Chapter 21

Fu Li's consciousness floated amidst the void.

He didn't know how long he had been like this.

The exhaustion in his body made him unable to open his eyes. He only wanted to keep sleeping like this.

"Wake up, won't you?"

Who was calling him?

"Staying asleep forever isn't a good thing, you know?"

Who was it...

"Miss the chance at reincarnation and you'll have to wait who knows how long again."

Reincarnation...?

He had transmigrated again?!

Fu Li laboriously opened his eyes and discovered he was in the middle of a field of flowers.

He lowered his head to look down. Long petals swayed gently.

Fu Li: ?!

Why were they petals?!

After transmigrating again, he wasn't even human anymore?!

"Finally awake."

A lighthearted voice tinged with a hint of mischief came from beside him.

Fu Li abruptly turned his head and found an unfamiliar, handsome golden-haired man crouching next to him. He was resting his chin in his hand and sizing up his petals with keen interest.

The other's eyes were a strange white. His lashes were thick and curled. He was looking at him with a beaming smile.

"Sleeping too long isn't good for the body, even for a soul that just died."

The man reached out and poked Fu Li's petal-head.

"Alright, Hypnos. Since he's awake, it's time to go through the process."

Only then did Fu Li notice that beside the golden-haired man was a black-robed male holding a scythe.

His countenance was seven or eight parts similar to the golden-haired man called "Hypnos," only his temperament was completely different.

His eyes were an unfathomable ink-black. His skin was pale. Around him lingered an aura of awe-inspiring, tranquil death.

"Thanatos, if you could just chat a little with these spirits, you wouldn't be considered the most fearsome god."

Hypnos shrugged helplessly and stood up.

Hypnos the God of Sleep and Thanatos the God of Death?

This was the Underworld?

Was he now in the world after death?

But, Fu Li tried to move. The petals on his body trembled continuously, but they only trembled.

"Where is this place? Why am I in this form?"

Fu Li opened his mouth, his voice dry and hoarse.

"This is the edge of the Plains of Oblivion."

The God of Sleep enthusiastically introduced the area for Fu Li:

"Spirits unqualified to go to the place of judgment wait here for the time being."

He tilted his head. His white, blank eyes precisely "looked" toward Fu Li. His tone carried intense curiosity.

"However, this situation of yours is the first I've ever seen. A soul turned into a lily."

Hypnos asked curiously, "What on earth did you do?"

Fu Li fell silent.

Where should he even begin to explain?

If he didn't know how to answer, then he'd just start a new question.

"Do I still have a chance to turn back into a human?"

Fu Li changed the subject.

"Not sure."

The God of Sleep smiled. His brother beside him furrowed his brows tightly.

"Perhaps it's related to your flowering period."

The God of Death said coldly, "You're still just a seedling now. Perhaps when you mature and fully bloom, you'll transform into a human."

"The only thing we can be certain of is that you will remain here for a very long time. But the Underworld has no such rule. You will need to take on the responsibility of ferrying souls, as the reason for your long-term stay."

Fu Li: "Ferrying responsibility?"

He repeated the term, trying to understand what it meant.

"I'm just a flower right now. How am I supposed to do ferrying?"

Hypnos bent down and gently touched the edge of Fu Li's petal with his fingertip. The gesture was like teasing a novel little animal:

"Don't worry, little one. Ferrying in the Underworld doesn't require you to personally row a boat or swing a scythe. Sometimes, existence itself can fulfill a responsibility."

"This is the Plains of Oblivion. Souls whose obsessions run too deep will come here to forget. During the process of forgetting, the spirits can become very agitated. Having a listener present will make things much better."

The God of Death continued.

"How long will I need to do this?"

Fu Li did not want to work in the Underworld for a lifetime.

The God of Sleep: "Until you bloom, until your soul form stabilizes, or until you are permitted to go to the place of judgment for reincarnation."

"Anything else you want to ask, little one?" Hypnos asked.

There was one thing he had been wanting to ask all along.

"Is Apollo alright?"

Fu Li asked, very carefully.

"Ah, you know Apollo?"

Hypnos was somewhat surprised.

"Mm. I want to know how he is now."

Had that curse been completely blocked by him?

How was Apollo now?

He truly wanted to know.

So he already cared about Apollo this much.

