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

Wei Rufeng floated in through the entrance of the funeral parlor!
Yes!

It's not walking, it's floating!
Wei Rufeng had already passed away; his body remained in the director's office of the Yincheng Special Administration Bureau. What came to Wucheng was his spirit.

To put it more bluntly, the Wei Rufeng that Chen Yang saw was not a human, but a ghost!
"Director Wei, you've arrived?"

Chen Yang asked with a smile, "Have all the funeral arrangements been taken care of?"

Director Wei clasped his hands in a fist and bowed respectfully to Chen Yang, saying, "Thank you, Master Chen. My funeral arrangements have all been completed."

When he said "thank you," it wasn't because he thanked Chen Yang for his concern and inquiry.

Instead, Chen Yang gave him a day to handle his affairs... otherwise he would have died last night, without having time to see his parents and relatives or to deal with his affairs.

This is equivalent to Chen Yang extending his lifespan by one day.

This violates the laws of the underworld.

However, given Chen Yang's current "power," a small compromise is still possible. Moreover, Wei Rufeng has been stationed in Xixia Prefecture for many years, handling countless supernatural cases, resolving far too many haunting spirits and evil spirits, and directly or indirectly saving countless people!

This is good, great good, and can be called immeasurable merit!
In ancient times, officials like this would have been posthumously honored by the imperial court!

Presumably even if Lord Cui knew that he had extended Wei Rufeng's life by one day, he wouldn't say anything... Besides, Lord Cui himself had done things like extending someone's lifespan.

Long ago, the Dragon King of the Jing River, out of spite over a bet, deliberately disobeyed the order to bring rain, altering the amount of rainfall inside and outside the city, causing widespread flooding and killing many people.

He violated the heavenly law and was taken to the execution platform.

At this time, Wei Zheng, who was still serving as an official in the Tang Dynasty, received a divine command. In a dream, his spirit left his body and beheaded the Dragon King of the Jing River. The Dragon King was unwilling to accept this and went to Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, with his head to argue with him. As a result, Li Shimin was so frightened that he fell ill.

At that time, Li Shimin was bedridden, and the imperial physicians were helpless.

Before Li Shimin died, Wei Zheng said to him, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have a matter that I can guarantee Your Majesty's longevity."

Li Shimin asked, "The illness has progressed to the point of no return, and his life is in grave danger. How can we save him?"

Wei Zheng said, "I have a letter to present to Your Majesty. Please take it to the Underworld and deliver it to Cui Jue, the judge of the Emperor's Palace."

Li Shimin was puzzled and asked who Cui Yu was.

Wei Zheng said, “Cui Jue and I have been sworn brothers for eight years. He once served as the magistrate of Changzi County in Luzhou. He is well-versed in Taoist magic. During the day, he is a good magistrate and handles human affairs. At night, his spirit leaves his body to assist the underworld in handling cases.”

Li Shimin was overjoyed and said, "Quickly, help me up... Minister Wei, quickly send someone to invite Minister Cui here!"

Wei Zheng said, “Cui Yu is now dead and is a judge in the Underworld, in charge of the Book of Life and Death. He often meets me in my dreams. We are good friends. If I deliver this letter to him, he will surely release Your Majesty and help you return to the world of the living out of consideration for my humble opinion.”

After Li Shimin died, his soul was taken to the underworld, where he met Judge Cui and handed over Wei Zheng's letter to Judge Cui.

When Cui Fujun read Wei Zheng's letter, he was very pleased and said to Li Shimin, "I already knew about Wei Zheng's dream of beheading the Dragon King of the Jing River. He took good care of my descendants in the mortal world. Now that you have received this letter, Your Majesty can rest assured. I will escort Your Majesty back to the mortal world and help you ascend to the Jade Palace again."

He took out the Book of Life and Death and saw that Li Shimin's lifespan had ended and he was destined to die in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era.

