Chapter 223
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The broken figure of Hu Tao disappeared in place, and the white arm that was dwelling on her back suddenly shattered.
Like a crumbled marble sculpture, it scattered into palm-sized pale flesh chunks, rolling all over the ground. A tremendous force erupted, severely disrupting the surroundings. Zhong Chengshuo could no longer concentrate his imagination due to the severe disturbance, and the camouflage around him collapsed in an instant.
“Run!” Yin Ren grabbed Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist.
The two took out their photos and, following the directions in the comments, sprinted towards the exit.
Yin Ren didn’t use any magic anymore; he relied solely on his physical abilities to dash through the clusters of white. Despite his astonishing athletic ability, Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t keep up with the evil that had been bounding through the mountains and forests for three hundred years. Eventually, Yin Ren practically had to drag him along.
“Why…” The atmosphere was off. Zhong Chengshuo managed to squeeze out the question amidst the jostling.
Yin Ren didn’t answer. He had sprinted ahead of Zhong Chengshuo, so Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t see his lover’s face.
Hu Tao was a fierce ghost. Although she had been a “neighbor” for some time, Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t really seen her much. He had only recently experienced emotions, so he didn’t have much deep attachment to Hu Tao.
She had left, and he would remember, but it was just a faint regret once the dust settled.
But Yin Ren was different from him. The small Yin Village from thousands of years ago could still make the Great Celestial Master wipe out tens of thousands of troops. Yin Ren had always been open about his emotions, and now that he had lost the familiar Hu Tao like this, he was definitely deeply concerned.
Moreover, since they started acting together, Yin Ren had never left him behind like this.
Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t ignore this abnormality.
“Why?” he persistently asked.
“She was exposed to too much Evil Force.” Yin Ren’s tone was eerily calm. “Even if Love immediately gave up on her, I couldn’t bring her back to her previous state. Allowing her to rest in peace early is the only way.”
The snowy landscape quickly retreated around the two, and in the blur, silence persisted for a few seconds.
Zhong Chengshuo let out an “oh”. “I know. That’s not what I’m asking.”
Yin Ren fell silent for a while. When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat hoarse. “As ‘King Yama’, you must have similar judgments. But when it comes to the decision to ‘save her’, I don’t want your opinion mixed in. I sent her away myself, and I will remember that.”
“Because you want to firmly blame yourself?” Zhong Chengshuo pondered with difficulty.
“I’ve never liked casually releasing fierce ghosts.” Yin Ren paused for a moment and answered rhetorically. “As long as they continue to exist, they will always find something.”
Zhong Chengshuo made a somewhat incomprehensible “mm” sound and didn’t ask any more questions. Yin Ren then accelerated his pace, swallowing the sourness in his throat.
Whether it was letting go of attachments and finding liberation or gradually fading away and being forgotten over a long period of time, fierce ghosts would eventually find one or two useless yet comfortable moments during their lengthy journey entangled by attachments.
Yin Ren liked these moments the most. They might be insignificant and meaningless, but they could turn “existence” into “life”.
Just like a thousand years ago, the candy specially heated at the doorstep of Yin Village and arranged into comical shapes by children.
In room 601, Building 4 of Ping’an Manor would no longer have anyone competing with him for the tablet to watch dramas, nor would anyone point out things and share random life experiences about his online shopping cart.
“…Zhong Ge.”
“Yeah?”
“The struggle with Love is now my ‘personal grudge’,” Yin Ren said. “Since it wants to find out our abilities, I’ll let it see clearly—under no circumstances should you bring out your Karma Lantern.”
“But—”
“Love is powerful, but its true form isn’t present. Otherwise, there would be no need to use Hu Tao to buy time,” Yin Ren said. “Since its true form isn’t here, I know what I need to do.”
In an instant, darkness covered the snowy world.
……
“You’re back? Where’s Yin Ren?” Lu Xiaohe looked surprised at Ge Tingting and Huang Jin.
“Huang Jin” smiled faintly. “I think they’ll be here soon. Love’s power just collapsed, so it must have suffered a setback.”
Hearing the tone, Lu Xiaohe immediately caught on. “Qi Xin.”
“Listen carefully.” With Huang Jin’s face, Qi Xin slightly raised her chin with a hint of arrogance. “You came to me for help, and I did what I needed to do. I won’t interfere in other matters. I’m just a projection here, with limited abilities. Even if you turn to Yin Ren… Huh?!”
Before she could finish speaking, everything in front of her turned into pure darkness. This time, it wasn’t the legion of cats submerging everyone, but a soft and warm mass of wings.
Yin Ren.
As they reached the exit zone at the center of the cocoon, the mass of wings suddenly appeared and swiftly expanded. It enveloped all living beings at the fastest speed, desperately trying to drill towards the exit. For some reason, Yin Ren didn’t use his transformed appearance; he still had that old appearance resembling the “cub of Fear”.
On the other side of the exit, Fu Tianyi was busy using his sword to break through the cocoon. The weak spot became the breakthrough point. The dark mass of wings burst out from within, directly stunning Fu Tianyi with a physical blow.
When Meng Huai and her companions saw a beam of darkness breaking through the cocoon, their expressions changed drastically. Unfortunately, there were wolves in front and tigers in the back. They were surrounded by countless Elementals. The darkness, accompanied by mist, instantly sealed them off completely.
Yin Ren used himself as armor to protect hundreds of humans within. Countless masses of wings rushed towards the surrounding army of Elementals, tearing open a path of escape.
