Those nine individuals had made a pact with Lu Shan Jun back then. Although many of them had now forgotten, for Lu Shan Jun it was an important step in his cultivation and path to enlightennt. He had never forgotten, and, as his mind grew clearer, he always had a vague sense associated with it.
To be honest, Lu Shan Jun had considered many possibilities, but he never imagined that one of them would choose to beco a monk.
In this world, generally speaking, those who beca monks were either desperate, or children who had been adopted by monks at a young age, who had grown up studying Buddhist scriptures from childhood, and aspired beco monks themselves.
It was truly rare for soone from a well-off family like Zhao Long to beco a monk.
Hearing Lu Shan Jun’s surprised exclamation, Du Heng added.
“That’s right. It’s not the famous Luming Monastery in the capital, but the Luming 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 when I went to look for him a few years ago.”
Lu Shan Jun nodded as he listened and then asked a question.
“Did you visit Zhao Long at Luming Monastery, Warrior Du?”
Du Heng dared not conceal the truth and replied.
“Indeed, I visited Luming Monastery on Xiaoliang1 Mountain. Brother Zhao had already been ordained for three years at that ti, and his every word and action were those of a monk. However, he had not abandoned his martial arts; he simply switched from favoring the staff to using the khakkhara.”
“Oh, I see!”
Lu Shanjun nodded, looking thoughtful. His gaze swept over the ghost of Lan Ningke, who was staring at Wang Ke and Du Heng in a daze. The two of them also kept glancing back at Lan Ningke, who looked no different from an ordinary person.
A changgui was a particularly special kind of ghost.2 Those who did know know of them would find it difficult to distinguish them from a normal living person. They were extrely deceptive beings. In addition to being unable to resist their master, they also possessed the intelligence and abilities they had in life, as well as their own emotions.
Lan Ningke was Lu Shan Jun’s accomplice, so his current emotions naturally could not escape Lu Shan Jun’s perception. Even now, Lan Ningke still harbored resentnt and bitterness, extrely displeased with Wang Ke and Du Heng’s current situation.
“Hah, you’re the kind of ghost who never learns.”
Lu Shan Jun whispered, then inhaled Lan Ningke into his mouth. He bowed again to Du Heng and Wang Ke.
“Officer Wang, Warrior Du, I’ll take my leave now. I’m very pleased to have t you today. Perhaps we can share a drink soti in the future.”
Du Heng and Wang Ke exchanged a glance and quickly bowed.
“If you invite us in the future, we will certainly prepare fine wine for your visit.”
“We welco your invitation at any ti, Lord Lu.”
As Lu Shan Jun said, “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” After their initial fear subsided, Du Heng and Wang Ke no longer as psychologically burdened.
Seeing their sincerity, Lu Shan Jun smiled, then floated up on a gentle breeze, swirling the fallen leaves, and quickly disappeared into the forest.
“Phew…”
“Haah…”
Du Heng and Wang Ke both breathed a sigh of relief.
anwhile, Li Tongzhou and others appeared sowhat excited. To outsiders, as opposed to Du Heng and Wang Ke, Lu Shan Jun appeared to be a kind of supre immortal. Even his summoning of the ghosts exuded a mystical aura, making it impossible to tell that he and the ghost were monsters.
“Brother Du, Officer Wang, who was that master just now?”
“Yes, Warrior Du, that master just breathed out a living person! What kind of magic was that?”
Hearing the slightly excited words of those around him, Du Heng gave a wry smile.
“It’s a long story. He is indeed a master, but his character is sowhat different from what you think…”
Wang Ke quickly spoke.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s escort this scoundrel Zhao Datong back to the prefectural capital of Yaqian. There are plenty of people waiting to see this gang reduced to ashes!”
“Yes! Brother Wang is absolutely right!” “That’s right, let’s tie them up first.”
The group put aside their doubts for the ti being and began to deal with the matters at hand. By the ti they had tied Zhao Datong and the others onto their horses, half an hour had passed.
