"I say, is that mount of yours still guarding the tomb?" Inside the formation, Fan Shaohuang was bored to death. The prayer mat beneath him, blessed by his spiritual aura, was actually showing signs of developing its own spiritual consciousness.
Guanyin finished shaking the golden leaves and began studying the nearby Shadow-Hiding Grass. Upon hearing this, he looked troubled. "Indeed. Uh, I say, fellow immortal, are we being a bit too much? You didn't see how it cried that day; I was practically flooded. How is that a mount? It’s practically a tomb-guarding divine beast now."
Fan Shaohuang tossed aside the pebble in his hand. His cultivation had progressed significantly, and the soul within the formation had now fully manifested into a physical entity. "Before Gongxi died, she asked me a question. She asked if her life had been worth it. At first, I thought it wasn't. She could have become an immortal, transcended the six paths of reincarnation, and been spared the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Whether she entered your gates to practice Zen and the Bodhisattva path, or entered mine to study Daoist magic and save others, it would have been... but now, I feel it was worth it. If you or I were to die one day, who would chase our souls with such heartbreaking devotion?"
"Amitabha," Guanyin pressed his palms together and solemnly recited the Buddha's name. "Benefactor, you have attained enlightenment. Within the eight desolations and six directions, every being has their own way of living. Whether for power, fame, profit, or love, none of it is a life lived in vain."
Inside the formation, Fan Shaohuang gave a cold snort, and a pebble struck Guanyin square in the forehead. "Tell it to come see me."
Guanyin caught the pebble, thinking that a Bodhisattva’s revenge is never too late, even after ten days. For now, finding his mount was more important.
Guanyin found the Hou before Liu Shuixian’s grave. Its divine body was recovering extremely slowly; the bloated discoloration of its skin had faded, and the scent of decay was gone, but the man looked incredibly gaunt.
He placed a hand on its shoulder. It looked up at him, its gaze sorrowful. Guanyin was a soft-hearted Bodhisattva and couldn't bear the sight. "Alright, alright. The clothes you soaked with your tears last time haven't even been washed yet." He patted its shoulder. "Hou, I don't know if you've suppressed the turbid desires within you, or if they have transformed from original imperial ambitions back into love. I also don't know if your view of the Divine Realm has changed during this time. I truly do not wish to face my own mount on the battlefield in the future. Cough, well, why am I saying all this? Go to the Guantian Court immediately and find that stingy dragon in the formation."
The green-eyed zombie did not move immediately. Guanyin leaned down and whispered in its ear, "A long time ago, that stingy dragon mended one of Gongxi’s soul fragments. That fragment did not belong to Gongxi, so it could not follow her into reincarnation."
The green-eyed zombie snapped its head up to look at him, but Guanyin said no more. "Go. The stingy dragon is waiting for you."
The scenery of Guantian Court remained unchanged. The back mountain was rarely visited, and over time, it had become overgrown with weeds. The Shadow-Hiding Grass Qiao’er had planted grew lushly, hugging the ground in a verdant carpet. When the green-eyed zombie arrived before the formation, Fan Shaohuang was resting with his eyes closed. Seeing it arrive, he didn't offer much of a pleasant expression. "Sit."
The green-eyed zombie sat before the formation. Fan Shaohuang ignored the urgency in its eyes and scrutinized it for a long while before saying deeply, "Cough, that soul fragment is indeed with me. I’ve considered it for a while, and you’re not a bad zombie. So, I’ve decided to refine this fragment into nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces. I’ll sell you one piece every hundred years, at a twenty percent discount."
The green-eyed zombie: "..."
Fortunately, someone behind him came to the rescue. Fan Shaojing walked through the weeds. "Shaohuang, stop messing around."
Fan Shaohuang rolled his eyes and finally pinched a hand seal, drawing out the soul fragment. "Guard this carefully. If this is lost, I truly will have no other way."
Though the green-eyed zombie was anxious, it did not go looking for Qiao’er immediately. It stayed in the waters near Guantian Court for a month, absorbing enough spiritual energy. Then, on a night when the moon reached the center of the sky, it exerted all its strength to tear open the formation that had been built using the momentum of the mountains and seas. Its divine body was not yet restored, and breaking the array was an agonizing effort; blood overflowed from its mouth, sliding down like strings of pearls. "Once you are out of the array, restore your divine body as quickly as possible. I will accompany you in a battle to the death to vent our old grudges."
