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墨書 Inktalez
“Shizui?”
I steadied myself. Last time, I had only heard that he came to the Underworld Palace, but I never expected that the King of the Underworld would allow him to walk alone in the Underworld Palace without any reapers following him, not even a hidden one lurking nearby.
Was the King of the Underworld really that trusting of him?
I couldn't quite understand it.
“What are you doing here?”
“The King invited me for a game of chess.”
“A game of chess?”
I felt perplexed. There were plenty of options for playing chess, yet the King specifically wanted Shizui to join. He must have known whose side Shizui was on. Putting two and two together, it was clear that the King had some scheme in mind, so I chose not to press further.
Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the air, shaking the branches and leaves of the Cen Tian Da Shu planted around the hall. Birds took flight, and the rising Wind Sound resembled a tsunami's roar, disturbing all creatures that resided there.
The force of that air current pushed me backward, but fortunately, Shizui shielded me from behind, using one hand to create a protective barrier against the oncoming pressure.
Because of Shizui’s presence, I hadn’t noticed Qin Ling’s transformation at that moment. Peering through the gap, I saw Qin Ling in shimmering red attire, red and black intertwining chaotically. The moving clouds obscured the vast sun, allowing a dark brilliance to emerge and slowly engulf that vibrant red.
When the red finally vanished completely, that overwhelming air current disappeared without a trace.
A man dressed in black knelt on the ground, cradling his head in his hands. His legs gave way beneath him like a deflated ball; he collapsed weakly, his head bowed so low that I couldn’t see his expression. All I could see was red liquid dripping down.
Drip Drip, the bright red was strikingly vivid and painful to behold.
“Qin Ling!”
I shouted as I darted out from behind Shizui, my eyes filled with urgency.
Shizui frowned. “Is that Qin Ling?”
Aside from their brief encounter when Shizui first arrived in the Underworld, there had been no further interactions between them. Now, seeing Qin Ling, Shizui merely furrowed his brow slightly and then grabbed my arm as I tried to approach. “Wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
“There are two souls within him clashing against each other, and there’s a restrained spiritual force at play. The three energies are in conflict; if you get too close now, you will surely be harmed.”
“But—” I looked at Qin Ling, whose blood was flowing more profusely by the second, feeling utterly helpless. “He is Qin Ling, but he is also Molin. Lianchi said the souls must unite but cannot merge. If that black mark on his neck spreads across his entire face, there will be no saving him. It has already covered half of his face; time is running out.”
Upon hearing this, Shizui’s expression darkened, and he tightened his grip on my wrist, causing me pain, yet I remained silent. He continued, “This is the ‘Soul Secret Technique,’ but very few can fully master it. This technique allows one to manipulate and control a soul at will; it is a symbol of power in the Underworld. In the past, only a handful have succeeded in mastering it, and since the Jun Family took control of the Underworld, aside from Jun Chong’s Great-Grandfather, no descendant has managed to learn this technique. I never expected Jun Rui to possess such ability. However, this technique—”
“What about this technique?”
Shizui raised his gaze, his dark pupils fixed on the swaying body of Qin Ling. His expression suddenly turned grave as intense anger surged within him, and he clenched his fist tightly, the edges of his plain robe fluttering slightly with the force of his energy.
“I heard from Jun Chong that this technique brings tremendous backlash to its user; it is a method that devours the user's soul. Therefore, his Great-Grandfather ordered that none among the descendants destined to be rulers of the Underworld should ever learn this technique.”
“Backlash.”
I stared at Qin Ling, softly repeating those two words in my mind. I thought about how Jun Rui was certainly not someone who would resort to self-destruction, but Shizui wouldn’t be mistaken either. The state of Molin was likely closely tied to the ‘Soul Secret Technique.’
“Moreover, for the soul subjected to the ‘Soul Secret Technique,’ unless a relative’s soul is offered for repair or if there is blood from a Demon Fetus, death is inevitable.”
I stood frozen; Lianchi was right. There were only these two methods to save Molin. Yet regardless of which one it was, both were exceedingly difficult.
Jian Rou had only two men in her life: one was her husband, and the other was her brother. She had died once for her husband, and if she were to die again for her brother, she would lose all chances of reincarnation.
"I don't care why he used this technique on Molin at such a high cost. All I know is that I must save him; I must bring him back to the living."
No matter who survived, this belief would not change.
Qin Ling's black figure swayed precariously before suddenly collapsing forward, a drop of blood blossoming from him. I pried Shizui's hand away and rushed toward him, my hands trembling as I reached out, unsure whether to touch him.
Suspended in mid-air, I stared at him blankly, my heart filled with confusion.
"Qin Ling."
"Anxin, thank you. But it's not necessary."
His hoarse voice was laced with immense pain. His dense eyelashes trembled, and I felt my vision blur. A tear slipped down my nose, and my legs gave way beneath me as I fell to the ground, calling out uncertainly, " Molin?"
