Chapter Five

The Soul Emperor is dead.

He died on purpose.

That battle was so fierce that the sky darkened and the sun and moon lost their light. He went head-to-head with Xiao Yan from the peak of the Half-Emperor realm, unleashing all his three thousand years of cultivation, and employing countless secret techniques of the Soul Clan, almost turning half the continent into ruins. Xiao Yan was forced to fight until he was covered in blood, with three broken ribs and his left arm nearly crippled, but his eyes still shone with an astonishing light, like flames that would never be extinguished.

Then, the Xuanzhong Ruler pierced through his chest.

Exactly the same as the first time.

The Soul Emperor looked down at the blade protruding from his chest, feeling the excruciating pain of his flesh being burned, and suddenly smiled. That smile contained relief, liberation, and a tranquility that others could not comprehend.

It's finally over.

Those women, those memories, those emotions that didn't belong to him yet couldn't be separated from him, those nights spent wallowing in the strange fire and the darkness—finally, it can all come to an end.

He closed his eyes.

Then, he opened his eyes again.

Because he sensed it.

That familiar, despairing, almost cursed feeling of falling.

His soul left his body once more, seized by an invisible force, and hurtled through endless void and time toward an unknown direction.

No.

don't want.

No, no, no—

He's already died once. He's accepted the end. Why won't even death spare him? Desire Beauty, what curse have you placed upon me? Can't even death rid me of you?

His soul struggled frantically in the void, but the force was too tyrannical, giving him no chance to resist. He was like an ant swept up by a giant wave, tumbling, falling, and floating in the boundless turbulent currents of time and space.

Then, he landed inside a body.

The Soul Emperor opened his eyes.

A plain white curtain came into view, a gentle breeze blowing in from the window, causing the gauze curtains to sway softly. A faint fragrance filled the air, like a blend of some precious flowers and herbs, or perhaps the incense often used in a woman's boudoir. Birdsong could be heard outside the window, and in the distance, the faint sounds of disciples practicing their martial arts could be heard.

He slowly sat up and looked down at his hands.

Fair-skinned, slender, with rounded fingertips, meticulously maintained. Not the delicate slenderness of a young girl, but a softness and strength unique to mature women, with well-defined joints yet undeniable elegance. He touched his face—smooth skin, a soft jawline, and no stubble. He moved his hand down—a long neck, distinct collarbones, and then a full, soft curve.

The Soul Emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Then he laughed.

The laughter was extremely low and soft, as if squeezed out from deep within the throat, carrying an almost collapsing calm.

Before his death, his soul had been imbued with the qualities of five women, and he was already familiar with this process. He closed his eyes and used his soul to sense his surroundings—this was the Yunlan Sect. Moreover, it was the Yunlan Sect from many years ago, even before Nalan Yanran's annulment of the engagement.

He found a bronze mirror in the room, reflecting a mature and stunningly beautiful face.

Yunyun.

Nalan Yanran's master, the sect leader of Yunlan Sect, and one of the top ten strongest people in the Jia Ma Empire.

Most importantly—

She is also Xiao Yan's woman.

The Soul Emperor stared at his reflection in the mirror for a long time, so long that even the light from the window seemed to shift. His face remained expressionless, but his heart roared silently. Yun Yun, why did it have to be Yun Yun? If Xiao Xun'er represented the deep affection of childhood sweethearts, Cai Lin the entangled fate of blood ties, Xiao Yi Xian the mutual support of kindred spirits, and Nalan Yanran the regret of youthful impetuosity, then Yun Yun was—

She was the first real woman in Xiao Yan's life.

The woman who sheltered him, taught him, and fought alongside him when he was still weak. The woman with whom he spent the purest and most unpretentious time in the cave of the Monster Mountain Range. The woman who holds a special place in Xiao Yan's heart, a teacher, a friend, and a lover all at once.

The Soul Emperor, supporting himself on the table, stood up and walked a few steps around the room. This body was in very poor condition—Yun Yun seemed to have just experienced a major battle; her battle qi was almost completely depleted, her meridians were damaged in several places, and she was extremely weak. No wonder he had been forced into this situation at this time; it was Yun Yun's most vulnerable moment, her soul defenses at their weakest.

