Chapter 80: The Underworld’s Request, Meritorious Deeds Mission

Chapter 80 - 80: The Underworld’s Request, Meritorious Deeds Mission Note: If you want the continuity of this story consider to join Pãtreon/Flokixy to access advance Chapters and To Support The Daily Update The Yan River Minor Underworld In the end, Qinghan finally recognized the dazzling figure rushing toward him—it was none other than his precious disciple, whom he had been so worried about. After such a long separation, master and disciple naturally had endless whispered conversations to share. It took them half a day for Qinghan to fully understand the origins of his disciple's peculiar attire and her experiences since leaving the mountain. And then, he couldn't help but sigh deeply. He had never imagined that his disciple hadn't been struggling to survive, eating one meal today and starving the next. Instead, she was living a life far more luxurious than what they had at the Daoist temple. He wasn't uneducated; while he might not be able to estimate the exact value of those gemstones, he certainly recognized the pure gold-threaded bag she carried. "You've encountered so many good opportunities, Master is truly happy for you." Qinghan originally didn't know that after death, he would become a ghostly immortal in the underworld. Normally, he would have quickly drunk Meng Po's soup and forgotten all about his past life. Thus, no matter how reluctant he was to leave his beloved disciple behind, there was nothing he could do—time was running out for him. However, because of the great merit he had accumulated during his lifetime, he avoided reincarnation and retained his memories. From that moment on, he began to worry endlessly about whether his disciple might end up homeless. But as he was bound to guard this minor underworld, he couldn't leave. The longer time passed, the more agonizing it became. Until Xie Bi'an came to tell him that his precious disciple had accomplished great feats, earning special permission from King Yama to enter the underworld while still alive. At that news, Qinghan was overjoyed and couldn't sit still. He waited eagerly at the entrance of the minor underworld. "Master, don't worry. I'm doing very well now." "But growing our Huoyun Temple is really difficult." Yao Yao scratched her head in concern. After being away from the mountain for so long, she had only recruited one new member for the temple. Including herself and her master, there were only three people total. As for her master? Being in the underworld meant he no longer counted! Meanwhile, larger temples often had dozens or even hundreds of members. The gap was significant. Upon hearing this, Qinghan couldn't help but smile. "There's no need to put too much pressure on growing the temple. Just let things take their natural course." After all, so many generations of abbots before him had spent years without making much progress. His precious disciple was still so young. As long as she could maintain what they had, it would be enough to honor their ancestors. With her master's reassurance, Yao Yao felt less pressured. She tugged at her master's hand, playfully asking him to show her around the minor underworld he guarded. "Of course! Today, Master will broaden your horizons." Qinghan had been thinking the same thing. Compared to his previous life of misery, after death, he had become the ruler of a prison domain. His back was straighter, and he certainly wanted to impress his disciple. And so, the pair—one old and one young—began touring the minor underworld. Their boldness made it seem as though the underworld was just another supermarket! The Yan River Minor Underworld was affiliated with the Tongue-Ripping Hell of the Eighteen Layers of Hell. The evil spirits imprisoned here were mostly tongueless, which made the environment unusually quiet. There were no gory scenes of missing limbs or bloodshed. From time to time, the master and disciple exchanged a few words. Their interaction was much like it had been back at the temple, with little difference. After half a day, Qinghan reluctantly spoke up: "Well, it's about time. Let's head back." Though he was loath to part with his precious disciple, she was still a living person. Even with her cultivation, it wasn't good for her to stay in the underworld for too long. Besides, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future. Now that she knew the way, it would be easier for her to visit again. "Master... I'll go now, but I'll come see you again in a few days." Yao Yao kept looking back as she walked away, taking three steps forward and two steps back. This made even Xie Bi'an, who was escorting her, glance at Qinghan with admiration. It had to be said, this old Daoist was quite impressive. Being able to make a child so fond of him was a skill in itself. Compared to their eager arrival, the journey back seemed much longer. Along the way, Xie Bi'an brought up the issue of the underworld's mishap during the Ghost Festival. What they discovered was shocking. During the Ghost Festival, when the gates of the underworld were wide open, hundreds of red ghosts—and even several ghost generals—had escaped. Those ghost generals were clearly traitors to the underworld. At their level, they were leaders of minor underworld domains. Only with their leadership could so many fierce ghosts have escaped. Hearing this number, Yao Yao's round little face immediately turned serious. Such a large number of fierce ghosts was enough to wreak havoc in the human world. Before investigating, even Xie Bi'an hadn't expected multiple minor hell lords to betray and flee to the mortal realm. His expression darkened as he addressed Yao Yao: "We, as yin deities, are not suited to move freely among humans. But you're different." "You're a Xuan cultivator, and now you have the soul-binding chains to protect you. You're the best candidate. If you can help the underworld capture those fierce ghosts, King Yama has promised corresponding merit rewards—one merit point per red ghost, ten points per ghost general. Would you be willing?" Xie Bi'an wasn't making empty promises. The reward of merit had been approved by King Yama himself. After all, the escape of these fierce ghosts was ultimately the underworld's failure. To rectify it, they had to pay a price. For cultivators in the mortal realm, the underworld could offer little besides posthumous divine positions and merit. Yao Yao, at three and a half years old, still had nearly two hundred years of life ahead of her even if her cultivation didn't advance further. Talking about posthumous divine positions was too distant. On the other hand, merit was practical—it could aid in a cultivator's practice. Upon hearing about the reward of merit, Yao Yao's bright, watery eyes lit up with excitement. She desperately needed merit, and this was an opportunity to earn extra. Naturally, she wouldn't refuse. She nodded enthusiastically. "Lord Wuchang, rest assured. I'll do my best to capture those spirits and bring them back." Yao Yao extended her small hand, counting on her fingers to calculate how much merit she could earn if she captured all the fierce ghosts. Roughly estimating, it came to several hundred points. She became ecstatic. Watching the growing smile on this little one's face, Xie Bi'an couldn't help but feel puzzled. He didn't know what she was so excited about. Still, it didn't affect his relief. After all, the mess in the underworld did require someone's help. "The authority granted on your identity jade token is significant. If you need assistance, you can directly summon nearby yin officials." "They will sense it and unconditionally follow your commands." This time, the number of fierce ghosts to be captured was vast. Relying on just one person was unrealistic. Cooperation was key. Whoever found the ghosts could call out, and everyone would work together to capture them quickly. "You should pay attention to places with dense yin energy, like cursed lands. Those ghost generals, whose cultivation is rejected by heaven and earth, can only hide in such places." "If you find them, don't act rashly. Use your token to notify me immediately, and I'll rush over. As long as the ghost generals are captured based on your information, the merit will count toward you." Xie Bi'an spoke sternly. The reason was simple: among the escaped ghost generals, one had reached the peak of the ghost general level, nearly reaching the ghost king realm. This little girl, though talented, was still too young and hadn't yet entered the ninth realm of cultivation. Her current strength was no match for such powerful opponents. If she acted impulsively, she might put herself in danger. Xie Bi'an feared that this little one might rush into things in pursuit of merit, so he emphasized this point repeatedly. Clearly, Yao Yao had no intention of showing off her abilities. With a cheerful smile, she nodded: "Lord Wuchang, don't worry. I've memorized everything!" Her main target was still the red ghosts. Earning merit from them carried no risk. As for encountering ghost generals, she planned to gang up on them. Even without Lord Wuchang's promise, she would have done the same. Because the old Daoist had taught her: the first principle of cultivation was prudence. Only by protecting oneself could one protect others.