Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 173: You and Me

The continuous drizzle continued.

Zhong Chengshuo, drenched from head to toe, returned to the room and lit the oil lamp on the table. He couldn’t use magic, so he could only sit on the edge of the bed, wet and dripping. Raindrops trickled down his black hair, leaving dark traces on the rocky ground, resembling blood.

The red cloth was made up of solid seals and didn’t absorb water. The water flowed over Zhong Chengshuo’s skin, from his neck to his toes, dripping incessantly, as if it would never stop. Zhong Chengshuo sat on the edge of the bed as the candlelight danced in the eyes that didn’t belong to him. In the play of light and shadow, he looked more like a statue than any deity in the Fu family’s ancestral hall.

He didn’t even breathe.

…Until the remaining five members of the Shian group arrived.

They were covered in wooden tablets inscribed with purification spells and seals, resembling peculiar raincoats. Zhong Chengshuo didn’t close the door and his gaze didn’t budge an inch.

Leading the way was Fu Xingchuan.

The white dog stood at the doorway for a long time, making sure Zhong Chengshuo showed no unusual reaction before stepping inside. Huang Jin transformed himself into the size of a ping pong ball, with his body sandwiched between wooden tablets inscribed with purification spells and seals. Like a desperate sandwich, Huang Jin weakly clung to Fu Xingchuan’s fur.

When Fu Xingchuan shook his fur, he nearly flung Huang Jin away.

With a sheltered roof, the Shian group resumed their busy activities. Lu Xiaohe carefully examined the interior decorations, unable to take her eyes off the wall of books. Fu Tianyi’s face turned purple, afraid to breathe too heavily and blow away the precious dust from the “Great Celestial Master’s former residence”.

Only the practical Ge Tingting started a fire in the stove. She squatted down, tending to the fire while curiously watching Zhong Chengshuo.

At this moment, Zhong Chengshuo’s reaction was even worse than an ordinary puppet. The members of the Shian group were bustling around, yet he didn’t even move his eyeballs. Seeing his stance, Ge Tingting didn’t dare to speak first and instead leaned toward Lu Xiaohe.

Lu Xiaohe had already started rummaging through the books on the Great Celestial Master’s bookshelf. The more she read, the more twisted her expression became. In the end, she started flipping through the books faster and faster. In less than two hours, she had actually gone through all the books on the shelf—if only counting the first page.

“How is it?” Fu Xingchuan, who was by the stove, looked up.

“Half of them are the most popular folk tales from various eras, a quarter of them are miscellaneous records and recipes, and the remaining quarter has a bit of everything, except for any proper books.”

Those recipes and folk tales were nearly torn apart from being flipped through, and she even found two well-hidden colorful books*. It was unknown who that guy was hiding them from in this unlucky place.

*Explicit.

Fu Xingchuan: “…Hmm.” He wasn’t particularly surprised.

Lu Xiaohe put all the books back in their original places. She took a step back and surveyed the small space in front of her. The crackling of firewood echoed in the room, and the smoke rose through the chimney to the outside. The dim flickering of the fire illuminated the odds and ends beneath the bookshelf, casting a golden hue on the cloth tiger in the woven basket.

The chaos was orderly, so ordinary that it made one uncomfortable.

The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was the title given to Yin Ren by the world. Here, compared to the so-called residence of the Great Celestial Master, it looked more like an ordinary mortal’s room.

The legendary Great Celestial Master, an elusive anomaly… At the end of countless identities, all they saw was an ordinary person.

“I’ll keep watch tonight. Everyone should go to bed early. We’ll continue reliving the memories tomorrow,” Fu Xingchuan said, standing up from his huddled position. On his head, the Yellow Millet ball had already turned into a puddle, fast asleep.

Zhong Chengshuo, for the first time, made a move. He stood up from the bed and made room for others. Then he leaned against the edge of the bed, gazing at the pouring rain outside, once again freezing into a statue-like form.

Ge Tingting glanced at Zhong Chengshuo with a bit of concern, but even Fu Xingchuan didn’t dwell on the puppet’s loss of control, so she didn’t know what to say. The young girl leaned against the wall next to the stove, slowly closing her eyes.

…..

When the Shian group began reliving the memories again, the rain in the memory world hadn’t stopped.

With the recovery of their main performers, Huang Jin and Zhong Chengshuo, more details of the memories gradually unfolded.

Everyone saw the boundless “black lake” from Yin Ren’s perspective, as well as the peculiar and inexplicable black rabbit.

Countless fragments of memories revolved around the appearance of the rabbit. The scene was like a shattered mirror, projecting various fragments associated with the black rabbit in front of them.

Yin Ren’s life in the Valley of Remains was short and dull. He would only return briefly during the height of summer and the depths of winter. The desolation of the Valley of Remains remained unchanged for a century, and the darkness below the cliffs was forever calm and undisturbed. The peculiar black rabbit was the only variable in this place.

The earliest encounter was when Yin Ren was building his house in the Valley of Remains.

At that time, Yin Ren’s red clothes were a bit rough, as if he had casually tied a few pieces of red cloth with hemp rope. He was in a better state than now, exuding vitality between his brows and eyes.

In the scene, Yin Ren was carrying a bundle of long straws and holding several plump rabbits as provisions.

Coincidentally, all three rabbits were black and their fur glossy. They had round eyes that had lost their luster, and they were tied together with ropes, forming a furry bundle. After finishing the construction of his house, Yin Ren skinned one of the rabbits on the spot and roasted it over a crackling fire.

The rabbit meat was roasted until it was crispy, golden, and oozing with oil. Although it was likely imbued with a considerable amount of Evil Force, Yin Ren clearly didn’t care. He stared intensely at the roasted rabbit and took out a wrapped package of spices from his pocket with a solemn expression as if he were doing something earth-shattering.

The flesh of beasts was gamey, while that of birds was scarce. Rabbit meat was tender and easy to carry, and the leftover skin and fur could be used as well. Yin Ren seemed to have a strong preference for this kind of food.

At this moment, there was a slight movement on the nearby cliff.

Yin Ren didn’t pay much attention at first. The concentration of Evil Force in this area was severe, and birds passing through here were occasionally affected and fell to their deaths on the rocks. There were quite a few bird carcasses nearby. The movement just now was probably caused by an unlucky wild goose falling.

However, as Yin Ren flipped the rabbit over to cook the other side, he noticed something moving in his peripheral vision.

Yin Ren finally lowered the flame, and out of curiosity, he reached out and grabbed a rabbit leg, leaning in to take a closer look—

A black rabbit.

A rabbit that couldn’t be called a rabbit at all.

Yin Ren gasped. The rabbit had seven or eight rabbit feet protruding in all directions, and a giant eyeball grew on one side of its body, with several ears sprouting from the ends of its legs.

