Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 162: In the Hospital Bed

First People’s Hospital, Taiyi City, Gui Province.

This was the top Class-A hospital in the entire province, with a national reputation and an unending stream of patients. It was a logistical nightmare to use a hospital like this as a ritual site.

Next to A’Shou, the ritual records she had been sorting through had piled into a mountain, threatening to bury her. She sat upright at the desk, her pen tapping steadily in the inkstone.

Normally, when the Underworld needed to requisition a site, it would inform the living side with excuses like “unexpected incident” or “maintenance closure”, temporarily barring human entry.

But hospitals were a special case. Disrupting treatment procedures was out of the question, and many patients could not be relocated casually. If they cleared the site with brute force, there was no way the living world would accept it.

It was giving her a headache.

“W-why would there be an E there?”

Dian’er stood to the side, visibly shaken. “The yin energy is already heavy enough. If an E shows up too, the number of spirits it would attract—!”

“And with so many people coming and going, even minor taboos could cause chaos… the mortal world would definitely alert us. It wouldn’t make sense!”

It suspected Fang Xiu had picked a trap-laden location and was using the Underworld as a tool, but it didn’t dare say that aloud.

A’Shou examined the report in front of her and said nothing.

Indeed, in the modern world, people were everywhere. The mortal side’s metaphysics practitioners were no amateurs. If any taboo began to affect a densely populated area, they would report it to the Underworld within a day. If an E had ever been left in the human world, it would’ve been in remote, deserted places.

The best hospital in a major city—this location was too strange… Still, going back on her word now would only make things worse.

A’Shou didn’t answer Dian’er’s question. She circled a few more lines in her report. She had to find a way to establish the ritual site while minimizing disturbance to the mortal world.

“All the participants this time are metaphysical practitioners. Have the ghost envoys set up a spirit-screening array.”

Her voice was soft. “It’s troublesome, yes, but it’s feasible. We’ll just need to alert the local practitioners around the hospital.”

Seeing A’Shou ignore its concerns, Dian’er didn’t press further. Scratching its paper-made head, it tried to act like nothing had happened. “S-spirit-screening array?”

“It filters ‘reality’ into a space where the living and dead overlap. It has range limitations, but one hospital should be manageable.”

A’Shou explained patiently, “Once the array is active, only beings connected to the Underworld and spirits can enter.”

“To explain it to humans, just say ‘a mirrored world’. Young people will get it.”

This was something A’Shou had picked up in her past life as a ghost immortal. Before her assignment to the Disaster Relief Tower, she occasionally used it to minimize civilian casualties when handling powerful spirits in urban settings. Ironically, she had never used it during rituals, which were usually held in remote places.

If this had been any other ghost immortal, they wouldn’t have known what to do.

Was this also fate? She gave a bitter smile.

Speaking of fate…

“Dian’er, bring me the Heart-Stabilizing Elixir. Put the whole cost on my tab.”

As A’Shou drew up the new plan, she gave her orders. “Prepare some for yourself too—it can help resist karmic contamination. I’ve left some letters here. If Fang Xiu and his people attack me, send them out immediately.”

This was expensive, but in the face of a major event, there was no such thing as too much preparation.

The Heart-Stabilizing Elixir was extremely hard to refine and incredibly precious. The Underworld reserved it specifically for treating karmic contamination. Low-ranking ghosts couldn’t even apply for it. A’Shou had once wondered why the Tower treated this stuff as a strategic resource. Now she understood.

Dian’er, trembling, accepted the order and soon returned with a round blood-jade bottle.

A’Shou opened it on the spot and took out a pitch-black pill. The stench was overwhelming. She chewed through its bitter, sticky texture and reopened a record beside her.

[Seductive ghosts are poor at possessing bodies; damage to the flesh and vessel is common.]

[■■ ghosts ■■ possession, ■■ flesh ■■ tool. This is ■■.]

[This ghost’s possession is abnormal; it fuses flesh into a killing tool. This is a taboo.]

…This was from the Huanxi E ritual.

It had been corrupted by Bai Shuangying’s influence, but now she could forcefully read it again. With complete focus, she could just barely discern the original text.

No wonder Fang Xiu’s body had ended up like that during the ritual. “Seductive ghosts are poor at possessing bodies”? More like the Corner of Heaven’s Will had violently descended and wrecked his vessel.

Looks like the elixir worked. It could hold back a karmic surge when it counted.

A’Shou let out a breath and closed the report, tossing it back into the scroll pile. It landed on a slightly older scroll and nearly knocked it off the table. She grabbed that one by instinct and glanced at it.

A ritual report from ten years ago. There was nothing valuable—wait.

The report itself looked fine.

But in the section recording the ritual team, there was an odd blank space. Like two extra indents at the beginning of a paragraph. A’Shou stared at the blank patch over and over but couldn’t detect anything wrong.

Why hadn’t she noticed this before?

She checked several other reports. Most of them had similar empty gaps. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make sense of it.

Maybe it was just a formatting quirk, she thought. These records didn’t feel disjointed. There was no hint of the usual chaotic pollution seen in tampered documents.

Besides, even if Bai Shuangying had casually messed with the reports, his level of karmic distortion wasn’t something ordinary people could comprehend. Maybe she was just getting jumpy after being tricked by Fang Xiu too many times.

She set the thought aside and stood up. “Prepare for the ritual.”

……

The final ritual had arrived.

Fang Xiu walked up to the second floor and caught the familiar scent of hospital disinfectant. The floor was covered in clean PVC tiles, and pale overhead lights reflected in soft pools across the ground.

The familiar double doors of the hospital stood before them. This time, Fang Xiu didn’t bring up the rear with Bai Shuangying. He held his ghost’s hand and was the first to pass through.

The lobby inside was spotless and brightly lit. Automated service machines were running normally, but not a single person was in sight. The entire hospital was steeped in an eerie silence.

Outside the hospital doors, a muddy fog like thick sludge cut off any path of escape.

Before the ritual, Dian’er had explained the spirit-screening array.

This was a “mirrored world”, where unlucky patients and staff wouldn’t be caught up in the mess. But if they damaged the building or equipment, it would still affect the real world.

Just as Fang Xiu expected. Under the pretense of “protecting mortal infrastructure”, A’Shou had requested a large number of spirit weapons and brought them in with full legitimacy.

To maintain fairness, she was observing from the shadows, with no plans to accompany Fang Xiu directly.

It was Bai Shuangying’s first time in a hospital. Everything looked novel to him. After a while, he leaned in and whispered, “The yin energy here is heavy, but the spirits aren’t active.”

Fang Xiu smiled. “It’s a hospital. The living world keeps a close watch. They don’t dare act up.”

Guan He looked around and suddenly had a realization. “Fang Ge, you said you worked as a hospital janitor. Did you work here?”

“That’s right. I know this place like the back of my hand. See that corner? There’s even a convenience store over there.”

Fang Xiu grinned, pointing down a hallway. “But not yet. You guys, follow me for now.”

“We’re not waiting for the others?” Cheng Songyun looked surprised.

They always waited for the group to assemble before starting. Although Cen Ling was on the roster, most of the others were “on their side”.

Fang Xiu shook his head. His smile deepened.

And so, shoulder to shoulder with Bai Shuangying, Fang Xiu led them deeper into the hospital. Elevators, corners, corridors, courtyards… He walked confidently, clearly knowing the place inside and out.

Fang Xiu’s pace was brisk. Guan He could keep up, but the shorter Cheng Songyun had to jog to match him. Despite this being one of the most ghost-infested kinds of places, they hadn’t seen a single spirit.

Under the spirit-screening array, nurse stations were empty, and the wards held no patients. Rows of metal chairs gleamed under the lights. A soft, female voice echoed in the waiting area, announcing appointment numbers.

This place didn’t feel like real life, but more like a game environment loaded with assets but no NPCs.

Maybe there really was a secret organization nearby, Guan He thought. Even if Fang Xiu wasn’t with the authorities, with his skills, he must have had contact with them.

Maybe there was a hidden underground space or a secret door behind one of the walls. Fang Xiu and his colleagues could have been using the crowd to conceal an exorcism base. Maybe the hospital was in on it too…

As for the “hospital janitor” story—he hadn’t believed it for a second. Fang Xiu was too confident walking these halls. Maybe some of his metaphysical colleagues were still lurking around under the effects of the array.

Guan He followed deeper into the hospital, imagination running wild.

Eventually, Fang Xiu stopped in front of a patient room.

The room looked unremarkable. Through the door came the soft beeping of medical machines. Fang Xiu rested a hand on the door and exhaled.

Finally, the moment had come.

He gripped Bai Shuangying’s hand. He wanted to smile, but his mouth twisted slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bai Shuangying staring at the door, growing increasingly confused.

Not far away, A’Shou was surely watching this as well.

“Fang Ge, is this where you used to work?” Guan He asked curiously.

“Yes.”

With a creak, the door opened slowly, revealing the scene beyond.

Cheng Songyun instantly stepped back. Guan He was frozen as if struck by lightning.

Bai Shuangying raised a hand and touched his lips in silence.

…The room wasn’t large. There was only one bed.

A pot of thriving pothos sat on the windowsill. A bright red T-shirt hung from the bedframe.

Lying in the bed was an extremely thin person.

Eyes shut, unkempt bangs covering the face. He wore a loose hospital gown, a respirator over his mouth, and was connected to a tangle of tubes leading to a machine by the window.

He looked exactly like Fang Xiu.

The chair next to the bed was filled with evil spirits. Like family members, they guarded the patient solemnly. All of them turned to the door at once, gazes expressionless.

“You’re back,” said the elder ghost, grinning eerily as he bowed toward Fang Xiu.

“Nope. Still in the middle of the ritual. You’ll all have to wait a bit longer.”

Fang Xiu waved cheerfully, tone unnervingly light. “So, any updates from the doctor?”

