The next morning, He Yue woke up and saw Shing Xi still sleeping. He dressed quietly and left for hunting, not wanting to wake her.
Shing Bao was already waiting with his bow. "Brother He, let's go hunting," he said.
The two walked into the forest. The air was crisp, their breaths visible in the chilly dawn. Birds scattered as they moved deeper into the woods.
Soon, they spotted a massive boar rooting near the trees. Shing Bao raised his bow, but before he could release, He Yue stepped forward. His eyes narrowed, his body tense.
The boar charged. He Yue did not flinch. He met it head‑on, grabbing its tusks with his bare hands. With a roar, he twisted and slammed the beast into the ground. Bones cracked. The boar struggled, but He Yue's grip was unyielding. He raised his fist and smashed it down, crushing the animal's skull.
Shing Bao froze, his bow lowered. "Brother He… you killed it with your bare hands."
He Yue stood over the carcass, his breath heavy. For a moment, his vision blurred. He felt something stir inside him a strange pulse, like a memory trying to surface. His senses sharpened unnaturally. He could feel the forest around him, every movement, every breath.
He Yue frowned. What is this? It was as if his body remembered something his mind had forgotten. A faint echo of power, an immortal sense, brushed against him. He shook his head, forcing the thought away.
"Let's take it back," he said calmly.
Shing Bao nodded, still stunned. Together, they carried the boar back to the village.
And like that, a month passed. He had grown close to Shing Xi. The fact that they were lovers was no longer a secret. Everyone in the village knew. Her suitors were naturally disappointed, but at the same time happy for her, since she had chosen He Yue. He was accepted as a member of the village. He would occasionally go out hunting with the villagers. Life was great.
One chilly morning, He Yue was resting in bed with Shing Xi when he sensed two auras approaching. He suddenly woke up, startling Shing Xi. "What is it?" she asked. "You need to leave," he said. "Run and don't look back."
Shing Xi did not understand. She sat there in a stupor. "What's going on? Why the sudden coldness?" Countless questions filled her mind. He was like a whole different person.
Soon, two figures descended upon Shingzhou Village. Clad in jade‑green robes, they were immortals... a man and a woman. One was his old friend, while the other was Qi Ying, a genius of the Immortal Pagoda Sect. The pair had been tracking He Yue for a while. When they found traces of him in the valley, it took them some time, but they finally pinpointed his location. They wasted no time and quickly arrived in Shingzhou Village.
He Yue stepped outside in his plain white robes and looked up into the sky. The two descended from the clouds. His friend spread his arms and said, "Ah, senior apprentice brother, I see you came to receive us." "Hmph. Hiding among mortals, He Yue? How low can you get," Qi Ying sneered, her face full of disgust.
He Yue stood there, just staring at them. They seemed to be old companions of his, but he did not remember their faces.
"Huh? Did the beating you got turn you dumb, or did you hit your head so hard when you fell that you forgot how to speak?" his friend mocked.
He Yue opened his mouth to speak for the first time. "Who are you?" "What?!" they exclaimed in shock. "You don't remember me? It's Han Mao, your junior apprentice brother from the Immortal Pagoda Sect!" "Oh, so you're pretending now? Give it up. Today is your last day on this earth," Qi Ying sneered. "No, seriously. I don't know you," He Yue said calmly.
"What? You really don't remember? Let's see if this will make you remember." She flicked her hand. A crescent‑shaped arc formed in the air, heading towards He Yue.
He felt his body tremble as his hairs stood on end. He sensed the danger in the blade. He wanted to dodge, but he knew that if it hit the village, it would destroy it and many people would die. He quickly blocked it with his arms. The blade hit him, but its momentum had not died yet, pushing him back several steps. His arms were cut, revealing white bone. Blood flowed endlessly from his wounds.
His memories came back. Qi Ying's attack had triggered them. He realized what he was... a necromancer.
"We have been harboring a devil in our village this whole time!" Qi Ying shouted.
"Kekekeke… you shouldn't have done that," He Yue said, letting out a bloody scream that assaulted the villagers' ears. Some even bled. He retreated, heading towards the villagers.
"Get away from him! He will kill you all and take your souls!" Qi Ying realized his intentions and quickly warned everyone.
But her warning came too late. He had already struck his first victim. Blood sprayed on his face as he sucked the soul. Han Mao attacked with Qi Ying by his side, but He Yue retreated, killing villagers in his path.
On a small hill not far from the village, Shing Xi woke up to find herself away from the chaos. She remembered He Yue knocking her out before carrying her away. From afar, she could hear screams coming from the village. Buildings caught fire, smoke trailing upwards.
She remembered him telling her to run and not look back. She stood up and began descending from the hill.
He Yue had killed over a thousand villagers and was now ready for his killer move. He attacked the two. Han Mao died, Qi Ying was injured. He came close to her.
He grabbed her by the throat and pinned her down, snapping her neck. Her beautiful face twisted into ugliness. He looked at her and spat on her face. Rising up, he scanned the surroundings.
He heard a gasp and quickly turned. Ning Xi had fallen on her butt, covering her mouth with her hands. She looked at him with a horror‑stricken face. She could not believe what she saw. His body was covered in shadows as he suddenly disappeared and reappeared before her.
Her expression calmed as she looked at him. "You shouldn't have come back," he said as his hand pierced her chest.
"Cough…" she spat a mouthful of blood as she looked at him. She raised her hand and touched his face gently. A smile lit up her beautiful face. Her lips moved, but no words came out. Her hand fell, and she drew her last breath.
Her black pupils gazed at the sky, the smile on her face never fading. He hugged her cold corpse tightly. His eyes were watery as a single tear slid down his cheek and fell on her face.
But he had made his choice. He was going to walk this path... a path very few dared to walk.