Chapter 45 (Part 1) – Possessiveness

Yu Zhengzheng froze for a moment, staring at the unflustered Hengwu Xianjun. A realization dawned on her.

“You never intended for us to leave here alive, did you?”

Although phrased as a question, her tone was as calm as if she were stating a fact.

Hengwu Xianjun found a sturdy tree of moderate height and carefully placed the sleeping Shanshui on a thick branch.

Standing beneath the tree, his hands clasped behind his back, the white sash over his eyes fluttered gently in the breeze. With a calm expression, he said, “I only wanted to take the Ghost King’s primordial spirit.”

“But now, I’ve changed my mind.”

He smiled. “You all must die.”

Yu Zhengzheng and Shanshui were close. But how could he be sure that once she escaped the illusion, she wouldn’t reveal what had happened today?

The human heart is unpredictable, but a dead person’s lips are forever sealed.

He didn’t offer further explanation, but Yu Zhengzheng understood his meaning.

Taking a deep breath, she realized that no matter what she said, Hengwu Xianjun wouldn’t change his mind.

She should have anticipated this. How could he possibly spare Xiang Feng so easily? This was nothing more than the calm before the storm.

Looking at Shanshui’s pitiful state, Yu Zhengzheng thought of Hengwu Xianjun’s cautious nature. He would surely eliminate her to prevent any future trouble.

This was Hengwu Xianjun—always smiling on the surface, but ruthless and unscrupulous when it came to achieving his goals.

Yu Jiangjiang had already broken into sobs, her cries grating on everyone’s nerves. Mixed with them were Xiang Feng’s curses directed at Hengwu Xianjun.

Hengwu Xianjun glanced at the still-sleeping Shanshui, then frowned and turned to the others. “If you keep shouting, I’ll cut out your tongues first.”

His tone was icy, leaving no doubt he wasn’t joking.

The two of them fell silent. For a while, the only sound in the cave was the faint rustling of the mysterious red creatures.

Yu Zhengzheng kept a calm expression and deliberately lowered her voice. “What are those things?”

Hengwu Xianjun, seeing her restraint and lack of panic, unexpectedly became a bit more patient.

“They’re red-footed bugs. They enter the human body through the ears, nose, mouth, or any other opening they can find. They slowly gnaw away at your internal organs until they’ve devoured everything.”

Perhaps worried about scaring her, he added, “You don’t need to struggle. There’s a special sedative mixed into the fire. You can’t move. I’ll make it quick for you and try to minimize your pain.”

Yu Zhengzheng forced a faint smile. Should she thank him for offering her a merciful death?

Though Hengwu Xianjun claimed he was doing all this for Shanshui, she had never intended any harm toward Shanshui—let alone sacrifice herself for him.

Her mind raced. She had never heard of these bugs before, but since they were insects, perhaps they’d fear birds?

Fortunately, she had a chicken in her storage bracelet. If she could release the chicken, it might provide at least a slim chance of survival.

But she couldn’t move. How could she get the chicken out of her bracelet?

As she pondered, a low growl came from in front of her. Stiffly, she turned her eyes to Xiang Feng.

Hengwu Xianjun had approached him at some point, pulling An Ning from his arms. With nimble fingers, he stripped Xiang Feng of his robes and undergarments, exposing his pale skin.

Yu Zhengzheng couldn’t help but gasp. Would looking at something like this give her nightmares?

“Don’t look,” a cold voice came from behind her.

She froze, then belatedly realized it was the Ghost King’s voice.

Wide-eyed, she lied without batting an eye. “I didn’t look! If I’m lying, may my father die!”

Hengwu Xianjun: “She looked.”

The Ghost King: “…”

Hengwu Xianjun casually walked toward the swarm of red-footed bugs. They crawled slowly, and he seemed a bit impatient.

He grabbed three bugs and hobbled back.

Yu Zhengzheng was unsure of his intentions until he used a stick to push one of the bugs into Xiang Feng’s folds.

Xiang Feng tried to scream, but Hengwu Xianjun gently stuffed a bloodstained stocking into his mouth.

Grasping Xiang Feng’s face, Hengwu Xianjun adjusted it to face the others.

He smiled and said, “Everyone’s watching you. As I mentioned, these red-footed bugs enter through any opening they can. If you don’t want to die, you’d better squeeze hard and crush it yourself.”

Xiang Feng dared not open his eyes; he could clearly feel the crimson-footed worm wriggling. Hengwu Xianjun had not lied—the creature was indeed crawling toward his kidney.

