pozo profundo

Capítulo 66

"You!" I was so angry I could barely speak. It seems neither Yuewa nor Yueji are good "ghosts"!

“Of course, if you can help us find that crystal eye, we will naturally let you leave here safely,” Anxin stated her terms.

"Since you know where that crystal eye is hidden, why don't you ask him to get it?" I looked at Anxin and asked Yueji.

“Do you think you can just put that crystal eye anywhere? Only the clan leader can enter and exit that place. So even though Yuewa stole my identity, she is not the real clan leader, so she still can't get in to retrieve the crystal eye. And I can't move at all right now, how can I get it?” Yueji replied.

"Only the clan leader can enter? Then what about Zhao Yun back then? Wasn't he an ordinary person?" I asked.

“He is an ordinary person, but he is also the son of the chieftain of the Yana tribe!” Yueji replied.

"The Yana race? Are they one of the four ancient spirit races?" I asked curiously. Wasn't the other race supposed to be the Ancient Tomb Sect? How come there's another Yana race?

"That's right. The four ancient spirit races were the Moonshadow, the Moluo, the Yana, and the Spirit Race. It's just that for some reason, the Yana race suddenly lost all their magical powers during the Tang Dynasty and became ordinary people. The Moluo race also suddenly went into seclusion around that time, and no one has been found since. The Spirit Race is actually divided into the living and the undead. Your Lin family belongs to the living, while the Ancient Tomb Sect belongs to the undead. So, although Zhao Yun's ancestors always told him that their lineage was from the ancient spirit race, by their generation, almost no one believed this legend anymore. But Zhao Yun was an exception; he firmly believed in this legend and even traveled thousands of miles to find people from the other three races. Perhaps this was fate, that he was rescued by his clansmen in an accident and entered the Moonshadow race's barrier," Yue Ji replied.

"So, does that mean I'm the clan leader?" I asked irritably.

“Although you are not the patriarch of the Moonshadow Clan, that place is accessible to the patriarchs of the four ancient spirit clans. I have already had Anxin investigate your Lin family among the ancient spirit clans, and you are the only one still alive,” Yue Ji said.

"What about Lin Yuyan? Why didn't you take advantage of her back then?" I suddenly thought of Lin Yuyan.

"You mean that woman? She did enter this barrier by chance back then, but it was Yuewa who encountered her, not me. Although Yuewa knew she had Lin family blood, unfortunately, the position of patriarch of your Lin family has always been passed down to men, not women, so even she didn't have the ability to enter that place," Yueji replied.

"The position of patriarch of the Lin family is not mine at all, and I only have a superficial understanding of the Lin family's so-called spiritual power," I said.

“Although there’s no formal succession ceremony, you’re the only male heir left in the Lin family. If it’s not you, then who is it?” Yueji asked impatiently. “Now you only have one choice: obediently go and get it. Otherwise, you can just wait to collect the corpses of your two friends.”

Looking at Yueji's mangled face and resolute eyes, I knew I had no other choice. Looking at Li Hai, still unconscious, and even more worrying was Baiyun, whom I hadn't seen yet; I couldn't even confirm her fate. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and realized that even with fear and escapism, there was nothing I could do.

*********

When I returned alone to the village inhabited by the Moonshadow Clan, it was already midnight. The dim, yellowish moonlight bathed every corner of the ground in a yellowish hue. All around, there was a deathly silence. Just as Moon Princess had said, at midnight, when the yin energy was at its strongest, the undead of the Moonshadow Clan would enter a state of sleep akin to true death, so intense that even an atomic bomb wouldn't disturb a single one of them.

I unfolded the map of the underground labyrinth that Tsukihime had given me. It was a hand-drawn map that Tsukihime had asked Anxin to prepare long ago, and it seemed to still reek of a nauseating corpse. I don't know if it was because of the texture of the map itself, or because of the sweat on my hands from nervousness, but my palms felt unusually damp and sticky.

