Chapter 133: Step by Step

Upon seeing those two characters, a shudder wracked my entire body, and in an instant, that blood-red name broke me out in a cold sweat.

When I opened my eyes, the very first person I saw was Xiyue standing before me. I still had no idea whose lingering spirit this Xiyue actually was, but to be able to survive in such an environment—even if merely lingering on in a wretched state—was absolute no easy feat.

"Xiaodong, what's wrong with you? We should hurry and leave!"

I remained silent, but just as I was about to rip off the pretense and demand to know who she really was, Xiyue suddenly stepped forward, threw her arms around me, and whispered softly into my ear, "Don't ask who I am. Just keep walking straight ahead right now, and you'll find your friends. Once you meet up with them, immediately head right—to that cave where the corpse coffin was kept earlier. Keep going straight inside, don't change direction, and keep pressing forward. Don't panic even if you hit a wall; just close your eyes and you can step right through it."

I said nothing, for at that moment my mouth had been directly covered by Xiyue. That icy-cold sensation sent a jolt of extraordinary excitement through my mind, yet it simultaneously gave birth to a peculiar, poignant sense of parting deep within my heart. That feeling conjured an eerie aura all around my body, and I could clearly perceive that a certain emotional knot was being awakened deep inside me. I could not put into words exactly what it was, but I could vividly sense that sensation growing stronger and stronger within my flesh and blood.

I did not want the lingering spirit before me to leave like this; it felt as though she were my dearest flesh and blood. Could she truly be Xiyue?

That was the only thought in my mind during that brief moment.

"Go quickly! May we meet again in our next life!"

Having said these words, Xiyue turned around directly and walked toward the mirror, upon which bore my name written in a blood seal. Just as she turned, the lingering spirit—who had moments ago appeared as Xiyue—instantly transformed into my own reflection. Yet she never turned back again; her entire body slowly melted into the mirror.

There was no time for idle thoughts, and I quickly regained my composure, knowing full well that this was neither the time nor the place for romantic attachments or being dazed and bewildered.

Turning around, I ran frantically forward. At that moment, I could distinctly feel a pair of eyes staring relentlessly at me from behind, and I vaguely sensed a pair of massive hands reaching out from my back to grab my shoulders. For a time, all I could do was run forward like a madman.

With a flash of my body, I shot forward like an arrow released from a taut bow.

It wasn't until I felt as though I had burst through a membrane-like barrier that I finally stopped. The instant I came to a halt, a wave of relief washed over me; the eyes and hands behind me were gone, and it was right then that I heard Chen Chuqi's voice echoing not far away.

"Senior brother, this is an underground tomb, and our current location is merely in the southeastern corner of it. Furthermore, based on my calculations, this is an empty tomb—it's almost beyond imagination!"

***

"This is definitely not an empty tomb. In fact, I feel like danger is lurking on all sides!"

Just as Zhao Shiwu spoke, I took a few strides over to the side of the cave.

The moment I laid eyes on Xiyue, an indescribable surge of excitement gripped my heart.

I stepped forward and pulled Xiyue into my embrace.

At that moment, Xiyue asked very gently, "Xiaodong, have you found the exit?"

Chen Chuqi, Zhao Shiwu, and even the Vajra Corpse Zhang Keqing all cast expectant gazes toward me. Clearly, owing to the recovery of my memory, they must have assumed I had recalled the exit to this underground tomb—after all, Yang Dong had wandered around inside this place years ago and eventually managed to escape.

I nodded slowly.

Although I had only crossed paths with that lingering spirit once, I trusted her implicitly. For she showed me the shadow of Su Ying upon her person; back on the Ghost Road, Su Ying had protected me in this very same manner.

Raising my head to glance at the impenetrable rock wall, I made up my mind. With a flash of my body, I took the lead.

"Follow me, and don't ask any questions. Just keep moving forward, and pay no attention to whatever you see or hear!"

The others following behind me all nodded in agreement. Zhang Keqing walked behind Chen Chuqi, Zhao Shiwu brought up the rear, and Xiyue followed closely at my heels.

I charged straight into the centermost cave. When I reached the very end, it was a dead end. However, remembering the instructions the lingering spirit had given me, I immediately closed my eyes, took a step forward, and slammed with all my might directly into the rock wall.

I had originally expected a tragic outcome, but the moment my body crashed against the rock, the space that had previously been a solid wall suddenly opened up into a path. Along this path, I once again beheld countless shadows, and as I continued pressing forward, an eerie voice suddenly rang out. It sounded somewhat aged, yet strangely familiar.

"Xiaodong, that is the voice of that person..."

***

That person?

My brow furrowed slightly. Who was the person Xiyue was referring to? It seemed Xiyue had also remembered something from her previous memories; otherwise, she would not have worn such an expression.

There was dread in her eyes, mixed with equal parts terror.

Because of that aged voice just now, which had emanated from the end of this abruptly materialized passageway, I had failed to catch the sound.

As we continued to press forward, Chen Chuqi—who was walking just behind Xiyue—suddenly murmured softly, "Could this truly be the fate of Chen Chuqi? The turning of heaven and earth, cycling through lifetimes..."

As she spoke these words, Chen Chuqi slowly came to a halt, standing there in a daze as she stared fixedly at the end of the passage before us.

The sudden transformation in both Xiyue and Chen Chuqi sent a slight shiver through me. I had no idea what this portended, but anything capable of reducing even Chen Chuqi to such a helpless sigh could surely only be the parting of life and death.

At that moment, I too stopped. Squeezing Xiyue's hand tightly, I asked, "Xiyue, that voice you mentioned earlier—who on earth is the person you were talking about? Have you remembered something?"

Faced with my questioning, Xiyue did not conceal anything and told me everything she knew.

Hearing Xiyue's words, my heart instantly quaked.

It turned out that the reason Xiyue had reacted with such emotion was because she, much like me, had caught a glimpse of her own memories regarding Painted Eyebrow Village. Having been born and raised in Painted Eyebrow Village since childhood, she had possessed numerous miraculous abilities right from birth.

Back in Painted Eyebrow Village, she had been revered by all the villagers. However, the subsequent appearance of a single individual changed everything, shattering the tranquility of the entire village.