Musheng - End

Three days later, "my" Musheng reopened.

It still sells cotton candy, but since I don't know how to make it, I went to the neighboring street and found a vendor who can make cotton candy to work part-time in the shop. Fortunately, this new assistant doesn't charge a high price, and the cotton candy he makes tastes decent, although it lacks a bit of creativity in flavor compared to those made by Mu using sorcery. But it still has a market.

However, the real money doesn't just come from selling cotton candy. Don't forget, I can also read tarot cards. I have mastered this tool to the extent that I don't need to rely on any magic. Using the cards in my hand, I help find lost cats and dogs for those bunglers who come to my door, or offer useful advice to those with worries on their minds. Then, I conveniently receive a few small red envelopes and such. Days like these are not bad at all.

I've placed the Death card that Mu left for me in the bedroom, in the most conspicuous place on the dressing table.

Of course, I've placed it upside down because it always appears reversed.

The reversed Death card — fighting death for life.

This is how I always interpret the card for others.

I feel like I have a talent for business. At least, after a month, Musheng's turnover is quite good. There are far more people coming to me for divination than buying cotton candy.

Many customers who were snatched away by Musheng have returned to Unceasing. They said the desserts from Unceasing are tastier. Although Unceasing and I seem to have no connection at the moment, I am still pleased to hear such comments.

Ren Xiaochen, Little Fatso, and the others occasionally come to Musheng as well, but I believe Mu has indeed erased their memories.

Although they will never remember the hair-rising events that once happened in their lives, and they will never remember me as the demon who risked her all to save them, as long as I see their young and bright faces, and watch them living well in this time, I feel I haven't made too much loss in this business.

One day, it was Fatty and Skinny who came. These two chaps, boorish as ever, asked for my cellphone number using the excuse of buying cotton candy. I ultimately beat them out with a broom as is only natural.

I distinctly heard Fatty, who was scurrying away like a rat, say to Skinny, "How come this lady boss is even fiercer than our lady boss?"

I sniggered and dusted off my hands. How many people can there be in the world who are fiercer than your lady boss.

As for what the future holds, I don't know. Although I have tarot cards, I have never entertained the idea of divining for myself.

Am I afraid? Impossible. The word afraid does not exist in the dictionary of this Sagittarius tree demon.

I just feel that precisely because the future is full of variables, life becomes meaningful; as long as our sincere nature remains unchanged, the goals of our efforts remain unchanged, and our hopeful expectations remain unchanged.

I hung a "rhyming couplet" written with my own hands in Musheng's business area. Er… fine, let's reluctantly call it rhyming couplet.

The first line is: My talents are destined to be useful.

The second line is: I'll get back all the gold I lost.

Horizontal scroll: Take things as they come.

At the end, there's also a smiley I drew.

No matter whether I am Unceasing's lady boss or Musheng's lady boss, no matter whose appearance I change into, I am still me. Tree demon Shaluo, a Sagittarius, born in the snowy December on Mount Fulong's summit.

Of course, I am also sure that a battle with a certain someone is just the beginning.

---

Translator:

对联(rhyming couplet) is a pair of lines of verse written vertically down the sides of a doorway(see image below). Shaluo's "rhyming couplet" is actually from Li Bai's poem 'Bring in the Wine' (將進酒). 天生我材必有用, 千金散去还复来. A rough translation:

"Heaven has given us talents, we're not made in vain.
A thousand gold coins spent, more will turn up again."

天生我材必有用 has become a proverb meaning "Everybody has something that they were born to be good at." I translated the lines to reflect what I believe is Shaluo's intention.

Example of rhyming couplet

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Musheng - Part 10

"Master, I have successfully retrieved what you asked for."

She respectfully presented the black leather bag.

In the spacious and empty room, there was only a large table and a chair, with the black floor piled with books.

The man sitting behind the table was drawing something on a piece of paper. He just nodded slightly, indicating for her to put it down.

The room was practically devoid of light or sound, and the rustling of the man's brush moving on the paper was the only sound.

"Master, I..." She hesitated.

"Is there anything else?" The man's voice was deep and rich, carrying a tangible weight. He lifted his head slightly, and his cold, hawk-like eyes flashed in the darkness. After a moment, he lowered his head again, "If there's nothing else, you may leave. You did a good job this time."

"Yes!" She withdrew happily, like a rewarded child.

The room returned to a deathly silence, and the faint light slowly moved to the paper under the man's hands. It could vaguely be seen that he was drawing a portrait of a woman on the paper.

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Musheng - Part 9

Life is so wonderful. I've always firmly believed this.

You see, overnight, I inexplicably went from being Unceasing's lady boss to Musheng's lady boss.

Honestly, I'm still a little sad. All the gold I saved has now become someone else's possession.

Even the two boorish men, Fatty and Skinny, have now become someone else's subordinates.

No wonder Mu said I would lose everything.

It took me three hours by car to get back to the city. Being unable to ride the clouds is really inconvenient.

Standing in Musheng's business area, I looked at the cotton candy that hadn't been sold yet and started planning how to make a living using this little store. Dying because I can't return to my real body is a fairly normal death, but if I starve to death because I don't have money to eat, that'll be truly stupid and cowardly!

I started by making an inventory of all the fixed assets in the store. I'll sell whatever is valuable for cash and use it for some small investments or something.

Of course, I've also considered seeking help and such from guys like Jiu Jue. Even if they can't break this malicious curse for me, at least they would be willing to keep me like a sponger, right? But I quickly dismissed this idea. Firstly, that treacherous fake tree demon would definitely be keeping a close eye on me; it wouldn't be right to involve my friends at this time. Secondly, Jiu Jue might not believe what I say. Because all demons determine identity based on "scent." Demons are ever-changing, but each demon's "scent" is as unreproducible as DNA. How can I convince Jiu Jue that a body without Shaluo's scent is the real me? It's too troublesome.

Most of the time, I prefer to solve problems independently.

I hung a "Closed for Business" sign at Musheng's entrance, giving myself some much needed time to quietly think about what to do next.

