Night had fallen.

In Y City, at Chen Hao's home.

Since the gates to the Netherworld and the Samsara Path had been opened, the order of the Netherworld had returned to normal, so there was no need for Onmyojis Tang Jing and Xie Xiaofeng to run around as usual.

For the first time in three months, the two finally welcomed their vacation.

As they had promised Chen Hao before, to help clean his house every half a month, they chose to spend the first day of their long holiday cleaning his home.

"I wonder when that jerk and Yuqiao will come back," Tang Jing said while wiping the dust off the furniture with a cloth.

"They should be back soon," said Xie Xiaofeng, who was sweeping the floor, with a casual tone.

Suddenly, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes as he asked with interest, "Tang Jing, judging from the current situation, the Ghost King must have been defeated by them. Since they've completed all their missions, do you think they'll get married as soon as they come back?"

"Married!" Tang Jing was startled, with a look of surprise, "Chen Hao is only twenty years old, isn't it a bit early for him to get married?"

"Although he is indeed only twenty years old, the goddess isn't getting any younger. And don't forget, that jerk has memories from a previous life. He's a lot more seasoned inside than we can imagine."

"You make sense," Tang Jing said with a look of dejection, "with that jerk's personality, he really might get married right away."

"Tang Jing!" At this moment, Xie Xiaofeng walked up to Tang Jing, "You wouldn't still have feelings for that jerk, would you?"

Tang Jing looked at Xie Xiaofeng angrily, "Xie Xiaofeng, do not bring up that matter."

Xie Xiaofeng shrugged his shoulders and retorted, "Why can't I mention it?"

"You!" Tang Jing, furious and embarrassed, threw the cloth in her hand at Xie Xiaofeng's face.

Xie Xiaofeng dodged the cloth that was thrown at him, frowning slightly and staring fixedly at Tang Jing, seeming to hesitate about something.

Then, he suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Tang Jing's right hand, and seemed about to speak yet stopped himself.

"Xie Xiaofeng, what are you doing!" Tang Jing was startled and struggled to free her hands from Xie Xiaofeng's grip.

Xie Xiaofeng held onto Tang Jing's hand tightly, his expression growing very serious.

"Let me go!"

"Tang Jing!" Xie Xiaofeng gazed into her eyes, "Actually, all this time I really wanted to tell you, I..."

Just then, a purple door suddenly appeared beside them in the air; the door opened, and Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body emerged from within.

"Goddess!" Xie Xiaofeng was somewhat surprised. He had intended to take this moment to confess his feelings to Tang Jing, but Ye Yuqiao appeared at an inopportune time.

However, to his surprise, he didn't see Chen Hao.

"That's not Yuqiao!" Tang Jing looked disdainfully at Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body, "She's that impostor who pretended to be Yuqiao before."

Hearing Tang Jing's words, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body snorted angrily and approached Tang Jing with a murderous look in her eyes.

Xie Xiaofeng quickly pulled Tang Jing behind him, stepped forward to block Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body, and asked, "Why did you come here? Where are Chen Hao and Yuqiao?"

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body glanced at Xie Xiaofeng with a contemptuous look and then turned her gaze towards Chen Hao's bedroom door: "So it seems, Chen Hao didn't come back for you."

"What do you mean by that?" Tang Jing frowned and asked, "Could it be that Chen Hao and Yuqiao have already returned?"

"Chen Hao might already be back in the mortal world, but she can never return," Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body said in an impatient tone.

"Ah!" Tang Jing's face darkened, "What do you mean by 'can never return'?"

Without paying any heed, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body summoned the purple door once again. Her sole purpose for coming here was to find Chen Hao; she couldn't care less about the others or anything else.

"Don't go!" Tang Jing shouted loudly at Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body.

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body blazed with fury, and she immediately turned back, glaring angrily at Tang Jing. As the Nether King, how could she tolerate such impudence from a mortal of the mortal world?

"Try speaking to me in that tone again," she challenged.

Tang Jing closed her eyes and took several deep breaths before opening them slightly, her voice trembling with a plea, "Please, tell us what has happened?"

Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body turned and walked through the purple gates that led to the Netherworld.

Yet, before she disappeared, she eventually spoke out, "She has completely vanished, become a part of Chen Hao; after Chen Hao killed the Ghost King, he vanished without a trace."

Having said that, Ye Yuqiao's Nether Soul Body disappeared from in front of Xie Xiaofeng and Tang Jing.

Upon hearing this news, Xie Xiaofeng and Tang Jing's faces turned ashen, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

After a long while, the two slowly came back to their senses.

"Xie Xiaofeng, I don't believe it!" Tang Jing shook her head repeatedly, "I don't believe what she said, Yuqiao can't just—"

Before she could finish speaking, Tang Jing choked up. Tears suddenly fell like rain on her face, and then she collapsed weakly to the ground.

Xie Xiaofeng quickly knelt down and supported Tang Jing from behind.

Tang Jing turned and threw herself into Xie Xiaofeng's arms, crying her heart out, her wails filled with extreme sorrow.

Embracing Tang Jing, Xie Xiaofeng slowly sat down on the ground, his eyes shimmering with tears. Just before, he and Tang Jing had been eagerly discussing the wedding of Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao, never imagining that in the blink of an eye, everything would be irrevocably changed.

..

..

As night fell,

having returned to the Netherworld from the mortal world, Ye Yuqiao walked alone on the eastern wall of Netherworld City, gazing into the distance as if searching for Chen Hao's figure in the vast sea of trees.

Outlined by the afterglow of the setting sun, her silhouette appeared incredibly forlorn.

As the sun was about to set, Zhao Chong approached from behind her.

"Your Majesty, we still haven't found Chen Hao, have we?" Zhao Chong inquired.

Ye Yuqiao shook her head.

"I have already informed the rulers of the various Nether Soul realms on the surface and the soul reapers to help look for Chen Hao's whereabouts," said Zhao Chong.

Ye Yuqiao hummed in acknowledgment, remaining motionless.

"Zhao Chong, where do you think Chen Hao could have possibly gone?"

"I do not know," Zhao Chong responded coldly. He knew that Ye Yuqiao was actually speaking to herself rather than truly seeking an answer from him.

After a period of silence, the sun completely submerged into the western horizon of the endless sea, and the moon gradually rose.

Despite the brilliance and bustle of Netherworld City behind them, the ramparts where they stood were gloomy and deserted.

The silver moonlight reflected upon Ye Yuqiao's form, and what Zhao Chong saw was her solitude.

Suddenly, Ye Yuqiao turned around, looking at Zhao Chong and asked, "Could it really be as you said, that I will never be able to replace her?"

"I do not know," replied Zhao Chong coldly again.

Ye Yuqiao gave Zhao Chong a sidelong glance, then took a few steps forward.

Amid the dim lights of Netherworld City, she seemed to perceive many images of Chen Hao.

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