Chapter 75

Chapter 75

The visiting Underworld Messenger swiftly slipped away, leaving the local messengers with a mix of complicated emotions. To embezzle within a sister organization was audacious; their provincial colleagues certainly had large appetites. The native Underworld Messengers of the capital would never dare to do such a thing – it wasn't easy, after all, to secure a position in the City God Temple these days. Minor discretions for some extra income were one thing, but who would dare to create such a disturbance?

Not to mention, he was unexpectedly caught red-handed by two of his superiors.

Black Impermanence wore an embarrassed look as he said, "Chief Wei, rest assured, I will give you a full account of today's events. We cannot tolerate corruption among our grassroots Soul Reapers! We will investigate this matter to the very end!"

Well, here it is.

The Underworld Messengers inwardly thought, What good does sneaking away do? With their secure job at risk, the Messenger is probably hiding somewhere, bitterly regretting and weeping.

Their anger intensified. An unspoken industry norm had been disrupted; a mutual understanding that allowed everyone to have a taste was now exposed by these rule-breakers!

For a moment, they glared at the slender, tall figure still in a daze inside the room with particularly malevolent gazes.

**********

Inside the room, scattered spirit money in the form of gold ingots and paper bills floated amidst ashes, still suspended mid-air, swaying gently.

The silence on the scene was awkward, almost embarrassing. Wei Tianyi, who had just finished wrestling with the skinny man, got up and kicked him hard. "Where are the Underworld Messengers? The ones you were going to summon? Summon them now!"

The skinny man's ritual had caused quite a commotion. The gusts of ghostly wind sweeping through the room even blew him off balance. Seeing the man talking to thin air with an air of certainty, he momentarily fell for it, believing that the man truly had spiritual abilities, which made him feel a twinge of fear. He thought to himself that Underworld Messengers were different from wandering ghosts – they sounded more legitimate. Perhaps they were like civil servants in the Netherworld? Maybe they actually possessed some power?

But after waiting for so long, this was all there was? Nothing happened except for a brief gust of wind. Reflecting on his thoughts earlier, Wei Tianyi felt ashamed. What was even more humiliating was that he had momentarily doubted his unwavering materialism due to these crazies! These fraudsters' tricks had become too sophisticated!

With his fiery temper, Wei Tianyi's way of dealing with humiliation was through physical violence. Coming back to his senses, he pinned down the skinny man and started hitting him. "You damn liar! Where are your Underworld Messengers? I'll underworld your mother! You can't even come up with a decent lie, and you've messed up my home! Let me tell you, this isn't over!"

Xing Kai, who was also in a daze, instinctively tried to intervene, but was met with a fierce rebuke. "You little brat, bringing outsiders here to deceive me. Just you wait; I'll surely tell your father about this, and he'll give you a good lesson!"

If not for that damn fellow's solemn promises earlier, he wouldn't have so easily believed the absurd tales spun by this group of people.

Xing Kai was also panicked by his words. The thin and tall man on the other side, beaten in pain and humiliation, didn't have the time to pay attention to their conversation. He only held the Yin Talisman he had received from his master, lost in an endless void.

The words of his junior brother slowly surfaced in his mind.

An uncontrollable fear and doubt arose in his heart—could it be that I'm really too weak?

Little Fatty, who had tried to mediate the fight and got punched in the chaos, now cowered aside, pitifully suggesting with a gloomy face, "Senior Brother, I told you we're not skilled enough. We can't win, so let's run away quickly."

The lanky man attempted to flee! But he couldn't escape that grip! Wei Tianyi was twisting his arm into a pretzel!

Seeing his senior brother, strong and youthful, at a disadvantage, Little Fatty couldn't help praising Wei Tianyi, "I remember Boss Wei is over fifty, right? Good health is truly beneficial. He's got such great strength; my senior brother usually beats me up pretty badly."

The lanky man received a punch to the face. "…."

Spotting the dire situation, the pockmarked man stomped and gritted his teeth. He decided to abandon his senior brother and junior and dash for the entrance. This guy had no sense of camaraderie.

