Chapter 42

Zhe Er had long grown accustomed to her frequent silences and refusal to engage, so he took the initiative to explain their current situation.

At the time, it had been a matter of life and death. Gritting his teeth, he had fought his way out along the path Xie Chang’an cleared for him, thinking that if he could heal his wounds, he could return to save her—one sliver of hope was better than both of them dying there. It was a desperate gamble, and Zhe Er had won.

After he found the Nine-Nether Lingxiao Flower and felt his wounds beginning to mend, he had rushed back without a second thought, charging through the encirclement with the umbrella that held Xie Chang’an’s soul. It was fortunate that the umbrella had shielded her; otherwise, she would have been devoured completely by the myriad ghosts before he could return.

"Then I met Yu Cui. She said she knew a safe place where we could hide for a while. She’s leading the way ahead now. She doesn't seem like a bad person to me, but you’re a ghost, and you’re a better judge of ghosts than I am. Why don't you come out and take a look?"

Xie Chang’an: ?

She was a ghost for the first time herself and had no experience in these matters. However, she caught the scent of blood she had smelled while unconscious and emerged from the umbrella.

"Where is the blood coming from?"

No sooner had she spoken than she saw the bloody gashes on the back of Zhe Er’s hand, some still fresh and dripping.

"It’s mine. You were on the verge of your soul dissipating, and you needed a living person to transfer their vital essence and spiritual energy to you. I happened to be the one." Noticing her gaze, Zhe Er smiled. "It's nothing, just a few wounds. I survived injuries much worse than this on my back."

This statement lacked real persuasion, as his complexion was currently only a hair’s breadth away from a ghost’s.

Xie Chang’an looked toward the thin, small figure walking ahead of them. The person stopped from time to time to see if they were keeping up. She was not only frail but had sparse hair and a deathly pale complexion; she looked like a pitiful soul even in life.

"Where are we going?"

"The Swamp of Regret," Zhe Er said. "She told me it’s a relatively safe place where we can stay temporarily. Once I recover from my wounds, we’ll go find the Golden Thread Garment for you. Yu Cui provided some clues, and we can go investigate."

Just as he finished speaking, the young girl, Yu Cui, stopped and turned around.

"We’re here. It’s just ahead."

Before them lay a expanse of dead trees. The trunks were massive, easily requiring four or five people to encircle them. The trees were spaced far apart, and their withered branches twisted wantonly in the eerie environment, forming strange and grotesque shapes. The wind whistled through the hollows of the trees, bringing with it sounds so uncanny they resembled the wailing of a thousand ghosts, clawing and reaching, making one’s scalp prickle. Even for a seasoned cultivator, staying here for long would likely result in a mental breakdown.

Zhe Er moved half a step toward Xie Chang’an, then another half. The movement was subtle. Xie Chang’an glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"Are you afraid?"

"How could I be?" Zhe Er sneered. "I am, after all, a dignified Sword-Heart realm cultivator."

"That's good. Wait here; I'm going to look around."

She walked away, holding her umbrella.

Zhe Er: ...

Just then, Yu Cui found an empty tree hollow and turned to beckon them over. Having been preoccupied with escaping and saving lives, he hadn't had time to look closely. Now, face-to-face at such close range, he suddenly noticed that the skin on Yu Cui’s gaunt, bony face resembled long-dried earth, with cracks appearing inch by inch, while her eyes emitted a faint greenish glow. It was not the green of fresh spring leaves, but the color of rotting leftovers floating in a damp, stagnant puddle.

Seeing Zhe Er staring at her, Yu Cui offered a timid, pitiable smile. Yet, on that face, the smile looked increasingly sinister, as if a ghostly visage might tear through the skin at any moment. Zhe Er’s mouth twitched.

...

Xie Chang’an wandered around the vicinity. The dead trees were all much the same, each containing a massive hollow. Most were inhabited by a few lingering souls; seeing her approach, they all trembled and huddled deeper into the hollows.

