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墨書 Inktalez
I saw these souls crowding around a red palanquin.
The red palanquin appeared somewhat ethereal at that moment. The Clay Bodhisattva exclaimed in surprise beside me, "Saning Brother, someone is getting married."
I cautioned the Clay Bodhisattva to be careful; those who marry in such a place are certainly not good people, or perhaps not even human at all. The souls, colored like stars, formed a deep blue river.
The river surged, and the red palanquin flowed forward, its color carrying a hint of allure.
It was my first time on the Underworld Road, and I happened to stumble upon a wedding. I thought to myself, could it be Yama getting married?
The Clay Bodhisattva and I crouched in a hidden spot, waiting for the souls to come closer.
I stared intently at the palanquin.
The Clay Bodhisattva seemed delighted, as if it were their first time witnessing a wedding.
I wanted to see who was inside the palanquin, but I dared not approach. I sensed that these souls were conscious; conscious souls typically meant they were ghosts.
And these ghosts in the Underworld did not need to reincarnate; they were likely Ghost Soldiers. This spectacle was rather grand, suggesting that the bride or groom was no ordinary person.
It was very likely that Yama was getting married. No wonder I hadn't seen a single ghost while crossing the River of Yellow Springs today; someone was indeed getting married.
The Clay Bodhisattva suggested we go take a look.
But I had no intention of doing so. It was better to avoid trouble. My main focus now was to find Yiyan.
However, there were no clues at this moment. I couldn't afford to shout loudly either; I could only wait for this wedding procession to pass before proceeding.
But at that moment, the bell I held in my hand suddenly shook.
First, it moved lightly, then it began to tremble. Though small, the sound of the bell ringing was quite loud.
I hurriedly gripped the bell tightly.
However, even after holding it, I could still hear the bell ringing. At first, I thought it was coming from my hand, but when I brought it closer to my ear, I realized it wasn’t.
Hmm, I was a bit surprised. Could it be that the other half of the bell was ringing?
Following the sound of the bell, I found myself beside the Black Swamp near Underworld Road. This swamp seemed endless, with no bottom in sight.
Yet at that moment, the sound of the bell came from within, even though the wedding procession had already passed.
I looked at the Black Swamp; there was no water left in it, as if it had completely dried up. The Clay Bodhisattva was urging me to take her to see a wedding.
Naturally, I had no interest in watching someone else’s wedding.
I stepped into the swamp, my feet sinking slightly into its surface. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a soul weeping. With each step I took, the sound grew clearer.
I couldn’t help but crouch down to listen. It was indeed coming from within this swamp.
How strange! Yet I couldn’t find any trace of a soul.
The Clay Bodhisattva followed closely beside me and asked what I was listening to. I replied that she didn’t hear it?
The Clay Bodhisattva insisted she hadn’t heard anything, yet somehow she did.
I got up and sighed, continuing to follow the sound of the bell. At this point, I had already let go of the bell in my hand, and it began to ring on its own.
The sounds of two bells filled the Black Swamp.
I called out, "Yiyan," but there was still no response. I kept walking forward when suddenly I heard the sound of the Wooden Fish. It echoed, one beat after another.
This swamp could be described as a sea of death, filled with resentment. Even the sobbing sounds here were thick with sorrow.
The Clay Bodhisattva suddenly said, "Saning Brother, I'm a little scared."
I glanced at the Clay Bodhisattva and asked, "What are you afraid of?"
With her eyes blinking innocently, she looked pitiful and replied, "I just suddenly feel scared."
I could only offer some comforting words to the Clay Bodhisattva, saying things like, "Don't be afraid with me around; even if we die, I'll go first," trying to soothe her.
Finally, she quieted down.
The sound of the Wooden Fish was slow, each beat seeming to stretch for several minutes in between.
I thought to myself that Yiyan couldn't possibly be a monk; only monks would strike the Wooden Fish. The sound of the bell was clear and pleasant to hear, so I began to call out "One by one."
