Chapter 356: Actually, There Can Be

Fortunately, Li Changshou quickly sent a voice transmission to stop the subsequent "activities"!

This Ox-Head and Horse-Face—no, this Underworld Department!

They really handle everything in a makeshift manner, ranking first in their "performances," starting with a stunning female ghost that vividly evoked the eerie and terrifying atmosphere of the underworld!

When Ox-Head and Horse-Face, along with several underworld guard commanders, were summoned by Li Changshou's voice transmission, they all offered awkward smiles.

Ox-Head said earnestly,

"Water God, with your current status and position, even if the scene were several times grander, it wouldn't be excessive."

Li Changshou truly wanted to scold them, but to play it safe, he simply said,

"I understand that you two are eager and have felt the underworld's... fiery enthusiasm.

But such superficial displays can be skipped from now on!

General Zhao and I came to the underworld for important matters, so please, my fellow daoists, introduce us to the judge who holds the Book of Life and Death, or any available Yan Jun."

Ox-Head and Horse-Face readily agreed, saying they would arrange it immediately.

Then, Horse-Face, who had been deemed "ineffective in handling affairs," took over pulling the ox cart, with several yin messengers following behind.

Ox-Head galloped wildly, kicking up a trail of dust as they raced back to Fengdu City, shouting along the way to make all the "ambushes" and "little surprises" quickly withdraw.

This welcome ceremony had been rehearsed by them several times before, and they had prepared more than just the "beautiful female ghost" trick!

On the ox cart, Zhao Dezhu, maintaining a faint smile, couldn't help but send a voice transmission to complain,

"Changgeng, is it really appropriate for the Wu Clan to manage such key areas of the underworld?"

Li Changshou suddenly noticed that above the heads of the underworld's Wu Clan members, there was mostly a character for "danger"...

"Although Ox-Head and Horse-Face are the underworld's soul-reaping messengers and don't handle underworld affairs much themselves, their strength is quite good."

Li Changshou replied via voice transmission, "The Yan Jun, judges, and items like the Book of Life and Death and the Judge's Pen in the underworld manage the cycle of reincarnation fairly well, after all, they've been in charge for so many years..."

No sooner had he spoken than a few qi refiners flew by low on clouds nearby, engaged in lively conversation:

"Never expected that arranging for our master uncle to reincarnate only required a few ordinary treasures—worth it!"

"Exactly, the key is finding the right connections."

"This time, we've really figured out how the underworld operates. If things go south in a fight later, at least we can save our souls and leave a backup plan..."

"Definitely convenient."

Zhao Dezhu: ...

Li Changshou quickly sent a voice transmission, "Of course, the underworld has many flaws, and once it's under Heaven Court, we'll need to step in and reform it!"

Zhao Dezhu shook his head and sighed, "This situation is actually quite expected.

Qi refiners who reach the Netherworld Underworld are essentially trying to interfere with the six paths of reincarnation; I just hope the uncertainties of the six paths' spirits won't affect other creatures' normal reincarnation due to these shady actions."

Li Changshou pondered for a moment and said,

"Your Majesty, rest assured, it shouldn't.

If it truly affects the normal reincarnation of creatures, heavenly karma will descend, and the underworld's immortal officials wouldn't be able to bear it."

"That would be for the best..."

As they spoke, the two spread their immortal senses, observing the scenes inside and outside Fengdu City.

The Jade Emperor's incarnation also saw those chaotically arranged "city god wells" and the batches of resentful souls floating around Fengdu City, unable to reincarnate and waiting for their soul power to dissipate into true spirits...

This evoked another wave of deep emotions:

"Back then, when the Wu Clan ancestors shattered Buzhou Mountain, the heavenly pillar collapsed, and the waters of the Tianhe River flooded the primordial world. Combined with the earlier Wu-Yao War, the world and the Blood Sea were filled with lingering resentful souls. Thus, Empress Houtu transformed into the six paths of reincarnation to atone for the Wu Clan and benefit all spirits.

But seeing so many resentful souls left without a place by the reincarnation disk today, my heart is filled with worry."

Li Changshou said, "Resentful souls without reincarnation have many causes.

