Chapter 232: All of You Have Been Surrounded
Thus the crowd of ghost officers could only charge towards the River of Forgetfulness. Unfortunately, the place was empty as well. They had already headed over to the Bridge of Judgment by following along the riverbank.
Zhu Yao couldn’t float any longer, and she silently cursed at the practitioner who was on vacation using public expenditure. That practitioner really had nothing better to do, huh? They best not let her encounter him, otherwise… she couldn’t do anything to him either.
Ning Yun however did not give up, giving a face that looked as though he wouldn’t stop until he managed to bootlick the practitioner. Moving along the riverbank with the crowd of ghosts, they walked for more than two hours, before they could finally see a bridge that stretched across the entire River of Forgetfulness.
It was a stone bridge, yet it was constructed with black coloured stones, and when positioned above the silvery white river, it looked exceptionally distinct.
Before they could even approach it, they were stopped by others. The one leading the other pack was a muscular looking ghost officer, dressed in a black robe with many red flower patterns embroidered on it.
“Ning Yun, you crossed the boundary. This place isn’t your territory.” That person smiled arrogantly, giving a face that looked like he was not going to let them pass.
“Ling Lin, you best hurry up and call your boss over.”
“Our boss is busy.” That person simply wasn’t going to let up.
Ning Yun instantly flared up. “You bunch of lowly men, don’t think I’m unaware of your unhonourable act.”
Ling Lin’s expression darkened, giving him a glare. “So what? That lord said that he simply wanted to take a look at the Bridge of Judgment. He doesn’t want to take a look at your piece of land, what can I do?”
“You…” Ning Yun was extremely furious. “If you have the guts, let us cross. I shall personally give the lord an explanation.”
“This is our territory, why should I let you come over?” Ling Lin seemed determined, not only was he not making way, he even called over a few ghost officers over to block the road.
Fumes blew out of Ning Yun’s head, yet he had no idea on how to deal with this. After all, the Bridge of Judgment was indeed part of the other party’s territory. The two sides entered a stalemate, with neither giving way to the other.
On this side, the people were anxiously going about in circles, trying to find ways to break through, while on the other side, they were blocking the road perfectly tight. An hour passed, yet there wasn’t any result to be seen.
Zhu Yao could not help but lose focus, and was now inspecting that bridge. There were many ghosts next to the bridge. Some were dressed extravagantly, while some were improperly dressed. There were all types of ghosts there, but all of them had hollow looks, without the slightest of sparkles in their eyes.
Zhu Yao guessed that they were probably the souls of regular mortals. Souls which usually arrive in Underworld, unless they harboured heavy resentment in their former lives, would not have any spiritual consciousness to speak of. The souls of practitioners were usually stronger, so even if they arrived in Underworld, they would still keep part of their former lives’ memories and spirituality, though not a lot.
Even though they were all ghosts, the ones she saw at the Door to the Underworld was much livelier than the ones here.
Zhu Yao then measured the bridge with her eyes. The bridge itself was really huge, with half of it submerged within the mist. This bridge was the only structure above the River of Forgetfulness. It was called the Bridge of Judgment, and also referred to as the Bridge of Regrets. On the other side of the river was the road to reincarnation.
She heard from the other ghost officers that only souls which completely did not carry any attachments from their former lives could pass this bridge. Otherwise, they would fall into the River of Forgetfulness, had everything of their former lives cleansed away, before they could reach the other side of the river.
Zhu Yao summarized everything that she learnt. The entire River of Forgetfulness was like a large-sized database reset program, and it even had a forceful nature. Though she was a little curious where this river started from, and where was its end destination?
“Newcomer, why are you spacing out? Hurry and shout!” Ning Yun suddenly nudged her.
“Ah? Ah?” She came back to her senses and was confused.
“You’re a woman, so you have the loudest voice. This mission shall be handed to you.” Ning Yun said with a stern look.
Zhu Yao was stunned. What? She simply did not hear listen to their conversation earlier. “Shout… What am I supposed to shout?”
“Since we can’t go over, we can only lure that lord’s attention over here.” He patted on her shoulders. “Don’t be afraid, just shout as loud as you can. If you manage to get him over here, I will note this down as your merit.”
She understood now!
“Alright!” Zhu Yao patted on her chest. Wasn’t it just shouting at someone? Just leave it to her!