So he took out a pen and added two strokes to the "one" in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, changing it to the thirty-third year of Zhenguan, thus adding twenty years to Li Shimin's lifespan.

However, Chen Yang was merely a Yin Marshal, in charge of only the projections of the Book of Life and Death and the Divine Register of the Yin Law Division. He had no right to alter the life and death of people in the Book of Life and Death; all he could do was extend Wei Rufeng's lifespan by a few days.

Bring over a chair.

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Director Wei, please have a seat."

After Wei Rufeng sat down, he asked again, "Director Wei, how does it feel to be dead?"

Wei Rufeng thought for a moment and said, "Since taking over as the director of the Xixia Prefecture branch, I have worked diligently for the past ten years. I pay attention to all parts of Xixia Prefecture every day, and I rush over immediately if there is any supernatural event that the combat team cannot handle!"

"I've often thought about this over the past ten years..."

"When the world is at peace, I will quit my job and buy a large flat in Yincheng Yuehai Lake. I will install a large floor-to-ceiling window so that I can sit on the balcony every day to enjoy the lake view and drink tea. In my spare time, I will go to the park to practice martial arts and fish."

"Or study veterinary medicine, and maybe I can marry a young and beautiful woman..."

Perhaps feeling that the last sentence might have affected his positive image, Wei Rufeng added, "However, this doesn't count as an old cow eating young grass. After all, I am a martial arts master and am in the prime of my life."

"Ha ha!"

Chen Yang smiled and said, "I understand, I understand... By the way, Director Wei, what are your plans for the future?"

Wei Rufeng: "I'm already dead, so naturally I'll go down... To be honest, I'm very curious about the underworld. I want to see the scenery down there, and then be reincarnated and live a new life!"

Chen Yang shook his head and said, "Director Wei, you just said yourself... you're at the prime of your life, how can you go down so early?"

Wei Rufeng had a bad feeling.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, Director Wei, you're at the prime of your life, why not stay in this world and endure some more hardship?"

Wei Rufeng: "..."

He guessed Chen Yang's thoughts, hesitated for a few seconds, and said, "Master Chen, the human world doesn't need another ghost like me... With your power, you could easily confer an appointment on a minor ghost to become a local underworld official, so why are you targeting me?"

During his ten years as the director of the Western Xia Prefecture, he hardly had a day of leisure.

Now he's dead...

Still not free?

Then I died for nothing?

However, how could Chen Yang let Wei Rufeng go?

Wei Rufeng said that the world doesn't need another ghost like him, which is true, but there are very few high-quality ghosts like him who have accumulated immeasurable merit in their lifetime!
Chen Yang said solemnly, "Director Wei, demons and monsters are rampant in the human world now. Heretical paths are polluting the land, evil spirits are invading, and some wicked martial artists and Taoist practitioners are secretly practicing evil arts to harm people's lives. If we go down there for the sake of leisure, what will happen to the safety of the human world?"

"You guarded the Western Xia capital for ten years, and now you're suddenly dead... How can you let it go?"

"Wang Lin, Ma Lin, Lin Miao, He Wanzhong, Cao Zepan, and so on..."

"Those combat members of the Special Administration Bureau who have followed you for many years, are you willing to abandon them?"

Wei Rufeng fell silent.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Yang continued to persuade him: "Now that the country has begun to fully promote martial arts and Taoist practices, a new era has arrived... Don't you want to see what this new era looks like?"

Wei Rufeng remained silent.

Chen Yang stood up, flipped his hand and took out the "Book of Yin and Yang Life and Death" and the "Netherworld Soul-Suppressing Brush". He entered Wei Rufeng's name into the Underworld Divine Register and said, "Wei Rufeng, why don't you come forward to receive your title?" Wei Rufeng hesitated for a second, then stepped forward and knelt down to receive his title!

