Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao walked together on the palace path outside Yangxin Hall.

However, after a few steps, Chu Jiubian came to an abrupt stop.

Qin Xiao turned his head toward him and said with a smile: “What, do you want to go back and check on my wound?”

Chu Jiubian gave him a look.

The voice of the System echoed in his mind: [Host, Believer Jiang Shuoye is requesting to enter the Divine Realm.]

Jiang Shuoye, ah.

It had been a long time since they last saw each other.

Steel production had developed significantly in the north, and many soldiers had been equipped with steel weapons and horse tack. Modern training methods had also been adopted, and as a result, the soldiers’ abilities, obedience, and sense of honor were all much higher than before.

With such an army, victory against the Tatars was virtually guaranteed.

But with only 80,000 men, the army was still far too small compared to the Tatar army that was over 100,000 strong. More troops would need to be recruited in the future.

He would wait a little longer, until there was no one left in the court who would interfere with or criticize the conscription process. Chu Jiubian could just issue an edict from the palace instructing Jiang Shuoye to recruit troops, and then the general wouldn’t have to bear any further risks.

Thinking of this, Chu Jiubian suddenly recalled that at the very beginning, he had planned to use Jiang Shuoye and his soldiers to fight against Qin Xiao.

But now, such a plan was no longer necessary.

After all, unless he or Qin Xiao intended to overthrow Bai Lihong and become Emperor themselves, they had no reason to stand on opposite sides.

Their relationship with Bai Lihong at this point was far from one of mutual suspicion, let alone a situation where they were preparing to overthrow him.

Chu Jiubian quickly regained his composure.

He had previously sent funds to the north and instructed Jiang Shuoye to use it to develop steel production and train his troops, but that money should have long been spent.

Chu Jiubian had already received a share of profits from Situ Zhaoling’s silk sales, and would be able to invest more in Jiang Shuoye, improving his military equipment and providing better food for the soldiers, which would increase their strength.

Plus, once news spread about how well the Mobei Army was treated and how strong they were, even more people would sign up once conscription began later on.

The underfloor heating system at Yaotai Residence had been completed. Chu Jiubian had originally planned to move back in a couple of days so that it would be more convenient to enter the Divine Realm, and give Jiang Shuoye the money then.

But since the man had reached out to him today, he would simply give it to him now.

Chu Jiubian wanted to go back to Yaotai Residence at once, but he couldn’t be too abrupt in front of Qin Xiao.

Just as he was wondering if he should pretend to be exhausted to the point of fainting, there was a sudden sharp pain in his temples, each throb more intense than the last.

It was a familiar sensation.

Nerve pain again!

And this time, it was coming on faster and more intense than ever before.

But at least he had a ready-made excuse now.

Chu Jiubian could use this as an opportunity to “pass out,” which would save him the trouble of explaining things to Qin Xiao.

His head ached terribly, and his eyes were somewhat bloodshot, but his expression revealed nothing. He simply glanced at Qin Xiao with his tired, bloodshot eyes, as if afraid that the other man wouldn’t notice him barely holding it together.

Then he changed direction and walked toward the western courtyard.

As Chu Jiubian had expected, when Qin Xiao met his gaze, his previously playful expression went serious.

He quickly paced to Chu Jiubian’s side, turning his head to observe the young man’s tense profile.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Chu Jiubian was a little dizzy. The road ahead seemed to sway, yet he walked steadily, step by step.

He could faintly hear Qin Xiao’s voice, though the words weren’t very clear. Nonetheless, he answered calmly: “I’m going to take a nap.”

Qin Xiao frowned. Even from the side, he could see the rather alarming strain in Chu Jiubian’s eyes.

A situation like this had never occurred before. Qin Xiao dared not stop Chu Jiubian, and could only remain by his side as they entered the western courtyard.

The path leading to the courtyard gate was paved with stones, but they were worn so smooth that even Bai Lihong was able to walk across them steadily.

However, Chu Jiubian suddenly stumbled and nearly fell forward.

Qin Xiao immediately put an arm around his waist and pulled him back.

But the person in his arms went completely limp, leaning bonelessly against his chest.

With one arm around Chu Jiubian, Qin Xiao gently cupped his face with his other hand, only to see his ashen complexion and tightly-closed eyes.

“Chu Jiubian,” he called out, but there was no response.

Qin Xiao immediately picked him up and strode toward the main house, saying to the palace servants in the courtyard: “Go fetch Physician Zhang.”

“Yes.” Having never seen Chu Jiubian in such a state before, the palace servants exchanged glances before quickly running off.

Qin Xiao carried the man into the house and placed him down gently on the bed, then removed his shoes, socks, and outer garment before covering him with a blanket.

When Physician Zhang arrived, breathless and panting, he found Chu Jiubian lying comfortably in bed. Anyone else would have thought he was only sleeping.

But he didn’t dare to delay. Before he could even extend his formal greetings, Qin Xiao beckoned him to take Chu Jiubian’s pulse.

This was the first time he had taken the pulse of Grand Tutor Chu, a divine being, but as soon as he felt his pulse, his brow furrowed.

His pulse was faint, and also very irregular.

Physician Zhang even switched to the other hand for a second attempt, but the conclusion remained the same.

Chu Jiubian was in extremely poor physical condition, and was afflicted with various internal maladies.

Was this the price a god must pay to descend to the mortal world?

Even so, Chu Jiubian had come here for the sake of the common people, as well as for the Great Ning Dynasty as a whole.

Physician Zhang admired him greatly.

But the most important thing right now was the headache Chu Jiubian was suffering from.

The symptoms were somewhat similar to a migraine, but even more severe.

“Answering My Lord,” Physician Zhang said to Qin Xiao, “The Grand Tutor has lost consciousness due to a severe headache. This servant will administer acupuncture, which should provide some relief.”

“En,” Qin Xiao replied, then turned his eyes toward the person on the bed.

The young man’s face was already small and pale, and now it looked even more thin and haggard.

Why had he suddenly gotten a headache?

Chu Jiubian was clearly someone capable of withstanding a great deal of pain, yet he had still fainted. How severe must this headache be?

It had to be more painful than tearing at his own flesh.

Qin Xiao wore a solemn expression, his entire person imposing and stern in a way that contrasted starkly against his usual demeanor.

Physician Zhang didn’t dare look at him for more than a moment, and quickly composed himself to administer acupuncture to Chu Jiubian.

Qin Xiao recalled some subtle clues from before.

Ever since Chu Jiubian saved him, the other man had been prone to spacing out and having difficulty concentrating.

In hindsight, every time that happened, the other’s eyes would become vacant and unfocused, and he would sometimes raise his hand to touch his forehead or temples…..

Before, he had thought that Chu Jiubian was suddenly remembering something, but now it seemed that he must have been experiencing pain then as well.

But the other man suffered in silence, revealing nothing on his face.

So these headaches of Chu Jiubian’s…..were they a result of saving Qin Xiao?

There was an indescribable feeling in Qin Xiao’s heart, and he suddenly remembered something from a long time ago —

His parents had been deeply in love, and Qin Xiao grew up watching them bicker and tease each other, but also share sweet and affectionate moments.

Once, his mother had stayed awake for two days straight taking care of his elder sister, who was suffering from a persistent fever.

Once the fever subsided and his mother was able to relax, she had developed a headache and fallen into a deep sleep.

At that time, his father had remained at his mother’s bedside, silent and somber.

Qin Xiao was still young, and hadn’t understood why his father reacted in such a way when his mother collapsed from exhaustion.

Auntie Wu was his mother’s maid at the time, and told him: “Master is worried about his wife, but doesn’t know how to express it.”

Qin Xiao hadn’t understood at the time, and although he had kept those words in mind, he’d forgotten about them until just now.

At present, he remembered the scene from that day, the people involved, and the conversations that were had.

It turned out that he was feeling the same silent, profound heartache that his father had experienced.

The pain was so intense that it was difficult for him to breathe.

His elder sister had once said that the more you hurt on someone’s behalf, the more you loved them.

Qin Xiao had hurt for his grandfather, who’d lost a son in his old age. He’d hurt for his elder sister, who had to tread so carefully in the palace, and for his younger brother, who had been away from home since childhood. He also hurt for his nephew, who had lost his mother at such a young age.

These were all relatives, bound to him by blood.

Qin Xiao gazed at the young man lying in bed, and was hit with the absolute certainty of how much he cared about him.

In the Divine Realm, the pain in his head was constant and unrelenting as Chu Jiubian sat upon his divine throne.

Neuralgia was closely related to one’s mental state, and even in the Divine Realm, the pain continued unabated.

Meanwhile, the System was still chattering in his ear: [Host, an old man is sticking needles into you. This System detects that he is targeting the acupuncture points in your head, which should relieve the pain.]

[Host, it has been detected that potential Believer Qin Xiao is staring at you. The emotions being conveyed are very complex. This System is analyzing them…..]

Chu Jiubian paid it no heed, lowering his gaze to look at Jiang Shuoye at the long table.

Jiang Shuoye immediately bowed, and only after receiving permission did he go to his chair and sit down.

“Why have you called for me?” Chu Jiubian asked.

He was calm, aloof, and mysterious, inspiring a deep sense of awe.

Jiang Shuoye replied as deferentially as always: “Answering the High Priest, this subordinate apologizes for his presumption. However, this subordinate has not felt your gaze in a long time, and wanted to give you an update on the situation in the north and the Mobei army.”

He had been quite successful in training his troops, and half of the soldiers in his army were now equipped with steel weapons. Furthermore, inspired by those in the Special Forces Battalion, the other soldiers were all training exceptionally hard in hopes of climbing the ranks.

Consequently, the entire Mobei Army had experienced a surge in strength.

Having not sensed that watchful gaze in quite some time, Jiang Shuoye had begun to worry that he had lost contact with the High Priest, or that he had perhaps lost the ability to sense his gaze. Thus, he sought an audience with the High Priest during his midday nap.

When he saw that the High Priest had not abandoned him, his heart settled.

In fact, Jiang Shuoye had come to the realization that he had grown dependent upon the High Priest without even noticing, and feared the lack of his divine protection.

Perhaps this was the experience of every mortal who received the favor of a god.

Therefore, although Jiang Shuoye was aware of the matter, he didn’t find anything wrong with it.

Said divine protection extended not only to him, but to the entire Northern Desert region and even to the entirety of Great Ning.

And he understood quite clearly that both he and the Great Ning Dynasty needed that protection.

Therefore, he would do everything in his power to obtain more blessings from this god and secure the long-term welfare of his people.

Jiang Shuoye informed the High Priest of recent developments, and when the other party said “you have done well,” he felt his nerves relax, and decided to move on to another topic.

Or rather, to test the god’s attitude on this subject.

“Given the Mobei Army’s strength, I wonder if we will be able to conquer the Tatars.” His tone was cautious, a clear indication that he had thought long and hard about this.

The pain in Chu Jiubian’s head was gradually subsiding.

His heart stirred at Jiang Shuoye’s words.

The Tatars would certainly be fought, but not right now.

At this point in time, the Great Ning Dynasty did not need to focus solely on expanding its territory. First, it must stabilize its internal affairs.

For this reason, they needed to give the impression that “Great Ning would not attack unless provoked,” and would absolutely not be the one to initiate any military action.

But even if they didn’t take the initiative to attack, they could accomplish their goals passively.

They could force, or even guide the Tatars to make the first move.

“The time is not yet right,” Chu Jiubian said cryptically, knowing that Jiang Shuoye wished to hear his thoughts on the matter. “When the time is right, everything will fall into place.”

When the time was right, Chu Jiubian would issue a conscription edict in the Emperor’s name and then instigate the Tatars to launch an attack.

At that time, Jiang Shuoye would counterattack with his army, march directly into the enemy’s royal court, and conquer their territory completely.

Like this, the problem would be solved effortlessly.

Although Chu Jiubian had only spoken one enigmatic sentence, Jiang Shuoye was skilled at using his imagination to fill in the blanks, and seemed to have come to an understanding.

With a gleam in his eyes, he rose and bowed in acquiescence.

This first Believer of his, from the very beginning until now, was cautious and meticulous in everything he did, like a quiet and diligent student.

Chu Jiubian then produced the profits from the silk trade, giving the majority of it to Jiang Shuoye.

Unable to refuse, Jiang Shuoye accepted the gift with profuse thanks.

After leaving the Divine Realm, he immediately busied himself with building an even larger steel mill.

And when Chu Jiubian emerged from the Divine Realm, he regained awareness of his body and surroundings.

He lay in bed, covered with a silk blanket that smelled like Qin Xiao.

Physician Zhang had already left, and Qin Xiao was not by his side, but rather at the tea table separated by a screen.

Chu Jiubian slowly opened his eyes the rest of the way. He spied an additional figure behind the screen, and upon hearing his voice, he realized that it was Qin Chuan.

Qin Chuan was speaking in a low voice, but Chu Jiubian could still hear him clearly.

He was saying that he and Lu Yao had gone to the Lu family manor for a lunch banquet. Lu Yao had learned interpersonal skills well, and was already able to manipulate people effortlessly, using his intelligence to compensate for his lack of emotional awareness.

Even Minister of War Lu Youwei had smiled and bid farewell to Lu Yao when the gathering ended, wearing a look of satisfaction as if looking upon a youth from his own family.

Anyone who didn’t know better would think that Lu Yao was really in league with him. But throughout the entire banquet, Qin Chuan hadn’t heard Lu Yao speak a single word about aligning himself with the Lu family. He had simply guided the conversation in a way that led everyone to that conclusion.

Once again, Qin Chuan had witnessed the heights of Lu Yao’s intelligence.

It was simply unbelievable.

Of course, QIn Chuan hadn’t been idle either. He had used this opportunity to map out most of the Lu family’s defenses, as well as the location of Lu Youwei’s courtyard and study.

Family Head Lu Jinfeng was a martial artist and a rather straightforward character, incapable of engaging in overly secretive activities.

Therefore, if the Lu family had truly colluded with the Tatars to murder Qin Jingzhao and his wife, any correspondence or other documents containing evidence could only be hidden with Minister of War Lu Youwei.

Qin Chuan now knew the location of Lu Youwei’s study, and all he needed was an opportunity to go and search it.

“There were too many guards and soldiers watching the place. I couldn’t get close,” Qin Chuan said softly.

No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the door.

Qin Xiao called for them to enter, and as expected, it was Qin Chaoyang.

Upon entering, he didn’t even glance behind the screen where Chu Jiubian was, but instead gave Qin Xiao and Qin Chuan a formal bow.

QIn Xiao waved a hand and said: “There is something I need to ask you.”

“Ask, My Lord,” said Qin Chaoyang.

Qin Xiao: “Have you noticed anything unusual about that couple from the sixth branch of the Lu family?”

Qin Chaoyang said: “I was just about to report to you on the matter.”

As it turned out, he had secretly been keeping an eye on that couple from the sixth branch of the Lu family. Their son was the one who had consumed mandala along with Wang Huanzhi’s youngest son, and was subsequently beheaded in public by Qin Xiao at the palace gates.

There had been no activity from them before, but something had come up today.

Qin Chaoyang recounted the information reported to him by his subordinates in detail.

It turned out that there were three sons in total who belonged to the Lu family’s sixth branch. The couple whose child had perished were the second-eldest in the family, and had long experienced neglect.

The death of their son had made the couple even more aware of the harsh realities of human nature.

They had planned to try for a second child while they were relatively young, but their family insisted that they adopt the eldest brother’s son as their own.

This couple was the most business-minded among their entire extended family, and also the wealthiest. 

Their relatives wanted them to adopt the eldest son of the main branch, solely to get their hands on the assets they possessed.

The couple refused, and during the ensuing argument, someone pushed the wife, which caused her to fall to the ground and begin bleeding profusely.

It was later discovered that she was over a month pregnant, but that due to excessive stress and her advanced age, the pregnancy was unstable. The fall had not only caused her to lose the baby, but also deprived her of the ability to have children in the future.

“Their hearts must be filled with hatred now,” said Qin Chaoyang.

They hated Qin Xiao for killing their son, but Qin Xiao was too powerful and too distant from them. They would have no opportunity to seek revenge on him.

But the Lu family was different. Those members of the Lu family were tangibly and visibly beside them.

Hatred, when directed toward those closest to you, was always more profound.

Thus, the subject of this couple’s hatred at present was not Qin Xiao, but their biased parents, as well as all of the members of the Lu family.

“Find a way for someone to approach them,” Qin Xiao said. “Once they let down their guard, guide them to find evidence of the Lu family’s treasonous activities and report it to me.”

Outsiders may not be able to infiltrate Lu Youwei’s residence, but other members of the Lu family would be able to find a way.

This couple harbored resentment toward both the Lu family and Qin Xiao, so if someone were to tell them that all they needed to do was find evidence of the Lu family’s crimes and hand it over to Qin Xiao, they would be able to watch the two sides fight each other to death.

They would accomplish this even at the risk of their lives, but only if they possessed sufficient ability and intelligence to pull it off.

“The person we send should be cautious and not act hastily. They should wait and gather more information before giving instructions to the Lu couple,” Qin Xiao said.

Qin Chaoyang agreed.

[Analysis complete.]

The System spoke up without warning, startling Chu Jiubian so much that he jumped slightly.

The three people on the other side of the screen paused for a moment. Then Qin Chuan and Qin Chaoyang hastily vacated the room, leaving only Qin Xiao behind.

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

Without regard for Chu Jiubian’s opinion, the System continued: [This System has analyzed micro-expressions, interpersonal relationships, and and other factors to arrive at the following conclusion – ]

[Potential Believer Qin Xiao is experiencing heartache toward Host.]

Chu Jiubian’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his heart skipped a beat.

In the next moment, the man’s tall figure emerged from behind the screen. Their eyes met across the distance.

Chu Jiubian averted his gaze and rolled over, moving closer to the inside of the bed.

He heard Qin Xiao’s footsteps approaching, and then the man sat on the edge of the bed.

The bed dipped slightly, and there was no further movement.

Chu Jiubian waited, sensing a gaze so intense that it seemed almost tangible, as if it was liable to bore a hole through his back.

“……”

Several minutes passed with no movement.

At last, Qin Xiao spoke in a very soft voice: “Are you feeling better?”

“En,” Chu Jiubian responded vaguely, his unfocused gaze trained on the wall.

Another moment of silence, and then there was a rustling sound behind him as if Qin Xiao was taking off his clothes and shoes.

Chu Jiubian turned around and saw that the man had indeed removed his outer garment, leaving him in only his black silk inner robe.

He had one knee on the bed with his other foot still on the floor, which made his legs seem even longer.

His inner robe was loosely-fastened, and when he leaned forward slightly, a large swathe of his tanned, muscular chest was revealed.

The wound on the left side of his chest had healed, and the stitches had been removed, but the color was different from that of the skin around it.

It would definitely leave a scar.

Qin Xiao noticed his movement, and looked up to find that the other man’s attention was once again focused on his chest.

“……” He chuckled softly.

Chu Jiubian looked up to meet that teasing and somewhat suggestive gaze, and didn’t flinch away.

They were just his pecs, right? 

They were both men, so what was wrong with him taking a look?

His confident attitude completely crumbled when Qin Xiao released the corner of the blanket and instead took his hand, pressing it against his firm chest.

Rather than withdrawing his hand, Chu Jiubian maintained the stalemate.

The skin beneath his hand was warm and supple, and his palm tingled at the feel of a strong, rhythmic heartbeat.

Qin Xiao stared intently at Chu Jiubian, his gaze moving from the other’s wandering eyes to his rosy lips.

HIs Adam’s apple bobbed. Qin Xiao tightened his grip on the young man’s wrist, stroking his thumb sensually along the inside of it as if he could feel the pulsing blood vessels beneath his skin.

Chu Jiubian suddenly felt a little warm. He fingers inexplicably clenched, and it looked like he was squeezing the other man’s pecs.

He looked up and saw that Qin Xiao’s eyes were deep and dark, with a chilling intensity that sent shivers down his spine.

They were both men, and he sensed with absolute certainty the other’s surging desire, that intense, fierce longing to possess him.

The grip on his hand moved it slowly downward, tracing over well-formed abdominal muscles.

As his fingertips touched the cool hem of silk trousers, Chu Jiubian’s eyelashes fluttered. Half of his face was buried in the blankets, and his exposed earlobe was bright red.

But he didn’t withdraw his hand.

Qin Xiao’s chest heaved up and down a few times, and he ultimately closed his eyes, releasing the other’s hand.

Then he lay down in bed, and with a sweep of his arm, pulled Chu Jiubian into his embrace and held him tightly against himself.

He felt a distinct sensation against his lower abdomen, and Chu Jiubian could vaguely sense its terrifying length.

He looked up and met the other man’s eyes, which were very close to his own.

Qin Xiao’s brow twitched. He pressed the young man’s face against his neck, and said in a low, hoarse voice filled with an unidentifiable emotion: “Don’t look at me like that.”

Chu Jiubian kept quiet.

After a while, he finally said: “It’s a little stuffy.”

When he said this, the man immediately turned him over as easily as a ragdoll and held him so that he was facing away, back to chest.

Perhaps due to the somewhat rough movement, their lower halves brushed against each other.

Chu Jiubian reflexively shivered, and Qin Xiao’s breathing became noticeably heavier.

Neither of them spoke, nor did they dare to move.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes, his mind in a state of chaos.

His brain was having an unprecedentedly difficult time processing this situation.

Ever since Qin Xiao had returned severely injured, he hadn’t known how to interact with Qin Xiao or face what might happen in the future.

All he could do was follow his instincts.

Yet even his instincts were contradictory. At times, he wanted to get closer to Qin Xiao, much closer, but at other times, he wanted to stay far away from him, and even wished they had no connection whatsoever.

He didn’t understand himself.

The man behind him was breathing steadier, but the change to his body persisted.

Suddenly, Chu Jiubian heard him say: “Thank you.”

Chu Jiubian froze.

“Thank you for saving me,” Qin Xiao said. “I owe you so much.”

For a long time, Chu Jiubian remained silent.

Unsure whether or not Qin Xiao had fallen asleep, Chu Jiubian finally spoke in a whisper: “Then you should treat me even better.”

Qin Xiao said nothing, but he clung to him even tighter.

---

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Chapter 80 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 82

Ch 36 – Change and Constancy

Yu Xi had been driven to such a state of despondency by Tau that even outsiders took notice.

Cuthe couldn’t understand why the child had suddenly stopped talking, and assumed that Yu Xi had been so frightened by his mother last time that he still hadn’t recovered.

Tau was also pacing back and forth in a frantic state, awaiting Yu Xi’s verdict. He was overcome by a constant feeling that Yu Xi was secretly brewing up some massive surprise to spring on him.

For this reason, Tau hadn’t dared to appear too close to Xiao Konglong in recent days. He worried that Yu Xi would realize how much he cared about the little dinosaur and hurt it to get at Tau.

But Yu Xi just appeared listless.

“Look, this is a human.” Tau had fashioned a small doll.

Yu Xi glanced at the little doll, then silently averted his gaze.

Tau also looked at the little doll, then glanced toward Yu Xi, who was inching away from him.

At a loss, Tau could only turn to his fake friend and seek help from Kersz.

Kersz thought Yu Xi was angry at first, but then he realized that he was merely self-conscious.

Yu Xi felt horribly embarrassed, and saw Illegitimates as a rather terrifying breed of human.

He had indeed come up with a plan to save all of the Illegitimates after successfully comforting Kersz, and felt himself tremendously capable.

Then, Tau had accused him of wanting to enjoy the pleasure of being a ‘savior’ and playing a little ‘rescue game.’

Yu Xi reflected on himself and came to the conclusion that Tau’s words were not entirely incorrect. He truly longed to be the savior of the Illegitimates, to have these spiritually castrated humans gaze up at him with eyes gleaming with adoration.

It would be even better if they would say: “Heavens, what a gentle robot!”

Whenever Yu Xi thought of this, he wished he could simply vanish from existence.

He had never felt the emotion called ‘embarrassment’ so intensely.

“He actually doesn’t care,” Kersz reassured Yu Xi. “Before, he would have pretended not to see through your intentions, and then play along with your little ‘rescue game.’”

Yu Xi wrapped himself more tightly in the blankets.

As for why Tau hadn’t played along this time…..it was likely because he subconsciously assumed that even if he didn’t, nothing major would happen.

