I Am Not a Master - Chapter 105

Extra Story 2.

“Zhuang, hurry up, don’t think just because you’re hiding here I don’t know you’re slacking off! Don’t forget, you still have a few hundred years left on your sentence!”

A few hundred years-just thinking of that number, then recalling how he used to call the wind and summon the rain, eat and drink like a king, surrounded by countless lackeys and beauties, he couldn’t help but shed another handful of bitter, bloody tears.

Now he had nothing left. Not only was he being punished, but he had to haul his battered soul around, doing hard labor. The Underworld was teeming with ghosts these days. To settle all those useless little ghosts, those of them labeled as evil ghosts were specially assigned to build some sort of tomb houses. He had to work ten hours a day, building one tomb house after another, and yet not a single one belonged to him. Just thinking about it made him furious.

Of course, what angered him most was that cold-blooded, heartless Ghost Trader named Gu Feiyin. He had been sold to the Underworld for decades now-surely even the most formidable Ghost Trader should be dead by now, right?

And after death, once you’d walked the Yellow Springs Road, passed through the Gates of Ghosts, and crossed the Naihe Bridge, you’d enter the cycle of reincarnation.

That Ghost Trader was notorious, her evil deeds infamous throughout their prison. So many wanted revenge on her-who would be willing to just stand by and watch her cross the Naihe Bridge in peace, then drink the Meng Po¹ Soup, forget all she’d done, and start a new life?

Who could accept that? He certainly couldn’t.

Though decades of torment had drained him and greatly weakened his ghostly powers, he still wanted to give it one last shot, to avenge himself. Even if he couldn’t do much to her, just making her suffer a little would be enough.

With this in mind, Zhuang began to plot in secret.

First, he needed allies-ghosts who had grudges against that Ghost Trader.

For example, Deuce, who had tried to kidnap Sudi for ransom and ended up being scared to death; or that little girl who was always with him in the oil cauldron, forever clutching a tattered doll; or a Face Ghost whose body, like his own, had been gnawed to shreds-he’d seen him just a few days ago, the bite marks left by that Ghost Trader still hadn’t healed, leaving tooth prints all over his head and body.

Then there was Hao-Ge from Baiyu Town and his gang of lackeys-all poor souls who had suffered at Gu Feiyin’s hands. Like him, they spent their days hauling bricks or endlessly turning in the oil cauldron, full of Resentment Energy. If he could just rope them in, wouldn’t they be eager to join him in seeking revenge?

Not to mention, over the decades, more and more little ghosts had been oppressed by the Ghost Trader. Her infamy was at the top of their charts-even the King of the Underworld couldn’t compete. If they really banded together, there was a real chance for payback.

The more he calculated, the more feasible it seemed. Just imagining Gu Feiyin being pummeled until her soul was scattered made his own soul tremble with excitement!

This grand plan of revenge lasted twenty years. Twenty years! He’d waited so long the flowers had withered. He never expected that the infamous Ghost Trader would be so long-lived. With his muddled brain, he figured she had to be at least ninety by now, right? What was there to fear from a ninety-something Old Grandma?

He waited and waited, and finally, good news arrived.

Zhuang asked cautiously, “Are you sure Long Black Straight Hair is coming tomorrow?”

Deuce said, “I’m sure. I heard from the warden of the ten thousand and first cauldron that a big shot is dying tomorrow and coming down to the Underworld. Word is, that big shot is Long Black Straight Hair! The rumors are flying-everyone in my cauldron is talking about it.”

Hao-Ge said, “That’s easy. I’ll have my boys look into it. If it really is Long Black Straight Hair, we have to teach her a lesson this time!”

Wang Tao said, “Right, if it weren’t for Long Black Straight Hair interfering, I wouldn’t have been killed by those two female ghosts. I want revenge!”

The Face Ghost cupped his face, looking sinister and terrifying, “Yes, I want Long Black Straight Hair to suffer!”

“That’s right, she scared me to death too. I’m still being fried in this cauldron, I haven’t lived enough. I want her to taste what it’s like to be fried in oil!”

At these words, the other old ghosts protested. The oil cauldron was nothing! They’d endured blades and fires, steamed one day, roasted on copper pillars the next. Though they no longer had physical bodies, here in the Underworld by the Yellow Springs, their souls could still feel all the pain of the punishments-etched deeply into their very beings, impossible to escape!

And as for Long Black Straight Hair, the true culprit, there was no way they’d let her off easy.

All the ghosts gnashed their teeth in hatred for Long Black Straight Hair, plotting how to make her suffer. The more they thought, the more excited they became, as if they could already see her miserable, suffering face. Just as they were lost in these thoughts, the warden yelled from a distance, “Hey! You little ghosts, what are you doing? Get back to work! Don’t even think about slacking off.”

