Zhuge Suli.
Qiyueban.
Everything Fu Sang knew so far was subtly different from the information he originally possessed.
Various fragmented memories pieced together, forming a past that was both unfamiliar and familiar.
“Didn’t expect that, did you?” Jiuzhangji’s voice was as ethereal and faint as mist.
“A thousand years ago, I truly never expected to meet you again a thousand years later. Little Qi, I’m also curious about what you experienced after descending the mountain back then that turned you into the person you are today.”
“Don’t call me that.” Fu Sang frowned.
Whether it was Zhuge Suli or Qiyueban, to him, both were merely strangers in a story.
He felt no sense of belonging toward either of those names.
“Fu Sang.” Jiuzhangji respected his wishes and returned to the main topic.
“To use Master’s words, Little Qi was born for the Nether Path.”
“When Master brought Little Qi back from that dead city, he immediately noticed that Little Qi was different from ordinary humans. Perhaps because he had been exposed to yin energy for too long, his perception of underworld spirits was astonishingly sharp. To him, there was practically no barrier between humans and underworld spirits. He could communicate with underworld spirits and even manipulate their will, giving them orders.”
“Master said this was a rare talent bestowed by Heaven. He wanted to nurture Little Qi’s abilities, so he took him around the world, letting him experience the many aspects of life and the warmth and coldness of human relationships, encounter underworld spirits, and witness all kinds of joys and sorrows surrounding life and death.”
“Unfortunately, perhaps all gifts from fate come with their own price. Little Qi was born with few emotions. He acted according to his own heart and could not distinguish good from evil. Master originally advocated letting nature take its course, but as Little Qi’s abilities grew stronger and stronger, he couldn’t help becoming worried. If things continued like this, what kind of catastrophe might Little Qi bring upon the human world if he acted as he pleased and went astray one day?”
“Originally, people only needed to actively settle their ‘karma’ when advancing to the rank of Shenguan(Divine Official). But Master turned karma into a means of restricting Little Qi’s actions. If he deliberately sowed evil causes and reaped evil consequences, he would suffer the pain of ten thousand ants devouring his heart and raging flames burning his bones.”
“Little Qi truly was a gifted child. Although Master was the founder of the Nether Path, most of the incantations and spells that were later passed down through the Nether Path actually came from Little Qi’s hands. In just seven years after entering the sect, he had already taken half a step into the position of Shenguan. He was only half a step away from shedding his mortal body and entering the divine ranks.”
“Master originally thought that because he was very strict with Little Qi regarding karma, the karma he carried would be settled easily and smoothly, allowing him to become a god. But an accident still occurred.”
“Little Qi had a major unresolved karmic entanglement. Master said it was a fated connection. Even he couldn’t calculate whether it would bring good or bad. He only knew that it might help Little Qi rise straight to the clouds, or drag him down into an abyss of eternal damnation. But Little Qi had to resolve this karma. Otherwise, he would remain stuck in an awkward position between advancement and stagnation for the rest of his life, unable to rise beyond the state of a demigod.”
“But no one knew where this karma began. Master went into seclusion for three days and three nights to calculate before finally determining that the karma came from Little Qi’s left eye.”
‘…Left eye.’
Fu Sang recalled that the color of his left pupil was different from ordinary people’s since birth. It was a dark red like blood.
He also recalled the first memory he had obtained concerning Su Li. It was probably Su Li’s first meeting with Qi Changying.
In a village where soldiers from Chaosu were wantonly slaughtering people, a young man in red rode over on horseback, held Su Li in his arms, and raised a hand to block a knife for him.
A drop of blood splashed into Su Li’s left eye.
“It was a drop of blood.”
Jiuzhangji spoke at that moment as well.
“The person who left that drop of blood was in the capital. As the saying goes, the person who tied the bell must untie it. To resolve this inexplicable fated connection and karma, Little Qi had to find that person.”
“This was Little Qi’s own matter. None of us outsiders, including Master, could help him.”
“Master was very worried the day Little Qi descended the mountain. Perhaps he sensed something ominous. He was a Shenguan for many years and rarely encountered a heavenly secret he couldn’t calculate. Little Qi’s matter was one of those rare exceptions.”
Jiuzhangji made an inviting gesture, indicating that Fu Sang should continue walking.
The two strolled through the ethereal mist on Moon-Crossing Bridge.
“On the day Little Qi left, Master and I stood on the mountaintop and watched him go.”
“That year, he was thirteen.”
…
Su Li had never been to the capital.
He vaguely remembered that when he was little, his father had often described the capital’s prosperity to him and told him stories about Zhuge Wenyun, their Zhuge family’s ancestor who was a legendary imperial tutor.
