Chapter 2

At the beginning of Hongmeng*, heaven and earth began to divide, and everything was in chaos. Heaven and earth were filled with inexhaustible spiritual energy, and all things were capable of cultivating. But as the earth deities, ghosts, and immortals continued to strengthen and expand, a rift appeared between them and the gods, resulting in constant fighting.

In order to stop the war millions of years ago, Zhuanxu Sect severed the path between heaven and earth, dividing the upper Jiutian*, the middle Jiuzhou* and the lower Jiuyou, so that the human, ghost, and immortal realms were not disturbed and kept in order.

From that day on, the spiritual energy in the human realm became thinner and thinner, and to this day, no one could attain the Dao and ascend when they were alive. Therefore, two new cultivation methods were invented: one was to use an outer core to assist and supplement the inner core, and the other was to go to the Underworld to replenish spiritual energy.

The former method was the reason why countless cultivators died tragically from core theft, and the latter was the reason why Zhong Kui, known as the number one person in the world, was now working as a messenger in the Underworld.

But Xie Bi An didn't feel that his master came just to cultivate. He was likely tired of playing in the human realm and wanted to have fun in the Underworld.

All those who had accumulated merit could request to cultivate in Mount Luofeng after death. Mount Luofeng was a place in Jiuyou where the spiritual energy was the most abundant. Cultivating in the Underworld was called ghost cultivation. The road to ghost cultivation was not smooth due to the loss of a physical body, therefore the speed of cultivation was slower as compared to living beings. The conditions were more demanding than corpse dissembling and ascension, so most people chose to go through reincarnation. The lucky ones would have a body with good meridians and bones in the next life and ascend after a hundred years of cultivation.

In short, if one wanted to cultivate in the Underworld, they had to give up their life. But this situation changed a hundred years ago. That unspeakable Supreme Demon broke the Fengdu barrier with his power, invaded the Underworld, and killed until the whole of Jiuyou became a complete mess. If it wasn’t for the Great Emperor Beiyin coming out of seclusion, that Supreme Demon might have unified the human and ghost realms.

Since then, the Underworld's vitality had been severely damaged. The Fengdu barrier was also heavily damaged. Internally, they had to suppress thousands of evil spirits from hell, and externally, they had to be on guard against human cultivators from stealing spiritual energy at Mount Luofeng, which was extremely strenuous.

One day, in a moment of desperation, Zhong Kui swaggered into Mount Luofeng and crossed the barrier, thus arriving in the Underworld. Not only did he have an unparalleled cultivation level, but he also possessed one of the four ancient magical treasures, the Eastern Emperor Bell, which could strengthen the barrier. The Great Emperor Beiyin made an exception to let him become an Underworld General as a living person. Together with Cui Jue, he was appointed as a civil and military judge, and could travel freely between human and ghost realms.

Living beings were strictly forbidden to enter and leave Jiuyou. Zhong Kui with his outstanding abilities; however, was an exception and he picked up Xie Bi An, who was still a baby and brought him back home. That had already caused a great commotion in the Underworld. Yet this time, he brought back a living adult. It was as if he wanted to throw the world into chaos. 

Xie Bi An ran back to Heaven Master Palace and he smelt the scent of alcohol from a distance away.

"Bo Zhu, go boil some hot water for Master. Prepare some hangover soup, and then get..."

"White Master, do you have time to care about this? Quickly send that living being back quietly first. If Official Lord Cui finds out, we will be given a severe scolding."

"I know how severe this is. You, hurry up and go." Xie Bi An thought that Zhong Kui might have his own reasons for his actions. Of course, he might have also just drunk too much. Anyway, Xie Bi An heard that the living being was a young man. Frail people who get stained with too much ghostly atmosphere would fall severely ill, that's why he sent Bo Zhu away. If he was going to send him back, he had to send him back properly.

When stepping into Jiuyun Hall, Xie Bi An heard a string of alcoholic snores: "Master? How much have you drunk this time?"

A green-clothed Daoist was sleeping soundly in a chair. His face was full of messy sideburns. His clothes were old, dirty, and reeked of alcohol. Even the dogs would have to make a detour if he had laid down on a street alley.

Xie Bi An had long been accustomed to such a scene. A thin figure standing with his back facing him caught his attention.

"You...are the one whom my master brought back?"

That figure's back trembled albeit subtly.

Xie Bi An said gently: "My master drank too much. Most likely he's confused again. Don't be scared, I will send you back safely."

That young man turned around slowly, as if he had to consume a lot of his energy to carry out this action.

Xie Bi An was stunned.

The young man was about 14-15 years old. He was dressed in black, his face porcelain white like a vase. He was exquisite beyond compare, especially that pair of fox eyes that were lifted at the corners. There was this unexplainable charm, yet his cold eyes looked as if there was a collision between fire and ice. After being stared at, his heart and soul began to tremble.

There was really someone in this world who had such a beautiful appearance.