He could use this body to escape, to get away from Xiao Yan, to get away from the boy who had led him astray time and time again. He had had enough, enough of the love that wasn't his, enough of the nights he lost himself in lust.

He walked to the door and grasped the doorknob.

Then he froze.

Because deep within his soul, the imprints of those five women lit up simultaneously, like five stars shining in his soul.

They are laughing.

Xiao Xun'er was smiling, a smile that was both gentle and firm, carrying a certainty that "I know you will go to him."

Cai Lin was smiling, a smile that was both charming and cunning, carrying a teasing tone that seemed to say, "Stop pretending, you clearly want it too."

Little Fairy Doctor was smiling, a shy and expectant smile, carrying a tenderness that said, "You've already fallen in love with him, but you just don't dare to admit it."

Nalan Yanran was smiling, a smile that was reserved yet proud, carrying a kind of arrogant "you can't escape it, just accept your fate" attitude.

And Yunyun—

Yunyun was smiling too. That smile was the unique tolerance and composure of a mature woman, carrying a sense of "Stop struggling, just give me your body."

Then, to his horror, the Soul Emperor discovered that his hand had involuntarily released the doorknob. His body began to move back, step by step, toward the bed. He wanted to stop, to scream, to break free of this control with all his might, but his body wouldn't obey him. The soul imprints of the five women resonated and pulsated within him; their combined power far exceeded his will alone.

They wanted to see Xiao Yan.

They miss him.

They had waited for him for far too long.

"No...no..." The Soul Emperor gritted his teeth, trying to regain control of his body. "You're all insane...Why should I...Why should I..."

But he didn't finish speaking.

Because Yun Yun had already thrown off the covers, changed into a clean dress, and even tidied her hair in front of the bronze mirror, picking up a pearl flower and tucking it behind her ear. The Soul Emperor watched himself—no, watched Yun Yun—do these things, like a passenger trapped in the cockpit, watching the driver steer the car towards a cliff.

He wanted to scream, but he couldn't.

Yun Yun pushed open the door, walked through the corridor, crossed the courtyard, and headed towards the back mountain of the Yunlan Sect. Her steps were somewhat unsteady, as her body was still very weak, but her eyes were unusually firm. Along the way, disciples bowed to her, and she nodded slightly, returning the greetings calmly, showing no sign of anything amiss.

Only the Soul Emperor knew that a silent war was raging within Yun Yun's body. The soul imprints of the five women clashed fiercely with the Soul Emperor's will, while Yun Yun's own bodily instincts were secretly fueling the conflict—her feelings for Xiao Yan were genuine, and now, with the resonance of the other four women, those feelings were amplified countless times.

The Soul Emperor could feel his will being gradually eroded.

He felt like a block of ice, thrown into a pot of boiling oil, melting at an alarming rate. The emotions belonging to Xiao Xun'er, Cai Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, and Nalan Yanran were like scalding oil, constantly splashing onto his soul. Each drop caused him a burning pain, which then transformed into a strange tingling sensation, spreading along the veins of his soul.

He was resisting, but he was also sinking into depravity.

He suddenly understood the true horror of the curse of the beauty of desire—it doesn't make you fall in love with someone directly, but rather makes you experience the process of loving someone repeatedly, each time going deeper and deeper, each time falling a little more deeply, until you completely get used to that feeling, until you can no longer live without that person.

It's like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.

He has already cooked it in this pot five times.

There was a secluded courtyard on the back mountain, where Yun Yun usually meditated. At this moment, the courtyard gate was ajar, and faint sounds could be heard from inside, like someone turning the pages of a book or sorting medicinal herbs.

Yunyun paused for a moment in front of the courtyard gate.

In the depths of his heart, the Soul Emperor cried out one last time—Don't go in! No! You are the Sect Master of the Cloud Mist Sect! You are one of the Ten Greatest Powers of the Gama Empire! You are his mentor! You shouldn't—

Yunyun pushed open the door.

A young man stood in the courtyard, his back to her, bending over and tidying something on the stone table. Hearing the door open, he straightened up and turned around.

In that instant, the Soul Emperor felt as if his soul had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

That's Xiao Yan.