“Your body is even weaker than before, but fortunately there’s no immediate danger,” said a female ghost with her eyes rolled back. “Officer Yuan still visits every day. He—”

“No need to say more. I know,” Fang Xiu interrupted gently.

Bai Shuangying walked up without hesitation and pressed a finger to the forehead of the “Fang Xiu” in the bed. After a brief pause, his brows tightened deeply.

“You… your body is severely damaged. Your soul can’t return. Your living soul is wandering outside, which is why you can see spirits.”

Judging by the body’s condition, Fang Xiu’s soul had been out for over ten years.

Bai Shuangying withdrew his hand and raised his eyes.

Souls with obsession, tainted by yin energy, become “ghosts”.

Objects with obsession, soaked in karma, become “E’s”.

An E could only be a lifeless object, something without a soul. Like a body that had lost its soul and was on the brink of collapse.

So that was it.

No wonder Fang Xiu’s knocking was so unique. No wonder he was obsessed with killing and resolving E’s to collect karma. No wonder the more Bai Shuangying learned about him, the more karmic chains broke.

From the very moment they met, he had been refining an E called “Fang Xiu”.

The author has something to say:

Some readers had already guessed very close!

Xiao Fang’s living soul is intact, and he is a mortal. Just… his body (.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 161: Ritual Site

After Fang Xiu finished speaking, Ghost Immortal A’Shou fell silent. She pondered for a long while before finally nodding.

Until she could see through Fang Xiu’s hand, falling out with him would do more harm than good. The bait Fang Xiu dangled was perfectly calculated. This eighth ritual was clearly designed to expose his cards.

“Fine. You can decide the location, content, and participants of the eighth ritual,” A’Shou said coldly. “That’s the biggest compromise I’ll make. It doesn’t mean I trust you. At the same time, I will inform the Heavenly Court and Underworld and prepare for the worst against you.”

“If you try any tricks, you’d better watch your head.”

“A wise decision,” Fang Xiu agreed without a trace of fear.

Bai Shuangying, however, was slightly displeased. “His life belongs to me.”

A’Shou: “…”

A’Shou sighed and added, “Watch your heads.”

Bai Shuangying looked inexplicably satisfied.

What a joke. As if he could be sealed the same way a second time by those immortals. He was no longer that clueless God of Xushan of the past.

Besides, he had Fang Xiu now. His human clearly had a plan, and if he had a plan, the odds were in their favor.

As for what that plan was, Bai Shuangying didn’t share A’Shou’s anxiety. He and his human were already joined in matrimony. His criteria were much simpler.

As long as Fang Xiu was alive, he would stay by his side. And if, in the most unlikely of cases, Fang Xiu died, then he would simply go on a rampage without holding back.

Hmm. But from what he’d heard, marriage wasn’t the endpoint of mortal emotions. Human hearts were unpredictable. Bai Shuangying understood his own nature. His interest in Fang Xiu would last at least a thousand years, but what if Fang Xiu’s heart changed?

Now that was a harder problem than dealing with the immortals. Bai Shuangying began to contemplate it seriously.

A few steps away, Dian’er looked like it was about to cry.

Whether the paper figure wanted to hear it or not, these outrageous remarks kept pouring into its ears. Worse, it had nowhere to run—A’Shou held absolute authority over its life and death, and she was clearly cooperating with Fang Xiu.

After working in the Disaster Relief Tower for so many years, Dian’er, for the first time, felt like “a helpless victim”.

It drooped its head, trying not to look at Bai Shuangying, but still trembled uncontrollably.

In A’Shou’s eyes, the Corner of Heaven’s Will was already an overwhelming existence. For a low-level ghost like it, Bai Shuangying was scarier than a natural disaster.

Most terrifying of all, A’Shou was upright and predictable, so Dian’er could at least guess her moods. Bai Shuangying’s thoughts, however, were completely inscrutable. At the moment, the Corner of Heaven’s Will was happily using magic to slice fruit, tossing pieces into Fang Xiu’s mouth without care. He paid zero attention to Fang Xiu’s insane demands, as if it was only natural for that lunatic to do whatever he wanted.

God help it. Why did it end up serving this bunch of walking nightmares?

…Well, since things were already this bad, A’Shou could deal with the fallout. Dian’er quickly decided to surrender to fate.

It forced itself to pretend nothing had happened. “We’ve prepared the reward from the previous ritual. What skill would Mr. Fang like to select? We’ll arrange it right away!”

Fang Xiu stepped forward cooperatively. “The God of Xushan.”

Dian’er: “?”

It suspected its ears had crumpled under pressure and caused it to mishear the most outrageous request imaginable.

It instinctively looked at A’Shou, who was gripping the edge of her veil so tightly it looked like she was trying to strangle herself. Sensing its gaze, A’Shou didn’t say a word and just tugged harder.

Dian’er numbly turned its head back.

Heh. What was it, a wishing well? Granting request after request after request, constantly being forced to live again. Was the God of Xushan something the Underworld could recreate? Wasn’t having one standing right there already enough? Why not just go with some flashy “divine descent” visual effect? At least that would be easier to stage.

Unfortunately, this awful human didn’t let it off the hook.

Fang Xiu tugged on Bai Shuangying’s sleeve. “The ‘existence of the God of Xushan’ is already a supernatural phenomenon. I want the God of Xushan.”

“You’ll probably say the Underworld can’t recreate such a strong ‘phenomenon’. That’s fine—I don’t need you to recreate anything. I just want the Underworld to officially acknowledge that the entity I formed a ghost contract with is the God of Xushan.”

Dian’er, amid its despair, saw a sliver of hope. “…Wait, just an acknowledgment?”

Fang Xiu nodded, voice gentle. “I’ve made all my points. There’s no need to make this difficult for you. Thanks for your hard work over the past few rituals.”

Fang Xiu’s sudden change in tone gave Dian’er the surreal sense of being promoted straight from the Underworld to the heavens. Dazed, it nodded rapidly and zipped in front of Fang Xiu in fear he’d change his mind.

“The Immortal Encounter E pertains to the mountain. The Underworld grants you the ability to ‘meet the God of Xushan’. As you have already formed a ghost contract with the God of Xushan, Bai Shuangying, the Disaster Relief Tower hereby recognizes your contract as valid and binding.”

It hurriedly pressed the “Gen” trigram symbol and retreated a few steps like it was escaping disaster.

Bai Shuangying popped a strawberry into his mouth and looked at Fang Xiu in confusion. Whether acknowledged or not, he was still by Fang Xiu’s side. Wasn’t this like giving up a free skill?

Then he saw the upward curve of Fang Xiu’s lips.

That smile radiated sincerity—so much so that Bai Shuangying instinctively grew wary. The more sweetly his human smiled, the more elaborate the trap. This he knew well.

A’Shou was equally puzzled, but she was so mentally exhausted that she had no energy left to analyze it.

“We’re ready for the location and participants. Just give us the list and we’ll begin preparations,” the paper figure offered cheerfully.

“The mushroom trio—ah no, Song Zheng, Xiao Li, and Xiao Tian. Jiao Jiao and Yan Yan as a duo. Add Lu Yang if he’s still alive.”

Fang Xiu began listing the teams. “Assuming they all survived.”

“That’s six people. Add the three on your side and that’s nine. Is that everyone?” The paper figure scribbled notes frantically.

“Of course not. Uncle Hou and Cen Ling too.”

Fang Xiu grinned. “That’s everyone. The rest can be in whatever rituals. I only require Cen Ling to appear in the eighth. If he’s not there, I’ll wait.”

“No problem. Got it. And the location—?”

Fang Xiu raised a finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture.

“I have my secrets too. Since I’m choosing the site, I’ll let you know right before departure.”

……

That night.

Cheng Songyun was tidying her bed when she heard a knock. She opened the door to find Guan He hesitating outside.

“Child, what’s wrong?” Cheng Songyun asked gently.

The Underworld had already arranged everything. Because the participants needed to coordinate schedules, they had a short break before the eighth ritual. It was supposed to be a peaceful night. Guan He had no reason to be so tense.

Was it the lingering shock from the previous bloodshed, or—

“Auntie Cheng… I don’t know what to do. Fang Ge… I think he’s not with the officials,” Guan He whispered. “He said he’s not just dealing with the Guishan Sect—he’s going to fight Heaven and the Underworld too. There’s no way someone from the official camp would go that far.”

“I’m not saying Fang Ge is bad. He’s helped me a lot. I really trust and admire him. But… I just…”

Cheng Songyun: “…”

Honestly, the delay in realization wasn’t surprising. Young people sometimes had longer mental processing time. She hadn’t expected this to be Guan He’s concern.

After their talk with the Underworld, Fang Xiu had told them a few things. That Bai Shuangying was some kind of mountain god. That they had struck a deal with the Underworld. That the final ritual might be incredibly dangerous.

Cheng Songyun could see that A’Shou and the paper figure were terrified of Bai Shuangying. But since she and Guan He weren’t spiritual practitioners, they didn’t have a deep understanding.

To them, every ritual was dangerous, and every spirit terrifying. Rather than dwell on Bai Shuangying’s identity, Cheng Songyun was more concerned about how Guan He was handling the fact he had killed “a high-level cult member”.

Now it seemed Guan He had come to terms with it surprisingly well. The kid was stronger than she thought.

“Don’t worry, Xiao Guan. I understand what you’re feeling,” Cheng Songyun said softly.

“You still trust Fang Xiu. You still want to help him. But what he said this time was too bold. You’re afraid of making a mistake by following him.”

In short, when Fang Xiu used to act recklessly, Guan He still saw him as an official figure. Now that illusion was gone, and he felt lost.

“And… you feel guilty for doubting him. Like you’re betraying the one who’s led us this far?”

Guan He looked down, his face slightly red.

