The scholar-like figure nodded in acknowledgment and swiftly exited the hall. Shortly after, he returned with a stack of documents clutched in his hands. He made his way directly to the long desk, carefully placing the documents before the official before quietly stepping aside. At that moment, the official called out to him, saying, "Zixu, this time, you shall take charge. See if what they say is true."

The scholar stepped forward, gingerly picking up one of the volumes. The tome was about a foot wide and two feet tall, its tawny cover adorned with intricate symbols. On the right side, several characters were inscribed: "The Book of Judgment." It was evident that the scholar was being entrusted with a weighty task for the first time, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. He thought to himself, Could this be the legendary "Book of Life and Death"?

As he flipped open the tome, he discovered that the entire volume consisted of only a single page. This page was divided into several sections, listing names, birthdates, genealogical records, deeds of good and evil, times of death, and verdicts from the underworld authorities. However, below these sections, there was nothing but blank space. The scholar was stunned. With no other option, he turned to the official with a beleaguered expression and said, "Master, this... this... what do you think?"

It was then that the official, who had been presiding over the proceedings, revealed himself to be the Master of the Hell's Reception Office!

"Oh? Hahaha, I see. My memory is slipping. I forgot this was your first time seeing this tome. Hand it over to me," the official said.

The scholar obeyed, placing the Book of Life and Death before his superior. The official unfurled the tome and withdrew a quill, its tip faintly tinged with red. With a shake of his hand, he wrote a few strokes in the blank space beneath the section for names. Although he did not dip the quill in ink, the paper bore several small, crimson characters: "Jiayu Qinshi." Then, an even more remarkable phenomenon occurred. The previously blank spaces on the page began to fill with words, and as time passed, more and more text gradually appeared. The official, having finished writing, did not immediately examine the text but instead looked at the scholar with a smile in his eyes. By now, the scholar was completely dumbfounded, unable to utter a word.

After a brief pause, the Master of the Hell's Reception Office glanced at the time and said calmly, "Zixu, read it aloud to them."

The scholar, having regained his composure from the shock, picked up the Book of Life and Death and began to read: "Qin Shi, born in Jiayu County in the sixth month of the Ding Chou year. His grandfather, Qin Xianglu, was ascholar-bureaucrat who taught for a livelihood. He led a diligent life and was a kind-hearted man. He passed away in the twelfth month of the Geng Zi year. Due to his lifelong dedication to good deeds, his name ranks high on the Merit Ledger. Therefore, it is judged that he shall be reborn through the Cycle Bureau and enjoy a lifetime of prosperity in the human realm. His father, Qin Rende, passed the imperial examination in the Geng Shen year and later served as the magistrate of Liegu County, eventually rising to the position of prefect. During this time, he had a son named Qin Xiao. However, due to outstanding political achievements, he was ostracized and decided to retire and return to his hometown. Later, in the fourth month of the Ji Si year, Qin Shi, his wife, and their parents were all poisoned to death by Qin Xiao due to a dispute over property."

After finishing the reading, the scholar glanced at the Master, who showed no reaction. He then intended to inquire about the past life of Xiao Qi, reaching for the quill to write. Suddenly, he realized that he did not know Xiao Qi's name. Turning to him, he asked, "What is your name?"

Xiao Qi replied, "My name is Xiao Qi."

The scholar spoke calmly, "I meant your formal name, not the nickname you're usually called."

Xiao Qi hesitated, saying, "This... this is my real name. I... I don't have another one."

"Oh?" The scholar was taken aback, wondering how he could possibly look it up. With no other option, he decided to give it a try. He dipped the quill in ink and wrote the characters "Xiao Qi" on the page. After a moment, he saw that the page remained unchanged, still blank. He tried again, writing "Jiayu Xiao Qi," but after waiting for a while, there was still no change!

The Master, noticing the scholar's confusion, took the Book of Life and Death from him. He tried several times to find Xiao Qi's life history, but with no success. Both of them were puzzled, as usually, simply writing down a person's name and location would reveal their entire biography.

After a moment of silence, the Master spoke to the scholar, "Well, let's set this aside for now. There's a vacancy for a minor soldier at the Naihe Bridge. Go and fetch the White Ghost Escort. Have him take charge of this child until we have time to investigate further."

The scholar nodded, saying, "As you wish, Master."

Thus, Xiao Qi became a minor ghost soldier, guarding the passageway between the human realm and the underworld.

After a moment of silence, the Master of the Reception Hall continued to peruse the Book of Life and Death, slowly calling out, "Qin Rende! Liu Ting'er!"

The elderly man in the brocaded robe responded and stepped out of the crowd, kneeling on the ground. Qin's wife also emerged from the throng and knelt, acknowledging that Liu Ting'er was her maiden name.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The Master continued, "Your situations are similar. Both of you are nearing the end of your lifespans, destined to die at that time. In your previous lives, you accumulated too much sin. Although it was not enough to relegate you to the beastly realm, you were still doomed to meet an untimely death in this life. Despite the good deeds you have done in this life, they cannot atone for the sins of your past. This cycle of rebirth is your chance to repay the debts you owe from your previous life. Therefore, you may descend and await further instructions from the escorts of the Hell's Reception Office. Once the time is ripe, you will be reborn into human form once again."

"Liu Jinhong!" Qin Shi's mother emerged and knelt. "In your previous life, you accumulated virtue and did many good deeds, so it was decreed that you would be reborn into the Qin family to enjoy prosperity. But who would have thought that you would not cherish this opportunity to continue accumulating virtue, to be a dutiful wife and mother, and to be kind to others? Instead, you repeatedly oppressed the innocent and caused gossip and strife over petty interests, leading to the deaths of five innocent lives. Your sins are indeed grave. I now sentence you to prison, to suffer the torments of whipping and tongue extraction. After a period of time, you will be relegated to the beastly realm, to serve as a donkey or horse, bearing heavy loads as punishment. Do you have anything to say?"

