The Villainous Senior Brother Doesn't Want to Wash White [Transmigration] - Chapter 39

Having heard this much, Ji Yanqing finally understood the general gist of what had happened.

Years ago, Ji Qidan’s younger sister had left the Ji family for some unknown reason. As the Clan Head and her eldest brother, Ji Yanqing’s father went out to search for her. He searched for three years; he never found his sister, but he did bring back a “cheap” son.

Bringing him back was one thing—after all, he was of the family bloodline and couldn’t be left to wander.

But it just so happened that after bringing this son back, the Clan Head showered him with all sorts of love and care, seemingly completely forgetting that he still had a sister out there somewhere.

Perhaps shortly after the Clan Head brought his son back, the younger sister’s soul lamp went out and never lit up again.

Ji Qidan couldn’t—and wouldn’t—blame his eldest brother entirely for her death, so he could only transfer all that hatred onto the unlucky son.

And now Ji Yanqing knew: that unlucky son was none other than himself.

Hatred purely directed at his person like this didn’t increase his Villain Points; it only kept his life in a constant state of jeopardy. Ji Yanqing couldn’t help but shed a bitter tear for himself, lamenting that being a villain was truly difficult.

On the other side, Ji Qidan continued: “Over these years, I have searched every place I could go in the two realms, but I could never find your true spirit. It wasn’t until today that I learned there was a Ghost Realm outside the three realms.”

“They say that cultivators with remaining obsessions linger in the Ghost Realm after perishing. If I can find you this time, all is well. But if I cannot find you…”

At this point, Ji Qidan’s voice grew lower and lower, so low that even Ji Yanqing could no longer hear him clearly.

But from the killing intent that suddenly radiated from him, Ji Yanqing was certain that he wasn’t saying he would just let the matter go.

Feeling that sudden burst of murderous aura, Ji Yanqing’s heart sank, and his composure naturally wavered.

Eavesdropping on a Spirit Severing stage master was essentially the same as touching a tiger’s backside. Ji Qidan hadn’t noticed him before only because he was immersed in the past and momentarily less vigilant.

But now, he suddenly sensed something.

His unfinished sentence cut off abruptly. Before Ji Yanqing could snap out of it, Ji Qidan had walked out of the stone door and stood before everyone.

Ji Qidan’s gaze swept over the group seemingly at random, finally landing on Ji Yanqing.

His eyes were knowing, as if he had seen through everything, making Ji Yanqing feel a surge of nervousness.

—Ji Qidan found out I was eavesdropping on him.

“Let’s go. I’ve said all I need to say.”

Fortunately, perhaps because what he had said in the tomb wasn’t some vital secret, Ji Qidan only said this much before leading the group further down the long corridor.

Having visited the first tomb, this time Ji Yanhui led the way.

He stopped before a certain burial chamber and told the group behind him: “Wait a moment.”

Then he entered the chamber alone.

Although Ji Yanqing didn’t see the portrait inside, he could guess that this chamber likely belonged to Ji Yanhui’s mother.

Path of the Demon Immortal mentioned that Ji Yanhui’s mother was a cultivator from a small sect but was childhood sweethearts with the Clan Head. Their relationship was excellent, and they were a pair of devoted Dao companions envied by all in this world.

However, Ji Yanhui’s mother died young, and afterward, the Clan Head brought back a Ji Yanqing…

Even the most devoted couple eventually couldn’t withstand the loneliness of one party departing.

Ji Yanqing didn’t have to wait long. The stone door opened again, and Ji Yanhui emerged.

Having visited these two chambers, Ji Yanqing and the others arrived at the Clan Head’s tomb.

Unlike the rooms behind the previous stone doors, at the end of the long corridor stood a heavy, ancient-looking bronze gate.

Ji Yanhui stepped forward and pushed the gate open. What appeared before them was more like an underground palace.

Besides the sealed burial chamber of the Clan Head, three stone coffins were already laid out in the center of the hall.

“What are these three coffins for?”

The Fifth Elder of the Ji family, Ji Yanqing’s youngest uncle, noticed the stone coffins and asked Shen Xiao curiously.

Shen Xiao waved his fan mysteriously and replied: “Naturally, they are used to enter the Ghost Realm.”

