Chapter 8: Chapter Eight: Your 279 Concubines Are in Place

The Netherworld Bone Lord hummed a little tune as he walked to the back courtyard. Xiu Niang said she had just brought back a new little bride; that little thing was really exciting, and he was practically itching with anticipation. After dealing with a few errant ghost servants, he could wait no longer and headed for the back courtyard.

But as soon as he stepped through the back courtyard gate, he was dumbfounded—the gaunt ghost straight ahead looked eerily familiar.

Seeing him, the ghost became even more excited, drifting over without delay: "My lord! I've finally waited for you, my lord!!!"

The Netherworld Bone Lord stepped back, trying to recall who this ghost was from memory, but before he could finish, the ghost lunged at him: "My lord, I really miss you!" Then she gave a loud smack and bit his face directly.

The Netherworld Bone Lord froze, finally recalling who this ghost was—his first concubine. Back then she had been charming and lovely, a famed little female ghost of the netherworld; now how had she become this wretched apparition? "You…"

Before he could voice his question, out of the corner of his eye he saw female ghosts drifting in from all directions—plump and slim, various postures, beautiful, graceful, radiant—all lunging at him.

They all called out in sweet voices: "My lord, you've finally come to see Jiao Jiao!" "My lord, this servant misses you so!" "My lord, kiss Xing'er—you haven't kissed Xing'er in ages!"

Who was Jiao Jiao? Apparently his fifty‑fifth concubine! And who was Xing'er? Apparently his twenty‑third concubine!

And who is this servant, then?

Who is it, who exactly is it—they'd already started reaching out to grope him!! The Netherworld Bone Lord had no time to think, and was surrounded by these nameless female ghosts, who manhandled him from head to toe, inside and out; thus a generation of ghost lord fell, his wails audible even far away.

Meanwhile, Shi Ran followed behind Ling Xiao in high spirits, watching him use ice‑breaking talismans to break one seal after another, releasing one concubine after another, and she couldn't help humming a little tune happily.

"The sky of the liberated zone is a clear sky, the people of the liberated zone love… ya hey he he yi ha hey, ya hey hey hey! he he! ya hey hey yi ya hey!"

Ling Xiao released the last concubine, then turned wordlessly to look at Shi Ran.

"Hey! Cough cough cough cough!" Shi Ran accidentally choked; she peered out, and joy turned to sorrow—there was no trace of Mei Ruoxue among the concubines.

"How could she not be here?" Shi Ran gripped the concubine she had just released, who hadn't drifted away because she was hesitating whether to flee this place or go to the Netherworld Bone Lord's side to continue seeking favor.

"Have you seen a female ghost who likes to wear white clothes and has a delicate, lovely appearance?"

The concubine thought seriously: "There was indeed such a maiden yesterday, but she caused too big a commotion, so Granny Xiu Niang locked her up!"

"Locked up?" Ling Xiao frowned. "Where is she being held?"

The concubine fell silent, gazing wistfully at Shi Ran: "This… is something else…"

"I get it! This is another price." Shi Ran felt around, then without hesitation handed the pomegranate‑tassel hairpin from her hair to the concubine: "I was grabbed in a hurry; this is all I have on me. Please tell my elder brother where that woman is being held."

The concubine snatched the pomegranate‑tassel hairpin and began fiddling with it against her hair bun, while Shi Ran, placing the hairpin on her, blurted out a fabricated story: "To be frank, that woman was originally my future sister‑in‑law! She and my elder brother couldn't be together in the mortal world, so they died together for love, yet even here in the netherworld they still can't be together."

"Lovers in the world find it hard to become a family; must they still be torn apart like the parting swallows even in the netherworld? I see you as a sensible ghost—you surely won't stand by and watch my elder brother and sister‑in‑law remain separated after death, right?"

Ling Xiao closed his eyes on the other side, thinking, "What virtue or ability do I have, to have trained Shi Ran to be so… so eloquent!"

The concubine wasn't moved either; she had seen countless ghosts, and nothing but gold, silver, and incense could stir her.

But she still pointed the way: "Keep going that direction and there's a dungeon—she's inside!" Then she glanced at Ling Xiao and said, "Actually, your elder brother is also genuine; there are thousands of good women in the netherworld, so why fixate on just her? If it were me…"

Ling Xiao could take no more; he grabbed Shi Ran and walked away.

Shi Ran, oblivious, kept bouncing in Ling Xiao's "thunder zone": "Master, seriously, that concubine just now was quite the lovely gem—pure and pretty, exactly your type, and I think she's taken a liking to you! Why don't you two—"

"Shut up!"

Ling Xiao flicked his talisman, a red light flashed, and the dungeon's seal broke.

"Not bad!" Shi Ran secretly decided she would definitely study talisman cultivation well; when others fight, she'll wave papers in the back to cheer—just thinking about it gets her excited.

Ling Xiao took two steps, noticed Shi Ran hadn't caught up, and helplessly went back to grab her and keep walking.

Inside the dungeon it was damp and dark, and a strange odor wafted out, making Shi Ran feel waves of dizziness—could this be poison?

Shi Ran didn't think much; she casually tore two strips from her own skirt, tied them over her mouth and nose, then went over to tie them for Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao was holding a talisman, looking at Shi Ran with surprise; she tied it seriously, her eyes shining brightly in the firelight. Ling Xiao pondered, then silently put the talisman back, thinking, "Never mind—my talismans are running low; I'd better use them sparingly."

Probably the sudden glimmer of light sparked hope in Mei Ruoxue's eyes; she gave a soft cough: "Save…"

The sound was extremely faint, but Ling Xiao heard it; he hurried a few steps and finally found Mei Ruoxue in a corner of the dungeon.

Ling Xiao forgot about Shi Ran; she could only follow the firelight, her steps unsteady, and happened to see Ling Xiao tenderly picking up Mei Ruoxue.

Ling Xiao raised his eyes; his talisman snapped and sparked a fireball, making Shi Ran's heart leap—her immaculate master seemed really angry!

He ought to be angry! As Ling Xiao and Shi Ran brushed past, she glanced at the emaciated, wretched Mei Ruoxue in his arms; though her form was merely a soul, to be abused like this was too pitiful.

"Fall in!" Ling Xiao's tone was icy cold; Shi Ran shivered and hurried after him—fortunately his anger wasn't aimed at her, or she'd have frozen to death first!

The Netherworld Bone Lord's manor was still a chaotic mess; although he had dispatched all his ghost servants, some concubines had fled, and once they ran they were hard to retrieve. Heartbroken, the Netherworld Bone Lord jumped up and down, lashing left and right with a whip, striking Xiu Niang's head.

Xiu Niang trembled as she twisted her battered head back into place, kneeling on the ground and shivering: "My lord, please calm your anger; my lord, please calm your anger. This old servant will surely find the culprit and let you vent your fury!"

The Netherworld Bone Lord continued to swing a whip at Xiu Niang: "Xiu Niang, you'd better not disappoint me, or else…"

"Or what!" Shi Ran shouted from the roof at the master and servants below: "Whatever that Netherworld lord is, you're looking for me! I'm right here—what are you going to do about it?"

The moment the Netherworld Bone Lord saw Shi Ran, he froze for an instant—this lovely female ghost, if she could become his… but he immediately spotted Ling Xiao standing beside her, then looked at the female ghost Ling Xiao held in his arms, and exclaimed, "You lot are in cahoots!"

"Tch! Didn't I just tell you?" Shi Ran laughed brightly. "How dense can you be! After being a ghost for so long, have you lost your brains?"