Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 179: Wish-Making Scene

“Everyone be careful!”

In the hallway, Lu Yang shouted. He ordered the corpses to charge, relying on a very non-metaphysical form of physical assault—like football players, the corpses crashed forward and piled up, pinning the Cen Ling zombie at the bottom.

Jiao Jiao didn’t hesitate to strike again, dumping a large bag of medicinal powder onto the bodies.

With a bone-chilling sizzle, their flesh melted and then re-congealed. It turned into a massive, indescribable mountain of meat jelly, tightly binding the zombie in place.

As for those formless blood shadows…

The mushroom trio stood inside the ship, fully supporting the wooden monk’s protective spell.

With the shield in place, Yan Yan reverted to his fox form. He stood not-so-dramatically at the bow, hurling fireballs at the blood shadows who didn’t know better.

Guan He’s attacks were the most straightforward.

He took the peachwood paddle from Xiao Li and activated his wall-phasing technique to the fullest. He and the paddle phased through directly into the blood shadows, then reappeared in place. Before the blood shadows could harm him, they were pierced through by the paddle and vanished on the spot.

Even against endless waves of blood shadows, the group held their ground without faltering.

Inside the ward.

Occasionally, a few blood shadows slipped into the room, only to be ripped apart by the ghosts waiting inside.

Even so, Cheng Songyun kept the vengeful ghost shield up without pause, constantly protecting herself and Fang Xiu.

The prolonged duration took its toll. Even with the calming prayer beads she wore, under the pressure of countless horrific illusions, blood slowly trickled from her nose.

Cheng Songyun focused all her attention on Fang Xiu. Just moments ago, his physical body had been convulsing nonstop, with countless trigram symbols surfacing on his skin. Now he was back to normal, seemingly just asleep.

Only his sweat-drenched hair and messy bedsheets were proof something had happened earlier. Something must’ve happened outside, but Fang Xiu and the others had pulled things back on track.

They had agreed that if things went wrong outside, Xiao Guan would return to warn them.

Since the others were still holding on, she could too.

Cheng Songyun wiped the blood beneath her nose and took a few breaths. In a daze, she suddenly noticed a familiar golden glow lighting up around her. At the same time, the ghosts queued in the ward instinctively backed away.

…Huh?

This was clearly the effect of “protection from all evil”. Did this mean the ritual was over?

But Fang Xiu’s physical body was still here, unharmed. Could it be that Fang Xiu had become an Immortal E? She couldn’t make sense of it.

Even with the “protection from all evil” active, Cheng Songyun didn’t dare lower her guard. She kept shielding Fang Xiu’s body with the ghost shield, until—

Creak.

The door didn’t knock. It opened directly, and Fang Xiu poked his head in. “Cheng Jie, I’m back!”

Fang Xiu looked different from before. His mismatched eyes were curved with a smile, long black hair draped at his sides, and his red T-shirt had turned into a red robe identical to Bai Shuangying’s.

But it was definitely Fang Xiu.

Cheng Songyun staggered slightly, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as she retracted the ghost shield. In front of her, the fierce ghosts parted into two rows on their own, making way for Fang Xiu.

Behind him was A’Shou. Even with the veil, Cheng Songyun could still sense the oppressive aura she carried.

“What’s going on?” Cheng Songyun asked anxiously.

“The ritual is over.” A’Shou announced, “It’s just that this place is sealed by layers upon layers of divine barriers. It’ll take time to unlock them. And since this place is connected to the mortal world, some follow-up details need handling… In short, I’ll send you back to the Tower in one hour.”

When she said, “back to the Tower”, her tone was odd.

“As for the rest of it, it’s more ‘appropriate’ for this guy to tell you.”

She casually pointed at Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu let out a sheepish laugh. “It’s actually simple. I wanted everyone to hear it together…”

A short while ago.

As one of the strongest forces in the Underworld, A’Shou had perfectly demonstrated the futility of both swarming tactics and elite strategies.

Anyone with eyes could tell, if Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying bore any ill will toward A’Shou, she wouldn’t be walking away intact.

Even with every possible advantage, the immortals still couldn’t suppress them. No matter their concern for the mortal world, the gods could only consider another path. But before they could agree on a new strategy, A’Shou brought in Fang Xiu’s proposal.

“What, they want to join us and take control of the Disaster Relief Tower?”

The Fortune Immortal frowned. “The God of Xushan’s seal is broken. The Temple of All E’s has lost all its Immortal E’s. The Tower exists in name only. What would he want it for?”

King Yan turned to A’Shou, his thunderous voice rising at the end. “You’re saying they want to pledge allegiance to the Underworld?”

“First of all, not ‘they’. Just Fang Xiu.”

A’Shou clasped her hands together and cautiously corrected, “Although the God of Xushan ascended unusually, he still doesn’t wish to be tied to Heaven or the Underworld. He just doesn’t want to be separated from Fang Xiu.”

“Second, this isn’t ‘submission’. It’s ‘cooperation’.” A’Shou continued with a bitter look, “As long as the Underworld agrees to hand over control of the Disaster Relief Tower, Fang Xiu is willing to sign a contract—ahem, a formal agreement—to ensure peace in the mortal realm.”

…Though in her opinion, this was a textbook case of getting something for nothing. Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying hadn’t caused any destruction after ascending, clearly showing they didn’t want to harm the human world.

With that, she turned to the Fortune Immortal and bowed again, properly and respectfully.

“In my view, Fang Xiu isn’t scheming against the heavens or the Underworld. He’s simply interested in the Tower’s ritual system.”

“To keep the system running properly, it will still need the help of many Underworld agents and current support from the Underworld itself… That’s why he said he wants to ‘join’.”

She took a breath and continued slowly, “Even without suppressing the God of Xushan, there are still E’s scattered throughout the world. If left unchecked, they will continue to threaten humanity… To us, these ‘rituals’ are still necessary.”

“Besides, without the need to suppress to God of Xushan, there’s no need for the Underworld to deliberately produce more Immortal E’s. The number of sacrifices can be reduced, and karmic debts can be more precisely tracked… With these improvements, the living world won’t object.”

“In short, Fang Xiu wants the rituals to continue. It’s a win-win.”

King Yan: “Hm. I have no objection.”

Fortune Immortal: “But…”

“He said you’d probably ask, ‘But even if Fang Xiu signs a contract with us, it won’t restrict the God of Xushan,’ right?”

A’Shou’s mouth twitched. “His reply was, ‘That’s true, but you really can’t restrict him, so you’d better hope we don’t break up.’”

The immortals: “…”

A’Shou closed her eyes, recalling that annoying human smile.

Fang Xiu’s grin was dazzling. “Tell them, reality is reality. Instead of going against the tide, maybe think about peaceful coexistence.”

“At the very least, the two of us happily living together beats your cursed seal by a million times.”

“…A’Shou Jie, repeat my words to them exactly. If they agree, then we’ll talk about the details.”

……

“In short, the Disaster Relief Tower is mine now!” Fang Xiu announced to the bewildered sacrifices. “Don’t worry, even though the company changed ownership, your two wishes are still valid.”

“There’s still time before we go back, so why don’t you all think about what you want to wish for?”

Jiao Jiao, Yan Yan: “…?!?!”

Wait, what is this? Isn’t the Tower an important Underworld institution? And they’re giving it to a human???

The two of them exchanged looks and saw terror in each other’s eyes.

The non-professionals weren’t as shocked. After all, this wasn’t the first magical event they’d seen.

To them, “Fang Xiu controls the Tower” was like “commercial nuclear fusion exists”—it sounded impressive, but they had no idea how impressive.

They cared more about “going home” and “making a wish”.

Especially Lu Yang, who hadn’t yet completed eight rituals. Once he confirmed he could go home after this, his eyes instantly welled with tears.

Guan He and Cheng Songyun had the calmest reactions—for some reason, even though it sounded dreamlike, the fact that Fang Xiu had pulled it off made it feel that nothing was impossible.

The room fell into a strange silence for over ten seconds.

“I want a job that ensures I live comfortably and worry-free for the rest of my life. I’ve figured it out. I’m not cut out for riches. I can’t handle sudden wealth.” Lu Yang was the first to speak, announcing excitedly, “Then I want my whole family to be healthy and safe… Are these two wishes okay?”

Fang Xiu looked at A’Shou. She nodded. “Easily done.”

Lu Yang clenched his fists and let out a low, joyful cheer.

Xiao Tian thought it over. “First, I’ll go with everyone being healthy. For my second wish… I hope my future husband is gentle, loyal, kind, and incredibly handsome.”

A’Shou: “…”

A’Shou nodded silently.

Xiao Li: “I also want my family to be healthy.”

Then he clicked his tongue. “And I want to become ridiculously handsome.”

Xiao Tian: “Don’t stress about your appearance. That’s not good.”

Xiao Li: “Stay out of it.”

Song Zheng: “My family’s all gone. Hmm… I’ll wish for a life free of illness or disaster. As for money, I’ll take whatever comes. Riches creep me out.”

After a moment, he took a breath and looked at Fang Xiu. “Can I make a wish to you?”

Fang Xiu blinked. “Go ahead.”

“Our team got dragged into this because of an accident.” Song Zheng pressed his lips together. “I hope you can release any sacrifices with a similar background to ours.”

A’Shou: “Strictly speaking, that’s unrelated to karma. It’s a bit difficult.”

“I was planning to do that anyway,” Fang Xiu interrupted casually. “Song Ge, don’t waste your wish.”

Song Zheng froze.

After a while, he sighed. “Then I wish to keep my memories of the Disaster Relief Tower.”

Hearing this, the smiles on Xiao Li and Xiao Tian’s faces dimmed slightly, tinged with sadness.

Soon after, Jiao Jiao also requested to keep her memories. Her second wish was to become immune to all poisons.

Yan Yan’s wishes were more practical—he wished for smooth cultivation for his father’s side of the family, and he hoped his fox form could look a bit more normal.

“As for Mom, we’ll all wish her happiness and peace for a lifetime,” he said pitifully. “If I could turn into a beautiful big fox, she’d be even happier.”

These were all ordinary people, making ordinary wishes. A’Shou recorded each one.

“What about you two?”

Fang Xiu turned to his companions.

“I want to live happily ever after with my daughter,” Cheng Songyun answered without hesitation.

“I want my mom and me to live better lives, so she doesn’t have to suffer anymore,” Guan He lowered his eyes.

“That’s just one wish,” Fang Xiu scratched his face.

“Keep our memories.” “Definitely keep our memories,” they said in unison, both looking at Fang Xiu.

“You’ll return to the mortal world, right? Then we’ll see you again.”

“Yeah.” Fang Xiu’s smile softened.

“What about you?” A’Shou asked suddenly, “The Tower was part of the negotiation. It doesn’t count as a wish.”

“Even if you now own the Tower, by Underworld rules, you still have two wishes.”

She wasn’t being kind. She was worried. A’Shou didn’t believe Fang Xiu would overlook such a major windfall. He must be plotting something.

Sure enough, when Fang Xiu looked at her, his gentle smile instantly turned sly.

“Well then—”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 178: His Wish

Facing A’Shou, Fang Xiu handed over full control of his body to Bai Shuangying—

…Except for his consciousness.

Fang Xiu was delighted to discover that his voice could easily reach Bai Shuangying’s mind, soft and clear like a whisper.

“Yes. Keep up the pollution of the headless spirits. Make them look just like us.”

“Use wide-area spells whenever possible. Make it impossible for the other immortals to find a target.”

“…As for us, it’s best we disappear completely.”

Now that the two were one, Bai Shuangying didn’t need to speak aloud. He pressed his finger lightly to Fang Xiu’s lips, treating it as a response.

The next moment, he completely erased his presence and tracks.

Floating in the garden sky, only the headless spirits that were identical in appearance to Fang Xiu remained. Using Bai Shuangying’s wide-area spells, they surged toward the surrounding immortals, making it impossible for them to form a proper battle formation.

Bai Shuangying tilted his head as he watched, then flicked the Peach Bone Evil and released a chain of trigram symbols.

“Let gods and spirits collide, let yin and yang reverse.”

Things grew even more chaotic—as soon as a “Fang Xiu” spirit touched an immortal, the two would instantly swap appearances.

Karma shifted. The spirit took on the immortal’s form, while the immortal turned into “Fang Xiu”.

After several clashes, the battlefield was in complete disarray. Even the immortals in the sky could no longer tell who was who. Worse yet, these headless spirits were top-tier evil spirits, so they were hard to kill and maddening to track. No one knew how long this confusion would last.

Concealed among them, Bai Shuangying drifted like a falling leaf, gracefully avoiding both gods and spirits locked in chaos.

Fang Xiu could feel Bai Shuangying’s mood clearly—his ghost held no thoughts of good or evil, grievance or resentment. Faced with the near-limitless power of the “All Phenomena E”, Bai Shuangying only felt curiosity and delight.

It was like a thousand years ago, when the spirit of the mountains first laid eyes on a little porcelain figure.

…This is something born because of me. How beautiful it is.

…I want to keep it, hidden in the arms of Xushan, the safest place in the world.

His ghost was still that pure.

Possession had one particular drawback, Fang Xiu thought. When he felt soft and tender inside, wanting to kiss Bai Shuangying, he couldn’t touch him no matter what.

“What a troublesome taboo. The Corner of Heaven’s Will really is something else.” A’Shou clicked her tongue, clearly unimpressed.

How sneaky. That naïve God of Xushan was long gone. Bai Shuangying had been thoroughly corrupted by someone named Fang Xiu.

This fight couldn’t drag on too long.

Never mind Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying’s patience… As Bai Shuangying deepened his understanding of the “All Phenomena E”, the powers he could display would only grow more terrifying.

Immortals still needed to meditate and deduce karmic manifestations. But for the Corner of Heaven’s Will, that was instinct, like a fish knowing how to swim.

Keeping the gods subdued was useful. But too much of anything was harmful. The longer things dragged on, the more unpredictable it would become.

A’Shou gave a wry smile and pressed her palms together with a sharp clap.

Though the central garden of the hospital had been exceptionally clean, a sandstorm suddenly surged.

From within the dust came the clash of blades and a chorus of chaotic shouts. The swirling sand shaped itself into outlines of warhorses that galloped and neighed beside A’Shou.

“Mount up, everyone!” A’Shou shouted.

Freed from the visual chaos of close combat, the gap in intelligence between immortals and headless spirits quickly became apparent. They didn’t care what form they had taken—whoever was nearest jumped onto the spectral horsebacks.

