After Marrying the Lord of the Underworld

Hairball, with the permission of Lu Yingjiu, ran off happily and disappeared for two full days.

 

Meanwhile, Lu Yingjiu and Jing Xian were busy as ever.

 

Writing invitations, stuffing red envelopes, and negotiating details with all kinds of ghosts…

 

The entire ghost world was bustling. In the palace of the Ghost King, Niu Tou and Ma Mian were holding jewelry boxes, Black Impermanence was sorting out the guest list, and the graceful Meng Po was enthusiastic about this matter, running around directing the ghosts.

 

Lu Yingjiu often saw priests flying across the sky with wedding candies and dried fruits, little ghosts running around with wedding wine, one stumbled and knocked off his own head, then hurriedly picked it up and reattached it. And on the long street, the ghosts were also decorating with lanterns and streamers, full of joy.

 

Knowing that hairballs’s relatives were coming, Jing Xian prepared many, many skull heads, piled up behind the palace, ready to be fed at any time.

 

But the day before the wedding, hairball was still nowhere to be seen.

 

The main hall was being decorated, and these days, Lu Yingjiu and Jing Xian were living in a small palace on the east side.

 

The small palace was independent and about ten miles away from the main hall. It was located on a slope with an excellent view. The window overlooked delicate flowers, plants, trees, and a bright moon. Although it was not as magnificent as the main hall, it was quiet and peaceful, and there were no matchstick men. They occasionally stayed here for a few days.

 

According to the wedding process, the sedan chair should pick up the bride from her home and send her to the groom’s house.

 

Just as Jing Xian was an illegal resident in the human world, Lu Yingjiu had no property in the ghost world. After discussing, they decided to temporarily use this small palace as Lu Yingjiu’s home, which would be the place where the bridal sedan chair picked up people.

 

It was late at night, and Lu Yingjiu and Jing Xian were leaning against the head of the bed.

 

Lu Yingjiu was reading a book, the candlelight flickered, illuminating his fair skin, giving it an ivory-like texture. He lowered his eyes, and the shadow of his dense eyelashes fell into his eye sockets.

 

The wedding was at dusk tomorrow. Jing Xian just confirmed the process for the last time and said to Lu Yingjiu, “Go to bed early.”

 

Lu Yingjiu nodded slightly, but showed no intention of putting down the book.

 

Jing Xian hesitated for half a second, then moved closer to him. Their shoulders were side by side, and their body heat passed through their clothes.

 

He asked, “You today…are you not very happy?”

 

“Hmm?” Lu Yingjiu paused, looked up at him, “Really?”

 

“You’ve been quiet and distracted several times today,” Jing Xian said.

 

“Is that so?” Lu Yingjiu hesitated for a few seconds.

 

Jing Xian gently took his hand, “Is there any part of the wedding that you’re not satisfied with?”

 

“No, I’m very satisfied with everything,” Lu Yingjiu paused.

 

But he also knew that his state was indeed not quite right.

 

During the day, he was busy decorating and running around with Jing Xian. When he was busy, it was fine, he didn’t feel much. But when he calmed down, he felt very confused. He had been reading for half an hour, but only read a dozen pages.

 

This feeling was very strange to him.

 

He hesitated for a long time before saying, “I seem to be… nervous?”

 

Jing Xian didn’t respond, and Lu Yingjiu looked up to see a hint of surprise in Jing Xian’s eyes.

 

The last time Lu Yingjiu showed nervousness in front of Jing Xian was a long, long time ago: at that time, Jing Xian had just confessed his identity, and the voluptuous female ghost that Lu Yingjiu had been longing for suddenly turned into a man half a head taller than him, and he was at a loss for several days.

 

After that, no matter how dangerous the situation was, he never showed this emotion again.

 

Now they were a standard old couple, just holding a belated wedding.

 

Lu Yingjiu never expected that at this juncture, he would actually be nervous.

