Love Beyond the Grave

He Xiaoxiao—or rather, Qiao Yan—had woken up before her time, which was truly baffling. The messenger soldier reported that Qiao Yan had cried for help the moment she awoke and, despite her weakened state, insisted on coming to the main camp. This was even more perplexing.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Qiao Yan was half-carried into the tent, her face deathly pale. Though her features were exactly the same as before, there was something subtly different about her now. The real Qiao Yan was delicate and fragile, like a willow swaying in the wind, her fluttering lashes resembling the trembling wings of a butterfly.

He Xiaoxiao had also been like a delicate butterfly—but one that somehow gave the impression its wings could stir up a storm.

The moment Qiao Yan entered the tent, she threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing, “Mother, save me!”

The woman, who had barely stopped crying earlier, immediately burst into tears again, clutching Qiao Yan and calling her “my little swallow” over and over, asking what had happened. Her eldest brother patted her back soothingly.

He Simu arched an eyebrow, observing this loving family reunion in the camp. Then Qiao Yan suddenly pointed at He Simu and wailed, “Mother, it’s her! She was the one who stole my body and possessed me! She’s an Evil Ghost! She wants to harm me! Mother, save me!”

Every pair of eyes in the camp turned to He Simu. Even Wu Shengliu, who had been shielding her like a mother hen, now looked at her with suspicion. General Yin, who should have been thrilled, seemed oddly tense.

He Simu tilted her chin up slightly, her gaze shifting from Qiao Yan to Ming Feng Daoshi, then to the rest of the family, before she let out a light, careless laugh. “I have nothing to say. Just a pair of false kin, a fake Qiao Yan, a fake priest.”

And one real Evil Ghost.

Qiao Yan hadn’t truly awakened.

Another Evil Ghost had seized the opportunity to take control of her body. Ming Feng Daoshi had some measure of Magical Power—he couldn’t possibly have missed the strangeness about this Qiao Yan—yet he remained silent.

So that was it. This was a grand play of collusion between ghost, priest, and man. Ming Feng Daoshi and the general behind him were targeting Duan Xu, while the Evil Ghost possessing Qiao Yan was most likely after her. In her four hundred years, this was the first time she’d seen ghosts, priests, and humans working together in such harmony. How heartwarming.

He Simu rose from her chair and walked up to Qiao Yan. Looking down at her, she said softly, “You’ve got one day left. Make the most of it.”

Qiao Yan shuddered—whether from acting or genuine fear—and immediately burrowed deeper into her mother’s embrace. Ming Feng Daoshi stepped between them, pointing at He Simu and declaring, “Evil Ghost, you shall not run rampant! As long as I am here, I will not allow you to harm the innocent!”

He Simu smiled faintly and took two steps back. Under the scrutiny of the entire camp, she said calmly, “I am but a wandering rogue of the jianghu, not an Evil Ghost. I have no idea why Miss Qiao would slander me like this. I suppose Ming Feng Daoshi has already prepared hundreds of ways to pin this crime on me. What can a helpless young woman like me say? If you wish to detain and investigate me, by all means, go ahead.”

Qin Huanda, seated at the center of the tent, wore a cold expression, while Zheng An’s face darkened further. Qin Huanda’s gaze swept over the faces in the tent, likely weighing the implications involving the Snow-Treading Army and Duan Xu. Finally, he said, “If Miss Seventeen truly isn’t an Evil Ghost, then she may stay in the prison for a while. We’ll wait for General Duan to return and confront the matter to prove her innocence.”He Simu turned her head to look at Commander Qin and said calmly, "Yes, I will follow your orders, Commander."

For some reason, Commander Qin felt a hint of mockery in the girl's eyes—an unsettling aura that was neither ghostly nor human.

For the first time in dozens of rest periods, He Simu had the fortune of experiencing the feeling of being imprisoned. She sat cross-legged against the cold prison wall, eyes closed in meditation, while talismans meant to ward off evil spirits covered the surroundings. She had glanced briefly at these rather mediocre talismans earlier. With the Ghost King Lamp on her person, these talismans were no more effective against her than the iron bars.

The prison wasn’t all that bad. What truly soured her mood was the grand drama that was about to unfold.

Likely, one of the hall masters had somehow learned about her loss of magical power and realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—too good to pass up. So, they had their subordinates manipulate Qiao Yan’s body and collude with mortals to harm her.

"Seventeen." Someone suddenly called her. He Simu slightly opened her eyes to see Meng Wan’s anxious face outside the bars. Dressed in concealing black attire, Meng Wan gripped the bars and said, "You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?"

He Simu leaned against the gray wall and pointed to the empty bowl beside her. "Already eaten."

Meng Wan’s expression changed drastically. She immediately crouched down and pulled at He Simu through the bars. "Spit it out! It’s poisoned! Hurry, spit it out!"

He Simu swayed from the tugging, scraping dust off the wall, and replied nonchalantly, "Oh? Who wants me dead? General Yin? Or Lord Zheng?"

Meng Wan’s expression darkened.

He Simu understood. "Lord Zheng."

Involvement in witchcraft was a grave crime. Zheng An probably half-believed her identity as an evil spirit, but not knowing what traps General Yin and Commander Qin had set, he likely feared that once Duan Xu returned and confronted her, she might expose something incriminating. So, he decided to strike first and ensure she was "silenced forever."

Her death would not only prove her innocence but also conveniently pin the blame on General Yin.

"Your Great Liang’s military tactics are mediocre, but your scheming is truly top-notch." He Simu pulled Meng Wan’s hand away and said coolly, "Relax. That bit of poison isn’t even enough to season my meal. Unless struck in the life gate by a spirit sword or burned by ghost fire, an Evil Ghost won’t be reduced to ashes."

