Love Beyond the Grave

The generals began discussing strategies for attacking Youzhou. After Duan Xu said, "I will fully cooperate and say no more," he truly kept his mouth shut and spoke no further. He didn’t show any impatience, instead listening attentively with a smile to the words of the generals seated around him, like a polite guest enjoying a storytelling session.

He Simu thought to herself, This young general must be brewing some mischief in his heart again.

"Word has it that the Snow-Treading Army has two extraordinary individuals who can observe celestial phenomena to predict the weather with uncanny accuracy. I’m quite curious—might General Duan introduce them to me?"

At some point in the discussion, General Yin of the Chéng Jié Army abruptly steered the topic toward the Snow-Treading Army’s diviner, "He Xiaoxiao."

He Simu propped her chin on her hand and turned her gaze to Duan Xu, raising an eyebrow with a faint smile.

Duan Xu met her eyes for a moment, took a sip of tea, and replied calmly, "General Yin may not know this, but this remarkable young lady, Miss He, is young and delicate in temperament. The massacre in Liangzhou already left her deeply traumatized. Recently, the fierce battles in Shuozhou’s capital further frightened her, and she fell ill for a long time. Even now, she often collapses into unconsciousness for no reason. Given your awe-inspiring presence and the aura of battle that surrounds you, I fear meeting you might shock her further—doing her more harm than good."

General Yin’s attempt to poach talent had hit a wall from the start. He joked, "With the enemy at our gates, General Duan, you shouldn’t hoard such talents. The weather in Youzhou is unpredictable, and as the vanguard, my Chéng Jié Army could greatly benefit from diviners who can read the winds and predict the rains. I wonder if General Duan would be willing to lend me this expert?"

Commander Qin seemed about to interject, but Duan Xu cut in first, his tone firm and resolute: "No."

General Yin’s smile froze on his face, neither fading nor holding.

Duan Xu set down his teacup, still wearing a pleasant smile, and said, "In life, most of what we desire goes unfulfilled. Take, for example, when I was trapped in Shuozhou’s capital—I desperately needed reinforcements, yet not a soul came. He Xiaoxiao is my diviner, so naturally, she stays where I am."

His pointed remarks made Commander Qin narrow his eyes slightly. "General Duan, do you resent me for not sending troops to your aid?"

"Commander Qin was tied down in the Yuzhou battlefield, unable to spare any forces. I understand perfectly," Duan Xu replied with an air of composure, showing no trace of resentment.

Commander Qin studied Duan Xu for a long moment before slowly turning away. He didn’t pursue the topic further, steering the conversation elsewhere with a few words. General Yin’s attempt to poach talent had met a firm rebuff and was left at that.

He Simu twirled the Ghost King Lamp Jade Pendant at her waist, glanced at General Yin, then looked back at Duan Xu with a smirk. "What, afraid I’ll devour this General Yin?"

Duan Xu shook his head and murmured, barely audible, "He’s not good-looking. I wouldn’t want to taint your eyes."

He Simu clicked her tongue and chuckled without another word.

The strategic discussion concluded at noon, and the generals dispersed for lunch. Having contributed little to the discussion, Duan Xu courteously waited for the others to leave the tent first. Then, with impeccable manners, he bowed to Commander Qin and exited the camp with his young sworn brother in tow.Commander Qin gazed at Duan Xu's composed and upright figure, his slightly aged eyes tinged with complex emotions. His deputy remarked, "Back in Yu Prefecture, we could barely protect ourselves, yet he secretly resented you. Despite that, you still went out of your way to highlight his achievements in the battle reports. Aren’t you being too lenient with him?"

Commander Qin shook his head and said calmly, "The Duan family has connections reaching the heavens. Suppressing him is impossible."

He had placed Duan Xu in Shuozhou as bait, but the bait had ended up devouring the fish. This unfathomable, ever-smiling youth might truly be a prodigy.

A prodigy indeed—yet it was a pity they belonged to opposing factions, their allegiances entangled in deep-seated enmities. Ultimately, he could not be used.

Commander Qin sighed twice before rising from his seat.

Chen Ying, accompanying Duan Xu for the second time to broaden his horizons, was brimming with excitement. On his way back, he nearly collided with He Simu, who was yawning as she stepped outside. Chen Ying looked up and exclaimed, "Little Sister, you just woke up again!"

