Chapter Fifty-Five: Fallen to the Mortal Realm

After Hongyi left, this secret chamber became my prison. For three consecutive days, disciples brought me food, but he never showed up in person. Although he hadn't taken any further actions yet, the longer I stayed here, the more dangerous it would become.

I glared at the pile of food accumulated over the past few days, feeling only anger. I swept it all into the corner with a wave of my hand.

"You sure are wasteful, tossing away so much good food," came a voice accompanied by the sound of bones creaking. Qian Qian, supporting her head, ran over to the corner, picked up a piece of cake, and wiped it with her sleeve before eating it with relish.

At first, I thought she was dead. But given her nature as a different species, I suspected she might not dissolve into nothingness after death. Upon examining her wounds, I realized she could self-heal, albeit slowly.

Moreover, I had assumed her thousand years of cultivation should have prevented her from losing to Hongyi.

"Don't look at me like that! If I hadn't helped you clean up the mess left at the Moon Shadow Sect, I wouldn't have spent so much of my energy healing the injured disciples." She choked a bit, her eyes darting around. The water brought by the disciples had long been smashed to pieces by me, so she had no choice but to swallow hard with determination.

I watched her with some disdain, frowning, and asked, "Can't you just spit it out?"

She rolled her eyes at me, patting her chest and coughing a few times. "Spit it out? That would be wasteful!"

For some reason, I always saw something familiar in her.

I glanced around at the walls, finding nothing particularly reinforced. Escaping didn't seem difficult.

"Let's use magic to escape."

Qian Qian immediately dismissed the idea. "No, the entire Xinghuo Hall is surrounded by a barrier that weakens demonic powers. If you use magic or step out of here, Hongyi will instantly notice. Alerting him would make it impossible to get out."

We would have to find another way, but my anxiety and frustration prevented me from concentrating.

She approached me, nudging me with her elbow. "What did you see in the illusion of the Shen Pearl? Why are you so lifeless now?"

So annoying.

I turned over. "I don't know." I pulled my hand away from her touch.

"Impossible. You must know what happened. Tell me." Her voice flitted around my head, now to the left, now to the right. "Tell me so I can help you. You don't want to sit here and wait to die, right? How can you be so stupid after losing your humanity?"

At this, I could no longer contain my anger. I sat up straight, glaring into her innocent eyes. "You're really annoying. Can you stop following me? Revenge is my business; I don't need another burden."

Surprisingly, she didn't get angry. Instead, she smiled and pointed at herself. "A burden? I'm helping you! Look at yourself. What can you do now? Your whole body is filled with malice and killing intent. You can't even think straight."

"It's all your fault I'm like this! You took everything from me! What else can I do?"

Yes, becoming so wretched, with uncontrollable rage impairing my actions and thoughts—all because my happiness and everything I had were sacrificed for resurrection!

What else do I have besides this?

I glared at her in hatred, my eyes stinging.

"Fine, then tell me, do you want your humanity back? I'll give it back to you. You can have everything without any cost. Will you then cherish your life?"

"I don't want it! What did you use to create this body of mine? What's the point of getting back what I lost?"

Qian Qian looked at me with wide, confused eyes. "Then what do you want?"

Blinded by anger, I replied without hesitation, "I want you to die. You deceitful ghost should never reincarnate!"

For a long time, I didn't hear a response from her.

Realizing I had gone too far, I thought that the old me wasn't like this. But no, there was no old me anymore. Could I ever go back?

Could I?

My body and soul were already twisted beyond recognition.

I no longer cared about what had happened or what would happen. I was merely a spirit imprisoned in the darkness.

After that, Hongyi continued to send his disciples to deliver food daily. However, over the first month, the food became increasingly coarse, eventually turning into spoiled leftovers. I would take half a portion early and then stare blankly at the walls of the dark chamber. Occasionally, I caught glimpses of Qian Qian's silhouette, but I no longer wished to see her face.

It had been a year since Hongyi imprisoned me in this lightless place.

The madness and resistance in my heart had turned into endless dark hatred and resentment, like mold growing on damp walls, living filthily in the dark corners.

Recently, I noticed that Qian Qian was taken out daily and only returned by the hour of the pig (9pm-11pm). Her spirit became weaker each time. Finally, I couldn't help but ask, "Have you been making deals with Hongyi these days? He's despicable and shameless. How can you trust him?"

"You finally noticed me," she said, a sweet smile on her pale lips. "I've been going out every day since we were locked up here. The day after tomorrow, no, tomorrow, you'll be able to leave."

I looked at her suspiciously. "Why?"

She raised her head proudly, a slight victorious smile on her face. "Hongyi initially planned to refine your soul to enhance his cultivation, but I tricked him. He wasted a year refining my spirit instead."

For a moment, I thought she was insane. She had no reason to go this far for me.

"Why would you do this? Are you looking to die?"

"Die? Yes, I've lived long enough." She turned her head and smiled at me. "What he extracted from my spirit was all resentment. In the end, he'll only suffer the pain of being cursed and countered by my thousand-year grudge." She shivered as if cold, her gaze softening, her breath weak as she said, "Your humanity will return then. Find a way to escape."

She was insane.

"We don't know each other well, yet you go to such lengths?"

"Yes. But do you know? An evil spirit is destined to be obliterated upon descending to the mortal world. Your feelings are very warm."

"Is that so?"

Those were things I had long lost and could no longer feel.

I couldn't answer her, just silently watched, my heart devoid of any ripple.

"Since descending to this world, it's the first time I've felt what it's like to be human. Thank you." Her voice was as thin as a thread, no longer carrying its former charm or liveliness.

"Mm."

"So, could you promise me one thing?"

"Sure."

"I hope to see the smile you show when he is by your side."

For the first time, I listened to the final wish of an evil spirit.

I couldn't help but lift my gaze. The girl's face before me gradually faded, her once-familiar visage stirring the whispers of a dream, shattering the chains binding my three souls and seven spirits. She reached out to wipe away the tears on my cheek.

Unable to resist, I turned my face to kiss that warm hand lightly. The tear streaks traced a path to the corners of my slightly upturned lips as I fell into the mortal realm.