ISWTDB Ch107 [Arc 9]

Chapter 107: My Husband Has a Split Personality (1,2)

Abner’s lips trembled uncontrollably when he heard Ying Zhao’s words. In that moment, all the lies he had been deceiving himself with shattered.

Looking into the other’s cold eyes, he collapsed in despair to the ground. His mind kept repeating: Xiao Yan knows. He knows everything. He will never forgive me.

Watching Ying Zhao turn away without hesitation, Abner finally broke down and cried like a child. In that moment, he realized his heart more clearly—he had truly and completely fallen in love with that young boy. But because of his own selfishness, he had foolishly ruined such a beautiful relationship.

Images of Ying Zhao’s every smile and frown flashed through his mind. The boy who used to speak to him gently, blush shyly, cook delicious meals for him, and exhaust his spiritual power to prepare potions for him was gone.

Now, a chasm had formed between them, one that could never be crossed. The kinder and more beautiful the boy had been, the colder and more heart-wrenching he was now.

Abner slowly closed his eyes, feeling as if his internal organs were being torn apart. He had truly lost everything: his reputation, his status, his spiritual power, and his lover.

He stared blankly at the patch of sky framed by the courtyard walls, numb with the thought: Maybe I was wrong from the start.

Everything had already ended. Those who had hurt Xiao Yan had all received their just punishment.

Ying Zhao walked far beyond the walls, knowing it was the last time he would see Abner. He didn’t take Abner’s life, but he had stripped him of all his ideals and beliefs. Sometimes, living was more painful than death.

Taking a deep breath, Ying Zhao smiled as he looked at the tall man waiting for him in the distance. From now on, his life belonged only to his lover and himself.

***

Fifty years later, the now withered Abner, unrecognizable, finally left prison. Though he was over eighty years old, in this interstellar era where the average lifespan was two hundred, he was only considered middle-aged.

However, with his gray hair and wrinkled face, he looked like a man on the verge of death.

Now, he was merely a powerless man whose reputation had been utterly destroyed. Fortunately, the kind-hearted owner of a nutrition fluid workshop had offered him a job as a night guard, barely allowing him to make a living.

Looking up, he saw the giant display screen on the building, showing Ying Zhao and Ernest together.

The two were attending the Empire’s New Year celebration, and Ying Zhao, now a man, was no longer the boy he once was. Gone was the youthful innocence, replaced by a beauty so striking it took one’s breath away.

Beside him, Ernest’s expression was cold, but when he looked at Ying Zhao, the tenderness in his eyes was palpable, even through the screen.

Standing close together, everyone could sense the love between them. Even without words or physical contact, it was clear no one could come between them.

Yes, Xiao Yan had always been so perfect! Once, he could have won the boy’s love and happiness. But he had destroyed it all with his own hands.

Abner tugged at his cracked lips and lowered his head, his eyes once again dull. He didn’t notice the cold tear sliding down his cheek.

In this world, Ying Zhao and his lover lived a happy life. Ying Zhao’s outstanding contributions in pharmacology, and later Ernest’s body-enhancement plan, had changed the entire interstellar era.

The Empire grew unprecedentedly strong, and one’s mental power or physical limitations at birth no longer restricted their potential. As long as you worked hard, you had the chance to achieve greatness.

As the most prominent figures in the Empire, Ying Zhao and Ernest’s unwavering love was always a topic of gossip. Especially the cold-faced marshal’s overwhelming possessiveness, which had become the subject of many jokes.

Everyone knew how much the marshal loved his partner. Even when facing the Zerg Queen, he showed no emotion, but if anyone tried to approach or touch his partner, they would see his angry transformation.

And his beautiful partner always looked at him with gentle eyes. Just one smile was enough to instantly calm the man’s emotions.

A century later, Ying Zhao passed away with Ernest by his side. As per Ernest’s firm instructions, they were buried together.

