The Fated One stood quietly, waiting for Jiang Luo to vanish.
But after a few seconds, nothing happened. Instead, Jiang Luo, lips curved in a mocking smile, flipped his hand around and gripped the Fated One’s arm—preventing him from escaping.
“Fated One,” he said with mock surprise, “how come I haven’t left?”
The Fated One frowned and lowered his head.
The red mole on Jiang Luo’s left hand, the connection between the two Jiang Luos, had already been erased by him.
But why, after severing the connection, had Jiang Luo not disappeared?
A flicker of confusion flashed through the Fated One’s eyes.
But the next second, a wave of intense pain burst from his chest, cutting off his thoughts. A pale, slender ghost hand had pierced clean through his torso, dripping with blood. The ghost hand was being corroded by the Fated One’s blood, revealing bone beneath the flesh.
A cold aura approached from behind. The malicious ghost stood there silently, his shadow casting over the Fated One. “Who are you trying to send away, Fated One?”
The ghostly aura was vicious, like it wanted to devour everything. The Fated One opened his mouth, but only mouthfuls of blood came gushing out. Every drop that landed on the ghost’s hand released searing white smoke.
Chi You yanked his hand out forcefully, throwing the Fated One to the ground. He didn’t even spare him a glance, immediately raising his hand to grab Jiang Luo.
The strength in the malicious ghost’s grip was terrifying, nearly crushing Jiang Luo’s hand. Jiang Luo knew that what the Fated One had just done had touched Chi You’s reverse scale — his ultimate taboo. Right now, Jiang Luo leaving was the one thing that could truly drive this malicious ghost into madness.
Without hesitation, Jiang Luo grabbed his hand in return. He stared straight into Chi You’s cold eyes and said firmly, “He can’t send me away. My soul is bound by a Soul-locking Chain, a twin weapon to the Soul-hooking Chain in Bai Wuchang’s possession. Anyone trying to manipulate my soul will fail.”
At that moment, Jiang Luo was immensely grateful to Cyril and Hei Wuchang — grateful that his soul was unique enough to be entangled by the Soul-locking Chain.
He couldn’t imagine what would’ve happened to this world — or to Chi You — if he had really been sent back.
The determined look in Jiang Luo’s eyes seemed to calm the malicious ghost. Chi You’s expression gradually softened.
It wasn’t the time for words. Jiang Luo gave Chi You’s hand a slight squeeze, then stepped over to the Fated One’s side.
The white-haired false god laid silently on the ground.
A gaping hole had been torn through his chest. Blood was flowing freely, soaking the yellow earth a dark, ominous red.
His expression was frozen in that final moment of shock — he hadn’t anticipated Chi You’s sudden strike. His snow-colored eyes were wide open, white brows and lashes matted with streaks of blood.
The Fated One… seemed to be dead.
Jiang Luo couldn’t believe he’d died that easily. He knew well the importance of “finishing the job” — without another word, he drove his blade into the Fated One’s heart again.
The Fated One remained completely motionless, like any ordinary corpse. Jiang Luo reached out to check his breath — there was none.
He felt for the pulse at the side of his neck.
No movement. No heartbeat.
Silence fell over the mountain. All noise vanished, even the chirping of birds was gone. Everyone watched Jiang Luo’s actions, holding their breath, waiting for the outcome.
Jiang Luo inhaled deeply, a delayed euphoria rising in his chest. He turned to the crowd, his grin growing wider without realizing it. “He’s dead.”
“The Fated One is dead.”
For a moment, everyone stood in stunned silence. Then came the outburst — cheers, sobs, roars of joy, and the release of long-suppressed rage and pain. Liao Si collapsed completely to the ground, chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Between coughs, he joyfully babbled to Huali, “Huali, the Fated One’s dead! He’s finally dead! I can get a new body now!”
Huali slowly eased his own pain, face pale as he turned to look at the corpse, the corner of his lips curling with satisfaction. “Serves him right!”
More full of hatred than either of them, Ge Wuchen wept bitterly. He clutched Ge Zhu tightly, trembling as he stroked his face and hair, his hands shaking, torn between joy and grief. “Ge Zhu, the Fated One’s dead. You can’t die. You mustn’t die!”
