JOS Chapter 136

The Portrait

 

Several people stood together in bewilderment.

 

Zhou Ping was being held in his mother’s arms, trembling.

 

“Come, come, sit down quickly. We don’t have much time,” said King Pingdeng. “This lord has busy official duties and needs to return shortly.”

 

Zong Ce took advantage of their inattention and leaped down from the rooftop.

 

“Ah——” The noble woman saw that figure streak past and said in alarm, “She jumped down!”

 

Jiang Feng came to the edge, and within his line of sight, there was already no trace of Zong Ce.

 

King Pingdeng said, “Judge, you can’t jump. Nowadays there are things called surveillance cameras. Let her go. This lord has calculated with his fingers – if you let her go now, there will be unexpected gains. She will still come looking for you later.”

 

He patted the spot beside him. “Come, sit down and listen together.”

 

Jiang Feng followed his words, carried the little Mountain God over, and sat behind him.

 

The other three people also sat across from them in a circle, filled with fear and inexplicably complex emotions.

 

“Zhou Ping,” King Pingdeng said, “First, because of your own waywardness, you indirectly caused Tong Le’s death, resulting in one death and one injury, yet you showed no remorse. Then, because of your guilty conscience, you pushed Tong Huan into the river. Both incidents went unpunished due to the protection of mortal laws, despite deserving proper punishment. Do you know you were wrong?”

 

Zhou Ping had no reaction, appearing dazed as if he hadn’t heard.

 

The noble woman hurriedly said, “He didn’t do it on purpose. It was just an accident, yes, an accident.”

 

King Pingdeng wasn’t annoyed.

 

If perfunctory responses were useful, hell would have been empty long ago.

 

The more one acted this way, the more disadvantageous it was for oneself.

 

He still maintained his kind expression and said, “Zhou Ping, if that’s your attitude, I can only wait until after you die to bring you to the underworld. There’s plenty of time there for you to reflect properly. There are many evil spirits in the underworld who never liked annoying children and most enjoy tormenting disobedient and unrepentant ones like you.”

 

“Oh, right, I didn’t explain clearly. Their so-called torment is quite different from your mortal world. They’ll take advantage of when the underworld officials aren’t paying attention to tear at your limbs, making you suffer unbearably. Anyway, souls remain in the underworld, so ordinary harm won’t kill you.”

 

Zhou Ping still showed no reaction.

 

“I’ll let you see, then you’ll understand.” After saying this, he flicked his sleeve, “These are the sixteen levels of small hell under my jurisdiction.”

 

An apparition appeared in mid-air.

 

The sixteen levels of small hell under King Pingdeng’s jurisdiction were each cruelly arranged, with ghost souls thrown into their respective positions based on what wrongs they had committed.

 

Bone-breaking, tendon-pulling, oil-pouring, brain-digging… Scene after scene that would require more than eighteen layers of censorship flashed clearly and rapidly before them, then disappeared.

 

Zhou Ping’s face turned deathly pale, his eyes widened suddenly, and he screamed. “No! No! Ugh……”

 

King Pingdeng consoled him, “Don’t be anxious, you’ll be able to enter soon. How long will you have to stay inside? Until both Tong Huan and Tong Le, who died because of you, are reincarnated. But nowadays there are many people waiting for reincarnation, and we also need to consider whether they’re willing to go. You might have to wait decades, even a hundred years, or more. During these hundred-plus years, you’ll have to endure this kind of punishment every moment, without rest.”

 

“Which level should I throw you into? Tongue and tooth extraction? Or being doused with hot oil? Or perhaps steamed head and scraped brain, skinning and tendon-pulling?” King Pingdeng glanced at him and thought of a good idea. “Just how painful is this? How about this – I’ll let you experience it, then you can choose one yourself?”

 

Zhou Ping buried his head in his mother’s shoulder and cried out in terror. “I don’t want to! I don’t want to, Mom, Mom! I’d rather die, Mom please save me, I don’t want this!”

 

King Pingdeng kindly reminded him, “Great, if you die you’ll go straight in.”

 

“Mom——” Zhou Ping cried and blew a snot bubble, frightened out of his wits.

 

The noble woman said, “Please, immortal, forgive him. It’s our fault, we didn’t teach him properly. He’s still young, he’s really just a child. He just started middle school – what does a middle schooler understand?”

