Chapter 832: A Chance Encounter

"Your aura is strange—it doesn't feel like Liu Qingqing. What happened? What has happened to you these past years?"

By a picturesque lake in Dazhuang City, Li Yi stared at the woman before him, dressed in a red qipao and red high heels. He had not mistaken her—her face was indeed identical to Liu Qingqing's.

"Li Yi, I never expected to see you again after all these years. If only you hadn't left the Ghost Post Office back then, maybe many things could've changed. But it's too bad you came back too late. By the way, I don't go by Liu Qingqing anymore—you can call me Hong Jie." Hong Jie spoke slowly, a faint smile on her face.

Yet that smile was unnaturally stiff, not like a living person's—more like a puppet's.

Li Yi said, "I had no reason to stay and deliver letters in the Ghost Post Office. Leaving was inevitable. And with my abilities at the time, I had little chance of surviving the fifth floor. But since you're still alive, that means the Post Office's mission is over—you're free."

"Free? Who among those tainted by the supernatural is ever truly free?"

Hong Jie kept smiling. "As you sensed, I am not the real Liu Qingqing. To survive in this world, one must always pay a price."

Li Yi studied her closely. "I understand now. Your aura carries not only Liu Qingqing's, but also that of another woman. It seems the supernatural force fused two unrelated people into one new personality—a personality that inherited memories from both."

His cultivation had grown strong; he had cultivated his Primordial Spirit manifestation. At this proximity, his perception of auras was exquisitely precise.

"Li Yi, your intuition is as sharp as ever—you guessed the truth at once. That's what sets you apart. And just now, when you arrived here, if I didn't misread it, you could fly?"

Hong Jie brushed back a strand of her black hair, a hint of curiosity flickering in her cold, lifeless eyes.

"I've seen others fly before, but they all used supernatural power. You, however, are still an ordinary human—no trace of supernatural aura at all. That fascinates me. Or is true transcendence really capable of this?"

Li Yi looked at her. "So you're interested in transcendence?"

"A little. In a world ruled solely by the supernatural, suddenly encountering someone like you with transcendental power—it's hard not to be curious." Hong Jie kept smiling.

Having inherited the memories of Zhang Youhong, a spirit-controlling practitioner from the Republic era, and Liu Qingqing, a modern spirit-controlling practitioner, Hong Jie was certain: transcendental power existed only in Li Yi.

There had been martial artists before, but they were all within the bounds of normal human capability—nothing beyond comprehension.

"Since you're so interested, I can demonstrate transcendental power. But in return, I need your help with something." Li Yi said.

"No problem." Hong Jie agreed instantly, a teasing smile curling her lips.

Li Yi said, "Aren't you going to ask what I need you for?"

Hong Jie said, "Anything. There's nothing in this world I can't do."

Her teasing smile radiated absolute confidence.

"Good."

As Li Yi spoke, the clear sky above suddenly split with a thunderclap—a deafening roar echoed across the heavens.

Hong Jie's smile faded slightly. She looked up. Though she didn't understand transcendental power, that thunder had been unmistakably unnatural—not a natural phenomenon.

"That's it? I was hoping for something bigger. Or is that your limit? Was that single thunderclap your maximum?"

Her words carried mockery, and with that stiff smile, they were infuriating.

"Hong Jie, don't goad me. Displaying transcendental power in this world isn't wise—it invites unwanted attention." Li Yi said.

"Any negative impact is better than a supernatural outbreak killing tens or hundreds of thousands every few days. This world's resilience is far stronger than you think. Don't worry about consequences—if anyone bothers you, I'll handle them." Hong Jie said, easing Li Yi's concerns.

"Since you say so, I'll satisfy your curiosity. Let you see true transcendental power."

Li Yi spoke, and the spiritual power within his ninety acupoints resonated in unison. His divine blood activated. The cosmic energy of the entire universe responded to his call. A violent wind surged up around them, unseen until now.

BOOM!

The next instant, a silver lightning bolt, like a ferocious dragon, stretched across the sky—then shattered into countless streaks of lightning, blanketing the heavens. A single thin bolt struck the lake below, and the entire surface was violently upturned, torrents of water surging outward in all directions.

Nearby pedestrians, witnessing this apocalyptic spectacle, collapsed in terror.

Li Yi merely pointed a finger.

Countless silver lightning bolts rained down from heaven and earth, converging into one point.

Hong Jie stood close, yet showed no fear. Her qipao emitted a faint red glow, and a chilling aura spread around her, shielding her from the storm. But as she gazed at the endless sea of silver lightning woven across the sky, a flicker of astonishment appeared in her eyes.

This power was terrifying.

And yet, with such force surging around him, Li Yi remained unharmed.

Watching Li Yi hold countless lightning bolts coiled in his hands, Hong Jie's smile widened.

In just over ten seconds, the storm of thunder vanished—all energy gathered into Li Yi's palm, the lightning woven into a single lightning spear, held firmly in his grip.

