"Hook Paper?"
Sha Lifei swallowed hard and looked at Wu Laosi with eyes full of reverence, "I heard this is sothing of the Yin Constables, you even robbed from them? Impressive, impressive!"
Wu Laosi was startled by the words and quickly waved his hand, "Oh, you mustn’t say such things carelessly. My Dao is just on the second floor, I don’t have such ability, nor that kind of courage."
After speaking, he hurriedly closed the box.
As if one more glance would invite disaster.
Li Yan frowned, "This thing... is it related to the trouble, senior?"
"It’s not trouble..."
Wu Laosi sighed, his face turning pale,
"It’s debt, a debt owed to the Netherworld!"
Sha Lifei grew more curious, "Does the Yin Bureau even lend at high interest?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Laosi was dumbfounded again, looking at Sha Lifei in disbelief, as if puzzled by the bald man’s thought process.
"Don’t interrupt!" Li Yan tugged at Sha Lifei, then nodded, "Please continue, senior."
Wu Laosi shook his head, "This Hook Paper is related to the inheritance."
"Those of us who practice the Yin Skill mostly worship the Innate Yin God. My lineage received the Hook Paper from our ancestors, passed down for generations, owes allegiance to the Beiyin Fengdu Emperor. Occasionally, soone gets a command from the Yin Bureau to help Ghost ssengers capture key offenders."
Li Yan frowned, "The Yin Bureau... what’s it like?"
"I don’t know." Wu Laosi said miserably, "Matters of the Netherworld, how could mortal beings comprehend them? Each ti I pass through the Netherworld, I only rember the tasks I have to do, nothing else."
Sha Lifei couldn’t help but interject, "Do the Yin Constables still need help?"
Wu Laosi nodded, "According to my master, in every inhabited place in the Divine State, deities are worshipped, and there is Divine Astral convergence."
"Not to ntion those Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands gathering Innate Astral, so places even Yin Constables can’t enter."
"Possessing the Hook Paper grants so benefits, such as commanding the ghost army of the Netherworld without raising troops, but the holder must also bear the obligation to capture yin criminals."
"These yin criminals, so are dead yet refuse to leave, turning into fierce ghosts causing trouble, while others are practitioners using forbidden thods to return to life, or hiding within Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands as living dead."
"Our task is to find them, issue the Hook Paper, and send them into the Netherworld. Thus, those who hold the Hook Paper are treated with respect even by the Taixuan Orthodox Sect."
Sha Lifei was curious, "With so many benefits, why do you hide here, senior?"
Wu Laosi smiled bitterly, "Because I botched a mission."
"One ti in a Yin Bureau dream, I was ordered to capture a Rejuvenator who escaped from the Netherworld. To my surprise, it turned out to be an old friend of mine. I showed favoritism and used a thod to make him appear dead, but you can’t fool the Ghost Gods, the matter was eventually exposed."
"Not only that, my inability to judge character was evident when my old friend, filled with resentnt, transford into a fierce ghost and hard my entire family. Though he was sent into the Netherworld, I had violated a taboo."
"To protect myself, I sealed my Divine Skills and spiritual acupoints, hiding in this place."
"Once I pass through the Netherworld again, death is certain!"
"I see."
Li Yan’s heart sank, "In that case, we won’t trouble you, senior."
A move would cost him his life, Wu Laosi hid in the theater troupe for years, clearly wouldn’t risk his life for others. Li Yan couldn’t force him.
"You are mistaken, young brother."
Wu Laosi shook his head, "Since I have shared these things with you, I intend to take action."
Saying so, he removed his garnt, gradually revealing his back.
Li Yan and Sha Lifei gasped.
They saw on his back countless cyan and purple markings, like tattoos, embedded deeply into his skin, vaguely forming a pattern.
In the center was the very Hook Paper from before, chained all around!
Wu Laosi dressed again and sighed, "It’s easy to deceive people, but Ghost Gods are harder to fool. So things are unavoidable, this day was bound to co, I don’t have much ti left."
"I will take action this ti, but I have two conditions."
Li Yan nodded solemnly, "Please state them, senior."
Wu Laosi took out a jade pendant shaped like a fish playing with a lotus, his eyes reddening, voice trembling, "I am originally from Fengyang County, had so small estate, and after the incident, I fled in panic, fear in my heart, even my deceased wife and daughter were buried hastily, without a tombstone. Over the years, the guilt haunts day and night."
"After my death, I hope young brother can take my body back ho, let my soul return to its roots, and give my wife and daughter a proper funeral."
