Chapter 201
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Chapter 201: Title
Yang Xingyu scanned the barrage of comments flooding his live stream and cleared his throat, intervening before the chat could spiral into chaos. The Yin Chai he’d invited today were legendary Soul-Reaping Messengers from the underworld – if some reckless keyboard warrior provoked these underworld officials, they might end up battling in the afterlife with their keyboard in tow.
"Ahem, greetings to all viewers, and welcome to today’s special broadcast."
"As our stream title suggests, I’ve arranged extraordinary guests for this occasion." Yang Xingyu gestured toward the Yin Chai with a knowing smile. "I’m certain you’re all burning with curiosity about their identities?"
"Folklore tells us that when mortals perish, the Black and White Guardians arrive to claim souls. Though I suspect none here are eager for that particular encounter."
【Holy shit! Is Brother Yang implying these guys are…】
【Brother Yang’s insane! How’d he get the Black and White Guardians? But why are they all in black? Where’s the white one?】
【Since when do soul collectors look this damn fine? This feels wrong…】
【Getting escorted to afterlife by hot guys? Sign me up!】
【Aren’t they basically underworld bureaucrats? Since when do civil servants need beauty standards?】
Yang Xingyu bit back laughter at the scrolling comments. "You’ve guessed correctly. These four honorable guests are indeed Yin Chai from the underworld."
"Memorize their faces well – you never know when you might cross paths."
【Tsk tsk, bad omens be gone, good luck come forth!】
【Hot underworld officers ≠ wanting to meet them! Meeting = death!】
【I volunteer! Do Yin Chai prefer boys or girls? Gender’s flexible here~】
【…Who unleashed this thirsty creature? Containment squad needed!】
Though literate in modern text, the Yin Chai found the rapid-fire comments bewildering. The recent convergence between human realm and underworld left them unprepared for internet culture’s quirks.
"Let’s maintain decorum, everyone," Yang Xingyu interjected, eyeing the impassive Yin Chai. "Today’s focus is a proper interview."
"We’ll select lucky viewers for Q&A later. Prepare thoughtful questions – but remember, our guests reserve the right to decline inappropriate inquiries."
【An underworld AMA? Will they spill afterlife secrets?】
【Since the Awakening of Spiritual Energy, underworld news dried up after initial reports!】
【Spill the tea! What’s the afterlife REALLY like?】
Before the Awakening, materialists dismissed posthumous existence while spiritualists clung to reincarnation myths. Yet both camps shared that primal curiosity about the great beyond.
No soul truly embraced the concept of eternal nothingness – the mystery of existence’s continuation burned in every heart.
Viewership numbers exploded from millions to tens of millions, the "underworld" topic proving irresistibly tantalizing.
Yang Xingyu turned to his guests, himself equally ignorant of underworld affairs. "Shall we begin with your daily routines?"
The four Yin Chai exchanged glances before Yin Yan responded: "Our existence revolves around soul collection and guiding spirits home."
"Surely there’s more? Any recreational activities? Interesting underworld anecdotes?"
"Negligible. Our duties consume us," Yin Han stated bluntly.
"The Yin Chai workload is that intense?" Yang Xingyu’s eyebrows shot up. The description suggested 24/7 labor – were underworld officials this overworked?
After thoughtful pause, Yin Ze elaborated: "With the underworld’s recent reopening and our limited numbers, each Yin Chai oversees vast territories. Efficiency demands constant attention."
【Sounds exhausting.】
【That many people die in a single day?】
【I recall seeing statistics claiming around twenty thousand deaths nationwide daily.】
【That figure is staggering.】
【If the underworld’s this short on Yin Chai, are their compensation packages even decent?】
【Shouldn’t we first question if positions exist before debating their perks?】
【Asking about underworld benefits? What’s next – easier afterlife exams after failing civil service tests?】
Yang Xingyu reclined on the sofa, effortlessly maintaining the conversational flow. "Given your heavy workload, what brings you Yin Chai to the human realm today?"
"The judge wanted to learn more about the human realm."
"Hence granting us leave."
"To accompany Zhan Yuan’s observations."
Zhan Yuan twitched at his name while calibrating camera equipment, an ominous chill creeping down his spine.
