Chapter 5: Love Dream

At the head of the Naihe Bridge, many ghosts from the Underworld who are about to reincarnate into the mortal world pass through here every day. After drinking that bowl of Meng Po Soup, they forget everything of this life and welcome the beginning of a new cycle of life. Originally, the person brewing soup here was an old grandmother, whom everyone in the Underworld called Meng Po. But starting today, this task has been handed over to a young girl. The reason is that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva felt that the previous method of forcibly pouring Meng Po Soup down the throats of disobedient ghosts for the sake of reincarnation efficiency was truly somewhat inhumane and lacked sufficient respect for the ghosts. In any case, this compassionate Bodhisattva wanted these ghosts to be able to calmly let go of their attachments to their past lives and voluntarily step onto the path of rebirth at the final moment before they enter a new life. For this reason, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva specially chose Meng Po's granddaughter, the innocent and lovely Xiao Meng, to take on this important task.

Xiao Meng was raised with meticulous care by Meng Po since she was small; besides her beautiful appearance and moving voice, she also possesses a pure and gentle personality. In the gloomy and oppressive Underworld, this can be said to be one in ten thousand. The aura of youth and vitality she radiates is something an old grandmother like Meng Po cannot compare to, and the ghosts should be willing to open their hearts to her. The Bodhisattva also built a Wangyou Hut at the head of the Naihe Bridge; every soul will enter this room, and Xiao Meng will offer them the Meng Po Soup and persuade them to drink this bowl of soup willingly. The Bodhisattva's requirement is also very simple: regardless of anything, within ten minutes, it is time for Xiao Meng and these ghosts to communicate, and the ghosts must not be forced. But after ten minutes, the ghost must walk out of this room. If the ghost at this time is still unwilling to drink the bowl of soup in their hand, then it is out of their control. The Underworld Ghost Official Ma Mian, who stands beside Xiao Meng, will naturally take action—the old method: force-feed them!

Just like that, today is Xiao Meng's first day taking over for Meng Po at the head of the Naihe Bridge; the ghosts will soon line up to cross the bridge and come before her. Xiao Meng rarely communicates with other ghosts; besides her grandmother Meng Po, she is only a bit more familiar with the two, Niu Tou and Ma Mian. And in Di Fu, apart from the ghosts, only that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has spoken with Xiao Meng a few times. The Bodhisattva likes this child very much, and Xiao Meng also likes the Bodhisattva, feeling that he is the most kind and benevolent person in the world besides her grandmother. Therefore, she is also very attentive to the Bodhisattva's entrustment this time, thinking only about how she can comfort those ghosts filled with sorrow. Just at this moment, faint sounds of crying gradually came from not far away; Niu Tou had already brought the first batch of ghosts to the other side of the bridge. Ma Mian nodded at Niu Tou, and Niu Tou brought the first ghost onto the bridge, gradually walking to the front of Xiao Meng.

Xiao Meng carefully scrutinized the ghost before her. This was a middle-aged female ghost, trembling uncontrollably all over, emitting sobs that she tried her best to suppress but could not stop no matter what. She could only bury her head very low, yet one could still see teardrops falling from her cheeks one after another. Xiao Meng took her hand, pulled her into the hut to sit down, and said gently, "Everything from before has passed; as long as you drink this bowl of soup, you can forget everything sad from the past and gain a new life."

Xiao Meng smiled and brought the Meng Po Soup before the female ghost, but the female ghost at this moment seemed as if possessed, unable to stop howling and crying crazily. No matter what Xiao Meng said, the female ghost did not respond, only crying blindly. Xiao Meng tried every possible way to communicate with her, but it was simply impossible. Time passed minute by minute, and Xiao Meng could only constantly comfort the weeping female ghost. At this moment, the door of the room was suddenly opened; Ma Mian walked in holding a Soul-Snatching Lock and said to Xiao Meng, "The time has arrived; I will take her out." Ma Mian threw the Soul-Snatching Lock onto the female ghost, and the female ghost immediately stopped crying and howling, turning instead to reveal an expression of painful struggle. Ma Mian pulled and dragged her out of the room, while the minor ghosts nearby took the opportunity to pry open her mouth and poured a full bowl of soup down. After being forced to drink the Meng Po Soup, the female ghost gradually stopped all her shouting, crying, and struggling. Finally, she opened her mouth and said one sentence: "Bitter! So bitter!" With the end of this sentence, the female ghost's eyes gradually lost their luster. Ma Mian put away the Soul-Snatching Lock, and the minor ghost led the female ghost forward step by step. At this time, the female ghost followed behind the leading minor ghost step by step unconsciously, and no expression could be seen on her face anymore...

