Elliot remained there until late into the night before finally returning to his quarters on Celestia.
"Is he... asleep?"
He saw the Lord of the Netherworld lying on the bed with his eyes closed, motionless, seemingly in a deep sleep.
"Does he even need sleep?" Elliot found it unbelievable. As the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, he possessed endless energy and no longer needed food, water, or rest. By that same logic, the Lord of the Netherworld should be no different. So why was he sleeping?
"Who's sleeping?"
Just as Elliot voiced his confusion, the Lord of the Netherworld slowly opened his eyes and sat up.
"Then what were you doing? Resting your eyes?" Elliot asked, still puzzled.
"I sent a dream," the Lord of the Netherworld replied casually.
"A dream? To whom?"
"That woman I revived before—her name was Guizhong, I believe."
"Guizhong? Why send her a dream?" Elliot frowned in confusion. By all accounts, the Lord of the Netherworld shouldn't have even known her.
"I gave her a new life. Naturally, she has to give something back. Nothing in this world comes without a price," the Lord of the Netherworld said with a resigned shrug.
At those words, Elliot's eyes narrowed, sharp as a predator's. His expression darkened, the power of space stirring within him, ready to strike at any moment.
"What do you want her to do?" he asked, his tone cold.
"It's nothing troublesome. I simply granted her the power to guide departed souls—she'll lead them to Wuwang Slope. I have no interest in personally retrieving souls one by one."
Elliot froze, something clicking in his mind. The tension within him quickly dissipated.
Seeing his reaction, the Lord of the Netherworld smirked.
"In this lifetime, you haven't even spoken a single word to her. Yet the moment I mention her name, you nearly attack me as if I'd struck you down. I truly can't fathom where that irrational protectiveness of yours comes from—or why it's so deeply rooted."
Elliot ignored his mockery. In truth, he had no answer himself.
Perhaps some things simply didn't need a reason—perhaps there never was one. Like how someone might inexplicably fall in love with another, even if that person wasn't particularly beautiful or kind. They just did—without reason.
"I don't know," he said quietly.
His answer made the Lord of the Netherworld pause for a moment before muttering, "Freak."
An awkward silence followed.
"I—"
"You—"
They spoke at the same time, freezing mid-sentence, the tension only thickening.
"You go first," Elliot said, breaking the silence.
"Besides instructing Guizhong to guide souls to Wuwang Slope, I've also placed a restriction on her guidance."
"What kind of restriction?"
"She won't guide the stubborn."
"She won't guide... the stubborn?"
"Yes. People like you. I despise those who remain obstinately attached to the mortal world even after death. In other words, if you ever die, you'll never enter the cycle of reincarnation. You'll remain a wandering soul forever."
Hearing that, Elliot didn't grow angry. Instead, he smiled faintly.
"What are you laughing at? Do you think I'm joking with you?" the Lord of the Netherworld asked irritably.
"No. I believe you. If one can't even face death with peace of mind, they're unworthy of reincarnation. That's what you mean, isn't it?"
"Good. At least you understand." The Lord of the Netherworld snorted softly.
Elliot thought back to family Hu and the strict traditions of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
He hadn't expected that the very first master of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was actually Guizhong.
Thinking about it now, her personality really did resemble Hu Tao's—both outwardly quirky and playful, yet harder working than anyone behind the scenes.
"Actually," Elliot began with a small smile, "I have some thoughts about guiding souls into the Netherworld."
"Oh? Let's hear them," said the Lord of the Netherworld, his curiosity piqued.
Elliot paused to think carefully. The memories were distant—he could only recall the essential parts. The rest, they could fill in themselves.
He then began describing in detail the customs and rules of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
At first, the Lord of the Netherworld merely sat with his legs crossed, nodding absently. But gradually, he sat upright, brow furrowing in thought.
By the end, his eyes gleamed with interest, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. These principles resonated with his own beliefs—about reverence and ritual in the face of death.
Though they seemed like many rules, each one embodied humanity's respect and awe toward mortality.
After all, death is something every living being must face. It should never be treated lightly—a proper funeral is the least that can be offered to honor a life.
"Good. Very good. I'll adopt all that you've said," the Lord of the Netherworld declared at last. "I didn't expect you to have such insight into death. It seems I've underestimated you."
For the first time, he offered Elliot genuine praise.