I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 316 Born at the wrong time, enemies meet on a narrow road

Xu Qing did not lie to Zuo Zixiong after all.

There is indeed a person in Yinhe who has a long-standing feud with the current emperor. If Zuo Zixiong can subdue him today, the Great Yong dynasty might be able to prolong its existence for a few more years.

Unfortunately, Zuo Zixiong did not seize this last opportunity to confront Tianjin's biggest 'rebel'.

Otherwise, there might be another corpse inside the Bone Temple today.

Xu Qing had anticipated this; a man of such integrity would never easily lay a hand on a friend or someone who had been kind to him.

Even knowing that the other party might be hostile to the court he was loyal to, Zuo Zixiong would not choose to resort to violence until the very last moment.

"A fine steed and a capable general, perhaps the most painful thing is being born at the wrong time."

Xu Qing manipulated the paper figures to bury the coffin containing Zuo Zixiong's remains in the desolate tomb where the coffin for the deceased was located.

From this moment on, Zuo Zixiong was essentially withdrawing from the game of Yinhe, or rather, avoiding the crushing force of history.

As for when the forgetful Master Xu will suddenly remember the coffin, and what kind of feelings he will have when General Yongchao inside the coffin sees the light of day again, that remains to be seen.
In the days that followed, Xu Qing cultivated step by step. Every day, besides following the lone skeleton ghost soldiers, he would go to the Eight Banners Marshal's camp to act as a military doctor.

He was called a military doctor, but he was really just a scavenger who collected the remains of soldiers.

Those skeleton soldiers didn't have headaches or fevers, so even if their arms and legs were broken, they wouldn't feel any pain. However, with Xu Qing, the corpse collector, joining the army, the morale of the entire force clearly improved significantly.

The reason was simple: Xu Qing's promise to "bring their remains back to the mortal world and bury them in the soil of this world."

Fallen leaves return to their roots, and old people return to their hometowns.

Compared to the Yin River, the mortal world is the hometown of these soldiers.

With Xu Qing's promise, every soldier led by the Eight Banners Marshal was ready to die for their cause.

King Yinshi had never seen a desolate dynasty exude such a chilling morale!
Meanwhile, the instigator, Master Xu, was diligently cleaning and preparing the remains of those skeletons in the rear.

When he has a spare moment, Xu Qing will also turn his attention to the Dry Bone Inn.

Recently, a new paper offering shop has appeared in the Ghost Market of the Bone Station. This shop not only accepts the corpses of skeleton ghosts, but also the corpses of zombies and dead people.

No one knows who the real owner of this new shop is, and the waiters and waitresses who greet customers are always just a few paper figures with smiling faces drawn on them with cinnabar ink.

The paper figures didn't speak, just kept a fixed smiling face. Whenever a ghost asked what the shop sold, the paper figure would take out a palm-sized conch shell.

The conch shell is quite amazing; it can make calls that sound like human speech. It can not only clearly explain the buying and selling business in the shop, but also act as the mouth of a paper figure, choosing appropriate words to answer people.

However, the shop's opening time, like its origin, is shrouded in mystery.

Sometimes the shop is closed for three to five days, while other times it stays open for several days in a row.

The paper figures used this paper shop as a mobile stall. Whenever they planned to close down, the paper figures would fold up the paper shop and, like carrying a coffin in a funeral procession, leave the Bone Station with the corpse wrapped in paper.

Horses gallop past the window, seasons flow by.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, during which time Jinluan counted the days by pecking at grains of rice.

Xu Qing had said when he came that he would return to the secular world in a year at the shortest and three to five years at the longest.

Jinluan had gathered a handful of rice grains in the corner of the paper sedan chair. Today, on a whim, it pecked at the glutinous rice grains one by one and counted them. When it counted to three hundred, Jinluan excitedly ran to Xu Qing and gestured.

For more than half a year in the Yin River, it didn't eat a single worm. It was practically like being in prison. Jinluan felt that it had become thin from hunger!
However, after hearing Jinji's words, Xu Qing retorted, "The Yin River has no sun or moon, how did you calculate that three hundred days have passed?"

