Lian Xue’s eyes were pleading, and her tears wouldn’t stop.
Ever since she was ordered by the Fated One to attack Jiang Luo, she had seen the truth of everything.
She had already lived through the collapse of her world. She didn’t want her junior brothers and sisters to suffer the same. She didn’t understand the decisions of the elders—but as the senior disciple, she wanted to protect them.
Her desperate gaze, Lian Bing’s maddened state, the screaming of the others, and the blood that flowed freely—all of it was seared into Daoist Elder Wei He’s heart.
His resolve wavered more and more.
Jiang Luo took one look at Daoist Elder Wei He and immediately knew: he was going through a spiritual crisis.
Good, he thought. The harsher the crisis, the better. Maybe it’ll finally clear that muddled brain of his.
He didn’t bother with it—after telling Huali to just stand aside and watch without interfering, he returned to his room and slurped down the beef noodles, not leaving a single drop of soup behind.
That evening, Jiang Luo came to collect all the things he had brought from No Worldly Thoughts. But aside from his phone and wallet, the Yuan Tian Bead had already been taken by Chi You.
Even though he had known full well that Chi You would never let go of the opportunity to take the Yuan Tian Bead, Jiang Luo still couldn’t help but roll his eyes hard.
D*mn b*stard, he thought. That’s my spoil of war, and he didn’t even say a word before taking it.
Chi You had now absorbed three Yuan Tian Beads. The last one was still hidden by Jiang Luo at Baihua University.
Chi You had things to deal with and went to another room. Taking advantage of being alone, and with the room still having a weak signal, Jiang Luo made a call to Wenren Lian.
The call was quickly answered. Jiang Luo didn’t waste time and quickly told Wenren Lian everything that had happened over the past two days. “Wenren, I need you to help me with two things.”
Wenren Lian asked, “What are they?”
“First, help me check if Ji Yaozi has returned to the funeral parlor, and also look into his background for me.”
Wenren Lian replied readily, “No problem.”
“Second, help me find out where the Fated One has escaped to.” Jiang Luo paused. “Just do your best. After all, he’s seriously injured now, so he’s bound to be hiding somewhere extremely secluded to heal.”
Wenren Lian: “You’re planning to strike while he’s down?”
“Exactly,” Jiang Luo answered straightforwardly. “We’ve finally got the upper hand—I’m not going to miss this chance.”
Wenren Lian thought for a moment and said honestly, “Jiang Luo, although I’ve got a lot of connections, tracking the Fated One’s whereabouts is still pretty difficult. Instead of relying on me, why don’t you ask the government for help?”
Jiang Luo was taken aback for a moment, then started to seriously consider the idea.
Over the past few days, Wenren Lian had been either at school or busy with matters related to the Bureau of Paranormal Research. As time went on, his confidence in the government’s capabilities had grown. “We’re with the Bureau now. You’re even a team leader, responsible for all things related to the metaphysical world. Since the Fated One’s prophecy involves the future of metaphysics, that clearly falls under our jurisdiction. Whether his prophecy is true or false, it’s a serious matter—we have to get to the bottom of it. As long as we explain our reasoning clearly, the government definitely won’t just stand by and watch. And if it’s the government searching for someone, they’re way more effective than me.”
Jiang Luo’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. He muttered, “That makes sense.”
The Fated One had caused such a stir just to hide his real intentions—he was already disturbing the peace of the metaphysical world. Jiang Luo could now search for him openly and justifiably.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed, and Jiang Luo got excited.
If the government helped out, not only could they track down the Fated One, they could also dig up all his followers and completely cut off his supply of offerings.
Even better—Jiang Luo could represent the state as a team leader from the Bureau, and Chi You represented the ghost realm. If the two of them joined forces, wouldn’t the Fated One have no escape, even if he grew wings?
“I’ll write up a report and submit it tomorrow,” Jiang Luo decided immediately. “This can’t be delayed. The Fated One’s chaos, all for the sake of godhood, has thrown the metaphysical world into upheaval—he’s more dangerous than Chi You. Chi You only wants revenge on the metaphysical world because of him. Once we kill him, I’ll stop Chi You from destroying the metaphysical world, and everything will finally settle down.”
Wenren Lian agreed, “That’s right.”
After discussing business, Wenren Lian teased with a smile, “So… what’s it like being lovers with Chi You?”
When Jiang Luo had explained to Wenren Lian about becoming Chi You’s lover, he had emphasized all the reasons why he had to agree—mentioning the constraints of the Yin-Yang hoop, sacrificing himself to feed ghosts, etc.—speaking with solemn righteousness and not touching on his own feelings at all. He didn’t even know why he explained so much, but once he had finished, he quickly changed the topic, not wanting to linger on it.
Now, hearing Wenren Lian bring it up again, Jiang Luo suddenly felt inexplicably guilty. He answered vaguely, “It’s whatever. You know we already had a falling-out once. Being together feels like shaking your own left hand with your right—no feeling at all.”
