Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 82: Designated Sacrifice

Fang Xiu lay flat on the bed, his long bangs sliding aside to reveal obsidian-like eyes. He was nestled in the soft mattress, too lazy to lift his head. He just turned his gaze toward Bai Shuangying.

Bai Shuangying was staring at him intently, an eager expression hinting he was ready for something.

“Let me think…” Fang Xiu drawled, deliberately stretching out his voice as he hitched the corner of his mouth.

For the first time, Bai Shuangying noticed his human had a shallow dimple. After carefully observing it for a few seconds, he snapped back to attention, clearing his mind to prepare for this cunning human’s next move.

Fang Xiu lazily shifted, tilting his head so it rested against the edge of Bai Shuangying’s robe.

His tone had a sleepy softness, like he was telling a bedtime story…

“I know you’re not an ordinary evil spirit. You’ve got ties to the gods, but you’re not a proper ghost immortal either.”

“I know you’ve had conflicts with the human world and harbor resentment, and that you’re currently under the Underworld’s control.”

“I know you want to bypass the rules of the rituals and get something special out of me as a sacrifice. If I had to guess… a way to escape the Underworld’s control?”

Bai Shuangying: “………………?”

“In short, you’re like a special prisoner trying to escape.” Fang Xiu stretched his shoulders.

With each sentence, Bai Shuangying melted a little more. By the end, half his ghostly form had dissolved, like a scoop of ice cream melting in the summer heat.

“There are things I do want to ask…like your past. But that’s private. I’d rather hear it from you when you’re ready.”

Fang Xiu said it so casually, as if “rebelling against the Underworld” were just a normal little thing.

The room in the Disaster Relief Tower was much warmer than the courtyard. The little dog lay by his calves, sleeping soundly. Fang Xiu’s cheek rested against a cool, soft sleeve as if it was the finest silk pillow.

That “I’m a little tired” from earlier had just been an excuse, but now true drowsiness enveloped him. He tried to keep his eyes open but eventually drifted off into sleep alongside the dog.

Minutes passed. Just as Bai Shuangying figured out how to respond, Fang Xiu had already fallen sound asleep.

…In the end, Fang Xiu hadn’t asked him anything.

Bai Shuangying sat silently for a long time.

He reverted to his original form, stretched into a thin sheet, and gently slid under Fang Xiu, lifting him from lying sideways to a proper position with his head on the pillow.

Then he skillfully removed Fang Xiu’s shoes and socks, and tucked him in. The commotion woke the little dog. It sniffed at the blob curiously, then relaxed and laid its head on the edge of the blanket.

Bai Shuangying resumed human form and lay beside Fang Xiu.

And so began another half-day routine he’d kept up for two months: staring at Fang Xiu’s sleeping face.

He’d discovered earlier that this human became more pleasing to the eye the longer you looked. It wasn’t based on conventional human aesthetics, but… he thought Fang Xiu was beautiful in his own way.

Fang Xiu’s features were elegant, soft, and gentle. When he smiled, he looked completely harmless. But when he didn’t, there was a hint of sharpness, like a blade just slipping from its sheath.

Thinking was a wonderful thing. Somehow, he had instinctively grasped human aesthetic standards without a teacher.

He tried recalling the other three humans, and found, without regret, that his sense of aesthetics only applied to Fang Xiu.

His human really was special.

The proof was that every time he studied Fang Xiu, he discovered something new.

Today, it was the dimple. Yesterday, it had been a tiny mole in Fang Xiu’s left eyebrow. The day before that… Bai Shuangying had memorized Fang Xiu’s features over and over, yet the more he looked, the more he felt his research was lacking.

Because even now, he still didn’t know what went on in Fang Xiu’s head.

Bai Shuangying couldn’t help reaching out and pinching Fang Xiu’s nose.

Fang Xiu scrunched his nose, eyes still shut and swatted at him. “Bai Shuangying, quit it.”

Mm. This guy had never shown any reverence. Some things truly never changed.

…Or perhaps it wasn’t “disrespect.” A sudden thought surfaced.

Bai Shuangying frowned.

