Chapter 1 Nezha
It's usually rainy during the Qingming Festival, but never has it been as torrential as tonight. The sudden rain pounded against the windowpanes, sounding like heavy objects pounding, making one feel uneasy and anxious.
Pingyu sat in the chair, her eyes closed, her face as white as a fish's belly turned inside out. She dreamt that the sky had become a swamp, the clouds and sky mingled, utterly filthy. She was barefoot, walking straight ahead along a path paved with pebbles. The ground was covered with burrs and thorny vines; with each step, Pingyu's feet would stab herself with more bloody cuts. Yet she felt no pain, only moving forward until there was nowhere left to go. At the end of the stone path, a giant python crouched. Its body was bluish-green, its scales glistening like jade.
Even when it's perched there, its size is almost touching the sky.
Then, the emerald green "sky" pressed down on her.
"Healed!"
The voices of others sounded like thunder to Ping Yu.
She opened her eyes abruptly, finding no narrow stone path; she was still inside the hall. The torrential rain outside hadn't stopped, and the wind seeped in through the cracks, making Pingyu feel chilled to the bone. She then realized she felt as if she'd been pulled from water; even her undergarments were soaked through and hung heavily on her body. The person who had woken her was the handsome, imposing man seated at the head of the table. He wore an official robe, a bronze badge hanging at his waist, and exuded an air of commanding authority when seated.
He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, as alert as a falcon. Pingyu suddenly realized what was happening and asked in a hoarse voice, "Uncle Li, was I asleep?"
The man was Li Jing, the general of Qiantang Pass.
He frowned, his gaze sweeping over the girl's sickly face, and said in a serious tone, "You didn't just fall asleep, you almost lost a part of your soul just now."
Tai Guang, Shuang Ling, and You Jing are the three souls.
The seven souls are: Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Shade, Devouring Thief, Non-Poison, Eliminating Filth, and Stinky Lung.
All beings formed from essence and blood possess three souls and seven spirits. Ordinary people die after a hundred years, their souls dissipating and returning to the underworld. Those with deep-seated resentment and poison will have their remaining soul transformed into a ghost. Ghosts feed on the three souls and seven spirits, taking one from each person they kill, until they possess both soul and spirit, only then can they cultivate human form.
Pingyu was used to it. She calmly wiped the sweat from her face and smiled, "Fortunately, Uncle Li called me in time, otherwise Pingyu would have gone mad again, and it would have been quite a hassle."
"No need for formalities." Li Jing stared at her for a long time, then sighed, "What did you dream about just now?"
"Giant python."
Ping Yu answered truthfully: "Its size is as tall as a mountain peak, and when it stands up, it blocks out the sky and the sun, darkening the world."
"It seems the python demon has taken a liking to it."
Humans cultivate themselves to become immortals, while animals cultivate themselves to become demons.
There are many evil demons who seek to enhance their cultivation by plundering people's vital essence and life force. The giant python in Ping Yu's dream was probably one of them.
Seeing that Pingyu looked unwell, Li Jing said no more and told her to go and rest.
...
Ping Yu's previous life was that of a high school student who transmigrated after taking a nap.
The good news is that she was born with the name Pingyu; the bad news is that she was born through rebirth.
She lived in Chentang Pass, and her family name was Lin. Her father, Lin Dong, was too poor to afford the imperial examinations. So, after learning to read and write, he became a middleman and a black marketeer. Her mother, Xue Yue'e, was the daughter of a cook; her palate could taste a hundred flavors, and her hands were even more skillful, able to meticulously craft every single hair on her rabbit buns. The two met through a matchmaker, saw each other on their first meeting, and married the following year. In the third year, they started a pastry business, and with their unique fruit and flower pastries, they expanded to the capital. Now they own thousands of acres of fertile land, hundreds of shops, and countless riches. Xue Yue'e's early years of hard work had taken a toll on her health. Lin Dong, heartbroken for his wife, decided not to have any more children.
Therefore, Pingyu had no other siblings, only herself.
Legend has it that when Lin Dong was pregnant with Pingyu, a ragged Taoist priest came to the mansion. Lin Dong, being kind and generous, treated him to meals for three days and gave him ten taels of silver. The priest said he would repay the kindness and then vanished in a wisp of wind. On the day Pingyu was born, strange phenomena occurred; it was clearly the height of summer in August, yet snow fell heavily. When the midwife called for changing the basin, she saw a ghostly face in the blood and was so frightened that she threw down her payment and refused to continue. At the critical moment, a donkey carrying the Taoist priest appeared through the wall and pulled Pingyu from the flesh.
He said, "This woman's birth chart indicates a Yin nature, and her destiny is associated with ghosts. If she doesn't embark on the path of spiritual cultivation, her life may not last long. Does she have a name?"
Xue Yue'e replied, "He only has a nickname, Le'an."
