Hall of Fleeting Lives, Chapter 67

Jue Yi was brought back to the Hall of Transient Life, which sparked a fierce argument between Fei Ling and the others. Though he was ranked ninth among his brothers, the order was never based on strength—just a spontaneous arrangement made in the early days. In fact, there were not nine members left in the Hall; including Fei Ling, only five remained. The sole woman among them was ranked first, her name was Wei Han. Next were the Fourth Lord Ku Ye, the Sixth Lord Wei Ming, the Eighth Lord Fu Xi, and the Ninth Lord Fei Ling.

When it came to Jue Yi, the others unanimously agreed that she should be eliminated after they had seized the Azure Departure Soul Lamp, to root out any future trouble. Yet, when the moment arrived, Fei Ling found himself unable to do it. Instead, he intercepted the other four and brought Jue Yi back to his own chamber. With a sweep of his sleeve, the clamor outside vanished, and peace returned to the world.

Lying on the bed, she had withdrawn all her thorns, her once-stinging eyes now closed. He had thought there was nothing to care about, but at the last moment, he realized he had overestimated himself—nearly ten years spent together, what he had first treated as a joke, now appeared as a rare bright spot in his long, unending existence.

He brushed away the tears still clinging to Jue Yi’s cheeks, gently pressing his forehead to hers.

If only she could stay by his side forever. No more estrangement, no more anxiety, no more hatred, no more pain... just as she once trusted and relied on him.

The soft warmth beneath his fingers made him linger. Suddenly, he leaned down, lightly covering her lips with his own. Such softness—so unlike the armor she had wrapped herself in over these years. Caught off guard, her sleeping form abruptly opened her eyes.

“Who are you?”

Her gentle voice, sweet and soft as down, brushed against Fei Ling’s heart, yet left him chilled.

“Do you remember who you are?”

Jue Yi stared at him in surprise, as if she had heard something amusing. “How could someone not know who they are? I haven’t lost my memory. I am Jue Yi, daughter of Mu Yun, chief of the Witch Clan. My elder sister Bi Li has looked after me since I was little. By the way, where is this place? It doesn’t look like the Ancestral Continent.” As she spoke, Jue Yi got up and looked around the room, trying to determine her whereabouts. Yet her expression grew increasingly astonished, tinged with fear and worry.

Fei Ling’s heart sank as he watched her. She remembered everything—except him. He would rather she hated him than become a stranger in her life.

“Can you send me back to the Ancestral Continent? It will soon be Sister Bi Li’s birthday. She’s cared for me so long; I ought to return and see her. She has spent nearly a century guarding Father and me, she deserves some happiness too. Heh, she thinks I don’t know, but I’ve seen it clearly—she likes my father. Father has missed Mother for so long, but I’ve come to understand: it’s better for someone else to care for him now. But he’s even more stubborn than I am, so I should go and persuade him. Will you take me back?” Jue Yi tugged gently at Fei Ling’s sleeve, as if making him, the only one here, her unlikely source of help.

Fei Ling’s eyes darkened. He reached out and gripped Jue Yi’s chin, and when she frowned, he smiled. “My little princess, how could you forget? The chief of the Witch Clan is you now.”

Jue Yi tried to break free, struggling to escape his grasp.

Seeing this, Fei Ling’s hand tightened instinctively, but when he saw red marks blossom on her skin, he paused and let go. Freed, Jue Yi quickly stepped back, eyeing him warily.

“I have no memory of what you say. If it’s true, I all the more need to return. Father always said only by becoming strong can I protect the people and things I cherish. Father, Sister Bi Li, the clan on the Ancestral Continent—they’re all I wish to protect. If I’m chief, I should be with them.” Jue Yi glanced at the door behind Fei Ling, then softened her voice. “Let me go, won’t you? Or you could come back with me?”

Fei Ling did not answer, watching as she cautiously approached again, trying to tug at the hem of his robe, her manner entirely that of a trusting, defenseless girl.

