Ye Xuan ignored the Great Dao Pen and led Zong Bai forward.
The Great Dao Pen hurriedly said, “Ye Xuan, don’t act recklessly! Seriously, don’t!”
Ye Xuan stopped and said, “Pen Brother, are you that scared of this Fallen City?”
The Great Dao Pen replied, “It’s not fear, it’s that I can’t interfere with the fates of beings. That goes against the rules my master set. Whatever you do is your business, but you can’t drag me into it to take the blame! Ye Xuan… Brother Ye, you’ve got to be reasonable!”
Ye Xuan was curious, “Why can’t you interfere with fates?”
The Great Dao Pen said, “Because I’m the executor of fate, the enforcer of rules. If I meddle, wouldn’t that cause chaos?”
Ye Xuan asked, “Didn’t you kill before?”
The Great Dao Pen replied, “They provoked me first. If they mess with me, me killing them is justified, cause and effect!”
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then said, “Easy fix. I’ll go in and lay low, let them come for me. Then I’ll bring you out. Some fools will definitely target us, and when they do, you can take them out, perfectly justified!”
“What the hell!”
The Great Dao Pen quickly said, “Ye Xuan, don’t do this. You’re luring them, that’s wrong.”
Ye Xuan grinned, “Pen Brother, no pressure. We’re here to do good. Even if you break the rules, your master won’t blame you!”
The Great Dao Pen sighed softly, “Ye Xuan, understand this: existence has its reasons. In a forest, if you save a sheep by driving off a wolf, what about the wolf? What if it starves?”
Ye Xuan pointed to the city, “Feel the resentment and malice in there? How many died unjustly?”
The Great Dao Pen said, “They have their own fates!”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Are some beings destined for tragedy from birth?”
The Great Dao Pen said, “Not entirely. They can strive to change their fate’s path.”
Ye Xuan chuckled softly, “Pen Brother, let me ask you, if I had Qing’er kill you now, would you feel wronged?”
The Great Dao Pen was silent for a moment, then said, “Don’t do this. Aren’t we having a nice chat?”
Ye Xuan smiled, “If I had Qing’er kill you now, your fall would be your fate. You can’t blame Qing’er, only that you didn’t try hard enough, right?”
Great Dao Pen: “…”
Ye Xuan said softly, “Pen Brother, I’m not arguing with you. I’m saying the powerless are often helpless.”
The Great Dao Pen was silent for a moment, then said, “I know what you mean, but I really can’t break the rules. If the rule-enforcer breaks them, the world would fall into chaos.”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “How about this? If you don’t want to get involved, we’ll do it differently. I’ll act, and you back me up. That way, others’ cause and effect become ours. Sound good?”
The Great Dao Pen said gravely, “I don’t think it’s good… what’s the difference?”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “Of course there’s a difference. If you back me up, you avoid their cause and effect.”
The Great Dao Pen fell silent.
Ye Xuan said, “It’s settled!”
The Great Dao Pen said gravely, “Do I have a choice?”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Of course. I’m a big believer in democracy. I, Ye Xuan, don’t just call people out randomly!”
Great Dao Pen: “…”
Ye Xuan said seriously, “State your choice!”
The Great Dao Pen was silent for a moment, then said, “Do whatever you want! I can’t stop you anyway!”
Ye Xuan laughed heartily and headed into the city.
At that moment, Su Xiaoxiao suddenly said, “Are you really going in?”
Ye Xuan turned to her, “Are you familiar with the city?”
Su Xiaoxiao nodded, “Very.”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Want to come with me?”
Su Xiaoxiao hesitated.
Ye Xuan smiled, “If you don’t want to, no problem. You’re free now, you can leave!”
With that, he turned to go.
Su Xiaoxiao appeared beside him, looking at him, “I’ll go with you!”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Great!”
As the three entered the city, Ye Xuan’s brows furrowed. The place was eerie, filled with malice and resentment.
So many冤魂 (wronged souls)!
Su Xiaoxiao said gravely, “This city has two powerful ghost kings: Yexian Ghost King in the south and Sima Ghost King in the north. They’ve been fighting for years, evenly matched!”
Ye Xuan nodded, “Got it!”
Just then, a terrifying aura swept in from afar. Seeing this, Su Xiaoxiao’s face changed, and she stepped behind Ye Xuan, nudging his waist with her finger, “Your turn!”
Ye Xuan: “…”
A middle-aged man appeared before them, his face pale as paper, eyes faintly blood-red.
The man looked at Ye Xuan, his eyes brimming with unmasked greed.
Ye Xuan thought for a moment, then opened his palm. A surge of bloodline power emerged. As it did, the man’s pupils shrank, “Fine blood!”
Ye Xuan smiled, “Want to devour it?”
The man glanced at him, a trace of wariness in his eyes, “Are you trying to trick me?”
Ye Xuan’s expression froze.
What the hell, are people here this smart?
The man sized up Ye Xuan, “You came here willingly!”
Ye Xuan nodded.
The man asked, “So, you know what this place is?”
Ye Xuan nodded.
The man sneered, “Well, young man, to come here at your age and deliberately reveal your special bloodline aura… are you digging a trap for me?”
Ye Xuan: “…”
The man sneered again, “C’mon!
