Chapter 111 – Stranger

Wei Yang was jolted awake by a nightmare. In his dream, he found himself walking alone through a desolate wilderness, devoid of any signs of life, with only a large, round blood-red moon illuminating the ground. Ahead of him lay a chaotic burial ground made up of low, uneven mounds, where ghostly flames flickered like dim lanterns among the graves. Step by step, he approached, stepping over jagged bones and overgrown graves, until he came to a stop before a freshly covered grave. A suffocating sense of dread gripped his chest, threatening to tear his heart and lungs apart. Whether it was due to pain or sorrow, he bent down, wanting to touch the mound of earth, even to dig up the shallow grave, because he knew that buried there was someone he couldn’t let go of…

Who was that person he couldn’t let go of?

Just as this thought surfaced in his mind, Wei Yang woke from the dream. Fear piled up in his body, turning into cold sweat that soaked his back. He tumbled out of bed, propped himself up on the edge, and before he could even stand straight, his eyes were already searching the room for that familiar figure. Who was buried in that grave? Had he managed to save Brother Qi?!

As if hearing the commotion in the room, someone pushed the door open and walked in. A voice sounded in his ear, “Ah Yang, you’re awake!”

The speaker was Master Zeng, his tone gentle and filled with genuine concern. But Wei Yang didn’t look at him. His gaze fixed on the figure behind Zeng Jingxuan, locking onto it. It was a strikingly handsome young man, with a cold and serious expression, showing no trace of a smile. He seemed injured, with a thick bandage wrapped around his right arm. Yet, with just that one glance, Wei Yang’s legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor, an uncontrollable smile spreading across his lips. It was Brother Qi! Brother Qi was still here!

But the moment of elation was quickly replaced by a sense of unease. It was Zhang Xiuqi, alright, but his expression was different from before. If before it had been an emotionless blankness, now his face carried something else—a sharp, bone-chilling coldness, like an ancient, unyielding iceberg, exuding an aura of aloofness.

If it were anyone else, they might not have noticed the difference, but Wei Yang had spent nearly two months by Zhang Xiuqi’s side, and he could recognize most of the subtle shifts in that icy expression and what they meant. What was going on? Had something gone wrong with Brother Qi’s soul again?

In the brief moment after the door opened, the young man’s expression had gone through a series of changes. Zeng Jingxuan, watching from the side, couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He stepped forward, helping Wei Yang up from the floor, and said gently, “Ah Yang, don’t panic. Xiao Qi has recovered his soul. There’s nothing major to worry about.”

In the past, Wei Yang would have immediately rushed over to grab Zhang Xiuqi and bombard him with questions. But today, for some reason, he hesitated. After standing up with Zeng Jingxuan’s help, he didn’t let go of the man’s arm. Instead, he asked uncertainly, “He’s… recovered?”

“Yes, recovered. All three souls are intact,” Zeng Jingxuan replied calmly.

Not just two souls! Wei Yang immediately caught the key point, his grip on Zeng Jingxuan’s arm tightening. “What happened? His Heavenly Soul has returned?”

“That Heavenly Soul was originally captured by the Bone Formation, so when you activated the formation, the soul naturally returned to its rightful place,” Zeng Jingxuan explained, his face showing a mix of relief and bitterness. “But with the Heavenly Soul’s return, Xiao Qi is still adjusting. He might be a bit different from before…”

Wei Yang didn’t notice the expression on Zeng Jingxuan’s face. He didn’t even hear the latter part of the sentence. His hands began to tremble, and he couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, stopping in front of Zhang Xiuqi, staring straight into those eyes. Those black eyes no longer carried the faint confusion they once had. Instead, they were calm and inscrutable, showing no emotion. Facing those unfamiliar eyes, Wei Yang opened his mouth but ultimately managed to squeeze out just two words: “Brother Qi.”

Zhang Xiuqi reached out, steadying Wei Yang’s unsteady body. But unlike the warmth of his hand, his voice carried no emotion as he said coldly, “Wei Yang, thank you.”

The tone was polite, but it also carried a hint of distance. Wei Yang was stunned for a moment before he noticed the change in how Zhang Xiuqi addressed him. It was no longer the unconsciously affectionate “Yangyang,” but the formal use of his full name, almost as if he were addressing a stranger. This wasn’t the Little Celestial Master he knew. He had become a completely different person.

Wei Yang had just woken up from a coma, and his mind wasn’t ready to process such a complex situation. So he didn’t react immediately. It wasn’t until Zhang Xiuqi led him to the sofa and let go of his hand that Wei Yang instinctively reached out, trying to grab the man’s fingers. But Zhang Xiuqi’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and he avoided the gesture.

Sensing the undercurrent between the two, Zeng Jingxuan coughed lightly and sat down beside Wei Yang, saying slowly, “Ah Yang, you’ve been unconscious for two days after activating the Bone Formation. You’ve expended too much energy, so there might be some things you’re not clear about. I’ve already talked with Xiao Qi a few times and have a rough understanding of what happened, as well as the origins of that Bone Formation.”

The mention of the Bone Formation finally brought Wei Yang back to the present. The Bone Formation that had been taken from the Jiangtou Master was likely the same one he had accidentally obtained as a child, the one that had led to his parents’ deaths. Later, Zhang Xiuqi’s father had taken the formation away. Had something happened to it in the meantime?

