Chapter 123: Pale and Feeble

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The crowd erupted into a commotion, instantly splitting into two groups. Those standing to one side wanted to leave with me and cross the Bridge of Helplessness, while most of the wronged spirits lunged toward me. Leading them was that vicious woman.

“Stop!”

Seeing so many of them rushing at me, I could not help feeling a pang of sorrow. Was I really going to slaughter them all? These spirits had only just become ghosts, and they were clearly no match for me. My Phoenix Pool divine weapon could cut through them as easily as slicing vegetables. So I decided to persuade them to back down.

“Kill him! He’s no good either!”

The female ghost opened her cavernous, blood-filled mouth and charged at me, while those behind her surged forward as one. My aunt had once told me that one should begin with courtesy and resort to force only when all else failed.

I dared not hesitate. There was too little time, and I could not afford to risk my life. Raising the divine weapon in my hand, I swung it at the woman in front.

With a sharp whoosh, she was split in two. Before she could even hit the ground, her body dissolved into scattered stardust. Her soul had been utterly destroyed. Watching her disappear, I felt an indescribable heaviness in my heart.

Fortunately, her disappearance frightened everyone into stillness. The ghosts behind her no longer dared to move.

“I’m sorry, everyone. I truly don’t want to hurt you. Come with me. I’ll take you to my aunt. She is a spirit guide and can lead you across the Bridge of Helplessness, where you can drink the elixir of rebirth and be born human again.”

At my words, the expressions on their faces began to soften. Seeing that the moment was right, I turned and started walking.

“Come on. Follow me now. The spirit guide is waiting for you outside.”

I walked ahead while the wronged spirits followed behind. Slowly, they crawled out through the Life Gate. My aunt was waiting outside and used a soul urn to collect them one by one. When the time was right, she would give them the Elixir of Oblivion and lead them across the Bridge of Helplessness.

After sending out the last of them, I hurried back inside. I searched through her body for a long time before finally finding Yueyue in a dim corner.

I quickly crouched down and lifted Yueyue’s soul into my arms. Her spirit was as emaciated as her physical body, reduced to skin and bones. The Great Yin-Absorbing Art had tormented her terribly.

I opened the bottle I had brought with me. Inside was blood I had prepared in advance. Removing the stopper, I gently poured it into her mouth. Before long, Yueyue opened her eyes and stared at me in confusion.

“Why... why did you save me?”

“Do you still recognize me?”

Looking at the girl, thin as a skeleton, I could not bring myself to hate her. She was simply too pitiful.

Yueyue shook her head. “I don’t know you. Who are you?”

Her answer left me feeling bitter. Since her soul had already been restored, I decided not to disturb her any longer. It would be better to leave quickly. Once she recovered, I could talk to her and ask about Wang Ying and Wei Qi.

“If you don’t remember me, then so be it. I’m leaving.”

After Yueyue drank the last drop of blood, I stood and hurried outside. When I crawled out through Yueyue’s Life Gate, my aunt was waiting there. The moment she saw me, she quickly called Wan’er over.

Wan’er supported me and helped me return to my own body.

“Big brother! Big brother!”

Just as I reentered my body, Wan’er’s voice rang out. I shuddered and opened my eyes, finding myself once more in a dim, murky world of reality.

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“Big brother, you’re back.”

Without caring that my aunt and the others were there, Wan’er rushed over and threw her arms around me.

“Wan’er, there are other people here!” I said, patting her back.

“So what if there are? They all know about our relationship!”

Wan’er giggled and released me.

I stood up. My aunt approached with a delighted smile, her eyes full of approval.

“Dachuan, well done. Clean and decisive. Your future is limitless. You’re no worse than your second uncle.”

Hearing her praise, I smiled from the heart.

Rubbing the back of my head, I walked toward Yueyue. Although the girl was still inside the cage, her body was now capable of moving.

“Yueyue,” I called softly.

My aunt patted me on the shoulder, signaling me to step back. Then she crouched down.

“Yueyue, you’re awake, aren’t you?”

Yueyue’s body shifted. Slowly, she raised her head. Her gaunt, pallid face was frightening enough, but her eyes were even more sinister and terrifying.

“Who are you? Believe me, I can kill you.”

My aunt gave a cold laugh.

