Shui Miao initially only wanted to discreetly gather some information, but unexpectedly, his thoughts aligned perfectly with those of Old Cai and Old Qin.
Moreover, Old Cai and Old Qin seemed extremely excited, which actually relieved Shui Miao.
As for the coveted Nine-Tripod Incense Burner that everyone desired, Shui Miao wasn’t indifferent to it—he simply felt it was beyond his reach. With so many powerful beings and hidden thieves lurking in the shadows, how could he possibly hope to obtain the Nine-Tripod Incense Burner? Therefore, it was better to tag along and reap some minor benefits, perhaps obtaining fragments of the Fire Sage Spirit instead.
His ambitions were modest, so the risks were naturally low.
Shui Miao had no desire to become the target of everyone’s envy unless he truly possessed overwhelming strength.
After a brief chat, Old Cai urged Old Qin to investigate immediately. Old Qin accepted the order and quickly departed with a large group of ghost officers.
Then, Old Cai changed the topic and said to Shui Miao, “Brother Shui, you possess a noble heart and a passionate soul. Moreover, you’ve done us a great service by eliminating the Baiyang threat in the underworld. Therefore, I’d like to appoint you as the local Yang Investigator, responsible for monitoring ghosts, monsters, and evil spirits, and maintaining the balance between Yin and Yang. You can treat this as an official identity, beneficial for your future endeavors, although its authority is limited strictly to my jurisdiction. Of course, the Yang Investigator also receives a salary, which you may not find particularly appealing. However, the absolute counterbalance power of the Yang Investigator over various evil ghost kings should not be underestimated.”
“I still don’t quite understand,” Shui Miao frowned slightly. “Your Excellency Chenghuang, thank you for your kind words and generous offer, but there are some matters I must clarify. For example, if I were to eliminate a malevolent spirit like Lei Laohu without being an Yang Investigator, would that action have any consequences for the underworld?” Shui Miao wanted to politely decline. After all, as the saying goes, whoever holds the bowl must follow the rules. He had no intention of becoming Old Cai’s subordinate. However, Old Cai appeared very sincere and earnest, so Shui Miao decided it was better to learn more before making a decision.
Old Cai nodded and explained softly, “Brother, let me put it this way: there are far too many wandering souls in the mortal world, and our management team is strictly regulated by higher authorities, so we cannot exceed our quota. If we didn’t have these various ghost kings, big and small, we would be unable to manage the overwhelming number of wandering souls, leading to chaos in the balance between Yin and Yang. Therefore, although killing someone like Lei Laohu may seem like a good deed, you must understand that when one such figure falls, many more will rise to fill the void. They will fight amongst themselves for territory, harming innocent lives. In the end, who will have to clean up the mess? It will still be us. True, as Chenghuang, it’s my duty to handle such chaos, but the scope of our jurisdiction is enormous—we’re dealing with tens of thousands of wandering souls. Even if we never ate or slept, we wouldn’t be able to manage everything. Not to mention, we also need to cultivate and live our own lives. Therefore, maintaining order requires strategic methods: keeping obedient ghost kings, eliminating those who rebel, and cultivating new ones. To preserve the balance between Yin and Yang, we must retain some evil spirits, for otherwise, the wandering souls would have no fear and everything would descend into chaos. This is the way of governance, and indeed, the way of political strategy. If it weren’t for our close relationship, I wouldn’t dare to speak so candidly with you.”
Knowing that Shui Miao was still inexperienced, Old Cai explained a great deal in one breath.
From Old Cai’s words, Shui Miao understood many underlying principles.
Indeed, Old Cai’s method of managing the numerous wandering souls was a reasonable approach.
However, Shui Miao did not fully agree. He felt that this was a way of evading responsibility, a passive and complacent approach.
After a pause, Shui Miao asked, “Then, as the Yang Investigator, may I cultivate capable and righteous ghost kings to govern the regions?”
“Of course, you can. If you’re willing to invest time and effort, I would even be willing to hand over my position as Chenghuang to you. However, it would require an immense amount of time and energy. In today’s society, there are too many criminals, and after death, they become evil spirits. With so many new evil spirits appearing every day, I fear you’d be too overwhelmed to keep up, which might hinder your own cultivation!” Old Cai was speaking the truth. Having served as a ghost officer for many years, he was well aware of how difficult governance could be.
