"Why are you here?" I reached out, pointing at Zhang Jizheng. He stroked his beard and chuckled.
"Zhang Qingyuan, I've been following you since Gourd Village. You just didn't notice me," the old Taoist said.
I glared at Zhang Jizheng in annoyance. Why do I always run into these bizarre people and things? Only now did I realize it, feeling helpless as I plopped down on the ground.
"Alright, tell me—why are you following me?"
Zhang Jizheng flicked his ceremonial whisk, then squatted down next to me and started laughing.
"Don't be upset. Did you forget? You all ruined my corpse back in Gourd Village, so naturally I ended up tagging along with you."
I hadn't expected Zhang Jizheng to still hold a grudge over that, but then again, he's already dead—what does he need a body for? Then it hit me.
"I mean, Zhang Jizheng, you're already an old man, yet you behave like a child."
I smiled as I spoke. Zhang Jizheng looked awkwardly at me and sighed.
"Alright, as for why I'm following you, well..."
"Enough, I won't ask. Fine? Do you even know where we are?"
Zhang Jizheng stood up, glanced around, and smiled.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is the Ninefold Abyss."
My heart skipped a beat—how did I end up in the Ninefold Abyss just like that? As I was thinking, the fog began to slowly dissipate, and the sound of wailing returned in force. I saw the white spiritual entities—their number was on a whole different scale compared to what I'd seen on the Ten Tribunal Road.
The entire place stretched as far as the eye could see, utterly desolate, with gray-black soil underfoot.
"Zhang Qingyuan, you heard that old man from the Nether Syndicate before, didn't you?"
I let out an 'ah' and looked at Zhang Jizheng.
"You know him?"
Zhang Jizheng nodded.
"He's an old acquaintance of mine. We've had some dealings in the past. That old fellow is formidable."