Chapter 316: The Divine Tomb of the Underground Palace (3)
The people who had narrowly escaped death in the desolate village were all utterly exhausted. Fortunately, reinforcements from the special department had already arrived, taking over most of the tasks and assuming control of Baizhi Lake and the surrounding area.
This finally gave everyone a chance to rest.
They began clearing out the remaining evil spirits, investigating the origins of the ghost infant Xie Jiaojiao, preserving the remnants of the ghost plays from the Southwest, and recording the former location of old Fengdu.
All tasks proceeded in an orderly manner.
When the later-arriving members of the special department saw Ye Li and Yan Shixun, their eyes widened in astonishment. They stared, curious yet cautious.
They hadn’t expected to one day meet the living Lord of Fengdu.
No—what surprised them even more was the realization that Fengdu had actually been real all along!
It hadn’t just been a myth, a fabricated tale passed down in old storybooks.
“This is even more unbelievable than when I found out the creatures in the *Classic of Mountains and Seas* were real,”
Someone whispered in awe. “That’s Fengdu we’re talking about! The legendary city even more formidable than the underworld!”
Others nodded in agreement. “We rarely even see ghost officials anymore, and now Fengdu, which had vanished for so long, has reappeared—right near us.”
The special department: The whole situation felt unreal, like a long-lost legend had come to life. Even more shocking—Fengdu’s Lord turned out to be Mr. Yan’s lover… He had been right in front of them all this time, and none of them had noticed!
Meanwhile, the Southwest exorcist, who had assisted Taoist Li and the others, arrived with serious injuries but insisted on going up the mountain with the special department.
Seeing his battered state, they initially tried to dissuade him—until Yan Shixun stepped in to stop them.
“Let him go.”
Yan Shixun lowered his eyes, hiding the complexity in his gaze. “His master was the exorcist who gave his life to form the sealing formation and died inside the temple back then.”
That same man had once joined forces with his own master, Li Chengyun, to suppress the evil spirits at Baizhi Lake. He had been a friend of his master.
Now that his master had passed and his master’s old friend had turned to dry bones long ago, if he himself was still around, he should lend a hand to his friend’s disciple.
The members of the special department froze for a moment, and someone quickly recalled, “Is that the skeleton that was thrown out of the temple when the ebony statue was taken?”
Yan Shixun nodded. “Someone who gave his life for the people shouldn’t be left to rot in the wilderness after death… His disciple only wants to collect his bones and bring them home for a proper burial.”
The members of the special department were moved. After learning of the southwest exorcist’s identity, they immediately offered him solemn respect and promised to help him find his master’s remains.
The southwest exorcist was already in tears, unable to speak, nodding repeatedly in response.
Just before they departed, he turned around and gave Yan Shixun a deep bow, choking up as he said, “Thank you for helping me.”
Yan Shixun returned the gesture and replied softly, “No, I should be the one thanking you—thank your master for accompanying mine during his final journey, and for helping him fulfill his mission.”
Even after they had left for a long time, Yan Shixun still stared at the exorcist’s retreating back.
After his master died, the southwest exorcist had constantly been bullied and ostracized by other sects. People looked down on his dwindling lineage, saw that he had no elders to protect him, and treated him with scorn and contempt.
All these years, the only ones who had spoken up for him were the Taoists of Haiyun Temple—and Yan Shixun.
Ye Li had retrieved Yan Shixun’s spare clothes and, upon returning, saw the look in Yan Shixun’s eyes as he quietly watched someone.
He raised an eyebrow and followed Yan’s gaze, curious to see which fool had managed to steal his beloved’s attention.
But when Ye Li clearly saw the soul of the southwest exorcist, the smile at the corner of his lips faded.
What he saw was a soul that was pure and spotless.
Many people overlooked minor evils, often accumulating karmic debts from idle gossip or small transgressions. These blemishes would stain the soul like grime on a window—enough to blur the clarity, if not break the glass entirely.
But the soul of this southwest exorcist was so clean it held no impurities at all.
The window was bright and clear—just looking at it brought a sense of ease.
Noticing Ye Li had returned, Yan Shixun softly said, “Just this unwavering purity of heart alone is enough for him to one day become a truly exceptional exorcist—respected and worthy of holding up the skies of the Southwest.”
Ye Li smiled and unfolded the black shirt draped over his arm, gesturing for Yan Shixun to change.
“He will.”
The ghost deity personally acknowledged that exorcist: “As long as he maintains his current soul state, he will receive the assistance of the Great Dao ghost deities.”
As soon as the words were spoken, they took effect.
As Ye Li’s voice faded, the drifting clouds in the sky paused for a moment.
Sensing something, a Fengdu ghost official raised his head and looked in the direction of the exorcist from the Southwest.
That exorcist, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, hadn’t realized yet that he had already been chosen by the Fengdu ghost official. From now on, whenever he held a ritual to summon deities, the ghost officials from Fengdu would surely come to his aid, helping him safeguard the peace of the Southwest lands.
