Volume Twelve: An Invitation to Hell Chapter Forty-One: The Mystery Revealed

After Du Ping departed, the group grabbed a quick bite to eat before settling down.

"Huangquan, tell us: what exactly is this 'Hell Invitation' case?" Yaoguang asked.

The moment had finally arrived to address this topic.

"To explain this, I must start with my own destiny," Huangquan sighed. "Phoenix, you only know that Daoist Guishan and I are old acquaintances. But what you don’t know is that I was actually his first closed-door disciple. Strictly speaking, I am your half-senior brother." Huangquan spoke slowly.

"What?" Yaoguang was startled. "You mean that mysterious, missing senior disciple of the old man was you?"

"Yes, it was me. Back then, my name wasn't Huangquan; I was called Guisi. And the Daoist was not known as Guishan, but as Daoxuzi. It was because of me that he adopted the name Guishan. In other words, I broke his heart. He chose the name Guishan to signify his desire to retire into the mountains." Huangquan’s voice choked with emotion. For years, this had been a thorn buried ever deeper in his heart.

Huangquan sighed and continued: "Daoist Guishan was a master of the Mountain Branch. That year, by a stroke of fate, he chose me as his closed-door disciple. He called me a rare talent, and because I had a calm temperament, he intended to pass on all his knowledge to me so that I might one day inherit his mantle. I studied diligently. Back then, we wandered the world, dispensing justice and cultivating together. Eventually, after overcoming countless hardships, we both ascended to become Immortals. In the Immortal Realm, we had a falling out over whether the Great Dao possessed emotion or was heartless. He believed it had emotion; I believed it was heartless. We made a wager and returned to the mortal realm. He advocated for salvation, while I advocated for force. We remained at odds until that woman appeared." Huangquan’s eyes narrowed to slits.

"Die Wuying?" Yaoguang asked.

"Yes. We saved her by a river deep in the mountains. At the time, I didn't know her identity because she had no aura of spiritual energy. We thought she was just an ordinary girl. That was perhaps the happiest time of my life, but it was also the time that shattered everything." Huangquan paused. "Back then, she went by Xiaodie. She was bright, cheerful, talented, and kind. Every beautiful word in the world could have been used to describe her. She claimed to be all alone, and the Daoist, being merciful, took her in. Without realizing it, I fell in love with her. After an excursion to the Mysterious Snow Mountain, she fell off a cliff and vanished. It was only when she fell that I realized I couldn't live without her. I searched for her like a madman. Much later, I finally found news of her, and that was when I learned she was... she was..." Huangquan squeezed his eyes shut. "I learned she was Die Wuying, the Princess of the Demon Realm. Having lost my mind, I charged into the Demon Realm. When I finally reached her, I was on the brink of death. I asked her why, and she said that approaching us was merely a means to reach the Mysterious Snow Mountain, as only the Ice-Cracked Snow Lotus could save her lover. Her 'disappearance' down the cliff was also part of her plan. She knew we weren't ordinary cultivators, so she staged that entire performance. That day, in the Demon Realm, I saw the man who had captured her heart. He was a mortal whose lifespan was coming to an end; the Snow Lotus was merely an attempt to defy the heavens. I collapsed. I don't even remember how I left the Demon Realm or how the Daoist brought me back. From then on, I was trapped in a dead end. My cultivation became increasingly radical, eventually triggering my own tribulation. To save me, the Daoist endured the Heavenly Tribulation with me. Afterward, he ascended to the God Realm, while I, due to the fallout, ended up in the Asura Realm. I became dissolute. The Daoist, now a God, declared himself unworthy of the title because he couldn't even manage his own disciple. Even in the Asura Realm, I couldn't forget her. Time flowed on, but I never expected her to come looking for me. She came to ask for my help to save her man, knowing that a True God had ways to extend a mortal's life. She promised that if I saved him, she would marry me. Can you believe it? I don't even know what I was thinking—I agreed, and I used my own spiritual essence to help her. But when I was drained and vulnerable, she turned on me, casting me into the Demon Abyss. Lying there among the bones, I was utterly desperate, but I refused to give up. My hatred swelled, and in that moment, I fell completely into the path of a demon. I began to consume vengeful spirits and evil ghosts, then fought my way back into the Demon Realm. After that great battle, I was severely wounded. When I left, I found myself hunted by the Asura Realm as a disgrace. I hid everywhere until I met you, Phoenix. You saved me and helped me reclaim my spiritual essence, though it had been heavily tainted by demonic energy. I could have purified it if I had cultivated properly, but I was disheartened. I didn't want to run anymore, so I returned to the Asura Realm, accepted my punishment, and hid in the Ghost Market, never wanting to leave again." Huangquan sighed once more.

