Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Little Xuan, you’re the only one in the world that cares so much about me,” said Xin Han, an unknown emotion flickering across his eyes.
“You… hai! I told you I’m not her. Why do you insist on…”
“No, you must be!” Xin Han clutched her hand tightly and said in an earnest tone, “Nothing matters to me as long as you come back to me, so…”
“Xin Han, why are you so…” Hui Ling paused in shock. “What are you doing?”
Suddenly, the array formation under the two girls lit up and a black crack appeared behind them. They felt themselves drawn towards the crack by a powerful force of attraction.
Xin Han said with a crazed look in his eyes, “We will never be separated.”
Then he picked up Hui Ling and walked towards the crack. The crack grew bigger and bigger, sucking in everything around it. Xuan Tong, who was standing beside them, had to hold on to an immortal sword she had stuck into the ground for support.
“Don’t do this!” Realizing that he was trying to take her away, Hui Ling started to struggle.
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen to you.” Xin Han comforted her, “We’re just leaving this place.”
“Little Ling…” She heard the sound of a familiar voice coming from the the sky. Chen Ge had finally arrived, flying towards them on his sword. He looked shocked to see the crack on the ground. What is happening…” His words trailed off as he spotted Xuan Tong. Looking at her, he felt something inexplicable tug at his heart.
Who was she?
“Master, save me!” A joyful Hui Ling wanted to rush over to his side, but was held back by Xin Han.
“Emperor Xin Han, what do you mean by this?” Seeing that the three of them were about to be sucked into the crack, Chen Ge conjured out a long piece of golden rope. “I’ll use this to save you.”
Chen Ge tossed the rope into the air. It flew straight towards them and… coiled around Xuan Tong!
Chen Ge: “…”
Hui Ling: “…”
Shen Ying: “…”
Then Hui Ling, with a look of disbelief on her face, fell straight into the crack in the ground and disappeared.
A dazed look appeared on Chen Ge’s face. Meanwhile, Xuan Tong’s sword had already snapped. The attraction force from the crack was so great that he too was pulled towards it.
Just as the two were about to be sucked into the crack, Shen Ying flew over in a flash and carried them off, one on each hand.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. When they looked down, the crack had closed up.
“Sect master…” Xuan Tong’s heart was still pounding. Although she did not know what kind of tunnel Xin Han had dug, she instinctively sensed that danger lurked within it. She looked up at Shen Ying and handed the lamp to her.
“Keep it with you. Pass it to Father Niu later.”
Xuan Tong nodded and kept it.
Chen Ge was still gazing at Xuan Tong fixedly, seemingly lost in thought. After a long while, he asked hesitantly, “Are you all right… Ouch!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Xuan Tong raised her leg and kicked with great force between his legs.
Chen Ge was caught totally unawares. Although his body was protected by immortal qi, the pain still made him double up, his hands clutching the unmentionable body part.
“Hmph! It’s all your brain-damaged disciple’s fault!” My sect master came here to rescue me, but your disciple sided with that disgusting man. “Next time, teach her properly. Don’t let her loose to harm others!”
Shen Ying: “…”
Is Little Shortie all right? That was a vicious move!
Surprisingly, Chen Ge was not angry! He continued to look at Xuan Tong with a conflicted expression in his eyes.
“Sect master, Xin Han has escaped. What should we do now?” Xuan Tong turned around to face Shen Ying, reverting to her usual timid, obedient self.
“… Let’s return home.” We’ll decide after I eat.
“Yes, Sect Master!” Xuan Tong summoned her sword hurriedly. She looked at Shen Ying excitedly. She finally had a chance to fly with her sect master. Happiness! Even her injuries did not seem to hurt her now.
Shen Ying mounted the sword and they flew off towards the palace exit.
“Little Shortie, who taught you how to kick like that?”
“Master Qi taught me!”
“Roasted Chicken Gal?” Was she so vicious?
“Yes. Master Qi said there are no good men in this world.”
Shen Ying: “…”
Shen Ying felt a deep sense of commiseration.
