Mu Gesheng stopped carrying Zhu Yinxiao. Instead, he tied a rope around the boy’s neck and began walking him like a leashed chicken.
"Don't look at me like that, Sanjiutian," Mu Gesheng said, waving a hand dismissively. "Right now, Old Fifth is our life-saving talisman. As long as he walks in front, he’ll eat whatever monsters or ghosts come our way. He’ll ensure we have a safe trip out. To you, this is the Avici Hell; to him, it’s a full-course imperial banquet."
The words were crude, but the logic held. As they moved forward, Zhu Yinxiao devoured every ghost, large or small, that crossed their path. Watching him swallow them whole, Chai Shuxin couldn't help but frown. "We should find a quieter route. If this continues, the Star Child might fall ill from overeating."
"It’s fine. Old Fifth has a stomach like a pit. Ever since the study started paying for his meals, Old Third has been calculating the accounts until he’s nearly gone prematurely bald," Mu Gesheng said, tugging the rope. "Old Fifth, don't just pick the ghosts with heavy resentment. Bite the ones with less resentment to death and spit them out. A growing boy needs a balanced diet of meat and greens."
"The yin energy of the ghosts here is too heavy. While it can replenish spiritual power, it is filthy and impure. The Star Child is too young; he shouldn't consume too much." Chai Shuxin stopped him and picked Zhu Yinxiao up. "We must find the exit and leave this place as soon as possible."
Mu Gesheng immediately interjected, "Sanjiutian, put him down."
Chai Shuxin remained unmoved. "The Star Child is still small. A child is not a toy."
"Put him down, hurry!" Mu Gesheng grabbed Zhu Yinxiao back. "It looks like Old Fifth really did eat too much. He’s about to puke."
Chai Shuxin wasn't familiar with the habits of a Vermilion Bird, but this generation’s Star Child seemed exceptionally gluttonous. It made one wonder if Zhu Yinxiao was of mixed blood—perhaps he had a Pixiu among his ancestors.
"Sanjiutian, stand back." Mu Gesheng held Zhu Yinxiao, patting his back to help him breathe. "I don't know how a Vermilion Bird’s digestive system works. Heaven knows what he’s going to spit up."
Chai Shuxin couldn't bear to watch; Mu Gesheng’s strikes were so heavy it looked like he was trying to beat the boy to death. "You're being too rough," he said, placing his hand on the child’s back and pressing a few acupoints. A gurgle rose from the boy’s throat, and then, with a loud *bleh*, he vomited.
Mu Gesheng pinched his nose, ready to complain, but then he realized that what Zhu Yinxiao had produced wasn't half-digested food. It was an object the size of a pigeon’s egg, with a warm, mellow luster like fine jade.
Mu Gesheng blinked. "Does Old Fifth have stomach stones?" He looked at Chai Shuxin. "Sanjiutian, take a look. What kind of symptom is—" He stopped when he saw that the other man was frozen in place, his eyes wide with shock.
"What’s wrong?" It was the first time Mu Gesheng had seen such an expression on his face, and he immediately grew panicked. "No way... Old Fifth is okay, right? Did he eat so much he’s going to die?"
Chai Shuxin picked up the white jade-like stone from the ground. It took him a long time to speak. "This is called the White Jade Choke."
"White Jade Choke?"
"Ancient texts record that in the primordial era, a divine bird died after swallowing jade. The jade remained lodged in its throat, nourished by its essence for a thousand years until it became a celestial medicine capable of curing ten thousand ailments." Chai Shuxin spoke with disbelief. "This medicine is incredibly rare. I have searched through all the records of the Healers’ House, and only the Penglai Sect was ever known to have one, which was used over a century ago... How is this possible?"
"Anything is possible." Mu Gesheng patted Chai Shuxin’s shoulder. "This just proves one thing: your Healers’ House bought a fake book."
Perhaps due to the sheer shock, Chai Shuxin remained silent for a long time. Mu Gesheng crouched down to look Zhu Yinxiao in the eye. "How is it? Feeling better?"
Zhu Yinxiao nodded, then shook his head, babbling incoherently. Mu Gesheng picked him up. "Second Brother spoiled you too much... Wait, Old Fifth, why are you losing feathers?"