“I think I understand now. I’ll give it a try.”
Shui Miao nodded, deciding to accept the position of Yang Investigator.
He had his own plans. Many of his loved ones and friends lacked sufficient cultivation and would eventually die. After their deaths, he could cultivate them into ghost kings and help them gradually improve.
No matter what, he wanted to pave the way for them first.
But before that, he had to eliminate any potential threats.
At present, the biggest threat to Shui Miao wasn’t from the Yuxu Sect, but rather from the thousand-year-old female ghost, Bai Niangniang.
“Excellent! With your help, I’ll be much more at ease!”
Shui Miao had originally intended to gather information but unexpectedly found himself on the same page as Old Cai and Old Qin.
What’s more, Old Cai and Old Qin were so enthusiastic about it that Shui Miao felt somewhat relieved.
As for the Nine Cauldron Incense Burner that everyone coveted, it wasn’t that Shui Miao didn’t want it—he simply felt it was beyond his reach. With so many powerful figures and hidden master thieves, how could he possibly seize it? So, instead of aiming for the impossible, he thought it better to take advantage of the situation and secure some Fire Saint Spirit for himself.
With modest ambitions, the risks naturally weren’t too high.
Shui Miao had no desire to become a target for everyone unless he truly possessed enough strength.
After chatting for a while, Old Cai urged Old Qin to investigate immediately without delay. Old Qin accepted the order and promptly left with a large group of ghost envoys.
Then, Old Cai changed the subject and said to Shui Miao, “Brother Shui Miao, you have a chivalrous heart and righteous spirit. Moreover, you’ve rendered great service to the Netherworld by eliminating Bai Yang. So, I’d like to appoint you as the local Yang Investigator, responsible for supervising ghosts, demons, and evil spirits to maintain the balance between Yin and Yang. You can think of it as an identity that will benefit your future endeavors, though it’s limited to my jurisdiction. Of course, the Yang Investigator also receives a salary. You might not care for such meager compensation, but the absolute authority the Yang Investigator holds over evil ghost kings is not to be underestimated.”
“I’m still a bit unclear about this,” Shui Miao frowned. “Lord City God, thank you for your high regard, but there are some questions I must clarify. For example, if I eliminate a villain like Lei Tiger without being the Yang Investigator, would that cause any repercussions for the Netherworld?” Shui Miao wanted to politely decline. As the saying goes, if you eat from someone else’s bowl, you’re under their control. Shui Miao had no desire to become Old Cai’s subordinate. However, Old Cai appeared very sincere and earnest, so Shui Miao thought it wouldn’t hurt to learn more before making a decision.
Old Cai nodded and explained in a low voice, “Brother, let me put it this way: there are too many wandering spirits in the mortal world. Our management team is strictly regulated from above and cannot exceed its quota. If we don’t allow these ghost kings, big and small, to exist, we’d have no way to manage the countless wandering spirits, and the balance between Yin and Yang would fall into chaos. So, while killing a Lei Tiger might seem like a good deed, you must understand that when one Lei Tiger falls, more forces will emerge. They’ll fight each other for territory, harming innocent souls in the process. And who do you think will have to clean up the mess? Us, of course. It’s true—as the City God, it’s my responsibility to handle such messes. But our jurisdiction is vast, with tens of thousands of wandering spirits. Even if we worked day and night without rest, we couldn’t manage them all. Besides, we need to cultivate ourselves and live our own lives. So, management requires strategy: keep the obedient ghost kings, eliminate the disobedient ones, and nurture new ones. To maintain the balance between Yin and Yang, we must allow some evil ghosts to exist. Otherwise, the wandering spirits would have no fear, and chaos would ensue. This is the way of management and strategy. If it weren’t for our friendship, I wouldn’t dare speak so plainly with you.”
Knowing that Shui Miao was still inexperienced, Old Cai took the time to explain everything in detail.
From Old Cai’s words, Shui Miao gleaned many insights.
Indeed, to manage the numerous wandering spirits, Old Cai’s method seemed effective.
However, Shui Miao didn’t agree with it. He felt it was a way to shirk responsibility, avoid action, and simply muddle through.
