“Oh, it’s you, Brother Horse Face! Since I’m brothers with the Black and White Guards, naturally I’m your brother too. These three are also my brothers, so they must be your brothers as well, right?” Seeing it was one of their own, Liu Dashao immediately felt at ease and patted his chest confidently as he spoke. His words were quite convoluted and required some logical reasoning to understand, so for a moment, Horse Face couldn’t quite grasp what he was saying.
“What? Black and White? You mean the Black and White Impermanents?” Horse Face asked after a brief pause.
“Yeah, yeah, exactly! It was them who allowed me to leave with my three brothers, so you should just let us pass with a blind eye, right?” Liu Dashao explained.
“Damn! So it was the Black and White Impermanents! No wonder I couldn’t figure out how you managed to get here!” Horse Face exclaimed in sudden realization.
“That’s right, that’s right,” Liu Dashao nodded repeatedly, unaware of Horse Face’s increasingly darkening expression.
“Grandma’s sake, I came here today specifically to settle accounts with you!” Provoked by Liu Dashao’s words, Horse Face immediately charged furiously toward him. In fact, Liu Dashao had indeed made a serious mistake by mentioning the Black and White Impermanents so casually. Little did he know that Horse Face’s current predicament was directly linked to them, and he had always harbored deep resentment toward those two. Today, this young upstart dared to lecture him on his own turf while openly invoking the Black and White Impermanents—this was like pouring salt on old wounds. Liu Dashao, frightened, quickly hid behind Madam Fan. However, Madam Fan stood still and, as Horse Face approached, unexpectedly pushed Liu Dashao toward him. Liu Dashao collided with Horse Face, but upon contact, Horse Face was flung backward by a beam of white light emanating from Liu Dashao’s chest, landing sprawled on the ground. After recovering from the shock, Horse Face got up, using his bamboo-jointed steel whip as a cane, clearly both furious and anxious.
Realizing he couldn’t deal with Liu Dashao directly, Horse Face extended his arm magically, stretching it five or six meters, and grabbed the souls of Tian Guoqiang and the others, stringing them together before rushing swiftly toward the first level of hell. Liu Dashao and Madam Fan hurriedly chased after him.
Just as they were about to catch up, Horse Face suddenly stopped, holding the three children, and Liu Dashao and Madam Fan halted as well. Behind Horse Face, it seemed like a turbulent river, but everything in the underworld was dim and unclear to Liu Dashao. Standing opposite them, Horse Face threatened, “Old woman, you know better than anyone what this place is. If you dare take another step forward, I’ll send these three kids straight down with one swing of my whip.”
Liu Dashao asked Madam Fan beside him, “Granny, where are we?” Madam Fan replied, “This is the Naihe Bridge. The water beneath connects to the Six Paths of Reincarnation in the underworld. The Six Paths are divided into the Three Good Paths and the Three Evil Paths. The Three Good Paths are Heaven, Humanity, and Asura; the Three Evil Paths are Beasts, Hungry Ghosts, and Hell. Right now, the water flowing here leads to the Beasts Path. If someone is pushed from here, they will be reborn as an animal in their next life.”
Madam Fan’s words startled Liu Dashao, who was desperate not to let Tian Guoqiang and the others fall. He quickly called out to Horse Face, “Hey buddy, no, Grandpa, please don’t do anything rash. We’ll go back!” Saying this, he truly pretended to pull Madam Fan back. However, Liu Dashao’s mind was scheming, far more cunning than a mere bully like Horse Face could comprehend. As he walked away, he kept glancing sideways at Horse Face. After a few steps, Horse Face relaxed his guard and released the three souls. At this moment, Liu Dashao seized the opportunity, turned around, and charged headfirst toward Horse Face. Taken completely by surprise, Horse Face had barely begun to react when Liu Dashao had already rammed him off the Naihe Bridge!