Yin Ren’s hand holding the rabbit leg trembled slightly. He was on the verge of writing “Is this retribution for eating too many rabbits?”  on his face.

After hesitating for a moment, he picked up a bird bone and poked the thing that looked like a rabbit.

The creature immediately tensed up, as if it had been greatly stimulated, and its entire body twitched uncontrollably. Unfortunately, the interest of the Great Celestial Master came and went quickly. After poking it for a while, Yin Ren returned to his beloved roasted meat.

Occasionally, strange and grotesque anomalies would arise in the Valley of Remains, but in an environment with such a high concentration of Evil Force, newly born anomalies had a hard time surviving. Building the house was still more important than dealing with an unidentified and non-threatening creature.

Yin Ren no longer responded, and the black rabbit slumped down in a dejected manner. Eventually, it squeezed its way into a crevice and disappeared.

……

The second encounter took place while Yin Ren was sitting on the cliff edge.

The Evil Force within his body was constantly eroding him, causing Yin Ren to hunch his back and tremble slightly. His gaze was fixed on the darkness below the cliff as he made an effort to regulate his breathing and state of mind.

The peculiar-looking black rabbit returned again. Its body was still in disarray, although the number of legs had reduced to four. If one didn’t count the dozen or so eyes, it could be considered progress.

It wriggled like a worm and wobbled towards Yin Ren.

Yin Ren glanced at it sideways. “Still alive, huh? You’ve got some skills. So, are you the Rabbit King who has come for revenge on behalf of your subjects?”

The thing showed no reaction.

Yin Ren momentarily forgot about the pain. He tried a few simple spells, but the effects were just basic loud noises and bright lights. The wriggling thing on the ground remained unaffected and steadily advanced towards Yin Ren.

It was a bit unnerving.

“Invisible, inaudible… reacts to vibrations, perhaps still has some sense of touch. What on earth are you?” Yin Ren muttered to himself, shifting his butt away, clearly reluctant to touch this strange rabbit.

The rabbit seemed to sense something and suddenly stopped, beginning to kick its legs in slow motion.

Yin Ren: “…” This thing was simply too bizarre.

He shook himself and quickly walked back into the house. The rabbit, in a state of confusion, drooped its previously perked-up ears, and its round eyes darted around.

Once again, it seeped into the crevices and disappeared.

Third time, fourth time… Every time Yin Ren returned to this place, this peculiar black rabbit would inevitably appear and slowly advance towards him. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be frightened out of their wits. Fortunately, the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had seen and experienced much and only kept a cautious distance from it.

The change occurred during their sixth meeting.

Yin Ren was once again sitting on the cliff edge, and when the rabbit approached, he didn’t avoid it.

“Do you know?” Perhaps because there was no one else around, he no longer concealed the weakness brought about by the pain. “The more Evil Force I seal, the more the ordinary people out there fear me… Cultivators revere me, ordinary folks fear me, and it makes me quite uncomfortable.”

The speed of the rabbit’s wriggling slowed down.

“Now, I can only go back to my hometown once a year to catch a whiff of the scent of smoke… The people there firmly believe that I am their family and would never harm them. That way, even though I’m separated by a door, I can still talk to them and taste the sweet fruits and meals of the mortal world.”

“But if my condition continues to worsen, will there come a day where I’ll hurt them? If those people all left me, I would be no different from the wild beasts in the mountains. To be honest, every time I go there now, I’m incredibly nervous.”

Yin Ren spoke softly. The peculiar rabbit, lacking five senses, was an excellent listener. 

The rabbit stopped at a fist’s distance from Yin Ren, seemingly unsure whether to continue forward. After observing it for a while, Yin Ren extended a finger and slowly pressed it against the rabbit’s fur.

The sensation was very strange, hard and cold, nothing like that of a living creature. On the other hand, the rabbit seemed to be burned by Yin Ren’s fingertip and began to tremble frantically in place.

“As expected, just as I thought.” Yin Ren brushed aside his obstructing red cloth. “You can’t be worse than the Evil Force, little one.”

The trembling of the rabbit subsided.

After hesitating for a long time, it wriggled a couple of times and slowly pressed against Yin Ren’s palm. Its horrifying blind eyes on its body slightly closed, as if genuinely acting cute.

An icy, lifeless touch.

But it was the only living creature in this place.

Yin Ren stayed stunned for a while. He closed his fingers, gently stroking the strange rabbit a couple of times.

“That’s good.” He smiled at it. “Seems like you’re not very afraid of me.”

This time, Yin Ren stayed longer. He carved a small spirit weapon from a piece of wood, which could convert sound and vibration into each other and hung it on the black rabbit.

“Me.” Yin Ren guided the rabbit to touch himself. His voice was transformed into specific vibrations by the spirit weapon and directly transmitted to the rabbit.

“You.” He poked the rabbit again.

The rabbit froze in place, without any reaction.

“Me.” “You.”

“Me, you…”

Perhaps he wanted to confirm the intelligence of the strange rabbit. Yin Ren patiently repeated it over and over again, from sunrise to the darkness when the sun disappeared.

“Thank you.” Finally, Yin Ren rubbed the rabbit’s ears. “With you here, my body doesn’t hurt as much. It’s a pity. If only you have intelligence…”

“Me.”

A very weak sound came from the spirit weapon on the rabbit. It carefully simulated the received vibrations and carefully reproduced that word.

“Me, me, me… Me, me… Me.”

The fist-sized giant eye turned towards Yin Ren, as black as a thousand-year-old cave.

“Me.”

Strange and distorted sounds emanated from the spirit weapon.

……

Year after year, even if only fragments flashed by, this memory seemed particularly lengthy.

Anyone could see that the rabbit had consciousness. Unfortunately, its severe lack of senses made communication extremely difficult. As time passed, its cognition was no better than that of a three-year-old child.

For example, it took it over a decade of meetings to truly understand the true meaning of “me” and “you”.

Fortunately, the Great Celestial Master was exceptionally long-lived, and a century flew by in the blink of an eye. In the end, they could even engage in some simple conversations—

“Rain, dislike.” The rabbit made a great effort to produce sound through the spirit weapon, but its speech was unclear.

“Hmm… I quite like it,” Yin Ren said. “Why do you dislike it?”

“Rain, too much.” The rabbit started answering with words that were difficult to understand.

“If I get a chance, I can make a nest for you.” Yin Ren poked the rabbit’s fur. At that time, he was in pain, his body curled up, but his voice still carried a hint of laughter.

The rabbit: “Ah?” It froze again, perplexed, forming a ball beside Yin Ren’s head.

