Chapter 106: The Netherworld

The Servant God remained silent for a moment before shrinking back to the size of a palm, floating within a halo of light.

Shi Xianyu considered briefly and, in a reasonable tone, said, "If you feel more comfortable being a bit larger, then be a bit larger."

The Servant God replied expressionlessly, "As a lesser deity serving the Immortal Palace, everything naturally prioritizes the feelings of the Primordial Lord."

Shi Xianyu nodded and resumed practicing her talisman drawing.

She wasn’t quite accustomed to the Servant God’s previous form. It was like having a delicate, exquisite doll at home suddenly growing larger than herself, looming in front with an overwhelming presence.

Moreover, the Servant God was stunningly handsome, like an exiled immortal from a painting. With his features magnified by his increased size, his beauty was almost suffocating at such close proximity.

Determined, she focused intently on her talisman practice.

The Servant God watched silently for a while before gradually fading into the air.

...

In the following days, Shi Xianyu continued drawing talismans.

At first, she repeatedly practiced the shapes by rote memorization. Then she purchased ink, cinnabar, and yellow paper to get serious, attempting to infuse spiritual power into the talismans.

After many tries, she succeeded once or twice out of ten attempts. Gradually, she found enjoyment in the process. She realized that once infused with spiritual energy, the talisman seemed to come alive—the once nonsensical lines and circles transformed into meridians along which the energy flowed, constructing miniature, energy-containing formations. It was fascinating.

She created many talismans, selecting those she was satisfied with to have the Servant God inspect their quality.

Upon careful examination, the Servant God was surprised to find Shi Xianyu possessed considerable talent in talisman crafting. Though the results were all low-level talismans, reaching such a level in just a few days was rare for a novice.

The Servant God selected some talismans and asked, "Primordial Lord, you have drawn many protective talismans. Are you preparing for the next world?"

"Yes," Shi Xianyu nodded. "Better to prepare more; it’s wise to be ready."

After all, chili water wasn’t a cure-all.

The Servant God inquired again, "Which world does the Primordial Lord intend to visit?"

Shi Xianyu thought carefully and analyzed, "In terms of difficulty, the wish to have a son is the hardest to fulfill. Without violating the social norms of that world, I certainly can’t make someone have a son out of nowhere. Regarding danger, the world where someone seeks revenge for their parents will inevitably involve fighting and killing. So, overall, investigating the murderer is the most appropriate."

The Servant God pondered briefly and slowly nodded. "What the Primordial Lord says is true."

"However... that world is somewhat strange. I wonder if it’s haunted..." Shi Xianyu frowned, looking up at the Servant God. "Bring those few fish over. I want to take another look."

The Servant God nodded and summoned the largest fish from the Wishing Pool—

The most conspicuous was still the plump, round red goldfish, balloon-like, representing the wish to have a son.

Beside it swam a smaller, jet-black goldfish with bulging eyes, also impressive—a fish embodying the wish to avenge parents.

At the back was a tricolor goldfish of red, black, and gold, which had grown significantly since Shi Xianyu last saw it, even larger than the red goldfish.

Shi Xianyu was surprised. "How did it grow so much?"

"The wishes have strengthened further," the Servant God explained. "The fish’s size reflects the intensity of the wisher’s intent. The wish for a child has slightly weakened recently, while the revenge wish has grown stronger."

"I see..." Shi Xianyu understood and looked again at the red goldfish, murmuring, "If the wisher could let go of the obsession to have a son, it might not be a bad thing for her."

She rose, passed by the red goldfish, and stood before the tricolor one, gently placing her hand on its soft, large head. Once more, she heard the intense wish:

—Who killed her? Who killed her?!

This time the cry was not only fierce but hoarse and desperate.

Shi Xianyu frowned and closed her eyes to listen further. Before her eyes appeared the young students again.

They surrounded a round table, each pressing a finger on a coin in the center, playing the planchette game.

Their faces were full of panic and fear, without a trace of entertainment or relaxation.

Shi Xianyu was impressed. If they were this scared, why keep playing? When she last saw them, they were playing, and now again. Would they die if they stopped?

Sigh.

She channeled her spiritual power to continue sensing that world. The dim vision slowly expanded, revealing they were in an old student cafeteria, with posters and slogans on the walls urging no waste, and all the tables and chairs piled in a corner.

Why would they play the planchette game in such a place? Where were the other students? The teachers and administrators?

Shi Xianyu frowned and kept watching.

She saw a pair of pale legs hanging outside the window, gently swaying in the wind and tapping against the glass.

She saw the bathroom sink overflowing with water, with many strands of hair flowing out.

She saw a girl in red standing on a window of the opposite teaching building, suddenly jump down, her body contorted grotesquely before crawling back inside with twisted limbs, and after a while, standing again at the window perfectly unharmed...

Shi Xianyu slowly opened her eyes and remained silent for a long time.

This was no haunting... This was the Underworld.

She was silent for a long time before the Servant God asked, "Primordial Lord, do you have any doubts?"

Shi Xianyu looked up and asked puzzled, "I can hear the wishes from the Underworld too?"

"When a person dies, the light goes out, the soul dissolves like melting snow. Any wishes vanish with it, and if anything remains, it is only chaotic obsession," the Servant God explained. "Even if such sounds exist, they bring no spiritual power to the Primordial Lord and thus are not accepted by the wishing fish."

Hearing this, Shi Xianyu couldn’t help but think of Wan Ji’s mother—after death, she left behind obsession, little consciousness, simply instinctively searching for and caring for her child. Though she meant no harm, many villagers lost their lives because of her.

"So, by your reckoning, these students playing the planchette game are alive?" Shi Xianyu pondered with difficulty. "Why would living people be stuck in such a world?"

"There must be some reason causing these people to be trapped here, unable to return to their original world," the Servant God said. "The Primordial Lord will need to go there and investigate carefully."

Shi Xianyu felt like backing out.

But then she thought of Taoist Shen and Little Pear. Courage welled up inside her, and she felt no difficulty was insurmountable.

If the students playing planchette could survive here so long unharmed, surely she, an immortal who had traversed two worlds, could manage too.

Her heart settled.

She picked up her brush and continued drawing more talismans...