Unfortunately, before he could even take a few steps, his abdomen was suddenly kicked, causing him to see stars as he was sent flying backward three or four meters. He crashed onto the tea table in the Wei family living room with a thud.

Tea cups and decorations tumbled from the table. It took him several seconds to gather enough strength to struggle back to his feet. By then, several people had appeared outside the door. The one who had kicked him back inside was none other than the leader, Wei Xi.

Wei Xi's expression was grim. These fellow practitioners had not only come to his home to snatch business but also attacked his disciple. They clearly didn't take him seriously! Although the Small Cang Sect was small, it wasn't a place anyone could bully!

The lanky man, already frustrated by Wei Tianyi, was now even more shaken by Wei Xi's return. To be honest, he feared Wei Xi far more than Wei Tianyi. While Wei Tianyi was skilled in martial arts, his knowledge of Daoism was amateurish. In contrast, Wei Xi was different. He had effortlessly cracked the Thousand Mile Vision, which the lanky man had spent years perfecting! If he could crack that, who knew what other malicious tricks he had up his sleeve? Now that his ritual had failed, and he was in the hands of his opponent, the lanky man wasn't sure how he would retaliate.

Would he repay in kind by seizing his soul? Or use even more sinister and brutal means?

Faced with Wei Xi's sinister gaze, he thought, 'There's always another day if I preserve my life.' He spoke up, "Fellow Daoist Wei, this is all a misunderstanding. I've long admired your great reputation. Summoning the Underworld Messengers earlier was a last resort, not an intentional offense…"

Little Fatty sighed. "Senior Brother, are you being foolish? How could anyone believe such words?"

The thin man fell silent for a moment. Sure enough, Wei Xi harrumphed and crouched down to pick up a fruit knife. The man's eyes nearly popped out in terror as he began to struggle wildly. "You dare kill me!!"

United Righteousness was baffled. "Are you insane? Why would my master want to kill you? Is it because cult members like you have abnormal brains? We've already called the police."

The thin man's struggles froze. Indeed, Wei Xi merely placed the fruit knife back on the coffee table before frowning and surveying the messy room. "Jieyi, ask Manager Zhou to calculate the sect's financial losses and make them compensate accordingly."

The thin man: "…"

Little Fatty whispered to him, "Senior Brother, don't be afraid. They seem quite reasonable."

Wei Tianyi finally released the thin man, not forgetting to give him another glare as he stood up. "Crazy idiot, what era is this? Still resorting to violence? No wonder you're involved in a cult; your actions and words are like that of a paranoid delusional. You even summoned Underworld Messengers."

The thin man trembled with fury from Wei Xi's mocking words. He had never suffered such injustice in his life. "I..."

"What 'I'?" Wei Tianyi scoffed. "Shut up quickly. If you're so capable, summon one yourself. Stop talking nonsense, just call Black and White Impermanence!"

Black Impermanence: "…"

United Righteousness gave Wei Tianyi an odd glance. "I don't think he'll be able to reveal anything."

Wei Tianyi retorted, "Nonsense!"

United Righteousness said, "But I didn't mean it the way you think."

Wei Tianyi responded with a question mark.

*****

The lanky man was questioned about his profession, yet he couldn't prove his innocence in summoning the Underworld Messengers. The humiliation was even worse than being called ugly to his face. At that moment, a sharp police siren faintly echoed outside the house. The lanky man's expression changed drastically, and Little Fatty also sensed danger, panicking. "Senior Brother, what should we do? This is bad!"

Their group was equivalent to a cult combined with a pyramid scheme. Encountering the police spelled doom.

How would the lanky man know what to do? He was still confused himself. Originally, he had only come to the Wei family to perform a ritual, but something went wrong, leading to this situation.

When the police barged in to detain them, they asked about the cult's fraudulent tactics. Wei Tianyi, remembering how close he was to being deceived, grew furious and pointed at Xing Kai. "Ask him. It was this stinky kid who introduced us."

