Chapter Fifty-Nine: Big News for Cultivators in the Mortal Realm
"Your...Your Majesty?" Upon hearing this, Qingyangzi froze, his eyes widening, his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time. Your Majesty? What Your Majesty? When did the Underworld begin to use the title "Your Majesty"? Wasn't the Underworld always divided among the Ten Kings of Hell, with various ghost kings and demon kings ruling their own territories, and even the Western Paradise Buddhist Kingdom and the Heavenly Court's immortals and gods each having their own spheres of influence—a complex and chaotic mess? This was the consensus recorded by his master and all the Taoist scriptures!
Such a supreme and self-important title as "Your Majesty" is usually an honorific for the highest leader of a unified dynasty, but he had never heard of it in any reliable rumors or ancient books about the underworld! Could it be that... the underworld has undergone earth-shattering changes in such a short period of time?! This news was too shocking and completely overturned his understanding of things over the past few decades.
Overwhelmed with shock, Qingyangzi unconsciously murmured his question: "I... I wonder which emperor Lord Yunjian is referring to? I... I am ignorant and have never heard of such an honorific title in the Underworld..." His voice trembled slightly, partly from disbelief, and partly from a vague sense that a completely new order had been born in the Underworld, and what this meant for them, the cultivators of the mortal realm, was still unknown.
Seeing Qingyangzi's shocked and disoriented expression, Yun Jian understood. It seemed that the news of the unification of the Underworld had not yet spread widely to the cultivation world of the mortal realm. "The Underworld naturally has only one Emperor, who commands all ghosts and governs the netherworld, and that is none other than His Majesty Rong Jiang!"
"Your Majesty Rong Jiang..." Qingyangzi repeated the title subconsciously, still completely bewildered, his heart churning with shock. What was going on? Had everything his master had told him about the Underworld been centuries old? Had the Underworld quietly been unified? What an earth-shattering event! He forced himself to compose himself, stroked his beard to hide his embarrassment, and said awkwardly, "It was my ignorance that I was unaware that the Underworld had been unified and had a ruler. Thank you, Lord Yunjian, for informing me; it has enlightened me greatly." He secretly resolved that he must immediately report this matter to his sect upon returning home; this was a matter of paramount importance that could significantly influence the Daoist sect's future strategy in dealing with the Underworld!
Yun Jian could not possibly understand the turmoil in Qing Yangzi's heart at that moment. Feeling he had explained himself clearly, and with the mission pressing, he said no more. He bowed slightly to Qing Yangzi and said, "Now that this matter is settled, we still need to escort the ghost prisoners back to the Underworld to report. Farewell." With that, he and his colleagues activated the Soul-Binding Chains. The chains flashed with silver light, and along with the bound female ghosts, they turned into a wisp of black smoke and vanished without a trace. They left behind only a garden in disarray and Qing Yangzi and his disciples looking at each other in bewilderment.
After a long while, Qingyangzi finally let out a long sigh, his back already soaked with cold sweat. He looked at the scattered copper coins on the ground, smiled bitterly, and bent down to pick them up one by one. Although the magical connection between these ancient coins and the magic was broken, their special material still had the effect of warding off evil. Collecting them again might allow them to be used for other purposes in the future.
"Master, these ghost messengers... are incredibly powerful." Liu Yu stepped forward and said with lingering fear, the scene of the Soul-Binding Rope breaking the sword with a single blow had left a deep impression on him.
"The underworld has been rebuilt and is no longer what it used to be. From now on, when you travel in the mortal realm and encounter ghost messengers enforcing the law, you must be even more cautious and respectful, and not act rashly or recklessly." Qingyangzi solemnly admonished his disciples, "Pack up your things, and remove the altar as well."
Having taken the host's money but contributing little, with the credit stolen by the ghost messengers, Qingyangzi felt humiliated and somewhat apologetic. Taking advantage of the previously set up altar and the lingering scent of incense, he led his disciples in an extra ritual to bring peace and blessings to the household. They chanted scriptures and sprinkled holy water, not to exorcise ghosts, but to dispel the remaining yin and ghostly energy and purify the environment. Unexpectedly, this inadvertently worked out perfectly, fulfilling Luo Qi's earlier excuse to Minister Luo—"Please invite the Taoist priest to pray for blessings in the mansion"—thus covering up the mistake.
After Qingyangzi and his disciples finished the ritual and left the garden, the servants who had been watching from a distance saw this and hurriedly ran to inform Luo Qi.
In Luo Qi and his wife's room, the candlelight flickered. Yue Niang, weakened by days of fright, was now fast asleep, her breathing much more even, free from the haunting presence of the female ghost and protected by her amulet. Luo Qi, however, was wide awake. He carried an amulet close to his body and clutched another tightly in his hand, his ears perked up, listening intently to any sound outside. The slightest disturbance sent shivers down his spine.