His father greatly admired Mr. Wenyun. He taught Zhuge Suli the basics from a very young age, teaching him to read and write, hoping that one day he would pass the imperial examinations, enter the capital, join the imperial court, and continue the Zhuge family’s legendary legacy.
Because of this, Su Li always thought the capital was a place one could not enter without taking an examination.
But in reality, there was nothing particularly remarkable about that city. One could even enter it by ox cart.
“Little boy, the city gate is just ahead.”
When the tall city walls came into view in the distance, the old man driving the cart turned around and reminded Su Li.
Su Li jumped down from the cart bed, which was piled high with bundles of straw, and took out a silver ingot to hand to the old man.
The silver was the travel money his master had given him. His master told him that everything in the world had its own predetermined order. If someone helped you, you had to pay them enough in return. Only then would you avoid incurring karma.
Su Li adjusted the bundle on his back.
He didn’t have many belongings with him, just some talisman papers and magical artifacts. His master had told him to travel light. He could buy anything unnecessary after arriving, as long as he brought enough money.
He walked alone toward the tall city gate.
People were lined up at the entrance, waiting for the soldiers to inspect them and allow them to enter the city one by one.
Su Li glanced up and walked straight to the end of the line.
As he walked, the strings of copper coins hanging from his waist knocked against one another, yet, strangely, not a single sound came out.
Someone noticed this detail.
A man dressed like a servant hurried over and stopped beside Su Li. He stared at him and asked timidly,
“…May I ask, young master, are those… Soul-Weeping Coins hanging from your waist?”
When he said the words “Soul-Weeping Coins,” he deliberately lowered his voice.
“?” Su Li looked him up and down. He didn’t want to pay him any attention, but since the man could recognize the name of the magical artifact he had made himself, he changed his mind and nodded magnanimously.
The man’s eyes lit up. He told Su Li, “Please wait here for a moment,” then hurried toward an exquisite, ornate carriage by the roadside, calling out as he ran,
“Family Head! We’ve been waiting! He’s here!”
At the sound of his voice, the carriage curtain was immediately lifted, and a head wearing a gauze hat emerged from inside.
With the help of an attendant, the person stepped down from the carriage. His eyes darted around in every direction before finally settling on Su Li with a subtle expression of disbelief.
Su Li also looked at him.
He was a middle-aged man of around forty or fifty, with proper features and a beard. The beautiful carriage behind him, the crowd of attendants, and his red official robes all indicated that he held an extraordinary position.
When he saw Su Li, he was visibly stunned for a moment. After exchanging a glance with the servant and confirming it once more, he hurried over and bowed to Su Li.
Before doing so, his knees moved slightly, perhaps indicating a moment of hesitation, but in the end, he still couldn’t bring himself to kneel.
“…This disciple pays his respects to Grand-Master!”
Such a strange sight, with an old man bowing to a child, drew sidelong glances from passersby. Su Li stood where he was, expressionless, without even a change in his gaze.
His master had told him that he was the Founder’s personal disciple. Anyone in this world who had entered the path thanks to his master’s guidance and kindness should respectfully address him as “Grand-Master.”
Later, the man introduced himself as Zhuge Yu, the current Imperial Advisor and concurrently the Director of the Imperial Observatory. He had heard that their ancestor Qiyueban had descended the mountain alone to come to the capital for training, so he had calculated the date and deliberately waited at the city gate to receive him. Since he didn’t know the exact time of his arrival and was afraid of missing him, Zhuge Yu waited there with a group of servants and attendants for several days.
He explained that with the Grand-Master traveling outside, it was only right for a disciple to show some filial respect. Now that his Grand-Master had arrived in the capital, he would take care of all his daily needs, and insisted that the Grand-Master get into his carriage.
Su Li had no objections.
His master told him that when traveling outside, he should use the title of the Founder’s personal disciple whenever necessary and put on the airs of Qiyueban. He didn’t need to wrong himself by accommodating others. He could accept other people’s respectful offerings without feeling embarrassed.
After all, he was Qiyueban. Wherever he went, he deserved to be the king.
Thus, at Zhuge Yu’s enthusiastic invitation, Su Li climbed into his carriage.
The interior was just as luxurious as the exterior, and it was spacious too. Su Li glanced around and went straight to the seat that looked most comfortable.
Zhuge Yu saw this but said nothing. He sensibly gave up the main seat and sat to the side.
After that, he noticed Su Li toss a silver ingot to the servant who had helped him into the carriage.
Holding the silver, the servant didn’t know whether to accept it or refuse it, so he looked to Zhuge Yu for help.
Zhuge Yu hurriedly smiled and said,
“Grand-Master, there’s no need to be so polite. It is a blessing he earned through several previous lifetimes to have the honor of serving you. How could he dare accept your reward?”
