Chapter 58: Before the End, the Storm is Brewing

"I disagree!"

As soon as Zhou Ziheng finished speaking, Xi Bingyi quickly interrupted him.

"You're going to face Xi Ling all by yourself? Are you crazy!" In her desperation, she even called her father by his given name. "You know perfectly well that Xi Ling's target is you, and you still do this?"

"This is no 'scheme,' it's clearly walking into a trap!"

Xi Bingyi even thought that her senior brother had a problem with his intelligence, otherwise how could he say such stupid things?

Huo Qin also frowned, looking disapproving.

He paced back and forth anxiously, and although he didn't say anything, anyone could sense his unhappiness.

Zhou Ziheng smiled and made a reassuring gesture: "It's precisely because Xi Ling needs me that I can be so fearless, isn't it? As long as you keep a close eye on Aunt Mei's body, no matter what tricks he tries, he won't be able to cause any trouble."

Even Xi Bingyi's eyes widened at the absurdity of these words: "Are you out of your mind? If you were taken hostage by Xi Ling, wouldn't we just have to surrender?"

Huo Qin also said, "Even if we take good care of Aunt Mei's body, what can we do? We can't take the ice coffin away, and we certainly won't do anything to harm the body!"

Only then did Zhou Ziheng compromise and back down: "Then let Bingyi stay with me, and Huo Qin take care of the body."

"You should be relieved that two of you are handling Xi Ling, right?"

Xi Bingyi and Huo Qin frowned, feeling that something was amiss.

Zhou Ziheng continued to coax, "With Xi Bingyi around, Xi Ling won't back down, so we have a better chance, right?"

...That seems to make sense. Besides, even if Xi Ling really doesn't care about me, having two people around will at least provide some support.

Xi Bingyi thought about it more and more and felt that it made more sense, and that this should be the most feasible solution.

However, Huo Qin frowned and asked hesitantly, "You wouldn't... be trying to get rid of me, would you?"

Zhou Ziheng spoke righteously, putting on a hurt expression: "How could you think of me like that!"

Is that how you see me?

Huo Qin: "..."

"Alright." Huo Qin compromised, thinking that even if he wasn't there, with Xi Bingyi around, there shouldn't be any major problems.

"On the fifteenth, I will guard Aunt Mei's ice coffin."

Seeing that he had agreed, Zhou Ziheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He sent Huo Qin away, and just when Xi Ling thought he was about to succeed, he committed suicide, shattering all of Xi Ling's hopes.

Give him hope, then let him despair, so that Xi Ling can see the true essence of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.

From now on, there will be no more curses or separations in the world, and Zhegui will be buried here forever.

Zhou Ziheng looked relaxed, as if he had fulfilled a wish.

"Great, we will definitely end it all."

Huo Qin nodded, clenching the bone in his little finger.

Back in the bamboo forest, Zhou Ziheng was seriously injured and lost control, accidentally severing his finger bone.

The curse of killing to obtain bones has been broken. Now that the bones are in hand, as long as Zhou Ziheng "accidentally" kills him, the curse of Zhegui will naturally be lifted, and everything will come to an end.

Xi Bingyi was also thinking at this moment:

She wanted to take down the hanging Liang-Zhu couplet, shatter her father's beautiful illusion, and tell him the truth about her mother's death.

She wanted to shatter Xi Ling's dreams completely, and with that Liang Zhu sword, she would personally kill Xi Ling and end everything.

The three of them secretly plotted for a while, until the night was deep and the dew was heavy, and the air was getting colder, before they left together.

Meanwhile, Yao Guang was having a headache, wondering how to tell Zhou Ziheng about the "Mirror of Past Lives".

This group of people are elusive; now they've disappeared again.

Yao Guang looked around from the roof of Xibao, but couldn't find any trace of Zhou Ziheng.

She was helpless. The Cloud Rainbow Scissors were in Xi Bingyi's hands, and she certainly wouldn't take them back. The Mirror of Past Lives was also difficult to deal with. Who would have thought that Xi Ling would have so many treasures?

How can we prevent Zhou Ziheng from falling into danger...?

Her thoughts drifted back to many years ago, a week after Mei Zhiying's death.

Mei Zhiying died in winter. At that time, she was sent out to find the whereabouts of Tian Xuelian. She had just obtained a little clue when she learned that Mei Zhiying had died.

At that time, the last letter sent by Mei Zhiying had just reached Yao Guang's hands. The next moment, she learned from the martial arts world that the master of Plum Blossom Manor, who was most skilled in forging, had passed away.

Yao Guang's first reaction was disbelief.

The warm letter was still in her hand. How could Mei Zhiying have left so suddenly?

Moreover, although Mei Zhiying's health has not been very good in recent years, it has not reached the point of being on its last legs. Besides, she asked me to go find Tianxuelian just a few days ago!

How could someone who had been so persistent in trying to save Huo Yunfeng for years suddenly pass away?

Yao Guang ran himself to death with three horses before finally returning to Xibao from the far north.

Even so, she still didn't make it to Mei Zhiying's burial.

In the light drizzle, Yao Guang stood at the entrance of Xibao, only able to see Xi Ling's desperate and sorrowful eyes.