Cheng Songyun took out two bottles of pear juice and handed one to him. “Sit down, child.”

Guan He cradled the bottle in both hands and sat primly at the table.

“I’ve known for a long time that Fang Xiu wasn’t with the official side. He only said that to comfort you. See? I knew and kept it from you.”

Cheng Songyun’s tone was warm. “These rituals are too dangerous. From the start, you needed courage more than you needed the whole truth.”

“I know, but still…” Guan He pursed his lips.

“Fang Xiu came right out and told us everything. That shows he doesn’t care whether we doubt him. He has his own goal.”

“I have mine too. I want to survive and go home to see my daughter. You have a goal too, don’t you?”

“I want to go home. But I also want to help Fang Ge. I just… don’t want to abandon him at the last moment out of doubt.” Guan He gripped his short hair.

“You see? You already know your answer.”

Guan He looked at her, a little dazed.

“Whether to doubt or trust, to help or not—those are ‘your’ decisions.”

Cheng Songyun gazed at the juice in her bottle, the liquid shimmering as it swayed inside the glass.

“Decision-making isn’t easy. You can’t always expect others to tell you right from wrong. If it works out, you hold your head high. If it doesn’t, you take responsibility and do your best to fix it.”

“That’s what it means to carry a ‘blood debt’… don’t you think?”

Guan He rubbed the cold glass in silence for a long time. At one point he opened his mouth to ask something but then closed it again.

Finally, he cracked the bottle open and chugged the whole thing.

“Even if Fang Ge is fighting the gods, I’ll help him. Unless I find undeniable proof something’s wrong, I’ll do everything I can to support him.”

His voice was firm, and his former nervousness had vanished completely.

Cheng Songyun smiled with relief. “I know what you wanted to ask earlier.”

“I’ll help him too.”

Guan He rubbed his face embarrassingly. His earlier emotion was slowly calming down.

“Thank you, Auntie Cheng.”

He bit his lip. “If we make it through the eighth ritual, I’ll take responsibility and properly apologize to my mom.”

“I hope we do make it…”

……

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Dian’er finally finished coordinating all the participants. Luckily, all the teams Fang Xiu selected had survived. Aside from Lu Yang, the mushroom trio and the Jiao-Yan duo had all become official Disaster Resolvers, making scheduling easier.

“All your requests have been met,” A’Shou said. She personally came to the floor during breakfast, hands resting on the table. “Like before, I’ll supervise this one as well.”

“It’s time, Fang Xiu. Where is the location for the eighth ritual? We need time to clear the area—”

Fang Xiu twirled a strand of Bai Shuangying’s hair, not even looking up at her.

“First People’s Hospital, Taiyi City, Gui Province.”

He said.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 160: Extreme Negotiation

A certain floor of the Disaster Relief Tower

Cen Ling yawned and pulled up his loose sleeve. Beneath it, another bagua symbol appeared. He had easily cleared the seventh ritual. No one survived but him.

It was a pity he couldn’t bring these powers to the mortal realm. Even if he had free access to the E’s sealed in the Shrine of All E’s, power was always something worth accumulating.

After confirming everything, he strolled over to the offering table, casually pricked his finger, and drew talisman patterns on its surface. As the blood-formed talisman was completed, countless streams of yin energy flowed toward his fingertip, absorbed into his soul.

Cen Ling quite enjoyed this feeling—outside the tower, he could also draw yin energy from it, but absorbing it directly within the Tower felt entirely different. It was like drinking iced cola straight from the bottle versus sipping it through a straw on a hot day.

Time to replenish…

…Huh?

Cen Ling wasn’t happy to find that his icy cola was nearly gone. The yin energy was thin and sluggish, like flat sugar water left at room temperature.

The Underworld interference? Did they catch on? Cen Ling’s expression suddenly darkened.

Knock knock.

There was a hesitant knock at the door. Cen Ling wiped the blood away from the table with a flick, and by the time he opened the door, his face wore a cheerful smile.

“Y-yes, it’s me, sir!”

A skinny paper figure stood outside. Its eyes wrapped around its entire face in a neat circle—fourteen in total. All fourteen pupils focused squarely on Cen Ling.

“Mr. Dian, what’s the matter?”

“Well… let’s see… Lady A’Shou asked us to notify everyone,” the paper figure said timidly. “Something went missing inside the Tower recently so she’s very angry.”

“She’s going to restructure the Tower, which may cause the yin energy inside to fluctuate. Recently… recently, metaphysical practitioners should be extra careful. The yin energy will become extremely thin…”

After speaking, it stole a quick glance at Cen Ling before lowering its head again. “This won’t affect normal people much, but since you’re someone of the metaphysical path, I thought I should be clear…”

“Thank you.” Cen Ling patted the paper figure’s head.

So that was it.

The missing Immortal E from the Shrine of All E’s had finally been discovered. It was sooner than expected. It seemed that ghost immortal A’Shou was quite competent.

It wasn’t surprising that she was strengthening the Tower’s security by adjusting its structure. That explained the yin energy disruption. The fact that he could still draw some proved the karmic ties left by the Hierarch weren’t yet severed.

It was a pity she hadn’t waited until he left the Tower to start meddling.

After closing the door, Cen Ling shook his head. He picked up a jade pendant and placed it reverently in the center of the offering table before bowing deeply.

As a successor of the Guishan Sect, he knew well that the Hierarch had prepared the Immortal Encounter E just for him. It was hidden within Xushan, like a seed full of vitality.

That seed had been personally documented and preserved by one of his ancestors. It was linked to him by karma, flowing in his bloodline.

He also knew the “Immortal Encounter E” was registered in the Underworld and, in theory, could be destroyed.

But by now, with or without its help, it no longer mattered much to him.

The God of Xushan above… He would not allow their plan to be exposed to any risk.

“All is ready, only the east wind remains,” Cen Ling prayed softly. “The momentum is in place. Once the eighth ritual ends, my final wish shall be granted.”

“Return, return…”

Right, he might as well tell the paper figure. For the eighth ritual, he wanted to be in the same session as Fang Xiu.

He needed to personally draw the perfect ending to this great work.

……

“I want to be in the same ritual as Cen Ling.”

At the breakfast table, Fang Xiu mumbled the request with a bun in his mouth. After last night’s vigorous activity, he felt he could eat half a cow. While his two teammates stared at him in shock, Fang Xiu stuffed food into his mouth nonstop, still whispering to the paper figure beside him.

As for Bai Shuangying… the seductive ghost sat right next to Fang Xiu, occasionally feeding him soup dumplings with unwavering focus.

Dian’er was certain something fishy was going on between those two, but it firmly held back its questions. “Yes, the eighth ritual is the most special one. It’s not that flexible. But since you asked, of course I’ll report it.”

Fang Xiu nodded. “Perfect. I also have a few participants I’d like to assign…”

The paper figure’s face collapsed. “Ancestor, the eighth ritual isn’t simple. Every participant must be chosen personally by the ghost immortal guarding the Tower.”

“Even if you’re the strongest Disaster Resolver, you still have to follow orders. Getting a quiet slot reserved for you is already Lady A’Shou’s way of showing favor for your efforts…”

While the paper figure was still pleading, A’Shou materialized behind it like a ghost, her blood-stained wedding robe fluttering despite the still air.

“Who do you want?” she asked, voice slightly hoarse.

The paper figure’s whole body crumpled in fear. It slowly turned and unfolded itself, trembling. “L-L-L-Lady—”

Fang Xiu gulped down the bun and half a bowl of soy milk from Bai Shuangying’s hand before standing up. A’Shou didn’t bother with ceremonial formalities. She just stared at Bai Shuangying sitting there, and her thousand-year-dormant stomachache returned with a vengeance.

Right. That’s a Corner of Heaven’s Will, that’s a Corner of Heaven’s Will, that’s a Corn… Fucking hell! Who was she kidding?! That guy looked exactly like a seductive ghost!

Bai Shuangying glowed with energy, radiating Fang Xiu’s unique scent. He looked no different from those fox spirits who gorged themselves on mortals after a night together. Clearly satisfied. Clearly stuffed.

She was furious. She wished she didn’t understand what she was seeing. She didn’t know if Fang Xiu had gone mad, if the Corner had gone mad, or if she had gone mad herself. If she had to choose, she sincerely it her.

Seeing A’Shou rub her eyes through her veil, Fang Xiu cleared his throat.

“Not just the people. I want to choose the location and content of the eighth ritual as well.”

This wasn’t just overstepping. It was like tearing down a temple to build a mall. Dian’er made a string of strange choking noises like a strangled chicken.

A’Shou tilted her head ninety degrees, deliberately not looking at him. “That’s not why I’m here.”

“I haven’t forgotten. You wanted to know the truth about the knocking and how I summoned Bai Shuangying.”

Fang Xiu grinned. “Well, this is how I’m telling you. Do as I say, and you’ll see the answer with your own eyes.”

A’Shou finally looked at him, her voice lower than before. “Mortal, my patience is limit—”

Bai Shuangying also turned his head, staring directly at her. His white eyes didn’t blink.

“…Unlimited.” A’Shou swallowed her irritation. She felt like she’d been baited and couldn’t back out. “We agreed to cooperate. I’m not your subordinate. Show some sincerity.”

Dian’er looked from Fang Xiu to A’Shou with question marks all over its face. Its entire paper body seemed to fade in confusion.

“Sincerity…” Fang Xiu tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. “I thought you’d already figured it out.”

“Figured what out?”

“You said earlier the knocking had no spell traces. But it could control the Six Ghost Remnants during the Grave-Sealing Ritual and locate the Immortal Encounter E during its own ritual. The answer is right in front of you.”

“I’m just a mortal. I don’t use complicated tricks. Most magic, when you know how it works, is pretty simple.”

The answer is in the question itself?

A’Shou frowned.

