Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 293 "Ghost Town"

In the world before Zhang Chengdao's transmigration, Naihe had many names.

River of Oblivion, River of Three Crossings, etc.

However, some of these names were adapted by neighboring countries that were doing well, while others were born due to the introduction of Buddhism. Only "Naihe" is the original name of the "Nether River" in mythology. Even the area of ​​"Haoli" (also known as Haoli in Mount Tai), the predecessor of the underworld and the netherworld, still has a real "Naihe" today. However, this Naihe is just an ordinary river and not the river of the underworld that people imagine.

In the collection of short stories compiled by Zhang Du of the Tang Dynasty, the "Xuan Shi Zhi" mentions: "After traveling more than ten li, they came to a river, which was only a few feet wide and flowed southwest. Guan asked Xi, who said: 'This is what the locals call the Naihe River, and its source is in the underworld.' Guan looked at it and saw that the water was all blood and so foul that it was unbearable to approach."

There is also a legend that there is a bridge over the Naihe River called the "Naihe Bridge," guarded by day-roaming gods and night-roaming gods.

The Naihe River was also described in Journey to the West: "Copper snakes and iron dogs fight for food, but they will be forever trapped in the Naihe River with no way out."

However, unlike in modern fantasy works, there is no Meng Po on the Bridge of Helplessness. In ancient times—at least before the Qing Dynasty—Meng Po had a special place of work called "Taiwangtai" (醧忘台). The Jade Calendar Treasure Book (also known as the Yama Sutra) mentions that the Jade Emperor appointed Meng Po as the goddess of the underworld and built Taiwangtai. All those who were to be reincarnated had to go to Taiwangtai, drink the soup, forget their previous lives, and be reborn.

Of course, Zhang Chengdao didn't deliberately dig out a "Naihe River" to directly replicate the myths and legends of the world before he transmigrated. Although he liked to play house, he didn't have the absurd idea of ​​having the whole world play "house" with him. In essence, everything was based on practical needs.

For example, digging a river of spiritual water is the fastest way to increase the concentration of spiritual energy in the entire underworld.

Actually, digging a lake would work, but that would require too much water, and we'd probably need to make a lot more [Crane Pond Reflecting the Moon Lantern] to have enough. It's better to use a "river".

Although the "Naihe" at this time doesn't look like a river, but more like a winding stream, because the river channel is quite narrow.

Regardless, once the unfinished version of the Naihe River began to flow, coupled with the Yin-gathering array set up by He Yu, the spiritual and Yin energy in the vicinity immediately became abundant. The ghosts that were trapped together by the bronze mirror also became more solid and looked less weak.

Looking at the nascent underworld before them, Zhang Chengdao and He Yu exchanged a glance, both seeing relief and exhaustion in each other's eyes.

He Yu's tone became much more relaxed: "With this Yin Gathering Formation and the Naihe River, these souls will no longer have to worry about dissipating for at least three months."

Zhang Chengdao nodded, his gaze sweeping over the souls that had become somewhat solidified.

Nourished by abundant Yin energy, they were no longer in their initial semi-transparent and weak state, but instead showed clearer outlines. Some of the stronger souls even began to drift unconsciously, though their expressions remained quite dull.

“But this is ultimately just a stopgap measure,” Zhang Chengdao continued. “The establishment of the place of reincarnation is still urgent.”

With the current concentration of spiritual energy, it is certainly possible to let these souls dissipate naturally, which would even be of great benefit to the "spiritual energy revival" of the entire world, but... what about in the future?

As the concentration of spiritual energy increases, to the point that the souls of the dead become more and more autonomous, it will be difficult to control the world of the living from being disturbed by the souls of the dead!
Or, the most direct way, Zhang Chengdao could design a system to capture the souls of the dead and take them to the underworld, then "scatter" them or use other means to make them dissipate quickly. In this way, these souls could nourish the earth. But... why?
Why should the interests of ordinary people (or ghosts) who cannot speak out be sacrificed for the sake of "convenience"?
This is fundamentally wrong!

If we act recklessly like this, I'm afraid the entire path of cultivation in the world will eventually go astray!
Strictly speaking, under natural conditions, a person does indeed have a "deathly lifespan" after death.

Unlike the lifespan of the living, which is closely related to one's temperament and experiences and is considered relatively fixed, the lifespan of the dead is unpredictable. Some ghosts only live for a few days before disappearing, while others live for thousands of years without incident.

