Chapter 81

Xuan Kong laughed heartily and said, "Little Junior Brother, you are so handsome. Why not stay in the Underworld and become a son-in-law by marriage? In the future, your whole family can ascend to heaven without cultivating, thus avoiding the cycle of rebirth. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Wang Qi's face turned bitter, and he said, "Senior Brother, you always tease me. Where in the Underworld can one find a place to become a son-in-law by marriage?"

Xuan Kong led the way, distinguishing the path, and in a moment, they had already flown past the Platform of Longing for Home, heading straight for the Bridge of Sighs. His expression gradually relaxed, and he said, "Have you never heard the story of the Ghost King marrying off his sister?"

Wang Qi was already out of breath from exhaustion and no longer insisted on riding the wind himself. He hid in Xuan Kong's rosy light to rest. Curious, he asked, "Which Ghost King? Who did he marry off as his brother-in-law?"

Xuan Kong laughed and said, "So you really don't know."

He recounted the story of the Ghost King Zhong Kui marrying off his sister. The story goes that during his lifetime, the Saint of Blessing and Protection, Zhong Kui, had a fellow townsman named Du Ping, who was kind and generous, giving silver to help Zhong Kui take the imperial exams.

However, despite Zhong Kui's extraordinary talent and extensive knowledge, his unusual appearance—leopard head, round eyes, iron face, and curly beard—led the emperor to revoke his title of top scholar.

At that time, people placed great importance on reputation and honor. In a fit of anger, Zhong Kui crashed into the steps of the golden hall and died.

Du Ping, who had taken the exam with him, gave him a grand burial. After becoming the Ghost King, Zhong Kui, to repay Du Ping's kindness, personally led his ghost soldiers back home on New Year's Eve and married his sister to Du Ping.

This is a story of good deeds being rewarded, illustrating the karmic retribution of good and evil in the human world.

Wang Qi followed behind, shaking his head and said, "As the saying goes, one should not judge a person by their appearance. How can talent be judged by looks? It's no wonder the previous dynasty fell."

Xuan Kong glanced at his disciple and sighed, seemingly with intention or unintentionally, "The mountains gather, the waves rage, the road to Tongguan is between the mountains and rivers. Looking west to the capital, I hesitate. The places where Qin and Han once thrived are now ruins. In prosperity, the people suffer; in decline, the people suffer."

Wang Qi's eyes sparkled as he murmured, "Indeed, as Master said, in prosperity, the people suffer; in decline, the people suffer..."

Seeing his disciple lost in thought, Xuan Kong felt a chill and remembered that this poem was written by Zhang Yanghao of the Yuan Dynasty. In this era, Zhang Yanghao had not yet been born. He silently recited, "May the boundless heaven bestow blessings!"

This could be considered plagiarism, but he wondered if Zhang Yanghao could still write such a good poem in the future.

Xuan Kong and his junior brother continued talking and flying. Soon, they flew past the Eighteen Levels of Hell and over a high mountain, where dark clouds hung low and black mist filled the air. He laughed and said, "What we just passed is the Yin Mountain. Beyond the Yin Mountain is the City of Unjust Deaths, which is truly the heart of the Underworld."

Wang Qi bit his tongue and said, "Mother, we haven't even died yet, and we're already visiting the City of Unjust Deaths?"

Xuan Kong spread his rosy light and laughed, "Just follow me, and don't worry about whether it's unjust or not."

Wang Qi laughed and said, "I thought Senior Brother liked to meddle in other people's affairs, but it turns out you also avoid trouble."

Xuan Kong looked sad and said, "In the cycle of the world, every action is predestined. There are many injustices in the world, and what can one person do? I can only solve problems when I encounter them, but to make the three realms free of injustice is not something that can be achieved by words alone."

Wang Qi said, "I've heard that since ancient times, the heavens and the earth have been fair, and the Underworld is the most just."

Xuan Kong laughed heartily and said, "Let's hope so!"

This was his first time entering the Underworld. He carefully followed the records in the sect's scriptures, exploring the path step by step. The three realms of heaven, earth, and the underworld were all places of great power, created by the forces of the universe.

Since Pangu split the heavens and the earth, countless secrets have been hidden. Xuan Kong was afraid of taking a wrong turn and ending up in an unknown place.

Fortunately, he had the "Yuan Shi Wu Liang Du Ren Shang Pin Miao Jing" given to him by King Qin Guang, which detailed all the passages in and out of the Underworld. Some passages were known only to the Ten Kings of Hell and even ordinary ghost officials were unaware of them.

As they flew and talked, Xuan Kong introduced his junior brother and disciple to several sights in the Underworld. Unconsciously, they arrived at a long river of blood. Wang Qi, remembering folk tales, pointed at the river and said, "It is said that in the Underworld, there is a road called the Yellow Spring Road, a river called the River of Forgetfulness, and a bridge called the Bridge of Sighs."

"Perhaps the ancients remembered incorrectly. This is such a large river; how could there be a bridge on it?"

Xuan Kong and the others stopped at the riverbank and looked out. They saw a vast river, its width and length indiscernible, flowing endlessly from upstream to an unknown destination.

Xuan Kong had never been to the Underworld, but he knew this could not be the River of Forgetfulness.

The River of Forgetfulness originates in the Underworld, is no more than a few feet wide, and has the Bridge of Sighs, which is narrow and slippery, guarded by day and night spirits. The river below is turbulent, with a foul wind and filled with underworld snakes and insects, as well as the souls of those who fell into the River of Forgetfulness and had no hope of escape.

But the large river before them was filled with a pungent smell of blood, and the water was entirely blood, with no sign of life.

Wang Qi was delighted and tugged at his senior brother's sleeve, saying, "Perhaps the Underworld's king is tallying affairs and has released this long river to block the way. Why don't we go back?"

Xuan Kong frowned and said, "Do you think the Underworld's king is your family's accountant? Does he need to tally accounts?"

"This is strange. The Underworld is always open day and night, and I've never heard of a blood river blocking the way. What's the reason?"

He stood by the river, looking at the blood river with his eyes closed, marveling in his heart.

As he pondered, he suddenly heard a loud noise from the blood river. The blood-red water surged, forming a blood dragon that slowly rose. It opened its huge dragon eyes, which shone like red searchlights, emitting two beams of red light.

The ghosts and ghost officials trapped on both banks were terrified. Those hit by the red light instantly turned into black ash and disappeared.

Wang Qi was speechless and said, "What a fierce blood dragon, Senior Brother, shall we...?"

He reached out to pull, but his hand grasped empty air. He turned back in a panic, almost crying. Xuan Kong had already jumped into the air, holding a lightning seal and facing the blood dragon. He said, "Little Junior Brother, where are you going?"

Wang Qi looked around and saw that both banks were shrouded in blood mist. Some ghosts walked into the blood mist and were quickly reduced to powder. Wang Qi swallowed hard, took a few steps back, and shouted, "Senior Brother, we really can't leave!"

He now only hoped that his senior brother could quickly deal with this mysterious blood dragon, or they would end up like those ghosts.

But it was strange, could a person die again after death?

Xuan Kong sneered and said, "After a person dies, their three souls and seven spirits drift in the underworld, with the chance of reincarnation. Can they die again?" Wang Qi shivered and said, "This is the rhythm of soul disintegration..."

Xuan Kong did not speak. If it were just soul disintegration, it would be easier to handle, as those with great power could reverse time and trace the source to save a person. But he feared that the blood dragon had some strange properties, and the ghosts hit by its red light were completely turned to ash, leaving not even a trace of soul.