Yin Yang Soul Searcher

A whole day.

Bai Jueming made a special trip to the Yin-Yang Palace to say goodbye to Brother Shan and several colleagues, and even asked Brother Shan for an advance of two months' salary!

Li Zhengshan didn't understand why he was so poor, and said that the Yin Yang Palace didn't have such a rule!

Bai Jueming had no choice but to resort to crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide, claiming that he had bled for the Great Xia and had been injured in its place...

Li Zhengshan sighed with a headache. Why didn't he have a single normal person among his subordinates?

Zhou Dahai and his friends are known for slacking off and not working properly. Bai Jueming, on the other hand, is constantly complaining about being poor, borrowing money from colleagues everywhere. He hasn't even paid back the money he owes Miss Han, and now he's borrowing again? Where does all his money go?!

Li Zhengshan could only earnestly advise him, "You're not young anymore, it's time to find a girl and settle down properly..."

Li Zhengshan clearly believed that Bai Jueming was secretly going to brothels and theaters, which was why he spent money like water.

Bai Jueming naturally understood the unspoken meaning in Shan Ge's words, so he tried his best to explain, exaggerating the extent of his family's poverty. He had an unreasonable older sister and a crying, hungry younger sister...

Finally, Li Zhengshan was persuaded and secretly took out two months' salary from his own pocket to give Bai Jueming an advance... and said that this would only happen once and would not be repeated!

Bai Jueming expressed his deepest gratitude and said that he would definitely treat Brother Shan to a meal as soon as he received his third month's salary.

Li Zhengshan had no idea how much hunger Bai Jueming owed outside. Hearing this, he could only nod helplessly. He didn't tell Bai Jueming that he had paid for it out of his own pocket.

Anyway, Li Zhengshan didn't intend to ask Bai Jueming for it. Consider it a reward for solving the case and making Zhengshan Hall proud, even if it was a bit meager...

Finally, Bai Jueming asked Shan Ge to take care of his older sister and younger sister, and not to reveal that he was not in the Yin Yang Palace if they asked.

Bai Jueming explained the reason briefly, and Li Zhengshan expressed his understanding, saying that he would help them if they came to him. It was a small matter.

After thanking Brother Shan again, Bai Jueming left the lobby and found Zhou Dahai and the other two.

Upon meeting the three of them, Bai Jueming generously offered to treat them to a meal.

The three were overjoyed upon hearing this, changed into stylish clothes, and happily went with him to a noodle stall to sit down.

"This is what you meant by treating me to dinner?" Zhou Dahai was so angry he laughed. "I should have known you were a penniless wretch."

Wang Pang and Wu Yuan remained silent.

They thought Bai Jueming was taking them to a place like that, so they combed their hair like adults and changed into smart suits, preparing to be dashing young masters... Who would have thought it would turn out to be a noodle stall?

Bai Jueming wasn't embarrassed at all. He waved his hand and told the three of them to eat as much as they wanted, with unlimited noodles.

Since we're already here, we might as well accept it...

During the meal, Zhou Dahai slurped up a mouthful of noodles and asked, "What reward did the Imperial Advisor give you, kid? Can you tell us? If it's confidential, then pretend I didn't ask."

First, issue a disclaimer.

Wang Pang and Wu Yuan also leaned in to listen.

Bai Jueming shook his head: "There's nothing I can't say. The Imperial Preceptor rewarded me with a magic weapon, a Yin-Yang Jade Pendant."

After saying that, Bai Jueming took out the Yin-Yang jade pendant given to him by the Imperial Preceptor and handed it to Zhou Dahai and the others.

"What's so special about this thing?" Wang Pang asked, leaning closer.

"It can help me cultivate and improve my soul power." Bai Jueming thought for a moment, then said, "The Imperial Preceptor also said that it has other uses, which I haven't figured out yet."

"This treasure! It's incredible!" Zhou Dahai's eyes widened instantly, clutching the jade pendant tightly in his hand. "Just sitting here, I can feel the flow of soul power!"

