Chapter 377: Betting Matches Between Underworld Officials
"No wonder you don't know anything. Forget it, if I compete with you, people will surely laugh at me for bullying newcomers."
After the man confirmed that Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were both newcomers, he lost interest and turned to leave.
"Brother, hold on," Yang Haoran asked with a smile, "could you tell us what you meant by that competition just now?"
Given Xu Meijing's personality, she certainly wouldn't have asked about such a thing. However, Yang Haoran's character was different from hers; when encountering something like this, he felt it was better to get a clear understanding.
The man frowned, apparently not wishing to explain further. Yet, seeing Yang Haoran's friendly smile, he hesitated for a moment and offered a brief explanation.
"After souls are submitted each year, all Underworld Officials can engage in sparring and exchange here. Though it's called sparring and exchange, it's actually betting matches, with the stakes determined by both parties."
The man's explanation wasn't detailed, but he clearly had no intention of elaborating further. After dropping those words, he left, likely to find another opponent for sparring.
Yang Haoran gleaned some information from the man's words, but due to the man's overly simplistic explanation, what he could discern was quite limited.
"Wait for me here for a moment; I'll find someone else to get more information."
Underworld Officials were everywhere here, and all of them were from Jingling Continent. It wasn't difficult for Yang Haoran to inquire about this matter, as it wasn't a secret; only newcomers were unaware.
A few minutes later, Yang Haoran returned to Xu Meijing's side. Before she could even ask, he relayed all the information he had gathered.
The man hadn't lied to them. Indeed, such an activity took place every year after souls were submitted, but it wasn't arranged by the higher echelons of the Underworld Office; rather, it was initiated autonomously by the Underworld Officials themselves.
The reason such an activity emerged was that the New Beginning Realm had enjoyed peace for many years. Of course, this peace was relative, referring to the absence of large-scale warfare. As for some highly chaotic cities, those were merely small-scale disturbances, insignificant skirmishes compared to the entire New Beginning Realm.
Without large-scale wars breaking out, fewer people died. With fewer deaths, the number of Wánglíng guided naturally decreased. As the number of Wánglíng guided dwindled, the Soul Pills that Underworld Officials could obtain each year became less abundant.
Thus, the betting matches among Underworld Officials came into being, and their stakes were almost invariably their respective Soul Pills.
After this activity was initiated, it received a massive response from Underworld Officials because they couldn't resist the allure of Soul Pills. Coupled with their confidence in their own strength, each believing they could overpower their opponents, this activity spread throughout the entire Underworld Office. Especially at this time of year, the number of Underworld Officials participating in betting matches was at its peak.
Regarding this activity, the higher echelons of the Underworld Office did not prohibit it. Instead, they established certain rules: Underworld Officials could engage in betting matches with each other, but not death matches. After a match concluded, the losing party had to pay the winning party the agreed stakes according to regulations, with no exceptions.
Why would the Underworld Office's high command support such betting matches? Naturally, they had their reasons. It was precisely because of their support that this activity, initiated by the Underworld Officials themselves, had continued to this day.
According to the Underworld Office's regulations, Underworld Officials could move freely after submitting souls. Whether to leave the Underworld, stay to watch the sparring matches, or simply wander around the Underworld was entirely up to personal decision; the Underworld Office would not interfere.
However, the vast majority of Underworld Officials chose to remain after submitting souls, to watch the sparring matches and learn from observation.
It was precisely for this reason that Yang Haoran hadn't observed any Underworld Officials leaving so far.
Of course, his not noticing any Underworld Officials leaving didn't mean that none had left. The number of Underworld Officials here was extremely large, making it impossible for him to constantly monitor the comings and goings of all of them. Thus, he wouldn't have discovered the small number of Underworld Officials who quietly departed after submitting their souls.
Yang Haoran informed Xu Meijing of everything he had learned. After listening, Xu Meijing pondered for a moment, then spoke to Yang Haoran.
"You and I are, after all, just newcomers. With our current strength, if we were to seek out other Underworld Officials for betting matches, we'd simply be gifting them Soul Pills, with no hope of victory whatsoever."
Yang Haoran nodded, agreeing with Xu Meijing's viewpoint.
He was a true pragmatist, not a fantasist. This kind of sparring match was indeed ill-suited for him and Xu Meijing. After all, they were both newcomers, and their strength simply couldn't compare to that of veteran Emissaries of Death. Engaging in a sparring match with a veteran Emissary of Death would be tantamount to handing them Soul Pills; no miracle would occur.
To participate in such a sparring match, knowing full well it meant giving away Soul Pills, while clinging to a shred of fantasy or a sliver of luck—that wasn't courage, it was foolishness. The one who would ultimately suffer the loss would undoubtedly be oneself.
Miracles existed in this world, but they were too few, and the possibility of one happening to oneself was even lower. When facing despair, one should indeed believe in miracles, because in such circumstances, there was no better alternative. However, constantly pinning one's desires on miracles was simply too naive, and such naivety could even be fatal.