In some worlds, the concept of "reincarnation" is actually a punishment or reward mechanism, as it is very difficult for a normal soul to be reincarnated.

Because if all ghosts had to be reincarnated, the world would become increasingly stagnant.

The souls that are reincarnated occupy the "slots" of newborns. If this continues, as more and more souls are reincarnated, there will be no more living beings born naturally in the world. The entire world will then completely decay and "die".

Therefore, after much thought, Zhang Chengdao felt that he couldn't use the concept of "reincarnation," as it would be difficult to implement and would also affect fairness.

Why not just make everyone the same, living in the underworld after death, and naturally dissipating when their "underworld lifespan" is exhausted?

If you're not satisfied, then you can follow the path of ghost cultivation; if you cultivate well, you can become an immortal or a god.

Zhang Chengdao's idea coincided with He Yu's.

He Yu sighed: "Alas, the matter of reincarnation is far too complex, involving the very foundation of the laws of heaven and earth. This world is newly born, and its laws are fragile. If we were to forcibly construct a complete cycle of six paths of reincarnation, it would not only be extremely difficult, but we would also have to pay a heavy price. I'm afraid it would backfire."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "In my opinion, it would be better to first establish a 'ghost city' or 'yin city' to guide normal ghosts to live there, thus preventing them from running around in the mortal world and harming ordinary mortals."

Zhang Chengdao's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "That's a practical idea. Let's gather the ghosts that are stuck in the mortal world first. We can also set up two parts. First, send the new ghosts to the 'Judgment Division' for judgment, and then send the innocent ghosts and those who have accumulated merit to the 'Ghost City'. In this way, the so-called 'underworld' will not only be equivalent to a 'Yin Realm Dali Temple', but also have the function of a 'customs office'. It's just that this 'customs office' separates the living from the dead."

In any world, as long as ghosts exist, there will be a distinction between the "world of the living" and the "world of the dead." This is because the souls of the dead (that is, ghosts) cannot coexist with the living for long.

If a living person has abundant yang energy, the ghost will be quickly "burned to death" by that yang energy. If a living person has weak yang energy, they will also be affected by the ghost, and in severe cases, they may even be infected by the ghost's energy and quickly weaken and die.

Therefore, separating the two groups is of paramount importance.

Upon hearing this, He Yu clapped his hands and praised repeatedly: "Fellow Daoist's suggestion is excellent!"
"Divide and conquer, each fulfilling its own duties. Use the 'Court of Judgment' to inquire about merits, judge sins, and determine fate; use the 'Ghost City' to soothe souls and restore order between Yin and Yang. In this way, a basic framework can be established, and a system can be set up to maintain order, which is exactly what this world needs right now!"

Zhang Chengdao nodded, his gaze once again falling on the desolate land that was now showing signs of life, and on the narrow, faintly glowing Naihe River.

The plan is clear, but its implementation is a complex and multifaceted task.

Both the "Judgment Court" and the "Ghost City" are easy to build. With the help of a construction genius and the cultivation level of a Nascent Soul cultivator, they can take shape in less than a month. The key is not the bricks, tiles, beams, and pillars, but the manpower and systems needed to maintain the operation of these two institutions.

The "Trial Division" can be under the jurisdiction of Yama, which is He Yu. This was agreed upon when the two agreed to cooperate.

Moreover, He Yu is experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled in weapon crafting—don't underestimate weapon crafting. For a cultivator like him who has cultivated for thousands of years, crafting things like Soul-Binding Ropes and Books of Life and Death is a piece of cake.

The reason these things are easy to refine is mainly because they are not very useful, especially the "Book of Life and Death," which is almost unalterable and only serves as a convenient reference.

A person's fate of life and death is predetermined. The "Book of Life and Death" can only be viewed, not changed; it is practically a beautiful but useless thing.

But Zhang Chengdao didn't intend to hand over the "ghost city" entirely to He Yu.

This is not due to distrust of He Yu personally, but rather based on long-term strategic considerations.

It is conceivable that once the "ghost city" reaches a certain scale, the number of ghost citizens within it will be enormous. In order to exist for a longer period of time, cultivation will be an almost inevitable choice, and the number of ghost cultivators will increase.

In places teeming with yin energy, the path of ghost cultivation, though arduous, has its own intricacies. At that time, the ghost city will no longer be merely a place of refuge, but may very well evolve into a vast community dominated by ghost cultivators, possessing its own power and demands.

