The Path to Immortality Begins with the Life-Extending Lamp

Chapter 53 The First Wave of Cleansing

Upon seeing the old master, Li Qing, who was leaning idly against the paper sedan chair, suddenly stopped, looking rather bewildered, as if he had been caught red-handed.

Li Qing lifted the sedan chair curtain, stepped down from the paper sedan chair, and immediately bowed to Yin Zu. A bad premonition immediately came to her mind.

He didn't think that "Candle" would do anything to alarm the patriarch. Even if it rampaged through the outskirts of Liuhuangzhou, how much destructive power could a small young dragon have? At most, it would only alarm a red-robed true disciple at the upper level of Qi Refining!

Is it... the Demon Mother?

Li Qing knew perfectly well that once the Ghost Mother lost control, all living beings around her would be attacked. After he fainted that day, no one stopped her; wouldn't the hundreds of residents in the market have been affected?
What kind of consequences could have caused to alarm Yin Zu and make him appear?
"You pay your respects to the Ancestral Master!"

Stepping forward, Li Qing bowed with her hands clasped in greeting, her heart feeling as cold as the dead of winter.

If I were to activate the Netherworld Ghost Register on the Book of the Underworld right now, would it be faster for me to disappear into the Netherworld, or would Yin Zu's Yin spirit magic be superior?
Such a thought couldn't help but cross Li Qing's mind.

However, before Li Qing could even risk his life, Yin Zu spoke up!

"Forty-six days have passed. Have you been in that underworld for forty-six days?"

"Five years ago, the head of the four academies performed a midnight prayer for you, and I personally lit a seven-star lamp for you. Even if you were to fall into the underworld, the ghostly aura of the netherworld could not harm you..."

Yin Zu listed the backup plans that the various sects of Tiannan had made for Li Qing. These were trump cards that even Li Qing himself did not know about. The Seven Star Lamp was still on Lin Yuan Immortal Peak, enshrined in the Ancestral Master's Inner Hall along with the soul lamps of the various Purple Mansions, and was nourished by Yin Zu's Yin spirit every day.

"You're so badly injured?"

Before he could finish speaking, Yin Zu's expression suddenly changed drastically. In the next instant, he suddenly appeared in front of Li Qing, touched his wrist with his fingers, and immediately grabbed Li Qing's left hand, examining the hideous ghost spine that coexisted with Li Qing's body.

What a monstrous White Bone Demon!

He and his companions focused their attention on the demonic mountain in the southwest, and in the blink of an eye, the White Bone Daoist Ghost Daoist dared to run rampant across the two prefectures.
As I probed Li Qing's pulse with my fingertips, I found that his ghost pulse was even stronger, narrow and sensitive, and his vital energy had changed... Li Qing, did he actually lose his great dragon spine and only recover after having a ghost spine replaced in the underworld?
No wonder it took so long to come back!

Yin Zu's anger grew stronger. This Li Qing was a relative of his who had taken a great risk to single-handedly withstand the ghostly calamity of the Cui family that was ravaging Guihua Mansion in Jiangnan, and was specially sent to Tiannan Temple as a "rough gem".

In his plan, this is a promising future talent, one of the most popular candidates to settle in Lin Yuan Immortal Peak...

"Are you alright?"

The old master didn't blame Li Qing. After taking his pulse, he had a general understanding of the situation. He smiled, patted Li Qing's left shoulder, and then gently asked Li Qing how he felt.

This sudden concern made Li Qing feel extremely uncomfortable.

The patriarch, who seemed like a towering white jade pillar, suddenly lowered his gaze, and he felt an instant pressure.

He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect again and said, "All is well!"

The patriarch was reverent, the disciples were obedient, and the whole scene seemed harmonious. However, some of the Huangzhou officials standing by the roadside not far away felt uncomfortable.

"While the young master is well, the more than 18,000 people in Liuhuang Prefecture are in no better shape!"

On one side of the bluestone, a high-ranking official in a red robe clasped his hands and chuckled, but his words were full of resentment.

