Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 443

Although the east room is now empty again because of Chen Xiyuan's departure, considering the size of the house, it will be just the two of them tonight.

Ah Li continued to sleep in the boy's room, while the boy continued to sleep in the great-grandfather's room.

Late at night, Ah Li lay in bed with her eyes open.

"Buzz!"

Under the bed in the east room, the sword case was opened, and the sword flew out, soaring upwards, opening the window, and arriving in the second-floor room, hovering above the girl's head.

Ah Li looked at it.

The longsword slowly moved down, emitting a trembling sound like a soft hum. The bright moonlight became even softer after being refracted by it, and even the wind it stirred up was as gentle as a palm-leaf fan swaying.

Liu Yumei knew that Xiao Yuan had decided to take A Li out for a walk along the river.

She didn't know exactly when it was, nor was she sure if she had returned from the Qinling Mountains that day.

So when she left, she deliberately left her sword behind.

She, Liu Yumei, could be absent from this day, but her beloved granddaughter could not be deprived of this evening's companionship and comfort.

Under her grandmother's "watchful eye," Ah Li slowly closed her eyes.

……

"Your shredded pork noodles."

"Okay, thank you."

Liu Changping took the noodles, stirred them a few times, and ate several mouthfuls.

Then pick up the xiaolongbao in front of you, dip it in vinegar, and put it in your mouth.

Early in the morning, as dawn broke and a light fog rose, the streets were beautifully frozen.

The people who come here for breakfast exhale breath that is noticeably white, desperately needing the hot steam to neutralize it.

Another taxi stopped in front of the breakfast shop. The driver got out, glanced at the license plate of the taxi behind him, ordered wontons and steamed buns from the breakfast shop owner, and then sat down opposite Liu Changping.

"Dude, this car is yours."

"Oh, yes."

"A long-distance bus from Nanjing?"

"Correct."

The driver asked Liu Changping for the price, and Liu Changping gave a number.

"Hey, you're losing out here. Even an unlicensed taxi wouldn't be worth that price."

"I happened to be in Nantong, so I just picked up this job on the spot."

"Oh, I see. Judging from your accent, you're not from around here, so your wife's family is from here?"

“I have a relative who lives here.”

Taxi drivers in different regions have their own information networks, and Liu Changping pays special attention to chartered cars from Nanjing to Nantong.

When the opportunity arises, he will drive from Nanjing to Nantong and stop by Grandpa Li's house for a visit.

The wontons ordered by the local driver arrived, and the two continued chatting while eating.

Upon learning that Liu Changping was going to Shinan Town, the local driver chuckled and recounted a recent passenger he had picked up who was also going to Shinan Town—an old Taoist priest.

"...Haha, isn't that hilarious? The old Taoist priest's point was that if I gave him a discount on the fare or didn't charge him at all, I would immediately have smooth sailing in my love life, a harmonious marriage, a happy family, and everything going well. Isn't that utter bullshit!"

"You agree, right, buddy?"

Liu Changping: "Hehehe."

After putting the last xiaolongbao in his mouth, Liu Changping stood up to pay the breakfast shop owner, and also paid the local driver's breakfast bill at the same time.

On his way back to his taxi, the local driver reached out and patted Liu Changping's arm:
"Thanks, buddy!"

"You're welcome."

Liu Changping got into the car, started the engine, turned around, and headed towards Shinan Town.

Once you reach the town, continue driving north. After passing Shijia Bridge, turn into the second village road on the east side.

Liu Changping knows this route better than he does his own home.

Because he recently moved.

I just bought a house and it's being renovated. It will be quite a while before it's finished.

Considering that the baby will be born soon and both sets of parents will come to help, we will need to rent a larger house.

Last time I came to Nantong, as soon as I parked my car, "Brother Xiaoyuan" and his group got in, so I could get back to Jinling as quickly as possible.

The final destination was a rare upscale residential area in the vicinity, which Liu Changping noticed.

After returning home and thinking it over again, he went back to the neighborhood to inquire if there were any rooms available for rent.

Unsurprisingly, the rent in this neighborhood is indeed very high.

However, considering that it would be at least six months before he could move into his new home, Liu Changping decided to rent a place so that his wife and unborn child could live more comfortably.

