Love Beyond the Grave

At this thought, Chen Ying grew genuinely anxious. He nudged Duan Xu's arm and said, "Third Brother, did you and Sister Simu have a fight? Are you... are you going to separate?"

The words seemed to strike a nerve in Duan Xu.

Slowly, Duan Xu raised his head from the crook of his arm. His eyes were rimmed with red, the bright orbs glistening faintly with moisture as he lowered his gaze, seemingly lost in thought.

Chen Ying had never seen Duan Xu cry before.

His heart ached unbearably, and he began offering advice haphazardly: "...Had I known earlier, I would have told Sister Simu about your illness. If she knew you were sick, she definitely wouldn’t leave you."

Finally, Duan Xu lifted his eyes to look at Chen Ying. Tilting his head slightly, he smiled faintly while clutching the wine jug and said, "No, that wouldn’t be good."

Very few people knew about Duan Xu’s illness.

His first episode had occurred a year and a half ago, right after completing the sixth Sense Exchange with He Simu. That time, He Simu had taken his sense of taste. To ensure she could fully savor the delicacies, he had also given her his sense of smell without asking and then invited renowned chefs from the four major culinary traditions to prepare dishes for her. Together, they sampled the finest wines of the time.

Shortly after the exchange ended, He Simu returned to the Ghost Realm. Just a few days after her departure, while organizing military strategies, Duan Xu suddenly felt a suffocating tightness in his chest. Something surged up his throat like nausea, and before he could suppress it, he vomited—only to see bright red blood staining all the papers on the table, slowly spreading in dark blooms.

He stared at the pool of blood in stunned silence, momentarily unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Chen Ying happened to walk in at that moment and was so frightened he nearly burst into tears on the spot. Duan Xu discreetly summoned a physician to examine him. The elderly doctor, over seventy years old, was equally shocked after taking his pulse, his hand pausing mid-stroke on his beard, his expression grave. The physician said his pulse was erratic and chaotic, with symptoms suggesting sudden internal bleeding, yet no discernible cause could be found.

The old man asked in bewilderment, "General, did you feel any pain in your abdomen before vomiting blood?"

Duan Xu shook his head, and the physician frowned even deeper. But as he shook his head, Duan Xu suddenly realized the reason—perhaps his internal organs had already lost sensation, rendering him unable to feel pain.

The deterioration of his body was far worse than he had imagined.

In the subsequent two Sense Exchanges with Simu, within five days after each exchange ended, he would inevitably suffer another episode, vomiting blood—each time more severe than the last. Fortunately, Simu was always busy by then and no longer by his side. The old physician continued to examine him but could prescribe no remedy, his brow perpetually furrowed in worry.

Duan Xu already knew the cause of his illness, so he asked the doctor—what would happen if I don’t treat this?

The physician replied—your body will gradually weaken, and you may not live to a ripe old age.

After a moment’s thought, Duan Xu said it didn’t matter—that was enough. From then on, he stopped seeing the physician and paid no further attention to his illness. He only instructed the worried Chen Ying never to mention this to He Simu.

Chen Ying couldn’t understand Duan Xu’s reasoning at all, but years of experience had taught him that both He Simu and Duan Xu were far wiser than he was, and he ought to follow their lead. So apart from taking care of Duan Xu and preventing him from reckless adventures, he never breathed a word of this to He Simu.At this moment, Chen Ying finally couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed Duan Xu's arm and shook it, saying, "Third Brother, why won't you get treated? Why haven't you told Sister Xiaoxiao? As long as you stop exchanging senses with her, wouldn't your condition stop acting up?"

Perhaps Duan Xu was truly a bit drunk—normally unshakable, he swayed under Chen Ying's shaking. He still wore a smile on his face, a faint glimmer in his eyes.

"I've known about these damages from the start. As her Curse-Bound Person, this is the meaning of my existence by her side." He pressed down on Chen Ying's hand and said softly, "There was already little I could do for her. If I can't even do this, what else is left for me?"