"This strike can obliterate hundreds of miles." Li Yi said calmly, then raised his hand and hurled the lightning spear into the sky.

A terrifying shockwave erupted. The clouds across the heavens were instantly swept away—so violently that the sky itself seemed split open. The raw power radiated outward, vibrating through the air, raising every hair on the body and freezing hearts with dread.

"Truly, a power that destroys heaven and earth." Even Hong Jie, who had seen much, now showed shock.

A human, without supernatural power, had achieved this. If Li Yi wished, he could destroy the entire world.

But this world didn't need destruction—it needed salvation. No matter how powerful this force was, it couldn't kill a ghost. So it couldn't save the world.

Watching the terrifying power fade from the sky, Hong Jie's curiosity was finally satisfied. Her eyes returned to their usual numb, lifeless stare.

Yet her teasing smile remained. She clapped her hands. "Brilliant performance—far more entertaining than opera. Li Yi, you've truly delighted me."

"Your tone makes me feel like a street performer." Li Yi said.

"Street performers don't have your abilities." Hong Jie added, "Now I understand transcendental power. Honestly, with your strength, even without supernatural power, there's nothing you can't accomplish in this world."

Li Yi said, "My power is merely brute force. I can't reverse time or alter life and death. That's why I crossed over—to seek help from supernatural power."

Hong Jie laughed. "Your power can't reverse time or alter life and death—do you think supernatural power can? If that's why you came, I'm sorry to disappoint you. In my memories, no one—not a single spirit-controlling practitioner—has ever achieved that."

"Perhaps your level is too low. The spirit-controlling practitioners you've encountered are all weak—that's why you don't know supernatural power can reverse life and death." Li Yi said.

"My level is too low? The spirit-controlling practitioners I've met are weak?"

Hong Jie's smile froze.

If anyone else had said that, they'd already be dead.

But Li Yi was one of the few who had ever been close to her. She held back, then asked: "Li Yi, I'm curious—who told you supernatural power can reverse time and alter life and death?"

"A man named Yang Wei." Li Yi said directly.

"Yang Wei? Never heard of him. No such person in the supernatural circle." Hong Jie thought carefully, then shook her head. Anyone notable or powerful in the supernatural world, she knew by name. Yang Wei was not among them.

Li Yi said, "You may not know Yang Wei, but you know the man who created him. Do you remember my final delivery mission on the third floor of the Ghost Post Office years ago?"

"I remember." Hong Jie said.

She had inherited all of Liu Qingqing's memories—she would never forget her time in the Ghost Post Office.

Li Yi continued, "Back then, a new recruit named Yang Jian came to the third floor. The Yang Wei I knew was created by him."

"Yang Jian… Yang Wei?"

Hong Jie frowned. "I've had dealings with Yang Jian before. I won't deny he could create a person using supernatural power. But to reverse time and alter life and death—"

She was about to dismiss it outright, but then recalled certain experiences and changed her tone: "He did possess a rebooting supernatural ability. But unfortunately, you came too late. Yang Jian has vanished."

"Vanished." Li Yi paused.

"I haven't seen him in years. No word of him. In the supernatural world, a practitioner vanishing usually means death. You know—overuse of supernatural power leads to ghost resurgence." Hong Jie said.

Li Yi grew more confused. Had Yang Jian, after crossing over during the Heaven's Collapse incident and unleashing that strike, returned and succumbed to ghost resurgence? Leaving only Yang Wei to roam Earth?

Seeing Li Yi lost in thought, Hong Jie continued: "If you want to find him, try Dachang City. His family and friends are all there. If even they don't know his whereabouts, he's dead."

"Alright. I'll go to Dachang City."

Li Yi nodded slightly. For some reason, the name Dachang City reminded him of his hometown, Tianchang City.

But since he had crossed over into this world, he wouldn't give up easily. He had to uncover the truth.

Thinking this, he summoned a cloud beneath his feet and prepared to depart.

"You're leaving now?" Hong Jie asked, surprised.

"Yes. Want to come along?" Li Yi asked.

Hong Jie smiled faintly. "I won't. I came here only to see a familiar face. That's all. These days, there are few friends left alive."

"Then rest easy. I've cultivated well—I can easily live for thousands of years. I won't die so easily." Li Yi smiled. "Since you won't come, I'll go first. Call me if you need me."

"Li Yi, wait." Suddenly, Hong Jie called out to him.

"What is it?" Li Yi turned back.

Hong Jie brushed back her wind-tousled black hair. "How's the other world? Is it fun?"

"Not fun. Constant disasters, fighting, bloodshed, countless deaths." Li Yi said.

"So the other world is the same? How dull. Li Yi, be careful." Hong Jie sighed.

Li Yi nodded and immediately took off, riding the cloud toward Dachang City.

Though he preferred not to use transcendental power in this world, traveling efficiently was necessary—it saved immense time.

(End of Chapter)