Chapter 1: Strange Phenomena in the Underworld

  After getting the approval from Yan Wang, they immediately paid the money and then helped Lu Xiaoping move into her new home. To celebrate, they had a meal in the new villa that day. Lu Xiaoping was overjoyed, she finally had a new home. For her, dying was better than living, before she died, she lived in a dilapidated earth house, now she could live in a villa, and from then on, she would no longer wander around. Looking at everyone's enthusiasm for his sister, he shed tears of happiness.

  While everyone was busy cooking and cleaning, he slipped away to a shed made of tattered cloth, where many homeless ghosts and spirits dwelled. They spent their days lounging around, lying naked and sprawled out in the dilapidated shack, like a group of beggars, only venturing out when some "philanthropist" from the mortal world came to offer them food and water.

  He used to live here too, and besides him, his parents were also here, so he actually came to pick up his parents.

  It is said that after buying a villa, Lu Xiaoping's parents were somewhat unbelieving, but seeing Lu Xiaoping's persistence in asking them to move out, his parents followed him out of the "slum" with some doubt.

  As Lu Xiaoping walked out of the shed, he turned around and saw his wife and Chui Erdou. The couple was kneeling by the side of the road with a broken bowl in front of them, begging for food.

  His wife's hair was disheveled, one eye was black and blue, it seemed that she had been beaten by Cui Er Gou in the underworld too, maybe she often got beaten. Their clothes were tattered, they wanted to live a good life when they were alive, but after death, they still looked like this.

  He stopped in his tracks, silently gazing at the pitiful sight of his wife, feeling both anger and hatred with a tinge of bitterness. He slowly walked up to her, placing a banknote worth 8,000 into her broken bowl, enough for his wife to have two sumptuous meals.

  His wife saw the money in the bowl, looked up and saw her husband, and immediately cried out to be with him because she saw that he was now wearing a very handsome outfit, a suit and leather shoes, which clearly showed that he had made a lot of money.

  Lu Xiaoping, who was dressed neatly, indeed had some charm!

  However, Lu Xiaoping coldly laughed at her and then turned around and left with his parents.

  Arriving at the villa, Lu Xiaoping was about to open the door when Lu Xiao Ying happened to laugh and walk out of the door. She had gone to buy soy sauce.

  The parents and daughter met again, can you imagine how the atmosphere was!

  "Is it you?!" Lu Xiao Ying saw her parents and immediately hid the smile on her face, coldly staring at them saying "It's you!"

  "Hmph!" Her mother's eyes slanted, looking at her daughter with disdain. "I'm here for my son, he bought a house, it has nothing to do with you, what are you doing here? Are you also going to continue to be a burden to your brother and us?"

  "That's right!" Her father also spoke coldly from the side.

  "Never mind," said Lu Xiaoping, "we're all family, and this house was even bought by my sister."

  "Ah——" Before that, Lu Xiaoping only said he bought a new house, but didn't say how he bought it. I thought he had secretly saved up to buy it, but now I hear it's his daughter's credit. Suddenly, I'm shocked and my eyes are wide with wonder. My mouth is agape and I involuntarily let out an "ah" sound, drawing out the tail of the word.

  "Brother," said Lu Xiao Ying, "this house is yours now. Although I don't like seeing some 'things', as long as you're willing, do whatever you want. I'm going to make soy sauce."

  After finishing speaking, Lu Xiao Ying expressionlessly walked past them and left. The two couples turned their heads to look at her back, pouting their mouths and thickening their skin as they slipped into the house.

  Lu Xiao Ying arranged a place for her brother to stay, and Lan Jing Qiu fulfilled his previous promise, letting Lu Xiao Ping manage the accounts at the repair factory. Seeing Lu Xiao Ping's happy smile, they finally felt at ease and returned to the world of the living, as their physical bodies couldn't stay here for too long.

  They then bid farewell to Yan Wang and headed towards Naihe Bridge.

  They walked along the Naihe Bridge Road, passed through the Yellow Spring Road, and stepped onto the Naihe Bridge.

  Today's Naihe Bridge made them somewhat puzzled, the lively scene disappeared, and at this time Naihe Bridge was as quiet as death. Those who sold soup all closed their doors tightly, and it was even more impossible for an old woman to come out and grab business.

  "It suddenly became quiet, and it was a bit uncomfortable." Huo Jucai said, looking around.