 

He coughed lightly, “Well, I might be better tomorrow.” He raised the book in his hand, “Reading can relieve my nervousness, this is my favorite book, every time I read it, I feel calm.”

 

Jing Xian suddenly laughed.

 

Lu Yingjiu looked at him, “What’s so funny?”

 

“Nothing,” Jing Xian shook his head as he laughed, “It’s rare to see you like this.” He half embraced Lu Yingjiu, his chin rubbing against his soft black hair, “What book are you reading?”

 

Lu Yingjiu showed him the cover of the book: [Corpse Transformation Illustrated Book]

 

Jing Xian: “…”

 

When the candle was blown out and the room darkened, Lu Yingjiu still couldn’t sleep, tossing and turning – he had been a poor sleeper since he was a child, and it had improved in recent years, but once he got nervous, the problem reappeared.

 

In the end, Jing Xian pulled him into his arms.

 

Lu Yingjiu couldn’t turn over, and smelling the familiar cold fragrance, he slowly fell into a dream.

 

The next day at ten o’clock, he was awakened by Jing Xian.

 

Jing Xian shook him, “Wake up, wake up.”

 

“Hmm?” Lu Yingjiu was drowsy, “What’s wrong, did I oversleep?”

 

“No, take a look.”

 

With his eyes closed, Lu Yingjiu was led to the window by Jing Xian, and he seemed to hear… noise?

 

When the bamboo curtain was rolled up, the sunlight was intense.

 

“Awoo! “Awoo! “Awoo!”

 

““Awoo!“Awoo!” ““Awoo!”

 

A tide-like roar came, drowning the two of them.

 

Lu Yingjiu woke up instantly, and when he looked closely, he saw that the entire palace ground was swarming with hairballs!!

 

Lu Yingjiu: ?!

 

That’s too many!

 

It’s hard to describe how many hairballs there were.

 

All he could see was them moving their short legs, rubbing against each other in groups, surging on the ground. Seeing the bamboo curtain being pulled up, they all looked up at Lu Yingjiu and Jing Xian, “Awooo!”

 

Then they all wagged their tails wildly.

 

Lu Yingjiu was so shocked that he couldn’t speak. After a long time, he quickly went downstairs, carefully walked through countless hairballs, and accurately picked up one from the hairball army.

 

“Awoo!” His hairball kept wagging its tail.

 

“Are these all your relatives?” Lu Yingjiu asked.

 

“Roar!” Hairball nodded.

 

Behind him, Jing Xian also struggled to walk through all the hairballs, and said to him, “It’s okay, I’ve prepared a lot of skull heads.”

 

“Is it really enough to eat?” Lu Yingjiu turned his head and asked him.

 

Jing Xian hesitated for half a second, “I’ll have the ghosts dig in the chaotic burial mound right away.”

 

“As long as they’re not hungry.” Lu Yingjiu sighed with relief, rubbed hairball again, and laughed, “You have too many relatives.”

 

“Awooo!”

 

Jing Xian ordered the priests to take the hairball army to the garden behind the palace, where they were looked after by the Qilin.

 

A large group of hairballs ran and rolled, making a racket, and surged away like a tide.

 

The world returned to tranquility.

 

After breakfast, Lu Yingjiu didn’t know what to do.

 

The nervousness came again, and he could only continue to read the “Corpse Transformation Guide” to seek temporary calm.

 

However, Jing Xian said, “I have a little something to do, I need to leave for two or three hours.”

 

“Do you still have things to do now?” Lu Yingjiu looked up at him.

 

“It’s just a small matter, I need to check on the things I’ve ordered.” Jing Xian said, “You rest first, you can sleep a little more, don’t be too nervous.”

 

Lu Yingjiu asked again, “Jing Xian, are you really not nervous at all? Is this… my problem?”

 

Jing Xian was taken aback, and laughed, “After all, I’ve lived many more years than you, and I’ve seen a lot of big scenes. Besides, the ghost world is my territory.” He kissed Lu Yingjiu’s forehead, “It’s okay to be nervous, I’ve arranged everything, and there won’t be any problems.”

