I stared silently at Samuel Young. He still seemed to be weighing whether or not to speak.
"Samuel Young, are you afraid that what you say might tarnish your righteous reputation? Don't worry, I can keep a secret. I won't spread it around."
Xu Fu laughed heartily. Samuel Young was visibly uneasy. The greater mystery, however, was why I would cooperate with Xu Fu to enter the Yang Realm.
"Xu Fu, there's nothing left for us to discuss."
Xu Fu scratched his ear, then smiled.
"Still holding a grudge about us taking your disciple for research?"
Suddenly, Samuel Young emanated a powerful aura. His white robe quivered slightly. I glanced at Xu Fu, who shook his head.
"Your disciple was already dying. I simply made reasonable use of him before he passed—and he agreed to it. He was desperate, after all. He came to us himself, because he didn't want to die. And you, as his master, couldn't save him, so of course he sought us out."
Samuel Young withdrew his power and let out a cold laugh.
"That's not for you alone to say, Xu Fu. Heavenly Soul, I just want to ask—why did you choose to cooperate with Xu Fu?"
"No comment."
I only replied with four words. I had no intention of arguing with Samuel Young. Compared to the Immortality Society, I trusted the Daoist Order even less at this moment. This time, with the rampant outbreak of ghosts in the Yang Realm, the Daoists had done almost nothing. Even when the situation was this dire, both the Buddhist and Daoist sects held back for their own reasons.
"Are you suspicious of me, Heavenly Soul?"
"Can you just shut up, Xu Fu?"
"Spare the extra words, Samuel Young. Just tell me what you want from the Yang Realm. I'll bring it back for you, and in return, you send us to the Yang Realm."
After a long pause, Xiaoyaozi finally seemed to make up his mind and spoke.
"Come with me, Tianhun."
"Xu Fu, there's no need for you to speak so sarcastically in front of Heavenly Soul. You lot are villains, always..." As he spoke, Samuel Young opened his folding fan and tossed it into the air. With a gentle leap, he landed atop the fan, pressed two fingers together, and chanted under his breath. A golden glow shimmered—the fan grew larger, carrying him toward a distant building. I floated after him. Clearly, he had no intention of telling Xu Fu what he wanted.
"Evil is evil—we admit it. We've been villains since the founding of the Immortality Society. I've never claimed to be a good person. Sometimes, true evil is far better than hypocrisy!"
Samuel Young glared furiously at Xu Fu once more. I raised a hand and said, "Speak, Samuel Young."
"What I want is the purest curse energy."
I looked at Xiaoyaozi in confusion. With a wave of his hand, a small gourd appeared. I stared, surprised—the gourd was covered in red curse script, densely packed over its brown surface. Xiaoyaozi handed the gourd to me.
"I'm counting on you, Tianhun. Bring me back the purest curse energy."
"How am I supposed to recognize the purest curse energy?"
I asked. Xiaoyaozi gave a bitter smile.
"No need to recognize it yourself. This gourd will react. When it does, just unscrew the lid and collect some of the energy for me."
I grunted in acknowledgment and tucked the gourd into my instinctual space.
"I'll leave those two to you, Xiaoyaozi."
Xiaoyaozi seemed to understand immediately. The reason I said nothing was because Xu Fu was nearby. I still harbored hostility toward Xu Fu.
"Why not seize the chance to kill Xu Fu in that world? With your power, Tianhun, you should be able to do it."
I shook my head.
"Sorry, Daoist. I don't like being fickle. Since I promised him, I'll cooperate—at least until we find a way for the Abandoned to grow stronger."
Xiaoyaozi looked at me, a hint of bitterness in his eyes.
"Tonight at midnight, come to the northern outskirts. I'll set up the ritual."
I nodded and returned to where Xu Fu was. Xu Fu, still lying on the ground, opened his eyes.
"How did it go?"
"It's settled."
Xu Fu nodded, fully aware of his situation, and didn't ask further.
"About Bo Ziran—what really happened?"
Xu Fu sighed.
"Go find Lan Ruoxi and you'll understand. I won't say more—I need to prepare."
I didn't think much of it and floated away, heading straight for Lan Ruoxi's home. She should be back by now.
Half an hour later, I entered Lan Ruoxi's house, but she wasn't there.
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"Tianhun, how did it go?"
As soon as I entered, Lan Qinmo came down from upstairs, looking at me anxiously. I grunted in response and glanced at the denizens of the Underworld in the café—they were all busy.
