Chapter 351: Judgment

So this is what death feels like...

Floating in the darkness that felt neither hot nor cold, Song Min was left alone with only his thoughts. There were no sensations or emotions in this place, only nothingness. He could not tell where north was or move. It was as if he were suspended in animation until he had lost track of the concept of time as well.

"Sorry for the wait!"

The voice wasn’t loud. But to Song Min, who had been waiting in silence and stillness, it was deafening.

"Who...?"

Disoriented from the voided world, Song Min had almost forgotten who he was until he saw the golden light encompassing his entirety.

Suddenly, he was able to feel, move, hear and see again. The sensory trigger brought back memories. All the memories for a thousand years came flooding back into his mind, both the good and the bad.

Eventually, Song Min realised he was no longer in the imperial palace where he had last parted with his eternal rival. However, the sparkle in this place was no less grand than the imperial ancestral hall.

Murmurs reached Song Min’s ear, but the huge pressure on his entire being made him unable to lift his head off the ground. The gravity in this strange place was almost too much for him to bear. Yet, from the corner of his limited vision, he saw Anji bowing and moving with little issues.

"Silence," a calm voice spoke. It was not loud, but it rattled the inside of Song Min’s brain.

At once, all the whispers and murmurs quieted down. In two breaths, Song Min felt the immense pressure keeping him pinned down ease significantly.

Feeling numb, he lifted his head slowly and saw three figures sitting on a high pedestal from a very far distance. Yet, they were so huge that even from three thousand steps away, he could see them clearly.

Nudging him lightly, the figure beside him felt like two different people to Song Min. In appearance, she looked like Anji. However, her presence and strength felt like Zhong Kui instead. Judging by the sea of clouds they were standing on, this must be the celestial court.

Getting down on both knees, Song Min copied Anji’s actions and bowed. He had no idea if heavenly court etiquette was the same as that in the mortal realm. Seeing the heavy shackles on his wrists and ankles, Song Min had a rough idea why he was here.

"Zhong Kui greets the Jade Emperor, Goddess of Mercy and King Yama."

Anji’s voice existed in both her past and present, making Song Min dizzy. In one ear, she sounded like the kid who quibbled with him in captivity. In another ear, he recognised the booming voice of Zhong Kui, full of vitality. It was as if two souls had fused in one, among the other, less distinct voices of the soul’s past reincarnations. Wisely, he chose to remain bowed and silent.

Laughing, the Jade Emperor dismissed the greeting.

"Welcome back, Zhong Kui. It must have been difficult for you. Well done on finally returning to your post. How have you been?"

The Jade Emperor was unlike everything Song Min had imagined. To be the Emperor of Emperors, Song Min assumed he would carry himself with regal grace and dignity like no other. He thought the Jade Emperor might even present himself stoically and coldly as the fair and impartial ruler everyone claimed he was.

Returning a smile equally warm, Anji engaged in small talk but brought up the main topic of Song Min’s judgment.

Beside the Jade Emperor, King Yama clicked his tongue.

"Zhong Kui, you’ve racked up much merit in all your reincarnations to pursue this fugitive soul. Purifying the corrupted dragon scale is also added to your merit. Don’t mention reinstating you to your former position. I’m thinking about promoting you further. What do you think?"

Originally, Zhong Kui was considered a minor deity. He had a few temples in his name and was known to care for exterminating rogue ghosts. In his career, the only soul that escaped him for so long was Song Min. Now that Song Min’s soul was finally recaptured, it was only right for him to become a proper God with ranks and his own religion.

Casting a side glance at Song Min, Anji shook her head and clasped her hands, getting onto her knees.

"Zhong Kui is here to beg for a favour instead of receiving rewards," she explained. "May I know how much debt this fugitive soul has incurred?"

Surprised but equally curious, Song Min froze.

Her request started a new wave of murmurs in the celestial court.

"Zhong Kui, karmic debt and the ledger are of utmost secrecy," King Yama reminded. "Not even you can see it without good reason."

Here, Anji became more insistent.

"Then will I be able to help this fugitive soul pay off all his karmic debt in exchange for all my divinity?"

The new request sent an alarm throughout the celestial court. Never in history had anyone pleaded for leniency for another soul in exchange for divinity.

"Amitabha," The Goddess of Mercy held up her willow branch and spoke up for the first time since the special court session. "I believe Zhong Kui has good reasons to beg for leniency. Let’s not jump to conclusions."

Frowning, King Yama wanted to protest, but the Jade Emperor raised his hand and permitted Song Min to speak.

"Fugitive Soul, Song Min. According to the records we hold of your soul, you have both contributed deeply in merits during your time alive that persisted even after your death. However, the crimes far outweigh your contributions. Speak. How should you be judged for your crimes?"

Contributions in his time alive that persisted after his death? It was the first time Song Min had heard it. As if reading his inner thoughts, King Yama sighed and sent a copy of his records encoded only for Song Min’s eyes to see.

From the day he was born, Song Min saw the positive accumulation of Karma as he raised his numerous siblings, did charitable work and studied hard to become a minor court official. Up until the time of his death, almost every action incurred positive karma. Yet, after his death, a small amount of positive karma was given to him from an unknown account.

"Why did I earn positive karma even after I died?" he finally asked in confusion.

None of those actions was done by him. He understood the negative karma charges that came later and did not argue with them. However, ever so rarely, small positive karma was credited even in the middle of his dark ages.