The thatched huts I'd seen during the day now exuded an eerie, ghostly aura, as if a living corpse lurked in every shadowy corner, ready to pounce and kill me at any moment. A gentle night breeze stirred up fallen leaves, and I felt cold. Sometimes, excessive silence can create a kind of hallucination, as if many strange sounds were buzzing around my ears, making my head throb. I walked somewhat paranoid through the vast village, the echo of my own footsteps sounding more like someone was following me closely. The wound around my left eye hadn't fully healed; the scabbed wound ached like needles in the damp, cold air, and I could barely see.

Following the map, I entered the underground labyrinth. The intense white light that greeted me made me dizzy with a reddish light, and I instinctively closed my eyes. The only sound in the entire labyrinth was my heavy breathing. I groped my way forward step by step, the white light seeming to grow stronger. I didn't know if the limits of my vision would cause tinnitus, but at that moment, I felt as if a high-pitched buzzer had been implanted in my ears.

The once black stone wall slowly began to glow, like countless black mirrors reflecting my slightly pale face, while the wound around my left eye appeared eerily bright red. Leaning against the cold wall, I seemed to see countless black mirrors appear around me, reflecting countless versions of myself, some near, some far, some large, some small, like a kaleidoscope, yet all with the same face. I lost all sense of direction, only knowing to keep searching forward, yet seemingly locked in a confined space where everything was identical: countless black mirrors, countless versions of myself. It was then that I realized I was truly trapped in a maze, a maze made of countless mirrors.

What should I do? I felt like I was just going in circles; the map was useless now. If I didn't get the crystal eye before midnight, I might be captured by the awakened Moonshadow Clan. I shook my head vigorously and rubbed my sore eyes. The image in the mirror seemed to rub its eyes too. Before I could even lower my hand, my eyes caught an unbelievable sight. Right in front of me, the black mirror reflected the image behind me, and then the mirror behind me reflected the image in front of me. In those overlapping and repeating images, it seemed that one of my reflections was wearing a strange, cruel, and bloodthirsty smile. Startled, I lowered my hand, but the reflection in the mirror didn't. Instead, it stuck its finger into its already bloodshot left eye. The moment the pale fingernail dug into my eyeball, I felt a sharp pain in my left eye.

"Ahhh!" I cried out in pain. The excruciating pain was so real that it almost felt like I was gouging out my own left eyeball. My body stumbled back a few steps from the pain, slamming against the wall. I struggled to lift my head, searching for my seemingly crazed reflection in the mirror. Through a haze of red blood, I saw myself in the mirror, my left eyeball ripped out. A horrifying blood-red mark marred my pale face, the black eye socket still gushing blood, and the corners of my mouth curving upwards, seemingly reaching my ear. Wasn't that the face of a living, breathing dead person? I was instantly chilled to the bone, my limbs numb. I quickly looked down; I didn't want to see that face again—a face exactly like mine, yet one that inspired such terror.

Bending over, I don't know if it was the cold or fear that caused my stomach to cramp inexplicably, and the urge to vomit was tormenting every organ from my stomach to my throat. Almost at a 90-degree angle, I tried to avoid looking up at the images in my glasses. Closing my eyes, I tried to follow the remaining memory of the map in my mind. Although the physical pain persisted, I seemed to have escaped the terrifying hallucination and was gradually regaining my clarity.

Volume Two: The Devil's Left Eye, Chapter Forty-Six: The Crystal Eyeball

Volume Two: The Devil's Left Eye, Chapter Forty-Six: The Crystal Eyeball

When my body, shrouded in darkness, finally burst through a large door, I knew I had finally returned to the vast, empty hall where I had been imprisoned for three days. The door slammed shut behind me, taking with it a flash of white light. What greeted me next was a hazy, chaotic scene. The towering statue of the goddess Senluo now seemed unreal, floating in the clouds; the goddess's smile...

It felt both intimate and ethereal, real and fleeting. Slowly walking to the foot of the statue, I looked up again, and the statue, which had seemed so small, had grown even taller, almost reaching for the heavens.