“Little girl, there’s no need to act as though we have some blood feud. I only want to tell you that you’ve already died once. Look carefully. He was the one who saved you. You absorbed too many other people’s souls, and they gathered inside your body and took control of you. They wanted to kill you. He saved you, so how do you intend to repay him?”

My aunt was trying to make Yueyue understand that I had saved her, hoping she would let go of her hatred.

Unexpectedly, Yueyue let out a sinister laugh.

“I don’t care who you are. Anyone who imprisons me is my enemy. If I ever get the chance, I’ll kill all of you.”

With that, she lowered her head. Her hair fell over her face, and she said nothing more.

My aunt’s face changed color with anger. She shot to her feet and kicked the cage.

“You refuse to be a good person and insist on becoming a servant to villains. What a waste of your beautiful body—and of your gift as an envoy of absolute yin!”

She finished speaking and stormed back into the room.

Fatty edged forward.

“Little Yueyue, you may be terribly thin, but you’re still very pretty! Why insist on helping bad people? Why not let Auntie remove the Great Yin-Absorbing Art from you and become a good person instead? Wouldn’t it be better if we practiced together?”

“Aaah!”

Just as Fatty approached Yueyue and tried to ingratiate himself with her, she suddenly raised her head and roared at him. Fatty staggered backward, fell to the ground, then scrambled away on all fours.

Looking at Yueyue, I felt a headache coming on. It seemed she would not change her ways anytime soon. What was I supposed to do?

Wan’er came over and put an arm around my shoulders.

“Big brother, go back and rest. I’m sure she’ll gradually recover. We can question her tomorrow.”

There was nothing else to do. I followed Wan’er to her room and talked with her for a while. I wanted to stay there and sleep, but Wan’er refused and pushed me back to the room I shared with Fatty.

The next morning, I got up early and went to see Yueyue. She was already awake, sitting cross-legged inside the iron cage. Her long hair hung down, concealing her face.

“Yueyue, it’s me, Wang Dachuan! Do you still remember me?”

I approached and called out softly.

“Wang Dachuan? Of course I remember you. If you’re a man, then let me go.”

Yueyue did not raise her head or even look at me. Her voice was as cold as ice.

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“Yueyue, let me ask you something. I can release you, but you have to tell me what happened to Wang Ying and Wei Qi. Have you seen either of them?”

I softened my voice and did my best to remain calm.

“Who is Wang Ying? Your wife?”

Yueyue shook her head, revealing a thin, knife-edged, deathly pale face.

“Yes, yes! She’s my wife. You’ve seen her, haven’t you? I think she even saved you tonight.”

Hearing her say that, I suddenly felt there might be hope.

“I don’t know Wang Ying.”

“What?”

I was filled with frustration, irritation, and anger. What kind of nonsense was this? Just moments ago she had said Wang Ying was my wife, and now she claimed not to know her.

“Yueyue, tell me the truth. I really can let you out.”

That was genuinely what I intended to do. Yueyue was a human being, not an animal. She could not remain locked in a cage.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know Wang Ying, and I don’t know Wei Qi either. I don’t know any of the people you mentioned.”

I was furious. I rose angrily to my feet, and Wan’er came over and held my arm.

“Big brother, if you want her to tell the truth, you must first remove the Great Yin-Absorbing Art from her.”

“She’s right,” my aunt interjected from the side. “The Great Yin-Absorbing Art has suppressed her mind, leaving her focused only on evil. She rejects anything bright or righteous. Wan’er is right. The only way is to remove the art from her.”

“Remove it? I thought that was impossible.”

“It is. Once the Great Yin-Absorbing Art exists, it cannot be destroyed. At present, there is no better solution. If there is one, it would be transfer.”

“Transfer? How would that work?”

“Find a suitable person and transfer the Great Yin-Absorbing Art into his body. As things stand, there is only one suitable candidate—you.”

My aunt looked directly into my eyes.

“What? Auntie, what do you mean?”

I was stunned. The price seemed far too great.

“If it’s transferred into my body, will I become evil?”

My aunt shook her head.

“Not necessarily. It depends on your willpower. If the goodness and righteousness within you can overcome the evil of the Great Yin-Absorbing Art, then the art will transform into a miraculous power. You’ll be able to acquire other people’s techniques with ease.”

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