Yan Ke's expression hardened as he was about to react when He Simu closed the memorial, raised her eyes, and smiled. "He is not my lover. Jiang Ai, stop teasing me and Yan all the time."
When she spoke this time, her demeanor and the atmosphere were much more relaxed, no longer filled with the imposing authority of before.
Jiang Ai shook her head dismissively, the gold tassels and jade ornaments in her hair making crisp sounds. She sighed, "Teasing? If it were just teasing, why would Yan have such an expression? Surely a thousand-year-old evil ghost should have more composure?"
Seeing Yan Ke's gaze grow even colder, Jiang Ai put away her spectator expression and said, "I'll stop teasing you two. I'll go check on our new little friend."
Jiang Ai was the wealthiest among the twenty-four Palace Lords. If enjoying drama could be ranked, Jiang Ai would undoubtedly be the undisputed number one in the ghost realm. She bowed and walked with leisurely steps toward the palace gate, her ornaments jingling expensively along the way, finally stopping beneath the tall white palace gate. Jiang Ai looked up and began chatting with the hanging youth.
Yan Ke glanced at this scene from a distance, then turned back to look at He Simu. With a solemn expression, he said, "Simu, how did you suddenly lose your powers?"
He Simu replied nonchalantly, "I have my powers now, don't I?"
Yan Ke was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Fine, as long as you're all right. What about the Yao Ghost Palace Lord? How will you search for him?"
"I have my arrangements for that."
Over the years, Simu had become increasingly independent and harder to understand, no longer relying on him as she once did.
"Very well."
Yan Ke sighed again and bowed before leaving the hall. He paused while standing outside, looking toward the palace gate, and eventually walked in that direction. Seeing him approach, Jiang Ai covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Speak of the devil! This is our Kui Ghost Palace Lord, Lord Yan Ke. Rivals meeting face to face are bound to be particularly hostile."
It seemed she had already repeated to this mortal what she had just said in the hall.
The youth's left and right hands were tied with ropes on either side, hanging high on the palace gate. His expression couldn't be seen beneath the black gauze, but he was heard laughing carelessly, "Pleased to meet you, Lord Yan."
Unlike Jiang Ai, who loved to joke around, Yan Ke rarely smiled. If any evil ghost saw Yan Ke smile, they would likely be shocked enough to talk about it for hundreds of years. This Right Chancellor was always dignified and solemn as if his body contained frost. Except for He Simu, other evil ghosts and humans would only hear his icy tone and the arrogance of one long in a high position.
Yan Ke frowned, seeing that this youth showed not a trace of fear. "Why did the sovereign hang you here?"
"I offended Simu, so naturally I received her punishment. Being hung here by her is my honor."
Yan Ke's pupils contracted, and he said slowly, "A mere mortal dares to directly call the sovereign by name?"
Before the mortal could answer, Jiang Ai interjected, "I saw him call the sovereign by name to her face, and she didn't say anything. Does the Right Chancellor need to be angry on the sovereign's behalf?"
As the wealth-loving Mei Ghost Palace Lord, Jiang Ai ran gambling houses and brothels, amassing countless riches. Having navigated the mortal world for over a thousand years, she had a sharp tongue and keen eyes. Few in the ghost realm could out-talk her. From this situation, it appeared she was protecting this mortal.
Yan Ke glanced sideways at Jiang Ai. Knowing he would gain nothing in front of her and would likely be mocked, he said nothing more and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Watching Yan Ke's retreating figure, Jiang Ai clicked her tongue in wonder. Looking up at the youth whose face and name she couldn't see, she found herself more familiar with the black sword with silver edges at his waist.
It was because of this sword that she had spoken a few more words on his behalf.
"It's been a long time since I've seen this sword. Are you the new master of the Illusion-Breaking Sword?"
Duan Xu smiled and said, "Indeed I am. Thank you, Left Chancellor. Did you know the previous owner of the Illusion-Breaking Sword?"
"The previous owner? Wasn't it the sword's creator, Simu's uncle, the former Machinery Star Lord Ju An?"
Seeing Duan Xu's apparent surprise, Jiang Ai laughed lightly. "What? Didn't Simu tell you this sword was made by her uncle? It seems Simu isn't very close to you after all."
Duan Xu seemed thoughtful and said, "Mei Ghost Palace Lord, do you know about Simu's parents and her aunt and uncle?"
"I had quite a good relationship with them. When the former Ghost King was alive, he even respectfully called me Aunt Jiang Ai and Simu followed her father in addressing me the same way."
"Then could you tell me about her childhood?" Duan Xu bent down as much as he could, glancing at Simu in the distant palace who was focused on her official duties, and asked in a low voice.
Jiang Ai tilted her head and smiled gently. "Why should I tell you? What can you give me?"
After a pause, she said, "Child, inquiring about the Ghost King's past is not a playful matter."
Duan Xu shook his head and smiled, "I'm not doing it for fun."
Jiang Ai looked at this living person hanging high on the palace gate, still leisurely and at ease, thinking this was truly a bold and bright child.
A lamb among wolves, yet still so content. If he weren't Simu's person, she would like to taste his soul fire.
Not long after Jiang Ai left, He Simu finished handling most of her official duties and ordered ghost servants to clean up the ashes left by Fang Chang's disintegration. Then she walked out of the hall, looked up, and saw Duan Xu hanging from the palace gate.
He swayed back and forth contentedly in the air, not looking like someone being punished, but rather like someone sunbathing.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, stopped, and casually twirled the Ghost King's lamp in her hand.
This was truly strange. Weren't humans supposed to feel pain? Hadn't he previously cried out at the slightest pain, saying she didn't know her strength? Why was he now so silent?
