“Because we’ve already performed the wedding ceremony.”
Completely oblivious to anything wrong with what she had just said, the female ghost pointed to the clothes on Youyou’s body, signaling for her to look for herself.
Youyou saw that her once-simple red robe had been replaced by a phoenix wedding cape[mfn](t/n: Phoenix wedding cape (凤凰霞帔): Fènghuáng xiápèi. A 霞帔 (xiápèi) is a type of long, embroidered ceremonial shawl or stole worn over the shoulders by noblewomen or as part of a bride’s formal wedding attire in ancient China. The 凤凰 (fènghuáng), or phoenix, is a mythical bird that symbolizes the bride (while the dragon symbolizes the groom). This specific garment confirms the clothing is a wedding dress. I shall attach an image below)[/mfn]. Although there was no coronet on her head, its splendor and brilliance left Youyou utterly astonished.
Staring at Wuyou with a baffled expression, Youyou could only feel that everything happening was too incredible. Whether it was meeting Xixi and time-traveling or encountering the woman before her, all of it was so dreamlike that she couldn’t feel the slightest bit of reality.
“Am I dreaming?” she asked, in a daze, a very foolish question.
This prompted the female ghost to chuckle.
With karmic fire entwining my body and the Nine Nethers invading it, if this truly were a dream, how wonderful would that be?
“Tsk, if my lady wishes to think of this as a dream, then let it be one. Just… don’t forget this poor Wuyou when you finally awaken.”
Using a control spell to make the young girl get up from her, with just a single thought, the red wedding dress that had been spread on the floor all night was back on her body, perfectly clean.
When Youyou came to again, she found herself standing on a main street, her hand held by Wuyou.
Her clear, bright eyes were filled with amazement. Because of Wuyou’s gentleness and goodwill, Youyou felt no fear at this moment; on the contrary, she was filled more with wonder and delight.
You see, as a bit of a homebody, Youyou also passed her free time watching all sorts of TV dramas and anime. Therefore, when it came to things like magic spells and such…
Youyou was very familiar with it.
“Wuyou, you know magic spells, don’t you?”
The young girl’s naive and adorable question sounded quite amusing to the female ghost. She raised an eyebrow slightly, then turned and gave Youyou a noncommittal nod.
“Whatever my lady says.”
As long as she was happy, telling a small lie was fine.
“Wow, Wuyou, you’re so amazing!”
Praising her aloud with a look of admiration, Youyou linked arms with Wuyou, not noticing in the slightest that something was wrong with the pedestrians on the street.
The Holy City was now a City of the Dead; there were no living people inside. But unlike the cold, deathly aura of other ghost cities, the Holy City looked exceptionally prosperous. The streets bustled with crowds, vendors were packed side-by-side, and all the shops were open, no different from before.
Except for a select few, the people of the Holy City were unaware of the reset.
They would, in complete ignorance, repeat actions they had already performed countless times. Only when the fire fell from the sky and death arrived would they recover a fleeting moment of memory and understand that they had long since decayed.
Because the time reset damaged their souls, the people of the Holy City looked exceptionally sickly. Their faces were pale, their pupils lifeless, as if their bodies had been hollowed out by something.
Staring intently at the crowds and buildings coming and going, Youyou’s eyes shone, and she wished she could go and touch everything herself.
“Wuyou, Wuyou, I want to eat tanghulu!”
Pouting playfully at Wuyou, Youyou stared at the various types of tanghulu on the small stall, her mouth almost watering. But to her surprise, Wuyou didn’t agree, instead pulling her straight away.
‘Wuyou is mean.’
[Mm-hmm, Wuyou is mean.]
Youyou: …
‘No, Xixi is the mean one.’
【……】
“Wuyou, Wuyou, where are we going? Is there anything to eat? I’m hungry!”
Speaking to Wuyou in a saccharine sweet voice, Youyou affectionately interlocked her fingers with Wuyou’s, having made up her mind to cling tightly to this powerful, magic-wielding thigh.
The young girl’s sweet and gentle tone considerably improved the female ghost’s mood. She managed to glance at the young girl beside her, thought for a moment, and then said languidly, “Be good, my lady, and continue eating mantou, alright?