Swallowing hard, I knew I had to grit my teeth and keep going. Once midnight passed, the mechanism hidden in the right eye of the statue would malfunction, which explained why I hadn't found it last time. Striving upwards, I felt myself getting further and further away from the ground. Although I knew I hadn't actually climbed that far, visually I felt suspended in mid-air, with what seemed like an unfathomable abyss below.

With trepidation, I finally reached the statue's face. Perhaps due to the excessive humidity in the air, a layer of water had formed on the surface of the statue's eyes, as if tears were being forcibly held back. The once calm and composed face was now filled with an expression of sadness, resentment, and even hatred. Reluctantly, I reached out and touched the eyes. The stone surface of the eyes was slightly warm and elastic, just like a real person's eye.

Could they be real eyeballs? I shuddered. No, this is just an idol! Trying to reassure myself, I pressed down. A familiar chirping sound rang out. I looked towards the center of the hall, where a black coffin was slowly rising from the ground, appearing menacingly amidst swirling mist.

I slowly approached the coffin. A strange smell began to fill the air. I frowned. This smell wasn't entirely unfamiliar to me. Back in university, one of my teachers had made me smell this very scent—the smell of an ancient preservative. Because it was carefully extracted from dozens of precious and rare medicinal herbs, it had a very strong herbal aroma. I had asked my teacher how it was made back then, but he disappeared before I could get an answer, and I hadn't heard from him since. Unexpectedly, I smelled this scent again today.

Approaching the coffin, the lid slowly opened, revealing a man's corpse—or more precisely, a corpse submerged in a brownish liquid. A pale mask covered the corpse's face, seemingly emitting a faint white glow in the dim light. The brownish liquid appeared to possess remarkable preservative properties; judging from the corpse's clothing, it was likely an ancient person, yet its exposed skin remained smooth, rosy, and even elastic—completely unlike that of a dead person, or even someone who had recently died.

Although the brown liquid before me was incredibly tempting, tempting me to take it back and study it, the thought of the task Yueji had given me immediately sent chills down my spine. The real mechanism Yueji spoke of for leading to that place was this coffin, but now there was a corpse lying inside. How could I continue? Touching my forehead, which was already sweating profusely, I didn't know whether I should pull the body out of the coffin. But doing so would clearly be a desecration of the dead!

I reached out and touched the brownish liquid. It was icy cold, almost like ice water. Strangely, it didn't seem to be a liquid at all, but rather a slippery, living substance. When I held it in my palm, it didn't flow away like water; instead, it writhed and twisted in my hand, even clinging to my skin, making me feel nauseous.

I shook my hand in disgust, knowing time was running out and I had no other choice. The coffin lid was slowly closing again! There was no time to hesitate. Gritting my teeth, I climbed into the coffin. The moment my foot stepped inside, I felt the liquid rush towards me like a beast smelling blood. In just a few moments, my shoes were soaked. The liquid clung to my skin like countless worms, trying to burrow into every pore. Enduring this strange feeling, I steeled myself and lay down next to the corpse. Fortunately, the coffin wasn't cramped; two people could lie down together. What terrified me most was the overwhelming liquid rushing towards me. The icy, bone-chilling sensation felt like thousands of worms were clinging to me, or like being tightly bound by countless wet, slimy tentacles.

The coffin lid slowly closed, cutting off the last vestiges of light. Darkness and loneliness assailed me simultaneously. My body was stuck together by the potion, and I felt the churning in my stomach rise to my throat. I tried to reach out, but found my arms firmly glued in. No, I had to reach for the mechanism on the back of the coffin lid! I took a deep breath and, with all my might, lifted my arms. I didn't want to die alive in this coffin without doing anything. Slowly, my arms rose, but the potion stuck to my skin seemed more terrifying than superglue, gripping my skin tightly. It felt like this monstrous thing was tearing my skin off, as if it were seizing every hair on my arm. The pain almost brought tears to my eyes.

Finally, I found it! It was an eye-shaped relief carved on the back of the coffin lid. Since no living person would want to lie in a coffin, if Yueji hadn't told me, I probably would never have found this mechanism in my entire life.

