Chapter 277: Are Both the Master and the Sword Traitors?

A stream of blue and red light, imbued with the power of flood and fire, clashed beneath the ceiling, tearing apart the tendrils reaching for Jiang Li. Steam condensed into droplets, falling like a gentle rain.

Seeing the spell’s effect even with less than a full amplification, Lu Yibei couldn’t help but murmur, “Wow! The ancestors’ spell is impressive!”

Initially, when Qing Ji taught her the “Flowing Bell Fire,” he claimed it was a simplified version of the “Four Beasts Bright Sky Cannon.”

Having experienced the “Youth Simplified Power Leveling,” Lu Yibei was wary of such claims, so she didn’t have high expectations for the spell at first.

It was like drawing cards; the higher the expectation, the quicker the disappointment.

However, when she cast the spell with a mindset of expecting nothing more than blue skies and white clouds, she was pleasantly surprised to find a Golden Epic, which made her ecstatic.

As the light from the “Flowing Bell Fire” collided above Jiang Li’s head, she took advantage of the gap created among the tangled tendrils, crouched low, and propelled herself forward on the smooth floor, sliding a considerable distance to successfully retrieve the guitar case.

Only then did she have a brief moment to glance meaningfully at Lu Yibei.

Why would a haunting use a precision spell formation from The Midnight Watchers Society?

Moreover, the incantation she used…

Who taught her that? Jiang Li wondered.

The incantation Lu Yibei used wasn’t the standard one from The Midnight Watchers Society.

In fact, just like mathematical equations, where different methods can lead to the same solution, theoretically, the same spell might have multiple casting methods.

While “Flowing Bell Fire” is indeed one of the standard precision spell formations prepared by The Midnight Watchers Society for their operators, Lu Yibei’s incantation wasn’t among the documented ones.

“Dim skies, cold winds rise, tearing through the clouds, snow as far as the eye can see. North Wind and White Snow!”

As Jiang Li was momentarily dazed, a bone-chilling cold suddenly emerged around her. In an instant, a howling wind carrying powdery ice crystals swept past her.

The powder expanded upon contact with the pale tendrils beside her, transforming into icy blue waves that spread around.

“North Wind and White Snow,” another spell recorded by The Midnight Watchers Society, was cast by Lu Yibei using a different incantation.

Jiang Li dodged the tendrils sweeping overhead, advanced a few steps, steadied herself, and looked at Lu Yibei, tilting her head with even greater curiosity in her large eyes.

“…”

Don’t look at me like that!

After all, once you start drawing cards and get something good, how could you easily stop?

It’s human nature to keep going and show off when you get a good card!

Lu Yibei thought to herself, shrugging expressionlessly and pointing to the guitar case beside Jiang Li.

“Buzz-!”

Just as Jiang Li successfully retrieved the guitar case and was about to return, a terrifying hum suddenly exploded in the surrounding space.

The haunting residing within Xingfu Community, initially appearing in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, had been attacking on instinct.

However, after Lu Yibei repeatedly used spells to block its attacks, it awoke!

The surrounding candle flames extinguished with a shriek, plunging the area into darkness, an eerie depth enveloping the entire space.

With the shriek, a choking smoke spread, and the air filled with countless pale, cold, and feather-light tendrils, gently swaying like countless sleeves of a costume blown by the wind.

They surged toward Lu Yibei and Jiang Li, like a swarm of courting snakes, twisting and piling up, almost instantly surrounding them.

As the sound transitioned from dull to sharp and terrifying, Lu Yibei felt as if her head had been struck by a hammer, her body stiffening, dizziness overwhelming her, with strange illusions flashing before her eyes.

In a daze, she seemed to see a young man standing on the streets of Jinguan City-that was the seventeen-year-old Lu Yibei.

He was discussing with his father which internet café to go to for gaming that night, as if the suggestion to rush to the next scenic spot overnight had never been made.

The next day, the sun rose as usual over the city outside the internet café.

Thus, his life restarted.

In the days that followed, under his father’s guidance, he entered the Chinese Language Department at Hua City University of Technology, nearly failing in his first year.

It wasn’t that he didn’t study seriously; it was just that Professor Ma was too strict, and many in the class failed.

Everyone complained about Professor Ma behind his back, but no one had much interaction with him, so when he mysteriously disappeared while advancing a research project, no one cared.

The mundane days of university, though more tedious than Lu Yibei imagined, weren’t too unbearable, except for the frequent late-night gaming sessions that once gave him conjunctivitis.

On the day he went to see the doctor, he took a taxi home. As the taxi slowly drove through the streets, far outside the window, in an inconspicuous corner, a person wearing a rabbit headgear was continuously ignored by passersby, looking somewhat pitiful.

Lu Yibei couldn’t help but say to the taxi driver, “People have it tough these days, handing out flyers in the heat, and no one takes one.”

The taxi driver glanced out the window, paused for a moment, then looked at Lu Yibei with a strange expression, “Yeah, it’s tough.”

