Chapter Twelve: The Two Conditions for Arakasasa’s Submission

Probability of occurrence: one in a hundred million. It only appears in those who have consumed the Flesh of the Immortal, also known as the Nirvana Body.

After eating the Flesh of the Immortal, there is a fifty percent chance to become a mindless monster, and a fifty percent chance to attain the Nirvana Body. Those who survive the Flesh of the Immortal undergo reincarnation with each subsequent death. They revive decades or centuries later, never entering the Underworld, but losing all memories of their previous life.

Qin Ye stared unblinkingly at these lines. It was happening again… that vague sense of revelation, just as before… Information swiftly constructed itself in his mind. He gazed motionless for a full twenty minutes, then suddenly stood up.

So that's it!

Among countless fragments of knowledge, there truly was—there truly was information to unravel the three-day death trap and the mystery beneath the bed.

“You ruined my Six Ghost Kings Diagram, so… you’ll repay me by serving as my beast of burden!” He didn’t act immediately, but pondered for another half hour before crouching down and extracting the provincial governor from beneath the bed, who had been keeping company with ‘The Actor’s Self-Cultivation.’

“Boy… you will not die well! I’ll be waiting for you in hell… Once you die, your soul will be used as my lantern…” As soon as he picked up the talisman ball, a tide of venomous words surged forth from within.

Qin Ye tossed it lightly and suddenly spoke, “Lady Meng left something for me.”

Instantly, the talisman ball became silent.

“I’ve just learned what is unique about those who’ve eaten the Flesh of the Immortal.”

Arakasa said nothing.

“And moreover, I know that every hundred years, the Soul-Sealing Ball is delivered to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva for cremation… Quite aligned with national policy, I must say.”

“What are you getting at?” Arakasa's voice was icy.

“Don’t rush… Let me share a speculation. I’ll say it, you listen; see if you find it interesting.” Without waiting for Arakasa to respond, he continued, “First, how many people die in Huaguo each year? I recall a figure—five million. Over a hundred years? Tsk, tsk… Five hundred million souls carried around like Poké Balls, and this delivery is handled by officials at the Lord of the Underworld level? Does he have nothing better to do?”

Arakasa fell silent. For some reason, a sense of foreboding crept into her heart.

“There must be a reason he has to do this. What could it be? Suddenly, I recalled a question—” He smiled slightly, looking at the Soul-Sealing Ball. “On the Bridge of Helplessness, not a single ghost remains.”

“My bold guess: officials below the Lord of the Underworld cannot enter Ksitigarbha’s Buddhist domain! Am I right? Even you, a former Judge… tsk, tsk, you can only survive by hiding in a crack far from the bridgehead. Even Lady Meng, an official underworld emissary, dares not cross the Bridge of Helplessness to approach the present Fengdu City. Isn’t that so?”

“Is your speculation just this nonsense?” Arakasa retorted coldly, though even she didn’t notice her tone had softened slightly.

“No, no, no.” Qin Ye wagged his finger. “Now for the second part of the story: I felt nothing on that bridge!”

In that instant, he sensed the Soul-Sealing Ball in his hand become perfectly still.

Not a trace of struggle—it was as if it had died.

“Afraid? I’ve only just realized—Lady Meng told me that the body neither living nor dead can interact with all things of both worlds. And Ksitigarbha… how you fear him, yet he poses no threat whatsoever to me.”

“In other words, I can very well reach the present Fengdu City, can’t I?”

Silence.

“Tsk, tsk… One should speak respectfully. After all, I traded a Ghost King Diagram for you. That was my lifesaving item.” Qin Ye complained.

Suddenly, the Soul-Sealing Ball trembled as Arakasa bellowed through gritted teeth, “What exactly are you trying to say?!”

Qin Ye’s smile faded. He narrowed his eyes, staring directly at the Soul-Sealing Ball. “I mean… I can’t open the Soul-Sealing Ball unless I die, but if I cross over and toss you at Ksitigarbha’s feet… what do you think will happen?”

“Hm? Former provincial governor with no divine office?”

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Once again, abrupt silence.

Qin Ye didn’t speak either, leisurely tossing the ball. Indeed… Lady Meng was right, he and she were both pitch-black inside…

“You may try,” Arakasa sneered after a few seconds. “I was a Judge once; even Ksitigarbha can’t transcend me. Besides…”

She laughed coldly. “You? A mere underworld emissary dares talk about crossing over? You won’t make it to the bridgehead before being torn apart by countless ghosts.”

As she finished, Qin Ye suddenly stood, swiftly climbing onto the windowsill.

“You… What are you doing?” Arakasa’s voice quivered.

He didn’t answer. Qin Ye picked up the ancient lamp Lady Meng had left on the desk and examined it carefully.

