Love Beyond the Grave

He Simu summoned the ghost servants and instructed them to take Duan Xu to rest. After entering the ghost city of Jade Zhou, enduring the worship of countless Evil Ghosts, and being hung on the palace gates for a full day and night, Duan Xu was finally led on solid ground to a side hall within the palace to settle in.

However, a significant problem remained—the vast ghost city had no food suitable for humans, and Duan Xu had already gone a full day and night without eating. Fortunately, the guiding ghost servant informed him that the Xi Ghost Palace Lord had already given orders, and soon the chef of Left Minister Jiang Ai would arrive to prepare a meal for him.

Duan Xu was surprised. "Left Minister has a chef?"

"We do not rely on mortal food for sustenance, but we can still eat it if we wish. Left Minister is wealthy beyond measure, enjoying luxuries beyond compare—having a few chefs is hardly unusual," the ghost servant replied respectfully.

Duan Xu pondered this, interlacing his fingers and resting them against his lips. "What does the Left Minister do to be so wealthy?"

"Left Minister owns gambling houses across the realm—naturally, she has money."

"Gambling houses? She enjoys gambling?"

"Yes, my lord. She loves gambling and almost never loses."

After a moment of contemplation, Duan Xu chuckled softly. "I see."

As they turned a corner, they ran into another group of Evil Ghosts approaching from the opposite direction. The ghost servant in front of Duan Xu immediately bowed and greeted, "Right Minister."

Duan Xu looked over and saw the tall, stern-faced Evil Ghost Yan Ke dressed in deep blue robes, silently scrutinizing him before withdrawing his gaze and moving to pass by.

But Duan Xu suddenly stepped back and grasped Yan Ke’s shoulder.

"Lord Yan, aren’t you a little surprised to see me still alive?"

Yan Ke shifted his gaze slightly as Duan Xu whispered in his ear, "You carry the same scent as the Evil Ghost who attacked me yesterday. Pity you can’t smell it."

In the presence of a living human, the blind spots of an Evil Ghost were far too many.

"That Evil Ghost who tried to devour me last night—you just met with him, didn’t you, Right Minister?" Duan Xu murmured with a smile.

When Jiang Ai entered the Ghost Hall, He Simu was reclining on the throne, flipping through the Ghost Records. Seeing her enter, He Simu set the records aside and gestured to a nearby chair. "Aunt Jiang Ai, sit."

He Simu didn’t often call her "Aunt Jiang Ai"—she usually addressed her as the Xi Ghost Palace Lord, Left Minister, or simply by name. When she used such an affectionate term, it usually meant she had a task for her.

Jiang Ai thought to herself—He Simu’s father called her "Aunt Jiang Ai," and now He Simu did the same. Was this an insult to her or to her own father?

She sat down and asked, "Simu, what did you call me here for?"

He Simu tapped her fingers against the Ghost Records and said casually, "The mortal I brought—take him around Jade Zhou City for a while."

Jiang Ai was stunned, then burst into laughter. "What? Everyone knows he’s yours. Who would dare touch him? Do you really need me to protect him?"

As she spoke, she trailed off thoughtfully before adding, "Though there is one who might dare—might even kill him. Simu, you know how jealous Yan Ke is. Before, your lovers never came to the Ghost Realm, so it didn’t matter. But now you’ve placed this living man right under his nose—aren’t you afraid something might happen?"He Simu shook her head with a smile. "Duan Xu has the Illusion-Breaking Sword with him—he's not that weak. Besides, what does Yan Ke's jealousy have to do with me? Should I really cater to his whims?"

Jiang Ai sighed. She still remembered the day over three hundred years ago when she brought He Simu to the Ghost Realm. Yan Ke had previously voiced many criticisms about this young and unfamiliar successor, but the moment he saw He Simu, he fell silent, stunned for what felt like half an incense stick's worth of time.

He Simu was indeed a rare beauty—after all, none of her parents' generation had been unattractive. Moreover, she carried an indescribable aura, stubborn and aloof.

