Chapter Text
In the silence of his prison, trapped inside his pickle jar, Shen Jiu waited.
He waited for death.
Why keep on living when he had nothing left?
Even that beast who used to visit him had stopped coming—much to his relief. It seemed that stupid creature had finally forgotten him and moved on. Despite never giving that demon the satisfaction of seeing his weakness, Shen Jiu had always dreaded his visits, filled with new ideas for torture and humiliation.
He’d always known he wasn’t a kind soul. It was his cruelty and bitterness that had led him here—to rot in a cell, dismembered and stuffed into a jar. But he regretted nothing. In fact, if he had to do it all over again, he would. Why show mercy when life itself had shown him none? His motto had always been: strike first before you’re struck.
And yet, his one true regret was never confirming that the beast was truly dead. From the moment he arrived in the sect, Shen Jiu had sensed something was wrong with him. He should’ve trusted his instincts and cut that danger off at the root. He chuckled bitterly. To think that beast had become a monster as cruel as himself—there was, admittedly, a small spark of pride in that. After all, it was thanks to him. Call him mad if you wish.
Luo Binghe loved to call him vile, but was he really any better? No—he was worse, especially in cruelty. And in depravity? Let’s not even go there. That pervert collected women like trinkets, boasting a harem of over three thousand. They’d accused Shen Jiu of being a lecher, a man without morals, someone who preyed on women—but that was entirely false. He had never touched a woman inappropriately. He had far too much respect for them. Unlike that beast.
But who would believe him? No one. That’s why he hadn’t bothered to defend himself during his trial. What was the point? No one would stand for him—he was the villain, after all. The one meant to be punished. The one who deserved no mercy.
He was tired. All he wanted now was to die. It was over.
To die in solitude—that was what he deserved. He was born alone, raised alone, and he would die alone. That was his fate.
A shiver ran through him as the chill of the cell crept under his skin. It must have been winter, though he couldn’t be sure—he had long since lost track of time. He knew the end was near, and he welcomed it. After all, he had survived his miserable life. It was time to let go.
[ System Boot Successful! Hello, User! ]
Shen Jiu flinched. He hadn’t expected a voice—he hadn’t heard another living sound in months, aside from the cockroaches and other insects sharing his cell. Everything had been the same, unchanging.
I’ve finally gone insane...
[ User is not insane ( 0u0 )/ ]
The voice echoed again inside his head, and this time, a faint blue frame appeared before his eyes, flickering with static words. Shen Jiu stared at the suspicious thing.
“Who are you? Did that beast send you? A new form of torture?” he spat.
“I thought he’d finally forgotten me. Guess that was too much to hope for.” His stomach twisted with unease.
[ User is mistaken! This system was not sent by the protagonist (UwU) ]
Shen Jiu frowned. Protagonist? So this thing wasn’t sent by the beast?
[ Correct! ( 0o0 )/ ]
He studied the strange blue apparition with suspicion. If it wasn’t from the beast, then what was it? A spirit? He’d never seen a spirit take such a form. A demon? No—he felt no demonic energy from it. Besides, he’d never seen a creature that looked like this.
“What are you, then? And what do you want from me?” he demanded.
[ User is being overly defensive (TwT). This system is here to guide you! (0w0)/ ]
A system? Guide him? What nonsense was this thing spouting now?!
“Get out of my sight, you thing!” he snapped with disgust. “I don’t need help. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m armless, trapped in a jar, and this cell is heavily guarded. What could you possibly do for me?”
Why was this thing bothering him? Couldn’t he just die in peace?!
[ User need not worry about current circumstances. This system exists to assist you and get you out—for the program. ]
“Get me out? And how exactly do you plan to do that? And who said I even want to be saved?” He was certain now—this thing was deranged. Who would ever want to save scum like him?
[ Apologies, dear user, but the conditions of activation have been met and cannot be reversed. This system hopes you will enjoy your experience! Full restoration will begin in 60 seconds (n0n)/ ]
Shen Jiu frowned deeper, staring at the bluish spirit before him. He barely understood a word it was saying. With a sigh, he gave up. What was the point of arguing? The thing wasn’t listening anyway. Best to ignore it. It would probably vanish on its own. Closing his eyes, he tried to tune it out.