Their conversations followed a similar pattern, limited to everyday topics. Yin Ren was like conversing with a baby who never grew up for hundreds of years. Anything slightly more complex, and the rabbit wouldn’t understand.

“I’m leaving.” But every time he left, Yin Ren would bid it farewell.

“When do you… return… here?” The rabbit asked in a muddled manner.

“Half a year later.” Despite answering this question countless times, Yin Ren still responded patiently.

Rabbit: “Ah.”

At this moment, the rabbit would shrink its body, remove the translating spirit weapon, and present it to Yin Ren at his feet. And Yin Ren would pat its head—although every time, the position of its head was not very fixed, and there was usually nothing on top of it.

Strange, purposeless, inconsequential companionship.

But it was important.

Important to the point that, in the end, even the Great Celestial Master sincerely remembered it.

Memory fragments were indeed fragments of flashbacks, and the time had finally come to the rainy night after Yin Village’s destruction.

Having sealed the last Evil Spirit, Yin Ren’s physical condition worsened. His face was so haggard that it was somewhat frightening. The Evil Force had corroded his skin, and fresh blood continued to seep out. Despite this, as soon as he regained consciousness on the bed, he immediately found that simple translating spirit weapon.

In the illusion, the rabbit finally got the number of organs a rabbit should have right. Apart from the misplaced positions, nothing else was wrong.

It appeared as usual on the edge of the cliff, patiently waiting for Yin Ren. When the latter approached, raindrops above the rabbit’s body were intercepted by an umbrella.

It was an old umbrella stained with fresh blood.

“I’m back,” Yin Ren said.

“No more rain.” The rabbit was happy. “Nest, nest.”

“There is no nest.” Yin Ren crouched down. He had intended to stroke the rabbit, but upon seeing the bloodstains on his fingers, he withdrew his hand. “You have to leave this place.”

“Leave?” The rabbit froze skillfully.

“There will be many enemies coming here,” Yin Ren said softly. “You can withstand the Evil Force, but you may not be able to withstand the weapons of an army. Killing is the most effective way to ward off evil, a principle even children know.”

The rabbit continued to freeze.

“Anyway, you have to hide and not come to see me again.”

The rabbit finally understood and tried to interpret Yin Ren’s words in its own way. “You… leave.”

Yin Ren’s expression instantly became somewhat complicated. Regret, reluctance, and ultimately profound sadness.

“Yes,” he said. “My life ends here. I’m going to die.”

“Die?”

“Die. I remember we discussed similar questions.”

“Oh.”

The black rabbit twitched its ears and lightly tapped its four feet.

“When will you… come back?”

Yin Ren remained silent.

He reached out his hands and, for the first time, embraced the rabbit. The black cord-like line behind the rabbit hastily became thinner and hid deep within the crevice.

After all these years, the rabbit had learned his warmth, and it had become warm itself. However, the tactile sensation remained poor. Perhaps, for a “being” with only a residual sense of touch, it had done its best.

“I won’t come back,” Yin Ren calmly replied.

“Won’t come back.” The rabbit pondered. “Won’t come back.”

“Never mind, it’s okay if you can’t understand. It doesn’t matter whether you can escape or not.” Yin Ren looked towards the dark horizon where it met the sky. Facing the rolling dark clouds, he slowly closed his eyes. “I can at least protect you, that’s something I can still do.”

The rabbit half understood.

The Gouluo Army had always intended to make this mountainous area their stronghold, and they arrived swiftly. Perhaps, for this army, it was merely a temporary adjustment of their route to eradicate an evil being and seize the hidden treasures it held.

Just like those long-standing legends.

Weapons to ward off evil, sealing techniques. Under layers of protection, the army entered the Valley of Remains like a colony of ants.

At the peak of the mountain, Yin Ren, stained with his own blood, drew layers of arrays. The rabbit stood there blankly, unable to see or hear, only sensing the air gradually becoming stagnant.

“I should have sent you away earlier,” Yin Ren said. “I was selfish, not wanting to face that moment alone.”

Rabbit: “Oh.”

“There are more people than I imagined. But thinking about seeking revenge for it, it doesn’t feel so bad…” Yin Ren paused, taking a breath. In his hand, the Evil Fruit emitted a faint light. “Don’t worry, you will be safe.”

Rabbit: “Oh.”

Yin Ren smiled helplessly, adding the final stroke to the array.

He had spent a full three days and nights drawing this blood array. Tirelessly, without sleep, Yin Ren appeared more like a corpse. The brilliance of the spell extended down to the cliff, and the aura of warfare grew stronger.

At this distance, he seemed to understand the chanting of the spells and the clashing of armor. Dust flew like living creatures, and the ritual of purification emitted a gentle white light, illuminating the dark rainy day as if it were daytime. In the billowing smoke and dust, countless golden phantom figures surrounded the cliff, creating an atmosphere that approached divinity.

Yin Ren calmly stood up, carrying his small companion, and walked step by step towards the door. The sound of the enemy’s footsteps resonated through the valley, but Yin Ren didn’t even spare a glance.

Every rock on the cliff was covered in runes, and at the end of the cliff, there was an inconspicuous object.

It was an empty altar.

Temporarily constructed from earth, stones, and wood, it looked extremely rough. Behind the altar, there were only rolling clouds and darkness. Yin Ren gently placed the deformed rabbit beside him and sat down in front of the altar.

Then, he took out the apple from his pocket.

The alluring crimson apple emitted a stronger fragrance than the previous days. However, Yin Ren’s lips were already dry and cracked. He coughed from time to time, and even swallowing the blood in his mouth became difficult.

After gazing at it for a moment, Yin Ren took out the Evil Fruit and calmly cut the red apple in half. He placed one half on a plate in front of the empty altar. With the remaining half, he offered it to the rabbit.

“I’ve never seen you eat anything,” Yin Ren said. “If you can eat, give it a try.”

The rabbit was currently huddled under the umbrella, with its mouth open on the left side of its neck. It seemed to have some difficulty understanding the concept of “eating”, but Yin Ren had already offered the apple, so it tentatively opened its mouth.

As the apple entered its mouth, the rabbit froze again, and a glimmer of astonishment appeared in its misaligned eyes.

“Good.”

It emphasized.

“Good.”

“Haha.” Yin Ren laughed. “Unfortunately, the previous offerings weren’t enough from the children, and it inconvenienced you. Next time…”

Halfway through speaking, Yin Ren’s smile disappeared, and his expression darkened again. The army was approaching. The ground nearby began to tremble causing the delicate bones of dead birds to slide on the rocks, and raindrops bounced along with them.

Yin Ren withdrew his gaze. He used blood to write a powerful flight symbol on a piece of fine silk, then tightly wrapped the fruit in it. After securing the knife, he tightened the rope on the silk and hung it on the rabbit.