How could this fellow, who had lived less than twenty years, be so audacious and fearless?
Duan Xu caught the familiar scent and looked up to see He Simu sitting on the Ghost King's lamp pole, floating in midair before him.
He smiled brightly. "Simu."
"What have you been reflecting on all this time?" He Simu asked indifferently, like a teacher checking on a student's work.
Duan Xu seemed to think seriously for a moment. Looking through the black gauze at He Simu, he blinked his sincere eyes. "I've been thinking about how, after I kissed you and killed the assassin, you looked at me for a long time without saying a word. What were you thinking then?"
He Simu thought his reflection was quite belated.
"Just that question? Well, I can tell you that at that time, I was thinking that once I regained my powers, I would make you regret your actions."
Duan Xu nodded and then shook his head. His voice contained a smile as he slowly said, "Besides that, I guess you were also wondering why I kissed you. You might have thought I was moved by your beauty, infatuated, distracted, momentarily enchanted, or that I kissed you as a provocation. But you quickly realized it wasn't like that."
Duan Xu looked into He Simu's eyes and said with certainty and clarity, "You discovered that I seemed to be serious, so you didn't say anything. Even now, you've only hung me at the palace gate instead of killing me, right?"
If she truly felt he had intentionally insulted her, even if he was her curse-binder—a rare occurrence in hundreds of years—she wouldn't have let him live.
He Simu slightly raised her chin and said indifferently, "What's the point of all your guessing and mysteriousness?"
"Then I'll be honest about what I was thinking at that time. I was indeed momentarily infatuated, finding you particularly adorable, feeling that I would never meet another girl like you, never have such feelings for anyone else."
He Simu's eyes flickered, but she just listened.
"After these few days passed and I calmed down to think carefully," Duan Xu paused, then smiled leisurely and said, "I found that was indeed the case."
He Simu frowned but didn't appear very surprised. Her fingers circled the Ghost King's lamp jade pendant at her waist. Her pale eyelids lowered and then raised as she said, "A young man's momentary infatuation is common. There's nothing strange about liking me. I've seen many people like you, though you might be the smartest among them. Smart as you are, you should think clearly before speaking."
"I have thought it through."
"No, you haven't. Do you understand me?"
"I want to understand you."
"Duan Shunxi, you can't." After a pause, she added, "I also don't need you to understand me."
He Simu's tone was indifferent, completely unmoved by Duan Xu's words, unequivocally pushing back his feelings. After saying this, she rode the Ghost King's lamp away, leaving Duan Xu with a merciless view of her back. Duan Xu tilted his head and gazed at her retreating figure for a long time before sighing softly.
As night fell, the royal city became somewhat quieter, though not very quiet—after all, evil ghosts don't sleep. Duan Xu knew that being hung at the palace gate of the evil ghost city was like a piece of fat meat suspended above a group of hungry tigers, each eager to take a bite. If not for He Simu's imposing presence, he would have been devoured already.
Additionally, after being hung for a day, his arms had gone from painful to gradually numb. Duan Xu decided not to sleep at all and instead enjoyed the view of the palace and ghost city from his excellent vantage point.
Looking out, all the rooftops were snow-white, like places where extreme cold kept snow year-round. Although the weather was gradually getting warmer, it still looked cold—a coldness that reached from the eyes to the heart. The palace walls and residential walls had various black patterns that Duan Xu couldn't quite understand, but he guessed they were related to some spells. Most residents here were Ghost Palace Lords and their retainers, who didn't hunt for food here, making the place solemn and quiet.
There was no warmth of life, no human presence.
The city looked like a large coffin.
Did He Simu always live in such a place? No wonder she often went outside for fresh air.
As Duan Xu was thinking, he caught some faint rustling sounds. His thoughts returned to the present as he raised his right foot to his waist where the Illusion-Breaking Sword hung, causing it to swing up for his right hand to catch. He bit the sword tassel and drew the sword with his right hand, cutting the rope binding his left hand, then flipping his body to barely dodge an evil ghost lunging at him.
The entire movement took just an instant. He quickly cut the rope on his right hand as well, falling to the ground and doing several somersaults before looking at the strong, large evil ghost that had also landed in front of him. This evil ghost appeared to be a fierce, burly man in his forties who didn't waste words before charging at Duan Xu again.
There was a bold creature who wanted to eat him under the cover of darkness. Wasn't he afraid of being killed by He Simu?
Duan Xu thought he couldn't be that delicious, to the point where an evil ghost would dare to eat this "last meal."
"I'm not food," Duan Xu flourished his sword, smiling at the approaching hulk. "Try to eat me, and you might break your teeth."
When He Simu arrived at the palace gate the next day, she found Duan Xu still hanging there, though the height seemed off—as if the rope had shortened, hanging him higher.
"What happened to you?"
"Last night an evil ghost tried to eat me, so I cut the ropes and fought for my life, successfully driving it away. Then, thinking I shouldn't disrespect your face, I tied myself back up and hung myself again."
Duan Xu smiled brightly. He Simu thought she had never seen someone so conscientious.
He Simu frowned and was silent for a moment, then said, "Forget it."
As she spoke, the ropes on Duan Xu's hands turned to smoke and disappeared. He fell from the palace gate, rolled several times, then rubbed his shoulders and arms as he slowly stood up.
"You're letting me off just like that?" he asked with a smile.
He Simu thought to herself that he didn't look like someone being punished at all. Yesterday's conversation had been crystal clear, yet he showed no sign of being affected.
He was always too persistent and confident.
"No matter how long I hang you, you'd be the same. Just don't stand in my way."
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