Chapter 126

At night, in the "Guan Chenghuang Blessed Land" under the Guan Chenghuang Temple of Yingxiang Mansion.

Guan Chenghuang Guan, as usual, was wearing the black-bottomed red cloud-pattern official uniform of the Great Qin, leaning over his desk to handle underworld affairs.

"Guan Chenghuang, I am wronged, Guan Chenghuang, this common woman is wronged, Guan Chenghuang..."

A faint, mournful cry drifted in from afar.

Guan Chenghuang Guan put down his pen and shouted: "Where is Li the Judge?"

Immediately, a middle-aged man in official uniform walked in quickly, bowed to the person above, and said: "Master, what are your orders?"

"Who is crying injustice outside? Why not send them away quickly!" Guan Chenghuang Guan said.

"It's a bit difficult to handle..." The Judge stammered, hesitant.

Guan Chenghuang Guan straightened his face and shouted: "You are an old man in the government office; you have followed me for decades, and you still don't know the rules?

If there is a resentful soul accusing a Shu official, you should guide her to the underworld to find the King of Hell; what is difficult to handle?"

He didn't ask if the resentful soul outside was accusing ordinary local ruffians.

If it were an ordinary person who committed a crime harming human life, the Judge could handle the matter himself.

As the Guan Chenghuang, he didn't need to do everything himself.

Unless it was like the counterfeit silver case, which caused such a stir that everyone in Tianmen Town knew about it.

"It's not accusing an official; it's accusing a ghost, accusing the 'Flat-Headed General' under the 'Eight Ghost Kings of Guai Zi Mountain'," Li the Judge said.

"Flat-Headed General..." Guan Chenghuang Guan frowned and sighed: "Calling out outside the government office all the time, what kind of decorum is that? Bring her here; I will talk to her myself."

Li the Judge bowed and took a few steps back before turning to leave.

Before long, a woman in a blue dress with disheveled hair, a bruised face, and her tongue sticking out to her chest floated in behind Li the Judge.

"Guan Chenghuang, I am wronged~~~"

"Slap!" Guan Chenghuang Guan slapped the gavel and shouted: "Hanging ghost, since you want to cry injustice, why don't you report your name and state your grievance? If you only cry injustice, how can I know your grievance?"

The female ghost knelt down holding her skirt and said vaguely: "This common woman is 'Zhang Xiaoqiao,' the second daughter of Zhang Laowai from Shuanghe Village north of the city, married two years ago to Chen Laoshi from the neighboring Qinghe Village.

Our young couple was originally harmonious and loving, living a poor but satisfied life.

Two months ago, my husband Chen Laoshi went out to herd sheep, and after he returned, he suddenly fell asleep and never woke up, dying directly on the bed.

I thought he had caught an illness, and although my heart was bitter, I still honestly held a funeral for him.

Then I hanged myself to end my own life.

But after I died, I discovered that there were villagers who, like my husband, had their souls snatched away by fierce ghosts and died inexplicably.

Those fierce ghosts were all subordinates of the Flat-Headed General.

The Flat-Headed General was helping the Eight Ghost Kings of Guai Zi Mountain find craftsmen to build the 'Eight Kings Tiangong.'

I wanted to find the Flat-Headed General and fight to the death to make it return my husband's soul, but I was caught and humiliated in various ways; I managed to escape with great difficulty, and only after getting guidance from ghost friends did I prepare a petition to come to the Guan Chenghuang Temple to beg the Guan Chenghuang to uphold justice."

Guan Chenghuang Guan sighed: "Last year, during the chaos of the thirty-six countries, hundreds of miles north of the city became a battlefield, and a million people died, giving birth to many fierce ghosts.

It's not one or two, nor one or two groups; they are all organized underworld soldiers.

There are too many ghosts and they are too powerful; it's not something I can manage."

"But hundreds of miles north of Tianmen Town, more than half are in Yingxiang Mansion, which is under your jurisdiction, Guan Chenghuang," Zhang Xiaoqiao cried.

Guan Chenghuang Guan said: "It's not that I don't want to manage it. The Guan Chenghuang is like the government office in the human world; when encountering an invasion by the thirty-six countries, how can the strength of the government office be enough? I have to petition the imperial court and let the imperial court send troops to rescue..."

Seeing Zhang Xiaoqiao staring with a pair of dead fish eyes, her bruised face full of blankness, he shook his head and said directly: "I will arrange for a ghost messenger to send you to the underworld; if you want to file a complaint and cry injustice, you can go find the King of Hell."

