502. Mortal Realm (Patreon)

They walked and walked. As they walked, the light slowly grew brighter, and the cave fell away. The Underworld and the mortal realm overlaid one another, while the mortal realm slowly faded through. Hui stared around, his eyes wide. Is the Underworld superimposed on the mortal realm? Is that why Elder Sister Reaper can appear wherever I am, at any moment?

But… no. If it was only superimposed, we’d have to go to a certain part of the Underworld to step through to the equivalent space in the mortal realm. It would still take time for Elder Sister to follow me around. There’s something else. Some other mystery involved in this spell.

The reaper glanced over her shoulder. “Have you figured it out yet?”

Hui pursed his lips, then shook his head. “No. You’ll have to teach me, Elder Sister.”

She chuckled. “After we finish this job, perhaps.”

“Ah, right, right. What is the job?” Hui asked, tilting his head.

The reaper raised her hand.

In the distance, cultivators clashed. A hundreds-of-meters-tall boar crashed into a deer with antlers that spanned the sky. High in the sky, a thousand fireballs crashed down on the cultivators around the boar, only for spear-like thorns to jut through the ground and impale those around the deer. The smoldering and bleeding cultivators shoved themselves back to their feet, choking down healing potions. Their eyes burning with rage, they threw themselves at one another again, screaming out war cries and insults alike. Hui and the reaper stood on the edge of the battle, which raged for hundreds of kilometers, stretching far into the distance, so far Hui struggled to see much about the furthest combatants. Hundreds of thousands of cultivators charged at one another, dressed in the uniforms of more sects than Hui could count.

Hui blinked. Damn. Compared to this, my All-Heavens War was a piddling little slapfight!

“The Eastern and Northern regions have been at war for years. This is but a passing battle,” the reaper said evenly. She strode off toward the fight.

Although the world appeared in full color around them, it faded to black and white around the reaper. Hui looked at his hands, and found them in grayscale, as monochrome as the reaper.

Even if I’m here on the surface… the world is reminding me that I’m dead. I don’t belong here.

He clenched his hands, then shook his head and chased after the reaper, hurrying to follow her.

“Why are they fighting?” Hui asked as he caught up.

“Why do mortals fight?” the reaper asked rhetorically.

“But specifically,” Hui said, shrugging.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. In the monochrome that enveloped them, her inky-black hair cut a sharp contrast to her pure white skin, her eyes a dark shade of gray. “The Eastern Alliance claims the Northern Lands invaded them. The Northern Lands say this has always been their territory. Greed. Lust for power. It’s all the usual reasons, and no reason at all.”

“Ah,” Hui said. A body crashed toward them. Hui dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding it. The body thumped down and rolled head-over-heels, ploughing through the rich earth. He turned, regarding the limp form. “So… we’ll be busy?”

“We only need to bother with certain souls. If you want to practice, though, go ahead,” the reaper said, nodding at the body on the ground.

Hui looked at it, then shook his head. I don’t want to try to reap someone and fail! Then I’ll have some kind of horrifying disparate soul-monster chasing after me for the rest of my death… No thank you! “I’ll let Elder Sister lead the way.”

“Hmph.” She flicked her hair and turned away.

The two of them cut through the battlefield. The longer they walked, the more chaotic it got. Casting a look around, Hui peered at the reaper. “Elder Sister, at this rate, we’re going to accidentally be killed—”

A sword thrust through Hui’s gut. Hui screamed in shock and fell flat on his face, dead.

The reaper turned back. She crossed her arms.

Hui pushed himself upright. “I’m fine?”

“Obviously. We don’t fully exist in the mortal world, therefore, the weapons of the mortal world cannot harm us,” the reaper said, rolling her eyes.

Climbing to his feet, Hui dusted himself off, though it wasn’t necessary. None of the red dust of the mortal world stained his pure white robes. “Elder Sister could have explained that. It would have saved my life.”

“Saved you from ‘dying,’” she retorted dryly.

“En,” Hui agreed.

She sighed. Turning, she looked upward. “She’s about to die. Let’s go.”

