"An orphanage?" Her long, slender fingers brushed against her ruby-red lips, lingering there as she pondered. She tilted her head, her crimson eyes gleaming with amusement, then slowly licked her lips, savoring the gesture. Finally, she turned to him with a wide, toothy smile. "Since I took you in, I've never once tasted the flesh of another child."
Her words dripped with mockery, sending a chill down Shudu's spine.
After being rejected by Xue Laohu from Sect Mount Dingbu, Shudu had fled, his heart heavy with shame and rage. He ran many li to the foot of the mountain, navigating treacherous terrain and barely surviving the relentless attacks of demons lurking in the wild. The air reeked of blood and decay, a suffocating miasma clung to his skin.
With no proper weapon, he had carved a makeshift sword from a sturdy tree branch. Its rough bark bit into his hands, but he wielded it desperately, swatting at the monstrous forms that lunged at him from the shadows. Each swing of the branch cost him more strength, his arms trembling under the strain.
The world around him was an abyss of terror—dark, cold, and unending. His body begged for rest, his eyes fluttering as exhaustion clawed at his mind. "Why do I want to live?" he muttered to himself, staggering into a cavernous cave for shelter. His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper against the howling winds outside. "Living is so tiresome... Maybe I should rest. Yes... some sleep. That would be nice."
The ground beneath him felt warm—unnaturally so—and pulsed faintly, as if alive. A voice, low and guttural, echoed from within his chest, reverberating through his very bones.
"Child, you must not sleep. Awake!"
Shudu jolted upright, his eyes snapping open. The warmth beneath him was no ground—it was the stomach of a massive demon. Horror surged through him as he realized he'd been swallowed whole. Ignoring the sharp pain in his limbs, he gripped his makeshift sword and channeled the faint remnants of his demonic qi into it. The branch hummed with unstable energy as he drove it into the monster's belly.
The demon howled in agony, its deafening screams echoing in the cavern as Shudu tore his way out. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, hot and sticky against his bruised skin. A pile of steaming entrails spilled onto the ground as Shudu collapsed beside the twitching corpse, panting, his vision swimming. His body was trembling, his hands barely able to keep hold of his weapon.
It was then that she appeared.
The demonic butterfly descended with an ethereal grace, her enormous black wings shimmering faintly with an iridescent glow. Her form was unnervingly human, save for the antennae atop her head and the jagged, insect-like claws extending from her fingers. She was nude save for a tight black waist band that hugged her torso and a pair of long, silky stockings clinging to her legs.
She landed silently before him, her lips stained crimson with fresh blood. She raised a delicate hand, wiping the corner of her mouth before languidly licking her fingers. "Such a spirited child," she mused, her voice melodic yet chilling. "You've made quite the mess."
Shudu forced himself to his feet, his legs quaking beneath him. He brandished his battered tree-branch sword, though his slouched posture betrayed his fatigue. His body was a canvas of scratches and bruises, and one of his eyes was swollen shut. He glared at the butterfly demon, with defiance burning in his one good eye.
"Don't come near me, you ugly old hag!" he yelled, his voice cracking. The insult sounded almost comical coming from a boy drenched in gore, but there was no humor in his tone—only raw desperation.
The butterfly laughed, her wings fluttering lazily behind her. "Old hag?" she repeated, tilting her head. Her crimson gaze swept over him, lingering on the blood and viscera that coated his small frame. "Oh, child, you have no idea what true age looks like."
She took a step closer, the faint click of her heels echoing in the silent cave. Shudu swung his sword wildly, the blade grazing her thigh. A thin line of blood welled up, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled, sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.
"You're fun," she purred. "Let's see how long you can last."
The proboscis on her head, tightly coiled like a serpent ready to strike, suddenly unfurled with a sharp hiss. It darted toward Shudu with alarming speed, a blur of dark flesh gleaming in the dim light. He barely managed to twist out of its path, the air around him whistling as the appendage grazed his cheek. Blood beaded on the scratches it left behind, dripping down his face as he stumbled, gasping for breath.