Wenren Lian didn’t believe it. “Really?”
He felt Jiang Luo’s attitude toward Chi You didn’t quite match what he was saying. After learning that Jiang Luo had absorbed half of the Fated One’s worship power and that Chi You had saved Jiang Luo’s life, Wenren Lian was no longer so against the two being together.
They didn’t actually dislike Chi You. It was just that after he turned into a malicious ghost, he felt both unfamiliar and unsettling to them. Their caution stemmed from the divide between the living and the dead.
But now Jiang Luo might not even count as fully human anymore, so there was no need to worry about the whole “human and ghost can’t be together” issue. Wenren Lian wasn’t the type to break up a couple. He asked the question mainly to probe Jiang Luo’s feelings toward Chi You.
Jiang Luo pretended to be totally indifferent. “For real. Once the Fated One’s dealt with, and Chi You gives up on destroying the metaphysical world, I’ll break up with him.”
Wenren Lian was quiet for a moment, thinking Jiang Luo was worried about their judgment. “You don’t have to do that, Jiang Luo. If you still like him, we can accept it. You’re not exactly an ordinary human anymore. If you end up with a longer-than-human lifespan, being with Chi You might actually be your best option.”
But Jiang Luo said firmly, “No, we’re going to break up.”
Hearing the resoluteness in his voice, Wenren Lian shrugged. “Alright then, I’ll be waiting for the day you break up.”
After the call ended, Jiang Luo sat in a daze for a while. Then he stood up and went out, planning to ask Teng Bi for a laptop so he could write his report. But as he walked, he somehow ended up in front of his new lover’s room.
Only when he stopped did he realize it, and he was just about to casually leave when the door suddenly opened.
Ge Wuchen smiled and gestured behind him, “Benefactor Jiang, Master invites you in.”
Jiang Luo froze for a second, then entered the room with an expressionless face.
The handsome malicious ghost was sitting at the desk. When he saw Jiang Luo, the corners of his lips lifted. “Missed me?”
Jiang Luo replied, “…I just walked into the wrong room.”
But since he was already inside, he didn’t bother being embarrassed. Thick-skinned as ever, he casually pulled out a chair and sat down. “What are you two plotting?”
Relying on his status as the lover, he asked without hesitation.
Ge Wuchen smiled but said nothing.
Chi You tapped his fingers on the table with elegance and said with a smile, “Ge Wuchen.”
Ge Wuchen immediately responded, “Benefactor Jiang, we’re discussing plans to deal with the Fated One. Now that he’s seriously injured, it’s time to act ahead of schedule.”
Jiang Luo, treating himself as part of the team, asked curiously, “What’s the plan?”
“The Fated One’s whereabouts are currently unknown, so we’re mobilizing all forces to track him down,” Ge Wuchen smiled slightly. “In addition to that, we’ve already subdued the followers of his that we could identify and cut off most of his sources of worship. We’re also using his remaining followers to try and trace his location.”
Their plan perfectly overlapped with what Jiang Luo had been intending.
Jiang Luo came to a realization. “I see.”
He even started to feel a bit sorry for the Fated One. Just think—whatever pitiful group of followers had managed to escape Chi You’s grasp would be sniffed out by the state next. Between the two forces, there wouldn’t be a single blade of grass left standing.
Ge Wuchen tried to hide it, but his voice still carried excitement. “We’ve spent so long setting all this up—finally, it’s time to close the net.”
Chi You, however, remained expressionless, his eyes deep and unreadable. “At the final hour, I don’t want any surprises.”
Ge Wuchen’s breath hitched, and he instantly sobered up. He pressed his hands together in front of his chest. “Amitabha. Please rest assured, Master. Liao Si and I have prepared for every contingency. And to be extra sure, Lisa will be acting with us over the next few days as well.”
With the report given, Ge Wuchen left quickly to attend to other matters. Jiang Luo stayed seated, one leg crossed over the other, rubbing his chin in thought. “Do you think the Fated One might be hiding in Changbai Mountain?”
After all, he’d lived on that mountain for decades. Hiding there now might be dangerous, but it could also be a calculated move—doing the opposite of what’s expected. Though he’d lost half his power, he was still a false god. If he set up an array, maybe only Chi You would be able to detect him.
Chi You stood up, his tall frame casting a long shadow. Step by step, he walked toward Jiang Luo. “Maybe.”
Jiang Luo was still seriously thinking through the Fated One’s possible escape routes. “He could’ve gone elsewhere too. Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows—Changbai Mountain can’t be his only fallback.”
Chi You had already walked right up to him. He bent down, one hand braced on the back of Jiang Luo’s chair, and chuckled lowly, “Maybe.”
Caught off guard by the shadow falling over him, Jiang Luo: “…”
Jiang Luo forced a smile, stood up to dodge him, and said, “It’s late. Time to sleep.”
Chi You slowly straightened, gazing at him meaningfully. “Together.”