After a moment of thought, Shui Miao asked, “As the Yang Investigator, can I nurture capable and righteous ghost kings to govern the areas?”
“Of course, if you’re willing to invest the time and effort, I’d even be willing to hand over my position as City God to you. But it truly requires an immense amount of time. In today’s world, there are too many wicked people, and when they die, they become wicked ghosts. With so many wicked ghosts emerging daily, I’m afraid you’d be overwhelmed and neglect your own cultivation!” Old Cai spoke the truth. Having served as a ghost envoy for many years, he knew all too well how challenging governance could be.
“I think I understand. I’ll give it a try.”
Shui Miao nodded and decided to accept the role of Yang Investigator.
He had his own plans. Many of his relatives and friends weren’t deeply cultivated and would eventually pass away. After their deaths, he could first nurture them into ghost kings and then guide them to cultivate gradually.
No matter what, it was best to pave the way for everyone first.
But before that, he had to find a way to eliminate potential threats.
For Shui Miao, the threat from the Yuxu Sect paled in comparison to the threat posed by the thousand-year-old female ghost, Lady Bai.
“Excellent! With your help, my workload will be much lighter!”
Old Cai laughed happily and summoned five young ghost envoys and five centaur-like ghost horses from his spatial Netherworld artifact. He said to them, “You are newly assigned from above, and our Yang Investigator here is also newly appointed. So, cherish this rare opportunity, cooperate fully with the Yang Investigator’s work, and remain loyal and diligent in your duties—for our responsibilities and for your future glory. If you fail, your souls will be dispersed, and you will never be reincarnated.”
“…”
These words sounded more like a threat, startling Shui Miao and making him feel that the fate of these ghost envoys and ghost horses was pitifully humble.
The five ghost envoys appeared remarkably young, seemingly around sixteen or seventeen years old. They were clad in black ghost envoy uniforms, each equipped with a black waist knife and wearing black hats emblazoned with the character “差” (envoy). Among them, four were male, and one was female. Curiously, they all bore an uncanny resemblance to one another, as if they had been sculpted from the same mold. The five ghost horses accompanying them were also identical in appearance.
“We obey!”
A female ghost envoy and a ghost horse accepted the order, while the others nodded in unison.
Their movements were synchronized, like rigorously trained soldiers.
Old Cai turned and noticed Shui Miao’s puzzled expression. He couldn’t help but smile and said, “Lord Yang Investigator, there are many things you don’t understand. Let me explain. In the Netherworld, ghost envoys and ghost horses are divided into two categories. One type consists of righteous people who chose to become ghost envoys after death—similar to enlisting in the military in the mortal world. Old Qin and I belong to this category. The other type is lifeforms nurtured by the Netherworld’s Pool of Wrongful Birth using Yin Saint Spirit. These lifeforms are born identical and are exceptionally pure. They undergo sixteen years of training and pass various assessments before finally becoming ghost envoys or ghost horses. They are then assigned to various places to maintain the balance between Yin and Yang. One ghost envoy and one ghost horse form a team, and five teams form a squad. The ghost envoys nurtured by the Pool of Wrongful Birth are extremely powerful—at least ten times stronger than Old Qin and I were initially. The ghost horses possess exceptional reconnaissance skills. Usually, four teams are responsible for scouting the east, west, north, and south, while the remaining team stays by your side to report situations and receive orders.”
Old Cai paused before continuing, “Additionally, they are like blank slates—nameless, and four of the teams cannot even speak. However, they are born with the ability to communicate through telepathy. The female ghost envoy’s team is a top-tier Yin squad. Both she and her ghost horse can communicate with humans, though they are still very innocent. Over time, as their skills and personalities develop, their appearances will change automatically. Most importantly, they will learn from your character and behavior, Brother Shui Miao. Emulating their leader is their innate nature. As their superior, you can give them names. Once their strength increases, they will automatically learn human language.”
“Wait…” Shui Miao looked at the ghost envoys and ghost horses, finding it hard to believe. “This is incredible. They’re so exceptional, yet they’re assigned to follow me? What if I do evil or nothing at all? Wouldn’t that harm them?”