"Let's go upstairs and talk."
After a while, I followed Lan Qinmo to a small lounge on the third floor. I asked about Bo Ziran. Once Lan Qinmo explained, I was shocked at first, but quickly calmed down. I had known for a long time that Bo Ziran's karma led to death—he himself had accepted it. I never told anyone else.
But the matter with Yin Choujian caught me off guard. The catastrophe in the Esoteric Sect, too. I finally understood everything Xu Fu had told me. Ever since I left the Forest of Desire, I've been lost in thought, drifting through days in a daze. So much happened in just a few days.
"Do you have a way, Tianhun? That labyrinth Yin Choujian is trapped in?"
I shook my head.
"If it's about formations, Bo Ziran knows more than I do. You should ask the Daoist Order for help—maybe they'll be useful."
Lan Qinmo shook his head.
"You know some things can't be spoken of. About Yin Choujian and Bo Ziran—now, besides the Ghost Lords and Yin Choujian's subordinates, and our family, it's just you. No one else knows."
I grunted. With the battle looming, this kind of trouble could change everything—especially Bo Ziran's situation. It's serious.
"And you? What's happened these past few days? You seem... different."
Lan Qinmo looked at me in confusion. I shook my head.
"I won't talk about my side. Tonight, I'm going with Xu Fu to the world of sunlight."
As soon as I finished, Lan Qinmo stood up, disbelief in his eyes. I told him some of my own thoughts. We need new strength. I must find a way for the Abandoned to grow stronger.
"I can't leave right now, or I'd go with you."
I smiled helplessly and shook my head.
"No need, Lan Qinmo. When Lan Ruoxi comes back, don't tell her about me going to the world of sunlight, or that I'm going with Xu Fu."
Lan Qinmo nodded. I stood up, planning to head straight to the northern outskirts—a stretch of abandoned fields. I knew that's what Xiaoyaozi meant.
Honestly, I wanted to apologize to Lan Ruoxi in person. I don't even know why I'm cooperating with someone like Xu Fu. But I quickly realized—since I'm already involved, I have to see it through. The ones left by Earth Soul, who swore to make the Abandoned his army, can't be relied on now. So I'll finish this first.
At dusk, I arrived at the northern outskirts. Sure enough, I soon found Xiaoyaozi, busy with a bucket filled with red-black liquid, painting a ritual on the ground.
This ritual was slightly different from the one Zhang Qingyuan and the others used to enter the world of sunlight—seemed like it had been improved. Xiaoyaozi smiled.
"In such a hurry?"
I grunted.
"What do you really think of me, Xiaoyaozi? Now, I..."
"Honestly, you're much better than you used to be—less cold. But your cooperation with Xu Fu surprised me. Even if you won't tell me why, I can guess some of it. There are things you can't solve alone, so you have to work together. That's what it means to be human, Tianhun."
I gave a helpless smile. Xiaoyaozi kept painting on the ground with his bucket.
"Exactly. That's humanity. Once you become human, there are things you can't let go of."
"Sigh, Tianhun, maybe what Xu Fu said was true. Our Daoist Order really hasn't done enough."
Honestly, I wanted to apologize to Lan Ruoxi in person. I don't even know why I'm cooperating with someone like Xu Fu. But I quickly realized—since I'm already involved, I have to see it through. The ones left by Earth Soul, who swore to make the Abandoned his army, can't be relied on now. So I'll finish this first.
At dusk, I arrived at the northern outskirts. Sure enough, I soon found Xiaoyaozi, busy with a bucket filled with red-black liquid, painting a ritual on the ground.
This ritual was slightly different from the one Zhang Qingyuan and the others used to enter the world of sunlight—seemed like it had been improved. Xiaoyaozi smiled.
"In such a hurry?"
I grunted.
"What do you really think of me, Xiaoyaozi? Now, I..."
"Honestly, you're much better than you used to be—less cold. But your cooperation with Xu Fu surprised me. Even if you won't tell me why, I can guess some of it. There are things you can't solve alone, so you have to work together. That's what it means to be human, Tianhun."
I gave a helpless smile. Xiaoyaozi kept painting on the ground with his bucket.
"Exactly. That's humanity. Once you become human, there are things you can't let go of."
"Sigh, Tianhun, maybe what Xu Fu said was true. Our Daoist Order really hasn't done enough."