As if sensing the intense turmoil, a snowy white mist gradually permeated the surface of the hemisphere. Countless arms extended from its surface, fiercely grabbing at the mass of wings.
In an instant, the outermost layer of the mass of wings tore and became damaged. The surrounding Elementals swarmed like bloodthirsty flies, voraciously devouring the damaged wings.
With an army of Elementals attacking from the front and countless arms tearing at them from behind, that pitch-black mass of wings showed no intention to fight back. It struggled and dashed as if it didn’t know the meaning of pain, like a shark caught in a fishing net, desperate for survival.
Zhong Chengshuo, once again disguised as Yin Ren through his imagination, was hidden deep within the mass of wings. He widened his eyes, desperately trying to activate his true sight and survey the surrounding situation.
Zhong Chengshuo could understand Yin Ren’s thoughts.
With the sudden loss of Hu Tao as its vessel, Love had no time to react. If they delayed any longer, Huang Jin and Ge Tingting might become its new targets.
To preserve their trump card, they had to escape as quickly as possible.
The surrounding army of Elementals was numerous, but they couldn’t withstand the massive size of the wings. In an instant, the eyeball barrier shattered, and countless limbs were twisted off.
Various attacks came rushing at them, but the mass of wings consumed all the physical attacks, rendering emotional resonance and cognitive distortion useless. The encirclement of the Elementals was on the verge of collapse.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, the giant hemisphere within the white net finally reacted.
Bang!
A horrifying dull sound came from the depths of the giant hemisphere.
The arms on the surface of the hemisphere wildly extended, almost piercing through that black mass like countless arrows. One of the arms almost grazed Zhong Chengshuo as it passed through.
Zhong Chengshuo placed one hand on the Karma Lantern and tightly clenched his fist with the other hand.
Bang!
An indescribable sense of oppression rose from the interior of the hemisphere. It was so close that it made one’s hair stand on end, yet it felt distant, as if it was in another space.
Countless arms seemed to be injected with chicken blood*. That black mass was torn apart by one-third. However, Yin Ren didn’t let go of the person he was holding tightly, nor did he slow down their escape. With a kind of almost fanatical determination, he bit down on one direction, voraciously devouring the nearby Elementals.
*Metaphor referring to become excited or insane.
Zhong Chengshuo held onto the lantern tightly.
Seeing the mass of wings he normally cautiously embraced being torn apart, Zhong Chengshuo felt so devastated that even breathing became difficult. But he had to observe everything, not missing any details.
Bang!
Countless arms entangled and transformed into several giant hands, fiercely squeezing the black mass.
At the same time, a breach finally appeared in the encirclement of the Elementals. Like a breached flood, the sea of wings broke free from the encirclement and swiftly flowed down from the web crawling with Elementals, rushing towards the distance.
Then it disappeared without a trace.
……
As soon as they had transferred to a relatively safe area, Yin Ren returned to his human form. His skin and flesh turned over, creating a terrifying appearance.
Once everyone’s consciousness in Shian was restored, Yin Ren’s gaze directly locked onto “Huang Jin”. “Quickly escort everyone out.”
Love’s plan to trap them had failed, and it would undoubtedly send its Elementals to search in all directions. From Lu Xiaohe’s mother to over a hundred missing individuals, Yin Ren brought them out of the cocoon, and they couldn’t be left unattended.
Qi Xin decisively released the body she was possessing, revealing her figure in the mist and using her foot to nudge Huang Jin, who was lying limp on the ground.
She cast an annoyed glance at the numerous missing individuals scattered on the ground, then looked over at Yin Ren, covered in wounds. “It was unnecessary. You wouldn’t have ended up in such a sorry state.”
“The sorrier, the better,” Yin Ren said.
“For humans, perhaps,” Qi Xin replied.
Qi Xin stepped over the bodies of the missing individuals and stopped in front of Yin Ren. Her face was as cold as snow, and her voice shifted to a mental transmission.
[I trained you not to win over Love with flowery words. You should suppress it comprehensively, destroy it head-on—that’s the “Fear” I expect from you.]
A smile appeared on Yin Ren’s heavily scarred face. [Yes, I should have given it my all just now to show you clearly—see what Love wants to do, and what exactly I am, so that you can choose the next course of action.]
Qi Xin narrowed her eyes.
“Please send these people away, Qi Xin,” Yin Ren said with a smile on his face, but there was no humor in his voice. “I’m sorry, but at least for now, I can’t give you any reason to not lean towards Love.”
“Indeed, Fear without a brain is more reasonable,” she sighed softly. “I have only one request…”
“I will stay,” Yin Ren interrupted. “Not just to heal my injuries, but also to remain on the Other Side.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengshuo took a few steps, supporting the heavily injured Yin Ren and silently showing his support.
Qi Xin didn’t waste any more words. With a sigh, the group was teleported to the courtyard of the Lonely cats.
“Keep watch around us,” Qi Xin threw a command to Gao Mengyu’s cat.
Amidst the curious crowd, Qi Xin once again contorted her body. Accompanied by successive explosions, her flesh twisted into a horrifying ring. Within the distorted scene, gradually transforming into a vortex, it connected to the “Other Side passage” beneath Shian.
The first to be sent out were the missing individuals.
One by one, the weak people were sent away from the Other Side, awaiting Shian’s rescue. When it came time to send Lu Xiaohe’s mother, Yin Ren stopped Lu Xiaohe, who was helping with the evacuation.