With sides now clearly divided, the immortals quickly identified their targets. They switched to long-range attacks and began systematically wiping out the remaining headless spirits.

With the interference gone, the immortals quickly re-formed their formation and encircled the garden.

“He’s using a taboo. The Heaven-Breaking Technique is useless!” A’Shou shouted. “Everyone, switch to defensive magic and push toward the center!”

“All aerial units, cover me!”

The moment she finished, a divine whip that was glowing gold descended from the sky, radiating dense and righteous energy. It worked similarly to a soft sword, and A’Shou instinctively caught its handle.

[Be careful,] Fang Xiu warned at once. [She’s sealed off all chances of triggering a death taboo.]

Everyone knew that a death taboo could only be activated by an E.

Since they were near Fang Xiu’s physical body, only his living soul could control the death taboo.

Even someone as strong as Bai Shuangying couldn’t create a new death taboo at will.

[If I’m right, A’Shou’s next move will be…]

A wave of yellow sand burst into the air.

Around them, heavy magical shields lit up before every immortal. The encirclement tightened quickly. Beside A’Shou, the sand formed into armored corpses.

These sand spirits charged wildly within the confined space, attacking at random.

Amid the swarm of dead soldiers, A’Shou charged and struck, her powered blows hidden among the erratic paths of the undead.

As expected, Bai Shuangying didn’t enjoy being chased around.

In the heart of the storm, he calmly revealed himself. His white sleeve covered his nose and mouth. No matter how the wind raged around him, his long black hair didn’t sway.

A’Shou rushed forward without hesitation.

At her side, the sand condensed into an army.

Blessings and protections from the sky poured down like rain, making the sand-phantoms nearly solid. Martial force exploded in a whirlwind, leaving hundreds of cuts on Bai Shuangying’s sleeves.

Around them, the magic barrier continued to close in.

Outside, seals had severed his link to Xushan. Inside, the defensive web was sealing off the heavens and earth.

In this suffocating space, the army of the dead, blessed by the immortals, charged like a tsunami under A’Shou’s command.

From above, the immortals quickened their chants. Even a fool could see that this was the perfect setup, the best opportunity they would ever have.

Behind his sleeve, Bai Shuangying narrowed his mismatched eyes.

In his mind, Fang Xiu hummed, “With this much buildup, we need something spectacular.”

“Bai Shuangying, I have a fun idea. Want to try it?”

Fang Xiu didn’t ask whether he could do it.

He already knew he could.

Bai Shuangying smiled and listened as his human whispered the request. Then—

“In the vast desert, lonely smoke rises. In the ocean of time, the land turns over.”

The trigram symbols around the Peach Bone Evil flared into a blood-red arc.

The sandstorm froze in front of him. Roots burst forth from the soil, spreading like a green plague. The divine wind only nourished the plants, and though golden light still glowed, the roots locked the yellow sand in place.

“Let all things flourish, until they blot out the sky.”

After a moment’s thought, Bai Shuangying waved again.

Creaking sounds echoed. A vine shot up and snared A’Shou’s whip. The plants rooted her army in place and surged toward the sky, spearing upward like arrows. Soon, they wrapped around the clouds and feet of the airborne immortals.

Then, without warning, the trigram symbols around the Peach Bone Evil went dark.

The gods assumed Bai Shuangying had spent his energy and immediately focused on breaking the vines.

A’Shou sensed something wrong and shouted, “No! Defend yourselves!”

She had been too focused on spectacle that she almost forgot the pair had more than just new tricks up their sleeves.

But her warning came a moment too late.

As the immortals lowered their guard, the white robe turned crimson. Fang Xiu raised his hand and released his ghost fire.

Once again, brilliant red fireworks-like flames exploded in the sky. But this time, enhanced by the power of the God of Xushan, the flames set the plants ablaze instantly.

The fire raced up the vines, reaching the immortals above. Flame-dragons danced across the heavens.

Fang Xiu stuck out his tongue at the sky, pushed off the barrier behind him, and dove toward A’Shou. She abandoned her whip and stepped back, bracing against the shield behind her.

Not good. The space was too tight.

“Shield up!” she yelled.

Several immortals rushed in with shields, but Fang Xiu simply smiled and opened a door in the middle of them.

On the door was a sticker: “Emergency Exit”. The frame almost hit A’Shou’s face, and the immortals who had rushed in literally became the background.

Damn it. She had underestimated him. Fang Xiu could play with his death taboo however he liked.

These two bastards kept switching roles—one slippery, one infuriating. She wanted to file a complaint.

…No. Calm down. Fang Xiu was bad at close combat. He was definitely about to switch to Bai Shuangying.

A’Shou roared, her blood-red wedding dress billowing with a bloody mist.

Using the mist for cover, she charged him in fury, eyes fixed on his right hand, trying to seize the Peach Bone Evil.

But something cool and damp pressed against her cheek through the veil.

Fang Xiu’s robes hadn’t turned white. The Peach Bone Evil was nowhere in sight. He had stopped abruptly, braced his right hand against the doorframe, and placed his foot nimbly on the threshold.

His body tilted slightly forward. With his left hand, he extended… a can of Wangzai soda.

“I don’t want you to get hurt either, A’Shou Jie.”

Amid the blazing firelight, Fang Xiu smiled. “Do I really need to show more cards?”

Then he looked up at the sky.

“I think they understand. If it had been Bai Shuangying who set those vines off with Samadhi True Fire and not me, there would’ve been casualties.”

He shrugged with an expression that said, “We’re such good people.”

“You see? Even with their Heaven-Breaking Technique, they still can’t beat us or hold us. So what now?”

“…Fine. Everyone stand down.”

Looking at the silly drink label, A’Shou finally let go of her last bit of battle will.

She dispersed her blood aura and, under everyone’s watchful gaze, cracked open the can without hesitation.

“You all saw it. There’s no point in continuing this fight.”

Fang Xiu nodded contentedly.

As they spoke, the edge of his sleeve quietly turned white. He gently pinched it back. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle the negotiations.”

A’Shou studied the can, unable to think of a dignified way to drink from it. So she conjured a teacup and poured it out properly.

“We don’t have much time for a private talk, so let’s get to the point.”

She spoke decisively. “I can more or less guess what Bai Shuangying wants. The question is you. What exactly do you want?”

She needed to know Fang Xiu’s desire to facilitate any formal negotiations.

So what would Fang Xiu want?

As a mortal, he had cultivated the All Phenomena E. With the power he and Bai Shuangying now held, even if they killed every Guishan Sect believer in the country, neither Heaven nor the Underworld would interfere. As long as they didn’t destroy the mortal world, the gods would turn a blind eye.

If Fang Xiu still wanted something from the gods, A’Shou could only think of one thing: the high-ranking sect members exiled abroad.

No matter how strong Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying were, they wouldn’t casually shatter the peace between domestic and foreign forces.

So it made sense—Fang Xiu probably wanted Heaven, the Underworld, and the foreign gods to hold serious talks and allow him to intervene in matters of life and death beyond national borders…

Fang Xiu snapped his fingers, interrupting her thoughts.

The red ghost fire in the sky vanished instantly, leaving only trails of blue smoke.

To A’Shou’s surprise, Fang Xiu’s reply was very short, and even crazier than she expected.

The human in red smiled shyly, then raised his eyes.

“I want to join you,” Fang Xiu said calmly. “To be precise, I want to replace you and take control of the entire Disaster Relief Tower.”

---

The author has something to say:

Two thousand years later, I’ve finally recovered the pitch…

Now it’s time for the fun part: reward settlement!

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 177: The All Phenomena E 

As the door creaked open, everyone drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the hospital room. Then they looked at all the other doors standing wide open, and the chill spread to the soles of their feet.

This taboo…

“No wonder Fang Xiu was so at ease,” Song Zheng murmured. “He said it was fine even if we didn’t help.”

Still, just in case, he added, “Let’s not go inside for now.”

They had seen Fang Xiu use countless doors to defend himself. His only warning was “don’t act against me.”

But that instruction was too vague. People’s minds tend to drift toward reckless thoughts.

Earlier, they had all gone all-out to stop Cen Ling, yet he still made it into the room. If someone as powerful as him died instantly, it was probably best not to take chances.

As expected, everyone except Guan He nodded vigorously. Yes, yes, staying in the hallway was fine. Great spot to watch from.

The wooden ferryman relaxed when things calmed down, and the boat stopped rocking. Curious, he leaned beside the bed, watching the window like it was a stage.

The mushroom trio followed him, crowding in. Yan Yan returned to human form and even started spitting to clear his mouth.

Guan He, on the other hand, decided to continue guarding the room.

Together with Cheng Songyun, he closed the door again, pushing Cen Ling’s lifeless corpse out into the corridor, where it slumped crookedly to the floor.

Standing guard at attention, Guan He noticed Jiao Jiao elegantly smoothing her skirt before crouching beside the body.

“Miss, aren’t you going to take a look?” Guan He asked curiously.

“Something feels off.” Jiao Jiao rubbed her dark lipstick. “Cen Ling was still a major figure. Dying just like that, without a sound?”

“I even had to take a potion before the ritual began—if I died, there’d at least be a corpse-poison explosion.”

Guan He was speechless. “What about Yan Yan?”

“He’ll drink the antidote before the ritual begins.”

Jiao Jiao smiled. “Anyway, I just don’t think it’s that simple.”

“Let me take a look.” Lu Yang crawled out of the boat.

Whether it was the earlier garden battle or the fight against Cen Ling, he hadn’t been able to help at all; his corpse-army tactics had no use here. Unleashing corpses would’ve only created chaos, so he had curled up in the core boat’s cabin, making himself as harmless as possible.

…Finally, his turn had come.

Lu Yang squatted next to Cen Ling and pressed a finger to his brow.

His relaxed expression quickly vanished, and a deep frown appeared.

“Stop watching and get ready to defend!” Lu Yang stood up sharply and waved his hand.

All the corpses that had been wandering around the hospital rushed to surround him from both ends of the corridor, then turned and formed a defensive formation.

“But I didn’t sense any yin aura,” Yan Yan said. “And Song Ge didn’t detect any killing intent either.”

As someone trained in the metaphysical arts, Yan Yan was well aware that corpses could hide all sorts of tricks. He had even sniffed around in spite of the stench.

“I don’t understand any of that. I have no idea what Fang Ge’s up to either.”

Lu Yang’s tone was firm. “But I’m sure of one thing: my corpse-controlling spell doesn’t work on him.”

“In other words, there’s still magic flowing inside this body. It hasn’t fully ‘ended’ yet!”

Jiao Jiao’s face sharpened. “Everyone on the boat!”

Lu Yang quickly retreated to the cabin. The mushroom trio didn’t dawdle, hopping back onto the deck and even dragging the overly engrossed ferryman with them. The boat floated to Guan He’s side, and the air went still.

“Maybe we’re overthinking it?” Xiao Li muttered awkwardly.

“No way!” Lu Yang shouted from the cabin. “I’ve got a really bad feeling. Believe in the weak!”

Xiao Li: “……”

Before he had time to open his mouth to retort, a gust of yin wind rose out of nowhere.

Cen Ling’s chest wound split open, and black-red blood squirmed out like a living thing, crawling in every direction.

Each droplet of blood emitted heavy yin energy, floating into the air and forming fine talisman-like patterns.

Using those droplets as cores, countless blood-shadows with no faces and rough outlines began to appear in the corridor.

Among the swarm of shadows, Cen Ling’s twisted body stood upright.

His eyes remained closed, his skin waxy and lifeless like a corpse, with not a hint of color.

Song Zheng’s Murder-Intent Seismograph went berserk. The bronze balls fell with a clatter in every direction.

“Typical of a cultist.” Jiao Jiao sighed. “Cen Ling clearly wanted to take some of us with him.”

“So what now?” Lu Yang poked his head out of the cabin, directing his corpses to quickly encircle the Cen Ling zombie.

Unfortunately, his corpses could block the zombie, but not the blood-shadows.

“What else can we do? Outlast him.” Xiao Li cracked his knuckles.

Guan He moved to the hospital room’s door, taking several deep breaths.

“We just have to hold on,” he said. “Until Fang Ge wins.”

As if answering his words, a burst of dazzling golden light exploded outside the corridor windows.

Central Garden of the Hospital

“There’s strange yin energy over there,” Bai Shuangying said, floating through the air with Fang Xiu in his arms. “Cen Ling’s aura vanished. His corpse must’ve been set up with a revenge-triggered grand spell.”

“It’s fine.”

Fang Xiu’s eyes were locked on the immortals. “If it’s just Guan He, he can phase through the walls. If others help, they can probably handle it.”

“Our job is to win and win fast.”

Bai Shuangying replied with a soft hum. “Just mentioning it.”

He didn’t really care whether those humans lived or died, but he felt obligated to inform his human.

Fang Xiu patted his hair. “I know.”

Since Cen Ling had left, the immortals had intensified their attacks. Just as Fang Xiu had predicted, the Heaven-Breaking Technique had been incorporated into the seals, severing Bai Shuangying’s link to his true body in Xushan.

And just as he expected, the battle wasn’t going well.

The immortals had swiftly adapted, shifting to intangible curses that bypassed the door defenses. Several immortals specialized in karmic manipulation stepped forward to unravel Bai Shuangying’s karmic chains.

Without support from Xushan’s power, Bai Shuangying’s spell strength had plummeted. The overwhelming advantage turned into a fifty-fifty struggle. All he could do now was cling to his human and dodge through the air.

The immortals pressed the attack with rapid spells, trying to deny him any chance to counter.

“Don’t rush.”

Fang Xiu clung to Bai Shuangying’s neck, his voice calm and gentle, like a hypnotic narrator. “You’re just too used to how you fought before. This isn’t your fault.”

Bai Shuangying swerved through hundreds of flying dagger-like celestial artifacts.

“We’re still fighting separately. There must be a better way to work together.”

Fang Xiu whispered softly into Bai Shuangying’s ear. “I’ve destroyed so many immortal E’s, I’m saturated with karma.”

“And you control karma. Think about that.”

A glittering golden net descended from the sky, followed by four armored, grim-faced immortals. Bai Shuangying dove down ten meters, narrowly avoiding the trap.

The four immortals saw their opportunity and gave chase.

“In metaphysical arts, I can’t help you.”

Fang Xiu smiled even under the rain of attacks, as if it were fireworks exploding around him.

