Dawn arrived after a sleepless night. The group gathered their belongings and headed to the tea stall, startling the server who emerged yawning to find the five of them waiting intently at his door."Server," Yeluo began, "have there been any strange occurrences nearby lately? Unusual events surrounding weddings or funerals, perhaps?"The server pondered. "Well, there are always oddities with joyous occasions—large age gaps in marriages, elderly folk growing dark hair again—but those aren't necessarily abnormal. However, therehasbeen a bizarre incident causing quite a stir lately. Nothing seems to help, and I heard they've sent for Practitioners from the lodge."Bensheng's face lit up. "We're from the lodge! We're not official Practitioners yet, but let us help!""What exactly happened?" Lucang pressed.The server sighed. "The Xu family in the east end has a son and a daughter. They're wealthy, raised their children strong and healthy. The daughter just came of age, and marriage talks began—a happy time. But then, her younger brother suddenly died.""Died?" Yeluo asked cautiously. "Murdered? Or killed by a demon? If they were healthy, it shouldn't have been illness."The server sighed again. "Neither. That's why it's so strange. The boy just... stopped breathing for no reason. The old Xu couple, burying their child... it's truly heartbreaking."The group exchanged glances. Bensheng bowed. "Well met, server. How do we find the Xu residence?"They arrived to find the Xu family holding a funeral. White funeral banners hung everywhere, and the mournful cries of the parents echoed from the house, casting a pall of sorrow.A servant ushered them in, but a sharp cry from inside stopped them. "Don't touch him!""My dear girl," an old woman wept, "let him go. He's already passed."
"I don't believe it! My brother was healthy! How could he die?"Following the servant into the corridor, they saw the scene in the main hall. A girl in pink robes was flung across a bed, desperately shielding the lifeless body of a young boy. Several strong servants tried to lift the boy into a coffin but were repeatedly driven back by the girl's kicks and bites."Yaoshi," Yeluo said."On it!" Yaoshi hurried to the bed, bowing politely. "Well met. I am Yaoshi, a disciple of Zhouku Academy, skilled in the Mastery of Medicine. Please, allow me to examine the young master."Miss Xu stared, then nodded, tears still streaming. "Disciples of Zhouku... Yes, please! Look at him. He can't be dead."Yaoshi began his examination."When did his condition appear?""Yesterday evening," Miss Xu replied, wiping her tears. "We were watching a play, and he just collapsed..."Yaoshi sighed heavily. "From a medical perspective... he is indeed deceased."Miss Xu collapsed as if struck by lightning. Yaoshi quickly helped her to a seat.On the bed, the boy lay peacefully, his cheeks rosy, as if merely asleep.Yeluo sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?""Yes," Bensheng nodded. It was very similar to the terrifying presence from the night, but stronger."This... resembles the work of 'Yama'," Ruoqiao stated suddenly.Yeluo considered this. "You mean the 'Yama' from the Rigveda?"Ruoqiao explained, "According to Vedic records, Yama was the first mortal to die and reach the heavenly paradise. Thus, he became the ruler of the dead, presiding over the Yamaloka, guiding lost souls to the heavenly realm. But the truth differs from the legend. Yama actually belongs to the demonic path. They are not a single entity but a vast race. They guide lost souls to demonic transformation, trapping them for eternity." He paused. "This was discovered by a Venerable One from beyond Kunlun, who recorded it during his travels through the Six Paths."Bensheng asked, "But Yama targets lost souls. Young Master Xu was healthy; he shouldn't qualify! Why would Yama take him?"Ruoqiao was stumped. "I... I don't know.""Hmph. Demonic beings snatch whom they please. What logic do they follow?" Lucang said, seeing Yaoshi return. "As for the truth,
we'll see for ourselves.""Go where?""Judging by the time, even if Young Master Xu was taken by Yama, he hasn't reached the demonic path yet," Yeluo said. "We might be able to catch up. To the Netherworld—the convergence of the human realm and the demonic path."Ruoqiao swiftly made preparations. He secured an empty room, borrowed one of the young master's garments from Miss Xu, purified his hands, and lit incense.Three sticks of incense were placed left, right, and center. The garment was laid before them. The five sat in a row on cushions, palms together, eyes tightly shut."We vow to cease all evil. We vow to cultivate all good. We vow to liberate all beings."Silence. Nothing happened. Bensheng waited impatiently before daring to peek.The four cushions beside him were empty. Alarmed, he looked up to see the other four piled by the door, peering through the crack."What are you—"Ruoqiao rushed over and clamped a hand over Bensheng's mouth. Yeluo turned and raised a finger to her lips. "Shh! Silence, or you'll disturb the lost souls."But weren't all the servants in the Xu compound making noise? Bensheng peeked through the crack and gasped. The bustling servants and the Xu family were gone. The vast garden held only a small boy crouched on the ground."Is that... Young Master Xu?" Bensheng stammered. "Why is he here?" He stopped, remembering.They were in the Netherworld. The boy was here because he was now a lost soul, to be guided into the demonic path by Yama."We were right!" Yaoshi whispered, rubbing his eyes. "Where's the Yama?""Look carefully," Lucang explained. "Yama has green skin, red clothes, and rides a water buffalo. He holds a pestle in one hand and a lasso in the other. Unmistakable."Yaoshi scanned the beautifully landscaped trees and rocks, fearing Yama's green skin might blend in, but saw nothing.A sudden chill fell on Bensheng's head. He reached up, puzzled. "Water? Is the roof leaking?" He looked up.His pupils constricted.A massive, gaping maw filled his vision, all sharp teeth and visible
