Volume Two: Taking on a Mission Chapter Nineteen: Three Parts Sincerity in Dealing with Others

The journey of yesterday is mended in the past; traveling day and night across the planets. Looking back at the path traveled, one is ultimately but a guest; how many travelers drift apart before reaching home?

Chen Chen stepped once more onto the soil of the Ancient City of Qingfeng, where towers rise a hundred feet high and countless roads stretch across the land. In a past life, Chen Chen had a brush with destiny at the Ghost Gate of the Underworld; his soul had once drifted there. There, he had gently inhaled the scent of a spider lily and met the Meng Po of that era. There, like a deity, he had conjured a Taiji diagram to assist the old ferryman in crossing the perils, their brilliance interweaving to dissolve the many sufferings and shackles of that place. In those days, Chen Chen was merely a guest; on the path of the Yellow Springs, he was but a passerby. The stars had their intentions for all living things, and the human soul had long been divided into three parts.

His arrival this time was much like his intent to resolve the grievances and entanglements of his past life. This time, he had come to settle the debts of that journey his soul had taken through the netherworld. The following day, under a scorching sun, Chen Chen arrived at the former site of the Ghost Gate. It was no longer filled with the miasma of those years. Within that Ghost Gate, he remained the same Chen Chen. Walking along the Yellow Springs road felt as beautiful as it once did. There is nothing in life that cannot be let go; in the end, all grievances and resentments are but scenery along the journey of life. The karmic bonds of the seven emotions and six desires remain the love and hate in the hearts of all living beings.

Chen Chen brought with him the teachings of the many schools he had encountered. He wondered if King Yama, sitting high upon the dais, remained as impartial and strict as ever. Most of those who came to report were travelers from the mortal world, and behind that strict impartiality often lay the potential for one fallen soul after another to attain rebirth. Do not fear the helplessness of the underworld; many are the people who rise from the high platforms of the world. Once the vanity of three thousand lifetimes is washed away, the filth is purged, and a new person emerges.

On this journey, Chen Chen did not see the Meng Po of old; it is said she had long since married. The magnificent scenery of the Wangchuan River remained; the Sanchu River flowed slowly, and the spider lilies had spread to many new places. The Naihe Bridge was still the Naihe Bridge, yet the talented scholars and beautiful maidens of the past were gone. The old ferryman on the river had also vanished without a trace. Life brings occasional meetings with dear friends, and every drop of existence touches the lives of all. The passenger who once rode the boat on the river has returned today to settle the karmic debt.

Chen Chen departed. There were too many fallen and ignorant souls in that dark place. He could not save them, nor was he willing to interfere with such karma. It was not that he was heartless, but that the bonds between them and him were truly thin. One cycle of cause and effect reached its end; one cycle of reincarnation led to separation. A guest in a strange land, unintended, yet how many conflicts eventually lead to the formation of a home? Chen Chen longed for a home. Years ago, when he married Mu Qingcheng, he had been branded with the label of a live-in son-in-law.

Perhaps that was the story of someone else—a debt owed from three lifetimes ago, a thread of affection. Chen Chen walked through this world, searching for the true meaning of life. Perhaps life has existed since time immemorial, and these lives are all in search of the meaning of their existence. Chen Chen wanted to build a nest for himself; that was the dignity he sought to reclaim. Even if it were a love nest for two, he wanted to build it himself, to earn it through his own efforts. Without a place to shield oneself from the wind and rain, one is ultimately impoverished.

Silver and gold are fine things, but they come from graves—they are good things for the master of the tomb. When the tomb owner sets a long line to catch a big fish, perhaps you are the next one. Or perhaps the circulating gold and silver simply require even more silver. To mint more silver, to cast more gold, or to dig more graves... In this day and age, the currency has long since changed. Gold and silver, if one has them, are at most luxury items, mere ornaments.

The title of a live-in son-in-law is a heavy burden; such a man sometimes does not feel like a man at all. When establishing a family, he is already a subject to someone else's arrangements, unaware that after marrying in, he is merely an outsider to be summoned at will and dismissed at leisure. Without experiencing the bitterness and hardship of struggling for a house, one cannot know how excellent a man must be to possess a territory where he alone is the master. A man must live with strength so that one day, his spine may stand a little straighter.

