Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!-Chapter 80: When Out and About, Identity Is Self-Assigned

Talking about his profession, Ma Hongtu spoke confidently, "Generally, when people die and become ghosts, they take the Yellow Springs Road over Naihe Bridge to the Netherworld. Only those who refuse to leave or have died unjustly, meaning their lifespan hasn’t run out yet but their fate has ended, require a Yin Messenger to capture their souls and guide them."

Jiang Yuan suddenly thought of the crying female ghost at the advertising company and asked, "If a soul needs guidance, how long does it usually take for a Yin Messenger to arrive?"

"Wait? It’s not the ghosts waiting for the Yin Messenger, but the Yin Messenger waiting for the ghosts!"

The other party patiently explained, "For those who need their souls guided, the Yin Messenger responsible for the area receives the Soul-Grabbing Document in advance and waits according to the list to capture and take the soul to the Netherworld at the appropriate time. If Daoist friend sees a soul leaving the body upon death but hasn’t gone to the Netherworld voluntarily or is accompanied by a Yin Messenger, it’s likely to become a fierce ghost."

"Why?"

"It’s obviously because the Yin Messenger hasn’t arrived. Think about it, Daoist friend—generally, after death, ghosts head straight to the Yellow Springs, right? Those who refuse to leave must harbor resentment. Normally, a Yin Messenger should come to capture the soul and escort it to the Netherworld, but if due to some reason the Yin Messenger does not arrive, as long as the ghost can stay in the mortal world and harbors resentment, it can slowly turn into a fierce ghost."

As he spoke, Ma Hongtu glanced at the fainted Tian Changgui and emphasized, "Usually when a mortal dies, even a cultivator can only see a ghostly figure fluttering away. Only those unwilling to leave try every means to avoid capture by the Yin Messenger, or some places don’t even have a deputy Yin Messenger, so ghosts can stay whenever they want. Over time, this disrupts the atmosphere causing chaos and confusion, requiring a Ghost Hunter to deal with it."

The Yin Mountain female corpse took the opportunity to add, "Originally the Wilderness World was an upper world but inexplicably sank at night and merged with the Human World, making what used to be distinct now chaotically intermixed at night. Therefore, if buried in the Wilderness, Yin Messengers cannot capture, and can only seek the ghost’s return to the Human World before they can be found. Ma Sir, may I trouble you to cover up, just say Tian Changgui’s soul is lost in the Wilderness and cannot be found, how about that?"

"Easy for you to say." Ma Hongtu eyed a completed string of gold ingots, swallowed, and smiled at Jiang Yuan, "However, with money of such fine quality from Daoist friend, I can open some doors and let him go free for a few years, wait for the child to grow older and then report to the Netherworld. Just remember one thing: if you stay in the mortal world, don’t commit evil deeds, otherwise I’ll beat your soul to pieces, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Jiang Yuan was still pondering the situation with the female ghost at the advertising company, recalling that he had not seen her leave nor seen a Yin Messenger’s presence during his lengthy record session.

Could she really turn into a fierce ghost seeking revenge?

"If needed, how can one find a Yin Messenger?" He wasn’t sure whether methods from the real world and the Wilderness World were the same, but it couldn’t hurt to ask more. In case the murdered woman’s soul from the advertising company remains stuck, he could consider calling a Yin Messenger to take her away.

Dust returns to dust, soil returns to soil, once people die any grievances should be resolved in the Underworld, they can’t stay in the human world affecting others.

Ma Hongtu rubbed his hands with a smile, "If Daoist friend needs to find me, burn a cut-out white paper figure with my name at a crossroads, I can immediately come over if I’m available. If dealing with a fierce ghost and wanting to save some effort, light an incense stick and silently recite, respectfully requesting the City God and Yin Messenger."

The City God is the god who guards the city, responds the fastest.

"Though there’s no True God in the world now, there are usually temporary Yin Messengers like me maintaining the bare minimum order. If even then you can’t summon one, it means the area is outside divine jurisdiction, you’ll have to deal with the evil ghost on your own."

"Thank you for clarifying." Jiang Yuan folded the paper ingots and burned them together for him.

