Soul Separation Syndrome

The north wind, carrying ice shards, swept across the mountain ridge, You Su's sword left a winding trail of blood on the snow.

Bai Ze conjured ice spikes from his fingertips, pinning the onrushing corpses to a withered tree. Shards of ice mixed with black blood fell in a flurry.

"Turn left!"

A Jiu's roar cleaved through the wind and snow. He took the lead and walked ahead of everyone. His coarse cloth shoes were cut by sharp stones and bled profusely. The snow froze his blood, but it did not hinder his steps at all.

The boy led his sister along the mountain path, guiding the two immortals to the vegetable garden mysteriously built by the city lord.

The residents of Changshan City knew very little about this vegetable garden outside the city. If A Jiu hadn't been encouraged by his friends to steal a couple of cabbages from this expensively planted garden, he probably wouldn't have known that the money the soldiers had taken was actually spent here.

However, they underestimated the extent of the officers' and soldiers' control over the vegetable garden. On that occasion, they couldn't even get close, let alone 'steal' it.

When he asked his friend how he discovered the vegetable garden, his friend replied that his father had been invited to dig the land there for a high salary. However, his father had not returned home recently, so he wanted to come and see the place, but the soldiers stopped him. He kept sending money home, so his mother advised him not to be so persistent.

Recalling this story, A Jiu always felt a sense of foreboding.

His panting breaths condensed into white mist in the air. "If we go up to the top of that hill, we can overlook the vegetable garden!"

A Ying wasn't as brave as her brother. She was numb from seeing so many terrifying monsters and bloody scenes, but she covered her lips tightly, swallowing her screams, unwilling to become a burden.

You Su sheathed his sword and took a step forward. With his left hand, he lifted A Jiu, and with his right hand, he lifted A Ying. After going up the mountain, the evil spirits gradually decreased, and he no longer needed to be ready to fight at all times, so he no longer let the two children run around in the snow by themselves.

A Jiu originally wanted You Su to put him down, but feeling the unimaginable speed, he lost the courage to speak.

They rushed from A Jiu's dilapidated house to this mysterious vegetable garden. You Su's original plan was to rush in and see what was going on, but she found that the density of evil spirits was increasing. You Su protected the two children and dared not force their way in. It was A Jiu suggested that if they only wanted to see what the vegetable garden looked like, they could take a detour.

As a sliver of light was about to pierce the darkness, the putrid fog almost solidified.

You Su climbed onto the snow-covered rocks, her pupils suddenly contracted.

The so-called vegetable garden was nothing but a boiling pool of blood! Seven bronze cauldrons were arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper, but what surged in the cauldrons was not medicinal soup, but scarlet flesh buds entangled with human bones!

The central black pool was bottomless, and the fluorescent light floating on its surface was exactly like the eddies on the seabed. Every moment, new evil spirits covered in slime crawled out. You Su was basically certain that he and Bai Ze had also returned to the surface from this pool.

Only the howling wind blew across the snow-capped mountain. You Su and Bai Ze were both so shocked by the bizarre scene that they were speechless, A Ying was almost frightened into fainting.

"Those wheat seeds." A Jiu suddenly pointed to the edge of the pool, his voice trembling. Piles of burlap sacks were soaking in blood, and what was leaking from the tears were not grains at all, but countless insect eggs. Each eggshell was embedded with a human face, flickering with each breath.

"So, during the winter when the people starved to death, the city lord wasn't raising vegetables..." A Jiu suddenly knelt down, as if she had lost her soul.

You Su's sword hilt hummed under the strain. He finally understood the strange figure in the ledger—73,000 taels of silver wasn't for the spirit grain, but for the price of 730 living sacrifices! Those refugees who froze to death on the street corners in winter probably even had their bones turned into nourishment to keep the passageway open!

No! It's not nutrients!

These mortals don't even possess Mystic Qi, so they can't serve as nourishment! All they can satisfy are the purest killing desires of these evil spirits!

The veins on You Su's neck were bulging; there was only one reason why these mortals were sacrificed here!