Hypnos shook his head. "I'm not sure. The Underworld is very special. This is the kingdom of the dead, the final destination of departed souls, and the homeland the gods of the Underworld cannot truly leave."

"Only Lord Hades knows the affairs of the world above."

Thanatos spoke up, his black eyes watching Fu Li.

Fu Li was somewhat disappointed but still gave his thanks.

The two deities departed to guide new spirits. The Plains of Oblivion were vast. Fu Li gazed out across these plains. Would Apollo, just like the name of these plains, forget him?

No matter what, maturing was Fu Li's first goal.

The days in the Underworld were long and tedious.

There was no sun here. No warm light. Only desolation and emptiness.

Spirits wandered everywhere.

As an immobile lily seedling, the only thing he could do was to "exist" here.

Sensing the emotions emitted by the wandering spirits nearby was the sole diversion in his life.

At first, it was very difficult.

The obsessions, fears, regrets, and resentments of the spirits were like bone-chillingly cold tidal waves, battering against his fragile soul.

The chaotic and intense negative emotions made him feel suffocated. His petals drooped limply.

But gradually, when he no longer resisted the spirits' despair, but instead tried to "understand" and "accept" these emotions, the tides would become calmer.

Across the spirits' indistinct faces, a dazed clarity would flash. They would fall silent for a long time, pause briefly on these plains, and then continue drifting toward the depths of the plains.

Fu Li guessed they had let go.

At least, they were willing to reincarnate.

Was this what listening meant?

Fu Li wasn't sure.

He merely passively endured. In the enduring, he gave a little bit of silent companionship.

He didn't know how long had passed. Perhaps a day, perhaps a year. There was no alternation of sun and moon in the Underworld.

Fu Li felt that his roots seemed to have pierced deeper. His petals had also unfurled just a little bit more. Their color had gone from near-transparent pallor to being tinged with an extremely faint, luminous white sheen.

The emotional impact the spirits brought was also no longer so hard to bear.

One day, a visitor unlike any other came near him.

It was the spirit of a young man.

His clothes were of the common style for commoners in Ancient Greece. His soul form was far more solid than the other muddled, wandering spirits.

A strong sense of regret still lingered on his face.

"What are you still regretting?"

The expression on the spirit's face was too vivid. Fu Li couldn't help but speak.

The spirit started briefly, subconsciously looking left and right. Unable to find any trace of a person, he scratched his head in confusion.

"Look down."

The spirit lowered his head to look and discovered a strange lily flower.

The spirit: "How come you're a flower?"

Fu Li: "I don't know either."

The spirit: "Oh, I see."

This young man's spirit was exceptionally slow. Conversing with him was like a turn-based game.

Fu Li took the initiative to ask:

"Why have you been drifting around here? The Plains of Oblivion aren't a place where one can stay for long."

"Ah... So this is the Plains of Oblivion?"

The spirit man patted his head. "I always thought this was the place of judgment."

Having said that, the spirit man sat down, showing absolutely no intention of leaving.

Fu Li looked at him curiously. In the kingdom of the dead, meeting a peaceful spirit like this was also quite special.

"Didn't you ask what I regret? My regret is that I had a whole bunch of things I hadn't gotten to share before I died."

The ghost man's words directly threw Fu Li into contemplation.

You just had too much gossip, and keeping it in your heart was unbearable.

"It's about the rumors concerning Lord Apollo."

The spirit said excitedly.

...Apollo.

Fu Li wanted to ask but didn't dare.

In the end, he asked softly, "Could you tell me about them? The rumors about Apollo."

"Lord Apollo has gone mad."

The spirit's opening words were a bombshell.

Fu Li immediately grew agitated. "What did you say? How could Apollo go mad?!"

The spirit was very satisfied with Fu Li's reaction. This was the reaction a true gossip-lover should have!

"Absolutely true. Ever since that mortal died, Lord Apollo has been out of his mind!"

The other spoke with the air of an old-timer, enjoying the pleasure of breaking news.

"Lord Apollo now refuses divine oracles. He sealed the temple at Delphi. He rejects all prayers and offerings. He stays holed up deep inside the temple all day. He won't see anyone."