“Hehe, that’s why ordinary people don’t get such treatment. Not everyone can become a Yang Investigator. You were recommended by all the ghost envoys here as a chivalrous and righteous individual. That’s why the higher-ups assigned you such an elite squad. This is both our trust in you and a test from above. Do your best, and don’t just focus on becoming an immortal. The celestial realm has strict rules, numerous sects, and complexities. It’s nowhere near as comfortable as our lives in the mortal world.” As he spoke, Old Cai took out a jade token engraved with the words “Yang Investigator” and handed it to Shui Miao. The token was milky white. “Wear it on your person. It will make it easier for the squad to find you. You can also activate its spirit. If you do, your strength will increase significantly, but you will forever become a servant of the Netherworld. The choice is yours.”
Shui Miao took the jade token, and it instantly vanished.
“Sense it. It’s already hanging on your Earth Soul’s waist,” Old Cai reminded with a smile.
Shui Miao quickly focused his spiritual sense and indeed found the jade token on his Earth Soul’s waist.
“Well, I should be going now. If anything comes up, send a message through the ghost horse.”
Old Cai cupped his hands in farewell to Shui Miao and vanished before Shui Miao could respond.
Shui Miao turned around and looked at his dedicated “squad” in disbelief. Was this all a dream?
※※※
Chen Meiling, Chen Xiang, the fox demon Seventh Sister, and Jin Chanzi approached.
They had overheard the conversation.
Since they were Shui Miao’s relatives, Old Cai hadn’t avoided them.
Looking at the ghost envoys and ghost horses, they were equally astonished.
“Please bestow names upon us, Lord Yang Investigator!”
The female ghost envoy and female ghost horse suddenly spoke in unison, cupping their hands.
Shui Miao was pondering whether these ghost envoys and ghost horses might become tools for the Netherworld to monitor him. Interrupted by the female ghost envoy and ghost horse, he looked at them and thought for a moment before pointing to the female ghost envoy and ghost horse respectively. “You shall be called Shui, and you shall be called Zhui Yue (Chasing Moon). The other four ghost envoys shall be named Jin, Mu, Huo, and Tu. The four ghost horses shall be named Zhui Ri (Chasing Sun), Zhui Lei (Chasing Thunder), Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning), and Zhui Feng (Chasing Wind).”
“Thank you for bestowing names upon us, Lord!”
Shui and Zhui Yue expressed their gratitude in unison.
※※※
Meanwhile, in the Netherworld’s Envoy Department.
Before a golden octagonal well stood a man and a woman clad in black robes and armor. The man had a cold, expressionless face with sharp, chiseled features. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with large, clear eyes so pure they could cleanse any impurity from the soul.
“Wu Qing, didn’t you expect this young man to give such names?”
The woman in black robes and armor suddenly smiled and glanced at the man beside her.
The man waved his hand, and the image in the octagonal well vanished. He coldly replied, “Wu Ai, I know you deliberately assigned the female ghost envoy to the mortal world because you want to understand what love is. You even infused your divine consciousness into ‘Shui’ and ‘Zhui Yue’! Now, let me tell you: love is the most terrifying thing in this world. It can make you lose your nature, disregard honor, and even fall into depravity without shame.”
The man seemed principled and deeply wary of matters of love.
The woman, Wu Ai, pouted and retorted, “And what about you? Didn’t you infuse your divine consciousness into ‘Jin’?”
“I did that to protect your divine consciousness and prevent you from being harmed by love!” Wu Qing waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
Wu Ai’s eyes sparkled mischievously. She turned around, smiled, and waved her hand to reopen the image in the octagonal well. Gazing at Shui Miao in the image, she murmured to herself, “Shui Miao, oh Shui Miao, you must help me understand what love is! Once you show me what love is, I promise to grant you some benefits in the future. Hehe…”
After saying this, she waved her hand again, and the image in the octagonal well disappeared. She quickly flew off to catch up with Wu Qing.
“…”
The words sounded more like a threat, and Shui Miao was startled by how lowly the fates of these ghost officers and ghost horses seemed.
Shui Miao had originally intended to gather some information but unexpectedly found himself on the same page as Old Cai and Old Qin.
What’s more, Old Cai and Old Qin were so enthusiastic about it that Shui Miao actually felt relieved.
