Zhang Xiyu had been dead far longer than he had ever been alive. Which is why his centuries in the afterlife could rely only on something just as old—his hatred for Enma.
But as the god of the underworld recited the tales that shaped both hell's landscape and his own miserable existence, Zhang Xiyu felt the ground beneath him shift. Just like it had the day he first found the Blue Lotus.
No—when she found him.
"So, young boy. Do you think you have a choice?"
That was how she taunted him. Back then, he had stared blankly. "Why me?"
The sister laughed, sharp and cruel. "Who says it is only you? The Order does not put all its eggs in one basket."
"We have other subjects. We will choose the most suitable one. Which means—"
She stepped back, hovering over a small pond. With a flick of her hand, its surface spiralled into a violent whirlpool. The dark hole yawned downward, reminding him of the first time he saw the Kaigan Pit.
"—you will have to prove yourself." she finished, smiling innocently.
Zhang Xiyu didn't fall for the façade. He turned to run—but gravity slammed onto him, tenfold. The hole widened, and his body was dragged back like a ragdoll.
The last thing he saw before falling was her expression, malicious victory spreading across her face like oil on canvas.
After that, he crawled through horrors buried deeper than Avīci. Before being thrown in, he'd believed the demons on the surface were the ultimate evil. The ones who feasted on human souls, tortured them, trafficked them to nobles for entertainment—surely they were hell's worst.
Until he met the true evil.
After all, if humans fear hell, what does hell fear?
Deep in a suffocating darkness, bloodlust hung heavy and eternal. That place was a paradox—like the stars, it existed and didn't. It was the abode of the Devis. From the relentless Sanskrit chants ringing in his ears, he learned the tamasic goddesses were called the Mahavidya.
And he was trapped inside their immortal fables.
Countless oil lamps flickered into existence, circling the Devis as they performed their cosmic tandava. Their titanic forms danced to the song of death, blades and claws slicing through the necks of arrogant rakshasas. When the heads rolled, the Devis drank their souls and blood with ecstatic delight.
This was true tamas. Evil in its purest form.
Zhang Xiyu had been hurled into that realm to witness the ancient power hidden in hell's deepest arteries—and that power was more than aware of the tiny intruder crawling in its territory. Enormous kohl-lined eyes pinned themselves to him, endlessly watching.
In that terror, he learned the only rule of survival:
Do not anger the goddesses. And pray.
Cede them devotion and soul. Surrender your fears to them for only then you can become fearless.
The Blue Lotus wanted him to become fearless.
For decades he sat in lotus position, praying his ant-like existence would not be crushed and pleasing the Devis to grant him even a sliver of their might.
Slowly, his cultivation rose and his convictions returned. He remembered why he was here—and who must pay. The list of grudges was long, but every path circled back to one man.
King Enma.
That anger and hatred fuelled his demonic cultivation and brought him closer to survival.
So how can he let go of it so easily?
The god of the underworld orated a tale that twisted those golden convictions and hatred. In this portrait, was his sworn enemy also a victim? Two centuries of torment and its sole bearer, Lord Enma, gazed at him with weary honesty.
Now… he feels a bit lost…
He did not realize his stifled hostility had physically warped him. When he first faced Enma, his pupils narrowed and burned red. His fingers blackened, nails lengthened. Spiritual energy crackled around him like heated lightning.
But now all these signs were receding.
Enma looks at Zhang Xiyu's expression and feels a pang of pity. His furrowed eyebrows reminded him of how young this child truly is. The entire realm must be calling him the chosen one but really, he was the unlucky one. Unlucky enough to have the strength the Blue Lotus covets.
He softens his tone. "Son,"
"You have now probably guessed why the Blue Lotus wants to kill my children."
"Ren Jiang." Zhang Xiyu exhales. "She only wants his head. But by revealing so- "
She would have to reveal her true intentions. Zhang Xiyu put the pieces together. This would not align with the pipe dream she has been feeding me.
The grand dream of snatching Enma's throne was nothing but a hoax. He knew it was too good to be true. Additionally, the woman either wanted to punish Enma or was simply distrustful of his progeny, which is why she wouldn't mind if all three princes die from his hands.
And when Enma's wrath seeks a target, the Blue Lotus can simply serve Zhang Xiyu to him on a silver platter.
