Chu Xun sat at his desk in a daze as he stared at the unrolled scroll in front of his eyes, his gaze unfocused. In the report, Chu Wanning's origin, merits, sins, and death were written in great detail. Chu Xun did not think that Chu Wanning lied about being carved from a piece of Flame Emperor's Divine Wood, but he still found it remarkable. It was even more remarkable to think that such a precious item fell into Xiao Man's hand. He could have used the Divine Wood for other purposes, but he decided to give it life instead, and a child was born.
This child, Chu Wanning, was then raised by Xiao Man. He stayed with Xiao Man until he was fourteen years old, and then he descended from the mountain and joined the cultivation world.
Chu Wanning said that no one forced him to sacrifice himself, but Chu Xun was not too sure about that. Because, why would Xiao Man make Chu Wanning look like him? Or Chu Lan? Also, Chu Wanning just happened to be born around the time he found out that Chu Lan was destined to disappear forever.
Chu Wanning's offer, along with his unwavering determination when he spoke so lightly about sacrificing himself was heartbreaking. Even if it meant that Chu Lan could come back to life, and Heaven knew how much Chu Xun wanted it to happen, he could not accept Chu Wanning's offer. It was like killing a child to resurrect another. Although Chu Wanning was not related to him or anyone by blood, Chu Xun felt responsible for him. He was born due to the blood debt between him and Xiao Man.
Chu Xun rubbed at his temple.
This child Chu Wanning had done a lot for the mortal realm. He had been a righteous figure, an exemplary cultivator his whole but short life. He had contributed his skills and knowledge for the peace and safety of the mortal realm, always putting others before himself.
His last meritorious deed was sealing the Heavenly Rift and preventing the destruction of the mortal realm. While the great effort cost him his spiritual core, it did not directly contribute to his death. What really killed him was heart failure which was caused by excessive intake of antidote pills to turn him back into his adult body. He had to do so to bring one of his disciples back to the sect. He died to save his disciple.
Chu Xun sighed.
Such a kind shizun to boot. He had collected a lot of good karma. In his next life, he could be born into a wealthy family, become a scholar, and serve the country as an honest palace official. Or he could go back to the path of cultivation and ascend to godhood. So many endlessly good possibilities, but this child was willing to throw everything away.
Why?
Chu Xun could not make sense of it. The report could not tell him the content of Chu Wanning's heart. It said nothing about the joy and grievances in his heart, nothing about the love and hatred that he might harbor, nothing about his wishes and fears.
Just as the report was unable to allow Chu Xun to discover Chu Wanning's secrets, Chu Wanning himself was similarly disinclined to speak about his heartache. In the end, Chu Xun had to send him to the Sick Soul Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, a full day had passed. Chu Xun sent a ghost over to inquire about Chu Wanning's condition, but he had not yet returned.
Chu Xun rose from his seat and walked back and forth in his office in unrest. He wanted to do something to save this lonely and broken soul. But when it was determined to leave, it would leave sooner or later. There was nothing much for him to do, was there?
"Sir Chu."
Chu Xun's head snapped toward the door.
"Yes?"
"The Ghost Doctor of Soul Sick Hospital would like to meet with you personally. If you can spare some time..."
Chu Xun opened the door.
"Let's go now."
"Oh. Yes, of course."
Chu Xun could not see the ghost's surprised expression behind the mask. This superior of his had always been rather calm and unaffected by anything that happened in the Underworld. Considering Sir Chu's remarkable background and life experience, it was not that extraordinary. What was extraordinary was his agitation since the previous day. Since the lone soul named Chu Wanning appeared at Sir Chu's office.
In the Sick Soul Hospital, the Ghost Doctor was waiting for Chu Xun to arrive.
"Sir Chu, good to see you. I will go straight to the point. Around an hour before you came to deliver the sick soul Chu Wanning, a broken soul was found at the entrance of Nanke Town and brought to this hospital. Guess who that sick soul was?" The Ghost Doctor asked while raising his eyebrow.
Elation spread on Chu Xun's heart like water over a burning house.
"Chu Wanning? So his soul was split?"
The Ghost Doctor shook his head.
"That's the weird thing. No. The sick soul that you brought here was intact, just very weak with no will to survive. The other one is ripped into two. We have not found the other half yet."
Chu Xun's heart went cold.
"His Human Soul is torn into two?"
The Ghost Doctor shook his head again, startling Chu Xun.
"Then it is the Cognizant Soul? How come? The Cognizant Soul should still be in his corpse."
"It is his Earth Soul."
"... Doctor, the soul that I sent to you was the Earth Soul."
"Both of them are Earth Souls."
If Chu Xun were not dead, he would be having a severe headache.
"How can a person have one and a half... No, two Earth Souls? Unless the broken soul is not Chu Wanning after all?"
"Oh, it is," the Ghost Doctor confirmed. "I brought the two souls together yesterday and they merged perfectly into one."
