In the rear hall.

“How troublesome.” A certain Ying expressed that she was too lazy to get to work.

“Troublesome my foot. Hurry up.” Lonemoon was not about to let her slack off any further. He turned around to face Meng Po, who was standing beside her. “Shortie, bring that cowardly ghost to Samsara first.” He tugged at Shen Ying and returned to the starry sky at the divine territory.

Shen Ying opened a screen lazily and began her search. A moment later, her sleepy eyes opened wide. A small realm flew out in front of her.

“This is the little realm that our Deed-Signing Stage is connected to?” Lonemoon stepped forward and looked closely at the planet. There were some green patches, and a cloud of white gas surrounding it. He frowned. “Is that a Latter-Day 1 world?”

A small realm like this would normally have very little spiritual power. The number of mortals who had working spirit roots would also be few and far between. That was why it would probably be extraordinarily difficult for people to become cultivators. There was not even one person who managed to become a cultivator in a billion years. Some even went so far as to cut off their inheritance so that they had no chance of ever becoming a cultivator. The ghost whose grievous energy had shot to the skies earlier had come from a small realm like this. That was what surprised everyone.

“Forget it, Chef, go over there and fetch Little Black and Yu Hong back.” That couple had fallen into the little realm like that for a few days. They must have gotten into some kind of trouble.

“Alright.” Yi Qing nodded.

“Come back soon.” Shen Ying patted his shoulder, then turned around. “Yeah, I haven't watered Radish yet.” She was just about to try to get away when a certain father of her stopped her.

“Wait!” Lonemoon pushed Shen Ying toward Yi Qing. “Go along with him.”

“Huh?”

“Huh what? Chef just recovered. Are you sure you won't be worried if he goes alone?”

Shen Ying glanced at Yi Qing, then looked back at Father Niu. Very seriously, she nodded. “Yes, I trust Chef!”

“Get lost.” You're just freaking lazy, aren't you?

“Father Niu, can I not go?” That's so troublesome.

“The wedding celebration has just ended. There are so many administrative matters to tend to for the sect. Yu Hong is not around either.” He scanned her from head to toe. “Don't tell me that you want to stay behind and go to Qing Ze Continent to deliver immortal equipment? Or to Cloud Sea Continent to look for spirit beasts? Or to Bo Sea Continent to set up arrays?”

Shen Ying hesitated, then turned and tugged at Yi Qing's arm. “Little Hong and Little Black have been gone for so long, we're getting worried now. There are so many kidnappers out there these days. As their Sect Master, I must go and get them back. Let's go, Chef!”

She was about to lead Yi Qing away.

“Wait!”

“Father Niu, don't stop me! I'm a very principled sect master!”

“…” *Did she have any shame? *

Lonemoon pursed his lips. He turned and tossed a bag over to her. “I'm not stopping you. Take these spirit stones with you. Don't say I didn't give you allowance for the trip.”

Spirit stones!

“Come back once you find them. Don't wander around!”

“Okay, Father Niu! No problem, Father Niu!”

“…”

He felt more worried now. What was he going to do? Was it too late to ask for the spirit stones back?

The master and disciple arrived at the little realm in a blink of an eye. Just like Lonemoon said, the little realm had very little spirit Qi. The air composition was extremely complicated. There were all kinds of earthly airs. Even Yi Qing frowned because he felt uncomfortable.

He looked around. In order to avoid attracting trouble, they chose to appear in the midst of a dense forest.

“Master, please wait over here for a moment. I am going to search for Yu Hong's aura.” Yi Qing handed a fruit to Shen Ying out of habit. Using both of his hands he conjured a seal and began to search for Yu Hong's and Little Black's auras. Some immortal Qi shot forth from his body and throughout the entire little realm.

Even before Shen Ying could finish eating half a fruit, he opened his eyes and frowned. Turning to Shen Ying, he said, “Master, I sense that there is some demonic Qi somewhere north of here, about ten thousand miles away. I think… it should be Little Black.”