Ge Zhu parted his lips, feeling hot tears falling onto his face. His eyes grew increasingly dull and lifeless.
Hearing this, Jiang Luo stood up at once and said to Ge Wuchen, “Quick, take Ge Zhu to Cyril — have him call upon a god to heal him!”
Ge Wuchen came to his senses, hastily carrying Ge Zhu in his arms and stumbling up the mountain, footsteps frantic.
Jiang Luo rose and summoned Chen Dragon, instructing it to fly Ge Wuchen and Ge Zhu to the mountaintop. Chen Dragon huffed irritably but reluctantly flew toward them.
Only after doing all this did Jiang Luo turn a complicated gaze to the Fated One’s corpse. He looked back at Chi You and asked, “Can you devour his soul?”
In a world of fantasy like this, Jiang Luo wanted to eliminate even the possibility of the Fated One becoming a ghost.
Chi You showed a look of annoyance. “I’ll try using the ghost mark.”
The ghost mark, though once the Fated One’s evil po, had long been tamed by Chi You. Even if the Fated One died, the mark wouldn’t vanish.
But after jumping into the Dragon Spring, Chi You’s ghost mark had been almost completely cleansed. Jiang Luo was worried whether it would still work.
Moments later, the ghost mark, much faded and shrunken, weakly crawled back onto Chi You’s hand.
Jiang Luo finally let out a small sigh of relief, then glanced at Ji Yaozi and Feng Li — and frowned slightly.
Why were the two of them on the mountain of Dazhao Temple?
But he and Chi You had just killed their father. It felt awkward to go ask now, so he pretended not to see them and continued speaking to Chi You.
“His prophecy still came true,” Jiang Luo said. “You killed him.”
The Fated One, named after fate, still couldn’t escape it in the end. If he hadn’t made that prophecy about himself long ago, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
Fate…
Such a mysterious thing.
Chi You had just curled his lips, about to respond — but his smile suddenly vanished.
Jiang Luo keenly noticed the shift in his expression. “What’s wrong?”
A shadow rose in Chi You’s eyes. “The curse on me hasn’t lifted.”
Jiang Luo froze.
The Fated One had once cast a curse on the direct bloodline of the Chi family — they could not harm the collateral branches. If the Fated One were dead, that curse should have vanished.
But since it hadn’t… there could only be one explanation—
Both Jiang Luo and Chi You turned to look at the Fated One. “He’s not dead?!”
Jiang Luo cursed under his breath in frustration. “But he clearly wasn’t breathing!”
Chi You stared deeply at the Fated One, lost in thought.
Jiang Luo began pacing anxiously, doubt creeping in. Had he misunderstood what Hei Wuchang said?
“Bi Gan had his heart dug out… encountered a vegetable seller on the road… a person without a heart will die…”
What did it mean?
Jiang Luo racked his brain, a headache forming, when Chi You suddenly asked, “A person without a heart will die?”
Jiang Luo repeated what Hei Wuchang had once told him.
Chi You also thought of Bi Gan’s heart being removed—and then quickly remembered how fiercely the Fated One had protected Ji Yaozi. A meaningful glance passed to Ji Yaozi.
Jiang Luo followed his gaze and locked eyes with Ji Yaozi’s stunned ones.
“Feng Li was seen by the Fated One as his next body, which means Ji Yaozi might very well be the vessel for his heart,” the malicious ghost said slowly. “What do you say, Ji Yaozi?”
Ji Yaozi had been eavesdropping on their conversation. The moment he heard the phrase “a person without a heart will die,” he had already begun to suspect. Now, with Chi You’s confirmation, his heart plummeted.
His lips opened and closed, but he couldn’t say a single word in denial.
Somewhere deep down, he knew Chi You was right.
His heart… was the Fated One’s heart.
All the fog suddenly cleared, revealing an ugly, hideous truth.
Why couldn’t he find any trace of his mother’s existence? Because those memories were fake. He never had a mother. He was just a heart vessel for the Fated One.
Why did the Fated One insist on taking him along even when fleeing the Lian family? Why so many shikigami assigned to protect him? Everything, from the smallest detail, had pointed to the truth all along.
