Little Pink Starfish

A young girl knelt on the cold, hard ground, her white skin was like the purest snow in the world. Her long black hair cascaded down her body, covering most of her figure and accentuating her fragile and pitiable demeanour. Her hands were bound and suspended high, fastened to the corners of the damp, oppressive dungeon. When she sensed someone’s arrival, she abruptly lifted her head—“You bastards! All of you, go to hell! Just die already!” Her hoarse voice pierced the air, sharp and filled with unbridled hatred. Her face, stunningly beautiful, was a mask of fury.

Gu Bai couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned when he laid eyes on her—it wasn’t his fault. The girl truly had an exotic allure. A high nose bridge, large eyes, full lips, and an enchanting face—all these features combined into a striking visage. Even her eyes, faintly tinged with red, were captivating.

Everyone understood that demons had red eyes when they demonized. However, beauty always carried its privileges. While most demons had eyes in dark, blood, or murky red hues that often seemed terrifying, this girl’s eyes were akin to black pearls veiled in red silk, bright yet hazy, giving her an alluring mystique that drew attention.

In the original story, this girl had been caught while attempting to steal money. The protagonist, captivated by her beauty, had promptly “pushed her down.” This led her to develop a deep affection for him. With the protagonist’s seemingly gentle treatment, she soon melted under his influence, becoming utterly devoted to him. This set the stage for many plot developments later on.

Gu Bai glanced at the girl silently, finding her current predicament pitiful.

When the girl had attempted to steal money, the twisted protagonist had coincidentally left for Tiandu City—probably for some ulterior motive. Naturally, he and the girl missed each other. However, with his absolute control over his estate and its formidable defences, the girl was captured and became a prisoner. Gone were the romantic developments and gentle treatment. Instead, interrogation and torture awaited her.

One whip mark after another crisscrossed her once-pristine skin, along with bruises, burn marks, and countless other wounds. Her body bore the evidence of endless torment. Beyond the physical injuries, the humiliation of being stripped and tightly bound in the depths of this dungeon had undoubtedly left deeper scars on her spirit and pride. Expecting her to fall for a sadist under such circumstances? That would require a masochistic streak of epic proportions. _{[T/N: Ahem.]}

Clearly, this girl had no such tendencies. Her beautiful eyes burned with fury as she glared at Qiguan Yao, her gaze practically spitting fire. Then she turned her fierce stare onto Qiguan Rui and Gu Bai, directing her hatred equally toward them.

Gu Bai felt that if her gaze could kill, they would have died a thousand times over. Faced with such overwhelming resentment, he instinctively wanted to step back. If not for the current setting, he would have protested, “I’m innocent!” Expressionless, Gu Bai continued to watch her, hoping she’d sense his inner innocence. Suddenly, a hand covered his eyes, and a soft voice whispered in his ear, “Gege, what are you looking at?”

Gu Bai felt awkward. “Nothing.”

Qiguan Rui sighed softly; his tone almost indulgent. “A woman’s body… Is it that beautiful, gege?”

Gu Bai’s response was concise: “I was looking at the scars.”

Qiguan Rui’s voice grew softer. “Gege, do you… Feel sorry for her?”

Gu Bai fell silent. Damn it. The more he said, the more mistakes he’d make. Silence was golden—I’m not interested in three-dimensional girls, you twisted freak! He genuinely had no idea how to deal with the suffocating jealousy emanating from this sadist.

The demon girl glared for a long moment, but when she realized no one was paying her any attention, she blinked. Her eyes were dry from staring too long. ORZ*. Despite the pain wracking her body, she mustered all her strength and screamed again, “What do you want? I’ve told you so many times—I had no ulterior motive! I just wanted to steal money! What is it you’re trying to do? What’s your conspiracy?” _{*[T/N: ORZ is a bowing person?! Nice.]}

Her desperate cries made Gu Bai avert his gaze. Girl, in all fairness, your identity as a demon sneaking into a warrior’s estate does seem more suspicious… doesn’t it? Girl, are you sure you’re not operating on negative IQ?

Sure enough, Qiguan Yao sneered. “Enough talk. Useless. Guards!”

Several guards entered; their expressions normal—though their occasional lecherous glances at the girl’s bare body revealed their thoughts.

Gu Bai immediately deduced that these guards hadn’t been subjected to the Snake Gu.

The guards opened the cell door and moved to drag the girl out. But in the next moment, her sharp nails extended, and she lunged forward, the rattling of her chains echoing as if she were about to pounce.

Gu Bai noticed her teeth had become sharp as well. Holy crap! She’s demonizing!

The guards quickly retreated, too afraid to release her chains. Clearly, this wasn’t their first encounter with such an incident. They swiftly opened bamboo containers at their waists, pulling out crimson chunks of meat and tossing them to her. The girl raised her head, catching the meat in her mouth and devouring it in a few bites, her throat emitting guttural growls. The guards tossed more meat, which she promptly caught and devoured.

Watching this scene, Gu Bai couldn’t shake the sense of familiarity… Wasn’t this just like training a beast? Just how long had Qiguan Yao been doing this?

The girl’s hatred when in human form and her savagery when demonized painted a grim picture of her treatment—endless cycles of blood and flesh. Raising a demon…

Qiguan Yao turned, speaking seriously, “She’s a demon—there must be a conspiracy.”

Qiguan Rui nodded thoughtfully. “I see.”

Currently lacking much knowledge about demons, Qiguan Rui saw this captured one as a potential treasure trove of information. “Leave this demon to me,” he ordered. “From now on, capture any similar individuals alive, imprison them, and hand them over to me. Prioritize live captures.”

Qiguan Yao, long controlled by the Snake Gu, complied instantly. “Understood. Please rest assured, master.”

Qiguan Rui smiled slightly. With a flick of his finger, a black thread shot toward the demon girl.

Still engrossed in devouring the meat, she didn’t notice until the thread entered her mouth. Startled, she erupted in a burst of black light that disintegrated the thread. Regaining her senses, she screamed, “What did you do to me? No—what are you trying to do? You won’t succeed!”

Qiguan Rui frowned, displeased that his Snake Gu had been destroyed by the black light. It wasn’t the first time. But how could there exist something capable of countering the invincible Snake Gu? He couldn’t accept this—especially not in front of Ziche Shubai.

Gu Bai wanted to mock him but refrained, feeling guilty since he’d written this setup.

In a proper story, the protagonist’s overwhelming power was satisfying, but constant success would make it dull. Some challenges were necessary to keep things engaging. Thus, while Qiguan Rui’s Heaven-Devouring Python bloodline was overpowered, there had to be occasional checks on its dominance. For instance, Snake Gu couldn’t control warriors of higher rank than the protagonist. Stronger beings could imbue their descendants with protective forces that, though one-time, could repel Snake Gu.

Unbeknownst to Qiguan Rui, this girl was the granddaughter of a high-ranking demon lord exiled from the Demon Realm. Her tragic backstory—filled with forbidden love, betrayal, and familial strife—added layers to her plight.

In the original story, Qiguan Rui followed her back to the Demon Realm, leveraging her connections to build his power base and ultimately rise as the realm’s supreme ruler. But now, with the plot derailed, the future was uncertain.

Gu Bai shrugged. The twisted protagonist had the world’s favour anyway. Whatever happens, happens. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

Unyielding, Qiguan Rui released a second Snake Gu, determined to probe the mysterious force. This time, the black thread entered her through her seven orifices, latching onto her brain in an instant. The girl’s bright eyes dulled.

Qiguan Rui smiled faintly. “Now, tell me everything you know about demons.”