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墨書 Inktalez
Before me lay a stretch of green, resembling jewels that emitted a unique glow, enhancing the singular beauty of this place. Towering trees surrounded us, their lushness swaying gently in the breeze, producing a soft rustling sound, and the air seemed to carry a hint of dust and foliage.
"This place is different from what I saw last time," I said, pointing to the open valley ahead. "Last time, I saw an underwater scene, but this is clearly a land valley."
Qin Ling paid me no mind, while the female ghost smiled and explained, "Emerald Valley is a remnant of a person's thoughts. With its transformation, each appearance presents a different scene; sometimes it’s an underwater world, other times it’s a mountain range, or even a cozy home, and at times it can be a barren desert. But no matter how it changes, it is always enveloped in green—that is Emerald Valley."
Seeing Qin Ling step out of the protective barrier and stride forward, I didn’t say much more. I absentmindedly nodded and was about to follow when the female ghost grabbed my hand.
"What—"
I turned back, my words unspoken as I saw the ghost make a shushing gesture towards me. Then she deliberately slowed her pace to maintain some distance from Qin Ling.
I didn’t understand her actions, but feeling trapped by her grip left me with no choice but to proceed cautiously. However, my alertness did not escape her notice, prompting her to chuckle softly. "Don’t be afraid of me; I just sensed that we are fated to meet and that you carry the aura of Jun Chong, which is why I approached you."
"Jun—"
I noticed her lips didn’t move, yet her voice clearly reached my ears. She quickly silenced my attempt to speak again. "Don’t talk; he can’t hear what we’re saying now. There are some things I find worth mentioning to you." She smiled brightly at me and pointed at my abdomen. "It’s about the Demon Fetus."
I froze for a moment, my mind racing with thoughts as many ideas flashed through my head. Ultimately, I chose silence and formed the words with my lips: "Go on."
The female ghost narrowed her eyes at me for a moment before continuing, "Since ancient times, all Lords of the Ghost Fetus have met with death in the end. But I know of two ways to ensure that the Lord of the Ghost Fetus and the Demon Fetus can coexist."
"Two?"
I was greatly surprised to find out that there were two options. But why did Jun Chong say nothing before? It felt as if there was none at all.
"Yes," the female ghost raised a finger at me. "The first one is the Emerald Feather Box. The Emerald Feather Box is an ancient divine artifact that allows its owner to make one wish, but in return, a price of equal value must be paid. If you want both mother and child to survive, you must sacrifice another life, and that life will undoubtedly be someone you cannot let go of."
Hearing this, I shook my head desperately, opening my mouth but unable to make a sound. I could only nervously think, "I don't want to. I can't harm my family and loved ones just to survive."
The female ghost seemed to hear my thoughts and simply nodded. "I understand; it's painful to cut off one side when both are dear to you. But if the first option is impossible, then the second is even harder."
"What is the second option?" Her words filled me with dread. If it truly required a more painful price for my life, then I would rather die and leave the child for Jun Chong.
"The King of Hell."
"The King of Hell?"
"Yes."
The female ghost took my hand and slowly followed Qin Ling as we walked further into Emerald Valley. We had already traveled quite a distance, yet the path ahead continued endlessly, seemingly leading to larger passages. Beneath the green shade, a cold wind blew, carrying the unique chill of the underworld.
Suddenly, the female ghost stopped, and Qin Ling ahead also came to a halt, entering a state of alertness. The female ghost furrowed her brow slightly and tightened her grip on my hand, her tone heavier than ever.
"I have heard that as long as one drinks the blood from the heart of the King of Hell and gives birth to a Demon Fetus, the Lord of the Ghost Fetus will be unharmed. However, throughout history, there have been more than one Lord of the Ghost Fetus, including one from Jun Family, yet they all ended up dying. This is strange, but the method must be correct because I know there was once a Lord of the Ghost Fetus who gave birth to a Demon Fetus and survived unscathed. Perhaps there is something behind this method that makes it unacceptable for many Lords of the Ghost Fetus, which is why they chose death instead."
What had once been hope in my heart turned silent with her words.
For me, the price paid for the Emerald Feather Box was already too heavy; I never expected that the second option would be even more unbearable. So many Lords of the Ghost Fetus would rather die than drink the blood from the heart of the King of Hell—why was that?
I knew that Jun Chong's family also had a Lord of the Ghost Fetus; their Jun Family had inherited several generations of Kings of Hell. What had happened back then?
"Do you know who survived?"
"I don't know. Don't worry, I'm telling you this so you can be prepared and not get foolishly tricked in the Underworld Palace," the female ghost said, squeezing my hand and winking at me. She tilted her chin towards Qin Ling's direction. "Anxin, Jun Rui is not someone to take lightly. Be very careful around him; his danger goes far beyond what you can see. If it weren't for that, Jun Chong wouldn't have ended up like this."
