Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 120: Unable to Leave

Mei Lan’s head was clouded, her thoughts barely coherent.

“Your father dealt in gray-market business. He was selling antiques on one side while making magic weapons for black Taoists on the other. He’s like a middleman.”

Outside the shop, the neighbor’s tone was gentle yet filled with regret. “Your mother wasn’t part of the world, true, but she knew what he was doing.”

Mei Lan felt like her organs were encased in ice. She wanted to ask “why”, but only a broken wheeze came from her throat.

Her parents had never told her any of this. Even when they knew the Guishan Sect had taught her metaphysics, they had only lectured her endlessly that it wasn’t a “proper” path. She should focus on exams and schoolwork; the most mediocre and meaningless path there was!

She had endured it back then, thinking they just couldn’t accept metaphysics.

She never imagined her father’s business wasn’t “proper” to begin with. And yet he had still played the role of warning her about the dangers of the Guishan Sect. How utterly hypocritical. So all along, they were only against the Guishan Sect in particular. If that wasn’t brainwashing, then what was?

Mei Lan’s hands were freezing; her fingers trembled slightly.

“You need to understand your parents.”

The neighbor soothed her with a tone full of understanding, kind and motherly. “You’re still too young. They just think you’re not mature enough yet…”

“I’m already seventeen!” Mei Lan swallowed and finally found her voice. “It’s not like telling me earlier would’ve hurt!”

“Don’t be upset, sweetheart. We all believe in you. It’s just that your parents don’t understand you enough…”

That day, Mei Lan cried in her neighbor’s arms for a long, long time.

She couldn’t believe her parents had lied to her for seventeen years. They were always going on and on about how dangerous the Guishan Sect was, neurotically guarding against everything, yet never once sitting down to talk to her openly.

The Guishan Sect had been with her for five years, which was longer than her parents had been present in her memories. They had never hurt her, never forced her, and was always peaceful and warm. Her parents, meanwhile, were always busy, always arguing. And even when they had time for her, all they did was slander the Sect.

“I want to leave.”

Mei Lan wiped her tears. “I’m done with this stupid schoolwork. I want to go find Uncle Zhuang. I’m good at magic. I can support myself.”

The neighbor was startled and quickly shook her head. “Don’t say that. Your mom and dad still matter.”

“They’re just brainwashed, holding onto their biases. They don’t understand what young people think. You can’t rush this. You have to gradually change their minds.”

“They never trusted me.”

Mei Lan murmured, “They’ve been lying to me all along. What more can I say?”

The neighbor fell quiet for a while, then said softly, “They love you and they’ll listen. How about this: tonight, pretend you heard something about the shop from someone else. Have an honest talk with your dad.”

Mei Lan fully agreed. The Guishan Sect really did care for her. Their advice was always so gentle.

With the New Year approaching and her parents in decent moods, Mei Lan decided to try again during New Year’s dinner. She was less than a year from turning eighteen. She was mature now. She had the right.

But all she got was yet another explosive argument.

The moment her father learned she had discovered the shop’s “side business”, he immediately accused her of still being in contact with Guishan Sect. His face went pale with fury, nearly passing out.

“You’re still just a kid! Your mom and I were going to wait until you got into college before telling you.”

He was livid. “You think this business is easy? I wish your grandfather had never taught me! The Guishan Sect taught you a few little tricks and now you’re obsessed. How are you supposed to focus on school once you know?”

Mei Lan had wanted to talk calmly and from the heart, but the atmosphere turned hostile in an instant. When her mother heard she was still in touch with the Guishan Sect, her eyes instantly filled with tears.

“You’re not me! Why assume you know what I think?” Mei Lan slammed down her bowl. “You just don’t trust me!”

“You hid your relationship with the Guishan Sect from us. How are we supposed to trust you? Unless someone from the trade leads you in, you wouldn’t know about my business.”

Her father gritted his teeth. “I was already thinking of quitting. That’s why I extended my hours. Our meetings were supposed to be secret.”

“And why can’t I know the truth? You were the ones who lied to me first!” Mei Lan snapped.

“Fine! I’ll tell you I work in the gray market. I deal with black Taoists. So what leg do I have to stand on, telling you to stay away from the Guishan Sect? Lanlan, you’re still too young. There are many things—”

“I’m already seventeen!”

Mei Jinghan let out a long sigh, voice dry and strained. “Alright, enough. I’ll sell the shop tomorrow. We’ll move abroad.”

“Your mom and I can take up jobs. You can go to school later. Once this whole mess is behind us, we’ll come back.”

Mei Lan stood frozen, like a statue. She instinctively looked at her mother, who was nodding gently.

Tears finally spilled down her cheeks. She screamed that her parents were authoritarian, that they made baseless assumptions. She shouted that the Guishan Sect wasn’t that bad, that they treated her better than her own parents did.

She cursed and swore that they had never harmed her. Then she cried, saying the Guishan Sect had even told her to try talking to her parents. But her parents didn’t understand anything.

But no matter how much she yelled, she couldn’t change their decision.

That night, the house was filled with chaos. Her father made phone calls one after another, cigarette smoke seeping through the bedroom door. Her mother sat in the living room, sighing constantly, afraid Mei Lan might run away in the middle of the night.

They’ve gone insane, Mei Lan thought. They’ve been brainwashed beyond saving.

All they wanted was to protect their rigid worldview. They didn’t want to hear her out. They didn’t care about her feelings. They just wanted control. They didn’t love her.

So why should she love them? She already had plenty of love elsewhere.

No matter what, she couldn’t let them take her away.

The neighbor sensed Mei Lan’s struggle and sent a message to the phone she had given her earlier. She taught Mei Lan a small spell and secretly placed a jade green pendant outside the Lan household.

Mei Lan was shocked and overjoyed. Only senior members of Guishan Sect had jade pendants. It was a top-tier magic item!

The neighbor said that as long as Mei Lan cast a spell on her parents’ car, it would “develop a small problem”.

If her parents were injured, they wouldn’t be able to leave the country. The jade pendant would protect Mei Lan in the same car, and she would be safe, and free to do whatever she wanted.

Mei Lan rubbed the jade pendant. “How badly would they be hurt?”

“It’s a divine judgment spell,” the neighbor answered devoutly. “The severity depends on the Guishan Immortal’s will. If your parents are virtuous, it’ll just be minor injuries. But if they’re lacking in morals… it’ll be worse.”

“Once the Immortal vent their wrath, your parents’ karmic debts will be cleared. It’s a fresh start, for you and them.”

Hearing her parents might be seriously hurt, Mei Lan hesitated. But remembering their distrustful expressions, her anger returned.

The Guishan Sect was always so kind to her. And she rarely heard of the Immortal getting angry. The Immortal removed sin and helped accumulate merit; it was a blessing. Her parents would understand once they experienced it.

So, using her proud magical abilities, she cast the spell on their car.

Her parents had no idea as they brought her along to handle paperwork for going abroad.

That year, she was seventeen. That day was the last time she ever saw her parents. Mei Jinghan and Zhang Zhilan died in the crash on the spot. Mei Lan survived, protected by the jade pendant.

……

“On the first day, I was confused and heartbroken.”

“Just yesterday, we were talking. How could they suddenly be gone?”

The scarf-bird rested on Mei Lan’s shoulder. At her feet were shattered remnants of evil spirits; blood gushed from her ankle. Across from her, the Substitution E was entangled in glowing threads like spider silk, struggling desperately.

“On the second day, I thought they deserved it. They weren’t worthy of my love.”

“The Immortal hated them. That’s why they died… It couldn’t have been me who killed them. I couldn’t have killed them. The Immortal is real. The Immortal is always right. He chose to protect me.”

The scarf-bird nuzzled her cheek. In the gentle glow, Mei Lan’s eyes shimmered with tears.

“On the third day, I officially joined the Guishan Sect.”

She raised both hands, palms glowing with harsh white light. Her gaze on the “other self” before her was frigid, tinged with killing intent.

The car crash site had been clean. The entire event was captured on surveillance. The authorities ruled it an accident.

Mei Lan was underage and had no other relatives. The Guishan Sect, full of merchants, naturally “took over” her father’s shop. On paper, she remained the legal owner. The Sect simply said they were helping her run it, giving her regular dividends.

All the rare magic weapons her father hadn’t yet sold were “bought” by the Sect at market price. Mei Lan became instantly wealthy.

But she almost never visited the store again and rarely even returned to her old home.

For some reason, she didn’t want to see any traces of the life her parents had left behind.

She told herself she was right. She had to be right. Truth required sacrifice. Her parents lacked virtue. They’d dealt with black Taoists. Surely they’d done many evil things.

…Then she came of age. And truly matured.

Uncle Zhuang began assigning her more important work. She and Zhuang Pengdao started managing a gambling app. She was in charge of attracting new believers, making connections with wealthy clients, and guiding them into “setups”.

Those rich folks were fat and greedy. Their wealth had to come from shady dealings. Taking it from them helped the Immortal punish evil and reward good. It gave those rich people a chance to earn virtue.

Many of them, after going bankrupt, experienced “sudden enlightenment” and begged to join the Sect. As for those who ended up with ruined families…

She was right. She didn’t want to look.

She was right. She had to be right. Truth required sacrifice. Those rich heirs lacked virtue and deserved what they got. None of the rich people who converted to the Guishan Sect blamed her.

…As the operation grew, she began to see children jumping from buildings with their mothers, teenagers crying out in hatred.

The Guishan Sect was pushed fully underground and exiled abroad. Former believers appeared on TV, denouncing the Sect’s crimes. Mei Lan watched those tortured faces on the screen, unable to comprehend.

Until she saw the friend she’d known at twelve.

The girl had grown up, dressed plainly, the joy gone from her face.

She cried as she told how her parents had studied for years but never entered the “inner circle”. To complete their karma, they gave her to a “descendant of the Immortal”. But that man surnamed Zhuang never acknowledged her.

Later, they brought her to Mount Xu, claiming they would “return to the mountain” in person.

They were carried out by rescue workers. Her parents died in the mountain. She barely survived and left the Guishan Sect forever.

“When I was still a kid, they had me lure classmates to our home for preaching. We were only twelve!”

She sobbed into the camera. “They wanted to trick my classmate into joining their charade, and they wanted her family’s store. My parents said the relic in the Holy Land came from that shop. They didn’t even spare children…”

Mei Lan quietly turned off the TV.

She was right. This was just official propaganda. Slander. Lies scripted in advance.

She was right. She was right… wasn’t she?

Suddenly, Mei Lan realized, she still remembered that friend’s face. Still remembered her parents’ faces. Like ghosts, they were carved into her mind, never fading.

That day, she did something she hadn’t done in years. She returned to her parents’ old home and looked at the mess they’d left behind. It was like amber, frozen on the day of the car crash.

The apartment, hastily bought for the move, was fairly ordinary. Mei Lan never lacked money, so she’d left it abandoned.

…At least, that was what she told herself.

In the closet were her father’s scattered shirts. Her mother’s cosmetics had long since expired, giving off a rancid odor. The laundry soap by the sink was hardened beyond recognition. Dust coated the furniture and floor. Several suitcases sat quietly in the bedroom.

Mei Lan didn’t know how to describe her feelings or if she even had any. She unconsciously walked over to the suitcases and opened them. Inside was a future that would never be.

One contained basic clothes and toiletries, three neatly packed toothbrushes. A family photo frame lay cushioned in the blankets, impossible to crush.

Another held all kinds of documents—her textbooks and workbooks, and her favorite little desk ornaments. Alongside them were the family’s valuables: her mother’s jewelry, her father’s prayer beads, and a modest gift box.

Mei Lan hesitated for a few seconds, then opened that familiar yet foreign box.

It was empty. She felt around and pulled out a half-written letter hidden in the lining.

[Daughter, happy eighteenth birthday.]

[First, I owe you an apology. I actually do know magic.]

[Our antique shop also sold magic artifacts, to unregistered practitioners. It’s the family business. But it’s not as fun as you think. Once you enter this world, it’s hard to leave.]

[Legitimate practitioners have official channels. The people who came to us were mostly tied up with the dark side of society. You always have to stay alert and not offend the wrong people. You have to drink with them, gather intel, maintain ties.]

[Once you’ve seen and heard too much, it’s hard to wash your hands clean. If you go passive, some people come after you like sharks smelling blood. It’s a hard road.]

[You take after your mother, softhearted. You wouldn’t survive.]

[Don’t be scared, daughter. There are rules in this trade. We don’t drag in uninvolved family. Once it ends with me, it ends. I’ve been trying to wrap things up these years. You’ll be safe.]

[I’ve got a temper and haven’t been a good father. I’ve wronged you.]

[See the scarf? I started collecting the materials since your first birthday, weaving bit by bit. I finished it for your seventeenth birthday. All the magic I know is woven into it.]

[There are three azure birds hidden inside, two big, one small. The big ones are your mother and me. The small one is you. My skills are rough, so they’re not cute, but they’ll keep you safe.]

[Work hard, go to a good college, find a good job. Live with pride, under the sun.
Mom and Dad]

The letter was wrinkled, scattered with revisions. Her father was full of hope. It seemed he wrote it before discovering her connection to the Guishan Sect.

But she never saw the scarf he mentioned. She never got the rest of the letter.

For a moment, Mei Lan was back on the day she cast the car spell. The smell of the car seats, her parents’ scent—it all rushed into her nose. She couldn’t breathe.

She put the letter back in the box and fled the dusty home.

She didn’t tell anyone; not even Zhuang Pengdao, the one closest to her.

A few days later, Uncle Zhuang introduced her to Sect Leader Zhuang Chongyue, as a “prospective daughter-in-law”, albeit over video call.

That was Mei Lan’s first time meeting Zhuang Chongyue.

As the heir of Zhuang Guiqu, he looked far younger than his age, with clear eyes and handsome features, giving him an air of immortal grace. A cute boy stood beside him, said to be surnamed Cen.

“Father… The Patriarch has prepared a gift for you,” Uncle Zhuang said, handing over an exquisitely crafted box.

Mei Lan opened it. Inside was a beautiful scarf, the embroidery impossibly delicate, glowing with a refined aura.

At the center were three azure luan birds. It wasn’t striking in design; rather plain and clumsy, but full of warmth.

Two big birds. One small bird. All nestled happily together, eyes sparkling.

At seventeen, she hadn’t looked closely enough to recognize it. But after reading the letter, she suddenly remembered.

Of course. Her father had stored it at the shop. He had prepared the gift box and the letter but never had the chance to deliver them.

Mei Lan touched the scarf, dazed. “This is…”

“This item holds immense power, nearly a divine artifact. Our Patriarch was going to keep it for himself. But he gave it to you, to thank you for your efforts.”

Uncle Zhuang whispered.

On the massive screen, Zhuang Chongyue smiled kindly.

“No need to be so formal,” he said warmly. “Our Sect’s sacred treasures should be given to devout, good children like Mei Lan.”

“Our sect’s sacred treasure…” Mei Lan echoed.

Zhuang Chongyue looked at her with that familiar gentle gaze. His voice carried the parental love she’d always longed for…

“This scarf has been enshrined in our Sect for a hundred years. It will protect you for a lifetime.”

……

Crack!

The scarf-bird pierced the Substitution E’s other leg. As blood splashed beneath Mei Lan’s feet, the creature staggered. Two white lights struck its arms, suspending it in mid-air.

The scarf-bird then turned into a plain scarf, wrapping over its eyes. Light flared, and the creature’s movements immediately dulled.

But it sensed danger. Its struggling grew more intense, dark winds slicing like blades. Mei Lan sighed. This thing truly existed only to kill her. No wonder it was so hard to stop.

Cheng Songyun clung to the ghost shield and looked at the panting Mei Lan. “What now?”

“The core is the ‘original body’ that holds the birth date.” Mei Lan stared at the familiar yet foreign figure in front of her. “Its core is in the chest. If I dig it out, I’ll die… I need to find another way to control it…”

As they spoke, Guan He quietly slipped behind the Substitution E.

He clumsily dodged a few slashes of dark wind, then reached out…

Puff!

Suddenly, the “Mei Lan” before them vanished, leaving behind a tattered cloth doll. On its back was written a full birth date and the name “Mei Feng”, with the “Mountain” missing¹.

Cheng Songyun: “…”

Mei Lan: “…???”

