Ming Li hadn’t stopped Zhou Zixi, gambling that he would contact the Ice Desert Earth Ghosts, so she had quietly sent a wind-stealing bird to follow Cheng Jingbai when he left.
Fortunately, her gamble paid off.
Cheng Jingbai had just been revived and was habitually rubbing the back of his neck when he saw Ming Li and immediately knew who the wind-stealing bird belonged to.
He laughed awkwardly, “Why are you in such a hurry? We haven’t even taken Cui Yuanxi out of Nan Que for you yet.”
“When it comes to my junior brother, I am indeed a bit anxious.” Ming Li stood in place without moving, but the star lines on the ground had already surrounded the Earth Ghosts.
Cheng Jingbai spread his hands, “We don’t know where he is.”
Ming Li smiled, “Do you think the wind-stealing bird just arrived?”
“But you saw it yourself—he didn’t say a word to me. Just because I didn’t tell him earlier about your death, and we didn’t get the Boundless Mirror, he gave me a beating.” Cheng Jingbai sounded very aggrieved. “Had I known Ming Li was his senior sister, I definitely would have said something.”
Ming Li asked, “What does he want the Boundless Mirror for?”
“I should say it’s the Earth Ghosts who want the Boundless Mirror.” Cheng Jingbai motioned for her to look into the distance. “Qiu Lang from the southern Earth Ghosts also came for this. He probably didn’t expect the Boundless Mirror would be shattered by two Divine Killing Arrows.”
Ming Li: “You could have told me earlier.”
Cheng Jingbai couldn’t help covering his face, “You asked me to cooperate with a Pilgrim, I’m not that brave.”
Ming Li sighed, “I’m not a Pilgrim now.”
She asked again, “What do you want the Boundless Mirror for?”
“He didn’t say. Perhaps you could ask Qiu Lang,” Cheng Jingbai answered honestly. “We’re just cooperating with his actions, but Qiu Lang is different—he has his ideas. Though I feel… Qiu Lang’s ideas are the same as his.”
Qiu Lang.
Ming Li pondered thoughtfully, glancing at the unconscious Cui Yuanxi lying on the ground, covered in sweat, and asked, “Then what are your plans next?”
Cheng Jingbai exchanged glances with Lin Xiao, and Lin Xiao said, “Find a way to seize Tai Yi’s Supreme Divine Warrior, the Star-Shattering Slip.”
Ming Li was a bit surprised. “Is this also my junior brother’s idea?”
Lin Xiao nodded.
Ming Li laughed, “Does he want to rob all four super sects?”
Zhou Xiang asked curiously, “Aren’t you angry?”
Ming Li: “Why would I be angry?”
Zhou Xiang explained, “If he plans to rob all four sects as you say, then he’ll also rob Bei Dou’s Shi Fei.”
Ming Li said, “If he needs Shi Fei, I can give it to him. No need to rob.”
Zhou Xiang was stunned.
Cheng Jingbai and the others also had varying expressions. They knew Zhou Zixi was at Bei Dou but didn’t know how he was faring there. Judging from Ming Li’s attitude, it seemed he must be thriving at Bei Dou.
Zhou Xiang asked seriously, “Even though he’s become like this now… do you still recognize him as your junior brother, an Earth Ghost?”
Ming Li raised her eyes to the night sky and said, “The Earth Ghosts I’ve killed were all beyond saving. In your position, you would have done the same.”
Though her answer seemed unrelated to the question, it made all the Ice Desert Earth Ghosts look at her, their gazes shifting from surprise to deep thought. Their opinion of Ming Li began to change from this moment.
*
Ming Li first encountered an Earth Ghost when she was fourteen.
By then, she had awakened her Eight Meridians, with seven meridians at the Innate Full Boundary. She was studying the Heart Meridian under her father, Dong Yeshou. Everyone at Bei Dou had confidence in her, without a doubt believing she would be Bei Dou’s future Pilgrim.
That day, she accompanied her father to a small town near Bei Jing Gui Yuan to visit a senior who had previously fought against the tribes of Bei Jing Gui Yuan.