Her enormous red eyes narrowed as she took a step back, her slender figure silhouetted against the faint glow of her wings. The iridescence dimmed, her entire posture shifting from playful to predatory. "Impossible," she hissed, her voice low and filled with disbelief. "A half-breed? Truly impossible. What are you, child?" She raised a sharp, clawed finger, pointing at him with accusing intensity, her gaze like twin daggers piercing his soul.
Humans and demons were forbidden to mingle, let alone breed. Such unions were not just taboo—they were an affront to the natural order. The human body was too fragile to host a demonic child, too weak to endure the seed of a demon. And yet, here stood a child who bore the unmistakable essence of both human and demon. The very idea of his existence was an anomaly.
Shudu panted heavily, his small frame trembling with exhaustion. Despite the fear gripping his heart, he grasped his wooden sword tightly, the rough bark digging into his palms. He spat blood to the side, fixing the butterfly demon with a fierce, unwavering glare.
"I am me," he said, his voice raw but defiant. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his makeshift weapon, his knuckles whitening. "I don't give a rat's ass if you're demon or human," he snarled, raising the sword. "Both of you are just the same—heartless bastards. Anyone who stands in my way will face my wrath!"
With a guttural cry, he charged forward, his movements wild and desperate. The sword swung in a reckless arc toward her chest, but before it could connect, she lashed out with a single punch. Her fist drove into his abdomen with bone-crushing force.
The air was knocked from his lungs, his cry cut short as his eyes widened in shock. The wooden sword fell from his grasp as his body crumpled like a rag doll. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision, as he collapsed to the ground, falling unconscious.
She stood over him, her crimson eyes glinting with wicked amusement. Bending down, she gripped him by the collar of his tattered shirt and lifted him effortlessly, as if he weighed nothing at all. Her sharp nails grazed his bruised face, tracing the curve of his jaw with unsettling gentleness.
"This one is delectable," she purred, her voice dripping with cruel delight. Her tongue flicked out, running slowly across her bloodstained lips. "Oh yes, I have plans for you, little one. So, I shall spare you."
A laugh, rich and echoing, burst from her throat, reverberating through the cavern. It was the laugh of someone in control, savoring their victory.
Even after being healed by her magic and nursed back to health within her domain, Shudu remained defiant. His body might have been restored, but his fiery spirit burned brighter than ever.
"I don't owe you anything, bitch!" Shudu screamed, his voice raw with fury as he struggled against the enchanted bindings holding him down.
The butterfly demon, now lounging regally on an ornate chaise, barely raised an eyebrow at his outburst. Her expression was equal parts amusement and exasperation as she watched him thrash.
One swift punch to his gut silenced his protests, and he doubled over, gasping in pain.
"Such language," she murmured, her tone mockingly maternal. "You should learn some respect, child. I did save your miserable life, after all."
A servant approached, bowing low before speaking. "Madam Hua, why do you bother with such a savage child?"
The servant glanced at Shudu, who was now bound like an unruly dog. Thick ropes restrained his hands and feet, while a heavy iron chain was wrapped tightly around his neck, tethering him to the ground.
Madam Hua chuckled, her crimson eyes never leaving Shudu's rebellious form. "Savage?" she echoed, her voice laced with amusement. "Perhaps. But savages can be tamed... or broken. Either way, this one will serve me well."
"I've grown fond of him," Madam Hua declared, her voice smooth and deliberate as she rose gracefully from her chair. The soft rustle of her antennas was the only sound in the dimly lit chamber. Her gaze, sharp and calculating, locked onto the boy sitting on the cold stone floor.
Shudu met her stare with unyielding defiance, his body battered but his spirit unbroken. His piercing red eye glimmered with rebellion even as his limbs trembled from exhaustion.
Madam Hua approached him slowly, her presence filling the room with an oppressive weight. She crouched before him, her long, delicate fingers reaching out to caress his bruised face. Her touch was deceptively tender, her nails barely grazing his skin.
"You have potential to be great," she murmured, her voice low and hypnotic. Her eyes narrowed as she tilted his chin upward, forcing him to meet her gaze. Shudu's breath hitched, his chest rising and falling in shallow gasps.
