Passed?

The memories faded, leaving Xiao Meiying standing in a haze of shock. The horrors of her past life, both those inflicted upon her and those she had inflicted upon others, swirled in her mind. The weight of her actions crushed her, making it hard to breathe.

As she struggled with the tormenting recollections, a figure emerged from the fog. A seven-year-old girl, bearing a striking resemblance to Xiao Meiying, stepped forward. Her innocent eyes held a depth of understanding that seemed far beyond her years.

"Why did you do it?" the girl asked softly. "Why did you kill that happy family? Was it because you were jealous, or was it because he left you rotting in that prison?"

Xiao Meiying stared at the child, her mind reeling. She tried to find the words, but the guilt and shame were overwhelming. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees, her body shaking with the force of her sobs.

"I... I was so angry," Xiao Meiying whispered, her voice barely audible. "He abandoned me. He found happiness while I was suffering. It wasn't fair. I wanted him to feel my pain. I wanted to make him suffer like I did."

The child watched her with a mix of sadness and compassion. "But did it make you feel better? Did hurting them ease your pain?"

Xiao Meiying shook her head, her tears falling freely. "No. It only made everything worse. I thought revenge would bring me peace, but it only brought more suffering."

The child stepped closer, placing a small hand on Xiao Meiying's cheek. "Then it's time to let go of that anger. Holding onto it will only continue to hurt you. You have a chance now to choose a different path."

Xiao Meiying looked into the girl's eyes, seeing a reflection of her own younger self, untainted by the bitterness and rage that had consumed her. In that moment, she felt a glimmer of hope, a small light in the darkness of her soul.

However, that hope was quickly extinguished when the bead in her heart started glowing. To her surprise and horror, a dagger appeared out of nowhere in her hand. She tried to resist, but her hand moved on its own.

With a quick, uncontrollable slash, her hand destroyed the illusion of the little girl. The child's form shattered like glass, disappearing into the void. Xiao Meiying was left standing alone, the dagger still in her trembling hand, her heart pounding in her chest.

"No!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the empty space. Tears streamed down her face as the reality of what just happened sank in. The hope she had felt moments ago was replaced by a crushing despair.

"Why did you do that?" she cried out, her voice breaking. "I didn't want this!"

Suddenly, a voice sounded in her head, sharp and commanding. "Shut up," it snapped. It was the voice she had heard in her memories, the voice of the queen. The realization hit her hard—the queen was in her head, and she was the one who had destroyed the illusion.

Xiao Meiying staggered back, clutching her head. "No, no, this can't be happening," she whispered, panic rising within her.

"You are weak," the queen's voice sneered. "You always have been. That's why you suffered. That's why you had to become me to survive."

"You're not real," Xiao Meiying protested, her voice trembling. "You're just a memory, a shadow of the past."

"I am more real than you," the queen retorted. "I am the strength you lack, the will to survive at any cost. Without me, you are nothing."

Xiao Meiying fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. "No, I won't let you control me," she whispered fiercely. "I won't become you."

"Nooo" Xiao Meiying screamed in her head, "I am not a monster like you, and I never will be," 

Suddenly, the voice in Xiao Meiying's head started laughing, a chilling sound that sent shivers down her spine. "You already are me," the queen's voice hissed. "Every time you felt anger, every time you wanted revenge on Feng Lou, that was me. You cannot deny it."

Xiao Meiying trembled, trying to block out the voice, but it continued relentlessly. "Do you remember Xiao Bai, your dog? You found him dead with 27 stab wounds. It was you who did that, not me. You only suppressed that memory. You are a monster, just like me. It is how we are supposed to be; it is in our soul. So don't deny me. Accept who you are," the queen said.

"No," Xiao Meiying whispered, her voice filled with horror and disbelief. The memory of Xiao Bai resurfaced, vivid and terrifying. She saw herself as a young girl, consumed by inexplicable rage, stabbing her beloved pet repeatedly. Tears streamed down her face as she relived the horrific scene.

"You see," the queen's voice continued, almost soothingly. "You and I are one and the same. Embrace it. Accept it. Together with this bead, we will be unstoppable."

Xiao Meiying's mind whirled with confusion and fear. She felt herself teetering on the edge of a precipice, about to fall into the abyss of her own darkness. But deep within, a spark of defiance remained.

"I am not you," she said through gritted teeth, forcing herself to speak against the overpowering presence of the queen. "I will never accept you"

The queen's laughter echoed in her mind, but Xiao Meiying held onto her resolve. "You cannot escape me," the queen taunted. "You cannot escape yourself."

"I don't need to escape," Xiao Meiying replied, her voice growing stronger. "I may have darkness within me, I may have killed Xiao Bai, but I was a kid back then. Now, as an adult, I choose my own path. I choose to be better and not become a monster like you."

As she spoke those words, the walls of the hall began to tremble and crack. The oppressive atmosphere started to lift, replaced by a sense of liberation. Xiao Meiying realized she had inadvertently passed the trial. The Hall of Souls was collapsing around her, signaling her success.

In the midst of the chaos, the queen's voice echoed one last time in her mind, dripping with malevolence. "I am you. Soon you will realize that, and when that time comes, I will let you have your revenge on Feng Lou, on your mother, and on your father, on everyone who crossed you. They will regret being born." The queen's laughter rang out, a sinister promise of turmoil yet to come.

Xiao Meiying felt a chill run down her spine, but she stood firm, refusing to let the queen's words shake her resolve. The hall around her continued to collapse, and then, with a final shudder, it vanished entirely.

Suddenly, she was back in the grand hall where the ghostly figures had left her.