“Awake?” A man’s voice was clear and pleasant. Liu Shuang opened her eyes and saw a figure sitting on the ice.

Liu Shuang sat up, the clothes on her body slipping. She asked vigilantly, “Shao You?”

At some point, white snow had begun falling from the sky. Shao You her had a cool expression, his eyes revealing a trace of guilt. The cyan robe on Liu Shuang’s body was his; once it slipped, cold air penetrated to her bones.

Shao You said, “Keep it on for now. The Ghost King’s Tomb has too much yin energy, which will corrode an immortal body.”

Liu Shuang discovered that beneath their feet was a stretch of deep blue mystical ice. Under the ice was what seemed to be flowing water, clear yet eerily strange.

Liu Shuang didn’t know if the Shao You before her was real or a malicious illusion created by the Valley of Eight Sufferings. Her last memory was still in the Valley of Eight Sufferings, experiencing four complete cycles, watching helplessly as her seven souls scattered. But now it was different—she could control her own body. Had she somehow escaped from the Valley of Eight Sufferings by chance?

“Shao You, did you save me?”

Shao You shook his head. “It was him.”

He gestured for Liu Shuang to look elsewhere. Liu Shuang looked over and saw only a young man in dark clothes sitting sideways, not far from the deep blue ice lake.

Yan Chaosheng was leaning against something resembling a reef, his face pale, his entire body soaked. He didn’t even glance at her.

“Yan Chaosheng…” Liu Shuang was even more surprised. How was he here, too? And Shao You said he had saved her?

Hearing her voice, Yan Chaosheng turned to look at her and Shao You, his gaze cold and disgusted.

Liu Shuang realized he looked quite miserable—completely drenched, his shoulders covered in snow, his lips deathly pale. His pupils and the area under his eyes were pitch black, like a cold walking corpse, appearing as if he had absorbed too much ghost energy and wouldn’t live much longer.

Even in her previous life, when he had completely become the Ghost King, he hadn’t looked as much like a grim ghost as he did now.

Moreover, water was dripping from his body, making him resemble a vengeful water ghost who had died with unresolved grievances, as if he could drag her to her death at any moment.

Liu Shuang silently moved closer to Shao You, away from him.

Yan Chaosheng stared at her coldly, a trace of mockery appearing at the corners of his mouth before he looked away.

Liu Shuang asked Shao You quietly, “The way he looks, are you sure he saved me and didn’t try to kill me?”

After all, Yan Chaosheng’s eyes were full of murderous intent toward her.

Seeing her anxious, Shao You smiled and said, “It was indeed him. When I fell into the Valley of Eight Sufferings, I nearly had my soul scattered. Later, your soul lamp found me and helped gather my seven souls. I dispersed my cultivation to awaken from the killing formation and walked toward the Ghost King’s Tomb, just in time to see you both fall into the spiritual vein lake.”

Shao You said, “At that time, he was injured but was shielding you from the ghost energy.”

So the shattered soul lamp Liu Shuang had seen was false. That lamp, carrying Shao You’s spiritual jade, had found him. Shao You had dispersed countless years of cultivation to barely preserve his three hun souls. Carrying the soul lamp, he went against convention, walking toward the death gate in the killing formation, finally entering the legendary “Ghost King’s Tomb.”

The Ghost King’s Tomb wasn’t a tomb but a constantly changing ghostly spiritual vein.

Shao You hadn’t walked far when the ground beneath his feet would transform—one moment into a mountain of knives, the next into a raging sea of fire. When he encountered Liu Shuang, he had just witnessed Yan Chaosheng and Liu Shuang falling into the ice lake together.

Shao You used magic to pull them out, but what was troubling was that everything in the Ghost King’s Tomb was real.

For instance, the current ice lake had bone-chilling cold, with only Shao You’s immortal robe barely able to block the wind and snow. Shao You had set up a formation that barely resisted the harsh cold outside. Having dispersed his cultivation to reach this place, his condition wasn’t good either.

Liu Shuang took out the Transmission Mirror from her pocket: “Shao You, let’s go back first. The Ghost King’s Tomb is too dangerous; we can’t continue deeper.”

First, the Valley of Eight Sufferings, then the strangely changing ghostly spiritual veins—if they truly reached the resting place of the Ghost Kings’ souls, possibly none of the three would survive.

Shao You pressed his lips together and said, “We can’t go back.”

“How can that be? I have the Transmission Mirror.”

From a distance, Yan Chaosheng let out a scoff.

Shao You said, “Look below.”

Liu Shuang looked down and saw something swimming under the ice. Focusing her gaze, she discovered it was a fish about seven or eight feet long.

