The male supporting character was actually myself.

After a hearty meal and a tour, Murong Liangchen, who thought he had gained a lot of knowledge, agreed and lazily got into the car. Watching the bustling streets flash by outside the window, he felt drowsy and just wanted to sleep.

Not long after Jiang Chen had the driver park the car at the Underworld Office, the drowsy soul of Murong Liangchen disappeared.

"You drive back first, I have things to do." He originally intended to head back home, but his eyes were glued to the entrance of the Underworld government office. After giving him a quick instruction, he hurriedly got out of the car and hid to the side to observe carefully.

The young girl Bai Ling was with her fellow disciples, while four junior celestial masters stood somewhat reservedly at the door, waiting for their grandmaster.

"Although I had heard my master describe what the underworld looked like before, I was still shocked after seeing it with my own eyes. It was just too magnificent!"

"Yes, who would believe it if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes?"

"I wonder if our grandmaster uncle will take us to see the Bridge of Helplessness later. I heard the sea of ​​red spider lilies by the river is incredibly beautiful!"

"Bai Ling, where would you like to go?"

Another girl, seeing her intently studying the contract in her hand, couldn't help but laugh and said, "Oh dear, stop looking! Didn't our grandmaster say that although a Celestial Master has the opportunity to contract with a spirit, it's usually only possible if there's a karmic connection from a past life, or if the spirit asks the Celestial Master for help? Even someone as outstanding as our grandmaster couldn't contract with a spirit, so there's no way we can!"

"Xiaoxiao is right, Bailing, don't waste your time looking at that contract. This thing is only for those who come to the Underworld's government office for the first time and take it back as a souvenir." A junior exorcist also whispered jokingly, "Look at those unequal clauses, which ghost is stupid enough to sign a contract?"

"That's right, contracting a spirit is practically like finding a ghost servant!"

"Making a contract with an ordinary ghost is useless. Which ghost that can establish itself in the underworld would be willing to be subordinate to a human?"

"After the reforms in the underworld, it's impossible to form a contract with a spirit without modifying the contract terms. In the past, almost every Celestial Master had a spirit, because those powerful ghosts wanted to stay by the Celestial Master's side to quickly accumulate merit. But now..."

"Everything can be bought with money. The sins of murder and arson can be offset by a few religious ceremonies. Ghosts aren't stupid. Wouldn't it be better to make their own money instead of being slaves to others?"

…………

The little exorcists' whispering made Bai Ling cover her mouth and laugh. "I'm not that greedy, hoping to make a contract with a ghost. I'm just curious why, after making a contract, the ghost can go to the human world openly and without any impact. Does this mean that all ghosts can actually leave the underworld through some kind of channel?"

"The spirits of the Celestial Masters are recognized by the Underworld Headquarters, and they will be given a separate passage so that they can freely travel between the two worlds, similar to a green channel. As for other ghosts, I heard that if they can cultivate to the point that they are not afraid of the divine seal on the gate between the Yin and Yang worlds, they can break through."

"The Gate to the Yin and Yang Realms? I've heard it's incredibly impressive, but unfortunately, our Listening Wind Valley has a special passage that allows us to enter and exit without going through that gate. Actually, I'd really like to see it..."

Jiang Chen listened to their discussion carefully, raised an eyebrow, and gracefully left.

Meanwhile, Wang Baoyi sat in the main hall of the Underworld government office, fine beads of sweat gradually appearing on his forehead.

“I personally broke the sealing spell on Murong Jiangchen.” Qu Wenqing sat calmly to the side, but his words sent a chill down Qu Wenqing’s spine. “Listening Wind Valley has cooperated with the Underworld for nearly a thousand years, and they have always been trustworthy and dutiful. But this time… why did Master Wang suppress and expel the fallen evil spirit without even asking any questions?”

"I was careless for a moment, the situation was urgent..." Wang Baoyi tried to find an excuse for himself, forcing a dry laugh, "The evil spirits were fierce, and I had no choice but to use suppression and expulsion methods to save people. I originally planned to inquire about the truth and make amends after things had calmed down..."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: This Place Is Not Suitable for Lingering

"Let's go eat? Sure, sure!" Although Murong Liangchen was very tired, he didn't feel hungry. But since he was already here, he naturally had to try everything.