As for the Nine Cauldron Incense Burner that everyone coveted, it wasn’t that Shui Miao didn’t want it—he just felt it was beyond his reach. With so many powerful figures and the hidden master thieves lurking in the shadows, what chance did he have to seize the Nine Cauldron Incense Burner? So, he figured it was better to tag along and gain some benefits, like obtaining some Fire Saint Spirit.
With modest ambitions, the risks naturally weren’t too high.
Shui Miao had no desire to become everyone’s target unless he truly possessed enough strength.
After chatting for a while, Old Cai urged Old Qin to investigate immediately without delay. Old Qin accepted the order and promptly left with a large group of ghost envoys.
Then, Old Cai changed the subject and said to Shui Miao, “Brother Shui Miao, you have a chivalrous heart and passionate spirit. Moreover, you’ve rendered great service to the Netherworld by eliminating Bai Yang. So, I’d like to appoint you as the local Yang Investigator, responsible for supervising ghosts, monsters, and evil spirits to maintain the balance between Yin and Yang. You can think of it as an identity that will benefit your future actions, though it’s limited to my jurisdiction. Of course, the Yang Investigator also receives a salary. You might not care for such meager compensation, but the absolute authority the Yang Investigator holds over evil ghost kings should not be underestimated.”
“I’m still a bit unclear about this,” Shui Miao frowned. “Lord City God, thank you for your high regard, but I need to clarify some things. For example, if I eliminate someone like Lei the Tiger for his evil deeds without being the Yang Investigator, would that cause any repercussions for the Netherworld?” Shui Miao wanted to politely decline. As the saying goes, if you eat from someone else’s bowl, you’re under their control. Shui Miao had no desire to become Old Cai’s subordinate, but Old Cai seemed very sincere and earnest. So, Shui Miao decided to learn more before making a decision.
Old Cai nodded and explained in a low voice, “Brother, let me put it this way: there are too many wandering spirits in the mortal world. Our management team is strictly regulated from above and cannot exceed its quota. If we didn’t allow these ghost kings, big and small, to exist, we’d have no way to manage the countless wandering spirits, and the balance between Yin and Yang would fall into chaos. So, while killing a Lei the Tiger might seem like a good deed, you have to understand that when one Lei the Tiger falls, more forces will emerge. They’ll fight each other for territory, harming innocent people in the process. And who do you think will have to clean up the mess? Us, of course. It’s true—as the City God, cleaning up messes is my responsibility. But our jurisdiction is vast, with tens of thousands of wandering spirits. Even if we worked day and night without eating or drinking, we wouldn’t be able to handle them all. Besides, we need to cultivate ourselves and live our own lives. So, management requires strategy: keep the obedient ghost kings, eliminate the disobedient ones, and nurture new ones. To maintain the balance between Yin and Yang, we must allow some evil ghosts to exist. Otherwise, the wandering spirits would have no fear, and chaos would ensue. This is the way of management and strategy. If it weren’t for our friendship, I wouldn’t dare speak so plainly with you.”
Knowing that Shui Miao was still inexperienced, Old Cai explained a great deal in one go.
From Old Cai’s words, Shui Miao gleaned many insights.
Indeed, to manage the countless wandering spirits, Old Cai’s method was a practical solution.
But Shui Miao didn’t agree with it. He felt it was a way to shirk responsibility, avoid action, and simply muddle through.
After a pause, Shui Miao asked, “As the Yang Investigator, can I nurture capable and righteous ghost kings to govern the areas?”
“Of course, if you’re willing to invest the time and effort, I’d even be willing to hand over my position as City God to you. But it truly requires an immense amount of time. In today’s society, there are too many bad people, and when they die, they become evil ghosts. With so many evil ghosts emerging daily, I’m afraid you’d be overwhelmed and neglect your own cultivation!” Old Cai spoke the truth. Having served as a ghost envoy for many years, he knew all too well how challenging governance could be.
“I think I understand. I’ll give it a try.”
Shui Miao nodded and decided to accept the role of Yang Investigator.
He had his own plans. Many of his relatives and friends weren’t deeply cultivated and would eventually die. After their deaths, he could first nurture them into ghost kings and then help them cultivate gradually.
No matter what, it was best to pave the way for everyone first.
But before that, he had to find a way to eliminate potential threats.
For Shui Miao, the threat from the Yuxu Sect wasn’t his main concern—the greatest threat was the thousand-year-old female ghost, Lady Bai.