"Let me see." Wang Pang took the jade pendant, held it in his palm for a moment, and then also showed an incredulous expression: "What kind of treasure is this! It actually has this kind of function!"

Next up is Wu Yuan with the same expression.

Zhou Dahai said sourly, "The Imperial Advisor is too good to you, kid. With this treasure, you can improve your cultivation even while lying down..."

"What, you want it?" Bai Jueming said with a half-smile.

"Nonsense, which Onmyoji wouldn't want such a treasure? Let alone us, even someone at the level of a hall master would want something like this." Zhou Dahai curled his lip. "You're willing to give it to us?"

"If you want it, it's not impossible." Bai Jueming raised an eyebrow and said, "The Imperial Advisor asked me to go to Shangzhou to investigate the mineral deposit case. If any of you are willing to go, I will give this treasure bestowed upon me by the Imperial Advisor to him."

"Go to Shangzhou to investigate a case?" Zhou Dahai asked incredulously.

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuan and Wang Pang tossed the jade pendant to Bai Jueming as if it were a hot potato: "You should go yourself..."

They wouldn't risk their lives to investigate a case in another city just for the sake of treasure. Wouldn't it be better to stay in the capital and be a respectable official?

Staying in the capital city not only grants one the prestigious status of an Onmyoji, but also ensures that the cases encountered are not particularly dangerous, and allows one to readily gather a group of people to protect their safety.

You think you'd get this kind of treatment in another city? Who even knows you! If you dare reveal your identity, who knows what kind of ruthless, desperate criminal might sneak up on you out of fear of being investigated by an Onmyoji...

Even if the imperial court avenges you afterward, what's the point if you lose your own people? Besides, they might not even be able to find the culprit; after all, Onmyoji aren't omnipotent!

For the two of them, staying in the capital, investigating cases when there are none, and living a carefree life when there aren't, peacefully retiring—that would be the best possible ending.

Bai Jueming was speechless for a moment. What a bunch of pragmatic people... Yesterday they were saying I was hoarding the credit for doing good deeds, but now that I have the chance to do so, they're all chickening out...

"The journey from the capital to Shangzhou is long and arduous, not to mention the hardships of sleeping outdoors along the way."

"Most importantly, with our current level of cultivation, if we were to encounter any danger, the consequences would be unimaginable. Unlike here in the capital, where the Onmyoji are renowned. Even if a master wanted to deal with us, they would first have to consider whether they have the strength to evade the Onmyoji's search and pursuit!"

"If you encounter danger in Shangzhou, you won't even have anyone to back you up. Rely on those officials? Few of them are cultivators, so they can't help you at all."

Zhou Dahai, having come to regard Bai Jueming as one of his own, then proceeded to explain the drawbacks of the Shangzhou affair in detail. If it were someone from another sect, they would have preferred to see their friend die rather than themselves.

"Furthermore, the case you investigated in Shangzhou involved Four Seasons Masters and some unknown Yin-Yang Masters. They dared to steal from our Great Xia's mineral resources, which means their strength is definitely extraordinary. And you still dared to investigate such a thing?"

"How many heads do you have to take on this job? Isn't it better to stay in the capital?" Zhou Dahai earnestly advised, "Take my advice, return the jade pendant to the Imperial Preceptor. Then break your own leg and say you're injured and can't go. Let the hall master and those with higher strength go... I believe the Imperial Preceptor won't make things difficult for an eighth-rank official like you..."

"You can do that?" Bai Jueming was shocked. To avoid investigating the case, he would break his own leg? This was like a knife cutting his buttocks; it opened Bai Jueming's eyes.

"There's no need to be so extreme. We can just find a way to postpone this matter," Wang Pang chimed in.

"But I have a reason to go," Bai Jueming sighed.

