Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 180: New Wishes

A few days later, Yin Ren found an excuse and took Zhong Chengshuo to leave Haigu’s Municipal Hospital first.

However, since that day, Yin Ren started to appear and disappear mysteriously. Due to his surface identity as a flesh puppet, Yin Ren didn’t take Zhong Chengshuo along, so he couldn’t take proactive actions.

When Yin Ren wasn’t around, he could only wait obediently at home.

The residence in Ping’an Manor remained the same. Zhong Chengshuo sat on the edge of the bed, feeling restrained, his hand touching the edge of the bed. This had been his accustomed way of life for many years, but now it had become quiet to the point of unbearable.

The scenes from the world of memories continued to linger in his mind.

Zhong Chengshuo had never known that he used to be so enormous. In the past, his perception and cognition were limited. Now, he tried to recall earlier experiences, which was like asking an adult to reminisce about their infancy—a version where perception was completely disconnected.

No matter what, he couldn’t remember.

He was like a baby abandoned in a deserted world, not knowing why he was born, where he came from, or what he was supposed to be.

Zhong Chengshuo walked to the wardrobe, struggling for a moment, and pulled out a pack of cheese-flavored potato chips from the drawer. He chewed them slowly, one piece at a time. The crispy sound echoed in the room, and the rich and slightly salty cheese flavor mixed with the roasted potato aroma quickly spread between his lips and teeth.

Unfortunately, this familiar taste couldn’t calm Zhong Chengshuo down.

To be honest, up until now, Zhong Chengshuo only knew that he was a Primordial Elemental. As for things about the Other Side, he couldn’t recall anything.

But he knew that Yin Ren could probably guess—it seemed highly likely that the incident of the Divine Descent a thousand years ago was caused by him.

His true form shattered into pieces, blood splattered everywhere, giving birth to six Evil Spirits in succession, directly propelling the prosperity of evil creatures to its peak. It was easy to verify, simply by utilizing the highest-level Shian’s laboratory and comparing the nature of the Evil Spirit’s power with his own flesh and blood.

The suspense in this matter wasn’t significant.

If it were the previous Zhong Chengshuo, he would definitely be excited about this. Whether it was from the perspective of researching the Divine Descent or tracing his own origins, it was a great advancement.

But Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t feel happy now.

…If the legend of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was accurate, Yin Ren’s deranged mother was likely corrupted by Evil Force, leading to a distorted mind. Yin Ren, as a baby, absorbed an excessive amount of Evil Force and descended into the world as an evil in human form.

Accompanying him was the lingering pain of corruption and the destined loneliness of wandering in the wilderness.

All of this was caused by the Divine Descent he triggered a thousand years ago.

What would Yin Ren think about all of this?

Yin Village was a good village. If Yin Ren had been born normally, he would have lived a peaceful and fulfilling life as a mortal. He would have lived during the most stable period of the Gong Dynasty, without experiencing the wars that would occur hundreds of years later. He wouldn’t need to distance himself from the mortal world, seal his former companion with his own hands, or witness the agony of Yin Village’s destruction.

He wouldn’t have to personally end his own life when his body was on the verge of collapse.

…Faced with all of this, what would Yin Ren think?

These past few days, Yin Ren had been consciously avoiding him. Was it because he couldn’t overcome the hurdle in his heart and needed to contemplate alone?

Zhong Chengshuo took out the tub of spicy crayfish-flavored potato chips and opened it. The Evil Fruit silently flowed on its surface. Its dark red streams of light that were strangely beautiful, enough to make one’s heart tremble.

This was an Evil weapon created by Yin Ren’s own hands, forged through a blood oath.

It carried the ominous blood of the Great Celestial Master and an Evil Spirit, yet it became a cursed weapon that repelled all unwelcome intentions to kill and do harm, cursing all “murderers” in the world.

Zhong Chengshuo pressed his fingertips against the blade and slowly closed his eyes, as if touching a lover who was not by his side.

The emotion called fear gradually spread, but this time it came in fragmented and gentle waves, like a soft thorn that incessantly scratched at the depths of his heart.

Just as Zhong Chengshuo was carefully savoring this delicate and subtle emotion, the bedroom door suddenly opened without a sound. Zhong Chengshuo, deeply absorbed in his thoughts, jolted, narrowly avoiding cutting his finger on the Evil Fruit.

Instinctively, he backed against the corner of the wall, tensing his body vigilantly.

Then he saw Yin Ren with a peculiar expression.

It was deep autumn, and Yin Ren tucked his long hair under a hat. He was dressed in a dark red hoodie, giving him a rather modern appearance. At the moment, his hands were behind his back, and his facial expression was indescribable—it contained a mixture of satisfaction and anticipation, with a hint of subtle cunningness.

“Oh, what’s this? Turns out it’s the Evil Fruit.”

Yin Ren stretched his neck to take a look at the potato chip tub.

“You were so secretive; I thought you were hiding something particularly exciting.”

“Like the special items hidden in your room… such as the two erotic books that Lu Xiaohe found on your bookshelf?” Zhong Chengshuo carefully pondered, his voice trailing off.

The small trace of smugness on Yin Ren’s face instantly turned into bitterness.

Listening to Zhong Chengshuo’s recounting, the Shian group must have witnessed the heroic battle where the Great Celestial Master swept through the Gouluo army. Yin Ren didn’t know how long the impact would last; he only knew that there would be a moment when it would end and that it wouldn’t be enough to erase Lu Xiaohe’s wonderful memories.

“It’s… It’s only natural!” Yin Ren’s face turned slightly red.

Zhong Chengshuo nodded, carefully observing Yin Ren. He squeezed out the emotional intelligence he had accumulated for a long time, trying to perceive any trace of Yin Ren’s desire to distance himself.

Meanwhile, Yin Ren looked up and down at him. For a moment, it seemed as if they were competing to see whose gaze was more penetrating.

“…Forget it.”

Yin Ren succumbed to that particularly earnest gaze.

He cleared his throat, walked up to Zhong Chengshuo, and finally extended the hand that he had been hiding behind his back. In Yin Ren’s slender fingers rested a moderately thick package. It was wrapped in gray-black gift paper with a rabbit pattern on its surface, tied with a crimson ribbon.

“Tomorrow is your birthday, and Uncle and Auntie have confirmed it.”

Yin Ren exhaled.

“We’re going to have dinner at your parents’ place tomorrow. This gift is quite special; you should open it first.”

Zhong Chengshuo stared at Yin Ren in a daze, still holding the Evil Fruit in his hand, frozen in place.

Yin Ren tilted his head and looked at him for a while before suddenly realizing something. “I understand. You’re probably thinking about the events in the world of memories and believe that the Divine Descent you triggered altered my life. You think I’m upset with you because of that. Have you been thinking that I’m avoiding you these past few days?”

Zhong Chengshuo slowly turned his head away, no longer meeting Yin Ren’s eyes directly.

Yin Ren sat on the bed. His expression contorted for a moment, but he couldn’t hold back his smile. He grabbed the pillow and blanket from the bed and quickly arranged a soft makeshift altar. Then, he placed the gift box on top.

Immediately, he snapped his fingers, and a flame appeared in the air. Zhong Chengshuo’s computer, as if on its own, turned on and started playing a randomly selected tranquil music composed of natural elements.

“I have existed within your body; I know your state at that time. The Divine Descent was undoubtedly not something you intended. Why should I feel displeased with you for something you couldn’t control? …But then again, I do genuinely desire a mortal life.”

Yin Ren sat cross-legged in front of the soft makeshift altar. He took off his hat, and his long hair flowed like water on the bed sheet.

“However, the experiences of being the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi are equally precious to me. And at this moment, I am experiencing the best life that a mortal can have—I have no worries about food and clothing, good health, the company of my loved one, and a long future ahead.”

Zhong Chengshuo stood silently in place, his eyes behind his glasses blinking.

“Now, I offer this tribute for a wish.”

Yin Ren blinked slyly, and stood up, nearly collapsing the altar. He grabbed the delicately wrapped gift box and handed it to Zhong Chengshuo with one hand.

Zhong Chengshuo awkwardly took the box with both hands and looked at Yin Ren.

“My wish is for my beloved to like it—even if you don’t, please don’t tell me.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s throat bobbed, and he pressed his lips together. The radiance of the Evil Fruit flowed slowly as he gently cut open the ribbon of the gift. The wrapping paper with a rabbit pattern was carefully unwrapped by Zhong Chengshuo, without tearing it anywhere.

Inside the package was a hardcover notebook.

The surface of the notebook was jet black, giving it a business-like style. The paper inside was thick, and the craftsmanship was excellent. Zhong Chengshuo carefully opened the cover and found that the first page had the title “Compendium of the Primordial Elementals” neatly written, with a rabbit wearing glasses drawn below the title.

Zhong Chengshuo’s finger paused slightly, and he turned to the next page.

It was Yin Ren’s handwriting.

To be fair, Yin Ren’s handwriting wasn’t particularly mature, but he wrote with great seriousness. The handwriting was neat and pleasing to the eye, without any mistakes. Page after page, it recorded the “suspected Primordial Elementals” that the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had encountered during his hundred years in the mortal world.

Appearance, habits, characteristics, modes of communication… Yin Ren succinctly recorded them in plain language on the pages, even adding simple illustrations for each one.

Zhong Chengshuo quickly flipped through the pages, and after more than half of the notebook, the remaining pages were blank. And at the interrupted position, there was a drawing of Gao Mengyu’s “cat”.

That was where it all began.

“You said you like books.” Yin Ren touched his nose. “This will definitely become a book. Let me show you.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s grip on the notebook tightened slightly, and for some reason, his throat felt a bit dry.

“Still half empty,” he murmured, unfamiliar emotions flowing through his blood.

“Yeah, still half empty. We’ll perfect it together, great scientist.”

Yin Ren stood up completely, crossing over the makeshift altar of bedding and opening his arms.

Zhong Chengshuo took two steps forward and responded to the embrace. He buried his face in the crook of Yin Ren’s neck, savoring the person’s scent.

“Happy birthday.” Yin Ren’s chest trembled.

“Your wish has come true. This is the first wish I have completely fulfilled.”

Zhong Chengshuo mumbled in a muffled voice.

“…I’ve never liked anything this much before.”

And I’ve never liked someone this much either.

Yin Ren patted his back. “Speaking of that, I always felt that it’s a pity to give up the wish for ‘having apples every day’. Zhong Ge, let’s make a deal. Can I change it?”

“Hmm?”

“I prefer your dad’s style of making wishes.” Yin Ren murmured. “I also have someone important to me. They fell from somewhere, severely injured, trapped in a narrow space, barely clinging to life. If it weren’t for their luck, they would have died there in pain and confusion.”

“Their situation couldn’t have been caused by a mere ‘accidental’ fall. I want to uncover the truth and find out who is behind all of this.”

“Please use this wish to replace the wish for ‘having apples every day’.”

Zhong Chengshuo tightened his arms, and the jet-black notebook lay quietly on the edge of the bed.

“…Alright,” he said softly.

……

Haigu Municipal Hospital.

In the hospital room, a slender little girl leaned against the head of the bed with her bright eyes looking towards her parents by the bedside.

“Tell me a story!” she pleaded, smiling and acting spoiled.

“What story do you want to hear?” Her mother gestured for her husband to fetch some water, while she sat down beside the bed.

“A story about ‘Death’,” the girl said. “The doctor lady told it before, and I want to hear it again!”

Her mother flipped through the storybook she held in confusion. It was a picture book titled <The Little Red Wolf>, and it didn’t contain any elements related to ‘Death’.

“What did that doctor lady tell you?” her mother asked softly, as she put away the storybook.

Maybe that doctor brought her own storybook, so as not to trouble others. After all, there are only a few fairy tales. Once she figured out which one it was, she could buy it later.

The little girl furrowed her brow, trying hard to remember for a while.

“A long time ago, there was a country with day and night. The residents were born during the day and died during the night.”

“Then, a hero appeared. The hero discovered that the night was the incarnation of Death. To pursue a better world, the hero gathered companions, and together they vanquished Death.”

“Death disappeared, and the night disappeared too. Everyone obtained eternal life and would no longer die due to aging.”

The girl’s mother thought for a moment but couldn’t think of any fairy tales that matched. However, the content of this story was simple and ordinary, and it was possible that the doctor had improvised it to encourage the patients.

“It has a good ending,” she said, stroking her daughter’s head.

“No.”

The little girl shook her head.

“She said the story doesn’t have an ending yet.”

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Kinky Thoughts:

Well, as always, everything in previous arcs connects to each other. The cat was to explain about the “gaps” of the Other Side, and Feng Qi and Ge Tingting’s case was to hint about why Zhong Chengshuo was given the alias ‘Death’. Given how Yin Ren is part of Zhong Chnegshuo, it makes sense why he’s the dragon.

For those confused by the events, here is how things unraveled.

1,000+ years ago, Zhong Chengshuo descended into the mortal realm, triggering the Divine Descent of a thousand years ago. This gave rise to many Evil Spirits and evil beings. One of them was Yin Ren, whose mother was affected by the Evil Force from the Divine Descent and went crazy. She eventually gave birth while being corrupted by Evil Force, essentially birthing an evil in human form. This explains why Yin Ren could live for so long and is so powerful (enough to seal the other Evil Spirits).

Time fast forward, and Yin Ren eventually became known as the Great Celestial Master revered by many, and bestowed the name Zhong Yi by the Emperor (though in reality he was just a normal semi-human with normal mortal desires). The orphans he saved eventually created Huajisi, which is now known as Shian.

Near the end of the Gong Dynasty, the Gouluo army invaded and destroyed Yin Village, Yin Ren’s hometown. This triggered the event that led to the birth of Shian’s Evil Spirit. Yin Ren had left an evil dog there to guard the town. Seeing the villagers being slaughtered, it went crazy. The Gouluo army had brought a source of corruption which was then eaten by the evil dog, transforming it into an Evil Spirit.

Before the Evil Dog Spirit could transform, Yin Ren arrived and sealed it away, creating the Evil Fruit, which was the blood oath between him and the Evil Dog Spirit.

With this last seal, Yin Ren exhausted almost everything and was nearing the end of his life. He returned to his hideout, the Valley of Remains, which in modern times is where Haigu is, and to his little hut that he built in the mountains. The hut is built on the edge of a large expanse of darkness, which is basically what Zhong Chengshuo is.

During his time alive, Yin Ren would return to this hut to rest and encounter a black “rabbit” that Zhong Chengshuo sent out. Eventually, the black rabbit learned many things in the mortal world through Yin Ren, and they developed a connection.

In the last moments of Yin Ren’s life, the Gouluo army was able to trace him to his hideout and intend to steal his Evil Fruit (thinking it could command the army of evil spirits). To protect the orphans, Yin Ren created an altar and offered half a red apple as sacrifice to make a wish.