Mu Gesheng gave the boy a little shake, and a pile of colorful feathers fluttered down. "Sanjiutian, look at this. Is he about to fully transform?"
Chai Shuxin snapped out of his daze and looked at the feathers on the ground. "Perhaps his spiritual power is sufficiently replenished. It wouldn't be strange for him to transform now."
Suddenly featherless, Zhu Yinxiao seemed quite uncomfortable, acting like a young bride who had been stripped of her clothes. He squirmed in Mu Gesheng’s arms, bashfully covering his backside.
Mu Gesheng laughed. "Now you know how to be embarrassed? Don't bother covering up. On your first day at the Ginkgo Study, I plucked your tail feathers to make a shuttlecock. What’s a grown man got to be shy about?"
He stuffed Zhu Yinxiao into Chai Shuxin’s arms and picked up every single feather from the ground. "Stop hiding, Old Fifth. At worst, you can join Old Third in drinking black sesame paste later—it’s great for preventing premature baldness."
Zhu Yinxiao had dropped a great many feathers, nearly enough to tie into a bundle. Mu Gesheng held them in his hand. "Let’s keep moving. We aren't far from the gate. The priority is to get out of here."
Chai Shuxin took off his outer robe to wrap it around Zhu Yinxiao. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of a wooden clapper echoed from the distance.
Throughout their journey, they had seen nothing but green ghost fires. Now, however, a thick fog rolled in from afar, and wherever it touched, the ghost fires turned blood-red. A rustling wind rose, carrying low, blurred whispers, and the sound of galloping hooves emerged from the depths of the mist.
Mu Gesheng immediately covered Zhu Yinxiao’s mouth and tossed two Mountain Ghost Charm Coins into their respective Little Sky Lanterns. "Stand still and don't move," he whispered. "No matter what you see, do not make a sound."
Chai Shuxin could clearly feel the change in the surroundings. The distant wailing of ghosts vanished, and the air became heavy and damp. The clapper sound drew closer, and something emerged from the fog.
The sound of hooves was like a rising tide, and white robes filled the air—
Chai Shuxin could not find the words to describe the scene. It was like an army that stretched beyond the horizon. The riders wore helmets that obscured their faces, with heart-protecting mirrors on their chests and white silk draped over their arms. The iron hooves were thunderous, making the ground tremble, yet the sound of the clapper remained clearly audible. The ghost fires flared in the wind, turning the world into a sea of crimson.
The two of them stood amidst the thousands of horses and men. The iron hooves thundered past them, yet the army seemed completely oblivious to their presence. The air was simultaneously freezing and scorching; the fires raged, and the yin wind howled. Zhu Yinxiao wanted to curl up in discomfort, but Mu Gesheng held him down firmly.
As the hooves roared and the clapper struck, a sacrificial song suddenly rose from the earth.
*O Soul, come back! Long separation brings misery and woe.*
*O Soul, come back! Leave the place of your joy.*
*O Soul, come back! To the sound of bells and drums.*
*O Soul, come back! Descend not into the Gloomy Capital.*
After an unknown amount of time, the clapper sound abruptly stopped. The entire army vanished into thin air, and the white silk robes turned into a sky full of paper funerary money, nearly burying the two of them.
Mu Gesheng grabbed Zhu Yinxiao and pulled Chai Shuxin along. They bolted, running for a long time before they finally cleared the area where the paper money was falling. Mu Gesheng gasped for breath, and before Chai Shuxin could ask, he said, "It was the March of the Ghost Soldiers."
"The March of the Ghost Soldiers?"
"The Ghost Soldiers march, and ten thousand ghosts are suppressed. This is the most terrifying thing in the Avici Hell. This place is full of fierce ghosts who slaughter each other endlessly. Once a ghost’s slaughter becomes too great, it transforms into a Ghost Soldier. Usually, they sleep in the depths of Avici. Only when the number of ghosts here becomes too high do they awaken and march out. They cleanse everything in their path, leaving Avici empty once more to wait for the next batch of exiles. It’s a never-ending cycle."