In truth, their ability to enter the Ghost Realm so quickly this time was largely thanks to Shen Xiao’s previous research.

Years ago, Shen Xiao had sensed the abnormality of the Ji family’s location, especially this underwater tomb; the massive amount of spiritual energy contained here seemed to be sealing a certain passage.

It was only after Ji Yanqing’s remark that “the Cloud Pendant is in the Ghost Realm” that he could finally confirm: this sealed passage was the way from the Cultivation Realm to the Ghost Realm.

The Fifth Elder asked again: “How do we enter using these three coffins?”

“By using these three Physical Body Talismans as substitutes, one can disguise themselves as someone of the Ghost Realm and enter. Once the Cloud Pendant is found, the information is transmitted back to these substitutes, and with support from outside the Ghost Realm, one can return safely with the pendant.”

Shen Xiao produced three talismans and offered a brief explanation.

Everyone present was a one-in-a-ten-thousand cultivation genius; naturally, they understood what the two groups—inside and outside the Ghost Realm—needed to do.

Shen Xiao had prepared the other conditions for entry; now they only needed three people to go in.

Shen Xiao looked at everyone and asked: “So, who will be responsible for the outside support, and who will enter the Ghost Realm?”

Ji Yanhui was the first to speak: “I will go to the Ghost Realm.”

Ji Yanhui needed to obtain the Cloud Pendant to become the legitimate Clan Head. Regardless of his motives, he wouldn’t leave it to others and had to go personally.

The Fifth Elder hesitated and finally said: “I will follow Second Brother’s arrangements.”

Ji Qidan shot a glance at Ji Yanqing. “I am going to the Ghost Realm.”

Shen Xiao was the last to speak: “I will stay outside for support. What about the Young Master and Fellow Daoist Qi?”

“I’ll stay outside.”

“I’m with Senior Brother.”

Ji Yanqing and Qi Ye spoke almost simultaneously.

Ji Yanqing hadn’t wanted to go to the Ghost Realm in the first place. Furthermore, after hearing Ji Qidan’s words, he was worried that if he went with him and the man failed to find his sister, he might leave Ji Yanqing there in a fit of rage. Staying outside was much safer.

As for Qi Ye, he naturally wanted to be wherever Ji Yanqing was.

Hearing this, Ji Qidan said quite unpleasantly: “If you don’t go, how are we supposed to find the Cloud Pendant?”

Ji Yanqing’s attitude was very sincere: “Junior Brother and I have meager cultivation. Since you are looking for something, it is better for Second Uncle to go, so I don’t accidentally bring back the wrong thing. Besides, Father only told me the pendant is in the Ghost Realm’s Fengdu; I don’t know the specific location.”

Actually, regarding why he wasn’t going, Ji Yanqing had already thought up countless reasons before even arriving at the Ji family. For example, he was afraid of ghosts, or if he were the one to get the pendant, he couldn’t guarantee its safe return, etc.

But because Ji Yanqing’s words happened to poke at Ji Qidan’s sore spot—that the Clan Head went to find his sister but brought back a son—Ji Qidan fell silent for a moment and stopped objecting.

Once everything was ready, the formation was activated. An underwater vortex appeared before them, and a sinister ghostly Qi seeped through; this was the entrance to the Ghost Realm.

Shen Xiao was about to place the three talismans into the coffins when Ji Qidan suddenly asked: “Can objects from the outside world be brought into the Ghost Realm?”

Shen Xiao asked: “Does the Second Elder mean magical artifacts or spiritual treasures?”

Ji Qidan pondered a moment, and an exquisitely crafted golden phoenix hairpins (步搖 – bùyáo) inlaid with rubies appeared in his hand. The main body was a phoenix about to take flight, with several gold and jade tassels hanging below.

“I want to find the owner of this item.”

Although Ji Qidan didn’t say who the owner was, those present could guess—it belonged to his sister. He had a second purpose for going to the Ghost Realm: finding the “Little Sister.”

When cultivators stay in the Ghost Realm for a long time, they inevitably forget things, but having an item related to her might make recognition easier.

However, everyone, including Ji Qidan himself, understood that regardless of whether she was even in the Ghost Realm, the realm was vast. Finding someone was like looking for a needle in the ocean; carrying the hairpin was merely to give himself a sliver of hope.

