Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 392: I will find you in every lifetime.

Chapter 392: I will find you in every lifetime.

The massive doors of the arena slid open with a deep, resonant thud. Xiang Yu strode in, exuding confidence. The crowd’s murmurs quickly turned into a collective gasp as they beheld his mech, Valkyrie, also known as the Blade of Heaven. Its sleek frame was a blend of ethereal beauty and formidable power, shimmering under the bright lights with a celestial glow.

Many spectators whispered in disbelief, convinced that Valkyrie was wasted on Xiang Yu. They imagined the grandmaster who designed it crying tears of blood at the thought of his creation being piloted by someone they deemed a weakling with no combat skills.

As Xiang Yu climbed into the cockpit, he braced himself for the inevitable pain that accompanied the connection. The original Xiang Yu had despised getting or even using his mech. The strain on his mental power was always severe, often triggering outbursts from his disorder.

The neural link surged to life, and an excruciating wave of pain washed over him as if his mind was being split in two. Gritting his teeth, he pushed through the agony, focusing his mental power to wrest control of Valkyrie from the storm of input. Gradually, the struggle lessened, and the mech’s systems harmonized with his thoughts.

A calm, synthesized voice resonated within the cockpit, "Welcome back, Your Highness." A devilish smile spread across Xiang Yu’s face as he gazed through the display at the blood-red mech standing opposite him, piloted by Sirius. "Let’s teach this cocky bastard a lesson," he muttered, his eyes gleaming with determination.

With a thought, Valkyrie came alive, its wings spreading out in a dazzling display of energy. The crowd roared in anticipation as the two titanic machines faced each other.

Amidst the excitement, Peng Xiu smiled, eager to see Xiang Yu humiliated before both the Republic and the Federation. She wanted him to lose in the most humiliating way that their father would banish him.

The imperial lord suddenly turned his head and caught a glimpse of his daughter’s expression. She appeared to enjoy the show, yet he recognized a deeper truth in her eyes, reminiscent of his late concubine. He knew the half-siblings harboured mutual disdain, a rift he had neglected to mend.

What shocked him was Peng Xiu’s willingness to betray her brother, driven by her hatred. He had hoped she would have learned from her mother’s tragic fate, but it seemed those lessons had gone unheeded. The imperial lord knew he had to deal with her soon.

Unaware of the impending fallout, Xiang Yu focused on Sirius. His gaze was fierce as he glared at the red mech, drawing his plasma whip. It adapted seamlessly to his mech, crackling ominously through the arena, making the crowd’s hearts tremble. Sirius raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Xiang Yu’s fierce determination.

The arena roared with excitement as the battle began. Xiang Yu sat in the cockpit of his mech, the controls humming under his fingers. Midway through their fight Xiang Yu had finally got a hang of it and he was no longer on the defense. He felt the surge of adrenaline coursing through him as his whip lashed out, wrapping tightly around the leg of Sirius’s red mech.

Seething with rage, Xiang Yu pulled hard. Sirius’s mech collided with the protective barrier surrounding the audience, a loud thud echoing through the air. The spectators gasped, then erupted into cheers, their excitement palpable. Sirius’s mech slid down the barrier, coming to a rest. With a heavy breath, he pushed himself up to one knee, a grin plastered on his face.

"Damage report," Xiang Yu ordered, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside him.

"Considerable damage to his protective shield," Valkyrie responded, her calm voice cutting through the tension. "His armour is exposed, and thermal imaging sensors are down."

Without hesitation, Sirius engaged his missile system. The air crackled as he fired. Xiang Yu reacted instinctively, dodging with agile movements and weaving around the incoming missiles.

He felt the heat of explosions nearby, the chaos of battle swirling around him. The crowd was on edge, murmurs of concern rippling through them. Why was Xiang Yu risking so much?

A missile found its mark, slamming into Xiang Yu’s mech. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, smoke billowing up around him. As the arena filled with haze, he pushed himself back to his feet, determination fueling his every move.

Sirius, sensing an opportunity, paused. He activated his thermal imaging sensor, only to discover it was nonfunctional. A chuckle escaped him, amusement dancing in his voice. "Nice trick... I love playing hide and seek."

Xiang Yu frowned, struggling to maintain his composure. Sirius’s mech moved, scanning the area for any sign of his opponent. "We can play more of this game when we are married... husband," Sirius taunted, his tone dripping with mockery. Peng Xiu might have been wrong about Xiang Yu’s ego but she was right about his temper.

