After setting the hall ablaze, Chen Yi released all of Lord Wuchang's so-called concubines. Not only did he gain their gratitude, but he also obtained new clues.

Clues never before discovered.

Once Chen Yi reviewed them, he temporarily tucked them away, keeping them hidden from the female crown. He left the courtyard and continued on his journey, later finding a place to rest. And then...

"Lower your voices, lower your voices!"

"Enough, that's enough already!"

The ghostly-blue flames crackled, casting shadows on the stone walls that sometimes overlapped, sometimes bridged together. The soundproof talisman pinned to the wall quivered faintly amid the snap and hiss of the fire's tongues.

A dark casual robe, a loose white Daoist robe, and the Peach Wood Sword pressed beneath the Hou Kang Sword; far-off in the corner stood Min Ning's untouched offering, silent and unmoving amidst the chaos.

No one knew how much time passed until all finally stilled.

Yin Weiyin lay weak and powerless on the bed. Her breath came in sharp gasps. When Chen Yi leaned closer and wrapped his arms around her, she instinctively tried to push him away but ultimately couldn't.

At his touch, her body trembled intensely and stiffened before gradually calming down after a good while.

Chen Yi gently brushed her skin, his palm feeling the faint bumps of goosebumps.

The little fox used to react like this too. At first, she not only recoiled at Chen Yi's touch but harbored resentment and fear toward him. However, over time, she grew accustomed, overcame her fear, and became less terrified.

But Yin Weiyin seemed incapable of ever getting used to it. Now, in his arms, she remained motionless except for the sound of her breathing against his chest.

To Yin Weiyin, each night felt like sleeping next to a tiger.

The shattered path to immortality instilled an endless fear within her, and he became a lingering shadow in her heart.

For the most part, Chen Yi paid no mind to women's fears. Besides, fear and affection were never mutually exclusive.

The female crown's body remained taut. Chen Yi leaned in slightly, brushing his lips lightly against hers.

She swiftly raised her gaze to look at him, only to drop it back down just as quickly. She asked softly:

"Husband, are we heading to the ghost gate next?"

"Yes, beyond the ghost gate, turn right, and it's the second Yama Hall."

"I thought… crossing the ghost gate meant we'd inevitably take Naihe Bridge..." Yin Weiyin spoke in a clear voice, "That's why the saying goes 'A journey outside the ghost gate,' not 'A journey inside the ghost gate.'"

"That's how it's written in books, no doubt, but souls follow their own paths, and ghost messengers follow theirs."

Chen Yi explained.

After the ghost gate, the main road leads to Naihe Bridge, where Meng Po Soup is sold. But just as there is a bright road, there's also a winding trail that bypasses Naihe Bridge, like an employee express lane.

Taking that winding trail brings you closer to Ghost City.

Thinking of this, Chen Yi murmured:

"The Ghost City there is called Yingdu, which also carries the character 'Ying'."

Yin Weiyin, whose name also bears the character 'Ying' — Weiyin, Weiyin...

"The King there is King Chujiang, and Yingdu, back in the Spring and Autumn period, was the capital of the Chu Kingdom."

The female crown lowered her gaze and replied absentmindedly:

"Long is the path through Weiyin, as the rivers and summers cannot be crossed… My name comes from there."

"From Chu Ci?"

In the flickering firelight, Chen Yi's eyes reflected her neck white as mutton jade and her cascading raven-black hair.

Her hair crown had fallen not far away.

"Yes..." Yin Weiyin replied weakly.

Talking about her name, Chen Yi momentarily thought of all the fair ladies he had encountered. He remarked wistfully:

"Quite elegant... similar to the little fox, with their distinctive charm."

Yin Weiyin replied faintly, "Both princesses, it's only fitting."

"Min Ning's name is much simpler, just one character for 'Ning,' and her courtesy name 'Yue Chi' carries a literal meaning," Chen Yi said lightly.

When Chen Yi mentioned Min Ning, Yin Weiyin let out a faint snort, replying coolly:

"The Min family may have been nouveau riche, but their foundations are shallow. A military household being literate itself is a rare blessing."

There had always been animosity between her and Min Ning, even if the fault lay with her. Despite the faint sarcasm in Yin Weiyin's words, Chen Yi wasn't angered. Instead, he chuckled and said:

"Back then, if it were Min Ning, she would've loved seeing me act heroically, unlike you… you'd ask if I was some kind of elder."

The conversation struck a nerve, and Yin Weiyin's brows furrowed slightly — wasn't he just criticizing her?

Somewhat indignant, the female crown retorted, "Why should I be like her?"

"You shouldn't be; I prefer you as you are."

Those words somehow hit home, and the female crown's tense body softened.

"...Good that you understand," Yin Weiyin murmured, lifting her gaze slightly and pressing her lips into a soft whisper, "With her temperament, she'd never call you 'husband.'"

With that, her eyes closed.

Amid the crackle of the fire, Chen Yi noted that the woman in his arms had softened notably, slowly drifting into sleep.

Much later, she was fully asleep. Chen Yi made no unnecessary movements, but his empty hand reached toward Square Land.

The clue he found in Lord Wuchang's courtyard fell into his hand.

It was a missing person notice, with no portrait — just three bold characters:

Yin Weiyin.

.................

.................

The next morning, they resumed their journey.

Beyond Lord Wuchang's Soul Hook Valley, after crossing the mountain, the path grew flatter. There were no cliffs where a single misstep would send one plummeting into the abyss. The occasional rough patches and forks in the road were manageable, with pits filled in by stones or wooden planks. Clearly, they were nearing the ghost gate, where the road was maintained.

The dim underworld had no distinction between day and night, making it difficult to tell how many days had passed aside from fortune-telling. By Chen Yi's approximation, they had spent four or five days, while Yin Weiyin's casual calculation revealed it had been six.

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