"What's even more terrifying is his divine power is out of control! The sacred light of Delphi flickers bright and dim. Sometimes it blazes like high noon, sometimes it's cold as polar night. Some also say they've heard the sound of a lyre coming from the temple. The music is so sorrowful it could make stones weep!"

"All of this is because Lord Apollo lost his beloved!"

After breaking all this news, the spirit's entire soul felt much more at ease.

"There's even more shocking news. I heard Apollo has become lovesick to the point of illness. Every hour of every day, he holds his lover's body as if he were still alive!"

At this point, the spirit's empty eyes released a bright light. He eagerly awaited Fu Li's reaction.

The most important part of sharing gossip was the companion's reaction!

But Fu Li was stunned.

The spirit was a little dissatisfied. "Why are you stunned? Give me some reaction?"

Fu Li was speechless. His lips trembling, he asked, "Do you know the name of Apollo's lover?"

The spirit gave him a blank look. "Of course I know. Who doesn't know? Apollo's lover's name is Fu Li."

With a boom, Fu Li felt his mind go completely blank.

At this moment, it dawned on the spirit. He still hadn't asked Fu Li his name!

"Buddy, what's your name?"

The spirit sighed with emotion. "Meeting is fate. Even in a place like this, it's fate."

"Fu Li. His name is Fu Li."

The God of Death had arrived at some unknown time. He still held his black scythe.

Now it was the spirit's turn to be dumbfounded.

Pulling over a random person to gossip and he ran into the very subject of it all?!

"It's time for you to leave."

The God of Death was concise. Once a spirit had poured out its regrets, it could stay no longer.

"The time to go has come. What a pity."

The spirit naturally would not disobey the God of Death. The rules of the kingdom of the dead were even stricter than those of the living world.

He bid farewell to the Fu Li he had just met and set off on the journey to the place of judgment.

"Very worried?"

The God of Death rarely spoke up to ask.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have asked. Matters that didn't concern him, Thanatos never cared about.

Fu Li opened his mouth but didn't know how to say it.

"If you can't say it, then don't."

Thanatos's stiff, tough concern left Fu Li helpless.

This God of Death never expressed anything directly.

Fu Li looked toward the sky of the Underworld. If only he and Apollo still had their telepathic link.

Then he could tell him, it's alright, I'm still here.

It's just that the place I am is the Underworld.

Never to see you again for a lifetime.

"What are you thinking about?"

Thanatos's voice broke Fu Li's train of thought.

"Is it Apollo?"

He didn't need Fu Li's answer. He would fill it in himself.

Fu Li sighed and nodded.

"This is the kingdom of the dead."

Thanatos said stiffly.

If not for their interactions over this period of time, Fu Li would have thought this was a warning not to reach out to the living.

The God of Death Thanatos was not a cold-blooded god.

He was merely poor at expressing himself. The gods in the kingdom of the dead seldom spoke.

They and the gods of the surface world were like two clearly divided parallel lines.

"Here to see the flowers again today?"

Fu Li changed the subject appropriately.

"Mm."

Thanatos answered very briefly.

"You two brothers really have a wonderful relationship."

Fu Li sighed with emotion.

The reason Thanatos often came to the Plains of Oblivion was that he had planted flowers here, intending to give them to his brother, the God of Sleep.

The Underworld was very special.

Many areas were barren, not a blade of grass growing. Gloom and spirits accompanied this realm.

The Plains of Oblivion were one of the few places where plants could grow.

"The water lilies you planted still don't have any buds yet."

Fu Li swayed his petals and extended a larger petal to point toward a small pool not far away.

There was still nothing there.

Thanatos's expressionless face betrayed a hint of bewilderment.

Was this dead or still growing?

Seeing his worried state, Fu Li consoled him, "They haven't reached their growing cycle yet."

"...Mm."

Thanatos tugged at his own black robes. He had originally intended to leave. He had just taken a few steps when out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the sorrow in Fu Li's eyes. He stopped again.

"You. Do you need me to transplant you?"

This abrupt statement made Fu Li freeze.

What did that mean?

Thanatos explained, "This is the edge of the Underworld. Even the spirits only stop here briefly. If you still have unfinished regrets, it would be best if you were somewhere Lord Hades can see."

"Perhaps, he will tell you more news about Apollo."

Thanatos labored to think of Hades's face, even more indifferent than his own. The master of the Underworld being addicted to work was no secret. Perhaps making him stop by would help Fu Li feel better.

