Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 122: Tip of the Iceberg
Fang Xiu heard the distant sound of fireworks.
That wasn’t right. Even though his memory was blurry and chaotic, he knew there shouldn’t be fireworks in this darkness. Amid the crackling explosions, a vague image came to him. It was a pedestrian street, and Bai Shuangying’s face under the fireworks.
For some reason, that scene was especially clear, seared into the depths of his mind like a photograph.
He clutched Bai Shuangying’s clothes and sniffed, catching a pleasant, faint plant-like fragrance.
This person is going to destroy the tomb. You heard it. This person is going to destroy the tomb. Take action now.
The Grave-Sealing E trembled slightly in his mouth, the “protection instinct” lashing relentlessly at Fang Xiu’s brain.
Fang Xiu adjusted his head’s angle, nestling in more comfortably. Bai Shuangying’s body was cool to the touch, and his hold was steady. Fang Xiu could barely feel any jostling as they moved.
He even went a step further, wrapping his arms loosely around Bai Shuangying’s shoulders and neck.
I won’t let him completely destroy the tomb, Fang Xiu thought.
I just want to use him to more efficiently drive out the intruders. That Cen Ling is a real headache. Some losses are inevitable. You can’t catch the wolf if you don’t risk the child*.
*(舍不得孩子套不住狼嘛) Idiom referring to you can’t achieve something big without making sacrifices/taking a big risk (AKA no risk, no rewards; you can’t make an omelet without cracking some eggs). Originally, the saying was “you can’t catch the wolf without sacrificing your shoes” but in Jin dialect, “shoes” [xiezi] (鞋子) is pronounce as “children” [haizi] (孩子), which transformed the saying.
The moment this convincingly logical thought formed, his mind cleared up a good bit.
Then Bai Shuangying suddenly jolted to a stop.
He halted mid-step. Looking down at Fang Xiu, his pale pupils glowed faintly in the dark.
Fang Xiu couldn’t read the emotion in those eyes. He just felt a chill run down his spine, like he was being stalked by a predator, something he only remembered in flashes, an evil spirit, the lover whose name appeared in blood.
Bai Shuangying freed one hand, his fingertips pressing gently against Fang Xiu’s forehead, sliding slowly down the bridge of his nose until they stopped at his lower lip.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m thinking,” Bai Shuangying finally replied after a long pause, still staring intensely at Fang Xiu.
Just moments ago, he had obtained a path that was absolutely safe.
…This time, over thirty thousand strands of karmic chains had broken.
The number wasn’t enough to fully free Bai Shuangying, but the power it brought was sufficient for him to sustain himself. Even if Fang Xiu died right now and he was sealed again, he could use this power to slowly erode the seal and eventually break free.
The ending was already determined. It was only a matter of how long it would take to get there.
It was over.
He no longer needed Fang Xiu, and there was no need to risk exposure to help him.
In fact, he ought to stay far away from this human who was under close scrutiny by the Underworld and hide himself as much as possible. The current situation was practically a gift from the heavens. If Fang Xiu died at the hands of the Grave-Sealing E, Bai Shuangying would be free, silently and cleanly.
Like a storm blowing away the clouds, all his troubles were gone.
Bai Shuangying prepared himself to welcome the joy and relief, but…
Why was he still so frustrated?
He tried for a few seconds and realized he couldn’t even feel happy.
He even tried moving his arm but found that he couldn’t let go of the person he was holding. The thought of Fang Xiu dying here with all his unknowns, without even remembering him, made Bai Shuangying deeply uncomfortable.
While he was still confused and spiraling, Fang Xiu smiled.
The human curled his eyes, tapping Bai Shuangying on the nose with a fingertip.
After that strange burst of fireworks, Bai Shuangying’s presence had subtly shifted, like a majestic mountain in a painting had suddenly become a real, looming presence nearby.
That kind of impact was hard to describe, but Fang Xiu knew what it meant.
“I guess I don’t have much value to you anymore.”
Fang Xiu’s tone was gentle, not the least bit urgent. “If you think it’s too much trouble, you don’t need to force yourself to help me. I just need—”
He gestured to the words on his arm: “Bai Shuangying” and “lover”, indicating that they could be erased.
