Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 155: Before the Curtain Falls

Fang Xiu didn’t answer.

His mother, however, seemed to have received her answer and smiled even brighter. The three of them continued walking through the lively temple fair, opera music faintly echoing behind them.

A’Shou wisely concealed her presence. If one ignored the occasional passing spirit, this could easily have been an ordinary village night.

Fang Xiu suddenly realized that the images and voices of his parents in his mind had grown vague and thin. Even though he had never stopped missing them for a single day, those impressions had inevitably faded and eroded.

Until now.

Fang Xiu narrowed his eyes. The glowing lights before him bled into a haze, and his ears were filled with the sounds of his parents’ conversation and laughter. That impossibly long past now seemed like a mere nightmare, a figment of imagination. He was just an overly imaginative child walking with his parents through a bustling temple fair.

His parents, who were just a few steps away, looked so young, well-off, carefree—indistinguishable from the living.

He had dreamt of moments like this before, but none had felt this vivid, this real… Perhaps to him, this was the best kind of fairy tale.

“In a few more years, I’ll be older than you were when you left,” Fang Xiu said casually. “Making it this far… that’s pretty impressive, right?”

Maybe because Bai Shuangying hadn’t forcibly tampered with his karmic threads, the memories of his parents didn’t feel especially vivid. At this moment, they merely slowed their steps and smiled as they listened.

“I managed to find a job—not a great one. The money you left me is almost gone now… You used to say I’d definitely make something of myself. I guess I’ve disappointed you.”

Fang Xiu stared at their youthful faces and kept talking, stubbornly and softly, as if they were truly reunited after a long separation.

“Until recently, I didn’t have much hope for this career. But lately things have started to look up. Maybe I really can accomplish something.”

His parents continued smiling. They looked at Fang Xiu with warmth and love, waiting for him to go on.

In hiding, A’Shou quietly listened in. But since Fang Xiu never said anything outright, it just sounded like a perfectly ordinary conversation.

“Oh, and I didn’t settle down and start a family like you hoped. I fell for a…”

Fang Xiu paused for two seconds and changed the subject.

“…a jobless guy who’s just about to get out of prison. He’s a little moody sometimes, but he’s good-looking and simple. I’ve never met anyone like him.”

“If you were still around, I’d probably be bringing Bai Shuangying home to meet you and the whole house would be in chaos.”

A’Shou: “…”

Bai Shuangying, inside Fang Xiu: “?”

Everything he said sounded accurate, yet somehow… wrong. Bai Shuangying thought about it, but couldn’t figure out what was off, so he gave up and continued focusing on controlling the Immortal Encounter E.

“Mom, you’d accept it first. You fell for Dad at first sight mostly because of his face, right? And you know what I’m like. Your son’s the cleverest in the world—I wouldn’t do something stupid on impulse.”

“You’d tell me, as long as I’m happy, that’s enough.”

“Dad, you’d struggle for a while… maybe a day or two, maybe a week. You were always the traditional one. But eventually, you and Mom would both talk it through, and you’d accept it. What would you say?”

“…”

“Dad… I can’t imagine it…”

Fang Xiu’s emotions had calmed. His expression was still light, with no forced tears, no trembling brows, and no unrealistic longing.

The initial nervousness was gone, leaving only a calm like ashes.

“…You left too early,” Fang Xiu joked with his young, handsome father. “I didn’t even have time to grow up.”

He adjusted his bangs a little awkwardly, revealing a pair of heterochromatic eyes. The white one held seriousness and curiosity; the black one carried an unprecedented tranquility.

That tranquility even made A’Shou feel heavy in the chest. For a moment, she feared Fang Xiu might be on the verge of making a wish, giving the Immortal Encounter E one last chance to strike.

Now, she no longer believed that.

Fang Xiu was painfully clear-headed about the death of his parents—so clear that not even a faint wish remained. No amount of sleepless nights reliving memories could create this level of clarity.

This moment was no different.

The family walked slowly through the brightly lit fair, heading toward a single destination. Fang Xiu skipped over “looking for clues” and moved straight toward the ending of the story—the graveyard at the foot of the mountain.

He chatted idly with his parents as they walked, even though he knew they wouldn’t give real responses. The three of them kept walking until the lanterns of the village were left behind, and ahead of them there was only darkness.

A gust of wind stirred his mother’s hair. His father took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders.

“Son, are you tired? Want to go back and walk it again?”

His father asked patiently. “But you have to promise Dad: no snacks this time. Eating late is bad for your stomach. You won’t be able to sleep.”

Fang Xiu turned to look back at the bright lights behind him. They were too far from the shrine now; the opera on the stage couldn’t be heard anymore. Behind him was only the hum of voices. In front, it was deathly silent.

Fang Xiu knew very well that the Weishan Village script had plenty of exploitable flaws.

For example, he hadn’t explored the three other smaller shrines. He could stay with his parents’ illusions for a couple more days. Bai Shuangying certainly wouldn’t object. A’Shou couldn’t interfere.

He could also pull out karmic threads to show Bai Shuangying. As Bai Shuangying’s control over the Immortal Encounter E grew, his parents could become even more “real,” just like the roles in earlier story arcs.

Fang Xiu understood all of that. But…

His parents remained at the edge of the festival’s glow, their faces blurred by the darkness ahead.

Fang Xiu took one small step into that darkness, then turned to face them. He stared at the spots near his father’s eyes, at the length of his mother’s fingernails.

He etched them into his mind, then lifted his eyes.

“That’s enough,” Fang Xiu said clearly. “Tonight like this is enough.”

His parents still stood there, unmoving. They continued to look at him, gazing slightly below his chest, as if watching the child who didn’t belong to this place.

In the cold night wind, Fang Xiu rubbed his hands together and walked away from the bustling fair. The weather of Weishan Village turned again. Cold rain began to fall from the sky.

The rain soaked Fang Xiu’s hair, and his red T-shirt clung to his body. He looked thinner than before.

“I was going to meet you on time, but life didn’t turn out as badly as I expected.”

Fang Xiu smiled as he said farewell to the memory of his parents.

“Dad, Mom—I might be home a little late.”

With that, he turned and walked straight into the darkness without looking back.

He knew none of this was real. It was just a rough story. There would be no reply.

“Be safe, son.”

His mother’s voice suddenly echoed behind him.

“It’s alright to be late. We’ll wait for you at home,”

His father’s voice said with a laugh.

“…Okay.”

Fang Xiu took a deep breath and still didn’t look back.

……

“Are you alright?” Now that the festival lights had faded completely, A’Shou reappeared, coughing awkwardly.

Fang Xiu gave a slight nod, then poked at Bai Shuangying in his abdomen.

“You made them say those things?”

“Because they love you. I thought that’s what they’d say,” Bai Shuangying muttered in his head.

Fang Xiu: “You’re getting better at understanding humans.”

“No. I just thought, if it were me, I’d say those things too.” Bai Shuangying stirred slightly inside him. “I wanted to peek at your karmic threads, but I figured you wouldn’t like that. So I had to write it myself.”

“So, how was it? Last time you gave me a surprise, this time I wanted to return the favor.”

Bai Shuangying spoke quickly. His tone was filled with the kind of rushed nerves that came with trying to cover up a slightly imperfect performance.

This was the first time Fang Xiu had seen Bai Shuangying nervous over something like this.

To be honest, compared to the time he created the God of Weishan, this new illusion wasn’t even as grand. But clearly, Bai Shuangying cared far more this time.

Fang Xiu let out a long breath, genuine and sincere. “Thank you.”

His mind was calm, yet his heart clenched faintly. He had never felt more alive.

…Strange, really. Since he began participating in the rituals, how many times had he said thank you to his ghost?

Fang Xiu had always thought this kind of self-deceiving act held no value. He was a realist. He wouldn’t cling to things like this. He would just push forward toward his goals without sleep or rest. And yet, to his quiet dismay, that looming, near-breaking fatigue really had faded quite a bit.

It was as if his parents had never left. As if he were just an ordinary person working far from home for a long time.

At the end of this bloody ritual, at the core of a filthy conspiracy, he had slowly grown back into flesh and blood.

When all was said and done, he was still just a regular human.

In his mind, Bai Shuangying was still mumbling happily, “When I understand this thing better and know you more deeply, I’ll be able to make even better illusions.”

“It’s a shame I don’t resonate much with it. Otherwise, I could’ve refined it completely…”

“Things are going to get busy now. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

Fang Xiu interrupted him in the dark.

He had already spotted Guan He not far away. The graveyard plotline was about to begin. Now wasn’t the time for sentimentality.

Bai Shuangying fell silent, quietly shifting inside Fang Xiu’s body.

He had a lot he wanted to share.

