Showdown at the Ghost Realm Border

Su Xiaoxiao’s throat bobbed, her panic intensifying. She nervously clutched her sleeves, ignoring the words.

Xiyue’s brows subtly furrowed. The Ghost King also noticed that Su Xiaoxiao and the other young Mermaid looked rather pale. Only then did she truly register their fear, her gaze falling upon the dagger in the girl’s hand. She recalled that Mermaids feared sharp objects and surmised they must have been terrified.

“Since the young lady has already tested the medicine, perhaps you should put away the dagger,” the Ghost King suggested. “After all, the Mermaid beside you is quite frightened…”

Before the Ghost King could finish her sentence, the masked girl abruptly seized Su Xiaoxiao, pressing the dagger against her throat.

Xiyue’s pupils constricted. “What are you doing?!” she demanded, her voice cutting and cold.

“I don’t intend to do much,” the Fox-Masked Girl replied, a chilling edge to her tone. “Surely the Ghost King and the Demon King know best that Mermaids are rare. I just paid a million spirit stones for this one, didn’t I? Heh, do you two really think I’d easily let go of such a mountain of gold and silver right before my eyes?!”

The Fox-Masked Girl’s words dripped with malice and cunning. Yet, inwardly, she was exhilarated. She had only ever heard such threats from kidnappers in mortal tales; this was her first time trying it, and she found it rather amusing!

Xiyue’s hands had already transformed into sharp claws. She had no patience for idle chatter with such a person, nor did the girl deserve to hear it. All Xiyue wanted was to tear the Fox-Masked Girl to shreds. ‘What wretched creature dares to threaten my person?’

But the moment Xiyue made a move, the dagger pressed even tighter against Su Xiaoxiao’s delicate neck. One slight movement, and blood would surely flow.

Su Xiaoxiao gasped, a sharp intake of breath. ‘This acting… it’s far too realistic…’

Believing Su Xiaoxiao was truly terrified, Xiyue halted her movements. “That other young Mermaid beside her,” she stated coldly, “you can kill, dismember, or take her away. I don’t care.”

“But the one in your hand—if you wish to live, you will release her immediately. Otherwise, I will tear you to pieces, you little slut.”

The Ghost King froze, utterly bewildered. ‘What does she mean? Her Mermaid is important, but the other one can be killed or butchered?’

The Fox-Masked Girl showed no fear. Instead, she met Xiyue’s gaze, confronting her directly.

“Demon King, please be a lady,” the girl scoffed. “Why resort to insults? And are you threatening me? I’m not foolish! If I release her, will you truly let me leave the Ghost Realm unharmed?”

“By then, the lightest punishment would probably be having my limbs twisted off and being tossed to your demons as a plaything, wouldn’t it?”

“Release her? Impossible.”

Xiyue’s brow furrowed. Without a moment’s hesitation, she declared, “Release her, and I guarantee your safe passage out of the Ghost Realm. No one will touch you, not even the Ghost King.”

“No… Xiyue,” the Ghost King interjected, “if you do that, how am I to explain myself to the Mermaid tribe?!”

The Fox-Masked Girl blinked. ‘She’s defecting already? This… this isn’t how the script is supposed to go, is it?’

Su Xiaoxiao gazed at Xiyue, a swirl of emotions in her heart. As she looked at Xiyue’s stern face, a thought vaguely surfaced: ‘Is she… protecting me? Is she willing to turn against the Ghost King for my sake?’

The atmosphere grew tense and awkward, each person lost in their own thoughts.

A moment later, the Fox-Masked Girl spoke again. “No! I want both Mermaids! Not one less! Let us leave immediately, or else I…”

She raised her hand, seemingly poised to truly slit Su Xiaoxiao’s throat.

With the sharp blade pressed against her neck, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t afraid. Su Xiaoxiao instinctively pressed a hand to her lower abdomen, like a protective mother cat, and addressed Xiyue with a trembling voice. “Xi-Xiyue…”

Xiyue loathed threats more than anything in her life. In the past, she would not have hesitated, ensuring that anyone who dared threaten her would wish for death.

Yet now, Su Xiaoxiao was filled with terror, softly calling her name.