Xiao Meng witnessed all of this from the side and felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't figure out exactly what was wrong. She lowered her head and muttered, "It's still that I didn't comfort her well enough."

Ma Mian said, "You have already done very well. How could the obsessions in the hearts of these ghosts be so easily dispelled? To have someone to confide in at the final moment and be treated so gently is already the best ending possible. Don't overthink it; if this one doesn't work, there is still the next one; you will succeed eventually."

Xiao Meng nodded upon hearing this and walked back into the room. At this time, another ghost had already been brought over by Niu Tou; this was the ghost of a middle-aged man. Ma Mian signaled for the man to walk into the room; the man did not resist, slowly pushed open the door, and came before Xiao Meng.

Xiao Meng carefully scrutinized the ghost before her; he had neat attire and standard etiquette, yet every move was constrained and uneasy, and his face revealed a sorrowful expression. Xiao Meng smiled at him, trying to ease his nervousness, and then asked, "Is there something that makes you sorrowful? Can you tell me about it?"

The man's ghost smiled bitterly and said, "I never thought my life would end so quickly. My wife and I just got married, and my child is still very young; I dare not imagine what they will do without me."

Xiao Meng said, "Human life is inherently very short, and it is possible to die at any time. This is nothing strange. There are also many people like you who left their families very early. But when experiencing reincarnation and gaining a new life, there will be new family and friends; everyone is like this, so why be obsessed with the karmic connections of this life?"

The man's ghost roared angrily upon hearing this, "You don't understand at all how important they are to me! I don't want any afterlife; I just want to live properly for them in this life. If I lose them, I don't know what meaning there is in my living."

Xiao Meng said, "Calm down; everyone will experience the separation of life and death sooner or later; this is the way of the Dao. How could you possibly stay by their side forever?"

The ghost said, "Even so, but why must it be now? This is unfair! I could clearly have accompanied them until old age and then passed away peacefully in the company of my family. If it were like that, I certainly would have no regrets."

Xiao Meng said, "I have seen many ghosts in the Underworld; they often say that if their life had been such and such, they would have no regrets, but in reality, they all have regrets. The Bodhisattva says: 'The desires of life can never be satisfied, yet all living beings sink into the dream realm and cannot extricate themselves; in the end, when the dream wakes, it is all empty.'"

The man's ghost suddenly began to howl hysterically, "No! No! This is not a dream! How could this be a dream! I don't want to reincarnate; I want to return to their side!" Ma Mian heard the shouting inside the room, immediately pushed open the door, and threw the Soul-Snatching Lock onto the ghost. The man's ghost struggled pointlessly and was dragged out of the room by Ma Mian. Outside the room, the minor ghosts skillfully pried his mouth open, and a bowl of soup was poured down in one go. Gradually, the man's ghost stopped struggling, his eyes became dull and vacant, and he let the minor ghosts lead him forward, as if he had already forgotten everything he loved...

Xiao Meng looked at the ghost's gradually receding back, feeling a bit lost. Seeing this, Ma Mian hurriedly comforted her, "People are all like this; what they are most reluctant to part with is their loved ones. Xiao Meng, you don't need to be sad; after he reincarnates, he will immediately have new family, and by then he will have long forgotten everything of now and will enjoy a happy new life."

Xiao Meng nodded absentmindedly upon hearing this and went back into the room to sit down. Ma Mian sighed, hurried to the other side of the bridge, and said to Niu Tou, "I say, old brother, what is wrong with you? Why are the ones sent today all such difficult ghosts? Xiao Meng is only on the job for the first day today; couldn't you have let two simple ones pass first?"

Niu Tou said, "Brother, the time of reincarnation is decided personally by the Judge and determined personally by Yama. Who is first and who is last is all arranged; you know this point too! How would I dare to swap them privately?"

Ma Mian said, "You just let two ghosts whose obsessions aren't so deep and who are easy to persuade come over first, so we can get a start. Then it won't be too late to follow the order. It won't take much time; you and I are brothers, if you don't say it and I don't say it, how would anyone else know?"

Niu Tou smiled upon hearing this and stretched out three fingers toward Ma Mian.

Ma Mian hurriedly said, "Fine, fine, fine! As long as you agree, I will treat you to Steamer Hell Bun, Blade Mountain Hell Sashimi, and Volcano Hell Roast Meat!"