 

The middle-aged man beside her also said, “In our mortal world, criminal law also protects minors. Seeing that he’s only thirteen, please be lenient.”

 

“If he truly understood nothing, how could he kill two people in succession? Nowadays there’s everything on the internet. I see he understands quite a lot and knows that being young means not having to face punishment for wrongdoing. He’s like this now and won’t necessarily be any better in the future. If you truly feel sorry for him, then you can lend him your own lifespan.” King Pingdeng said, “Our underworld learned from you people – now we also have conversion rates. Twenty years of lifespan for two years of his – what do you think?”

 

The noble woman opened her mouth in shock, wanting to speak but not daring to.

 

“Mom……” Zhou Ping hugged his mother, “What should I do? I really don’t want to die…… Dad, Dad please save me!”

 

The woman was also trembling with fear.

 

The man said, “This, these are clearly two separate matters.”

 

“No, there’s one more thing I need to remind you of. Our ancestors also said: ‘If a child is not taught, it’s the father’s fault.’ You two aren’t much better than him. Before pleading for him, you might want to think more about how to plead for yourselves.” King Pingdeng smiled, “People like you who don’t conduct themselves properly usually live longer and commit more wrongs, so receive heavier punishments. It won’t be much lighter than Zhou Ping’s. From the Second Hall onward, the hells governed by various Kings of Hell are all waiting for you. How much lifespan do you have left? Not much.”

 

The family of three embraced and wept.

 

Jiang Feng covered the little Mountain God’s ears.

 

If lifespan could be transferred, then rich people might become immortal.

 

“Stop crying. Listen to me. Considering your young age and your parents’ failure in supervision, I’ll give you one more chance. You’re now thirteen, with five years until eighteen. I’ll give you five more years of lifespan.” King Pingdeng said, “This lord is very reasonable in negotiations, but won’t be carelessly generous. How much of these five years you can live depends on how you handle things. If you do anything wrong and it gets recorded in the Register of Merits and Demerits, then you can go to the underworld and cry slowly – ghosts don’t have tears anyway. I’m giving you this opportunity – you must continuously do good deeds. How many good deeds you do can offset how much sin. You also need to seek forgiveness from the victims’ parents – this way you’ll have a chance for lenient treatment.”

 

Zhou Ping cried himself hoarse.

 

King Pingdeng lifted his chin and said earnestly, “Crying is useless, regret is also useless. Since the harm has already been done, bear the consequences yourself. Did you hear clearly?”

 

Zhou Ping nodded.

 

“Be a good person and don’t be eager to see me.” King Pingdeng stood up and smiled, “I’ll be waiting for you all in the underworld.”

 

He nodded slightly to Jiang Feng, his robes fluttering as he withdrew his divine consciousness back to the underworld.

 

Jiang Feng stood up holding the little Mountain God, no longer looking at Zhou Ping and the others, and walked straight down from the rooftop.

 

The crying had been ringing in his ears for too long, causing him to still feel phantom sounds even after moving away from them.

 

He answered his phone, and Mr. Tong on the other end was also crying.

 

“I just saw my children. Thank you, Taoist priest, truly thank you.”

 

Jiang Feng said, “It’s nothing. I hope you can let go soon. Your children can also smoothly reincarnate.”

 

“I understand everything in my heart, I……” Mr. Tong sighed, then said, “I want to buy back my previous furniture. Do you know where it is?”

 

Jiang Feng said, “I don’t know about that either. I only know that the cabinet with the jade pendant was bought by an antique shop.”

 

Mr. Tong said, “I want to buy it back as a memento. Can you tell me the location of that antique shop?”

 

Jiang Feng said, “Yes, I’ll take you there now. Where are you?”

 

****

 

Mr. Tong drove over following Jiang Feng’s location. When he saw him, his eyes were still red, but he looked much more spirited.

 

In the car, he thanked him repeatedly, saying he and his wife had settled the matter on their hearts. Knowing that their two children were doing well after death brought them at least some peace of mind. It gave them a sense of security that wasn’t just self-consolation.

 

Mr. Tong said uneasily, “Taoist priest, I want to ask – I’ve heard some people are born with bad fate, and if they have money their household will be ruined. Am I like this?”

