Chapter Ninety-Four: The Local Ghost Messenger Appears
For thousands of years, the demon realm has had only one king. Ying Jia's rule was stable and long-lasting, and he enjoyed supreme prestige in the demon realm. The name of the Demon King was known throughout the demon realm, the underworld, and even among gods and Buddhas. As a pivotal figure in the three realms, Ying Jia's name was almost universally known.
“Demon King Ying Jia.” Jiu Ya met Ying Jia’s gaze without flinching, revealing the Demon Lord’s aura at this moment.
The demon and the monster solemnly introduced themselves to each other, creating a truly amusing scene. The two kings were confirming each other's identities in the desolate wilderness, as if they were conducting some kind of formal diplomatic meeting.
Ying Jia nodded, "Not bad." She was about to say a few more words when her gaze suddenly turned to the distance. In the darkness, a faint, sinister aura was rapidly approaching.
Then a ghost messenger dressed in a black robe hurriedly arrived. He was Cheng Yuan, the ghost messenger in charge of the Yancheng area. He had a fair face and red lips and was very handsome.
Jiuya sighed again. All the ghost messengers she had met were outstanding in appearance. Could it be that the underworld really recruits people based on their looks?
Cheng Yuan had just returned to the mortal realm from the underworld when he received a hint from the Yin-Yang Life and Death Scroll: a fox demon had died that day, and he needed to bring the monster back to the underworld. When he followed the yin energy, he not only found the fox whose lifespan had ended, but also a powerful demon with an extremely strong aura, as well as five humans. Four of them were standing and unharmed, while the one lying down was badly wounded and looked like it was about to die.
Oh dear, this guy who's about to kick the bucket is a Taoist priest. And this priest doesn't seem like a good one; he's got quite a few murders on his hands, and his aura is thick with bloodlust. In the eyes of the ghost messengers, having a criminal record isn't just about killing people, but also about killing sentient beings. This priest has a lot of demon blood on his hands; his sins are grave.
The ghost messenger thought he could wait a bit longer and just take the person on the ground with him to avoid another trip. He secretly rejoiced at his good luck, managing to complete two tasks at once.
As soon as Cheng Yuan appeared, several pairs of eyes turned to him. Those eyes held curiosity, scrutiny, and a somewhat unsettling pressure.
Cheng Yuan trembled, completely bewildered. Why did those eyes look so eerie? Weren't they human? Why could they see him? As a ghost messenger, he was usually only visible to ghosts and cultivators; ordinary people couldn't possibly see his existence.
As a qualified ghost messenger, even if one is terrified inside, one must maintain a calm and composed demeanor, preserving the dignity and image of a ghost messenger. Cheng Yuan coughed lightly and cupped his hands to the people present. "Gentlemen, I am Cheng Yuan, a ghost messenger from Yancheng. The fox demon Tu Shan Yue has reached the end of her life, and I must bring her back to the underworld." His voice was steady and powerful, demonstrating the professionalism of a ghost messenger.
“I know you are a ghost messenger.” Ying Jia twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing a smile. “I am the Demon King Ying Jia. A Yue is the youngest daughter of General Yuan An under my command. She is still young and has never done anything evil. This time, she mistakenly entered the human world, but unfortunately, she was harmed by that Taoist priest.”
Cheng Yuan bowed and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "So you are the King of the Demon Clan. I have been impolite."
“I understand what the Demon King has to say. However, the determination of good and evil, right and wrong, is not for me to decide, but for Lord Yama. If the Demon King still has something to say to this fox spirit, I can wait a little longer.” Cheng Yuan’s attitude was very clear: he would handle official business impartially and would not show favoritism.
Ying Jia smiled faintly, "I am naturally aware of the order of Yin and Yang. However, since A Yue was innocently harmed, I hope that A Yue can live a carefree life in her next life."
Seeing that Ying Jia didn't intend to force Tu Shan Yue to stay, Cheng Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. He was just a minor ghost messenger, and if the Demon King's attitude was really tough, he wouldn't be able to snatch the soul from the Demon King's hands.
Since the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred, Cheng Yuan finally felt relieved. He secretly rejoiced that the Demon King was understanding and hadn't made things difficult for him, a mere ghost messenger.
Cheng Yuan said, "If one has never committed a crime in their life and is an innocent victim, Lord Yama will naturally handle the matter impartially. In the next life, there is a high probability that they will live a life of wealth and comfort. Your Majesty, the Demon King, need not worry about this matter."
Ying Jia said solemnly, "Since that's the case, I'm relieved. A-Yue is still young, so please take good care of her, Cheng Yuan."
Cheng Yuan cupped his hands and said, "Cheng Yuan will do his best. Please rest assured, Your Majesty the Demon King."
Ying Jia nodded. She placed her hand near Tu Shanyue's head, but only touched thin air. She couldn't help but sigh, "A-Yue, be a good girl on the way, okay?"
Tu Shan Yue looked at Ying Jia with pleading eyes, called out "Your Majesty" pitifully, and whispered, "A Yue knows." Her eyes were filled with tears, but she held them back.
"Go," Ying Jia said, her voice choked with emotion. She had always doted on Tu Shanyue, and seeing the child end up like this filled her with deep sorrow.
Tu Shanyue walked towards Cheng Yuan, turning back to look at him every step of the way.
Just then, the Taoist priest, who had been struggling in agony on the ground, kicked his legs and breathed his last. His eyes were wide open, and his face was filled with pain and resentment; he had clearly died with extreme unwillingness.
