Shui Yue looked at Lan He, her gaze filled with what seemed to be intense displeasure, as though she found his words utterly nonsensical and absurd.
Not to mention the ghost; even the living Taoist masters present felt the urge to question: How could you, as a father, not know Old Bai’s real name?
A name in the underworld is a significant symbol. The immortals of the Four Sects rank themselves by seniority, and most ghost messengers have nicknames. Even the immovable Vajra is addressed by his title in the underworld.
So, their astonishment was understandable. After all, they didn’t know Old Bai’s real name. But Lord Lai was Lord Bai’s partner! The “bloodline relationship” between the two ghosts was a well-known anecdote in the yin-yang realms of the capital region.
No one would suspect Lord Lai of being unaware, yet here he was, clueless as well.
This left many with a nagging sense of oddity that they couldn’t quite pinpoint.
Lan He, seeing everyone’s gazes, felt a bit annoyed. What could he do? Old Bai had never mentioned his real name, and he had simply grown used to calling him “Old Bai” out of convenience. Besides, he said, “Fatherly kindness, filial piety—if he’s unfilial, why should I be kind? Haven’t you ever seen family dynamics like ours?”
Everyone: “…”
Shui Yue didn’t care about his excuse. Her aura grew even colder, and her blue dress seemed to darken further. “You’re Bai Ruyi’s father?”
Lan He smiled. “Yes, so I guess that makes us relatives, huh, daughter?”
Everyone: “…” What a shameless climb up the family tree!
Shui Yue said flatly, “I have no connection to him and even less to you.”
Lan He wanted to keep her talking. He had sent a signal for help earlier, and based on experience, reinforcements could arrive any moment. After all, the principle of “gang up on the strong” was essential when dealing with someone like Shui Yue.
Lan He said, “How can you say there’s no connection? Why did you capture him, then?” He suspected there might have been a complicated love-hate relationship between the two.
Shui Yue stared at him and said, “He *is* Bai Ruyi.”
Old Bai couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted in protest, “I’ve been wronged! Not my biological father! Shui Yue herself said we have no connection, yet you’re trying to pin the scumbag label on me. I just don’t know which past life I might’ve been her lover. I’ve reincarnated into a ghost, and she’s still not interested, saying I’m too petty and vulgar! She’s looking for the heartless jerk who reincarnated before me. If not, why would she keep me bottled up…”
Lan He: “???”
My dear child, is this even possible?
Shui Yue’s original name was indeed Shui Yue. Having stayed in the underworld for so long, her thoughts seemed muddled. She asked Lan He again, “You came for Bai Ruyi, didn’t you?”
Lan He continued to deny it. “I really didn’t come for him. I haven’t even seen him for days. I heard he was with Lord Xie and Lord Fan. What’s the point of looking for him?”
Shui Yue: “Xie Bian, Fan Wujiu…”
Lan He internally wondered—Old Bai had said he was going to hang out with Lord Xie. How did he end up captured by Shui Yue? Could it be that Lords Xie and Fan didn’t save him?
From inside the bottle, Old Bai shouted, “She’s the ghost Lord Xie and Lord Fan were after. They used me as bait to catch her, but she knows how to trap ghosts with a purification bottle! Things spiraled out of control. Quickly, send a message to Lords Xie and Fan!”
Lan He: “…”
Shui Yue plugged the bottle again and murmured, “You’ve said enough.”
The other Taoist masters’ expressions shifted too. If this was the ghost Lords Xie and Fan were targeting, no wonder she was so formidable.
Lan He pieced together the logic: Old Bai must’ve been entangled in some karmic love debt from a past life. Shui Yue escaped the underworld to find someone. Given her spiritual cultivation in life, it required the intervention of Eastern Peak Underworld’s forces. Lords Fan Wujiu and Xie Bian tried to use Old Bai as bait to lure Shui Yue out. But upon seeing him, Shui Yue snapped, thinking, *What happened to my lover?* She then refused to acknowledge him and instinctively captured him but couldn’t bring herself to let him go either…
That seemed to be the gist of it—a complete mess!
Lan He discreetly folded a paper charm to send another message while casually asking, “So what are you going to do now? If he’s not the one you’re looking for.”
Shui Yue seemed to notice his subtle movements and coldly remarked, “It’s useless.”
Lan He didn’t seem fazed. He smiled. “If you say it’s useless, does that make it true?”
“Ahem,” Sikong coughed lightly. “It probably really is useless. Lord Impermanent, look at the sky.”
Lan He glanced outside at the night-like weather. “The clouds are just thick. So what?”
