Qingguan Nightmare Shadow

Chapter 9

The jade-colored stone bridge spans the sparkling Wangchuan River, and the long steps at the front and rear stretch into the darkness, shrouded in thickening fog, pointing to different dimensions for all kinds of "people".In the vast space, except for the endless, pale black and the unknown, there is only one river and one bridge, which have been waiting for thousands of years.

The stone bridge glows faintly, making the passers-by feel cold and gloomy.There are free and easy footsteps on the bridge, as well as unforgettable cries and farewell sounds.

There is an iron pot sitting on the faint fire on the bridge. The huge spoon stirs the unspeakable soup in the pot, but it stirs out a tantalizing aroma from the poor-looking soup.The bridge is one-way. People passing by take a bowl of soup, drink it, and sweep away the unnecessary messy memories, and step into reincarnation and reincarnation as human beings.

Life after life is like this, but forget the previous life and go to the next life.Forgotten and abandoned, the ghosts who have experienced right and wrong become a blank sheet of paper, so they are fearless and resolutely devote themselves to the bitterness and bitterness of the world.

The tear-pickers appear and disappear from time to time, adding to the cauldron all kinds of tears that melt the greed, anger, ignorance and resentment of mortals.

Suddenly, several tear-picking girls who were about to leave froze.

At the end of the stone bridge leading to the human world, in the white mist, there was a woman walking in the opposite direction.You must know that after the ghost who drank Meng Po Tang descended the stairs over there, the stone stairs behind him would turn into nothingness; A precedent for hell.

The tear-pickers shook off their iron hooks, and floated in front of the "strange man".

The retrograde woman walks slowly with her sleeves rolled up, her long skirt is like water and her hair is like a waterfall, her whole person seems to be flowing like the most common elements in the world, describing her style, elegance and elegance, her smooth aura is like flowing clouds and floating wind .

It would be distorted to say that she was "shocked like a heavenly being", because this woman originally came from heaven, which is separated from the underworld.

It was Mr. Youxian Muzhe.

The tear-picking girl only travels between the underworld and the world all the year round, and they are placed in the sky, they are just ignorant little ghosts who don't know anything about the world.Mu Zhe has been Siming Jun for hundreds of years, and has managed the Siming Wonderland to flourish. Even if the apprentice of Siming Wonderland is on the verge of decline because of her experienced life in the world, it will not affect her. her fame in heaven.However, the tear-picking girl is "ignorant, ignorant and indifferent to world affairs", so she doesn't know who is coming, she just thinks that this woman is a different kind like Su Tong in the past, and she wants to drive people in the right direction with an iron hook.

Granny Meng issued an order above, Seeing that the woman was not afraid of the iron hook and the terrifying face she conjured up, and she was not allowed to hurt anyone, she had to retreat to the iron pot, calling their superiors again and again.

Mu Zhe said to the tear-pickers as he walked, "Thank you for sending the message, I'm here to find Granny Meng today."

Several tear-picking girls were taken aback for a moment.Suddenly, a thick and large hook was hung on the edge of the iron pot behind them. A withered hand stuck out from the soup along the hook, and then a gray-skinned old woman was pulled out of the pot.The old woman stepped out of the iron pot, and after looking around, the iron hook in her hand turned into a walking stick.The top of the crutch is coiled with a cage-shaped tree root, which contains a purple gemstone of the same color as her clothes, and purple light shines through the gap in the tree root.

Po Meng tapped the tear-picking girls on the heads with her crutches, and reprimanded them, "This is the Queen Muzhe from heaven."

Although the tear-picking girl was still unfamiliar with the name, when she heard that the caller was from the sky, she was terrified, and immediately disappeared with a wave of her sleeves, lest Mu Zhe would blame them for not being able to see Mount Tai.

Meng Po said to Mu Zhe: "Little ghosts are stubborn and rude, Mr. Mu Zhe doesn't have the same knowledge as them."

Mu Zhe: "Such interesting children are rare in the sky. You must not teach them too many imaginary things."

Meng Po: "You still need to understand the rules that you should know. Not all immortals and gods don't care about such things like Mu Zhejun."

Mu Zhe didn't want to hold on to this question any longer, and said, "I'm here to ask you a question today."

Po Meng lowered her head, her silver-white hair was rendered radiant by the jewelry on the forehead: "It's okay to say it, Xianjun, I will try my best."

