Chapter 436: Fengdu Ghost Rain

The cargo boat drifted slowly upstream along the river.

It was past dusk; autumn rain wove a fine net, falling upon the river's surface, rippling in endless circles—green mountains, river water, and mist seemed to merge as one, radiating a deep, chilling cold.

At the banks of Fengdu River, it was visible at a glance.

Through the rain curtain, the dock's scene flickered in and out—voices clamorous, lanterns dim, hazy and indistinct.

Perhaps because Fengdu's reputation preceded it, and with the darkening sky and thick mist, all aboard felt as if they were sailing into the netherworld.

Sha Lifei clicked his tongue. "Little Brother Li, let's leave tonight. This place gives me the creeps."

Li Yan paused briefly, then nodded. "Alright."

The living yin official gathering in Fengdu takes place in the first lunar month—still far off. Better to finish our mission first, then head to Mount Qingcheng.

And we can also look into the Dragon Girl's matter along the way.

He dared not neglect a divine commission.

At that moment, a small boat approached from the river.

It was a common Sichuan eight-oar boat—no rudder at the stern, only a steering pole; its belly rounded, its bow and stern narrow and pointed; eight men rowed, one steered.

Such boats were numerous, seen frequently along the route.

But as it drew nearer, Li Yan's face darkened. "Stop the boat. Stay alert!"

The summoning tally in his arms suddenly turned icy cold.

This phenomenon was mentioned in Liu Gang's ledger.

When the tally grew warm, it meant a task was active.

When it grew cold, it meant a fellow living yin official was near.

On the deck of the opposite boat sat an old man, clad in a straw rain cape, wearing a conical hat, each hand holding a pair of clappers.

These clappers were unusual: three bamboo slats, glowing with a lustrous sheen like yellow jade, with two copper coins embedded in the center.

He flicked his wrists, executing dazzling patterns with ease.

Wang Daoxuan, upon hearing this, also paled slightly. "That's the Sichuan money clapper—he's used yansheng coins. It's a magical artifact!"

Even without the Daoist's warning, everyone had already sensed it.

The clapper's sound was unnaturally crisp, echoing as if inside their skulls.

At the same time, the old man began singing in a hoarse voice:

"Travelers from afar, lend me your ear. Today, this old man comes to urge virtue: live well, do good, and fortune, rank, longevity, joy will all come to you…"

Tackity-tackity-tack!

"First, warn the world: do no evil. Evil deeds bring calamity. Heaven's net is vast, yet its mesh is fine—good and evil are repaid in due time…"

A sermon on virtue?

This one's no friend…

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, stepped forward two paces, lifted his robe, and planted one foot on the gunwale, looking down from above.

"Elder, only evildoers need urging toward virtue. Do I look like an evildoer—or a good man?"

The clapper sound ceased. The boat halted.

"Good and evil, right and wrong—each heart knows its own."

As the old man spoke, he lifted his head.

Beneath the hat lay a withered face, wrinkles like tree rings, skin stretched tight over bone, lips downturned—clearly a stubborn man.

Most peculiar were his eyes.

His left eye was pure black, without a pupil, emitting a faint You light.

"Ghost eye."

Wang Daoxuan, seeing this, said gravely: "Only those possessed by yin spirits or who constantly cultivate yin ghost arts develop such eyes…"

Before he finished speaking, the old man rose slowly and rasped: "Young man, do you know what great mistake you've made?"

Li Yan sneered. "Go on."

Seeing his demeanor, the old man remained calm. "Generally, living yin officials follow two rules."

"First: conceal your identity."

"Not everyone is like you, skilled in martial arts and spells. Many of our kind are ordinary people. You flaunt your power, acting bold and fearless—but it makes their lives harder."

"Second: the original pact."

"The Hidden Immortals and Mountain Immortals may fear us, but they can still command disciples or hire experts to ambush us. So certain rules must not be broken—break them, and you stand against us all."

"The first rule might be excused as ignorance, but what you did in Wushan has already plunged us into danger."

"Indeed."

Li Yan nodded, admitting frankly: "Elder, you're right on all counts—except for one thing."

"Oh?"

The old man asked: "Which one?"

A deadly aura rose in Li Yan's eyes.

"Right and wrong! Good and evil!"

"If they mean to harm others, I won't stand idly by—I crush them. That's my rule. All other rules take second place!"

"If you don't even care about right and wrong, how dare you lecture me on virtue?"

"Grandpa."

From the cabin came a child's voice: "I think this big brother's right. We can't just watch them do evil."

"Kuwa, you don't understand."

