Chapter 13 May my merits bless you in your next life.

Finally, with tears in her eyes, Xiao Wanxing hugged each and every one of them.

She walked up to Xiao Zhengqing first. This usually dignified father was now hunched over, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

She reached out and hugged him, feeling his broad shoulders trembling slightly.

“Dad, don’t be sad…” she whispered, her voice as soft as the wind, “In the next life, I still want to be your daughter.”

Xiao Zhengqing gritted his teeth, his eyes red, but he didn't let the tears fall. He just gave a heavy "hmm".

Rough, large hands gently stroked the top of her head, as if to remember this moment forever.

Next up is Xiao Yizhou.

Her brother, who was always aloof, was staring intently at her now, his eyes filled with suppressed pain.

She reached out and hugged him, feeling the tension in his muscles, as if he was using all his strength to hold himself together and not break down.

“Brother…” she gently patted his back, “Don’t be like this, smile, okay? You look the best when you smile.”

Xiao Yizhou's Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end he simply closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "...Okay."

Finally, there's Jiang Yubai.

She had just walked up to him when he pulled her into his arms.

His arms tightened around her, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

His chest heaved violently, his heart pounding so loudly it seemed it would shatter at any moment.

“Wanxing…” His voice was hoarse and nasal, “You can’t do this…you can’t…”

She looked up at him, reached out and touched his face, her fingertips wiping away his hot tears.

"Brother Yu Bai..." she called softly, her eyes filled with reluctance, "Promise me you'll live well, okay?"

Jiang Yubai shook his head, then suddenly lowered his head and kissed her lips fiercely.

The kiss carried a desperate force, as if it were pouring out all the unspoken love and all the promises that could not be fulfilled into this moment.

His lips were burning hot, while hers were icy cold, like a fusion of ice and fire, brief yet unforgettable.

"In the next life..." he said, his voice trembling as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"In the next life, we still want to be together. Promise me."

Xiao Wanxing smiled, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Okay," she whispered in agreement. "In the next life, we'll definitely be together."

The farewell is over.

Shen Yuepo stepped forward slowly and chanted a spell in a low voice.

In an instant, a cold wind suddenly rose in the living room, and a pitch-black ghost gate slowly appeared in the void, with a chilling aura of the underworld emanating from the crack in the gate.

Xiao Wanxing stood in front of the door, turned back to take one last look at her family, her eyes filled with reluctance, yet also with a sense of relief.

Shen Yuepo closed her eyes and focused her mind, her fingertips lightly touching her brow.

A wisp of golden light peeled away from her body—

That was the golden light of her accumulated merits over many years.

"May my merits bless you in your next life—"

She chanted softly, flicked her finger, and the golden light flew towards Xiao Wanxing like a shooting star, merging into her soul.

May you have peace, prosperity, and happiness.

Although Xiao Wanxing also had golden light on her body, it was ultimately no match for the blessing of a cultivator.

Xiao Wanxing's soul was gradually enveloped in golden light, her figure grew fainter and fainter, and finally turned into specks of starlight, dissipating into the Gate of Hell.

The gates of hell slowly closed.

In the living room, only deathly silence and suppressed sobs remained.

After a long while, the suppressed sobs gradually subsided.

Xiao Zhengqing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and took out a black gold card from the inside pocket of his suit, handing it to Shen Yuepo.

"Miss Shen, here is fifty million as a thank you gift."

His voice was hoarse and low, "Thank you... for allowing Xing'er to come back and say goodbye to us, and for letting us know the truth."

Madam Xiao's eyes were red, and she echoed in a trembling voice:

"Yes, Miss Shen, please accept this... It's a small token of our appreciation."

Shen Yuepo's face was somewhat pale. Her gaze lingered on the card for a moment, but she did not reach out.

She shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"No need." Her voice was cool, yet gentle. "Xiao Wanxing has already paid the payment."

The Xiao family was taken aback.

Jiang Yubai frowned slightly and asked in a hoarse voice, "What do you mean?"

Shen Yuepo raised her hand, her fingertips gently twirling, and a wisp of pale golden light flowed between her fingers, warm and pure.

"Before her soul dissipated, she bestowed upon me the remaining golden light of merit from her soul," she explained softly. "This was her final act of kindness, and also the best reward."

Upon hearing this, Madam Xiao's tears welled up again, and she choked out, "Xing'er... she was so sensible even when she left..."

Xiao Yizhou stood to the side, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his eyes churning with complex emotions.

He was about to speak when his phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced down at the screen, his eyes suddenly turning cold.

——Shen Wangchuan.

He pressed the answer button, his voice as cold as ice: "Shen Wangchuan."

On the other end of the phone, Shen Wangchuan's voice was as calm and gentle as ever: "Yizhou, I've heard about you..."

Xiao Yizhou sneered, interrupting his unfinished words, a surge of ferocity in his eyes:

"Shen Wangchuan! Tell me, why is my sister's body in the lake at your Shen family villa?"

The air froze instantly.

On the other end of the phone, Shen Wangchuan seemed stunned as well. After a two-second silence, his voice suddenly turned cold: "...You're saying that corpse is Wanxing?!"

"Don't play dumb." Xiao Yizhou said slowly and deliberately, his voice icy. "Shen Wangchuan, the Shen family must give me an explanation for this matter."

Shen Wangchuan's voice turned completely cold: "Yizhou, I, Shen Wangchuan, never bother with concealment in my actions. I knew nothing about this matter."

He paused, his tone solemn, "But since it involves my Shen family, I will definitely investigate thoroughly."

Xiao Yizhou sneered: "That's for the best."

The phone call ended, and the living room fell into a deathly silence.

Xiao Zhengqing slowly stood up, his eyes terrifyingly gloomy: "The Shen family... Ha, what a Shen Yurou!"