The luxury car drove smoothly to a stop in front of a luxurious hotel that was even more magnificent than a palace.

"Brother, this is one of the most famous restaurants in our Jiangyin Realm. Doesn't the architectural style look familiar? The owner specially invited the top designers from the Kyoto Yin Realm to design it for him!"

"What did you say? That ghost from so long ago hasn't been reincarnated yet?!"

"It's not that long ago. Our Jiangyin Realm has a slightly weaker historical foundation. If you have the chance to go to a first-tier city, you'll know that it's just like the human world. There are plenty of ancient people from hundreds of years ago."

Some haven't been reincarnated yet for various reasons; some are doing well in the underworld and don't want to give up their careers here; and some top talents are so talented that even the local underworld officials are unwilling to let them go, so they hold nominal positions in the underworld as a living signboard for their own territory.

I heard this is called... something like that plan again?

The driver chimed in at just the right moment, "Sir, that's called the Underworld Talent Introduction Program. Underworld offices across the country are practically fighting tooth and nail to recruit talent. There's also an investment attraction program, all to encourage people like you who are capable of running large businesses to develop and drive the economy."

Murong Liangchen's eyes widened in disbelief; this was absolutely shocking!

Listen to these words, it's simply... Then he thought about it again. So many high-tech talents have come down early, and ideological and technological reforms are imperative. What's more, a ghost can stay here for hundreds or even thousands of years, without aging, death, fatigue, or exhaustion. Wouldn't its work efficiency be extremely high?

Taking everything into account, it's perfectly reasonable that the underworld is more advanced and modern than the mortal realm!

Inside the exquisitely decorated private room, a variety of delicious dishes were served. Murong Liangchen picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. First, the flavor of the ingredients spread in his mouth, followed by an indescribable feeling of comfort that reached the depths of his soul. This feeling was so blissful that it was almost unbearable, leaving him with an unforgettable aftertaste...

Seeing him squint his eyes and enjoy the food after just a couple of bites, as if he were addicted to drugs, Jiang Chen's smile deepened.

Ghost food is an extremely yin substance, specially designed to replenish the energy of ghosts. Once a living soul with a balanced yin and yang aura ingests too much of it, it will be difficult to regain balance once the yin energy enters the body!

"Brother, how does it taste?"

"Delicious!" Murong Liangchen squinted, still savoring the comfort deep in his soul, and mumbled, "Compared to the food here, what I usually eat is simply garbage!"

"Delicious food is good, but don't overindulge." Jiang Chen gently pressed down on his hand, which was about to pick up his chopsticks, and advised him, "After all, it's food from the underworld. Just try it once. Eating too much will easily cause indigestion. If you get sick and uncomfortable when you go back, it won't be worth it."

Enveloped in a wonderful feeling, Murong Liangchen, still savoring the experience, pushed away his hand and laughed, "I know you're worried, but I'm a grown man, I'm not sure how much I can eat. Don't worry, I'm young and strong, even if I get sick for a couple of days, it's nothing. Being able to taste the feeling of being in heaven is worth it!"

Immersed in the intense feeling of addiction, Murong Liangchen quickly cleaned up all the plates on the table.

“It’s almost time. We shouldn’t stay here any longer. I’ll take you back now.” Jiang Chen glanced at his watch, stood up and smiled, “You must remember my words. When you get back, ask around and find other celestial masters to take a look. Don’t be fooled by Wang Baoyi.”

After a hearty meal and a tour, Murong Liangchen, who thought he had gained a lot of knowledge, agreed and lazily got into the car. Watching the bustling streets flash by outside the window, he felt drowsy and just wanted to sleep.

Not long after Jiang Chen had the driver park the car at the Underworld Office, the drowsy soul of Murong Liangchen disappeared.

"You drive back first, I have things to do." He originally intended to head back home, but his eyes were glued to the entrance of the Underworld government office. After giving him a quick instruction, he hurriedly got out of the car and hid to the side to observe carefully.

The young girl Bai Ling was with her fellow disciples, while four junior celestial masters stood somewhat reservedly at the door, waiting for their grandmaster.

"Although I had heard my master describe what the underworld looked like before, I was still shocked after seeing it with my own eyes. It was just too magnificent!"