To him, death was not something to fear; everyone must face it one day.
But Hengwu Xianjun didn’t intend to grant him a quick death. This wasn’t just torture—it was an insult, an unbearable humiliation.

He would rather let the crimson-footed worm devour him alive than publicly degrade himself by squeezing the worm as instructed.

Hengwu Xianjun had expected Xiang Feng’s defiance. Stroking the two remaining crimson-footed worms in his hand, he smiled warmly.
“If Protector Xiang is unwilling, then let An Ning perform for everyone instead.”

An Ning, who had been unconscious, had woken up after being harshly thrown by Hengwu Xianjun. Upon hearing his words, she turned pale with fear and stammered, “No… No, please!”

As Hengwu Xianjun used a branch to undo her collar, her voice broke into sobs.
“Brother Xiang Feng, I’m so scared… Save me…”

Xiang Feng gritted his teeth. Unable to speak, he let out muffled cries.

Hengwu Xianjun paused, tilting his head leisurely.
“Protector Xiang, have you made up your mind?”

Xiang Feng understood clearly that Hengwu Xianjun was determined to humiliate him. Yet, hearing An Ning’s desperate pleas, he hesitated.

If An Ning endured such a fate, she would surely take her own life.

No, he couldn’t let that happen. He had just reunited with her, his long-lost Snow Xi. How could he stand by and watch her die again?

Biting down hard, Xiang Feng held his breath and, as instructed by Hengwu Xianjun, tensed his lower body, clenching the folds tightly again and again.

Everyone watched him. Among them, Yu Zhengzheng observed most intently.

Though it felt perverse to admit, seeing Xiang Feng endure such humiliation stirred a strange sense of satisfaction within her.

Finally, she understood why Hengwu Xianjun had such a terrible reputation.

This sort of act—something she wouldn’t have dared to imagine—he not only thought of but carried out effortlessly.

Honestly… it was thrilling!

Yu Zhengzheng took her time savoring the scene. If the crimson-footed worms weren’t inching closer, she felt she could have watched this for three days and nights.

Suppressing her emotions, she lowered her gaze to her wrist.

Her storage bracelet could be opened with spiritual intent, but opening it wasn’t enough—she needed to physically retrieve the chicken inside.

But she couldn’t move at all. How could she take it out?

Suddenly, Yu Zhengzheng recalled Hengwu Xianjun’s words: the fire contained a paralyzing incense, and those closest to it would be most affected.

The Ghost King sat behind her, but he, accustomed to the freezing cold of the Luandian Temple, disliked heat and had kept some distance from the fire.

If so, perhaps the poison hadn’t deeply affected him. Maybe he could move if given some time.

If she could get closer to him, there might still be a chance.

With this in mind, Yu Zhengzheng slowly spoke,
“Before I die, I have one last wish. May I ask Immortal  to grant it?”

Hengwu Xianjun, who was preparing to insert the second crimson-footed worm, paused his actions.
“Go on.”

Without hesitation, she said,
“I want to die with the Ghost King. Please move me closer to him.”

Hengwu Xianjun agreed. Grabbing the back of her collar, he tossed her onto Rong Shang.

In what seemed like a gesture of kindness, he even adjusted their positions so that she was seated on Rong Shang’s lap, tilting her head upward until their lips were pressed together.

Looking at Rong Shang, Hengwu Xianjun sighed.
“You and I were born in the wrong era. Otherwise, we might have been kindred spirits. This is the last favor I can do for you.”

Rong Shang remained silent, his thoughts consumed by her earlier words: I want to die with the Ghost King.

Dazed, he gazed at her, now so close.

He had encountered countless people who sought to curry favor with him—some pledged to serve him, others to sacrifice themselves—but no one had ever said they wished to die with him.

Why would she want to die alongside him?

It was said that while the living might not share a bed, the dead could share a tomb. If they couldn’t be together in life, they could at least rest together in death.

Did her words convey some hidden confession?

As he lost himself in thought, Yu Zhengzheng’s lips lightly brushed against his.

She wasn’t trying to take advantage of him. In truth, her lips were the only part of her body she could still move. She simply wanted to communicate, to urge him to try moving.

But Hengwu Xianjun had pressed their lips tightly together. As she attempted to speak, their lips inevitably collided.

Not daring to make a sound, she could only signal him with her eyes, hoping he would understand her intent.

Rong Shang was stunned.

He hadn’t expected such a passionate kiss from her. The resoluteness in her eyes seemed like a final farewell.

Should he respond to her?