“This is the ancient Henggong Fish. The Henggong Fish lives in stone lakes with permanent ice. It’s seven or eight feet long, shaped like a carp but red. During the day, it stays in the water; at night, it transforms into a human. It cannot be pierced, nor can it be killed by boiling [Note: From ‘The Classic of Mountains and Seas – Henggong Fish’]. This is what ancient books record. However, what I know about the Henggong Fish is that it can break through any method of space travel—nothing can enter, nothing can leave. During the day, the Flying Snow Lake freezes; at night, when the ice melts, it will swallow all living things within its boundaries,” Shao You explained.

“So it means the Transmission Mirror won’t work, and when it becomes night in this place and the snow stops, we’ll be eaten by it?”

Shao You’s eyes were filled with deep remorse: “I’m sorry. I’ve implicated both of you.”

Liu Shuang looked again at the thing beneath her feet that resembled a large koi, instantly finding it repulsive. Heavens, having just been given a second chance at life, she was going to be swallowed by a demon fish. From what Shao You implied, the Henggong Fish couldn’t be killed.

Shao You hung his head, lightly pressing his lips together, snow covering his eyelashes and hair.

“I chose to follow you in here; it has nothing to do with you,” Liu Shuang gently tugged at the hem of his clothes and gave a faint smile. “It’s not dark yet, and the snow hasn’t stopped. We still have a chance to find a way out.”

Shao You, seeing her shiver from the cold yet still manage a smile, smiled gently in return.

In the past, he had always been the one to comfort others. Since his birth, Kun Lun had seen him as a pillar of support. Everyone believed the Young Lord was omnipotent. For thousands of years, he had lived for others. This was the first time someone had comforted him, trying to protect him.

“All things interact with and restrain each other. Everyone has weaknesses; the Henggong Fish should be no exception. Shao You, do you know its weakness?”

Shao You pondered for a moment and thought of something: “Ghost Stone Dark Plum. It’s said that if this dark plum is thrown into the melted lake, boiling the lake with it, the Henggong Fish will perish. However, there are very few records about the Ghost Stone Dark Plum. Legend has it that it’s shaped like a dark plum but is a boiling stone that boils when it encounters water.”

As the snow fell less heavily and nightfall in the Ghost Realm drew closer, it was almost impossible to find the Ghost Stone Dark Plum, whose location was unknown.

Liu Shuang felt discouraged. Were they going to die like this?

From a distance, Yan Chaosheng staggered over, extended his hand toward Shao You, his voice hoarse and cold: “Lord Ji Mo, may I borrow your immortal sword?”

Shao You didn’t say much. The immortal sword beside him flew up with spiritual awareness and landed in Yan Chaosheng’s hand.

Yan Chaosheng paused at Shao You’s trust, then looked coldly at Liu Shuang.

Liu Shuang saw him gripping the sword and looking at her with a very unpleasant expression. For a moment, she thought he might bring the sword down on her.

Fortunately, Yan Chaosheng didn’t intend to do anything to her. He turned and walked toward the reef where he had been resting, slashing it with the sword.

Shao You’s immortal sword could split mountains and break jade. With one stroke, the reef shattered.

Yan Chaosheng breathed slightly heavily, his black pupils looking toward another reef.

“You suspect the Ghost Stone Dark Plum is within the reefs?” Shao You asked.

Yan Chaosheng said, “With ice sealed for a thousand miles and no other living things, we can only try the reefs.”

As he finished speaking, Yan Chaosheng couldn’t help but cough softly a couple of times. His fingers covered his lips; upon seeing the blood he had coughed up, Yan Chaosheng clenched his fist tightly, saying nothing.

Liu Shuang felt strange. Ever since Shao You had said Yan Chaosheng saved her, she felt this place seemed more like a dream than the Valley of Eight Sufferings.

It wasn’t surprising she thought this way. By all accounts, in her previous life, she and Yan Chaosheng had severed all ties, and in this life, the original owner and Yan Chaosheng had deep hatred. She had come in to save Shao You—what was he doing here? Hadn’t he left?

Why did he save her? What conspiracy was afoot?

Now, seeing his weakened body still relentlessly chopping at stones, as if venting anger, Liu Shuang was even more puzzled.

How had Yan Chaosheng become so strange after coming out of the Valley of Eight Sufferings?

Shao You said, “If that’s the case, let me do it.” He recalled his immortal sword, formed a seal with both hands, and the immortal sword shattered all the reefs it passed through. Liu Shuang crouched down to search through the fragments but found nothing resembling a dark plum.

