After sleeping for over a thousand years, the Celestial Master Zhong Kui finally woke up, only to find that the Underworld had changed beyond recognition.
Wei Zheng, Cui Jue, and Lu Zhidao had all attained sainthood as ghosts and taken their places among the immortals. Her fiance, Du Ping, had ascended centuries ago and now brought another little fairy to break off their engagement. Even Ox-Head and Horse-Face had taken up cushy positions in the Heavenly Court and were driving convertible supercars to collect ghosts.
She was the only one who couldn't even afford an apartment in Fengdu...
After a long sigh, she decided to work hard in the mortal realm, kill the several Ghost Kings wanted by the Heavenly Court, and earn herself a government post among the immortals as soon as possible.
*
The Celestial Master Residence, once home to over a thousand disciples, had dwindled by its thirty-eighth generation to just two fellow disciples. Every day, without fail, they burned incense before their founding ancestor.
One day, a lovely young woman in a crimson official robe, wearing a black gauze cap and holding a jade tablet, suddenly emerged from the statue of Zhong Kui.
The young disciple was terrified. “Who are you?”
The woman glanced at the statue behind her, with its leopard-like head, round eyes, broad back, sturdy build, furious glare, and bristling beard. Her expression didn't change. “Zhong Kui.”
“...”
Seeing the young disciple's faith crumbling, she couldn't bear it and added, “...his younger sister.”
*
Ghost King Lu Li had lived in the Celestial Master Residence for a thousand years. Every day, he rose at dawn to sweep and dust, then offered fruit and incense. After that, he made tea, practiced tai chi, meditated, and rolled walnuts in his hands.
His life was so simple that he seemed like a retired old man enjoying his golden years at home, his routine unchanging and uneventful.
Until one day, the Celestial Master returned.
His stagnant life finally came alive.
He stood before the Celestial Master Residence, eyes lowered and posture deferential, yet a hidden light gleamed in his eyes, and the corners of his lips kept lifting.
“Welcome home, Ancestor.”
He had never forgotten the impassive young woman in crimson official robes from a thousand years ago. He had never forgotten her lofty silhouette as she ascended to the Lingxiao Palace, or her voice, always as calm as still water:
“The demons and monsters are not yet purged, so Zhong Kui will not join the ranks of the immortals.”
PS:
A lighthearted, goofy modern supernatural story about catching ghosts, fulfilling the author's dream of telling ghost stories. For entertainment above all.
An expressionless founding ancestor who claims to be second only to Heaven and starts fights at the slightest provocation x A thirty-eighth-generation descendant who can hold his own in society, cook, fight, share a bed, and is an expert at pretending to be frail.
A Celestial Master obsessed with making money VS a Ghost King obsessed with winning over his founding ancestor
A hands-off, spendthrift ancestor VS an attentive, nurturing male nanny of an attendant
Theme: Heaven is watching from three feet above your head