Zhang Xiyu laughs hysterically, leaving Lord Enma in confusion. "It all makes sense now!"
He was suddenly very glad that he came here. Even though his suspicions were true, he has finally figured her out. "She wants me to kill Ren Jiang…" He sneers at Enma. "…so you can consume his core, repair your own, and reclaim your throne."
"Hell will stabilise again and you will no longer suffer." His sadistic grin widens.
"You are correct. But I implore you to keep it to yourself. Only Jin Niu, Zou Yaozu, He Bolin, and now you know of the truth behind my seclusion. If the masses discover my core is broken—"
"Your Majesty," Zhang Xiyu interrupts lightly, "why not just kill him?"
"How dare you!"
Lord Enma bellows, the partition between them fluttered with the impact. A mere hint of harming his darling son pushes the great king on edge but Zhang Xiyu would be the last person to feel intimidated by him. In fact, Enma's shaken composure amused him a great deal.
Lord Enma looks at him as he boldly chuckles at his helplessness and thinks why he even bothered pitying him before. Such emotions are wasted on this madman. He used to be a human but not anymore. He simply sighs with exasperation. "You promised me that you will do no such thing. My three sons must remain untouched by your blade."
"You're not my boss, Enma." Zhang Xiyu's tone turns flippant, all pretence dropped. His phoenix eyes burn with provocation. "The Blue Lotus is."
"And she seems to have a handsome reward for me. Would you like to know what dream she owes me?" He smirks. Enma feels dread creeping in.
"Your throne."
Behind the partition, Enma closes his eyes. How had things fallen so far?
"Your ministers are either incompetent or worked to death. The souls that enter this hell are all damned to endlessly roam with injustice. The demons, with or without a hefty title, they abuse these souls of God in unspeakable ways all while you hold that throne."
"Tell me! Are you still worthy of that crown?"
The truth struck him harder than any blow. His head sank lower with each accusation. He knew his absence had harmed hell, but hearing it laid bare was another wound entirely.
But now wasn't the time to wallow. It was time to reclaim his duties. No matter how heavy the burden of centuries past, he would carry it moving forward.
"If that dream had entrances you then why are you here?" Lord Enma softly asks.
"What is it that you want? The King of Judgement will hear your appeal."
Two centuries late, Zhang Xiyu was finally attending his court date. The warmth of Enma's words arrived far too late, but still—something clawed at his throat. His gamble had paid off.
"Lord Enma, I—" His voice turned hoarse with disbelief.
"I have only one request."
--------------------------------------------------
It must have been hours since Zhang Xiyu went in to meet Enma, and He Bolin was starting to grow uneasy. Throughout their private exchange he had sensed heavy fluctuations in the spiritual energy suffusing the domain—but nothing life-threatening.
Still, what is taking them so long?
He lingered by the door, conjuring up scenarios. Maybe they were arguing. Maybe they were bitching about the Blue Lotus. Either way, the atmosphere inside had to be tense.
And yet, when his father finally beckoned him in, He Bolin was met with an unexpected sight.
Instead of a battlefield, he found light chatter. Zhang Xiyu's insincere smiles were gone, but he stood relaxed, almost casual, while Lord Enma spoke with a bright tone.
Huh. I haven't heard him sound this lively in a long time.
He Bolin hence concluded that bring Zhang Xiyu on his own volition was not a bad decision. "Bolin-ah," Enma called from behind the partition. "We have a lot of work to do."
"I… have been here for far too long," Enma continued. "Waiting to recover before returning to the palace. But I'm afraid… we no longer have that luxury."
He Bolin's golden eyes slide to Zhang Xiyu. "What's the plan, then?"
"The Blue Lotus wanted me to get Ren Jiang's fragment." Zhang Xiyu explains the situation. "I already retrieved it without killing him, but she did not like the method. Once she gets the remaining three fragments, she will be able to move."
"Right now, she's confined to her temple, but once that restraint breaks…" Zhang Xiyu lifts his chin toward Enma. "She will not need me anymore. She will kill Ren Jiang herself."
He Bolin didn't particularly care for Ren Jiang's life. Honestly, the realm would be better without that viper. Let the troublesome brother die; let the father return to glory. Enma was growth while Ren Jiang was rot. The choice was obvious.