Thus, acting on impulse, Tau refused to cooperate. But when he came to his senses, he felt that the assumption that Yu Xi posed no threat to him was completely absurd, and began to worry again about what he might do next.

But all Yu Xi did was retreat into himself out of sheer embarrassment.

Tau knocked on the door again.

Yu Xi pulled the blankets around him and huddled in the corner of the bed.

Kersz let out a helpless sigh, then got up to speak with Tau.

Yu Xi watched him go.

Then, clutching his blanket tightly, he inched slightly closer to the door.

If Yu Xi wanted to, he could easily overhear what they were saying.

But he didn’t do so, for fear that he would hear something that would make him even more embarrassed.

Fortunately, Kersz returned before too long.

Eyes wide with worry, Yu Xi lowered his voice to ask: “What did Tau say?”

“He wants my help. Specifically, he wants me to plead with you not to lay a hand on his little dinosaur.” Kersz sat on the edge of Yu Xi’s bed.

He had originally intended to scoot over a bit further, but before he could do so, Yu Xi wriggled his blanket-wrapped self over to his side: “Why does he think I would hurt Xiao Konglong?”

“Because he’s used to that kind of thing,” said Kersz.

“Used to it?” Yu Xi thought for a moment. “Oh! Is it because they weren’t allowed to have things that they liked in the past?”

“More or less.” Kersz nodded. “Actually…..when Tau was a child, he must have had something he loved.”

Yu Xi sat up a little straighter.

“Illegitimates are all hand-picked, and before the formal trials begin, they’re each assigned a little ‘playmate.’” After discovering that Tau was an Illegitimate, Kersz had launched an investigation into the methods used to cultivate this group of weapons.

Before the final trial arrived, these children needed to have something they cared about.

It was a necessity for their training.

Squatting at the door, Tau glanced at it a few times, then lowered his head to look at Xiao Konglong in his arms.

“Daddy?” Xiao Konglong reached out with a tiny claw. Tau extended his index finger, and that tiny claw grasped it.

Tau smiled.

Affection could be cultivated.

Tau had once possessed a small dinosaur plushie. Each time he laid eyes on his plushie, it was a signal that training was over and he could finally fill his belly.

Tau wasn’t sure if he had ever had his own room during his childhood, because it was just a small cubicle with transparent walls on all four sides, with researchers constantly coming and going to observe his condition.

But Tau was able to ignore them. After all, it wasn’t until he began imitating all sorts of people that Tau realized that the lives of normal people weren’t transparent, and that no one would come running over at a moment’s notice to gawk and take notes on them.

Tau knew that all of the children had plushies at that time, and that they loved them just as much as he loved his.

“Once they reach a certain age, the objects they love will be taken away from them for training purposes,” Kersz continued. “They must learn to ignore the harm being done to their loved one, and focus single-mindedly on completing the mission.”

“But that should be very difficult.” Yu Xi understood what Kersz was getting at.

Those plushies had become the children’ s only source of comfort.

For them, fulfilling their master’s commands was the fundamental prerequisite for survival. This had become the underlying logic of their very existence.

Only after completing their mission were they allowed to eat and rest.

“Completing the mission” became a necessity as vital as eating and drinking, artificially etched into their very souls.

These plushies, however, served as a more intimate source of spiritual solace, and were more like “friends.”

Those lonely children would subconsciously imbue these dolls with a soul, and were able to feel at ease while clutching them in their arms.

“It is very difficult.” Kersz nodded. “So those Illegitimates who choose to rush to the aid of their plushies are eliminated.”

Yu Xi: “Does ‘eliminated’ mean death?”

Kersz nodded.

The light in Yu Xi’s eyes flared a little brighter.

Tau remembered the day he lost his dinosaur plushie. He had to complete a training assignment, and that day was one of the rare times all of the Illegitimates were gathered together in one place.

And all around the training grounds, those plushies sat silently on their own chairs like a crowd of spectators.

But they had not come as spectators. They had come to say goodbye. Tau watched as his little dinosaur was torn to shreds, piece by piece.

Tau wanted to run toward it, but someone else had already rushed forward.

That man let out a piercing scream and sprinted headlong toward his plushie.

Then, with a loud bang, blood splattered all over the ground.

Tau felt some of the blood splash onto his face. He paused, then turned his head and resumed his training.

At that moment, Tau didn’t even think his heartbeat had changed at all. Was he sad? Was he afraid?

Tau couldn’t say.

But Illegitimates were strange creatures to begin with. Even as members of their own ranks died, others continued to rush toward their plushies. Toward their irreversible deaths.

Because that was the only source of warmth they had left, even though these plushies had never once responded to them.

When Tau returned to his room that day, there was nothing there waiting for him.

But Tau had passed the test. He had not allowed extraneous emotions to interfere with the execution of his mission.

Xiao Konglong clutched Tau’s finger with his claw, and Tau felt the slight urge to smile.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door opening.

Tau instinctively started to pull Xiao Konglong into his arms, but then he froze.

“You’re still squatting here?” It was Yu Xi’s voice.

Tau’s arms trembled slightly.

“I won’t lay a hand on your little dinosaur,” Yu Xi said.

Tau breathed a subconscious sigh of relief: “Then you intend to….Father…..”

“I’m not….do you really love that so-called father of yours?” Yu Xi didn’t understand. He felt that all of Tau’s suffering stemmed from the Supreme Governor, and he wasn’t certain that Tau even liked the Supreme Governor that much.

But loyalty to that man was etched into his very marrow.

Tau’s future seemed to be obscured by a dense fog that Yu Xi couldn’t see through.

“I respect my father,” said Tau.

“Oh.” Yu Xi felt that perhaps Tau held some hatred toward him without actually realizing it himself.

“I’m just a little embarrassed,” Yu Xi confessed. “You saw right through my little scheme, and I feel ashamed.”

Tau: “You mean I saw right through your attempt to save me?”

Yu Xi nodded.

“Why be embarrassed? Isn’t that perfectly normal?” Tau asked.

“How is that normal?!” Yu Xi felt that Tau was simply beyond saving. The environment in which he grew up was vastly different from that of ordinary children, to the point that it was an entirely different world.

“There are plenty of people who want to save us.” Tau stroked the little dinosaur cradled in his arms, no longer looking quite so tense. “Especially those nobles.”

“Eh? Aren’t the nobles the ones who created you?” Yu Xi asked.

“Yes. But sometimes they would suddenly feel sorry for us and want to play a little ‘savior game.’” Tau stood up, still cradling Xiao Konglong.

The circumstances of the Illegitmates’ existence seemed inherently tragic, and there were always a few “kind-hearted” nobles who simply couldn’t bear to witness their suffering.

Of course, that only applied to the most beautiful or handsome among the Illegitimates.

They would give those Illegitimates warmth and love, even taking them out to eat real food.

“Those grand principles you speak of – they can spout them just as well. Then they’ll invariably gaze with that same affectionate indulgence at the Illegitimate they’ve taken a liking to,” Tau said. “They seem rather keen on molding Illegitimates into what they see as a ‘normal person.’”

But if they wanted a normal person so badly, why not just love a normal person from the very start?

“Perhaps ‘normal people’ are just too much of a hassle for them. After all, the people they normally associate with are fellow nobles, and those are hardly the sort of people to be grateful for small kindnesses. They also fear that a normal person might covet their wealth, so an Illegitimate is really the ideal choice for satisfying their vanity.” Tau was very calm as he said all of this.

He wasn’t resentful at all, and was merely stating the facts.

Yu Xi was dumbstruck by what he had just heard: “How do you know all of that?”

Tau didn’t answer.

“Did you not hope to catch the eye of a noble?” Yu Xi was puzzled.

“It wasn’t a matter of hoping,” said Tau.

“Then do you hate being treated as abnormal?” Yu Xi asked.

Tau shook his head: “No.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Yu Xi felt that some of the things Tau said simply couldn’t be taken at face value.

Tau lowered his head.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have messed around with that little ‘rescue game.’” Yu Xi crouched down beside him.

Tau didn’t give much of a response to the apology, as apologies weren’t a normal part of his communication anyway.

“I’m giving you this.” Yu Xi pulled a small blue sphere out of his pocket.

“What is it?” asked Tau.

“It can make your dinosaur change colors,” said Yu Xi.

“Change colors?”

“It can change colors according to its mood, or you can change the color yourself.” Yu Xi thought this was something Tau would like.

Sure enough, Tau’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Wow!” Tau took the blue sphere.

He stared at it for a moment, then suddenly asked Yu Xi: “Is there anything else you want to apologize for?”

Yu Xi: “Ah?”

Tau gave an example: “Such as kidnapping me.”

Yu Xi was a bit flustered, and fumbled here and there before finally fishing out another small sphere: “Here! This is a miniature house, perfect for Xiao Konglong to live in.”

The frequency of Tau’s blinks increased slightly.

Tau thought very carefully: “You made me worry for so long. Aren’t you going to apologize for that?”

Yu Xi: “Wuwuwu.”

Pressing a hand down on Tau’s head, Kersz said in a sinister tone: “If you try to extort him any further, I’ll be the first to set your little dinosaur on fire.”

“Ah!!” Tau clutched Xiao Konglong tightly in his arms.

“Tau.” Yu Xi looked toward him, his cyan eyes gleaming faintly: “I’m a little worried about your future.”

“Are you worried I won’t live long?” Tau asked.

Yu Xi nodded.

“Illegitimates don’t live long anyway,” said Tau.

“I find that very regrettable.” Yu Xi sighed. “Can’t you take a leaf out of Fusya’s book and be a little more optimistic?”

“I haven’t been reformed like him.”

Yu Xi was a little disappointed.

Tau stared at Yu Xi, waiting for what he would say next. But Yu Xi said nothing further. He just dejectedly patted Tau on the shoulder, then turned and headed back to his room.

Tau watched him leave, then lowered his head once more to play with Xiao Konglong. Yet after teasing it a couple of times, he cast another glance over his shoulder.

“What are you looking at?” Kersz asked him.

“I don’t know.” Tau shifted his gaze back to his lap.

Kersz raised an eyebrow.

Something was changing within Tau, yet Tau himself seemed largely unaware of it.

Why?

Kersz also glanced in the direction Yu Xi had gone.

Ah. That was it.

Tau believed he was safe.

Tau couldn’t leave this place, yet Yu Xi wouldn’t actually do anything to him. Yu Xi hadn’t laid a hand on his little dinosaur, and also hadn’t insisted on making him “normal.”

Tau considered his surroundings to be safe and secure, and he also had no missions to carry out.

Kersz hadn’t said much throughout the previous conversation, still feeling the need to observe for a while longer.

And just as he had expected, Tau was unconsciously observing Yu Xi.

Yu Xi had not yet extricated himself from his sorrow, still pacing back and forth within the room and sighing now and again.

Facai had snuck over many times, but although Yu Xi didn’t shoo him away, he also didn’t speak to him.

Yu Xi just kept gazing at Tau, letting out sigh after sigh.

*

*

“Why create an Illegitimate?” Yu Xi asked Kersz as he lay beside him in bed.

“Because they have the power and resources to go around creating them.” Kersz turned on his side to face Yu Xi. “Actually, I’m pretty curious about the ancient humans you mentioned.”

“About what?” Yu Xi asked.

“Were they really able to eliminate discrimination and prejudice?” 

“That’s right,” Yu Xi murmured. “Their knowledge was transmissible. Not through text, though. You can think of it as a transmission of consciousness.”

“But this technology wasn’t in use for very long. Because soon after this technology emerged, they were able to achieve immortality, and no new life was ever born again.”

“That sounds pretty good.” Kersz thought about what that would look like. “Everyone gets to live until they decide to die.”

“It was probably pretty good.” Yu Xi still didn’t care much for that sort of human.

“Don’t you see humans like us as ignorant and foolish? Especially after seeing those powerful ‘ultimate forms. We create beings like Illegitimates, we fight each other for power, and it seems like there’s no end to our hatred.”

“I don’t know, but those other humans were too all-powerful and omniscient.” Yu Xi was aware that they were actually very good people. They were incredibly tolerant, and in fact, they didn’t even seem to possess the concept of a “temper.”

“They had their own understanding of the world, and it was one I couldn’t make sense of. I wasn’t that capable,” said Yu Xi.

“And….when their negative emotions vanished, I couldn’t sense any positive emotions from them either.”

Yu Xi still disliked the state of humanity in their last days: “When hatred vanished, so did love.”

At this point, he suddenly grew curious: “Tau seems like he has love in his heart, don’t you think?”

Kersz gave a hum.

“Then do you think his hatred is just as pure as his love?” Yu Xi asked.

“I think so,” said Kersz.

“Will he be able to turn into someone whose head is filled with nothing but positivity?” Yu Xi pressed.

Kersz: “Could you handle changing him like that? You wouldn’t be able to let a couple of words from him make you crumble.”

Yu Xi sighed: “I’m not that capable.”

Yu Xi had come to realize that his sense of shame was far too great. After being seen through by Tau, he felt as if he never wanted to see him again for the rest of his life.

Tau spoke so bluntly, and Yu Xi was simply incapable of transforming him into a positive thinker.

In fact, the shame of being exposed had caused Yu Xi to believe that he had no right to remake another person.

He just wasn’t that strong. When faced with negative human emotions, he never knew what to do with himself.

“Actually, I don’t think he’s entirely hopeless,” Kersz thought aloud.

“Why not?” Yu Xi asked.

“Look at him, isn’t he living a pretty happy life right now?” Kersz smiled.

“Is he really living?”

“Of course. He’s breathing, after all.”

So Tau actually did want to live?

Yu Xi felt himself let out a sigh of relief.

However, he was unable to truly let himself relax. Because the very next day, Tau showed up with Xiao Konglong in his arms to make his end of life arrangements.

“You want me to look after him when you die?!” Yu Xi was shocked to the core.

“I don’t think you would hurt him.” Tau nodded. “Kersz is a different story. He would mistreat him.”

“Then when are you going to die, ah?” Yu Xi’s lips trembled.

Tau: ……

Tau hadn’t given the matter much thought, at least not yet. But Illegitimates never lived very long.

“Someday,” said Tau.

“I knew it. I knew you had self-destructive tendencies.” Yu Xi didn’t like this sort of ‘dying wish’ storyline.

“I don’t.”

“Then why are you making arrangements for after you die?” Yu Xi asked loudly.

After asking this, Yu Xi burst into tears: “If I had known before, I wouldn’t have captured you. If I had known, I would have just let Kersz finish you off. Then I wouldn’t be heartbroken like I am now.”

Watching him cry, Tau clutched the hem of his clothes, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Yu Xi ran off, and Tau didn’t chase after him to insist that he raise Xiao Konglong after he was gone.

For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had done something out of line.

He had done so many excessive things throughout his life, but this one…..

Tau inexplicably felt as if he had attacked his little dinosaur with his own hands.

He really didn’t dare chase after him.

Tau’s eyes darted this way and that before finally settling on the not-so-friendly-looking Kersz.

“Kersz,” he called out.

“What?” Kersz clicked his tongue.

“What’s wrong with Yu Xi?”

“You’re asking me? Why don’t you just ask him?” Kersz spread his hands. “Am I your mouthpiece? A spy you’ve planted at Yu Xi’s side?”

Tau opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He realized that he had upset Yu Xi, and wanted to cheer him up.

What was Yu Xi upset about?

Oh. Tau had said he was going to die.

In that case, how could he cheer Yu Xi up?

Tau pondered for a moment before ultimately reaching a conclusion: wouldn’t it be enough if he just lived?

But how was he supposed to live?

Tau had no idea, and decided to just ask Kersz: “Kersz, how can I live?”

Kersz: ?

Kersz: “Breathe.”

Tau’s breathing shifted from automatic to manual.

Kersz: “And after that, eat, sleep, repeat.”

“This can extend my lifespan?” Tau found it quite underwhelming. After all, this was what he did every single day.

“Have you been afflicted with a strange poison?” Kersz asked.

Tau shook his head.

Kersz hummed: “Then this miraculous cycle will keep you alive until the day you die.”

“I’m still going to die?”

“What else? Do you expect to exist as long as the universe?”

Tau didn’t need to live as long as the universe. He just needed to remain in a “living state.”

After taking several deep breaths, Tau finally mustered the courage to run out and find Yu Xi.

He tugged Yu Xi’s sleeve, then gestured to himself when Yu Xi turned his head: “I’m breathing.”

The grieving Yu Xi: ……

What else would he be doing?

Yu Xi reached out and touched Tau’s forehead.

No fever.

“Do you have anything to eat?” Tau asked.

He was hungry?

An apple appeared in Yu Xi’s hand.

Tau immediately took the apple and began to gnaw on it. He finished the fruit in swift order, then showed the core to Yu Xi: “Look, I ate it.”

Yu Xi remained bewildered.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Tau was fishing for approval.

“You ate it very well,” said Yu Xi.

Tau nodded: “So don’t be sad.”

Yu Xi: ?

Was there any connection between these two things?

Tau: “I’m also very good at sleeping.”

Yu Xi: …..

Yu Xi: “Wow!”

Tau continued: “I can breathe when I sleep, and when I wake up, I can eat.”

Yu Xi continued to suspect that something was wrong with Tau.

Especially when Tau added: “Why aren’t you hugging me?”

Yu Xi frowned.

“You usually hug people when you get excited, don’t you?” Tau felt that there was something off about Yu Xi’s behavior.

Yu Xi stepped forward and cupped Tau’s face in his hands.

Tau: ?

Did this count as a different type of hug?

Yu Xi took a deep breath, then vigorously shook Tau’s head.

What on earth had gone wrong?!

What had broken in there? Would giving it a good smack help?!

---

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Chapter 35 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 37

Ch. 107 – Path of the Underworld

The Six Paths…..were all the Ghostly Path?

Wang Wu’s words stunned the three of them, and before they could even attempt to make sense of the situation, the hungry ghost spliced together from the bodies of Wang Wu and Zhao Yi came charging at them.

Despite their strange physique, they were actually quite agile. The two of them were tall and burly to begin with, and now with a body twice as wide as that of an ordinary person, they were no less imposing than a fully-grown black bear.

A black bear would at least be a normal creature, but facing a monstrosity like this, the pressure that bore down on them was both physical and psychological.

Just taking a second look at this grotesque thing gave them the creeps.

Although they were still somewhat at a loss regarding the so-called “Six Paths of Reincarnation” and “Eight Ghost Illusion Array,” and had no way of knowing exactly how many arrays there were, one thing was clear: they needed to get rid of this trash before they could discuss it.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui exchanged a glance and a nod. In tacit understanding, they stepped to the left and right respectively to confront the hungry ghost.

And at their rear, Hao Chen moved in sync with them. He unfurled his folding fan and fanned himself leisurely, taking a few steps back to remove himself from the battlefield.

Spiritual power couldn’t be used in this place, so Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were relying entirely upon their swordsmanship as they faced the towering hungry ghost.

Hao Chen was also unable to use his spiritual power. He knew nothing of swordsmanship, so he wouldn’t be of any help even if he did join the fight. He might as well just sit back and quietly enjoy the show.

In fact, the amount of spiritual power that the array could block had a limit, but since Fang Yang and his companion were only at the Foundation Establishment stage, they naturally lacked the power to break through the restriction. But as for Hao Chen…..his spiritual power was as vast as the boundless North Sea, and this petty restriction had no chance of binding him.

However…..the restriction was inextricably linked to the arrays in this place, and if he wanted to break through it, he would have to break the greater array at the same time.

Unlike Feng Ye, he was currently in his original body. Although he had disguised himself somewhat, his power was undiminished, and the might of the Kunpeng was sufficient to forcibly shatter the array.

But he had no way of knowing what the consequences of shattering the array might be. Perhaps these ruins would collapse right out from under them. They were currently at a depth of fifty meters underground. If the ruins were to cave in…..

He was thick-skinned and durable, and at worst, he could just revert back to his true form. The massive slabs of stone were mere pebbles to his true body, and their collapse would feel like nothing but a tickle.

But nothing good would result from them falling on Feng Ye, and even now, the dragon’s whereabouts were unknown.

But regardless of Feng Ye’s location, he was surely safe. In fact, he might emerge any moment now. This dragon had always been very reliable.

Thus, with a clear conscience, Hao Chen watched on as Fang Yang and Cao Zirui struggled in fierce combat against the hungry ghost. Standing on the sidelines, he fanned himself and cheered them on, waiting for the dragon to come and rescue their group of two humans and a fish.

He positioned himself as the one in need of rescue without any shame whatsoever.

After all, he was unable to use his spiritual power at the moment, and his available combat strength was really quite limited. It wasn’t as if he was completely unable to fight, but still……

Hao Chen looked up at the two-headed hungry ghost, whose cobbled-together body made of two severed torsos could only be described as grotesque.

After a single glance, Hao Chen raised his fan to shield his eyes.

It really was…..too ugly…..

So ugly, in fact, that he didn’t want to go anywhere near it, and close combat was certainly out of the question.

He would just leave the tiring work of fighting to the dragon. Having made up his mind, Hao Chen retreated a little further, for fear that the hungry ghost might edge its way toward him.

Meanwhile, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui very thoughtfully drew the battle away from Hao Chen.

After all, in their perception, Hao Chen was a complete pushover. Not only was his cultivation abysmal, but he was also a disciple of Tiangong Pavilion.

Could they really expect a disciple of a sect that focused on artifact crafting to possess any amount of combat prowess?

In any case, he couldn’t hope to hold a candle to those combat-oriented sword cultivators, so neither of the two had any expectations of Hao Chen joining the fight.

It was just fine for him to stand obediently to the side and not get in their way.

Hao Chen was indeed remarkably obedient, and retreated further and further away. Had the doors to the Six Paths not been sealed shut, he might well have retreated until not even his shadow remained.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui both possessed the strength of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, and even though they were unable to utilize their spiritual power, their physical constitutions were still far superior to those of ordinary people.

But these bandits who had previously been mere mortals had experienced a dramatic surge in strength after being transformed into such a grotesque ghostly form.

Their physical strength had increased by leaps and bounds, and Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were hard-pressed to stand against them.

The two of them dodged the majority of the ghost’s attacks, avoiding close combat. However, the hungry ghost’s defensive capabilities were equally astonishing. Its arms were criss-crossed with thick black veins that caused the muscles to swell and bulge, and the strike of a sword against them left nothing more than a faint white scratch.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were unable to breach the hungry ghost’s defenses, but likewise, Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were unable to breach theirs.

After all, they were merely mountain bandits, and had never undergone proper martial arts training. They had only entered such a profession by relying on their large stature and learning a few basic moves.

Their amateur skills paled in comparison before the disciples of a legitimate cultivation sect. They brandished their razor-sharp claws, but failed to land a single blow as each attack was parried by the edge of a sword.

If their physical strength hadn’t been heightened by transforming into hungry ghosts, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui would have already managed to subdue them.

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were growing a little anxious. According to the serpent god’s words, the Six Paths Reincarnation Array was designed to transform whoever entered it into evil ghosts, and the Eight Ghost Illusion Array was a true array for refining them.

Eight people could enter in total, but only one could emerge victorious. The rest were destined to be devoured, serving as nourishment for the birth of the ultimate ghost.

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi had originally had no intention of working together, and upon falling into the array, they had immediately began to brawl. Zhao Yi ground his teeth in seething rage over Wang Wu’s attempt to abandon him to die, and the moment that masked figure in black untied the ropes around him, he immediately began to throw punches at Wang Wu.

Wang Wu was naturally unwilling to take the beating lying down, and fought back with all his might.

As it happened, the two of them hadn’t been fighting for long when they found themselves surrounded by skeletons. And these skeletons were all standing on their feet, their hollow eye sockets filled with hunger and thirst.

These two mountain bandits who were notorious for their violence and wickedness were so terrified that they nearly wet their pants on the spot. They promptly stopped their brawl, turned on their heels, and attempted to flee.

But they were soon overtaken by the skeletons, which tore at their limbs, brutally gnawing off an arm and a leg each.

Just as they thought they were about to be completely torn limb from limb, the massive black serpent appeared again like a phantom.

The instant it appeared, the skeletons that had been tearing at them ceased their attack.

The mountain bandits fell to the ground, blood gushing from their severed limbs to pool around them.