Guan He nervously rubbed the cinnabar on his fingers. “Uh… I just thought, since it needs the full name and birth date to work… if the name’s wrong, maybe it cancels out…?¹”

¹Clarity: Mei Lan’s name is (梅岚). The [Lan] contains the radical mountain (山). What Guan He did was wipe away the radical (山), leaving only the (风), essentially turning the name from Mei Lan to Mei Feng. This is kind of equivalent to translating it as Mei Lan going to Mei La, but it makes more sense in Chinese.

He cautiously explained his student logic.

“That was the Five-Ghosts Relocation spell Fang Ge taught me. I stole a bit of pigment earlier… Looks like it worked?”

……

On the other side, things weren’t going so smoothly.

Cen Ling, the ritual, the grand scheme—all of it had been shoved to the back of Bai Shuangying’s mind. He held his human close and charged toward the strongest yang energy in the tomb.

Soon, he found a weak spot near the surface.

He could blast it open, to connect with the outside world.

As long as Fang Xiu wasn’t inside the tomb, the Grave-Sealing E would be weakened. After all, it had once circulated outside. If its aura were strong, the Underworld would’ve noticed already.

Bai Shuangying raised his hand without hesitation and smashed it against a corner of the tomb. Fang Xiu trembled in his arms, his breath quickening, but he showed no major reaction.

There was hope!

As the walls collapsed with rumbling force, a beam of sunlight pierced the darkness. Bai Shuangying pulled Fang Xiu toward it…

But the moment sunlight touched Fang Xiu’s hand, it disappeared into thin air.

He couldn’t leave.

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Kinky Thoughts:

I wonder if Nian Zhong did research into cults. A lot of this stuff is textbook on how one becomes indoctrinated into a cult. Also don’t believe that this won’t happen to you. The ones who think they will never be brainwashed are usually the ones most susceptible to being converted.

Also, telling a person already indoctrinated or on the path to being that they are wrong or saying bad things about the cult only pushes them further into the cult’s arm.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 119: Her Family

The moment Mei Lan’s eyes suddenly lit up, Guan He jumped back two steps in fright and instinctively shielded Cheng Songyun behind him.

That once-gentle, restrained aura Mei Lan had was gone, replaced by confidence and poise. Seeing the look on Guan He’s face, as if he’d seen a ghost, she reached up to touch her changed eyes, then smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes.

“Cen Ling really did use the Substitution E,” Mei Lan said with a smile. “In a way, it’s poison against poison.”

Guan He didn’t understand at all. “…What do you mean?”

“I used to be a member of the Guishan Sect. I even dated Zhuang Pengdao.”

She stroked the pendant on her chest and spoke calmly. “Earlier, Cen Ling pretended not to recognize me because he thought I was hiding my identity for some secret mission. Now he’s definitely realized the truth.”

“They say the Guishan Sect treats traitors even worse than unbelievers. Looks like it’s true.”

She was part of that cult? The one she and Fang Xiu have always despised?

As part of the younger generation, Guan He didn’t have much concept of the Guishan Sect, so he didn’t react strongly. As for Zhuang Pengdao being her ex… Well, he was already dead. They hadn’t been deeply involved in that particular sacrificial event, so Guan He couldn’t muster much emotion either.

“Let’s shelve that for now. What exactly is Cen Ling’s ‘Substitution E’?”

Still confused, Guan He looked at Mei Lan but quickly grasped the key point. “…And what’s up with your eyes?”

“The Substitution E… It’s an Immortal E that can ‘borrow’ someone’s body and soul, as long as you know their full name and birth details. He wants to make me his pawn to battle the Grave-Sealing E to the death.”

“But you seem perfectly lucid,” Guan He said, utterly baffled.

“That’s because the one fighting isn’t me. It’s the Substitution E that has taken on my appearance, abilities, and life force.”

Mei Lan explained calmly, “By now, that thing should already be in action.”

“…Let me get this straight. You’re saying Cen Ling made that thing take your form and powers to fight Fang Xiu? And if it dies, you’re the one who pays the price?” Guan He was dumbfounded.

He’d heard of using stand-ins to ward off disaster, but a stand-in that automatically charges to its death? That was extreme.

“Exactly. Any damage it takes is transferred to me.”

Mei Lan pointed to her glowing eyes. “It’ll keep fighting unconditionally until I die. As we speak, it’s draining my strength.”

Cheng Songyun, who’d been silent, suddenly spoke. “Is there any way to stop it?”

Mei Lan looked at Cheng Songyun in surprise.

Her tone was unexpectedly calm, far calmer than Guan He’s reaction. Logically, Cheng Songyun should understand the dangers of the Guishan Sect even better.

Cheng Songyun stroked the little black dog that had its tongue out and lowered her eyes. “Xiao Mei… Miss, I know you’ve hurt people before, and you’ve kept a lot from us.”

“But right now the most important thing is solving the problem. If we waste time blaming and getting mad, we’ll get nowhere. At least you’re still on our side. We can worry about accountability later.”

Mei Lan stared silently at the two across from her.

Guan He scratched his head hard. “I think she’s right. Fixing this comes first. And it’s good you know so much. We can’t drag the team down like last time.”

He didn’t understand the tangled love-hate between Mei Lan, Fang Xiu, and the Guishan Sect. It all sounded complicated.

What Guan He did know was that Fang Xiu was in bad shape. Right now the three of them were healthy and capable. They shouldn’t just sit here doing nothing.

Mei Lan lowered her eyes. There was a faint redness on the corners of it. “Honestly, the best solution… would be for me to die immediately.”

If she died first, the Substitution E would have no life to borrow.

Cen Ling didn’t know anyone else’s birth details. He wouldn’t be able to use it again. By now, having cycled through three Immortal E, even the most sluggish Underworld enforcers should’ve noticed something was wrong. Her main objective was complete.

In fact, the fact that Cen Ling had been directly exposed was more than she had ever hoped for.

From the moment the ritual began, Mei Lan had been prepared to die.

Ultimately, this entire ritual had been her doing. Their teammates were in danger because of her misjudgment.

She had once been part of the Guishan Sect. She had hidden vast amounts of information. She had caused all of this out of selfishness… She’d thought Cheng Songyun and Guan He would be furious, that her upcoming “suicide” would seem justified.

But instead—

Cheng Songyun glared at her. “What are you saying? Cen Ling’s clearly powerful. Even if you die, he’ll have other methods. And then we’ll be down a person for nothing.”

Guan He was uncharacteristically serious. “We know nothing about their side. If you die here, we really won’t be able to help Fang Xiu at all.”

“Dying is the most helpless option. You don’t just lead with that.”

Mei Lan: “…”

What could she say? After five rituals together, her teammates had gotten way too pragmatic. They skipped right over emotional appeals and went straight to logical reasoning. Clearly, they were influenced by Fang Xiu.

She didn’t even know how to argue with that.

A smile tugged at her lips. “Alright. Then I’ll hold on a little longer.”

Guan He perked up. “Then let’s go intercept that Substitution E! If we can stop it, that’ll be a weapon in our hands.”

Fang Xiu wouldn’t let them near him? Then they’d just go sabotage his enemies.

Cheng Songyun nodded enthusiastically and kissed the little dog in her arms. “Good boy, can you help us find it?”

“Woof!” The black dog lifted its nose proudly.

……

The hunt for the Substitution E was easier than Mei Lan had expected.

Though the little black dog wasn’t allowed to attack evil spirits, its tracking skills were unmatched. As for the various evil spirits blocking their path… after enduring the Fierce Wind ritual, Guan He and Cheng Songyun were unfazed.

Guan He used his “Invulnerable” techniques to bait enemies, Cheng Songyun raised her ghost shield, and Mei Lan directed scarf-birds from behind it. Monster-luring, survival, bombardment, all were executed smoothly. Their pace didn’t slow at all.

The journey went so smoothly that Mei Lan had time to start explaining—

She had quite a good background.

Her mother was a guqin teacher. Her father ran an antique store. They weren’t rich or influential, nor did they have stable government jobs, but they gave her a comfortable childhood.

But like Meng Xiaomeng, Mei Lan’s parents were very busy. From a young age, she had to heat her own dinners at night.

Resentment built up silently.

Her mother stayed late teaching other people’s kids and was always gentle and kind to them but often snapped at her at home.

Her father spent all his time drinking with people from his “circle” to maintain business, reeking of alcohol. Because of this, her parents constantly fought. When things got heated, they’d throw pots and pans.

In her memory, it was always just her alone at night, watching the microwave spin her dinner.

The “ding” echoed through an empty house.

…The Guishan Sect found her when she was twelve.

Because her parents were always away, Mei Lan often played at classmates’ homes. Her favorite was a girl with a similar background, except her parents were warm and smiling, and their table was always full of food.

This friend bragged to Mei Lan about her family’s belief in the Guishan Sect.

“There are a lot of amazing people in it. Everyone takes care of each other like family,” she said. “My parents’ business only took off thanks to their help. It’s awesome!”

Mei Lan was deeply envious.

If her parents made more money, maybe their family could be like that too. And her friend’s family even prayed before meals, something Mei Lan felt was pretty cool. Mei Lan often pestered her friend’s parents, curious about the Guishan Sect.

So one evening, when the family went to a Guishan Sect gathering, they “naturally” brought her along.

“What happened next?”

Guan He was so absorbed he nearly got clawed by a skinless being.

His own family life had been a mess. He knew how alluring a “perfect” family could be. In her shoes, he didn’t think he’d have done any better than Mei Lan.

And honestly, nothing about the Guishan Sect sounded that awful so far.

Maybe something went wrong at that gathering?

Mei Lan gave a strained smile. “That gathering might’ve been the happiest moment of my entire life.”

Twenty years ago, the Guishan Sect was at its peak.

They had rented a luxury hotel venue. The place was filled with lavish food Mei Lan had never seen before.

Fresh meats gave off enticing aromas. Gorgeous desserts were stacked among flowers. Her usual microwave meals seemed like scraps by comparison.

The well-off followers wore stylish clothes, exchanging greetings like members of high society. The scene looked just like the glamorous worlds she’d only seen in movies.

Even her mother, whose job required her to dress well, had never looked this elegant. Mei Lan even spotted a few local celebrities!

Born into a business family, Mei Lan had some sense of money. She knew the shiny jewelry and leather shoes on those people were worth more than her family’s entire yearly income.

The Guishan Sect seemed so wonderful, she thought in awe.

Her friend’s parents introduced her with smiles and encouraged her to eat and have fun. Mei Lan clung to the dessert table, trying everything one by one. But deep down, she felt a bit sad. This was all thanks to her friend. She didn’t belong.

…Until a middle-aged man surnamed Zhuang struck up a conversation.

He was handsome and dignified, like a model playing a successful business in an idol drama. He studied her in surprise, then patted her head.

“Little girl, is your dad Mei Jinghan?”

Mei Lan nodded nervously hiding her cream-and-cake-covered hands behind her back.

“I’ve heard of him. People say the Mei family girl has real talent, but he won’t let his daughter get on the path.”

He sighed. “Such a gifted child—what a waste.”

Her friend’s parents quickly stepped forward. “Exactly, President Zhuang. We just wanted you to see her. We can’t let a good seedling go to waste!”

Mei Lan stared blankly at “President Zhuang”.

“Little one, want to learn magic?”

He smiled, made a few gestures, and conjured a beautiful white flame on his fingertip. “If you learn, you’ll be better than me.”

Mei Lan, who’d never seen any metaphysical arts before, was stunned. Her classmates were still waiting for their “eleven-year-old owl letter*”, while actual magic was blooming right in front of her.

*Reference to Harry Potter. He was 11 when he received the letter invitation to Hogwarts.

She instinctively looked to her friend and saw jealousy on the girl’s face for the first time.

Turning back, surrounded by music and light, with this man showing her miracles… it all felt like a fairytale.

“I want to learn.”

She swallowed hard, afraid she’d wake up from a dream. “If I do, can I join the Guishan Sect?”

President Zhuang laughed, as if he’d heard the best news in the world.

“Of course. From now on, you’re family.” He said gently, “We’re one big family. We’ll take good care of you.”

Mei Lan felt like she might float away from joy. “Th-then… can you help my parents too?”

“You’re such a good child.”

Zhuang praised her warmly. “If only our Pengdao were as thoughtful. Then his father wouldn’t have… Haa.”

That night, when her friend’s family took her home, her chest felt like it held a warm balloon. It filled her heart so full, she could barely stay grounded.

Maybe this was what happiness felt like, she thought.

After that night, her mother suddenly gained several new, wealthy “lady clients”. Her father’s antique store was “accidentally” promoted by a celebrity and quickly became the talk of the town.

The family’s income skyrocketed in an instant. Though her parents were still busy, their arguments dropped significantly. They even started cheerfully discussing buying a larger house and hiring someone to cook her meals every day.

This was all thanks to her. Mei Lan was filled with pride.

She was still just a child, yet she had brought so much help to the family! Those famous aunts and uncles all treated her like their own daughter.

So one evening, during a rare family dinner, Mei Lan spoke up and told her parents about the Guishan Sect’s help, expecting praise.

…Instead, the household plunged into unprecedented chaos.

Her parents were horrified. Her mother clutched her hair and muttered frantically about refunding every single client. Her father, in a panic, began considering selling the store and moving to another province entirely.

For the first time in years, they were in complete agreement: Mei Lan was never to have contact with the Guishan Sect again. They were willing to give up all the wealth they had just gained to enforce that.

Mei Lan couldn’t remember all the details of that night. Just the endless screams, fear, and tears—some hers, some her parents’.

At the time, she thought her parents were completely irrational, ungrateful even.

Hearing all this, Cheng Songyun had forgotten the side effects of the ghost shield entirely.

She held her breath and asked nervously, “So… did you move away?”

Mei Lan turned her eyes away. With a flick of her wrist, her scarf transformed into a green bird that darted through the shadows and pierced straight through a centipede evil spirit.

“We moved.” She licked her cracked lips.

Her parents had really moved to another province for her sake. To sever her ties with the Guishan Sect, they even had her suspend school for an entire year. Her mother quit teaching guqin and stayed home to watch over her full time.

But the move had taken a toll. Half a year later, her mother started taking on odd jobs again. During that time, she would leave Mei Lan with their neighbor across the hall—a kind and friendly woman who often chatted with her mother while grocery shopping.

But the first time her mother left her there, the warm-faced aunt closed the door, let out a relieved sigh, and said—

“You’ve worked hard, child.”

She patted Mei Lan’s head. “You disappeared without a word. Everyone was so worried. President Zhuang still wants to teach you more techniques.”

“Don’t blame your parents. They’ve been brainwashed. Poor things. From now on, come to Auntie’s place. Everything you need is here.”

…From that day on, Mei Lan learned to live a double life.

She pretended she’d cut ties with the Guishan Sect, quietly studying at home before her parents and secretly practicing magic and doctrine at the neighbor’s.

Her “family” would send her little gifts now and then, checking in with warmth on holidays and birthdays.

Her real parents, meanwhile, worked even harder than before to recover the money lost from the move. Her father especially looked ten years older.

Worse still, they’d become more paranoid. Every time an anti-Guishan program aired on TV, or the newspaper reported the sect’s crimes, they’d make Mei Lan watch or read it all, then write a reflection essay.

Mei Lan only paid lip service.

The people she’d met in the sect were the gentlest, kindest souls she’d ever known, and they could do magic! Those programs and reports were just slander. She didn’t believe them for a second.

As she scribbled perfunctory “reflections”, her mind was filled with metaphysical theory and spiritual techniques. A tragic sense of standing alone against the world welled up inside her.

Her parents simply didn’t understand and didn’t want to understand the truth. Once she grew up and became a powerful figure in the metaphysical world, they would wake up. Then she’d bring them into the Guishan Sect’s warm family, and everything would be okay.

They would finally become the happiest family in the world.

…But unfortunately, things hadn’t gone the way she had imagined.

As she told this story, the little black dog suddenly stopped at a fork in the tomb corridor.

The dog didn’t understand human joys or sorrows. It simply circled Cheng Songyun’s ankles once, then gently tugged her pant leg.

Just around the corner of the tunnel, another “Mei Lan” was wandering and searching, following the traces left by Fang Xiu.

It looked exactly like their Mei Lan, except there was no bird-shaped scarf fluttering at her side. In its hand, instead, burned a cluster of pale light.

Mei Lan closed her eyes briefly, then stepped forward and stood at the front of the group.

The fake Mei Lan turned to look at her immediately. Its gaze swept over her body, its head tilting to an angle no human could achieve, eyes utterly devoid of emotion.