They tried many places on the ice lake, unwilling to give up.

While Liu Shuang was still trying to find the Ghost Stone Dark Plum, Yan Chaosheng suddenly said coldly, “The snow has stopped.”

She turned to see Yan Chaosheng looking at the sky, his black pupils exuding coldness.

Liu Shuang also felt cold all over. The snow stopping meant night was approaching. Sure enough, the ice lake below began to shake violently.

The lake’s surface started to tremble and melt!

The ice cracked in an instant, and a fissure suddenly opened beneath their feet. Liu Shuang nearly fell in, but a hand colder than ice grabbed her collar.

Yan Chaosheng said coldly, “Summon your crimson pearl umbrella. At least it can support us for a while.”

After speaking, he released her without even looking at her.

Liu Shuang covered her neck. The skin accidentally touched by Yan Chaosheng’s cold fingertips gave her goosebumps, almost making her shiver.

She quickly transformed the crimson pearl umbrella into a flat boat. With a light tap of her toes, she landed on the boat.

The Henggong Fish leaped from the lake’s surface, opening its huge mouth, about to swallow them all.

Yan Chaosheng and Shao You both reached the small boat transformed from the crimson pearl umbrella. Liu Shuang, disregarding everything else, quickly drove the small boat across the lake.

Behind them, a shadow rose skyward. The Henggong Fish showed no intention of chasing them; instead, its body, originally just a few feet in size, grew larger and larger. In the blink of an eye, it became the size of a small mountain peak.

At this rate, no matter how far they ran, they would end up in the Henggong Fish’s belly. Shao You frowned: “We can’t escape like this.”

Yan Chaosheng narrowed his eyes coldly, examining the increasingly large Henggong Fish.

Liu Shuang, who had lived in the Ghost Realm for a hundred years in her previous life, had never known such a terrifying creature existed in the Ghost King’s Tomb. Although its attack power wasn’t strong, as long as it had an immortal body, it could wear them down to death.

It was expanding too quickly. Just a moment ago, it had been the size of a small mountain peak; now it had become as large as several mountain ranges.

The sky was blocked. In the next moment, Shao You said, “Go!”

As the Henggong Fish’s mouth came down, Shao You’s immortal sword created multiple afterimages, protecting Liu Shuang and Yan Chaosheng as they escaped the fish’s attack range.

He flew over, engaging in battle with the Henggong Fish.

Liu Shuang sat on the immortal sword. Shao You had dispersed his cultivation and was injured. All the immortal energy that landed on the demon fish couldn’t harm it at all.

Seeing the demon fish about to swallow Shao You, Liu Shuang was about to fly over.

Suddenly, her arm was grabbed so tightly it hurt.

“Yan Chaosheng, what are you doing?” She looked angrily at the person beside her.

She didn’t know what madness had possessed him. His ice-cold fingers gripped her, almost sinking into her flesh. Hearing her question, he said coldly, “What, does the Young Lord want to die for love?”

Liu Shuang wanted to kick him. Die for what love?

If Shao You died, wouldn’t they all die too? It was just a matter of time.

Yan Chaosheng released her. “Go ahead.”

As soon as he spoke, it was already too late. The Henggong Fish, now twice as large as before, swallowed Shao You.

A shrill bird cry sounded. Liu Shuang looked up to see a cyan-colored bird flying over. The demon bird was carrying something in its beak, which it dropped into the lake.

The calm ice lake instantly seemed to boil. The previously arrogant Henggong Fish sank painfully, gradually dissipating into red smoke.

Shao You rose into the air and flew to the immortal sword.

Everyone looked in surprise at the appearing demon bird. If not for this demon bird bringing the Ghost Stone Dark Plum, they would all be dead by now.

Liu Shuang found it increasingly familiar. The demon bird looked so familiar—where had she seen it before?

She was startled and unconsciously said, “Qing Luan?”

It resembled Qing Luan, yet wasn’t quite the same. It was now seven hundred years ago, and Qing Luan should have just been born, logically, a small demon bird.

Could it be… this demon bird was Qing Luan’s mother?

It flew around the lake’s surface, its cry shrill and sharp. It didn’t forget to fix its cold demon eyes on Liu Shuang and the others, restless and agitated, as if trying to express something.

Shao You speculated, “It wants us to go down into the ice lake? Just now, when I flew out of the fish’s belly, I saw something sink.”

Liu Shuang absurdly wondered if her little Qing Luan was trapped under the ice soul. She looked toward Qing Luan’s master, Yan Chaosheng, beside her, only to see his expression cold and indifferent, as if the matter didn’t concern him.

He showed no intention of taking action at all.