Chapter 31

Not sure if it was because Xue Ming had an abundance of yang energy now, but this kick was quite powerful. It sent the little dog flying, crashing into the bookshelf with a loud noise, scattering books all over the floor. The little dog let out a sharp wail.

Xue Ming thought she might have broken the little dog’s bones with that kick. Seeing it charge at her so aggressively, she thought it was formidable, but it turned out to be as fragile as paper.

The little dog rolled on the ground a few times, whining, and soon got up again. Its hind leg was indeed broken, and it limped forward a couple of steps, glaring at Xue Ming with hatred.

This thing understands human nature, Xue Ming thought to herself. She lifted her foot and made a kicking motion, threatening, “Want another kick?”

The little dog instinctively took two steps back in fear, then, as if feeling humiliated, bared its teeth at her and growled lowly. But to Xue Ming, it posed no threat at all. She looked at the little dog expressionlessly.

However, the dog suddenly opened its mouth and said, “Shameless scoundrel.” The voice was indistinguishable in gender, exceptionally sharp, and sounded very much like the affected tone of an eunuch.

Xue Ming was secretly shocked. Although she sensed that this creature was quite sinister and not an ordinary dog, she hadn’t expected it to speak, and in sayings no less. It was a cultured demon dog. She immediately became vigilant, carefully scrutinizing the dog in front of her. She was suspicious but unsure, so she asked, “What exactly are you?”

The dog then spoke again, glaring at her, “Give me back my body!”

Xue Ming then confirmed her suspicion, thinking that this sinister dog was indeed Jiang Ruoming. This great demon had committed such notorious crimes that even someone like Yan Yuhe had come down the mountain to capture her. She had expected a formidable and ruthless character but hadn’t anticipated such a pathetic appearance.

Xue Ming paused and asked, “Are you Jiang Ruoming?”

“Do you not know whose body you have taken? Stop pretending!” the little dog shouted angrily. Its round eyes greatly diminished its imposing manner. It glanced over Xue Ming’s body and became even more furious, almost exploding with rage, “What have you done with my body? Such shamelessness to engage in yin-yang intercourse with a man!”

Xue Ming rubbed her ears, recalling that this female demon caused all her misfortunes. She then got angry and rebuked, “Shut up! What right do you have to demand your body back from me? You used dark magic to kill me, trying to use my soul to cover up your crimes, committing all sorts of heinous acts, and now you have the nerve to come back and shout at me?”

The more Xue Ming spoke, the angrier she became. Although her life as a corporate slave had been quite ordinary, it was still much better than being here. Just because she was born in a yin year, yin month, and yin hour, she had to suffer this undeserved calamity. She grabbed the inkstone from the table and, with lightning speed, smashed it onto Jiang Ruoming. There was a wail as Jiang Ruoming failed to dodge and was hit, unable to get up for a long time.

“To achieve my grand ambition, what matters if I sacrifice your worthless life?” Jiang Ruoming lay on the ground, glaring viciously at Xue Ming, cursing, “You destroyed my extreme yin body. I will not let you off easily. I will come back.”

With that, the little dog closed its eyes and tilted its head, appearing dead. Xue Ming stood there for a while, then saw Yan Yuhe walk in from outside. He glanced at the mess on the ground and looked at Xue Ming with a slightly puzzled expression as if asking: Did you do this?

Xue Ming ignored him. Seeing Yan Yuhe gave her the courage to check, and she found that the little dog was indeed dead, its body stiff. She said to Yan Yuhe, “Jiang Ruoming was here.”

Yan Yuhe did not seem surprised, as if he already knew. He bent down to pick up the scattered books and calmly said, “It was a wisp of her spirit attached to the dog, not her true self.”

“No wonder it was so easy to deal with,” Xue Ming muttered, then went to wash her hands. She asked Yan Yuhe, “Have you found where Jiang Ruoming is? She just said I destroyed her extreme yin body and that she wouldn’t let me off. She might be planning something big.”

“No need to search for her. She will show herself,” Yan Yuhe said as he placed the books back on the shelf. Then he pinched a wisp of flame between his fingers and threw it onto the little dog’s body, burning it to ashes in no time.

