# Chapter 763: Tears of a Demon
Family... home...
These had long been extinct in his world. Even in his dreams, he never dared to hope for them again.
From the moment he merged with Ye Mufeng's demon soul, his world had been left with only coldness, hatred, pain, despair, and violence... If an ordinary person's world was heaven, then his world was utterly and completely hell.
And Xiao Lingxi was the sole warmth in his entire world.
During that period, the reason he stayed in Liuyun City was for her. Every day, as long as he could catch a glimpse of her, he would be endlessly satisfied, and even the immense pain he suffered while absorbing the demon source seemed like nothing. But to approach even slightly... he never dared, because in front of others, he was a fearsome demon god, but in front of Xiao Lingxi, his heart was filled with endless inferiority, timidity, and self-loathing.
Because in his own eyes, he was no longer a person, but an ugly demon, a devil whose very soul had become thoroughly filthy.
He longed to kill Yun Che... On that day when he left Liuyun City, he thought Xiao Lingxi would never want to see him again, that she would only feel rejection, fear, and even hatred towards him. During the three months before his decisive battle with Yun Che, he couldn't control himself and returned to Liuyun City several times, just to catch a glimpse of Xiao Lingxi. But he only watched from afar... afraid that she might see him.
And today, she not only saved him from the brink of death but also actively wanted to recognize him as her brother, to become his relative, to give him a new home.
No one could know how powerfully her every word, every sentence, struck his soul. It was as if a sky-covering blizzard had erupted in his frozen world.
Stunned, hallucinatory, unable to believe... then came panic. Fen Juechen shrank back, shaking his head violently: "No, it can't be... it shouldn't be like this. You must... must be doing this to stop me from killing Yun Che..."
Xiao Lingxi said forcefully: "Brother Fen, every word I said, and the oath I made, came from the bottom of my heart! If... if it were because of Xiao Che, how could I have asked Big Brother Tianxia to bring you back..."
"No, you don't understand!" Fen Juechen shook his head even more violently. He closed his eyes, his face full of pain: "I am now... just a demon, a demon covered in sin from head to toe, living only for revenge. You don't understand... you can't understand!"
"It is you who doesn't understand!" Xiao Lingxi shouted loudly: "Brother Fen, do you still remember, four years ago, at the Fen Tian Gate, you protected me, and your brother Fen Juechen twisted your arm, but you refused to let him go... That incident, that kindness, I, Xiao Lingxi, will remember in my heart for my entire life, never forget. How could someone like you be a demon!"
"During your time in Liuyun City, I could feel that you were always in pain. You made yourself cold, cruel, even calling yourself a demon... And all of this was to avenge your loved ones. A true 'demon' is selfish and brutal. How could a true demon give up his life for his dead loved ones and make himself so miserable!"
"I fear your threat to Xiao Che... but I understand even more that, from beginning to end, you have done nothing wrong. You have always been just a victim. At the very least, you are absolutely not the villain you think you are..."
"No... don't say anymore." Xiao Lingxi's words did not ease his mind; instead, his expression became even more pained. He clutched his head with both hands: "You don't understand, you really don't understand... I truly am a demon..."
"I don't deserve for you to treat me like this!"
"Whether you deserve it or not, Brother Fen doesn't get to decide that himself." Xiao Lingxi shook her head again. She said softly: "'Family' is a very sacred word to me. In my life, my family has only been Dad, Xiao Che, and Xiao Yun, who just returned not long ago. I never thought of actively wanting other people without blood ties to become my family. But Brother Fen is different... When the Shenhuang army was at the gates of our Liuyun City, it was Brother Fen who protected Liuyun City, protecting the hometown where I and Xiao Che were born and grew up. So to me, Brother Fen is not just a good person, a benefactor, but also a true hero!"
Fen Juechen: "............"
"So, towards Brother Fen, I have always felt gratitude, closeness, and respect. If Brother Fen could become my elder brother, a family member we can rely on and take care of each other, then that would be an incredibly happy and fortunate thing for me. If Brother Fen refuses, I will definitely be very disappointed and sad."
Fen Juechen's trembling stopped. He stood still, motionless, his eyes dazed as if frozen.
"But it seems that Brother Fen doesn't like me becoming his family." Xiao Lingxi raised her head, her gaze slightly disappointed as she looked into Fen Juechen's eyes.
"I... I..." Under her gaze, this man who had made the 200,000-strong Shenhuang army tremble and even Yun Che deeply wary became instantly flustered, his words incoherent.
