Huang San's speed in handling matters was remarkable. In just about half an hour, he returned with a grey-furred fox. Before I could even ask if he had found the right fox,
The grey-furred fox leaped out from behind Huang San and lunged at Wang Mazi. However, it passed right through Wang Mazi's body. Undeterred, it bit at Wang Mazi again, but the result was the same.
At this point, I was certain this was the grey-furred fox Wang Mazi had spoken of. It had lost its cultivation, and was now merely attacking Wang Mazi based on instinct and memory. It seemed this was indeed Hu Niang, the fox that had demanded a sealing from Wang Mazi back then, otherwise, it wouldn't have attacked Wang Mazi on sight.
"Heh heh… mission accomplished. It took me all my might to finally find her. You don't know, she's completely reverted to her primal nature now, biting anyone she sees. If I hadn't had some cultivation myself, I would have become her meal. If I were to tell you about it, it would be a tale of tears and snot…"
I completely ignored Huang San's complaints. He was merely trying to gain my favor. If Bai Ling'er hadn't warned me, I might have agreed to something for him. But knowing he was only after listening to the Yin Gua scriptures, I was already being lenient by not scolding him.
I remembered when my master used to burn incense for the Ancestor on the fifteenth of every month, there were always figures lurking outside the courtyard. Back then, I was young and thought people were coming to seek my master's divination, so I wanted to go and attend to them, but my master stopped me.
He told me they were merely there to listen, and it was harmless. However, after my master finished reciting the Yin Gua scriptures, he collapsed onto the ground, exhausted, and took several days to recover.
Later, when my own Yin Gua cultivation reached completion, and my master asked me to recite the Yin Gua scriptures with him, I discovered that although the scripture was only a few hundred characters and simple to recite silently, to read it aloud required Xuan Yang True Qi. After reciting it, I felt as if I had been pulled out of water, my entire body weak and limp…
I paid no attention to Huang San's grumbling and instead looked at the grey-furred fox, Hu Niang. Her fur was greyish-white, dry and lusterless, with some patches where the fur had fallen out, revealing skin like that of a pine tree. From these signs, it was clear her lifespan was nearing its end, and she could die at any moment.
It seemed she had intended to use the opportunity of demanding a sealing from Wang Mazi to extend her lifespan. However, she hadn't anticipated that the seemingly timid Wang Mazi would remain silent at the critical moment, causing her demand for sealing to fail. Not only did she lose three hundred years of cultivation, but her lifespan was also coming to an end.
After attacking Wang Mazi twice, Hu Niang collapsed onto the ground. Her limbs struggled to stand, but she appeared to lack the strength. She failed several times to get up, and finally, she lay on the ground, gazing at Wang Mazi with venomous eyes, as if expending her last bit of resentment.
"When will the cycle of revenge ever end? He ruined your cultivation, and you killed his entire family of four. Let this enmity be settled. I know you hold resentment, but you cannot keep their souls from reincarnating…"
Hu Niang turned her gaze towards me and let out two calls. Her voice was incredibly weak, but the resentment within it had not dissipated.
"She says humans are all bad. Was it so difficult to just say a word?"
Hearing Bai Ling'er's gloating translation, I shook my head helplessly and said, "You know, karma and fate govern all things. Only the Underworld can judge right from wrong. I am willing to light the path to the Underworld for you. As for the outcome, that remains unknown. What do you say?"
Originally, I had planned to help Hu Niang by having her listen to the Yin Gua scriptures in the冥堂 (Underworld Hall) every fifteenth of the month. This would help compensate for some of her lost cultivation, resolve Wang Mazi's troubles, and also earn me a bit of her goodwill. It was a win-win situation.
However, Hu Niang's lifespan was nearing its end, and she could die at any moment. I guessed that if it weren't for her unwillingness to accept her fate and her desire to keep Wang Mazi's family of four souls suppressed, she would have already reported to the underworld. But because she had killed four people, although there was a karmic connection, it couldn't justify her harming others. According to the Underworld's judgment, her fate wouldn't be pleasant, but with my guide, it should be much better.
"Hu Niang, your lifespan is over. You are merely sustained by a breath of resentment. I suggest you agree to his proposal! He is a Yin Gua Master, a disciple of Zhang Da Nian."
When Huang San uttered my master's name, Hu Niang's eyes suddenly brightened. She then nodded, opened her mouth, and spat out a blood-tinged bead, after which she ceased to breathe.
Immediately after, a woman who looked to be seventy or eighty years old appeared beside Huang San. Her body was translucent, as if she might dissipate with a gust of wind.
I knew this was Hu Niang's spirit after death. Because of her profound cultivation in life, she could manifest her adult form using her spiritual power after death.
Looking at the demon core Hu Niang had spat out, it was covered in cracks. Upon closer inspection, I could see four tiny figures, the size of grains of rice, wandering aimlessly within. These were the souls of Wang Mazi's family of four.
I sighed and held the still-warm demon core in my hand. Then, I apologized to Hu Niang, who was standing beside Huang San, and crushed it. Instantly, three beams of light shot out of the door, while the remaining one entered Wang Mazi's body.
Wang Mazi shivered, and then a door appeared behind him. Ox-Head and Horse-Face emerged from within.
"Wang Sheng, having killed three thousand seven hundred and sixty-two living beings in life, is to be sent to the Hell of the Sin Mirror to suffer for a hundred years. Having killed one eighteen-year-old maiden, is to be sent to the Hell of the Wrongful Death for ten years. The two sentences are to be combined, for a total of two hundred years of punishment. Do you have any objections?"
Wang Mazi lowered his head and replied, "No."
Then, Horse-Face took out an iron chain from his person, placed it around Wang Mazi's neck, and turned to re-enter the door, completely ignoring our group.
I saw this wouldn't do. I had promised to guide Hu Niang, and I didn't possess my master's ability to open the gates of the Underworld. I quickly stepped forward and said, "Esteemed sirs, please wait."
Ox-Head and Horse-Face, who were about to enter the gate to the Underworld, stopped and looked at me with confusion. "You can see us?"
I cleared my throat and said, "I am a disciple of Zhang Da Nian, hence I can see you honored immortals."
"Zhang Da Nian?"
"Yin Gua Master?"
Ox-Head and Horse-Face exchanged a glance, then their gazes fell upon me.
"You know my master?"
From their tone, it seemed they were familiar with my master. But why did their eyes seem a little strange?
"Why isn't Zhang Da Nian here? Did he pass on his practice to you?" Horse-Face coughed and said in a deep voice.
"Master is out on business. I am temporarily in charge of his affairs."
Upon hearing me say this, Ox-Head chuckled and said, "Know him? Of course, we know him! We helped him with a big favor last time, and he still owes us money. Now that you've inherited his practice, shouldn't you repay the debt?"
What? What? Repay the debt?
Damn it, why should I have to repay the money my master owes?