"Then may I name her? She is a celestial child who has descended to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations. Since her fate is so fraught with hardship, it would be better to name her 'Pingyu' (meaning 'peace and recovery'). Your family is wealthy and prosperous; wishing your child peace and health is all that matters. Remember, you must not give her a surname, otherwise, when she is eight years old, the underworld officials will come to take her life. In the future, just call her by her name, and this fate will not fall upon her, allowing her to live longer. When she is twelve, she will face another tribulation. I have calculated that I have some karmic connection with this child as a master and disciple. If she can survive this death tribulation, I will take her as my disciple and ensure her safety."
When the Taoist priest left, he left behind a red rope bell, saying it was a protective charm that could save her life in times of danger.
The golden bell was tied around her neck, the red string seemingly ingrained in her flesh; Pingyu had never taken it off. She had just celebrated her eleventh birthday last month, and had a year left before her death.
His father was so anxious at home that he developed mouth ulcers. Finally, he remembered that his sworn brother's youngest son had recently become an apprentice of a sage. Since the sage was a sage, perhaps he had a way to break the curse.
So Pingyu was sent here.
She had read "Investiture of the Gods" and knew what the combination of Qiantang Pass, Li Jing, and her youngest son who had become an immortal's disciple meant.
The thought of the dignified yet gentle elder she had just encountered—the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King—made Pingyu feel as if she were still in a dream. She looked up ahead, murmuring, "I've finally met Li Jing, but I wonder where Nezha is."
The thought of living under the same roof as my childhood crush is something that would make me incredibly excited.
As he walked out of the hall, Pingyu hesitated, wondering where he should go.
Suddenly, someone called out to her from behind: "Hey."
Pingyu did not turn back.
She silently started walking, randomly choosing a direction and heading in silence.
"Hey, why aren't you answering me?!"
The person followed, their voice sounding like a child's, soft and childish. Ping Yu still ignored them, quickening his pace to almost a jog.
The ribbon was a vibrant, rich red, layered upon layered, shimmering like fire or a crimson sunset in the light. Pingyu felt it looked vaguely familiar, and she frowned, trying to recall. Taking advantage of her restricted movement, the person following behind her circled around to stand in front of Pingyu.
She glanced to the side half an inch, then paused.
"Huh?" Ping Yu exclaimed in surprise, "Why is there a shadow?"
The shadow on the ground stomped its foot and shouted angrily, "I'm a person, of course I have a shadow!"
Pingyu then raised his head.
In her line of sight, a beautifully sculpted child stood before her.
The boy had thick, jet-black hair and skin as white as jade. He held the other end of the ribbon, pulling hard. His clear, black-and-white eyes were filled with anger as he glared at the slow-to-react Ping Yu.
He asked, "Why did you pretend to be deaf and mute just now?"
Pingyu looked at the crimson flower ornament between his brows and asked with difficulty, "Young master, are you Nezha?"
"You know me?" Nezha was stunned for a moment, then became even angrier: "You know it's me but you still ignore me, you really did it on purpose!"
“No, no.” Pingyu waved his hands repeatedly: “Because some spirits will pretend to call out to people from behind, tricking them into turning around. As long as you answer them, your soul will be taken away.”
Nezha already knew what she meant but didn't finish.
"So that's why you're ignoring me?"
The boy believed it to a certain extent.
Pingyu nodded obediently: "I've been through this many times, which is why I'm on guard."
That sounds a bit pitiful.
Nezha was silent for a moment, then looked up and sized her up.
It looks weak.
This was Nezha's first impression of Pingyu.
Not only is the body weak, but the vitality is also weak.
It feels fragile, like an ant that could be crushed at any moment while playing.
When Pingyu felt uneasy under the boy's gaze, he said, "You'll die young."
Concise and to the point, penetrating to the core.
Pingyu: ...
That's a difficult question to answer.
She could only smile and answer truthfully, "It's not long."
Nezha choked, his eyes widening slightly. He knew that people were most averse to discussing lifespan and fate; saying longevity was auspicious, while anything else was considered unlucky. But Pingyu, faced with his bluntness, showed no sign of being offended.
He didn't believe that anyone could be so kind, and asked again, "My mother said that you not only died young, but were also born unlucky."
“Yes.” Pingyu was indeed not annoyed. Her tone was calm as she replied, “Not only that, I also attract ghosts. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have come to live in your house.”
Surprisingly, he's not angry at all!
Nezha was surprised by Pingyu. He circled Pingyu once and finally asked, "Do you really summon ghosts?"
"Absolutely true."
Ping Yu nodded.
"I don't believe it." Nezha pouted and loosened his grip. With the movement of his fingers, the red silk wrapped tightly around Pingyu's legs also untied itself. She knew that this was probably the legendary "Hun Tian Ling" (a magical ribbon).
The boy carefully put away the ritual implement and looked up at her.
"Unless you come with me to a place, I'll believe you."
"Okay, where do you want to go?"
Pingyu thought that the places a child could go were nothing more than markets and restaurants. She had nothing else but plenty of silver notes.
The girl readily agreed and took two steps forward.
Nezha was in a good mood because he was surprised by Pingyu's quick and decisive actions.
He blinked and replied, "The tomb."
A note from the author:
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