The unfortunate Horse Face fell into the river beneath the bridge, screaming in pain. Naturally, this was a huge event for everyone involved. Unfortunately, Liu Dashao’s impulsive action resulted in his own fate: due to his high speed, he hadn’t even had time to steady himself before he also plunged into the river beneath the bridge. Horse Face, possessing an official token from the underworld, could float on the water without sinking, albeit temporarily unable to climb back up. Liu Dashao, being an ordinary mortal, sank out of sight in an instant.
As for the outcome, everyone simply smiled without saying a word.
When Madam Fan returned from the underworld, it was already past three o’clock in the afternoon. Everyone in the house dared not move, staying by Madam Fan and Liu Dashao’s bedside. When Madam Fan awoke, Liu Laoshi, seeing his son still lying motionless on the bed, not even blinking, immediately grew anxious. He tugged at Madam Fan’s sleeve and asked, “Spirit Lady, why hasn’t my little brat woken up yet?” After drinking a couple of sips of water, Madam Fan recounted the entire journey to the underworld in detail to everyone.
Upon hearing that Liu Dashao had fallen into the Naihe Bridge, everyone was extremely anxious, especially Liu Laoshi, who regretted his decision to allow Liu Dashao to descend into the underworld. Seeing everyone’s anxiety, Madam Fan quickly said, “You all don’t need to panic yet. Listen to what I have to say. There’s still a way to reverse this situation.”
As soon as Madam Fan finished speaking, the entire room fell silent. She continued, “I was afraid something might go wrong after the boy went down, so I inscribed a talisman on his waist.” Seeing Madam Fan hesitating to get to the point, Village Chief Tian immediately interjected, “Madam Fan, please just tell us how we can rescue my nephew!” Madam Fan replied, “Tomorrow morning, you all should split up and check every household. If anyone’s cat, dog, sheep, or similar animal has recently given birth, you must go and take a look. If you find a newborn with a black ring around its waist, no matter how high the price, you must buy it. Then, you must kill it. Only then can I go down and retrieve the young master’s soul.”
The next morning, Village Chief Tian, Goudan’s father, Xiaomazi’s mother, and various uncles, grandmothers, cousins, and other relatives set out early to inquire about any households where cats or dogs had recently given birth. After all, Liu Dashao had gotten into trouble trying to help their children, so if they didn’t assist, they’d be no better than beasts. Unfortunately, despite their efforts throughout the morning, wearing out their shoes and hoarsening their voices, they found nothing useful. Around three in the afternoon, Madam Fan finally made a discovery at Wang Dana’s house. Using her extensive network of contacts, Madam Fan learned that Wang Dana’s cat had given birth to a litter the previous night. Upon hearing this, Madam Fan quickly asked Wang Dana, “Brother Wang, could you let me see the kittens?” Wang Dana laughed and agreed, “Sure! What’s the problem with just looking at the kittens?”
In the cat’s nest at Wang Dana’s house, Madam Fan immediately recognized the kitten carrying Liu Dashao’s soul. The kitten had pure white fur, with a distinct black ring around its waist. Madam Fan quickly picked up the kitten and asked Wang Dana, “Brother Wang, would you sell this kitten to me?” Wang Dana looked surprised and said, “This kitten was just born and is still nursing. Even if you buy it now, you won’t be able to keep it alive. If you really want it, come back after it’s grown a bit.” Madam Fan shook her head and insisted, “I need it now. Name your price, and I won’t haggle.” Hearing this, Wang Dana burst into laughter and said, “Since you like this kitten so much, just take it. As for money, forget it. We’re neighbors, and it’s just a cat, nothing special.”
Madam Fan thanked Wang Dana, took the kitten, and hurriedly made her way to Xiaomazi’s house. Once there, she eagerly gathered Village Chief Tian and the others around and said, “This animal is likely the young master’s reincarnation. There’s no time to waste. I must go back to the underworld right away. Once I’m gone, you must kill this kitten immediately so that its soul can be released.”