Fan Shaohuang truly left the array, more than two hundred years earlier than his own deductions had predicted. Though Qiao’er was simple-minded, she had been right about one thing—perhaps you can calculate every fate, but you can never calculate the variables within fate.
When it came to fighting, the Yinglong loved it most, but he still had reservations. "After you find her."
If the heart is preoccupied, a fight isn't satisfying. It’s better not to fight at all.
The green-eyed zombie understood his intent and nodded. "Fine."
It turned to leave, but Fan Shaohuang called out again, "Where are you going?"
The green-eyed zombie answered curtly, "To find her."
Fan Shaohuang sighed softly after a moment. "When you have nothing to do, read more of the mortal world’s storybooks. You were with her for so long, yet you don't understand how to please a girl at all. If you rush off like this again, I’m afraid you’ll return empty-handed once more."
The green-eyed zombie stared at him for a long time before saying, "Thank you."
The ancient war god Yinglong was the type who either didn't speak or spoke only to offend. "Don't thank me. I didn't do this for you."
The Underworld kept strict control over soul records. No one except designated officials of the Judiciary was allowed to privatey inspect them. This was to ensure that reincarnation was a true beginning. In a single lifetime, it is inevitable to leave behind love, hatred, and obsession. If every regret could be easily mended, and every bond severed by death could be resumed at any time, what meaning would time have? What meaning would reincarnation have?
Furthermore, if those with unresolved grudges found their enemies' whereabouts, it would inevitably disrupt the order of the mortal world.
Now that Qiao’er had reincarnated, the Judiciary was on guard against the Hou sneaking in to peek at the Book of Fate. Security at the Hall of Rebirth, where records were kept, was tighter than ever. Even Guanyin, due to his prior record, was being watched.
But Guanyin had his own ideas for dealing with these rule-bound fellows. He reminded his mount, who was determined to break in by force: "There are very few in the Judiciary who can privately inspect the Book of Fate. It’s basically just the Ten Yama Kings."
The green-eyed zombie knew this much. "King Qinguang, King Chujiang, and the others."
Guanyin nodded. "I recall my mount’s transformation skills are quite good, aren't they? Among the Ten Yama Kings, the King of the Turning Wheel often manages the merits and sins of souls to determine their lifespan, wealth, or poverty in the next life. He frequently visits the Hall of Rebirth to check the Book of Fate."
The green-eyed zombie had an epiphany. As it was leaving, Guanyin warned again, "Don't just look at Qiao’er’s book! Even a fool would know it’s you then! Impersonating a Yama King is fine if you aren't caught, but the punishment is severe if you are."
The next day, the King of the Turning Wheel of the Underworld swaggered into the Hall of Rebirth, consulted dozens of Books of Fate, and swaggered out. The Underworld was furious at being slighted. The Ten Yama Kings discussed it and figured it might happen again, so they decreed that the Hall of Rebirth must use secret codes. If the code was wrong, even the Ten Yama Kings themselves could not enter.
The green-eyed zombie traveled for a long time following the directions from the Book of Fate. Its pace was not slow, but it wondered if the people of the Underworld were deliberately making things difficult, as Qiao’er’s place of reincarnation was much further away this time.
When it found Qiao’er in a small town in Yingzhou, she was already three years old, born into a farming family named Qin. The country was at peace then; though they didn't have silks and fine foods, they were well-off enough to have no worries.
Her childhood name was Qin Xiuer. She had an elder brother, Qin Guan. The family of four was harmonious, with a kind father and filial children.
The green-eyed zombie was undoubtedly a studious zombie. When it had nothing to do, it truly collected some play scripts from the common folk—mostly stories of gifted scholars and beautiful ladies. Regardless of interest, it read one or two every day. It didn't learn much else, but it picked up quite a bit about the erotic and amorous affairs of the bedchamber, and gained some understanding of the type of men mortal women easily fell for.
Thinking that Qiao’er would likely live here for a hundred years or so, it settled down in the small town. It didn't plan to merge the soul fragment into Qiao’er’s consciousness yet; after all, she was still small, and those past memories would only needlessly rob her of her childhood joys.