They arrived at nightfall, but even outside the courtyard, they could smell the heavy scent of blood from inside. This senior had died tragically in his house, with a blood-covered beautiful woman lying beside him.
The timing of their arrival was too coincidental, just in time to witness the woman’s body being restored.
After she revived, seeing her dead husband, she wailed in grief, temporarily ignoring the two people outside.
At first, Ming Li was just surprised. She was certain the beautiful woman had died, and when she saw her come back to life, she confirmed the woman’s identity as an Earth Ghost.
Everyone on the Tonggu Continent knew about Earth Ghosts, but few had seen them. The northern region was widely known to be the harshest and most thorough in exterminating Earth Ghosts. According to statistics, no Earth Ghost had been seen in the northern region for nearly a hundred years.
Ming Li didn’t act because this Earth Ghost was an ordinary person, not a cultivator.
When the beautiful woman discovered the people outside, she knelt before Dong Yeshou and sobbed, “Please, save him!”
Dong Yeshou’s attitude made Ming Li suspect that her father had seen Earth Ghosts before. Or perhaps the purpose of this trip wasn’t to visit that senior, but to let her see an Earth Ghost.
He informed the beautiful woman that her husband was already dead, asked about the specific circumstances, and, after learning the cause and effect, went to avenge the senior.
The beautiful woman, unable to accept her husband’s death, ultimately took her own life to follow him.
From this time on, Ming Li knew that Earth Ghosts were not the cold-blooded, merciless killing monsters that people on this continent claimed them to be. Or rather, not all Earth Ghosts were like that.
In the night, under the gaze of countless stars, she asked Dong Yeshou, who was erecting a tombstone for the couple, “Father, did you want to tell me about Earth Ghosts?”
Dong Yeshou asked, “What do you think Earth Ghosts are?”
Ming Li answered, “Bloodthirsty, emotionless, undying monsters.”
Dong Yeshou then said, “Do you still think so after today?”
Ming Li stared at the grave before her. She didn’t answer but instead asked, “Then in your eyes, Father, what are Earth Ghosts?”
Dong Yeshou glanced at her with a smile, “Undying monsters.”
“Both Pilgrims and Earth Ghosts themselves can kill Earth Ghosts, so I don’t think they can be called undying,” the young girl frowned and said. “Besides, Earth Ghosts are no different from humans. Except for being undying, you can only wait for them to expose themselves; there’s no way to tell them apart otherwise.”
Dong Yeshou patiently said, “Have you ever thought about why people differentiate between humans and Earth Ghosts?”
Ming Li blinked at him, “I never thought about it.”
Dong Yeshou was amused by her answer, and Ming Li added, “Because Earth Ghosts are monsters that kill people.”
“Why do monsters look exactly like humans?”
But Ming Li replied, “It’s precisely because they look like humans yet kill people that they’re called monsters, right?”
“Humans also kill humans,” Dong Yeshou looked toward the tombstone and said, “In the northern region, it’s not that there haven’t been Earth Ghosts for nearly a hundred years; rather, they’ve been hiding, living ordinary lives, not doing evil, not killing, not stirring up trouble, and not exposing their undying abilities.”
“He died without knowing his wife was an Earth Ghost.”
Ming Li asked, “But unfortunately, not all Earth Ghosts are like that.”
Dong Yeshou said, “Because some Earth Ghosts have no choice.”
She looked up at her father, “Are you asking me to sympathize with Earth Ghosts?”
Dong Yeshou reached out and patted her head. “You need to learn to see the truth of the world.”
Ming Li asked further, “Then is your unwillingness to break through and become a Pilgrim because you don’t want to kill Earth Ghosts?”
Dong Yeshou replied calmly, “I would die if I broke through. Are you getting tired of your father?”
“Not at all,” Ming Li turned her head back to look at the tombstone. “I just want to know how Pilgrims kill Earth Ghosts.”
