The sissy face looking back at him could definitely be his own.

A laugh escaped from his lips as he realised that it was technically not his face. The face in the mirror was even more feminine that Ling Su, with higher cheekbones and an even narrower jaw. Blinking rapidly could not disguise the big eyes with a depth which revealed that they had seen too much in life. The choppy hair hanging down to his shoulders was matted and did little to frame the all too lean face.

Huo Ye could not determine whether to be angry because of the obviously emaciated face or that the heavens decided to gift Ling Ye with not only feminine features, but with a scrawny body to boot.

Huo Ye exhaled loudly. He had never been eye-catching before, but it was better than looking like a dandy.

He thought fondly of the Huo Ye who was the same both body and soul. He was from a middle-class family, never wanting but not having in excess either. His grades were good enough for him to attend a local university. He had moved out after graduating high school and always pretended his life was all right each time he visited his parents. They could probably tell he was struggling and were generous even though their favours were often turned down.

He had finally found his feet after graduating with a Master’s in Business Administration. Though he lived in the rough part of town, the reason for the many locks on his door, he was finally making enough money to support himself and send something back home.

He had finally lucked out after having nothing but unpaid internships for three years and surviving on part-time jobs. He had been able to rub shoulders with the elite at a programme. After taking a liking to him, he was offered a job by one of the elite. He still had to live frugally for a while, but at twenty-eight succeeded in buying a new bed.

Huo Ye shed imaginary tears as he realised that he never got to lie in the bed yet. He had worked hard to live a comfortable life despite trying to be empathetic and should have had no business being a salesperson, with his abysmal natural charisma.

Yes, he was terrible at what he did, but no one can ridicule the fact that he looked so much like the dead son of the CEO who got him the job. That was his own achievement and he would not let anyone downplay it.

Still trapped in his thoughts, he opened the last drawer. A tattered book with the title Basic Cultivation was underneath what looked to be a shattered sword.

Huo Ye could not help trembling in excitement. A real life cultivation manual. He may still be distressed about being thrust into this world, but who wouldn’t be thrilled at this point.

With his hands inches away from the book, he heard a dull clang outside.

He threw himself back into bed with the little strength he had, burrowing under the sheets.

Ling Su walked in not a moment later. Huo Ye still had gaps in his memories so it was better to keep pretending to be unwell to avoid being questioned.

Who knew whether or not Ling Su would stab him to death after finding out that her little brother’s body had been taken over?

She looked at him pitifully before she spoke.

“Xiao Ye, I’ve drawn a bath.”

Huo Ye tried his best to force a smile. Ling Su returned the smile before leaving as silently as she came.

Huo Ye drew out the paper tightly clenched in his fist. In his haste to once again become a patient, he felt something crinkle and grabbed it instinctively.

He surreptitiously glanced at the paper in his hands. The sun had begun to set and there didn’t seem to be any other source of light for the single room. He got as close possible to the window as he dared to without alarming Ling Su who was sitting directly underneath it. He squatted down and was able to distinguish a couple of characters. The gist of it was a ritual to sacrifice your soul, or more accurately, a recipe to recycle one’s soul without going through reincarnation.

Essentially, Huo Ye wasn’t knocked down by a car. He was just unfortunate to have his soul kicked out by the wandering Ling Ye. He had done nothing to trigger heaven’s judgement. It was basically just ‘I like your body so out you go.’

 Huo Ye fumed silently.

To think it was that easy. I wonder how he’d like a taste of his own medicine.

Huo Ye looked at the runes on the paper which were identical to those that Ling Ye had cut into himself. He swallowed as he pondered whether or not he had the strength to do the same.

Things were finally starting to go right in his life. To think that he would allow some stray soul to take over his life just as it was starting to get good.

He flipped the paper over and all his anger was quelled. The ritual had a success rate of two percent. Ling Ye had to be blessed by the gods to not throw his life away. What was even more shocking was that Huo Ye’s soul was meant to be destroyed the second it lost its capsule. His surviving was nothing short of an abnormality. Even weirder was that he had been able to occupy Ling Ye’s original body.

Huo Ye felt cold sweat run down his back and began to mumble to himself.

You know being a sugarbaby was not all that great. Being constantly compared to a ghost is not good for anyone. I’d have quit soon either way. Ling Ye would probably take care of my family. He may have been selfish in trying to get out of this life, but at least he considered that his dying would relieve his sister of a burden.

Huo Ye’s interlude was interrupted a sharp knock at the door. The voice of his only ally in this world drifted to him.

“Xiao Ye, are you coming?”

Huo Ye quickly stripped himself down to his undergarments. He opened the door with haste.

Well, there’s nothing quite like an adventure… an adventure you have been forced into and have no other option than to comply with.