It wasn't the Flame Emperor he last saw, already at the pinnacle, nor the naive youth he first met, but rather a Xiao Yan somewhere in between. Seventeen or eighteen years old, his physique had matured; though not burly, he stood tall and straight as a pine tree. His face still carried a hint of youthful innocence, but the sharpness of a powerful being already shone between his brows. His eyes were bright, like two burning flames, but the moment he saw Yun Yun, those flames softened slightly.

"Teacher?" Xiao Yan was somewhat surprised. "Why are you here? Your injuries..."

He strode over and reached out to support Yun Yun's shoulder.

Yun Yun stepped aside to avoid his hand, walked to the stone table and sat down. She picked up the teapot on the table, poured herself a cup of water, took a sip, and then spoke.

"Just some minor injuries, nothing serious." Her voice was calm and composed, carrying Yun Yun's unique serenity and authority. "What are you doing here?"

Xiao Yan scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, "I was sorting through some herbs, preparing to refine a few pills. My teacher is injured, and I was thinking..."

Before he could finish speaking, a shy expression typical of young people appeared on his face. He wanted to concoct a healing pill for her, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly.

Seeing this, the Soul Emperor sneered three times inwardly. "Little brat, you've got a knack for flattery. No wonder you can fool one woman after another..." Then he immediately realized this was also an insult to him, so he shut up.

Yun Yun looked at Xiao Yan without saying a word.

But the Soul Emperor could sense that she—no, they—were smiling. The soul imprints of the five women within him warmed slightly, like five lazy cats stretching on a sunlit windowsill, purring contentedly. They were looking at Xiao Yan, at the man they all loved, and a warm, tender emotion welled up within them.

Only the Soul Emperor stood alone amidst that warmth and softness, like a solitary ice spike, completely out of place.

But the ice spikes are also melting.

He didn't want to admit it, but Xiao Yan was indeed... different from the one he'd met last time. This boy wasn't as aggressive, wasn't as wary, and didn't have as many schemes or ulterior motives. He was just a boy who wanted to be good to someone, clumsy yet sincere.

"Teacher?" Xiao Yan noticed Yun Yun was lost in thought and waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Are you alright? Are you badly injured? Do you need me...?"

"It's nothing." Yun Yun withdrew her gaze and lowered her eyes. "I'm just a little tired."

She stood up and walked into the house.

Xiao Yan watched her retreating figure, hesitated for a moment, and then followed her.

"Teacher, let me take a look at your injury. I've recently learned some new healing techniques, I should..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yun Yun suddenly turned around, grabbed his collar, and pulled him into the house.

The door slammed shut.

Xiao Yan was pressed against the door, the back of his head hitting the hard wood with a dull thud. Before he could even react to what was happening, a slender yet strong hand was already pressing on his chest, firmly pinning him against the door.

"Teacher...?"

Xiao Yan stared wide-eyed at the stunningly beautiful face so close to his. Yun Yun's eyes burned with a flame he had never seen before—a flame not of anger, not of killing intent, but something more primal, more intense. Her breathing was rapid, her cheeks flushed an unnatural red, and her chest heaved violently.

"Don't speak." Yun Yun's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of undeniable force.

Then she kissed him.

Xiao Yan's brain completely shut down in that instant. He froze on the spot, motionless like a stone statue, letting Yun Yun's lips press against his, letting her tongue pry open his teeth, letting her breath mingle with his. His hands hung in the air, not knowing where to put them, completely bewildered.

And Yun Yun—no, it was five women plus the Soul Emperor—was thoroughly enjoying the kiss.

Xiao Xun'er longed for the tenderness of the kiss. Cai Lin savored its domineering nature. Little Fairy Doctor craved its warmth. Nalan Yanran experienced its forbidden nature. Yun Yun dictated the rhythm of the kiss.

And the Soul Emperor—

The Soul Emperor was losing himself in this kiss.

He could feel the slightly bitter herbal taste on Xiao Yan's lips from years of taking pills, his breathing becoming rapid and hot, and his hands, which had been suspended in the air, finally slowly descending and resting on Yun Yun's waist. Those hands trembled slightly, carrying the shyness and unease unique to young people, yet also an unyielding determination.

He was responding.

He was responding to her kiss—no, he was responding to Yun Yun, the woman with whom he had countless connections—and her kiss.