The God of Death shook his head. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

"Is that possible?!"

Fu Li's eyes lit up. Of course, he wanted to go to a place Hades could see. But he was just a lily that couldn't even move. Other than the Plains of Oblivion, he didn't even know where to go.

"It should be possible."

Lord Hades probably wouldn't mind having an extra strange flower in his garden.

After all, he never even went there.

But then again, Lord Hades was even less likely to come to the Plains of Oblivion.

Yet what Thanatos was betting on was the off chance.

As the saying goes, the pavilion closest to the water sees the moon first.

Places suitable for survival in the Underworld were too few.

Hades's garden could be considered a rare fine place.

"Thank you very much, Thanatos!"

Fu Li happily gave him his thanks.

Thanatos: "As payment, you will teach me how to grow water lilies."

Fu Li agreed wholeheartedly. "No problem."

Better to do it now than wait. Thanatos approached Fu Li, half-crouched, and began digging the soil with his scythe.

After the entirety of Fu Li was dug out by him, the God of Death flew with Fu Li toward Hades's garden.

Hades's garden was located beside the Blissful Fields of the Underworld.

The Blissful Fields were the destination for heroes and the virtuous.

They lived there, then waited for the place of judgment to send them into reincarnation.

From within the garden, Fu Li could see the peace and harmony within the Blissful Fields.

In the Blissful Fields, one could see the four seasons change. Clear streams flowed. Reeds swayed gently. It was almost no different from the mortal world. It also drew a dividing line between it and the other regions of the Underworld.

No wonder the Blissful Fields were lauded as the paradise at the ends of the earth.

Fu Li shifted his gaze to the place he was living in. Aside from himself, a lily, the other plants were either red spider lilies, pomegranates, or white poplars.

It was still far too monotonous.

Even having come to Hades's garden, trying to chance upon Hades was still a difficult matter.

"Sigh."

Fu Li couldn't help sighing.

Having a flower's body was still too inconvenient.

If only he could speed up his maturation.

"Little flower, do you also have things troubling you?"

Hearing the sigh, Adonis came over curiously. In the Blissful Fields, few people ever sighed in despair. Then he discovered a peculiar lily.

Fu Li looked up at the voice. An elegant young man with short golden hair had appeared before him at some unknown time.

"Little flower, you're so beautiful. Your leaves are golden-red, but your petals are white-pink!"

Adonis hadn't expected the flower he'd found to be so pretty. The Blissful Fields were nice, but they lacked stunning beauty, let alone the other regions.

How did such a beautiful little flower end up growing in the King of the Underworld's garden?

You had to know that the King of the Underworld, as a workaholic, almost never left his work desk. He had absolutely no inclination toward cultivating refined tastes.

What a waste of a heavenly treasure!

Out of respect for the King of the Underworld, he couldn't transplant it. He could only keep on coveting.

"I get it. Do you also have unfinished regrets?"

Adonis found a spot of ground and sat down. People who sighed in the Underworld were invariably those with lingering regrets.

"I have a friend..."

Fu Li didn't know from what angle to tell the story, so he simply used the most common modern-day excuse.

"That friend is you, right?"

The straightforward Adonis spoke bluntly.

Fu Li: Ahem.

Adonis paid no mind to Fu Li's silence. He patted Fu Li's petals on his own accord.

"Let me guess. Are you worried your lover will do something irrational?"

He said with a giggle.

Fu Li: !

He hadn't even started talking yet!

"Ah," seeing Fu Li's expression that practically said "prophet," Adonis knew he had guessed correctly, "it really is that..."

He muttered softly, "Since when did Greece have so much true love?"

Adonis's comment made Fu Li blush.

"May I ask who you are?"

The words the other spoke were too modern. Fu Li suspected the other was also a transmigrator.

Adonis smiled. "I'm Adonis. I live next door in the Blissful Fields."

Adonis?!

He was that Adonis who was simultaneously loved by multiple gods, then had his time evenly divided among them, and was ultimately turned into a wild boar by a god and killed?!

Then no wonder.

The other was a victim of traditional Ancient Greek "romance."

Persecuted all the way into the Underworld, it was only normal for him to vent across time and space.

"Little flower, what about you?"

Fu Li: "I'm Fu Li."