She had confirmed Fang Xiu was a complete mortal. The Six Ghost Remnants had no prior contact with him. After being tormented by the Guishan Sect, those spirits only had one obsession—an insatiable craving for “E’s”.

When it came to the Immortal Encounter E, Fang Xiu had claimed his knocking was like “echo location”. But without a similar power, reacting to an E was no different from reacting to rocks and grass.

Then just now, Fang Xiu had boldly demanded control over the eighth ritual’s setting and rules.

…Wait.

“You possess an E the Underworld doesn’t know about.” A’Shou said slowly, “I don’t know how you managed it, but you’re able to use its power to some extent.”

Dian’er gasped, almost at a lost for words. “Impossible! Fang Xiu didn’t carry anything! Even if the ritual happens in the mortal realm, if an E’s influence reached that far, the Underworld would have noticed—”

“That’s why I want you to see it for yourselves.”

Fang Xiu opened his hands innocently. “Some things can’t be explained with words. You’ll understand when you see them.”

“And besides, if the eighth ritual proceeds normally, we’d have to worry about unknown E anyway. I just want to throw the enemy into my home field… That’s why I’m asking to cooperate with you, A’Shou Jie.”

Dian’er was stunned. “Cooperate? Cooperate how? What are you two talking about…”

Its odd eyes darted between Fang Xiu and A’Shou, but when it saw that even Fang Xiu’s teammates looked equally lost, it finally relaxed a little.

A’Shou pressed her hand to her forehead. Her sigh lifted the corner of her veil.

Having a Corner of Heaven’s Will at one’s side—even if not fully unsealed—was already cheating. Now Fang Xiu wanted to fight using a familiar “E” as well? It was excessive.

But Bai Shuangying had been summoned properly. And resolving am E was part of the ritual process. Technically, all of it followed the rules.

This kid had planned it out, hadn’t he?

“You might think I’m being overly cautious,” Fang Xiu continued. “But after all this time, I don’t believe the Guishan Sect is following Zhuang Guiqu’s plan to the letter. They must have added their own agenda.”

“That’s why I can’t let Cen Ling obtain a wishing slot.”

“You’re underestimating—hmm?”

A’Shou glanced at the calm Bai Shuangying beside him.

No matter how outrageous the sect’s plan was, teaming up with a Corner of Heaven’s Will was like using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.

“Not really.” Fang Xiu smiled even more brightly.

“Because while I’m dealing with the Guishan Sect, I also have to deal with Heaven and the Underworld.”

“You think if I just say, ‘Bai Shuangying is cute and harmless and I want to take him with me’, you’ll all happily let us go?”

As he spoke, Fang Xiu’s black eyes peeked out from beneath his messy bangs. His gaze sliced through A’Shou’s veil like a blade.

His smile was soft and obedient, but there wasn’t a trace of warmth in his eyes.

Caught off guard, A’Shou was momentarily stunned. She never expected Fang Xiu to say something so absurd right to her face.

“Real gods” and “those who encounter an Immortal E” weren’t the same thing. If the Corner of Heaven’s Will had been suppressed once, it could be suppressed again.

Dian’er was terrified by the whole exchange. It tried to curl into a ball and pretend it hadn’t heard anything. But before it could flee, A’Shou pressed it down with one hand.

“You’re insane. There’s no formal magical contract between us.”

A’Shou’s voice was cold as ice. “I can break this off right now and summon an Immortal to deal with you. Even if you kill me here, the noise will draw attention from the Underworld.”

Fang Xiu finished the last soup dumpling and licked the juice from his fingers.

“You won’t, A’Shou Jie.”

He said, “You know the truth. You’ve seen Bai Shuangying’s wrath… You’ve witnessed the tragedies of a world in chaos. That’s why you chose to cooperate with me—to fight the Guishan Sect together. No true strategist starts a war lightly.”

A’Shou said nothing.

Staring into those pitch-black eyes, she felt like she had walked into a trap and couldn’t pull herself out.

“Continue,” she said through clenched teeth.

“The eighth ritual,” Fang Xiu said, seeing her give way, “I’ll show you how I plan to bring ‘real stability’ to the mortal world.”

“If you’re still not satisfied after it’s over, you can expose me then.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 159: Mortal Customs

Bai Shuangying’s skin was cool, and his pale eyes were utterly pure. Even now, Fang Xiu couldn’t feel a heartbeat in Bai Shuangying’s chest.

Every detail confirmed he wasn’t human. Just thinking of the true form of the Corner of Heaven’s Will that spanned entire mountain ranges made Fang Xiu’s instincts scream. His back tensed and a chill spread through him.

But his mind told him otherwise. He liked this kind of thrill.

He had long grown numb to the constant presence of death. The real danger now was the unpredictable unknown, and that was exactly what felt exciting and new.

His carefully constructed plan had derailed into another direction. For the first time, he felt anticipation for what came after the ending. Why not give it a try?

Fang Xiu gently brushed aside the white robe on Bai Shuangying’s body, knowing that it was only a part of him. The fabric flowed silkily through his fingers, fluttering with no wind, and felt incredible to the touch.

Bai Shuangying looked down at him from above. His long hair blocked out nearly all the light. In that shadow, his pale eyes glimmered faintly.

“Are you sure?” he asked politely.

“You just said you didn’t want me to die. What is there to be unsure about?” Fang Xiu replied, calmly twirling the ends of Bai Shuangying’s hair.

Bai Shuangying placed a hand on Fang Xiu’s chest. “But you’re very nervous.”

Fang Xiu’s words were smooth and confident, but his heartbeat was loud enough to shake the bed.

Fang Xiu: “……”

Okay, he had seen many romantic movies, but never any adult ones. His understanding of all this came mostly from books and medical literature. This was his first time in a relationship, and he had zero experience.

…So what?!

His ghost might be clueless in some aspects, but he had lived for centuries. Surely he knew far more than Fang Xiu did. Fang Xiu didn’t know what to do, but he could lie down and let it happen.

Fang Xiu grabbed a handful of the soft white robe and said seriously, “I’ve brought the food to the table. Do I have to feed it to you too?”

Bai Shuangying hesitated. “But this isn’t just about eating.”

Fang Xiu paused.

“I don’t want you to think of me as a fox spirit or a seductive ghost,” Bai Shuangying said. “Now that I’ve started absorbing yin energy from the Tower, I can recover. Besides…”

He caressed Fang Xiu’s warm, soft face and fell into thought again.

“I said before, I wasn’t willing to die for you, nor did I want to bear children with you. That’s why I thought I didn’t like you. But you said I shouldn’t judge by human standards.”

“You’re still human in the end. You’d care about these things, even just a little. So—”

Fang Xiu held his breath. “So?”

Bai Shuangying spoke slowly and clearly. “Is it really okay to skip the formalities, skip the procession and banquet, and go straight to the wedding night?”

Fang Xiu: “…”

Fang Xiu: “…………”

He grabbed Bai Shuangying by the neck and pulled his ghost into his arms, bursting out laughing.

He’d thought he already understood Bai Shuangying well enough, but his ghost could always dig up the most absurd and unexpected concerns. Fang Xiu laughed until his sides hurt, nearly shedding tears.

Half a minute later, groaning and massaging his ribs, he pulled off the hair-thread ring Bai Shuangying had given him.

Then, after thinking for a few seconds, he pulled a strand of red thread from the edge of his red T-shirt. “Hold out your hand.”

Bai Shuangying obediently complied.

Fang Xiu sat upright against the headboard and wrapped the thread around Bai Shuangying’s ring finger. The red thread wasn’t too loose or tight, and he tied a small butterfly knot at the front.

“We’re inside the Tower, so all of this is made from my soul. Keep it safe.”

He patted the simple ring. “Once this is over, we’ll prepare something better together. The rings, the ceremony—everything.”

Bai Shuangying studied the thread curiously. “What’s this?”

“A modern version of a wedding night.” Fang Xiu pushed the hair-ring back to Bai Shuangying. “Just repeat it and it’s official.”

Bai Shuangying hummed in acknowledgment. He lifted Fang Xiu’s hand and carefully slid the ring onto his finger. There was no elegance in his motion. He looked so meticulous doing the task that it was like he was performing a dangerous experiment.

After placing the ring on Fang Xiu’s finger, Bai Shuangying even rotated it slightly to find the best-looking angle.

He stared at it for a few seconds but didn’t let go of Fang Xiu’s hand. “Since it’s such an important token, should I embed it into your soul? That way you’d never be able to take it off.”

Fang Xiu: “…That won’t be necessary, for now.”

Good. His ghost still occasionally said very ghostly things, which was oddly reassuring.

Bai Shuangying frowned slightly, confused.

Fang Xiu: “Later, we can buy matching ones and take turns wearing them.”

Bai Shuangying’s frown immediately vanished, and he nodded in realization.

Fang Xiu wanted to laugh again, but this time he turned that amusement into action and gave his ghost a kiss.

“Let’s go,” Fang Xiu said. “We’ve completed the mortal customs.”

……

Fang Xiu suspected he might have made a harmless rookie mistake.

His reasoning had been sound. The Corner of Heaven’s Will had interacted with humans for centuries and was deeply familiar with all living things in the mountains. Bai Shuangying clearly understood bedroom matters, or rather, it was natural instincts.

But Fang Xiu had forgotten something important. He forgot to remind Bai Shuangying to stay in human form.

Once he confirmed there was nothing wrong with “mortal customs”, Bai Shuangying promptly discarded any mortal restraint and gave Fang Xiu another kind of “possession”.

The deep kissing never stopped. This time Bai Shuangying wasn’t forceful; instead, he lingered softly at the tip of Fang Xiu’s tongue, gently pressing and passing air between them.

Fang Xiu’s hands were pinned to the mattress by cool liquid, his body partially sunken. As for his legs—after such overwhelming stimulation, he almost couldn’t feel them anymore.

