Su Weisheng’s life was marked by three heavenly tribulations. The first was his birth into the world. The second was saving the world. The third was facing his own heart.
The first two tribulations tested whether he could give up everything for the sake of all living beings—his life, even his soul.
Yet Su Weisheng passed both with clever means: he saved the masses while protecting his own interests, even gaining greater renown and cultivation.
Now came the third tribulation. One that tested the karma he had accumulated over the centuries.
Su Weisheng closed his eyes and let his consciousness wander through the darkness. He didn’t know how long he had walked until finally, he saw light ahead.
【The young Su Tiao stood tall on the altar, dressed in white robes threaded with gold, radiant with ambition. He received the staff symbolizing the future of the Su Clan from the hands of the Grand Elder. Below the altar, the people of the Su Clan knelt devoutly, their voices rising in wave after wave of thunderous acclaim: “Congratulations to the High Priest—”
Amid the fervent cries, only the Grand Elder looked at him with a complicated expression and said in a deep voice: “Su Tiao, now that you have become the High Priest of the Su Clan, you must shoulder the responsibility for the clan’s future. You are to protect the prosperity of the Su Clan. You must never, for the sake of selfish desire, lead the clan to its ruin.”
The young Su Tiao twirled the staff in his hand, the corners of his lips curving into a smile. His tone was light, yet carried an incomparable confidence: “The Su Clan will only usher in unprecedented glory in my hands. You all shall witness with your own eyes the golden age I will personally create.”】
Su Weisheng stood in the darkness, quietly watching this scene.
A divine and majestic voice echoed from all directions, converging in his ears: “Su Diao, as the High Priest of the Su Clan, have you fulfilled your promise to bring the Su Clan unprecedented glory, leading it step by step toward prosperity and flourishing?”
Su Weisheng quietly lowered his gaze, calm and composed in thought. He had heard this voice before, two hundred years ago, when he attempted to pass through the Trial of Heart. But at that time, he had failed because of the karma he was entangled in.
There is always a price for bypassing tribulations through loopholes. So even though he had left descendants after surviving the Tribulation of Rebirth, from that point on, the Su Clan’s lineage was destined to be difficult to continue. He could grant the clan absolute prestige, but back then, he was unable to promise a prosperous and thriving future for the Su Clan.
But that was then. Not now.
Two hundred years later, today, he had personally and patiently nurtured even the most hopeless descendants into capable talents, and had witnessed the flourishing of Su Laiyin’s bloodline. As long as he remained High Priest, the Su Clan could and would continue to thrive.
Thus, Su Weisheng spoke with calm assurance: “This trial, I have a clear conscience.”
The vision upon the altar slowly faded. Before Su Weisheng, the world returned to dull grayness. He was not in a hurry and simply kept walking forward.
One trial after another, one question after the next, came one after another.
【The wealth you painstakingly accumulated with your own hands has been squandered entirely by your descendants. Do you bear any resentment?】
“Yes, but those who needed a beating have been beaten, and the debts that should be reclaimed have been reclaimed. After venting, what remains is peace of mind. Why cling to the past?”
【You once pledged your love to someone, yet made him wait in suffering for two hundred years. Do you feel any guilt?】
“No guilt. Because that was a trial the two of us endured together as partners. Now that the bitterness is over, we simply walk hand in hand. My partner and I are one. Where would guilt even come from?”
Su Weisheng walked a long, long way, and conversed with the voice of Heaven for a very long time—question after question, answer after answer. Until at last, there was no more road ahead. Only then did he stop and sit down right where he stood.
【Su Tiao, you have passed the Heart Trial.】
“Thanks,” Su Weisheng waved toward the air with a smile. “So, are you done being mad about me bugging your tribulation process twice?”
【……】
Even the Heavenly Dao, who was supposed to be devoid of emotions or desires, clearly felt stifled by him.
After a moment, that voice spoke again.
【According to the laws of the Three Realms, once a human successfully overcomes the three tribulations and ascends, they are appointed as the next Si Ming.】
Su Weisheng immediately caught the key point: “So the Si Ming I’ve interacted with got the position this way, too?”
【Correct.】
“If I become Si Ming, what will he be?” Su Weisheng smiled knowingly. “He should be moving up to become the Lord of the Underworld, right?”
