The Daoist spoke lightly, without drawing his gaze back, still curiously surveying the scenery outside the window. He seemed utterly at ease.
At that moment, through some wondrous magical restrictions established in this underground Ghost Kingdom, the moon in the sky had actually been projected into the subterranean world. A hazy, snow-white moon appeared faintly amid a sea of jade-phosphor sparks, hanging upon the vaulted ceiling. Tonight was a crescent-moon night. The white moon looked like a beauty still hiding half her face behind a pipa, lifting the curtain of night and peeking out with half her face to meet the Daoist's gaze through the southern window.
The Daoist found it fascinating. Because the underground Ghost Kingdom's sky was so low, this manifestation through magical restrictions made the moon seem very close, almost within reach. Combined with the strange, elusive, supernatural air pervading the entire Ghost Kingdom, it made the atmosphere feel all the more real. "The moon peeks at the mortal world, half her face concealed; the curtain of night stirs, revealing a sliver of white skin."
The Daoist had found a fragment of verse.
Just as he was arranging words in his mind, hoping to turn this fragment and the mood before him into a complete poem, the Netherworld Sage, who had been silent for a while, replied.
"Is this answer very important to you, True Lord?"
Cheng Xinzhan shook his head and replied,
"It is very important to you, Netherworld Sage."
Xu Wan understood. He suddenly smiled, then said,
"It is hardly anything too shameful to mention. There is no harm in laying my cards on the table with you, True Lord. It is like this: our Northern Beikuang Ghost Kingdom began in the Eastern Han, and its orderly succession has continued for seven thousand years. As