That night, I cooked a packet of instant noodles I'd dug out from the refrigerator, and thought it was rather appetizing. I never thought this kind of junk food was delicious before. It seems that living with a different identity isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I'm so good at comforting myself.

During the day, Mu's words to me – "That's what I called you many, many years ago" – suddenly popped into my mind. Her expression didn't look like she casually cooked it up.

Do I know her? And we met "many, many years ago"? Why do I have no recollection at all?

As I pondered, a sudden headache struck. Tossing the chopsticks aside, I crawled into the bed in the inner room and lay down.

Her bed, like mine, was clean and had a faint fragrance. The pillow was also fluffy and soft, and lying on it felt just like lying on my own pillow.

After all the turmoil, I sank deeply into slumberland as an "ordinary human" for the first time.

"Big Sister Shaluo, take me with you!"

"That's not possible. We're different."

"Why are we different? Aren't we born in the same place?"

"I told you, we're not the same."

"What's different? You can do it, and I can too! I want to live freely like you, Big Sister!"

"Staying here is better for you."

"Lies! You're lying! You're lying! If you can do it, why can't I!"

I was awakened from my midnight dreams by two voices arguing incessantly. That dialogue, which came out of nowhere and had been hidden for who knows how many years, suddenly evoked a memory that I had forgotten.

I got out of bed, opened the window, and stretched my groggy head into the cool breeze, letting it hit my face.

Mu… Mu…

Suddenly, it dawned on me.

Why I couldn't see through this woman, why I couldn't detect any demonic aura from her, and why I felt close to her from the very beginning...

At that moment, I finally knew the answer.

There are very few tree demons in this world who can cultivate into human forms. Precisely because it's so challenging to achieve, those tree demons who manage it usually possess higher abilities than other demons. Their ability to discern the identity of others based on scent is also the most powerful. However, tree demons are unable to perceive the scent of their own kind, especially those who grow in the same land as themselves; their scents are often similar.

There was no moonlight outside the window, and the dark clouds in the sky were getting thicker and thicker, as if they were about to fall from the heavens.

My heart suddenly felt like the sky I was seeing; so heavy that it was about to fall.

Mu is the same as me, has always been the same as me, a tree demon.

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Musheng - Part 8

Another distinctive sound of gurgling water and a strange lingering fragrance pulled me out of a dreamless sleep. When I opened my eyes, my boat was on a wide river and going against the current. Countless crimson flowers bloomed along the riverbank, extending in a gentle curve under the night sky, unseen in its entirety, resembling a plain of blood yet also fire.

This is it, the Underworld.

The river named River of Forgetfulness, the flowers known as Bian^[1], and the scent that pervades all around which is contrary to the human world — all made me sure that this was the place we needed to come to, just a step away from the world we wished to return to.

The kids gradually woke up as well. Looking at the surroundings and the expanse above that seemed like the sky but wasn't quite, they asked me in some panic where we were.

I didn't tell them it was the land of the dead. I just informed them that it was the only way home.

They finally had pleasantly surprised expressions.

The boat cut through the river, and those swaying red spider lilies seemed like friendly hosts, watching our party of uninvited guests.

We didn't encounter any abnormalities along the way. In reality, the Underworld is not the terrifying place solely associated with death in legends. It's merely a space that accommodates a different way of existence, nothing more. The universe is like that, with everything having two sides, black and white, yin and yang, life and death. This is the genuine balance. At least, the Underworld is still a normal space, much more straightforward than the previous world filled with fires and the Bull-head Devil.

I began contemplating whether I should seriously deal with Mu upon returning. That woman is really a scourge.

The sound of water grew weaker, and I observed the river flowing slower and the water level decreasing. Where the river completely disappeared, there was a dry expanse of gravel. Each pebble was as smooth as a mirror, and in the midst of their iridescent colors, there was a rectangular, door-like black object wrapped up in white light moving around its edges. Upon closer inspection, that black square was a thing formed by continuously flipping black eddies. From time to time, some strange and magnificent light would penetrate through the gaps between those eddies.

It was... the light of the human world.

"All right, we're almost home," I announced to the gang of little rascals with a smile.

They seemed somewhat incredulous, dumbfoundedly asking, "Really? You're not lying?"

"You'll know once we're out," I winked at them.

Taking a deep breath, I patted my real body and said smilingly, "Thank you for your hard work this time. I'll make sure to water you with more spirit dew later. Next year, you'll surely grow even more lush." Finishing my words, I held out my hand to Little Fatso. "Give me your hand, and the rest of you hold hands in a chain. Don't let go!"

The black swirled as the boat's bow slowly entered the "door." Little Fatso couldn't even bring himself to open his eyes, clutching my hand with sweaty palms. The girls were in a similar state, holding onto each other's hands tightly, eyes shut in fear.

My body was the first to pass through those eddies — refreshingly cool, with no discomfort whatsoever. A second later, everything brightened before me, and my body was enveloped in a long-lost warmth. Sunlight, real sunlight belonging to the human world, spilled down from the clear and crisp autumn sky. Distant mountain ranges and highways at the foot of the mountains, along with vehicles speeding past often, were all really in front of me.

Quack, quack, quack!

Following the sound, I turned my head and saw a group of ducks leisurely strolling by the deserted pond. Some of them flapped their wings and looked curiously at the unremarkable things that had emerged from the void.

That's how the exit of the underworld works — unpredictable. No one knows where they'll end up in the human world after making their way out. Thankfully, it was a pond in the suburbs. If we had appeared in someone's home out of thin air, we would have scared the innocent out of their wits.

I smiled and knocked on Little Fatso's head, saying, "We're here, open your eyes!"

He tentatively opened one eye, then stared blankly before bursting into excitement. He shook off my hand and shouted, "I'm back, I'm back!"

The hull was still moving outward, and the two girls with glasses came out safely, followed by the last one, Ren Xiaochen.

At long last, my heart was completely at ease.

Little Fatso and the two bespectacled girls scrambled to jump off the boat. Ren Xiaochen was about to follow when her face changed abruptly. She screamed as her body, which had already come out of the gateway to the Underworld, was dragged back toward the door by an inexplicable force.