I was a bit short on cash, so I borrowed some money from the guys in the car team to pay the rent and deposit. But when I went to the agency to sign the contract, I was told that the rent had changed.

The price was so low that Liu Changping thought he was seeing things.

The agent told him that the landlord didn't intend to make money by renting out the house; he just wanted someone to live there to help maintain the house's atmosphere and to take good care of it.

Liu Changping could hardly believe that such a good thing would fall into his lap, although he had indeed received quite a few such opportunities over the past year.

However, before signing the contract, Liu Changping specifically asked the agent whether the landlord knew that his wife was pregnant and about to give birth, because many people are superstitious about this, saying that it is better to lend the dead than the living, believing that if the tenant gives birth in their house, it will drain their family's future generations.

The agent laughed and said, "That whole building belongs to one owner. You can have as many children as you want and still not use them all."

Now, Liu Changping has settled down at home, and his mother has come from his hometown to take care of him during his childbirth.

When he first told his wife the price, she didn't believe him. She thought he was just trying to fool her because she had previously disagreed with renting such an expensive place. It wasn't until she saw the rental contract and personally asked the real estate agent that she couldn't help but happily exclaim, "I don't know where you found such good luck!"

It wasn't until he saw Zhou Yunyun and Chen Lin walking into the building that Liu Changping realized where his good fortune came from.

The taxi drove onto the dam.

Liu Changping got out of the car, opened the trunk, and took out the gifts inside.

Since I come often, the gifts are naturally not expensive; they are just a token of my appreciation. Half of them are local specialties that my mother brought from her hometown.

"Ok?"

Seeing no one on the first floor, Liu Changping found it strange; the house seemed unusually quiet this morning.

In the room on the second floor, Ah Li had already gotten dressed.

Having grown accustomed to Ah Li's traditional Chinese style, seeing her in an expedition team uniform gives one a unique feeling.

Li Zhuiyuan placed a hat on A Li's head.

The girl held onto the brim of her hat with one hand, smiling as she looked at the boy.

At this moment, grace and wildness were perfectly blended in her.

"Let's go, the car is here."

The two of them shouldered their backpacks, held hands, and walked downstairs.

Li Zhuiyuan did not know that Liu Changping would come this morning, but he did come at just the right time.

Originally, the boy did not plan to take a plane, since he was going to Fengdu and had already informed his "master" in advance.

While flying in the sky allows for greater speed, it also makes one more vulnerable to tampering.

Although the boy felt that his "master" wouldn't be so heartless as to cause his plane crash, he could easily make him return to the airport or make an emergency landing at a nearby airport.

As Master Liu watched the boy and girl come out, and then looked at their attire, he had a premonition.

Liu Changping: "Let's go?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's go."

Liu Changping: "Now?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Now."

Liu Changping opened the car door: "Get in."

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li sat in the back seat, placing their backpacks at their feet.

After Liu Changping carried the gifts into the main room, he returned and started the car. Only after driving down the dam and onto the village road did he ask:

"Where to go?"

Fengdu.

"I think I've heard of it."

"The Sichuan-Chongqing region."

Liu Changping's expression froze for a moment.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Inconvenient?"

Liu Changping shook his head: "No, let's see if I can buy a map when we get ahead."

After getting onto the provincial highway, Liu Changping stopped at a service area with many large trucks and bought the long-distance map he wanted.

Incidentally, he also called his wife to tell her that he was going on a long trip.

"Honey, our family isn't under that much pressure. You don't need to work so hard to earn money."

"They're picking up the landlord."

"Honey, please be careful."

Both of them laughed on the phone.

His wife pressed him again, asking if he was joking. Liu Changping confirmed that it was the landlord.

Back in the car, we drove off again.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Liu Changping saw the boy sitting there reading a book, while the girl kept looking at the scenery outside the car window.

After hesitating for a moment, Liu Changping finally asked:
"Brother Xiaoyuan."

"Ok?"

"Hey, are you guys hungry? Shall we eat at the next service area?"

"You can have it, we have some in our bag."

"Okay, okay."

Liu Changping still didn't intend to ask if Xiao Yuan had rented the house to him.

Li Zhuiyuan was actually unaware of this matter.

