Under the watchful eyes of a demon, a human, and a ghost, Ling Ji pressed the gray icon with silver-gray short hair and black wings.

Speaking of which, she and King Qinguang were old acquaintances, though it was more of a fateful entanglement.

Years ago, a scoundrel told her that Sishi had reincarnated and entered the cycle of rebirth. He advised her, a dragon, to cultivate diligently to achieve immortality and ascend to the celestial ranks.

She didn't believe it and stormed into the underworld alone, turning the place upside down but finding no trace of Sishi. The one who followed her, trying to persuade and stop her, was King Qinguang.

"Ling Ji, Sishi has already drunk the soup of forgetfulness and entered the cycle of rebirth voluntarily. Even if you turn the underworld upside down, he won't come back."

"Then who has he reincarnated as? Where is he? Don't you have the Book of Life and Death? Let me see it."

Not finding the familiar figure, she turned angrily, demanding answers.

Her lips were tightly pressed, her gaze stubborn. If King Qinguang didn't give her the information, she seemed ready to bite him.

King Qinguang's expression stiffened, not expecting this young demon to think of such a thing, contrary to the simple-minded image of demons. Maybe she had picked up human cunning from being around them for too long?

Considering Sishi's personality, King Qinguang found it highly probable.

"Ahem." Giving her the Book of Life and Death was impossible. King Qinguang's eyes darted, thinking of how to dodge the issue. "The Book of Life and Death is kept by the Ghost Emperor. I, a mere King of Hell, have no such authority."

Ling Ji eyed him skeptically. "Really?"

King Qinguang nodded earnestly. "Really. I swear on my honor."

Back then, the naive Ling Ji believed his lie. Just as she turned to seek the Ghost Emperor, heavenly gods arrived to capture her.

The ensuing events were simple. She fought the gods, causing havoc on Mount Feather, but ultimately lost and was imprisoned on the newly rebuilt Fengling Mountain.

Fearing her gaining power and escaping, they diligently sealed her, yet due to the merit she carried, they had to leave her a lifeline to avoid karmic repercussions affecting their cultivation.

It was quite pitiful.

Half a minute passed quietly, but the gray icon remained unchanged. The entire phone screen seemed frozen without any response.

"Uh..." White Guardian wiped the cold sweat off his face, his smile more a grimace. "Perhaps King Qinguang is busy and didn't hear it."

Nonsense. He must be playing mobile games instead of working!

If only he were good at it, it would be understandable.

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But despite his noble status, his gaming skills were atrocious, not improving despite playing for so long.

"Should I send an urgent red alert?" Facing Ling Ji's cold gaze, White Guardian wished he could appear before King Qinguang, shaking him awake. "Your Highness, can we not play games during work hours?"

As if hearing his plea, the long-dormant icon flickered, and a lazy, slightly groggy voice sounded. "White Thirty-Six, what do you need from me?"

Yawning as he spoke.

Even through the screen, Ling Ji could sense his laziness and drowsiness.

She raised the phone, her voice steady. "King Qinguang?"

"Yes." King Qinguang responded, exiting the game. Just as he was about to speak, a familiar yet ominous feeling crept up.

The next moment, his suspicion was confirmed.

"King Qinguang!" Black Guardian's voice echoed from afar. "Ling Ji has escaped!"

King Qinguang froze. What? Who escaped?

"Ling Ji!" Panting, Black Guardian burst into the hall. "The one who caused havoc in the underworld over five thousand years ago!"

King Qinguang: "..."

Damn, how did that troublemaker get out?

Who released her?

No, wait.

His gaze fell on the phone on his desk, frozen for a few seconds. That voice sounded very much like hers!

"King Qinguang." As if confirming his thought, Ling Ji's voice came through, her tone chilling. "Long time no see."

"...Long time no see." King Qinguang's back stiffened, his voice tight. "What do you want?"

Unbidden memories of her last visit flooded back.

King Qinguang prayed fervently to the Ghost Emperor, heavenly gods, and Buddha, hoping this time wouldn't be like the last.

Please, not like the last time. Please, not like the last time. Please, not like the last time.

