Beneath the Bridge of Helplessness, Meng Yiren was buried in the earth, only her head exposed.
At the same time, on the Bridge of Helplessness, a ragged, crippled, blind, and deaf spirit was arduously crawling across.
When he reached the other side, he would turn back and crawl across again, repeating this endlessly, never tiring.
His name was Wang Sheng, Meng Yiren's lover.
He and Meng Yiren had reached the point of marriage. For Meng Yiren, Wang Sheng had broken off his engagement with the Prime Minister's daughter. In his rage, the Prime Minister had his entire family exterminated.
After burying his family, Wang Sheng returned to find Meng Yiren, by which time the agreed-upon time had passed.
Meng Yiren, having heard rumors, believed Wang Sheng had married into the Prime Minister's mansion and betrayed her.
Thus, as soon as they met, she severed Wang Sheng's hands and feet, blinded his eyes, and deafened his ears.
After Wang Sheng's death, Meng Yiren, having learned the truth, was overcome with grief and committed suicide.
Meng Yiren's sins were deep, and she was to be punished in the eighteen levels of hell.
But Wang Sheng loved her deeply. He pleaded with King Yama to spare Meng Yiren, offering to kneel on the Bridge of Helplessness until it collapsed, no matter the cost.
Since Tang Xiaomin knew her, Wang Sheng had been kneeling and crawling back and forth on the bridge.
King Yama bound Meng Yiren to the head of the bridge, forcing her to watch Wang Sheng suffer for her daily, as her punishment. Meng Yiren was in unbearable pain.
It was Tang Xiaomin who took pity on her, making her drink the water of Forgetfulness, allowing her a period of carefree days.
Unfortunately, Meng Yiren listened to slander, believing she was being manipulated by Yan Jue. She actually attacked Yan Jue when he was weak.
Tang Xiaomin then told her the truth and buried her beneath the bridge, forcing her to watch Wang Sheng daily, causing her immense pain.
Standing on the bridge and looking down, Tang Xiaomin said mockingly.
"Yiren, how does it feel?"
Meng Yiren's head was the only part of her exposed. Upon seeing Tang Xiaomin, she became agitated.
"Tang Xiaomin, kill me, just kill me!"
"I truly don't want to see Wang Sheng anymore, I can't face all this!"
"Ah!"
...
Meng Yiren's face was contorted in pain, and she had wished to die countless times.
Unfortunately, she was already dead. Her current soul form could not be destroyed according to her will unless shattered by external force.
Watching Meng Yiren suffer so, Tang Xiaomin showed no sympathy.
"Meng Yiren, you shouldn't have attacked Yan Jue. Now that you're in my hands, why should I let you have an easy time? Give me a reason."
Meng Yiren despaired and cried in pain.
"It wasn't intentional. I thought you and Yan Jue were scheming against me. I was misled."
"If I had known the truth would be like this, I would never have done it. I was truly deceived, Tang Xiaomin!"
Deceived!
Tang Xiaomin swiftly descended the bridge and stood beside Meng Yiren, looking at her coldly.
"Meng Yiren, at this point, do you really think I would believe your lies?"
"You will watch Wang Sheng, whom you tormented like a dog, continue to suffer here. Bear the pain you deserve."
"Tang Xiaomin, I'm telling the truth. It was Meng Lan. She told me that you had fed me the water of Forgetfulness. Believe me!"
When the name Meng Lan was spoken by Meng Yiren, it was exactly as Tang Xiaomin had predicted.
If she guessed correctly, this Meng Lan was the Young Master Zhou, who was sealed by the Supreme Commander.
Tang Xiaomin ignored Meng Yiren and left the River of Forgetfulness.
As soon as she left, a beautiful woman wearing a mask suddenly appeared before Meng Yiren.
Meng Lan's gentle voice slowly echoed.
"You're quite bold, daring to stab me in the back. Do you know what your end will be?"
Meng Yiren suddenly laughed.
"Haha... Hahaha..."
"Always hiding behind the scenes like a coward, why don't you keep hiding?"
"If I hadn't exposed your dealings, you'd still be hiding in your shell, like a coward."
Meng Yiren's provocation completely enraged Meng Lan.
"A mere pawn, daring to be so arrogant. You have no further use. It's time you received your due!"
Meng Lan raised her hand and struck Meng Yiren's head fiercely.
Crack!
A crisp shattering sound echoed. Cracks instantly appeared on Meng Yiren's face and spread throughout her entire body.
She shattered, and would soon perish.
However, there was no expression of pain on Meng Yiren's face; instead, there was a sense of release.
She looked at Wang Sheng, who was crawling on the bridge, and a bitter curve touched her lips.
"Finally... I don't have to watch you anymore... Wang Sheng..."
Being shattered was the release Meng Yiren had long desired. She accepted her fate willingly.
A gust of wind blew, and her body turned to dust. With a smile, she scattered with the wind.
...
Meng Lan looked at the dust scattered by the wind and said coldly. "Hmph, what use is a dog that bites?"
"Yiren was right, you, Young Master Zhou, are indeed a coward who only dares to hide in the shadows."
Tang Xiaomin's contemptuous voice came from behind.
Upon hearing this, Meng Lan spun around abruptly.
She saw that Tang Xiaomin, who had already left the River of Forgetfulness, had returned. Yan Jue was beside her, and a large group of undead warriors followed behind.
The well-trained undead warriors quickly surrounded Meng Lan.
Everything seemed to be a trap set for Meng Lan.
Meng Lan could not fathom how Tang Xiaomin had prepared such a trap to deal with her.
"It seems you were prepared. I'm very curious, how did you guess I would come to the River of Forgetfulness?"
Tang Xiaomin stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Meng Lan.
"You indeed acted very discreetly. You used King Yama and Meng Yiren. Before, I truly hadn't noticed your existence."
"But the net of heaven is vast and its meshes are wide. Tang Xu was assigned to the River of Forgetfulness, and he wrote about your contact with Meng Yiren in his diary. I happened to see it."
"Heh heh... So that's how it is."
Such a horrifying and bizarre twist of fate.
She had been so careful, yet she was exposed by an inconspicuous Tang Xu.
"I never expected Tang Xu to ruin my plans in the end. I'm very curious, why do you care so much about Tang Xu?"
As this question was asked, Tang Xiaomin sensitively realized that Meng Lan didn't know about her life in the mortal realm, nor about Tang Xu's relationship with her.
"Because Tang Xu is my brother."
She openly admitted Tang Xu's identity.
"Haha... Hahaha..."
Meng Lan suddenly burst into laughter, looking at Tang Xiaomin with a strange expression.
"Brother... haha..."
"Houtu, you've gotten too deeply into character after being cast into reincarnation, to the point of calling Tang Xu your brother, hahaha..."
"Is this still the same Supreme Commander who once held absolute authority, controlling everything in the underworld?" Su Dan Novel Network
"You beheaded Song Xin, one of the Ten Kings of Hell, for Tang Xu. How can someone as ridiculous as you be worthy of being the Supreme Commander?"