Black Dragon stared, eyes shut, at Zhu Diyu. Zhu Diyu glared back. For a moment, Hui once again saw the skeletal figure with blood pouring from its skull in the place of hair.

Hold on… Zhu Diyu… Black Dragon…

Black Dragon landed in the Night Market after she failed to ascend. Zhu Diyu, too, is stuck in the Underworld, not properly ascended to the Heavens. Are they both Wandering Immortals? Immortals who failed to ascend and are fated to wander the earth until the inevitable death? Then… Hui pressed his lips together, impressed with himself. I accidentally brought a gun to a gun fight! Excellent, excellent.

I was going to burn down the Underworld one way or another—I doubt Zhu Diyu would put up more than a façade of stopping me, even if I’m not doing this the exact way he wanted—but having Senior here will certainly streamline the process!

Zhu Diyu sighed. He propped his head on his fist. “I’m tired. I’m so, so tired.”

“Mmm, I understand,” Black Dragon said. “And if you let him continue, you can escape the Underworld, even without breaking the net the Immortals cast over the Underworld to seal you here, and he doesn’t get stuck in the net, either. Isn’t it a win-win for you?”

“I wanted them to know. I wanted to send a message,” Zhu Diyu growled, clenching his fist.

“They will know soon enough,” Black Dragon said evenly.

Zhu Diyu took a deep breath. Shifting in his seat, he beckoned to the reaper. “Mamian, to my side. There’s no need. The Underworld needs this, and I know it. What she says is true. I’ve been looking for a reason to abdicate for a long time now.”

“I know,” the reaper said without hesitating.

Hui looked at her. “If you knew, then why did you attack me?”

She raised her eyebrows. “There’s a difference between knowing and knowing.”

“Mamian,” Zhu Diyu called. He gestured for her to come to his side.

The reaper shook her head. “I’m safe here. I don’t trust you.”

Black Dragon sighed, her gaze drifting from Hui to the reaper. “You’re made for each other. Aren’t they perfect?”

“They certainly belong with one another,” Zhu Diyu agreed.

Hui blushed. “Seniors, please.”

“Stop blushing. You’re only encouraging them,” the reaper said sternly.

“Ah, apologies, Elder Sister, apologies!” Hui said. He bowed to her, taking a deep breath and regulating his qi. This new body… it’s more powerful, but some things are a little… er, unusual. It’s like I’ve never handled anything before. Never dealt with emotions, never handled pain, never been touched…

Hui licked his lips. I shouldn’t let Bai Xue know about that one.

Or… I mean. We are married. It’s been ten years. Maybe I should…

Black Dragon cleared her throat.

Hui’s eyes widened. He bowed to Black Dragon, deeper than he’d bowed to the reaper. “Apologies, many apologies!” I haven’t practiced masking my thoughts in this new body, either!

“What are you apologizing for now? You didn’t do anything,” the reaper said, confused.

“He deserves to apologize, for making us all ride along on those thoughts,” Zhu Diyu complained.

The reaper narrowed her eyes at Hui. “What useless thoughts are you thinking now?”

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Oh shit! Now she thinks I was… about her… but, but… not at all! Small cultivator wouldn’t dare! Hui waved his hands. “No, no, Elder Sister! Not about you. I wouldn’t—I would never…”

“Never?” the reaper muttered, half-taken aback.

“No, no! Elder Sister is magnificent, of course small cultivator—I—what am I supposed to say?” Hui asked. No matter what I say here, I lose! I’m in a horrible place, an evil dark hole I can’t easily escape from!

Black Dragon coughed. “Perhaps you should continue…?”

“Ah! Naturally.” Hui took a deep breath. I can’t waste time here, after all. I still need to rescue my children! Hopefully it’s not too late.

No… it shouldn’t be too late! The pursuers were merely fifth realm. I’m seventh! I can catch them! Besides, it takes days to pass from the Southern Sect Conference to the Eight Tiers Palace. I have time, and I have speed on my side!

As long as I finish here.

Hui stepped forward again. As he did, the rings leaped back into action. They spread from his body, once more destroying the Underworld. The bedrock, the lost souls, the crumbling roof and sieve-like exterior… all crumbled. All shattered and returned to nothing.