 

Lu Yingjiu hummed in response, and it occurred to him that Jing Xian was quite formidable as the Ghost King, decisive in killing, calm and strategic, and deservedly sat in this position. He had seen Jing Xian on the battlefield of the ghost world, where the Ghost King could annihilate a group of ghosts with a snap of his fingers, and the black blood he raised could cover the sky.

 

A grand wedding of ten miles of red makeup would certainly not make Jing Xian nervous.

 

Jing Xian’s composure seemed to infect him.

 

Lu Yingjiu couldn’t help but relax his brows.

 

Then he saw Jing Xian walk out with his right arm and right leg swaying in the same direction at the same time after saying goodbye to him.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…??”

 

This looks very nervous too!

 

After Jing Xian left, he read a book, went out for a walk, and took a nap in the afternoon.

 

Two hours before the start of the wedding, Jing Xian came back.

 

“How is it?” Lu Yingjiu asked him.

 

“Everything is fine.” Jing Xian sat next to him, “Everything is ready.”

 

Lu Yingjiu asked again, “Are you nervous?”

 

“Not nervous.” Jing Xian said.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “Oh—” pretended to believe him.

 

Next, Lu Yingjiu, who was reading a book, and the Ghost King who claimed not to be nervous, sat shoulder to shoulder, and spent two hours in tension.

 

Until the clouds on the horizon turned red, and the time came.

 

Lu Yingjiu changed into a number one scholar’s robes, on which were delicate golden embroidered openwork patterns depicting mountains, rivers, floating clouds, and complex runes. This was an ancient custom for exorcists when they got married, drawing symbols representing peace and joy on their clothes, hoping for a smooth future.

 

Jing Xian was also dressed in a scholar’s robe, but the style of the golden embroidered patterns was completely different, featuring ferocious ghosts, strange beasts, and various gods and demons. This robe, known as the “Ten Thousand Ghosts Map”, could only be worn by the most noble, symbolizing that all ghosts were submissive to the wearer, and that they were invincible.

 

Although their styles were different, one was elegant and the other was domineering, when they stood shoulder to shoulder, their well-fitted clothes outlined their tall and straight figures, which were pleasing to the eye.

 

From a distance, the grand procession for the bridegroom was approaching. Priests, masked little ghosts, demons… As far as the eye could see, the entire procession was like a dark ocean, with only the eight-person sedan in the center being bright red, extremely eye-catching.

 

Soon, the sedan arrived at the palace gate.

 

Jing Xian gently let go of Lu Yingjiu’s hand, smiled and said, “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you at the end.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Lu Yingjiu left the hall. He was also a man, so he didn’t need to wear a red veil, nor did he need others to help him or carry him on the sedan. He simply stepped forward and lightly got into the sedan. When the sedan bearers lifted the sedan and walked steadily forward, he subconsciously looked back – of course, he couldn’t see Jing Xian, the palace wall blocked all sight, only the flowers by the road were swaying.

 

Moving forward.

 

Lu Yingjiu had experienced three weddings.

 

The first time was when he was a child, on a gloomy rainy day, people like a flock of crows sent him to the ancient house to marry a ghost. He felt uneasy at that time.

 

The second time was when the Heavenly Way tried to sever his marriage. He was brought to the wedding hall to worship with the golden human figure. He didn’t have time to think too much at that time, his mind was full of how to break the game.

 

The third time was in Lintian Village, where Yao Gou came up with the bad idea, saying that they should find two people to get married to stimulate the female ghost in the village. Lu Yingjiu and Jing Xian had a wedding ceremony, but they both knew it was a play.

 

But this time was different.

 

Completely different.

 

Umbrellas and fans were opened, drums were beaten.

 

Ten miles of bridal makeup, the sound of the zither and the harp.