I once tried to redeem some of them and gained a bit of merit, so clearly, their existence adds a certain burden to the six paths reincarnation disk..."

Ahead on the ox cart, Li Changshou and Zhao Dezhu continued their voice transmission conversation;

In the back, Long Ji, lounging to the side, curiously examined the "exotic scenery" outside Fengdu City; while Ao Yi gazed into the distance at the hillside covered in pure white flowers, lost in thought.

A gentle breeze blew by...

Suddenly, Ao Yi stood up on the ox cart, looking toward Fengdu City, his handsome face showing a hint of urgency.

"Master brother," Ao Yi said, "may I go into the city first?"

"Go ahead," Li Changshou replied, "Horse-Face, could you kindly escort him?"

"No trouble at all! Hui'er~"

Horse-Face immediately agreed, patting the old ox pulling the cart on the head and threatening it with thoughts of stir-fried spiritual ox meat that night, making the old ox pull the noble guests steadily into Fengdu City.

Then, Horse-Face led Ao Yi and hurried ahead to Fengdu City.

Zhao Dezhu asked, "What's going on?"

"He probably heard the calls of some dragon clan souls," Li Changshou sighed, "It's good for him to go and see; otherwise, it might leave a knot in his heart."

"Understood."

Zhao Dezhu nodded slowly and continued chatting with Li Changshou via voice transmission.

Before long, the east gate of Fengdu City came into view.

A large group of yin soldiers surrounded several imposing, uniquely faced burly men waiting outside the city, with even Ox-Head, a Wu Clan expert, having to stand behind them.

These burly men had skin tones of black, red, purple, and blue, each exuding immense authority— their appearances alone could frighten timid mortals to tears— and their bodies contained astonishing blood energy.

Most striking were the "ghost python" robes they wore, imbued with a trace of heavenly dao power, clearly artifacts granted by the heavens for protection.

These were the Ten Yan Jun of the underworld.

Li Changshou descended from the ox cart first, with Zhao Dezhu and Long Ji following.

The Yan Jun greeted them with smiles that could make children stop crying, bowing in unison and addressing him as Water God.

Li Changshou returned the bow, referring to them as Yan Jun and avoiding any mention of "Your Majesty."

Ox-Head stepped forward to introduce them: those present included Qin Guang Wang, Chu Jiang Wang, Wu Guan Wang, Du Shi Wang, and Ping Deng Wang— all positions bestowed by the heavens, responsible for judging the sins of ghosts, overseeing the eighteen levels of hell, and managing the six paths of reincarnation.

With half of the Ten Yan Jun in attendance, it was a significant show of respect for Li Changshou.

After Ox-Head finished the introductions, he quickly stepped back, as he had no further role and could only linger among the group of yin messengers, occasionally glancing around to ensure the streets were clean and the yin cultivators were behaving...

Li Changshou exchanged pleasantries with the Yan Jun, formally getting to know them.

Qin Guang Wang made a inviting gesture, welcoming Li Changshou, Zhao Dezhu, and Long Ji into the city;

Li Changshou didn't introduce Zhao Dezhu, and they didn't ask.

The Wu Clan wasn't one for speculation.

Walking along the unusually clean streets of Fengdu City, Qin Guang Wang directly asked, "Water God, what important matters bring you to the underworld this time?"

"There are two things, both by order of the Jade Emperor."

"Oh?" The Yan Jun immediately perked up with interest.

Li Changshou smiled and said, "The first is to come and greet the Yan Jun of the underworld and see if there's anything where Heaven Court can assist."

Wu Guan Wang laughed, "The underworld operates smoothly, and reincarnation is all in order, so there's nothing we need help with."

Are they really this straightforward?

Li Changshou thought, "Well, actually, there could be..."

"Really, nothing at all!"

Chu Jiang Wang waved his large hand with authority, "The underworld was established in ancient times, and the most troublesome period was the Wu-Yao War for control of the heavens, when the underworld was nearly overwhelmed by souls!

But we just processed them blindly, sending them into the six paths reincarnation disk bit by bit, and after a few millennia, things returned to normal!"