Dong Yeshou said, “You’ll know when you become a Pilgrim… Perhaps by then, your attitude toward this world will also change.”
*
Many guests had left the wedding banquet, making the dead people lying on the ground more noticeable. The smell of blood in the air mingled with the smoke from the flames.
The only ones who didn’t go to the border peak to watch were Princess Chang Xi and her companions.
She stood at a height, looking down at Fang Hui below, and gave a sweet smile to the person she hadn’t seen for a long time.
Princess Chang Xi ignored the Earth Ghosts still rampaging around and walked toward Fang Hui, lifting her skirt. Along the way, someone’s spiritual technique nearly affected her, making Fang Hui frown, but with Hu Bixie’s protection, the princess wasn’t harmed at all.
“I’ve finally found you,” Princess Chang Xi arrived at the foot of the wedding venue stage. “In these years since you left the capital, I’ve been wondering how you were doing, if anyone was bullying you. I heard you were in Nan Que, so I came to attend this wedding. It wasn’t a wasted trip after all.”
Fang Hui felt a chill in his heart upon hearing her words. “…You knew I was in Nan Que?”
Princess Chang Xi said sadly, “You left without returning, without any news. If I hadn’t asked my adoptive father, I wouldn’t have known where you were.”
Fang Hui’s already cold expression grew even colder.
Shu Sheng knew exactly where he was and what he was doing.
Thinking he had escaped and stayed far away from the capital was just his self-delusion.
Fang Hui said coldly, “Go back and tell him I don’t need him watching me anymore. We have no relationship whatsoever.”
“Adoptive Father said you’d return once you’d had enough fun outside,” Princess Chang Xi asked, “When will that be? I’m so bored without you in the capital. The noble ladies there won’t play with me.”
Fang Hui said, “I won’t go back.”
He turned to leave, but Princess Chang Xi caught his hand and asked, “Why? Is it because your friends are in Nan Que that you won’t return to the capital? Then you can invite them to the capital together.”
Fang Hui said irritably, “They won’t go.”
Princess Chang Xi held onto his hand, her moist eyes stubbornly looking at him, “But… aren’t I your friend too?”
Fang Hui turned his back on her, saying without looking back, “You are the princess of Da Qin, not my friend.”
*
Qian Li merely glanced at Fang Hui being caught by Princess Chang Xi before turning his attention back to Qiu Lang in front of him.
Due to the Earth Ghosts’ disturbance, the entire Ba Li Peak was set ablaze. The fire that started from Cang Xiu Pavilion couldn’t be contained and raged uncontrollably. The flames illuminated the night and also the scholarly face of the man.
Qiu Hong arrived beside Qiu Lang and reported the news about the Boundless Mirror.
Qiu Lang sighed softly, “No one expected she wasn’t dead and would appear in Nan Que at such a critical moment.”
Qian Li looked at Qiu Hong, “So you’re his lackey?”
Qiu Hong scratched his head, somewhat aggrieved, “Can’t you direct your anger at your father somewhere else besides me?”
“Why can’t it extend to you? You deceived me,” Qian Li looked calm, but anyone who saw the killing intent in his eyes wouldn’t think he was calm.
Qiu Hong was very accommodating in his attitude, “Alright, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have deceived you. I’m sorry.”
Qian Li: “…”
Is this guy an Earth Ghost?
He asked Qiu Hong, “Are you an Earth Ghost?”
Qiu Hong nodded, “I am.”
Qian Li then looked at Qiu Lang, “So you’re a formidable Earth Ghost who can cultivate, unlike some people who are useless Earth Ghosts who can’t cultivate.”
Qiu Lang wasn’t bothered at all by Qian Li’s insults and smiled at him with affection, “Do you want to kill me a few times to vent your anger?”
“It’s about time.” As soon as Qian Li finished speaking, he moved swiftly to appear before Qiu Lang. Qiu Lang stood in place without moving, allowing Qian Li to throw a punch imbued with star power at his face, almost smashing half his head to pieces as he fell to the ground.