The Soul Emperor felt his knees weaken, his body heat up, and the soul imprints of the five women resonating wildly, amplifying the pleasure of the kiss to its extreme and transmitting it deep into his soul. He trembled, lost, and succumbed to this resonance, like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, the more it struggled, the tighter it was bound.

He finally understood something.

In this war, he was never a commander. He was just a conscripted soldier, forced to wear a battle uniform, sent to the battlefield, and made to love someone he should have hated.

"Hmm..."

A low groan escaped Xiao Yan's throat. He had recovered from his initial shock and began to actively respond to Yun Yun's kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Their bodies pressed tightly together, and through the thin fabric, they could feel each other's body temperature and heartbeat.

The Soul Emperor suddenly regained consciousness for a moment during that embrace.

He realized the situation. He was Yun Yun, Xiao Yan's nominal teacher, and this was the back mountain of the Yunlan Sect, with disciples patrolling outside. They were doing something extremely outrageous, extremely taboo, something that would ruin their reputations if discovered.

He should stop.

He has to stop.

But his body wouldn't listen to him at all.

Because the soul imprints of those five women were singing in unison, an ancient and primal song praising love and desire. Their voices intertwined, forming an irresistible torrent that shattered all of the Soul Emperor's reason and resistance.

He thought, maybe, this is how it should be.

Perhaps this is the fate he cannot escape.

Perhaps, the curse of desire is to make him gradually shed all his defenses and pretenses in this endless cycle of reincarnation, until he completely accepts the person he should hate to the core.

Yun Yun began to untie Xiao Yan's belt.

Her movements were slow and unhurried, as if she were doing something she had done countless times. In fact, Yun Yun had indeed done it before—in the cave of the Monster Mountain Range, on that unknown night, she had undressed Xiao Yan in the same way. At this moment, that memory and technique awakened in the resonance of the five women's soul imprints, transforming into a gentle and skilled rhythm.

“Teacher…” Xiao Yan’s breathing was completely disordered, his voice hoarse and trembling, torn between lust and reason, “We…we can’t…”

"Why not?" Yun Yun's voice was low, with a captivating magnetism. "Don't you want to?"

Xiao Yan's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at the face he had admired for so many years, at the fire and tenderness in her eyes. The defense line of "master and disciple" in his heart was crumbling little by little.

"I……"

"Don't speak." Yun Yun placed her finger on his lips, stopping him from saying anything. "Let me do it."

She pushed Xiao Yan down onto the bed.

The carved mahogany bed frame creaked softly, and the white curtains swayed gently with their movements, like ripples spreading across a calm lake. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the paper windows, casting soft shadows on them.

The Soul Emperor felt like he had gone mad.

He actually rode on Xiao Yan's back.

She was Yun Yun, dressed in a long white dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. She straddled Xiao Yan's waist, looking down at the boy beneath her. Xiao Yan lay on his back, his clothes torn open, revealing his strong chest, the scars still clearly visible—from the battle before she was injured.

He looked at her with a complex expression he had never seen before—a mixture of longing, hesitation, awe, and a submissive sense of being conquered.

The Soul Emperor had never seen Xiao Yan from this angle before.

Every time before, he was the one on top. When he was Xiao Xun'er, he was pinned to the wedding bed by Xiao Yan, enduring his storm-like thrusts. When he was Cai Lin, he was pressed against a rock by Xiao Yan, forced to open himself up under the reflection of the underground magma. When he was Xiao Yi Xian, he was trapped in a cave by Xiao Yan, brought to climax again and again amidst the swirling fragrance of herbs. When he was Nalan Yanran, he was pinned against the wall of an alley by Xiao Yan, completely succumbing to that first kiss after a long separation.

He was always down there.

Every time, he was the one who was passive.

Each time, he was utterly defeated by Xiao Yan's attacks, losing his armor and weapons, and ending up in a sorry state.

But this time, he was on top.

He was on top, in control. He could control the rhythm, the depth, the speed. He could look at Xiao Yan's face, at his suppressed breathing, at his expression slightly contorted with pleasure, at the flames in his eyes flickering, rising, and burning with his movements.

This feeling—

The Soul Emperor was taken aback.

This feeling is so amazing!

He saw Xiao Yan furrow his brow slightly at his movements, saw him bite his lower lip trying to suppress a groan, saw him arch his body due to the thrust from a certain angle, and saw the beads of sweat on his forehead slide down his temples and disappear into his hair.