The days that followed were uneventful.

Classes, exams, gaming, and before he knew it, graduation season arrived.

Lu Yibei graduated smoothly, and Lu Ming, relieved of his burden, finally one day said, “Yibei, you’ve grown up. It’s time for me to pursue the life I want!”

And with Shui-Ge, arm in arm, they disappeared into the sunset, leaving Lu Yibei with a chill in his heart.

In the days that followed, he ran the restaurant his father left behind, and thanks to his inherited culinary skills, business thrived. Within a couple of years, he saved enough to plan a renovation and expansion of the restaurant.

Business was booming, but Lu Yibei’s life remained as plain as a bowl of water.

The only ripple in this bowl of water was the girl who, ever since he took over the restaurant, came every night, rain or shine, to eat a bowl of instant noodles.

Though she had a leg disability and always used a cane, she was truly gentle, beautiful, and even praised Lu Yibei as the “Mudan Street Yanzu.”

Finally, on the evening when the restaurant closed for renovation, Lu Yibei watched the girl, who seemed disappointed as she read the “Closed for Renovation” sign, and mustered the courage to bring her a bowl of instant noodles, holding a ring box, and approached her.

“Jiang Li, I have something to tell you…”

“I do.”

From then on, it was a long journey, growing old together.

Pale tendrils wrapped around Lu Yibei’s head, slithering as if searching for a soft spot to root into.

The tendrils’ pores opened and closed, emitting sharp jaw harp sounds, crafting dreams that forcefully invaded her mind, constantly disrupting her thoughts.

Amidst the mind-disturbing music, though there were no exact words, it persistently conveyed a tempting message-Is this the life you desire? Offer your remaining years, and it shall be yours.

“Life is long… Besides, I didn’t even like that dream!” Lu Yibei mumbled, sounding as if she were drunk, her body swaying, eyes unfocused.

The haunting, “…”

Not liking it is fine; among your countless life possibilities, there will always be one you absolutely love.

It will be found, and you will be immersed in it, finding happiness.

Just like everyone else here.

The Last Light in the Dark Night.

At some point, people began to refer to Hua City this way, rumored to be because it housed the only haunting that protected humanity.

Du Sixian sold off those dozen or so long-vacant properties at a bargain, just to secure a spot with a freight convoy heading to Hua City.

However, less than a hundred kilometers from Hua City, the convoy was attacked by a haunting, scattered, their fates unknown.

Now, she and the last remaining driver were racing down the long-abandoned national highway in the last truck, as if their lives depended on it.

Outside, chilling sobs echoed, and the thick fog ahead seemed inescapable.

“Boom-!”

Suddenly, something exploded in the valley ahead, a loud bang echoing.

The next moment, a dazzling crimson light shot up from the valley, dragging long trails of flame as it descended toward the dark earth below.

Du Sixian widened her eyes, staring intently at the radiant brilliance, glimpsing through the rain and fog the figure resembling a falling sun, drawing closer.

It was a petite red-haired girl.

In an instant, the red-haired girl landed on the road ahead, swinging a long blade that erupted with blinding brilliance.

In that light, the cumbersome truck seemed to disassemble, shattering inch by inch, the cutting wind and flying metal shards forcing Du Sixian to close her eyes.

In the darkness, she felt herself fall into a warm and solid embrace.

After a long while, she opened her eyes and saw the expressionless boy.

The boy softly said to her, “Miss, you’re safe now. Welcome to ‘The Last Light in the Dark Night.’ I am the master here.”

Mudan Street, inside the Folk Culture Administration Bureau, in the control room, Lu Yibei shouted into the microphone.

“Hua City Midnight Watchers Society internal broadcast, Hua City Midnight Watchers Society internal broadcast-!”

“The son of the legendary Lu Ming, Lu Yibei, that’s me, has won the championship in the 13th Hundred Cities Psychic Energy Exchange Competition.”

“To thank everyone for their support, let’s have a dinner party tonight!”

“I’ll cook myself!”

As the sun set, atop the tower on Mudan Street.

Nanling Rao Hua, with her back to Lu Yibei, choked up, “Don’t you know, I don’t want to marry him at all, I just want to be with you!”

“…” Lu Yibei looked at her back and nodded, “Alright, then let’s elope!”

Just as he finished speaking, footsteps echoed from the tower stairs. Turning to look, he saw Gou Meng and Gu Qianqian hurriedly arriving.

Seeing the scene, Gou Meng held back Gu Qianqian, whispering, “Let’s go, we came at a bad time.”

“No! You came at the perfect time!” Lu Yibei turned and said to them, then mischievously opened his arms and walked toward them.

The haunting’s process of analyzing Lu Yibei’s life possibilities, seeking the path she would be most satisfied with, continued.

Gradually, its gray and swollen body began to convulse uncontrollably, flickering between reality and illusion.

It didn’t know what it had inadvertently glimpsed.

