When you walk through Hell all you've got to do is smile !
Even after the passage of a day the burnt smell was all too apparent to her olfactory senses.
Were her senses too strong ?
Perhaps . She wasn't sure
Luo Ziyan had never stopped to consider something like that before .
She looked at the charred remains of what once must have been an establishment to serve travellers the cloak covering her head blowing gently in the wind.
What was the word for a place like that?
An 'inn' ?
Yes , inn it was.
She had never felt the need to enhance our vocabulary apart from the essential language required for her purposes.
Out here in the world , she felt herself 'lacking' in that respect.
What a strange experience.
She looked at the compass held securely in the palm of her hands.
The intricate engravings on it shined bright with gold coloured mists radiating steadily away from it eventually vanishing into the horizon like smoke.
The needle spun madly never settling down in a particular direction.
What a waste.
That cunning as*hole had managed to give her the slip once again .
Still it was intriguing how he done so . For the Yin Seeker told her there was no 'ghost' activity in the vicinity at all !
There was hardly any other places that he could go to apart from the Emerald Forest .
Knowing him it was impossible .
He was too cunning and too much of a coward to take an unwarranted risk like that.
Hmmm.
What would he do then ?
After all he needed to escape from both her side and that swarm of locusts.
Correction the 'Righteous Path '.
Her thesaurus was truly lacking in some respects but there was one issue in which it truly outdid itself.
She could sing about a hundred 'praises' regarding the 'Righteous Path' right from the tip of her tongue and that was for starters.
She shook her head.
For a moment she really wished she had that oaf Jiao San here since with him it was always killing first and talking later .
No to him it was more on the lines of devouring first , spitting later .
It was easy to work with such capable underlings .
You could wash your hands off everything and enjoy a nice cup of tea accompanied to the pleasant symphony created by Tortuous screams and breaking bones.
She missed those days.
She sighed her thoughts wandering back to that piece of s**t who had lead her over a merry chase already
The only way out for him would be to join up with an influence that could ward off both influences for a while.
Such as the five sects here , for instance.
Her eyes narrowed .
An unfortunate setback would be the fact that the Five Sects don't take kindly to ghosts.
That fact and the lack of Yin energy in this place.
She sighed .
It was time to move.
She looked around for a prey .
Her mouth widened into a smile.
She moved ahead removing the cloak that covered her fair face .
She put on her best smile .
Not to brag but she was particularly good at it.
Maybe it was due to loads of practice ?
After all when walking straight through hell one thing you certainly learn is how to put on a smile.
Ling Yun wandered around aimlessly in the Emerald Forest.
He had hunted thrice already and the rewards were quite generous.
Apart from a pile of spirit stones and cultivation pills he could use for upgrading the pitiful amount of qi he had , He had also received some symbols and cultivation arts.
There were no 'treasures' to be had to his disappointment . Even the fat sheep Fang Guihao had none on him at all.
Still what he had would be enough if his goal were to just pass in the forthcoming examination.
Some of these cultivation arts were unusable for the current him and he would dispose of them slowly through the 'underground' one at a time to avoid any suspicion.
As for the pills and the stones they would be used judiciously.
Although it would be a pity since according to his memories forcefully increasing his cultivation could have demerits in the future.
Unfortunately he had no choice.
He needed some other vital items as well such as some Healing and Detoxification pills both of which he would finally be able to add to his inventory thanks to his newfound wealth.
He had to regretfully call off the hunt now.
Unlike hunting beasts declaring 'open season' on humans created unfortunate complications. He could still hear the yells of those fools from the Fang clan literally beating every bush in the entire outer reaches of the forest.
What a din.
He couldn't help sighing.
Those idiots .
They didn't understand a single thing did they ?
Once you begin walking through Hell then you do so with a smile on your face.
Even if the world falls around you.
And make no mistake the Path to the Heavens went straight through Hell.
There was no doubt about it.
Fang Guichen was up to his usual games.
Unlike his elder brother Fang Guihao he possessed very little talent for cultivation and couldn't be considered a genius even so because of the fact that his lineage enjoyed great prestige in their clan a place in the upcoming sect entrance examinations was reserved for him as well.
But of course , Fang Guihao wouldn't be caught preparing for the same instead he was enjoying his favourite pastime with his bosom friends rustling up trouble in the main thoroughfare or 'playtime' as he called it .
No one would dispute that with him anyway . The Fang clan guards would see to that .
Unfortunately however today he couldn't find a single insect to play with .
What a waste .
