Chapter Six: Return to the Styx (Part Two)

In no time, the treasure bag had accumulated quite a few items, though all of them had been looted from various shops and markets without asking. In the past, Shi Jun would never have engaged in such petty thievery, but at this moment, he could no longer afford to care.

Ever since he began dealing with the Underworld, Shi Jun felt himself becoming increasingly indifferent—or perhaps disdainful—of the laws of the mortal realm. The slight unease he had felt when he first noticed this change had gradually faded away. He realized that life could be so colorful and lived in so many ways; as long as one possessed enough power, one could roam the heavens and the earth, doing whatever one pleased. Unconsciously, his mindset had shifted, though he had not yet realized it—or perhaps he was unwilling to reflect upon and face these changes within himself.

Back at the bottom of the lake, Shi Jun scanned his surroundings. Finding nothing unusual, he nodded with satisfaction and cast a spell, causing his physical body to "float" up from the depths of the silt. He took a massive glass bottle from the treasure bag, poured the Weak Water into it, and then dived into his physical form. He silently recited an incantation, and within moments, his physical body and primordial spirit merged, restoring his consciousness.

He had once considered hiding his physical body and using only his primordial spirit to enter the Demon Realm. But since he was still unfamiliar with such arts, he worried: if he stayed in the Demon Realm too long, would his body buried in the lake suffocate or suffer some other mishap? And if his soul were separated from his body for too long, what if he couldn't return? Fearing such a risk, he abandoned the idea.

A large gulp of lake water suddenly rushed into his nose and mouth, and Shi Jun realized that he was not, in fact, omnipotent. He could not breathe underwater like a fish; if he didn't leave immediately, he would either drown or be choked to death by the lake water. With the Weak Water already collected, he didn't dare return to the surface rashly, so he held his breath and fumbled frantically to retrieve the Underworld Token from around his neck. Once finished, he let out a long breath, clutched the token tightly, and muttered a spell.

A small vortex suddenly appeared on the lake floor, swirling and undulating, attracting the curious gaze of nearby fish. With a flash of blue light, Shi Jun was swept into the token's barrier and vanished without a trace. The blinding light startled the surrounding fish, causing them to scatter and dart away.

***

Lie Jin soared high above the city. Despite having no place to push off from, his tall frame stood steady in the air. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings. An adult eagle flew beneath him; though it could not see the invisible Lie Jin, its animal instinct sensed a dangerous aura, and with a shrill cry, it beat its wings and fled in haste.

"Where has that kid gone? Why can I no longer sense the light of his mind's eye?"

"So, this is the mortal realm after such a long absence? It has truly changed," Lie Jin mused, observing the vast city through his spiritual sense. How many years had it been? Back then, he was just a young, ordinary man, practicing magic alongside A-Li. Those mortal trifles were so distant now, long sealed away in the deepest corners of his memory. He remembered that A-Li had been a romantic, secretly in love with a girl next door, to the point where he couldn't focus on his cultivation and even considered giving up his demonic path and immortality to live a quiet life with her.

What happened after that? Hah, it was all too long ago! Regardless, the two brothers ended up walking the same path. Although A-Li started practicing magic later than he did, he was naturally gifted and eventually surpassed him, becoming one of the top Great Demon Lords in the Demon Realm within mere centuries. The two brothers had roamed the world together, looking down upon all living things—how free and exhilarating it had been!

Why, then, did he fall back into the traps of love, lingering in the mortal realm for a woman, only to vanish without a trace?

"Xiao Ya..." Lie Jin shook his head, murmuring the name as if a memory were stirring, yet he could not quite grasp it.

Beneath him, strange, towering buildings stood in rows, and the streets were crowded with vehicles like swarms of fish. The rising dust, pungent odors, and deafening noise made Lie Jin, who was accustomed to solitary, quiet cultivation, let out a long sigh. A look of indescribable loss crossed his face. This land where he was born and raised no longer resembled the place he once knew.

After searching for a moment, Lie Jin sensed a faint and peculiar fluctuation of spiritual energy in a corner of the city. Though he didn't recognize it, it might be related to Shi Jun's whereabouts. Without hesitation, he set his sights on that location and descended rapidly, his figure disappearing into the bustling crowd.

***

The blue sphere of light brought Shi Jun into the River of the Underworld. Before he could steady himself, the Blue Spirits had already sensed his arrival. Countless tiny, beautiful blue creatures swam toward the token's light sphere with incredible speed, crowding around him with great affection. The vast Underworld Yin currents roared in resonance, as if welcoming and celebrating his return.

Shi Jun smiled slightly and put away the token. With a flash of blue light, he materialized, floating in the void. The Blue Spirits cheered in unison and transformed into a small boat, floating beneath his feet to support him. Returning to the Underworld this time, he felt none of the confusion from before; instead, there was a sense of familiarity.

Almost immediately, Shi Jun sensed the tiny creatures chattering away, asking him all sorts of questions. Some wondered how his spiritual power had increased so much in such a short time; some asked about fun places in the mortal realm; some inquired why he had returned; and others recounted the trivial events that had occurred in the Underworld since he left.

As he listened, the smile on Shi Jun's face gradually stiffened. Chi Yang had indeed encountered danger in the Demon Realm. It seemed the Yaksha had not lied to him, as these creatures guarding the River of the Underworld were the first to know when the "Little Troublemaker" returned to report the news. Though he had become an Underworld Catcher, he knew no one in the Underworld he could trust, save for the Ancestor of the Yellow Springs.