He used to hate this face so much he wanted to grind his teeth, but now he discovered that this face, under the influence of lust, possessed a unique, captivating fragility and beauty.

"Teacher...you...you slow down..." Xiao Yan's voice was pleading. He grabbed Yun Yun's waist with both hands, trying to control her rhythm, but Yun Yun slapped his hands away and pressed his wrists above his head.

"Don't move."

She leaned down, her long hair cascading down Xiao Yan's chest, the ends brushing lightly against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine. She pecked him on the lips, then straightened up and continued her conquest.

Yun Yun was very weak. The battle had exhausted a lot of her battle qi, and every ounce of her strength was being depleted. But she didn't care. The soul imprints of those five women were burning within her, turning all her fatigue and pain into fuel for her lust. She felt like a volcano about to erupt, all the lava churning within her, desperately seeking an outlet.

And Xiao Yan is that exit.

Her movements became faster and more violent, completely unlike someone who had just been through a fierce battle. She heard her own breathing become heavy and rapid, heard Xiao Yan's panting become broken and chaotic, heard the wooden bed creak rhythmically with their movements, and heard the birds chirping and the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window.

All the sounds intertwined, forming a chaotic yet decadent symphony.

Then she saw Xiao Yan's expression.

The boy she once hated, loathed, and desperately wanted to kill was now lying beneath her, pinned to the bed. His expression was a complex mix of emotions that was hard to look away from—he felt pleasure amidst shame, struggle amidst pleasure, and an unspeakable desire amidst the struggle.

He looked at her with an expression she couldn't decipher.

"teacher……"

His voice calling hers was like a drowning person grabbing onto the last piece of driftwood.

The Soul Emperor's heart suddenly clenched with pain at that moment.

It wasn't for any other reason than that he saw himself in that look in his eyes.

He saw himself being pinned down by Xiao Yan on his wedding night, himself being penetrated by Xiao Yan beside the underground magma, himself being embraced by Xiao Yan in the cave, himself taking the initiative to kiss Xiao Yan in the alley, and himself now moving wildly on Xiao Yan's body.

So, this is the same expression he had every time Xiao Yan took advantage of him?

That expression—a mixture of resistance and longing, shame and depravity, a desire to escape yet a yearning for more.

He suddenly realized that he and Xiao Yan weren't that different after all.

They had all lost themselves in love and desire, forgotten all hatred and defenses in someone's arms, and found a meaning beyond life and death in that moment of pleasure.

“Xiao Yan…” He heard Yun Yun’s voice come from his throat, hoarse and trembling, “Look at me.”

Xiao Yan looked at her.

Their eyes met.

In that instant, the five women's soul imprints simultaneously let out a satisfied sigh. They resonated, pulsated, and danced together within Yun Yun's body, weaving together five different yet identical expressions of love, transforming them into an all-encompassing net that firmly enveloped the Soul Emperor's soul within it.

At that moment, the Soul Emperor finally stopped struggling.

He let himself sink into that pleasure, like a drowning man who finally gives up struggling, letting the current carry him to unknowable depths. He heard his own voice groaning, crying, saying things he couldn't even understand himself. He felt his body trembling, reaching its peak in a violent surge.

At the moment of climax, he bent down and hugged Xiao Yan tightly. He buried his head in the crook of Xiao Yan's neck, feeling the boy's hot skin and rapid pulse, feeling his body trembling in the climax as well, feeling their heartbeats resonating at the same frequency.

He cried.

It wasn't the kind of subtle, silent weeping, but a wail, as if he wanted to cry out all the grievances, anger, shame, joy, satisfaction, and despair from these past few reincarnations. His tears fell into Xiao Yan's neck, warm and salty, carrying a heartbreakingly real feeling.

Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, then reached out and gently stroked his hair.

"Teacher... what's wrong?"

He did not answer.

He just cried, just hugged him tightly, just rubbed against his neck, like a stray cat that had finally found its owner.

A subtle change occurred in his soul as he wept. The soul imprints of the five women flowed slowly within him, as if comforting him, or perhaps reaching some kind of reconciliation with him. He felt a block of ice in his heart melting, turning into a pool of warm water, mingling with the emotions of those women, making it impossible to distinguish between his hatred and their love.