He placed his hand on Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s chest, and red silk surged, permeating into her body like clouds and mist.
“She’ll be fine.” Yin Ren’s voice softened. “After she’s out, have Shian’s people take a look. Xiaohe Jie, your wish has been fulfilled.”
Lu Xiaohe opened her mouth, seeming to have countless words she wanted to say, but nothing came out.
In the end, she just nodded heavily, holding her mother, and left the Other Side.
Ge Tingting pulled the unconscious Huang Jin. “Yin Ge, you…”
“I’ll be fine. You all should go back and rest,” Yin Ren said with another smile. “After learning so much on the Other Side, it’s time for you to inform Shian as well.”
Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren with a complicated gaze.
Currently, they needed Qi Xin’s assistance to enter and exit the Other Side. Considering Qi Xin’s lack of empathy towards humans, if she were to break ties with Yin Ren, the people left behind wouldn’t know how long it would take for them to leave.
“Well, bring Xiao Zheng and Chengfeng with you too. They’ve remembered what had accumulated over the years.” Meng Huai crossed her arms and spoke casually. “I’ll stay behind to guard. Shian needs someone on the frontlines.”
“I’m not leaving. You need a partner.” Zhong Chengfeng shook her head. “I know what you’re worried about—you’re afraid that if you go back, you won’t want to come back again.”
Meng Huai clicked her tongue. “It’s been so many years. A little delay in going back won’t make a difference. You talk too much.”
“Whether I’m willing or not, it’s the same for you,” she muttered under her breath.
The missing individuals sank into their dreams, one by one disappearing into the passage. Strangely, no one showed a joyful expression—time on the Other Side was almost stagnant, while time in the outside world passed leisurely. At this moment, it might not be considered a definitive and satisfactory conclusion.
Zhong Chengshuo surveyed his surroundings. The courtyard that was filled with people moments ago now appeared empty. Apart from Yin Ren, himself, and Qi Xin, the three remaining Elementals, there were only Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi, and Dr. Cat.
“At least the task of finding people is over.”
Fu Tianyi took a deep breath. He stood up straight, showing a bit of the dignity of the Fu family.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t of much help this time. Next time…”
A sharp screech from the “Lonelies” came from the outside world. Qi Xin’s twisted ring trembled, and the vortex in the center fluctuated violently. Then the flesh ring deformed and expanded, accompanied by the squeezing sound of space closing, and the exit vanished without a trace.
At the same time, the courtyard gradually became shrouded in shadows as a large number of Elementals rushed toward it.
The Lonely cats ran around the ground, picking up tablecloths and kittens, trying to hide themselves behind larger cats.
The largest “Lonely”—Gao Mengyu’s cat—quickly moved, using Yin Ren to block its massive self.
Fu Tianyi: “?”
What about his way back home?
“They’re pretty quick.” Yin Ren sneered. “Meng Jie, it’s too dangerous for you to stay with us. It’s best to leave early.”
Meng Huai lifted her eyelids. “Oh.”
She took out a large amount of Elemental flesh and smeared it on the ground, expanding and contracting it.
In the next moment, the earth trembled, and the surrounding space cracked like fish scales. Zhong Chengshuo instinctively held onto Yin Ren, and the two of them were then pressed down by a large pile of sticky flesh and limbs. After struggling for a while, they finally managed to poke their heads out from under the group of cats.
Before them, astonishingly, was Meng Huai’s stronghold.
Fu Tianyi held Dr. Cat in his arms with an expression mixed with conflict and bitterness. The entire courtyard of Lonely cats was crammed into the room, making the once spacious room feel somewhat crowded. The Lonely cats stood dazed for a moment before curiously crawling around.
In an instant, the original small courtyard was empty, leaving only one person.
Qi Xin looked up, meeting the incoming army of Elementals head-on.
“Heh, humans,” Qi Xin remarked.
She rolled her eyes and disappeared into the depths of the mist.
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The broken figure of Hu Tao disappeared in place, and the white arm that was dwelling on her back suddenly shattered.
Like a crumbled marble sculpture, it scattered into palm-sized pale flesh chunks, rolling all over the ground. A tremendous force erupted, severely disrupting the surroundings. Zhong Chengshuo could no longer concentrate his imagination due to the severe disturbance, and the camouflage around him collapsed in an instant.
“Run!” Yin Ren grabbed Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist.
The two took out their photos and, following the directions in the comments, sprinted towards the exit.
Yin Ren didn’t use any magic anymore; he relied solely on his physical abilities to dash through the clusters of white. Despite his astonishing athletic ability, Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t keep up with the evil that had been bounding through the mountains and forests for three hundred years. Eventually, Yin Ren practically had to drag him along.
“Why…” The atmosphere was off. Zhong Chengshuo managed to squeeze out the question amidst the jostling.
Yin Ren didn’t answer. He had sprinted ahead of Zhong Chengshuo, so Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t see his lover’s face.
Hu Tao was a fierce ghost. Although she had been a “neighbor” for some time, Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t really seen her much. He had only recently experienced emotions, so he didn’t have much deep attachment to Hu Tao.
She had left, and he would remember, but it was just a faint regret once the dust settled.
But Yin Ren was different from him. The small Yin Village from thousands of years ago could still make the Great Celestial Master wipe out tens of thousands of troops. Yin Ren had always been open about his emotions, and now that he had lost the familiar Hu Tao like this, he was definitely deeply concerned.
Moreover, since they started acting together, Yin Ren had never left him behind like this.
Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t ignore this abnormality.