The red-cloaked woman, Liu Jinhong, was now trembling. Yet, she was also stubborn and suddenly looked up at the Master,愤然道： "I submit to your judgment, Great One. As a convicted sinner, I accept whatever punishment you deem fit. But I must ask, how did we come to die? If I am guilty in death, are those who killed us not guilty as well? To only punish us would be a mockery of justice!"

"Hmph, merely twisting words!" The Master sneered. "It seems you still have some unresolved grievances. To claim that you accept whatever punishment I decree is merely a guise to suggest that my judgment is unfair. How dare you justify your wrongdoings with such arguments! As for Qin Xiao's crime of murder, that is a matter for the officials of the human realm to handle fairly. Everything will be recorded. If any sins are indeed overlooked, he will face punishment when he arrives at this place of judgment. However, it is not your place to meddle in such matters!"

As the Master's tone grew increasingly severe, an invisible pressure filled the hall. For a moment, no one dared to speak. The silence was oppressive, making everyone feel unusually suffocated.

"Qin Shi!" The Master's voice rang out once again.

"Present!" Qin Shi responded loudly, stepping forward and kneeling beside his wife.

The Master glanced at the Book of Life and Death and turned to Qin Shi, saying, "Your lifespan is not yet exhausted, and you should not have died. But in your previous life, Qin Xiao saved you once, and you owe him a life. You swore to repay him during your lifetime, yet you never fulfilled that vow. Therefore, you made a pledge before your death to repay him in this lifetime, which is why you have encountered this calamity. In your previous life, you accumulated boundless virtue. Once this trial is over, you will enjoy a long lifespan. You may now descend from the hall, and the White Ghost Escort will return you to the mortal realm. But remember, what has transpired today must never be revealed!"

Qin Shi acknowledged the Master's words but did not rise. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke again. "Master, I have a request. I don't know if I can speak it?"

"Oh? What is your request? Speak it," the Master said, intrigued. Most people who came here were overjoyed just to hear that they were innocent and eager to return to the mortal realm as soon as possible. This man, however, showed no signs of jubilation and even had a request to make. The Master couldn't help but feel curious.

Qin Shi said, "In life, one cultivates loyalty, filial piety, righteousness, and morality. Nothing surpasses the gratitude of parents, and nothing compares to the love of a spouse. It takes a thousand years to cultivate a single lifetime's worth of fate, and a hundred years to share a boat across the river. Although the events involving my parents in this lifetime stretch far and wide, they ultimately owe me a lifetime's worth of gratitude. Therefore, I beseech you, Master, to grant me a request. I am willing to sacrifice the remainder of my lifespan to atone for my mother's sins, so that she may be reborn into the mortal realm. And I am willing to rejoin my wife and be reborn into the mortal realm together. Please grant my request!"

"This is preposterous!" The Master was deeply surprised. He had never expected to encounter such a filial son here. However, he could not grant the request. Everything in life, every meal and drink, is predetermined.

"The attachments of the mortal world are all illusions. Today, she is your mother, but in the next life, she could be your son or even your enemy. You reap what you sow, and the cycle of cause and effect is unwavering. How can you change what is already set in stone? Even I am powerless to alter it!" The Master said with a rare show of sentiment, his eyes revealing a world-weary understanding of life's complexities.

Qin Shi remained kneeling, unmoving. Seeing that the Master would not budge, he suddenly began to kowtow. His mother, Liu Jinhong, watched from the side, feeling a mixture of reluctance and helplessness. The suffering in the beastly realm was unimaginable. If there was a chance to atone for her sins, it would be a great blessing indeed. So, she just stared blankly at her son from the mortal world, watching as he kowtowed and begged the Master to grant his request to use his own lifespan to atone for her sins.

After a lengthy silence, the Master finally spoke. "Rise, Qin Shi. I was moved by your filial piety and considered intervening on your behalf. However, she..." He turned to Liu Jinhong and continued, "In this mortal coil, we cultivate loyalty, filial piety, righteousness, and moral integrity. The greatest gift is the love of our parents, and the purest happiness is the bond between a loving mother and her obedient child. Yet, as you stand by and watch your own son suffer, you feel nothing. Why should I save you?" He then called out, "Where is the Escort of Souls?"

"At your service, Master!" A figure suddenly appeared in the empty space, wearing a tall hat, a green scarf, and carrying a short staff with a glowing tip.

The Master of Souls spoke calmly, "Carry out your duty."

A team of ghost soldiers quickly entered and prepared to escort everyone away. Liu Jinhong suddenly screamed and struggled, her face filled with terror. Somehow, she managed to break free from the ghost soldiers and was about to flee the chamber. But the Escort of Souls waved his staff, unleashing a cold light that instantly paralyzed Liu Jinhong, leaving her frozen in place.

Qin Shi watched the events unfold with a blank expression. His family was gone, and even if he returned to the mortal world, what would be the point?

As the last to be escorted away, Qin Shi didn't resist. He simply followed the ghost soldiers numbly, unsure of where he was going or what the future held. Regardless, he felt a profound sense of emptiness and despair.

Yet, in the years that followed, whenever Qin Shi reflected on this episode, he would marvel at his foolishness but also envy his ignorance. After witnessing the illusion of the mortal world and the sorrow of the underworld, Qin Shi realized that he must aspire to something greater.