Chapter 357: Holding the "Prison" Seal to Sever Yin and Yang

The nine people and Lu Shan Jun had made a pact long ago. While many of them might have forgotten about it, for Lu Shan Jun, it was a crucial stage in his cultivation and path to enlightenment. He never forgot this, and as his spiritual clarity deepened, he always harbored a vague premonition.

To be honest, Lu Shan Jun had considered many possibilities, but he truly hadn't anticipated anyone choosing to become a monk.

In this world, people who become monks are typically either those with no other recourse or children adopted by monks at a young age, who are then raised to recite Buddhist scriptures and aspire to monastic life.

It was genuinely rare for someone from a good family, like Zhao Long, to choose the monastic path.

Hearing Lu Shan Jun's surprised exclamation, Du Heng added.

"Indeed. It’s not the famous Luming Temple in Kyoto, but the Luming Zen Monastery in Xining Prefecture. It’s quite remote, and not many people know about it. I only learned about it from Brother Zhao’s family a few years ago when I was searching for him."

Lu Shan Jun listened, nodded, and asked,

"So, did you, Master Du, go to Luming Zen Monastery and meet Zhao Long?"

Du Heng replied without hesitation.

"Precisely. I went to the Luming Zen Monastery on Xiaoliang Mountain. At that time, Brother Zhao had already been ordained for three years, and his every word and action reflected a monk. However, he hadn't abandoned his martial arts; he had simply transitioned from being skilled with a staff to favoring a Zen staff."

"Oh, I see!"

Lu Shan Jun nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face, and his gaze swept over Lan Ningke, the *chang gui*, standing nearby. The *chang gui* now looked somewhat dazed, watching Wang Ke and Du Heng, who, in turn, continuously cast their gaze upon Lan Ningke, who appeared no different from an ordinary person.

Among ghosts, *chang gui* are quite unique. Those unfamiliar with them find it difficult to distinguish them from living people, as they are highly deceptive. While they cannot defy their master, they retain the intelligence and abilities they possessed in life, and they also experience emotions.

As Lu Shan Jun’s *chang gui*, Lan Ningke’s current emotions naturally did not escape his perception. Even now, Lan Ningke still harbored a sense of reluctance and resentment, seemingly quite displeased upon seeing Wang Ke and Du Heng in their current state.

"Heh, it’s ghosts like you that never change their nature."

Lu Shan Jun whispered, drew Lan Ningke back into himself, and then bowed to Du Heng and Wang Ke once more.

"Chief Constable Wang, Master Du, I shall take my leave now. It was truly a pleasure meeting you today. Perhaps we can share drinks and talk freely someday."

Du Heng and Wang Ke exchanged glances and quickly bowed in return.

"If you invite us another day, we will surely come with good wine." "And you are welcome to invite us anytime, Shan Jun."

Just as Lu Shan Jun had said, "A clear conscience fears no ghosts." After their initial fear subsided, Du Heng and Wang Ke felt little psychological burden.

Seeing their candor, Lu Shan Jun smiled, then, carried by a fresh breeze and swirling fallen leaves, quickly disappeared into the forest.

"Whew…"

"Hah…"

Both Du Heng and Wang Ke couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Li Tongzhou and the others were somewhat exhilarated. Unlike Du Heng and Wang Ke, outsiders perceived Lu Shan Jun as a transcendent immortal figure. Even his summoning of the *chang gui* exuded a supernatural aura, so they had no idea he was a demon.

"Brother Du, Chief Constable Wang, who was that esteemed master just now?"

"Yes, Master Du, that esteemed master just now conjured a living person out of thin air. Was that some kind of magic spell?"

Listening to the slightly excited comments from those around him, Du Heng offered a wry smile.

"It’s a long story. He is indeed an esteemed master, but he’s somewhat different from what you might imagine…"

Wang Ke quickly interjected.

"Let’s not dwell on that for now. We should focus on escorting these scoundrels, like Zhao Datong, back to the prefecture city of Yaqian. There are many people waiting to see them utterly destroyed!"