“But I believe in you completely.”

He said, “Take your time, Bai Shuangying.”

There was something magical in his tone. Bai Shuangying’s panic quickly faded. He looked at the smiling human in his arms.

Fang Xiu’s body and soul were soaked in karma, yet he had no knowledge of metaphysical techniques.

At the moment, all he could do was use his taboo to fight back. He could manipulate karma at will and intuitively grasp metaphysical principles, but the immortals had severely weakened him.

Think, Bai Shuangying. Think carefully.

Think like Fang Xiu.

“…You really trust me?” Bai Shuangying mumbled after a pause. “Then I’m going to take everything you have.”

Fang Xiu froze slightly, but his smile didn’t fade.

“Go ahead,” he said solemnly, exhaling deeply.

Before he could even close his mouth, Bai Shuangying suddenly transformed into his true form and plunged roughly into Fang Xiu’s mouth and nose.

Before Fang Xiu could feel any pain, his consciousness began to drift.

He realized he had lost all control of his limbs. His body straightened on its own, floating in midair.

Possession.

But it was entirely unlike before. Fang Xiu felt no swelling, no pain creeping through his nerves and veins. He had become a pure observer, only able to watch the world through his own eyes.

And what he saw was a flash of white cloth.

The body was still his, but the red T-shirt had turned into Bai Shuangying’s white robes. Black hair cascaded down his shoulders, flowing with the white fabric.

With a flick of his right hand, Bai Shuangying firmly gripped the Peach Bone Evil.

…So that was it. They had completed the possession, and Bai Shuangying had taken control of the body.

Across from them floated four sword-bearing immortals, backed by golden light and wrapped in layers of protective spells. Their faces showed surprise, but more than that, wariness.

The torrential assault from the heavens hadn’t stopped, but Bai Shuangying no longer needed to carry Fang Xiu and moved with astonishing lightness. He decisively retracted the karmic red threads and muttered something under his breath.

It was the first time Fang Xiu had heard Bai Shuangying mumble in his voice, and he found it strangely fascinating.

“From Taiji arises two forms, from two forms come four images… From four images, the eight trigrams…”

“Endless trigram signs, entangled karma—within them all things of the world manifest…”

Bai Shuangying raised the Peach Bone Evil, and white peach blossoms trembled gently in the air. This time, what he released wasn’t one of Fang Xiu’s anomaly skills. Several red-glowing trigram symbols appeared around the weapon, slowly swirling through the air.

“Let the blades that strike me and break upon the sands,” Bai Shuangying said.

The trigram symbols froze midair, arranged themselves neatly on the peach branch, then faded into nothing.

At the same moment, the celestial swords held by the four immortals trembled violently, and in an instant became rusted. Before they could react, the brittle blades shattered and clattered to the ground.

Bai Shuangying couldn’t help but laugh. “How interesting.”

Enraged, the four immortals charged at him.

[I’ll take over,] Fang Xiu said.

Bai Shuangying gave a slight smile and vanished in a blink.

White clothes turned to red; the long hair and heterochromatic eyes remained unchanged. Fang Xiu’s gaze sharpened, and four doors opened right in front of the immortals. Inside, pitch-black darkness awaited.

The immortals tried to retreat, only to bump into yet another open door behind them. They were sandwiched tightly between both sides, unable to move.

When they tried breaking out in other directions, they found that every path had already been accounted for. In just moments, Fang Xiu had calculated every possible action they might take.

“No wonder you’re immortals. You have great instincts.”

Fang Xiu smiled. “But a death taboo is still a death taboo. If you harbor malicious intent toward us, you really shouldn’t walk through doors.”

As he spoke, his red robes turned white again.

At the exact moment the doors vanished, the Peach Bone Evil swung down. The arranged trigram signs lit up, and the four immortals, like nails suspended midair, were slammed into the ground.

The entire process was smooth and uninterrupted.

Ever since Bai Shuangying had given up his karmic kite tactics, the immortals’ fast attacks could no longer keep up with his casting speed.

“What’s going on?!”

The immortals in the sky hesitated in their attacks and turned to A’Shou for answers.

“Taboos are born from obsessions. Obsessions are bound to karma, and karma determines the trigram attributes of an E.”

A’Shou quietly sheathed her soft sword and cleared her throat.

“Fang Xiu carries countless strands of karma, filled with endless trigram patterns. The Corner of Heaven’s Will is currently extracting specific karmas and trigram patterns to create a new kind of ‘taboo’…”

Normally, ghost immortals could only use the taboos tied to their Immortal E.

But Bai Shuangying wasn’t a normal ghost immortal, and Fang Xiu wasn’t a normal Immortal E—

The God of Xushan born knowing how to weave karma, paired with a living E who actively gathers all phenomena under heaven.

“If that Immortal E needed a name, I think the ‘All Phenomena E’ would suit best.”

A’Shou sighed. “It’s true he can skillfully control his own taboos. But if the Corner of Heaven’s Will uses them… they’ll have as many taboos as they want.”

King Yan said nothing, but his silence was agreement.

“So the Underworld is saying we can’t even suppress the Corner of Heaven’s Will’s body?”

The blessed immortal had lost his smile.

A’Shou: “It’s not what the Underworld is saying. It’s what those two down below are saying.”

With that, she led a charge of ghost immortals toward the white-robed figure. Several other gods followed, though their momentum was noticeably weaker than before.

“A’Shou Jie!”

As A’Shou landed, white turned to red. Fang Xiu greeted her enthusiastically. “I knew you’d come. After all, my death taboo doesn’t work on you.”

Fang Xiu knew A’Shou didn’t harbor any true malice toward them. At most, she just wanted to beat him up to let off steam.

In a way, A’Shou was the most troublesome opponent in the entire group.

A’Shou patted her treasured soft sword at her waist and raised her hands. “Let’s get this straight. Don’t mess with my sword, or I won’t let you two off the hook.”

Fang Xiu beamed. “Of course!”

He reached behind him and pulled out the Earth Knocking Cauldron meal card, releasing the accumulated Immortal E’s yin energy inside.

The cauldron spewed it out like projectile vomit, launching several hundred full-power headless evil spirits.

Fang Xiu’s red sleeves lifted and fell as white sleeves. With a flick of the Peach Bone Evil, hundreds of headless spirits turned into hundreds of white-robed Fang Xius, surging toward the immortals behind A’Shou.

[Let’s end this farce, A’Shou Jie.]

Fang Xiu murmured from deep within the shared body.

Bai Shuangying, ever more direct, simply said, “Time’s about up. I want to go home.”

He paused, then corrected himself.

“We want to go home.”

---

The author has something to say:

The most compatible fusion pair. Fusion to fight by day, and… fusing again by night (?

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 176: The Other Side of the Door

Bai Shuangying was gleefully toying with the immortals when he suddenly sensed that something was off.

Their fighting style had been cautious before, clearly probing for weaknesses. But just moments after Cen Ling escaped upward, the attacks from above became much more aggressive.

Protected by the golden ribbon, Cen Ling charged straight into the hospital and vanished behind an open window.

In the small garden, only the anxious “Uncle Hous” remained, along with Fang Xiu’s team aboard the boat.

The wooden ferryman stared up at the sky in shock. “Oh god, there’re more immortals than locusts down here!”

Song Zheng was curiously fiddling with the Murder-Intent Seismograph and found, to his surprise, that the strongest killing intent wasn’t coming from the celestial garden battle but from the direction where Cen Ling had fled. Maybe things weren’t as bad as he thought.

Xiao Tian and Xiao Li, living by the motto of “a funeral’s only fun if it’s a big one”, leaned over the side of the boat. “Holy crap, that’s so cool.”

The cultivators, however, were far less relaxed.

Yan Yan shrank down to the size of a teacup poodle and hid behind Jiao Jiao’s feet.

As wild fox spirits, his family had long heard tales of the God of Calamity. He knew Fang Xiu was unpredictable, but he never expected him to go so far as to punch a hole in the sky.

And he had been the one helping Fang Xiu sniff out those Immortal E’s.

If the immortals decided to hold someone accountable, he would be in serious trouble. His father’s entire bloodline cultivation could get dragged into this. Imagining the backlash waiting for him at home, Yan Yan couldn’t help letting out two pitiful whimpers.

Jiao Jiao glanced sideways at her shrinking partner, then turned her focus back to Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu showed no sign of anxiety. He looked like Cen Ling as if he wasn’t one of his enemies but rather a mouse that had scurried away. Lifting his head, he gave Jiao Jiao a casual smile.

Thump, thump, thump.

With a wave of Fang Xiu’s hand, the air trembled three times. Beside the boat, a pair of hospital-style wooden double doors suddenly appeared.

The doors stood wide open. Beyond them wasn’t darkness, but a corridor within the hospital.

“Yoo-hoo!” The boatman perked up. He swung his oar, and the boat surged toward the doorway.

“The ritual is technically over. Act however you like,” Fang Xiu said. “Help me or protect yourselves, it doesn’t matter. Just stay far away from here.”

“I only ask one thing. Don’t turn against me, or I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“Take care!”

Xiao Tian waved boldly at Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying. “I believe in you two! You both look like you’ve had a hard life—”

Xiao Li let out a deep sigh and muttered under his breath, “Is it because most of the immortals are old coots…”

Jiao Jiao grabbed her partner by the scruff and turned toward the building, not looking back.

With a heavy clang, the boat and the door vanished together. The garden’s surrounding seals flashed gold and returned to their original intact state.

“Very clever,” Bai Shuangying praised his human companion without reservation.

“This is my territory.” Fang Xiu shrugged. “And the death taboos are always the strongest ones.”

“You haven’t actually used it to kill anyone yet.”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

Fang Xiu pinched Bai Shuangying’s sleeve. “Now you can go all out… remember what I told you earlier?”

“Of course,” Bai Shuangying casually twirled the red thread in his fingers. “Next, they’ll try using the Heaven-Breaking Technique to sever my connection to my true body in Xushan.”

“And then?”

“I must learn to control a new power.”

Bai Shuangying reached out and hooked Fang Xiu by the waist, lifting him to his side.

“…Next, I need to learn how to use ‘you’.”

“Correct.”

Bathed in radiance of spell magic, Fang Xiu kissed Bai Shuangying’s cheek right in front of the immortals above.

“I’m ready.”

……

In the hospital corridor—

Cen Ling was running at full speed, no longer trying to hide anything. He was openly searching for the Immortal E.

His right hand flipped through signs as he muttered incantations. Soon, a red spider-silk thread emerged from his fingertips, floating and pointing in a specific direction.

Cen Ling remembered clearly that before resolving the E’s, Fang Xiu had handed a red collar to a small black dog.

And during the Grave-Sealing ritual, that dog had always stayed near two of Fang Xiu’s teammates—a middle-aged woman and a teenage boy.

The Guishan Sect’s karmic influence over the “God of Xushan” hadn’t yet dissipated. He could still sense the location of that collar Immortal E.

Knowing Fang Xiu, he would have placed his teammates in the safest spot.

…For example, right next to his own body.

That way, they could stay out of the conflict while also guarding his true body, killing two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately, after destroying his family, Fang Xiu now seemed only interested in provoking the immortals and treated him like a powerless leftover.

Cen Ling was determined to prove that Fang Xiu had made a fatal mistake.

He drew a dagger from behind him and gripped it tightly.

It came in an ornate silver sheath, its blade etched with dense, blood-red runes, occasionally sparking. Unlike the cold yin aura of the E’s, this dagger radiated a warm, almost breathing presence.

Blood-Quenching Dagger.

Forged from special materials and imbued with the True Fire of Samadhi, it was one of the Guishan Sect’s most precious treasures.

With a live blood sacrifice, it could ignite its inner fire and pierce any Immortal E.

Cen Ling darted through intricate stairways and countless branching corridors, following the red thread with ghostlike speed.

Soon, he spotted Guan He pacing near the corridor wall. Before Guan He could react, the black dog at his feet began barking ferociously, growling threateningly at Cen Ling.

Cen Ling sneered, slapping on a concealment talisman and vanishing into the air.

That black dog wasn’t afraid of any Immortal E’s. It was very likely a ghost immortal.

If the Underworld allowed Fang Xiu to summon such beings during the ritual, there had to be other restrictions.

If his guess was correct, the ghost immortal probably couldn’t interfere in conflicts involving the sacrifices—it could only sound the alarm.

Just as he thought, the black dog circled Guan He, barking madly. It could clearly sense his presence but didn’t attack.

“Who’s there?” Guan He reacted immediately.

He stood with his back to the hospital room door, anchoring his stance and preparing for defense.

So naive. You’ll be the perfect blood sacrifice.

The Blood-Quenching Dagger slashed toward Guan He’s throat.

Guan He’s eyes widened in place, unaware of the approaching danger. The blade reached his neck—

And passed through it with a hollow swish.

What the… phase shift? Ghost step?

Cen Ling froze. Guan He lunged toward where the attack had come from.

Cen Ling quickly backed up half a step, barely avoiding being touched. With the ambush failed, Guan He retreated to the doorway and resumed a defensive posture.

That guy could use phase-shifting abilities in such unpredictable ways. Clearly, direct physical attacks wouldn’t work. Cen Ling widened the gap between them, holding his breath and preparing to cast a spell—

“Yaaahoo—hey—”

The long nasal call of the boatman echoed as the boat burst through thin air, ramming straight into Cen Ling’s back. He dodged just in time.

At the bow, Song Zheng held the Murder-Intent Seismograph high. The bronze ball shook wildly in Cen Ling’s direction.

“We’re here to help!” Xiao Tian called cheerfully.

“Fang Xiu and the gods are fighting up there. No way for us to get involved!”

Guan He: “?”

What a weird and surreal explanation. Weren’t they in the middle of a sacrificial ritual?

Xiao Tian didn’t care how confused Guan He was. She gracefully hopped off the boat.

With one hand, she made an “OK” sign and blew through the ring of her fingers. In an instant, the corridor filled with dreamy pink bubbles.

An anomaly skill.

Cen Ling held his breath, repositioning silently. But before he could move again, a bubble popped beside him.

It caused no damage, but burst into a cloud of glittering sparkles that stuck to his body. No matter how he tried to wipe or conceal them, they glowed brightly and wouldn’t come off.

Damn it. It’s an anti-stealth spell. Cen Ling’s heart clenched.

The moment the sparkling glitter revealed his location, Xiao Li launched himself from the boat and snatched the boatman’s oar, swinging it at Cen Ling.