Perhaps he would fade and dissipate in her memory like all her past lovers, but in this matter, he was unique. By his side, she had experienced a living world. He wished for her happiness and hoped she would remember him because of it.

His hand was slightly cold as he patted Chen Ying's warm one, a gesture of reassurance. Maybe because Chen Ying's expression was too sorrowful and heavy, Duan Xu instead lightened up, his smile radiant as he spoke.

"Besides, I've experienced the world she usually inhabits—it's too cold and desolate. I don't want that for her. If she wants five, I can give her ten."

Duan Xu's words left Chen Ying speechless. He stared at him for a long moment before saying angrily, "But now... now you don't even have five left! Sister Xiaoxiao doesn't want it anymore!"

Duan Xu's smile faded. "Yes," he said, "she doesn't want it anymore."

Then, as if feeling unwell, he raised a hand to press against his temple and murmured, "I think I'm really drunk. My head hurts a little. Chen Ying, I'm going to sleep. You should go rest too."

Chen Ying left Duan Xu's room sober but reeking of alcohol. After closing the door, he stood in the courtyard for a long time. In the flickering candlelight, Duan Xu's shadow fell upon the window. He had grown thinner recently, his silhouette even appearing sharp-edged. He remained seated in the chair, propping his forehead with his hand, making no move to rest.

No one knew how much time passed before Duan Xu suddenly blew out the candle, and his shadow dissolved into an indistinguishable darkness.

At that moment, for some reason, Chen Ying felt an overwhelming sadness.

After that night, Duan Xu returned to his usual composed self. Before his injuries had fully healed, he went to the frontlines in Youzhou, arriving just in time for the final stages of Hejia Fengyi's exorcism. After settling briefly in the military camp, he went to find Hejia Fengyi.

Practitioners of the mystic arts often sought high ground facing south. Hejia Fengyi had chosen Xingyun Mountain in central Youzhou. When Duan Xu reached the summit, he saw the tall, slender man standing atop the peak, wielding an intricately carved staff as tall as his shoulder with swift, fluid motions, tracing full arcs through the air. The bells rang rhythmically, and as the sound reached its peak, a powerful gust of wind erupted from Hejia Fengyi's body.

His sleeves fluttered wildly in the strong wind, making him look like a clothes rack made of withered branches. Yet, as the core of the formation, his power spread irresistibly, connecting the array below the mountain and the other cultivators, stretching majestically to cover the entire battlefield.

At Duan Xu's waist, the Illusion-Breaking Sword seemed to resonate, emitting a faint hum. If he could still see ghosts, he might have witnessed a truly magnificent sight.After completing this set of movements, Hejia Fengyi seemed to lose all strength and slumped down, only to be steadied by Ziji with practiced ease. Red spots began to appear on Hejia Fengyi's skin as he muttered about how filthy the ghostly energy was, how much better the Southern Capital was, and why their ancestor had to cause such a commotion at this time, forcing him to run around and ruin his health.

Hejia Fengyi had a talent for talking to himself incessantly, clearly someone who couldn’t stand loneliness. Duan Xu walked up to Feng Yi. Dressed in light armor with his hair tied back by a jade hairpin, he smiled brightly and said, "Thank you for your assistance."

"Duty calls. No need for thanks." Hejia Fengyi waved his hand. Hearing such proper words from him felt oddly out of place.

Duan Xu chuckled softly.

He paid no mind to Yan Ke’s provocations, but Hejia Fengyi had indeed stirred a hint of jealousy in him. At first, it was because of Feng Yi’s close relationship with He Simu. Later, after learning of the blood ties between He Simu and Feng Yi, the occasional jealousy arose from the fact that Feng Yi and He Simu belonged to the same world.