“If you want to break up and I don’t remember you, that’s the most peaceful breakup in the world.” His tone was cheerful.
There it was again. This human seemed to be able to read minds.
Even worse, Fang Xiu didn’t look surprised at all.
And the more he talked, the more uncomfortable Bai Shuangying felt.
“It already exceeded my expectations that you were willing to help me.”
Fang Xiu, unaware of the turmoil, shifted his body, trying to jump down. “Thank you for accompanying me. I can walk on my own from here.”
But Bai Shuangying didn’t let him go.
Fang Xiu struggled a couple of times, and Bai Shuangying held him tighter.
Fang Xiu: “?”
“I’m not happy,” Bai Shuangying said out of nowhere.
Fang Xiu sighed. “You’re an evil spirit. Even if we’re ‘lovers’, you must want something from me. If it’s some special circumstance, I can understand—”
“I’m not happy leaving you behind.” Bai Shuangying cut him off directly. “I only do things that make me happy.”
Human emotions, attachments, benefits; these things were too complicated. Just thinking about them gave Bai Shuangying a headache, so he gave up thinking altogether.
He only knew one thing: the hope of safely unsealing himself didn’t outweigh the discomfort of abandoning Fang Xiu.
Fang Xiu was still trying to reason with him. “I’m not going to give up on myself. If you make your intentions clear sooner, I can… Mmph!”
Bai Shuangying decisively shut him up. Of course, he used the method he’d become most proficient at lately. He kissed him, silencing all further words that were threatening to leak out of Fang Xiu’s throat and breaking them up with the tip of his tongue.
Fang Xiu’s body tensed for a moment, then slowly softened. Bai Shuangying’s tongue passed over, and the Grave-Sealing E fell into utter silence.
And Fang Xiu responded to the kiss with surprising focus. His posture was a little clumsy, like someone who had never been close to another before.
He tentatively grabbed the fabric over Bai Shuangying’s chest, then gripped tighter and tighter, nearly tearing it.
“I think I know why I like you.”
When they finally broke for air, Fang Xiu murmured breathlessly.
Then he suddenly laughed. His eyes and brows were completely clear, with no trace of scheming. It was so pure it didn’t seem like the Fang Xiu Bai Shuangying knew.
“…You actually do like me.”
Fang Xiu sounded a little astonished, as if he had just witnessed a miracle. “Then I’d better come up with a better plan.”
With that, Fang Xiu glanced into the darkness ahead.
Bai Shuangying tightened his grip slightly. In that moment, something unfamiliar flickered across Fang Xiu… It was raw but suppressed. Clearly, just the tip of some larger thing.
Right now, Fang Xiu’s mind was still clouded, most of his actions driven by instinct.
The problem was, what kind of “instinct” was this?
In the distant darkness, A’Shou rolled her eyes to the heavens.
She had just sensed a suspicious disturbance, like ripples on still water. So she temporarily left Cen Ling and went to investigate.
…And then she saw Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu whispering and kissing like no one else existed. The disturbance vanished without a trace.
A’Shou: “…”
Seductive ghosts were terrifying. Even someone whose memory had been wiped by the Grave-Sealing E could be lured back.
Since nothing seemed amiss here, she could… huh?
A’Shou suddenly noticed countless rat-spirits and bug-spirits heading toward her. The skinless beings were drifting in her direction, starting to surround her.
Fang Xiu noticed her? Impossible.
Even with the E’s power, it couldn’t reach that level.
What was worse, the evil spirits weren’t attacking her. They just hovered nearby as if she were commanding them.
No way.
A’Shou looked up quickly, just in time to see Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu vanish into the shadows. They blended seamlessly into the dark, and the “petal spell” they left behind burrowed into the ground, leaving no trace.
A few minutes later, her worst guess came true.
Cen Ling and Bai Sui were tracking the evil spirits and heading straight toward her. Meanwhile, Fang Xiu’s trio was following Cen Ling, led by the little black dog.
A’Shou had a pounding headache. She’d meant to stealthily track Cen Ling. Being exposed was out of the question!
