After the Death Ceremony, I was Entangled by My Two Wives - Chapter 22

As long as you step into the air above the river or touch the water…

Wait, no one said that going through the Gate of Life and Death would completely change someone’s personality! QAQ…

Zhao Qingxun clutched her chest, looking genuinely hurt.

How did her sweet girlfriend suddenly become so sharp-tongued?

Zhao Qingxun sulked there for ages, but Ying Buran didn’t even notice, completely absorbed in her own thoughts.

She now knew she existed in a half-human, half-ghost state. The downsides were her eerie appearance and the constant need to balance her spiritual and ghostly energies. The upside was her ability to freely traverse both realms and survive indefinitely in either.

Fortunately, as a Heaven’s Chosen, maintaining this balance came easily to her. The only drawback was her unchanging appearance, forcing her to wear a mask.

Her condition stemmed from a failed sacrificial ritual. Though she had passed through the Gate of Life and Death, the process remained incomplete.

Only one of her enemies had died so far, with many more still thriving in the human realm.

Ying Buran had no intention of letting this go. Venturing into the human realm was essential. The problem was she lacked the means and knowledge to do so, forcing her to rely on the Ghost King’s power.

Chasing Wind City, a rare force opposed to her enemies, had reportedly even saved her life. They seemed trustworthy enough.

The immediate question was whether the Ghost King was lying to her. Ying Buran glanced at Zhao Qingxun, who was still wallowing in grief.

She leaned toward believing Zhao Qingxun wasn’t lying. She answered every question truthfully, and her memories should fully return soon, making deception pointless.

“Are you alright?” Ying Buran asked, turning around after her thoughts. She found Zhao Qingxun already huddled in a corner.

Hearing Ying Buran’s concern, Zhao Qingxun instantly sprang to life, darting to her side and seizing her hand. If she had a tail, it would likely be wagging so hard it could fly off. “I’m fine! I’m great! A’Ran, have you sorted everything out now?”

This time, Ying Buran didn’t pull away, letting Zhao Qingxun hold her hand as she nodded. “Yes, I mostly understand the situation and what we need to do next.”

Seeing Ying Buran’s lack of resistance, Zhao Qingxun grew even more excited, her voice rising with anticipation. “So, will you come with me to Chasing Wind City? Will you? Will you?”

“Yes, our interests are aligned now, so we should work together,” Ying Buran replied calmly, in stark contrast to Zhao Qingxun’s exuberance. “By the way, you mentioned there’s another person outside who looks exactly like you? Is she also named Zhao Qingxun?”

The moment that person was mentioned, Zhao Qingxun immediately curled her lip. “Yes, she’s one of the people who brought you to this state. We look and sound exactly alike, and we’re essentially the same person. But at a critical moment, we made different choices, creating two separate individuals. I am her, yet I am not her. At least I would never betray you or deceive you.”

With that, Zhao Qingxun took Ying Buran’s hand and pressed it against her chest, over her heart. “Can you feel my sincerity? Can you feel it beating?”

Ying Buran… Ying Buran honestly shook her head. She felt nothing. After all, Zhao Qingxun wasn’t alive.

Zhao Qingxun’s lips twitched. Ahem, this is called romance! Do you even understand romance? she thought, inwardly weeping. Sometimes, having a girlfriend who’s too honest isn’t a good thing.

She quickly changed the subject, placing a White Jade Flute in Ying Buran’s palm. “You need to start cultivating again. Your spiritual energy must come from within, but I’ll help you stabilize your ghostly energy. Keep this. It can control ghosts. I’ll teach you how to use it properly over the next few days.”

Ying Buran accepted the flute, examining it closely. It didn’t seem like something from the Ghost Realm; its aura was remarkably pure.

“Speaking of which,” Ying Buran asked, still holding the flute, “how am I supposed to tell you apart from her now? You even have the same name. What if I call the wrong person?”

Zhao Qingxun stroked her chin, acknowledging the problem. “Hmm, I hadn’t thought of that before. Let me see… How about you give me a new name? One that only you can call me?”

Perfect timing—that damned woman had given her this name in the first place. Now was the perfect opportunity to change it.

Ying Buran paused, looking at Zhao Qingxun with uncertainty. “What about your original name?”

“Forget about it. No one uses it anyway. They usually call me Fifth Ghost King. When I’m alone, they just call me Ghost King.” Zhao Qingxun shrugged, unconcerned.

Ying Buran nodded, her expression turning serious. If she was being given this responsibility, she couldn’t just pick a name casually.

What should I call her?

“Hmm… How about… Zhao Chao’an?” Ying Buran suggested hesitantly.

Zhao Qingxun didn’t mind at all. “Okay! I’ll go with that. Just ‘Zhao Chao’an’ it is. Want to come up with something more intimate?”

Ying Buran looked away. “Let’s just stick with this one.”

Though Zhao Chao’an felt a pang of disappointment at not getting a more intimate name, she could see with her own eyes that Ying Buran trusted her more now—a significant breakthrough.

Patience, patience. Take it slow. After all, I’m already progressing much faster than Zhao Qingxun.