"Master Yin! Back then, when Guihua Prefecture in Jiangnan was plagued by ghosts, it was Prefect Yin who stepped in to protect it, sealing off the vengeful spirits and attracting them from the southwest..."

"No one has spoken of the troubles that occurred along the way back then. Prefect Yin is of a high and important position, and he can bear the consequences! But I, Zhao, cannot bear such a great disaster as Liu Huangzhou."

"Wouldn't it be necessary for Elder Master Yin to handle the whole matter from beginning to end?"

The western part of the city had always been the residence of the city's nobles. When the Demon Mother descended upon the world, she instantly twisted the many markets and neighborhoods into a ghostly realm, where her wives, concubines, and children were also present...

The prefect couldn't tolerate it, and neither could the officials and nobles of all ranks in the prefecture!
Behind the prefect were the vice-prefect, the deputy prefect, and other officials from all levels of the prefecture. However, none of them dared to be the first to speak out, as they neither wanted to take responsibility nor offend Tiannan Temple. They simply stood silently to the side.

Yin Zu remained silent, while Li Qing stood by with his hands hanging down. Upon hearing this, his brows twitched even more.

More than 18,000 people were robbed?

This……

How could this be? Even if the Demon Mother was somewhat out of control, how could it be so shocking?
For a moment, Li Qing was in a state of utter confusion, her throat bulged slightly, but she could no longer utter a word!
He didn't know how the temple would treat him—would they make him take responsibility? Or...?

“Alright! Tiannan Temple and Baigudao will handle the rest of this matter.”

"However, let's first bind the Prefect Liu, the Vice Prefect, and the Assistant Prefect of Huang and send them to the capital prison."

Yin Zu nodded slowly, his powerful voice immediately finishing the sentence. However, he raised his right hand, and a surge of magical intent sealed the spiritual power of the several Purple Mansion and Child Scholars.

"Guihua Prefecture was also afflicted by the Ghost Mother. The Six Directions Purple Mansion and the Zishi joined forces to suppress it, but only about thirty people died that year." "Liuhuang Prefecture is the number one prefecture in Tiannan. It has three or four Purple Mansion and Zishi combined. Have you made any preparations? As for that White Bone Daoist, have you taken any action to stop him?"

"People say that scholars from Jiangnan are fond of extravagance, enjoying fine wine and luminous lamps on the Qinhuai River. But at least they can step up when trouble comes their way. What about you?"

"Take him to the capital and let Governor Wei thoroughly assess the case and determine the appropriate sentence!"

These numerous high-ranking officials and scholars, wielding great power and influence, were all left unchecked throughout the entire journey. With the Ghost Mother's Netherworld unchecked, what was the prefect's purpose in studying poetry, literature, and music?

The White Bone Daoist's army approached the city, and the various Purple Mansions didn't even dare to climb the clouds and fight.

It seems that Lanfeng Prefecture doesn't even have a Purple Mansion Daoist. The only person who is a Zishi is the prefect of Lanfeng Prefecture, along with an old sorcerer who practices the art of quick swords. They have encountered ghostly calamities and demonic disturbances at the Purple Mansion level before, and they are still able to handle all kinds of situations with resourcefulness and without worry!

Has this prestigious first prefecture in the south been at peace for too long?

Yin Zuhan glanced at them, and all the officials, high and low, instantly knelt on the ground, daring not to speak again. Only two or three sorcerers from the sorcerer's residence came forward, bowed, and said:
"Old Master, now that the Prefect, Vice Prefect, and Assistant Prefect have all been imprisoned, who will protect the affairs of Liuhuang Prefecture?"

These are three independent cultivators at the upper level of Qi Refining, one Gu Master, and two Taoists, all of whom have cultivated protective divine light.

really.

"The prefect is imprisoned, so let the assistant prefect fill in. The sub-prefect and the vice-prefect are gone, so the three of you will temporarily take their place. Lanfeng Prefecture in the south will send officials to assist you..."

The old master flicked his sleeve, and in the next instant, the entire road seemed to be suddenly widened, and the world was turned upside down, as if the heavens and earth had been reversed. Even the exclamations of the crowd were swallowed up by the ripples in the void.

