"What is that place?" Ye Chen pointed toward the city ahead on the right and asked Sun Wukong.
"Youngster, you sure do ask a lot of questions." Sun Wukong shook his head helplessly. "That's the City of the Wrongfully Dead."
"The City of the Wrongfully Dead?" Ye Chen looked at the plaque above the city gate and finally made out the words. Just as Sun Wukong had said, it read "City of the Wrongfully Dead."
"That's right. The wrongfully dead and the souls of children who died young all live here until their allotted lifespans are up. Then they can go to the Hall of Yama, where their merits, faults, and sins are judged, and their next steps are arranged."
"Those who are guilty are sent to hell according to their crimes to suffer in one of its levels. Once their sentence is served, they can go reincarnate. Those without sin have it much easier: they go straight to the Bridge of Helplessness, drink a bowl of Meng Po's Soup, and then reincarnate."
"I see." Ye Chen finally understood what awaited people after death. He looked into the City of the Wrongfully Dead and saw shadowy souls wandering inside.
"Come on. We're going to the Hall of Yama to ask King Yama for someone. Once we get Tang Sanzang's soul, we can go back." With that, Sun Wukong led Ye Chen onward.
"Wait!" Ye Chen stopped Sun Wukong. "I think I know someone in that city."
"Oh? Who?" Sun Wukong came over and let Ye Chen point them out.
"Those two old people. They were kind to me when I first got here. If they hadn't helped me, I probably would've frozen or starved to death."
"And that woman—I met the first demon of my life at her baozi shop