His seal had loosened by another 300,000 chains. He could break free, but didn’t want to yet. He wanted to finish the ritual with Fang Xiu, maybe take down a few more of the Guishan Sect trash. He wanted to have a serious talk about that “life plan” Fang Xiu once mentioned and find a way to insert himself into it…

But he had gotten smart, Bai Shuangying thought. He could sum it all up with one sentence.

“I do have something I want to tell you.”

He declared in Fang Xiu’s mind.

“I like you.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 154: Farewell Temple Fair

“That knocking sound from earlier—what exactly is it?”

A’Shou asked casually, but her nerves were tighter than when she had been in combat.

Thinking about the Guishan Sect’s absurd plan, she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Even if the Immortal Encounter E was destroyed, Zhuang Guiqu’s disciples still firmly believed he was the God of Xushan. The karmic interference remained, and the Immortal E’s in the Shrine of All E’s were still unsafe.

Taking a step back, even though Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu were getting along for now and didn’t seem intent on destroying the world, there was still something off. It might have been an odd comparison, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the Corner of Heaven’s Will had simply escaped one monster only to fall into the jaws of another.

And among all of Fang Xiu’s abnormalities, the most incomprehensible was that mysterious knocking sound.

When he heard A’Shou’s question, Fang Xiu remained silent for a long while. He just smiled at her—so much so that the ghost immortal felt a chill run down her spine. A’Shou understood: he wanted her to drop the topic.

…Damn it. If she were the type to be scared off by something like that, she never would have become a ghost immortal in the first place.

A’Shou pretended not to notice the signal and pressed on.

“Earlier, Dian’er submitted a report. We found no trace of magic. You used this same trick during the Grave-Sealing E and got those Six Ghost Remnants Immortal to obey you.”

“And just now, you used it again to find the core of the Immortal Encounter E. That thing is not weak. This isn’t something you can just explain away. What did you do?”

“Let’s talk when we get back. It’s not something I can explain in a few words.”

Fang Xiu shrugged. “The ritual isn’t over ye—ugh!”

Mid-sentence, a wave of tingling numbness spread through his skull, like a cold tongue had licked his brain.

“Oh? You want to know too?”

Fang Xiu rubbed his temple, his tone instantly flipping 180 degrees.

“Don’t be impatient. Now that we’ve reached a cooperative understanding with A’Shou Jie, I have no intention of keeping secrets. On the contrary, I need your help.”

His voice was as gentle as could be. “Once this ritual ends, I’ll tell you everything right away.”

A’Shou understood. This was his way of telling Bai Shuangying to hurry up and finish dealing with the Immortal Encounter E.

Fine then. If Fang Xiu could endure even Bai Shuangying’s questions, he likely wouldn’t bother explaining it to her either. He’d already promised, and she had existed for a thousand years. A couple of days more didn’t make much difference.

She would simply treat the rest of the time as a chance to observe a truly strange accursed evil!

Once A’Shou looked away, Fang Xiu quietly let out a breath of relief. He gently pressed his fingers against his skin, his eyes dark and unreadable.

……

When they returned to the shrine, night had already fallen. Warm candlelight flickered within. Several evil spirits had appeared nearby, setting up stalls as if preparing to trade.

Guan He stumbled through the crowd of spirits, using the ghost child’s possession to cover his movements. The moment he stepped into the shrine, he froze.

The shrine had changed.

The once-blurred plaque now clearly read “Weishan Shrine”. The deity statue had reverted to the faceless, deformed one from their very first ritual. Even the couplets on either side of the statue had returned to the ones for the God of Weishan.

As for that white porcelain statue—it was as if it had never existed.

Seeing Guan He drenched in sweat, pale-faced, and with bloodstains on his pants, Cheng Songyun grew alarmed.

“Xiao Guan, what happened to you?”

After a half-second pause, she tried to sound natural. “And… where’s Dou Dou?”

“Death taboo.”

Guan He gestured for them to look up at the statue, the taste of blood still strong in his mouth.

Grandpa Dao and his only remaining teammate stood to the side. The old man was silent. The teammate muttered an incomprehensible chant. When the chant ended, Grandpa Dao finally spoke.

“Are you sure?”

The smiling tone he usually wore was gone. His expression was unreadable.

“She exploded into pieces right in front of me. What’s there to be unsure about?”

In the distorted shrine, Guan He didn’t bother hiding his panic.

“The Mountain God… the Mountain God appeared. Dou Dou Jie attacked to protect me. The moment her red paper touched that thing, she—”

He paused, realizing his description wasn’t accurate.

He coughed twice and pointed at the altered God of Weishan statue.

“I mean that. It looked exactly like that thing. That’s the Mountain God I saw.”

Grandpa Dao’s cloudy eyes shifted slightly. He stroked his goatee.

“Young friend, what are you talking about? Ever since we discovered this place, the statue hasn’t changed.”

Guan He looked to Cheng Songyun in shock, but what he saw in her eyes was agreement—and concern.

…What’s going on?!

Next, Guan He recounted his and Dou Dou’s escape in full detail. The events were so bizarre that his current state required no acting to look sufficiently terrified.

Cheng Songyun listened patiently. When he finished, she glanced sideways at Grandpa Dao.

“So what you’re saying is, you saw a Mountain God that looked exactly like the statue. Dou Dou attacked it and instantly exploded. It was the same way her assistant died.”

“But when she threw you at it, you didn’t touch it and were fine.”

“Haa, that child Dou Dou went astray. But even she wouldn’t intentionally throw you into danger.” 

Grandpa Dao picked up the thread of the story and started acting as well. “She probably wanted to lure you away to test the taboo. I apologize, young friend. I should have watched her more carefully.”

His performance was every bit as good as Dou Dou’s, brimming with complex sorrow that practically reached the tip of his beard. He muttered a quiet prayer and continued,

“She’s returned to the mountain. Please don’t blame her too harshly. There are only four of us left now. We must work together.”

Guan He forced out a sound of agreement and glanced at Cheng Songyun for help.

She understood immediately.

“Then the final death taboo… could it be ‘Do not offend the God of Weishan’?”

She had no idea who or what that newly appeared “God of Weishan” really was. The best she could do was offer a hypothesis based on past experience.

“It’s possible. If the young friend saw correctly, that entity could appear and vanish in an instant. Attacking it triggering a taboo would make sense logically.”

Grandpa Dao didn’t press the issue about Dou Dou.

“But as for someone’s body mutating into the Mountain God—that part still has no solid explanation. It seems we’ll have to face Old Man Fu together.”

Night deepened. Suddenly, opera music could be heard from outside. Through the shrine windows came the glow of red light, the sounds of shouting, and the shrieks and laughter of children. Amid the rush of voices, one could hear sharp pops and crackles.

Fireworks.

Countless human silhouettes danced on the windows. Compared to the temple fair they remembered, this crowd was even larger.

Guan He reflexively turned to look at the statue of the God of Weishan. The overwhelming sense of dissonance chilled his limbs. His heart began to contract painfully.

This wasn’t good. Fang Xiu still hadn’t returned. He and Cheng Songyun would have to survive on their own.

The final death slot was a murder near the graveyard. He had to be ready. Just as he took a deep breath, Cheng Songyun grabbed his arm.

She only smiled and shook her head, saying nothing.

In the flickering candlelight, a glint of something sharp flashed in her hand.

With that, the four of them quickly gathered themselves and pushed open the shrine doors.

“What the…?!”

Guan He and Cheng Songyun hadn’t reacted yet when Grandpa Dao exclaimed in shock.

Across from the shrine, a grand opera stage had been erected on flat ground. Orange-red light lit up half the sky. Every seat in front of the stage was filled. In the center sat a distorted version of Old Man Fu, standing out starkly among the crowd.

It showed them only its back. There was no invitation, no greeting, no gifts. Even stranger, those around it didn’t appear to be spirits. They looked more like living people.

Everyone smiled as they watched the performance. The actors wore bright, clean costumes and energetically performed “Xiao Qiao’s First Marriage”. The audience clapped and cheered in unison at the best parts.

Farther back, people performed lion dances with enthusiasm, while magicians drew crowds of children. Wrapped roses shimmered in decorative plastic. Skewers of candied hawthorn glistened on straw sticks. Countless food stalls steamed with hot snacks.

Beneath the sky filled with fireworks, more “living people” strolled the streets, chatting and laughing. There were a few twisted spirits mixed among them, but they were easy to ignore.

The red lanterns were still the same red lanterns. Once terrifying in the ghost festival, they now radiated warmth and festivity.

In the middle of this lively temple fair, no one noticed the four sacrificial participants stepping out of the shrine.

They stared, dumbfounded, at the spectacle before them, unsure whether to call it “unbelievably abnormal” or “ridiculously popular”. They didn’t move for a long time.

A few steps away, Fang Xiu passed by wearing his signature red T-shirt. Guan He’s eyes lit up, and he was the first to rush into the crowd.

