Qi Nian glanced at the woman behind her, Ye Mingnan, and without hesitation, produced a pair of handcuffs from nowhere and snapped them onto her wrists.
"If you don't want your detention to turn into a life imprisonment, you'd better behave and follow me. No running off."
Ye Mingnan nodded, still unsure of what was happening.
As Qi Nian stepped into the grand hall of the Underworld, she was immediately blocked by the towering figures of Ox-Head and Horse-Face, their expressions as irritable as ever. One stood to her left, the other to her right, barring her path.
"No unauthorized personnel allowed inside."
"Step aside." Qi Nian's voice was cold. "If the stolen death records cause chaos across the Three Realms, you two will be the first to take the fall."
The two guards stood firm, but after a moment, one of them suddenly tilted his head upward, staring at the ceiling as if deep in thought, while the other whistled and glanced down at the floor, his grip on his weapon loosening ever so slightly.
Qi Nian understood immediately. She scoffed, then turned to the green-skinned ghost and Ye Mingnan beside her, lowering her voice. "We're running straight in."
Then she took off.
Ye Mingnan, utterly confused, had no choice but to sprint after her, gasping for breath. It was only then that she remembered—wasn't she partially responsible for the stolen records? Uneasy, she turned to the green ghost and whispered, "Is it really that serious?"
The ghost nearly jumped out of his skin. "Of course! The death records of the Underworld document every soul's cause of death and final destination. If they're stolen, it means souls could escape the Three Realms' control, leading to catastrophic consequences."
Qi Nian darted into a dimly lit corridor, running down a staircase into the basement archives. The basement was pitch dark, an oppressive silence filling the air. With a casual flick of her wrist, the candles lining the walls ignited one by one, illuminating a long, narrow passageway flanked by towering wooden bookshelves.
"Which records were stolen?" she asked as she strode ahead.
"Seems like… Southwest Section 2." the green-skinned ghost replied.
The group rushed toward the designated section, only to find the shelves in complete disarray. Ancient scrolls and yellowed parchments lay scattered across the floor, a chaotic mess.
Qi Nian didn't touch anything. Instead, she closed her eyes, knelt on one knee, and remained silent for a long moment.
"Southwest 24831. That's the only one missing," she finally said, her expression darkening.
"24831? Oh, I remember that file! I was still working under you at the time. That's Young Master Liu, isn't it?" the green ghost exclaimed.
Ye Mingnan abruptly turned to stare at the ransacked shelves, narrowing her eyes as if trying to recall something.
"Yes. Liu Rumeng, the son of a wealthy businessman from Jade Town," Qi Nian confirmed, standing up. "Mr. Green, clean up the records and inform the King Yama—I'm heading to Jade Town."
"Wait," Ye Mingnan called out. "Take me with you."
Qi Nian turned back, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "And why, exactly, would I do that?"
Ye Mingnan hesitated before saying, "The guardian deity of Jade Town, Yu'e, is an old friend of mine. I might be able to help."
A flicker of surprise crossed Qi Nian's face, but it quickly vanished beneath her usual composed demeanor. "So what if you know her? Besides, your skills are… let's just say you'd be a burden."
"I can shield you from attacks, run errands, and charge into battle for you!" Ye Mingnan blurted out, growing desperate.
She wanted to leave here more than anything. If she stayed, she had two options: flee back to the Celestial Realm and face house arrest after a long scolding from the Empress, or remain detained here until someone bailed her out.
Qi Nian remained unmoved.
Growing more anxious, Ye Mingnan played her trump card. "I've been to Jade Town before. And… I've met Liu Rumeng."
Silence fell between Qi Nian and the green ghost as they exchanged looks.
Well, it seemed she had no choice but to bring along this troublesome stray.
——
Qi Nian didn't like being held, but Ye Mingnan had been clinging to her waist for over an hour now.
She hadn't known, before setting off, that Ye Mingnan couldn't fly.
To be fair, if Ye Mingnan were a natural-born deity, not knowing how to wield a sword for flight would make sense. But what puzzled Qi Nian even more was that even if Ye Mingnan was a celestial, she didn't seem to possess any flying abilities at all.
"How do you usually travel?" Qi Nian asked.
"Carriages, celestial cranes… or I walk."
"…And how exactly did you sneak into the Underworld?"
"I walked."
For once, Qi Nian was speechless.
After a long pause, curiosity got the better of her. "Celestial officials—whether born divine or ascended—should all know at least some flying techniques, shouldn't they?"
