Upon her return to the Underworld, Ajiao did not immediately begin practicing formidable spells with the effortless grace she had imagined. Instead, she first had to learn how to guide the Houtu divine power within her body—a process known as "circulating energy" or "guiding the breath."
It sounded simple, but for Ajiao, the execution was grueling. According to Lord Shen, guiding one’s internal power through a full celestial cycle was the fundamental lesson for any cultivator. However, perhaps because the Houtu divine power was too ancient and vast, it took Ajiao a full year and a half just to manage a single complete cycle.
Only then did Shen Zhi begin teaching her the most basic and efficient technique: commanding the Official Tablet.
The Official Tablet was carved from ten-thousand-year-old peach wood and blessed by the two Sovereign Gods. For a mortal ghost like Ajiao, who had only just stepped onto the path of cultivation, it served as both a weapon and a shield—the height of practicality.
On the palms and fingers, various points symbolized the Big Dipper, the twelve earthly branches, the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, and the twelve constellations. These were known as "Seal Scripts." As the saying went, "The universe is held within the hand; myriad transformations are born of the body." For the next three months, aside from her daily energy circulation, Ajiao spent her time studying and memorizing these scripts.
Above the Seal Scripts were the "Seal Formulas." A specific set of hand gestures performed under the influence of spiritual power constituted a single formula. These were usually called "Seals," though a few were referred to as "Signs," "Arrays," or "Arts." Their names were numerous and difficult to list in full.
"Start with the thumb of your left hand at the *You* position, then pinch *Wu, Hai, Zi, Chou, Yin,* and *Mao* in turn. Lock it at the *Chen* position, and imagine yourself transformed into a Messenger of the Five Thunders. This is the Divine Lightning Summoning Seal. Give it a try." Yunhe sat nearby, munching on a plate of pastries while offering instructions.
Ajiao manipulated her fingers as directed, but the air around her remained still, devoid of even a spark of lightning. Looking embarrassed, she turned to Yunhe.
Yunhe smacked his lips. "So slow! Watch me." He set down his plate and formed a lightning seal right before her eyes. Instantly, a bolt of startled thunder erupted between his fingers, crackling and hissing as it coiled around his hand.
Full of envy, Ajiao sighed. "Perhaps my talent is simply lacking. I’ll just have to practice more. Are the pastries good? I have more here; keep eating while I keep practicing."
"Fine, keep at it. But hurry up—in an hour, a new batch of documents will be delivered, and you’ll be too busy transcribing to practice."
Ajiao nodded solemnly. Suddenly remembering what Lord Shen had taught her the day before, she asked, "Lord Shen told me to practice commanding the Official Tablet more. Should I focus on the tablet first, or the Lightning Seal?"
"The Lightning Seal, obviously! Most malevolent ghosts are terrified of being struck by lightning. As for the Official Tablet, it’s just for simple things like Instant Movement or Shielding. You’ll pick those up naturally. Look at me—I don’t even need to form seals anymore; my body moves with my will. Understand? Now, continue."
Ajiao nodded and resumed her practice. Yet, even though her hand gestures were perfect, she simply could not rouse the spiritual power within her. She began to grow anxious.
"What are you practicing?" Shen Zhi’s voice rang out from behind her.
Ajiao stood up straight and replied obediently, "The Lightning Seal Lord Yunhe is teaching me."
Yunhe stepped forward with a grin. "How about it? I’ve been teaching her well, haven't I?"
Shen Zhi sighed. "She has only just begun to learn magic. What use is there in teaching her the Lightning Seal now?"
Yunhe protested, "How is it useless? For slaying or subduing ghosts, lightning and fire are the best elements. You were the one who taught me that!"
"The spiritual power in her body is still minuscule. Learning hand seals now is merely to help her learn how to call upon that power. Furthermore, she needs to familiarize herself with the Official Tablet. The Instant Movement and Shielding Seals that rely on the tablet are the most practical for her. Focus on those first." He then turned to Ajiao. "Once you have mastered those two, I will teach you the Patrolling Seal. Then, you can accompany the soul-reapers to the mortal realm to learn how to patrol and summon the deceased. As for the other seals, take them slow."
Yunhe could only nod. "Fine, then. Let her keep practicing Instant Movement and Shielding! If she can’t fight, being able to run and take a hit is good enough."
Shen Zhi smiled. "Then you two keep at it. Oh, and remember to go home today; your father is looking for you."
"Looking for me? For what?" Yunhe bolted upright.
"Likely regarding your reincarnation," Shen Zhi said as he walked away.
"Reincarnation? Ha! So soon? Hahahaha! I’ve finally waited long enough! Hahahaha!"
Watching Yunhe dash around the courtyard in a frenzy of joy, Ajiao carefully stepped aside.
"You, you, you!" Yunhe turned and pointed at Ajiao. "Keep practicing! I’m supervising you. No slacking off, hehehe!"
"Yes, yes, I know," Ajiao replied dismissively. The Official Tablet was connected to her mind; with just a thought, it manifested before her. With the tablet in hand, she felt the spiritual power in her body become a bit more active.
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, Ajiao appeared on the roof.
"Ah!" She immediately flattened herself against the tiles, terrified of falling. The Official Tablet hovered above her head, emitting a soft, steady glow.
"Well, you can move, but you can't control the destination. Tell you what, come back down. I’ll mark a few spots for you, and you can practice moving between them today."
Yunhe thought for a moment, then scattered several stone stools around the courtyard. He told Ajiao, "Use these stools. Stand on one, form the seal, and try to move only to another stool. Keep practicing that."