Song Zheng held the Seismograph in one hand and tossed a vial of magical reagent with the other, something Jiao Jiao had given him earlier.

The vial shattered, instantly corroding a narrow, deep hole into the floor. Several nearly hit Cen Ling’s head, but he deflected them with his magic just in time.

No good. There were too many enemies.

Cen Ling’s eyes scanned the scene. He took a deep breath and unleashed a whirlwind of yin energy. As the others scrambled to defend themselves, he lunged for the closest target and grabbed Guan He, pressing the dagger’s tip to his throat.

Guan He reflexively tried to phase out, but no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t activate his ability.

“Your phase-shifting ability was borrowed from an evil spirit,” Cen Ling said quietly, the yin energy around him growing more turbulent. “If I suppress that spirit, your ability will naturally stop working.”

As he spoke, he began inching toward Fang Xiu’s hospital room.

He remembered that Cheng Songyun used the Resentful Ghost Shield. She was likely stationed inside, guarding the room. Once he entered and sealed the door, she would be the perfect blood sacrifice.

Open the door, seal the room, kill, and kill again.

As long as he moved fast and completed these four simple steps, the God of Calamity would lose his freshly forged Immortal E.

Seeing Fang Xiu’s teammate held hostage, the mushroom trio instinctively froze.

Cen Ling stared hard at the three agitated figures. Using Guan He as a human shield, he had already reached the hospital room’s door. The yin energy around him swirled into near-tornadoes, and the pressure sent Jiao Jiao’s hair flying in all directions.

Under the wild strands, Jiao Jiao’s eyes held a smile.

Just as Cen Ling reached for the door, her arm flicked.

Something bright red rolled through the yin energy like a bowling ball, landing at Cen Ling’s feet. From the red fur poked a narrow snout, which bit hard into the back of Cen Ling’s ankle.

With a cry of pain, Cen Ling reflexively looked down—and met a fox’s explosion of fire magic straight to the face.

Yan Yan didn’t linger. After harassing Cen Ling, he spun around, bit down on Guan He’s shoe, and bolted.

A Fox demon’s strength was no joke. Before Guan He could react, the palm-sized red fox yanked him to the ground and dragged him away at high speed.

The second Guan He hit the floor, Xiao Li pulled out Xiao Tian’s coral hairpin and hurled it straight at Cen Ling’s chest.

The coral pin pierced Cen Ling’s heart with perfect accuracy.

Elsewhere, Yan Yan only released Guan He’s shoe after hauling him into the boat. He smacked his lips, letting out a very human-sounding gag.

“Finally done with him,”

Yan Yan returned to human form with a sigh. “That guy’s strong, he…”

“Watch out!” Guan He grabbed him hard.

The others hadn’t fought Cen Ling before, but he had. He would never forget it.

Cen Ling had tempered his living soul with yin energy, his power nearly rivaling a ghost immortal’s. As long as his soul still lingered, he would not be judged as dead. This was intel Mei Lan had sacrificed herself to obtain.

Sure enough, Cen Ling didn’t fall.

Everything was going exactly as he predicted. These people were always like this. As long as he had a hostage, they would focus on that and ignore more important matters.

“This is bad. After him!” Song Zheng shouted.

Cen Ling didn’t waste time observing. He didn’t even pull out the hairpin in his chest.

While the others were caught off guard, he turned the hospital room’s doorknob and rushed in.

Immediately, he slammed the door shut behind him. His eyes shifted, and countless talismans sealed the doorway, creating a new golden seal array.

Inside, Cheng Songyun was using the Resentful Ghost Shield to protect Fang Xiu’s body, completely unguarded herself.

Before she could react, the Blood-Quenching Dagger tore open her throat.

The ghost shield shattered like a soap bubble.

Blood soaked the blade. The runes on the dagger lit up, and fire wrapped the weapon.

Cen Ling flicked the blood from the knife and let out a long breath.

He walked slowly toward the hospital bed.

On it lay Fang Xiu, eyes closed, eyelashes motionless. A respirator covered his face, and thick and thin tubes ran across his body.

Draped in a pale hospital gown, he looked bloodless, especially fragile and ghostly.

This was the God of Calamity’s Immortal E? How laughable.

Below the bed, Cheng Songyun’s body lay still, blood spreading rapidly across the polished floor, soaking through Cen Ling’s shoes.

“Your people gave me a little trouble,” Cen Ling said. “But only a little… You were too focused on the gods, Fang Xiu.”

He stood beside Fang Xiu and raised the flaming dagger high.

“Now, let me finish the job my family couldn’t.”

The dagger plunged downward.

Just like the coral pin, the blade pierced Fang Xiu’s heart with precision.

His soul wasn’t in the room, but within seconds, his heart had been reduced to ash by Samadhi Fire.

Soon, Fang Xiu’s whole body caught fire.

His hair curled and turned to ash. His skin blistered and blackened. That once-handsome face twisted into a skull-like grin. The air reeked of scorched flesh.

The flames flickered in Cen Ling’s pupils.

“Return. Return.”

“Your merit is complete, all is well.”

…It was over.

At last, Fang Xiu had died by his hand.

The Hierarch had protected him. In the end, the Hierarch was hundreds of times more reliable than that inhuman “God of Xushan”.

The God of Calamity might go berserk upon sensing the loss of his E. But those immortals should have already used the Heaven-Breaking Technique—he wouldn’t be able to cause much damage now.

Time to report back. Cen Ling pulled the coral pin from his chest, sending a spray of blood into the air.

He wondered if his family had regained their senses yet…

He removed the sealing talismans from the door and opened it.

And the moment he saw what lay beyond, his blood turned to ice.

Darkness.

The other side of the door wasn’t a hallway but only endless, bottomless black.

Why? He had burned Fang Xiu’s body.

Why did the taboo still remain?

Cen Ling whipped around to look at the burning hospital bed.

Cheng Songyun’s corpse had somehow risen and was now seated on the bed, smiling brightly.

Fang Xiu’s burnt body had also sat up, resting against the headboard, tilting his skull mockingly at Cen Ling.

Outside the window, the white mist had vanished. Something was moving. First flesh-colored, then white, then black.

…It was a massive, dim, black eye.

Its shape was beautiful, disturbingly familiar. The gigantic pupil stared at Cen Ling through the window.

And then, very slowly, it began to curve upward.

Outside the door.

“…”

Yan Yan silently picked up a severed arm and let it drop with a thud.

“He’s dead.” Yan Yan sucked in a cold breath through his teeth and turned to Guan He. “Didn’t you say as long as the guy’s soul was intact, he couldn’t die?”

Before them, Cen Ling had collapsed across the threshold—half his body inside the room, half outside.

Just moments ago, he had opened the door and taken a single step in and then fell without a sound.

The swirling yin energy had vanished in an instant. Everything halted so suddenly it sent chills down their spines.

It was so absurd, it felt like one of Cen Ling’s tricks.

Even Cheng Songyun was startled inside the room, nearly dropping her ghost shield.

“…I don’t know.” Guan He stared blankly at the corpse. “I don’t understand.”

“His soul is gone.”

Jiao Jiao idly toyed with a tarot card and spoke in a low voice.

“As I see it, there’s only one way someone can die that irrationally—he broke a death taboo.”

As if in answer to her words, the door that Cen Ling had opened slowly stopped swinging.

Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.

It let out a soft, rhythmic sound.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 175: Mutual Understanding

At first, Cen Ling only felt that something was subtly off.

That male ghost called Bai Shuangying seemed absurdly strong. But since all of Fang Xiu’s teammates had summoned ghosts to assist them, Bai Shuangying was likely just another powerful ghost trained by the Underworld authorities.

While examining Fang Xiu’s memories, he noticed that the ghost spoke oddly and showed no fear even in front of Ghost Immortal A’Shou.

Now, after Fang Xiu deliberately damaged numerous Immortal E seals, Bai Shuangying’s aura suddenly surged. The seals were clearly broken, yet the gods still hadn’t gone to Xushan.

Even someone as slow as him could now guess the ghost’s true identity.

…The Bai Shuangying at Fang Xiu’s side was the very Great God of Calamity that the Hierarch had sealed long ago!

Under the pressure of immense yin energy, Cen Ling barely managed to counteract it with his own yin aura. Fortunately, the gods had arrived, and neither Fang Xiu nor Bai Shuangying showed much interest in him, turning instead to confront the gods directly.

The founder was protecting him. The true God of Xushan was protecting him.

And now that he thought about it—wasn’t this just like a scene from “Returning to the Mountains”? He had grown up reading that book, and he knew every line by heart.

Right now, he was treading the edge of a cliff.

The gods descended from the heavens to confront the Great God of Calamity who wished to enter the human world. This scene was exactly like the one where Zhuang Guiqu had sealed the God of Calamity long ago.

It was the perfect chance to recreate the Guishan Sect’s former glory!

Cen Ling forced himself to remain calm and focused amid the flying debris. After a moment of deliberation, he decisively swallowed all his remaining pills and leapt into the sky.

“I have a plan! Cover me!” he shouted to the gods.

Within seconds, a golden silk ribbon descended from the heavens, wrapping around him and lifting him into the air.

The one who made the move was an immortal wrapped in luxurious silks and bearing a blessed appearance.

If Fang Xiu had seen him, he would have instantly recognized the immortal—this was the very one who had led the effort to seal Bai Shuangying in the first place.

However, the Heaven Court’s momentum paled compared to the Underworld’s.

Most likely due to issues with the sacrificial ritual, the Underworld, aware of its faults, had mobilized its strongest forces.

Even though Cen Ling’s living soul had the strength of a ghost immortal, the yin aura drifting over from the other side still made his legs go weak.

“Pay it no mind,” the blessed immortal said with a smile, lightly tapping Cen Ling’s brow.

“Junior Cen Ling greets the honored immortals.”

A warm current flowed from his brow through his body, and only then did Cen Ling catch his breath. He quickly straightened his posture and bowed to the immortals before him.

“You said you have a plan. What do you mean?” the blessed immortal asked.

Cen Ling took a deep breath and steadied his voice. “I must first beg your forgiveness. Today’s disaster is, in truth, all because of me.”

“Back when the Hierarch and you all sealed the God of Calamity together, he pitied his disciples and descendants. Not only did he leave behind the Heaven-Breaking Technique, he also passed on a method of borrowing E’s. Rest assured—he knew such an act crossed the line, so he taught it only to the successor of the Guishan Sect.”

At this point, Cen Ling deliberately glanced around to gauge the gods’ expressions.

Most were still busy trying to suppress Bai Shuangying. A few were being toyed with like kites. Only a handful looked toward him, and their faces revealed no clear emotions.

He respectfully bowed his head again and continued.

“During this sacrificial ritual, I noticed something was off. The God of Calamity used the sacrifices to interfere with the ritual. I had no choice but to borrow power from the Immortal E’s to defend myself.”

“Who would have thought Fang Xiu—that man in red—was dead set on destroying the Immortal E’s to free the God of Calamity? He cast an evil spell on me, forcing me to transfer out all the E’s.”

Nearby, A’Shou nearly rolled her eyes skyward. What a so-called confession—he had turned black into white and was downplaying the whole thing to retreat while gaining ground.

But with King Yan looming over her, and Cen Ling speaking to the Heavenly Court, she, a ghost immortal of the Underworld, couldn’t interject. She could only curse silently.

“The damage is done, and the situation is urgent. We have no time to pursue mortal wrongdoing.” The blessed immortal sighed. “You may speak freely, young one.”

Safe! Cen Ling was overjoyed.

He took a deep breath. “While fighting Fang Xiu, I uncovered the truth about the God of Calamity’s Immortal E. Did you know—his Immortal E is right here, within this very building!”

“Fang Xiu used his damaged body to become an E. If we destroy his physical body, the God of Calamity will lose the support of his Immortal E and be significantly weakened.”

At the mention of using a physical body to form an Immortal E, the gods looked at each other in disbelief. A few were so shocked that they stopped casting spells, nearly getting caught by Bai Shuangying’s karmic chains.

The blessed immortal’s smile vanished, and he said nothing.

Cen Ling seized the momentum. “The God of Calamity has only just broken the seal. His powers are unstable, and his true body isn’t here. If we eliminate the Immortal E now, he will surely be thrown into disarray.”

“With the Underworld’s Spirit-Screening Array as a foundation, and your isolation of this space from the human world, we can then use the Heaven-Breaking Technique to sever the link between him and his true body.”

“That way, we can turn this small pocket of reality into a cage that destroys the God of Calamity.”

The blessed immortal frowned. “Are you suggesting we spare his true body and only destroy his mind?”

Cen Ling: “Exactly.”

“The God of Calamity was originally the spirit of the myriads of mountains—dim-witted by nature, never meant to enter the human world. This creature struggled immensely to escape the seal and gained self-awareness. Clearly, he harbors resentment both toward humanity and his thousand-year imprisonment.”

As he spoke, Cen Ling’s tone grew more impassioned.

“Now that he wields supreme power, even if he doesn’t strike now, can you really rest easy? How long can the human world remain at peace?”

After he finished, Cen Ling could nearly hear his own heartbeat.

In just a few minutes, he had come up with a highly feasible plan!

The timing, location, and people were all in his favor. This was the perfect opportunity for the gods.

Once Bai Shuangying stabilized and returned to Xushan with the Immortal E, no one would be able to stop them.

“Erasing just the mind of the Corner of Heaven’s Will… is doable.” A gaunt old immortal beside the blessed immortal stroked his beard. “The true spirit of the mountains will remain, preserving the balance of the heavens. In ten thousand years, a new consciousness will naturally form.”

“The true body remains in Xushan. If we destroy the Immortal E and sever the connection, we can indeed erase both the mind and this fragment of a body.”

“If we want peace in this world, we cannot allow the Corner of Heaven’s Will to linger with thoughts of mankind. It is like a beast that has tasted human flesh—once it has, it will forever crave more…”

The blessed immortal fell silent in thought.

A’Shou’s expression changed.

Sure enough, when faced with a real threat, the gods weren’t so easily swayed.

A thousand flowery words meant nothing compared to a single appeal to “the greater good.”

The Guishan Sect, which had stolen Immortal E’s and defiled the karma of the God of Xushan, was no more than a pack of rats in a granary. But Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu—those two were genuine beasts.

Seeing the gods hesitate, Cen Ling decided to strike while the iron was hot.

