Chapter 206
Chapter 206
Zhong Yi lay in the cave in a feverish haze. One moment his body burned, and the next it was freezing. His consciousness gathered and scattered in turn.
In his delirium, he felt as though his life was nearing its end.
It was the first time he had ever come so close to death.
Yet the thought of dying filled him with bitter resentment, as though a fire were rising within his heart.
As it burned, that fire turned into hatred.
He began to hate his humble birth, his frail body, his unremarkable appearance, and even his own weak, timid nature…
The more he hated, the more unwilling he became to accept his fate.
It was then that the dark figure from the Ghost God Temple appeared once more.
In a beguiling murmur, it said before him, “This body of yours is already beyond saving. I will give you a choice.”
The dark figure pointed at Zhong Ming nearby. “If you wish to live, you must forsake your closest friend and continue living in his body.
“Look at him. His learning may be inferior to yours, but his body is taller and more handsome. Most importantly, he is stronger and possesses more courage than you.
“Will you choose him?”
The words threw Zhong Yi’s heart into turmoil.
Zhong Ming lay beside him. Although he too was unconscious, his physical condition was clearly much better than Zhong Yi’s…
For a moment, Zhong Yi could not decide.
Zhong Ming was his closest friend and had always taken good care of him.
When the dark figure saw that he remained silent, it continued, “You claim you wish to accomplish great things in the capital. This is merely the first decision you must make. In the future, you will face countless similar choices.
“Those who aspire to great deeds must be decisive and ruthless. If you hesitate like this, how will you ever gain a foothold among the rich and powerful in the capital?”
Zhong Yi opened his mouth, his teeth already chattering.
The dark figure gave a cold, mocking laugh. “It seems you are not destined for greatness. You can forget about taking the imperial examination in Shangjing!”
The words “imperial examination in Shangjing” struck Zhong Yi like a blow to the head.
At last, he roused himself. Clenching his teeth, he hardened his heart. “I… choose. I choose!”
He struggled up from the ground, knelt, and repeatedly knocked his forehead against the stone. “Please, let me live! I must take the imperial examination in Shangjing! I want success and renown! I can pay any price!”
The dark figure finally nodded in satisfaction. “Good. A man should think more of himself. Once you possess power and influence, you can have as many friends as you please.”
With that, it burst into wild laughter and vanished from the cave.
The sky had just begun to brighten, but the rain had not stopped.
Amid the chaotic patter of rain, Zhong Ming was the first to awaken. He glanced at Zhong Yi beside him and started in alarm.
“A-Yi, wake up! Are you all right?”
Zhong Yi’s face was deathly pale, and his breathing was weak. If he did not receive treatment soon, his life would clearly be in danger.
Zhong Ming knew there was no time to waste. Gritting his teeth, he made a decision.
“A-Yi, hold on. I’ll… go find someone to save you right now!”
Ignoring the torrential rain outside, Zhong Ming turned to run out of the cave.
Before he could reach its mouth, however, a wisp of eerie black mist appeared from nowhere and passed straight through his body.
Zhong Ming collapsed on the spot. When he looked back, he found that Zhong Yi had somehow risen and was slowly walking toward him.
Black energy swirled around Zhong Yi, whose expression was utterly indifferent.
Sensing that something was wrong, Zhong Ming tried to flee, only to discover that he had lost control of his body and could not move at all.
He shouted in terror, “A-Yi, what… what is wrong with you?”
Zhong Yi said nothing. He walked all the way up to Zhong Ming, then suddenly lowered his head and whispered three words.
“I am sorry.”
After the rain stopped, Zhong Yi emerged from the cave alone. As he watched the morning sun rise in the distance, he seemed to see a glorious future unfolding before him.
From that moment on, he was no longer Zhong Yi. His name was Zhong Ming.
* * *
The instant his soul was forcibly pulled from Zhong Dingyan’s body, scenes from the first half of Zhong Yi’s life flashed through his muddled consciousness like a revolving lantern.
At last, the body that did not belong to him crashed heavily to the floor.
His disembodied soul, meanwhile, was pinned in midair by a strange force.
Light suddenly returned to the room, and the extinguished candle slowly flickered back to life.
“Daoist.”
At Xia Ximo’s call, Yan Zhengchu also saw the spirit suspended in midair.
Realizing what had happened, he immediately cast a Transformation Talisman.
Under the talisman’s effect, Zhong Yi’s soul was exposed directly to everyone’s view.
Yu Lang took an involuntary step backward, startled. “Whose soul is this, exactly?”
Yan Zhengchu replied, “It should be Zhong Yi, the scholar from Liuhua Alley.”
“Why does he look so… young?”
“A spirit does not age. It retains the form it had before leaving its body.”
Understanding dawned on Yu Lang.
Ren Fengjue did not know what had happened in that brief instant, but he instinctively looked at Xia Ximo first.
Only after confirming that she was unharmed did he turn toward the soul in midair. “Minister Zhong, should we call you Zhong Ming now, or Zhong Yi?”
Zhong Yi still seemed unable to recover from his shock. He stared at Xia Ximo in horror. “Who… exactly are you?”
Xia Ximo raised an eyebrow slightly and gave a cold laugh. “What do you think?”
Zhong Yi looked down at the body on the floor, still finding the situation impossible to believe…
More than thirty years had passed. He had never imagined he would reappear in this fashion.
Yan Zhengchu said, “You vicious old scoundrel. You occupied your closest friend’s body for so many years, and now you wouldn’t even spare your own son.
“What did you do with the souls of your two sons?”
Zhong Yi did not answer.
Yu Lang said indignantly, “To think a man who could attack even his own sons served as an official at court for so many years. The mere thought sends a chill down my spine!”
Yan Zhengchu asked again, “What exactly happened at the Ghost God Temple all those years ago?”
Zhong Yi suddenly swept him with a cold glance and mocked, “What? Does a Daoist Master like you want to worship there too?”
Yan Zhengchu scoffed disdainfully. “This Daoist Master intends to capture that Vengeful Ghost!”
“You?”
Zhong Yi shook his head with a sneer. “You might be capable of subduing a few ghosts with no real cultivation, but I doubt you are even qualified to lay eyes on the Ghost God.”
Yan Zhengchu knew the limits of his own abilities, but he could not allow himself to lose in force of presence.
“Whether I can kill it is another matter. But if I learn the whereabouts of that Vengeful Ghost, I certainly won’t stand by while it wreaks havoc in the human realm!”
Ren Fengjue spoke then. “Minister Zhong, after all this, surely you do not still believe that the so-called Ghost God truly meant to help you?”
The smile at the corner of Zhong Yi’s mouth stiffened slightly.
It lasted only an instant before he stubbornly argued, “Of course it did. Everything I possess was bestowed upon me by the Ghost God.”
Ren Fengjue replied, “You studied diligently for so many years and possessed genuine learning. You earned the Emperor’s appreciation through your own abilities as well.
“That so-called Ghost God, on the other hand, caused you to lose so many important people. Was it worth it?”