The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 46

Chu Qingqiu did not speak, merely extending her finger to give her paw a light flick. Ning Fuyi fell off in pain, frantically grabbing Chu Qingqiu’s skirt midair and scrambling back up to her shoulder using both hands and feet.

Hmph, I must have struck a nerve, Ning Fuyi thought, clutching her paw before saying, “What is there to fear from ghosts? These are all waiting to be reincarnated, not malevolent spirits. Furthermore, they fear screaming the most. You only need to let out a couple of shouts at them, and they will disperse on their own.”

Chu Qingqiu bypassed an elderly man who looked nearly seventy, parting her lips, “This Deity never shouts mindlessly.”

However, the moment her words fell, the path ahead was completely blocked again. Chu Qingqiu suddenly reached her hand up to her shoulder, applying an intentional pinch to Ning Fuyi’s tail. Ning Fuyi squeaked loudly in pain, and the ghosts ahead actively parted to clear a way.

“Chu Qingqiu!” Ning Fuyi cried out as tears welled in the corners of her eyes from the pain, roaring into Chu Qingqiu’s ear using her divine sense. The corners of Chu Qingqiu’s mouth relaxed imperceptibly, acting as though she hadn’t heard a thing as she continued forward on her own.

The two traversed through the souls, finally catching sight of the legendary Naihe Bridge. The bridge deck was significantly wider than the plank walkway from earlier, looking no different from bridges used to cross rivers in the living world.

A large cauldron stood in the middle of the bridge, a foul odor wafting from it. A bubbling sound could be heard from a distance, splashing dark bubbles.

Ning Fuyi covered her nose, “I have long heard that people must drink Mengpo Soup before reincarnating, but I never expected the taste of this soup to be so entirely uncomplimentary. The scent of boiling dung is nothing more than this.”

Chu Qingqiu paid no heed to her vulgar words, stepping onto the Naihe Bridge. The ghosts around were visibly distinct from those on the Yellow Springs Road earlier; their gazes were no longer blank, but resembled living people, either grieving and numb or weeping bitterly. Only a few elderly individuals who had clearly died of old age remained relatively calm.

“Young lady, you are so young, how did you die?” An old woman with a stooped back approached them, speaking kindly with a toothless mouth.

She extended a finger that resembled withered tree bark, poking Ning Fuyi’s fluffy belly, sighing, “To think you did not forget to bring an animal with you to reincarnation. You must have been a kind person during your lifetime. What a pity.”

Ning Fuyi clutched her belly.

“She suffered from a severe illness,” Chu Qingqiu lied without her face turning red or her heart racing.

“I have stood here for a long time, witnessing numerous tragedies. Look at that infant; it was born with a disability and was drowned in the river by its parents.” She shook her head, pointing toward a despondent man. “That young fellow had his family’s land seized by a corrupt official in the town. His parents hanged themselves, and when he went to the imperial capital to seek justice, a passing bandit pierced his belly with a blade.”

The infant lay on the ground wailing, while the man with a sword piercing his waist was currently drinking a bowl of Mengpo Soup.

However, the moment the soup entered his belly, his eyes widened completely, and he let out a heart-wrenching scream. He frantically tried to pull the sword from his waist, tearing himself apart until he was a bloody mess, presenting a tragedy unbearable to witness.

This matched what the judge had stated; a problem had arisen with the Mengpo Soup. Ning Fuyi and Chu Qingqiu furrowed their brows in unison.

“May I ask where this Mengpo resides?” Chu Qingqiu asked.

“Right behind that cauldron,” the old woman pointed toward the cauldron that was half the size of a person. Chu Qingqiu adjusted her sleeves and walked forward.

The closer they drew, the more foul the odor from the cauldron became. Ning Fuyi took a bold glance inside, discovering a pot filled entirely with a viscous black liquid, inside of which rolled a few bones of unknown origin, making her stomach turn.

Fortunately, ghosts have no sense of taste, Ning Fuyi mused. However, although the contents of the cauldron were completely clear, she could not find the so-called Mengpo anywhere.

Just as Ning Fuyi began to think that living people could not perceive Mengpo, a figure finally emerged from behind the cauldron. The person only reached Chu Qingqiu’s waist, and although she was dressed maturely, her face belonged to a girl of eleven or twelve.

This was Mengpo? Ning Fuyi was thoroughly surprised.