Seeing that he ate the apple that Yin Ren offered, Zhong Chengshuo was determined to grant his wish. Eventually, the Gouluo army who invaded the Valley of Remains was wiped out, and Zhong Chengshuo preserved Yin Ren’s corpse because he hadn’t “learn” enough yet about the mortal world. He gives the dying Yin Ren half of his power, but it wasn’t enough to revive him (yet).

This leads to the events of modern times. Zhong Chengshuo’s serial killer parents offered their own baby as a sacrifice, allowing Zhong Chengshuo to invade the dead baby’s body. Before he could grant their “wish” they were captured by the police, and he was adopted by his police parents. Determined to carry out part of Yin Ren’s wish for him to “learn about the human world” he grows up as a “human” that is Zhong Chengshuo.

This arc is now over. Summary below.

In order to learn more about what Zhong Chengshuo is and the Great Celestial Master’s past, they decided to enter Yin Ren’s memories via magic similar to the Archive. Using Shian’s Evil Spirit as part of the power source and to help fill in gaps of Yin Ren’s memories, they could do this.

In the meantime, Sunken Society had their own plans as well. Shen Mo, a Charon, planned to invade Shian’s Evil Spirit’s memories and “rewrite” them, triggering the Evil Spirit to go mad. Unfortunately, he was met with Shian forces that were also there from Yin Ren’s memories.

In the memory world, Zhong Chengshuo was sent into Yin Ren’s shell, Zhong Yi, while Yin Ren was sent to Zhong Chengshuo’s shell. Events started to unfold where the past was revealed (which you can read the summary above).

Eventually, the past is uncovered. Yin Ren turns out to be an evil that was affected by Evil Force from Zhong Chengshuo’s Divine Descent thousands of years ago. Zhong Chengshuo is a Primordial Elemental from “the Other Side” that somehow fell into the human world.

Now with this past revealed, they plan to investigate more on the Primordial Elementals and why Zhong Chengshuo fell to the human world in the first place, triggering the Divine Descent.

——

On a side note, there’s a lot of allusion here to the underworld. Zhong Chengshuo is seen as ‘Death’, his alias as ‘King Yama’ (the king of hell), and the Charon, which is the ferryman of Hades.

My theory is that the Other Side is similar to the underworld (but not in the sense that it’s literally the underworld but more like a different dimension). As the ferryman, the Charon can cross between both sides, which is why those with the Charon ability can enter and leave the ‘Other Side’. 

Also how funny Yin Ren called Zhong Chengshuo Zhong Ge before because of their “age” in the modern world but in actuality, Zhong Chengshuo is really older than him. Now the Ge is actually applicable… but rather it should be more like Zhong Lao, since it seems he’s much older than just Ge.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 179: Fairy Tale

On the top floor of a luxurious hotel in Haigu.

This time, Wei Huaqian changed hotels, and the only thing that remained the same was the height and the view outside the window, overlooking the entire city of Haigu.

He took a puff of his cigarette and flicked the ashes into the ashtray. Outside the window, it was dusk, and the surroundings were dim. In the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window, the wrinkles and scattered white hair on his face were clearly visible.

Wei Huaqian’s gaze occasionally swept over his phone, which lay silent, without making a sound.

“Squeak—”

At the moment when the sun completely set, the door behind him slowly opened. Wei Huaqian’s motion of flicking the cigarette ashes paused for half a second, and his gaze followed the falling black-gray ash, without raising his head. “Shen Mo.”

Shen Mo had changed into a simple and neat shirt, and his hair still carried the moistness of a shower. He casually closed the door and sat opposite Wei Huaqian in a carefree manner. His every move exuded relaxation, and the fabric of his clothes outlined the contours of a youthful body.

“Xiao Wei, it’s been a few days, and you’ve aged even more,” he greeted casually.

The flesh on Wei Huaqian’s face trembled, and he forced a polite smile. “Seems like Shian’s mad dog is quite obedient. Did Shen Xiong* make a mistake?”

*Honorific to address someone who is older or of higher status than you. It shows respect and also familiarity (similar to Ge, but more respectful).

Shen Mo casually picked up a fig and squeezed it slightly. The yellow-white flesh revealed a sweet and bloody core. He took a bite and chewed it for a while. “Yeah, I made a mistake. I happened to run into the people of Shian investigating.”

Wei Huaqian remained silent.

Ignoring him, Shen Mo picked up two more figs and leisurely enjoyed them.

“That world is not reality. Even if Fu Xingchuan personally intervenes, you won’t suffer,” Wei Huaqian said in a low voice. “Or did he really intervene, and you can’t bear to act against the junior you brought up?”

Shen Mo replied, “…Xiao Wei, what are you saying? We’ve known each other for so long. If I had the chance, I’d be the first to kill him.”

“Give me a reason for your mistake.”

“I also want to ask you. I saw quite a lot of things this time.” Shen Mo shook his head. “The people from Shian obtained some powerful memories—I didn’t notice before that there was such a colossal monster hidden in the Valley of Remains. Compared to it, the Evil Spirits are simply small and cute.”

Wei Huaqian’s face turned gloomy, and the cigarette ash grew long. “Monster?”

“Yes, Shian somehow obtained those memories and projected them as illusions using Yellow Millet. Those memories were detailed enough that not even the Great Celestial Master himself has such recollections.”

Shen Mo played with the soft, red-skinned fig in his hand, rolling it around in his palm, as if it were a stale organ.

“Absolutely impossible.” Wei Huaqian stood up, stubbing his cigarette fiercely in the ashtray. “Zhong Yi is already dead. You’ve seen our files. In the end, his body was completely deteriorated. Not to mention preserving memories, he couldn’t even preserve his whole corpse!”

“But no one has ever found his body, right?” Shen Mo shrugged. “I paid close attention, and the seal of the Great Celestial Master is in the Valley of Remains… Well, it should be Haigu judging from the terrain. Most likely, those predecessors changed it because they found the word ‘hai’ in ‘Haigu’ unlucky*. I can’t be mistaken about that.”

*Clarity: The Valley of Remains is [Haigu] (骸谷). The predecessor renamed it to Sea Valley [Haigu] (海谷) as the [hai] (骸) in the Valley of Remains means skeleton/remains, which isn’t auspicious.

“I remember the fluctuation of the demonic energy during that period in the summer. It seemed like a demonic emergence, but when you used the blood sacrifice to attract it, not even a single strand of demonic hair was drawn in. Do you think that maybe…” Shen Mo’s voice trailed off meaningfully.

Upon hearing these words, Wei Huaqian became calm.

“You’ve spent more time ‘over there’, so you might not be familiar with the details. I had people investigate all the suspicious individuals related to the ‘outbreak of Evil Force’.”

Wei Huaqian reclined in his armchair and rubbed his temples. He casually took out a tablet and operated it for a while before pushing it in front of Shen Mo.

“The most suspicious one is this young man. Take a look for yourself.”

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and wiped the juice off his hand. “Yin Ren? …The surname is interesting. Is he a descendant of the hidden Yin Village?”

He casually flipped through the information on the tablet and grew increasingly silent.

This person’s origins were unknown, making him highly suspicious. However, he passed all of Shian’s medical tests and is currently a non-science staff member of Special Operations Unit 9, rated as a C-level.

Wei Huaqian had intentionally or unintentionally tested Yin Ren and his partner Zhong Chengshuo with the corruption source case but didn’t obtain any substantial evidence of “abnormality”. In the recent attack by Mr. Qiu, Yin Ren’s partner Zhong Chengshuo was shot dead on the spot.

Shen Mo was shocked when he saw the phrase “Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo are in a romantic relationship”.

According to the information obtained from Shian, after Zhong Chengshuo’s death, Yin Ren specially created a flesh puppet to commemorate his lover, and the doll was always by his side.

Shen Mo quickly looked through the photos of Yin Ren. This person had a somewhat sinister appearance that was different from ordinary people’s. However, whether by chance or otherwise, the photos obtained by Wei Huaqian had a certain… element to them.

For example, this person couldn’t move his feet in front of a game experience store. For example, this person held three ice cream cones in both hands simultaneously. For example, this person held a large bucket of fried chicken with gleaming eyes…

Even in group scenes, he could only see photos like “the little couple feeding each other”, “the little couple shopping in a supermarket”, “the little couple wearing toy ears and playing in an amusement park”, and so on.

Shen Mo: “…Tsk.”

Wei Huaqian: “Hmm, he’s got some talent. But besides eating, drinking, and having fun, this person hasn’t done much. In the previous cases involving Unit 9, he didn’t show any special performances either.”

Shen Mo pressed his temple. “I understand. This person has no connection with the Great Celestial Master.”

His gaze lingered on a photo of Yin Ren holding skewers in both hands, imitating the pose of a hero fan. There was no trace of arrogance in those crimson eyes, only pure joy as he looked at Zhong Chengshuo, who was chewing on grilled baby cabbage.

Shen Mo decisively closed the screen.

“Let me think… At this point in time, it should be the ‘Ant Nest’ in Gengsheng Town that had a problem. There might be information about the Great Celestial Master hidden there, which you didn’t find, and it was discovered by the Shian afterward. After all, it’s a thousand-year-old ant nest, and the members of the Sunken Society are skilled at hiding things. You should know that best.”

“Mm,” Wei Huaqian neither confirmed nor denied it.

“That competition organized by Shian a while ago. Did they bring in a shaman named Sang Jie? If I remember correctly, the Shaman faction in Linnan is skilled in the Golden Light Exorcism magic, and they all have Gouluo lineage—Gouluo has its own unique research on ‘Monsters’ and ‘Primordial Elements’.”

Shen Mo tapped on the table with his fingertips.

“Perhaps they discovered something in Gengsheng Town and used the ruse of the competition to invite a descendant of the Gouluo tribe to Haigu. That girl is still in the hospital. You can use her as a breakthrough point.”

When he said these words, Shen Mo dropped his casual demeanor and became unusually serious.

“Wei Huaqian, I don’t know how much new information Shian has obtained. All I know is that after this encounter, their understanding of the Other Side will only grow. You better make early preparations for your ‘sacrifice’ plan.”

“Our time is running out.”

……

In the memory world.

The fire in Huajisi burned throughout the night before it was extinguished. Due to the large number of onlookers, the members of the Shian didn’t sleep all night.

This directly led to Fu Xingchuan thinking he was hallucinating when he saw Yin Ren approaching wearing a “Leader’s Close Confidant with a Great Problem” t-shirt.

However, just by looking at this person’s temperament, Fu Xingchuan could tell at a glance that “Yin Ren” was the genuine master. He saw the man carrying a chubby black rabbit, calmly chewing on vegetable leaves.

The members of Huajisi who were watching took two steps back upon seeing this strange individual.

Fortunately, the elites of Huajisi were well-experienced and remained calm. The metaphysical world was filled with strange individuals, but at least this one had a pleasing face.

Lu Xiaohe was the first to regain control of her expression and clear her throat in a composed manner. “Xiao Yin, what is this rabbit?”

She cast a suspicious glance at the rabbit—unlike the illusory rabbits they had seen before, this black rabbit had a distinct nose and eyes. It looked plump and quite adorable. At the moment, its nose twitched as it steadily consumed the fresh green leaves.

“This is Zhong Chengshuo.” Yin Ren held the rabbit tightly with a touch of sorrow. “This is a long story. In short, he gave me my body back, and I found a new place for him. He… He was created by my own hands, so he doesn’t need a complicated vessel.”

Fu Xingchuan stared deeply at the rabbit, feeling that something was amiss, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“Actually, I should have chosen a healthier one,” Yin Ren suddenly added, with a somewhat flat tone—flat to the point of familiarity.

Everyone’s gaze instantly turned to Yin Ren.

“Unfortunately, the grass and trees near the Valley of Remains are lush, and all the rabbits were plump.” Yin Ren quickly resumed his original tone, with an imperceptible tension in his voice.

Lu Xiaohe’s expression gradually became puzzled.

“But it’s really too fat.” Just when she thought this irrelevant topic was about to end, Yin Ren spoke up again. The rabbit stopped eating, and its moist black eyes looked at Yin Ren.

“It’s cute when it’s chubby.” This time, Yin Ren’s tone had a touch of determination. “It’s very suitable.”

Lu Xiaohe: “Uh…”

Could it be that the self-sacrifice of the flesh puppet, who “died” once again, had triggered some emotional scar in Yin Ren? She looked around and wisely remained silent.

Inside Yin Ren.

Zhong Chengshuo: [.…..] He watched helplessly as Yin Ren held the “fake Zhong Chengshuo” and kneaded it; a series of ellipses rolled through his mind.

This chubby rabbit was clearly a masterful creation, made by Yin Ren to deceive Shian, bought from the vegetable market. In order to appease its emotions, Yin Ren also bought it the freshest vegetable leaves.

[Yin Ren could have chosen the healthiest one.] He contemplated quietly. [Is there something wrong with the impression I’ve given him?]

Yin Ren cleared his throat loudly, changing the subject. “Anyway, you must have seen the memories I shared. Everyone—what’s going on? Why is there one person missing?”

The young girl from the Lu family, Fu Shangliu, Li Heyan, and that… that solemn-looking dyed dog—everyone had communication earpieces in their ears.

Yin Ren casually glanced at the corner where Yellow Millet was, walked up to “Fu Shangliu”, and had a serious expression. “Fu Xingchuan, who exactly is in trouble?”

Fu Tianyi: “?”

Fu Xingchuan silently opened his mouth and bit Yin Ren’s calf.

……

In the evening, a shimmering light emerged in the underground of Shian.

After nearly two weeks of disappearance, seven figures reappeared on the bed. Fu Xingchuan was the first to struggle and sit up, his movements somewhat awkward and uncoordinated. Li Nian strode forward in large steps, his face looking as gloomy as if he had just experienced a funeral.

“What happened? Why did we lose contact for so long?”

“We made a mistake in judging the nature of the memory world and made several temporary adjustments to the details of our spell, woof.”

Fu Xingchuan murmured, still immersed in Yin Ren’s analogy about the “network”.

During the process of perfecting the spell, Yin Ren explained his speculation about the nature of the memory world in great detail. Suddenly receiving this unprecedented speculation, Fu Xingchuan’s mind hadn’t fully grasped it even after leaving the memory world.

Li Nian: “…”

Li Nian: “What do you mean by ‘we made a mistake in judging the nature of the memory world’?”

“It concerns the Other Side, and it’s not suitable to discuss it here.” Fu Xingchuan lowered his voice and glanced at Yin Ren and the “flesh puppet” still lying on the bed. “Let everyone rest for now, and we’ll arrange another time.”

Li Nian remained silent for an even longer time this time.

“Alright,” he said in a firm tone, “It seems that certain individuals need time to recover mentally.”

He made a gesture, and Shian’s medical team swiftly entered the scene. Huang Jin reached out his hand towards the medical team with a melancholic whimper. Fu Xingchuan finally snapped out of it and cleared his throat.