By this ti, many of the scattered horses had been gathered together, and those that could not be found had to be left for the ti being, perhaps to the future benefit of the villagers.
They had co in on eight fast steeds, but on the way back had to lead a caravan of more than twenty horses. In addition to taking care of the horses, they also had to keep an eye on the remaining seven or eight prisoners, so their speed naturally slowed down.
At present, they were in the middle of nowhere, and Yaqian Prefecture was still at least two hundred li away. It was impossible for them to return instantly, so naturally, Du Heng and the others needed to find a place to camp before dark.
The sky was overcast, and darkness fell quickly. Li Tongzhou led his horse up ahead, looking for a suitable place to camp. The surrounding woods were too open, cold and without shelter from wind or rain, making them easy targets for ambushes. Ideally, there would be a place with a rocky cliff or sothing similar. He had seen such a place before, during their previous pursuit.
His horse trotted along at a moderate pace. As they crossed a stream, he saw the flickering of firelight near a rocky wall in the distance.
Li Tongzhou spurred his horse forward. As he drew closer, he saw a man in white robes reading a book by a campfire. Hearing the sound of hooves, the man stood up and looked in his direction.
“Sir, are you alone?”
Li Tongzhou did not dismount, but instead asked his question from afar.
Ji Yuan, who was sitting by the fire, picked up his book and stood up, gaze sweeping past Li Tongzhou as he looked behind him.
“Esteed Warrior, I am on my way to Xining Prefecture in Yi Province. I am alone for the ti being. The sky is overcast tonight, and the road is difficult to travel on. If you do not mind, please rest here.”
Li Tongzhou was highly skilled in martial arts and had excellent eyesight. At this mont, the firelight reflected on Ji Yuan’s face, giving Li Tongzhou a sense of familiarity.
‘This person looks sowhat familiar.’
At this thought, he suddenly noticed that the man’s eyes were not quite right. They seed a bit pale. His heart skipped a beat, and he imdiately dismounted, clasped his hands, and bowed.
“Li Tongzhou greets Mr. Ji!”
Although he had only t Ji Yuan twice in Jin Province, he had been left with a strong impression of him, and recognized him imdiately.
Ji Yuan was slightly surprised. In fact, there were quite a few people in Jin Province on that snowy night, but he only rembered Du Heng. However, he always treated others with respect, so he naturally returned the greeting imdiately.
“So it’s Warrior Li. In that case, I won’t pretend to be a stranger. Please, call Du Heng, Wang Ke, and the rest of your group, and co rest here. There is no danger around.”
“Yes, I will go and inform them imdiately.”
Li Tongzhou imdiately mounted his horse, turned around, and went to inform them.
A mont later, the sound of galloping hooves rang out. u Heng and Wang Ke rode in first, each with their own complex and excited feelings.
After a round of greetings and introductions, the entire group gathered around Ji Yuan’s campfire.
Ji Yuan did not discriminate based on familiarity, and had everyone sit around the campfire. Even criminals like Zhao Datong, who had his acupoints sealed, were placed relatively close by due to the issue of supervision.
Aide from those who needed to keep an eye on the horse at while it was being roasted, everyone else listened attentively to Ji Yuan’s stories. They mainly consisted of what Luo Ningshuang, Lu Chengfeng, and Lan Ningke had experienced.
He recounted everything, from the process to the outco, which left Du Heng and Wang Ke sowhat moved. It reminded them that the heavens would always watch what people did.
Interestingly, Ji Yuan’s words only made the previously defiant Zhao Datong and his companions increasingly grim-faced. When Ji Yuan ntioned that Lan Ningke was already a ghost and was unable to go to the underworld, they finally couldn’t help but interrupt.
“Mr. Ji! I would like to ask, does the underworld really exist? After a person dies, are there really underworld officials who co to collect their soul and take them to the underworld?”
After a brief silence around the campfire, Ji Yuan looked at the acupoint-sealed man who had been bound from head to toe. Wang Ke introduced him in a low voice.
