all of them staring wide eyed at Jiang Shuo, who was holding Si Yao tightly and clearly had no intention of letting go.

　　Mu Yuanbai looked at the two of them, his gaze dimming. His thin lips pressed into a line as he said nothing, only tightening his grip on his sword before turning without hesitation to join the pursuit of the enemy.

　　The probing looks from everyone around made Si Yao feel awkward. Her cheeks flushed as she whispered into Jiang Shuo’s ear, “Jiang Shuo, put me down.”

　　Jiang Shuo seemed not to hear her at all. Not only did he fail to set her down, he held her even tighter.

　　Their bodies pressed closely together from his movement. Nestled against the man’s broad chest, Si Yao’s heart raced wildly. Even the small curve of her ears turned red as her hands flailed helplessly against his chest.

　　“Jiang…”

　　“Don’t move.”

　　The man lowered his head to look at her. His Adam’s apple rolled, and blazing light surged within his blood red eyes, so intense it nearly burned Si Yao.

　　The heat in Jiang Shuo’s gaze startled her. The restless little hands pressed against his chest finally went still.   

　　Jiang Shuo steadied his mind. Ignoring the sea of unanswered questions in the eyes of everyone in the sect, he turned and walked away with Si Yao in his arms, leaving behind only his cold, distant back.

　　“Where are we going?”

　　Si Yao asked softly. The constant reminder of those crimson red eyes made her heart uneasy. Jiang Shuo had already fallen into demonic cultivation, and she had no idea what he might do next.

　　Jiang Shuo did not respond. He paid no attention to her question at all, simply holding her as he walked on without a word.

　　With no other choice, Si Yao resigned herself and fell silent.

    

    

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