Western Province, Cloud Edge Town.
Ashton Todd followed Stella Gibson out of the station, Stella striding ahead while Ashton dragged a suitcase behind.
"Ashton Todd, hurry up! My great-uncle is getting anxious."
Stella spoke as she turned to chide him.
Ashton couldnât help but roll his eyes, "Then why donât you carry the suitcase yourself?"
Knowing they were traveling far, they should have brought Greta along, her strength is immense, carrying a suitcase effortlessly wouldnât be a problem.
Stella stopped in her tracks with arms akimbo,
"Why is it such a hassle for you to carry my suitcase? Is this the attitude of someone asking for a favor?! Old Todd, are you getting a bit feeble?"
Stella didnât bother to lower her voice, and passersby exiting the station couldnât help but glance at Ashton upon hearing her words.
Ashton, under the inquisitive gaze of the crowd, almost lost his composure and quickly dragged the suitcases forward,
"Shut up, letâs go."
Stella laughed heartily, and as they exited the station, they saw a luxury car parked at the exit. A middle-aged man in black clothes was waving towards them,
"Stella! Over here!"
Stella, upon seeing the person, immediately dashed over with delight,
"Seventh Cousin! Why are you the one picking me up?!"
"Heard you were coming back, so I specifically came."
The middle-aged man, known as Seventh Cousin, glanced at Ashton behind Stella, surveyed him with a slightly satisfied look,
"Heard youâre bringing a friend home, borrowed the familyâs new car for you, didnât embarrass you, right?"
"Embarrass what? He knows what our family does."
Stella ushered Ashton into the car, which drove towards the north of the town. Ashton inadvertently looked outside and noticed the car entering a distinctly funeral-themed street.
As evening approached, the street was devoid of pedestrians, giving a slightly eerie vibe with various fashionable paper offerings displayed.
Stella rolled down the window and poked her head out. Soon, folks from the shops greeted them,
"Stellaâs back?"
"Iâm back, Third Granny."
"Stella, come by the house, Granny made some tea sweets, theyâre delicious."
"Sure thing, Seventh Aunt."
The car drove slowly along, with Stella greeting like a celebrity returning to the village. Ashton listened closely and realized almost everyone seemed related to her.
Perhaps noticing his astonishment, Seventh Cousin remarked,
"Stella is indeed the pride of our family."
Then he asked Stella, "Why didnât you bring Greta this time? Great-uncle misses him."
Stella replied simply,
"Gave him a vacation, though heâs a guardian, he should occasionally check on his brood."
Seventh Cousinâs disappointment was evident, but he soon struck up a conversation with Ashton.
Ashton had known about Stellaâs importance due to her contract with Greta, but didnât expect them to hold such regard.
When the car finally stopped, Ashton glanced at the funeral parlor nearby and couldnât help but take another look.
Without asking further, Ashton followed Stella into a Chinese courtyard.
As they walked inside, they saw many people sitting, chatting, and they visibly quieted for two seconds upon seeing Ashton.
"Stellaâs back?"
A middle-aged woman approached, glanced at Ashton and the empty space behind her, and asked with some disappointment,
"Gretaâs not back yet?"
"If you had said your family was this wealthy earlier, I wouldnât have asked you to split those five bucks for two starchy sausages with me."
Ashton commented,
"And I spent quite a bit paving my way in the Underworld, wouldnât you sponsor me some?"
To expedite research on an array to curb Shurathâs malevolent thoughts, liberating Five-Coloredâs Divine Soul from Misfortune Cave, Ashtonâs frequent trips to the underworld couldnât be avoided.
Though Lord Yama and Ivan had issued him a special Passage Order, he couldnât escape dealing with Ghost Messengers and Wandering Souls.
Stella glanced at him,
"Always trying to save on paper money ingots, youâre stingy to death!"
The two habitually quarreled, and by the time they finished dinner, night had fallen.
Seventh Cousin drove the two to the village, Stella remarked,
"This treatment is only because you came; when I was little, Seventh Cousin used the hearse to pick me up."
Seventh Cousin responded,
"It wasnât as strictly regulated before; now national regulations prohibit using hearses to transport people."
His tone carried evident regret by the time he finished that sentence.
The road into the village was a bit long, the car drove alone in the darkness, emitting a slightly eerie feeling, yet neither Seventh Cousin nor Stella seemed bothered.
Only now did Seventh Cousin casually inquire about Ashtonâs purpose for visiting.
Originally thinking he was here to meet Stellaâs parents, but now since theyâre to meet the great-uncle, questions must be asked.
Ashton answered,
"Iâm currently researching an array, but it involves complex structures related to the Underworld, hence Iâm looking for special materials."
For instance, thousand-year-old corpse soil.

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