My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 822 - 511: You Took Mine (Three-in-One)

The City God raised his hand and lifted the cup, bringing the tea closer, and took a low sniff. The steam formed a pillar-like shape and entered his nostrils, leaving the tea only with its color. Upon closer look, he was holding the cup without touching it, as if carrying it with an invisible hand.

He reminisced slightly and said, "This ghostly demon was the concubine of the Family Head of the Su Family in the east of the city. She was originally an unfortunate woman fallen into a life of hardship. In life, she was cautious and gentle, and after being included in the eastern city Su Family, she was even more respectful to both the elders and the young. However, the mistress of the Su Family was jealous and, with the eldest son, falsely accused her of adultery with a servant, even bribing the then County Magistrate. In the end, not wanting to suffer humiliation in the court, she drowned herself in grief and died, her yin and fiendish auras intensifying, thus becoming a highly unusual ghostly demon."

"The Su Family in the east of the city?" Chen Yi asked abruptly.

"To be precise, it's a branch of the Xia Shui Su Family. As for the Xia Shui Su Family, they are a merchant family from the Hu-Guang area. Over the past decade, they've had three or four scholars pass their exams with honors," Liu the City God paused, then continued, "As for its relation to me, it's because this ghostly demon sought to end her life by drowning and came to my residence to voice her grievance. However... the Yin Officials handle matters of the underworld and must not overstep or disrupt the balance of Yin and Yang. I had no choice but to refuse."

Through the ages, the divide between Yin and Yang has been distinct. No matter how absurd, laughable, or transgressive the affairs of the mortal world are, the Yin Officials are not allowed to intervene — this has been a cardinal rule. Liu Zheng's actions were understandable.

Liu Zheng sighed and continued, "I initially thought of writing a Merit Book for her after death to seek a good rebirth. But even though she had a humble background, she was strong-willed and unwilling to die within the county. In defiance, she drowned herself, disappearing without a trace. When she returned... she had become a formidable Great Demon. If our City God's temple acted rashly, we all might perish on the spot. So, I had no choice but to turn a blind eye for the time being and deal with it gradually."

These words were precise. As Chen Yi saw, that demon was something this small county's City God's temple could not handle, and Liu Zheng's inaction was reasonable.

Chen Yi pondered briefly and then asked, "Did Liu the City God not ask for aid from the Yama Hall?"

"I did, of course, I did," Liu the City God set down his teacup and said, "That's the reason my temple's emissary did not appear yesterday."

"Oh?"

Liu the City God stroked his beard, faced with Chen Yi's question, and first asked, "This matter is no small affair, so I must first ask, how can a fellow official, also a City God, be a living person?"

Liu the City God's brows were white like those of an ordinary old man. He lacked a dignified appearance or a face glowing with auras of purple. These were the effects of the Incense Fire Wish Power gathering upon him, a deceptive phenomenon for mortals, a tangible air of authority, to be wielded or withdrawn at will. But with these illusions, ordinary people see the City God and are mostly awestruck, like seeing the heavenly sky incarnate.

Only before someone like Chen Yi, there was no need to display the City God's power. In fact, seeming more ordinary made him more approachable.

Liu Zheng himself didn't know if he genuinely gained this person's trust.

After sipping the tea, he maintained his upright position, slowly put down the teacup, flicked it lightly with his fingers, and laughed:

"Has Liu the City God heard of the 'Leizhou Bandit Record'?"

Liu the City God was immediately astonished, his entire body tightening, while the maiden beside him also glanced at Chen Yi in slight surprise.

The so-called 'Leizhou Bandit Record' refers to a strange event during the Chongzhen years at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

At the end of the Ming, the administration was corrupt, the officialdom was a cesspool. There was a Magistrate in Leizhou who, upon taking office, was killed by a bandit who assumed his position using the Magistrate's Dudie, becoming a fake magistrate.

This fake magistrate, born from the mountainous rivers and wild paths, engaged in robbery and murder. Once in office, he greedily amassed wealth. However, no matter how much he plundered, it was never fast enough to catch up with the true magistrate's caravans. To the local people, in comparison to previous years, he was unexpectedly praised for his frugality and integrity.

The story is short but passed down by word of mouth, included in various miscellaneous records, nearly known by all.

In Liu the City God's shocked gaze,

Chen Yi grinned, seemingly smiling, "I serve this office better than the real City God."

Startled by the audacity of Chen Yi, Yin Tingxue cautiously looked up, observing Liu the City's God's prolonged silence.

After a moment, Liu the City God slapped his thigh, exclaiming, "Joking! This joke of yours, fellow, is too much." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"What do you mean by this?"

"The City God is the head of the Yin Officials in a region. To take office, who doesn't know that you need an appointment document? Documents from the court are already incredibly difficult to forge, and documents from our underworld are even a thousand times more so." Liu the City God shook his head, sighed, and said, "Well, I suppose you have things on your person that I shouldn't inquire about, so I'll ask no more."

"Haha, to be honest, I'm heading to Dragon and Tiger Mountain this time. I've heard the White Lotus in the south has been causing trouble, even affecting Dragon and Tiger Mountain," Chen Yi said as he pushed the Sword Box on his back, "My mission this time... is to deliver a sword to Dragon and Tiger Mountain."

"Dragon and Tiger Mountain..." Liu the City God mused over these three words, glanced at Chen Yi, his expression slightly changed, wanting to say more but hesitated.

"If the City God has something to say, feel free."

"...Nothing much, only that I've heard Dragon and Tiger Mountain now gathers heroes and exceptional people from all directions. I wonder what path of heroism might fellow be on?" Liu the City God asked slowly.

Indirectly probing his background.

After Yin Tingxue added tea, Chen Yi raised his bowl and asked, "I still must ask, City God, you requested aid from the Yama Hall, yet why haven't you received anyone?"

The paths of the underworld, Chen Yi had walked, not only walked but was very familiar with.

A day on earth is a year underground. Even though the paths of the underworld are winding and rugged, far incomparable to the mortal realm, and the underworld is even more vast than the earth, still, with the flower boat lingering in this county for at least three days, how can there be a reason for not receiving anyone?

Liu the City God pondered and then slowly said, "Aid was indeed requested promptly, but along the way, they unexpectedly encountered a mad bandit, causing a delay."