“…Is this really okay?”

A’Shou looked back at Guan He.

Fang Xiu had no intention of regrouping with Guan He. According to the plan, they were only meant to provide a mental shock. The rest depended on how far Guan He and Cheng Songyun could carry it.

But A’Shou waited and waited, and Fang Xiu never answered.

He just walked silently, side by side with two figures.

Neither of those two was Bai Shuangying. A man and a woman, both with striking features, but clearly ordinary humans judging by their aura.

They walked quietly beside Fang Xiu, smiling gently. From time to time, they’d say things like “Look over there” without much substance.

But Fang Xiu was utterly silent. He had never been this quiet.

He kept a slight distance, his shoulders slightly hunched. His long bangs cast shadows over his eyes. For the first time, A’Shou saw something like “nervousness” in this fearless human.

A’Shou scanned the scene again and seemed to realize something.

“The Immortal Encounter E? The Corner of Heaven’s Will is using it to recreate a story?”

She had assumed Bai Shuangying was clutching that accursed E because he intended to refine it. But clearly, that wasn’t it at all.

There was no doubt now. Bai Shuangying was adapting things based on the “Weishan Ritual”. Without altering the plot’s main direction, he had embellished the temple fair segment to the extreme.

But the festival here felt far too modern. So the source of the impressions… Where had they come from?

“Xiu Xiu, are you tired?”

The middle-aged man slowed down and looked toward Fang Xiu. His gaze was slightly off-center, falling near Fang Xiu’s chest.

“If you’re tired of walking, Daddy can carry you on his shoulders.”

The man smiled gently. In that smile, there was a resemblance to Fang Xiu—about four or five parts.

“That’s right. Our son loves temple fairs so much. It’d be a shame to go home early.”

The woman smiled too, her eyes full of warmth.

“Let’s have fun today until we’re too tired to keep our eyes open, okay?”

“Okay?”

---

The author has something to say:

The true power of the Corner of Heaven’s Will be like: ↑

Xiao Bai paying back a favor (×

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 153: Taboo Trap

“Hah… hah…”

Guan He ran through the village. He was sprinting so hard that his throat felt like it was tearing apart, and the air he breathed carried a faint taste of blood.

He gripped Dou Dou’s wrist tightly. Their legs were splattered with wet mud as they ran.

“I… I’m so tired.”

Dou Dou’s voice was weak. Her already adorable face was flushed bright red, looking even more charming than usual.

Guan He used his heavy breathing to cover his expression and tried to respond gently, “Just hold on a bit longer.”

Dou Dou bit her lip and nodded hard. Her damp hair stuck to her sweaty cheeks. Standing beside the youthful and clean-cut Guan He, the scene looked like something straight out of a teen romance drama.

…Poor Guan He was screaming internally.

It had been two days since Fang Xiu left the letter. They hadn’t managed to advance the plot as cleanly and decisively as he had. The group had just entered the “Old Man Fu” side plot.

Who knew where this Old Man Fu had come from!

It seemed like a highly degraded version of the Old Man Fu from Weishan Village, likely extracted from someone’s memory. Originally, Old Man Fu’s spirit team had been thick with yin energy. Now, without that yin aura, they looked even more terrifying.

The four members of the Guishan Sect had no idea. They were still figuring out the rules of the “Weishan E”.

First taboo: Food and water in the village cannot be consumed, except for offerings.

That one was simple. Everyone naturally lived off offerings from the ancestral shrine.

Second taboo: No harming the villagers, except in self-defense.

Guan He had forced himself to deduce this one. He even risked his own safety to do it, sneaking an old ashtray out of a villager’s house and performing an impromptu demonstration of “my whole body itches”. Grandpa Dao had one of their teammates test it and confirmed that the taboo was real.

Now only the fake death taboo remained.

They had resolved the hanging-suicide slot too. To recreate the plot, Guan He and Cheng Songyun never left each other’s side at night and firmly locked themselves indoors.

Luckily, the script chose the “person who secretly visits the caged offering” to become the “Mountain God”. That believer yelled about bodily mutations and karma corruption, then took off his belt and hanged himself on the spot.

One death scene down. The remaining two were “death by breaking a taboo” and “murder”.

Guan He and Cheng Songyun breathed a sigh of relief. At least this fake taboo hadn’t chosen a good person to be the Mountain God. It was just repeating the old script.

But with that person dead, only three of the original four believers remained. Grandpa Dao and Dou Dou were now highly guarded, so they had to proceed with extreme caution.

When Fang Xiu was lying, he did it like a master—flawless and effortless.

But when Guan He tried lying, he didn’t even know what facial expression to use. Cheng Songyun was doing fine, but Guan He had been running on nerves for two days straight and hadn’t slept. His dark circles could nearly cover half his face.

Fang Xiu wanted them to drive a wedge between Dou Dou and Grandpa Dao, both seasoned cultists… Guan He felt like someone who had just finished memorizing the multiplication table being tossed into the International Math Olympiad.

This wasn’t something you could pull off with sheer guts.

After discussing with Cheng Songyun, Guan He decided to take the opposite approach. Since the other side clearly wanted them to test taboos, why not let them take the initiative and divide their forces?

…Which was exactly what he was doing right now—midway through an undercover operation.

“We ran this far, should… cough… should be okay now.”

They stopped in the shadow of a farmhouse. Dou Dou nervously leaned toward Guan He.

She kept a polite distance, just enough to avoid being overly intimate, yet still radiate charm.

Her eyes sparkled with moisture as she looked at Guan He, who felt dizzy. For about two seconds, he was like a die-hard fan gazing at his idol, ready to risk everything to protect her.

Damn it, that was probably one of Dou Dou’s abilities.

He quickly looked away and fixed his gaze on a withered weed in the corner of the farmhouse wall.

Luckily, after all that running, his face was still flushed. Now, looking away “shyly” added to the illusion of being spellbound.

“They won’t find us here.”

Guan He kept staring at the weed, trying to stay alert. “You haven’t told me yet. Why did you run?”

“I didn’t think Grandpa Dao would send me to die. I overheard him. He wants to use me to probe Old Man Fu.”

Dou Dou pulled out her hair tie and casually re-did her ponytail, releasing a sweet, warm scent from her shampoo.

“He probably figured our team has no one left and decided I wasn’t useful anymore…”

Guan He forced out his voice. “…How could he do that? Aren’t you two close?”

Well, to be fair, Dou Dou’s acting was quite good. She really had the damsel-in-distress thing down.

But Guan He had watched Fang Xiu perform too many times. Compared to him, Dou Dou’s acting felt too deliberate. The spell she’d cast on his mind had already started to wear off.

There was no way she had really fallen out with Grandpa Dao.

She just wanted to separate him from Auntie Cheng and lure him into testing the final taboo. As an experienced professional “idol”, facing a naïve high schooler with a hero-saves-the-beauty script, she had every advantage.

But objectively, if he was separated from Auntie Cheng, that also meant Dou Dou was separated from Grandpa Dao.

This was a perfect opportunity.

“Brother, even adults compete with each other, especially in a place like this.”

As expected, Dou Dou edged closer again, showing a forlorn expression.

“I’m really touched that you ran away with me.”

Oh, that’s because Auntie Cheng not only has the script but also a super-powerful Resentful Ghost Shield.

Thinking this, Guan He forced himself to go along with it. “It’s nothing. This ritual is too strange. Infighting will only get us all killed faster.”

Dou Dou’s big, round eyes stared straight at him. Guan He tried to sound righteous, but his back was soaked in cold sweat.

“And Auntie Cheng is really amazing.”

He swallowed hard and kept improvising. “She’s protected me through so many rituals. I only brought you out because she gave silent approval.”

Dou Dou’s expression finally softened. “You guys are great.”

“No, we just want to work with you. With my ability, we can sneak a look at Old Man Fu. Once we understand the situation, we can test things safely,” Guan He’s responded cautiously.

The next death should come from breaking a taboo. Supposedly it would involve offending the Mountain God.

No one had transformed into the Mountain God yet so how was this story supposed to play out…?

Rustle.

Guan He looked up and saw a familiar shade of red.

On the farmhouse roof appeared a young man wearing a long red robe. The red was identical to Fang Xiu’s T-shirt, and the hem fluttered gently in the wind.

The man had mismatched black and white eyes, his face veiled in red gauze. A cold wind howled around him, and his oppressive yin aura seemed to penetrate straight into the bones.

Who was that?

For a moment, Guan He’s mind went blank. The presence was far too powerful. He was sure there had been no such character in the last ritual. It was as if…

“Who’s there?”

Dou Dou stepped in front of Guan He at just the right moment, pulling out a red paper charm for casting spells.

The strange young man’s neck twisted stiffly. His body made the squelching sound of squeezed flesh. Several twisted limbs reached out from around him, identical to those of the previously mutated corpses.