 

The clouds on the horizon were burned into a golden red, and under the gradually dimming sky, the street lights were lit. The wedding of the Ghost King was of course a grand event, celebrated by all ghosts. Lu Yingjiu lifted a corner of the curtain to look out, and saw groups of ghosts gathered at the ends of the streets, welcoming the procession, bustling with excitement, and he couldn’t see the end at a glance.

 

But the sedan did not go directly to the main hall.

 

According to the customs of the ghost world, the bridal procession had to circle around the main hall, passing through the sea of ​​flowers on the other side, the Ten Halls, the Wangxiang Terrace and the Humha Hall, then the River of Forgetfulness, the Naihe Bridge and the Sansheng Stone, and finally arrived at the palace of the Ghost King.

 

Most of the places, Jing Xian had taken Lu Yingjiu to play several rounds.

 

Only the eighteenth layer of River of Forgetfulness, Lu Yingjiu had never been to. His impression of River of Forgetfulness was still stuck on the upper layer of the ghost world, that clear and sandy river.

 

The bridal sedan passed the bright red sea flowers on the other side, passed various gorgeous buildings, and finally arrived at the bank of the River of Forgetfulness.

 

The sound of the wind.

 

Lu Yingjiu heard the howling wind that filled the entire world.

 

He listened for a while and then distinguished the tumultuous sound of the tide. The sound was so loud that it drowned out the lively sound of drums and suona, even though the little ghosts were still blowing hard, everything was still blown away by the wind.

 

When he lifted the curtain to look out, the whole world was ink-colored.

 

The huge river surged in the distance, the black water and the dark sky merged into one, he couldn’t see the other side or the end, the waves were rolling, tens of meters high. The bridal procession stretched for miles, but in front of it, it was too small to mention.

 

Lu Yingjiu knew that there were countless souls in that river.

 

Legend has it that the River of Forgetfulness was full of ghosts who couldn’t be reincarnated. They drift all day long, enduring the gnawing of insects and snakes.

 

But Jing Xian had explained to him that that was a long time ago. The River of Forgetfulness was different now, there were no insects or snakes, no bloody water, only the ghosts who haven’t had time to reincarnate were wandering, waiting quietly for their next life.

 

Looking around, the souls in the river indeed looked calm, as if they had fallen into a peaceful dream.

 

They drifted with the flow in the dim dream, until the day of reincarnation, they ascended to the hall of the Heavenly Way – Lu Yingjiu had once chased the golden human figure and fell into that stream of souls – and then started a new life.

 

The procession went straight towards the River of Forgetfulness .

 

The black waves were surging, the future was vast, as if walking into it would be swallowed up, enough to make anyone’s heart cold.

 

Lu Yingjiu was obviously not a normal person, his heart was calm, he just squinted his eyes, ready to take a closer look at the River of Forgetfulness, suddenly a cold wind swept by his side, and then…he was squeezed to one side of the sedan.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…”

 

Lu Yingjiu held his forehead, “…Jing Xian, how did you…”

 

Jing Xian squeezed into the bridal sedan, stretched out his hand and hugged him, raised his eyebrows and said, “You guys are too slow, I can’t wait.”

 

Lu Yingjiu said, “It’s only been half an hour.”

 

“It’s been a long time.”

 

“Are you worried that I’ll be scared?”

 

Jing Xian hesitated for half a second. “A little worried.”

 

Lu Yingjiu laughed: “You…”

 

Jing Xian emphasized again, “But, I mainly came to tell you: some people want to come over and send you off.”

 

Lu Yingjiu: ?

 

Boom!

 

Before he had time to doubt too much, a huge wave smashed on the shore, the water droplets fell down, the little ghosts opened their oil-paper umbrellas, an invisible force unfolded, blocking the tide.

 

They stepped on the waves, the bridal sedan was as if walking on flat ground, only when they encountered the most violent waves, the sedan would shake.