There were many who died in the human world, and quite a few ended up in the Bone-Reflecting Realm. These people were ordinary in life and ordinary in death. In the law-of-the-jungle environment of the Bone-Reflecting Realm, their fate was to have their souls devoured by malicious ghosts and great demons. These lingering souls were the lucky ones who had escaped, but their spirits were already fragmented. Some were reduced to mere gray wisps of soul-matter, unable even to manifest features. Intimidated by the baleful aura radiating from Xie Chang’an, they could only cower. She tried to ask them a few questions, but they did not answer; these fragments had long since lost the consciousness and memories of their former lives.

Zhe Er approached. "Yu Cui said earlier that the Golden Thread Garment we need might be in the hands of the Buddha-Child."

"Who is the Buddha-Child?"

Zhe Er replied, "He is a powerful entity in the Bone-Reflecting Realm. It is said that the place he resides is called the Immortal Deer Monastery, where Buddhist chants never cease and fragrant flowers bloom everywhere, like the Western Paradise. They say this Buddha-Child was sent by the heavens to sit in the Bone-Reflecting Realm and deliver all living beings from suffering. If one is fortunate enough to meet him, one can transcend pain and be spared from the torments here. In three days' time on the mortal calendar, it will be his birthday, and the Immortal Deer Monastery will hold a grand ceremony. Yu Cui wants to go and pay her respects, and also to seek his protection."

Xie Chang’an: "In a place of demons and evil, how could there be a Buddha-Child? It’s likely a false Buddha."

Zhe Er: "Whether he is real or not doesn't stop us from going. Yu Cui heard from others that the Buddha-Child wears a resplendent, multicolored kasaya that changes shape according to his will. It can transform into a cloak or a dress. To me, that sounds exactly like the Golden Thread Garment."

Xie Chang’an: "A wandering ghost knows a bit too much, doesn't she?"

Zhe Er was not surprised by her suspicion, as he had questioned it himself. "Let's take it one step at a time. After all, it is because of her that we found this place, and I need a place to recuperate." His injuries were too severe, and the Nine-Nether Lingxiao Flower was not a panacea; it could only take effect slowly.

Xie Chang’an: "Then why did you follow me out?"

Zhe Er: "You just woke up, and gathering your soul is not easy. I was worried you might be exhausted, so I came to check on you."

Xie Chang’an nodded. "I thought you were just afraid to be alone. I’m going back to rest; you should walk around more and see if you can find anything else."

Zhe Er: ...

He suspected Xie Chang’an was deliberately messing with him, but looking at her cold, expressionless face, he didn't dare say anything provocative, lest she decide she didn't even want to be a ghost anymore.

Zhe Er suppressed the urge to follow her and wandered around instead. Finding the Bone-Reflecting Realm had been a complete accident; he had been so severely wounded and delirious at the time that he still couldn't recall exactly how he had entered. In that moment of intense hatred and life-or-death struggle, he hadn't had the luxury of paying attention.

All around, the cold wind howled, and ghostly energy gathered from all directions. As if sensing a living human here, the icy, sinister aura clung to him, desperately trying to drain every drop of his vitality. Yet, when Xie Chang’an was nearby, it had actually been better; the cold wind hadn't been so aggressive and would even detour around them. It turned out even the ghostly winds were bullies—Xie Chang’an was more terrifying than the evil ghosts themselves, Zhe Er realized.

He coughed twice, unable to hold on any longer, and prepared to head back.

"What are you still standing here for?"

A tap on his shoulder. It was Xie Chang’an’s voice.

Zhe Er let out a sigh of relief and turned around. "I knew you—"

...

The tree hollow had no unpleasant odor and was spacious enough for three or four people. The young girl was very reserved, keeping her knees pulled to her chest as much as possible to leave them more room.

"Big sister, are you also a ghost?" she asked, looking at Xie Chang’an timidly.

"I suppose so," Xie Chang’an said.

"You're so pretty," the girl said, not hiding her admiration. "Big sister is the prettiest ghost I've ever seen."

"How did you get here?" Xie Chang’an asked.

"There was a war outside. Grandmother was hiding with me, but the marauding soldiers found us in the middle of the night. They stole everything in the house, beat Grandmother to death, and tied me up to use as rations."

Yu Cui pulled up her sleeve, revealing a skeletal arm. "They started eating from here. They cut my flesh off slice by slice."

Xie Chang’an’s gaze shifted from her arm to her body; the tattered clothes could not hide the scarred and mottled flesh underneath.