He didn’t say a word, just stared down at them coldly.

“Retreat!”

Guan He tried to grab Dou Dou again, but the red paper charm meant for defense wrapped around his own hand.

Dou Dou turned her head and gave a particularly dazzling smile. She yanked with her right hand, and Guan He flew into the air uncontrollably, crashing toward the figure in red.

At the same time, she pressed her left hand over her chest to hold down a green jade pendant hidden under her clothes. With a burst of yin wind beneath her feet, she was ready to flee—

But the figure in red effortlessly dodged Guan He and flashed like wind in front of Dou Dou. His speed was like teleportation.

Seeing that Guan He was still alive, Dou Dou regained confidence. She let out a cold laugh and pulled out another string of red paper garlands, which whipped toward the red figure like chains.

At the sight of those crude chains, the young man’s pale left eye narrowed slightly, as if irritated. But he didn’t move. He let the garlands strike him directly in the chest.

Bang!

Dou Dou’s triumphant expression never got a chance to settle. She exploded into bloody pulp on the spot.

Guan He, who was just about to roll off the roof, scrambled back in a panic, barely avoiding the splatter. The gruesome scene made his heart pound like a drum.

Third taboo: Do not offend the God of Weishan, except the Mountain God.

…The “death by breaking a taboo” had been fulfilled, but Guan He didn’t feel the slightest bit happy.

But who was this God of Weishan?

Fang Xiu had clearly told them before that the God of Weishan was a girl!

What the hell was going on?!

In his horrified gaze, the strange figure disappeared into thin air, as if it had never been there. The moist air lingered with the metallic stench of blood.

On the other side—

Still in hiding, A’Shou numbly helped Fang Xiu emit yin energy and used the cold wind to give him a mystical hairstyle. She even tore a piece of red gauze from her wedding dress to fashion a makeshift mask for him.

Inside Fang Xiu’s body, Bai Shuangying’s true form seeped slightly through his skin, perfectly recreating the God of Weishan’s twisted limbs.

After this theatrical performance, Fang Xiu swiftly vanished again without revealing himself to Guan He.

A’Shou: “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Hadn’t he played enough pretending to be crazy in front of Zhuang Guiqu? Now he was back and couldn’t resist putting on another act? After being dead for so long, this was her first time she experienced what it was like working as a prop crew member.

Fang Xiu blinked. “Xiao Guan isn’t good at acting. If he knew I was back, he’d let his guard down and slip up. This current state is just right.”

“I don’t know what you two are plotting.” Seeing that this person was still as shameless as ever, A’Shou rubbed her forehead.  “Let me make this clear. Even if the Immortal Encounter E is still in the hands of your sedu—uh, Corner of Heaven’s Will, it either gets destroyed or refined. Otherwise, the ritual won’t end.”

Wasn’t this guy solving E’s just fine before? Why was he dragging his feet now? Rather than take on unnecessary risks, wouldn’t it be better to just burn that accursed book already?

But since Fang Xiu’s body still contained the Corner of Heaven’s Will and they were still in Bai Shuangying’s home turf, she couldn’t say that too bluntly.

“If Bai Shuangying wants to keep going, and I can still go on, then we keep going.”

Fang Xiu scratched his face and confidently defended him. “This is a good chance to train Guan He and the others. Besides, there are still two believers alive. We can’t just let them walk away.”

A’Shou threw down her veil in exasperation and wiped her face hard.

“Fine. If you’re going to play this slowly, at least tell me this—what was that death taboo just now?”

Fang Xiu: “She attacked me, who is holding Bai Shuangying. That’s the same as attacking Bai Shuangying. That’s an offense against the God of Xushan.”

“The God of Weishan is a subordinate of the God of Xushan, and Bai Shuangying personally saved her. Offending the God of Xushan means offending the God of Weishan.”

A Shou: “…”

Dou Dou’s death could only be called ridiculous. She was basically trolled to death by this guy.

Fang Xiu ignored her expression. “See? We can play the Mountain God ourselves. Isn’t that way more fun than Old Man Fu?”

It looks like the story here had no choice but to continue.

A’Shou sighed again. “Alright, do whatever you want. I’ve only got one question left.”

“That knocking sound from earlier—what exactly is it?”

---

The author has something to say:

Bad Xiao Fang, he’s using the hidden Xiao Bai to troll his teammates.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 152: Temporarily Confidential

In an instant, those karmic red threads devoured Zhuang Guiqu’s own.

Good. The attack had arrived, just as he had expected.

Zhuang Guiqu curled his lips into a smile. The surging red threads first blocked the sealing chains, creating a sturdy safe zone around Fang Xiu. As those karmic chains crashed into the red threads, it was like ice striking fire—they burned away in an instant. Then the red threads coiled around Zhuang Guiqu’s limbs like venomous snakes, bringing with them waves of corruption.

At the same time, Fang Xiu pointed with the hand wearing the ring, and A’Shou disappeared once more into concealment. A ten-meter radius was sealed off by karmic chains and glowing light, and the world turned eerily pale and deathly silent.

The trembling of Xushan and the immortals’ attacks were sealed outside. In these few seconds, it was as if only the two of them remained in this entire space.

Come now, attack me, take control of me. Struggling madly, Zhuang Guiqu raised his head with difficulty and locked eyes with Fang Xiu.

This is your best chance. Are you not going to strike?

Fang Xiu’s mismatched eyes stared calmly at him. His smile grew more pleasant.

“Thank you, Bai Shuangying,” he said. “This makes things much easier.”

He pressed his index and middle fingers together and shoved hard against Zhuang Guiqu’s shoulder, then stepped back two paces. Before Zhuang Guiqu could react, Fang Xiu raised his hand and made a knocking gesture in front of him.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

[Zhuang Guiqu felt as if the knocking was shaking his brain, his organs, and every bit of flesh and blood inside his body.]

[He felt like an egg being violently shaken. Something within him trembled to the brink of collapse. Even with the power borrowed from the Corner of Heaven’s Will, he still couldn’t figure out what that sound truly was.]

[He only felt a deep sense of dread.]

“In your era, you probably didn’t understand how bats hunt.” Fang Xiu moved his fingers gently. “But if the principle is the same, then even metaphysics can do ‘echo location’.”

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

This is bad. I underestimated this human.

Fang Xiu never cared about winning or losing in the script. He deliberately forced me to detach from Bai Shuangying and possess Zhuang Guiqu just to make me use my full power, to force me to use the Immortal Encounter E.

He had known from the start that I could conceal the true form of the Immortal Encounter E.

I must change the plan.

Zhuang Guiqu touched his chest. His organs were beating harder than ever. A chill slid down his spine. He moved his legs, instinctively trying to retreat.

But it was too late.

The sealing chains were all intercepted by Bai Shuangying, and A’Shou’s blood shields pressed against Zhuang Guiqu’s back. The knocking sound pounded in his head like thunder. He was shocked to find that his body flickered between solidity and illusion, trembling constantly.

Fang Xiu leaned forward and thrust a hand directly into his chest.

Rip.

The sound of flipping pages echoed as the surrounding environment shook more violently. The chains in the sky flickered in and out of existence.

Rip. Rip.

Something was being ripped open. Xushan trembled as if the world itself had turned upside down.

Across from Fang Xiu, Zhuang Guiqu’s features shifted wildly—one moment a child’s face, the next a gentle and handsome youth, then a wise and dignified old man. At one point, his face was nothing but ink-drawn words for “eye”, “nose”, “mouth”.

Rip. Rip. Rip.

The earthquake in Xushan stopped abruptly. The silence that followed was so absolute, it felt like hearing had been lost.

The vivid scene before them seemed to turn into a picture in a book, with the texture of fragile paper. The entire world was compressing itself around Fang Xiu, trying to force him into ink.

In the darkness, that white eye stared unblinking at Fang Xiu’s movements.

On Fang Xiu’s body, Bai Shuangying’s karmic red threads wrapped around his red robe like a strange set of armor, rendering the paper world helpless.

Perhaps several centuries passed. Perhaps it was only a few seconds.

Fang Xiu abruptly withdrew his hand. Clutched in his palm was an ancient, weathered book.

“Thank you for giving this to me.”

He grinned at Zhuang Guiqu, smiling radiantly. “I really hate playing by other people’s rules. Remember that in your next life.”

Zhuang Guiqu clutched his chest.

[He suddenly realized he was unable—]

[Unable to th—]

[ink.]

What should I do? What should I do?

How do I get it back? What should I do?

Why could he find the Immortal Encounter E? What is that knocking sound?

I cannot understand. I cannot understand. I cannot understand.

I cannot understand.

The cold wind cut sharply. Xushan remained, but the world now felt hollow. Something unseen had come to a sudden halt, leaving only emptiness behind.