Mei Lan almost laughed.

Back then… she probably had this same hideous expression.

She swung her arm. The scarf bird, glowing with green light, shot forward, aiming directly at the E’s lower body. The scarf’s texture shimmered as it flew through her memory, smooth and neat, resting on her father’s hand.

That year, Mei Lan was seventeen. That day, her neighbor had skillfully helped her contact President Zhuang again.

“Child, lately our teachings have been under heavy attack. Everyone’s getting ready to go into hiding. If we can’t take you with us… it’ll be hard to stay in touch later.”

President Zhuang sounded exhausted. “We’ve waited five years. We can’t wait forever.”

“I can go with you! I’m about to turn eighteen. My parents won’t be able to stop me!”

Mei Lan quickly expressed her stance.

President Zhuang looked at her with a mix of fondness and pity. “It’s not that simple, child.”

“To protect you, we’ve kept some things from you… Haa, you’ll understand once you see it.”

Confused, Mei Lan followed her neighbor quietly to her father’s new antique shop. For some reason, the neighbor even gave her a talisman to erase her presence; they were extremely cautious.

They hid in a back corner of the shop, watching her father attentively balancing the books behind the counter.

After sunset, several cultivators entered the small shop under cover of darkness.

After five years of metaphysical education, Mei Lan could tell. They were black Taoists.

“Mr. Mei, same as usual?” the leader asked with a nod.

“All prepared.” Mei Jinghan smiled. “I’ve even got some thunderstruck wood artifacts this time. Want to take a look?”

“Of course. The Mei family goods are always top-tier.”

One of them nodded with delight. “Hey, this scarf’s interesting. New item?”

“No.” Her father quickly put it away. “Just something I made for fun. It’s not for sale.”

The black Taoists didn’t press. They chatted casually.

“Lao Wang said you got a jade cicada. Any chance it’s ‘that’ one?”

“With Mr. Mei’s eye, it’s got to be the real deal. Ah, but if it is, some big shot probably already reserved it. We’ll just have to drool.”

“But Mr. Mei, you never do business with the Guishan Sect. Be careful. They might come knocking. Anyone with a name in the field’s got ties to them.”

Mei Jinghan’s expression changed.

“Forget it.”

Mei Lan had never heard her father sound so cold. “I’m no saint, but I won’t sink that low.”

“Come on, Mr. Mei. The Mei family’s respected. With your talent, why turn down money…”

“If the business ends with me, so be it.” Mei Jinghan gripped the scarf box tightly. “Even if I die, I won’t deal with that lot.”

A few steps away, Mei Lan felt like she’d fallen into a frozen abyss.

Her parents had lied. Her father had always been “in the business”.

She realized, then and there—she would never live to see the day her parents “woke up.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 118: The Unsolvable Situation

Everyone froze for two seconds.

Cen Ling was the first to react. He confidently made a gesture to summon the swallowed luminous cup. He flipped his hand repeatedly, but Fang Xiu remained expressionless.

Fang Xiu held onto Bai Shuangying with one hand and swiftly reached for Cen Ling with the other. The moment his fingers got close, a crackle of purple lightning erupted.

Cen Ling retreated at high speed and flung three yellow talismans behind him. But before they reached their target, a blast of ghost wind knocked them down. Bai Shuangying loosely wrapped an arm around Fang Xiu’s shoulders, glaring at Cen Ling in warning.

Under that pale gaze, Cen Ling’s mind blanked out. His fighting spirit vanished. For a moment, he nearly forgot why he was even standing there—until the jade pendant on his chest scorched his skin, jolting him back to awareness. He retreated even farther.

He grabbed Bai Sui’s collar and leapt over countless wandering spirits. With a flash of light, both of them vanished, leaving only a palm-sized paper kite behind. Its red and green pigments had faded, giving it a subtly sinister look.

The paper kite fluttered in place twice, then shot away like lightning.

Fang Xiu clutched his injured throat, voice hoarse. “…Why is it here again?”

The kite’s power was astonishing. It completely concealed the two men, so even the Grave-Sealing E couldn’t detect their whereabouts.

Cen Ling had attacked with full force but withdrew the moment the situation turned unfavorable. How pragmatic.

When you can’t see your enemy’s methods clearly, going behind the scenes is the smartest move.

Especially since the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal was now sealed, and Cen Ling was no longer in front of him. Fang Xiu had to rely on instinct to deal with the remaining intruders, including the three humans who had just helped him.

The fighting had stopped, but his killing intent hadn’t subsided.

Fang Xiu shook his spinning head, trying to stay alert. The swarming spirits dispersed at his gesture, though the skinless beings sealing the Six Ghosts remained diligently at work.

“Don’t… come any closer.” He raised a hand toward the worried-looking Cheng Songyun and the others, making a warding motion. “Find a safe place to hide…”

With that, he turned his back to them, no longer looking at the trio’s varied expressions. The young woman among them hurried forward, as if wanting to say something. But Fang Xiu’s head rang so loudly he couldn’t take anything in.

To him, these people running toward him looked like roasted chickens dancing around a starving man, just asking for trouble.

“Take me away, Bai Shuangying. Back to our room.” Fang Xiu leaned against Bai Shuangying, unsteady on his feet. The tension was visible in the veins bulging at his temple.

Bai Shuangying gently picked him up.

He could tell, if Fang Xiu weren’t doing everything in his power to suppress the Grave-Sealing E’s corruption, those three humans would already be dead.

It was hard to say which surprised him more: Fang Xiu’s resistance to corruption, or Cen Ling’s “infinite Immortal E”.

Bai Shuangying glanced at the trio one last time and swiftly left the scene.

……

A few minutes later, Bai Shuangying understood why Fang Xiu had insisted on being alone. “Protecting his companions” wasn’t the only thing he had in mind.

“Can you get it out?” Fang Xiu rubbed his stomach.

Bai Shuangying: “…???”

“I only swallowed it. It should still be in my stomach.”

Fang Xiu spoke in a gentle tone like a biology teacher. “It’s too big to vomit up. We’ll have to cut open the stomach or use magic to pull it out… Can you help me?”

Bai Shuangying cautiously sensed their surroundings. It seemed like Ghost Immortal A’Shou had gone off to track Cen Ling. He relaxed slightly and nodded.

“Perfect. I thought I’d have to dissect myself.”

Fang Xiu scooted forward happily, opening his mouth without any hesitation.

Bai Shuangying traced his lips with a finger, shifting into his true form and slowly sliding down Fang Xiu’s throat. Fang Xiu’s brow twitched as his esophagus spasmed, but he stayed completely still.

The Grave-Sealing E’s influence made Fang Xiu’s body cold and lifeless. It was like digging into a cold piece of meat. His stomach was almost empty with barely any gastric fluid in sight.

Eventually, Bai Shuangying grasped the small luminous cup.

Only then did he notice it had once been a tall jade goblet that was now broken with only the bowl remaining. The severed edge was razor-sharp. Fang Xiu’s stomach already smelled faintly of blood.

Carefully gripping the jagged rim, Bai Shuangying began guiding it back up the esophagus. The pressure forced Fang Xiu’s eyes to redden at the corners. He clutched Bai Shuangying’s arm, fidgeting nervously, as if torn between coughing and holding still.

With patience, Bai Shuangying pulled it free. With a soft “pop”, the bloodstained, mucus-slicked goblet emerged, still glowing with a seductive light.

Fang Xiu doubled over coughing, spitting up blood-tinged foam. It took him a long while to catch his breath. His lips were streaked with blood, but that made him look a bit more alive.

As he panted, he turned the luminous cup over and over, examining it.

“This item is called the Immortal E. Normally it’s under the Underworld’s control,” Bai Shuangying explained.

Its taboo effect caused dizziness and could generate protective armor on the user making it quite practical. But who knew how useful it’d be in their hands.

He also gave a brief explanation of how the Underworld handled eliminating the E’s. He didn’t expect Fang Xiu to remember, but meaningless talk was still better than silence.

Fang Xiu touched the Grave-Sealing E on his tongue, then looked at the luminous cup in his hand.

“I thought we were tomb robbers,” he said with a smile. “So now you’ve figured out every taboo but one?”

Bai Shuangying: “Only the death taboo remains. Once I confirm it, I can try to save you.”

Fang Xiu ran a finger along the rim. “Makes sense—like confirming the diagnosis before surgery. You can’t just operate at random… But are you sure I can still be saved?”

He sounded so casual that Bai Shuangying faltered. Frowning, he practically wore question marks on his face.

“I don’t remember anything about rituals. But if your theory is right, the first two taboos were aimed at the ‘chosen controller’.”

Fang Xiu sat down on a pile of bones, absently brushing them with his hand. “And those two were already enough to kill everyone else… so the death taboo is probably targeting me too.”

A powerful soul whose karma got corrupted, and a grave sealed by ever-changing corpses.

Commanding the earth demons to guard the tomb alone.

Bai Shuangying pressed a hand to his temple.

Indeed, with the first two taboos in motion, the grave would inevitably end up with just one person left: the one possessed by the Grave-Sealing E. There was no need to waste the death taboo on anyone else.

“E’s” were born from obsession, not designed with complex rules.

If he were Fang Xiu, what would he think?

An “E” is just a dead thing. The rules don’t need to be intricate. The Grave-Sealing E exists to seal graves. It doesn’t let intruders go…

After a long silence, Bai Shuangying looked at Fang Xiu, still sprawled in the bones. He had thought of something, but it was a cruel conclusion.

“You might…”

He didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

“Yeah. In a way, I might already be dead.”

Fang Xiu stared at his pale fingers. “That’s why losing the E would mean instant death. It’s been devouring my consciousness. It doesn’t need my soul, only my abilities and knowledge.”

“The one talking to you now might just be a ‘resonance’. Strange, huh?”

Bai Shuangying stood silently in the cramped tomb, unsure what to feel.

If it were anyone else, being possessed by the Grave-Sealing E meant certain death, body and soul. Not even the gods could help.

And this time, there was no chance to slowly wear it down.

If they let it continue, Fang Xiu’s soul would be eroded by the E. But to save him, they had to end the ritual. And to end the ritual… they had to destroy the E.

Destroy it, and Fang Xiu’s soul would vanish instantly.

He was still here, speaking in his usual tone, but realistically, he no longer had a chance of survival.

What stood before him was merely the “faint echo” of a soul on the brink of collapse.

While Bai Shuangying brooded, Fang Xiu gently ran his fingers over his skin. The word “survive” was still slowly bleeding. The pain hadn’t gone away.

There was no panic in his eyes. Only contemplation.

As he lowered his gaze, a shadow moved into view. Bai Shuangying pressed a cool palm to Fang Xiu’s head.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said.

“…Why?”

“I have an idea,” Bai Shuangying murmured. “But we have to test it.”

……

At one corner of the tomb.

“Cen Ge, taking it out didn’t cause any problems, right?”

Bai Sui no longer wore his relaxed expression. He asked worriedly, “If they report this to the Underworld, won’t we be in trouble?”

Cen Ling shook his head. “The unbelievers weren’t meant to stay alive. And one of them is ‘Fang Xiu’. Kill them all, and it’s fine.”

He spoke in a serious manner as if he was ticking items off a shopping list.

Cen Ling hated wasting time searching for “Fang Xiu”, just as he hated dealing with taboos step by step. In a game full of evil spirits, cheating always beats following the rules.

Bai Sui glanced at the kite in Cen Ling’s hand but still looked uneasy.

This entire ritual felt like a game. The two of them could easily tear through monsters, and if that failed, they had the Heaven-Breaking Techinique for defense.

Once they found the E, Cen Ling could secretly use the Immortal E to protect himself and take it for his own. It might have the word “immortal” in it, but it could still counter E’s like a ghost immortal suppresses evil spirits.

The best part? After borrowing its power, he could quietly return it.

So long as he wasn’t obvious, the Underworld, blind to their own E’s inventory in the Disaster Relief Tower, would never notice. It was comparable to Cen Ling own back garden.

With those cheats and a golden finger, Bai Sui had never suffered a loss.

Cen Ling didn’t care much about the unbelievers, but he doted on his own followers. Watching average people panic and bleed while being terrorized by taboos made Bai Sui giddy.

…That smug sense of “chosen one” superiority was euphoric.

But this time, they’d met opponents who didn’t play by the rules. That Hong Shuangxi guy actually ate the cup. What the hell?

And then Mei Lan betrayed them, and worse, attacked him first, a minor! Thinking about what a big loss he suffered made Bai Sui fume.

“The cup’s still in that guy’s hand. Cen Ge, we’ve got to get it back, or we can’t return it,” Bai Sui muttered irritably. “That bitch is bad news. She’s definitely plotting against us.”

Cen Ling raised a hand. With a faint clinking of chains, the paper kite vanished into thin air. He sighed lightly. “True, fewer loose ends is better.”

“Want me to kill her?” Bai Sui looked eager. “I’ll say I panicked, had a breakdown, and came crawling back. They’ll believe it for sure.”

Cen Ling flicked his forehead. “You’re just a kid. Stay out of the grown-ups’ business.”

“So we just sit and wait?!” Bai Sui pouted, rubbing his forehead.

“No need. Better let the Grave-Sealing E and that traitor tear each other apart. If we step in, they’ll just team up against us.”

Cen Ling’s voice was calm. “Let me think…”

He drew a complicated sigil in his palm, muttering an incantation. Soon after, more chain sounds echoed, and a rough cloth doll fell into his hand.

Bai Sui eyed the filthy little rag doll. “We’ve recorded this one before?”

“It’s been a few years.”

Cen Ling examined it with a frown. “It’s not very reliable, but we don’t have many Immortal E on record.”

“If they all belonged to us, that’d be perfect,” Bai Sui sighed.

Even if they could borrow these powers, Cen Ling wasn’t a god. The Immortal E’s didn’t come with user manuals.

So they had to borrow ones the Guishan Sect had already documented. This dirty doll wasn’t exactly what Bai Sui had hoped for.

Cen Ling took out a vermilion brush and carefully wrote Mei Lan’s name and birthdate on the doll’s back. As the brush moved, the rag writhed like something alive, gradually morphing into Mei Lan’s form.

A miniature Mei Lan opened her eyes wide, expressionless. But she had complete eyelashes, flowing hair, and even a rising and falling chest.

Cen Ling watched her quietly for a while, a trace of regret in his eyes.

“Why betray us, sister?”

He sighed. “We gave you a job. We gave you love. This side was always your true home.”

“Just a crazy hag,” Bai Sui sneered. “I killed my stupid parents too. No drama. Can’t reason with someone like her.”

Cen Ling kept gazing at the doll, his eyes full of pity.

“…Fine. Let her clean up the mess with the Grave-Sealing E. That can be her atonement.”

He reached out and gently closed Mei Lan’s eyes.

“Go. Show them what you’re capable of.”

……

Far away, Mei Lan was pouring water for Guan He when her body suddenly trembled.

The cup tipped in her stiff hand. Water streamed past her fingers and splashed onto the cold stone floor.

For a moment, her expression flickered with confusion, then turned into a complex smile.

She opened her lips and let out a long sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Guan He rushed to wipe up the spill.

Mei Lan untied her scarf, pulled out a green jade pendant, and closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, her pupils glowed with the same luminous green as the jade.

“I’m fine,” she said gently.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 117: The Hidden Immortal E

The moment Fang Xiu appeared, the massive evil spirit immediately turned its body.

It dragged its bloated body along the ground, slithering like a diseased tadpole more than anything else, if not for its viscera-like body dragging behind it.

Cen Ling lightly leapt onto its head and casually hoisted Bai Sui up with him. The uppermost pair of eyes on the creature rolled upward to look at them, but it didn’t throw them off.

The remaining five pairs of eyes locked dead onto Fang Xiu, their lusterless pupils filled with hunger.

With the shift in focus, Cheng Songyun finally got a moment to breathe. The three retreated into a dark corner, and Cheng Songyun wearily retracted her Resentful Ghost Shield.

“Xiao Mei, explain yourself,” she said in a low voice. “What the hell is that thing?”

Mei Lan had clearly withheld information. She hadn’t looked surprised at all when Cen Ling released the seal.

“That’s the ‘Six Ghost Remnants Immortal’.”

Mei Lan was gasping too, but her eyes burned with fanaticism. “Gather six evil spirits on the verge of becoming ghost immortals, strip them of the E they were about to complete, then use secret techniques to trap them in a grand tomb and raise them like venomous bugs… This is the closest thing mortals can create to a ‘ghost immortal’.”

