Afterlife Department

Chapter 152 - Identity

Yi Bing didn't wait for Hao Baiyun and the others to react. "Burn it!" he yelled at Huo Ling as he immediately froze the newcomer's feet.

"Y-yes!" Huo Ling didn't have any time to see who it is that gate crashed… erm, window and wall crushed as he answered. Then, he made the fire on his hand larger and the fire engulfed his whole corpse!

"Xiao Ling!" Hao Baiyun called when he saw Huo Ling.

Fei Xuli and Jing Yu glanced at Huo Ling before they turned to the trespasser who was entangled by Yi Bing's ice attacks. "The doctor…" they said and looked at each other before they changed their form and helped Yi Bing in attacking the doctor.

"No…" the doctor spoke in a low voice when he saw Huo Ling burning his corpse. However, before eh could move, Fei Xuli and Jing Yu attacked from both sides! He was forced to retreat and block their attacks, but his gaze remained on Huo Ling and Huo Ling's corpse.

"Where are you looking at?" Yi Bing said as he blocked the doctor's sight and erected an ice wall around him, the doctor, and Jing Yu and Fei Xuli leaving Huo Ling and Hao Baiyun outside.

"Xiao Ling." Hao Baiyun called when he reached Huo Ling's side. He was about to touch him only to see his hand passed through. "A phantom body?" he said as he looked at Huo Ling.

"Erm…" Huo Ling said and awkwardly smiled at Hao Baiyun. Here he is, meeting a relative but this relative is a stranger… "Hello. Yes, this is my phantom body." He said and turned to his corpse, only to see it wasn't burning. He was puzzled, but he saw there something that has changed. His cheeks began to sunken and his limbs began to shrink. "This is…" he muttered.

"One of the reasons why a fox's body is valuable is that it can't be burned." Hao Baiyun said. That is why he was surprised for Yi Bing to say they would burn Huo Ling's body. He thought Yi Bing would know everything, but actually it isn't. Then, he remembered Yi Bing said earlier that he only deduced the fox clan's resurrection secret which is their inheritance. "This is also why we can only keep your… corpse, here." He said and looked at Huo Ling. "You can decapitate or dismember the corpse, but not burn it." He said. "Because fire is a friend to us. Fire cannot harm our body, and if it did, our body will have a self-protection against the fire." He explained.

"Then… then how can I destroy my corpse?" Huo Ling asked in panic.

Hao Baiyun was also at a loss. However, when he saw the shrinking flesh of Huo Ling's corpse, he was shocked. "Xiao Ling… your fire is different." He exclaimed. "It is innate?" he asked.

Before Huo Ling could answer, the ice wall broke and Yi Bing spoke as he retreated to them. "It is." He answered.

"What?!" both Hao Baiyun and Huo Ling reacted.

"Don't ask. Just do it." Yi Bing said as he saw Fei Xuli and Jing Yu attacked the doctor, stalling him. "I can't help, since my ice would counter the fire." He said then pondered. "How about the wind?" he muttered before he sent a message to Di San's group.

"Wind? I can do it!" Hao Baiyun said as he called upon his tails. Not long after, nine white, fluffy tails appeared behind him. The fourth tail coquettishly swayed before they felt the wind in the surrounding changed. "The nine tails of the foxes also represent the elements fire, water, land, wind, metal, thunder, light, darkness and void. Fire is the first element since fire is our friend. Void is the last element and it is our test." He explained and looked at Huo Ling. "Your fire is different since the fire element from our tail is what we learned. You keep up your fire while I'll provide the wind to increase the fire and speed up destroying your corpse." He told Huo Ling.

Huo Ling nodded. "Thanks." He said as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, the fire in his hand became larger while the wind Hao Baiyun summoned wrapped the ball of fire in Huo Ling's hand, directing the fire to the corpse.

As the time goes on, Huo Ling's corpse kept shrinking until his skin withered because of it being devoid of the underneath flesh.