This time, he didn’t retrieve the translation spirit weapon from the rabbit. The rabbit continued to munch on the apple, oblivious to the surrounding circumstances.

Yin Ren took a deep breath, changed his posture from sitting to kneeling, and lit the incense in front of the altar. In the rain curtain behind him, the silhouettes of the vanguard troops were faintly swaying.

A smile gradually curved at the corners of Yin Ren’s mouth.

“When the red light is on and the green light is burning, every household closes their door. At midnight, when the fruit ripens, be careful what you say with your back to the door. Pray for tranquility, wish for good fortune, and shut your eyes so you can’t see. The rooster crows, with footsteps far away, and comes back next year to report the peace…”

He hummed the tune intermittently amidst the enemy’s roar that gradually became clearer.

“I’ve traveled the world for many years—never have I seen a deity, nor have I ever sought one. Usually, it’s only mortals who seek me, and I have always fulfilled their so-called wishes on my own. But now, at this moment, I am ultimately incapable of being in multiple places at once.”

“Blood vengeance, I will personally exact, but as someone like me, I cannot accumulate the obsession to become a ghost after death, unable to wander the world again. Let me offer a prayer for trivial matters after my departure, let it be a wish granted.”

Yin Ren rambled on as the three incense sticks burned persistently in the rain. The half-eaten apple in the offering plate was soaked with rainwater, its skin shining bright like blood.

“Whether it’s the supreme deity of the Heavenly Court or the wild spirits sought for sealing, as long as they can fulfill my wish, I am willing to recognize their divine status and offer this body as a sacrifice…”

The rabbit’s chewing motion came to a halt, forgetting about the apple.

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The author has something to say:

By the way, the spirit weapon can have an effect on the rabbit (Xiao Zhong) because it essentially translates vibrations, not directly casting spells on Xiao Zhong. Just a little clarification—

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 172: Black Rabbit

Yin Ren lay helplessly in the void.

After sending away Dog Thing, the emptiness around him became unusually pure. Apart from the overwhelming ripples, there was no perception of color, not even the sensation of “darkness”. In a daze, Yin Ren wasn’t entirely sure if he was still alive—perhaps he was already dead and this was the world after death, and everything before was just a dream he had imagined.

Whenever this happened, a dangerous mist would pervade his mind. Yin Ren’s thoughts became hazy, fragmented, almost on the verge of shattering in the void.

But whenever thoughts of “dreams” surfaced, Lord Ghost King would mentally flip over and quickly regain clarity. Yin Ren was certain that the personality and physique described by Zhong Chengshuo were beyond his limited imagination.

He made an effort to gather his mind, striving to sense the ripples outside.

Yin Ren personally provided the clues to the past. Considering Shian’s modus operandi, they would surely first follow his memories, and the entire team would proceed with the “Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi” in the illusion.

Within the Shian sub-team, the Great Celestial Master’s ripple was conspicuous. Yin Ren could determine his position in the world of memories based on the movement of the ripple. Then all he needed to do was find a way to leave a clue, and Zhong Chengshuo would surely notice something.

Yin Ren’s thinking became agile, and he remembered Zhong Chengshuo’s serious face, making even despair a difficult thing to comprehend.

Lord Ghost King calmly closed his eyes and began to carefully deduce in his mind.

A thousand years ago, after the destruction of Yin Village, he had immediately proceeded towards the Valley of Remains… the Valley of Remains…

Just as Yin Ren had surmised, the edge of the massive “ripple” slid through the void. It entangled with the five smaller ripples around it, advancing neither fast nor slow, resembling a walking procession.

It was a bit strange.

The Shian group should be following the memories and heading to the Valley of Remains. Yet, that ripple approached steadily, step by step, moving in his direction.

Could it be that he and the Valley of Remains were in a straight line?

Or was it possible that he was already within the Valley of Remains?

Impossible. Yin Ren racked his brains. He had lived in the Valley of Remains for hundreds of years. Counting even the number of withered trees, there had never been anything like… creatures, evil spirits, or even space that he couldn’t control.

The development of the situation became increasingly strange, and there couldn’t be so many coincidences in the world. Despite not having a physical body, Yin Ren still felt a shudder run down his back.

He had a faint premonition that this “memory exploration” might reveal more than just clues to the Divine Descent.

……

“According to the records in <The Book of Exorcism>, the Valley of Remains is situated among the mountains and is one of the severely corrupted areas from the Divine Descent a thousand years ago. Even evil beings rarely approach that place. Its exact location is unknown, and besides the brief mention in <The Book of Exorcism>, there are no other documents that mention it.”

Lu Xiaohe pressed her temple with difficulty.

“I remember too.” To avoid the spirit weapon malfunctioning or a dog’s bark suddenly sounding, Fu Xingchuan spoke with utmost brevity.

The Valley of Remains was indeed a suitable place for the former Great Celestial Master to relax, seeking a location devoid of human presence. According to the legends, the valley was inhabited mainly by deformed monsters and skeletal remains, with hardly any green vegetation.

However, for modern people, the names mentioned in <The Book of Exorcism> were as elusive as those in the <Classic of Mountains and Seas*>. It was difficult to determine whether they were legends or real places. Now, other than following the illusion, the group had no other choice.

*Chinese classic text and a compilation of mythic geography and beasts.

Yin Ren’s illusion had stopped not long ago.

They were in a relatively flat clearing in the mountains. The location was secluded, surrounded by mountains, yet the path was gentle and easy to traverse. Inside, everything was complete despite the small size. A waterfall shimmered like silver threads, and the river water was so clear that it seemed nonexistent. Fat, content fish swam within.

On the fertile land, the grass was lush and dense. The surrounding trees exhibited shades of gold and red, and ripe, sweet fruits swayed gently on the branches. Birds occasionally hopped onto the branches, pecking at the red fruits. In the underbrush, plump wild rabbits chewed on fresh grass and their necks were so fat they were barely visible.

The Great Celestial Master stopped at the edge of this heavenly place. Magical radiance shimmered, causing a few withered trees nearby to fall, and countless dry straws floated in perfect order. The trees split themselves into smooth planks and beams, and the dry straws combined with good mud to form a sturdy thatched cottage that emerged from the ground.

After completing all this, the originally swaying red cocoon nearly toppled, and labored breaths could be heard from beneath the red cloth.

Under his feet, the once lush green grass rapidly withered and decayed, leaving only a black patch. The Great Celestial Master quickly took a few steps back, fearing to destroy this hard-won paradise.

“You stay here and watch over these children,” Yin Ren instructed the two humanoid evil spirits. “If there’s any danger approaching, you know how to hide them.”