Niu Tou shook his head helplessly with a smile upon hearing this and sighed, "Being brothers with you, sooner or later you will be the death of me!" Niu Tou looked over the team of ghosts, picked out two ghosts, and said to Ma Mian, "Let's go, brother; this time there will definitely be no problem!" Niu Tou and Ma Mian each grabbed a ghost and came to Xiao Meng's room again. Ma Mian pushed the ghost in his hand inside in one go.

Xiao Meng carefully scrutinized the ghost before her. This was a very young female ghost with an angry expression on her face. Xiao Meng said, "Is there something that makes you very angry? Can you tell me about it?"

The female ghost said, "That guy with the horse head just now threw me in like I was an object; when this young lady gets out, I will definitely make him pay!"

Xiao Meng chuckled and said, "You can't beat him; he is an Underworld Ghost Immortal and is very powerful."

The female ghost said, "So what if he's a Ghost Immortal? Can a Ghost Immortal just throw people around like objects? He doesn't treat me like a person at all!"

Xiao Meng said, "You are indeed no longer a person; you are already dead now and are a ghost."

The female ghost said again, "That's still not respecting ghosts!"

Xiao Meng smiled again and said, "It's actually much better now; if it were before, you would have already drunk the Meng Po Soup and gone to reincarnate by now. Is there anything you are still attached to or reluctant to part with in your heart at this moment?"

The female ghost said, "I don't have anything I'm attached to or reluctant to part with."

Xiao Meng said, "That's great! Quickly drink this bowl of soup and go welcome your new life."

The female ghost said, "Is it true that after drinking this bowl of soup, I will forget everything about this life?"

Xiao Meng said, "Yes, it's a good thing you don't have anything you are particularly attached to. As long as you drink this bowl of soup, you can reincarnate and gain a new life."

The female ghost said, "That won't do; I can forget other things, but I will absolutely not forget that heartless man. If I am to reincarnate, I must find him and take revenge!"

Xiao Meng: "Ah? Why do you hate him so much?"

The female ghost said, "He kept saying he loved me, but he abandoned me and was with another woman. I sacrificed so much for him, yet he returned my kindness with enmity. I was killed by him; how could I ever forget such hatred?"

Xiao Meng said, "But you cannot always live in the hatred of the past; that will be very painful. You should look forward and strive for a better future."

The female ghost said, "You don't understand at all how much I hate him. Taking revenge on him is the only thing I want to do; besides this, I'm not interested in anything else. If I have to forget the hatred for him to gain a new life, then I would rather not gain a new life; I must never forget this bone-deep hatred."

Xiao Meng looked at the female ghost before her and remained silent, not knowing what to say. Just at this moment, the door of the room was opened again; the time had arrived. It was Ma Mian again, using the Soul-Snatching Lock to drag the female ghost out in one go...

Seeing this, Niu Tou smiled awkwardly and said, "Sorry, brother. I didn't expect the hatred in her heart to be so deep... Don't worry, this one will definitely be no problem!" Saying this, he pushed the ghost in his hand inside.

Xiao Meng carefully scrutinized the ghost before her. This was a fat uncle ghost in his forties, wearing expensive clothes and adorned with gorgeous jewelry, looking like a "successful person" in the eyes of the world. This time, before Xiao Meng could speak, the fat uncle spoke first: "Little girl, you are truly beautiful. Just like the white roses blooming in the garden of my home."

Xiao Meng said, "What is a white rose?"

The fat uncle said, "Have you never seen a rose? A white rose, beautiful and pure."

Xiao Meng said, "I have never seen a flower, and I don't know what the flower you speak of looks like."

The fat uncle said in surprise, "Ah! So there are no flowers here; that is truly too terrible. Flowers are the most beautiful things in the world; as long as you see them, you will be deeply attracted by them, and admiring them is the most wonderful thing in the world. Flowers can bring happiness to a person's soul."

Xiao Meng said, "That sounds very nice, but I still can't imagine what a flower looks like."

The fat uncle said, "There are many types of flowers, and their appearances are all different. Rose petals overlap, ready to burst forth, passionate and uninhibited. Chrysanthemums open wide, as if one flower contains a great thousand worlds. Plum blossoms are small yet resilient, cold and steadfast. Orchids are upright and harmonious, like a gentleman among men. I have collected all kinds of famous flowers at home, but unfortunately, I cannot go back." The fat uncle said this, revealing a sorrowful expression.

