Chapter 266
Chapter 266
His heart pounding, Yu Lang could not help asking, “What is reincarnation?”
“It means bringing the dead back to life.”
“…”
Ren Fengjue asked, “How could there be a spell in this world that brings the dead back to life?”
Yan Zhengchu had only read of it in ancient texts and never witnessed it himself. He too was half doubtful.
But Xia Ximo suddenly spoke. “There are certainly ways to bring someone ‘back to life.’ You’ve seen them yourselves. But they all come at a price.”
At her words, everyone understood.
For instance, the Crown Prince of the previous dynasty had become a Vengeful Ghost after death, surviving by devouring other people’s souls and taking their bodies through Body Snatching. Was that not a kind of rebirth too?
Xia Ximo continued, “There’s no need to keep guessing. We’ll know once we go and look.”
She headed toward the burial chamber, and the others hurried after her.
Yet the sight inside stunned them once more.
The ghost cavalry had all dismounted and gathered before the collapsed statue in an attitude of devotion and respect, seemingly waiting for something…
The Yin Souls that had swept over their heads earlier were kneeling to one side.
As far as they could see, ghosts packed the entire burial chamber.
Yu Lang clutched his chest, inwardly crying that this would be the death of him.
The ghosts he had seen in the past were nothing compared with this.
How was this spectacle any different from the legendary night parade of a hundred ghosts?
He was about to speak when Yan Zhengchu clapped a hand over his mouth.
At that very moment, the rubble sank into the ground like quicksand, and an ancient-looking long saber emerged…
Yu Lang recognized it at once as the Mother-and-Son Sabers held by the statue earlier.
Behind the blade rose a skeleton wearing a plumed helmet, armor, and battle boots.
As the skeleton appeared, the ghostly generals and soldiers all fell to their knees.
“We congratulate the General Who Guards the North on his return to the human world!”
“In life or in death, we will follow you forever, General!”
“May the General Who Guards the North endure for countless ages, immortal for all eternity!”
Looking at the subordinates before him, the skeletal general opened his mouth and let out a muffled, eerie laugh.
“Excellent! This Rebirth Art really does work!”
Amid his wild laughter, another skeleton slowly appeared beside him.
Judging by the clothing and ornaments, this one had been a woman in life, quite possibly the wife of the General Who Guards the North.
Sure enough, the skeletal general gently took the female skeleton’s hand and waved his other hand through the air.
Two Faceless Ghosts then escorted a blank-eyed woman through the crowd of ghosts.
Looking closely, the watchers recognized Zhao Wan.
From inside the Soul Lantern, Wuyou whispered, “It looks as though the princess’s soul has been taken. If I’m not mistaken, that skeleton wants her body!”
Xia Ximo’s gaze darkened. Suddenly, she understood why Ren Fengjue and Zhao Wan had been imprisoned beneath that statue…
The skeletal general must originally have chosen Ren Fengjue’s body.
Zhao Wan was brought before the two skeletons. The skeletal wife reached out a bony hand and gently stroked her face.
Zhao Wan remained utterly unaware.
“It seems my wife is very pleased with this body!”
The skeletal general was deeply satisfied and laughed again. “Once I catch that man and bring him back, we can be together wherever we go, living as husband and wife once more.”
At those words, the ghosts below cheered incessantly.
Just then, however, a piercing voice rang through the burial chamber.
“Let go of my Wan’er!”
Everyone looked toward the voice and saw a woman with disheveled hair hurrying toward them in a wheelchair.
Even confronted with a room full of ghosts, she showed not the slightest fear.
But in her haste, a wheel caught on a stone. Unable to move the chair, she tumbled to the ground.
The ghosts looked at her as though she were a joke, laughing unrestrainedly.
Hidden in the shadows, the others exchanged glances and immediately guessed her identity.
Princess Consort Wu, Lady Yang.
Amid the mockery, Lady Yang struggled to rise and pointed at the Faceless Ghosts. “You lied to me! You said you would protect my daughter and not let her suffer the slightest harm!”
The two Faceless Ghosts smiled silently, then spoke in unison. “We did not lie. We have protected your daughter very well. No one can hurt her, and no one ever will.”
Lady Yang cried angrily, “You’re lying! You clearly mean to let this Vengeful Ghost take my daughter’s body. I won’t allow it!”
She wanted to stop them, but her damaged legs could barely support her. How could she contend with so many ghosts?
“Wan’er!”
She could only struggle to crawl toward her daughter…
Hearing her mother’s voice, Zhao Wan remained blank-faced and unmoved.
Lady Yang crawled heedlessly to her daughter’s feet and clutched her skirts, overwhelmed by regret.
“I’ve brought this upon you! I should never have believed those Vengeful Ghosts!”
Then a voice answered her. “Princess Consort Wu, when you killed me and my child, did you ever imagine this day would come?”
Startled, Lady Yang turned and saw a black shadow floating in the air, glaring viciously at her.
“You…”
The shadow said coldly, “My surname is Du.”
Lady Yang knew who she was at once.
Lady Du demanded, “Why did you do it back then?”
Lady Yang was speechless. Only after a long while did she answer, “At the time, I had no choice…”
“No choice?”
Lady Du’s voice suddenly rose to a shriek. She rushed before Lady Yang, her hatred wreathing her soul in dense black vapor.
She demanded, “You had no choice, so you murdered me and my child in such a cruel way?”
Meeting her gaze, Lady Yang trembled. “I wasn’t the one who wanted to kill you. I didn’t know what was happening.”
“You’re lying!”
Lady Du glared at her savagely. “I saw you with my own eyes! You had that Faceless Ghost take me from Zhenxia Courtyard and throw me into this bottomless hell!”
Lady Yang looked stunned.
Clearly, she knew nothing of it.
Then the two Faceless Ghosts beside them suddenly began laughing sinisterly.
Again, they spoke in unison. “She truly didn’t know. We were the ones who took you from Zhenxia Courtyard. Everything you saw came from your own thoughts.”
“You believed Lady Yang meant to harm you and your child, so you saw her.”
“But from beginning to end, the figures you imagined were all us.”
The Faceless Ghosts laughed smugly.
Lady Du stood rooted in shock, unable to speak.
Still clutching her daughter’s skirts, Lady Yang said quietly, “Concubine Du, I never intended to kill any of you. Though I resented His Highness’s affection for you, the child in your womb was, after all, related to Wan’er by blood…”
“Stop your hypocritical talk!”
Growing more agitated, Lady Du not only interrupted her but cursed her angrily. “I don’t believe you’re innocent! You poisonous woman!”