Xing Kai had a clean record, so there was no way he could be part of the cult. The police categorized him as an ordinary citizen brainwashed by the cult and started recording his personal information for a deprogramming session later. However, it was just a class and wouldn't interfere with other matters. United Righteousness suddenly remembered something and asked Wei Xi, "Master, I heard that Mr. Xing used to be your good friend."

Wei Xi had an impression of Xing Kai. The man had treated him to a lavish meal not long ago. Although he couldn't recall how the night ended after getting drunk, he still held positive feelings towards this generous old friend. He nodded in response, "That's right."

Unity Yi's face lit up with a smile as he approached Xing Kai to shake his hand joyfully.

Xing Kai: "?"

Unity Yi: "Truly worthy of being my master's good friend, Mr. Xing. You've done a great service this time. My junior brother mentioned that these people might be hiding. Despite searching through numerous hotels recently, we couldn't find any trace of them. Without your help, we wouldn't have been able to catch them so easily!"

Xing Kai: "..."

The tall and thin man, who was held aside, suddenly lifted his head.

Good friends? ! Xing Kai and Wei Xi were good friends?! This was never mentioned before!

Upon this realization, his thoughts raced, and he found an explanation for his inexplicable failure – it was all part of their plan! He had been trapped in a trap from the very beginning! No wonder! No wonder! No wonder Wei Tianyi had prepared a fake birth certificate to deceive him, and no wonder the Underworld Messengers, who were supposed to track down their location, vanished without a trace!

Unthinkable... Unthinkable...

The thin man let out a bitter laugh, glaring fiercely at Xing Kai. "Mr. Xing, no wonder you agreed to help us so readily. Well played, very well played. Your acting skills are impressive, indeed!"

Xing Kai was utterly flustered. "!!!"

"I didn't, I really am helping you from the bottom of my heart! Don't listen to their nonsense!"

He immediately tried to explain, but before he could, Unity Justice pulled him into a tight embrace. "Don't say anything! Brother Xing! Friends stick together for life! We'll have a drink another day!"

Xing Kai: "..."

Unity Justice's strength was immense, leaving Xing Kai unable to speak as he was held tightly. He could only watch helplessly as the three slim and tall disciples were escorted away by the police. Before they left, the slender one turned back and shot him a sinister glance, his eyes conveying, "Just you wait!"

Little Fatty, with his hands cuffed, sobbed behind his senior brother, "I told you he was a jinx, but you wouldn't believe me. Now look, we're in this mess, wuwuwu..."

The slender one said coldly, "I underestimated him. I never thought that after our master moved his family's ancestral graves, he would repay kindness with enmity... Just watch, I won't let him get away with it."

Little Fatty found no comfort in these words and continued to cry, "Senior Brother, please don't make threats. With your skills, it'd be more reliable if we pooled our money to hire someone to give him a good beating!"

The slender one: "..."

That last piercing gaze from the slender one left Xing Kai's chest pounding, his mind in turmoil, and he felt completely unnerved.

United Righteousness didn't intend to release his grip, still enthusiastically patting his back. "Hero! Friend! Brother Xing! Impressive!"

Xing Kai was almost suffocated by the pats, rolling his eyes in distress as he watched the slender trio being led away until they vanished from sight. A deep sense of despair arose within him once again after the embassy incident –

What the hell have I done to deserve this!

From a distance, Wei Xi observed the amicable scene between Xing Kai and United Righteousness, shaking his head. "I thought he had an unlucky appearance, with dark clouds looming over him, as if something major was about to happen. Turns out he's quite a warm-hearted person. My skill in face-reading clearly needs more refinement."

Shuo Zong: "..."

As his words faded, his second disciple standing by his side didn't respond. Wei Xi turned his head and saw his disciple looking at him with that familiar, helpless expression. Then, the disciple suddenly raised his hand, curled his fingers, and gently tapped his own forehead. "You really are..."

Wei Xi: "?"

What exactly is it?

Shuo Zong didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he chuckled softly and touched the spot where he had been poked before turning away.