Xiao Meng comforted him, "After drinking the Meng Po Soup, although you will forget the things of your past life, after you reincarnate, you will still be able to see flowers in the human world!"

The fat uncle said, "No, how could that be the same? My flowers were all carefully selected, the most precious varieties in the world, and then carefully cultivated by me, growing up little by little; they are the only things I love. Whether I am happy or sad, only they are by my side. If I lose them, I don't know what meaning there is in my living. Little girl, you really should go and see all kinds of flowers with your own eyes; a world with flowers is a truly beautiful world, and I dare guarantee you will definitely fall in love with them."

Listening to the uncle's words, Xiao Meng also developed a great interest in the beautiful thing called "flowers," although she still couldn't imagine what a flower actually looked like. This time, Xiao Meng changed from a speaker to a listener, just quietly listening to the fat uncle describe the various types, shapes, and colors of flowers, immersed in infinite reverie about the beauty of flowers. With a creak, the door of the room was pushed open again, and Ma Mian said to the uncle's ghost, "Hello, the time has arrived; please come with us."

The uncle stood up very reluctantly, looked back at Xiao Meng, and followed Ma Mian out. The minor ghosts brought the Meng Po Soup before the uncle's ghost; the uncle snorted coldly and turned his head to the other side. Seeing this, several minor ghosts swarmed up, tackled him to the ground, and forcibly poured the bowl of soup down his throat. Afterward, they carried the uncle, whose consciousness was already blurred, and continued to walk forward step by step. Seeing this, Niu Tou could only smile awkwardly again and said to Ma Mian, "Brother, I am truly sorry; I didn't expect his obsession with flowers to be so deep. How about I treat you to Volcano Hell Roast Meat!"

Ma Mian sighed helplessly. Xiao Meng watched everything happening before her, feeling powerless, and asked Ma Mian sadly, "Uncle Ma Mian, are flowers really as beautiful as that uncle said?"

Ma Mian said, "For people who like flowers, they are indeed the most beautiful, I suppose. I also haven't seen flowers for a very, very long time; I've almost forgotten what flowers look like."

Xiao Meng asked, "Uncle Ma Mian, you have seen flowers before?" Ma Mian said, "I saw them a very, very long time ago, before I came to the Underworld."

Xiao Meng muttered, "That's so nice; if only I could see flowers too..."

In the days to come, many ghosts came to communicate with Xiao Meng every day, but unsurprisingly, no ghost was willing to listen to Xiao Meng's advice, voluntarily drink the Meng Po Soup to forget everything from before, and welcome a new life; Xiao Meng's mood was always very low.

Watching Xiao Meng, who was depressed every day, Ma Mian felt very anxious, so he went to find Niu Tou to discuss it: "Brother, do you know where one can find flowers?"

Niu Tou said in surprise, "Flowers? You mean you want to find flowers in the Underworld? I think you are truly senile! You can't even find a blade of grass here, so how could there be flowers?"

Ma Mian said, "I mean the Underworld is so big, what if there are some? Think about it, although we don't have any here, I think it's not necessarily the case that the Bodhisattva doesn't have any."

Niu Tou said, "You really dare to think! Let alone whether the Bodhisattva even has such flowers, even if she did, what kind of realm is the Bodhisattva in? Is that something two minor ghosts like you and me could easily see? I think you had better stop letting your imagination run wild."

Ma Mian, however, said with a firm tone, "Even if there is a glimmer of hope, I must try it."

Niu Tou scolded, "What a disaster, go ahead and court death, you'll end up killing yourself sooner or later!"

Ma Mian laughed, "If I were truly gone, you would be very lonely by yourself, brother."

Niu Tou said, "What would I be lonely about? I'm afraid that if you were gone, I'd have to do your share of the work too, and that would surely tire me to death."

Ma Mian smiled and said no more. Niu Tou thought for a moment and said, "I once heard the Ghost Immortals of the past mention that, according to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, there really is a flower in the Underworld called the 'Other Shore Flower', also known as the 'Mandala Flower'. It is the last flower to bloom in the season, blooming until the tea fades and the floral affairs end, leaving only the flower that blooms on the other shore before forgetting one's past life. It is recorded in the Buddhist scriptures: 'The Other Shore Flower blooms for a thousand years and falls for a thousand years; the flower and leaves never meet. Affection is not for the sake of cause and effect; fate is destined by life and death.'" Ma Mian murmured, "The flower that blooms on the other shore before forgetting one's past life... Could it be that the flower is by the banks of the Wangchuan River!"

Niu Tou said, "Very likely! If that flower truly exists, it must be there."

