The Fox

Zhao San’er was a living soul brought to the underworld by the impermanent god after being knocked out by a pillar. Whatever kind of man he had been in life was unknown, but since arriving in the realm of the dead, he was an ordinary, timid sort. The ghost warden before him had a face as green as a winter melon and grinned at him with ill intent. Zhao San’er had been bound to the cell’s pillar—not with rope, but with ring upon ring of emerald light.

“Please, warden, don’t kill me!” he cried. The ghost warden’s wicked smile deepened. “Relax, I’m not going to kill you. I just need to borrow your face, that’s all...” He drew closer, brandishing his hook, which hovered beside Zhao San’er’s cheek. Zhao San’er screamed in terror. “What are you doing? Don’t touch my face!”

“My, what a fair face. What a pity it’s wasted on you. Better to curry favor with the officials of the underworld—he’ll remember your kindness...” The warden moved the hook toward Zhao San’er. “You can’t do this! You’ll be punished!” Zhao San’er’s voice trembled with panic. “Punished?” the warden sneered. “That’s just a human superstition—I don’t buy it.” He hooked the corner of Zhao San’er’s mouth. Zhao San’er shrieked and fainted.

“Oh, my lord, you are indeed formidable! Now I’ll have a new face to wear,” the warden mused, drawing a knife that shimmered green.

“Stop! What are you doing?” cried Youchai Abugu from outside the cell. “The laws of the underworld are strict—how dare you act so wantonly here!” Startled, the warden lowered his knife, trembling. “My lord, forgive me for not greeting you sooner. This criminal soul committed a shameless act—I was just interrogating him...” Before he could finish, the City God laughed from outside the door.

“Guli, are you the City God, or am I?” The warden Guli laughed obsequiously. “You are, my lord, you are the City God.” The City God’s face darkened. “I haven’t even questioned this man’s crime—how dare you judge him? And to use such cruelty—flaying him for a confession?”

Guli nodded repeatedly. “Release this living soul. I have questions to ask him myself.” Abugu pointed, and Zhao San’er collapsed to the ground.

“What is your name, and where are you from?” the City God demanded, staring sternly at the prone Zhao San’er. “What crime have you committed to end up in the City of Wrongful Death?”

Zhao San’er, barely conscious, replied, “My name is Zhao San’er, my given name is Shuyi. I’m from Qizhou. I was working in a mine when I was knocked out by a falling stone and brought here by the impermanent god.” The City God pressed, “How did you get here, Zhao San’er?” He sighed.

“My lord, I was brought to the Palace of the Urban King. After investigations, it was determined my allotted lifespan was not yet over. The Yama King ordered me to return to the living world, but this warden brought me here instead. He wanted to steal my face and use it on someone else.”

“Lies! You were sent to the City of Wrongful Death for theft!” Guli interjected. “I wasn’t! He tricked me, saying I could only return to life after coming here!” Zhao San’er and Guli argued in the cell.

“Silence! Anyone sent here must have a writ from the Yama King. Do you have it, Zhao San’er?” He shook his head. “And you, Guli? You claim he was exiled here for theft—what did he steal? Do you have the writ?”

“Writ?” Guli hesitated, unable to answer. “So you have none!” The City God suddenly erupted in fury.

“Zheng De, you are guilty of conspiring with Warden Guli to harm the living soul Zhao San’er—do you admit your guilt?” The City God’s thunderous voice sent Zheng De to his knees. “I am guilty, my lord, please have mercy!” Zheng De sobbed, clutching the City God’s robe. The City God, a just deity, showed no partiality and kicked Zheng De to the floor.

“Guards! Take Zheng De back to the main hall!” The ghost guards seized Zheng De and dragged him away. Guli remained motionless by the City God’s side, silent. “Do you admit your guilt, Guli?”

Guli gave a cold laugh. “What guilt? Escorting souls is my duty—if I made a mistake, it was merely negligence.” “Negligence? This is not negligence—it is defying the mandate of Heaven!” The City God’s accusation only made Guli laugh louder.

“Heaven’s mandate! And what is that? The strong make the rules. You are only strong because you have the Yama King’s support. I am a soldier of the shadow world—living souls are weak, I am strong!”

“Insolence! Seize this lawless wretch!” At the City God’s command, guards surged forward. “Who dares?” Guli snatched me as his hostage.