Back then, Jiang Ai had thought, "This is it. The master of the Ki-Demon Hall is done for."

Decades later, when He Simu explicitly stated that she disliked Evil Ghosts and preferred the living, Jiang Ai thought again, "This is it. The master of the Ki-Demon Hall is done for, and there's no coming back."

No Evil Ghost could abandon their desires—if they could, they wouldn't have become Evil Ghosts in the first place.

But the same could be said for He Simu.

"Whether you admit it or not, Yan Ke is going to target this boy. Why not just acknowledge him as your lover? He's bold, cheerful, and utterly devoted to you. I can see he likes you a thousand, no, ten thousand times over. You've had over twenty lovers in the past few centuries—what's one more?" Jiang Ai eagerly encouraged.

He Simu sighed, as if the topic alone gave her a headache, and shook her head before returning to her book. "Let it be."

"What, you don't like him?" Jiang Ai pondered for a moment before exclaiming in realization, "I know—he must be really ugly."

Duan Xu sneezed, wondering who was speaking ill of him behind his back. He rubbed his nose as the Ghost servants leading him and Yan Ke's attendants retreated to the side, leaving only him and Yan Ke, the master of the Ki-Demon Hall, in the corner.

Leaning against the wall, Duan Xu grinned. "Why don't we have an honest talk, Lord Yan Ke? No matter how much you dislike me, you shouldn't try to kill me. If I die in Jade Zhou City, what would that do to Simu's dignity and authority?"

In his view, many Evil Ghosts were restless, but to think one would dare openly kill a living person brought by the Ghost King in Jade Zhou City—if they succeeded, it would be a blatant disregard for the Ghost King's authority. Considering this, after driving off the Evil Ghost, he had tied himself back up as if nothing had happened.

Yan Ke's expression, already cold, grew even frostier. "I don't believe you're qualified to speak to me honestly. An insignificant mortal—do you truly think Simu would hold you in her heart?"

Duan Xu shook his head. "Whether Simu holds me in her heart is between her and me. There's no need for the Right Minister to concern himself with it. But even as an outsider, I can see how difficult it is for her to be the Ghost King. Please don't add to her troubles."

With that, he turned to call for the Ghost servant guiding him, but before he could speak, Yan Ke said coolly, "Duan Shunxi, how long have you known her? Half a year? I've known her for over three hundred years."

Duan Xu turned back, meeting the gaze of the tall, stern man before him, who now wore a mocking smile—still as haughty as ever."I met her during the rebellion of the Evil Ghosts, helped her quell the uprising, and assisted her in implementing laws to govern the Ghost Realm. Without me overseeing the Ghost Realm for her, she wouldn’t even have the chance to rest, let alone meet you. She needs me, and I can stay by her side forever. Living humans like you—Simu has encountered many before. You’re just a fleeting distraction. Your youthful years are but a blink, as transient as smoke. She’ll soon forget you completely. What can you possibly offer her?"

Duan Xu stared steadily into Yan Ke’s eyes. The threads of wind twisted and tangled at this corner, as if sketching the undercurrents of tension.

Suddenly, Duan Xu brightened with a radiant smile. "Lord Right Minister," he said, "how did you know my name?"

Yan Ke’s pupils constricted slightly.

"So that’s it. You eavesdropped on my conversation with Simu. You heard that I kissed her, and now you’re furious?"

Duan Xu waved his hand dismissively, sighing as he turned to summon the ghost servant guiding him. Softly, he added, "Simu isn’t your possession. After three hundred years, she still doesn’t like you. You’re just overestimating your importance, Lord Right Minister."

Yan Ke clenched his fists instantly, but by the time Duan Xu turned away, the smile had already vanished from his face.

After settling into the side palace, Duan Xu slept soundly to rest. Jiang Ai’s chef was also brought in to cook, ensuring Duan Xu wouldn’t starve. This living chef clearly understood Jade Zhou City and Jiang Ai well—likely aware that failing to cook properly would turn him into the freshest ingredient. He worked silently, flipping his wok with practiced ease, preparing at least eight dishes per meal.