I pressed the button hard, and immediately heard a rapid, pounding heartbeat. The air seemed to be sucked away in an instant; my chest felt suffocated, and my body involuntarily sank...sank...sank...the potion submerged my head, obscuring my vision. Then I felt an almost unprecedented speed of falling. Opening my eyes, all I saw was a gigantic mask of the dead, its surface rippling and contorting into a sinister smile in the potion's ripples...

When I opened my eyes again, I was completely dry, as if the potion had been a hallucination. Touching my dry clothes and body, I could hardly believe my eyes! The black coffin was right behind me, but the corpse was gone. Looking up, I found myself in an enormous cavern filled with countless corpses. Green vines, entwined around the bodies, emitted an eerie red glow. The vines seemed to have assimilated with the corpses, like a moon princess, extending from every part of them. Greenish-blue moss and unknown reptiles seemed to be moving in and out of the cracks in the skin. What every corpse had in common was that a ghastly green vine was sprouting from the right eye socket. Some corpses had shriveled into a ball, their limbs and features indistinguishable, only a brown liquid slowly dripping from the mass of flesh. Brown liquid? A sudden chill ran down my spine. Could this be the potion I had just been soaking in? The thought of this made my stomach feel like it was filled with churning air, but there was nothing in my body to vomit, which made my face turn pale and then flushed.

Looking further up, the vines seemed to hang down from the high cave ceiling, tightly coiling around each corpse. Some bodies were shriveled, while others still retained recognizable faces. The vines, deeply embedded in the corpses, acted like countless straws, sucking nutrients from them as if the bodies were fertilizer. Could this be the place Yue Ji had mentioned, the place where the Moonshadow Clan's treasure was stored? But in her description, while she had mentioned countless hanging vines, she hadn't mentioned at all that there were so many corpses here!

Wait a minute! These corpses...? I examined their clothing and noticed that most of them were in military uniforms! And, they were the uniforms of warlords from back in the day, the kind I'd seen on TV! It seems these were all soldiers from the warlords' army! But didn't Old Gen say the Moonshadow Clan was entirely killed by the warlords' armies? How come it seems like the dead are soldiers of those armies? Perhaps Old Gen, or An Zhengdong, is wrong? Then, how did these soldiers die, and why are they here? If the Moonshadow Clan wasn't killed by these armies, how did they suddenly disappear decades ago? Is Old Gen hiding something?

*Phew* I let out a heavy breath. I needed to calm myself down. The important thing now was to find that crystal eye! Thinking this, I closed my eyes and recalled what Yueji had told me: "That place has countless things that look like vines, but they aren't actually vines. They are the roots of Moonshadow Grass! Moonshadow Grass is a true treasure bestowed upon the Moonshadow Clan by the Mother Goddess. You've seen it yourself; it's the green grass on that grassland. The red sap that drips from that grass, once it touches the soil, will circulate back to the roots of the Moonshadow Grass. And the roots of the Moonshadow Grass survive because of that crystal eye. Therefore, that crystal eye gathers the essence of countless Moonshadow Grasses, which is why it possesses boundless magical power. Just look where these Moonshadow Grass roots get thicker and thicker, and you'll find the crystal eye."

I opened my eyes and looked at the corpses all around me. It seemed that Tsukihime had forgotten to mention these things. The essence absorbed by the Moonshadow Grass probably came from these corpses! So, wasn't that crystal eyeball absorbing the essence from the corpses? What would an eyeball filled with the essence of the dead look like?

Following the increasingly thick vines deeper into the cave, the ground was covered in a mixture of brown and red liquid. Strangely, they didn't merge but intertwined, creating a strange, abstract painting, spiraling and layered into a dreamlike scene. Under the eerie red light, the corpses didn't seem completely dead; their stiff, decaying faces were refracted with an unsettling sense of movement. The vines hidden deep within the corpses also seemed to writhe slowly according to a strange rhythm. The surroundings were deathly silent, and the corpses acted like a magnifying glass, amplifying the appearance of death hundreds of times before my eyes.