"STOP!" The doctor yelled as he advanced, only for Di San, Feng Er, Liu Lin and Si Shui finally to arrive.

"Feng Er." Yi Bing called. "Help here." He told her.

Feng Er saw Hao Baiyun providing wind to Huo Ling. "Yes." She said as she and Yi Bing exchanged places.

Fei Xuli and Jing Yu were injured and sat on the side while the doctor didn't even have a scratch on his body. "He's so tough…" Fei Xuli spat out blood as he watched Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin attacked the doctor with ice, earth and vines while Si Shui provided support by attacking the doctor with water. The water seeped through the doctor's skin, then his movements becomes sluggish. However, it only happened for a few seconds since the doctor regained his speed again.

No… he became faster. This realization shocked Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin for few seconds before they regained calm. However, even if they were attacking, their mind is in a whirl.

Is he really an archangel? Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin thought as they resumed attacking. Si Shui, who noticed the strangeness, isn't stupid thus he stopped his attacks and went to Fei Xuli and Jing Yu to heal them.

"Enough!" the doctor yelled as he waved his hands and a strong force came out of his body, hitting Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin.

"Kuh!" Yi Bing, Di San and Liu Lin hit the walls of the basement and fell on the floor, only to cough blood.

Huo Ling heard Yi Bing's voice and he opened his eyes. "Yi Bing!" he called and turned, only for his pupils to shrink when he came face to face with a man wearing black-rimmed eyeglasses and a white coat with a stethoscope hanging off his neck. "You – " he gasped as the fire on his hands disappeared when he was distracted.

"Xiao Ling!" Hao Baiyun called as he and Feng Er stared at the doctor in shock.

How did he reach my side?! Feng Er thought, only for her and Hao Baiyun to be flung and hit the walls like the three earlier.

"Young master!" Fei Xuli and Jing Yu called.

"Feng Er!" Di San and the others called as they watched Hao Baiyun and Feng Er fall to the floor.

"Huo Ling!" Yi Bing called as he moved his body, but he only aggravated his internal injury from the attack earlier.

"Yi Bing!" Huo Ling anxiously called and glanced at Yi Bing as he took a step back, away from the doctor who kept staring at his face. "W-what are you… what are you trying to do?!" he asked as he raised his hand to summon a ball of fire. "Don't come closer!" he yelled and tried to attack the doctor. However, his fire disappeared like it was neutralized.

… wait. Neutralized?! Yi Bing thought as he stared wide-eyed at the doctor. Archangels don't have neutralizing power! Only Shen Sheng! However, this doctor clearly isn't Shen Sheng, and Shen Sheng is still in the Middle Heaven! Who is he?! Who is the doctor, if he's not an archangel?!

Stable World, Middle Heaven.

"Have they replied?" Shen Sheng asked after a few minutes.

Gu Shi refrained himself from wiping his sweat. "No… not yet, Your Highness." He answered.

"No archangel has left the Heaven. Well, they can dare if they have the guts to be stained, or worse, be corroded by the Foul the moment they left the Heaven." Shen Sheng said. This is why it is impossible for an archangel to appear in the mortal world, nor the other worlds, since, everywhere aside from the Heaven has Foul – be it small or big amount. "They can also dare to challenge my authority." He added and smiled that was not a smile.

"Yes. I believe in His Highness." Gu Shi replied.

Shen Sheng saw Gu Shi's reverent yet also fearful expression. He felt helpless inside. Am I that scary? He thought as he made a quick self-reflection. In order not to scare Gu Shi more, he spoke. "If what Yi Bing met isn't an archangel, and a god is more impossible to appear there, then, don't you think there's only one thing that can appear and would be met by a grim reaper?" he asked as his eyes narrowed, making him have a lazy expression.

Gu Shi started as his mind began to stir. Then, his eyes slowly widened as he stared at Shen Sheng in shock. "His Highness means…" he said as his voice fell.

"A Soul Fragment."