The old man sighed, turning. "You're still young. I can't protect you forever. You're still young. He breaks the rules—your future will suffer."

Li Yan snorted. "So after all that, you're not even the one in charge? If you're going to talk rules, you're not the one to speak."

The old man didn't anger. He remained calm. "You came to Sichuan at Wu Qu's invitation, yes? You must have guessed our identity."

Protectors…

Li Yan instantly understood the old man's meaning.

After being jointly hunted by the Hidden Immortals and Mountain Immortals, the living yin officials had learned caution—they began recruiting powerful experts to band together for mutual protection.

The living yin officials' abilities, combined with the experts' martial strength, were a perfect match—gradually securing their foothold.

For example, when experts discovered a place haunted by ancient demons they couldn't defeat, they'd have living yin officials expend Gangling to summon yin soldiers, then split the spoils equally.

Or when living yin officials took on a task they couldn't handle—like a powerful revenant—they'd have these experts lay traps.

Thus, the organization grew ever larger.

From Wu Qu's influence, it now spanned all of Shenzhou.

Li Yan, seeing night deepen, spoke calmly: "I won't waste time. Tell me what you want. Lay out your terms."

He'd originally come hoping to leverage this organization's power.

He hadn't expected to break a taboo before even attending the gathering.

The old man said gravely: "We have one greater rule: no killing among ourselves. So I've merely been sent to deliver a message."

He turned to gaze at the northern shore and rasped: "Famous mountains are blessed lands, yet only secular Buddhist and Daoist temples stand upon them—no xuanmen practitioners dwell there. Do you know why?"

Li Yan answered honestly: "I don't know."

The old man sighed. "When xuanmen practitioners meditate atop famous mountains, their souls grow unanchored, making progress nearly impossible. Even the Qingniu Temple on Mount Emei only trains on Qingniu Mountain in the city's east."

"Especially living yin officials, who carry summoning tallies and can perceive netherworld matters—these mountains are sacred ground for our organization."

"If you spend one night on the mountain, this matter is dropped. You'll pass the trial and be admitted directly into the organization."

"If you leave, we won't stop you—but we'll declare publicly that you, as a living yin official, are no longer protected by the pact."

"Choose your path yourself."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. "And what's your advice?"

The old man replied coolly: "I advise you to leave. Go as far as you can. Young men like you—I've seen too many. You're always trouble."

"You're an honest old man, then."

Li Yan snorted, hesitating. He'd come to the gathering to gain more knowledge about living yin officials—but this organization had too many rules. He already disliked it.

Only the living yin official pact was troublesome.

He didn't care—but he had companions with him. They'd need to train on famous mountains in the future.

Let alone any Hidden Immortal meddling, sending disciples to harass him—it'd be a major problem…

"Young friend, you must ascend the mountain."

Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from behind.

It was the old woman Bai Wan, stepping out of the cabin, her face grim. "Because of my affair, you've been put through hardship."

"But you cannot abandon the living yin official pact. Not until you've grown strong—you still need its protection. Otherwise, you'll never move an inch forward."

"You're allied with the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao. Some sects oppose them—and with your status as a living yin official, attacks will come relentlessly."

Li Yan hesitated. "But you—"

"Don't worry."

!.

The old woman Bai Wan stepped onto the bow, gazing down at the old man. "Wei Wuchang— is he in Fengdu City now?"

The old man's face darkened instantly. "Elder Wei isn't in the city. Do you know him?"

The old woman nodded. "If Elder Wei were here, I wouldn't have troubled this young man and dragged him into this."

She reached into her robe and withdrew a token. "Elder Wei gave me this long ago, saying that as long as I entered Fengdu City, I'd be protected. Does this still hold?"

The old man saw it and his pupils shrank instantly; he bowed deeply and Gongjing ly clasped his hands. "If such an order exists, the old man shall certainly obey."

"But this order grants only one chance. Are you certain?"

The old woman Bai Wan said nothing; she simply tossed the token.

The old man caught it, examined it carefully, and called out loudly: "All may proceed to Fengdu. No matter how long you stay, you will be protected."

"But if you leave, your life or death is no longer our concern."

"And as for you—if you wish to ascend a sacred mountain, go to the riverbank; the old man will guide you up…"

With that, he raised his hand slightly, signaling them to head toward Fengdu.

Li Yan glanced at Bai Wan; seeing her nod, he turned to "Fast Boat Zhang" and said: "Senior Zhang, let's go ashore first."

"Turn around, head for the dock!"

At "Fast Boat Zhang"'s command, the massive cargo ship slowly turned and headed toward the Fengdu County dock.

