Chapter 85

Chapter 85: [Supplemental: Asking for Leave!] Past Events 1

The courtroom of the Spiritualist Association is simple in decoration but exudes an air of authority. A silver-gray iron tree pattern is carved into the ten-meter back wall, and wherever one looks, it brings a heavy sense of oppression.

At this moment, Bai Wuchang, wearing a white high-collared hat and with a face full of lifelessness, revealing its ghostly appearance, stands beneath the iron tree painting. His face is ashen, his “iron face” impartially staring at Ming Yue.

Ming Yue maintains a calm expression and smiles, but unseen by others, cold sweat pours out in layers.

Black and White Wuchang.

Ox-head, Horse-face.

These are the infamous soul-catching ghost officials in the history of Yin and Yang in China. The sinister legends surrounding these four ghosts could be spoken of non-stop for three days and nights.

In fact, compared to the comical appearances of the Ox-head and Horse-face, Black and White Wuchang are the pure embodiment of terror and evil.

Black Wuchang is violent, while White Wuchang is cunning.

Black Wuchang brings nothing but simple disasters and misfortune to the living, but White Wuchang is even more sinister. He (let’s call him "he" for now) not only brings fear and disaster, but he also mysteriously brings immense profit and good fortune.

Ming Yue knows that this powerful figure has many forms, and she also knows that every year, at the end of the year, Mingjia Zhuang would gather and offer a batch of souls to Wuchang, thus satisfying Wuchang’s political needs while also stabilizing the world of the living.

Could it be...

Bai Wuchang calling me is related to affairs concerning Mingjia Zhuang?

Ming Yue feels a cold sweat, not wanting to think further in the direction of the Reincarnation Pool in the underground Fengdu.

That’s a responsibility she cannot bear.

As she approaches, she realizes that Bai Wuchang is extremely tall, with dark brows and eyes, standing at about two meters. Ming Yue, standing before him, looks like a little chick, yet she does not cast a shadow in his presence, making it even more eerie.

If the darkness of a living person’s forehead and the purpleness of their lips are enough to bring unease and fear, then the blackness between Wuchang’s brows, stretching into a solid mass, surely brings continuous disaster.

"My lord, if there is anything you need, feel free to speak. Ming Yue will do her best," Ming Yue said, unable to bear the eerie silence, trying to make the situation more lively.

Bai Wuchang's gaze is unreadable.

"No need," he replied.“Last time we met, did you bring what I asked you to bring?”

Ming Yue: “...”

Ming Yue froze for a second, quickly replying, “Are you referring to the greetings from my older brother — the current Ming family head?”

Bai Wuchang stared at her, silent.

Ming Yue: “I brought it.”

“I’m here to thank you on behalf of my older brother for your concern,” Ming Yue said, feeling that the words were appropriate and humble, though she unknowingly struck a nerve with Bai Wuchang. He let out a strange sound, neither crying nor laughing, like a short figure poking at one's back.

“...” Ming Yue immediately felt goosebumps all over.

He is laughing. He’s laughing.

Don’t expect Wuchang’s laughter to be like that of the living.

She desperately tried to mentally prepare herself.

“How is he?” Bai Wuchang asked.

What’s the point of asking that, Ming Yue quickly glanced at him: “Everything is fine, he’s eating well, sleeping well, thanks to your blessing.”

That was just a routine reply.

However, Bai Wuchang responded seriously, “I am a Wuchang ghost, there are no blessings to give.”

“Only disasters are in abundance.”

Ming Yue: “...”

Can someone tell me how to deal with this awkwardness? It's a late-stage embarrassment cancer.

“There is,” Ming Yue continued, “Every year, Mingjia Zhuang relies on you and Lord Black Wuchang to escort the souls to the underworld to boost our performance by the end of the year.”

Bai Wuchang: “It’s part of the duty, nothing remarkable.”Ming Yue: "..."

Great, the conversation’s dead again.

The courtroom was quiet, Wuchang didn’t speak, and Ming Yue didn’t dare to leave. Just at that moment, no one came to break the awkward silence. Ming Yue’s mouth felt as though it was glued shut. She was about to say, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go to the Five Grains Temple to offer my prayers. I’ve been starving all afternoon since you’re not eating,” but before she could say a word, Bai Wuchang’s next question almost made her soul fly out of her body.

“I need to ask you something. Please answer honestly.”

“Do you know where the Reincarnation Pool is?”

Ming Yue: "..."

Ming Yue’s mind exploded in an instant. She bit her tongue, forced a smile, and replied, “Lord, you’re joking. How could I possibly know something so important?”

Bai Wuchang’s tone was flat, unremarkable, and his high-pitched, hollow voice didn’t sound strange anymore after listening for a while: “Why don’t you know?”

Ming Yue’s heart sank.

What a strange question.

I do know, but it was purely by accident.

What does he mean by "Why don’t you know"?

My father pacified the chaos in the Underworld back then, and now all this nonsense is being pinned on my family?

Just get lost.

—Family is Ming Yue’s bottom line, no one can touch it.

