Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 128: Main Course Arrangement

In the darkness, a single red candle flickered. Around it, a hundred or so candle stubs melted together, standing in nearly infinite shadows. From the candle flames came the sound of rhythmic breathing.

“Three of our fellow brothers and sisters souls have returned to the mountain.” Cen Ling’s sorrowful voice came from within the red candle.

This was a “private chatroom” split off from the “Disaster Relief Tower Forum”. To avoid detection by the Underworld, Cen Ling rebuilt it randomly each time.

Even so, they tacitly avoided talking about their plans, only sharing ritual experiences and personnel losses.

“What about that Fang Xiu?” a middle-aged woman’s voice responded.

“Still alive. I’ve locked onto the red and white figures. Fang Xiu is likely one of them.”

Cen Ling accurately described the appearances of “Bai Shuangying” and “Hong Shuangxi”, and found himself irritated. After a full ritual, he realized he didn’t understand Fang Xiu’s abilities much at all.

Bai Shuangying had always hovered outside the group, so Cen Ling hadn’t actually seen him fight. Hong Shuangxi had been brainwashed by the Grave-Sealing E and used its powers throughout.

All he knew was that Hong Shuangxi had managed to resist the E’s influence somehow. From this, all he could really conclude was that “Hong Shuangxi has a strong will”.

Come to think of it, it didn’t really matter which of the two was Fang Xiu.

He could clearly sense the ambiguity between them—it wasn’t just fooling around or casual fun. It was something more complicated and serious. To kill Fang Xiu, it would be best to eliminate them both together.

“There are three… no, two others in their team. One is a woman in her forties or fifties, the other a teenage boy. And there’s a strange little black dog. If any of you encounter this group, stay alert.”

“Are they really one team?” For a Disaster Resolver outside the metaphysics circle, that many people seemed unusual.

“I’m sure. If she didn’t know ‘Fang Xiu’, Mei Lan wouldn’t have planned her actions that way. When she was still in the sect, she was known for being discreet and cautious, and managed her projects with perfect order.”

Cen Ling explained without any airs. When he said “Mei Lan”, there was a note of disdain in his voice. Even though his words were positive, his tone made it sound like he was talking about filth.

Another man growled, “What a pity. After this loss, they won’t dare provoke you again. If only we had a chance to meet him…”

Cen Ling cut in softly, “They might not be scared.”

“If Fang Xiu only wanted to complete the rituals, Mei Lan wouldn’t have risked her life to expose my methods. She was sure Fang Xiu and I would cross paths again.”

“Then you—”

“Have Dian Shisi pass a message to the ghost immortals. Tell them I want a break. Don’t assign me to any rituals for the time being. You all carry on as usual.”

Cen Ling said calmly, “I have a feeling Fang Xiu will come to me on his own.”

……

“No familiar faces.”

Fang Xiu leaned against Bai Shuangying, crunching on a candy ball. “It’s not the right time, and that place isn’t right either.”

Bai Shuangying gave him a silent look that clearly said, “So you do know it’s dangerous.”

Fang Xiu completely ignored his ghost’s judgmental stare and kept flipping through the love-filled packet of documents Dian’er had prepared. It included two thick booklets—one listing available teams, the other listing ritual targets.

To make Fang Xiu’s choice easier, the team list even put the ones with previous good relations at the top. But Fang Xiu didn’t even glance at them before flipping past.

The red-robed troublemaker skimmed through the names one by one, his brow alternating between relaxed and furrowed. Finally, he exhaled a long breath and wrote down two Disaster Resolver teams. Their combined size came to a surprising eight people.

Bai Shuangying: “?”

“I’ve heard of all of them. Each one will taste different.” Fang Xiu offered kindly. “Perfect for your appetizer, main course, and dessert. Let’s go with something exotic.”

Bai Shuangying gave a noncommittal grunt, deciding to treat it like a light, healthy meal. No matter what these people had to offer, none would ever be as delicious as Fang Xiu.

Then Bai Shuangying realized something. “Only two teams. How will you split it into three courses?”

“The main course is arranged separately,” Fang Xiu chuckled.

“You?”

“…No. Something else.”

Bai Shuangying nodded, not hiding the disappointment on his face.

The disappointment was so strong that even by nightfall, as Fang Xiu fell asleep, Lord Bai still looked a bit wistful. With that kind of reluctant “I don’t want to eat out” frustration, he stood alone before the Shrine of All E’s.

He’d only wanted to take a walk near the shrine while Fang Xiu slept. But apparently he wasn’t the only ghost wandering around. Just as he was about to spar with the shrine’s sealing chains, the person with the key came to him instead.

Ghost Immortal A’Shou approached slowly, stopping at the temple gates.

She gently touched the layers of chains and sighed beneath her veil. Then she deftly sliced her wrist, unlocking the gate with a wisp of blood smoke, and stepped inside.

Bai Shuangying swiftly used his main body advantage to slither in behind her.

Inside the seemingly infinite shrine, A’Shou dropped like free fall before suddenly stopping on a specific level—everything looked just like it had on their last visit. The rough white porcelain statue, nearly three meters tall. The white jade shrine holding ghost contracts. The glittering golden beast used for suppression.