He Simu ruffled his hair and asked, "What’s the matter?"

"Today, I followed Brother General and met so many other generals—even the marshal!"

"Not bad. Expanding your horizons, I see."

Chen Ying frowned slightly. "They didn’t seem to like Brother General very much."

"Oh? You’re learning to read people now."

"Another general wanted to take you away, but Brother wouldn’t let them. I think he likes you too, Little Sister! You two must be in love!" Chen Ying declared excitedly.

"..."

Now it was He Simu’s turn to look at Chen Ying with concern. She had a feeling this child might grow up to become a matchmaker.

Shaking her head, she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Duan Shunxi is all pretense."

After a pause, she chuckled softly.

Then again, perhaps no one in this world was more genuine than him. He claimed to be Duan Xu, and his wish was to reclaim the Seventeen Northern Shore Prefectures.

And those words were actually true.

Yet after struggling through Heaven Knows to survive, fleeing back to Great Liang, placing second in the imperial exams, entering the Secretariat, becoming a frontier general, and crushing enemy forces—after all that, he had only managed to reclaim two prefectures in Shuozhou.

Sixteen more remained for him to take back, one by one.

—"There’s still such a long road ahead... but I’m already... so tired."

He Simu recalled how, after Seventeen’s death, Duan Xu had finally stopped his mad laughter and whispered those words with his head bowed.

She had always believed a mortal’s life was but the blink of an eye. Yet for some reason, she now felt this young man’s life stretched endlessly, boundless and unending.

That night, He Simu went to change the bandages for her Curse-Bound Person, the young general, to check on his recovery. For a fleeting moment, she felt like a butcher raising pigs, checking daily to see if they were plump enough, calculating when they’d be ready for slaughter.

But tonight, the piglet grinned at her and said—he thought it was time to slaughter him.

In reality, what Duan Xu said was: "It hurts too much. Why don’t you take my sense of touch now? You’d be happy, and I’d be free."

He had spent the entire morning sitting in armor—though it was light armor—and his wounds had reopened, staining his white underclothes with blood.

This man, who had slaughtered his way through enemy camps and faced Seventeen like an unfeeling Evil Ghost, was now whimpering like a spoiled child over the pain.

He Simu glanced at him and said coolly, "Pain is a living person’s self-defense mechanism. Losing it only makes you twice as vulnerable."Duan Xu lay on his stomach, letting her change the dressing on the wound on his back. His laughter muffled through the pillow as he turned his head and said, "Judging by your age, you must have died quite young. Yet you're nearly four hundred years older than me, so you've been an Evil Ghost for over three hundred years. How come you're still so familiar with the ways of the living? And your bandaging technique is quite skilled—though your hands are a bit too rough."

He Simu's hands paused briefly before she abruptly tightened the bandage, causing Duan Xu to yelp in pain twice.

"Since you still have the energy to probe me, it seems you're recovering well. Tonight, you can lend me your senses," He Simu said coolly.

Duan Xu turned to look at her, his bright gaze piercing deep into her eyes as he smiled. "I wasn't probing you."

"Oh?"

"It's understanding. I want to understand He Simu."

Understand?

You can't discuss ice with a summer insect—how could a mortal ever understand her? And why would he even want to?

He Simu met his clear eyes and said, "Don't think that just because I allowed you to call me Simu, we've grown closer. Little General, you don’t need to trouble yourself understanding me. Just focus on staying alive and fulfilling our deal."

Duan Xu held her gaze for a moment, then smiled faintly, his expression uncannily similar to when he'd say "No point in arguing" back in the military camp.

Borrowing senses required using one's own body. He Simu left He Xiaoxiao's body in the room and stepped back into Duan Xu's bedchamber. Duan Xu was already sitting cross-legged on the bed, dressed in a thin white undershirt, waiting for her.

A few letters rested on his lap, which he promptly burned over a flame as soon as He Simu entered, leaving only the faint impression of the words "Mission accomplished."

He Simu glanced at the letters before shifting her gaze to Duan Xu. The flickering candlelight reflected in his deep, dark eyes as he stretched out his hand toward her—slender fingers, more befitting a scholar's hand than a warrior's.