Chen Chen needed to gain his own territory through his own efforts, whether by purchase or construction. Though the gold and silver unearthed from graves are precious, they are the fruits of wicked deeds. They say that "ten evils lead to ruin," and building a house is something that comes from years of accumulation. Chen Chen pondered finding a job in the Ancient City of Qingfeng, which would provide a decent monthly income. The word "home" carries too much weight. In a strange land, every inch of land is an inch of gold; one must be cautious with consumption. In one's own home, an inch of gold is an inch of gold, and an inch of land is an inch of land. Only when one has drifted for so long and finally finds a place to settle down can one truly find a place to anchor one's life.

In the Ancient City of Qingfeng, not far beneath his feet, Chen Chen found temporary lodging. Land in the Ancient City is not cheap; to take root here, he needed a true home and a job. In this world, not everyone is worth befriending. Chen Chen sought a living in the city, but he knew few people. As they say, one often becomes acquainted through a clash. Upon entering the city, Chen Chen saw a recruitment notice:

"DD Bouncer: Requires high martial prowess, preferably well-versed in both literature and martial arts.

Job Responsibilities: Specifically to strike down the heinous. Anyone guilty of rebellion, great treason, evil crimes, impiety, disrespect, lack of filial piety, lack of harmony, injustice, or internal strife is a target for the DD Bouncer.

Recruitment Criteria: No gender restrictions, must be physically strong.

Service Scope: Currently limited to the Ancient City of Qingfeng.

Compensation: Room and board provided, plus commission. The more villains struck, the more you strike, the higher the income.

The final interpretation of the above content rests with the authorities. Interested parties, please enter to discuss in detail."

By the time Chen Chen arrived, many applicants had already gathered. The line was long; clearly, this emerging profession was very popular. Here, Chen Chen saw some members of the Great Ability Gang; compared to a life of guaranteed room and board, the life of a kidnapper was truly beneath notice.

"What a coincidence, you're here too," Chen Chen said, greeting the second-in-command of the Great Ability Gang.

"What, can't I come to supervise my gang members in finding a good job?" the second-in-command replied irritably, knowing his height did not meet the requirements and he would not be hired.

Chen Chen understood the nature of the "DD Bouncer" work. Only those who were physically strong could possibly qualify; otherwise, if one's physique were too weak, let alone striking others, one might end up being beaten instead. Of course, this work carried a high degree of danger. The Ancient City of Qingfeng was full of masters of all kinds. If one encountered a master committing evil and couldn't beat them, then one would end up being beaten, which would severely damage the reputation of the DD Bouncers.

To those of short stature, this recruitment notice seemed somewhat unfair. Since the final interpretation rested with the authorities, the second-in-command of the Great Ability Gang sought out the recruiters for an explanation.

"Hello, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" As the second-in-command entered the recruitment office, the guide in charge gave him the due respect.

"You ask a good question. Is it you people who put up this recruitment for DD Bouncers?" the second-in-command demanded, clearly dissatisfied with the discrimination against those of short stature.

"Yes, sir!" the guide replied politely.

"Why aren't we allowed to participate just because we're short?" the second-in-command asked indignantly.

"We have requirements. Those who are short failed to develop their bodies properly when they were young. They were always preoccupied with temporary pleasures, only realizing how thoroughly they had failed when they were older. A profession like this requires one to have started developing their body years ago, to have long since mastered the necessary skills, and to have accumulated sturdy muscles. Did you really think someone of short stature could handle this?"

"Their war was decided many years ago! Everything is about long-term accumulation; there is no such thing as creating a miracle through a momentary impulse." The recruiter's reply left the second-in-command awakened as if from a dream. Upon hearing this, he stopped causing trouble.

Chen Chen, standing in the crowd, watched this farce and observed the strength of the others, waiting to participate in the selection. Competition is everywhere. Even those who seemed plain and appeared to have no strength to truss a chicken were once people who could carry heavy burdens for the sake of food, clothing, and shelter.