Timing was everything. Too early, and the evil spirits were just that, too weak to be of use. Too late, and if the ghost immortal entered the Underworld, it would become a conflict between the living and the dead.

So Zhuang Guiqu chose spirits like Li Shuo, those who were half a step to becoming a ghost immortal, as raw materials.

“…And what spread among the people became the legendary tale of ‘Zhuang Guiqu sealing six great evil spirits’.”

Mei Lan’s lips curled with a cold smile. “Zhuang Guiqu raised the cursed thing and sealed it. That he left behind a control method doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

Even Guan He found this unsettling. “How do you know all this?”

“Because I understand the Grave-Sealing E.”

Mei Lan spoke slowly and clearly. “The six ghosts of the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal were each one step away from becoming ghost immortals. They’re deeply obsessed with completing their E and will instinctively chase after any nearby ones.”

“The Grave-Sealing E is focused on maintaining peace in the tomb. If the seal on the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal loosens, the Grave-Sealing E is sure to prioritize containing them. That’s what makes it ‘balanced’.”

From her tone, Mei Lan was confident the spirits were only targeting them in passing. Once the Grave-Sealing E appeared, it would pursue it with everything it had.

“We have to help.”

Guan He had a thousand more questions for Mei Lan, but the problem was… that Grave-Sealing E was under Fang Xiu’s control!

And his opponent was the fully unleashed Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal, plus the two Guishan Sect members who had released it. None of them were easy to deal with.

If Fang Xiu lost, they were all doomed. Between him and a fanatical cultist, Guan He would take the crazy Fang Xiu any day.

Cheng Songyun stared at the familiar-yet-foreign figure in funeral garb and nodded. They couldn’t beat the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal, but they could at least disrupt its allies.

Mei Lan glanced at her teammates with a twisted expression. It was hard to tell if it was sadness or satisfaction.

“I agree too,” she whispered.

……

“This thing looks so standard that it’s only missing ‘enemy boss’ written at the top.” 

Fang Xiu muttered under his corpse-hand mask, frowning as he stared down the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal. Being watched with such hungry eyes gave him goosebumps.

The Six Ghosts lunged, extending its tendrils toward him. Fang Xiu made a quick gesture, summoning countless corpse hands from the walls to block the strike. They held out for only a few seconds before being shredded.

He massaged his forehead, his dark eyes sweeping through the gloom. The skinless people were frozen in place, twitching unnaturally, like glitched-out NPCs.

Seconds later, they dropped their human-skin bags, extending clawed fingers as they moved toward the Six Ghosts.

The Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal slowed, as if caught in an invisible web.

Even Bai Shuangying could feel the pressure emanating from the air, an unfamiliar force.

Fang Xiu looked strained, as if he was moving a newly grown limb. There was no spell fluctuation… It was a taboo. He was trying to wield a forbidden technique through the Grave-Sealing E.

An undiscovered taboo, Bai Shuangying thought, eyes widening slightly.

The Grave-Sealing E was showing power, but oddly, its aura was growing more unstable.

Meanwhile, the evil spirit opposite them carried a familiar sealing energy. Not as complex or strong as what he bore, but of the same origin.

An immortal E. A grand tomb. A seal for six ghosts on the verge of becoming immortals.

Then what about a Tower filled with countless Immortal E’s?

He felt like he’d glimpsed the tip of the iceberg.

Bai Shuangying glanced irritably toward A’Shou, wishing he could kick that Underworld surveillance device out.

The Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal shrieked. On its head, Cen Ling calmly crouched, pressing his palm to the spirit’s skull.

A flash of green light shimmered, weakening the invisible restraints. It charged forward, barreling toward Fang Xiu.

Bai Sui let out a gleeful laugh, whipping out twin daggers and calling down arcs of violet lightning…

Which were intercepted by an invisible shield.

Guan He, carrying Cheng Songyun on his back, activated the Resentful Ghost Shield while Mei Lan circled behind with the dog. She unraveled her scarf and started chanting. The scarf folded into the shape of a bird with a razor-sharp beak.

With a flash of green light, the scarf flying bird hurtled toward Bai Sui, hitting him squarely in his right shoulder and ripping through it in a spray of blood, nearly destroying his arm.

Bai Sui screamed in disbelief. He hadn’t expected Mei Lan to strike with such… cruelty. The dagger in his right hand fell to the ground, mixing in with his blood. 

Cen Ling flinched. As he turned, the evil spirit beneath him began to tremble.

He whipped around just in time to see cannonball-sized ghost fire blast it back. The host of the Grave-Sealing E had been snatched up by Bai Shuangying, who hovered midair, one arm wrapped around him and the other wielding the Peach Bone Evil, hurling more ghost fireballs.

The skinless beings swarmed upward, continuing to climb the Six Ghosts. The enormous evil spirit staggered in midair, struggling to dodge.

“Cen Ge!” Bai Sui bit down on a pill, voice trembling.

“No problem,” Cen Ling said casually. “No matter what the situation is, or whatever the taboos are, if we win, it ends.”

Bai Sui clutched his mangled arm. “But that woman…”

“I thought she was keeping secrets. Turns out she’s a traitor.”

Cen Ling sounded distracted. “Shame I brought her. She’s not family after all.”

He pulled Bai Sui close. Light particles gathered at the wound, regenerating his flesh.

Refocused, Bai Su swung his dagger, hurling purple lightning at the scarf-bird. The scarf-bird dodged the lightning while Mei Lan retreated with the dog, barely avoiding the blast radius.

For a while, the fight reached a stalemate with spells and curses clashing.

Fang Xiu’s eyes scanned from the statue of Zhuang Guiqu to the ruins, then to the abyssal pool, and finally to his “allies”.

Cheng Songyun was being carried by Guan He as she held her shield; Mei Lan was sneaking around, focused on crippling Bai Sui. They could protect themselves but not do much damage.

Bai Shuangying defended Fang Xiu, using ghost fire to suppress the evil spirit, but with Cen Ling protecting it, a fatal blow wasn’t happening. Bai Shuangying seemed strangely cautious, his gaze drifting into the shadows.

Though he didn’t remember these people, Fang Xiu appreciated the clear friend-or-foe distinction.

He didn’t recall any combat techniques. His only offensive options were illusions, ghost fire, A Single Thread to Sever Heaven, and summoning evil spirits.

He didn’t have enough cards. It wasn’t enough to win.

He thought for a moment, then asked Bai Shuangying, “What level is that bodyguard of the evil spirit?”

“Cen Ling, a member of Guishan, who is ranked among the best spellcaster,” Bai Shuangying replied.

Though not quite Zhuang Guiqu, he far surpassed Zhuang Pengdao. Precise, ruthless, clearly talented.

“Take me to the statue,” Fang Xiu hummed.

Bai Shuangying didn’t get it but obeyed. He kicked off toward the Zhuang Guiqu statue. A gust of ghostly wind blew a ghost egg off the statue’s palm, and they landed together.

Cen Ling’s expression shifted.

He whispered to the spirit, which stopped charging and began firing tendrils instead.

Fang Xiu smiled, touching the tattooed words “Guishan Sect” and “Enemy” on his arm. “No wonder the statue’s undamaged. It turns out it belongs to the Guishan. What a devout bunch.”

He dodged a few strikes, grinning wildly.

Bai Shuangying couldn’t see the point. Even if the statue offered cover, it wouldn’t change the outcome. As long as A’Shou was watching, he couldn’t act freely.

But then Fang Xiu leapt on him, throwing an arm around his neck. “Carry me, over there.”

As he spoke, ghost fire flickered from a shadow. Bai Shuangying instinctively dove, dodging the Six Ghosts’ tendrils and Bai Sui’s lightning.

He didn’t know if Cen Ling did something, but the strikes were stronger now. Dozens of tendrils raked deep scars into the floor.

Fang Xiu curled his lips and hugged Bai Shuangying’s neck tighter and pointed in a new direction. This time, when Bai Shuangying jumped, another illusion also jumped up. The two sides split into two different directions.

“Parlor tricks,” Cen Ling sneered, patting the evil spirit.

Tendrils attacked both illusions, filling the plaza with smoke and quaking the nearby pool. Cursed fog rolled in, only to be sliced apart by Bai Shuangying’s magic weapon.

With the tendrils whipping at the illusions, the battle seemed to turn into a cruel whack-a-mole game. Though Fang Xiu summoned more evil spirits, they couldn’t hold off the massive enemy.

The attacks from the enemy were too strong. Guan He didn’t dare carry Cheng Songyun into danger, so he joined Mei Lan. The three dodged around with the black dog trying to stay on the battlefield.

But Bai Sui didn’t let up. While Cen Ling pressed the advantage, he hurled purple lightning at the three from atop while looking at them with eyes full of malice.

“Bitch! Traitor!” He screamed at Mei Lan while making faces at her. “You hit a kid, you filthy orphan!”

Mei Lan ignored him, tossing Guan He a charm that made him faster. Guan He felt as if his feet were like the wind and swallowed back his doubts.

From the beginning, Mei Lan only had one goal. She was just dragging them along, buying time.

No one knew how long the earth had been shaking when the surroundings suddenly lit up.

Perhaps it was the long stretch of being pushed back that triggered something that Fang Xiu finally snapped. The wide ground erupted in ghostly flames three meters high, warping the air with heat. The three of them froze, and Cheng Songyun quickly raised the Resentful Ghost Shield to withstand the ghost fire spell.

But Cen Ling only nodded, directing the Six Ghosts to swim through the air and dive into the central pool. Even amid the flames, the pool water remained icy cold. The Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal emerged almost unscathed.

“Heh.” Bai Sui lifted his nose with disdain and looked across the flames. “That was way too eas—huh???”

Something even larger stirred within the smoke and fire.

The evil spirits summoned by the Grave-Sealing E had quietly gathered behind the statue of Zhuang Guiqu. One by one, they hurled themselves at the massive stone figure with reckless force.

Countless ghost hands linked together, forming thick chains of blood and flesh. They latched onto the protruding parts of the statue, pulling it in a specific direction.

The area that had previously been blasted by the Six Ghosts cracked with a deafening noise. Countless fractures spread and splintered in quick succession.

It all took just a few seconds.

Under the pulling of the ghost hands, the statue plunged into the pool like a battering ram. Fire and smoke offered perfect cover, and by the time Cen Ling and Bai Sui sensed danger, the statue was already about to crash down on their heads.

Cen Ling reacted immediately, grabbing Bai Sui and leaping aside. The Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal wasn’t so agile. Most of its body was still soaking in the pool. Its candied-fruit-like heads and the statue’s extended arm collided directly, smacking it deep into the water.

The outstretched stone arm drove downward like a nail, pinning the grim, fleshy mass to the bottom of the pool.

In the next moment, the skinless beings swarmed in, cramming themselves into every remaining gap. Using their bodies as sealant, they clung to the statue in a desperate attempt to imprison the Six Ghosts Remnants Immortal beneath the surface.

Fang Xiu leapt down lightly and landed atop the statue’s back.

He folded his arms behind him and beamed at Cen Ling. “Pick one—your faith, or your mount?”

This time, it was a physical seal. Their opponents had never shown brute strength. If they couldn’t move the statue by force, they’d have to shatter it.

Cen Ling’s smile vanished. Bai Sui was still in a daze and instinctively yelled, “Despicable!”

Fang Xiu, unfazed, replied as if he’d just been complimented. “Much appreciated.”

With a casual gesture, all the spirits in the chamber turned to stare at Cen Ling and Bai Sui. Outside the tomb, footsteps rustled ever closer.

Bai Shuangying retracted his gaze.

Fang Xiu’s takedown of the Six Ghosts had been smooth and unimpeded. He believed he had confirmed the Grave-Sealing E’s second taboo:

Command the earthbound demons to guard the tomb in solitude.

…Not just intruders. Even berserk evil spirits were to be eliminated.

But this taboo, like the one before—“The strong’s karma will be polluted and the sealed corpse must be rotated”—wasn’t a straightforward death taboo. Three taboos total, and only the most important one remained undiscovered.

Near the statue, the trio finally caught on. Cheng Songyun and Guan He relaxed slightly, but Mei Lan tensed up, eyes locked on Cen Ling, fists clenched.

Cen Ling stared at Fang Xiu, standing atop the statue, a faint anger flickering in his gaze. He didn’t lash out like Bai Sui. After a long silence, he slowly pulled something from his sleeve.

It was a small cup of glowing jade.

“Cen Ge?!” Bai Sui’s face froze.

“No need to panic,” Cen Ling said, eyes still on Fang Xiu. “Even the Grave-Sealing E shouldn’t run wild on sacred Guishan soil. That thing knocked over even our founder’s effigy, that’s on me for poor judgment.”

“As a junior disciple, I have to clean up the mess.”

In the ghost fire’s light, the jade cup gleamed with dazzling hues. As soon as the women recognized it, their expressions changed drastically.

Mei Lan closed her eyes, seemingly relieved. A’Shou, on the other hand, turned pale, staring at the cup in disbelief.

It was an Immortal E.

Of course, it wasn’t unheard of for one to be lost in the human world. But this group had been summoned by the Underworld to the Disaster Relief Tower. If anyone had brought an Immortal E with them, the Underworld wardens would have confiscated it on the spot.

More importantly, A’Shou recognized that particular one. She had been close friends for a thousand years with its previous owner. She herself had stored it in the Shrine of All E’s.

So how the hell had it ended up here unnoticed?

Mei Lan hadn’t lied. This trip was well worth it.

Had Cen Ling merely broken a forbidden seal, she might have made a public fuss. But with things this serious, it was no time to alert the enemy. A’Shou gritted her teeth and kept a close watch.

So did Fang Xiu.

He eyed the tiny jade cup and cautiously stepped back. The Grave-Sealing E in his body began to heat up, clearly sensing something.

Cen Ling gave Fang Xiu a contemptuous look and flicked the cup forward. Fang Xiu was hit with a wave of vertigo, as if the earth had struck him in the face. Even the ghost hands hovering over his head drooped and vanished.

Fortunately, before he could collapse, Bai Shuangying caught him by the waist and held him steady. Among the other three, only Cheng Songyun managed to stay upright with the help of her prayer beads. The other two dropped instantly.

Bai Sui cast panicked glances at the cup, furtively checking his surroundings. Even his defenses became half-hearted.

“Impressive,” Cen Ling remarked, eyeing Bai Shuangying as he advanced. “But pointless.”

“I’m just here to deal with the Grave-Sealing E. If you know what’s good for you, back off. This isn’t some ordinary skill. It works through the death taboo.”

Bai Shuangying clutched the limp Fang Xiu and unleashed another jet of ghost fire.

Cen Ling tilted the cup, and a translucent general’s armor appeared over him. Battlefield winds circled around him, instantly shattering the flame.

Bai Shuangying’s mind raced. There was no doubt, that was an Immortal E.

Cen Ling hadn’t fully guarded against him. If he struck by surprise and seized the Immortal E, it might succeed, but it would blow his cover.

And he had to protect Fang Xiu. If the Grave-Sealing E was destroyed, Fang Xiu would die.

Bai Shuangying looked down at the semi-conscious Fang Xiu and nearly chuckled. At some point, his dilemma had shifted from “Should I save him?” to “How should I save him?”

Unfortunately, A’Shou wasn’t someone easily fooled. She was too close. She had seen everything. Not even the paper figure could mask it.

“You’re clever,” Bai Shuangying muttered. “So I’ll let you handle the lying.”

…He couldn’t think of a plan, but together, they might.

He didn’t know what this feeling was, but he liked it.

Cen Ling saw Bai Shuangying standing still and assumed he’d accepted defeat. Even so, he cautiously gripped the cup tighter and approached under Bai Sui’s protection.

He stopped half a step from Fang Xiu and reached out…

Suddenly, the cup jolted in his hand, as if pulled by an invisible chain, and slipped free. Red threads surged behind Cen Ling’s eyes. His connection to the cup was instantly severed.

At that moment, the cup was only a fist’s length away.

Everything seemed to slow. Cen Ling reached for it instinctively. Bai Shuangying yanked it toward himself with fierce resolve. But…

“Ah-ow.”

Right between them, Fang Xiu suddenly lifted his head, chomped down on the jade cup, and swallowed it whole.