Ajiao stood atop one of the stones.
"Come here. Aim carefully and concentrate," Yunhe said, flicking a speck of fluorescent light onto a distant stool.
She activated the Official Tablet and formed the seal.
"Tsk, tsk. Look how far off you are!" Yunhe plucked Ajiao out of a tree where she had ended up. "Don't be in such a rush. When you're first learning a seal, you must concentrate. Think intensely about your destination."
He set her back down. Ajiao steadied herself and continued her practice.
***
Yunyue and Fei Kang entered their home hand-in-hand.
"Sigh. Today the two Sovereign Gods spoke of sending Yunhe to the mortal realm. Usually, I’m always thinking about sending him out for experience, but now that it’s happening, I feel terrible." Yunyue buried her face in her husband’s chest.
Fei Kang stroked his wife’s back, soothing her. "It’s alright. It’s only a trip to the mortal realm. A human lifetime is but a century; it will pass quickly. Besides, Yunhe’s constitution is unique—half-human, half-ghost. It has always been a concern. If this journey allows him to gain something, it will be for the best."
"I still can't bear it. I need to prepare some things for him. When Lord Shen’s daughter went into reincarnation, didn't she take several protective talismans? We should give some to He'er as well."
Fei Kang frowned. "Talismans aren't very useful. It would be better for him to take his Official Tablet."
Yunyue looked up, her eyes shimmering like a clear spring. She reached up and pinched Fei Kang’s cheek. "And here I thought the Great Ghost Emperor was too rigid to allow such a thing!"
Fei Kang caught her hand and sat down. "Am I rigid? I’m just frustrated that he doesn't strive harder."
Yunyue giggled. "Of course you aren't rigid. After all, look at the Underworld today—aside from you, only Shen Zhi has taken a wife recently. Tell me, how did you first start pining for me?"
"It was love at first sight, naturally!"
***
A piece of news, neither too large nor too small, had recently spread through the Reincarnation Department: Lord Yunhe—disciple of the two Sovereign Gods, son of Ghost Emperor Fei Kang, and an official of the Reincarnation Department—was soon to head to the mortal realm to undergo reincarnation.
"It seems the two Sovereign Gods truly value the affairs of the Reincarnation Department."
"I heard that to ensure Lord Yunhe’s safety, the Ghost Emperor has decided to personally select a soul-reaper to accompany and look after him."
"Really? Isn't it said that Ghost Emperor Fei Kang is the most old-fashioned and strict?"
"What a thing to say! That’s his own son. How can we be compared to him?"
"So, who was chosen?"
"No one knows yet!"
...
Yunhe flicked a pebble toward a woman standing a short distance away. The woman lightly raised her jade-like hands, pressing them together. A silver, shimmering barrier appeared before her, blocking the stone.
Seeing the first shot fail, Yunhe threw another, much harder. The silver barrier, unable to withstand the force, shattered into a shower of starlight. In that split second, the woman’s figure vanished. The pebble struck the ground, gouging out a hole the size of a millstone.
"Phew! That scared me to death." The woman landed on a tree branch, patting her chest.
"Not bad, Chen Ajiao! It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already become so proficient." Yunhe smiled and waved at her.
Ajiao vanished from the branch and reappeared in the seat opposite Yunhe. "Of course. Don't you see how diligently I’ve been practicing?" It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she had been forgetting to eat and sleep.
Yunhe beckoned her closer. Ajiao leaned in, their two heads huddled together. "Do you know my father is choosing a soul-reaper to go with me and watch over me?"
"I know. Everyone knows by now. I just heard people talking about it."
"My mother told me I could choose for myself. Do you want to go?"
"Eh? Me?" Ajiao was stunned.
Yunhe sat up and slammed his hand on the table. "I’ve asked several friends, and none of them have time to go with me! Seriously! I had originally agreed with Sister Xiangzhi that she would come, but yesterday Lady Nüyi suddenly took a whim to visit her relatives in the Heavens. She took the entire administration of the Twenty-Four Orchards with her, so Sister Xiangzhi had to go too. *Waaaah*."
Ajiao tilted her head, curious. "Visit relatives? What relatives?"
Yunhe paused to explain. "Lady Nüyi is a Flower Goddess, you know. She has an elder sister who is also a Flower Goddess, named Lady Lingwei, who lives in the Heavens. Lady Nüyi went to visit her."
Ajiao realized, "So there are two Flower Goddesses."
"Indeed. Although the two sisters hold the same office and duties, they don't get along," Yunhe said, his interest piqued. "Lady Nüyi lives on the banks of the Yellow Springs, while Lady Lingwei lives in the Azure Vault of Heaven. Actually, the two Flower Goddesses used to live together. They carved out a hidden realm in the mortal world where they grew flowers and plants as their residence, only sending the flower spirits under them to the three realms to lead the growth of all things. I heard that thousands of years ago, for some unknown reason, the two sisters had a massive argument. In a fit of rage, Lady Nüyi came to the Underworld and moved to the edge of the Yellow Springs, while Lady Lingwei moved to the Azure Vault."
Ajiao sighed. "How could they fight so bitterly? They say the Azure Vault and the Yellow Springs are the highest and lowest points of the three realms. But since Lady Nüyi has gone to the Heavens, surely they will make up?"
"Who knows? It would be better if they did. You have no idea—many ancient flowers and herbs require the divine power of both goddesses to grow. Since a thousand years ago, those plants haven't appeared. I’ve only ever heard my master and my father describe them."
