When Duan Xu opened his eyes, the morning light fell into them, causing mild pain. But this pain was quickly overwhelmed by the ache throughout his body, especially in his chest, making it seem negligible by comparison. Thanks to his diminished senses over the years, his perception of pain was not as intense as before. Wounds that once required him to grit his teeth now seemed bearable.

Some memories gradually returned to his mind. He recalled the chaotic sound of hooves in the night, flying arrows, enemies at the mountain, being surrounded and then breaking through. His memory froze on the arrow coming straight at him. He raised his hand to touch the bandage on his chest, understanding he must have been wounded there.

What a dangerous situation—these people seemed to have targeted him specifically.

He turned his head to call for Chen Ying but saw a woman sitting in the room. Morning light filtered through the paper door onto the floor between them. She wore dark red robes and sat in the shadows, looking at him faintly through the floating dust. The atmosphere around her seemed different than usual.

Duan Xu thought, “This isn’t good. Didn’t Simu say she wouldn’t be coming to see him during this period?”

Seeing him awake, He Simu didn’t speak.

Duan Xu called somewhat guiltily, “Simu?”

Her features were indistinct in the shadows. After a long silence, she finally said, “You were trapped for three days.”

“Ah, that was…”

“Three entire days. Why didn’t you ask me for help?”

He Simu’s voice was very calm. Duan Xu couldn’t quite gauge her emotions, only sensing that she might be angry. He mustered some strength to smile and said, “Victory and defeat are common in war. It’s not my first time being trapped. If I called you every time, you’d be constantly bothered.”

He Simu didn’t respond. The room was filled with silence, making even the chirping of insects and birds outside seem noisy.

Duan Xu began to feel uneasy. He continued, “Besides, if you came to save me, you’d only save me alone, maybe bringing Chen Ying too at most. I’m the commander of an army—how could I abandon my troops and leave?”

As he spoke, he used his arms to support himself, struggling to sit up in bed. In that instant, He Simu suddenly moved. She stood up and appeared beside Duan Xu in a flash, her red robes fluttering in the morning light. She sat on his waist, pressed her hands on his shoulders, and pushed him back down onto the bed.

Duan Xu was stunned. Looking up at He Simu, he realized her eyes were completely black, and ghost energy surrounded her. Usually, when she appeared beside him, she was always careful to suppress her ghost energy, but today was completely different.

“Did I… say something wrong?” Duan Xu felt something was amiss.

He Simu slowly leaned down. Her cool long hair fell along the sides of his face, and the blackness in her eyes receded, revealing clear whites. She smiled slightly and said, “You didn’t say anything wrong. Thinking carefully, you’ve never called for me when you truly needed help.”

While Duan Xu was puzzled, she suddenly lowered her head and captured his lips. The kiss wasn’t gentle—it was fierce. She pried open his lips and entangled her tongue with his. He was forced to tilt his head back, his breathing so chaotic he couldn’t catch his breath. Saliva that he couldn’t swallow in time flowed down his neck. He raised his arms but was immediately pinned down by He Simu. She pressed her body down harder, with greater force, as if desperately trying to find something in him, or as if trying to capture his soul and take his life in this moment.

“It hurts… hurts…” Duan Xu mumbled during a brief pause. Only then did He Simu relax her grip. Looking down, she saw that the bandage around his chest was seeping with fresh blood.

“Cough, cough… Though I’d like to… I’m seriously injured right now…” Duan Xu said, coughing and laughing.

When he coughed, his chest trembled slightly, as if the beating heart inside was also trembling. He Simu looked down at the bloodstain on the bandage, deep emotions contained in her eyes. After a moment, she said softly, “The living are so fragile.”

Too fragile to withstand the storms, too brief to last long.

Best not to covet, only to increase the pain of parting.

He Simu turned her eyes to Duan Xu and said, “When I kissed you just now, I felt nothing.”

She was almost pressed against him, her eyes close to his. A beautiful pair of phoenix eyes with a small mole below, but there was not a hint of emotion in them, like the frozen surface of the sea. Duan Xu was stunned. His unease grew stronger, so he reached out to embrace her back.

“Whatever feeling you want, I can give it to you right now,” he still smiled easily, as if the person who had just narrowly escaped death wasn’t him.