All he knew was that he once again felt that fullness of Bai Shuangying moving through his body. Just like the previous possession, something in his chest and stomach twisted rapidly. The only difference was, this time, he hadn’t consumed Bai Shuangying orally, but rather…

“This is… cough… a bit too direct…”

Fang Xiu pushed at the fluid with his tongue, gasping as he spoke.

What fox spirits, what seductive ghosts? They had nothing on the Corner of Heaven’s Will. Bai Shuangying understood human physiology far too well.

That beautiful illusion wrapped around his entire body. The sensations were far more intense than anything he had imagined. For the first time, Fang Xiu understood that too much pleasure could produce a near-death experience.

He was burning up, his body drenched in sweat. The excess of stimulation made him tremble nonstop. His brain couldn’t process anything.

But he had one complaint—

“Like this… I can’t see your face… Ngh…”

He murmured, arms tightening around the trembling mass of fluid. The cold touch pressed against his sweaty skin, sending shivers down his spine. Fang Xiu couldn’t help but moan again.

Unfortunately, Bai Shuangying didn’t seem to hear him.

It was no wonder… he was completely overwhelmed by the taste.

With a single mouthful of essence, Bai Shuangying’s thoughts shut down completely.

The impact was on a different level than any kiss they had shared. In comparison, even the Tower’s high-quality yin energy tasted like dishwater. Even the kiss that had once seemed so delicious now felt bland and empty.

If not for the fact that this was his human, Bai Shuangying might have followed instinct and devoured Fang Xiu’s soul entirely.

How could such a delicious human exist? It defied reason…

If he didn’t already know he wasn’t human, Bai Shuangying might have thought he was dreaming. The flavor was too unreal.

Like a child tasting candy for the first time, Bai Shuangying wrapped Fang Xiu in his true form and sampled him with meticulous care, trying everything he could while being careful not to swallow.

The warm candy rolled from the root of his tongue to the tip, then back again, soaked in sweetness. Thought evaporated, replaced by endless waves of satisfaction. His mind was blank for a long while, until the “candy” kicked violently, bringing him back to his senses.

“I mean… the way you’re doing this… I can’t even hug you properly…”

Fang Xiu was soaking wet and flushed like a shrimp fresh from the pot. His voice was weak, but he still smiled helplessly.

“It’s the middle of the night… I just want to hold you…”

Bai Shuangying: “!”

In the next second, Bai Shuangying snapped back into human form. He opened his arms and hugged Fang Xiu tightly, making him yelp.

Only then did he realize his human had completely melted. He felt as soft as jelly, with barely enough strength to return the hug.

Fang Xiu buried his face in Bai Shuangying’s chest and took several deep breaths.

Then, using the last of his strength, he pulled Bai Shuangying’s neck down and gave him a mortal-style deep kiss.

“Ha…”

After the searing kiss, Fang Xiu let out a long breath. “So… cough… how was my technique?”

As he spoke, he shamelessly rubbed Bai Shuangying’s face.

“Unmatched, unrivaled, peerless. Perhaps because our feelings are mutual, there will never be another taste like it,” Bai Shuangying said truthfully. He poked Fang Xiu’s lips with a finger. “…Only, the more I eat, the hungrier I get. I can’t stop.”

“Mmm.”

Fang Xiu grunted, lazily collapsing back onto the pillow. His bangs were soaked with sweat, revealing unusually bright eyes.

After a moment, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Bai Shuangying’s waist. “I remember you said when you stay in human form, your five senses are just like a person’s.”

“Mm.”

Fang Xiu smiled, his eyes curving. “Eating too much at a buffet can make you sick. When that happens, it’s time to change the menu.”

“It’s time for dessert. Then we’re closed for the night.”

A very reasonable suggestion, typical of his human.

Bai Shuangying’s fingers traced along Fang Xiu’s ear, then slid down to his neck. Finally, he leaned down and gently bit where his fingers had stopped.

That’s great. The night wasn’t over yet.

…

Morning

Fang Xiu opened his eyes silently—Bai Shuangying was pretending to sleep with his eyes closed. His white robe had wrapped around Fang Xiu like a swaddle. He had been smothered awake.

As for when he actually fell asleep, Fang Xiu had no idea. He didn’t know whether he passed out from exhaustion or drifted off normally.

So this was the legendary wedding night. It was more intense than he’d ever imagined.

From returning to the Tower until now, barely a day had passed. Technically, he had only slept for an hour or two. Yet strangely, Fang Xiu felt no discomfort at all—there was no suspicious soreness, his energy was full, and even the bedsheets were spotless.

Probably Bai Shuangying’s doing.

Fang Xiu stretched with a huge yawn.

Then he rolled over onto Bai Shuangying, tugging at his ghost’s cheek. Bai Shuangying opened his eyes immediately and looked at him intently.

“Good morning.”

Fang Xiu gave him a quick good-morning kiss.

“Let’s go. It’s time to talk business.”

The author has something to say:

It’s here!!!!

Happy Lantern Festival, everyone— (with that kind of tone)

Kinky Thoughts:

This is… pretty explicit for Nian Zhong. Damn. Can she go back and rewrite all the “sex” scenes for her previous novels?

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 158: A Compensatory Feast

Top of the Disaster Relief Tower.

[I’m great. Never better. Isn’t that right, A’Shou Jie?]

A sudden jolt struck A’Shou’s mind. She pressed her hands against the table. Her elbow smeared wet ink across the half-written ritual report.

By the rules between the realms of yin and yang, sacrifices are only summoned once. In theory, it was impossible for her to have met Fang Xiu again.

She knew that Bai Shuangying had modified the karmic ties of the Immortal Encounter E, which would naturally cause fluctuations in surrounding karma. Maybe she was just hallucinating, as she had during previous karmic contamination…

…No, something still felt wrong.

If this had happened to Guan He or Cheng Songyun, she might have brushed it off. But not with Fang Xiu. Definitely not. That bastard was far too strange.

Before returning to the Tower, Fang Xiu had specifically asked her not to reveal anything about Bai Shuangying. Not that he needed to—A’Shou hadn’t planned to reveal the truth so recklessly anyway.

Sure, if she exposed Bai Shuangying according to the rules of the Underworld, no one would question her. The Guishan Sect was planning something in the mortal realm, and as one of the strongest ghost immortals, she wouldn’t suffer any consequences.

This would be a textbook move for self-preservation. If it were someone like Dian’er, it would have scrambled to file a report in a panic.

But what would happen after Bai Shuangying was exposed?

As far as the Underworld was concerned, the Disaster Relief Tower was functioning perfectly. Most people had forgotten the existence of the God of Xushan, only remembering that something extraordinarily evil was sealed beneath the Tower. Exposing Bai Shuangying to the Underworld would only cause massive panic.

The Guishan Sect would be alerted as well. Who knew what else they had set up within the Disaster Relief Tower?

On top of that, she would definitely lose Fang Xiu’s trust and push that strange human against the Underworld. The consequences would spiral, disrupting both the mortal and ghost realms, making the situation completely unmanageable.

There had been an ancient prophecy: When ■■■ returns to the world, the Gate of Hell will tremble.

Now she understood the true version: “When the God of Xushan returns to the world, the Gate of Hell will tremble.”

A’Shou clicked her tongue.

She strongly suspected Fang Xiu had seen through her personality and dragged her into this collaboration on purpose. A general must understand the battlefield, even when not under direct orders. That was basic competence.

She would work with him.

Even if, worst case, Fang Xiu truly had ulterior motives, she could still use him to deal with the Guishan Sect before reporting him afterward. It wouldn’t be too late.

A’Shou touched the blood-writing left on her arm, then stood and looked up at the towering shelf full of ritual records.

The bizarre behavior of the Corner of Heaven’s Will, the strange knocking sounds… the unsettling familiarity.

Fang Xiu had promised to tell her the truth once he recovered. But knowing how crafty that human was, he’d probably never be completely honest.

To prepare for the eighth ritual, she had to monitor the Guishan Sect followers. So if she took this opportunity to dig a little deeper… surely that wasn’t too much, right?

…

Disaster Relief Tower, Fang Xiu’s Room.

Cheng Songyun and Guan He had spent several days dealing with those cultists. Exhausted beyond words, they fell into deep sleep in their respective rooms, without the energy for questions.

Fang Xiu took a shower. One hand rubbed his damp hair, the other flipped through the Immortal Encounter E.

At his request, A’Shou hadn’t taken the item away. It now rested quietly on his desk.

Its contents had changed from “Zhuang Guiqu’s miraculous stories” to a more neutral historical record about the Xushan area. Mentions of the “Great God of Calamity” had been replaced with the “God of Xushan”. As for its taboos…

Desire a wish, and the story begins.

Speak the wish, and hardship arrives.

Fulfill the wish, and the story ends.

These were the three taboos Bai Shuangying revealed after cleansing the karma.

Honestly, they couldn’t be turned into useful skills. They weren’t particularly practical either. But Fang Xiu didn’t want skills. What he wanted was the object itself.

He examined the old book for a while, then placed it on the worn offering table by the door.

Too much had happened in this ritual, and there was even more to handle going forward. Fang Xiu was so tired he wanted to sleep for three days straight. But his mind was buzzing with excitement, singing at full volume. He couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.

No surprise there. His ghost boyfriend was still curled up inside his body.

According to Bai Shuangying, most of the karmic pollution in the Tower had been cleared out. Now wrapped in Fang Xiu’s flesh and blood, he could fully relax and feast on the yin energy that had always belonged to him.

So, Bai Shuangying was like someone who was eating while cuddling, though the cuddling posture was… a little unusual.

Busy consuming yin energy, Bai Shuangying didn’t have energy to chat. So Fang Xiu lay on his soft bed, wrapped himself in a blanket, and tried to fall asleep.