Mu Zhe said: "My apprentice Yunli, this time took the notebook of a mortal named An Ran. An Ran's elder brother, An Tong, is a black household in Siming Immortal Realm, and there is no such person. I wonder if it could be this person. There is a problem with the book of life and death in the underworld."

"Xianjun, the authority of this book of life and death lies with the king of hell. My old lady just cooks soup. If you want to check the book of life and death, you can go across the bridge and walk across the Wangchuan River, and you can see the mansion of the king of hell. .”

Mu Zhe said: "All reincarnated ghosts must finish drinking your soup and walk the Naihe Bridge before their names will be registered in the Book of Life and Death by the King of Hades."

Granny Meng stroked the protruding wood on the crutch with her thumb: "The Immortal suspects that the mortal named An Tong made a mistake on the Naihe Bridge?"

"That's what it means."

"Since Xianjun said that that person was a black household in Siming Fairyland, no one must have found out his past. Just relying on a name to check people... This is really..." Meng Po hesitated, "Can Xianjun have other secrets? Any clues for reference?"

Mu Zhe shook his head and said, "I can put this An Tong aside first, and then ask you about another person. Did a ghost named Su Tong pass by here 24 years ago?"

As soon as the word "Su Tong" came out, Meng Po's expression that was originally covered by wrinkles jumped out.She shrugged her brows that were about to disappear, and said: "I am very impressed with this person. Back then, he wanted to walk across the stone bridge to return to the world, but he was unwilling to drink my soup. He was determined to leave, so I had to drink it for him Let’s go after soup.”

Mu Zhe: "So, he did drink the soup?"

"Yes."

Po Meng actually omitted the scene where Su Tong had a fight with her.

There are too many people who don't want to drink soup from ancient times to the present. Those people tried their best to keep their memories, or they took advantage of the "unpreparedness" of Lai Cai Nu and Meng Po, or bribed them with treasures and silver.The clothes on Granny Meng's body were inlaid with many rare and rare treasures, which were left by bribers who thought they were smart. Granny Meng never refused anyone who came, but she only took money and didn't "do things". A bowl of soup, anyway, no one remembers it afterwards.

That year, Su Tong was tough but not soft, and she had a good fight with Meng Po. Although she couldn't escape in the end, she left a scar on Po Meng's arm that has not healed yet.

Mu Zhe was thinking, and Po Meng said, "Wait, Xianjun, you said 24 years ago?"

"Yes, 24 years ago."

Granny Meng turned her crutch: "That's wrong... Are we talking about the same person? The 'Su Tong' I remember, walking this stone bridge, at least 70 years ago."

Mu Zheqi asked, "70 years ago?"

"Let's think about it again...it should be 76 years." She lowered her head and pondered for a while, then Po Meng raised her head again and said more firmly: "That's right, 76 years."

The breath of ghosts, the past of Naiheqiao, there is no book in Siming Wonderland, and the time does not match the number...

How should the strange things that happened to Su Tong be related?What is the relationship between Su Tong and An Tong?

Now I can only go to the book of life and death.

Mu Zhe said: "Thank you very much, I'll go see the King of Hades."

Crossing the Naihe Bridge, it is a noisy place similar to a mortal market.Ghosts who are afraid of the world and have no confidence in cultivating immortals gather here, and there is a place in the underworld for them to live, dream and die, and enjoy the leisure that they can't enjoy in the yang world.There is no price for this kind of idleness, so many people would rather be a little ghost in the dark underground for thousands of years, not seeing the "sunlight", but enjoying "clear blessings", free from care and care.

In the underworld, there are the benevolent people of the past, and there are also ruffians and bullies who did all kinds of evil, a mixed bag of fish and dragons.A few ladles of clean water can't save a pot of bad soup. Looking around, it's hard to describe the turbidity and dirt.

Mu Zhe casually swung away a few greasy little ghosts who rushed forward, and bowed his hands to the strong man who was preparing to "save the beauty by a hero" but was actually helpless alone.

Several groups of little ghosts who didn't know good and evil were easily beaten up by Mu Zhe until their noses were bruised and their faces were swollen. After that, no one dared to take the risk of losing their souls to tease an unknown woman who was good-looking but not easy to provoke.

Where Mu Zhe was passing, the little ghosts wisely exited an open space.

Mu Zhe found a simple and honest coachman, took his carriage and went straight to Hades Palace.

The little ghost working in the Yan Wang's mansion is more knowledgeable than Cailei Nu and the unscrupulous ghosts outside, recognized Mu Zhejun, and immediately went to report respectfully.Mu Zhe heard those little ghosts shouting, "My lord, another fairy is here!"

again?

