Chapter 54

Chi You had never believed there could be another person in the world who possessed malice as pure as his own.

His evil had been born from rot and decay; even while alive, he had been like an evil ghost. How could there be another person with such malice?

What had Jiang Luo been through?

Chi You rose unconsciously, leaning in to scrutinize the expression on Jiang Luo's face.

Jiang Luo's narrow, beautiful eyes slowly filled with wicked red veins. Like blood coursing through them—cold, cruel, and full of depravity.

These eyes were undoubtedly beautiful and wild. Chi You asked curiously, 'Jiang Luo, what are you thinking?'

Jiang Luo looked at him, his gaze as if veiled by a blood-red mist.

He clearly felt his own state was wrong.

The other voice in his heart continued, 'He killed you eighteen times before. It's a miracle you didn't go insane. He brought you to this point—killing him is too simple. Isn't it more satisfying than killing him to toy with him further?'

'Break his pride, crush his dignity. Make the lofty evil ghost prostrate himself beneath you. Make him lose his usual coldness and cruelty. He'll grow anxious over a single word or glance from you, intoxicated by a smile or a casual compliment, even willing to give his life for it… Isn't that good?'

It sounded pretty good.

Jiang Luo said, 'Who told you to stand up?'

Chi You stared at him for a moment, then knelt back down on one knee.

Jiang Luo looked down at him.

The evil ghost was handsome. Under the gray sky, blood smeared his face, making him look not just handsome, but like a crazed, perverse murderer—bloody and twisted.

Even his smile seemed split in two. One half elegant and noble, the other half flashing with blades and blood.

The more entangled he became with Chi You, the more he could see the vast, overwhelming web behind him.

The more he understood how mysterious Chi You was.

And mystery always aroused a person's curiosity.

Jiang Luo lifted his foot carelessly, gently raising Chi You's chin.

His shoe was clean; the evil ghost's face was smeared with terrifying blood. The evil ghost hadn't expected such an insulting gesture. His brow lifted slightly as he watched Jiang Luo with interest.

Jiang Luo slowly bent forward. His wide Black Robe draped over the entire throne, making his figure seem even taller and slimmer.

'Chi You,' Jiang Luo looked down at this evil ghost, his foot pressing lightly down on a still-clean patch of the ghost's clothing. 'You're filthy. So filthy I don't even want to touch you.'

Chi You said, 'Is that so?'

He suddenly stood up and took a step forward. His hands pressed on the armrests, his body crowding into Jiang Luo's space. Before anyone could react, he pinned Jiang Luo into a small corner of the throne. With a hand stained with the foul blood of ghost beasts, he stroked Jiang Luo's cheek, leaving dirty streaks of blood.

Chi You looked down at him, his voice icy. 'What a pity. Now I've dirtied you too.'

Jiang Luo's breathing grew heavier.

On his clean face, a blood streak ran from the corner of his mouth to the outer corner of his eye. The blood of ghost beasts stank worse than gutter water, worse than a spider-man's blood.

Chi You curled his lips. His hand slid down slowly, deliberately, like an artist painting, dragging the blood streak in a winding path down to Jiang Luo's neck. The fair skin, jade-like and cool to the touch—defiling such skin doubled the pleasure.

The black-haired youth's face and neck were stained with blood so red it was nearly black. Now he looked like the prey of Chi You, this 'murderer.'

Chi You leaned down, his blood-soaked coat draping over Jiang Luo. He chuckled softly. 'I think you look better like this.'

He couldn't help laughing again. 'How's the taste of ghost beast blood?'

Chi You was too close, well past a safe distance. Jiang Luo could even feel the faint breath when he spoke.

The breath tickled Jiang Luo's face. The evil ghost was truly vile. The stench of blood all over him rushed straight into Jiang Luo's head, mingling with the foul smell on his cheek, one wave of stink after another.

His mood grew even more violently savage.

That wicked voice spoke again.

'Look at him like this. Doesn't he seem in need of training?'

'He's pressing on top of you, dirtying your clothes, your face. He's smiling, watching you at a disadvantage. An evil ghost like this—shouldn't he be trained into a dog?'

Malicious thoughts churned incessantly.

But Jiang Luo abruptly snapped out of it.

He thought: That idea really isn't bad.

But Jiang Luo remembered a more important fact.

He lifted his eyelids. The red veins in his eyes visibly faded at a rapid pace.

Training Chi You into a dog was fine. But making Chi You fall madly in love with him, obsessed with him?

Chi You was a madman, a madman who only sought his own pleasure. If he truly fell in love, that would be a disaster. Chi You would indulge his mad whims on Jiang Luo, using whatever methods pleased him to take whatever he wanted.

Wasn't that exactly how an evil ghost acted after drinking a Harmony Talisman?

Tell him to die?

Hah. More likely, Chi You would drag Jiang Luo down into the abyss with him, then laugh and ask, 'Did dying feel good?'

A lunatic like that—Jiang Luo would have to be an idiot to want him obsessed with him.

There were so many ways to torment an evil ghost. Why would Jiang Luo gamble himself away?

Jiang Luo forced himself awake from the influence of the Divine Statue Heart. His gaze grew brighter, more rational. He looked at Chi You and suddenly smiled.