Fang Xiu didn’t treat him with “indifference”. He had always treated him well. It wasn’t “disrespect” either. He simply didn’t look up or down on him. Fang Xiu regarded him as an equal.

Fang Xiu knew he wanted to destroy the world, knew he wanted to escape. Yet his attitude was more like a teammate’s complaint or a coworker slacking off.

No matter who or what he was, no matter his power or his enmity with the Underworld, Fang Xiu always spoke to him from the same “level”.

A level comparable to that of gods or the Underworld itself.

…But Bai Shuangying had confirmed again and again: Fang Xiu was just a regular human…a pragmatic, intelligent one.

…Could this human’s worldview be a little too unhinged?

Click.

The freshly-formed chain from the Fierce Wind E snapped.

The little dog twitched its ears, rolled over on its back, exposing its belly. Next to it, Fang Xiu remained asleep.

Chain after chain broke with a sound like rainfall. This time, a total of 512 karmic chains snapped.

Another portion of his power returned, and Bai Shuangying stood there, stunned, unable to come back to his senses.

Before today, he would’ve thought Fang Xiu must carry some hidden secret to weaken his seal.

After today, he thought his human was simply a monster…

Who else could break nearly 600 E chains, have karma so unbelievably delicious, and yet not be trained in metaphysics?

These three points should not exist in one person!

If Fang Xiu’s body weren’t so warm and real, Bai Shuangying would’ve wondered if he’d gone mad and imagined it all.

In the next moment, Bai Shuangying deflated, reverting to his original form and sprawled lifelessly across Fang Xiu’s body.

…The more he learned about the seal and about Fang Xiu, the less he felt he understood.

The fact that he couldn’t see through a human under thirty, even after breaking over five hundred chains, made him feel nothing but resignation.

What did this human like to eat? What color was his favorite? …What kind of kisses did he want? What kind of future did he envision?

He wanted to know everything about this human. Everything.

……

Fang Xiu woke up refreshed.

Though Bai Shuangying beside him looked a little wilted, radiating inexplicable gloom.

Ah… Should he not have exposed Bai Shuangying’s prison-break plan?

Fang Xiu quickly reassured him. “Relax, relax. I would never turn you in. Do whatever you want.”

“Humans also dig escape tunnels with spoons! Perseverance is victory! Go you!”

Bai Shuangying gave him a long look, rolled over, and propped himself above Fang Xiu.

Then he kissed him.

A certain ghost kissed him hard, until Fang Xiu was gasping for breath, muffled moans slipping between his lips. Bai Shuangying split his tongue again, exploring his fragile throat like he was trying to excavate the truth.

The soft mattress rocked gently. Bai Shuangying’s fingers caressed Fang Xiu’s cheek while Fang Xiu’s arms wrapped around his neck.

Amid the sounds of kisses, the little dog wisely jumped off the bed, scratching its ears with its hind leg.

After a few minutes of enjoying the soft bedding and heated kisses, Fang Xiu touched his lips and laughed. “Breakfast’s served. Remember to leave a five-star review.”

Bai Shuangying: “…”

His voice floated: “Again. I was thinking too much and forgot to eat.”

Fang Xiu: “?”

In the end, he showered early, grumpily, while facing the wall the entire time. And the bathroom partitions were made of glass! Glass! Absolutely inhumane.

Fang Xiu executed the next steps with practiced ease: inventorying loot and mock distribution took only five minutes.

Jiang Xun’s pen was great. It was able to write runes, forming talismans, from thin air, perfect for those versed in metaphysics.

Fang Xiu had other tools, but according to Bai Shuangying, none were “high-tier”. He dripped blood onto each one, preparing to charge them like meal cards when the time came.

Before parting, Lu Yang gifted him a dead person’s wisdom tooth. After two months of training, the former rookie could now face spirits with composure. His corpse control skills had significantly improved.

Lu Yang said the tooth held a strong “human scent”. If Fang Xiu used it in an illusion, he could fool both humans and evil spirits.

Honestly, it was more useful than Jiang Xun’s pen. Fang Xiu happily accepted it.