Chu Qingqiu was also somewhat startled, but she did not show it, stepping forward to ask, “Excuse me, regarding this Mengpo Soup…”

“Please wait a moment!” the girl spoke testily, so busy that her clothes were completely disheveled. Standing on her tiptoes, she poured a plate of viscous worms into the cauldron, used a massive ladle beside her to stir it a few times, scooped out a bowl, and stuffed it into Chu Qingqiu’s hand.

Chu Qingqiu was temporarily at a loss for words, passing the bowl to a ghost waiting nearby. The ghost accepted the bowl and gulped it down, tossing the bowl away before letting out a painful scream. He clawed at his cheeks with both hands as if intent on tearing his face to pieces, then suddenly turned around and leapt into the Wangchuan River beneath the bridge without warning.

Not a single splash rose, and his screams came to an abrupt halt.

Chu Qingqiu originally intended to pull him back, but her hand stopped midair, a look of forbearance revealing itself between her brows.

However, once a ghost failed to forget their past life, they could absolutely never enter the cycle of reincarnation, leaving falling into the Wangchuan River as their only outcome.

“Why does it still not work?!” Mengpo was so enraged that she nearly overturned the cauldron before her. She frantically tore at her own hair, tossing the strands she ripped out into the cauldron to stir them anew.

“I have been requested by the Great Emperor of Fengdu to assist. May I ask what raw ingredients are used in this Mengpo Soup?” Chu Qingqiu raised her voice, finally drawing Mengpo’s attention.

Mengpo still held a handful of hair in her hand, looking toward Chu Qingqiu with dark circles around her eyes. Then, suddenly tossing the hair aside, she stepped forward and grabbed her robes, beginning to weep.

“Deity Chu Ling! This servant has looked forward to your arrival with absolute desperation, and you are finally here! I have no idea what problem arose with the Mengpo Soup over these past few days. After those ghosts drink it, instead of forgetting their past lives, every single one of them develops resentment, preventing them from entering reincarnation. If this continues, I am afraid I will lose my livelihood as Mengpo!”

She wept with streaming tears and snot, smearing it all over Chu Qingqiu’s garments. Finally, unable to endure it any longer, Chu Qingqiu slammed her white bone staff heavily against the ground, bringing an end to her weeping.

“Mengpo Soup can be brewed using the nectar of the Equinox Flower and the hair strands of a person who is unable to forget their past life,” she wiped her nose, speaking obediently.

“If you only need the nectar, why do you put in so many worms and broken bones?” Ning Fuyi could not help but speak up.

To her surprise, Chu Qingqiu actually repeated her words, asking on her behalf, “If you only need the nectar, why do you put in so many worms and broken bones?”

“Putting in more things makes the recipe more complex, so people will not think just anyone can snatch my livelihood,” Mengpo let out a chuckle before turning serious. “The Deity must absolutely never reveal this to anyone!”

“Since there is nothing wrong with your hair, the problem must lie within the Equinox Flowers,” Chu Qingqiu said, her skirt swirling. “Take me to see the Equinox Flowers.”

“Yes,” Mengpo hurriedly covered the cauldron with its lid, bending down to say, “Deity, please follow me this way.”

The Equinox Flowers grew on the opposite bank of the Wangchuan River, which was the other end of the Naihe Bridge, a place no ghost dared approach. Thus, looking as far as the eye could see, the area was filled entirely with crimson blossoms, possessing neither roots nor leaves, growing in the reddish-brown soil.

Two small paths paved with brick were embedded within the flowers. Mengpo walked cautiously, speaking as she went, “Although the Equinox Flower is a flower, it is actually formed from the souls of people whose obsessions have not dissipated. The petals are as sharp as blades, and anyone possessing feelings will suffer a burning pain upon touching them.

However, the Deity surely has no fear of these blossoms,” Mengpo said with a smile, standing firmly in the center of the flowers. Looking up, countless flower stalks stood silently, remaining motionless even when the wind blew, invoking a sense of tranquility within the heart.

Ning Fuyi was initially startled, but upon recalling that Chu Qingqiu cultivated the Path of Heartlessness, she understood.

Chu Qingqiu did not speak.

“However, this servant has already checked countless times yet failed to find any problem with the Equinox Flowers. Perhaps it is because this servant is merely a minor ghost messenger possessing no magical power,” Mengpo said.

