A massive golden light rotated around Jing Jiujiu's body. The light was so dazzling that it scorched the ghosts crowding in the film city, causing them to scatter. Yet they couldn't help but gaze at him with greedy, longing eyes.
Finally, under the overwhelming aura, all the ghosts knelt down simultaneously.
The cold, mechanical voice rang out again at the same moment:
[New title dropped: "God of Creation of All Things"]
Jing Jiujiu: ?
Ah.
Is it that awesome?
...
The movie had finally wrapped up filming.
Bai Yuhuai's studio, company, and the official film crew all posted wrap-up messages on Weibo together.
Two photos were included in the Weibo post.
The first showed Bai Yuhuai holding a bouquet of withered flowers, his head lowered and eyes downcast. His handsome profile looked indifferent, contrasting with the flowers in a way that created an indescribable desolate atmosphere.
The second photo seemed to include all the crew members, who appeared as small black clusters in the image.
[Isn't it strange, as soon as the movie wrapped, it seems like the dark clouds hanging over the film city have lessened]
[In the second photo, I feel like I saw something weird...]
[What thing?]
[A shadowy figure wearing a crown, very tall and dressed in red]
[Probably just part of the set backdrop, it is a horror movie after all]
Netizens eagerly discussed the photos.
But no one knew that the photo had actually captured the underworld within its frame.
The day after the movie wrapped, all the staff evacuated the film city and returned to their families.
Only Jing Jiujiu and his group remained in the city.
Yama sat cross-legged on the ground, without even a chair that fit his stature.
As for the table in front of him, it was a small desk brought from a building, the kind used by elementary school students. He sat hunched over at the tiny desk without showing any sign of displeasure.
Jing Jiujiu lay on the table surface and reached out to poke something.
It was a pen.
Seven inches long, completely black, but engraved with golden inscriptions.
"The Judge's Pen?"
"Mm."
He poked another object.
This one looked much more tattered - yellowed pages without even a cover, so worn it seemed pages could fall out at any moment.
"The Book of Life and Death?"
"Mm."
Yama gazed at Jing Jiujiu, forcing out words with difficulty: "...Still missing... one thing."
Jing Jiujiu: "Meng Po?"
Yama: "..." "N-no."
"Oh."
In Jing Jiujiu's impression of underworld legends, he only knew of King Yama, Meng Po, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. That was all from reading Journey to the West comics as a child.
Beyond that... he really didn't know much.
If it weren't for Bai Yuhuai's daily lessons, he'd still be completely clueless about mysticism and spirits.
Bai Yuhuai approached from behind, first gently caressing Jing Jiujiu's neck, then wrapping an arm around his waist to lift him down lightly.
Only then did Bai Yuhuai speak: "It's missing the Six Realms of Reincarnation."
Yama's gaze towards Bai Yuhuai still held a hint of wariness. He responded softly: "Mm."
But after responding, he seemed to feel embarrassed.
"There was once a stone carving of the Six Realms made by an immortal. Placing that carving in the underworld would naturally restart the cycle of reincarnation," Bai Yuhuai explained calmly, as if discussing something trivial.
Yama paused, then slowly bent down to look at Bai Yuhuai: "How... do you... know this?"
Hearing this question, Jing Jiujiu also froze, turning to ask: "It wasn't carved by Zhuo Wu, was it?"
Bai Yuhuai: "Mm."
Master Zhou, who had been listening on the side, seemed to vaguely understand and couldn't help interjecting: "Then this Zhuo Wu must be pretty amazing, huh... Did he create everything?"
Bai Yuhuai pursed his lips, glancing at Jing Jiujiu's expression before denying: "Not amazing."
Master Zhou: ?
How is that not amazing?
Carving the Six Realms in stone, placing it in the underworld, and having it become reality - how is that not amazing? That's practically equivalent to turning stone into gold or creating humans from clay! In a cultivation story, this would definitely be the work of an all-powerful sage who could commune with heaven and earth!
"So where is this stone carving?" Jing Jiujiu asked, then paused before answering his own question: "Is it also on Mount Guye? The remains that Master Tingyi found were discovered there... Did Zhuo Wu used to live on Mount Guye?"
Bai Yuhuai: "Mm."
Jing Jiujiu steadied himself, wanting to reach out and pat Yama's shoulder to entrust him with the task of guarding the "new underworld", but as he stretched out his hand, he realized he couldn't reach.
Jing Jiujiu wrinkled his nose.
He couldn't just extend his arm really long to touch him... that would look awful...
At that moment, Yama suddenly bent even lower, bringing his shoulder closer to Jing Jiujiu's hand, allowing Jing Jiujiu to pat him.
Yama: "I will... remain here... to suppress... the myriad ghosts. For your journey... thank you..."
Bai Yuhuai imperceptibly soured, his gaze suddenly fixating on Yama's shoulder.
At this point, Yama was still making eye contact with Jing Jiujiu.
Although Yama's face was deathly pale, his eyeballs unmoving and devoid of any emotion, Bai Yuhuai still felt an indescribable sourness... as if the two were exchanging meaningful glances right in front of him.
Bai Yuhuai spoke up: "Where's Assistant Zeng?"
Jing Jiujiu's attention was immediately drawn back.
He turned to look at Lin Zhi.
Lin Zhi gave him an OK sign: "I got it, I got it!"
Lin Zhi grabbed a blob of chaos and asked it where Assistant Zeng had gone.
The chaos mumbled something incomprehensible, then flew out of Lin Zhi's hand.
"Damn it!"
"Madman..."
At this moment, Assistant Zeng clutched his chest, looking disheveled and hardly daring to recall the earth-shattering shock of that moment.
