Outside the First Court, a colossal dragon and five men were occupying the middle of the path, but no one had the audacity to tell them to scram, not even the two guards, Ox-Head and Horse-Face. The aura they radiated was so strong and frightening, whenever a soul walked in their surroundings, it shuddered in fear and almost passed out.
"So, you think the King will approve our plan?"
Ankai was walking up and down the street, and from time to time he turned his head to look at the gates. Bai venomously gazed at the explorer, like he wanted to make him experience a few more deaths. Since that guy stepped in the Pagoda, Ankai had kept being restless, nervous and unbearably irritating.
"Of course not, I'm sure our young friend has already been destroyed by King Qinguang."
Hearing the sarcastic tone, Ankai stopped in his tracks, feeling Bai's sharp stare on his back, and sat on the ground embarrassed. "Fine, fine! I'll calm down, I'm just a bit worried."
After a long time, slowly, the gates opened and a short man came out, unnoticed by the six. Shi Chen glared at the scene in front of him. His companions were lying bored on the road. Wen Rong and Fang Xiu were playing dice, or rather, they were throwing the dice to passers-by, 13th was slumbering, Bai and Ankai were gagged and tied up to a stone pillar, and Emperor Qing Zheng was reading a scroll named [A Million Jokes on Swordsmen] while chuckling.
Shi Chen coughed to draw their attention, failing. He couldn't believe it: he was literally standing before them, but they still ignored him! "Hello, everybody! Is anyone interested in my news?" he cried, waving the piece of paper in his fist like a madman. Six pairs of eyes pierced the sheet simultaneously. As soon as they saw it, questions started coming from everywhere, overwhelming him.
"Is that King Yama's Seal? What happened?"
"I will explain it all in detail, but first: why are those two tied to a pillar?" asked Shi Chen, pointing at the odd duo.
"They were annoying. Someone untie them, they have to hear this."
He waited for the troublemakers to regain their freedom and reunite with the group, then he told them about his meeting with the Kings. Excitement flowed through them while listening.
They didn't leave the Pagoda, after all, it was the principal gathering point of potential targets.
The first thing they had to do now was to write the terms of the contract. It was a crucial step because nobody would sign such a dangerous agreement without gaining any benefits.
What would a soul want in exchange for one or two reincarnations?
Qing Zheng's emerald eyes shined, and a sinister smile crept on his lips. "Why should we give them benefits? We are the ones doing them a favour!"
The others stared dejectedly at the old man, sadly sighing in their hearts. Time can indeed consume the most brilliant minds. They choose to keep quiet, unwilling to further embarrass who once was one of the top experts of humanity.
The Human Emperor almost coughed blood. "Stop with those pitying looks! You bunch of dogs! I'm not senile, I had an idea! I meant they should fear their reincarnation. People aren't perfect, they commit sins, during their lives. We can use their consciousness against them!"
"Then you should have said so, instead of spouting nonsense! It's a good idea let's try it," said Wen Rong. A small villa was quickly built, which they used as a shop and living quarters. A wooden panel at the entrance informed that the name of the shop was 'Fate Pavillion'.
Rumours spread among the dead: apparently, the shop sold 80% certain forecasts of the customer's Karmic Merit evaluation. No one knew the price, but for this kind of precious information, regarding one's reincarnation, it wouldn't be cheap. The shop owners high reliability was also reassuring. They were jinxes who fought with the Kings of Hell, so they surely had the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfil their promises, and wouldn't shamelessly cheat Juniors. Another point in their favour was King Yama's Seal of approval. It was surprising, given their complicated past, but something approved by the big man himself couldn't be a fraud.
The seven didn't have an idle moment anymore. Customers always flooded their villa, obligating them to work like slaves just to get a few minutes of rest. While everyone was exhausted and kept bickering and cursing among them because of it, their True Soul was steadily increasing its flame.
To bring it back to normal, one Contract wasn't enough, even a billion Contracts weren't enough.
When agreeing to it, the customer gave up one reincarnation for the possibility to restart from his previous life conditions. But, one reincarnation from a regular soul wasn't enough for Shi Chen to have another life. When he asked 13th how many more Contracts were needed, his answer was vague.
Weeks passed, then months, years, centuries, millennia. In the meantime, the business grew like an uncontrollable beast, which devoured everything in its path. It all started to harvest as many Contracts as possible, but it soon got out of hand. They hired other hopeless souls as them with the promise of a new beginning, opened branches all over Youdu, the Underworld's Capital, and only city. Even in the Eighteen Levels of Hell and at the gates of every Court a branch of The Fate Pavillion could be found. It was now a known, respected, and feared organization.
The founders of this behemoth were now sitting at the same table, seeing each other after decades. In the centre of the room, a huge fire burned with vigour.
Shi Chen stood up and clapped, soon followed by his Brothers.
"We did it. After all this time... thank you! I am going now, but before saying goodbye I just wanted to ... you are all like family you know that... Yes, well, thank you!"
His broken voice echoed in the room, but no one thought it was an awkward silence. All those legends were moved and barely capable of controlling their emotions.
Suddenly, Ankai got up as well, his eyes tearing up.
"I don't care! Little Chen, I'm going to follow you even if it means to merge. We may seem like different people, but, at the end of the day, we are the same person! I'm going!"
Not giving time to anyone to react, the kind and stubborn man they admired disappeared, engulfed by the fire of the True Soul.
"Heh. What a bastard, he stole my idea! Well, see you later!" exclaimed Wen Rong. "Ohi, wait! I forgot my booze!" said Fang Xiu laughing while the flames took him away.
13th smiled, showing his terrifying fangs. "I rested for too much, make space for me too!"
Emperor Qing Zheng and Bai didn't say anything, they smiled, and like that were embraced by the blaze. Only one man remained, but he wasn't alone, he had *himself*. The man caressed the fire and took it inside him.
Shi Chen was now strolling past a bridge, The Bridge of Memories. Many believed the river under it was part of the River of Time, but nobody knew for sure. At the end of the bridge was an elderly woman, Grandma Meng, and past her the Six Paths of Reincarnation. She seemed bored.
Grandma Meng watched him carefully. "Young man, drink this," she whispered, offering him a cup of her tea, the Tea of Forgetfulness. Shi Chen drank it in one gulp. "Good tea."
He then swiftly walked away towards Heaven's Path. Luckily she didn't notice that 3/4 of her tea were spilt by using a crafty trick. His head was still dizzy and he couldn't walk in a straight line. The Paths were pulling him like they had their own gravitational field. He was about halfway through when a voice called him from behind.
"You there! Return here!"
His memories were turning all shady, but one thing he knew: he had to run!
Right now it was impossible to run across the Path to Heaven.
His thoughts were too muddled to be able to come up with a scheme or a strategy, so he did something stupid. He let the flow decide where to go. Immediately a strong gravitational pull absorbed him and he travelled at an insane speed. Grandma Meng was farther and farther, her furious shouts lower and lower.
He was happy.
Why was he happy?
Because he saved them.
Saved who?
The dragon, the assassin... the...the...
...
"Myself, I saved myself."
"Who am I?"
"It doesn't matter. What matters is who I will be."
It was all blank.