Qinglian’S Heart Is Covered, Fate Meets Chapter 22
byChapter 22
Lotus Soup Crosses the River of Oblivion, White Judge Stirs Up the Ghost Realm
After leaving the Demon Realm, Qinglian and Gu Baifei were still in high spirits. They immediately agreed to change course and head towards the Ghost Realm. The Ghost Realm was perpetually shrouded in dark clouds, the River of Oblivion rippled with faint green waves, and by the Bridge of Helplessness, Meng Po was ladling soup to ferry souls. Inside the Hall of Yama, the judge held his brush, deciding fates—a scene of solemnity and eeriness. The two decided to indulge their playful side and spontaneously decided to cosplay. Qinglian dressed up as the newly appointed Meng Po, while Gu Baifei transformed into the substitute Judge of Yama, determined to leave behind an amusing tale even in this Ghost Realm.
Qinglian first found a deserted path, concealed her immortal radiance, and changed into a gray cloth Meng Po dress. She even deliberately smeared herself with the damp, cold aura of the River of Oblivion water, leaving only a wisp of lotus fragrance on her fingertips to flavor the bitter soup. She carried a ceramic kettle toward the Bridge of Helplessness, where she encountered the old Meng Po, who was overwhelmed by the sheer number of souls. Smiling, Qinglian stepped forward and offered, “Grandmother, please rest for a moment. I will help you distribute some soup.” The old Meng Po, seeing her gentle eyes and pure aura, actually handed over the ladle and went to rest nearby. As Qinglian ladled the soup, she secretly infused the lotus fragrance into it. The souls who drank the soup not only failed to lose all their memories but also had their past life obsessions soothed, allowing them to depart peacefully and calmly. The old Meng Po watched in astonishment, assuming this new Meng Po possessed a special ability.
On the other side, Gu Baifei had already infiltrated the Hall of Yama. He secretly swapped the judge’s black robe, and using the divine power of the Heavenly Dao, concealed his immortal bones, retaining only an air of cold severity. He even took the judge’s Book of Life and Death and pretended to examine it. The Yama King was currently absent, dealing with a rift in the Underworld. None of the ghost attendants noticed anything amiss, as this “new judge” possessed a commanding presence and judged cases with precision. Gu Baifei also used clever discretion when judging cases. When he encountered souls who had performed good deeds in life but suffered misfortune, he quietly added a stroke of good karma to the Book of Life and Death, granting them a smooth next life. For those who committed numerous wicked acts, he sentenced them according to the law but still left a sliver of room for repentance, earning the silent admiration of the ghost attendants for the new judge’s fairness and benevolence.
After noon, the number of souls by the River of Oblivion gradually decreased. Qinglian, carrying the empty kettle, went to the Hall of Yama to find Gu Baifei. Just as she entered the hall, she saw him sternly lecturing a minor ghost who had been a petty thief in life. The black robe made his features appear even colder, yet a hint of mischief was hidden in his eyes. Qinglian suppressed a laugh, stepped forward, and feigned respect, saying, “Lord Judge, the soup by the Bridge of Helplessness has been distributed. I have come to report.” Gu Baifei looked up and saw her. His taut expression instantly softened, but he maintained a serious tone: “Meng Po, you have worked hard. Go rest in the side hall. I will join you after I finish this scroll.” The ghost attendants nearby saw their interaction and simply assumed the judge and Meng Po were acquainted, and no one suspected anything.
When night fell and both the Yama King and the old Meng Po had returned, the two quietly slipped away, hiding by the Stone of Three Lives on the bank of the River of Oblivion. Qinglian shed the Meng Po dress, her purple robes reappearing, and she playfully punched Gu Baifei. “When you played the judge, you really had a certain intimidating presence.” Gu Baifei also pulled off the black robe and pulled her into his embrace, his thumb wiping away the residual gray smudge on her cheek. “Not as good as your Meng Po act; even the old Meng Po was fooled by you.” As he spoke, he suddenly noticed that the Stone of Three Lives faintly revealed the intertwined destiny of their millions of years of reincarnation—purple lotus and white shadow entwined—making even the chilling wind of the River of Oblivion seem a little gentler.
The two lingered in the Ghost Realm for two more days. Qinglian occasionally helped the old Meng Po brew soup, and Gu Baifei offered guidance to the ghost attendants on organizing the scrolls. They truly became the somewhat famous “New Meng Po” and “Substitute Judge” of the Ghost Realm. Before leaving, Qinglian left a single purple lotus petal by the Bridge of Helplessness, protecting the path of soul passage to be stable and calm. Gu Baifei left a faint golden mark on the corner of the Book of Life and Death, ensuring peace for the hundred ghosts of the Ghost Realm. Only after the two departed did the Yama King notice the anomaly. Looking at the lotus shadow and the golden mark on the Stone of Three Lives, and hearing the old Meng Po speak of the soup that could soothe obsessions, he immediately understood that distinguished guests from the Celestial Realm had visited. While feeling both exasperated and amused, he instructed the ghost attendants to carefully enshrine the purple lotus petal—after all, since then, the souls crossing the River of Oblivion had proceeded with exceptional smoothness, and the Ghost Realm had lost much of its malevolence.