Chapter 165: It Shouldn't Be Like This

The moment Su Yan saw Li Rong close her eyes, she felt an indescribable sense of suffocation.

Such a beautiful girl should not have died amidst betrayal and despair.

"Su Yan, this is my past. In the past, I never harmed a single person. I saved countless lives and delivered thousands of souls to the afterlife, yet the Heavenly Dao is unjust."

Enveloped in dense, sinister black Qi, Li Rong let out a shrill, mournful roar.

Cao Meng, Ma Chulong, and the others were all shaken.

"Is it over?"

They had not seen the soul and spirit that had entered Su Yan's body emerge.

No one answered them; Li Rong's rage continued unabated.

"You tell me to let go, but how can I let go? If you were me, would you be able to let go?"

She was laughing—laughing at her own stupidity in life, and laughing even more at the fact that she had ended up in such a state.

The eyelids beneath Su Yan's black cloth slowly opened. Her gaze toward Li Rong was no longer sharp, but instead carried a faint trace of sorrow.

"It shouldn't be like this."

Neither Cao Meng, Ma Chulong, nor Sun Mang understood what she meant by those words.

However, seeing that she had finally regained consciousness, they all felt a sense of relief.

"Li Rong, you shouldn't be like this." Su Yan did not know what her feelings were at this moment; it was a sense of oppression and suffocation. "You were willing to give up your life to save others, so why did you turn into this after death?"

It sounded more like she was talking to herself.

She did not believe that the righteous Li Rong, who fought demons to protect the people, would allow herself to become a vengeful ghost after death.

She must have overlooked something.

Li Rong laughed wantonly, as if she had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"This is the real me! I have never felt this free! I hate Yuan Jing! I hate his heartlessness and his failure to keep his vows! I want him to live in agony for the rest of his life, never to find love again!"

In this moment, she released her hatred for Yuan Jing to her heart's content.

With eyes turned blood-red, Yuan Jing actually took a step toward her.

Li Rong immediately detected his intention, and streaks of terrifying black Qi enveloped his surroundings.

With every step he took closer, he was struck by a wave of black Qi.

"Rong'er, this is all my fault. The one who deserves to die is me. I am willing to give my life to you. But please... let yourself go."

Blood seeped from the corner of Yuan Jing's mouth, but even so, he did not stop.

"Su Yan, are we just going to stand by and watch?" Ma Chulong knew that Yuan Jing could not withstand such attacks; if Li Rong continued like this, Yuan Jing would definitely die.

Su Yan did not speak.

Her silence was equivalent to tacitly permitting everything that was happening.

No one knew the true history between Yuan Jing and Li Rong; they could only choose to act according to her will.

Under yet another attack, Yuan Jing could no longer hold himself up, and his knees hit the ground.

At this moment, he was only two steps away from Li Rong.

He reached out a trembling hand, as if wanting to touch her.

Li Rong showed no emotion whatsoever; beneath her lowered eyelids, there was nothing but gloom.

"Rong'er..."

Yuan Jing called her name over and over again.

"Don't think that acting like this will make me forgive you. You said that if you ever broke your vow, you would be struck by heavenly lightning and die a horrible death. Now is the time to fulfill that vow." By the end, Li Rong's expression was even more hideous, as if she truly intended to summon the heavenly lightning.

Looking at the cloud formation condensed from malevolent energy above the courtyard, everyone shuddered with fear.

They didn't even doubt that if the thunder truly fell, every member of the Yuan family would be reduced to nothing but bones.

Yuan Jing did not dodge or hide; instead, he slowly closed his eyes.

To be able to die by her hands was the best possible end for him.

"Su Yan, we can't just sit here and watch!" Cao Meng and Ma Chulong grew anxious.

They had stayed here to deal with this menace, not to perish along with him.

Su Yan finally moved, drawing a dispelling talisman in the void.

The incantation almost illuminated the entire horizon.

The cloud formation instantly dissipated by more than half.

Li Rong had not expected it to be neutralized so easily by her, and once again, her terrifying gaze fell upon Su Yan.

This time, even Sun Mang felt a difference from before.

The current Li Rong truly intended to wipe them all out.

"Are you still going to help him?" Li Rong's interrogation was deafening, and the surrounding hostility surged.

Su Yan said, "I am not helping her; I am helping you. You should understand that if this continues, the only result will be the total dissipation of your soul."

"Hahaha! I have already died once, why should I fear a second time? And who says I will definitely die?!"

Before Li Rong's voice had even faded, her entire body transformed into a wisp of black smoke, flying directly into Su Yan's body to merge with the soul and spirit from before.

"No!"

"Su Yan!"

Watching this familiar scene, Yuan Jing's heart shattered.

The most terrifying images he had buried deep in his heart all rushed into his mind.

He stared fixedly at Su Yan, who was shrouded in black Qi, unable to tell if it was Su Yan or Li Rong.

"Jie jie, I succeeded again! This time, no one can stop me!"

The nightmare-like laughter and words caused Yuan Jing's pupils to contract violently.

A thought that filled him with despair instantly rose in his mind.

"That's not Rong'er, that's the monster!"

He screamed with all the strength in his body.

But where had Rong'er gone?!!!

Where had she gone?!!!!

The sudden turn of events left Cao Meng and Ma Chulong at a loss, and Yuan Jing's roar made them shudder even more.

What monster?

Su Yan slowly raised her hands, murmuring to herself.

"It feels so good to have a body."

This eerie tone clearly no longer belonged to Su Yan herself.

"Su Yan? You've been possessed?"

Ma Chulong's voice trembled uncontrollably.

None of them had expected things to develop into this situation.

"You exorcists really think you're so clever, relying on a bit of skill to try and wipe me out, only to be toyed with time and time again."

"Su Yan" laughed eerily, seemingly very satisfied with her current body.

"You demon, where is Rong'er? Where did you put her?" Yuan Jing had completely lost his mind; he lunged from the ground toward "Su Yan."

"Su Yan" merely waved a hand, and Yuan Jing felt as if his neck were being gripped by an invisible force, making him feel utterly suffocated.

"You idiot, that woman died long ago to save you. She thought she could perish along with me, but she never expected that I would leave a soul and spirit behind in your body. For all these years, I have been continuously absorbing the essence of those people, and finally, I can see the light of day again. I really must thank you."

Yuan Jing felt a chill run through his entire body; the only thing left in his ears was... *Li Rong is dead.*

In the next second, his hands fell weakly to his sides, and he completely gave up resistance.

A man like him no longer deserved to live in this world.

Cao Meng and Ma Chulong both rushed forward, wanting to save Yuan Jing, but no matter what they did, they could not shake that power in the slightest.

Both men knew clearly that the only way to stop "Li Rong" from continuing to harm people was to confront the current Su Yan!

(End of Chapter)