Those beasts used the blood of these mortals as a signal to lure wolves into their home!

How could those evil spirits in the sea, who have never been to land, know where the end of the whirlpool leads to in the human world?

It was these beasts who used mortal blood as a signal to tell the monsters in the sea that they could come up, and it would be best if they came up from here!

This explains why the evil spirits of the deep sea are so certain that such eddies will allow them to successfully reach the shore!

They are not making baseless accusations!

A chill ran down Bai Ze's spine as she stared at the Evil Pool below, her eyes as cold as snow that never melts.

The black pool suddenly churned violently, a familiar stench swept over, and a huge, dark green, viscous monster burst from the water. Its body was covered with specks of light, and wherever the thick mucus touched, even its own kind of evil spirits were corroded into smoke.

It was that highly corrosive centipede I encountered in the territory of God's left eye!

"Pearl! Protect them! I'll go find a way to block this Evil Pool!" You Su drew his sword, which plowed a deep trench in the frozen earth.

That being said, he was actually completely clueless about how to destroy the Evil Pool. With his abilities, he could destroy the seven bronze cauldrons and kill the terrifying centipede, but he couldn't stop all the evil spirits that came along the way.

The road has already been cleared; he simply doesn't have the power to block it!

Just as he was pondering this, he saw the girl leap onto the highest rock, her skirt fluttering like a flag in the strong wind.

She bit her fingertip and drew intricate patterns in the air. Behind her, a mountain-sized azure Dharma wheel appeared, resembling a meticulously magnified snowflake.

The fine snowflakes flying in the air swirled and gathered at her fingertips, and the accumulated snow on the mountainside avalanche like a waterfall!

"Frost Blossom Descends!"

The black pool instantly froze into ice!

The evil spirit that was about to emerge from the passage was sealed within a layer of dark blue ice, its twisted limbs resembling a scene from hell under the refraction of the ice crystals.

You Su looked at the girl in astonishment. Although he knew that the full strength of this innate spirit was probably beyond his imagination, he did not expect that she could mobilize such a vast amount of the profound Mystic Qi.

What surprised him even more was that Bai Ze actually knew human Technique Method! Normally, casting Technique Method doesn't require shouting the Technique Method's name so loudly; one only needs to devoutly recite the incantation. Only extremely powerful Technique Method require loudly chanting their names to seek resonance with heaven and earth.

You Su caught the exhausted girl as she fell. The scent of cedar mixed with the smell of blood in her hair reminded him of the warmth of her skin when they breathed on each other underwater.

He probed a wisp of Mystic Qi into Bai Ze's body, only to be astonished to find that Bai Ze's Mystic Qi had been completely drained once again! This move had directly squeezed out Bai Ze's power!

Bai Ze winked playfully at him, then wiped away the faint trace of blood from the corner of his lips:

Am I amazing?

You Su didn't deny it, and nodded. "How do you know such powerful Technique Method?"

"She asked me so many times, how could I forget..." Bai Ze's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were extremely weak.

You Su's mind raced as he recalled that what Ganlong Venerable meant by teaching Bai Ze was actually him constantly asking Bai Ze, who was a beast, for a Cultivation Method.

Why would a human ask a Divine Beast for Cultivation Method?

This shows that Bai Ze is definitely not just Bai Ze; before she became Bai Ze, she was more likely a human being!

You Su had already made this deduction, but Bai Ze's past behavior made it hard for him to doubt that this stupid cat was really a person. In addition, even Ganlong Venerable had given up on her, which meant that Ganlong Venerable also believed that Bai Ze was no longer the person she had imagined.

However, since this Technique Method was cast by Bai Ze, even if You Su trusted Bai Ze completely, he couldn't help but wonder if the girl was hiding something, because this was definitely not Technique Method that could be used by talent alone.

But in this situation, how could he possibly bring himself to ask questions?

The frail girl in his arms seemed to understand his thoughts. Her playful smile vanished, replaced by a cold, icy, and noble demeanor, as if she had become a completely different person in an instant.