【Indeed. After he passed the three tribulations and became Si Ming, half of his soul was still detached and reincarnated on its own as Yuan Le. Two hundred years ago, you and Yuan Le fulfilled a great deed by saving all beings. Once you both returned to the underworld, Yuan Le would merge with Si Ming’s soul and succeed as the new Lord of the Underworld. As for you, having achieved immense fortune, after ascending by passing the three tribulations, you shall serve as Si Ming and assist him in governing the underworld.】
Just as expected…
Su Weisheng let out a quiet sigh. He had sensed it long ago, and the truth came as no surprise. Si Ming and Yuan Le were the same person.
That was why people said Si Ming was flawed and unfit to become the Lord of the Underworld—because half of his soul hadn’t returned yet. And Yuan Le could serve as the acting Lord only because he and Si Ming were already the designated successor.
As for Yuan Le being able to place Si Ming into the app as a spirit tool, there was no way that was done forcibly. It must have been the result of a mutual agreement, solely for the purpose of helping him pass the third heavenly tribulation.
A large gate appeared before Su Weisheng.
【Step through now, and you shall become the current Si Ming, assisting the Lord of the Underworld in governing the realm of the dead.】
Su Weisheng didn’t move. He continued sitting lazily on the ground, his gaze calm and unwavering as he looked toward the gate. He asked, “If I don’t go in, does that mean I can become one of those idle star lords with no real duties?”
【You don’t want to be Si Ming?】
“Why would I want to be Si Ming?” Su Weisheng asked in a tone of utter confusion. “Do I look like the type who enjoys working for a boss?”
【……】
“I choose option two,” Su Weisheng decided crisply and without hesitation. “Let me be an idle star lord. I just want to live freely and enjoy the mortal world’s smoke and fire. Whoever wants to be Si Ming can have it.”
【The second option isn’t to be an idle star lord either.】
Another door appeared before Su Weisheng—this one even more radiant than the Si Ming gate beside it, and far heavier with pressure.
【You only have two gates to choose from. Step through the first, and you will succeed in the position of Si Ming. Step through the second, and you must accumulate even greater merit to skip ranks and ascend directly as the Lord of the Underworld.】
Su Weisheng was taken aback: “Don’t you already have a Lord of the Underworld?”
【Only an acting one. And Yuan Le has refused the appointment. For now, the position of Lord of the Underworld remains vacant.】
Heaven gave an unexpected answer.
Su Weisheng was stunned for a moment, then something clicked. He sighed and said, “He left that position for me?”
【He said you would never settle for being beneath someone else. And he would rather serve as your Si Ming, under your command, bound to you for all lifetimes to come.】
So this was the real blind box he had prepared.
After passing the three tribulations, Su Weisheng originally had only one path—he would be forced to become the new Si Ming and assist the Lord of the Underworld. But because the Lord of the Underworld had not yet taken the position, a second door appeared before Su Weisheng.
He could either withdraw entirely, refuse ascension, and live no more than another two hundred years as a mortal before entering the cycle of reincarnation again; or he could step through the door representing the Lord of the Underworld’s trial, and from then on become ruler of the underworld—eternal life and power his to enjoy. But that also meant he would be forever bound to Yuan Le, who would become Si Ming, never to be parted for all eternity.
He had laid a trap in plain sight, using himself as bait, waiting for Su Weisheng’s final choice.
Su Weisheng fell silent.
Two doors, and the road back. Whichever path to take, all rested on a single thought.
The sky was already bright. The warm sun bathed the ground in a brilliant glow, hinting at a beautiful future for everyone.
Inside the courtyard, a noisy bustle filled the air as people carried things around. The guests were saying their goodbyes, preparing to head home. The top idol strolled back while nibbling on a steamed bun, breakfast in hand. As soon as he stepped into the east wing, he saw Su Weisheng and You Sui sitting on the couch, reading reports. His eyes lit up instantly.
“Great-grandfather, you’re awake! That means we can go home now!”
At the mention of “home” by Su Ran, Su Weisheng shot him an unamused glance. “No rush. You and Xiao Bai can pack your things first. No need to go back to the company dorm—your great-uncle has finished renovating the penthouse apartment he prepared for me. We can move in directly.”