Mu Zhe wondered, which colleague in the sky also ran to the underworld in a panic?Could it be... that Zang Nanjun who is so rich that he grows moss?That's great!Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just in case, Mu Zhe turned around and wanted to leave, but was stopped by the little ghost: "Mu Zhe Jun, please don't worry, my lord will come out soon."

Mu Zhe: "No need, I found the wrong place..."

While speaking, he took back his foot that had stepped into the Hades Mansion.

"Hey, hey... Xianjun, how can I explain to the adults when you are gone?"

"Xianjun stay behind!"

"Xianjun stay behind!"

……

"Mu Zhe-jun?!"

The first few sentences were yelled by the little ghost in a hurry, but the voice of the last sentence changed, and it was a low-pitched male voice.Mu Zhe recognized that it was the King of Hades, so he had to pat his forehead and turn back.

Yan Wang seemed to be really busy. When he came out, he was holding a pen in his hand, and there was a roll of notebook under the creaking nest.

The little ghost at the newspaper said: "Xianjun, your lord is here."

Yan Wang also clamped the pen under his arm, and cupped his hands: "Mu Zhe Jun."

Mu Zhe nodded and turned his eyes to Yan Wang's back: "I heard that there are still guests in your mansion, so I'll come to bother you later."

Before Hades could say "Stay for a step", someone spoke for him: "Where is Xianjun going?" The man's voice had the cheerfulness of a young man and the banter of an acquaintance.Hearing the sound, the corner of Yan Wang's mouth moved first, and then his face and whole body were drawn towards him, and then he used his sight to connect the man with Mu Zhejun.

White clothes with narrow sleeves, light green cloud patterns, a sassy and arrogant young fairy.

"Yunli?" Seeing his apprentice, Mu Zhe's face turned blue and red, his heart beat faster and then slower, and then he realized how to say that he is also a master, after all, he showed some dignity as a master in front of Hades , Seriously said: "You...why are you here?"

Yan Wang took a step to the side, pulling himself away from the teacher and his disciples.

Yunli said: "Master, I just can't enter the mortal world, it's not that I can't enter the underworld, why can't I be here?"

Mu Zhe knew that he was talking to him sideways, so he simply waved: "I didn't say you couldn't."

Yun Li reported his intention: "I'm here to investigate about Su Tong and An Tong."

The apprentice should not mind his affairs, but Mu Zhe still sneaked in, but she couldn't make up any self-justified lies, so she had to tell the truth: "Uh... me too." Seeing Yun Li's smile, Mu Zhe thought it was him I wanted to tease him again, but fortunately, Yan Wang interjected: "Hey...the two immortals, I really can't do anything about it. This Su Tong's life and death book was broken in the last life. I don't have any record of his reincarnation..." said Then, he took out the notebook under the creaking nest, and showed Mu Zhe the page that Yun Li had read just now.

Mu Zhe stopped him: "No need. You can check that An Tong now."

Yan Wang looked at Yunli in embarrassment.

Yun Li said: "There is no An Tong's name in the book of life and death."

To prove this sentence, Yan Wang still handed the book of life and death to Mu Zhe; Mu Zhe didn't answer, so Yan Wang stroked the edge of the book and turned it over, and a breeze blew from the rattling pages.

Mu Zhe: "I see, thank you for your hard work."

Mu Zhe took Yunli with him and left the underworld in the carriage arranged by Hades.The coachman kid forgot Mu Zhe's prior instructions, subconsciously took the road from the underworld to the underworld, and didn't stop at the end of the road.If Mu Zhe hadn't smashed the wheel with a flick of his sleeve, according to the speed of the carriage, the seal on Yunli's body, which tightened as it got closer to Yang, might have strangled his neck.

The carriage was thrown to pieces, but Mu Zhe and Yun Li quickly stood still, and the kid's situation was not optimistic.The little ghost rubbed his knees in the fragments of the carriage and tried to stand up, but he grinned in pain and fell to his knees in a daze, so as not to do the same thing again to apologize to the two immortals.

Mu Zhe said: "Be careful in the future, if you 'die' again now, you won't even be able to be a ghost."

The little ghost kept saying yes, thank you Xianjun for reminding.

Mu Zhe and Yun Li changed their way back to Siming Wonderland.

Nuoyinge.

