Volume One, Chapter 15: The Secrets of the Underworld's Wealth

Early in the morning, Chuguang headed straight to the Underworld. On the way, she bought some soup dumplings and soy milk for breakfast.

Arriving at the usual spot, she immediately opened the door and stepped inside. Upon entering the Underworld, the temperature visibly dropped. She made her way to a narrow alley, glanced around carefully, and soon found Granny Qi standing exactly where she had been for a long time.

Walking over, Chuguang asked, "Did you receive the letter?"

Hearing the voice, Granny Qi quickly turned around and saw the familiar face, her eyes bright and lively rather than weary. Excitedly, she said, "I got the message late last night. My grandson really did send me a letter through the flames."

Hurriedly, she pulled out a spirit currency note, the back covered with tiny, densely written characters—clearly written over a long time with many things to say.

Chuguang was surprised; even if Ru’an didn’t fully believe, he still wrote to his grandmother.

"He says he's fine, that I don’t need to worry. He’s settled now, earning a good salary, and told me to take care of myself..." Granny Qi spoke in a flustered manner, having stayed awake all night from excitement.

Seeing her so moved, Chuguang felt happy, but she didn’t forget the most important matter.

She sized her up and said, "Congratulations, but I’m here for payment. Since you’ve received the reply, it’s time to pay me."

Only then did Granny Qi snap out of her excitement. "Right, right, wait a moment..."

She ran into a coffin and shortly emerged, carrying a bunch of red spider lilies.

"This is all I have. Take it—all of it..."

Chuguang counted the flowers—fifty in total. One red spider lily could be exchanged for one million in the mortal realm, so fifty totaled fifty million.

She calculated her fee. "I don’t need that many. I want only twenty, not one less."

Granny Qi was stunned. "I thought you wanted them all?"

Chuguang took out twenty lilies. "I’m not that ruthless. I want the money, not to wipe them out completely. The longer you live, the more chances you’ll have to see your grandson."

"Life is hard wherever you are."

Granny Qi put the remaining flowers back into her coffin.

Chuguang arranged the lilies neatly but found there were still too many to fit. Seeing this, Granny Qi stepped forward but kept a respectful distance, recalling Chuguang’s earlier words.

"If you think these flowers take up too much space, you can go to the Infernal Court in front and exchange them for items of equivalent value."

Chuguang was surprised. "In front?"

"Yes. When I first came here, I used their exchange system to convert all my merits into red spider lilies. You can try it too."

Granny Qi pointed ahead. "The machine on the far right side of the Court is the one."

***

"Thank you," Chuguang said and headed toward the Infernal Court.

Upon arrival, she saw many spirits lining up. No matter the time, this place was always crowded. Many souls, unable to let go of the mortal world, stubbornly came back for a visit.

Chuguang went to the far right and saw the machine, but two spirits in black-and-white robes stood guard beside it. Unlike ordinary ghosts, they emitted a faint cyan glow. Before she even approached, Chuguang felt her body temperature rapidly drop.

They were the Black and White Impermanence.

She shivered. Their yin energy was so strong.

"Xiaobai, don’t come near me—you’re radiating too much ghostly energy," said one of the ghosts. These two often visited the coffin shop, so Chuguang knew them.

But this was her first time coming to their post.

White Impermanence glanced at her. "The boss has been talking about you lately. What brings you here?"

"To exchange money." She pulled out the red spider lilies and fed them into the machine.

White Impermanence was shocked at the amount. "Kid, you didn’t spend all the boss’s retirement funds, did you? You little spendthrift!"

The exchange machine was transparent with a cold metallic sheen. Placing items on the glass-like surface triggered a translucent screen showing corresponding goods.

Blood-stained prayer beads...

Netherworld lanterns...

Triangle pennants inscribed with the character for "netherworld"...

All sorts of things.

Chuguang looked over, unsure of their use. "Step aside. I’m drowning in debt out there, so I have to scrape what I can."

She chose a small talisman.

White Impermanence was taken aback. "You reckless kid, you’re in high-interest debt and need this thing."

"What’s wrong?"

Chuguang’s heart skipped a beat. Facing the Black and White Impermanence, officials of the Underworld, they should know what it was.

White Impermanence glanced at her and said, "Nothing. Just feeling sorry for our boss, raising such a troublesome one who’s in debt and has to sell everything."

He mercilessly teased her, then noticed the canvas bag she carried. "Do you have mortal food? It smells strong."

Chuguang took out the soup dumplings. "You mean this?"

White Impermanence’s eyes lit up. "Yeah."

***

"You can eat that? I thought only ghosts who were once alive had taste buds. Your forms look so ethereal—can you still eat?"

White Impermanence clicked his tongue. "Of course we can. All Underworld officials retain a sense of taste. Even though we seem like wispy spirits, when it comes to eating, we’re no different from the living."

"One dumpling costs one copper spirit coin," Chuguang replied.

Unlike the lively White Impermanence, Black Impermanence was cold and detached, with eyes sharp as an eagle’s.

He scrutinized her for a long moment before speaking in a low voice, "You carry the scent of the living."

Chuguang’s pupils contracted but soon met his indifferent gaze, which pierced her with suspicion.

Black Impermanence was nothing like White Impermanence’s lively nature—he was utterly cold.

With a quick glance, he concluded, "You went out again?"

She remained calm. "I have dealings with a mortal Taoist. It’s only natural to carry some living scent."

Black Impermanence appraised her from head to toe. "Is it with the living or with the dead?"

"What?" Chuguang didn’t understand.

He withdrew his gaze. "Nothing."

White Impermanence rolled his eyes and said, "Ignore him. He’s caught so many vengeful ghosts that he sees dead dealings everywhere."

"Dead dealings? You mean transactions with vengeful ghosts?"

"Kid, you can’t know about these things yet."

White Impermanence smiled as he handed her the spirit coins and took the soup dumplings.

Chuguang wanted to say more, but under Black Impermanence’s icy stare, she trembled like a frightened grasshopper and dared not speak.

Taking the coins, she quickly left.

After ensuring no ghosts were following, she exited the Underworld and left the alley.

She arrived on campus.

Chuguang walked for a long time and basked in the sunlight for half an hour before the chill finally eased.

Her racing heart finally settled.

Now out of the Underworld, she breathed a sigh of relief, but recalling Black Impermanence’s cold gaze, she felt a shiver of dread.

His look bore the expression of someone disappointed by unfulfilled expectations.

Just a little more, and she would have been scolded.

"Next time, be more careful. After all, those ghosts grew up watching me."