"Yes, who would believe it if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes?"

"I wonder if our grandmaster uncle will take us to see the Bridge of Helplessness later. I heard the sea of ​​red spider lilies by the river is incredibly beautiful!"

"Bai Ling, where would you like to go?"

Another girl, seeing her intently studying the contract in her hand, couldn't help but laugh and said, "Oh dear, stop looking! Didn't our grandmaster say that although a Celestial Master has the opportunity to contract with a spirit, it's usually only possible if there's a karmic connection from a past life, or if the spirit asks the Celestial Master for help? Even someone as outstanding as our grandmaster couldn't contract with a spirit, so there's no way we can!"

"Xiaoxiao is right, Bailing, don't waste your time looking at that contract. This thing is only for those who come to the Underworld's government office for the first time and take it back as a souvenir." A junior exorcist also whispered jokingly, "Look at those unequal clauses, which ghost is stupid enough to sign a contract?"

"That's right, contracting a spirit is practically like finding a ghost servant!"

"Making a contract with an ordinary ghost is useless. Which ghost that can establish itself in the underworld would be willing to be subordinate to a human?"

"After the reforms in the underworld, it's impossible to form a contract with a spirit without modifying the contract terms. In the past, almost every Celestial Master had a spirit, because those powerful ghosts wanted to stay by the Celestial Master's side to quickly accumulate merit. But now..."

"Everything can be bought with money. The sins of murder and arson can be offset by a few religious ceremonies. Ghosts aren't stupid. Wouldn't it be better to make their own money instead of being slaves to others?"

…………

The little exorcists' whispering made Bai Ling cover her mouth and laugh. "I'm not that greedy, hoping to make a contract with a ghost. I'm just curious why, after making a contract, the ghost can go to the human world openly and without any impact. Does this mean that all ghosts can actually leave the underworld through some kind of channel?"

"The spirits of the Celestial Masters are recognized by the Underworld Headquarters, and they will be given a separate passage so that they can freely travel between the two worlds, similar to a green channel. As for other ghosts, I heard that if they can cultivate to the point that they are not afraid of the divine seal on the gate between the Yin and Yang worlds, they can break through."

"The Gate to the Yin and Yang Realms? I've heard it's incredibly impressive, but unfortunately, our Listening Wind Valley has a special passage that allows us to enter and exit without going through that gate. Actually, I'd really like to see it..."

Jiang Chen listened to their discussion carefully, raised an eyebrow, and gracefully left.

Meanwhile, Wang Baoyi sat in the main hall of the Underworld government office, fine beads of sweat gradually appearing on his forehead.

“I personally broke the sealing spell on Murong Jiangchen.” Qu Wenqing sat calmly to the side, but his words sent a chill down Qu Wenqing’s spine. “Listening Wind Valley has cooperated with the Underworld for nearly a thousand years, and they have always been trustworthy and dutiful. But this time… why did Master Wang suppress and expel the fallen evil spirit without even asking any questions?”

"I was careless for a moment, the situation was urgent..." Wang Baoyi tried to find an excuse for himself, forcing a dry laugh, "The evil spirits were fierce, and I had no choice but to use suppression and expulsion methods to save people. I originally planned to inquire about the truth and make amends after things had calmed down..."

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Contracts and Ghosts

Qu Wenqing coldly observed him and knew it was just an excuse.

But after all, he was the Celestial Master of Tingfeng Valley, and I, a mere local official, couldn't possibly interfere with such matters. So I sighed and said, "It's understandable that Celestial Master Wang is forgetful, but please don't make such a mistake again in the future."

If Murong Jiangchen hadn't been lucky enough to enter the Ghost Market and break the seal, he would probably still be wandering the wilderness, his soul possibly annihilated at any moment. Humans and ghosts alike are subject to fate; there can be no favoritism or neglect!

“Yes, yes, yes, you are right, sir,” Wang Baoyi hurriedly replied.

It took about two hours to emerge from the underworld office; Wang Baoyi's back was soaked with sweat.

He obtained a lot of verification from the steward. Murong Jiangchen had done good deeds all his life, but was killed and impersonated by his twin brother Murong Liangchen. If he could investigate the matter after receiving the commission, he would naturally handle the aftermath properly according to the procedure. He did not expect that he would encounter a ghost after walking on the dark road too many times. He just happened to run into a tough guy!

