Chapter 10

"Without eating human food for a day, one crosses the boundary between the living and the dead in two days, and reaches the Platform of Longing for Home in three days, where one sees their loved ones weeping bitterly."

The golden souls of the virtuous dead lined up in an orderly manner, only those specially permitted by the lesser demons could ascend the Platform of Longing for Home; ordinary souls and evil spirits could only dream of it.

Cries of sorrow continuously echoed from the Platform of Longing for Home. Female ghosts sobbed softly, while male ghosts wailed loudly. They gazed at their hometowns through the platform, seeing their loved ones, and after a good cry, they felt reassured and proceeded to the Tenth Hall of Reincarnation, entering the cycle of rebirth.

The longing of the souls transformed into the purest tears, which floated up like translucent pearls, falling like rain on the blades of grass behind the Platform of Longing for Home, forming a shimmering stream. The Sword Trees and Blade Mountains were known as the "Hill of Longing for Home."

"On the Platform of Longing for Home, the ghosts are in a panic, their eyes wide open with tears streaming down. Their wives and children huddle by the coffin, and their relatives gather in the mourning hall." This scene stirred the emotions of the awakened soul, who sighed deeply, "If it weren't for my curiosity about who buried my body, I probably wouldn't have climbed the Platform of Longing for Home."

The virtuous souls walked on the gravel path, passing by the awakened soul. Each had a tear in their eyes, filled with deep longing and a sense of release.

"Finally, it's my turn."

The virtuous soul in front of him descended from the Platform of Longing for Home, and it was the awakened soul's turn to ascend. At the last moment, he hesitated, his foot halfway out, wanting to step back.

"Go on, child, don't be afraid." The old woman's ghost behind him said kindly, gently pushing the awakened soul.

With the push, the awakened soul successfully took a step, ascending the Platform of Longing for Home. He turned and smiled gratefully at the old woman, "Thank you, grandma. Your gentle push gave me the greatest motivation!"

As he spoke, the awakened soul's face became solemn, and he looked around the Platform of Longing for Home with a serious expression.

The Platform of Longing for Home was empty, facing the Hill of Longing for Home. The ground was smooth and shiny, with only two three-inch deep footprints in the center.

"I wonder how many souls have stood there, leaving a pair of footprints." The awakened soul muttered, standing on the three-inch deep footprints and looking up.

Suddenly, the scene changed, and the light rapidly receded. First, the seven continents and four oceans appeared, just as depicted on a map. The scene shifted to the map of China, and then the light rapidly receded again, the map of China continuously magnifying, from province to city, and then from city to district, finally focusing on a graceful woman.

"Shangguan Liu?" The awakened soul's pupils reflected the image of the beautiful woman, and he exclaimed in surprise, then showed deep confusion.

It was a hot summer day, and Shangguan Liu was dressed in a simple, cool manner. She wore a white shirt with a simple heart pattern, perfectly outlining her good figure, subtly revealing a pale yellow bra, sexy but not vulgar. Her light blue shorts were above the knee, hugging her round thighs, exposing two segments of white calves. She wore sandals, and her exposed toes were pink and cute.

"Shangguan Liu and I are just acquaintances. Could she have been secretly in love with me?" The awakened soul rubbed his chin, chuckled, and continued to watch.

At that moment, Shangguan Liu was carrying a large garbage bag, disposing of it behind the school. As her name suggested, she had a ponytail that swayed easily, a slender waist, and long, fine eyebrows. She looked like a willow tree by the West Lake, bringing a sense of coolness to anyone who saw her.

She was a teacher at the school, very popular among students and male teachers. She looked to be in her early twenties, but she had actually been married for two years, to her childhood sweetheart, Li Tu.

Li Tu, though his name was crude, had a refined appearance. He was named Li Tu because of his family's profession; his father was a butcher, and he continued the family business.

The awakened soul recalled the information about Shangguan Liu in his mind but found no clear connection.

"During my life, Li Tu and Shangguan Liu did take care of me a few times. It's possible they helped bury my body. There are still many good people in this world." The awakened soul couldn't help but sigh, and a sudden idea flashed in his mind.

"If I can see the person who buried my body, can I also see the person who killed me?"

As he thought, the scene before his eyes suddenly changed.

Just as something was about to appear, the Sword Trees and Blade Mountains and the flowing river of tears suddenly appeared.

"Huh?" The awakened soul, who was mentally prepared, was suddenly stunned, his face full of confusion. "Isn't this the Hill of Longing for Home? Could my death be related to it?"

"Child, your time is up." The old woman slowly ascended the Platform of Longing for Home and said kindly.

"What!" The awakened soul's voice suddenly rose, and he shouted, "How can this be! It was just getting to the crucial part! How can it be over!"

He even felt an impulse to tear down the Platform of Longing for Home!

"Child, I understand your feelings, good child." The old woman slowly walked to the awakened soul's side and gently embraced him.

Warmth... The awakened soul actually felt warmth from a ghost. The golden soul was not dazzling but soft and warm.