[ Full restoration in 45 seconds! ]
Shen Jiu suddenly felt something strange coursing through his body—a faint tingling. Not painful, but definitely unpleasant. His eyes snapped open in alarm.
“Hey! Spirit! What are you doing to me?!” His voice wavered between anger and fear.
[ Don’t worry, User! Full restoration in 30 seconds (nwn)/ ]
He hadn’t felt fear like this since the days at Qiu Manor. Not even Luo Binghe’s torture had terrified him this much—because back then, he knew how it would end. But this... he had no idea. What did this thing want? What did “restoration” mean? Was this it? Was he finally going to die?
He’d longed for death, hadn’t he? He should be relieved.
So why did it feel so terrifying now...?
[ Full restoration in 10 seconds! ]
He shut his eyes. The tingling grew stronger.
[ 5 seconds ]
He tried to steady his breathing.
It’ll be over soon...
[ 3... 2... 1! Restoration initiated. This system wishes the user a pleasant recovery! ]
Darkness claimed him.
~~~~~~~~
Emptiness.
That was all he felt.
Lying on his bed, surrounded by three of his wives, Luo Binghe was there in body only. His mind, however, was elsewhere—lost, drifting toward a single person.
That Shizun from another world...
His thoughts kept circling back to that gentle Shen Qingqiu—his touch, his kisses, and above all, his smile. His soft words. The first time Luo Binghe had seen him, he’d thought he was dreaming. It had thrown him off completely. A kind Shen Qingqiu? That shouldn’t exist. And yet, it did.
At first, he’d resisted, of course. He’d suspected it was all a trick. But in the end, he’d fallen for it—no, he’d adored it. The tenderness, even if temporary, had been addictive. A forbidden fruit that he couldn’t stop craving.
Something inside him had been filled—a void he hadn’t even realized was there. When was the last time someone had shown him kindness without ulterior motives? Since his mother, no one had ever cared for him that way. Not even his wives.
The love of that gentle Shen Qingqiu had given him something he had never felt before. Not even Ning Yingying, his first wife, had made him feel that way. For the first time in his long life, he had been happy—truly happy. Loved. For one fleeting moment, that had been his whole world.
But of course, it hadn’t lasted.
When he learned that Shen Qingqiu wasn’t his Shizun, he had changed—become again the cold man Luo Binghe had once despised. That wasn’t fair!
When he’d begged him to come back with him, he had chosen instead to stay with that pathetic weak version of himself.
Why him?!
Why did that fragile, tearful version get the gentle Shen Qingqiu—while he, the one who had suffered the most, was left with nothing?!
He deserved it more!
A violent wave of anger surged inside him. After being thrown back into his own world, the only way he knew to vent that fury was through sex. He’d taken a few of his wives—he couldn’t even recall their names—and yet, it hadn’t helped.
The gnawing hunger inside him only grew stronger, more unbearable.
He hadn’t felt this kind of maddening desire in decades.
Suddenly, he sat up, startling the women beside him.
“M-My Lord...?” one of them whispered timidly.
He ignored her, too lost in his rage to notice that his demonic energy was leaking from his body.
When one of them dared to reach out, he shoved her away harshly.
“Get out,” he growled through clenched teeth.
None of them moved, frozen by the suffocating pressure that filled the room.
“I said—get out.” His voice dropped, colder, darker.
Their fear only made the air heavier. The whispers of Xin Mo, the cursed sword, buzzed faintly at the edge of his thoughts, feeding his fury.
“O-Our lord... is something troubling you? We c—”
“ARE YOU DEAF?! I SAID GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!!” he roared, finally snapping.
The three women fled in terror. None dared look back. The emperor’s wrath was said to be worse than any natural disaster.
Silence fell again over the chamber.
He clenched his fists. He’d earned everything he had through his own blood and strength. He’d clawed his way to the top with nothing but pain and determination. He deserved that affection, that love. It was his right.
The thought alone drove him mad.
He, Luo Binghe—the last Celestial Demon, Emperor of the Three Realms, master of a harem of three thousand beauties, and wielder of the sword Xin Mo—
Nothing had ever been denied to him.
Nothing. And no one....