Love Beyond the Grave

Regarding the question "Who exactly are you?"—Duan Xu, who had stubbornly refused to answer even when the Ghost King had him by the throat—suddenly gave an answer other than "Duan Xu."

Why was his martial prowess so formidable?

Why did he know so much about Danzhi and Heaven Knows?

Why did Han Lingqiu find him familiar?

Heaven Knows—the most elite assassins in the world, raised by the Danzhi royal court, loyal only to the court and the Azure God, pushing the limits of human potential.

Shishi, who had just moments ago declared, "Heaven Knows lives for the Azure God and will never betray him," now paled as he stared at this junior brother who had clearly betrayed the Azure God completely. Struggling to maintain his composure, he said, "Impossible. Just because you claim to understand Heaven Knows, you—"

"When I graduated at fourteen and accompanied Master to meet my senior brothers, I had just won the Nether Trial and was covered in wounds. I nearly stumbled while bowing to you, and you caught me, saying, 'A member of Heaven Knows shouldn’t be so unsteady from such minor injuries.' That was our only meeting. Am I wrong, Senior Brother?" Duan Xu mercilessly shattered Shishi’s desperate disbelief.

He Simu watched Duan Xu, the blazing fires of the distant Danzhi camp on one side and the brilliant fireworks rising over Shuozhou City on the other. Bathed in these two starkly different lights, the laughter in his eyes seemed like ignited flames.

The moment he finished speaking, Duan Xu suddenly struck. Taking advantage of Shishi’s distraction, a small arrow shot from the crossbow hidden in his sleeve pierced the eye of Shishi’s black warhorse.

Shishi leaped from the horse as the wounded beast reared wildly before collapsing. The winter wind howled as Duan Xu and Shishi faced each other across the distance. The faint sound of war drums echoed—something was amiss in Shuozhou City, but neither of them paid it any heed.

Fireworks bloomed in clusters across the sky, their explosive cracks merging into a cacophony, painting a dazzling spectacle of prosperity.

Under the blazing light, Duan Xu drew the Illusion-Breaking Sword with both hands and said lightly, "I’ve always wanted to spar with you, Senior Brother."

Shishi’s gaze was as sharp as a blade. Drawing the curved sword at his waist, he clashed with Duan Xu in a flash, sparks flying from the sheer force of their blows.

"Why?! You were Master’s favorite disciple! Why betray him, betray the Azure God?!"

"Don’t joke, Senior Brother. That old man loves no one but the Azure God and himself. I bet his stubborn pride never let him admit to you that I blinded him and escaped. All these years, to save face, he must’ve just called me 'missing.' Isn’t that hilarious?"

The hunter who spent his days hunting wild geese had his eyes pecked out by one—turns out Duan Xu’s unfortunate master had been blinded by him.

In the time it took to speak those words, Duan Xu and Shishi had already exchanged over a dozen blows. Their speed and reflexes were unmatched, their deadly dance a dizzying blur. It was as if they each had three eyes, predicting every move with uncanny precision. Dozens of exchanges drew blood, the two shadows merging into one on the desolate battlefield.Shishi's pupils abruptly constricted, the hatred in his eyes like a venomous arrow aimed straight at Duan Xu. Yet Duan Xu remained as unyielding as a cotton bale, not dodging but instead laughing: "Fifteen, I'd like to ask why you believe in our master, why you believe in the Azure God? You're so skilled at deception—aren't you afraid you might be deceived too? If the Azure God is truly the creator deity as described in the Scripture of Azure Words, omniscient and omnipotent, with the Hú Qì People as his noble children, then tell me—why would he create a rebellious me?"

"Your betrayal of the Azure God will be severely punished! You'll descend into hell!"

"If the world was truly created by the Azure God, then isn't the existence of those who believe in him, those who don't, and those who despise him all part of his grand design? Why must he wage war against non-believers? Why does he need our faith? Why can't we believe in something else? If a god is so desperate, resorting to threats and bribes to gain power from us, then what kind of god is he? Since childhood, we've killed innocents day after day, carrying countless blood debts. Why are we not punished but instead granted the privilege to shed our 'lowly' Han identity and worship the Azure God?"

Shishi's gaze flickered uncertainly. Gritting his teeth, he said, "What does that matter? Dying for the Azure God is their honor and our glory! The ways of heaven are vast—don't spout such nonsense!"

"Hahahaha! An omnipotent god actually needs ants like us to die for him? Would you ever need ants to die for you? The ways of heaven are vast indeed. Even if the Azure God truly exists in this world, he certainly isn't the one our master speaks of, nor the one in that damned Scripture of Azure Words! Fifteen, think carefully—use that brain of yours that's pretended to be countless people! Ask yourself whether our master taught us these things to grant us paradise or to use and control us!"

"Fifteen, I've never betrayed anyone—because I never believed in them, not even for a single moment."

Duan Xu was already injured, and Shishi's martial skills were clearly beyond those of ordinary soldiers. Wounded further, his black robes were now thoroughly soaked with blood, dripping steadily onto the grass. Yet he seemed utterly unaware, his movements unceasing and his voice growing louder, his mocking laughter echoing across the open plains, piercing Shishi's ears and heart layer by layer.

Shishi knew Duan Xu was provoking him, yet he couldn't help being struck by the storm of relentless questions.

Suddenly, he recalled a time before Seventeen had undergone the Nether Trial. He'd heard there was a child in the seventeenth cohort whom the master particularly favored—a child with exceptional martial talent. When injured, the master had even granted him days of rest and occasionally personally instructed him in military strategy.

