The elder sighed, his ancient figure slowly walking towards Bai Ran.
"I am not fooling around with you."
He had spent a thousand years poring over ancient texts and cultivation techniques from all corners of the Nine Heavens, but despairingly, he hadn't found even a shred of a clue.
"The most likely person to know how to break the curse would be someone from the Wu clan, but now the Wu clan is extinct. You dare to make such a bold claim?"
Anger flickered in the elder's eyes, as if he were scolding Bai Ran for speaking rashly. "If you disappear now, Zhong Zi and Dong Ling will suffer the same fate as Fang An and the other two."
"What if I say the Wu clan is not extinct?" Bai Ran met his gaze, her eyes clear and firm.
The elder was stunned for a moment, then took a deep breath, his anger intensifying. "You truly are an impudent girl, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth."
"When the Ghost Clan annihilated the Wu clan, all Wu clan members were slaughtered, not sparing even women and children. If any of the Wu clan had survived, they would have sought revenge by now."
"Your body can still have the ghost energy extracted now. If some more time passes, and your body is too deeply affected by the Ghost Clan's domain, there will be no turning back."
The elder's expression was grave, as if he were reprimanding an innocent child.
But Bai Ran understood. She was not an innocent child. She understood that the Ghost Clan had annihilated the Wu clan, and that the ghost energy would become more deeply entrenched.
But there was indeed one person who might be able to break the curse.
"I don't believe in miracles, nor in heavenly destiny..." Bai Ran looked up, a crimson glow flickering in her eyes, a symbol of her esteemed status. kuAiδugg
The curse had set her deadline, but it had also given her ample time. Four years, though incredibly short compared to the elder's thousand years, was enough for Bai Ran.
Gu Qingcheng. Mentioning the Wu clan instantly brought Bai Ran's thoughts to her.
The surviving members of the Wu clan were plagued by their bloodline. If her whereabouts could be found, there might still be room for maneuver.
"I will not give up the throne, nor my life." With that, Bai Ran turned and left the mausoleum.
Truly youthful and impetuous—he watched Bai Ran's departing back, his face a mask of complex emotions.
Fine... fine...
...
Meanwhile, on the stone walls of the underground passage, a third crimson character slowly appeared.
Three. Those not recognized by the clan will not obtain the throne.
Zhong Zi gazed at the three crimson characters and exclaimed, "Look! All three characters have appeared!"
Upon hearing this, Dong Ling let out a sigh of relief, his worries completely dispelled. "It seems the Queen has gained the elder's approval and passed the trial."
A fluctuation of spiritual energy rippled through the surroundings. At some point, Bai Ran had already appeared beside them.
"Queen!" Zhong Zi rushed forward, his face filled with joy, but Bai Ran's expression was unusually somber.
"Queen?" He looked at Bai Ran's appearance, a sense of confusion rising in his heart. "What happened?"
Yet, she remained silent, simply walking directly towards the exit of the mausoleum, her intentions unreadable.
Zhong Zi and Dong Ling exchanged glances, bewildered, then followed closely behind.
"Do you remember the appearance and name of the previous Ghost King?"
Bai Ran suddenly posed a nonsensical question, making Zhong Zi and Dong Ling pause.
"We have no recollection... we only heard the elder mention it."
They were the trusted aides of every Ghost King, their most loyal subordinates, tasked with protecting the safety of the Ghost Kings throughout the ages.
"Do you know why you have forgotten?" Bai Ran stopped and turned to face them, her expression complex.
Zhong Zi furrowed his brows. "If we subordinates remembered the previous Ghost Kings, our minds would not have been able to focus solely on you..."
Therefore, the elder had erased their memories so that they would forever be loyal to one person.
Bai Ran sighed softly. So that was how the elder had deceived them... No wonder all the Ghost Clan members believed so blindly...
"Queen, why do you ask? Are you worried that we might have divided loyalties?"
Bai Ran shook her head and resumed walking towards the exit. "It's nothing, I just remembered and asked."
The group left the mausoleum. At the exit, Fang An and Meng Xuan were sitting on stone stools, but Yi Wenhao was now with them.
When Fang An saw Bai Ran emerge, she stood up and walked over. "Did you see my Master?"
Her tone was no longer confrontational or laced with cold sarcasm; instead, it sounded cautious and hesitant.
Bai Ran nodded slowly. "I did."
Fang An frowned and looked back at Meng Xuan and Yi Wenhao. Could she possibly know about the Ghost Clan's curse?
"What did the elder say to you?" She decided to get to the bottom of it, to know if the woman before her was aware of the curse.
Zhong Zi narrowed his eyes, radiating a powerful killing intent. "What business is it of yours?"
Bai Ran raised a hand, stopping Zhong Zi from speaking further. She smiled and met Fang An's gaze.
"The elder told me that you are simply impolite and asked me to be more forgiving."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
Fang An looked at Bai Ran's smiling eyes, momentarily unsure.
"Those gravestones...? Did you see them...?"
Bai Ran nodded again. "I saw them, but the elder told me they are the souls of Ghost Clan members who have long since perished."
"You didn't see the text on them?"
"Fang An!" Meng Xuan suddenly spoke, stopping her. Fang An immediately realized she had let slip.
If her words aroused Bai Ran's suspicion, Bai Ran could re-enter the mausoleum at any time to examine the text.
With this thought, Fang An averted her gaze, feeling a pang of guilt. "It was nothing worth looking at, just the past lives of the departed souls, trivial matters..."
However, after a period of probing, Fang An was certain that the woman before her did not know about the curse. The earlier comment about her acting needing improvement was likely just a passing remark.
"You're lucky this time. I won't hold back during the competition. If you've thought things through, hurry up and get out of the Ghost Clan."
As she spoke, Fang An seemed to feel it wasn't enough and added, "I will absolutely not acknowledge you."
"Mm." A smile played on Bai Ran's lips. Now that she understood the entire situation, Fang An's contemptuous tone sounded much more agreeable.
"What are you smiling at!" Fang An stared at Bai Ran, her smile unsettling her, making her feel as if Bai Ran knew everything.
"I'll see you on the day of the competition."
With that, Bai Ran led Zhong Zi and Dong Ling away, leaving the three of them standing there, exchanging bewildered glances.
"Don't you think... she seems different after coming out?" Meng Xuan stroked his chin, his face full of suspicion.
"But the ghost energy is still on her. If she knew about the curse, she certainly wouldn't choose to persist."
Yi Wenhao also felt that Bai Ran was unaware of the curse.