"I don't believe it! I don't believe it!"
Tang Yiyi screamed in despair.
This time, Tang Xu didn't say a word, just stood there silently.
Time ticked by, and Tang Yiyi's breakdown intensified.
After an unknown period, she suddenly collapsed, limp on the ground.
Her sobs gradually quieted down, until finally they ceased.
It took her quite some time to finally accept the reality.
How could the Tang Xu who loved her bear to watch her cry on the ground, indifferent?
Clearly, as he had said, he had never loved her; it was because he was ill.
Tang Xu remained motionless, utterly unfazed by Tang Yiyi's weeping or her breakdown.
Tang Yiyi looked at him with sorrow.
He met her gaze with a detached expression.
At this moment, the ghost messenger outside impatiently urged them.
"Are you done talking! If you don't come out soon, I'll come in and drag you out! Hurry up, time is almost up!"
Tang Yiyi said in a daze, "So soon, has it been fifteen minutes already?"
Tang Xu nodded.
"Yes, fifteen minutes have passed."
"Heh..." Tang Yiyi let out a bitter laugh.
"You said you were sick, so you were good to me."
"Actually, I'm the one who's the most sick. I knew the truth all along, yet I still refused to believe the fact that you don't love me."
"If I had known seeing you would be this painful, I would have rather remained ignorant, living in the false, beautiful memories of the past."
Tang Yiyi stood up on her own, her steps unsteady and faltering as she turned to leave.
As she passed the doorway, she suddenly said in a tone filled with deep emotion, "Tang Xu, your feelings for me might have been due to your illness, not your true intentions."
"But even so, you are the one who has given me the most warmth and care in my entire life."
Tang Yiyi knew that this was her final farewell to Tang Xu.
If she didn't say certain things now, she truly would never have the chance.
"Whether you love me or not, I want to tell you something."
"Tang Xu, I have truly fallen in love with you."
"If you don't like my feelings, then just pretend I never said anything."
Tang Yiyi left, her demeanor desolate.
Tang Xu smiled indifferently and sat back in his previous position, picking up the book he had been reading, "The Self-Cultivation of a Ghost Messenger."
...
Just as when she arrived, Tang Yiyi was still shackled by the ghost messengers and dragged forward.
It was the same road leading to hell. This time, however, she felt less fear of hell and more a sense of release.
When one reaches a certain state of despair, even death, let alone torture, becomes a form of liberation.
Moreover, she had already died once.
Compared to the tortures of hell, the truth she had learned caused her even greater inner pain. It ached to the point of numbness, rendering even torture no longer frightening.
The chains clanked against each other, producing a rhythmic, clanking sound.
As she was about to return to the Iron Tree Hell, Tang Xiaomin's figure appeared at the intersection, seemingly waiting for her.
She waved her hand, and the fierce ghost messengers respectfully retreated.
As they met again, memories flashed through Tang Yiyi's mind like a moving picture.
"When I was first brought back to the Tang family, I was merely an infant in swaddling clothes. The adults made the decision for me, predetermining my fate," Tang Yiyi suddenly said.
Her tone was devoid of any emotion, as if she were casually chatting.
"All the way here, I only wanted to protect everything I had."
"Whether it was wealth and status, or my own life, I don't believe anything I did was wrong. If given the chance to do it all over again, I would still act the same."
"Tang Xiaomin, if you were in my position, you would surely do the same, wouldn't you?"
"Heh..."
Tang Xiaomin laughed.
"What you say and think is limited only to you."
"I'm not here to waste words with you. I'm here to tell you some good news. Your period of punishment in hell has ended, and you can be reincarnated."
Tang Yiyi's life had been so painful, and even Tang Xu's affection was fake. There was nothing left for her to cling to.
She recalled the agonizing and painful time she had endured in hell. Now, with just Tang Xiaomin's words, it was all over.
She was still so strong.
"Tang Xiaomin, do you think I have nothing left since I even lost Tang Xu's love, and that torturing a pathetic wretch like me holds no pleasure? Is that why you're willing to let me go?"
From the moment the ghost messengers had called Tang Xiaomin "Queen," Tang Yiyi had guessed that she was the ruler here.
Losing to Tang Xiaomin was not unjust.
This time, Tang Yiyi finally guessed Tang Xiaomin's thoughts correctly.
"Congratulations, you guessed right."
"Tang Yiyi, remember the lesson of this life. If you ever meet me again in your next life, be sure to take a detour. My willingness to let you go now doesn't mean the hatred in my heart has disappeared."
The power of hatred runs deep into the soul.
Those who say "it's over" haven't truly let go; they've merely accepted it because they lack the ability to seek revenge, so they are forced to let it go.
Tang Yiyi had lost even Tang Xu's love, becoming utterly destitute.
After living a lifetime, it all amounted to nothing.
Death is not the end; oblivion is.
The Tang family disliked her, Tang Xu didn't love her, and no one would remember her.
Drinking the water of the Forgetfulness River, crossing the Bridge of Sighs, entering reincarnation, and starting anew.
For Tang Yiyi, this was not regret, but salvation.
As she was about to leave, she looked deeply at Tang Xiaomin.
Before, she had always viewed her through prejudiced eyes, finding her disagreeable and utterly detestable.
Now, she realized she was different from her impression.
"I just realized, you are so beautiful."
Tang Xiaomin remained silent, secretly sneering.
"You don't believe me? I'm telling the truth," Tang Yiyi said.
"You're willing to give me a chance to forget everything. This must be your only act of mercy towards me. Otherwise, if you kept me imprisoned and tortured in hell, I would never be able to get out."
Tang Xiaomin didn't answer Tang Yiyi's question but pointed in the direction of the intersection.
"The Department of Reincarnation is that way, the same direction you were going to find Tang Xu."
"This is your only chance. Go quickly before I change my mind."
Knowing Tang Xiaomin's unpredictable nature, Tang Yiyi wasted no more time. She turned and walked towards the direction she had come from.
This time, there were no ghost messengers supervising her, and her steps were firm and swift.
Tang Xiaomin watched Tang Yiyi's retreating figure silently, a complex mix of emotions swirling within her.
Had she been too merciful again?
Should she recapture Tang Yiyi and throw her back into hell for another eighty-one days of torture?
As she was lost in thought, Yan Jue returned.
His face was etched with anger.
"Xiaomin, that fellow down there is useless. I took your bribe, but it didn't help me recover my memories at all. Let's go and get that jade statue back; it's worth a lot of money."
Yan Jue was furious.
Tang Xiaomin, however, was secretly delighted and silently praised Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in her heart.
She thought to herself, this gift was not sent in vain.
Now, Yan Jue would probably stop pestering about regaining his memory. After all, even Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva couldn't help, so even the most powerful immortal would be useless.