After Offending the Prince of the Underworld, I Became His Target

Xu Xiaoxi is an unremarkable junior ghost officer in the underworld. Recently, he was forced to take on a task: torturing an evil ghost by whipping him two hundred times every day. Xu Xiaoxi dislikes using violence, but he has no choice. So after the whipping, while the evil ghost barely reacts, Xu Xiaoxi is already sneaking off to cry. Several months pass in the blink of an eye, and Xu Xiaoxi notices that the evil ghost has grown quite weak. Afraid he might beat him until his soul is scattered and incur a debt of sin, Xu Xiaoxi sneaks to the mortal realm to steal incense offerings for him to eat, helping him keep his soul intact. Xu Xiaoxi is timid and soft-hearted, and has almost no friends around him. Sometimes, when he feels lonely, he chats with the evil ghost while he eats the incense, telling him about the amusing things that happened during his trips to the mortal realm. At first, the evil ghost ignores him. But after Xu Xiaoxi talks his ear off long enough, he will respond with a few cool remarks. These dull days go on for more than half a year. One day, Xu Xiaoxi comes to carry out the punishment as usual, whip in hand. When he opens the dungeon, he finds it empty... All the little ghosts in the underworld say Xu Xiaoxi is done for. That evil ghost is the King of Hell's most beloved son, and he will definitely come back to take revenge on him! Xu Xiaoxi thinks he's done for too. After all, he whipped Zhang Yi for such a long time. But he doesn't want his soul scattered just yet, so he secretly follows the other little ghosts as they escape back to the mortal realm, becoming a wandering ghost. - In the depths of winter, the night wind cuts to the bone. Xu Xiaoxi drifts aimlessly through the streets. He hears that incense is burned every day at a nearby temple to the gods and ghosts, where wandering ghosts can eat, so he hurries there, starving. But before he can eat more than a few bites, someone suddenly grabs him by the back of the neck. His gaze meets a handsome face. The instant Xu Xiaoxi recognizes him, he freezes. Only three words remain in his mind: I'm done for! He cries as he begs for mercy. "Spare me, Zhang Yi! I was framed. Back then, my two superiors forced me to punish you. Please don't kill me." The man scoffs and ignores him, carrying the little ghost into the temple. The force behind his whip had not even been enough to scratch an itch. So why was he so scared? Zhang Yi had gone to considerable trouble to find this little ghost. Note: The bottom is genuinely timid. This story is entirely made up by the author and is not based on real people. Please don't read anything into it. Believe in science. Muah! Cover character art authorization: You Yu Xi Hai - Hua Ye Cover lighting authorization: Gu Zhen Nan Mian Cover red umbrella authorization: Wu Li New novel: I Became a Master of the Occult World by Livestreaming Paper Effigy Making Synopsis: After graduating, He Ye inherits his family's nearly bankrupt paper effigy shop. Ever since the crematorium moved to the suburbs, business on Shangxi Street has plummeted. The other shops have all moved away one after another, but his family's paper effigy shop cannot be relocated. That's because a gateway to the underworld lies at the end of the street, and the He family are its wardens, bound to guard it for generations. By day, business in the shop is bleak, with barely any living customers. By night, the shop is packed, and all kinds of sinister beings come and go without pause. To support his family, He Ye livestreams on a popular platform under the guise of an art streamer. Other streamers draw people, animals, and landscapes. He draws paper effigies! At first, only a handful of people watch. Then he casts a fortune for a viewer and saves their life. Suddenly, a flood of people pours into his livestream, all begging him to read their fortunes. As He Ye's livestream grows more and more popular, the producers of a famous occult exploration show invite him to join. At first, He Ye refuses. He doesn't like being in the public eye. But when he learns that each episode pays nearly a million, he agrees without a second thought. Most of the guests on the occult exploration show are prominent figures in the occult world, and none of them take a newcomer like He Ye seriously. Even the comments during the first episode say: [What the heck? Which company shoved a rookie celebrity onto the show? He's obviously just a pretty face, using a paranormal program as a stepping stone. Is his manager an idiot?] [Skip, skip, skip. Don't point the camera at that useless pretty face. I want to see the masters in action.] [This client is so unlucky. They actually drew the pretty face.] [Here it comes, here it comes! The legendary He Ye pretty-face disaster is about to happen!] But in the episodes that follow: After the masters share their opinions, they instinctively glance to the side. When they see He Ye's expression hasn't changed, they secretly breathe a sigh of relief. The comments do a complete 180: [My boyfriend is just too amazing. I apologize for my ignorance!] [What a conscientious production team, inviting so many incredible experts! Especially my husband.] [These paper effigies look so realistic, and every face is different. The special effects are amazing.] [They're... kind of adorable. I really want one.] [Just a reminder: These are not special effects, not special effects, not special effects! Every one of these paper effigies was made by our shop owner He himself. For inquiries, please provide the livestream ID xxxxxx. If you're interested, go check it out!] [By the way, does anyone else think Xiao He and his assistant work together really well?] [Hehehe, finally someone noticed. Come ship this couple with me!] [I'm so obsessed with them too!] [The little assistant really loves him. (Covers mouth and cries.)] By the end of the show, He Ye has not only earned a handsome income, but also become a leading figure in the occult world. It seems he's even gained a... husband. Mu Xijing is a deity worshipped by the Taoist practitioners of Xuan Chun Temple. A great calamity took the life of the person he held dearest. For over twenty years, Mu Xijing searches everywhere for that person's reincarnation, but finds not a single trace. Until recently, the owner of a paper effigy shop catches his attention. To find out whether this person is the one he holds dearest, Mu Xijing approaches him time and time again, testing him, until he sees the distinctive mark on the young man's lower back... 'He' has finally returned. One day, a job notice is posted outside the paper effigy shop, and Mu Xijing comes to apply in person. Mu Xijing: Shop Owner He, I'm here to apply. He Ye gives him a sidelong glance and silently refuses. Mu Xijing does his best to make his case: I can greet customers, manage the books, clean, cook, give massages, catch ghosts, and learn to do anything else you need. He Ye remains silent. Mu Xijing: I don't need a salary. He Ye: ...Congratulations, you're hired. Emotionally stunted, aloof bottom x cheerful, clingy, obsessive, loyal-dog top Theme: Face difficulties head-on and fear no danger