Chapter 33 (Part 1)

Hearing this, Yu Zhengzheng froze with a honey-glazed chicken wing still in her mouth. Spitting it out wasn’t an option, but swallowing it didn’t seem wise either.

She’d already eaten several pieces of meat. If what Hengwu Immortal Lord said was true, wouldn’t she be stuck in this cursed place forever?

After a moment of hesitation, she swallowed the chicken.

In any case, she’d already eaten, so whether she stayed or not didn’t matter anymore. She might as well eat her fill first.

Unlike her carefree attitude, the others sat stiffly as if turned to stone. The only sign they were still alive was the trembling of their chopstick-holding fingers.

Rong Shang glanced at the seemingly unbothered Yu Zhengzheng, raising his brows lazily.

She truly wasn’t afraid. Though she usually acted like a timid coward, her courage shone through today.

The scene of her earlier action—boldly pressing down on his arm in front of everyone to stop him from drinking—flashed in his mind.

No, she had always been brave. Her ability to endure and adapt gave the illusion of cowardice. In reality, she was anything but.

Rong Shang curved his lips into a faint smile, his expression lazy and composed.

Hengwu Immortal Lord narrowed his eyes, hidden beneath the white cloth, and remarked with a half-smile, “Truly worthy of the title Ghost King—remaining unflinching even as the sky falls.”

Rong Shang lazily raised his gaze and glanced at him nonchalantly. “Whether the sky falls is not for you to decide, Immortal Lord.”

Hengwu Immortal Lord was momentarily stunned, unable to grasp the meaning behind those words.

He believed he had made it clear—consuming anything from Peach Blossom Village, even a single fruit from the roadside trees, would doom one to remain forever trapped in the first layer of the illusionary realm.

Yet the Ghost King showed no fear?

It wasn’t until Rong Shang slowly pulled out a silk handkerchief, placed it in his palm, and reached out to clasp Hengwu Immortal Lord’s chin, that the latter finally understood what he meant.

But it was too late. Rong Shang, as though feeding livestock, clamped down on Hengwu Immortal Lord’s jaw through the handkerchief and stuffed food into his mouth with chopsticks in the other hand.

When it came to raw strength, even ten Hengwu Immortal Lords were no match for Rong Shang.

Hengwu Immortal Lord was like a helpless little chick, his feeble struggles utterly futile.

Once Rong Shang deemed the feeding sufficient, he let go unhurriedly, pulled out a fresh silk handkerchief, and meticulously wiped his long, slender fingers, as though ridding himself of filth. He even cleaned beneath his nails with care.

Meanwhile, Hengwu Immortal Lord was clutching the table, vomiting violently. His retching was so intense it seemed he might expel his intestines, far removed from his earlier composed demeanor.

Yu Zhengzheng: “…”

She silently set down the half-eaten chicken drumstick in her hand.

Hengwu Immortal Lord had underestimated the Ghost King. He assumed the latter was a gentleman, but the Ghost King was known for avenging even the smallest grievances. If Hengwu Immortal Lord had spoken sooner, perhaps his fate wouldn’t have been so miserable.

Rong Shang’s narrow eyes glinted coldly as he lightly rubbed the prayer beads on his wrist, as though contemplating whether or not to spare Hengwu Immortal Lord’s life.

Hengwu Immortal Lord was cunning, full of tricks, and seemed a tad too unpredictable.

As Rong Shang was deliberating, the villagers nearby, casually picking at dishes, abruptly transformed into grotesque fountains of blood. One by one, their heads burst with a sickening “pop,” spraying blood everywhere.

Yu Zhengzheng froze. The scene was eerily reminiscent of her companions exploding the heads of zombies in the apocalypse.

She wasn’t sure if these people felt pain, but just watching it was excruciating.

Golden rays pierced through the clouds, casting down onto the grassy plain. More and more people turned into grotesque fountains of blood, and the dumbfounded crowd finally reacted.

Before Rong Shang could speak, Xiang Feng grabbed Hengwu Immortal Lord by the collar, his expression cold as he demanded, “What the hell is going on?”

Hengwu Immortal Lord’s face was deathly pale. Ignoring Xiang Feng’s wrath, he rinsed his mouth with water, wiped his lips with a silk handkerchief, and leisurely replied, “Didn’t I already tell you?”

“Anyone who eats the food of Peach Blossom Village will remain trapped forever in the first layer of the illusionary realm.”

Hearing this, Yu Zhengzheng froze. So that’s what Hengwu Immortal Lord meant by “remain.”

If their heads exploded, of course, they would remain.

Realizing Hengwu Immortal Lord was unreliable, Yu Zhengzheng no longer hoped for truthful answers from him. She had eaten the most food. If she didn’t figure something out, she feared her head would be the first to burst.

Self-reliance was better than seeking help. Forcing herself to remain calm, she observed the blood-soaked ground.