"Ghost Soldiers are the most ominous and murderous of spirits, formed only after devouring countless others. That thousand-handed, thousand-eyed ghost we saw earlier was formed from devouring a thousand ghosts, but it was still far from becoming a Ghost Soldier." Mu Gesheng exhaled. "Fortunately, I used the Mountain Ghost Charm Coins to hide us in the shadows of the lanterns. If you're killed by a Ghost Soldier, you're wiped out instantly—you won't even enter the six paths of reincarnation."
Chai Shuxin listened to the explanation and asked, "If the Ghost Soldiers are so malevolent, what happens if they rebel?"
"Did you see the mirrors on their chests? Those are for suppression. As long as the mirrors are there, the Ghost Soldiers have no consciousness; they only follow the orders of the Clapper-Man. Every generation’s Clapper-Man is hand-picked by the Underworld, with cultivation no lower than that of a Yama King."
"Hurry, the Ghost Soldiers just passed through, so there won't be anything left in Avici for a while." Mu Gesheng tossed Zhu Yinxiao onto his back. "Besides, every time the Ghost Soldiers march, the West Gate stays open for fifteen minutes. If we run now, we can make it."
The two of them sprinted and managed to reach the gate just as it was closing. Mu Gesheng grabbed Zhu Yinxiao and tossed him forward, then followed up with a kick to Chai Shuxin’s backside, sending them both flying out. He then leaped through the final gap between the two doors. The gate slammed shut with a thunderous boom, kicking up a cloud of green smoke before returning to its silent, imposing state.
Mu Gesheng dove into the nearby waters of the River of Forgetfulness, letting himself drift with the current. "Let’s rest for a bit. I nearly lost half my life back there."
Outside the West Gate was a moat with a small pier. Chai Shuxin picked up Zhu Yinxiao and untied a small boat. "Are you coming up?"
Mu Gesheng raised a hand. "Pull me up."
Chai Shuxin used an oar to hoist him aboard. Mu Gesheng collapsed onto the boat, soaking wet. "Which way?"
"Go upstream. Row toward where the green lotuses are blooming. We should reach the main city of Fengdu in about an hour." Mu Gesheng wrung the water out of his hair. "Oh, right, Sanjiutian, I need to tell you something."
"Speak."
"Don't tell Second Brother and the others about what happened just now."
"Why?"
"Oh, just promise me."
"..." Chai Shuxin was silent for a moment. "Fine."
The water rippled gently as the green lotuses drifted by. Chai Shuxin rowed while Mu Gesheng sat at the bow, plucking his hair out of Zhu Yinxiao’s mouth. "Be quiet, Old Fifth. I’ll tell you a story."
Zhu Yinxiao indeed stopped fussing. He was pulled into Mu Gesheng’s arms and blinked up at him.
"They say there are many non-human things in this world: demons, monsters, ghosts, spirits, immortals, and gods. Fengdu is the capital of the Ghost Realm, the home of ten thousand spirits. Ghosts carry heavy yin energy, and since Fengdu was built deep underground, the city was perpetually shrouded in gloom, never seeing the light of day. Later, the Ten Yama Kings ordered Lady Meng to plant green lotuses in the River of Forgetfulness, using the lotus hearts as lamps—partly to guide the souls of the dead, and partly to light up Fengdu."
"This continued for thousands of years, until the fourth generation Star Child died during the Tang Dynasty and came to Fengdu for reincarnation. This Star Child was a man of the High Tang, a lover of wine and poetry with a romantic soul. Seeing the eternal night of the city, without stars or moon, he cried out in disappointment. He then removed a long bone of the Vermilion Bird from his own body and fashioned it into ninety-three thousand and seventy-two Golden Crow Lamps, hanging them above Fengdu to illuminate the subterranean gloom."
"That night, Fengdu was as bright as day in the mortal world. The Star Child sang and drank atop the city walls, laughingly calling it 'The Night Without Curfew.'"
Chai Shuxin was captivated. "And then?"
"The Star Child sang all one thousand one hundred poems of Li Bai, drank all one thousand one hundred cups of the Wine of Longevity, and then departed with a flourish. After that, the lights in Fengdu burned bright for a hundred years before they finally faded."
