Chapter 671: Xiezhi Awakened?

In terms of virtue, Xin Wuya, among all the ghost cultivators Ji Yuan had met, could at best be ranked in the lower middle. Many city gods and great deities Ji Yuan had encountered possessed far superior virtue. However, these belonged to the orthodox divine system, which came with significant inherent restrictions and might not accommodate such a plan.

Moreover, the current state of Boundless Ghost City was truly unique. Xin Wuya himself could discern right from wrong, and his talents were undeniably exceptional. As a thousand-year-old ghost, his cultivation was almost the most profound Ji Yuan had ever witnessed among ghost cultivators. As a pure ghost, his power even surpassed that of some high-ranking city gods, making the descriptor 'ghost genius' entirely appropriate.

For all these reasons, Xin Wuya now enjoyed such good fortune, and it was by no means a bad development for Ji Yuan either.

As Xin Wuya made this solemn vow, a ripple ran through Boundless Ghost City, both inside and out, directly confirming the sincerity of his oath. Ji Yuan was pleased, and Xin Wuya could barely contain his excitement. Just then, a slightly hoarse yet profoundly ancient voice suddenly issued from Ji Yuan's sleeve.

'Hmph… hehehe… Heaven and Earth bear witness, the sun and moon attest? What does that count for? Heaven and Earth are distant and subject to creation and destruction, and even the sun and moon can be swayed by favor. Do you dare swear before me?'

Ji Yuan's expression subtly shifted as he lowered his gaze to his sleeve. Fortunately, his change of demeanor went unnoticed by the other ghosts, who were all frozen in astonishment at what they had just heard.

'Xiezhi!'

Though Ji Yuan's expression quickly reverted to normal, the tremor in his heart was significant. Could this Xiezhi actually produce a voice? The scroll was rolled up, and he hadn't infused it with any spiritual power. Furthermore, it was tucked away within the spatial dimension of his sleeve. Yet, a voice had just emanated from it.

This was unlike the small characters in the 'Sword Intent Post,' which were merely tucked into a hidden pocket in his sleeve without any restrictions. The Xiezhi scroll was a different matter. Given the circumstances, could the Xiezhi perceive the outside world through the spatial dimension within his sleeve?

'Sir, who spoke just now? It sounded... it sounded as if the voice came from your sleeve?'

Ji Yuan slowly drew a deep breath. After composing himself, he reached into his sleeve and produced a rolled-up painting. On the surface, it appeared perfectly normal, as if it had never made a sound.

Under the watchful eyes of the little paper crane on his shoulder, Xin Wuya and the other ghosts, and the two golden-armored warriors, Ji Yuan slowly unfurled the scroll. All eyes instinctively converged on the painting, but it merely depicted an oddly shaped beast, appearing entirely unremarkable.

Ji Yuan knew it wasn't an illusion. Indeed, before he could utter a word to the scroll, the Xiezhi depicted within it stiffly shifted its eyes, fixing its gaze directly on Xin Wuya. Its mouth also moved with a slight stiffness, and the identical voice from before echoed out.

'Little ghost, do you dare swear before me?'

To the observers, the image on the scroll appeared slightly blurred at that moment, and though no aura emanated from it, a chilling sensation simultaneously arose in their hearts as they heard the voice.

The ghost cultivators then noticed that the yin energy within the Grand Hall of the Netherworld had become agitated, as if disturbed.

As the Xiezhi fixed its gaze upon him, Xin Wuya felt a coldness he hadn't experienced in a long time as a ghost cultivator. Everything around him seemed to fall silent, as if there were no ghost generals, no cultivators, no six imposing golden-armored divine generals—even Ji Yuan's presence became incredibly faint.

This brief moment felt unnaturally long to Xin Wuya. He wrestled with his mind, finally breaking free from the strange sensation, and then, with lingering trepidation, he questioned Ji Yuan.

'Mr. Ji, what is this creature in the painting? It emits no vital energy or death energy, so why does it speak on its own?'

Xin Wuya initially thought it might be some form of talismancy, but it didn't quite feel like it. He could only hope Ji Yuan would offer an explanation.

While Xin Wuya posed his question, Ji Yuan had concluded his thoughts and began to speak.

'The creature in the painting is the ancient divine beast Xiezhi, a symbol of courage and justice…'

Ji Yuan paused, narrowing his eyes as he looked towards the Xiezhi scroll. As if sensing Ji Yuan's gaze, the Xiezhi's eyes shifted from Xin Wuya, now resting on Ji Yuan. His wise, aged eyes met its painted ones.

'Ji Yuan, I've been with you for a while now. Thanks to your aid, I've regained a sliver of consciousness. These minor ghosts, while somewhat extraordinary, still lack the breadth of vision. They cannot fathom your thoughts or reach your perspective. To prevent any reckless actions on their part, how about I provide you with an extra layer of assurance?'

Ji Yuan's wise, aged eyes rarely betrayed emotion, while the Xiezhi's painted eyes remained utterly lifeless. After a few seconds of silence, Ji Yuan suddenly smiled.

'When did you regain consciousness to this degree?'

'Not long ago. Actually, while you were leisurely reading in that country earlier, I couldn't find a suitable moment to reveal myself. I merely opened my eyes for a moment and then remained dormant to avoid your detection.'

The Xiezhi's voice remained quite serious, as if merely hearing it could cause a resonance within one's heart. To Xin Wuya and the other ghost cultivators, it felt like standing before a solemn court. To Ji Yuan, however, it seemed as though the Xiezhi was intentionally using this moment to reveal itself and signify its true nature, whether righteous or malevolent.

