CALID Chapter 96

Seize the Lamp

Although Duan Xu agreed to cooperate with Yan Ke, Yan Ke still didn’t trust him completely. He took Duan Xu out of the ghost prison, but still made him wear handcuffs and shackles while walking outside. He also cast a spell on him to prevent him from calling for He Simu, although he spared him from physical torture.

Yan Ke looked down on Duan Xu because he was just a mortal with a short lifespan, lacking any magical power, unable to withstand even a blow from an evil spirit. He believed that He Simu’s care and affection for Duan Xu were fleeting moments. Duan Xu would soon be forgotten by He Simu, while he, even if hated by He Simu, would linger in her heart for a longer time.

On the other hand, he harboured a vague jealousy towards Duan Xu, after all, Duan Xu had once received He Simu’s love, whether it was brief or long, it was genuine love.

When He Simu revealed the mystery of the Ghost King Lamp, Yan Ke felt extreme anger, but at the same time, he thought that indeed this was the woman he had liked for three hundred years, the woman who could temporarily suppress his desire for power, the woman he was willing to serve as her subordinate.

There was no woman in the world who could compare to He Simu. He must have her.

Duan Xu, on the other hand, behaved very obediently. Whenever He Simu was mentioned, he always showed a look of hatred and resentment. He was often blindfolded and taken here and there. After more than ten days, he finally heard the deafening sound of war.

The cloth covering his eyes was removed, and after adjusting to the light for a moment, Duan Xu looked around and found himself inside a tent, with the sounds of battle seeming to come from below.

Duan Xu guessed that they must be on a cliff of a mountain, and below the cliff was the battlefield.

Yan Ke lifted the tent flap and walked in, saying coldly, “Now is the time. It’s time to exchange senses with He Simu.”

Duan Xu reached out and said, “Give me the Illusion-Breaking Sword. I want to use its spiritual power to activate the spell.”

Yan Ke glanced at Duan Xu and had the ghost servant bring the Illusion-Breaking Sword.

Duan Xu took the Illusion-Breaking Sword and took out the talisman left to him by Feng Yi. Although the Illusion-Breaking Sword flickered with a faint light, Duan Xu frowned and opened his eyes, saying, “He Simu is too far away from here, and the talisman is difficult to take effect.”

Yan Ke’s gaze sharpened. “What trick are you trying to pull?”

After thinking for a moment, Duan Xu pointed to the Ghost King Lamp at Yan Ke’s waist and said, “Her soul is in the Ghost King Lamp. Perhaps I can borrow its aura to exchange senses.”

Yan Ke immediately grabbed Duan Xu’s neck with one hand, his eyes full of suspicion. Duan Xu lifted his hand and grabbed his wrist, saying with difficulty, “You also know… I have no magical power… I’m not an evil spirit… Even if I have the Ghost King Lamp in my hand, I can’t use it. Everyone here… inside and outside are your subordinates… I’m still wearing handcuffs and shackles… How can I escape…”

Duan Xu’s face turned red, his eyes filled with sincerity and clarity.

Yan Ke slowly released his hand, looking at Duan Xu with a mixture of belief and doubt.

Although he had his suspicions, Duan Xu was indeed a mortal without any foundation in magic. Holding the Ghost King Lamp would be of no use, and he couldn’t possibly escape.

After a moment of silence, Yan Ke placed the Ghost King Lamp in Duan Xu’s hand, his gaze fixed on him. Duan Xu held the Ghost King Lamp and the talisman, raising it to his chest before suddenly smiling brightly.

In that instant of bright smile, Yan Ke realized something was wrong. Before he could react, Duan Xu had already swallowed the jade pendant of the Ghost King Lamp, swallowing it down into his stomach with a gulp.

In an instant, a tremendous force erupted from his body, spreading out like a tidal wave, pushing Yan Ke back three steps before he could barely stand his ground. Duan Xu’s clothes and hair were swept up by the fierce wind, shrouded in the surging ghostly aura of the Ghost King Lamp, like a true evil spirit.

“Sorry, I really can use the Ghost King Lamp,” Duan Xu turned his head slightly, smiling as if recalling the events in Youzhou five years ago.

Back then, when he and Simu first exchanged their sense of smell, he had swallowed the Ghost King Lamp. At that time, He Simu had used the power of the Illusion-Breaking Sword as a medium, allowing the Ghost King Lamp to obey him. She had said that the Ghost King Lamp unexpectedly resonated with him, and he was able to control most of its power. Over these years, she had never revoked this permission.

The Ghost King Lamp was originally her lifeline, yet she entrusted it to him just half a year after knowing him. Before she even liked him, she had entrusted him with her trust.

As if removing a bracelet, Duan Xu removed the handcuffs from his hand, then lifted his foot to kick off the ankle chain. He smiled slightly, “Also, these things can’t hold me. Sorry.”

A horde of evil spirits surged in, and Yan Ke stood up, ready to charge at Duan Xu. But Duan Xu’s gaze sharpened, and blue flames erupted all around him, pushing Yan Ke away with force.

Duan Xu didn’t draw his sword, just pointed it towards Yan Ke, who couldn’t approach him because of the evil spirits. He smiled openly and said, “Lord Yan, even the mention of Simu’s name from your mouth makes me sick. You want to take away her power, capture her, what do you plan to do with her after I die? Were you this disgusting in your lifetime?”

Yan Ke glared at him fiercely, almost wanting to tear him apart.

Duan Xu’s smile became even more radiant as he walked away from Yan Ke, his sword held high. The blue flames burned along his path, and the evil spirits avoided him. He said as he walked, “I can’t live as disgustingly as you do.”