“Ugh—”
At the mention of his great-uncle, Su Ran instinctively curled his lips. Though he had already come to terms with the fact that he and that person weren’t even on the same playing field and didn’t need to compete for favor, every meeting still left him annoyed, being constantly teased and pressured with seniority.
He swallowed his bun and muttered, “What’s so great about that? My new song is about to drop soon. When I make it big, I’ll buy you a mansion in the city center.”
“No need for that,” Su Weisheng replied. “Once your album’s out, we’ll probably be filming a new drama. I’ve already picked the location. It’s on this island—beautiful scenery, wide open space, a perfect little paradise.”
Su Weisheng tossed the island information in his hand over.
Su Ran leaned over to take a look. The island his great-grandfather had his eye on was worth a cool 300 million. And thanks to the profit-sharing Su Weisheng was getting from the variety show crew, his earnings were just enough to cover the purchase.
Three hundred million—this island had to be pretty good.
The top star’s eyes lit up. “Our new drama has perks like this? Even comes with a luxurious island lifestyle?”
Su Weisheng said meaningfully, “That’s right. The island has everything—totally self-sufficient. Most of your co-stars are familiar faces, too. You could say it’s a film shoot… or you could say it’s everyone’s little vacation getaway. Just a chance for all of you to really enjoy yourselves.”
Damn, there’s even such a sweet deal?!
The top star was beyond thrilled. He grabbed the island brochure and ran off in high spirits to share the good news with Lu Huanjin.
Meanwhile, You Sui, who had been sitting quietly beside Su Weisheng the entire time with near-zero presence, leisurely pulled out his phone the moment the great-grandson left. He sent Lu Huanjin a message as a subtle reminder: A good great-granddaughter-in-law knows when to keep quiet and be sensible.
Lu Huanjin, who had just seen the island photo and was about to lecture his heir: “……” Silently swallowed the words that had reached the tip of his tongue.
Once the great-grandson was gone, only the two of them remained in the room.
You Sui slowly pulled out another flyer from the file folder beside him, smiling as he suggested, “Since the youngsters are all busy and don’t need us around, I wonder if the future Lord of the Underworld would be willing to do me the honor—go on a honeymoon trip with your Si Ming?”
Su Weisheng had chosen the second door, but he still hadn’t earned enough merit to officially take the position of Lord of the Underworld. Even so, You Sui had already taken it upon himself to step into the role of Si Ming, who would support him.
Su Weisheng gave him a half-smile, half-smirk. “It’s been less than half a day since I picked the path I’m going to walk, and yet your side of things sure caught up quickly. I wonder when Si Ming’s soul completed its fusion—was it today? Yesterday? Or perhaps it was already done long ago, and someone’s just been pretending to be a mortal this whole time, acting all sweet and pitiful to win sympathy?”
You Sui had known this day would come—there was no escaping it. Bracing himself, he shamelessly wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist and gave a little nuzzle. “I might’ve kept something from you about all this, but I didn’t interfere with your grand plans. I was a good and supportive house-spouse the whole time, always cooperating with your work. So… could my merits cancel out my mistakes… maybe?”
Su Weisheng gave him a sideways glance. After all, the man had laid the path for him, going so far as to step into the game himself, sacrificing all his own prospects and staking everything he had on him. How could Su Weisheng truly be angry?
However…
On the surface, Su Weisheng’s expression remained indifferent. That overly calm demeanor made You Sui’s heart skip a beat.
He clung to Su Weisheng and softly confessed, “I was wrong. But I swear that was the last time I ever kept something from you. From now on, I’m your subordinate—everything I am will be open to you. You’ll never have to worry about me scheming anything again. Shengsheng, don’t be angry…”
Su Weisheng raised an eyebrow and said coolly, “You admit your mistake, so you’ll accept your punishment?”
You Sui nodded firmly, those fox-like eyes filled with sincerity.
Su Weisheng’s lips curved ever so slightly as he said unhurriedly, “In that case, let’s go with the punishment you mentioned before.”
You Sui’s heart tightened. “Punishment I mentioned before? What did I—” He remembered.
