Uncle, Have You Seen My Head

"A celestial palace in the starry sky?" Gu Qingfeng frowned slightly, puzzled. Why would there be a celestial palace floating amidst the cosmos?

Amidst a field of stellar ruins, a grand palace resembling the Heavenly Court had suddenly emerged. The surroundings were desolate and silent, yet within the palace, revelry and music filled the air—singing, dancing, and laughter. The stark contrast between the two scenes was jarring, carrying an indescribable sense of eeriness.

But Gu Qingfeng was bold and fearless, never one to be intimidated by such strange phenomena. Having survived stellar tempests, what was a mere celestial palace to him? At worst, he’d just die—no big deal.

"My son, Wuyou, where are you?"

"Here, Father!"

Ye Wuyou, who looked like a tiny bean sprout, was summoned forth.

"What does Father need from this child?"

"Do you see that celestial palace ahead? Your father is thirsty—go fetch me a jar of wine from inside."

As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng tossed Ye Wuyou a massive piece of celestial jade, nearly the size of the boy’s head.

Clutching the oversized jade, which obscured half his body and left only his little legs visible, Ye Wuyou looked utterly ridiculous.

As a child, all his wealth was naturally managed by his father.

But Ye Wuyou was no fool. The celestial palace wasn’t far, yet his adoptive father refused to enter himself, insisting on sending him to buy wine instead. Combined with the eerie surroundings, it was clear something was amiss.

"Father, this place seems unfamiliar to me. May I ask... where exactly is this?"

"Off you go!"

Gu Qingfeng suddenly shouted, then drew his right leg back like a coiled spring before delivering a powerful kick straight to Ye Wuyou’s tiny rear.

"Ahhh!!!"

With a scream, Ye Wuyou was sent flying like a shooting star, hurtling straight into the distant celestial palace.

Boom!

He crashed right into the palace.

Strangely, the palace showed no signs of disturbance. The melodious music and lively chatter continued uninterrupted, as if nothing had happened.

Gu Qingfeng stared intently at the spot where Ye Wuyou had vanished, musing to himself. A child wandering through a celestial palace at night, carrying celestial jade—if this place is truly sinister, Wuyou should be able to test the waters.

Ah, for the sake of my dear son’s growth, a little training is necessary. This old father has gone to great lengths for you.

Time passed, yet Ye Wuyou still hadn’t returned. The palace remained a scene of endless revelry, as though nothing unusual had occurred.

Gu Qingfeng stroked his chin and muttered, "Is this all my son is capable of? Perhaps it’s time to find a replacement."

Just as he turned to leave—

BOOM!

A sudden transformation overtook the celestial palace.

The once-radiant celestial glow shrouding the palace instantly darkened into swirling black clouds and ghostly mist. The entire structure revealed its true form—a desolate ruin overgrown with weeds, piled with bleached bones, and dotted with flickering ghostly flames.

Shadows of specters lurked everywhere, their eerie presence turning the scene into a nightmarish parade of the dead.

At the sight of this, Gu Qingfeng’s retreating footsteps froze as if magnetized to the ground.

"Fear not, my son! Your father is coming to save you!"

With that, he transformed into a streak of light and eagerly plunged into the palace.

Inside, Gu Qingfeng swaggered down the streets with unshakable confidence.

The streets were crowded with ghosts, their eerie green lanterns casting a sinister glow over the macabre scene.

As he walked, countless pairs of eyes—both visible and hidden in the shadows—fixed on him, filled with mockery, greed, and amusement, as though he were a delectable feast.

"The scent of a living man!"

"What a fortunate day—two living souls have entered our Yin-Sha City!"

"That little brat earlier had strong vitality, his flesh quite nourishing. Pity the Yin-Sha Madam took him for herself. This new fellow may not be an immortal, but he looks sturdy enough for a meal."

The whispers from the darkness were blatant, as if they saw no need to hide their intentions from Gu Qingfeng—a fish already on the chopping block.

But if they weren’t hiding, Gu Qingfeng had even less reason to.

His eyes burned with fervor as he took in the grotesque, monstrous ghostly immortals around him. He inhaled deeply, savoring the thick, oppressive yin energy they exuded, a twisted smile stretching across his face.

Among them:

A hunched old man, his face smeared with blood, hollow eye sockets flickering with ghostly flames.

A young maiden with her chest split open, revealing rows of jagged ribs like fangs.

A group of headless children playing with their own skulls as balls.

"Keh keh keh... This Emperor has returned home!" Gu Qingfeng grinned savagely, his eyes brimming with unrestrained malevolence.

"Come play with us, handsome~"

From a dilapidated, cobweb-covered brothel, a group of skeletal women with long black hair and tattered pink dresses giggled coquettishly.

Delighted by their enthusiasm, Gu Qingfeng’s grin widened. "Keh keh keh... Come, all of you! Entertain this Emperor!"

With a wave of his hand, a terrifying suction force yanked the skeletal courtesans from the brothel straight to his side, eliciting startled shrieks.

Unfazed, he wrapped his arms around two of them, their bones creaking under his grip.

He cared nothing for the lack of flesh—his arrogance unshaken as he strode forward, the skeletons helplessly trying and failing to corrode him with their yin energy.

His demeanor was so domineering, it was as if he owned the place.

"G-Gentle, please, my lord!" the skeletons stammered, feeling as though they were pinned under a mountain, utterly powerless.

"Silence, you lowly wenches! Disturb this Emperor’s mood, and I’ll make sure you beg for death!" Gu Qingfeng snapped.

The hidden watchers exchanged glances.

"This brat seems unusual. Could he be concealing his power?"

"Unusual or not, even a god would die in Yin-Sha City."

"Then why don’t you test him first?"

"Fine! His heart will be mine!"

As Gu Qingfeng swaggered onward, a thud-thud-thud sound reached his ears.

Looking down, he saw a child’s head rolling to his feet—pale skin, crimson lips, and empty eye sockets crawling with maggots.

A headless child scampered out from the darkness.

"Mister, mister, have you seen my head? I can’t find it. Can you help me look?"

"Piss off, you little brat!" Gu Qingfeng snarled before delivering a vicious kick to the skull.

BOOM!

The head shot forward like a meteor, smashing into the headless child with explosive force.

CRACK!

Both the head and the child’s body shattered into nothingness, their souls obliterated.