As for the matters of the ghost realm, they were ghostly matters. He wouldn’t interfere with Yan Ke’s plan to destroy Simu.

The will-o’-the-wisps burned the camp’s curtains, and Duan Xu walked out of the camp, immediately spotting He Simu on the opposite cliff, the girl in red and white robes with black hair fluttering, resembling red plum blossoms on dark branches against white snow. Though too far to see her expression, he sensed as if she had taken a step forward.

Duan Xu lowered his gaze and saw below the cliff the demonic army engaged in combat on both sides. Dust and smoke billowed on the battlefield, countless demons turned to ashes under fangs and blades, akin to a flurry of grey-white snow. Beneath this blanket of ash, the light dimmed, and the world seemed frozen in the moment between dawn and dusk.

“How magnificent,” Duan Xu murmured, lifting the Broken Illusion Sword before him. With both hands grasping its edges, he slowly drew it apart, the silver blade reflecting dazzling light, shimmering in his round eyes.

“Let’s go, Illusion Breaker.”

With those words, he leaped straight off the cliff, a bright blue flame trailing him as he descended. Just before landing, he leveraged the Illusion Breaker against the cliff several times, harnessing the momentum, and landed amidst the battlefield engulfed in the ghostly flame.

Facing him were Yan Ke’s soldiers. As the demonic soldiers turned to see a demon engulfed in flames descending from the sky, they panicked and stirred. Duan Xu swung the Illusion Breaker with a flourish, creating a beautiful sword dance, then charged into the midst of the demonic horde without a word.

He Simu stood on the cliff, her pupils contracting.

Demonic vision was exceptional; she saw her young general clad in black clothes infiltrating the enemy ranks, his two gleaming swords sweeping through the demons like a gust of wind, leaving behind only remnants turned to ash. His eyes held a smile, blooming amidst the slaughter as if tirelessly chasing the sun like the legendary Kuafu until the final moments of life.

He Simu’s world paused for a moment, then she leaped from the cliff, disregarding Jiang Ai’s cries behind her. With her formidable demonic power, she instilled fear in the enemy ranks, descending like a black cloud upon the battlefield, making her way towards Duan Xu. Finally, in the centre of the battlefield, she caught his arm and called out, “Duan Xu!”

Duan Xu’s hand, raised with the sword, halted. In that instant, He Simu grabbed him and flashed back to the cliff where she had been before.

Duan Xu’s eyes were filled with red, as if drained of strength, he knelt to the ground, leaning forward, embraced by He Simu.

“Hahaha… exhilarating… truly exhilarating…” Duan Xu laughed loudly on He Simu’s shoulder, intermittently speaking.

Supporting his shoulder, He Simu’s gaze trembled as she looked into his eyes, calling his name, “Duan Xu!”

Duan Xu’s gaze flickered, the red in his eyes gradually receding. He looked quietly at He Simu for a moment, then smiled, “Simu, Happy New Year, may every year be peaceful. I’ve come to give you a New Year’s gift.”

He pointed to his own stomach and said, “I brought back the Ghost King’s Lamp for you; it’s inside my belly.”

He Simu stared at him for a while, her pitch-black eyes trembling, slowly settling amidst the distinct black and white, amid the swirling fine ash, as if they had just crossed through the cataclysm of heaven and earth. She slowly tightened her embrace around him; she couldn’t feel his body, so she exerted all her strength to hold him tighter, and even tighter.

“Duan Xu, Duan Shunxi…” she gritted her teeth, calling his name, her voice trembling, as if every word took immense effort. She paused between each word, saying, “I hate you.”

Duan Xu also held He Simu’s back, burying his head in her shoulder, and began to tremble belatedly, as if the wounds on his body had suddenly started to ache at this moment. Her shoulder gradually became wet with his tears.

A year apart from seeing her, in that fleeting moment, he wanted to fight his way to her and then say to her—I don’t want to end things with you.

We have to entangle with each other for a lifetime. We cannot end like this.

But now he couldn’t say those words; he just murmured, “It hurts, Simu, you’re holding me too tight.”

He Simu whispered softly in his ear, “Not as much as I hurt.”

“You can’t feel pain anymore.”

“I will.”

You taught me what pain is.

He Simu felt the pain all over her body, unable to find its source, and could only say, “You’re going to kill me with pain.”

Duan Xu patted her back, but suddenly tensed up, struggling to push her away. He Simu, caught off guard, let go of him, only to see Duan Xu spit out dark liquid, splattering on her face and clothes.

She stared blankly, watching Duan Xu cover his mouth, the liquid continuously flowing from between his fingers, as if it would never stop. There was panic in his eyes, but he mumbled, “Don’t be afraid… this…”

“It’s blood,” He Simu said, pulling his hand away from his mouth. She could barely endure the pain, slowly saying, “Do you think I can’t see colours, so I don’t know what this is?”

Duan Xu couldn’t cover his mouth anymore; blood gushed out from his mouth in large quantities. His gaze gradually became unfocused, swaying as he leaned forward, falling onto He Simu’s shoulder. He whispered softly, “Simu… I… I’m sick.”

In the gap between saying these words, he still managed to weakly hold He Simu’s hand, intertwining their fingers.

Then he lost strength and fainted on her shoulder.

**Nomad: Kuafu is a figure from Chinese mythology known for his ambitious attempt to chase and catch the sun. Despite his immense strength and stamina, he grew desperately thirsty during the journey and ultimately succumbed to exhaustion before achieving his goal. His story symbolizes human determination and ambition, as well as the limits of overreaching, serving both as a cautionary tale and a celebration of the heroic spirit striving against impossible odds.