Chapter 235
Chapter 235
The ancients said:
On the Naihe Bridge, what can be done about parting in a former life, meeting in this one, or reuniting helplessly in the next?
The bridge was made of bluestone and had five flights of steps. Women took the west side, men the east; yin kept left, yang kept right.
Myriad thoughts filled Hua Jiunan’s mind as he walked.
Naturally, he thought of the cool and distant Xu Fangcao;
Of the tear the wind had blown into his eye, and of that white fox’s resolute departure.
“Should one of us die at ninety-seven, the other will wait three years upon the Naihe Bridge.”
A glance held for a thousand years; a promise made for a hundred.
Perhaps the bond between husband and wife in this life began here, and here all affection ended.
The depths below the Naihe Bridge stretched for thousands of fathoms and were wreathed in cloud and mist. No one knew which path awaited them in the next life.
Helplessly, a promise for the next life was only a continuation of this one. After drinking Meng Po’s Soup, everything would already be forgotten.
With a sigh, meeting in the next life would only be another beginning.
While Hua Jiunan’s thoughts wandered, Chen Daji grew sadder with every step.
Eventually, he simply sat down and burst into loud sobs.
“Waaah! Why won’t Li Yun agree to date me no matter what?!
“I think everything about me is great. There’s nothing wrong with me!
“I just want to reproduce with her!”
Chen Daji’s heartfelt grief swiftly infected the others.
Eighth Master Chang gave up on life and lay sprawled across the Naihe Bridge.
“Waaah! Eighth Master has suffered such injustice!
“Why am I so fucking weak when I’m a giant snake just like the others?
“All I ever do is brag. The truth is, I can’t even beat a slightly large toad!”
Little Wuxin clutched Hua Jiunan’s robe desperately, tears filling his eyes.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha.
“Brother, this young monk misses my master and senior brothers.
“Where did they go? Why didn’t they take this young monk with them?”
Zhao Fei alone remained relatively normal.
He merely wiped his tears and muttered softly,
“Lord Fatty’s fucking life is bitter!
“It wasn’t easy finding a virtuous wife and having a child. Then look what happened: my wife miscarried and died, and now my son bosses me around…”
The helpless sorrow of the Underworld Court drew out the deepest regrets in everyone’s heart.
They stopped moving forward and walked straight toward the Home-Gazing Terrace beside the bridge.
The Home-Gazing Terrace had been built by Bao Zheng, the incorruptible judge of the mortal world.
According to legend, Bao Zheng was first appointed King Yama in the First Hall.
The First Hall was the structure in Hell closest to the mortal realm.
Moreover, when ghosts entered it, they had not yet drunk Meng Po’s Soup.
They still felt attachment to their former lives and their loved ones in the mortal world.
Thus, ghosts often climbed famous mountains in the Underworld, hoping for one more glimpse of the mortal realm.
Yet they could see nothing.
Tormented by longing for their families but unable to see them, many ghosts wept alone late at night, their mournful cries enough to bring tears to any listener.
Bao Zheng, serving as King Yama in the First Hall, was kindhearted and compassionate. When he heard of this, pity moved him.
He ordered ghost guards to construct the Home-Gazing Terrace and move it beside the Hall of Yama.
The dead souls of the Underworld Court were permitted to gaze from afar upon their former homes and loved ones.
For this reason, the Home-Gazing Terrace was also called Homesickness Ridge.
It became a window through which ghosts in the Underworld could look upon the mortal realm, and sacred ground where the living and the dead maintained their bonds.
Later, Bao Zheng’s compassion proved excessive, and he took particular pity on those who had died unjustly.
While administering the First Hall, he repeatedly released ghosts back into the mortal world to clear their names.
He was therefore demoted to the Fifth Hall, and the Home-Gazing Terrace moved with him to the Naihe Bridge.
But we have wandered far afield. Let us return to the story.
Seeing Hua Jiunan and the others head straight for the Home-Gazing Terrace, Night-Wandering God Qiao Kun hurriedly swept his sleeve and carried them swiftly across the Naihe Bridge.
They were living people performing Guoyin. If their homesickness became too powerful, it would immediately draw them back to the mortal world.
Only long after crossing the bridge did Hua Jiunan and the others gradually overcome their sorrow.
Once everyone’s emotions had stabilized, Night-Wandering God Qiao Kun could no longer suppress his curiosity and asked,
“Young General, may I ask what remarkable woman Li Yun is? How could she be unwilling to become your partner…?”
Chen Daji stared at him.
“Fuck! How do you know about that, Brother Little Face?!”
Qiao Kun felt somewhat embarrassed at having overheard someone else’s secret.
“Young General, you said it yourself after stepping onto the Naihe Bridge…”
Chen Daji felt guilty and asked timidly,
“Brother Little Face, what else did I say?
“What did the others say?”
Night-Wandering God Qiao Kun slowly shook his head.
“You did not say anything else, Young General. It was only…
“It was only this snake… Young Friend Chang Ba who was rather amusing.
“He said he couldn’t even defeat a somewhat larger toad…”
At those words, Chen Daji and Eighth Master Chang immediately despised each other in their hearts.
*What a fucking loser!*
*He actually cried over a woman!* (*He can’t even beat a toad!*)
Then both glared at Qiao Kun.
*This guy is no good. He’s fucking nosy…*