Wuyou has also just arrived in the Holy City. I’m a stranger here with no one to turn to, so I really don’t have the money to buy food for my lady. As for right now…”
Her tone paused, and the female ghost’s voice grew even softer.
“Wuyou was thinking of looking around to see if I can find any odd jobs. So, my lady, just be good and follow Wuyou, and don’t let Wuyou get distracted, okay?”
The female ghost’s beauty was bewitchingly stunning, appearing even more so under the sunlight. Youyou was utterly mesmerized, and she nodded her head involuntarily.
“Very good.”
Using her free hand to stroke the young lady’s hair, the female ghost wore a gentle smile, but the moment she turned away, her expression became abruptly cold and fierce.
Walking step by step toward the Holy Temple, like a cat toying with a mouse, the female ghost used a control spell to make the young girl fall back into a dazed state, her baleful aura no longer possible to conceal.
In this City of the Dead, only the Temple Master and the Twelve High Priests possessed memories of the time loop. Each of them had profound holy power and were the god’s most devout believers. But, what did possessing memories matter?
What did being a believer matter?
The countless memories of death were driving them mad.
And the god’s indifference and neglect only made them grow more resentful.
Upon sensing Na Lian approaching the Holy Temple, the Temple Master and the High Priests no longer wanted to flee or resist. All they prayed for now was for Na Lian to be heartless enough to end it all. After all, the pain of being burned by karmic fire, the cold of being invaded by the waters of the Nine Nethers—each death filled them with terror and despair.
And they also knew.
Their souls could not hold on for much longer.
Although the curse rendered their souls immortal, once they were weakened to a certain degree, the moment the curse disappeared…
Their souls would simply dissipate like smoke and scatter like clouds, with no chance for reincarnation.
“Tsk, what lovely expressions you all have.”
Leading the young girl by the hand as she stepped into the main hall of the Holy Temple, the female ghost smiled with amorous charm. Her loose, ink-black hair swayed in a faint breeze, an utterly soul-snatching sight.
“Na Lian.”
The Temple Master was a handsome, blond-haired, blue-eyed man. He sat high upon his throne, gazing at Na Lian with a look of benevolent compassion, as if looking at a disobedient child. His tone was filled with utter resignation.
Upon hearing this, Na Lian let out a cold laugh.
After this long standoff, how could she not understand the hypocrisy of the Temple Master and the priests?
Letting out a disdainful snort, the female ghost tightened her grip on Youyou and replied icily, “I am Wuyou, not Na Lian. It seems the Temple Master has truly gone senile.”
“Na Lian, you have always been like this.”
The compassion in his eyes deepened. The Temple Master spoke unhurriedly, as if he were not at the mercy of a ghost, as if he were still the man he once was.
His gentle gaze fell upon the human girl beside Na Lian. A glint appeared in the Temple Master’s eyes, and the smile at the corners of his lips deepened.
Na Lian, you have a weakness now.
Taking in the Temple Master’s expression, the female ghost dangerously pursed her lips. In an instant, the Master’s face turned deathly pale, and he let out a pained groan.
The pain of being burned by karmic fire was not something just anyone could endure.
Only the Saintess Na Lian had managed to withstand ten days in the karmic fire without her soul being extinguished.
“Useless.”
Glancing disdainfully at the Temple Master rolling on the floor in agony, the female ghost maliciously turned her gaze to the Twelve High Priests. Her chilling voice was thick with derision: “How pitiful. Your revered god actually abandoned you, did he? Look at you now. Where is there even a trace of that transcendent aura, that otherworldly detachment?”
If one were to ask who Wuyou hated most, it would be these priests, first and foremost.
She truly could not believe that these priests, who appeared so amiable and kind, would be the ones to mercilessly drag her into the Nine Nethers and consign her to death.
She believed that after becoming the Saintess, she had been nothing but diligent and conscientious.
Even when her mind was in turmoil, she had never harmed anyone.
And yet, they…
Sorry for the late update today, we had an outage earlier, and I hadn’t scheduled the posts. (plus I forgot the difference between my timezone and the timezone we use to upload lol)
Thankfully, they’re back now.
I hope y’all enjoy this arc; it’s a bit short.
If you’re interested in advance chapters, please consider supporting me by buying me a kofi or becoming a patron <3