“This will be a long story,” he said slowly and deliberately. “Remember to set aside enough time and free up the laboratory. By the way, it’s best to arrange for them to stay at the Municipal Hospital to avoid drawing too much attention.”

“I understand.”

Seeing his former partner so serious, Li Nian’s expression held a hint of surprise.

“I will handle it properly.” This time, his response was equally solemn.

When Shian’s Unit 9 returned to Haigu’s Municipal Hospital, it was already late at night.

The damage in the memory world was relatively minor, but everyone was exhausted to the extreme. Except for Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, the others received an intravenous drip and fell asleep immediately. Despite having many things to say, Yin Ren made a great effort to hold back his words.

He could only occasionally touch Zhong Chengshuo, who was lying on the bed next to him. Since having a physical form, that strange sense of repulsion had returned. But to some extent, understanding this guy’s situation made that subconscious repulsion feel amusing.

Zhong Chengshuo contemplated for a moment and nudged towards Yin Ren’s direction, indulging in his poking actions.

“In a while, Fu Xingchuan and the others will definitely ‘summon’ the two of us to solve the real issue. We don’t have much free time until then.”

“Mm,” Zhong Chengshuo softly responded.

In the darkness, Zhong Chengshuo’s body outline appeared solid and handsome. Even now, Yin Ren still couldn’t connect the messy-looking rabbit with the attractive human figure in front of him.

“Do you have any plans?”

Yin Ren stopped poking him and instead reached out, placing his palm against the person’s back.

It was incredibly warm.

“Let’s celebrate properly together,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered with his back turned to Yin Ren. “Stay with you… just be together.”

“Is there anything else?” Yin Ren raised an eyebrow.

“There’s… “

“It’s the end of the month, Zhong Chengshuo.” Yin Ren leaned down; his body a fist’s distance away from Zhong Chengshuo.

He blew into the person’s ear. “It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”

At this moment, in the neighboring building.

“I’m here, I’m here.” Sun Qi’an yawned, forcing herself to stay alert as she sat in front of a hospital bed. “We agreed. Sister will read you a story, so Qianqian, please don’t cry anymore, okay?”

The little girl’s face was pale, her lips turning white. Her thin hand had prominent veins, as she was receiving intravenous therapy.

Sun Qi’an gently stroked her hair and picked up the fairy tale book by the girl’s pillow.

The cover of the fairy tale book was soft and beautiful, clearly a classic fairy tale. Sun Qi’an opened it to a page, and her gaze suddenly became incredibly gentle. When she spoke again, her voice remained the same, but there was an added soothing magic.

“Well… today, let’s tell the story of ‘Death’.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 178: The So-Called Other Side

A few hours ago, above the wilderness.

Stumbling and tripping, Yin Ren left the area of the Valley of Remains and decided to lie on the ground for a few minutes after his fifteenth fall.

Knowing that the subject was the “small” animal he had fed before his death, along with the “grand” scenery outside the window that had lasted for centuries, Yin Ren did feel some emotions, but these emotions were quite limited. Especially after they entered the same body, he could directly sense Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts.

This time, Zhong Chengshuo had exposed all of his secrets. This guy no longer had any secrets given the level of their relationship, so he didn’t bother hiding anything.

The convenience was that Yin Ren quickly grasped the perspective of Zhong Chengshuo from a thousand years ago. The inconvenience was even more apparent—they could only communicate verbally on a physical level; otherwise, Yin Ren couldn’t figure out which thoughts were in Zhong Chengshuo’s head he wanted to express.

In fact, he couldn’t even imagine what Zhong Chengshuo was thinking about before.

Now that the memory world had clearly encountered problems, they were almost clueless about the current situation. And as a more typical “monster”, Zhong Chengshuo’s inner thoughts… were unexpectedly normal but also somewhat abnormal.

[Today is Thursday, and there’s a promotion at the store. But we probably can’t go back today. If we buy chicken thighs after returning home, it will be two yuan and six jiao more per kilogram. How about buying some expensive ingredients to celebrate our improved relationship? But if I make chicken curry, I can add apples, which would be more meaningful… Yin Ren also prefers chicken curry.]

Thinking of this, Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts went blank for a second, and then a new train of thought emerged.

[Apples and cucumbers taste like cantaloupe when mixed together.]

[Cantaloupe… I need to explain King Yama’s recent whereabouts to the Nightwalkers, leaving some traces, saying that I was on a mission in the highland area. I can take the opportunity to turn Yin Ren into a partner of King Yama in appearance.]

[So, this is how I looked in Yin Ren’s memories. I should record it when I go back. I wonder what kind of Primordial Elemental I am and what specific physiological features I have. Does Yin Ren now count as my kind? I’ve given him some power, does that make him my descendant? Is this unethical?]

[Do Elementals have ethics?]

“I have human parents from a human perspective, unless you want to make up for a thousand years of Chinese New Year money.” Yin Ren spoke in a low voice. “Zhong Ge, I respect you as an elder brother. That’s about it.”

[But I had no cognition before, and my cognition from a thousand years ago was only equivalent to that of a human baby. Then I slept until twenty-eight years ago. Regardless of physical lifespan, my mental age is only around thirty.] Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts accelerated for a moment.

Yin Ren: “…” He could almost imagine that person’s serious tone.

It was such a familiar pattern, as if he had used it himself in the past.

But when he thought about Zhong Chengshuo’s actions from a thousand years ago, Yin Ren broke out in a cold sweat.

That guy directly infused him with half of his power—although compared to the “rotten” corruption source, these powers were relatively stable. But they were still the genuine, most pure power of calamity. The fact that he didn’t explode into fireworks on the spot could be considered a miracle in the field of anomaly studies.

He went from being an anomaly to an Evil Spirit… No, a Primordial Elemental cub. He was probably closely connected to these powers.

What was the situation with Zhong Chengshuo, and what exactly was he himself? Yin Ren was extremely curious. Unfortunately, they could only speculate here, and to further study it, they had to leave this cursed place.

To leave this cursed place…

“It’s a bit strange.” Yin Ren turned over on the ground, facing upwards. “This world should have ended long ago, but it still exists. The magical system is completely based on the ‘Archive’, consisting of memories and consciousness. It shouldn’t have these issues.”

“I don’t understand magic.” Zhong Chengshuo honestly responded.

“I know… I’m just thinking about the difference between the two.” Yin Ren stared at the fiery sunset. “If we had to put it into words, the Archive is a closed personal consciousness, while this one has a connection to the Evil Spirit… Apart from that, there shouldn’t be any difference. The corruption source didn’t issue any special warnings either.”

At this point, Yin Ren seemed to remember something. “Speaking of which, I have something to ask you. I showed you the memories of my communication with Dog Thing just now.”

Zhong Chengshuo asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Dog Thing initially thought that everyone outside was real. It told me that ordinary creatures couldn’t bear it.” Yin Ren toyed with the ends of his hair with his fingers. “But it can attach itself to a phone. After all, a human brain should be stronger than a mobile chip, right?”

“…”

[Storage space, definitely not. As for chips and systems, the biological brain, no matter how you think about it, should be more sophisticated than a mobile processor. Bearing capacity… storing large amounts of data…]

In the instant he received the question, Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts began to race.

[And there are unidentified external data… devices… entities… connections…]

This time, Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts were almost exploding internally. Countless principles and formulas that Yin Ren had never encountered before formed a hurricane, and clues about the Other Side danced within it.

And after the calm of the hurricane, Zhong Chengshuo once again took control of Yin Ren’s mouth.

“It’s the internet.”

“…What did you say?”

“This is my conjecture—the reason for the appearance of unknown memories in the memory world is the ‘internet’.”

This time, Zhong Chengshuo even took control of Yin Ren’s hands. He got up in one roll and picked up a stick from the ground.

“Without delving into deeper principles, you can think of the ‘internet’ as a ‘thing’ that can connect countless devices. Whether it’s complex devices or simple ones, you can obtain the necessary data through it.”

Yin Ren, who had been in the modern world for less than a year, said, “…Slow down and speak in plain language.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s thoughts paused for a full five seconds.

“Let me put it in simpler terms. When you use the online features on a tablet, for example, the things you watch online are not provided by the tablet itself. If you don’t connect to the internet, you can only access locally downloaded data.”

Yin Ren struggled to recall his experiences with a tablet for watching shows. “That’s true.”

Leaving aside other matters, whether there was internet access or not was one of his major concerns in the modern world.

“If we consider the human brain as a ‘device’, then this situation can be explained.”

Zhong Chengshuo intentionally slowed down his thoughts.

“The ‘Archive’ only allows Shian to explore the individual human brain, which can be seen as ‘accessing local data’. But this time, in order to supplement memories, you also ‘connected’ the memories of the Evil Spirit into it.”

“That’s right…” Yin Ren instinctively responded.

“So, when you were designing the magical system, did you specifically design it to connect with the memories of ‘Shian’s Evil Spirit’?”

Yin Ren was stunned.

Indeed, they didn’t. According to their initial calculations, as the energy source supplying magical power, the Evil Spirit’s memories would automatically fill in the details of Yin Ren’s memories. Considering that no one else would have memories from a thousand years ago, they left a “loophole” in Yin Ren’s memories and didn’t specify a particular object.

“Your memories about this era have been ‘connected’,” Zhong Chengshuo said solemnly.

“This also explains why the people in Huajisi have such clear details—portraits, records, rumors… People like Fu Shangliu and Li Heyan must have left behind a large amount of information. These ‘brain devices’ provide memories that collectively form what you and I see.”

Yin Ren tried to digest this interpretation of the new era. “Are you saying that the memory world of the present actually comes from everyone’s memories of this era?”

“Historical books, paintings, rumors, anecdotes passed down by descendants, even memories and legacies of other creatures… The previous army of 150,000, perhaps there were scattered survivors who passed down their experiences to future generations.”

Those pieces of information transcended time and continued with the extension of life. In the depths of the memories of certain individuals still living in the world, fragments of memories from that era remained.

“Yin Ren, this world is ‘data’. It is a compilation of memories from countless creatures about this era that you obtained from the ‘internet’.”

“No, that’s not right.” Yin Ren frowned. “According to what you said, these brain devices would have to be ‘connected’ to function. I have seen memory magic, and its influence is not that extensive.”

This time, without waiting for Zhong Chengshuo to respond, Yin Ren read his clear and resolute thoughts.

[Your magic—I’m afraid it is closer to ‘commands’.]

[That enormous network composed of countless ‘brains’ may have existed even longer ago.]

Yin Ren subconsciously tightened his fingers, and the dried tree branch in his hand snapped. Zhong Chengshuo’s conjecture was too absurd, and he instinctively wanted to find the flaws in it… But upon careful consideration, it could explain many things.

The fact that Dog Thing could survive on a phone was probably because the “internet” is a lower form of that network and shares certain similarities with its natural habitat. It couldn’t return to its own world and could only condescend to accept a more primitive and accessible substitute.

Qi Xin and Mr. Qiu, those Elementals, enjoyed controlling people whose brains had issues. Perhaps it was because these people’s “devices” had malfunctioned, making them more susceptible to invasion.

Even the Archive provided evidence—only when abnormalities occurred in the brain did a significant invasion of Primordial Elements occur in the Archive.

Just like “Primordial Elementals” could refer to that group of peculiar beings, could that ancient network already have a name?

For example… “The Other Side”?

……

Darkness surged, and Shen Mo’s possessed body instantly crumbled.

He calmly “resurfaced” once again, leaving this so-called memory world. This time, he let go of his controlling consciousness and no longer attempted to return.

He had gathered enough intelligence.

For example, Shian had obtained detailed information from a thousand years ago through some means. For example, in the past, there was a colossal invisible creature in the Valley of Remains that was even deadlier than the Evil Spirits.

And this time, after Shian discovered the anomalies in this supposed memory world, it was highly likely that they would touch upon the essence of “the Other Side”.

To ensure smooth progress on Sunken Society’s plans, they needed to accelerate their actions.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

For those confused about the explanation of why the memories was still continuing despite the Evil Dog Spirit being sealed and Yin Ren (from a thousand years ago) is “dead”:

Basically, when they designed the spell in order to enter the memories of the past (similar to the Archive), it’s not really “magic” but more like a command prompt. Think of it like it’s a search engine.

Yin Ren designed the spell and inputted: Take me back to 1,000 years ago during this time and place so I can show my memories. However, given how much time has passed, Yin Ren’s memory may be spotty, so they tethered the spell to the Evil Dog Spirit to fill in any gaps.

However, Yin Ren left a loophole, in that instead of making the spell filter specifically “Take me back to 1,000 years ago during this time and place using my memories and the Evil Dog Spirit’s memories” he didn’t include the bold portion. After all, this was memories from 1,000 years ago and besides him and the Evil Dog Spirit, no one else would be alive now. So when the spell was cast, it not only pulled in memories of the two, but also the entire world (just like the internet; when you search for something, if you don’t specify specific details it’ll pull in a bunch of stuff related to whatever prompt you enter).

This explains why Huajisi’s headquarters is so vivid and other details despite the Evil Dog Spirit and Yin Ren have never been there. The spell was pulling memories from the descendants of those people during that time that had passed down their stories/fables/recountings to their offsprings. Overtime, these stories became the memories of their descendants and when Yin Ren cast his spell, it also pulled in the modern day people’s memories.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 177: The Burning of the Books

“This isn’t the real past, so it should be fine, right?” Ge Tingting nervously asked.

Everything that should have ended suddenly had no visible end in sight. Amidst the lively atmosphere of Huajisi, she could almost hear the sound of fear quietly surging. With the realization that this “world” was still functioning, Fu Xingchuan, who had become a prominent figure, grew significantly quieter. Ge Tingting had a foreboding feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

“I don’t know.”

Fu Xingchuan admitted decisively.

“But we must ensure that things progress on the right track, and no one can say for certain whether this ‘memory world’ will in turn affect Yin Ren and the Evil Spirit.”

“Well… Second Uncle’s right. We’d better not take any risks,” Fu Tianyi concurred with a worried expression.

He no longer wanted to go on missions with Unit 9 of the Haigu branch. After two consecutive unfortunate encounters with these cursed phenomena, his spirit felt as if it had aged twenty years. He hadn’t seen much of Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, but the streak of bad luck seemed endless.

“Hmph.” Huang Jin scoffed.

As a major laborer in this mission, he couldn’t be bothered to be polite anymore. “What do you mean ‘not taking risks’? Now the Great Celestial Master and the Evil Spirit are buried underground, no one knows what happened afterward in that era. How can we ensure we’re on the ‘right track’?”

Despite being a wild spirit smith by origin, Huang Jin had a certain understanding of metaphysics history.

