Chapter Four: The Underworld's Pursuit of Souls

Liaochen did not go far, but concealed himself nearby, his expression cold and grim. A minor prank, magnified by human greed, had led to such a tragic outcome. Li Desan more than deserved his fate, but the others who lost their lives should never have died because of this. And then there was Wang Rencai, still standing foolishly atop the hill. Greed and stinginess are not unforgivable sins, yet now they had brought ruin upon his family. How could Liaochen find peace in his heart?

Night finally fell. The dead and injured villagers were carried home by their families. Fate is unpredictable; who could have foreseen that a festive gathering would end in such disaster? Wails of grief shook the sky above Wang Family Bay, and resentment lingered long in the air. Liaochen knew he had to resolve this karma tonight—he could neither shoulder it nor dare to do so. Otherwise, his heart would be troubled, and how could he speak of cultivating immortality?

Holding the Seven-Star Lantern, Liaochen walked into the village. Whenever he heard the cries of mourning from a household, he would enter and use the oil formed from the wishes within the lantern to replenish the eternal lamp at the feet of the deceased, leaving the family members astonished. Many still remembered the Taoist who, months before, had gone from house to house offering lamp oil, never expecting his return at such a time. Liaochen said little, only instructing that someone must guard the oil lamps until the fifth watch, ensuring they did not go out. He gave no further explanation. In total, eleven people had died in the village, with over twenty wounded. For each of the dead, Liaochen replenished their lamps, not only as a first step in repaying karma but also to use the Seven-Star Lantern’s light to illuminate the path of the deceased and shield them from evil spirits on the Yellow Springs Road. It would also help him later to distinguish the souls’ whereabouts. For the injured, Liaochen left medicinal pills before taking his leave. For a while, the resentment in the village seemed to diminish.

As night deepened, Wang Rencai sat alone in the village earth god’s shrine. When the village had built this shrine years ago, he had contributed only half a tael of silver, unable to evade the responsibility, and was met with the villagers’ ridicule. Little did he expect that today, he would seek refuge in this very place. The shrine housed three coffins, crowding the small courtyard. To pay for these coffins, Wang Rencai had spent the last of his hidden savings. His wife and children had suffered all their lives because of his stinginess, never knowing a single good day. Now, with his family gone, he could only hope to provide them with decent coffins, so they might rest a little more comfortably. Wang Rencai had always had a poor reputation in the village and few friends, which had never troubled him before. But now, with three family members dead and not a single person coming to offer condolences, the loneliness struck him all the harder. He felt himself beyond all hope of redemption.

Inside the shrine, three oil lamps flickered dimly. Wang Rencai was anxious—if a night breeze came and snuffed them out, what would he do?

Outside the shrine, Liaochen approached under the moonlight, gazing at the humble place with a heavy sigh. With a stroke of his wooden sword and a firm stomp, an old man in a yellow robe, carrying a wooden staff, appeared before him—the local Earth God.

“I did not know the immortal would visit; please forgive me!” the Earth God greeted politely. As the guardian spirit of the land, nothing in his domain escaped his notice.

Liaochen took no offense. He could not blame this “God of Fortune and Virtue”; his willingness to appear was face enough. After bowing in respect, Liaochen said, “I wish to make a journey to the underworld and ask that you watch over the four living and dead in this shrine. Will you oblige?”

The Earth God agreed easily. It was a minor matter. Yet he asked, “You are not planning to retrieve souls from the underworld, are you?”

Liaochen nodded. The Earth God grew anxious and urged, “Even if these villagers died unjustly, the City God and the Lords of the Underworld will judge them. If their fate is not yet ended, they will be permitted to return to life. Why must you forcibly pursue their souls, disrupting the balance of Yin and Yang? That would violate the Heavenly Laws. Please, Master, do not be reckless!”

Liaochen sighed. “How could I not know the consequences of defying the Heavenly Laws? But this whole affair began with one evil thought of mine and has resulted in such disaster. If I do not resolve it myself, how can I ever find peace in my heart? As for the punishment of Heaven, I alone will bear it.”

Since Liaochen invoked the matter of his Dao heart, the Earth God did not press further. The cultivation and integrity of the Dao heart are key to enlightenment—no cultivator can afford to neglect them. The Earth God sighed. “If that is your wish, I will say no more. May your journey go smoothly. I will care for Wang Rencai’s family as best I can.”

Liaochen thanked him, and the Earth God vanished in a wisp of blue smoke.

Liaochen entered the shrine’s small courtyard. He glanced at the half-living Wang Rencai, then set three star lanterns before the coffins and sighed. To the dazed Wang Rencai, he said, “All things have cause and effect. It was my fault. Whatever debt I owe, I will not shirk from repaying. When this is over, I hope you will remember the lesson and never again wrong others.” With that, he placed a large gold ingot before Wang Rencai. “This is to compensate for your house. Use it to live well and do good deeds—good deeds bring good fortune.” Without giving Wang Rencai a chance to speak, he vanished at once and reappeared in a deserted place.

Liaochen swiftly set up a formation to seal the area. Lighting the star lantern before him, he sat cross-legged, laid his peachwood sword across his knees, and entered a deep trance. His spirit left his body and headed straight for the underworld.

Don’t mind the interruption; after all, this is a free chapter. I know the previous one was a bit much, but it was not the protagonist’s intention. He will try to make amends. Every day he seeks guidance, and whether the true teaching is hard to find or not, he pushes forward, even if it means creating difficulties for himself. I, too, feel this deeply. So I try to create some conflict. Please don’t mind.