On their shared tombstone, instead of a long list of titles, the inscription simply read: “Ying Yan—more precious than life to Ernest.”

******

The sky was gray, and a fog seemed to cling to the surroundings, never dispersing. A light drizzle began to fall as a circle of people in black suits, holding umbrellas, gathered around a grave, watching as the exposed coffin was slowly covered with soil.

A man in his twenties stood at the front of the crowd. His face was handsome but cold. His hands overlapped as he habitually rubbed the ring on his little finger.

When the burial was nearly complete, an elderly man with a kindly face approached him and whispered, “Master, it’s time for you to add the final shovelful of earth to the old master’s grave.”

The man nodded and walked to the grave. He bowed respectfully, then picked up a shovel and added the last shovelful of dirt. This was the tradition of the Ying family.

Afterward, a thick stone slab was placed over the grave. From that moment on, the once-powerful old master would rest there forever.

The crowd placed their flowers by the tombstone, bowed their heads in silence for a moment, and then followed their current master in leaving.

The funeral was over, and Ying Zhao sat back in the black car that had brought him there. His fingers still unconsciously rubbed the ring as he lowered his head, expressionless, his thoughts unreadable.

Butler Ying, thinking that his master was mourning his father’s death, instructed the driver to take them back to the family estate, saying no more.

The car quietly made its way back, and Ying Zhao stared out the window at the unfamiliar scenery on either side of the road. Despite his usual wisdom, there was now a trace of confusion in his eyes.

He had been in this world for a full week. So far, all he knew was that he was now the head of the powerful Ying family—a top-tier family in this world.

The old family head had died the day Ying Zhao arrived in this world, but beyond that, he knew nothing.

When he left his previous world, he had just retrieved his lover’s soul fragment when the long-absent Heavenly Dao attacked once again.

However, this time, the Heavenly Dao hadn’t acted recklessly. It had waited for the right moment, gathered its strength, and created a time-space turbulence to launch a surprise attack, hoping to kill Ying Zhao and steal the Vermilion Bird soul fragment.

The sudden assault had caught Ying Zhao off guard. In the chaos, Xiao Bai had rushed out to protect Ying Zhao, engaging in a fierce struggle with the Heavenly Dao.

Separated by the time-space turbulence, Xiao Bai used the system’s power to push Ying Zhao out. When Ying Zhao woke up, he found himself in this world.

Without Xiao Bai, he couldn’t access the original owner’s memories or understand this world’s plot. He didn’t even know his identity or whether his lover was in this world.

Using his sharp observation skills, Ying Zhao had managed to blend in by following others’ behavior and had avoided raising suspicion so far. But his heart was still filled with anxiety.

The more anxious he felt, the more he instinctively rubbed the ring on his finger. This ring had been hastily condensed by Xiao Bai before their separation.

It was a simple snake-shaped ring with a small space inside, where his lover’s soul fragment was stored.

But how was Xiao Bai now? The thought of Heavenly Dao’s fierce attack made Ying Zhao clench his fists.

He and Xiao Bai had been through so many worlds together. Even though Xiao Bai was just a system, Ying Zhao knew he had developed consciousness, with emotions like joy, anger, and sorrow.

After all their time together, Ying Zhao had long considered Xiao Bai his companion. He had even been thinking that if they found a good opportunity, he could help Xiao Bai transform into human form.

He had even thought about asking Bai Rui for help, to see if there was any cultivation technique that could allow Xiao Bai to become independent from the system and live his own life.

But he hadn’t expected the Heavenly Dao to have such a trick up its sleeve. Now, Ying Zhao didn’t know what to do. He could only play his role in this world for the time being. Without the system, it was impossible to return to the real world.

When they arrived back at the Ying family estate, Ying Zhao returned to his room as usual, avoiding conversation with others. Fortunately, the original owner had been a man of few words, making it easier for Ying Zhao to adapt without revealing anything.

With nothing else to do, Ying Zhao began his usual routine of training and familiarizing himself with the body’s powers.