Perhaps, it was never clear from the beginning.

In that instant, the Soul Emperor's consciousness blurred, and his soul began to detach from Yun Yun's body, like a bird finally freed from its shackles, soaring into the sky. He looked back in the void and saw Yun Yun and Xiao Yan lying on the bed, saw the setting sun outside the window, and saw the Yunlan Sect's mountain gate casting long shadows in the sunset.

Then he was pulled back into the torrent of time and space once again.

When the Soul Emperor opened his eyes again, he had returned to his body.

He lay on the floor of the Soul Clan's secret chamber, the fatal wound on his chest gone, replaced by a faint pink mark—the mark of the Curse of Desire for Beauty, clearer and deeper than before.

He sat up and looked down at his body.

It was still that same body. Broad shoulders, a sturdy chest, long and powerful limbs. The patriarch of the Soul Clan, a half-Emperor level expert, one of the most powerful beings on the Dou Qi Continent.

But he knew that this body was no longer the same.

Because there are five women's soul imprints within him.

No, now it's the Six Realms.

Add Yunyun's.

The Six Paths Mark—Xiao Xun'er's gentleness, Cai Lin's pride, Xiao Yi Xian's kindness, Nalan Yanran's reserve, Yun Yun's composure, and—

And the Soul Emperor's own anger and resentment.

Six different emotions and six different personality traits intertwine, merge, and collide in his soul, like a colorful tangled mess that cannot be untangled or cut.

He stood up, walked to a bronze mirror in the corner of the secret room, and looked at himself in the mirror.

It was a cold and imposing face, with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and tightly pressed lips—the typical features of a strong man. But as he examined it closely, he noticed some details he had never seen before—

A hint of gentleness seemed to have softened his features. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth. His gaze was no longer that pure, cold indifference, viewing everything as insignificant; instead, it held a warmth, a certain—

Some human emotions.

He raised his hand and touched his face.

The hand was long and strong, with distinct knuckles; it was a man's hand. But he suddenly remembered Yun Yun's hand, the hand that had roamed over the chest of the boy beneath him, and the pulse he had felt when those hands gripped Xiao Yan's wrist.

He abruptly lowered his hand, turned around, walked back to the center of the secret room, and sat down cross-legged.

He tried to peel away the six marks. He tried once, and a wave of weakness washed over him, almost causing him to collapse. He tried again, feeling even weaker, as if his soul was about to fall apart. He gritted his teeth and tried a third time, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

no.

It really won't work.

Those marks had become one with his soul essence, like the roots of a tree embedded in the soil, impossible to uproot. Forcibly removing them would only damage his soul, and might even cause his cultivation to plummet, falling from the half-emperor realm.

He sat there in silence, feeling the six different emotions within his soul flow, converge, and merge like six rivers. They argued, communicated, compromised, and reached a certain balance.

He heard Xiao Xun'er sigh softly, saying that Xiao Yan was actually a very gentle person.

He heard Cai Lin snort coldly, saying that he was indeed a bastard, but also a bastard worth entrusting one with.

He heard Little Fairy Doctor speaking softly, saying that he had never disliked her afflicted poisonous body.

He heard Nalan Yanran awkwardly admit that he had indeed become stronger, so strong that she had to look at him with new respect.

He heard Yunyun say calmly, "He is the child I watched grow up. I know how good he is."

Then he heard his own voice asking them—

What about me?

You all think he's good, but what about me?

What am I going to do with him? What am I going to do with myself? What am I going to do with this damned curse?

All six voices fell silent.

Then, a faint voice echoed in his heart.

That wasn't any woman's voice; it was his voice—

Perhaps you've already started to accept him.

The Soul Emperor suddenly opened his eyes.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the secret room like a wild beast trapped in a cage. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind—he could travel through time again to stop everything from happening. He could try again to peel away those marks. He could find a place to live in seclusion, far away from everyone, far away from Xiao Yan, and spend the rest of his life alone.

But he knew it was all in vain.

He had traversed time and space countless times, failing each time. He tried to peel away the imprint, but failed again. He tried to live in seclusion—but he knew in his heart that he would think of Xiao Yan, would want to find him, and would involuntarily walk in that direction.