The golden phoenix speaks of intuition, an innate instinct, much like knowing when to crow each day.

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and said, "Can a crowing in the mortal world be the same as a crowing in the underworld? The sky here remains unchanged all year round, how do you know that your biological clock isn't messed up?"

Jinluan stammered and couldn't answer, but Xu Qing spoke up at the right moment: "You're just a chicken, you don't even have a calendar, how could you possibly calculate it? Compared to monsters, humans are the best at calculating days. Don't worry, I've memorized all the dates!"

Jinluan asked, "How long have we been at the Yin River?"

Xu Qing replied, "Thirty days, exactly one month."

"."

Jinluan was silent for a moment, then asked, "How much food did you bring?"

"Not much, less than 100,000 shi. Don't worry, we at Cat Fairy Hall never let our employees go hungry."

After Xu Qing finished speaking, Jin Luan looked at the endless grains in the rice bag inside the paper sedan chair and remained silent for a long time.

At this moment, it finally understood what it meant for humans to say that time dragged on endlessly.

Meanwhile, in the Ghost King's Tomb, which resembles a refugee slum, there also lives a Ghost King whose days are filled with unbearable hardship.

Ever since the royal tomb was taken, pot and all, the Ghost King Duo'e became a powerless emperor, living in utter despair.

The Ghost King's Mausoleum was originally built by skilled craftsmen at great expense of manpower and resources. Even though the Ghost King Duo'e wanted to repair and rebuild the mausoleum, he did not know how to begin.

Not to mention, he doesn't even have a single subject he can control!
No, it's not that there wasn't one. Not long after the Ghost King's Tomb was destroyed, the Ghost King Duo'e managed to find a surviving eunuch in the ruins of the royal tomb.

But what use is there in having only one eunuch ghost soldier left?
It would have been better without any attendant eunuchs, but having a thin, frail eunuch who looked like he would fall apart in the wind only made the old age of the Demon King of Calamity seem even more desolate.

But since they were his own people, the Ghost King couldn't be without any ghost soldiers by his side. After some thought, the Ghost King Duo'e decided to make that eunuch his only retainer, who followed him around all day, from court to court.

The ruler and his minister depended on each other for survival, and they managed to get by.

However, the Ghost King Duo'e still remembered the hatred of his family's destruction and his country's ruin. The burly Ghost King often sat on the grave mound, gazing at his family's mausoleum.

The thin, ghostly eunuch followed behind him, his skeletal frame huddled in the eerie wind.

The Demon King Duo'e was depressed and spent his days staring with his bright green ghostly eyes, trying to find the enemy who had destroyed his foundation.

Unfortunately, his enemies were treacherous and cunning, always hiding their true intentions. The Ghost King wandered around for half a year, but couldn't find even a single suspicious hair.

The Ghost King was anxious and afraid!

He was used to being an emperor. If he had no subordinates and lived in a poor, desolate place, it would not only be a loss of face if word got out, but more importantly, it would not be in line with his status.

The Ghost King Doe pondered something. He felt he couldn't continue like this. The search for his enemies could be put on hold for now, but the reconstruction of the royal tomb had to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

"Little Shunzi, I promised the Tianxin Sect that as long as I take Zuo Zixiong's head, the Tianxin Sect will offer up thousands of ghost soldiers for me to regroup."

"That Zuo Zixiong is a living person. If he wants to obtain grains and food, he will have to go to the Ghost Market to trade with mortal cultivators. The Dry Bone Station is the only way to get there!"

"I wish to bestow a great responsibility upon you, my dear minister. Are you willing to accept it?"

The eunuch known as Xiao Shunzi was an eighth-rank palace attendant when he was alive. Although his position was not high, his ability to read people's expressions and avoid danger was by no means low.

