Chapter Forty-Eight: Youth Seeking Friends in the Underworld, The Swallow Comes Back to Its Old Nest

    "This is bad, I’ve been discovered again."

    Jiang Liuer’s heart tightened. As a living human trained in body-forging techniques, his yang energy burned like a furnace.

    Ordinary ghosts approaching him would scorch in unbearable pain.

    This caused a one-zhang radius around Jiang Liuer to remain completely ghost-free, making him stand out like a crane among chickens.

    Being spotted instantly by underworld enforcers was only logical.

    Unwilling to clash, he raised his voice as they charged: "I meant no harm entering the Underworld! I only seek a friend to ask one question!"

    The enforcer ignored him: "All trespassers say the same!"

    Resigned, Jiang Liuer muttered "Forgive me" and summoned his Hun Tian Zhen Hai Sword to block the incoming Mourning Staff.

    Their weapons clashed. The enforcer’s expression changed: 'This one’s tough.'

    Jiang Liuer brightened: 'Weaker than Lang Wuji!'

    Twisting his Mountain-Bearing Technique, Jiang Liuer forced the enforcer back and seized the Mourning Staff.

    The stunned enforcer shouted: "Return it!"

    "Why would I?" Jiang Liuer examined the staff. "A soul-piercing artifact? No wonder it stings to hold."

    Cold sweat dripped down his back. Though his flesh resisted blades, this weapon targeted the soul directly.

    "Reinforcements! Don’t just watch - help capture this border-jumper!" the enforcer bellowed.

    Jiang Liuer frowned to protest, but froze as dozens of enforcers converged from all directions.

    Though individually weaker than Lang Wuji, their numbers and matching Mourning Staves posed real danger. Worse - this was their territory. Delaying meant endless reinforcements.

    "Ganging up shamelessly!" Jiang Liuer spat before fleeing.

    "My staff!" the disarmed enforcer wailed as Jiang Liuer vanished wind-footed into the distance.

    ......

    "Oops, kept this by accident." Jiang Liuer finally noticed the stolen staff. Discarding it felt improper, so he stored it in his Xumi Ring. 'I’ll return it if that enforcer ever apologizes for the misunderstanding.'

    Evading pursuit, Jiang Liuer scanned countless ghostly faces, specifically seeking bald ones.

    After miles tracking the ghostly river-current, he spotted a short, hairless figure. Drawing closer, he exclaimed: "Huijing!"

    The terrified ghost monk stared: "Jiang Liuer? You... died too?"

    "Temporary visit." Jiang Liuer stopped one zhang away to avoid burning his friend. "How did you die? Why was your skin in Wolf’s Den Cave?"

    Huijing wept: "The Abbot conspired with demons! They... refined me into pills! The demon and abbot both ate..."

    Jiang Liuer’s teeth ground: "That old snake! I’ll avenge you!"

    "Don’t! The Abbot commands hundreds!" Huijing pleaded.

    "This I swear!" Jiang Liuer insisted as enforcers’ shouts erupted nearby. Dozens converged, waving Mourning Staves.

    Huijing gaped at the spectral army. "They’re after me," Jiang Liuer explained. "I must return to my entry point or get lost between realms!"

    Sword-sweeping dust to obscure his escape, Jiang Liuer vanished. The enforcers arrived to empty air.

    "You!" The staffless enforcer demanded of Huijing: "Where’d he go?"

    Recognizing the scene’s familiarity, Huijing timidly pointed the wrong way.

    ......

    Back in the mortal realm at Wolf’s Den Cave, Jiang Liuer declared: "The Abbot murdered Huijing!" After recounting the tragedy, his companions reacted fiercely.

    Fox demon Hu Yuyu snarled: "Eating kin? Even beasts abstain!"

    Taoist nun Shou Qing seethed: "A high monk acting so vile!"

    "He dies today." Jiang Liuer carefully buried Huijing’s skin in blessed earth, chanting Buddhist sutras. Shou Qing recited Taoist verses while Hu Yuyu stumbled through mixed prayers, blushing at her errors.

    "Intent matters most," Jiang Liuer reassured. The trio marched toward Golden Light Temple, vengeance burning in their hearts.