The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror-Chapter 845 - 391: Underworld (Part 2)

Perhaps it was a moment, or perhaps it was five hundred years.

…

…

After crossing the Naihe Bridge, the scene before Xu Qing's eyes shifted.

A city lay ahead, named "Impermanence."

Shouldn't the cities in the Underworld be called "Wangsi City"?

But Impermanence is actually more fitting than Wangsi.

The capriciousness of fate is closer to the description of death.

Even if one attains Longevity through Dao, falling could still happen in an instant.

Death is often unexpected, leaving the living with a long, damp residual life.

Xu Qing stepped into Impermanence City.

Because his Primordial Spirit enveloped his body, to be precise, he resembled a ghost, appearing quite sophisticated.

This city wasn't as bustling as the Capital in the Mortal World, yet it had an extraordinary Order.

Perhaps due to the ghostly inhabitants, it was surprisingly "clean."

Clean, from the perspective of the "living."

Because there wasn't as much filth.

Honestly, large cities in the Human World, without strong administrative mechanisms, are bound to be dirty and chaotic.

Back in modern times, some cities in certain countries were not better than the Hell depicted in stories.

People were living worse than ghosts.

Bad times are always like this, forcing people to become ghosts.

On the other hand, in Impermanence City before Xu Qing, there were also Mortal World entertainment venues, complete with food, drink, and amusement. Everything was even free.

What ghost city is this? It's clearly Paradise.

Everything from the Human World is in Impermanence City, except for one thing—oppression.

At least, none openly.

If such phenomena were to occur in this city, a Divine Sword called "Impermanence" by the ghosts would appear to eliminate the oppressor.

This is called 'three feet above, there are gods.'

As for how to define what constitutes "oppression."

It's surprisingly not simply according to laws but is based on "the ghost's heart."

To be precise, it is a sort of consensus.

If the majority find something unjust, this phenomenon would be eliminated by "Impermanence."

The problem is, the Heavenly Dao does not consider the few for the many, nor the many for the few.

People often have pure goodness and pure evil.

And in this ghost city, it is the same.

Gradually, a "consensus" formed in Impermanence City: there must not be differing opinions.

Thus, an Impermanence City similar to a Mortal World city, with nothing, exuded a sense of death.

Even though Xu Qing's Primordial Spirit aura was strikingly different from the other ghosts, making him stand out.

These ghosts saw him without any surprise or astonishment, each minding their own business.

Interactions with other ghosts are always bound to have friction.

Just as where there are people there's a Worldly Society, where there are ghosts, it's the same.

Where there's a Worldly Society, there's conflict.

Where there's conflict, there's injustice.

If you win, you might be eliminated. If you lose, you might be beaten to death.

Ghosts…

can also die.

This kind of death, in the ghost's perception, is complete death, with no chance for the next life.

In truth, all ghosts are grateful for the existence of the Underworld. Without it, ghosts would quickly dissipate, with no consciousness remaining.

Xu Qing wandered around Impermanence City.

If one were to say this place is good, it indeed is good, but to Xu Qing, it felt uncomfortable.

It was even a truly dead city.

Because all ghosts lived like puppets.

They did not dare to make mistakes, did not dare to make outrageous actions, even rejecting interaction with other ghosts, living like zombies.

Of course, it wasn't all that tragic.

At least they still had other means of leisure, as long as it didn't involve contacting other ghosts.

Thus, if Xu Qing wanted to interact with a ghost, they would shun him, even displaying instinctual fear.

Xu Qing's understanding of Impermanence City came more from various books.

Yes, there were many books here, recording much about Impermanence City.

So Xu Qing knew Impermanence City didn't start like this but gradually became the way it is now.

From the initial bustle, to a phase of ghosts harming each other, to now where one only hears animal sounds, and everyone lives till death without contact.

This was almost the ideal world of the Tao Te Ching.

But, it was too uncomfortable!

If there were the internet, at least one could passionately argue with others.

Fine, the internet is not a lawless land either!

Regulating the heavens, earth, and air, that's been a Hindu tradition for ages!

Xu Qing also learned from the books in Impermanence City that many ghosts had once left but some didn't return, and those who came back no longer wanted to leave.

Additionally, Impermanence City also had a Rebirth Pool.

This was a fast path to reincarnation.

But entering the Rebirth Pool meant losing this life's memories, equating to complete Rebirth.

Whether this counted as a form of death was still uncertain.

Moreover, once you leave, is the Mortal World really better than Impermanence City?

That's a gamble; you must not be reborn as an ox or horse to do better.

Everyone knows this world has more oxen and horses than masters.

Do the ghosts of Impermanence City in the Underworld or the oxen and horses in the Mortal World live better lives?

Those who've been oxen and horses know, as long as you're willing to toil, you will have endless suffering.

Not to say Impermanence City is joyful, but at least no one forces you to endure hardship there!

Thus, even though Impermanence City is lifeless, many ghosts still don't wish to leave.

Of course, entering Impermanence City was not easy either.

Ghosts who were atrocious villains in life had to walk a path, epitomizing the three ways of suffering; those who made it, with any luck, could join an Immortal Sect and become immortals.

With such willpower, they could achieve anything; there's no need to come to Impermanence City.

However, Xu Qing believed that those who were atrocious villains could still make it even in the normal Wangsi City of the Underworld.

The way of the Underworld and the Mortal World were no different.

Villains indeed tend to fare better.

Of course, villains also like good people.

This doesn't prevent them from seeing everyone as villains.

As Xu Qing strolled through Impermanence City, a question dawned on him.

If he established a Heavenly Court where virtue is rewarded, and the cosmos is fair, would it necessarily fare better than Impermanence City? 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Could there be a fundamental difference between a Heavenly Court and the Court?

As long as those executing public power have selfish motives, no matter how perfect the system, fairness cannot be achieved.

Momentarily, Xu Qing even felt a bit disheartened.

Was there truly a need to establish this Heavenly Court?

Undoubtedly, Impermanence City was a living example.

The best was no more than this.

Moreover, Impermanence City's resources were limited, hence the conditions for entry.

Even so, the ghosts here were not truly happy.

Because they had desires but were restricted by the form of Impermanence City, unable to obtain true satisfaction.

Proving that material joy has limits, all living beings, even ghosts, find endless pleasure in oppressing others.

They merely don't wish to be the ones oppressed.

Even a regular family in the Human World resembles a miniature society, filled with tests of obedience.

Ruler as ruler, minister as minister, father as father, son as son. This wasn't just a construct of Confucian thought but an accurate summary of worldly order.

This idea, too, is a form of consensus.

Only when order collapses does another thought need to replace it.

For the original path is no longer feasible.

People inherently dislike repeating past mistakes.

Yet, human history is an endless cycle of repetition.

Where does the error lie?

Is the error in the very existence of heavens and earth, of living beings?

Suddenly, Xu Qing realized he was trapped in Impermanence City.

Here seemed to be the world closest to the ideal, yet it still wasn't good enough, wasn't satisfactory.

Xu Qing even forgot his original purpose for coming to the Underworld.

He didn't even plan on leaving Impermanence City.

Because you may leave Impermanence City, but you can't escape the Human World, can't escape this real and painful world.

When he was at Shaoshi Mountain, he thought he had attained enlightenment.

Now, he deeply understood that he only had a glimpse.

He wasn't aware.

In the highest tavern of Impermanence City, a gaze was fixed on him.

The owner of that gaze was carefully observing him.

It was actually a thin black Divine Dog.

Its gaze, having strayed from Xu Qing, now looked up at the sky. A Red Moon slowly rose, and the eyes of the thin black Divine Dog filled with restless agitation.