【Leave? Why study our realm?】
【Perhaps fascinated by our vibrant world?】
【Zhan Yuan… rings a bell.】
【Official records list him as underworld liaison in the human realm.】
【Now I recall! Wasn’t he in Brother Yang’s last live stream? Silent observer type.】
【Focus, people.】
【Yin Chai, care to share a bit about yourselves? Posthumous marriages – are ghost unions actually permitted?】
【Does reincarnation happen immediately? Can latecomers reunite with earlier departed loved ones?】
【Is the underworld truly that gloomy?】
【Are the Eighteen Floors of Hell as horrifying as described?】
Yang Xingyu observed the four stoic Yin Chai, their silence thickening the air. Recalling today’s promise to deliver answers, he advanced the schedule.
"Clearly everyone’s eager. Let’s begin the Q&A early."
"Would our honored Yin Chai oblige?"
Four black-clad figures nodded in unison.
"First lucky viewer…" Yang Xingyu’s finger hovered over the interface before landing. "’Thorny Melon-eater’ gets the call."
The connection buzzed to life instantly.
"Brother Yang! What’s the underworld really like? Do the Ten Kings of Hell exist? Is the judge real? And Meng Po – is she actually some granny doling out soup?"
The host sighed at the barrage, turning to his impassive guests. "Multiple questions here. Who’ll respond?"
Yin Yan straightened his dark robes. "Allow me."
"The Ten Kings’ thrones stand ready, though only the First King currently reigns. Each monarch appoints their own judge for soul judgments."
“Meng Po isn’t truly an elderly woman; she appears as a young maiden. Yet most departed souls perceive her as the grandmotherly figure they envision.”
“Not every soul can behold Meng Po’s true visage—it requires specific circumstances,” Yin Yan remarked before trailing off deliberately.
Yang Xingyu listened with fresh interest. Though close to Zhan Yuan, his friend often spoke in half-truths, withholding details either from uncertainty or discretion.
The revelation of Meng Po’s youthful form didn’t startle Yang Xingyu—Zhan Yuan had mentioned this peculiarity before.
He resumed selecting participants for questioning.
“Do humans reincarnate instantly after death?”
Yang Xingyu knew this query well, having discussed it previously with Zhan Yuan.
Yin Ze answered gravely, “Evil ghosts face punishment in the underworld. Common souls desiring rebirth are processed immediately, while reluctant ones must first complete their Ghostly Life before transmigration.”
“What defines Ghostly Life?”
“A soul’s natural lifespan—typically sixty years, though variations exist.”
In Eastern Sea City’s bustling heart stood the spirit cultivators’ headquarters—a gleaming skyscraper where only elite figures occupied the upper floors.
During the early Awakening of Spiritual Energy, the Spirit Cultivator Office had shared cramped quarters with the Special Bureau’s local branch. This arrangement dissolved when Ao Ming, Your Highness, deemed the facilities beneath their stature, retaining only a token presence while relocating to grander accommodations.
The dragon race, never ones for modesty, acquired an entire downtown tower when weary of mingling with human cultivators. Reportedly constructed at a cost of one billion yuan, the property’s value skyrocketed alongside the city’s booming real estate—a trivial investment for beings who ruled oceans and treated gold as pebbles.
The penthouse housed nine exclusive chambers: one reserved for the absent Dragon Lord, eight awaiting demon lords from the Mountain and Sea Realm. In his brother’s prolonged absence, Ao Ming, Your Highness, managed administrative affairs from the Dragon Lord’s office—a duty thrust upon the younger prince when the elder vanished during diplomatic missions.
Poring over financial documents, Ao Ming pondered an intriguing contrast: while Western dragons hoarded treasures, Eastern dragons seemed enthralled by commerce. Within months, he’d brokered numerous accords between Zhongxia and both spirit cultivators and dragonkind—transforming from regal prince to boardroom titan.
The improbable had materialized: a black-dragon CEO gracing economic journals’ covers, defying all expectations of the Awakening era.
Nearby, Ao Lan sprawled across a lacquered tea table, mathematics workbook abandoned after two half-hearted attempts. The young dragon stealthily pillaged grapes from a jade fruit platter, retreating behind the furniture to indulge his snack-time rebellion.
Ao Ming observed these antics through lowered lashes, his youthful features belying statesman-like solemnity. While tolerating his sibling’s antics, greater concerns weighed upon him—the Dragon Lord’s mysterious disappearance during negotiations in the Mountain and Sea Realm left troubling voids in both governance and kinship.
As grape stems accumulated, Ao Ming’s resolve crystallized: the time approached to personally investigate his brother’s vanishing within the enigmatic realm’s borders.