Upon hearing his name, Adonis widened his eyes.

"You're Apollo's deceased lover, Fu Li?"

Fu Li: ?

What was going on? Why did he feel his fame had suddenly skyrocketed?

From the gossiping spirit to Adonis, how did everyone know about him?!

What on earth had happened?

"Do you want to know Apollo's recent condition?"

Adonis said mysteriously.

"I do!"

Fu Li's very purpose for coming to Hades's garden was this. If he couldn't wait for Hades, waiting for Adonis would do just as well!

"Mm-hmm. I don't know much. What I can tell you is that Apollo seems to have become a completely different person."

As Adonis spoke, he commented again:

"I think the Apollo of now is the real him. Greek gods only reveal their true selves the moment they lose their beloved."

Thinking of those Greek gods who had pursued him, he couldn't help but say, "Of course, most of the time, they weren't pretending either."

"Adonis, can you be a little more detailed?"

Fu Li pressed anxiously. The petals all over his body quivered.

Adonis scratched his head. "I've been in the Underworld too long. My understanding of the world of the living is limited. But I know someone who can help you. Orpheus."

"He's very special. As a living person, he stays long-term in the kingdom of the dead. All this news was brought by him."

Fu Li was overjoyed. "Thank you very much, Adonis!"

Adonis shook his head. "Don't thank me too soon. Orpheus has stayed in the Underworld for a long time as a living person. His temperament has grown quite gloomy. If I hadn't known him for so long, he wouldn't have told me either."

"Then what should I do?"

Was the hope that had appeared with such difficulty going to vanish again?

"Mm... Orpheus is a bard. Fu Li, do you know any art forms like singing? Use that to get Orpheus to speak."

"I do!"

Modern songs were still songs.

Fu Li couldn't worry about the details.

Adonis looked at him, helpless. He could sense Fu Li's urgency.

What he didn't say was that what was even more useful than music was empathy.

But Orpheus, right now, likely wouldn't want to hear words about love.

Adonis dusted off his clothes and promised, "Tomorrow at this time, I'll bring him here. Fu Li, whether you can convince him depends on your own ability."

Fu Li unfolded some of his petals in excitement. He said earnestly, "Thank you for helping me, Adonis."

Adonis smiled. "May you get what you wish for."

The next day, Adonis brought a melancholy, long-haired man.

The man was none other than Orpheus.

Adonis left the space to Fu Li, making up an excuse to return to the Blissful Fields.

Regarding this action of his, Orpheus's mouth twitched.

Fu Li knew he couldn't rush things. He had to take it slowly.

He first greeted Orpheus. Orpheus responded coldly.

Fu Li went through every topic he could think of one by one.

But Orpheus was indifferent and unresponsive.

Fu Li's heart sank. It seemed Orpheus truly was only interested in music.

Other topics held absolutely no appeal for him.

"I heard you are a poet?"

Fu Li asked Orpheus with a smile.

Hearing the word "poet," Orpheus raised his eyes to glance at Fu Li. "That kid told you, didn't he?"

"That kid" referred to Adonis.

"Quite a few people know you."

Adhering to the principle of not selling out his teammate, Fu Li kept the other's guess vague.

Since Orpheus was special in the Underworld, there would be no shortage of people who knew him.

Knowing he was a poet wasn't too abrupt either.

"True."

Orpheus nodded, tacitly acknowledging his special status in the Underworld.

"The kingdom of the dead, aside from areas like the Blissful Fields, is mostly submerged in a fog of nothingness. As far as scenery goes, the Underworld can be called the worst tourist destination."

Fu Li sounded like he was making idle chat, but in reality, he was probing by stealth.

If only they could get a conversation going, he could seize the chance to ask about Apollo-related matters.

"...No one likes a dead and gloomy place. Not even the Underworld gods like the stillness."

Orpheus let his gaze drift emptily.

"If it were possible, any living thing would avoid this place."

He gave his assessment of the Underworld.

"A place this bleak and desolate. If there were no way to leave, that would be one thing. But once you compare it with other places, the sense of loss would be even worse, wouldn't it?"

Fu Li guided the conversation step by step.

"If spirits are forced here, if spirits are helpless, then Orpheus, for what reason are you here?"

"...For my lover."