Li Changshou couldn't help but chuckle inwardly; that wasn't what he meant at all...

He continued, "As the saying goes, without foresight, there is immediate trouble; taking precautions can prevent disasters before they arise."

Chu Jiang Wang was about to speak again when Qin Guang Wang caught on and smacked Chu Jiang Wang's waving hand away.

The crisp sound of bones cracking made Long Ji's little face turn pale...

Qin Guang Wang sighed slightly, putting on a troubled expression, and said,

"Our underworld is truly... struggling!

Externally, we face remnants from the Blood Sea and disruptive ghosts; internally, we have layers of difficulties. We're just hoping someone can help us out."

With that, the other Yan Jun immediately understood the implication.

If the underworld didn't have issues to resolve with Heaven Court, how could Heaven Court naturally take them under its wing?

The Yan Jun began to complain, though in their eyes, the underworld was already in its best possible state, so after hemming and hawing for a while, they only managed to say,

Chu Jiang Wang, clutching his now limp left hand, sighed, "A few days ago, some great powers were fighting in the Blood Sea, and it had us on edge!"

Ping Deng Wang said, "Lately, the six paths reincarnation disk has been a bit unstable, probably due to a lack of merit. Merit is like oil on a hinge— without lubrication, it just doesn't work right!"

Du Shi Wang added, "Our defensive forces are severely inadequate. If something like the dragon clan's sea eye disaster happened, we couldn't handle it at all!"

—As if the underworld had any sea eyes!

After speaking, the Yan Jun all turned to the silent Wu Guan Wang;

Wu Guan Wang hemmed and hawed for a long time, his face turning red as he finally squeezed out,

"Resentful... souls lingering, help us with that!"

Li Changshou: ...

"Let's move on to the second matter."

The Yan Jun clearly breathed a sigh of relief and perked up again to hear what the second matter was.

Li Changshou set up a layer of immortal power barrier around them and said solemnly,

"You Yan Jun are all of Wu Clan origin...

No need to rush and explain; I know you've made promises to the heavens that from now on, you're no longer Wu Clan, and in handling underworld affairs, you show no bias toward the Wu Clan.

Now, I'm not treating you as former Wu Clan members; I'm addressing you as the Yan Jun of the underworld. By order of the Jade Emperor, I come to ask you one thing:

In recent years, how many from the North Ju Luzhou Wu Clan have been reincarnated?"

"Why do you ask this, Water God?"

Qin Guang Wang looked puzzled.

Li Changshou sighed, "Earlier, I was entrusted by a friend to check on the Wu Clan's situation in North Ju Luzhou.

When I went, I didn't go far and saw that on the edges of North Ju Luzhou, in the Wu Clan settlements, many villages and strongholds were abandoned and deserted.

Later, I met a great shaman of that clan and learned that over the past ten thousand years, the Wu Clan has gradually struggled with reproduction; the number of pure-blood Wu Clan children born has been declining.

Even intermarriages with the human race rarely result in Wu Clan offspring.

I've already consulted the Jade Emperor about this, and he said it's not a punishment from the heavens.

Moreover, the Jade Emperor is quite concerned and ordered me to investigate thoroughly, which is why I've come to the underworld to inquire— is there anyone interfering with the reincarnation process?"

The Yan Jun and the yin messengers in the barrier all changed their expressions.

"How could this be interference?"

Chu Jiang Wang raged, "It must be the Yao Clan scheming in secret! They want to wipe out the Wu Clan completely! How vicious!"

"Zhong Judge, where are you?"

Qin Guang Wang shouted darkly, "Go prepare the reincarnation registry for the Wu Clan over the past ten thousand years!"

"Yes!"

A judge with a full beard stepped forward, flew out of the barrier, and headed to the reincarnation grounds.

Li Changshou noticed that this chief judge was of human origin, which brightened his eyes a bit.

He heard the Yan Jun scolding,

"We don't go to help our kin in North Ju Luzhou, but now, right under our noses, the Wu Clan is being schemed against!"

"It's probably not that simple. If there was a problem with reincarnation here, or if the souls meant for the Wu Clan were missing, how could we not know?

