You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chapter 104: Soul-Catching
What crime have they committed?

"You bewitched Yin Zhixin and his wife, causing a loving couple to die a violent death. Isn't that a crime?"

Chen Yang "looked" into the procession banner and said coldly, "You had Yin Zhixin impersonate a Taoist priest to swindle people, using evil magic to borrow your life, causing countless families to be broken... Isn't that a crime?"

"And what about those innocent tourists who came to Helan Mountain? Aren't their lives valuable too?"

"You have fallen into evil ways and practiced heretical methods to prolong your life. Isn't that a sin?"

On the "iceberg," the remnant soul of the evil god shivered from the cold.

Although the "eighteen levels of hell" inside the parade banner is just a "phantom space" that simulates the eighteen levels of hell, the pain brought by this "phantom space" is more unbearable for the dead and the remnants of the souls than in reality!
Suddenly, the iceberg melted.

It turned into a giant oil cauldron.

Beneath the oil cauldron were demons, who continuously added firewood and blew wind into the cauldron, keeping the oil constantly boiling!
The remnant soul of the evil god was thrown into the oil pot, where it sizzled and crackled.

Its pitch-black appearance soon turned golden on both sides!
It screamed hysterically as it was bombed, roaring, "How many people did I protect back then? What's wrong with killing a few people now?"

"Fallen into evil?"

"I just wanted to live, what crime have I committed?"

"After the path between Yin and Yang was severed, we, the righteous gods of the human world, although we lost contact with the underworld, still worked diligently and conscientiously to protect the people of this region and ensure good weather and abundant harvests!"

"But what happened next?"

"As the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gradually dwindles, our divine power diminishes, and we are unable to perform our supernatural abilities [manifestations] as usual. As a result, the people think we are useless!"

"From then on, there were fewer sacrifices and fewer incense offerings..."

“Some people even dismantled the temple gate of this god and took it home to burn as firewood. Some people smashed the golden statue of this god, urinated and defecated on the golden statue of this god, and cursed this god as useless!”

The remnant soul of the evil god was thrown out of the oil cauldron by the ghost clan and then into the steaming hell.

But then several ghost soldiers carried a huge steamer basket, stuffed it inside, and placed it on a large pot to steam it. It screamed in pain and became somewhat deranged.

"Do not……"

"Day Wanderer, release me immediately! I am of the same rank as you. Even if I have killed a few people and taken a few lives, I should be judged by the Underworld. You have no right to take private punishment upon me!"

"Aaaaaah...it hurts, it hurts, I'm going to be steamed alive!"

"Let me out, let me out... Ahh, kill me, please kill me! I'd rather die than go to the eighteenth level of hell!"

He would curse and swear at one moment, then beg for mercy at the next, and then complain about heaven and earth.

"If it weren't for the great changes in heaven and earth, and the severing of the path between yin and yang, would I, this god, have come to this point?"

“Those damned, foolish people, I have protected them for hundreds of years, yet they repay kindness with enmity and cut off my path to life… What crime is there in killing a few of them to prolong my own life?”

Chen Yang: "..."

These remnant souls of "evil gods" were originally righteous gods appointed by Heaven and Earth to protect their respective regions, but they ultimately met such an end, turning evil in order to prolong their lives... Chen Yang could not condemn them on a moral level.

"I have no intention of arguing with you about right and wrong!"

Chen Yang said, "I only know that your actions have violated the laws of the underworld. My duty is to capture you and send you to the underworld... As for what kind of judgment you will receive, that is none of my business!"

Wow!

Chen Yang cast the Rebirth Mantra, summoning the "Gateway to Life and Death".

Wow!

He shook the procession banner in his hand, and a wisp of black energy was flung out from the banner and directly into the Gate of Life and Death.

The voice of the remnant soul of the evil god resounded from within the Gate of Life and Death, and then…

Disappear!

hum!
The illusory portal to life and death dissipated.

[Having overcome countless hardships, you have finally captured the evil god and brought him to justice. Please continue your journey through the mortal realm to uphold the order of Yin and Yang.]

[Mission complete. Reward: Daytime Dharma Body.]

In an instant, cultivation methods for the [Day Wandering Dharma Body] appeared in Chen Yang's mind, flowing through him again and again!
What is the Dharmakaya?