Su Li replied coldly, “This isn’t a reward. It’s to settle karma. If I’ve given it to you, take it. Don’t cause me trouble.”
“Karma…” Hearing this word, Zhuge Yu froze for a moment.
“Isn’t this something that gets settled automatically when one lifetime ends? Could it be that even those of us on the Nether Path have to pay attention to karma?”
“Of course.” Su Li raised an eyebrow slightly.
“If you carry too much karma, your path will be obstructed. If you bear evil causes and evil consequences, you will also be punished.”
These were his master’s exact words.
However, Su Li didn’t know that this rule applied only to him. His master had never specifically explained it to him, so he assumed that everyone who cultivated the Nether Path had to follow it. At that moment, he generously shared the information with his disciple.
Hearing this, Zhuge Yu put on an expression of surprise and nodded repeatedly.
“Thank you for your instruction, Grand-Master. I’ll be sure to tell the disciples when I return, so that everyone pays attention to their own karma.”
After a pause, he asked again,
“I just don’t know what exactly this karma refers to…”
Su Li opened his mouth, thought for a moment, then frowned.
“It’s too troublesome to explain. I’ll tell you later.”
“…Yes.” Zhuge Yu quickly agreed.
The coachman’s shout came from the front, and the carriage began to move slowly, its body swaying gently.
Taking the opportunity, Zhuge Yu secretly looked Su Li over several times and tried to make conversation.
“This disciple has long heard of Grand-Master’s name. I know that Grand-Master is not only the Founder’s personal disciple but also a peerless genius of the Nether Path. The disciples have received a lot of kindness from Grand-Master and we have long admired you. But I never expected… that with such great achievements, Grand-Master would be so young.”
Su Li didn’t like flattery. The words went in one ear and out the other.
“Oh.”
Zhuge Yu had put his hot face against a cold ass, but he was still unwilling to give up and continued trying to get closer to him.
“I’ve heard that Grand-Master’s original surname was Zhuge. What a coincidence! This disciple also comes from the Zhuge family. In terms of seniority, I should actually address you as ‘uncle.’”
“Is that so?” Su Li raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Which branch are you from?”
“The southwestern Zhuge clan,” Zhuge Yu replied respectfully.
“There’s another Zhuge clan in the southwest?” Su Li’s tone was indifferent. He simply said whatever came to mind.
“My family is mostly based around Lingbei, which has nothing to do with the southwest. Even if we’re related, it would have been a connection from eight or ten hundred years ago. By now, what kind of relatives would we be? Besides, I stopped using my original surname and name long ago. Don’t try to claim a relationship with me. I can’t bear it.”
Zhuge Yu’s face turned red and then pale at these words.
The boy before him looked even younger than his grandson, yet he was the sort whose eyes were set above his head, looking down on everyone. There wasn’t the slightest trace of courtesy or humility in his speech.
Before coming, Zhuge Yu had considered that Qiyueban might not be easy to get along with, but he hadn’t expected someone so young to be so sharp-tongued and blunt.
After repeatedly being rebuffed, Zhuge Yu fell silent for a moment, but he still wasn’t ready to give up. He composed himself and continued asking,
“May I ask what brings Grand-Master to the capital this time?”
“Do I need to report what I’m doing to you?”
After traveling for half a month, Su Li was already exhausted. He had planned to find an inn and rest as soon as he entered the city. Who would have thought that before even entering the city, this man would repeatedly invite him onto his carriage?
The carriage was indeed comfortable, but who knew he’d have to trade his peace and quiet for it?
Su Li couldn’t help feeling irritated, so his tone was rather unpleasant.
“No, no… This nephew has spoken out of turn.”
Zhuge Yu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and finally stopped talking.
Su Li had no desire to share his private affairs. Settling karma was his own business. Even his master didn’t interfere, so outsiders had even less right to ask about it.
However, his master said that when traveling outside, if he met others on the same path, they would make things convenient for him out of respect, and in return, he should offer them guidance.
Therefore, after learning that the entire family under Zhuge Yu’s authority, as well as the Imperial Observatory, consisted of Nether Path spirit masters, Su Li accepted his invitation. He chose to travel with him and stay at the Imperial Preceptor’s residence. He also agreed to register with the Imperial Observatory and, during the period he would be staying in the capital, give lessons and guidance to young newcomers whenever he had the time.
Zhuge Yu was naturally overjoyed and thanked him profusely as he brought Su Li back to the Imperial Preceptor’s residence.
He arranged for Su Li to stay in the most spacious and imposing guest courtyard in the entire estate.
After supervising the servants as they finished arranging everything and confirming that Su Li needed nothing besides peace and quiet, Zhuge Yu took his leave and returned to his own courtyard.