"I can't freeze them for long either. Let's leave here first. Ask me anything on the way."

Upon hearing this sudden change in self-address, You Su lowered his gaze. Seeing the girl's exquisite and striking face, which bore a striking resemblance to the Ganlong Venerable, he suddenly realized that he hadn't been wrong in visualizing her as that wicked woman, because she might... be the Ganlong Venerable!

"But if this Evil Pool isn't destroyed, only the common people will suffer." You Su's voice also turned cold. He knew very well that the person in his arms was no longer Bai Ze.

"We can't destroy it; we need the help of others."

"Whose power?"

"She is on the sacred mountain, the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain. Changshan City is west of the Sky Plain, where the sun rises in the east. So, head towards the direction of the dawn."

Bai Ze, now a different person, calmly pointed out the direction to You Su. Her voice had a natural authority, and it was easy to tell that she was someone who frequently gave orders and held a high position for a long time.

Even though You Su was extremely unwilling to obey the orders of the person in his arms, he had no other choice. All these conspiracies couldn't wait for him to unravel them one by one; if he hesitated even a second, more innocent people would die in the mouths of evil spirits.

"Get on my back and lie down," You Su commanded back in the same tone.

The indifferent Bai Ze was not angry upon hearing this. Instead, he expressionlessly wrapped his arms around You Su's neck and spun around, turning into a position where You Su was carrying him on her back.

Rather than being as obedient as Bai Ze, it's more accurate to say that it stems from adherence to the cooperative relationship.

With his two free hands, You Su naturally found a use for them. He picked up A Jiu and A Ying, one on each side, and prepared to chase after the dawn.

Before taking a step, he glanced back at the gloomy Changshan City in the distance.

He didn't know if there were any other survivors in the city, but he was powerless to rescue them and had no time to search for them.

Those cultivators had already left before the outbreak of the Evil Tide, and no cultivators have come to their aid so far, which means that the news has likely been blocked by the instigators.

Someone wants to destroy Northern Ao Continent.

He could save a few here, but he couldn't save thousands upon thousands.

Faced with imminent disaster, he couldn't play the saint. With a determined heart, he strode down the mountain.

The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, crashed against the ice curtain at the cave entrance, and the fire crackled and popped, sending up a string of sparks.

They had traveled a great distance in almost a day, and along the way they even boarded a fine carriage pulled by snow-horse horses to travel with someone, but that person was already dead.

But the Evil Tide spread farther than he had imagined. He had seen countless corpses along the way, but he had never seen any cultivators resisting these evil spirits. It was as if everyone was quietly waiting to die, which was even more bizarre than that Evil Pool.

Meanwhile, Bai Ze remained asleep and recuperating throughout the journey, You Su with a bellyful of questions that remained unanswered, which inevitably fueled his resentment.

After successfully outrunning the precious Snow Night Horse, they had to rest temporarily in this cave. As soon as Bai Zefang woke up, she curled up in You Su's cloak, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the dragon pattern on his waist belt. The Ink Pine Sword was placed across their knees, its blade reflecting the snowflakes that had not yet dried on her eyelashes.

"You Su... it's so cold..." The girl's voice was soft and sweet, her nose almost brushing against You Su's chin. Bai Ze's knees unconsciously pressed against his thighs, the warmth emanating from beneath his dress seeping into his skin through the fabric.

You Su paused, poking at the firewood, then pressed down on her head, which was pressed against his, and said coldly, "The fire is to your left."

Suddenly, a muffled thud came from outside the cave, causing A Jiu to wake up with a start. The cold glint of the drawn dagger shattered the enchanting scene. The boy stared intently at the distorted shadows on the ice curtain at the cave entrance until he was certain that it was just snow falling from the night owl and not some lurking evil spirit. Only then did he slump back onto the grass mat in despair.

"Take your sister to sleep." You Su tossed him the water pouch, his voice reassuring, "I'm here."