But the evil spirits she just dispelled were immediately drawn back by Fang Xiu’s magic under the taboo, forcing her into the role of commander. Now that Cen Ling was getting close, she didn’t dare scatter the spirits again for fear of being revealed.
Fine. Fang Xiu, you win.
A’Shou swallowed her frustration. A gust of ghostly wind passed, and she transformed… into Fang Xiu.
…What else could she do? Better this than getting tested by the other side. At least she knew Cen Ling wouldn’t attack Fang Xiu first, and the trio was focused solely on Cen Ling.
…After all her years guarding the Disaster Resolution Tower, this was the first time she’d been outmaneuvered by a sacrifice.
If that kid survives this ritual, she has to find out how he did it. With the Tower backing him, even ghost immortals and real Underworld agents shouldn’t be able to spot him.
“I see Hong Shuangxi,” Bai Sui said, eyeing the “Fang Xiu” amidst the horde. “But not Bai Shuangying.”
“That Hong Shuangxi looks bad. He must’ve been attacked. Bai Shuangying’s probably dead.”
Cen Ling narrowed his eyes at the “Fang Xiu” across from him. Something felt off, but he couldn’t pinpoint what.
Bai Sui didn’t notice a thing. “Heh, bold of him to act up in our holy land. Let’s find a good opening and cleanse him with Samadhi True Fire!”
“Don’t be careless. The Substitution E is already gone.” Cen Ling flicked him on the forehead.
“We’ll just make more, stronger ones. These few don’t cut it…”
“The Wine E and Substitution E have both gone quiet. That’s two already. If we lose more, the Tower will notice.”
Cen Ling’s face became solemn. “Especially the stronger ones. We can’t use those casually.”
“Fine.” Bai Sui grumbled, holding his head. “Even if the Substitution E is gone, at least it means that bitch Mei Lan is dead.”
“Really?”
A cold voice asked behind him.
A figure slipped silently from the shadows. It was identical to Mei Lan, but with no heartbeat, no breath. This was clearly the Substitution E.
Before the question even finished, glowing white fingers shot toward Bai Sui’s throat without hesitation.
Bai Sui yelped and scrambled back in a panic.
Cen Ling was far more composed. He didn’t bother defending and just slashed a yellow talisman at “Mei Lan’s” neck.
A silken bird darted out like lightning, snatching the talisman midair. Guan He appeared from another direction without a sound, launching a Five-Ghost Relocation to steal from Cen Ling’s pocket.
All this happened in seconds.
A’Shou sighed in relief and was about to slip away when Bai Sui hurled a purple bolt at her. “Seeking death? Then let’s die together!”
A’Shou: “…”
Just her luck. And a short distance away, Fang Xiu made a gesture, prompting all the surrounding spirits to charge in with enthusiasm.
Everything was about to descend into chaos…
But Guan He came up empty. His hand was blocked by a glowing barrier. Cen Ling had clearly prepared for the Five-Ghost Relocation.
He grabbed Bai Sui by the collar and jumped straight toward A’Shou, slapping dozens of talismans onto the rock wall.
This brat…
A’Shou narrowed her eyes.
The talismans were placed precisely, forming a natural array.
Half were high-quality Samadhi Fire talismans. If he could trap “Fang Xiu” inside, he could reduce them and the E to ash, ending the ritual cleanly.
The other half were Wind-Draining talismans, instantly sucking the oxygen from the area and weakening everyone present.
A perfect trap.
Sure enough, seeing Cen Ling rush at “Fang Xiu”, the Substitution E followed closely behind.
This time Guan He stayed back, forming a loose defensive shield. Cheng Songyun opened her ghost shield into a compact version, making it easier to move.
Mei Lan and the Substitution E launched a pincer attack. They were just about to make contact…
“Boom!”
A violent explosion echoed from deep within the tomb.
The author has something to say:
Xiao Bai: I don’t know what’s going on but breaking up made me ten thousand times unhappier. Can’t take it. Not breaking up.
Xiao Fang: I don’t know what’s going on, but him breaking up made me ten thousand times unhappier. Can’t take it. Not breaking up.
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