Yue Lin’s grip on Chu Hanjin’s wrist was strong and incredibly fast, like a scorpion striking its prey. His hand expertly clamped down on Chu Hanjin’s wrist bone with precision. The sword light flared in the dim room, and the sudden burst of spiritual energy blew Chu Hanjin’s hair into disarray, his snow-white robes fluttering wildly. He drew his sword a few inches, and with a loud clang, the sword’s hilt struck hard against Yue Lin’s fingers, forcing him to release his grip.

Yue Lin took a step back.

Outside, the wails of vengeful ghosts grew louder, sounding like they were frantically clawing at the door. Their sharp nails scraped against the walls, producing a spine-chilling noise.

They were hungry!

The reason was simple: during Chu Hanjin’s confrontation with Yue Lin, he had activated his spiritual energy, which the ravenous ghosts had sensed. Now they were swarming toward them, driven mad by the scent of life!

The situation was dangerous, but Yue Lin remained perfectly composed. Instead of panicking, he casually brushed the dust off the stone table and sat down.

“It’s come to this, Lord Yue Zhao, so you’d better suppress your spiritual energy. Otherwise, before either of us can claim victory, we’ll both be torn to shreds by these hungry ghosts.”

The banging on the door grew more intense. There were thousands of ghosts in the Celestial Burial Pit, including former righteous sect leaders and demonic heads. Like a swarm of locusts, they could only be kept at bay by suppressing one’s presence and avoiding any further conflict.

Chu Hanjin glanced at Yue Lin, understanding the situation.

“You didn’t follow Xue Wuya earlier. You’ve been following me the whole time, deliberately taking a detour to meet me here.”

Suppressing his spiritual energy, Chu Hanjin sat down as well. “And you knew Xue Wuya wasn’t in the Celestial Burial Pit but didn’t stop me from coming here. What is your true purpose?”

Yue Lin replied, “My purpose is simple. I just want to confirm whether or not you’re my wife.”

Chu Hanjin’s face remained stern. “Don’t you think that statement is absurd?”

Yue Lin asked, “What’s so absurd about it?”

Chu Hanjin responded, “I’ve never heard of a husband who couldn’t recognize his own wife and had to trap someone in a place like the Celestial Burial Pit to confirm it.”

Yue Lin smiled. “Apologies, Lord Yue Zhao.”

Chu Hanjin, with a dignified posture, showed no hint of amusement, taking the conversation seriously despite the ridiculousness. “Since you’re unsure, let me clarify: I am not your wife. You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Yue Lin chuckled, grinding his teeth softly. “I think you’re mistaken, Lord Yue Zhao. Whether or not you are my wife isn’t for you to decide. It’s for me to decide.”

“….”

Chu Hanjin’s chest heaved slightly. He couldn’t help but glance sideways at Yue Lin, as if looking at a madman.

Chu Hanjin, who had always been taught to be refined and courteous, couldn’t help but regard Yue Lin with the same gaze one would give a lunatic.

After a brief silence, Chu Hanjin finally spoke, “May I ask, is your wife deceased?”

Yue Lin, intrigued, replied, “Of course not. Why does Lord Yue Zhao ask?”

Chu Hanjin, expressionless, said, “I was just considering whether the grief of losing your wife had driven you insane.”

Yue Lin burst into laughter, his dark eyes sweeping over Chu Hanjin. “I didn’t know Lord Yue Zhao was so sharp-tongued.”

After speaking, he licked his dry lips. His gaze burned like fire as it trailed from Chu Hanjin’s exposed, pale neck down toward his inner robes, as if trying to mentally strip away his clothing to see more.

But Yue Lin’s gaze stopped there, and he fell silent. “Your personality now is completely different. Back then, you were so gentle and pure, so innocent.”

“….”

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes, feeling numb as he tried to convince himself to ignore the madman’s ramblings.

After all, the cultivation world was full of abnormal people.

Chu Hanjin quietly monitored his spiritual energy, calculating how long he could maintain his suppression and how long he would have to deal with this madman.

It shouldn’t be long… Xue Wan had gone back to report, and the people from the Far Mountain Sect would arrive soon.

“We should play a game,” Yue Lin said, standing up and circling the stone table.

Chu Hanjin, controlling his breath, glanced at him, wondering what new trick he was about to pull.

“Before the hunt today, I didn’t know Lord Yue Zhao. Earlier in your chambers, I didn’t see anything. But if I can guess a secret about your body, it proves that you and I share a connection from the past. Does Lord Yue Zhao want to play this game?”

Chu Hanjin replied flatly, “Not interested.”

Yue Lin asked, “Why not?”

Chu Hanjin responded, “Why should I play a game where only you benefit?”

“….”

Yue Lin stepped closer, his nose almost brushing against Chu Hanjin’s neck as he exhaled softly. “Lord Yue Zhao, you truly are sharp.”

Chu Hanjin pushed him away, frowning. “I may not use spiritual energy, but I can still fight with my fists. Keep your distance.”

“Alright,” Yue Lin chuckled, taking two steps back. “If I win, I’ll tell you an earth-shattering secret. If I lose, neither of us loses anything. Will you play now, Lord Yue Zhao?”

Chu Hanjin said, “No.”

“And why not?”

Chu Hanjin, tired of this game, coldly replied, “Boring.”

The room fell silent for a moment.

Yue Lin paced back and forth, seemingly at a loss. “If you won’t play, then I’ll play on my own. Lord Yue Zhao, you have a six-pronged jade talisman on your left shoulder, pure black with a blood-red center. Am I right?”

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes. “Wrong.”

After answering, Chu Hanjin realized he had been distracted by Yue Lin and actually responded to such a ridiculous question. He frowned slightly.

