Chapter 172 Song of a Stranger - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

At the very moment the pill formula took shape, the world was plunged into chaos. The heavens changed and clouds churned. An endless surge of spiritual energy rumbled forth, creating a colossal vortex high in the sky. Countless malevolent ghosts, lured by the scent of fresh blood, howled and screamed as they were drawn into the whirlpool, shredded to pieces by the blade-like spiritual energy within the swirling maelstrom. “What in the world is that?!” “...It’s an Earth-level... an Earth-level alchemist!!” Returning from the Valley of Malevolent Spirits, Su Chan tilted her head back, her inscrutable black eyes contemplating the dark, deep vortex in the sky and the many ghosts being sucked into it. A longing wrapped around her fingertips, reluctant to move. She had released all the ghosts from Ghost Mountain. Staring at the vortex, Su Chan smiled gently. Now that chaos reigns, you won't leave. That's just splendid. Unaware of Su Chan’s assessment or the other’s suffocating thought process, Xia Ge felt her soul body drifting lightly. The Dao of Heaven seemed like a soft ribbon, ready to lay everything bare before her, yet hesitating at the tip of words unsaid. Some blurred memories appeared to sharpen before quickly fading again. The Dao of Heaven was within reach. Just another step, and she could unravel all the world's mysteries; just a bit more desire, and her soul could ascend further. But she couldn't. Xia Ge's gaze was unwavering. Nothing mattered. The chaos around her, the myriad sounds, the wailing ghosts, the people’s chatter— All were illusions, misleading her to linger longer. None of it mattered. —The final step! Completing this step would mean stepping into the ultimate realm, nirvana, rebirth, with the pill of ten thousand souls achieved! Xia Ge’s eyes glinted sharply as she was about to switch her hand movements for the pill formula, but suddenly, she halted. Besides her, the vortex would consume all soul-body beings. Not far away, a girl in black, though veiled, Xia Ge sensed plainly that she was being watched. Frozen in her actions, Xia Ge's eyes were drawn to the vast vortex in the sky, sweeping up ghosts in groups. The girl in black gave her a slight smile, then gradually began to drift toward the vortex. The wind was fierce. The girl's veil was blown away. Lost between illusion and reality, confused in the balance between success and failure— Xia Ge's pupils contracted sharply, and the pill formula in her hand scattered! “No!!” The vortex above suddenly stilled. In that instant, the girl in black smiled, her delicate face twisting grotesquely as she revealed her gaping maw, transforming into a terrifying ghost. Breaking free from the vortex’s halt, it flew towards her, claws bared! The reason the ghost tore Xia Ge's body, indifferent to the soul state, was because the pill formula of the Ten Thousand Soul Pill would conceal her soul’s location, making the ghosts perceive her body and soul as one. But in that brief moment, she exposed her soul! What she'd just seen...was Heaven’s Dao clouding her perceptions!! Indeed...advancing from Mystical to Earth level wasn’t going to be as simple as she thought! “Every time, it's the same.” The breeze stirred her soft black hair. Su Chan gazed at the disbanding vortex, “...always the same, regardless of consequences.” “But...well.” Su Chan sighed lightly, moving a finger with a soft, amused tone. “Who could it be but you?” Just as Xia Ge was about to conjure a pill formula to recover, the dispersing vortex seemed to have been reined in, spinning fiercely in an instant and sucking back the ghosts who had been escaping toward her. The intense pull dragged them back to the vortex, where they were shredded by the frenzied spiritual blades! Why was it moving again so suddenly? She hadn’t had time to form the pill formula... Xia Ge was mildly taken aback, but quickly refocused, as the vortex had absorbed the chaotic ingredients as well. Along with the ghosts, it was just perfect! She seized the moment, concentrating her focus, following the steps outlined on the pill scroll, merging the Gathering Spirit Formula! In an instant, the heavens and earth’s