It opened a rice shop in the town, but later felt it wasn't right—the little girl seemed to have a special fondness for Liu the Second, the pancake seller, and loved pestering her brother Qin Guan to buy pancakes every day. As time went on, the zombie couldn't sit still. It simply opened a pancake shop right next to the rice shop and hired Liu the Second to make the pancakes.
The wages it offered were high, so Liu the Second was naturally overjoyed. Once the pancake shop opened, business was actually quite good. What made the green-eyed zombie happy, however, was that Qiao’er finally pestered her brother to come here for pancakes every day.
That year she was four, and she couldn't walk past a pancake. The green-eyed zombie would often bring her into the shop to play; it had more pancakes than she could ever eat, so she was naturally willing to come every day. She was even happier when she could take some with her when she left, chirping "Big Brother" this and "Big Brother" that as she acted spoiled, making the zombie beam with joy.
However, as time passed, the Qin family became unhappy. This young master possessed an air of nobility and clearly didn't come from an ordinary background, yet he came to this small town to open a rice shop. Furthermore, even though matchmakers were wearing down his threshold, he didn't take a liking to any girl, yet he was excessively fond of their three-or-four-year-old daughter. Could this young master have some unspeakable hobby?
Once this thought arose, no matter how much Qin Xiuer cried or threw a tantrum, the Qin family would not allow her to get within a step of that "Young Master Hou."
The green-eyed zombie felt very depressed—it hadn't even done anything yet, just treated her to pancakes! Besides, she was originally mine, mine! On what grounds am I forbidden from seeing her...
It wasn't until it saw another storybook that it suddenly realized—in the mortal world, a man doesn't just have to please his wife; he also has to please his father-in-law, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.
It began to adopt a flanking maneuver—approaching Qin Xiuer’s elder brother, Qin Guan.
Fortunately, this Qin Guan wasn't hard to approach. He loved martial arts and had studied under two masters, but because his family was average, he couldn't afford famous teachers and had only learned some basic street-fighting moves. The green-eyed zombie decided to cater to his interests.
It followed Qin Guan for several days but found no opportunity to show off its skills. One night, Qin Guan had a bit of wine with friends and was humming a tune on his way home when a highwayman suddenly appeared. The green-eyed zombie was overjoyed and rushed out, knocking the unlucky robber to the ground with a single punch before Qin Guan could even react.
Qin Guan froze for a long time before turning to look at it, his expression terrified. "Young Master Hou, you tried every way to please my little sister before, and now you’re following me in the dead of night. Could it be..."
The green-eyed zombie was delighted. *Good lad, you finally realized I want to pursue your sister.* To its surprise, seeing the zombie’s joyful expression, Qin Guan became even more panicked. "Could it be that Young Master Hou has feelings for me? But Young Master Hou and I are both men! Such a thing goes against ethics and morality; it absolutely cannot be..."
"Your sister!!" The green-eyed zombie collapsed to the ground...
Qin Guan now did his best to avoid the green-eyed zombie. Having no other choice, the zombie had to please the father-in-law. Its father-in-law, Qin Hongsheng, had no other hobbies except for a love of drinking. Thus, the green-eyed zombie opened a tavern next to the pancake shop and would often send fine wine to Qin Hongsheng.
Qin Hongsheng appreciated the kindness and would occasionally return the favor with local produce like pumpkins or winter melons. In this way, its relationship with the Qin family grew closer, though Qin Xiuer was usually kept in the inner quarters and was rarely seen. One day, Qin Guan finally couldn't take it anymore. He hesitantly called the zombie into the back garden, looking like a virtuous woman protecting her chastity. "Brother Hou, I appreciate your kindness, but this matter can never be. Brother Hou and I are both seven-foot-tall men; how could we harbor such filthy thoughts? Brother Hou, please marry a wife soon and give up on this idea. Even if my father agrees, I will never submit."
The green-eyed zombie’s response was a direct punch to Qin Guan’s left eye—considering they would be relatives in the future, it wouldn't be good to maim him, so it only used half a percent of its strength. It left in a huff, while behind it, Qin Guan clutched his eye and shouted resolutely, "Even if you beat me to death, I will only love beautiful maidens in this life! If there is a next life, if there is a next life..."
