The Great General’s Promise

The Great General offered no explanation for the toast, instead launching into a string of polite platitudes. The guests were all ghosts, and without the Great General’s suppression, they would never have tolerated such empty words. Generally, in the eyes of spirits, if something could be killed, there was no need for further discussion. Their minds were filled with resentment, malevolence, and evil, leaving little room for reason. Under such circumstances, spirits typically killed any human they encountered, effectively dispelling the notion of ghosts fearing people.

This much she had read in books.

In ancient times, when immortals and deities still resided in this realm and before their exodus to the Outer Seas, things were different. Most spirits possessed a degree of rationality then. There were even heartwarming tales of spirits forming bonds with humans, achieving the rare feat of human-ghost friendships. However, after all the immortals and powerful beings departed for the Outer Seas, the spirits inexplicably grew violent and tyrannical.

Only after the Great General’s appearance, and the collective gaze of the ghosts shifted away from her, did Su Mo truly observe them. She then realized these spirits were different.

‘Is there a sense of purified beauty about them?’ Su Mo mused.

Though evil still lingered in their hearts, they were undeniably more rational than the malevolent spirits of the mortal world. Their eyes even held a glimmer of humanity. If this were true, then the Great General was truly formidable. His methods extended beyond mere suppression; he possessed the means to enlighten and awaken spirits.

He was akin to a divine being!

Without special spirits like the Great General, the Underworld would undoubtedly fall into utter chaos. Now, observing the Great General’s discourse, it felt somewhat like casting pearls before swine when addressing these spirits. Yet, she was certain his words held a subtle, profound influence.

After all, the spirits in the mortal realm capable of discernment and thought were invariably Great Ghost Kings of extraordinary power. However, despite their apparent ‘reason,’ their minds were consumed by tyranny and slaughter. In stark contrast, the minor spirits of the Underworld here possessed a measure of thought and even displayed some normal emotions. For instance, the spirits who now showed fear towards Su Mo, and those encountered earlier who had offered blessings for her to bear many children.

‘Perhaps the situation in the Outer Seas of this world is more dire than imagined,’ Su Mo speculated. ‘Otherwise, the immortals and deities wouldn’t have all rushed there, leaving the mortal world’s spirits to run wild, unrestrained and uneducated.’ The book she had transmigrated into was based on traditional mythology, where the Underworld was similarly formed. However, the current configuration of this Underworld was far less robust than that of a true Diyu (Underworld/Hell).

There were no specialized Diyu officials to collect souls, no ghost officers to restrain malevolent spirits, and Su Mo hadn’t even witnessed a proper reincarnation process. In this scenario, when people died carrying resentment, they transformed into ghosts, wandering the human realm. After being corrupted by various influences, they would become malevolent spirits, initiating slaughter and disrupting the mortal world. Was no one managing this, or was it simply beyond anyone’s control?

A female ghost helped pour wine and brought forth various dishes. Su Mo glanced at them, but dared not eat. She didn’t know what they looked like in the spirits’ eyes, but to her, they were putrid meat, moldy fruits, and worm-infested fish. Perhaps their customs differed, as she certainly didn’t consume decaying food. After picking at the food a few times, Su Mo noticed the small, crawling spirits nearby, who had diligently swept the floor clean, eyeing the dishes with longing. She promptly offered some to them.

“Ah-woo~ Thank you, Immortal Sister… ah-woo~” They chirped with joy, then scurried away in a flash. Observing the other ghost guests beside her, she saw them shaking their heads, murmuring, “Such a waste of heaven’s bounty.” One of them even muttered:

“If you don’t want it, you could always give it to me…”

The way it looked, as if the food on the plate was a delicacy, almost convinced Su Mo. She even picked up a piece and sniffed it.

“Ugh—!”

“My nose is ruined, boo-hoo-hoo~” Su Mo cried, wiping away tears.

“Esteemed guests, I ask you all to bear witness,” the Great General suddenly declared, drawing the attention of every ghost. Raising her small head, Su Mo looked over and found the Great General’s gaze fixed upon her.

“I once shared a profound connection with the Nine-Tailed Fox clan, and through their guidance, I achieved the Divine Path of Incense and Offerings. Now, I have been blessed with another opportunity, gaining a beloved wife who shares a deep affinity with the Nine-Tails. This is truly a stroke of immense fortune!”

“Congratulations, Great General!”

“The Great General is a spirit of great destiny!”

“Nine-Tails? It’s actually a Nine-Tails!”

…

As they showered him with congratulations, Su Mo watched, utterly bewildered.