Just as his mind started to blur, he jolted awake, his body springing upright.

The strange ritual, the image of his parents, Bai Shuangying’s confession, his new plan… Had he just dreamed it all? The dream was so beautiful, he couldn’t quite trust it.

Everything felt too perfect. Fang Xiu began to suspect he was still trapped in a story carefully orchestrated by the Immortal Encounter E.

He pressed his hand against his chest. There was no bump. Bai Shuangying gently nudged his heart in reply. Fang Xiu finally exhaled—so it wasn’t a dream.

Then he lay back down again, closed his eyes… and three to five minutes later, sprang up once more.

Bai Shuangying, who was poked half a dozen times: “……”

He silently emerged, spinning inside Fang Xiu’s body and quickly phasing out through his skin. That dreamy, hazy silhouette solidified into a long white robe and flowing black hair.

Bai Shuangying boldly settled right on top of Fang Xiu, pinning his human beneath him. The soft blanket was pushed up high.

Their faces were incredibly close. Fang Xiu could see the delicate patterns in those snowy white irises.

Overwhelmed again by Bai Shuangying’s ghostly beauty, Fang Xiu let out two strangled noises.

He cupped Bai Shuangying’s cheeks with both hands, fingers gently pressing on the vivid blood-red mole.

“Sorry… I didn’t mean to kick you out. Are you still hungry?”

Bai Shuangying’s voice was a bit muffled. “I’m alright.”

Without the interference of the E, Bai Shuangying’s true form had feasted freely on fresh yin energy. He wasn’t full, but he had definitely had enough to settle his stomach.

A century of torment had come to an end. He felt so light he could float. The hunger wasn’t gone, but it had returned to a manageable level.

Still, just to see his human again, he could eat later. Besides, his human was far more delicious than any yin energy.

As soon as he thought it, he acted. Fang Xiu opened his mouth to speak, and Bai Shuangying’s lips silenced him.

Unlike last time, Fang Xiu didn’t react so smoothly. His body froze for a few seconds from nerves before slowly relaxing.

The room was silent except for the soft rustle of sheets and the quiet sound of lips meeting.

Curiously, this kiss lasted much longer than before. Bai Shuangying had abandoned his usual slow and elegant approach. Instead, he grew increasingly eager, biting deeper and harder. It was so intense that Fang Xiu wondered if he was trying to crawl back inside him.

After kissing Fang Xiu until he matched the color of his T-shirt, Bai Shuangying finally let go.

“You taste much better now,” he said thoughtfully. “Odd, your karma hasn’t changed much.”

“I got tastier…” Fang Xiu wiped his slightly swollen lips, feeling a bit amused.

“Mm. Before, you were like cold food. Now you’re warm.” Bai Shuangying pointed seriously to his own chest. “It’s hot here. Maybe it’s because I like you. Passion helps with energy exchange.”

Fang Xiu’s face, which had just started to recover, turned red again to match his shirt.

Maybe it was the long kiss, but his tongue had gone numb. He couldn’t speak. Facing this ghost’s avalanche of blunt affection, he didn’t even have a chance to say anything sweet.

He simply wrapped his arms around Bai Shuangying’s neck and let out a vague grunt.

Just as he struggled to find a new topic, Bai Shuangying lay on top of him and continued without hesitation, “By the way, do you still want to die?”

Fang Xiu was speechless.

“Why ask that?”

After a pause, he offered a dry, awkward question in return. Of all the things he’d prepared to be asked after the ritual, this wasn’t one of them.

Bai Shuangying hummed. “I don’t care much about your plan or identity. After all, you said you’d tell me, and I’ll listen.”

“But from what I’ve seen, you look like someone on a mission to die. That’s what I want to know.”

“What if I say, ‘I do’?” Fang Xiu blinked, his tone free of deception.

“Then you still have to live.”

Bai Shuangying tilted his head slightly, declaring it with a kind of childlike stubbornness. “Get used to the idea. Even if you don’t want to, you have to live, because I don’t want you to die.”

It didn’t sound like a negotiation, but more like a notice. That was just Bai Shuangying’s way.

Fang Xiu once thought Bai Shuangying didn’t understand human emotions, that he could love freely without expectation. But now he saw the truth: his ghost really didn’t understand the human heart, but the emotion given to him by the Corner of Heaven’s Will was unique. It didn’t need to match human standards.

Fang Xiu smiled. “Since you put it that way, I guess I’ll try harder to stay alive.”

Bai Shuangying visibly relaxed, as if all remaining worries had vanished. He stretched his limbs, buried his nose in Fang Xiu’s neck, and let his black hair fan out in every direction.

…At last, I caught him, Bai Shuangying thought.

He had once racked his brain, wondering how to make Fang Xiu stay willingly. But now, that enormous problem was solved easily.

He only had to follow Fang Xiu wherever he went. That was all. No matter where his human’s path led, as long as Fang Xiu was alive, Bai Shuangying could stay by his side in peace.

“Love” really was a strange thing. Why hadn’t he thought of it before?

It made his mind sharper, his mood brighter, his food taste better; and it turned a fleeting human into something eternal in his eyes. Such a wonderful thing, he had to protect it carefully.

Bai Shuangying propped himself up, studying Fang Xiu’s face from lips to smiling eyes. The more he looked, the more perfect it seemed.

Yes, this was his human. Absolutely flawless.

Then his vision went dark. Fang Xiu had covered his eyes with a hand.

Bai Shuangying: “?”

He could clearly feel the touch of the hair-ring he had gifted to Fang Xiu, cool and distinct.

“Actually… I wanted to apologize just now.” Fang Xiu spoke softly. “I meant to surprise you by letting you devour the ‘God of Xushan’. But in the end, it was you who surprised me.”

It was a trivial thing, really. Bai Shuangying was about to speak when Fang Xiu continued.

“We just started dating, so I don’t want to go back on my word. Since you’re still hungry… why not eat something tastier, as a makeup feast?”

Fang Xiu lifted himself slightly, leaned close to Bai Shuangying’s ear, and slid a hand into the loose collar of his white robe.

“An all-you-can-eat. No limits. Want a taste?”

The author has something to say:

Here it comes!

Next chapter: you know what’s up.jpg

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 157: Déjà Vu

Guan He tensed.

They were hiding inside Cheng Songyun’s Resentful Ghost Shield, but that didn’t make them invincible. Grandpa Dao was a genuine metaphysician. Who knew what kind of tricks he could pull?

They couldn’t just sit there and wait for death.

Realizing this, Guan He’s body reacted faster than his thoughts. He lunged out of the shield and activated the Five-Ghosts Relocation Technique, aiming directly for the jade pendant in Grandpa Dao’s hand.

In the heat of the moment, Cheng Songyun didn’t try to stop him. She swiftly retracted the shield, transforming it into a large one in front of her to protect Guan He from the side.

Grandpa Dao quickly saw that the two of them lacked proper metaphysical skills. He took two steps back and easily avoided the attack, clutching the jade pendant tightly and smashing it toward a nearby tombstone.

Cheng Songyun gritted her teeth and stomped into the mud, shoving the shield ahead of her to intercept the strike. The jade pendant collided with empty air, its impact thwarted. In the same instant, Guan He dove toward Grandpa Dao to grab it.

Grandpa Dao smiled faintly. His body turned slick like a mudfish. As he chanted an incomprehensible incantation, the veins on the back of his hand bulged, and with a crisp snap, he crushed the jade pendant to dust.

A brilliant green light flared. A beam shot straight into the sky.

The entire area lit up. Guan He and Cheng Songyun squinted against the blinding brightness and froze where they stood.

Grandpa Dao’s face contorted into an exaggerated grin, deep wrinkles bunching up. But even as he smiled, he didn’t stop moving. Taking advantage of the dazzling green light, he flicked out a dagger made from talisman paper and hurled it toward Guan He’s chest.

The dagger glowed with an ominous green light. Guan He dared not take it head-on. He instinctively dove into the mud. The blade sliced across his shoulder, sending a searing pain down his side.

The smell of the muddy swamp rushed into his nostrils. Guan He hit the ground with bone-jarring force. But he didn’t dare rest. He rolled across the mud to barely avoid the talismans coming his way.

Nearby, the green light intensified, spreading beams toward the distant mountains. Cheng Songyun dashed toward Guan He while raising her shield mid-run.

But Grandpa Dao had already seen through their strategy, Guan He thought.

They had too few metaphysical techniques. Cheng Songyun was clearly a defense specialist. Neither of them had a deadly spell so they could only attack physically.

Grandpa Dao struck with precision and ruthlessness. He ignored Cheng Songyun and kept targeting Guan He’s weak spots. If Guan He had to dodge, Cheng Songyun had to follow his movements. The difference in stamina between an old man and a younger person would eventually expose a flaw.

And while they dodged, who knew what that pillar of green light would summon?

At first, Guan He had relied on Fang Xiu to rescue them. Not long ago, he had copied Fang Xiu’s tactics. But now, Guan He realized he had to act on instinct and his own judgment immediately, or he’d never keep up with the pace of the battle. This wasn’t a game. Real Disaster Resolvers wouldn’t give him time to think things through.

He had to find a breakthrough and go on the offensive.

Rolling in the mud, Guan He’s vision spun. His nausea was forcibly suppressed by the instinct to survive. He scanned rapidly between Grandpa Dao and Cheng Songyun.

Grandpa Dao’s talisman attacks could break through his Wall-Passing Technique. Auntie Cheng’s Resentful Ghost Shield had an isolating effect…

Grandpa Dao didn’t give him time to think further. With a wave of his sleeve, countless talisman-paper daggers formed in the air. They hovered in the darkness, gleaming with deadly blue light.

Most of the blades pointed toward Guan He, a few toward Cheng Songyun. Grandpa Dao was going all in. The brighter the daggers glowed, the more his wrinkled cheeks sank in. His face was starting to resemble a dried-up corpse.