Ji Yaozi should’ve felt hatred, fear—but once he fully grasped the truth, all he felt was desolation.
He could forge tools because the Fated One could. His instinctive fear and obedience toward the Fated One… maybe it was because of this heart.
But then—why did the Fated One let him develop his own thoughts, his own will?
In that instant, Ji Yaozi thought of a lot. Or maybe nothing at all.
He gave a bitter laugh. “I think you’re right.”
Behind him, Feng Li suddenly stepped closer and placed a hand on Ji Yaozi’s shoulder.
Ji Yaozi thought he was offering comfort. He smiled faintly in a daze, his expression gradually clearing, tone tinged with melancholy understanding. “If my heart really is the Fated One’s, then dig it out now. If we wait any longer, I might turn into the next Fated One.”
Jiang Luo: “Old Ji…”
But before he could say more, Ji Yaozi interrupted him with a laugh—clear and bold, completely unlike his usual low-key demeanor. “Jiang Luo, you’re my kind of guy! You might not know, but I’ve always admired you! Think about it—we really have some fate between us. I forged your Yin-Yang hoop, taught you how to use it, then somehow even taught you spirit channeling. Honestly, that qualifies me to be your Master.”
Jiang Luo responded cleanly and without hesitation: “Master.”
He had called Feng Li “Teacher*”, but now called Ji Yaozi “Master” willingly, from the heart.
* oops may have translated some parts before wrong; please don’t mind
Ji Yaozi blinked, then beamed. “Aye!” he answered, loud and proud, before turning with a grin to tease Feng Li. “I’m not stealing your disciple, okay?”
Feng Li stared at him in silence.
With joy still on his face, Ji Yaozi turned back to Jiang Luo. “As for the spirit channeling technique—whether you want to teach it to others, that’s up to you. But if you do, make sure to keep your eyes open and judge their character. Don’t go teaching it only to starve your Master in the end. I trust your judgment. After I die, just sell that funeral shop. That place reeks of death—not something a young person should get involved with.”
Jiang Luo was momentarily speechless. His throat bobbed with a swallow. “Alright.”
Ji Yaozi had never talked this much before. Now he was speaking endlessly with everyone.
He had lived forty years, always alone. His earlier life was not happy—he’d never felt truly at ease. His spirit had always been heavy and repressed, like being trapped in an underground tunnel with no sunlight. Though he disagreed with the Fated One’s ideology, he had still abetted him. That guilt weighed heavily on Ji Yaozi, especially toward Chi You.
But today, at last, he could be his true self. He could do what needed to be done—for Chi You, and for everyone.
All the past mediocrity and sin felt cleansed in this moment. Ji Yaozi stood tall, looking at everyone present. He didn’t want Chi You to be the one to kill him—not again. Chi You didn’t need more blood on his hands.
So he turned toward Feng Li. “Heavenly Master Feng, please send me on my way.”
Feng Li silently nodded and placed his hand over Ji Yaozi’s chest.
As a human, Feng Li shouldn’t have been able to reach into Ji Yaozi’s chest—but Ji Yaozi didn’t seem to notice. He closed his eyes, lips trembling. He took one last look at the sky, then at the thick canopy of leaves, and finally down at the yellow dirt of the mountain path.
He whispered, so soft it was almost inaudible: “What a shame… it’s not a clear day.”
Ji Yaozi closed his eyes. “Heavenly Master, go ahead.”
A hollow light flashed in Feng Li’s eyes. His palm suddenly clenched and pierced through Ji Yaozi’s flesh, grasping the vibrant, beating heart.
The malicious ghost shut its eyes and gave Feng Li one final hypnotic command: crush it.
Feng Li abruptly tightened his grip.
Ji Yaozi’s eyes rolled back, and without a sound, his breath ceased. At the exact moment Ji Yaozi’s heart was crushed, Chi You felt the curse that had been entangling him vanish.
The Fated One was completely dead.
The gloomy clouds in the sky slowly dispersed, and sunlight poured down upon the land. It had come a step too late—after the sun had been hidden by darkness, the clear day revealed itself.
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