“Excellent! With your help, my workload will be much lighter!”
Old Cai laughed happily and summoned five young ghost envoys and five centaur-like ghost horses from his spatial Netherworld artifact. He said to them, “You are newly assigned from above, and our Yang Investigator here is also newly appointed. So, cherish this rare opportunity, cooperate fully with the Yang Investigator’s work, and remain loyal and diligent in your duties—for our responsibilities and for your future glory. If you fail, your souls will be dispersed, and you will never be reincarnated.”
“…”
These words sounded more like a threat, startling Shui Miao and making him feel that the fate of these ghost envoys and ghost horses was pitifully humble.
The five ghost envoys appeared remarkably youthful, seemingly around sixteen or seventeen years old. They were clad in black ghost envoy uniforms, each equipped with a black waist knife at their side and wearing black hats inscribed with the character “差” (chāi, meaning “envoy”). Among them, four were male, and one was female. Their faces bore an uncanny resemblance, as if sculpted from the same mold, giving them a rather peculiar appearance. The five ghost horses were equally indistinguishable, mirroring each other perfectly.
“We obey!”
A female ghost envoy and a ghost horse accepted the order, while the others nodded in unison.
Their movements were synchronized, like rigorously trained soldiers.
Old Cai turned and saw the confusion on Shui Miao’s face. He couldn’t help but smile and said, “Investigator Yang, there are many things you don’t understand. Let me explain. In the Netherworld, ghost envoys and ghost horses are divided into two types. One type consists of righteous individuals who, after death, choose to become ghost envoys—akin to enlisting in the military in the mortal world. Old Qin and I belong to this category. The other type is born from the Netherworld’s Pool of Wrongful Life, nurtured by the Yin Saint Spirit. These beings look identical at birth and are exceptionally pure. They undergo sixteen years of rigorous training and pass various assessments before finally becoming ghost envoys or ghost horses. They are then assigned to various locations to maintain the balance between Yin and Yang. One ghost envoy and one ghost horse form a team, and five teams make up a squad. The ghost envoys born from the Pool of Wrongful Life are extraordinarily powerful—at least ten times stronger than Old Qin and I were initially. The ghost horses also possess exceptional investigative abilities. Typically, four teams are responsible for scouting the east, west, north, and south, while the remaining team stays by your side to report situations and receive orders.”
Old Cai paused before continuing, “Additionally, they are like blank slates now—without names, and four of the teams cannot even speak. However, they naturally communicate through telepathy. The female ghost envoy’s team is an elite Yin squad. Both she and her ghost horse can communicate with humans, though they are still very pure. Over time, as their power and personalities develop, their appearances will change automatically. Most importantly, they will learn from your character and behavior, Brother Shui Miao. Learning from their leader is their innate nature. As their superior, you can give them names. Once their strength increases, they will automatically learn human language.”
“Wait…” Shui Miao looked at the ghost envoys and ghost horses, somewhat incredulous. “This is unbelievable. They’re so exceptional, yet they’re assigned to follow me? What if I do evil or nothing at all? Wouldn’t that harm them?”
“Hehe, that’s why ordinary people don’t get such treatment. Not everyone can become a Yang Investigator. You were recommended by all the ghost envoys here as a chivalrous individual. That’s why the higher-ups assigned you such an elite squad. This is both our trust in you and a test from above. Do your best, and don’t just think about ascending to the immortal realm. The rules there are strict, and the sects are numerous and complicated. It’s nowhere near as comfortable as our lives in the mortal world.” As he spoke, Old Cai took out a jade token engraved with the words “Yang Investigator” and handed it to Shui Miao. The token was milky white. “Wear it on your person so the squad can easily find you. You can also activate its spirit. If you do, your power will greatly increase, but you will forever become a servant of the Netherworld. So, the choice is yours.”
Shui Miao took the jade token, and it instantly vanished.
“Sense it. It’s already hanging on your Earth Soul’s waist,” Old Cai reminded with a smile.
Shui Miao quickly focused his spiritual sense and indeed found the token on his Earth Soul’s waist.
“Well, I should go now. If anything comes up, send a message through the ghost horse.”
Old Cai cupped his hands in farewell to Shui Miao and vanished before Shui Miao could respond.
