Chapter 27.2 Gilded Baby Corpse 09
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Rakshasa was a general term for evil spirits, and a female Rakshasa was known as a Rakshasi. Rakshasi belonged to the Ghost Realm, under the jurisdiction of the Great Emperor of Fengdu, who governed countless spirits. Therefore, the Rakshasi was also under the dominion of the Great Emperor of Fengdu.
All spirits instinctively feared and revered the Great Emperor of Fengdu, including the Rakshasi. However, her anger, unwillingness, and resentment drove her to dare speak out to the Great Emperor of Fengdu about her grievances. “I was only sixteen years old when I was forced into a marriage. It was that wandering sorcerer who maliciously nailed me alive into this stone coffin, depriving me of the chance to be reincarnated and subjecting me to the torment of countless vengeful spirits. How can I accept this fate? Great Emperor, you have always been renowned for your justice. Do you think it is fair to condemn me to death simply because I am a flesh-eating Rakshasi? Then what about the person who caused my death? Their descendants are living peaceful lives! What about me? Who will bring me justice?!!”
As the ordeal reached its climax, the Rakshasi unleashed a frenzied howl, causing even the stone coffin to tremble slightly.
Du Shuo remained unmoved, his expression calm to the point of indifference. At this moment, he embodied a true deity, guided solely by the code of law and devoid of personal emotions. He was not the compassionate and merciful Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. He was the Ruler of Fengdu, confronted daily with countless injustices in the mortal realm, far more tragic than the fate endured by the Rakshasi.
“The one who harmed you has been slain by your own hand. Their descendants suffered three generations of poverty and misfortune, plagued by numerous calamities until their recent good fortune altered their destiny. Furthermore, the one who harmed you is currently enduring torment and atoning for their sins in the depths of hell. The celestial order has advocated for your cause. However, those whom you have killed were also innocent. Who will seek justice for them?”
The Rakshasi had no words to offer in response.
While she was indeed pitiful, she had exacted revenge upon her enemies as well. The celestial order had also duly recorded the sins committed by the Rakshasi.
Over the course of centuries, she had killed countless individuals. But were those people not also innocent? The Rakshasi had been trapped inside the stone coffin for many years, unable to reincarnate, tormented day and night by vengeful spirits. Was she not also involved in the process of redemption?
The celestial order operated with fairness, precisely in this manner. Whenever someone committed sins, regardless of their motivations or the depth of their personal history, they must atone for those transgressions.
Now that she had attained the status of a Rakshasi and became the leader of evil spirits, her path forward required either listening to sacred scriptures to cleanse her malevolence and accumulate merit, thereby potentially allowing for rebirth, or choosing to serve as an executioner in the underworld, renouncing her Rakshasi status and cultivating the ways of ghosts.
Du Shuo made it clear, “Submit to the dominion of Fengdu and cultivate the Ghost Dao. Refuse to comply, and you shall be cast into the unrelenting depths of hell.”
The Rakshasi clearly recognized the weight of her own guilt and silently accepted Du Shuo’s arrangement. Had anyone else attempted to persuade her, they would have met a swift demise at her hands. Not even a revered ghost deity could instill the same sense of reverence within her.
Fate had a peculiar way of bringing forth the feared ruler of Fengdu, whose name alone struck terror in the hearts of many. How could the Rakshasi dare to oppose him any longer? Moreover, for reasons unknown, she felt an undercurrent of murderous intent in the words of the Great Emperor of Fengdu, as if he expected her to deny her own nature.
It wasn’t until she truly became a denizen of Fengdu that the Rakshasi learned the person she nearly sank her teeth into was the wife of the mighty deity. This revelation sent a chill down her spine, and she was relieved that she hadn’t inflicted harm upon Chen Yang.
Du Shuo commanded the Rakshasi to guard the Longdao Ridge at the Ghost Portal, and upon her acceptance, he leaped down from the stone coffin, taking Chen Yang with him. The lid of the coffin slipped to the ground, and the Rakshasi’s once alluring visage returned. She bowed respectfully to the ten present Celestial Masters before closing the lid of the coffin. It descended into the earth, and the surface sealed shut.
For a fleeting moment, everyone present was bewildered. They couldn’t fathom how Du Shuo stood on the coffin lid for a brief moment, leading the Rakshasi to willingly guard the Longdao Ridge.
Afterwards, Zhang Qiudao inquired about the events that transpired with Chen Yang.
Chen Yang was at a loss for words, shaking his head and saying, “I’m not sure myself.”
“You were the closest to the scene. How can you not know?”
“Brother Du cast a silence spell on me. I didn’t hear anything,” Chen Yang mused, rubbing his chin. “Perhaps it was because I was afraid of Brother Du’s anger. He can be quite terrifying when he’s upset, and I’m genuinely afraid of that.”
Zhang Qiudao cast a sidelong glance at Chen Yang. Just a couple of days ago, he called Du Shuo “Brother Du,” and now he referred to the Director of Dafu Office as “Brother Du.” After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “The Director of the Dafu Office is Du Shuo, right?”
Chen Yang nodded. “Yeah.” He looked at Zhang Qiudao, who had a face that said, “Just as I suspected.”
