Chapter 493: Breaking the Shackles

Zhao Yatang returned to the guesthouse.

The guesthouse was exceptionally desolate; due to the death of her brother Zhao Heijun, business at the guesthouse was not very good, and she was the only guest.

She stood outside the window, her expression sorrowful.

Especially as she looked out into the distance.

On the spacious main road, countless supplicants knelt on the ground, kowtowing with every step, crawling forward.

If not for a lack of sincerity, if not for being trapped by the hardships of this world, if not for the difficulty in finding the complete path, they would not be here, praying to illusory gods and Buddhas.

Seeing this, a sorrowful expression appeared on Zhao Yatang's face: "Xianyun Temple is not worth you doing this!"

If they were True Gods or true Buddhas, Zhao Yatang would feel there was nothing wrong with such prayers.

But Xianyun Temple is a place that harbors filth and evil.

Her brother's death was related to Xianyun Temple.

She had even secretly investigated the "Child-Bestowing Blessing" at Xianyun Temple, uncovered the trickery, and filed a report under her real name.

She believed that one day, the true face of Xianyun Temple would be exposed to the world.

Her brother would not have died in vain for no reason.

Zhao Yatang felt dejected; she pulled the curtains shut, returned to her room, and sat down.

Just then, Zhao Yatang's mobile phone rang with a "buzz."

Zhao Yatang looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen and pressed the answer button.

"You are Zhao Yatang, right?"

"You have a lot of nerve!"

"Get out of Pingchang County now!"

"***"

Following that was a string of vicious insults.

Hearing these threatening words, Zhao Yatang's face turned angry, yet she also felt a sense of trepidation.

These words even mentioned her parents.

"Could it be that my investigation into them has been discovered?" Zhao Yatang was somewhat afraid.

After all, she was only a female university student.

Facing threats, she was naturally filled with worry.

But immediately after, she revealed a resolute expression.

She had already filed a report under her real name.

As long as the city received the report materials, they would definitely come to investigate Xianyun Temple.

When she reported it, she had been careful to file it at the city level.

Thinking of this, she turned off her phone.

Over these past few days, with the continuous investigations and running about, she was somewhat exhausted; she lay on the bed and fell asleep without realizing it.

Suddenly, urgent knocking on the door rang out, startling Zhao Yatang awake from her sleep.

"Who is it?" Zhao Yatang asked.

"Delivery," a hoarse voice came from outside the door.

Zhao Yatang was slightly stunned.

She had not ordered any delivery.

"I didn't order any delivery," Zhao Yatang said through the door.

"Miss Zhao, it is your delivery; I have placed it at the door."

Zhao Yatang quietly walked to the door and looked through the peephole.

As a result, she only saw a figure wearing a hoodie and a hat; she couldn't see the face at all.

The figure put down the delivery and turned to leave.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Yatang felt incredibly nervous inside.

She remembered the phone call from earlier today and felt some fear.

After waiting for about five or six minutes, she confirmed that the person had left, and only then did she quickly open the door and bring the delivery inside.

The delivery was a black trash bag, containing something unknown inside.

The room was quiet; with a trembling heart, Zhao Yatang opened the black bag.

A faint, bloody smell rushed into her nose.

Zhao Yatang saw the contents of the bag.

"Ah!"

She let out a scream.

There, inside the bag, were three bloody chicken heads.

The chickens' eyes were still open, seemingly staring at her.

She collapsed on the bed, her heart pounding.

A harsh ringtone sounded, and Zhao Yatang realized a call was coming in.

"Zhao Yatang, do you like the gift I sent you?" The other person's voice was hoarse and filled with threats.

Zhao Yatang was terrified, but she still questioned: "Who exactly are you, and what do you want to do?"

"Zhao Yatang, don't play dumb.

Leave Pingchang, otherwise... your end will be miserable."

Beep, beep.

The call was hung up by the other party; Zhao Yatang felt some fear, and she wanted to call the police.

But... thinking of her brother's death and the inaction of the authorities.

She could never bring herself to trust them.

Just then, her phone rang again.

Zhao Yatang was startled; she checked the caller ID, saw it was her mother, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Mom?"

"Yatang, are you doing alright out there?"

"I... I'm fine."

"Did you offend someone while you were out?

Your dad just received a call, and someone was cursing at him.

Just now, we also received a delivery, and inside the delivery was... a funeral wreath."

Hearing this, Zhao Yatang's heart suddenly turned cold.

It took her a long time to soothe her mother; she sat on the bed, her spine chilling.

The other party's influence was too great.

They had even started threatening her and her parents.

She was just an Ordinary college student.

Did she really have to fight them?

Could she even win?

But... was her brother just going to die in vain like that?

