Chapter 512: Chapter 451: Old Acquaintance, We Meet Again

“Your Highness, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with him in private.” Seeing Yun Hua grow even more displeased, Sang Luo quickly invented an excuse. “Since I have already decided to follow you and entrust my child to your care, I don’t want any lingering ties to my past. There are some things I must make clear to this gentleman myself. I hope Your Highness will grant us a moment alone!”

Crown Prince Yun Hua’s gaze swept over the two of them, his eyes dark and profound. But he didn’t say much more, simply nodding and saying, “I will be back for you in an hour,” before turning to leave.

Sang Luo grabbed Fei Yuan’s hand and was startled by how shockingly cold it was. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

As a Fire Phoenix, his body temperature should have been scorching hot. Yet right now, he was even colder than Quan Jin of the Demon Clan—an unnatural, deathly chill.

Fei Yuan withdrew his hand, a smile on his face. “It’s nothing. I just got into a fight with a member of the Ghost Clan and was slightly injured.”

“Let me heal you.”

“There’s no need. It’s just a minor injury. I can heal on my own, so you don’t have to trouble yourself.”

Sang Luo still felt his face was paler than usual. She paused, then asked, “Why did you come to the Magistrate’s residence?”

“I also sensed the aura of the Soul fragments, so I came to investigate. Unfortunately, this Ring is a fake. However, I did discover that the Magistrate’s second son bought it from an auction house a few days ago.” Fei Yuan’s gaze fell on the Jade Ring in Sang Luo’s hand as he continued in a low voice, “Though the Jade Ring is a fake, it must be inextricably linked to the real Soul fragments. We might be able to trace their true whereabouts through that auction house.”

“Which auction house?” she asked him.

Fei Yuan stared intently into her eyes, the corners of his lips curling into an inscrutable smile. “Do you want to know?”

“…Why are you being so mysterious today? Don’t leave me hanging. Just tell me.”

“Then come a little closer. I’m afraid you won’t hear me clearly.”

Sang Luo obediently leaned in.

He lowered his head to her ear and softly whispered two words—

Sang Luo shuddered, her eyes flying wide. It was as if she had forgotten how to breathe.

’How could it be?!’

Seeing her reaction, Fei Yuan seemed very pleased. “Could it be you recognize this place?”

“Wasn’t Yeque Pavilion destroyed long ago? How could it possibly still exist? I saw the Pavilion Master die with my own eyes!”

“Sometimes, what you see isn’t the truth. Perhaps he’s still alive. Why don’t we go and see with our own eyes? Then we’ll know the answer for sure.”

“…” Sang Luo took a deep breath and glanced at the hand hidden inside her sleeve. “Fine.”

A dark glint flashed in Fei Yuan’s eyes, and he reached for Sang Luo’s hand. Unexpectedly, she took a step back, avoiding his grasp. The man’s expression faltered for a moment before he reverted to his familiar, bewitching smile. “What’s wrong?”

“Your hand is too cold. I don’t like it.”

Fei Yuan sighed. “So fussy.”

A wisp of Phoenix Fire ignited in his palm, dispelling the unsettling chill that clung to him.

Sang Luo looked down at his long, pale hand and asked another question.

“Where’s the mark on your hand?”

She even held out her own hand for him to see.

The back of her hand bore a prominent, red Phoenix Fire Mark, while his was completely bare.

Fei Yuan raised an eyebrow. An identical Phoenix Fire Mark immediately materialized in the center of his palm. “Oh, this? It’s too conspicuous, so I kept it hidden. Why?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s get going, we don’t want to run out of the time the Crown Prince gave us.” Sang Luo took the initiative and grabbed his hand.

A flash of avarice, certain of its prize, crossed the man’s eyes.

…

「A moment later.」

The two arrived on a bustling street. Before them stood a five-story building, lavish and impressive, bearing a sign that read “Yeque Pavilion.” However, its scale was a far cry from the one Sang Luo remembered from long ago; it looked no different from any other large shop one might find in the Mortal World.

Fei Yuan explained that there was another world hidden below, where the real treasures were kept.

He produced a purple-gold Token from somewhere and handed it to a Steward. The Steward’s gaze immediately became one of deep reverence, and he personally led the two to a secret passage on the lower level.

THUD!

The heavy door slammed shut, and the last sliver of light in the underground palace was completely devoured.

An ice-cold blade was instantly at the man’s throat.

He showed no surprise. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. “When did you find out?”

“Ah Yuan is my partner, the one I’ve been through life and death with. After so many years together, how could I possibly fail to tell you apart from him?”

“You really are just like you were back then. Haven’t changed a bit.” The man gave a helpless shrug. He pressed two fingers together, nudged the blade a half-inch from his neck, and turned to face her, smiling at Sang Luo’s cold, murderous expression.

In the darkness, his enchanting eyes glowed with a faint red light. Far from being angered by his exposure, he seemed to be in an excellent mood.

“And you haven’t changed a bit either. Just as perverted and hateful as ever!” Sang Luo bit out each word as if forcing it through her clenched teeth, her disgust palpable.

“To reunite after so many years, only to hear you say such things… you truly wound me.”

The man still wore Fei Yuan’s face, but his voice had become bizarre and chillingly seductive, carrying a cold that seemed to burrow into one’s marrow and gnaw at the bone. “Over these hundred thousand years, I’ve missed you to death… so much that I’ve longed to personally flay you alive, tear out your bones, chew your flesh, and drink your blood!”

He lunged, grabbing the Longsword. With a CRACK, it shattered in his grip. His other hand transformed into a black, ghostly claw, striking straight for Sang Luo’s heart.

Sang Luo was prepared. She bent backward to evade the attack, simultaneously kicking him in the abdomen. The fire in her hand solidified into a Longsword, which she used to slash at his arm.

However, the formidable sword intent was consumed by an even more frigid ghost fire.

This was not their first battle; they were all too familiar with the aura of each other’s power.

At that moment, Sang Luo was able to completely confirm his identity. An old acquaintance she hadn’t seen in a long time—Ye Wushuang!

“I can’t believe you’re still alive. It’s true what they say: evil never dies!”

Ye Wushuang smiled brightly. “I should be the one saying that. I never thought the heavens would grant me another chance to see you, Young Master. You made me suffer terribly back then. I’ve only just woken from my long slumber. You’ll have to let me collect on that debt.”

“You came to the Mortal World just to get revenge on me?”

“Not entirely. I never saw your reincarnation in the Ghost Realm, so I assumed you were dead.” He sounded somewhat regretful at this, but seeing Sang Luo alive and well actually made him quite happy. “I thought you were truly gone. Left with no other choice, I decided to take revenge on that fox instead. As long as I disrupt the cycle of his Soul fragments, he’ll never be able to return to his true form!”

“But unexpectedly, I found you again. There’s a saying in the Mortal World: every debt has its debtor. And compared to taking revenge on that damn fox, you, Young Master, are a much more exciting prospect!”

Sang Luo’s expression darkened. ’This guy is even more twisted than he was back then!’

’So the Ghost Clan aura Fei Yuan detected must have been him!’

“Where is Fei Yuan? What did you do to him?”

Ye Wushuang caressed his face, his smile growing colder. “Do you know why my disguise is so flawless, Young Master? Because this skin… *is* his!”

“I killed him.”

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