I nodded, feeling heavy-hearted and furrowing my brows. Perhaps trusting that mysterious person was a mistake; although it provided an additional option, it only added to my torment.
Beyond a cluster of large trees lay an open space, where a green box rested on a platform, flanked by exquisite wings. It was undoubtedly the Emerald Feather Box, and beside it stood two tall and imposing Ghost Generals.
Last time I couldn't see clearly, so I thought it was just an exterior thing. Now, with the vast emptiness around us, I could sense the powerful malevolence and danger emanating from them even before getting close.
I hesitated in my steps, and the female ghost pulled me to a stop beside her. She called out to Qin Ling ahead, "Little brother, don't move yet; the time isn't right. If you act rashly now, you might suffer. It's better to wait and see where that Vengeful Spirit is."
"Did that Vengeful Spirit really kill your husband?" I tugged at the hem of her garment, glancing at the token hanging from her waist on a vine, feeling worried. "If you're the Underworld King and can't deal with that Vengeful Spirit, Qin Ling has to split his attention between the Ghost Generals and the Vengeful Spirit. I'm concerned he might be in danger."
"This?" She took off the token, which instantly turned into a cloud of powder. I widened my eyes in shock as she playfully smiled and stuck out her tongue. "Everything was a trap I set for him; I didn't expect him to actually believe it. Haha." Her laughter faded into a deep-seated hatred. "But that Vengeful Spirit did indeed kill my husband. If I don't avenge this grudge, my heart won't be at peace. Even if I have to rely on others' hands, I will make that spirit suffer."
"…"
I was at a loss for words; this female ghost was ever-changing and was one of the fastest people I've seen in terms of inconsistency. She truly resembled Lianchi in some ways. At that moment, I casually asked, "You seem like Lianchi."
To my surprise, she replied, "That guy Lianchi—he's my brother. Haha, just kidding!"
I froze for a moment before collapsing in disbelief.
The female ghost had intended to tease me further when suddenly a chilling aura of murder flashed through the greenery. Even I could feel it; my body shivered as she shielded me behind her.
"Don't be afraid; just hide over there. When the new moon arrives, the Ghost Generals will awaken. If there's danger nearby, they will take action. Their abilities may drop to their lowest for just a short while; that's all part of my plan to lure ghosts here. Regardless of when it is, the Ghost Generals are always powerful—especially during the new moon and full moon when their abilities peak—which is why the Emerald Feather Box has never been taken away for thousands of years. I sense Jun Chong's presence in the Underworld; you stay here and wait for him. If there's any danger, prioritize your safety."
I was speechless; there were too many truths and lies woven into her words that it was hard to discern reality from deception sometimes. However, I chose to believe what Demon Fetus had said.
In the next moment, I felt my body lighten as I found myself at the spot she indicated. The surrounding large green leaves enveloped me—it truly was a good hiding place.
The battle had already begun, and I could only see a white figure entangled with Qin Ling's red attire, moving at an incredible speed. I couldn't even make out the appearance of the white shadow before I saw Qin Ling struck hard to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
I nearly screamed, covering my mouth tightly with my hand as I trembled. The female ghost joined the fray, and the three ghosts were locked in a fierce struggle. Above us, the sky gradually darkened; the new moon had arrived.
The intense atmosphere of battle awakened the Ghost General. Cracks appeared on their bodies, and then with a loud bang, they all shattered and burst outward, causing Qin Ling and the Vengeful Spirit to retreat instantly.
In an instant, the winds surged, and the dark killing intent rose to its peak. I felt goosebumps all over my body, trembling uncontrollably. The terrifying aura made my heart race, and my teeth began to chatter.
I desperately wanted to watch the fight ahead, but some instinct compelled me to close my eyes. The sounds of battle grew louder around me; I could hear Qin Ling's voice, the female ghost's voice, and various roars. The flashes of blades created an illusion that the very ground was shaking beneath me.
"Anxin, are you going to destroy me? How can you be so heartless!"
A fierce and menacing voice rang in my ears. In the next moment, I was lifted off my feet and thrown heavily to the ground. Pain surged through me as if several ribs had broken; it hurt so much that I couldn't even dare to breathe.
Dazed, I opened my eyes to find that the clearing was empty; the fight had moved further away but was still visible, evenly matched. Just a yard behind me was the Emerald Feather Box.
I didn't know what was happening, but the Emerald Feather Box began to flicker and turn transparent as if it would vanish at any moment.
Without thinking twice, I gritted my teeth against the pain and rushed toward the Emerald Feather Box. Just as my fingertips were about to touch its surface, a hand tightly grasped my wrist, forcing me to watch helplessly as the Emerald Feather Box turned completely transparent and then disappeared.
"No—"
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