'Shit!' I shouted in my mind. The boat had already left the Underworld. If Ren Xiaochen, an ordinary human, was dragged back to the Underworld at this moment without the protection of my real body, her body and soul would be torn into pieces instantly by the completely opposite forces of the Underworld and the human world.

I rushed forward, grabbing her hand and shouting, "Hold on!"

The other three children instinctively tried to come help, but I shouted them away. I couldn't let them get close to this suddenly erratic exit anymore. If one more unlucky rascal was dragged in, I wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Help!" Ren Xiaochen cried in distress.

I could clearly feel her body sinking into the Underworld bit by bit. The invisible opponent behind the door was evidently much stronger than me.

"I don't want to die... I don't want to die!" Ren Xiaochen wailed as struggled desperately outward, calling for my help.

The fact is both my strength and spiritual power had been consumed to the limit at this moment.

But how could I fall short at this critical moment!

I made up my mind and transformed my hands into resilient branches, tightly wrapping them around Ren Xiaochen's arms and the exposed part of her body, thinking, even if I have to exhaust all my life's strength, even if I die in the next moment, I will drag this girl out!

Holding my breath, I gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, and leaned backward, shouting, "Come out!"

It was finally my turn to be "super strong."

With a pop, Ren Xiaochen was dragged entirely out of the door by me, falling onto me. The tremendous force of impact caused both of us to slide backward for quite a distance, scaring the ducks to scatter everywhere.

Ren Xiaochen was probably terrified and nestled into my arms, sobbing loudly.

I patted her back and comforted, "There, there, everything's fine now. Just don't wipe your nose on me, okay, you..."

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt something was wrong. A slight sting, mixed with a numbing sensation, gradually spread across my chest.

Ren Xiaochen climbed off me, moved her right hand away from my chest, and stood aside. There was a sinister and cunning smile inconsistent with her age on her soft and immature face. However, her gaze only held empty blankness.

I tried to stand up but found it impossible — there was an incomparably sharp ice pick as thick as a little finger pierced in my chest. The body of the awl was covered with various runes, and they kept moving inside like strange insects, swiftly heading towards my heart. Enduring the pain, I gripped the ice pick, attempting to pull it out. However, as soon as my palm touched it, the thing in my hand turned into a puddle of water, then vanished within my grasp.

Now, it wasn't just a sting; it was acute pain. From the inside out, every inch of my body felt like it was being torn apart by countless sharp teeth, and my head was about to explode with pain. It felt like a saw was cutting the top of my skull open to take something away from inside.

"Xiaochen... you..." Her companions were clearly terrified by her actions, backing away as if they were seeing a ghost. But Ren Xiaochen stood still as if nothing had happened.

My vision became a little blurry, perhaps from the cold sweat falling like rain getting into my eyes. In the haze, I vaguely saw a light and graceful figure approaching me.

Now, I couldn't even wipe the sweat from my own brow.

The figure continued to approach, and finally passed through my body.

I didn't feel anything particularly unusual, just a sense that something that belonged to me had left with the person who passed through my body.

Gradually, the unbearable pain subsided, my body felt much lighter than before, my eyes cleared, and I could sit up. I raised my head, and the person standing opposite me, even if it was only their back view, seemed so familiar.

"I warned you that you'll lose everything."

The person slowly turned around, revealing a victorious smile.

I froze — that person turned out to be me. Facial features, body, voice, even the color of the eyes and hair, all identical to mine. No, that was not just my body; what emanated from that body was my own unique, unmistakable scent that couldn't be imitated.

I turned my head in a flurry and leaned over the edge of the pond, looking at the face reflected on the water's surface. My breath caught—

The reflection on the water was not me; it was Mu.

Our bodies had been switched.

"Those children were never my target. They were just my bait." The "me" across from me took out a rope as thick as a fishing line from her pocket and tossed it forward. The rope coiled around my real body like a snake. She held onto the rope, pulled it back, and the "boat" that belonged to me, wrapped and compressed, turned into a fist-sized ball of light, which she then stored in a black leather bag.

"The fish I wanted to lure was you from the beginning," she put away the leather bag, approached me, and looked down at me with arrogance, "Doesn't everyone praise tree demon Shaluo for being extremely clever? So there's indeed a gap between legend and reality. If I were you, I wouldn't risk so much for a few unfamiliar brats."

I just smiled and didn't speak.

I know she wants to see me go crazy, but I won't give her that satisfaction.

"I really don't understand why everyone likes to praise you. What's so good about you?" She bent down, scrutinizing my face. "Even that insufferably arrogant Lord Hell King considers you a friend and is willing to give you such a precious thing as a birthday present. I'm really puzzled."

"It's not that you don't understand; you're just jealous." Even though "I" was no longer "I," my skill to hit the nail on the head when I speak was still there.

"Being too nice to someone might harm that person. If not for that birthday gift, my master wouldn't have sent me to find you." She chuckled coldly, patting the leather bag on her waist. "Your real body now belongs to my master."

Yes, the close friend I mentioned is the current Lord of the Underworld. On that birthday, this close friend dropped a drop of blood from her fingertip on my real body. It is because of this drop of Lord of the Underworld's blood that my real body gained the ability to traverse anywhere without restrictions. I'm probably the only demon capable of freely entering and leaving the Underworld, as long as I wish to. The essence of this gift is actually just trust. However, I really didn't expect it to bring me this trouble.

"Opening Musheng, stealing my business, attracting my attention, and then intentionally making me discover the fact that the missing children are trapped in a different space, knowing that I won't stand by no matter the cost, and exploiting the chance when I'm spent and my spiritual power is depleted to finally steal my real body… You and your master have been setting traps step by step, leading me to unknowingly fall into your scheme. You must have used some underhanded method to manipulate that kid Ren Xiaochen early on. You knew I wouldn't be on guard against her." At this point, I couldn't help but applaud and laugh, "Excellent! Such treacherous and shameless opponents like you, I like!"

"Haha, you're still as stubborn^[2] as ever." She pointed at me and laughed heartily, then looked at Ren Xiaochen. "But my master's goal is just to obtain your real body. As for me, I voluntarily added a task for myself, which is..."

