Merciless Regret

"Seize him!!" She ordered and rushed her way towards the crib. The cultivator standing beside the prince formed a hand seal. At a speed of light, the wide chamber was shrouded in a blinding light, instantly blocking her from advancing further.

Contrary to how fast it emerged, the pure light vanished immediately. They saw the cultivator didn't move an inch, his hands are bleeding, palms pressed together. Only then did Yunxi notice the sudden burst of vital energy. It didn't completely disappear, but the old man used his pure energy to stop them and create a binding shield with the use of his blood. The striking red dripping between his palms complemented the ruddy carpet below. All of them were astounded, even Cheng Mei widened her eyes.

Even the renowned scholar of the cultivation world couldn't unleash his energy to this extent, what more the outstanding doctor in the world can do? Other than to protect, invent cures and save people, there's nothing more remarkable to it.

Cheng Yunxi knew that before this doctor rise to the top of recognition, he was once a cultivator. But the Lotus Sect had nothing more to say about his character aside from rescuing the folks from their deaths.

Considering this display of power, the walls of the chambers appeared with lines cracked, and the shards of glass from the window were blown away. That's when he realized the sight before him.

They had witnessed the celestial aura of this person. That the doctor had to keep it himself for all his career of being a mere physician.

That was why Cheng Mei's face instantly dropped, the grip on her blade caused her palms to bleed.

"The first month of a soul born with the crimson moon. A mark of a bloodied serpent will appear on his body, and I just happen to see it beneath his stomach." He spoke, releasing his hand and tucking it beside him.

"You are lying! Out of every child that has been born during the red full moon, why did you choose my son?! That red serpent only came out because of you! It was all your doing!" She tried with all her might to pierce the binding seal, yet the female general was, after all, a mere human who wasn't capable of wielding spiritual powers.

The person on the other side didn't budge, but his colorless eyes were looking at her, his face devoid of emotion.

"I cultivated for all my life and was about to pursue power in the Heavens but I refuse my fate. So this wickedness isn't my doing. Your Majesty, The King, one has to sacrifice to save many. I believed you've made your decision." His words were like a piercing arrow shooting Cheng Yunxi's chest, and he slowly crumbled inside when her wife turned to look at him.

There was silence before her voice shattered the little pieces of his life.

"You-You've made your decision?" Her voice trembled, and it came to almost a whisper, the sword in her hand fell onto the floor. Cheng Yunxi nearly expected the agonizing scream from her wife, her betrayed face that will largely leave a hole in his heart.

However, what showed in front of him was much more severe than he'd ever expected.

His wife had dropped to her knees, her head lowered, and long painfully silent. He had once seen her in this position despite her status before, and that was when she was first defeated in a battle, her only family died along with the citizens.

That brought back memories he didn't want for the both of them, he wished dearly to become a King to take care of the defeated female general. He didn't know when it all went wrong, he didn't know if wishing his child to grow healthy and happy was the sin he'd committed, although he never knew when did it become one.

After all, he only wanted for his family to be free of worry, to be released from trouble, just to be free was all he asked for.

"One has to sacrifice to save many. Isn't that a little unfair?" His wife nearly whispered, the room was completely silent, and they can hear The Queen mumbling to herself.

"What about the family of that person that has to be sacrificed? Are we supposed to be grateful for him, while he's being killed? What about my son? He doesn't know what was happening. He's just a child." Her voice was so silent, yet her words were loud enough for a tear to drop on her dress.

"Did-did we live just for the people?"

The quietness became unbearable, but Cheng Yunxi can loudly hear his heart beating through his ears. The scene before him splits his soul in half.

Yet on the other side of the shield, the cultivator took the sword by the whip of his hand and received it with both hands. He changed his posture and the killing intent burst out just as he pointed the sword. Cheng Yunxi felt his heart drop at the sight, he rushed and stretched his hands frantically, but the white shield still stopped him.

"LI WEI!!" The blade turned around to face his person and Li Wei pierced his own body.

Blood sputtered around and tainted the pure white shield, Li Wei looked at The King with his name called. Without words being said, he coughed out a mouthful of blood and didn't loosen his grip on the sword. His wife kneeling on the floor also looked up and aghast.

"I am sorry." Was the only thing he'd said before forming a seal on his palm again. Walking painfully slow towards the crib, he held the prince in his arm, looking like he had no intention to turn around to the parents of the baby.

This time, Cheng Mei nearly wailed and cried on the spot, her hands violently crumpling her robes.

But Li Wei turned around, and at that action did they see the glowing mark of the red serpent engraved on the prince's waist, the very sign of a cursed mark.

With the binding seal and a blade still stuck in his stomach, Li Wei didn't harm the prince and bind them together. When they saw the cursed mark, he turned his back on them to look at the window, glass was scattered in pieces beneath them.

"What are you doing?" Cheng Yunxi asked. But his question was no longer answered when Li Wei went on a sprint, with the prince and a sword with him, and after a shattering clash, he jumped out of the window.

What greeted them was the blue ocean, enveloping the lower body of Mount Sinia, behind the Palace was nothing but a spotless abyss of the ocean.

To drown its life in the deep sunken sea. That is the only way.