The young man used his pair of eyes to stare hard at Xie Bi An, as if he wanted to engrave into his memory every inch of his flesh and every strand of his hair.

Xie Bi An heard a loud heartbeat in his chest. This young man gave him an unexplainable and never-had-before type of feeling, as if the two had met a long time ago and that they were definitely not meeting for the first time. But he couldn’t remember seeing this person before.

"You..." Xie Bi An said puzzledly, "What is your name?"

The young man pursed his lips. His eyes clearly contained flames, pain, longing, thirst, lust, hope, and hatred, which were constantly increasing.

It's a pity that Xie Bi An didn't understand. He had been living with ghosts for 19 years who were released from the cycle of karma, resulting in them being purer at heart than humans. For Xie Bi An who didn't understand the heart of humans, he thought that the young man was merely afraid: "I'm Xie Bi An, a living being. Don't be afraid. Although this is the Underworld, no one will harm you."

The young man suppressed his emotions and clasped his hands, which were curled up into fists, behind his back. Back then, he had thought countless times about how and what he should say when he met Xie Bi An again one day. In the past life, it's difficult to express in a thousand words. In the end, he only blurted out: "Why are you hurt?"

"Ah?"

The young man's eyes fell on Xie Bi An's bloody right arm.

"Oh." Xie Bi An looked down, "I just came back from harvesting a soul who gave a slight injury." He smiled brightly, "No worries."

The young man's heart was shaken. His eyes gazed elsewhere, seemingly unable to bear that smile.

How could he be exactly the same as before?!

Standing like a jade tree and smiling like a bright moon in an embrace*, he was exactly the same as "back then", nothing had changed.

"You..." Xie Bi An was suddenly startled by Zhong Kui's big alcoholic burp. He shook Zhong Kui's shoulder, "Master, Master, please wake up."

Zhong Kui's eyelids trembled for a long time before he opened them with great effort: "Hmm...Bi An?"

"Thank goodness you still recognize me*." Xie Bi An said helplessly, "Please wake up quickly. Where did this young man come from?"

"Good disciple." Zhong Kui patted Xie Bi An's hand, adjusted his position and planned to go back to sleep.

Xie Bi An pushed him harder: "Master, please wake up quickly. If Official Lord Cui finds out that you brought back a living human, it will be serious."

This sentence was effective. Zhong Kui opened his eyes and looked around blankly: "I came back?"

"You came back and brought back a living human." Xie Bi An cupped his face and turned towards the direction of the young man, "What is going on? I have to send him back quickly."

"Oh, him." Zhong Kui rubbed his face, "Who is he?"

Xie Bi An didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The young man said coldly: "You owed me money for wine, and promised to accept me as your disciple."

Xie Bi An was stunned. If it was someone else, he would certainly not believe that a stack of wine money was able to allow a person to formally become a disciple of a rare and expert master, but if this expert was his master, any ridiculous matters were not surprising at all.

Zhong Kui was half believing and half doubting: "Really?"

The young man took out a receipt and shook it open. It was written in a fine brush on why he owed, how much silver was owed, and how to pay it off. The black letters were clear on the white paper with a dirty handprint printed below, "You said that you are very great and you'll be my master to pay me back."

Zhong Kui secretly peeked at Xie Bi An with a guilty conscience.

Xie Bi An snatched the receipt, looked it up and down, left and right: "Master, is this real?"

"...Seems like it."

"You are really..." Xie Bi An was inexplicably worried about the young man, "Master, what do you plan to do?"

When he was a child, he always begged his master to accept a junior brother or sister.  Best to have them both. The more the merrier. Unfortunately, he had not been able to have his wish fulfilled. Now, it seemed like there's a possibility of having one junior brother who was randomly picked up. In his heart, he wished this was real, but he felt that this situation was unreliable and would probably be just keeping his hopes up for nothing.

"That can't be helped." Zhong Kui murmured, "What is your name?"

"Fan Wu She."

"Alright, Bi An, from now on, he'll be your junior brother."

Xie Bi An was stunned.

Really? Did he really get a junior brother?

Fan Wu She said nothing, knelt down and kowtowed to Zhong Kui: "Master, please accept this disciple’s worship."

"Wait, wait a minute." Xie Bi An stepped forward and was about to pull Fan Wu She up.

Yet Fan Wu She dodged abruptly, not even letting him touch the corner of his clothes, as if avoiding snakes and scorpions.

Xie Bi An was at a loss for a moment: "...I'm really a living being."

Fan Wu She retreated to one side expressionlessly. His trembling hands were hidden in his sleeves.

"Master, although I really want a junior brother, this matter cannot be decided in a sloppy manner. This young man has not reached the end of his life. He still has a family waiting for him to return. Besides, Official Lord Cui definitely wouldn't allow you to accept another living being as your disciple."

"I don't have a family." Fan Wu She said coldly.

"Then...Then do you know what this place is?"

"Jiuyou, the Underworld."