Zhao Yatang curled up on the bed, helpless and lost.

She remembered some television shows she had watched a long time ago.

In the shows, the protagonist was righteous, unyielding, and kind, fighting against evil forces.

The protagonist even set up a scheme with their own death to reveal the truth to the public and bring down the villainous tiger.

But she knew that was just television.

She had read the original work, and the tiger in the original was eventually liquidated, not because of the protagonist's efforts at all.

Now, she was facing such a predicament.

In today's society, it is truly too difficult for an Ordinary person to uphold their own rights.

Especially when encountering a higher class, that deep sense of powerlessness and frustration makes one collapse, feeling more and more that no matter how hard one tries, what is the use? Justice prevailing does not exist in reality.

"Brother, if only you were still here... that would be so good."

Zhao Yatang curled up on the bed, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.

She was truly tired, and afraid.

Three days later, Liu Guan came out of Wang Yunzhen's room with an uncertain expression on his face.

He entered a room where several men were standing.

"Brother Liu."

Liu Guan scanned the few people, his tone filled with anger: "That Zhao Yatang still refuses to leave?"

"Brother Liu, we have already done as you instructed, but that woman has a hard backbone and has been staying in the homestay.

Moreover, she has posted quite a few videos on short video software.

She is also leaving comments under all the major videos.

Brother Liu, should we do it for real tonight?"

Liu Guan frowned and pondered: "Fine, let's teach her a lesson today.

We'll choose the rooftop of that homestay again."

The place where he caused the death of Zhao Heijun was also on the rooftop of the homestay.

However, at this moment, a yellow-haired man said with some trepidation: "Brother Liu, recently that homestay rooftop has been haunted; should we change to another place?"

Liu Guan's expression turned cold: "A ghost? I wasn't even afraid of him when he was alive, why would I be afraid of him turning into a ghost!"

Upon hearing this, many of the people present felt uneasy, while others mocked the person who had just made the suggestion.

Midnight.

Zhao Yatang was woken up by the cold.

The wind blew against her, feeling chilly.

She opened her eyes and immediately saw a pair of eyes staring at her with a mocking look.

Her mind went blank.

"You... how are you here?" Fear arose in Zhao Yatang's heart.

Wasn't she sleeping in her room?

How was she here?

Is this... the rooftop?

Liu Guan looked at Zhao Yatang, his gaze filled with a threatening expression: "Zhao Yatang, what you are doing now... has crossed the line."

Beside them, the other thugs stared at Zhao Yatang's graceful figure under her pajamas, revealing malicious expressions.

"Liu Guan... it's you, it really was you playing tricks!" Zhao Yatang tried to get up, only to discover her hands and feet were tied.

"It's me, so what?" Liu Guan's eyes were calm, "The materials you went to the city to report the Immortal Cloud Temple with arrived on my desk the very next day."

We have already checked your phone; I have deleted all the backups inside it.

I will give you one chance: let this matter end here, and you take your sister-in-law and leave Pingchang, how about that?"

Zhao Yatang looked at Liu Guan, and she suddenly asked: "Did my brother die at your hands?"

The smile on Liu Guan's face froze: "Are you sure you want me to answer that question?"

Zhao Yatang nodded.

A look of helplessness appeared in Liu Guan's eyes: "I do not want to answer this question.

After I answer, there will be no turning back between you and me."

Zhao Yatang's eyes were blurry: "My brother was killed by you, wasn't he?"

"Yes, it was right here that we pushed him off." A smile appeared on Liu Guan's face again, "I originally didn't want to kill you; after all, killing such a beautiful woman just like that, how boring.

It's a pity..."

"You..." Zhao Yatang looked at Liu Guan, her eyes full of anger, "You will face retribution!"

Hearing this, Liu Guan burst into loud laughter: "The law cannot sanction me, let alone that ethereal retribution.

Do you see that yellow-haired man over there? He is my number one thug.

Four years ago, he accidentally killed a left-behind girl in the countryside and was sentenced to death.

Now, isn't he still standing right in front of you, eating and drinking well every day?

As for retribution... what a load of crap, haha."

"Haha, if there really were retribution, why didn't your unjustly dead brother turn into a ghost and come to cause us trouble?"

"Isn't this place supposed to be haunted? Didn't they say your brother turned into a ghost? Where is the ghost?"

The six people before her laughed wantonly and wildly.

Zhao Yatang lay on the ground, helpless, in pain, and angry.

She wished she could bite these people to death.

"Beauty, this world is not as idealistic as you imagine; there is simply no such thing as retribution." Liu Guan said, then ordered, "Do it."

Several underlings walked toward Zhao Yatang at this time, wearing wanton smiles on their faces.