Its lifeline had been seized. The false god no longer had time to run the story and was likely now desperately trying to find a solution. Fang Xiu had no intention of letting it sit and figure things out.

In the darkness, a ghost flame ignited on Fang Xiu’s fingertip.

The spark licked the corner of the ancient book. Red light illuminated the curve of his lips.

But in the next moment, countless red threads crawled up his wrist. They wrapped the book tightly and yanked it back into his body in a flash, faster than a cat catching a bird.

Fang Xiu: “???”

He instinctively reached for the book again, only to grab at empty air.

In the face of Fang Xiu’s interference, Bai Shuangying remained unmoved. He quickly curled around himself, wrapping the Immortal Encounter E into the center of his body. The red threads merged with the pages like nerves. Countless stories flooded into Bai Shuangying’s mind.

Just as expected.

This wretched book recorded all the “legends” from the moment Xushan appeared—myths, history, every detail. Zhuang Guiqu was portrayed as the God of Xushan incarnate, while he became some vague and ominous “Great God of Calamity”.

With the support of Bai Shuangying’s own karmic corruption, the narrative that “Zhuang Guiqu = God of Xushan” was terrifyingly convincing.

…This was a nightmare.

Bai Shuangying had no proper facial features at the moment, but his entire body visibly scrunched in disgust.

Fortunately, the Immortal Encounter E was karmically linked to him.

The next second, Bai Shuangying unceremoniously manipulated the karmic threads and began rewriting the ink. He rewrote every interaction with humanity, starting from the appearance of Xushan… Leading all the way to…

To the moment he fell in love with Fang Xiu.

The Immortal Encounter E was rewritten at lightning speed. The figure of Zhuang Guiqu across from Fang Xiu became increasingly unstable. His eyes turned blank, his body shriveled and warped, and his black robes quickly disintegrated.

Within just a few seconds, he had reverted to the form of the original child. Not a single karmic thread remained on him. The powerful sealing spells around him also crumbled, revealing the confused immortals behind.

They seemed unable to see Fang Xiu or Bai Shuangying before them, wearing expressions of complete bewilderment.

The childlike Zhuang Guiqu wiped his face, ignored Fang Xiu, and walked toward the distant Zhuang Feng.

“Did you write everything down?”

“Good. The descent of the immortals is no small matter.”

With that, he smiled and clasped his hands in a polite gesture toward the gods.

The immortals, too, emerged from their momentary stupor and began chatting and laughing as if nothing had happened. Even though their artifacts still hovered in the sky, even though Fang Xiu, dressed in red, still stood before them.

Fang Xiu’s group had seemingly been erased from the story entirely.

Fang Xiu stood quietly in place, watching Zhuang Guiqu’s retreating back.

From Bai Shuangying seizing the book to reality being rewritten, it had taken less than thirty seconds. He needed a full five seconds just to process what had happened.

The false god was gone.

He was still sitting at the game board, but the seat across from him was now empty. Bai Shuangying had likely overwritten the Immortal Encounter E’s karmic narrative. No one remained to continue the tale of “Sealing the Great God of Calamity”.

The immortals and Zhuang Guiqu before them were no longer puppets controlled by the Immortal Encounter E. They were simply… relics of the past.

In the end, the story returned to being a story, slumbering within its lines.

Facing this complete reversal, A’Shou emerged from hiding, equally baffled.

She adjusted her tattered wedding gown, not with pain on her face, but with an expression full of unanswered questions.

“Bai Shuangying?” Fang Xiu gently rubbed his skin and decided to toss one of those questions over.

As the true God of Xushan, Bai Shuangying having influence over the Immortal Encounter E was understandable.

Destroying the Immortal Encounter E would end everything. Bai Shuangying was the Corner of Heaven’s Will. There was no reason to covet such a nasty thing.

Instead, Bai Shuangying had withdrawn into Fang Xiu’s abdomen, clutching the Immortal Encounter E tightly, even healing Fang Xiu’s wounds again, looking for all the world like he was preparing to settle in permanently.

“A thousand years ago, they successfully sealed the God of Xushan. There was never an encounter with a ‘man in red’. I merely recorded the true history.”

Bai Shuangying’s voice echoed in Fang Xiu’s mind again. “The story can end now.”

His ghost’s tone was rather pleased, even laced with a hint of mysterious wisdom.

Fang Xiu: “…That’s not what I was asking.”

Bai Shuangying fell silent for a moment, then muttered in his mind, “Keeping it serves a purpose.”

“But this thing is still a hazard. I must seal it inside myself and keep watch. I will not have time to leave for now.”

So in short, Bai Shuangying had merely eliminated the still-developing false god. The Immortal Encounter E remained the Immortal Encounter E. The taboos were still in effect.

Fang Xiu didn’t mind his ghost lounging inside him. What bothered him more was that, for the first time, he couldn’t read Bai Shuangying’s thoughts.

“What purpose does it serve?” he asked curiously.

“Temporarily confidential,” Bai Shuangying replied solemnly.

…Well, fine, Fang Xiu thought. If his ghost insisted, it wouldn’t hurt anything.

In the end, the Immortal Encounter E was meant to belong to Bai Shuangying anyway.

Not far off, A’Shou sat down with a thud and sighed in defeat.

“What are you two up to now?”

Just seeing the look on Fang Xiu’s face, she knew trouble was brewing again.

“In short, the Immortal Encounter E doesn’t have a mind of its own and the core is in our hands.”

Fang Xiu ignored the idle chatter of Zhuang Guiqu and the gods in the background and smiled brightly. “It’s nothing serious. Bai Shuangying just wants to hold onto it for a while.”

“Hold onto it for a while?” A’Shou choked.

Is that a toy that can just be played with?

If not for the fact that he was the Corner of Heaven’s Will… No, if not for the fact she was exhausted that she wanted to live, she would have really liked to yell at Bai Shuangying.

“In your words, Bai Shuangying is at least part of the Heaven’s Will. He’s not some brat.”

Fang Xiu adjusted his clothes. His long robe reverted to the familiar red t-shirt, though his heterochromatic eyes remained.

“Come on. Let’s go back to Weishan Village.”

---

The author has something to say:

Guess what Xiao Bai wants to do (?

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 151: False Ending

Bathed in the radiant glow of countless of Immortal E’s, Fang Xiu thought rapidly.

If the enemy was so determined to grant his wish, it certainly wasn’t out of kindness or charity.

Fang Xiu recalled that ever since they entered Immortal Encounter E, every person whose wish had been granted had died—from the ghost immortal Lord Haibo to the believers of the Guishan Sect. They all perished the moment their wishes were fulfilled.

Considering the legend of the God of Xushan …

The Immortal Encounter E’s death taboo was likely: “When you’re wish is granted, the story ends”.

If this truly was the Immortal Encounter E’s death taboo, then its overwhelming power and the absence of survivors made sense. In times of desperation, people inevitably developed unrealistic hopes.

As long as the Immortal Encounter E could grasp even a sliver of possibility, no matter how distorted the result, both sacrificial victims and Underworld messenger would obediently be destroyed.

…In other words, besides this one, the other two taboos weren’t fatal.

“Don’t let that thing fulfill your wish,” Fang Xiu immediately warned A’Shou.

As for Bai Shuangying, he understood. His ghost—no, the God of Xushan—didn’t even have a concept like “wishes”. Bai Shuangying simply acted on his desires. His actions were, above all else, unrestrained.

Fang Xiu’s own vague and unlikely wish was indeed to be with Bai Shuangying forever. But so what? It wasn’t for Zhuang Guiqu—especially not a fake Zhuang Guiqu—to act as his romance consultant.

The only vulnerability was A’Shou.

A’Shou was a ghost immortal. A vengeful spirit that had ascended must have obsession in her heart. That meant “an unachievable yet deeply craved wish”. The Immortal Encounter E’s restraint over ghost immortals was undeniably fatal.

Ghost immortal A’Shou, well-read in records of E’s resolution, was experienced. “Understood. Having your wish granted is the death taboo.”

Fang Xiu nodded and quickly continued, “Later, Bai Shuangying and I will take the front…”

“Pfft.” A’Shou suddenly laughed aloud.

She confidently stepped in front of Fang Xiu, returning to her appearance in the blood-soaked wedding robes. Yin winds surged around them, and the blood shields swayed. A’Shou, on the other hand, swung her longsword into a steady defensive stance.

Then she canceled her concealment and revealed herself before the enemy.

Standing beside Fang Xiu in matching red garments, she instantly became the more obvious target.

Zhuang Guiqu continued directing the immortals in their preparations for the sealing spell.

Celestial weapons from the front rows came flying, and several waves of disruption spells were cast by the immortals. All of them were blocked by A’Shou. The blood shields shattered again and again. A’Shou’s wedding robes fluttered as she extended her blood-soaked arms, summoning even more invisible shields.