Thinking of this, he asked, "I want to see the Ancestor of the Yellow Springs. Can you find the Underworld Yin current that took us in last time?"

"We can't!" the Blue Spirits replied in unison. "The Ancestor lives here, but we don't know his exact location. Unless he wishes to be found, we cannot find him."

So that was how it was. Shi Jun thought for a moment, unwilling to leave just yet. He wandered the River of the Underworld with the Blue Spirits for a long time, but found nothing. "Could the Ancestor have left for some reason?" Shi Jun thought with disappointment. "Or is he in seclusion? Or perhaps he simply doesn't want to see me?"

Finding the Ancestor of the Yellow Springs proved futile, and Shi Jun felt somewhat dejected, as he had hoped to ask the Ancestor for guidance. Suddenly, he turned to the Blue Spirits and said, "I plan to go to the Demon Realm to save Chi Yang. Do you know where the Demon Realm is? And what is it like there?"

"We've never been there, we don't know!" the Blue Spirits replied, then immediately volunteered, "Sir, why don't you just take us with you? We can help our master!"

Shi Jun's eyes brightened. He had already witnessed the power of the Blue Spirits; if these little guys were willing to help save Chi Yang, his chances would surely increase. "Don't you have to stay here? Is it really okay for you to just leave with me?"

The Blue Spirits chirped excitedly, "It's fine! We've been wanting to go out and play for a long time. With your skill, we're sure we won't encounter any danger!"

Shi Jun hesitated, offering a wry smile. He had originally intended to ask for their help, but they seemed to overestimate his abilities. Truth be told, he couldn't bear the thought of these little creatures getting into danger if they followed him. It seemed he needed to be clear with them. "The Demon Realm is a place I've never been to, and I hear it's very dangerous. My own abilities are quite limited; I'm not even sure if I can return safely."

"What are you saying? Master, you're too modest!" the Blue Spirits scoffed. "Quick, open the treasure bag and let us in!"

Shi Jun shook his head, feeling helpless. "Honestly, I don't know what will happen once we get there. Don't think of me as someone powerful; it might be very dangerous!"

"We don't care, we don't care! We're going with you this time!" the Blue Spirits chimed in. They scattered, crawling all over Shi Jun, and before long, they found the treasure bag in his pocket. With a cheer, they all swam inside on their own accord, leaving him standing alone in the River of the Underworld, stunned.

"These little guys..." Shi Jun hadn't expected them to be so enthusiastic about the trip to the Demon Realm. He scratched his head, but there was nothing he could do. He then realized he still didn't know where to find the Yaksha, so he quickly asked the Blue Spirits hiding in the bag.

"...Who knows! He's a leader, so he doesn't have to stay in a fixed post. However, the Earth-element troops are stationed at the border of the Marrow-Cleansing Hell. You might find him there."

Shi Jun nodded. He suddenly remembered the Yaksha mentioning going to the Refining Department, so he decided to check there first.

***

Chi Shang and Wang Li exchanged a look and shook their heads, their hands holding the small mirror drooping powerlessly.

"What did you see? Why didn't I see anything?" Hu Hai, who had been sticking close to Chi Shang, finally couldn't help but grumble, "What on earth is going on? Why are you all looking so dejected, like your fathers just died?"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Chi Shang frowned. "The Master is in danger, don't you know that?"

"What? Old Shi is in trouble? What happened to him?" Hu Hai was startled and jumped up.

"...The Heart-Borer told me," Chi Shang hesitated, his expression unnatural.

Hu Hai and Mo Tuo asked in unison, "What is a Heart-Borer?"

"A Heart-Borer is used for tracking and eavesdropping. By using a talisman to guide it onto someone, you can observe their every move," Mei Jue explained softly.

"Why would you use that creepy thing on Old Shi? Are you trying to hurt him?" Hu Hai glared, his voice full of anger.

Chi Shang rolled his eyes at Hu Hai. "I'd rather hurt you!" He tilted his head sullenly. "I was forced to sign a Heart Contract with the Master that day. I wasn't very happy about it, and I couldn't beat him in a fight, so I used a Heart-Borer on him. Even if I lost, at least his every move wouldn't escape my eyes; that way, I'd feel a bit better about it." Seeing the suspicion on Hu Hai and Mo Tuo's faces, he quickly added, "After talking with the Master, I admire his character. I had intended to recall the Heart-Borer, but... I just never found the chance."

"Don't worry, the Heart-Borer isn't meant to harm anyone," Mei Jue added, trying to smooth things over for Chi Shang.

"That's correct, it is true," the Moon Ghost King nodded.

"Hu Hai, I believe Brother Chi Shang wouldn't lie to us," Lu Qing, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, chimed in.

"What is that small mirror for?" Hu Hai asked, still feeling agitated but unable to maintain his anger, as Lu Qing's words made him realize Chi Shang didn't seem like the type to harm Shi Jun.

Chi Shang opened his mouth to reply, but the room door was suddenly pushed open with a "bang." Everyone was startled and turned to look—

Lie Jin, his face gloomy, appeared at the doorway. His tall frame strode into the room, ignoring everyone as if they were invisible. His eyes swept the room, seemingly searching for something.

"Uncle Lie!" Mo Tuo muttered, dumbfounded. Seeing Lie Jin's gaze suddenly shift toward him, he instantly felt regret and wished he could crawl into a hole.

"Little Mo Tuo?" Lie Jin was clearly surprised as well. "What are you doing here? And this group... these are ghost spirits, right? And a mortal... hah, and there's even a new ghost. What a curious combination. How did you all end up together?"