"No, I'm not going to the underworld; I still want to find my husband." Zhang Xiaoqiao shook her head repeatedly and cried out: "Guan Chenghuang, I am wronged, Guan Chenghuang, Guan Chenghuang~~~"

"Slap!" Guan Chenghuang Guan slapped the gavel angrily and shouted: "You hanging ghost, you don't know what's good for you; I pitied the deep love between husband and wife and arranged a way out for you, yet you are still ghost-crying! Where is the Wu Pan!"

The "Wu Pan" Guan Tianyang, dressed as a general in chainmail, walked in with big strides, bowed to the person above, and said: "Reporting to Master, there is a small problem with Heavens Yu Fengxian at the Red Sleeve Pavilion that requires your decision."

Guan Chenghuang Guan put down the gavel and frowned: "What trouble has she caused again?"

Guan Tianyang had a complex expression, his tone filled with undisguised disappointment and jealousy: "She has mastered the 'Arrogant Immortal Blade' and her Tiger Soul Seven Kills divine intent has reached Great Completion."

Guan Chenghuang Guan said indifferently: "Her talent is good, and her opportunity is also good. It's not strange that she used the military baleful energy in the Investiture of the Gods to bring the Fierce Tiger divine intent to Great Completion."

"Is it necessary to use the military baleful energy of the Investiture of the Gods to master the final move, 'Arrogant Immortal Blade'?"

Guan Tianyang shouted excitedly: "Old Ancestor, for these years I have been searching for baleful energy caves all over the West, but even the northern battlefield where a million people died could only bring the sixth level of 'God-Splitting Blade' to Great Completion, and I have never been able to break through the final level."

Guan Chenghuang Guan said with a complex expression: "A battlefield of a million people is indeed rare, but that is the Investiture of the Gods!"

"What's wrong with the Investiture of the Gods? Why does it have such tragic military baleful energy?" Guan Tianyang asked.

Guan Chenghuang Guan shook his head gently: "I am just a Guan Chenghuang, not an ancient god. You should be content; the God-Splitting Blade has already exceeded your limits.

If I hadn't shamelessly borrowed the Buddha Bone Relic from Master Chijuluo, you would have been eroded by the baleful energy long ago; at best you would have gone mad, and at worst your soul would have scattered.

Think about the scene of Heavens Yu Fengxian activating the Investiture of the Gods the day before yesterday; would you dare to get within a thousand zhang?

You couldn't even watch from afar.

You wouldn't dare to look directly at it.

If I gave you the Investiture of the Gods, could you handle it?"

Guan Tianyang muttered: "Even with the protection of the Buddha Bone Relic, it wouldn't work? But why is Heavens Yu Fengxian fine?"

"Your limit is not her limit; she comprehended the Fierce Tiger divine intent overnight, and in a few days, her Seven Kills profound meaning surpassed Huchen's.

Your talent isn't even as good as Huchen's; thinking of competing with her is just asking for trouble!"

Guan Chenghuang Guan pointed at Zhang Xiaoqiao, who was staring and listening, and ordered impatiently: "That's enough, arrange for someone immediately to send this hanging ghost to the City of Wronged Souls.

Also, Li the Judge, write a document detailing her grievance, and urge the underworld to send troops quickly to deal with the fierce ghost disaster on the north bank of the Liang River."

"Guan Chenghuang, I am wronged, I am not leaving, I—"

Zhang Xiaoqiao still wanted to continue crying, but she was thrown a chain by Guan Tianyang and instantly tied into a rice dumpling, with her mouth sealed tightly.

"Master Li, I'll trouble you." Guan Tianyang bowed to Li the Judge and handed the chain to him.

After Li the Judge led Zhang Xiaoqiao away, Guan Tianyang said again: "Master, I am not trying to compete with Heavens Yu Fengxian.

I want to tell you that the ghost messenger who has been monitoring her was injured and almost died."

"Was it Guan Qiong?" Guan Chenghuang Guan was shocked.

Guan Tianyang shook his head: "It wasn't Guan Qiong; it was Wen Jiaju on duty today."

Guan Chenghuang Guan's worry did not diminish, and he hurriedly asked: "Where was Jiaju injured? Who dares to hurt the duty official of the Mansion Guan Chenghuang?"

Guan Qiong was his grandson, the son of his concubine's son.

Wen Jiaju was the son of his youngest daughter, his own grandson.

Guan Tianyang said: "Jiaju's soul body was eroded by the baleful energy, as if deep-fried; his body became crisp for a small half.

