Chapter 121: The Bait

Milly did not live in the Spirit City’s Lord’s Mansion, but rather in the jungle behind the city. In that jungle lay a clear spring, its waters white as milk and fragrant. It was around this spring that Milly had built her estate.

I dismounted from my Nether Beast and followed Milly into the grounds. Passing through the heavy, monolithic stone gates, I immediately noticed a statue in the center: a woman with six black wings on her back, holding a scepter in both hands. A bird-woman! And a beautiful one at that.

I watched as Milly and her two maids bowed respectfully to the statue. "The Nether Queen?" I heard them whisper, or at least that was what it sounded like.

Once inside, Milly looked at me, seemingly lost in thought. "Qing, take Breton to the backyard and get him settled," she said, before departing with Lu.

Qing led me to the backyard, which was divided into two sections. One was filled with Nether Beasts, while the other was cordoned off. My quarters were situated between these two areas, consisting of two small stone huts. From Qing, I learned that Milly’s inner circle was composed entirely of women. While there were male guards and servants, they were all stationed on the outskirts. As Milly’s personal bodyguard, I was required to live in the inner courtyard, hence my assignment here.

After getting me settled, Qing left. I lay down on the stone bed in my hut and stared at the ceiling. I hadn't been in Spirit City long, yet so much had happened. Moving from the Lord’s son to his daughter—I wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. I hadn't had a chance to smoke for days, and now, I could finally indulge. I took a deep drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs before exhaling slowly. Bliss.

Suddenly, my eyes narrowed, and I sat bolt upright. From the restricted area in the backyard, a faint, familiar melody drifted toward me. This song… I froze. It was "Autumn Fairy Tale," a song by Lu Zhiruo. The voice, too, sounded exactly like hers.

"That can't be right," I thought, feeling strange. "Lu Zhiruo’s body was supposed to have been taken over by some big shot from the Netherworld. Why would she still be singing her old songs?" I wasn't surprised that Lu Zhiruo was here—that was to be expected—but the situation was baffling.

I finished my cigarette, crushed the butt, and walked out of the room. I stood outside the energy barrier separating the backyard, pricking up my ears. Lu Zhiruo sang several more songs, some of her own, some by other artists. Then, silence fell. I turned to head back to my room.

"Stop!" a voice called out.

I kept walking as if I hadn't heard, because that was Mandarin. If I stopped, it would prove I understood her, and I would be exposing my cover.

"Stop!" This time, it was in the Nether tongue.

I halted and turned around, looking at her with a puzzled expression. "Come here," a voice echoed in my ears, and the energy barrier parted.

I stepped through the gap to see Lu Zhiruo dressed in simple clothes, with distinct Nether markings on her forehead and a faint green glow in her eyes. She looked me up and down. "Do you like listening to me sing?"

I nodded. "I do. Even though I don't understand the words, I feel a strange sense of sorrow."

"Sorrow? Giggles... I never expected to find a kindred spirit here." She giggled, then stepped forward and hooked her finger under my chin. I frowned and swatted her hand away.

Clearly not expecting such a reaction, she paused. "Do you not know who I am?"

"I don't need to know who you are. I only know that I am a man, and you are a woman."

"Giggles, interesting. No wonder you gave me a sense of familiarity. But for that very reason, I’m tempted to peel your skin off." She smiled, but her words were laced with malice.

I remained silent, though a strange feeling stirred within me. I had assumed the original Lu Zhiruo was gone, leaving only her empty vessel. Now, I suspected her soul might still be present, fueled by hatred toward me for leaving her in that stone valley. Yet, that didn't explain her aura and strength, which clearly carried the essence of that powerful Nether entity.

"However, since you belong to Milly, I'll spare you. Get out," she said coldly.

I walked away, filled with questions.

...

The western district of Spirit City was the trading hub, filled with a bizarre array of goods. The most sought-after items, however, were those from the world above. Every major battle left behind fallen Onmyoji, whose belongings were scavenged and sold at these stalls. Even their hearts were harvested and sold with clear price tags.

At a small stall, a female merchant was haggling with a young Nether cultivator.

"Still no word from the team leader?" the merchant asked in a low voice.

"None. But we've made contact with Gao Pingping and Yu Hai," the young man replied.

"How are they?"

"Yu Hai joined a group of Nether cultivators and managed to assassinate both the captain and the vice-captain; the team is his now. Gao Pingping is even more impressive—she opened a clothing store selling styles from back home. Business is booming."