Deep within the cave, I finally discovered the green vines twisted into a giant sphere. At its center, shimmering with dazzling light, could that be the crystal eyeball? It was so radiant and captivating. If this is the essence of death, then who would fear it? I don't know how to describe the shock I felt. Perhaps all the symbols of death I had known before were too ugly, so when something so magnificent, yet so transcendentally born from death, was placed before me, I had completely forgotten the price behind its beauty.

The radiance of the crystal eye slowly flowed over my body, and a strange feeling seemed to rise from the depths of my heart. An intuition told me that only the radiance formed by countless lives could be so dazzling. Almost with a pious heart, I slowly reached out my hand; I had to bring it to Tsukihime as soon as possible.

The crystal eyeballs were warm to the touch, not as cold as I had imagined. I gently clenched my fist, and light burst forth from between my fingers, forming beautiful arcs of light resembling the aurora borealis. The vines that had initially emitted a red glow seemed to sense something and began to slowly writhe within the corpses. The hideous bodies now served as the perfect backdrop for the crystal eyeballs' exquisite radiance. Perhaps it was just the effect of the vines, but the corpses now seemed to come alive, each one moving its limbs and joints like manipulated puppets, contorting its bodies in movements impossible for ordinary people.

The crystal eye in my palm flickered erratically. I began to sprint towards where I had come from; time was running out, I had to be back before midnight. As I ran, the scenery around me flashed by like a fast-forwarded video. The corpses writhed and shriveled, their already decaying bodies convulsing, brownish fluid seeping from them splashing everywhere. A stench spread like a plague. The red and brown liquid on the ground churned rapidly, then glowed faintly, surging towards me—or more precisely, towards the crystal eye in my palm—only to abruptly stop ten feet away, as if in fear or perhaps a yearning.

Enduring the increasingly intense stench in the air, I finally saw the coffin and ran towards it with what seemed like ecstatic joy. Looking back at the corpse still struggling in the green vines, I jumped into the coffin without hesitation. Instantly, darkness rushed over me again, and a cold, sticky liquid clung to my skin. I felt the air being sucked away once more.

Clutching the crystal eyeball tightly, I felt my body rising rapidly, then abruptly stopping, my head spinning slightly from the inertia. Just as I was about to get up, I suddenly felt a pair of cold hands gripping my neck…

Volume Two: The Devil's Left Eye, Chapter Forty-Seven: Bones in the Cave

Volume Two: The Devil's Left Eye, Chapter Forty-Seven: Bones in the Cave

Breathing was so difficult. The coffin lid slowly opened, and I finally saw those hands and everything before me: the corpse that had been lying next to me was now reaching out and tightly gripping my neck, and what I saw was the devilish smile on the dead's mask.

"Cough~~~!" I struggled, but the brownish liquid still clung to my skin. Even the slightest movement caused excruciating pain, like being skinned alive. Yet, I had no choice but to move. The hands gripping my neck tightened, and the hand that had been holding the crystal eyeball loosened slightly, instantly illuminating the entire hall. Before I could even react, the corpse released its grip and recoiled. At the same time, I felt the brownish liquid on my body lose its effect. With a swift movement, my body leaped out of the coffin.

"I want...I...I want..." A hoarse, piercing voice came from the corpse. I watched in horror as the corpse before me came back to life and crawled toward me. Just as I was stunned, a pair of icy hands reached out in front of me.

Damn it! I quickly backed away. Who was this corpse? In my confusion, the corpse spoke again: "Give me...give me the eyeballs!" The corpse approached me with a strange walking posture, as if the crystal eyeballs in my hand had an unparalleled attraction for him, summoning him back from the brink of death.

I estimated the time; if I didn't leave soon, midnight would pass, and I wouldn't have time to investigate the identity of the corpse. Without looking back, I turned and ran.

"Give it to me!" The corpse seemed to sense my departure and grabbed my foot.

"Let go!" I kicked him away with disgust. Clutching the crystal eyeball tightly, I fled through the door, leaving the eerie corpse far behind.