  "Yes," Lan Jingqiu said with a smile, "why don't you do business? You won't change your career all of a sudden, will you?"

  "Of course not!"

  Just as they were feeling bewildered, a voice came from behind them. They turned their heads to see the old woman who had sold soup to Lan Jingqiu slowly emerging from behind them, step by step, and walking onto the Naihe Bridge.

  "Was it you who just spoke?" Lan Jingqiu asked, taking a step forward.

  "Yes," said the old woman.

  "Why aren't you doing business anymore? All of your doors are tightly closed." Huo Jucai also stepped forward.

  "It's so quiet, it's abnormal, what's going on?" said Du Gu Jingzhong.

  The old woman sighed and glanced at them, then slowly said: "This matter may not be known to anyone, it's a secret that can't be told to people, I also discovered it because I lived here for thousands of years. Two years ago, more than a dozen ghosts stole the Demon-Subduing Seal from the Yama Temple and escaped from the underworld, then went to the mortal world to do evil. However, the Demon-Subduing Seal needs to absorb the blood river water of Naihe Bridge every year, so at this time this year, these ghosts will return to the underworld, we have to close the door."

  "If they've stolen the Town Demon Seal, why doesn't Yan Wang go and capture those ghosts?" Qian Xiaohong said.

  "Because no one can withstand the magical power of the Town Demon Seal." The old woman said.

  "What is that thing?" Chen Zhenhua was somewhat skeptical, "Can it have such great power?"

  "Of course, it's incredibly powerful!" the old woman said. "It's said that this Demon-Subduing Seal was created by the Emperor Xuanyuan after defeating Chiyou over ten thousand years ago, using Chiyou's soul and the five-colored stones used by Nüwa to repair the heavens. Later, when Chiyou's subordinates who died in battle tried to rebel in the underworld, the Jade Emperor passed this Demon-Subduing Seal down to the Yama Temple, so it could be used to restrain and eliminate stubborn ghosts. For over ten thousand years, everything has been peaceful in the underworld, but unexpectedly, this Demon-Subduing Seal was stolen by a dozen or so dogs!"

  "The Town Demon Seal is in the Yama Temple, those ghosts need to come to Naihe Bridge to let the Town Demon Seal absorb water, what does this have to do with your business? Why are all the doors closed?" Lu Xiao Ying said.

  "Because the Town Demon Seal emits a golden light when it absorbs water, any ghost that is enveloped by this light will be reduced to nothing. So, who would want to be reduced to nothing?" said the old woman.

  "That ghost who took the Town Demon Seal and drank water, isn't he in trouble? Does he dare?" Chen Zhenhua asked in puzzlement.

  "The bottom of the demon-suppressing seal has words, which is the incantation. As long as the incantation is spoken, the golden light of the demon-suppressing seal will not harm the ghost who recites the incantation. Originally, each king of the underworld would memorize the incantation on the seal, but this one, who became the king of the underworld only 100 years ago, didn't care about the demon-suppressing seal and treated it as an antique, putting it in a cabinet. Therefore, he doesn't know the incantation, and it was stolen."

  "He can go find the previous Yama King," said Qian Xiaohong.

  "He didn't dare to let the Heavenly Court know that the Town Demon Seal was stolen, besides even if he found the previous Yanluo King it would be useless. Because back then the Heavenly Court took into consideration the infinite power of the Town Demon Seal and were afraid that a retired Yanluo King might secretly take away the seal and use it to summon demons to disturb the three realms. Therefore, after retirement, the Yanluo King must undergo brainwashing and forget everything he had done and seen." The old woman said.

  "I still don't believe it," Lu Xiaoying shook her head, because the old woman had sold fake medicine to her, so now she thought the old woman's words were just scare tactics.

  "Do you know of a person called Qitian Dasheng?" The old woman asked Lu Xiao Ying who looked disdainful.

  "It's Journey to the West, who doesn't know that?" Lu Xiao Ying said with a disdainful cold laugh.

  "Sun Wukong was originally just a stone monkey, and after learning magic, he only stayed in the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. But because of a Yanluo Wang who didn't believe in evil, holding the Town Demon Seal to summon him once, Sun Wukong broke into Heaven and tore up the Book of Life and Death in Hell. Did you know all this?" The old woman also looked at her with disdain, her eyes, which were full of wrinkles and bloodshot, gleaming as if to say "I know all this, how about you?", her expression showing pride.