throat, nearly blotting out the sky above them."...When did it get here?!" In the split second, Yeluo only had time to pull Ruoqiao aside, dodging the beast's strike. Forgetting the lost souls, she yelled, "Yaoshi! Bensheng! Lucang!"Debris flew as Yeluo and Ruoqiao leaped into the courtyard. Half their room was gone, revealing Lucang standing defiant in the corner. He wielded his fan, using wind to deflect the beast's attacks, creating an opening for Yaoshi and Bensheng to roll into the garden.Yaoshi landed and immediately covered the young master with his large robe. "He mustn't see us! A lost soul who sees the living loses himself.""Get him to safety!" Yeluo wanted Ruoqiao to go too, but seeing his worried gaze fixed on Lucang, she held her tongue.Bensheng sat dazed on the ground, slowly regaining his senses. He looked at Yeluo and found her frozen, staring ahead in utter disbelief, more shocked than he was."How can this be... Isn't that a divine beast?"Lucang flicked a segment of his fan, deflecting the beast's claws. He formed a one-handed seal and chanted. Invisible blades shot past him, striking the beast and making it roar, lowering its head.Now, those on the ground could see the rider.It could hardly be called a man. Glossy blue-green skin, multiple golden necklaces, a tattooed, bare chest, vermillion trousers covering thick thighs—a truly revolting sight.This was Yama.Lucang strode from the corner. Despite the fight, he remained unscathed, with a gentle breeze swirling around him. This aura was the pride of the Wind-aligned Buyi Clan, one of the Four Great Families.He sneered at Yama. "No wonder we couldn't find you. You've traded your water buffalo for an ancient divine beast—the Taotie."Bensheng looked. So this was what shocked Yeluo. The beast had a sheep-like body, a human face with a tiger's jaws, and a massive eye under each foreleg that swiveled menacingly. Being stared at was unnerving.Yama scanned them dismissively, his gaze finally settling on Yaoshi, who hid with the boy in the grove. He sighed theatrically. "Why must you interfere? Let me take my honored guest home peacefully.""Honored guest?" Bensheng shouted. "The young master is still among the living! We're taking him back!"
"A bunch of brats who still have their baby fuzz? Pah!" Yama made a rude gesture and hurled his lasso at Bensheng.But the lasso veered mid-air as if struck by a blade, its tip smashing into the main roof's tiles."Your opponent is me," Lucang declared, positioning himself to block the Taotie's path to the others. "Yeluo," he said, slowly opening a second fan segment. "Go to Yaoshi. Help him return the young master to the human realm.""But if I go, you'll be..." significantly outnumbered. Yeluo wasn't belittling herself. Ruoqiao had no supernatural powers. Bensheng... knew two secret arts, but they seemed non-offensive.Lucang smirked confidently. "I am sufficient alone. Remember, the incense has been burning. Time is short."Yeluo hesitated.Bensheng stood, gripping his staff. "Go, Yeluo!" Competitiveness emboldened him more than fear. He glared at the Taotie. "I'll fight this thing with Lucang."Yeluo nodded, then shook her head. "Alright, I'll go. But promise me you won't act rashly. This is the Netherworld. It mirrors the human realm, but holds only lost souls and Yama. Stay vigilant. Guard against other Yama attacking.""Understood," Bensheng agreed without hesitation.Yeluo sheathed her sword and ran towards Yaoshi.Spotting their plan, Yama barked a command. The Taotie reared and let out a piercing, infant-like wail. A gale-force wind buffeted Yeluo, nearly knocking her over. Seizing the chance, the Taotie lunged, claws extended.In an instant, Lucang spun sideways, intercepting the beast. His right fan swept horizontally. A tearing sound... Bensheng's vision blurred as space seemed to split. When it cleared, half of the Taotie's outstretched paw was severed, blood oozing from the nail bed."Tch." Lucang frowned slightly, as if disappointed.Bensheng knew bleeding claws weren't particularly painful; the Taotie's frantic cries were from fear of the invisible wind blades. Despite Yama's repeated orders, it refused to advance.Under the woven vine canopy Yeluo had conjured using a spirit channeling art, Yaoshi looked at the boy shrouded by his robe. "We need him to recall his life. Once he realizes he isn't dead, his will to live can pull him back.""Then I'll transform into his sister.""No. Even altered, you're still living. He mustn't see you."
