C62 The Whiteclothed Man

Upon sighting the white figure, I snapped to full alertness. Raising my head, I finally beheld the enigmatic man clad in white, revealing his true identity.

To my astonishment, the man in white appeared remarkably young, seemingly my age or perhaps even younger. His skin and hair were as immaculately white as his garments. His features were more delicate than those of a woman, yet the eyes beneath his sharp brows betrayed a cunning and depth that belied his youthful appearance.

"Zhao Changsheng..." His voice was as detached as his demeanor, exuding an air of aloofness.

Quickly, I nodded in acknowledgment, "Yes, that's me! And you are...?"

He introduced himself, "My surname is Xie, Xie Wuxie."

"Xie Wuxie? That's quite a tongue-twister," I said with a smile, only then realizing the severe pain and discomfort that had plagued my body had vanished.

"I'm the seventh sibling; you can call me Xie Lao-Qi if you like," the young man in white proposed earnestly.

I gave a wry smile, "Xie Lao-Qi... I'll stick with Xie Wuxie, if you don't mind. Thank you for saving me, but why...?"

Mid-sentence, I instinctively glanced behind him. As expected, there were no chains; like the Evil Taoist, he had evaded death's grip, making it impossible to discern his true age by appearance alone.

The youth before me might have even outlived the Evil Taoist; his mere presence had managed to drive away both the Evil Taoist and the Corpse Devil.

Reading my thoughts, Xie Wuxie let out a cold laugh and advised, "Don't concern yourself with who I am. You'd do better to focus on your own situation."

Confused, I asked, "What's wrong with me?" I looked down at my body, noting my skin had regained its natural hue, seemingly fully healed.

"I've only temporarily suppressed the surging energy within you. It won't be long before the Yin Qi inside you causes you to lose control. You'll be reduced to your base instincts, transforming into a monstrous being," Xie Wuxie explained with a calm indifference.

"What?! Then what should I do?" I exclaimed in a panic. I was already an outcast, and the last thing I wanted was to turn into a monster.

"I can help you, but you will have to give up something," Xie Wuxie offered.

"What will I lose? Are you after something inside me?" I inquired, my gut telling me that this man in white had his sights set on the same thing as the Evil Taoist and the Corpse Devil.

But I was mistaken. Xie Wuxie scoffed and clarified, "To others, what's inside you is a coveted treasure, but to me, it's not so valuable. What you'll lose is your ability."

"My ability? You mean my ability to see the chains that bind people and to hear the last words of the deceased?" I questioned.

Xie Wuxie nodded. "Exactly. So, what do you say? Have you made up your mind?"

Without hesitation, I replied, "Absolutely, I have no desire to become yet another monster."

"The Yin Qi you've absorbed does more than just free you from feeding on the dead; there are other advantages that you'll come to realize over time," Xie Wuxie explained as he gradually lifted his right hand.

His revelation astonished me. This enigmatic youth was not only aware of my abilities but also knew of my dependence on consuming the dead to replenish my Yin Qi...

"Who are you, really? How do you know so much about me?" I demanded loudly. I was suddenly convinced that this youth in white knew not only the secrets within me but also the full details of the incident from fifteen years ago.

He might hold the key to unraveling all the mysteries!

However, before I could get any further, his fingertip gently pressed against my forehead, and in an instant, I lost consciousness...