Ye Mingnan hesitated, then gave a wry smile. "That's because I'm just a mortal."
A mortal?
Qi Nian turned to scrutinize her more closely.
Mortals weren't forbidden from entering the Celestial Realm, but it was exceedingly rare. Most who did were cultivators reaching enlightenment, allowed brief visits, or those with professions tied to the divine and the dead. In other words, most had official business and were always busy.
But a mortal living in the Celestial Palace, draped in gold and silk, utterly carefree?
Qi Nian vaguely recalled hearing of such an oddity—the beloved adopted daughter of the Celestial Empress herself.
Legend had it that the Empress once descended to Mount Tai for a ritual and found a young orphan kneeling before a grave, her body covered in dirt but her eyes as clear as the morning sky. The Empress took pity on the girl and brought her back to the Celestial Realm.
The Empress spoiled her immensely, building her the most extravagant palace—Flora Palace, boasting ninety-nine rooms filled with treasures. She was fed only the finest delicacies, draped in the richest silks. Clothes, whether worn or simply torn apart for fun, were hers in abundance.
The Empress never insisted on education or combat training, indulging the girl's every whim. Some said it was because, as a mortal, she lacked the aptitude to ever govern the heavens. So instead, she was granted a lifetime of luxury and peace.
Qi Nian sighed heavily, thinking of how she had to tutor Goddess of Death's grandson every night after work—covering everything from astronomy to geomancy.
Truly, life was unfair.
They soared above a vast, misty expanse. Below them, cliffs and emerald peaks stretched into the distance.
"By the way, what's your name?" Ye Mingnan suddenly asked.
It took this long for her to realize she didn't even know Qi Nian's name.
"Qi Nian," she replied coolly.
The moment she spoke, Ye Mingnan felt a strange daze wash over her. A fragmented memory surfaced—
Deep in the night, with flowers casting flickering shadows, a figure in white leaned against a window, an ancient book in hand.
She tried to see the figure's face, but before she could, it dissolved into nothingness.
Standing on Qi Nian's sword, the two figures glided through the air. Before long, a vast expanse of white architecture unfolded along the riverbanks beneath them.
Jade Town was encircled by snow-capped mountains, and its predominantly white buildings gave it its name. The Black River coursed through the city, resembling countless interwoven strands of silk—an intricate dance of yin and yang from a distance.
To avoid drawing attention, they descended at the foot of the snow mountains, landing within a grove just outside the city. The gates of Jade Town loomed not far ahead.
"As you said, once we enter, we should seek out Yu'e first?" Qi Nian sheathed her sword and asked.
"Yes. She resides in a teahouse within Jade Town. I vaguely remember the way." Ye Mingnan seemed rather pleased.
"Who exactly is Yu'e? I've vaguely heard of her before." Qi Nian raised an eyebrow.
"Yu'e was originally a rabbit in Lady Lune's Moon Palace. Due to her exceptional intelligence, she ascended to divinity. She was assigned to safeguard this region, and she's been here ever since. To kill the time, she opened a teahouse—and, well, to make a little extra money too."
Just then, Qi Nian heard a soft jingling sound again. It was the ornaments on Ye Mingnan's robes, swaying in the breeze, their pearls and jade beads lightly clinking together.
Qi Nian reached into her bag and pulled out a plain white uniform from the underworld offices, tossing it to Ye Mingnan. "Change into this."
"Why?" Ye Mingnan caught the white robe, examining it curiously.
"You're drawing too much attention. There's no way we can act discreetly like this." Qi Nian pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Fine… what a waste of all the effort I put into dressing up this morning." Ye Mingnan sighed dramatically and began to undo her sash.
"Wait." Qi Nian quickly turned away. "Go change somewhere else."
"What, you find me irritating—"
"No, no, it's not that!" Qi Nian panicked. Misunderstandings were her greatest fear, so she hurriedly explained, "I just mean… it's not appropriate to change here."
"We're both women, what's the big deal? Ugh, fine, fine." Ye Mingnan pouted and wandered deeper into the grove.
A short while later, her voice called out, "Qi Nian?"
Qi Nian had been crouched on the ground, sketching a rough map of Jade Town with a twig. She looked up at the sound. "What is it?"
"Can you come here for a second? I don't quite know how to tie this belt."
Qi Nian hesitated for a moment before dropping the twig and standing up, making her way toward Ye Mingnan.
