novelraw Chapter 132 : Apostle of the Crimson Demon, Final Burial Butterfly
Chapter 132 : Apostle of the Crimson Demon, Final Burial Butterfly
Chapter 132: Apostle of the Crimson Demon, Final Burial Butterfly
Just one glance made Kurokawa Seki feel endless pain, as if an invisible hand was strangling her neck, bringing an incomparable sense of suffocation.
Like an ant facing a collapsing mountain, just a wisp of aura was enough to crush her countless times.
What on earth is this thing!?
Kurokawa Seki couldn't think, because...
She could barely breathe!
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Just when Kurokawa Seki thought she would die from suffocation, the eerie and terrifying image disappeared.
Her whole body was drenched in sweat, lying on the bed, gasping for air, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She could hear the other's unrestrained laughter echoing in her ears.
"Where did you come from? Why are you looking for me?"
Kurokawa Seki didn't scream. By now, she had realized this guy's methods were completely different from those of the Bureau of Historical Revision.
Her father was already being hunted, and she herself had no value left worth the trouble of deception.
Even Jiang Yan wasn't interested in giving her a single glance.
That meant, most likely, this was a mysterious existence from the depths of the Historical Long River.
The Crimson Demon muttered, "My previous observer died in this prison, so I needed new entertainment. As for why I chose you—of course, because... you're interesting."
"Interesting?"
Kurokawa Seki bit her lip. This bastard was treating her like a toy.
Judging from what It said, this guy didn't seem to be imprisoned in the Black Prison but was instead observing various individuals until their deaths.
A despicable being looking for fun.
Of course, it could be a lie.
A cover to obscure the truth.
But the fact that even the Black Prison hadn't discovered Its existence proved Its extraordinary origins.
Kurokawa Seki sneered, "So what you're saying is, like your previous observer, I'm going to die soon?"
The Crimson Demon didn’t deny it, smiling, "That depends on your choices."
"What do you mean?"
"If you want to cling to life, just follow the rules of the Black Prison. But when your sentence is up and you're deported, plenty of people in White Sakura are already waiting for you.
The once-noble little princess, plenty have been looking forward to turning your beautiful body into an amusing doll, ending your life with flair.
I've seen other fates—made into a skeleton, turned into a human swine—tsk tsk, your White Sakura folk do have a sense of artistry..."
With every word the Crimson Demon spoke, Kurokawa Seki's face turned paler.
Yet she remained defiant, refusing to kneel or yield, instead asking, "Saying all this, are you just trying to scare me?"
"Not entirely."
The Crimson Demon chuckled, "I'm just curious. If a weak little ant stirs up a big enough wave, it might make for a good show to kill time."
"Do you want power? To take revenge on those who bullied you?"
"I don’t care!"
Kurokawa Seki stubbornly snapped back, wary, "This ability to tempt people... you're really like a devil."
As a noble from a transcendental family, she understood that gifts and temptations from mysterious beings always came with a price.
Every single one of them was a predatory loan.
When the interest compounds, even ten thousand reincarnations won’t be enough to pay it back.
Death would be a release!
The Crimson Demon laughed lightly, "You should say—the devils are imitating me."
"I am the evil of all beings, the source of every calamity, savoring the joy of it all."
"You’ve already lost everything, yet you still fear losing more? Do you really want to die in obscurity? Don’t you want to make that man who ignored you tremble at your strength, eyes only on you?"
Kurokawa Seki fell silent. She had to admit, she wavered—but she feared this mysterious being's power to tempt hearts even more.
The Crimson Demon wasn’t angry, laughing, "If you’re unwilling, I’ll just find another performer."
"Wait!"
Kurokawa Seki spoke softly, "What do I have to give? My life?"
Her name was Seki—Princess Seki, the one watched by the world.
Even in death, it should be a grand finale, not something as pitiful as grass withering.
Even if the cost is...
Making a deal with the devil!
The Crimson Demon laughed, "That stubborn look—that's the potential of an excellent actor. As for the cost, your life..."
Kurokawa Seki sneered. These evil beings always played the same tricks.
But the next moment, her face fell.
"It’s worth nothing."
The Crimson Demon’s judgment left her both ashamed and furious—yet unable to argue.
Even Jiang Yan didn’t care. Why would such a mysterious existence?
"Life, soul—they’re laughable and boring to me. What I want is for you to become an excellent performer, putting on entertaining shows. The stage... is this world."
"You want to overturn the world?" Kurokawa Seki looked shocked.
"The world means nothing to me. The so-called mutation—just an interesting plot twist in a play."
The Crimson Demon chuckled, "What I want is for an ant like you to stand on the heads of the noble elites, flaunting yourself, devouring the Diseased Domain of White Sakura, so the gods inside can see their own pitiful fall into the mortal realm."
"You have a grudge with White Sakura?" Kurokawa Seki realized the key.
The Crimson Demon mocked coldly, "You're simply too weak, unqualified to stir up trouble in Tianxia. Too easy to squash. If I gave you too many cheats, it would be no different from acting myself. I’ve already arranged for other performers."
"......"
Kurokawa Seki fell silent. She roughly understood: this was a bored deity seeking amusement through her chaos.