Liangliang asked Tan Wenbin to help him rent out his house. The real estate agent would inform Tan Wenbin of the tenant's information. After Tan Wenbin found out it was Liu Changping, he waived the rent for the tenant.

There's no need to mention such trivial matters to Brother Yuan.

Doing this doesn't mean being generous with other people's money.

Liu Changping knew Xue Liangliang. That time in Nantong, he drove Xue Liangliang to the riverbank. When Liangliang jumped into the river to look for his wife, Liu Changping thought that Liangliang had committed suicide. He even retrieved the clothes that the man had left on the bank and sat in the car crying.

Long-distance travel is a torment for both the driver and the passenger.

Ah Li showed no discomfort whatsoever. When she held the boy's hand, the scenery outside the window felt so new to her.

After dark, Liu Changping, who had been driving all day, said he could continue driving, but at Li Zhuiyuan's request, he found a small town by the provincial highway and booked two rooms in a hotel there.

There was a shower in the room. Li Zhuiyuan took a shower first, adjusted the water temperature to a suitable level, and then let the girl in to shower.

Keep things simple when you're traveling.

After taking a shower, Ah Li sat in a chair, and Li Zhuiyuan took a towel and helped her dry her hair.

"That's all for now. I'll comb your hair again tomorrow morning."

Ah Li shook her head.

It means that she doesn't feel she needs to comb her hair tomorrow morning.

She wouldn't allow her past habits to become a burden at this time.

Li Zhuiyuan: "If conditions permit, you can make yourself more comfortable."

The girl still didn't think it was necessary.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Seeing this makes me feel more comfortable."

Standard room, one bed per person.

Li Zhuiyuan turned off the lights.

The girl lying on the bed turned her head to look at the boy on the next bed, the starlight outside reflecting in her eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Good night."

Ah Li closed her eyes.

In the first half of the night, there were occasional noises and disturbances in the hotel, but as the night deepened, everything became quiet.

But when the clock struck midnight, the girl sat up in bed.

On the bed next to his, Li Zhuiyuan also opened his eyes.

"Squeak..."

The door to the room was pushed open, and Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the room, with A Li following behind.

The two of them slept fully clothed, so getting out of bed and going out was very simple.

In the next room, Liu Changping, who had been driving all day, was snoring loudly.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked to the end of the corridor, went upstairs, and arrived at the rooftop of this long, narrow hotel.

Behind the hotel, there is a cemetery with rows of tombstones.

In Nantong, it's popular to make building models out of tombstones, which can be quite unsettling to pass by at night.
The tombstones here are all normal, so normal that next to each one stands a semi-transparent white figure.

The majority of the crowd were elderly, but there were also some young people, and even some young children crying.

They stood there, their figures swaying back and forth, the clear night sky above them obscured by dark clouds, and the occasional barking of dogs that used to echo through the town at night was now silent.

Li Zhuiyuan suspected that this might be a test from Fengdu.

It wasn't particularly strong; after all, it was just a cemetery in an ordinary town, and it couldn't possibly harbor any great evil.

Moreover, since the deceased were buried here, their spirits would gradually dissipate in peace. Li Zhuiyuan had no interest in cleaning up the entire graveyard just because the graves disturbed his sleep.

The most crucial question is: who instigated them?

Ah Li raised her hand and pointed to the hillside behind the cemetery.

Even at such a great distance, the feng shui energy was still rapidly gathering there under the girl's fingertips.

Seven figures dressed in red gradually appeared.

Their skin was deathly pale and cracked, with black blood oozing from the corners of their eyes and mouths, and each of them was bound together by chains on their feet.

This is a standard example of a funerary evil spirit; these women were all former sacrificial victims, symbolizing their continued service to the tomb's owner after death.

After they revealed themselves, a sedan chair appeared behind them, carried by a group of paper servants at both the front and back.

The person inside the sedan chair must be the mastermind.

The sedan curtain was lifted, revealing a face patched up, with a thick aura of death emanating from every crevice.

Inside the sedan chair was not a ghost, but a corpse.

It's not dead, nor is it a zombie; it's a corpse embryo.

In Taoist classics, the corpse fetus is a special existence, possessing higher spirituality and malleability, and capable of continuing cultivation in new ways.