The master had once been a renowned war god of Danzhi, retiring only after being wounded to establish Heaven Knows. Though Shishi had heard fragments of the master's battlefield exploits, he'd never received such teachings himself. He had envied that child.

That child did pass the Nether Trial, officially becoming his junior brother Seventeen. During the tea ceremony, the boy had swayed unsteadily, nearly falling. Disdainfully, Shishi had thought, This is the child the master favors? Yet he'd still reached out to steady him.The child looked up at him and smiled with eyes curved like crescents. Years later, he could no longer remember the face of that child veiled in black gauze, only that it was a bright, clear smile brimming with genuine happiness—like the relentless summer sunlight. He stood dazed for a long moment, feeling as though he had never seen anyone smile like that before.

People of Heaven Knows rarely smiled.

But Seventeen was different. He was naturally inclined to laughter—smiling when praised by their master, smiling when scolded, even smiling through punishments that left his flesh torn and bleeding. It seemed the smallest things could bring him joy.

He truly possessed the brightest, happiest eyes.

At that moment, Shishi suddenly understood their master’s favoritism toward Seventeen. He couldn’t help but envy and yearn for something in this child. Once, he had privately asked their master why Seventeen seemed so happy, why he could have such blissful, radiant eyes.

Their master had only replied indifferently, "Because Seventeen’s faith in the Azure God is the most devout. The Azure God protects him and grants him this nature."

Because Seventeen’s faith in the Azure God is the most devout.

What a joke.

The happiest person in Heaven Knows was someone who had never believed in the Azure God at all.

In a daze, Shishi watched Duan Xu’s bright eyes in the firelight—eyes that overlapped perfectly with those in his memory, unchanged after all these years. Seventeen had become a traitor, yet still carried something that stirred longing in him.

What was it he longed for?

He had impersonated so many people—were the passion and pain that once churned in his heart truly others’, or his own?

Suddenly, infinite hatred surged in Shishi’s heart. Why was it that Seventeen, the betrayer, could stand so unshaken while he alone suffered? It would be best if Seventeen vanished from this world—no more of those lively, bright eyes, no more of that voice that questioned everything. It would be best if everyone suffered alike, silent and uncomprehending.

With these thoughts, his barbarian blade pierced Duan Xu’s side. At close range, Duan Xu spat a mouthful of blood onto Shishi’s face. Furious, Shishi glared at the handsome, blood-streaked visage before him—Duan Xu’s face was also wounded, blood flooding his eyes until they gleamed crimson like an asura’s.

Duan Xu reached out to grip the blade embedded in his ribs and slowly smiled. In a low voice, he murmured, "Senior Brother… you wavered after all…"

"Shut up! I—" Shishi’s words choked off as his eyes widened at the glint of cold steel before him. His throat split open, blood splashing across Duan Xu’s face. Lowering the Illusion-Breaking Sword, Duan Xu said softly, "Hasty, blind to traps, relaxing guard at false victory—had you not wavered, how could you make such a novice mistake, Senior Brother?"

Clutching his throat, Shishi collapsed weakly to the ground. Unable to speak, he could only stare fixedly at Duan Xu, as if searching for an answer in him.

An answer to a question he himself didn’t know—yet had sought all his life.Duan Xu pulled the Hu blade from his body, pressing acupoints to stop the bleeding. Behind him, fireworks bloomed into a sea of light. Staggering unsteadily, just as he had when serving tea to Shishi years ago, he suddenly laughed and said slowly, "Senior Brother, did you think that by devoutly believing in the Azure God, you could shed your Han bloodline and forever part ways with those you've killed?"

He gave him the answer.

Shishi's pupils trembled. Abruptly, he recalled the "Fourth-Class Citizens" bound before him at age six—row after row of terrified faces resembling his own. His master had told him he was different from them, chosen by the Azure God. Once he graduated from Heaven Knows, he too would become one of the Azure God's people.

He wasn't like those who could only bow their necks to the blade.

He would cleanse his bloodline; he was nobler than those lowly wretches.

This wasn't indiscriminate slaughter—it was sacrifice, righteous and ordained by heaven.

If he didn't believe this, if he wasn't utterly convinced, how could he live? For what would he live?

He had no parents, no family, not even his own name—only this base bloodline. In this world, no one needed him except the Azure God. If he didn't live for the Azure God, what meaning did his existence hold?

If even the Azure God was false... then what was he?

Shishi could no longer make a sound. Slowly, his lips moved in silent words to Duan Xu before gradually closing his eyes.

Duan Xu watched Shishi silently, then suddenly laughed. Though wounded to the point of unsteadiness, he remained standing straight. The laughter seemed to erupt from his chest, carrying thick bloodlust as it echoed eerily across the wasteland. His laughter turned to coughs, yet still he laughed, as if determined to laugh madly until death.

Abruptly, a pair of cold hands cupped his face. Raising his head through the chaotic frenzy, the light in his eyes completely scattered, he felt those hands pat his cheeks lightly but firmly. A calm, clear voice spoke by his ear:

"Wake up. You're too excited."

Wake up.

Duan Xu shuddered. The light in his eyes gradually refocused until, amidst the fireworks, he finally saw clearly the Evil Ghost before him—the small mole by her beautiful phoenix eyes, her slightly furrowed brows. This pale-faced, composed ghost regarding him seriously.

He blinked slowly. His blood-red eyes suddenly grew wetter as tears mixed with blood trailed down his cheeks onto her fingers before vanishing into the darkness.

Duan Xu was crying.

He Simu thought—this was the first time she'd seen this little fox cry.

Wiping his tears away, she said, "You've given your senior brother a proper funeral, with blood-marked mourning."