“Sir, this man is a wanted criminal we have been pursuing. He has committed countless heinous cris in his life, and reaped countless innocent souls. When he returns to the Yaqian Prefecture, he will be executed by slow cuts.”
Ji Yuan nodded.
“It’s clear that he’s entangled with resentnt and evil deeds, and his anger is tinged with bloodlust. His life is nearing its end.”
Zhao Datong, face slightly pale, asked again.
“Mr. Ji, could you please answer my earlier question?”
This mater was not only a concern for him, but also for everyone around him. Everyone now knew that this seemingly ordinary — even blind! — gentleman was actually highly skilled, perhaps even so kind of immortal. Things like these that were difficult for ordinary mortals to co into contact with undoubtedly aroused much curiosity.
Ji Yuan’s usual faint smile vanished.
“The underworld certainly exists. I can also tell you that, given your situation, Zhao Datong, there will probably be underworld officials stationed at the execution ground in Yaqian Prefecture. First, to prevent your evil spirit from escaping after death, they will subdue you and take you away imdiately. Second…”
Ji Yuan paused for a mont, feeling a bit cruel, but he also knew that this man only had himself to bla. He continued.
“Second, I’ve heard you will be subjected to the punishnt of slow cuts. Although the executioner is unaware of this, the underworld officials help them preserve the criminal’s heart and stabilize their soul, keeping them conscious throughout the entire process. You will not die until you have endured more than three thousand six hundred cuts.”
Zhao Datong’s face turned pale, and he was suddenly covered in cold sweat, his body even trembling slightly.
This ant that, facing the excruciating punishnt of slow cuts, and even loss of consciousness was a luxury. He had never felt such intense fear before. Zhao Datong now wished to preemptively take his own life, but was too weak to do so.
Ji Yuan shook his head slightly before looking to Wang Ke again.
“Officer Wang, may I borrow your seal?”
“Seal?”
Wang Ke was taken aback. He took out a small official seal, about the size of a thumb, from his inner pocket, and handed it over, asking:
“Is this what you asked for?”
“It is.”
Ji Yuan took the seal and looked at it. The large character “Prison” was written on it, and below were the words, “Chief Constable of Yaqian.”
“Excellent, the calligraphy is quite suitable!”
As he spoke, Ji Yuan mysteriously produced a wolf-hair brush, then traced the character “Prison” across the surface of the seal. As he finished the final stroke, a glint of light flashed across the “Prison” character on the seal before disappearing again.
Strictly speaking, Lu Chengfeng, Yan Fei, and Du Heng had all been influenced by Ji Yuan to so extent, while Wang Ke had truly chosen to beco a constable himself. He had risen to the position of Chief Constable of a prefecture through his own ability and rits. The others had all received so aid, but Wang Ke had not.
Ti flies, and years had passed by. This eting with Wang Ke might be his last. Ji Yuan certainly didn’t give gifts to just anyone, but Wang Ke was worthy of it, so Ji Yuan specially painted over this seal for him.
“Officer Wang, this seal must be nurtured with your own righteous spirit of criminal investigation. So long as you keep your strong sense of justice and fierce and incorruptible aura, it will ensure that even the spirits of the underworld will afford you respect when handling cases in the future. When you encounter evil, this seal can also help restrain it. It can seal a person when its Yang is enhanced, used as a knife when Yin is enhanced, or seal ghosts and malevolent energy. Use it wisely and with caution.”
Wang Ke received the seal back in both hands. Upon hearing Ji Yuan’s words, he suddenly felt as though the seal were over ten tis heavier.
小量 (xiǎoliàng): a small quantity A Changgui (伥鬼 chāngguǐ) is very specifically the ghost of soone who has been devoured by a tiger, and thereafter helps the tiger devour others. So it makes a lot of sense now how LSJ has so much power over people’s souls — this hyperspecific ability is literally a part of existing tiger folklore!!! See also “Chang” for a general form of this monster.
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