As soon as the door is opened, the aroma of vegetables is tangy.The table is full of delicious dishes, meat and vegetables, and it is very rich.With a smile on his face, Chef Qin Jin invited Mu Zhe and Yun Li who had just returned to the dining table, and accompanied them with a gorgeous introduction to the master and apprentice.

"In this way, the moon star is sparse in the Chang'e Palace, and the emerald jade wakes people's dreams, frightens the cold night, and the magpie lingers on the willow branches."

"This one, An De embraces the light of the sun, plays a piece of Floating Life Like a Dream, and leans on the railing to look far away."

"This one is intricate, indistinct, and inexhaustible."

"..."

Fried cabbage with corn.

Stir-fried meat with celery stalks.

Fine noodles over water...

Rao Qin Jin's craftsmanship is good, and the service attitude is also thoughtful, Yunli is still annoyed by the impersonal serving of food.Yun Li knocked on the bowl with his chopsticks: "What song and tune are you playing?"

Qin Jin said proudly: "My own song, my own tune. If I have to choose a name, I have to call it Qin Jin Qu and Qin Jin Tune."

Yun Li endured it, and swallowed the bamboo shoots in his mouth: "...you are being courteous for nothing, not..."

Qin Jin: "Mr. Si Ming, Xiaoxian, I am neither a traitor nor a thief. This is commemoration and gratitude."

Yunli: "What is commemoration?"

Qin Jin: "To commemorate the sixty-six and thirty-six days since I met Si Mingjun."

Qin Jin was glad that the Si Mingjun in front of him still wanted something from him, otherwise he must have suffered a green light of temper.

Yunli: "What is gratitude?"

Qin Jin was heartbroken and said deeply: "I am a little fairy who came from a wrong path. I was not seen in the sky, and I received a lot of cold eyes and spurned. Mr. Si Ming and Mr. Mu Zhe are willing to take me in. How can I not be grateful, little fairy?" What? Come, two immortals, I will serve you soup. This soup is 'Forgetting the story of reincarnation, the monk's words, and the clock of floating life.'"

Yun Li smelled the delicious soup, and just about to drink it, Mu Zhe asked, "What kind of soup is this? The ingredients in it are too broken to be seen."

Qin Jin: "Hometown characteristics."

Just say how it smells like it has been smelled somewhere.

Mu Zhe: "Mengpo soup? Why, you still cook this."

Yun Li put down the bowl, and wiped the little bit of soup on his lips with the back of his hand.

Qin Jin smiled and said: "I'm ashamed and ashamed. I have learned a little bit by stealth. This soup is not comparable to that made by Meng Po. Although it is not pure, it still has feelings. After drinking this soup, Xianjun can experience the feeling of memory disappearing in three days. And then truly feel the psychology of those passers-by on the Naihe Bridge...Three days later, when the memory is recovered, Mr. Yunli will be able to compare, whether it is better to have no obsession or to have obsession."

Yun Li raised his eyes: "What are you knocking about?"

Mu Zhe's eyes glanced at the wooden goldfish sculpture with a trace of Yunli's primordial spirit.

Qin Jin said: "Si Mingjun, Xiaoxian, I am not a spring and autumn brushwork, but outspoken. Although I can help you dilute the breath on the chains and do things for you, but some people in the underworld have realized the truth. Since Xianjun I don’t understand, Xiaoxian thinks it’s her duty to tell Xianjun...but please enlighten Xianjun and drink this bowl of soup.”

Yun Li ate the bowl, the soup splashed out: "Don't drink it."

Struggling out of the repeated nightmare, An Tong opened his eyes, and found that there was a shining iron hook sleeping next to the pillow.The iron hook looked exactly like the thing in his dream, only smaller.

The iron hook of the tear-picking girl.

An Tong wondered, it should be some careless tear-picking girl who entered his dream just now, and when he left at dawn, he forgot to take his belongings.Then this tear-picking girl is really worthy of sympathy, not only did she not receive any tears from An Tong after working all night, but she was also scolded by Granny Meng for losing the iron hook.

Maybe in a few days, the tear-picking girl will find it according to her memory, so An Tong hid the iron hook in the quilt cover and kept it for her.

An Tong recalled the dream just now, and suddenly thought that the tear-picking girl who lost her things must have seen herself in the underworld, otherwise, how could she create the exact same scene in her dream as he experienced back then?

Who is it?

An Tong listed several candidates in his mind, but he couldn't rule out only one person, so he simply gave up.