Afterlife Department

"What?!" Xiao Hualing exclaimed as she looked at Mu Li in shock. "That is impossible! I am sure that he is a yao!" she said. "He has the breath of a yao on him!" she is certain of what she saw and felt that time when she saw Jing Li earlier.

She is certain that Jing Li is a yao.

Mu Li frowned, though he didn't refute what she said, since now he also feels uncertain and he needed more information to verify it. Also, he is not as skillful as his master in verifying yao, which makes him ashamed.

"My master said before that there are other ways for someone to have a breath of yao on them, other than being a yao." He said. "The two ways, I already said earlier: spending them with them, or being marked by them, like being their target to kill, or by… doing 'that' with them." he told them.

Xiao Hualing's brows raised while Zhuo Xia frowned. This topic makes a prude angry but Xiao Hualing and Zhuo Xia are both yao, and are also open-minded. Not to mention they are also adults, thus they were indifferent to this sensitive topic.

Mu Li coughed. His cheeks flushed red. Unexpectedly, it was him who blushed, showing how pure-minded he is, and also pure-hearted. He looked away. "As for the other ways…" he continued. "The yao can share their power with them. Or…" he looked at them. "Having something of the yao on them." he finished.

"What 'something'?" Xiao Hualing curiously asked.

"Like the objects used by the yao. But, it would only leave a weak breath." Mu Li answered.

"I see…" Xiao Hualing muttered, finally understanding more of this world of yao.

Indeed, since it is a personal item, a yao would leave his breath on it since he always use that item. Even just the bedsheets he sleeps on or his house… it would smell the breath of a yao.

"But, I am really sure that Jing Li is a human." Mu Li said.

Xiao Hualing frowned. "You said earlier that you have met him before…" she said when she recalled it.

Mu Li nodded. "En. But – " his voice suddenly became weaker. " – not long ago… Jing Li died." He said.

Xiao Hualing's eyes widened. Then, she glanced at Zhuo Xia. Mu Li also wanted to look at Zhuo Xia, but he didn't dare.

"What?" Zhuo Xia pursed his lips.

Xiao Hualing looked away. She turned back to Mu Li who looked uncomfortable. She can understand what he feels. She knows that he must be thinking that Jing Li lived again and became a yao like how Zhuo Xia did.

Mu Li sighed. "You said… that he must be a plant yao?" he said as he looked at her.

Xiao Hualing's expression turned serious. "He is not a part of the Sunflower Clan." She said. She already became familiar of the Sunflower Clan's breath: the breath of sunshine, through Zhuo Xia.

Mu Li sighed in relief. "I remember… one of Mr. Hao's subordinate is a plant yao. Maybe we can ask him." he said.

"En." Xiao Hualing nodded in agreement. This was what she thought, too.

…

England.

"I thought that he has become a yao…" Huo Ling muttered as he watched Jiang Ce order drinks and pastries for them.

"Of course not. The Soul Fragments are outside the scope of any world." Yi Bing said. 𝗳𝓇ℯe𝓌𝚎𝚋𝓃𝚘𝚟𝘦𝑙.𝑐𝚘𝙢

"I see…" Huo Ling nodded in understanding. "Aside from personality change, will there be other things that will happen to Jiang Ce?" he worriedly asked.

After all, Jiang Ce was possessed by a Soul Fragment, which is also strong enough to change one's life trajectory – like Hao Ning, and almost Huo Ling's.

"Aside from remembering you in this life, he will also be rid of any sickness." Yi Bing answered.

Huo Ling's eyes widened. "There is such a good thing?!" he exclaimed.

"It depends on the nature of the Soul Fragment." Yi Bing said.

Huo Ling looked at him, all ears.

Yi Bing's lips imperceptibly rose. He likes that Huo Ling's attention is all on him. "The Soul Fragment that possessed him has a fire nature." He said. "Fire destroys by burning, thus anything harmful to Jiang Ce's body will be destroyed." He explained.

"So, this actually makes Jiang Ce has antivirus on him?" Huo Ling said.

Yi Bing nodded. "En." He answered. "There is also another benefit to this fire type Soul Fragment." He said.

"What is it?" Huo Ling curiously asked.