"To take away my human form and replace it." I smoothly took over the conversation, laughing, "Do you like being me so much?"

She walked to Ren Xiaochen's side, lightly sliced her neck where the artery was with her fingers, and pulled out a thin silver thread, wrapping it around her finger like a piece of cotton candy.

"I spent a month cultivating the Soul-Gnawing Spike specially prepared for you in that silly girl's body. Every piece of the new-flavored cotton candies she ate were infused with special materials and took my painstaking effort. I know you have some good skills and taking away your body isn't easy. And as you know, the Soul-Gnawing Spike can only achieve the best result when the attacked party's mind is completely defenseless. Fortunately, I did it, and very smoothly." After extracting the thread from Ren Xiaochen's body, a small blood spot appeared on the kid's neck. "But rest assured, I won't do anything to these stupid children. They've already assisted me in completing my mission. I'll erase their memories and send them home safe and sound. How can I let the huge sacrifice you made of going to save them in your boat be in vain, great Big Sister Shaluo."

I sighed, the pain in my body having subsided considerably. I attempted to stand up and waved to her, saying, "I told you, don't claim relationships randomly. I don't have the blessing to enjoy having a sister like you."

"But..." Her gaze suddenly became meaningful. "That's what I called you many, many years ago."

I was slightly taken aback.

She resumed her mocking expression and widened her eyes in feigned innocence, the same eyes that used to belong to me. She said earnestly, "By the way, a friendly reminder for you. The Soul-Gnawing Spike is a special poison curse. It can turn your everything into mine. But it's not impossible to break the curse. When someone recognizes that you are the real Shaluo, the curse will be broken. But remember, what you tell or hint to others doesn't count; it only works if others 'actively' recognize you. Also, demons poisoned with this curse lose all their magical powers. What you have now is actually my body, which is no different from an ordinary human."

I simply listened in silence, refraining from asking any questions or making comments.

Seeing that I remained unresponsive, she lost her cool a bit, sneering, "Although this body of mine is more than enough for you, there's one drawback. When the Colorless flower blooms next year, you won't be able to return to your real body because you lost it within a day, along with..." She stroked "her" hair with satisfaction, "along with this human form you've cultivated. You know, if you can't return to your real body to absorb vitality, you will disappear." She paused, counting on her fingers, "You have roughly a year left. Of course, if someone recognizes you during this time, retrieves your human form for you, and manages to snatch back your real body from my master… If you can accomplish these two nearly impossible tasks, I'll admit that you, tree demon Shaluo, indeed have skills that surpass mine."

"I never need anyone's recognition," I said indifferently, yawning and looking at the innocent kids she had rendered unconscious. "I just hope you keep your word and return these little rascals intact."

"Of course," she raised an eyebrow, smiling. "I've treated you well. Not only did I spare your life, but I also gifted you a nice little shop. You can still be your own boss, you see, just in a different environment."

"Mn, thanks." My smile was especially joyful, "Congratulations to you too on starting a new chapter in your life starting from today, living an interesting life in this interesting world as me. I also want to remind you to be careful of the two troublemakers, Fatty and Skinny, in my shop. They absolutely have the potential to give you an aneurysm!"

"Oh, mutual congratulations! Then, congratulations on your new position, Musheng's 'new' proprietress." She tilted her face up and shot me a coquettish glance. Then, as if remembering something, she pulled out a few banknotes and threw them at me. "I almost forgot you have no magic powers now. This is the suburbs; if you want to return to Musheng, you'll have to take a taxi, hahaha."

Leaving behind a string of mocking laughter, I watched the other "me" skillfully ride the clouds, taking the four children and everything she had taken from me, flying towards the sky.

In the air, someone seemed to think that I hadn't been hit hard enough and shouted again, "Here's a souvenir for you."

Something small floated down from mid-air and dropped in front of me.

A tarot card, Death.

I glanced at the orientation of the card, lifted my head, and yelled to the far-away figure with an undiminished smile — "Dear, the Death card you gave me is still reversed."

I picked up the card and put it away. I must carefully collect the gifts others give me.

---

[1] 彼岸: The Other Shore (literal). Another name for red spider lilies, described as ominous flowers that grow in Hell and guide the dead into the next reincarnation.  

[2] 嘴硬: reluctant to admit one's mistakes.

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Musheng - Part 7

Being a demon is really terrific! My boat can actually travel through water, land, as well as air!

I didn't forget to make fun of myself even at this critical juncture. I'm truly unafraid of death.

With the help of my real body and using the card as a medium, entering this partly real, partly illusionary tarot world was effortless. My seemingly humble boat swiftly navigated the turbulent sea, but not a drop of seawater touched it. There seems to be a faint red light all around the boat, continuously creating a barrier that keeps anything deemed undesirable away, isolating it within a safe zone.

Fortunately, the tower hadn't collapsed completely, but it was entirely surrounded by a raging inferno—both above and below.

My boat leaped smoothly, ascending from the bottom to the top of the tower. Only then did I see clearly that the violent lightning, like a scalpel, had sliced off the domed top of the tower, exposing jagged fractures in the air that were scorched black. The top floor was engulfed in fierce flames, thick smoke billowing up and obscuring my view. My boat was floating above this roofless room, but I couldn't see the situation inside.

"Hey! You little rascals! You're not dead, are you?" I shouted as I forced the boat down.

"No! We're fine! You're back? Hurry, save us!"

Three faint lights forming a triangle gradually emerged from the thick smoke, accompanied by the racket kicked up by the kids. I breathed a sigh of relief; I wasn't too late.

Flames, enough to burn people into coke, were continuously peering greedily outside the Three Kings' Defensive Barrier seal. Everything in this place had been consumed by them, except for the kids in the triangular seal. Once again, I thanked the monkey.

I reached out and dragged the four unlucky guys onto the boat one by one. Just then, there was a loud rumble, and the robust and grand building collapsed layer by layer before our eyes. In the end, it was like a puddle of mud, half of which fell on the fire-lit ground and half fell into the tumultuous sea.