A cold laugh broke from Fei Ling. He seized her waist, drawing her into his arms. “My little princess, I’m afraid that’s impossible. Do you know...” His fingertip traced her cheek, finally resting on her soft lips. He smiled cruelly, “The Witch Clan is gone. As of yesterday, there is not a single member of your clan left on the Ancestral Continent. Your home is gone. Your father and Sister Bi Li—they’re gone too. So you can only stay here. Do you understand? I’ve heard the Azure Departure Soul Lamp can restore the soul—if you’ve forgotten, perhaps I can help you remember.”

Just then, the doors behind them were kicked open. A woman and three men entered together.

“Ninth, how much longer are you going to torment her?” Wei Han, the eldest, asked.

Fei Ling turned, holding Jue Yi close, his eyes cold. “What business is it of yours? I’ve already fetched the Immortal Grass and the Jade Coffer for you. Can’t I decide the rest for myself?”

“That’s not what we mean,” Fourth Brother Ku Ye replied, glancing at Jue Yi with a slight frown. “She’s suffered a shock—there’s no guarantee she won’t one day remember. You deceive her, use her, even destroyed her entire clan with her help, and still expect her to forgive you, to love you? She can defend herself now. If you truly care about her, let her go.”

Fei Ling swept his sleeve, but this time the three blocked his power.

Wei Han’s expression was as icy as her name. “Now you claim to care? Why didn’t you tell her before? If you’d spoken before infiltrating the Ancestral Continent, we’d have left after getting what we needed, giving you a way out. But what did you say then? That the Witch Clan was insignificant, not worth keeping. Back then, you destroyed my spiritual form, and now you face the consequences... Let me throw your words back: you made your choice, now bear the result! I don’t know her nature, but if she still has a drop of blood in her veins, she’ll never stay with you! Either finish her, or let her go. After slaughtering her kin, you dream she’ll trust and depend on you as before? Where in the world is such a thing possible? I’ve said my piece. May fate be kind to you.”

With that, Wei Han flicked her sleeve and left first. The other three followed, some sighing, some shaking their heads, but all cast Fei Ling a glance before departing.

Fei Ling lowered his eyes.

He had infiltrated the Ancestral Continent in spiritual form, disguised as a drifting wind, all to fetch the Immortal Grass and Jade Coffer and perform a soul-gathering ritual back in the Hall to revive the long-lost Third Brother. The Immortal Grass was easy to find; the Jade Coffer, much harder. He agreed to become her master precisely because she was the daughter of Mu Yun and Shuang Yi, knowing she would someday gain a firm place in the Witch Clan.

As expected, at just fifteen, she obtained the ancient artifact—the Azure Departure Soul Lamp—through the Jade Coffer. With its power to gather and bind souls, it was indeed useful for reviving Third Brother.

So that night, he did not resist when the Witch Clan elders banished his soul into the Realm of No Return, knowing she was stubborn, unwavering in her convictions, and fiercely protective of those she cared for. Things unfolded as he had predicted, except he hadn’t expected her to find him so soon. When he saw her again, he himself didn’t know what he felt... He only knew, on instinct, that he couldn’t let anyone close to her go. He thought, after obtaining the soul lamp, he could be just as ruthless with her.

But in the end, it was only what he thought... When Wei Han’s white sash struck toward her heart, his hand moved faster than his mind, blocking the blow. After that, despite their objections, he brought her back.

His sleeve was tugged. Fei Ling snapped back to the present and saw Jue Yi’s eyes full of suspicion. “Is what they said true? The Witch Clan is gone? You killed them all?”

Fei Ling wanted to explain, but when he opened his mouth, no words came.

Jue Yi let go, staggering back several steps, her eyes filling with anguish and despair. Fei Ling instinctively stepped forward to pull her back, but was forced away by a sudden burst of blue light.

Jue Yi stood opposite him, holding the Azure Departure Soul Lamp, her face cold and resolute. In that moment, he thought she had remembered everything.

“In the past, there was no enmity between myself and your sect. I do not know why you harbored such hatred for my clan. But I, Jue Yi, swear here and now: if this is true, even if my soul scatters to the winds, I will avenge the Witch Clan!”

With that, Jue Yi vanished out the door, and Fei Ling, stunned for only a heartbeat, hastened after her.