After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Xie Jinchen stared intently at the increasingly clear phantom of the Emperor Soul in the air, and at the center of the phantom, Shi Qinglian.

A near-mad idea flashed through his mind like lightning.

Since the malevolent energy within him could previously devour the Yin and evil spirits, then... could this Emperor Soul, which contains death energy and resentment, also...?

He abruptly turned his head to look at Master Xuanji, and asked in rapid succession:

"Senior, since we cannot seal it, what if we use evil to draw evil into my body, using my own body as a furnace to temporarily contain and even attempt to assimilate this Emperor Soul's death energy?"

Upon hearing this, Master Xuanji glared at Xie Jinchen, "Using your body as a furnace to draw in evil energy? Are you insane?!"

His voice was hoarse, "Theoretically... it might be possible to temporarily attract it using the evil energy within you, but this is extremely dangerous and would result in certain death! This imperial soul contains the death energy and resentment of a hundred-year-old emperor, and its power far surpasses that of ordinary ghosts."

"Your foundation is unstable. Though your will is firm, how long can you withstand the erosion of the emperor's resentment and deathly aura?"

"A single misstep could result in the soul being instantly eroded, the body becoming a vessel of death energy, consciousness annihilated, and transforming into a monster that knows only slaughter, even more terrifying than Shi Qinglian!"

"Xie Jinchen, you can't!" Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng grabbed Xie Jinchen's arm tightly.

Xie Dai also stepped forward, blocking Xie Jinchen's path, and said decisively:

"No! I promised your mother I would never let you die before me!"

A resolute glint flashed in Xie Dai's eyes, and without hesitation, he pulled out a jade pendant from his robes.

The jade pendant was dark blue-green, and in the deathly atmosphere, it faintly emitted spatial fluctuations.

"This is the Xie family's ancestral heirloom, the Serpent Void Pendant." Xie Dai spoke rapidly, "Using my blood as a catalyst, it can briefly open a small spatial passage for instantaneous teleportation over a thousand miles. Take them and leave immediately!"

He paused, his gaze passing over Xie Jinchen and landing on the mountain hollow hidden in the thickest part of the fog. His voice lowered, yet carried an unusual calm:

"I... will stay here. To keep your mother company."

"What about the people of Qingwu City?" Xie Jinchen didn't look at the jade pendant, but stared intently into Xie Dai's eyes, his voice dry, "The death energy of the Emperor Soul erupted, extinguishing all life within a radius of several miles. Qingwu City is right at the foot of the mountain."

Xie Dai paused for a moment, avoiding his gaze, but gripped the jade pendant even tighter.

His silence has already given the answer.

Faced with an impossible choice, he chose to protect Xie Jinchen, as for the people of Qingwu City…

Perhaps in his heart, the person in front of him was far more important, or perhaps he was powerless and could only make this most selfish choice.

Xuanji Zhenren looked up at the almost completely solidified Emperor Soul phantom in the air, and at the figure of Shi Qinglian within the phantom, which was gradually being swallowed by the purplish-black death aura, and said urgently:

"Make a decision quickly! In less than half an incense stick's time, the Emperor's Soul and his Divine Soul will completely merge and explode, and the death energy will be unrestrained! At that time, the space will be chaotic, and this jade pendant may not be able to activate. Even a god cannot save it!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng abruptly turned around, looking at Xie Jinchen. His voice pierced through the deathly sobs and Xuanji Zhenren's urging, each word striking Xie Jinchen's heart:

"Xie Jinchen, have you forgotten the death pact we made? To live and die together, our souls linked. You said that even in death, you would take me with you on the road to the underworld and across the River of Oblivion."

Jiang Dusheng's tone suddenly became unusually calm, "If you dare to let me leave alone..."

She looked directly into Xie Jinchen's eyes, "Xie Jinchen, I swear, I, Jiang Dusheng, in this life, and even in the eternity after my soul dissipates, will never have any possibility with you again."

Xie Jinchen was shocked upon hearing this.

He slowly looked into Jiang Dusheng's incredibly stubborn eyes, which at this moment showed no fear, only a clear and resolute gaze.

Eyes facing each other.

The world around us was constantly withering, but in that instant, time seemed to stand still.

A thousand words are unnecessary; they already understand each other's feelings.

Xie Jinchen suddenly chuckled softly, his smile filled with nothing but endless tenderness and relief.

He turned his hand around and gripped Jiang Dusheng's hand that was holding his arm tightly. Their fingers intertwined and their skin pressed together, as if they wanted to merge their life force together.

Xie Jinchen took a deep breath, turned to Xie Dai, and spoke in a terrifyingly calm voice, devoid of any emotion:

"Okay, let's go. Open the spatial portal."

This sudden compliance startled Xie Dai, who was under extreme tension, causing his taut nerves to relax slightly involuntarily.

Xie Dai had no time to think it through and immediately focused all his attention on the jade pendant.

Without hesitation, he slashed his palm, and bright red blood gushed out instantly. Xie Dai gripped the jade pendant tightly, silently chanting:

"Heaven and earth are upside down, and snakes lurk in the abyss."

"Blood as the guide, soul as the proof, pave the way for our people, and vanish without a trace!"

As the incantation was recited, the blood-stained jade pendant suddenly burst forth with a strong cyan light.

The light quickly formed a constantly fluctuating cyan vortex.

"Quick! The passage won't last long. Guards without spiritual power, get out first." Xie Jinchen immediately spoke, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The remaining Xie family guards knew that the situation was critical and that every second of delay could cut off their only way out.

They gave Xie Jinchen and Xie Dai a deep look, without any pretense or nonsense, and, enduring their injuries, leaped one after another into the cyan vortex, their figures instantly swallowed up.

As soon as the last guard disappeared into the passage, Xie Jinchen and Jiang Dusheng moved at the same time.

The two moved swiftly and coordinated perfectly, striking simultaneously from the left and right at the moment when the light in the passage was at its brightest.

Jiang Dusheng flung out two spirit-binding talismans from his hand, which transformed into two strands of light that bound Xuanji Zhenren's waist and hands.

Master Xuanji was focused on the stability of the passage and the Emperor Soul in the air, never expecting that his beloved disciple would suddenly attack him.

Caught off guard, he was tightly bound by the light rope, and the magical power within him, which was preparing for a final stand, suddenly froze.

Xie Jinchen was more direct. He used his remaining internal energy and instantly pointed his finger at several major acupoints on Xie Dai's body.

Xie Dai was already exhausted from opening the passage, and his mind was focused on the passage. He never expected that Xie Dai would suddenly attack him.

Xie Dai didn't even have time to react. He felt a numbness and pain in several acupoints, his blood and qi stagnated instantly, and his body stiffened on the spot, unable to move.

His eyes were filled with disbelief and a sudden surge of rage.

"Walk!"

Xie Jinchen let out a low shout, and together with Jiang Dusheng, one grabbed Xuanji Zhenren, who was temporarily restrained, and the other supported Xie Dai, whose acupoints were sealed. With all their might, they pushed them into the cyan vortex passage.

"Traitor!"

The moment Xuanji Zhenren was pushed into the passage, he roared in shock and anger, and his figure was swallowed by the blue light.

"Chen'er! No!"

Xie Dai's eyes were bloodshot, but he could only watch helplessly as his body flew uncontrollably toward the passage.

The last thing that caught my eye was Xie Jinchen's resolute turn as he stood side by side with Jiang Dusheng.