Xiang Yu activated his invisibility shield, feeling the cloak of stealth envelop him. Sirius’s words ignited a fire in him, pushing him to act. He cracked his whip again, this time wrapping it around Sirius’s mech’s neck. With a fierce yank, he pulled the red mech to the ground, the crash reverberating through the arena.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the smoke cleared, revealing Sirius grimacing in pain. Xiang Yu didn’t let up. He yanked the whip again, tossing Sirius’s mech around like a ragdoll.

But then, with a sudden twist, Sirius grabbed the whip, pulling Xiang Yu towards him. The unexpected force caught Xiang Yu off guard. Blood seeped from his nose as he struggled against Sirius’s might. In a swift motion, he fired his plasma cannons.

Sirius reacted quickly, letting go of the whip and activating his protective shield. The blast hit, but the shield absorbed most of the impact. Xiang Yu staggered back, losing his footing.

Before he could regain his balance, a warning blared in his cockpit. He barely had time to react as another attack struck him hard. He raised his protective shield, but it was depleting fast.

With a final, crushing blow, Xiang Yu’s body was flung away, his mech crashing violently against the arena’s protective shield. The impact sent a shockwave through the crowd, who gasped in unison, their cheers now replaced with worried silence.

Xiang Yu lay sprawled on the ground, his body screaming with pain. Each beat of his heart sent waves of agony pulsing through his veins, which throbbed visibly beneath his skin. His head pounded as if a thousand hammers were striking it and he couldn’t feel his limbs.

The world around him blurred, but through the haze, he could make out the towering figure of Sirius’s mech advancing toward him. It loomed like a dark omen, its warning lights flashing ominously while sparks erupted from its damaged frame.

He tugged at his collar, desperate for a breath to calm his racing heart, but it was futile. With every second, he felt himself slipping away, consciousness fading like the dying light of day. Just then, a familiar voice cut through the fog in his mind.

"Yu Yu... Xiang Yu... can you hear me?" Han Xin’s voice crackled through the communicator, laced with panic.

Xiang Yu managed a weak smile, his lips stained with blood. "Baby, why are you here?"

Han Xin’s tone remained steady, yet inside, he was a tempest. He took a deep breath, swallowing hard before speaking. "You remember what you promised me."

Xiang Yu’s eyes narrowed as he glared at the approaching mech, fury igniting within him. "I remember."

"Then... yield. I will take revenge for you," Han Xin urged, desperation creeping into his voice.

Xiang Yu sighed a deep, painful sound. "I know I promised, but Xin-ge... I can’t..." His words faltered as he coughed, blood spilling from his lips, painting them a deeper red.

Han Xin clenched his jaw, a voice echoing in his mind, "But you promised... you want to leave me don’t you. You want to leave me just like they did. Everyone leaves me."

A dark cloud gathered in his chest, heavy and suffocating. The sky above them, once clear, now swirled with ominous clouds.

"You know you can die if you push yourself too far," Han Xin warned, his voice strained.

Xiang Yu was aware of the danger, but surrender was not an option. Sirius was a mere mortal, and as the Demon King how could he bow to him? "I won’t... Even if I do, I will come back for you..." He smiled softly, his expression fierce. "I will find you in every lifetime."

Han Xin’s breath caught in his throat, taken aback by the weight of Xiang Yu’s words. Before he could respond, Xiang Yu severed the connection between them, his breathing laboured. He regretted his words but felt compelled to say them. He hoped the divine emperor wasn’t listening. If he was, then he would get scolded half to death.

Sirius’s mech halted before Valkyrie, towering over Xiang Yu like a predator. "Sigh, this has been the most fun I have had in years. You and I, we are perfect for each other," Sirius taunted.

Rage twisted Xiang Yu’s handsome features, his bloodshot eyes flashing with a malevolent light. His veins pulsed with fury, ready to burst. "Your Highness, you can yield. When you are my wife, you can fight me to your heart’s content," Sirius continued, a smug tone lacing his words.

With a fierce determination, Xiang Yu wiped the blood from his nose, his chest heaving with each ragged breath. He felt his muscles tense, coiling like a snake ready to strike. He needed to reconnect to Valkyrie, to channel his mental power once more. Pain etched across his features as he forced the neural link back into place. Despite the torment, his presence remained unyielding.

The air crackled with dark energy, a testament to his formidable power. Shadows danced around him, swirling and twisting in response to his emotions. Though agony gripped him, there was an undeniable fire in his eyes, a ferocity that promised retribution. He would not let Sirius win. Not today.