After speaking, he pressed on that lacquered box, "And this Hook Paper, my lineage’s ancestral temple is within the Qinling, it’s sparsely populated, withering incense, please return the Hook Paper to the offering table of Emperor Fengdu."
"If young brother accepts, I can rest in peace."
Li Yan was silent for a mont, then solemnly bowed, "I will not fail you!"
Wu Laosi nodded, "The thod to pass through the Netherworld can be conducted tonight, but if the living soul is trapped in the Wandering Soul Vase, I couldn’t bring them back, only help you determine the location."
"Once we have a location, things will be easier!" Sha Lifei instantly bead.
Manager Wan had said, as long as the location is determined, they can seek help from the City God Temple, no matter how powerful Chen Fagui’s spells are, the Law Enforcent Hall would be eager to arrest and earn rit.
Wu Laosi got up, "If so, let’s prepare."
"There are many temples in Xianyang City with abundant incense and City God Temple commands stationed yin soldiers, they’re prone to interference, hence we must conduct it outside the city."
"Additionally, I need a coffin, a rooster, a bell, five-colored soil, three pounds of rice wine, paper money..."
Li Yan and Sha Lifei noted it down, fortunately, all ordinary items, requiring no magic artifacts.
Having done this, everyone left the room.
Before leaving, Wu Laosi tidied up the place, organized his belongings neatly, and even locked the place.
When they arrived at the courtyard, the servant was already waiting there, smiling and bowing, "Gentlen, Master Luo has prepared food and drinks."
Wu Laosi shook his head, "Zhuzi, take to see the Master."
"Yes, Uncle Wu, please follow ."
The servant dared not slack, leading them promptly.
Through the corridors, they reached another courtyard.
This courtyard was more grandiose, with a small building at the back, fake mountains and a pond inside, and a small stage surprisingly built in the pond’s center.
Clearly, this was a place to entertain distinguished guests.
One could imagine, under the bright moonlight, mist over the pond, a performance of joys and sorrows on the stage, and guests singing along with drinks below, what an enjoynt it would be.
"Hahaha..."
As soon as they entered the garden, Luo Shihai’s laughter could be heard coming.
He walked in strides, smiling, and clasped his fists, "I was really blind, Brother Wu is such an extraordinary man hiding in the opera troupe, and I didn’t notice. If there were any neglects in the past, I hope you can forgive."
In the pugilistic world, so things are not secrets.
The young people like Zhuzi didn’t understand, but he knew, that Manager Wan of the Guild was truly a mber of the Mystical Sect.
The Zhou Family’s misfortune was also related to him.
Li Yan ca with his introduction letter, needless to say, the unassuming Wu Laosi in the opera troupe was also a mber of the Mystical Sect.
Wu Laosi was silent for a mont, then directly bowed.
"Oh, Brother Wu, what are you doing?" Luo Shihai panicked, imdiately stepping forward to help.
However, Wu Laosi insisted on kneeling, solemly said, "These past years, I’ve hidden in the opera troupe, my skills are modest, only able to do odd jobs, all thanks to Master Luo for your kindness, giving a al to eat without driving away."
"I have nothing to repay you with, but to thank you with a bow."
After speaking, he slowly stood up, his expression turning serious, "Thanks to the century-old Ancestor statue, the Longchang Opera Troupe has flourished these years, it suppresses the Qi Fortune, bringing forth talents in the troupe."
"But as the years go by, the Ancestor statue has also nurtured a treasure, probably attracting the eyes of demon people. A few days ago, soone sneaked in but was scared off by ."
"After I leave, the Master must be careful and guard against it."
"What?!"
Luo Shihai was both delighted and surprised, "Brother Wu, did you see clearly who it was?"
He was born into a wealthy family, knowing about Heavenly Spirit Earth Treasure, and didn’t expect his opera house to contain such a thing.
Wu Laosi whispered, "It’s a magician from Jiang Zuo, usually residing in the Iron Blade Gang, worked with Zheng Hebei to harm so people. The Master must be cautious."
With that, he clasped his hands, bid farewell with Li Yan, and left.
Luo Shihai stood there, stunned, didn’t feel like eating, eyes flickering, then gritted his teeth, "Zhuzi, take to Taixing Carriage Shop, tonight I must also take action!"
"Enough is enough, how dare they covet my treasure!"
...
Unknowingly, night fell.
Outside Xianyang City, by the woodlands on the bank of the Wei River.
Under an old locust tree, Li Yan and Sha Lifei were continuously swinging shovels, piling dirt on both sides, gradually digging a deep pit...
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