Love Beyond the Grave

Chen Ying froze for a moment. As soon as Ming Feng Daoshi loosened his grip, he instinctively caught the sword, then looked at Qiao Yan with unease. Qiao Yan smiled sweetly and rubbed his forehead, saying, "You're a grown-up now. It's time you tried exorcising evil."

Chen Ying's eyes trembled as he turned his bewildered gaze toward He Simu.

He Simu merely raised an eyebrow, standing with her arms crossed, watching Qiao Yan and Ming Feng Daoshi with a hint of mockery.

"If you're so afraid of me, why come to kill me? Why not show some courage? I might respect you more for it."

But Qiao Yan ignored He Simu, instead coaxing Chen Ying to act quickly. Chen Ying gripped the sword with both hands, trembling uncontrollably, his eyes pleading with He Simu as if hoping she would say something.

He didn’t even know what he wanted her to say—just anything, some words to defend herself.

Yet He Simu remained silent toward him. All her emotions and words were directed at the two behind him. When their eyes occasionally met, hers were calm, devoid of expectation or disappointment.

Hesitantly, Chen Ying raised the sword. Turning to Qiao Yan’s encouraging gaze, his entire body shook with fear as he gritted his teeth and swung the blade.

"Ah!" A scream pierced the night. Qiao Yan’s wrist was drenched in blood as she clutched the wound inflicted by the spirit sword, her magical power draining endlessly from it.

Seizing the moment, Chen Ying snatched the Ghost King Lamp Jade Pendant from her hand and dashed to stand beside He Simu. Summoning his courage, he shouted at Qiao Yan, "No! You’re not my big sister! My big sister is good… She would never make me kill anyone!"

He shoved the pendant into He Simu’s hands, saying timidly, "Take it back. You’re the real big sister, aren’t you?"

Before He Simu could respond, Qiao Yan and Ming Feng Daoshi attacked in fury. Multiple spirit swords and bone spikes shot toward them like meteors in the dark. Instinctively, Chen Ying spread his arms to shield his big sister, squeezing his eyes shut in fear, catching only a glimpse of fluttering robes.

But the pain never came. Instead, he felt hands grip his shoulders. Trembling, he cracked his eyes open to see He Simu crouched before him, head slightly bowed, her hands bracing his shoulders as she shielded him.

Her chest was pierced by several spirit swords and bone spikes, blood soaking her emerald-blue robes like crimson flowers blooming on a blue surface. The tip of the longest spike hovered just an inch from Chen Ying’s chest.

The warm spring breeze carried strands of her hair across his face. Chen Ying stood frozen as He Simu coughed up blood and lifted her head slightly to look at him. The emotionless gaze finally softened into a faint smile.

"You didn’t have to shield me," she said quietly. "You could’ve died. I won’t die—I’ll just feel the pain."

This was truly his big sister.

Chen Ying’s lips quivered before he burst into loud sobs, his hands hovering helplessly over the blades impaling her body.

"Don’t die, Sister… Don’t leave me… I’ll get stronger… Brother General said… those who always protect others are lonely… We’ll protect you from now on, just like you protected me… Please don’t die…"Those who always protect others are profoundly lonely.

—One day, you will uphold the balance between ghosts and humans, just like your father, to protect this world.

He Simu froze for a moment, then lowered her gaze slightly before letting out a helpless laugh. Her chest trembled violently, and fresh blood spilled from the corners of her lips, dripping onto the scorched earth.

She placed the Ghost King Lamp Jade Pendant into Chen Ying’s hand and said softly, "You hold onto it."

Slowly rising to her feet, she turned to face Qiao Yan and Ming Feng Daoshi with an indifferent gaze. Gripping the blade that had pierced through her body, she paused briefly before smoothly pulling it out.

Though she could clearly feel the pain, it was as if she were numb to it now. Ironically, these spirit weapons that drained Magical Power had no real effect on her—because she had none left to lose.

