Chapter 263: Soul Returns

「Dong Yong, now……can you let go of me? 」

The blade pressed against his throat, Wang Yuan suddenly spoke.

Although he was restrained, his face showed no panic, instead he was unusually calm; only the sting and chill from the sharp blade cutting his neck skin made a hint of gloom flicker deep in his eyes, and he silently vowed: Once free, I'll make you regret this!

Seeing the Seventh Fairy Maiden's silhouette finally vanish into the dark snow curtain behind the house, Dong Yong felt a little relieved and exhaled.

But he did not release Wang Yuan; instead he tightened his arm, pressed the blade harder, and step by step escorted him toward the door, warning in a low voice:

"Cut the nonsense! If you don't want to die, stay still and don't move!"

His intention was clear: use Wang Yuan as a charm to find a chance to break out.

If he could cause a big commotion, alerting the Dong Residence nearby would be even better—he knew Lord Dong's household kept several guards who had once been famous figures in the jianghu!

With the ruined door just a few steps away, hope seemed within reach……

Bang!

A sudden change!

A muffled bang, the earthen wall beside Dong Yong burst open a hole!

A muscular hand, covered in old calluses, shot out like a ghost, and in a flash it clamped tightly around Dong Yong's neck!

That hand unleashed an irresistible force, yanking Dong Yong violently backward!

"Ugh!" Dong Yong, caught off guard, instantly loosened his grip on Wang Yuan, lost balance, and fell backward.

Almost at the same moment,

Swish—crack!

An iron‑chained grappling hook shot in from outside the door, precisely wrapping around the firewood axe in Dong Yong's hand, then yanked hard!

"No!"

Dong Yong felt his tiger's mouth burst with pain, the axe flew from his grasp and clanged far away.

Wang Yuan seized the chance, stepped back a few paces, took out a clean handkerchief from his bosom, and slowly pressed it to the shallow but bleeding wound on his neck.

He lowered his gaze at the sturdy man who had stepped on Dong Yong's chest, pinning him to the ground, face flushed yet still glaring at him, and gave a slight nod, his tone neutral:

"Commendable courage, you're a true man."

He shook his head slightly, as if with a hint of regret,

"Why risk everything for an unrelated ugly woman? Is it worth it?"

Dong Yong's chest was crushed, breathing difficult, yet he forced a low growl from between his teeth, his eyes filled with resolve to sacrifice everything:

I have no living relatives left! Now……how could I let you hurt……hurt the one I admire? ！

Bring any means you have—aim them at me, Dong Yong alone！！

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuan nodded again, his tone flat:

"Not bad, loyal and righteous, unafraid of force."

"If you were born into a noble clan and trained by a great master, given time you could become a distinguished gentleman and hero."

He shifted his tone, his voice turning icy with reality,

"Too bad……you chose the wrong womb."

Having said that, he no longer looked at Dong Yong, turned and hurried toward the direction the Seventh Fairy Maiden fled, leaving only a light remark that could decide life and death:

"Kill him—his bones are too hard, he won't adapt; keeping him is only a disaster."

His figure disappeared into the wind and snow outside.

Behind him came the sturdy man's muffled assent.

Immediately followed by the tearing sound of a long sword being drawn, and the merciless blade ripping flesh——

Pfft!

Dong Yong's death was as insignificant as a snowflake falling from the sky.

But his last thought was, at least Seventh Maiden has escaped………

"Chase."

"Yes!"

Wang Yuan gave the order, and his men immediately surged forward.

He himself unhurriedly mounted a horse and rode slowly ahead.

No trace.

After they left, a figure appeared beside Dong Yong's body.

"Dong Yong, Dong Yong, I was gone only a short while—how did you die?"

"Fortunately I know a little resurrection technique."

"Soul Returns!"

After his vision passed through chaos and eternal darkness, Dong Yong's consciousness reformed.

He found himself standing on a mist‑shrouded, pathless strange trail, unable to see where he came from or where he was going.

Before him stood a blurred figure holding a chain that glowed with a faint light, voice soft:

"Dong Yong, your mortal lifespan is exhausted; come with me."

Dong Yong's heart sank; he instantly realized this must be the legendary Soul Reaper coming to escort him to the Underworld.

He pressed his dry lips together, his strong obsession unwilling to leave just yet, and pleaded:

"Sir, I……may I stay a moment, just take one……just one look……"

The Soul Reaper shook his head expressionlessly, tone unquestionable:

"The living and the dead walk separate paths; yin and yang are divided."

"Since you are dead, all affairs of the Human World have nothing to do with you anymore."

Don't say more, let's go.

He gave Dong Yong no chance to keep struggling; tightening the chain in his hand, he dragged Dong Yong forward along the misty path.

Until a ghost gate appeared in Dong Yong's field of vision.

Passing through the ghost gate, he officially entered the Underworld; the surrounding sights were bizarre and grotesque, with wandering spirits coming and going, faint wails echoing.

Dong Yong remained silent, but as soon as he stepped into the Underworld and had taken only a few steps, he suddenly lifted his head, obsession blazing in his eyes:

"No! I can't rest easy! Let me take one last look—just one more glance!"

He spun around, erupting with the full power of his spiritual form, about to charge toward the ghost gate that had not yet fully closed!

He had to go back, had to personally confirm whether Qimei had escaped safely!

Yet he had not run two steps before the Soul Reaper effortlessly yanked him back again.

The Reaper seemed accustomed to such situations, sighing helplessly:

"I knew you wouldn't behave."

"Just come along honestly to the Judgment Hall to register."

He hefted the unbreakable Soul-Catching Rope in his hand, his tone carrying a hint of professional confidence,

"Any soul I capture, once it enters this Underworld, none can——"

His words were not yet finished——

"Souls return!"

A mighty sound, as if coming from beyond the nine heavens yet resonating from the very source of the soul, suddenly pierced the yin-yang boundary and crashed down upon the edge of the Underworld!

Crack!

Accompanying this command, the seemingly unbreakable gloom-light chain in the Soul Reaper's hand shattered with a bang, turning into specks of flowing light that dissipated!

At the same time, an irresistible great force enveloped Dong Yong's spiritual form, and at a speed beyond comprehension, it violently pulled him backward from the Underworld, turning him into a stream of light that instantly passed through the ghost gate, vanished into the vast yin-yang passage, and headed straight for the Human World!

The Soul Reaper kept his grip on the chain, frozen in place, staring at his empty hand, then gazing in the direction Dong Yong had disappeared.

Silence.

Deathly silence.

"…………" After several seconds, he finally seemed to react, reluctantly lowering his hand, muttering discontentedly at the empty space before him:

"You know someone of this level of great power—you should have told me earlier......."

"You're wasting my time, sigh."

He sighed, turned, and went to hook the soul of another dying person.