Xue Ming stood to the side, watching Yan Yuhe meticulously clean up the room. She pondered the meaning behind “will appear on her own,” realizing that Jiang Ruoming likely had no intention of giving up this body. She would inevitably reappear to reclaim it, or perhaps for some other reason related to her grand plan. An idea popped into Xue Ming’s mind as she thought about it. She slowly walked over to Yan Yuhe. Although they were the only two people in the room, Xue Ming still felt a bit guilty, like a thief. She leaned close to Yan Yuhe and whispered, “I suspect Jiang Ruoming has cast some spell on this body, but the infusion of yang energy might disrupt the spell. Maybe the more yang energy, the better. How about tonight we…”

Xue Ming said this while looking up at Yan Yuhe. Her clear, dark eyes seemed filled with a hint of springtime allure, making her incredibly captivating.

Yan Yuhe placed the last book back on the shelf, then turned his head to look at her. His eyes were deep, holding something indescribable, but he did not respond.

Xue Ming scratched her head awkwardly, saying, “I just don’t want that demon to be too comfortable.” From her earlier frantic reaction, it was clear that the extreme yin body was essential to her.

Yan Yuhe turned around and stuffed the pornographic book on the table into Xue Ming’s hands for the second time. He didn’t even need to say anything; his actions said it all. This time, Xue Ming didn’t throw it again. Her ears turned red, and she put it on the bookshelf, saying hesitantly, “Read it later.”

She had previously heard from Lu Man that a living person’s body shouldn’t consume yang energy so rapidly. Considering Jiang Ruoming’s recent behavior, it seemed she had used some dark magic to alter her own body. Perhaps during the spell’s execution, Yan Yuhe had pursued her to this place, forcing her to abandon her body and escape temporarily. She had dragged Xue Ming’s soul here not only to sustain the body’s vitality but also because she knew that Yan Yuhe, being a righteous person, wouldn’t kill an innocent. Thus, while Xue Ming occupied this body, it would remain safe.

However, plans can’t keep up with changes. Even Jiang Ruoming hadn’t anticipated that Xue Ming’s soul would merge with the body and be infused with a lot of yang energy. As long as she continuously fills the body with yang energy, she believes she can infuriate Jiang Ruoming to the point of bursting.

Afterward, Yan Yuhe led Xue Ming out the door. He cast a spell on the door, establishing a connection with the grand hall of the ghost realm. As soon as they stepped out, the scenery before them suddenly brightened. The ghost realm is a place of eternal night, with occasional sunset scenes. Colorful lanterns light up at night to help the inhabitants distinguish the passage of time.

Yan Yuhe brought Xue Ming back to where the banquet was held yesterday. It was no longer as lively and noisy as it had been. The food and wine from the feast were scattered everywhere, and a group of little ghosts knelt on the ground, trembling in fear. Sitting above them were Hundred Crow, Liu Li, Bai Duo, and Lu Man.

Hundred Crwo had shed his usual cheerful demeanor, leaning back in his seat with a sullen expression. His eyes were blood-red, and sharp ghostly fangs protruded from his thin lips, making him look like a fierce and evil spirit. The crow on his shoulder had also changed. It was now almost as large as an eagle, with black bone spurs on its wings and blood-red eyes that constantly darted around.

When Yan Yuhe and Xue Ming appeared, the crow fixed its gaze on them and let out a hoarse cry.

Hundred Crow’s eyes shifted, and he looked at them, a cold smile forming on his lips. “Where have you been, Brother Jade Face?”

The others also turned to look, especially the ghost king Bai Duo, who raised an eyebrow at Xue Ming and gave a teasing smile before saying, “Do we even need to ask? Can’t you see he’s got a beauty following him?”

Hundred Crow’s blood-red eyes fell on Xue Ming, scrutinizing her from head to toe. He snorted disdainfully, “Weren’t you just turning the world upside down looking for that runaway concubine? And now you’ve already shifted your attention to a new one? Did you pick her up off the street to fool us?”

Yan Yuhe sat in his seat leisurely, raised his hand to hold Xue Ming’s wrist, pulled her down, hugged her into his arms, and let her sit on his legs. This posture was very intimate, and under the gaze of so many eyes, Xue Ming was not used to it for a while. She lowered her head and hid her face slightly in Yan Yuhe’s shoulder, pretending to be shy and at the same time blocking the fierce sight of Hundred Crow.

Yan Yuhe hugged her and asked in a calm voice: “What deceive?”