It only knew it had never seen a life with so many diverse possibilities.

Usually, when it tempted other residents of Xingfu Community, based on the few crucial choices in each person’s life, there were at most a few thousand possibilities.

After filtering out the unfortunate options, truly fulfilling and satisfying lives often numbered less than a hundred.

But this person…

The pivotal points in her life were so numerous it defied logic, with over a thousand happy endings alone.

Moreover, it didn’t know what kind of misfortune plagued her, but the proportion of Bad Ends in her life was hundreds of times that of a normal person, and as the analysis continued, the number kept increasing.

Those countless terrifying, bleak, heart-wrenching, world-destroying, and even incomprehensible, untouchable, unanalyzable endings, the information was so overwhelming it nearly burst its core entity.

Its core entity was on the verge of collapse, but once the process began, it couldn’t stop; the arrow was on the string, and it had to be released, so it could only hold on.

At that moment, it suddenly saw, in one of Lu Yibei’s life branches, a conclusion where she and a high-tier haunting perished together.

And that haunting was the “benefactor” that had helped it strengthen its core entity, gain power, and bring “happiness” to more people!

Why would this happen?

The haunting’s core entity trembled, its psychic energy chaotic, and in its shock and confusion, the high-pitched jaw harp sound vanished for a moment.

Controlled by the pale tendrils, Lu Yibei’s body twitched, as if about to awaken.

In its panic, as the haunting prepared to resume the jaw harp, a mournful Erhu melody suddenly played, a tune of “Good Luck Comes.”

The melody poured into her ears, disrupting the jaw harp’s sound, and Lu Yibei’s body trembled slightly. In the next moment, her vacant eyes gradually regained clarity.

Steadying herself, she looked in the direction of the melody, seeing Jiang Li, clad in bright silver armor, standing amidst the swirling pale tendrils, playing the Erhu and raising an eyebrow at her.

【Can you play? [heart emoji]】

Lu Yibei nodded.

【A little! [heart emoji]】

Seeing this, Jiang Li frowned slightly, and in the gap of a transition, she flicked her foot at the suona by her feet, kicking it over.

Lu Yibei reached out, caught the suona flying toward her, looked at Jiang Li, nodded slightly, and silently put on round-framed sunglasses, then slowly brought the suona to her lips, taking a deep breath.

“Toot-!”

As the first note was played, the sound, with immense penetration, flowed like a cascade, echoing throughout the space.

The melodies of the suona and Erhu continuously emerged, serene like a spring, bringing all souls to peace.

Simply listening, there was a faint sense of bringing the long-tormented dead to their deserved release.

The haunting’s massive body, occupying the vast space, ceased its movements.

Though she didn’t understand the principle behind the haunting’s actions being suppressed by music, Lu Yibei was delighted to see the music working, and she signaled to Jiang Li from afar.

【Change the tune?】

Jiang Li rolled her eyes in exasperation.

【Can’t say no to you.】

So, Lu Yibei suddenly played a long note, then shifted the tune from “Good Luck Comes” to “Requiem.”

“…”

Jiang Li was silent for two seconds, sighed silently, and followed Lu Yibei’s rhythm.

In the ensemble’s music, the countless pale, cold tendrils tightened, and the once-massive gray body occupying nearly the entire activity center shrank tenfold.

The shriveled tendrils rooted in the heads of the wandering Xingfu Community residents, suspending them in mid-air, swaying like fruits.

The wooden nameless tombstones trembled, colliding with each other, producing muffled sounds, and thick smoke billowed from its skeletal body.

The lingering resentful spirits weaved through the smoke, wailing, sobbing, and growling, painting the surroundings in a gray and oppressive hue.

Seeing the haunting’s actions completely suppressed, Lu Yibei looked at Jiang Li, preparing to signal her to start the assault and slay the haunting, only to see her put down the Erhu, flick her wrist, and with a flash of azure light, a long blade appeared in her hand.

In the next moment, Jiang Li stepped forward, leaping into the air, accompanied by the fleeting shadow of a white Centaur behind her, raising the blade, azure light flowing along the silver blade.

“Ding-!”

Just as the blade was about to strike the haunting’s body, a metallic clashing sound suddenly echoed.

A Broken Sword appeared beneath Jiang Li’s blade, where the sword and blade met, rippling with invisible waves.

A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and she rotated her wrist, attempting to change direction and strike the haunting again, only to be blocked by the Broken Sword once more.

She recognized that Broken Sword; it belonged to Lu Yibei. She had seen it when she opened the guitar case earlier.

In her astonishment, she turned to look at Lu Yibei, signaling with her eyes.

【Explain this? What’s going on?】

Lu Yibei looked bewildered at the ancient sword, then at Jiang Li, shaking her head vigorously.

【I don’t know! Could it have betrayed us?】

Jiang Li facepalmed, “…”

Both the master and the sword are traitors? Unbelievable, betraying at such a crucial moment?