“Why?” he persistently asked.
“She was exposed to too much Evil Force.” Yin Ren’s tone was eerily calm. “Even if Love immediately gave up on her, I couldn’t bring her back to her previous state. Allowing her to rest in peace early is the only way.”
The snowy landscape quickly retreated around the two, and in the blur, silence persisted for a few seconds.
Zhong Chengshuo let out an “oh”. “I know. That’s not what I’m asking.”
Yin Ren fell silent for a while. When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat hoarse. “As ‘King Yama’, you must have similar judgments. But when it comes to the decision to ‘save her’, I don’t want your opinion mixed in. I sent her away myself, and I will remember that.”
“Because you want to firmly blame yourself?” Zhong Chengshuo pondered with difficulty.
“I’ve never liked casually releasing fierce ghosts.” Yin Ren paused for a moment and answered rhetorically. “As long as they continue to exist, they will always find something.”
Zhong Chengshuo made a somewhat incomprehensible “mm” sound and didn’t ask any more questions. Yin Ren then accelerated his pace, swallowing the sourness in his throat.
Whether it was letting go of attachments and finding liberation or gradually fading away and being forgotten over a long period of time, fierce ghosts would eventually find one or two useless yet comfortable moments during their lengthy journey entangled by attachments.
Yin Ren liked these moments the most. They might be insignificant and meaningless, but they could turn “existence” into “life”.
Just like a thousand years ago, the candy specially heated at the doorstep of Yin Village and arranged into comical shapes by children.
In room 601, Building 4 of Ping’an Manor would no longer have anyone competing with him for the tablet to watch dramas, nor would anyone point out things and share random life experiences about his online shopping cart.
“…Zhong Ge.”
“Yeah?”
“The struggle with Love is now my ‘personal grudge’,” Yin Ren said. “Since it wants to find out our abilities, I’ll let it see clearly—under no circumstances should you bring out your Karma Lantern.”
“But—”
“Love is powerful, but its true form isn’t present. Otherwise, there would be no need to use Hu Tao to buy time,” Yin Ren said. “Since its true form isn’t here, I know what I need to do.”
In an instant, darkness covered the snowy world.
……
“You’re back? Where’s Yin Ren?” Lu Xiaohe looked surprised at Ge Tingting and Huang Jin.
“Huang Jin” smiled faintly. “I think they’ll be here soon. Love’s power just collapsed, so it must have suffered a setback.”
Hearing the tone, Lu Xiaohe immediately caught on. “Qi Xin.”
“Listen carefully.” With Huang Jin’s face, Qi Xin slightly raised her chin with a hint of arrogance. “You came to me for help, and I did what I needed to do. I won’t interfere in other matters. I’m just a projection here, with limited abilities. Even if you turn to Yin Ren… Huh?!”
Before she could finish speaking, everything in front of her turned into pure darkness. This time, it wasn’t the legion of cats submerging everyone, but a soft and warm mass of wings.
Yin Ren.
As they reached the exit zone at the center of the cocoon, the mass of wings suddenly appeared and swiftly expanded. It enveloped all living beings at the fastest speed, desperately trying to drill towards the exit. For some reason, Yin Ren didn’t use his transformed appearance; he still had that old appearance resembling the “cub of Fear”.
On the other side of the exit, Fu Tianyi was busy using his sword to break through the cocoon. The weak spot became the breakthrough point. The dark mass of wings burst out from within, directly stunning Fu Tianyi with a physical blow.
When Meng Huai and her companions saw a beam of darkness breaking through the cocoon, their expressions changed drastically. Unfortunately, there were wolves in front and tigers in the back. They were surrounded by countless Elementals. The darkness, accompanied by mist, instantly sealed them off completely.
Yin Ren used himself as armor to protect hundreds of humans within. Countless masses of wings rushed towards the surrounding army of Elementals, tearing open a path of escape.
As if sensing the intense turmoil, a snowy white mist gradually permeated the surface of the hemisphere. Countless arms extended from its surface, fiercely grabbing at the mass of wings.
In an instant, the outermost layer of the mass of wings tore and became damaged. The surrounding Elementals swarmed like bloodthirsty flies, voraciously devouring the damaged wings.
With an army of Elementals attacking from the front and countless arms tearing at them from behind, that pitch-black mass of wings showed no intention to fight back. It struggled and dashed as if it didn’t know the meaning of pain, like a shark caught in a fishing net, desperate for survival.
Zhong Chengshuo, once again disguised as Yin Ren through his imagination, was hidden deep within the mass of wings. He widened his eyes, desperately trying to activate his true sight and survey the surrounding situation.
Zhong Chengshuo could understand Yin Ren’s thoughts.
With the sudden loss of Hu Tao as its vessel, Love had no time to react. If they delayed any longer, Huang Jin and Ge Tingting might become its new targets.
To preserve their trump card, they had to escape as quickly as possible.
The surrounding army of Elementals was numerous, but they couldn’t withstand the massive size of the wings. In an instant, the eyeball barrier shattered, and countless limbs were twisted off.
Various attacks came rushing at them, but the mass of wings consumed all the physical attacks, rendering emotional resonance and cognitive distortion useless. The encirclement of the Elementals was on the verge of collapse.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, the giant hemisphere within the white net finally reacted.
Bang!
A horrifying dull sound came from the depths of the giant hemisphere.
The arms on the surface of the hemisphere wildly extended, almost piercing through that black mass like countless arrows. One of the arms almost grazed Zhong Chengshuo as it passed through.
