Chapter 48
“Yeah.”
Killing evildoers, what’s the mistake in that?
But everything in this world has its rules; acting against them is a mistake.
Evil spirits have their own laws to punish, not for Kui to act arbitrarily.
Si Lan flew over to Kui’s side and advised, “Kui, quickly extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp. Your actions bear heavy guilt. You may not be able to reincarnate again. Don’t you want to continue your karma with Ahu?”
“Ahu’s soul has already been torn to pieces by these evil spirits. I’m not afraid of dispersing my own soul. As long as I can kill them!” Kui spoke, his gaze falling on the Ephemeral Lamp. In its core, a faint cluster of light had gathered.
These were fragments of Ahu’s soul collected from the evil spirits.
Just a bit more, and it would complete Ahu’s entire soul.
Once he collected the complete soul, Ahu could be resurrected.
Thinking of this, Kui looked towards Si Lan, his blue eyes flickering with an eerie light.
“No one can stop me.”
“Kui…”
Haowei, however, had no intention to reason with Kui here. He directly used magic to pressure Kui. Flames of karma swiftly ignited within the formation, feared even by the fiercest ghosts. Indeed, when the flames reached Kui, pain immediately contorted his face to an extreme, though even in this state, Kui refused to extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp.
Struggling for breath, his blue eyes locked through the blazing fire onto Si Lan. When Si Lan met his gaze, his heart skipped a beat. He turned away from Kui, refusing to meet his eyes.
Kui seemed overwhelmed with pain, his throat emitting agonized sounds, his body nearly contorting to its limit. Despite all this, Kui still refused to yield. His determination to obliterate the ghosts had surpassed everything.
But if this deadlock continued, Kui’s soul would shatter!
Helplessly, Si Lan looked to Haowei, whose gaze was cold and indifferent, as though he were observing an inanimate object rather than Kui.
At this moment, Yide directly swung his sword, breaking the formation. His figure shot like an arrow into the midst of the flames, rescuing Kui.
Already unable to endure, Kui collapsed into Yide’s embrace upon leaving the flames.
Yide’s eyes reddened, his arm trembling slightly as he called out Kui’s name, “Kui… Kui, you fool. Is Ahu really worth all this sacrifice from you?”
Yide was filled with bitterness at this moment. He had thought Kui’s feelings for Ahu were merely fleeting passion, until he saw Kui’s unwavering determination within the flames. Finally, he understood that Kui truly loved Ahu.
He had loved his mount.
He never considered Ahu a rival, nor a man. When Jinyun Mountain collapsed, Ahu jumped into the abyss to save Kui, and Yide believed Ahu did it for him.
Only when he saw Ahu take on the appearance of a man and embrace Kui did he begin to feel something was amiss.
Ahu had developed an inappropriate affection for Kui.
But Kui had only had eyes for him before. Yide believed Kui would never change his mind, but he didn’t know what happened during the seven days and nights in the abyss. After Kui came out, he seemed like a different person.
Boling once said that he would rather save Kui than let him become like this.
But Boling didn’t know that he would rather jump into the abyss that day, disfigured, than stay with Ahu.
He really regretted it. He was too late to realize his feelings for Kui. He mistook his attachment to Kui for dependence on his father. By the time he realized his possessiveness and obsession with Kui had surpassed normal emotions, Kui was no longer attached to him.
He caused Kui to be heartbroken and Boling to be in pain.
He was hopelessly wrong.
“Your Majesty, Kui has made such a grave mistake. I am willing to share his punishment. Please spare his life for now. When he wakes up, I will persuade him to extinguish the Ephemeral Lamp.”
Haowei stared coldly at him, “Yide, are you sure you can convince him?”
“Yes.” Yide finished speaking, paused briefly, and continued, “I am willing to guarantee it with my life.”
At these words, Haowei cast a spell that awakened the unconscious Kui.