"A truly romantic soul."
Mu Gesheng smiled. "He was the most wild and unrestrained of all the Star Children, and his life was the shortest. He lived only two hundred and eighty-nine years. He forged the Golden Crow Lamps with his body and fueled the fire with his soul. Once the poetry and wine were finished, his soul dissipated. He did not enter the cycle of reincarnation, nor was he ever reborn."
As the boat moved slowly forward, Chai Shuxin asked, "Where did you hear this story?"
"My master told me." Mu Gesheng leaned his head on his hand. "Back then, the old man said only one thing: 'Beyond the Great Tang, there is nothing else.' Later, I think I understood. Looking through the history books, the dynasties that followed were indeed no longer worthy of him."
Chai Shuxin looked at the child in Mu Gesheng’s arms and realized Zhu Yinxiao had fallen asleep.
"Don't worry, if Old Fifth ever tries something like that, we’ll definitely break his legs." Mu Gesheng stretched. "But since then, Fengdu rarely lights the Golden Crow Lamps. Lighting them consumes too much; unless something major happens, the Zhu family won't send someone to light them."
As they chatted, the green lotuses in the water became more abundant. Before they knew it, they had reached the main city of Fengdu. The waterway suddenly became crowded, and the boat could barely move. They stepped ashore, only to find the streets in even greater chaos—a mess of overturned stalls and fleeing people.
Mu Gesheng ducked to avoid a flying desk. His eyes sharpened. "That’s the official desk from the Hall of the Rewarder of Good—who has the guts to flip the Magistrate’s desk?"
Chai Shuxin looked at the figures in the distance. "It’s Taisui and Mozi."
"I forgot those two were still fighting." Mu Gesheng slapped his forehead. "Do you want to watch the show?"
"If they keep fighting like this, the trouble will only get bigger," Chai Shuxin said. "Find Wuchangzi and have him mediate."
"One is his brother and the other is his ancestor. You're asking for Old Third’s life." Mu Gesheng looked at the distant brawl and shook his head. "Let’s go. Those two great deities are about to fight their way over here, and I don't want to be blown away by another blade strike."
He turned to leave, but Chai Shuxin asked, "You're just going to leave it be?"
"Not necessarily." Mu Gesheng hurried through the streets, twisting and turning until he reached a city gate. "Come on, let’s go up the gate tower."
Chai Shuxin recognized the place: the main gate of Fengdu, the Ghost Gate.
A few minor ghosts tried to stop them, but Mu Gesheng tossed them aside with ease. They fought their way up the tower. "What are you doing?" Chai Shuxin asked, standing at the stairs to fend off the ghosts while Mu Gesheng stepped onto a platform. On the platform sat a large bronze tripod. Mu Gesheng pulled out a bundle of colorful objects from his robe—Zhu Yinxiao’s feathers.
"Joining the fun. If we can't stop the commotion down there, we’ll use an even bigger commotion to suppress the scene." Mu Gesheng tossed the feathers into the tripod and bit his finger, letting a drop of blood fall inside. Instantly, a pillar of fire soared into the sky, spreading outward.
"For nearly three hundred years, Fengdu has known no day." Mu Gesheng jumped down from the platform and grinned at Chai Shuxin. "Mozi versus Taisui—it’s a grand spectacle. It’s time we shed some light on it."
"The Golden Crow forbids the night; let the jade water-clock not hurry the dawn."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
白玉噎 | White Jade Choke | A legendary medicine formed from jade lodged in a divine bird's throat.
金吾灯 | Golden Crow Lamps | Lamps made from the bone of a Vermilion Bird, used to light up Fengdu.
阴兵出关 | March of the Ghost Soldiers | A periodic "cleansing" of the Avici Hell by powerful, mindless ghost soldiers.
敲梆人 | Clapper-Man | The official who leads and controls the Ghost Soldiers with a wooden clapper.
赏善司 | Hall of the Rewarder of Good | One of the administrative offices in the Underworld.
金吾不禁夜，玉漏莫相催 | The Golden Crow forbids the night; let the jade water-clock not hurry the dawn | A poetic reference to a night without curfew, originally from a Tang poem by Su Weidao.