Zhong Chengshuo placed one hand on the Karma Lantern and tightly clenched his fist with the other hand.
Bang!
An indescribable sense of oppression rose from the interior of the hemisphere. It was so close that it made one’s hair stand on end, yet it felt distant, as if it was in another space.
Countless arms seemed to be injected with chicken blood*. That black mass was torn apart by one-third. However, Yin Ren didn’t let go of the person he was holding tightly, nor did he slow down their escape. With a kind of almost fanatical determination, he bit down on one direction, voraciously devouring the nearby Elementals.
*Metaphor referring to become excited or insane.
Zhong Chengshuo held onto the lantern tightly.
Seeing the mass of wings he normally cautiously embraced being torn apart, Zhong Chengshuo felt so devastated that even breathing became difficult. But he had to observe everything, not missing any details.
Bang!
Countless arms entangled and transformed into several giant hands, fiercely squeezing the black mass.
At the same time, a breach finally appeared in the encirclement of the Elementals. Like a breached flood, the sea of wings broke free from the encirclement and swiftly flowed down from the web crawling with Elementals, rushing towards the distance.
Then it disappeared without a trace.
……
As soon as they had transferred to a relatively safe area, Yin Ren returned to his human form. His skin and flesh turned over, creating a terrifying appearance.
Once everyone’s consciousness in Shian was restored, Yin Ren’s gaze directly locked onto “Huang Jin”. “Quickly escort everyone out.”
Love’s plan to trap them had failed, and it would undoubtedly send its Elementals to search in all directions. From Lu Xiaohe’s mother to over a hundred missing individuals, Yin Ren brought them out of the cocoon, and they couldn’t be left unattended.
Qi Xin decisively released the body she was possessing, revealing her figure in the mist and using her foot to nudge Huang Jin, who was lying limp on the ground.
She cast an annoyed glance at the numerous missing individuals scattered on the ground, then looked over at Yin Ren, covered in wounds. “It was unnecessary. You wouldn’t have ended up in such a sorry state.”
“The sorrier, the better,” Yin Ren said.
“For humans, perhaps,” Qi Xin replied.
Qi Xin stepped over the bodies of the missing individuals and stopped in front of Yin Ren. Her face was as cold as snow, and her voice shifted to a mental transmission.
[I trained you not to win over Love with flowery words. You should suppress it comprehensively, destroy it head-on—that’s the “Fear” I expect from you.]
A smile appeared on Yin Ren’s heavily scarred face. [Yes, I should have given it my all just now to show you clearly—see what Love wants to do, and what exactly I am, so that you can choose the next course of action.]
Qi Xin narrowed her eyes.
“Please send these people away, Qi Xin,” Yin Ren said with a smile on his face, but there was no humor in his voice. “I’m sorry, but at least for now, I can’t give you any reason to not lean towards Love.”
“Indeed, Fear without a brain is more reasonable,” she sighed softly. “I have only one request…”
“I will stay,” Yin Ren interrupted. “Not just to heal my injuries, but also to remain on the Other Side.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengshuo took a few steps, supporting the heavily injured Yin Ren and silently showing his support.
Qi Xin didn’t waste any more words. With a sigh, the group was teleported to the courtyard of the Lonely cats.
“Keep watch around us,” Qi Xin threw a command to Gao Mengyu’s cat.
Amidst the curious crowd, Qi Xin once again contorted her body. Accompanied by successive explosions, her flesh twisted into a horrifying ring. Within the distorted scene, gradually transforming into a vortex, it connected to the “Other Side passage” beneath Shian.
The first to be sent out were the missing individuals.
One by one, the weak people were sent away from the Other Side, awaiting Shian’s rescue. When it came time to send Lu Xiaohe’s mother, Yin Ren stopped Lu Xiaohe, who was helping with the evacuation.
He placed his hand on Lu Xiaohe’s mother’s chest, and red silk surged, permeating into her body like clouds and mist.
“She’ll be fine.” Yin Ren’s voice softened. “After she’s out, have Shian’s people take a look. Xiaohe Jie, your wish has been fulfilled.”
Lu Xiaohe opened her mouth, seeming to have countless words she wanted to say, but nothing came out.
In the end, she just nodded heavily, holding her mother, and left the Other Side.
Ge Tingting pulled the unconscious Huang Jin. “Yin Ge, you…”
“I’ll be fine. You all should go back and rest,” Yin Ren said with another smile. “After learning so much on the Other Side, it’s time for you to inform Shian as well.”
Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren with a complicated gaze.
Currently, they needed Qi Xin’s assistance to enter and exit the Other Side. Considering Qi Xin’s lack of empathy towards humans, if she were to break ties with Yin Ren, the people left behind wouldn’t know how long it would take for them to leave.
“Well, bring Xiao Zheng and Chengfeng with you too. They’ve remembered what had accumulated over the years.” Meng Huai crossed her arms and spoke casually. “I’ll stay behind to guard. Shian needs someone on the frontlines.”
“I’m not leaving. You need a partner.” Zhong Chengfeng shook her head. “I know what you’re worried about—you’re afraid that if you go back, you won’t want to come back again.”
Meng Huai clicked her tongue. “It’s been so many years. A little delay in going back won’t make a difference. You talk too much.”
“Whether I’m willing or not, it’s the same for you,” she muttered under her breath.
The missing individuals sank into their dreams, one by one disappearing into the passage. Strangely, no one showed a joyful expression—time on the Other Side was almost stagnant, while time in the outside world passed leisurely. At this moment, it might not be considered a definitive and satisfactory conclusion.