“Although I was initially shocked, I calmed down later and realized that the way you two interact is the same as how Du Shuo interacts with you. And ‘Shuo’ represents the north (Bei), so both are the same person.”
Zhang Qiudao felt relieved. Chen Yang wasn’t a two-timing scumbag, and that put his mind at ease. He patted Chen Yang’s shoulder and said, “As for why their appearances are different, I understand. Du Shuo holds a special identity, so he conceals it when necessary. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret.”
Chen Yang replied, “Thank you,” but he wasn’t entirely sure what Zhang Qiudao had figured out.
After resolving the matter, a few individuals were left to handle the post-event matters of the ritual. Chen Yang and Du Shuo returned to their inn to pack their belongings and happened to encounter Gao Tianliang rushing over. Du Shuo went to their room, while Chen Yang stayed behind.
“Take your time to speak.”
Gao Tianliang hurriedly said, “Master, please take a look at the little baby spirit I brought in my Yin amulet. Save him.”
“Lead the way.” Chen Yang walked alongside him and asked, “What happened?”
“Last night, I heard terrifying sounds outside, and I couldn’t sleep. Tianna was afraid too, so we stayed in the same room, waiting for daylight. Then I heard your voice, calling me to open the door. The voice sounded just like you, and I believed it was you, so I went to open the door. But outside stood a malevolent ghost that lunged at both of us.”
“Didn’t you have protective talismans?”
“They got soaked with water.”
Chen Yang frowned and decided that when he returned, he would have Mao Xiaoli research waterproof talismans. “Continue.”
“There was only one talisman left. I had Tianna hide in the bedroom with the talisman, hoping to lure the malevolent ghost out. But there were many other ghosts outside the room, and if I opened the door, they would all rush in. I was too scared to open it and almost got killed by the ghosts. Then the little baby spirit suddenly appeared and saved me, but it was also injured by the ghosts.”
Stepping into the bedroom, the doors and windows were tightly shut. He Tianna sat anxiously on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on the faintly visible baby spirit lying on the bed. Its ethereal form was so weak that it could barely sustain itself. On the side, there was a small wooden horse toy that Chen Yang had made for it a couple of days ago.
The baby spirit loved this toy, and even though it couldn’t maintain its ethereal form, it still wanted the wooden horse toy by its side.
He Tianna stood up and said, “Master, please save this child.”
Chen Yang nodded and lowered his gaze to the baby spirit. Its skin remained dark and eerie, but for some reason, it seemed pitiful and adorable, perhaps due to letting go of its resentment.
The baby spirit felt fondness for Chen Yang, who had given it his favorite toy. As soon as it saw him, it let out a weak hum.
Chen Yang’s heart softened instantly. He hooked his finger around the ethereal little finger of the baby spirit and turned to Gao Tianliang. “Give me your Yin amulet.”
Gao Tianliang immediately took off his Yin amulet and handed it to him. Chen Yang asked, “Do you have any jade?”
He Tianna replied, “Yes.” She rushed to the suitcase, took out an emperor green jade from a box, and handed it to Chen Yang. “Is this piece suitable?”
“Yes.” Chen Yang said and smashed the Yin amulet, taking out a small section of infant bones from inside and affixing it to the jade. He recited an incantation, wrapped it in yellow paper, and raised his head. “The jade will nurture the soul. Now, I will transfer the soul of the baby spirit into the jade, but I need fresh blood to draw the symbols.”
Gao Tianliang and He Tianna spoke simultaneously, “Use mine.”
Chen Yang’s gaze remained calm as he looked at the two of them. “The baby spirit saved your lives and formed a bond with you. If we draw the symbols with your blood, nurture the jade, and pray for blessings and merits, it will be able to reincarnate. It will be reborn as your child. Are you still willing?”
Gao Tianliang and He Tianna exchanged a glance, but the latter remained silent. Gao Tianliang then asked, “Can we use only one person’s blood?”
“Yes.”
“Then use mine. It saved my life… and perhaps more. I quite like it. The little one is clever and loyal. If I were to have a child like this in the future, I’d be happy.”
Chen Yang nodded.
He Tianna kept her gaze steady and whispered, “Take a bit of my blood as well.”
Gao Tianliang suddenly looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with surprise. He Tianna gazed gently at the baby spirit and said, “It saved my life too.”
Chen Yang used their blood to draw the symbols, sealed the soul of the baby spirit within the jade, and then handed the jade to the two of them. “Take good care of it, perform acts of kindness and accumulate merits. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it should be able to reincarnate in two to three years.”
The two of them remembered his words well.
The baby spirit appeared on Chen Yang’s shoulder and gently kissed his face.
Chen Yang chuckled. “Go now. This is your reward for your virtuous deeds.”
The baby spirit raised its eyebrows, revealing a faintly adorable and innocent appearance. It returned to Gao Tianliang and He Tianna, showing affection for the couple who would soon become its long-awaited parents. It gave each of them a loving kiss before returning to the jade.
Gao Tianliang and He Tianna looked at each other, silently shaking hands, unexpectedly filled with anticipation for the baby spirit to be reborn as their child.
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