Upon hearing this, Ma Mian stood up and prepared to leave. Niu Tou hurriedly grabbed him and said, "That place is not allowed to be entered at will; we must act with caution." Ma Mian nodded, and the two agreed to sneak in and investigate during the deep night of the Underworld, when all the ghosts were wailing.

In the deep night of the Underworld, there is only endless darkness. Light such as sunlight, moonlight, lamplight, firelight, candlelight, and all other forms of brightness cannot reach this place. The ghosts sink into the endless darkness, emitting confused and fearful wails that resound throughout the entire Underworld. Taking advantage of the night, Niu Tou and Ma Mian, relying on their familiarity with the path in their memories, quickly crossed the Naihe Bridge and headed straight into the endless abyss behind the bridge. They had never been to the Wangchuan River, but they knew the Naihe Bridge must still be very far from there. In the darkness where they could not even see their own fingers, they could only run forward side by side without stopping. They did not know how long they had been running when dots of light suddenly appeared before them. As they ran closer, the light gradually became clear, and they were stunned by the scene before them: in front of them bloomed a carpet of flowers as red as fire, and countless fireflies gathered here, illuminating the entire cluster of flowers. Seeing this, Niu Tou exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect that in the deep night of the Underworld, when a hundred ghosts are wailing, there would actually be light here!" Ma Mian walked up, gently picked a few Other Shore Flowers, carefully placed them in his bosom, nodded to Niu Tou, and turned to leave. Unexpectedly, when he looked up, he caught a glimpse of an old woman intently stirring the soup in a large pot on the bank of the Wangchuan River with a ladle. Ma Mian signaled Niu Tou to look over there. Niu Tou took one look, was instantly scared pale, and hurriedly waved for Ma Mian to come back quickly. Ma Mian lowered his footsteps and quickly returned to Niu Tou's side. Niu Tou pulled Ma Mian, quietly retreated from the flower cluster, and then ran wildly until they reached the head of the Naihe Bridge. Panting, Ma Mian said to Niu Tou, "If I didn't see wrong, wasn't that Meng Po? How could she be there?" Niu Tou said, "It is said that the ingredients for Meng Po Soup include water from the Wangchuan River and petals of the Other Shore Flower; it seems this is true. Other ghosts have said that Meng Po is obsessed with seasoning the Meng Po Soup and always tries every possible method to improve the taste of the soup, but several thousand years have passed, and it seems she is still trying, which shows that even after thousands of years of research and attempts, she still hasn't found a taste that satisfies her. That old woman has a very strange personality; it's best we don't provoke her. That's why I pulled you to run quickly before she discovered us."

Ma Mian said, "Brother, I really have to thank you for being able to get this flower this time!" Niu Tou said generously, "We are brothers, why mention the word thanks?" Then he extended his signature three fingers. Ma Mian smiled, "Don't worry, you definitely won't be shorted this time!"

That day, Xiao Meng came to the house by the Naihe Bridge very early as usual. Pushing the door open, she discovered a porcelain vase placed on the table, and inside the vase was something very much like the flower the fat uncle ghost had mentioned. Xiao Meng observed this bouquet of flowers carefully, gradually revealing a knowing smile. At this moment, Ma Mian, standing at the doorway, was already frozen in place by her smile, as if everything in the world had stopped at this moment. Ma Mian stared at her in a daze until Xiao Meng spoke up and called, "Uncle Ma Mian?"

Ma Mian finally came to his senses, smiled slightly, and said, "Don't keep calling me uncle; you're making me old. Actually, if calculated by the age of the Underworld, I'm not much older than you; you should call me brother."

Xiao Meng smiled, "Alright, Brother Ma Mian, did you help me find these flowers?" Ma Mian said, "That's right, I did find them. This is called the Other Shore Flower, also known as the Mandala Flower. How is it? Do you like it?"

Xiao Meng said, "I like it very much, thank you, Brother Ma Mian."

Ma Mian was immersed in an inexplicable joy, enjoying an indescribable happiness, but was suddenly interrupted by a shout; it turned out that Niu Tou had already brought today's ghosts to line up on the other side of the bridge. Today's ghosts were indeed the same as those in the past, immersed in the bits and pieces of their lives before death. In the end, they all relied on Ma Mian's Soul-Snatching Lock, or were forced and stuffed by the minor ghosts. In the blink of an eye, only the last ghost remained.