Cen Ling: “……”

Bai Shuangying: “……”

“It felt light.” Fang Xiu licked his lips and choked back a little tear from the corner of his eyes. “Bleh. It tastes awful.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 116: Unsealing the Curse

Bai Shuangying stopped in his tracks.

Fang Xiu had shown many things before, but never this kind of vulnerability.

He knew Fang Xiu was trying to make him stay, and this might very well be a trick. But his feet seemed glued to the ground, and Bai Shuangying found it hard to leave.

…Stay sharp. You’ve already scouted out Fang Xiu’s condition. It’s time to call it.

…The Underworld ghost immortal is watching. Drawing too much attention could raise suspicion.

…Fang Xiu doesn’t seem to like you that much anymore. He might become hostile.

His mind was calmly weighing the situation, but the more he thought, the more annoyed he got. Leaving now felt like a subtle admission of defeat.

He realized his invisibility had no effect on Fang Xiu. That gaze—the way Fang Xiu looked at strangers—was still tracking him. So Bai Shuangying compromised.

He picked up “Fang Xiu’s original head” and silently hid it behind a pile of bones.

At least he was out of Fang Xiu’s line of sight for now.

Fang Xiu stood obediently where he was, making no move to stop him, only continuing his attempt to persuade.

“If you go back now, they might not believe you.”

He spoke sincerely. “If I could end up like this, you might ‘change’ too. Besides, we used to be lovers. Others, especially the Guishan Sect, will be even more wary of you.”

“I will…”

Halfway through, Fang Xiu blinked hard. The words slipped off his tongue. He couldn’t remember what he wanted to say, or who he was even talking to.

A sharp sting came from his arm. He lifted his sleeve and saw the words: “Mine, Bai Shuangying.”

Who was Bai Shuangying again?

He must be important, if he was written here so close to the skin.

…But his main job was to guard this place.

…He could sense the presence of intruders. He had to get rid of those arrogant fools.

Not far off, seeing Fang Xiu fall silent, Bai Shuangying couldn’t help himself and peeked from behind the bone pile. Fang Xiu stood like a statue, smiling faintly at a blank wall.

Bai Shuangying couldn’t take it anymore. He strode out. “Fang Xiu?”

Fang Xiu startled, then blinked in surprise. “Are you Bai Shuangying?”

Bai Shuangying: “…” God damn this Grave-Sealing E. His human was broken again!

Fuck the ghost immortal and the Underworld. He wasn’t going to stand by while Fang Xiu was like this. It hadn’t even been that long, and Fang Xiu had already forgotten him. Taboos or not, he could investigate them here too.

“I’m Bai Shuangying, you’re Fang Xiu.” He repeated with patience. “We are…”

He hesitated. “We are lovers.”

He couldn’t exactly say: I’m the evil spirit bound to you in an Underworld disaster relief ritual; we kiss daily; you like me, I need you. Anyway, our relationship is… complicated.

That would be impossible to explain, and he strongly suspected Fang Xiu wouldn’t remember it anyway.

Fang Xiu opened his mouth, then finally squeezed out a line. “As expected of me. I have such great taste.”

“I don’t remember you at all, so I must have a bit of a memory problem.” He gave Bai Shuangying a slow once-over. “But I let you this close, and you jumped out without hesitation… Your tone doesn’t sound like a liar either.”

Bai Shuangying: “???”

But he was lying. They weren’t lovers… were they?

Then right in front of him, Fang Xiu picked up a piece of bone and added the words “lover” after “Mine, Bai Shuangying.”

The pain and blood seemed to clear his mind. Fang Xiu shut his eyes, then firmly carved two more terms: “Guishan Sect” and “enemy”. His face was twisted. It was obvious remembering was taking effort.

In less than ten seconds, his pained look turned vacant again. The Grave-Sealing E and Fang Xiu’s battered consciousness were locked in a tug-of-war, each clashing without rest.

His forearm was already a mess of flesh and blood. Fang Xiu rolled his sleeve up further.

“I don’t belong here.”

“Memory loss continues.”

“Stay alive.”

Bone shards sliced his skin. Blood dripped down in near-black streaks.

Once his entire left arm was covered in blood-written messages, Fang Xiu finally let out a breath of relief. He hadn’t even flinched once during the whole thing.

“So annoying.” He wiped the blood from his arm. “I need to properly deal with this.”

Only then did he realize Bai Shuangying was still next to him. He smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I’m in a bad state right now.”

“I’ve got this intense urge to destroy things. I’m probably being controlled by something. It’s periodically messing with my memory to keep me acting on instinct… Judging by the environment, it’s probably some curse or magic weapon.”

That was indeed the case. Bai Shuangying didn’t even know what to say.

All he did was show his face and introduce himself and Fang Xiu instantly deduced the situation. If this had been someone less sharp, like Blondie, they’d already have charged out swinging.

Bai Shuangying had a strange feeling. Fang Xiu seemed oddly adapted to this “mental chaos”.

…But that made no sense.

For human cultivators, cultivating the heart is absolutely critical. Regardless of sect, a disturbed mind halts all progress. No one would deliberately damage their own sanity—that would be like stabbing yourself in the dead of winter just for fun. It’s a surefire way to breed inner demons.

Fang Xiu’s mind was in shambles, yet he still lived. It bordered on a metaphysical miracle. And his composure made no sense at all. The more Bai Shuangying learned, the more unfathomable Fang Xiu became.

Now both of them stood silently, thoughtless in tandem. Bai Shuangying’s mind churned slowly.

“Now that I’ve written it on myself, I won’t hurt you,” Fang Xiu said.

He completely misread Bai Shuangying’s silence and misunderstood the atmosphere.

He added, half-jokingly, “But when I asked about our relationship, you hesitated. Seems we weren’t all that close. That’s a relief. If we have to part ways, you won’t be too heartbroken.”

He said it with a smile. Blood was still dripping from his fingers.

Hearing similar conclusions again, Bai Shuangying felt a bit sour. “I’ll protect you.”

Fang Xiu took it as courtesy. “You already are. Thanks for staying with me. I’m actually kind of afraid of the dark.”

“I’ll protect you, so from now on I’m staying with you,” Bai Shuangying repeated irritably. “Don’t mention parting again.”

Fang Xiu blinked, surprised. Under the dim ghostly glow, he studied Bai Shuangying for a while.

“Were we really that close before?”

Bai Shuangying nodded solemnly.

Fang Xiu laughed. He took a few small steps forward and hugged Bai Shuangying tightly. Like a drowning man clinging to driftwood, his embrace was alarmingly tight.

Bai Shuangying returned the hug with practiced ease, hand gently stroking Fang Xiu’s back. The silky burial clothes felt unpleasantly slippery, but Fang Xiu’s skin had a much better texture.

He wasn’t surprised to notice Fang Xiu was quietly playing with the ends of his hair.

…In the end, he’d been convinced to stay. Who knew if this was just another trick? Bai Shuangying sighed inwardly.

…Still, with his stealth ability, he could go back and forth. Maybe it would help with decoding the taboo.

He was still thinking about how to stabilize Fang Xiu when his expression suddenly froze, his head whipping toward a direction. Fang Xiu loosened his hug and clicked his tongue lightly.

They looked in the same direction. “That thing woke up.”

……

A’Shou didn’t look good.

She had no time to observe Fang Xiu anymore. A wave of murky ghost immortal aura came from deep in the tomb. It made her brain throb.

She actually recognized that cursed thing.

When the mortal realm attacked the Guishan Sect’s holy site, they invited experts from the Underworld. Back then, they found this… whatever it was—not even sure it qualified as a “ghost immortal”.

It had been captured by Zhuang Guiqu and suppressed in a great tomb, living in a half-dead state since the Kui Dynasty. Zhuang Guiqu turned it into a tomb beast, letting it devour yin energy and corpses to generate evil spirits.

But during that investigation, the true Grave-Sealing E was hidden by the Guishan Sect. The Underworld believed this ghost immortal was the only tomb beast, and sealed it away with the mortal realm…

“…They were afraid it might lash out before dying and cause a mountain collapse. That’s why they didn’t kill it.”

By the pool, Cen Ling calmly recounted the ghost immortal’s past.

A massive human head emerged from the pool, only its eyes visible above the surface.

Those eyes were strikingly beautiful and genderless but utterly devoid of spirit. They looked no different from a corpse’s.

Symbols like bloodstains were etched into its skin. Compared to its huge body, the markings looked like tiny bleeding cuts.

It just floated there, silently watching them. The water surface was still as glass.

Compared to the terrifying Grave-Sealing E, this thing made it look like child’s play.

Mei Lan swallowed, voice shaky. “Are you sure letting it out won’t backfire?”

Nothing about it looked like the type to show gratitude.

Cen Ling smiled without answering.

Bai Sui shrugged. “The Grave-Sealing E is more of a threat. It’ll go after that first. Let them fight. We just have to survive.”

Before Guan He had time to speak, Mei Lan leaned in, eager and curious. “So who’s going to clean up the Grave-Sealing E afterward? What if it gets damaged during the fight?”

“This is a ritual. There’s no perfect, foolproof plan,” Cen Ling finally spoke. “At least it’s huge. We won’t have to waste time finding it.”

Behind him, the giant head still stared.

Cen Ling smiled soothingly, bowed slightly, and began chanting obscure incantations. His voice was beautiful, but the spell made everyone dizzy and nauseous.

The enormous eyes slowly turned toward him.

At the same time, the little black dog in Cheng Songyun’s arms began barking madly. Cen Ling ignored it, chanting low and fast. The water churned with countless whirlpools, chains clinking nonstop.

All the slow-moving skinless beings froze, their eyes gathering toward Cen Ling.

Guan He shuddered and crept closer to Cheng Songyun. He watched Cen Ling’s back, trying to find the best angle to strike.

“Should we stop him?” he asked under the dog’s barking. “This thing feels wrong…”

Cheng Songyun’s brows furrowed hard.

She knew it was wrong, but Bai Sui was watching, and they didn’t have the strength to instantly kill Cen Ling. If they started a conflict here, they’d likely die first. Fighting cultists on their home turf most likely wouldn’t end well for them.

But if they let this thing loose, Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying would be in trouble…

“I’ll raise a shield over you,” she murmured. “We’ll try interrupting it. Buy some time…”

They had barely spoken when Mei Lan casually stepped between them and Cen Ling, fixing him with a twisted smile.

Guan He tried to shift position, but Mei Lan “just happened” to wander back into his way. He stared at her back, shocked. Bai Sui was now eyeing them suspiciously.

Within those few minutes, the pool surface trembled like an earthquake. The monster began rising and finally revealed its full form.

Its head wasn’t half-submerged out of modesty; it only had half a head.

To be precise, its “head” was six upper halves of human faces fused together. Perfectly stacked, they looked like a fat segmented worm. The six pairs of eyes resembled markings on its body.

The lowest face wasn’t connected to a neck, but a mass of deformed, slick flesh, like diseased internal organs.

Surrounding the “organs” were countless limbs and tendrils. One of them was used for laying eggs. In its center yawned a huge mouth like a bloody pit, ringed with countless sharp teeth.

Its body didn’t resemble a human but more like a fat, mutated mollusk.

Chains hung from its tendrils, squeezing the flesh into bulging lumps. As Cen Ling chanted, the chains quivered dangerously, glowing with ominous green cracks.

Its six pairs of eyes looked down at Cen Ling. Water splashed everywhere, nearly soaking Guan He. The sickly-sweet scent grew overpowering.

“What the hell is that?” Cheng Songyun grabbed Mei Lan’s sleeve.

“A pitiful thing.” Mei Lan stood rooted like a nail, staring up at the writhing creature.

As she spoke, the chains on one side of the monster snapped free.

The eyes spun wildly, locking onto targets. A boneless tendril snatched up a few skinless beings and shoved them into the central mouth.

Cen Ling gazed at it almost lovingly, incantation never pausing. One eye of the beast remained fixed on them.

Bai Sui laughed. “Wow, that thing’s nasty.”

Tugging at her pants, the black dog urged Cheng Songyun to run. She grabbed Guan He with one hand, Mei Lan with the other, and bolted after it.

The dog tore ahead on all fours, leading them into the dark.

They hadn’t gotten far when the last chain snapped.

The creature surged out of the pool, dragging what seemed like an endless body. It devoured the nearby skinless humans, then slithered straight past Cen Ling toward the fleeing trio.

“Why’d you stop me?” Guan He huffed, glaring at Mei Lan.

He would’ve rather confronted Cen Ling, but that chance was gone.

Mei Lan didn’t even turn. “It’s useless to delay things. It’s better if things escalate. The Underworld is watching.”

“God, it’s chasing us!” Guan He was furious. “What escalation?! We’ll be dead before that matters!”

Luckily, the black dog had picked a route through collapsed buildings. The creature’s massive body kept getting stuck, buying them time.

It made vile swallowing sounds, exhaling fragrant gusts that Cheng Songyun’s spirit shield barely blocked. Even so, they ran like cornered rats.

In the distance, A’Shou frowned.

Technically, Cen Ling’s actions were outrageous, but not against the rules. He was simply using the environment well and was within the bounds so the Underworld wouldn’t intervene… but this thing had been sealed by Zhuang Guiqu. How could Cen Ling released it so easily?

If he’d used the Heaven-Breaking Technique, she could understand, but this was a legitimate unsealing spell.

That meant Zhuang Guiqu had not only studied the unsealing spell but deliberately passed it on.

And to her knowledge, that was strictly forbidden. Seals like these contained catastrophic evil. Having the unsealing spell was like leaving a key to a crypt—it made no sense.

If the Underworld hadn’t sent observers, they’d have assumed it was some forced magic.

What exactly was the Guishan Sect trying to do?

A’Shou stared at the monster tearing after the trio and gripped her soft sword. If things got worse, she wouldn’t hesitate…

Boom!

Amid the sounds of stone collapsing, a heavy stone door silently slid open.

“They really let it out.”

Fang Xiu walked into the tomb leisurely with a head full of dead hands.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 115: The Tomb’s Immortal

Temporary Base.

Cen Ling quickly drew a stack of talismans and handed one to each of the “three-person crew” of various ages. “Just a little protection for the road ahead.”

Mei Lan was the first to accept hers. Cen Ling greeted her with an especially warm smile.

“Aren’t we waiting for Bai Shuangying?” Guan He asked nervously.

Only because they knew Bai Shuangying wasn’t human, and unlikely to die a second time, did Guan He manage to keep it together.

…Plus, that suspicious Fang Xiu-like evil spirit had gone straight for Bai Shuangying.

…Even if Fang Xiu had lost his memory, surely he wouldn’t harm his own seductive ghost. Human consciousness might be muddled, but preferences ran deep in the bones.

“There’s no signs of spiritual combat outside. The odds aren’t in his favor.” Cen Ling shook his head. “While it’s distracted, we should take this chance to move.”

“Let’s go. We’re not the same team,” Mei Lan added smoothly. “Waiting here is pointless.”

Just as Cen Ling said, there were few traces of battle beyond the door.

Bai Shuangying had vanished. A faint dripping echoed from deep within the shadows of the tomb. The sound of movement, soft and scraping, came and went, and the air was chillingly cold, though not laced with an ominous edge.

On the map, the tomb’s structure looked like a simple “山” shape. But once inside, the ruins and branching paths gave it a complex, labyrinthine feel.

All five of them wore a “Silence” talisman from Cen Ling, progressing as quietly as possible. Cen Ling and Bai Sui took the lead, while Mei Lan and the other two quietly brought up the rear.

Cen Ling’s white lantern was plastered with warding talismans, its dim light barely sufficient to see by.

The passage was filled with lurking spirits, many insectoid or beastlike, emitting a bizarre stench of rot.

A line of head-sized spiders crawled past, one bloated belly brushing Guan He’s ankle. He nearly screamed, only managing to redirect his eyes toward the small black dog by Cheng Songyun’s feet—when you’re scared by something fuzzy, you use another fuzzy thing to calm yourself.

The dog remained composed, guarding the group while eyeing the spider creatures with hunger.

But the deeper they went, the more the dog’s gaze lingered on the dark ahead. More humanoid spirits appeared—mostly the kind they’d seen before: skinless ones.

These creatures wandered the narrow tunnels with deflated or bulging skin sacks on their backs. Guan He couldn’t take it anymore; he pulled his veil over his eyes and entered concealment on the spot.

It was unclear how long the skins had been stripped. The creatures’ exposed muscles were still bloody, and the air reeked of rot. There were so many of them, even Cen Ling had put away his spear, opting for stealth.

