Chapter 6: Impermanence of Black and White (Part I)

The Hall of Yama.

The new King had ascended, and the old King had retired. The former King of Hell took off his dark robes, embroidered with a dance of ghosts—the symbol of the Lord of the Underworld—and stood in the courtyard with a sigh of relief. He smiled, feeling as though a heavy burden had been lifted; once he finished this final task, he could set off to find that person with a peaceful heart.

As the old King pondered this, footsteps approached from behind. A voice spoke with a guileless smile, "Your Majesty, I have brought the two of them as you requested." It was the Ox-Head.

The old King turned and nodded. "Very well. You may go."

The Ox-Head bowed, a trace of sorrow in his eyes, and retreated.

The old King looked upon the two young men who had now come into their own, his heart filled with gratification. These two were Hozuki, the current Judge of the Underworld, and Yan Yunqing, the new King of Yama.

Hozuki wore dark gray robes embroidered with white lotus patterns, a triangular sachet hanging from his waist. The black jade crown upon his head was clearly a rare treasure; inside the jade, something seemed to be faintly swimming. Hozuki’s narrow eyes were slightly squinted, his lips curled into a rare, seemingly sincere smile. He had grown increasingly adept at playing the part of a smiling tiger. His handsome, gentle features were now cast in a strange, bewitching light.

He was like a beautiful flower deep in the forest, exhaling a peculiar fragrance that lured travelers in, while the intruders remained oblivious that they were willingly walking into a trap set long ago.

Beside Hozuki stood Yan Yunqing, clad in the dark robes that belonged solely to the Lord of the Underworld. His picturesque features were utterly indifferent, and his deep eyes were like a bottomless dark sea; gazing into them for too long made one feel as if they were being swallowed whole. His expressionless face seemed to show no attachment to his father’s departure, yet the way his pale, thin lips were pressed together betrayed a flicker of unease.

The old King smiled kindly. In an instant, faced with his retirement, the spine that had always stood tall enough to support the entire Underworld seemed to bow, revealing the weight of his age. Yet, the genuine joy in his eyes could not be concealed.

He looked up at the sky of the Underworld, which resembled that of the mortal realm, and clasped his hands behind his back. "Do you know why I summoned you both here today?"

Hozuki replied softly, "Surely you have instructions for us."

"Indeed. You have always been sharp, Hozuki. After I am gone, you must look after Yunqing. He is too rigid and impartial; he does not understand the nuances of mercy beyond the law. If he handles certain matters poorly, I fear it will invite criticism," the old King urged.

Hozuki patted Yan Yunqing on the shoulder and replied, "Rest assured, I know how to handle it."

The old King nodded in satisfaction. "With you by Yunqing’s side to assist him, I am at ease. However, that is not the only reason I summoned you. There is something every successor to the Underworld must know."

A glint of interest sparked in Hozuki’s eyes. What could be so important that the old King had to bring them to this remote, neglected courtyard?

The old King continued, "Our Yama lineage was once just a small tribe drifting through the five realms. The true master of the Underworld is not, in fact, our ancestor."

At these words, Hozuki’s squinted eyes opened wide, his expression turning solemn.

"The event in question might be a shameful memory for the other four realms, but for us, it is the reason for our existence. That catastrophe caused immense suffering. To mend the wreckage, that person opened a space, a world, and established a place within it to manage the souls of the departed. Later, the world came to be known as the 'Underworld,' and that person as the 'Ghost Sovereign.'"

"Eventually, the other four realms accepted the Underworld as the domain governing the dead. Since then, the five realms have coexisted. After the crisis subsided, the Ghost Sovereign entrusted the Underworld to our Yama lineage, and since then, unless an emergency arose, they have never concerned themselves with our affairs again."

Hozuki was stunned into silence. Could such a remarkable person truly exist? If given the chance, he would surely want to meet them and witness their grace.

Yan Yunqing, however, remained unmoved. "So, what are we to do?"

The old King felt a headache coming on just thinking about that unfathomable Ghost Sovereign. He sighed helplessly. "If you see someone in white robes, with silver bells at their waist that make no sound, walking barefoot through the air... well, it is better if I simply show you." He waved his hand, and an image of the Ghost Sovereign appeared in the air.

It was exactly as the old King had described. "If the Ghost Sovereign ever comes to the Underworld, we are all their subordinates. Do you understand? You must obey them, but you must not reveal their identity to anyone else in the Underworld. Do you understand?"

Hozuki felt conflicted. The Ghost Sovereign looked younger than himself, yet he was suddenly expected to be their subordinate—it was a bit hard to accept.

Nevertheless, Hozuki nodded. "I understand." Yan Yunqing nodded as well.

The three of them looked up at the sky with varying degrees of helplessness. After the old King departed, Yan Yunqing returned to his official duties, while Hozuki spent his time scouring ancient texts for information on the Ghost Sovereign, only to return empty-handed every time.

