Love Beyond the Grave

Although Duan Xu had agreed to cooperate with Yan Ke, Yan Ke still didn’t trust him. He had Duan Xu brought out of the ghost prison but made him wear shackles while moving outside, casting spells on him to prevent him from summoning He Simu, though he spared him from torture.

Yan Ke looked down on Duan Xu—after all, he was just a short-lived mortal with no magical power whatsoever, utterly defenseless against Evil Ghosts. He Simu’s care and affection for him would be fleeting, and soon enough, she would forget him. But Yan Ke, even if hated by her, would linger in her heart far longer.

On the other hand, he harbored a faint jealousy toward Duan Xu, for Duan Xu had once received He Simu’s love—however brief, it had been genuine.

When He Simu revealed the peculiarity of the Ghost King Lamp to him, Yan Ke was furious, yet he also thought—this was exactly the kind of woman who had captivated him for three hundred years, the kind who could momentarily suppress his thirst for power and make him willingly serve as her subject.

No woman in the world could compare to He Simu. He had to possess her.

Duan Xu, meanwhile, behaved obediently, always showing hatred whenever He Simu was mentioned. He was often blindfolded and taken from place to place. Over ten days later, he finally heard the deafening sounds of battle.

The cloth over his eyes was removed. After adjusting to the light, he looked around and found himself inside a military tent. The sounds of war seemed to rise from beneath his feet.

Duan Xu guessed they must be on a cliff overlooking the battlefield below.

Yan Ke lifted the tent flap and entered, his voice cold. "Now is the time. Exchange senses with He Simu."

Duan Xu stretched out his hand. "Return the Illusion-Breaking Sword to me. I need its spiritual energy to activate the spell."

Yan Ke glanced at him but still ordered a ghost servant to bring the sword.

Duan Xu took the Illusion-Breaking Sword and retrieved the spell left to him by Hejia Fengyi. The sword flickered faintly, but Duan Xu frowned and opened his eyes. "He Simu is too far away. The spell won’t take effect."

Yan Ke narrowed his eyes. "What trick are you playing?"

After a moment of thought, Duan Xu pointed at the Ghost King Lamp hanging from Yan Ke’s waist. "Her soul is inside the lamp. Perhaps I can use its aura to perform the Sense Exchange."

Yan Ke immediately seized Duan Xu’s throat, suspicion burning in his eyes. Duan Xu gripped his wrist and struggled to speak. "You know… I have no magical power… and I’m not an Evil Ghost… Even if I had the Ghost King Lamp, I couldn’t use it. This place… inside and out… is filled with your men… I’m still shackled… How could I escape…?"

Duan Xu’s face flushed red, his eyes clear and sincere.

Yan Ke slowly released him, scrutinizing him with lingering doubt.

Though suspicious, Yan Ke knew Duan Xu was nothing but a powerless mortal. Even with the Ghost King Lamp, he was useless—there was no way he could escape.

After a long silence, Yan Ke placed the Ghost King Lamp in Duan Xu’s hand, his gaze fixed intently on him. Duan Xu held the lamp in one hand and the spell in the other. Raising the lamp to his chest, he suddenly flashed a radiant smile.

In that instant, Yan Ke sensed something was wrong—but before he could react, Duan Xu had already swallowed the Ghost King Lamp Jade Pendant in one gulp, his throat bobbing as it disappeared into his stomach.In an instant, an immense power erupted from his body, spreading like a tidal wave that forced Yan Ke back three steps before he could barely steady himself. Duan Xu's clothes and hair fluttered wildly in the fierce wind as he became enveloped in the vast ghostly energy of the Ghost King Lamp, resembling a true Evil Ghost.

"Apologies, but I really can use the Ghost King Lamp."

Duan Xu tilted his head slightly, smiling faintly as if recalling You Province Comforting Sight from five years ago.

Back then, when he and Simu first exchanged senses, he had swallowed the Ghost King Lamp. At that time, He Simu had used the spiritual power of the Illusion-Breaking Sword as a medium to make the Ghost King Lamp obey him. She had remarked then that the lamp was unexpectedly compatible with him—he could control most of its power. It seemed that over the years, Simu had never revoked this permission.

The Ghost King Lamp was originally her Life Gate, yet she had entrusted it to him after knowing him for just over half a year. Before she even loved him, she had already given him her trust.

Duan Xu removed the shackles from his wrists as effortlessly as taking off a bracelet, then kicked off the chains around his ankles. With a faint smile, he added, "Also, these things can't hold me. My apologies."

A dark tide of Evil Ghosts surged in. Yan Ke sprang up to charge at Duan Xu, but the latter's gaze sharpened, and blue Ghost Fire erupted around him, instantly repelling Yan Ke.

Without even drawing his sword, Duan Xu simply pointed it at Yan Ke, who was now barred from approaching by the surrounding Ghost horde. His tone was bright and cheerful as he said, "Lord Yan, hearing Simu's name from your mouth disgusts me. You want to strip her of her Magical Power, capture her—what do you plan to do with her after I die? Were you this repulsive when you were alive?"

Yan Ke glared at him with murderous fury, as if wishing to tear him apart limb by limb.