 

Tonight’s tide was particularly fierce, the souls were restless, their bodies melted into the raging current, a casual glance, there were hundreds of faces.

 

Jing Xian was still holding Lu Yingjiu, regardless of the upheaval outside, the howling wind, the small world inside the bridal sedan was stable. Lu Yingjiu lit a piece of talisman paper, the warm light fell on the clothes, in that flickering brightness, both of their eyebrows and eyes were gentle.

 

“Are you still nervous?” Jing Xian asked in a low voice.

 

Lu Yingjiu shook his head and smiled, “Much better.”

 

The two of them held hands in the sedan, and the journey was no longer long.

 

After an unknown amount of time, the souls became more restless, and the sedan was unstable. However, Jing Xian remained calm, lifted a corner of the curtain, revealing the pitch-black world outside.

 

Lu Yingjiu asked, “Is there something outside?”

 

He also remembered what Jing Xian had said, and a ridiculous thought rose in his heart: Could it be those people who wanted to send him off?

 

But why would they be in the River of Forgetfulness…

 

He leaned over to Jing Xian to look.

 

The towering black waves, the unbroken fog, the howling wind. They were like a lone boat bobbing up and down, with the little ghosts holding up red lanterns to barely illuminate the way ahead.

 

However, in the rolling ink-like depths, a cold green light lit up.

 

It illuminated the fog, illuminated the thick clouds, and also illuminated the sea surface.

 

This color was very familiar, Lu Yingjiu was stunned for a moment.

 

Several more handfuls of green light lit up, sparsely distributed under the River of Forgetfulness. Then more and more lights appeared, twinkling and echoing each other, they became even more dazzling, illuminating the raging current, as if a group of beautiful and bright fish were floating up from the bottom of the sea, gathering for them, and also like…souls carrying green lanterns, quietly surrounding them.

 

Lu Yingjiu widened his eyes. “They are…”

 

“I told you, some people still want to send you off.” Jing Xian said.

 

The light flickered.

 

Those who had protected him had not gone far. They passed through the surges of countless souls and came upstream. The green lanterns once again left a heavy ink color in the thick darkness, the light fell on the front of the procession, the road was illuminated, and a brilliant light burst out from the depths of the darkness.

 

Perhaps the wind was too strong, and the tide was too turbulent.

 

No matter how hard Lu Yingjiu tried, he couldn’t see their faces clearly through the increasingly blurred vision.

 

The nameless ones remain nameless in the end.

 

They were the unknown past, offering their final blessings to Lu Yingjiu’s future.

 

Further away, he could already see the lights on the shore.

 

Looking over, the first thing Lu Yingjiu saw clearly was Ye Feng, who was looking at the river with a blank face, and Ye Shou standing next to him, the father and son had exactly the same expressions.

 

Then there was Chen Zheng holding a thermos cup, and Zhang Shuwan in a black windbreaker. Chu Banyang was in a suit and leather shoes with Xiao Li, Chen Xiaoling had carefully put on makeup, and was talking to Ah Mei. There were also those exorcists who were familiar with Lu Yingjiu, standing on the shore waiting for him, a lively large group of people.

 

In a flash, Lu Yingjiu understood:

 

Today Jing Xian didn’t go to check the process at all, but went back and forth between the ghost and human worlds, opened the door of the ghost world time and time again, broke the restrictions of the rules time and time again, and finally brought all his friends here.

 

On the shore, there were ghosts and gods everywhere, black and white impermanence, bull-headed horse-faced, judges and Meng Po; monsters from other worlds took turns on stage, the Grim Reaper hugged a black scythe, werewolves, griffins and unicorns, Cerberus was surrounded by a large pile of fluffy balls.

 

Behind them, the golden human figures flew like birds, playing music. As they danced, the sky was full of strange lights and colors.

 

Past, present.

 

Living, ghost gods.

 

Hometown and foreign land, all beings and heaven.

 

Jing Xian said, “This is the blessing of the whole world.”