Ming Yue held her thoughts in, keeping a smile on her face as she said, “Your questions are really strange.”

“I’m just an ordinary mortal.”

“The Reincarnation Pool is the Underworld’s top-tier artifact, controlling the Six Paths.”

“Your words make it sound like I should know about it.”

“Impossible.”

Her words were soft but firm, drawing a clear line between responsibility and authority.

Looks like he’s had too much to drink.Ming Yue pondered, feeling unlucky.

Bai Wuchang’s eye-less eyes stared at Ming Yue, or rather, at her dull, lifeless yin-eye. “You should know.”

“Karma is not sown in your fate, yet it leads to the same result.”

“You know.”

“Karma will guide you, you should have understood by now.”

“Be honest.”

I understand nothing.

This past month has been unlucky enough.

The Underworld randomly threw out a “earthquake” and made our Ghost-slaying Bureau take the blame. We had to travel all the way here to be the defendants, and now we can’t even eat while you prattle on about ghosts and nonsense.

Crazy, absolutely crazy!

Ming Yue’s heart was filled with frustration. Her smile didn’t change, in fact, it even had a playful touch, but her aura had become sharp, like a beast that had just been cornered. One could not help but say, the unafraid new calf was undaunted by the tiger. Today, Bai Wuchang had oddly good temper:

“Lord, your words need to make sense.”

“What karma, what fate—if these things could be set in stone by simply saying a few words, I’d like to see the Book of Life and Death. What gives them the right to write it this way for me?” No, what I really mean is, what gives the Underworld the right to write such a cursed fate for my family?

“I won’t question the truth of your words, I know Wuchang doesn’t lie.”

“I just want to ask—what gives me the right to know?”

Bai Wuchang: “You… don’t know anything?”

Ming Yue’s older brother: “…”

Ming Yue hated people who spoke in riddles. If Bai Wuchang wasn’t a Wuchang ghost officer, or if there wasn’t such a huge gap in their information, she would have overturned the table by now:

“Why should I know? What am I supposed to know?”

“Lord Ghost Officer, could you let me be an enlightened ghost?”

Bai Wuchang, who was used to souls suddenly losing themselves and crying in confusion when they couldn’t adapt to the truth of death, should have felt that Ming Yue’s attitude was quite offensive. However, oddly, he didn’t immediately strike down this ignorant little person.“Didn’t you know? The previous head of the Ming family smuggled his way into the Reincarnation Pool to the mortal realm.”

This sentence struck like a sharp needle, instantly puncturing the fierce aura that Ming Yue had just been exuding.

The cold sweat on her back hadn’t even dried yet, and a new layer of sweat immediately covered it.

But Ming Dinghai had been a great benefactor in pacifying the Underworld. He had earned his merits and could take on the karmic retribution.

What the hell do you mean by “smuggling”?!

Whoever wants to carry this burden can carry it.

I can’t just watch as my father’s achievements are twisted into some criminal act by this evil spirit!

Ming Yue no longer bent her head or lowered her gaze. She raised her head and smiled. “Lord, you truly think highly of my father.”

“Or perhaps, the Underworld has been neglecting matters for so many years that it thinks our Ghost-slaying Bureau on the mortal side is just living off idle food?”

“The history books state clearly that the Reincarnation Pool is the companion artifact of the King of the Ten Halls of Hell, the King of Reincarnation, alive and dead, inseparable.”

“This is the version that the Underworld officially allowed to be printed.”

“If my father could smuggle his way into the Reincarnation Pool, then wouldn’t the King of Reincarnation have to be smuggled along with him, back to the mortal realm?”

“Does he have the ability to ascend to the heavens and become the Jade Emperor? If so, why would he have been killed by karmic retribution after just a few years?”

By the end of her words, Ming Yue held back her rising emotions, her eyes vaguely reddening.

“……”

Bai Wuchang didn’t speak, just silently gazed at Ming Yue.

Ming Yue took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her emotions. But before she could recover, Bai Wuchang coldly and indifferently spoke, nearly scaring her to the point of choking.

“He certainly has that ability.”

“However, the Jade Emperor, Zhang Bainian, is acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao, and his position cannot be changed at will.”

Ming Yue: “……”

Ming Yue: “O口O!!!”Five thunderstrikes to the head x2!!

“No,” Ming Yue's older brother, Ming Erge, couldn’t care about being angry anymore. He didn’t even have time to think about the subtle respect Bai Wuchang showed toward Ming Dinghai and the disrespect toward the Jade Emperor. He blinked rapidly, stammering, “You... you just said what?”

“What... what do you mean, ‘he certainly has that ability’???"

I know that the Reincarnation Pool has been brought up to the surface, otherwise, this mess in Fengdu can’t be explained. I can even understand how my father is inevitably connected to this matter—

But—!

Lord Wuchang, your words just now involved two "subjects"!

You, an ancient ghost who’s lived for thousands of years, older than the origins of language class itself, shouldn't be making such vague and sloppy errors with pronouns!

A faint smile appeared on Bai Wuchang's ghostly face.

