Qi Hai's hand ultimately failed to reach Xiuxiu's face. A yin spirit had no physical form—how could it be touched? His large hand passed straight through Xiuxiu's cheek, causing ripples of light to shimmer across her spectral body.
Qi Hai's face was twisted with anguish and self-reproach. He asked hoarsely, "Xiuxiu… is it really you?"
This was clearly the first time he had seen Xiuxiu manifest in this state. Just as Fubo had speculated, Qi Hai had gone to great lengths to join the Yellow Spring Sect for two reasons: to leverage the sect's power for revenge, and to obtain the sect's secret arts. Though he had successfully anchored Xiuxiu's yin soul within his Myriad Soul Banner, he had never known that Xiuxiu had retained the intelligence she possessed in life—until this very moment, when she appeared of her own accord.
Xiuxiu offered him a faint smile and softly parted her lips: "Don't… keep making the same mistake."
Qi Hai froze. I'm wrong? Wrong about what? He had never imagined that the first words Xiuxiu would say upon appearing before him would be something like this.
Immediately after, the woman turned around and faced Yang Kai. She gave a graceful bow and pleaded earnestly: "Please spare him. He wasn't always like this."
Perhaps it was the powerful and keen instinct inherent to yin spirits, or perhaps it was a lover's final concern—in the depths of her awareness, she had sensed that if Qi Hai attacked Yang Kai here, he would lose his life in the next instant. That was why she had emerged from the Myriad Soul Banner of her own free will, hoping to save Qi Hai's life.
Yang Kai gazed at her, sensing her feelings, and sighed inwardly. The killing intent within him slowly dissipated. He nodded and said, "If he doesn't court his own death, I won't move against him."
"Thank you." Xiuxiu nodded gratefully.
Yang Kai was silent for a moment, then spoke again: "Back then… there was nothing I could do for you." The Phoenix True Fire had been devoured by Liu Yan and transformed into a phoenix egg, and Liu Yan had been taken away by Nine Phoenix. He had truly been unable to help this woman.
Xiuxiu smiled gently: "Life and death are governed by fate. There's nothing to dwell on."
"Xiuxiu!" Qi Hai called out in a trembling voice once more.
Xiuxiu turned back and extended her semi-transparent hand, lightly reaching toward his face just as Qi Hai had done moments ago. She whispered: "Go back. Return to Qitian Castle, and then live your life well. Otherwise, I won't forgive you."
"But…" Qi Hai stole a glance at Yang Kai as he spoke. He had been singularly devoted to avenging his beloved, but now Xiuxiu showed no desire for revenge. Instead, she urged him to leave this place of conflict. This left Qi Hai suddenly at a loss, unsure of what to do.
"Go back!" Xiuxiu said again. Her eyes were full of longing and reluctance. Then, her semi-transparent body suddenly erupted with a blinding radiance.
Qi Hai was horrified. He cried out: "Xiuxiu, what's happening to you?"
Xiuxiu returned the smile that Qi Hai knew so well. Amid the brilliant surge of light, she suddenly shattered, dissolving into countless motes of luminescence that filled heaven and earth.
Seeing this, Fubo could not conceal the look of heart-wrenching pain on his face—his heart was nearly bleeding. This yin spirit had actually self-destructed! A yin spirit was an invaluable treasure that the Yellow Spring Sect could only dream of obtaining. He had just been thinking about how he would eventually find a way to take her from Qi Hai's possession, but before that thought had even finished forming, he realized he would never get the chance.
He had never encountered a yin spirit capable of self-destruction. That alone spoke to just how extraordinary this one was—the yin spirits within the Yellow Spring Sect might not even compare to her.
Fubo's expression twitched, an involuntary sense of having narrowly missed a priceless treasure washing over him.
Qi Hai, his face a mask of panic and desperation, reached out to grasp at those floating motes of light, as if trying to hold onto them. But it was like drawing water with a bamboo basket—in the end, it amounted to nothing. Moments later, the luminescence faded away entirely. Qi Hai collapsed to his knees, his face contorted with agony, tears streaming down his cheeks, fists clenched tight, his head thrown back as he let out a roar toward the sky. The howl tore at the heart and split the lungs, filled with defiance and helplessness. He too now understood Xiuxiu's fate.
A brief silence fell over the scene, like the calm eye within a storm.
After a moment, Yang Kai sighed and looked at Qi Hai: "What is your choice?"
Qi Hai, lost and spiritless, was jolted back to awareness. He raised his head and stared at Yang Kai with vacant eyes. Echoing in his ears were Xiuxiu's final words of parting. Slowly, he shook his head, rose to his feet, and walked back the way he had come. His retreating figure was desolate and forlorn.
"Good-for-nothing!" Fubo snorted coldly. Though he was nominally Qi Hai's master, he had no intention of forcing him to stay. Qi Hai had lost all will to fight—even if he remained, he would be of little use. Better to let him go.
In no more than a few moments, Qi Hai's figure had vanished entirely.
A dozen li away, three figures stood silently atop a small hill, watching the developments in the distance.
They were Tang Sheng, Qian Xiuying, and Lan He of the Celestial Wolf Valley.
So many powerful cultivators had suddenly appeared outside the sect. The people at the Celestial Wolf Valley were not blind—they had seen everything. After the news was relayed, Tang Sheng and Qian Xiuying had immediately come to investigate. Lan He had followed as well, though the two had restricted her to stay at their side and forbidden her from approaching.