In fact, many mountain gods and local deities in the supernatural tales were originally these things. They used human merits to constantly wash away their own corpse energy, hoping to one day shed their shackles and attain immortality.

But the woman in the sedan chair was clearly on the wrong path. Her obsession had not only not subsided, but had only grown stronger.

Obsessed with the pursuit of her own beauty, she pasted layer after layer of human skin onto her face. However, the resentful skin she wore before her death could not last long, so she could only cover it up layer after layer until she became this grotesque figure.

The seven women in red under her command had also become evil spirits, even more ferocious than vengeful ghosts.

The woman in the sedan chair definitely didn't live here; she came here specifically for this purpose.

The decrees of the Great Emperor of Fengdu are obeyed by all ghosts and spirits in the world.

The lingering shadows of the deceased on the grave mound intensified the shaking, creating an even stronger eerie atmosphere. Seven female demons in red gradually walked towards the inn, accompanied by the clanging of iron chains as they moved.

Inside the sedan chair at the back, the woman lowered the curtain, seemingly too lazy to look any further.
She is very confident.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know where her confidence came from.

She probably really doesn't know who she's going to confront by coming all the way here from her hideout tonight.

The last time I went to Fengdu, I encountered ghost generals, ghost officers, and ghost judges on the way, and even Yama took the opportunity to make a move.

Although the hells were cleansed when Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva entered Fengdu last time, there are so many people in the world, and even more ghosts.

Furthermore, Zhao Yigaoyi mobilized members of the Zhao family to actively support the grassroots construction of Hell.

So much time has passed, the vacancies for ghost officials in Fengdu must have been filled long ago.

This time, however, they didn't appear. Instead, a corpse-like creature, radiating malevolent energy, confidently emerged from a nearby hilltop.

Is it that they don't want to be in the limelight?

surely not.

Because Li Zhuiyuan is no longer the same boy who went to Fengdu last time.

One is the master, the other is the disciple; one is the Emperor of Fengdu, the other is the Young Lord of Fengdu.

No matter how much conflict you have, there's a high probability that you'll suddenly make up in the end. So how will the people below choose sides, and how will they dare to choose sides?
In the Nantong dialect, to describe someone as shrewd and calculating, one would say "鬼精鬼精的".

These underworld officials are exactly as the name suggests.

Li Zhuiyuan spread out his right hand, and the evil dragon appeared.

As soon as the evil dragon's aura was revealed, the sedan curtain was lifted again on the distant slope, and the woman inside looked shocked.

She couldn't see anything special about Li Zhuiyuan and A Li, only thinking they were two children with keen senses and at most a little bit of Taoist cultivation, but she could clearly feel the ferocity of the evil dragon.

However, Li Zhuiyuan summoned the evil dragon not to target her; she was far from worthy of it.

The evil dragon spiraled upwards from the boy's palm, then shot out and crashed into an area where a ghost messenger revealed his true form.

The ghost messenger knelt on the ground, a bright yellow scroll tied around his waist. The evil dragon coiled around the ghost messenger's body, its blood-red maw wide open, aimed at the ghost messenger's head.

It only needs Li Zhuiyuan's signal to devour the ghost messenger instantly.

The ghost messenger didn't dare to resist; his forehead was pressed against the ground, and his messenger hat rolled off his head.

They sent such a low-ranking ghost official—no, he shouldn't even be called an official, he should be called a clerk. This guy is so unlucky even as a ghost, so ostracized.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand, and the evil dragon released the ghost messenger beneath it, flying back into the boy's palm.

The ghost messenger picked up the hat, put it back on, and then kept kowtowing to Li Zhuiyuan on the roof to express his gratitude.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't intend to make things difficult for him, since he was just an official who came to deliver an imperial decree. Keeping him around was also a way of sending a message to those ghost officials that this was indeed a "personal feud" between him and the emperor, and that everyone should not make things difficult for each other.

At this moment, the seven red-clad female demons had reached the very front of the grave mound. They collectively raised their heads, looking up at the boy and girl above. Their hair was spread out in all directions, a cold wind swept through, and they opened their mouths, about to let out a fierce howl.

Ah Li raised her hand towards them, and in the girl's eyes, all the threats and curses from her past dreams flowed.

