Chapter 314: Chapter 167: Incense Offerings (Part 2)

This shows that the Underworld still has "Paperman" and they are widely used, though ordinary Yin Souls are not qualified to use them.

"Is it a product of the Divine Dao Method?"

Shen Hex’s eyes narrowed, and he had another guess.

But a guess is ultimately a guess, which cannot be verified, so saying more is useless.

Shen Hex set aside miscellaneous thoughts, sat in the residence, and quietly enjoyed the incense.

Like this, unsure how long it has been, suddenly he heard a knocking sound at the door.

Shen Hex opened his eyes and immediately got up to go.

He arrived in the courtyard, opened the courtyard gate, and what he saw was not the junior clerk who announced the list but rather an elderly man with the appearance of a wealthy gentleman.

"Dear nephew, it’s been a long time. Do you still recognize me?"

The elderly man came with a smile, appearing quite familiar.

"You are... Seventh Uncle?"

Shen Hex searched Song Xiang’s memories, then recognized the man’s identity.

"Indeed, you are the Qilin son of the Song Family, still remembering this old man after several decades."

The elderly man nodded: "Yes, I am your Seventh Uncle."

"So, Uncle has come to visit!"

Shen Hex wholeheartedly acted, bowing in salute, and inviting him: "Please, Uncle, come sit inside."

"Mm-hmm!"

The elderly man nodded satisfactorily and followed him into the courtyard.

Entering the courtyard, he looked at the wisps of smoke, and an envy flashed in the elder’s eyes: "Dear nephew, your Yin Residence is truly excellent. Your descendants are filial, incense is abundant, unlike my unfilial sons..."

His words, however, carried a hint of bitterness. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Shen Hex replied with a courteous comment: "Uncle praises too much."

This man’s name is Song Gui, the biological brother of Song Xiang’s late father, ranking seventh, and Song Xiang called him Seventh Uncle during his lifetime.

The Song Clan was not a large, prestigious family with a hundred-year heritage; before Song Xiang became an official, they were just an ordinary wealthy family, typical landlords and gentry, until Song Xiang rose to power and transformed into an official family.

Song Gui ranked seventh, and was not the heir of the Song Family back then, but he had some skills, leveraging a bit of capital given by Song Xiang’s grandfather to start a business, eventually becoming a local tycoon.

In comparison, Song Xiang’s late father did not have the same luck. He was fifth in line and inherited little family wealth, and did not know any money-making Dharma Gates, so life was quite distressing until Song Xiang earned fame, which brought some change, but he didn’t enjoy much of it before he passed away.

Seeing only him now, without Song Xiang’s late father, Shen Hex already had a suspicion.

But suspicions were just suspicions; maintaining appearances was necessary, so Shen Hex asked him to sit down and then inquired: "Uncle, why do I not see my parents?"

"You’ve just arrived; you don’t know."

Song Gui shook his head: "Living people have mortal lifespans, while dead ones have Underworld lifespans. Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law’s Underworld lifespans were up years ago, and they reincarnated. Before leaving, they entrusted me to care for you, so I’ve come to visit."

"Such news?"

Shen Hex displayed surprise.

"No need for wonder."

Song Gui chuckled: "The Underworld and Mortal World are not much different. My Underworld lifespan was also short-lived, but a few years ago, I spent money at the County Government to fill a clerk position, enjoying some incense, thus lingering until today."

"Clerk?"

"Incense?"

Shen Hex appeared astonished again.

"Clerk, as you know, refers to miscellaneous clerks at the Government Office, used at one’s beck and call."

Song Gui laughed: "The Underworld isn’t much different from the Mortal World, with scholars, peasants, laborers, and merchants; fame and official position are precious. I spent quite a bit of incense money to get a small clerk position at the County Government, but you, dear nephew, are different. In life, you were an official, with fame upon you, Literary Qi and Official Qi gathered, surely invited by a City Mansion for examination, with hopes of obtaining an official position again."

"City Mansion?"

Shen Hex still seemed bewildered.

Song Gui explained: "In the Underworld, Ghost Gods are revered, ranked by official positions, under nine grades and eighteen levels, Ninth to Seventh Grades are County Yin Officials, Sixth to Fourth Grades are Prefecture Yin Officials, Third to First Grades are Capital Yin Officials. Below Ninth Grade are some clerks without status, like Directors and Orderlies at the County Government, and Land Gods in villages and so forth, among which Prefecture City officials can recruit Yin Officials."