He drowned his miseries in the 'expensive' wine that he had bought with him.
He looked up from the jar preparing to ask his friends if they were ready to head to one of their favourite hangouts 'The Fragrant Jade Building' .
Surprisingly they weren't noticing him at all.
'Oi! What are you lot starin' at ? "
His bloodshot eyes clearly inebriated couldn't see much far ahead but wait a second ...
No way...
Was that a fairy from the Ninth Heaven ?
He rubbed his eyes to be sure that he wasn't hallucinating.
The fairy didn't disappear.
"What happened boys ? Did the cat get your tongues ?"
The fairy spoke giggling.
Fang Guichen sobered up instantly.
"I'm not sure about the cat my lady but your radiance was enough to stop my entire heart not just my tongue."
Fang Guichen used some of his best lines speaking forcefully in a chivalrous manner.
"Ooooh ! "
He kicked the lil' bro closest to him. The others shut up instantly
"Don't mind them my lady its just that seeing a fairy like you in a place is about as likely as the oceans drying up."
"What's so bad about here ? Compared to where I come from it's Heaven."
Fang Guichen's heart couldn't stop thumping in excitement.
That's it another clueless chick from the boors.
Another opportunity to score .
Not to mention he had never enjoyed such a premium quality thing before.
Oh the feeling ... He couldn't help salivating .
A certain dragon had already risen up in anticipation ready to soar above the skies
Master Fang was too good to miss this Heaven sent gift now wasn't he ?
Even a lion will devour the doe that walked into its mouth of its own accord right ?
Why not he ? He , Master Fang was far more majestic than any lion !
"Oh you have yet to see true Heaven , my lady . How about I show it you ? "
"That would be lovely .I hope it's not too much trouble."
"Not at all. The pleasure is all mine ."
"Very well , lead on then "
Fang Guichen couldn't stop his excitement as he led the fairy of his dreams deeper towards of his den though he couldn't stop cursing inwardly at his subordinates who howled like the perverted wolfs they were.
Seriously a culture lesson was required.
Though he himself forgot all about culture as he licked his chops in anticipation of what was to follow.
Feng Guichen felt really , really groggy.
His head felt that it was stuffed with cotton.
Had too much pleasure affected his head ?
It had happened before that .
He opened his eyes to take stock of the situation.
He wished he hadn't .
He found that he was held upright his hands securely tied to two beams , his feet as well perhaps , he couldn't see in the dim light .
From what he could make out he was naked except for a single cloth that covered his nether regions .
That was weird.
How wild had the revels been to end up in a situation like this ?
"So you have waken up !" , came a delighted voice.
A familiar voice , the same one that had come out straight from his dreams.
"Uh , this is ? " , he asked inquiringly the meaning evident in his question.
Her face became clearer as she reached forward till her rosy lips were an inch from his.
Her beautiful face , her so beautiful face.
She had the same smile on which she had then.
One that could put the moon and the stars to shame with its brilliance.
"Why a new play , of course ?"
"A new play ? What play ?"
"Don't you remember telling me how you just looove to tie your women up and torture them till they beg for mercy ."
She insinuated passionately playing the strings of his heart.
"Yeah , I did " , he said softly the sound of his thumping heart betraying the calm he showed at his surface..
Truthfully he didn't .
His memory was a mess but a white lie never hurt anyone did it ?
Especially when what she said was indeed the truth though it was curious how she had come to know of it .
Maybe he had said it earlier ?
"I just thought " , she said giggling , 'Why not you experience a different kind of play this time ?"
"Uhmmm" , she gently caressed is face which sent his already rising temperature to a point where it began to burn with the heat inside him.
"Can you start with the sucking then ? " , he said excitedly already setting the agenda straight.
Hmmm. Getting a bl**job sure would be nice.
His thoughts had already started meandering into the realm of daydreams .
"No, I was actually thinking of starting with some foreplay you know , 'cause when I start sucking I will suck the soul right of you , We wouldn't that too soon would we ?"
"N...Nooo' , he hissed as she gently caressed his bare chest with her hands.
Then she reached down and lifted up what looked a lot like one of those tools used to crack hard nuts .
"What's that ? " , he asked curiously
"Just something to make things interesting , a toy you know "
"Ohh! " , he nodded in understanding .
He had used many toys before and in his experience they just added to the pleasure.
"Here , reach out your hand " , she coaxed him as if he was but a mere child.
He reached out his left hand obediently.
"Now hold it still"
He held still.
"There , there just like that .That's a good boy."
He beamed at her , she beamed back in response.