"Tsukihime (Qi)~~~~Tsukihime (Qi)~~~!" A strange scream echoed from the empty hall behind me. Whether it was an echo or I misheard, it didn't sound like he was calling out "Tsukihime" at all; it seemed to be calling out another name. Unfortunately, time was running out, and I couldn't go back to investigate that name that sounded like both Tsukihime and Yueqi.

I sprinted through the underground labyrinth, and this time nothing unusual happened. Following the map, I quickly returned to the surface. The moon had changed color strangely, emitting an eerie and terrifying red light. As I reached the village entrance, I vaguely heard footsteps behind me, followed by shouts. At that moment, only one thought flashed through my mind: midnight has passed, I've been discovered!

The surrounding woods looked eerily sinister under the red moonlight. I ran quickly through the forest, and even amidst the rustling sounds, I could clearly hear the pursuers getting closer and closer. To make matters worse, in my panic, I went the wrong way. By the time I tried to find my way back, it was too late. I saw that at the end of the forest was a cliff, with barren land where not a blade of grass grew.

Huff! I was panting heavily as I ran, glancing back at the same time. Not far behind me were a dozen or so Moonshadow Clan members carrying knives and spears, all of them looking fierce and menacing as they rushed towards me.

What should I do? I've reached the edge of the cliff, and looking down, it seems like there's nothing but a bottomless abyss. Is there no way out for me? In my despair, I suddenly noticed a tree growing on the cliff face below, and it looked quite sturdy!

It seems I have no choice but to take a gamble! I put the crystal eyeball in my pocket, took a deep breath. Although this method is very dangerous, and I could easily fall and be smashed to pieces, it is still better than being captured by those half-human, half-ghost Moonshadow people!

Thinking of this, I took another step closer to the cliff. I could feel the mountain wind blowing up from the bottom, making my clothes rustle. I crouched down and, before those people could catch up, I leaped off the cliff!

Oh! I used almost all my strength to finally grab onto the tree; the feeling of my whole body dangling in the air was truly awful. Luckily, those people thought I would surely die if I jumped, and after a quick check, they left. Hearing their voices fade into the distance, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Struggling to support myself, I climbed the tree. Now, if I reached the top, I could escape the Moonshadow Clan's pursuit. They certainly didn't expect I wasn't dead! Thinking this, I felt a little smug! But just then, my foot slipped, and I plummeted straight down! Good heavens! It really proved the saying, "Don't be too proud too soon!"

Before I could even scream for help, my body began to plummet down the mountainside. My survival instinct kicked in, and I reached out to grab onto the rocks, but all I got in return was excruciating pain. I could feel my fingertips being cut by the sharp stones.

No! I can't die like this! Li Hai is waiting for me! In a flash, my wrist felt like it was being clamped by iron pincers, the skin cracking and burning with a searing pain. Looking up, I realized my hand was stuck between two rocks—thankfully, this saved my life! But being stuck in mid-air like this wasn't a solution. If I didn't find a way out, I'd either freeze to death or starve to death here!

Looking down, I suddenly noticed a small opening diagonally below me. Although I couldn't see what was inside, it still excited me immensely! I carefully climbed down, my wrists bleeding profusely, but the thought of being saved made me careless!

I carefully lowered myself down, and my feet finally touched the ground again! The cave seemed extremely narrow; I had to bend over to move around inside, and it got narrower the further I went in. This reminded me of the mountain path where Zhang Wuji discovered the Nine Yang Manual; it seems he only managed to squeeze through because he was young! No, I don't want to end up stuck in this narrow cave, unable to go up or down—that would be worse than death!

Thinking this, I immediately stopped, but what else could I do but continue? I was halfway up the mountain, unable to go up or down! Sighing heavily, I had no choice but to keep going. The cave was getting smaller and smaller, and the light was getting dimmer. I was now in a cave I knew nothing about, and I was kneeling on the ground to move forward!

Suddenly, I felt my knee touch something, but it was so dark I couldn't see anything! That's it! The crystal eye! I immediately thought of it; its light was brighter than any lamp.

The moment I took out the crystal eye, in the radiance, I saw only a skeleton lying at my feet, its long, black hair shimmering faintly in the light.