"Then what..." Yeluo fretted, rubbing her forehead. She drew her sword, eyeing her wrist. "Do I have to..."Yaoshi nearly leaped out of his skin, grabbing her arm. "No! You can't!"Meanwhile, Lucang had opened four fan segments. He soared into the air, directing a relentless vortex of wind down upon Yama. Dodging one gust meant facing another. Yama and the Taotie dodged wildly, crushing a row of buildings in their frantic retreat.Yama finally regarded the airborne Lucang with genuine focus.Just then, Yeluo thrust her head from the canopy. "Bensheng!"He turned."Quick!" she yelled, reaching out. "The whistle! Give me the whistle! You have it, right? The one made from Kunlun's Divine Bamboo, that breaks all illusions—"Stuck, Yeluo had realized that if the boy needed to remember he was alive, he must be trapped in anillusionof being dead. While harsher than gentle reminiscence, and likely to cause him days of nausea, it was their only option."I have it!" Bensheng reached into his pocket. As his fingers closed around it, an icy dread shot down his spine. He whirled around. The Taotie was upon him."Hahaha...! You're skilled with wind, boy, but you can't attack while defending! Keep you busy, and I find my opening!"Countless sharp stones and branches shot towards Lucang from all directions—clawed from the earth by the Taotie to deny him any respite."Hmph." A cold laugh echoed on the wind. "You demons think balancing offense and defense is difficult? — Eight Directions Wind Dance!"A violent aura descended. Yama barely dodged, steadying the Taotie. He watched Lucang deflect the debris and land gracefully, the winds dying down around him. "Is that all?" Yama mocked.But before the taunt faded, the ground erupted. Sharp gales burst from the earth, spearing straight for the massive eyes under the Taotie's arms.Blood sprayed everywhere, pooling and rolling in the dust until a droplet stopped at Bensheng's feet.The Taotie shrieked in agony."Bensheng!" Yeluo seized the moment. He threw the whistle. She leaped, snatching it from the air, and blew it with all her might towards the robed boy.
The blinded Taotie raged, pounding the ground with its claws. The stone paving of the Xu compound cracked and began to collapse."Look out! There's a water channel below!" Ruoqiao, watching the fight, sprinted towards Lucang. "Young Master Lucang, move!"Lucang, having just landed, was shoved aside by Ruoqiao as a massive stone slab flew overhead, demolishing a wall."We did it!" Yaoshi emerged from the canopy, shaking his robe, elated. "The young master has returned! ...Huh?"A shadow fell over them. The enraged Taotie had lifted an entire neighboring house and was hurling it down. Yeluo summoned sword-lightning, but the beast was too fast. Escape seemed impossible."Passing Through Walls!"Bensheng lunged, grabbing both Yaoshi and Yeluo, clasping his hands together.The pungent scent of incense filled Bensheng's nostrils. He blinked, finding himself back on his cushion."Are... are we back?""Yes!" Yaoshi slumped in profound relief.From outside came cries of joy. "Brother!" "Young Master!" "My son, you're awake!"Bensheng and Yaoshi looked at each other and laughed."Bensheng, thank you for that final move!" Yaoshi clapped his shoulder cheerfully. "I thought I was done for! Good thing you have such a handy escape technique!"Escape technique...Bensheng's smile froze. He felt an internal wound."Yeluo?" Bensheng noticed her stillness.She wasn't smiling. She stared at the empty cushions beside her, her eyes filled with confusion and dread."Lucang... Ruoqiao... They didn't make it back?"