That night, sure enough, Jiang Luo ended up sleeping with Chi You. It was their first time lying in the same bed without having sex. At first, Jiang Luo found it hard to get used to. He thought he’d be up all night with insomnia. But he overestimated himself—within half an hour, he’d passed out completely.
Around 2 a.m., Jiang Luo was suddenly awakened by pain.
The frequency of the pain was decreasing, and he was gradually able to retain his consciousness through it. But even so, the pain had him writhing on the bed.
The room was dark. As soon as Jiang Luo’s condition changed, Chi You pinned him down with brute strength, gripping his hands tightly to stop him from hurting himself. Jiang Luo gritted his teeth, blood spilling from his mouth as he groaned, “It hurts…”
His teeth chattered, the sound amplified in the silence.
Maybe it was the deep of night that made pain feel worse, but Jiang Luo cried from the intensity this time. He didn’t care what he looked like—he just thrashed, desperate to use some other pain to cancel out the agony in his body.
Chi You used one hand to hold down both of his wrists, his body like a mountain, suppressing every movement. He pried open Jiang Luo’s tightly clenched lips and forced his fingers into Jiang Luo’s mouth.
Jiang Luo bit down hard the next second.
Some dim thread of rationality told him it was Chi You’s finger—cold as ice.
Chi You was a stone statue. His fingers wouldn’t be damaged. Jiang Luo could bite down as much as he liked.
Biting on Chi You’s fingers, he vented his pain. In the haze, he vaguely heard a sizzling noise in his ears. It seemed like a long time, but also like no time at all. When his sweat had soaked the sheets, the pain finally began to ebb.
Jiang Luo slowly came back to his senses.
Breathing heavily, he tried to loosen his teeth and push Chi You’s fingers out with his tongue. But the moment his tongue touched it, he realized something was wrong.
The texture wasn’t right.
A foreboding feeling surged up. He lowered his head and looked.
Chi You withdrew his hand from Jiang Luo’s mouth. His once pale and slender fingers had become bare bone.
On the still-fleshy part, blood from Jiang Luo’s mouth had caused the flesh to corrode, releasing faint wisps of smoke.
Jiang Luo stared fixedly at Chi You’s hand.
What the h*ll happened?!
Chi You, unconcerned, wiped the blood off his fingers. Soon, the bony hand returned to its normal form.
Jiang Luo’s voice was hoarse. “What’s wrong with your hand?”
“You’re undergoing a transformation toward demi-godhood,” Chi You replied calmly. “Your blood naturally counteracts all malicious ghosts.”
Jiang Luo kept staring at his fingers, his expression shifting through a storm of emotions before settling into a dark, unpleasant scowl.
Teng Bi knocked on the door from outside. “Master, I’ve brought Daoist Elder Wei He.”
Chi You took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the blood from Jiang Luo’s lips, but the blood quickly soaked through the fabric, only making it dirtier with each pass. After wiping a few more times, he suddenly threw the handkerchief aside with a violent motion, his voice dark and low. “Come in.”
Teng Bi dragged Daoist Elder Wei He inside. The Daoist looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot. After being pulled to the bedside, he said nothing and silently began examining Jiang Luo’s body.
When the examination was over, Daoist Elder Wei He frowned. “I suggest a body tempering as soon as possible. If this continues, it will eventually harm his body.”
Jiang Luo rinsed out his mouth to wash away the taste of blood. “You’ve found a way?”
Daoist Elder Wei He was silent for a moment. His fists slowly clenched. He looked Jiang Luo in the eye—his hesitation turned into resolve. “The Dragon Vein.”
To speak of this method meant Daoist Elder Wei He had finally come around. Jiang Luo couldn’t help but smile as he recalled everything he knew about dragon veins.
Dragon Veins referred to undulating mountain ranges, winding and twisting like dragons.
If one were to talk about dragon veins—Changbai Mountain had one too.
Jiang Luo said, “Changbai Mountain…”
Daoist Elder Wei He took a deep breath and nodded. “The Fated One becoming a false god is related to the dragon vein in Changbai Mountain. Dragon veins are places where spiritual energy gathers—long considered auspicious and powerful. There is a dragon’s eye within the vein, containing the essence of the mountains. That can help you temper your body. If all goes well, after absorbing the energy from the dragon’s eye, you may also become a false god.”
But Jiang Luo didn’t want to become a false god.
He wanted to grow stronger—but becoming a god never interested him. On the contrary, because of the Fated One, he held a strong aversion to “false gods.” He’d rather become a ghost like Chi You than some mystical guardian of the metaphysical world.
Still, Daoist Elder Wei He’s words quickly reminded him of something else.
Jiang Luo mused aloud, “Chi You, you’ve been laying plans all this time but never directly acted against the Fated One. Besides his strength, does it also have to do with the dragon vein in Changbai Mountain? You can’t enter it, can you?”
“A dragon vein filled with dragon energy can naturally suppress malicious ghosts,” Daoist Elder Wei He said coldly. “But if it’s a dead vein, it has no effect on them at all.”
