Chapter Text
Luo Binghe, a Heavenly Demon and the Emperor of the three realms, erupted into loud, maniacal laughter. It was if his mind had been consumed by madness.
In his hand, he clutched a small orb—the Tianming Ling. Centuries of relentless searching had led him to this spiritual artifact. At times, he had doubted its very existence, but his perseverance never wavered. He had to find it.
This tiny object, no bigger than a baby's clenched fist, possessed the power to reshape destinies. Peering into the depths of the Tianming Ling, he caught glimpses of countless miniature galaxies, shimmering stars, and cascading cosmic streams, as though it held the very essence of the universe.
According to legends, activating the Tianming Ling allowed the user to traverse time and space, arriving at a pivotal moment in their life where they could make the necessary changes to fulfill their deepest desires. However, success was not guaranteed; one still had to take action and seize the opportunity. Nevertheless, Luo Binghe felt blessed to have this chance.
His existence was plagued by pain, yet he could not bring himself to embrace death. Such a fate would be an injustice to his own being. He thought back to when he had an encounter with an alternate version of himself—a pathetic, weakling crybaby.
But he was happy.
This fact relentlessly tormented Luo Binghe upon his return.
Luo Binghe had slain all his enemies, gathered every exquisite flower into his harem, and reigned as the indisputable Emperor over the three realms. So why was he miserable while that crybaby found happiness? Why was his Shizun kind? Why did his path differ so drastically?
Where did I go wrong?
With a resentful bite on his lip, Luo Binghe crushed the Tianming Ling in his hand.
Upon shattering it, a voice resonated in his mind, asking, "What is your desire?"
Luo Binghe swallowed hard, "I...wish to mend my path and find true happiness."
In an instant, radiant energy enveloped him, forcing his eyes shut. When he opened them, he was astonished to find himself gazing up at his Shizun. Beautiful, hateful Shen Qingqiu, who was about to throw hot tea at him.
Luo Binghe was taken aback by his new surroundings, but centuries of experience had honed his instincts. He swiftly dodged, avoiding even a single drop of tea that threatened to touch him.
"You!" Shen Qingqiu's glare pierced through him.
Luo Binghe returned the glare, his mind reeling with disbelief. Had he wasted centuries of effort only to endure more suffering?
Lost in his thoughts, he was caught off guard by Shen Qingqiu's sudden advance and the forceful kick that struck his stomach.
A pained yelp escaped Luo Binghe's lips. His young, frail body offered little resistance. He lunged at Shen Qingqiu's leg, but this was nothing to an immortal. The scrawny boy was easily cast off.
"You dare?" Shen Qingqiu's voice turned icy and cruel, though a hint of surprise was evident. He raised his foot and ruthlessly stomped on Luo Binghe's arm.
Excruciating pain coursed through Luo Binghe's body, yet his gaze remained fixed on Shen Qingqiu. Both anger and hatred burned fiercely in their eyes.
"Oh? Finally revealing your true colors? Very good!" Shen Qingqiu delivered another punishing kick to Luo Binghe's stomach. He then called for Ming Fan.
"Take this brat and throw him into the woodshed," Shen Qingqiu ordered.
"As you wish, Shizun." Ming Fan respectfully responded, bowing before seizing Luo Binghe and forcing the young boy to rise amidst the searing agony.
Luo Binghe soon found himself lying on familiar, dirty wooden floors.
His mind was a disarray. Why had the Tiangming Ling brought him back here? And why in front of the despicable Shen Qingqiu? What did it all mean? Should he kill that man? But that was impossible with this weak body.
His thoughts drifted back to that other dimension, the one where he was happy and deeply in love with his Shizun.
Luo Binghe furrowed his brows. That couldn't be the answer, could it? Was he supposed to woo Shen Qingqiu to achieve his own happy ending?
He clenched his teeth as he checked his arm, relieved that it wasn't broken.
He was too exhausted to think any more. All he was sure of was that whatever the answer may be, it had to do with Shen Qingqiu.