After speaking, he pondered for a moment and then summoned the “Big-Headed Dolls” that had been following him all along.

The children of various heights stood at a distance, wearing dirty hoods and clutching partially drawn talismans in their hands. Among them was Ge Tingting, still using the shell she had taken, and a girl surnamed Lu, hugging several wild fruits with her hands covered in dirty fruit juice.

These children were in the age of mischief, but at this moment, they were calm and quiet, as if sensing something.

“I need to practice alone in advance, and I don’t have time to teach you anymore. I’ve previously taught Mazi the protective spells in the vicinity, and he will teach you how to come and go. Mazi is quick-witted, so listen to him more in the future.”

Yin Ren pointed to the tallest one among the row of children and deliberately lowered his voice.

“The Gouluo Army has reached this place, and it’s chaotic outside. Don’t wander around anymore; just stay here and take care of the younger generation from the Yin Village. I will summon more evil spirits to help… You have all learned a bit from me, so you should be able to get along well with them. Wait a couple of years until the troubled times settle down. It won’t be too late for you to go out.”

The children remained silent.

Yin Ren didn’t say anything more; he just patiently waited. After a long while, the sound of sobbing came from under those hoods.

“You’re not coming back, are you?” The tallest, hooded youth approached; his voice hoarse. “You used to agree on meeting times… You’re not coming back anymore, are you?”

“Young one, is that how you speak at such a young age? I’m just a bit exhausted and need to rest more.” The Great Celestial Master’s tone was relaxed, and his weakness was nowhere to be heard in his words. “Mazi, you have to take care of yourself…”

“My talent is not good, don’t you understand?” Under the peeling and dilapidated terrifying hood, Mazi’s voice grew even hoarser. “I can’t take care of so many people. I won’t do it! You calculated it; I can only be with you for three more months. In half a month, it will be time. You promised to send me back to my hometown!”

The two were just a dozen steps apart, not far, yet it felt like an insurmountable chasm.

The boy’s body trembled with excitement and fear, but as he took a few steps forward, he firmly held his ground. In that position, he could block the other children who might rush forward from behind.

“Well, I’ve changed my mind.” Yin Ren turned toward the ethereal place that resembled a paradise, still maintaining a relaxed tone.

His attitude was casual, as if this were just an ordinary farewell.

Or perhaps, for Yin Ren, this was indeed an ordinary farewell. Zhong Chengshuo stood nearby in silence, staring fixedly at everything that belonged to the past.

The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, an evil who had once concealed his identity, had distanced himself from the mortal world, walking among humans for over three hundred years, and only these children could briefly stay by his side… Months compared to hundreds of years, were nothing but fleeting moments.

Yin Ren was probably accustomed to such farewells a long time ago.

It was evident that Yin Ren was always kind to those children. But when it came to parting ways, he was just as decisive. Yin Ren’s emotions weren’t high, but he was definitely not feigning calmness. He bid farewell to everyone with regret, as if it had become a routine for him.

Zhong Chengshuo gazed at the figure in the autumn paradise, remembering the times when Yin Ren had embraced him and slept soundly. For Zhong Chengshuo, could he also be a relatively long “companion”?

As soon as this thought arose, Zhong Chengshuo quickly shook his head, trying to shake off the thought, as if it were a piece of chewing gum stuck to his hair—since he learned to savor fear, it would come up with new variations every day, both fresh and troublesome.

Zhong Chengshuo gathered his thoughts and once again focused his attention on the illusion.

A few steps away, Fu Xingchuan stared at the “flesh puppet” with a pair of puzzled eyes. He couldn’t help but tilt his head slightly, clearly unable to make sense of the flesh puppet’s behavior.

In the illusion, Yin Ren concluded his plain farewell. He stepped onto a darker and more rugged mountain path, preparing to leave alone. With each step he took, the bells on Yin Ran’s ankle jingled once again.

“…Alright, I understand, I understand!”

The young “Mazi” tightened his fist gradually.

“Since you’re not keeping your word and don’t plan to send me back home, is it unreasonable for me to make a request?”

The bell abruptly stopped ringing, and Yin Ren halted his footsteps, nodding.

“Give me a name.”

Mazi said.

“In our village, it’s the custom to let the elders give a proper name when you’re ready to settle down. Here… there are no elders anymore.”

The Great Celestial Master pondered for a moment. “Alright, then you shall be called Yin…”

“Don’t use ‘Yin’ as the surname!” Mazi vehemently objected, almost pouting in frustration. “All those kids outside have the surname Yin, but I’m not related to them!”

This time, Yin Ren fell silent for a long time.

“I was born nameless and without a surname. Yin Village is my homeland. The people of Yin Village like to call me the ‘Yiren*’. When the Huajisi rose, the Emperor bestowed upon me the name ‘Zhong Yi’. According to common practice, my surname should be Yin.”

*Clarity: The people of the Yin village call Yin Ren [Yiren] (异人) which translated would be “foreigner”. Basically, they are addressing him as the Great Foreigner (Master), as he doesn’t reside in the village and is from a different area. I decided to forgo the Foreigner and just put Master as it sounded a bit weird, given the time period.

For the first time, a hint of regret could be heard in his tone—rarely present but felt like grains of sand mixed in soft silk.

“Since you mortals like the Emperor, how about this? Mazi, from now on, you shall be called Zhong… Zhong Mazi.”

Mazi: “…” His breath stopped for a moment.

Mazi: “Zhong Ma is better.”

The slight melancholy of the Great Celestial Master disappeared in an instant, and he awkwardly cleared his throat. “Oh, then it’s Zhong Ma. Zhong Ma sounds good.”

With this interlude, even the most suppressed atmosphere was broken, and the children started giggling again. Amidst the scattered laughter, Yin Ren resumed his stride and walked towards the dark shadows of the mountains.

Without the army of evil beings following by his side, without the children walking in the distance, Yin Ren was left alone with Yellow Millet.

Not far away, the cultivator from the Gouluo Army emerged from the rocks. He looked around in confusion, unable to find any flaw in the hiding place for the children, concealed by powerful illusions.

Only the figure of the Great Celestial Master advancing alone seemed real. That cocoon-like figure appeared comical up close, but from a distance, it resembled a wound on the mountains.

The cultivator clearly didn’t care about those insignificant little kids with no value. He hesitated for less than half a minute before continuing to follow Yin Ren’s figure.

With no children to worry about, Yin Ren decisively mounted Yellow Millet. However, for some reason, whether due to weakness or something else, his pace was astonishingly slow. Fortunately that was the case or Shian would probably fall behind—Fu Tianyi could only manage on his own, and even Ge Tingting had to help cast the levitation spell, barely keeping everyone airborne.

“This is far enough.”