Once the small boat behind them was out of sight, the old woman Bai Wan spoke: "Young friend, your worry is that those earth immortals will block or retaliate—but here in Fengdu, you need not fear."

"This token was given to me by an old friend of the Dao, Wei. Alas, it can be used only once."

"Then that's easy."

Sha Li Fei spoke up: "Once we reach Fengdu, settle down nearby. Wait seventeen or eighteen years—those wandering cultivators from Wushan will just have to stare helplessly."

The old woman Bai Wan shook her head. "It's not that simple."

"Fengdu is a peculiar place. To the east lies Qingniu Temple; to the west lies the Wheel of Rebirth Temple. Though neither can claim sacred mountains, both Buddhist and Daoist sects hold it in high regard, having built secular temples here. Even the living yin officials regard this place as sacred."

"We are still cultivators. We may seem unharmed, but we have no true place to stand. I am old, and I cannot protect them much longer."

"Qingcheng Mountain is different. I've already spoken with the Queen Mother's Palace. There, it is a nunnery for female Daoists, and all disciples will be taken under their wing—giving them a future."

"So that's how it is…"

Li Yan nodded and said no more.

Soon, the cargo ship slowly docked.

On the dock, many people wore straw capes and hats, or carried umbrellas as they walked. The county was small, more like a large town.

"Proprietor, need any labor?"

As soon as the ship docked, two dock laborers rushed over, their clothes tattered and patched—clearly ordinary folk.

"No, we'll only stay one night and leave."

"Fast Boat Zhang" clasped his hands and dismissed them.

Sha Li Fei glanced around curiously. "Where are the living yin officials? If this is protection, why isn't anyone here to guide us?"

"The living yin officials are not like a sect or cult."

The old woman Bai Wan shook her head. "They have no central headquarters, no public address. Everyone hides in the shadows. You can't tell who among the townsfolk are theirs."

"Go ashore. Find any inn and settle in. Once I've used the token, their people will guard you secretly."

Hearing this, everyone immediately packed their belongings and went ashore.

Everyone had no doubt about the living yin officials' power—they had all seen the might of Li Yan's yin army.

Even two or three of them, simultaneously consuming the Gangling to summon the yin army, would make anyone flee far away.

Entering the city, the rain had not ceased.

Fengdu City was ancient. Its stepped docks featured both stilt houses and ordinary dwellings, built along the hills, densely packed like fish scales.

The mist, lanterns, and old city added an eerie aura.

Night had fallen. Most townsfolk had shut their doors. Near the dock stood the city gate—only two zhang tall, its blue stone weathered, the river fog damp, the ground below covered in moss.

The city guards, seemingly already informed, paid them no heed, merely yawning.

"Sir, is there an inn in town?"

"East of the city, there's Wangxiang Tower."

After Sha Li Fei inquired, the group entered the city, passed through two alleys, and soon saw an inn.

Wangxiang Tower.

The name sounded nice, but it was just an ordinary inn.

Deep into the night, few travelers remained inside—all ordinary folk. Seeing their group, they all turned away, avoiding trouble.

After checking, Li Yan's heart finally eased.

The inn bore no trace of cultivation arts, yet his goutie remained icy cold—proof that living yin officials were nearby.

It seemed the token had some use after all.

After everyone was settled, Li Yan neatly packed his artifacts and said gravely: "Stay here one night. I'll return tomorrow."

"Young Master Li, please be careful."

Wang Daoxuan and the others all wore worried expressions.

"Don't worry."

Li Yan glanced out the window; the autumn rain continued without pause. He smiled softly. "The weather tonight aids me. If anything goes wrong, I'll use my escape technique and vanish."

With that, he clasped his hands to the group and swiftly left the inn, disappearing into the night rain and wind…

At the dock, the old man's cargo ship waited as expected.

Li Yan said nothing; he leapt aboard.

"Set sail!"

The old man gave him a cold glance and ordered in a low voice.

The sailors immediately began rowing, and the sails filled with wind; soon, they left Fengdu County, heading toward the northern shore.

There lay the sacred mountain—and the entrance to Fengdu's Ghost Gate.

Li Yan stood on deck, glancing casually into the cabin. Inside, a thin, sallow-skinned boy was curled under his blanket, watching him curiously.

The cabin reeked of strong medicine.

"Kuwa, don't talk to strangers."

The ghost-eyed old man snorted, his face hostile.

Li Yan sighed inwardly, stopped looking at the boy, and turned to the old man, his tone now gentler.

"Senior, I'd like to ask—have you heard of Yin Changsheng?"

The next chapter will come at night.

(End of Chapter)