When Kui opened his eyes, the first thing he looked at was the Ephemeral Lamp, his gaze almost obsessive. Yide held Kui’s hand and whispered something in his ear. Kui nodded unexpectedly after hearing it.
Seeing this, Haowei furrowed his brow.
Supporting his soul about to split apart, Kui flew towards the center of the Ephemeral Lamp, where Ahu’s soul was now in the form of two small clouds of mist curled around the wick. They had been pieced together from the bodies of ghosts.
Kui dared not let them know that it was Ahu’s soul inside. He cast a spell, causing the wick to descend and tightly cover the soul.
Then, he reached towards the highest point of the Ephemeral Lamp, plucking off a purple-gold bead hanging from it. With a whispered incantation, he controlled the Ephemeral Lamp, and the blue flames within the wick slowly extinguished.
In the next moment, the illusion of the Ephemeral Lamps lingering around the Yingtai Island suddenly disappeared, and the figures of the evil spirits seemed to be retracted by some force and vanished into the distant sky.
The gap torn from the Jiuyou to the Yingtai was also slowly disappearing until the sky on both sides merged, returning to its indigo base color, and reverting to leisurely white clouds, peaceful as if the terrifying scene had never happened.
The Ephemeral Lamp shrank to two feet long, with Kui holding the jade-blue slender handle.
Kui’s figure swayed slightly and fell from mid-air. Yide immediately flew forward, embracing his waist and gently landing him on the ground. The cracks on Kui’s face grew larger and larger, and the ghosts were dead, turning into fragrances.
But even if he turned into fragrances, he would still have to endure the punishment of the Judgement Platform. However, Kui seemed indifferent to the impending punishment. He looked at the Ephemeral Lamp and murmured with a smile, “To avenge Ahu, even if it’s just a little, I am satisfied.”
After saying this, Kui glanced at Haowei, his eyes filled with a willingness to meet death.
Yide tightly held Kui’s hand and also looked at Haowei, pleading for Kui, “Your Majesty, it was my momentary jealousy that caused Ahu’s death. Kui, after Ahu’s death, became mentally unstable and acted recklessly, leading to this incident with the Nine Hells’ evil spirits. I failed to supervise him properly, neglecting my duty. Please punish me for my crime.”
Upon hearing this, Boling also knelt down and pleaded, “Your Majesty, I am also willing to share the responsibility for Kui. Please give him a chance.”
Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed in Haowei’s embrace, his black eyes pitifully looking at Haowei. Though he didn’t speak, his plea was evident in his eyes.
Haowei, holding Si Lan, whispered in a voice only they could hear, “As the ruler of the heavenly realm, when I indulge in killing the Nine Hells’ evil spirits, I am also atoning for past sins. Kui is just a servant. Capital punishment can be spared, but the guilt of his actions cannot be evaded.” Moreover, Haowei’s situation with Kui was different.
Haowei committed a grave error unknowingly, whereas Kui intentionally killed those evil spirits, bearing severe guilt that simple punishment cannot resolve.
Si Lan didn’t expect Haowei to bend the law for personal reasons; he only hoped that when Kui went to the Judgement Platform, he could help Kui avoid the fate of his soul dispersing.
“Spared from death is enough,” Si Lan replied softly.
Haowei gently stroked Si Lan’s head. When he looked up at Yide and Boling, his face was as cold as frost. He didn’t speak but shifted his gaze to the distant horizon.
It seemed that the forced opening of the Gate of Nine Hells, causing the upheaval of countless ghosts, had caught the attention of King Xue Rong of the Underworld. From the distant horizon, Xue Rong came with the wind, accompanied by a massive black aura swirling like claws, displaying his formidable might.
Xue Rong landed on Yingtai Island, glanced at Kui, frowned, and then bowed to Haowei, “Your Majesty Haowei.”
Haowei raised his hand lightly, and Xue Rong straightened up. His gaze then fell on Si Lan, who stood before Haowei.