As day and night interchanged, they arrived near the center of the desolate mountains at dusk.

Yin Ren slid down from Yellow Millet and patted its round eyeball. In the enveloping glow of the evening sun, Yellow Millet turned into a bright scarlet color.

“Puff?” It made a puzzled sound.

“Find a place to rest well. There are plenty of evil creatures nearby, enough for you to eat for hundreds of years,” Yin Ren stroked Yellow Millet’s smooth and soft skin. “I have to continue on the journey by myself.”

“Puff…” Yellow Millet’s voice became softer.

“Well, I really just need to heal my injuries. But it will take a long time, so you don’t have to wait for me.” Yin Ren traced a complex series of runes on its surface as he spoke in a voice as light as a dream. “Our spirit contract ends here.”

Having completed the ritual, Yin Ren slowly removed the seal from his body.

The crimson-clad Yin Ren stood in front of Yellow Millet, looking pale to the point of being terrifying, with blood seeping into his red eyes and white sclera. The tips of his long black hair almost reached the ground. As soon as the seal was released, the silver bell on his ankle instantly decayed, and the land a few steps away turned an ominous black-gray color.

Yin Ren’s red robes fluttered, and both the apple and the Evil Fruit floated beside him. The apple was wrapped in numerous sealing runes, unharmed and safe. Under the evening sun, the Evil Fruit appeared even more vibrant and beautiful, with both exuding an enticing red color.

The surrounding Evil Force immediately surged, causing even Yellow Millet to instinctively take a few steps back.

“You see, at this point, you can’t stay by my side for much longer,” Yin Ren coughed twice and continued in a friendly tone, “Go, Yellow Millet.”

The red ball didn’t budge.

Yin Ren sighed and gave it a not-so-light pat on the head before turning around and moving forward.

He was completely alone.

Yellow Millet didn’t chase after him, nor did it leave. It stood still, its pupils fixed on Yin Ren’s figure. It only made a low “puff” sound after that figure completely disappeared.

Previously, the members of Shian’s group would occasionally discuss the contents of the illusion, but now, everyone fell silent. Even someone as slow as Zhong Chengshuo could perceive Yin Ren’s farewell.

They watched Yin Ren walk towards the legendary Valley of Remains—

Upon arrival, without any need for explanation, anyone could see the origin of the name “Valley of Remains”.

The land was desolate and filled with poisonous weeds, with only deformed creatures and reptiles occasionally passing by. There were no tall trees on the ground, only broken and blackened animal and bird bones. Not far away, two cliffs crossed like poisonous fangs, with a vast abyss below.

On the tip of one of the “fangs,” a rudimentary hut could be seen.

Yin Ren walked step by step towards that hut, holding the apple and Evil Fruit in his hands, their ambiguous radiance flickering in the shadows. Before long, his figure was swallowed by the doorway of the hut, completely disappearing from everyone’s sight.

The Gouluo Army cultivator who followed Yin Ren finally stopped in his tracks.

Even a “half-step Charon” wouldn’t dare to recklessly challenge this land. The person stood at the edge of the Valley of Remains, picked up a handful of soil from the ground, and carefully sniffed it.

On the gaunt face, the pair of eyes moved around. Finally, the cultivator captured a mechanical bird and started writing a letter on the spot.

Lu Xiaohe, Fu Xingchuan, and Fu Tianyi immediately gathered around, and Ge Tingting, curious about the commotion, approached as well.

Then she saw a myriad of strange characters that resembled tadpoles filling her vision.

Ge Tingting didn’t understand and asked, “What does this mean?”

“Gouluo script.” Lu Xiaohe cleared her throat awkwardly. “Actually, I don’t recognize it either… There are no records about this valley.” As a neuroscientist, this kind of thing was beyond her expertise.

“He is asking the Gouluo Army to choose a new route and come this way,” Fu Tianyi said with a strained tone. “Coincidentally, the Gouluo Army plans to station 150,000 troops in the mountains, so they will be passing through here regardless. He wants to use the aura of tens of thousands of soldiers and weapons to break through the evil and seize the Evil Fruit that commands ten thousand ghosts…”

Ge Tingting’s expression changed. “What should we do then?”

They had followed the illusion’s example and barely sealed an unborn Evil Spirit. But if they had to withstand 150,000 living people, that was a different story.

“It’s okay. We didn’t produce the Evil Fruit. Even if that cultivator is alive, he won’t attract the army… I think,” Fu Tianyi said uncertainty, his peripheral vision glancing at the flesh puppet wearing the body of the Great Celestial Master.

“In that case, won’t we distort Yin Ren’s memories? These memories must be important to him,” Ge Tingting expressed her concerns.

“Yin Ren is different from that Evil Spirit. As someone who entered together and is aware of the situation, woof, he was mentally prepared from the beginning and would never consider the changes as ‘real’,” Fu Xingchuan explained at length. The spirit weapon indeed had a slight malfunction.

“It’s like watching a horror movie. It’s different from experiencing a real-life terrifying event, woof.”

Ge Tingting let out a difficult grunt, not sure if she understood or not. “So, you mean we just need to investigate as quickly as possible?”

She turned to Lu Xiaohe, only to find that Lu Xiaohe had already gone to the edge of the Valley of Remains, attempting to absorb all the surrounding features into her mind. After all, there weren’t many places so heavily corrupted by Evil Force after a thousand years.

When they left this place and managed to find it again, who knew how many new discoveries they would make.

Seeing the senior researcher working so diligently, Ge Tingting also shifted her gaze and made an effort to observe the surrounding topography. The valley was like a scar on the earth, unimaginably deep. They and Yin Ren’s house were both on the eastern side of the valley, and the ground on the western side of the valley was noticeably sunken, with different elevations on both sides.

A magnificent and peculiar sight. In contrast to the variations in the terrain, Yin Ren’s small house appeared extremely tiny, like a small piece of gravel.

“Weird, this valley is really deep,” Ge Tingting muttered. Her gaze was captivated by the immense abyss that seemed bottomless. “How is it possible that no one has discovered this place with such unique characteristics?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhong Chengshuo approached. “What did you say?”

The flesh puppet suddenly asked, startling Ge Tingting. “I-I said that the valley is very deep…”

She instinctively reached out her hand and pointed to the spectacular valley.

“You’re right. With this kind of topography, there must be traces even after a thousand years. After we get out of here, we can have the scientists search for it using satellites,” Fu Tianyi said, stroking his beard. His eyes were also fixed on the valley.

Fu Xingchuan raised his head and his tail hung down discontentedly. “Have you learned the sealing spell to seal Evil Spirits? We’ll need it for further exploration.”

Fu Tianyi instantly let go of his ancestor’s beard and hurried away, looking dejected.

