To the Ends of Blue Heaven and Down to Yellow Springs

Seeing this, Cao Wan'er burst out laughing. "Haha, if you knew it would end up like this, why bother in the first place?" She looked at the chaos before her, utterly satisfied.

"Xin'er, wake up! Wake up!" Lucian Vane shouted again. "Did you forget about Little Snowball? Did you forget him?"

"Little Snowball..." Ivy Shen echoed, mumbling.

"That's right! You still have Little Snowball, you still have him!" Ethan Chu shouted loudly too.

"No!" Ivy Shen suddenly shoved Ethan Chu away. "I don't want him, I don't want him..."

"Xin'er..." The three men were at a complete loss facing Ivy Shen like this, anxious but not knowing what to do.

"Hahaha, you three can stop wasting your energy. She's already lost her mind. Instead of watching her suffer, wouldn't it be better if I sent your whole family to reunite in hell? Wouldn't that be the best ending? At least, no one would be sad!" Cao Wan'er's smile curled even higher as she spoke.

"Dream on!" the three men shouted in unison, then staggered to their feet to shield Ivy Shen.

At this, Cao Wan'er snorted coldly, flicked her sleeve, and a wave of inner force blasted toward them. The three men instantly collapsed, coughing up fresh blood again.

"Hahaha, you three are already at death's door and still think you can protect her? How delusional!"

It really was Liam Willow—but he couldn't do martial arts, could he?

Right now, Liam Willow was wielding a long black iron chain, striking at Cao Wan'er with unfathomable martial skill.

His expression was unreadable—so different from his usual self.

Suddenly, Ivy Shen frowned. Something was off—those moves, that chain... why did they seem so familiar?

She'd seen it somewhere before...

Where was it? Where?

Ivy Shen searched her mind desperately. Suddenly, she began to tremble—her heart nearly stopped. She knew. Yes, she knew. She'd not only seen those moves before, she'd fought against them herself. They were Black Reaper's techniques!

She'd fought them in dreams, so she knew. But how could he use Black Reaper's techniques?

The next moment, Ivy Shen's hoarse, despairing scream shattered the silence: "No—!"

'Ivy!' The three men stared at her in shock. She was kneeling on the ground, suddenly tearing at her own hair and letting out a piercing scream.

Yes, she saw it—bathed in moonlight, Liam Willow had no shadow. No shadow at all...

Ivy, did you know? If a fated person can communicate with ghosts, they can sell their soul to have a spirit help them fulfill a wish. But once that wish is granted, they must descend to hell—never to reincarnate.

Master Xuanluo's words echoed in her mind. She'd once scoffed—who would be foolish enough to sell their soul to a ghost? What wish could be so powerful you'd wager your chance at reincarnation? How laughable.

No—! Ivy Shen kept screaming, her voice piercing and wild, like a ghost's wail. She dug her nails into her own arm, blood streaming down her pale wrist. 'Why? Didn't you say just me was enough? Why—why did you take all four of them? Why—!'

What should she do? What should she do?

How could she ever escape this fate? How could she protect them?

Could it be...?

Could this be the cycle of fate, an inescapable nightmare?

If she died, would everything end? If she disappeared, would things go back to the way they were?

She grabbed a dagger from her waist and slashed at her throat. But the cold blade fell to the ground, her hand limp and powerless, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

No, she couldn't die yet. There were things she hadn't finished—unfinished business...

Just then—bang! Liam Willow collapsed to the ground. Cao Wan'er's clothes had been slashed open by his iron chain, but no one expected she was wearing a Buddha-robe underneath. The golden robe instantly expelled the dark shadow lurking in Liam Willow's body, making it vanish.

Liam Willow fell to the ground—the deal was complete. Black Reaper had only promised him martial skill, not a guaranteed kill. Besides, no one expected Cao Wan'er to be wearing a Buddha-robe.

Hmph, clearly some monster is at work!' Cao Wan'er was furious—because of this monster, her body was covered in wounds. Enraged, she stepped forward, ready to snap Liam Willow's neck.

Watch out!' Suddenly, Colin Kerr flew over, scooping up Liam Willow. In an instant, Cao Wan'er tore Colin's arm off with a sickening snap.

Ah—!' Colin Kerr howled in pain, but his grip on Liam Willow never loosened.

Colin's cry snapped Ivy Shen out of her daze. She looked up and saw Colin missing an arm, cradling the dying Liam Willow. In the next second, Ivy Shen leapt over.

Willow, Willow...

Beloved... I'm sorry... I didn't know... I didn't know she had a Buddha-robe... I couldn't help you... I'm sorry.' Liam Willow lay on the ground, coughing up blood. Without a shadow, his breath grew weaker with every word.

Why are you so foolish? Did you make a deal with Black Reaper?

As long as you're safe... it's all worth it. Beloved... live well... uh... the three of them are coming to fetch me...' Liam Willow's voice faded, speaking only by instinct.

Willow, Willow, wake up! Wake up!' Ivy Shen screamed.