"And you?"

"I'm a corpse-looter..." The young man’s tone was dejected. In Spirit City, many did this, often fighting to the death over whatever meager items could be scavenged from a body.

...

Later that day, I accompanied Milly to the Lord’s Mansion. I spotted the subtle codes left by Nightingale and her team in several places. Taking advantage of a distraction, I added a few strokes of my own to one of the signs.

I couldn't enter the inner sanctum, so I never saw the Lord of Spirit City. However, I noticed that all five of the Lord’s sons had gathered, most with their guards waiting outside. I recognized some of the guards belonging to the third son, Suger, and struck up a conversation.

"Brothers, do you know what's going on? All five sons and the daughter are here," I asked casually.

"Seems like they captured an important person from the Land of Light. They're deciding how to deal with them," one replied.

My heart skipped a beat. "What kind of important person?"

"Not sure."

A shadow crossed my mind. Who could it be? If it were someone like Qian Shu, it would be impossible—both sides hadn't engaged in a full-scale war yet, and capturing him alive would require an army.

I soon found out. A squad of heavy-armored guards escorted a woman bound in Nether artifacts toward the inner sanctum. My hand tightened on the hilt of my blade, my gaze dropping to hide my shock and murderous intent.

Guli Jinsha! It was Guli Jinsha!

How was she captured? She shouldn't have been anywhere near the rift. Was she considered a "big shot"? Not by her own strength, but by her identity. Her master was Mo Wuji, a grandmaster-level Onmyoji, a peer to the Lord of Spirit City.

Guli Jinsha looked expressionless, covered in blood, her gaze fearless. As she vanished into the inner sanctum, I felt a surge of anxiety, but I forced my expression to remain neutral.

"She looks like a low-to-mid-tier cultivator. Is she really a big shot?" I asked.

"Your judgment is sharp," Milly said, emerging from the sanctum. "Her strength is nothing, but her master is a giant in the Land of Light."

"She looks so weak, I doubt her master is much better," I sneered.

"Ten years ago, her master single-handedly killed over a thousand of our heavy-armored guards," Milly retorted. "That squad was the backbone of our Raphael family. We almost collapsed because of that. This debt must be repaid."

"How?" I asked.

"By using her as bait. The bond between masters and disciples is profound; it will surely lure a big fish," Milly said excitedly.

"Are you in charge of this?"

"I have no interest. My eldest and third brothers are handling it."

I narrowed my eyes. She had no interest? I had clearly seen a flash of cold ambition in her eyes. The Raphael family inheritance was always passed to a son, leading the first and third brothers to fight viciously. Yet, Milly, the favored daughter, was never seen as a threat—they even tried to curry her favor. But was she truly uninterested?

"I had an idea, but since you aren't in charge, never mind," I said.

Milly looked at me. "Even if I'm not in charge, I'm curious."

I smiled and leaned in to whisper in her ear. Milly looked at me, her voice dropping. "Are you certain?"

"I am," I nodded.

Milly’s eyes flickered. "Follow me."

We entered the inner sanctum, where Guli Jinsha was tied up in the courtyard. Suger Raphael and Moby Raphael were arguing intensely, but stopped when we arrived.

"Milly, why are you back?" Suger asked, glancing at me.

"Brothers, my bodyguard here possesses the bloodline of the Night Demon and has awakened the talent of 'Soul Shifting,'" Milly explained.

"Soul Shifting?"

"While we can control human bodies, it usually leaves behind a trace of Nether energy. Soul Shifting, however, allows control without leaving any such trace," Milly added.

Suger clapped his hands. "If that's true, we'll catch a big fish. The bait will be able to deliver a lethal blow before the target even realizes what's happening."

"Is it really possible?" Moby asked, eyeing me with suspicion.

"Only one way to find out," Milly said.

"Do it, but don't break her," Moby commanded.

I walked up to Guli Jinsha and tapped her forehead. Her unfocused eyes locked onto mine, and she spat a glob of blood at my face. At that moment, I focused my spiritual energy into a needle and pierced her soul.

Guli Jinsha’s face twisted in agony, but then she heard a familiar voice in her mind: "Old Gu, trust me and empty your soul. Do not resist. If you show even a hint of a flaw, we're both dead."

Because she was already in pain, her contorted expression didn't look out of place. She looked deep into my eyes, her focus dissolved, and her soul went completely empty.