Boasting so arrogantly—as if the entire world was Its playhouse.
Kurokawa Seki sighed, "I’m merely someone who walks the Shinto path of the 【All Spirits Servant】. My power comes from controlling shikigami, but the strongest, Crimson Hannya, was already killed by Jiang Yan. The rest were confiscated by the Bureau of Historical Revision.
Without talismans, my overall strength is below even a peak Spirit Awakening cultivator, not to mention I don’t even know how long I’ll be imprisoned..."
The Crimson Demon interrupted, "No need to worry. I’ve already stirred the threads of karma. You’ll be released early. Before that, you’ll receive my gift and gather strength. Otherwise, returning to White Sakura means becoming a lamb for slaughter—or worse, skinned alive, your flesh admired."
"After receiving the gift, you will gradually become a fine work of art. You must strive to please me. Otherwise, fate will hunt you.
Upon death, your soul, karma, and destiny will all return to me—becoming a treasured artwork. In your world's terms... a figurine."
"......"
Kurokawa Seki understood. This being intended to sculpt her into a piece of art through worldly suffering, to satisfy Its collector’s obsession.
Though not explicitly forced...
The whole world was forcing her!
"Do I even have a choice?"
Kurokawa Seki smiled bitterly. She once had a final hope—becoming Jiang Yan’s pet.
Guan Dao had given her a chance to appear in front of him, to curry favor with his superiors.
After all, what youth wouldn’t enjoy crushing a once-noble enemy, staining a highborn lady with his colors?
Especially with White Sakura's past crimes, the transcendents of the Tianxia Alliance despised them, never seeing them as human.
Kurokawa Seki understood this. But if Jiang Yan grew strong enough, even a dog could rely on its master.
Yet he didn’t even glance at her, denying her any chance to earn favor.
That final hope—snuffed out.
Now, Kurokawa Seki stood at the edge of despair.
"Even if there’s an abyss ahead, I want to see it for myself..."
She raised her head. On her delicate and beautiful face, a resolute expression emerged. She whispered:
"Crimson Demon, I’m willing to become your thing."
The Crimson Demon laughed, "But let me correct you. You’re not a thing, you are..."
『My Apostle.』
As the words fell, the space in front of Kurokawa Seki rippled. Black-red cataclysmic aura spread, weaving into a lotus of calamity that floated forth.
It bloomed upon karma and fate, dazzling and splendid, stirring a deep yearning within her.
Swallow it!
▶ BZZZZ! ◀
The calamity lotus seemed to sense her call, drifting slowly, merging into her body.
The next moment—
"It hurts! It hurts so much!"
Kurokawa Seki’s face twisted in agony. Inside her, the calamity lotus extended countless tendrils, rooting into her flesh, pouring cataclysmic aura into her blood, flowing to every limb and bone.
In that moment, she seemed to fall into hell, welcoming death’s arrival, her consciousness fading.
The Crimson Demon—or rather, Jiang Yan—watched in astonishment.
It was the first time he realized the full integration of a calamity lotus could be this painful.
After all, the one given to Chen Shui hadn’t even been a prototype. It only slightly improved her talent and didn’t create any abilities.
Jiang Yan watched silently, ready to intervene at the crucial moment to help his chess piece pull through.
But Kurokawa Seki’s potential far exceeded his expectations. Cataclysmic aura radiated from her, forming countless black-red butterflies that danced in the prison, dazzling and beautiful.
Fortunately, Jiang Yan had preemptively used his authority to disrupt the Black Prison’s surveillance of this cell. Combined with the fact that cataclysmic aura was invisible to the naked eye, a major uproar was avoided.
"I’m not resigned..."
Kurokawa Seki’s face contorted, her hands clutched the bedsheets, her dark pupils brimming with ambition. Even in death, she wanted the world to witness her funeral.
Especially—Jiang Yan!
The fusion lasted a minute, the pain quickly receding. But Kurokawa Seki had already fainted. The myriad butterflies merged into her body, condensing over her left chest—at her heart—into a lotus-shaped mark.
Before Jiang Yan’s eyes, information appeared.
What Kurokawa Seki had gained was not a transcendental organ, but a special calamity spell.
【Final Burial Butterfly】
【Description: A special calamity spell granted by the Lord of the Cataclysmic Sea of the Return Ruins, born from the fusion of the calamity lotus and the target’s obsession.
Can grow alongside the target. Ineffective against the Lord of the Return Ruins. Can be reclaimed at any time. Upon death, all cultivation, abilities, and mastery return to the Return Ruins.】
【Ability: Can create Final Burial Butterflies to siphon the fate of life. When fate dissipates, the being’s death arrives.
Via 【Pollination】, trigger calamities and disasters, transforming into a flower of catastrophe. Then, using a 【Proboscis】, absorb nutrients to grow and feed back to the user, expanding the swarm.
Butterflies can parasitize and manipulate corresponding life forms.
User can become a burial butterfly. As long as one-fifth remains, they will not die. The more calamities endured, the more the butterflies evolve.】
【You created a beautiful butterfly. She will flap her wings, and unleash calamity upon the world.】