Chapter 55

Chapter 55

“Who are you?!”

That single address-“Sister Simeng”-threw Simeng completely into a panic.

She stared hard at the person before her, first overcome with alarm, then sinking into doubt.

“Impossible! You can’t be her!”

Most of the people present did not understand what she meant.

Only Ren Fengjue seemed to sense something.

“Possession again?” he murmured.

Beside him, Yan Zhengchu gave a soft sound of surprise, as if trying to excuse his earlier oversight. “The yin energy on this young lady is far too heavy. I actually failed to notice it for a moment.”

Over there, “Xia Ximo” had already walked up to Simeng. In a gentle tone unlike her usual voice, she said softly, “That day at the Temple in the outskirts, I heard everything you said in the Buddha hall.”

“You said you hoped there would be someone who would not despise your birth or your past, someone willing to marry you and bring you home, to stay with you forever and never part.”

“You longed to be treated with true sincerity. But did you ever consider that true sincerity can never be forced?”

Simeng pointed at her furiously. “Who asked you to lecture me here? I’ll do whatever I want. What does it have to do with you?”

“You were my only friend in Hongxiu Pavilion…”

A gentle smile also flowed across “Xia Ximo’s” face. “I have always regarded you as my own little sister. Naturally, I do not wish to see you stray down the wrong path.”

At that, Simeng gave a disdainful sneer.

“Don’t stand here pretending to be kind. If you really were Ruyan, you would never say such things to me!”

“I was the one who killed her. If you’re her, you should kill me right now to take revenge.”

“You think you can say all this and reform me? Dream on!”

Because of her agitation, her eyes began to redden.

In contrast, “Xia Ximo” remained perfectly calm.

“Simeng, I no longer hate you. The reason I chose to borrow this young lady’s body to see you was not for revenge.”

“You killed someone and committed these wrongs. The authorities will decide your punishment.”

“I came only to tell you one thing. I had once… thought of a way out for you.”

She sighed softly, and her eyes seemed veiled by a mist that would not disperse.

But Simeng did not appreciate her words in the slightest.

“I don’t need you thinking for me!”

“I never once treated you as an elder sister!”

“Not once!”

Her shoulders trembled, as though all the emotions she had suppressed in her heart had finally erupted. She suddenly rushed forward and seized “Xia Ximo” by the throat.

Ren Fengjue was startled and moved to stop her, only to discover that a cloud of black mist was swirling around Simeng.

At the sight, everyone retreated one after another. Even Wang Rui seemed to snap out of his bewitched state and, terrified, ducked back into the room.

“Something’s wrong!”

Yan Zhengchu’s expression changed sharply. “Wasn’t that Evil Spirit already destroyed? How can there still be such heavy Baleful Qi?”

Ren Fengjue was worried for Xia Ximo’s safety. He had just taken a step forward when Yan Zhengchu stopped him.

“Young Marquis, you should step back. Leave this to me.”

Ren Fengjue knew that catching ghosts still depended on him, so he nodded. “Daoist Yan, you must ensure Miss Xia’s safety.”

Yan Zhengchu did not dare be careless. From his waist, he drew a short sword of lustrous white jade. Holding the sword in one hand and forming a hand seal with the other, he shouted, “What Evil Entity are you? Show your true form at once!”

The Jade Sword cut through the air with a clear, ringing note of jade, flying straight toward Simeng’s back.

To ordinary mortals, this object truly could not cause much harm.

But if ghosts, monsters, or evil beings touched it, they would have nowhere to hide.

Who would have thought that the black mist would have no fear of the Jade Sword’s spiritual energy at all? Instead, it formed a suction force that held the Jade Sword firmly in place.

For a moment, Yan Zhengchu could neither advance nor retreat. Only then was the suspicion in his heart confirmed.

It seemed that the Three-headed Evil Spirit had been nothing more than a minor character…
The Evil Entity that had stolen the Soul-Nurturing Pearl would only be even more troublesome!