Chi You watched as that thick, sticky malice vanished from Jiang Luo.

The next moment, Jiang Luo used all his strength to flip Chi You over and pin him against the throne. Raising his voice, he declared to the ghosts below, 'Your final prey is this evil ghost beneath me.'

'For the Final Battle of the Demon Arena, all ghosts will fight this single evil ghost. Whoever kills him wins the final victory.'

The ghosts below looked at each other.

They looked at Chi You, then at the twenty ghost beasts he had slaughtered in the arena.

Such a powerful figure made them fearful. But their bloodthirsty, excited nerves jumped uncontrollably, itching with the thought: With millions of ghosts, could they really fail to kill this one evil ghost?

Chi You's appearance, so opposite to the twenty ghost beasts, meant that even knowing he was strong, he lacked their intimidating presence.

The ghosts gradually grew agitated, surrounding the throne.

Once everyone started moving, fear was buried under excitement. The ghosts cheered and shrieked again, throwing themselves into one last wild revel.

Jiang Luo got off Chi You, intending to leave. But Chi You suddenly grabbed him. Jiang Luo lost his balance and was pulled roughly into his embrace.

Chi You asked in his ear, 'Why are you restraining yourself?'

His voice was low, as if flirting with a lover or murmuring to a beloved. 'Jiang Luo, you and I are the same kind of person. Release your malice, accept this other version of yourself. Wouldn't that be good?'

Every word from Chi You felt like a temptation. He gently twirled Jiang Luo's black hair, letting the strands slip through his pale fingers. 'Become your true self. Destroy the Xuanxue World with me. How about it?'

Chi You admitted he was reluctant to let Jiang Luo die now.

Compared to death, his current interest in Jiang Luo was so great he wanted him to join his side. He could overlook Jiang Luo's past sabotage of his plans, those amusing rumors. He wanted Jiang Luo to expose his true nature, become someone like him, and together, destroy the Xuanxue World.

Jiang Luo showing malice excited him. Jiang Luo restraining that malice stirred another kind of probing desire in him.

Chi You wanted to make Jiang Luo just like him.

To make Jiang Luo fall into hell with him, sink into the filthy mire.

They were the same kind of person. Why would Jiang Luo reject that version of himself?

Chi You's body was hard, slightly cold, digging into Jiang Luo like a stone.

The arms holding him were pale and bloodless, as unyielding as iron shackles.

Jiang Luo almost suspected he was doing it on purpose.

Nearby, Niu Tou's gaze as he watched them was already full of strangeness.

Did Chi You truly not notice how inappropriate this posture was?

The Yin-Yang Ring on Jiang Luo's hand flashed. Chi You's hands stung. The next instant, Jiang Luo had already risen from his embrace and jumped down from the high seat with clean, sharp movements.

His Black Robe fluttered. The black-haired youth flipped Chi You the middle finger, his smile provocative and bold. 'I'm nothing like you.'

His lips curved. 'Chi You, don't you fucking dare lump me together with you. You're a ghost. I'm human.'

Before the words faded, he had already landed on the ground, pulled up the hood of his Black Robe, flashed Chi You the middle finger once more, and discreetly vanished into the crowd of ghosts.

Chi You lowered his head, watching the black-haired youth disappear among the ghosts.

The person was gone, but Jiang Luo's earlier, utterly unrestrained, flame-like smile remained etched in Chi You's eyes.

When the ghosts were about to climb the high seat and surround Chi You, he chuckled softly and leaned back against the throne.

He gazed at the gray sky, leisurely placing a hand over his own chest.

Strange.

There was clearly nothing there.

But it had seemed to beat just now.

*

Jiang Luo left the Ghost City discreetly.

After exiting the city, he saw Lu You squatting by the gate. Lu You was idly drawing eggs and chicks in the dirt. Spotting Jiang Luo, his eyes lit up. He sprang up and rushed over, checking Jiang Luo over. Only after confirming his friend was unhurt did he sigh in relief. 'Good, you're okay. I finally waited for you to come out.'

Jiang Luo paused, trying hard to calm the Malevolent Aura and savagery that hadn't yet fully dissipated. 'Why are you waiting for me here?'

Fortunately, Lu You didn't notice his odd state. He answered honestly, 'I was afraid something might happen to you. Didn't dare go far.'

Jiang Luo said nothing more and walked forward with him. Outside the Ghost City, a white mist had rolled in again. The cool dew dampened his Black Robe.

He and Lu You walked through the white mist. Before long, the mist vanished.

They were back outside the familiar Hot Spring Manor.

The trees around them were lush, and the edge of the sky was just starting to lighten. This was exactly where they had run into the Red and White Twin Fiends.

Their companions were waiting anxiously nearby. Seeing them return safely, they all froze for a moment. Someone cheered, and the group suddenly swarmed around them.

Before Jiang Luo could say anything, someone—he didn't know who—pulled him into a tight hug.

'So glad you came back safe…' The person thumped Jiang Luo's back hard. 'You scared me to death.'

Beside them, Lu You was busy bragging: 'Know where we went? The Red and White Twin Fiends actually took us to the Underworld. You know Fengdu Ghost City or not? This night was way too exciting!'

Jiang Luo slowly returned the hug.

Having friends… it was, reluctantly, not so bad.