The Path of Old Lord's Eyebrow

The hall fell deathly silent. Even the candle flames seemed to dim, as shadows weighed on everyone's hearts.

Had they known this exchange was coming, the Reincarnators might never have wished for Tieguanyin to appear.

Despair was more terrifying than confusion.

Before, even if they had been muddled and unsure why they had come or what they bore upon their shoulders, the Reincarnators could still steal away and live quiet, carefree lives. But now it was as if a cudgel had struck them awake, forcing them to see the most terrifying future.

Tieguanyin sat quietly at the table, basking in the faint warmth of the candlelight, as though giving them time to take it all in.

Erguotou, Miss White Wine, and Sweet Potato Shochu sat there in a daze. Some were consumed by despair and oppression; others felt the weight pressing on everyone else and didn't dare speak too loudly.

Sweet Potato Shochu sat in silence for a long while before finally summoning the courage to lift her chopsticks and reach for the chicken wing. Only then did Erguotou let out a sudden sigh.

Sweet Potato Shochu was so startled that she dropped her chopsticks. Then Erguotou spoke, his voice sounding somewhat different. "By that logic..."

"By that logic, isn't this an unsolvable problem?"

"What... what choices do we even have?"

"..."

"There are."

Only once Tieguanyin heard the question did she slowly reply, "We can die, flee, or become dogs."

"Or we can be like Long Jing and seek true death."

"When an ordinary Reincarnator dies, their soul remains after death. It simply returns to Tai Sui and suffers even worse corruption. I imagine you've already seen what becomes of such things."

"But Long Jing wants to find a deeper kind of death. According to his deductions, there's a