The clothes on the skeleton were clearly quite old, yet they looked brand new under the light, the colors on the fabric as vibrant as if they were new. Judging from the style, they appeared to be women's clothing, and I had a strange sense of déjà vu! After thinking carefully, I realized that these clothes were the same as those worn by the statue of the goddess Shinra! So, she was Shinra? Impossible. Shinra had been dead for at least several hundred years; could these clothes remain so new after so long?

Puzzled, I reached out and touched the clothes. They were incredibly smooth, even retaining a slight warmth, like real skin. Judging solely from the material, I had no idea what they were made of, but they were certainly woven from something far more precious than silk. The workmanship was exquisite, the embroidered patterns intricate; they weren't something an ordinary person could wear. Touching further down, I found a small object hidden beneath the garment. I quickly pulled it out; it was a tiny, thin glass tube, seemingly containing a dried, yellowish liquid.

How strange! There is a modern glass tube next to what should be the remains of ancient people. What is going on? And it seems that I have seen this small glass tube somewhere before, but I can't remember where I saw it.

*********

A faint, painful groan could be heard from within the empty hall, a series of intermittent screams.

Dressed in magnificent robes, Yuewa looked arrogantly at the man rolling on the ground before her. The dead man's mask had fallen to the ground, revealing an incomparably handsome face. However, the faint bluish-black color ruined the refined temperament of the face, making it appear sinister instead.

This face—this very face—once captivated me, once held me in love, but what did I gain in return? There are always so many devoted women and heartless men in this world; fate is always unfair to me. What I desire is forever out of reach! Why? Why are some born with everything, while I struggle and never achieve anything? Hmph! What about the equality of all people? That's just a lie told by those born with everything to fool those born with nothing. Truth is always spoken by the victors. If that's the case, then let myself be a victor. Even killing the one I love most doesn't matter, because if I can't have him, no one else can! But why do I preserve his body? Is it because I still have feelings for him? But now that he's alive, why do I feel no joy, only utter disgust and hatred?

"Yueqi, Yueqi...save me!" the man pleaded pitifully, only to be met with a merciless kick from the woman.

"I didn't expect that eye to be so powerful. You were able to be resurrected just by touching a little of its light. It seems that the magic of that eye is truly unparalleled!" Yuewa smiled smugly, as if the eye was already hers for the taking.

"Yueqi..." the man groaned in pain as he called out the name.

"Hmph, Zhao Yun! You're in such a state and you're still thinking about that woman. What's so good about her? Huh?!" Yuewa kicked him angrily again and said, "Don't forget, I'm the only one who can save you now. But since I can kill you once, I won't mind killing you again."

Yuewa stared at him expressionlessly. Did love at its extreme mean feeling nothing at all, or did she not truly love him? For the first time, Yuewa felt doubt...

********

Li Hai's head was dizzy and throbbing with pain. He felt as if all the strength had been drained from his body, leaving only a useless empty shell. Was this death? Li Yang remembered his master's warning: a death tribulation! If he died, he wondered if his silly son, Li Yang, would be heartbroken. Thinking of this, Li Hai seemed to regain a little strength. He struggled to open his heavy eyelids, but instead of Lin Xiao, he saw another unfamiliar face.

"You...who are you?" Li Hai struggled to sit up. The man in front of him just looked at him coldly, with a sinister glint in his eyes as if he were not human, but just prey.

"Where is Lin Xiao?" Li Hai asked anxiously.

“Your friend should be back soon. If he doesn’t, you’re just waiting to die,” An Xin said coldly.

"Death?" Li Hai suddenly smiled. He had already expected that this time the odds were against him, and when death came so predictably and so close, he found that he was no longer afraid.

“Death isn’t scary, is it?” A woman’s voice rang out beside Li Hai. Looking up, Li Hai was startled. This woman had become one with the trees, but he couldn’t sense any fluctuations in her soul. It seemed that she had no soul left.

"Who exactly are you?" Li Hai stared at the man and woman in front of him. The man should still be human, but the woman was somewhere between a human and a ghost.