spiritual energy converged high above, the magnificent scenery blazing brilliantly. The Never-ending Ghost Mountain seemed gilded by the sky’s radiant golden light, the ghosts’ howls ceased, clouds and fog lifted, and two glossy, ochre pills hovered in the sky. It seemed as if mythical phoenixes circled the ochre pills chirping joyously, with phantom images of golden dragons coiling and roaring around them. Soon, the dragon and phoenix phantoms dispersed, replaced by ghosts and spirits stepping on clouds. In mere moments, the small pills in the eyes of many, portrayed the ever-changing facets of life. They were like two suns in the dim sky, illuminating the uncertain souls. Xia Ge's previously broken body was almost pulled into the vortex by a ghost, but the vortex’s spiritual energy formed by the pill formula only attracted souls and materials, so it dropped her ragged body like a sack of unwanted cloth on a mountain peak. Re-entering her body with immense pain, Xia Ge slowly opened her eyes, rising unsteadily to her feet, trembling as she formed the final pill formula— “The pill is complete.” In that instant, all phantoms vanished, the two pills whirled like shooting stars, caught firmly in Xia Ge's hand. And the destination of the two brilliant pills focused everyone’s gazes on the masked girl atop the mountain peak. “...Who is that?!” “No idea.” “She’s masked…” “Regardless, she must be the newly advanced Earth-level alchemist!” “My God, wonder which sect's prodigy she is. She looks so young... younger than Xia Wuyin…” “Don’t bring up that name!” “You’re right, what a jinx.” “…” Everyone was talking at once. And no one noticed, in one corner, the lone Chang Nian, separate from the Lingsheng Peak disciples, a sword on his back, continuously tinkling a small silver bell in his hand— With trembling eyes, he looked up at the mountain summit bathed in golden light, where a dark-robed girl crafted the Earth-level pill. It was... Quietly standing on the mountain peak, Su Chan allowed the wind to toy with her red dress, the lingering golden sky reflecting the subtle smile at her lips, reminiscent of a young girl in love, tenderly and deeply gazing at the one for whom she’d risk everything. She’d saved her once. Su Chan mused, unable to suppress her smile. How wonderful. Just thinking about it filled her heart with sweetness, happiness. Xia Ge was unaware of Su Chan's gaze. Her black nightwear had been shredded by the ghosts but the system store’s medicine indeed worked wonders. Despite the pain, her body appeared intact. Perfect enough that no one would believe that this body had once been torn to shreds by ghosts and then slowly pieced back together. An Earth-level alchemist borne of ghostly nourishment. Even having walked back from the gates of hell, the system upgrade notification echoed in her ears, yet she felt no sense of accomplishment. Without that person opening their eyes and smiling, saying “Congratulations,” not even ascension to the pinnacle felt a shred of honor. Holding tightly to the two crucial pills, Xia Ge staggered downwards. Step by step, she moved with ritual-like grace towards the first circle, kneeling before Gu Peijiu, removing her mask, she chewed the pill before kissing her, piece by piece transferring the medicine through their joined lips. The soul-stabilizing guardian was effective, keeping her sister out of danger. Xia Ge grasped Gu Peijiu's hand, fingers interlocking. Their lips entwined, intimacy tender and lingering. A longing spirit anxiously tried to squirm free from Su Chan’s fingertips, unable to break away, it fretted impatiently. Watching the girl below kiss someone else, Su Chan's smile slowly faded, the sweetness in her heart turning bitter. But she was in no rush. “There’s always the end.” At last, she chuckled softly, seemingly nonchalant, yet, perhaps confrontational. A mere Ten Thousand Soul Pill, at best, could restore half of Gu Peijiu's soul destroyed by soul poison, yet... What did it matter? Su Chan’s Death Blade's soul toxin, whomever she wished to escort away, who could remain? One half soul, no less. After administering the medicine, Xia Ge lowered her long lashes. The sky’s radiant golden light and the fragrance of the pills filled the