If memory served, lighting this lamp would allow him to cross over…

“What are you trying to do? It’s useless; you don’t have the power to cross over now…”

Still no answer. Qin Ye exhaled in relief and snapped open the lid.

“Actually, there’s no need for us to be so adversarial. I’ll tell you the true purpose of the Yanluo Seal… No, I’ll even tell you why Lady Meng sought out the last underworld emissary. Isn’t it odd? So many emissaries in the underworld, perhaps some even survived. And so many accomplished monks and priests among the living—any one of them is superior to you, don’t you think?”

Still no response. Qin Ye flicked the lighter.

“Stop!!!!”

A hoarse, desperate roar thundered in Qin Ye's ears. He was half-smiling as he placed his hand inside the ancient palace lamp, watching the Soul-Sealing Ball with leisure.

“No more pretending? Not going to claim Ksitigarbha can’t transcend you?”

This time, Arakasa fell silent, leaving only the sound of teeth gnashing.

“Go on, then. You’re making me feel quite unaccomplished.”

“Shut up!!” Arakasa’s voice was filled with hatred. “What are you trying to do? I’ll admit it—Ksitigarbha could annihilate me in an instant. But you’ll die before reaching him!”

“Fine, then let’s hurt each other.”

Damn it, damn it! That’s what Arakasa most wanted to curse. She fully grasped the feeling of a troll.

Can’t understand ghost talk? Why die? The world is so beautiful; why be so irritable? This isn’t good.

Have you never thought about restraining that self-destructive urge?

Have you never considered contributing to national construction, whole and unbroken?

What kind of person are you!

She took a deep breath. The Soul-Sealing Ball stirred, and when she spoke again, there was a hint of laughter. “Why take it so seriously? Perhaps there’s been some unpleasantness between us, but it’s all a misunderstanding. On the Bridge of Helplessness, I merely wanted to frighten you. I’m actually quite friendly…”

Even she didn’t believe these words.

Qin Ye closed the ancient palace lamp and clearly heard Arakasa sigh with relief. He pulled out Wang Zemins’s Soul-Sealing Ball and shook it. “My request is simple. First, I don’t intend to die. Rest assured, if this isn’t resolved by tomorrow night, I’ll risk everything to deliver you to Ksitigarbha.”

“You destroyed my protective treasure, so you must work for me. That’s reasonable, isn’t it?”

Reasonable your ass!

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A Judge of centuries working for a mere underworld emissary?!

Back then, a mouthful of my spit could drown you!

“Very reasonable… extremely reasonable…” Yet, those were the words that emerged from Arakasa’s mouth.

“Also, to prevent you from scheming my death, I need at least a strand of your soul. If I die, you die too—families should stick together…”

“Impossible!” Before he finished speaking, Arakasa snapped, grinding her teeth. “If I give you my soul, I’d rather die!”

“No room for negotiation?” Qin Ye opened the ancient lamp.

“…Heh… Young people are so impatient… It’s not impossible to give you a soul, but there’s a term. Within a hundred years, I can assist you, but if you can’t become a Judge without another emissary in that time, you must release me. And if you reach the Judge rank, you must release me. A blood oath, witnessed by the Dao of Heaven, unbreakable by any.”

Why not just agree to this from the start?

Why probe the edges of my bottom line again and again?

Qin Ye glared at the Soul-Sealing Ball. “I say who you fight, you fight. You must answer my questions, agreed?”

“Not really possible. The Soul-Sealing Ball can’t be opened, so I can’t help you fight. At most, I can exert my pressure, but… with the underworld gone and no divine office, my pressure will only affect ghosts up to twenty years old. It may not even be noticeable.”

“No problem. Then… it’s settled.”

“Fine… swear with me.” The word “fine” was squeezed out through Arakasa’s clenched teeth.

She knew full well the other party would likely die on the crossing, but what if…?

What if… he truly reached the foot of Ksitigarbha’s golden statue?

As a former Judge, dying alongside a mere underworld emissary?

That was not an option. In her mind, her life was far more precious than that of the lowest emissary.

After reciting a string of strange oaths, Qin Ye felt a gentle vibration around him and a sense of being connected by blood and fate. He breathed a silent sigh of relief.

He had long expected she couldn’t help him fight. To do so would require opening the Soul-Sealing Ball, and he would never do that.

What he needed was her centuries of knowledge! Her experience!

Nothing could be more valuable—even more than the Six Ghost Kings Diagram!

One is a single-use weapon; the other, a long-term utility.

How does a blind novice survive in a world swarming with fierce ghosts? Knowledge is power.

He secretly sighed in relief—he’d finally got himself a portable grandpa… no, grandma. Though this grandma was always scheming to kill him…

“Alright, now tell me, why is this soul so important? How do I break the three-day death trap?”

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