"Right! Brother Wang is absolutely correct!" "Indeed, let's tie them up first."

The group temporarily set aside their questions and began to address the tasks at hand. It was a quarter of an hour later when Zhao Datong and the others were finally tied onto the horses.

By this time, many of the scattered horses had been rounded up. Those that couldn't be found had to be abandoned for the moment, perhaps to the benefit of the local villagers.

They had arrived quickly with eight horses in pursuit. On the return journey, however, their cavalry team was leading over twenty horses, and in addition to managing the horses, they also had to guard the remaining seven or eight prisoners, which naturally slowed their pace.

They were now in a desolate wilderness. Yaqian Prefecture was at least two hundred *li* away, making an instant return impossible. Therefore, naturally, Du Heng and his companions needed to find a place to camp before nightfall.

The sky was overcast that day, and dusk approached rapidly. Li Tongzhou led the horses, searching for a suitable camping spot. The surrounding woods were too sparse, offering little protection from the cold wind or rain, and would make them vulnerable to surprise attacks. A place with a rock face would be ideal, and he recalled seeing such a spot during their earlier pursuit.

Their horses galloped at a steady pace. As they crossed a small stream, they saw a flickering firelight by a distant rock face.

Li Tongzhou spurred his horse forward. As he drew nearer, he saw a man in white robes had built a bonfire and was sitting by it, warming himself while reading a book. Hearing the sound of hooves, the man stood up and looked their way.

"Is this gentleman alone?"

Li Tongzhou, without dismounting, called out from a distance.

By the bonfire, Ji Yuan stood up with his book, his gaze sweeping past Li Tongzhou to the group behind him.

"Valiant sir, I am on my way to Xining Prefecture in Yizhou. For now, I am traveling alone. Tonight is overcast and dark, making the road difficult. If you don't mind, please come and rest here."

Li Tongzhou, with his strong martial arts and excellent eyesight, observed Ji Yuan. The firelight illuminating Ji Yuan’s face gave Li Tongzhou a sense of déjà vu.

'This man looks familiar.'

After this thought, he suddenly noticed that the man's eyes had an unusual, somewhat pale hue. His heart suddenly faltered, and he immediately dismounted, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply.

"Li Tongzhou greets Master Ji!"

Though he had only met Ji Yuan twice in Jizhou, the encounters had left a profound impression, and he recognized him instantly.

Ji Yuan was slightly surprised. In truth, there had been many people that snowy night in Jizhou, but he only recalled Du Heng. Nevertheless, he always returned respect, so he immediately bowed in return.

"Ah, so it is Master Li. In that case, I won't pretend to be a mere passerby. Please, Master Du, Master Wang, and all of you, come here to rest. There’s no danger in the vicinity."

"Yes, I will go inform them immediately."

Li Tongzhou immediately remounted his horse, turned, and went to inform the others.

Moments later, the sound of hooves approached. Du Heng and Wang Ke led the way, riding with a mix of complex and excited emotions.

After a round of greetings, pleasantries, and preparations, the entire group had gathered by Ji Yuan’s bonfire.

Ji Yuan showed no partiality, inviting everyone to sit around the bonfire. Even the criminals, including Zhao Datong, whose pressure points had been sealed, were kept relatively close for monitoring purposes.

Aside from someone occasionally distracted by the roasting horse meat, everyone else listened intently to Ji Yuan’s narration, which primarily concerned the events experienced by Luo Ningshuang, Lu Chengfeng, and Lan Ningke.

He recounted everything from the beginning to the end, which left Du Heng and Wang Ke with a mix of lament and awe, reflecting on the saying that heaven watches over human deeds.

Interestingly, Ji Yuan's narration made Zhao Datong and the others, who had previously been quite defiant, look increasingly grim. When Ji Yuan spoke of Lan Ningke already being a *chang gui* unable to enter the underworld, Zhao Datong finally could not help but interrupt.