The Southwest had just returned to Fengdu’s jurisdiction. Although there were many ghost officials and they weren’t intimidated by the increase in workload, having an exorcist familiar with the Southwest to assist in guiding them was something they welcomed.
Ye Li’s single sentence had placed this exorcist on a path far beyond that of other sects.
Yan Shixun turned his gaze toward Ye Li with a look of curiosity, but Ye Li simply smiled and gently raised a hand to cover his eyes.
Ye Li’s cool fingertips rested against the warmth of his cheek, making Yan Shixun’s lashes tremble uncontrollably.
“Don’t look at me like that, Shixun.”
Ye Li chuckled softly. “You’re only half-dressed, looking at me like that… it’s hard for me not to have other thoughts. When it comes to you, I have no self-control.”
Yan Shixun hadn’t expected such words from Ye Li. His lips moved slightly, and a blush crept up his face.
Yet Ye Li acted as if nothing had happened. He lowered his hand and continued to help Yan Shixun straighten his shirt.
All of Yan Shixun’s wounds had been treated and bandaged, the strips wrapped around his lean, toned body giving him an unusual allure.
The black shirt draped over him created a stark contrast of black and white, forming an irresistible temptation that was hard to look away from.
Yet the man himself seemed completely unaware, his handsome face tinged with a trace of embarrassment.
Ye Li’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his gaze darkening.
But he said nothing. Instead, he sped up his movements, fastening the buttons one by one with his long fingers, covering up the beauty in front of him and leaving no chance for others to sneak a glance.
Yan Shixun’s previous clothing had been soaked in blood and was discarded to the side.
The medical staff had intended to throw it away, but Ye Li politely stopped them and burned the garments on the spot.
Back in Old Fengdu, in order to fight it, Yan Shixun had drawn a massive amount of ghost energy into his body, causing his blood to become saturated with it. If an ordinary person came into heavy contact with it, they could be tainted by ghost energy, which would affect their health.
Ye Li had thought of everything, eliminating the possibility that someone might try to use Yan Shixun’s blood for other purposes.
After all, the Southwest had long been known for its witchcraft and curse techniques. With blood and birth date information, too many dangerous things could be done.
Although those lowly methods were beneath Ye Li’s notice, he still didn’t want to risk any chance of his beloved exorcist being harmed.
The King of Hell still remembered the chilling look Ye Li had given him earlier, so he patiently waited until Yan Shixun had changed clothes before strolling over.
“So, you two—especially that one over there—what do you plan to do with him?”
He pointed his folding fan at someone not far away. “No matter where he goes, it seems inappropriate. Everyone who’s met him is wary of him.”
Yan Shixun didn’t even need to look to know who the King of Hell was referring to.
He sighed. “It’s truly difficult. Whether we keep him in the Southwest or send him to Haiyun Temple, it’s not a good fit. But he did render great service. Without him, who knows how many more lives we would’ve lost in this Southwest ghost incident? We can’t treat him carelessly.”
The general stood silently in the shadows at the base of the mountain, his gaze calm and fixed on Yan Shixun.
Ye Li’s expression darkened at the reminder.
After Old Fengdu had completely collapsed, the general hadn’t disappeared with it. Instead, he returned with them to the surface.
Ye Li would’ve liked to toss this guy—who seemed to have designs on Shixun—out immediately. But unfortunately, the general shared his body in a separate form and held extraordinary significance to the world. He couldn’t be treated arbitrarily, nor could he be made to vanish.
So long as the general was nearby, Ye Li’s power would be partially suppressed. The two of them acted as a check on one another.
If they ever truly fought to the death, it would be a battle between two hands of the same body—mutual destruction with catastrophic consequences for the world.
At present, the general was the only being capable of threatening the ghost deity.
Ye Li could only grit his teeth and hold back his anger, refusing to mention the general in front of Yan Shixun. He didn’t want Shixun to divide his attention on that guy.
Yan Shixun rubbed his temples and said, “Let’s head back first. Everyone’s tired. Send the others back to Binhai City, and we’ll discuss his future later.”
The King of Hell nodded.
With Zhang Wubing absent, the King of Hell, though reluctant, had no choice but to shoulder his responsibilities and coordinate the affairs of the production team.
Yet managing a group of just over a hundred people and liaising with several dozen departments was nothing for someone who had once subdued millions of evil spirits.
He quickly grasped the essentials of the production memo and took over the director’s role within minutes, effortlessly handling everything in front of him. Each department and task was arranged in perfect order.
The production team watched in stunned silence: “When did Director Zhang… get this capable?”
“I heard people change under stress, but this is like a complete transformation! Is this even real?”
“Could it be our director was swapped? Maybe the Zhang family had twins, and we’re actually seeing Zhang Dabing, not Zhang Wubing?”
“…Forget it, shut up! Director Zhang is looking at you!”
Even the faintest whispers didn’t escape the King of Hell’s ears.
He looked over with a relaxed smile, amused by how imaginative living humans could be.