Si Lan had thought his transformation into his true form would prevent Xue Rong from recognizing him, but the glance from Xue Rong confirmed that he had indeed been recognized. Si Lan greeted Xue Rong with a slight movement of the green tuft at his brow.
Approaching closer, Si Lan couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Pei Yu and Tao Yuan, what about them?”
“Everything has been arranged. They have entered reincarnation,” Xue Rong replied.
Si Lan nodded in relief. That was good news, but he didn’t notice the darkening expression on Haowei’s face behind him.
Haowei’s gaze lingered on Xue Rong for a moment before he slightly furrowed his brow and looked back at Si Lan. Thinking of the scene where their eyes met, a faint tension tightened his lips.
They looked like old friends who had known each other for a long time. He suddenly remembered that Si Lan had once mentioned to him, when they were in the mortal realm, that King Xue Rong owed him a favor. At that time, he didn’t think much of it, but now he felt oddly uncomfortable.
How many people did Si Lan really know behind his back?
How many things had happened that he didn’t know about?
Thinking about Si Lan’s over a thousand years of life, of which he had only been involved for a month, and that month was spent with just a strand of Si Lan’s soul, made him feel even more choked up and uneasy.
He felt like he had missed out on so much.
“Your Majesty, someone used magic to forcibly open the Ghost Gate. I have ordered repairs,” Xue Rong said, pausing briefly before turning to Kui, “However, this attack by the Ephemeral Lamp has destroyed eighty thousand evil spirits, causing chaos among the other Nine Hells’ spirits. My subordinates are still trying their best to suppress them.”
Xue Rong had also taken time to come to Yingtai Island to investigate the situation with the Ephemeral Lamp. The Ephemeral Lamp had long been buried in ancient times, disappearing with the fall of Fan Yu, but unexpectedly reappeared in the world, causing such dire consequences.
Haowei calmly remarked, “This incident was caused by Kui, but the Ephemeral Lamp was apparently given to him by someone.”
As the words fell, Kui lifted his head with almost no aura left, his voice hoarse, “Indeed, the person who gave me this lamp was dressed like a monk.” That person had told him that if anyone asked about his identity, just saying so would suffice.
It seemed that this person had already anticipated today’s situation.
Haowei and Si Lan exchanged a glance upon hearing this, both thinking of Yu Wuxia. It occurred to them that Yu Wuxia’s appearance on Yingtai Island was likely to deliver the Ephemeral Lamp to Kui.
“What else did that person say?” Haowei inquired.
“He only told me that the Ephemeral Lamp could slaughter countless ghosts, without mentioning anything else.” Kui held back a bit; that person also told him that the Ephemeral Lamp could collect fragments of Ahu’s soul during the slaughter of ghosts.
He didn’t know the person’s exact motives for helping him, but as long as it could resurrect Ahu, it was enough.
“Does this monk have a fiery red mark in the center of his brow?” Haowei asked.
Kui shook his head, “His figure was hidden in the shadows, his face not very clear. I could only see the silhouette of a monk.”
Seeing that further questioning would yield no more information, Haowei ceased his inquiries.
Regardless, Kui was persuaded by Yide halfway through, stopping short of making things irreparable.
Seeing this, Xue Rong spoke up, “Your Majesty, allow me to take Kui to the Judgement Platform of the Nine Hells.” When demons and monsters err, they are sent to the Judgement Platform by the rulers of their respective realms.
Before Haowei could respond, Yide hastily interjected, “Your Majesty, Kui’s soul is on the verge of fragmentation. If he goes to the Judgement Platform, death is certain! I am willing to go in his place.”
Kui glanced at Yide beside him, mocking, “Yide, no need for false pretenses. I don’t need you to sacrifice yourself for me like this. Even if my soul disperses, I don’t want any further ties with you.”
