Inside the Hall of Yama, it was as gloomy as ever.
Lu Pan stood in the hall, holding the White Jade Slip that recorded the "routine" report on the Solitary Delusion Peak incident. King Qinguang, seated high upon the black jade throne, had his face hidden beneath the shadow of his crown's tassels; only the tips of his fingers, stroking the ferocious dragon head on the armrest, occasionally betrayed a trace of imperceptible gravity.
"So, the Underworld Fiend Lair on Solitary Delusion Peak has been temporarily brought under control?" King Qinguang's voice was deep, echoing in the vast hall, betraying neither joy nor anger.
"Reporting to Your Highness, thanks to the strenuous efforts of the Soul Apprehension Guard and the Yin Patrol Team, the surge of Baleful Qi has been temporarily contained by the 'Profound Yin Baleful Qi Locking Formation,' and all trapped Ghost Servants have been rescued. However, this outbreak was quite strange. I observed the movement of its energy currents; it does not seem naturally formed, but rather... provoked by some external force." Lu Pan carefully chose his words, needing to point out the anomaly without directly revealing the existence of the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern.
King Qinguang's fingers paused slightly. "Oh? External force? Were any traces found?"
"The Baleful Qi was rampant, eroding everything; most traces at the scene were annihilated. I searched carefully but found no definitive evidence of external force." Lu Pan lowered his head, avoiding King Qinguang's gaze, which seemed capable of seeing through one's Soul. "I just feel the timing is too coincidental—Ghost General Panshi was conveniently transferred away from his post. This matter might... not be accidental."
He clearly conveyed the information that Ghost General Panshi had been summoned away by the Northern Ghost Emperor.
A brief silence fell over the hall. The blue smoke rising from the incense burner coiled and twisted, changing into various bizarre shapes.
"Hmm, This King is aware," after a long pause, King Qinguang finally spoke slowly. "You handled this matter adequately enough. The subsequent sealing of the Baleful Lair will be handled by the Baleful Qi Purifying Department. As for Panshi... the Northern Ghost Emperor did issue a document recently, stating that the Northern Territory is unstable and required summoning nearby garrison commanders to discuss joint defense matters. Procedurally, there is nothing improper."
Procedurally, nothing was improper. Lu Pan sneered inwardly; it was always the same excuse. He could almost imagine the aggressive expansionist ambition hidden beneath the Northern Ghost Emperor's sanctimonious official document.
"Yes, Your Highness." Lu Pan did not argue, merely acknowledging the statement, then seemingly casually brought up another matter. "Furthermore, in the case of embezzlement involving Black Mountain Ghost General that I recently adjudicated, a box of 'Hundred-Year Soul Essence' held as evidence mysteriously vanished after being placed in the vault. The Storehouse Clerk Wang Shan, responsible for guarding it, self-immolated in the Meditation Chamber an hour ago—his Soul Scattered and Spirit Destroyed."
His tone was calm, as if stating a routine official matter.
"Crack!" A light sound signaled that King Qinguang's fingertip had exerted too much force, crushing a small piece of dragon-scale jade from the armrest. The vast, abyss-like aura surrounding him showed an extremely subtle fluctuation.
"Wang Shan... self-immolated?" King Qinguang's voice carried a trace of icy coldness. "When did this happen? Why report it now?"
"I received the news just before I headed to Solitary Delusion Peak. Because it involves another case and the cause of death is peculiar, I have ordered the scene sealed and have not publicized it yet." Lu Pan replied neither subserviently nor aggressively. "It seems the Black Mountain Ghost General Case did not conclude entirely with the sentencing."
King Qinguang remained silent, his gaze beneath the tassels sharp as a knife, fixed on Lu Pan, as if trying to see straight through him. Lu Pan felt the invisible pressure, heavy as a mountain, but he still stood tall, his gaze open and honest.
"This King will dispatch personnel to investigate this matter thoroughly." Finally, King Qinguang's voice returned to the calmness of an ancient well. "The death of a storehouse clerk and the disappearance of evidence certainly require an explanation for all parties. Zhiyuan, you have been busy and worked hard recently. The follow-up on the Black Mountain Ghost General Case will be transferred to Clerk Wei of the Reward and Punishment Department. You should focus solely on the subsequent affairs of Solitary Delusion Peak."
Transfer the case? Lu Pan's heart sank. This was an attempt to completely remove him from this lead! Was it because he had discovered something, or was King Qinguang trying to protect him, or perhaps... there were problems within the Hall itself, necessitating his removal?
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, yet Lu Pan's expression remained unchanged. He bowed deeply. "Your servant obeys."
He said no more, respectfully placing the routine report Jade Slip onto the tray held by the attendant before the hall, and then slowly withdrew from the Hall of Yama.
The moment the hall doors closed behind him, Lu Pan felt his back drenched with a trickle of Cold Sweat. This conversation with King Qinguang, seemingly calm, was in fact fraught with hidden dangers, its perilous nature no less than facing the eruption of the Underworld Fiend Lair.
He looked up at the perpetually gray sky of Fengdu, the chill in his heart growing heavier. Even King Qinguang seemed to be wary of something, and perhaps... some matters were beyond even King Qinguang's complete control.
He could no longer rely on conventional channels. Lu Pan made up his mind. He had to utilize his hidden strength and investigate from another angle.
That night, the Ghost City of Fengdu was still "brightly lit," with various Ghost Fires and Nether Lamps illuminating the City of the Dead in a bizarre, dazzling spectacle. But beneath the prosperous facade, the dark, damp corners that even the Ghost Fire refused to illuminate were the city's true foundation.