“If I employ my immortal energy here, can you ensure those ghosts do not swarm over?” Chu Qingqiu asked.

“They cannot cross the Naihe Bridge for the time being, but it must absolutely not be for too long. The aura from the outside world will cause a disturbance in the yin energy of the underworld. Those entering reincarnation are one thing, but if the fierce ghosts wandering outside the Yellow Springs are drawn over, this servant cannot bear that responsibility,” Mengpo answered in terror.

Chu Qingqiu nodded, suddenly extending her arms as countless feather-like lights appeared around her body. As the wind blew, they flew toward the flowers spanning across the hills and valleys.

She appeared capable of placing her divine sense within these specks of light. Ning Fuyi squatted obediently on her shoulder, filled with amazement in her heart.

Even though she had already lived through a lifetime, there were still many matters she lacked knowledge of compared to Chu Qingqiu. Chu Qingqiu resembled a dense heavenly book, its contents forever impossible to fully decipher.

Sure enough, the ghosts on the Naihe Bridge began to surge, blocked on the bridge by an invisible force as they jostled and shoved one another.

Chu Qingqiu’s elegant brows suddenly furrowed. She snapped her eyes open, and those specks of light transformed into feathers that drifted down, landing in the center of some flower cores.

“This is…” Mengpo was bewildered.

“The Equinox Flowers have been tampered with,” Chu Qingqiu said softly, a tiny ripple rising within her peach blossom eyes. “Some of what is mixed inside are not Equinox Flowers, but Eternal Regret Blossoms.”

“Eternal Regret Blossoms?” Mengpo blinked.

“Eternal Regret Blossoms!” Ning Fuyi’s tail perked up.

Ning Fuyi knew of this item; it was a flower that grew along the lower reaches of the Sanzu River in the Demon Realm. This flower was exceptionally similar to the Equinox Flower, making it nearly impossible to distinguish with the naked eye. It required resentment to serve as its seed and the bone and blood of a person entirely filled with resentment to serve as bait before a single blossom could be grown. Therefore, it was exceptionally rare even within the Demon Realm.

Yet, a large quantity had been quietly mixed into the underworld.

“Is it the Demon Race?” Ning Fuyi asked beside Chu Qingqiu’s ear, and Chu Qingqiu offered a grunt of assent.

Using the dew gathered from the Eternal Regret Blossoms to brew Mengpo Soup, it was no wonder those ghosts developed even greater resentment upon drinking it. If they drank a few more bowls, they would likely transform directly into malevolent spirits, Ning Fuyi thought to herself.

“I must quickly summon some ghost messengers to help me pluck this item. The reincarnation well has been blocked for so many days, and natural disasters and human tragedies have been continuous across various regions recently. If these souls still cannot enter reincarnation, the underworld will not be able to hold them all!” Having discovered the culprit, Mengpo’s short body ran faster than anyone.

After running a few steps, she ran back, stuffing a handful of white items into Chu Qingqiu’s hand, speaking pleasingly, “Thank you for the Deity’s assistance. However, the underworld is currently short-handed, so I cannot dispatch ghost messengers to receive the Deity. I must trouble the Deity to find a place to settle down on your own.

Turn left at the Yellow Springs Road, walk past two riverbanks, and you will find the Ghost Street. As long as the Deity does not expose your immortal energy, finding a place to stay is exceptionally excellent. I shall come find you once I resolve this matter.” Mengpo bowed deeply twice toward Chu Qingqiu before sprinting away.

Ning Fuyi looked down at the handful of white items clutched in Chu Qingqiu’s hand, discovering it was a handful of joss paper, and she instantly threw her head back, laughing uproariously.

Chu Qingqiu’s hand remained frozen midair, unable to either tuck them away or toss them aside for a moment. Finally, she simply closed her eyes and stuffed them all into her sleeve.

“Then this matter is resolved?” Ning Fuyi said, clutching her chubby belly.

“We will only know after Mengpo reports back. However, although we do not know when or by whom these Eternal Regret Blossoms were planted, at least plucking them can temporarily resolve the underworld’s urgent crisis,” Chu Qingqiu answered. She turned around, wanting to leave the Equinox Flowers, but suddenly hesitated for an instant.