The little mischievous ghost who had been sharp-tongued and tense just now looked like an idiot in this moment. Bai Wuchang was subtly amused. “As you think.”

Ming Yue: “……”

Ming Yue: “!!!!!!”

Five thunderstrikes to the head, five thunderstrikes to the head, five thunderstrikes to the head!

The young girl blankly said, “I should go buy a lottery ticket today, and from then on, I’ll soar to the top and walk the peak of life.”

Bai Wuchang coldly (and subtly mockingly) said, “What’s a lottery ticket?”

Ming Yue: “……”

Ming Yue immediately snapped back to reality and pressed on with her questions: “Wait a minute!”

“My father would never do such a reckless thing! This would be punished by Heaven!”

“I know, my father’s personality is a bit impulsive, but…” She was sweating nervously, “...he shouldn’t have done it! The Ten Yama Kings are the foundation of the Underworld!”

“Without the King of Reincarnation controlling the Reincarnation Pool, it will— it will…” Ming Yue struggled to continue, unable to bring herself to say the next words in front of this Underworld official.

It was like the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper without the North Star.You motherfucker, don't even mention the Big Dipper.

"Bai Wuchang, slandering others is a crime in the human world, and in the underworld, it deserves even harsher punishment." Ming Yue stared at Bai Wuchang fiercely.

"Impudent."

Bai Wuchang said slowly.

"The likes of you cannot threaten Wuchang."

Ming Yue's face turned pale, forcing a dry laugh: "Yes, you're right. How could my father have the ability to take the Reincarnation King with him?" I can't even criticize you.

Bai Wuchang: "Karma is not something that can be discussed with fluctuating or fabricated words."

"When the time, place, and people align, the mountains and rivers can be turned around, and spring and summer can become autumn and winter."

"The Reincarnation King was born of heaven and earth, and cannot defy karma."

Ming Yue’s hands and feet went cold, unable to continue the conversation.

Wuchang ghosts do not deceive.

A voice in her heart quietly spoke.

Bai Wuchang: "Reincarnation itself is one of the greatest miracles between heaven and earth."

"It represents rebirth, decay, and the opening of pure souls' eyes."

"It can cleanse everything."

"The Ghost Slayers of the human world trust reincarnation, why can't the people of the Underworld trust reincarnation?"

Ming Yue muttered, "I... I don’t not believe reincarnation is a miracle…"

His words were like swords and knives, every sentence not directly stated but piercing deep into Ming Yue's heart. Bai Wuchang continued: "In this world, reincarnation came first, and the underworld came afterward."

"Using the language of your human laws, the underworld is responsible for reincarnation."

"What exactly are you trying to imply?" Ming Yue's face turned ashen, her eyes red.

Bai Wuchang: "I'm not implying anything. I'm asking directly, where is the Reincarnation Pool?"

"If you truly know nothing in the past twenty years, do you still think your older brother is just a simple evil ghost?"Ming Yue's heart was struck again.

Bai Wuchang looked at her, as if observing a simple, foolish child: "How could this be?"

"In this world, only evil ghosts gather together. How could one evil ghost protect a group of them?"

"In the laws of yin and yang, there is never such a thing as negative yielding positive."

Ming Yue: "......"

In an instant, Ming Yue remembered the relationship between the group of ghosts and her older brother at the old Ming family home.

"I don't think my older brother is an evil ghost." Tears streamed down her face, but her tone remained firm.

Bai Wuchang, however, was indifferent. "It doesn't matter. He must have some traits completely different from living people."

"As for his body, the underworld doesn’t care."

Ming Yue's head buzzed, almost about to explode. The sharp, piercing whine in her skull shot back and forth in a 50-meter sprint inside her skull. "He's just my full-blooded brother."

"Besides that, he's nobody."

Bai Wuchang stared at her for a long time, then revealed the truth that made Ming Yue's heart feel as if it were being tortured:

"On July 14th, twelve years ago, at the third quarter of the midnight hour, the soul of the eldest son of the Ming family was personally reaped by me, and taken into the City of Wrongful Death."

"His soul was lost, and the body remained, which is called a wrongful death."

"Cui Jue's [Note] Death Register clearly records that the Ming family, a ghost-slaying family in the human world, has passed through seventy-two generations, and only one soul remains in this generation, named Ming Yue."

The voice faded, and no one responded.

The quiet courtroom felt like a closed execution ground, with every word slicing through Ming Yue, turning her into minced flesh and spreading it across the floor.

A long, long time passed.

So long that Ming Yue wondered why her soul hadn't been shredded by the sharp pain deep within her heart.

She listened to her own voice as she asked:

"Why are you telling me this?"Bai Wuchang showed a smile, one without any meaning, simple and sincere, in stark contrast to his eerie, ghostly aura:

"It’s just a matter of grace."

"I have followed the Wheel-turning King all along and have received much cultivation."

"That's all."

That evening at 8 o'clock, Li Xianzhou received a text message from Ming Yue.

"Teacher, I have something to attend to, I need to return to Jinling."

"I'm sorry, I won’t be able to attend the trial the day after tomorrow."

"I've already purchased the plane ticket, don't worry."