Chapter 619: Epilogue: The Marriage Stone

The thing I worried about most still happened.

When Liu Junyan summoned heavenly thunder to strike down Qu Yaosong, I feared he would thus be seized by his braid and made a big issue of; when we withdrew smoothly from Junzhu Mountain, I still let out a small sigh of relief.

I didn't expect the netherworld officials to arrive, albeit late.

Liu Junyan stepped forward, walked ahead of me, then reached out and lightly patted my back, signaling me not to be afraid.

Then I heard him say: 'The elderly near a hundred years old you mentioned should have died of illness over forty years ago; I am carrying out Heaven's will, not wantonly killing the innocent.'

The netherworld official said: 'Regardless of the facts, we will investigate ourselves; Seventh Lord Liu is under suspicion and must come with us first—this is procedure.'

'The innocent will clear themselves.' Liu Junyan said, 'Since it's procedure, then I…'

'Whoever accuses must provide evidence.' I stepped forward sharply, blocking Liu Junyan, and declared solemnly: 'Netherworld official, if you must apprehend our Seventh Lord for trial in the netherworld, please bring the arrest warrant and evidence; even the City God himself personally said Qu Yaosong lived to this age thanks to the Daoist Zhu Ming defying heaven to change fate—you have no basis, what do you have to demand our cooperation?'

'City God?' the netherworld official replied, 'The current City God lacks virtue for his position; the judgment documents will be issued soon—how credible can his words be?'

This is essentially questioning our collusion with Wang Fanche.

If Wang Fanche is truly judged and stripped of the City God position, this matter will inevitably be somewhat implicated.

My mind raced, and I retorted: 'Oh, the judgment documents haven't been issued yet? The incumbent City God hasn't been replaced? You rush out like this, flattering some and belittling others—this is the attitude of the netherworld officials in handling affairs?'

The netherworld official stared, obviously not expecting my attitude to be so overbearing.

Liu Junyan also realized this, asking: 'I have dealings with many departments of the netherworld and have good relations with the Seven Halls Yama; sir, you seem unfamiliar—may I ask which hall of Yama you belong to? Perhaps there's a misunderstanding; I can go directly to the netherworld to speak with your King of Hell and clear it up face to face.'

The netherworld official hesitated, then said sheepishly: 'Since there may be a misunderstanding, we will investigate more carefully, striving to give Seventh Lord Liu justice as soon as possible.'

Having said that, he actually turned and led the netherworld team away.

We watched them disappear at Xijiekou, and both I and Liu Junyan's faces changed instantly.

Returning to the pawnshop, we closed the door.

Liu Junyan said: 'Just now I didn't think much, only feeling I had a clear conscience, but I overlooked their true intent behind this; Xiao Jiu, you reacted faster.'

'Once you go with them into the netherworld, it will be hard for me to rescue you.' I said, 'Someone wants to swallow my territory, using this as a pretext to first detain you, then use you to threaten me; then I would have to make concessions, whether losing management of the Yin Dang Hang or losing the Feng Clan's turf—either would be a major blow to me.'

'Truly hard to guard against.' Liu Junyan agreed with my view: 'In officialdom, every personnel shift pulls the whole body; the City God has just suffered heavenly tribulation, life or death unknown, personnel changes haven't been issued, yet these netherworld officials dare to be two-faced and question him—such is the fickleness of the world, making one sigh.'

I also worried: 'The Ascension Heaven Hall has already been destroyed; Wang Fanche was inside then, Āyàn, do you think he…'

I was just feeling sorry for Yu Nian.

'His status is there; news will come soon.' Liu Junyan said, 'I've had Mo Qiong keep watch, and will also liaise with the Seven Halls Yama; you rest first, I'll tell you immediately if there's news.'

I grabbed his sleeve and urged: 'Āyàn, don't go anywhere for now, especially the netherworld; wait until that netherworld official's identity is clarified before speaking, lest someone in high position wants to move against you.'

Liu Junyan smiled helplessly: 'Okay, I'll listen to you, but Xiao Jiu, don't be overly anxious; I'll stay alert.'

It was late at night again.

This disaster is far from over.

I felt jittery all over.

After taking a hot bath and just putting on clean clothes, I heard Hui Moqiong speaking outside; he had gone out to make arrangements, and now he and Liu Junyan went to the back to talk.

I didn't go straight to bed, but took out the stone block I had brought back from the Nineteen Cave Heavens.

That day I specifically had Liang Bo sign the pawn ticket and guarantee, one to prevent them from going back on their word, another because Wang Fanche always wanted to take his stone, which gave me inspiration.

Indeed, in the Nineteen Cave Heavens, Wang Fanche said the huge stone was made by fusing soil from the base of the City God Temple walls with fragments of the Three Lives Stone, making it a true karma stone.

And the Mandarins Duck Heart Lock was peeled off from inside the huge stone, governing marriage, thus it can be considered a marriage stone.

Although the Mandarins Duck Heart Lock was melted by Nirvana fire, losing external mana augmentation, and far inferior to the Three Lives Stone's effect, its own function is sufficient for ordinary people.

If a crafty artisan could target it for modification, its effect would double.

Well, actually I harbor selfish motives; I intend to obtain this marriage stone to see if Jin Wuya and Shi Rou can make use of it.

Shi Rou lost two children consecutively, her body and mind ravaged—how could one not worry?

She herself is extremely eager for new life to arrive.

Whether Jin Wuya or Shi Rou, they have helped the pawnshop considerably; whenever I can help, I think of them.

Perhaps because I kept thinking about the marriage stone and Shi Rou before sleep, I had a strange dream after falling asleep.

In the dream, children kept laughing and playing, their giggling filling the whole dreamscape; I seemed to see many illusory shadows, vague and indistinct.

The next morning upon waking, I sat on the bed hugging the blanket, dazed for a while before getting up to wash.

At breakfast, I saw Li Qingying with panda eyes, yawning nonstop—obviously she hadn't rested well.

I asked her when she had returned.

'This morning.' Li Qingying said, 'Yesterday I sent Yu Nian back to the Funeral Shop; I wasn't at ease leaving her alone, so I decided to stay and keep her company, making small talk. She gave me several big stacks of gold foil paper for me to fold into gold ingots, while she herself folded paper boats beside me.'

I folded gold ingots all night; you can see both my hands are stained, I'm so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open, but I must say Yu Nian's paper-craft skill is truly good; when I left, the paper boats, though unfinished, were lifelike, just like the real thing.

I took Li Qingying's hand and looked; both thumbs and index fingers were indeed stained.

Both amused and distressed, I said: 'Sister Qingying, you've worked hard.'

Li Qingying dismissed it: 'Compared to you risking life and death outside, my little hardship counts for nothing.'

I then asked in detail what Yu Nian's newly made paper boat looked like; Li Qingying described it one by one.

I can basically confirm that Yu Nian folded a ferry to the netherworld.

Why did she suddenly fold a netherworld ferry?