Chapter 374: Chapter 256: Is My Grandpa the King of the Underworld?
Capital City.
Spirits Management Bureau Headquarters.
Wang Hou, leaning back on the office sofa with crossed legs and holding a vacuum flask, couldn’t help but wonder while watching the projection on the big screen: “How on earth does Xu Yang cultivate?”
“How can a Daoist have such a terrifying comprehension of the essence of the sword?”
The projection on the big screen was Xu Yang practicing sword at Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River.
In the scene, Xu Yang cuts off the waterfall with one sword, and reverses its flow with another. Though the screen doesn’t allow the strength of the “essence of the sword” to be sensed, how could Wang Hou not see it?
“Once this sword essence is mastered, Xu Yang will surely achieve the Martial Arts Heavenly Being Realm.”
“22 years old, practicing both martial and Daoist arts, with exceptional Daoist skills and Martial Arts Heavenly Being status, as well as being a Grandmaster of cross-training…”
Wang Hou made a judgment and sighed: “Sometimes I really want to pry open the head of this bastard to see what’s inside it… How can someone be this abnormal?”
He knew Xu Yang too well.
When his subordinate reported the discovery of a “talented talisman master,” who was also the grandson of Supreme Sage Qingxu, Wang Hou happened to be visiting Silver City to inspect the City God Temple ruins, so he decided to drop by Wu City.
At that time, although Xu Yang’s talent in the “Way of Talismans” was exaggeratedly abnormal, his cultivation level was not high and he was still in the Qi Refining Realm.
“That was…at the end of July?”
“It’s not even September yet, so it’s just over a month.”
“How did he cultivate?”
Wang Hou twisted open the vacuum flask and took a sip.
hetui!
He spat out a wolfberry and asked, “How’s the domestic situation recently?”
The female secretary reported one by one, “Presently, the situation in Xi Xia Province is the most stable… According to the data summarized by the Silver City branch in Xi Xia Province, there have been fewer mysterious incidents in various places in Xi Xia Province in the past half a month than there were 10 years ago, and every time a mysterious case occurs, it can be solved quickly, minimizing the harm!”
Wang Hou fell silent.
He knew the situation in Xi Xia Province very well.
All of this was due to Xu Yang’s efforts. He pondered for a moment, and then asked: “Can the results in Xi Xia Province be replicated? If more of the nine ghost markets in Da Xia can be conquered and handed over to our people to manage, can they achieve the same results as the Xi Xia Ghost Market?”
The female secretary shook her head.
She said, “Minister, this is too difficult to carry out. In every ghost market, there are countless Red Clothes, Ghost Kings, and even more powerful beings, especially those ghost market masters, no one knows their true strength.”
“Moreover, the ghost markets have their own rules, and many ghost spirits rarely come to the mortal world… If you attack recklessly and fail to conquer them, you might cause turmoil in the ghost market, and the situation will become more complicated.”
As Wang Hou’s female secretary,
Her ability was naturally outstanding.
She continued, “The success of the Xi Xia Ghost Market cannot be replicated because… at that time, Lord Cui had intervened, and the Ghost Market Master was also taken care of by Cui Mansion for Xu Yang. Even our intelligence department got wind of a legend circulating in the Xi Xia Ghost Market…”
“Oh?”
Wang Hou’s eyes flickered, asking, “What legend?”
“The Yin spirits and malevolent beings there say that Master Xu is the illegitimate son of the Ghost Emperor of Fengdu…”
Wang Hou was stunned.
He then laughed off the rumors: “How could such gossip be believed? The Ghost Emperor of Fengdu is such a powerful figure, second only to the Underworld Emperor Dongyue Rensheng in the legend, who has lived for countless years, even if he had illegitimate children, how could they end up in the mortal realm?”
Changing the topic, he continued, “By the way, how are the preparations for the martial academies in various places? Can they open before September?”
“The preparations for the martial academies in various places are almost complete, and they should be able to start in early September.”
“Good!”
Wang Hou said, “Establishing martial academies is a major national event, so pass the word down to let the local education departments and branches actively cooperate… The enrollment for the first cohort should begin in advance too.”
After a pause, Wang Hou added, “If I remember correctly, the martial academy in Xi Xia Province is built in Wu City, right? The dean of the martial academy… is Xu Yang?”
The female secretary nodded.
Wang Hou asked, “What is Xu Yang doing now?”
The female secretary answered, “I just received news that Xu Yang is currently cultivating and enlightening himself in a scenic area near Wu City. The phenomenon stretches for hundreds of miles and has attracted much attention.”
Wang Hou: “…”
After a long silence, he said, “Send someone to Wu City to help Xu Yang with the enrollment…”
Rubbing his temples, he sighed again, “I always feel that letting Xu Yang be the dean of the martial arts academy… seems a bit risky!”
…
“Achoo!”
Wu City.
Long Flow River Scenic Area, Yue Mansion.
Xu Yang, who was playing a “game” with his wives in Yue Qiluo’s boudoir, couldn’t help but sneeze. He muttered, “What’s going on? Is someone badmouthing me behind my back?”
“My husband…”
Yue Qiluo’s delicate voice brought Xu Yang back to reality.
He grinned, patted his butt, and said, “Madam, raise your hips a bit… your husband is coming in!”
“Hmph!”
“Xu Yang, you have no shame!”