The kids were so scared by the scene unfolding before them that they couldn't speak. They clung to the sides of the boat with such force that it seemed they would crush it.

"All right, no need to be afraid," I said, sitting at the bow of the boat and observing the battered and exhausted little rascals. "We'll be home soon."

Little Fatso pursed his lips and nodded sharply. The half-grown boy was like a little girl, with tears of grievance welling up in his eyes, fearing he'll be mocked if he shed them in front of others.

The young girl named Ren Xiaochen covered her heart for a long time. After seemingly calming down a little, she raised her head and looked at me somewhat timidly: "Are you... Are you the god who came to rescue us? You... You won't take us to another terrifying place, will you?"

"I'm not a god, but I can still rescue you," I poked the paranoid young girl on the forehead. "Do you think there could be a place scarier than that tower we just left?"

The four kids shook their heads in unison.

"There you go. Anyway, I'll safely take you away from here."

I know that my earnest appearance when making promises to others makes it easy for them to believe and feel reassured. The children gradually tossed away their deep fear and despair, beginning to anticipate the joy of surviving the ordeal.

The boat descended slowly from the sky, traveling through an endless wilderness. There was no moon in the sky, only two or three tattered stars, and an eerie dark blue light flowed on the ground. Thanks to the gift from my close friend, my boat had the ability to seek out the entrance to the Underworld on its own. We just needed to follow it.

"Okay, now tell me how you guys ended up here. Did you all go to Musheng and find the proprietress?" I brought up a topic, fearing that prolonged silence would trigger a new round of psychological pressure, especially in this extraordinary environment.

As soon as I said the word "Musheng," the kids trembled in unison as if bitten by some evil creature.

"It's all your fault! If you hadn't insisted on dragging me along, I wouldn't have ended up in this hellhole," Little Fatso grumbled, shooting a resentful glance at the three girls.

"Damn fatty, you're the one who kept pestering us to take you along! It's you who said you wanted so badly to rank in the top three and feel what it's like to be a top student, so your mom wouldn't scold you for being a loser. That's why we took you there!" The sharp-eyed girl beside him whacked him on the head.

"You guys are no different! Always thinking about being top students!" Little Fatso rubbed his head aggrievedly, "Anyway, it's all your fault. If you didn't keep going to that horrible place, getting to know that old witch, I wouldn't have been dragged down by you like this!"

I didn't intervene; it was amusing to listen to these little guys bickering. On the whole, I roughly understood the ins and outs of this matter from their arguments.

The three girls, just like the other children, initially frequented Musheng simply because the cotton candy sold there was exceptionally delicious. Unexpectedly, one day, Musheng's proprietress suddenly told Ren Xiaochen that she sensed she had something on her mind, so there was no harm in sharing it and perhaps she might have a way to help her. It turns out that Ren Xiaochen's father had accidentally lost an important contract, and if he couldn't recover it, they would face trouble from the other party's lawsuit. So, Mu used her tarot cards to do a divination for her and told her that the contract was in the drawer of her father's colleague. As a result, the contract was indeed found. From then on, the "myth" that Musheng's proprietress could divine spread in private, attracting many students, and Mu welcomed them all. However, she showed extra care for Ren Xiaochen. Every time the girl visited, she was the first to offer her new flavors of cotton candy, free of charge. Ren Xiaochen naturally liked and trusted this beautiful and kind shop owner. On Ren Xiaochen's birthday, Mu said she wanted to give her a special gift, a wish. Mu claimed she could help her realize any wish she had. Surprisingly, Ren Xiaochen believed her. She told Mu that it wasn't just her; the biggest wish she and her two good friends had was to change their current situation — they wanted to experience the feeling of being top students, and no longer face the disappointed gaze of their parents and the teachers' helpless sighs. They wanted to become those enviable individuals who live in praise and applause; the so-called top students. Mu agreed and even allowed her to bring the two good friends along, with the condition that this matter must be kept secret. As for Little Fatso who was in a different class but the same school as the girls, he overheard their conversation by accident and insisted on joining, threatening that if they didn't let him participate, he would make the matter known to the whole school…

The result can be guessed. When they followed Mu's instructions and simultaneously placed their fingers on the "Tower" card, a scary change occurred — they were "sucked" into another world, a place without any aid. They didn't even know how they entered this world or how much time had passed until I found them. They said there was no day or night in this place, time seemed frozen, and they didn't feel hunger, only endless fear.

Poor foolish kids.

"Remember this, a wish is something that must be kept in your heart and realized through real effort. The evil spirits and heretics in this world excel at exploiting the human desire for shortcuts, using your wishes to do things that harm you," I earnestly told Ren Xiaochen and the others. "Also, you are you, the only one in the world. Don't let yourself become a copy of someone else due to envy or other emotions; it's meaningless. The preciousness of life lies in its uniqueness, as it cannot be duplicated."

The children exchanged glances but didn't speak, hanging their heads silently.

The boat glided smoothly over the rough ground without making any sound. It was as light as a feather drifting across the sky, carrying us towards a passage hidden in the darkness.

After a while, Little Fatso suddenly gave me a sheepish and stiff look, hesitating to speak.

"What's wrong?" I sensed his peculiar gaze.

"I... I need to pee... I've been holding it for a long time..."

"Just you and your troubles!" his companions rolled their eyes at him.

"People need to answer the call of nature!"

I had no choice but to stop and let Little Fatso get off. I instructed him not to go more than a meter away, and we female compatriots just turned our backs.

Little Fatso nodded vigorously and jumped off the boat with great urgency.

Although the splashing sound was rather indecent, it wasn't fair to deny him this basic need.

Soon, I heard Little Fatso sighing in relief, followed by the sound of a zipper being pulled up. Then came a sharp, strange scream from Little Fatso.

We spun around — right where Little Fatso stood, a huge palm with long brown fur around the joints emerged abruptly from the ground and tightly grabbed Little Fatso's right foot.

"Stay on the boat and don't move!" I shouted to the girls, leaping off the boat and simultaneously drawing a pure white sword two fingers wide from my waist. Putting all my strength into it, I stabbed the monstrous hand.