During the waning days of the Gong Dynasty, the Gouluo Army invaded and advanced all the way to the capital. After a decade of chaos, a grassroots-born divine general emerged, ultimately donning the yellow robe and establishing a new dynasty.

The last emperor of the Gong Dynasty didn’t trust Huajisi, and the capital was tormented by the Gouluo Army. It was said that a significant portion of Huajisi’s records were lost, and a considerable number of precious books were taken by the Gouluo people. It was only through the sacrifice of cultivators and scholars of that time that the core records were preserved. Afterwards, Huajisi followed the new emperor and established its headquarters in the new capital, ushering in another wave of prosperity.

What Huajisi had experienced during that time left behind significant gaps in history. Even the biographies of Fu Shangliu and Li Heyan, the two leaders, weren’t particularly detailed.

“We have some stories handed down in our family,” Fu Tianyi hurriedly interjected. “Fu Shangliu had a gentle temperament, moderate strength, and a fair-minded person. A very traditional Fu family descendant.”

“Li Heyan was his good friend, a well-known talented woman during the late Gong Dynasty. She made significant contributions in both science and literature, but she had a strict character and was a bit arrogant.”

“Are there no specific event records?” Lu Xiaohe asked, rubbing her temples feeling a headache.

If they didn’t handle things in accordance with the personalities of those in Huajisi, it would be uncertain whether the people of Huajisi would accept it. Moreover, they were unaware of the rules of Huajisi in this era, and a slight mistake could lead to loopholes.

Fu Tianyi shook his head. “No… Fu Shangliu is the grandfather of our ancestor, and even our ancestor is not clear about what happened back then.”

Fu Xingchuan looked irritably at the tips of his claws. This would have been the perfect time to contact Professor Li for help, but unfortunately, they were completely cut off from the outside world.

The two leaders of Huajisi had only received information, without even receiving a royal decree. The Emperor made it clear this time that he wanted to sideline Huajisi, but if the royal cultivators were to break that seal, who knew what might be unleashed—

Unknown shadows more powerful than the Evil Spirit, the still-living Great Celestial Master, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers who died in vain. By directly uncovering this chaotic mess, it was evident that the Emperor felt that the downfall of the country hadn’t been satisfying enough.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiaohe paced back and forth within the vast halls of Huajisi, repeatedly reviewing the letters received by Li Heyan.

The atmosphere in Huajisi was also a bit strange. Despite the liveliness, various shades of worry could be seen on people’s faces. From time to time, someone would pause in front of the statue of Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, gaze at it for a while, and sigh quietly.

The offering plate in front of the statue of Zhong Yi had become significantly fuller since Lu Xiaohe had arrived. Among the offerings were many small pieces of candied fruit, clearly added by the members of this place.

They didn’t yet know that Zhong Yi had already perished deep within the mountain cliffs.

However, they did know that “Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi had annihilated the 150,000 Gouluo Army”, and they could more or less guess what the Emperor intended to do.

Huajisi was founded by Fu Liu, a disciple of Zhong Yi. The first group of core members were all abandoned orphans picked up by Zhong Yi. For so many years, Zhong Yi had been dealing with the evil beings and bringing in the latest knowledge about them. His relationship with Huajisi was quite delicate, and if one were to insist on describing it, “teacher and friend” would be the most appropriate words.

The connection between the Great Celestial Master and the mortal realm was limited to the annual night patrol of Yin Village and communication with Huajisi.

With this in mind, it was understandable why the Emperor had reason to suspect that Huajisi “knew but didn’t report, deserving death”. Lu Xiaohe’s gaze swept across the worried faces of the members of Huajisi, unable to help but force a bitter smile.

“Since Fu Shangliu is a traditional Fu family member, he must hold Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi in high regard. In a situation like this, he certainly won’t sit idly by.”

Fu Xingchuan was the first to break the silence.

“As for Li Heyan… Li Nian is a bit like her. These science-minded people can’t tolerate fools, and they definitely won’t approve of the Emperor’s reckless behavior. She will also take action. The problem is, the Emperor has been displeased with Huajisi for a long time, and his approach is wrong. Tianyi and Xiao Lu might even lose their heads. Be careful, you two.”

Since Li Nian couldn’t hear, former Minister Fu freely muttered about his former partner to his content.

Lu Xiaohe’s pacing came to a halt, and her eyes brightened.

“Order everyone to gather all the materials related to the Valley of Remains from the archives!” She commanded in the guise of Li Heyan.

Fu Xingchuan nodded approvingly, while Fu Tianyi remained dumbfounded in place. “What…?”

“Collect all the maps, all the records—don’t miss a single one. Including the spirit weapons used to send letters to the Great Celestial Master, make sure nothing is overlooked. Stack them all in the courtyard.”

“Lu Xiaohe…”

“I’m the rear commander.” Lu Xiaohe raised the corner of her mouth. “A rear commander must always consider the big picture, remember?”

Fu Tianyi looked puzzled as he watched everyone bustling around. Soon, the books, maps, and mechanical birds in the courtyard piled up into a small hill, resembling a not-too-big burial mound.

“Very good,” Lu Xiaohe said.

“Also, organize the detailed records, movement trajectories, and correspondence related to the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi and place them in the main hall. Remember, it’s only about his personal matters, and we must protect the knowledge he provided.”

“Finally, forge a few recent communications stating that the Great Celestial Master is currently traveling in the southern marshes.”

Fu Tianyi’s gaze toward Lu Xiaohe gradually changed. “You wouldn’t…”

The others hesitated and looked at “Fu Shangliu”. Seeing that he didn’t object, no one questioned “Li Heyan”. There was a vast amount of information related to the Great Celestial Master, almost filling one-third of Huajisi’s main hall. The statue of Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was partially submerged under the materials, and the offering plate on the altar was pushed askew.

Lu Xiaohe casually took down a floating oil lamp artifact, rolled up her sleeves, and personally poured the lamp oil onto those precious documents.

There was a small gasp from the members of Huajisi.

“What… What are you doing?! This is a great disrespect!” One of the senior scholars couldn’t hold back any longer, shouting with a flushed face and a thick neck.

Lu Xiaohe, with her sleeves rolled up, held the still-burning orange-yellow oil lamp in one hand. It was now twilight, and the firelight mixed with the evening glow, creating an orange-red glow.

“He is not a god.”

Beside Lu Xiaohe stood a strange statue covered in a red veil.

When it came to recalling Yin Ren, the first thing she would think of was him checking in for work, rushing to leave after work, and his radiant figure stuck in the cafeteria. Compared to the countless evils lurking in the mountain village and killing hundreds of thousands of enemy soldiers, she still preferred the sight of him hunched over, dealing with Excel.

That was the Yin Ren she knew.

Lu Xiaohe had never seen him actively seeking any “past glory” or “famous reputation”. Even when he went to the Fu family at that time and saw the ceremonial array dedicated to the Great Celestial Master, his embarrassment outweighed his joy. Lu Xiaohe could almost hear the sound of him scratching the ground with his toes.

Moreover, he even fell in love with Zhong Chengshuo, a well-rooted science post, and he was deeply serious about it.

The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, proclaimed by the Emperor of the mortal realm as the descendant of the Zhong family, and revered by the mortal cultivators as the Great Celestial Master. But in the end, he said he should be surnamed Yin.

…In the end, all he wanted was to avenge his friends.

Yin Ren may be powerful, or he may have turned into some kind of Evil Spirit that Shian couldn’t resist, but he was also an ordinary person she knew.

He definitely wasn’t a “god.”

“He’s not a god. You all have read those letters, so you must know this… His handwriting is quite ugly, isn’t it?”

Lu Xiaohe glanced at the statue. This wasn’t something that “Fu Shangliu” would say, but it was appropriate for a science post to say.

“Now the Emperor wants to use him as a weapon—you know he can’t do that, and he definitely wouldn’t like it. The consequences of his refusal—all of you are intelligent people, and you can certainly guess.”

“We will preserve the knowledge he left behind. But as a person… As a highly accomplished individual, he may have research value, but as a friend, as a mentor, I believe he deserves some peace.”

“Now, I’m going to light the fire.”

Lu Xiaohe lifted the oil lamp over the letters and records.

“If any of you want to dissuade me or report it to the Emperor, this is your last chance.”

The members of Huajisi had been restless for a while, but they fell silent in the end. Some looked at the pile of materials reluctantly but eventually shifted their gaze to the statue.

Lu Xiaohe let go of her hand.

The burning oil lamp fell.

The flame of the spirit lamp was fiercer than an ordinary flame, and the brilliant red flames instantly engulfed the documents. A trail of fire crawled through the courtyard along the lamp oil, quickly igniting everything related to the Valley of Remains.

The members of Huajisi hugged their precious spirit weapons, commanded the specially prepared bodies, and orderly ran out of the main hall. Inside, only billowing smoke remained, along with the splattering sparks that illuminated the contours of the statue. The ashes fell like snowflakes, fluttering in the tongues of fire.

On the remnants of the letters, one could still see the twisted and clumsy handwriting, and each colloquial phrase was rapidly devoured by the sparks.

[The weather near Yuanzhou is excellent today. I caught a particularly large, vengeful scorpion and discovered a new weakness…]

[Can you make a mechanical bird with more strength and send me some corn cakes? I can exchange it for a recipe to appease the fierce ghosts…]

[Last time, you mentioned that Zhang Wen’s nephew was born. Congratulations! Do you have any wedding candies? I’m sending a tranquility talisman drawing with this letter…]

They eventually turned into fine ashes.

Lu Xiaohe wore a very “Lu Xiaohe-like” gentle smile and clapped her hands.

Li Heyan’s hair was disheveled, with a few strands of black hair hanging over her shoulders. The orange-red firelight illuminated her eyes, reaching towards the sky.

Fu Tianyi stood dumbfounded. “That was ruthless…”

But it was indeed a solution.

The Valley of the Remains was remote and difficult to find. The annihilation of the 150,000 soldiers was mostly due to the Great Celestial Master’s spell being too conspicuous, as indicated by the results of nearby diviners’ divinations. However, the spell had a wide-reaching effect, making it difficult to find the location of the Great Celestial Master.

Although the Emperor didn’t allow Huajisi to go, his own cultivators would surely use the information from Huajisi to search for the Great Celestial Master.

The letters exchanged with the Great Celestial Master, the messages sent by the Great Celestial Master from various places, the records of the Great Celestial Master’s journeys… everything about the Great Celestial Master.

“No wonder everyone says there is little information about the Great Celestial Master.” Amidst the growing flames, Ge Tingting murmured. “It might have been true back then…”

“Whether it’s cultivators or scholars, everyone is human,” Lu Xiaohe responded softly.

“Knowledge is indeed important, but sometimes ‘protecting a friend’ is even more important. Since we are humans, we should do something foolish.”

A thousand years ago, the real Fu Shangliu and Li Heyan most likely chose a similar path.

Lu Xiaohe took two steps forward and ignited the forged “travel itinerary” letters in the tongues of fire. Facing the incoming people from the palace, she confidently turned around.

“Huajisi is on fire, ignited by a spirit weapon. It’s difficult for ordinary people to put out the fire, so we will find a way ourselves. Hmm, you want the Great Celestial Master’s whereabouts? I happen to have snatched a few letters, so you can take them.”

“If you want to hold a grudge, blame it on the fact that this era doesn’t have cloud storage… Ah, nothing, I didn’t say anything.”

……

In the nearby wilderness, a figure was staggering along.

That person was dressed in a “Leader’s Close Confident with a Great Problem*” shirt, with his hair tied up—it was none other than a modern-looking Yin Ren.

*His shirt refers to someone who is close to a leader or holds an important position and is facing significant difficulties, implying that their action or their situation poses a threat or risk to the leader. || In this case, it’s quite apt as Yin Ren does give headaches to Fu Xingchuan, the top dogs of Shian.

“It’s pretty twisted, don’t you think?” Yin Ren muttered to himself.

“I don’t think so.” Immediately, he slightly changed his tone and answered himself. “That body is inconvenient to move, and even if it could move, it would make Shian suspicious.”

“You’re already suspicious enough.” Yin Ren’s tone became lively again. “Zhong Chengshuo, I slept with you, but this kind of…”

The feeling of sharing one body was just too strange.

After dealing with the tens of thousands of Gouluo soldiers, Yin Ren’s consciousness quickly entered a nearby body. Who would have thought that Zhong Chengshuo would refuse to budge—

The good news was that Yin Ren, armed with the experience from a thousand years later, suppressed the power of the Evil Force perfectly. He no longer needed to wrap himself up like a cocoon and could simply transform into a set of clothes.

The bad news was that now he was in a real and close cohabitation with his boyfriend, which resulted in his limbs not coordinating well.

Luckily, he had thrown Dog Thing into Yellow Millet. No one in this world would taste that bitterness again, which was truly wonderful. Yin Ren thought deeply, then stumbled and fell to the ground.

Once he adjusted to the body, he would be able to use the levitation spell.

He had to tell Shian the “truth” and his speculations about the memory world as soon as possible.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 176: Memory

After locking onto the target, Zhong Chengshuo desperately began to shrink his size. Humans were already small, and human infants would be even smaller. If he waited until he arrived at the destination to shrink, it would surely attract attention.

It was a major undertaking. Zhong Chengshuo patiently shrank his body, gradually reducing it from the size of a sea to the size of a suitcase. After shrinking, he still wasn’t satisfied. He tapped against the adjacent intact bones, comparing their sizes.

The skeleton was clean and intact. It belonged to that person.

The bones emitted a faint ripple, slightly stronger than the nearby fragmented bones, but there was no significant change. Zhong Chengshuo “looked” at the corpse for a while with regret, then instinctively manipulated the space, creating a gap.

He slid into the gap, smoothly gliding towards the wisher.

So many ripples.

Living beings and inanimate objects emitted unique ripples, and Zhong Chengshuo had never been in such close proximity to such a large quantity before. He had to get closer, feeling the familiar aura emanating from the offering.

The ripple of the offering was somewhat similar to that person’s ripple.

Near the offering, two humans were still praying. In the gaps between prayers, they occasionally exchanged a few words. Unfortunately, at that time, Zhong Chengshuo could only barely “hear” a small portion of their conversation.

[The child’s features are severely misaligned. Are you sure your modifications are fine?]

[I used the best source of corruption. It’s normal.]

[The brain is damaged; the organs are incomplete… It won’t live for long. If we kill it, I wonder if it will count as a sacrifice to the gods…]

[Today is almost done. Let’s rest for now.]

It seemed that these two individuals had no other wishes… Well, at least no wishes that he could understand.

After the ripples of the two individuals moved away, Zhong Chengshuo cautiously tore open the gap. He extended a small portion of his body and touched the corpse of the infant. He quickly explored the body cavity—the infant’s body was dissected, with its organs forcibly pulled out, leaving an empty void within the torso.

The facial features of this infant grew on the surface of the body, with the hands and feet in disarray and misalignment. Now it seemed to be a typical characteristic of severe corruption from Evil Force.

