Shui Miao learned from Bai Feng’s detailed explanation that the underworld, just like the human world, has a vast and complex administrative system with various departments, all operating in an orderly and efficient manner, not chaotic or unregulated.
For example, when people die, if their lifespan has been fulfilled, their souls will see a six-colored light. Each color represents one of the six paths of reincarnation: the heavenly path, the human path, the hungry ghost path, the animal path, the hell path, and the asura path. Depending on their experiences and inner nature, souls will automatically choose one of these paths. Only Bodhisattvas and highly cultivated beings who have transcended the Three Realms are exempt from the cycle of reincarnation, which is otherwise unavoidable for all souls.
However, certain cultivators who have performed meritorious deeds and benefited others can use their accumulated virtue to extend their time in the soul cultivation process. Bai Feng and the thousand-year-old ghost Bai Niangniang are examples of this. They regularly perform good deeds to accumulate virtue and thus prolong their cultivation. Their methods differ: Bai Niangniang chooses to save famine victims during times of drought, while Bai Feng communicates with humans, encouraging them to do good deeds in the name of a spiritual medium. Bai Feng gains virtue points, while the human, Madam Ma, earns money.
Nowadays, due to various reasons, many people die before their time, and their souls remain in the human world. These lingering souls often cause trouble, and some even become malevolent spirits that harm the living.
To manage this, the underworld has established city gods and land deities throughout the regions, assigning various ghost officials to maintain order among the three realms. Among these are specialized ghost bureaus responsible for house blessings and spiritual protection.
These ghost bureaus manage affairs by selecting suitable humans, testing their character, and instilling fear to ensure compliance. These humans, often called mediums or spiritual “immortals,” can earn a modest income by helping people with house blessings. However, if they charge excessively, the ghost bureau will punish them. While there are some corrupt bureaus, greed is dangerous for them—if discovered, they risk having their souls destroyed.
These humans are often known as spirit mediums or spiritual masters. Genuine mediums can see spirits and are accompanied by ghost horses—hybrid beings of human and horse form. These ghost horses are fast and serve as messengers between the mediums and the ghost bureaus. Thus, real mediums don’t need to put on dramatic displays. Those who sing and dance, performing theatrical rituals, are often fakes who only summon low-level spirits like ghost officials and ghost horses, not powerful deities. Their performances are merely for show.
After completing a house blessing, the ghost bureau issues a talisman to the household, equivalent to a property deed in the human world. In other words, a house blessing can be completed simply by obtaining such a talisman from the ghost bureau. However, if the request isn’t made by an authorized medium, it’s not easy to get the bureau’s help without offering a gift—usually at least a banquet and a toast to the officials.
After explaining all this, Bai Feng said to Shui Miao, “I’m quite familiar with this matter and know where the ghost bureau is. I’ll go and ask them myself. But if you’d like to come along, that’s fine too.”
“I’d like to come,” Shui Miao replied. “I want to get familiar with the surroundings.”
“Alright then.”
Bai Feng took Shui Miao’s hand and dove straight into the ground. Instantly, everything went pitch black. Bai Feng’s voice then echoed in his ear, “Each area has its own ghost city. When you want to go to one, first dive underground, then calm your mind and sense where the yin energy is strongest, and fly in that direction. You won’t go wrong.”
As she finished speaking, Shui Miao felt a rushing wind in his ears, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived in an underground city. Indeed, it was a ghost city—gray and hazy, filled with streets and buildings, bustling with wandering souls.
“This is the ghost city,” Bai Feng explained. “It’s a place where wealthy ghosts come to enjoy themselves and conduct business. The ghost bureau is inside.” Bai Feng led Shui Miao straight into the city. A group of small ghosts guarding the city gates saw two powerful beings approaching and quickly moved aside. Bai Feng smoothly brought Shui Miao to a lively street filled with restaurants, brothels, and opera troupes. “This street opens to the living every seventh day. Some living people with weak yang energy might see the ghost market at night—it’s actually part of this street. However, regular ghost markets aren’t as prosperous as the major city markets.”
Knowing Shui Miao was unfamiliar with everything, Bai Feng explained as they walked. Soon, Shui Miao saw centaur-like ghost horses entering and exiting a large black building with a plaque reading “Ghost Bureau for House Blessings.”
“We’re here.”
Bai Feng led Shui Miao directly into the building, immediately drawing the attention of a group of ghost officials seated at desks drawing talismans.
Bai Feng gave a cold bow to the gathered officials: “This humble one has just arrived here and needs to arrange house blessings for a building. I wonder which honorable official has the time to assist me?” As she spoke, a large bundle of spirit money appeared in her hand.
Gift-giving to facilitate business works not only in the human world but also in the underworld.
Knowing that the visitor was a powerful cultivator with spirit money, the ghost officials all smiled warmly and asked how many house blessing talismans she needed.
Bai Feng winked and requested 150 talismans.
Without hesitation, the officials quickly gathered the talismans and handed them over. Bai Feng gave them the spirit money, and everyone was delighted.
On the way back, Shui Miao asked, “Big Sister Bai, why were they so agreeable? Is it because of your high cultivation level?”
“Cultivation level is part of it,” Bai Feng smiled, “but the main reason is the spirit money. These aren’t ordinary spirit notes. Mine are high-grade notes used by ghost officials. They were awarded to me by the Underworld for helping them in the Shuilong Ridge Village. One bundle of mine equals thousands of regular ones.”
“Wow! So they’re really valuable?”
Shui Miao was surprised and a bit embarrassed that Bai Feng had spent so much.
“It’s nothing,” Bai Feng replied. “These notes aren’t very useful to me anymore. I have no use for them. Anyway, we’re not in a hurry to return. Let me take you to this Spirit Treasure Pavilion to buy some things. You don’t have any spiritual treasures at all, which is quite embarrassing. At the very least, you should buy a money pouch and a set of clothes suitable for a soul like yourself.”
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