At this moment, the seven women in red fell silent.

The girl clenched her fist, and they immediately shut up.

On a distant slope, the sedan chair landed, and a woman stepped out, staring at the scene in disbelief.

On the hotel rooftop, Li Zhuiyuan smiled.

He recalled the time when the old lady with the cat face came to his house to borrow space for her birthday banquet. He and Ah Li had hidden themselves in the banquet, and he was extremely cautious, as if walking on thin ice.

In reality, Ah Li was simply watching herself perform with great enthusiasm. Ah Li wasn't afraid at all.

If Granny Niu or that black cat had been even slightly more murderous and malicious, and had actually attacked her... especially Ah Li, then the story might very well have ended abruptly on the very night of the birthday banquet.

The girl turned her head to look at the boy, and in her haste, she also waved her raised hand.

The seven red-clad female demons below then turned around collectively, facing the burial mound and the slope.

Li Zhuiyuan could read A Li's thoughts from her every smile and frown, and the girl could also sense what the boy was thinking from his expression.

Her hand grasped the boy's hand.

That night, when she "walked out" from the east room, Li Zhuiyuan, who was in a spirit-walking state, happened to walk onto the terrace and saw her at first glance.

She thought it was a boy asking her out.

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, you didn't know that I was actually very weak back then?"

Ah Li shook her head.

She didn't have a concept of strength or weakness at that time.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Actually, I'm quite grateful to that black cat."

Without its appearance and encouragement, I'm afraid I would still be sitting on the second-floor terrace, glancing at the girl between pages of a book, for a very long time.

The slackness here, in the eyes of the woman on the slope, was a huge source of fear.

Her female burial victims were now completely out of her control, and she began to feel disoriented, wondering what kind of being she had deliberately provoked tonight.

Li Zhuiyuan looked ahead.

Ah Li also turned her gaze back, clenched her fist again, and exerted a little force.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

The chains binding the seven red-clad female demons were all broken.

Li Zhuiyuan: "They volunteered to be buried alive with their masters. Even if you release them, they will not seek revenge against their former masters."

Ah Li raised her other hand, preparing to regain control of them.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and pressed the girl's hands down.

"There's no need to go through all that trouble and make yourself so tired."

Three sets of metal plaques flew out of the boy's pocket, drifted downwards in the air, and finally landed in the graveyard.

"Officer/General"

"Evil spirit~"

"Kill without saving!"

The two generals, Zeng and Sun, were also born from evil spirits, but they had long since unleashed their fierce power, smashing the ghostly energy in this area to pieces like three heavy hammer blows.

The woman on the slope began to tremble.

When the two generals, Zeng and Sun, both looked up at her, she immediately turned around and prepared to run away.

Li Zhuiyuan: "This time, there are two of us. But under normal circumstances, Runsheng, Tan Wenbin and Ayou will stand in front of us. We don't need to worry about our own safety. When dealing with the situation, we should also take a more macro perspective. There is no need to pursue doing everything ourselves. The key is to help our partners create better conditions for solving problems."

For example, like this…

The boy raised his right hand, and the evil dragon circled around his palm. The many afterimages on the grave mound began to sway in opposite directions, and the positions of the afterimages also changed.

The corpse-like woman on the slope used the layout of the graveyard to create a ghostly atmosphere for herself, while Li Zhuiyuan used these remnants of the dead as chess pieces to make them present an array effect.

"town!"

The woman, who was about to escape, suddenly felt an invisible barrier appear in front of her, and she could not escape.

Ah Li nodded.

She closed her eyes, lowered her head, and when she slowly raised them again, Li Zhuiyuan noticed that the afterimages in the graveyard were all showing signs of breaking free from her control. Their previously dazed faces were gradually regaining focus.

Ah Li cannot integrate formations and feng shui to that level like the young man, but she can achieve the same result through different means in her own way.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Very good, that's it. We can stop now."

Ah Li opened her eyes, and the afterimage on the grave mound became dazed and confused once again.

Li Zhuiyuan: "When I was really traveling across the river, I could use any available resources as long as there was a need, without having to worry about anything. But the current situation is different."