Even if we didn't, this would disrupt the six paths' balance— it's a major fault that couldn't be hidden for ten thousand years!"

"Quick, let's go to the hall!"

In a hurry, the Yan Jun led Li Changshou and his group to the key reincarnation area, into the Yan Luo Hall.

The other Yan Jun were also alarmed by this and rushed to Qin Guang Wang's office to gather, working together to flip through the stacks of ledgers brought by the yin messengers.

Li Changshou and the Jade Emperor's incarnation discussed via voice transmission, remaining composed.

Soon, they had an answer...

"The number of Wu Clan reincarnations shows no gaps!"

"Most Wu Clan members have lifespans over ten thousand years, so none of those due for reincarnation have died yet, which is how it slipped past us!"

"Water God, how should we handle this? We bear the responsibilities of the underworld and the duties to the heavens..."

"Don't worry!"

Li Changshou stepped forward, flicked his dust whisk, and said seriously,

"Since Heaven Court is involved, we'll investigate to the end and give the Wu Clan an explanation! I came to the underworld precisely to figure out which part of the process went wrong.

I have a few more questions... How does the reincarnation of creatures work exactly?

Is it that the fetus forms through the harmony of yin and yang in the mother's body, and then the true spirit enters it? Or must the true spirit be involved in every step?"

Qin Guang Wang replied, "Both can happen, but the former is more common.

For creatures like the Wu Clan and humans who are born from wombs, the fetus is usually formed and grows first, then the true spirit enters for reincarnation, giving the fetus a heartbeat— only then is it considered a living being!

As the saying goes in the mortal world, children are like a piece of flesh from their mother's body, and there's some truth to that."

Li Changshou nodded slowly and said, "I see now, thank you, Yan Jun, for the explanation."

"We should be the ones thanking you, Water God, for your righteous assistance!"

Just as Li Changshou was about to take his leave and head to North Ju Luzhou to have a in-depth talk with the great shaman there, he suddenly thought of a few minor details and asked again...

He also suggested that the underworld's Wu Clan send a few strong warriors with some status in their clan but not holding positions in the underworld to accompany him on the investigation.

—This way, the underworld could serve as witnesses, preventing any accusations of exaggeration on his part, and conveniently providing some temporary helpers.

The Yan Jun quickly agreed and expressed their gratitude again.

After waiting a while in Yan Luo Hall, Horse-Face arrived with Ao Yi, who now looked much more cheerful and less depressed.

Then, the Yan Jun saw Li Changshou and his group off from Fengdu City, where Ox-Head and Horse-Face were already waiting with several Wu Clan experts.

These Wu Clan members couldn't enter Fengdu City.

As they flew onward, Zhao Dezhu asked, "Water God, where do you think the problem lies?"

Li Changshou smiled, "How about we test Princess Long Ji?"

"Well," Long Ji thought for a moment and whispered, "We should first inquire about the specific situation of the Wu Clan; I wouldn't dare guess recklessly."

Li Changshou and Zhao Dezhu exchanged glances and nodded in approval.

Ahead on the path, Ox-Head was already waiting with three men and three women, as the Wu Clan wasn't skilled at flying and needed Li Changshou to carry them on clouds.

As they left the underworld, the clouds felt noticeably heavier.

At the same time,

On the mist-shrouded Sanxian Island, deep in the immortal realm within a pavilion,

The fairy in white, seated behind layers of curtains, opened her eyes and carefully calculated with her fingers, letting out a light laugh.

What's this?

She had thought that after entering meditation to comprehend the dao, several centuries would have passed upon waking, but how could it only be a few days...

Calm the mind, focus the spirit, and prioritize cultivation.

The fairy was about to continue her secluded cultivation and insight into the great dao when the wind chimes at the window tinkled, and a figure intruded into the outer areas of Sanxian Island.

She focused her gaze; though she knew it wasn't that person, a ripple still appeared in a corner of her heart.

Unfortunately... the ripple vanished in an instant.

"So it's my elder brother..."

With a soft sigh, the fairy closed her eyes and entered meditation, soon enveloped by surrounding clouds and mist.