"Finally, ice-attribute spiritual energy. I feel alive again." Han Lian spoke with her eyes closed, utterly content.
"Amitabha. We owe this to Ran Xi Daoyou." A smile touched Yun Chen's face.
Xun Kun cupped his fists to Yunxi. "Many thanks."
This was Yunxi's first time entering after the spaces had fused. She had already spread her divine sense, taking in everything within.
The four of them were currently on the outskirts of the Misty Snow Domain, and at its center lay the former site of Yixian Gate. The fusion had gone smoothly. A restriction sealed the center. Without Yunxi's permission, the three companions and the bear could not approach.
This time Han Lian chose a spot at will and released her portable abode, a white snow-house that matched her spiritual root perfectly. Once the four cultivators and the bear entered, they began to sift through the useful information they had obtained from Black and White Impermanence.
Treating Yunxi and the others as close friends, Han Lian spoke bluntly. "Ran Xi, why didn't you bring up borrowing a path through the Underworld?"
"Black and White Impermanence came in a hurry and did not yet understand this place. It is also clear that this small world being cut off from the Underworld is not the Underworld punishing it. In that case, it is hard to say what went wrong on the Underworld's side.
If we enter when the situation is unclear and they retaliate, what then?" Yunxi always considered the worst-case scenario.
"Amitabha. Ran Xi is right. Moreover, none of the four of us has reached the Out-of-Body stage. We also burned more than half our stored merit this time. If we rashly enter the Underworld, we could easily be plotted against. Better to wait patiently."
Xun Kun nodded in agreement. "Ran Xi has already explained the situation to the two bailiffs. If they fail to devise a proper response, the responsibility will not be ours.
A hundred years from now, when we reach Out-of-Body, we can force the Gates again. By then our souls will be stronger, we can leave our bodies for longer, and it will be far more favorable for entering the Underworld."
Dimples formed at Yunxi's lips as she smiled. "Yun Chen and Xun Kun are thinking the same as I am. That is my concern as well. Thankfully, the Misty Snow Domain can be opened at this critical juncture, which gives us a foundation to rely on. Our top priority is to raise our cultivation and wait for news from the two bailiffs."
"For now, that is all we can do."
The four of them then entered cultivation mode. Li Li was left in the capsule abode by Yunxi, so that if Black and White Impermanence arrived, she could notify Yunxi.
Underworld, Judge's Office
After returning to the Underworld, Black and White Impermanence went straight to their superior and reported the situation on Azure Star.
The Judge had been sketching in the Book of Life and Death with his soul-hooking brush. Hearing their report, the brush nearly slipped from his hand. He jerked his head up. "Repeat that."
Black Impermanence wiped the spittle that had sprayed his face and described Azure Star again. Beside him, White Impermanence added, "Judge, Azure Realm is a low-tier plane with tens of millions of living beings above. Yet when we checked the records, it was listed as a dead star with no life, which is why no Gates link it to the Underworld.
To maintain reproduction, the beings there created their own 'reincarnation system' to replace the Underworld's duties. But their system cannot compare to the Underworld's perfected cycle.
The souls used in their reincarnations have already gone awry. Resentment and filth are corroding them. These souls are slowly turning evil. If not stopped in time, Azure Star will become a haven for evil souls."
The two were usually charged with seizing souls, and were especially sensitive to any change in souls. White Impermanence had noticed the anomaly at once.
Black Impermanence echoed him. "Elder Brother White is right. Those four cultivators said they were transported to Azure Star by accident while tempering themselves. They must have sensed the anomaly of this small world's souls. Not daring to act rashly, they pooled the powers of Dao, demon, Buddhist, and beast to force the Gates open."
White Impermanence continued, "Among the four, one Daoyou had a prior acquaintance with us. She helped us resolve a past mistake by Underworld bailiffs. We gifted her a stick of soul incense, which is how they managed to summon the two of us."
"Yes. When we learned the place was recorded as a dead star, we thought there was an error somewhere and were not planning to go. But those four were shrouded in merit, and the force that knocked the Gates open was laced with merit. We had no choice but to investigate."
Black Impermanence quickly supplemented the account. If the Underworld was at fault, the matter would be investigated level by level. As the lowest-rung bailiffs, they needed to show that this discovery was inadvertent and to emphasize that the four had used merit to force the Gates, leaving them no room to ignore it.
The Judge already had a pounding headache. He immediately ordered staff to retrieve the relevant Books of Life and Death for Azure Star, then told Black and White Impermanence, "I must first determine where the problem lies. Do not spread this outside."
"Yes, Dàrén."
The two answered in unison. White Impermanence added, "The four cultivators also know of this. They offered to assist the Underworld in rectifying Azure Star should their help be needed. They are currently waiting there for news."
The Judge set down his soul-hooking brush and rubbed his brow before speaking again. "Once the cause is clear, we will indeed need their aid. The Underworld governs only the cycle after death. Matters of the living realm are not convenient for us to handle. Reassure them for the time being. When our findings are ready, invite their assistance."
"Yes, Dàrén."
Black and White Impermanence exchanged a look, exited the office, and passed the Judge's assistant bearing a stack of Books of Life and Death.
When the Judge located the volume for Azure Star, he discovered it had been tampered with. The pages were blank, matching the record of a dead star. Yet when he traced with the soul-hooking brush, names emerged upon the page.
"Hiss."
The Judge drew a sharp breath, vanished from the Judge's Office, and went to see the First Hall Yama. This was a grave dereliction on the Judge's Office's part.
Deep within the Azure Star Scenic Zone
Using the momentum from the fusion of spaces, Yunxi raised her cultivation to late Divine Transformation, then stopped. Leaving the space, she waited inside the law-house for a reply from Black and White Impermanence.
Li Li disliked the cold of the Misty Snow Domain, so she stayed close to Yunxi. "Zūnzhě, the people of Azure Star are inspecting this ecological forest zone. They will discover this place soon."
Yunxi ruffled Li Li's head. "No matter. When they get close, we will change locations."
She had no intention of further dealings with Azure Star's authorities. She had already given them their chance.
"Zūnzhě, why not keep pushing your cultivation? You are still some distance from Out-of-Body." Li Li asked curiously.
"No rush. Once Azure Star's affairs are settled, the four of us will gain a measure of merit. Breaking through then will be easier."
===
Dàrén (大人) – For readers of my other project, 'The Villainess Refuses to Repent', this term will be familiar! I've once again chosen to keep this honorific in its original pinyin with tone marks.
Based on my experience, I found that translating Dàrén to a simple "Sir" or "My Lord" strips away its crucial cultural weight. In these stories, it's more than a title; it's a specific term packed with deep reverence and respect, used to acknowledge someone's superior authority, power, or esteemed stature.
Its usage can be nuanced. It's not always strictly about cultivation level; sometimes a high-ranking ghost cultivator would use Dàrén to address someone technically "below" them. This clued me in that its meaning runs deeper than just simple hierarchy.
It acknowledges not just someone's power, but their authority, wisdom, or stature in a way that feels essential to their culture. It's less about strict cultivation level and more about honoring someone's standing.
My general rule for translation is:
Tone marks for titles: Cultivation-stage titles (Zhēnrén, Zhēnjūn) and special sect-specific terms (like Fózǐ for a Buddha's chosen disciple) get tone marks to highlight them as unique, in-world terms.
No tone marks for general terms: More common or translated titles like "Sect Master" or "Young Master" are written without them.
To preserve that unique, formal nuance and maintain consistency with my approach to other specialized titles, I'm keeping it as Dàrén.