After only a few breaths, the strange phenomena in the void subsided. The old master, the ghostly gentleman, the paper sedan chair, and the dragon disappeared without a trace. And on both sides of the road, not even the flowers, grass, or ants were damaged.

A world of wonders lies hidden within a sleeve; time stretches endlessly within a pot.

This is one of the most powerful magical abilities of Tiannan Temple: the Heavenly Sun and Moon in a Pot!
The prefect of Liuhuang Prefecture dared to question the guilty, but little did he know he was walking into a trap. Three of the prefecture's top officials were imprisoned at the same time. Fortunately, the head of the Hanlin Academy did not come...

"My lords, please!"

The assistant prefect and several sorcerers exchanged glances, their hearts pounding uncontrollably.

The chief officials of this prefecture have always been appointed by the prefectural governor. Today, the three chief officials have been dismissed, and the old master of Tiannan Temple personally selected the troops.

The Nan governor's office would never refuse Yin Zhenren's request. If they could pull some strings, the "Dai" in his titles of acting prefect, acting vice-prefect, and acting vice-governor might be removed.

The fact that the chief officials of these three prefectures were all able to achieve the highest rank is truly a great stroke of luck bestowed by Heaven!
These men, however, remained outwardly respectful, bowing and inviting the three officials to proceed to the capital. Their faces showed no disrespect whatsoever, but what they truly thought was another matter entirely.

The Tiannan Temple naturally bears responsibility for the disaster that claimed the lives of nearly 20,000 people in the prefecture, and even the Dan Shu Yin family in Jiangnan Circuit, who vouched for Li Qing, will be held accountable.

The Yin God Ancestor of the White Bone Path, and the White Bone Lady who was worshipped there, were puzzled upon receiving the news. After the reason behind it was revealed, their expressions changed drastically, and they cursed as they headed south.

"That bastard, that mongrel!"

“Lady White Bone, I said three hundred years ago that if you want to accept the Southern Kingdom’s decree and recruit disciples to establish a temple, the first thing you need to do is to get these wolf cubs to hand over a wisp of their souls. You refuse on one hand and on the other, saying that this is the behavior of a demonic sect.”

"now what?"

From the vast, rolling dark clouds emanating from Lingnan Prefecture, a burly man with a thick beard, clad in pale bone armor, glared fiercely and spoke with extreme rage, leaving even the White Bone Lady, who was also on the dark clouds, speechless.

Only the skeletons behind the two purple palaces turned pale upon hearing this. Which cultivator would willingly give up a wisp of their soul to be controlled by someone else, losing control of their own life and death?
Besides, this old ancestor of the souls is no good person to begin with. He likes to beat and scold his disciples. I'm afraid that one day, if he's in a bad mood, he might just extinguish their souls...

The Taoists in the White Bone Mountain Sect all wished they could skin that ghost Taoist and tear him apart.

"Hmph, whatever you want!"

The White Bone Lady beside him, her face also filled with unquenchable anger, stopped arguing and let him be.

Evil people need evil to be punished. If the rules of the Lingnan ghost path are not cleaned up and more such things happen, what kind of karma will these two old ancestors have to pay with their lives?
Let's not even mention the White Bone Road that's still on its way.

With such a calamity, the top officials of Liuhuang Prefecture should be the first to be purged!
The scholar in the Hanlin Academy who specialized in calligraphy and etiquette had long foreseen the outcome, which is why he severed ties with them.

"It's a bit of a pity, Prefect Lan. It seems you've only been in the prefecture for about half a year, haven't you?"

"What bad luck! The Lan family of Tiannan was once incredibly powerful in the capital, but now that they've been afflicted with such a disaster, their lives are no longer in their own hands!"

Seeing that the three officials had been bound by magic and shackled, they were immediately invited into carriages and sent to the capital.

The head of the Hanlin Pavilion stood by the city wall, gazing at the carriages and horses, and sighed deeply!
You all, if you had been less calculating and scheming back then, what would have happened if you had become the scapegoat?
You are the true officials in charge of this state!

(End of this chapter)