Duan Xu reassured him repeatedly that such extravagance wasn’t necessary, but the chef remained nervous and unyielding. Eventually, Duan Xu gave up trying to persuade him.

Along with Jiang Ai’s chef came Jiang Ai herself.

The enchanting and opulent Hall Master naturally intended to enjoy her chef’s culinary skills. As she ate, she mentioned she’d been entrusted by the Ghost King to look after Duan Xu for a while.

"His Majesty just returned from his rest and is extremely busy. Since you’re unfamiliar with Jade Zhou City, I’ll stand in for him as your host," Jiang Ai declared loftily.

Duan Xu didn’t press further. Instead, he paused his chopsticks and smiled faintly. "She’s hoping I’ll give up on my own, isn’t she?"

"What?"

"Never mind. I’ll trouble you, then."

True to his word, Duan Xu proceeded to inconvenience Jiang Ai thoroughly. He rose early and returned late each day, dragging her to nearly every corner of Jade Zhou City. He showed no interest in visiting the high-ranking Hall Masters, focusing instead on the layout of streets and every blade of grass. Within days, he’d hand-drawn a remarkably accurate map of the city, with surprisingly precise proportions between districts.

Jiang Ai eyed the map curiously, marveling at his photographic memory while baffled by his intentions. "What are you planning?"

"A gift for Simu," Duan Xu replied, setting down his brush with a smile. "There’s one more place I’d like to visit. Would you mind guiding me, Lord Left Minister?"

"Where?"

"The cliff engraved with the thirty-two Golden Wall Laws."

Jiang Ai raised an eyebrow, amused. "You’ve got quite the eye, picking the second most detested place among the Evil Ghosts."The Golden Wall was located on Ephemeral Mountain, behind the palace in the eastern part of Jade Zhou City. Originally a natural cliff, the previous Ghost King had ordered ghost craftsmen to cover and smooth it with pure gold, then inscribed thirty-two laws of the Ghost Realm in cinnabar, each character larger than a military drum.

When Duan Xu had been hung from the palace gates, he could see a glaring, radiant golden light emanating from one spot on the mountain. Now, as Jiang Ai led him to the cliffside, they could already make out all the characters from halfway up the mountain. Amidst the lush greenery, the gold and crimson stood solemn and magnificent.

When they finally stood beneath the Golden Wall, gazing up at this structure as tall as a four-story building, they both couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

Jiang Ai remarked—"How much gold must have been spent to build this wall back then?"

Duan Xu, however, said—"To govern with benevolence and bring fortune to the world—that is the Way."

Jiang Ai turned to him in surprise. Reading was probably one of her most detested activities, so the phrase was unfamiliar to her, yet she could hear the admiration in his voice. Covering her lips with a hand, she chuckled: "Seven out of ten Evil Ghosts dislike these restrictive laws. Little friend, you truly are righteous."

Duan Xu reached out to trace the bold, deeply carved characters on the golden surface. The laws imposed many restrictions on the behavior of Evil Ghosts—if these were followed, ghosts could hardly be called "evil" anymore.

He said quietly, "In ancient times, Shang Yang reformed laws to strengthen his state, only to be torn apart by chariots in the marketplace. Yet later, the Qin ruler unified the world."

After a pause, he smiled faintly. "So that's how it is. She's walking Shang Yang's path—a path loathed by both men and ghosts."

—To be loathed by both men and ghosts is where a Ghost King should stand.

He Simu had once told him this casually, as if it were nothing.

Perhaps she had long understood, yet still chose to spend her endless life and extraordinary talents entwined with the abyss, restraining this behemoth of desire and greed.

To maintain order in the Ghost Realm, to cleanse its stigma, to allow even Evil Ghosts to be judged as good or bad. And to protect this world made of small, fragile mortals.

He believed that as long as she remained Ghost King, the Ghost Realm would stay stable, and the human world unharmed.

Even if no one knew. Even if no one remembered.