Volume One, Chapter 41: Qin Yu Rescues His Father from the Gates of Hell

Since Qin Yu stopped streaming, her inbox had been flooded with messages. Fortunately, Mu Ling was there; he would sift through the important messages, dealing with minor issues himself whenever he was online.

During her time at Lingshan Temple, the classical texts Qin Yu had to read each day were far more challenging than anything from her language textbooks, so Chinese was a breeze for her. As for math, with Mu Ling’s help, that too was not a problem. The only subject she struggled with now was English; every day, reading English felt as baffling as deciphering an ancient script.

Although Mr. Su had suggested she ask Su Nianxin for help with things she didn’t understand, Qin Yu instinctively felt that Su Nianxin wouldn’t teach her seriously, so she saved herself the trouble. Instead, she followed a children’s English learning channel on Douya, picking up a little each day, making some small progress.

That day, as Qin Yu watched an English livestream as usual, Lin Jian’an’s anxious voice rang out from the bottom of the stairs all the way up to the second floor.

“Miss, miss! Something terrible has happened! Sir’s in trouble!”

Qin Yu was still reciting “be verbs: am, is, are,” when the lead of her pencil snapped.

“Which hospital?” she asked calmly, slinging her small backpack over her shoulder.

“Sir was inspecting the site in the western suburbs and was struck by a falling beam!”

“I asked, which hospital?”

Lin Jian’an was momentarily stunned. “Youhao International Hospital.”

—

Youhao International Hospital.

Trauma Surgery Unit.

When Qin Yu arrived, the area outside the operating room was crowded. The construction site manager was there, as was Su Nianxin, supporting Qi Huairou, along with several police officers.

“Mrs. Su.”

Qin Yu walked over to Qi Huairou.

Qi Huairou forced a smile. “Yu Yu, don’t worry. Your father will be fine.” The words were meant for Qin Yu, but even more for herself.

Su Nianxin held Qi Huairou’s hand tightly, echoing earnestly, “Dad will definitely be okay!”

Qin Yu obediently stood behind Qi Huairou, her fingers discreetly forming a hand seal in the air.

“Mom, don’t worry. The lead surgeon operating on Dad is my classmate’s father. I’ve already asked my classmate to make sure he does everything possible to save Dad.”

Su Nianxin offered comfort in her gentle way.

Whether it was due to Su Nianxin’s words or not, Qi Huairou genuinely felt her chest lighten a little, the pain less oppressive.

Qin Yu watched the tightly closed doors of the operating room, her brown eyes turning darker until they were completely black.

“Mrs. Su, I’m going to the restroom.”

Qi Huairou’s mind was entirely on Su Jin and had no energy to spare for Qin Yu. She nodded, “Go ahead.”

Watching Qin Yu’s departing figure, Su Nianxin muttered under her breath, “Dad’s in this state, and she doesn’t even seem to care.”

Her voice was quiet, yet just loud enough for Qi Huairou to hear.

Qi Huairou frowned, admonishing, “Your sister only recently returned to our family. It’s understandable she doesn’t feel deeply connected to us yet.”

Qi Huairou did not blame Qin Yu; after all, it was they who had lost their daughter. If she was distant, it was only their due.

Su Nianxin, like a child who’d done something wrong, hung her head so low it nearly touched her chest as she admitted in a small, aggrieved voice, “Mom, I was wrong. I’m just worried about Dad.”

“Nianxin, I know you care about me and your father. But remember, you and Yu Yu are family too.”

Su Nianxin bit her back teeth hard, a flicker of malice passing over her face. Why was it so difficult to drive a wedge between Qin Yu and Qi Huairou?

But Qi Huairou, her mind on Su Jin’s wellbeing, noticed nothing.

—

Qin Yu found an empty patient room.

Right on cue, Mu Ling popped out. “Xiao Yu, aren’t you forbidden from interfering in human affairs?”

“He’s the man who gave me life; I owe him this debt of fate.”

“But you’ve already warned him, and the talisman you gave Su Jin has already saved him once. Whether he survives now depends entirely on his own karma.”

Qin Yu’s pupils flickered. “I haven’t repaid my debt. He cannot die yet.”

Seeing how resolute she was, Mu Ling realized he couldn’t stop her.

He dutifully floated behind Qin Yu, showing his support through action.

“When I cast the spell, I’ll be in a soul state. You must protect my body.”

Qin Yu took cinnabar from her small bag and began drawing on the floor as she instructed him.