The Dharmakaya is the manifestation of the ultimate, pure, and wondrous essence of the Dao!

Buddhism has various "Bodhisattva Dharma bodies", Taoism also has many celestial immortals and true saints Dharma bodies, and Chen Yang is the Day Wanderer God... The so-called Day Wanderer Dharma body is a manifestation of the Day Wanderer God!
He was in a "yin spirit" state at this moment.

As the cultivation method of the [Day Wandering Dharma Body] flowed through his mind, he unconsciously began to cultivate.

hum!
Chen Yang's figure involuntarily floated towards the sky.

He hovered above Helan Mountain, where rays of sunlight fell from the sky and continuously merged into his Yin spirit. Gradually, his Yin spirit began to change, transforming into a deity three zhang tall!

This deity has three eyes, a face as blue as indigo, hair as red as cinnabar, wears golden armor and a red robe, holds a procession banner in his left hand and a spiked club in his right, has a majestic face and a fierce expression!

After a long while, the cultivation ended.

Feeling his own spiritual power, Chen Yang couldn't help but sigh, "With the formation of the Dharma Body, my spiritual power has increased several times over..."

He waved his hand.

The Taoist "water magic" was unleashed, and a black curtain of water formed in front of him.

Chen Yang glanced at the [Day Wanderer Dharma Body] in the water curtain and was startled. His face darkened as he said, "Wow... this Dharma Body looks a bit ugly!"

He quickly dispersed his Dharma body, transforming into a gust of yin wind that blew towards the "pavilion".

Beneath the pavilion, Chen Yang, who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

The moment he opened his eyes...

Thump thump thump!!!
The tourists who were relaxing under the pavilion all got up and ran away in a flash, including the girlfriend of the "missing tourist Zong Liwei". They ran to a distance, but couldn't help but look back one last time, their eyes filled with terror.

Even the men in hats took a few steps back, distancing themselves from Chen Yang.

"........."

Chen Yang was speechless for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Why are they running?"

The veterinarian thought for a moment and then cautiously said, "Perhaps... he's afraid of you, Master Chen?"

Why are you afraid of me?

Chen Yang: "I'm not going to eat them."

The veterinarian didn't speak, but simply handed over his phone. The screen showed the scene of Chen Yang condensing his Dharma Body; the three-zhang-tall Sun-Wandering Dharma Body was engulfed in black flames, and coupled with its imposing yet ferocious face, it was indeed quite terrifying!

Not to mention the commotion he caused when he fought that "evil god zombie".

Chen Yang was silent for a few seconds, then handed the phone back to the veterinarian and said, "It's just a Dharma body, why be so afraid... Alright, Director Wei, the problem has been resolved, I'll head back now."

He was about to ride the wind away when he suddenly remembered something and said, "By the way, Director Wei, could you arrange for someone to clean up that mountain god temple... to see if we can find anything like the mountain god's decree?"

Since these tourists have already seen their own "daytime Dharma body," it doesn't matter if things get a little more shocking.

Chen Yang flew into the air and looked into the depths of Helan Mountain. Although he did not see anything unusual, he still instructed, "In addition... it would be better to temporarily close the Helan Mountain scenic area."

Based on information gathered in the village and surveillance footage obtained by the Special Administration Bureau's intelligence department through the "City Sky Eye" system, it was determined that Yin Zhixin had brought his wife to Helan Mountain more than twenty days ago!

During its long stay in the Helan Mountains, did it bite other animals?

What if those animals also underwent zombie-like transformation...?

That would be difficult!
Wei Rufeng naturally knew the seriousness of the matter and said, "I have already issued a notice that Helan Mountain will be sealed off after the tourists on the mountain are evacuated, and then we will try to find a way to investigate."

Easier said than done.

But with the vast Helan Mountains stretching over 200 kilometers north and south, how long will it take for the Special Administration Bureau to complete the investigation with its limited manpower?
call out!
Chen Yang cut through the sky and quickly flew out of the Helan Mountains.

He sped along the road and returned to Fang Boyang's house in less than twenty minutes.

At this moment, Fang Boyang's house was filled with weeping. Many relatives and friends had come and were helping to move "Fang Jun's" body back to his hometown.

"Master Chen, what brings you here?"

Fang Boyang, already dressed in mourning clothes, wiped away his tears and stepped forward, saying, "My mother and aunt have discussed it and are thinking of asking you to help with my father's funeral arrangements."