“Haha! Cheng Kui, you want to take me? Do you see whose fate is in my hands? If you dare make a move, I’ll tear her soul to shreds—she’ll vanish from the Three Realms forever!”

I was an envoy sent by the Fox Immortal. Seeing Guli take me as a hostage, the City God turned pale with fright. “Stand back, stand back! Guli, calm yourself—Miss Xie is a celestial envoy.” Guli only laughed.

“Of course I know she was sent from the heavens. If she weren’t, I’d have destroyed her soul long ago. Ma Kui, open the gate to the Demon Realm, and I’ll let her go.” The City God was enraged. “Guli, you can’t stay here, so now you want to flee to the Demon World?”

“My lord, you mustn’t let him escape! I’d rather perish than let him get away...” My plea was cut short as Guli clamped a hand around my throat.

“Shut up, girl. If you want to die, wait until we’re in the Demon Realm—I’ll make your end even worse!” His eyes were fierce as he glared at me. “Guli, you can’t escape. Look at me!”

At that moment, I remembered what the Fox Immortal had told me before I entered the Demon Realm: “Xie Lingling, if anyone threatens you, recite the incantation—the Bodhisattva’s protection will help you.” I began reciting the words she had taught me.

Closing my eyes, I chanted the incantation. Suddenly, a dazzling golden light radiated from my body. Enveloped in the glow, I saw it take the form of the Bodhisattva. The City God and Abugu knelt before me.

“Abugu, soldier of the underworld, pays homage to the Bodhisattva.” Guli, seeing the golden light, instantly released me. With a thunderous noise, the power of the light hurled him several yards away.

“Bodhisattva’s protection!” Guli stared in horror at the golden radiance surrounding me, when a fearsome, unearthly voice issued from within. “Wretch, you have violated the laws of the underworld, defied the mandate of Heaven—do you admit your guilt?”

Guli sat on the ground and laughed maniacally. “Heaven’s mandate? The strong make the rules! My fate is my own, not Heaven’s!” He raised his hands and lunged at me.

I was only a mortal woman—when the Bodhisattva’s protection left my body, I could not withstand his assault. His blow struck my arm, and I screamed in agony, collapsing to the floor. “Xie Lingling, you dare investigate me? I’ll erase your existence from the Three Realms!”

Guli scowled, baring his teeth, and raised a hand that emitted a chilling wind. “Enough, wretch! How long will your arrogance last?” The golden Bodhisattva lifted a hand, emitting a brilliant light that forced Guli to the ground, unable to open his eyes.

“Your fate is sealed!” The Bodhisattva drew a porcelain vial from her sleeve. A blinding white light shone from its mouth. Guli shrieked as the Bodhisattva drew him into the bottle.

Clutching my injured arm, I watched as the golden light returned to my body. The City God knelt and raised a thumb in approval. I broke out in a cold sweat—what a narrow escape! Looking around at those present, I finally felt relief.

“Court in session!” cried the ghost guards, banging blood-red boards. A bald little ghost in blue struck the drum at the door. Two guards dragged the underworld official Zheng De before the City God.

The City God slammed the wooden gavel in anger, making Zheng De fall to his knees. “Your servant Zheng De pays respects to the City God.” “Zheng De, do you acknowledge your crime?” In the face of the City God’s stern gaze, Zheng De quivered.

“I know my guilt, my lord—please, have mercy!” The City God smiled coldly. “You bribed your way into office, then committed wicked deeds here. You took Liu Heng’s money, ground Zhu Youcai’s body to pulp and served it as a deadly brew. How could I pardon you? If I did, could Heaven forgive you?”

Zheng De trembled with terror. “You were brought here, refused to confess, then colluded with Guli to steal Zhao San’er’s face and escape the underworld. Your crimes are monstrous!” The City God slammed the gavel again, making Zheng De collapse in fear.

“My lord, please spare me...” “If I spare you, how could I face the Yama King, how could I face Heaven? Guards, slice Zheng De in two!” Zheng De begged on his knees.

“My lord, though I am guilty a thousand times over, I beg you not to use such cruel punishment.” I bowed my head, tears streaming down. “The tortures are too brutal—I can’t bear to watch.”

“Please, noble lady, save me! In my next life, I’ll be your ox or horse in gratitude...” The City God considered my words for a moment. “Guards, cast Zheng De into the Avici Inferno!” The ghost soldiers dragged him away.

My ordeal had come to an end.