Afterlife Department

"'sealed itself'?" they, including Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai, asked.

Yi Bing who already knows what Huo Ling is up to but can't help but feel pity towards these four's brains. "…" can't they understand that Huo Ling is trying to cover up Shen Taizi's deed, again, in a most logical way? He thought and sighed.

Huo Ling acted as if he didn't notice Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai looking clueless. He had to think as fast as he could of excuses. "En." He nodded. "Since it already recognized boss Luo as its next master, and seemed to have taken a liking to him, thus it sealed itself so that no one can use it." He explained. "Look. No matter how long and far it was separated from boss Luo, didn't it try to find its way back to him through Hu Tisong?" he asked them.

"Oh!" Luo Zhilai, Jiang Ci, Lu Xiu and Rong Huai exclaimed when they finally understood.

"So, you mean to say that it becoming useless is because it has its own consciousness?" Rong Huai said.

"En." Huo Ling nodded.

"I understand now." Luo Zhilai muttered and took the sword back from Yi Bing.

Yi Bing secretly sighed in relief since Huo Ling succeeded.

"But…" Huo Ling spoke as he looked at the sword.

Everyone looked at him.

"I think that it will honestly become useless as it is next week." Huo Ling said.

"Why?" they asked, including Yi Bing who can't guess what Huo Ling is trying to say.

"Since it can seal itself, I think that the sword can also release the souls trapped by itself." Huo Ling answered.

They are all stunned.

"With this, it will return to its original objective – as a sword to protect, if the one holding it would want to use it to protect." Huo Ling continued. "The souls would then become free, including the first soul that possessed it. With this, everything will come to an end." He explained.

They all looked at him in awe, while Yi Bing's face became serious as he looked at Huo Ling. … what did he think of that spell just now? How can he say all these? He understood the spell that much? He thought as he stared at Huo Ling's face. Huo Ling was serious this time. 

"But, why did you say it is next week?" Jiang Ci asked.

"Not only because it is the Martial Conference and the truth will come out." Huo Ling spoke. "The sword would be unable to hold on anymore. It is already old. Whether it will remain intact or finally break depends." He explained.

They all finally understood. Indeed, the sword is very old. It is already a miracle that it is still intact until now.

"Thank you." Luo Zhilai spoke and smiled.

Huo Ling shook his head. "We were also at fault. If we didn't act ostentatiously, we wouldn't attract the Beggar Gang's attention and Hu Tisong, the Clear Lake Sect, wouldn't act to help us." he said.

Yi Bing, as well as Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai. "…" wasn't this your objective?! They thought and secretly rolled their eyes. Yi Bing sighed in relief that Huo Ling seemed to return to normal while Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai are impressed of Huo Ling's wit, and also fighting skills.

"But, still, you helped us this far…" Luo Zhilai said.

Huo Ling just nodded. "Then, when the time comes, we have to trouble boss Luo to lend us the sword to free the souls." he said.

"Of course." Luo Zhilai agreed and looked at the sword. "It must not have been father's intention to disturb its sleep under the ground… I will then bury it again as a compensation for father's unintentional mistake." He said.

"Yes." they all nodded in agreement.

"Ugh…" suddenly, they heard someone grunted.

They turned and saw Lei Wei woke up. They have forgotten this kid! They thought and looked at each other. Then, in a flash, they have all surrounded Lei Wei.

"Uh… huh?!" Lei Wei exclaimed when he opened his eyes he saw them. "You… where is this?! Where did you take me?!" he asked in panic.

"You, kid. Why are you in the Lailai Inn?" Lu Xiu asked 

"I… I…" Lei Wei stammered when his eyes suddenly widened. "Da shixiong!" he exclaimed. "Da shixiong… you have to help me save da shixiong!" he told them.

"Mu Fan? What happened to him?" Jiang Ci asked.