Scarlet serpentine eyes laced with mockery looked down at them as they bled profusely, while a melodious male voice spoke words that made their hair stand on end.

“Do you want to live?” 

“Eat the other person and you will survive. You will be able to leave this place and regain your freedom.”

Eat…..the other person?

Wang Wu and Zhao Yi exchanged a look. Then, with barely a moment’s hesitation, they lunged at each other and began to bite.

To bandits like them who were accustomed to killing, cannibalism was nothing.

As long as they ate the other person, they could escape with their life. Did this even require consideration?

Even with only a single hand and foot remaining, the two proceeded to grapple desperately, gnashing their teeth at the flesh and blood of the other’s jagged stumps.

And amidst the flying gore, they astonishingly began to merge, their torn flesh fusing together.

The two of them fought relentlessly, and even when their bodies combined into one, they continued to use the limbs on their respective sides to attack one another.

In the end, once they completely exhausted themselves, they realized that the victor could not be determined for the time being.

The serpent god had informed them that a total of eight people had entered the array, so excluding the two of them, there were six others remaining.

After some discussion, the two of them decided to join forces and eliminate the other six first, then settle the score between themselves afterward.

But upon emerging from the Path of Hungry Ghosts, they only met Fang Yang and his two companions.

This was actually a good thing, because if they were able to join forces, the other six might join forces as well. It was better to take out these few opponents before the others reached them.

They had already discovered that devouring others added to their own power, and as they made their way out of the Path of Hungry Ghosts, they used their combined form to seize and devour each and every one of those skeletons they had previously been helpless against.

Devouring these three would further grow their power, increasing their chances of emerging as the final victor.

The two of them had calculated well, yet they never could have imagined that these little brats would prove so troublesome. Despite fighting for so long, they hadn’t even managed to tear a corner of these people’s clothes.

Searching for an easy target, their eyes fell upon Hao Chen, who seemed to be the weakest of the group. But Hao Chen was standing too far away, and the moment they even entertained the thought of rushing over, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui would use their swords to block their path.

This couldn’t be dragged out any longer. There was no telling when the next ghost would arrive, and if it was one of the opponent’s people…..

As Wang Wu and Zhao Yi were anxiously wracking their brains, the very last thing they wanted to see happened abruptly and without warning.

The sound of a stone door shifting rang out once again, directly behind them.

The two of them turned their heads to look. The plaque above the door had transformed to show the words “Ghostly Path,” its original designation unknown.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui also noticed the door opening, and cautiously took a few steps out of range.

Hao Chen folded his fan, wondering what would come out this time.

The thing behind the stone door had yet to emerge when the group heard a low, throaty growl. It didn’t sound like a human, but more like…..a beast?

Beast?

This word flashed through all of their minds, and they instantly realized which path this door led to.

The Path of Beasts, one of the Three Evil Paths.

And as for the monster that emerged from the Path of Beasts, everyone present recognized it – the wolfdog raised by Wang Wu.

The dog had always been very large, easily half the height of a human. But now, as it stepped through the stone door, the others had to crane their necks just to see its face.

Its body had swelled several times in size, and it was forced to stoop low as it ducked through the three-meter-high doorway.

Wang Wu’s eyes lit up as it emerged. This wolfdog was his most capable assistant, and now that it had grown so massive, even if everyone attacked him at once, he would have no worries.

In stark contrast to Wang Wu’s delight, Zhao Yi’s face puckered up. He and Wang Wu had originally been equally matched, which was the very reason they were able to cooperate, but now that Wang Wu had obtained such a powerful ally, he would undoubtedly move to devour Zhao Yi.

Consequently, when Wang Wu attempted to approach the wolfdog, the limbs on Zhao Yi’s side of their body refused to cooperate.

Without Zhao Yi’s assistance, Wang Wu was completely immobilized. He was able to guess Zhao Yi’s intentions, but paid him no mind.

He would devour Zhao Yi first!

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes, and he turned his head, preparing to call his wolfdog over to help him devour Zhao Yi.

But just as he turned his head, he realized that the wolfdog he had personally raised had already approached him without his knowledge, and was currently staring down at him.

And there was no longer any trace of its previous adoration toward its master in the wolfdog’s eyes. All that was left was a ferocity reserved for prey.

Wang Wu didn’t have time to speak a single word before the wolfdog bit his head clean off.

A solid human skull stood no chance against the massive dog’s fangs, and with a few crunching sounds, the wolfdog swallowed a mouthful of bone fragments and brain matter into its stomach.

This wolfdog had even devoured its own master, Wang Wu, and naturally wouldn’t spare anyone else.

At this realization, Zhao Yi turned to flee. He was still somewhat confident that he could handle Fang Yang and his companions, but going by the sheer size difference between him and the massive wolfdog, he would stand absolutely no chance against it.

However, he had barely taken a single step when the wolfdog sank its teeth into his upper body.

A paw pinned down his lower half while sharp fangs clamped around his torso, and with a sudden, violent wrench, his body was torn apart.

The wolfdog first swallowed Zhao Yi’s upper body, then turned its head, took the lower half in its jaws, and began to gnaw.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui had already retreated to stand in front of Hao Chen. Zhao Yi and Wang Wu hadn’t stood a chance against the massive wolfhound, and they…..probably wouldn’t either.

Without the ability to use spiritual power, they were forced to rely entirely on their physiques to fight. But the disparity between their physiques and that of the wolfdog was simply far, far too vast…..

This wolfdog was so huge that it could crush them to death with a single paw. How were they supposed to fight it?

As they witnessed the gruesome spectacle of the wolfdog devouring a human, fear rose inside them. They instinctively backed away, and retreated precisely to the farthest point where Hao Chen was standing.

The wolfdog’s muzzle was smeared with fresh blood, which caused its black fur to appear even darker than before. And after completely devouring what was left of the body, its form underwent another transformation.

Its claws elongated, and its body grew in size.

In addition…..both sides of its neck sprouted two fleshy growths.

These growths lacked hair, but incredibly, two faces emerged.

The faces of Wang Wu and Zhao Yi…..

The wolfdog stood in place and gave a low growl. The swelling of its body after consuming the hungry ghost brought with it a wave of pain, and it howled to vent its discomfort.

Finally, the growth stopped. The monster had fully fused with the hungry ghosts, drawing one step closer to becoming the ultimate victor.

As the beast raised its head once more, the two human faces on either side also opened their eyes. Together with the beast’s head between them, they fixed their gazes upon the three figures standing in the distance.

The moment they met those murderous, hungry eyes, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui shook uncontrollably from head to toe.

They swallowed hard. What exactly was this three-headed thing standing before them…..

But no matter what sort of monster it was, it wasn’t something they could defeat. They wanted to back away further, but there was nowhere left to go…..

Hao Chen placed his hands on their shoulders. If they backed up even more, they would bump right into the stone door.

Standing behind the two youths, Hao Chen narrowed his eyes at the three-headed dog.

He had originally intended to just sit back and watch the show in peace without dirtying his hands, and just wait for the dragon to come and rescue them. However, plans rarely survived first contact with reality. The beast across from them was far too powerful for these foolish boys to handle, and the dragon had still not arrived.

It seemed there was no other option than for the fish to step in.

Resigned to his fate, Hao Chen heaved a sigh and prepared to take on the grueling chore of fighting.

The three-headed dog slowly paced toward the three of them, in no hurry to attack. After devouring Wang Wu and Zhao Yi, its intelligence had also been enhanced, and it had even acquired human emotions.

Wicked ones.

Merely hunting and feeding could no longer satisfy it. It intended to bite off the limbs of these humans one by one, and only once their terror was at its height would it take off their heads in a single bite.

The beast’s maw stretched wide in a cruel, bloody grin.

When it had advanced to a spot roughly ten meters away from them, Hao Chen raised his fan. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Just as he was preparing to make a move, the situation took an unexpected turn.

The sound of a stone door shifting rang out once more.

The three-headed dog’s advance came to an abrupt halt, and it stared at the stone door behind the three humans with a hint of scrutiny in its eyes.

The trio turned around in unison to look behind them. Looking at the plaque, Hao Chen searched his memory. This one seemed to belong to……

When the door opened, the three of them first noticed the pungent, acrid stench of blood.

That wolfdog had bitten Wang Wu and Zhao Yi clean in half while they were still alive, and the scent of the blood that had gushed from their severed parts was still thick and cloying.

But it paled by a factor of a hundred in comparison to the stench now wafting from beyond the stone door.

How many people must have died in that passageway to shed so much blood?

And what had killed them all, making it the final ghost to emerge?

Compared to what lay beyond this door, the three-headed dog didn’t seem so terrifying anymore.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui couldn’t help but step backward toward the three-headed dog. But Hao Chen didn’t retreat. He stood closest to the stone door, fixing his gaze warily on whatever might lay within.

Footsteps rang out with startling clarity, drawing ever closer. Each step felt as though it was treading directly upon the hearts of everyone gathered there on the silent platform.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui watched the door with bated breath, and at last, a foot emerged.

As the foot stepped onto the ground and lifted away, a thick, bloodstained footprint was left behind.

A man clad entirely in black emerged from the doorway, leaving a bloody footprint with every step. The candlelight illuminated his face, which was covered by a hideous ghostly mask.

Beads of blood still clung to the long sword in his right hand, poised to fall.

His gaze was like ice. The very moment he stepped through the stone doorway, instead of looking around at his surroundings, he instinctively looked straight toward the most ferocious creature there – the three-headed dog.

And that three-headed dog, which had previously been acting so overbearing, actually took an involuntary step backward as it met his gaze.

Watching this scene, Fang Yang suddenly remembered that this stone door was originally named…..

The Path of Carnage.

This man who emerged from the Path of Carnage was…..

An Asura ghost!

The man faced off against the three-headed dog. He advanced no further, nor did he rush to attack, but his gaze never strayed from the beast.

And after taking a single step back, the three-headed dog didn’t retreat any further. It had realized that either itself or this new opponent would have to die.

Within this Eight Ghost Illusion Array, there could only be one victor. Thus, it bristled and bared its fangs, glaring fixedly at its opponent.

The situation between the two sides was on the verge of erupting.

During such a clash between evil spirits, Fang Yang and his comparatively harmless-looking companions were completely ignored.

It wouldn’t be too late to deal with these little lambs after the main opponent was dealt with.

Hao Chen seized this opportunity to step aside with Fang Yang and Cao Zirui. He covertly observed the man’s clothing, which was so wet that it appeared to have been soaked in water, clinging to the his form.

But he immediately realized that it was not water, but blood.

Blood had soaked through the garments, obscuring the patterns that were embroidered on them. But upon closer inspection, he could still make out what they were.

These were the clothes he had given to Feng Ye.

Hao Chen’s gaze filled with uncertainty, and when he looked once more toward the man’s face, he could only see that grotesque ghost mask.

And the eyes behind that mask were equally unfamiliar to him. They were cold and devoid of any human emotion, as if they belonged to a demon that existed only to prey on others.

Was this…..Feng Ye?

For a moment, Hao Chen couldn’t quite tell. Between the Feng Ye he was familiar with and the one standing before him now, which was the real one?

Perhaps they both were.

The legends surrounding the God of War Yinglong may not be entirely false. Perhaps it was true that he possessed such a terrifying side.

Yet this side of him was buried deep, and even when it occasionally surfaced, he would tuck it away again.

On the Path of Carnage, relentless slaughter had fully unleashed this side of him, and human emotion was cast aside entirely.

He had become an Asura. He stepped into the Eight Ghost Illusion Array and, with soaring fighting spirit, issued a challenge to the strongest beast there.

“Aooo!” The three-headed dog tilted its head back and howled in acceptance of the challenge, then lifted its four paws and began to charge. When it was within three meters of Feng Ye, it leaped into the air, its razor-sharp claws glinting with a cold light as they swept toward the opponent.

The beast’s central jaws gaped open, along with those of the human faces on either side. All three faces bared their teeth, unleashing every weapon at their disposal to tear and rip at the enemy before them.

Feng Ye stood his ground as the three-headed dog lunged at him from the air, its massive frame engulfing him completely in its shadow.

Compared to the sheer size of his opponent, he seemed insignificant. His fate seemed to be sealed.

But…..just as the beast’s fangs were about to tear into him, Feng Ye suddenly shifted to the side. Seizing the gap between the beast’s head and the human head beside it, he gripped the beast’s fur and used this leverage to flip himself over onto the back of the three-headed dog.

The three heads turned, intent on biting him, but Feng Ye had already risen above its heads and swung his sword downward.

The sword struck in a flash of light, and the three-headed dog immediately froze in place.

A moment later, the three heads tumbled side-by-side from the main body and crashed to the ground.

A torrent of blood gushed from the necks, and although Feng Ye did try to dodge, some of it still splattered onto him.

Fresh blood coated the already darkened stains on his clothes, elevating both the pungent stench and his terrifying aura.

He had killed the beast, now infused with the power of a hungry ghost, in one move.

But this was not the end. The Grand Array had not yet concluded, and his opponents had not all been slain.

With the three-headed dog dead at his feet, Feng Ye immediately turned his attention toward the three figures nearby.

His gaze was just as frigid as before. The scalding blood of the three-headed dog had not melted the ice from them in the slightest.

As he paced toward the three of them, the bloody footprints left in his wake were even thicker.

Hao Chen shielded Fang Yang and Cao Zirui behind him, his brow tightly furrowed. He was unsure if Feng Ye currently possessed any sense of rationality, and didn’t rush forward to greet him.

The current situation was far from optimistic. The enemy had clearly been eliminated, yet Feng Ye had still not snapped out of his killing frenzy. In all likelihood, he had completely lost his mind.

In that case, he was probably not approaching them with a greeting.

Hao Chen had long wished to test his strength against Yinglong and determine who was stronger once and for all.

But such a fight definitely shouldn’t occur in a setting like this one.

The one he wanted to fight was the Feng Ye he was familiar with, the one who would soften and indulge his requests time and time again, no matter how preposterous they were.

Theirs should be a friendly sparring match, stopping short of actual harm, rather than a fight to the death inside the Eight Ghost Illusion Array.

But whether Hao Chen was willing or not, at this moment, it seemed he had no choice but to rise to the challenge.

He unfolded his fan and stepped forward to widen the distance between himself and the boys, ensuring that if he and Feng Ye did come to blows, the two youngsters wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire.

He walked toward Feng Ye, the distance between them narrowing until at last, they stood face to face.

Hao Chen took a deep breath and prepared for Feng Ye to make his move.

But then an unexpected scene unfolded as, without sparing Hao Chen a glance, Feng Ye walked right past him.

Hao Chen: ?

He stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly. It took a few seconds for him to snap back to reality and turn his head.

Not only did Feng Ye ignore him, but he also paid no attention to Fang Yang or Cao Zirui as his steps took him toward an open door.

An open door?

Hao Chen stared uncomprehendingly at the door that had opened at some unknown point in time.

Five of the Six Paths had already opened, so this one was…..

The foremost of the Three Evil Paths – the Path of the Underworld.

A pitch-black figure emerged from this door, and Feng Ye stopped in place. He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, his eyes locked unblinkingly on the figure within the doorway.

The figure stepped through.

Illuminated by the candlelight, he stood facing Feng Ye.

He wore the same all-black attire and the same ghost mask.

Like a reflection in a mirror.

Although the patterns on the mask differed, he held a sword in his right hand that was identical to Feng Ye’s in every respect.

Feng Ye looked at him, and he looked back at Feng Ye.

His eyes were pitch black. If Feng Ye’s eyes could be described as icy, then his were akin to a pool of stagnant water.

But upon seeing Feng Ye, that stagnant water seemed to drip into hot oil and go up in flames. 

Hatred surged within those eyes. He was a being who had crawled forth from the depths of hell…..existing only for the sake of vengeance…..

A Rakshasa!

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Chapter 106 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 108

Ch. 106 – Six Paths Reincarnation Array

“How…..long have we been walking?” Fang Yang asked Cao Zirui beside him, rubbing his stomach.

“Hm…..” Cao Zirui thought for a moment, but couldn’t come up with an answer.

The leg-eating skeleton hadn’t been particularly difficult to handle. With the two of them working together, it only took a small amount of effort to shatter its skeletal frame.

Having disposed of the malevolent thing, the two had continued onward. They encountered another creature gnawing on a hand along the way, though neither of them could tell who it had belonged to. They didn’t look too closely, as the hand had been gnawed into a bloody, mangled mess that was truly repulsive sight.

Practice made perfect, and the two resolved the matter even faster than the previous time.

Afterward, there was only the long, endless darkness.

They had no idea just how large the Royal City of Western Qiang truly was, nor how long this passageway stretched. They also had no concept of how long they had been walking, and hadn’t encountered a single exit along the way.

That was bad enough, but the two of them gradually realized that this place seemed to suppress spiritual power, and they could no longer draw upon the slightest trace of it.

In the wake of this knowledge came the sensation of hunger. This was a sensation that they never should have felt again after reaching Foundation Establishment stage and commencing inedia.

Despite clutching his stomach, an uncontrollable rumble still escaped from deep within Fang Yang’s belly.

A faint trace of embarrassment crept onto his face. His Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage were still missing, their fates unknown. Yet here he was, pathetically hungry, even though he had only just eaten a rabbit leg at noon.

The sound rang out with exceptional clarity through the silent, pitch-black passageway. Cao Zirui naturally heard it, but before he could speak a word, a distinct rumble issued from his own stomach.

Fang Yang instinctively clutched his stomach tighter before realizing that this time, it wasn’t his stomach protesting.

There were only two of them here. So if it wasn’t him, it must be…..Fang Yang looked toward Cao Zirui.

Cao Zirui kept his head down, but Fang Yang could still see that a blush had spread all the way to his ears.

Fang Yang’s embarrassment instantly vanished. It turned out that just like him, Cao Zirui was hungry but didn’t have the nerve to admit it.

At the sight of Cao Zirui looking like he wished he could bury his head deep in the dirt, Fang Yang couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

His laughter echoed down the long, narrow passageway. Cao Zirui looked up, somewhat flustered. Having grown up as the young master of a prominent clan, he had never lacked for gold or silver, and fresh fruits and pastries had always been kept in ready supply at home. He had almost never known hunger, let alone the indignity of a growling stomach.

But ultimately, this was not something he could control. The rumbling of his stomach was a simply a bodily function.

He was embarrassed enough when his stomach rumbled, but then Fang Yang went ahead and laughed at him.

His embarrassment turned into indignation, but when he looked up, he found that Fang Yang wasn’t really mocking him. There was no ridicule in his eyes, just some simple amusement.

Cao Zirui’s anger faded. He gave the laughing Fang Yang a helpless look, and the other boy’s amusement had him letting out a laugh as well.

Then the fun was over, and it was time to set off again.

But movement did nothing for their rumbling stomachs.

Fang Yang began to lament: “If only we had brought more food before leaving.”

But there was no point in having regrets. None of them could have possibly imagined that of all things, hunger would be the first obstacle they encountered.

Although the circumstances of Fang Yang’s family didn’t match the affluence of Cao Zirui’s, the village they lived in was actually quite prosperous. While they may not have access to rare delicacies, they certainly never had to worry about not having enough food to eat.

No matter how wildly he might be playing outside, the instant his stomach rumbled, he would immediately head home to eat. This level of hunger was not something he was accustomed to.

Even during the brief time the two had spent joking around, he felt his hunger intensifying. It had been somewhat bearable before, but at this moment, a burning, acidic sensation arose in his stomach.

Cao Zirui felt much the same as Fang Yang. This accelerated onset of hunger was actually quite strange. Although it was unclear how long the two of them had been stuck here, they certainly shouldn’t have reached this level of hunger.

But despite knowing that something was amiss, they had no way to resolve it.

Cao Zirui gave it some thought, then rummaged around in his storage bag. He normally didn’t carry food with him. Having entered a state of inedia, he had no need to eat and naturally saw no reason to waste space carrying provisions.

But edibility didn’t pertain to food alone. Medicinal pills could serve the same purpose.

He took out a bottle of pills meant to nourish the vital essence and fortify the constitution. It was used for treating injuries, but even the uninjured could take it to replenish their vitality. He poured one out for Fang Yang, and another for himself: “This will boost your qi. Take one to pad your stomach.”

Although Cao Zirui didn’t mention the value of the pills, Fang Yang had learned from the previous incident in North Sea City and knew that the pills his friend had casually plucked out of his pocket must be extremely expensive.

But he took the pill and swallowed it regardless.

He was just so hungry. Scorched by acidic fluids, his stomach was in desperate need of something to fill it. Anything would do as long as it could alleviate this gnawing hunger.

No matter how expensive this pill may be, he would simply find a way to pay it back later. Without even bothering to chew, Fang Yang swallowed the plump, round pill whole.

A cool medicinal sensation spread through his stomach, and the pain tormenting him quickly subsided.

Yet before he could let out a sigh of relief, the hunger surged back with a vengeance.

It still wasn’t enough…..

A single medicinal pill wasn’t enough…..

Fang Yang clutched his stomach, lips pressed tightly together. He glanced toward Cao Zirui and found him wearing a pained expression that mirrored his own.

Cao Zirui once again took out the porcelain bottle and poured out one pill for each of them.

But after taking the pills this time, the sense of relief was not as pronounced. They still needed more…..

Moments later, the two of them had consumed the entire bottle of pills.

The short-lived sensation of refreshing coolness was addictive, standing in stark contrast to the terrible hunger pangs.

Humans instinctively sought benefits and avoided harm, so upon discovering a method to alleviate their pain, they couldn’t help themselves.

Cao Zirui produced two more bottles of medicinal pills and, heedless of how their properties might clash with what they had already taken, each of them grabbed a bottle and gulped down the contents.

Yet even after swallowing an entire bottle of pills in a single go, that eternal hunger immediately surged back.

The two of them ate more and more. Four or five porcelain bottles already lay at their feet.

In the end, the medicinal pills were no longer able to give them even a brief moment of relief.

The pills were no bigger than pellets, and even several bottles’ worth wasn’t enough to fill the gaps between their teeth.

Fang Yang had once heard that in areas struck by famine, people were forced to subsist on grass and tree bark when there was nothing else to eat.

He hadn’t understood how these things could be eaten, and felt that no matter how hungry he was, he could never do the same.

Only now that he was experiencing true starvation did he realize…..to say nothing of grass and tree bark, he would eat anything he could put in his mouth, even raw meat dripping with blood…..

Fang Yang was stunned by the thought that had just popped into his head.  He had actually found himself thinking about those two skeletons they had seen gnawing on a hand and a leg.

He had previously felt nothing but revulsion at the sight, but looking back on it now…..he actually found himself salivating at the thought of that fresh blood and flesh.

Fang Yang gave his head a violent shake. Absolutely not. His rationality warned him that if he were to feed on human flesh, what difference would there be between him and the monsters in this place?

He forced himself not to think about it, nor the burning sensation in his stomach. Finding a way out should be his sole focus.

Yet whenever his guard slipped for a brief moment, that scene of cannibalism immediately flashed through his mind.

And the more this happened, the more his craving grew. His mouth was watering profusely. Those skeletons didn’t have a stomach or intestines, and the shredded meat simply fell to the ground after they were done chewing it.

If he were to go back and look…..but the distance was a bit too far. They seemed to have been walking forever.

Fang Yang didn’t know exactly how long it had been, but going by how hungry he was, he likely wouldn’t be able to hold on long enough to make the return trip.

But…..even if he couldn’t go back to look for the meat, there was fresher meat right next to him.

His hearing had become exceptionally sharp in the silent passageway. Fang Yang could hear the sound of Cao Zirui breathing, as well as his pulse beating. He seemed to sense the branching blood vessels within the boy’s body, as well as the blood flowing through them.

So delicious, so tempting…..

As if possessed, Fang Yang stole a glance at Cao Zirui.

And the instant he turned his head, he met the other boy’s gaze head-on.

The hunger and greed in their eyes was identical, and both of them froze in shock.

In that instant, reason returned to both of them and they whipped their heads away, not daring to look again.

Fang Yang reached up and gave himself a hard slap across the face. What in the world was he thinking, ah!

Cao Zirui coughed uneasily, feeling a pang of dread at the thought that had just crossed his mind.

The lingering fear put both of them on high alert, and they mustered all of their rationality to keep this unbearable hunger in check.