The awakened soul licked his lips and found a faint salty taste at the corners of his mouth, realizing he had been crying.

"Ha ha, I never thought I would cry. I was mocking the ghosts who cried below the platform, but it turns out..." The awakened soul muttered softly, his eyes glistening with tears that fell like broken beads, floating in the air and merging into the river of tears on the Hill of Longing for Home.

"Thank you..." The awakened soul said in a hoarse voice, the anger in his heart subsiding like a receding tide. He felt the warmth of love in the old woman's embrace and couldn't help but cry.

"Good child, cry. A crying child is a fallen angel, very kind, and needs the love of heaven." The old woman smiled kindly, her wrinkles forming a crescent moon, and her withered hand gently patted the awakened soul's broad back.

The awakened soul closed his eyes and couldn't help but smile happily, then pushed the old woman away and said, "Grandma, go and see your homeland. I'll go down."

"Go on." The old woman smiled and wobbled to walk down the platform with the awakened soul.

The awakened soul immediately supported the old woman, surprised, and asked, "Grandma, aren't you going to see your homeland?"

"No time, can't see it." The old woman shook her head and said softly.

"But Grandma, you haven't seen it yet!" The awakened soul looked at the old woman in surprise and said, puzzled.

"Each soul has a limited time on the Platform of Longing for Home to maintain order and respect the time of other souls." The old woman explained kindly, without regret for not seeing her homeland.

"But..." The awakened soul was still somewhat resentful.

"It's fine. I've lived long enough and am content. I passed away surrounded by my grandchildren, and I've already seen them. The rest is up to them; it's their destiny. I can't control it, and now I can relax." The old woman laughed, and her ordinary laughter had a magical power that calmed the ghosts.

"Grandma!" The awakened soul suddenly bowed deeply to the old woman, his face solemn, and said, "Thank you, you are a good person!"

"Child." The old woman patted the awakened soul's head, her eyes full of kindness, as if looking at her own child.

"Is there anyone here who isn't a good person? Everyone has a kind heart deep down, and everyone has the potential to be a good person." The old woman turned and pointed, then said to the awakened soul.

"Good person..." The awakened soul was suddenly speechless, his face flushed with shame, and he made a silent vow, planting a seed in his heart.

The awakened soul and the old woman parted ways. The old woman returned to the queue, while the awakened soul was free, not constrained by the lesser demons.

The awakened soul took one last deep look at the old woman, as if trying to engrave her kind and aged appearance in his memory forever. Although they had only met for a few minutes, the old woman had a profound impact on the awakened soul, even changing the course of his life!

The Three Lives Stone, the Platform of Longing for Home, and then the Goddess Meng. Drinking a bowl of the soul-erasing soup would erase all memories of the past, allowing one to enter the cycle of rebirth and start a new life.

"Come, come, drink a bowl of the soul-erasing soup, and be free from worries in the next life."

At the entrance to the Tenth Hall, a unique stall was set up. An old woman with silver hair stirred a large iron pot with one hand and held a blue porcelain bowl with the other, offering it to the sorrowful ghosts to drink.

"Clang!"

After drinking a mouthful of the soul-erasing soup, the sorrowful ghost suddenly stiffened, his hand loosened, and the blue porcelain bowl fell to the ground, breaking into two pieces.

"Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going..." The ghost's eyes instantly became dull and lifeless, muttering strange questions, and he staggered toward the entrance of the Tenth Hall.

The awakened soul looked at the broken bowl on the ground, which had disappeared, and then at the old woman who was continuously offering bowls to the ghosts.

"Only the Goddess Meng can openly set up a stall in the underworld!" The awakened soul realized.

"Hey, who is that old woman?" The ghosts in the queue for the soul-erasing soup whispered to each other.

"Uncle, are you serious? You don't even know the Goddess Meng!" The young man's head was covered in black lines, and sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Oh, the Goddess Meng, I've heard of Meng Jiangnu." The uncle slapped his forehead, suddenly enlightened, and asked, "What is the soup the Goddess Meng gives to the ghosts? It's so strange."

"That's the soul-erasing soup. Ghosts who drink it will forget their past." The young man patiently explained.

"So it's like amnesia." The uncle pursed his lips and said, "That's a bad thing. Only fools would drink it. I won't drink it, no matter what."

"Right..." The young man's lips twitched, and he forced a smile.

Soon, the Goddess Meng handed a blue porcelain bowl to the young man, who drank it in a daze, dropped the bowl, and staggered toward the entrance of the Tenth Hall.

"Oh, how can he be so foolish!" The uncle lamented, his face full of regret.

Finally, it was the uncle's turn to drink the soup.

"I will never drink it!" The uncle vowed, his eyes determined.

"Come, come, a bowl of soul-erasing soup, and you'll be free in the next life." The Goddess Meng sang cheerfully, skillfully ladling the soup from the large iron pot into the blue porcelain bowl and handing it to the uncle.

The uncle's eyes were hazy as he took the blue porcelain bowl, raised his neck, and drank it down in one go!

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