When you collectively control them, you will inevitably leave some traces. These traces may cause some of them to undergo new changes, and the future will be uncertain because of us. When we leave, we will have to clean up the mess.

They are all souls about to dissipate; let them rest in peace.

Of course, this act of kindness should only be undertaken when you are certain you have complete control of the situation; it is not a rigid dogma.

Ah Li nodded.

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at the two generals whose strength had increased or decreased:

"Only the evil spirits will be slain, and the rest will rest in peace."

"As ordered!"

"As ordered!"

The two generals, one armed and the other wounded, charged forward.

First, kill the red-clad female demon, then deal with the corpse fetus at the top.

There's nothing more to see here. If a former high-ranking official can't even handle this unruly character, then the leadership of the Generals might as well disband as soon as possible.

Li Zhuiyuan took A Li's hand, walked down from the rooftop, and returned to the room.

"Go to sleep, we still have to travel all day tomorrow."

The two lay down on their respective beds.

Outside, the sounds of wailing and shouting filled the air.

Ah Li seemed to have found a familiar environment and quickly fell asleep.

Li Zhuiyuan blocked out his related senses and also fell asleep.

Its daybreak.

The sunshine this morning was even brighter, and the air that rushed in when I opened the window was even fresher.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and took back the three decks of metal playing cards that were stacked on the windowsill.

After killing the ghosts last night, the two generals, Zeng and Sun, didn't dare to knock on the door or open the window, and just silently piled up here.

After washing up, Li Zhuiyuan helped A Li comb her hair.

After taking a shower last night, Ah Li changed into the Liu family's green training clothes, which, combined with her hairstyle, gave her a light and graceful look.

If one were to wear the Qin family's red training uniform, one would appear dignified and reserved.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Ali, do you think Grandma Liu was wearing this dress when Grandpa Qin first met her?"

Ah Li shook her head.

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's true. Grandma Liu certainly wouldn't have been so disciplined when she was young, wearing the family's training clothes."

Liu Changping appeared at the window, carrying steamed buns, soy milk, and fried dough sticks:

"I bought breakfast, would you like some?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you."

The boy didn't refuse and reached out to take it.

Liu Changping: "I'll get food for lunch and dinner and bring it back to the car to eat, so no one will disturb the little girl."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay."

Liu Changping: "Okay, you guys eat first, I'll wait for you in the car downstairs."

After breakfast, I packed my things, slung my bag over my shoulder, and left the room.

As you pass through the corridor, you can see Liu Changping sitting in a taxi downstairs. He has a cigarette in his mouth and is trying to light it, but he can't seem to get the lighter to work.

Liu Changping shook the lighter, thinking it was malfunctioning, unaware that a ghost was sitting in the passenger seat.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li came downstairs and walked over. Liu Changping also got out of the car to greet them and was about to help take their bags. He casually tapped the lighter that he thought was broken, but unexpectedly, the lighter suddenly sprang to life after they were out of the range of the ghost messengers.

"Oh ho ho... hiss hiss hiss!"

Liu Changping threw the lighter away, not daring to ask for it back.

The ghost messenger got off the carriage and knelt on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Get in the car."

Liu Changping: "Okay, let's continue on our way."

The taxi drove off.

Liu Changping: "It feels colder the further inland you go."

Li Zhuiyuan: "A little."

The ghost messenger sat next to him, and Liu Changping kept the passenger window open for ventilation. This meant that the wind blew past the ghost messenger before reaching him, making it even more effective than air conditioning.

Li Zhuiyuan took out a talisman and stuck it on the back of Liu Changping's chair.

Liu Changping: "Once the sun comes out, it won't be cold anymore."

At noon, they arrived at a service area, and Liu Changping got out of the car to buy a boxed lunch.

Li Zhuiyuan closed the book in his hand and asked:

"What's your name?"

The ghost opened his mouth, making obscure sounds. All that could be seen was his lips moving, but it was impossible to understand what he was saying.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and pointed at the ghost messenger.

The ghost's body stiffened, and his voice became clearer:
"Young Master, my name is Zhang Li."

"Why are you still following me?"

Zhang Li pulled out a scroll, then two scrolls, then three scrolls... He pulled out a whole stack of them, all bright yellow.