As a result, the strength of this "ghost city" needs to be reassessed.

This potential force must be incorporated into the overall balance system, rather than being completely controlled by a single power.

After all, Zhang Chengdao could guarantee that he would be selfless and dedicated to the healthy development of this world, but he could not completely trust others in this regard—especially since He Yu came from a cultivation civilization where class hierarchy was necessarily more rigid and entrenched, and the concept of the survival of the fittest might be deeply ingrained.

Entrusting both the powers of trial and resettlement to one person is far too risky.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chengdao said, "In that case, let's start by building the framework of the 'Trial Court' and the 'Ghost City'."

"The responsibility of judgment is not something that you and I can handle personally for a long time. We need to find some reliable people or ghosts to serve as judges, underworld officials, and so on. I am really not up to the task, and we agreed that you would take over gradually..."

"However, this 'ghost city' is easy to deal with. Give me only half a month, and I can build a city out of thin air. But while building a city is easy, establishing order is difficult. There are countless matters to consider, such as how to quickly register the newly arrived 'ghosts,' assign them residences, let them understand the rules, and ensure they all behave properly. There are also issues to consider, such as how to maintain order, promote communication, and even manage the possible 'ghost market' transactions. All of these require a meticulous plan. This matter concerns the livelihood of all ghosts and must be carefully planned. I intend to handle this matter personally, so as to make it consistent with the regulations in the mortal world. What do you think, my friend?"

Upon hearing this, He Yu pondered for a moment and then understood Zhang Chengdao's concerns.

However, he was an open-minded person and knew the principle of checks and balances of power. He was not dissatisfied with this. On the contrary, he felt that Zhang Chengdao was thoughtful and considerate. If he really had any great ambitions, he would not have dismembered himself in the first place!

He readily nodded and said, "Fellow Daoist's concerns are quite valid. The trial alone has kept me busy enough. The affairs of Ghost City are truly complex and require someone energetic and capable of overseeing the overall situation. Since you are willing to take on this important task, that's wonderful! We will have to rely on you for the affairs of Ghost City!"

Zhang Chengdao readily agreed: "Of course, it's just my duty!"

The so-called construction of a "ghost city" is by no means a magnificent but empty illusion of a city created by Zhang Chengdao using his golden finger.

That's not building a city, that's creating a landscape.

The true "city" lies in the "people" (or rather, the "ghosts"), and in the "activities" within it.

According to Zhang Chengdao's vision, the first step should be to plan the city's functional areas: residential areas, public affairs areas (for registration and management), potential future commercial areas, and reserved cultivation areas, etc.

Only by properly dividing the area can the most essential infrastructure be gradually built. Whether it is city walls, well-planned streets, or government offices for administration, all of these are of paramount importance.

In addition, he also had to assemble a batch of standardized, easily replicable simple dwellings—these dwellings did not need to be luxurious, but only sturdy and uniform, capable of effectively gathering yin energy and providing the most basic protection for the soul, similar to affordable housing in the mortal world.

For example, a wooden tile house is fine, but a stone tile house is unnecessary, as there is a significant difference in the materials used between the two.

More importantly, he must design an efficient and fair household registration and allocation system.

Every soul deemed eligible to enter the city by the court must first be registered, with their basic information, merits in life, and assigned residence number recorded.

This system needs to be simple, clear, easy to operate, and instilled with the concepts of "order" and "fairness" from the very beginning.

As for further urban development—such as more distinctive residences, shops, workshops, entertainment venues, etc.—Zhang Chengdao does not intend to take on all of that.

He only needs to lay a solid foundation and establish basic "rules," and then he can guide the ghost people to develop and fill the city according to their own needs and abilities. This is the virtuous cycle development model of a city.

As the concentration of yin energy and souls increases, the lifespan of ghosts will likely become extremely long. They will need to find something to do, and market forces and community culture will naturally emerge.

Perhaps in the near future, "ghost cities" will even develop a unique "ghost culture" and "underworld economy"!

The thought of the newly deceased souls, bewildered and lined up after being judged by the "Soul Judgment Division," having to register at the "Ghost City Household Registration Office" upon entering the "Ghost City," and only after receiving the keys to subsidized housing in the ghost realm can they "settle down," and perhaps even have to "work" to earn money to buy spiritual materials in order to follow the path of ghost cultivation...

Zhang Chengdao suddenly felt that the "underworld" of this world might have a unique kind of interest...

(End of this chapter)