Shen Ying's eyes narrowed. “Which way is north?”

Chef pointed to his right. “This way.”

He was just about to fly up on his sword when he noticed that Shen Ying had turned and walked in the opposite direction. “Then let's head this way.”

“Ah! Huh?” Yi Qing paused. “Aren't… Aren't we going to fetch them back?”

“”Chef….” Shen Ying patted his shoulder. “Do you think anything is going to happen to them?”

Yi Qing stared back at her blankly. He did not understand what she was asking, but he answered honestly, “Given Yu Hong and Little Black's cultivation levels, nothing much would happen to them just because they fall into the lower realm.”

“Then why do you think they're not heading back?”

“Huh?” Yi Qing remained dazed.

“They're having their honeymoon. If we go and look for them now, it would not be great.” We have to wait for at least a month. They would only return after they finished spending all the spirit stones they had.

“What is… a honeymoon?” Yi Qing could not understand a word Shen Ying was saying.

“A honeymoon is…” Shen Ying tilted her head. She thought about how best to put it. “It's absolutely understandable, logical and lawful. It's all about the nights two cultivators spend together after they get married.”

Yi Qing paused, finally understanding something. He blushed. Shen Ying thought she saw smoke coming out of his ears.

Two… two cultivators… at night…

(っ//////////c)

He stole a glance at Shen Ying, images flas.h.i.+ng past his head. Something dripped out from his nose.

“Do you understand?”

Un… understand what?

“Let's go! Let's head to the south.” Shen Ying pulled at his arm.

“Master, this is north.”

“…”

A while later…

“Oh yes, Chef, did you feel like there were little animals around in this forest?”

Yi Qing pressed his nose and answered, “There are 36,957 different beasts.”

“Good, let's go and pick a fat one!”

“Yes, Master. No problem, Master!”

It was a pity that neither of them could find any animal. The air in front of them began to twist, and a pa.s.sage opened up.

“Sect Master…” Meng Po walked toward them with a bitter expression. Behind her was a thin line, formed with dharma spells. At the end of the line was a ball of grievous energy that looked much like a furball.

“This is… Song Ren?” Yi Qing looked at the ball of grievous energy suspiciously. How did he turn into a ball of grievous energy again so soon? “Did Father Niu ask you to bring him here to be reincarnated?”

Meng Po's expression fell. Her eyes overflowed with guilt as she bowed toward Shen Ying. “Your disciple failed. I don't know why the grievous energy that this ghost has in her body cannot be removed. Instead, more and more grievous energy is being produced.” As she spoke, she raised her hand in an attempt to get rid of more grievous energy. “The grievous energy cannot be gotten rid of. This soul cannot enter Samsara at all. I tried to get rid of the energy several times, but I don't know why no matter where I attempt to do so, I can't… Eh?”

Before she could finish speaking, the ball of grievous energy disappeared. The cowardly nerd appeared once again.

“This is…” He looked around, eyes widened in confusion. Upon seeing Meng Po holding the line, he paled and began to panic. A moment later, he seemed to recall something and then patted his chest. “So it's you, the immortals! Oh right, weren't you immortals going to send me to Samsara? Is this the Underworld?”

“That's really strange. What exactly are you?” Meng Po studied him in confusion. All of them gathered around the ghost. “I could not get rid of your grievous energy earlier on. Why did all the grievous energy disappear the moment you arrived in front of Sect Master?”

How could it be that this soul had trouble entering the River of Forgetfulness?

Yi Qing frowned. He released his divine perception to study the ghost. Apart from the fact that his soul was now weakened by the grievous energy, there was nothing out of the ordinary about him.

“Master, could he be…” an invader?

“No.” Shen Ying's eyes narrowed as she scanned the cowardly ghost. She turned to face Meng Po. “Shortie, apart from you, does anyone else know how to get rid of grievous energy?”

Footnotes:

The third age of Buddhism