Xiao Meng carefully examined the ghost before her. This was the ghost of a young man wearing glasses. Although his attire was very individual, he had a calm demeanor; it seemed the gloomy environment of the Underworld had not affected him. Xiao Meng said, "You seem very different; you are unlike any ghost I have encountered before."

The man's ghost smiled and asked, "How am I different?" Xiao Meng said, "The ghosts I have encountered before all possessed intense emotions, whether it was fear, unwillingness, anger, or sadness, etc.; these could be seen at a glance. But you don't seem to have these emotions revealed."

The man said, "Humans are not plants or trees; how can they be without emotion? I just try my best to reconcile reason and emotion so that I don't lean toward either side. If a person is too rational, life will be very boring. Conversely, if one is too emotional, it is inevitable to add sorrow in vain, so it is better to compromise."

Xiao Meng said, "Are you not afraid of death? Is there nothing left in the human world that you are attached to?"

The man said, "I am indeed not afraid of death, but I do still have things I am attached to in the world."

Xiao Meng said, "Everyone is afraid of death; why are you not?"

The man said, "Because there is nothing left in the world of the living that I am attached to."

Xiao Meng said, "But you just said that you still have things you are attached to in the world of the living; isn't this self-contradictory?"

The man said, "This is not contradictory. The person I am attached to, regardless of whether I am still in that world or not, her life will no longer have anything to do with me. I cannot give her anything, so I said I no longer have anything I am attached to. I am like the Mandala Flower in this vase with her; when the flower blooms, the leaves cannot be seen, and when there are leaves, the flower cannot be seen. The flower and leaves never meet, missing each other throughout their lives. And the reason I said I still have things I am attached to is merely that I still love her."

Xiao Meng said, "Attached yet not attached; although I don't quite understand, it feels a bit sad. Then, are you willing to drink the Meng Po Soup and go to reincarnation?"

The man said, "I am not willing. Even though I am already dead now, and even though she and I will never meet again, I still do not want to forget her."

Xiao Meng said, "Just because you don't want to forget, you give up the chance to obtain a new life? In my view, this is not a rational behavior; it's too emotional!"

The man smiled and said, "Perhaps you are right. I will drink it. But it is definitely not to obtain a so-called new life, or to voluntarily forget everything about the present."

Xiao Meng said, "Why is that?"

The man said, "Because I have no choice! If I could choose not to drink it, I definitely wouldn't. But regardless of whether I am willing or not, I have to drink it in the end. Rather than being toyed with by that group of minor ghosts, I might as well drink it myself."

Xiao Meng fell silent for a while after hearing this and asked, "Actually, I have never understood why all the ghosts are unwilling to take the initiative to drink the Meng Po Soup. It is understandable that some ghosts possess many beautiful and happy memories and are unwilling to forget them. But some ghosts' lives are clearly filled with pain and lost memories, yet they are also unwilling to forget these and welcome a new life. Why is this?"

The man said, "Whether it is happy memories or sad memories, they are the proof of their unique existence. Little girl, what do you think life is? Is it just that body that is gradually aging and decaying? That would be a huge mistake! Before I entered this room, I never felt that I was already dead. But after entering this room, I felt death getting closer and closer to me..."

The door of the room was opened again, but Ma Mian did not throw out the Soul-Snatching Lock. The man's ghost had already held the bowl in his hand the moment the door was opened, and finally smiled at Xiao Meng, saying, "Little girl, you really should go to the human world to take a look. It is very beautiful there, with many interesting things; at least it is more beautiful than here." After finishing, the man's ghost drank the soup in the bowl in one gulp and gradually fell into a deep sleep.

Xiao Meng stared blankly at the man who had fallen on the table, crystal tears sliding from the corners of her eyes. Suddenly, she stood up abruptly and ran out of the room wildly. Seeing this, Ma Mian hurriedly chased after her. Xiao Meng ran home in one breath and cried to Meng Po, "Actually, it is we who killed those ghosts, right?"

Meng Po looked at Xiao Meng and said sternly, "What are you talking about? They are already dead."

Xiao Meng shouted, "No, it's not! They didn't die; it's just that their physical bodies no longer exist, but their souls are still alive. And your soup kills their souls..."

Meng Po sighed helplessly, "You have listened to the Bodhisattva preach so many scriptures, yet you still have the distinction between life and death."