"Next life your sister!!" The green-eyed zombie’s face was streaked with two wide "noodle tears" in the wind...
While pleasing the father-in-law, it naturally had to please the mother-in-law as well. Every time the green-eyed zombie visited, it brought jewelry, hairpins, rouge, and powder for Qin Hongsheng’s wife, Madam Qin (née Wu). Although Madam Qin’s family circumstances were average, she had a husband and children and hadn't suffered through hard labor, so she didn't look old. She had married Qin Hongsheng at fifteen, given birth to Qin Guan at sixteen, and Qin Xiuer at twenty-eight. Now she was only thirty-two or thirty-three; how could she not like such things?
The gifts were quite numerous, and over time, she and the green-eyed zombie met several times. The zombie was extremely respectful to her, never going west if told to go east, and never hitting a dog if told to hit a chicken. Occasionally, when it visited and Qin Hongsheng wasn't there, she would sit with it.
The green-eyed zombie’s appearance was still the same as a hundred years ago—silver hair, black clothes, and eyes like deep jade. With an occasional curl of its lips into a smile, it was indescribably handsome and elegant. Without knowing when it started, her heart would actually race and her face would flush whenever she saw it.
The green-eyed zombie lacked social awareness and continued to send gifts, doing everything possible to please the two of them.
Occasionally it also sent things for Qin Xiuer, but since she was only five or six then, it was embarrassed to say so explicitly and had to ask Madam Qin to deliver them.
Finally, one day when it arrived and Qin Hongsheng was absent, Madam Qin said with a blushing face, "Young Master Hou, I am grateful for your care over these many days, and I take your affection to heart. But... alas, I am already married and have children at my knees. Young Master Hou... please do not come again in the future."
The green-eyed zombie practically spat blood. Driven to a dead end, it finally exploded: "What kind of family is this?! I just want to marry your Qin Xiuer!!"
Once these words were out, Qin Guan was even more shocked. "I originally thought Young Master Hou had a brother complex or a mother complex, but it turns out Young Master Hou has a child complex..."
...
Once the matter was out in the open, Qin Hongsheng and Madam Qin discussed it. They felt Qin Xiuer was still too young. Although the green-eyed zombie seemed to have a business and property, and was unmarried with no wife, making him a good prospect, it was simply too early to talk about marriage.
The green-eyed zombie also understood their feelings. It was fine not to marry yet, and fine not to get engaged, but at least let it see her openly, right?
Qin Hongsheng and Madam Qin discussed it further. The relationship painstakingly maintained over time finally played a role. The couple both felt he wasn't a man full of bad intentions, and their restrictions on Qin Xiuer finally became less strict.
However, going out alone was still not allowed; it was only marginally acceptable if Qin Guan accompanied them. The green-eyed zombie felt very stifled; it felt that she was clearly its treasure, yet it now needed someone else's permission just to get close.
Qin Guan was still stuck on the previous misunderstandings. After being beaten several times by the green-eyed zombie and subjected to a round of threats and bribes, he finally learned to automatically disappear for a while after bringing Xiuer out.
The green-eyed zombie had spent no small amount of effort to deal with this brother-in-law, eventually spending a large sum to hire a martial arts master for him. Qin Guan was actually quite young, and with a good teacher, he was rarely seen during the day.
Only then did the green-eyed zombie heave a long sigh of relief. It remembered the days in Old Daoist Chongling’s temple when Qiao’er was inseparable from it—how simple and happy that was. Why were there so many troubles once they switched to the mortal world?
Qin Xiuer, however, was very happy. The green-eyed zombie’s pancakes had left a deep impression on her, and she had always been very affectionate toward it. In its spare time, the zombie would carry her on its back to many places; she loved being flown around like that. Mimicking a horse rider, she would squeeze her legs and shout "Giddy-up!" and the green-eyed zombie would carry her through the clouds and mist, leaving a trail of silver-bell-like laughter.
It returned her to the Qin family every night, and every day it thought of new ways to find delicious treats and fun toys for her, selecting only the best for all her clothing. Every time it sent her home, it was reluctant to leave, but thinking that it would see her again the next day, its heart filled with anticipation. It had cultivated for thousands of years, yet it had never liked the sunrise so much, nor had it ever been so attached to the sunset.
