Setting up the array and casting spells to force out that fish demon didn’t take much time. However, she kept struggling and resisting. Yan Qige simply used one move to beat her half to death, leaving her lying on the ground, only able to stare helplessly. Seeing Yan Qige put away the lantern and disperse the magic gathered at his fingertips, Yusang feared the fish demon might reveal what happened by the river, so she stepped forward first and delivered a vicious blow, ensuring she could never speak again.

“When did you develop such a righteous heart for eliminating demons?” Yan Qige said, carrying the lantern as he approached, seemingly teasing.

“She bullied me quite a bit. Now I’ve gotten my revenge, hmph.” Yusang stood up and raised her chin.

“I thought you had broadened your horizons, but it turns out you’re still petty and vindictive.” Yan Qige said while crouching down, extending two fingers to lightly touch Ling Mingran’s forehead, then reached out his hand toward Yusang.

Yusang was stunned for a moment before understanding. She quickly and efficiently took out the box Yan Qige used for storing demon cores and handed it over. Yan Qige opened his five fingers, and a glowing demon core fell into the box. Then the fish demon’s soul drifted out from Ling Mingran’s body, dispersed by a gust of wind, and vanished.

As the fish demon’s soul departed, Ling Mingran’s physical body rapidly changed, developing corpse spots and then decaying. In a short while, only a pile of white bones remained.

Just as Yusang and Yan Qige were looking at the bones on the ground, Ling Mingran’s soul appeared silently, gazing at that pile of white bones with a sad and mournful expression.

“Young master, I’ve made up my mind. I’m willing to exchange my soul for Ziyue’s soul to enter reincarnation.”

Yan Qige looked up at her without saying anything. After walking a few steps, he summoned the Soul Collector lantern, set up a small array around them, and drew Hu Ziyue’s scattered soul from the lantern. He cut his index finger and extended it into the array. As his blood was continuously absorbed, the scattered soul within the array began to gradually coalesce.

Yusang watched all this in amazement. Soul bonding was a rare mystical art even in the divine realm. Even ancient great gods might not necessarily possess such an ability, yet Yan Qige could use his blood to rebind and restore scattered souls. Such capability was far more terrifying than supreme cultivation. Yusang became increasingly curious about Yan Qige’s origins and experiences, while also developing a trace of fear.

…

…

As Hu Ziyue’s soul slowly took shape within the binding array, blood flowed faster and faster from Yan Qige’s finger. Yusang saw Yan Qige’s other hand clenched tightly into a fist, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. She approached with some concern to check on him, but was immediately bounced back by his protective magic. Only then did Yusang suddenly realize he was risking his life to bond Hu Ziyue’s soul.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the light from the binding array gradually faded. Hu Ziyue’s soul floated down, and Yan Qige created a stream of spiritual power to guide him to the lantern. Ling Mingran drifted over to call to him, but Hu Ziyue did not react whatsoever, only gazing blankly ahead.

“He no longer has any memories of the mortal world. Only this way can he reincarnate,” Yan Qige said wearily, casually drawing his soul into the Soul Collector lantern.

Ling Mingran turned her head in surprise, then lowered it helplessly, obviously having lost all hope.

Yan Qige raised the lantern again and called her name, asking, “Are you willing to enter the Soul Collector lantern as its core, offering your soul as a sacrifice?”

“I am willing.”

Ling Mingran’s soul responded, and then her soul was collected into the lantern. The Soul Collector lantern blazed with brilliant light before returning to normal. With everything completed, Yusang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to speak. Suddenly, Yan Qige stumbled forward, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood with a “puff” sound. Yusang was greatly alarmed and quickly stepped forward to support his arm, urgently asking, “What’s wrong with you?”

Yan Qige waved his hand and struggled to stand up, saying, “It’s nothing. I just expended too much energy and damaged my vital essence.”

“What should we do?”

“It doesn’t matter…” Yan Qige was speaking again when his feet became unsteady and he stumbled, kneeling on one knee. The Soul Collector lantern was thrown aside. When Yusang supported his shoulder and looked at him, she discovered his face was white as paper, his lips tinged with purple. Even though Yusang knew nothing about medicine, she could see this wasn’t simply damaged vital essence.

“Yan Qige, hold on. I’ll take you to find a doctor.” Yusang panicked, putting Yan Qige’s arm over her shoulder. However, being too anxious, she fell to the ground with Yan Qige twice.