Then…

“The Fierce Wind E has been resolved. The resolver is granted additional reward—”

“The E was resolved by Fang Xiu—rewards shall be plentiful—”

Though creased all over, Dian’er looked quite lively. Apparently, the “Ghost Immortal achievement” had offset its two-month absence, and Ghost Immortal A’Shou hadn’t punished it harshly.

Fang Xiu perked up, listening eagerly.

“The Fierce Wind E was successfully refined, and the new Ghost Immortal is officially recorded. An additional reward is granted!”

Fang Xiu: “Does that mean I get to pick two anomaly skills again?”

“Ah, no.” The paper figure rubbed its hands with a flattering smile. “You see, this round’s anomalies aren’t of great quality. Choosing more would be a waste. This time, if you pick a skill, the Underworld will double its power instead of weakening it.”

“Take your time. There’s no rush at all.”

Fang Xiu looked around.

This time, Blondie was gone, and Mei Lan had moved to his table. The other table sat empty giving off a somewhat lonely vibe.

Mei Lan maintained her usual calm elegance. After two months together, she occasionally smiled and joined conversations with Cheng Songyun and Guan He.

Her killing of Blondie felt like a dream. Since that day, she’d shown no further signs of abnormal behavior.

Right now, she focused intently on her bowl of meat porridge, seemingly uninterested in the rewards.

As Fang Xiu expected, the paper figure said nothing about them dragging the ritual out for two months. The Underworld clearly had no intention of pursuing it.

More interestingly, it also made no mention of Mei Lan and Jiang Xun being black Taoists. Apparently, the Underworld didn’t mind their presence in the ritual at all.

Most black Taoists weren’t exactly model citizens. Having blood on their hands wasn’t uncommon… But based on these rituals, wasn’t the frequency of encountering dark priests a little too high?

Fang Xiu withdrew his gaze thoughtfully.

The paper figure still stared at him, full of confidence like it had prepared 108 plans for him to choose from.

Fang Xiu tilted his head slightly and calmly said the answer he’d long prepared. “I want the dog.”

The little black dog heard the word “dog” and launched over like a cannonball, circling Fang Xiu’s ankles.

Dian’er: “Huh?”

Dian’er: “Wait, wait. Mr. Fang—um—the little dog, cough, the Lord Dog is now a Ghost Immortal. It can’t be selected as an anomaly…”

Fang Xiu smiled. “I’m choosing the ‘Wind at My Side’ anomaly, not the Ghost Immortal itself.”

Dian’er: “……”

Is there even a difference?! You just want a Ghost Immortal to stick with you!

…But technically, the dog did generate wind, and “wind rising from nothing” was a valid anomaly. Fang Xiu’s choice was within Underworld rules.

Damn it.

Dian’er clutched its wrinkled head, wishing it could crawl into the incense burner, light a stick of incense, and escape from this damn job on the spot.

After a long pause, it lifted its bloodshot eyes. “‘Summon The Breeze’. You may summon this… this Ghost Immortal. There is no time limit.”

“During rituals, it won’t be affected by taboos. However, it’s forbidden from attacking other humans or evil spirits. Also, you may not force it to do anything against its will.”

“Okay,” Fang Xiu agreed instantly.

The paper figure scratched its face. Its weird eyes were full of numb resignation.

“The Fierce Wind E is aligned with wind… Yes, yes… These skills may only be used before the ritual is fully complete…”

The trigram symbol Xun branded itself onto Fang Xiu’s skin, quickly sinking and vanishing.

The little dog seemed to sense something. It stood up happily, pawing excitedly at Fang Xiu’s knee. Fang Xiu gently patted its head, and it licked his hand with joy.

Fang Xiu was extremely satisfied.

This was a Ghost-Immortal-level danger sensor—not to mention, just having a warm, fuzzy little creature around was a comfort all its own.

Then…

“One more thing.”

Just as Fang Xiu was about to enjoy breakfast, the paper figure spoke again.

“Regarding the next ritual, we need to give a notice.”

It glanced warily at Fang Xiu. “Mr. Fang has resolved four E’s and gained the title ‘Disaster Resolver Candidate’. Your next ritual will be a designated ritual by the Underworld.”

“All team leaders in that ritual… will be Disaster Resolvers.”

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>