The only difference was that the ghost contract inside the shrine appeared to have spontaneously combusted, leaving several unsightly scorch marks. The porcelain statue, meanwhile, was covered in a dense network of crack-like fish scales.

“I failed to guard your cup,” A’Shou murmured as she touched the charred shrine, her voice full of sorrow. “I failed to guard the Tower too.”

Neither the shrine nor the statue responded.

“If we still can’t find anything in Xushan, what am I supposed to do?”

A’Shou muttered, “For the seal to look undamaged from outside, the problem must be inside. Back then, the living and dead worked together to create this seal—someone must’ve betrayed us. Reporting it recklessly could spook the enemy… A thousand years have passed, and it’s still a mess.”

Exactly.

Bai Shuangying couldn’t help nodding along.

Of course, his headache wasn’t about the seal. It was about what he’d do if his human actually found something at Xushan. When it came to “absolutely can’t fool Fang Xiu”, the Lord Bai had absolute confidence.

After the tomb ritual, Bai Shuangying had completely lost any thought of polluting Fang Xiu in an emergency. Now, facing this human, he was the most sincerely honest existence in the world regardless of life or death.

Half a step away, A’Shou continued muttering at the shrine. “Maybe I should just tell Fang Xiu the truth and ask for his help openly…”

Bai Shuangying tensed up.

“…But I don’t fully understand that human either. What if he’s the reincarnation of Zhuang Guiqu? That’d make things even messier.”

Bai Shuangying slowly relaxed.

“Or maybe I should talk to his contracted ghost? At least that one works under the Underworld, so it could be helpful…”

Discussing how to seal the “Great God of Calamity” with the God of Calamity himself? Bai Shuangying glanced at her with a touch of pity.

“…But that seductive ghost wears his heart on his sleeve. Fang Xiu is far too sharp—he’ll see through it instantly,” A’Shou mumbled.

Honestly, Bai Shuangying would rather hear her talk about reinforcing the seal.

“Haa.”

Humans were too much trouble. Both great evil spirits, one in the open and one in the shadows, sighed at the same time.

Melancholy aside, Bai Shuangying took the opportunity to inspect the shrine’s condition. From what he could see, the seal still looked intact—all the E’s extended chains of karma, the ends fading into the void, appearing solid and stable.

Only Bai Shuangying knew that over thirty thousand of those “solid” chains had already broken.

How had the Guishan Sect managed that?

At the same moment, Fang Xiu opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

He’d woken up within seconds of his ghost slipping out. By now he was used to wrapping his limbs around Bai Shuangying in his sleep. The sensation was hard to describe, but very distinct. Not feeling that cool, slick texture made it hard to sleep.

Oh well. He’d gone to talk with the Underworld by himself not long ago. Now Bai Shuangying wanted some time alone so he couldn’t really complain.

Fang Xiu rubbed the little black dog snoring at the foot of the bed, then jumped down and grabbed some paper and a pen to draft a plan. But he’d barely written a few lines when Bai Shuangying crept back in, slipping through the crack in the door.

Fang Xiu: “…”

Bai Shuangying’s true form that was flattened: “…”

“That was quick,” Fang Xiu greeted casually.

If he didn’t know better, he’d think Bai Shuangying just stepped out for a bathroom break.

Bai Shuangying closed the door and slowly resumed his human form. “…Yes.”

His face clearly showed, “How did you wake up already?”

Fang Xiu grinned. “The Shrine of All E’s?”

“Yes,” Bai Shuangying replied without energy.

“It’s a good place,” Fang Xiu said while chewing on the end of his pen. “Say, if you got free from the Tower’s suppression, could you overturn the Underworld?”

Now that’s what you call a casual conversation topic.

Recently Lord Bai had started to feel he might be a bit too conservative. In comparison, A Shou’s frustrations seemed almost sad.

“I know you want to destroy the world,” Fang Xiu explained, “but there are plenty of ways to do that. Humans are good at it too. I want a more precise answer.”

“Not sure.”

Bai Shuangying tried his best to be vague. “I’ve never tried. I don’t have that kind of grudge against the Underworld.”

In fact, he actually could do it. But his hatred toward the Underworld wasn’t deep enough. If he did go on a rampage, his first goal would be to destroy the Disaster Relief Tower.

Fang Xiu didn’t seem surprised. He nodded and scratched a few more notes.

“Just in case, let me ask first. Do you have any connection to the ‘Great God of Calamity’?”

Bai Shuangying used every ounce of strength to stay calm. “I’ve only recently heard that name.”

Luckily, the room lighting was dim. Fang Xiu just yawned and kept writing, humming cheerfully.

Bai Shuangying finally couldn’t help leaning over silently.

Fang Xiu tilted his head up and ran his hand through Bai Shuangying’s drooping black hair. “The core of the Guishan Sect’s plan is the ‘Great God of Calamity’. If we weaken it in time, they won’t be able to stir up trouble in the world.”

Bai Shuangying repeated slowly, “Weaken the ‘Great God of Calamity’.”

“It’s still sealed for now. The Underworld’s keeping a close eye on it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

Fang Xiu tapped his pen against the page, deep in thought. “I’m wondering… can we drag a bit of it out and feed it to you?”

Bai Shuangying: “…”

…Help.

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Bai: Eating myself.jpg

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Kinky Thoughts:

Is this where the title came from? The last line? Lol.

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