Shui Miao turned back and looked at his dedicated “squad” in disbelief. Was this all a dream?
※※※
Chen Meiling, Chen Xiang, the fox demon Seventh Sister, and Jin Chanzi walked over.
They had overheard the conversation.
Since they were Shui Miao’s relatives, Old Cai hadn’t avoided them.
Looking at the ghost envoys and ghost horses, they were equally astonished.
“Please bestow names upon us, Yang Investigator!”
The female ghost envoy and female ghost horse suddenly spoke in unison, cupping their hands.
Shui Miao was pondering whether these ghost envoys and ghost horses might become tools for the Netherworld to monitor him. Interrupted by the female ghost envoy and ghost horse, he looked at them and thought for a moment before pointing to them and saying, “You will be called Shui, and you will be called Zhui Yue (Chasing Moon). The other four ghost envoys will be called Jin, Mu, Huo, and Tu. The four ghost horses will be called Zhui Ri (Chasing Sun), Zhui Lei (Chasing Thunder), Zhui Dian (Chasing Lightning), and Zhui Feng (Chasing Wind).”
“Thank you for bestowing names upon us!”
Shui and Zhui Yue expressed their gratitude in unison.
※※※
Meanwhile, in the Netherworld’s Envoy Department.
Before a golden octagonal well stood a man and a woman dressed in black robes and armor. The man had a cold, expressionless face, with features as sharp as if carved by a knife. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a pair of large, sparkling eyes so pure they could cleanse any impurity from the soul.
“Wu Qing, didn’t you expect this young man to give such names?”
The woman in black robes and armor suddenly smiled and glanced at the man beside her.
The man gestured with his hand, and the vision within the octagonal well disappeared. He responded icily, “Wu Ai, I’m aware that you intentionally sent the female ghost envoy to the mortal realm to comprehend the essence of love. You even imbued your divine consciousness into ‘Shui’ and ‘Zhui Yue’! Now, let me enlighten you: love is the most dreadful force in this world. It has the power to strip you of your essence, make you forsake dignity, and even degrade you to the depths of shamelessness.”
The man seemed principled and deeply wary of matters of love.
The woman, Wu Ai, pouted and retorted, “And what about you? Didn’t you infuse your divine consciousness into ‘Jin’?”
“I did that to protect your divine consciousness, so you wouldn’t be harmed by love!” Wu Qing waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
Wu Ai’s eyes sparkled mischievously. She turned around, smiled, and waved her hand to reopen the image in the octagonal well. Gazing at Shui Miao in the image, she murmured to herself, “Shui Miao, oh Shui Miao, you must help me understand what love is! As long as you show me what love is, I promise to grant you some benefits in the future. Hehe…”
After saying this, she waved her hand again, and the image in the octagonal well vanished. She quickly flew off to catch up with Wu Qing.
“Understood!”
A female ghost officer and a ghost horse responded, and the others nodded in unison.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, like well-trained soldiers.
Seeing Shui Miao’s puzzled expression, Old Cai couldn’t help but smile and said, “There’s much you don’t understand yet, Young Investigator. Let me explain. In the underworld, ghost officers and ghost horses are divided into two categories. One category consists of righteous individuals who choose to become ghost officers after death, similar to military recruitment in the mortal world. That’s how Old Qin and I became officers. The other category is born from the Wangsheng Pool in the underworld, where souls are nurtured with Yin Sage Spirits. These beings are born identical in appearance. They are extremely pure and innocent. After sixteen years of training and passing various evaluations, they become ghost officers and ghost horses, assigned to different regions to maintain the balance between Yin and Yang. Each team consists of one ghost officer and one ghost horse, with five teams forming a squad. These ghost officers born from the Wangsheng Pool are extremely powerful—certainly at least ten times stronger than Old Qin and me in our early days. The ghost horses also possess exceptional reconnaissance abilities. Normally, four of the five teams are responsible for monitoring the four cardinal directions, while the remaining team stays by your side, ready to report and receive your commands.”