Bai Ze turned away, sitting next to You Su, yet appearing lonely and forlorn. Her voice held an unspoken, poignant grievance, "Brother doesn't want me anymore..."

You Su's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. The howling wind outside the cave was mixed with faint sobs, like a small animal crying.

He didn't consider himself a heartless person, but he simply couldn't be intimate with someone whose identity he couldn't discern.

Suddenly, You Su smelled a faint scent of blood in the air. He keenly noticed that Bai Ze's profile was slightly tense, clearly indicating that he was exerting force.

He then searched the girl for the source of the bloody smell, only to find that her fingernails had dug into her palms, and fresh blood was dripping from between her fingers.

He quickly grabbed Bai Ze's wrist, "What are you doing?!"

The girl bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, and her eyes were red and wet. She twisted away You Su's hand that was trying to stop her. "Leave me alone!"

Upon hearing this, You Su felt a sudden pang of heartache, only to see the girl point her index finger at herself, and say bitterly:

"I told you to come out, but you wouldn't! Come out and explain yourself! Otherwise, I'll do as that wicked woman wishes! I'll take you down with me!"

And right after those threatening words were spoken, Bai Ze's aggrieved and angry appearance actually began to change in an instant. Although she still looked like a young girl, her temperament became incomparably cold and noble.

You Su's pupils widened slightly in surprise. He had several guesses about Bai Ze's changes, but now it seemed that there was a person living inside this silly cat's body.

What explanation do you need?

Bai Ze sat upright, his dignified appearance surprising You Su.

"Who are you."

"Ganlong Venerable, you may also call me Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace."

Bai Ze's voice was completely calm; this unwavering composure was something no ordinary person could possess.

You Su wasn't frightened by the answer. He took a deep breath and asked, "Why are you inside Bai Ze's body?"

"She wanted to kill me, so to make her hesitate and destroy her own physical body, I hid my Divine Sense inside Bai Ze's body."

It is a common understanding that those who kill Bai Ze will suffer the backlash of Heavenly Dao. Therefore, the explanation of being hesitant to act for fear of harming others is reasonable. You Su had actually guessed this before, but he still couldn't hide his shock.

"How can there be two Divine Sense in one body? Therefore, from ancient times to the present, the only way to escape is through the insidious method of possession. You have always been you!"

"It is indeed me," Bai Ze replied calmly. "Bai Ze was originally a vessel that I created for myself in Azure Mountain. I guessed she would kill me, so I prepared a backup plan beforehand."

You Su frowned slightly, utterly disgusted by this behavior of treating other people's lives as one's own.

You did not answer my question.

"Soul Separation Syndrome. Ancient books say that when a person suffers damage to both the heart and kidneys, they suddenly feel that their body has split into two, which they alone cannot see. People believe this to be a condition of dissociation of the soul."

You Su was stunned upon hearing this. Of course, he had heard of the concept of Soul Separation Syndrome, or to put it more simply, it was called split personality disorder! The Divine Sense may indeed be singular, but the personality may not be!

"But I underestimated her ruthlessness. She almost annihilated my Divine Sense. Fortunately, I share the same lineage and origin as Bai Ze, and my Divine Sense merged with hers, but my true self remained dormant. It wasn't until the Mystic Qi from the seabed entered my body that my true self was awakened."

You Su was secretly alarmed, guessing that it must have been the miraculous healing ability that brought the Ganlong Venerable back to life after becoming a follower of the true god!

And this Ganlong Venerable could not possibly know the power of his true master, much less know that she had become his servant. This statement, however, fits perfectly, which means that she is most likely not lying.

"According to you, you are the real Ganlong Venerable. Then who is the one in the sacred mountain?" You Su asked the question he was most concerned about.

Bai Ze glanced at him indifferently, his thin lips slightly parted:

"It was me too. You can think of it as me being the fragment of my soul that was driven away."

Actually, I originally planned for the protagonist to figure it out on their own, but I felt the pace was too slow, and there was no need to create suspense, so it's better to just be honest. Of course, the most exciting part is that they won't be honest.