“You have long called that God of Calamity the ‘God of Xushan’, and we too revere our Hierarch as the God of Xushan. Our sect’s believers are spread across the world, devout and faithful, forming stable karma bonds.”

“Therefore, the karma of the ‘God of Xushan’ has already been influenced by our sect. I could borrow the power of the E’s from the Disaster Relief Tower using that karma—this is the proof! Once that God of Calamity’s divine mind collapses, the next ‘God of Xushan’ will surely be a benevolent god formed from our worship. He will never bring harm to the human world.”

Cen Ling had no concern at all about the sect’s reputation.

The gods didn’t care about dynastic change or human strife. They only cared that the mortal world remained intact.

A’Shou was burning with rage. She could not hold back and tried to rush forward, but King Yan raised a hand to block her.

“Your Excellency, that man—”

“Well said,” King Yan rumbled. “We will hold off the other two here. You go destroy the core of the Immortal E. How about that?”

Huh?

Cen Ling and A’Shou were both stunned.

If the gods had truly accepted the proposal, they should have sent one of their own to carry out such an important task.

Sending only Cen Ling made the whole thing feel a little odd.

Even the blessed immortal hesitated. “King Yan, you…”

“The Guishan Sect wants to claim the karma of the God of Xushan, then they should step into the game themselves,” King Yan said solemnly. “Once he successfully destroys the Immortal E, we can consider the rest of what he said.”

Cen Ling’s brow twitched.

Alright, he got the message. It seemed the gods were just as cunning, trying to make him do the one thing guaranteed to offend both Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu the most.

…Fine. He would go.

Cen Ling bowed again to the gathered immortals. The blessed immortal waved a long sleeve and teleported Cen Ling straight into the interior of the hospital.

Immediately afterward, he intensified the celestial sealing formation. The talismans contracted further, trapping Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu within the hospital garden.

A’Shou instinctively looked toward Fang Xiu lying on the ground, only to find him calmly gazing in her direction, one hand lightly resting over his arm.

[It doesn’t matter. I don’t need you to recreate anything. As long as the Underworld officially recognizes that the one bound to me by ghost contract is the “God of Xushan”, that will be enough.]

At the end of the seventh ritual, Fang Xiu had requested a strange anomaly.

…Wait a second?

Not long ago, she had given Bai Shuangying the strongest karmic support possible.

Which meant that, if Bai Shuangying wanted to, he could destroy the so-called “Guishan Sect’s influence” in an instant—and thoroughly disgrace the Underworld while doing so.

King Yan, ruler of the Underworld, surely could perceive the karmic endorsements of his realm. This—

“That human deliberately left this loophole in place until now. His scheming runs deep.” King Yan didn’t speak aloud. His voice resonated directly in A’Shou’s mind.

“And you have defended him with all your strength. That says something about his character.”

No, no, no, no, no. Fang Xiu’s character was absolutely terrible. That kid’s mind and preferences were so twisted it was to the point of being indescribable, A’Shou silently groaned.

But in a moment like this, she wisely chose to stay quiet.

“That human revealed his power first, and then deliberately let this person pass through. He must have a backup plan.”

“Last time, the Heavenly Court and the Underworld acted in haste and caused today’s disaster. To repeat the same mistake now would be unwise.”

King Yan continued, “If we provoke the God of Xushan again, that would be courting annihilation.”

A’Shou lowered her voice. “Then why don’t you stop the Heavenly Court?”

“What Cen Ling said isn’t entirely wrong. The God of Xushan does pose a threat to the human world. If words alone are enough to resolve this, some gods may still stir up trouble in the future.”

“You were once a general. You understand this principle.”

Alright, she understood too.

There are some people who can’t be reasoned with. They have to be beaten into accepting the truth.

What Fang Xiu wanted wasn’t just a demonstration.

He had come all this way. He wanted a real, no-holds-barred trial of strength with the gods—to fully and permanently extinguish their ambitions.

And Cen Ling? He was the step Fang Xiu had laid out for them to descend gracefully.

If the gods lost, they could just throw Cen Ling out to take the blame.

Just like Zhuang Guiqu had once said—if, a thousand years from now, the Corner of Heave’s Will still holds a grudge, then offer up the Guishan Sect in its place.

…At what point had Fang Xiu begun planning all of this?

Looking at the figure in red on the ground, A’Shou felt an icy chill roll down her spine.

As if worried she didn’t feel cold enough, Fang Xiu even took time to wave at her.

Speechless, A’Shou looked away…only to see Bai Shuangying snuggle up close again, happily wrapping his arms around his human.

It seemed only the indifferent and carefree Bai Shuangying could remain unaffected by Fang Xiu’s endless schemes.

Well, at least things had become quite simple now—wasn’t it just a fight? Then let it be a fight.

She had wanted to beat Fang Xiu up for a long time!

---

The author has something to say:

The Immortals: What a joke. Don’t fall into the same trap twice.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 174: The Third Taboo

It’s here, A’Shou thought.

The moment Bai Shuangying withdrew the contamination, countless memories related to the God of Xushan returned in vivid clarity, as though thick dust had been wiped away.

The immortals could sense the immense impact of the God of Xushan’s ascension, and the ghost immortals could also feel the disappearance of their precious Immortal E’s aura. Coupled with Bai Shuangying’s open provocation, both the Heavenly Court and the Underworld could lock onto the ritual within moments.

A’Shou slowly drew her soft sword, her gaze cautiously fixed on the sky.

Just like during the Battle of Xushan, golden light and gray mist surged again.

Above the hospital, countless immortals stood in orderly formation, forming concentric circles. The golden glow of the Heavenly Court mixed with the gray mist of the Underworld, forming what looked from a distance like a Taiji symbol.

…The immortals were watching.

On the ground, Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying stood side by side, also gazing into the sky.

A’Shou had just opened her mouth to call out to them when a sudden chill crept up her back and a tightness seized her chest. A gray mist swept over her vision. When the mist cleared, she found herself high in the air, surrounded by ghost immortals of the Underworld.

The Disaster Relief Tower was under the Underworld’s jurisdiction, and the Underworld’s contingent was predominantly ghost immortals.

Now that they had lost their Immortal E’s, each one was furious, their eyes burning with killing intent.

A tall and burly shadow loomed in front of A’Shou.

Its presence was so oppressive she couldn’t lift her head, and its deep voice thundered in her ears.

“Ghost Immortal A’Shou, why did you conceal what you knew?”

It was King Yan.

Ever since she had decided to cooperate with Fang Xiu, A’Shou had known this day would come.

Whether it was the matter of the Guishan Sect interfering with the Immortal E, the instability of the seal, or today’s formation of the Fang Xiu E and Bai Shuangying cultivating it into an Immortal E—none of it had happened overnight. She had to have known.

Earlier, Cen Ling had lifted the information seal specifically to force her to summon the immortals as quickly as possible.

Yes, she should have reported it immediately. That way, she could have absolved herself of any responsibility. No one could accuse her of negligence, not even the Jade Emperor himself.

However—

Under immense pressure, A’Shou dropped into a clean half-kneel, her back straight as a rod.

“The immortals gave everything to seal the God of Xushan only because he bore resentment toward the mortal realm. They feared he would destroy its peace.”

“Your Excellency appointed me to guard the Tower precisely because I care about the human world. I did not report what was happening inside the Tower immediately because I was prioritizing the world’s stability.”

“Bullshit!” the nearby immortals stayed silent, but the ghost immortals exploded.

“Then what about our Immortal E’s?”

“The Tower guaranteed its safety. You vouched for it, and now you want to say it was all to keep the God of Xushan at bay?!”

“Silence,” the deep voice warned. The surrounding ghost immortals instantly fell quiet.

A’Shou was tall, but King Yan’s shadow still completely enveloped her.

Holding her breath, she waited for judgment.

“Did the God of Xushan already discover a way to break the seal when you became aware of him?” the voice asked after a pause.

A’Shou: “Yes.”

“There were also mortal cultivators interfering. The situation was changing too rapidly—it could not wait for layers of reporting and careful discussion.”

She was doing her best to phrase it formally, though inside she felt a pang of bitterness.

What was she supposed to say? That the Corner of Heaven’s Will suddenly fell in love with a human sacrifice and temporarily didn’t feel like destroying the world?

That right now, this defiant little couple was contending with the Guishan Sect, and the sect was actually more eager to cause destruction?

But she was absolutely sure that the immortals feared Bai Shuangying more than the Guishan Sect. The sect was ultimately made up of mortals and still needed followers. Bai Shuangying, on the other hand, truly had the power to raze the world to the ground.

If the immortals confronted Bai Shuangying too soon and dragged the fragile Fang Xiu into it, who knew what chaos would unfold… Fang Xiu had likely brought her into the mess for exactly that reason; to leverage her cautious mindset.

“In my view, the unsealing of the God of Xushan is irreversible. Better to redirect than to block,” she said sincerely.

In other words, what’s done is done—now everyone needs to deal with it.

King Yan was silent for a long time.

Finally, that heavy voice said coldly, “Since you claim to act in the interest of the mortal world, your reward or punishment will depend on the outcome.”

“Yes!”

This meant the result would decide everything. A’Shou quietly exhaled in relief.

In other words, it all depended on the outcome of the battle.

The surrounding immortals had already begun to act, layering and strengthening the Underworld’s Spirit-Screen Array.

Now it wasn’t just filtering souls. It had been reshaped into an isolated realm, fully cut off from the mortal world.

Once the isolation was complete, the Heavenly Court’s immortals wasted no time chanting golden incantations.

Countless glowing spells wrapped around them like golden threads, encasing the entire hospital in what looked like a massive silkworm cocoon.

On the ground.

Bai Shuangying sneered. “Those gods aren’t slacking off. This time, they didn’t wait for mortals to suggest anything. They’ve improved the sealing method on their own.”

Thanks to the Corner of Heaven’s Will incident, they had probably drafted emergency protocols. Fang Xiu was familiar with them.

After all, if the immortals hadn’t considered similar sealing scenarios in all these centuries, that would have been the real surprise.

But that wasn’t the point right now.

“If it’s just negotiation, I’m confident I can settle this,” Fang Xiu said softly, looping an arm around Bai Shuangying’s neck.

“The question is, do you want to negotiate with them?”

Centuries of pain and grievance could be swallowed, but Bai Shuangying wasn’t the type to hold back. The Guishan Sect needed to be dealt with, and the gods weren’t blameless either.

Bai Shuangying was blunt. “They can’t seal me.”

“Great,” Fang Xiu said cheerfully. “Everyone always says people can’t be taught by words, only by action.”

“Do what you like. I’ll handle the cleanup.”

Bai Shuangying smiled.

He pressed two fingers together and drew a semicircle in front of him.

The seal didn’t last even half a second before it shattered mid-construction, leaving only a sky full of golden fragments.

The heavens erupted in shock. “Is the God of Xushan neither ghost nor god, yet truly ascended to divinity…?”

“Can a Corner of Heaven’s Will be acknowledged as a True Immortal by the Heaven’s Law?!”

“If he followed the path of ghost immortals, then what exactly has he cultivated into?”

On the ground, Bai Shuangying looked at his own fingers, smiling in satisfaction.

In the past, those gods could rely on the power of Heavenly Law’s to challenge him. But now…

He stretched out his hand like a child discovering a new toy.

In the sky, the immortals suddenly froze.

Most of the human and ghost immortals erupted with red karmic threads, which tangled together to form chains; chains that locked them in place.

…New, blood-red karmic chains.

Chains flew through the air.

The celestial weapons that had floated up now fell uselessly, and the spells that were being cast dissolved mid-chant. The immortals, of course, understood exactly what was happening—

Humans cultivated virtue, ghosts cultivated E’s. Whether incense offerings or Immortal E’s, they ultimately couldn’t escape the cycle of mortal karma.

The reason immortals cared so deeply for the wellbeing of the mortal world was, at its core, to ensure the continuation of karmic cause and effect.

Was the Corner of Heaven’s Will always this powerful in manipulating karma?

Last time, when confronting the God of Xushan, the karmic attacks had been like the flailing claws of a wild beast—chaotic, relying purely on instinct.

Now, the attacks from the God of Xushan were precise and calculated, targeting the weaknesses of the immortals. It was vicious in every sense.

On the other side, Bai Shuangying gleefully explained to Fang Xiu, “I can now grab hold of the immortals’ karma!”

As he spoke, he gave the red threads in his hand a playful tug like kite strings. The golden light and gray mist above shifted in response. Sometimes they formed a V-shape, sometimes a straight line. The previously rigid formation had completely unraveled.

Fang Xiu couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

While Bai Shuangying was joyfully testing his new power, the immortals in the sky finally ran out of patience and hurled down their first wave of spells.

Fang Xiu stopped laughing and looked up into the dazzling sky.

“The third taboo,”

Fang Xiu said slowly, “If you dare harm my closest kin at the door, then let the visitor fall into endless darkness.”

“Knock knock knock.” He reached out and tapped the air.

On the path of the falling spells, countless doors appeared out of thin air. Each door was unique in design, but all of them stood wide open, and inside was only a thick, lightless darkness.

The golden, flashing spells passed through the doorways and were immediately swallowed by the black void, as if they had fallen into a bottomless abyss. Even the celestial weapons, solid and tangible, stirred not a single ripple.

The immortals in the sky frantically tried to call them back, but could only watch helplessly as each door disappeared, leaving behind no trace.

A deep aura of doom radiated from those strange doors.

No one knew what hid behind that darkness… What if, instead of spells, the attackers had been the immortals themselves?

But everyone could sense it. The aura of those doors was eerily similar to the God of Xushan, almost indistinguishable.

The human beside the God of Xushan—or rather, the “thing” that only looked human—what exactly was it?

They couldn’t be sealed. They couldn’t be struck. For the moment, the immortals’ offensive stalled in midair.

Beneath her veil, A’Shou let out a bitter laugh.

“I should’ve known all along,” she murmured. “The most important thing at the negotiation table is always leverage.”

If Bai Shuangying was to truly regain his freedom, Fang Xiu had never planned to argue that he was pitiful, pure, harmless, or free of resentment toward the human world.

…He only needed to prove they could fight better than the immortals.

“This is all your fault for enabling them,” one of the ghost immortals beside her muttered. “So what if the God of Xushan was close to breaking free? As long as he hadn’t become a full ghost immortal yet—”

“There are only three ways to achieve peace in this world. Do you know them?” A’Shou replied, calm and cool.