Fu Xingchuan then turned to Zhong Chengshuo and asked, “Do you have any other questions?”

“That is a valley,” Zhong Chengshuo repeated in a flat tone.

“Yes, it is a valley,” Fu Xingchuan said. “Although valleys usually aren’t that deep.”

Zhong Chengshuo nodded and turned his body towards the direction of the “valley”.

Lu Xiaohe, Fu Xingchuan, Fu Tianyi, and Ge Tingting—four individuals that had different abilities, including both science and non-science backgrounds. To them, it was simply a valley… a massive, bottomless valley.

But in his eyes, no, more precisely, in Yin Ren’s eyes from a thousand years ago, it wasn’t the case.

Through the red cloth, Zhong Chengshuo saw a pitch-black expanse.

Yin Ren’s house was built on a slightly elevated position, while on the other side, there was an endless black liquid. To be precise, it was a “lake” of darkness surrounded by even more distant mountains.

From his current perspective, the Valley of Remains had a semi-white “beach”, and Yin Ren’s residence was located at the edge of the beach, near the end of the slightly elevated cliff. The cliff was only three to four meters high, separating it from the calm, waveless, dark lake. It lay silently there, as vast as the sea, with no end in sight.

It was a deep, abyss-like black that absorbed all light.

Beautiful yet terrifying.

Its existence was so vivid and striking, yet the faces of the people in Shian showed no astonishment as they glanced at it. What they called a valley was perhaps only a portion covered by the black lake, Zhong Chengshuo thought to himself.

They couldn’t see it—not even a faint illusionary shadow.

Zhong Chengshuo stood there for a long time, and suddenly, he lifted his foot and stepped towards the interior of the Valley of Remains.

“Hey!” Fu Xingchuan was the first to notice the abnormality of the flesh puppet. “Come back!”

Zhong Chengshuo paid no attention, advancing as if enchanted, ignoring the calls of the Shian group. He knew that as long as he waited a little longer, Shian and the others would be able to enter through the sealing spell. He just needed to patiently wait for a few hours—maybe a day or two. When the time came, he could follow them in without attracting anyone’s attention.

But he didn’t want to wait any longer.

There was something he needed to confirm.

……

Yin Ren’s small house was dilapidated on the outside but surprisingly neat on the inside—excluding the layers of sealing runes covering the furniture, it could be considered cozy.

The house wasn’t large, with one side filled with various books. Wooden shelves were adorned with all sorts of trinkets, from clay figurines to cloth tigers, all of which had a consistent style, indicating they were offerings collected from the Yin Village. Two pieces of well-treated animal fur hung on the wall, likely leftovers from eaten rabbits.

The soft fur exuded a faint black hue, quietly hanging from the end of a rope.

On the other side, there was a simple wooden bed and a wooden table. The bed was cushioned with clean straw and patched bedding, resembling an ordinary rural household.

Despite the external decay and desolation, lacking the aura of the mortal world, the interior of the house was permeated with the pleasant scent of wood and hay. The apple and Evil Fruit were placed side by side on the wooden table, with the spell on the apple still operating diligently.

The fragrance and bright red color of the fruit added a touch of liveliness to the space.

The sun hadn’t completely set, but an oil lamp had already been lit on the side of the wooden table next to the wooden bed, preparing for the evening. The dim yellow light mixed with the dark red sunset glow, and there was a scent of blood in the air.

Yin Ren lay on the simple bedding, groaning. He no longer suppressed the Evil Force around him.

Zhong Chengshuo stood before this illusion and, just like before, unraveled the obstructing cocoon, attempting to reach out his hand towards the illusion. A strand of Yin Ren’s black hair scattered in front of him, appearing incredibly soft, and he still remembered the sensation.

But his fingers passed through the scattered strands of hair.

The seemingly realistic illusion was just an illusion, after all.

Yin Ren from a thousand years ago curled up tightly, wrapping himself in the blanket, his breathing fragmented and rapid. With a few coughs, a faint hint of blood mingled with the fragrance of the room. Zhong Chengshuo withdrew his hand and sat silently at the edge of the bed. After a few seconds, he lowered his head, and Yin Ren’s black hair slid down his body with the tips disappearing into the straw.

They were only a fist’s distance apart.

“Goodnight.”

Across the blanket, Zhong Chengshuo softly spoke.

He sat by the bed for a full half-hour, until the sunset completely sank below the horizon.

In the end, Zhong Chengshuo seemed to make a decision. He took a deep breath, and with the faint jingling of the bells on his ankles, he walked outside.

Not far from the small house was the edge of the cliff—a tiny spot. The dense darkness slumbered below the cliff, and the edge was unusually smooth, resembling a modeling error.

Zhong Chengshuo stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the darkness.

Night fell, and the sky gradually darkened. The sky was covered with dark clouds, obscuring the stars. Soon, murky raindrops began to fall, passing directly through Zhong Chengshuo’s body and landing on the black-gray barren soil.

Before long, the illusion had indeed changed. Amidst the continuous drizzle, a small creature fluttered along the edge of the cliff, cautiously climbing up. At first glance, it was a blackish lump, about the size of two fists.

But upon closer inspection, it was difficult to determine what it was.

By its features, it might be a black rabbit.

Two long ears, a pair of eyes, a nose exposed to the air, and a mouth divided into three lobes.

Soft fur, four soft legs, and a curled-up tail.

…But they were completely scattered and disorganized on the surface of its body. The sizes, directions, and positions were all wrong, showing no discernible anatomical structure. It wriggled on the ground, making it difficult to tell if it was twitching or moving forward, resembling some kind of mutated sea cucumber.

It clumsily attempted to move towards the house where Yin Ren was located with movements equally erratic. Compared to this creature, even ordinary evil spirits appeared vibrant and attractive.

When the deformed rabbit wriggled to his feet, Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze.

It couldn’t be seen with the naked eye, but he knew it clearly. Behind the rabbit, there was a thin, thread-like “umbilical cord”. It hid in the crevices of the rocks scattered across the cliff, leading to the boundless darkness below.

Swish.

The deformed rabbit brushed against the surface of the rocks, emitting a chilling scraping sound.

Desolate wasteland, a lonely little house. The nightmarish “evil thing” crawled out of the black lake, trying hard to mimic a “cute and harmless” appearance, just like the bait on top of an angler fish’s head, strikingly obvious.

“So, this is how I look through the eyes of humans,” he said, enunciating each word while looking at the poorly formed rabbit.

“At that time, I thought I had disguised myself perfectly.”

……

In the void, Yin Ren thrashed about in madness.

The conspicuous ripple was right beside him, unbelievably close. To be honest, the proximity was a bit absurd—he had never encountered ripples this close before. Yin Ren thought that those ripples couldn’t physically be that near him.

