The King of Hell and His Ninth-Life Love Trial

The reason King Yama had no memories of his past life turned out to be that he had drunk Meng Po's Soup himself.

Not only that, he had the entire Underworld drink it with him.

For the first five hundred years, life was pretty good. He didn't have to go to Heaven for reports, and he didn't have to deal with ghostly affairs.

That was until Black Impermanence bound Qin Yan and brought him before King Yama.

Black Impermanence: This man has refused to drink Meng Po's Soup for nine lifetimes.

King Yama: Anyone who refuses Meng Po's Soup will suffer a backlash. Punish him by making him fill in for Meng Po. He can guard the soup every day and watch whether this man drinks it whenever the backlash hits.

A month later, King of the Wheel reported that not a single soul in the Underworld had entered the cycle of reincarnation.

King Yama: Qin Yan, where are the souls from my Underworld?

Qin Yan: They all volunteered not to drink Meng Po's Soup. They're whispering sweet nothings to each other on the Yellow Springs Road.

"...!"

Every year, the offerings made by the human realm to the gods turn into golden pearls. The pearls are sentient and recognize their masters. The annual ceremony where the pearls choose their masters is called the Golden Pearl Banquet. The god of fate always wins first place, but this year King Yama showed up. A clueless fairy attendant seated him at the very last table, with the gods of plague, misfortune, and bad luck. Not only that, she picked the smallest wine cup she could find in some corner to hold his golden pearls.

So King Yama was pelted into a sieve by all the pearls that wouldn't fit in the cup.

King Yama: Qin Yan!

Qin Yan: After nine lifetimes in the human realm, surely he made a few shady friends.

King Yama: I don't believe a word you say!

Watch a bunch of silly gods meddle in other people's love lives.

Companion story: If the God of Misfortune Had a Springtime Romance

Heaven is vastly different from the human realm.

But he is the one thing humans and gods have in common.

Like a rat crossing the street, everyone wants to beat him.

His destined partner is the God of Plague.

None of his partners have lasted ten thousand years in the job.

But he is a model worker in Heaven,

wholeheartedly serving as the God of Misfortune for well over a hundred thousand years.

During a work assignment in the human realm, he kindly

rescued a boy.

But the boy touched his hand

and suffered a lifetime of bad luck.

Years later, the boy ascended to Heaven.

Though his prospects were bright, he insisted on becoming the God of Plague.

So the two traveled together for many years.

Then, during one assignment, the God of Misfortune was taken by the God of Plague...

And so the human realm and Heaven fell into chaos.

God of Fortune: Where are my merits?!

Boy Attendant: Boss... All the offerings from human incense have gone to the God of Misfortune!

God of Fortune: What the hell are they praying for?!

Shop Assistant: Boss, why are you still worshipping the God of Wealth?

Tavern Owner: I run a business. Who else am I supposed to worship?

Shop Assistant: The God of Misfortune!

Tavern Owner: Are you sure you're not reinforcements sent by the Monkey King?

Theme: Through constant effort, change the injustice of fate.