Orpheus closed his eyes wearily. He leaned against a white poplar tree, recalling everything from the past.

Then he opened his eyes. "I know who you are. I also know what you want to ask me."

Orpheus said, "I originally didn't want to speak of it, because it would be no different from reopening my own wounds."

He suddenly curved his lips, as if seeing his own reflection in Fu Li.

"But I've changed my mind."

"Fu Li, I always thought only the living missed the dead, just as I went so far as to descend into the Underworld for my lover. But you care about the living. The way you struggle—it lets me see my former self."

Orpheus said emotionally, "Refusing to give up, not wanting to let go. Perhaps the moment I agreed to Adonis, I had already made my choice."

He met Fu Li's eyes. "Apollo's condition is not good."

Fu Li's heart clenched.

Although he had been prepared, hearing the full answer still felt like his heart was blocked.

"Apollo's situation is very bad. As the God of Light, his emotions are continuously out of control. The light sources across the great earth are chaotically dissipating."

"The originally distinct boundary between day and night has vanished. Mortals think the end of the world is coming."

He looked at Fu Li with a complicated expression. "Apollo's obsession with you has already exceeded the usual time limit of a Greek god's infatuation with a mortal lover. Your death has directly caused all of this loss of control."

He lowered his head. The memories unfolded everything between them.

Fu Li hadn't thought it would be this bad.

With what mindset he had blocked that strike for Apollo back then, even he himself didn't dare to delve deeply.

The favor of gods in Greek mythology came quickly and left just as fast. He had thought Apollo would mourn, would grieve, but not like this.

So he had been wrong.

The telepathic link was already gone. If he wanted to tell Apollo he was still "alive," he had to borrow someone's words.

Orpheus seemed to see through his thoughts and sighed. "Apollo isn't seeing anyone right now. I am merely a mortal and can't pass a message for you."

"If you can move Lord Hades, perhaps he would be willing to mention it on your behalf when he goes to the Divine Mountain."

Round and round it went. He still needed to move Hades.

That's right. Only a deity of Hades's rank could withstand the rampage of a chief god.

He had no other choice.

Mature. He had to mature as quickly as possible.

As long as he could move on his own, he absolutely had to meet Apollo.

"Orpheus, do you know how to speed up the maturation?"

What Hypnos and the others had said was too vague. Fu Li had groped around but only managed to speed up condensing a physical form. He was still a long way from maturation.

"Maturation, hm... is it a lack of power?"

Orpheus rubbed his chin. He didn't know much about this kind of situation.

"The fastest way to gain power in the Underworld is to become a ferryman."

He tapped Fu Li's petal. "You'll have to convince Charon. Being a ferryman is a cushy job. He's always liked money. Think carefully about how much you'll give him before you go looking for him."

Fu Li countered anxiously, "But I can't move like this. How can I find him? Would he be willing to take me on?"

"Charon only needs you to give him money. What you are doesn't matter."

Orpheus spoke with the air of an old hand. He had gotten into the Underworld precisely by paying.

Without that money-grubber Charon, he really wouldn't have been able to enter.

In the rigidly orderly Underworld, there were also gods like Charon—hard-backing and able to pull strings through the back door.

"So I need to save up money now?"

Orpheus nodded.

Fu Li fell silent.

In his current state, where would money come from?

Suddenly, he had an idea.

What if he planted something here and had Orpheus take it to the surface world to sell?

The more Fu Li thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

He said in a low voice, "Orpheus, I have a business deal I'd like to make with you. I wonder if you'd be willing?"

Orpheus grew interested. "I'm all ears."

*

Apollo didn't know how long he had been like this.

His heart seemed to have died along with Fu Li.

No matter who spoke to him, it felt as if through a layer of fog.

Unwilling to listen, even more unwilling to pay any attention.

He knew this was very wrong, unlike him.

But Apollo also felt that this was truly like him.

He closed his eyes. Only in this way could he imagine Fu Li's figure.

The body in his embrace had its eyes closed. It was as clean as if merely asleep.

Apollo stroked his cheek.

What met his hand was an icy coldness.

Like a block of ice.

How could Fu Li be this cold...?

A fragile mortal never knew how to take good care of himself.

Thankfully, he had a way.

Apollo raised a hand. Blinding radiance all gathered in his palm. He concentrated all the brilliance onto the body that had lost its warmth.