Hearing the servant rush in breathlessly to report that Master Qingyangzi and his disciples had all left the garden unharmed, and that the mansion was quiet and peaceful, without any further unusual noises or cold sensations, Luo Qi finally breathed a long sigh of relief. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and he slumped into a chair, feeling utterly exhausted. It seemed that Master Qingyangzi truly lived up to his reputation; he was indeed very capable.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, straightened his robes, gripped the amulet in his hand, and left the room to find Qingyangzi in the front hall.
In the pavilion outside the garden, Qingyangzi was meditating, with several disciples standing silently beside him, the atmosphere somewhat tense. Tonight's experience had been quite thrilling for them as well.
Luo Qi rushed over, followed by several servants carrying trays. Seeing that Qingyangzi was just sitting there with his eyes closed, he immediately scolded the servants: "Don't you all have any sense? The Daoist has worked hard all night, quickly serve him some hot tea and snacks!"
"Young Master Luo, it's already late at night, so tea is unnecessary and might make you sleepy," Qingyangzi waved his hand gently. He really didn't want tea so late. The matter was resolved; after explaining things to his host, returning to meditate and rest was the proper course of action.
Luo Qi thought about it again and realized it made sense. He himself drank tea late at night to keep himself awake, but the Daoist Master, with his profound magical powers, naturally didn't need it. He quickly instructed the servants, "Then hurry to the kitchen and bring the ginseng chicken soup that's been kept warm, along with a few light and easily digestible snacks, for the Daoist Master and the junior Daoists to have something to eat." Then he turned to Qingyangzi and asked impatiently, "Daoist Master, I wonder... how did things in the garden go?"
Qingyangzi said with a confident expression, "Young Master Luo, please rest assured, things went very smoothly. Those troublesome female ghosts have been... have been completely subdued and will never appear in the human world again, much less harass your residence! Your residence can now enjoy peace and tranquility." He almost let slip that "they were taken away by the ghost messengers," but he quickly corrected himself, maintaining the mystique of a reclusive master.
Upon hearing this, Luo Qi was overjoyed and almost jumped for joy. He repeatedly bowed and said, "This is truly wonderful news! Thank you so much, Daoist Master! The Luo family will never forget your great kindness!"
The servants around them, who had been anxiously waiting, all breathed a sigh of relief, their faces beaming with joy. These past few days had been incredibly grueling for them; they worked in constant fear, terrified that one day they too would fall prey to the female ghost and suffer the same fate as those unfortunate fellows in the front yard. They were all terrified, but their indentures were all in the Luo household; who dared to escape? The fate of a runaway slave, once caught, was hardly any better than death.
Luo Qi untied a bulging brocade pouch that he had prepared beforehand and respectfully handed it to Qingyangzi with both hands: "Daoist Master has been a great benefactor to my Luo family, saving my entire family from dire straits. This is a small token of my gratitude. Please accept it with a smile!" Inside the pouch was a thick stack of banknotes with considerable denominations that he had prepared after returning to his residence.
"Young Master Luo, you're too kind. Exorcising demons is simply our duty." Qingyangzi said this without any politeness, but he took the wallet with remarkable speed. Its weighty feel brought him some comfort, especially since his heart was bleeding from the loss of his copper coin sword.
Qingyangzi took the wallet and handed it directly to his eldest disciple, Liuyu, behind him. Liuyu accepted it without batting an eye, glanced at the thickness and denomination of the stack of silver notes inside, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. He then signaled to his master with his eyes that this trip had been very fruitful, far exceeding expectations.
Immediately, Qingyangzi's gaze towards Luo Qi became even more satisfied. He stroked his beard and smiled, his expression growing increasingly kind. Although money is an external thing, he supported several disciples, and the various resources needed for cultivation—cinnabar and yellow paper for drawing talismans, materials for refining magical artifacts, elixirs, and spirit stones—were all expensive. The talismans and magical artifacts of slightly better quality were simply unaffordable for ordinary people. If it weren't for this reason, why would he bother leading his disciples to travel and work so much? He wasn't just bored. This generous gift from the Luo family was enough for him to make up for his losses and live comfortably for a while.
"Daoist Master, I... I have another question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it." Luo Qi said hesitantly.
Qingyangzi was in a good mood and waited patiently: "Young Master Luo, please ask whatever you want. I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability."
"How many female ghosts are causing trouble in our mansion? What do they look like?" Luo Qi had been puzzled by this question. He had a vague impression of the female ghosts who were haunting him and Yue Niang; they seemed to be several maids who had served in the courtyard in the past and were later punished for offending Yue Niang. Young Master Luo was a cold and amorous man, but he still remembered some women who had had fleeting affairs with him or who had appeared before him. Those female ghosts were ordered to be beaten to death by Yue Niang because of him, so their haunting of him and Yue Niang was "understandable." But what about his mother?
In Luo Qi's heart, Madam Luo had always been an extremely kind person, generous and understanding towards her servants, and a capable manager of the household. Why would those lowly maids want to harm his mother? This puzzled him greatly, and he even felt that those female ghosts were truly ungrateful and unreasonable.