Xu Meijing understood this principle, and Yang Haoran naturally did as well, which was why he agreed with her viewpoint.
"You're right," Yang Haoran said with a smile, "if the two of us were to participate in any sparring matches, we might end up running naked back to the mortal realm. Unless our opponents are newcomers, just like us, from this year."
"There aren't many newcomers this year," Xu Meijing replied. "Not to mention how we would find them among so many Underworld Officials, even if we did, they might not agree. Perhaps they're even more cautious than you and I."
The two discussed it briefly and ultimately decided not to participate in this year's sparring matches. Whoever approached them, they would directly refuse, leaving no room for negotiation, to avoid being pestered.
"Since we're not participating in the matches and we've submitted the souls, why don't we just leave the Underworld now?"
Hearing about leaving the Underworld immediately, Yang Haoran was a little surprised.
"Leave now? Even if we don't participate in the sparring matches, we could still observe the methods of other Emissaries of Death. Perhaps we could learn something."
Xu Meijing shook her head and asked Yang Haoran, "What's there to see? As long as you don't die, there'll be opportunities every year; it's not like we're missing out this year. Instead of wasting time here, we might as well go back and do something else."
By the end, Xu Meijing even gave Yang Haoran a knowing look.
Yang Haoran knew Xu Meijing's words carried a hidden meaning, but due to the setting, some things couldn't be said directly. He understood, but he didn't press for more.
"Alright then, let's leave the Underworld for now, but. . . " Yang Haoran looked towards where Jiang Dashi was located.
They had previously agreed that once the souls were submitted, they would find a place to have a good chat. But if they left the Underworld now, that arrangement couldn't be carried out.
"Let's first go say goodbye to Temple Keeper Jiang before we leave," Xu Meijing said. "If you truly have a lot to discuss with him, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future; it doesn't have to be today. After all, there's no rule saying we can only come to the Underworld once a year."
Yang Haoran nodded, then flew with Xu Meijing towards where Jiang Dashi was located.
Upon learning that the two were immediately returning to the mortal realm, Jiang Dashi felt a touch of regret. After becoming a Ghost Official, his duties prevented him from freely leaving the Underworld. Having finally seen Yang Haoran today, he genuinely wanted to sit down and chat with him.
However, since Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing still had important matters to attend to, he couldn't insist they stay. He could only give them his phone number, though the number he provided couldn't be dialed from the mortal realm; it required equipment from the Underworld to connect.
Yang Haoran carefully stored Jiang Dashi's phone number, promised to visit him in the Underworld sometime later, and then followed Xu Meijing out of the plaza.
According to Yang Haoran's thoughts, he had originally intended to bid farewell to Luo Yao before leaving, to make himself known to his boss. However, with his current status and strength, he didn't even qualify to approach Luo Yao, so he had to abandon the idea.
Anyway, according to the Underworld Office's regulations, Underworld Officials could leave the Underworld on their own after submitting souls. Even if he didn't seek permission from Luo Yao, the Guardian, it wouldn't have any impact on him.
After leaving the plaza, Xu Meijing's intention was to immediately exit the Underworld, return to Yellow Springs Road, then summon the Ghost Gate and return to the mortal realm. However, as they passed by Yuan's Skinsuit Shop, Yang Haoran paused.
"Do you have any Underworld Currency on you? " Yang Haoran asked Xu Meijing.
Xu Meijing looked at Yang Haoran, then at Yuan's Skinsuit Shop, as if something had occurred to her.
"You want to buy a skinsuit?"
Yang Haoran nodded, not hiding anything, and replied, "Yes, I do need to buy a skinsuit."
"If you want to buy one, then buy it. It's not like you don't have the means."
Xu Meijing didn't ask Yang Haoran why he needed a skinsuit. A flash of light passed through her hand, and she retrieved a wallet from her personal spatial pocket.
"I managed to get some Underworld Currency before coming to the Underworld. Take it and spend it; it's more than enough for a skinsuit. I won't go in with you, though. Just be quick."
Yang Haoran acknowledged, took the wallet, and entered Yuan's Skinsuit Shop. After only two or three minutes, he emerged from Yuan's Skinsuit Shop.
A portion of the Underworld Currency in Xu Meijing's wallet was gone, but Yang Haoran's personal spatial pocket now contained a newly purchased skinsuit.
This skinsuit, of course, Yang Haoran had prepared for Xiujuan. Since he didn't have any Underworld Currency, he could only ask Xu Meijing to purchase a skinsuit.
Seeing Yang Haoran emerge from Yuan's Skinsuit Shop so quickly, Xu Meijing was a little surprised; she hadn't expected him to be so fast.
Exiting the Underworld city gates and crossing the Bridge of Helplessness, the two once again encountered Meng Po. This time, however, Meng Po actually turned her gaze towards them.
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