That would fix it.

Then he wouldn't be cold anymore.

Fu Li would wake up once he'd slept enough.

He clutched his lover's body tightly, as if immersed in a nightmare from which he could not wake.

"Apollo!"

An authoritative voice rang out. Zeus walked in, his brows deeply furrowed.

"You cannot continue like this. The mortals are plunged into panic because of you!"

When Zeus's gaze fell upon the person in Apollo's embrace, the emotion that surged up was helplessness.

Who would have thought that true love would genuinely be born among them?

And a god-mortal love at that.

Zeus softened his tone. Apollo's current state wasn't suitable for receiving stimulation.

Apollo glanced at the visitor and said stubbornly, "Father God, if you could save Fu Li, it wouldn't have developed to this point."

Zeus was choked by him. His face didn't look good.

"He's asleep. I can't even feel the connection between me and him."

This was what crushed Apollo the most.

The telepathic link was gone.

The curse of the former King of Gods must have pierced through the most important soul. Otherwise, how could he be unable to sense Fu Li's existence?

Even if he was in the Underworld, he should still be able to link with him!

Zeus guiltily let his gaze drift. The grieving Apollo didn't notice his own father's little mannerism.

Wasn't this out of worry you'd be distracted in the fight?

Who could have known it would happen so coincidentally?

After the fact, Zeus had attempted to repair it. Every attempt would yield the same result.

Fu Li's soul was not within his body. The link could not be reestablished.

The Underworld was Hades's domain.

Back then, the three brothers had divided the world into three and did not interfere with each other.

For the matter of a mortal, forcibly interfering in the Underworld's affairs would bring unnecessary disputes.

What was more, it was the curse of a King of Gods.

Zeus leaned toward believing that Fu Li's body and soul had both been obliterated.

A mortal was too frail. A curse that even gods could not withstand—Fu Li was surely dead beyond doubt.

What exactly was the use of the seed of life the Creator God had given him? Even Zeus himself couldn't explain it clearly.

Forcibly disturbing the slumbering Chaos was an even less wise choice.

Zeus looked at Apollo, who resembled a madman. For the very first time, he let out such a heavy sigh.

The annual banquet was about to begin.

He would use this opportunity to inquire of Hades.

If Fu Li's soul was truly in the Underworld.

Then let Apollo go raise a ruckus.

He believed his brother, seeing the frenzied God of Light, would also give way.

Apollo suddenly rose. Seeing him finally get up, Zeus thought he had come around.

He stepped forward happily, but Apollo walked right past him.

"Apollo, where are you going?!"

Zeus sensed something was wrong.

Apollo did not turn back. He said softly:

"I'm going to tend to Fu Li's fields. He's slept so long. When he wakes up and sees the fields all gone to waste, he'll definitely be heartbroken and cry..."

Zeus could hardly believe his own ears.

What was Apollo saying?!

Fields?

Suddenly, he recalled the words Hera had once said to him.

Love is a plague.

The afflicted have no medicine to cure them.

Athena had to be notified!

Apollo in this state was a walking time bomb.

Violet-red lightning tore through the dim sky.

Far away in Athens, Athena received Zeus's secret order.

Artemis, who was also there, hurriedly asked, "Athena, what did Father God say?!"

Athena shook her head. She said grimly, "Apollo is coming to Athens."

Artemis fell silent. She sat in a chair, recalling the conversation during that day's hunt.

So it wasn't acceptance. It was denial.

Denying the possibility of parting.

She asked Athena powerlessly, "What do you need me to do?"

Apollo in a state of madness was not someone Athena could restrain. She needed to stay and help.

Athena, however, was calm, as if she did not consider Apollo's arrival a major event.

"There's no need to be this nervous, Artemis." Athena looked out the window. "Apollo won't do anything to this place."

Artemis was puzzled. "How can you be so sure?"

"This is the home where he and Fu Li lived. The memories are here. If the old days are to be relived, Athens cannot come to harm."

Athena said indifferently.

"The King of Athens has already given the orders. They must do everything necessary to keep Athens in the state it was when Fu Li lived here."

After hearing this, Artemis sighed deeply. "What kind of idea is this? To constantly stir up emotions by being reminded of the past..."

"For now, this is the only path."