Part of what made someone human was knowing how far was too far. Even if it was done for the sake of survival, cannibalism was an act that was irreconcilable with commonly accepted morality.

The two continued to walk in silence, their nerves stretched taut, terrified that such a dreadful thought might consume them once more.

But that which was too rigid was easily snapped. The extreme mental tension of their combined hunger and exhaustion left them barely clinging on to their rationality. Sheer force of will was all that was keeping them sane.

A sudden sound came from ahead of them.

It was a skeleton, just like the two they had encountered earlier. This skeleton had both an arm and a leg clutched in its hands, and was just about to feast when it caught sight of Fang Yang and Cao Zirui.

The two stared into the hollow eye sockets of its skull, then gripped their swords and prepared to fight.

But unexpectedly, the skeleton didn’t attack.

It tilted its head and scrutinized them for a moment. Then, astonishingly, it lifted both the human arm and leg and extended them forward, as if treating them to a meal.

Treating them…..?

Ridiculous! As if they would eat human flesh!

Their taut nerves instantly snapped back. But the savory scent of fresh blood lingered, curling just beneath their noses…..

Their minds turned. Eating the living was wrong, but…..what if they were already dead…..?

Since they were already dead, did they even count as human anymore?

A tiny crack appeared in their sanity. Then, their reasoning crumbled completely.

Before they realized it, the two of them were already in front of the skeleton, each with a severed limb in their hands. Blood dripped from the jagged stumps, and the scent of gore spread through the air.

Delicious and enticing, it was exactly what their aching stomachs needed…..a cure to soothe their pain.

Just as Fang Yang was about to lower his head and bite down, a sharp pang shot through his chest.

Far more intense than his hunger, it felt like flames scorching his chest cavity.

At once, he regained a measure of clarity. He lowered his gaze toward his hands, and only then realized what he was just about to do.

A dense layer of cold sweat appeared on his back as he realized that this was a trap.

An extremely cunning trap.

Generally speaking, eating the flesh of the living was just as unacceptable as eating the flesh of the dead.

But in the grand scheme of things, the former was still more serious.

When confronted with two grave matters, people would normally go for what seemed to be the lesser evil, inadvertently overlooking the fundamental truth that both were equally terrible.

With their nerves already stretched to the breaking point by their cannibalistic thoughts, their bodies and minds had reached their absolute limit. Such a state was unsustainable, and they desperately needed relief.

And just like that, the opportunity presented itself.

After all, compared to eating the flesh of the living, eating the flesh of the dead seemed far more acceptable.

This lowered their guard, and their rationality left them completely.

But now that he was back in his right mind, Fang Yang came to realize that whether the human flesh they consumed was living or dead, they would be crossing a line that should never be crossed.

And once they crossed that line…..there was really no turning back…..

He suddenly flung aside the severed limb in his hand, then snatched the one from Cao Zirui and threw it directly at the skeleton. Caught completely off guard, the skeleton tumbled to the ground.

“Let’s go!” Fang Yang grabbed Cao Zirui, turned on his heel, and ran.

He didn’t know where they could go. All he knew was that they couldn’t stay here any longer.

He was in his right mind now, but there was no telling how long that would last.

If things continued like this, he would transform into a man-eating demon. Even if his appearance remained indistinguishable from other people, he could no longer be called human.

The passageway was long and lightless. They had dropped the luminous pearl just moments before approaching the skeleton, when their reasoning left them completely.

Now, he dragged Cao Zirui as he rushed headlong through the darkness, with no idea what may lie ahead.

Yet in that darkness, he once again saw a faint glimmer of light.

It was extremely faint, but impossible to ignore.

It came from his chest. From the exact spot where the sharp pain had just shot through him.

That was…..Fang Yang took out the bamboo slip hanging around his neck. This was the thing that allowed him to speak with the Mysterious Big Brother…..no, with Yinglong. A bamboo slip that allowed him to speak with Yinglong.

Although his feelings toward Yinglong were complex, and he was unsure whether this god was ultimately good or evil, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to throw the bamboo slip away. If Yinlong spoke to him again, he wanted to ask him to clarify the truth of that event one hundred years ago.

But after the battle at Lingxiao Sword Sect, Yinglong never contacted him again.

Fang Yang assumed that the other party had lost interest in him. After all, he was just mortal with mediocre cultivation. Perhaps Yinglong’s use of the bamboo slip to communicate with him had simply been to use his status as a disciple of Lingxiao Sword Sect for his own ends.

It was natural for Fang Yang to think this way. Yinglong had always been notoriously brutal, and wasn’t the sort of person who would do good deeds without expecting something in return.

But now, just as Fang Yang was on the verge of descending onto the ghostly path, this bamboo slip had given him a warning. This made it clear that whatever Yinglong’s motive may have been in giving him the bamboo slip, this object was meant to protect him.

Fang Yang’s eyes suddenly grew a little misty, and he rubbed them with his free hand. In such hopeless darkness, knowing that there had always been someone protecting him, even from afar, was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

He opened his palm and saw that the glow was coming from an array carved into the bamboo slip. Fang Yang didn’t know exactly what sort of array it was, but he felt the bamboo slip exerting force in a certain direction, as if it was pointing the way.

Without any caution at all, Fang Yang ran headlong in the direction indicated by the bamboo slip. Light appeared before his eyes once again, yet unlike the faint glow emanating from the bamboo slip, this searing white light was so intense that it stung his eyes.

He couldn’t see in the dark, yet he also couldn’t see in such blinding light. Fang Yang tightened his grip on Cao Zirui’s hand and closed his eyes. Then he rushed into the light without delay, and both of their figures were swallowed up by it.

He seemed to step over something, and a moment later, the dull thud of a stone door closing echoed from behind him.

Fang Yang came to a halt.

He opened his eyes again, and what lay before him was a massive hexagonal platform with bright candles lit along every side, providing plenty of light.

And in addition to the candlelight, at all six of the corners stood a door three meters high with a massive plaque hung above each of them.

Fang Yang turned to look back in the direction he had come from. The stone door behind him was tightly shut, as if it had only opened for an instant when they rushed inside.

And inscribed on the plaque were two words – “Human Path.”

This is one of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Fang Yang thought to himself. The Six Paths…..must correspond to the six doors here.

He glanced to his left, and sure enough, the words “Heavenly Path” were inscribed above the nearest stone door.

Just as he was about to turn his attention to the next one, the “Heavenly Path” door suddenly opened and a figure came rushing through it.

It was Hao Chen, who had been separated from them before.

Hao Chen appeared somewhat disheveled. His clothes were rumpled, his hair was a tangled mess, and his face was flushed, though it was unclear if this was from running or some other reason.

He came to a halt just inside, and as the door closed behind him, he noticed Fang Yang staring blankly at him close by.

With a swish, he snapped his fan open. In an attempt to salvage his dignity, he struck a dashing pose and flashed Fang Yang his usual smile.

But Fang Yang had clearly seen the look of shame and anger on his face just as he dashed through the stone door. It was unclear exactly what Hao Chen had experienced within the Heavenly Path, but Fang Yang wisely refrained from commenting.

“What…..what’s going on?” Cao Zirui finally snapped out of his daze.

He gazed around in bewilderment.

His memory seemed to be a blank slate after encountering that final skeleton, and when he finally came to his senses, he was in a brand new location.

He belatedly reached down to touch his stomach. That unbearable hunger seemed to have vanished, but in its place was a swelling sensation of spiritual power, the result of having consumed too many pills at once without digesting them.

Fang Yang recounted his guess to Cao Zirui, that everything they had encountered was likely a trap to lure them onto the ghostly path.

They hadn’t actually lingered in that passageway called the “Human Path” for very long. A mere shichen or two had passed at most, but to their senses, it felt like they had been there for an eternity. And that hunger hadn’t been real either. It had all been an illusion.

Thus, once they left that place, their hunger vanished entirely. The craving for flesh and blood was gone, leaving no trace behind.

Upon hearing that he had nearly eaten the remains of some unknown person, Cao Zirui couldn’t stop retching.

Everything had returned to normal, including his reaction to severed limbs.

Meanwhile, Hao Chen appeared to be deep in thought as he listened to Fang Yang recount their experience. Everything Fang Yang and his companion had gone through was designed to lure them onto the ghostly path. And as for his own experience, those sixteen howling skeletons hadn’t been particularly difficult to deal with. They were nothing but minions. The tricky part was what occurred next…..ahem. Thinking back, Hao Chen felt his face start to flush again.

And then came a surge of furious indignation. That imposter had been toying with him. Knowing that Hao Chen was a true god of the Heavenly Realm and impervious to manipulation, he had never considered using the same tactics against him as he had against Fang Yang and his companion. Instead, he had conjured up a series of charming, beguiling illusions right before Hao Chen’s eyes.

How could he, the dignified Lord of the North Sea who stood guard over an entire realm, possibly be enthralled by such illusions?

Of course…..he had nearly been enthralled.

Hao Chen fanned himself a little faster to get rid of the lingering heat.

After taking a moment to catch their breath, the three of them finally gathered together to analyze the situation.

“What is this place? Where is Shixiong? What should we do?” Fang Yang summarized their situation into three key points.

But both Hao Chen and Cao Zirui remained silent, unable to come up with any answers.

“How are these six paths divided?” Fang Yang thought for a moment, attempting to sift through the various clues. “We entered the Human Path, but if that’s just because we’re human, then why did Hao-dage enter the Heavenly Path?”

He couldn’t figure out the division of the six paths, and his brow furrowed as he wracked his brains.

In the meantime, Hao Chen gave his fan a few nervous waves. Fang Yang had actually guessed correctly. These six paths were indeed likely determined by each person’s identity.

But Feng Ye was a god as well, so why hadn’t he walked the Heavenly Path beside Hao Chen?

With this thought in mind, Hao Chen swept his gaze across the four remaining doors. But before he could determine which door Feng Ye was likely behind, the sound of a stone door opening rang out once again.

The three of them simultaneously looked in that direction. This time, the door that opened was…..

One of the Three Evil Paths, the Hungry Ghost Path.

A human-like form emerged from the door.

And it was only human-like because this figure…..wasn’t quite like a normal human.

He had two heads, and his torso was broader than that of a normal human, yet he only possessed a single pair of arms and legs. With such bizarre proportions, it was almost as if…..two people had been severed in half, and then had one of their halves glued to the other.

Once the stone door fully closed, the figure stepped into the candlelight, and the three of them were finally able to see its true form.

The previous metaphor was no mere metaphor. They really were two people…..two people who had been cut in half and then pieced together.

It was the two mountain bandits, Wang Wu and Zhao Yi.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui simultaneously thought of the severed arms and legs they had encountered along the way. Sure enough, they must have belonged to these two mountain bandits.

It was unknown how they had ended up in such a state, but surprisingly, there was little sign of pain on their faces. On the contrary, when they caught sight of Fang Yang and his companions, they wore expressions of wild joy.

And accompanying that joy was a look of greed.

On the Path of Hungry Ghosts, “hunger” didn’t just refer to physical hunger, but to greed in all of its forms.

The two of them had been living humans not long ago, but even in life, their actions were no different than those of hungry ghosts.

Having ended up in such a ghostly state now…..perhaps this was simply a case of evil getting what was coming to it.

The three people remained silent, and it was the two-headed creature who spoke first, with Zhao Yi taking the lead in greeting their old acquaintances: “I never expected that you would be our opponents. Perfect, now we can settle our old scores while we’re at it!”

His words contained an undertone of grinding teeth.

And unlike the other three, who were still completely lost, they seemed to know exactly what this place was.

Hao Chen probed for information: “Opponents?”

“Haha, you still don’t know what this place is, do you?” Wang Wu spoke up with mocking pity. “This is the Eight Ghost Illusion Array, a method for refining ghosts!”

“A ghost-refining array?” Fang Yang exchanged a glance with Cao Zirui, still completely baffled.

“All who enter this array are evil spirits. This place…..” Wang Wu stomped the foot on his side of the body. “…..is the decisive battlefield where ghosts fight.”

“Only the ultimate victor may step forward to reclaim their freedom. The rest are destined to be devoured by the winner.” At this point, Wang Wu couldn’t help but lick his lips. His eyes fixed on Fang Yang and the others with insatiable hunger.

“Wait, everyone who enters the array is an evil spirit?” Instead of clearing things up for Fang Yang and the others, Wang Wu’s words only left them more confused.

They were clearly still human beings. How could they be evil spirits?

“Idiot!” Zhao Yi spat.

Wang Wu shook his head with a sigh. With apparent goodwill, he pointed behind the trio and signaled for them to look back.

The three of them turned their heads in unison, only to find that the plaques reading “Human Path” and “Heavenly Path” had changed.

They then looked toward the other plaques in turn. Whereas they had previously named each of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, each inscription had now transformed into a uniform pair of characters.

Ghostly Path.

“Heavenly ghosts, human ghosts, hungry ghosts….the moment you emerged from the Six Paths of Reincarnation Array, you were already ghosts!” Wang Wu roared with laughter, and revealed the truth with a savage expression: 

“The Six Paths…..are all the Ghostly Path!”

---

The Author Has Something to Say: As for what Hao Chen saw in this chapter, well, it’s R-rated. You’ll just have to use your imagination.

---

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Chapter 105 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 107

Ch 35 – Nothing Bad Can Happen To Him

Yu Xi had discovered a peculiar pattern: whenever he resolved the minor issues that arose between him and Kersz, he would always experience a surge of profound relief.

After having a good cry, Kersz had clearly begun to experience a certain emotion known as “embarrassment.”

Especially since Tau and Xiao Konglong were standing right there watching at the time.

Even once his tears stopped, Kersz still showed no desire to leave Yu Xi’s embrace, nor did Yu Xi speak a word to stop him. He simply continued to gently run a hand over his back.

Kersz savored the robot’s embrace, closing his eyes to immerse himself in it even more deeply.

And as he immersed himself deeper and deeper, he eventually fell asleep.

Everything that happened next could only be recounted through hearsay.

According to Tau, Yu Xi sat right where he was and held Kersz for quite some time. Then, right in front of Tau, he leaned in and kissed Kersz on the lips before walking around the room with Kersz in his arms.

There were only the three of them at home, plus Xiao Konglong, and it was difficult to tell what Yu Xi was actually doing as he walked around.

Tau felt that Yu Xi’s behavior contained an element of showing off, just like Tau sometimes liked to carry Xiao Konglong around to show him off.

Kersz then retorted that this couldn’t have happened. He was highly perceptive, and would have noticed Yu Xi moving him around.

“I don’t get it either.” Tau also found it quite baffling. He knew that Kersz was perceptive, and even suspected at one point that Kersz was feigning sleep to put Yu Xi at ease.

So as Yu Xi carried Kersz around, Tau had stuck to his side to discern if Kersz was merely faking it.

Subsequently, he learned that Kersz was genuinely out like a light.

This had surprised Tau. He didn’t understand how Kersz had fallen asleep: “After all, you’re a short-lived madman. You shouldn’t be so quick to let down your guard.”

“You have a terrible way with words.” Kersz scowled.

“You haven’t exactly been polite to me either.” Tau felt no need to observe courtesy with Kersz. After all, the man wasn’t one to be swayed by that kind of thing anyway.

“Yu Xi’s behavior is rather childish. He clearly hasn’t had many complex or authentic experiences. How in the world did he manage to calm you down?” Tau felt that this was somewhat unreasonable. “Don’t you think his attempt at pacifying you was a little ‘presumptuous?’”

“How did he pacify me?” Kersz didn’t understand.

“He pacified your mood.” Tau assumed that Kersz was trying to dodge the question.

“He let me have a good, long cry,” said Kersz. “What a wealth of experience that must take!”

“Didn’t you need it?” Now Tau didn’t understand.

He felt that this was irrational. Having played a multitude of characters, he was well-versed in the unwritten rules of human communication.

A wealth of experience was always helpful in social interactions. Individuals with such experience were capable of resolving numerous difficulties and offering solutions to the predicaments of those in distress.

Tau believed that Kersz’s current suffering could only be resolved by encountering a highly mature “veteran,” someone who had already walked that path.

Yu Xi had lived a very long life, yet it was abundantly clear that he had merely been a bystander to the lives of others.

How exactly had Yu Xi managed to comfort Kersz?

Kersz found it strange that Tau was agonizing over this question: “What kind of comfort do I need? Could that masterful, seasoned veteran erase my past? Could they bring the dead back to life? Could they wipe my memory and restore my innocence?”

“But he could ease your suffering,” said Tau. “Who knows, he might even help you let go of your hatred and start a new life.”

Yu Xi hadn’t helped Kersz let go of his intense emotions, nor had he resolved his problem.

It remained possible that Kersz would exhibit dangerous behavior in the future.

Kersz actually felt that there was no need to explain so much to Tau, but he was also aware that Tau’s current behavior was somewhat abnormal.

Tau was too proactive. An Illegitimate would never take the initiative to probe into matters outside the scope of their assigned mission, and would typically remain passive.

Kersz looked Tau up and down: “If there was actually someone with experience vast enough to make me temporarily set aside my hatred, what would their motive be for helping me?”

Tau fell silent.

He didn’t ask “why would they need a motive?” Because he knew full well that such interactions often hid another purpose.

Of the two of them, Tau was the one who least believed in the concept of ‘unconditional.’

“A person who has such a wealth of experience, such immense vitality…..for what reason would they go to such lengths for me?” Kersz smiled. “Are they like your father? Would they want to control me, to use me as a weapon?”

Tau said nothing.

“Or maybe they just had a sudden surge of benevolence, and want everyone in the universe to live a good life? If it’s the latter, maybe their goal is to be everyone’s ‘spiritual mom.’” Kersz hadn’t encountered a deity like that. At least, not yet.

Taking in Tau’s expressionless face, Kersz said: “Comforting a nutcase like me doesn’t take a wealth of experience.”

Tau tilted his head.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me and Yu Xi,” Kersz said. “But when the idea of  ‘our future’ crosses my mind, I’m just reminded that here and now, he’s by my side.”

Kersz: “I have parents, or rather, I did at one point. I don’t need someone else to fill the void they left.”

“He likes me, and not in the way a parent does.” Kersz spread his hands. “This is something really precious.”

Tau didn’t consider this precious: “Everyone has someone they like.”

“Hahaha, it’s precisely because it’s something precious that there are so many counterfeits. And because there are so many counterfeits, it seems like something that can be found everywhere.” Kersz felt a persistent prickling sensation, like there was someone behind him.

Turning his head, he spotted a pair of greenish-blue eyes staring at him around the corner.

The light in Yu Xi’s eyes seemed very bright. Almost alarmingly so.

But based on past experience, Yu Xi was likely bashful.

Upon being discovered, Yu Xi neither hid nor ran away.

He hesitated for a moment, and once he sensed that Kersz was indeed no longer embarrassed, he inched his way over step by painstaking step.

“Why are your eyes flickering?” Tau asked Yu Xi.

“Because I’m happy,” said Yu Xi.

Yu Xi felt like an impressive robot. 

He had identified the obstacle, then confronted it head-on, and in the end, he had managed to get Kersz to completely lower his guard while in his presence.

Kersz had fallen asleep.

And now, at this moment, Kersz was even able to confidently tell someone else that he liked him.

Yu Xi came to the realization that he was practically a genius at conveying emotions, and tilted his head higher and higher.

“I’m actually starting to look forward to our next minor conflict,” he told Kersz.

Kersz: ……

There was no need to look forward to it.

Tau was still watching them closely.

Kersz was also observing Tau.

He was very curious as to why Tau was asking him so many questions, much like an interviewer.

Did Tau want someone to comfort him?

But despite his curiosity, Kersz didn’t open his mouth and ask.

When Yu Xi brought Kersz back to their room, Kersze spoke in detail about Tau’s abnormal behavior.

As an Illegitimate, Tau’s current inquisitiveness was a little too intense.

“Is he also longing for a friend?” Yu Xi grew excited.

Kersz: “Uh…..I don’t know.”

“But I can help him!” At this moment, Yu Xi felt as though he was capable of anything. “Don’t you think I’m a healing-type robot?”

“You’re incredibly healing.” Kersz nodded. “But Tau is a bit different from me. You can’t use the same approach to solve his problems.”

Kersz rather liked Yu Xi’s current air of proud self-assurance, but worried that he might hit a wall with Tau.

“I wouldn’t use the same approach. You’re my most important friend. I certainly wouldn’t touch and feel him everywhere.” Yu Xi patted Kersz on the shoulder.

Kersz: …..

Come to think of it, ordinary friends wouldn’t touch each other the way they did.

“What I mean is that what he says might not be very pleasant to hear.” Kersz wasn’t entirely keen on letting Yu Xi heal Tau.

He felt that Tau would upset Yu Xi, but Yu Xi was very confident.

Upon learning that Tau might be waiting for his own “great hero,” Yu Xi made an inventory of his strengths. Then, with a sweeping gesture, he instructed Kersz to await the good news.

Yu Xi had actually spoken privately with Tau on numerous occasions, though more often than not, he had to resort to the line “you wouldn’t want your father to be captured and used as a breeding stud, would you?” in order to forcibly elicit a response from him.

However, since Yu Xi had chosen to be accommodating this time, he certainly couldn’t use threatening words like those.

After spending some time worrying, Kersz reassured himself.

It was just a routine conversation. Tau wasn’t the type to curse anyone out, so there shouldn’t be any major mishaps.

Kersz wanted to sneak over and take a peek at how their conversation was going, but he knew that Yu Xi’s senses were just too sharp. He stood absolutely no chance of observing them in secret.

Fortunately, Yu Xi was quick to return.

Yu Xi pursed his lips and pushed the door open. Upon seeing Kersz, he raised his eyebrows and turned to close the door again.

“How did it go?” Kersz asked.

“P….Pretty good,” Yu Xi answered without turning around.

“Did he say anything nasty to you?” Kersz asked again.

“Nope.” Yu Xi still didn’t turn around.

Kersz: “Yu Xi?”

This time, Yu Xi turned around with tears sliding down his cheeks: “K-Kersz.”

Kersz gasped. He hastened forward to wrap his arms around Yu Xi, patting his back: “What happened? Was he mean to you?”

“N-no.” Yu Xi’s lips trembled. “He ignored me.”

“I said so much.” While in Tau’s room, Yu Xi had shared all the comforting wisdom he possessed, explaining that as a robot who had lived for a very long time, he served as a mirror through which Tau could discover his true self.

Yu Xi wouldn’t criticize any of Tau’s actions. He could rest easy.

But Tau had ignored Yu Xi, continuing to tinker with a homemade cabbage.

Yu Xi had continued to wrack his brains, spouting lofty principles while pacing back and forth, occasionally giving Tau a pat on the head.

“I kept talking, and he eventually responded…..to say that I’d stepped on his white latex paint.” Yu Xi’s tears fell even harder. “He didn’t listen to a word I was saying.”

Kersz: “….He’s so mean.” Speaking of which, how had Yu Xi’s attempt to comfort Tau suddenly turn into a lecture on lofty principles?

Did Yu Xi not realize that his success in comforting Kersz stemmed from his sincerity, rather than any grand principles?

“Heavens, he’s essentially nothing like a human at all,” Yu Xi choked out.

“He really isn’t.” Kersz felt that in general, Illegitimates didn’t have much humanity about them at all.

“You’re still the best, Kersz.” Yu Xi reached out to caress Kersz’s face, then trailed his hand down his throat and further downward.

“Please don’t say things like that at a time like this.” Kersz felt a strange sense of deja vu. It was as if Yu Xi had gone out in search of a new love interest, only to fail; and looking back, he realized that his old flame back home was still the one who truly appealed to him.

“I don’t want anything to do with him ever again.” Yu Xi’s attempt to sow affection had failed, and suddenly, that affection curdled into resentment. “I want him to realize that I’ll never speak to him again.”

Kersz: “Ah…..”

“By the time he realizes, I will no longer offer him a smile, and what he’ll face will be nothing but an emotionless robot. When that time comes, he’ll have no time for regrets, because it was all his own doing. He was the one who ignored me first.” Yu Xi extended his index finger toward the ceiling, as if making a solemn oath.

Kersz felt a bit like smiling, but he knew he couldn’t.

Because at this moment, Yu Xi truly felt disgraced.

