The chamber fell silent.
Lin Xue stared at the young man standing beside the coffin.
Then slowly…
He turned toward Mo Yuan.
The Ghost King hadn’t moved.
His sword remained lowered at his side.
He looked neither angry nor surprised.
Only tired.
“Mo Yuan.”
Lin Xue’s voice was quiet.
“Is it true?”
Mo Yuan’s fingers tightened around the sword.
The young man laughed bitterly.
“Of course it is.”
He stepped closer.
“His Highness was there that night.”
“He stood outside our home.”
“He watched them take our parents.”
“And when I tried to protect you…”
His voice cracked.
“He killed me.”
Lin Xue’s heart sank.
“No.”
The word escaped before he could stop it.
The young man stared at him.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t know what to believe.”
Lin Xue looked at Mo Yuan.
“Tell me.”
Mo Yuan finally raised his eyes.
“I killed him.”
Lin Xue’s breath stopped.
The young man smiled bitterly.
“See?”
Mo Yuan continued.
“But not for the reason he thinks.”
Lin Xue frowned.
“What happened?”
Mo Yuan lowered his sword.
“Your family wasn’t attacked by me.”
“Then why were you there?”
“Because I was sent to protect you.”
The young man froze.
Mo Yuan’s gaze remained steady.
“I arrived too late.”
“The house was already burning.”
“Your parents were dead.”
“And you…”
He looked at the young man.
“…were already dying.”
The young man’s expression changed.
“No.”
“You tried to attack me.”
“I had no choice.”
Mo Yuan’s voice became quieter.
“You were possessed.”
Silence.
The young man’s face went pale.
“What?”
“Something had entered your soul.”
“A crimson seal.”
Lin Xue looked down at his wrist.
“The Crimson Seal.”
Mo Yuan nodded.
“It was controlling you.”
“You attacked me.”
“I defended myself.”
The young man shook his head.
“You’re lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Mo Yuan looked at Lin Xue.
“I didn’t kill your brother.”
“I ended the possession.”
The young man’s hands began trembling.
“No…”
Mo Yuan continued.
“And when the seal was removed…”
The young man stared at him.
His eyes slowly filled with confusion.
Lin Xue stepped forward.
“Brother…”
The young man looked at him.
“I remember.”
He touched his chest.
“I remember the fire.”
“I remember Father shouting.”
“I remember Mother pushing you toward the back door.”
His voice became quieter.
“And then…”
He looked at Mo Yuan.
“I remember him.”
Lin Xue held his breath.
“What do you remember?”
The young man closed his eyes.
“Not killing me.”
Mo Yuan’s expression softened slightly.
“But…”
The young man opened his eyes.
“I remember someone else.”
Everyone froze.
“Someone wearing white.”
Lin Xue’s heart began pounding.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
The young man shook his head.
“But they stood behind Mo Yuan.”
“They were holding the Crimson Seal.”
Lin Xue immediately looked at Mo Yuan.
“Did you see them?”
Mo Yuan frowned.
“No.”
“They hid their spiritual presence.”
The young man suddenly grabbed his head.
“Wait…”
His expression twisted.
“I remember another face.”
Lin Xue stepped closer.
“Whose?”
The young man looked directly at him.
“Yours.”
Lin Xue froze.
“My face?”
“Yes.”
“You were standing beside that person.”
Lin Xue’s blood ran cold.
“I wasn’t there.”
“I know.”
The young man stared at him.
“That’s why it doesn’t make sense.”
He suddenly collapsed.
Lin Xue caught him.
“Brother!”
The young man’s body was burning with spiritual energy.
The Soul Lotus on Lin Xue’s wrist immediately reacted.
Golden light spread between them.
A memory flashed.
Two children running through a garden.
A boy laughing.
A younger Lin Xue chasing him.
Their mother watching from beneath a tree.
Their father smiling.
Then the memory changed.
A black carriage.
A palace gate.
A royal decree.
A man in white.
And a voice whispering—
“Take the younger one.”
Lin Xue gasped.
The vision vanished.
His brother opened his eyes.
“Do you remember?”
Lin Xue slowly nodded.
“They took me.”
His brother’s eyes filled with tears.
“You weren’t sent away.”
“You were stolen.”
Lin Xue’s hands trembled.
All his memories of entering the palace…
The marriage.
The alliance.
The Oracle.
Everything.
Perhaps none of it had begun by chance.
Someone had deliberately placed him beside Ji Chen.
Someone had wanted the Soul Lotus inside the Imperial Palace.
And his family had tried to stop them.
Lin Xue slowly stood.
“Who took me?”
His brother looked toward the entrance.
“I don’t know.”
“But I remember one thing.”
“What?”
“The person who ordered it…”
He swallowed.
“…wasn’t Ji Chen.”
Lin Xue’s eyes widened.
“Then who?”
Before his brother could answer—
A terrifying spiritual pressure descended upon the chamber.
The candles went out.
Mo Yuan immediately drew his sword.
Lin Xue’s Soul Lotus ignited.
His brother looked toward the ceiling.
“No…”
“What is it?”
He whispered,
“The person who erased my memories…”
A crack appeared across the stone ceiling.
Then another.
Something was descending through the darkness.
A white sleeve appeared.
Then a hand.
Then a familiar voice.
“How unfortunate.”
A figure slowly stepped into the chamber.
White robes.
Silver crown.
A gentle smile.
Lin Xue’s blood turned cold.
He knew that face.
He had seen it inside the Heavenly Mirror.
The same man who had stood beside the first Soul Lotus.
The same man who had been present when the Crimson Seal was created.
Lin Yue.
But this time…
There was something different.
His eyes were crimson.
And his smile was no longer kind.
“After a thousand years…”
Lin Yue looked directly at Lin Xue.
“…you finally remember your brother.”
Mo Yuan raised his sword.
“You lied to us.”
Lin Yue smiled.
“I told you the truth.”
“Just not all of it.”
Lin Xue stared at him.
“Did you take me from my family?”
Lin Yue’s smile disappeared.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Lin Yue looked toward the ceiling.
And for the first time…
Fear appeared in his eyes.
“The person who took you…”
“…is the one who created me.”
The chamber trembled.
Lin Xue’s Soul Lotus suddenly flared.
And from somewhere beneath the mountain—
A fourth heartbeat answered.