"How could this be?"
Following the incantations as instructed by Wu Gege, the surrounding Yin energy did not recede. Instead, it surged into my body like mischievous children. The meager Yang energy remaining within me was overwhelmed by the vast Yin energy, retreating into my spiritual sea, compressing, compressing, and compressing until it was as small as a needle tip, almost imperceptible.
At this moment, I felt less like a living person and more like a puppet with a living mind, somewhat akin to a zombie, yet different. Zombies, at least, could leap and fly.
My entire body was stiff, like wood, utterly immobile. Apart from my thoughts, my body seemed to have transformed into a human-shaped puppet, possessing consciousness but trapped in place.
"Damn it, could Wu Gege be trying to possess my body?"
A thought, surprising even myself, suddenly popped into my head. I recalled how Sui Wan'er had possessed the body of someone on the verge of death. Had it not been for Zhang Dabiao and me intervening, she would likely have become a formidable, heaven-defying existence by now.
Wu Gege was an ancient ghost, millennia old, far more powerful than Sui Wan'er. If she sought a physical vessel, the conditions she would demand must be incredibly stringent.
Once this thought arose, it spiraled, and I couldn't stop the wild speculation. This, in turn, caused the Yin energy within me to riot, surging towards my dwindling Yang energy in the spiritual sea.
"What are you thinking about? If you don't want to die, focus your mind immediately." Wu Gege's voice boomed like thunder in my mind, startling me into regaining my focus and ceasing my errant thoughts.
As I continued to run the incantation, the Yin energy that had surged into my body no longer felt as frigid. However, it remained unruly, roaming through my meridians and veins, leaving devastation in its wake. Blood vessels ruptured, and meridians bled as if countless cold, sharp steel blades were wreaking havoc within me.
I intensified the operation of the incantation, attempting to make the energy obedient. But this backfired. The Yin energy not only refused to comply but became even more violent, even "calling friends" to draw more Yin energy from outside into my body.
Just as I felt I could no longer bear the agony, the frigid Yin energy suddenly surged towards my heart. A sense of dread washed over me. My body was already filled with a vast amount of Yin energy. If all of it converged on my heart, it would freeze solid, leaving me with no chance of survival.
My previous trust in Wu Gege vanished instantly. I prepared to halt the incantation, but to my dismay, I discovered it was impossible to stop. The immense Yin energy from outside, like a breached dam, poured into me ceaselessly.
The Yin energy already within me, acting as a navigator, completed a circuit through my meridians before violently rushing towards my heart. My heart grew colder and colder. The desire to curse had vanished, and my mind became hazy once more.
I silently questioned Wu Gege in my heart, "Why are you harming me? If you wanted me dead, you could have taken my life at any time. Even letting me freeze to death here would have been preferable. Why give me hope only to snatch it away?"
Wu Gege and I had no soul contract, so these words could only remain as silent grievances lingering between heaven and earth. Perhaps only when I truly died and became a ghost would I have a chance to ask her why she had done this.
The impact of the powerful Yin energy made me feel as though I was dying, a death from which there was no recovery. Just then, I felt something within my chest trying to break free.
Immediately after, I felt as if I had been kicked, piercing through an invisible membrane. My entire being felt much clearer. The cold sensation vanished, and my body no longer ached.
"Am I... all better?" Seeing my hands and feet move freely, I was overjoyed and prepared to thank Wu Gege.
But the moment I turned, my entire body froze in place.
"How can this be? Who is that?"
To my astonishment, another me appeared behind me. This other self was covered entirely in frost, appearing like an ice sculpture. The eyebrows, nose, and mouth were identical to mine. It was undeniably me.
"Soul projection? Or am I dead?"
My mind struggled to comprehend. Soul projection was a skill my master had only heard of, never witnessed firsthand. My knowledge was limited to mere fragments found in books.
But if it wasn't soul projection, then I must truly be dead. My body was already covered in frost, turned into an ice block. Where was the possibility of life?
The surrounding Yin energy continued to surge into me like a raging river, creating a stark contrast of light and shadow. The large black dog beside me, no longer its usual lazy self, stood alert on all fours, its expression tense as it scanned its surroundings. It would occasionally let out a bark, as if sensing great danger.
I had no time to concern myself with what the black dog feared. My priority was to return to my own body. Whether it was soul projection or a brush with death, the most crucial task now was to reunite with my physical form, for I had no desire to die.
But as my spectral form approached my physical body, a sense of resistance emanated from it.
"How is this possible? My own body is rejecting my living soul? What in the world is going on?"
I circled my physical body, desperately seeking an entry point, but no matter how hard I tried, my body refused to let me in. A black membrane even formed around it, preventing my entry.
At this point, I was utterly bewildered. Countless thoughts flooded my mind. The most prominent was Wu Gege. She had taught me the method of drawing Yin energy into the body. Could she be trying to harm me?
Then, I dismissed the thought. If she had wanted to harm me, she had had countless opportunities. Not only during those times in Molu Village, but even in the recent dangers, she could have ended my life at any moment.
Furthermore, our relationship was peculiar. We had a ten-year pact, and she was also tasked with guarding the semi-yin realm. In any case, I couldn't fathom any motive for her to harm me, at least not now.
Excluding Wu Gege, another figure emerged in my mind: the mysterious senior hidden within my body. His abilities were unfathomable, and his strength was ridiculously immense. Could he be using the influx of Yin energy as an opportunity to possess my body?
Once this thought entered my mind, I couldn't control it. I felt like an idiot. But it was too late for regrets. I couldn't enter my body, as it rejected me. It seemed I was destined to become a ghost.
The massive influx of Yin energy transformed my physical body into an ice block. Initially, it was only body-sized, but as time passed, the frost grew thicker and more extensive. The surging Yin energy even created a vortex of spiritual energy around me.
The vigilant black dog, seeing this, barked twice before tucking its tail and fleeing. In a single breath, it vanished, as if a demon had emerged from the ice block.
In response, I scornfully gave it the middle finger. "Where's that arrogance you had earlier, you coward!" Then, I stared intently at the small ice mountain that had become my body, wanting to see what would emerge. Even if I were to die, I wanted to die with understanding. At least I could report him to the King of Hell.