The warden’s voice was like heaven thunder, stabbing straight into Zhuang and his group, who all clutched their heads in pain, exchanging knowing looks before scattering to their tasks. With new construction in the Underworld, even these high-security prisoners had to lend a hand.

As the ghostly crowd dispersed, the little girl sitting on the ground, clutching her Doll, lifted her head and gave a sinister, toothy smile.

The warden, seeing how obedient the little ghosts were, nodded in satisfaction, swinging his whip as he continued his inspection.

About an hour later, an old man pedaled a tricycle down the ghost-shadowed street. At the sight, the warden beamed and waved, “Old Man Wang, how many days were you gone this time? Did you get anything good?”

Old Man Wang’s face was pale, his smile stiff as he replied, “Nothing much, just some food and drink. I also brought back some clothes and makeup-my wife made some new friends up there, said they hadn’t had new clothes in decades, so I brought some back when I went topside. Come, come, I’ve also got the latest candles-apple, vanilla, blueberry scents. Which one do you want? Why not take one of each?”

He pulled out a handful of colorful candles. The warden’s eyes lit up, and he accepted them without hesitation, sniffing them and exclaiming how fragrant they were.

Old Man Wang, grinning, pedaled his tricycle away. On the road, he ran into Old Lady and Jumpy. They’d been on the list for a long time-should have been reincarnated ages ago. Even Old Lady, who’d spent a few more years serving her sentence for suicide, shouldn’t have been waiting this long. But they both stayed behind, and weren’t idle either. Old Lady was now helping Meng Po stoke the fire and cook the Meng Po Soup-she couldn’t let go of her grandson Wei Xu and insisted on waiting to reincarnate with him. Jumpy never said why she stayed, but it was probably similar. Over the years, she’d shuttled between the Underworld and the mortal realm, and thanks to her special relationship with Master Gu, she’d gotten a pass and often brought back rare goods to sell, making a tidy profit.

“Old man, did you bring back the clothes and jewelry? Hurry up, hand them over.”

“Of course, I packed them all nicely for you. I even appeared in your son’s dream and had him personally buy them. Guaranteed to look great.”

“Well, my son isn’t young anymore. What kind of taste could an old geezer like him have?”

“…”

Come to think of it, Old Man Wang had been dead for decades. His son, now with white hair and a face full of wrinkles, was an old man himself. Even his once adorable grandchildren had grown into adults.

Time truly flew by. In the blink of an eye, even Master Gu was nearing the end of her days.

On the day Gu Feiyin passed away, eerie wailing sounds echoed from beneath the overpass, chilling and haunting as they drifted through the air.

The now not-so-young Little Wang and Little Yue stood by the riverbank, supporting each other as they stared blankly at the cold, dark surface of the water.

They stood there for an unknown amount of time until a gust of cold wind made them shiver. Only then did they sigh softly and say, “Let’s go home.”

As Wang Yue walked, she turned her head to glance back. Whatever she saw made her smile brightly and wave at the empty air.

A Water Ghost emerged from the river, watching the receding figures of Little Wang and Little Yue as they walked farther and farther away. Suddenly overcome with sorrow, he buried his face in his hands, his long, greenish hair cascading down like a veil. He had thought that once he outlasted the Long Black Straight Hair, he would finally be free, with the vast world at his disposal. But who would have thought that even in the Underworld, the Long Black Straight Hair wouldn’t let him go? It was truly outrageous!

She was clearly just an Old Grandma now, unable to walk properly or chew on chicken legs, with all her teeth gone. Yet her strength in capturing ghosts hadn’t diminished one bit! He had spent his entire existence under her thumb, forced to catch fish for her endlessly. Who knew how many lifetimes of bad karma had led to this? All he could hope for now was not to encounter her in the next life.

“Water Ghost, what are you dawdling for? Let’s go.” The woman in red ghost snapped her whip, wrapping it around the sobbing Water Ghost and dragging him into the darkness.

Faintly, voices could still be heard.

“Madam, why are you coming with us to reincarnate?”

“I’m tired of being a ghost. Can’t I try being human for a change?”

“Of course, but with all the properties you’ve accumulated and the rooms full of clothes and jewelry, can you really bear to leave them behind?”

Of course, she couldn’t bear it! The Ghost Lady felt a pang of heartache at the thought of her wealth and beautiful possessions. But she had no choice. Unable to become a Ghost Immortal, her only options were reincarnation or eventual obliteration. She used to be indifferent, but now she was terrified of turning into nothingness. Besides, the Long Black Straight Hair was formidable and had done so many good deeds. In her next life, she might be born into a wealthy family, living a life of comfort and luxury. As her former neighbor, perhaps the Ghost Lady could benefit from her good fortune. Maybe even the King of the Underworld would be pleased and grant her a favorable reincarnation.

