Chapter Six: A Battle of Wits and Courage

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Life drifts on, and even if one could enjoy longevity alongside the heavens, to pass each day bereft of joy is no different from dwelling in a living hell. Lately, the Lord of Ghosts had grown somewhat bored. Why were those spirits of the Celestial Realm so stingy? The three jars of Longing Wine they sent barely filled the gap between his teeth. Remembering this, he recalled the noisy figure beneath the tree that day.

Perhaps he ought to pay another visit.

Outside the palace, Black Slave sensed a familiar presence passing by, and involuntarily shivered.

Ch'i laughed, "Was that the master?"

Black Slave glanced at Ch'i indifferently. "Who else?"

Ch'i seemed utterly unfazed by Black Slave’s coldness. He sidled closer, draping an arm across Black Slave’s shoulder, and continued, "Has our master found a new amusement?"

Black Slave replied, "Whether the master has found any amusement, I don’t know. But if you keep your arm there, you won’t need it anymore!"

Ch'i quickly withdrew, pitching his voice high and striking a delicate pose, acting like a buffoon. "Oh, how dreadful! How could you be so fierce with me?"

Black Slave didn’t hesitate to kick at him. "Get lost!"

Mei chuckled, "Why are those two always at odds?"

Wang focused on polishing his dagger, saying nothing.

Liang responded, "On the contrary, I think their bond is quite strong. Were it not for Ch’i, Black Slave wouldn’t fit in with us as well as he does."

Mei listened, watching the ongoing antics with a smile. "That’s true. I do hope we can stay this way forever."

Behind them, Wang and Liang exchanged smiles. Some things need not be spoken—understanding lies quietly between them.

Celestial Realm, Pavilion of Longing.

The Lord of Ghosts, following his previous method, found the wine buried under a peach tree in a distant corner of another courtyard. What amused him most was that the person actually brought a dog.

Petals fell lazily, and beneath the tree lay a man and his dog, both sound asleep. Hardly the image of vigilant guardians; it was a wonder nothing had been stolen yet. The Lord of Ghosts grew ever more entertained, itching to play a trick.

Since he’d come, he ought to be welcomed, should he not?

He lifted the slumbering pair into the air from afar, took the wine from beneath them, and was met with no reaction. The man even began to snore and grind his teeth, making the Lord of Ghosts laugh helplessly.

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The Lord of Ghosts, wine jar in hand, concealed himself atop the same giant tree as last time, silently counting—one, two, three…

The sleeper below crashed to the ground with a bang, prompting a startled cry and a chorus of frantic barking. The Lord of Ghosts could barely stifle his laughter.

"Oh, heavens above!" Old Man Yue awoke in mid-fall, instantly scrambling up. He rushed to check his secret stash, fuming. Was it possible that he, the dignified Old Man Yue, could not outwit a petty thief?

His face flushed red as he pointed at the dog, berating, "Why did I keep you? You eat, drink, and sleep here at my expense, yet you couldn’t guard a few jars of wine!" He quite forgot that he’d just been napping alongside the dog.

The barking dog, seemingly frightened, retreated a few steps, whining as if blaming him for the unfair reproach.

Old Man Yue snorted, ignoring the troublesome noise. That gatekeeper had recommended the dog so enthusiastically—yet now he’d lost another fine jar. He gritted his teeth, silently vowing retribution.

The wine was excellent, but the character of the brewer—how strange that in today’s Celestial Realm, all sorts could be found!

The Lord of Ghosts mused over this as he finished the jar, then glanced in the direction the man had gone before heading home.

They say: the first time is unfamiliar, the second time is easier, the third time makes one an expert.

The Lord of Ghosts, well-practiced, returned to the Pavilion of Longing. The Soul-Chasing Tassel landed in yet another unfamiliar courtyard, circling and losing its way.

He was surprised, yet felt a strange sense of satisfaction—this fool had finally shown some improvement.

This courtyard was simpler than the previous ones, with only an artificial mountain that seemed neglected.

As he walked forward, the fake mountain vanished in an instant. Whirling around, he found it had multiplied several times over.

He stared, incredulous. The shifting illusions were so convincing that even he struggled to discern reality. After a moment, his lips curled into a smile, his eyes gleaming with interest. To have dealings with the Mirage Clan—he had truly underestimated this little immortal.

Among the Five Realms, the Mirage Clan’s illusion arts surpassed even those of the Heavenly Foxes, especially their mastery of illusionary arrays.

Yet the Lord of Ghosts was famed for breaking arrays with astonishing speed.

Thousands of arrays exist, yet their solutions are fundamentally the same: find the array’s source or locate the gate of life within it.

The array set in the yard was the most basic of the Mirage Clan’s, even outsiders could master it. To use this against him? The little immortal had surely been tricked yet again!

The Lord of Ghosts sighed. Progress, yes—but not much. Still a fool in the end.

He looked up, gazing toward a certain direction.

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Old Man Yue sat in the most secluded courtyard of the pavilion, using the Farseeing Eye to observe every move of the thief trapped inside the array. Seeing the trespasser ensnared, he clapped his hands with glee—his four jars of wine had not been wasted.

A lesson learned—let’s see if the thief dares return for more wine! The longer he watched, the more delighted he became. Suddenly, he locked eyes with the Lord of Ghosts, and his smile froze. This thief looked awfully familiar—wait, wasn’t that the notorious ghost from the rumors? No, the Lord of Ghosts?

Old Man Yue spat in disbelief. Impossible! Why would the Lord of Ghosts have leisure to visit here? He must be mistaken…

Grabbing the Farseeing Eye again for a closer look—hey, where did the thief go?

His vision went dark. He put the Farseeing Eye away and looked up, only to see the Lord of Ghosts smiling before him…

The Lord of Ghosts chuckled inwardly. If he didn’t know this was Old Man Yue, he’d have wasted his years. He asked softly, "What are you looking for?"

Old Man Yue felt a chill run through him, with nowhere to hide, forced to stand frozen.

The Lord of Ghosts was at ease, sitting cross-legged by the curtain. On the blackwood table lay exactly what he sought, placed so conspicuously it was as if Old Man Yue was afraid he’d miss it.

He took a sip—this wine tasted even better than last time. The Lord of Ghosts glanced sidelong and asked, "Is this a new brew?"

Old Man Yue feigned composure, snorting, "Of course it’s new. I brewed it myself, called ‘Bitter Beauty.’"

The Lord of Ghosts nearly spat out the wine, unable to suppress his laughter. "The wine is excellent, but the name is far too vulgar. The brewer must be rather foolish."

Old Man Yue’s face reddened instantly, furious. He retorted, "That’s still better than you, Lord of Ghosts, sneaking in and tormenting little immortals time and again. At least my wine is the fruit of my own labor. The name can be whatever I please!"

The Lord of Ghosts took no offense, spreading his hands. "What can I do? My subordinates are useless these days—even I am helpless. I can only come here to beg for a drink."

Old Man Yue trembled, thinking the old ghost truly shameless. "If you’re begging, you ought to offer something in exchange!"

The Lord of Ghosts swirled his porcelain cup. "Very well. How about I provide the materials, you brew the wine, and the reward is yours to choose?"

"Deal!" Old Man Yue agreed instantly. Free rewards, and it would spare him the old ghost’s constant harassment!

Yet Old Man Yue had no idea: with the Lord of Ghosts famed for his persistence, how could he let go of someone who could brew wine and amuse him?

In the end, Old Man Yue’s ‘cultivation’ was lacking—far too naïve!