"If you wish to kill me, you must either find my Life Gate or master the Ghost King Lamp to burn me to ashes. None of you possess the strength to wield the Ghost King Lamp—you even needed mortal hands to take it from me. That leaves only the first method."

Gently patting Chen Ying’s shoulder, He Simu said, "With the Ghost King Lamp in your possession, neither humans nor ghosts can harm you. Go find Duan Xu."

"Little Sister..."

"Never give the Ghost King Lamp to anyone else. Go, quickly!"

Tears streaked Chen Ying’s face as he clutched the pendant. After glancing around at the gathered figures, as if realizing he would only be a burden to He Simu, he gritted his teeth, took two steps back, and sprinted away.

Several dark figures immediately pursued Chen Ying, while the rest remained fixated on He Simu.

By now, He Simu had pulled out every blade embedded in her body and cast them aside. The moon hung high in the sky, bathing the earth in its silver glow. Standing beneath its full radiance, she smiled faintly and pointed upward. "Before the sun rises today, you may carve me a thousand times, pierce every inch of my skin in search of my Life Gate. But if dawn arrives and you still haven’t found it—if my Magical Power returns—then prepare to be reduced to ashes."

Qiao Yan and Ming Feng Daoshi paled, their expressions darkening with concealed ferocity.

Duan Xu arrived at Shuozhou’s city gates at daybreak. There, he found Chen Ying sitting on the steps, covered in blood, clutching a bloodstained jade pendant that emitted a faint blue glow. The boy clenched his jaw, refusing to respond to anyone—until Duan Xu approached. Only then did he seem to snap back to reality, rushing forward and crying out, "Save her! Save Little Sister!"

Having already heard of the events in the city, Duan Xu’s expression darkened further at the sight of the bloodied pendant. Without hesitation, he mounted his horse with Chen Ying and raced beyond the city walls. Eventually, they found He Simu amidst a stretch of scorched earth soaked in blood and littered with crows.

She sat cross-legged in serene stillness, the now-slumbering Qiao Yan resting against her lap. A few crows perched quietly upon them both. Surrounding them were piles of ash—remnants of countless once-living beings.

Not a single inch of He Simu’s robes remained intact; they were entirely dyed crimson. Nor was there a single unharmed part of her body—from her fingertips to her cheeks, countless slashes and puncture wounds marred her skin.

In stark contrast, Qiao Yan lay unscathed, her face peaceful in sleep.The morning sun rose gently and slowly behind He Simu, casting a bright light across the world and illuminating the pool of blood beside her. She slowly lifted her eyes to look at Duan Xu, offering a faint, careless smile.

When Duan Xu saw this scene, he felt as though his heartbeat had frozen and his breath had stilled.

And then, as if to twist the knife, she sighed softly and said, "It hurts. It hurts so much."

She said it hurt. When he had bitten her earlier, he had held back, not wanting to truly cause her pain.

He had lent her the sense of touch—not to make her suffer.

Duan Xu stiffened for a moment before immediately leaping off his horse, dashing toward her like the wind. He crouched down and wrapped his arms around He Simu’s shoulders, startling the crows perched on her into flight.

He Simu let out a soft hum and said, "Luckily, it doesn’t hurt anymore."

Duan Xu held her shoulders tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably.

But he was the one in pain now. If only he could take it for her.

As He Simu’s Magical Power returned, her sense of touch vanished once more. She patted Duan Xu’s back, puzzled as to why he always seemed the one suffering, whether it was his injuries or hers.

"The wounds will heal by tomorrow. Evil Ghosts recover quickly. Don’t act like I’m half-crippled now."

But Duan Xu said nothing. The moment he released her, he swept her up into his arms. He Simu frowned and said, "I can walk."

"Don’t speak." Duan Xu’s eyes held a faint, drifting amusement, the light in them scattering—that hint of madness lurking beneath the surface.