Zhong Chengshuo surveyed his surroundings. The courtyard that was filled with people moments ago now appeared empty. Apart from Yin Ren, himself, and Qi Xin, the three remaining Elementals, there were only Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi, and Dr. Cat.
“At least the task of finding people is over.”
Fu Tianyi took a deep breath. He stood up straight, showing a bit of the dignity of the Fu family.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t of much help this time. Next time…”
A sharp screech from the “Lonelies” came from the outside world. Qi Xin’s twisted ring trembled, and the vortex in the center fluctuated violently. Then the flesh ring deformed and expanded, accompanied by the squeezing sound of space closing, and the exit vanished without a trace.
At the same time, the courtyard gradually became shrouded in shadows as a large number of Elementals rushed toward it.
The Lonely cats ran around the ground, picking up tablecloths and kittens, trying to hide themselves behind larger cats.
The largest “Lonely”—Gao Mengyu’s cat—quickly moved, using Yin Ren to block its massive self.
Fu Tianyi: “?”
What about his way back home?
“They’re pretty quick.” Yin Ren sneered. “Meng Jie, it’s too dangerous for you to stay with us. It’s best to leave early.”
Meng Huai lifted her eyelids. “Oh.”
She took out a large amount of Elemental flesh and smeared it on the ground, expanding and contracting it.
In the next moment, the earth trembled, and the surrounding space cracked like fish scales. Zhong Chengshuo instinctively held onto Yin Ren, and the two of them were then pressed down by a large pile of sticky flesh and limbs. After struggling for a while, they finally managed to poke their heads out from under the group of cats.
Before them, astonishingly, was Meng Huai’s stronghold.
Fu Tianyi held Dr. Cat in his arms with an expression mixed with conflict and bitterness. The entire courtyard of Lonely cats was crammed into the room, making the once spacious room feel somewhat crowded. The Lonely cats stood dazed for a moment before curiously crawling around.
In an instant, the original small courtyard was empty, leaving only one person.
Qi Xin looked up, meeting the incoming army of Elementals head-on.
“Heh, humans,” Qi Xin remarked.
She rolled her eyes and disappeared into the depths of the mist.
The broken figure of Hu Tao disappeared in place, and the white arm that was dwelling on her back suddenly shattered.Like a crumbled marble sculpture, it scattered into palm-sized pale flesh chunks, rolling all over the ground. A tremendous force erupted, severely disrupting the surroundings. Zhong Chengshuo could no longer concentrate his imagination due to the severe disturbance, and the camouflage around him collapsed in an instant.Run! Yin Ren grabbed Zhong Chengshuo's wrist.The two took out their photos and, following the directions in the comments, sprinted towards the exit.Yin Ren didn't use any magic anymore; he relied solely on his physical abilities to dash through the clusters of white. Despite his astonishing athletic ability, Zhong Chengshuo couldn't keep up with the evil that had been bounding through the mountains and forests for three hundred years. Eventually, Yin Ren practically had to drag him along.Why The atmosphere was off. Zhong Chengshuo managed to squeeze out the question amidst the jostling.Yin Ren didn't answer. He had sprinted ahead of Zhong Chengshuo, so Zhong Chengshuo couldn't see his lover's face.Hu Tao was a fierce ghost. Although she had been a neighbor for some time, Zhong Chengshuo hadn't really seen her much. He had only recently experienced emotions, so he didn't have much deep attachment to Hu Tao.She had left, and he would remember, but it was just a faint regret once the dust settled.But Yin Ren was different from him. The small Yin Village from thousands of years ago could still make the Great Celestial Master wipe out tens of thousands of troops. Yin Ren had always been open about his emotions, and now that he had lost the familiar Hu Tao like this, he was definitely deeply concerned.Moreover, since they started acting together, Yin Ren had never left him behind like this.Zhong Chengshuo couldn't ignore this abnormality.Why? he persistently asked.She was exposed to too much Evil Force. Yin Ren's tone was eerily calm. Even if Love immediately gave up on her, I couldn't bring her back to her previous state. Allowing her to rest in peace early is the only way.The snowy landscape quickly retreated around the two, and in the blur, silence persisted for a few seconds.Zhong Chengshuo let out an oh. I know. That's not what I'm asking.Yin Ren fell silent for a while. When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat hoarse. As King Yama', you must have similar judgments. But when it comes to the decision to save her', I don't want your opinion mixed in. I sent her away myself, and I will remember that.Because you want to firmly blame yourself? Zhong Chengshuo pondered with difficulty.I've never liked casually releasing fierce ghosts. Yin Ren paused for a moment and answered rhetorically. As long as they continue to exist, they will always find something.Zhong Chengshuo made a somewhat incomprehensible mm sound and didn't ask any more questions. Yin Ren then accelerated his pace, swallowing the sourness in his throat.Whether it was letting go of attachments and finding liberation or gradually fading away and being forgotten over a long period of time, fierce ghosts would eventually find one or two useless yet comfortable moments during their lengthy journey entangled by attachments.Yin Ren liked these moments the most. They might be insignificant and meaningless, but they could turn existence into life.Just like a thousand years ago, the candy specially heated at the doorstep of Yin Village and arranged into comical shapes by children.In room 601, Building 4 of Ping'an Manor would no longer have anyone competing with him for the tablet to watch dramas, nor would anyone point out things and share random life experiences about his online shopping cart.Zhong Ge.Yeah?The struggle with Love is now my personal grudge', Yin