After returning to the Mountain God Temple, Zhang Siyu kept pestering Wen Ning to help her find someone.
Wen Ning had no choice but to call Xie Bi'an, White Impermanence, in front of her.
Wen Ning told him the Carp's story from beginning to end: a little Carp Spirit had been saved three hundred years ago by a boy who went up the mountain to gather firewood. From then on, she waited for him by the Pond every day. Later, he went to the Capital City to take the imperial examinations and never returned.
He wanted the Underworld to help find out what had happened to that man.
Xie Bi'an immediately asked for the man's name.
Wen Ning looked helpless.
"I don't know."
Hearing that, Xie Bi'an didn't know what to say.
"Then do you know his Eight Characters of Birth?"
Wen Ning shook his head again.
"I don't know those either."
The silence on the other end lasted even longer this time.
Wen Ning could just imagine Xie Bi'an frantically scratching his head.
Then Xie Bi'an spoke in a tone that struggled to remain professional, though every word betrayed his exasperation.
"Wen Ning, the Underworld's records are indexed by name and Eight Characters of Birth. At least several million people died three hundred years ago. No name, no Eight Characters of Birth, just a rough year—do you realize how hard this is? It's like a man showing you his leg hair and asking you what his name is."
After hearing that, Wen Ning knew there was probably no hope on the Underworld's end. Looking for clues there wasn't going to work.
Zhang Siyu crouched on the steps, looking at him hopefully.
Wen Ning could only tell her helplessly,
"There's too little information. No name, no Eight Characters of Birth."