“Last night, just after you left, the treasure I captured disappeared. Do you think such a coincidence could happen in this world?” Hundred Crow stroked the crow perched on his arm, looking gloomily at Yan Yuhe.

“Brother Jade Face, since we met, I have warmly entertained you every day and even helped you post notices to track down your escaped concubine. You wouldn’t be plotting against me behind my back, would you?”

Hundred Crow’s tone and expression already carried an implicit threat. After all, he was a ghost king, eating human heads as casually as chewing dried radishes. Usually, he seemed carefree and cheerful, but now his face was dark, exuding a menacing aura.

Yan Yuhe, however, appeared utterly unconcerned. “What treasure is worth such anger from you?”

“He said it was a thousand-year-old ginseng spirit.” Gu Jinglan shook his folding fan and laughed, “Whether it’s true or not is still unknown. Is there really a thousand-year-old ginseng spirit in this world?”

Liu Li, who had many connections and sources of information, interjected, “Although rare, they do exist. However, the ginseng spirit’s whereabouts are mysterious, coming and going without a trace. Very few people have ever seen one. I wonder how Hundred Crow managed to catch it.”

With a loud bang, Hundred Crow slammed the low table in front of him into pieces. “Are you doubting that I made this up?”

The situation became tense, and Lu Man stepped in to mediate, speaking kindly, “All of you ghost kings, please calm down. This ghost realm has no exit yet. If the ginseng spirit wants to return to the mortal world, it won’t be able to do so for a while. Let’s search more carefully.”

“It’s not that easy,” Liu Li said, looking at her glittering nails and speaking sarcastically. “Once the ginseng spirit touches the ground, it disappears. If it really intends to hide, you won’t find it even if you dig three feet deep.”

The more they talked, the angrier Hundred Crow became. “Then no one leaves until we find it.”

“You!” Liu Li’s face changed, and she suddenly stood up. “I don’t have the time to waste here with you.”

“Try taking one step forward.” Hundred Crow didn’t look at her, staring straight ahead with an icy tone.

When they met, they all smiled, calling each other brothers like a long-lost family. But as soon as something happened, they immediately tore off the facade, revealing their true nature. Ghosts are inherently unpredictable and difficult to understand. It had been a night since Xue Ming rescued You Yin, and these people had been causing trouble all night. Liu Li Ghost King’s patience had clearly reached its limit.

Xue Ming peeked from behind Yan Yuhe’s shoulder, quietly watching this tense confrontation.

Liu Li Ghost King, with many followers, was not afraid of Hundred Crow and acted as if she hadn’t heard his threat, stepping forward to leave — unexpectedly, as soon as she took a step, a cold wind howled from all directions, accompanied by a swarm of crows converging like a tide.

Hundred Crow punched the ground, and with a loud bang, the earth split open, a crack rapidly extending toward Liu Li.

Liu Li leaped into the air, simultaneously throwing the rings from her fingers, which transformed into ten thick golden-scaled snakes, hissing and baring their fangs as they wrapped around Hundred Crow’s body.

Hundred Crow was unafraid of these creatures, tearing three of them apart with his bare hands, then swiftly closing in on Liu Li, moving so fast that Xue Ming’s eyes couldn’t follow his actions.

The swarm of crows screeched unpleasantly, circling around Hundred Crow. The countless little ghosts under his command, seeing the two ghost kings fighting, fled in panic.

Bai Duo stood up and walked over to Yan Yuhe, sighing, “Ah, they’re still the same, always ready to fight at the slightest disagreement. It’s disgraceful.”

Xue Ming glanced at him, wondering why he always carried a fan. It wasn’t hot, and could a ghost even feel the heat?

Just as she was about to ask, the ground suddenly shook violently. Xue Ming turned in surprise, seeing the two ghost kings fighting in the air, not touching the ground. She couldn’t tell where the strong tremor was coming from. Then, she saw countless cracks spreading across the ground, rapidly expanding in all directions. The original crack caused by Hundred Crow had doubled in size, and the earth was rising as if something underneath was pushing up, ready to break through.

Xue Ming scrambled down from Yan Yuhe’s leg and looked at the ground, vaguely making out a blurry pattern among the dense cracks. The pattern, which resembled a formation, was similar to the one she had seen earlier in the courtyard with the intertwined locust trees.