"How would you like to become stronger?" she asked, her lips curling into a sinister smile. Her tone dripped with honeyed malice, every word laced with a dangerous promise.
Shudu's jaw tightened as her hand held his chin. His nose wrinkled in disgust, and before she could react, he sank his teeth into her hand. His teeth tore into her flesh, drawing dark, inky blood that oozed between his lips.
Madam Hua's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing into slits. With a swift motion, she slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing through the chamber. Blood smeared her injured hand as she reached for her whip.
"You insolent brat," she hissed, uncoiling the leather weapon with a sharp crack. She lashed at him repeatedly, each strike drawing a pained grunt until his small body finally collapsed, unconscious and bleeding on the cold floor.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but Shudu's resolve remained ironclad. Despite the beatings, the starvation, and the isolation, he refused to submit to her will.
One night, his frail body lay sprawled on the floor, trembling from pain and exhaustion. Madam Hua approached him again, her demeanor eerily soft as she crouched beside him. This time, she did not strike. Instead, she scooped him into her arms, cradling him against her bosom.
"You poor child," she whispered, her voice dripping with feigned pity. Her fingers brushed his sweat-soaked hair away from his face, tracing the sharp curve of his jaw. "No mother. No father. Nowhere to call home."
Her words were poison wrapped in silk, seeping into the cracks of his battered psyche. Shudu's lips quivered, but he said nothing.
"No human wants you," she continued, her tone growing more insidious, "and every demon you meet wishes to devour you. Yet, I've made an exception for you. I've chosen to keep you alive."
Shudu's eye fluttered open, a single tear rolling down his cheek. The sight made Madam Hua's grin stretch wider.
"I can make you stronger," she murmured into his ear, her breath warm and chilling all at once. "I can help you take vengeance on all those who have wronged you. Tenfold. A hundredfold. Allow me to be your master, and I will unlock the strength hidden within you."
Her eyes glimmered with dark delight as she watched him wrestle with the weight of her words. She could see the flicker of doubt, the briefest crack in his armor.
Shudu's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as her voice echoed in his mind. His body still ached from the beatings, his pride still stung from countless defeats. He could feel the rage bubbling within him, the need to prove himself stronger than the world that had discarded him.
Finally, he turned to her, his single red eye blazing with hatred and resolve. "Make me stronger," he spat, his voice hoarse but steady.
It was in that moment Shudu sealed his fate. As he spoke those words, a grim thought crossed his mind: If you can't beat them, you might as well join them.
He knew he was weak, powerless, and no longer capable of enduring the endless cycle of pain and humiliation. If Madam Hua could truly unlock his potential, then he would use that power to wreak havoc on the land. He would make every single person who had wronged him—human or demon—pay a price they could never afford.
Madam Hua smiled triumphantly, her fangs glinting in the dim light. "Good," she purred, stroking his cheek. "You'll learn, little one. You'll see that there is nothing more satisfying than power—and vengeance."
From that day forward, Shudu became her pupil, her pawn, and her weapon. But deep within him, a small, unyielding spark of his humanity still smoldered, waiting for the moment it might ignite again.
During one of their grueling training sessions, the sound of splintering wood echoed through the chamber. Madam Hua's sharp claws struck Shudu's wooden sword, shattering it into pieces. The fragments clattered to the floor like scattered hopes.
"Us demons have no use for such nonsense," she said coolly, brushing the splinters from her hand as if they offended her. Her crimson eyes flicked to Shudu, who stood frozen, his small fists trembling at his sides. She gave a mocking smile, turning her back to him as she casually tossed the broken remains of his weapon aside.
Shudu's heart burned with rage. He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together as he charged at her. His bare fists struck out in a flurry of desperate attacks, each one filled with tenacity, but no matter how hard he fought, she dodged or parried with maddening ease.
"You're reckless," she taunted, sidestepping a clumsy punch and flicking him on the forehead with a clawed finger. "Strength without precision is nothing but wasted potential."