Over the next few days, Zhao Chao’an had her trusted Ghost Generals organize information while she devoted herself entirely to teaching Ying Buran how to play the flute.

Ying Buran learned quickly. By the second day, she could already control some basic techniques, and by the fifth day, she had mastered the instrument completely.

Her cultivation of spiritual energy and ghostly energy also progressed rapidly. In just five days, she rebuilt her foundation and entered the Foundation Establishment stage.

Truly worthy of being Heaven’s Chosen, Zhao Chao’an thought, gazing at the sleeping figure beside her. No wonder she was targeted.

This time, she would protect those around her.

As if sensing her gaze, Ying Buran frowned slightly in her sleep, appearing restless. Zhao Chao’an quickly closed her eyes, pulled Ying Buran into her arms, and gently patted her to soothe her.

Their relationship had progressed rapidly in recent days. Ying Buran clearly trusted Zhao Chao’an more now, perhaps due to their shared experiences. Though she had forgotten the details of their time in the dark dungeon, those days still lingered in her subconscious, making it difficult for her to sleep alone in the perpetual twilight of the Ghost Realm.

I should have made that person pay more dearly back then, Zhao Chao’an thought. First, I should have drawn out their tendons and stripped their bones, then offered them as a Heavenly Sacrifice.

When dawn arrived—or rather, when the Ghost Realm’s equivalent of daylight came—they set out.

To travel from the Ghost Realm to the human world, there were two options: the first, like Shen Cangwu, was to tear open a path directly through the barrier; the second was to cross the River of Oblivion and pass through the natural rifts between the realms.

The second method was far safer than the first, but the only challenge lay in crossing the River of Oblivion.

“This is the River of Oblivion?” Ying Buran crouched down, touching the crimson flowers at her feet before gazing up at the placid river surface. She couldn’t discern any immediate danger.

Zhao Chao’an nodded, producing a pre-prepared puppet bird. She released it into the air, and under Ying Buran’s watchful eyes, the bird flew over the River of Oblivion. Suddenly, as if struck by an invisible force, it plummeted into the river without a splash.

Zhao Chao’an explained, “Anyone who flies over the river or touches its surface will be immediately dragged down. The only way to cross is to find the ferryman.”

Ying Buran snapped out of her daze, nodded, and asked, “Then how do we get across? Can you find the ferryman?”

Zhao Chao’an immediately puffed out her chest and declared proudly, “Of course! Who do you think I am? I’m the Ghost King! Look, he’s over there.”

Zhao Chao’an waved to the figure slowly rowing toward them. The ferryman wore a straw hat and a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow. He silently brought the boat to shore.

Zhao Chao’an swept Ying Buran into a princess carry, stepped onto the boat, and settled her down before releasing her. “Don’t let any part of your body hang over the edge,” she warned. “And absolutely do not touch the water, no matter who tells you to.”

Hearing this, Ying Buran nestled closer to Zhao Chao’an, trying to stay as far from the boat’s edge as possible.

Once they were settled, the ferryman began to row slowly, guiding them toward the opposite shore.

According to Zhao Chao’an, only the five Ghost Kings and King Yama could command the ferryman. The ferryman belonged to no faction, his sole duty being to transport specific individuals between the two shores.

The boat moved slowly, and with nothing to do, Ying Buran soon began to feel drowsy. She was startled awake by a sudden voice in her ear.

It was Zhao Chao’an. “Look,” she said, “there’s something beneath the river’s surface.”

Still half-asleep, Ying Buran’s mind struggled to process the information. She sat there, dazed, before snapping back to full awareness.

That wasn’t Zhao Chao’an’s voice. Something underwater must be trying to bewitch me.

Ying Buran immediately turned to Zhao Chao’an and recounted her experience. Zhao Chao’an froze, clearly taken aback. She had never encountered such a phenomenon before, suggesting it targeted lower-ranked ghosts and humans.

Zhao Chao’an swiftly covered Ying Buran’s ears with her hands. “Don’t stop,” she instructed. “No matter what it says, don’t respond. I’m right here. Tell me if anything happens.”

Ying Buran nodded, now too afraid to doze off, lest she be tricked. Fortunately, the incident didn’t recur, and they safely reached the opposite shore.

Zhao Chao’an held Ying Buran’s hand tightly, fearing another mishap.

The opposite shore wasn’t deserted like the other side. Instead, it teemed with wandering souls, clustered together, unsure of where to go or what to do.

Some ghosts drifted toward the River of Oblivion. The moment they touched the water’s surface, black tentacles surged from beneath, dragging them under. Yet the other ghosts seemed oblivious, continuing their aimless wandering.

Ying Buran frowned slightly, puzzled. “Can’t they see what’s happening? And why are they lingering here?”

“No, they can’t even fully perceive themselves,” Zhao Chao’an explained. “As for why they’re here, these are all people who died unnatural deaths. There are so many that the Ghost Realm is nearly overflowing.”

Ying Buran was startled. “Unnatural deaths? What caused them?”

“Heaven’s Wrath,” Zhao Chao’an replied. “Their lives were taken by Heaven’s Wrath.”