Here, Anji had to hide a smile. It was precisely this part of the karma ledger accounting system that most people did not understand, which gave her full confidence that she could save Song Min. Now, he would learn about it for himself.

Seeing Zhong Kui’s mischievous smirk hidden behind his sleeves, the Jade Emperor laughed.

"It looks like you’ve fallen into Zhong Kui’s trap completely. King Yama, I permit you to explain the rules of karma accounting and reveal examples of transactions in fugitive soul Song Min’s books."

Surprised by the sudden permission, King Yama glanced back at the Goddess of Mercy, who merely remained neutral.

"If you say so," he frowned.

Turning to Song Min, King Yama pulled out a slab used to teach new hell accountants how to record karma transactions. Song Min listened closely, and eventually, Anji had to look away by the end of the lecture because of Song Min’s burning stare of disbelief directed at her.

"You...!"

Pretending not to know, Anji cleared her throat.

"As you can see, the reason why I’m begging leniency for this fugitive soul was partially due to my incompetence in preventing a good soul from total corruption. His good deeds have created an important foundation in humanity’s progress. Some of his bad deeds have created mercy. He was wronged by circumstances, and I was incompetent in apprehending him on time because he was simply too skilled for his own good. Hence, I request to share his punishment in favour of his final self-sacrificing actions."

Song Min’s original book about a righteous anti-corruption system was highly controversial while he was alive. But the story of his death, meant to serve as a warning, became a beacon of hope, fueling future generations of scholars and revolutionaries to establish a new age of an anti-corrupt system. Although it took many generations and dynasties to find a feasible balance, Song Min’s contributions were not small.

In fact, even after he had become a ghost general, the number of lost souls he collected that escaped King Yama’s hell guards due to Zhong Kui’s extended absence helped the underworld account for the missing difference. It was highly commendable and helpful to the constantly understaffed department.

Having such capabilities made Song Min irresistible to both King Yama and the Jade Emperor. The Goddess of Mercy only attended as a neutral third party on Zhong Kui’s request to beg for leniency.

If Song Min thought he was versed in politics, celestial politics were completely on a different scale. Zhong Kui had him in checkmate this time.

"Amitabha. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. If we were to judge based on intentions instead of actions, this child would have no sins at all. He was never greedy or self-serving. In fact, all he ever had was compassion, even if his methods were wrong. I support a reform sentence instead of a punishment sentence to guide his future on a brighter path."

The Goddess of Mercy’s words were exactly what Zhong Kui believed in. Compared to letting Song Min serve as a hell minion in the underworld to pay off his karmic debts, it would be better for him to work it off for the Jade Emperor, who was always short of talented candidates to regulate the mortal realm.

Disgruntled by the weasel-like proposal, King Yama, who had been on the search for capable assistants, sulked. At this rate, he was going to lose both Zhong Kui and Song Min to the other Gods. Why was it that nobody liked working in Hell? It wasn’t that bad a place compared to others who had to observe etiquette at all times.

"I- What about the people I’ve wronged?" Song Min asked. "What about their karma? I have to repay the victims..."

Scoffing, King Yama rolled his eyes.

"They have been generously compensated to be reborn into better lives built upon your actions. The small positive karma balances are transactions leftover from deducting reparations. If you feel guilty, you can always turn yourself in and work for me for the next thousand years. The underworld is constantly shorthanded and in need of talent."

Shuddering, Zhong Kui knew exactly how that felt. Having worked for King Yama for a long time, it was about time to resign.

"Jade Emperor, Goddess of Mercy... Zhong Kui is willing to trade in all my divinity in exchange for clearing and minimising Song Min’s karma debt for a chance to be reborn as a human."

"You...!" King Yama’s face turned as red as an apple but remained contained. "Forget it. I won’t stop you if you want to resign. Just know that you’re not getting an employee discount at Rebirth. We will judge you fairly based on all your contributions as a mortal in your past life."

With the agreement of the Goddess of Mercy and King Yama, the Jade Emperor waited for Song Min’s decision.

"Fugitive soul Song Min, if you agree to a lighter sentence, I will arrange a suitable reincarnation for you that will allow you to fulfil your dreams of a corruption-free world where everyone can work for their merits. What do you say? In exchange, Zhong Kui will retire from service as a God and return to the cycle of life."

Nudging him unsubtly, Anji blinked furiously at Song Min to agree.

"Quickly agree," she whispered just loud enough for him. "My family and shifu are still waiting for me."

For a moment, Song Min had no idea what she meant. However, his brilliant mind connected all the dots, and his eyes widened when he realised what Zhong Kui had been after this whole time.

"I see..." he nodded. "Thank you."

Song Min thought he had repaid the favour he owed through his sacrifice, but now, he knew the real favour he owed Zhong Kui. That cheeky kid would make an excellent business person with such great bargaining power.

"Song Min thanks the Jade Emperor’s generosity. I’d like to accept the kindness of Zhong Kui and be reincarnated alongside their soul to repay them and pay off my debts."

Excellent. Excellent choice indeed. Smiling, the Jade Emperor granted their decisions with an official seal and left the reincarnation schedule to King Yama.

Before they were dismissed, the Goddess of Mercy sprinkled the nectar of life using her willow branch on both of them.

"Amitabha. May your new lives be full of blessings, free of misfortune."

Adjourning the celestial court session, Anji and Song Min found themselves led away by hell guards. Feeling slightly nervous, they held onto each other’s hands as they departed on a carriage to the underworld together.