Eighteen

"I have many more years to live. I have many more chances to increase my power to find justice but… The mortal has a limited life and since I have made a promise to her. Kindly permit me to fulfill the promise to her."

Li Yuxi's confusion grew the more she wondered who he was talking to. The direction of his speech had already made it known to her that she wasn't the one he was talking to and that made her self-conscious as she had a feeling that he was talking to another ghost.

"I understand. I promise to fulfill my promise as soon as possible and return to the pit. Thank you," Zhao Ling said and bowed his head.

Li Yuxi waited for a few seconds before flinching when he turned around. She smiled and awkwardly played with her fingers. Zhao Ling sat on the bed and faced away.

"I must tell you something, Li Yuxi." He sounded different— Too serious. His posture was stiff and focused too.

"What is it?" Li Yuxi asked.

"It has been revealed to me that you are not the one."

Li Yuxi furrowed her eyebrows in further confusion. She peeled the blanket off her body and scooted over to his side.

"I don't understand what you're saying, Zhao Ling."

"Remember when we first met? A few minutes later, I explained everything to you. How I was a prince from my generation. A prince that fought for his people yet was rewarded with betrayal. As I said, someone would be the bridge for my return and you were the one who did but… that was a mistake. I was to return to where I came from— The pit... but."

Li Yuxi was stunned at the discovery. She could only stare at him while she racked her head for a perfect understanding of what he had meant.

"Wait… You're telling me that I accidentally broke that vase to free you when you weren't even supposed to be free yet?"

A different feeling other than confusion took over— anger. She got up and almost fell when her head spun for a second. Once she steadied her posture, she glared down at a nonchalant-looking Zhao Ling before laughing drily.

"Please tell me this is some ancient joke you're telling," she said, feeling a tiny ray of hope in her heart as she stared at his blank face.

Zhao Ling raised his gaze to meet hers. There was barely any sign of emotions in his eyes. It was hard for her to read through his body language or eyes, to tell what he was thinking or feeling.

"This is not a joke. Whoever is supposed to lead me to my brother's descendants has not been born."

Li Yuxi hissed. "Oh, wow! Bravo! This is such a piece of excellent news!"

She stepped away from him to breathe more comfortably as heated anger burned her chest. She gritted her teeth as multiple thoughts crossed her mind.

"Not only did I bring a dead man into my life but I also brought more than one problem into it," she said incredulously and chuckled. "Zhao Ling, you ruined my life and now you tell me this?"

"Silence, mortal."

"No! You keep your mouth shut!" She spun around and stood with her arms pressed tightly to her sides as she shook from anger. "Keep your mouth shut! My life was at least better before you came here. Wait… you said you were supposed to return to where you came from. So, you wanted to leave me here with the mess you created in my marriage? As if that's not enough, a monster attacked me!"

Zhao Ling rose to his feet and stretched his hand out in front of him and a smoke-like tentacle formed out of his hand and wrapped itself around her body and mouth. Li Yuxi glared at the smoke around her body and groaned behind the thing in her mouth. She looked at Zhao Ling, deepening her glare.

"I do not have the patience or even time to listen to you complain. I should be meditating for what is to come yet I chose to stay back and look after your pitiful self. The only reason I am here is to fulfill my promise to you. Once I am done, I will leave and live on while you grow old and wither."

The words he spoke forced her into a depressing state of realization. The man was immortal and would live on. Additionally, she never thought of what would happen if she eventually left her husband.

"To add to my promise, I will keep my distance. You do not need to worry about your safety. I can sense your emotions and hear you when you call me because of my mark on you. During my stay in this generation, I will meditate. I would like us to stay on our lanes. Do you understand?"

A sad feeling filled her heart. She was used to seeing Zhao Ling pop out of nowhere but this new version of the ghost prince left a bitter feeling in her heart. If Zhao Ling could feel it, he did not show any signs and she was glad.

With a flick of his hand, she was released and fell to the floor. She glared at the prince through the curtain of her hair framing her face before looking away.

"I can take care of myself," she said and sighed. "I have been able to survive my husband's abuse and… and if any beast should show itself to me again, I will embrace my fate."

Even though her decision made her heart sting, she put on a brave front and rose to her feet.

"Zhao Ling, I do not want to be the reason why you don't have the revenge you crave for. I don't want to be responsible for anything that happens to your plan. You…you are free to leave," Li Yuxi said and made her way to the door of her room. She stopped in front of it and looked over her shoulder for a second before leaving the room.

Once she closed the door, she leaned against it and shut her eyes. She opened them afterward and wrapped her arms around her body before walking through the quiet hallway. Everything he had said started coming back to her, making her sad.

"Just when I thought I had company," she said and sighed heavily. "Nothing good or satisfactory ever lasts forever for me. Even that stupid ghost wants to run away from me."

Li Yuxi looked over her shoulder to glare at the door of her room.

"Stupid ghost who suddenly changes because of his stupid revenge plans. Why can't he just let them live and die since they are also humans," she grumbled and kissed her teeth.

In silence, she walked through the hallway, down the stairs leading to the bottom floor, and went to the kitchen, only to freeze with a gasp.

"Wang Lifen!" She panicked on remembering her boss and rushed over to the telephone sitting on the marble table.

Hesitantly, she picked up the landline and dialed the secretary's number. It rang for five seconds before the call was answered.

"Hello, this is—"

"Secretary Lim it's Li Yuxi. Can you connect this call to miss Wang?" She crossed her fingers when the other end of the call was silent.

"Done," secretary Lim replied and a ding followed.

"Yes?" The cold response from Wang Lifen made goosebumps rise on her skin.

"I… Miss Wang… it's Li Yuxi."

Wang Lifen hissed. "I am surprised you have the nerve to call me after you sabotaged the meeting I was supposed to have."

"I am so sorry. I had an accident and wasn't able to make it. I will make it up to you in some way. Please, forgive me. I promise never to disappoint you again."

Li Yuxi nibbled on her bottom lip when Wang Lifen did not respond. Her heart hammered by the second the longer she waited and when Wang Lifen sighed, Li Yuxi felt hopeful.

"I will excuse your incompetence one last time. Take care of yourself and resume work."

The call ended and Li Yuxi grinned and then spun around, only to frown when she saw Zhao Ling very close to her.

"What are you still doing here? I told you to leave. I don't want you here anymore, Zhao Ling. You have done enough damage already. You are free to leave and do what you want. Return to whatever pit you spoke about," Li Yuxi said and made a move to walk past him but a strong force pinned her feet. "What the?"

"Freedom?"

Li Yuxi gasped at the new voice that sounded like the one of a child. She looked around for the source of the voice and saw no one, making her afraid.

"Who's here, Zhao Ling?"

"Who I am doesn't matter." The voice paused. "What I plan to do will matter because you obstructed the order made by the higher order. Zhao Ling, a path was made for you to return but because you failed to, which became a waste, you shall be punished."

"Punished?" Zhao Ling sounded angry.

"Who is speaking?" Li Yuxi demanded and shook her legs. "Release me this instant."

"Release you?" Laughter followed. "I am just starting to tie you down."

Before Li Yuxi could register everything, she was released and forced into Zhao Ling's arms. She felt a warm knot around her wrist and looked down. A copper-like rope was tied around her right wrist and Zhao Ling's wrist. The copper rope connected his left hand with hers, leaving her mortified.

"Until the day your mortal dies, you shall not be free of her. Use the years left to think of how weak you are becoming," the voice said.

"What?" Li Yuxi and Zhao Ling uttered in pure horror.