Though Xiyue disliked admitting it, she genuinely couldn’t bring herself to part with Su Xiaoxiao.

Her sharp claws clenched. Xiyue’s eyes glowed crimson, yet she conceded, “Very well. I will let you go, but once you are outside the Ghost Realm, you must release her.”

“I will not pursue you,” Xiyue continued. “As for the other Mermaid, I can also guarantee that you won’t be held accountable for her.”

“The condition is this: you must not harm my person. If even a single strand of Su Xiaoxiao’s hair is harmed, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth, through the heavens and the underworld. No matter where you hide, I will claim your life.”

Xiyue’s aura was overwhelmingly powerful. Naturally, the Fox-Masked Girl harbored reservations after hearing her words. “Fine!” she spat, gritting her teeth. “Let us leave! And don’t follow us!”

“Order your ghost soldiers to disperse and clear a path for them,” Xiyue commanded icily.

The Ghost King’s expression turned frigid. “You audacious little brat.”

Gritting her teeth, she addressed the demon soldiers who had encircled them. “Let them go!”

With Su Xiaoxiao still held by the Fox-Masked Girl, and the other young Mermaid, Jingling, trailing behind, they actually managed to pass through unhindered.

Even after escaping the Ghost City, the three of them dared not slow down, continuing to run at a frantic pace.

Su Xiaoxiao’s heart pounded faster and faster. Finally, as they neared the border of the Ghost Realm, she remembered the cinnabar-colored rune on her ankle.

The Fox-Masked Girl handed Su Xiaoxiao a small porcelain bottle, instructing her to apply its contents to her cursed ankle.

Su Xiaoxiao was breathless with exhaustion. Due to her pregnancy, her posture was somewhat awkward as she squatted down.

The Fox-Masked Girl noticed the young Mermaid beside her, unable to stand steadily and on the verge of collapsing. She immediately reached out to steady her. Jingling, held in her embrace, whimpered softly, “So thirsty, so tired, I wish I had some water…”

The Fox-Masked Girl did not push her away. “I’ll get you some water soon. Just hold on a little longer.”

From a small, dragon-emblazoned box, she retrieved another treasure, seemingly designed for escape. She crouched down and asked Su Xiaoxiao, “Are you ready?”

Su Xiaoxiao stood up and nodded.

“Good,” the girl said. “I’ll take you two immediately…”

Suddenly, she sensed a murderous intent from behind. She quickly pushed Jingling out of her embrace and shouted, “Watch out!”

Jingling tumbled to the ground. The Fox-Masked Girl raised her hand, using spiritual energy to block the incoming longsword, but she was no match for Xiyue.

She fell, rolling twice before coming to a stop, her mask shattering in the process.

Xiyue gently raised her hand, and the black longsword returned to her grasp. She sneered, “I wondered whose audacious idiot dared to cross me. To think it’s the Little Crown Princess of Shanghua Heaven.”

Xiyue concentrated her spiritual energy, and the longsword hovered in mid-air, pointed directly at the girl. “Since we’ve met, it serves you right for being so blind as to lay hands on my person.”

“But don’t worry,” she added, “I will send your corpse back to Shanghua Heaven, so Weili and Yunjie can give you a proper burial.”

As the girl tried to scramble up, Xiyue’s expression turned sinister. The black sword in her hand lunged towards the girl once more. “Stop!!!” Su Xiaoxiao screamed.

Xiyue did not halt. Even the girl knew she couldn’t evade it and prepared to close her eyes. But then, a flash of white light appeared, and a human-sized long saber materialized before her, clashing with Xiyue’s black sword in a tremendous roar of impact.

The black sword was blocked. The girl slowly opened her eyes, while Xiyue let out a cold huff.

The figure who descended had long, deep blue hair cascading down her back. Dressed in a plain white gown, the woman had a serene, cold countenance. She held a long saber crafted from silver-iron, her gaze fixed on Xiyue before her.

“Elder Yunjie…” Su Xiaoxiao murmured.

The girl was stunned. “Mother? You… why are you here?”

Yunjie looked at her daughter, who was still on the ground and hadn’t gotten up.

‘Thankfully…’

‘Thankfully, she arrived in time…’

‘What would have happened to her daughter if she had been even a moment later? It was truly unimaginable.’