Bai Mei’s words rang in Wu Rong’s ears like thunder, but strangely, he wasn’t too surprised, and even had a feeling that it was ‘to be expected’.
‘Did you already know, or are you just calm enough to hide your emotional changes?’
Seeing that Wu Rong’s expression remained unchanged, Bai Mei raised her lips with interest. When Wu Rong acted like he wanted to speak, she raised a finger to her lips and blinked at him.
‘If you want to communicate with me, you can do it in your mind, no need to speak.’
‘Otherwise, if you want our conversation to be heard by others, that’s also fine.’
‘You’re not Bai Mei.’
In his mind, Wu Rong thought, ‘You’re a spirit body from Saintess Vivian’s relic.’
‘Of course, I’m Bai Mei.’
Bai Mei chuckled softly, her ethereal form had become semi-transparent in color, but it didn’t diminish her beauty; it actually added a kind of ethereal melancholy.
‘I was foolish in the past, and I’m the same now.’
Bai Mei could never let go of the past, so she wouldn’t stop pouring her full hatred onto Zhou Xinhong even after her power had been restored. Torturing him had also cut off her own way out.
Bai Mei’s expression turned cold, and when she suppressed her smile, her entire soul took on a light pigeon-gray color, with a sense of nobility and aloofness.
‘Someone asked me to tell you a few things.’
‘Who?’
‘Someone who died a long time ago.’
Bai Mei continued lightly, ‘She asked me to tell you three things.’
‘Two parallel lines that shouldn’t have intersected have crossed.’
‘Beware of Cupid’s poisoned arrow.’
‘If you want to know everything, take the deceiver with you to Fei. Someone is waiting for you there.’
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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She could never return to the forest where she had grown up happily. Her soul would turn to ashes, but at least she was free.
“The relic of Saintess Vivian within Bai Mei’s body is the very famous Zoroas’ Music Box.”
After Wu Rong left Zhou Xinhong’s cell, personnel from the Ministry of Public Security rushed in; probably because Bai Mei had fulfilled her promise and filled them in on the news about the Great Tiankeng. Tong Fuyuan pushed his wheelchair to the rest area, and soon they would head towards the execution grounds to watch the execution. The corridor was very clean and quiet, with police officers patrolling from time to time, and they would salute when they encountered them.
This salute was for Tong Fuyuan, the professor from the Capital University who was with Wu Rong. His identity was by no means ordinary.
Tong Fuyuan’s words distracted Wu Rong, who was contemplating Bai Mei’s words. Given his personality, he would typically be very cold towards anyone interrupting his thoughts. However, Tong Fuyuan was a person who was difficult to dislike. He was knowledgeable and well-versed, and the topic he chose happened to be of interest to Wu Rong. Although Tong Fuyuan’s voice wasn’t as melodious as the Daytime Empress’s or Zhou Jin’s, it was still very soothing, and Wu Rong couldn’t help but let his guard down.
“Pope Zoroas was the foster father of Saintess Vivian; he sacrificed himself during the early stages of the supernatural revival. In memory of him, Vivian personally crafted this music box.”
“The music box contains both Vivian and the youngest foster daughter of Pope Zoroas, Susie. It is said that she and Vivian looked very alike, with golden, radiant curls and cornflower blue eyes. Later, during the gathering of the Nine heroes, Vivian gave up becoming the new pope and chose to sacrifice herself for the world like Pope Zoroas. She handed the pope’s scepter to Susie, but she didn’t expect her to follow her secretly. In the end, the two sacrificed themselves together.”
“You know a lot about the nine heroes,” Wu Rong said.
Tong Fuyuan smiled lightly, “Well, I am the head of the history department after all, specializing in the history of the Tiankeng’s development. The sealing of the Seven Great Tiankengs is my most in depth research area.”
“I believe people shouldn’t let their guard down just because the Seven Great Tiankengs are sealed. Researching their history is far from dull; it’s quite fascinating. Moreover, only by understanding our adversaries can we ensure our success in countless battles.”
“Can ghosts leave the Great Tiankengs?”
“In theory, they cannot. The Seven Great Tiankengs, though located in different regions, are interconnected and mutually sealed. Like the recent appearance of the Great Black Sky Phantom, it signifies the loosening of the seal on the Youpotan Tiankeng. But there’s no need to be overly alarmed, as they will only fully unseal when all Seven Great Tiankengs’ seals are loosened together.”
