Volume One, Chapter 86: The Failed Persuasion

For three thousand years, Chi Xingwan had encountered countless tragic souls, many of whom had died unjustly. Chang Jinlan was not the most miserable among them, yet after hearing Chang Jinlan’s story, Chi Xingwan still found herself unable to remain indifferent.

No matter how much pity she felt for Chang Jinlan, she could not allow her to roam free and bring disaster upon the world.

She raised her gaze to meet Chang Jinlan’s. “Chang Jinlan, your suffering in life was not your fault. But the path you chose after death, leading to this fate, is yours to bear.”

Because she died unjustly, Chang Jinlan’s soul never entered the underworld. She became a vengeful spirit, her body nailed inside a coffin, her soul trapped within the ancient tomb, unable to leave.

That is, until the tomb was opened.

“You killed those three tomb robbers. Though your actions were wrong, their fate was deserved. Had you stopped there, perhaps there would have been hope for you. But you should never—under any circumstances—have killed Xiao Hu and her companion. They were innocent.”

Chang Jinlan sneered. “I know they were innocent. Blame their misfortune. I needed a new body, after all.”

Chi Xingwan continued, “If you hadn’t killed the two of them, even if the ghost wardens took you, you would have been punished in the underworld, then reborn. But now, you have lost that chance.”

“I don’t need it. I hate this world. I would rather vanish into nothingness than return as a human.”

“So that’s how it is.” Chi Xingwan asked, “Have you no attachment to your husband and child?”

A flicker of emotion crossed Chang Jinlan’s eyes, but she quickly concealed it.

“They’re dead. Long dead. Long gone… They left me. I have nothing left to hold me here.”

“Is that so?” Chi Xingwan replied. “But they were innocent. After death, they were able to be reborn.”

Chang Jinlan paused, her voice trembling. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, they could have reincarnated. Perhaps, if you go out now, the people you kill will be their new lives. Or perhaps, you have already killed them.”

Chang Jinlan looked down at her hands. She had killed five people.

Could any of them be the reborn souls of her husband and child?

Impossible. The world is vast—what are the odds?

But is it truly impossible? In such a wide world, anything is possible.

Suddenly, Chang Jinlan shuddered and glared fiercely at Chi Xingwan. “You think you can shake me? How naive. I won’t be fooled. Even if those I killed are their reincarnations, so what? They are no longer who they once were—not my husband, not my child.”

“To me, they are strangers. Nothing more than ants.”

Chi Xingwan sighed inwardly. She knew no words could persuade, or deceive, Chang Jinlan.

But she no longer needed to.

For the ghost wardens had arrived.

The air twisted, churning the black mists into chaos.

A gate of black stone materialized, and from it emerged a ghost warden cloaked in black, carrying a chain.

“Chang Jinlan, vengeful spirit! Your crimes are unforgivable. Death is your only sentence!”

The warden’s power struck terror deep within Chang Jinlan, but she refused to surrender.

She prepared to fight to the death.

A vengeful spirit of a thousand years, fighting desperately—Chi Xingwan’s expression changed. She said to the warden, “I leave this to you.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and ran. She needed to return to the surface, to protect those above from Chang Jinlan’s last, desperate attack.

The tomb shook violently. Chi Xingwan stumbled through the passageways. Unable to bear it, she withdrew a flying sword from her inner realm—her first time flying by sword in this world.

Fortunately, her memory served her well; she did not lose her way and soon found the thieves’ tunnel.

Emerging from the tunnel, chaos reigned outside.

The Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams formation had already collapsed. Luckily, one side of the Universe Net still held.

The spiritual masters staggered about; some knelt, clutching their heads and screaming, others wielded talismans and fought each other, and some were battered and bloody.

All had been affected by the vengeful spirit.

Chang Jinlan’s backlash was fierce; even Chi Xingwan felt a tremor of unrest in her own soul.

She bit her tongue, the taste of blood snapping her back to clarity.

Decisively, she threw out a magical artifact from her inner realm—a Black Iron Bone Umbrella.

As soon as the umbrella appeared, it radiated golden light. The nine ribs unfolded, revealing a golden canopy.

“All of you, quickly gather under the umbrella!”

Jin Feng was the first to move. He managed to keep his wits, stumbling toward the umbrella, only to realize after a few steps he had nearly forgotten Chu Fangfei.

Chu Fangfei was delirious, her hands wrapped around her own neck, nearly strangling herself.

Jin Feng changed direction, but found himself too slow. He crouched, picked up a lump of yellow clay, and hurled it at Chu Fangfei.

The clay struck her head and exploded, covering her in mud, but the distraction made her loosen her grip. Her complexion improved.

Jin Feng reached her, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and staggered toward the umbrella, tripping several times in his own confusion.

Still, they managed to reach the umbrella and stepped into the golden light. The pressure vanished, their minds cleared as never before.

Chu Fangfei spat out mud several times. “Senior brother, I’m grateful, but next time could you avoid making me such a mess?”

She had been struck by mud, turned into a mud monkey, carried and dropped several times. Jin Feng himself was fine, but she had suffered.

Jin Feng panted heavily, speaking in bursts. “First, saving you was already… not easy. Second, Chu Fangfei, when we get back, you—need to go on a diet!”

Chu Fangfei wanted to curse, but before she could, Jin Feng stood up.

He finally caught his breath. “Junior sister, stay here. I’m going out to rescue the others.”

Chu Fangfei looked around under the umbrella—only four or five people had made it. Many more lacked the strength to get there on their own.

She opened her mouth, wanting to help, but considering her own abilities, she knew Jin Feng would have to save her again if she left.

“Senior brother, be careful.”

Jin Feng nodded, took a deep breath, locked onto a target, and rushed out.

Soon, others recovered under the umbrella, including Xue Cheng. At first he was dazed, but seeing Jin Feng rush out, he remembered to help.

Back and forth they ran, until finally every spiritual master was under the umbrella and safe.

Yet relief was still far away—some were gravely injured and needed urgent care.

Chu Fangfei looked around anxiously for Chi Xingwan.

At that moment, Chi Xingwan was doing everything she could to save Xiao Hu’s companion, the archaeologist murdered by Chang Jinlan in the subsidiary tomb chamber.