Sanzu River, the name of the river in the underworld, is also known as the Burial Head River or the Crossing River. According to legend, the Sanzu River marks the boundary between the living and the dead. Because the river's current varies depending on the deceased's deeds in life, it's called "Sanzu." Legend has it that those who have committed heinous crimes suffer torture and reincarnate every three hundred years. When passing through the Sanzu River, they are intoxicated by the fragrance of the slowly blackening red spider lilies that have been lingering for three hundred years, and have a beautiful dream about "the other side" and "the shore." This dream carries with it a myriad of emotions buried deep within the heart, including hope, desolation, anger, helplessness, and despair. Therefore, this dream determines the person's life on earth.
It seems that Mei Mingyou and Man Yuanyi had caused a big fuss in the underworld. I came to the Santuo River unhindered. There was no one blocking the way along the way, as if they had all disappeared.
I gazed at a river of just the right width. The water was black, and strange red flowers grew on its surface, though there were no flowers. Near the shore lay a wooden boat, with room for two at the bow and two more at the stern. And at that moment, a man dressed entirely in black lay in the boat, seemingly asleep.
Su Xiaoniu told me that there's a ferryboat with a ferryman on the Sanzu River. There's only one way to cross the Sanzu River: by the ferryboat. However, the ferry requires a fare. Souls without the fare are not allowed to board the ferryboat, and even if they do, they'll be thrown into the Sanzu River by the ferryman. Souls unable to cross, driven by the desire for reincarnation, wade across. However, the Sanzu River's waters lack buoyancy and are extremely poisonous, corrosive to the soul. Souls who enter the water will never return to shore, becoming nothing more than water ghosts within the Sanzu River. The pain of never being able to reincarnate and the bone-chilling cold waters have instilled in these water ghosts jealousy of those who still have hope of reincarnation. Whenever a soul falls into the water, they rush over, pulling it to the bottom and becoming a water ghost like themselves.
Therefore, when taking the ferry, you need to be extremely careful. No one can predict whether a water ghost will suddenly appear from under the red flowerless plants on the black river and drag you under...
"Excuse me..." I was about to ask the man on the ferry if he could give us a ride, but he spoke first: "Come on board."
This voice...why does it sound so familiar!
I got on the boat suspiciously, and the ferryman also stood up. The moment his eyes met mine, I was stunned: "Why are you here?" That's right, this ferryman was actually a madman in black!
Holy shit, what the hell is going on?! Didn't that crazy woman Mei Mingyou say that the madman in black was taking some Yama King on a stroll through the underworld? Why is he at the Santuo River again, acting as a ferryman?
Even Su Xiaoniu was surprised. The madman in black said calmly, "My ancestor was a ferryman, and after his death, the next generation inherited the business. But my grandfather disliked the profession and left the Santuo River. He returned to the mortal realm and took up tomb robbing. This angered the Ghost Emperor, and led to the extermination of my clan. The souls of my deceased relatives were captured and imprisoned by the Ghost Emperor. Only I am the ferryman of the Santuo River. Once I have atoneed for the sins of my entire family, the Ghost Emperor will release me, and I can retire."
I was stunned. The madman in black actually had such a past. His entire family was wiped out by the Ghost Emperor, and their souls were locked up. He was the only one working as a ferryman on the Santuo River. The Ghost Emperor would only let him go after he could atone for the sins of the entire family... He looked quite pitiful.
"Before, I only knew that he was a master tomb robber, but I didn't expect that he would be found in the Santuo River in the underworld. He never told me this before, but today he finally wanted to tell me about it." Su Xiaoniu sighed.
I nodded slightly. Perhaps it was because I was about to cross the Sanzu River, and he was the ferryman on the Sanzu River, so he had no choice but to tell me.
But these are not important anymore. Since the madman in black is a ferryman, there will be no obstacles along the way when crossing the Santuo River!
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