Kersz suggested: “How about this? Instead, we kidnap his father and beat him up right in front of him until he passes out? No, when he passes out, we toss a bucket of water on him and keep beating him once he’s conscious again.”

Yu Xi looked a little stunned.

“Not only do we beat his father, but we beat his little dinosaur as well. Beat the hell out of it right before his eyes.”

“No way, no way.” Yu Xi hurriedly tugged at Kersz’s sleeve. “That’s going too far.”

“I’ll just ignore him.” Yu Xi didn’t want to beat up Xiao Konglong.

“But he himself doesn’t pay much attention to emotions, so he might not even notice that you’re giving him the cold shoulder.” Kersz worried that in the end, it would be Yu Xi who ended up hurt again.

“If he doesn’t notice, that just proves that he’s a cold, heartless, unreasonable person!” Yu Xi clenched his fists.

And then?

What consequences would this ‘cold, heartless, and unreasonable’ behavior bring upon Tau?

Judging by Yu Xi’s reaction, it seemed there would be no consequences whatsoever, just a verbal reprimand.

Having made up his mind, Yu Xi began to put his ‘cold shoulder’ plan into action.

Not only did he ignore Tau, but whenever Tau was present, Yu Xi would raise the volume of his voice when speaking with Kersz. He wouldn’t even let the conversation end. Even when there was nothing left to say, Yu Xi would still scramble to find something to talk about.

He wanted Tau to know that he was deliberately ignoring him.

Early the next morning, Tau began to actively seek out Yu Xi.

“How do you think I did with this chicken leg?” Tau asked, holding the chicken leg he had constructed himself.

Yu Xi pretended not to see him, and continued to talk to Kersz: “We had such a fun time last night, didn’t we?”

Hadn’t Yu Xi been explaining his grand “cold shoulder” plan last night?

They hadn’t done anything fun at all. In fact, Kersz had originally intended to investigate just how many spatial folding devices Yu Xi had on his person, but as Yu Xi chattered on with the firm resolve to make Tau ‘regret it,’ he eventually drifted off to sleep.

“Yeah, it was lots of fun.” Kersz played along.

“I also made a fish,” Tau chimed in again.

Kersz fell silent and looked at Tau.

Why is ignoring you actually working?!

Wasn’t this just one of Yu Xi’s childish little whims? How had this Illegitimate realized that Yu Xi was ignoring him?

It would be one thing if noticing it was all he did, but he was repeatedly trying to initiate conversation in such an awkward, stiff manner.

Yu Xi shifted his gaze away from Tau once again.

“I also made a tomato.” Tau brought out another food item.

Yu Xi still paid him no attention.

Holding his three food items, Tau seemed somewhat at a loss.

So was this the extent of his conversational skills?

Kersz was astonished. Couldn’t Tau just think back to the previous roles he’d played and strike up a conversation more tactfully?

Tau’s mind disconnected for a moment, and then he cut straight to the point: “You’re angry.”

Yu Xi still didn’t speak.

“If you’re so angry, why don’t you just kidnap my father and bring him here as a breeding stud?” Tau asked with genuine emotion.

Kersz: “Huh?”

Yu Xi: “Ah?”

Did Tau know what he was asking?

Was the Supreme Governor aware of what his Illegitimate was asking?

“You were angry when you left my room yesterday,” said Tau. “And I’m the one who made you angry. At this point, to keep me in line, you should kidnap my father and make him a stud.”

“You’re capable of it. You even managed to snatch the Facai system., so why haven’t you?” Tau didn’t understand.

Kersz: “It’s a pity that I don’t have a close relationship with your father, otherwise I’d have recorded what you just said and sent it to him.”

“Do you hate your father that much?” Yu Xi was considerably shocked, and immediately forgot about his cold shoulder plan. “You actually want to make him a prisoner using such a roundabout method?”

“I don’t hate him. I just don’t understand why you’re not using him to blackmail me.” Tau felt that he still held his father in high esteem. “I didn’t give you a chance to become my ‘savior.’”

“What do you mean by ‘savior?’” Kersz asked.

“You kept preaching those obvious platitudes to me, truths that everyone understands, in an attempt to make me open up and become a normal person. Aren’t you really just trying to play the savior?”

“You want the thrill of changing my life, of me viewing you as my salvation.” Tau’s tone held little inflection.

Yu Xi: “I’m a healing-type robot.”

“Did you suddenly turn into a ‘healing type’ after your relationship with Kersz improved?” Tau asked.

Yu Xi glanced at Kersz, falling deep into thought.

He felt that his thoughts had been laid bare, but this seemed illogical: “Are you Illegitimates really so sensitive to these types of emotions?”

“I’m not a fool.” Tau had watched Yu Xi comfort Kersz, and Yu Xi hadn’t been nearly as composed back then.

It was clear that he was merely comforting himself, the truth being that Yu Xi had found a sense of self-confidence through his emotional interaction with Kersz, and dropped in on Tau to show off his progress.

Yu Xi: …..

Yu Xi pursed his lips. He had still been angry just moments before, but now a trace of guilt crept in.

Humans were still too terrifying.

“So why haven’t you done anything to me?” asked Tau. “I spoiled your fun and made you lose face. Aren’t you furious?”

Yu Xi immediately hid behind Kersz, ducking his head as he admitted: “I got defensive out of embarrassment.”

Tau: “So have you already kidnapped my father?”

“No.”

Tau: “Don’t tell me you took my Xiao Konglong?!”

“Also no.”

Tau didn’t understand: “Then what did you do?”

“I came up with a plan to completely ignore you.” Yu Xi extended a trembling hand toward Kersz, who reached out and grabbed it.

Feeling as if he had regained some strength, Yu Xi mustered his courage and continued: “I….I wanted to make you sad, to make you feel that you had lost a healing-type robot as a friend forever.”

Tau considered this for a moment, then said: “That doesn’t seem like much of a loss.”

“Kersz!!” Yu Xi retreated to Kersz’s side. “Too cruel….this Illegitimate is absolutely heartless. Next time, don’t pick up such a human!”

“I just mean that it won’t cause me any substantial loss,” Tau corrected.

Yu Xi gasped sharply.

Kersz couldn’t take it anymore: “Can you stop attacking the robot?”

Tau: “What I mean is…..”

“No need to rub it in anymore!” Yu Xi straightened abruptly. “I’m not healing you!” 

Then he turned and ran straight for the bedroom, leaving Kersz and Tau to exchange a bewildered glance.

“I was going to say that I never had a ‘healing type’ robot friend to begin with…..” Tau hadn’t finished speaking when Yu Xi, who had just ran to the bedroom, rushed back out again.

Yu Xi hauled Kersz up off the sofa, even reaching out to brush some non-existent dust from his body before wrapping his arms around him and towing him back to their room.

Tau reached out a hand, his lips parting.

But Yu Xi’s door had already closed once again.

It seemed he had offended Yu Xi even more deeply. By now, he must be absolutely seething with humiliated rage.

He had still ended up ruining his father.

Tau sighed and went to prepare some toiletries for the Supreme Governor.

Even after completing his preparations, Tau received no word of the Supreme Governor’s capture, and waited alone for a long time thereafter.

He even managed to convey a message to the Supreme Governor right under Yu Xi’s nose.

[Father, have you been captured?]

[Have you been caught yet?]

[Father, would you like any antiques displayed in your prison cell?]

[I’ve prepared a golden cup for you.]

[How have you not been caught yet?]

[Have you been kidnapped now?]

The Supreme Governor: ?

Why was 152 in such a rush? Why did he seem so eager?

He must have offended 152 at some point in the past.

*

*

Tau didn’t wait for the Supreme Governor to arrive. After a while, he went to knock on Yu Xi’s door.

It remained closed at first, but after he knocked many times, it finally opened.

But it was Kersz who opened the door. Tau tried to peer into the room, but Kersz blocked his view.

Tau asked: “Did Yu Xi go to capture my father?”

“That’s enough out of you! Yu Xi won’t fall for your provocation and kidnap your father just so you can reunite with him!” Kersz scowled.

Tau: “I don’t want to reunite with my father.” He simply couldn’t understand why Yu Xi hadn’t given him any sort of actual punishment.

In fact, Tau was capable of playing the role of someone who needed saving, and had indeed taken on such a role before.

But yesterday, he uncharacteristically chose not to cooperate.

It wasn’t until this morning that he began to worry that his father might come to harm due to his willfulness.

But his father was unharmed, and so was Xiao Konglong.

This reality once again sent Tau into a panic.

Tau was completely unable to accept anything happening to his Xiao Konglong.

But why was his father still unscathed?

It wasn’t like he wanted anything to happen to him.

But how was he still safe?

This was simply too strange.

---

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Chapter 34 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 36

Bai Lihong possessed two major businesses on Splendid Plaza in the Western Market, namely the Hundred Treasure House, which sold ice, tinderboxes, and fine salt, and Tianyuan Tower.

After the New Year, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao ordered people to thoroughly clean and refurbish Tianyuan Tower, specifically so that they could use the establishment to welcome the students who would be arriving in the capital and provide them with accommodations.

In order to provide them with the best experience, all one hundred deluxe rooms and one hundred standard rooms in the building were meticulously cleaned. The bedding was all replaced, and the tables, chairs, doors, and windows in the deluxe rooms were newly installed.

The tables and chairs in the lobby were given new tablecloths and cushions, and the already exceptionally clean kitchen was scrubbed to within an inch of its life.

Once everything was in order, Qin Xiao sent more than a dozen Imperial chefs from the palace, led by Matron Zhong, to take charge of the cooking.

Furthermore, Qin Chaoyang was appointed as the “Chief Examiner,” and would be working alongside Minister of Rites Wang Zhiyuan to handle all matters within the examination hall.

Chu Jiubian had Bai Lihong personally write the characters for “Clear Sky Tower,” which was then made into a gilded plaque and set in place of the previous “Tianyuan Tower” sign.^[1]

Every emperor from Chengzong to Yingzong had renamed this building at some point, so there was no talk when Bai Lihong made this change.

However, those with discerning minds understood the meaning of the characters 青云, which in addition to meaning “clear sky,” also represented the earnest hopes placed on those students coming to the capital and wished them a rapid rise to prominence.

Many people couldn’t understand why Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had chosen to arrange for the students to stay in such a busy area.

Logically, the noisy and bustling atmosphere of Splendid Plaza would be unfavorable for students who were preparing for the exams.

But Chu Jiubian had chosen this place deliberately.

The last exam consisted of two rounds, one of which tested professional skills.

There were a total of seven subjects. Classical studies students were required to write an essay on the spot about a certain subject, while math students would have to answer several problems posed by Chu Jiubian, and so on. Every student’s professional technical skills would be tested.

In the second round, Chu Jiubian, Qin Xiao, and Bai Lihong would present ten questions for the students to answer orally.

However, none of them would have to answer all of the questions; each person would only have to answer one or two.

These questions, along with the assessment of the students’ professional skills, needed to be addressed based on the actual situation in Great Ning, and required the students to have an understanding of all aspects of the territory.

Most of the students came from county seats and smaller towns and villages, and having witnessed the lives of the common people, even those in poverty, they had a deep understanding of this population.

On their journey to the capital for the Imperial Examinations, each of them had experienced assassination attempts, witnessed the local customs and traditions of the common people along the way, and experienced both the fawning and difficulties that came from those around them in the wake of their success. Having witnessed the vicissitudes of human nature, their mindsets were completely different than they had been initially, and their perspectives and understanding in regard to many subjects had naturally changed as well. 

But this was not enough.

Chu Jiubian also wanted them to live in the most prosperous and bustling part of the city, to witness the lifestyles of the extravagant and pleasure-seeking upper class, and therefore realize the great disparities that existed within Great Ning.

He would not control the movements of these students during their stay in the capital. Whether they chose to attend literary gatherings to meet the renowned scholars and dignitaries here, or to attend banquets with high-ranking officials and experience their flattery and solicitations, it was entirely up to them.

The dazzling splendor of the capital city would surely captivate these students.

However, if they were able to keep their composure under such circumstances and even gain deeper insight from their experiences, then they were the kind of people that Chu Jiubian would prioritize cultivating in the future.

He was confident that these students who had already achieved entrance into the Imperial Academy were no ordinary individuals.

They would undoubtedly deliver excellent results in Fengtian Hall, under the watchful eyes of the officials and vassal kings.

To these powerful figures, and to all the people of the world, they would showcase the brilliance of the students of the Imperial Academy.

In this way, they would make names for themselves.

Then, it would be possible for them to enter officialdom even sooner.

His intentions were not difficult to see. But these noble families, with their perpetual arrogance and contempt for those they viewed as beneath them, simply could not bring themselves to respect these small-town scholars who had previously been completely unknown.

Therefore, they only briefly considered why Chu Jiubian had housed the students in this location, thinking that perhaps he simply wanted to provide these students with more comfortable living conditions, and didn’t dwell on it further.

However, they still held some interest in a few of those students.

Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng, for example, who had long been renowned scholars.

They were the only two among the great Confucian scholars who had passed the Imperial Examinations, but that didn’t mean that others lacked the necessary education to pass. It was simply due to the fact that the vast majority of these great scholars had either aligned themselves with powerful noble families or had disdained participating in the exams altogether.

Plus, those people were already widely-renowned and had many disciples of their own. It would be excellent if they passed the Imperial Examinations, but completely humiliating if they failed.

Since ancient times, there had been no first place in literature.

No one had ever ranked these scholars and intellectuals, but the Imperial Examinations were a major ranking system that would be known to the entire world.

Those proud and self-important scholars naturally didn’t want to be ranked below anyone.

Therefore, they simply chose not to participate.

When the rankings were announced, neither Tan Ji nor Yan Jinsheng had managed to secure first place in the subject of classical studies. Instead, they were overshadowed by the relatively unknown Lu Yao and Tan Yuzhu – a woman – and many people openly mocked the two scholars.

But the two of them were unbothered, and remained all smiles.

How could they not, when one of them had a daughter who had ranked second in the classics, and the other had a son who ranked first in engineering?

Seeing their children succeed brought them more pride than achieving success themselves.

That being said, despite receiving a substantial amount of ridicule, their positions and standings were undeniable, and many powerful forces wished to recruit them.

Among the four great noble families, the Xiao and Wang families both possessed stronger histories of literary tradition, and therefore extended their offers of friendship quite early on.

Even Huguang-wang, who was known for his appreciation of talents, and Dongjiang-wang, who prided himself on his philandering nature, extended invitations.

Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng also became the primary targets of attention for all the various forces who wanted to see what choices they would make.

On the 15th day of the second month, a light snow began to fall in the capital, blanketing the branches and treetops and transforming the city into a beautiful snow-covered landscape.

However, perhaps because it was already March according to the lunar calendar, the weather had begun to warm up.

Even though it was snowing, it didn’t feel as cold as it had during the New Year’s festivities.

Splendid Plaza was as busy as ever. People from various factions frequently arrived outside of Clear Sky Tower, either presenting calling cards or delivering invitations.

The students staying in the building often came out in groups of two or three to stroll around various neighborhoods in the capital.

In addition, the Imperial Guard and City Defense Force led by An Wuji increased their patrols, taking special measures to secretly protect these students.

They wouldn’t interfere in normal social interactions between the students and others, but if someone were to attempt to forcibly take a student away, they wouldn’t be given the opportunity to do so.

It was almost noon.

Wang Qichen, the heir of the Wang family, was wearing his signature pink robes and white fox fur cloak. His long, slightly wavy hair cascaded down his shoulders as he stood at the entrance of Clear Sky Tower, holding an umbrella to shield himself from the snow.

From the moment the students had moved into Clear Sky Tower, no one had been allowed to enter the building without authorization.

Wang Qichen was no exception. So he simply stood in the doorway and nodded at the palace servant who came out to receive him, saying with a smile: “Asking Gonggong to summon the two great scholars Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng for me.”

Both palace servants and eunuchs had been sent to serve in Clear Sky Tower.

The person before Wang Qichen was a eunuch, and he was even one from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

This eunuch naturally recognized Wang Qichen. He bowed respectfully but without subservience, saying: “Please wait a moment, Young Master Wang. This servant will fetch the two students at once.”

Chu Jiubian had instructed them that no matter which faction in the capital extended an invitation to the scholars, the relevant authorities must be notified right away.

Whether or not they accepted the invitation was up to the scholars themselves.

Anyone who wished to enter officialdom would have to navigate such matters, and at present, they were simply encountering them a little earlier.

“Thank you for your trouble,” Wang Qichen said with a smile.

In a loft across the way, Wang Wenyao, the second son of Family Head Wang Huanzhi, stood side by side with Deputy Minister of Justice Wang Ruzhen.

Holding hand warmers, they gazed over at the figure standing in front of Clear Sky Tower.

“Even he is going to seek out those great scholars,” Wang Ruzhen said with a smirk.

Wang Wenyao’s eyes were dark and deep as he said softly: “Even the head of the Xiao family lost all face when he came here in person. Those two people clearly have no intention of associating with the noble families, yet my elder brother can’t get that through his head.”

Wang Ruzhen said: “Indeed. However, his activity has increased in recent days, and it is said that the person behind that new paper has already made contact with him.”

A cold, fleeting smile flashed through Wang Wenyao’s eyes: “It seems to me that he’s the one who leaked the information.”

“Oh?” Wang Ruzhen tilted his head. “Does the Young Master know something?”

Wang Wenyao said: “My father has already made contact with the papermaker.”

Wang Ruzhen’s eyes lit up: “Has he said when they will meet?”

He had been present when the new paper was introduced, and had immediately recognized its superior quality.

If the Wang family could reach an agreement with the other party, even aside from the benefits to the family itself, a second-rank official like him in the Imperial Court would also benefit considerably.

It must be said that even though Langya Gold paper was difficult to obtain, he still received a monthly allowance of twenty sheets.

If he were to obtain the Yaotai Green paper at some point, he would be perfectly content with just ten sheets per month, or even five.

Wang Wenyao: “That person has arranged to meet my father tonight. As for the outcome…..”

His voice suddenly faltered, and he lurched forward, gripping the window ledge tightly with both hands as he fixed his gaze intently on something below.

His face was filled with astonishment.

Wang Ruzhen’s heart sank at this sight, and he quickly looked down as well.

The entrance of Clear Sky Tower, which had been deserted just moments before, was now bustling with people.

Three men and one woman emerged from the tower and approached Wang Qichen, and the two parties exchanged greetings.

These four individuals were none other than Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng, whom various factions had tried to befriend and recruit without success, as well as their children, Tan Yuzhu and Yan Rui.

These four people had arrived in the capital at the end of the first month, and after checking into Clear Sky Tower, they had refused all recruitment offers.

Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng hardly ever left the building, but their two children would occasionally go out to stroll around and take in the interesting new sights.

But the two children rarely interacted with anyone, and if they did, it was Tan Yuzhu who stepped in to decline any invitations offered to them.

Yan Rui was quite young, and was very dependent upon Tan Yuzhu, who was like an elder sister to him. Therefore, whenever a situation cropped up, he would hide behind her and remain silent.

Yet of all people, these four individuals had gone downstairs to meet with Wang Qichen today.

Even though this person hadn’t sent a formal invitation, and merely had a palace servant deliver a message, these four people still came down.

This was simply unacceptable.

However, something even more unacceptable was yet to come.

After exchanging greetings with Wang Qichen, the four students prepared to go elsewhere to have a more private conversation.

At this moment, two figures dressed in a very different style from what was common in the capital approached from a short distance away, then stopped in front of the group.

Those two were dressed in traditional Nanjiang garb, with silver ornaments, earrings, and chains jingling at their waists as they moved. Their faces were nearly identical, but their heights differed greatly.

The identities of these two individuals were already known to everyone in the capital – they were the prince and princess of Nanjiang-wang’s household.

Situ Zhaoling knew that there were many female candidates among those who had come to the capital for the examinations, and that the majority of them, sixteen in total, were involved in the subjects of needlework and medicine.

Thirteen were female embroiderers, and three were female doctors.

Situ Zhaoling had previously encountered those three female doctors right in her silk shop.

They were all in their early twenties at most, an age at which many women were concerned about their appearances.

Seeing that many of the women and young ladies in the capital were wearing Nanjiang silk, they found the vibrant colors to be particularly beautiful, and went to inquire about the prices. If the prices were reasonable, they intended to buy some silk to make dresses for themselves.

Since they were now students of the Imperial Academy and would be living in the capital from now on, they should naturally dress more respectably.

This mindset actually came about because they were residing in the most affluent part of the city and hadn’t been to the commoners’ district on the eastern side, which gave them the mistaken impression that everyone in the capital was wealthy.

However, they were not very wealthy themselves, and didn’t have much money to spare. They were even saving the funds bestowed upon them by the Imperial Court for future security.

Thus, upon learning how expensive the silk was, they gave up on the idea and prepared to leave.

But Situ Zhaoling happened to be upstairs at the time, and when she heard that students had arrived in the shop, she hurried downstairs.

She called out to the three of them with a smile, then stepped forward to greet them and introduce herself.

All three female doctors came from small towns, and the highest-ranking officials they had met were the county governor and others who had come to deliver the results of the Imperial Examinations.

Therefore, upon seeing a princess of the royal family whom they had only heard of in rumors, they all paled in fear, thinking that they must have accidentally offended her in some way.

They didn’t even consider that the princess might want to befriend them. After all, the status of doctors in this era was not particularly high, and the status of female doctors was even lower.

Everyone said that a woman should devote herself to her husband and children, and that spending their days outside the home, even if they were solely treating female patients, exhibited unruliness that was uncharacteristic of a good woman.

After being the recipients of so many demeaning remarks, they no longer dared to think highly of themselves.

If it weren’t for the Imperial Examinations, which had ignited an unfamiliar fire in their hearts, they might have soon given up practicing medicine and become good women according to societal norms, marrying and raising children.

In particular, the oldest of these three female doctors was already twenty-two years old, an age at which most commoner girls would have long been married. She had delayed for so many years due to her medical studies, and remained unmarried to this day.

However, due to her ability to earn money, her family never kicked her out of the home or even considered marrying her off. Their intention was simply for her to continue supporting her brothers.

But before the New Year, when her family learned that she had shamelessly registered to participate in the Imperial Examinations and thereby compete with men, they felt thoroughly disgraced and severed all ties with her.

As a woman, and given that Great Ning did not allow for female-headed households, she concluded that if she failed the Imperial Examinations, she would give up on practicing medicine and marry a widower.

Fortunately, she persevered with the mindset of “giving it one last shot,” and managed to make it this far.

She knew that her medical skills were subpar, and that she couldn’t compete on the level of qualified doctors.

The only reason she had made it this far was due to the rarity of female doctors. Only these three women had registered under the subject of medicine, which was why all of them were able to enter the Imperial Academy.

She had a low opinion of herself, and after moving into Clear Sky Tower, she became even more aware of the differences between herself and those around her.

In the past few days, there had been a constant stream of people seeking out students of various disciplines. Even many embroidery and silk shops had come looking for needlework students.

But nobody sought the services of these three female doctors.

Therefore, when they were stopped by a noble lady like Situ Zhaoling, none of the three even suspected that she might want to befriend them.

However, to their great surprise, Situ Zhaoling gently comforted them and invited them upstairs to sit down.

The three of them were in a daze, their minds completely blank. They didn’t know how to refuse, and in fact, didn’t dare refuse.

Thus, they followed Situ Zhaoling upstairs.

The princess was younger than all three of them, and possessed a lively and cheerful personality. Not only did she have snacks and tea sent up, but she also kept them engaged in conversation.

The conversation revolved around female doctors and women’s health issues, and she even asked them to take her pulse, as well as those of the seamstresses in the silk shop.

Upon receiving the good news of her excellent health, Situ Zhaoling happily showered them with compliments and promised to give each of them a garment as a consultation fee.

The three of them naturally dared not accept this, but Situ Zhaoling acted decisively and had the seamstresses take their measurements.

Today, Situ Zhaoling had appeared at Clear Sky Tower to bring those three sets of garments, as well as some small and delicate, but not overly-expensive jewelry.

Although she had called it a consultation fee, she was actually concerned for these female doctors and wished to do something nice for them, to at least allow them to feel a touch of kindness and stop being so timid and submissive.

When they encountered Wang Qichen at the building entrance, the eyes of the two children lit up.

But since they were in the presence of outsiders, they pretended not to be familiar with him and suppressed their excitement, offering formal greetings.

