Master Jingyun flicked his whisk, dispelling the malevolent aura that lingered in the air, leaving it crisp and refreshing. (しwxs520.co)
"When will this cycle of revenge end, Miss Louyu? You should go and reincarnate in peace. This humble Taoist priest can perform a ritual for you to be reborn into the afterlife," said Master Jingyun kindly.
Knowing that the female ghost Lou Yu's actions were understandable, Master Jingyun couldn't bear to kill her and earnestly persuaded Ji Xiaoxiao to lay down her butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot.
Ji Xiaoxiao chuckled, "The enemy is not dead yet, and is still right in front of us. You Taoist priest, you want me to let go of my resentment and be reincarnated? You're really talking without thinking."
One of the original owner's wishes was to kill Nie Zhen and avenge her family. Ji Xiaoxiao was ordered to do so, and her determination to kill Nie Zhen was unwavering.
"Ms. Lou Yu, please reconsider." Master Jingyun held a peach wood sword, silently threatening Ji Xiaoxiao to be careful and not to seek her own death.
“Master Jingyun,” Master Huaikong spoke up, “with resentment still lingering in your heart, how can a wronged soul or vengeful ghost enter the underworld and be reincarnated? What do you mean by this, Master Jingyun?”
Master Huaikong was slightly displeased. He explained that wronged spirits and vengeful ghosts could only leave the mortal realm after clearing their hearts of resentment; this was common knowledge for those who cultivated the Tao. Master Jingyun was a remarkable person of his time and shouldn't have made such a basic mistake.
Could it be that Master Jingyun knowingly and deliberately made things difficult for the female ghost?
Master Huai Kong silently observed and paid close attention to Daoist Jingyun's every move.
"There are the remains of 13,056 people who died tragically here. They all died at the hands of the Nie family. Some were their closest relatives, some were complete strangers, and some were their benefactors who had done them great favors. They all died here without any accidents."
Thirteen thousand fifty-six—what a terrifying, heart-wrenching number! Every time Ji Xiaoxiao uttered it, her soul trembled uncontrollably. The Nie family's century-long prosperity was built on blood and countless bones, and the death toll was rising daily.
"After death, they were buried under the wall. Those who died unjustly could not get rid of their resentment and turned into vengeful ghosts. However, they were suppressed by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Over the past hundred years, their souls have been scattered one after another. More than 10,000 people have never been reincarnated and have disappeared without a trace."
The Nie family is extremely ruthless. They leave no way out in life and no room for mercy in death, using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to suppress and exterminate wronged souls and vengeful ghosts, thus cutting off their path to reincarnation. The original owner of this body only managed to strengthen himself and break free from the constraints of Liuyun Academy by chance.
“Lord Louyu, I deeply sympathize with the tragic deaths of those more than ten thousand people, but this is not a reason for you to linger in the mortal world and harm people. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Since you are dead, your soul should return to the underworld to await the opportunity for reincarnation, rather than staying in the mortal world and bringing disaster and death to people,” Master Jingyun kindly advised.
Ghosts are bound by the shackles of the underworld, while humans are governed by the imperial court. They belong to two different worlds, each fulfilling their duties, living in peace, and enjoying their own happiness. It is only in accordance with the natural order that they do not disturb or infringe upon each other.
"Follow the laws of nature? Bullshit! You cultivators are already going against the heavens, so why should I follow the laws of nature?" Ji Xiaoxiao said angrily.
This is a classic case of "the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people are forbidden to light lamps."
Ji Xiaoxiao couldn't understand Master Jingyun, and Master Jingyun couldn't influence Ji Xiaoxiao. The two got into a fight over a disagreement, causing the underground palace to shake and dust and pebbles to fall from above.
The underground palace was Ji Xiaoxiao's territory. Ji Xiaoxiao commanded ten thousand skeletons to fight against Daoist Jingyun. Daoist Jingyun was outnumbered and gradually showed signs of defeat. Master Huaikong, considering them to be fellow practitioners, stepped in to help Daoist Jingyun, relieving half of the pressure from the ten thousand skeletons.
Ji Xiaoxiao floated behind the thousands of skeletons, calmly and composedly directing the battle, much like a wise strategist who plans and wins battles from afar.
"What is this?" Nie Zhen's subtle movements did not escape Ji Xiaoxiao's keen eyes. Nie Zhen was tapping and touching things in the underground palace, as if he had activated some mechanism inside.
Ji Xiaoxiao calmly shifted her gaze, completely ignoring Nie Zhen. As long as Daoist Jingyun and Master Huaikong were there, she couldn't possibly harm Nie Zhen.
The south corner of the underground palace.
"Found it!" Nie Zhen exclaimed in a low voice with delight.
He acted like a criminal, cautiously hiding from government searches, vanishing into the fields at the slightest disturbance. Nie Zhen glanced at the engrossed Jingyun Daoist and his companions, then swiftly moved a loose bluestone brick from beneath his feet. The brick was hollow, containing only a dark, decaying circular pull ring. Nie Zhen pulled the ring, causing the underground palace to tremble violently.
Master Jingyun and Master Huaikong swayed and almost fell to the ground.
"What's going on?" After saying that, Master Jingyun suddenly widened his eyes, his eyeballs bulging out, his expression of fear barely concealed.
Master Huaikong searched for the source of the anomaly but found nothing unusual about Daoist Jingyun. On the contrary, Ji Xiaoxiao had observed all of Daoist Jingyun's changes.
"It seems he knows something about the Nie family's underground palace."
Ji Xiaoxiao turned her head to the south corner of the underground palace, where Nie Zhen stood up and quickly headed towards the exit of the underground palace.
“Master Nie.” Master Huaikong noticed Nie Zhen.
Upon hearing this, Nie Zhen paused for a moment, then sprinted away even faster. Passing the exit of the underground palace, he pressed a mechanism, and a huge boulder crashed down, blocking his escape route.
The boulder fell, and the underground palace gradually returned to calm. The oil lamps around the walls flickered, then went out one by one, and darkness enveloped the two reclusive masters.
"It seems like you've been abandoned," Ji Xiaoxiao said with a smile.
"Demon." With a whoosh, Master Jingyun used a yellow talisman as a wick and spiritual power as lamp oil, and the light returned. "Demon, shut up."
Master Jingyun's face was repulsive; he had lost all trace of the serene and unassuming demeanor of a reclusive sage.
"Master Jingyun, your mind is in turmoil." Master Huaikong's words were like thunder. Master Jingyun trembled and gradually calmed down.
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