It was Heavens Yu Fengxian who did it, but she didn't do it on purpose and wasn't targeting anyone.

After all, the duty official is not an ordinary ghost messenger.

Many immortals cannot detect their tracks, let alone Heavens Yu Fengxian, who is an ordinary person.

She was just practicing Tiger Soul Seven Kills.

After activating the Fierce Tiger divine intent, the baleful energy that erupted was too heavy, and Jiaju was too close, so he was accidentally injured by the baleful energy."

Guan Chenghuang Guan wondered: "Without the Investiture of the Gods, how large is the range of her blood baleful energy?"

Guan Tianyang thought for a while and said: "Within two zhang, it's like a blood-sea purgatory; outside five zhang, one feels scorching pain and finds it unbearable; only outside ten zhang can one avoid being scorched."

Guan Chenghuang Guan said angrily: "I only told you to monitor her to ensure she wouldn't leave Yingxiang Mansion without permission; why did you get so close?"

Guan Tianyang said: "Within five zhang, one can see her expression clearly.

Within two zhang, one can hear her whispering clearly and see what she is writing on paper.

The task the Prince gave us is to ensure she doesn't escape Yingxiang Mansion or be taken out of Yingxiang Mansion.

But for our Guan family, there is more that needs attention.

For example, her attitude toward the Guan family and her view on the matter of her sword bone being crippled."

Guan Chenghuang Guan's eyes flashed, and he asked softly: "What was her reaction to the matter of her sword bone being crippled?"

"She was very cautious and didn't express her feelings too much; she also tried to avoid topics about the Guan family in her daily life.

However, when mentioning Huchen, she was still full of respect and regret," Guan Tianyang said.

Guan Chenghuang Guan sighed: "She has innate wisdom and is very smart; some things... sigh, things have come to this, keep a close eye on her, but there's no need to get too close, as long as you confirm she is always in Tianmen Town."

After a pause, he added: "The duty official is responsible for monitoring human and ghost affairs; usually when she goes out for activities or talks to people, she definitely won't be practicing.

You guys be flexible; stay a bit further away when she is practicing.

When she is chatting privately with others, don't get too close; the duty official can monitor..."

Speaking of this, Guan Chenghuang Guan's majestic face twisted into a tangled expression.

"My selfishness is a bit heavy," he sighed.

Guan Tianyang hurriedly said: "The duty official monitoring the trivial matters of the common people is a duty, not selfishness.

And we are not just monitoring Heavens Yu Fengxian; we are just focusing on her."

Guan Chenghuang Guan waved his hand, leaned back in his chair, and smiled bitterly: "I'm not talking about monitoring Heavens Yu Fengxian.

I'm talking about the appointment of the duty official.

At first, I thought this was a leisure position that anyone could do, so I gave all twelve divine positions to my own relatives.

Now that I think about it, Jiaju and the others are not very qualified.

A real duty official can instantly monitor half of Tianmen Town; walking around the city, they see everything, hear everything, and even past events are vivid, while future events are vaguely visible.

Jiaju, Guan Qiong, and the others are too far behind.

I must at least vacate two divine positions and select ghosts and gods who possess perceptual miraculous powers for emergencies."

Guan Tianyang said sternly: "Master, your words are wrong! First of all, the 'real official' you speak of is definitely not the Guan Chenghuang Temple official of the underworld, but the Four-Duty Official gods of the Tiangong.

I heard they master the power of time; it seems like they watch a city in an instant, but in fact, time has no meaning to them.

I am often sent out by you on official business, so I am considered well-informed.

The Guan Chenghuang officials in other regions are at the same level as Jiaju and Qiong-ge.

Even if they are stronger, they wouldn't be able to see a whole city at a glance, let alone have past events be vivid.

Secondly, how can the Guan Chenghuang Temple accommodate a second great god besides you?

Jiaju and Qiong-ge's abilities might be a bit poor.

But they are active in handling affairs; if you tell them to do something, they will never refuse and will never argue.

If you chose a god with great miraculous powers, would he understand your concern for the Guan family and be willing to focus on Heavens Yu Fengxian?"

"Sigh, what you say makes sense; there are gains and losses, losses and gains..."

Guan Chenghuang Guan thought for a while and said: "Later, I will greet Master Chijuluo; in the future, when he gives lectures, you can listen to the Buddhist dharma in the corridor outside the door.

Accumulating some Buddhist shade is more useful than incense wishes, and it is extremely effective for resolving baleful energy."