Cheng Songyun quietly fingered her prayer beads as she walked. Mei Lan’s brows knit tighter the farther they went, her eyes scanning the murals along the corridor walls. Guan He, trying to distract himself, glanced at them too.

Unfortunately, the murals didn’t offer any helpful records or revelations. They were all variations of the same theme: mountains, rivers, and gods.

Endless mountains crushing demons and ghosts. Immortals bathed in golden light, robes fluttering, standing atop auspicious clouds raining down chains like a storm.

One of the immortals had a kind, compassionate face. Upon closer inspection, it was clearly Zhuang Guiqu, the same figure shown in the paintings hung back at their base.

Guan He was confused. Wasn’t this the royal tomb of the Kui Dynasty? Why was Zhuang Guiqu everywhere? It felt more like his personal tomb.

Cen Ling’s shadow flickered across the murals as he passed, giving the odd impression of someone polishing them. Even in the tension of the moment, he occasionally turned to admire the heroic figure of his “Hierarch” on the walls.

They walked for nearly an hour. Guan He’s legs were giving out. He’d lost count of how many turns they’d made. The number of skinless beings had only increased.

They had to walk single file just to avoid bumping into them.

As the numbers grew, the scene became surreal.

The creatures tore each other apart, stuffing the flesh into their sacks like treasure. When their sacks were full, they would stagger off into the darkness.

A few giant corpse rats wandered into the area. Within seconds, they were shredded. Blood spurted three meters high. Every bone, every scrap, even the tips of their tails were scooped up and shoved into the sacks.

The tomb walls grew dark and sticky. The brickwork became slick with filth, like the inside of a rotting esophagus.

Guan He didn’t dare even gag. If they were discovered, they’d surely be torn apart and stored away, one piece at a time.

Was this even normal?

But they had no choice—trapped between monsters and darkness. Cen Ling led silently at the front. Guan He didn’t dare ask questions. He missed Fang Xiu terribly.

After what felt like centuries, a faint light revealed a door.

After a bloody trek through horror, they had finally reached the “future base”. But the so-called “warehouse door” was coated in a black-red crust. Without careful inspection, the door’s shape was unrecognizable.

Guan He: “…”

Even if the Guishan Sect was a cult, this was a bit much for a storage door.

The little black dog sniffed at the bloody crust, then sat down firmly and refused to move.

“Come in with me,” Cen Ling said with a polite smile to the others.

The dog rolled its eyes at him, then grabbed Cheng Songyun’s pants and pulled her back.

She glanced nervously at the nearby skinless beings. “There’s danger inside.”

“If it’s dangerous, we’ll kill it.” Bai Sui shrugged. “You’ve seen Cen Ge’s strength. Stay outside if you don’t want to go in. Trusting a dog over a person is ridiculous.”

He casually picked up a rock from the tomb floor and tossed it at the dog who was still pulling on Cheng Songyun. It immediately let go of Cheng Songyun’s pants, then gave Bai Sui a displeased snort.

As they argued, Cen Ling reached for the door. Whether due to corpse oil or some other reason, the heavy stone slab slid open soundlessly. A breeze drifted out, laced with an indescribably sweet, cloying scent.

The gore ended precisely at the threshold. The space within was spotlessly clean, the floor gleaming under the paper lantern’s light.

On one side was bloodied corridors with skinless horrors muttering to themselves. On the other was a pristine chamber. It was like standing on the threshold between nightmare and reality.

“We’re heading in first,” Cen Ling said with another polite smile.

Cheng Songyun picked up the fuming dog and looked to Mei Lan. After a moment of hesitation, Mei Lan nodded slightly. Cheng Songyun pressed her lips together and sighed silently.

They all knew Cen Ling couldn’t be trusted. But splitting up here would mean dying faster.

One by one, they squeezed into the room behind Cen Ling. The heavy stone door closed behind them, shutting out all the filth.

Fortunately, the dog didn’t resist too hard. It just licked Cheng Songyun’s hand, clearly sulking.

Cen Ling walked several steps ahead. His paper lantern bumped against something.

In the next moment, lights flared to life. Lantern after lantern formed a glowing circle. A warm glow filled the space, bright but gentle on the eyes.

The three fell silent.

The dog whimpered twice, as if resigned.

This wasn’t a warehouse by any stretch.

The space was as wide as a small plaza. Opposite the door stood a massive statue of Zhuang Guiqu. He held one hand out in pity, palm full of pale, bead-sized objects. At first glance, they looked like… eggs.

The skinless beings began arriving in droves, dragging sacks to the plaza.

In the center stood a glowing green pool, giving off an unnaturally sweet fragrance. The creatures knelt beside it, reverently pouring the contents of their sacks into the water.

With a splash, a giant human head briefly surfaced, then vanished. The sounds of chains clinking could be faintly heard below.

What came next was indescribable: a grotesquely bloated limb, ending in a vivid red orifice. With a sickening squelch, it expelled several soccer-ball-sized, translucent eggs.

The skinless beings carried the eggs carefully toward the statue.

Guan He couldn’t take it anymore and began gagging. Cen Ling, cheerful as ever, stepped forward and turned to them.

“Apologies. This isn’t a warehouse… If I told the truth, you probably wouldn’t have come.”

He smiled brightly. “Welcome to the sect’s sacred ‘Immortal Breeding Chamber.’”

“That pool holds the ‘immortal’ tamed by our founder. Technically, it’s more like an evil spirit. We keep it sealed here, for the good of all.”

Cen Ling lifted his chin, pride evident in his voice.

Mei Lan’s expression shifted. “So why bring us here?”

“Simple.”

Cen Ling smiled wider. “The Grave-Sealing E was added by our sect later. This tomb originally had a guardian left behind by the founder, meant to reduce intruders to bones.”

“We wanted to use this place as a holy site. That’s why we brought in the Grave-Sealing E. They balance each other—so our brothers and sisters could worship in peace.”

Guan He and Cheng Songyun exchanged glances, both filled with unease.

Sure enough, Cen Ling’s smile deepened.

“All we need to do is unseal this area and let the tiger fight the wolf. We don’t need to risk breaking taboos ourselves. We’ll just wait, then deliver the final blow.”

“That’s why I called this a ‘war of attrition’.”

……

“Evil spirits have feelings too,” Bai Shuangying said irritably.

Inside the small tomb chamber, Fang Xiu gave him a puzzled look. “If you’re not getting any benefits from me anymore, I can understand your attitude.”

Even among the living, love rarely came from being “liked” alone—let alone among evil spirits. Fang Xiu was sure: if there was nothing to gain, there was no way this evil spirit would stick with him.

“It’s not that,” Bai Shuangying frowned.

He didn’t mind going hungry if he couldn’t absorb Fang Xiu’s essence. And if Fang Xiu forgot him, it was a new way to understand him… Still, he was very, very unhappy.

Fang Xiu didn’t look cold toward him. Clearly, he still liked his face. But something was missing—something Bai Shuangying couldn’t name.

To Fang Xiu, he didn’t seem special anymore.

His human no longer remembered the fireworks on Mid-Autumn or the snowy courtyard. Maybe he could tell those stories again, but how much could words really restore?

…What if Fang Xiu’s memories never returned? Would something important be lost forever?

Fang Xiu was still watching him with that admiring but distant gaze. Bai Shuangying grew so frustrated he couldn’t think. He vanished in a flash, needing a quiet place to calm down.

“Don’t go.”

Fang Xiu stayed where he was. He hadn’t used any spells but just called out, a little lost. “Don’t go yet.”

“Just stay a little longer and chat. Don’t you want to figure me out a bit more?”

“It’s too dark here. I don’t want to be alone.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 114: Broken Walls and Ruins

Even by the ghost immortal A’Shou’s standards, Fang Xiu right now looked strikingly like an evil spirit.

His head was veiled in corpse hands like dry twigs, arms casually folded behind his back. A’Shou didn’t mind the corpse hands. Those things were equivalent to tomb rats. As long as a spirit was strong enough, they could control them with ease.

What shocked her was the knocking.

There was no trace of magic, no corpse hand acting as proxy. Fang Xiu hadn’t touched the door, yet it pounded continuously. Dian’er had filed reports on mysterious knocking like this twice; once during the Huanxi E, once during the Fierce Wind E.

Since there were no signs of evil spirits attached, she’d dismissed it as a minor puzzle. Who could’ve guessed it was far more sinister than expected?

There was no external force at work at all!

To compare: normally, a person can boil noodles with a pot. In metaphysical terms, a house pet could be enchanted to boil the noodles. But what she was seeing was more like the pot suddenly getting up and cooking by itself.

It defied logic. Not even gods could pull off something this absurd, let alone ghosts.

If not for Underworld restrictions, A’Shou would’ve rushed over and grabbed Fang Xiu by the collar to ask him what exactly was going on.

Just as her curiosity peaked, Fang Xiu leisurely turned his head, and his gaze brushed over the hidden corner she was in. A’Shou face froze for a moment, and before she could react, Fang Xiu casually turned away.

He fixed his attention on Bai Shuangying, stepping forward like a predator stalking its prey.

“So,” Fang Xiu asked cheerfully, “will you come with me willingly, or should I carry you off? You ran from me last time. I was so heartbroken.”

Bai Shuangying idly played with the Peach Bone Evil, fingers brushing over the delicate petals. “I don’t know what state you’re in.”

He realized, unexpectedly, that he missed talking to Fang Xiu.

“Fair enough. After all, my instincts are telling me to kill you all.”

Fang Xiu reached out a hand to Bai Shuangying, smiling brightly. “But you don’t need to worry. My powers don’t work on you, and you look like this… There’s no way you’re human.”

“Come here, Bai Shuangying.”

Bai Shuangying’s eyes flicked to Fang Xiu’s fingertips.

At that moment, a gust of ghostly wind rose. The “Fang Xiu” before him vanished like mist. The real Fang Xiu stumbled backward in the wind, while the ghost hands shielding him were scattered like leaves.

Bai Shuangying knew Fang Xiu’s tricks too well.

“I’m here to investigate, not negotiate.” Bai Shuangying shook his head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you, and I don’t trust you.”

Fang Xiu had always been a top-tier liar when sober. This situation was no exception.

His human kept too many secrets, and with an Underworld ghost immortal watching them, Bai Shuangying had no desire to test anything firsthand.

“No wonder I liked you.” A low whisper brushed past Bai Shuangying’s ear, cold breath tickling his skin. “If you trusted me too easily, I’d be disappointed.”

Before him, the Fang Xiu who had been “blown away” smiled and vanished like fog.

Another illusion!

At the same time, accompanied by that soft whisper, countless corpse hands slithered up Bai Shuangying’s arms, pinning them behind his back.

In a seamless motion, Fang Xiu leaned in, resting his chin affectionately on Bai Shuangying’s shoulder. He caught the head and casually plucked the Peach Bone Evil from Bai Shuangying’s hand.

In an instant, a second gust of wind hit. Snake-like ghost hands darted forward and just like during the earlier rescue attempt, yanked both of them into the dark.

Everything was fast, precise, and brutal, only taking a few heartbeats.

Fang Xiu didn’t take him back to the main base but to a small empty tomb chamber. It was barely ten square meters, devoid of spirits, clean and silent, except for a towering heap of bones.

Fang Xiu shut the door and ignited ghost fire.

Countless corpse hands locked across the door, creating a bone-sealed room. Red light shimmered over the bones, turning the tight space into a hellish cell.

When the ghost hands let go, Bai Shuangying nearly lost balance and almost crashed into the pile.

“You know my style so well. We must’ve had a good relationship.”

Fang Xiu hopped onto the pile and sat cross-legged, clearly delighted. “Since we knew each other, how about telling me our story?”

He twirled the beautiful Peach Bone Evil but didn’t unbind Bai Shuangying.

Bai Shuangying scowled at the Peach Bone Evil. Fang Xiu had clearly forgotten that his power wasn’t limited to that one tool. Though his tone was affectionate, it reminded Bai Shuangying of how he used to perform in front of people like Jia Xu and Blondie.

That rehearsed, formal “sincerity” made Bai Shuangying’s chest tighten.

“You want me to talk while I’m tied up?” He leaned against the bones.

“You’re the one I trust most,” Fang Xiu beamed. “That’s why I only tied you up. I didn’t do anything worse.”

Bai Shuangying: “…”

“If you cooperate, I won’t hurt you. Isn’t this room nice? Quiet, cozy. You could live here forever.”

He poked his “sleeping” head with the Peach Bone Evil, voice softening. “I really don’t like being alone. It’s so boring.”

Bai Shuangying narrowed his eyes, studying him with suspicion.

Even with his lenient standards, this place was nowhere near “cozy”. Had the Grave-Sealing E fried Fang Xiu’s brain? Or had he lost all restraint?

No matter. He’d find out soon enough. But first…

“First, take the hands off your face. They’re an eyesore.” Bai Shuangying frowned.

Fang Xiu removed them without argument. “Better now?”

Bai Shuangying stared at his mouth and spotted a faint gleam, the trace of the Grave-Sealing E.

It might’ve been his imagination, but compared to before, the glow had changed slightly. The aura hadn’t shifted much, but… it seemed more “fused” with Fang Xiu.

“Better?” Seeing Bai Shuangying didn’t reaction much, Fang Xiu asked again, hopping down from the bones and stepping closer.

Crack.

Bai Shuangying answered with action. He easily broke free from the ghost hands and vanished into thin air. Fang Xiu immediately doused the ghost fire, calling protective hands around him.

But they parted like reeds as Bai Shuangying reappeared. His lower half morphed into spirit form and locked down Fang Xiu’s legs. With one hand he pinned Fang Xiu’s wrists above his head, trapping him atop the bone pile.

This time, it wasn’t an illusion.

Fang Xiu’s sleeve slipped, revealing the words: Mine, Bai Shuangying. The wound exuded the fresh smell of blood.

He lay limply in the bones, glancing aside. “Ah. That head that looked like me fell off…”

Bai Shuangying didn’t let down his guard, eyes locked on Fang Xiu. His hair brushed against Fang Xiu’s neck, light as a whisper.

“So that’s what you meant by ‘caught me’.”

Fang Xiu looked back without tension. “I figured you wouldn’t kill me. If you—”

Bai Shuangying didn’t let him finish. Instead, he kissed him.

The moment he was kissed, Fang Xiu’s eyes widened in genuine shock. As more tongues filled his throat, that shock turned to confusion and dizziness.

Yes, Bai Shuangying was relatively trustworthy.

But Fang Xiu knew this could only be used as a reference during negotiations. He knew better than to offer unconditional trust, not when Bai Shuangying hadn’t supported him unconditionally from the start. Things were complicated.

So he had mentally prepared for Bai Shuangying to attack him… but not like this! Were they really this kind of relationship?

The chilling pressure of the ghost restraints contrasted oddly with the softness. And Bai Shuangying kissed too well. They must’ve done this a lot.

…No, wait. That wasn’t the point.

The kiss dragged on until Fang Xiu’s scalp tingled and his head burned. In the deathly quiet tomb, the wet sounds of kissing echoed strangely, almost making him drowsy.

Until Bai Shuangying’s tongue brushed the Grave-Sealing E.

No.

Alarms rang in Fang Xiu’s mind. He squirmed, bones clattering beneath him, but the restraint held firm.

No. Absolutely not.

Bai Shuangying’s tongue traced the seam of the E. Fang Xiu froze. His mouth opened wide, summoning a small corpse hand that shot out, shoving Bai Shuangying in the face.

Bai Shuangying released him and stepped back. The ghost hand vanished, leaving Fang Xiu coughing and gagging.

There was no point continuing the kiss.

Fang Xiu had been a little moved, but not emotionally stirred. His soul’s reaction was faint, giving Bai Shuangying little to go on.

But even that limited insight left Bai Shuangying deeply puzzled.

The Grave-Sealing E had polluted Fang Xiu’s karmic thread. When Bai Shuangying traced the flow of that corruption, he was dumbfounded.

Karm pollution is essentially overwriting. It was like covering up a mural already painted on the wall by drawing new patterns.

The Grave-Sealing E had no will or subtlety. It followed a fixed “overwrite template”, replacing early memories one way, teenage memories another, and so on.

But Fang Xiu’s mind wasn’t a complete “wall”.

It was full of hidden gaps, more ruins than wall. The E, like a projector, had lit up all those voids.