  "So you're saying that the Town Demon Seal can't be retrieved?" Lan Jingqiu asked softly.

  "It's not that there's no way," the old woman said, "if you want to find the Town Demon Seal, you must find seven souls born on an unlucky year, month and hour. When they gather together, they can produce a powerful spell, their spell is mutually restrictive with the Town Demon Seal, so they can take the Town Demon Seal without being hurt."

  "Born on an unlucky year, month and hour?" asked Huo Jucai in surprise. "Why seven?"

  "Seven stars in a row!" said the old lady.

  "I was born on an unlucky year, month and hour," said Qian Xiaohong.

  "I am too!" Lu Xiao Ying also opened her eyes and looked at everyone.

  Lan Jingqiu and Huo Jucui as well as Ouyang Qing also chimed in unison: "We are too!"

  Chen Zhenhua and Dugu Jinzhong exchanged a glance, then looked at everyone else and nodded heavily.

  "I understand," said Lan Jingqiu, "I completely understand why King Yan sent us to the mortal world. It turns out he wanted us to help him retrieve the Demon-Subduing Seal."

  "Right! We think so too!" Everyone nodded.

  "No good! I'll go get my Meng Po soup recipe, looks like there's no time!" Suddenly, the old woman shouted loudly and ran back the way she came, shouting as she went, "They're coming, they've arrived." The cries were urgent and sounded frightening, a mournful and resentful voice.

  The old woman yelled and ran away in a flurry, her thin body normally swaying when walking, now running faster than the wind.

  They stood there in confusion, looking at each other, unsure whether to hide or stand their ground.

  Soon, Lan Jingqiu heard a rustling sound coming from the front of the vast fog, faintly and vaguely, like the sound of walking on leaves, which sounded like a mouse gnawing at a sack.

  "There's a sound!" said Lan Jingqiu.

  "I also heard," Chen Zhenhua nodded, and everyone perked up their ears to listen carefully.

  "It's footsteps, no! It should be the sound of feet trampling on rotten leaves," said Lu Xiao Ying.

  "Even if it's just a leaf being stepped on, that still counts as footsteps!" Ouyang Qing said, also listening intently.

  "The sound seems to be getting closer and closer, you can hear it, no longer so faint, already audible." Chen Zhenhua said.

  "Shut up," Ouyang Qing said, "we all know that, no need for you to be a commentator."

  "Me!" Chen Zhenhua was about to retort, but seeing everyone looking at him, he really shut his mouth and didn't speak.

  "Listen up," Lan Jingqiu suddenly turned serious, as if a great enemy was before them. "We can't fully believe or disbelieve what the old woman said. She said we could obtain the Town Demon Seal, but I think we don't have that ability yet. Let's hide behind the big rock at the back of the house first. If what the old woman said is false, it won't be too late for us to come out again. After all, I also don't want to disappear into nothingness."

  "Hmm! We don't want to either!" Everyone chimed in unison, and immediately ran towards the big stone behind the house on the shore of Naihe Bridge. They hid behind the stone, quietly gazing at Naihe Bridge.

  The sound grew louder and was accompanied by bursts of howling.

  Soon, not far from the Naihe Bridge, a dozen or so dark shadows floated over, heading towards the Naihe Bridge. The dark shadows walked and shouted along the way, their feet trampling out rustling sounds on the ground.

  Lan Jingqiu and they quietly watched those ten black shadows, Qian Xiaohong and Lu Xiaoying didn't even dare to breathe.

  They saw the ten groups of ghosts arrive at the Naihe Bridge, and a black shadow took out a seal about the size of an emperor's jade seal from his bosom. He held the seal aloft with both hands over his head, while the others raised their hands high, chanting as if performing some sort of ritual. Afterwards, the black shadow gently placed the seal in the water under the Naihe Bridge, and a "thud" was heard as the seal sank into the water. The shadows then crouched on the shore, gazing at the water below.

  Not long after the dark shadows had lain down, a loud "boom" sound came from under the Naihe Bridge, shaking the surrounding area and causing the tiles on the houses to fall to the ground. Lan Jingqiu and others also felt the ground beneath them undulating like waves on the sea, and even the large stone was split in two by the shock.

  This loud noise caused the red river water in Naihe Bridge to splash up more than ten meters high, and then a golden light column shot out from the water, shining the area around Naihe Bridge with a golden yellow color, and the golden column shot into the sky.