A hand closed around Hui’s collar. Leaping upward, the reaper burst away from the mud and soared into the sky. The mud lurched inches past Hui’s toes, and then they surged up, leaving the town far behind. The mud crashed through.

“Ah! Elder Sister is right. When you can’t play dead, fleeing is the next best thing!” Hui said, nodding vigorously.

The reaper snorted. She frowned at the mud. “This resentment…”

Hui peered at the resentment as well. I wonder if Si Wang created the resentment on the mountain I crashed into the last time I came to the surface? It’s odd that I ran into resentment twice in the Eastern Alliance in such a short timeframe, but never encountered it in my entire time in the Southern Sect Conference.

Or is resentment something that gathers in the Eastern Alliance? Does each cardinal sect have its own special kind of qi or other spiritual energy? I wonder if the Eastern and Northern regions have life qi… or no, death qi? No… both of those must exist everywhere that life and death exist. Maybe it’s rot qi that’s unique? I’ll keep an eye out and see if I can figure it out.

Si Wang scowled. “How did you escape?”

“Elder Brother, you toppled your own barrier with the front edge of that wave of death qi,” Hui explained gently.

“Ah!” Si Wang’s eyes widened. A second later, he scowled. “I planned that.”

Did you? Did you, Elder Brother? Hui thought silently, pursing his lips ever so slightly.

“Yes! Once the mud overwhelms the barrier, you’ll be buried deep beneath, and you’ll have no option but to become infected with the resentment!” Si Wang declared, crossing his arms in an intimidating manner.

Hui tilted his head. “Elder Brother…”

“Don’t point it out! I know!” Si Wang snarled, frustrated with himself. He backed up. “Count yourselves lucky! The next time you encounter me, I will not be so gentle!”

Was Elder Brother gentle this time? Hui wondered. He cut his eyes at the reaper.

The reaper sighed. She drew her sword. “Si Wang, give yourself up. You’ve given up the rights and responsibilities of your role as a reaper, which makes you nothing more than another wandering ghost. Come quietly.”

“Over my dead body!” Si Wang shouted.

“We’re all dead here,” Hui pointed out, somewhat confused.

The mud underneath them settled over the town. It swirled slowly, oily patterns squirming on its surface. Abruptly, the mud began to boil.

Hui backed away. He tugged at the reaper’s sleeve. “Elder Sister…”

“Now is not the time. Si Wang, if you won’t come quietly, then I’ll bring you by force.”

Si Wang cackled. He bared his hands as claws. His fingertips turned black, like iron. “Try it!”

“Elder Brother, those who do not court death—” Hui interjected.

“Another word, and you die,” the reaper said.

Hui put his hands up. I surrender!

He glanced down at the boiling mud again. It spat and roiled, bubbles bursting on the surface. A chalky scent filled the air.

That’s not looking good…

The reaper charged at Si Wang. Howling with madness, Si Wang charged at her. His metal fingers caught her blade, only for her to yank it back. In the space of a few breaths, they’d exchanged a hundred blows.

Down below, a long, spindly pure-white arm reached out of the boiling mud. The filth slicked right off the arm’s shiny skin. The arm groped about on the surface of the mud, searching for a grip.

Hui’s eyes glittered. Go forth, my demon! Attack Si Wang, the source of your resentment! Ahahaha!

Er, not that I’m a demonic cultivator. It’s just… there’s… you know, it’s a very convenient way to point Si Wang’s own evil at himself! If there’s a resentment demon waiting to spawn and attack the enemy right before my eyes, this small Hui isn’t going to hold back.

The resentment demon found something beneath the mud and pushed itself up. The crown of the ball of hands breached the surface of the mud. A gargling roar filled the air.

The reaper and Si Wang split apart. Both of them stared down at the mud.

“This is what you’ve done?” the reaper asked quietly, narrowing her eyes at Si Wang.

“This is what you’ve done! Disregarding the souls’ resentment until it builds up to this extent! It can’t help but erupt!” Si Wang shouted back.

“It’s not our job to handle resentment. It’s our job to regulate souls,” the reaper returned.

“And resentment isn’t part of soul regulation?” Si Wang asked incredulously.

Eh, wait. It’s starting to sound like Si Wang… maybe, didn’t murder all those people and create this resentment? But then… Hui licked his lips, glancing at the resentment demon. Er… my apologies, Elder Brother!

The resentment demon lifted its heavy body out of the mud and gave it a quick shake. It oriented itself, looking up at Si Wang and the reaper. Its enormous mouth opened, and it spat a wad of mud at the two of them.