Wang Qichen also maintained his smile and returned their greetings in a graceful manner.

They didn’t talk for very long. After exchanging greetings, they made some polite small talk, and Wang Qichen prepared to leave with Tan Ji and the others.

But Situ Zhaoling was unable to hold herself back, and said: “Wait a moment.”

The group stopped in their tracks.

Wang Qichen said gently: “What can we do for the princess?”

“I’d like to ask Student Tan a question.” Situ Zhaoling regarded Tan Yuzhu with bright eyes and asked, “Would you do me the honor of having lunch with me?”

Wang Qichen smiled and turned his face away.

Tan Yuzhu caught a glimpse of this from the corner of her eye, but didn’t know what it meant.

She knew that her father was a subordinate of the Wang family’s heir, but she had never met this person before, and upon seeing him today, found him to be completely different from what she had imagined.

He didn’t fit any of the descriptions her father had used, such as “calm and reserved” or “mature beyond his years.” At most, he might only fit the description of “charming and elegant.”

Due to this, she was unable to make a judgment on the other’s personality and behavior upon their first meeting.

The political landscape in the capital was turbulent, with various forces intertwined in complex patterns, leaving her uncertain as to whether she should go with Situ Zhaoling or not.

But although she was uncertain, her father had a fairly good understanding of Wang Qichen.

Having caught the other’s reaction, he knew that Wang Qichen had no intention of stopping her. So he turned to his daughter and said: “Zhu’er, since the princess has invited you, you should go.”

Tan Yuzhu understood at once.

It seemed that the heir of the Wang family and the Nanjiang princess were on good terms.

So she gave a faint smile and said very softly to Situ Zhaoling: “Then I shall respectfully accept your invitation.”

Situ Zhaoling interacted primarily with other Nanjiang girls, who tended to have very spirited and energetic personalities. There were occasionally some who were more soft-spoken, but that was just surface-level. Once they became familiar with each other, they were all rather bold and unrestrained.

There were naturally a handful of girls she didn’t get along with. Those ones were fake and pretentious, constantly putting on an appearance of victimhood and making other women uncomfortable.

Situ Zhaoling knew that people could be either good or bad, regardless of whether they were male or female.

Therefore, she never bothered to give face to the people she didn’t like.

To be honest, before meeting Tan Yuzhu, she had always thought that women who spoke softly and had such refined manners were all rather pretentious, just like the Wang family.

Hm…..not including Wang Qichen.

But although Tan Yuzhu exhibited these qualities, her presence made one feel very comfortable, and Situ Zhaoling even felt her face flush slightly.

When she spoke again, she unconsciously lowered her voice: “Then please wait a moment, Student Tan. The clothes I promised to make for Miss Bai and the others are finished, so I’ll deliver them first, and then we can go.”

Tan Yuzhu was acquainted with the other students in Clear Sky Tower. Realizing that Situ Zhaoling was referring to the female students in the medical field, she nodded and said with a smile: “Please, Your Highness.”

Situ Zhaoyao also took a second look at this Student Tan. She truly possessed the demeanor of a wealthy noble lady, which contrasted sharply with his sister’s lively personality, but they were both beautiful in their own ways.

He then glanced at the youth who was staring in Tan Yuzhu’s direction and asked: “Are you Student Tan’s little brother?”

Yan Rui was surprised that a dignified prince would choose to speak to him. His face paled, and he quickly bowed before saying: “Yes.”

After saying this, he realized that he shouldn’t so easily speak half-truths to the royal family, and hastily added: “We’re not related, we just treat each other as siblings.”

Situ Zhaoyao was amused: “No need to be so nervous. My sister and I won’t eat you.”

Yan Rui forced a smile, which looked even more unpleasant than if he were to weep.

Seeing this, Tan Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder with a look of helpless amusement on her face.

“Would you like to join us?” Situ Zhaoyao asked Yan Rui. “We can chat while our older sisters are talking.”

Yan Rui instinctively cast another glance toward Tan Yuzhu, and when he saw her nod, a smile immediately appeared on his face. He quickly forced it back down and said to Situ Zhaoyao: “Thank you, Your Highness. I….I…..”

The more nervous he became, the more trouble he had speaking, which in turn elevated his nervousness and caused him to fall into a vicious cycle of awkwardness.

Yan Jinsheng couldn’t help but frown upon seeing his son this way, and anxiety arose in his heart.

His son had been this way since he was very young. He didn’t like to socialize with others, and only wanted to be around Tan Yuzhu. But he was in his teens now, and he couldn’t go on like this forever.

He had brought his son to participate in the Imperial Examinations with him partly due to Wang Qichen’s encouragement, and partly because he felt that the current Imperial Court was worth serving in.

Secondly, he had done so in order for his son to go out into the world, meet more people, and have more opportunities to gain experience.

But seeing him with his face flushed red from stifling his emotions, Yan Jinsheng couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and regret his actions.

Tan Ji understood his concerns, and tugged at his arm, saying: “Let’s go and speak with the Young Master. Zhu’er will do more good here than you will.”

Yan Rui could be very stubborn on occasion. He might not listen to his father, but he would always listen to Tan Yuzhu.

Therefore, Tan Yuzhu’s presence would indeed be more useful.

Yan Jinsheng felt somewhat relieved at this thought, and walked away with Tan Ji and Wang Qichen while casting frequent glances over his shoulder.

Situ Zhaoling handed the garments in her arms over to the three female doctors. They expressed their gratitude profusely, but unlike the first time, they were no longer so fearful and apprehensive. There was even a glimmer of hope in their eyes when they looked at the princess.

Seeing them in such high spirits, Situ Zhaoling was pleased, and turned to ask Tan Yuzhu if it would be alright to bring these female doctors along for the meal.

Tan Yuzhu was naturally fine with this.

Situ Zhaoling then extended the invitation to those three. They had previously discussed standing tall and being independent, just like the women of Nanjiang. 

Therefore, despite being slightly hesitant, they all agreed to go out for a meal together.

After asking the palace servants to help put away their new clothes and accessories, the seven of them then left Clear Sky Tower in a grand procession, leaving behind numerous pairs of watchful eyes.

Wang Ruzhen and Wang Wenyao stood upstairs with displeased expressions on their faces. Especially Wang Wenyao.

“He’s just using the Wang family name,” Wang Wenyao said in a low voice.

The Wang family had a long tradition of scholarship, so these esteemed scholars would naturally be willing to give them face.

Had it been Wang Wenyao who had personally invited Tan Ji and Yan Jinsheng out today, those two would have presumably given him face as well.

Wang Wenyao regretted that he had only extended invitations through messengers instead of going in person, all for the sake of saving face. However, he was unwilling to admit that Wang Qichen was more daring and capable than himself.

Wang Ruzhen, however, saw things much more clearly, and declined to offer a response.

In his opinion, these two renowned scholars must have had prior contact with Wang Qichen. The Wang family’s influence had nothing to do with it. Wang Qichen was relying solely on his own reputation.

This young master’s abilities were becoming increasingly unfathomable.

A sense of unease came over Wang Ruzhen. Could the rumors that Wang Qichen had made contact with the papermaker be true?

If the papermaker was comparing prices in order to get the best deal, it was possible that he had contacted Wang Qichen and Family Head Wang Huanzhi simultaneously.

Unaware of the other party’s thoughts, Wang Qichen simply found a restaurant and had a conversation with these renowned scholars he hadn’t had contact with in a long time.

The Situ siblings were also enjoying a pleasant conversation with the Imperial Academy students.

Situ Zhaoyao had initially just found Yan Rui’s personality somewhat amusing, but unexpectedly, he was the first-place scorer in the subject of engineering, and possessed considerable talent and achievements when it came to invention and innovation!

This perfectly matched Situ Zhaoyao’s interests.

When Yan Rui learned that this prince was also an inventor, his eyes immediately lit up, and he no longer felt nervous when speaking. In fact, he actually became quite the chatterbox.

This was Situ Zhaoyao’s first time encountering someone who could keep up with him on such topics, and it excited him greatly.

The two boys talked so extensively that they completely lost track of both time and their surroundings, and by the end, they were practically ready to swear an oath of brotherhood.

Meanwhile, Lu Yao had received an invitation from the Lu family.

“Will you go?” Qin Chuan asked him.

Lu Yao thought for a moment, then said: “I will.”

Although he had resolved to serve Grand Tutor Chu, it wouldn’t hurt to visit the Lu family and sound out their intentions.

Qin Chuan was of the same opinion, and felt that he should accompany him.

If Lu Yao wasn’t able to understand all of the subtle nuances of the interaction, Qin Chuan would be there to listen too.

Besides, opportunities to enter the inner circle of a powerful family were rare, particularly when it came to the Lu family.

The Lu family was very likely connected to the deaths of his parents!

A shadow of unease flickered in Qin Chuan’s eyes, and Lu Yao glanced over at him.

*

*

Inside the palace.

After lunch and some light exercise, Bai Lihong went to take a nap.

Chu Jiubian wanted to continue reviewing memorials, but Qin Xiao said: “My wound is itching a little. Could you take a look at it?”

“Itching?” Chu Jiubian said with a frown. “Then it should be almost healed.”

Qin Xiao added: “It also hurts a little.”

Chu Jiubian fixed him with a narrow-eyed look: “How can you lie with a perfectly straight face?”

People usually blinked or touched their noses when they lied, showing some sign of their guilt and nervousness.

Qin Xiao, on the other hand, didn’t react whatsoever.

Qin Xiao just smiled: “Because I’m not lying, ah.”

“……” Chu Jiubian turned around and walked away.

Qin Xiao quickly followed him, tilting his head to take in his expression: “You’re not going to look at it?”

Chu Jiubian’s eyelid twitched: “What is there for me to look at?”

Qin Xiao smiled and said nothing.

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[1] Tianyuan (天元) implies top-tier quality, or something like “Heavenly Cuisine.” ⮐

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Chapter 79 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 81

Ch 34 – Cry if You Want To

Kersz didn’t understand why Facai was being used by the Interstellar Alliance, so Yu Xi agreed to help him make some inquiries.

However, Yu Xi’s next question left Kersz somewhat bewildered: “Why shouldn’t he be used by the Interstellar Alliance?”

Then Kersz saw Yu Xi’s pupils dilate and contract, as if he had realized something: “Oh, oh! That’s right, the Interstellar Alliance is no good.”

This didn’t seem to be a conclusion Yu Xi had come to himself. It was more like he knew that Kersz cared about this, and since he cared about Kersz, he drew a conclusion based on Kersz’s preferences.

Kersz seemed somewhat disappointed when he realized this.

Yu Xi feared that Kersz would think he was too cold and indifferent, since Kersz still vehemently condemned those in power. 

“Could you….tell me what you really think?” Kersz asked him.

Sure enough, Kersz saw right through him. Yu Xi felt that he ought to appear more righteously indignant, but when he caught the faint glimmer of anticipation in Kersz’s eyes, he found himself unable to decieve him with placating words.

Yu Xi clenched his fists and sat down on the sofa, looking somewhat dejected.

As Tau walked by carrying the little dinosaur, Yu Xi said: “You should know that I never integrated into human society.”

Tau glanced at Yu Xi and Kersz.

“This means I’ve never been exploited by humans, nor been hurt by them,” Yu Xi said softly. “So I may not be able to truly understand that kind of pain.”

As Yu Xi spoke, he observed Kersz’s expression, worried that his indifference would disappoint his good friend.

“As far as I’m concerned, all of this was inevitable,” said Yu Xi. “Facai isn’t helping anyone in particular. He just acts as a weapon for whoever comes along.”

Kersz: “But he’ll kill a lot of people by doing that.”

Yu Xi nodded: “Yes, yes, that dog is truly rotten.”

Kersz: …..

Kersz didn’t reply.

Yu Xi asked with some concern: “Are you angry?”

“No.” Kersz gave him a smile.

Yu Xi sensed that something wasn’t right. Kersz must be angry: “I don’t think like that big white dog. I would never do such a thing.”

“I know.” Kersz continued to smile at Yu Xi.

“T-then shall I go ask Facai his reasons for doing this?” Yu Xi cautiously gestured toward the control system.

“Thank you for your hard work,” Kersz said with a smile.

Yu Xi swiftly withdrew his hand, his eyes widening.

Kersz said with a hint of helplessness: “Did I scare you?”

Yu Xi pursed his lips and shook his head. Then he smiled at Kersz and finally closed his eyes, using Facai’s trail to track his whereabouts.

He asked Facai on Kersz’s behalf, and the answer he received didn’t surprise him.

“Why shouldn’t I?” Facai asked in puzzlement. “It’s not like I approached these humans. They want a weapon, and I’m here waiting for something. Of course I can cooperate with them.”

“But they’re the bad guys,” said Yu Xi.

Facai was astonished: “Did those words just come out of your mouth?”

“What’s wrong?” Yu Xi asked in confusion.

“Nothing. It’s just that back in the day, you got along quite well with those big villains among us beastfolk. While you weren’t particularly close, there was certainly no conflict between you,” Facai said. “What was it you said? Good and bad are relative, and the emergence of such people is inevitable.”

When had Yu Xi become so empathetic?

“Are you the one asking, or are you asking for that human of yours?” Facai grasped the key point.

“He wanted to ask,” said Yu Xi.

“I think you already know the answer, so why did you come all the way here to ask me?” Facai didn’t understand.

Yu Xi was picking at his hands: “I….”

“For the sake of that human? You really care about him,” said Facai.

“I want to know why I met him,” Yu Xi said abruptly.

“Have you always known where my planet was located? His reckless space jump while he was under attack…..did you put the location into his system?” Yu Xi really didn’t believe in such a coincidence.

Facai: …..

If Facai didn’t exist, Yu Xi wouldn’t harbor such suspicions.

“Do you quite like that human?” Facai changed the subject.

“I do.” Yu Xi nodded in agreement. “But the differences between us are so great.”

Yu Xi could sense that Kersz was in pain. 

And Yu Xi was also hurting, because he realized that he might have been ignoring Kersz’s sadness all along.

“A small group of people make the decisions, and a significant portion of humans are having their basic rights violated…..even their lives are being threatened.” Yu Xi had liked humans before, and hadn’t seen anything wrong with this.

It was a very simple truth: for the sake of the overall survival of the race, the interests of a certain segment of the population must inevitably be sacrificed.

That sacrifice was meaningful and valuable, allowing humanity to continue to exist.

Although people often spoke of goodness and kindness, when a crisis struck, they would always abandon one group of people and make the choices that were most beneficial to themselves. 

And the people in power were the least human of them all. They were the spokespeople for different forces, their mouthpieces. The parts that made them human had all been stripped away, like pulling the bones out of a fish.

Yu Xi disliked interacting with such humans, for they possessed not a shred of the candor and charm that Yu Xi cherished.

But their actions were reasonable. Perhaps not correct, but reasonable nonetheless.

“Correctness” was, in fact, a fabricated shield.

Yu Xi disliked those humans, but he had never hated them.

Because they had never infringed upon Yu Xi’s interests.

“I don’t want to appear too heartless,” Yu Xi said, somewhat saddened. “Because he…..”

Because Kersz had truly lost everything in this conflict.

And Yu Xi, who hadn’t lost anything himself, couldn’t just ask Kersz to let it go and tell him that this was all part of the natural order.

…..On what grounds?

On what grounds should the deaths of Kersz’s parents become part of the norm? On what grounds should Kersz be the one being oppressed?

“All of this happened because he was unlucky,” said Facai. “Out of so many people, the bad luck just happened to fall on him.”

“Those people he killed truly deserved to die. That human of yours was harmed by them, so he killed them in retaliation.” Facai tilted his head slightly. “This cycle should come to an end.”

Yu Xi stared at Facai.

“Well, I suppose it won’t come to an end anytime soon,” Facai said, “because he is still consumed by rage. He wants to be an agent of justice, to kill every corrupt figure in power across the entire world.”

“How can you say something like that?” Yu Xi was appalled.

Facai wore no expression on his face.

“This is a tragedy. You shouldn’t treat a tragedy so flippantly,” Yu Xi corrected.

“No, it’s not a tragedy. You only think it is because you know that human and are actually quite fond of him. If not him, it would be somebody else. There are always people who go through what happened to him.”

“There are always lives that, upon witnessing them, leave you marveling. This guy is simply the most unfortunate one of them all.”

“Just like me,” said Facai.

Yu Xi froze.

“You once comforted me too. When I said that I had lost everything, you told me to look at the bigger picture, told me just how insignificant my suffering was amidst the torrent of the times.” Facai stared at Yu Xi. “That I am merely one of millions of unfortunate souls.”

“As it turns out, I’m the most exceptional of all those unfortunate souls.”

“I don’t quite understand. When you comforted me, we had known each other for a very, very long time. But how long have you actually known that human? Why are you so affected by everything he’s gone through?” Facai was truly baffled. “Is it just because he’s human?”

Yu Xi said nothing more to Facai. He blinked his eyes dazedly, then racked his brains to polish Facai’s response before relaying it to Kersz.

“So it’s simply because he doesn’t care?” Kersz understood. “Fair enough. He’s not human, and he’s witnessed so much. To him, the suffering of ordinary people is likely nothing more than a side note.”

Panic fluttered in Yu Xi’s chest when he heard these words: “I-It’s not a side note.”

Kersz looked at him.

Yu Xi clutched his chest. He had never experienced anything like this before. He was terrified of saying the wrong thing, yet felt he couldn’t remain completely silent, because Kersz looked so sad.

Kersz’s heartbeat went completely haywire.

“Did I put you in a difficult position?” Kersz asked Yu Xi.

Yu Xi shook his head.

Kersz patted him on the back. He was still smiling, but judging by the sound of his heartbeat, his emotions were far from calm.

Kersz indeed tried to compose himself, but this time, no matter how hard he tried, he simply could not bring himself under control.

He had no expectations of Facai, because whatever he might once have been, he was now nothing more than a program that had lived far too long. All Kersz wanted was to know whether or not he would need to find a way to dismantle him in the future.

And his answer should make Kersz furious.

He had grown accustomed to the taste of anger and hatred, and ought to be able to adjust quickly enough.

But beneath the anger, another emotion stirred within him. Perhaps it was less intense, but it was like the slow, painful drag of a blunt knife slicing through flesh.

Kersz felt like a complete scoundrel, always pushing his luck. And it wasn’t just that he was insatiable. He was a hypocrite too.

Before, Facai was at least a living creature.

Yu Xi had been a robot from start to finish. Starting as a robot vacuum cleaner, he had gradually evolved into what he was today, and had never been deeply involved in the decision-making of humans.

From beginning to end, his emotions had remained detached from the intense passion of humanity.

To his surprise, Kersz had found himself hoping that Yu Xi would understand his pain.

This was simply putting Yu Xi into an impossible position.

Kersz had been constantly suppressing this ridiculous expectation of his, yet the more Yu Xi appeared to care about his feelings, the more he found himself helpless against his rising hope.

This wasn’t fair to Yu Xi.

Even when dealing with an outsider like Facai, Kersz was able to see the logic behind his actions by examining his background and experiences. He didn’t agree with those actions, but he understood them.

So why was it that when he faced Yu Xi, the logic he took such pride in seemed to leave him?

No, it didn’t leave him.

He was keenly aware of Yu Xi’s evolution and background, and just as aware that it was impossible for Yu Xi to ever truly put himself in Kersz’s shoes.

After all, in Yu Xi’s life, there was nothing that even resembled “parents.”

It was entirely unreasonable to expect a person with a completely different background to fully understand or even empathize with him.

And when it came to putting himself in the shoes of another, had Kersz ever really understood or empathized with that little mouse he once kept? Did he know whether or not that little mouse actually wanted to be kept by him? Was it happy from day to day? Had it ever experienced moments of despair or sadness?

Kersz should have never expected Yu Xi to do something that he himself couldn’t even manage.

Such an expectation was nothing more than cruelty toward the person closest to him.

Kersz’s rationality pulled together countless arguments to persuade himself. Yet when Yu Xi sent him a cautious glance, Kersz still felt a distinct and unreasonable sense of grievance.

And hidden beneath this grievance lay a faint trace of resentment.

His rational mind knew that Yu Xi had been blameless from start to finish, so he tried as hard as he could to suppress these dark emotions, to reassure Yu Xi not to overthink things, as none of this had anything to do with him in the first place.

Yu Xi glanced at Kersz, but gave no response. He just lowered his head again and went back to picking at his hands.

Kersz wasn’t okay. Kersz really wasn’t okay.

Yu Xi desperately wanted to retrieve a portion of his memories. Not much, just enough to give him some idea how to interact with others.

His interactions with others invariably resulted in all sorts of silly mishaps. He had already come to realize just how “different” he was.

But in this context, that “difference” felt particularly unbearable.

Yu Xi desperately wanted to do something, yet there was nothing he could really do.

As always happened when Yu Xi acted timid and reserved like this, he heard Kersz’s heartbeat quicken before slowing down, though not by much.

But on the surface, Kersz showed no emotion whatsoever. He hurled a couple of insults at Facai, then declared that sooner or later, he would destroy the system entirely.

Tau disagreed with Kersz’s approach. Without that formidable weapon, the Interstellar Alliance would become nothing more than a bloody slice of meat, ripe for the taking and destined to be devoured by the other five major alliances.

“The Interstellar Alliance should have vanished a long time ago. It’s nothing more than a bunch of backward nobles gathering together to play make-believe.” Kersz debated the issue with Tau, and his heartbeat seemed to accelerate again as his emotions were stirred up.

Kersz was prepared to vent all of his feelings right here. He knew that Yu Xi could hear his heartbeat, and that he needed to approach him with a calmer, gentler mood.

So for now, he would just vent his anger arguing with Tau.

“The Interstellar Alliance represents humanity’s original glory. Humans in other galaxies have already fallen into chaos. The vast majority of people can’t even sustain a marital relationship and have completely lost the very concept of ‘home!’” Tau began to raise his voice.

The Interstellar Alliance was the faction with the highest ratio of children who had parents. Most other alliances operated by matching genetic profiles; if two people’s genetic vectors aligned, they would simply purchase the other person’s genetic information or negotiate an exchange.

“You make it sound like marriages in the Interstellar Alliance are so incredibly stable. Do married people around here even see each other all that often?” Kersz sneered.

“Oh? Did your parents not spend much time together in the past?” Tau stepped directly on Kersz’s sore spot.

But Kersz paid it no mind. His past was no longer a secret in the interstellar world, and those people, facing their imminent deaths and realizing that begging would be futile, always did everything they could to strike at Kersz’s weaknesses.

“You, an Illegitimate who doesn’t even know who his parents were, are actually arguing with me about the glory of the Interstellar Alliance?” Kersz struck back at Tau’s sore spot.

As they continued to argue, it escalated into shoving, and before long, the two of them came to blows.

“Hey, hey! Stop fighting!” Yu Xi hastened forward and tried to pull the two apart, all while the little dinosaur, Xiao Konglong, scurried around them while crying out for his dad.

At last, Yu Xi forcefully pried them apart. Yet before he could put much distance between them, Tau landed a punch on Kersz, who in turn kicked Tau.

“No fighting!” Yu Xi raised his voice a little louder. “Aren’t you people adults?!”

Xiao Konglong burrowed into Tau’s arms, anxiously tugging at his clothes.

Tau felt a pang of concern. He had initially intended to charge back in and keep fighting Kersz, but now that his child was here, he couldn’t risk Kersz accidentally injuring him.

Kersz ran his tongue over his back molars, now in much better spirits.

He let out a sigh, preparing to soothe Yu Xi, who had been frightened by his erratic behavior.

But then, Yu Xi threw his arms around his neck.

Kersz was stunned: “Y-Yu Xi, aren’t you afraid of this kind of conflict?”

“No.” Yu Xi knelt on the ground, nuzzling the side of Kersz’s face. “I just don’t know what to do.”

“What do you mean?” Kersz asked.

“I don’t know how to comfort you. I don’t know how to let you know that I’m worried about you,” said Yu Xi. “Facai said that bad things happened to him in the past too, and I….!”

“I feel like he’s just a system now, in pain yet numb. I don’t want you to turn out like that.” Yu Xi suspected that the current Kersz and the Facai of the past shared certain commonalities.

Perhaps Facai, too, was searching for an answer, but to this day, he had yet to find it.