"Are you really willing to live with ghosts all year round?"

"More than being around people."

Xie Bi An persuaded: "Lord Fan, you're still young, you have to think this through. Why don’t I send you back first..."

"Zhong Kui!"

Hearing a stern shout full of righteousness, Zhong Kui immediately jumped up from his chair in fear.

A scholar-like-looking person rushed into Jiuyun Hall. His face was like a crown of jade, refined and elegant. Even if he was in a hurry, he did not lose his demeanor, up till the point when he saw Zhong Kui, his face became blue with anger: "Zhong Zheng Nan! You actually brought back a living being again. Do you even have a bit of respect for the rules!"

Xie Bi An saluted and said: "Official Lord Cui."

This person is the civil judge, Cui Jue, Cui Zi Yu, who possessed the Book of Life and Death and the Judge's Brush. He is the editor of the laws in the Underworld. Morally upright, honest and fair, he is tasked with writing the life and death of all living things, with no case of favoritism.

"Ah... Zi Yu." Zhong Kui became half-conscious and said with a forced smile, "This is a misunderstanding."

"What misunderstanding? This person is a living being, isn't he? You're the one who brought him back, isn't it?" Cui Jue glanced at Xie Bi An, "That time, you brought Impermanence back to the Underworld, said he's alone and helpless, so I let you off the hook. So, what reason do you have today?"

"This kid is also alone and helpless."

"Nonsense! With hands and feet this big, did he not have anything to eat in the human realm?" Cui Jue ordered, "Bi An, send him back immediately."

Xie Bi An secretly glanced at Zhong Kui. Seeing that Zhong Kui was also looking at him, he quickly looked away, and stepped back quietly, not wanting to be further involved in the conflict between the two men.

Zhong Kui saw his disciple ignored him, so he began to act shamelessly: "But I promised to accept him as my disciple. I, Zhong Kui, am not someone who goes back on his words."

"As a judge, you repeatedly broke the rules of the ghost and human realms. Is the law of the Underworld not as important as your face?"

Cui Jue said a bunch of principles right in his face, and Zhong Kui was unable to retort. Zhong Kui admitted his mistake, yet refused to change it.

Just when the two parties came to a deadlock, Fan Wu She coldly interjected: "Since living beings are not accepted, would it be alright if I die?"

The inside of Jiuyun Hall suddenly became quiet.

"I've already paid respects to my master. I won't be going anywhere. Allow Official Lord Cui to draw out my life and let me stay." When Fan Wu She said this, his eyes always gazed at Xie Bi An.

"N...Nonsense!" Cui Jue said angrily, "You think the Book of Life and Death can be altered randomly?"

"Then I won't bother Official Lord Cui. I will commit suicide. After I die, allow Impermanence Immortal to guide my soul back here."

"Absolutely not!" Xie Bi An saw his serious face. He couldn't tell if what he said was real or fake.

Zhong Kui glanced at Cui Jue and whispered sadly: "Why do you have to force someone to die?"

Cui Jue was outraged: "Fine, fine, no wonder you want to accept him as a disciple. Both...both of you are jackals from the same lair*! Just you wait until the Emperor comes out. This is not the end of this matter!"

Cui Jue flicked his sleeve and walked away.

Zhong Kui smiled lazily: "This guy takes everything so seriously and doesn't even feel tired."

Xie Bi An lowered his head and tried to contain his laughter.

"Alright, don't disturb my sleep." Zhong Kui waved his hand, "Your senior brother will help you settle down."

Fan Wu She looked deeply at Xie Bi An, and called out two thought-provoking words: "Senior brother."

 

 

----

Translator Thoughts: 

oooooh~ they finally met! I think Zhong Kui is so funny LOL!

***magical weapon = magical treasure in this novel

***human realm = earth in this novel

 

Hongmeng*[鸿蒙]---primeval atmosphere of nature

Jiutian*[九天]-----heavens

Jiuzhou*[九州]----equivalent to human realm

Standing like a jade tree and smiling like a bright moon in an embrace* [立如芝兰玉树，笑如朗月入怀] --- a way to describe a man who has good looks. Comes from 《白石郎曲》宋代·郭茂倩

Thank goodness you still recognize me*[难为您老人家还认得我]----initially, I wrote "it's hard for you to recognize me, old man", which sounds really weird. Got help from a WeChat friend and I change to this current sentence, which is much closer to the original meaning. Eliminated "old man" at the end of the sentence because it sounds rude xD

jackals from the same lair* [一丘之貉] --- they are all just as bad as each other

 

Editor Thoughts: 

Hi everyone~ I hope you're enjoying the chapters so far! Feel free to drop a comment if you discover any choppy parts in the sentence structure and we'll look into it! Feel free to comment 'Like' if you liked the chapter! - Limit

 

Edited on 10 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

Edited on 16 Jun. 21 (Ari)

Edited on 17 Jul 21 (Limit)

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