Shen Xiao nodded understandingly: “Yes, you can.”

Ji Yanqing looked at the phoenix hairpin in Ji Qidan’s hand and felt it looked strangely familiar.

Probably because it looks a bit like… a cat teaser?

Ji Yanqing thought so, but he wasn’t the only one in the tomb with that thought.

In the corner of the burial chamber, a beast that had been lurking for a long time slowly opened its eyes.

It had thick pink paw pads that allowed it to creep up on prey silently; even a Spirit Severing master couldn’t easily detect its presence.

Its round blue eyes could instantly track those glittering gold and jade tassels that let out a crisp tinkling sound as they swayed.

The white, rounded body crouched low and then pounced! The target was the hairpin in Ji Qidan’s hand!

So, when Ji Yanqing finally spotted Lei, what he saw was the fluffball jumping up, snatching the golden phoenix hairpin in its mouth, and bolting.

Ji Qidan saw his hairpin snatched by a spiritual beast that had appeared from nowhere. His brow furrowed as he prepared to strike.

“Wait!”

Ji Yanqing saw at a glance that Ji Qidan intended to kill Lei. After all, he shared the bond of passing through the Gate of One Heart with this fluffball, so he instinctively stopped him.

Because of Ji Yanqing’s “wait,” Ji Qidan’s five-colored spiritual light missed the white tuft and struck the wall nearby with a thunderous boom.

Actually, the white fluffball had only seen the tassels and instinctively wanted to bat at them. If it had caught them for a few seconds, it would have dropped them obediently.

But now, because of the sudden fright, the fluffball lost its balance.

Suddenly, a mysterious suction force erupted from the vortex. Both the cat and the hairpin were sucked directly into the vortex. The white fluffball and the phoenix hairpin vanished as if they had never existed.

Ji Yanqing: “…”

The vortex leading to the Ghost Realm returned to a calm state. Several pairs of eyes in the tomb focused on Ji Yanqing.

“Is that your spiritual beast?”

Ji Qidan gave Ji Yanqing a smile and asked with extreme “kindness.”

“Why did I end up coming to the Ghost Realm after all?”

Sitting on a small boat heading toward Fengdu, looking at the Nether River (幽冥河) glowing with a faint green light below, Ji Yanqing couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

Qi Ye analyzed calmly: “Because if Senior Brother didn’t come, Ji Qidan might have made Senior Brother perish on the spot again.”

Ji Yanqing: “…”

Recalling the scene in the tomb, he could only lament that perhaps this was the wonder of fate.

All his previous plans and arrangements had been ruined by a single cat.

Now, on Ji Yanqing’s list of items to find, besides the Cloud Pendant, a golden phoenix hairpin had been forcibly added.

Although Ji Qidan said that finding the pendant was the primary goal, Ji Yanqing believed that if he didn’t bring back that hairpin, Ji Qidan would immediately send him back to the Ghost Realm.

As the boat neared the shore, the fog ahead dissipated, and Fengdu finally appeared before the three of them.

The entirety of Fengdu looked quite gloomy and dark, perfectly matching the Ghost Realm of Ji Yanqing’s imagination.

Then looking at the rickety little boat beneath his feet and the ferryman in a black bodysuit that looked like it hadn’t been changed in three hundred years, every part of this Ghost Realm radiated an aura of poverty and backwardness.

Ji Yanqing was a bit worried.

Compared to the Cultivation Realm, this place indeed looked much further behind. Once they reached Fengdu, surely they wouldn’t be sleeping on the streets with those wandering ghosts?

Just as he was thinking this, the boat reached the shore.

Ji Yanhui walked up to the ferryman and asked: “The fare?”

The ferryman pulled out a jade slip and said soullessly: “Please scan the QR code.”

Ji Yanqing: “?”

What did he just hear? QR code??

Ji Yanqing’s halfway-taken step froze. He turned around to look at the jade slip in the ferryman’s hand.

On the slip wasn’t the QR code he was familiar with, but a horse pattern (馬 – mǎ) made of colored blocks—a “Two-Dimensional Horse” (二維馬 – a pun on ‘er-wei-ma’, QR code).

Just then, a small boat docked nearby. A ghost cultivator on board looked at the code in confusion and asked:

“How do you use this ‘Two-Dimensional Horse’? I’m a new ghost; I’ve never used this thing before.”