With a flick of his finger, Li Zhuiyuan revealed the first scroll, which should describe the summoning of the corpse fetus from last night.

The next scroll contains stories of those who were conscripted and who obstructed the journey from here to Fengdu.

Two of the locations had already held the event that morning, probably because Zhang Li didn't attend the reading.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Who gave it to you?"

Zhang Li: "It was relayed from my superior."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your job is to follow me around and cause me trouble?"

Zhang Li: "I, a lowly person, know my crime."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Those recruited and employed were all miscellaneous individuals."

Rather than letting these wandering ghosts and grass-headed kings stop him, it would be more accurate to say that they were dumping all the unsavory things along the way on him and getting rid of them all at once.

It can both annoy people, delay my journey to Fengdu, and test the purpose of my trip.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You just got into my car like that, aren't you afraid of a miserable end when you return to the underworld?"

Zhang Li: "My life belongs to the young lord."

He had no choice; being sent out to carry out this task meant he was already being used as a sacrifice by his superiors.

They were quite clever, knowing to steel themselves and get back on board at this point.

However, his ship was far too small. The ghost officials were only unwilling to get involved in the internal conflict between him and the emperor, but they would definitely not switch sides to his ship.

First, a county magistrate is never as powerful as a local official. Second, unlike the princelings in the secular world who can be bet on in advance for the future, this emperor has been around for two thousand years. Who knows when he will die?
Therefore, unless the Emperor himself is removed from hell, anyone who dares to be truly determined to become a princeling will be dealt with soon.

Although they won't go to extremes for their own sake, like directly causing someone's death, they will still suffer all sorts of petty harassment, oppression, and bullying. The princelings can only suffer in a hell within a hell.

Unless they can one day replace the emperor and rule Fengdu, they will never have a chance to rise in the world.

However, things still need to be done. Calculating the distance, we are getting closer and closer to Fengdu. I should also give my "master" a clearer purpose to show, so that my "master" can have more time to weigh and consider.

We still need princelings.

Even if those corrupt officials avoid him like the plague and no one dares to touch him, it doesn't matter. He is the "Crown Prince," and who the Crown Prince's faction is is entirely up to him.
Liu Changping bought four boxed meals and came back.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li each had a serving and ate in the car.

Liu Changping ate standing outside the car, with the food placed on the hood of the engine. He ate two portions by himself.

Zhang Li stood beside him, taking deep breaths while looking at another boxed lunch that was placed there.

After Liu Changping finished his portion, he picked up the second one, but after taking a couple of bites, he slowed down his chewing.

I rummaged through the food in the lunchbox with my chopsticks, then slowly chewed and tasted it. It hadn't gone bad, and they hadn't forgotten to add salt. It was the same dish as the first one. Why was the second one so unpalatable?
After thinking it over, Liu Changping came to the conclusion that he was probably already full.

After the meal, the taxi continued on its way.

Liu Changping: "Brother Xiaoyuan, how long are you going to stay in Fengdu?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "After you drop us off in Fengdu, you can drive back to Jinling yourself."

Liu Changping: "Huh? You don't need me to take you back?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, we can take a plane back."

Liu Changping: "No rush. You'll need a car in Fengdu, and you'll also need a car to get to the airport in Chongqing. I'll drop you off at the airport and then drive back to Nanjing myself."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's not appropriate."

Liu Changping: "Brother Xiaoyuan, I'll say something inappropriate, but you two are so young, I'm a little worried about you two being out there, although I know that my worries are a bit unnecessary."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you."

Liu Changping smiled happily, knowing that the boy had tacitly accepted the arrangement.

When they were about to reach a bend in the road, Li Zhuiyuan signaled to Liu Changping to stop the car there.

Here, halfway up the mountain, there is a platform that flares outwards, with a valley below.

Li Zhuiyuan walked a distance further to the edge of the platform, making himself out of Liu Changping's sight.

Then, the boy took out the sacrificial offerings from his backpack.

A simple small table is set up, and after the sealing film is torn off, wine, offerings, white wax paper money, and everything else are ready.

When the candle came into contact with air, it ignited on its own, along with the paper money that had been placed in the groove beforehand.

Zhang Li stood to the side, staring wide-eyed.