Zhuang Guiqu stared intently at A’Shou for a moment. His eyelid twitched, and he decisively gave up. Blood shield fragments and spell lights flew through the air. Fang Xiu stared wide-eyed in shock.

What was this? Zhuang Guiqu would rather take on him and Bai Shuangying together than try to break through ghost immortal A’Shou?

“You do what you need to. I’ll take the brunt of it.”

A’Shou gave Fang Xiu a back view as red as fire. “My wish? I doubt he has the guts to fulfill it.”

Fang Xiu: “You…”

“Back then, that bastard Zhuang Guiqu pulled the troops into Xushan and got them all killed. The border army lacked food and supplies. I led the army to reclaim lost ground, but we couldn’t hold it. We were forced to retreat step by step.”

Her voice was eerily calm.

“That idiot emperor would rather believe Zhuang Guiqu could defy fate than open his eyes to the battlefield. To make sure that bastard Zhuang could handle Xushan, he even married me off to the enemy, just for one peaceful night. On my wedding day… I killed to my heart’s content.”

She had hidden the soft sword that had accompanied her through life and death in her belt, smiling through clenched teeth while drinking with her enemy general. At the height of the banquet, she drew her blade and launched a furious slaughter inside the enemy camp.

Her friends and loved ones were massacred. Her homeland was seized. Her army starved. The lands she had known for years shrank again and again…

Why should she care anymore about royal dignity?

Better to kill to her heart’s content and die with honor.

The banter vanished. The wine cup shattered. Amid wails and screams, enemy soldiers swarmed from all directions to subdue her. She danced with her sword, ignoring her accumulating wounds, slashing fresh bursts of blood from her enemies.

Thus, the sword that had accompanied her for years became an E in blood. A’Shou herself ascended into a ghost immortal on the spot. When the Underworld’s emissaries arrived, all they found around her were blood pools frozen with ice shards and mountains of corpses.

As for the obsession of ghost immortal A’Shou—

“I want my homeland returned to our lands.”

“Unfortunately, it belongs to another nation in the human world. The borders have been set for nearly a thousand years. Unless the Immortal Encounter E can incite war to reclaim territory, there’s no hope.”

Fang Xiu: “…”

That wish was heavy. He suddenly felt his own desires were rather modest.

No wonder A’Shou had become one of the strongest ghost immortals. The boundaries between life and death were already stark, and the human world had known peace for ages. Her obsession was difficult to erase, and even harder to realize.

Seeing Fang Xiu speechless, A’Shou sighed with emotion. “If it could really expand the territory, dying here would be worth it.”

Fang Xiu solemnly replied, “Times have changed. You should focus on holding the line.”

A’Shou: “……”

Fine. She knew full well the human world was unlikely to go to war.

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

Just as she was fending off the attacks, the eerie knocking began again, echoing across the battlefield.

Light of magic pierced the bloodstained bridal veil.

Under Zhuang Guiqu’s guidance, a golden bell phantom protected the immortals. Countless karmic chains surged and intertwined, clashing with a grating sound. The knocking Fang Xiu had created was nearly drowned out.

The moment the sealing spell was completed, countless bizarre celestial artifacts activated together. The blinding light made it impossible to keep one’s eyes open. The flood of karmic chains roared toward Fang Xiu. Zhuang Guiqu crouched low, hiding within this tidal wave of karma.

I know exactly how to control what comes next—

[That man in red was clearly controlled by the Corner of Heaven’s Will, trying to bluff his way through and catch them off guard. Zhuang Guiqu stayed alert, provoking the immortals into giving their full response.]

[The sealing had missed this remnant once. Trying the same trick again was too risky. Zhuang Guiqu knew he couldn’t afford to be careless. Even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit. He had to use his strongest power to seal Fang Xiu.]

[…That way, it would appear natural.]

[But the karma from the Immortal E’s still wasn’t enough. He had to use the newly sealed Corner of Heaven’s Will. His plan was proceeding smoothly. The creation of the Immortal Encounter E had already begun. Now he just had to draw in even more karmic entanglements.]

[Deception was his greatest strength. He would surely succeed.]

A’Shou clenched her teeth and forcibly intercepted the incoming swarm of celestial artifacts.

Just like the blood-drenched wedding feast of a thousand years ago, they all swarmed toward her together, battering her body with countless wounds. Her bridal gown was torn to shreds. On one side, peachwood swords rained down. On the other, demon-banishing bells resounded.

Righteous energy suppressed evil spirits. Amid the intense divine aura, A’Shou’s vision blurred and distorted.

Ah, such a familiar sensation. Back when she was dying from blood loss, her sight had looked the same.

Her injured hand moved, the tip of her soft sword tapping the ground.

She instinctively stopped trying to analyze the attacks. She no longer tried to set up elaborate blood shields. She simply swung her soft sword with all her might, draining every last bit of yin energy from her body.

She could only block so many attacks. Fang Xiu behind her might get hurt, but preserving the formation’s integrity was her sole priority.

Zhuang Guiqu clearly saw this as well.

He remained hidden behind the celestial artifacts and sealing chains. His hand traced patterns in the air, chanting softly. A’Shou miscalculated and his palm brushed her, nearly making her cry out in pain.

What was happening?

This wound was different from those caused by divine force. A’Shou watched in horror as the wound squirmed, forming tiny characters that burrowed into her flesh.

You are a righteous warrior who cares for the world. Your mind has been corrupted by the evil spirit behind you. Come back. That side is dangerous.

Look ahead. The gods of the Heavenly Court are here. Look behind you. That thing is more twisted than any evil being.

Cognitive contamination had arrived.

A’Shou instinctively halted her assault and looked toward the enemy. What she saw was golden light and righteous presence.

Yes, she knew her own nature. She couldn’t be a shameless person… Her head spun badly. What that man said was probably true…

Then a sudden sharp pain jerked her arm.

[The Guishan Sect created the Immortal Encounter E, corrupting the Corner of Heaven’s Will.]

[The Immortal Encounter E becomes a weapon, bringing about a great catastrophe in the human world.]

…She had carved those words herself, mimicking the handiwork of a particularly wicked human. She remembered her own handwriting.

A’Shou looked ahead at the seemingly righteous Zhuang Guiqu, then back at Fang Xiu, who wore a half-smile and bore heterochromatic eyes. She blocked another wave of spells with her sword.

“I only trust myself,” she said hoarsely. “You don’t look despicable enough.”

Zhuang Guiqu’s face twitched.

But that moment of hesitation was all he needed. He didn’t waste time arguing. Like a slippery eel, he slipped past A’Shou and lunged at Fang Xiu. Threads of karmic power streamed from his fingertips, combining with the sealing chains to bind Fang Xiu.

[At the same time, he deliberately exposed a vulnerability.]

[The man in red carried the power of the Corner of Heaven’s Will. At this distance, they would not let that vulnerability go. He would be severely wounded, then taken as a hostage.]

[That would force the immortals to hesitate, giving the man in red a chance to help the girl hide again and regain the upper hand.]

[From there, Zhuang Guiqu could continue deceiving, manipulating the flow of battle. He would lose gloriously, convincingly, ideally after a desperate final blow that made the enemy believe they had truly won.]

Then he could seize the moment—that instant when Fang Xiu fully believed he had triumphed and would remain with Bai Shuangying. That moment when Fang Xiu’s wish would be realized.

But the story could not end like that. It needed to go further—

[Once the situation was disrupted, he could strike from close range. When facing a power of equal origin, tactics would matter more than brute force.]

[He trusted that the soft-hearted gods would do everything to protect him. If his sneak attack succeeded, the man in red would surely fail.]

If I can complete this setup, Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying will be sealed at the story’s end.

Then the story can conclude smoothly.

……

In the blink of an eye, Zhuang Guiqu exposed a seemingly natural vulnerability and crept ever closer to Fang Xiu.

However—

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

The knocking rang in his ears, making Zhuang Guiqu frown.

…Despite the opening, Fang Xiu didn’t strike.

Instead, he plunged his fingers into the freshly healed wound on his abdomen and tore it open.

What burst out wasn’t blood, but blood-like threads of karma.

From the blood-colored strands, deep within his black abdominal cavity, a white eye appeared.

---

The author has something to say:

Next chapter should wrap up things up—just a few more left to finish the arc!

Bringing out the “knock knock knock” basically means it’s time to come clean with A’Shou (?

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 150: Reversal of Offense and Defense

Countless chains snapped in succession, and countless strands of power returned to Bai Shuangying’s hands.

For every bit of power he reclaimed, the false god’s corruption weakened in equal measure. The twisted pollution that had once seemed insurmountable now looked more like a fly clinging to food.

In Bai Shuangying’s consciousness, the black figure false god struggled in confusion, only to be harshly pressed down into the depths of his mind.

Three hundred thousand chains.