"Come," he said.

He seemed even more eager than she was.

He Simu watched as the Bright Pearl floated out from her embrace, settling gently into Duan Xu's palm.

The pearl was cold, carrying the aura of death from her body.

Duan Xu closed his fingers around it, and He Simu's icy hand covered his over the pearl. She closed her eyes, and the Ghost King Lamp at her waist emitted a faint blue glow.

A sudden, powerful wind surged from nowhere, enveloping them both. He Simu's long hair and silver hairpin fluttered wildly in the gust. The Bright Pearl began to glow, revealing layers upon layers of crimson runes within, spinning like gears until two runes rose into the air, splitting apart and merging into the foreheads of Duan Xu and He Simu.

Two tiny red dots appeared between He Simu's brows, like drops of blood on pale snow—Duan Xu bore the same mark.

The pearl's light dimmed, the wind vanished, and the world fell silent once more. He Simu slowly opened her eyes to meet Duan Xu's unwavering gaze, his eyes deep as the starry sky.

For a moment, silence lingered between them. Then, abruptly, He Simu pushed Duan Xu down onto the bed, the pearl rolling half-hidden into the sheets.

Duan Xu lay there, staring up at her, but before he could speak, her hand brushed against his face, her pale fingers tracing his smooth skin as if absorbing a hint of warmth.Her long hair cascaded over him, her gaze too intense, burning from her eyes into his, making him momentarily forget all the playful words he had intended to say.

"Skin," He Simu murmured, slightly parting her lips.

Her hands traced along the contours of his face, then moved to his lips. Duan Xu's lips were thin and pale, their corners naturally upturned with a hint of a smile, soft and warm.

"Lips."

Her fingertips lingered briefly on his lips before lightly moving to the side of his nose.

Her eyes gleamed brightly as she said, "Breath."

Then her fingers slowly descended, following the line of his face down to his slender neck. Duan Xu stared unblinkingly at He Simu, his entire body relaxed and unresisting, though her hand showed no intention of tightening.

"Pulse."

She spoke each word like a child first discovering the world, naming everything she perceived.

As soon as she finished speaking, He Simu suddenly leaned down and pressed herself against Duan Xu's chest. Her cheek rested against the thin fabric of his robe, and Duan Xu instantly tensed.

She lay silently against his chest, as if time had frozen. After a moment, she laughed softly and looked up at him, her breathtakingly beautiful face filled with delight.

"Heartbeat."

Duan Xu's eyes flickered slightly just as He Simu leaned closer, uttering earth-shattering words one by one.

"Bite me."

Duan Xu paused, studying He Simu's expression before repeating softly, "Bite you?"

"Mmm, bite my neck." He Simu tilted her head to the side, exposing her pale, slender neck, issuing the command with casual indifference.

Wind seeped through the cracks in the window, causing the candlelight to flicker, casting dim, shifting light upon her neck.

Duan Xu was silent for a moment before raising his head, his upper body hovering over her. One hand cradled the back of her head, fingers entwined in her long hair, while the other cupped her cheek. Without hesitation, he slowly sank his teeth into her neck.

No blood was drawn, but a red mark remained.

He Simu didn't flinch, only calmly whispered, "It hurts."

Her tone held none of the fragility one might expect—far removed from the pitiful act she put on when pretending to be He Xiaoxiao. Yet those words were like tiny shards of ice, lightly pricking Duan Xu's ears.

And his heart.

His eyelashes trembled slightly.

Unaware, she turned her head to look at him. At this distance where their breaths mingled, she laughed softly with a sense of novelty. "So this is how those I devoured felt before they died."

The world could reveal such wondrous facets.

Skin, lips, breath.

Smooth, soft, warm.

A pulse like a tiny bell, a heartbeat like a small drum. Trembling and warm, delicate and vibrant, scalding as boiling blood.

Pain was subtle—a blend of discomfort and unease, a sharp-edged brilliance.

And when he cradled her hair, when his cheek brushed against her neck—what was that unbearable sensation, so different from pain?

Were all these things what it meant to be alive?

Duan Xu gazed deeply at her, then smiled brightly, his eyes curving into crescents. "Ghost King, Simu, welcome to the world of the living."