Mu Ling patted his chest, promising, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it!”

Her strokes were strong and forceful, etching shallow grooves even into the marble floor.

With the final stroke crossing the entire talisman, the crimson cinnabar seemed to come alive, illuminating the grooves with shimmering light that rippled brightly.

Qin Yu spared a final glance at Mu Ling, who gave her a firm nod in return.

Without hesitation, Qin Yu seated herself in the center of the array.

No sooner had her soul left her body than Hui Yuanyuan slipped out as well.

She hovered around Qin Yu’s body, suddenly sensing something amiss. Her face paled with fear. “Mister, what’s happened to our benefactor? I can’t feel her breath or body warmth. She’s not dead, is she?”

“Benefactor! How could you break your promise? If you die, what will I do?”

“Stop crying! She’s alive!” Mu Ling was so rattled by her wailing that he clamped his hands over his ears.

“You’re trying to fool me! Her body’s gone cold!”

“That’s because her soul has left her body to take care of important business!”

“R-really not dead?”

“Of course not! Xiao Yu is the most powerful metaphysician I’ve ever seen—how could she die so easily?” Mu Ling’s eyes shone with admiration as he spoke.

He wasn’t exaggerating; though Xiao Yu’s master always called her his slowest disciple, in thousands of years, Mu Ling had never met anyone more formidable in the metaphysical arts than Qin Yu.

Mu Ling rambled on, but when there was no reply from Hui Yuanyuan, he turned curiously, only to see her reaching for Qin Yu’s body—

“Hui Yuanyuan! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Hui Yuanyuan glanced at Mu Ling, gritted her teeth, and leapt straight in.

—

Qin Yu strode boldly through the operating room to the surgical table.

On the table, two attending surgeons and a team of nurses worked anxiously, but the man on the table was growing paler, the numbers on the heart monitor steadily dropping.

“Two milligrams of adrenaline, IV push!”

The doctors fought frantically to save him, but nothing worked.

They couldn’t save him—because the soul reapers sent to collect Su Jin had already arrived.

Two reapers, dressed in black uniforms trimmed with white, stood at the edge of the table, each holding a sundial, timing their approach to claim his soul.

“Gentlemen Reapers, please wait a moment.”

Qin Yu stopped them just as they were about to act.

It was only when she spoke that the two realized another soul was present.

The one on the left narrowed his fierce eyes to a slit. “How is there a living soul here?”

“Who cares if she’s living or dead? Anyone in our way meets the same fate! We’ll take her after we’re done with him!” The one on the right was even more irritable.

Qin Yu gave them a wide, ingratiating smile, adopting her most persuasive tone. “Gentlemen, are you sure you’re taking the right person? This man’s allotted lifespan isn’t over yet.”

“Where’d this little brat come from? Daring to question our work? Guess we’ll take you first, then him!”

With that, both raised their scythes, each longer than their torsos, and swung at Qin Yu.

She dodged nimbly back, evading their attack.

She kept her smile polite and her voice conciliatory. “Gentlemen, I’m a practitioner of the metaphysical arts. In a way, we’re colleagues. Could you grant me a little leeway?”

“Who the hell is your colleague?”

“You tend to the matters of the underworld, we handle those of the mortal realm. Our common goal is to make the world better and more harmonious. Doesn’t that make us colleagues, in a sense?”

“A petty rogue dares boast and try to cozy up to us? Who do you think you are? We’ll reap you for the King of Hell right now!”

The reapers showed no intention of humoring her, their attacks growing fiercer.

Qin Yu’s deer-like eyes hardened, the courtesy in her gaze vanishing. She glared at them sharply. “Gentlemen, I’m correcting a mistake you are about to make.”

“We don’t make mistakes!”

Their scythes crashed down, gouging deep into the floor.

A nurse’s hand trembled as she gave an injection, missing the vein entirely.

Was that an earthquake?

Puzzled, she quickly found another vein and administered the adrenaline.

Qin Yu had done all she could to be polite. Since they refused to listen, she had no choice but to escalate.

She summoned her spirit sword, its dazzling light almost blinding.

“Gentlemen, you’d do well to double-check.”

Sword drawn, she was still trying to reason.

She truly didn’t want to antagonize the reapers.

Startled by the spirit sword’s appearance, they nonetheless sensed that its power was limited.

“Well, well, you do have some skills! But do you know what it means to point your spirit sword at us?”