Finally, one day, Guanyin found it. "Beloved beast, carry this Bodhisattva to the Peach Banquet."
The green-eyed zombie was unwilling. Guanyin whipped it with a willow branch. "You, as a mount, have you ever fulfilled your duties for a single day? Let’s go!" The green-eyed zombie was quite speechless toward him and had no choice but to carry him. It figured that with its speed, it could go and return in a single day, so it didn't think much of it.
It gave instructions to the rice shop, the tavern, and the pancake shop, and told Liu the Second to watch the store. Before leaving, it felt uneasy and visited the Qin family once more. By then, it was already very familiar with the Qins. It simply said it would be away for a while, and Qin Hongsheng immediately said, "Go on, Xiuer will wait for you to return."
This was as good as acknowledging it as a son-in-law. The green-eyed zombie’s heart bloomed with joy.
Strictly speaking, this was the first time Guanyin had truly used this mount. He looked left and right, feeling troubled. "How should I ride this..."
The green-eyed zombie had its own principles. "In any case, you can't ride on my neck."
Guanyin tried several poses and finally used the one Fan Shaohuang had used—the princess carry. The scene was actually quite nice: the green-eyed zombie with silver hair and black clothes, and Guanyin in a spotless white robe. With the zombie holding him horizontally, it was rather aesthetic.
Only Guanyin looked around. "No, no, if I go to the Peach Banquet like this, this Bodhisattva will be laughed to death!"
The green-eyed zombie suggested, "Perhaps the Bodhisattva could transform into a female form again?"
Guanyin transformed into a female form and tried it. It felt even more beautiful and there were no obvious problems, but he just felt an indescribable sense of awkwardness.
Time was pressing, so he couldn't worry about much. The green-eyed zombie simply carried the female-form Guanyin horizontally and proceeded leisurely to the banquet...
For the Queen Mother’s birthday banquet, a gift had to be prepared. Guanyin ordered it to carry him to find a Seven-Colored Glazed Lamp. Guanyin was actually a very stingy Bodhisattva and had never presented a gift before. By going to such trouble to find the lamp today, the green-eyed zombie knew he wanted to bring it closer to the Divine Realm. It felt very grateful; perhaps this was the "Bodhisattva heart"—he never said much, he just did things silently. He played pranks occasionally, but never harbored ill intent.
When they arrived at the banquet, Guanyin had another idea. "Beloved beast, have you ever seen the Howling Celestial Dog?"
The green-eyed zombie tilted its head and thought. "Never."
Guanyin dipped a finger in wine and drew a beastly shape on the low table. "Come, come, transform into this appearance."
It cast a spell. Guanyin had drawn a dog-like creature, but it transformed into a golden-furred wolf. Its tail was extremely long, and because its nature was fire, its entire body was surrounded by a shimmering aura of flames. Its scales and mane shone brilliantly like gold, with flames rising several feet into the air—it was truly majestic.
Guanyin was quite puzzled that it was suddenly so obedient. "You’re not asking why?"
The Golden-Furred Hou on the ground wagged its tail. "The Bodhisattva is the Hou’s friend. Whatever the Bodhisattva wants the Hou to do, the Hou does not ask why."
Guanyin patted its head. "Good, good. In truth, you have far more than just this one friend. No species can be born to be solitary. The reason the zombie race is forsaken by all things is only because they forsake all things. Hou, you possess power that even I cannot match, but you haven't experienced much. Many things you need to experience slowly, and some truths you need to understand gradually."
The green-eyed zombie looked up at him; it seemed to understand a little.
The Queen Mother had just arrived at the Jade Pool when she was captivated by this golden, shimmering beast. She was so delighted she spoke incoherently, "Oh, how beautiful! Whose immortal mount is this? Come over here quickly."
The green-eyed zombie looked at Guanyin, who had already spoken with a smile, "Your Majesty, this is my mount, the Golden-Furred Hou. Its nature is unruly, I fear it might startle Your Majesty..."
Over there, the Queen Mother had already spoken, "So it’s a Golden-Furred Hou. It’s too beautiful; its fur is so lustrous. Come here."
