Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Ghost Messenger Caught Red-Handed by His Boss
As soon as Rong Jiang finished speaking, ripples like water appeared without warning in the shadows at the edge of the garden. Immediately afterward, several figures dressed in uniform black, narrow-sleeved outfits stepped out silently, with black iron tokens hanging from their waists and soul-binding ropes in their hands.
"These are the ghost messengers?" Jiu Ya blinked, curiously observing them. She remembered the description of the attire of low-ranking ghost messengers in the novel *The Glory of the Underworld*: black robes conveying solemnity, narrow sleeves facilitating movement, and soul-binding ropes binding evil spirits. The men before her were dressed in typical ghost messenger uniforms. Each of them was tall and upright, their faces either stern or heroic; though their styles differed, they all possessed an aura of authority. As the saying goes, for a man to be handsome, he must be dressed in black. These black robes further accentuated their unique and extraordinary bearing.
Jiu Ya thought to herself: Rong Jiang is indeed a looks-obsessed person. Look at the quality of the ghost messengers under her command. It seems that she took appearance into consideration during the selection process.
Rong Jiang remained silent, only nodding slightly, her gaze falling on the leading ghost messenger.
Meanwhile, Yun Jian, the ghost officer in charge of the Linzi area, was busy processing the handover documents for a newly deceased soul, his head spinning with work. The underworld had only recently been pacified, and everything was in need of rebuilding; regulations and procedures were being re-examined, and all the officials and ghost officers were working themselves to the bone. Suddenly, a clear and authoritative voice resounded deep within his soul: "Linzi City, Luo Mansion, a vengeful ghost is harming people. You must deal with it immediately, without delay."
"It's His Majesty!" Yun Jian jolted, instantly standing ramrod straight, a mixture of excitement and trepidation. He was excited to receive a direct edict from His Majesty, but trepidation stemmed from… His Majesty had personally intervened, even specifying the location and incident. This clearly indicated a major blunder in his jurisdiction, caught red-handed by His Majesty! What a torment! Internal affairs hadn't been sorted out, and now his external duties had gone awry, caught red-handed by his very boss!
Yun Jian was sweating profusely. He quickly handed over his work to his colleagues, gathered his three capable ghost messengers, opened the passage to the human world, and rushed to Luo's residence in Linzi City. His heart pounded with anxiety the entire way, and he kept praying that things wouldn't get out of control.
When they arrived, Qingyangzi's exorcising talisman had just ignited the female ghosts, and the two sides were about to clash. Seeing that the resentful female ghosts were about to perish under the blazing yang energy of the copper coin sword, Yun Jian thought to himself, "That was close!" If he had arrived a moment later, he would have been burdened with karmic consequences and dereliction of duty. He dared not delay and shouted, "The laws of the underworld are enforced! Evil ghosts, halt! Bind!" The soul-binding rope in his hand flew out with a whoosh, arriving faster than expected, and precisely wrapped around the waists or wrists of the female ghosts. With a gentle yin force, it pulled them several feet away from Qingyangzi's sword.
Qingyangzi only saw a flash of silver light before his eyes, and his target vanished without a trace. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the female ghost was bound by several eerie silver chains. He then saw several people who had arrived, all dressed in uniform black, their auras clearly not of living beings. They protected the female ghost, and in his haste, he mistook them for powerful ghosts or demons who had come to rescue their kind. His heart filled with shock and rage: "What kind of demons dare to obstruct my efforts to slay evil?!" In his fury, he didn't have time to think further. He infused his copper coin sword with all his true energy, causing it to glow brightly yellow, and swung it even more fiercely. With the move "Seven Stars Slaying Demons," carrying immense Dao power, he slashed directly at Yun Jian, the leader. If this sword struck, even a hundred-year-old ghost would be severely injured.
"Yin and Yang are in order, and the laws are clear! The living are governed by the human world, and the dead belong to the underworld!" Yun Jian was even more furious when he saw this Taoist priest indiscriminately attacking even the ghost messengers. Ghosts harming humans and killing their own kind was already a dereliction of duty for them, a headache enough. If, in front of them, a Taoist priest from the mortal world killed an important "criminal" to be brought back to the underworld for trial, where would they, the ghost messengers, put their faces? How could they explain to the judge? He immediately brandished the soul-binding rope, the chain instantly taut, and strung it horizontally, angrily shouting, "You are a cultivator, you should know the rules of heaven and earth! Even if the ghosts here have committed sins, they should be judged and punished by my underworld. What kind of reason is it for you to privately execute souls?"