Nearly three hundred thousand chains were severed, and most of his body regained freedom. As long as Bai Shuangying wished it, he could now leave Fang Xiu’s body, tear through all restraints at the cost of quaking the heavens and the earth.

…Yet Bai Shuangying didn’t move.

He pretended nothing had happened and continued hiding in Fang Xiu’s flesh. He even deliberately restrained his presence to minimize the erosion caused by the “possession state”.

It was pretty nice here. He would stay a while longer. Fang Xiu’s flesh was soft and warm. If he left, he would have to face A’Shou, which would be quite annoying.

Might as well “have fun together”.

After failing to land an attack on Fang Xiu, the immortals grew serious.

As Xushan trembled, hundreds of celestial artifacts rose into the air. From bronze celestial cauldrons to lightning-struck sacred woods, every weapon aimed at Fang Xiu.

Yet since Fang Xiu made no further moves, the immortals could only follow the path of benevolence. They displayed a posture of utter destruction but didn’t actually strike.

Before the immortals could act, Zhuang Guiqu stepped forward, moving a few steps closer to Fang Xiu. From Fang Xiu’s perspective, it was as if Zhuang Guiqu now stood at the very front, while the immortals lined up behind him like soldiers.

“May I ask your name?” Zhuang Guiqu gave a polite bow despite the tense standoff.

“I’d rather ask you,” Fang Xiu replied with a cheerful smile, as blunt as could be. “Are you Zhuang Guiqu, or the version of ‘Zhuang Guiqu’ that represents the Immortal Encounter E?”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Zhuang Guiqu replied courteously. “But the matter of the sealing is already decided. Even if you are somehow connected to that Corner of Heaven’s Will, it is too late now.”

His tone was calm and polite, but his eyes scrutinized Fang Xiu from head to toe, seemingly trying to determine what kind of being he was. He subtly shifted his stance, one hand drifting behind his back, fully alert.

That wariness wasn’t an act, but genuine. Fang Xiu relaxed slightly inside.

The Corner of Heaven’s Will had been sealed, and the story should have ended perfectly. Now, with his sudden intervention and the black figure false god bound by Bai Shuangying, the Immortal Encounter E could no longer freely spin its tale, lacking the influence it once had through Zhuang Guiqu a thousand years ago.

To those within the story, someone constantly speaking of “ink illusions” and “Immortal Encounter E” came off as a madman.

Absolutely perfect.

Opposite Fang Xiu, Zhuang Guiqu continued the narrative. “I assure you, that Corner of Heaven’s Will won’t be harmed by the seal. Opposing the gods brings you no benefit.”

Fang Xiu replied, “Then let’s pretend I’m just mentally unstable.”

Zhuang Guiqu fell silent.

“Your plan went too smoothly.” Fang Xiu spread his arms; his eyes curved into a crescent as if they were grinning. “Setting a trap, dragging the gods into it, sealing the ‘final boss’ successfully. Don’t you think that makes for a dull story?”

“After sealing one threat, a more terrifying opponent should appear. That’s what you call a ‘twist’.”

He slid his fingertips down his chest and abdomen, gently tracing the outline. He could feel Bai Shuangying moving within his flesh, the touch slick, cool, and faintly aching, sending tingling excitement up his spine.

It felt like a seamless, ever-present embrace.

Within this numb and secure sensation, Fang Xiu curled his index finger slightly—

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

A distant knocking echoed, prompting the immortals to look around instinctively. There were no doors here, and the sound came from all directions, sometimes near, sometimes far.

A’Shou, hiding behind Fang Xiu, flinched slightly as a strange chill swept over the back of her neck.

Fang Xiu’s hair stirred without wind, tips swaying like mountain mist. Xushan trembled again, creating a strange resonance with the knocking.

Sensing Bai Shuangying’s pulse synchronizing within him, Fang Xiu smiled more warmly. He stepped lightly forward, his figure casting a shadow over the childlike Zhuang Guiqu.

“What I care more about is, why this story isn’t moving forward. I’ve been provoking you for so long. Clearly, you could just give the order, and everyone would gang up on me.”

“In previous times too, your attempts to lure me to death always had the same flair—choosing a roundabout death, whispering sweet words in my mind. Why?”

Fang Xiu bent over, his features distorted by his grin.

His mismatched eyes brimmed with mirth. The black pupil locked on Zhuang Guiqu, while the white one spun independently. His pale red lips parted slightly, revealing a mouth of pitch black, as if something were surging inside.

Behind the immortals blazed celestial artifacts and immortal E’s bright as daylight. Behind Fang Xiu stretched a long shadow, pointing toward an abyss of utter darkness.

“Incomprehensible!” Zhuang Guiqu took half a step back and growled.

[Zhuang Guiqu’s mind swirled with doubt. When this person first arrived, he had thought him just another half-baked black Taoist. After all, these cultivators were merely fuel to ignite the divine descent. They could stir no great storm before true immortals.]

[But he had misjudged.]

[Worse, within the madman’s ramblings lay fragments of truth. What exactly was he? What did he want? If he wished to protect that Corner of Heaven’s Will, why join the team, only to reveal himself now?]

[The man in red defied all logic, and Zhuang Guiqu couldn’t figure him out.]

[Still, he was so close to success. He could not let this inexplicable menace disrupt things now.]

[With gods and ghosts all present, the only reason they hadn’t attacked was to maintain righteousness and avoid acting without cause. He had to come up with a way to justify a strike.]

[Wait—]

[Why couldn’t he think straight?]

Zhuang Guiqu clutched his forehead, face twisted with pain and confusion.

Fang Xiu smiled gently and whispered, “The Immortal Encounter E seems to like granting wishes. And since you plan to corrupt the God of Xushan’s karma, you must also be stealing its ‘wish-granting’ stories… That means the Immortal Encounter E’s taboo must be tied to ‘wishes’.”

“Given the timing, you should feel some urgency. Stop trying to bait me into making a wish.”

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

As Fang Xiu finished speaking, the mysterious knocking sounded again. For some reason, it seemed even closer now, sending shivers down their spines.

The floating celestial artifacts trembled violently. Scorched black spots bloomed on their surfaces like burning paper. The immortals stirred, divine energy pressing lower as their weapons descended.

Hidden nearby, A’Shou watched Fang Xiu, her expression growing more solemn.

[This man was truly insane. Though his words were wild, Zhuang Guiqu still felt a chill listening to them. The immortals needed a reason to act. They could figure out their plan one step at a time.]

[Suddenly, his thoughts cleared. Zhuang Guiqu was startled.]

[Though he didn’t know what trick the opponent had used, he could act freely now. That was perfect. The man in red had triggered a clear anomaly in Xushan. It was the perfect justification for battle—hand-delivered, almost.]

[Moments ago, he had set this trap for the gods. Now, he seemed caught in the same pattern himself. The sense of déjà vu unsettled him, but there was only one path forward—]

Zhuang Guiqu swiped both hands, raising a circle of yellow talismans. They shook violently and were quickly stained red.

“So that’s it. You are karmically bound to that Corner of Heaven’s Will. Disrupting hearts and threatening the seal—you deserve death.”

The fortune immortal and weeping immortal ghost exchanged a glance and made a restraining gesture behind them. The two divine beings attacked first, radiant spells cascading down toward Fang Xiu.

“It’s a karma-verifying spell.”

Bai Shuangying’s voice rang in Fang Xiu’s mind. It was more intimate than a whisper, like a tongue licking his brain, itch spreading to the bone.

Fang Xiu stifled a moan and quickly adjusted, accepting the attack without resistance.

Under the light, a column of black energy burst behind him. Countless spectral chains writhed like shadows, responding to the distant sealing formation.

[Is he a subordinate of the Corner of Heaven’s Will fragment? An incarnation?]

[It no longer mattered. What mattered was that this terrifying unknown was a vulnerability. He must be sealed. Zhuang Guiqu regretted it—perhaps the gods would not kill but getting them to attack was already a win.]

A giant peachwood sword flashed out, moving faster than lightning. Fang Xiu twisted, but his left shoulder was completely severed. The sword’s aura left dozens of deep gashes in his body, blood instantly drenching his face.

But in the next moment, countless pale fingers reached from his wounds. They fused into flesh, restoring his body almost instantly—even the torn red robe was whole again.

Fang Xiu: “…Oh dear.”

It was Bai Shuangying’s power.

Not healing, but invasion. Bai Shuangying’s body plugged the wounds and reconstructed him. Even the pain was gone.

Beneath him, Xushan rose and fell gently, like breathing.

The gods’ next wave of attacks struck A’Shou’s protective spell. Missing the first strike, she barely blocked the second.

She raised her sword at the immortals, and a rain of blood materialized around her, forming countless blood shields in front of Fang Xiu.

Divine and yin energies clashed. The blood shields quaked, struggling to hold. Cracks formed, but somehow they held for a moment longer.