Chu Xun's mouth dropped open in awe.
"But Doctor, why?"
"I had to," the Ghost Doctor said while scrutinizing Chu Xun. "He was so weak that he was about to dissipate no matter how much spiritual power we poured into him. Ironically, it was the broken soul that ultimately stabilized him."
Chu Xun exhaled in relief. So Chu Wanning was saved. That was good.
"Before Sir Chu relaxes too much, I want to speak about this person's mental state. Sir Chu, I can sense that this soul's willingness to exist is running out with every passing minute. He does not have much time left."
Chu Xun's face darkened.
"Sir Chu knows what I am trying to say, right?"
"Yes. He has to be reincarnated as soon as possible."
"Correct. That is the only cure for him right now. If I am not mistaken, today is the fourth day of his death. In three days, his Human Soul and Cognizant Soul were due to arrive. After his three souls merge, he is ready to enter the reincarnation cycle. Now all he needs to have is special permission to skip the line."
Typically, souls had to wait eight to ten years for their judgment and then reincarnation. Skipping the line would require very good reasons. Considering Chu Wanning's meritorious deeds during his time in the mortal realm, Chu Xun was pretty confident that he could get special permission for him.
"Can I see him?"
"Yes, of course. Sir Chu, this way..."
Chu Wanning's Earth Soul lay on the bed with his eyes open. He had been lying there for hours without saying anything. He merely stared at the ceiling languidly. When Chu Xun pulled the curtain aside and entered, Chu Wanning turned to face him. Although his eyes were empty and devoid of the slightest emotion, the Ghost Doctor was relieved to see him show the slightest reaction.
"Good, very good," he murmured to himself. "Sir Chu, please take your time."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Chu Xun and Chu Wanning looked into each other's eyes. Their faces were so similar that it felt like looking in a very clear mirror.
Chu Xun had a lot to say to Chu Wanning, but at the same time, he also didn't know what to say. He pulled a seat and sat in front of Chu Wanning's bed, facing him.
"Chu Wanning, I cannot accept your offer," he told the man on the bed directly.
"Despite your origin, you are a human being with your own souls and spirits. You must not think less of yourself."
His heart immediately sank when Chu Wanning closed his eyes upon hearing his words.
"Chu Wanning, do you hear me?"
Chu Wanning curled up on the bed and said nothing in response.
Chu Xun sighed. They might look similar, but Chu Wanning was a lot more stubborn than he was. He extended a hand, wanting to touch Chu Wanning's shoulder, but then he retracted his hand.
"I am going to send you for reincarnation really soon. I hope you will change your mind until then. You have such good prospects for your next life."
Chu Wanning opened his eyes and stared at Chu Xun.
"I hope Sir Chu will change his mind about my offer."
After saying that one last sentence, Chu Wanning closed his eyes again. Chu Xun glared at the stubborn soul in front of him for some time before he decided to do something more productive instead. Applying for permission to skip the reincarnation line for example.
While he walked back to Shunfeng Building with his subordinate, Chu Xun kept wondering what or who exactly caused Chu Wanning to want to disappear so badly. He needed this event or this person to stimulate Chu Wanning and if things went well, to awaken his desire to be reborn.
The seventh day came in a blink of an eye. After pushing hard to get permission, Chu Xun finally held the permit in his hand. That was the only good thing that happened in the three days, because Chu Wanning still had not changed his mind.
There was no point forcing a soul to get reincarnated. He still had to go in front of Yanluo to receive his judgment, and what would Yanluo say if Chu Wanning openly told him that he did not want to be reincarnated? Chu Xun did not even want to imagine what would happen to Chu Wanning afterward.
If Chu Wanning really did not want to get reincarnated, then maybe he should just stay in the Underworld for a while... Chu Xun could let him stay in Shunfeng Building, maybe give him the task to take care of the troublesome cultivators who died and thought that they deserved first-class treatment in the Underworld. Maybe when he had had enough, he would tell Chu Xun that he'd rather be reincarnated...
Knock, knock, knock.
"Yes?"
"Sir Chu, someone is here to see you."
Chu Xun furrowed his brows. It better not be another Chu Wanning.
It turned out to be a young man who looked like he cried himself to death. He was holding a scroll in his hand. When he saw Chu Xun, he blurted out, "Shizun...?"
Chu Xun's mouth fell open. He was no one's Shizun, but he knew who was.
"What's your name?" He asked right away.
The young man in front of him realized his mistake instantly and apologized profusely.
"My name is Mo Ran."
Mo Ran?
Mo Ran...
Chu Xun searched his desk for the scroll that contained information about Chu Wanning.
Mo Ran. He knew he read the name somewhere before. This was the disciple who Chu Wanning gave his life for. And he's in the Underworld.
Chu Xun slowly lifted his head from the scroll and stared at Mo Ran. This young man might be just the person he needed to change Chu Wanning's mind.