Sikong gave a bitter smile. “Don’t you know? When darkness falls at noon, it signifies a ‘Night Demon.’ It disrupts the balance of yin and yang, affecting the sense of direction for all spirits and ghosts, including the Black and White Impermanents. Ancient texts say that whenever a Night Demon appears, great calamities follow…”
Historian Ban Gu once wrote: *The Night Demon arises when clouds and winds converge into darkness, mirroring the appearance of normal winds.*
When such phenomena occur, yin becomes yang, and many disasters follow. Ministers betray rulers, lords rebel, emperors are deposed… These celestial phenomena are therefore called Night Demons.
Indeed, under such conditions, certain actions become easier to conceal. Though not every occurrence of sudden darkness led to chaos, history had seen its fair share.
Especially in modern times, with advancements like electric lighting, people’s lives were hardly affected. Most didn’t take it seriously, and social order remained stable as a result.
For underworld beings, such celestial phenomena, where yin and yang are inverted, still provide an excellent opportunity…
Lan He hadn’t initially grasped the significance of the celestial event, but after hearing Sikong’s explanation, he grew vigilant. Was this a coincidence? He didn’t think so.
“What exactly are you planning to do with Old Bai?” Lan He tightened his grip on the chain.
Shui Yue replied indirectly, “When I entered the Buddhist order, it was under the guidance of three teachers and seven witnesses. My master asked me three times if I was resolute in renouncing the world before shaving my head and giving me the Dharma name Shui Yue. I upheld 300 precepts to attain enlightenment, following the monastic code for fourteen years. But for him, with a single word, I abandoned those fourteen years of cultivation and left to follow him…”
This “him” likely referred to Old Bai’s past life.
When Buddhist disciples take their vows, it’s a serious process requiring the presence of three teachers and seven witnesses, with repeated questioning before ordination. However, no matter how many years they’ve cultivated—one year, ten years, fifty years—if they decide to renounce their vows, all it takes is a single verbal declaration to abandon the precepts.
Shui Yue looked at the monks, her gaze finally resting on Song Futan. She smiled faintly and said, “You should understand, especially you.”
The monks shook their heads innocently.
It was one thing for Song Futan to be mistaken for a monk all the time, but now he was being assumed to be one who had renounced his vows.
Song Futan replied coldly, “Senior, times are much more regulated now. Becoming a monk requires certification, and even resigning requires a formal report. A single word won’t suffice.”
Shui Yue: “…”
The tears of self-pity that had almost fallen from her eyes were forced back. “I fell into the underworld only because I wanted to bring him back to life. Yet he broke his promise and reincarnated on his own. Now, he’s been through several cycles of reincarnation, and his current name is Bai Ruyi. He doesn’t recognize me, and I detest him.”
(Old Bai: “…”)
“Even if I brought him back to life, what use would it be? I understand now—past lives and present lives cannot be considered the same person.”
Was that really necessary? Did seeing our Old Bai make you feel that love was dead? He’s not *that* bad, right? Lan He said awkwardly, “Yeah, yeah, so let him go then?”
Shui Yue said softly, “I’ve let go. I have no connection to him anymore, nor do I wish for anyone to disturb my mind. I only desire to return to the living world, to resume my vows and reclaim my Dharma name.”
“That doesn’t seem quite right. You say past lives and present lives aren’t the same person, yet you still want to kill him. Isn’t that hypocritical and unreasonable?” Lan He said, feeling that this female ghost wasn’t truly disappointed in Old Bai. Did she really want to return to being a nun? Even so, she must not realize how much she’s changed. No genuine Buddhist disciple would sever worldly ties by killing an ex-lover.
She wanted to take advantage of the yin-yang chaos to return to life. It was a clever strategy… But once she returned to life, becoming a living being again, wouldn’t she fear being immediately dragged back by him?
This thought struck Lan He, and as he exchanged a glance with Shui Yue, a chill ran down his spine.
…Right, Shui Yue certainly wouldn’t want any obstacles around her return to life. Moreover, she needed a body to reincarnate into, which meant eliminating anyone who might hinder her—including them.
This explained why she had targeted Song Futan earlier. Guilty conscience. She instinctively saw him as a potential obstacle.
The next moment, Shui Yue raised her hand, and the blue ribbon lashed out.
Lan He narrowly dodged, grabbing the ribbon as it swung again. He struggled as he slashed through it, only for the severed ribbon to transform into cursed water that froze his left hand to the point of nearly severing his soul.
“Huff, huff.” Lan He blew on his hand to warm it, forgetting that his breath itself was cold.
Song Futan, still in his physical body, took Lan He’s hand and placed it against his chest. The yang energy immediately warmed it.
The others were stunned. Those unfamiliar with Song Futan, though having seen them appear together before, now found this scene even stranger. They couldn’t help but think there was something… odd about the relationship between Lord Lai and this man.
Of all present, Sikong understood the situation best, but he dared not say anything.
“Cover me while I fold some paper!” Lan He quickly said to the Taoists from Eastern Peak Temple. “Call someone! If you can’t reach Lords Xie and Fan, call a living person! Get Lord Jiang here!”