Xiao Meng said, "I just met a ghost who was very different. I had heard before that many ghosts were sad because they were reluctant to part with the people they lived with and were unwilling to accept a new life; that kind is still understandable. But the person he missed in his heart had no contact with him in life anymore. It was just because he didn't want to forget... he didn't want to forget even until death... he actually wanted to give up a new life for this. I once thought that life was the most precious thing, but now, I realize that I don't even understand what life is, so how could I understand what is precious about it? I am already tired of everything in the Underworld. I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go to the human world to see those beautiful things they talked about. Sunlight, rain and dew, high mountains, rivers, animals, and plants. I want to know what the meaning of life is..."

Meng Po looked at Xiao Meng, took a deep breath, and said, "Alright, if you want to go, then go. However, any ghost's reincarnation requires drinking the Meng Po Soup. If you have decided, I will help you."

Xiao Meng said, "I have already decided." Saying this, she turned and left, not knowing where she went.

Ma Mian had been hiding on the side, eavesdropping on their conversation. After Xiao Meng left, Ma Mian walked in and asked Meng Po, "Granny, are you not senile? How could you agree to let Xiao Meng go to the human world? The human world has the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death, as well as the various troubles of separation from loved ones, meeting those one hates, not getting what one seeks, and the flourishing of the five aggregates; how could you bear it?"

Meng Po said, "She insisted on going herself; what can I do? Every ghost has the right to reincarnation. If she is willing to drink the Meng Po Soup and head for reincarnation, no one has the qualification to stop her." Upon hearing this, Ma Mian stomped his feet in resentment and turned to chase after Xiao Meng.

Xiao Meng sat alone at the head of the Naihe Bridge, resting her chin on her hands, not knowing what she was thinking about. Ma Mian came to Xiao Meng's side, sat down next to her, and advised, "Xiao Meng, don't listen to those ghosts about how beautiful the human world is and let your heart be moved. None of the beauty in the human world can last; sometimes it's not even as comfortable as our Underworld!" Xiao Meng said, "I know, but even so, I still want to see what that fleeting beauty that everyone is unwilling to forget looks like." Ma Mian wanted to say something more, but when he saw Xiao Meng's firm gaze, he didn't know how to speak.

Xiao Meng left; it was Meng Po who personally gave her the Meng Po Soup to drink. After Xiao Meng left, Meng Po once again took over the task of giving soup to the ghosts. Unlike Xiao Meng, every day, as soon as Meng Po entered the room, she would start dozing off in her rocking chair. When ghosts came in, she never interacted with them and let them do whatever they wanted. A neat row of soup bowls was placed on the table, and even though no ghost took the initiative to drink, she didn't mind at all. As time passed, one ghost after another was dragged out by the minor ghosts, and another ghost was put in; she never asked or cared.

Ma Mian had been depressed ever since Xiao Meng left. Seeing this, Niu Tou said with great concern, "I say, brother, you can't go on like this! Why don't we go to the Knife Mountain Hell later, eat some sashimi, and have a couple of drinks together?"

Ma Mian suddenly grabbed Niu Tou's hand and said, "Brother, I've decided; I also want to go to the human world, to Xiao Meng's side. You have to help me!"

Niu Tou roared, "Are you crazy? You have a good life as a Ghost Immortal and you want to go to the human world?"

Ma Mian said, "Brother, take a good look at this place where we live! It is full of sadness and confusion, and the desolation of having nothing. For thousands of years, we have repeated the same work every day, and I don't know what the meaning of such a life is. Actually, I have long been tired of it. To me, Xiao Meng's existence is the only meaning for me to survive..."

Niu Tou said, "Brother, calm down. If you want to enter reincarnation, you have to drink the Meng Po Soup. If you drink the Meng Po Soup, you won't remember anything, so how will you find Xiao Meng? So you'd better forget it."

Ma Mian said, "It is precisely because of this that I need your help. I plan not to drink the Meng Po Soup and sneak into reincarnation."

Niu Tou said angrily, "I think you are truly crazy! That is a grave crime that violates the Heavenly Law; if you are caught, your soul will be scattered. If you want to court death, go ahead, but I won't be foolish with you."

Ma Mian said with shame, "Indeed, it was my lack of consideration, and I almost implicated you. Very well, I will go myself."

The deep night of the Underworld descended once again. Ma Mian ran alone on the long road to the bank of the Wangchuan River, his heart filled with excitement and joy. The dots of faint light gradually appearing before him and the Other Shore Flowers seeing off the dead had now become his hope. Ma Mian tiptoed through the flower cluster, moving slowly forward. Suddenly, he heard a shout in his ear: "Who is it that dares to trespass into the forbidden land of the Underworld?" Ma Mian looked up and saw that it was Meng Po standing in the air, her blood-red eyes staring fixedly at him.