"Until two months ago, she found me again. This time, I found her different. Her spiritual energy was more powerful, but it carried a chilling, ghostly aura. She had a symbiotic soul—a vengeful ghost that had fused with her. I discovered that the ghost was that very man. She wanted me to help her, and when I refused, she controlled me. I didn't understand her intentions until she orchestrated the 'Hell Invitation' case. I realized then that she was using me because I am of the Mountain Branch; I am the only one who can control the evil ghost within her." Huangquan paused. "Phoenix, this Hell Invitation case actually has something to do with you."

"Me?" Yaoguang was stunned.

"Do you remember this person?" Huangquan pulled a photograph from his clothes and handed it over.

Yaoguang looked at the photo and froze. "Zhu Qinghuang?! It's him."

"Yes. Zhu Qinghuang was a man of extreme obsession. He once begged to join your Sky Sword, but you rejected him because his spiritual energy was insufficient. He began to cultivate obsessively, but he deviated from the path and fell into madness. Die Wuying tried everything to save him, but he died anyway. She then went to the Dark River Ghost Market and, through some unknown method, recovered his soul. Zhu Qinghuang has shared her body ever since. However, as time passed, his resentment grew until he became a powerful vengeful spirit. His existence now consumes Die Wuying’s lifespan. When she found me, I saw that while her spiritual energy was immense, her life was nearing its end, and Zhu Qinghuang was on the verge of total annihilation."

"But we still don't understand what this has to do with the current case," Yaoguang said, puzzled.

"Because Zhu Qinghuang’s greatest wish was to be a police officer. You can't imagine how hard he tried, but he never made it into the police academy. When he lost his chance with your Sky Sword as well, he decided to become an vigilante. He used his own methods to punish those he deemed evil. In his mind, all bad people belong in hell," Huangquan explained. "Both Die Wuying and Zhu Qinghuang are running out of time. This is his final wish, and she is determined to fulfill it for him. That is the origin of the Hell Invitation case."

"You didn't send any warnings for the first seventeen cases, but you did for Yu’s case. Why?" Yaoguang asked.

"Because starting from the eighteenth case, their spiritual power began to wane. They were already struggling with Nalan Yu’s case. The first seventeen cases had already consumed too much of their energy," Huangquan replied.

"I understand. Everything is clear. But why did you come to the Dark River Ghost Market?" Yaoguang asked.

"To find Shang Liye. Only by finding this evil cultivator can Die Wuying and Zhu Qinghuang have a chance to survive. You see, Shang Liye is Die Wuying’s master. The fire-poison insects and other methods used in the Hell Invitation case were all provided by him. But Shang Liye is now a spiritual entity and resides in the Dark Night Ghost Market—not the Dark River one. Finding someone there is like finding a needle in a haystack, and no one knows exactly where he hides. Die Wuying is just here to try her luck." Huangquan said. "You must understand, Shang Liye no longer has a physical body. His body has turned to dust, but his obsession is so deep that no place in this world can contain him except the Dark Night Ghost Market. He has been there for years."

"So that’s it. Back then, I refused Zhu Qinghuang because I saw his aura was too dark and his personality too extreme. If someone like that had entered the Sky Sword, he would have caused harm to others. I never expected it would end like this." Yaoguang shook her head in silence.

"Alas, what can be done?" Huangquan shook his head.

"A fine pair of master and apprentice, truly colluding in evil," Yaoguang remarked, exasperated.

"Do you know where the souls of the victims of the Hell Invitation case are?" Yaoguang asked.

"They are sealed within Zhu Qinghuang’s soul body. They have become vengeful spirits that provide nourishment for him," Huangquan replied.

"How can they be released? Do you know?"

"Only by shattering Die Wuying’s spiritual essence. Once her essence is broken, Zhu Qinghuang will have no vessel to inhabit and will be forced out. Then, by scattering his soul body, the victims can be released. However, they will be unable to enter the cycle of reincarnation. Souls used as spiritual fodder end in total dissipation. Phoenix, before they dissipate, I beg you to perform a rite of passage for them. A clean end is better than vanishing in a state of sin and resentment."

"I understand," Yaoguang nodded. "You have my word. Also, why did Die Wuying excise tissues from the victims?"