Si Wang and the reaper parted. The reaper flew to Hui’s side, while Si Wang darted away. The resentment demon charged up between the two of them, hurtling into the sky. It looked back and forth, leaning toward the reaper, then Si Wang.

Si Wang. You want to go after Si Wang! Hui cheered silently, clenching his fist.

The resentment demon roared, throwing the three of them back. It whirled around and charged at the reaper.

No! Dammit, who brought you to life? Can’t you do me one favor in return for the gift of a physical body?

Hui paused. He licked his lips. Fang Hua, Bai Jingwen… come to think of it, the things I help to bring to life have a long history of disobeying me and doing their own thing.

“Si Wang! You may have won this one, but next time, your vicious demon won’t be there to save you!” the reaper shouted.

Si Wang shook his head. As he turned and fled, he tutted at her over his shoulder. “Always assuming the worst!”

In a moment, Si Wang was nothing but a tiny speck on the horizon. Another breath later, and even that faded away.

The reaper scowled at the resentment demon. She sheathed her sword and offered Hui a hand. “We must go, before it attacks us.”

“Elder Sister, is it really that dangerous?” Hui asked. I still feel like I can talk to it, if I have enough time…

The resentment demon lunged at them, slapping out with a single wide hand. Hui and the reaper darted back. The hand slapped a hair’s breadth behind them with enough force to send them both plunging out of the air like puppets with their strings cut.

Never mind, it’s dangerous, it’s super dangerous! Talk to it? I must have been momentarily insane! Being dead has really made me let down my guard!

He grabbed onto the reaper’s arm, helping her upright in the air. “Elder Sister, we should leave. We should go back to the Underworld!”

The reaper scowled at the resentment demon. Yanking her arm free of Hui’s grasp, she gnashed her teeth, lifting her gaze to stare after the retreated ex-reaper. “Si Wang! I’ll stop you. One day, I’ll bring you to your knees!”

“Yes! We should work together to destroy the demons. Next time. When we’re better equipped to face the resentment demons,” Hui said, nodding vigorously.

“Demons…?” The reaper turned, narrowing her eyes at Hui.

Hui waved his hand. “Ah! Small cultivator was merely extrapolating! Elder Brother has had so long to wander the mortal world. Surely he has created more than one of these demons?”

She squinted at him for another moment, then nodded shortly. “Hmm.”

The demon opened its mouth. It sucked in a breath. A fierce wind appeared, drawing Hui and the reaper toward the demon’s mouth.

Hui offered the reaper his hand again. “Elder Sister, let’s hurry! Before it roars, let’s escape!”

The reaper took his hand. She strode forward, and colors bled from the world. The resentment demon’s roar echoed around them, faint as a faded record. It, too, grew silent, and they stepped out into the bare stone of the Underworld.

Hui sighed, glancing over his shoulder. The Underworld stretched behind him, seemingly infinite, and yet clearly bounded by the distant walls. “Thank goodness it can’t follow us.”

“How did you know it was going to roar?” the reaper asked quietly.

“Eh? It was taking a breath. What else would it take a big breath for?” Hui asked, tilting his head. Elder Sister, don’t be so suspicious. It’s a reasonable thing to assume. I mean, your suspicions are correct. I am the source of the resentment demons. But just because I’ve made a few correct guesses, doesn’t mean I know everything about it! Reasonable, it’s totally reasonable!

The reaper snorted. She turned away. “We’ll have to report about this to Zhu Diyu.”

“Now?” Hui asked.

She flicked her hand, summoning a scroll, and unrolled it. Blocks marked out portions of time on the scroll.

Ah! It’s the legendary boss’ calendar! Usually only the company’s secretary can access that! I mean… it’s a rare and ancient artifact, befitting of the Lord of the Underworld! Hui thought, quickly correcting his chain of thought.

Scanning the calendar, the reaper shook her head. “He’s taking the morning for secluded cultivation. We absolutely cannot interrupt him. We’ll visit him in the afternoon. Prepare yourself.”

Hui cupped his fists, giving her a quick bow. “Disciple hears and obeys!”

She frowned at him. “You’re not my disciple.”

“Ah… that’s true,” Hui allowed. You simply gave such a boss-like order, that I couldn’t help but respond…

The reaper waved her hand. “I’ll fetch you in a few incense sticks’ worth of time. Until then, you’re free.”

“Yes!” Hui nodded and whirled, immediately hurrying back to his quarters. Time to head back to the surface!

The reaper watched him go. As he vanished around the corner, she shook her head. “What a troublesome colleague…”