Meng Wan froze. She released He Simu’s hand and stared at her as if seeing a stranger. He Simu tilted her head. "Don’t tell me you never suspected me."

"So you really are…"

"An Evil Ghost."

"You’re…"

"He Xiaoxiao."

Meng Wan took a deep breath. She stood up and looked at He Simu, her eyes filled with complex emotions. After a long silence, she suddenly pulled out a key from her waist and unlocked the cell door, whispering, "I’ll distract the guards later. You should leave quickly."

He Simu’s gaze shifted from the unlocking motion to Meng Wan’s eyes. Crossing her arms, she said, "I thought you disliked me?"

"Just go when I tell you to!" Meng Wan suppressed the anger in her voice. She suddenly raised her eyes to meet He Simu’s and said through gritted teeth, "You helped Shunxi. You helped us defeat the Huqi People. I don’t care what you are… I’m not the kind of person who repays kindness with betrayal."He Simu remained silent for a moment before sitting up from the ground. Moonlight streamed through the air vent, casting its glow on the floor beneath her feet. Her pale skin contrasted with the small mole beneath her phoenix-like eyes, her expression cold and detached. She moved closer to Meng Wan, whose breath hitched under her direct gaze—only for He Simu to walk past her, patting her shoulder casually.

"Thanks," she said offhandedly.

Only after He Simu had moved away did Meng Wan exhale quietly in relief. She turned to watch her retreating figure, wondering—was she really a ghost? She didn’t seem as terrifying as the legendary Evil Ghosts.

Did Duan Xu know that He Xiaoxiao was an Evil Ghost?

He must have known.

Even so… had he still fallen for her?

After leaving the prison, He Simu wasn’t in a hurry to leave. She found the Veiled Hat that concealed her form and wore it, strolling leisurely out of Shuozhou’s city walls and into the wilderness beyond. The scorched earth from the earlier burning of the military camp still scarred the ground.

She walked until she suddenly stopped, speaking coolly, "You’ve waited this long—aren’t you going to make your move?"

A rustling sound followed as figures emerged from the darkness like beasts stalking the night, encircling He Simu. Her gaze swept over them, landing on the controlled forms of Qiao Yan and Ming Feng Daoshi. They stood at the front of the group, watching her warily but not advancing. It seemed that even though they knew she had lost her Magical Power, they still feared her usual formidable reputation.

He Simu let out a soft laugh—until her smile faded at the sight of the person behind Qiao Yan.

Qiao Yan stroked the child’s head behind her and smiled. "Chen Ying, go get that jade pendant from this Evil Ghost’s waist for me. It’s mine."

Chen Ying looked confusedly between Qiao Yan and He Simu, tugging at Qiao Yan’s clothes. "You… are you really… Xiaoxiao-jie?"

Qiao Yan’s smile was no different from He Xiaoxiao’s in the past. She crouched down, placing a hand on Chen Ying’s shoulder. "What’s wrong? Don’t you recognize me? I’m He Xiaoxiao. You were so sad when I was asleep—but now I’m awake, aren’t I?"

Chen Ying glanced at He Simu and whispered, "But… General Brother and she both said…"

"They lied to you! She’s an Evil Ghost. Duan Xu is colluding with her—they deceived all of us. Look, she even stole the jade pendant I always carried. Help me get it back, okay?"

Chen Ying stared into Qiao Yan’s eyes, biting his lip. "You… when you borrowed the suona from Song Da Niang… how many eggs did you trade for it?"

Qiao Yan laughed without hesitation. "Eight. Now you believe me, right?"

Chen Ying turned his bewildered gaze to He Simu, who merely watched them calmly, offering no argument.

Qiao Yan took Chen Ying’s hand and led him toward He Simu, coaxing, "Just reach out and take it. I’m right here with you—don’t be afraid."

Her other hand rested on Chen Ying’s head, soothing him while her eyes threatened He Simu.

This child’s life was now in her hands.Chen Ying looked up to meet He Simu's gaze. Her eyes reflected the cold, desolate moonlight, devoid of any emotion—no anger, panic, disappointment, or any other reaction—like a glacier that never thawed. She simply watched calmly as the child she had sheltered for three months hesitantly reached out and grasped the Ghost King Lamp Jade Pendant at her waist. The spiritual artifact that all Evil Ghosts feared was surprisingly docile in the hands of a mortal. With a slight tug, Chen Ying snapped the silk cord and took hold of the Ghost King Lamp.

The moment the cord broke, he nervously glanced up to gauge Simu's expression. Yet she showed no anger or resistance, allowing him to take the Ghost King Lamp from her waist.

"Come on, give me the Ghost King Lamp... the jade pendant," Qiao Yan urged, her eyes gleaming with almost fanatical intensity.

Hesitant, Chen Ying slowly placed the Ghost King Lamp into Qiao Yan's palm. The lamp remained silent, emitting none of its expected radiance. For a brief moment, disappointment flickered across Qiao Yan's face, but she quickly regained her excitement and said to He Simu, "All we need to do is kill you."

She turned to the Daoist behind her and said, "Ming Feng Daoshi, it's your turn now."

Ming Feng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, eyeing the silent and composed He Simu before asking, "Are you certain she has no Magical Power left at all?"

He Simu let out a derisive chuckle and murmured, "Coward."

Ming Feng frowned. After stepping closer and scrutinizing He Simu for a moment, he handed a short Spirit Sword to Chen Ying.

"Child, here’s your chance—slay this Evil Ghost with your own hands!"