Wrapped in Yin-Sha Qi, Simeng seemed to have fallen into a frenzy. She clamped both hands around “Xia Ximo’s” throat and snarled, “You delivered yourself right into my hands!”

“When you were alive, I killed you once. Now that you’re a ghost, I’ll make you die again!”

“How does that sound?”

Her smile was wicked and unhinged. As the strength in her hands increased, “Xia Ximo’s” face immediately twisted in pain.

Until her eyes drooped, her whole body went limp, and she stopped moving…

Not far away, Ren Fengjue vaguely saw what was happening. His heart lurched. No longer caring about the layer of black mist, he thrust his bare hand into it and struck Simeng on the shoulder with his palm.

Ren Fengjue had practiced martial arts for years and possessed deep internal strength. If an ordinary person had taken that blow, they would have collapsed on the spot.

Yet Simeng did not so much as sway. The strength in her hands did not lessen in the slightest.

The black mist grew thicker and thicker, almost completely engulfing Simeng and Xia Ximo.

Seeing this, Yan Zhengchu hurriedly pulled Ren Fengjue back. Then, gritting his teeth, he decided to use his sect’s secret technique.

He bit open the index finger of his left hand and smeared the blood over the hilt of the Jade Sword. Closing his eyes, he chanted an incantation. White light poured from the Jade Sword, and its power indeed surged…

But deep within the dense fog where they could not see, Xia Ximo slowly opened her eyes.

Gone was the gentle, compassionate gaze. In its place was an icy, decisive look that belonged to someone who killed without hesitation.

“Why waste words on a heartless, faithless thing like this?”

As she spoke, the hands that had been hanging inside her sleeves slowly extended, one after the other.

Simeng’s expression changed. In the next instant, as if controlled by someone else, she obediently released her grip.

Xia Ximo moved her somewhat stiff neck and stared at her coldly. “You like choking people, do you?”

She moved her fingers again.

Like a puppet on strings, Simeng raised both hands against her will and wrapped them around her own neck.

“No!”

With a shrill cry, a head rolled to the ground, and blood gushed out in torrents.

The Jade Sword broke through the black mist and stabbed toward Simeng, but Yan Zhengchu saw an astonishing sight-

Simeng’s torso stood beneath the moon in a grotesque posture, while her head was actually lying at her feet!

As the black mist dispersed, the horrifying scene immediately sent the surrounding servants into panic.

Old Master Wang finally could not endure it any longer. He was so frightened that he passed out completely.

After his initial shock, Ren Fengjue saw Xia Ximo sitting on the ground. Though her complexion looked somewhat weak, she had no obvious wounds, and not even a drop of blood had splashed onto her.

Only then did he quietly let out a breath of relief.

He quickly stepped forward and helped her up. The words “Miss Xia” were just about to leave his mouth when he hesitated, suddenly unable to tell whether the person before him was truly herself.

Only when she looked at him calmly, her eyes ice-cold and utterly devoid of fear, did he confirm her identity.

“Miss Xia, are you all right?”

Xia Ximo did not answer. She simply used his arm for support and slowly rose to her feet. But her strength had yet to return, and her whole body went soft as she leaned against him.

Afraid she would fall, Ren Fengjue instinctively supported her by the waist. Then, realizing how improper it was, he found his hands awkwardly at a loss for where to go.

Fortunately, Xia Ximo remained in his arms for only a moment. Once her expression eased slightly, she said, “It’s over.”

As for the corpse beside them, she had no desire to explain even half a word.

Yan Zhengchu was stunned for a long while. His gaze swept over her once before he asked, “Miss Xia, Ruyan’s ghost…”

“Has nothing to do with you.”

Xia Ximo clearly had no intention of saying more.

For once, Daoist Yan did not argue with her. However, the look he gave her was plainly filled with scrutiny. After considering his words, he asked, “Then… how did Simeng die?”

Surely it could not have been his sword that had chopped off her head, could it?

Xia Ximo glanced at Ren Fengjue, a deeper meaning in her eyes. “I don’t know. Let the authorities examine the body themselves.”