Yi Bing looked at him. "Aside from destruction, fire also represents passion." He answered. "… what are you thinking?" he asked when he saw that Huo Ling's expression turned changed.

"No. It's nothing – " Huo Ling answered and looked away.

Yi Bing's brow raised. "So you are thinking that – " he said.

"Shut up!" Huo Ling's ears are red. "Continue!" he told him.

Yi Bing, who owes Huo Ling by acting Liu Lingling, obediently obeyed. "What I was referring to is Jiang Ce's feelings." He said.

"'feelings'?" Huo Ling muttered.

Yi Bing nodded. "If Jiang Ce likes someone in this life, the chances of him finding that person he likes in the next life or next lives of him will be higher." He said.

"I see… so this acts as a love buff between him and the person he likes." Huo Ling said.

Yi Bing nodded as an answer. Jiang Ce then returned and they chatted about Harry Walter, Harry Jackson and the Walter family for a while. Then, Huo Ling asked Jiang Ce about the movements of the monsters in this foreign country.

Jiang Ce's eyes narrowed. "Being hunted?" he sneered.

Huo Ling started. He seemed to perceive what Jiang Ce meant.

Yi Bing's expression also turned serious. "You mean, the hunters?" he said and frowned.

"The Walter family may be already dead, yet the hunter organizations aren't." Jiang Ce said. "In fact, they actually began to rise after the Walter family, who suppressed them for so long, now is gone." He explained. freℯ𝓌e𝚋𝐧𝘰vℯl.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Huo Ling and Yi Bing were stunned. They looked at each other, then turned to Jiang Ce.

"Do you know if someone, or an organization, has acquired golden monkey hairs and their skins?" Huo Ling asked.

"Just tell me directly that it is the black market." Jiang Ce rolled his eyes.

Huo Ling's lip twitched. "Yes. it is." He answered.

"I am a doctor, but I know some people in the black market since they need medicine and also medical treatments." Jiang Ce said.

Yi Bing and Huo Ling understood. Jiang Ce also dabbles in the black market. "Thank you." They said.

"No need. You are also a son to me, since you are Harry's son." Jiang Ce said. "Not to mention that you are also Hao Ning's, my friend, son." He sighed.

Huo Ling's eyes reddened and he suppressed the tears that are about to fall. Jiang Ce smiled and was about to pat his head when he suddenly grabbed Jiang Ce's hand and pulled him with him just in time when something sharp pierced Jiang Ce's chair!

"Tch. They are fast." Yi Bing frowned as he erected an ice wall after the glass wall before them broke when multiple thorns hit it!

"You have been suppressing their attacks?!" Huo Ling exclaimed as he looked at Yi Bing in surprise.

"Or else, how will it be peaceful for you to wander in this foreign land, which is the enemy's territory?" Yi Bing said as icicles appeared on the surface of the ice wall before they shot through the enemies outside!

"Ugh!" multiple grunts of pain were heard as the customers inside the coffee shop ran outside in panic.

"Look out!" Jiang Ce cried and kicked a person who leapt at them.

"Jiang Ce!" Huo Ling cried and immediately threw a ball of fire at that person, which actually isn't a person at all since it is a monster! "Ugh! They are really ugly!" he grunted in disgust. "Are you alright?!" he asked Jiang Ce.

"En. I wasn't hurt, really." Jiang Ce answered. "I will tell you when I did." He said.

Huo Ling. "…" aren't you a straightforward one? He thought, but he smiled. "Where do we go?" he asked Yi Bing who is still blocking the enemies' attacks from outside.

"In a hurry?" Yi Bing said before his eyes narrowed. His blue eyes glowed and everyone his eyes saw instantly turned into blocks of ice! "Break." He muttered.

Bang! Multiple blocks of ice cracked before they exploded! Huo Ling's mouth fell open in shock. So cool! He thought as he looked at Yi Bing's back.

"Hey. This man of yours really is powerful." Jiang Ce told Huo Ling.

Huo Ling's cheeks flushed red. He is not my man! He thought, but he doesn't know why he didn't answer, which is tacitly agreeing to what Jiang Ce said.

Yi Bing turned to him. "Have you already dealt with the ones inside?" he asked Huo Ling.

Huo Ling nodded. "En.." He answered as he rubbed his ears that are red.