"Lord Judge, the King of Yama requests your presence," a ghost messenger reported.

"Understood," Hozuki replied, setting aside the texts and heading to the Hall of Yama.

He knocked on the door. "What is it?"

Yan Yunqing nodded, reading through documents as he spoke. "There is a matter. Recently, several ghost messengers have fallen into a mysterious coma. They are currently recovering, but among the unconscious are two crucial figures: the Black and White Impermanence. They have been in a deep sleep for some time, and there are signs their souls may fade. You and I know how specialized their roles are; ordinary people cannot simply step in. I need you to recruit replacements as soon as possible."

Hozuki clicked his tongue, walked over, and snatched the documents, waving them lightly. "That’s it? I understand. I’ll get it done." With that, he left the hall. Recruiting was simple—post a few notices and hold a trial. It would be done in no time.

***

The Ashura Palace.

Black Slave returned with a storage ring filled with goods, along with news for his Master.

He knelt on the ground and presented the ring to the Ghost Sovereign. Yan Nianqing, sitting in the Sovereign’s lap, giggled and snatched the ring. He peered inside and, beaming like he was presenting a treasure, held it up for the Ghost Sovereign to see. "Mother, look! There are so many things inside. I could feel it even before I looked!"

The Ghost Sovereign smiled, stroking Yan Nianqing’s hair. "Good boy, Nian-er! I had these prepared for you. Do you like them?"

"Yes!" Yan Nianqing nodded vigorously, clutching the ring with a laugh.

Black Slave kept his gaze on the floor. "Master, I have one more thing to report."

"Speak."

"The Underworld has just posted notices seeking two new Impermanence."

As soon as Black Slave finished, a long-absent pressure descended. The Ghost Sovereign glanced coldly at him. "I have told you before: do your own job. Do not speak of what should not be said, do not do what should not be done, and do not meddle in what does not concern you."

The chilling tone made Black Slave shudder; he realized he had overstepped. "I am at fault, Master."

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Yan Nianqing tugged at the Ghost Sovereign’s sleeve, his voice soft and milky. "Mother..." He sounded aggrieved and pitiful.

The pressure vanished instantly. The Ghost Sovereign said, "Go and accept your punishment."

"Yes," Black Slave replied, retreating toward the direction of the Ashura Palace.

"Mother, Nian-er is scared..." Yan Nianqing snuggled into the Ghost Sovereign’s neck, rubbing against him with evident affection.

The Ghost Sovereign cradled him as he stood up from the cloud-chair. "Do not be afraid, Nian-er. Mother is here." As he patted the boy's back, he suddenly asked, not caring if the child understood, "Little Nian-er, would you like it if Mother took you to find Father?"

"Father?" Yan Nianqing was immediately distracted by the new word. "What is a father? Is it edible?" His innocent eyes made the Ghost Sovereign’s heart ache with a sudden surge of guilt.

The Ghost Sovereign explained patiently, "A father is someone who, like Mother, loves Little Nian-er very much. He is also your family."

"Someone who loves Nian-er like Mother does? I don't want that!" Yan Nianqing tightened his grip on the Ghost Sovereign’s neck.

The Ghost Sovereign was surprised. "Why?"

Yan Nianqing’s voice trembled with tears. "If we find Father, will Mother not want Nian-er anymore?"

The child’s innocent question struck a chord with the future and touched upon the Ghost Sovereign’s deepest current fear. He froze, gazing into Yan Nianqing’s reddened eyes. He brushed his nose against the boy’s and smiled. "That won't happen. Finding Father just means there will be one more person to love you, just like Mother does. You are so adorable—how could Mother ever bear to leave you behind?"

Yan Nianqing pouted, sniffled, and said solemnly, "That’s true. I am very cute, so Mother would definitely be reluctant. Then... then let’s go find Father, okay? Okay, Mother?"

The Ghost Sovereign was thoroughly amused by the child’s display. "Alright, alright, whatever Little Nian-er wants."

"But first, Mother needs to pack some things. Once we are finished, we will set off."

"Okay!" Yan Nianqing exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement and curiosity.

Outside the hall, the Four Monsters had just finished lamenting Black Slave’s tragic fate when they felt a familiar aura leave the Ashura Palace.

Mei blinked. "If I’m not mistaken, the Master just took the Young Master out! Are they going to find the Mistress?" She picked up the unrecognizable object she had been embroidering for half a day. "What a pity! The clothes I was making for the Young Master aren't finished yet!"

Chi laughed without hesitation. "Forget it! You want to give the Young Master that piece of scrap cloth?"

Mei retorted angrily, "You!" A large hoe suddenly appeared in her hand. "Stinking Chi, see how I deal with you!"

Chi spread his arms nonchalantly. "Come on! Do it if you have the nerve!"

Mei lunged forward, chasing Chi. Liang, intending to intervene, saw that the two weren't actually fighting in earnest and let it be, settling down beside Wang.