Lu Pan changed into an inconspicuous gray Cloak, concealing his face and figure, and like the most ordinary wandering spirit, he silently merged into a chaotic, dilapidated district in Fengdu's western sector—Remnant Soul Alley.
This place was a gathering spot for numerous Remnant Souls and Old Ghosts who could not enter Reincarnation and had no one to rely on. It was a mixed bag, rich in information, and simultaneously an underground market for all sorts of illicit transactions. The laws of the Underworld held much weaker sway here.
Lu Pan navigated through twists and turns, avoiding several Shadows emanating dangerous auras, finally stopping before a small shop with a dilapidated storefront and no sign. Only a tiny oil lamp was lit inside, casting a dim, yellow light. A figure as thin as a skeleton, with two clusters of green Ghost Fire flickering in its eye sockets, was listlessly wiping a cup that appeared to be made from a skull.
"We're closed," the Old Ghost said without looking up, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.
Lu Pan said nothing, merely reaching under his Cloak and gently placing a black Bone Coin engraved with a special, distorted pattern onto the counter.
The Old Ghost's wiping motion stopped, and the green Ghost Fire flickered violently. He raised his head, his ghostly eyes carefully scrutinizing Lu Pan (though only the shadow of the Cloak was visible), then looked at the Bone Coin. After a moment of silence, he slowly pocketed the coin and nodded toward the curtain leading into the darkness behind him.
Lu Pan lifted the curtain and stepped inside. It was an even smaller, darker space within, containing only one table and two chairs. A figure shrouded in a heavy black robe, making it impossible to discern gender, was already seated in one of the chairs.
"What do you wish to know?" A neutral, emotionless voice came from beneath the black robe. This was the most famous Information Peddler in Remnant Soul Alley, calling himself You Ying. It was rumored there was no secret he couldn't uncover, provided the price was paid.
Lu Pan lowered his voice and altered his tone. "Three things. First, who did Storehouse Clerk Wang Shan contact before his 'self-immolation,' and were there any anomalies."
"Second, who was responsible for the hijacking of Black Mountain Ghost General, and the current whereabouts of the Prison Cart."
"Third, information regarding the 'Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern,' especially anyone within or outside Fengdu who has been researching or using it recently."
You Ying remained silent, seemingly assessing the value and risk of this information. After a long while, he spoke, quoting a staggering number of Soul Crystals, plus... three strands of 'Pure Living Souls' over a hundred years old as payment.
Lu Pan's pupils contracted slightly. Soul Crystals were manageable, but Pure Living Souls touched upon the iron laws of the Underworld! Collecting Living Souls was a grave offense! He took a deep breath, took out a small Jade Bottle sealed with numerous Talismans from his robes, and pushed it over. Inside was Soul Essence he had accumulated over many years for his cultivation, its value far exceeding the Soul Crystals demanded, and it was sufficiently pure.
You Ying took the Jade Bottle, opened a slight gap to sense its contents, and seemed satisfied enough.
"Three days before his death, Wang Shan secretly visited the archive vault behind the Sin Mirror Platform, querying not material records within his clearance, but an old dossier concerning the distribution of the Northern Territory's Nether Crystal mineral veins. The person he met had an unidentified identity but possessed a token from the 'Northern Border Army Supply Department.'"
"The location where Black Mountain Ghost General was hijacked was 'Severed Soul Cliff.' The assailants used bizarre Cultivation Methods, their movements like smoke, and they were skilled in using a type of black mist with corrosive properties. The residual Soul Power Fluctuation at the scene... bears a seventy percent similarity to the 'Shadow Fiend Guard' under the Northern Ghost Emperor. The Prison Cart's whereabouts are unknown, but according to the vague description from a passing group of Nether Merchants, it seemed to be heading in the direction of the 'Sea of Blood.'"
"Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern..." You Ying's voice showed noticeable hesitation for the first time. "That is forbidden. Most related Records have been destroyed. I only know that about fifty years ago, a batch of Burial Goods excavated from the 'Ancient Battlefield' was sent to the Secret Vault, which might have contained related fragments. And in the last decade, the person responsible for appraising that batch of Burial Goods was Mr. Xuanji, the master of the Antiquity Treasures Pavilion."
The information ended there. You Ying stood up, indicating the transaction was complete.
Lu Pan did not linger and immediately left the dim shop. Walking on the cold, damp flagstones of Remnant Soul Alley, his heart churned violently.
Wang Shan was investigating the distribution of Northern Territory mineral veins? What was the connection to the Soul Essence disappearance case? Why did someone from the Northern Border Army Supply Department approach him?
The hijacking of Black Mountain Ghost General was indeed connected to the Northern Ghost Emperor! The Shadow Fiend Guard—that was the most mysterious force under the Northern Ghost Emperor, specialized in assassination and infiltration! Why did they hijack Black Mountain Ghost General and head toward the Sea of Blood? The Sea of Blood, that chaotic region, was an area where even the authority of the Ten Yama Kings could not fully reach.
And the lead on the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern pointed toward Mr. Xuanji of the Antiquity Treasures Pavilion! Could that highly respected old gentleman, hailed as the most learned scholar in the Underworld, be involved in these matters?
Question after question tangled in his mind like a messy skein. But Lu Pan felt he had touched only the tip of an iceberg. The size and darkness of this iceberg far exceeded his initial imagination.
He had to meet that Mr. Xuanji. But before that, he needed more preparation, and... a suitable pretext.