Athena answered grimly.

"Father God said the annual divine banquet is approaching. Hades will also attend. He wants us to ensure Apollo holds out until the banquet before erupting."

Artemis: "He's the same as ever. Throwing the hardest things at you."

"By the way, where is Hermes?"

Artemis had noticed that Hermes seemed very busy lately. She hadn't seen much of him.

Athena: "He's gone to sneak across the Styx."

Artemis was shocked. "He's gone to sneak across the Styx? This is no small matter!"

Athena was helpless. "He's the only one who, as the Divine Messenger, can barely attempt to sneak across. The rest of us can't even try."

Artemis thought about it and figured that was true. She looked at the magnificent dome. The sorrow in her heart was not lessened in the slightest.

Fu Li, you must be in the Underworld.

Apollo will find you.

And bring you back.

On the other side, Fu Li laid out his idea to Orpheus.

Orpheus considered it for a moment and found it feasible.

The plants in the Underworld weren't many, but there were still some.

Especially since Fu Li could actually use his own roots to loosen soil and fertilize crops.

Not only was the work twice as effective with half the effort, but the plants that grew were also exceptionally beautiful.

If they could grow crops in the Underworld and earn the price difference in the world above.

This was also a good thing for Orpheus.

He himself was a living person. Every time, he had to pay a sum of money to Charon.

With this, his currency wouldn't be tight either.

"Where do you plan to start?"

Orpheus asked.

A face slid across Fu Li's mind.

"I want to start with Athens."

"Athens? That's a bit far."

Orpheus calculated the route. The exits of the Underworld were located at the fissures of the great earth, at the edge of the world. A city-state like Athens was in the heartland.

He knew the other's personal motives and thought of a compromise.

"How about this? I'll travel and sell along the way. It'll take a very long time."

"That doesn't matter. What I have the most of right now is time."

Fu Li extended a root, plucked off a golden-red leaf, and held it out. "I don't know if this will help, but please take it with you."

He pleaded.

Orpheus accepted the leaf and stored it safely.

"Don't worry. If I have the chance, I'll help you deliver it."

He didn't say to whom. Fu Li knew who he meant.

"Thank you."

Orpheus waved his hand. "Don't be so formal. We're partners now."

"Wait for my news."

He took the items and departed.

Fu Li only withdrew his gaze after Orpheus's silhouette had vanished from sight.

"Apollo, we will definitely meet again. Wait for me."

Fu Li diligently cultivated his plants in Hades's garden.

Everything was for the sake of reuniting sooner.

He hoped Hades wouldn't get angry when he discovered his garden had been turned into a vegetable patch.

Fu Li thought guiltily.

He looked up at the Underworld's sky. Becoming a flower perhaps wasn't such a bad thing after all.

At least he was still alive.

Even if existing in this form.

He had to mature quickly.

And go see him.

*

Hades had been somewhat unsettled lately.

The divine banquet was about to commence.

He would again have to exchange pleasantries with his several brothers.

After the previous Titan incident, the subsequent sealing had been collectively reinforced by him, Zeus, and Poseidon to ensure such a thing wouldn't happen again.

Every time such a disaster occurred, only the Underworld's workload surged.

Massive numbers of spirits flooded in. The originally already busy place of judgment grew even busier.

Most seriously, he had discovered that the God of Light seemed to be trapped by love and wasn't working.

The model worker of the Divine Mountain wasn't working anymore. The work wasn't getting done by anyone.

How had Zeus not counseled him through it yet?

"Lord Hades."

The habitually taciturn God of Death suddenly spoke up.

"Mm?"

Hades was somewhat surprised. This subordinate of his always stayed silent if he could. What was this about?

"Your Majesty, your garden is blooming. You could go take a look."

Thanatos said in a stiff, rigid manner.

He was very diligently pushing Hades toward the garden.

If Hades wouldn't go on his own, he would actively push.

Hades was even more puzzled.

Since when did Thanatos have this kind of refined taste?

Wasn't he always a workaholic just like him?

"Mm."

Hades responded indifferently.

"You will go?"

Thanatos asked expressionlessly.

"After I'm done with these."

Hades cast a glance at the mountain of work piled high on his desk.

Thanatos nodded. "Good."

Fu Li wouldn't have to wait too long.

With that, he too began his work.