“Give me a chance at redemption, Kui, let me…”
Haowei couldn’t help but rub his brow, interrupting them, “Enough. Whatever your crimes and punishments are, they will be determined by the Judgement Platform.”
Boling, standing nearby, wanted to speak but saw the unwavering gaze from Haowei and refrained from saying anything further.
Kui sneered as he pushed Yide aside, standing up unsteadily and walking towards Xue Rong. On his pale face, instead of sorrow, there was a hint of imperceptible relief.
Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed on Haowei’s shoulder, in a position that caught Kui’s gaze. Kui’s eyes shifted to Si Lan and he smirked silently, uttering two words.
“Sorry.”
Was he apologizing for taking his blood?
Although Kui wasn’t Fan Yu’s reincarnation, he was still Fan Yu’s blood. Si Lan couldn’t bring himself to blame him in the end. Folding his wings, he watched solemnly as Xue Rong took Kui away.
The fleeting lamp was left on the ground.
Yide carefully picked up the fleeting lamp, staring at it absent-mindedly. A hint of crimson tinged his eyes as memories stirred within.
Boling walked over, helping Yide up from the ground. Yide held the fleeting lamp close and said to Haowei, “Your Majesty, I intend to seal the fleeting lamp beneath Yingzhou Island, never to see the light of day again.”
“Mm.” Haowei nodded. Calculating the days, tomorrow would mark Yide’s ascension to immortality; it seemed more was yet to unfold.
Haowei remained composed. “Yide, Boling, handle this matter. I will take Xiaoqi to rest at the Yunshang Lake.”
“Yes.” Yide and Boling nodded in unison.
In the next moment, Haowei and Si Lan’s figures disappeared from sight.
—
Night fell, and the vague moonlight shrouded Yingzhou Island. Peach blossoms drifted down within the island, floating on the sea surface, casting mottled reflections.
Inside the main hall, Yide lit the fleeting lamp, lifting the white wick which concealed a soul.
Boling approached from behind, carefully carrying a small white jade altar and placing it before Yide.
Inside the white jade altar lay blood taken from Si Lan.
Frowning, Boling asked curiously, “Can this truly resurrect Ahu?”
“The ancient texts record that Yujia’s blood can revive the dead and reshape the flesh. It should be able to resurrect Ahu,” Yide replied. Holding Ahu’s soul, he was about to place it into the white jade altar when suddenly, a figure appeared behind them—Haowei and Si Lan, who had been recuperating at Yunshang Lake.
Haowei’s emotionless voice broke the silence of the night, interrupting their conversation.
“So that’s how it is.”
Yide and Boling stiffened instantly, turning to see Haowei’s face clearly. They exchanged a glance, realizing their plot had been exposed. Immediately, they knelt down and confessed.
“Your Majesty, please forgive us!”
“What crime have you committed?” Haowei walked slowly towards them, looking at the blood in the white jade altar, his fingers tightening involuntarily, his aura growing heavier.
“They extracted so much blood from Si Lan. If not for me channeling spiritual power to help Si Lan, his body would have been ruined!”
“Your Majesty, it’s my crime. Boling has no part in this.”
“No, Your Majesty, I was the one who caught Xiaoqi and extracted the blood.”
“Both of you should think carefully about how to explain your conspiracy with Kui.” Haowei used magic to retrieve the white jade altar into his hands, his gaze cold as he looked at the two immortal lords.
Meanwhile, Si Lan fluttered his wings and landed on the white jade altar, glancing at his own blood inside, feeling his head spin once again.
They really dared to act against him.
Yide’s face paled as Haowei took away the white jade altar, hastily pleading, “Your Majesty, please spare us. I learned that Kui intended to use the fleeting lamp to avenge Ahu, so I suggested using Yujia’s blood to resurrect him. It was I who captured Yujia and personally extracted the blood. To allay your suspicions, I deliberately created a false impression, making you believe the blood was for Kui’s facial restoration, to lower your guard, so I could secretly resurrect Ahu. Everything I did was solely to ensure Kui could find peace before his death, unrelated to anyone else.”