Among them, there was no lack of regret.

It seemed they regretted not taking the chance to have some fun.

But at this moment, suddenly, Zhao Yatang widened her eyes: "Bro... brother!"

She saw, on the top floor, a broken body stumbling forward.

His body was covered in bloodstains.

There was a huge wound on his head, with brain matter still on it; it looked nauseating.

That terrifying face made one feel fear.

However, Zhao Yatang felt no fear at all, and she recognized at a glance that it was her brother!

"Is it useful to call for your brother now?" Liu Guan laughed loudly, "Your brother is already dead, and you should die too."

However, at this moment, a voice full of fear came.

"Liu... Brother Liu... look behind you..."

The thug's legs trembled, and his hands holding Zhao Yatang involuntarily let go.

Liu Guan was unconcerned; he turned to look behind him.

His pupils shrank violently.

"Ghost..."

His consciousness paused for an instant.

Just then, that terrifying figure was seen walking toward them with stumbling steps.

In those eyes, there was nothing but resentment.

However, the terrifying figure's movements were full of struggle and contradiction.

Liu Guan was, after all, a man who had seen the world; he hurriedly roared: "This is fake, someone is playing god and acting like a ghost, beat him to death!"

He ordered those thugs.

Immediately, several thugs rushed over, holding clubs and smashing them toward the terrifying figure.

Bang!

The club smashed into the figure, and the figure unexpectedly fell to the ground.

It was as if they were not hitting a ghost, but a real, physical person.

Seeing this scene, the thugs present grew even bolder.

"Damn it, playing god and acting like a ghost, trying to scare me!"

A thug took a club and smashed it fiercely onto that figure.

Liu Guan's expression shifted between light and shadow; he did not know what he was thinking.

They were beating the terrifying figure, striking his body with one club after another.

That terrifying figure did not let out any screams, but instead crawled toward Zhao Yatang step by step.

"Brother!"

"Brother!"

Zhao Yatang's eyes were filled with tears; she knew that was her brother.

"Damn it, what the hell is this thing?" A thug also noticed something strange.

That person's body was already broken and ruined, yet he was still crawling.

Is this even human!

"Could it really be a ghost?" Liu Guan pondered, then burst into laughter, "A ghost... is just this trash?"

"Hahaha, I NTR'd your wife while you were alive, and now that you're dead, I'm going to beat you to a pulp again. I suddenly have a wonderful idea!"

Liu Guan's gaze was ferocious as he looked at Zhao Yatang.

Inside the room, Lin Chao was resting with his eyes closed.

He muttered to himself.

"As expected, reincarnation is not so easy to create."

"Even with the Life and Death Book, I can at most only pull people out from the Spirit River."

"To want to create true Yin Messengers and Soul Hooking Messengers is to go against the supreme principles of heaven and earth."

According to Lin Chao's understanding and conjecture.

Dead is dead.

Even if they enter the Spirit River and retain a sliver of Spirituality, being guided here by Lin Chao.

They would still be like Yan Feng, merely an incomplete life form, not even as good as an Ordinary person.

And to transform into a Yin Soldier, one must break the Rules of heaven and earth.

Within the Rules of heaven and earth, the dead... must not lay a hand on the living.

But the Yin Messengers in the Life and Death Book are not included in this category.

After all, among the Yin Messengers, there are Soul Hooking Messengers.

To go from an incomplete ghost to a true Yin Messenger requires breaking the Imprisonment and daring to lay a hand on the living.

Only by breaking through this Imprisonment, and with Lin Chao's help, can they ascend to the Life and Death Book and become a Yin Messenger recognized by Lin Chao.

"Therefore, it is still too difficult for an Ordinary person to transform into a Yin Messenger."

"If it were a general who slaughtered millions, or a cultivator with unfathomable cultivation, I fear they would have already become a Yin Messenger by now."

"It is a pity... in this world, there are no cultivators."

As for those cultivators, Lin Chao did not wish for them to become Yin Messengers either.

The realm of the dead, to him, was still a relatively unfamiliar domain, still in the midst of exploration.

However, a moment later, a sharp look appeared in Lin Chao's eyes.

"The first Yin Messenger in heaven and earth has finally been born."

And at this moment, on the rooftop in Pingchang County.

On the ground, there was blood everywhere.

Those few rampant thugs were all lying on the ground now, their states of death extremely miserable.

And Liu Guan, his face deathly pale, looked at that terrifying figure with fearful eyes: "No... don't!"

However, that terrifying figure did not give him any chance to beg for mercy.

Liu Guan's head was shattered in an instant.

Seeing this scene, that terrifying figure revealed a look of confusion in its eyes.

(End of chapter)