It must be said that Madam Luo has marketed her image as a kind and benevolent mistress very successfully. Not only does Luo Qi think so, but everyone who meets her praises her as a kind and benevolent mistress of a great family.
“There are six in total.” Qingyangzi pondered for a moment, recalling the scene he saw when he opened his Yin-Yang Eyes. “Judging from their appearance, clothing and residual aura, two of them look like women, and should be around thirty years old, called Mei Zhi Sui (referring to women of thirty years old). There are also four women... who are probably Biyu Nianhua (sixteen years old), dressed as maids.”
"A woman in her thirties? And four young maids in their prime..." Luo Qi lowered his head, pondering with a belly full of doubts. A thirty-year-old woman? Older than him, she shouldn't be related to him. He's only twenty-two this year, and the women he's been involved with have never been older than him; they've all been young and beautiful. The old women and wives in his mother's courtyard are that age, but... the remaining four young maids... Luo Qi touched his nose. Okay, most likely they are the four he and Yue Niang saw, the four maids who died because of them. But who are the other two older female ghosts? Why are they also in the Luo mansion? And why are they causing trouble together? He couldn't figure it out, so he could only temporarily attribute it to vengeful ghosts forming a gang, or perhaps some older servants had died unexpectedly in his mother's courtyard before?
"What? Young Master Luo recognizes some of them?" Qingyangzi spoke slowly, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Luo Qi's slightly unnatural expression. In fact, judging from the attire of Xuemei, Qiuju, and the others, it was clear that they were maids of the Luo household. The two older female ghosts' clothes seemed to be made of better material, suggesting they were servants of some status.
However, Qingyangzi had no intention of acting on behalf of Heaven or getting to the bottom of things. His only goal was to eliminate the vengeful spirit, prevent it from harming the world, and ensure it received its due reward. As for the specific grudges and conflicts between the spirit and its master, those were not matters for him, an outsider to the world. He was simply taking the money, doing his job, and settling the matter. After all, he was a human being, taking money to eliminate trouble for others; he didn't need to worry too much about the existence of a "harmful spirit." This was Qingyangzi's truest thought and guiding principle.
Luo Qi's eyes darted away, and he gave an awkward laugh, quickly denying it: "Daoist, you jest. There are many servants in the Luo household, and even more maids and servants. How could I possibly recognize them all? Perhaps those unruly and restless maids and servants in the manor who made mistakes and were punished died unexpectedly, or perhaps they couldn't bear it and committed suicide, but they harbored resentment towards the Luo household, which is why they gathered together and turned into vengeful ghosts to take revenge?"
But he knew in his heart that those ghosts were more than just harboring resentment; they wanted nothing more than to devour him and Yue Niang alive. Their venomous eyes could not have been formed simply by being "punished."
"Fortunately, the Taoist priest's magic is superb and his supernatural powers are great. He managed to take them all away. Otherwise, my family and I would have been unable to eat or sleep peacefully, and we might not have been able to save our lives." Luo Qi bowed again to express his gratitude, his tone full of relief.
Qingyangzi simply smiled and didn't pursue the matter further. "Young Master Luo, you're too kind. Now that this matter is settled, it's getting late, and I should take my disciples back."
"Master, why don't you have some soup before you go back? The cooks at your residence have been preparing it. Although it's March, it's still a bit chilly at night. A hot soup to warm your stomach and ward off the cold will help." Luo Qi was always very polite to such skilled people and tried his best to win them over, thinking that he might need their help in the future.
“In that case—” Qingyangzi looked at his disciples, who were indeed a little tired and hungry, and said, “It would be impolite to refuse. Thank you for your hospitality, Young Master Luo.”
During their late-night snack, Luo Qi earnestly consulted Qing Yangzi again, expressing great concern about whether the female ghosts' repeated appearances in their dreams and before them were affecting their vital energy and fortune. Qing Yangzi answered all their questions, advising Luo Qi to continue wearing their protective amulets close to their bodies, ideally for forty-nine days, to thoroughly eliminate any remaining yin energy and stabilize their yang energy, after which there would be no major problems. He also advised them to avoid visiting the garden where the incident had occurred, especially at night.
Luo Qi readily agreed, patting his chest to assure him that he would strictly follow the Daoist's instructions. After finishing their late-night snack, Qingyangzi did not linger any longer, leading his disciples away gracefully into the cool night breeze.
That night, perhaps due to psychological factors, or perhaps because the talisman truly worked, or perhaps because the evil spirits had been exorcised, Mr. and Mrs. Luo all enjoyed a rare good night's sleep, undisturbed by nightmares. Following Qingyangzi's instructions, all three wore the talisman close to their bodies, even while bathing, keeping it within easy reach but in a dry place, never daring to remove it for a moment. In the days that followed, perhaps because they felt at ease, their complexions and spirits indeed gradually improved.
However, karma is a cycle, and retribution is inevitable. Three months later, the baby in Yue Niang's womb, whose pregnancy was already unstable due to the mother's long-term fear, resentment, and weak constitution, ultimately could not be saved and quietly passed away in the dead of night.
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