DT |Chapter 11: Xiyi One

He Bin was dragged out of bed by Sheng Feng. When Sheng Feng found him, he was diligently reading in his single dorm room.

“You… you have no right to barge into my dorm!” He Bin shouted.

Sheng Feng smiled at him and showed his credentials: “Calm down, we’re from the National Security Group. We suspect you’re involved in a special criminal case and need to search your dorm. Please cooperate.”

Sheng Feng stepped aside, and several field agents in National Security uniforms quickly entered the room and began searching.

Shen Yan floated around the dorm, sensing a lingering trace of yin energy. He raised an eyebrow at Sheng Feng, indicating they had found the right place.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a routine check.” Sheng Feng walked over to He Bin and patted his shoulder. “Your dorm feels a bit dark. Is it… poor lighting?”

He Bin’s mental fortitude was clearly lacking. He avoided eye contact and nodded perfunctorily.

“I heard you’ve won several design awards. Turns out it’s true.” Sheng Feng noticed a row of neatly arranged trophies on the bookshelf. “You’re quite the dark horse.”

Just as he said this, the field team leader came over and whispered something to Sheng Feng.

Sheng Feng frowned slightly, then looked suspiciously at He Bin, who was tugging at his clothes. Suddenly, he smiled and said to He Bin, “The routine check is over. Sorry for the disturbance.”

Seeing Sheng Feng’s friendly demeanor, He Bin seemed to finally vent his pent-up anger: “Is this all the National Security Group can do? You don’t do your job, but you’re great at bullying students. You can’t solve the Yunhai case, so you just throw blame on us. Be careful, I’ll complain about you!”

Sheng Feng ignored his tantrum and gestured for the field agents to leave.

Once only the two of them and a ghost were left in the room, Sheng Feng smiled and said, “He Bin, how did you know I was talking about the Yunhai University case?”

He Bin instantly froze, staring blankly at Sheng Feng.

“New necklace? Quite unique. Why didn’t I see you wearing it at the library that day?” Sheng Feng casually fiddled with the gourd necklace around He Bin’s neck, smiling as he walked out the door. “Have a good sleep. After all, you won’t be sleeping for long.”

Shen Yan followed Sheng Feng down the dormitory stairs.

The cicadas in the trees were annoyingly loud, but fortunately, a cool breeze provided some relief.

Sheng Feng’s actions today could be considered stirring up trouble, but Shen Yan felt he still had a confident demeanor. Shen Yan lay by the air vent of the passenger seat, the cold wind making him much happier.

“I know you’re trying to catch a big fish with a long line, but you didn’t have to teach the fish to recognize the hook, did you? What kind of fish are you fishing for? Don’t end up losing both the hook and the fish, and breaking the rod too.” Shen Yan slumped in the seat like a deflated balloon.

Sheng Feng slowly stopped the car at a red light and said calmly, “The day after tomorrow, take me to the black market. The Corpse-Wrapping Array might go there again.”

“Are you so sure? The black market is dangerous. He might not go a second time.”

“Before I left, I deliberately hinted to He Bin that I had seen through the trick with the gourd on his neck. So he might contact the Corpse-Wrapping Array again. I’ll have someone keep an eye on He Bin, but personally, I think even if he contacts He Bin, the Corpse-Wrapping Array won’t show up in person.”

Shen Yan pondered, resting his chin on his hand: “You have a point. Back then, I sent a lot of evil spirits to capture him. He probably doesn’t have many life-saving items left and might need to go to the black market again. But are you sure you want to go to the Xiyi Realm with me?”

Sheng Feng glanced at him and stepped on the gas: “What, afraid I’ll hold you back because I’m weak?”

“Not really.” Shen Yan shivered at Sheng Feng’s threatening look and muttered, “It’s just… it feels a bit strange.”

“What did you say?” Sheng Feng asked.

“Nothing… nothing, just drive.”

A hundred years ago, Shen Yan had carved the words “No living person shall remain in the realm” on the boundary stele of the Xiyi Realm. In his 2,500 years of rule, no living person had ever entered the Xiyi Realm, though there were plenty of living offerings.

People went in standing, but only bones came out.

Once, at a banquet of ghosts, Shen Yan drunkenly boasted that the only person who could leave the Xiyi Realm alive would be an unparalleled beauty, someone he would marry.

He spoke without intent, but others took it to heart.

Shen Yan secretly planned to find a way to suppress the yang energy in a person. Otherwise, bringing a living person into the Xiyi Realm would be like shooting himself in the foot.

If he were forced to marry him as a queen, though he was good-looking, he wasn’t exactly unparalleled, right? And he had a bit of a violent streak. What a disaster!