I felt myself getting closer and closer.
Finally, about half an hour later, I saw a figure from behind.
One by one had once said that she was brought back from the Underworld Road, but that person had remained on the Underworld Road.
I couldn't understand why he was able to bring One by One back from Underworld Road, yet he himself was unwilling to return. When One by One found me, she said her time was running out and feared she might die.
But even if one were to die here, what would it matter? After crossing the Bridge of Helplessness, one could simply be reincarnated.
However, after passing the Bridge of Helplessness and drinking Meng Po Soup, one would have no ties to this life anymore.
I was curious about what kind of person would choose to stay in such a place.
The figure before me wore a Robe. If I wasn't mistaken, this person was indeed a monk. The sound of the Wooden Fish echoed in the air, and suddenly the Clay Bodhisattva remarked that this person was somewhat frightening.
I thought about whether he was truly frightening; anyone who could remain in this place surely wasn't a good person.
I had questions to ask him, so even if he wasn't a good person, I had to approach him. I instructed the Clay Bodhisattva to wait for me where he was.
As I walked toward the monk, I found that upon getting closer, he wasn't frightening at all. On the contrary, his face was handsome and refined.
The bells on him continued to jingle, and the bell in my hand also chimed along.
The Clay Bodhisattva didn't listen to me and quickly stood behind me. The monk kept his eyes closed as he struck the Wooden Fish. With each strike, I saw a soul emerge from the Black Swamp and head toward Underworld Road.
After finishing one round of striking the Wooden Fish, his hand remained suspended in mid-air for quite some time before finally dropping down.
I stared at the monk and directly asked, "Are you Yiyan?"
I waited for a response, but the monk completely ignored me. His Robe looked tattered and worn.
"Someone sent me to find you; her name is One by One. This is her bell." As I spoke, I extended the bell toward him, but still, the monk paid me no mind.
But I saw his bell; he had tied it to the hem of his robe.
Although the bell was swaying, he remained unmoved.
He softly recited the Sutra.
Yet I was certain he was a living person. The thought of a living person staying in such a place was enough to send shivers down my spine. One by One suddenly grabbed my hand and said, "This monk is a bit frightening."
I felt the same way. I said to One by One, "Let me take you back."
After my words fell, he still ignored me.
The Sutra continued to be softly chanted. I didn't have time to waste with this monk; I directly said, "Monk, whether you want to go back with me or not doesn't matter, but since I'm here, I just want to ask you one question."
I had a secret in my heart: I needed to know the location of the River of Despair. I didn't want Ke'er to suffer any longer.
At that moment, the monk finally paused with his Wooden Fish and simply said to me, "Benefactor, do not hold your obsession too deeply."
Souls occasionally flew out from the depths of the swamp. Suddenly, I understood that Yiyan was here to perform a rite for the souls in this Swamp Sea.
But I didn't need to look to know how many souls were in this Swamp Sea; there were many.
At this rate, who knows how long it would take to guide all the souls here to peace?
I said to Yiyan, "Your obsession is too deep."
Upon hearing my words, Yiyan fell silent for a long time before finally opening his eyes. The moment his eyes opened, I felt as if a sealed history had suddenly been unlocked.
He looked at me, his lips trembling slightly.
Obsession, whose obsession runs deeper?
After a moment, Yiyan said, "Hell is not empty; sentient beings still suffer."
Upon hearing this, I was taken aback. Hell is not empty, and people still suffer. Even if sentient beings are in pain, it is not something that one monk can resolve.
I replied to Yiyan, "Let them suffer; what does it have to do with you?"
"Your wife is waiting for you. Don't waste time here," I said bluntly.
Clay Bodhisattva added, "Your wife spent a lot of money to have Saning Brother come here to pick you up."
Yiyan glanced at Clay Bodhisattva, who quickly hid behind me.
Yiyan then said, "A single thought can lead to enlightenment or to demonic paths."
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