Qiu Lang wasn’t dead yet. Qian Li pressed him down and threw another punch, watching as the head completely shattered. He growled from his throat, “Why?!”
Attacking Qiu Lang, killing Qiu Lang—these were things that the former Qian Li wouldn’t have dared to even think about.
He was the father who had been indulgent and doting in his memories. All the cruelty happened in just one moment, but the beautiful memories were countless—day after day, month after month, year after year, leaving an indelible deep impression in his mind.
The contrast between two extremes.
Qiu Lang’s body recovered, only to be shattered again by Qian Li’s heavy fists. This repeated several times, with Qiu Hong standing by silently without stopping him.
Blood splattered all over his hands and face, with red in his eyes. The young man questioned in anger, “Why did you do this to us?!”
As he watched Qiu Lang being beaten to a bloody pulp by himself, his mind recalled the years his mother lay sick in bed, her increasingly emaciated face, her gray eyes, crying out in pain at night, “I have regrets.”
She had once been such a gentle and beautiful person, yet she lived so miserably in the final years of her life.
“Someone like you… a being like you… doesn’t deserve my mother wasting her star meridians to save you!”
Qiu Lang had just revived when he heard the young man’s roar. He narrowed his eyes, vaguely seeing a resemblance to Zhao Tingyi in the young man’s angry face.
Zhao Tingyi wasn’t stupid.
Nor was she easily moved by sweet words.
When she fell in love with Qiu Lang, she could genuinely feel Qiu Lang’s love for her. Those moving details, everything that made her fall, were real.
Qiu Lang would hide his identity well, protecting his wife and child until his son could stand on his own. When Zhao Tingyi died, he would follow her.
Until one day, Qiu Lang sensed the star power flowing in heaven and earth.
The particles of light and shadow flickering before his eyes revealed the secrets of this world to him.
And so everything changed.
“Qian Li…” Qiu Lang, with his throat grabbed by Qian Li, still smiled slightly and said hoarsely, “This way… You can’t kill an Earth Ghost.”
Qian Li roared as he twisted off Qiu Lang’s neck, then punched through his chest, grabbing out the heart that had stopped beating.
Kill him.
At this moment, Qian Li had only one goal in his heart.
Whether by twisting off his neck, cutting off his head, or crushing his heart, as long as he could kill him!
The heart turned to blood and scattered in his hand. Qiu Lang appeared before him completely intact, opened his arms, and smiled, “In this world, only Earth Ghosts themselves and Pilgrims can kill Earth Ghosts. Unfortunately, you are neither an Earth Ghost nor a Pilgrim.”
Qian Li, with reddened eyes, charged forward again but was stopped by Qiu Hong, “Enough.”
“Get out of the way!”
Qiu Hong said, “You can’t kill him. It’s just a waste of effort.”
Qian Li gave a cold laugh, “Didn’t you just apologize to me? If you want my forgiveness, then kill him first!”
Qiu Hong said helplessly, “That’s not possible.”
By now, there were no more Nan Que disciples in this area, and the other Earth Ghosts had stopped to watch them quietly.
Qiu Lang looked at the bloodthirsty Qian Li with resignation, “After killing me so many times, aren’t you satisfied yet?”
“You’re not even dead!” Qian Li said hatefully.
Qiu Lang lowered his outstretched hands and asked, “Qian Li, what do you think Earth Ghosts are?”
Qian Li cursed, “Beasts like you!”
Qiu Lang smiled, “If beasts can be killed by anyone, then why can only Pilgrims kill Earth Ghosts? All information about Earth Ghosts in the world is defined and spread by Pilgrims. When Pilgrims say Earth Ghosts are beasts, then Earth Ghosts are beasts. When Pilgrims say only they can kill Earth Ghosts, ordinary people believe they can’t kill Earth Ghosts.”
“If someday, Pilgrims were to say that Earth Ghosts are human… then what are Earth Ghosts?”
Qiu Lang lifted his head to meet Qian Li’s hateful gaze, his scholarly demeanor instantly becoming arrogant: “They are human.”