Without another word, the reaper jumped into the air. Hui hesitated. Experimentally, he circulated his qi. It caught, his passages somewhat ragged and ever-so-slightly misaligned, but it flowed nonetheless. I can’t use much without my soul falling apart, but I can use enough to fly. He took into the air after the reaper, and the two of them soared up into the battlefield. The feathered fan fluttered after Hui, stuck through his belt so the plumes draped over his rear. Just like an enormous bird’s plumage, they flowed beautifully on the wind.

The reaper glanced over her shoulder. When her eyes landed on Hui, she narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. It hurts… it hurts to look at. Where is the elegance and dignity of the reapers?

“What is it, Elder Sister? Are you blinded by the brilliance of my handsome form?” Hui asked, tilting his head innocently.

“You look like an enormous crane,” she said dryly.

“Ah! I’m honored that Elder Sister thinks I look as auspicious as a crane flying through the sky,” Hui said, bowing.

The reaper pressed her lips together. Is this really the man Zhu Diyu chose to replace the missing reaper?

Two women clashed overhead. One had long blue claw-like fingernails, while the other sported elegant lop-ear style rabbit’s ears that swept back from her temples and draped down in her dark chestnut hair.

“Fei Guren! Give us back our homeland!” the rabbit-girl shouted.

“As if, Ai Tuzi! These lands are Eastern Alliance lands. You demons are the ones who invaded our land!” the blue-clawed girl shouted back.

Ai Tuzi wrinkled her upper lip in a very rabbit-like way. Her ears flicked in annoyance. “You Eastern Alliance dogs, who have enslaved my rabbit clan since ancient times. Your unrighteous domination of the demon clans ends today!”

Ah, so the Northern Lands belong to the demon clans… that is, beast cultivators who are descended from high realm beast cultivators to the point that the majority of them are born with intelligence and cultivation levels. Then, the Eastern Alliance…

Fei Guren flicked her hand. Ai Tuzi’s eyes widened, and she ducked, rabbit ears flying after her, the cream tips of her long ears flying up behind her. A huge spinning blade materialized out of the sky and flew through the space Ai Tuzi’s back had been moments before. She gritted her teeth at Fei Guren. “Filthy Eastern Alliance. Resorting immediately to such underhanded methods!”

Fei Guren smiled, licking her long blue nails. “Why go to war with the Eastern Alliance if you don’t want to face hidden weapons? Everyone knows the Eastern Alliance focuses on weapon cultivation, particularly poisons and hidden weapons!”

Hui snorted. So it’s the demon clan versus the openly demonic Eastern Alliance. If I had to choose, I’d easily side with Ai Tuzi! After all, I’m no demonic cultivator.

The reaper bumped Hui in the side. “Don’t think about useless things. We aren’t here to join the fight, we’re here to do our job.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Hui chirped, standing up straight and ducking into a quick salute.

The two women darted at one another, trading blows back and forth. Ai Tuzi dodged flexibly, landing hard kicks on Fei Guren left and right. Fei Guren barely blocked Ai Tuzi’s blows, clearly struggling to bear the weight of her kicks, while she plied mysterious and unexpected attacks. A strange silver chain dagger shot out of her sleeve, tainted with dark purple poison. Ai Tuzi leaned out of the way, and the dagger shot by. Hooking her finger, Fei Guren called the blade back to herself. Ai Tuzi leaped into the air, her heels clearing the blade seconds before it carved through the air.

Hui settled in to watch. This battle is going to take a while. I’ll cheer for Elder Sister Ai Tuzi!

The reaper stood tall. “She’s here.”

Hui frowned. He stood up as well, peering around. We… aren’t here to reap one of these protagonist-like women? Then… who?

A young girl flew toward the two women. “Stop!”

Ai Tuzi and Fei Guren turned. A white-haired girl with pink eyes, pale pink skin, and upright white rabbit’s ears ran toward them. “You can’t. Please—”

Fei Guren’s eyes shone. Her hand twisted in a mysterious way.

“Ai Lingling! Stay back!” Ai Tuzi shouted, her eyes wide with fear. She sprinted toward the white rabbit girl.

A gleam burst out under Ai Lingling’s feet. The fanged mouth of a vicious creature opened wide beneath her. She stared down, her big pink eyes wide.