He repeated it three times, emphasizing its importance.

Yet divine entities ignored his prayers. A cold, vengeful voice came through. "I need to borrow the Book of Life and Death."

King Qinguang's heart dropped.

Previously, he could deceive young Ling Ji about the book's whereabouts. Now, five thousand years later, that excuse wouldn't work. Given she could contact him through the underworld's special phone, she must know the truth.

Indeed, he heard Ling Ji say, "I know you have the book. White Guardian told me." She had been gullible back then, believing his lies. The king of hell swearing on honor was absurd.

"White Guardian~" King Qinguang gritted out, mentally cursing the subordinate who sold him out ten thousand times. "Ling Ji, I'll be honest."

Thinking she sought the book for Sishi again, he explained, "Though Sishi reincarnated through the underworld, his deeds and skills are unknown to us. His fate isn't in the book."

Even with the book, it was useless.

"I know." She had learned this over three thousand years ago. "I'm not here for Sishi."

"Then for whom?" King Qinguang asked instinctively.

Who else could matter so much to her?

He had never heard of anyone else.

"Mu Bai."

"Mu Bai?" King Qinguang repeated, confused.

Never heard of him. Where did he come from?

"Probably her servant," Black Guardian whispered, having reviewed Mu Bai's life on the Yellow Springs Path. Though outstanding among humans, he was unremarkable to them.

Except—he was born in Xianmiao Village at the foot of Fengling Mountain.

And Fengling Mountain imprisoned Ling Ji.

That explained it.

"You want him revived?" With Black Guardian's reminder, King Qinguang accessed Mu Bai's details, understanding her reason.

"He is mine. Alive or dead, he's my ghost." Ling Ji declared. "Without my permission, no one decides his fate."

"But he's dead." King Qinguang was troubled. Had he known, he wouldn't have issued a death notice.

"That's not my concern." Ling Ji's eyes narrowed. "If he's not revived in ten minutes, I'll revisit the underworld."

King Qinguang: "..."

"And," her voice added, making him swiftly erase Mu Bai's name from the book.

"The Mu family signed a master-servant contract with me long ago. By that agreement, you have no right over their lives without my consent."

In ancient times, humans, weak against marauding demons, often made contracts with gentler demons for protection.

One type was the soul-binding master-servant contract.

Once signed, their lives belonged to the demon.

Though this conflicted with the underworld's duties, the fledgling underworld, swamped with tasks, let it slide for peace.

Ling Ji's reminder, coupled with her threat, made King Qinguang promptly alter the book. "It's done. Mu Bai will revive in ten minutes."

Ling Ji ended the call, handing the phone back to the despondent White Guardian.

"Why the long face?" she asked, puzzled.

White Guardian gave her a mournful look, swallowing his resentment. "Nothing, I just have a naturally sad face."

Ancestor, you forgot you sold me out to King Qinguang!

His heart wept, his despair matching the nearby floodwaters.

Surely he'd face repercussions.

His career was doomed.

Five minutes later, Mu Bai sat up.

"Big brother, you're awake?" Haizhou, who had been watching closely, shouted hoarsely. "Doctor, big brother is awake. Come quickly!"

"Awake?" The exhausted doctor, finishing an emergency, approached, surprised and disbelief on his face. "He had no vital signs. How could he..."

Be awake.

Damn, he really was.

Meeting Mu Bai's gaze, the doctor muttered a curse, quickly checked his pulse and heartbeat, and found everything normal.

Maybe he was too tired and misdiagnosed?

As the doctor stood stunned, a nurse called him. "Doctor, patient nine is deteriorating. Come quickly."

"Coming." He replied automatically, giving the now-normal Mu Bai some routine advice before rushing to the next patient.

"He's a good man." Jin Hong watched the doctor's thin figure, her gaze lingering on his muddy, bloodstained white coat. "Good people deserve good fortune."

As she spoke, a faint light, invisible to the human eye, entered the doctor's body.

While examining a patient, the doctor paused, blinking.

Why did he suddenly feel less tired, his body warm and energized?

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