Upon hearing this, he knew that the Ghost King intended to entrust him with the task of capturing Zuo Zixiong. Xiao Shunzi dared not accept this life-threatening mission. He immediately knelt before the Ghost King, his skull banging loudly as he kowtowed, his voice trembling with sobs, "Your Majesty, please reconsider! How can this servant leave Your Majesty's side even for a moment! If this servant leaves, who will serve Your Majesty faithfully?"

The Ghost King Duo'e said in a deep voice, "I don't need your service. Finding out where Zuo Zixiong is is more important than anything else. This is something only you can do!"

Xiao Shunzi knelt for a long time, saying, "This servant is timid and cowardly. When I was alive, I was just a servant, and I haven't changed my courage even after death. How could I be suited to gather military intelligence? I beg Your Majesty to rescind your order and send more, send more..."

Xiao Shunzi looked around at the empty ruins of the royal tomb. Apart from broken stones and steles, what other ghosts could he send?
"My mind is made up! The journey to the Dry Bones Post Station is an opportunity for the reconstruction of the nation. How dare you, a mere eunuch, disobey my decree?"

Finally, the Ghost King Duo'e said in a gentler tone, "My kingdom is in imminent danger, and it can be said that we have reached the most critical moment. If you are willing to make great contributions to me, you will become a national hero in the future, and I will never treat you unfairly at that time."

After a barrage of threats and a treat, Xiao Shunzi finally agreed.

The Demon King Duo'e was greatly pleased and immediately waved his hand, issuing a verbal decree:
"I have been appointed by Heaven to rule the country. At this time of national crisis and turmoil in the court, I have specially appointed the eunuch Li Shunying to take charge of the key affairs."

"That is, to appoint an imperial envoy to tour the country on behalf of the emperor and investigate the private affairs of all officials."

"Furthermore, he is granted the additional post of General in charge of state affairs, participating in the decision-making of military and national affairs, and is under the command of the Six Ministries and Three Departments. He is also promoted to General Who Conquers the North, in charge of military forces, and responsible for guarding the borders."

"Although you come from humble origins, your loyalty and diligence in serving the country surpass those of nobles. If you can preserve the nation and restore order to the land, I will reward you with a great fiefdom. But what if something goes wrong?"

The Demon King Duo'e turned around, his back to Li Shunying, and remained silent.

Despite her deep reluctance, Li Shunying had no choice but to accept the imperial decree and, alone and trembling, hurried towards the Dry Bone Post Station.

After the Ghost King's Mausoleum fell into complete silence, the Ghost King Duo'e turned and looked in the direction where Li Shunying had left, his eyes flashing with ghostly fire.

Although he was the Ghost King, he was always cautious and prudent. The place of Dry Bones Station had been an ominous place since ancient times, not to mention the prophecy left by the Ghost Master.

But now.
"If I do not personally lead the expedition, do I have any other options?"

Gazing at the ruins of the royal tomb, now devoid of even a ghost, and the chasm stretching thirty miles across, the Ghost King Duo'e remained silent for a long time.

Kuguyi.

Li Shunying hunched her neck and strolled along the street, searching for ghosts and asking around. However, the ghosts she encountered were either greedy and stingy, or lying ghosts who never told the truth.

“Zuo Zixiong, I know this guy well! Isn’t he my uncle? Give me some benefits and I’ll tell you where he is.”

"You mean Miss Zuo? She doesn't have any of my family's features. Why don't you have some fun with me, young man? Hmm? Why don't you know how to do that?"
Turns out he was a dead eunuch, what a waste of my time!

Li Shunying stumbled and staggered among the ghostly figures coming and going, but none of them took his immense power seriously.

The young eunuch, swaying and staggering, somehow ended up in a corpse-collecting shop run by paper figures.

Li Shunying glanced at the sign and saw that it read in black and white that they collected skeletons, zombies, and all sorts of dead people.

Skeleton Ghost?
Li Shunying looked down at herself and saw that it was him.

While the young eunuch was lost in thought, the paper figure in the shop hurriedly took out the sound picker and came forward with its unchanging signature smile.