Zhu Yao cleared her throat, got into a proper stance, and loudly shouted. “The people inside listen up. All of you have already been surrounded. Put down your weapons and surrender. All of you do not have the rights to remain silent, if you do not come out now, this old lady here will smack your buttocks till they bloom.”
How’s that? Was that tyrannical enough? Eh? Ning Yun, why is your face so black?
Ning Yun really wanted to cry now. Missy, you’re a spy sent by the other party, right?
“Like hell he would come over if you shout like… Ehhhh…” He really came!?
Before he could even finish, suddenly, a human figure came charging from the other side. Only a flash of white light could be seen, as though a gust of wind had wildly swept over.
Even Ling Lin behind them exclaimed in surprise. “Lord…”
In an instant, Ning Yun became excited. Just as he was about to speak, that white figure disappeared without a trace.
“…” His stomach-full of words instantly returned back into his own stomach. So, was this considered a success or not?
When he turned around to look.
Eh? Where did the newcomer missy go?
He couldn’t have come to settle the scores with her for what she shouted earlier, right? In an instant, his heart was in a fluster.
Oh right… What was that missy called again?
Zhu Yao was a little dumbfounded. She simply felt something had come towards her like a gust of wind, then her waist tightened, and her entire body was now flying backwards at extreme speed. After that, the sounds of the whistling wind made her feel a little dizzy.
She finally stopped, but she was already turning a little light-headed from the dizziness. As a new ghost, a high-intensive exercise like this was really an unbearable pain to the soul.
She needed time to calm down.
After gasping for air, she saw a head with pitch-black hair was presently pressing against her small buns on her chest. They were not huge in the first place, and now they were like a plane runway after being pressed down.
“My buns…” Zhu Yao cried out miserably, as she reflexively raised her leg and sent him a kick. Instant Kill Technique – Breaking Offspring Breeding Kick!
“Ow!” That person cried out miserably, as he was hit right on target. In an instant, his body curled up like a shrimp, and he slid off her body. Rolling on the ground, one of his hands was actually still grabbing onto the corner of her robe.
“The hell, you dirty bastard!” You actually dare press against my little buns. Though the buns are small, they are still assets. There’s a possibility that they still have room to develop too! Hss… It hurts this old lady so much.
Zhu Yao tugged the corner of her robe, yet she was unable to get him to let go. Thus, began to pull with all her might!
“Big sis Zhu Yao…” He suddenly groaned, carrying a suppressed and coarse voice.
Zhu Yao’s hands stopped. This voice… sounded familiar! She looked down at the person who curled into a ball, only to see him holding onto his bottom part with his two hands, and he was slowly raising his head to look at her.
This was the face of a youth. Every part of it was familiar to her, but a little youth seemed to have faded from the part between his brows, and it was replaced with a little vicissitudes that were foreign to her.
She stiffened, and then probed. “Mushmush?”
The youth’s expression sank, and the pain on his face deepened even more. He focused his gaze on her, and as he blinked, a droplet of water fell out of those eyes which seemed to be filled with countless emotions. The sound he choked out was barely audible. “… Big sis Zhu Yao.”
Zhu Yao completely stiffened, as though there was something which had instantly struck her. Her eyes unconsciously opened wide, and for a moment, she could not find her own voice. “Little… wimp…”
He tightened the grip on the corner of her robe.
“It really is you!” Zhu Yao squatted down, and pulled up the person on the ground. He measured this familiar face in detail. This was impossible! “Why are you still alive… Ah pui!” This seemed to sound strange. “Why haven’t you gone to reincarnate… Ah pui!” This sounded even weirder. “You… Why are you here? Am I seeing things?”
“It’s me.” He nodded. He seemed to want to say something, yet he kept having his words choked in his throat, and the mist in his eyes instantly welled up. He gone up to hug Zhu Yao in an instant, and then buried his head into her embrace like a little child. “Big sis Zhu Yao, I finally get to see you.”
It really is him! Little wimp…
“Why are you crying?”
“It… It hurts!” Wang Xuzhi tightened his grip, as he went deeper into her embrace.
“Serves you right for taking advantage of me.” Zhu Yao could not help but lecture him, yet her heart was feeling an unbearable pain. With her sleeves, she rubbed the tears off his face. “When you were young, didn’t you say a grown man only bleeds, and never cry?”
“But… It really hurts.”
Alright, she really did kick him a little heavily. Let me apologize to your wife!
