His eyes sharpened, a complex emotion flickering within them.
He didn't finish his sentence, but the others understood that if the rumors were true, Bai Ran's future would be fraught with peril. The destiny of a chosen daughter was indeed a colossal and heavy burden.
...
Inside the room, Bai Ran, seated on a chair, sighed softly. She gazed at the trembling Ying Xing on the floor and her thin lips parted. "There are a few questions, perhaps you should answer them."
"Ying Xing will certainly tell you everything," he whispered, discreetly glancing in Bai Ran's direction.
"Why were you with Mo Ze's contract beast?"
Ying Xing lowered his eyes and replied obediently, "She came to the Ghost Clan to find us, saying she knew your precise location and could break the barrier of the Demon Clan..."
The little sable had gone to the Ghost Clan of its own accord? Bai Ran's brow furrowed as she mused.
"What is the current situation of the Ghost Clan?"
Upon hearing this, Ying Xing fell silent for a long time. He lowered his head again. Though his face was obscured, Bai Ran felt he was incredibly pitiable at that moment.
"The Ghost Clan... is doing well..." Ying Xing's voice was deep and muffled.
Well? Bai Ran rubbed her temples. How could it be well?
It had been a thousand years since the previous Ghost King had fallen. During this time, even powerful figures like Zhong Zi had left the Nine Heavens, left the Ghost Clan. Only Ying Xing remained, managing the desolate Ghost Clan alone, becoming its leader. It was likely that the souls accompanying him were all that remained of the Ghost Clan's souls.
"Rise," Bai Ran stood up and walked to Ying Xing.
"Yes..." Ying Xing responded in a low voice, slowly raising his head. "King... will you return to the Ghost Clan...?"
He looked up, meeting Bai Ran's gaze, a hint of pleading and inquiry in his eyes. "Your subordinate has made mistakes and is willing to accept the punishment of soul dispersal, but the Ghost Clan... cannot be without you..."
Bai Ran pursed her lips and gazed at him with lowered eyelids. After a long pause, she replied, "Who said you would be soul-dispersed?"
Ying Xing faltered, blinking in confusion. "You... are not punishing your subordinate?"
"Ignorance is no offense." Ying Xing was not at fault. He had merely guarded the Ghost Clan alone for thousands of years, and his excitement upon hearing news of his King was understandable. He was unaware of the demonized King's presence, nor of Bai Ran's plans. His only wish was to welcome back the King of the Ghost Clan.
"As the King of this clan, how could I abandon you? Go back, there is no need to worry."
"Also, you have worked hard managing the Ghost Clan alone for so long."
Bai Ran turned and sat back down. Behind her, Ying Xing was so moved he could have cried. His shoulders trembled, and his eyes were faintly reddening. On the way with Master Zhong Zi, he had imagined countless scenarios for his fate. Soul dispersal, eternal reincarnation, but never had he imagined that his King would not punish him.
'King, our King...'
'Is a most excellent woman... fair in reward and punishment...'
Zhong Zi's words echoed in Ying Xing's mind. His long-numb heart, touched by someone, finally began to quicken and stir with life.
"Your subordinate has never felt it was hard work..." Ying Xing knelt again, bowing deeply. This time, his bow was not out of fear or deference to status, but from a genuine, heartfelt submission.
Bai Ran looked down at him, her fiery red dress flowing magnificently, a hint of blood-red light flickering in her eyes.
...
"Creak—" The door slowly opened, and those outside immediately turned their heads. Seeing that it was Ying Xing, they collectively looked away. Zhong Zi stepped forward, a faint smile on his lips. "How was it? Were you punished?"
Ying Xing lowered his head, his hand, hanging by his robes, clenched tightly, so hard that it seemed about to draw blood. "The King said ignorance is no offense..."
Not far away, Dong Ling chuckled softly, "Seeing the King with your own eyes, are you at ease now?"
Ying Xing nodded, then raised his face. His expression was filled with boundless hope and anticipation for the future. "How could I not be at ease?" After all, the return of the Ghost Clan to its glory was not far off.
...
After a while, Bai Ran summoned Zhong Zi and Dong Ling into the room. The atmosphere inside was heavy, a stark contrast to Ying Xing's presence. Bai Ran narrowed her eyes, a frightening gleam flashing within them. "Why did you two leave the Ghost Clan?"
Zhong Zi and Dong Ling looked up and met Bai Ran's blood-red eyes. The blood-red pupils were the mark of the Ghost King.
When the crimson pupils appear, the Ghost Clan emerges, leaving no living thing in its wake for thousands of miles. In its prime, the Ghost Clan was a force that even the combined efforts of four realms could hardly resist, leaving no living beings wherever they went.
Zhong Zi lowered his head, his expression complex. "We followed the successive Ghost Kings..." Wherever the Ghost King was, they were. When the Ghost King fell, they would search for the next. As for the rise and fall of the Ghost Clan, it had nothing to do with them.
Zhong Zi's words fell silent, leaving a suffocating stillness in the room. "The survival of the Ghost Clan is less important than I am?" Bai Ran's tone was icy.
Both lowered their heads, daring not to meet her gaze. When the Ghost King fell, all powerful figures departed due to the absence of a ruler. This was the true reason for the Ghost Clan's decline.
"What if I die?"
Hearing this, Zhong Zi looked up sharply, his face filled with panic. "King, do not say such things!"
"You would simply go and find the next King, and the Ghost Clan would continue to decline?"
Dong Ling pursed his lips and nodded. "What you say... is correct..."
Bai Ran sighed, closing her eyes tightly. "You two will travel to the Ghost Clan tomorrow." As the supreme powerhouses of the Ghost Clan, their lack of belonging and protective spirit was extremely troublesome.
"But..." Zhong Zi tried to say more, but Bai Ran cut him off. "If the news of your return to the Ghost Clan is spread, those who left the Ghost Clan will surely return. Am I wrong?"
This... was indeed true. Zhong Zi lowered his head, his heart filled with complex emotions. As long as they returned to the Ghost Clan, the departed powerhouses would hear the rumors and return because they knew the King had appeared.
"If that is the case, what else do you have to decline?"
The two remained silent for a long time. After a period of quiet contemplation, they accepted the order.
"I will travel to the Ghost Clan before long. That will be our time to strike back." Bai Ran twirled a strand of hair, her expression calm, yet her eyes burned with ambition.
"The Ghost Clan has been dormant for too long."
"It's time to stretch our legs..."
...
Zhong Zi and the other left the room. Bai Ran also stepped out. However, the moment she emerged, she was surrounded by Jing Feng, Jiang Ye, and the others.