It was the height of summer, and the forest was lush, its vibrant greenery like polished jade. Sunlight streamed through the canopy, dappling the ground with shifting patterns. A small creek bubbled nearby, winding through the grass. Wildflowers swayed gently, filling the air with a light, cloud-like fragrance.
Ye Mingnan stood beneath a tree, holding a golden hairband between her lips, her long hair cascading down her back. She wore only her inner garments—thin, close-fitting robes of soft white fabric. Under the sunlight, her fair skin glowed faintly beneath the translucent layers. She stood bathed in light, her amber eyes serene as still water.
"It's this—why are your belts so complicated?" Ye Mingnan held out the sash to Qi Nian.
"I… I don't know." Qi Nian, usually composed, found an unfamiliar heat creeping up her neck to her ears.
She lowered herself slightly, carefully wrapping the sash around Ye Mingnan's waist.
Ye Mingnan's waist was slender, yet not lacking softness. Through the light fabric of her undergarments, its contours were faintly visible. Qi Nian forced herself to focus, keeping her eyes fixed on the sash in her hands, not daring to glance upward, lest she meet that pair of beautiful eyes.
She took extra care to avoid touching Ye Mingnan's skin, but that only made her more flustered. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the belt slipped from her grasp.
Ye Mingnan seemed to notice her unease.
Time stretched, thick and silent like the mist hanging in the forest. Only when a sparrow flitted into the bushes did Qi Nian snap out of her trance.
"All done." She straightened, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead.
"Tying a belt is that exhausting?" Ye Mingnan teased, her tone playful.
Qi Nian didn't respond. She only shot her a glare before quickly looking away.
Gone was the extravagant elegance of embroidered silks—clad in a crisp white uniform, Ye Mingnan now exuded a clean, sharp energy. She moved with a lightness, like a white crane soaring through the sky.
In contrast, Qi Nian, dressed in stark black, radiated a steady, composed aura—like the deep night, mysterious and unreadable.
Noticing their matching attire, Ye Mingnan smirked. "Doesn't this count as a couple's clothing?"
"It's just a uniform," Qi Nian replied flatly.
Ye Mingnan, ever the chatterbox, was used to having her jokes ignored. She simply chuckled to herself, her laughter ringing through the valley.
—
The pair strolled toward the gates of Jade Town. The city itself was not much different from any other, except for its uniformly pale architecture. Yet today, it was unusually festive. Red lanterns and paper-cut decorations adorned the white buildings, creating a jarring contrast—red and white, clashing yet eerily striking.
The streets teemed with performers displaying remarkable feats—walking barefoot on knives, swallowing swords, breathing fire. Their dazzling tricks drew astonished murmurs from onlookers.
Qi Nian's gaze shifted toward the center of the main street, where an elaborate procession advanced. Ten men carried a grand palanquin, moving slowly through the crowd. Through its sheer silk drapes, a statue was faintly visible inside.
The statue was clad in opulent robes, adorned with strings of celestial beads, agates, and turquoise. A pitch-black mask concealed its face entirely. Incense burned as the procession moved, filling the air with curling smoke.
"It's a corpse," Qi Nian murmured, narrowing her eyes as the palanquin drew near.
Ye Mingnan folded her arms. "Correct. It's part of Jade Town's customs. Since it sits at the crossroads of Han and Tibetan cultures, the city has absorbed many Tibetan rituals—sky burials included."
"If I recall correctly," Qi Nian continued, "in a traditional sky burial, the body is wrapped meticulously in cloth so that no skin is exposed before being sent downstream to the burial grounds. Once there, the wrappings are removed, and the remains are laid out for vultures to consume. Right?"
Ye Mingnan nodded, glancing at the palanquin. "Judging by the clothing and the style of the carriage, this deceased individual likely came from a wealthy Tibetan merchant family."
As Ye Mingnan mused aloud, Qi Nian found herself surprised—perhaps there was more to her than just idle chatter.
Passing through the bustling market, they noticed vendors selling offerings—paper flowers, fruit, and funeral money.
"These things aren't usually for sale," Ye Mingnan remarked, picking up a paper offering.
A realization dawned upon Qi Nian, her expression sharpening. "Damn it. Today is July fifteenth."
The Ghost Festival.
No wonder this was the perfect day to steal from the archives.
At sundown, the gates of the underworld would open.
Qi Nian could feel that Jade Town was already drowning in a tide of dark energy.