A Stardew Valley farmer came to Gensokyo.

"Why are you pushing and shoving! Are you in such a hurry to be reborn?!"

Several short-tempered spirits rolled up their sleeves, ready to step forward and argue.

But the next second, all sound stopped abruptly.

Pairs of eyes were fixed on Xia Xun, the air thick with shock and greed.

"A human! This is a human!"

"He has flesh! Fresh flesh!"

"By taking his body, I can be resurrected—!"

A clamor surged up like a tide, and countless spirits, their eyes glowing red, swarmed towards Xia Xun.

But, familiar scenes reappear.

A young girl appeared out of thin air, and her terrifying pressure instantly made the frenzied spirits tremble.

With enormous demonic horns on her head and a gourd of demonic wine hanging from her waist, the petite girl's golden eyes coldly swept across the entire scene, and the terrifying power in her gaze caused some spirits to begin to collapse.

"A demon, a demon race!"

"This, this is the Demon Queen, Ibuki Suika! Didn't she already leave the Land of Demons?!"

Terrified screams rose and fell. The spirits, who had been so imposing just moments before, now wished they had more legs and scrambled away as they fled.

Because, to their astonishment, they saw that the infamous Ghost King had actually pounced on the human, and then, like a spoiled little girl, angrily nudged his chest with his little head.

And that human, surprisingly, gently stroked her head, softly comforting her:

"Okay, okay, I'm fine now."

All spirits: "..."

This world is crazy.

Chapter 159 Hell Pills

Bang~ Bang~ Bang~

With a soft thud, Ibuki Suika finally felt she had vented her anger, and glared at Natsumi with her puffed-up cheeks.

"You absolutely mustn't be so reckless next time!" she pouted. "I'm here for you."

"Yes, yes, I promise."

Xia Xun rubbed his aching waist and quickly raised his hands in surrender, afraid that the girl would hit him a few more times.

He then turned his head and looked at the bustling ferry crossing with various shops around him, scratching his head in confusion: "This is the Sanzu River, but where is the river?"

“You’re behind me.” Suika Ibuki tugged at his sleeve and took a sip from the sake gourd.

Upon hearing this, Xia Xun turned around and instantly saw a vast expanse of water stretching to the horizon.

Amidst the misty fog, enormous black shadows appeared and disappeared, while small boats, driven by Death wielding sickles, carried countless wandering souls to the other side.

"This is the Sanzu River."

Looking at this scene full of mythology, Xia Xun said in a daze.

"Yes, this is the Sanzu River."

Suika Ibuki nodded and looked at the Sanzu River as she introduced it to Natsumi: "The Sanzu River runs through all worlds and is the river that divides the world of life and the world of death."

"Therefore, one can travel to different worlds by crossing the Sanzu River, which is also the weakest point of the Gensokyo Great Barrier."

“No wonder it’s so lively here.” Xia Xun nodded with delight upon hearing this, looking at the bustling market around him with envy, “Hell must be very rich to control a river that connects all realms.”

"Just collecting tolls is bad enough, but to monopolize the market is unacceptable!"

"No, no, no, Hell is actually incredibly poor. I'm still owed wages from last month."

A female grim reaper who happened to be passing by overheard Xia Xun's words and couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark.

Her gaze then fell on Natsumi and Suika Ibuki. She blinked her red eyes and asked in surprise, "Humans from Gensokyo, and Suika, what are you doing here?"

"Komachi, you're actually at work? You're not slacking off?" Suika Ibuki asked in surprise as she chatted with the suddenly appearing death goddess.

Xia Xun carefully examined the girl. She had short, red hair that reached her shoulders, and the twin ponytails on her head added to her cuteness. She wore a blue kimono-style long dress with a white apron on her lower body, and carried a huge sickle on her shoulder.

Hmm, it has a very Death Girl vibe.

Xia Xun made an evaluation.

