Chapter 100, the Human Realm section, has ended.
As soon as Si Ge finished speaking, a black flame, seemingly capable of devouring all light, shot into the sky from the center of the city, raging fiercely. That Netherworld Reincarnation Fire precisely enveloped every inch of Qinan City, and the bewildered, lingering souls within it. Jiu Ya stood outside the city, hearing countless chaotic sounds amplified by the fire—the cries, shouts, and howls of countless fragmented souls, suppressed for decades. All the cacophony distorted within the flames, sending chills down one's spine.
"What is this? Ranran is still inside!" Jiuya exclaimed in surprise, instinctively taking a step forward. But when she saw the shape and color of the flames, she fell silent, and her tense shoulders relaxed.
She had just seen this flame before; it was the Netherworld Reincarnation Flame that Rong Jiang used to punish Qi Mu. Now, it was not for destruction, but for purification and reshaping.
Seeing the black flames engulf the entire city, Si Ge understood Rong Jiang's true intention. "The souls of the people in the city have been corrupted by demonic energy for many years, and are already incomplete and confused. Even if they are forcibly taken back to the underworld and thrown into the Soul Cleansing Pool, they will probably not be able to withstand the cycle of reincarnation and will most likely dissipate in the pool. His Majesty used great magic to drive the fire of reincarnation to forcibly solidify their souls and cleanse them of the demonic energy."
This requires an immense amount of mental and physical effort, and can only be accomplished by the Underworld Emperor himself.
Jiu Ya murmured, "So many people..." The matter of incomplete souls is the most troublesome. Even the Underworld Emperor cannot magically restore their lost souls perfectly. This action is more about preserving the very foundation of their existence, giving them a glimmer of hope for reincarnation. Rong Jiang's actions can be described as utterly benevolent and righteous.
Above the city walls, Rong Jiang's figure silently appeared. Her skirt fluttered, and she was enveloped in a faint, ethereal glow. Two bells, one gold and one silver, jingled without wind, their clear, melodious sounds strangely intertwining with the howling flames and wailing souls below. She looked down upon the fragmented souls within the city, instinctively struggling in the flames yet soothed by the bells. The blazing, ghostly flames coiled along the ground, enveloping the lower legs of these souls, rising upwards, gently yet irresistibly enveloping their entire bodies.
The broken souls were baptized and forged by the fire of reincarnation. The demonic energy was burned away, and the soul gradually solidified in pain. Their bodies, which had been driven by demonic power for many years, were silently burned in the flames and turned into dust, completely freeing them from their enslaved fate.
Finally, the fire subsided, and the terrifying black flames disappeared completely, as if they had never existed.
Rong Jiang removed the silver bell from her waist, placed it in her palm, and softly chanted an obscure incantation. Immediately, an ancient-looking glass lamp appeared in her other hand—the Soul-Guiding Lamp. All the souls in the city, having undergone tempering and solidification, were drawn by the bell's sound, transforming into specks of light that flowed orderly into the lamp, making its light even warmer and brighter.
Within Qinan City, the false "bustling prosperity" vanished completely. After the fire, the city left no charred traces, but instead revealed its true form, forgotten by time for many years—a utterly abandoned dead city, with broken walls and overgrown weeds. From that moment on, the demonic influence on this land was removed.
Seeing Rong Jiang gracefully leave the city, Jiu Ya breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stepped forward to greet her, asking with concern, "Ranran, is everything settled?" Her gaze fell on the soul-guiding lamp in Rong Jiang's hand, which contained thousands of remnant souls, and she sensed that the soul power fluctuations within it had become much calmer.
“That’s about it.” Rong Jiang smiled slightly and handed the Soul-Guiding Lamp to Si Ge. “The people in this city have suffered innocently. I used the Fire of Reincarnation to stabilize their souls, but their souls are missing too much and their foundations are damaged, so it may be difficult for them to enter reincarnation directly. Huai’an, take them to the Soul Cleansing Pool to nurture them properly. After three hundred years, when their souls are stable, we will discuss their merits and demerits in life and arrange their reincarnation.”
"Your subject understands." Si Ge respectfully accepted the soul-guiding lamp with both hands.
"As for those ghost messengers who disappeared in Qinan," Rong Jiang said in a slightly somber tone, and sighed softly, "they have been completely devoured by the Seven Mu, their souls scattered and not a trace of their souls remaining... Investigate their identities and see if they still have relatives or friends in the mortal world. If so, according to the law, add some blessings, longevity, and good deeds for those they miss, as a small compensation."
"Your subject will do his utmost to handle this properly," Si Ge replied solemnly. Those ghost messengers were all under his command, and now that they had all perished here, he was also deeply saddened. He would naturally ensure that the subsequent compensation and favors were handled thoroughly.
Jiu Ya watched quietly as the ruler and his minister handled the aftermath methodically, her heart filled with emotion. She thought to herself, her daughter was truly dedicated to her role as leader, expending so much effort to nourish the souls of these mortals. To be honest, the underworld was also a victim of the calamity in Qi Nan City, losing many ghostly officials. Rong Jiang's actions were purely out of compassion and a sense of responsibility as a divine being. Suddenly, she heard Rong Jiang call her name.
"Hmm? Ranran, what's wrong?" Jiuya snapped out of her thoughts.
Rong Jiang looked at her and said, "Ajiu, we made a promise to travel in the mortal realm together, but now that the matter in Qinan is over, there are many affairs to attend to in the underworld. I'm afraid I will have to leave the mortal realm ahead of schedule."