Although my sword hadn't seen the light of day for many years, it had accompanied me in slaying numerous evil creatures in any case. This strike obviously hurt the monstrous hand, and it released its grip. At the same time, a muffled roar emanated from the ground.

The desperately struggling Little Fatso plopped out. I grabbed his arm, lifted him up, then slapped him on the back, pushing him back onto the boat.

However, before I could turn around, I felt a sudden emptiness beneath my feet, and my body involuntarily plummeted downward.

The place where I stood instantly transformed into a rapidly sinking hole. The surrounding soil and stones flowed downward like a cascade. And the most troublesome part was that I found myself unable to use the art of riding the clouds, meaning I couldn't fly out. I figured it must be because I had left the protection of my real body; the repulsion between this world's power and myself suppressed my spiritual power.

Thinking fast, I hurriedly used all my strength to firmly embed the sword in my hand into the soil wall and gripped the hilt tightly. I hung in mid-air above the hole, with no way to survive below and no way out above. Moreover, the walls of the pit were constantly shifting, loosening, and my sword wouldn't hold for much longer.

Thud! Thud!

I heard strange and heavy footsteps, just like the T-Rex approaching in the movie "Jurassic Park."

Two bright green beams, like a car's headlights, fell on me.

I looked up and saw a head larger than my dining table. It was a bull's head with two cyan curved horns, resembling backlit scimitars. Looking further down, it was a human body and even had the standard six-pack abs.

A huge monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man was leaning out half of its body, looking down at me who was struggling on the brink of life and death. It let out a few strange laughs before retracting its body and walking towards the other end with thumping footsteps.

It was certainly not Ox-Head from the legendary Ox-Head & Horse-Face^[1] or anything of the sort, I was sure of that. Looking at the monster's appearance, I suddenly realized that this was the world of the tarot cards. "The Tower" is the sixteenth card, and the fifteenth card is "The Devil," a monster with a bull's head and a human body. Each of these "cards" represented an independent scene, yet they were interconnected. We stayed in "The Tower" for too long, and its neighbor "The Devil" had sniffed out the noise, so it was only natural that he came over to join in the fun. Judging from this, the longer we stay, the more "neighbors" will come to get in on the action.

At that moment, I heard a violent ramming sound, along with the screams of the kids.

That Bull-head Devil must be dealing with my boat. However, I wasn't too worried about that. With the power of my real body, it wouldn't be able to open even a crack for ten to fifteen days. As long as those kids stayed on the boat, they would be safe. The problem now is how do I get out on my own!

I had little strength left, and my sword was showing signs of loosening.

I remembered Mu's "Death" card. Am I really going to fall to death in this annoying and filthy pit today?

Please, somebody give me a hand! Even if it's just a kick to send me back up!

Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead, and with a sudden crack, my sword finally slipped out of the loosening soil...

The feeling of not being able to fly is really bad.

My body plummeted into the endless black hole.

In that moment of imminent peril, a surge of scorching energy flowed abruptly on my left wrist. The piece of pure-gold dragon patterned amulet vibrated violently and a crisp jingling sound echoed in my ears. The dragon engraved on the small, round ornament seemed to come to life and circled on it, raising its head and claws, and blinked. It actually emerged from the amulet, transforming into a massive and powerful golden dragon soaring in the air.

Without waiting for any reaction from me, the huge dragon that had appeared out of nowhere, bit onto my arm and flung backward, throwing me onto its back. With a long roar, it dragged me rapidly upwards.

As I expected, the Bull-head Devil was continuously ramming my boat with the horns on its head. The kids inside were terrified, their faces drained of color.

The dragon swooped down from the air and threw me back into the boat. Then, with a swift flick of its tail, it struck the Bull-head Devil hard on the head, sending the monster flying several feet away.

I wasn't interested in wasting any more time with the Bull-head Devil. Its job done, the dragon took the opportunity to dive back into my amulet with a whoosh.

The kids stared in amazement, stuttering as they pointed at me, "Y-you... you must be a god! A dragon… It's a dragon, right?"

In truth, I was also puzzled. The pure-gold dragon patterned amulet was a small gift from Ao Chi, and I don't remember when he had given it to me. I only recall mocking him for being stingy at the time. I had teased him, saying if he wanted to give a gift, it should be something bigger since I like gold. He got so angry that he wanted to hit me and even bluntly called me ignorant.

Ao Chi, this guy...

I gripped my left wrist, feeling the familiar fiery temperature lingering on the amulet. Suddenly, my heart ached for no reason.

He's always considerate of me in all respects, isn't he?!

But, Ao Chi, where the hell are you?

I shook my head vigorously, forcefully suppressing the brief confusion in my thoughts. The top priority was to escape unharmed from this dreadful place.

Suddenly, the sound of a river reached us from the front, slowly and distantly impacting our eardrums.

My boat came to a halt in front of this gently flowing river. The stars in the sky multiplied, reflecting on the winding surface of the river stretching into the distance, looking like pairs of friendly eyes blinking.

The hull gradually moved forward, landing on the water surface without causing the slightest ripple.

However, instead of moving forward along the river, it sank below the water surface.

Is the passage to the Underworld beneath this star-studded river?

The kids thought there was a leak in the boat, so of course they started yelling and screaming again.

Gurgling bubbles rose around us, but not a drop of water touched us or the boat.

Our boat kept sinking as if it would never reach the bottom. I don't know how long it took before some radiating light sources emerged from the depths, growing brighter and brighter. Each beam of light seemed to penetrate every cell in our bodies.

Suddenly, a sense of fatigue overwhelmed me, as if I hadn't slept for three days and nights, and I was too tired to stay up any longer.

Looking at those little rascals again, they had already slumped over, all of them sleeping soundly.

My intention was to stay awake, but this time, I failed to prevail over my body. I was too tired and sleepy, and my eyelids closed uncontrollably...

---

[1] Ox-Head and Horse-Face are two guardians of the Underworld in Chinese mythology. They are the first beings a dead soul encounters upon entering the Underworld; in many stories they directly escort the newly dead to the Underworld.

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Musheng - Part 6

I am standing here again.