Those women's memories were too powerful, their emotions too intense, and their love for Xiao Yan too profound—so profound that even someone as hard-hearted as him was gradually permeated, tainted, and infected, turning him into someone he no longer recognized.

He stopped and gazed at the ancient Soul Clan runes on the walls of the secret chamber, shimmering with a ghostly blue light in the dim light. Those runes were left by his ancestors, representing his status and glory as the patriarch of the Soul Clan.

But does he still deserve those runes now?

A man whose soul is inhabited by six women.

A man who was conquered five times by his nemesis with lust.

A man who doesn't even know who he is.

He slowly closed his eyes, pressed his forehead against the cold wall, and felt the faint vibrations emanating from the runes.

He said something in a low voice, so low it was almost inaudible.

"You've won if you want a beautiful woman."

He admitted it.

He admitted that he had been defeated by the curse. He admitted that he could never go back to the way he was before. He admitted that the marks of those six women would never disappear.

But he also admitted one thing—

He began to understand those women.

He began to understand why Xiao Xun'er was willing to give up her status as the eldest daughter of an ancient clan for Xiao Yan, why Cai Lin was willing to set aside her dignity as the queen of the snake-people clan for Xiao Yan, why Xiao Yi Xian was willing to be an enemy of the whole world for Xiao Yan, why Nalan Yanran was willing to admit her mistakes for Xiao Yan, and why Yun Yun was willing to break the taboo between master and disciple for Xiao Yan.

Because Xiao Yan is indeed a person worthy of love.

He spent thousands of years cultivating to become a half-emperor, but it took him five reincarnations to understand this principle.

That's ridiculous.

sad.

It's a pity.

The Soul Emperor opened his eyes, straightened up, and looked at his reflection on the wall. A complex smile slowly appeared on his cold and stern face.

He could change his physical body. For someone at the half-emperor level like him, changing his gender and appearance was merely a matter of moving a finger. He could transform himself into a complete woman, a woman who combined all the virtues of those six women, and then go to find Xiao Yan, be with him, and live the life of a normal woman.

But if that's the case, would he still be the Soul Emperor?

He gave up his body, which he had lived for thousands of years, his identity as the patriarch of the Soul Clan, and all his dignity and pride, to become Xiao Yan's woman—

Can he really do it?

His gaze fell on his hands, those long, powerful hands that had killed countless people. These hands had once wielded the Xuan Heavy Ruler, formed the most complex hand seals, torn through space, and felt Xiao Yan's warmth within the bodies of five women.

He suddenly started thinking about a question—

If he were to go to Xiao Yan now, appear before him as a man, and tell him the whole truth, telling him everything that happened in the cycle of time and space, how would Xiao Yan react?

Will you be shocked? Will you feel disgusted? Will you be angry? Or—

Would she still, like those women, stroke his face with her warm hands and whisper, "It's okay, I'm here"?

The Soul Emperor was startled by his own thought.

He was actually hoping for Xiao Yan's acceptance?

He was actually imagining Xiao Yan's embrace?

He shook his head violently, trying to shake off the crazy thought. But the marks of the six women vibrated gently within him, as if smiling and saying to him—

You're finished. You're really finished. You've fallen hopelessly in love with him.

He stood in the secret room, silent for a long time.

The Soul Clan runes on the wall still shimmered with a ghostly blue light, like countless eyes watching how this once invincible Soul Clan patriarch was utterly conquered by his nemesis in a curse that transcended time and space.

He finally moved.

He walked to the door of the secret chamber and pushed open the heavy stone door.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, casting a long shadow on him. He squinted, gazing at the faint golden glow on the distant horizon, lost in thought.

His hand lingered on the door frame for a moment, his fingertips gently tapping the stone wall, producing a series of crisp sounds.

Then, he lifted his foot and stepped out of the threshold.

He didn't know where he was going.

But he knew that no matter where he went, the marks of those six women would always remain in his soul, and the shadow of that boy named Xiao Yan would always be there.

The curse of lust for beauty has become one with him, and they can never be separated.

And that curse, perhaps, is more than just a curse.

Maybe--

It was a gift he had never dared to ask for.

The Soul Emperor walked in the sunlight, a subtle smile playing on his lips, one that he himself was unaware of.