“He and I aren’t the same,” said Kersz. “I’m me.”

“I know.” Yu Xi nodded.

“Just the thought that you want to comfort me is enough.” Kersz slowly turned and cupped Yu Xi’s face. “The way I am now has nothing to do with you.”

“Actually, if I hadn’t met you, I would already be dead.” Kersz’s voice softened slightly. “You shouldn’t suffer because of the things those despicable people did. That has nothing to do with you.”

Yu Xi nodded: “I know it has nothing to do with me.”

Kersz’s thumbs brushed against Yu Xi’s temples: “That’s right~ You’re my lifesaver~”

“Meeting you was the luckiest miracle of all,” Kersz continued. “I never thought that one day, there would be someone who cares about me the way you do.”

Yu Xi nodded again and again: “I do care about you.”

Kersz’s voice softened even further: “Thank you.”

“And because I care about you, what those people did seems to involve me too.” Yu Xi abruptly shifted the conversation.

Kersz froze.

“Otherwise, why am I sad?” Yu Xi gestured toward his chest. “Why else would I feel sad because of your pain?”

“I really have nothing to do with all of that.” Yu Xi had been agonizing over this very issue. “But I want it to involve me. I don’t know how to describe it, but…..”

“…..but it involves you,” said Yu Xi.

“If all of that is separate from me, if it has nothing to do with me at all…..does that mean that you also have nothing to do with me?” Yu Xi didn’t like this feeling.

He had always been afraid that Kersz would condemn him, but Yu Xi felt that he had done nothing wrong. That he didn’t deserve to be condemned.

Yet he also feared that Kersz would say nothing at all, that being so good at drawing boundaries, he would once again hide away alone to lick his wounds.

This was too contradictory. Too painful.

In the end, Yu Xi felt that his head was going to start smoking from all the mental turmoil. He felt very helpless, and all he could say was: “Please teach me.”

Kersz froze in place: “Teach you…..what?”

“Teach me how to be good to you.” Yu Xi lowered his head. “I….I’m just a robot. I’m different from you….but I want to be like you.”

Kersz tried to look into Yu Xi’s eyes, but he was still picking at his fingers, staring at his fingertips and refusing to look up: “I want to be good to you, to hold you in my arms while you cry.”

“I don’t want there to be such a sharp line drawn between us.”

Yu Xi wracked his brains, thinking with all his might. He was certain that smoke must be billowing from his ears by now. His energy reserves seemed to be on the verge of burning out completely. “I am so saddened by your pain. You’ve been hurt.”

“I think I’ve been hurt too.”

Having said this, Yu Xi suddenly threw his arms around Kersz’s neck. Caught off guard, Kersz toppled forward directly onto Yu Xi. But he didn’t fall.

Yu Xi held his upper body in a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry,” said Yu Xi. “I didn’t understand you as well as I thought I did.”

There was nothing to apologize for. Yu Xi wasn’t at fault to begin with.

As this thought occurred to Kersz, he felt warmth welling up in his eyes. And to his surprise, tears actually began to fall.

What the hell?! Kersz clearly knew that none of this was Yu Xi’s fault, so why had he started crying the second Yu Xi apologized?

He was acting as if he had been terribly wronged, but the truth was that he hadn’t suffered a single grievance at Yu Xi’s hands.

Fearing that Yu Xi would misunderstand, Kersz said in a rush: “No, you haven’t done anything wrong.” His voice was shaking.

How pathetic.

But Yu Xi replied: “You haven’t either.”

Kersz’s pupils suddenly dilated, and his tears fell even more uncontrollably.

His heartbeat, too, fell into disorder.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, and you didn’t choose to become this way. You had no choice.” Yu Xi made this distinction very clear.

It wasn’t Kersz’s fault that everything spiraled out of control.

He hadn’t done anything to deserve such loss.

Kersz wrapped his arms around Yu Xi, clenching his hands in the fabric over his back.

“You’re not blaming me,” said Yu Xi. “You’re just very sad.” He felt that Kersz was always seeking his opinion.

Yu Xi sensed that Kersz was asking tentatively: May I lay out my pain and sorrow here with you? Will you deny their existence?

Kersz tried to stop crying, but Yu Xi tightened his embrace even more, and he felt his tears threatening to flow of control again.

He felt as if a hidden part of himself had once more been exposed to the light of day.

That fragile, unreasonable version of himself that he had once thought was dead.

Yet here he was, weeping in Yu Xi’s arms.

Why was he crying?

There was no reason.

He was just sad.

Was mere sadness enough to permit him to cry aloud?

That was far too much of a luxury.

---

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Chapter 33 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 35

Ch. 105 – Human Ghost

After a brief moment of weightlessness, Feng Ye felt solid ground under his feet once more. He immediately rolled upon landing, moving clear of his original position.

This dispersed some of the impact of his fall and also let him evade any incoming attacks.

Feng Ye crouched halfway to the ground, holding his breath as he waited.

No attack came, nor was there any sound. It seemed as though nobody else was here. Feng Ye rose to his feet again with Hao Chen’s pearl in his hand, using its light to illuminate his surroundings.

He was still within the underground city. Having just fallen downward, he must have reached an even deeper underground level.

Ahead lay a narrow, cramped passageway just like the one before. After observing his surroundings for a moment and determining that there was no danger, Feng Ye continued forward.

The Grand Array had already been activated. He had recognized one of the arrays within it, but hadn’t had time to identify the others.

This Eight Ghost Illusion Array was for the purpose of refining ghosts, and the eight great ghost generals serving under Western Qiang’s high priest were all products of this very array.

As the name implied, eight ghosts would enter the array and slaughter one another, with the surviving ghost being the strongest and most malevolent of them all.

But those entering the array must be malevolent spirits, and ordinary ghosts would not suffice. They must be spirits of a vicious nature, the kind that actively sought to harm the living.

Then as for the other arrays nested inside the Eight Ghost Illusion Array, they must be arrays capable of transforming anyone who entered it into a ghost.

The links were so intricately intertwined that no matter who entered this Grand Array, even a virtuous soul with boundless compassion, whose hands had never once been stained with blood, would ultimately be transformed into a cannibalistic fiend before they knew it.

But Feng Ye was not entirely clear on how these arrays functioned. While he had heard of the Eight Ghost Illusion Array, this was his first time entering it.

Scattering their party was likely the first step in this array’s operation, and there was no telling what might lay ahead.

Feng Ye decided to take a wait-and-see approach. In order to break the array, he would either have to locate its core or follow the flow of its operation to discover the exit. Of course, this required there to actually be an exit.

Some killing arrays were specifically designed to destroy all those who entered them, and naturally wouldn’t provide a way out.

As for creating an exit through force, although it wasn’t impossible, this force would need to be several times more powerful than the array itself.

Feng Ye was actually capable of such a thing, provided that he was in his true form.

But he was currently just a divine soul attached to a mortal body, and the power in his hands fell short of what he possessed at the peak of his strength.

During the battle at Lingxiao Sword Sect, he had acted while borrowing Fang Yang’s body. Aside from not wanting to invite trouble by exposing himself, there was also the fact that the power he could exert in his current body was limited.

Relatively speaking, the use of the God-Summoning Token as a medium allowed him access to a slightly wider range of powers.

Feng Ye advanced with caution, though he wasn’t particularly worried. Aside from swordsmanship, arrays were arguably his greatest strength. The enemy had chosen to use one against him, but Feng Ye would certainly not be the one to suffer in the end.

He walked at a brisk pace and arrived at the end of the passageway shortly after.

Feng Ye’s way was blocked by a stone wall over three meters high.

He held up the pearl and let it shine against the wall. This wall differed from the walls of the passageway, in that rather than looking like a slab of rock, it seemed more like…..a door?

But how did it open? Holding the pearl, Feng Ye examined it closely.

Suddenly, he noticed a mask situated in the center of the stone door, its face pulled into a distorted grimace.

He had assumed that it was merely ornamental, and only when his hand brushed against it did he realize that it could actually be moved. Feng Ye paused and thought about it for a moment, then removed the mask.

And as he did so, he readied himself to avoid possible traps.

But after removing the mask, there were no traps or triggered mechanisms. Absolutely nothing happened.

There was no sign that the door had shifted. Feng Ye took another close look and found that there was something behind the mask.

It was a sword. The blade was embedded in the wall, with only the hilt exposed.

Stuck right in the center of the stone, it looked somewhat like a key.

As this thought occurred to him, Feng Ye reached out and grasped the hilt of the sword. The blade was stuck fast, and appeared to have been here for so long that it had fused with the door.

But the muscles of Feng Ye’s forearm tensed, and with a sudden, powerful heave, he yanked the blade free. In response, the stone clutching the blade shattered under the force.

Amidst the sound of falling rubble, Feng Ye swung his sword in a horizontal slash through empty air, the blade humming as it followed his movements.

It was indeed a fine sword.

Judging by the sound alone, it’s certainly not a common blade, Feng Ye thought. As he examined the blade’s edge under the pearl’s light, it gleamed with a sharp, piercing brilliance.

This blade, which had been embedded in the stone door for who knew how long, had miraculously escaped the ravages of rust. On the contrary, it remained as pristine as the day it was forged, capable of severing an enemy’s head from his shoulders with a casual stroke.

Having finished his inspection, Feng Ye glanced down at his other hand. Now, with a mask in one hand and a sword in the other, this stone door was still…..

His musings were interrupted when the stone door, which had been still all this time, suddenly shifted.

Vibrations rippled through the ground as an array came to life, along with the sound of the door grinding open.

Feng Ye retreated a few paces and waited until the door was fully open, then glanced inside. It was just as dark as the rest of this place, and he was unable to see a thing.

He listened for a moment longer, but heard no sign of any living thing. Then, he stepped inside.

Feng Ye observed his surroundings as he walked. Unlike the cramped passageways he had walked through earlier, this area was very spacious. It was a massive circular platform large enough to accommodate four or five hundred people, though there was no indication of its purpose. The walls lining the edge of the platform were considerably high, around five or six meters, making it impossible for an ordinary human or beast to leap to the top.

And at a higher level on either side of the circular platform were seats reserved for spectators.

Feng Ye paused in surprise at this sight, then spun around and swept his gaze across his surroundings. At last, he realized what this place was, as well as why the mask and sword had been embedded in the stone door.

This was a beast-fighting arena…..a form of entertainment for the nobility of Western Qiang. Of course, the combatants were not always beasts. There were sometimes ghosts as well, or even…..the living.

And fighting while wearing the grotesque ghost mask had always been a tradition in Western Qiang. It served as both protective gear and as a means to intimidate opponents.

Feng Ye suddenly tightened his grip on the sword. Now that he had entered the arena, he certainly wouldn’t be alone. Then his opponent must be…..

Feng Ye tossed the pearl in his hands up and down a few times, then crouched down slightly and sent the pearl rolling away at a carefully-gauged speed.

The pearl illuminated its path as it rolled long, and Feng Ye’s eyes followed its movement.

The path left in the pearl’s wake remained empty. Feng Ye’s calculation of force was precise, and the pearl should roll just about all the way to the other edge of the platform.

But halfway through its journey, the pearl came to a halt.

It had run into something.

The pearl bounced back slightly from the impact, and its light receded from that object.

Yet due to a gust of cold wind that happened to blow by, the pearl was once again pushed from the back.

Under the influence of the two forces, the pearl rolled back and forth twice before gradually coming to a standstill.

Its position was now just right, allowing Feng Ye to clearly make out the face that flickered in and out of view in the faint light.

Not just a single face, but dozens, hundreds.

All of them hideous and demonic.

And among the multitude of ghosts, Feng Ye spotted a few familiar faces. The Eight Ghost Generals…..

The ghost general masks were just how he remembered them, and even the towering stature of these eight ghosts matched his memories perfectly.

Feng Ye was not short, and was in fact a bit taller than the average person. And by the standards of an adult man, his physique could be described as robust. While he lacked any exaggerated, oversized muscles, when stripped of his clothes, his musculature was clearly visible.

But even so, he appeared somewhat small when standing before these tall, burly ghost generals.

These things that had once stood as a barrier in the hearts of every outsider held captive in Western Qiang were like towering, insurmountable mountains.

These ghost generals felt no pain, nor did they bleed. Mortal weaponry was completely useless against them. Those facing them could do nothing but tremble in fear as they were treated like fish on a chopping block, to be slaughtered at will. There was never any hope of resistance.

Just like the rest of them, Feng Ye too had once gazed up helplessly at these ghost generals.

The scene before him stirred up his memories, and it felt as if history was repeating itself.

The same arena, the same person, and the same ghosts.

However…..

Holding the sword in his right hand, Feng Ye slowly raised the ghost mask with his left, his eyes fixed on the horde of ghosts directly before him. There was no human emotion in the eyes of these malevolent spirits. They were mere weapons that knew nothing but slaughter.

But at this moment, Feng Ye was no different, the warmth of humanity slowly draining from his eyes. As he fitted the ghost mask completely over his face, he became indistinguishable from the multitude of ghosts before him.

Boom!

A heavy drumbeat resounded from above. The deep, resonant sound echoed across the circular platform, jarring the eardrums of the ghosts standing there.

It was the war drum!

The horde of ghosts sprang into action when they heard this sound, charging directly at Feng Ye!

They advanced with overwhelming momentum, like an army of thousands. The sound of their running footsteps even momentarily drowned out the drums.

Yet in the face of this ghostly army, it never occurred to Feng Ye to run. Despite standing alone, he also charged forward, surging ahead even faster than the opposing army.

He was like a moth rushing into the flames, but also like…..a mythical deity, single-handedly charging into battle against an army of ghosts!

At the moment of collision, he swung his sword and severed the head of the nearest ghost. And with a flick of his wrist, the blade pierced the chest of the next enemy without the slightest hesitation.

He struck without a shred of mercy or delay, and even though the enemy forces outnumbered him a hundredfold, there wasn’t the slightest indication that he was at a disadvantage.

Valiant beyond compare, he single-handedly tore a gaping hole in the charging ranks of the ghost army.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The rhythm of the war drums began to shift. The originally heavy beat grew increasingly fast and turbulent, and the fighting within the arena intensified.

A human figure intertwined with ghostly forms under the faint glow of the luminous pearl, rendering them indistinguishable from one another.

Ghostly shadows moved to and fro, their forms tumbling one after another with severed limbs.

But this only drove the horde into a greater frenzy.

This was a fiendish revelry, the blood and slaughter heightening their excitement even further.

Gradually, there were no living souls left in the room.

Or perhaps there never had been.

---

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Chapter 104 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 106

Ch 33 – What is the Deeper Meaning?

Curtis failed to escape.

He was stopped by robots before he could even leave the gardens, and in the end, he could only listlessly allow them to usher him back.

Yu Xi watched the chase unfold. A robot carried Curtis past, and then two more robots ran back: “Are you the one who posted the missing person notice?”

“I am.” Yu Xi felt quite a sense of kinship upon seeing one of his own kind.

But in the next second, his own kind picked him up and whisked him away.

Yu Xi and Curtis were stuffed into a room together, where Curtis held Yu Xi and cried. Yu Xi wanted to go and find Kersz, but the robot guarding the room wouldn’t let them out.

As the banquet was about to end, a robot entered the room with the intention of taking Yu Xi out alone.

“What are you trying to do?!” Curtis became alert. “This child is so young. Are you going to kill him to silence him?!”

Kill…..huh?

Yu Xi was momentarily stunned after hearing Curtis’s words. Then he burst into tears: “W-why, ah?” Had he done something to deserve being killed and silenced?

“Let him go!” Curtis hugged Yu Xi.

Yu Xi was particularly devastated, and his tears soaked Curtis’s shoulder.

The robot seemed to be somewhat at a loss.

“His father is looking for him,” said a female voice. Curtis froze.

Then, a short-haired woman in a military uniform appeared at the door. This was Yara, the star of the banquet, who had just been promoted to colonel.

“Sis.” Curtis smiled awkwardly.

“What in the world were you thinking?” Yara regarded Curtis with a frown. “You took someone else’s child and then left him by himself. Do you think I’d blame the young child for such a disgraceful incident?”

Yu Xi was definitely not young anymore.

But he still didn’t feel the need to correct her.

Yu Xi, his tears still flowing, fixed his gaze on Yara.

He had been in contact with many male humans recently, and this was the first time he’d gotten such a close look at a female.

Yara noticed his gaze and glanced at the child.

The child, who had been crying just moments before, smiled shyly at her when he met her eyes, then covered his face somewhat sheepishly.

This was a very beautiful human woman.

“You just wait.” Yara gritted her teeth and jabbed a finger at Curtis.

“Sis! Sis, wait a minute!” When Curtis saw Yara start to leave, he rushed over and grabbed her sleeve.

Yara looked somewhat displeased, but still stopped: “What’s the matter?”

“Do you know what Mother is going to do to me?” Curtis asked.

“At most, it’ll be house arrest. For a year or two,” said Yara.

With his arms wrapped around the robot’s neck, Yu Xi observed the interaction between the two siblings.

“No way! I don’t want to be locked up!” Curtis was on the verge of collapse. “Please talk to Mom and Dad and put in a good word for me. It’s really not my fault this time, the kid acted on his own!”

Yu Xi opened his eyes wide and pointed at himself.

“If you hadn’t left someone’s child in the gardens, would he have needed to use that method to contact you? You’ve embarrassed Mother. House arrest is the least you deserve.” Yara reached out at smacked Curtis on the head.

“Yeah, it’s embarrassing, but wasn’t it Mother and Father who had my name changed to Fetus? I never asked for that! Isn’t this their own fault?” Curtis kept his grip on Yara’s hand.

Yara: …..

“I’m being honest. I talked nonsense when I was drunk, but did they really have to go that far?” The more Curtis thought about it, the more he realized it was true. “How petty do you have to be to change your child’s name because of a drunken phone call?”

Yara’s expression was somewhat complicated.

“They’re the unreasonable ones. To put it bluntly, given the way they’re so beholden to their emotions, how can they possibly be qualified leaders?” Curtis worked himself up into a temper.

All of a sudden, he heard two coughs.

That sounded like Fusya.

Curtis’s expression froze.

A moment later, a woman with her hair in an updo appeared at the door.

“Mother?!” Curtis was completely dumbfounded.

The High Lord glanced back with some displeasure at Fusya, who was following behind.

Pretending not to notice, Fusya looked left and right as if this was his first time being here.

The High Lord ignored Curtis: “Yara, take that young master and leave first.”

“Yes.” Yara bowed her head.

Yu Xi was carried out by the robot, which then softly closed the door with Curtis left alone in the room. But it left the door open just a crack.

What was it doing? Was it secretly giving Curtis a way out?

Yu Xi looked up to see the High Lord beckon with her hand, and another robot covered Fusya’s mouth.

Was she killing him to silence him?! Yu Xi was aghast.

But other than covering his mouth, the robot didn’t do anything to Fusya.

The High Lord seemed to be waiting for something.

A moment later, Curtis’s voice sounded from inside the room: “What kind of mom is this? I just tried to talk to her, ah. Did she not hear me? Why is she ignoring me? She only likes my sister. I knew you were all like this.”

A series of profanities then emerged from the room as Curtis’s emotions exploded.

Yu Xi: …..

Yu Xi looked toward the High Lord.

What was she going to do?

The High Lord opened the door again, and Curtis suddenly screamed from inside: “Mother?!”

The High Lord stared at Curtis wordlessly, and when Curtis started to explain, she shut the door again.

This time, the High Lord actually took them away.

Yu Xi was left stunned by what he had just witnessed. So the High Lord had waited because she knew her child would start to complain after she left, and she deliberately stayed to expose him?

This High Lord had a real childlike spirit.

Yu Xi was carried down the corridor by the robot, then to another room where it personally handed him over to Kersz.

Kersz kissed Yu Xi on the cheek, then expressed his gratitude to Yara for bringing him back.

“It was my brother who acted absurdly.” Yara gave him a smile. “We owe you an apology.”

Yu Xi sat in Kersz’s lap. He didn’t think Curtis was absurd.

He thought Curtis was simply a precious gem.

Of course, this wasn’t because he suddenly found Curtis cute, but because Yu Xi had detected traces of another system in the vicinity.

It wasn’t just the Interstellar Alliance’s StarNet here, but another, more deeply-hidden system.

But it was strange – it almost felt like the other system was avoiding him.

Yu Xi lay down in Kersz’s arms and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.

While Kersz was discussing a business partnership with Yara, Yu Xi clutched Kersz’s clothes and focused all of his attention on detecting the system’s actions.

Amidst countless data points, Yu Xi “opened his eyes.” He sensed that something was spying on him. That series of data was very excited, but each time Yu Xi tried to get a clear look at it, it ran away.

Yu Xi was a little unhappy. He had originally wanted to capture it outright, but he found that when he looked away, it would inch closer to him again, as if it was observing him.

Another idea occurred to Yu Xi.

Instead of rushing to capture it, Yu Xi simply did his own thing in his stream of consciousness.

A moment later, he opened his eyes.

Yara smiled at him and asked: “You’re awake?”

Yu Xi gave a hoarse hum and rubbed his eyes with his hands, then looked up at Kersz in confusion.

Kersz patted his head: “I just got done talking. We’ll go and rest very soon.”

“En.” Yu Xi remained listless until the end of the banquet, at which point the three of them returned to their residence.

All of the systems in this residence had been replaced by Yu Xi. When Yu Xi transformed back into his original shape, he sensed that there was a problem with the data on the control panel.

Yu Xi narrowed his eyes. Kersz watched as his breathing lights switched on. Then, a semi-transparent furry white thing was pulled out of the control panel and pressed to the floor.

Kersz was shocked: “Facai?!”

He had seen the appearance of this Facai system once.

Kersz did suspect that Yara’s family had a secondary terminal for Facai in their hands, but hadn’t expected Yu Xi to expose them in such a way.

He had thought Yu Xi was still asleep.

He had kissed him on the cheek several times.

Facai didn’t respond to Kersz, but began to bark loudly, letting out a pitiful “awoo!” as its back legs kicked the air.

Tau: “Uh….are you sure this is the Facai system?” This looked more like a frightened puppy…..no, a very big dog.

Facai was significantly larger than the average pet dog.

Kersz: “Hiss….”

He wasn’t quite certain, because the last time he saw Facai, this system had acted rather haughty.

Now back to his original size, Yu Xi approached Facai, who stopped barking.

Facai covered his face with his two front paws.

“Facai,” Yu Xi called out.

“What are you going to do?!” Facai cried out abruptly. He scrambled to his feet, his scolding interspersed with barks. “Why are you being so fierce?! I know we cut ties with each other! But you still shouldn’t attack me, ah! What? Are you going to condemn me? I’ve become like this, and you’re still going to condemn me?!”

Yu Xi’s eyes widened.

So they actually knew each other? Kersz was surprised.

“Didn’t I avoid going to see you? Now you’ve shown up on your own! Am I not allowed to look from a distance?” Seeing that Yu Xi wasn’t saying anything, Facai thought he had the upper hand and spoke even faster.

“I don’t know you,” said Yu Xi.

“Ha?! Are you picking a fight with me? Then I don’t know you either! Who are you, ah? What right do you have to keep me here?” Facai jabbered on.

Yu Xi shrugged: “What I mean is that I have no memory of you. Some of my memories are missing.”

Facai froze. A very expressive look of suspicion appeared on his doggy face, as if he was wondering if Yu Xi was messing with him.

Yu Xi had no choice but to tell Facai about how he suddenly discovered one day that his energy was significantly reduced, leading him to realize that he might have deleted a large portion of his memories.

After hearing this, Facai was stunned into a lengthy silence…..and then he burst into tears.

He cried miserably, muttering things like “how could you be so cruel?” and “so you had to forget everyone?”

Watching him cry, Yu Xi was at a loss for what to do.

Yu Xi tried to pet his fur, but Facai dodged away, clearly harboring some resentment toward him.

Left with no choice, Yu Xi could only look toward Kersz.

“What exactly happened between you and Yu Xi back then?” Kersz crouched down and asked Facai, “You used to have a physical body, so how did you become a system?”

Facai glanced at Kersz, then asked Yu Xi: “Is this human your new partner?”

“W-we’re friends,” Yu Xi corrected.

“Ha. Friends.” Facai chuckled mockingly, and then his form shifted.