He Simu studied him for a moment before sighing and wrapping her arms around his neck, relaxing into his embrace. Her damp, bloodstained skin pressed against his neck.

"Calm down, General Duan."

Duan Xu fell silent for a beat, closing his eyes before opening them again. He chuckled lightly and said, "I’m perfectly calm."

He carried He Simu onto his horse, ordered his subordinates to bring Qiao Yan along, and rode back to the city with them.

When He Simu washed up afterward, it took three full buckets of water to rinse away all the blood. True, her wounds had already begun to heal and stopped bleeding, but there were simply too many of them.

If she had been mortal, she would have bled to death long ago.

After changing into a clean inner robe, He Simu lay down on the bed. Though she repeatedly insisted she didn’t need rest, Duan Xu and the teary-eyed Chen Ying forced her to stay put. So she leaned against the headboard, silently running through her mental ledger, deducing which of the suspicious Evil Ghosts had orchestrated this clumsy farce.

Chen Ying sat by her bedside the entire time. The boy had stopped crying, but whether from shock or something else, he remained silent, clutching her hand without a word.

Pulling a fraction of her attention from her calculations, He Simu flicked his forehead. "What’s wrong with you?"

Chen Ying lifted his gaze, his once-childish eyes now firm with resolve, as if he had grown up overnight. He looked at He Simu earnestly and said, word by word, "Sister Simu, I’ve decided—I’m going to become strong. Strong enough to protect you all. Even though you’re an Evil Ghost, you’re a good one. You and Brother Duan Xu are both amazing. If I protect you, you won’t have to get hurt anymore, and you can keep doing incredible things."

He Simu couldn’t help but laugh. Tilting her head, she said, "I thought your dream was to eat eight meat-filled buns in one sitting."Chen Ying shook his head and said solemnly, "I don't want the cakes anymore. I wouldn't mind never eating them again in my life. I want to protect all of you—that will be my only wish from now on."

He Simu's eyes flickered as she observed the child's unprecedented expression of determination.

In truth, the words spoken by the fake Qiao Yan should have been the truth Chen Ying most desired to hear—that He Xiaoxiao was human, not a ghost, and hadn't eaten his father. Yet in that brief, chaotic moment, Chen Ying had ultimately rejected that beautiful lie and rushed to her side to ask—You're the real Xiaoxiao-jiejie, aren't you?

He Simu recalled Duan Xu's smiling words in the courtyard that day—"Don't even think about removing yourself from his life."

Should such fleeting mortal lives be tied to a transient passerby like her?

With a soft sigh, she pulled Chen Ying into a half-embrace and patted his shoulder. "First, become stronger, little one."

Duan Xu had spent the entire morning dealing with affairs outside. Between Ming Feng Daoshi's death and the ensuing mess, He Simu assumed he'd be occupied until evening at least. Yet he pushed open her door at noon.

Chen Ying had already fallen asleep, exhausted, with his head resting on He Simu's bedside. She was idly flipping through a thick, dog-eared ancient black tome.

Duan Xu lifted Chen Ying and settled him on a nearby daybed before sitting beside He Simu. "What are you reading? How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

Closing the book with a snap of her fingers that made it vanish, He Simu replied indifferently, "Feeling? I don't feel anything. I told you this wound would heal on its own. Soon enough, I'll be able to properly return the favor for this grudge."

Pausing, she turned her gaze to Duan Xu with a faint, mocking smile. "Though I am curious—how did those Evil Ghosts know I'd lost my Magical Power? It wasn't you who told them, was it?"

Duan Xu seemed momentarily stunned. Lowering then raising his eyes, he slowly leaned closer to whisper by her ear, "You suspect me?"

He Simu simply watched him without responding.

The youth's eyes burned like flames as he enunciated each word: "I swear to you by my past, my future, my body, my heart, my family, my ideals—by everything in this world that belongs to the name Duan Xu. From birth until death, I will absolutely, under no circumstances, do anything to harm you."