CHAPTER 556: CHAPTER 284: JIN SECT KING

Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors; Xu Qing’s care for his elderly neighbor can be described as meticulous.

Not long after the Funeral Shop established a mystic performance troupe, he personally donned theatrical costumes and went to the Ghost King Mausoleum to perform a prime act for his old neighbor.

Later, the "Linjiang County Record" also mentioned this event: On a certain day in the year of Gengyin, month of Jiashen, over a hundred people arrived by boat at Linjiang Wharf, suddenly two daoists surfed the waves towards them, and one, from within his sleeve, released a black mist enveloping the guests.

Everyone felt a chilling wind piercing their bones, and when they opened their eyes, they found themselves in the Netherworld. At that time, they saw no sun or moon, bones covered the wilderness, only then realizing they had been sold into the Ghost Realm by the daoists.

During this period, a skeleton Ghost General claimed to be under the command of the Multi-Calamity Ghost King and shouted, "This is the King’s blood tribute!"

Thus, he drove everyone into the mausoleum corridor.

The corridor was as deep as the throat of a snake, and as the crowd proceeded, sudden echoes of battle drums filled the air!

Everyone looked over and saw an imposing figure with four flags behind him, face painted in black and white oil, tall and majestic, with a treasure sword at his waist, leaping out and shouting: "I am the Jin Sect King! How dare you, vile spirits, wreak havoc?"

As soon as the words fell, a light from the sword spun like lightning, and the ghost soldiers it touched turned into black smoke and scattered.

The leading Ghost General saw this, angrily charged, as the Jin Sect King rolled his flags, the four poles spun, kicking up sand and dust that obscured vision.

Everyone lost sight, but heard the fierce howls of ghosts.

Soon the wind stopped, only hearing a powerful voice: "Do not fear, I am the Jin Sect King, capable of safeguarding your safe return."

Someone bravely asked, "What is this place?"

The King replied, "Not the human world, but indeed the shadow realm."

Lastly, he warned, "You were sent here by Celestial Mansion’s daoists, they are powerful, do not mention it after leaving, or you may face their revenge."

On hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked; the Celestial Master’s Mansion, a royal patron, never imagined would commit such acts against the natural order.

The King said no more, and everyone remained blind.

During the silence, there was a rustling noise like paper, and as all anomalies disappeared, everyone opened their eyes and saw the county marketplace!

At that time, the Night Watchman passed through the alley, and the group asked for the time.

The Night Watchman replied, "It is the fifth watch."

The crowd looked at one another speechless, as if still not awake from a dream.

...

In the Ancient Yin River Dao, Xu Qing collected the Straw Spirit Paperman, while chaos reigned in the nearby Ghost King Mausoleum.

The Ghost Altar General who emerged from the gravestone and traded with Celestial Master Mansion’s daoists, along with his skeleton ghost soldiers, had ’evaporated into the nether.’

These Ghost Generals and Soldiers had skeleton bodies as anchors, akin to corpses in Xu Qing’s eyes, even though the Ghost General had noteworthy daoist capabilities, they were no match for him.

Looking at the Corpse Nourishing Pill and Yin Ghost Jade gained from the transcendence, Xu Qing’s eyes gleamed.

The Corpse Nourishing Pill cultivates the corpse, while Yin Ghost Jade accelerates the Undying Bone’s practice; if only one or two of these items, it wouldn’t matter, but the Ghost King Mausoleum’s ghost generals and soldiers number tens of thousands.

The patrol ghost soldiers under the Ghost Altar General alone provided Xu Qing with nearly a hundred pieces of Yin Ghost Jade.

"Drops make a river, accumulations form a deep pool."

Xu Qing dared not imagine, if this elderly neighbor wholeheartedly aided his practice, to what extent he could advance.

If all Undying Bone condensated, reaching the realm of bone blending five elements, or even becoming a Flying Corpse?

Suppressing the urge within, the image of Sai Yuxian flashed in his mind, instantly calming him.

"Corpse color and indulgence, all are poison."

With the Funeral Shop, years of perseverance would surely lead him across, it’s merely a matter of time, as for the skeletons in the Ghost King Mausoleum...

With the old neighbor watching over them, he felt utterly assured.

Xu Qing was uncertain whether the disappearance of the Ghost Altar General would alarm the old neighbor, hence he dared not approach the Ghost King Mausoleum.

Along the outer tombs, Xu Qing wielded the horse whip, atop the Five-Colored Steed, continued pursuit of the Five Shadows Daoist’s trail.

Nearing the Poplar Tomb, Xu Qing finally spotted Zuo Zixiong and his entourage.

Zuo Zixiong, leading over sixty from the Divine Strategy Camp, was vigilantly stationed outside the Poplar Tomb.

According to Huang Xiaoliu, Zuo Zixiong brought over a hundred from the Divine Strategy Camp into Yin River.

Now just a few days have passed, yet half of his men are gone?

Xu Qing focused intently, observing disorder among the soldiers in the camp, some even sneaking outside attempting to flee.

"Did Emperor Jingxing send Zuo Zixiong to Yin River with these soldiers?"

This place’s chilling wind gnaws at the bones, ordinary people wouldn’t last half a day without their Yang Fire extinguishing, even those adept in martial arts must travel ganged up to avoid sinister ghosts.

The ones before Xu Qing, though seemingly burning with bright Yang Fire, evidently possessing substantial martial progression, did not appear to be military trained but rather conscripted martial masters...

This involves the future fate of Dayong, how could Emperor Jingxing send Zuo Zixiong with these people?

Xu Qing, not mingling with court military, unaware of the status of those above Inner Cultivation in the army, but those martial artists’ monthly wages are significantly higher than being a mere soldier.

Beyond that are the military leaders, each factioned, Zuo Zixiong wishing to dispatch one or two hundred is as difficult as ascending the heavens.

Though this may be, if Emperor Jingxing indeed decrees it, such matters are not impossible!

Yet Emperor Jingxing refuses to send elite soldiers to support Yin River.

Dayong’s forces are strained against the northern border and Nan Cuo, should they further divide into Yin River, he fears the Beixiang Army will attack outside the Capital City the next day; furthermore, treacherous ministers abound, highly skilled assassins are always sneaking into the capital to slay the monarch.

Capital City’s Forbidden Army, Guards... these forces ensuring royal safety, if deployed to Yin River, who will protect him?

As for national fate, Emperor Jingxing has already decided what to prioritize; he is in his seventies, with few years left to live, and lacks the energy to stir chaos.