Xi Ling didn't see her; she was only focused on the Butterfly Lovers in her hand.

Yao Guang felt a pang of pity and was about to step forward to comfort Xi Ling when she heard him say to Yu Xijun:

"I won't let Zhiying leave me."

"I want to resurrect her."

Yao Guang suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Yu Xijun's voice then rang out: "Resurrection? How is that possible?"

Xi Ling's voice was calm and composed, without the slightest fluctuation.

"Zhiying and I searched through ancient books to cure Huo Yunfeng's curse."

“I gave him a chance and told him that he could live as long as he killed Ning Hanshuang.”

"But he was unwilling."

Xi Ling's figure was blurred by the rain, dark and indistinct, like a wild beast, making it impossible for Yao Guang to see clearly.

He continued, "Since he doesn't want to live, why doesn't he help me revive Zhiying?"

Yu Xijun still didn't understand, and she asked cautiously, "Help you... to revive?"

Xi Ling's voice grew softer and softer, more and more ethereal: "Legend has it that the spirit of the person who wins the laurel wreath and is cursed can resurrect a person..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yao Guang already understood the whole story and was so shocked that she lost her breath.

"Who's there?!" Yu Xijun reacted quickly and immediately grabbed Yao Guang.

Only after seeing Yao Guang's face clearly did Yu Xijun loosen her grip on her arm.

She asked in confusion, "Yaoguang? You're too late. Sister Zhiying has already been buried."

Yao Guang ignored her and silently gazed at Xi Ling in the rain.

Xi Ling's face was both calm and insane.

He asked with a smile, "You heard that? So, what do you think? Want to join?"

"Let's revive Zhiying together!!"

It was only then that Yao Guang realized the meaning of the sentence in Mei Zhiying's letter: "Xi Ling has gone mad, please help me stop him."

The rain streaked across the room, and the sunlight shivered in the cold.

“But…” Yao Guang’s gaze fell on the Butterfly Lovers in Xi Ling’s hand.

She wanted to say that Liang Zhu was clearly a sword used to symbolize a love suicide, didn't you understand its meaning?

But when she saw Xi Ling's crazed eyes, she immediately swallowed her words.

Yao Guang thought about it seriously for a moment, then gently advised, "But Huo Yunfeng is also your friend, isn't he?"

Xi Ling was stunned for a moment.

Then he smiled and said, "That's right, Huo Yunfeng is Mei Zhiying's friend. Since he lost control and stabbed Mei Zhiying, he should be willing to make amends to his friend with his own life, and he shouldn't refuse."

Yao Guang: "..."

She had no doubt that if she chose to refuse, given Xi Ling's madness, she would simply kill her.

Even if he escaped, it wouldn't stop his unwavering determination.

That would be better...

Yao Guang nodded: "Okay, I'll help you revive Mei Zhiying."

Xi Ling smiled.

Yao Guang thought this was the end, but she never expected that Xi Ling would bring her a poison that very night.

Xi Ling: "We haven't spent much time together, so I don't believe in your sincerity."

"This is a poison, and only I have the antidote. Only if you take it will I feel at ease and believe that you truly intend to revive Zhiying."

Yao Guang clenched his teeth.

Mei Zhiying's letter warmed her heart, burning with passion.

In the flickering candlelight and the slanting rain, she remembered Mei Zhiying rescuing her from human traffickers, and how Mei Zhiying provided her with food and helped her find a martial arts master.

"……good."

Yao Guang swallowed the poison.

A cold wind blew by, and Yao Guang's body trembled.

After thinking for a long time, she thought that since Mei Zhiying wanted Xi Ling to die for love, she would kill him to fulfill Mei Zhiying's wish.

As long as we can stall Yu Xijun...

In the dim light of day, Yao Guang left Xibao and flew away into the distance.

She didn't live in Shibburg, but bought a small house in the town of Zhuoxian.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Sirius had been waiting for a long time.

Previously, she had asked Tianlang to play the role of a tomb raider to lure Yu Xijun away so that she could be alone with Xi Bingyi.

Even now, she still needs to ask Tianlang to lure Yu Xijun away so that she can have a chance to kill Xi Ling.

Upon hearing this, Sirius's expression became complicated.

"Then what are you going to do? What about the poison in your body?"

Yao Guang stroked his chin: "Over the years, Yu Xijun and I have been monitoring Xiao Zhou day and night, and we also learned about Elder Qi's whereabouts during his travels."

"Once everything is settled, I will go to Elder Qi for an antidote."

"...We will retire from the martial world from now on."

Sirius gave her a deep look, and finally sighed, "Alright, you know I can never refuse you."

"I'll help you one last time, Yaoguang, we..."

The wind blew out the oil lamp, and the world was plunged into darkness.

...

The wilderness stood still in silence.

Looking up at the sky, even at night, you can see thick clouds.

It was like a dirty cotton quilt, pressing heavily onto the earth.

The air was heavy; a storm was brewing.

Tonight, everyone is sleepless. A sense of urgency swirls in everyone's heart. They all know that everything is about to end.

The curse that has plagued two generations is about to come to an end.