In the end, both Nian Nian and Shen Weixun made the same choice—to take a gamble.
It was a high - stakes bet. If they managed to summon back their souls but failed to transfer the hatred, they would be left weak and vulnerable, easy prey for the intelligent and powerful evil spirits before them.
But the thing that could save their master - wife was right there. A rough estimate suggested that this was probably the only place they could find the Soul - Rejuvenating Grass.
The Soul - Rejuvenating Grass and these evil spirits were likely in a symbiotic relationship. Without the strong yin energy from these spirits, the grass wouldn't grow, let alone thrive.
It was time to take a chance.
Nian Nian sat cross - legged on the ground, and Shen Weixun sat beside her. They both closed their eyes, searching for the source that bound these souls.
A cold wind blew around them, and star - like lights twinkled. The whole cave began to tremble slightly. The nearby spring water rippled gently, and the compass in front of them emitted a faint blue glow.
All around, there was nothing but the howls of ghosts.
One by one, the scattered souls were retrieved and slowly merged back into their original sources. The evil spirits that had been wandering around the spring regained their focus. Their eyes, no longer dull but terrifying, were filled with hatred and hostility. Just looking into their eyes sent shivers down one's spine. They seemed as if they wanted to kill everything in sight. Even those who climbed out of the eighteenth level of hell might not exude such a fierce aura.
The last and most difficult soul to recall was that of the near - ghost - emperor. There was a gap in strength. Although it wasn't an insurmountable one, reaching across such a difference to pull back a soul took a great toll on their bodies.
Nian Nian's originally rosy face had turned almost as white as a sheet, and Shen Weixun beside her wasn't in much better condition. They were holding on by a thread, gradually pulling back the souls scattered around.
The lights around them gradually coalesced into a ball, which grew larger and larger until it was bigger than Nian Nian herself. Only then did they open their eyes.
There was one last broken soul left.
Nian Nian turned to look at her third senior brother. They exchanged a knowing look, nodded, and then together threw the broken soul in front of the near - ghost - emperor.
As soon as it got close to the main soul, the broken soul flew back into it like a lost child finally finding its way home.
The cave trembled more violently. It seemed on the verge of collapse. Rocks kept falling, and Nian Nian and Shen Weixun crouched in a rather ungraceful position in the corner.
The cave was protected by prohibitions and formations and wouldn't collapse easily. But neither of them wanted to be hit on the head by random rocks for no reason. Hiding in this corner was perfect, with a large rock above them to shield them from the falling debris.
They waited for a while until they had regained a bit of their strength. Then the near - ghost - emperor turned his cold, blue - glowing eyes on them.
The old man wasn't ugly. In fact, his face had a kind and gentle look, indicating that he had probably been a kind and authoritative old man in life. But now, as an evil spirit who had evolved to the level of a near - ghost - emperor, his kind nature had faded, replaced by a terrifying and intimidating aura.
"Are you descendants of the Tu family?"
The old man didn't attack immediately. Instead, he first asked about their identities. He probably thought that Nian Nian and Shen Weixun were descendants of the Tu family, and that was why they had made such a great sacrifice to wake them up.
But Nian Nian shook her head. "No, we're not descendants of the Tu family. My surname is Yu. I'm Yu Nian Nian. The head of the Hu family sent us in here to pick the Soul - Rejuvenating Grass."
Oh boy. Nian Nian's innocent words were like throwing a stone into a hornet's nest. Shen Weixun, who was standing beside her, didn't even have time to stop her. The girl had blurted out the words "head of the Hu family."
Don't forget who these Tu family members hated the most. Nian Nian's unclear explanation could easily lead to the misunderstanding that they were on the Hu family's side.
Sure enough, upon hearing the words "head of the Hu family," the old man frowned, and a terrifying killing intent emanated from his body.
Shen Weixun propped himself up and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Wait! We don't know the Hu family either. They owe us something, and we came here to get it. The Hu family has made this place a restricted area. They sent us in without telling us about your existence. Clearly, they wanted us to give up or use you to get rid of us. Helping you regain your sanity is proof that we're not on their side."
Shen Weixun was quick - witted. His words quickly made the old man retract his killing intent. He gave Nian Nian a rather complicated look and then slowly said, "It's been a long time since that traitor betrayed us, hasn't it?"
This was hard to tell. After all, Nian Nian and Shen Weixun were wearing modern down jackets, while these ghosts were dressed in ancient clothes. No one in ancient times would dress like them.
"Yes, it's been a long time. I'm not sure exactly, but it should be several hundred years."
"The Tu family must be gone by now."
There was a glimmer of hope in the old man's eyes. He hoped to hear that there were still descendants of the Tu family. But he knew it was almost impossible. Still, he held on to that last shred of hope, even if there was just one descendant left. At least the family would have a bit of its bloodline continued.
Looking at the old man's eyes, Nian Nian and Shen Weixun felt as if there was a lump in their throats. They really didn't know. But they could figure it out if they thought carefully. However, facing the old man's hopeful gaze, they were a bit afraid to calculate.
"I'm not sure. There might still be some, but it's also possible..."
Shen Weixun gave him an ambiguous answer. He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.
The light in the old man's eyes faded. The once - imposing old man now looked dejected, like a lonely puppy.
Nian Nian felt sorry for him. Sometimes, if you didn't look for answers, you wouldn't find them.
"Grandpa, I can help you figure it out. But we're too weak after summoning back your souls. We can't do a divination now. Once we get out and recover a bit, I'll help you find out if there are any descendants of your family.
"So, can I pick a stalk of the Soul - Rejuvenating Grass?"