“Likewise, if a ghost wants to leave a Great Tiankeng, they must go through each of the Seven Great Tiankengs in sequence. No one, human or ghost, can endure the torment of all Seven Great Tiankengs.”
“Torment?”
“Yes, indeed, torment. Otherwise, banishing a soul to a Great Tiankeng wouldn’t be the Federation’s cruelest punishment. Even a Ghost King wouldn’t withstand the torment of a single Great Tiankeng, let alone attempting to leave after going through all seven. If such a ghost exists, it would be a unique miracle, and their return to the mortal realm would trigger a riot in all Seven Great Tiankengs, making them the rightful ruler of all ghosts.”
“Of course, if it’s a heavenly ghost within the Great Tiankeng, it’s more likely.”
Tong Fuyuan shook his head, “All along, we’ve believed that once the Seven Great Tiankengs were sealed, the heavenly ghosts inside couldn’t possibly come out. But I’ve always maintained that anything is possible, and humans shouldn’t underestimate the threat posed by heavenly ghosts.”
“Yes, a threat,” Tong Fuyuan nodded seriously, “Perhaps in common perception, the resentful ghosts, ghost generals, and ghost kings within the Ghost Territory are terrifying and malevolent enough, but in reality, the heavenly ghosts are thousands of times more wicked. They are creatures born purely from malevolent thoughts, the darkest and foulest of beings. They have no emotions, only destruction and deception, appearing harmless, friendly, or even pure, but they are heartless and their souls are steeped in darkness, filled with malevolence.”
“In the early days of the supernatural revival, many strong individuals were deceived and wrongly died due to the deceptions of heavenly ghosts. At that time, everyone was in danger, and even the closest of comrades couldn’t trust each other. It was a period of absolute darkness. There was a saying then: ‘Never trust heavenly ghosts, no matter how harmless, friendly, or pure they seem. They have no hearts; their souls are pure darkness filled with malevolence.'”
Towards the end, Tong Fuyuan seemed to feel that the atmosphere was too serious, and he changed the subject with a joke, saying, “If you encounter a heavenly ghost, report it immediately and hand it over to the Federation.”
“Why would I encounter a heavenly ghost?”
Wu Rong replied indifferently, showing no emotion. He continued to chat with Tong Fuyuan about the history of the Seven Great Tiankengs. When the special police arrived to escort them to the execution site, Tong Fuyuan smiled and said to Wu Rong, “It seems you’re very interested in the history of the Great Tiankeng. Have you considered further studies at the Tianda Capital University? They have the most comprehensive database. Being part of Tianda Capital University would allow you to access various materials.”
“I don’t have time to go to university.”
Wu Rong declined.
“You don’t necessarily have to attend full-time. Many ghost keepers don’t have the luxury of spending long hours studying at school, but you can apply for a one-year short-term program or take online courses.”
Tong Fuyuan, with a good temperament, suggested with a smile, “I’ve seen your performance in Tiankeng No. 444. If you were to come to Tianda Capital University, you might even become a guest lecturer.”
“We’ll see.”
Wu Rong was indeed interested in the database of Tianda Capital University, but recently, he hadn’t had much time. Whether it was hatching the Zhong Gu, improving his strength, or participating in the life-and-death duel in Miaojiang six months later, not to mention the matters of Fu Qing and the Big Ghost, he had no leisure to go to the safe zone in the capital.
And there was another reason.
For some unknown reason, Wu Rong didn’t particularly like Tong Fuyuan.
This unfounded feeling should have faded with their conversation, but it resurfaced when Tong Fuyuan invited him to Tianda Capital University.
Why was that?
A gunshot rang out at the execution ground, and Zhou Xinhong fell to the ground in response. His pale soul remained in place, writhing in agony. From the state of his soul, one could see that Zhou Xinhong’s soul was filled with intense resentment. Countless dark lines were pulled from Bai Mei’s soul and deeply embedded into his body. Even if his physical body died, leaving only his soul, Zhou Xinhong would forever experience the same excruciating torment as Bai Mei did. It was only when his soul was banished to the Great Tiankeng that he would undergo a pain multiplied a thousandfold, until his soul was completely extinguished.