While sealed underground, Zhong Chengshuo came into close contact with numerous corpses, gaining some understanding of human physical structure. Parts could be adjusted if they were in the wrong place; he contemplated this slowly.

As for other physiological details…

This was different from that rabbit. He could mimic the appearance, but he couldn’t easily deceive the senses. He needed to be more perfect, which surely required obtaining true human senses.

Vision, hearing, smell… He couldn’t complete them purely through imagination. It would be better to absorb and fuse with this body.

As for what would happen after the fusion, how his physique would change, Zhong Chengshuo had no idea. He was only curious and not afraid—failure and death were merely outcomes.

At that moment, he remained indifferent.

Without hesitation, Zhong Chengshuo entered the empty cavity of the corpse, completely merging his body with the flesh of the remains. His body flowed through the nerves, integrated into the blood vessels, deciphering the subtle information from every part and assimilating with each cell.

Throughout the process, the deceased infant became “whole” once again.

The corruption within the body was no longer an obstacle. The damaged brain was repaired by activated cells, and the misaligned limbs gradually returned to their proper positions along with the bones. The facial features that were scattered throughout the body decayed and fell off, and the infant’s head gradually displayed regular and normal features.

As the fusion deepened, the surrounding ripples gradually weakened. The void was rapidly filled, and countless fresh perceptions surged like a tsunami.

The sticky fabric was dampened with blood and the hard surface beneath the fabric.

The cold air, the choking incense, the heavy scent of blood.

Sounds—the muffled conversation behind a door, the gentle rain outside the window, the thudding of wheels rolling on the street, the sharp honking of a horn, the advertisement music from a snack shop mixed with the laughter and anger of customers; these all created a cacophony that crashed directly into Zhong Chengshuo’s mind.

And darkness.

Compared to emptiness, darkness was a dense and rich “sight”.

The eyes of the infant’s corpse had yet to open, only sensing darkness. Zhong Chengshuo had heard about “colors” from that person, and he thought there might be something wrong with his own eyes, hesitating if he had grown an extra pair. However, there was still only darkness before him.

It was only later that he realized there was a thin layer of flesh on his eyeballs that he could move.

He struggled to adapt to this body, tilting his head slightly and exerting effort to lift his eyelids a little.

He was not far from the window. Outside, it was nighttime, and the colorful neon lights of the city shone through the dirty glass, dazzling to an indescribable extent. Raindrops pattered against the window, gathering into streaks of water that refracted countless brilliant, fragmented lights.

Zhong Chengshuo stared blankly at the window.

In the past, he didn’t particularly like raindrops. They would annoyingly pelt his body, creating a continuous series of ripples that made him feel irritated.

Now, he could no longer sense those ripples. His body had deeply merged with the flesh of the infant, and the human sensory perception completely replaced those ripples.

He saw a brand-new world.

Zhong Chengshuo struggled once again to turn his head and looked at the ceiling, dyed indigo by the night. A spider leisurely crawled across the ceiling, and the tracks left by its long legs appeared so fresh and unpredictable.

This was the “human world” he was about to explore.

Zhong Chengshuo remained dazed for several hours before he remembered that even after the fusion, he still needed to retrieve the organs that had been pulled out of the infant’s body—they were still connected to his body, which was much more convenient.

He extended the short and chubby hand of the baby, grabbing the organs near the abdomen, and started the effort of pushing them back into the abdominal cavity.

At that moment, the lights in the room suddenly turned on.

A haggard-looking woman wearing slippers walked in, her face was unusually exhausted, but remnants of her once beautiful appearance were still visible. She walked crookedly towards the refrigerator, took out a can of beer as blood continued to drip between her legs.

“Damn it, such a nuisance. Need to find a decent clinic to deal with it,” the woman grumbled irritably. “That Wei guy is so good at modifications, why didn’t he give himself a uterus…”

With a popping sound, she opened the beer can, and her gaze unconsciously swept over the altar on the table.

Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t had a chance to put down the intestines in his hand. The situation was urgent, and he couldn’t naturally move his head, so he strained to move his eyeballs. This resulted in the baby’s two round and black pupils deeply sinking into one corner, looking particularly horrifying.

For a moment, both the woman and the baby froze in place, with only the incessant ticking of the clock in the room remaining.

“Wei Huaxian!” After about half a minute, the woman used magic to summon an empty hand, shouting loudly, “Wei Huaxian, come over and see what you’ve done?!”

Zhong Chengshuo continued to be frozen, unable to understand what the woman was saying at that moment. He only held onto his intestines, unsure of what to do next.

He had exposed himself too quickly!

What was worse, he was completely unfamiliar with this completely new form. After the fusion, Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t separate smoothly. At the moment, he couldn’t exert his original power and had no idea what he could do in his current state.

“Ah… Ah…” In a moment of desperation, Zhong Chengshuo subconsciously made a sound, but he had no idea of the meaning behind those sounds.

The woman took a deep breath, using magic to shield herself, and cautiously approached.

In the next moment, the beer can clattered to the ground, and white foam spilled out from the opening, filling the air with the characteristic bitter taste of beer.

The woman stared directly into Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes, and her magic suddenly shattered. In the dim yellow light, she collapsed to the ground, her face contorted, bleeding from all seven orifices, trembling like a leaf caught in the wind.

Only then did Zhong Chengshuo remember that when he grew his eyes, the program was too chaotic due to the confusion caused by the “eyelids”. He didn’t handle it properly—his eyeballs still retained the simple structure of his original form.

Through his pupils, the woman saw a part of his original form.

He was careless, but luckily it turned out well.

“Ah…” The woman curled up on the floor, limbs trembling, and her body convulsing.

At that moment, a handsome man arrived late. At first glance, he saw the woman convulsing and groaning on the floor, but he didn’t show any intention to help. The man named “Wei Huaxian” activated the spirit weapon in his hand and looked around warily.

Zhong Chengshuo had a sudden inspiration and used the same trick again. “Ah…”

As expected, the man’s gaze was immediately drawn to him. However, just as the man was about to approach and take a closer look, a knocking sound came from the door.

The knocking was heavy and urgent, filled with impatience.

The man instinctively concealed the spirit weapon and turned around. “Who is it?”

“When are you guys going to pay the rent!” A spirited female voice sounded from outside the door. “I’ve been asking for an increase in rent every week, and you still haven’t paid!”

The man cursed under his breath and didn’t open the door. “My wife just paid you yesterday!”

“I said it’s an increase, but she still gave me last week’s amount. Give me the extra money now. Give it to me! If you don’t, I’ll call the police!”

As soon as the word “police” was mentioned, the man’s expression changed. He glanced sideways at the woman convulsing on the floor and spat fiercely.

“Stop shouting. I’m coming!” The man took out his wallet and counted several bills.

But as soon as the door opened, a series of blunt sounds erupted. The man was instantly pinned down by several burly men. “Don’t move, police!”

The remaining police officers rushed into the room, searching everywhere. The middle-aged man in charge was the first to notice the woman in the living room. “Suspect found, Kong Miao. Xiao Li, call 120! Xiao Wang, let the forensic team in!”

The middle-aged man squatted down, flipping the woman’s eyelids. Two female officers promptly took their positions, guarding the woman closely.

“She fainted but still has a pulse,” the man stood up.

At this moment, the middle-aged man finally noticed Zhong Chengshuo on the table—a newborn with an unusually small size, holding onto intestines without moving, looking like some kind of strange ornament.

Zhong Chengshuo quickly closed his eyes, hiding the remnants of his original form in his pupils.

Immediately after, the middle-aged man’s voice echoed through the room. “Where’s the ambulance? Call them again, there’s a child here!”

“Captain Zhong, Xiao Li just made the call…”

“Call them again!” The man shouted anxiously.

Then he approached Zhong Chengshuo, whether due to nervousness or fatigue, he was panting heavily. The heat and sweat radiated through the fabric, and Zhong Chengshuo could clearly feel it.

He hid the remnants of his original form deep within his eyes and then opened his eyes to look at the man.

“Shh… It’s alright, it’s alright. Don’t be afraid.”

The man had a scruffy beard, bloodshot eyes, and pulsating veins on his forehead. He leaned over the table, afraid to touch the “internal organs turned out” child and his eyes were filled with worry.

“Damn it, those scum from the cult. They’re not human…!”

Although Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t understand what the man was saying, he knew that he might be safe now.

So he made an effort to move his arm and brushed his fingertips against the man’s nose, moistened by sweat. The warm and moist skin; this was how it felt to touch a human. Zhong Chengshuo thought carefully.

The “Captain Zhong” became teary-eyed.

“It’s alright.” He cleared his throat, his voice hoarse. “It’s alright…”

He repeated it over and over again, as if he wanted Zhong Chengshuo to understand.

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t understand, but he had a vague sense that he might never see this man and woman again.

It wasn’t his fault. They were taken away earlier, and they hadn’t explained their wishes clearly. Now, after merging with a human body, Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t perceive ripples or traverse through space. Zhong Chengshuo thought seriously, it wasn’t his fault.

If they can meet again, they can discuss it then.

……

In the next memory, a four- or five-year-old Zhong Chengshuo was observing green bean worms in a rural courtyard. He held the plump worm in his palm and carefully felt its body contract when it wriggled.

“Hey, want some sweet preserved fruits?” An old man smiled and beckoned.

“Yes, thank you, Grandpa,” Zhong Chengshuo said fluently.

“Do you want to come with Grandpa to pay respects to our ancestors this afternoon? There’s a fair outside, where people draw sugar paintings, make dough figurines, and even perform magic tricks! How about it? Do you want to go?”

“Paying respects to our ancestors?”

“Yes, our ancestors were well-known metaphysical masters. Everyone in the nearby villages knows about ‘Master Zhong Ma’…”

“How do we pay respects?” Zhong Chengshuo’s attention seemed to be elsewhere.

“We burn incense for our ancestors, offer fruits and preserved fruits, and if we have money, we might even offer some meat.”

“Offering sacrifices?” Zhong Chengshuo put down the bean worm, took a piece of sweet preserved fruit, and chewed vigorously. “But the ancestors are already dead.”

Most deceased humans were unable to fulfill their wishes. Zhong Chengshuo analyzed it seriously in his mind.

“Just for our ancestors to have a taste.” Grandpa Zhong handed Zhong Chengshuo another piece of sweet preserved fruit. “This is our gesture of goodwill. Ancestors have spirits in heaven, and they can also enjoy something delicious.”

Zhong Chengshuo chewed on the sweet preserved fruit, looking at the apples on the nearby fruit tree.

“Okay, I’ll go…”

“Dad! What are you saying? Weren’t you the one who said we shouldn’t bring a child to pay respects to our ancestors?” Zhong Yude, in his fifties, rushed over with a bag of snacks. “Come on, Chengshuo. We don’t need these feudal superstitions.”

“Zhong Yude, have you become rebellious?” Grandpa Zhong chuckled and raised his cane, pretending to strike.

“Alright, alright. I’m past my rebellious stage. Here’s the plan: I’ll take Chengshuo with me, and you and Mom can perform the ancestral rites. I’ll take Chengshuo outside to wander around.”

“That works.”

Zhong Chengshuo was lifted up by Zhong Yude, but his gaze remained fixed on the apples on the tree not far away. The apple tree in the courtyard was short, and a few green apples swayed on its branches.

“‘The dead can taste it,’ a widely recognized belief.” He muttered to himself.

That night, Zhong Chengshuo took an apple he had begged for at the market. He found a plate, stood on his tiptoes, and placed the apple on the table.

“I don’t know whose human this is. I haven’t forgotten your wish. I brought you an apple. I will also protect the descendants of those children from before.”

He rested his hands on the edge of the table and murmured softly.

“You’re right, this human world is indeed worth visiting. Everything is interesting, but there are still many things I don’t understand, and I need to learn slowly. I will study diligently.”

In the darkness of the night, Zhong Chengshuo lifted his head and sniffed the fragrance of the apple. Then he reached into a plastic bag under the table and took out another apple. He rinsed it with water and took delightful bites.

“Fulfilling wishes is so troublesome.” He mumbled to himself. “I won’t take on so many in the future.”

The memory ended.

Yin Ren floated silently in the darkness, looking at Zhong Chengshuo, who was so close.

Why did Zhong Chengshuo go to such lengths to investigate his sister’s death, even delving into the dark side of the metaphysical world?

Why did Zhong Chengshuo engage in the arduous and thankless task of hunting down ruthless killers?

…And why did Zhong Chengshuo leave a fresh, vibrant red apple every day?

It turned out to be much simpler than he had imagined. There were no conspiracies, no peculiarities. It was just a once formidable Primordial Elemental that fused itself with a human body, clumsily fulfilling three wishes through a series of coincidences.

Yin Ren let out a sigh of relief.

Perhaps, a thousand years ago, they were merely passing acquaintances, briefly accompanying each other or barely brushing shoulders.

He was supposed to have died on that rainy day a thousand years ago in the Valley of Remains… The children who lived in the Valley of Remains might have grown up healthy and gradually established a beautiful city nestled by the mountains.

The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi would only exist on paper until he was buried deep in the annals of time.

Who would have thought that his ending would become a new beginning, all starting with that crude altar and that peculiar black rabbit?

Yin Ren found it hard to determine whether he felt bitter or joyful at this moment.

The exchange of thoughts was only momentary. Zhong Chengshuo’s descent into the abyss was followed by Yin Ren’s inability to suppress his emotions, and darkness erupted completely.

“What are you thinking?” Zhong Chengshuo sincerely asked through their mental connection.

“Leaving this place,” Yin Ren said, “and then eating all the apples in the refrigerator. In the future, I can buy them myself.”

“And then?” Zhong Chengshuo’s expression momentarily turned sorrowful.

“And then I’ll share with you the wish for ‘peace and safety’, and we can make it together.”

“And then?” The sadness on Zhong Chengshuo’s face slowly faded away.

“And then… and then we’ll figure out what all of this is about.”

Yin Ren had a faint feeling that among the scattered clues of the Primordial Elementals, the Other Side, and the Divine Descent, a vague thread had emerged.

……

The capital city, Huajisi.

Fu Xingchuan stood at the incredibly detailed headquarters of Huajisi and sniffed near the base of the wall. Ge Tingting stood in front of the giant statue of Zhong Yi with her mouth gaping wide open, frozen in place. Huang Jin had found a corner and slumped inward, ignoring everyone.

Fortunately, this place was within the sphere of influence of “Fu Shangliu” and “Li Heyan”. The members of Shian had been particularly vigilant, and there were no suspicious individuals following them into the internal premises of Huajisi. It was unknown whether the elusive follower had given up.

“It’s really strange, isn’t it?”

Lu Xiaohe glanced at the bustling interior of Huajisi with a complicated expression. She was dazed for a moment, then began to browse through the letters that “Li Heyan” needed to handle. “The scenes here are too vivid. Even now, I still can’t figure out where these memories came from.”