The Taoists snapped out of their daze and hurriedly responded. But Shui Yue, though unfamiliar with phones, understood the concept of summoning reinforcements. With a wave of her hand, frost enveloped their phones. While the devices could power on, the freezing drained their batteries instantly.
Lan He: “…”
Looking down, he shivered as his stiff fingers folded paper frantically.
This was a religious cultural exchange conference, so while many attendees had come, not all were trained to deal with ghosts or spirits. Some had never even seen a ghost before. These individuals needed protection from the other masters. Sikong gathered everyone into a corner of the venue to chant scriptures and recite spells, while the combat-capable practitioners joined forces to battle Shui Yue.
Lan He folded paper, and Song Futan drew talismans. Though the talismans were ineffective against Shui Yue, they could enhance Lan He’s folded charms as support.
Lan He felt uneasy. How long would this celestial phenomenon last? If reinforcements didn’t arrive, could they hold out? This ex-daughter-in-law was truly formidable.
Just then, Lan He heard a Taoist shout, “Who’s that?”
“Why are they hiding there? Are they staff? They look strangled to death!”
“Lord Lai, what do we do?!”
Lan He looked up and saw Shui Yue’s ribbon coiled tightly around a figure dressed in a white shirt and black pants. Their face was obscured.
Lan He: “!!!”
That’s my body!!
Lan He remembered he still had Miss Hu’s fingernails and quickly took them out to burn them to ashes. He rushed toward Shui Yue, braving the severe cold, tearing off the blue silk cloth, and reclaimed his body, hugging it tightly in a state of shock.
If he lost it, he would be finished…
The Taoists saw how much Lan He cared about this innocent “bystander” and assumed he was just concerned for human life. The Taoists, who were otherwise unhelpful, quickly offered to check on the “bystander,” who seemed to have lost consciousness.
“No need!!” Lan He stopped them from taking his body, placed it under the table, and hastily said, “Don’t worry about it now. This person is fine, just passed out. Just leave them here.”
The Daoist priest from Eastern Peak Temple said, “We still can’t be careless. I am a Daoist healer; how about I check the pulse first?”
Lan He was in a dilemma.
Si Kong quickly interjected, “Let me watch over it.”
He was in the know, so Lan He trusted him to safeguard the body.
The Taoists exchanged puzzled glances, feeling something was off with this Impermanent. Since when did Si Kong possess medical skills? On the contrary, the Daoist priest from Eastern Peak Temple was genuinely skilled in healing. Did this Impermanent switch sides or something?
…
Meanwhile, on the third floor.
After waiting in the dark for a while, everyone, initially quietly playing on their phones, gradually began to chat.
“Why does it feel like it’s getting colder and colder…”
“The lights are out, but the air conditioning isn’t, right? What’s it set to now?”
“The temperature outside must be dropping too, with this heavy rain. I heard that in such weather, it might even hail.”
“Did you hear any noise from downstairs?”
“There’s a religious exchange meeting going on downstairs. Probably monks and Daoists chanting scriptures, maybe even some martial monks.”
“…”
For some reason, Wang Lili felt uneasy. He got up and walked to the window. The bizarre daytime that resembled a dark night inexplicably reminded him of his partner, Xiao Lai.
He hadn’t seen Xiao Lai for some time and wondered where he had gone…
With nothing better to do, Wang Lili took out his notebook, lit by his phone, and began sketching simple drawings.
“Are you drawing Brother Lan He?”
A female fan leaned over and asked, “It’s so cute!”
“No…” Wang Lili smiled. “It’s a friend of mine.”
He was drawing Xiao Lai, but without the tall hat. Otherwise, anyone who had read his comic *My Underworld Partner* would recognize that this was his imagined everyday version of his partner, Xiao Lai.
On a whim, he also drew an ugly-looking Old Bai beside it.
“Oh,” the female fan said. “I thought it was Brother Lan He.”
A pair of eyes flashed through Wang Lili’s mind. Just as he was about to say something, the host announced, “The power will come back soon!” diverting everyone’s thoughts and sparking cheers.
The return of electricity meant seeing Lan He soon!
…
The view shifted downward from the third-floor window. Inside another window in the same position, chaos reigned.
Shui Yue had already noticed Lan He constantly crafting origami animals for long-range attacks. That was fine—those origami animals were just distractions, protecting the Taoists.
But then Lan He started folding Old Bai.
With a wave of his hand, five paper Old Bais flew out to rescue others.
Shui Yue: “………………”
Although Shui Yue claimed to have nothing to do with Bai Ruyi and denied that Bai Ruyi was that person, she knew deep down that she had recognized him long ago when Old Bai went to the Underworld on official business. Even after reincarnation, with a completely different personality, his soul still carried traces of its past life.
This transformation left Shui Yue with extremely mixed feelings.
