C1 A New Negotiation

"What is this place?"

Yuan Ge opened his eyes to a landscape that was utterly alien to him.

A desolate expanse stretched before him, shrouded in a grim fog that clung to the waist-high grass, extending endlessly into the distance. A formidable, towering black palace loomed nearby, its silhouette cutting through the mist. The palace walls were adorned with a dozen massive, expression-laden ghostly faces. Murky streams of water cascaded from the gaping mouths of these sculptures, converging into a river that meandered off into the far reaches.

A stone bridge spanned the river, and shadowy figures brushed past Yuan Ge, some missing a body or a head. Their silent procession was chilling, casting an ominous pall.

The sound of furious roars and piercing cries reached Yuan Ge's ears, making him wonder if he had somehow arrived in the underworld.

Yuan Ge was a college student, academically gifted and from a reputable family. His good looks attracted a bevy of female admirers who flocked to him daily.

The previous evening, the campus beauty had invited Yuan Ge to her birthday dance. During the event, one of her admirers, fueled by alcohol, picked a fight with Yuan Ge. Amidst the turmoil, the admirer, in a moment of rashness, grabbed a fruit knife from the table and stabbed Yuan Ge.

"Could this really be the end for me?"

He raised his gaze to the sky, where a fiery red canvas was marred by swirling vortexes of dark clouds. Lightning cleaved the sky, striking a dead tree nearby, scattering its splintered limbs.

Lost and unsure of his next move, Yuan Ge sighed and sat down, the tall grass slowly engulfing his figure.

Time passed indeterminably until suddenly, the ghosts scattered swiftly. A chilling breeze swept through, revealing two ethereal figures within the mist.

Yuan Ge looked up to see one with a face black as charcoal, the other as pale as powder; one was tall and slender, the other short and stout.

The darker figure was clad in a black robe, one hand wielding a flag designed to summon souls, the other gripping a chain meant for ensnaring them. Atop his head sat a pointed hat, bearing the bold inscription 'Peace in the World'.

Another figure, clad in white linen and topped with a pointed hat, bore the inscription 'Riches at first sight'.

Yuan Ge instantly recognized them – these were none other than the legendary Black and White Impermanence.

At that moment, White Impermanence was grumbling to Black Impermanence, "If you hadn't insisted on having those extra drinks with the Judge, we wouldn't have taken the wrong soul. I'd like to see how you plan to resolve this mess!"

Black Impermanence let out a cold snort, "It's no big deal. Mistakenly taken souls are dime a dozen; he's not the first, nor will he be the last. Let's just find Yuan Ge's spirit, scare him a bit, and send him off to be reincarnated!"

White Impermanence sighed and spoke with resignation, "Yuan Ge is no ordinary man. He's not only a thrice-reincarnated good soul, but he's also shielded by his virtuous deeds. If we botch this, we can kiss our positions in the Underworld goodbye!"

Hearing their exchange, Yuan Ge was struck with realization. No wonder his death had been so bewildering – it was the work of these two!

With that thought, Yuan Ge rose to his feet and leapt out of the bushes, confronting them directly.

Black and White Impermanence were momentarily startled by Yuan Ge's sudden appearance but quickly regained their composure. Black Impermanence spoke with a menacing tone, "Yuan Ge, your time in the living world is up. Why delay? Follow me to reincarnation without further ado!"

Yuan Ge snorted disdainfully and said with clenched teeth, "I overheard your entire conversation. Spare me the theatrics. I was puzzled about the brevity of my life, and now I see it's your doing!"

Black Impermanence's expression grew stern as he retorted, "Cease your foolish babble. The Underworld is no place for your insolence. Refuse to reincarnate, and we'll leave you to wander as a lost soul, forever barred from transcendence!"

Yuan Ge replied furiously, "Don't try those tricks on me. I've been a good man for three lifetimes, and I'm guarded by my accumulated merit. What can you possibly do to me?"

Yuan Ge's comments left Black and White Impermanence with expressions as bitter as if they had swallowed a bitter herb. Clearly, Yuan Ge had overheard their conversation.

The two exchanged a glance, both feeling resigned to the situation. Since a forceful approach was out of the question, they decided to try a gentler tactic.

Reluctantly, White Impermanence pulled out a bead the size of a fingertip from his bosom and handed it to Yuan Ge, grumbling, "This bead was pilfered by Black Impermanence from Magistrate Cui. It grants the ability to understand the language of animals. Now, it's yours for the taking."

Yuan Ge examined the bead closely, his surprise evident. Such a tiny bead possessed such incredible magic! It was no wonder there were so many people with extraordinary abilities in the world; their powers must have originated from items like this. He suspected that Black and White Impermanence had more hidden treasures to offer, and he was determined to press them for more.

Upon accepting the bead, Black and White Impermanence mistakenly thought the issue was resolved. However, as they were about to speak, Yuan Ge shook his head and declared, "I refuse. Do you take me for a fool? You think this trinket will suffice? I don't converse with animals, so it's useless to me. I demand to be revived. If you don't grant my wish, I'll make your lives miserable!"

White Impermanence shot Black Impermanence an angry look, then removed his hat and produced another bead. After jauntily placing the hat back on his head, he said to Yuan Ge with a pained expression, "Fine! Fine! I'll throw in an extra item!"

Before White Impermanence could even react, Yuan Ge snatched the bead from his grasp. With no other choice, White Impermanence explained, "This is the mustard seed bead, also known as a personal space. This precious item was a gift from the Ksitigarbha King, and now, it's yours."

Yet Yuan Ge was not satisfied, continuing his demands: "I want to phase through walls, become invisible, and fly. If you don't grant these wishes, then bring me back to life, or I'll never cooperate!"

Black and White Impermanence were on the verge of tears. Yuan Ge was far from the good Samaritan they had hoped for; he was nothing but a shameless rogue!

The two old rascals were at their wit's end. Finally, White Impermanence stepped forward with a mournful expression and said, "Enough with the yelling, I'll give you this too!"

While speaking, White Impermanence yanked Black Impermanence closer and pulled another pearl from his bosom. This time, however, he clutched it tightly in his hands, fearing that Yuan Ge might snatch it away and continue his relentless demands.

Once White Impermanence saw that Yuan Ge remained still, he explained, "This is called the Memory Sealing Pearl. It contains all the memories of your current life. It was meant to be handed over to the Magistrate, but do you want it?"

At those words, Yuan Ge felt a pang in his heart. There's an old saying: when a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. But what does it mean for a lamp to go out? It's not the cessation of life, but the erasure of memories. If the memories persist, can one truly be considered dead? Therefore, this isn't an ending or a disappearance; it's a rebirth.

It was clear now that the duo had no intention of offering any more favors. Things being as they were, Yuan Ge decided to just go through the motions at the Reincarnation Stage.

But Yuan Ge was adamant about not compromising until he had the pearl in his possession. After a firm exchange of words, White Impermanence ultimately handed the pearl over to Yuan Ge.