Chen Yang sized up Fang Boyang.

With the elimination of Yin Zhixin and the evil zombie, the layer of gray death aura on Fang Boyang's body has dissipated.

But he had some of his "life" borrowed from him, which is estimated to have shortened his lifespan by at least ten years.

“I only run the shop now, I don’t do anything else… Here, you take the body back first, and I’ll have someone contact you.”

Chen Yang came to Fang Boyang's house this time to fulfill his "promise" to summon Fang Jun's soul so that the father and son could see each other one last time... But since the body was to be taken back, there was no rush.

He returned to Wucheng, took out his phone, and found a number in his contacts called "Old Wei".

Old Wei also works in the funeral industry, and the two had a good relationship when the old man was alive.

However, his family's business is quite large, offering a complete funeral service from coffins and urns to funeral arrangements. In recent years, Chen Yang has encountered several funeral service opportunities and introduced them all to Lao Wei.

Old Wei knew the rules; after each successful transaction, he would give Chen Yang a large red envelope.

One phone call later, Lao Wei arrived quickly.

He drove a beat-up pickup truck, was about 60 years old, had gray hair, wore all black, and always had a cigarette in his mouth. It was said that he could smoke five packs a day and had a particularly heavy smoking habit.

After inquiring about the employer's requirements and obtaining their contact information, Lao Wei grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and said, "Little Chen... to tell you the truth, I dreamt about your father a few days ago."

"Oh?"

Chen Yang asked, "What did my dad do?"

He understood in his heart...

It must have been during the few days after Lao Chen returned that he went to see his old friends, but he chose to meet them in his dreams for fear of scaring them.

Old Wei threw away his cigarette butt, lit another one, and exhaled smoke as he said, "Your dad and I played a few games of chess in my dreams. He said... he's going down to the underworld to enjoy his retirement, and he praised you for being successful now, having passed the civil service exam?"

When he said this, Lao Wei was a little puzzled and asked in surprise, "I remember you didn't go to college either. Do you not need a degree to take the civil service exam now?"

Chen Yang laughed and said, "Uncle Wei, the position I applied for is special, so they don't need to look at my academic qualifications."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Old Wei left in a hurry.

It's summer now, and most families don't keep the body in the morgue for too long during a funeral, otherwise it will easily smell bad. He should get things done as soon as possible.

Old Wei and his men first delivered the coffin to the Fang family villa in Shanshui Village.

Then he personally directed the shop assistants to set up the mourning hall.

When it was time to keep vigil that night, Lao Wei didn't go back. He said, "I'll rest in the car outside. Call me anytime if you need anything."

He got into the pickup truck, lit a cigarette, and took out his phone to watch short videos.

Old Wei found a pretty female streamer in a quiet live stream room and spent several hundred yuan on gifts. The female streamer acted coquettishly and danced hotly, making Old Wei grin from ear to ear.

Suddenly...

got windy!
Old Wei felt a chill and couldn't help but mutter, "This wind is a bit strange, it's so cold... Huh?"

next moment.

His eyes widened, and he saw a figure appear out of nowhere in the courtyard of the villa.

"That is……

"Xiao Chen?"

Old Wei rubbed his eyes, surprised, and said, "Why is this child here so late at night? Could he be related to this family... and here to offer condolences?"

Seeing Chen Yang enter the room where the coffin was kept, Lao Wei got out of the car and prepared to go and take a look.

The room where the body was laid in state was lit, and the door was wide open.

A coffin sat on the floor of the room. Fang Boyang and his mother, dressed in mourning clothes, were kneeling beside the coffin, burning paper money and keeping vigil.

Old Wei saw Chen Yang enter the mourning room, unfasten a black chain from his waist, and then heard Chen Yang speak—

“Fang Boyang, your father’s lifespan has come to an end, and it’s time for him to go on his way…”

"But I promised you that I would let you and your father see each other one last time... I'll give you 10 minutes to have a good chat with your dad."

Old Wei: "???"

Chen Yang sighed inwardly.

I, a dignified day-roaming deity, have actually come here to do this "soul-stealing and life-taking" thing myself. How disgraceful!
…………

P.S.: It's almost the end of the month, so if anyone still has any monthly passes left, please give them to me! Thanks!
(End of this chapter)