Yue Lin’s expression shifted.

He seemed incredulous, licking his dry lips. He stepped closer, his eyes fixated on Chu Hanjin’s, and his gaze felt like it was boring into his very bones. “You don’t have the mark?”

The oppressive atmosphere was unbearable.

Chu Hanjin kicked him back several steps, coldly declaring, “No.”

“The scar, then?” Yue Lin’s eyes were bloodshot, staring straight at him.

Chu Hanjin said, “Since I’ve answered, I’m not lying. No means no.”

Yue Lin took two steps back, lost in thought, murmuring to himself, “Right, you never lie.”

Chu Hanjin gave him an impatient glance. “I told you before, I am not your wife.”

Yue Lin’s lips curled into a disbelieving, sinister smile. “Yet in this entire world, I’ve never seen two faces so alike.”

Chu Hanjin said, “If you don’t understand, how could I possibly know?”

Yue Lin stood frozen for a moment, then seemed to reach a conclusion. “The six-pronged jade was a curse seal. It must have been removed, which is why there’s no mark on you now.”

“….”

He appeared certain. “Yes, that must be it.”

Chu Hanjin, with a serene and unreadable expression, glanced sideways, his elegant features casting a shadow of indifference or perhaps pity.

“I’ve entertained you long enough. If you continue to pester me with nonsense I don’t understand, I will no longer tolerate it.”

With that, he stood up and opened the door to the dark chamber.

As expected, Yue Lin didn’t try to stop him.

It was clear that Yue Lin only wanted to confirm his suspicions, and once satisfied, he wouldn’t deliberately make things difficult. That was the only reason Chu Hanjin had been willing to stay and converse with him.

The sky outside churned with red mist and rain of corpses. Chu Hanjin had just taken a step when the man’s voice, cold as if it had been tempered in icy water, sounded from behind him.

“I’m a stubborn man, Lord Yue Zhao. When I set my sights on something, even if it’s at the ends of the earth, in the heavens or the underworld, I will find it and lock it by my side.”

His words were sharp, biting.

“You don’t trust me, and that’s understandable,” Yue Lin said calmly. “But I believe I’ve won the game, so I’ll tell you the secret as promised. Keep this in mind.”

Chu Hanjin turned his head.

Yue Lin’s eyes locked onto his. “Someone is trying to kill you.”

Chu Hanjin’s grip tightened on his sword.

From the hill in the distance, voices could be heard. Several figures in black robes, bearing the insignia of the Six Great Sects, appeared, scattering the vengeful spirits and trampling over skeletal remains as they hurried toward them.

A large group approached. Before Chu Hanjin could see their faces, Xing Jiangxin’s furious shout rang out, “Xue Wuya! How dare you!”

Chu Hanjin glanced at Yue Lin.

Sure enough, in an instant, Yue Lin had already disguised himself as Xue Wuya, standing a few steps behind Chu Hanjin.

But just before Xing Jiangxin’s voice reached him, a hoarse whisper entered Chu Hanjin’s ear: “And I’m here to save you.”

“Xue Wuya!” Xing Jiangxin’s enraged shout echoed.

Xing Jiangxin, dressed in a scholar’s robe with a feathered crown, cursed as he walked, “You wretched disciple, wretched disciple! I’ll apologize to Sect Master Mu and Lord Yue Zhao later. It’s my fault for failing to teach you properly, letting you run off to the Celestial Burial Pit. If something goes wrong, I’ll accept full punishment! Xue Wuya!”

Chu Hanjin spoke first, “Sect Master Xing, there’s no need to be so anxious. I… did not find Xue Wuya in the Celestial Burial Pit.”

“Not in there?” Xing Jiangxin’s expression changed slightly.

“There was only a robe, an earring, and a broken finger bone,” Chu Hanjin indicated the dark chamber. “The wager at the night banquet was a bone from the pit. It seems Xue Wuya did come here.”

“Then—” Xing Jiangxin was about to ask further.

Chu Hanjin was about to explain when, out of nowhere, his spiritual energy became erratic. He felt a sudden drain of power and stumbled forward, only to be caught by Yue Lin.

“…” Chu Hanjin closed his eyes for a moment, pushing himself out of Yue Lin’s arms.

“Junior Brother? What’s wrong?”

“It must be from staying in the Celestial Burial Pit for too long, draining my spiritual energy,” Chu Hanjin said, feeling dizzy and slightly nauseous. He steadied himself, regaining his usual calm demeanor. “It’s nothing serious.”

Mu Lianchun said, “You should go back and rest. Leave the search for Xue Wuya to me.”

Chu Hanjin returned to the Moonlight Palace.

He soaked in the hot spring, where spiritual tools had been placed to help him quickly replenish his depleted energy. The steam rose in soft, swirling tendrils, with light veils of mist floating around, carrying a fragrant breeze. The gentle waves of the warm water caressed his skin, soothing his body.

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes, drifting into a light sleep.

Suddenly, he heard a splash in the water beside him. He saw a smooth, taut leg appear before him, but he couldn’t make out the figure. The next moment, strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him into an embrace.

Chu Hanjin struggled to escape, but his strength failed him, and he realized he was dreaming again.

The man held him tightly, whispering indistinctly in his ear. The words were unclear, but the meaning was obvious—urging Chu Hanjin to turn around and kneel on the cold floor.

He was coaxed, his legs bending, half-kneeling by the edge of the hot spring.

His back pressed against the man’s warm, wet skin.

Then, a wave of indescribable heat surged into him…

Chu Hanjin’s eyes flew open, his cold gaze staring at the empty hot spring before him!