Having waited at the city gate for several days and then been busy all morning, Zhuge Yu was already parched.
But after he finally sat down comfortably in the main hall and accepted a teacup from a servant, he stared at the surface of the tea for a moment before suddenly raising his hand and smashing the cup to the floor with all his strength!
The white porcelain teacup shattered instantly, and the servants nearby immediately knelt on the ground, waiting to endure their master’s anger.
“You’re all a bunch of useless trash! Get out, every last one of you!”
“Grandfather.”
As Zhuge Yu roared, another voice gently overlapped his.
Zhuge Yu pinched the bridge of his nose and raised his eyes.
He saw a young girl sitting in a wooden wheelchair, being pushed over to his side by a maid.
The girl looked about fifteen or sixteen. She wore a light green dress that made her look full of vitality. Her hair was gathered into a simple bun, with long strands falling over her shoulders like black silk.
Her features were clean and sweet, and her temperament was gentle, like a spring breeze that made it impossible to feel angry when looking at her.
Zhuge Yu closed his eyes briefly and did not take his anger out on anyone else. He only softened his tone a little.
“Qiyu, you’re here?”
“Mm. I heard Grandfather had received someone, so your granddaughter came to see. But I don’t know what happened on the way. Why are you so angry?”
Zhuge Qiyu turned her face slightly, signaling for the maid to clean up the broken porcelain on the floor. She then personally poured another cup of tea for Zhuge Yu and handed it to him.
This time, Zhuge Yu did not lose his temper again.
He drank the tea in one go, but his expression did not improve in the slightest.
“…Isn’t it all because of that Qiyueban?!”
“Ah, I’ve heard about him too. The famous Grand-Master Qiyueban is actually a child who hasn’t even reached the age of fifteen.”
“His temper certainly isn’t that of a child!” Zhuge Yu grew angrier as he spoke, feeling deeply humiliated.
“He relies on being the Founder’s personal disciple and on his own abilities to look down on everyone. He’s sharp-tongued and sarcastic, completely unpleasant to listen to. He opens his mouth and immediately gives people the cold shoulder! Doesn’t he realize that this is the capital, the territory of our southwestern Zhuge clan? This place is under my, Zhuge Yu’s, control! And he still dares to put on airs as a member of the Lingbei Zhuge clan…! I treated him with a little courtesy, and he took it seriously. He doesn’t know how to be grateful, and on top of that, he speaks with veiled sarcasm…”
“Grandfather, calm down.”
Zhuge Qiyu spoke softly as she raised a hand to smooth Zhuge Yu’s back.
“A young genius naturally has high spirits and a proud temperament. It’s normal for him to put on airs. If Grandfather dislikes him, then don’t get too close to him. Just maintain appearances. Once he’s finished his business and leaves on his own, that’ll be the end of it.”
“What do you know?” Zhuge Yu frowned.
“Qiyueban is a first-rate expert at drawing talismans, casting curses, and making magical artifacts. Even if the Founder himself came, he might not be able to surpass him in these areas. Take those Soul-Weeping Coins in his hands, for example. They’re treasures that can detect yin energy! Who else can make such a thing? If we had Soul-Weeping Coins too, then we wouldn’t have to waste manpower searching with our eyes and risking our lives when encountering difficult underworld spirits.”
“Sigh… Our Zhuge family’s current position depends entirely on me coaxing our current emperor. These things aren’t stable. There will always come a day when His Majesty… is no longer here, and we don’t know what the new ruler will be like. If the new ruler doesn’t believe in ghosts and gods and takes a dislike to our family, it’s not impossible for him to send us straight into the hell of the Rakshasa with a single word.”
“It’s ultimately no good to have the glory and safety of an entire family tied to someone else’s hands. But if we have real abilities of our own, that would be different.”
“If we could obtain even a little of the things Qiyueban possesses and his abilities, our family’s strength could rise by who knows how many levels. It might even be possible for us to dominate the Nether Path. Then I wouldn’t have to rack my brains and carefully calculate every step to plan our family’s future anymore.”
“Grandfather really does think far ahead.” Zhuge Qiyu lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, then asked,
“I heard people say that Grand-Master Qiyueban has always stayed by the Founder’s side and has never left him. This time, he suddenly descended the mountain alone and came to the capital… I wonder what for?”
“The reports say he’s here for training. I tried to probe him just now, but he shut me down.”
Zhuge Yu rested his fingers on the armrest of the pearwood chair, tapping lightly and thoughtfully at irregular intervals.
“For Qiyueban to personally descend the mountain and travel thousands of miles here, while being so secretive that he doesn’t want outsiders to know… Could it be that the capital really hides some great opportunity that I don’t know about?”