Behind Grandpa Dao, the massive light pillar blazed like a pillar of fire, scattering fine light particles. Within the shimmering glow, ghostly faces silently screamed, morphing and twisting. It was undoubtedly living souls that had been bound together. 

But Grandpa Dao seemed unsatisfied. He turned back with a trace of impatience, as if waiting for something.

Now was the time.

Guan He staggered to his feet. The daggers were flying in—Auntie Cheng wouldn’t make it in time to protect herself.

His body ached all over, his shoulder bleeding, his ankle likely twisted. He didn’t have the strength to keep dodging.

He had only one thought. A crazy one. Whether it would work, Guan He didn’t know.

The only thing he knew was that it was better than waiting to die.

“Auntie Cheng! Shield me!” Guan He rasped.

He didn’t wait for her response and lunged at Grandpa Dao again. Grandpa Dao reacted instantly, hurling another volley of paper daggers.

Gritting his teeth, Guan He activated the Five-Ghosts Relocation Technique, stealing several of the blades aimed at his vital points. He ignored the rest.

Seeing that Guan He was charging recklessly, Grandpa Dao prepared to activate his “mudfish slick” spell again.

But the moment Guan He touched him, he activated Wall-Passing Technique.

His battered body slipped right through Grandpa Dao’s fingers and arms like a colored phantom. Grandpa Dao blinked in surprise and made a confused noise.

Guan He didn’t give him time to figure it out.

Cheng Songyun reacted quickly. The moment the daggers pierced Guan He, she brought the shield down over him.

She abandoned all self-defense to focus entirely on protecting Guan He. Because of his rapid movement, she couldn’t form a full dome, only laying the shield over him like armor. It was a rushed effort, rough and incomplete, but it covered his major vitals.

…That was enough.

Guan He passed through Grandpa Dao’s body with Wall-Passing Technique, then abruptly stopped. In that instant, he canceled the spell while their bodies overlapped.

Grandpa Dao let out a scream that shook the sky.

A bloom of bright red exploded in front of the burning pillar. The spray of blood shimmered with pale blue sparks, stunningly beautiful. The floating daggers crashed to the ground, reverting into crumpled yellow talismans.

Guan He’s “ghost armor” blocked direct bodily fusion, but he had still run through Grandpa Dao like a steel battering ram. The man’s innards were crushed within his ribcage. He was too thin that his entire body was “sliced” into pieces by Guan He.

Guan He collapsed in the pool of blood, retching violently. Even with the shield in place, his body was covered in pieces of flesh, intestines, and other broken organs.

His hands sank into the warm blood-soaked mud. He wanted nothing more than to pass out but didn’t dare.

The deadly light pillar hadn’t vanished.

Worse yet, in the shadows illuminated by the green glow, more and more ghostly faces gathered. Old Man Fu was on his way. The past tragedy was about to repeat itself.

Cheng Songyun had no time to be shocked. She quickly retracted her shield and shook the viscera off Guan He. Then she stumbled forward and hung the calming prayer beads and jade Buddha around his neck.

“Go.” She gripped his wrist tightly. “We have to leave. This place is too dangerous—”

Before she could finish her words, the green pillar finally dispersed, revealing a vague humanoid silhouette. Its deformed limbs were just like the God of Weishan statue in the shrine.

Cheng Songyun gasped and wiped her sweat, summoning her last strength to raise the ghost shield and stand in front of Guan He.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The figure began to applaud.

As the green light faded, the figure turned out to be none other than Fang Xiu dressed in red robes, with mismatched eyes.

Cheng Songyun: “?”

Guan He peeked from behind her: “???”

Fang Xiu smiled brightly. “I’m back, you two.”

He waved at the ghostly faces which instantly froze in place, as if the video had been paused.

Cheng Songyun didn’t lower her guard. She raised the shield even higher.

Guan He followed suit and complained, “The ‘God of Weishan’ I met looked exactly like this!”

Fang Xiu hesitated, then coughed awkwardly. “It’s a long story…”

“You can’t be Fang Xiu,” Cheng Songyun murmured. “If you were here all along, would you have stood by and watched Xiao Guan kill someone?”

“Yes.”

Fang Xiu glanced at the bloodstained Guan He and answered without hesitation. “I warned you that the eighth ritual would be especially, especially dangerous. There was a high chance I wouldn’t be able to watch over you. You need not only the ability to assist me but also to protect yourselves.”

“I planned to push you to your limits and step in only if needed. I didn’t expect Xiao Guan to strike so cleanly… He shows great promise.”

Fang Xiu’s tone was calm, without a trace of guilt.

Guan He stared warily at the “Mountain God Fang Xiu”, still looking like he might faint at any moment.

Cheng Songyun didn’t know how to respond. This scene was too familiar. She recalled how Fang Xiu had once mercilessly tricked enemies into violating taboos.

…Right, the first ritual was so long ago. She had almost forgotten, Fang Xiu was never some kind soul to begin with.

She took several deep breaths to steady herself.

Fang Xiu stepped closer and said, “I only led you here to play out the story and make sure the ones who died were from the Guishan cult.”

“And until just now, we had other things to handle.”

He extended a hand. Behind him, a monstrous limb twisted around and handed him an old book.

The book emanated heavy yin energy yet felt strangely tame.

That was the aura of an E.

Fang Xiu introduced it cheerfully. “This thing was full of filth. We just cleaned it out.”

Cheng Songyun and Guan He stared at Fang Xiu with growing suspicion.

He held the E object securely, with no intention of destroying it. In the past, except for special cases like the Fierce Wind E, Fang Xiu would immediately get rid of any such object.

Something was very off. Could they really trust this “person”…?

“You’ve lied so often it’s hard to believe you anymore. If it were me, I wouldn’t trust you either.”

A’Shou finally appeared, unable to take it anymore. “Enough. Destroy it, Fang Xiu.”

“Huh? But we already did.” Fang Xiu shook the old book in his hand.

A’Shou eyed the Immortal Encounter E suspiciously.

Its aura had indeed changed. What was once hostile now felt different. The so-called “Corner of Heaven’s Will” had said he want to “hold onto it for a while” and would “clean out the filth”. Maybe it really had altered the book’s karmic ties.

…Wait. If someone rewrote a book, would the original be considered “destroyed”?

…Could this be a way to “destroy” an E while preserving its shell?

A’Shou wasn’t sure if it counted, but she knew how to test it.

“Dispersing calamity, dispelling the E—protection from all evil. The ritual is complete. I shall now escort you back to the Tower.”

She pointed, and in an instant, golden light shone from Cheng Songyun and Guan He. It was the “protection from all evil” power.

The ritual had accepted it.

Seeing the ghost immortal appear, Guan He’s mind couldn’t process it all. The moment he heard “ritual complete”, he finally fainted.

Cheng Songyun held him up, still standing, gazing into Fang Xiu’s mismatched eyes.

She couldn’t be sure it was really him. It wasn’t just because of his strange appearance, but also because of those eyes. They seemed to burn with life, not like the Fang Xiu she knew, but more like an ordinary young man brimming with energy.

Even if he had successfully resolved the E, the change was too drastic. He looked like someone who had been through something profound.

“Xiao Fang… are you alright?”

Fang Xiu rolled up the book. The smile at his lips deepened. “I’m great. Never better. Isn’t that right, A’Shou Jie?”

Behind him, A’Shou suddenly stopped walking.

She turned sharply and looked at Fang Xiu’s red figure.

Wait a minute.

Why did this feel so familiar?

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 156: There is a God on Xushan

A few minutes ago, Fang Xiu had been thinking that even the illusory images of his parents could soothe his inner exhaustion. In this moment, he was realizing that a truth he had already seen through could still pierce his heart like a blade.

For one second, it felt like Fang Xiu’s heart had stopped. His skin and flesh seemed to vanish, the cold wind blew directly against his exposed nerves, and his brain exploded into blankness.

Then his heart started pounding wildly, pumping blood furiously to his brain until he felt lightheaded. He could control his breath, but not his unruly heart.

Fang Xiu of course knew that he was special to Bai Shuangying.

His ghost was usually easy to read, but hearing this fact directly from Bai Shuangying’s mouth was somehow… entirely different.

The films he’d seen before now seemed like a joke. Watching pigs run and eating pork turned out to be completely different things.

Fang Xiu cursed himself a few times for being so useless and simultaneously felt relieved that Bai Shuangying was currently nestled inside his body. If Bai Shuangying had said this face to face, it might have taken him half an hour to recover.

He clutched his chest and shook his head, finally shaking back a bit of his rationality. “Oh? What kind of like?”

He kept his voice calm, only to despair as he realized Bai Shuangying was coiled tightly around his heart. There was no hiding his heartbeat.

As it turned out, Fang Xiu’s guess had been exactly right—Bai Shuangying was closely wrapped around his heart, clearly unwilling to allow his human even the chance to lie.

“I don’t care how humans categorize it,” Bai Shuangying replied matter-of-factly. “I already believed you were mine. Until I can accept you leaving, you are mine.”

“If I had to define it, my kind of like probably means ‘I am yours too’.”

He was willing to wait, to make concessions, even to sacrifice things in exchange for more time together. That was Lord Bai’s clearest feeling. Anything deeper, he couldn’t quite describe.

But he knew this was entirely different from liking lush forests or pretty porcelain figures.

Then Bai Shuangying was nearly stunned by the impact of Fang Xiu’s heartbeat. The organ was beating wildly, rhythm completely lost, banging into his body so hard he worried Fang Xiu might be going into cardiac arrest.

Just as Bai Shuangying was seriously considering whether he needed to intervene and save Fang Xiu, the rhythm finally calmed.

“You said that yourself,” Fang Xiu said at last, voice full of ambiguous meaning. “You won’t get a chance to take it back.”