Although he had heard countless descriptions of the return of the gods from his superiors, when the moment actually arrived, Assistant Zeng found it utterly terrifying. It was something humans should never come into contact with...
Turning a city into the underworld?
How could he have come up with such an idea!
With that kind of power, crushing him would be effortless.
Thinking of this, Assistant Zeng ran even faster.
But before he could leave the city, his body suddenly felt lighter as a grey, dusty thing enveloped him.
"Ah! What is this?"
"Let go! Ahhh..."
Assistant Zeng was carried through the air until he felt dizzy. When he finally stopped moving...
"Plop," he was thrown to the ground, landing in a daze.
Jing Jiujiu crouched down, staring at him, and said slowly: "Weren't you supposed to escort me back? We can go now."
His tone was polite, even carrying a hint of cheerfulness.
But hearing it, Assistant Zeng only felt his scalp tingle.
He carefully raised his head to look at Jing Jiujiu... The youth's face was still as beautiful as ever, but Assistant Zeng had the illusion that he was bringing a demon back with him.
Bai Yuhuai stood to the side and also spoke softly: "Let's go."
Assistant Zeng, who had been nibbled by a little ghost, scrambled to his feet in fright: "Go, let's go! Right away!"
They all got into the car.
Assistant Zeng was the driver.
Xu Sanyu, Lin Zhi, Master Zhou... and the little ghosts, they didn't bring any of them.
There were only three people in the car.
But the fewer people there were, the more intense pressure Assistant Zeng felt. He didn't even dare to breathe heavily.
As for the two in the back seat.
"Want to play a game?"
"Sure."
Assistant Zeng's face was numb. He was trembling with fear in the front while they were happily playing in the back.
The most unbearable part was that they were terrible at the game.
And he didn't dare say anything.
When the car finally reached its destination, Assistant Zeng felt as if he had endured some kind of hellish torment. His steps faltered as he opened the door and got out.
"...This is the place."
But Jing Jiujiu and Bai Yuhuai didn't get out of the car.
Assistant Zeng couldn't help but turn back: "You..." He had just opened his mouth when he immediately understood. How pitiful, after being tormented for so many days, I can now understand their intentions without needing to be told.
Assistant Zeng humbly gritted his teeth and went forward to knock on the door.
Before him was a "villa" in a self-built village-style housing area. Outside the villa complex was a large iron gate painted with the yin-yang and eight trigrams symbols. The formation was enormous, almost covering the entire gate. It was as if only this could suppress whatever was inside.
This place wasn't far from the film city.
No wonder among the first wave of ghosts that arrived, there was one with multiple hands and feet like the one seen on the Taoist priest.
Assistant Zeng raised his hand and knocked three times, and those inside immediately understood.
With a creak, the main door slowly opened from within.
Many people dressed in white robes crowded around a young man as he slowly approached. They all bowed deeply towards Jing Jiujiu's direction, paying great respect: "Welcome back, divine spirit..."
Jing Jiujiu licked his lips.
Just this scene alone.
It was enough to get them arrested and sentenced for several years.
The young man was the first to rise. He gazed at Jing Jiujiu and said softly, "Although we caught a glimpse a thousand years ago, it's only today that we truly see the divine spirit's true face."
Jing Jiujiu: "You saw me a thousand years ago?"
The young man smiled: "After Zhuo Wu's divination, he once painted your portrait. That painting, I've treasured for a thousand years, hanging it at the head of my bed..."
At this point in the conversation, Bai Yuhuai's expression had already slightly darkened.
What thing was worthy of keeping Jiujiu's portrait? And hanging it at the bedhead no less?
"I coated it with fatty oil, preserving it for a thousand years without decay. It's still as vivid as life even now," the young man's smile deepened.
Bai Yuhuai whispered in Jing Jiujiu's ear: "Fatty oil is corpse oil."
Jing Jiujiu: "..."
He quickly grabbed Bai Yuhuai's sleeve and whispered in his ear: "Is something wrong with this person?"
Too scary! To actually use such a thing for preservation!
The young man was about to lead him inside, insisting on showing him that painting.
Jing Jiujiu wanted to see it, yet was a bit afraid to look. He only gripped Bai Yuhuai's sleeve tighter and asked him in a low voice: "Why does it seem like none of them recognize you?"
"No one has ever seen Zhuo Wu's true face," Bai Yuhuai whispered close to his ear.
At this moment, Assistant Zeng hurriedly followed.
The others gathered around to congratulate him on his great achievement.
Assistant Zeng's eyes were blank. What great achievement? What I've brought back is a great disaster!
Meanwhile, Jing Jiujiu: "Huh?"
At this time, they finally entered the young man's room under his guidance and saw the portrait hanging at the head of the bed.
The portrait indeed hadn't decayed and remained as vivid as life.
Its brushstrokes were delicate, vividly depicting Jing Jiujiu's appearance.
The young man stared intently at the painting, his face showing a hint of fanaticism, and said: "This painting matches you down to the tiniest detail. Only one thing... for some reason, Zhuo Wu didn't paint the eyes of the person in the picture back then."
In that painting—
Jing Jiujiu stood by a black lake shore. The sky was falling, the earth was cracking, everything in the world was shaking, but only he stood there steadily, his face serene and beautiful, his eyes slightly lowered. His body was wrapped only in thin clouds, like swirling spiritual energy, replacing clothing.
Bare feet, arms, neck to collarbone... all clearly visible.
Jing Jiujiu: ?
Jing Jiujiu: "In your past life, how were you such a..."
Dirty old man?
Bai Yuhuai's face had turned green.