And Lan He deliberately arranged them, ensuring that no matter where Shui Yue looked, a paper Old Bai was always staring at her. It was heart-wrenching.
“…You!” Shui Yue exploded in anger, stretching out her hands to choke Lan He.
Lan He still had some of Miss Hu’s power. Hunching his back, he leapt away and threw a small folded paper sword: “Divine Gold and Radiant Spirits, commanding a hundred beings, warding off all evils, the heavens and earth in harmony!”
The paper sword was sharp and piercing, but Shui Yue caught its blade with her slender fingers. “It’s all emptiness in the end…”
Lan He had thought the paper sword would disintegrate into ashes like the others. To his surprise, she lightly tapped it with her finger, causing the sword to turn around. She pinched the hilt with two fingers and flung it back at him!
Lan He tried to dodge, but a dark gleam flashed past, and the paper sword was intercepted.
The one who stopped the sword slowly raised his head. His cold, snake-like pupils locked onto Shui Yue. Though in human form, his shadow expanded into a snake’s silhouette, swaying gently, casting a dark pall over Shui Yue.
It was Liu 13, who was supposed to be patrolling Honglian Park!
Without turning his head, Liu 13 casually threw the sword back to Lan He.
Shui Yue stared at the snake shadow and recognized him. “Liu Clan…”
Lan He was stunned and blurted out, “Old Four, why are you here?”
Liu 13 retorted, “Weren’t you the one who sent a message for help?”
Lan He had indeed burned a message, summoning all the family spirits and Impermanent, including Liu 13. Lan He, confused, said, “I did burn a message, but with daylight turning pitch black, wouldn’t the senses of ghosts and gods be impaired? How could you find your way?”
After all, even Black and White Impermanent were still lost.
Liu 13 said, “I saw the news and came straight here.”
Lan He and Song Futan: “………………”
The other Taoists and Shui Yue couldn’t understand their exchange, but Lan He knew that Old Four had been tracking their movements. He didn’t need a message for directions. Honglian Park wasn’t far; he just used the address from the news.
“…Fine, heaven really has eyes,” Lan He said, feeling confident now that Liu 13 had arrived. Old Four could fight.
Shui Yue studied Liu 13. Though unfamiliar with the Liu Clan, she sensed his powerful aura. Hearing Lan He call him Old Four, she said, “Liu Si, are you also here for Bai Ruyi?”
Liu 13 looked baffled. “What nonsense are you talking about? Who the hell is Bai Ruyi, and who is Liu Si? I’m Liu 13!”
Shui Yue: “…”
Shui Yue: “Aren’t you Old Four?”
Liu 13, irritated, snapped, “How would I know why he calls me Old Four? I’m ranked thirteenth in the Liu Clan.”
Everyone: “………………”
Si Kong was especially puzzled. Liu 13 didn’t know? Even I know.
“Enough talking. Bai Ruyi is Old Bai; save him first.” Seeing Old Four arrive, Lan He grabbed Song Futan and called the others, confidently moving forward to snatch Shui Yue’s bottle.
But Liu 13 hesitated. “Bai Ruyi is Old Bai?”
He wasn’t too fond of Old Bai.
This moment of hesitation gave Shui Yue an opening. A swath of dark energy swept over them as her silk whip lashed out. The Taoists were flung aside, and though Lan He had Miss Hu’s speed, he stumbled mid-dodge. Song Futan quickly caught him from behind.
Lan He angrily scolded, “Why are you so petty?”
Shui Yue, however, was wary of the Liu Clan. Though she had never fought them, their reputation for fierce and relentless combat made her cautious. Even if they were outmatched, they would fight to the death.
But now, Liu 13 clearly held some grudge against Bai Ruyi. After hearing the Impermanent’s words, his gaze turned cold, flashing with a chilling gleam.
As the Impermanent collapsed onto his companion, Shui Yue noticed Liu 13 ignoring her entirely, stepping closer to the complaining Impermanent. He raised his hand—
Shui Yue smiled knowingly. “It’s said the Four Great Clans are the villains among the divine, moody and wicked…”
The other Taoists turned pale. The Liu Clan’s capricious and vengeful nature was notorious. They wanted to warn the Impermanent but felt despair. Even if they did, Liu 13 would likely overpower them.
Before anyone could react, Liu 13 pressed down forcefully, shoving Lan He’s head straight onto Song Futan’s lips. A firm, solid kiss.
Lan He and Song Futan: “…………”
Everyone else: “…………”
Lan He pushed against Song Futan’s chest, trying to get up. “…Mmph mmph!”
Trying to get up? Liu 13 refused to let go, his face twisted in a fierce grin, a hint of cold amusement curling at the corner of his lips.
Shui Yue: “?????”
Hahahaha got his sugar
This guy might just kill him from suffocation 😭😭 Why you airing them out dude