Supporting her chest, she bent down, pinching the nearest Eternal Regret Blossom to pluck it out. However, when she raised her hand again, she inadvertently brushed against an adjacent Equinox Flower, and a wound deep enough to reveal bone abruptly materialized on the back of her hand.

She gasped in pain but did not pause for a single moment, swiftly hiding her hand inside her sleeve.

However, despite this, Ning Fuyi still saw her action clearly. Her eyes rolled, and a sense of confusion welled up in her heart.

The deeper a person’s inner obsession, the more severe the wound upon touching the Equinox Flower. But did Chu Qingqiu not cultivate the Path of Heartlessness? She logically should have no emotions or desires, so how could a gentle touch result in a wound deep enough to reveal bone?

However, it was highly obvious that Chu Qingqiu did not want her to see it, so she did not ask further.

Half an hour later, they finally traversed the Naihe Bridge and the riverbanks Mengpo had mentioned. After walking across another nameless bridge, the view before them opened up suddenly.

Ning Fuyi’s mouse eyes opened remarkably wide, and she stood up to gaze into the distance. She had witnessed busy marketplaces in both the mortal and immortal realms, but she truly had never seen the marketplace of this underworld, and looking at it now, it did not lose to the mortal realm in the slightest.

In fact, because the sky above was pitch black and the marketplace was filled with candlelight, it displayed a unique wondrous quality distinct from the mortal realm.

Not to mention the entire street crowded with ghosts who had died from grievances, wrongful deaths, hangings, and drownings. Their drifting figures collided with one another from time to time, knocking out a few strands of intestines, before they bent down to pick them up and stuff them back inside.

It was highly entertaining.

Ning Fuyi found it amusing to watch, but Chu Qingqiu beneath her feet became pale even to her lips. She abruptly turned her head away, her hand supporting her abdomen, her expression poor.

“The Deity appears somewhat unwell. Shall we head down to find a tavern to rest?” Ning Fuyi asked.

“If you want to go, go on your own,” Chu Qingqiu said, turning her head to reclaim her earlobe from Ning Fuyi’s paws. Clutching her white bone staff, she crossed the muddy ground, stopping before a cleanly repaired Temple of the Underworld King and stepping inside.

There were no souls inside the temple, with only ten massive statues of the Ten Kings of the Underworld standing before them. A few futons were placed in the center of the temple, and Chu Qingqiu sat cross-legged upon them. Breathing in the incense of the temple, she finally felt the churning in her stomach ease slightly.

“Do you want some tea?” Ning Fuyi had already hopped onto the incense altar. Aside from fruits, a teapot and teacups were placed here, and upon touching them with her paw, they were still warm.

“If you please,” Chu Qingqiu said with pale lips.

She turned her head to look, and Ning Fuyi was using her round body as a flower-backed rat to sort through the fruits above, taking a single bite out of each one. This action, which would be unruly if performed by her actual self, conveyed a hint of comical amusement when displayed in this form.

Chu Qingqiu watched with furrowed brows, and her complexion became less pale.

“Here it comes,” Ning Fuyi said, lifting the teapot to pour tea. Although it required a fair amount of effort, she managed to fill a cup completely, but when setting it down, she lost her grip and plunged headfirst into the teacup.

She gulped down several mouthfuls of tea, unable to keep from cursing that judge inside her mind once more. Why did he have to turn her into a mouse of all things? Although she no longer needed to walk on her own, her body was ultimately small, making everything inconvenient to perform.

She was currently cursing the ancestors of the opposite party when her tail was suddenly pinched, and she was lifted upside down out of the teacup. A handkerchief carrying the scent of gardenia wrapped around her, wiping her up and down.

“Clumsy,” Chu Qingqiu spoke in a reproving tone, yet it was not entirely reproving. Her movements were exceptionally gentle, and Ning Fuyi felt comfortable being rubbed, puffing out her cheeks as she lay limply within her palm, allowing her to wipe her.

However, as Chu Qingqiu wiped, she grew accustomed to the motion, flipping her belly upward. Ning Fuyi felt a chill on her abdomen, suddenly realizing something was wrong. Her tail quickly curled up to obscure her key areas, and she bared her teeth at Chu Qingqiu, but she immediately froze and remained motionless.

This was because, upon seeing her in this state, a soft and gentle smile suddenly appeared on the usually cold face of Chu Qingqiu.

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