"Da shixiong and I were sent back here by sect leader, telling us to persuade you." Lei Wei answered as he cried. "But, on our way here, we saw Hu Tisong and Hu Linci being followed by the Swallow Tailed Assassins… Hu Linci covered for Hu Tisong as Hu Tisong ran as fast as he could here. We just can't stand by and watch Hu Linci… others to die, right?!" he asked and looked at them. "So, da shixiong helped Hu Linci fight the Swallow Tailed Assassins while I ran to warn you all about the enemies, since we saw that Hu Tisong was pale and obviously was poisoned, and we are afraid that he might die before he could reach here!" he explained. "But, just as I was about to reach you, I saw the Swallow Tailed Assassins coming out of the other rooms of the Lailai Inn! So I hid!" he finished.

They were all rendered speechless.

"Hu Linci…" Rong Huai sighed. Jiang Ci shook his head.

Lei Wei saw their grim expressions. "What do you mean?" he asked as his eyes widened in horror. He already has a guess.

"We didn't see Hu Linci, nor Mu Fan." Lu Xiu answered.

Lei Wei's face paled and he almost fainted on the spot. "No… no way… da shixiong…" he cried.

"Hey. Jin Chong sending you and your da shixiong must be he already knew that he was being targeted. So, he wanted you two to leave." Huo Ling told him.

Lei Wei sobbed.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that they died." Yi Bing spoke.

They all turned to him.

"They were captured?!" Shi Yi exclaimed.

"I hope they aren't being tortured." Qi Bai said and shivered.

Qian San frowned. "They shouldn't be that unlucky?" he said.

Lei Wei cried loudly while the others sighed.

"Or, they might still be alive, but are currently hiding?" Wu Ling spoke.

They all looked at him, and their eyes brightened. "That might be it!" they said.

"R – really?" Lei Wei asked and sniffled.

"Let's all be positive!" Huo Ling patted his back. "Or, you actually wish for them to die?" he said.

Lei Wei almost punched him. "I don't! I like da shixiong! How can I wish for him to die?!" he said.

They are stunned. 'like'?! they thought and suspiciously looked at Lei Wei. But, they saw that Lei Wei's expression remained pure so they must be the ones who are thinking impurely of Lei Wei's feelings. They, the wretched adults, coughed and looked away in guilt and embarrassment.

"Let's wait for him to go back and tell him about this." Luo Zhilai said. Now that the knot in his heart has somewhat resolved a little, he can help Mu Fan and Lei Wei a little.

"'him'?" Lei Wei asked.

"Ah. The boatman." Shi Yi muttered and Qi Bai nodded.

"Who is this boatman? Another disciple of your sect?" Huo Ling asked.

"No." Luo Zhilai shook his head. "He is a disciple of Huai Sen." He answered.

Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yin and Qi Bai. "…" wait. Weren't Huai Sen's disciples all dead, including Zhuo Xia?! They thought and looked at Luo Zhilai in shock. Then, they turned to look at Jiang Ci, Rong Huai and Lu Xiu. Seeing them nodded, they were stunned.

Seeing their shocked expressions, Luo Zhilai spoke to explain. "This matter is a bit complicated…" he said. "Well, to be precise, Huai Sen is my father, Luo Zhou…" he looked at them.

Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yin and Qi Bai. "…" how is this a 'bit' complicated?! This is TOO complicated! They thought and looked at him.

Luo Zhilai coughed. "More than a decade ago, my father wanted to cultivate in the mountain." He started. "He has chosen the Snow Clouds Spring Blossoms Mountain, since the weather there is cool and the environment is good. So, he left the sect to his right-hand man and the right-hand man said that his son was actually there, studying medicine alone after his mother died, so his son can help my father around the mountain." He explained.

"This son…" they said.

Luo Zhilai nodded. "Yes. He is the boatman." He said. "Father wants to cultivate in peace, so he made an alias 'Huai Sen'. After he fend off the nuisances and assured that there would be no troubles, he had the right-hand man's son act as him, as 'Huai Sen'." He explained.. "But, our sect was attacked, so…" he didn't need to continue since they can already guess.