forest, but the one she longed to save still hadn’t opened her eyes. Only breathing, rhythmically steady. As if to reassure her. ...No. Still...no. Why was it still no? Xia Ge felt a bit lost. If this wasn’t enough, what else could she do? “Is everything I do useless?” Xia Ge asked, “Even the Ten Thousand Soul Pill doesn’t help?” The system, unsure how to console her. Xia Ge gently caressed Gu Peijiu's face, finally embracing her neck, tears rolling silently down. She couldn’t let her sister know she cried. ...Otherwise, her sister...would be sad too. The system was a bit pitying and said: “Not entirely useless...” “If it helps, why isn’t she awake?” The system: “The effects... take time.” Footsteps approached from not far away, likely people eager to glimpse this new, possibly the sole Earth-level alchemist to emerge in the Fengyue Continent. Xia Ge wiped her tears, put on her mask, and adjusted the soul-stabilizing formation. The system: “You…” “Sister, my name is Xia Ge.” Xia Ge kissed Gu Peijiu's forehead, softly spoke, “From now on, Xia Wuyin is not me.” She was the newly ascended Earth-level alchemist holding the Soul Stabilizer, Xia Ge. The identity of "Xia Wuyin" couldn't be cleared, no matter what. If people discovered that she—the notorious Xia Wuyin who had released the malevolent spirits—was actually Xia Ge, no amount of words could exonerate her. After all, Su Chan had unexpectedly impersonated her to summon those spirits, and by the time she had been crafting the Ten Thousand Soul Pill, she had already vanished, leaving no opportunity to confront the situation directly. With her sister in this state, Xia Ge had no energy to engage in futile entanglements with others. Moreover, with Xia Wuyin now infamous, she didn't want her sister to be dragged down by her past. Besides... To her, the identity of Xia Wuyin held no significance. She no longer wished to be the "Xia Wuyin" standing behind her sister. She wanted to be Xia Ge. The Xia Ge who stands in front of her sister, capable of protecting her. ...The true Xia Ge. She would never forget her real name. As people approached, whispering amongst themselves, Xia Ge rose with Gu Peijiu in her arms. The stabilizing aura of her Soul-stabilizing Arts flared suddenly, startling the crowd into keeping their distance. Yet, among the crowd, there was always one unafraid to die. "Hey! Who are you?! That's the senior disciple of Lingsheng Peak!" Lu Qie’s anger flared when he saw his senior sister held by someone unknown, her life uncertain. "Put her down!!" Senior Brother Lu. Xia Ge stayed silent for a moment, reverting to her original voice, softly stating, "I’m her friend." "She’s poisoned, and I’m here to help." Her voice was clear and gentle, like a bubbling spring trickling down from the mountains, "You can trust me." Lu Qie felt half-convinced by the melodious voice, but shook himself quickly back to vigilance, "…Why should we trust you?" In an instant! The ancient spiritual pressure of the Soul-stabilizing Arts spread more deeply, and upon recognizing the robes, the crowd took a step back, their expressions a mix of wariness and discomfort. Everyone had scrambled and even fought fiercely, sacrificing many lives for the treasure that now lay with this mysterious, unseen Earth-level alchemist. Feeling the heavy tension, Xia Ge maintained her gentle tone, "I will take her to Lingsheng Peak, you can rest assured." "We’re not assured." The boy’s voice was calm, though laced with a hint of hoarseness. Xia Ge raised her head, meeting his gaze. Ye Ze stood beside Lu Qie, staring intently into her eyes, "You need to come with us back to Lingsheng Peak. There’s no way we’re leaving our senior disciple in a stranger's care." His eyes were rimmed in red, his body covered in scars, looking both as if he'd been crying, and as though nothing had happened at all. Xia Ge remembered the question Ye Ze had previously asked that impostor. She couldn't quite describe how she felt—a mix of exhaustion and weariness. Right now, her only desire was to protect the person in her arms; everything else held no weight for her. So, there was no need for sadness. "I’m not a stranger to her." Xia Ge murmured almost to herself, "It’s you all who are strangers to me."