Shen Yan imagined all sorts of scenarios, making his head nearly explode that night.

Sheng Feng just thought he was acting a bit odd today. Since returning from Yunhai University, he had been sulking with droopy ears, looking miserable, curled up on the sofa.

By the time the 22nd arrived, Shen Yan still hadn’t figured out a way to cover all the yang energy of a living person. Moreover, Sheng Feng was young and vigorous, making it even harder to suppress.

Shen Yan led the way, silently calculating: After all, I rule the Xiyi Realm. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just let it go. Who would dare challenge me?

With the development of machinery and the increase in population, yang energy had become more abundant. The gate to the Xiyi Realm opened in a deserted desert area, requiring about five days of driving.

However, there were also several shortcuts, connecting to places with heavy yin energy. Shen Yan skillfully led Sheng Feng to the nearest shortcut—the Tomb of King Meng Liangyan.

The Tomb of King Meng Liangyan was a famous site in the city, with no burial items. It was more like an ancient battlefield site, with soldiers’ bones lying in disarray at the bottom of a pit. If not for a bit of remaining gold thread, no one would recognize which was the real body of King Liangyan.

Sheng Feng bought a ticket out of his own pocket, and Shen Yan led him away from the tour group. Sheng Feng consciously avoided the cameras overhead, following Shen Yan step by step toward the bones still covered with plastic.

“Slow down, these are artifacts,” Sheng Feng reminded.

Shen Yan snorted disdainfully: “Artifacts? I died around the same time as them. I might even be a few years older. They should call me gege!”

Sheng Feng rolled his eyes at him, found a stable place to stand, and gazed at the pile of bones, unable to look away.

Shen Yan felt along the wall to find the right spot, took out two small candles from his pocket, and was about to light them when he saw Sheng Feng staring blankly at the bones.

“Sheng Feng!” Shen Yan called softly.

Sheng Feng snapped out of it and quickly walked over to Shen Yan.

“What are you doing, daydreaming?” Shen Yan complained, lighting the candles and grabbing Sheng Feng’s wrist. “Get ready. Once we go in, stick close to me and don’t fall behind.”

Sheng Feng nodded silently, and the next second, Shen Yan pulled him into the wall.

Strangely, he didn’t hit the hard earth but entered a thick fog with low visibility. He could barely see the candlelight in Shen Yan’s hand.

The candlelight was peculiar, burning differently from ordinary candles. The two candles burned together with a yellow flame, reminding Sheng Feng of something—corpse wax.

They walked in the fog for a while and then saw a boundary stele. A crow with blood-red eyes perched on it. Seeing Shen Yan, it cawed twice and flapped its wings to fly away.

After passing the boundary stele, the view became much clearer. Blood flowed like a stream underfoot, and the overwhelming stench made even someone like Sheng Feng, accustomed to the smell of blood, feel nauseous.

“Bear with it. It’ll get better after this stretch,” Shen Yan said, extinguishing the candle and patting Sheng Feng’s back.

After walking a few hundred meters, a simple wooden bridge came into view. Shen Yan stopped and looked at the bridge: “Once we cross, we’ll be in the true Xiyi Realm. I can’t fully guarantee your safety. If you want to go back, now’s the time.”

Sheng Feng took a deep breath. It was his first time in such a dangerous place, and it was impossible not to be nervous. He adjusted his breathing and said, “Let’s cross.”

However, the Xiyi Realm was already bustling. The wide road was filled with various stalls, and the two giant pythons coiled on the city gate were active today, their armor-like scales scraping against the city tower with a creaking sound.

As the ruler of the realm, Shen Yan had to maintain his dignity. The day before, he had changed out of his “cool” clothes into a complex outfit with four or five layers.

Since entering the Xiyi Realm, his flamboyant demeanor had diminished significantly.

Sheng Feng had prepared himself for the possibility of being kowtowed to by the ghosts, but since they entered, not a single ghost noticed them. One even complained they were blocking the way by walking too slowly.

Shen Yan had been ready to kill the ghosts and flee, but it seemed the ghosts either had a problem with their sense of smell or their brains. As Sheng Feng swaggered past them, they didn’t react at all.

“What’s with that expression?” Sheng Feng had been watching Shen Yan’s constipated look for a while.

Shen Yan quickly shook off his stiff expression and returned to normal: “Nothing, nothing.”

Sheng Feng probed: “Why don’t they recognize you? Aren’t you… the Ghost King?”

“Most ghosts in the Xiyi Realm haven’t seen me. Only my portrait circulates among them. I’ve never shown my face in public. You know, as the Ghost King, I have to maintain some mystery.”

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