Ma Mian secretly cried out that it was bad, but he said calmly, "Ah, isn't this Granny? I was idle in the deep night, so I came here to enjoy the flowers, not expecting that Granny would be here too."

Meng Po would not believe his ghost talk and said coldly, "One more step forward and you will enter the bottom of the Wangchuan River, which is the place of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. You really picked a good place to enjoy flowers! I'm afraid you want to sneak out of the Underworld, right?"

Ma Mian said, "Granny, what are you saying? How could that be? I just came to enjoy the flowers and was curious, so I was just wandering around. How could I want to escape the Underworld?"

Meng Po said, "That's fine. Come with me to the Bodhisattva's mount, Di Ting, and let him listen to you. If you are truly wronged, I will apologize to you myself. But if you really have the heart to sneak into reincarnation, don't blame me for not considering our past relationship."

Ma Mian secretly felt miserable. He had long heard that the Di Ting under the Bodhisattva was a divine beast that could identify the loyalty, treachery, good, and evil of all beings in the three realms by pressing its ear to the ground. If he really went to Di Ting with this old woman, how could his little thoughts be hidden? The Wangchuan River was right before his eyes now, and he was only a step away from escaping. He might as well make a desperate fight; perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope. Ma Mian thought to himself, and his right hand unconsciously reached for the Soul-Snatching Lock at his waist. But how sharp were Meng Po's eyes? How could she not see Ma Mian's small movements? In her right hand behind her back, she was already gripping the large ladle used for brewing Meng Po Soup. In a flash of lightning, Ma Mian had already thrown the Soul-Snatching Lock, aiming straight at Meng Po. But he saw Meng Po throw the long-handled ladle, and the Soul-Snatching Lock was tightly entangled on the long-handled ladle, but it did not stop the momentum of the ladle. The ladle went straight for Ma Mian's left arm. Ma Mian had no time to dodge and fell to the ground injured in an instant. Meng Po walked up to Ma Mian and said, "You junior, you still dare to make a move against me? When I followed the Bodhisattva, you hadn't even been born yet! According to the Heavenly Law, sneaking into reincarnation means the soul will be scattered; don't blame me!" As Meng Po said this, she was about to take action against Ma Mian.

Just at this moment, a roar was heard: "Granny, show mercy and don't harm my brother!" Subsequently, a steel fork descended from the sky, attacking Meng Po directly. Meng Po dodged and laughed, "Sure enough, there is an accomplice; interesting!" Niu Tou had already appeared by Ma Mian's side, helping Ma Mian up.

Ma Mian smiled bitterly, "I am truly foolish; I shouldn't have told you in the first place. This time, I've implicated you again."

Niu Tou said, "You and I are brothers, why speak of implicating or not implicating each other?"

Meng Po looked at Niutou Mamian and said, "Even if the two of you were added together, you are still far from being my match. There are only two paths before you now. If you wish to reincarnate, obediently drink the bowl of soup in my hand; as long as you do not violate the Heavenly Laws, this old woman will not stop you. Or, go back and continue being your Ghost Immortals; for the sake of our past friendship, I do not wish to make things difficult for you. You choose."

Niu Tou and Ma Mian exchanged a glance, and Ma Mian suddenly smiled at Meng Po, saying, "I choose the third path. I will certainly not drink the Meng Po Soup. But who says I must reincarnate as a human? I am willing to enter the Animal Path, as long as I can be with Xiao Meng. Entering the Animal Path does not require drinking Meng Po Soup, so this does not violate the Heavenly Laws."

As soon as these words were spoken, Niu Tou and Meng Po were both greatly shocked, and Niu Tou said with tears, "Brother, why must you do this?"

Meng Po also said with pity, "Have you thought this through? Once you enter the Animal Path, a thousand years of bitter cultivation will be lost in an instant. Is it worth it?"

"As long as I can be with her, it is enough..."

Amidst the astonished gazes of Niu Tou and Meng Po, Ma Mian struggled to move forward, gradually passing through that sea of flowers, once again using his only remaining arm to cradle a bunch of Mandala Flower, and finally walked into the bottomless Wangchuan River...

On the boundless wilderness, a young girl in white clothes rode a sturdy white horse, galloping under the vast, endless blue sky. The sunlight shone on the girl's youthful face, making her smile look even more beautiful. The white horse's four hooves galloped, constantly emitting high-pitched neighs, as if echoing the girl's innocent and lively laughter...

(End of this chapter)