From the "Book of Life and Death," a divine light flew out, transforming into an imperial edict—

The Great Emperor of Beiyin in Fengdu issued an edict:

I, the Emperor, uphold the laws of the Nine Netherworlds and hold the balance of all ghosts. Now, there is a deceased soul, Wei Rufeng, who protected the region during his lifetime and performed immeasurable merits. After his death, I hereby appoint you as the "Soul-Capturing Envoy" of the Underworld Law Department. I hope that you can lock evil spirits in the Yellow Springs and guide good souls across the River of Helplessness. Be diligent, loyal, and upright, and you shall be promoted to a higher position in the underworld!

I hereby grant you the authority to patrol the night and apprehend criminals, to ride the yin winds and patrol the mortal world, to capture those who died violently and those who form gangs of vengeful spirits. Whenever you encounter a living person practicing evil arts, you may appear in your form to warn them and shorten their lifespan!
Those who die before their lifespan is over (such as infant spirits or souls of lovers who died for love) are escorted directly to the "City of the Wrongfully Dead" to await trial, so as to avoid being devoured by wild ghosts. In times of war, new souls on the battlefield are collected to prevent them from turning into vengeful spirits!
Admire this!

The imperial edict transformed back into divine light and entered Wei Rufeng's brow.

Within his "yin body," a faint divine light rose, and in an instant, yin energy surged and yin winds raged around him, causing his power to increase dramatically!

for a long time.

The strange phenomenon dissipated.

Wei Rufeng suppressed his yin energy and said, "Thank you for the imperial decree, Commander Chen."

He originally called Chen Yang "Master Chen", but now he changed his address.

Chen Yang laughed and said, "I was appointed by the Emperor. If you want to thank someone, you should thank the Emperor... Wei Rufeng, from now on, Silver City will be under your command, how about that?"

"........."

Wei Rufeng asked, "Can I refuse?"

Chen Yang: "You have been in charge of Silver City for many years and are most familiar with it... I can only feel at ease if you are in charge of Silver City. Moreover, you are the Soul Collector, and I will appoint several other underworld officials for you to manage. Then you can buy a big house in Silver City and enjoy tea and cultivation every day."

This is true.

Chen Yang has ordered Yang Shuai, Ali, Ruyi, and Bo Niu of Qingshuihe to keep an eye out for the souls of those who performed great good deeds in their lifetime, such as those who sacrificed themselves to save others or those who did many good deeds in their lifetime. He plans to appoint more underworld officials to these positions, so that at least the "yin-yang order" of Xixia Prefecture can be maintained for the time being.

Then, radiating outwards from the Western Xia Prefecture as the center, it spread in all directions.

In addition, if there are benevolent deities like "Cat Lord," whether they are remnants of a soul or lingering obsessions, Chen Yang can also bestow titles upon them.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Wei Rufeng got up and left.

Chen Yang then handed Wang Xuan over to Cat Master, leaving Cat Master and Yang Shuai to oversee his cultivation, while he continued practicing his Dao talisman skills.

Wang Xuan cultivated diligently, and coupled with his exceptional talent, he made progress almost every day.

A few days later, sensing that Wang Xuan's Yin spirit had grown slightly stronger and was now able to travel at night, Chen Yang immediately summoned Wang Xuan and said, "I have a treasure called the Patrol Banner, which was given to me by Lord Cui when I was promoted to Day Traveler."

"The procession banner contains its own space, which can simulate the illusion of the eighteen levels of hell. If you can persevere within it and use the terror of the eighteen levels of hell to temper your soul, your soul power will surely increase dramatically, and your Dao heart will be strengthened. From then on, no enchanting illusions or magic in the world will be able to deceive you!"

This is true.

No matter how terrifying the illusions of the world may be, can they compare to the punishments of the eighteen levels of hell?

Wang Xuan was unaware of the terror of the eighteen levels of hell. Upon hearing this, he was overjoyed and urged Chen Yang to take him inside the "Patrol Banner".

Chen Yang took out the "Patrol Banner" and said, "Your spirit has left your body; I will take you back inside."

Wang Xuan sat cross-legged, focused his energy and spirit, and visualized ascending to the top and descending...