“Uncle, do you think this spell is based on the Archive’s spell?”

Fu Tianyi pondered, almost pulling out his beard in frustration.

“It’s strange. There shouldn’t be any problems. I mean, the Archive is a personal memory database, while this one is just connected to the network…”

Fu Xingchuan’s tail drooped, his face wrinkled, lost in thought.

Fu Tianyi didn’t wait for an answer from Fu Xingchuan. Instead, he heard a suppressed exclamation. In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned toward the source of the exclamation—Lu Xiaohe was holding a piece of paper with an incredibly grim expression.

“What’s wrong, Xiaohe Jie?” Ge Tingting finally tore her eyes away from the statue of Zhong Yi.

Lu Xiaohe read the words on the paper once again, closing her eyes.

“It says here that the 150,000 Gouluo troops were completely wiped out in the mountains.”

Fu Tianyi and Fu Xingchuan exchanged a glance. “Could it be the work of that flesh puppet, or…?”

“I don’t know. The problem is, the emperor firmly believes that it was the work of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi. In Yin Ren’s memories, the annihilation of the 150,000 troops was probably mentioned by the emperor as well.”

Lu Xiaohe carefully chose her words.

“He wanted his trusted cultivators to go to the Valley of Remains, invite the Great Celestial Master, and seek his assistance in resisting the Gouluo army.”

“…What the hell?” Huang Jin, in the corner, finally couldn’t help but interject. “Yin Ren was supposed to be dead at that time, right? Besides, he never had any contact with people outside Yin Village.”

A wry smile slowly appeared on Lu Xiaohe’s face.

“Yes, only Huajisi had communication with the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi. This time, the Great Celestial Master single-handedly annihilated the main force of the Gouluo troops. The emperor believes that Huajisi knew but deliberately concealed the true strength of the Great Celestial Master, allowing the Gouluo army to invade. That’s why he wants his own cultivators to go to the Valley of Remains instead of sending Huajisi… The last ruler of the Gong dynasty truly lives up to his reputation.”

Ge Tingting listened, seemingly grasping only fragments of the conversation. “But at that time, Yin Ren was already…”

Yin Ren had already sunk into a deep slumber in the depths of the earth, leaving a seal at his place of rest, fearing that his existence as an “Evil Spirit” would have additional impact.

“Breaking a seal, excavating the altar… top-tier cultivators are capable of that. And even if they obtain the corpse of the Great Celestial Master, there are many… many ways to make use of it.”

Lu Xiaohe turned away.

Within her line of sight were rows and rows of walls adorned with corpses.

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Zhong: Xiao Zhong here, taking orders. But why is it that nothing can be immediately fulfilled? Ugh…

Xiao Yin: …Because that wasn’t even a wish to begin with!

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 175: Equivalent Exchange

Yin Ren’s memories continued until the cliff was filled in.

Huang Jin let out an exhausted sigh, almost falling out of the range of the levitation spell.

Despite the twists and turns and the confusion of identities, with Yin Ren’s memories providing additional corrections, Shian and the others witnessed the birth of the Evil Spirit and the fall of Zhong Yi. Countless valuable pieces of information were now in their hands, awaiting further analysis.

As the memory world reached its end, regardless of any mistakes made, as long as everything was concluded, they would be able to leave normally.

Huang Jin was the first to close his eyes.

He never wanted to go through such misfortune in his life again. When he returned to reality… Wait, something’s not right?

The frigid air remained unchanged, and the scent of blood and carnage still surrounded Huang Jin. The presence of the other consciousness was still apparent, and the sense of strain on his body hadn’t disappeared. Unable to resist, Huang Jin opened his eyes, and if he had a mouth, he would have taken several deep breaths.

The illusion projected by Yin Ren came to an end, and the memory world returned to its previous state. Before him was the intact cliff, and the valley below was empty, with no trace of the darkness.

Everything had returned to how it was when they first arrived.

The memory world continued.

Although the protagonist, “Yin Ren,” was unexpectedly controlled by the flesh puppet and unable to progress through the logic of the memory world as intended, an end was still an end. The memory world could be rewritten, but it definitely had a fixed “apocalypse”.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Fu Tianyi muttered, swallowing a mouthful of saliva. “At this point… At this point, the Great Celestial Master should already be dead, right? At the very least, he should be sleeping underground.”

Why does the memory world still exist?

“I found it strange from the beginning,” Lu Xiaohe said in a deep voice. “Whether it’s the Great Celestial Master or the Evil Spirit in Yin Village, they definitely haven’t had any contact with Huajisi Headquarters, let alone seen Fu Shangliu and Li Heyan. But both the situation at the headquarters and our own appearances… they are extremely… realistic.”

“I…”

Ge Tingting timidly raised her hand.

“I was also wondering why we have a god’s-eye view instead of Yin Ren’s first-person perspective if these are Yin Ren’s memories. At first, I thought it was a completion of the memory spell, but now it seems that something is off everywhere…”

“Could it be that we really traveled back in time?!” Fu Tianyi’s voice trembled slightly.

“Impossible.”

Fu Xingchuan impatiently moved his paws.

“There’s no spell that can reverse time—that’s the basics of basics. The construction of the memory spell must have flaws, but could it be a problem with the Evil Force as the power source? Let me think.”

“If the path isn’t the problem, and neither is the direction, then there is only one possibility.”

The “flesh puppet” possessing the Great Celestial Master suddenly spoke up.

“The condition of the destination was different from what you all initially determined.”

Is this place really just a world composed of Yin Ren’s and the Evil Spirit’s memories?

“We shouldn’t stay here for long. Anyway, let’s…” Fu Xingchuan’s words were interrupted as his ears twitched.

It was the sound of footsteps.

Countless footsteps approached from all directions, accompanied by the clashing of weapons and the scraping of armor. Having just experienced the projection of the Yellow Millet projector, the sound was painfully familiar.

“Even though the Evil Spirit hasn’t manifested, why is the Gouluo Army still coming?” Lu Xiaohe’s hand holding the charcoal pencil trembled slightly.

They had sealed the Evil Spirit in Yin Village together, and the “Great Celestial Master” flesh puppet had only ever served as a power source, never forming an oath with the Evil Spirit possessed by the enemy. With no Evil Spirit present, the Gouluo Army had no reason to change course.

“Back to Huajisi Headquarters!” Fu Xingchuan made a quick decision. “We’re being followed!”

“You mean…”

“In Yin Ren’s memories, there were letters from the Gouluo people. Even without the Evil Spirit, if we send letters with the same content, we can still trick the Gouluo Army into coming.” Fu Xingchuan spoke rapidly. “The enemy is still nearby. We need to return to Huajisi Headquarters immediately!”

Fu Tianyi didn’t dare wait any longer. He immediately exerted his levitation spell. However, this time, someone stepped out of the spell’s range.

In the mountain breeze, a figure in red clothing and black hair swayed as the flesh puppet-controlled Great Celestial Master approached the edge of the cliff.

“Hey, we’re leaving!” Fu Tianyi shouted, “The Gouluo Army is coming, and we can’t handle the kind of array created by the Great Celestial Master. Run!”

At the edge of the cliff, the body of the Great Celestial Master turned around.

Bloodstains dotted the red robe, and the long hair was accentuated by the dark clouds, appearing so black it sent shivers down one’s spine. The crimson eyes narrowed, forming a small arc at the corners.

The flesh puppet was smiling.

The Gouluo Army had already begun rushing towards the cliff, and the golden light of their spells grew brighter. Everything in the illusion was about to replay, and Fu Tianyi’s heart raced to the point of chest pain.

“You…”

“Go.” Fu Xingchuan pondered for a moment. “Ignore it.”

“But—”

“That is not Yin Ren’s true body, and regardless of what this accursed place is, it is not the true reality.” Fu Xingchuan raised his head and looked at the “Great Celestial Master” with fluttering robes in the mountain breeze.

“This person is not your true comrade either.”

Time was running out as the Gouluo army’s encirclement rapidly closed in. Fu Tianyi clenched his teeth and led everyone to rush into the sky.

Zhong Chengshuo watched as the Shian members left.

In less than half a minute, the Gouluo Army’s group of cultivators reached the top of the cliff. They were shouting something, but Zhong Chengshuo didn’t bother to listen. Facing the imposing army, he took a step backward.

It was a step into the void.

In the oppressive gloom, accompanied by disordered rain threads, that crimson figure gracefully descended like a bird with broken wings.

Zhong Chengshuo fell backward, tumbling down the cliff into the darkness that only the “Great Celestial Master” could see.

“I’ve come to meet you, Yin Ren.”

He whispered silently.

The next moment, just as it was in Yin Ren’s memory, that darkness boiled over again.

Like pouring cold water into hot oil, the darkness erupted in an instant, splattering like blood and covering most of the valley. There were no spells or cages this time. The chaotic darkness splashed around, catching the colossal army that surrounded it off guard, drowning them completely.

Directly looking at that darkness would cause living beings to explode into bloody pulp. Coming into direct contact with that darkness, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers were like snowflakes in boiling water, leaving not even a trace of residue.

The mountains and rivers fell silent, and the withered grass swayed. There was no earthquake or collapse in sight.

Similar to Yin Ren’s memory, the dense aura of death permeated the entire Valley of Remains.

……

Time rewound by one second.

The moment the body of the Great Celestial Master touched the darkness, Zhong Chengshuo sent out his own thoughts—his actions were extremely proficient. After all, he had lived within that colossal body for an unknown period of time.

Yin Ren had yet to react when he was swept into the darkness.

Compared to emptiness, the darkness seemed particularly substantial. What was even better was that within this darkness, he finally obtained a relatively normal body—just slightly transparent, but that didn’t matter.

Because Zhong Chengshuo was standing right in front of him.

The two faced each other, suspended in the depths of darkness, and Zhong Chengshuo appeared as how Yin Ren was most familiar with him. He was wearing the loose linen clothes when they had first met, and his eyes behind the glasses remained dim.

In that moment, countless emotions surged up in Yin Ren’s heart. The bittersweet taste was difficult to describe, as they intertwined with each other, ultimately blending into a tinge of bitterness.

Yin Ren opened his mouth with countless questions he wanted to ask Zhong Chengshuo. He especially wanted to ask that person, “Who are you? Where do you come from? Where are you going?”—the ultimate questions in life.

But despite his desire, after the long period of emptiness, when he saw that innocent and handsome face, he found himself unable to ask.

He wasn’t sure if he would like the answer.

“…Where is this?” Finally, Lord Ghost King changed the subject.

“Segments of my memories,” Zhong Chengshuo softly replied.

“I have discovered your secret, and for a fair trade, I should give you a secret in return.”

Yin Ren froze. It was the familiar rhetoric, the familiar Zhong Chengshuo.

“I know you are the rabbit… No, I know you are the black lake,” Yin Ren subconsciously answered.

In the darkness, Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brows slightly. “Mm, but your information is not complete. Speaking of which, this is a secret at the level of marriage. In addition to revealing your memories to Shian, you need to offer something extra.”

“I…”

“After we leave here, please tell me your bank card password,” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly requested.

Yin Ren: “…”

Yin Ren: “Deal.”

Once they were away from this place, he was determined to make this unlucky rabbit regret ever crossing paths with him.

Zhong Chengshuo took a breath and continued to explain, his tone reminiscent of a narration in a wildlife documentary. “What you’re seeing now is me attempting to grow eyes for the first time.”

Is this some kind of information that needs to be specifically added? Yin Ren’s mind was filled with confusion.

“Let me explain my viewpoint first,” Zhong Chengshuo said. “After your apparent death, me and you remained dormant deep underground. Until a certain point in time, I suddenly sensed a tremendous ripple—it was massive, yet its fluctuations were very weak, unlike in this world. It was probably trying to enter the human world, just like I did back then.”

“In simple terms, it was banging against a wall, and it woke me up.”

Yin Ren nodded. “But what does this have to do with you growing eyes?”

Zhong Chengshuo simply looked at him and slowly revealed a smile.

The next moment, Yin Ren was engulfed by memories that belonged to Zhong Chengshuo. Those sensations and thoughts flooded in instantly. They overwhelmed Yin Ren, and he struggled to arrange them in a coherent order.

First came the familiar void.

Zhong Chengshuo seemed to be sound asleep, with no thoughts circulating. Then, the massive ripple he mentioned suddenly struck. The vibrations traversed through space, abruptly awakening the slumbering Zhong Chengshuo.

He found himself blankly lying on a pile of bones, feeling the impact of the massive ripple “banging against a wall”. Around him, there were only faint ripples reflected by countless bones.

What was he supposed to do?

Oh right, peace, the apple… and going to the mortal world.

His power had been restored, so perhaps it was time. However, that person said he should protect himself. If he were caught by humans as soon as he appeared, he wouldn’t be able to explore the human world properly.

Zhong Chengshuo moved his colossal body and decided to find a human shell.

Fusing with a set of bones, carefully reading the details of the ripples within, and transforming into a human form… it should be feasible. After playing around with bones on the ground for a while, he ultimately gave up on those fragmented ripples.

They were underground, and he didn’t know how to leave this eerie place once he became human.

What if he chose the surface? He pondered slowly, almost wringing his brain dry.

Half a year had passed since he was awakened, and Zhong Chengshuo finally had an idea—he spread out his body, concentrated his consciousness, and began to perceive the prayers of people for the concept of “god”.

Countless thoughts rushed into his mind.

There were those who made wishes using “money”, a concept he couldn’t understand and had little interest in. There were also those who made wishes to “become a vegetarian next time” which Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t comprehend even more—those wish-makers didn’t even want to share any offerings.

Amidst the jumble of wishes, he suddenly sensed a prayer saturated with a strong scent of blood.

[Gaze upon me.]

The worshiper made a wish.

[Gaze upon me and grant us extraordinary power beyond the mundane world and bestow upon us supreme happiness.]

…I don’t understand what this means at all.

Unfortunately, at that time, Zhong Chengshuo clearly had no sense of reserve. He pondered in place for a while and decided to go and see first.

Because he was very curious about that offering.

The small offering carried the essence of blood and death, exuding a familiar aura. What was most marvelous was that he could discern that ripple—

It was the corpse of a human infant.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 174: Agreement

Yin Ren didn’t pay attention to the rabbit’s small movements.

Sealing the Evil Force came first, followed by drawing the blood array. He was extremely weak. His red robes scattered on the ground, like withered petals. Yin Ren sat in the rain, and the burning incense reflected three dots of light in his eyes.

The rain continued to pour, and raindrops pattered on the umbrella above the rabbit’s head. Yin Ren made no attempt to shelter himself, allowing his entire body to be drenched. The imposing aura he had as the Great Celestial Master was now gone, and he even appeared “feeble”.