A kind ghost cultivator explained: “Scan this horse with your divine sense. it automatically connects to your spiritual stone storage bag. You don’t need to use physical stones during checkout. The Emperor of Fengdu personally maintains the payment system; no need to worry about security. Oh, and if you have unspent spiritual stones from the Cultivation Realm, you can continue to use them here.”

Ji Yanqing: “…”

Why is this payment method so familiar?

Most ghosts who could take a boat to this realm were cultivators in life; their ability to accept and learn new things was very strong.

While the ghost next door was still binding his bag to the “Horse,” Ji Yanhui had already paid the fare.

The three finally left the boat and officially arrived outside Fengdu City.

After the “Horse” incident, Ji Yanqing felt a bit of anticipation before entering Fengdu. Would the city be vastly different from the Cultivation Realm?

For example—a completely modernized city?

However, after the three passed a simple inspection to confirm their identity as ghost cultivators and entered Fengdu, what appeared in Ji Yanqing’s eyes was a street and architecture identical to the Cultivation Realm, save for being slightly gloomier and darker.

It seemed that besides the sudden appearance of the “Two-Dimensional Horse,” everything in the Ghost Realm was quite normal.

Ji Yanqing picked a relatively normal-looking inn. Upon entering, he found the place deserted, save for a ghost cultivator who was staring intently at a jade slip, occasionally swiping at it. The ghost pointed upstairs and said without looking up:

“Oh, plenty of rooms. Just pick a place to stay.”

Ji Yanhui and Qi Ye didn’t find it strange, assuming the ghost was just slacking off. They continued upstairs.

Ji Yanqing, however, couldn’t help but stop and look at the ghost cultivator.

He didn’t know if it was a hallucination, but looking at the way the ghost was behaving, it felt strangely familiar.

Soon, the three arrived at the second-floor rooms. Seeing only two doors, Qi Ye hurriedly turned to Ji Yanqing and said, “Senior Brother, I’ll stay with you. I’ll make midnight snacks for you.”

Ji Yanhui said solemnly: “I have some questions to ask you regarding the Cloud Pendant.”

Both Qi Ye and Ji Yanhui’s gazes were fixed on Ji Yanqing, waiting for him to choose a room.

Looking at the two of them, Ji Yanqing felt a sense of familiarity, as if he were back in front of the Gate of One Heart.

The only difference was that this time, the “tool-lei” fluffball was no longer by his side.

“But,” Ji Yanqing thought and pointed to the door behind them, “there are three rooms here total.”

Saying this, he added for the two of them:

“When the snacks are ready, send them directly to my room. If you have questions, you can also come to my room to find me. We’ll start our investigation tonight.”

Qi Ye, Ji Yanhui: “…”

“Close call.”

What Qi Ye and Ji Yanhui wouldn’t know was that although Ji Yanqing appeared clueless on the surface, he let out a long sigh of relief the moment he entered his room.

Ever since entering the Ghost Realm—no, it seemed ever since the Gate of One Heart—Ji Yanqing had sensed that something was off with the attitudes of Qi Ye and Ji Yanhui.

He could somewhat understand Qi Ye’s change.

I know Qi Ye’s secret, so he naturally wants to curry favor with me.

But what about Ji Yanhui?

Ji Yanqing frowned in deep thought, then had a sudden flash of inspiration.

Could it be…

He realized that I actually have no idea where the Cloud Pendant is, so he wants to keep an eye on me at all times?

Before he could find an answer, there was a knock on the door.

Ji Yanqing opened it to find Qi Ye standing outside.

“Senior Brother, I came to ask what you want to eat, and…”

Qi Ye looked at Ji Yanqing, pausing for a moment with burning eyes. “Senior Brother, I have no intention of prying into Ji family matters, but regardless of what happens, I will protect you.”

This kid—even though he knows he has demon blood, he still came to comfort me.

“It’s good that you think so. By the way, I want Osmanthus cakes, fresh flower pastries…”

Hearing Qi Ye say this, Ji Yanqing was a bit moved and rattled off ten different types of pastries in one breath.

“Good, I’ll go make them now.” Qi Ye nodded obediently and left with his “tail wagging.”