“And aren’t you coming along to reincarnate too? Your wealth isn’t any less than mine. Can you bear to leave it?”

The woman in red ghost snorted, her tone haughty. “Money and possessions mean nothing to me. It’s only the Long Black Straight Hair who treasures them.”

The Ghost Lady retorted, “That’s because you’ve never been poor or hungry. It’s easy for you to talk big.”

The Middle-aged Female Ghost turned back and said, “What are you two whispering about? I’m so nervous! Although I’ve seen glimpses of the Underworld during my trips transporting goods, I’ve never met the King of the Underworld. Do you think we’ll get to see him today? Just thinking about it makes me excited!”

The woman in red ghost and the Ghost Lady exchanged glances. The King of the Underworld wasn’t someone you could meet so easily. Did she think this was a TV drama where any ghost could have an audience with him? Still… They all looked up at the Long Black Straight Hair, who, even as an Old Grandma ghost, was lazily sprawled on Jumpy’s back. With her around, maybe they really would get to meet the King of the Underworld. After all, he was the ruler of the Underworld, equivalent to the national leader in their living days. How could they not be excited? They even tidied up their appearances. Even the Ghost Lady, usually composed, was uncharacteristically nervous, her stiff, pale face contorting into a sinister smile.

Liao Yuan had been waiting at the Gates of Hell for a long time, so long that his hair was almost growing back. His Sis Gu was truly something, living stubbornly to the age of ninety-nine, nearly outlasting him.

“Hey, stop pacing around. You’re making my head spin,” the beautiful ghost said, crossing her arms and casting a sinister glance at the Monk.

“Yeah, Shifu, don’t be so anxious.”

The Monk glanced at the beautiful ghost, then at his disciple with dissatisfaction. “Why isn’t Sis Gu here yet? Did she get lost? Didn’t the Ghost Messengers go to fetch her?”

The beautiful ghost smirked, her red lips stark against her pale face, making her look eerily striking. “Her? Get lost? Even if you wandered off, she wouldn’t.”

The Monk rubbed his nose, unwilling to admit that while he spent his days in the Underworld chanting sutras for wronged and unjustly killed souls, his thoughts often drifted to Sis Gu. Watching her grow older and slower each day, how could he not worry? Thankfully, before he passed, he had instructed his disciple to take care of her, which gave him peace of mind for a few years. But now that his disciple was also gone, how could he not be concerned?

After waiting for another hour or so, watching countless little ghosts pass by without seeing any sign of Sis Gu, his anxiety grew. This was taking far too long!

The beautiful ghost shook her head in exasperation and turned around, only to see an Old Grandpa with white hair standing behind her-a lingering entanglement she had unintentionally attracted in life, which had somehow persisted even after death.

The Old Grandpa said, “This time, let’s reincarnate together. Maybe in the next life, we’ll be neighbors, and I’ll win you over early on.”

The beautiful ghost rolled her eyes at such a notion. How could life be that convenient? After drinking Meng Po Soup, they’d forget even their own identities. How could he possibly find her in the next life?

“You don’t believe me? I’ll definitely find you.”

The beautiful ghost chuckled and shrugged. “Alright, I’ll see how you manage that.”

“Don’t worry, I will find you.”

…

The death of the Long Black Straight Hair was a major event in the Underworld. Over the years, countless little ghosts had either benefited from her kindness or suffered under her torment.

Take Zhuang, Hao-Ge, and Deuce, for example. The little ghosts they had gathered numbered in the thousands, not to mention the cowards too afraid of the Long Black Straight Hair’s reputation to show up. Clearly, over the years, she had done her fair share of both good and bad deeds.

For every little ghost who had suffered under her hand, there were just as many who owed her their lives. Many of those who had yet to reincarnate had come to pay their respects. After all, how could they not send off their benefactor on her final journey?

Thus, quite a number of little ghosts came to watch the commotion.

When Zhuang, the Face Ghost, Hao-Ge, and their group were dragged out to do hard labor, they were utterly stunned by the grand scene of three layers inside and three layers outside. Their original plan was to create some chaos, seize the opportunity to slack off, and go seek revenge on the Long Black Straight Hair. But now, they didn’t even need to stir up trouble-because the scene was already chaotic enough!

The usually lifeless little ghosts were now lively and bouncing around, shouting and glaring with eerie eyes as they floated back and forth. Their ghostly whispers could be heard, as if they were malevolent ghosts coming to claim lives: “She’s here… She’s here… She’s finally here…”

“I’ve waited for her for so long, so very long…”

“I’ve finally waited for her…”

“Wailing… sobbing…”

“Giggling… laughing…”

This bizarre liveliness was somehow even colder and more terrifying than the usual Underworld, almost like a dance of demons.