Despite his best efforts, he could never defeat her. Exhausted and panting, he eventually collapsed to his knees, staring at the shattered pieces of his sword. His dream of becoming a swordsman—of wielding the blade with honor—seemed to crumble with those broken fragments. In that moment, something inside him shifted. He lowered his head, shoulders slumping under the weight of defeat, and let his dream die.
Years passed, and Shudu grew stronger under Madam Hua's relentless tutelage. Her methods were cruel, but they yielded results. One day, she decided it was time to test his resolve.
They descended upon a nearby human village, Madam Hua's demonic wasps leading the charge. The creatures rampaged through the settlement, their stingers plunging into human flesh, jaws tearing apart their prey. Huts were set aflame, and the night was filled with the piercing screams of the dying.
Shudu stood amidst the chaos, his hands clenched at his sides. The heat of the flames licked at his skin, and the acrid scent of burning wood and blood filled his lungs. He watched as the humans ran in terror, their cries echoing in his ears. But he couldn't move.
A part of him still clung to something human—something that he could not bring himself to kill.
Madam Hua observed him from the shadows, her expression curling into one of disdain. "Hesitation," she muttered under her breath, her wings fluttering in irritation.
As she watched, Shudu spotted a group of humans huddled under the wreckage of a fallen hut. They trembled at the sight of him as he approached, his eyes glinting with uncertainty. Lifting the debris with ease, he revealed their hiding place. His intent was clear—he was going to spare them.
"Filthy demon!" one of them shouted, teeth clenched in rage as he clutched a crying child.
Another human scrambled for a nearby rock and hurled it at Shudu. It struck his face with a dull thud, leaving a stinging welt.
"Vermin!"
"Scum!"
The words rang in his ears, each one stabbing into his heart like a dagger. The hatred on their faces, the venom in their voices—it all coalesced into a single, overwhelming sensation. His hands began to tremble, his vision blurred, and a deep growl escaped his throat.
Before he realized what he was doing, his claws tore into them. The screams were brief, punctuated by the sickening sound of flesh rending. When he finally stopped, blood dripped from his fingers, pooling at his feet.
Madam Hua stepped into the light, her face glowing with twisted pride. She clapped her hands slowly, her crimson lips curling into a delighted smile. "Splendid. A very well-done job, my child."
From that moment, something inside Shudu broke. The remorse that had once stayed had disappeared, replaced by a grim satisfaction. He began to crave the thrill of the hunt, seeking out not just defenseless humans but cultivators and martial artists. Their strength excited him, and their deaths filled him with a perverse sense of accomplishment.
At the age of twelve, Madam Hua brought him to a place unlike any other he had seen. The brothel loomed before them, its imposing red doors towering above, exuding a malevolent aura. The air was thick with the scent of incense and blood.
She stood behind him, her sharp nails grazing his bare chest as her hand trailed down to his navel. Her voice was soft, almost seductive, as she leaned close, her lips brushing against his ear.
"It is time for this little one's rite of passage," she whispered, her tone dripping with dark promise.
The heavy red doors creaked open, revealing a monstrous lecherous scene. Demons feasted in a grotesque sexual ritual, their claws tearing into each others flesh, their fangs glinting as they devoured their secretions. Blood painted the walls and pooled on the floor, mixing with the dim light of crimson lanterns.
Shudu froze, his breath hitching at the sheer brutality and obscenity of the scene seared into his mind, as the demons feasted in a ritual orgy.
Blah Blah Blah:
Xiao Mei stormed across the room, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her steps quick and deliberate. She stopped at the table where the author sat, staring blankly into space. A cigarette dangled from their lips, its ash threatening to spill onto their shirt as smoke coiled lazily upward.
"Care to explain?" Xiao Mei's voice cut through the haze.
"Huh?" The author blinked, turning to face her with a dazed expression.
She slammed her palm against the table, the sharp sound jolting the air. "Wasn't this supposed to be some silly, goofy ha ha story?" Her eyes bored into them, unrelenting.
The author exhaled a heavy cloud of smoke, their tone flat. "Oh… yeah, it is. But, like... trauma." They took another drag from the cigarette, the ember flaring briefly before they let it hang loosely between their fingers. "I'm done for now."