Jiu Ya was taken aback. Although she was reluctant, she understood: "Ranran, are you going back to the Underworld?" All travels must come to an end. She had known this day would come, but she hadn't expected it to be under these circumstances.
Rong Jiang nodded. She had already achieved her initial goal of coming to the mortal realm. Her extended stay was partly due to her suspicions about the sudden appearance of the Demon Lord Jiu Ya, and her worry about what the Demon Realm might be up to. Having observed Jiu Ya along the way, she was relieved to see that Jiu Ya was indeed there to find relatives and enjoy the scenery, and had no malicious intentions. Now that she had important business to attend to, it was time to return.
"Ah, I see!" Jiu Ya sighed inwardly, a strong sense of reluctance welling up in her heart. The big boss was leaving, and it didn't seem so interesting for her to stay in the mortal realm alone. "If Ranran has something to do, then go back and take care of important matters first. Anyway, I've explored enough of the mortal realm, and it's about time I went back to the Demon Realm to check on things, lest those old guys think I've disappeared."
"Ranran, if you have any free time in the future, you must come to the Demon Realm! I will definitely treat you well and show you the scenery that is different from my Underworld!" She smiled and extended an invitation warmly.
Rong Jiang smiled, finding Jiu Ya's undisguised enthusiasm somewhat amusing, and replied, "Of course. If A Jiu has time, you are welcome to visit the Underworld's Youdu. I will certainly welcome you with open arms."
"I'll definitely go!" Jiu Ya excitedly agreed, already looking forward to visiting the underworld.
"Then, farewell." Rong Jiang said no more and nodded slightly.
"Until we meet again!" Jiu Ya cupped her hands in greeting, watching Rong Jiang and Si Ge's figures transform into streaks of light and disappear into the horizon.
After Rong Jiang and Si Ge left, Bai Yu, who had been silent for a while, asked softly, "Your Majesty, shall we return to the Demon Realm now?"
"Let's go back. We've been in the human world for quite a while now." Jiu Ya took a deep breath, suppressing the slight sadness of parting, and her tone returned to its usual cheerfulness. "We've had enough fun. It's time to go back and get down to business."
The biggest purpose of coming to the human world is to get in touch with the big shots, become familiar with them, and buy "insurance" for oneself, right? Now that the big shot not only recognizes her, but also personally invites her to visit the underworld, the relationship couldn't be better! With her life guaranteed, Jiu Ya felt that she could now live freely within the rules.
"Yes," Bai Yu and Li Yue replied in unison.
The Demon Realm differs from the Underworld. The Underworld has passages in important cities or at the boundary between Yin and Yang, allowing travel between the human and underworld realms. However, the barrier between the Demon Realm and the human world is much more formidable. To go to the human world or return to the Demon Realm from the human world, one can usually only pass through a few fixed, weak points at the boundary between the two realms.
However, Qinan City is still quite a distance from the nearest border between the human and demon realms. But could this stump three demons with extraordinary cultivation? Obviously not.
Abandoning the carriages and leisurely journeys of the mortal realm, the three transformed into three swift demonic shadows, traversing mountains and rivers. In less than half a day, they arrived at the chaotic boundary between the two realms.
Upon returning to the Demon Realm, Jiuya hadn't even had a proper rest before immediately experiencing what "post-holiday syndrome" meant, and a super-duper version at that.
During her time away from the Demon Realm, various daily affairs were handled collaboratively by several high-ranking dukes of the Demon Realm. As for Jiu Ya herself, she indulged in eating, drinking, and merrymaking in the mortal world, living a carefree and comfortable life, almost forgetting the "bitterness" of being a Demon Lord with countless daily affairs.
Upon her return, the carefree days were gone forever. The mountain of official documents nearly buried her desk.
Jiu Ya had no choice but to sit upright in the solemn Purple Light Hall, buried in her documents, dealing with the backlog of government affairs. This included matters that several dukes had already handled on her behalf during her absence from the Demon Realm. She needed to review these documents carefully to understand what had been reported and how the dukes had made their decisions, in order to prevent any oversights or important matters that required her final approval.
Bai Yu had changed back into a smart female official's uniform and carried a bowl of demonic soup, which was said to help calm the mind, into the hall. She saw her lord sitting upright and elegantly—but there was a hint of weariness and helplessness between his brows. The vermilion pen in his hand was writing on jade slips or memorials with great strokes, writing lines of instructions that were either decisive or deliberate.
Bai Yu bowed and said, "Your Excellency."
Jiu Ya didn't even raise her head, her gaze still fixed on the memorial in her hand, and simply said, "Get up."
"I've prepared some soup for you. You've been working so hard for so long, why don't you rest for a while and have some?" Bai Yu said softly. As soon as her master returned, he started working in a mode where he forgot to eat and sleep, completely different from his leisurely and carefree demeanor in the mortal realm.
Jiuya then put down her pen, rubbed her slightly sore wrist, and said, "I understand, just leave it there for now." She glanced at the bowl of soup, not feeling much of an appetite, but knew it was Bai Yu's thoughtfulness.
Her trip to the mortal realm felt like a fleeting dream, a stolen moment of respite from her busy schedule. Upon returning to the demon realm, her life seemed to instantly revert to its old ways, filled with endless political affairs, power struggles, and the development of the demon realm. It seemed the demon realm, under her rule, would continue to pass through centuries, even millennia, in this orderly fashion.
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