Old Cai paused and continued, “Additionally, they are like blank pages—without names, and four of the five teams cannot even speak. However, they can communicate through telepathy. The female ghost officer’s team is an elite squad; both she and her ghost horse can communicate with humans, although they remain very innocent. As time passes, their abilities and personalities will evolve, and their appearances will change accordingly. Most importantly, they will naturally imitate your personality and abilities. As their leader, you can give them names, and as their powers grow, they will gradually learn to speak human language.”
“Wait a second…” Shui Miao looked at the ghost officers and ghost horses, finding it hard to believe, “This is just too incredible. They’re so exceptional, yet they’re following me? If I were to do something wrong or simply do nothing, wouldn’t that ruin them?”
“Haha,” Old Cai chuckled. “That’s exactly why ordinary people can’t receive such treatment. Not just anyone can become a Yang Investigator. You were jointly recommended by all the ghost officers here as a righteous and honorable individual, which is why the higher authorities assigned this elite squad to you. This is both a sign of our trust in you and a test from above. Do your best. Don’t just think about becoming an immortal. The immortal realm has too many rules and factions. It’s not nearly as comfortable as life here in the mortal world.”
With that, Old Cai took out a jade pendant and handed it to Shui Miao. The pendant was engraved with the words “Yang Investigator” and was pure white in color. “Carry this on your person, and your squad will easily find you. Of course, you can also awaken its power. Once awakened, your strength will greatly increase, but you will become permanently bound to the underworld. So, the choice is yours.”
Shui Miao took the pendant, and it instantly vanished.
“Try to sense it—it’s now attached to your earthly soul’s waist,” Old Cai smiled gently.
Shui Miao quickly focused his spiritual awareness and indeed sensed the pendant hanging at his waist.
“Alright, I must be off now. If you need anything, just let the ghost horses send me a message.”
Old Cai saluted Shui Miao and disappeared in a flash before Shui Miao could respond.
Shui Miao turned back to look at his newly assigned “squad,” unable to believe it was real and not a dream.
※※※
Chen Meiling, Chenxiang, the fox spirit Qimei, and Jintanzi approached.
They had overheard the entire conversation.
Since they were close to Shui Miao, Old Cai had not excluded them from the discussion.
Looking at the ghost officers and ghost horses, they all wore expressions of disbelief.
“Please, Your Excellency Yang Investigator, grant us names!”
The female ghost officer and female ghost horse suddenly spoke in unison, bowing respectfully.
Shui Miao had been pondering whether these ghost officers and ghost horses might be tools for the underworld to monitor him when he was interrupted by their sudden speech. Looking at their appearances, he pointed at the female ghost officer and ghost horse and said, “You shall be named Shui, and you shall be named Zhuimoon. The other four ghost officers will be named Jin, Mu, Huo, and Tu. The four ghost horses shall be named Zhouri, Zhoutian, Zhoudian, and Zhoufeng.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency, for granting us names!”
Shui and Zhuimoon bowed together in gratitude.
※※※
At that moment, in the underworld’s Ghost Officer Department,
Two figures in black robes and black armor stood before an octagonal golden well. The man had a cold, expressionless face, his features sharp and chiseled. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with large, innocent eyes that seemed to cleanse one’s soul of all impurities.
“Qing,” the woman suddenly smiled, looking at the man beside her, “You didn’t expect this young man to choose such names, did you?”
The man waved his hand, and the image in the octagonal well vanished. He replied coldly, “Wu’ai, I know you deliberately sent the female ghost officer to the mortal world to learn about love and emotions. You even infused your spiritual essence into ‘Shui’ and ‘Zhuimoon’! Let me tell you now—love and emotions are the most dangerous things in this world. They can make you lose your true nature, disregard honor, and even fall into shameless corruption.”
The man seemed to have strong principles and was deeply wary of love and emotions.
The woman, Wu’ai, pouted and replied, “You’re the one! Didn’t you also infuse your spiritual essence into ‘Jin’?”
“That was to protect your essence, to prevent you from being harmed by love and emotions!” The man, Qing, waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
Wu’ai’s eyes sparkled, and with a smile, she reopened the image in the octagonal well, gazing at Shui Miao within it. She whispered softly, “Shui Miao, Shui Miao, you must help me understand what love and emotions truly are! If you can show me what love is, I promise to grant you a favor in return, hehehe…”
With that, she waved her hand again, the image in the octagonal well vanished, and she quickly flew off to chase after Qing.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage