Unintended Immortality-Chapter 373

“And who are the Ghost Kings?” Song You asked.

“They have not been appointed yet,” the State Preceptor replied after a moment’s hesitation. “This is just an initial setup and far from complete. Fortunately, there are currently not many ghosts, and time will gradually allow the system to improve. Future adjustments are inevitable.”

“The affairs of gods and ghosts are always thus,” Song You remarked, nodding thoughtfully. After a brief pause, he asked, “Why are there demons here as well?”

The State Preceptor laughed. “This place is rife with ghosts, many of them malevolent. With the underworld’s formation imminent, it’s hard to say how many demons, spirits, and other creatures might covet it in secret. My own cultivation is limited—I’m not adept at fighting or magical arts. Naturally, I’ve invited them here to lend a hand, suppress unruly ghosts, and deter other demons and monsters.”

“And in return, you grant them positions in Ghost City?” Song You inquired.

“I’ve reserved positions of some significance for them under His Majesty,” the State Preceptor explained. “The times have changed. Whether Daoism thrives while Buddhism wanes, or Buddhism flourishes while Daoism fades, it will ultimately remain a human-centered world. These demons, no matter their strength, can no longer stir up storms like they once could.

“They are highly capable and unwilling to fade into obscurity. They seek a position, and with the underworld about to be established and the Ghost Emperor lacking sufficient power, their support would be beneficial to all parties.”

“That makes sense,” Song You agreed.

While these positions were nominally in Ghost City, the city was merely a prototype of the underworld, and the roles would naturally transition to the formal underworld upon its establishment.

The ancient demons, with their great inherited powers, had the potential to seize control in times of upheaval. If unchecked, one of them could easily rise as a new demon king, carving out their own domain and becoming a significant challenge for the Heavenly Palace to subdue.

However, the era of demon dominance had long passed. Their chances of dominating the underworld were quite slim. Whether it was the Heavenly Palace or the Buddhist sect, the essence of incense-based path to godhood was rooted in humanity, and neither would stand idly by while they grow stronger.

Although the State Preceptor was not particularly strong in combat—perhaps any random deity could easily kill him—deities ultimately originated from the mortal realm, whereas the National Preceptor wielded tangible and substantial authority within the mortal world.

It made sense that these great demons would approach him.

And indeed, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

If the current Emperor were to become the Ghost Emperor, he would likely welcome such a formidable source of strength.

After pondering for a moment, Song You asked, “While traveling in the north, I often encountered villagers seeking dream interpretations. Many told me of dreams where their deceased relatives were burned in flames. What might be the cause of this?”

“Those ghosts likely committed grave crimes during their lifetimes that went unresolved. When they arrived here, their sins were revealed by the Karma Mirror and they were subsequently burned to ashes. There is an innate connection between close kin, which might explain why their relatives sensed this in their dreams,” the State Preceptor replied without hesitation.

He paused briefly before adding, “This is a regrettable necessity.”

“What do you mean by necessity?”

“For one, the underworld is not yet fully established, and Ghost City is still in its infancy. Meanwhile, the rapid changes in the Heavenly Dao have caused the number of ghosts in the world to rise dramatically, and Ghost City is nearing its capacity. For another, Ghost City is still fragile. Right now is a critical time for establishing order, and we cannot allow malevolent ghosts to cause chaos,” the State Preceptor explained.

He added, “Thus, punishments for malevolent ghosts are currently set to be particularly severe. This helps prevent them from being incited by ill-intentioned individuals to disrupt the city.”

“Severe laws are necessary for chaotic times,” Song You remarked.

“Precisely,” the State Preceptor nodded. “The assistance of several great demons from Yuezhou in recent years has been invaluable.”

“I see everything here is orderly, like a miniature underworld. The Heavenly Dao is changing, yet the mortal world remains stable. State Preceptor, much credit must go to you,” Song You said.

“It is not my effort alone,” the State Preceptor replied. “I merely act as a coordinator. If credit is due, it is to Great Yan’s countless capable individuals—both in life and in death, as we now have many skilled ghosts as well.”

Song You chuckled softly, as though just recalling something.

“By the way, while traveling in the north, I met a man from Yanzhou. He was warm and sincere, and for no reason at all, he treated me kindly. I was grateful and promised to relay a message to his son serving in the army in the north. But by the time I reached Liaoxin Pass, I heard that it had fallen, and not a single soldier defending the pass survived.”

“What is his name and where is he from?”

“His name is Lin You, a native of Yanzhou, Duoda. He was stationed at Liaoxin Pass,” Song You said, bowing slightly.

“Go find him!”

The State Preceptor waved his hand, and one of the ghosts dressed in official robes immediately departed.

“Although Ghost City is newly established, every ghost that arrives here is recorded,” the State Preceptor explained. “However, not everyone becomes a ghost after death, and not every ghost is brought here by ghost officials. Therefore, I cannot guarantee we will find him.”