“Stop going off-topic—”

“Obey completely and hope the powerful grant mercy. This is the lowest strategy.”

“Crush all threats with overwhelming power. This is the middle strategy.”

“Strike preemptively through superior strategy, intimidating without oppressing. This is the highest strategy.”

A’Shou looked down at the red and white figures below. “You’re trying to use a middle strategy to counter a top-tier one. It won’t work.”

“After all that, you’re just trying to say the God of Xushan is too strong and we’re no match?”

The ghost immortals, with their mixed levels of education, were largely unconvinced.

A’Shou gave another bitter smile. “Would you ever trust the God of Xushan? Do you think he’s the kind to politely put on a collar just to prove good intentions?”

“…”

“I have a plan. Cover me!”

Cen Ling finally snapped out of it. Without hesitation, he tore open a talisman and charged toward the immortals’ ranks.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face a blend of panic, dread, and a flicker of hope from discovering a potential loophole.

Strangely, the immortals did shield this reckless mortal. Fang Xiu simply watched Cen Ling soar skyward and made no move to stop him.

He let Bai Shuangying continue playing with karma and curled his lips at Cen Ling’s fleeing back.

---

The author has something to say:

The cats have bad intentions.jpg

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 173: Molten Fire and Metal

The Immortal E’s shattered like bubbles. The chains of karma lost their anchor points and vanished completely. The suffocating pressure of a thousand years dissipated without a trace, and power surged back into Bai Shuangying’s body. His robe swayed lightly as if drunk on the sensation of fullness and comfort.

Bai Shuangying looked at his hands and couldn’t help but smile.

Now, there was nothing left that could bind him. Only one problem remained—

As the final restraint broke, Fang Xiu absorbed the karmic power of tens of millions of Immortal E’s, while simultaneously losing the suppression they had provided. Both sides experienced a surge in strength. The balance of his “E cultivation” became unstable.

A wave of heat hit, and Bai Shuangying instinctively suppressed his aura and looked at Fang Xiu in front of him.

Fang Xiu’s body radiated an unexpected heat.

His red T-shirt was soaked in sweat at some unknown point. On his pale skin, faint trigram symbols flickered, along with increasingly visible veins of blood. Bai Shuangying could hear his heartbeat clearly. It was abnormally fast.

This wasn’t good.

As a Corner of Heaven’s Will, Bai Shuangying had simply regained his original power, and his body could naturally bear it.

Fang Xiu, on the other hand, was a mortal to the core. In the past fourteen years, he had only digested around a thousand E’s. To forcibly take in the karmic power of tens of millions now far exceeded what any human could handle.

Even after burning Cen Ling’s bronze sword and shield, Fang Xiu remained half-squatting, trying hard to suppress the sound of his own breathing.

Bai Shuangying’s smile faded without him noticing. He reached out to support Fang Xiu’s arm, quietly helping him stand.

Sure enough, Fang Xiu’s legs had already gone soft. At this rate, his body would soon be damaged by the high fever.

“Hah…” Fang Xiu exhaled. Though the weather was already warm, his breath still puffed out white vapor.

Bai Shuangying wrapped his sleeve around Fang Xiu, trying to cool him down. But Fang Xiu only grew hotter. Under the impact of countless karmic threads, his soul trembled ominously, like a dam about to break.

“The second phase…”

Fang Xiu tilted his face up and reached to touch the blood mole on Bai Shuangying’s cheek. “The second phase is up to you…”

The touch of a living fingertip felt like searing metal, just like when they first met.

There was no plan, no explanation. Fang Xiu simply smiled.

When he saw surprise flicker in those pale eyes, he smiled even more sweetly.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered, his cheek pressed to Bai Shuangying’s cool sleeve. “I’ve had to adjust a decade-long plan on the fly. Of course the risk is high…”

“But what can I say? I like you… The battlefield is like this. Anything can happen…”

After speaking, he coughed twice, bringing up a mess of red fragments—not blood, but shattered karmic threads.

As Fang Xiu’s condition deteriorated rapidly, Cen Ling finally caught his breath. He struggled to swallow another handful of pills and rose shakily to his feet.

Bai Shuangying ignored him entirely.

At that moment, his mind was working faster than ever.

His human had done extremely well on his own. Before this, Bai Shuangying had followed his lead cautiously, afraid to disrupt his human’s plans.

But just now, Fang Xiu had said, “Is up to you.”

Which meant Bai Shuangying could now do whatever he wanted—whether it concerned this ritual, the mortal world, or Fang Xiu himself.

…He was utterly, completely free.

In the corner of the garden, A’Shou clenched her fists, watching Bai Shuangying with intense anxiety. Her palms were drenched in sweat.

Fang Xiu had actually handed over the reins of the battle—perhaps even the control over his own life—to the Corner of Heaven’s Will.

Fang Xiu was cunning to a fault, but at least he had common sense and some shred of human decency. Bai Shuangying, by contrast, was a complete unknown. No one could predict what went on in his head.

Should she intervene? Try to talk to him?

Bai Shuangying harbored deep resentment toward the Underworld. Speaking out rashly might backfire. What if Fang Xiu had some backup plan? If this unrestrained Corner of Heaven’s Will decided to go wild in the middle of a city…

Then she saw Bai Shuangying pull Fang Xiu fully into his embrace, gently nuzzling his cheek against Fang Xiu’s hair.

Fang Xiu leaned against him with a relaxed look. Fine cracks spread across his skin like porcelain.

“I’m not used to being alone. That’s your fault.”

He muttered, “… And it’s strange, but I can guess what you want.”

We don’t need to show each other anything anymore. Let’s walk onto the stage together.

Amid the astonished gazes of those watching, countless red karmic threads exploded around Bai Shuangying, wrapping Fang Xiu tightly, forming a strangely shaped cocoon.

The red threads writhed gently, their ends drooping like willows—willows soaked in blood.

Bai Shuangying cradled the cocoon in a tilted hold. The corner of his mouth lifted high, his movements affectionate and careful.

Was he helping Fang Xiu ease the impact of the Immortal E’s? A’Shou wondered.

What was happening before her eyes had no precedent. It was entirely outside her realm of knowledge.

“I can do anything,” Bai Shuangying hummed softly. “I can do anything to you.”

No—that wasn’t it. A chill ran down A’Shou’s spine. This was…

Bai Shuangying was rapidly untangling all of Fang Xiu’s karmic threads. To a completely unbound Corner of Heaven’s Will, Fang Xiu’s entire life lay exposed and clear.

No, not just his life.

Karmic contamination against karmic contamination. Under Bai Shuangying’s onslaught, the Underworld’s spells began to loosen. The memories the Underworld had taken from Fang Xiu… The abilities he had used to destroy Immortal E’s… The chaotic, broken karmic lines began reconnecting and quickly restored themselves.

This was everything about the human named “Fang Xiu”.

…Bai Shuangying wasn’t merely healing. He was refining the E.

…He was forging a new Immortal E, refining Fang Xiu anew so he would no longer be constrained by mortal limits.

White fabric wrapped around the red cocoon as Bai Shuangying closed his eyes. Cen Ling tried to attack while he could, but all of his spells vanished like snow the moment they touched Bai Shuangying.

Countless pieces of information flooded into Bai Shuangying’s mind.

Fang Xiu liked red, liked firmer butter, preferably with a hint of salt.

Fang Xiu was a diligent learner. He had learned all his metaphysics from ghosts in the hospital ward, resulting in a rather eclectic skillset.

Fang Xiu was efficient in his work. His ghost business had spawned several human-world intelligence networks, though he personally didn’t care much about them.

Fang Xiu was also great at slacking off. His soul often slipped out of the hospital ward to look for a phone to watch content.

Most patients didn’t stay long in the hospital, so he rarely managed to finish novels or TV shows. Only movies could occasionally be watched from beginning to end.

…

Fang Xiu was especially afraid of pain. He feared trouble, hardship, loneliness, and above all, death.

[When I lose consciousness, you will definitely explore my karma. Bai Shuangying, by the time you see this, I’ll have already noticed you.]

Bai Shuangying even uncovered Fang Xiu’s thoughts before he lost consciousness.

To make sure they were recorded, Fang Xiu had secretly traced the words with his fingers.

[Thank you for not destroying the mortal world. Thank you for wanting to save me… Thank you for sending me home.]

[When everything is over, would you like to come home with me?]

Fang Xiu’s life lay completely open before him. It was, without question, a sincere question.

A question straight from the heart.

How rare, Bai Shuangying thought.

He had never liked humans, wasn’t sure what they would be like in the future, and Fang Xiu had zero experience when it came to feelings. This wasn’t something that could be planned. It made sense Fang Xiu would be curious.

But Bai Shuangying couldn’t be bothered to worry about something so trivial. They could try a few centuries first and figure it out from there.

“Of course,” Bai Shuangying said without hesitation. “I like your nature. I like your taste. If I endured a thousand years of hunger and sealed torment, then surely I can last even longer with you.”

“If you want to separate one day, well… I still think I’m more suitable for you than any other mortal you’ve ever met.”

After seeing the bloody, censored mess that was Fang Xiu’s life, he no longer worried about Fang Xiu wanting to leave.

He was the best choice now, and he would become the best choice in the future. That was all there was to it.

“So you’d better wake up soon,” Bai Shuangying declared solemnly. “Otherwise, I won’t be able to find my way home.”

That thought was comforting. Surely Fang Xiu also—

Suddenly, Bai Shuangying’s body burned with heat. His vision flooded with golden light.

The karmic red cocoon in his arms rapidly hardened and cracked, glowing with a thick layer of gold.

As the cocoon split open, Bai Shuangying caught Fang Xiu with sharp reflexes.

His human had grown even hotter. His soul boiled like molten gold in a furnace.

The intricate karmic threads had condensed into solid forms. Countless symbols on Fang Xiu’s body quickly contracted, forming a complete Eight Trigrams formation based on their individual configurations.

They continued to evolve, transforming into the Four Symbols, then into the Two Principles…

Finally, a Taiji pattern formed at the center of Fang Xiu’s chest and slowly sank into his skin.

As the symbol completed, Fang Xiu’s out-of-control body temperature began to fall. The cracks on his skin quickly closed.

A burning sensation flared on Bai Shuangying’s left cheek. His blood mole felt like it was on fire, growing brighter and more vivid.

If their ghost contract before had been like a single thread of spider silk, now a warm, unending gravitational pull stretched between them.

An evil spirit refined an E and became a ghost immortal. Once the intentions aligned, the Immortal E was complete.

Fang Xiu was visibly recovering and growing stronger. Bai Shuangying, on the other hand, didn’t feel much of a difference. He hadn’t had any worthy opponents before anyway, so it was hard to measure any power gain.

Wait—no. He had the perfect way to test it—

Bathed in gold light dazzling enough to blind ghosts, Bai Shuangying landed on the ground. “A’Shou, inform the Underworld immediately.”

A’Shou: “…”

She tightened her veil a little, trying to block out the blinding golden light.

What could she even say? The Fang Xiu E hadn’t been destroyed—he had instead become an Immortal E. Technically, this ritual was a success. She didn’t need Bai Shuangying to remind her; she could end the ritual on her own.

But who had they originally intended to seal with the Immortal E?

Looking at Bai Shuangying, smug and glowing with triumph, and Fang Xiu, who looked like he was struggling to wake up, A’Shou suddenly felt no desire to announce anything.

Bai Shuangying was brimming with enthusiasm. “The seal has broken. They’ll be looking for me everywhere. Hurry and tell those gods I’m right here.”

Just as he finished, Bai Shuangying realized something himself—

Fang Xiu had previously asked him to increase karmic contamination. Now that his power had grown so drastically, those gods probably didn’t even remember who he was anymore.

With a casual wave of his fingers, Bai Shuangying impatiently withdrew the contamination.

Almost instantly, the world began to shake.

In Bai Shuangying’s arms, Fang Xiu slowly opened his eyes.

He touched the Taiji on his chest, that was still faintly warm, and glanced past the shell-shocked Cen Ling and others, then looked up at the sky.

Here they come.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 172: Phase Two

In Bai Shuangying’s snow-white eyes, nearly a thousand trigrams drifted slowly. Fang Xiu’s skin was already pale, making the Underworld’s trigrams stand out vividly.

Each of these trigrams represented a successful ritual.

His human had participated in nearly a thousand rituals, killing who knew how many guilty souls along the way. Add to that the karma tangled through each ritual, and it all merged around Fang Xiu as the center. This wasn’t a simple accumulation, but a natural, interwoven whole. Its effect was beyond brute force.

No wonder Fang Xiu’s soul had such a magnificent scent.

Back then, when Zhuang Guiqu designed the Shrine of All E’s, he was aiming for quantity over quality. Even with thousands upon thousands of E’s, their karmic origins didn’t align.

If the E’s in the Shrine were like ancient soldiers with cold weapons, the “Fang Xiu E” was more like a commander wielding modern firepower. Both were human, but their combat power was not even remotely comparable.

Starting at age fourteen and continuing for nearly fifteen years, Fang Xiu had turned himself into the Underworld’s most unique and priceless bargaining chip in history.

Fang Xiu’s past was truly…

“You’re the most formidable mortal I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen a human dare challenge the Underworld before,”

Bai Shuangying hugged his human tightly in his arm. His tone had no pity, only full admiration. “You’ve done well. I’m proud of you.”

The sharp smile on Fang Xiu’s face softened. “Right? I think I’m pretty impressive too.”

“So that’s why you worked as the ‘Underworld Assassin’. You weren’t doing it for free, were you?”

Bai Shuangying spoke in the tone of someone checking whether their partner was being taken advantage of. He glanced at the line of ghosts nearby, not looking too friendly.

“Of course not.” Fang Xiu turned Bai Shuangying’s face back toward him.

“They tell me who they want dead. In return, I ask for knowledge of metaphysics, or intel on Guishan Sect believers.”

As for the ghosts’ targets, Fang Xiu never took them at their word.

Outside, some ghosts were tasked with tailing and investigating. Some were stationed at the police station to verify the information.

For ghosts, staying in a place like a police station full of yang energy was difficult, so they even created a rotation schedule to take turns tracking the unsuspecting Uncle Yuan.

Fang Xiu would be gone for a long time and only stayed for seven days when he returned. The ghosts had plenty of time to sort through data and verify intel. Their efficiency was excellent. Every time Fang Xiu returned to the living world, a thick stack of reports awaited him.

Still, he figured Bai Shuangying didn’t care about such mundane details.