Ren said. Since it wants to find out our abilities, I'll let it see clearlyunder no circumstances should you bring out your Karma Lantern.ButLove is powerful, but its true form isn't present. Otherwise, there would be no need to use Hu Tao to buy time, Yin Ren said. Since its true form isn't here, I know what I need to do.In an instant, darkness covered the snowy world.You're back? Where's Yin Ren? Lu Xiaohe looked surprised at Ge Tingting and Huang Jin.Huang Jin smiled faintly. I think they'll be here soon. Love's power just collapsed, so it must have suffered a setback.Hearing the tone, Lu Xiaohe immediately caught on. Qi Xin.Listen carefully. With Huang Jin's face, Qi Xin slightly raised her chin with a hint of arrogance. You came to me for help, and I did what I needed to do. I won't interfere in other matters. I'm just a projection here, with limited abilities. Even if you turn to Yin Ren Huh?!Before she could finish speaking, everything in front of her turned into pure darkness. This time, it wasn't the legion of cats submerging everyone, but a soft and warm mass of wings.Yin Ren.As they reached the exit zone at the center of the cocoon, the mass of wings suddenly appeared and swiftly expanded. It enveloped all living beings at the fastest speed, desperately trying to drill towards the exit. For some reason, Yin Ren didn't use his transformed appearance; he still had that old appearance resembling the cub of Fear.On the other side of the exit, Fu Tianyi was busy using his sword to break through the cocoon. The weak spot became the breakthrough point. The dark mass of wings burst out from within, directly stunning Fu Tianyi with a physical blow.When Meng Huai and her companions saw a beam of darkness breaking through the cocoon, their expressions changed drastically. Unfortunately, there were wolves in front and tigers in the back. They were surrounded by countless Elementals. The darkness, accompanied by mist, instantly sealed them off completely.Yin Ren used himself as armor to protect hundreds of humans within. Countless masses of wings rushed towards the surrounding army of Elementals, tearing open a path of escape.As if sensing the intense turmoil, a snowy white mist gradually permeated the surface of the hemisphere. Countless arms extended from its surface, fiercely grabbing at the mass of wings.In an instant, the outermost layer of the mass of wings tore and became damaged. The surrounding Elementals swarmed like bloodthirsty flies, voraciously devouring the damaged wings.With an army of Elementals attacking from the front and countless arms tearing at them from behind, that pitch-black mass of wings showed no intention to fight back. It struggled and dashed as if it didn't know the meaning of pain, like a shark caught in a fishing net, desperate for survival.Zhong Chengshuo, once again disguised as Yin Ren through his imagination, was hidden deep within the mass of wings. He widened his eyes, desperately trying to activate his true sight and survey the surrounding situation.Zhong Chengshuo could understand Yin Ren's thoughts.With the sudden loss of Hu Tao as its vessel, Love had no time to react. If they delayed any longer, Huang Jin and Ge Tingting might become its new targets.To preserve their trump card, they had to escape as quickly as possible.The surrounding army of Elementals was numerous, but they couldn't withstand the massive size of the wings. In an instant, the eyeball barrier shattered, and countless limbs were twisted off.Various attacks came rushing at them, but the mass of wings consumed all the physical attacks, rendering emotional resonance and cognitive distortion useless. The encirclement of the Elementals was on the verge of collapse.Seeing the unfavorable situation, the giant hemisphere within the white net finally reacted.Bang!A horrifying dull sound came from the depths of the giant hemisphere.The arms on the surface of the hemisphere wildly extended, almost piercing through that black mass like countless arrows. One of the arms almost grazed Zhong Chengshuo as it passed through.Zhong Chengshuo placed one hand on the Karma Lantern and tightly clenched his fist with the other hand.Bang!An indescribable sense of oppression rose from the interior of the hemisphere. It was so close that it made one's hair stand on end, yet it felt distant, as if it was in another space.Countless arms seemed to beinjected with chicken blood*. That black mass was torn apart by one-third. However, Yin Ren didn't let go of the person he was holding tightly, nor did he slow down their escape. With a kind of almost fanatical determination, he bit down on one direction, voraciously devouring the nearby Elementals.*Metaphor referring to become excited or insane.Zhong Chengshuo held onto the lantern tightly.Seeing the mass of wings he normally cautiously embraced being torn apart, Zhong Chengshuo felt so devastated that even breathing became difficult. But he had to observe everything, not missing any details.Bang!Countless arms entangled and transformed into several giant hands, fiercely squeezing the black mass.At the same time, a breach finally appeared in the encirclement of the Elementals. Like a breached flood, the sea of wings broke free from the encirclement and swiftly flowed down from the web crawling with Elementals, rushing towards the distance.Then it disappeared without a trace.As soon as they had transferred to a relatively safe area, Yin Ren returned to his human form. His skin and flesh turned over, creating a terrifying appearance.Once everyone's consciousness in Shian was restored, Yin Ren's gaze directly locked onto Huang Jin. Quickly escort everyone out.Love's plan to trap them had failed, and it would undoubtedly send its Elementals to search in all directions. From Lu Xiaohe's mother to over a hundred missing individuals, Yin Ren brought them out of the cocoon, and they couldn't be left unattended.Qi Xin decisively released the body she was possessing, revealing her figure in the mist and using her foot to nudge Huang Jin, who was lying limp on the ground.She cast an annoyed glance at the numerous missing individuals scattered on the