Boling wanted to speak but Yide gripped his hand tightly.
Boling looked at Yide with reddened eyes, biting his lip in silence.
Haowei glanced at them and then turned his gaze to Si Lan, asking, “Is this true?”
Si Lan pursed his lips and murmured softly, “Pretty much.”
“Oh? So it was Yide who knocked you out and took your blood?”
Meeting Haowei’s gaze, Si Lan instantly understood that he had likely long since unraveled the twists and turns of the situation. Just as he was about to speak, Boling raised his head and spoke first, “Your Majesty, it was I who knocked Xiaoqi out and took his blood, so if punishment is to be given, it should be to me.”
That night, Kui asked Yide, “Yide, Ahu’s soul was torn to pieces and devoured by the evil spirits of Jiuyou, but do I still have a chance to see him again?” Yide, eyes red, fell silent, until Boling pushed open the door and approached them, saying, “Yes.”
They finally devised this plan, with Boling, the least likely to commit such deeds, taking action to capture Si Lan and take his blood. To dispel Haowei and Si Lan’s suspicions, they magically healed Kui’s face and intentionally made Haowei and Si Lan believe the blood had already been used by Kui.
After Kui’s death and transformation into a fierce ghost, lighting the fleeting lamp and gathering Ahu’s soul, they anticipated Kui’s inevitable trial and entrusted the fleeting lamp to Yide for safekeeping.
Yide revived Ahu, allowing Kui to see Ahu one last time before facing trial.
Boling haltingly revealed their scheme, admitting their collusion and involvement in the slaughter of ghosts and the plundering of Yujia’s blood. They would live together or die together.
Si Lan had long known it was Boling who took his blood; he had hidden a feather in Boling’s arms, allowing him to sense the feather’s aura even when Boling approached unnoticed.
But Si Lan hadn’t expected Haowei to deduce it was Boling.
How had Haowei figured it out?
After listening to Boling, Haowei turned to Yide with a somewhat mocking tone. “Yide, your indecisiveness and vacillation ruined two people.”
Yide smiled bitterly. “Yes.”
Seeing him admit it, Haowei chuckled coldly again. Just a few days ago, Yide had been so stubborn, refusing to admit his mistakes. Now, faced with Kui’s death, he finally understood how wrong he had been.
“Your Majesty, you can punish me however you see fit, but please, for the sake of my many years guarding Yingzhou Island, allow me to revive Ahu, and let Kui… have some peace of mind before facing trial.” Yide bowed deeply, his head touching the ground, earnestly pleading with Haowei.
This once proud immortal lord, now completely shattered his pride for the sake of his loved ones.
Instead of answering Yide directly, Haowei turned to Si Lan. “Xiaoqi, what do you think?”
Si Lan looked at the blood in the white jade altar with a pained expression, covering his face with his wings in a gesture of helplessness. “Given the circumstances, I can only use my blood to resurrect Ahu.”
No wonder his mother had been so adamant about hiding his identity. Those who knew his true nature in this world, for various reasons, all seemed to want to tear him apart, drink his blood, and feast on his flesh.
Perhaps his existence was simply an embodiment of desire.
People chased after him, only chasing after their own desires.
He couldn’t understand why, after his divine demise, he had been reincarnated as Yujia.
Knowing himself as he did, if Jun Li had reincarnated, he would have chosen to be an ordinary person, an ordinary cultivator, an ordinary immortal, or even an ordinary ghost, rather than this species that seemed so precious and coveted, yet provoked such greed in everyone.
He always felt like the heavens were playing a game with him.
Lost in his thoughts, Haowei returned the white jade altar to Yide. Yide placed Ahu’s soul inside, and it instantly consumed the blood, then merged together, emitting a faint but bright white light.
