Ghost Fiend hadn't expected that his intention to summon Yin souls to inquire about the whereabouts of the Twin Fiends would result in the very souls of the couple appearing, only to tear at each other like sworn enemies.
"Sixth Brother, Seventh Sister, what are you doing? What happened?"
Ghost Fiend waved away the other Yin souls. Since the Twin Fiends had been found, the rest were no longer needed. He was utterly perplexed. The Twin Fiends were known for their deep affection for each other, yet after becoming Yin souls, they were fighting so viciously. Furthermore, given their prowess, who could have killed them?
The Twin Fiends ignored Ghost Fiend's questions, continuing their fierce battle. The Female Fiend, having suffered a more tragic death and harboring immense resentment, fought with extraordinary ferocity, fueled by her lingering anger. The Male Fiend, being a mere ordinary Yin soul, was no match for her. He was constantly on the defensive, battered and bleeding from her attacks, begging for mercy.
Originally, they had been killed in different locations, and the Female Fiend, seeking revenge, couldn't leave her place of death. However, Ghost Fiend's Soul Guiding Candle had summoned her, allowing her to leave the dark alley near the hospital and arrive here. By chance, amidst the throng of ghosts, she discovered the Male Fiend, the one who had caused her demise. Without a second thought, she focused solely on her revenge.
Seeing this, Ghost Fiend pointed at the Soul Guiding Candle. The blue flame suddenly shot up, separating the two. The Female Fiend glared at the Male Fiend across the dividing line of flames, but the barrier rendered her helpless.
"Sixth Brother, did Yan Luo kill you? And why is Seventh Sister treating you like this? What exactly happened?"
Observing the Male Fiend trembling under the Female Fiend's furious gaze and clearly injured, his soul weakened and becoming translucent, Ghost Fiend inquired with curiosity.
"Fifth Brother, we weren't killed by Ji Shiyou. The one who killed us was a mysterious woman. You must avenge us! As for why the Female Fiend is acting this way, she has a misunderstanding with me."
Upon hearing Ghost Fiend's question, the Male Fiend noticed him and quickly recounted the events. However, omitting the part where he abandoned his wife to save himself was a matter of shame. Even as a ghost, he couldn't bring himself to admit it, stammering and trying to gloss over the truth.
"Male Fiend, you're no man, are you? You dare not take responsibility? Fifth Brother, to save his own life, he used my body as a shield against the crucifixion nails. I, who loved him dearly, ended up dying at the hands of this heartless, unfeeling man. Hundreds of crucifixion nails! They nailed me to death, do you know how painful that was? Today, I will scatter his soul to the winds to assuage my burning resentment."
The Female Fiend shrieked, pointing at the Male Fiend and cursing him. Then, she suddenly transformed. Blood spurted from her body, her face became monstrous, and her teeth sharpened into fangs. A large mass of black energy surged from her, filling the small, dark room with an overwhelming sense of malevolence.
"This is bad, such immense resentment. Male Fiend is in danger."
Seeing the Female Fiend's resentment push back the blue flames towards the Soul Guiding Candle, Ghost Fiend prepared to intervene and control her, but it was too late. After her transformation, the Female Fiend became incredibly powerful. With a single gulp, she sucked in the Male Fiend's soul, instantly scattering it and absorbing it.
"Men are all scumbags, you will die too."
After absorbing the Male Fiend's soul, the Female Fiend's aura grew even more formidable. The boundless resentment had driven her mad. Her sole thought was hatred for men, and she vowed to kill them all. With a guttural cackle and an overwhelming surge of resentment, she lunged at Ghost Fiend.
"Seventh Sister, if you intend to kill me, then I apologize. You have become a vengeful spirit now, possessing considerable power. To destroy you directly would be a waste. We are family, so let's not let outsiders benefit. This will be a feast for my treasures!"
As the charging Female Fiend approached, Ghost Fiend's expression remained as rigid as ever. As his words fell, three wisps of black energy shot out from the skull-shaped jade pendant at his waist, instantly transforming into three Yin souls. One was a disheveled female ghost in a red dress. Another had a head as large as a bucket, grotesque and ugly. The third was a small infant spirit, not yet fully developed, still bearing its placenta. These three were Yin souls that Ghost Fiend had refined over many years with his own vital essence. Compared to the Female Fiend, who had only died a few days ago, their level was far superior. The three Yin souls immediately surrounded the Female Fiend and, in less than a minute, had completely devoured her.
Ghost Fiend made a gesture. The large-headed ghost and the infant spirit transformed into black mist and returned to the skull-shaped jade pendant. However, the red-clad female ghost remained outside. Ghost Fiend whispered a few instructions to her, and she vanished.
At the old Ji family mansion, Ming Yue stood on the balcony, gazing towards the distant lakeside. Ji Shiyou had been sitting there since morning, a full day now. He hadn't even risen to bid farewell when Madam Ji and the others departed that morning. Since Ming Yue had spoken with him yesterday, Ji Shiyou hadn't uttered a single word. He was utterly dejected, as if he had lost his soul. If Ming Yue hadn't possessed cultivation and could see that his soul was still present, she would have suspected him of being bewitched or cursed.
"Sigh!"
Ming Yue sighed, descended the stairs, and left the villa, walking towards the lake. She needed to speak with Ji Shiyou. Zhe Cheng had just called to inform her that there were suspected members of the Seven Fiends entering the country and had arrived in the capital. She had always mistakenly believed that the Seven Fiends were targeting her, and that Ji Shiyou was implicated because of her. Now, only the two of them remained at the old Ji family mansion, as even the security guards had been taken abroad by Madam Ji for team-building. Ming Yue feared that if she were too far from Ji Shiyou and the Seven Fiends attacked, she wouldn't be able to rescue him in time. Another reason was that she was hungry. Madam Ji and Steward Sun had been ruthless, taking all the readily edible food from the house, leaving only ingredients in the refrigerator. Ming Yue, having a profound understanding of her own culinary skills, naturally wouldn't subject herself to such torture. Thus, apart from a bowl of congee in the morning, she hadn't eaten all day. She wanted to discuss with Ji Shiyou if he could cook her a bowl of noodles, as she was ravenously hungry. Wondering if Ji Shiyou would agree, Ming Yue continued towards the lake.
Observing Ji Shiyou sitting on a rock by the lake, motionless like a statue, Ming Yue felt a sense of admiration. He hadn't changed his posture all day; he was truly gifted. If he were to cultivate, Ji Shiyou would surely advance by leaps and bounds. Lost in thought, she approached within a thousand meters of Ji Shiyou. Suddenly, Ji Shiyou stood up and began walking, step by step, into the lake. The lake at the old Ji family mansion was formed when the developers excavated earth and, instead of backfilling, adapted the site into a lake. Therefore, although it appeared small, its deepest point reached five meters, enough to drown someone.
"What is he doing? Is he going for a swim? No, it's early winter. Although the lake surface hasn't frozen, the water is already bone-chillingly cold. Who would swim at this time, and without even taking off their outer clothes? Oh no, he's going to commit suicide! Is there something he can't bear?"
Ming Yue suddenly realized. The water had already reached Ji Shiyou's neck. She broke into a sprint. But by the time she reached the lakeside, the water had submerged Ji Shiyou's head, leaving only ripples spreading across the lake's surface.