And that wasn’t all. As more and more little ghosts gathered, the crowd of ghosts began to stir. In the end, it was the Ghost Messengers who came out to maintain order, preventing the lively scene from looking like a full-blown ghost riot.

Zhuang, Hao-Ge, the Face Ghost, and the little girl ghost were all dumbfounded. Seeing the little ghosts with blood and tears streaming down their faces, looking utterly wretched, they wondered if these ghosts had also come to seek revenge on the Long Black Straight Hair. If that were the case, it would be perfect! But upon inquiry, they found out that these little ghosts had actually come to thank the legendary demon-slaying Master Gu, the Long Black Straight Hair. And contrary to their expectations, they weren’t here for revenge-they were here to express gratitude!

With this, forget about seeking revenge on the Long Black Straight Hair; even getting close to her would be a challenge! Breaking through the layers of little ghosts to reach her would be no easy feat. And even if they managed to get through, could they possibly defeat so many little ghosts?

What now? Was their grand revenge plan doomed to fail?

Just as Zhuang and his group were feeling troubled, the infamous Long Black Straight Hair finally appeared. Zhuang hid behind the crowd of ghosts and saw Gu Feiyin floating out of the darkness from afar. Her head of white hair, her wrinkled face pale and stiff, and her pitch-black eyes darting around with a cold and piercing gleam-all of it sent chills down his spine. He thought to himself that this Long Black Straight Hair, after decades of absence, had become an old lady but had grown even more malicious!

Surrounding the Long Black Straight Hair were several little ghosts, all old acquaintances! The once insignificant little ghosts had now become influential figures in the Underworld. For instance, the Headless Ghost and the Armless Ghost had even found part-time jobs under the Ghost Messengers. Not to mention the Middle-aged Female Ghost and the Old Lady-they were now helping Meng Po at the bridge, tending the fire and cooking soup!

Thinking about all this made him furious. Just as he was grinding his teeth in anger, a faint light suddenly appeared not far away. He squinted and realized it wasn’t light but a man in white monk robes standing amidst the darkness. In the midst of the gloom, he stood out strikingly. And this monk was truly handsome-Zhuang had never seen such a good-looking monk before. Though Zhuang prided himself on marrying many beautiful wives, none of them could compare to this one. Yet, despite his beauty, the monk exuded an aura of dignity and inviolability, making Zhuang’s soul tremble.

He was startled. Who was this powerful being?

The Handsome Monk stood solemnly facing the Long Black Straight Hair, a smile on his lips, hands pressed together: “Little ghost, we meet again.”

Zhuang was startled again. This Handsome Monk and the Long Black Straight Hair were old acquaintances?

Over there, Gu Feiyin habitually shook her old arms and legs. It wasn’t her fault she liked to shake-she was just getting older. While it didn’t stop her from eating, her body wasn’t as robust as it had been in her youth. Her teeth had fallen out too, but fortunately, dentures were now widely available, saving her from starving. Now that she was a ghost, she still habitually shook, squinting her aging eyes to take a closer look. Huh, was this the Handsome Monk? But he gave her the feeling of Zhen Du.

Speaking of Zhen Du, that little monk had been quite unlucky-his life was full of hardships, and his injuries never healed. Unlike her, he hadn’t been fortunate enough to live to ninety-nine. But at least he had lived to die of old age, which wasn’t bad.

As her thoughts wandered, she suddenly realized that Zhen Du was actually the reincarnation of the Handsome Monk!

She shuffled over on her old legs: “What are you doing here? Waiting for me to reincarnate together? But I still have to wait in line, and who knows how long that will take. You’ve been waiting for years, haven’t you? Why haven’t you gotten your turn yet?” That would actually be ideal. After all, she had so much wealth-being a tycoon in the Ghost realm, she ought to enjoy herself for a few decades. If she could cultivate into a Ghost Immortal, that would be even better. If not, she could reincarnate and start over, which would be a win-win.

While she was calculating her plans, a sudden wailing erupted nearby. She glanced over and saw Ghost Messengers swinging long whips to maintain order. Soon, the horrifying cries quieted down. She withdrew her gaze without much thought, feeling that she might have recognized someone earlier. But she had seen so many ghosts that a vaguely familiar face didn’t seem significant. She quickly forgot about it.

Meanwhile, Zhuang, Hao-Ge, the Face Ghost, and their group’s grand scheme had failed before it even began. Not only were they whipped for causing trouble, but they were also sentenced to an additional seven hundred and ninety years of punishment. Who knows, they might even get to witness the Long Black Straight Hair’s next death someday.

Just thinking about it made them furious!

The End.

Footnote:

1. Meng Po(孟婆):In traditional Chinese culture, Meng Po is a mysterious figure who oversees the Naihe Bridge in the underworld. She prepares “Meng Po Soup” to help souls forget their past lives before reincarnation.