Hearing the piercing screams of Yu Jiangjiang and An Ning, which rose and fell like waves, Yu Zhengzheng couldn’t help but feel thankful for her time in the apocalypse.

She had long grown accustomed to dealing with such gory scenes. Watching the headless bodies, she felt only a numbing indifference.

She observed carefully. These villagers didn’t all explode simultaneously, nor did it seem random.

Even though two villagers stood beneath the same peach tree, one continued enjoying the food while the other lay in a pool of blood.

No, something wasn’t right.

There had to be a pattern!

Her breathing grew heavy, and cold sweat formed on her back. Time was running out, and the tension pushed her nerves to their limits. Her palms were slick with sweat.

The answer seemed to be on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.

As blood sprayed toward her, she instinctively stepped back, her gaze accidentally landing on the enraged Xiang Feng.

A realization struck her—sunlight!

The villagers standing in the shadows of the peach trees were unharmed, while those exposed to sunlight perished.

All the corpses in the blood pools were bathed in sunlight, while the living villagers stood in shaded areas.

Her voice trembled slightly as she shouted, “Quick! Hide under the tables!”

Xiang Feng frowned. “What nonsense are you…”

Before he could finish the word “talking,” Rong Shang’s icy glare silenced him.

Though Yu Zhengzheng didn’t care much for anyone here besides Shanshui, she couldn’t stand by idly.

This Nine-Palace Eight-Trigram Formation had nine layers of illusions. Even if she and Shanshui miraculously survived the first layer, how would they face the other eight?

She was well aware of her own limitations. For now, even a group of annoying companions was better than none.

Taking a deep breath, she explained, “The villagers who ate at the banquet and were exposed to sunlight are dead. Those in the shadows are still alive.”

She added, “I’ve said my piece. Whether you hide under the tables is up to you.”

Still held by Xiang Feng, Hengwu Immortal Lord narrowed his eyes slowly.

Nearly everyone who entered the Nine-Palace Eight-Trigram Formation perished in the first layer. They let their guard down and ate the food, only to panic when the villagers turned into blood fountains, meeting their demise in the chaos.

But this young woman remained calm despite knowing the illusion’s dangers. She ate without hesitation, remained unfazed by the blood-soaked horrors, and even found a way to decipher the formation’s secret.

Even he, accustomed to bloodshed, found himself somewhat unnerved by the sight of the villagers’ deaths. Yet she, utterly fearless, remained composed.

Hengwu Immortal Lord chuckled lightly. “As expected of the Ghost King’s woman. The young lady has sharp eyes, unraveling the secrets of this formation with a single glance.”

Yu Zhengzheng showed no reaction to his words, but for some reason, Rongshang felt an inexplicable sense of pride rising within him. This feeling was unfamiliar, even novel—something he had never experienced before.

Rongshang smirked faintly. “Such things cannot be envied.”

Hengwu Immortal Lord: “…”

Just as Yu Zhengzheng was about to crawl under the table for shelter, she noticed a flaw. Even hiding beneath the table wouldn’t guarantee safety; the sunlight could reflect under it. After all, a table wasn’t a sealed cabinet—its shadows and light shifted with the moving sun.

Clearly, she wasn’t the only one to realize this issue.

An Ning timidly pointed it out, casting a glance toward Shanshui.

Shanshui, being a coffin spirit, hadn’t eaten the village’s food. Even if exposed to sunlight, she wouldn’t be harmed.

In a small voice, An Ning suggested, “Could we trouble Shanshui to revert to her coffin form for everyone to hide inside, just for now?”

Yu Zhengzheng exploded at once, glaring at her. “Then why don’t you step into the sunlight to buy us some time instead?”

An Ning fell silent, her eyes reddening as she murmured an apology, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way…”

Yu Zhengzheng felt nauseous. She’d never encountered such a high-level “green tea” persona: tough as steel in the morning, soft and delicate by noon.

As the sunlight began shifting toward them, Xiang Feng, who had been silent, gently took Shanshui’s hand. “Shanshui…”

He only called her name, but she understood.

They’d always been attuned to one another. But now, she wished she didn’t understand.

Shanshui was no fool—this was a life-and-death situation. Exposure to sunlight would mean immediate death. She knew this, but that didn’t mean she was willing to let An Ning into her coffin. She disliked her. It felt too invasive.

Xiang Feng tightened his grip, his voice carrying a trace of pleading. “Just this once. After this, I’ll get you anything you want.”

Shanshui didn’t respond. She wanted to tell him she’d give up everything—she’d stop asking for anything—just so he wouldn’t make her turn into a coffin.

Through the sheer fabric of his blindfold, Hengwu Immortal Lord observed Shanshui lower her gaze. His fingers brushed against his bamboo cane, lightly stroking it. He chuckled softly, letting out a sigh.

“Fine,” he said, “consider it a favor for the sake of this staff.”