Because of her serious injuries, Lu Xingxing had already been sent back to Haiyun Temple by a Taoist.
As for Xie Lin’s death, Song Ci had informed his older brother over the phone.
After losing contact with his younger brother for an entire night, Song Ci’s brother had been worried sick. Only upon hearing his voice did he finally calm down.
As for Xie Lin—he didn’t care in the slightest.
Song Ci’s brother was a competent businessman. To him, someone like Xie Lin was a poor investment. If not for Song Ci’s insistence, he wouldn’t have cared for Xie Lin all those years.
Now that Xie Lin was dead, Song Ci’s brother merely scoffed and told his secretary to follow whatever Song Ci wanted and prioritize his wishes and well-being.
While fleeing from the ghosts, Song Ci had forced himself to stay strong so as not to become a burden to others. He hadn’t shown much emotion over Xie Lin’s death.
Now that everything had settled, sorrow and dazed grief finally surfaced on his face.
The production crew had prepared the vehicles, and all the guests were being called to board for the return to Binhai City.
Only Song Ci remained, sitting under a tree in a daze, unable to snap out of it.
Noticing something was off, Yan Shixun walked over with long strides.
“That was Xie Lin’s own choice.”
He stood beside Song Ci and spoke calmly as he looked down. “I told him that the sister he depended on had already died from the moment of her so-called ‘birth.’ If he chose her, it could only lead to death. The ghost infant wasn’t capable of human thought or morality—she had long been consumed by resentment toward the living. Even Xie Lin wasn’t an exception.”
“I laid the outcome bare before Xie Lin, but he still chose the ghost infant without hesitation. That was his own choice.”
“And more than that, it was his karmic consequence.”
All the strength and guarded composure Song Ci had been holding onto suddenly collapsed under Yan Shixun’s words. A soft shimmer of tears welled up in his beautiful peach blossom eyes.
It was as if a child who had forced himself to keep going for a long time was finally found by his parent and sheltered beneath their wings—his tears could no longer be held back, and all the strength he had maintained turned into raw grievance.
“I know.”
Song Ci choked out, his voice trembling. “Even if I’d been raising a vicious dog, after so many years, I’d still have grown attached. I just… I just couldn’t accept it in the moment.”
“Don’t worry about me, Brother Yan. I’ll be fine soon.”
He tugged the corner of his lips and gave a mocking smile. “If I toss a word into the entertainment industry that the Song family is looking for a new muse, do you know how many people would come swarming over? Hah, do you think I’d be short on friends? Xie Lin isn’t the only one who shines—Brother Yan, you’re even more…”
Before Song Ci could finish, Yan Shixun placed a hand on top of his head and gave his hair a couple of firm rubs, just enough to mess up his carefully styled look.
“A kid trying to act like a grown-up—if you need to cry, then cry. No one’s going to laugh at you.”
In Yan Shixun’s eyes was a clear understanding of what Song Ci truly felt. With one hand in his pocket, he gave a low chuckle and added, “There are plenty of people who love you. Don’t worry.”
Song Ci fell silent.
He was like a high-bred ragdoll cat finally soothed.
No matter how spoiled or willful he might be in front of others, in front of Yan Shixun, he was nothing more than a well-behaved kitten.
Yan Shixun jerked his chin toward the guest van parked not far away, motioning for Song Ci to look.
“Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.”
When Yan Shixun saw Zhao Zhen standing below the vehicle’s door, looking toward them with concern, he paused, then smiled and added, “Zhao Zhen is waiting too.”
Instantly, Song Ci bristled, all his previous docility vanishing.
“That stupid dog.”
He looked thoroughly disgusted. “Can’t even walk on his own but still insisted on carrying me. Probably pulled a muscle. Tch.”
Despite the disdain, Song Ci still obediently got up and followed Yan Shixun toward the waiting vehicle.
From a distance, Ye Li watched Yan Shixun walking through the sunlight and couldn’t help but smile.
But when he glanced at the general sitting beside him, his face immediately shifted to one of intense dislike.
“Can you go sit under the wheels?”
Ye Li said coldly. “Otherwise, I really don’t think I can stop myself from punching your face in.”
Since they were heading back with the guests, the general had changed out of his armor and into casual clothes, which made his tall and lean physique even more striking. His long legs didn’t even fit into the legroom of the business-class tour vehicle and had to stick out awkwardly.
But this didn’t make him look more approachable—on the contrary, it emphasized his composed and authoritative air, like a noble figure on a holiday retreat.
The general didn’t seem to mind Ye Li’s hostility at all.
He kept his eyes fixed on Yan Shixun and said calmly, “Then maybe I should switch seats and sit next to Yan Shixun. Your choice.”
Ye Li: “…………”
A wolf in the house!
He should’ve just taken care of this guy outside the car before letting him on!
After boarding the van, Yan Shixun looked around and, upon seeing Ye Li and the general seated side by side, raised an eyebrow, then naturally sat down next to the King of Hell.
The King of Hell: “Pfft.”
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