…So the new polluted “mural” was patchy and incomplete. No wonder Fang Xiu retained his personality.

But that raised the question—how could a person with such fragmented consciousness still have a coherent “personality”?

Bai Shuangying wiped his lips, staring at Fang Xiu in shock.

Fang Xiu rubbed his own swollen mouth and gave him a complicated look.

“So that’s our relationship. No wonder.”

He touched the blood-written words on his arm and sighed. “I must’ve really liked you.”

Bai Shuangying forgot to guard himself, simply staring at Fang Xiu. That word “liked” stabbed straight through him. He shifted his foot and crushed a thin bone under it.

“And you?” Fang Xiu asked, picking up the fallen “original head”. “How much did you like me?”

Bai Shuangying: “……”

He didn’t know what to say. Maybe he should’ve denied it immediately. But the weight of that one word, “liked”, had hit him too hard to think.

“Ah, so not much,” Fang Xiu said with relief. “What a dumb question. You’re a ghost. That’s normal.”

“Good. If this is how we part ways, you won’t have to be sad.”

---

The author has something to say:

A Christmas kiss, though it’s not exactly sweet (……

Merry Christmas to everyone—!

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 113: Misjudgment

Six yellow talismans lay in a row. A vermilion writing brush floated above them, wildly sketching in the firelight. Red ink formed sharp lines, gradually revealing a map of the tomb.

The map resembled the character “山*”. Three large burial chambers sat at the ends of the branching paths. At the central intersection, a small circle was drawn.

*Mountain.

“Our current base is here.”

Cen Ling pointed to the circle. “The central passage leads into the main structure of the tomb, constructed during the Kui Dynasty to house spirit coffins. The left path is newly built and holds the relics stored by our sect. It’s stocked with plenty of supplies.”

Bai Sui perked up. “I know the right path! It was only half-finished during the Kui Dynasty. The immortal objects are kept there, and someone used to guard it!”

Bai Sui didn’t seem all that impressed with Cen Ling’s generosity toward fellow sect members. But when it came to ghosts and strange things, the kid lit up with energy.

Cheng Songyun couldn’t help but ask, “How old are you?”

“Fourteen,” Bai Sui said proudly, puffing out his chest as though it were something worth boasting about.

“The tug-of-war between the Underworld and the living world settled on fourteen as the minimum age for disaster resolution rituals,” Cen Ling helpfully added. “By the way, the maximum is seventy-five.”

Age restrictions weren’t surprising to Cheng Songyun. Offerings too young or too old wouldn’t be very effective… But still, fourteen was too…

“I was afraid I wouldn’t be selected in time, so I made sure to kill two extra people,” Bai Sui said cheerfully. “Turns out I got paired with Cen Ge. Everyone’s so jealous!”

Cheng Songyun: “…”

Cheng Songyung: “You wanted to come in yourself?” 

Her skin crawled as she looked at his proud face.

Bai Sui rolled his eyes. “I get to be Cen Ge’s assistant and make a wish come true. Can you think of a better deal?”

“Kids are fast and healthy. Their spiritual sensitivity to ghosts is also sharper. Honestly, the younger the better—coming in older puts you at a disadvantage. You get it.”

Cen Ling pressed a hand on Bai Sui’s head. “That’s enough. Back to business.”

Bai Sui: “…Oh.”

Cheng Songyun forced herself to keep a neutral expression. She glanced toward Mei Lan, who was staring at Bai Sui with faint anger in her eyes.

Still, when she spoke, her voice was calm. “If the left path holds supplies, there must be many magic weapons.”

Cen Ling nodded. “I suggest we move the base to the left chamber. The enemy favors stealth. It’s best we take a defensive stance. That area is easier to defend and harder to breach. At least we’ll know what path they’ll take.”

“This ritual can’t afford chaos. If we panic, the rhythm breaks. As for daily needs, the left side has access to an underground river for fresh water.”

Mei Lan gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment.

Guan He: “Passive defense? What if there’s a time limit?”

Cen Ling’s logic was solid, but the idea of taking orders from him still rubbed Guan He the wrong way.

“There’s no evidence suggesting that yet,” Cen Ling replied patiently. “Usually, an E focuses on one mechanic. Since the Grave-Sealing E follows a mimicry theme, it likely won’t throw in a time-limit rule.”

…This guy really knew his stuff. Guan He grudgingly fell silent.

“In my personal opinion, we should relocate before midnight and fortify our position quickly.”

Seeing that no one objected, Cen Ling handed each person a copy of the tomb map.

“The enemy might strike before we’ve settled in. Tonight’s a perfect chance for them. It’s best if no one wanders and concentrate on defense.”

That last line was aimed at Bai Shuangying.

Bai Shuangying glanced at the map but didn’t take it or respond. His gaze drifted between the map and Cen Ling, finally settling on the wooden door of the temporary base.

Years of disuse had warped the door slightly, leaving a two-finger-wide gap at the bottom. Right now, a pair of upside-down black eyes was staring through it, fixed on the room inside.

Noticing Bai Shuangying’s gaze, those eyes met his without hesitation. They even curved slightly.

It was Fang Xiu.

After the silent greeting, Fang Xiu’s eyes slowly shifted toward Cen Ling.

Cen Ling seemed to sense something. He turned sharply toward the door, but in the darkness, it looked perfectly normal. The bottom was sealed with tidy edge trim.

He sighed in relief and continued, “Anyway, our goal tonight isn’t to defeat it. If we can confirm its true form, that’s already a win. Once we know what we’re dealing with, the taboo will—”

Cen Ling paused. Something felt off.

…Did this door have edge trim?

He turned back and looked again. The neat trim at the base was gone, replaced by empty blackness. He squinted, replaying what he’d seen—a fleeting image. What had blocked the gap wasn’t any trim. It had been fingers, curling inward through the door gap.

So many fingers squeezed together in perfect alignment, it had given an unnervingly neat appearance.

Worst of all, it had been just five steps away from him, yet he’d heard nothing. No breath, no presence.

Damn it—it had been here just now! When had it started eavesdropping? And how much had it heard?

Cen Ling wasn’t sure whether the enemy was arrogant or just fearless. The hiding technique was flawless. The Grave-Sealing E alone couldn’t achieve that. It had made no sound at all, like a spider creeping along a wall.

He stared at the darkness for a while, then closed his eyes and murmured a calming mantra. “Return to the mountain, return…”

While Cen Ling was focused on the door, Mei Lan gave Bai Shuangying a glance.

Five minutes later.

While the others packed up, Bai Shuangying quietly moved next to Mei Lan and activated a sound-silencing spell.

“It’s my fault.” Mei La’s face was pale as paper. “I should’ve told you earlier. I thought…”

Bai Shuangying clutched Fang Xiu’s head tighter. “Focus.”

“In the legends about the Grave-Sealing E ‘summoning guardians’, there’s another version.”

Mei Lan lowered her head, catching a glimpse of Fang Xiu’s head and quickly looked away as if shocked. “It’s said the E will summon the ‘strongest guardian’. That’s emphasized.”

“Guan He seemed unsettled, and that thing acts a lot like Fang Xiu. Do you think Fang Xiu… became the tomb guardian?”

“You thought it would pick Cen Ling.”

Bai Shuangying leaned against the wall, watching Cen Ling busy with preparations. “If Cen Ling had become the tomb guardian, he wouldn’t hide anything for the Guishan Sect. He’d fight with everything to protect the tomb.”

“With Fang Xiu present, there’d still be a chance to keep the rest of us alive. It wouldn’t be a complete massacre.”

Mei Lan’s strategies were more straightforward than Fang Xiu’s.

If her plan had worked, Fang Xiu would’ve gained credit for resolving the E, Cen Ling would’ve been eliminated, and the Guishan Sect’s conspiracy exposed. This could be called killing three birds with one stone. To showcase Cen Ling’s capabilities, she’d even summoned Underworld agents.

But Mei Lan never accounted for how “mysteriously ordinary” Fang Xiu was. To the Grave-Sealing E, he appeared more powerful than Cen Ling.

“A total mess,” Bai Shuangying said bluntly.

Mei Lan stood still, trying not to let the disappointment show on her face.

“…Still, I might’ve confirmed one of the taboos,” Bai Shuangying said softly.

Mei Lan didn’t even bother to hide her ugly expression. She turned to him at lightning speed and looked at him as if he was an alien.

Bai Shuangying: “…”

He said disdainfully, “The first taboo of the Grave-Sealing E is that the strongest’s karma will get contaminated. The corpse guardian rotates.”

He reluctantly elaborated.

The first taboo curses the strongest intruder, turning them into the tomb’s guardian. It even offers “body replacement” options to maximize utility.

If Fang Xiu’s soul had been completely destroyed, the E would’ve chosen the next strongest, repeating until no one remained.

From the E’s perspective, this was the ideal magic weapon.

But something puzzled Bai Shuangying—despite the contamination on his karma, Fang Xiu seemed relatively unaffected. His memory might’ve been wiped, but his personality was intact. He hadn’t turned into a mindless killer. This could be said to be even a bigger blunder than Mei Lan’s plan.

…He needed to get closer to Fang Xiu and confirm it.

……

Even knowing the plan might be exposed, Cen Ling insisted on relocating.

This site connected to three paths, which was good for exploration, but bad for survival. Since the enemy used sneaky tactics, it was best to strengthen defenses…

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

The door thudded in a disturbingly familiar rhythm. Bai Shuangying looked up.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

No one answered. The knocking continued, now relentless as a storm.

Cen Ling raised his spear and stood at the front. Bai Sui dropped his usual grin, clapped his hands, and electric sparks danced between his fingers.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

The door wasn’t sturdy. A strong man could easily kick it down. But whatever was outside knocked with unwavering patience—each knock perfectly timed.

Cen Ling stayed calm, not responding. The knocking suddenly stopped and a sigh came from the other side.

“I’ll take a look.” Bai Shuangying drew out his Peach Bone Evil and slipped past Cen Ling.

“No!” Cen Ling immediately stopped him. “For some evil beings, opening the door is an invitation!”

“This door has to open eventually. Why fuss over a few minutes?” Bai Shuangying didn’t care. “If you keep it shut, the thing can just sit outside forever. Is that how you want to resolve this?”

Cen Ling had never seen someone so confidently reckless. He was momentarily speechless.

Unable to stop Bai Shuangying from “seeking death”, he switched to defense and plunged his spear into the ground. A cage of light spears rose around the door in a half-circle.

Everyone but Bai Shuangying stayed behind the “cage”.

He placed his hand on the modern metal handle. The spring let out a high-pitched creak, and the latch clicked open.

He eased the door open. The Peach Bone Evil in his hand glowed faintly; its presence outshone even the light spears.

Outside, there was only pure darkness, and a figure in the distance.

The person wore a dark red burial shroud and stood stiffly like a statue. Countless corpse hands were plastered over his head, completely obscuring his face.

Bai Shuangying stepped past the threshold, facing the familiar-yet-unfamiliar figure.

After a long pause, the man slowly raised a hand and wiggled his fingers.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

The door behind Bai Shuangying thudded again. Even though he was ready, it startled him. His hand loosened, and the door slammed shut behind him.

He was now alone outside, surrounded by darkness.

“I caught you.”

The two spoke in unison.

---

The author has something to say:

Today is Xiao Fang’s birthday, but I’m late _(:з」∠)

Sorry, Xiao Fang! I’ll write you a sweet (?) kiss tomorrow!

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 112: Puzzle of the Truth

Crack.

A tall, thin woman stepped back and accidentally crushed gravel underfoot in the tomb passage.

She clutched her paper lantern with such force her knuckles turned white. The flickering light couldn’t pierce the darkness. From that darkness, a slick dragging sound crept closer.

Raising the lantern in her left hand, she gripped a green jade pendant over her chest with her right. Her bracelet artifact was scalding hot, sending frantic warnings.

In the blink of an eye, all movement stopped—both footsteps and dragging.

The “thing” in the dark became visible: it looked like a skinned human, with teeth exposed and its eyes reduced to gory sockets. It dragged a sack-like object that, on closer inspection, turned out to be a nearly complete human skin.

The skin was stuffed with something unknown and was no longer human shaped. It was covered in mucus and bloodstains, like a rag doll that was crudely assembled.

The creature opened its tongueless mouth at her, releasing a sharp cry from deep in its throat. It sounded like a scream, or maybe a laugh.

A nauseating stench of rot and corpse poison hit her. She bit her tongue and spat blood onto the lantern, forcing out a barely stable “clean zone”.

Still gripping the jade pendant, she let a bronze dagger slide from her left sleeve. Her face was drenched in sweat.

Years ago, black Taoist priests performed spells regularly to maintain this holy land and ensured that the evil spirits here could be controlled. But ever since the site was sealed, there was no longer any maintenance, so those protections had collapsed.

In the years that followed, evil spirits had bred unchecked in the tomb, devouring each other. Any that survived were like lesser Ghost Lords.

The thing in front of her radiated yin and yang energy. She was sure she couldn’t win.

She should never have investigated alone. She should’ve regrouped with Mr. Cen.

If only…

A burst of white light flared without warning, nearly blinding her. When it dimmed, the evil spirit’s limbs and eyes were all sealed with yellow talismans. A spear of pure light had pierced through its chest.

Platinum-colored runes swirled around the spirit. Black smoke spewed from the spear wound like a burst dam. The creature shriveled rapidly, collapsing like an ice sculpture under sunlight.

Finally, with a crisp crack, it turned to motes of light, leaving behind only the bloated human-skin sack.

The entire encounter lasted less than two minutes.

“Mr. Cen!”

The woman turned in shock and relief.

The spear of light flew neatly back into Cen Ling’s hand. He spun it effortlessly and smiled reassuringly.

“You’ve done well,” he said gently. “The situation’s worse than expected. I should’ve come for you sooner.”

“I’m okay! Really. Everything else was minor. This one was just unusually hard to deal with.”

She hurried to explain. “It had traces of ghost immortal aura. My cultivation couldn’t suppress it…”

“This is likely due to the Grave-Sealing E.” Cen Ling helped steady her. “You did great. If you hadn’t held it off, I wouldn’t have had time to prepare that kind of spell.”

His tone and expression were warm, like he was talking to a real sister. “Thank you for your hard work. Take a break at the base.”

Cheng Songyun watched Cen Ling closely.

During the exchange, the light-spear disappeared into thin air. It was either a special magic weapon or one of Cen Ling’s anomalies.

Cheng Songyun knew Fang Xiu was powerful, but he relied more on intellect than brute strength.

Cen Lin was undoubtedly strong, but this strength was overwhelming. Just approaching that skinless creature had made her skin prickle painfully. But before it could act, Cen Ling had already neutralized it like it was nothing.

Not even the Zhuang Pengdao encounter had been this forceful.

“Wow, it’s full of chopped-up hands.” Bai Sui pried open the “skull cap” of the skin sack and exclaimed, “They’re all black and shriveled like cured meat. Gross.”

“The ghost hand that dragged that person off looked the same. They wouldn’t be breeding these things in bulk, right?”

He pulled out a Samadhi True Fire talisman from his pocket and tossed it onto the human skin bag.

“Ghost hand farm’s closed!” he cheered.

Cen Ling gave him a helpless look. “That’s enough. Get everyone back to base. We still need to check in on Mr. Bai.”

“Pfft. Boring,” Bai Sui muttered. “Fine, fine. Brothers and sisters come first. You are most important.”

“What about Brother Wu?” The woman seemed to be accustomed to Bai Sui’s nonsense.

“Brother Wu has returned to Guishan.” Cen Ling showed a flash of regret. “Another group went to investigate. We’ll know more once we’re back.”

The woman nodded. Walking beside Cen Ling, her fear vanished. She looked full of confidence. Cen Ling, for all his power, didn’t flaunt it. He simply retraced their path without hesitation.

Faced with a teammate like this, Cheng Songyun wasn’t sure how to feel.

Zhuang Pengdao also had his inhuman “rationality”, which repelled people. Cen Ling, by contrast, didn’t even seem like a cultist. The young man was warm, likable even.

But the grudge between Fang Xiu and Mei Lan wasn’t groundless.

So she kept quiet, taking it all in. Once Fang Xiu… once Bai Shuangying returned, this information would be useful.

“Heehee.”

Suddenly, a giggle came from the darkness behind them.

That voice was oddly familiar. Cheng Songyun froze mid-step while Mei Lan turned stiffly.

“Why are you setting fires in someone else’s home?” The voice continued, “You broke into my house and burned my pets. That’s just mean.”

