BTTH: The Legend Of Xiu Emperor

Hun Xiu closed his eyes, tears streaming silently down his cheeks. His small hands clenched into trembling fists, the knuckles pale from the pressure.

He had made up his mind.

The decision was his alone, and no matter how much it hurt, he would pay for the choice he made. Even if it meant walking a path of tears, he had no choice but to move forward.

Hun Xiu opened his eyes, looking at the Flame Devouring Codex before him, its weight far more than just parchment and ink—it was a test of his resolve.

The third paragraph in the first page still haunted his thoughts:

"But if you want to practice this technique, then you must first castrate yourself."

He had read those 14 ominous words over and over, hoping they would somehow transform into a different meaning. Yet, they didn't. They stood as a grim sentence, mocking his dreams of strength and power.

With a trembling hand, he picked up the three-inch dagger from the ring that hung around his neck.

"I don't want to cry anymore," Hun Xiu muttered. "To be strong, I must be ruthless—even to myself."

His heart ached, and tears welled in his eyes, despite his resolution.

"Now I'm going to break my promise," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I hope… you won't blame me for it."

Taking a deep breath, Hun Xiu gritted his teeth and prepared to do the unthinkable.

Suddenly, a soft breeze passed through the air, rustling the pages of the Flame Devouring Codex. The book flipped open to the second page, revealing a new set of words.

Hun Xiu froze, the dagger trembling in his grip. He turned his gaze to the book, and his eyes widened.

The words on the second page read:

"You can practice without self-castration if you are virgin."

For a moment, he couldn't breathe. He blinked in disbelief, rereading the sentence several times. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave.

"Hahaha…"

Laughter burst from Hun Xiu, loud and uninhibited, his voice echoing through the surrounding forest. He tossed the dagger aside, watching it lodge itself into the trunk of a nearby tree. His laughter carried a mixture of relief, joy, and exhaustion.

In the distance, Hun Tian Di and the Void Devouring Flame observed silently. The two exchanged puzzled glances, unable to decipher the boy's sudden shift from despair to laughter.

"He's an odd one," Void Devouring Flame murmured.

"Indeed," Hun Tian Di replied, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "But perhaps that oddness is what makes him unique."

Hun Xiu's laughter subsided into soft chuckles as he wiped away the tears from his face. He stood, pulled down his pants, and relieved himself against a nearby tree.

As he did so, he muttered to himself, "I thought I was going to lose everything. Turns out, I was just overthinking things. Thank you, breeze. You've saved me more than you know."

Once finished, he returned to the Flame Devouring Codex and closed it carefully. He stared at it for a moment, then tied it securely to his belt.

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the world in hues of orange and red. Hun Xiu took one last look at the forest before making his way back home.

"This world is filled with surprises," he said quietly. "I'll have to be more careful in the future."

As he walked, the boy couldn't help but feel a newfound determination. He had faced the brink of despair and returned with a greater understanding of himself.

For now, he was safe, but Hun Xiu knew that his journey was only just beginning.