This kind of prefabricated supply, which takes formalism to such an extreme,

It was his first time seeing it.

Li Zhuiyuan threw a piece of paper money with his own writing on it into the small brazier inside the offering table.

Runsheng needs to burn offerings at night to contact Yinmeng because at night, yang is weak and yin is strong, which can ensure that Runsheng, who doesn't even know how to travel to the underworld, can successfully burn offerings.

Li Zhuiyuan was naturally not subject to such restrictions.

By now, Yin Meng in hell should have received the "letter" he burned.

Li Zhuiyuan put away the disposable offering table, pointed to the ground, and said to Zhang Li:
"At this very moment, one day from now, you will read aloud from here, and then read it in the order of the scrolls in your hand, one section at a time, without missing any. The places you read will be taken care of by others."

"Yes!"

"After you finish reading it, go back the way you came and see if there are any issues that haven't been resolved, and make a record of them."

"The villain understands!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Get things done well, and don't make any mistakes."

"Please rest assured, young lord, I will do my utmost and will not hinder your important matters!"

"Once this is done, I can transfer you out of the underworld and have you stationed in Nantong."

Zhang Li knelt down, extremely excited, and said:

"Thank you for your guidance, young master!"

He wasn't stupid; he knew that being transferred out of the underworld meant escaping the sea of ​​suffering and receiving the protection of the young lord.

At the entrance to the village road, Li Zhuiyuan had just built a pavilion to shelter from the rain. The young man planned to have Zhang Li erect a monument under that pavilion as a servant.

In the future, if anything happens, there will be a messenger between me and my "master" who can run errands, making things convenient for both of us.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I'm a little curious, how did you end up like this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Li was completely stunned.

He realized that Shaojun had noticed his deep-seated thoughts.

It was easy to realize; Li Zhuiyuan initially identified Zhang Li as another White Crane Boy.

However, the reason why Baihe Tongzi was ostracized and pushed from the most senior to the bottom was due to the historical process of the expansion of the Bodhisattva's official position, but it was also inseparable from Baihe Tongzi's personal efforts in the opposite direction.

Zhang Li was different. His decisiveness on several occasions demonstrated his strong will. Last night, he could have left after reading to the corpse fetus, but he chose to watch from next to the hotel, as if he was afraid of being discovered.

Zhang Li first straightened his uniform and adjusted his hat before replying:

"Zhang Li, it's better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I don't mind people around me having ambition, but I don't like being faked. This will not happen again."

"I will obey the young lord's decree!"

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li walked towards the taxi. Halfway there, the mobile phone in their bag rang.

Ah Li helped take out the mobile phone and handed it to Li Zhuiyuan.

"Hey, you surnamed Li, I've arrived in Gansu!"

Haha, you really should come here. Seriously, driving here gives you a sense of grandeur and magnificence, like traveling through the long river of history!
By the way, you've arrived in Fengdu, right?

"not yet."

"Are we almost there?"

“There’s still some distance to go.”

Do you eat three meals a day regularly and have stable sleep patterns?

"Ah."

"I've been on the road for so long, I haven't dared to stop for a single moment!"

"Hard."

"You, surnamed Li, really deserve to go to hell."

"I will."

"After you go down there, please check on my family and tell them that I hope they can live a life of filial piety, just like they treat the remains of their ancestors."

“You’re too extreme.”

“Hey Li, you’re not Zhao, so you don’t understand the anger I felt when I saw the lamps lit on my ancestor’s skull. They’re a bunch of beasts, no, they’re worse than beasts.”

“They are still your family, after all. I will try my best to help them out for your sake.”

……

Fengdu Hell.

Holding a piece of paper covered in writing, Yin Meng walked out of the main hall and arrived at the edge of the highest level of hell where she was located.

She leaned forward, looking at the paper in her hand as she shouted loudly down below:

"The Young Lord of Fengdu has decreed: Ghosts in the mortal realm are causing harm, and he has specially summoned loyal and trustworthy individuals to go to the mortal realm to restore the order between Yin and Yang."

The following ghost officials, upon receiving the summons, shall obey:

Zhao Xuanhe, Zhao Qingfeng, Zhao Huaien, Zhao Minzhi, Zhao Ruilang…

(End of this chapter)