Chapter 858: Who Can't Survive

Given Han Zhong's strength, it would normally not be easy for Mi Li to subdue him. But since she was in soul form and he was unaware of her presence, combined with his attention being entirely on Zu An, she was able to instantly strike.

Bi Linglong was utterly astonished to see Mi Li suddenly appear. Her initial thought was that Mi Li was a female ghost from this place, but she wondered if such a beautiful ghost could even exist. Furthermore, the unconscious air of arrogance and nobility in Mi Li's every gesture completely captivated her. This was the very demeanor she had strived for since childhood. She had believed she had achieved it, but the various embarrassing incidents she faced in this secret realm and her fluctuating emotions made her realize just how far she still had to go.

She instinctively moved closer to Zu An. "Ah Zu, be careful," she whispered. "I've heard that red-clothed ghosts are the most powerful and vicious among all ghosts."

Hearing this, Mi Li turned her head. "You brat," she said, "do you want me to turn you into a ghost first?"

"Huh?" Bi Linglong jumped in surprise, not expecting the figure to speak. According to common knowledge in cultivation, ghosts that can speak are usually immensely powerful. With vengeful spirits, hairy monsters, and now even a powerful specter appearing, she felt the hairs on her arms stand on end.

Suppressing a smile, Zu An reassured her, "Don't worry, she's on our side."

"On our side?" Bi Linglong's eyes widened. "Did you… sleep with a ghost?" In her experience, Zu An was a complete playboy surrounded by many female companions. So, hearing him claim this incredibly beautiful ghost in a red dress was "on their side," her immediate assumption was that they were romantically involved.

"Cough, cough," Zu An quickly covered her mouth, glancing at Mi Li, who seemed to be emitting a "dark aura." "Don't talk nonsense. She's my good friend..." Feeling Mi Li's piercing gaze, he quickly amended, "Actually, she's more like my master."

Mi Li scoffed. "She *is* your master," she stated. "What do you mean 'more like'?"

"Master?" Bi Linglong snapped out of it, instantly mortified by her previous outburst. Feeling guilty, she bowed to Mi Li. "Greetings, Master," she said. "Please forgive my earlier rudeness."

Mi Li simply rolled her eyes. "You haven't even officially joined yet," she retorted. "Don't just mimic him and call me that."

Bi Linglong stood frozen, overwhelmed by shame and embarrassment. She couldn't understand what possessed her to call Mi Li "Master" in the first place. *Oh, how utterly mortifying,* she thought.

Zu An smiled and reached for her hand in a gesture of comfort. Bi Linglong immediately pulled her hand back, unsure if it was out of stubbornness or sheer embarrassment.

Mi Li had by now turned back to Han Zhong. Seeing his clouded eyes, she frowned. "Speak!" she commanded.

Han Zhong looked up, studying her. Initially, he showed no reaction, but then he seemed to remember something, and his expression turned to terror. "A ghost! A ghost!" he shrieked. Had his critical acupuncture points not been restrained, he would likely have attempted to flee desperately.

Mi Li just stared. What an unlucky day. Everyone kept mistaking her for a ghost. Even if her current form did resemble a ghost, it wasn't something they should blurt out.

She half-crouched, bringing her face closer to his. "Have you recognized me?" she asked.

"You are the Empress... No, the Empress is dead, you're not... Ah, everyone will die... Ahhh!" He looked frantic, clutching his head in agony.

"Empress?" Bi Linglong was startled by the word. She discreetly leaned closer to Zu An. "Is your master an Empress?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"Empress of which kingdom? What country could possibly have an Empress of such remarkable grace?"

"Uh, that's a bit complicated to explain. She's not from any of the countries you're familiar with."

"Then why did she suddenly appear here?"

"She's actually always been with me. She usually prefers not to show herself to strangers."

"Always with you? So she's seen everything we've done?" Bi Linglong's face went pale. She had thought their interactions were a private secret, but now, knowing someone had been observing them dispassionately, a wave of intense shame washed over her, making her wish she could disappear into the ground.

"Quiet down. You two didn't actually sleep together, so why the fuss?" Mi Li turned, glaring at them with an annoyed expression, then returned her attention to Han Zhong. Unfortunately, he only mumbled unintelligibly, providing no meaningful answers.

Bi Linglong was speechless. She wanted to retort, but found herself unable to, realizing that Mi Li's statement was surprisingly logical.