The still-warm corpse lay disheveled by the roadside, from which a newborn, bewildered ghost crawled. His soul was a dark gray color, a stark contrast to Tu Shan Yue's pure soul.
He opened his eyes to find his lifeless body lying on the ground. He gasped in disbelief, staring at his translucent hands. "I'm dead? How could I be dead? How could I possibly be dead?"
The Taoist ghost tried to pick up the copper coin sword on the ground, only to find his hand passing right through it and leaving a charred scar. Copper coins, being of extreme yang and strength, are used to subdue evil spirits. This ironic reality plunged the Taoist ghost into despair.
"How could this be?" The Taoist ghost still couldn't believe it, but the untouchable copper coin sword forced him to accept that he was indeed dead.
The Taoist ghost looked around blankly and saw Cheng Yuan holding the Soul-Binding Rope, emanating an aura that made ghosts tremble—a kind of official authority. That pressure from the underworld made the Taoist ghost instinctively feel fear.
The Taoist ghost knew these were the ghost messengers, and seeing Tu Shan Yue and Ying Jia standing there unharmed, the Taoist ghost felt indignant and wanted to complain to the ghost messengers. He believed that he was acting on behalf of Heaven and should not have ended up like this.
But Cheng Yuan coldly smiled and threw out the chain in his hand. The pitch-black chain covered the Taoist ghost's head and bound it tightly. "Perfect, I don't have to make a second trip." His movements were clean and efficient, clearly those of an experienced ghost messenger.
The Taoist ghost struggled and roared, "You're a ghost messenger, aren't you? Ghost messenger, they're demons! They'll harm people! Why don't you arrest them? Why are you arresting me?"
It was obvious that the Taoist priest was only focused on his pain before he died and didn't hear what Ying Jia and the others were saying. He still thought he was on the side of justice and didn't understand why the ghost messengers were arresting him instead of the demons.
Cheng Yuan rolled his eyes. Ghost messengers are responsible for escorting ghosts, but he'd never seen them responsible for killing demons! What's with all this talk about slaying demons and eliminating evil? Isn't that what you Taoists are supposed to do? Disputes in the mortal realm are none of the underworld's business; once you're dead, that's the underworld's responsibility. This Taoist doesn't even understand such a basic principle; he's wasted all those years cultivating the Tao.
"Your soul is tainted and filled with the stench of blood. Do you think I'll just sit here and wait for you to turn into a vengeful ghost?" Cheng Yuan's gaze was sharp as a knife, causing the Taoist ghost to shiver involuntarily.
"Then why doesn't the ghost messenger care about this fox demon?" The Taoist ghost glared angrily at Tu Shan Yue. He firmly believed he was right; all demons deserved to die, and he couldn't understand why the ghost messenger was treating them differently.
Tu Shan Yue, halfway there, was glared at by the Taoist ghost and became extremely displeased. "That wicked ghost!" she thought. "The King is still here! How dare he glare at me!" Tu Shan Yue shouted at the top of her lungs, "Hmph! You wicked Taoist! Who else should I arrest if not you?"
Cheng Yuan said, "Whether it is you or this monster, I will take you back to the Underworld."
After saying that, the end of the soul-binding rope that bound the Taoist ghost transformed into a beam of white light and flew towards Tu Shan Yue. The white light was soft and not dazzling, completely different from the pitch-black chains that bound the Taoist ghost.
Tu Shanyue stared blankly as the white light appeared beside her, a sudden panic gripping her. Seeing the Taoist ghost bound by chains and appearing to be in great pain, she feared she would be bound as well and asked helplessly, "What—what is this for?"
Cheng Yuan waved his hand. "Don't panic. The Soul-Binding Rope isn't just for binding ghosts; it also has a slight effect on securing the soul." He explained, his tone much gentler. He was always more patient and gentle with innocent souls.
Upon hearing this, Ying Jia understood. Tu Shan Yue's soul had been injured by Taoist magic. Although she had helped Yue stabilize her soul, there was no guarantee that the injury wouldn't worsen on the journey from the mortal realm to the underworld. Cheng Yuan was doing this to protect Tu Shan Yue.
"Don't be afraid, Yue." Ying Jia's eyes held a comforting look. Her gentle gaze reassured Tu Shan Yue considerably.
Seeing that Ying Jia didn't refute Cheng Yuan, Tu Shan Yue knew he was right, so she obediently nodded in agreement. The white light surrounded her, forming a protective layer that made her feel warm and safe.
"My journey is complete. I need to take this ghost and this monster back to the underworld." Cheng Yuan tightened the soul-binding rope, dragging the Taoist ghost to his feet. "Your Majesty, then Cheng Yuan will return to the underworld." He bowed to Ying Jia, his attitude respectful yet dignified.
Ying Jia nodded and smiled, watching Cheng Yuan leave with a ghost and a monster.
Cheng Yuan, pulling the Taoist ghost along and gesturing for Tu Shanyue to follow, was about to leave. But for some reason, before leaving, Cheng Yuan turned back and glanced at Jiu Ya and Rong Jiang, wondering to himself, "What's going on with these two? They even know the Demon King?" His gaze lingered on Rong Jiang for a moment, feeling that this woman was somewhat special, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
After Cheng Yuan left, only Jiu Ya and her group of four, along with Ying Jia, remained at the scene.
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