Ji Yuan did not hesitate further—or perhaps, he had already done his hesitating before speaking. He simply replied,

'If that is the case, I am much obliged.'

With that, Ji Yuan turned to Xin Wuya.

'City Lord Xin, the higher one's position, the greater the responsibility. You have no objections, do you?'

'By no means! I fully understand!'

Xin Wuya was also a perceptive ghost. While he didn't fully grasp the nature of an ancient divine beast, the fact that the Xiezhi in the painting dared to address Mr. Ji in such a manner gave him a clear indication. Thus, even after having already sworn an oath, he bowed once more towards Ji Yuan, who held the Xiezhi scroll, a gesture that seemed to honor both Ji Yuan and the Xiezhi.

'Mr. Ji, should you have any commands, Xin Wuya will not shrink from death. From this day forward, I shall certainly uphold the path of righteousness and protect the balance of yin and yang. If I violate this oath, I shall never attain the Dao in this life, nor shall I ever rise again for all eternity. Should I break this oath…'

'Then how about I, the Xiezhi, consume you?'

The Xiezhi's words interrupted Xin Wuya, but after a brief pause, he didn't hesitate, merely nodding in reply.

'Should I break this oath, I am willing to be consumed by the Xiezhi!'

As this second oath was uttered, there was no extraordinary reaction from the surroundings. Yet, a small glimmer of light appeared before Xin Wuya, gradually transforming into luminous characters, identical in every word to the oath he had sworn earlier.

Subsequently, these characters, like wisps of smoke, slowly drifted towards the Xiezhi scroll and were absorbed into the mouth of the Xiezhi depicted in the painting.

Afterward, the Xiezhi scroll fell silent. Ji Yuan picked it up and examined it, finding no further reaction.

'Quite aloof.'

Ji Yuan's wariness toward the Xiezhi suddenly diminished; at least, his mindset felt considerably more relaxed than before. With a gentle flick, he rolled up the entire scroll and tucked it into his sleeve. Looking up, he saw Xin Wuya and the many ghosts looking at him expectantly, and he smiled.

'The divine beast Xiezhi is a creature of strict impartiality. City Lord Xin's two solemn oaths amply demonstrate his sincerity, so there is no need for excessive pressure; simply act according to your conscience. For now, focus more on the matters concerning the ghost cultivators in the city. The war between the two nations will not last much longer. You will also need to use the seal of the main hall to sanction various Netherworld official positions, which will then facilitate their dispatch to different underworld bureaus.'

At Ji Yuan's words, all the ghost cultivators in the grand hall instantly became excited once more. After all, everyone now grasped the profound significance of this matter; having been ghosts for so long, who among them did not yearn to become a god?

Ji Yuan walked directly out of the ghost city at dawn. With his speed, he moved as swiftly as if flying, even without resorting to cloud-soaring. To the people of Zuyue and Dazhen, the war between their nations remained an unknown, but Ji Yuan could already foresee its conclusion.

Since no unforeseen variables had emerged during the ghost army's campaign against the demonic evils of Zuyue, it was highly unlikely that any would arise now.

Boundless Ghost City was situated quite far south within Zuyue, not far from Dazhen's border. To avoid Zuyue's military forces, Ji Yuan was currently following a less-traveled path. He had no specific destination, simply wishing to explore the lands of Zuyue. His first stop, naturally, would be Nandao County, a place he had visited before.

Having just stepped across a small river, Ji Yuan's nose twitched. He suddenly caught a faint, enticing aroma drifting from afar. Back in the ghost city, he had only been served tea; how good could food for the departed possibly be? Now, sensing this truly tempting scent, he found himself craving a meal.

Changing direction, Ji Yuan followed the scent upstream along the river. There was a small woodland area, and after effortlessly passing through it, he saw three people by the river, gathered around a bonfire, roasting a wild boar.

'Who's there?'

One of the three, a burly man, suddenly looked up towards the woods and spotted a gentleman in a green robe emerging from the trees. The gazes of the other two then also turned to Ji Yuan.

'Sirs, I am passing through this area and find myself hungry. I suddenly caught an aroma and couldn't resist following it. Would it... would it be possible to spare me some food? I assure you, payment will not be an issue.'

The three were clearly not unsophisticated. Encountering someone in the wilderness, especially one who had just emerged from the woods with unruffled clothing and hair, and no signs of dirt or debris, indicated he was certainly not ordinary. Yet, Ji Yuan's attire and overall demeanor made him appear highly trustworthy.

After a brief whispered exchange among themselves, the man in the middle, who was tending to the roasting meat, called out.

'This wild boar must weigh several dozen *jin*; the three of us won't be able to finish it. It'll be fully cooked soon. Sir, if you don't mind, please come and join us. Warm yourself by the fire, and then we shall share the meal!'

'Then I shall respectfully accept!'

Ji Yuan quickly assented, and as he drew nearer, he did not forget to give a slight bow with cupped hands to the three men.

'My surname is Ji. Many thanks to you all.'

Ji Yuan had offered his bow, and the three men simply returned the gesture, but offered no further reaction, nor did anyone introduce themselves.

Another person might have felt awkward, but Ji Yuan remained unperturbed. After a brief smile, he looked around, spotted a stone to his liking, walked over, carried it to the side of the bonfire, and then settled onto it.