He Simu gazed at him quietly, then caught his arm just as he was about to embrace her and slowly pressed it down. She shook her head and said flatly, “There’s no need. What isn’t mine, ultimately isn’t mine.”

No need.

Duan Xu was stunned.

She turned and got off the bed, standing in the bright morning light beside the bed, looking down at him. Dust danced in the sunlight, her long hair and eyelashes tinged with gold, yet there was no shadow of her in the light. She looked into Duan Xu’s eyes, without any emotion, as if stating a fact: “Let’s end it here, Duan Xu.”

Duan Xu was shocked. This time, ignoring the pain, he propped himself up and said, “What did you say?”

“I said, let’s end it here.” He Simu repeated word by word.

She gave no reason, no explanation, and disappeared in a burst of brilliant light.

“He Simu! He Simu, Simu!” Duan Xu called her name frantically, trying to get up from the bed, but fell back.

Chen Ying heard the commotion and pushed open the door, rushing in to support Duan Xu, exclaiming happily, “Third Brother, you’re awake!”

Duan Xu was coughing violently. Supported by Chen Ying’s hand, he couldn’t speak, only covering his mouth with a tightly furrowed brow, then vomiting blood, spattering the floor. Chen Ying was startled, patting his back, and said anxiously, “What’s happening? Sister Xiaoxiao didn’t exchange senses with you this time. Why are you having an attack…”

Duan Xu grabbed his arm, and raised his head to look at Chen Ying, blood on his lips startlingly red: “Did you tell her about my illness?”

“No! I promise I didn’t say a word. I didn’t tell Sister Xiaoxiao anything!”

Duan Xu relaxed slightly. His chest heaved violently as he tried to steady his breathing, and then suddenly his body went rigid. He slowly raised his head to look at Chen Ying, at the room behind Chen Ying, his gaze gradually filling with bewilderment and fear.

“I… can’t see…”

The threads of wind, wandering souls, ghost energy—all gone.

He Simu had taken back the world seen through evil ghost eyes that she had given him.

—Let’s end it here.

Duan Xu lowered his eyes, looking at the bed curtains stained red with his blood, and laughed in disbelief, saying softly, “Impossible… she can’t be… serious, why?”

Why?

General Duan, pulled back from the brink of death, fainted again during his first awakening due to emotional distress. He hadn’t noticed that when he saw He Simu this time, the Ghost King’s Lantern jade pendant at her waist was missing.

Shi Biao bore the main responsibility for Duan Xu’s entrapment this time. Originally, Duan Xu had anticipated a possible ambush and changed their route while arranging for Shi Biao’s troops to provide support. Unfortunately, Shi Biao, having won a beautiful victory in You Prefecture and without Duan Xu to supervise him, couldn’t resist celebrating with wine. Once he started drinking, he lost all restraint and became completely drunk, missing the time to provide support, which led to Duan Xu’s dangerous situation.

Fortunately, Zhao Xing had prepared a backup force out of concern, and detecting something amiss, immediately went to provide support, rescuing Duan Xu’s cavalry. Shi Biao was extremely remorseful and requested a hundred lashes as punishment, waiting in the camp prison for further discipline.

After Duan Xu woke up, he called for Shi Biao and told him that the fighting in You Prefecture was still fierce and that Shi Biao, apart from himself and Chen Ying, was the person most familiar with the Feather Formation Vehicles. Rushing to be punished now was senseless; he should hurry to the front lines. They would settle accounts after the war situation eased.

Shi Biao, with reddened eyes, swore that he would never touch alcohol again. If he drank even once more, he would cut off one of his fingers.

After sending Shi Biao to the front lines, Duan Xu temporarily remained in Qi Prefecture, reviewing battle reports from all directions and arranging troops from the rear. This time, Zhao Xing had been a great help to Duan Xu, making him see Zhao Xing in a new light. He discovered that Zhao Xing had considerable military talent and remained calm in the face of events, understanding what was right.

The Emperor’s refusal to let him enter the Southern Capital for investiture had helped Duan Xu.

After seeing Duan Xu wake up again, Chen Ying never mentioned He Simu in front of him, only asking what had happened during the days he was unconscious. He told Duan Xu that Sister Xiaoxiao had helped find the antidote, and nothing else special had occurred.