The staff used a specially made golden box to contain Zhou Xinhong’s soul. As Zhou Xinhong’s physical body perished, Bai Mei’s soul became increasingly faint. When the final trace of darkness was injected into Zhou Xinhong’s soul, the countless dark lines connecting the two of them all ruptured simultaneously, as if severing all past connections, love, hate and other grievances between them.
Bai Mei stood still in the center of the open-air execution ground. Her soul was pure and flawless, transparent like crystal. Even the drizzling rain falling from the overcast sky couldn’t diminish her pristine brilliance. With her hands clasped together and her eyes closed, she sang silently, and her soul gradually dissipated. It was like the little mermaid in fairy tales, dissolving into bubbles under the sunlight, leaving behind a beautiful and melancholic legend.
Just before she completely vanished, Wu Rong noticed that Bai Mei seemed to open her eyes and gaze in a certain direction. However, she dissipated too quickly, and this scene appeared to be an illusion. Wu Rong turned his gaze towards the same direction and saw a slender figure holding an umbrella and wearing a black mask.
It was Zhou Jin, coming to bid his mother farewell.
‘The Daytime Empress sure had terrible luck with men.’
Huang Mao’s voice echoed in Wu Rong’s mind through their blood contract. They had learned about Bai Mei’s tragic story, and although they couldn’t be present at the execution to accompany her, they had been following closely, feeling sorry for Bai Mei.
‘All scoundrels in the world should be sentenced to death!’
Huang Mao’s voice was filled with righteous indignation, and Wu Rong knew he remembered Xun An. That name had nearly faded from Wu Rong’s memory; too many things had happened since his rebirth. Despite less than a year and a half passing, the events of his previous life felt as if they had occurred a century ago and were blurred.
Xun An.
Wu Rong tilted his head back in his wheelchair, gazing into the distance as he contemplated. Coincidentally, Tong Fuyuan lowered his glasses, catching Wu Rong’s gaze, and naturally offered him a warm smile. It was one of those gentle smiles that made you feel like you were the center of the universe in his eyes. Plus, it had that ‘top student’ vibe that Wu Rong used to admire.
No wonder he found conversing with Professor Tong so comfortable, yet he also felt an inexplicable aversion. Was it because he had subconsciously associated him with Xun An?
Wu Rong fell into deep thought. He indeed used to have a soft spot for people like Xun An. Huang Mao’s disdain for straight-A students and hooligans was more logical. It was strange that Wu Rong had once favored those gentle, highly intelligent individuals. However, now, when he thought about it, he had completely lost interest in this type of person.
What type did he have feelings for?
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure crossed his mind. But before he could grasp it, a group of people approached him.
“Chief Zhou, Inspector Angus.”
Chief Zhou, Zhou Xun’s father and head of the Yangjiaping Public Security Bureau, walked over with an unfamiliar foreign liaison inspector. Wu Rong had never met the inspector before, but he was already acquainted with Chief Zhou, having met him a few times. When Chief Zhou saw Wu Rong, his initially stern and furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and his imposing aura dissipated. The sharp gaze typical of veteran special police officer swept over Wu Rong’s entire body before suddenly pausing at Wu Rong’s cheek.
Wu Rong was highly sensitive to other people’s gazes and immediately understood what Chief Zhou was looking at. It was the scar left by the special bullet that grazed his cheek that night in Zhou Xinhong’s study.
M1zushi: first hint should be about Wu Rong and OG!Wu Rong’s timelines intersecting
Second hint should be about Fu Qing’s mysterious attraction to Wu Rong
Third hint idk, what are you guesses?
Cloud Chip Cake: The third hint talks about a deceiver… I think the only person that Wu Rong knows that actually deceived him is Xun An but that doesn’t really make sense context wise.. maybe the Big Ghost?
Editor: Cloud Chip Cake
So much to unpack. At least Mom Ghost was finally freed.
mmm so many juicy details to ponder… 🥰
Thanks for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
So either big ghost only looks like FQ to WR or FQ was so jelly he didn’t even notice that Nan looks like him. Ya know what he does seem to be that jelly. Honestly BG and FQ behave very similarly. Which means they will hate eachother until they merge
For the third hint wasn’t there still the statue head who speaks in riddles and loves to mislead others?
Me confused af:… so are they the same soul..? No???
If the government still not going to (highly) suspect MC and his gang, I think they better just dissolve tbh.