Chapter 87: Yun Ranran of the Nine Provinces Academy

Following Xiaocui back to the bridal chamber, the glaring red double-happiness characters stung her eyes. In a frenzy, Xiaocui tore down everything red in the room; the wine of celebration was swept to the floor, and the entire chamber was saturated with the scent of spilled liquor, left in utter disarray.

“My beloved, do you know… I am carrying your child…”

The vision shifted again. Xiaocui, consumed by despair, took a red silk sash from the cabinet, hung it from the beam, changed into her wedding attire, her face pale as death. “Child, mother is coming to join you…”

At this point, the vision faded. The world flickered between light and dark, spinning wildly. Lian and Chongli opened their eyes and found themselves standing in the center of the cornfield, stalks as tall as a person, beside the scarecrow, Lian’s right hand still resting atop its head.

In the shade of a distant tree, the red wedding gown from the illusion, the disheveled hair—Lian called softly, “Xiaocui.”

The red-clad figure seemed moved; tears of blood once again welled in her hollow eyes.

“Xiaocui, can you tell me, is the reincarnation of that heartless man the second son of the Liu family?”

Before Xiaocui could answer, the scarecrow at Lian’s side began to sway, coming to life!

This time, it was a man’s voice: “So please, do not thwart Xiaocui’s vengeance. That family must atone for her suffering!”

A tiny figure emerged from the earth. Chongli spoke with certainty, “You are not a spirit—you are the land itself.”

The little figure snorted. “Exactly! And you show no respect upon meeting me!?”

Lian, looking at the little earth god only half her own height, asked, “Was it you who caused the strange happenings in this cornfield?”

Another proud snort.

“Why did you do it?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I have blessed the Liu family with years of good harvests, only to find out what kind of people they are. That woman—the heartless man’s sister—is Xianglan, his mistress! Xiaocui was a good girl, but she was tormented to death, her child poisoned by Xianglan before it was even born. Xiaocui died with hatred in her heart, yet those two wretches lived comfortably into their seventies! And worst of all, they were able to reincarnate! I truly don’t know what the underworld is thinking—Xiaocui’s child, never born, had no soul for the underworld to find; Xiaocui, consumed by grievance, could not reincarnate either. Does that seem just to you?!”

The earth god spat out each word with rage, caring nothing for offending even the underworld itself. And why was he so bold? Because the current King of the Underworld was missing.

At that moment, Xiaocui seemed to have hidden herself in the locust tree, her figure vanished, leaving only the earth god and Lian staring at each other.

As tensions simmered, a cloaked figure gradually approached.

Chongli noticed first, stepping before Lian protectively. “Who are you?”

The figure beneath the cloak smiled faintly; the cloak slipped off. “Yun Ranran.”

Lian’s pupils contracted as she stared at the person before her—identical to herself. Now the true owner of this body had arrived; if things went awry, she might lose this vessel…

Yun Ranran walked past Chongli, stopping before Lian with a pleasant smile. “How does my body suit you?”

Lian sensed no malice but still felt guilty. “Not bad, but that Puyu is a bit bothersome.”

Yun Ranran smiled. “Is that so? I feel the same.”

The earth god was dumbfounded by the sight of two identical people. “Wait, who are you? Are you playing tricks?”

Yun Ranran paid the earth god no heed, walked straight to the locust tree, and called softly, “Yu Cui.”

Xiaocui’s soul seemed drawn forth by some force, her appearance returning to that of an ordinary young woman.

The earth god was stunned. This person could summon souls—she must be from the underworld!

My goodness!

In a panic, the earth god tried to twist his cane and escape into the earth, but Chongli had anticipated this. He had already set a barrier around them—no one could leave.

The earth god glared at Chongli, but Chongli’s attention remained fixed on Lian, who was watching Yun Ranran. The earth god was thoroughly ignored.

“Are you here to take me back?” Xiaocui’s face was pale, her expression unreadable.

Suddenly, a bamboo scroll appeared in Yun Ranran’s hand, the words upon it shocking everyone present.

“The Book of Life and Death… She’s from the underworld!” The earth god’s desire to flee intensified.

“Liu Shun, age twenty-five, from Jingdezhen, lifetime unmarried, in his previous life named Sun Peng.
Liu Rui, age twenty-seven, from Jingdezhen, lifetime unmarried, in his previous life named Liu Kui.
Liu Yuan, age eighteen, from Jingdezhen, married with two wives, in her previous life named Song Huizhen.
Liu Su, age sixty-nine, from Jingdezhen, married with two sons and a daughter, in her previous life named Li Fang.
This is the full record of the Liu family’s past and present lives. Your husband’s reincarnation is not among them—you have the wrong person.”

Xiaocui stood frozen, her spirit stunned. “Impossible, impossible… I watched him enter the cycle of rebirth with my own eyes!”

Yun Ranran’s voice was now cold. “Your husband committed many evil deeds. His hands were stained with blood, so he was sent to endure the punishment of being fried in oil on the eighteenth level of hell. The one you saw entering reincarnation was his half-brother—not a member of the Liu family.”

Yu Cui collapsed to the ground in despair. “But… my child will never return, no matter what…”

“In the underworld, justice will be served, Yu Cui! Do you realize your crime? Fleeing the underworld, inciting the earth god to harm the living!”

Yu Cui tried to speak, but in the end only bowed her head. “I acknowledge my guilt.”

Yun Ranran gestured to Lian as she led Yu Cui away. “We shall meet again.”

She then addressed the earth god, “For sheltering Yu Cui, I will make a report. When your time comes, you won’t escape punishment!”

The earth god’s face fell. “Trying to do a good deed and now I have to pay the price…”

With Yu Cui taken away by Yun Ranran, Chongli naturally lifted the barrier. The earth god darted into the ground and vanished, the corn shrinking back to its normal size, leaving only Lian and Chongli standing on the vast field ridge.

“Chongli, what do you think Yun Ranran’s role is in the underworld? She seems like quite an official.”

Chongli shook his head. “I’m not sure—perhaps something like a judge.”

Lian exhaled deeply. What had felt like only a short ordeal had lasted until dawn. She still had to return to inform the two brothers.

Lian felt some sympathy for the Liu family. They had neither killed nor set fires, yet disaster had befallen them.

Yu Cui, too, was pitiable. In the illusion she had woven, she lived only for her unborn child, yet even that life was snuffed out by those villains, and she died with hatred in her heart.

When Yu Cui confessed her guilt, there was still a hint of grievance in her eyes. Lian hoped the underworld would give her justice.

Back at the Liu household, the mother and younger sister were already awake and seemed unharmed. The brothers tried to reward Lian, but she refused and only accepted two apples—one for her and one for Chongli.

After leaving Jingdezhen, the two decided to use a spell to travel directly to the city that housed the Holy Temple of the Nine Provinces. Lian had a strong feeling that the lotus petal would appear soon!

Dear reader, this chapter is complete. Wishing you an enjoyable reading experience!