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"Such a lovely little creature; it would be wonderful if it were alive," Xing Ruyi sighed with pity, taking a half-bloomed lotus flower and gently guiding the infant soul into it, wrapping it carefully before handing it to A-Ling.
"Do you have a way, Sister Ruyi?" A-Ling asked cautiously as she accepted the lotus flower package. The moment she touched it, the silver light on the outside transformed into a ghostly green glow.
The infant soul of the Moon Sacrifice could not reincarnate, especially since this child was so young and could not cultivate any ghostly energy on its own. It seemed inevitable that the soul would dissipate. However, just like Xing Ruyi, this little one was so adorable that even A-Ling, who was an Evil Spirit, could not bear to let it go.
Xing Ruyi calculated with her fingers and pondered for a long time before looking at A-Ling and saying, "Although this method is not the best, for the Wang Family, it is undoubtedly the best option."
Xing Ruyi's words left A-Ling somewhat confused, yet it seemed she understood something.
Seven days later, Li Wang came to express his gratitude with several bags of pastries. This man in his thirties still wore a frown, but there was now a glimmer of light in his eyes. After Li Wang left, Xing Ruyi discovered several scattered silver coins on the counter, which he must have quietly left behind.
Six months later, on a full moon night, Xing Ruyi stealthily entered the Wang Family home and tossed a lotus flower package into Li Wang's wife's abdomen.
A year later, the Wang Family joyfully welcomed a son who bore a striking resemblance to his father, Li Wang. Upon seeing Xing Ruyi come to congratulate them, he giggled heartily.
Another month passed when Li Wang's mother, the child's grandmother Wang Rushi, suddenly collapsed and died while pouring night incense early in the morning. Sitting on the wall, Xing Ruyi lightly beckoned with her fingers, and Wang Rushi's soul detached from her body.
At first, seeing herself lying on the ground left Wang Rushi in a daze. However, upon hearing her grandson's cries from the west room, she suddenly understood and smiled as she walked up the wall to join Xing Ruyi sitting atop it.
"Look how harmonious this family of three is," Xing Ruyi pointed at the west room where shadows of three people were cast on the white paper windows. The mother was nursing on one side while the father clumsily shook a hand drum beside her.
Wang Rushi looked at her son, daughter-in-law, and clever little grandson and nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's wonderful for a family of three."
"Your daughter will be giving birth soon too, right?"
"Yes, next month. Unfortunately, I won't be able to see my grandchild."
"Is that regrettable?" Xing Ruyi tilted her head. "Regrettable that you won't see your grandchild or perhaps your granddaughter?"
"What regrets could there be? Birds will eventually fly on their own, and children will eventually live their own lives. As for the mother, as long as the children are doing well and living happily, that's enough."
Xing Ruyi's eyes became moist as she thought of her own mother; it seemed her mother had said something similar to her before passing away.
"Then... do you hate me?"
"You are a benefactor to our Wang Family." Wang Rushi continued to smile, her expression filled with gratitude. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have this harmonious family today; if it weren't for you, how could I face our Wang Family ancestors; if it weren't for you, my daughter would probably have to remain an old maid in the Wang Family for her entire life."
"But it was also because of me that you cannot reincarnate."
"The sin was sown by me, so I must bear the consequences as a wife. Besides, I think it's worth trading my fate for my grandson's fate."
Xing Ruyi let out a long breath and jumped down from the wall. "I secretly found someone to help you secure a job. Although it may be a bit dull, it will give you the chance to meet your son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and even your daughter."
As she spoke, Xing Ruyi tossed a piece of paper to Wang Rushi. It clearly stated: "Position: Underworld Position: Meng Po. Job Scope: Brew Forgetting Soup and distribute it to passing ghosts."
Time rewinds to a year and a half ago...
It is said that there is a road called the Yellow Springs Road, a river called the River of Forgetfulness, and a bridge called the Bridge of Helplessness. After crossing the Bridge of Helplessness, there is a platform called the Platform of Longing. Beside the Platform of Longing, an old woman sells Meng Po soup. By the River of Forgetfulness stands a stone called the Three Lives Stone. The Meng Po soup makes you forget everything, while the Three Lives Stone records your past lives and present life. When we cross the Bridge of Helplessness, we must take one last look at the human world from the Platform of Longing before drinking a bowl of Meng Po soup brewed with water from the River of Forgetfulness.
As for this Meng Po soup, it is said that first ten judges in the underworld determine which ghosts should be sent to reincarnate. Then herbs collected from the mortal world are added and blended into a soup resembling wine, divided into five flavors: sweet, bitter, spicy, sour, and salty. Any ghost preparing for rebirth must drink Meng Po's Forgetting Soup; if there are cunning or stubborn ghosts who refuse to drink it, hooks will immediately appear beneath their feet to trap their legs, and sharp copper pipes will pierce their throats to force them to drink. No ghost can escape this fate.
Xing Ruyi once asked if foxes were real. The fox merely smiled at her and watched as she was about to lose her temper before leisurely saying, "It's just a bowl of Forgetting Soup; why make such a fuss? Just show them all the suffering in their lives, and they'll be eager to drink the Forgetting Soup and reincarnate."
"What about those who have lived happy lives?" Xing Ruyi pouted.
"Happy lives! Do you think there are any in this world?" The fox waved its white sleeve nonchalantly. "Even monks who claim to be free from desires worry about money and suffer from love troubles; let alone ordinary beings burdened with countless worries."
"Since everyone knows suffering, why are they so eager to reincarnate? Is it really true that they won't suffer in their next life? If it were me, I would rather be a ghost for my entire life than go through any more pain in reincarnation. Of course, that’s assuming I truly suffered greatly in my previous life."
“Fool, everyone has hopes. With hopes come expectations, and with expectations comes the desire for a fresh start. Those who are poor in this life hope to be wealthy in the next; those who suffer in this life hope for a prosperous career in the next; those who love but cannot be together in this life hope to never part in the next... Everyone has desires, and everyone wants to achieve something, yet many wishes remain unfulfilled, and there are things they wish to do but never had the chance. Thus, the next life becomes their only hope. Are you anxious about it?”
“Is there really no exception?” Xing Ruyi rested her chin on her hand, clearly startled by the fox's words.
“There is!”
“Who?”
“The current Chief Judge of the Underworld, Cui Fujun.”
“Cui Fujun?” Xing Ruyi blinked.
“He was a friend of mine. In life, he served as an official, and after death, he was revered as a deity by the people. However, he did not remain in the Underworld because of their reverence but out of despair. After years of serving as an official, he experienced the treachery of politics and the malice of human nature. He also witnessed the suffering of humanity and the pain of the common people, feeling powerless to change anything. Even as a ghost, his heart remained troubled. He would rather endure the torments of Hell than reincarnate as a human again. The King of Hell saw his upright character and how beloved he was by the people, so he appointed him as a Judge in the Underworld.”
“Fox, are you telling a story?” Xing Ruyi nodded at the fox's handsome nose.
“No!” The fox held Xing Ruyi's fingers. “I’m just sharing my friend's story.”
“Oh, I see. So you know the Judge of the Underworld? Then could you do me a huge favor?” Xing Ruyi looked eager, especially with her eyes narrowed like a cat’s.
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