Bai Sui recognized it too. “That’s Hong Shuangxi’s voice!”

Cen Ling stared at the darkness warily, aiming his light spear towards the sound.

Clatter. Something rolled from the dark.

A black ball came to a stop at their feet. The paper lantern lit up Fang Xiu’s face—no, it was a freshly severed head, cleanly cut, with a frozen smile.

“Isn’t that…”

Isn’t that the head Bai Shuangying had been carrying? Cheng Songyun’s scalp prickled.

What had happened to Fang Xiu? Where was Bai Shuangying? Were they both…?

“Run!” Mei Lan yanked Cheng Songyun back. She stumbled, then retreated several steps.

Cen Ling pointed his spear at the head, almost touching Fang Xiu’s nose. His expression was grim, trying to assess what he was seeing.

“Too cruel,” the head repeated, grinning. “Too cruel.”

Cen Ling: “Mr. Hong Shuangxi, do you still remember who I am?”

The head blinked, its mouth curling up. “Do you remember me?”

“If you have even a sliver of memory or consciousness, show it—otherwise, I’ll treat you as an enemy.”

“I’ll treat you as an enemy.” The head’s grin widened into an impossible arc, distorting its once-handsome features.

Bai Sui crept behind Cen Ling. “Cen Ge, it’s mimicking you!”

“Mimicking you.”

The head bobbed dangerously. “Really? Really?”

As soon as the voice fell, the entire head was covered with crimson ghost fire, lighting up the space. Cen Ling didn’t hesitate. He thrust the spear forward and impaled the head.

But unlike the earlier spirit, it didn’t burn. Instead, it burst into a shrill, unsettling laugh.

“…Gotcha.”

It stuck out its tongue.

That was the last thing it said.

The next moment, the woman Cen Ling had just saved collapsed.

Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle. While everyone had focused on the head, something had silently snapped it—like a magic trick.

As she fell to the ground, a ghost hand stuck out of her mouth. It forced her tongue down so she couldn’t make a sound.

She’d tried to activate a talisman in her hand, as if she was trying to save herself, but failed.

Shock flashed across Cen Ling’s face, quickly turning to rage.

“Run!” He quickly made a decision. This was obviously a trap set up by the other side. Fighting now was too dangerous.

From the darkness, another giggle.

More ghost hands crept out, slowly dragging the corpse into the shadows.

……

Base Camp.

Bai Shuangying was anxiously cradling a head when a group burst in.

Cen Ling’s face twitched when he saw the familiar head. Cheng Songyun sighed in relief—Fang Xiu’s real head was intact. So the other one must’ve been an illusion.

But why hadn’t the little black dog reacted?

In fact, the dog was wagging its tail gently at the head, brushing her arm. That was the only reason she hadn’t cast a spell.

Cheng Songyun couldn’t make sense of it.

Bai Shuangying, seeing the group’s expressions, protectively hugged the head. “Where’s the person you went to save?”

The four exchanged subtle looks. “……”

Way to hit the sore spot.

“We didn’t save her,” after a long while, Cen Ling finally said.

Bai Shuangying’s face twisted in mockery. He shot Cen Ling a look. “I confirmed the other one’s body. He was eaten by a demon hound. There was only scraps left.”

He omitted the part about seeing Fang Xiu directly. Guan He nodded along.

Cen Ling wasn’t surprised. “There are demon hounds in the tomb. If the body was devoured, it’d be hard to determine cause of death.”

Bai Sui peeked over. “So there’s just six of us left. Cen Ge, this is wild.”

“Bai Sui. Show some respect for the fallen.” Cen Ling sighed. He looked as if he was about get a headache. “Anyway, I’ve figured out a bit of their methods.”

Bai Shuangying paused his stroking of the head. “?”

“That thing is very clever. It knows how to manipulate people and avoids direct confrontation.”

It had gone after the most relaxed member—the woman who had just escaped danger. Not even Bai Sui had been that defenseless and she was weaker than him. It was a perfect target.

“It can probably disrupt spells, but its real strength isn’t that high. It relies on sneak attacks. If it had overwhelming power, it wouldn’t bother with tricks.”

Cen Ling’s tone sharpened. “From now on, no one should act alone. Stay alert. Most important: we need to flush it out.”

Bai Sui: “Hey, I’m on it! I’m great at this stuff. But Cen Ge, why’d it use Hong Shuangxi’s face? And where is Hong Shuangxi…?”

“Maybe to show it could replace people, stir up suspicion within our group.”

Cen Ling’s face darkened. “That’s just a guess. We don’t have enough data.”

“Either way, be mentally prepared. This is going to be a tough battle.”

……

At the stone coffin plaza.

Under ghost fire light, a jade pendant glowed dully.

Fang Xiu held the red cord, gently rocking it. He rested his cheek on one hand as he stared at the engraved “Guishan” symbol.

He had dumped the woman’s corpse into the water inside the stone coffin like discarded vegetables.

“When my head appeared, the two women recognized me. The two men didn’t.”

“When the lone woman was killed, the men reacted while the women didn’t have any special reaction.”

He sat on the coffin lid, muttering, “The two men are close, and don’t know ‘Fang Xiu’s’ real name…”

That kid’s comment had been interesting if he thought about it carefully.

If “Fang Xiu” was being hunted but couldn’t reveal his name, then the enemy likely didn’t know his face.

So, a stranger still hunting him meant either a personal connection, a hired killer, or gang vengeance.

Those group of people called each other brother and sisters, but they looked quite different, and they all wore matching “Guishan” pendant that irked him. One of the dead had claimed to be from the Guishan Sect. So…

“‘Fang Xiu’ came from outside, holds a grudge against Guishan, yet traveled here with their members.”

Fang Xiu calmly processed the info. “What a fun setup. So they have to cooperate despite the grudge. Why?”

Mid-thought, he grabbed his head and hissed.

Even after killing two intruders, his instincts screamed to murder all the living. It was a thirst from the depths of his soul that he could barely suppress.

…Don’t think. Don’t reason. Just kill.

…Destroy them. Crush them. Erase them.

Fang Xiu rubbed his temples hard, then rolled up his sleeve and looked at the bloody words. “Mine, Bai Shuangying.”

Just picturing that awkwardly handsome young man cleared the fog a little.

That guy matched his aesthetic perfectly. The blood writing had to be his own work. Yes—he didn’t belong here. He didn’t need to feel guilt over the urge to kill.

…He just had to trust the hint.

If he couldn’t hold back, he’d start with the Guishan people. That couldn’t be wrong. And meanwhile, he had to find a way to return to “normal”.

Tracing the scars on his arm, he thought carefully.

“Hmm. Maybe I should drag Bai Shuangying back and ask directly…”

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The author has something to say:

This time the boss is solving riddles (Xiao Bai: what about me?)

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 111: Absolute Rationality

Tomb stronghold.

After the wailing stopped, Cen Ling signaled to Bai Sui, then looked to Bai Shuangying. “…Looks like this isn’t the time to rest.”

His friendly expression vanished. Worry and anger were written clearly on his face.

“That brother’s life force has vanished. His soul has returned to Guishan. One more is still alone. I have to go support him.”

Bai Sui finally looked a little tense. “The enemy moved way too fast.”

Guan He asked, “Could it have been a normal evil spirit attack? Or a trap?”

“Don’t lump the people of my sect in with amateurs.” Bai Sui rolled his eyes. “Everyone in my sect can fight. No way someone dies that pathetically. And this is our sect’s holy land. How would traps even—”

“Bai Sui, show respect to your fallen brother.” Cen Ling barked. Bai Sui immediately shut his mouth and stared intently at his toes.

Still, while Cen Ling agreed on immediate action, the group split along two different paths.

“I’ll check the body.”

Bai Shuangying had no interest in these remnants of the Zhuang family. Honestly, he’d be happy to see them all dead. He wasn’t invested in resolving the E either. He just wanted to recover his human’s soul.

With that, he turned and left.

The little black dog whimpered and tilted its head toward him. Cheng Songyun patted the warm head, exchanging glances with the others.

“I’ll go with him,” Guan He offered, clearing his throat. “I’m good at concealment and scouting. If anything happens, I can escape.”

Cheng Songyun and Mei Lan chose to join Cen Ling’s group, saying they specialized in defense.

Cen Ling glanced at them both and gave a grateful nod.

Splitting up to investigate and provide support wasn’t a bad move. The team divided, not quite evenly, but agreed to regroup later.

Only the little black dog gave Cheng Songyun a sad, crescent-eyed look. It clearly wanted to follow Bai Shuangying more. She rubbed its ear to comfort it.

……

Time returned to the present.

Guan He’s heart was in his throat. He felt like it might leap out of his mouth.

As the scent of blood thickened, Bai Shuangying instinctively disappeared into the shadows, acting as if Guan He didn’t exist. Realizing the ghost had no interest in saving him, Guan He covered his eyes with the black veil and prepared to rely on himself.

That veil, it was Fang Xiu who had picked it out for him. If something had really happened to Fang Xiu…

…And then he saw “Fang Xiu”, wearing a dark red burial robe, half of him drenched in blood.

For a moment, Guan He thought he was seeing Fang Xiu’s twin. The man before him looked exactly the same, physically intact, but his gaze carried none of the familiar warmth.

He brushed his bangs aside, revealing a handsome, shadowed face. His pitch-black eyes, gleaming faintly under the dim light, were cold enough to chill one’s spine.

What was going on? Wasn’t Fang Xiu unconscious?

Cen Ling had talked about soul contraction and a living corpse… So who was this?

The whole situation was too strange. Since the ritual began, Guan He had never been so afraid. Compared to this, that accursed Weishan village felt like a vacation.

“Are you Bai Shuangying?”

The “Fang Xiu” before him smiled. The pool of blood beneath his feet looked darker than the shadows.

“No,” Guan He croaked. He took two steps back and licked his cracked lips. Goosebumps had shot up all over.

“That’s good,” Fang Xiu said lightly. “It’d be pathetic if I were obsessed with some kid.”

He knows Bai Shuangying? He’s obsessed about Bai Shuangying?

Hope suddenly sparked in Guan He. “Fang-Fang Xiu… You still remember—”

“Who’s Fang Xiu?” Fang Xiu blinked in confusion.

He stepped forward towards Guan He. Behind him, dozens of demon hounds turned in unison, red eyes locking onto Guan He. Their mouths were smeared with leftover meat and innards.

The spark of hope in Guan He’s heart died on the spot.

He searched Fang Xiu’s face for any sign of familiarity. Instinct warned him. If he turned and ran now, he might not make it.

“You… you look like someone I know.” Guan He closed his eyes and stammered. “I… I’m one of Fang Xiu’s teammates. So is Bai Shuangying. We came here to resolve the E.”

Then, without thinking, Guan He added, “But don’t call yourself Fang Xiu, and don’t say we’re teammates. Another group is looking for revenge…”

Fang Xiu was stunned, then he burst out laughing, finding this quite amusing. It took him a long time to stop. “But we were enemies to begin with.”

Great. Just great. Those two words flashed in neon inside Guan He’s head.

Whatever this thing was, it looked just like Fang Xiu.

With Fang Xiu, survival was possible. Without him, there was still a fighting chance. But if Fang Xiu was the enemy… giving up might be the more realistic option.

Fang Xiu idly petted a demon hound while several corpse-hands circled above his head like a twisted halo.

He stared at Guan He. “How about this. Before I kill you, tell me the story of ‘Fang Xiu’ and ‘Bai Shuangying’. If it’s interesting, I’ll kill you last.”

Guan He: “…”

Fang Xiu: “Not willing? If not, then I’ll just…”

“I’ll tell it! I’ll tell it!” Guan He’s voice cracked.

At that moment, a pale hand reached for Fang Xiu’s neck from behind. Unfortunately, it only grabbed air. It was another illusion from his anomaly skill.

The next moment, Fang Xiu caught the hand. Grinning, he activated A Single Thread to Sever Heaven, but nothing happened.

Fang Xiu (spell failed): “…”

Bai Shuangying (now visible): “…”

In the dim tomb passage, a red and a white figure stared at each other in silence.

Guan He shouted instantly, terrified of more mishaps. “That’s Bai Shuangying!”

Fang Xiu: “!”

He scanned the new arrival from head to toe, finally locking eyes with Bai Shuangying. “Now that’s more like it. As expected of me, I have such good taste.”

Bai Shuangying: “………”

He hugged the head in his arms tighter. “Didn’t you forget me?”

His face twisted, unsure if he should be mad, and finally settled on bunching his brows awkwardly.

“I did,” Fang Xiu said seriously. “But whether friend, lover, enemy, or rival—still, excellent taste.”

Fang Xiu said solemnly, “That head in your arms really looks like me. It must be a very sophisticated magic weapon. You’ve got good taste too.”

Joking aside, Fang Xiu gave a subtle signal to the demon hounds. They started moving, ready to strike. Bai Shuangying frowned, and the hounds turned back toward Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu glanced at them, and they flipped again. Soon the hounds were stuck bobbing their heads between the two men like they were watching a toy car drive back and forth.

Both stared each other down. One looked frustrated, the other intrigued.

Guan He tiptoed backwards but hadn’t gone far when a corpse hand caught his ankle and nearly dropped him flat.

Before he could panic, Bai Shuangying waved the Peach Bone Evil. A flurry of white mist surged out. Guan He felt a pain on his arm and was quickly yanked away from the scene by a huge force.

He realized the air around him was warping, like some kind of spatial shielding. Bai Shuangying had cloaked him.

…Did Bai Shuangying just save him?

…Was this a hallucination before death?

A few seconds later, Guan He steadied his breathing. Yes, Bai Shuangying was hauling him like poultry, nearly yanking his arm off.

“Why did you save me?!” he gasped.

“What? Want me to send you back instead?”

“N-no! Definitely not!” Guan He quickly rejected.

Bai Shuangying snorted then said with a bit of strain in his voice, “That is Fang Xiu. His anomalous powers are soul-bound and can’t be faked.”

“His tongue is the Grave-Sealing E. Its karma has contaminated him, leading to cognitive disruption.”

Guan He wilted.

As expected of a seductive ghost. The thing it focused on was on the other person’s tongue!

“What now? How do we help him?” Guan He asked breathlessly.

Bai Shuangying fell silent.

It was obvious: the E had parasitized Fang Xiu and chosen him as its host. If they removed it without understanding the taboo, they could potentially harm his soul.

Worst case, even with the contamination, Fang Xiu’s soul was in great condition.

…But he looked at Bai Shuangying like a stranger.

Bai Shuangying was increasingly irritated with the E.

If he hadn’t sensed the presence of the ghost immortal A’Shou nearby, he might’ve thrown a tantrum.

“Preserve your strength.” Bai Shuangying finally replied after some thought. “Fang Xiu killed a Guishan disciple but still talked to us calmly. That means he retains some subconscious sense of friend or foe.”

“Cen Ling should take point. You help me break the E’s taboo. Once I understand its limits, I’ll know what to do.”

You’re going to solve the E? Guan He tried to hide the skepticism in his eyes, but some of it slipped out.

Bai Shuangying ignored him and ran faster.

……

In the distance, Fang Xiu wandered through the mist and returned to the stone coffin plaza.

He scooped up some flesh and blood to use as ink and began sketching on a coffin lid to organize his thoughts.

Meeting Bai Shuangying had come sooner than expected.

But even after seeing him, Fang Xiu remembered nothing. All he knew was this comfortable, dark tomb and its centuries of solitude.

Strangely, those memories were vague and fragmented, filled with gaps.

Fang Xiu tapped the coffin with a blood-stained finger.

That boy didn’t seem to be lying. So, he lacked external memories, yet outsiders knew him.

“…I’m being manipulated. I likely come from outside. Due to some external factor, I’ve forgotten many things.”

Bai Shuangying hadn’t looked hostile. In fact, Fang Xiu saw worry and grievance in those white eyes. They must’ve been close.

“…‘Mine, Bai Shuangying’ must be a positive reminder.” The dark red smear stained the coffin lid.

He’d left himself a message he couldn’t yet understand, the only hint was Bai Shuangying’s name.

“…Only Bai Shuangying is trustworthy. Other humans may not be allies.”

Fang Xiu whispered to himself, filling the coffin lid with blood-written words.

Next, he had to clarify the intruders’ goals and eliminate potential threats. As for his own true condition…

“…That sort of thing doesn’t matter much.”

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