Zhu Diyu waved his sleeve, collecting the clerks into it. As the rings passed through the realm, his existence faded. They passed over him without harming him, the same as a mortal's attack would pass over the reaper without harming her.

Oh! Of course. As the Ruler of the Underworld, naturally, he has all the reapers’ techniques and more! After all, everything the reaper could do was thanks to Zhu Diyu’s will. If he couldn’t do it himself, how could he pass it to her?

Hmm. Phoenix fire can’t affect Zhu Diyu? Interesting, interesting… Does that mean he’s a more powerful Wandering Immortal than Huo Fenghuang?

Hui rolled his eyes. Zhu Diyu was the ruler of one of the three fundamental realms, the Underworld, the mortal realm, and the Heavens. Of course he’s more powerful than a random Wandering Immortal, even one that managed to absorb a fundamental element of the world.

Qian Liqiu appeared suddenly, hovering near Zhu Diyu. She looked at him, then shook her head at Hui. “This is not a technique of Zhu Diyu’s. It’s something that is manifested by the authority of the Underworld… in other words, something everyone who gains control of the Underworld receives power over.”

“Understood, Senior,” Hui said. Then it isn’t one of his powers, but something everyone who sits on that throne receives. Hmm. I wonder if it’s tied to an artifact, or something fundamental about this realm. After all, what an incredible death-faking technique! I turn untouchable every time someone launches an attack… Turn untouchable, stand in the way of the attack, take no actual damage, fake my injuries, drop dead! Who would see through that? Ah, it’s too powerful, far too powerful! An utter cheat!

…Which means I probably can’t use it outside of here, or without being tied to the Underworld, neither of which I want. Hui sighed. He shook his head. It’s nice to dream, though.

Black Dragon stood on her tiptoes to catch sight of the small Qian Liqiu, half-hidden on the far side of Hui’s body. She waved, almost shyly. “Long time no see.”

Qian Liqiu squinted, then stared. Her phoenix eyes widened, and she put a hand over her mouth. “Ah! No, it isn’t. Is it?”

Black Dragon smiled. “I’m your little black snake. I’ve grown up a bit now, but it seems you’ve done me the honor of remembering me.”

“Indeed! I always wondered what happened to you, after I was…” Qian Liqiu scowled. She turned, glaring across worlds at Huo Fenghuang.

Many thousands of li away, a sudden shiver ran down Huo Fenghuang’s spine. She glanced over her shoulder and frowned.

Lightly, Black Dragon waved her hand, and Qian Liqiu retracted her gaze. “I cultivated, as a demon snake, then a flood dragon. I hoped to find you after I ascended and became a true dragon, but… as fate would have it, here we are.”

“Here we are. You, a flood dragon who failed to ascend, and me, a qi construct with no physical body,” Qian Liqiu lamented. Her eyes played softly over Black Dragon’s form, taking in every inch of her with a hint of melancholy.

“Ah, I have a plan to fix that! Er, the qi construct part, not the…” Hui glanced at Black Dragon, a bit of regret in his eyes. I do wish I could help Zhubi’s mother, but… as I am, I far lack the power to interfere in ascensions. A small cultivator such as myself can only dream of assisting in matters as momentous as an ascension or a Heavenly Tribulation!

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Black Dragon said. “I never asked you to. My matters are my own to unwind.”

Hui nodded. I’d like to help, but… ah, well. She’s said this is her own battle. I’ll leave her to it.

After all, I have plenty of hobbies already!

He strode onward through the underworld, letting the ring expand. The reaper walked at his side, as silent as ever. Standing back, the seniors watched the two of them go.

“Perfectly matched,” Zhu Diyu muttered under his breath.

Black Dragon nodded. “The man who spends his life playing dead, walking with death at his side. It’s almost poetic.”

“You two are like a busybody auntie and uncle, trying to pair every young couple you see,” Qian Liqiu said, tutting.

“Do you not see it?” Black Dragon asked, a hint of a smile on her face.

“Oh, it’s obvious, but…” Qian Liqiu shook her head.

“What is the most obvious, is sometimes the hardest to see,” Zhu Diyu murmured, almost to himself.

“‘I had eyes, but could not see Mount Tai,’” Black Dragon agreed.

“They have time. They’re young. They’ll figure it out,” Qian Liqiu said, nodding.