The formidable Black Wheel King, capable of matching Master Mingzhang, was thus defeated.
However…
“Is he really dead?” Lu Zheng frowned, as the jade seal in his mind only harvested less than twenty points of destiny light, even less than what he gained from subduing the two century-old ghosts.
“Not dead,” Master Mingzhang shook his head, somewhat无奈. “This ghost king practiced a Yang-Refining Yin-Returning technique, extracting his soul’s origin in advance. His intent was to prevent his soul from being tainted by newly acquired yin energy, needing to refine it before reintegration, but it also gave him a lifeline to escape. However, that soul’s origin has only a trace of true spirit cultivation, barely able to protect itself. Rebuilding would take at least a decade.”
“I see,” Lu Zheng nodded. “So his threat to wreak havoc in Yizhou Prefecture meant coming back for revenge after rebuilding?”
Master Mingzhang said, “Today, he just ran into us. If he dares to cause chaos in Yizhou, does he think the Anomaly Suppression Bureau is idle? Besides, with his ghostly body destroyed, it’s uncertain if his soul’s origin will survive this year.”
Lu Zheng nodded, but in his heart, he knew the Black Wheel King would likely endure, at least in the short term, as his destiny light hadn’t dropped much. Even so, he was a future threat. Fortunately, this threat was distant. By the time he returned in a decade, Lu Zheng might subdue him with a single curse.
Lu Zheng sighed, “What a pity, more than two hundred strands of destiny light wasted!”
…
Master Mingzhang descended, dispersing the white cloud beneath him. Liu Qingyan landed steadily, joining Lu Zheng and Shen Ying. Lu Zheng and Yuanjing stepped forward to pay respects, and Shen Ying bowed slightly, saying, “Greetings, Master Mingzhang!”
“No need for formalities,” Master Mingzhang smiled. “The name of Peach Blossom Fairy is renowned. Even at Baiyun Temple, I’ve heard much about you!”
The locals offered incense at both Peach Blossom Shrine and Baiyun Temple, less than a hundred miles apart. With people talking, Master Mingzhang had naturally heard of Shen Ying.
Shen Ying’s cheeks flushed with rare shyness. “It’s Lu Lang’s love for me, but I didn’t mean to steal Baiyun Temple’s incense.”
Peach Blossom Shrine, dedicated to love, fertility, and family prosperity, naturally drew some incense energy from other temples.
“No matter, no matter,” Master Mingzhang waved dismissively. “A bit of incense energy is just a bonus. Baiyun Temple doesn’t rely on it to thrive.”
Baiyun Temple’s Taoists focused on qi cultivation. Incense energy was merely a casual supplement for nourishing the soul, like a snack. A little was enough.
Lu Zheng later learned this but didn’t offer to compensate Baiyun Temple’s incense loss, partly because the loss was minimal and partly because the temple didn’t need much. Fresh fruits and wine sufficed.
…
After a brief chat, Master Mingzhang took Yuanjing and floated away on a cloud. Liu Qingyan had to attend Renxin Clinic the next day, and after running all night, Lu Zheng couldn’t let her return alone. He comforted Shen Ying and took Liu Qingyan back to the county. Of course, after Liu Qingyan left for the clinic early the next morning, Lu Zheng returned to Peach Blossom Manor.
…
“Lu Lang, set the seal, and I’ll assist,” Shen Ying said softly.
“Good,” Lu Zheng nodded.
He patted his gourd, retrieving an ink-jade plaque, a gift from the fox spirit Xin Yuniang of Nanjiang. From a box of jade and jewels, Shen Ying and Liu Qingyan each picked a few items they liked, leaving most untouched for Lu Zheng to use for household expenses. If he sold the jewels for houses and land, he could instantly become one of Tonglin County’s top landlords. Instead, he stored them in the gourd for safekeeping. Only after practicing *Lesser Earth Emperor Ghost-Controlling Divine Technique* did he take a jade plaque, inscribe it with curses, refine it with true qi, and use it to capture ghosts, making it a rudimentary artifact.
Prepared in advance, it proved immediately useful.
With a hand seal, he released the two ghosts. Giving them no chance to speak, Lu Zheng’s fingers formed a Ghost-Controlling Seal, lightly tapping it into one ghost’s forehead. He activated the seal, and Shen Ying, also skilled in this technique, assisted, ensuring the seal merged into the ghost’s soul swiftly without damage. This was no easy task, as resistance could harm the ghost’s true spirit, causing a drop in cultivation that would take far more than days to recover.
Though the ghosts had over a century of cultivation and considerable strength, Lu Zheng and Shen Ying were stronger. In half a day, they embedded the Ghost-Controlling Seal into both ghosts’ souls, erasing the Black Wheel King’s original seals and replacing them with the Lesser Earth Emperor Ghost-Controlling Seal.
Thus, they gained a new master…
Ghost One: “…”
Ghost Two: “…”
“Speak. What are your names, and where did the Black Wheel King come from?” Lu Zheng waved, releasing their bindings, and asked boldly, “Want to feel the Ghost-Controlling Seal first?”
“No, no need! I’m Duan Jiang, greeting Master!”
“I’m Zhan Yue, greeting Master!”
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow. “Duan Jiang, Zhan Yue? Big names for ghosts!”
“No, no!” The ghosts waved frantically, humbly.
“What were you before death?”
“Porters.”
“How did you die?”
“Killed by bandits while working. Our true spirits lingered, entered the Netherworld, and later served the Black Wheel King.”
“How long?”
“Over eighty years.”
“And the Black Wheel King?”
“He’s a ghost king from the Netherworld. He encountered a monk exorcising a ghost into the Netherworld, took advantage, devoured that ghost king, and seized the monk’s treasure wheel, greatly advancing his cultivation. Hence, the Black Wheel King.”
“This time, a powerful ghost king in the Netherworld perished. In the chaos, he obtained a Yang-Refining Yin-Returning secret technique. Fearing to practice it in the Netherworld, he came to the mortal realm.”
“He thought avoiding the prefecture would keep him from strong adversaries, so he cultivated in the mountains, tasking us brothers with collecting yang energy.”
“How long have you been out?”
“About two years, coming out once a month to absorb yang energy, then hiding.”
“Do you know about the Black Wheel King’s soul origin?”
Duan Jiang and Zhan Yue exchanged glances, then shook their heads. “We don’t know.”
“Where’s his lair?”
“In an abandoned house at the foot of a mountain between Dingxian and Tonglin Counties.”
“Take me to see it!”
“Yes!”
Though the Black Wheel King’s soul origin was almost certainly not in the abandoned house, and Master Mingzhang didn’t even mention it, Lu Zheng wanted to check. What if he found a clue? Beyond saving people, the key was the destiny light. Who would complain about having too much destiny?