“You’re more likely to regret it,” Bai Shuangying poked his heart again and it thudded anew.

Fang Xiu: “You have no idea—”

“Are you two done flirting yet?” A’Shou cut in with a low voice full of suppressed frustration. “The humans are about to get here.”

Fang Xiu: “…”

Fang Xiu coughed awkwardly and transformed back into the red-robed Mountain God.

A’Shou gave him a helpless glance.

The old Fang Xiu had always reminded her of something familiar. Back when she had defended the borderlands, she’d often seen the same look in the eyes of her comrades. It was the look of people who knew the situation was irreversible, who knew they were fated to die on the battlefield.

They all knew they were only temporarily alive. Everyone was a breathing corpse.

But now, something new had appeared in Fang Xiu’s eyes.

She didn’t know how to describe it. It wasn’t pure “hope”, and it wasn’t the wildness of “joy” either.

If she had to name it, it might be the vibrant thing called “desire” unique to the living.

……

Not long ago.

Guan He had been following the “phantom” of Fang Xiu, too nervous to get too close.

If Fang Xiu were really here, he would have met up with them. He wouldn’t just be wandering around this bizarre temple fair. So that “phantom” had to be fake, a roundabout message.

So Guan He followed with anxiety as Fang Xiu and his “family” walked and stopped and walked again. Eventually, he saw where the phantom had been guiding them—to the dark graveyard on the edge of the village, a place he hadn’t visited yet but had long heard about.

Fang Xiu didn’t belong here. The God of Weishan didn’t belong here. None of this matched the previous story’s pattern.

Guan He hid in a dark corner where the light couldn’t reach, scratching his head, trying to think clearly.

In the last ritual, it had been Fang Xiu who had led them to a breakthrough. But this time, the man and woman accompanying him couldn’t be explained. The God of Weishan had appeared and taken the role of “God of Weishan emerging among the sacrifices”, meaning none of the four current players had transformed.

By the script’s logic, it should have been Auntie Cheng who changed… so why had the story shifted?

[Do not be deceived. This is not the real ritual.]

[From your perspective, act freely.]

[I’ll handle Immortal Encounter E. We’ll meet again at the end.]

Those were the messages Fang Xiu had left behind.

Following the script was meant to leave the final death slot to the enemy. Now only the “murdered by another” option remained, and it wasn’t tied to the environment anymore.

Think. I have to think further.

The strange changes to the shrine, the sudden appearance of the mountain god, the modern-looking temple fair, the guiding Fang Xiu illusion…

“The script’s tone doesn’t shift halfway through.” Guan He muttered as he rubbed his fingers together. “New characters popping up like this are unnecessary. It must be a new force interfering.”

The Guishan Sect members had been with them the whole time. That left only Fang Xiu and the Underworld itself as possible interveners. If it had been the underworld, the fair wouldn’t look so “earthly”, and there’d be no reason to alter the script so drastically.

If Fang Xiu had failed and the Immortal Encounter E was taking revenge, the current script wouldn’t be this toned-down. The difficulty and intimidation factor hadn’t increased. That made it unlikely too.

The only remaining explanation was, Fang Xiu had altered the Immortal Encounter E and made the ritual easier for them. He hadn’t appeared yet, maybe because he was still struggling with it, or maybe he just wanted to test them.

Guan He reached this conclusion but found it hard to believe.

Maybe the Immortal Encounter E just wanted to toy with them by changing things constantly. Maybe he had missed some important clue. Maybe everything he was seeing was a hallucination… Maybe he was being too optimistic.

“Let’s go to the cemetery. I believe you.” After hearing his private theory, Cheng Songyun spoke firmly.

“But…” Guan He hesitated, full of doubt, like a student second-guessing answers during a major exam.

This wasn’t like last time with the Grave-Sealing E. Back then, he had the little black dog guiding him, and he trusted that Fang Xiu had a plan. This time, he had to rely entirely on his own judgment.

What if he was wrong? This was life and death, and they were being watched by cultists well-versed in metaphysics. One misstep, and he would drag Auntie Cheng down with him.

So this was the kind of pressure Fang Xiu had always been under when making decisions?

“Maybe we should explore the other three directions first… buy some time…” Guan He licked his cracked lips, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Cheng Songyun subtly glanced toward Grandpa Dao and gave a barely visible shake of her head.

“Xiao Guan, we can’t let them see you’re hesitating. If we lose the initiative now, we’ll be in trouble… These people are like flies. They’re drawn to wounds.”

She whispered, “This ritual is like life. No one can predict things with a hundred percent accuracy. We can only follow our judgment.”

“And I think your reasoning makes sense,” she added gently but firmly.

They hadn’t spoken more than a few words when Grandpa Dao strolled over with a smile. “What’s the matter? See something?”

Believe in yourself. Believe in your deduction. If it were Fang Xiu… If Fang Xiu were here…

Guan He forced himself to breathe evenly and tried to mimic the Fang Xiu in his memory.

“I think the clue is in the cemetery.”

Grandpa Dao: “Oh?”

Guan He lied with all his might. “Just now, I saw the shadow of that red-robed mountain god heading toward the cemetery.”

“The villagers clearly revere the God of Weishan. They even built the opera stage directly opposite the shrine. Now we have to determine if the ‘God of Weishan’ is linked to humans, and the cemetery is the best place to find out.”

Grandpa Dao stroked his beard in silence.

Guan He forced down a swallow and tried to appear like he was in total control. “We’ve already found the three taboos. As long as we show proper respect to the god, we won’t violate the death taboo.”

“What we really need to watch out for is Old Man Fu. He and his evil spirits don’t fit with the fair’s style. He might be the kind of malevolent force trying to refine the E.”

Guan He improvised wildly, his brain cells screaming. Thankfully, under Grandpa Dao’s scrutinizing gaze, he barely held his composure.

“There’s some logic in that,” Grandpa Dao said.

“I think so too. In that case, I’ll lead the way. I’m good at defense,” Cheng Songyun said, slipping in at just the right moment.

…Time returned to the present.

The four of them pressed through dense darkness, heading toward the village cemetery filled with tombstones. The rain hadn’t stopped. Thick clouds completely blocked out the moonlight. If not for Grandpa Dao casting an illumination spell, it would have been pitch-black and impossible to see their hands in front of their faces.

Cheng Songyun recalled the layout from before and guided the group toward the nameless grave. Guan He walked beside the two cultists, palms slick with sweat.

Grandpa Dao was certainly not foolish enough to dig his own grave. So next… what would be the breakthrough?

The air was humid and sticky. The surroundings were utterly unfamiliar. Tombstones tall and short emerged from the gloom. Mud squelched underfoot with every step. Guan He tensed, eyes locked on Grandpa Dao’s back, barely daring to breathe.

They didn’t know how long they had walked when the group stopped before the nameless tombstone.

“Strange. This tombstone has no inscription,” Cheng Songyun said deliberately.

Grandpa Dao made a thoughtful sound and gestured to his remaining teammate to investigate. This Guishan cultist was experienced and cautious. He didn’t actually touch anything—not even a toe stepped into the grave mound’s perimeter.

Still, both cultists focused their attention on the tombstone. Their eyes were drawn in together.

This was a good opportunity. He needed to create it himself.

Guan He tried to think it through. This time, he only hesitated for half a second before acting. With black cloth covering his eyes, he used the Five-Ghosts Relocation to steal the cultist’s waistband.

Then he immediately released the child ghost, yanking the man’s pants down around his ankles in one clean motion. The entire attack took less than two seconds.

The highly mundane and absurdly physical assault threw Grandpa Dao and his teammate into a split-second daze.

The teammate cursed instinctively and bent over to pull up his pants. Cheng Songyun took the chance to strike. Using a broken shard of tile, she sliced straight across the cultist’s neck.

The area was so dark that Guan He couldn’t see the extent of the wound, but the heavy scent of blood filled the air. The man didn’t even manage to lift his trousers before collapsing into a pool of blood.

Cheng Songyun immediately raised her Resentful Ghost Shield, then pinned the body down and slashed twice more, nearly severing the man’s neck. At the same time, Grandpa Dao launched a spell directly at her shield, but it struck harmlessly without effect.

Being a seasoned veteran, Grandpa Dao wasted no time talking.

When the first blow failed, he turned instantly. A deadly red light of a spell swept toward Guan He. Terrified, Guan He instinctively activated a wall-walking spell to escape. He just barely filtered through the attack—but he was half a second too slow. The front of his chest was hit and a palm-sized patch of skin burned away.

And that was enough for Grandpa Dao to figure out his defense method.

The old man sneered and stepped between Guan He and Cheng Songyun, unleashing a barrage of tightly woven spells in Guan He’s direction. Facing the storm of magical attacks, Guan He’s mind went blank and cold sweat poured down his back.

What now? How was he supposed to dodge?

Cheng Songyun’s ghost shield was too far to protect him. He… wait.

Guan He bit into his fingertip, grabbed the jade Buddha. Before he could even register the result of the jade Buddha, another wave of spells landed on him.

He didn’t check his wounds. He charged blindly at Grandpa Dao. The old man froze for just a moment, long enough for Guan He to pass through his body and run toward Cheng Songyun’s shield.

Cheng Songyun quickly adjusted the barrier and pulled Guan He inside, protecting his battered form. By the time he stopped, the jade Buddha in his hand had already turned to powder.

Guan He shook the dust off his hands. His ears buzzed with the sound of near-death.

“To try and kill me this early… Looks like you already know something. But now that it’s just me left, you’re not going anywhere either.”

Grandpa Dao remained completely composed, sneering as he pulled out a jade pendant.

“Xushan is the sacred ground of our sect. The God of Xushan shall protect me!”

The author has something to say:

Xiao Bai: ?

Xiao Bai: Great, here we go again.jpg

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