"Master Ji! I wish to ask, does the Underworld truly exist? Do soul reapers really come to collect souls after death and take them to the netherworld?"

A hush fell over the bonfire. Ji Yuan looked at the man, who was bound and whose pressure points had been sealed, and Wang Ke quietly offered an introduction.

"Sir, this man is the primary criminal we pursued this time. He has committed countless heinous acts in his life, and countless wronged souls are attributed to him. Upon returning to Yaqian Prefecture, he will be subjected to the extreme penalty of *lingchi*."

Ji Yuan nodded.

"I can see that. His malevolence and resentment are intertwined with his evil karma. His aura shows signs of impending bloodshed; he won't live long."

Zhao Datong, his face slightly pale, repeated his question.

"Master Ji, could you please answer my earlier question?"

This question concerned not only him but also everyone else present. Everyone now knew that this seemingly ordinary, even blind, great master was in fact a person of profound ability, perhaps even an immortal. Matters beyond the reach of mortals were, without doubt, highly intriguing.

Ji Yuan suppressed his usual faint smile.

"The Underworld certainly exists. And I can tell you this: given your circumstances, Zhao Datong, the Underworld officials of Yaqian Prefecture will likely be waiting at the execution ground. Firstly, to prevent your malevolent soul from escaping after death—they will restrain and take you away immediately. And secondly…"

Ji Yuan paused for a moment. It was a cruel truth, but also self-inflicted, so he continued.

"Secondly, I hear you will be subjected to the *lingchi* execution. Although the executioner will be unaware, the Underworld officials will assist him in preserving your vital energy and steadying your soul, ensuring you remain conscious throughout. You will not be permitted to die, not even after three thousand six hundred cuts."

Zhao Datong’s face turned ashen, and he was suddenly drenched in a cold sweat, his body even trembling slightly.

This meant that facing the *lingchi* punishment, even losing consciousness would be a luxury. His fear had never been more intense. Zhao Datong wanted to commit suicide, but he was utterly powerless.

Shaking his head slightly, Ji Yuan turned his attention back to Wang Ke.

"Chief Constable Wang, may I borrow your seal for a moment?"

A seal? Wang Ke was momentarily stunned. He retrieved a small, thumb-sized official seal from an inner pocket and, handing it over, inquired,

"Is it this one?"

"That's it."

Ji Yuan took the seal and examined it. Etched on its surface was a large character "獄" (prison/hell), with smaller characters below it reading "Chief Constable of Yaqian."

"Excellent, the characters are very fitting!"

As he spoke, Ji Yuan, as if by magic, conjured a wolf-hair brush. He then lifted the brush and traced over the character "獄" on the seal’s surface. As he made the final stroke, the character "獄" on the seal flashed with light before quickly subsiding.

Strictly speaking, Lu Chengfeng, Yan Fei, and Du Heng had all been influenced by Ji Yuan to some extent. Wang Ke, however, had genuinely chosen the path of a constable and risen to the position of Chief Constable for the prefecture based solely on his abilities and merits. While others had received various boons, Wang Ke had received none.

Time flew by, and it was uncertain if this would be the last time he saw Wang Ke. Ji Yuan certainly didn't bestow gifts on just anyone, but Wang Ke had earned the right, so he specifically imbued his seal with power using his brush.

"Chief Constable Wang, this seal must be nourished by your own righteous spirit as a law enforcer. If you truly abhor evil and uphold justice, its power will burn like a raging inferno, an unyielding force. In future cases, even the officials and spirits of the Underworld will grant you some deference. Should you encounter malevolent entities, holding this seal will also grant you a measure of control. It can be pressed upon a person to enhance their *yang* energy, upon a blade to amplify its deadly power, and upon a ghostly spirit to seal its malevolence. Use it wisely and with great caution."

Wang Ke received his seal back, holding it with both hands. Listening to Ji Yuan’s words, he felt the seal had become more than ten times heavier.