Chapter Three: The Beauty Bai Lian

Obsidian quickly released Yama as soon as he heard someone enter, glancing at the hand still stubbornly resting on his waist. He almost wanted to slap himself, inwardly scornful: What were you just doing? How could you be so easily seduced by beauty? Especially by a man?

Bailian looked at the pair who still refused to let go of each other, finding the sight increasingly displeasing. He snorted coldly, "Well? Little Black, is this your new lover?"

He spoke as he sized up Yama, then opened his fan, half-covering his face. "His looks are nothing special, really."

Obsidian compared the two men carefully. If Yama was like an ink lotus in a painting, then Bailian was akin to a regal, opulent peony—those almond-shaped eyes full of allure, bright gaze, flawless teeth, lips red without rouge, brows green without pigment. He recalled a description from a book: "Face like a silver disk, eyes like watery apricots, lips red without embellishment, brows green without artifice." It suited Bailian perfectly, though few women could match his height.

After his remarks, Bailian tossed several flirtatious glances at Obsidian and laughed, "Little Black, I don't mind if you have more lovers, but this one here has quite a few skeletons in his closet."

Bailian cast a provocative look at Yama, "Have you dealt with your ex?"

Obsidian’s eyes darkened. The hand resting on his waist felt suddenly thorny. He spoke in a low voice, "I'm tired. Both of you, leave."

With a sharp bang, the door slammed shut.

The atmosphere grew oppressive. Seeing Yama deflated, Bailian couldn’t suppress his smile. "I never thought I’d see you so bested in front of him."

"My affairs with him have nothing to do with you," Yama replied, his icy aura freezing the floor beneath them—and Bailian’s feet as well.

Yet Bailian seemed entirely unaffected. He dropped his smile, half-serious, half-mocking: "What makes you think I’ll let him go to you this time?"

His lips moved again, almost imperceptibly, but Yama caught every word, stunned.

Suddenly, a tiny green-haired sprite burrowed up from the ground, its round, flushed face wrinkled in displeasure at Bailian. "Your Highness, how can you run off on your own? If you keep misbehaving, Xiao Yi won’t play with you anymore. Bai, you always leave Xiao Yi behind."

Bailian laughed helplessly at the little tree spirit, scooped Xiao Yi into his arms, and turned to leave, not sparing Yama another glance. The game was just beginning; there was plenty of time ahead. "Come now, let me see if you’ve hurt yourself. Oh my, Xiao Yi, you’ve gotten chubbier!"

Xiao Yi’s face turned crimson. "Your Highness!"

The two departed in cheerful banter, leaving Yama rooted to the spot, his mind replaying those words: "Do you remember by the Pool of Rebirth what you did to him? How can you imagine he would still love you?"

Though it was not winter, the tree outside Obsidian's chamber shed its leaves in scattered drifts, making the once tidy courtyard a mess.

Night fell. In the deep hours, Yama blinked his aching eyes and left with hands clasped behind his back, as if he were still the cold-hearted, unfeeling King of Hell he had once been.

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Obsidian felt a mild bitterness within, tossing restlessly in bed until sleep finally claimed him. No, he must pull himself together; right now, nothing was more important than money.

The next morning.

Obsidian woke naturally, fully satisfied. He stretched, opened his door, intending to check on the progress at the magistrate’s office—only to find Yama standing outside. He froze, then immediately slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Heavens, what was this? Blocking his doorway so early in the morning? Obsidian composed himself, took a deep breath, and reopened the door with a smile. "Is there something you need?"

"Yama’s" expressionless face showed a rare hint of grievance. "I just wanted to see you. Why are you like this?!"

Obsidian was thrown into confusion, pointing at Yama in shock. "Who are you, really? Did you take the wrong medicine today?!"

"Yama" offered a coy smile. "Oh, you’re so mean! It’s just me!"

In the blink of an eye, "Yama" became Bailian. Obsidian breathed a sigh of relief, but instinctively kept some distance—this beauty was dangerous.

Yet Bailian immediately sidled up, draping an arm over Obsidian’s shoulder, teasing, "Don’t be shy! I know I’m beautiful, but you don’t need to stand so far away, Little Black."

Unable to push him off, Obsidian let him be. After all, two grown men sharing a shoulder didn’t cost him anything.

Bailian, secretly pleased, said, "That’s better. You don’t know my name yet, do you? I’m Bailian—‘Lian’ as in ‘city wall,’ not ‘lotus flower.’"

Obsidian nodded, indicating he understood.

Along the way, their conversation was sporadic. By the time Obsidian realized, he had revealed far more than he intended, making him wary—truly, beautiful things are always dangerous.

Yan Nianqing spotted Obsidian from afar and ran over excitedly. Only upon arrival did he notice that the man beside Obsidian wasn’t Yama but—ah. "No wonder, I smelled something odd from miles away. Uncle Bai is here."

Uncle Bai?! Bailian’s face darkened instantly. This brat was as punchable as ever, truly a chip off the old block.

Obsidian didn’t notice Bailian’s expression, habitually reaching to tousle Nianqing’s hair. "Why rush when it’s such a short distance? What if you fall?"

Nianqing’s eyes sparkled. Mother was best, after all. He squeezed Bailian aside and grabbed Obsidian’s arm, saying, "I was just too happy to see Daddy!"

Caught off guard, Bailian stumbled. That little rascal! He was starting to think his greatest rival was this boy.

Obsidian entered the magistrate’s office with Nianqing. In the front hall, two figures awaited them—one was Yama, the other unfamiliar to Obsidian.

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Yama watched Obsidian, their gazes inadvertently meeting in the air. Obsidian quickly turned away, and Yama felt a pang in his chest.

The awkwardness was palpable. Obsidian turned to the stranger and asked, "Who might you be?"

Haishi looked exasperated. "Come on, I only disappeared for a day and you don’t recognize me?"

Obsidian thought back—who vanished yesterday? He hesitated, "You’re Haishi?"

Haishi rolled his eyes impatiently. Obsidian was amused. Yesterday he’d been a cloud of black mist, today a living person. If not for the familiar voice, who could tell?

Obsidian covertly sized up Haishi. His voice was rough and deep, so Obsidian had imagined a rugged, burly man with stubble and a tiger’s build. But Haishi’s appearance couldn’t have been farther from that.

Haishi was delicate and handsome, looking more like a college freshman than anything else.

His hair hung loose, face weary, phoenix eyes bloodshot, lips pale and colorless. He was about Yama’s height, but far more slender.

Haishi wasted no more time. "How’s the investigation? Isn’t the underworld supposed to be best at this?"

Yan Nianqing replied, "We’ve found something, but unfortunately, it’s a bit far away."

Haishi was shocked, immediately crowding close to Nianqing. "Where is he?"

Nianqing instinctively glanced at Obsidian, hesitated, then said, "He... he’s in the present world of another dimension."

Haishi burst into laughter, a hint of madness in his smile. "I’ve searched for him so long, so very long—and to avoid me, he crossed into another world!"

In this universe, anyone wishing to travel to another dimension must use the spatial array. For a living person to cross, they must leave behind something deeply important. For a soul, the risk is even greater: a misstep could mean total annihilation. Even if one succeeds, something must be lost, though exactly what is rarely known—few have tried, and fewer still have returned.

The bitterness in Haishi’s laughter was unmistakable, and the despair lurking beneath it became ever clearer.

None present knew the full story of Haishi’s past, not even Yama, who only knew fragments.

Obsidian, however, focused on another part of the revelation: another dimension. Did this mean he could use this opportunity to escape his debts and return home?

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