"Sir, do you wish to sell yourself to bury yourself, or bury yourself by selling yourself?"

"."

Is there a difference between the two?
Li Shunying was dazed and confused when the enthusiastic paper effigy pulled her into the shop, where she was then bombarded with the shop's signature sales pitches recorded in the sound-collecting conch shell.

Li Shunying felt that if she didn't lie in a coffin and sleep forever, she would be letting down her parents who raised her.

However, he always remembered the task the Ghost King had given him.

"Shopkeeper, we need to ask you about someone."

Not far from the Dry Bone Inn, Xu Qing, who was controlling the paper dolls to run the shop, suddenly had an idea.

Great! Who would have thought that there would be some survivors who slipped through the net and delivered themselves to our doorstep from the Ghost King's Tomb!

Here, after Li Shunying inquired about Zuo Zixiong's whereabouts, the paper figure remained silent for a long time, and the sound-collecting conch shell only repeated one sentence:

"Please wait a moment, sir. Please wait a moment."

It looked like a mechanical puppet that had jammed.

Li Shunying felt uneasy, as if the place where the body was collected was somewhat eerie and strange, as if there were 'evil spirits' floating around.
Could this be a brothel?

Just as Li Shunying was having second thoughts and was about to slip away, a paper sedan chair carried by paper figures of Chuling suddenly appeared outside the paper shop.

When the sedan curtain was opened, a fair-skinned young man with a warm smile walked into the shop.

"Sir, please don't leave yet. This business can be discussed slowly."

While trying to get information out of Li Shunying, Xu Qing introduced her to the business of his shop, but refused to mention Zuo Zixiong.

Li Shunying was initially quite anxious, but as Xu Qing used the "Bai Kou Tian Xian" method to explain the business of "selling oneself for burial," he became quite engrossed in it.

"Although you are not perfect, sir, our shop has ways to make up for it. Please take a look—"

Xu Qing took out a piece of black paper, and with swift, flying fingers, he soon drew out a ferocious, gigantic creature.

"How about it? The chance to die with a whole corpse is not many. If you agree, then lie down in the coffin and leave the rest to me."

Influenced by Bai Kou Tianxian, and with her own obsession with preserving her whole corpse, Li Shunying actually listened to the pale-faced youth's words. She not only gave him all the Yin Bao Ling Xiang that the Ghost King had used to gather military intelligence, but also bowed deeply and thanked him repeatedly.

In the paper craft shop, Xu Qing finished arranging Li Shunying's remains and thought to himself, "That's clean."

Without these eunuch ghost soldiers, the Ghost King's Mausoleum has completely fallen apart.

"Next, it's time to meet up with my old neighbors."

Over the past six months, Xu Qing has refined nine of the twelve bones that were not yet refined, leaving only three of the most important main bones on his body that have not been fully refined.

The three most crucial bones in the human body are the Heavenly Pillar, the Yellow Court, and the North Sea.

These three points represent the human spine, skull, and sacrum, respectively.

Among them, the Heavenly Pillar leads to the Netherworld Palace, the Yellow Court guards the Jade Capital, and the Northern Sea hides the Mysterious Female.
Now that Xu Qing wants to go further, ordinary yin energy from skeletons can no longer satisfy him. Only beings like the Ghost King of Duo'e, whose yin energy can reach the Netherworld, can help him open the Heavenly Pillar Spine.

"The Demon King Duo'e has a thousand years of cultivation. Although he couldn't survive the natural disaster, he is by no means an ordinary person. If possible, we could ask the Eight Banners Marshals to provide backup and prevent him from escaping."

Here, Xu Qing controlled the paper doll to pack up the paper shop. Just as he walked out of the ghost market and was about to return to the camp, a chilling ghost aura suddenly surged up from above.

Xu Qing opened the sedan curtain and looked up.

On the boundary marker between Yin and Yang at the Dry Bone Post Station, stood a massive figure wearing a crown and an ochre-yellow dragon robe.

(End of this chapter)