“I can understand them, honestly.”

Fang Xiu muttered, “Even if their enemies weren’t selected for the rituals, even if I had to gamble each time, they still came to make deals over and over… As the dead, it’s the only thing they can do.”

Bai Shuangying hummed. “As long as you didn’t get taken advantage of.”

Clearly, from his tone, the Corner of Heaven’s Will didn’t think much of the ghosts at all.

A’Shou, on the other hand, had a completely different focus.

She finally understood the strange blank spots in the ritual records. It hadn’t been a mistake. According to Fang Xiu’s wish, his name had been erased, and memories of him had been removed.

She could accept that. But—

“How did you do it?”

A’Shou’s feelings were complicated. She didn’t know whether she should feel admiration or alarm. “You had no memory of the rituals. Even if the ghosts counted for you and told you your soul had gone missing, you still…”

“I didn’t need to remember the rituals.”

Fang Xiu casually said, his face half-buried in Bai Shuangying’s white robes. “I just needed to know that every time I vanished, I became a stronger E. That was enough.”

“When I entered the Disaster Relief Tower again, I could easily guess what my ‘life plan’ was during the ritual. So I just had to win again and make the same wish.”

A’Shou: “But your memory…”

“Even if an adult loses their memory, their mind doesn’t revert to infancy.”

Fang Xiu shrugged. “Some things, even forgotten, still leave their mark.”

But is that really considered “living”? A’Shou was at a loss for words.

Fourteen years. One hundred and seven rituals.

Only seven days in the world of the living. It was so brief. The total time Fang Xiu retained a normal memory added up to only about two years. And in those “twelve lost years” of rituals, all the fear, despair, and blood were buried in darkness by this human with a smile.

She remained silent for a long time, then tore off her veil and let it fall again to cover her face.

“Your obsession is unmatched. If you were to die unjustly, you’d become an even stronger ghost immortal than I am.”

From within her veil, she added quietly, “…Haa. I shouldn’t have obeyed that damn emperor. I should’ve fought him to the end and brought down his whole line.”

Then A’Shou noticed something strange. Cen Ling had gone unusually quiet since Fang Xiu’s memories finished playing.

She turned to look and saw that Cen Ling was murmuring incantations, his body wrapped in layers of spell patterns—

While they couldn’t attack each other, he had been preparing a spell all along!

“You’re really no fun. I was hoping we could talk more,” Fang Xiu said. “But actually, good timing. It’s almost time.”

Time?

A’Shou quickly calculated. It had only been an hour since they entered the world of the Immortal Encounter E.

One hour…

Wait, wait—an hour?

Add to that the fact Fang Xiu had Xiao Tian smear blood and Jiao Jiao release a blood mist…

Damn it, Fang Xiu had pulled them into the memory, but the point wasn’t the “memory”.

It was to “drag her and Cen Ling inside”!

A’Shou’s face darkened instantly. She opened her mouth to speak, but Fang Xiu snapped the Immortal Encounter E shut.

The pages collided with a soft pop, and the frozen scene around them vanished.

They returned once more to the hospital’s central garden.

As soon as the scenery reappeared, Cen Ling drew his bronze sword and shield, summoning a gust of yin wind across the ground.

He clanged sword against shield, veins bulging on his face. Yin energy burst from him like a flood.

All the trapped Immortal E’s trembled violently and began to rise, seemingly obeying his command.

Now Cen Ling finally understood. Fang Xiu was an E like no other. The hidden E in the hospital—was Fang Xiu himself. No wonder his people kept accidentally breaking taboos.

But now that he knew the E’s true form, the method of resolution was simple: Kill Fang Xiu’s physical body, even if it meant blowing up the entire hospital.

The problem was, before he could make a move, he had to get rid of Fang Xiu’s soul—

Fang Xiu completely ignored him.

At some point, he had begun holding a small cauldron. It was blood-red all over, only the size of a human eye, small enough to hide in his palm.

Bai Shuangying: “…Ah.”

It was the Earth Knocking Cauldron—no, it was his meal card!

Recently, he’d been eating too much of Chef Fang’s private dishes that he had forgotten it even existed. If he remembered correctly, its effect was—

“A magic weapon stained with blood. After soaking for over an hour, it can be fed into this cauldron.”

Fang Xiu let go of Bai Shuangying. “You taught me that.”

With that, he pressed the cauldron into the mass of Immortal E’s.

“Psycho,” A’Shou could only get that one word out.

The entire field of E’s had been soaked in Fang Xiu’s blood mist, and the especially powerful ones had even been smeared with his blood by Xiao Tian.

Fang Xiu merely touched the pile of E’s, and countless ones shattered into glowing fragments and were absorbed into his fist.

As the whirlwind of absorption swept through, new E’s rushed in to replace them. The field of E’s churned like a spring lake, constantly drawn into Fang Xiu’s cauldron. Before they could respond to Cen Ling’s summoning, they had already been reduced to light and vanished.

Inside Fang Xiu’s hospital room, his physical body twitched slightly. The ghosts nearby instantly pulled back, pressing themselves to the walls.

The karma surrounding Fang Xiu was increasing at an unprecedented rate—to a degree his body couldn’t withstand. On his skin, trigram symbols surfaced and trembled, then split repeatedly in an effort to contain the overwhelming karma.

In moments, his entire body was covered in shifting trigrams, creating a terrifying sight.

Then came a wave of raging yin energy, sharp as blades. The medical tubes on Fang Xiu’s body began to shake violently.

The little black dog barked madly. Guan He shouted, “Cheng Jie, the shield!”

He didn’t know what was happening to Fang Xiu, but he knew how to suppress that yin energy.

Cheng Songyun quickly deployed her Resentful Ghost Shield, shielding the entire room—especially the vital medical equipment—completely from the rampaging energy.

Guan He stepped out the door and guarded the tiny hospital room vigilantly.

Outside, everything was silent.

As if nothing had happened.

……

Fang Xiu withdrew his gaze from the direction of the hospital room and continued destroying the Immortal E’s without a care.

The “meal card” had never experienced such a lavish recharge before. The rate of absorption was astonishing. In just a dozen seconds, nearly half the Immortal E’s on the field were gone.

The particles of light in the air grew more dazzling. The surrounding “Uncle Hou’s believers” exchanged uneasy glances and ducked for cover. The death of the original Uncle Hou was of little concern. As long as his living soul was preserved, they could still pass the ritual.

As for Xiao Tian and Jiao Jiao, they were once again pulled onto the boat by Xiao Li. This time, no one had the energy to fight. They raised the boat to the highest point, avoiding the chaos below.

Only Yan Yan remained by the window, staring in disbelief. “What the fuck—how many E’s is he destroying… Wait, can these even be destroyed? Aren’t these Immortal E’s?!”

In the garden below, others clearly shared the same question.

The elite believers who were summoned had all violated taboos. The Immortal E’s they had stolen were now being rapidly destroyed, impossible to recover. Cen Ling attacked Fang Xiu with all his might, but every strike was easily blocked by the flamboyant white-clad ghost. Rage welled up in his throat as the taste of blood filled his mouth.

“Ghost Immortal A’Shou, Fang Xiu is shaking the very foundation of the Disaster Relief Tower!”

Cen Ling shouted harshly. “If all the Immortal E’s are destroyed, the Great God of Calamity will descend. Without the Immortal E’s to suppress it, not even immortals can save us!”

A’Shou didn’t move.

“The Guishan Sect only wants to awaken humanity to truth and cultivate great virtue. This man wants to see the mortal world utterly destroyed!”

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Cen Ling grew desperate. “I’ll break the information seal on this place. Hurry—inform the Underworld!”

As he spoke, he bit through his fingertip and drew an incredibly complex sigil in the air.

Cracking sounds echoed through the world. They came from every direction of the hospital. Then, something invisible had shattered.

Cen Ling’s heart ached.

Since the location of the ritual had been decided, the Guishan Sect had brought out their best magic weapon, painstakingly creating this formation. It was supposed to unravel naturally when the ritual ended.

But now he had broken it himself, hoping the Underworld enforcers would relay the abnormal situation to the heavens.

If these Immortal E’s were all destroyed, the Guishan Sect’s plan to “hijack the E’s and bring them into the mortal world” would collapse entirely. And with each E gone, resealing the Great God of Calamity would become even harder.

In this moment, his interests aligned with those of Heaven and the Underworld. It was better to pit one tiger against another. Let the gods suppress Fang Xiu.

Even if he were punished or killed here, preserving the Immortal E’s was what mattered most. The sect leader was still abroad cultivating talent. The Guishan Sect would still have a future.

As for Fang Xiu’s “wish to destroy the Guishan Sect”? What a joke. The man was on the verge of releasing the Great God of Calamity—there was no way the immortals would ever negotiate with him!

A’Shou still didn’t move. The veil over her face puffed slightly, as if she were sighing.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Your task is complete.”

Fang Xiu shattered a whole new swath of E’s and smiled as he beckoned.

“One of my taboos: I will repay all Guishan Sect followers in kind.” 

Cen Ling wavered midair.

His legs instantly became mangled flesh. A massive slash appeared on his abdomen, blood pouring out nonstop. He fell to the ground and swallowed a large handful of pills.

Just as his injuries stabilized, Fang Xiu beckoned again.

Agonizing pain returned. His right leg broke again, and the wound on his abdomen reopened. Gritting his teeth, Cen Ling downed another handful of pills.

“Relax. I won’t let you die yet. The good part is still coming.”

Fang Xiu continued destroying Immortal E’s in a methodical rhythm. There weren’t many left in the courtyard. “Yan Yan, come down and help me gather the remaining ones—don’t miss a single one.”

The red-haired young man leapt from the window, landing as a massive red fox.

Grumbling, the fox sniffed the air and ran around the garden, picking out the small, overlooked Immortal E’s that had rolled into obscure corners.

Its vibrant red fur fluttered wildly. From the airborne boat came a suspicious hissing gasp, but Yan Yan pretended not to hear it.

Cen Ling knelt in place, constantly struggling against his mortal injuries. But his healing couldn’t keep pace with Fang Xiu’s rate of destruction.

Right before his eyes, Fang Xiu wiped out all the Immortal E’s. His fellow believers, who were supposed to use the E’s, were hiding in the shadows, watching the show as if it had nothing to do with them.

Most baffling of all, the ghost immortal A’Shou had silently watched the entire time as well.

He didn’t understand.

For a moment, Cen Ling was at a loss.

In a daze, he suddenly realized—the bronze sword and shield in his hands were the last two Immortal E’s of the Disaster Relief Tower.

Fang Xiu walked toward him, still holding that accursed book, the Immortal Encounter E.

“Do you even know what you’ve done?”

Cen Ling clutched his bleeding abdomen, his once-bright voice now filled with bitterness.

“You won. You really destroyed my sect’s plan.”

“But you’ve also unleashed the Great God of Calamity… Heaven and the Underworld will see you as a madman and crush you without mercy…”

Fang Xiu raised one hand to interrupt.

“No, no. I haven’t won yet.”

He crouched down and placed his hands on the sword and shield.

An anomaly ability triggered. Ghost flames burst into life from Fang Xiu’s palms. Under the intense heat, the bronze quickly melted and twisted, becoming two useless lumps of scrap.

“You misunderstand. I’m not targeting you.”

Reflected in the blue flames, Fang Xiu’s tone was quiet and gentle.

“It’s just that your brilliant plan happened to conflict with my life goals.”

“Don’t be so smug…” Cen Ling’s vision dimmed from the pain. “With the protection of the God of Xushan, my sect…”

“Yes. It’s still too early to be smug.”

Fang Xiu’s voice grew even softer. “The second phase has only just begun.”

Behind him, Bai Shuangying raised his gaze from his own hands.

That beautiful, usually expressionless face curved into a smile.

---

The author has something to say:

The white cat was free.

What bad thoughts can a tabby have.jpg

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 171: One Hundred and Eight

The color of the red T-shirt exploded outward. Crimson hues swept through space, and the hospital room transformed in an instant.

Sunlight shone brightly outside the window, and there was now a caregiver in Fang Xiu’s room. The caregiver looked to be in their forties, brisk and competent, clearly a seasoned professional.

Nurse Cai happened to be present too. She greeted the officer who had just entered. “Mr. Yuan.”

Compared to the previous scene, Officer Yuan’s features hadn’t changed much, but his hair had turned mostly white, and he looked at least ten years older. He carried a grocery bag and a bouquet in one hand, and a four-inch birthday cake in the other. His casual clothes were steeped in the smell of cigarette smoke.

Taped to the side of the cake box was a small packet containing candles shaped like the numbers “1” and “4”.

“The child’s condition is unstable. He can’t eat cake,” Nurse Cai reminded him gently.

Officer Yuan nodded.

Nurse Cai smiled kindly.

Anyone with eyes could tell this wasn’t really about whether he could eat cake. Fang Xiu could only survive through a feeding tube.

But Officer Yuan wasn’t the type to cause trouble, and that reassured her.

Yuan Ye came to visit Fang Xiu nearly every day. He had spent a long time at the hospital looking for a reliable caregiver. Given Fang Xiu’s condition, the monthly salary was over ten thousand, but Yuan Ye agreed immediately—so long as the caregiver carefully maintained the boy’s muscles and joints to keep his body as healthy as possible.

He knew there was no hope, but he still refused to give up. As for the large expense—

“That’s money his parents left him. It should be used where it counts,” Officer Yuan had once said.

Now, he carefully replaced the flowers by Fang Xiu’s bed and inserted the candles into the cake.

“For safety, I won’t light them.”

Yuan Ye looked at the sleeping face of the young Fang Xiu. “Make a wish quietly in your heart. It won’t come true if you say it out loud.”

“Okay.”

The young Fang Xiu’s soul stood quietly in the corner of the room.

But none of the living could see or hear him.

“The cake will be shared later with your caregiver and Nurse Cai.” Yuan Ye said, “I don’t like this stuff. It’s way too sweet. But if you wake up today, I’ll eat a slice with you.”

“Okay,” the young Fang Xiu whispered.

“I got you some new clothes.”

Yuan Ye expertly pulled a red T-shirt from the shopping bag.

“I bought one for you and one for your brother as New Year’s gifts. Festive, right? Your brother took his with him. Yours is worn out by now.”

“Kids grow fast. Uncle bought you a new one. It’ll fit perfectly when you wake up. I’ll get you a new one every birthday… If you think this gift is boring, then hurry up and wake up, and I’ll let you pick something else.”