My birthplace, the peak of Fulong Mountain.

The scenery here is still magnificent; when looking up or down, all you see is clear skies and pristine waters. Every blade of grass, every tree, the birds and the beasts - everything is always a touch more beautiful than elsewhere.

This is my home, the place where my vitality was first marked.

My blood sang in joy as every inch of soil and every stone beneath my feet welcomed me home.

The Colorless flower is still here, blooming once a year without exception. It's just that I no longer need its reminder.

There are also too many memories here that I am unwilling to carry.

I only come back once a year, so I should thank Mu. If not for her "frankness," I wouldn't have made an exception and returned for the second time this year.

I am a tree demon with millennia of cultivation. My true body, the Sacred Tree of Fulong Mountain that was once firmly believed to be a god by countless people, stands before me at the summit.

Beautiful and tall, with lush branches and leaves, each translucent dark green leaf flowing with a marvelous five-colored radiance — this is my original appearance.

Ordinary people cannot see it because the man who once gave me my human form has concealed its traces in the human world, leaving behind only a five-color flower, only seeing to it that when the flower blooms every year, I must return to my true body for twelve hours. Only in this way can I maintain my human appearance and live peacefully.

I came back two months ago to fulfill this "practice."

I came back today to...take away my real body.

I haven't been angered to the point of madness by that cowardly Mu, and of course I know the importance of the real body to a demon. I know what I am doing.

Time is running out.

I stood in front of the real "me," forming a seal with one hand and holding the trunk of my real body with the other, chanting words.

A faint smoke spiraled up from the soil where the tree roots are buried, accompanied by green light shooting into the air like fine rain. There is a rumbling movement underground, as if something is rolling and twisting below. The entire peak of Fulong Mountain is trembling slightly due to a tremendous force.

My lips move faster and faster.

A dazzling pillar of light, several meters in diameter, shot straight up from the ground to the sky. It then transformed into irregular light patterns resembling clouds, gently falling back to envelop my real body. I could clearly feel it rapidly spinning, shrinking, and changing within this indescribable light structure.

The brightness before me was so intense that I had to close my eyes. All my vitality and spiritual power involuntarily flowed out of my palms.

I don't know how long it took, but the whizzing sound of air in my ears ceased and my closed eyes no longer felt any discomfort from the light. I opened my eyes in unparallelled silence.

Seeing what appeared before me, I breathed a sigh of relief.

A simple small wooden boat was quietly anchored in a patch of shallow sunlight.

Yes, I had transformed my real body into a boat.

This millenia-old tree demon's real body wouldn't just be a decoration for me to return and stay over for a while every year.

A boat made by transforming the millennia-old tree's wood can travel freely anywhere in the world — a close friend gave me a gift on one of my birthdays, writing these words on the birthday card. She said that this gift might come in handy someday and I'm the only demon with this gift.

She indeed has foresight.

Thanks to this gift, once I transform my real body into a boat, there is nowhere I cannot go, neither in the heavens nor on the earth, and no harmful force can affect me as long as I am on my boat.

Regardless of whether one is an immortal that can fly through the sky or a demon that can traverse the earth, it doesn't mean they can freely come and go in any space. The universe is too vast and filled with countless spaces of diverse natures. If bodies belonging to one space rashly enter another space without any precautions, they can easily be injured by forces of completely different natures. It's just like an ice cube; it remains intact and maintains its original state in the space called "freezer." But if you put it outdoors in the sun, it will quickly melt and evaporate. This is the consequence of differences in spatial forms. And human beings, like ice cubes, can only stay in the human world while they are alive. If they accidentally fall into the Underworld, their bodies cannot withstand the completely opposite power in that space, and the consequences can be imagined.

I understand that as a demon who has cultivated into a human form, wholly exposing my real body is an especially dangerous thing. If my real body sustains any damage, I could potentially vanish without a trace, beyond any saving.

However, this is the only way. Moreover, I believe that I am a great demon who knows my destiny. I must preserve this life to fulfill a certain wish.

I turned around and took another look at the scenery I had seen countless times before. The faces and voices from the past, the things I wanted to forget, and the things I couldn't forget gradually became clearer in my mind.

The bright and beautiful sunshine illuminated my boat with a lush green hue. I got in and sat down lightly, entering my real body.

Since I made the promise, I must bring them back!

I gripped the "Tower" card tightly in my hand...

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Musheng - Part 5

I went to Musheng for the third time before daybreak.

It seemed that Mu, too, had stayed up all night; she was sitting in the shop playing with her cards with a calm expression, as if she had anticipated my surprise visit. She had already placed a glass of orange juice for me on the table.

Anything I dislike, she offers more of; this is a fact reflected by her Orange Juice Theorem.

"You're here to return something you accidentally took away, right?" she asked smilingly, flipping through the cards in her hand.

"The card is yours, but the things in the card are not. So I suggest you retrieve what doesn't belong to you first, and then I'll return what belongs to you." I sat across from her and confidently took out the "Tower" card, but with absolutely no intention of giving it back to her.

The simplest and most effective way to break most of the curses in the world is to have the caster retract their magic.

Even if there is only a one in a thousand chance, I still have to give it a try.

"I'm merely helping these kids, that's all," Mu said dismissively, clearly aware of my true purpose in coming, "They told me they're dissatisfied with their current lives. They don't want to spend day and night doing exercises, memorizing books, taking exams, and then waiting in constant fear for the parent-teacher meetings. They envy those top students who are liked by teachers and pampered by parents. Meanwhile, they are always overlooked, stuck in a state of neither progress nor regression, unable to see where their future lies." She looked up and smiled, "Since they're so unhappy living in this world, it's better to go to another world. There are no exams, no exam rankings, and no harsh looks from parents and teachers in that world, which is perfect for them. If there are others looking for the same kind of help from me in the future, I'll be happy to continue assisting them."

Boom!

A flame erupted out of nowhere, originating from my direction, racing along the black tabletop like a drawn sword, heading straight for Mu on the opposite side.

Sharp-eyed and nimble, she gathered the cards on the table and leaned back, sliding both herself and the chair half a foot away. The crimson-edged blue-core flame brushed against her forehead and singed a small section of her bangs.

