Xu Yuan felt not the slightest wavering in the face of the complex emotion in Qi's beautiful eyes.
Did aberrant ghosts possess emotions? Xu Yuan did not know.
What he did know was that in this world, love never existed without reason, nor did anyone treat another well without cause.
The indulgence Qi showed him and every trace of favor she displayed all stemmed from the single fact that he was destined to become an aberrant ghost.
If he were willing to become one, and if he lacked an antidote like Fate-Reversing Liquid, then once his consciousness completely underwent the aberrant ghost transformation, perhaps he truly would stay by this Aberrant Ghost Queen's side until the end of time, just as she had said.
Yet the problem was that, given a choice, Xu Yuan had no desire to become an aberrant ghost—and even less desire to spend eternity with a monster cobbled together from mashed flesh and blood.
This was an insurmountable contradiction.
Thus, meeting Qi's complex gaze, Xu Yuan replied in an indifferent voice, "Because I don't want to become an aberrant ghost. Besides, the state of the world today has no room for your kind."
A light chuckle slipped past Qi's crimson lips. Upon the face that belonged to Li Qingyan, an expression of enlightened self-mockery surfaced. "So that's how it is. This seat roughly understands... There must have been something at the bottom of that blood pool, wasn't there?"
"..."
Xu Yuan did not reply, nor did he attempt to pull his arm out from her chest.
At this very moment, countless grotesque, horrifying tendrils of flesh had already sprouted from Qi's pierced chest, binding his arm firmly within her body.
Observing Xu Yuan's expression, Qi spoke in a soft, eerie voice, "So it really is like that. It seems someone truly did tamper with this seat's consciousness and body."
Xu Yuan was in no hurry, as Luo Xiran needed time to prepare. He replied in a low voice, "You realized this beforehand?"
A flicker of reminiscence appeared in Qi's eyes. "The humans imprisoned this seat to conduct flesh-and-blood research. That imprisonment lasted over a decade, yet this seat only remembers that the process was agonizing; the specific details have mostly faded. Hmm... the only thing this seat remembers is that the humans wanted to use my body to develop the Blood God Stone to control me. An internal strife even broke out among them over it, though that conflict ended with this seat emerging as the ultimate victor."
At this point, Qi fell silent for a moment and lowered her gaze to look at her body.
"Looking at it now, those humans ten thousand years ago didn't just develop the Blood God Stone to control my aberrant ghost race—they must have also developed an agent to resist the aberrant ghost transformation, didn't they?"
"Your guess is correct. There really was such a thing hidden in a secret chamber beneath the blood pool."
Xu Yuan did not deny it. Looking at her, he asked softly with a hint of curiosity, "Still, there is one thing I find quite puzzling. You stayed in the Blood Nest for ten thousand years—did you really never go down to investigate the bottom of the blood pool during all that time?"
Qi shook her head. "This seat could not enter."
A trace of confusion crossed Xu Yuan's eyes. Using his aberrant ghost synesthesia, he sensed Qi's body. "The life origin in your body has always been filled to brimming. Once you entered the blood pool, the life origin within would cause your consciousness to rapidly fade, but in ten thousand years, you couldn't have failed to go down even once, could you?"
Qi raised a finger to tap her head, her gaze turning cold and sinister. "Two rigid notions were planted in this seat's mind. First, that I needed two Blood God Stones to break the seal and emerge; second, that I must never descend to the bottom of the blood pool. Had you not appeared, Changtian, this seat would likely have had no hope of escaping that subterranean palace in this lifetime."
"..." Xu Yuan remained silent.
Planting notions?
Why did that sound so familiar?
Thinking for a moment, Xu Yuan suddenly recalled that Old Man Luo seemed to have fallen victim to the exact same trick.
Earlier, to ensure his safety, Xu Changge had instructed the ghost-transformed Gui Qi to plant a notion in Old Man Luo to protect Xu Yuan.
To think such methods had already existed ten thousand years ago.
Yet from the look of it, these two clearly contradictory thought stamps had likely been planted by different people...
"Brat, stop overthinking. This technique is called a soul imprint."