Qin Ling would never call me Anxin; only Molin would. So the one in red was Qin Ling, and the one in black was Molin? Was every exchange between them after their battles this painful?
" Molin."
I trembled as I tried to support him, but my hand passed through his body instead, leaving only a chilling sensation that froze my increasingly frantic heart.
When a soul begins to dissipate, it becomes transparent and intangible.
I became acutely aware of the suffocating pain that gripped me, tears streaming down my face as I struggled to find words. " Molin, you won't die."
I wanted to lift him up but found it futile until a large hand covered my right shoulder. A cool sensation flowed down from that hand on my left shoulder and then coursed through both arms.
Shizui's voice was soft, almost choked with emotion. "You lack enough spiritual energy; that's why you can't touch the soul that's about to dissipate. I'll lend you some of my energy; you can try."
When I heard the words "fading soul," tears streamed down my face, and my vision blurred. I didn't even want to wipe my tears; I just held onto Molin tightly, trying to prevent his disappearance, but his warmth was fading away.
" Molin, don't die, please, don't die. You still need to take me back to learn from the master! You still want me to be your junior! How can you leave like this? Molin, answer me, don't sleep, open your eyes and look at me, Molin!"
I frantically wiped away the blood flowing from his seven orifices, only to find that the blackness had already spread across the left side of his face. His entire face was engulfed in darkness except for the area from his eyes to his forehead, which remained pale.
"One more clash, and we will disappear." Molin opened his eyes, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and seemed to force a nonchalant smile.
"I remember everything from back then. If it weren't for my mischief, I wouldn't have been harmed. The master always said that every encounter is a fate and a trial, so there's no point in complaining. To defy destiny is not just to change one person's fate; it also affects the destinies of others and alters their lives. Therefore, I cannot bring disaster upon others because of my own actions. If this is the last blue sky Molin sees, then dying in the arms of a friend is not without regret! I have no lover and few close friends; meeting you is a stroke of luck in three lifetimes. So Anxin, don't cry; you look terrible when you cry. Be careful or Jun Chong might abandon you."
I wanted to laugh but found it incredibly difficult. At this moment, he was still thinking of comforting me rather than worrying about his own death.
"Anxin, everyone has their own fate. I was meant to die back then; living this long is a great blessing from heaven. Now that my life is being taken back, it's time for me to return; there's nothing to complain about."
"But you did nothing wrong! Why can't you live? Why must you endure such suffering?" I clung tightly to his neck, filled with righteous anger. "I just think it's unfair!"
I felt Shizui's hand on my shoulder tremble slightly before tightening its grip, yet he remained silent. He stared ahead quietly and slowly closed his eyes, hiding the increasing ripples of pain.
" Molin, I... I want to—"
I bit my lip. The baby was something I had fought hard for; the heartache and past were vividly etched in my mind—there were tears and blood shed for the baby's birth. I had struggled this far and could not give up now.
But I also couldn't just watch Molin die without doing anything.
"Absolutely not." Molin sensed my intention and raised one hand; a cool touch sealed my lips, preventing me from speaking.
"Do not say it out loud. Some things once spoken cannot be taken back. I've heard your conversation; life and death are fated—don't waste any more on me. You all have your own matters to attend to, and with my death, there will be one less burden for you. Finish what needs to be done here quickly and return to the human realm!"
I shook my head vigorously, struggling to make sounds that conveyed my message: "You are one of them too; we need to go back together."
Molin shook his head weakly, a sudden spark of realization hitting him as he pushed Shizui's hand off my shoulder. I felt an emptiness in my arms; Molin had already stood up and distanced himself from me, his dark eyes reflecting an unprecedented indifference and an age-old weariness that belied his youth.
He looked at Shizui and said, "I've always hated you for my sister's death. But I know she loved you deeply, and even in death, she holds no resentment. Still, I hope you can find her and be with her. This is my last hope as her little brother."
I slowly closed my eyes, only admitting to myself that Shizui was indeed her brother-in-law when death approached. Why couldn’t things just move in a better direction?
At that moment, the last thing I wanted to see was Jian Rou's appearance; she must not show up here now.
Shizui's hands hung limply at his sides, his fingers slightly curled in a way that seemed casual but was actually stiff, not fully clenched. He didn’t want to reveal too much of his reluctance or the impulse to sacrifice himself to save Molin.
He felt guilty towards Jian Rou and had failed to fulfill his promise to take good care of Molin.
This was the sin he would carry for a lifetime alongside Shizui.
As he opened his mouth to speak, before any words could escape him, I noticed Molin suddenly widen his eyes, staring intently behind Shizui.
I opened my eyes just in time to see Molin's shock, and then I turned to look as well, unable to suppress a shiver.
Jian Rou stood not far away, dressed in simple yellow attire, holding a tray in her hands.
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