She picked the largest, reddest Immortal Peach and tossed it from afar. The green-eyed zombie saw this and knew what to do. It jumped up, caught the peach in its mouth, rolled over smoothly, and brought it back to the Queen Mother, wagging its tail with great pride, looking incredibly smug. The Queen Mother was overjoyed and repeatedly stroked its head. "Too cute! Someone, bring a reward, a grand reward!"
The other immortals all had dark lines on their faces, looking at Guanyin with looks of utter disdain. "Despicable, you’re using cuteness to win favor..."
This year’s peach harvest was bountiful, and the Queen Mother was very happy. But the entire Jade Pool was piled with immortal peaches, and since there were no refrigerators back then, they weren't easy to store and would spoil soon. The Queen Mother was a frugal goddess, so a birthday banquet that was supposed to be on the second day of the second month lasted until the third day of the third month. The immortals ate peaches on the second, peaches on the third, peaches on the fourth... they ate until they all wanted to flee in desperation...
The green-eyed zombie was worried about Qiao’er, but the Queen Mother was extremely enthusiastic toward it, and since all the other immortals wanted to flee, it really couldn't leave. After all, if it built a relationship with this high-ranking official of the Divine Realm, everyone would mostly turn a blind eye if anything happened with Qiao’er in the future.
Interpersonal relationships should be managed well when possible; after all, it now had a family to look after and was no longer the "one person eats, the whole family is full" type from before.
When they finally left, Guanyin finally brought up the matter. "Queen Mother, these past few days, my mount has been looking to mate and has taken a fancy to a mortal woman. Unfortunately, due to the laws of reincarnation, it can never find her whereabouts..."
Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother issued a decree: "What’s so hard about that? Someone, bring my token. In the future, the Bodhisattva can have the Hou take this token to the Underworld. By my command, it may inspect the Book of Fate, and surely no one will dare stop it. However, it may only view the reincarnation path of that one woman; nothing else may be checked. The principles of the Heavenly Dao must still be observed."
Guanyin naturally bowed and offered his thanks. The Queen Mother had more to say: "If the mating is successful, the Bodhisattva must send me a little Golden-Furred Hou!"
Guanyin broke into a cold sweat, but as he was an extraordinary Buddha, he remained smiling and bowed respectfully. "That is only natural, natural."
This trip to the Peach Banquet took forty-one days round trip. The green-eyed zombie returned to the mortal world, guarding Qiao’er’s soul fragment and carrying the Queen Mother’s token. The road ahead was so long, and love was like aged wine; I will accompany you like this, through every moment of love or parting.
It walked alone above the clouds, its heart no longer in turmoil.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 翳形草 | Shadow-Hiding Grass | A spiritual plant mentioned as being planted by Qiao'er. |
| 观天苑 | Guantian Court | The location where Fan Shaohuang was imprisoned/staying. |
| 司命薄 | Book of Fate | Also known as the Book of Life and Death; records mortal reincarnations. |
| 往生殿 | Hall of Rebirth | The location in the Underworld where reincarnation records are kept. |
| 十殿阎罗 | Ten Yama Kings | The ten kings who rule the Underworld. |
| 转轮王 | King of the Turning Wheel | One of the Ten Yama Kings, responsible for the final stage of reincarnation. |
| 郢州 | Yingzhou | A geographical location in the story. |
| 秦秀儿 | Qin Xiuer | Qiao'er's name in her new reincarnation. |
| 秦观 | Qin Guan | Qin Xiuer's elder brother. |
| 秦洪声 | Qin Hongsheng | Qin Xiuer's father. |
| 秦乌氏 | Madam Qin (née Wu) | Qin Xiuer's mother. |
| 蟠桃会 | Peach Banquet | The grand banquet hosted by the Queen Mother of the West. |
| 七彩琉璃盏 | Seven-Colored Glazed Lamp | The gift Guanyin brings to the Queen Mother. |
| 金毛犼 | Golden-Furred Hou | The true divine form of the Hou/zombie. |
| 瑶池 | Jade Pool | The residence of the Queen Mother in the heavens. |
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Lover's Tears: The End of Time | Chapter 65 | Echoes of Rebirth | Novela.app | Novela.app