Copper coins are considered to be of a hard nature, belonging to the metal element in the Five Elements theory. Having passed through the hands of many people and accumulated the positive energy of countless individuals, they are inherently a nemesis of ghosts. Furthermore, a copper coin sword, crafted from multiple ancient copper coins from previous dynasties strung together with specially prepared cinnabar-infused thread, is even more powerful, possessing remarkable effectiveness in breaking through and protecting against evil spirits.
However, the Soul-Binding Rope in Yun Jian's hands was no ordinary object. It was crafted by the Underworld's Craftsmen's Division using cold iron from the bottom of the River of Oblivion mixed with various Yin-attribute spiritual materials. It was specifically designed to bind souls, counteract all kinds of Yin magic, and also had extremely strong resistance to mortal artifacts. Furthermore, Yun Jian was a seasoned ghost messenger, whose cultivation was far beyond that of ordinary ghost messengers.
What astonished Qingyangzi even more was that after the Soul-Binding Rope collided with the copper coin sword, it was not suppressed by the supreme yang energy. Instead, a pure, cold yin energy rebounded from it, spreading along the sword and causing his arm to go numb slightly. At the same time, the tip of the Soul-Binding Rope, as if alive, deftly twisted and pulled, precisely biting through the core cinnabar thread that connected the copper coins.
The red thread, repeatedly soaked in a mixture of century-old black dog blood, rooster comb blood, and various yang-tonifying herbs, was the key to guiding the power of the copper coin sword. The moment the cinnabar thread broke, the magic power instantly ceased, and countless copper coins imbued with yang energy lost their connection, scattering from mid-air with a clattering sound that was particularly jarring in the quiet garden.
His natal magic weapon was instantly destroyed. The backlash of his magic power caused Qingyangzi to feel a sweet taste in his throat, followed by a metallic taste, which he forced down. Looking at the scattered copper coins on the ground, he was filled with heartache and horror, almost vomiting blood. This copper coin sword was a magic treasure he had nurtured for many years, and today it was destroyed in an instant.
"Master!" Liu Yu's expression changed drastically when he saw that Qing Yangzi seemed to be at a disadvantage and that his magic weapon had been destroyed. He quickly chanted an incantation, and the Thunderfire Talisman in his hand was crackling with purple lightning, ready to be activated to help in the battle.
"Liu Yu, wait!" Qing Yangzi forcefully suppressed his surging blood and qi, loudly stopping Liu Yu. Although he was shocked and angry, he was experienced and had calmed down somewhat. The opponent had broken his magic weapon with one blow but did not take advantage of the situation to attack. He mentioned "underworld" and "judgment" in his words. Looking at his uniform attire, unique magic weapon, and pure and cold aura... an unbelievable thought flashed through his mind.
"Master?" The disciples were at a loss for what to do. Holding the talisman in their hands, they were caught in a dilemma. Due to Qingyangzi's strict orders, they remained in their original positions, but their faces were full of vigilance and confusion.
Qingyangzi stopped Liuyu because he noticed that Yun Jian and the others were all dressed in identical, finely tailored black robes, holding what appeared to be the legendary soul-binding chains. The female ghosts who had been redirected were tightly bound by these chains, struggling helplessly, their faces filled with terror, yet they hadn't suffered any additional harm. Coupled with Yun Jian's righteous and stern words, Qingyangzi had a startling suspicion: Could it be… that they really were underworld ghost messengers? But when had underworld ghost messengers ever been so uniformly organized? And when had they ever so forcefully intervened in the exorcisms of mortal sorcerers?
It's understandable that Qingyangzi was unaware that the Underworld was no longer the chaotic place it once was, with each faction ruling its own way. He was filled with doubt and unease, but his attitude unconsciously adopted a tone of respect and probing. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency... could you perhaps be a ghost messenger from the Underworld? I, Qingyangzi, have been quite rude just now. Due to the urgency of the situation, I mistakenly identified you all as accomplices of evil spirits. I hope you will forgive me."
Seeing that the other party had finally recognized him and changed his attitude, Yun Jian also restrained his sharp edge. "Hmph, you do have some discernment. I am a ghost messenger under the jurisdiction of the Judge of the Underworld. Now that the Taoist priest knows our identities, this matter is much easier to discuss. Although these ghosts were seeking revenge, they killed and devoured souls, which violates the laws of the Underworld. The evidence is conclusive! We have come here in accordance with the law to arrest them and take them back to the Underworld for judgment by King Yama, who will then determine their crimes and punish them according to the law."