Ma Hongtu blew a breath onto the white horse, turning it back into folded paper, and with the quality gold ingots in hand, glanced coldly at Ji Xiuxiang, "Since we are all in the Netherworld, let me remind you—pretending to be an immortal to collect incense offerings during chaotic times is not the right path.

To become a god by incense worship, at least you should embellish yourself and create a small unnoticed immortal title. The more worshippers, the more likely it’ll happen, but aiming too high risks not even leaving a bone fragment!" freewёbnoνel.com

Saying that, he bowed to Jiang Yuan and vanished in a whirlwind of black smoke.

Ji Xiuxiang’s expression did not change from beginning to end, waiting silently for a few moments to confirm the Yin Messenger had left, then she saluted Jiang Yuan, thanked him, adjusted her hairpin with a smile and said, "Mr. Jiang, don’t listen to his nonsense. Honestly, he’s just a lucky wandering ghost favored by a big ghost who gave him a few magical treasures to suppress ghost creatures, what does he know!"

"I’m more curious, why say there are no True Gods in the world?" Jiang Yuan was inspecting the rewards just given, the Soul Refining Banner eager to remind him that there was a Yin Mountain female corpse ghost with hundreds of years of cultivation right in front of him for potential absorption and refinement.

But considering the Soul Refining Banner is in its initial state with only a 5% success rate, the system advised it would be better to severely weaken her first before absorbing and refining.

He ignored the message outright.

Firstly, he held no personal grudge against her; on the contrary, he had gained considerable benefits from Tian Changgui’s family side quest. Moreover, with achievements stacking one after another, mastering Paperman and Paper Horse Skill made the Yin Messenger task easier, possibly allowing him to accomplish more tasks and earn more rewards in the future, so there’s no need to kill her;

Secondly, her health bar is much thicker than a Yin Messenger’s; if he wants practice there are plenty of ghosts in Old Dragon Cave.

Why fight when he can use the cooperation opportunity to learn more about the Netherworld?

"Actually, I don’t know what’s going on either." The Yin Mountain female corpse smiled, drawing a circle in the air with her pale slender hand, "At least since I began my cultivation, I knew the immortals had left.

Otherwise I would never dare to call myself Queen Mother of the West; everyone boasts like this, claiming themselves to be Tathagata Buddha, Jade Emperor, Empress, whatever tricks and boasts they can come up with."

Jiang Yuan: ...

So, is it really a case of creating your identity on the spot when going out?

Thinking back to what Yin Messenger Ma Hongtu said earlier, this Yin Mountain female corpse might be aiming to swiftly replace and occupy the Queen Mother of the West’s divine position!

He indeed heard stories of abandoned temples where demons and ghosts occupy pretending to be small deities, receiving incense burning. Over time they supposedly achieve tribulation crossing and might really replace the position.

But those are stories told by village elders, whether or not it’s possible, who knows.

"Today Daoist friend has been a great help, considering Tian Changgui’s family probably can’t offer a proper thank you gift, and I only came fleetingly as an avatar without bringing anything."

She casually fused a few strands of red smoke into three red Elixir Pills handed over, "With no True Gods in the world, demons and ghosts naturally run rampant. If faced with hardship, try my Corpse Poison Pills, they possess miraculous effects!

Of course, I won’t say something ridiculous like asking you to worship me; it’s just that your paper figures, horses, and paper ingots are excellent, should the Corpse Poison Pills prove handy, we might exchange for mutual benefit in the future."

Corpse Poison Pill: Poison crafted by Yin Mountain female corpse ghost, releases corpse poison instantly upon use. When afflicted, it can cause continuous bleeding damage.

She attentively taught how to use it, then laughed, "Corpse Poison Pills are test items. Use them and you’ll know my Yin Mountain female corpse prowess. As for a thank you gift, Daoist friend’s upright aura clashes with my Ultimate Yin Techniques, making it impossible to exchange either cultivation techniques or weapons.

In view of that, I’ll share a secret: three months from now, the four-hundred-year-old Immortal Peach behind the Wo Hu Temple in the Wilderness World will be ripe. Eating one not only greatly boosts cultivation but also extends lifespan by a hundred years!

Such good fortune, if Daoist friend wants to join the fun, we can join hands. When distributing the Immortal Peach, you can take several more."