The enormous dog transformed into a tall, white-haired man. The only difference between him and a human was the pair of dog ears on top of his head.

Seeing him like this immediately piqued Yu Xi’s curiosity: “Um, that…..”

“Are you trying to ask if there are human ears under my hair?” Facai asked Yu Xi.

Yu Xi nodded.

“There are.”

Yu Xi had asked Facai this question many years ago…..of course, this wasn’t the only thing he asked about.

Facai lifted up his hair to show Yu Xi his humanoid ears: “Once we take on a human form, the ears on top of our heads lose their hearing.”

“Oh!” Yu Xi suddenly understood.

Facai then asked him: “Do you want to know why we have two forms, one animal and one human, and why our language is the same as that of the ancient humans?”

Yu Xi nodded repeatedly.

Facai found this even more ridiculous: “We investigated this issue together before.”

Yu Xi: “Have you and I ever gone on adventures together?”

Facai nodded. A semi-transparent screen popped up, and a video automatically began to play.

The first person to appear on the camera was a woman with cat ears: “Today is the 136th day of our adventure! We’ve found another ancient human ruin!”

Facai explained: “You and she used to be very good friends.”

“Ah? Oh.” Yu Xi started to smile at his really good friend, but that smile only lasted a short while before he felt that something was wrong.

“But I have no memory of her.” Yu Xi clasped his hands together. He felt nothing for this “very good friend” whose face was unfamiliar to him.

Facai immediately fell silent.

The video continued to play, and the woman’s face moved aside, revealing Yu Xi behind her.

“Yu Xi! Yu Xi! Do you think we’ll find something like cryogenically-frozen ancient humans here?”

“Then I’ll raise the humans as pets.” The Yu Xi in the video also seemed very excited. “I’ll have them live on my planet, and they’ll reproduce, and then I’ll have countless humans!”

“You’re terrifying. You actually love humans so much that it looks like hate.”

“I’m not scary at all,” Yu Xi retorted.

There were quite a few people in the video, but Yu Xi only recognized Facai.

As Yu Xi watched himself and the others bicker playfully, he had the illusion that he was watching someone else’s story.

The Yu Xi in the video seemed much more cheerful than his current self.

The video finished very quickly, and Yu Xi looked down at his hands, in somewhat of a daze.

Kersz went to Yu Xi and patted him on the back.

“You shouldn’t have left your planet again.” Facai was finally no longer crying.

“Why?” Yu Xi didn’t understand.

“Obviously, the outcome of our adventure wasn’t exactly pleasant,” said Facai. “At first, we were just a bunch of second-generation ancestors with nothing better to do, and decided to go out and discover the origin of those legends.”

“Then we met you. We thought the whole thing was a rather romantic adventure.”

Facai put his hands behind his back: “Just like how in the beginning, we thought our birth was a beautiful thing, that we were created by the gods out of ‘love.’”

“Later, we discovered that this wasn’t the case. Humans created beastfolk out of selfishness. The humans of that era sought only to have complete control over us, and when the troubles the humans caused for themselves became too great, they released us back into the wild. We were released into a place where there were no humans, and human selfishness was romanticized into legend.”

Yu Xi: “Do you hate humanity?”

“Why would I bother hating that bunch of insignificant nobodies?” Facai had never met the ancient humans. “But our origin story isn’t as wonderful as we had imagined….everything is the same in this world.”

“Stories may contain legends, but when those legends are brought down to earth, we inevitably discover the squalor and chaos lying within.”

“You were cuter as a dog,” Kersz couldn’t help saying.

Facai sent him a glare.

“Then why did you become like this?” Yu Xi asked.

“Punishment,” said Facai.

“Punishment for what?” Yu Xi didn’t understand.

“For the most heinous of crimes.” Facai’s statement was very vague.

Yu Xi thought for a moment: “So is your current state related to this group of humans?”

Facai shook his head: “My punishment is related to the beastfolk. Humans have no part in it.”

“During that long period, the beastfolk also developed a magnificent civilization.” At this point, he couldn’t help but hold his head high. “Only spoiled, rich second-gens like me were curious about those legendary apes. They were never of much importance.”

“Then what about the current group of humans?” asked Yu Xi.

“They found me and used me as a ‘weapon from an alien civilization,’” said Facai.

“I understand now.” Yu Xi was very familiar with this feeling.

“Understand what?” Kersz asked.

“He’s like me. He was going to wait for the birth of the second generation of beastfolk society.”

Facai didn’t like humans, and there was no cooperation between them. So why would he allow these humans to use him as a weapon?

The beastfolk civilization was originally derived from human civilization.

There was a new society of humans here, and their communities also included cats and dogs, so it was very likely that a second generation of beastfolk civilization would emerge here.

Facai was most likely waiting for them.

Facai immediately grew agitated: “I’m not ! !”

“Okay, you’re not, you’re not.” Yu Xi didn’t argue with him, because there was no point.

“You only have humans on your mind! You’re judging others by your own standards!” Facai accused him.

“It’s true. Humans are the only thing on my mind.” Yu Xi nodded in acknowledgement.

And lately, it was the same human who kept popping into his thoughts.

“You’re not allowed to suddenly grab me next time! !” Facai turned back into a big white dog and stomped his front paw.

“And you’re not allowed to tell anyone about our meeting, or else I’ll destroy all the labs that might be conducting beastfolk experimentation,” said Yu Xi.

The big white dog was completely shocked: “When did you become so awful?”

Hadn’t Facai just said that he wasn’t waiting for the next generation of beastfolk?

Kersz’s lips twitched. He didn’t have a high estimation of Facai’s intelligence.

The big white dog prepared to leave, but then a thought suddenly occurred to him and he came to a halt.

Facai glanced back at Yu Xi, and his doggy face seemed somewhat conflicted: “Do you have any sort of vague feelings?”

“Vague feelings?” Yu Xi didn’t understand.

“Like feeling particularly disdainful or annoyed when you look at me,” said Facai. “Or perhaps disappointed.”

“I just feel that you howl a lot and make quite a racket,” Yu Xi said seriously.

“Ah….oh, I see, I see…..” Facai was a little embarrassed. He wanted to leave quickly, but as soon as he took a step forward, he couldn’t help but want to ask more questions.

“Under what circumstances would you erase all of your memories, ah?” Facai asked.

“I don’t know.” Yu Xi didn’t yet have such a desire, so he had no answer to give.

“You could still regain your memories…..but forget it, you’d better not.” Facai hung his head. “In any case, there wouldn’t be many good ones.”

Facai left.

Kersz silently wrapped his arms around Yu Xi.

And Tau…..Tau didn’t understand a word they were saying. Facai and Yu Xi had been communicating entirely in the language of the ancient humans, which Kersz only knew to some extent due to his diligent studying.

Tau was actually learning too, but he spent most of his time raising the little dinosaur, so he hadn’t really assimilated the knowledge.

Was he being slightly negligent in his duties?

Never mind, his little dinosaur was probably hungry.

*

*

“What’s this about Facai being depressed?” The Supreme Governor asked his subordinate.

“He keeps sighing. It’s not that we’re listening in on him – he sighs any time someone passes by, as if he wants us to hear,” the subordinate explained.

“What does he want?” the Supreme Governor asked.

“The Facai system hasn’t indicated that he wants anything. He’s just sighing.” The subordinate was somewhat perplexed.

“He hasn’t said a word?” 

“No.” The subordinate was at a loss.

“Then let’s wait and see what he intends to ask for.” The Supreme Governor frowned.

Why had Facai reacted so strongly today of all days? Was there something special about today?

*

*

On the other side, in the wake of Facai’s departure, Yu Xi was about to talk to Kersz. He could tell that the human wanted to comfort him.

Kersz probably thought that Yu Xi’s missing memories weighed heavily on him, and was worried that he would be upset.

But Yu Xi was unable to sit down and have a discussion with Kersz.

Because he discovered that the data stream belonging to the Facai system was still circling around nearby.

“Stop spying on me and my friend!” Yu Xi was very angry.

The moment he said this, the Facai system in the main control room on another planet heaved a sigh.

A staff member drinking nutrient solution: ?

The staff member paused for a moment, then looked at the nutrient solution in his hand.

Yu Xi continued on the other side: “What you’re doing is voyeurism! Be careful, or I’ll drag you out and beat you up!” 

The staff member prepared to take another drink of nutrient solution.

Facai: “Sigh…..”

The staff member: ? ?

He looked left and right.

Yu Xi: “Go, go, go away!”

The staff member prepared to guzzle the nutrient solution in one go.

Facai: “Woof, wuwuwu!”

A moment later, the Supreme Governor in his office let out a hiss and clasped his hands together under his chin: “You’re saying that the Facai system doesn’t want the staff to eat?”

The subordinate: “It’s very obvious. He was so angry that he cried.”

The Supreme Governor was puzzled: “What is the deeper meaning behind this?”

---

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Chapter 32 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 34

Ch. 104 – Evil God

The sound of the earthquake arose at almost the same time Feng Ye spoke. The ground shook violently, and sheets of sand and gravel rained down from the ceiling of the tunnel. Dust and grit settled on the hair of Feng Ye and his companions, but none of them paid it any mind.

Due to the sudden jolting, everyone instinctively grabbed onto whatever was nearest to them in an attempt to keep their balance. Fang Yang and Cao Zirui were already holding hands, and now they clutched each other even more tightly.

Hao Chen steadied himself against the wall beside him, brow furrowed. This sudden earthquake seemed unnatural. He could hear the sound of stones shifting, not falling rocks, but rather a series of rhythmic sounds that were drawing steadily closer…..

He whipped his head toward Feng Ye as a loud crash sounded in his direction.

Feng Ye also looked toward Hao Chen. Having just half-crouched to observe the layout of the array, he realized that the thunderous sound had come from right beneath his feet. Without a moment’s hesitation, he went to throw himself forward in a desperate attempt to escape his current position.

Hao Chen stretched out his hand, attempting to catch him,.

But just as power coiled in the muscles of Feng Ye’s legs, before he even had time to move, the accelerating rumble reached the surface and the ground gave way beneath his feet.

With no leverage to be had, he plummeted straight down.

Hao Chen’s pupils constricted. Ignoring the shaking ground, he let go of the wall he had been steadying himself against and went directly toward the spot where Feng Ye had fallen, which had already become a square pit, pitch-black and bottomless.

Hao Chen intended to throw caution into the wind and jump straight down, but the pit suddenly closed up, sealed away by stone.

Simultaneously, the stone beneath his feet began to rise.

It rose up vertically like an elevating platform, and Hao Chen glanced upward to find that a gap had appeared in the ceiling overhead. The stone block ascended at a rapid speed, and he didn’t have the slightest chance to react before he was transported to an entirely different location.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui watched helplessly as Feng Ye and Hao Chen vanished before their eyes. The two were powerless, and could only hold on tight to each other amidst the violent tremors.

At last, the shaking subsided in the wake of Feng Ye and Hao Chen’s disappearance. The two of them were still in the original passageway, which had somehow avoided collapse after enduring such violent shaking. Nothing had fallen but a scattering of dirt.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui brushed the dust from their clothes, then covered their noses and coughed a few times before they finally had the presence of mind to analyze their predicament.

This earthquake was rather peculiar, and didn’t seem to have been a natural occurrence. Both of them were able to sense this to some extent, and as he recalled Wang Wu’s words from earlier, Fang Yang couldn’t help but speculate: “Could this be the work of the ghosts haunting the ruins?”

But he hadn’t heard of any ghosts or monsters powerful enough to cause an earthquake…..

Cao Zirui thought for a moment, but was unable to come up with an alternate explanation. “What do we do now?” he asked.

He glanced over his shoulder as he spoke. This section of the tunnel remained intact, but the path they had taken to get here…..was completely blocked off.

Fang Yang followed his gaze. This time, there was truly no turning back, though he hadn’t had any intention of doing so anyway. He proposed: “Let’s keep moving forward to figure out where this passageway leads, and search for Shixiong and Hao-dage along the way.”

To be honest, Fang Yang was actually deeply apprehensive about being separated from Feng Ye and Hao Chen, more out of concern for them than for himself.

After all, these two were at the third and fourth levels of Qi Refining respectively, their low cultivation bases more rigid than iron. He had already advanced to Foundation Establishment, yet Feng Ye’s cultivation showed no sign of improvement.

As for Cao Zirui, although his internal injuries had yet to heal, after taking it easy for the past few days, his movement was no longer hindered. At the very least, his combat ability was still superior to that of Feng Ye and Hao Chen combined.

The four of them were now separated, and the manner in which they were scattered was far from ideal. The two strongest remained together, while the two weakest had been sent in opposite directions.

Fang Yang let out a melancholy sigh, sending up a silent prayer that his Useless Shixiong and Hao-dage would come to no harm.

Cao Zirui nodded in agreement to Fang Yang’s proposal.

And so, the two set off together, pressing onward into the even darker depths of the tunnel.

The passageway was completely silent as they made their way forward with Hao Chen’s luminous pearl in hand, the rhythmic tread of their boots the only sound to be heard.

Although they proceeded cautiously for some time, they encountered nothing out of the ordinary.

It was so quiet that it felt as if they were the only living things around.

Silence could be pleasant, but this excessive silence felt somewhat stifling. Coupled with the gloomy darkness of the surroundings, Fang Yang felt an uncontrollable urge to chat with Cao Zirui to lighten the atmosphere.

“Cao…..” Fang Yang had barely spoken a single syllable when Cao Zirui swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth.

He made a shushing gesture, and Fang Yang blinked his wide eyes. At first, he didn’t understand why Cao Zirui wouldn’t let him speak, but then he noticed it too.

He heard a sound in the darkness ahead…..the sound of chewing.

The two exchanged a glance and tacitly lightened their steps, tiptoeing as they crept closer to the source of the sound.

Fang Yang raised the pearl in his hand, trying to illuminate the darkness ahead.

Finally, as they drew near, they caught a faint glimpse of the person making the sound.

No, not a person.

That was just a human skeleton…..

The skeleton was crouched at the side of the passageway, holding a leg in its hand and gnawing on it with apparent relish.

It was a human leg.

The skeleton tore at the flesh and viscera, biting off a chunk and chewing it a handful of times before swallowing it down.

But it didn’t have a stomach at all…..

It was nothing but a skeletal frame, lacking an esophagus and internal organs. The chunks of flesh it swallowed fell straight to the ground, and the bloody meat smeared against its ribs, staining the white bones red.

Fang Yang and Cao Zirui felt their gorge rise at the sight.

Suppressing the urge to retch, the two exchanged an uncertain glance.

It would be impossible to identify the leg’s owner by the sight of it alone, but the two of them were able to do so, because the scraps of fabric still clinging to the leg bore a striking resemblance to Wang Wu’s clothing.

In this desolate wilderness, aside from their group of four, the only other people around were those two bandits. Therefore, there were nine chances out of ten that the human leg belonged to Wang Wu.

Despite feeling that Wang Wu was such a terrible person that being drawn and quartered by five horses wouldn’t be an excessive punishment, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui couldn’t just ignore a skeleton chewing on a human leg.

Since this thing ate people, it was undoubtedly malevolent, and as cultivators, it was only natural that they should eliminate it at once.

They exchanged a nod, then quietly drew their swords, intending to sneak up on the skeleton and put an end to it.

The passageway was shrouded in darkness, with their pearl as the only source of illumination. By all rights, the two of them should have been highly conspicuous, yet the skeleton completely failed to notice them. It simply clutched the human leg and chewed away with great enthusiasm.

The two of them crept to within three meters of the skeleton and moved to encircle it. But just as they signaled each other to attack, the skeleton stopped chewing.

Its skull suddenly turned, first toward Fang Yang, and then toward Cao Zirui. Its empty eye sockets were incapable of displaying emotion, but inexplicably, both of them sensed its delight.

And the reason for that delight?

It had just encountered fresher meat.

The skeleton tossed aside the human leg in its hands and lurched unsteadily to its feet, then lunged toward Fang Yang and Cao Zirui.

Meanwhile, Hao Chen had been transported by the suddenly shifting stone to an entirely new passageway, one far more spacious than the previous one.

But despite its spaciousness, it was just as dark.

He had been sharing a luminous pearl with Feng Ye, and it had been transported along with him to somewhere unknown.

Hao Chen felt around in his pocket and took out a new one.

He was no longer that fish who had ventured out into the world without a penny to his name. While in North Sea City, he had fully replenished his equipment.

Not only had he replaced his broken folding fan, but he had also brought along a pouch filled with valuable treasures, just in case of an emergency.

Because he wanted to demonstrate his charm to Feng Ye, and financial clout was, after all, a major factor in a man’s attractiveness.

But it was a pity. Who would have thought that after leaving North Sea City and spending barely two days at Lingxiao Sword Sect, he would end up in a backwater place like Longqiu where he had nowhere to flaunt his considerable wealth?

Still, his preparations weren’t entirely in vain, and the luminous pearls came in handy at just the right moment.

He also had far more than two of them.

As for why he hadn’t handed one out to everyone just now, did it even require explaining? Clearly, it was so that he could get a little closer to Feng Ye and eat his tofu.

If not for the sudden activation of the array, he might well still be holding hands with Feng Ye right now.

Hao Chen surmised that the tremors had been caused by the array’s activation. He knew nothing about arrays himself, but he had heard Feng Ye shout out what it was.

The Eight Ghost Illusion Array.

It certainly didn’t sound like an array that would be easy to deal with, but for his part, he wasn’t afraid.

Nor was he particularly worried about Feng Ye. What could possibly harm Yinglong? The ones truly worth worrying about were those two foolish boys, Fang Yang and Cao Zirui.

Hao Chen proceeded unhurriedly, fanning himself.

He was determined to see exactly what sort of thing was lurking here, playing ghostly tricks and stirring up such a massive commotion that ruined his private world for two.

After walking for some time, something worth noting finally appeared before his eyes.

It was a sedan chair, a highly-nuanced method of conveyance. Within human society, only those of high status were entitled to ride in a sedan chair, while those of lower standing were relegated to the task of carrying it.

And among those eligible to ride in a sedan chair, there were further distinctions regarding rank and status.

The level of status was typically conveyed through the structure of the sedan chair. Two-bearer sedan chairs were relatively common, whereas those carried by four bearers required the occupant to hold an official government rank.

An eight-bearer sedan chair, on the other hand, was even more significant and was only used for matters of extreme importance, such weddings.

And higher still, a twelve-bearer sedan chair was reserved exclusively for the emperor.

But when Hao Chen counted the carrying poles on the sedan chair before him, he determined that it would require sixteen bearers to lift it.

Who held a higher rank than an emperor of the mortal realm?

Hao Chen’s eyes flickered as a guess occurred to him.

And just as this thought arose, the sedan chair that had been sitting flat on the ground suddenly rose into the air.

Only then did Hao Chen realize that there was something beneath it. This place was so dark, and the illumination of the pearl so limited, that he had failed to notice it right away.

And the entities bearing the sedan chair were not living creatures, but sixteen human skeletons. With no need to breathe, they made absolutely no sound.

The sixteen skeletons lifted the sedan chair and proceeded directly to Hao Chen, where they each sank to one knee. The leading skeleton parted its jaws, and despite the fact that its vocal cords had long vanished along with its flesh and blood, it actually managed to speak: “We respectfully invite the great god.”

Hao Chen raised an eyebrow and gave his fan a dismissive wave. If this sedan chair had been carried by Feng Ye, he would have stepped into it with absolute delight. But toward these sixteen skeletons who were controlled by someone unknown, he felt nothing but revulsion.

He took a step, intending to skirt around the sedan chair and continue on his way.

But the skeletons also rose to their feet and trailed behind him step by step, as if stubbornly intent on seating him.

Growing somewhat impatient with them, Hao Chen prepared to give his fan a flick and finish off these nuisances once and for all.

But a voice suddenly rang out right beside his ear, deep and magnetic.

This sound that seemed to come from nowhere had already taken Hao Chen by surprise, but even more astonishing was the content of the other party’s words.

The man directly called out his honorific title: “Lord of the North Sea.”

Hao Chen frowned, quickly scanning the darkness around him to determine the other’s location.

The man seemed to know that Hao Chen was looking for him, and deliberately let out a low chuckle right next to Hao Chen’s ear.

Hao Chen whipped his head around, but all he could see was a heavy, pitch-black darkness. “Who are you?” he asked.

“Who am I?” The voice sounded from another direction. “That isn’t important. What’s important is that today’s events have nothing to do with you.”

Hao Chen narrowed his eyes. Although the other party refused to identify himself, he could more or less guess his identity. This could only be the imposter who looked exactly like Yinglong.

“You sent someone to steal a drop of abyssal water from my North Sea, yet you claim I’m not involved?” Hao Chen retorted.

“You are the renowned Kunpeng, a figure as majestic and towering as a mountain. How can you be so narrow-minded? I merely borrowed a single drop of water, yet that was enough to provoke you into descending all the way to the mortal realm to hunt me down,” the man said with a hint of a sigh.

Hao Chen’s involvement had been a complete surprise, both to him and to Feng Ye.

Hao Chen fanned himself: “For the one I like, I would naturally be delighted to offer up every treasure in my North Sea. But for you…..”

Mimicking the man, Hao Chen let out a playfully mocking chuckle: “Even a single drop of water is too much.”

The man took no offense to Hao Chen’s dismissiveness, and instead repeated in a murmur: “The one you like?”

“You like him?” The man guessed astutely.

Although he didn’t mention the person by name, Hao Chen knew they were thinking about the same man.

He didn’t deny it.

The man suddenly burst into laughter. This time, his mirth carried a hint of unexpected surprise, along with anticipation of watching a good show. As if doing Hao Chen a favor, he warned: “But he doesn’t like you. He’s not capable of liking anyone.”

He spoke with such firm conviction that although Hao Chen didn’t know where the man’s confidence came from, he immediately retorted: “How do you know that?”

“Because I understand him,” the man said matter-of-factly. “I know him better than anyone else in the world.”

What exactly was this person’s relationship with Feng Ye?

Hao Chen’s mind raced. The fact that this person had assumed Yinglong’s appearance was no mere coincidence. He must have come here specifically for Feng Ye. Yet as for the specific connection between the two of them…..Hao Chen was still unable to figure it out.

Just as he was about to ask a few probing questions, the man lost interest in the conversation and offered Hao Chen a choice: “The Grand Array has been activated, but I can still open a separate exit for you. You may leave of your own accord, and I will never lay foot in the Northern Territories again. From this point onward, we shall keep to our own paths.”

As he spoke, another faint tremor shook the ground. Hao Chen looked behind him and saw that where there had previously been nothing, a path had appeared.

And at the end of that path shone a faint glimmer of light.

An exit.

As long as he obediently took his leave, he could extricate himself from this twisted, convoluted affair, return to his home in the North Sea, and resume a life of quietly eating, drinking, amusing himself, and sleeping.

He would no longer have to trek through sweltering, insect-infested mountains, nor constantly be ordered around to do menial chores. It sounded quite enticing.

But Hao Chen merely smiled and refused without a moment’s hesitation: “No.”

This was a choice he had made long ago.

He couldn’t let go of Feng Ye, this dragon who was tough on the outside yet tender within, and whose inverse scale he had inadvertently touched. A dragon who, despite having every right to fly into a furious rage, only retaliated by thoroughly rumpling his feathers.

In response, the man let out a low chuckle. He didn’t seem surprised by Hao Chen’s answer. Those who were in love were always blind and reckless.

He had encountered many humans of his sort, but for the first time, he realized that those lofty, exalted gods were actually no different from mortals.

“Then just wait and see.”

His tone carried a hint of regret. Although he didn’t fear the Kunpeng, he also had no desire to let anyone ruin his carefully laid plans.

At the same time, he felt a vague, indefinable sense of anticipation, a longing for the day when this great, pampered god would hit a wall and suffer a truly crushing setback.

The moment the man spoke these words, the exit that had appeared behind Hao Chen closed again.

The sixteen skeletons chasing after him to carry him in their sedan chair also straightened up all at once. The leading skeleton spoke up once again, but unlike the deference from before, its voice was now a piercing shriek.

He howled at Hao Chen: “Evil god! You’re an evil god!”

The other skeletons behind him shouted four words in unison:

“Kill the evil god!”

---

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Chapter 103 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 105