As he pondered, Luo Xiran's gentle voice suddenly rang in Xu Yuan's mind.
"Back when I refined myself into a spiritual essence spirit and shattered my soul, I planted numerous soul imprints on Qi. Compelling him to descend to the bottom of the blood pool immediately upon obtaining the two Blood God Stone jade pendants was merely one of them.
"However, it seems Su Luochen and Tang Wan'er weren't fools either. As they dissipated, they fought with their dying breath to tamper with the soul imprints I had planted on Qi."
"..."
Well then. Ten thousand years ago, when the sects besieged and destroyed the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, they truly had beaten the absolute hell out of each other.
Within this single subterranean palace alone, four Saints, even in death, had spent their dying breaths using their lives to carve soul imprints and plot against one another, ending in mutual destruction.
No wonder the imperial dynasty had been able to rise in the aftermath.
Hearing Luo Xiran's words, Xu Yuan immediately asked via intent-soul transmission, "Are you ready?"
Luo Xiran's voice carried a smile. "Naturally."
The moment the words fell, Qi's chilling voice suddenly cut across:
"Xu Changtian, who are you talking to?!"
Though intent-soul transmissions were discreet, they could still be detected.
Qi had sensed an unforgettable soul-intent fluctuation emanating from the blood-robed man before her.
Hearing this, the corners of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched. "If I told you it was Luo Xiran, would you believe me?"
"Luo Xiran?"
Hearing that name, a clear flash of amusement swept through Qi's eyes. "If that is Luo Xiran, then who is this seat?"
Xu Yuan did not answer. He merely looked at her in silence.
During their quiet stare-down, the black death armor encasing Xu Yuan's body suddenly crawled and spread out from beneath his robes like a swarm of ants. In an instant, it coalesced beside him into a physical body formed entirely of fungal armor.
A dignified woman dressed in a lake-blue immortal-skimming gown.
Luo Xiran.
"..."
In the silent standoff, the amusement in Qi's eyes gradually faded. Looking at Luo Xiran, a flicker of hesitation appeared in those phoenix eyes. Her lips parted slightly: "Luo... Thi—this seat is Luo... Qi... Luo Xi—"
Immediately after, Qi's form, identical to Li Qingyan's, began to undergo a bizarre mutation. Countless bulges and nodules swelled and erupted across that flawless, delicate body.
Amidst her shaken state of mind, she seemed unable to maintain her human form.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan hastily asked in his mind, "Xiran, what's going on?"
"Brat, stop being so disrespectful all day long. Address me as Senior."
Luo Xiran first clicked her tongue in disdain before explaining, "Ten thousand years ago, to make it easier for me to control the final victor, the soul imprints I planted on this Qi went far beyond just that one. It seems Su Luochen and Tang Wan'er failed to thoroughly purge all the trump cards this seat left behind before they died."
As she spoke, Luo Xiran gently raised her jade hand and pressed it against Qi's rapidly collapsing body. She turned her head toward Xu Yuan and said leisurely, "Since this method still remains, it seems I won't need your help after all, brat."
"..."
She didn't need his help...
Hearing those words, an ominous premonition instinctively rose in Xu Yuan's heart. Opening his spiritual vision and circulating his life origin, he braced for combat in an instant.
Yet in the next moment, Luo Xiran burst out laughing with a "pfft." Raising her other hand, she snapped a finger against Xu Yuan's forehead with a sharp smack. Her eyes curved as she teased, "You little brat really aren't endearing in the slightest. I told you not to spend all day scheming petty intrigues, yet you're still so suspicious. What I meant was that you won't need to fight Qi, you idiot."
"..." Xu Yuan was speechless.
The moment her voice fell, Qi's body broke apart completely. Innumerable chunks of flesh and blood burst outward, only to be absorbed by Luo Xiran in the blink of an eye.
Silently, sun and moon passed.
Two days later, Qi dissipated into the world at Luo Xiran's hands, entirely devoid of the power to resist...
Having finished everything, Luo Xiran slowly turned her gaze toward Xu Yuan, who had been waiting quietly by her side, and offered a beaming smile.
"Well, brat, shall we continue?"
Chapter 312