As an accomplished translator of both Chinese and English literature, specializing in the realm of danmei fantasy novels, I immerse myself in weaving together tales that brim with elements of this enchanting genre. Herein lies a passage, meticulously translated to preserve its elegance and authenticity:

The slender trio were apprehended and forced into the car, while the police gathered at the entrance to take statements. Meanwhile, Butler Zhou began organizing his staff to assess the damage in the living room. As they inventoried the items, he found it peculiar that despite Wei Tianyi's fierce fight with the tall, thin man, which had left the coffee table area in shambles and even pushed the sofa askew, the shrine dedicated to the deity in the corner remained untouched. Not a single drop of the braised pork offering's sauce had spilled.

Wei Xi offered incense to the Supreme Ruler, then finally had a moment to entertain Black Impermanence. "Please don't mind my rudeness, sir."

Black Impermanence shook his head. "Not at all, not at all. It's our City God department that should apologize for causing inconvenience to your esteemed residence."

Listening to this bureaucratic exchange, Wei Tianyi, standing nearby, couldn't help but glance over at the stranger his eldest son had brought home. The man was handsome, dressed in a tailored suit, exuding the air of a business elite. He made a favorable impression on Wei Tianyi.

It seemed that his eldest son was finally associating with someone respectable. Unconsciously, he turned to Wei Chengshu, who had entered with his older brother, and asked, "Who is that person? What's his relationship with your brother?"

Wei Chengshu: "..."

Wei Chengshu put down his large bucket and, as he folded the cloth, turned back with a gloomy expression, saying, "Another lunatic."

Wei Tianyi: "???"

Of course, Wei Xi had no knowledge of their conversation. After both parties were seated, Black Impermanence blessed the framed certificate that represented Taicang Sect. Then, he asked, "From the looks of it, Director Wei's family is involved in business?"

Wei Xi nodded. "Yes, why do you ask?"

Black Impermanence pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, seemingly hesitant but after some thought, he spoke up, "To be honest, apart from admiring Director Wei's pioneering efforts in solving employment issues for us, I've come all the way from Fengdu to see if Director Wei might have a solution for our pressing problem."

Wei Xi asked, "What pressing problem?"

Black Impermanence asked cautiously, "Could you possibly facilitate a connection between us and the local government department?"

Wei Xi replied, "What?"

Assuming that he had caused difficulty, Black Impermanence hurriedly explained, "I don't mean anything else. It's just that with the increasing prosperity of the living world, we in the Underworld Bureau also wish to learn from advanced experiences and push for reform, fostering economic growth. Also, some policies issued by the living world in recent years have greatly affected us. If possible, we hope that the responsible departments from both sides can sit down and discuss how to promote mutual development in the future."

United Righteousness looked at his junior in confusion, "What policies? Can our actions above influence those below?"

His junior ignored him, while Black Impermanence let out a long sigh, "The main issue is population. Has the gender ratio in the living world become unbalanced in recent years? Anyway, our Underworld Bureau has suddenly seen a surge in single ghosts over the past decade, with frequent cases of female ghosts being harassed. This has greatly impacted public security. Furthermore, the living world seems to lack emphasis on quality education and legal awareness. Yet, there's more resistance than before, resulting in many new ghosts being utterly unreasonable. We often encounter situations like ghosts forcefully occupying others' homes, demanding more offerings from their families or even resorting to extortion on the streets. There are even gatherings for square dancing right outside the entrance of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, causing great trouble for our management."

"..." United Righteousness murmured, "That does sound troublesome..."

Black Impermanence smiled, "So the issue of education really needs to start from childhood in the living world. By the time they reach us, it's already too late, isn't it?"

Indeed, this was a haunting problem. United Righteousness nodded, then grew curious, "Bl... Sir, all these years... haven't you had any connections in the living world? The City God Temple seems quite lively."

Upon hearing this, Black Impermanence sighed. "There used to be, but doesn't your mortal government now demand secularism? They're constantly causing us trouble; who knows what they're up to these days."