He was still adjusting to the process of condensing soul power. It wasn’t until three days after arriving in this world that he discovered there was a power here called soul force.

But it seemed that only a few people could cultivate it, requiring a special constitution. Furthermore, the most powerful families in this world all had a tradition of soul cultivation.

Though this world appeared modern on the surface, it was actually an entirely different realm. Ordinary people and cultivators lived in completely different worlds.

Soul force was cultivated from level one to level ten, with level ten being the strongest, known as a Soul King. The original owner, though not a Soul King, had reached level nine, making him a formidable figure in the eyes of others.

Soul force could be used for a variety of things, including enhancing physical strength, healing, and even altering space. However, this world was bound by strict rules and hierarchies.

Quickly and cautiously cradling the little snake in his hands, Ying Zhao anxiously asked, “Xiao Bai, is it really you? Are you okay?”

Xiao Bai nodded in response, seemingly a bit weak, and spoke to Ying Zhao in a somewhat hoarse youthful voice: “Host, I’m fine, I finally came back.”

However, the voice that came from Xiao Bai’s mouth was no longer the childish tone it used to be but had turned into a somewhat clear and youthful timbre.

Ying Zhao was taken aback and looked at Xiao Bai carefully. If it weren’t for the soul connection they shared due to Xiao Bai being a system residing in his mental sea for a long time, Ying Zhao would have suspected that Xiao Bai had been swapped with someone else.

With some confusion, Ying Zhao asked Xiao Bai, “Xiao Bai, why does your voice…”

Xiao Bai rested in Ying Zhao’s palm for a moment before sitting up and sighed: “Host, we were caught in a space-time turbulence. Afterward, some unexpected things happened, and I was forced to grow up. In short, the situation is quite complex.”

Ying Zhao nodded upon hearing this, understanding Xiao Bai’s meaning. It seemed that Xiao Bai had experienced many years in another time-space before struggling to return to his side.

He knew that Xiao Bai’s essence as a system should have upgraded, but not necessarily grown. The beast form changes might not be noticeable yet. However, it was clear that Xiao Bai’s aura had changed, and he wondered what kind of adventure Xiao Bai had gone through to be forced to grow up.

Feeling a bit sour, Ying Zhao touched Xiao Bai’s forehead and said, “Xiao Bai, you’ve suffered!”

Xiao Bai shook his head in response, though his eyes no longer held the carefree look of the past. Instead, they were slightly downcast, showing some melancholy.

Seeing Xiao Bai’s appearance, Ying Zhao felt that Xiao Bai seemed to have gone through something. He frowned and asked, “Xiao Bai, did something happen? The Heavenly Dao?”

Upon hearing the mention of the Heavenly Dao, Xiao Bai’s body noticeably stiffened, but he remained silent, seeming troubled and unsure how to begin.

Ying Zhao saw that Xiao Bai truly didn’t want to speak, so he didn’t press further. Knowing that Xiao Bai might have suffered, he wanted to offer comfort instead.

Thinking that Xiao Bai had worked hard for so long and needed a good rest, Ying Zhao knew that his mental sea was a good place for the system to recover. He quickly said to Xiao Bai, “Xiao Bai, go back to my mental sea and rest properly.”

Xiao Bai sighed in relief upon hearing this. He was grateful for Ying Zhao’s consideration and quickly burrowed into Ying Zhao’s mental sea, though his mind couldn’t fully calm down.

He had left just like that; would that person go mad?

Thinking of this, Xiao Bai sighed helplessly. He had been entangled with the Heavenly Dao in another time-space for hundreds of years, and only managed to find a chance to return to Ying Zhao’s side. He didn’t understand why, even though they were adversaries, things had turned out this way.

Then, thinking about his responsibilities, Xiao Bai blinked hard, trying to pull himself together. He unfolded the entire system in Ying Zhao’s mental sea and began scanning this new world.