The army had already climbed up the cliff, and the leading soldiers saw the divine altar, cautiously halting their steps. The cliff was sealed off by the Gouluo army, and the previously gray-black ground was now filled with a dense mass of people, like a scorched wasteland.

The members of the Shian looked at the scene in the illusion, speechless.

They all knew that if Yin Ren instinctively sought survival, he could summon his army of evils here. As long as he used the evil spirits as cannon fodder, he could escape even if he walked away.

But he was sitting there all alone, clearly determined to die.

However, when facing death, the Great Celestial Master wasn’t the fearless figure they had heard of in legends. Yin Ren seemed more like the Yin Ren they knew.

When making his wish, his voice sounded relaxed yet nervous, as if trying out a new game in an amusement park.

“My wish shouldn’t be difficult to fulfill.”

Yin Ren cleared his throat and bargained with the unseen deities in the void.

“The change of dynasties has nothing to do with me, and I have no interest in the greater justice of the mortal realm. It’s just that the orphaned children and the successors of my hometown, whom I have taken care of, are all hiding in the mountains during this chaotic era. After my death, no one will be able to protect them and ensure their safety.”

These words were beyond the comprehension of the black rabbit. It half-opened its mouth on its neck, and a small piece of apple fell out.

“I hope those children can live well and grow old in peace.”

Yin Ren’s attention was fully focused on the dwindling incense.

With this simple statement, the rabbit finally understood. Ignoring the rain outside the umbrella, the black rabbit hopped onto the divine altar. It stretched its body with great effort to reach the other half of the apple on the offering plate.

Yin Ren chuckled.

“What? Do you want to be recognized? If you want to become a gatekeeper rabbit, it’s not impossible for me to worship you now, if you’d like.”

He just thought that the rabbit hadn’t eaten enough and gently touched its damp body. The three incense sticks were almost burnt out, leaving only a short stub in the incense burner. The cultivators of the Gouluo army around them were casting spells frantically, and the fluctuations of their magic grew stronger, surrounded by dazzling golden light.

“Regardless, it’s time for you to go,” Yin Ren sighed.

The rabbit finally stopped reaching for the apple, but it clung to the divine altar and didn’t come down. “Where should I go?”

“To the mortal realm.”

“What is the mortal realm like?”

“…I’ve never truly been there.” Yin Ren closed his eyes. “The people outside who are surrounding us are a part of the mortal realm. Those who cultivate and produce these sweet fruits are also part of the mortal realm. Over the years, I have heard about the bloodshed and worldly affairs. To be honest, I’m not sure what it’s really like.”

The rabbit remained motionless.

“Well, you can’t understand such complicated matters.” Yin Ren smiled. “In any case, it’s a lively place worth experiencing.”

“Worth experiencing.” The rabbit seemed to understand but repeated the words like a playback device.

“Yes, when you enter the world, remember to protect yourself.”

Yin Ren glanced again at the incense that was about to burn out.

“No matter how powerful evil spirits are, there’s always a way to deal with them.”

Rabbit: “Oh.”

It stood steadily in the center of the divine altar, carrying the small package containing the Evil Fruit on its back. Its furry body showed no signs of breathing.

At this moment, the three incense sticks in the incense burner went out, and the thin green smoke dissipated in the raindrops, leaving only clumps of ashes. The arrays of the enemy cultivators were right in front of them, and within the radiance, everything in the world appeared white, like ashes.

“It’s time to eradicate the strongest Evil Spirit,” Yin Ren whispered, brushing off the raindrops on the rabbit’s body. “Thank you for these years…”

Finally, his gaze turned to the half-red fruit on the offering plate, and his cracked and bleeding lips moved slowly.

“It’s a rare offering, but I didn’t get to taste it in the end.”

As the enemy forces closed in, Yin Ren slowly touched his throat with one hand. His Adam’s apple moved, his fingers turned pale, and they trembled noticeably.

“If there is a next life, I truly hope to eat it every day…”

The rabbit’s body twitched on the divine altar.

In the next moment, the brilliance of the magic array flashed, and Yin Ren’s throat was opened by his own spell.

The once extraordinary Great Celestial Master fell to the ground, and the spurting blood instantly covered the stone slabs, splashing onto the rabbit’s entire body. As the abundant blood poured down, the massive array on the cliff suddenly activated, and distant red lights illuminated the surroundings.

The blood also activated the spell on the package, and the Evil Fruit flew towards the sky.

However, the rabbit bound by it didn’t fly away together. After a tearing sound of fabric, the Evil Fruit flew alone into the distance. The peculiar rabbit, on the other hand, seemed as heavy as a thousand pounds, unmoving and still on the divine altar.

The reflection of the blood-red pool shimmered in its dull and lifeless eyes.

The radiant lights approached from afar, resembling closed flower buds. It enveloped the entire Valley of Remains, encompassing the tens of thousands of the Gouluo army within. The ground of the valley trembled violently, and the rocks around the cliff cracked rapidly.

Upon seeing this calamitous situation, the Gouluo army immediately became restless, like ants on a hot pan. Waves of soldiers retreated, scrambling to escape the valley. However, horses couldn’t enter this place, and the earthquakes grew even more severe. With only their two legs, the soldiers’ speed of retreat was negligible.

The cultivators of the Gouluo army remained relatively calm. Seeing that the cooked duck had flown away, they instantly changed their spells. The golden illusory figures turned from offense to defense, encircling Yin Ren’s corpse, attempting to sever the operation of the blood array.

No one paid attention to the small figure on the divine altar.

“Two wishes.” Amidst the trembling of the heavens and earth, it seemed to ponder. “Peace, apple. The agreement between ‘me’ and ‘you’.”

“You sensed me.”

“You touched me.”

“…You acknowledged me.”

Crack.

A crack appeared on the translation spirit weapon on the rabbit’s body.

Below the cliff, the darkness that seemed eternal instantly boiled. Like peeling away layers of mist, it became increasingly clear.

That wasn’t “pitch black” at all.

Its surface was covered with twisted and intricate patterns, emitting an indescribable texture. Those patterns resembled the clouds of Jupiter, constantly shifting and swirling, forming merging vortexes. Accompanied by a piercing sound of rupture, that “darkness” crazily swayed beneath the cliff, spinning into a huge vortex.

The ocean-like darkness centered around the vortex, gradually gathering and shrinking, coalescing into a mass. Countless strong winds blew from the base of the cliff, and the dense, Evil Force was suffocating.

That thing exerted effort to compress its true form, becoming denser and its figure more distinct.

As if passing through an invisible barrier.

“What’s—that—” In the illusion, Lu Xiaohe wanted to shout loudly to ensure her companions could hear her.

“Don’t—look—!” The white dog roared loudly. “Don’t—look—directly—at—it!”

Fear.

The air became cold and viscous. Even though it was just an illusion, that emotion bypassed all rational deductions and pierced directly into Fu Xingchuan’s mind. Breathing became difficult, and his heartbeat was fast enough that it could burst at any moment. Even the air passing over the skin brought a needle-like pain.

It felt as if sharp blades were caressing the arteries. Fu Xingchuan had faced numerous crises during his travels, but he had never experienced such a strong sense of impending death.

And the cause of it all—just through distant memories, he caught a glimpse of a vaguely defined figure amidst the golden light.

Every hair on Fu Xingchuan’s body stood on end. Every brain cell screamed danger. Even in the face of an Evil Spirit, he had never felt such a strong sense of crisis.

The reaction of the Gouluo army confirmed Fu Xingchuan’s thoughts.

Even though most of the figure of that thing was concealed by the golden light, wherever it could be seen, Gouluo soldiers fell to their knees—not out of reverence, but more like their legs had gone weak from fright. Many vomited on the spot, their eyes bloodshot. Some screamed and howled uncontrollably, as if overwhelmed by an unbearable fright.

In the next second, the spells of the Gouluo cultivators were abruptly interrupted. They collapsed on the ground like limp sacks, defecating and urinating uncontrollably with their eyes wide open, twitching incessantly.

As the golden light faded, those who could still move instinctively looked towards the direction of the cliff. But in an instant, these people burst like water-filled balloons, their flesh splattering far and wide.

Without the resistance of the cultivators’ spells, Yin Ren’s array was unrivaled.

The crimson light prison pressed forward relentlessly, and the array continued to converge towards its center, enveloping the entire army within the Valley of Remains.

In the central area of the array, the small divine altar tumbled down into the abyss as the cliff collapsed. The peaks slid, and sand and stones flew. The once deep valley now became a gigantic mouth composed of rocky cliffs, greedily devouring everything.

The dark clouds churned, and darkness surged. There was a moment when it seemed like the entire world was collapsing towards that deep valley. The Gouluo army was forced by the array to the vicinity of the valley, falling like dumplings.

The once fierce and unstoppable steel army, in the face of this almost catastrophic magic, became as fragile as ants in a torrential rain.

Even though they knew it was just an illusion, several of the Shian members couldn’t help but use a levitation spell to fly into the air. Except for Zhong Chengshuo, the rest of them closed their eyes one after another.

Only Zhong Chengshuo stubbornly kept his eyes open—traveling through millennia of time, he stared directly at his past “self”.

The liberated darkness hovered over the valley, cradling Yin Ren’s lifeless body with stability.

‘Everything matched up,’ Zhong Chengshuo thought.

So it really was you all those years ago. It seemed that their time as roommates was longer than they had thought.

……

When did his “awareness” begin? Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t remember. He also couldn’t recall how long he had existed; he only knew that for the most part, he lived without thoughts, like a tree, like a blade of grass.

Without the five senses, without perception, his world was nothingness, with only ripples, large and small.

By instinct, he wandered without the presence of anything called “thought”, let alone any awareness of “other beings”. In the boundless void, only he existed.

…No, perhaps he didn’t even have the concept of “self”.

Even after the “fall”, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t know what to call his state of being “in pain”. He only knew that his body was torn into many pieces and that his position had changed. He could no longer roam freely as before; it was as if he were stuck in one place.

Mutilated and barely clinging to life.

But Zhong Chengshuo didn’t feel fear; he simply continued to exist in a pure state. If there was an impression at that time, it was a vague sense of “discomfort”.

He maintained this state until that peculiar and powerful ripple approached.

Every so often, that ripple would appear. Its emanation made him feel a sense of familiarity, and Zhong Chengshuo instinctively projected a small part of his body to “touch” that ripple.

The large ripple always seemed to carry two or three small ripples with it, assimilating them into its being. Zhong Chengshuo could mimic those small ripples and naturally connect with them.

A thousand years ago, it took Zhong Chengshuo a full three months just to generate this idea.

It was probably his first “autonomous thought”.

According to the plan, he diligently simulated the details of those small ripples and projected a fraction of his own body towards them. As expected, the large ripple was quickly drawn to him.

Having received positive feedback, he repeated his actions, attempting to connect with other nearby ripples. However, apart from that exceptionally powerful ripple, the other ripples didn’t respond to him, as if they couldn’t perceive his presence.

Zhong Chengshuo decided to continue his contact with the large ripple, abandoning his previous plan—

“Me.”

The large ripple patiently taught him.

“You.”

It gave him a whole new “world”.

From that moment, Zhong Chengshuo became aware of fast and slow vibration frequencies, the rhythm of time passing, and the existence of “self” and “others” in the world.

He became aware of the presence of “sweetness” in this world.

As their interactions increased, the constraints on his body seemed to loosen. The concept of “being acknowledged by the other” was like a crack in the prison wall, showing him a direction to move forward.

Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough.

Zhong Chengshuo remained stuck in place, albeit with a slight sense of freedom. But that was okay; he didn’t mind—discomfort or even annihilation weren’t significant issues.

“Feeling” was complex enough for him. At that time, Zhong Chengshuo had no capacity to comprehend a higher-level concept like “emotions”.

He decided to continue conversing with that unique ripple, no, with “that person”. At least in their brief interactions, he could forget his uncomfortable state. However, before he could learn the significance of colors, melodies, and fragrances, that person weakened.

He recognized that state of decline! Zhong Chengshuo even felt a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes, the small ripples in the sky would fall to the ground, and they would experience the same decline, fragmentation, and leave behind only faint remnants.

That person referred to this state as “death”, but Zhong Chengshuo firmly believed it was a kind of departure.

Before his demise, that person presented two wishes and a gift to him—

They gave him a well-defined and widely-known “concept”.

…They defined himself as a “god”.

The moment he received this definition, Zhong Chengshuo felt an unprecedented fragility in his constraints. The “human world”, which had been difficult to squeeze into, suddenly became a place for him. He exerted all his effort to move his body, squeezing himself completely into the human world.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that the discomfort had disappeared, and it was such a liberating feeling.

But he couldn’t share this sentiment with anyone else.

The large ripple had already faded away, leaving only an extremely faint trace. Like pebbles, remains, or falling rain—the ripple was simple and inconspicuous, hardly worth mentioning.

This was death.

That person had departed once again, without leaving a return date.

This won’t do. I have to fix that person. Zhong Chengshuo from a thousand years ago subconsciously thought. His own body was no longer in pain, but he wanted to talk to that person again.

Zhong Chengshuo instinctively channeled his power towards the weak ripple, but it remained feeble, like pouring water into a desert. Zhong Chengshuo didn’t lose heart; he continued to pour his power, until he had given half of his own strength.

That person shared half of their precious apple with him, and he shared half of his precious strength with that person. It was only fair.

As long as he didn’t lose more than half of his strength, he could have a good sleep, and his strength would return to its original state.

Unfortunately, even after pouring half of his strength, the condition of that person didn’t change. The ripple no longer continued to fade, but it remained weak.

It seemed that it was completely broken. Zhong Chengshuo thought with a sense of innocence. Since he couldn’t fix it no matter how hard he tried, he would let it go.

That’s fine too; he didn’t mind.

More importantly, he had to fulfill those two wishes and… go and see the mortal world.

Zhong Chengshuo wrapped the person’s corpse in his body and rushed towards the deepest part of the cliff. Disappearing together with him was the Evil Force scattered throughout the valley. Like raindrops merging into the ocean, the Evil Force seeped out of the ground and merged back into Zhong Chengshuo’s body.

The corruption in the valley vanished, wiped away by the person’s magic. Here, there were only dead bodies, surrounded by tall mountains, and the so-called enemies shouldn’t approach without permission. The people living nearby should be able to safeguard their safety.

As for the apple and the mortal world… he would deal with them after he had a good sleep.

The massive darkness enveloped the blood-soaked corpse, landing on the soft pile of bodies underground. Above him, the rock layers crumbled, and stones tumbled down, burying all the bloodshed, chaos, and the unknown deep underground.

A thousand years later, Zhong Chengshuo floated in mid-air, quietly observing the outcome of everything.

The birth of that person had turned into a terrifying legend—a legendary celestial master revered by everyone during his lifetime. Who could have imagined that his fate and desires were no different from the most ordinary people in troubled times?