“Damn brat, stop crying! Don’t you know tears are contagious? Even I want to cry now.” Zhu Yao could no longer hold it in, as her tears began to go out of control and flow down her face. It definitely was not because she was frail and weak, it was just because of how contagious it was. It definitely was!
Little wimp. Her little wimp. That brat whom she raised when he was young. Prideful and stubborn, causing her to worry all the time. That little brat whom she had to watch out for at every moment.
He finally returned.
Realmspirit promised that he would allow her to see little wimp again, and he was finally keeping his promise for once. Zhu Yao had once imagined what would happen if she were to meet him again?
But it was definitely not like this where she gave him a kick. Mn. And it was right at a certain part which cannot be described. Then, the two of them cried out painfully for an hour in each other’s embrace. His was due to the pain, while hers was because of how contagious it was.
Tears flowed down endlessly, and Zhu Yao was even moved by her own self. Just as she was about express the might of motherly love to this child whom she finally got to see again, a female ghost came drilling out of the ground.
“Hey, are you two done yet? You two have already been crying all day, and your tears are already drowning my home. Can’t a ghost get some sleep?”
Wang Xuzhi: “…” Why was the ground her home?
Zhu Yao: “…” What a stupid place you chose.
The two of them weakly crawled away. As expected, being sad like this was not their style.
“Oh right, little wimp, why are you here in the Underworld?” Zhu Yao only then recalled she wanted to ask Wang Xuzhi about what happened. “Didn’t you reincarnate?”
Wang Xuzhi was startled. “Big sis Zhu Yao, how did you know?”
“Uh… Don’t mind how I got to know about it, so why are you here now?” She clearly recalled Realmspirit showing the scene of him being reincarnated back then. But looking at him the way he was now, he looked exactly the same as back then.
He sank into silence for a moment, before he slowly said. “I did indeed enter the wheel of reincarnation, but for some reasons, when my lifespan ended and I returned to the Underworld, I regained the appearance of my past life. Then, my spiritual consciousness awakened and I remembered big sis Zhu Yao, so I went ahead to cultivate a spiritual body and entered Spiritual Realm.”
Wasn’t it said that the water of the River of Forgetfulness would cleanse off everything of one’s past life? So how did he recover them?
Haah, I don’t care anymore. Being able to see him again was enough to satisfy her.
“In other words, you have once again begun to cultivate into a deity?” Zhu Yao measured him for a moment, and nodded satisfyingly. “Not bad little brat, as expected of my son.”
“Big sis Zhu Yao… I’m not your son.” His expression darkened. He never was after all.
“Aiya, don’t mind such details.” Zhu Yao waved her hands. “So, how are you doing in Spiritual Realm? Is there anyone bullying you? Tell big sis, this big sis will add him into the blacklist.”
“I’m doing really well.” Wang Xuzhi nodded. Looking at her, he heaved a long sigh of relief. As though he had recalled something, he slowly said. “When I awakened my spiritual consciousness, I remembered big sis Zhu Yao. So, I would often stop by at the Bridge of Judgment, hoping that I can see you, and at the same time, hoping I won’t get to see you.”
He wanted to see her, but this place was the Underworld after all. Seeing her here would mean that she would have fallen, and now…
Wang Xuzhi was stunned for a moment, and seemed to have thought of this point, as he anxiously started to console her. “Big sis Zhu Yao, don’t be sad. Even if you have fallen, it’s not a big deal. We can go to Spiritual Realm and start over again.”
“Enough.” Zhu Yao patted on his head. “It’s not like I have not experienced death before.” She was already used to dying, alright?
He stopped speaking, though he looked a little guilty.
Zhu Yao’s heart could not help but tingle, as she hurriedly blurted out. “Little wimp, I’m sorry!” She was the one who should clearly feel guilty, after all, she promised Uncle Wang that she would take care of him, yet she failed to do so.
“That wasn’t your fault, big sis Zhu Yao.” Wang Xuzhi smiled, and after pausing for a while, he continued. “I have never blamed you.”
When she openly returned with Wang Xuzhi in tow, Ning Yun and his companions were stunned.
“Hi!” Zhu Yao took the initiative to greet them.
“Lord, spare our lives!” Ning Yun blurted out. He then knelt on the ground and loudly shouted. “This little ghost has no intentions to disrespect you, this is all that newcomer missy’s doing.”
Zhu Yao: “…”
What happened to the promised love between co-workers?