"AAAAARGHHHH!'
He screamed at the top of his lungs as the pain almost ripped him out.
He stared horrified at the sight of the tip of his forefinger.
It was bleeding.
Something that should have been there wasn't there.
Where was it ?
His nail...
He looked terrified , his tears long having turned crimson as they pooled on the floor.
She beamed at him.
His mouth widened at an attempt to smile.
It failed.
She reached forward and caressed his face gently with the tips of her fingers.
His throat choked .
His eyes were still wide and red.
Maybe he was drunk still.
The pain wasn't real ....
No way it was.
"It's okay , it's okay Shushhhh ! " , she comforted him .
"That ... That was just an h ...hallucination wasn't it"
Slap!
His mouth opened wide in surprise.
"W..why ? "
"It's just a little pain isn't it , Be a brave man . If you can't handle even a tiny bit of pain like that how can you experience the pleasure of Heaven ."
"Y..yeah , you're right , Just be a b.bit more gentle ."
"Being gentle is my speciality ."
Looking at her peerless smiling face he didn't have the heart to refuse.
He must already be in heaven right ?
He had never heard of devils smiling before .
So beautiful.
He smiled back.
A while later a lone woman could be seen walking through an alleyway.
She noted her surroundings in passing.
How quaint.
A smile spread across her face.
"Whoa ! Hey if it isn't the beauty from before ."
"The boss treated you okay ? "
"Course not , old Fei he didn't just treat her okay , I would say that he sent her to heaven !"
The entire lot laughed vulgarly in response.
The woman was still smiling . It was as if she were an adult looking at a group of children playing in the dirt.
The miscreants didn't like that look at all.
"What you staring like that for b*tch ! Remember you're just a damn prost***** ! One word from us to the boss and you're finished ." The one who said that even mimed a hand cutting across the neck much to the others' amusement.
Strangely though the woman didn't get incensed .
She was smiling as usual.
They felt a sudden chill moving down their spine.
It was the middle of summer.
Why would they feel so cold then ?
Unlike the privileged Fang Guichen the rest of his gang were mediocre to say the best with having at most the 2nd stage of Refining Qi , still it was enough to bully most of that rabble in the lower rungs of the city then why were they having such a feeling from such a harmless woman ?
Before they could process anything in their feeble minds the wind whistled past their ears.
Fei Luoyang found himself on the ground on all fours , he looked around in panic.
What he saw terrified him.
The rest of his gang were lying cold on the earth , crimson blood pooling beneath their heads.
They were as dead as dead could be.
He stared in the horror as the woman approached him.
He tried to do something , anything but his limbs wouldn't respond no matter what he tried.
His heart beat furiously pumping adrenaline throughout his system desperately trying to keep him alive.
No fear of that now .
He gulped.
The woman lifted his head gently and leaned close to him.
She was still smiling , he noted.
Her smile was so beautiful.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Are reapers so beautiful ?
"You see Old Fei " , she said gently her voice as pleasant as that of a bubbling mountain stream , "Your boss wasn't as okay as you guys thought. He was a tad..what's the word now ? Conventional , you know and I thought he would appreciate some kink cause we wan't fun don't we ? "
The last words were said with a caress as if she were coaxing a child.
Fei Luoyang nodded in assent.
He didn't know why .
But somehow he just couldn't bring himself to refuse her.
"Now here's the thing though, I am someone who takes my promises seriously , your boss gave me something really useful , his soul as a matter of fact it is natural that I fulfilled my end of the bargain by sending your boss to the place he wished to be ."
"Do you wish to follow him ? I guarantee that it is a lovely place !"
Fei Luoyang nodded in assent .
He just wanted to watch that smile for longer.
"Safe Journey !"
He heard a snap as if something had broken and then he knew nothing anymore.
The woman got up and gently wiped her hands with her dress still smiling.
Her form shimmered before changing into something else entirely.
A while later many of the shopkeepers couldn't help but frown .
One of them grumbled to his wife who was beside him
"Has that scum from the Fang clan finally gone daft from all that nights spent in debauchery ? Look at what that creep is doing now !"
"Hush ! You mustn't say anything the Fang clan would have our hides in response ! Better mind your own work , old man !"
Unmindful of the stares that he was receiving from all around Fang Guichen walked through the middle of the street singing at the top of his voice
"When you're happy clap your hands !
Clap ! Clap!
When you've had some great fun sing like a bird !
Tra la la !
When you walk straight through Hell and you've got to show it
All you do is smile !
"
A very familiar smile spread across his face.