At the same time, Suika Ibuki finished talking with the girl and turned to Natsumi to introduce her: "Natsumi, this girl is called Komachi Onozuka. She is a Shinigami who is responsible for guiding the souls of Gensokyo."

"You are Xia Xun!" Upon hearing Ibuki Suika's words, Onozuka Komachi's eyes lit up instantly as she approached Xia Xun and scrutinized him for a moment. Then, her gaze became increasingly strange: "You, are you really human?"

"Although you look like a human to me, you are also very unlikely to be human."

"Who else can achieve immortality directly without ever touching the rules of hell? Heaven and earth are incredibly kind to you. Even celestials aren't as outrageous as you." Onozuka Komachi retorted, but her words stunned Ibuki Suika.

Xia Xun, does life have no limits?

My emotions were momentarily excited, but then quickly cooled down.

Suika Ibuki looked up at Natsumi. Although she didn't understand what Komachi Onozuka, the Grim Reaper, had seen through, they spent every day together.

She could test and taste the changes in Xia Xun's life force every day with her own mouth, and she was still fully aware of them.

Even without any other assistance, Xia Xun's current vitality would make it easy for him to live for thousands of years, not to mention that he is constantly getting stronger.

This situation seems not much different from immortality.

Xia Xun was quite happy at this moment, even though she had guessed before that she, as a Stardew Valley person, possessed immortal life.

But now that I've actually received Death's approval, I'm still very happy.

"I was thinking of remembering your soul aura so that Suika could find you after you died and were reincarnated, but it seems that's not necessary now." Muttering to herself, Onozuka Komachi scratched her head and decided to give up thinking about Natsumi's race.

Too much trouble, I'd rather sneak in a drink.

I recently heard that a new restaurant called "Silkworm Swallow Pavilion" has opened in the Human Village. It's famous for its food and drinks. I'll go there and relax this time.

"Suika, you guys play here by yourselves, I'm going back."

Asahi Suika waved, and Onozuka Komachi left immediately.

Watching the Grim Reaper girl walk away, Xia Xun looked down at Ibuki Suika and asked with a strange expression, "Suika, is Hell poor?"

“They are indeed very poor.” Suika Ibuki nodded, recalling when she went to find Yuugo Hoshiguma and learned this.

The poor couldn't afford to maintain the old hell facilities, so they just dumped them on the monsters.

Xia Xun was a little flustered for a moment, and couldn't help but look back at the River of Three Crossings: "To be poor even while doing monopoly business is quite impressive."

“Actually, it’s not Hell’s fault.” Suika Ibuki blinked and said, “It’s probably because interpersonal and familial relationships in the outside world are becoming more and more indifferent that Hell is poor.”

"What do you mean?" Xia Xun asked, puzzled.

"I don't know either." Suika Ibuki poured sake from her gourd and spread her small hands, saying, "This is what Komachi told me when we were drinking together last time."

Xia Xun looked puzzled upon hearing this, but didn't pay much attention to it.

Looking around at the bustling market, he pulled Ibuki Suika along for a curious stroll, only to discover that all the shops in the area were facing the dead.

From protecting one's offspring to qualifying for crossing the river, even the atonement of sins and the choice of reincarnation in the next life can be bought with money.

The series of actions truly broadened Xia Xun's horizons. He felt that Hell must be in the late stages of a dynasty, where reincarnation could be sold, which was no different from selling official positions in the late stages of a dynasty.

Fortunately, he is immortal and does not need to be reincarnated.

Seeing that there were no usable goods in the market, Xia Xun lost interest and pulled Ibuki Suika toward the Sanzu River beach; he was going fishing.

After disembarking at the ferry, I walked out of the bustling crowd.

Xia Xun finally found a path leading to the riverbank, so he pulled Ibuki Suika along and walked up it.

The sound of rushing water came from afar, and as the two of them gradually moved forward, small piles of stones gradually appeared on the originally clean path.