Fang Xiu’s soul said nothing. He looked at the red T-shirt hanging on the wall for a moment but didn’t respond.

Officer Yuan had never talked this much before. It had always been Auntie Qin who liked to chatter.

These days, Officer Yuan had become the talkative one, even though no one ever replied to him.

After his monologue, Officer Yuan sat quietly at the bedside for a long time. He stared at the pale hospital room as if wrapped in air saturated with the smell of medicine, solidified like amber.

Eventually, he opened his mouth again. “Child, this wasn’t your fault, you know? Don’t refuse to wake up because of it.”

“It was my fault. If I’d been home then…”

Mid-sentence, he exhaled sharply and wiped his face hard with both hands.

“You’re the only child I have left, Fang Xiu.”

“Hey, you can’t become a ghost now,” said the ghost of an old man, grinning beside the young Fang Xiu. “That dad of yours really loves you. No way you’ll die unjustly now.”

“Not like my unfilial son, who only brought me to the hospital when I was about to croak. Tch.”

The young Fang Xiu lowered his eyes as if he didn’t hear.

After becoming a soul, he’d even forgotten how to cry.

The ghost leaned in closer. “Hey kid, look at you, not quite human, not quite ghost. Pathetic. Stop forcing it. Just accept your fate.”

“Your soul’s still tied to your body, but just barely. If you let go, your dad will finally be free. Over ten thousand a month for a caregiver, come on.”

“Get lost, you old bastard!”

A female ghost dropped from the ceiling, landing right on the old man’s head. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just hungry for your karma. Wants to feed off you!”

“You ruined my setup!”

“Yeah, like good-looking souls show up here often. Shameless trying to scam a kid!”

Fang Xiu stared blankly as the two ghosts fought.

His soul looked even less alive than either of them.

He was used to ghosts bickering by now. Most of their obsessions were weak and would soon fade anyway.

He had turned fourteen. He’d been in the hospital for nearly a year.

His soul couldn’t stray far from his body and couldn’t leave the hospital. The view outside the window was always the same. Even when he wandered, he could only see patients and hospital rooms.

He could no longer go to school or read properly. The only things he could still see were glowing phone screens and the occasional tablet used by inpatients.

…Everything had become fragments.

In the dead of night, the knocking sound echoed endlessly in his mind. He saw the fog of Xushan, his mother washing dishes, and New Year fireworks outside the window.

Instead of fading, his hatred had grown like a snowball, on the verge of driving him insane.

He knew that the Guishan cult leader Zhuang Chongyue had fled abroad, that the remaining cultists were being hunted down like rats, and that many of them weren’t even core members, but just deluded fanatics.

The ones who ruined his life weren’t the masterminds, just the ones who were used.

His hatred had metastasized like cancer, with nowhere to go.

The young Fang Xiu stood before the delicate cake and touched the frosting, his fingers slipping through the sugary cream without resistance.

The next second, everything went dark.

He opened his eyes and saw the ground standing upright.

It took a few seconds for him to realize he was lying on the ground, his right cheek pressed against the dirt.

He heard faint, intermittent suona music nearby. It was impossible to tell if it was for a joyful occasion or mourning. The air was cold and dark, and a circle of red lanterns swayed gently in the distance.

Fang Xiu was wearing his brand-new birthday present, the bright red T-shirt.

The scene shimmered and wavered like a dream, as if it might vanish at any moment.

But anyone who knew the truth would immediately recognize this place. This was the Disaster Relief Tower. Fourteen was the minimum age for a sacrifice to enter the ritual.

A’Shou grounded her teeth hard. Bai Shuangying looked at Fang Xiu with some surprise. Fang Xiu gave his ghost a small wink, looking a little smug.

“That’s impossible.” Cen Ling’s voice finally faltered. “There are rules between the living and the dead. A sacrifice can only be summoned once, because—”

“Because contact with an E infects the soul with yin energy. A soul tainted with too much yin will cause the body to age faster or run into spirits in broad daylight,” A’Shou said coldly. “Even after purification with soul-restoring springs, the damage remains. If someone participates more than once, their body will barely function.”

“Fang Xiu, your body was already weak, and your soul is constantly affected by spirits. I can understand if you don’t care about side effects.”

A’Shou turned to him, lifting her veil to reveal her furrowed brow.

“…But how did you participate multiple times?”

“That’s thanks to you, A’Shou Jie.”

Fang Xiu reached a hand toward her. “I forgot, but you really don’t remember?”

“Remember?”

“Help me out, Bai Shuangying.” Fang Xiu nudged his ghost with his elbow.

“My soul’s too weak. The Underworld tossed me around like a toy. But A’Shou Jie is one of the strongest ghost immortals. Her memory must be more stable… With your yin energy, maybe you can recover a little.”

Bai Shuangying looked at Fang Xiu, then at A’Shou, and made a resolute hum of agreement.

He reached out and held Fang Xiu’s hand, extending it toward her.

A’Shou hesitated for a moment, then gently placed her fingers over theirs. In that moment, a surge of yin energy rushed into her body. It felt like a block of ice had been crammed into her mind, bringing with it a pain like frostbite to the brain.

Like sand blowing across the surface, colors and fragments suddenly filled her memory.

The scattered pieces floated and merged like puzzle pieces, fitting together on their own.

Carried through Fang Xiu’s hand by Bai Shuangying’s yin aura, the memory was faithfully restored by the Immortal Encounter E—

“How interesting. A child this young passed the eighth ritual.”

A’Shou looked down at young Fang Xiu, dressed in a red T-shirt.

“Child, make your wish.”

Compared to the numb expression he had in the hospital, the young Fang Xiu now looked much more alive. His fists were clenched, and three trigram symbols were glowing faintly on his arms.

He lifted his head high and looked at A’Shou with eyes full of hope.

“I want the Guishan Sect to be completely destroyed. I want Zhuang Chongyue and all his loyal followers dead. The more miserable, the better!”

The young Fang Xiu shouted with a strong voice, his cheeks flushed with excitement.

A’Shou did a quick calculation. “No.”

Fang Xiu froze.

Then, his shock turned into blazing rage. “Why not? Why can’t I? Didn’t you say I could wish for anything?!”

“I have a blood feud with the Guishan Sect. It’s part of my karma!”

“The Guishan Sect’s leader Zhuang Chongyue and his top aides are mostly abroad.”

A’Shou spoke with cold authority. “The Underworld has no interest in intervening in matters beyond national borders. If you only wanted the sect’s domestic operatives dead, the Underworld could grant that.”

This time, Fang Xiu was silent for much longer.

His anger faded, replaced by deep pain. “What’s the point if those leaders overseas are still alive? Even if the ones here die, they’ll rebuild everything from abroad…”

A’Shou repeated, “The Underworld has no interest in intervening in matters beyond national borders.”

“What’s wrong with killing evil people? You’re supposed to be gods—you can do it, can’t you?”

Fang Xiu’s eyes were red. “I’ve held on this long, and this is the kind of cheap bait I get…”

He swallowed hard and twisted the hem of his red T-shirt tightly, trying not to let the tears fall.

A’Shou sighed softly. “Child, just because we can doesn’t mean we should. The same goes for the world of the living. The living don’t declare war on foreign nations just because a criminal escapes there.”

“I’ve read your file, Fang Xiu. You’re still so young. Rather than clinging to the past, why not wish for your own recovery?”

The boy covered his eyes. A’Shou thought he was about to cry, but instead, she heard two cold, bitter laughs.

“Recover, and then what?”

“What?”

“Recover, and then worry every day that some lunatic will knock on my door and kill me and my family.”

“Recover, and live with Uncle Yuan. Even if he can accept me, I can’t face him. I just can’t.”

“Recover, and even if I change my name and grow up overseas, I still won’t be able to touch those wealthy bastards. Before I can even figure out how to get revenge, they’ll be living out their days in comfort and die peacefully.”

“…So what’s the point of recovering?”

Fang Xiu’s face was deathly pale, and his words were chillingly calm.

They flowed too smoothly, not as if he was reacting on impulse, but as if he had been repeating them in his head endlessly.

“A’Shou Jie, I’m not clinging to the past… To me, my life is already over.” He spoke slowly and clearly, each word soaked in blood.

A’Shou had seen plenty of wish-makers break down or argue irrationally. She remained composed as Fang Xiu finished. “You still need to make a wish. Telling me all this won’t change anything.”

“Child, do you know what the most important thing in a negotiation is?”

Fang Xiu: “I…”

“Leverage.” A’Shou cut him off. “I know you’re in pain. I know you’ve fought hard. I know your life has been tragic. But in the eyes of the living and the dead, that means nothing.”

“In the end, you have no leverage. The Underworld won’t make an exception for you.”

Fang Xiu gritted his teeth and pressed his hand over the three trigrams on his arm, speechless.

“According to the rules, those anomalies will also be sealed.”

“To be fair, they are indeed tied to your karma. You could use your wish to keep them. But in your current physical state, they’re useless anyway.”

A’Shou saw through him easily and said with a kind of merciless clarity, “…Alright. If you can’t make a wish now, you can take a few more hours to think.”

Fang Xiu remained there, unmoving, for a full hour. He stood like a statue, his hand never leaving his arm.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t just stalling. He seemed to be genuinely thinking hard, his gaze alternating between his arm and the Disaster Relief Tower.

The despair on his face slowly faded, replaced by something more complex, more deeply rooted.

“I’ve decided.”

At last, the young Fang Xiu forced a stiff smile.

“These anomalies can’t be used in the outside world, but they’re still part of my karma, right?”

“Yes,” A’Shou replied, puzzled.

“As long as it’s tied to karma, my wish can bend some minor rules, right?”

“Yes.”

“The Underworld doesn’t intervene in foreign affairs, but with enough leverage, it can, right?”

“…Yes.”

“My wish is: let me enter the ritual again.”

Fang Xiu said, “Let me participate in the ritual one more time.”

Now it was A’Shou’s turn to fall silent.

When she finally spoke, her voice was colder than before. “I don’t know what you’re planning, kid. But let me make one thing clear—technically, you can wish for that. But rituals are secrets shared by both the yin and yang world. No matter what, the Underworld will erase your memory of the Disaster Relief Tower.”

“When you return, you’ll remember nothing. You’ll have no advantage.”

Fang Xiu didn’t hesitate. “No problem.”

Then he let out a little “ah” and pointed at A’Shou.

“Next time I come back, I don’t want you to remember me either. Just to be clear, my wish is—”

He narrowed his eyes, his smile growing eerie.

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

A’Shou agreed.

What a strange child, she thought.

He was most likely going to die in the next ritual. Even if he survived by sheer luck, he would probably make a different wish next time.

High above, Cen Ling clicked his tongue. “So how many times have you entered the ritual now?”

He looked at A’Shou, only to find her staring at Fang Xiu in stunned silence. Her veil had been lifted, and she looked utterly shocked.

Fang Xiu stuck out his tongue at her and helpfully inserted his own memory—

What followed was a nightmare-like loop.

The boy in red stood before A’Shou, again repeating the same conversation about revenge and his wish, then falling into contemplation.

At the end of each wish:

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

In the hospital, ghosts gathered around Fang Xiu.

“Ah, his soul’s back again.”

“This kid’s karma is so heavy. Smells amazing.”

……

Disaster Relief Tower.

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

Hospital.

“Hmm, he was gone a bit longer this time. Let’s remember that for him.”

“I told him about my husband who poisoned me—he died for real. So weird!”

……

Disaster Relief Tower.

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

Hospital.

“Maybe our Xiao Fang should start a business. Every time he vanishes, someone he talked to ends up dead.”

“Not all of them, though.”

“What do you know! It’s karma!”

……

Disaster Relief Tower.

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

Hospital.

“Fang Xiu’s karma is building up too fast…”

“No idea what he’s doing out there. He never remembers anything when he comes back.”

“Start keeping a list of people to kill! Lots of ghosts are lining up for their turn!”

……

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

…

……

…………

Eight rituals in the Underworld, spaced nearly a month apart.

Target collection, seven days in the living world.

And so, with seven days between each, the never-ending ritual loop continued.

The boy in the red T-shirt, still visibly youthful, gradually became the young man in red.

The pain faded.

The despair faded.

The rage faded.

No one knew exactly when, but eventually, only his smile remained.

He always wore the perfectly fitting red T-shirt.

“Let me return in seven days. Forget me.”

At the end of his last wish, Fang Xiu waved cheerfully to A’Shou, his black eyes peeking out from beneath his messy hair.

In the hospital room, Fang Xiu’s soul reappeared silently.

He didn’t waste time reminiscing. He skillfully checked the condition of his body on the bed.

Good. The yin energy was holding well.

He didn’t need to remember much.

He only knew that his body was becoming an E of unprecedented magnitude, so massive that no ghost dared draw near to repair it.

All the evil spirits told him the same thing: the stronger the E, the more the Underworld desired it.

It was rumored that the Underworld was suppressing a terrifying apocalyptic evil, one that required an endless supply of E’s.

Fang Xiu knew he could never become a ghost.

So, if he could become the strongest E in existence, he could use the Underworld to do what he never could—kill those he could never reach.

“How many times has this happened?” Fang Xiu turned to ask the ghosts surrounding him.

The waiting ghosts exchanged glances and replied in unison, “The one hundred and seventh time.”

“This is your one hundred and seventh ‘disappearance’,” they said enthusiastically.

The memory ended. The scene froze.

Hovering in the air, Fang Xiu turned and smiled at A’Shou.

He extended his left arm. The eight red trigrams from the current ritual obediently rose into view. But then more trigrams began to emerge from deeper within his skin.

These were sealed by the Underworld, dull black and lifeless, completely unlike the crimson ones.

They emerged in the hundreds, densely covering every inch of Fang Xiu’s body.

…From afar, the countless trigrams looked like strange, sinister markings. And the Fang Xiu, who bore them, resembled an entirely unknown kind of evil spirit.

“This is the one hundred and eighth time we’ve met, A’Shou Jie,” Fang Xiu said with a smile. “This is my one hundred and eighth ritual.”

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The author has something to say:

The reason why the tabby cat is a tabby cat… (.

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Kinky Thoughts:

One thing that Nian Zhong has gotten better at over each novel is the cohesion of everything coming together at the end (not that she was ever bad at it in the first place. Stray has one of the best connecting plot points and it was her first.).

But this… This one gives me chills (in all the best ways).

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