"They set up a pot in front of me, piling wood and boiling water while throwing the slices of my flesh into the pot, saying it tasted fresher that way. I watched them eat my own flesh, and it hurt so much..." Yu Cui’s lips trembled, and her long-dried eyes slowly turned red with tears. "Big sister, it hurt so much!"

Xie Chang’an listened to her cry for a long time in silence. "I know it hurt, but I’m a ghost too. What do you expect me to do?"

The young girl seemed not to have expected that someone with such a beautiful, gentle face could speak so ruthlessly, and she stared blankly, her face covered in tear tracks.

"I’ve been hiding here, not daring to go far. I’ve almost died several times. No one here can listen to me, and I don't even know their names. Seeing you, big sister, reminded me of my dead relatives, and I couldn't help but want to talk to you."

Though Xie Chang’an was covered in blood and filth with her hair disheveled, as she sat there casually with her chin resting on her hand, she possessed an inexplicably elegant air.

"You’ve been talking for so long, and I still don't know your name."

Yu Cui looked surprised. "Big sister, you’ve forgotten! My name is Yu Cui!"

Xie Chang’an: "I’m asking for the name of this body. You know what happened to her in life, yet you can't remember her real name?"

Yu Cui: ...

She suddenly laughed aloud. "I extracted the memories of her soul before she died; isn't that close enough?"

"Close, but ultimately not her," Xie Chang’an said coldly. "Are there demon cultivators here who peel human skin?"

"There are plenty," Yu Cui sighed. "I’m the most conscientious one. This little girl wanted to see her family before she died, but they were all dead, so I saw her on her way. Big sister, do you think I did the right thing?"

Xie Chang’an did not answer.

"Even if I hadn't acted, she was already being tortured to death. Her flesh had already been eaten quite a bit. After I took over, I had to mend it bit by bit; it was a lot of effort. It’s a pity you’re no longer human, big sister, otherwise I would have borrowed your skin. I love a beautiful shell like yours the most."

Yu Cui’s coquettish expression was quite alluring, yet because this shell was gaunt and bony, with blackened skin and green-glowing eyes, the expression appeared grotesque and bizarre.

Xie Chang’an: "You led us here just to say all this nonsense?"

Yu Cui smiled. "Naturally not. I know you two are cultivators. That young man goes without saying, and judging by your demeanor, big sister, you must have been a renowned figure in life. I don't know why you ended up here, but I’m sure you must be filled with resentment and unwillingness, wanting to make a comeback."

Xie Chang’an: "I am already dead. What can I do?"

Yu Cui smirked. "Since there are human cultivators in the mortal world, why can't there be ghost cultivators in the Bone-Reflecting Realm? You must have heard that in ten years, a ghost cultivator can shake the Yellow Springs, and in a hundred, they can challenge the Heavenly Dao. The Golden Thread Garment that young man wants to find is exactly what can help you nourish your soul and take form. If you have the opportunity in the future, it is not impossible to return to life. Because ghosts have no fixed form, all things are possible."

Xie Chang’an: "What do you want?"

Yu Cui said disdainfully, "The Buddha-Child is named Zhu Huan. He is clearly a demon, yet he insists on practicing Buddhism and even performs the 'silent meditation,' openly accepting the offerings and incense of living beings. In reality, he is just a great demon using the name of Buddha to dominate the region. The mortal world is currently in chaos, yet the number of those who worship Buddhism is growing. This little girl’s grandmother exhausted all her wealth before she died, just to ask for peace and safety, but in the end, they couldn't even save their lives. It is clear that the 'Buddha' they worship is a fake. I have always despised this behavior; if we can overthrow them, it would be doing the people a service."

After she finished, she saw Xie Chang’an staring at her unblinkingly. Those eyes were deep and dark, half-smiling, as if under that gaze, all of Yu Cui’s intentions were laid bare. For some reason, the skin on her face—which did not belong to her—grew slightly warm. She felt the other woman was incredibly beautiful and couldn't bear to look away, yet she couldn't help but keep looking.

She sighed inwardly, feeling that she had been struck by beauty. If she had met Xie Chang’an sooner and replaced her before she died, this beautiful shell wouldn't be left to rot somewhere in the mortal world, wasted.