The ripple belonged to his own body—so close that it almost stuck to him!

Zhong Chengshuo and the others were here!

Time was of the essence, and Yin Ren was desperate. He needed to find a way to connect with the outside world and let everyone know that he was right here.

But at this moment, he was like a vegetable, with only his consciousness remaining and unable to control his body at all. Yin Ren gritted his teeth, forcing himself to think.

Dog Thing could be successfully thrown out.

So, if he separated a small portion of his consciousness… just like controlling a doppelgänger, only separating a tiny bit. Would it be possible to successfully throw it out too?

Even if he could separate a bit of consciousness, it wouldn’t be an independent mind. It couldn’t possess a body normally, like Dog Thing, nor could it stray too far from the main body. But as long as it could temporarily leave his body and initiate a suitable illusion, it would definitely catch Zhong Chengshuo’s attention.

Yin Ren’s non-existent heart pounded incessantly as he cheered within his own mind. However, as an experienced Ghost King, he quickly regained his composure.

…He had to choose a specific illusion as a signal.

If he just created some random and messy appearance, it might not only fail to seek help but also raise suspicion from Shian. He needed to select something unique, an image that could prove his identity.

A modern version of himself? No, Sunken Society would surely have records of that.

The image of himself wearing pajamas and a nightcap? No, that would obviously be for Zhong Chengshuo to recognize. The “flesh puppet” shouldn’t have that level of independent thinking ability.

Yin Ren frantically searched through his memories, and, after a few seconds, he joyfully discovered it. There was indeed such an image that could prove his own existence without being too overt—

That strange and peculiar rabbit. It always appeared whenever he returned to his dwelling. Shian would surely follow it to his little house, making it the perfect distraction to attract attention.

Yin Ren focused his mind and began the incantation.

“See me.”

He subconsciously repeated the words in his mind.

“See me, find me, help me escape…”

Before he could finish the word “escape”, Yin Ren suddenly realized something. His thoughts froze for a moment. If Yin Ren had a face at this moment, the only expression on it would be “disbelief”.

There was a peculiar sense of familiarity with everything before his eyes.

It was a rare proximity in the ripple, so he urgently sent out a projection, hoping to catch the other’s attention and find a way to escape this void of despair.

He also needed to select a harmless image that would draw attention—

See me, find me, help me escape this void. I don’t want to continue “existing” like this.

And you are the first and only “ripple” in this world that is so close to me.

Can you see me?

In his memories, the twisted and deformed rabbit gazed quietly at Yin Ren. Its mismatched eyes were pitch black, like a lightless abyss.

Both unfamiliar and familiar.

“Did you also think the same way back then?”

“Could it be that you are…”

The crimson apple once lay on his wooden table, its skin shining brightly and emitting a sweet fragrance. A thousand years later, the apple on their dining table gradually merged with it.

The crimson fruit, the lightless black eyes. Zhong Chengshuo, wearing a rabbit mask, quietly passed through the night and stood in his most vivid memory.

A terrifying suspicion emerged from Yin Ren’s mind. Perhaps it was all his imagination, but… no, it couldn’t be. He had to wait until the end, until the very end to confirm.

In a boundless state of confusion and astonishment, Yin Ren almost unconsciously activated his magic.

On the cliff.

The deformed black rabbit continued to wriggle near Zhong Chengshuo, searching for the entrance to the house. After a while of fruitless searching, the creature seemed discouraged, freezing in the most prominent spot on the cliff, its four legs pointing in different directions.

At the same time, the Yin Ren from a thousand years ago heard a sound. He too, stepped out and stopped just one step away from Zhong Chengshuo, watching the illusory black rabbit kicking its legs in frustration.

“It’s you again.” Yin Ren swayed forward and cast several sealing spells on himself before approaching.

The black rabbit stopped its hopping and immediately wriggled with great effort, moving towards Yin Ren.

“Just wait a moment, I…”

Before Yin Ren could finish his sentence, both he and the rabbit vanished abruptly from the spot, disappearing as if a plug had been pulled from a television.

Zhong Chengshuo knew that the illusion had ended—it was now nighttime, and Huang Jin would need to rest. Without Yin Ren as the power source, the remaining people couldn’t sustain the magic for long.

The small house was now devoid of light, and the apple and Evil Fruit vanished from the table. The sky remained covered in dark clouds, ready to rain at any moment. Without Yin Ren’s illusion, the place became terrifyingly silent, as if everyone had gone deaf.

However, the pitch-black ocean didn’t disappear with the illusion. It still lay there, motionless. The sky was filled with rolling black clouds, and the ground was enveloped in boundless darkness. The scene before them could only be described as surreal.

Zhong Chengshuo simply sat cross-legged in place, looking at the lightless “ocean” below the cliff, his face devoid of expression.

Shian’s investigation would continue, and Huang Jin would continue to use illusions. Zhong Chengshuo would wait here, making sure not to miss a single moment.

…To ensure that his speculation was indeed true.

And at that moment, at the edge of the cliff, another “rabbit” appeared.

It was the same as before—a deformed black rabbit with jumbled limbs and facial features. It stood still on the edge of the cliff, just one step away from falling into the dark “ocean.” Unlike the other rabbit that crawled around chaotically, this one simply stood there with its round eyes fixed on the outside world.

As if waiting for someone.

Zhong Chengshuo raised his gaze, his long hair gently swaying in the mountain breeze. The hem of his red robe brushed against the dry soil and rocks, appearing even darker in the night.

Another illusion, but not from Yellow Millet. Only one person in this world would know this image, so it could only be from one person.

It was an illusion sent by Yin Ren.

After pausing for a moment in place, the rabbit seemed to adjust to the outside world and slowly approached with difficulty. Eventually, it tentatively stopped in front of Zhong Chengshuo.

Zhong Chengshuo reached out his hand, and for the first time, his hand trembled slightly.

The peculiar rabbit closed its eyes and tilted its body slightly, pressing part of its form against Zhong Chengshuo’s palm. Unfortunately, the illusion had no tactile sensation, and the eerie furball simply passed through his hand.

In the next moment, its image gradually faded and dissolved into the air.

The rumbling sound came from the dark clouds, and raindrops broke through the damp air, pitter-pattering onto the dusty ground. It was actually raining in the world of memories. Zhong Chengshuo’s hair was wet, but he remained seated in place, unmoving.

“I found you.”

Zhong Chengshuo spoke softly, and a smile gradually appeared on his expressionless face.

“I know where you are, Yin Ren.”

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Zhong: This move, this move is a classic re-enactment.

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Kinky Thoughts:

Oh, they’re in each other’s bodies. I thought Zhong Chengshuo was going to be the apple.

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