The faint sounds of children crying and playing could be heard from all around. Occasionally, a few animals would strut by, but upon seeing Ibuki Suika, they would flee in terror.

Wow!

Many piles of stones on the road were thus scattered, and the children's cries grew louder as a result.

"Don't cry, don't cry, we can build another pile of stones if one falls down."

A girl's voice appeared in the mist. Xia Xun looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young girl comforting the spirit of an infant.

She has long, slightly wavy, milky-white hair that looks a bit like a jellyfish, and a white dress adorned with bright red accents. Her ears are shaped like those of a Buddha.

Despite being a young child herself, she was gently comforting the crying babies around her.

"These are all the spirits of Shui Zi."

Ibuki Suika noticed Natsumi's confusion and explained to him, "Children who die young are bound to the source of Sai no Kagura, where they keep piling stones because of their attachment to the mortal world."

"Only when they are willing to let go of the past can they board the ship of death and go to the other side."

“That is the leader of the Water Spirits, and also the guardian deity of this place, Rong Yinghua.”

Chapter 160 Are you my Willie?

"Children who die young."

Xia Xun looked at the group of girls surrounding a large number of babies not far away, thought for a moment, and took out ten snacks from her backpack.

Then he came to a statue of Jizo placed by the roadside, put down his snacks, and bowed.

Rong Yinghua, who was comforting the babies, also felt Xia Xun's offering and couldn't help but turn her gaze to Xia Xun and Ibuki Suika.

Because many people pass by on weekdays, and Sai no Kawara is a popular tourist destination and a place where markets are often held, she is used to the comings and goings of different people.

After the strange human man finished his worship and left, Rong Yinghua raised her small hand and produced a snack.

After glancing at it curiously for a few moments, the girl skillfully tore open the packaging, and a sweet aroma of nuts wafted out, attracting the other beautiful girls around to gather around.

Click.

She took a small bite, and the sweet taste made Rong Yinghua's eyes light up. Looking at the longing eyes of the children around her, she smiled happily.

"Let's hold a stone-building competition! There's a prize for the first place winner!"

Upon hearing this, the babies who were crying just a moment ago scrambled up towards the pile of stones, each trying their best to hold the stones up with their little hands.

Touching her tummy, Rong Yinghua tilted her head, looking in the direction Xia Xun had walked away.

When I see him next time, I'll give him my blessing.

Then ask if you can buy some of this food with money; it should be able to soothe the children's empty hearts and help them let go of their attachment to the world.

On the other side.

As they walked, Natsumi and Ibuki Suika gradually crossed the source of Sai no Kagami and approached the Sanzu River.

Scattered flowers began to appear on the barren ground, their scarlet petals blooming like a blood-red carpet spreading out from afar.

Xia Xun looked at the spider lilies and suddenly felt a little dizzy, but the protective talisman in her arms flashed and her mind cleared up.

This flower shouldn't be looked at for too long.

Xia Xun quickly looked away, just about to ask Ibuki Suika what was going on, when she suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

"This isn't a place for humans... Huh?"

The eerie voice had just begun when it suddenly broke free and transformed into a woman's voice.

"Cui, Lady Cuixiang?"

In the mist, a woman holding a baby statue appeared. She had hair that was black on the left and white on the right, and the demon horns on her head revealed her identity.

"It's a demon."

Suika Ibuki looked up at the woman who was bowing to her, scratched her head and said, "I remember your name is Junmi Ushizaki, and you're raising fish by the Sanzu River right now, right?"

"Yes, yes!" Junmi Ushizaki answered nervously, her expression somewhat flustered.

She was terrified that the Ghost King in front of her would say she was neglecting her duties, that a dignified ghost should not attack humans but instead make a living by raising fish.

"Hmm~"

Suika Ibuki gave a soft hum, her gaze fixed on Junmi Ushizaki, whose eyes were trembling slightly, and a smile played on her lips.