Hearing this, Duan Xu merely nodded and immersed himself in busy military affairs, appearing as he always did—smiling, decisive in battle. Chen Ying felt that something must have happened between his Third Brother and Sister Xiaoxiao, but didn’t know exactly what.

The news came from the front line that the Dan army had suddenly become as fierce as tigers, fighting back bravely and skillfully, actually able to resist the Feather Formation Vehicles with flesh and blood. Two of the three important towns that had been captured were back in Dan’s hands. Shi Biao and Wu Sheng Liu were still leading troops in a desperate struggle.

This news arrived in the morning. In the afternoon, the former Imperial Tutor He Jia Feng Yi knocked on the door of Duan Xu’s recovery quarters in Qi Prefecture.

He Jia Feng Yi, accompanied by his beautiful silent attendant Zi Ji, asked for Zhao Xing’s fine tea and drank it leisurely. He said the Dan army was summoning ghosts to possess their soldiers to enhance human strength, disregarding natural principles and ethics. The cultivators from the immortal sects would not stand idly by and would go to the You Prefecture front to exorcise ghosts.

“General Duan need not worry. This calamity will be eliminated within ten days. Originally, that treacherous ghost realm minister was too greedy, extending his hand into the human realm.”

Duan Xu was still injured. He coughed twice and said, “You were originally just watching from the sidelines, but he’s now interfering in human affairs, clearly provoking you to stand on Simu’s side. Why would Yan Ke do something that harms others without benefiting himself?”

He Jia Feng Yi narrowed his eyes, mysteriously saying, “Who knows?”

Duan Xu was silent for a moment, then asked as if casually, “How is… Simu lately?”

He Jia Feng Yi sighed and said, “She forbade me to tell you about her affairs.”

“…Is she avoiding me?”

“Haha, the Ancestral One would never avoid anyone.” He Jia Feng Yi’s words seemed to hint at something, his eyes full of regret.

Duan Xu looked at him, his eyes flickering as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he only smiled slightly.

That night, Chen Ying was sent by Duan Xu to secretly take a jar of wine from Zhao Xing. Chen Ying anxiously carried the wine into Duan Xu’s room and saw him looking sick but waiting in high spirits, which made him feel both strange and bewildered.

Chen Ying said softly, “Third Brother, the doctor said you shouldn’t drink alcohol now.”

“Whatever the doctor says goes? That’s so boring. Am I such an obedient person?” Duan Xu said matter-of-factly.

“Then why not just openly ask for it instead of making me sneak it!”

“Shi Biao just said he’s giving up alcohol. If I drink here and word gets out, it wouldn’t look good.”

Duan Xu explained casually, saying he wanted to test Chen Ying’s alcohol tolerance, and began drinking with him. Because he was used to keeping his senses alert, Duan Xu rarely drank alcohol, and when he couldn’t avoid it, he secretly switched it out. Chen Ying also rarely drank, but who knew he was naturally able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk? After drinking for a long time, he wasn’t drunk, but Duan Xu was already tipsy.

Duan Xu lay on the table, seemingly burying his head in the crook of his arm with a headache, moaning softly and indistinctly. Chen Ying worriedly leaned over, pushing his arm and asking what was wrong, only to hear him calling indistinctly—He Simu.

He rarely called her by her full name like this. In the past, whenever he called her this way, Sister Xiaoxiao would immediately appear beside them.

Chen Ying thought his Third Brother must be talking in his drunken state. Previously, Sister Xiaoxiao had even become angry when his Third Brother called her in his sleep. So he immediately looked around, wondering where Sister Xiaoxiao would appear this time.

However, there was only the dim candlelight and the shadows of him and Duan Xu. Until Duan Xu’s voice became increasingly hoarse, He Simu did not appear.

Chen Ying turned back anxiously and noticed that the sleeve under Duan Xu’s eyes was already wet.

“Third Brother… what’s wrong?” he asked nervously.

Duan Xu was silent for a long time. During this silence, he no longer called for He Simu, nor did he say anything else. Then he laughed lightly and spoke in his usual casual tone.

“It’s over. I’ve probably been truly abandoned.”

His tone seemed joking, but his voice was trembling.

Chen Ying was stunned. He suddenly realized that Duan Xu wasn’t drunk at all—drinking was just an excuse to see Sister Xiaoxiao.

But she didn’t come.

Could it be that she would never come again?