His hometown was destroyed, and thus he sacrificed his life for revenge. The lingering regret was simply the inability to let go of his young descendants. As death approached, that person would also feel nervous, reluctant, and… afraid.

The surface of the earth trembled and gradually came to a stop. Yin Ren’s spell was finally complete.

On the flat ground, the crimson light barrier closed completely. Below the surface, the intricate patterns of the sealing spell flashed briefly before disappearing into the shadows.

The topography of the Valley of Remains underwent a tremendous transformation, turning into a plain within the mountains. The contamination of the Evil Force vanished completely, and the fertile soil returned to its original state. Birds flew in the sky, and a faint sense of vitality permeated everything.

However, the little cottage on the cliff was nowhere to be seen.

---

The author has something to say:

The relationship between them is actually quite scientific (???

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 173: You and Me

The continuous drizzle continued.

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

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

He didn’t even breathe.

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

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

Leading the way was Fu Xingchuan.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Explicit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A black rabbit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

……

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

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

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

It wriggled like a worm and wobbled towards Yin Ren.

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

The thing showed no reaction.

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

It was a bit unnerving.

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

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

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

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

Once again, it seeped into the crevices and disappeared.

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

The change occurred during their sixth meeting.

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

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

The speed of the rabbit’s wriggling slowed down.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The trembling of the rabbit subsided.

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

An icy, lifeless touch.

But it was the only living creature in this place.

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

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

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

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

“You.” He poked the rabbit again.

The rabbit froze in place, without any reaction.

“Me.” “You.”

“Me, you…”

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

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

“Me.”

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

“Me, me, me… Me, me… Me.”

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

“Me.”

Strange and distorted sounds emanated from the spirit weapon.

……

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rabbit: “Ah.”

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

Strange, purposeless, inconsequential companionship.

But it was important.

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

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

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

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

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

It was an old umbrella stained with fresh blood.

“I’m back,” Yin Ren said.

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

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

“Leave?” The rabbit froze skillfully.

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

The rabbit continued to freeze.

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

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

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

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

“Die?”

“Die. I remember we discussed similar questions.”

“Oh.”

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

“When will you… come back?”

Yin Ren remained silent.

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

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

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

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

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

The rabbit half understood.

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

Just like those long-standing legends.

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

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

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

Rabbit: “Oh.”

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

Rabbit: “Oh.”

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

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

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

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

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

It was an empty altar.

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

Then, he took out the apple from his pocket.

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

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

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

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

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

“Good.”

It emphasized.

“Good.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The author has something to say:

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

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 172: Black Rabbit

Yin Ren lay helplessly in the void.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was a bit strange.

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

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

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

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

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

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

……

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

Lu Xiaohe pressed her temple with difficulty.

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

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

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

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

Yin Ren’s illusion had stopped not long ago.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The children remained silent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“…Alright, I understand, I understand!”

The young “Mazi” tightened his fist gradually.

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

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

“Give me a name.”

Mazi said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mazi: “Zhong Ma is better.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“This is far enough.”

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

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

“Puff?” It made a puzzled sound.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The red ball didn’t budge.

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

He was completely alone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beautiful yet terrifying.

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

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

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

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

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

But he didn’t want to wait any longer.

There was something he needed to confirm.

……

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But his fingers passed through the scattered strands of hair.

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

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

They were only a fist’s distance apart.

“Goodnight.”

Across the blanket, Zhong Chengshuo softly spoke.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By its features, it might be a black rabbit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Swish.

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

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

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

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

……

In the void, Yin Ren thrashed about in madness.

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

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

Zhong Chengshuo and the others were here!

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

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

Dog Thing could be successfully thrown out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yin Ren focused his mind and began the incantation.

“See me.”

He subconsciously repeated the words in his mind.

“See me, find me, help me escape…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can you see me?

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

Both unfamiliar and familiar.

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

“Could it be that you are…”

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

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

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

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

On the cliff.

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

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

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

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

“Just wait a moment, I…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

…To ensure that his speculation was indeed true.

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

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

As if waiting for someone.

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

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

It was an illusion sent by Yin Ren.

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

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

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

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

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

“I found you.”

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

“I know where you are, Yin Ren.”

---

The author has something to say:

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

---

Kinky Thoughts:

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

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 171: Red Apple

When Shen Mo was sealed into the ground, his emotions of surprise and amusement outweighed his anger.

This should have been a simple task. He infiltrated the mind of Shian’s Evil Spirit and distorted its most important memories. As long as the memories were altered outrageously, it would be impossible for it to maintain its current state of tranquility. The once docile Evil Spirit would suddenly go insane, and Shian would suffer heavy damage from within.

Encountering Shian’s presence in the memory world was a bit unexpected for Shen Mo. However, considering Shian’s continuous research on the Evil Spirit, it was reasonable to encounter them in the memory world.

Shen Mo never expected that Shian’s little group had the ability to fight against the transformation of the Evil Spirit in its memories.

Wrapped in layers of seals deep underground, Shen Mo laughed heartily within the slumbering body of the Evil Spirit.

During the incubation process of the Evil Spirit, his perception of the outside world gradually became blurred and confused. He only remembered how Shian’s little group collaborated—analyzing the techniques, that dog was likely Fu Xingchuan.

Shen Mo found it quite amusing to think that the young and spirited kid from back then had fallen into such a state.

Having had enough fun, he held his breath and focused his mind, activating his ability. It was like floating from the depths of the sea to the surface, gradually brightening the surroundings while the coldness and heaviness around him disappeared. Shen Mo “floated” out of this memory, drifting in that dangerous and unknown space, allowing his thoughts to wander.

The Evil Spirit was sealed and plunged into slumber. No matter how he distorted the outside circumstances, its memories could no longer be altered. It could be attempted again, but with Shian on guard, repeating the same techniques would be meaningless.

In theory, he should swiftly withdraw.

…If he were still in Shian, that would indeed be a situation requiring urgent evacuation. Shen Mo chuckled, calming his spirit and “sinking” back in.

Darkness and coldness once again engulfed him.

In the darkness, Shen Mo could vaguely sense a large, dark object. Compared to it, the floating small clusters around it were like fish fry in a coral reef. Though they could be described in such terms, in reality, these things didn’t possess a clear “volume.” The sense of their size and vagueness lingered only in his mind, and Shen Mo wasn’t foolish enough to open his eyes to observe.

He aimed in the direction he had emerged from earlier and retraced his steps.

Something was amiss.

The Evil Spirit was sealed before its complete birth a thousand years ago. And yet, Shian was able to mimic the actions of the past Great Celestial Master based on its memory. Where did they acquire such clear memories?

This was truly fascinating.

Shen Mo once again fell into the world of memories, and this time he didn’t make any mistakes. He found the body he had originally planned to use—the first cultivator of the Gouluo Army, the “Half-Step Charon” who controlled the corruption.

In the bloody ruins, Shen Mo moved his new body and skillfully merged into the wall. He suppressed his breath as much as possible, only extending two open eyes from the rubble, looking in the direction of Shian’s little group.

The remnant of the illusionary Yellow Millet was still lying on the ground, hardly distinguishable from liquid. The girl and the dog were still moving around the sealed area of the Evil Spirit, exhaustedly reinforcing the seal.

The person who had taken on the shell of the Great Celestial Master stood motionless like a wooden stake.

Sure enough, just as expected. Shen Mo relaxed his tired and battered body, and his thoughts turned light and joyful.

The Evil Spirit was in deep slumber, but the memory world didn’t end here… It was like someone’s memory continuing to sustain the operation of the world. There must be fresh and valuable information on Shian’s side.

In the shadows, he patiently observed, not even disturbing a single grain of sand.

[I’ve communicated with what’s in my head, and it doesn’t know where it came from.]

Two hours passed, and Huang Jin finally fell into a deep enough state of unconsciousness.

[Yin Ren seems to be stuck in a glitch-like place, losing all perception. He has no idea where he is. What should we do next?]

[We’ll meet up with the other two outside the village and continue to reveal the truth of the past.] Fu Xingchuan said, shaking his fur covered in dust.

Finally, Zhong Chengshuo moved. “Shouldn’t we go find that person?”

As he spoke, his body subtly leaned in a direction. In the direction that Zhong Chengshuo leaned, there was a large area of collapsed house ruins.

Upon hearing Zhong Chengshuo refer to Yin Ren as “that person”, Fu Xingchuan paused for a few seconds and looked meaningfully at Zhong Chengshuo, saying, [Let’s finish reading the letter first instead of aimlessly searching.]

Zhong Chengshuo remained devoted to his role as a flesh puppet. He just nodded and didn’t say anything further, pondering something in his mind.

Upon hearing that he still had to double as a projectionist, Huang Jin let out a series of puffing wails, [Since this thing squeezed into my head, I’ve drawn ten thousand tranquility mantras in silence!]

“Practice is useful.” Ge Tingting comforted him. “Do you remember the previous Fu Tianyi? He has improved a lot.”

Perhaps thinking of the miserable state of Fu Tianyi being trained by Yin Ren, Huang Jin flattened even more, his actions filled with despair.

The group rested noisily until noon, until Yellow Millet finally regained its spherical form. Zhong Chengshuo also pressed his bleeding hand onto Yellow Millet, providing power to its illusion.

His movements were silent and obedient, just like a true flesh puppet.

The illusion had a pause and then resumed, and the figure of the Great Celestial Master from a thousand years ago appeared again. Yin Ren watched as the humanoid monster walked away with the children, and then he slowly walked towards the outskirts of the village.

The steps of the Great Celestial Master were even weaker than before. If he had previously concealed his weakness, this time he no longer bothered to hide it.

In the illusion, the Charon of the Gouluo Army emerged from a charred wooden beam, his eyes greedily fixed on the direction of the Great Celestial Master. His gaze shifted from Yin Ren’s empty hand to his chest, where the Evil Fruit was hidden with an expression of a mixture of malice and desire.

Shian’s group watched this person’s secretive appearance attentively, following him all the way to the outskirts of the village.

Not far behind the four people, Shen Mo controlled the Charon in “reality” and quietly followed behind them.

……

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

The six members of Shian had completed their gathering, and the four people and two objects continued to follow the illusion without stopping.

The desolate mountain village had long disappeared from their surroundings. They followed Yin Ren and the children as they advanced through the wilderness, watching the vegetation gradually become sparse. The wilderness turned into hills, and then into rugged mountains. As they walked, the surroundings became increasingly desolate, with even fewer birds in the sky.

Perhaps out of consideration for the children, the Great Celestial Master no longer kept his army of evil spirits stationed nearby.

He would only take out the Evil Fruit every few hours, caress it with care, and then use it to “command” the surrounding evils, making them pretend to patrol the area.

The Evil Fruit, this top-tier cursed spirit weapon, had somehow become a good fishing hook.

In the illusion, the Charon who was tracking the Great Celestial Master had indeed not given up and followed for hundreds of miles, despite being injured.

It wasn’t until the group entered deep into the mountains that even Lu Xiaohe’s recorded actions slowed down. Since the loss of the detection equipment, she tended to use Fu Tianyi as a device to measure the concentration of evil qi. Fu Tianyi’s face turned blue enough to be displayed in a bronze artifact exhibition, indicating that something was really wrong in this place.

Even the Gouluo Charon, who had been following the Great Celestial Master, hesitated.

“Who knows what kind of place this is? There isn’t even a map, puff puff,” Huang Jin said dejectedly.

During these five days, Fu Xingchuan had been busy. He commanded Fu Tianyi to create two spirit weapons that could produce human voices, so they wouldn’t have to find a tree branch every time Yellow Millet wanted to communicate. Unfortunately, the materials were limited, and these items would occasionally malfunction.

“According to the records in <The Book of Exorcism>, the Great Celestial Master sometimes disappears for a period of time, saying that he would hide in remote places for cultivation.”

Lu Xiaohe continued to record as she spoke.

“From what it seems now…” she sighed and didn’t say more.

Everyone present knew what she wanted to say.

From what it seemed now, the corruption of the Evil Force on Yin Ren’s body was too heavy. He couldn’t maintain strict control for 365 days a year; there would always be a period of time when he needed to catch his breath in an uninhabited place.

At the moment, it wasn’t yet time for the Great Celestial Master to “cultivate”. In addition to fishing, Yin Ren seemed to intend to take these children near his hiding place, so that they could be far away from the war.

This reminded her of the Yin Ren she was familiar with. Lu Xiaohe put down her charcoal pencil and subconsciously looked towards Zhong Chengshuo.

Since the Evil Dog Spirit was sealed and they officially gathered, the flesh puppet had hardly participated in any conversations. He just sat in the Great Celestial Master’s shell, even more silent than an ordinary flesh puppet with his face forever facing the direction of the “Great Celestial Master” from a thousand years ago.

Covered by a red cloth, Lu Xiaohe couldn’t see the expression of the “flesh puppet”.

At this moment, the Great Celestial Master was sitting on a piece of bluestone, resting. Since the battle in Yin Village, the Great Celestial Master had been sleeping for longer and longer periods of time. Now, that person was slumped on the stone and the red cocoon was swaying making it seemed like he was about to fall asleep.

Until a young man arrived with an evil spirit.

Seeing someone coming, the Great Celestial Master quickly straightened up, even discreetly cleared his throat. “What is it?”

He was the eldest child in Yin Village. The young man lowered his head, his hand guided by the evil spirit, and his eyes were still covered for protection.

“I… I want to offer this to you.” The young man said in a low voice, holding a small package in his arms. “My brother brought it from outside the village. It’s in good condition. I’ve been holding it in my arms, and now it’s ripe and ready to eat.”

As he spoke, he carefully presented the package.

These past few days, the Great Celestial Master had been sending evil spirits to collect meat, bird eggs, wild vegetables, and mountain fruits for the children to eat. Despite his pale complexion and obvious tear marks, the young man’s body didn’t appear weak. Yin Ren didn’t mince words with him; he made a gesture, and the cloth package flew into his hands.

Inside the clean fabric, lay quietly an apple.

The apple was red, plump, and emitted a fragrant aroma. Its surface gleamed with a smooth and gentle luster, contrasting with the sour and bitter small fruits in the mountains. Yin Ren seemed somewhat surprised. He cupped the apple in his hands and cautiously sniffed it.

“Thank you… cough, I’ll accept this offering.” He spoke as solemnly as possible.

Although he said that, Yin Ren didn’t take a bite; he simply cherished it by wiping it clean. He enchanted several preservation spells on the apple before carefully tucking it away.

“After they have rested, we will depart immediately.”

Adjusting his clothing, Yin Ren instructed the evil spirit.

“You need to rest…” The evil spirit widened its eye sockets.

“I don’t have much time left, so we need to swiftly conclude this matter.”

The Great Celestial Master looked towards the depths of the mountains.

“We need to return to the Valley of Remains quickly.”

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