ground, then looked over at Yin Ren, covered in wounds. It was unnecessary. You wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state.The sorrier, the better, Yin Ren said.For humans, perhaps, Qi Xin replied.Qi Xin stepped over the bodies of the missing individuals and stopped in front of Yin Ren. Her face was as cold as snow, and her voice shifted to a mental transmission.I trained you not to win over Love with flowery words. You should suppress it comprehensively, destroy it head-onthat's the Fear I expect from you.A smile appeared on Yin Ren's heavily scarred face. Yes, I should have given it my all just now to show you clearlysee what Love wants to do, and what exactly I am, so that you can choose the next course of action.Qi Xin narrowed her eyes.Please send these people away, Qi Xin, Yin Ren said with a smile on his face, but there was no humor in his voice. I'm sorry, but at least for now, I can't give you any reason to not lean towards Love.Indeed, Fear without a brain is more reasonable, she sighed softly. I have only one requestI will stay, Yin Ren interrupted. Not just to heal my injuries, but also to remain on the Other Side.Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengshuo took a few steps, supporting the heavily injured Yin Ren and silently showing his support.Qi Xin didn't waste any more words. With a sigh, the group was teleported to the courtyard of the Lonely cats.Keep watch around us, Qi Xin threw a command to Gao Mengyu's cat.Amidst the curious crowd, Qi Xin once again contorted her body. Accompanied by successive explosions, her flesh twisted into a horrifying ring. Within the distorted scene, gradually transforming into a vortex, it connected to the Other Side passage beneath Shian.The first to be sent out were the missing individuals.One by one, the weak people were sent away from the Other Side, awaiting Shian's rescue. When it came time to send Lu Xiaohe's mother, Yin Ren stopped Lu Xiaohe, who was helping with the evacuation.He placed his hand on Lu Xiaohe's mother's chest, and red silk surged, permeating into her body like clouds and mist.She'll be fine. Yin Ren's voice softened. After she's out, have Shian's people take a look. Xiaohe Jie, your wish has been fulfilled.Lu Xiaohe opened her mouth, seeming to have countless words she wanted to say, but nothing came out.In the end, she just nodded heavily, holding her mother, and left the Other Side.Ge Tingting pulled the unconscious Huang Jin. Yin Ge, youI'll be fine. You all should go back and rest, Yin Ren said with another smile. After learning so much on the Other Side, it's time for you to inform Shian as well.Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren with a complicated gaze.Currently, they needed Qi Xin's assistance to enter and exit the Other Side. Considering Qi Xin's lack of empathy towards humans, if she were to break ties with Yin Ren, the people left behind wouldn't know how long it would take for them to leave.Well, bring Xiao Zheng and Chengfeng with you too. They've remembered what had accumulated over the years. Meng Huai crossed her arms and spoke casually. I'll stay behind to guard. Shian needs someone on the frontlines.I'm not leaving. You need a partner. Zhong Chengfeng shook her head. I know what you're worried aboutyou're afraid that if you go back, you won't want to come back again.Meng Huai clicked her tongue. It's been so many years. A little delay in going back won't make a difference. You talk too much.Whether I'm willing or not, it's the same for you, she muttered under her breath.The missing individuals sank into their dreams, one by one disappearing into the passage. Strangely, no one showed a joyful expressiontime on the Other Side was almost stagnant, while time in the outside world passed leisurely. At this moment, it might not be considered a definitive and satisfactory conclusion.Zhong Chengshuo surveyed his surroundings. The courtyard that was filled with people moments ago now appeared empty. Apart from Yin Ren, himself, and Qi Xin, the three remaining Elementals, there were only Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng, Fu Tianyi, and Dr. Cat.At least the task of finding people is over.Fu Tianyi took a deep breath. He stood up straight, showing a bit of the dignity of the Fu family.I'm sorry I wasn't of much help this time. Next timeA sharp screech from the Lonelies came from the outside world. Qi Xin's twisted ring trembled, and the vortex in the center fluctuated violently. Then the flesh ring deformed and expanded, accompanied by the squeezing sound of space closing, and the exit vanished without a trace.At the same time, the courtyard gradually became shrouded in shadows as a large number of Elementals rushed toward it.The Lonely cats ran around the ground, picking up tablecloths and kittens, trying to hide themselves behind larger cats.The largest LonelyGao Mengyu's catquickly moved, using Yin Ren to block its massive self.Fu Tianyi: ?What about his way back home?They're pretty quick. Yin Ren sneered. Meng Jie, it's too dangerous for you to stay with us. It's best to leave early.Meng Huai lifted her eyelids. Oh.She took out a large amount of Elemental flesh and smeared it on the ground, expanding and contracting it.In the next moment, the earth trembled, and the surrounding space cracked like fish scales. Zhong Chengshuo instinctively held onto Yin Ren, and the two of them were then pressed down by a large pile of sticky flesh and limbs. After struggling for a while, they finally managed to poke their heads out from under the group of cats.Before them, astonishingly, was Meng Huai's stronghold.Fu Tianyi held Dr. Cat in his arms with an expression mixed with conflict and bitterness. The entire courtyard of Lonely cats was crammed into the room, making the once spacious room feel somewhat crowded. The Lonely cats stood dazed for a moment before curiously crawling around.In an instant, the original small courtyard was empty, leaving only one person.Qi Xin looked up, meeting the incoming army of Elementals head-on.Heh, humans, Qi Xin remarked.She rolled her eyes and disappeared into the depths of the mist.