Wow!
A small gust of cold wind blew out from between his eyebrows.

Chen Yang grabbed the parade banner and waved it, instantly taking Wang Xuan inside.

Wang Xuan felt a sudden dizziness, and then he fell into a pitch-black space. He couldn't help but mutter, "Is this the space inside the parade banner? Commander Chen said this place is extremely terrifying... but I don't see it at all?"

Ok!

It was pitch black all around, which was quite frightening.

Suddenly, Wang Xuan saw some flickering lights ahead.

He immediately started jogging forward and soon discovered...

Those tiny, shimmering lights were actually the gleaming tips and blades of knives!
These blades were stuck upside down on a mountain, their sharp tips sticking out. The bright light, combined with the mountain full of "blades," made one's scalp tingle!
Having been through the procession banner before, Yang Shuai said upon seeing this, "Old Chen, isn't this too harsh? Although the eighteen levels of hell in the procession banner are just simulated illusions, it's still quite terrifying to fall into them!"

Chen Yang said, "It's alright. Let him climb the mountain of knives first. If he can't, then send him back to Helan Mountain."

Back then, Yang Shuai, an ordinary hanged ghost, could climb mountains of knives. If Wang Xuan doesn't even have that much perseverance, then even if he becomes a "True Monarch" in the future, Chen Yang will still see him as a piece of trash!
After putting away the parade banners and ignoring them, Chen Yang instructed Cat Master and Yang Shuai to keep an eye on Wang Xuan's physical body, while he himself went to Helan Mountain.

In just half a month, the incense offerings at the Helan Mountain Mountain God Temple have undergone a dramatic transformation.

Especially after the Wang Xuan incident was exposed, coupled with the Special Administration Bureau's subsequent instigation, the fame of this mountain god temple has spread throughout the entire Xixia Prefecture, and even tourists from surrounding prefectures come to offer incense and worship.

Everyone knows that there is a true god in this mountain temple, and they hope that the true god will protect them. Even if they cannot receive the magic taught by the true god like Wang Xuan, it would be good to be safe and sound.

Chen Yang gave all the peace talismans and house-protecting talismans he had practiced drawing during this period to Gu Jinghui, and instructed him: "Put these talismans in the temple. After I confer the title of Song Jingxuan, I will have her come to the temple to work part-time as a temple keeper. For every pilgrim who donates more than five hundred incense money, she can be given a Taoist talisman."

"If someone wants to buy another one, we'll charge 1000 per piece."

Gu Jinghui was overjoyed and said, "The talisman drawn by the dignified Luo Feng Subduing Demon General is worth five hundred yuan a piece, which is a good deed that benefits the people... Don't worry, I will keep 20% of the incense money in the temple to maintain and care for the mountain god temple, 30% for my parents to support in their old age... and the remaining 50% is all yours."

"talk later."

Chen Yang said, "I'm not interested in money... Alright, I'll go to the source of the external pollution and see if I can refine the external pollution in Helan Mountain!"

He arrived deep in the Helan Mountains and found that the "external pollution" here had been further suppressed, and the range of the turbid mist had shrunk by tens of meters.

Apparently...

The flourishing incense offerings during this period have greatly improved Gu Jinghui's abilities!

Chen Yang stepped into the mist without resisting, allowing a wisp of external energy to invade his body before he withdrew from the mist. He then activated his magic, and golden divine light blazed around him as he refined the energy.

At the same time, a crisp system notification sounded in my mind—

[You diligently work in the mortal realm, only to discover the resurgence of heretical sects and the proliferation of turbid influences. As the Underworld Commander of the Underworld Law Division, you cannot stand idly by and decide to risk your life to attempt to refine these heretical forces!]

[Task: Refine the heretical path.]

[Quest Rewards: Soul Condensation Pill*10, Ghost Immortal Thoughts*5, Magic Item: Impermanence Umbrella, Cultivation +50000.] (End of Chapter)