‘What Nine-Tails? The Nine-Tails of my bloodline?’ she thought, blinking her eyes. Meeting the Great General’s gaze, she inexplicably received an affirmative nod from him.

‘…’ She felt a pang of annoyance towards the author of ‘Little Imperial Uncle’. ‘While the steamy parts are great, couldn’t you explain the plot more clearly? Where’s the background? The world-building?’

‘Damn it, why do I know nothing? Isn’t the Nine-Tails just one bloodline? How can there be such a deep connection?’ A barrage of questions flooded her mind; Su Mo felt she could write a hundred thousand ‘whys’. Thinking this, she surmised that both the righteous and demonic factions were seeking her out because they coveted her body, but perhaps not entirely. Rather, they coveted something else!

‘So, it was a pit dug by Su Mo’s mother,’ she deduced with certainty, her beautiful eyes gleaming.

The Great General spoke again, clearing his throat with a few deliberate coughs:

“Therefore, with all of you as my witnesses today, I pledge to grant Miss Su Mo a promise… any promise.”

“Clatter!” A ghost dropped its chopsticks, its spectral eyes widening so much that its eyeballs seemed to roll out.

A profound silence descended; no ghost dared to breathe. They almost forgot they didn’t need to.

“Rumble—!!!” The sky roared, drawing everyone’s gaze upwards. Golden light surged across the heavens, and unknown divine script weaved through the clouds. A colossal ancient stele, borne on the back of an old tortoise, emerged from the ethereal realm, its gaze falling upon them. Between Su Mo and the Great General, a mysterious karmic link formed, manifesting as characters that shot into the stele. As the old tortoise, enveloped in clouds, vanished in a haze, Su Mo understood.

‘It’s a promise made to heaven and earth, absolutely binding.’

She was astonished, specifically by a few points. Firstly, the Great General was willing to make such a promise, which was tantamount to placing half his life in Su Mo’s hands. Secondly, a promise made by someone of the Great General’s stature could actually invoke the ‘Divine Tortoise Edict’, placing it under the supervision of heaven and earth. Thirdly, the scope of this promise was vast: ‘any’.

“Very well, please enjoy yourselves. I shall take my leave,” the Great General announced, then rose and, in a few steps, his figure gradually faded away. He had just made a solemn promise to Su Mo, and in the blink of an eye, the ghost had vanished? Had it not been for the golden light within her heart, assuring her that she could make a wish at any time, she would have dismissed it as a mere jest. After a moment of silence, the ghosts suddenly grew enthusiastic, approaching Su Mo with bows and greetings. Their words were largely attempts to curry favor. Others pressed gifts upon her, piling them up before Su Mo.

As she dealt with them, Su Mo inadvertently glanced down, nearly recoiling in fright. ‘Which old bastard sent this gift? Dead rats? Huh? A human head, whose human head? …This one’s not bad, it’s actually a necklace… wait, no, it’s a necklace made of baby fingers…’ She smiled outwardly, but inwardly cursed. Truly, gifts from ghosts never boded well! Virtually surrounded, Su Mo waved her hand, smiling as she bid farewell to the throng of ghosts behind her.

The Ghost Gentleman reappeared, this time to escort her back.

“Hmph!” The horse, now nothing but skin and bones, trotted reluctantly towards her, allowing Su Mo to mount it. Riding alongside the Ghost Gentleman, Su Mo listened as he spoke:

“Miss Su, the Great General asked me to convey a few words to you.”

“Alright.” She felt an inexplicable tension.

With a smile, the Ghost Gentleman continued:

“The mortal realm is in chaos and requires the restoration of order. The Great General hopes you will lend him a hand in the future.”

“Naturally.” As for future matters, Su Mo feigned ignorance, utterly blind to them.

“Your Nine-Tailed identity is of paramount importance, Miss Su. You must protect yourself diligently. Should the need arise, use the promise at any time.”

“Of course.” If she were to die, she would certainly seek help from anyone.

“I’ve brought a small gift. Please make good use of it, Miss Su,” the Ghost Gentleman said with a smile.

“No problem,” Su Mo replied, closing her eyes and nodding contentedly. Yet, when she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in Dangyang County. She was no longer in the cellar. Under a moonless, pitch-black sky, Su Mo gazed around in confusion.

“How did I get back?” she muttered, dismounting and leading the horse away by its reins. Lost in thought, she suddenly looked at the ghost horse she was leading. Horse and human, their eyes met, and both fell silent.

“Skinny Horse, how did you get up here?” Su Mo tilted her head.

With a sneeze, the ghost horse rolled its eyes at her, then gazed at the sky, speechless and choked with emotion. It was as if its horse-life was utterly hopeless, filled with sorrow!