Zu An leaned in closer to her. "Maybe we should 'make it official' then, so she has nothing to say."

"Get lost!" Bi Linglong hissed, though she knew he was trying to lighten the mood. Still, something about him just made her want to punch him.

Just then, Zu An remembered their main objective and approached Mi Li. "He's lost his mind," he said. "It's unlikely we'll get any information from him."

Mi Li frowned, then suddenly formed a complex yet elegant hand seal. A intricate rune materialized and she pressed it directly onto Han Zhong's forehead, where it then vanished into his skin.

"A Rune Master?" Bi Linglong exclaimed, startled by what she saw. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, cultivators were abundant, but Rune Masters were rare, especially high-level ones who were regarded as national treasures. The speed at which this woman formed the seal and the intricate beauty of the rune seemed to surpass any Rune Master she had encountered. She even wondered if the senior disciple of the National Academy could compare...

At that moment, Han Zhong ceased his animalistic roars, and his eyes slowly cleared. He looked up at Mi Li and said weakly, "Thank you, Empress."

"Don't thank me," Mi Li said indifferently. "By using this Resurgence Talisman, your life will quickly come to an end."

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. *Tsk, tsk, tsk,* he thought. *Empress Sister truly is ruthless. But this kind of fierce, beautiful, and dominant woman... I like it.*

Han Zhong slowly shook his head. "Living like this, neither human nor ghost, isn't truly living. Thank you, Empress, for granting me release."

Mi Li simply gave a noncommittal grunt. She clearly wasn't concerned with his feelings, but rather with something else entirely. "Why have you lived for so long?" she inquired.

"Originally, we were tasked with finding an elixir of immortality for His Majesty," Han Zhong began, his voice eerily calm, as if recounting something unrelated to himself. "After many years, I discovered a sacred herb among the legendary Elf tribe and refined it into a pill. Unfortunately, His Majesty was highly suspicious and ordered me to take it first. Initially, I felt fine, but soon green hair began to sprout wildly all over my body. My consciousness gradually diminished, and no matter what methods I tried, I couldn't halt the process. Eventually, I transformed into this inhuman, ghostly form, losing my mind entirely and becoming a monster." His detached tone suggested that the long passage of time had made him indifferent to life and death.

Zu An, meanwhile, noted Han Zhong's mention of the Elf tribe. He hadn't realized Elves existed during that era, which suggested that the Qin Dynasty in this timeline wasn't the same as the one from his original world. In truth, Han Zhong's path to the Elf tribe wasn't entirely mistaken. Back then, Qiao Xueying had used the 'Half-Life Bond' to share half her life force with him. If Qin Shi Huang could have found many Elves willing to share half their life force, he could have easily lived for thousands of years. However, he then recalled that the 'Half-Life Bond' was the greatest secret of the Elf tribe. Throughout history, very few Elves had ever used this ability, and outsiders were entirely unaware of its existence, as its revelation would lead to the destruction of their race. A warmth spread through his heart at the thought. Xue'er truly held deep affection for him. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her in so long, and he genuinely missed her.

At this point, Mi Li continued her questioning. "Then why are you here?"

"I don't know," Han Zhong replied, shaking his head helplessly. "Many of my memories are gone..."

"And what about Ying Zheng?" Mi Li pressed. "Did he ever find the elixir of immortality?"

"I don't know," Han Zhong sighed deeply. "At least, not before I lost my mind. There is no true immortality in this world. My path was very close, but it only transformed me into a mindless monster. Even if one could live forever in such a state, how could that be called true immortality?"

At this, his expression suddenly shifted, and his eyes, fixed on Mi Li, widened in horror. "Empress, why are you...?"

Mi Li cut him off. "It is I who am asking the questions now, not you. By the way, I just noticed that Xu Fu is enshrined as the main deity in this Fishbone Temple. Why is he worshipped? And why does the inscription refer to him as 'Supreme'?"

"Xu Fu? Xu Fu!" Han Zhong looked bewildered at first, then suddenly clutched his head, his face contorted in extreme pain. "I don't know, I don't know... Hahaha, you will all die... you will all die... No one will survive..."

Mi Li's expression changed. Just as she was about to question him further, his voice abruptly ceased. Upon closer inspection, she realized he had breathed his last. His face, even in death, remained contorted in a grotesque mask of terror, as if he had faced something utterly horrifying in his final moments.