Zhou Dahai shook his head with a hint of pity, not bothering to inquire about the reasons why he had to go. It was nothing more than what they'd done when they investigated the elixir case; if they couldn't find the truth, they'd be exiled to Liangzhou... He hadn't expected someone with such low strength like Bai Jueming to receive such an order...

"It seems this is the first and last time I'll be eating a meal paid for by you."

Wang Pang and Wu Yuan deeply agreed.

"Can't you guys wish me well for once?" Bai Jueming smirked. What kind of amazing teammates are these...?

The three remained silent, simply continuing to eat their noodles.

"Brother Hai, Brother Wang, Brother Wu, I have a small favor to ask you." Bai Jueming took the opportunity to change the subject.

"I only ate one bowl of your noodles!" Zhou Dahai hurriedly put down his chopsticks. Sure enough, trying to squeeze some food out of Bai Jueming, this poor wretch, came at a price.

Wang Pang and Wu Yuan looked wary and slowly put down their bowls and chopsticks.

"You guys are too materialistic!" Bai Jueming thought to himself, not at all considering himself a materialistic person.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Bai Jueming explained with a smile, "I've been away from the capital for a while, and there's a family in the area that our Zhengshan Hall is responsible for patrolling that we need to keep an eye on."

Whose house is it?

"My home!" Bai Jueming gestured to the table to show them the location of his house, then explained, "When I'm not in the capital, only my eldest sister and younger sister stay at home. When you patrol the streets during the day, walk over there more often, so that they don't get bullied by outsiders."

Although, given her work schedule, she hardly had any time to interact with outsiders, and her personality was only strict with her two younger brothers, she had a pretty good relationship with the neighbors.

But just in case, it's always good to have an extra layer of insurance.

"Is it that simple?" Zhou Dahai asked.

Bai Jueming nodded: "It's that simple."

"Then you can rest assured." Zhou Dahai patted Bai Jueming's shoulder readily. "Leave your sister and younger sister to me, so you can go with peace of mind."

"Can you not talk so strangely?" Bai Jueming muttered to himself, suddenly remembering a line from Boss Cao: "I will take care of your wife and children, so don't worry about them!"

"I can't speak for other things, but if any thugs dare to bully them, I guarantee I'll lock them up in jail so you can come back and get your revenge. Even if some cultivators dare to harass them, they'll run away with their tails between their legs when they see our skin."

The three of them said it wasn't a big deal, and then they continued eating their noodles with peace of mind.

After finishing the meal, Bai Jueming paid the bill, which cost less than half a tael of silver—a huge profit!

Zhou Dahai and the other two were about to go back to their offices, while Bai Jueming still had one small matter to attend to...

.....

On the outskirts of Beijing, the sun gradually sets in the west, turning half the sky into molten gold, and the afterglow spreads into the mountains and forests, as if gilding the entire forest with a warm orange hue.

A mountain breeze swept by, and the light leaves rustled softly, appearing as if they were sprinkled with a handful of broken amber in the sunset.

A squirrel with a pointed snout and monkey-like face was carrying a pine cone when it made a mistake while climbing the tree trunk. The pine cone, as big as its face, was thrown far away and finally landed steadily in a crack in the soil...

In the distance, the clear sound of a mountain stream flows, occasionally mingled with the calls of birds returning to their nests. The chirping of gray sparrows is crisp, and the cooing of turtledoves is deep and resonant, drifting towards the valley along the patterns of the setting sun.

Inside a small courtyard in Shanhu Temple, where a crooked peach tree grows.

The peach leaves have lost their former pink color, and the edges have turned slightly yellow.

Under the peach tree, a plump and beautiful woman dressed in a Taoist robe sat on a futon, gazing absently at the crooked peach tree in front of her. Beside her stood a pretty girl with a slender figure.

"So your father really was killed by Chen Shiyu and his accomplices!" The beautiful woman was very depressed after hearing the news brought back by Han Xueshan.

"What else did the Imperial Advisor say?" the beautiful woman asked.