"For the same reason—nourishment. The tissues of some of the victims contained residual resentment, which she used to feed Zhu Qinghuang," Huangquan answered.

"She ate them? How disgusting!" Jiang Yun said with revulsion.

"Not eaten, simply absorbed of their essence. Once absorbed, the tissues were burned," Huangquan replied.

"I see." Yaoguang nodded. "Die Wuying is, after all, a Princess of the Demon Realm. My killing her is inevitable now, which means I’ll be crossing the Demon Realm. What a nuisance." Yaoguang looked troubled.

"Don't worry about that. Look at this." Huangquan pulled a bead from his clothes and channeled his energy into it. A black light emerged, projecting rows of text onto the wall. "Die Wuying is already being hunted by the entire Demon Realm. The orders came not just from her father, the Demon King, but from the Demon Lord himself."

"Hunted? Isn't she the Princess? If I recall correctly, she is the heir-apparent. Why is the royal family hunting their own crown princess?" Yaoguang was baffled.

"Because to sustain Zhu Qinghuang’s life, she slaughtered members of the Demon Realm. At first, it was hidden, but eventually, the Demon Lord discovered it. The Demon King nearly lost his position for her sake. Once you capture her, you will have to make a trip to the Demon Realm to return her soul; otherwise, it won't be easily explained," Huangquan said.

"I understand. I'll handle it. Fortunately, the old Demon Lord is an old acquaintance of mine. What a tragedy—a perfectly good Demon Princess obsessed with a mortal, and a lowly one at that. She should have looked at her own standing before falling for a mortal," Yaoguang shook her head. "One more thing: has Du Ping joined the ranks of the ghost cultivators?"

"That trash? Ghost cultivators wouldn't look twice at him. You know those hidden factions? Du Ping belongs to the lowest level of them. In recent years, he’s been fawning over a ghost cultivator called 'Thousand-Hands'. This Thousand-Hands is notorious and disliked by other ghost cultivators, but he is quite powerful, so people only dare to insult him behind his back. Since joining him, Du Ping has been acting arrogant, but it's only because of his master’s power," Huangquan said.

"Fine. Neither Thousand-Hands nor Du Ping can be allowed to remain," Yaoguang signaled with a gesture of resignation.

Huangquan laughed, a sound like a blade scraping against iron that made Yaoguang frown. "If you take care of those two, both the Ghost Market and the ghost cultivators will thank you. Even the vermin think they're repulsive."

"Do you have any news on Shang Liye?" Yaoguang asked.

"I only know he is in the Dark Night Ghost Market. It is said he has attained enlightenment. You’ll have to try your luck there to see what he’s like now," Huangquan said.

"Fine. If he has truly turned over a new leaf, I will spare him. Otherwise, I will hunt him down to the ends of the earth," Yaoguang said, shaking her fist.

"I've heard that he has indeed repented, but because there is no binding contract in the Dark Night Ghost Market, he cannot leave. He has high standards for who he associates with, and those he likes don't like him back. You might want to try approaching him; he is still a master, after all," Huangquan laughed.

Yaoguang gestured for him to stop. "Please, for the sake of my ears, stop laughing. I understand what you’ve said. Now, let’s talk about you."

"Me?" Huangquan was stunned.

"Yes. Do you intend to go on living like this—neither human nor ghost? You know, the old man’s greatest regret is that you could have returned all along," Yaoguang glared at him.

"I have failed him," Huangquan said, tears falling.

"Never mind that. I’m asking you: do you want to go back?" Yaoguang demanded.

"How could I not..." Huangquan blurted out, but Yaoguang cut him off.

"If you want to, then stop the nonsense. When this is over, I’m taking you back to Phoenix Spirit Mountain to lead you into the true God Realm. You are not allowed to say no. You are bound to me by contract, and that contract reaches across the five realms. Wherever you go, you answer to me." Yaoguang looked at him with a triumphant, 'look at you now' expression.

"After all this, you were waiting for this, weren't you? Very well, I shall follow your commands as my master," Huangquan stood up and performed a respectful Daoist bow.

"Fine, fine, get up. You're making me cringe. Once you're cleaned up, I’ll send you back. This year, I’m going to pack you up in a giant gift box and send you as the old man’s birthday present. He’ll be thrilled. Hahaha!" Yaoguang laughed heartily.

"Ah..." Huangquan felt utterly defeated.

"Hahaha!" The others joined in the laughter.