“As expected, the Immortal Encounter E’s imitations do not reach the level of real immortals.”

Fang Xiu muttered as he raised his hand. “A’Shou Jie, you really are strong.”

While she bought time, Fang Xiu waved his hand, summoning countless ghost flames from the sky.

With Bai Shuangying’s power behind them, the flames fell like meteors, as if they were a catastrophe from the heavens. Now it was the gods’ turn to defend, raising barriers over the seal.

As their offense faltered, Fang Xiu slipped past A’Shou’s guard and charged forward.

Zhuang Guiqu’s yellow talismans were blasted aside. He recoiled sharply, drawing a green jade dagger with his left hand. Facing Fang Xiu’s full-on charge, Zhuang Guiqu used his childlike body to dodge and drove the blade upward into Fang Xiu’s abdomen.

The green jade shimmered with poisonous light, and the inscriptions on its blade flickered. Fang Xiu’s flesh was instantly torn open—but what spilled from his body wasn’t organs or entrails. Inside his abdomen was the writhing body of the Corner of Heaven’s Will.

It curled tightly within him, wrapping around his innards, slithering like a living creature. As Fang Xiu’s flesh split open, countless fingers emerged from the entity’s surface and pulled the wound closed again.

“How rude,” Fang Xiu muttered. “We were in the middle of being intimate.”

He casually grabbed the stunned Zhuang Guiqu and lifted him up. His fingers twitched slightly.

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

[Zhuang Guiqu was horrified to realize the knocking this time was coming from inside his own body. Even so, he still didn’t know what it was.]

[He felt a tearing pain, like his body was being shattered. The strange man in red stood there, eviscerated, under a barrage of divine attacks, smiling gently at him.]

“You can’t possibly think this is good writing. There’s no need to hold back your power anymore,” Fang Xiu said, eyes drifting past Zhuang Guiqu to a point in the air. “Once we return to Weishan Village, you won’t have such a convenient backstory.”

[Even now, the man continued to speak madness.]

[But Zhuang Guiqu knew that he was just a mortal. If he died here, killed by this inexplicable thing, his plan would fall apart.]

[He had to survive. To survive, he needed to buy time and goad the immortals into unleashing their full power… Yes, for now he would have to go along with this lunatic’s script.]

[And for some reason, just as he tried to come up with something suitably insane to say, words spilled from his mouth on their own.]

“Your… state is excellent,” Zhuang Guiqu said hoarsely. “I can help you. I can bind you to the Corner of Heaven’s Will forever. That way, you’ll always have this immense power. You won’t need to separate again…”

“If you agree… I can rewrite this story for you… make you the true protagonist…”

For a brief moment, Zhuang Guiqu’s expression turned vacant. Under the glow of spell lights, his eyes looked like deep, lightless wells.

“You’re really trying hard. I should give you some praise.” Fang Xiu used the childlike Zhuang Guiqu as a human shield and dodged another wave of divine attacks. “Now that the black figure false god is gone, you’re breaking character to say this stuff.”

“In the past and now, you’ve always been desperate to fulfill my wish.”

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

Zhuang Guiqu’s body gradually stiffened and became coarse like wood. Strange hinges began sprouting along his limbs, like the joints of a door.

The next moment, a golden sash wrapped around his waist and yanked him back into the immortals’ zone.

“Not good!” A’Shou’s pupils shrank.

Without Zhuang Guiqu as a meat shield, a massive golden bell hammer followed behind the sash. Covered in golden talismans, it shot forward like a missile, slamming toward Fang Xiu’s slender frame.

A’Shou twisted to intercept, but the strike was too fast. She barely deflected it off course.

The bell hammer slammed into Fang Xiu’s side. With a loud crack, his recently healed abdomen tore open again. He flew back a dozen paces, light as a leaf, blood spurting from his mouth.

Fang Xiu’s bones were shattered. His limbs bent at impossible angles. Yet moments later, he stood up as if nothing had happened.

Blood streamed from his mouth. As he parted his lips, several long, pale fingers extended from within, bending slightly like the legs of a strange insect.

He even reached up and gently touched the fingers with his own, caressing them tenderly.

Watching this eerie display, A’Shou didn’t know which side she was supposed to protect anymore. No matter how she looked at him, Fang Xiu had nothing to do with the word “normal”. His aura was more unholy than any evil.

Is it really safe to let this creature loose in the world?

…Still, a teammate is a teammate. She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and quickly assessed the battlefield.

The immortals were no fools. Realizing Fang Xiu’s danger, the ghost immortals in the back summoned even more immortal E’s. During the battle, they had been secretly preparing their formation again, clearly intending to repeat their sealing attempt.

Back within the formation, Zhuang Guiqu stood trembling, his body still deformed in terrifying ways. That knocking Fang Xiu had summoned, whatever it was, had clearly left him gravely injured.

He glared at Fang Xiu with hatred. He seemed to try to speak, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was more knocking.

“How disappointing.”

Fang Xiu met his chaotic gaze and taunted him with delight. “No wonder they say ‘E’s’ have no brains. Even their tricks are all repeats.”

At the same time, Bai Shuangying stirred within Fang Xiu.

He was surprised to find that the black figure false god he had been suppressing was no longer trying to erode him. Instead, it was desperately trying to break away. It must have sensed something was wrong and now wanted to return to control the Immortal Encounter E.

Well, it needed to stay suppressed.

“How about we return this ‘false god’ to you?” Fang Xiu said calmly. “Compared to a soulless lump, that thing might still have a bit of imagination.”

As he spoke, he suggestively pressed a hand to his abdomen, fingertips gliding over the freshly healed wound—still tinged with soft pink, pulsing from within.

Fang Xiu was thin enough that he could feel Bai Shuangying’s body beneath his skin.

Well, whatever. As long as Fang Xiu was happy.

Bai Shuangying rubbed against the bulge, catching on quickly. He immediately released the suppression. The black figure false god vanished from his consciousness in an instant. It fled so completely, it was as if a great burden had been lifted. Bai Shuangying almost lost control of the power rushing out of him.

…That thing fled in panic, severing itself completely.

…So that was it. His human likely had no idea how much power he had just reclaimed. Fang Xiu’s “test” had been aimed at forcing the false god out, keeping him far from danger.

His human really was amazing. Bai Shuangying suddenly found that even the gods across from him looked a bit less annoying.

Meanwhile, among the immortals, Zhuang Guiqu’s body convulsed violently.

He no longer maintained his childlike appearance. His frame stretched tall and strong. His simple robes transformed into black garments, long hair cascading down his back.

His face no longer was covered in blood. Instead, his features twisted and reformed, aging and youth blending into one. The end result was a handsome and seemingly harmless visage. Based on looks alone, this “Zhuang Guiqu” could be called a gentleman of jade-like elegance.

His features didn’t resemble Fang Xiu, but his aura bore a strange similarity. Unfortunately, with one side glowing gold and the other covered in bloody fingers, Fang Xiu looked far more like the evil cultist everyone wanted to eliminate.

I am finally free. I can once more control the Immortal Encounter E.

If I don’t act now, this story will end. Not to mention Bai Shuangying’s terrifying power, even Fang Xiu alone can escape. His condition is far too strange. I cannot analyze the source of that knocking, but it fills me with dread.

Too dangerous. Far too dangerous.

I must use the character of Zhuang Guiqu. He is a role karmically entangled with me.

Yes, Zhuang Guiqu burning his vitality to enter a state of omniscience and peak power can be justified within the story.

Personally taking the stage is risky, but I cannot continue to sit on the sidelines. I must steer this story and trap Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying here.

At all costs. 

At all costs. 

At all costs.

……

In Fang Xiu’s vision, “Zhuang Guiqu” rose slowly.

“You’re an interesting human. Confident enough to treat ‘victory’ as your definite goal rather than a vague wish… that kind of ‘wish’ buried deep within the soul, something yearned for yet believed impossible.”

He spoke softly, yet his words carried far. “You’re right. I do want to grant your wish. Even if you refuse, I will make it come true.”

He raised his hand. The earth of Xushan trembled in response. The karmic chains within the seal quaked violently. The immortals looked toward “Zhuang Guiqu” in astonishment.

I know they have doubts. But this is not the time.

The powerful gods must understand who the enemy is and deal with the one who endangers the world first.

As for Zhuang Guiqu’s odd state, that can be explained in later arcs, with reasonable narrative continuation.

The rustling of chains filled the air. The astonishment on the immortals’ faces shifted to grim resolve.

“Your wish is ‘to be with Bai Shuangying forever’.”

“Zhuang Guiqu” said soft.

“I will sew you and Bai Shuangying together completely and bury you here forever.”

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Hei* has entered the stage, and Xiao Bai is gathering strength.

*Black (note [Bai] means white)

A surprise is on the way—

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