This is a polite way of putting it, but it actually demonstrates absolute sovereignty. Even if Qingyangzi disagrees, so what? The laws of the Underworld are not for those in the mortal realm to agree or disagree with. This is the order of the Three Realms!
"So it really is the Ghost Messenger! I am so sorry for not greeting you properly!" Although Qingyangzi's heart bled from the destruction of his magical artifact, the situation was beyond his control. The other party's strength was unfathomable, and their cause was legitimate. How could he dare to harbor any resentment? He quickly forced a smile and became even more polite. After death, the living enter the underworld. Who would dare to offend the Ghost Messenger? Everyone would be eager to have a good relationship with them, hoping for some convenience after death. "Ghosts naturally fall under the jurisdiction of the Underworld. Your Excellencies are enforcing the law, and I would naturally not dare to interfere. However... if I may be so bold as to ask your name, and which deity in the Underworld you serve?"
"Yun Jian!" Yun Jian announced his name, seemingly accepting Qing Yangzi's respectful tone with ease, and continued, "Daoist Qing Yangzi, you were invited here to exorcise ghosts. Now, we will take these ghost criminals back to the underworld. They will surely receive their due punishment in the future and will never cause trouble in the human world again. Daoist, you can now conclude this matter and give your master an explanation." His gaze swept over the altar set up in the garden. Although simple, it was complete with talismans and ritual implements, clearly indicating that he had been hired.
What could Qingyangzi say? Of course, he nodded repeatedly in affirmation: "What you say is absolutely right, sir! This is the most appropriate course of action! In the past, when dealing with malevolent ghosts, I would usually just scatter their souls to prevent them from causing further harm to the human world. But today, seeing the strictness of the laws of the underworld, I realize that my previous actions may have been presumptuous. I hope you will not take offense." Although his previous practices were common, he naturally had to be humble in front of a legitimate ghost official, and incidentally distance himself from the matter, indicating that he was unaware of the situation.
Taoist priests seek the Dao and inquire about immortality, but how many truly attain immortality and eternal life? In the end, they all become mere wandering souls entering the underworld. Therefore, the reverence that Taoist practitioners hold for the underworld is no less than their offerings to the celestial deities.
No matter how tortuous the process, the outcome was ultimately good. These vengeful ghosts will no longer appear in the human world or harm anyone, which is a fitting reward for Luo Qi's generous payment. Although it hurts to destroy the magical artifact, it's a thousand times better than offending the underworld officials or even getting yourself and your disciple killed.
After Qingyangzi tactfully assured him that he would not interfere with the ghost messengers' work, he hesitated, then asked with a mixture of awe and curiosity, "Lord Yunjian, I am ignorant and have long been cultivating in the deep mountains, so I am out of touch with the world. I do not know... what the state of the underworld is like now? You just mentioned Lord Sipan... My sect previously had some dealings with a Ghost King in the underworld, but I do not know what has happened to them now..." He spoke tactfully, wanting to inquire about the situation but also afraid of siding with the wrong party. What if the forces his sect allied with were at odds with the new ruler of the underworld?
In response, Yun Jian felt it necessary to explain the new order of the underworld to this seemingly knowledgeable Taoist priest, which would also help maintain the underworld's prestige among cultivators in the mortal realm. He straightened his back, a hint of pride on his face, and said solemnly, "Taoist priest, you may not know this, but the underworld is no longer the chaotic place it once was. Our Emperor, in accordance with the will of Heaven, has unified the netherworld, restored order, and established a new order. Under His Majesty's command, Chief Judge Si Huai'an is in charge of the supplementary register of Yin and Yang Life and Death, and is in charge of capturing souls and apprehending evil in the mortal realm. He holds the most power and responsibility and is His Majesty's right-hand man. We are all under the command of Judge Si Huai'an. All ghost messengers walking in the mortal realm are under the jurisdiction and command of Judge Si Huai'an."
Speaking of Si Ge (Si Huai'an), Yun Jian's tone was full of respect. That lord was not only the head of the civil and military judges, but also a famous general in the underworld. His cultivation was unfathomable, and his personality was upright and cold, yet he was fair in rewarding and punishing. He made great contributions in the war to unify the underworld and was deeply trusted by His Majesty. He was an existence that all ghost messengers looked up to.
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