Thinking that he’d soon have pastries to eat, Ji Yanqing returned to his room happily. But not long after, another knock sounded.

Finished so soon?

Ji Yanqing murmured and opened the door. It wasn’t Qi Ye, but Ji Yanhui.

Ji Yanhui opened with a word of comfort: “Second Uncle has always been sharp-tongued. If the hairpin truly can’t be found, I believe he won’t blame you.”

Ji Yanhui hesitated, eventually swallowing the phrase “Even if he does blame you, I will protect you.”

Ji Yanqing: “…”

That’s because you have no idea what he said in that tomb!

Ji Yanqing remained silent for a long while, but he couldn’t very well tell Ji Yanhui what he had heard.

“Mn, thank you for the comfort.”

Ji Yanqing’s head had been full of the impending pastries, but hearing Ji Yanhui say this, he was reminded of his task, and his mood dampened slightly.

His words failed to cheer Ji Yanqing up; instead, the boy’s tone sounded a bit lower. Ji Yanhui thought a moment and added: “Also, the Cloud Pendant—I sense it is within this Fengdu. We will find it soon.”

Having finished, Ji Yanhui looked intently at Ji Yanqing, hoping for a look of pleasant surprise.

But Ji Yanqing’s head was full of his life being in Ji Qidan’s hands. Hearing this good news, he only said faintly: “Oh, that’s great.”

No biting retort, no surprise, and he didn’t call him “Third Brother.”

Ji Yanhui felt a sudden pang of disappointment.

Wait—why would he feel disappointed?

Did he still want Ji Yanqing to be nice to him? Had he forgotten how the boy had scammed him before?

“Mn, I’m leaving.” Ji Yanhui told himself this. He forced himself back to his room and began to silently ponder what on earth was wrong with him.

On the other side, after Ji Yanhui and Qi Ye left, Ji Yanqing suddenly grew anxious.

The pendant had a lead, but what about the hairpin?

When they first entered the Ghost Realm, it was a bottomless Sea of Suffering and the Nether River. Ghost cultivators could take a boat to Fengdu, but what about a spiritual beast like Lei?

Could it have fallen into the Sea of Suffering and vanished?

If he really couldn’t find Lei and the hairpin…

The image of Ji Qidan’s “kind” smile appeared before Ji Yanqing again.

He bolted upright like a dying man and walked out of the room. He paced anxiously in the empty front hall and finally decided to ask the ghost cultivator who was still in the same swiping posture as before.

“Have you seen a small beast? Blue eyes, white fur, very cute.”

Actually, Ji Yanqing was just asking casually; he didn’t expect an answer from this ghost, nor did he expect him to even reply.

To his surprise, hearing this, the ghost looked up as if he had heard something incredible. He waved the jade slip in his hand and asked Ji Yanqing: “Do you mean… this one?”

In the image projected by the jade slip, a snow-white spiritual beast was staring warily at its surroundings, looking as if it wouldn’t let anyone get close.

Its expression was one of ferocity Ji Yanqing had never seen, but that white fur and deep blue eyes were identical to Lei’s.

“I think… yes.” Ji Yanqing replied with some uncertainty.

The ghost’s eyes lit up, and he grabbed Ji Yanqing’s arm. “Then it’s you!”

Ji Yanqing: “?”

My identity was exposed this fast?

“Isn’t it written clearly here?” Seeing Ji Yanqing’s bewilderment, the ghost pointed to a string of black characters to the right of the image.

The characters on this image look like ghostly scribbles; who could possibly read them!

Wait—this is the Ghost Realm. These scribbles are literally ‘ghost characters’, aren’t they?

The ghost didn’t know Ji Yanqing was roasting him internally, assuming the youth was just an illiterate country ghost.

He explained: “It says here, ‘A massive reward for anyone related to this cat; a reward of 100,000 high-grade spiritual stones.’ If I capture you and send you to the Emperor of Fengdu, I’ll have 100,000 stones!”

100,000… high-grade spiritual stones??

“Wait!” Ji Yanqing interrupted.

The ghost grew wary. “You admitted it just now; don’t even think about denying it!”

To his surprise, Ji Yanqing looked at him with an expectant face: “I just want to ask, if I go to the Emperor of Fengdu myself, can I claim those 100,000 stones?”