Clearly, she hadn't anticipated this.

My principle is diplomacy before violence. I'm averse to solving problems by force, but that doesn't mean I won't resort to it when needed. Special circumstances require special measures.

Frankly, her being so nonchalant during her speech just now had displeased me — very much so.

I don't appreciate any behavior that treats life as inconsequential.

"Did I make you angry?" Calm as she was, she must have been startled by this unexpected turn of events. At least, I caught a momentary hint of panic on her face, even if it was quickly masked by a mocking smile. "Tree Demon Shaluo, you haven't attacked anyone in ages, have you?"

"Haha, yes, a gentleman uses his mouth and not his fist." I smiled, and with a flick of my finger, the roaring flames burning between us on the table condensed into a thread as thin as a hair, obediently returning to my fingertip and disappearing. There was no trace of any burning on the table. "But then, I've never considered myself a gentleman, you know, especially when dealing with someone who refuses to accept their mistake."

She stood up unhurriedly, her light green dress turning pale and gray when immersed in the darkest light just before dawn. Her originally slender and graceful body now looked like a strange gap that had opened in the dark night.

Mu raised her hand, and the tarot cards in her hand flew into the air, floating in a circle that surrounded her. On each card, an eye as cold as ice appeared, looking straight at the world without any emotion.

"You have your Unceasing and I run my Musheng, everyone minding their own business. Big Sister Shaluo, why bother meddling in other people's business? It's not your style." Her gaze was a hundred times sharper than those on the cards.

I had no intention of probing into her origins, and I was even less interested in knowing how she knew my identity. I just calmly replied, "Of course I don't care about other people's business, but you stole my customers and affected my turnover. So, this is not meddling."

"Hehe, you love collecting gold, and I love collecting lives. Each to their own. Big Sister, why bother going toe-to-toe with me?" She lowered her eyes slightly, her red lips unusually vivid amid the pallor.

"Don't. I'm a loner. No Big Sister Little Sister please," I waved my hand at her. "But don't say you're not my younger sister. Even if you were my real sister, I would still do what I should do!"

The second way to break a curse is to directly kill the caster. Once they are gone, their magic will also fail. The fact is I don't wish to use this simple but cruel method to solve the problem.

Mu sighed deeply and suddenly lifted her head. Her dark green eyes filled with a ferocity waiting to be unleashed. She held the Death card between her fingers and said, "Perhaps I'm not your match, but you're not time's match either. If you want to fight, I'm up for it."

I was a bit startled.

She's indeed a clever woman, knowing how to find her opponent's weak spot and remind them at the right time. Yes, in a direct confrontation, she might not be my match. However, winning against her means nothing to me; my goal is beating time.

I have only twelve hours. It's her tarot card, and she must know what I have done to it. Of course, I can also bet that I can obliterate this woman's body and soul within these twelve hours. But thinking of my unwavering commitment to those unlucky kids, I decided not to treat their lives as bargaining chips.

"I had hoped that if you see the error of your ways, we might be able to peacefully coexist in the future." I smiled, "But now it seems that's not possible."

She watched as I walked away.

I heard her last words to me: "You will lose everything."

She is an intriguing opponent. I left without looking back.

After leaving Musheng, I called Jiu Jue.

I briefly explained the situation to the old chap who is even more experienced and knowledgeable than me, but I changed the person involved to someone else. I don't want Jiu Jue to know that I am the one who wants to go to that card to save lives. The last thing I want is to give my friend trouble, especially with potentially dangerous problems.

He explained that some warlocks or evil spirits use the Frozen Flame Soul Binding curse to trap living beings in another space. The form of that space is uncertain, but it looks exactly like our real world. It can also be a heaven or hell setting. In any case, those imprisoned living beings, after a certain period, will eventually be herded to the Underworld by the power of that space. Once they arrive in the Underworld, the curses within their bodies will combine with the Underworld's own formidable negative power, unleashing a tremendous repulsive force, making their bodies disappear in a flash and compressing their souls into thumb-sized soul orbs. Ultimately, these soul orbs will flow against the current of the River of Forgetfulness, returning to the caster's hands. The caster will then absorb the soul orbs refined from the living people into the body, which is highly effective in rapidly improving spiritual power. However, after all is said and done, it's a crooked way.

Upon hearing his words, I then realized that I only knew one aspect of this evil magic but was oblivious to the other. I had no idea that some beings go so far as to use such a method to improve their cultivation. This woman Mu…

However, Jiu Jue also shared another solution with me. The Frozen Flame Soul Binding curse is one-way in nature, but it actually indicates 'to walk out alive, return from the dead.' It seems that once people enter the primary space, such as the world within the tarot card, it becomes impossible to send them back to their original world along the way they came. While the Underworld seems to be a way out, it is only viable after they have transformed into soul orbs, which is not much different from death. The only way now is to "protect" them before they are forcibly sent to the Underworld, and then actively locate the passage leading to the Underworld. After passing through, one will encounter a field of red spider lilies blooming by the river. Walk against the river along the red spider lilies, and as long as one ensures that those little rascals from the mortal world will not be harmed by the power of the Underworld before leaving it, they can be rescued unharmed. However, finding someone or something that can come and go freely in the Underworld without being affected by its internal power is incredibly difficult.

I fell silent for a moment and told Jiu Jue that from now on I'll give him a fifty percent discount on all drinks whenever he comes to Unceasing.

There was a stunned silence for a long time on the other end of the phone, and he asked, "Little tree demon, are you alright? The friend you said is anxious to save lives isn't you, is it?"

"Am I that great?" I retorted. "Alright, you go on having fun in Xi'an. I'll allow you to bring your two friends with you next time you visit Unceasing."

I hung up the phone feigning nonchalance, reassuring myself that there's nothing to worry about and I'll surely be able to handle this trivial matter.

In reality, I'm actually eighty percent sure. I already have a plan on how to save the kids and how to get through the Underworld.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air buried deep in the first rays of the morning sun, I rode the clouds, flying away at the fastest speed of my life in a certain direction…

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