But out of all her schemes, Ren Lifen's most successful ploy was to make Ren Jiang's place in Enma's life irreplaceable. The fool was still in love with her and adored her son to death. So, the realm bent over backwards to honour the King's sentiment.
"You need to stall the handover." He Bolin mutters.
"That would be ideal," Zhang Xiyu says, "except it's not. She knows my strength. If I stall too long, she will grow suspicious. She will revoke my authority over the monsters of Kaigan Pit and pass it to the next best person."
He carefully avoided saying Yutao's name.
"But that isn't even the biggest problem." He brushes the thought aside. "The real issue is Ren Jiang himself. He's been preparing something dangerous for a very long time."
"What are you talking about?" He Bolin frowns.
"Lord Enma," Zhang Xiyu says, turning toward the partition. "His plans have reached such a scale that if he is not stopped, the heavens will intervene. Or worse—they will descend."
Enma opens his mouth to ask who he means, but freezes as realization washes over him. "You… have seen them?" he asks, horror hollowing his voice.
In return, Zhang Xiyu mirthlessly smiles. "I have lived with them."
"… Amitabha."
Zhang Xiyu merely shakes his head and moves forward. "What I'm saying is that you can't remain in recuperation any longer. This is time-sensitive. If Ren Jiang gets even a little more time…"
"I fear the mortal world will cease to exist."
He Bolin stood stunned at the declaration—but old habits die hard as he openly suspects these absurd claims. "Xiyu. I have trailed him for centuries now and the worst he's done is play a bandit warlord. Just what could he possibly have done?"
"Bolin-ah." Zhang Xiyu mirrors his coaxing tone perfectly. "I'm sorry your spies aren't worth two cents, so you will have to just trust me."
"Sons…" Enma sighs. "Save the banter for later. Zhang Xiyu, what do you propose we do?"
"It's simple." Zhang Xiyu tilts his head. "Have Jin Niu declare a hoax. Announce to the people that the Fifth King of Hell will return to his throne… in seven days."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Where the fuck did Hao Enlai go?"
Ren Jiang's voice cracked like a whip. The soldiers kneeling before him swallowed hard as they reported.
"He was last seen days ago entering his home, Your Highness. We searched the entire residence, nothing appears stolen. However, we did find a blood-stained room filled with dead birds."
"…Birds… you say…"
The soldier nodded. "A large hole was found in the wall of that room. Blood trails continued through the garden, but disappeared in the middle."
Ren Jiang hummed, assembling the clues. No blood beyond the property… which meant the man had likely died inside someone's domain.
"Who could it be…?" His posture straightened sharply.
Zhang Xiyu.
Of course. He could have killed Hao Enlai to settle old scores.
Ren Jiang burst into laughter. "What? He doesn't have the balls to come for me, so he goes after that poor bastard?"
He exhaled and sank back into the couch. "Fine. What about my darling wife?"
The soldiers exchanged a nervous look before one cleared his throat.
"The Central Prison guards reported two of their men injured by an intruder. Using the distraction… the madam seems to have escaped."
"Her closets were found emptied, the jewellery gone, and one more item missing."
Ren Jiang arched a brow. "Which?"
"The sapphire showpiece bestowed upon you by Lord Enma on your coming of age."
"…That rock?" Ren Jiang barely remembered it. His father had insisted he keep it safe, so he had locked it in a glass case with the other antiques. Strange, sure but he had seen far more valuable artifacts.
Why the hell would she want that?
"Whatever. Let her run. The Central Jail will drag her back soon eno—"
A knock interrupted him.
"Enter."
The butler stepped in, followed by a royal messenger carrying a thick scroll. Ren Jiang's brows knitted. "What's this?"
"A proclamation from the palace, Your Highness." the messenger said, bowing before unfurling the scroll.
"The excruciating wait has come to an end. King Enma of the Fifth Court has recuperated, thanks to the well wishes of our citizens. The residents of Hell #004 should prepare to welcome their king in no more than seven days. That is—"
"Seven days?!"
Ren Jiang shot to his feet, making his servants flinch back. His finger stabbed toward the scroll.
"Repeat that."
"…prepare to welcome their king in no more than seven days…"
Seven days.
The rest of the announcement dissolved into meaningless noise as he mulled over the fact that he had only seven days left to take his rightful throne.
He had only seven days to take the Blue Lotus.