Fortunately, Murong Jiangchen did not file a complaint or pursue the matter further. As long as the steward kept quiet about it, the matter would be over.

He was a law-abiding and good ghost who had always stayed in the underworld and had never left.

As for the female ghost that Murong Liangchen mentioned, it has been investigated and found out that she was the one who fell down the stairs and died when he tried to kill her to cover it up. She is currently in hell to atone for her sins of being a mistress and harming others. She did not stay in the human world and could not possibly go up there to haunt Murong Liangchen.

Therefore, the ghost story Murong Liangchen mentioned is most likely a hallucination he's having because he feels guilty about his past misdeeds and is scaring himself.

What Wang Baoyi cared about most was something else—devouring ghosts!

He learned what had happened through casual conversation and began to feel uneasy.

Taking away the appropriate ghost energy from a person's birth date and time and transferring it to a sickly living person—this taboo method is truly vicious. Even with the combined efforts of the Yin and Yang realms to investigate, the outcome remains unknown…

"Grandmaster Uncle, have you finished your business?"

"What exactly is going on between Murong Liangchen and Murong Jiangchen?"

"Where should we go next? The underworld is so vast, it feels like we could explore it in a few days!"

Upon seeing him emerge, the four junior Taoist priests quickly surrounded him, chattering and asking questions.

“According to past practice, when a new Celestial Master first arrives in the Underworld, he will first go to the local Underworld government office to report and receive a spirit contract. That thing is useless. What ghost is so stupid that it would be willing to be a slave to someone these days?” Jiang Chen sat in the small house of the old ghost guarding the corner gate of the Underworld government office and poured him a full glass of wine.

Old Ghost finished his drink in one gulp, smacked his lips, and continued explaining: "Next, we'll go to the Naihe Bridge and the Wangchuan River to broaden their horizons. If there's a chance, the disciples of Tingfeng Valley will also visit Meng Po. Then we'll go to see the Yellow Springs Road, the Gate of Hell, and the Gate between Yin and Yang, and also explore the wilderness. These are just a few famous scenic spots. Finally, we'll go to Wangxiang Terrace to get a close look at the real-time dynamics of the human world."

"Celestial Masters, well, they don't cause trouble in the underworld, and no ghost dares to provoke them. They just need to become familiar with their faces, get a general idea of ​​their surroundings, and then they can find their way around."

"What's the story behind contracting with spirits?" Jiang Chen asked curiously. "I heard them say that nowadays, even Taoist priests can't contract with spirits anymore?"

Old Ghost tossed a few peanuts into his mouth and grinned, his face crinkling with wrinkles. "Of course, we can't get a contract!"

Before the reforms, the underworld was strictly governed, making it difficult to atone for sins. Therefore, a method called "contract ghosts" was created, where humans and ghosts could benefit from each other.

Ghosts do good deeds and accumulate merit for people; with the help of ghosts, people can achieve twice the results with half the effort.

Mutual contracts and mutual reliance can be considered mutually beneficial.

Moreover, all celestial masters are of pure yang righteousness, while ghosts are of extreme yin. Cultivating together to harmonize yin and yang is beneficial to the growth of both human and ghost abilities.

However, times have changed, and the principle of offsetting merits and demerits has become simpler and more convenient.

The exorcists might dream of contracting a spirit to be their slave, but where are there any ghosts that'd be so foolish these days? Isn't it better to earn your own money and spend it yourself than to risk your life for them?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen's heart stirred. "If the contract is successful, the abilities of the spirit ghost and the celestial master will complement each other?"

"Of course!" The old ghost took another sip of wine and said, his tongue a little stammering, "Don't underestimate that contract. It's recognized by the Heavenly Dao! You young ghosts haven't heard of it before, but in the past, there were often lucky celestial masters or ghosts who, by chance, successfully formed a contract."

Wow, that's like rising to the top in one step!

I remember a useless little Taoist priest who somehow managed to form a contract with a powerful female ghost king. Tsk tsk, the female ghost king really carried him to new heights! Not only did he win missions effortlessly, but he also didn't have to suffer through cultivation. His cultivation level skyrocketed as he cultivated with the female ghost king.