“You’ve managed this place remarkably well,” Song You said, his expression calm. “Thank you for your help, State Preceptor. If he is found, it would be wonderful. If not, it doesn’t matter—it would still help bring closure to that encounter. For this, I am deeply thankful.”

“It’s a small matter,” the State Preceptor replied with a smile. “And it will be a good opportunity to see how the officials of the First Palace are performing their duties.”

The State Preceptor continued leading Song You through Ghost City, introducing the different areas one by one. He explained the functions of various zones, the government offices and bureaus established within the city, and the ideas behind their design.

Both Song You and Lady Calico listened attentively and observed carefully.

Even with the aid of his Qingming spiritual energy, Song You could not detect any unusual arrangements or hidden schemes. From the State Preceptor's detailed explanations and Song You’s own careful analysis, there appeared to be no significant anomalies.

Even if the State Preceptor harbored ambitions, it seemed likely that his goal was simply to reserve the most critical position of Ghost King in the First Palace for himself. At worst, he might manipulate circumstances to ensure the still-living Emperor was eliminated from contention, thereby securing the title of Ghost Emperor for himself.

However, this wasn’t what Song You was truly concerned about.

In other words, even if the State Preceptor sought to claim the position of ruler of the underworld, as long as he secured the Heavenly Palace’s approval and succeeded in sidelining the Emperor, Song You wouldn’t particularly mind.

Perhaps the State Preceptor might even perform better than the Emperor in such a role.

After all, the current Great Emperor Chijin had ascended in a similar fashion, and it was clear he hadn’t been managing the Heavenly Palace particularly well.

But the underworld was different from the Heavenly Palace.

The Heavenly Palace was populated largely by morally outstanding deities. Whether the Great Emperor Chijin’s influence over its operations was more beneficial or detrimental, and how much influence he had, was difficult to determine. Furthermore, the Heavenly Palace had a relatively small number of deities, making management simpler.

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In contrast, the underworld was continuously replenished with countless new ghosts. And these ghosts were far from virtuous.

The consequences of having an underworld ruler lacking in moral character could be far greater than having a similarly flawed ruler in the Heavenly Palace.

On this point, Song You found himself somewhat lacking compared to Lady Calico. At least Lady Calico could easily focus on what mattered to her and find answers to her concerns.

“There aren’t any rats here!” the calico cat declared, lifting her head to address Song You.

“It’s because the ghostly qi here is too heavy,” Song You replied calmly, offering a straightforward answer.

“Too heavy...” the cat softly echoed, lowering her head again. She resumed looking around and sniffing the air, laden with its musty and decayed scent.

After a long tour of the Ghost City, the ghost official finally returned, carrying a ledger in his hands.

“State Preceptor, the ghost in question does indeed exist. He was brought to Ghost City three and a half years ago,” the ghost official said as he approached. He handed the ledger to the State Preceptor and Song You, continuing, “Lin You was originally a kind-hearted man. However, after joining the army, he fell in with the northern military riffraff and picked up bad habits. He participated in looting, slaughtering civilians, and even committed acts of rape followed by murder.”

“...”

Song You paused briefly before asking, “What was his fate?”

“Death by burning,” the ghost official replied.

“Plundering and atrocities are unfortunately common in the military. While I advocate for strict punishment for such offenses today, I’ve instructed the ghost officials to be more lenient with northern soldiers unless their crimes are particularly egregious,” the State Preceptor explained. “In this case, his sins must have been especially unforgivable for such a punishment to be deemed necessary.”

“...”

Song You took the ledger and carefully reviewed its contents.

The records were meticulously detailed.

Each ghost was categorized into one of five levels, with entries listing their names, places of origin, causes of death, dates of death, when they arrived in Ghost City, their moral standing in life, and their current duties. Everything was documented with precision.

As for Lin You, his soul had been burned, as Song You had long known. He had only asked to uncover the reasoning behind it.

It seemed flawless.

Though Song You trusted Lin Chang’s family and believed Lin You had been kind-hearted before enlisting, the State Preceptor’s point was valid. In this era, military atrocities such as looting and slaughter were all too common. Just as the people of the northern frontier committed unspeakable acts in Great Yan, Great Yan’s soldiers likely behaved no differently in the north frontier—and sometimes even toward their own people.

Even a good-hearted individual could be corrupted in such an environment. Immersed in that kind of place, even the best intentions might falter. Or perhaps, even though one did their best to hold firm, when the atmosphere and timing aligned just right, a single moment of wavering could lead them to follow the crowd and make a grave mistake.

There was truly nothing to find fault with here.

Song You lowered his head and looked at Lady Calico.

Lady Calico seemed to sense something, lifting her head from her careful inspection of the Ghost City. Her bright eyes locked onto Song You.

But it was unclear what her thoughts or opinions might be.