"I see!"

Shen Hex nodded: "Earlier, I was invited to a Prefecture Government Office to take an exam, and the junior clerk said it was summoned by the Lord of the Mansion, so that was..."

"Exactly, the City God Prefect of Jinyang Prefecture!"

Song Gui laughed: "Today is the day of announcement, with your literary talent, dear nephew, you will surely be listed. Then, please take good care of this old uncle."

Shen Hex appeared startled: "Why does Uncle end up like this?"

"Ah, nephew, you don’t know!"

Song Gui shook his head: "Being human is hard; being ghost is harder. My unfilial sons have become increasingly perfunctory in worship over the years, offering less and less incense. Had I not saved money early and secured a clerk position, I wouldn’t be seeing you today, dear nephew."

"Such things happen?"

Shen Hex looked utterly shocked.

"People eat grains and cereals, ghosts consume candles and incense; even ghosts need to live!"

Song Gui sighed, explaining the significance of incense in the Underworld to Shen Hex.

Just as he had previously guessed, in the Underworld, whether Ghost Gods or those demonic beings, they all require incense for sustenance. Without incense upkeep, those whose Underworld lifespan has not expired suffer hunger and end up dissipating, losing the opportunity for Reincarnation.

Thus, in the Underworld, incense is paramount, and incense can only be sustained by offerings from the Mortal World, so worship is extremely important.

Prominent families fare better because, even if emotions fade over time, worship is always performed, sufficient to sustain themselves.

Poor families struggle because living people cannot guarantee enough for themselves, much less for the deceased, causing poor ghosts to quickly become hungry ghosts, ultimately dissipating, nullifying the chance for Reincarnation.

Despite Song Gui’s wealth in life, his sons were all stingy, lowering the standards for his worship year by year. He was only lucky due to his wise actions as a ghost, saving money early, and securing a clerk position that prevented him from becoming a hungry ghost.

Song Gui experienced this, as did other Yin Souls; they labored in life and had to toil in death, working hard for a bit of incense.

Therefore, he envied Shen Hex greatly.

Being an official is good, receiving honor in life and in death.

"For poor little ghosts like us, we can only taste the whiff of incense in daily life."

"Dear nephew, you are different. If you pass and obtain an official position and Divine Technique, not only can you receive a salary, but can also transform incense into food and drink, even setting a grand feast to satisfy the appetite."

"Frankly, I have been in the Underworld for over sixty years; before securing a clerk position in the County Government, I ate actual meals a mere three times. The rest of the time was just incense, those days... sigh!"

"Moreover, the Underworld harbors many heartless evil ghosts and certain soul-consuming demons. We, powerless, cannot defend against them, unlike those Great Gods or nobles with either Great Divine Techniques or numerous ghostly servants and Shadow Soldiers and Ghost Generals for protection."

Song Gui shared grievances while recounting matters of the Underworld to Shen Hex.

"Ghostly servants?"

Shen Hex caught the topic: "Could it be the Paperman kind?"

"Correct!"

Song Gui nodded: "However, these Paperman aren’t burned from above, but instead are illuminated by the incense by the Yin Officials below."

"Illuminated?"

Shen Hex’s eyes narrowed: "How is it illuminated?"

"I don’t know either."

Song Gui smiled bitterly: "That’s the Yin Officials’ method; I’m just a lowly clerk, how could I know such mysteries? At most, I save incense money to buy at the Ghost Market, but I can hardly support myself, so how could I raise servants, let alone have Shadow Soldiers and Ghost Generals for protection? If I encounter an evil ghost, there’s nothing I can do but lament."

"Methods of the Yin Official?"

Shen Hex muttered, his eyes filled with changing thoughts.

At this moment, outside the courtyard, there was another sound.

"The announcement has arrived!"

Song Gui was invigorated, hurriedly looking at Shen Hex: "Dear nephew, quickly welcome them!"

Shen Hex didn’t say much, getting up and heading out.

The courtyard gate opened, smoke filled the air, and a junior clerk in black stood at the door, as he had seen before, holding a name card and backed by a motionless white horse. Upon seeing him, he congratulated with cupped hands: "Congratulations, sir, you are on the list for the exam, and now, by the order of the Lord of the Mansion, please enter the mansion for your appointment!"

After speaking, he invited Shen Hex to mount the horse.