Zeng Jingxuan didn’t give Wei Yang time to speculate and continued, “Back then, after Xiao Qi and his father saved you, they went to a forbidden area on Longhu Mountain for training. But someone had their eyes on that place and used the two of them as bait to activate a powerful formation. That formation likely contained some kind of soul-binding technique. The formation’s power was supposed to scatter all of Xiao Qi’s souls, but by a twist of fate, his souls didn’t dissipate. Instead, his Heavenly Soul, which had been separated from his body, entered the Bone Formation. That formation is also a vessel for nurturing souls, which allowed the Heavenly Soul to remain intact for twenty years.”

“So the Bone Formation… saved Brother Qi?” Wei Yang was momentarily stunned. The events that had happened in Wang Village were still vivid in his mind, and he had always harbored a deep fear of the Bone Formation. Yet, it was this very thing that had preserved Brother Qi’s soul?

“You could say that. In fact, you could say that you saved him. If the Bone Formation hadn’t been activated by your blood back then, this outcome might not have been possible,” Zeng Jingxuan replied frankly, his eyes no longer carrying that scrutinizing sharpness but instead showing a hint of warmth.

Hearing this, Wei Yang’s expression shifted slightly. He recalled what Master Chizhi had once told him: the two of them were intertwined by fate. If Brother Qi hadn’t found him back then and given him the Talisman Jade, he might have died in Wang Village or at the hands of that fox demon. And if Master Zhang hadn’t taken the Bone Formation away, Brother Qi’s soul might not have remained intact for so long. Who had saved whom? The lines were so blurred that it was impossible to tell. But this realization brought a small measure of peace to Wei Yang’s heart, which had been in turmoil since he woke up. They were connected, and it wasn’t just because of the Bone Formation.

Seeing Wei Yang’s expression soften, Zeng Jingxuan also breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Now that those two Jiangtou Masters are dead, even if their master wants that manuscript, they should know it’s not in Master Yao’s hands anymore. Since he’s no longer in danger, we should leave.”

Wei Yang was taken aback and instinctively glanced at the bandage on Zhang Xiuqi’s arm. He couldn’t help but ask, “Shouldn’t we stay in the hospital a bit longer? Brother Qi’s injuries from that day seemed quite serious… Ah, and your injuries too, Master Zeng…”

Wei Yang didn’t mention himself, but Zeng Jingxuan waved his hand with a smile, “They’re just minor injuries. They’ll heal with time. After you eat something, we’ll leave this afternoon.”

Wei Yang was surprised by how soon they were leaving. He was about to say something more, but Zeng Jingxuan had already turned to Zhang Xiuqi and instructed, “Xiao Qi, go see what’s available in the cafeteria and bring back something easy to digest.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t refuse. He stood up and walked out the door without a word. Watching his retreating back, Wei Yang felt a pang of sadness. During the time he had been awake, Brother Qi hadn’t said much to him, hadn’t even made eye contact, just sat there coldly, as if he had forgotten him entirely. Could it be… that he really had forgotten? Was this one of the side effects of the Heavenly Soul’s return?

Wei Yang quickly turned to Zeng Jingxuan and asked in a low voice, “Master Zeng, does Brother Qi remember what happened when he lost his Heavenly Soul? Has he… forgotten anything?”

Zeng Jingxuan smiled faintly, “There might be some confusion in his memories for the time being. After all, it’s been twenty years. It will take some time to piece everything together and fully process the emotions. But… he’s already remembered the most important things.”

“The most important things?” Wei Yang’s lips trembled, and he forced a smile, “What about the less important ones? Will he remember those too…”

Seeing Wei Yang’s pale face, Zeng Jingxuan averted his gaze slightly, “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Historically, no one has lost their Heavenly Soul for this long, so I’m not entirely sure.”

This was a vague answer, and Wei Yang could tell. But even with just this, a small spark of hope ignited in his heart. Maybe he wasn’t that important, but at least Brother Qi still remembered his name. Maybe, because of the Talisman Jade, he even remembered his younger self. That was still something. He hadn’t lost everything. Pursing his lips, Wei Yang finally managed to force a smile, “Regardless, it’s good that his Heavenly Soul has been restored. We don’t have to risk searching for it anymore.”

Wasn’t this what he had always hoped for—for Brother Qi to become a complete person? No more worrying about the monthly soul-binding rituals, no more fear of his soul scattering at any moment. This was the best possible outcome. As for the rest, it was just trivial. He would try his best to see what could be done.

Having unburdened himself, Wei Yang finally relaxed his expression. But as he looked at Wei Yang’s weary face, Zeng Jingxuan sighed inwardly and held back the other things he wanted to say.

The food arrived quickly, and Wei Yang soon finished his meal. After mustering some energy, he contacted Director Sun and Old Yao to wrap up the loose ends. By the afternoon, the three of them had left the hospital and were driving back to the city.

Zeng Jingxuan was the one driving, with Zhang Xiuqi sitting in the passenger seat, leaving Wei Yang alone in the back. Still exhausted, Wei Yang fell asleep as soon as the car passed through the highway toll booth. Glancing at the unconscious young man through the rearview mirror, Zeng Jingxuan sighed and asked, “Xiao Qi, are we really not going to bring Wei Yang with us this time? After all, he has the Wu Family’s bloodline and can activate that Bone Formation. He might be able to help…”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t look back. He simply tightened his left hand, resting on his knee, and said coldly, “We can’t bring him.”

The words were firm, without a hint of hesitation. Zeng Jingxuan paused for a moment but didn’t ask for an explanation. He simply nodded, “Alright.”

The two of them didn’t speak further. Zeng Jingxuan stepped on the gas, and the car sped forward.