【The memory-less bug once said: When you find the complete Yuan Le, I want him to wear a maid outfit and act like the real Le’er for a whole month!】
Now, all the bug fragments have been recovered. He had become the perfect, complete Yuan Le.
Su Weisheng gave him a cold smile. “That punishment? You set it yourself.”
The complete Yuan Le: “……”
How did he end up digging his own grave?!
“…Can we maybe negotiate this a little?” he tried to struggle.
Su Weisheng was blunt and straightforward: “No negotiation. Didn’t you want a honeymoon? Perfect timing. You’ll put on the maid outfit and accompany me to the Underworld as Le’er for the honeymoon!”
Yuan Le’s face completely darkened: “…”
He was always the one treating others as his entertainment, and now, he had trapped himself, utterly reduced to a plaything to please his wife.
One month later, the new drama began filming.
Investors: Su Weisheng, Lu Rong
Chief Director: You Sui
Leading actors included: Su Ran, Xie Wei, Song Qing, Su Anyao, and others…
Special supporting actors: Gu Shuangshuang, Yan Wan, ghost Maine Coon Jiang Naitang, and more
On-set safety personnel: Su Ning, Jiang Qiao
Family members: Lu Huanjin
Besides the big-name scriptwriters hired from the Underworld, Jiang Jinbao joined the crew as assistant scriptwriter, and Bai Songyin shifted from junior assistant to director’s intern. Additionally, prop master Jiang Qiuxin joined with funding.
On the plane headed to the island set were groups including “Zhaocai Jinbao” team, “Zhaocai Baigei” team, “Emperor of Acting Little Trickster” team, and “Peach Garden Brotherhood Fan Girls” team, among others.
Onboard, Zhaocai was excitedly brainstorming a wonderful island vacation life with Jinbao.
“Great-Grandfather said the island has everything. When we’re not filming, we can swim and work out, enjoy sunbathing on the beach, and if we get tired of fancy delicacies, we can just sit by the sea and fish ourselves. Is there any better vacation time than this?” Su Zhaocai spoke animatedly, his eyes shining.
Jiang Jinbao excitedly pounded the armrest again and again. “Then I have to take some photos and post them on Weibo. Make those haters who envy my new drama bombing jealous!”
Nearby, Su Anyao and the others quickly joined the conversation.
“I can grill fish. When the time comes, I’ll let you taste fish grilled by a top actress herself!”
“There definitely have to be surfboards. I want to go surfing!”
“Wow, are we going to shoot a drama or on vacation? Thanks to Little Great-Grandfather for the gift!”
The group chattered excitedly, their eyes full of longing for life on the island set.
Only Lu Huanjin quietly glanced toward two playful troublemakers leaning against each other, feigning sleep but barely able to hide their smiles, then looked at the wildly joyful Su Ran, wanting to say something but holding back…
Finally, the plane landed.
Everyone eagerly rushed out, ready to embrace the happy island life, but what greeted them was a barren land. Forget swimming pools, surfboards, or luxurious villas—there wasn’t even a decent little house. The place was full of a raw, primal vibe.
The crowd was bewildered.
“Where is this? Did we land in the wrong place?”
Su Ran held his head in disbelief. “Wasn’t it said the island has everything and can be fully self-sufficient?”
Su Weisheng and You Sui were the last to come down. He took off his sunglasses and leisurely replied, “If you want to eat, fish for it yourself. If you want water, pick a coconut yourself. Isn’t that self-sufficiency?”
Jiang Jinbao also put his head in his hands, utterly frustrated. “Then what about the promised paradise?”
You Sui pointed to a distant peach grove. “There’s your paradise. If you want peaches, go pick them yourselves.”
“That’s some damn paradise!” someone screamed in frustration. “Little Great-Grandfather, Director You, you two sadistic tricksters, don’t you have any conscience?!”
Facing everyone’s accusations, Su Weisheng smiled brightly and said, “Nope. For the next six months, everyone will be working hard filming on this island. I’m really looking forward to seeing what sparks everyone can ignite living here.”
“…What sparks?!” everyone shouted in frustration.
They all beat their chests and stomped their feet, bitterly regretting their naivety for not downloading an anti-scam app in time!
〈End of Main Story〉
The twist and turns was absurd.