"How can you control the Hu Kui Seal?" I asked Sun Chuang, my eyes wide with terror.
I hadn't actually revealed the true method of controlling the Hu Kui Seal to him. Just moments ago, to extract information, I had fed him the secret to using the Tian Su Seal, deliberately mixing in falsehoods to mislead him.
My plan, which I believed was foolproof, was meant to either kill him or at least leave him severely wounded. Yet, the Hu Kui Seal stood before him, utterly still. His expression clearly indicated he knew my intentions. But even so, by what means did he manage to thwart the Hu Kui Seal's attack?
Faced with my questioning, Sun Chuang sneered. "Do you truly believe you're the only intelligent person in this world? While the Hu Kui Seal can indeed control the portals of the Half-Yin Realm's destiny, nothing is immutable, unless that entity never appeared in the human realm."
Sun Chuang's words were like a bolt of lightning, illuminating my mind and instantly resolving all my confusion.
Indeed!
The most formidable weapons in this world are not those visible to all. The truly lethal weapons are those that remain unseen by others.
The powerful figures in the capital had schemed for years, desiring the Hu Kui Seal to control the Half-Yin Realm and achieve immortality. How could they possibly be unaware of the Hu Kui Seal's true purpose?
Even if they didn't know for a year or two, after decades of infiltration, how could the souls in the Half-Yin Realm not have spies from the capital? Perhaps some hadn't eaten pork themselves, but they must have seen a pig run by!
My thoughts raced, and I asked in a cold voice, "The culprits behind the organization that attacked the Fifth Prince and left my father in a coma until this day, were they truly your associates? Aren't you afraid of karmic retribution and the cycle of reincarnation?"
"Afraid?"
"What is there to be afraid of? My life was lost because of you, so what else is there to fear? At worst, we fight to the death, and perhaps we can attain eternal life!"
Sun Chuang roared his reply, unleashing an endless surge of Yin energy from within his body. Dark tendrils, like dragons, lashed out towards the Hu Kui Seal. The Ghost General standing behind him also stirred, its face contorted with ferocity as it lunged at me.
Seizing the moment of our conversation, I used the techniques from the white fox pelt to recover some of my Xuan Yang True Qi. However, facing the Ghost General, I still felt rather powerless. Despite my efforts to dodge, I was ultimately unable to evade its sneak attack.
*Puff—*
A chilling ghost qi invaded my body, instantly bringing a bone-deep cold. It felt as if countless vengeful spirits were roaming through my meridians, their enraged wails erupting in my mind, causing me to reel from dizziness.
"Young Master, this person has been corrupted by my ghost qi and will become a Yin soul in moments," the Ghost General's voice came from behind me. Its fox-like face bore a smug expression. Glancing sideways, I recognized it as the old fox who had recently been promoted.
I wanted to curse, to break free from this restraint, but the coldness had penetrated my very bones. It was as if I had been thrown into the Arctic wilderness during the coldest days of winter. The boundless chilling energy not only stiffened my limbs and numbed my body but also slowed my thoughts.
The numbness in my mind also caused the previously unimpeded Xuan Yang True Qi to sluggishly flow. The Hu Kui Seal, ultimately, fell into the hands of Sun Chuang, whose ghost qi was far superior to mine. I could only watch helplessly as he gleefully toyed with it.
"Be careful he doesn't use a secret technique to destroy his soul. I still have questions for him," Sun Chuang said to the fox-spirit Ghost General after playing with the Hu Kui Seal for a moment, his gaze fixed on me.
"Understood."
Alas!
Ultimately, my own abilities were insufficient. I had failed the Fifth Princess's entrustment and betrayed the Fifth Prince's admonitions. Must I really watch my physical body perish and my soul suffer?
It wasn't that I hadn't considered self-destruction of my soul, but I had absolutely no idea how to do it. Even my master had never mentioned such a possibility in this world. What I had said earlier was merely to protect Sun Chuang.
My original plan was to use the remaining Xuan Yang True Qi in my body to attack him when he was complacent and relaxed, hoping for a surprise element. But now, it seemed I was too naive. My thoughts were just thoughts, and realizing them was a distant dream.
As my vision went black, I was completely engulfed by a nightmare.
The world was black, the ground was black, and the entire space was suffused with a black hue. However, this 'black' was visible, emanating a tangible darkness.
Staring blankly at the surrounding 'black' tones, a sense of bitterness welled up within me. So, this was what death felt like!
I had once heard Yin souls say that the Ghost Realm was black and gray. Only those with lingering resentment saw the world in black, while benevolent souls perceived the heavens and earth as colorful and vibrant.
"It seems I died with unresolved grievances."
I chuckled bitterly to myself, unsure of what torment Sun Chuang would inflict upon me to extract the secrets of controlling the Hu Kui Seal.
"Do you wish to die so badly?" a stern, somewhat domineering voice suddenly echoed in my ear. It appeared abruptly, as if descending from the heavens or emerging from the surrounding infinite darkness.
He seemed to be that very darkness, yet also as if he had never appeared at all.
I tried to speak, to ask who he was and why he had appeared at the brink of my death, but when I opened my mouth, no sound emerged.
"Do you wish to die so badly?" the icy voice repeated. This time, I could clearly sense that the voice was not coming from the darkness but from within my own body.
This time, I didn't attempt to speak. Instead, I used my thoughts to ask internally, "Who are you?"
"You do not need to know who I am. I am asking if you wish to die?" This time, the voice clearly carried a hint of anger, as if he would abandon me to my fate if I didn't provide a clear answer.
"I'm only eighteen years old this year, and I haven't even married or had children! Only a fool would want to die. I want to live." I didn't know who was asking or what kind of entity he was, but I truly wanted to live. Moreover, I couldn't die. If I died, what predicament would my master face? And without financial support, would my father also die?
The tragedy of "wishing to be filial but not having the opportunity" must not happen to me, nor did I want this tragedy to occur. The chilling voice in the darkness was my last, and only, lifeline.
After my internal roar, the chilling voice did not respond quickly but fell into silence. Perhaps it was displeased with my answer, or perhaps my disrespectful language had caused it to pause and observe.
This sent me into a panic. This was my only lifeline! Was I to be abandoned just because I uttered a curse and expressed my true feelings?
Just as I was about to ask if he was still there, I felt a light appear before my eyes. The shadow was black, appearing out of nowhere, slightly different from the surrounding blackness because it emitted a dark halo.
It looked like a god or a demon standing before me. His appearance made me feel incredibly small, like a tiny ant challenging an elephant.
I felt my entire being tremble, wanting to flee from the black figure before me. But I realized I had no body, appearing instead as a beam of light in this black void.
"Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs. Since you have seen the mechanism of the vital energy I left behind, you are my successor. You should seize a sliver of life from Heaven and Earth..."