After collecting the basic information, Xiao Bai promptly transmitted all the data about this little world into Ying Zhao’s mind and then apologetically said, “Host, I’m giving you this information for now; I’m going to rest. If you need anything, just call me!”

Ying Zhao nodded, reassured Xiao Bai a few more times, and then began to review the information about this world.

After receiving the information from Xiao Bai, Ying Zhao discovered that from the perspective of the original owner he was replacing, this was actually a world that had been altered.

The original world plot was supposed to be a typical fantasy story about leveling up in another world, with the original owner Ying Chengye being the protagonist of this story.

However, the original plot mainly followed a career path and didn’t include the typical melodramatic harem scenarios; women didn’t play a significant role.

The original owner had little interest in romance and was focused solely on cultivating soul power and expanding the Ying family.

It could be said that if it weren’t for later changes, achieving these accomplishments would have been natural for the original owner. Ying Chengye was a genius from birth, facing many adventures and having an unlimited future.

However, he encountered the greatest disaster of his life—the heroine Mo Yingying.

The heroine Mo Yingying was a transmigrator who had originally been an ordinary homebody in her previous world, immersed in novels and soap operas.

With a plain appearance and an average job, she had reached nearly thirty before being dumped by a man she was about to marry due to his infidelity.

Although Mo Yingying didn’t have deep feelings for the man, her unsuccessful life and broken engagement pushed her to leave home in frustration. After drinking heavily, she encountered a car accident and woke up in this other world.

To her astonishment, this world was exactly the setting of a web novel she had read before, and her current identity was precisely the fiancée of the male protagonist Ying Chengye, the eldest daughter of the Mo family, Mo Yingying.

With the same name, she was now undoubtedly the female protagonist. Mo Yingying was overjoyed at this thought. However, she also recalled that she had lost interest in the book after reading only half, finding it dull.

The book focused on how the male protagonist Ying Chengye cultivated soul power and overcame challenges to expand the Ying family, with almost no romance.

The transmigrator was unwilling to be just a supporting character. She had experienced transmigration and now had to make full use of her new identity, enjoying a significant amount of happiness and accumulating a harem of handsome men.

Acting on impulse, Mo Yingying quickly pursued her now cousin Xu Jin, who was temporarily staying at the Mo family’s residence.

Xu Jin had always liked his cousin, but due to Mo Yingying’s engagement with Ying Chengye, he hadn’t expressed his feelings. With just a little manipulation from the transmigrator, Xu Jin fell for her.

However, the heroine had no intention of genuinely being with Xu Jin. She pretended to agree to the engagement with Ying Chengye, claiming that breaking the engagement would cause animosity between the two families. Thus, the “selfless” heroine eventually married Ying Chengye while secretly maintaining relations with Xu Jin.

Originally, Ying Chengye had met Mo Yingying a few times and found her dignified and suitable to be the head of the Ying family, agreeing to the marriage.

Unexpectedly, after marriage, Mo Yingying’s personality changed drastically to become lively and playful, which was new and refreshing to the otherwise formal Ying Chengye.

Over time, he genuinely fell in love with the transmigrator, leading to a passionate married life where Ying Chengye was utterly devoted to her.

Yet, the story didn’t end there. One day, Mo Yingying got lost in the forest during a trip and encountered a mysterious, handsome man.

The mysterious man claimed to be Ying Jiyang, the brother of the old head of the Ying family, who had been wronged and lacked a physical body. He was able to maintain his form due to a unique technique.

Ying Jiyang’s appearance was very handsome, and the appearance-oriented transmigrator quickly became infatuated. She promised to help him find a perfect body to accommodate him.

The heroine was so confident because she remembered from the book that there was a magical doll-like artifact in the Ying family’s forbidden area.

Although it looked like an ordinary doll, it was actually the best body on the continent, with unlimited potential beyond that of a human body. The soul attached to it could not only restore its original appearance but also possess powerful energy.