 

Jiang Feng said, “There is such a saying, but you’re not. People face unexpected fortune and misfortune – no one can predict this. Be more open-minded, things will get better in the future.”

 

Mr. Tong breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’m reassured.”

 

The group drove to the outskirts of Antique Street, found a parking spot, then walked over.

 

The antique shop was very busy. A large truck was parked beside it, loading and unloading wooden board materials – apparently they were renovating.

 

Everything inside was precious, so the boss stood in the shop keeping his eyes fixed on everything, directing them to be careful while moving things.

 

Seeing people approach, the boss said teasingly, “Oh, how come this rare guest has been coming so often lately? I’m organizing things here and can’t open for business today. Sorry, no service today.”

 

Mr. Tong stepped forward and said, “Hello, I moved house before and lost some furniture. Now I want to buy it back. I heard you bought a cabinet, so I came to take a look.”

 

The boss shrewdly rolled his eyes, glanced at Jiang Feng, and smiled politely. “Why do you suddenly want to buy it back? In our antique business, finding treasure makes it ours – it depends on one’s own eye. At that time it was a fair transaction, a proper purchase. We don’t give refunds.”

 

Mr. Tong said, “I understand. I’ll buy it back. You’d sell it to others anyway, I want to buy it.”

 

The boss immediately smiled so much his eyes crinkled – this was someone reasonable. He said more politely, “Good, good. Those of us in the antique business understand the emotional attachment to objects. But you’ll have to wait – everything’s a mess here, I really don’t know where I put it. Come back in a couple days and I’ll find it for you.”

 

The moving guy behind was blocked inside and could only say, “Please make way.”

 

The boss and Mr. Tong quickly stepped out to make room for them.

 

They were moving a picture frame at least a meter long. Jiang Feng hadn’t paid attention initially, but when his peripheral vision passed over it, he suddenly froze completely.

 

He stepped over somewhat awkwardly and blocked them. “Wait!”

 

The boss, interrupted from his chat with Mr. Tong, walked over and asked, “Jiang Feng, what? Do you want to buy this painting?”

 

Jiang Feng stared intently, but his expression didn’t look pleased.

 

The boss and Mr. Tong, puzzled, also began admiring the painting.

 

This painting had some age to it.

 

It showed a man in a long robe, with medium-length hair combed to both sides, revealing a smooth forehead. Every feature appeared refined and elegant.

 

His left hand held a young girl. Looking at her features, it was clearly Zong Ce, but only at seven or eight years old.

 

This man…

 

He looked exactly like the Judge.

 

No, it should be said he looked like the Judge’s physical body.

 

Jiang Feng’s face was carved from wood. The Judge’s face when presiding over cases was a face transformed by divine power over thousands of years in the underworld.

 

If he hadn’t seen it again, he would have almost forgotten who he was before his death.

 

Jiang Feng’s heartbeat suddenly became heavy.

 

Looking at the person in the painting, it was hard to describe his feelings.

 

Perhaps the man’s face naturally inspired goodwill – somewhat familiar, somewhat close, yet not disgusting or frightening.

 

Jiang Feng asked, “Where did this painting come from?”

 

The boss came around to look and said, “Of course it was acquired. But this painting isn’t any famous work – it doesn’t even have annotations or seals, so it’s not valuable. I kept it in storage so long I almost forgot about it. So there was still such a painting.”

 

The two movers said helplessly, “This is very heavy. How much longer do you want to look?”

 

The boss pulled Jiang Feng aside telling him to make way, but Jiang Feng directly grabbed the frame with one hand and lifted it up.

 

The two movers said in unison, “Holy crap!”

 

Jiang Feng said, “I’ll buy this painting. Help me find the person who sold it.”

 

“Aren’t you making things difficult for me? This painting is completely ordinary, doesn’t even have a signature. My shop has handled so many items – how could I remember clearly? I think this painting isn’t even worth as much as its frame.” The boss clapped his hands and said, “We’re acquainted now, you should know my character. Why would I deceive you for no reason?”

 

Jiang Feng said, “One million.”

 

Both Mr. Tong and the boss were stunned.

 

“Boss Jiang, have you struck it rich?” The boss shook his head to regain his senses and said, “Alright, then you’re the master. Master, just wait! I can dig out ledgers from over ten years ago for you!”