Watching Yan Qige’s eyes gradually close, Yusang felt unprecedented worry and heartache. She crawled beside Yan Qige, continuously shaking his shoulder and patting his face, saying, “Yan Qige, don’t sleep. Open your eyes. Quickly, quickly.”

“You… be gentler… it hurts…” Yan Qige said with squinted eyes, struggling to get out a few words.

Seeing he was still awake, Yusang smiled, but tears suddenly flowed out. Crying and laughing at the same time, she said, “You scared me to death. I thought you were dead.”

Yan Qige struggled to raise his hand to wipe Yusang’s face, saying, “Stop crying. You look ugly…”

“You said…” Yusang wanted to say he had once said he wouldn’t laugh at her crying, but halfway through, she remembered that was only something that happened in Dajing City, which he didn’t remember at all. She stopped speaking and saw that Yan Qige had already closed his eyes and fainted.

Yusang tested Yan Qige’s breathing, and after confirming he was still alive, she hastily wiped her face. She pulled his arm to get him onto her shoulder, picked up the lantern from the ground, and moved forward step by step.

The sun was gradually obscured by dark clouds, lightning began streaking white light across the sky, thunder drew nearer, and a rainstorm seemed about to arrive. Yusang faced the nearby Red Pearl River, breathing heavily, not knowing what to do.

Crash! Heavy rain poured down like an overturned basin. Yusang’s clothes quickly became soaked through, and the sandy road underfoot became increasingly difficult to walk on. Just as Yusang was exhausted to the point of dizziness and didn’t know what to do, the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels came through the storm. Like someone seeing light in darkness, Yusang shouted twice toward that carriage, and indeed it came straight toward her.

Three white horses pulled a carriage made of golden nanmu wood. A young attendant in blue clothing cracked his whip and stopped the carriage in front of Yusang. The carved carriage door opened, and a person in dark brocade robes sat calmly inside, handsome features, noble bearing. It was Immortal Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi moved his hand, and a white light enveloped the area around Yusang. The torrential rain was blocked two inches away from her.

“Come up,” Bai Zhi extended his hand toward Yusang, his tone mild and indifferent.

Yusang hesitated, but the young attendant sitting in front of the carriage had already jumped down to help Yusang get Yan Qige into the carriage. Yusang got in, the attendant closed the carriage door, and the carriage began moving forward. Yusang wiped her rain-soaked hair and sat down across from Bai Zhi. Before she could speak, she shivered from the cold.

“I taught you warming spells. First, regulate your own body. I’ll look after this person for you.” Bai Zhi said without looking up, covering his sleeve with one hand while grasping Yan Qige’s pulse with the other to examine him.

Yusang made a sound of agreement and closed her eyes to begin circulating her energy. After just a short while, she suddenly felt intense drowsiness overtaking her. Her heart grew alarmed, and she tried to open her eyes, but no matter what she couldn’t open them. She only vaguely heard Bai Zhi say something before falling into unconsciousness.

When Yusang woke again, she was in an exquisite carved pavilion. Yusang opened her eyes, felt the silk brocade quilt covering her, sat up, and looked around. She saw fine pear wood round tables in the room, with writing desks and music stands arranged along the walls. Expensive ink paintings hung on the walls, and calming agarwood incense rose in wisps from a ruyi beast-shaped tripod on the desk.

“Is anyone there?” Yusang got out of bed, put on the embroidered shoes placed beside the bed, and went toward the door. Pushing open the latticed carved door, she was slightly stunned by the magnificent and colorful scene before her. Where she stood was a high pavilion on the second floor with railings. Below was a flower garden extending several hundred zhang in each direction, planted entirely with chrysanthemums in full bloom, winding and extending in all directions, lush and verdant, stretching to distant misty places she couldn’t see. This was the first time Yusang had seen majesty and imposing presence in chrysanthemums.

“Is anyone there?” Yusang called loudly down from the pavilion, startling countless birds that flew up from the flower clusters. Her voice spread outward until she heard her echo softly repeating around her, but no one ever responded.

A thought suddenly arose in her heart—this was a place of void and isolation, with only her alone. The entire world had only her here. No one would hear her, and no one could find her. Fear and panic made Yusang’s chest ache. She stumbled backward, leaning against the carved pavilion window behind her to steady herself. Lowering her head to touch her chest, she discovered her hands were covered with blood…