After Madam Fan departed for the underworld once more, Village Chief Tian steeled himself, gently stroked the kitten, closed his eyes, raised it high above his head with both hands, and then slammed it forcefully onto the ground. The poor kitten, having barely lived a day in this world, met its end instantly. With the kitten dead, Liu Dashao’s soul returned to the underworld, once again in that familiar place that inspired no longing. As Liu Dashao walked the path of the underworld, he kept looking behind him. Truthfully, he missed his family and his good friends Xie and Fan, but no matter how many times he turned his head from side to side, he could not spot the Black and White Impermanents anywhere.
It must be said that the path of the underworld is destined to be a one-way street, difficult to retrace once walked. Liu Dashao walked dejectedly along the underworld’s path, lost and uncertain, when someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Liu Dashao immediately turned around and saw it was Madam Fan. At the sight of her, Liu Dashao’s nose twitched with emotion, and he rushed into her arms, sobbing, “Granny, take me back. I don’t want to stay here.” Madam Fan gently stroked Liu Dashao’s head with an expression of boundless affection and said, “My dear boy, don’t cry. Granny will take you home right away.” With that, Madam Fan took his hand and hurriedly turned to head back.
As they had just turned and taken a few steps, they heard someone behind them, speaking in a hoarse, mocking voice, “Dear old lady, you certainly have some nerve! Do you think the underworld is your personal playground, where you come and go as you please, even taking others with you without so much as a word to me?”
Liu Dashao and Madam Fan quickly turned around and saw a group of people standing before them, led by a tall, muscular man. His waist was as thick as a water vat, his arms bulging with muscle, and he held a massive steel fork. With horns on his head and blood-red eyes, he looked exactly like the Bull Demon King from the classic Journey to the West.
From the tone of this fellow’s voice, Liu Dashao immediately sensed that this was no ordinary ghost officer. Looking at Horse Face smirking behind him, Liu Dashao’s heart sank. Could this be the Bull Head? Good grief, what a mess his life had become. In just a few days, he had met the Black and White Impermanents, seen both Horse Face and Bull Head. What next? Would the Ten Kings of Hell and the Judge Clerk make appearances too, for a banquet or a reception?
Seeing Bull Head, Madam Fan did not bother with flattery or pleasantries. Instead, she simply shielded Liu Dashao behind her and said to Bull Head, “Lord Bull, Officer Horse, since you’ve discovered us, I have nothing more to say. I only ask one thing: release this child. I will bear all the consequences myself.” Bull Head sneered and said, “Do you think you can handle the consequences? You pushed one of my men into the Naihe Bridge, took away those three souls, and now you’ve come back to take this little ghost as well. Do you even consider me and my authority? Don’t think you can act with impunity just because you know the Black and White Impermanents. Let me tell you, they’re currently on official business in the human world, so give up any hope of help from them. Your lives are in my hands, and I can crush you like bugs whenever I please. Do you understand me?” Bull Head’s words immediately made Madam Fan feel tense and uneasy.
Madam Fan asked, “Then what must I do to secure the child’s release?” Bull Head replied, “You know the underworld’s rules well enough. Since he’s come here, how could I possibly let him go? Since you took his three companions, this little ghost will have to take their place.”
Seeing Bull Head’s firm stance, Madam Fan decided not to waste more words with him. She crouched down and whispered to Liu Dashao, “My dear boy, listen to Granny. Run back quickly. On your way, you’ll see an arched gate—go through it, and you’ll be safe!” Liu Dashao asked Madam Fan, “Granny, what about you if I run away by myself?” Madam Fan replied, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage somehow.” With that, she pushed Liu Dashao forward and shouted, “My dear boy, run fast! Remember what Granny told you!” Seeing Liu Dashao trying to escape, Bull Head immediately ordered his men to chase after him. Liu Dashao ran for his life, glancing back at Madam Fan as he fled. Seeing Bull Head preparing to chase after Liu Dashao as well, Madam Fan rushed forward and tightly embraced his leg. Bull Head struggled to shake her off and, growing impatient, viciously kicked Madam Fan’s head with his other foot. Each kick sent waves of pain through Liu Dashao’s heart.
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