"But..." Xiao Lingxi smiled again. Her suddenly blossoming smile made the world before Fen Juechen's eyes instantly brighten: "I've already said what I wanted to say, and I've sworn a deadly oath. Whether Brother Fen is willing to recognize me as his little sister or not, in my heart, from now on, Brother Fen is my elder brother! From now on, the Xiao Sect is Brother Fen's home, and this room will always be kept for Brother Fen. When Brother Fen is home, I will take care of him like a biological elder brother, sharing and bearing all good and bad things with Brother Fen."
"But if Brother Fen does something wrong, as his little sister, I will also criticize and correct him without hesitation!!"
Before Fen Juechen could respond, Xiao Lingxi stood up, smiling charmingly: "That's decided! Brother Fen is now severely injured, so all resistance is completely invalid! So..."
"Wait for me, I'll be right back!"
Xiao Lingxi finished speaking on her own and then ran out... After a short while, she pushed the door open and came back in, holding a neatly folded stack of clean gray-white outer clothes.
"Brother Fen, your clothes are all torn and stink. Change into these clothes first. Brother Fen is never used to relying on others, and it seems you've recovered some strength, so you can definitely change clothes by yourself. That's why I won't call Big Brother Tianxia to help." She said cheerfully, gently placing the clothes beside Fen Juechen's hand: "Oh, these are clothes Xiao Che wore before. They should fit you perfectly."
His mind in turmoil, Fen Juechen heard the word "Yun Che," and a surge of hostility rose from his chest purely by instinct: "Yun... Che!?"
"Mm!" Xiao Lingxi completely ignored the abnormality in Fen Juechen's tone and aura, still smiling sweetly: "These are clothes he left behind last time he left. I just washed and dried them not long ago. I know Brother Fen hates Xiao Che very much, but the clothes have done nothing wrong. Someone as formidable as Brother Fen surely won't be petty enough to take it out on a set of clothes... I'll go brew another batch of medicine. Brother Fen should change clothes obediently. I'll come back when it's done."
With a light smile, Xiao Lingxi turned and left, closing the door behind her.
The world became incredibly quiet. For the first time, Fen Juechen felt his heartbeat so clearly and violently.
He was dazed for a very, very long time, then finally reached out his hand towards the clothes beside him.
The clothes were neatly folded, every thread clean as new. Faintly, he could even smell a light, faint fragrance.
This was the clothing of Yun Che, the man he hated most. Hatred extending to everything associated with him... he should have felt disgust, should have torn it to shreds, or even become agitated because of it. But... at this moment, holding it in his hand, his heart could not stir up even a hint of hostility or killing intent. Even the act of picking it up was subconsciously careful and gentle.
...............
"Heaven and earth as my witness, I, Xiao Lingxi, wish to worship Brother Fen Juechen as my elder brother... From now on, I am Brother Fen's family. My home is Brother Fen's home..."
" It is you who doesn't understand... I fear your threat to Xiao Che, but I understand even more that, from beginning to end, you have done nothing wrong. You have always been just a victim. At the very least, you are absolutely not the villain you think you are..."
"...To me, Brother Fen is not just a good person, a benefactor, but also a true hero!"
"If Brother Fen could become my elder brother, my family... then that would be an incredibly happy and fortunate thing for me..."
"Whether Brother Fen is willing to recognize me as his little sister or not, in my heart, from now on, Brother Fen is my elder brother! From now on, the Xiao Sect is Brother Fen's home..."
...............
Xiao Lingxi's voice, every sentence, every word, echoed in his soul time and time again, resounding in every corner of his frozen heart.
Drip...
The faint sound of a drop was incredibly clear in the quiet world. Fen Juechen lowered his head in a daze... In the corner of the gray clothes in his hands, a trace of wetness was silently spreading.
Tears...
He reached out a trembling finger, touching his own face... His fingertip touched a long trail of moisture...
Tears...
I have clearly become a demon who has extinguished humanity and emotion, left with only sin and hatred...
Why... do I still have tears...
His fingers trembled, and his soul became even more chaotic. He didn't know what this feeling was that was flooding his soul. All he knew was that the tears on his face were falling uncontrollably, unable to stop...
So I can still be... a "human" after all...
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[Tonight at 8 PM (the 21st), there will be a (possibly) livestream of Zongheng's anniversary celebration in Douyu room 1589414. I am a special guest (I don't know why either! I've been confused the whole time!). If you're interested, you're welcome to come and watch... but I strongly advise against it, because I've become a middle-aged uncle now and I'm too afraid to show my face!!]