For instance, spells, barriers, magical power, and exorcism were Hejia Fengyi’s specialties—things Duan Xu could never master. He and Simu, when it came down to it, lived in two entirely separate worlds that never intersected.

If they had been from the same world, losing contact wouldn’t have been so easy.

Duan Xu looked at Hejia Fengyi and said, "Grand Preceptor, could you pass a message to Simu for me? Tell her I have doubts in my heart and wish to see her once more."

Hejia Fengyi’s face darkened with worry. Already pale, he now looked even more haggard. He sighed and leaned closer to Duan Xu, whispering, "That ban goes both ways. Not only are we forbidden from mentioning the ancestor in front of you, but she’s also forbidden us from mentioning you in front of her. I can swallow my pride and deliver your message once, but she likely won’t agree."

Duan Xu’s gaze dimmed.

"Our ancestor is quite resolute. Truth be told, she was unusually indulgent toward you before. Maybe once the war is over, you can go to Jade Zhou City to see her yourself."

"The war being over…" Duan Xu repeated the words, then let out a low laugh followed by a long sigh. "If you want to see her, you can go anytime. If she wants to see me, she can appear anytime. But I can’t do the same. How unfair."

Hejia Fengyi coughed twice and said, "You should’ve known that from the start."

Duan Xu fell silent for a moment before smiling. "I know."

As he descended the mountain with Hejia Fengyi, he coughed up blood again. It seemed this severe injury had triggered his strange illness—even without the Sense Exchange, he now vomited blood without warning and felt no pain. Whether the absence of pain was a good or bad thing, he couldn’t say.

Sometimes, he felt like he couldn’t hold onto this body of his.

Chen Ying wiped the blood from Duan Xu’s lips with a handkerchief. When Duan Xu looked up, he saw Hejia Fengyi watching him with pity. Feng Yi pointed at himself, then at Duan Xu, and said, "Look at us—two sickly men. Marshal Duan, don’t push yourself before your wounds heal. Do you really want to end up like me?"

He seemed to think this was caused by Duan Xu’s arrow wound.

Duan Xu smiled warmly and replied, "Your words are most wise."Although he had promised Hejia Fengyi not to push himself too hard, Duan Xu was clearly the type to readily admit his faults but never actually change. He had always been exceptionally skilled at overexerting himself and immediately threw himself into the frontline battles.

Hejia Fengyi, having completed the large-scale Exorcism and Evil Expulsion Ritual, withdrew after achieving his goal, leaving behind some cultivators from Star Clarity Palace to monitor the situation. The once-fearless and reckless Danzhi soldiers finally returned to normal, but due to the backlash from the Ghostly energy possession, their combat effectiveness had declined. The Great Liang soldiers pressed their advantage, driving them back step by step and reclaiming the two cities they had lost.

Moreover, Great Liang went on to capture two more strategic towns.

Duan Xu mostly commanded from the tent but personally led two battles. His reputation had spread even among the Danzhi forces, and the sight of him alone unnerved their army, making his presence remarkably effective. Meanwhile, Chen Ying, who followed him closely, was on edge—fighting enemies while also preparing to carry his third brother back if he suddenly collapsed.

Even though his third brother could spit blood one moment and still be lively and kicking the next—perhaps even strong enough to knock him to the ground—Chen Ying couldn’t help but worry endlessly. At such a young age, he felt like he was going to grow wrinkles from all the stress.

As misfortunes never come singly, just as the battle in Youzhou reached a critical moment, Luo Xian suddenly sent them a letter. Chen Ying’s face paled as he unfolded the note, turning to Duan Xu and saying, “Third Brother, the Emperor has fainted again and hasn’t attended court for half a month. Right now… his condition is uncertain. Prince Su has mobilized the imperial guards to seal off the palace, while Prince Ji, under the pretext of concern for the Emperor’s safety, has surrounded the Southern Capital with the regional armies of Dài, Shun, and Yi Provinces. The Southern Capital… is in chaos.”