“No!” Ai Tuzi screamed

The mouth slammed shut. Blood and fur flew. Ai Lingling vanished.

Screaming wildly, Ai Tuzi threw herself at Fei Guren. Her muscles bulged, and fur burst out over her body. Blunt claws appeared at her fingertips, as her fingertips became armored with pads. Halfway between rabbit demon and human, she burst toward Fei Guren.

Fei Guren grinned a small smile and rushed forward to meet Ai Tuzi. “Typical of a demon, allowing your emotions to get the better of you!”

“Let’s go,” the reaper said, passing the girls by.

Hui looked at the girls, then followed the reaper. “So it’s Ai Lingling who we’re here to reap? But why?”

“Ai Lingling bore a message that could have changed the course of the war. Because of that, she retains a strong desire to remain in this world. If she is allowed to remain, things will not turn out as they should. The world’s order will collapse, and everything will fall into chaos.”

“All because of Ai Lingling?” Hui asked skeptically.

The reaper shook her head. “Don’t think of her as an individual. She is the first step in a great chain of karma that must not come to pass.”

“Like me reviving my sect?” Hui asked, tilting his head cheekily.

The reaper glared at him. “Yes.”

Hui frowned. “Elder Sister, correct me if I’m wrong, but… Isn’t that the Heavenly Dao that you’re trying to protect? The Heavenly Dao’s karma?”

She drew her sword. “Onward. It’s time to collect Ai Lingling’s soul.”

Following her, Hui tucked his hands behind his back. “But the Heavenly Dao isn’t asserting itself. So why is the Underworld—”

“Someone must maintain the world’s karma,” the reaper snapped. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

“But what happens if it isn’t maintained?” Hui asked, tilting his head.

“That isn’t for you to ponder. Zhu Diyu has decided that we will protect the world’s karma, so we will,” the reaper replied.

A shivering, pale version of Ai Lingling appeared from the maw of the beast. She looked at her translucent hands, then caught sight of Hui and the reaper and startled. “Who are you?”

Hui stepped forward. “Elder Sister, don’t be afraid. This is Elder Sister Reaper, and I’m—”

His voice stuck in his throat. He touched his neck, then looked at the reaper.

“We’re merely reapers, now. We have no need of names.” The reaper raised her sword. “Ai Lingling, you are dead. Will you come peacefully?”

Ai Lingling swallowed. She looked at Ai Tuzi and Fei Guren, then at the reapers before her. “But I… I could end this war. No one would have to suffer anymore.”

“You’re dead. Your time here has ended,” the reaper stated. She raised her sword.

Ai Lingling tensed.

Hui jumped forward, blocking her way. “Elder Sister, why do we have to protect the world’s karma? If it isn’t protecting itself, then—”

The reaper scowled. She pushed Hui out of the way. “You don’t understand. If we don’t do it, the world could fall apart.”

“The world… fall apart?” Ai Lingling’s pink eyes widened. Her nose trembled, much like a rabbit’s. She looked at her transparent hands again, then stepped forward. “I don’t want to destroy the world. I’ll… let myself be reincarnated. Maybe then… I’ll meet my sister again, and we can…”

Before she finished the sentence, the reaper sliced through her. Ai Lingling’s body faded away.

Hui frowned. He pressed his lips together disapprovingly.

“If you have something to say, say it,” the reaper said, sheathing her sword.

Hui shook his head. “I have nothing to say, Elder Sister. Shall we go?”

She looked at him, then nodded. “We’ll return now.”

The reaper whipped around and marched off. Hui waited until she drew a little distance away from him, then reached out and circulated a little bit of death qi in his palm. A black seed materialized, as full of death qi as his usual lotus seeds were full of life qi. He caught it in his hand, then released it, letting the seed fall to the ground.

“What are you doing? Hurry up,” the reaper said, looking over her shoulder.

“Coming, coming,” Hui said. He rushed to her side, not looking at the seed he’d dropped. Let’s see if I can make this work!

I’m not staying in the Underworld. I’m not staying dead! This won’t bring me back to life, but it’s a step in the right direction. And more importantly, it’s a step toward me meeting up with my families!