Yide quickly placed the white jade altar on the ground, where it cracked open bit by bit. After the white light dissipated, a faint and ethereal form of Ahu emerged.
That was Ahu’s appearance.
Ah Hu and Yide were completely different men. Yide appeared elegant and ethereal, with an air of immortality and a clean, jade-like appearance. Ah Hu, on the other hand, was robust and powerful, his skin tinged with a yellow hue, exuding a rugged and vigorous masculinity.
Ah Hu’s illusion gradually solidified into substance, as if infused with flesh and blood.
Seeing this, Si Lan couldn’t help but mutter softly, “Having only one soul and one spirit, wouldn’t he be considered a fool?”
Haowei, lost in his thoughts, finally allowed a faint smile to grace his tightly drawn lips.
“He’s not exactly a fool, but rather a person whose five aggregates are not yet fully opened, and whose six senses are not complete. However, with the abundant celestial aura of Yingzhou Island, if he cultivates here, he will soon possess the five aggregates and six senses like an ordinary person.”
Si Lan nodded thoughtfully.
The sturdy man seemed as though he had been in a deep slumber for a long time. As he opened his dark eyes, they were clear and innocent, resembling those of a child. Glancing around, his expression was filled with confusion.
Ah Hu had returned to life, yet as Ah Hu reborn, he no longer retained his previous memories, forgetting everything about Kui.
Calculating the time, Yide’s voice broke the silence, “Your Majesty, please allow me to take Ah Hu to the underworld to see Kui one last time.”
“Mm.”
Considering the time, Kui was about to face judgment on the trial platform.
—
In each realm—Celestial Realm, Demon Realm, and Underworld—there existed a trial platform, presided over by the rulers of each realm.
In the Underworld’s trial platform, King Xue Rong led with the twelve ghost marshals, wielding authority over the myriad spirits.
Upon death, one might think they could escape culpability, yet even as a ghost, they still had to face judgment on the trial platform.
Most spirits who ascended the trial platform faced dispersal of their soul.
When Kui’s turn came, however, there was no fear on his face; instead, his eyes searched around as if waiting for something.
Upon the high seat, the ghost official finished reciting Kui’s birth date and respectfully reported to Xue Rong, “Your Highness, this ghost’s birth date has been verified; he may ascend the trial platform.”
At this moment, Xue Rong cleared his throat uncomfortably, prompting the ghost official to close his book and stand aside, awaiting Xue Rong’s decision.
After a moment, Xue Rong spoke, “I didn’t quite catch this ghost’s birth date just now. Recite it again.”
The ghost official complied, slowly and deliberately reciting Kui’s birth date. Just as he finished, Haowei and the others arrived with Ah Hu.
Upon seeing Ah Hu, Kui’s dull eyes instantly lit up, his breath quickening involuntarily.
It was Ah Hu.
Ah Hu had truly been reborn.
Tears welled up in Kui’s eyes as he quietly watched Ah Hu from afar, while Ah Hu, brought here by someone, still wore a bewildered expression. Yet he could sense that he had been brought here to meet someone, to meet the severe ghost about to ascend the trial platform.
Ah Hu looked at Kui, who suddenly smiled.
Subsequently, Kui willingly approached the trial platform. Yide had always thought that Kui wanted to revive Ah Hu out of love, but that wasn’t the case. He simply felt deeply sorry for Ah Hu; the most he could do for him was to ensure that Ah Hu could live well.
Now, with Ah Hu’s soul devoid of past memories, he would live like a clean slate from now on.
Kui closed his eyes, standing in the middle of the trial platform. Having fulfilled his wish, he remained serene, calmly accepting the impending punishment.
After the ghost official finished reciting Kui’s various crimes, thunder suddenly roared above the trial platform. Rolling thunder, accompanied by fierce winds, descended like a white sword qi toward Kui.
At that critical moment, Yide suddenly leaped forward, embracing Kui and shielding him from the thunder’s strike.
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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