Duan Xu's smile widened. Twirling his sword, he brushed past Yan Ke and strode toward the camp's exit. Blue flames trailed in his wake, forcing the Evil Ghosts to scatter. As he walked, he remarked, "I could never live as disgustingly as you."

Matters of the Ghost Realm should be settled within the Ghost Realm. As for destroying Yan Ke, he wouldn't overstep his bounds.

The Ghost Fire burned through the camp's curtain. Stepping outside, Duan Xu immediately spotted He Simu standing atop the opposite cliff. The girl in red and white robes, her black hair dancing in the wind, resembled red plum blossoms dusted with snow. The distance was too great to make out her expression, but he thought he saw her take a step forward.

Duan Xu lowered his gaze. Below the cliff, the armies of Evil Ghosts clashed in battle. Dust and smoke billowed across the battlefield as countless ghosts turned to ash under fangs and blades, swirling through the air like a storm of gray-white snowflakes. Under this suffocating blanket of ash, the light dimmed, and the world seemed frozen at the boundary between dawn and dusk.

"Truly spectacular," Duan Xu murmured. He raised the Illusion-Breaking Sword horizontally before his eyes, gripping it with both hands as he slowly drew it apart. The silver blade reflected a dazzling light that shone in his round, bright eyes.

"Let's go, Illusion-Breaker."

With that, he leaped straight off the cliff. The bright blue flames blazed around him as he descended. Nearing the ground, he used the Illusion-Breaking Sword to rebound off the cliff face several times, landing amid the battlefield with the momentum of the Ghost King Lamp's fire.

Before him stood Yan Ke's soldiers. The ghostly troops turned in panic at the sight of an Evil Ghost wreathed in Ghost Fire descending from the sky. Without wasting words, Duan Xu swung the Illusion-Breaking Sword in a graceful arc and charged straight into the horde of Evil Ghosts.He Simu stood on the cliff, her pupils contracting sharply.

The vision of Evil Ghosts was exceptionally keen, so she saw her little general clad in black, charging into the enemy's rear. Two gleaming swords swept up like a gale, shredding all approaching Evil Ghosts into dismembered limbs that turned to ashes. His eyes brimmed with laughter, blooming amidst the slaughter as if tireless, like the undying Kuafu chasing the sun to his last breath, unleashing carnage without end.

He Simu's world froze for a moment before she leaped from the cliff, heedless of Jiang Ai's startled cry behind her. With formidable ghostly power that made armies tremble, she descended upon the battlefield like a storm cloud, rushing toward Duan Xu until she seized his arm at the center of the fray, calling out, "Duan Xu!"

His sword halted mid-swing. In that instant, He Simu pulled him away, flashing back to the cliff where she had stood.

Duan Xu's eyes were bloodshot as he collapsed to his knees, drained of strength, and fell forward into He Simu's embrace.

"Hahahaha... exhilarating... truly exhilarating..." Duan Xu laughed hoarsely against her shoulder, his voice broken.

He Simu steadied him by the shoulders, her gaze trembling as she stared into his eyes and called his name again: "Duan Xu!"

A flicker passed through Duan Xu's eyes, the crimson slowly receding. He studied He Simu quietly before smiling. "Simu, happy New Year. Peace and prosperity. I've brought you a New Year's gift."

He pointed to his abdomen. "The Ghost King Lamp—I retrieved it for you. It's inside me now."

He Simu stared at him for a long moment. Her dark eyes quivered before settling into stark clarity, as if they had just weathered a cataclysm that scorched the heavens and earth. Slowly, she tightened her embrace. She couldn't feel his body, so she poured all her strength into holding him tighter, tighter still.

"Duan Xu... Duan Shunxi..." She gritted his name through clenched teeth, her voice shaking as though each syllable cost her dearly. "I hate you to death."

Duan Xu wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her shoulder. Belatedly, his body began to tremble, as if his wounds flared to life all at once. Her shoulder gradually dampened with his tears.

The moment he saw her again after a year apart, he had resolved to carve his way to her side and tell her—I don’t want this to end.

We’re bound for a lifetime. We can’t just end like this.

But now, the words wouldn’t come. Instead, he murmured, "It hurts, Simu. You're holding too tight."

He Simu whispered in his ear, "Not as much as I hurt."

"You can’t feel pain now."

"I can."

You taught me how to hurt.

Agony coursed through her with nowhere to land, so she could only say, "You're going to be the death of me."

Duan Xu patted her back, but suddenly his body stiffened. He struggled to push her away. Caught off guard, He Simu released him just as Duan Xu coughed up dark fluid, splattering her face and robes.

She froze, watching as he clamped a hand over his mouth, the liquid seeping relentlessly through his fingers as if it would never stop. Panic flickered in his eyes, but he managed a muffled reassurance: "Don’t... don’t be afraid... this is...""It's blood." He Simu pulled away his hand that was covering his mouth, feeling almost unable to bear the pain, and said slowly, "Do you think just because I can't see colors, I wouldn't know what this is?"

Duan Xu could no longer keep his mouth covered, and blood gushed out in large amounts. His gaze gradually grew unfocused as he swayed forward, collapsing onto He Simu's shoulder. He murmured weakly, "Simu... I... I'm sick."

In the brief moment it took to say those words, he still managed to grasp He Simu's hand, interlacing their fingers tightly.

Then his strength faded, and he fainted against her shoulder.