***
Shen Ying happened to meet the Chef and Father Niu at the palace entrance. The palace was quite deserted, probably because Xin Han had not wanted anyone to know that he was using the soul exchanging spell. So they managed to reach the palace entrance quickly without incident.
“Master!” Yi Qing flew over swiftly. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Shen Ying.
“Where did you go?” Father Niu asked, glaring at Shen Ying. Then he turned to look at ‘Bai Qiao’. “Why did you bring her along?”
“She’s Little Shorty!” explained Shen Ying.
“Elder Lonemoon.” ‘Bai Qiao’ explained, “I’m Xuan Tong. I don’t know why, but after the Heavenly Tribulation, I found myself stuck in this body.”
“Xuan Tong!” exclaimed Lonemoon. He thought for a moment and a sudden realization came to him. “Let’s return first… Huh? Why is Emperor Chen Ge here as well?”
Chen Ge paused in thought as he looked at Xuan Tong, who looked back at him guardedly. He had no idea why he had followed them.
“We’ll talk after after we get back!” Yi Qing suggested. He pulled Shen Ying over to his sword reflexively. He guessed that Shen Ying must have been involved in the commotion inside the palace. It was time they left. This was Yi Shui’s territory after all.
Everyone nodded and flew towards Heavens beyond Heaven.
At Invincible Sect.
Lonemoon swept his gaze over ‘Xuan Tong’. She had recovered from her injuries but there an uneasy expression on her face. After a while, he asked soberly, “Bai Qiao?”
She shuddered, clenching her fists. They knew.
“Tell me. What happened?”
“I… I had no intention of occupying her body.” Since they had found out her identity, Bai Qiao had no option but to confess, “That day, to save Xin Han, I had used up all my powers and almost destroyed my primordial spirit. In a moment of panic, I used a soul swapping technique. I didn’t think that I would… would be swapped into her body.” When she awoke, she heard them say that Xuan Tong’s body was too weak, and they were going to borrow the Luo Han Stone. As she wanted to find out about Xin Han’s condition, she did not reveal her identity. “Xin Han… Xin Han. How is he? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine! Of course he’s fine!” Lonemoon snorted coldly. “He’s so fine that he could even… carry out soul swapping for his former lover.”
“What?” Bai Qiao asked, puzzled.
Lonemoon eyed Bai Qiao and then recounted everything that Xuan Tong had told him. The more she listened, the paler she became. She looked devastated.
After a while, she shook her head and said, “It cannot be. Xin Han won’t treat me this way.” She had given up everything for him. She could not believe that everything he did had been in revenge for Yun Xuan and that he did not love her at all.
“I don’t care whether you believe it or not!” said Lonemoon, rolling his eyes. “Tell us. Is there a way to swap your souls back?” He had never heard of this soul swapping technique before and neither had Chu Xuan and Lan Hua. But he had heard of body possession. But in body possession, the victim soul would be devoured by the possessor; no soul exchange was possible.
“It can’t be…” Bai Qiao collapsed on the floor. As if she had not heard him, she kept muttering, “He obviously knew… that I did not deliberately enter Yun Xuan’s body. I don’t know what happened. After the ascension, I returned into my own body. He told me that he didn’t mind. I had no intention of causing her death!”
“…” These love-sick idiots were really annoying!
“How could he say he never loved me? I don’t believe… I don’t believe!” Bai Qiao covered her face and wailed loudly. Yet a sliver of hope still glimmered in her eyes. “He said that he would never wed anyone but me in this life. Yun Xuan was only his junior sister, how could he like her? He’s like this because he practices Heartless Dao. That’s it! It’s all because of Heartless Dao!”
Everyone present frowned to see her indulge in self delusion. Especially as she was using Xuan Tong’s body. Roasted Chicken Gal had to clench her fists to prevent herself from giving her a good beating.
“I want to clarify the matter with him!” Bai Qiao suddenly stood up. “I’m sure he loves me, not Yun Xuan!”
“He definitely does not love her!” Shen Ying spoke up suddenly.
Everyone looked surprised and turned to look at her. What did she mean?
Bai Qiao eyes brightened. She was pleased to find an ally.
“Little creature, I need you to answer one question.”
“What?”
“Who did you learn this soul swapping technique from?”