Inside the Zifu and Shihai, Long Xiaoxue blushed and cursed, “He just finished his enlightenment and instead of consolidating his cultivation and insights, he ran off to indulge in daylight debauchery, sharing a bed with his five wives…”
Though she cursed like this,
Her gaze never left the scene.
Curiosity lingered in her eyes.
Meanwhile, in the Yue Mansion’s living room.
Xiao Yu was holding up her rabbit ears and chewing on carrots non-stop, with a full basket of them in her hand.
She vaguely heard some strange noises and her demon senses extended toward Yue Qiluo’s boudoir.
At around 9 PM, Xu Yang took his five wives and Tu Xiaoyu out for dinner at a rural family restaurant off the scenic area. Only then did they return to Wu City.
As soon as he arrived back at the villa, his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Xu Yang.”
The phone call was from Ma Long. He said, “My master just called me. He’s on his way to Wu City tonight from Xi Xia. There’s something he wants to discuss with you.”
“Oh?”
Xu Yang’s gaze flickered.
He had been wanting to see Elder Wang anyway, so he immediately said, “Alright, I’ll wait for him at the funeral shop.”
After informing his wives, Xu Yang drove the Mercedes-Benz to the funeral shop.
At that moment, Ma Long arrived too.
He studied Xu Yang’s car for a bit and asked, “Xu Yang, when did you buy this car?”
Xu Yang: “A few days ago.”
Ma Long came into the funeral shop, carrying a pack of ice-cold beer and a bag of barbecue. He said, “I bought some late-night snacks on the way. Want to share?”
While sipping on the cold beer and eating the barbecue, Xu Yang asked, “By the way, did your master mention where he’s been?”
Ma Long: “No, but I think he’s probably been up to something important.”
Xu Yang remained silent for a moment.
He always felt that Elder Wang was playing him.
He had taken Ma Long as his disciple and passed on his techniques, but had since left everything else to Xu Yang. Had it not been for Xu Yang’s protection, Ma Long would have been dead within three days given his constitution.
However, Xu Yang had no evidence.
Of course.
Elder Wang’s actions were indeed as Xu Yang had suspected. Though he did pay a visit to Fengdu County in Silver City, he had been enjoying his time there with no major business to deal with.
He had spent 600 years in the human world, and it had been over 40 years since the revival of spiritual aura. There wasn’t much left for him to do.
At around 11 PM, Wang Defa arrived.
“Master!”
Ma Long was very excited and immediately kowtowed to him.
Wang Defa smiled and helped Ma Long up. “My good disciple, have you been diligent in your cultivation while I was away?”
Ma Long shook his head and said, “Master, I haven’t even gone to the club. I’ve been focusing on my cultivation this whole time… Now I’ve reached the Night Wandering Realm, and I think I’ll be able to enter the Day Wandering Realm within a year.”
“It’s not advisable to focus solely on cultivation. Our lineage focuses on cultivating the soul and the Yin deity, emphasizing Purifying the Mind in the Mortal Realm… How about this, I’ll take you to the club later and test your Dao heart!”
“Thank you, Master!”
Xu Yang silently glanced at Ma Xiaotiao as he listened to the conversation between the master and the disciple.
Ma Xiaotiao scratched his head and said nothing.
Xu Yang darkened his face and said, “Get lost, go upstairs and play with Yue Ya… In our lineage, indulging in the worldly pursuits isn’t acceptable.”
He then went up with a smile and said, “Elder Wang, you look even younger these days… Where have you been during this time?”
“I’ve been traveling through the mountains and rivers of Da Xia, dealing with some matters.”
Elder Wang laughed, “I simply dyed my white hair black. But it’s you, who’s already achieved the Divine Transcendence Realm and made a name for yourself in the martial world, reclaiming Xishan Wanshou Palace… Your grandpa would be very happy to know about this.”
Xu Yang immediately asked when his grandfather was mentioned.
“Elder Wang.”
“You said before that my grandpa’s soul entered the Underworld Palace with your help… Can you contact him?”
Elder Wang shook his head and said, “Your grandpa was seriously injured during the Daoist strife, and he lived in hiding in Wu City for years without ever healing his internal injuries. As time passed, his physical condition got worse.”
“He refused to die like that, so he started visiting various ghost markets, looking for secret techniques to transform himself into a Ghost King. However, his identity was exposed while visiting the markets, and he knew that he couldn’t resist the experts from the Lu Shan Sect as a Yin spirit. So he asked me to send him into the Underworld Palace.”
“As you know…”
“Until the path between Yin and Yang is reunited, whether one can enter the Underworld Palace successfully depends on secret techniques and luck… I don’t know if your grandpa successfully entered the Underworld or not.”
Elder Wang paused for a moment, and continued, “If he did enter the Underworld, he should be in my master’s domain… Don’t you know Lord Cui? Just ask him to check.”
Xu Yang shook his head and said, “I’ve asked Lord Cui to check, but my grandpa isn’t in Fengdu City nor under their jurisdiction. He even contacted other Judges from other regions… But my grandpa’s whereabouts are still unknown.”
“Oh?”
Elder Wang frowned, pondered for a few seconds and said, “In that case, there’s only one possibility… Your grandpa entered the Underworld but did not enter Wrongful Death City. He never registered his soul, which is why the Judges can’t find him in the Book of Life and Death… He’s likely to be an independent rogue ghost in the wilderness outside the city!”
“An independent rogue ghost?”
“Yes.”
Elder Wang said, “The Underworld is vast. Many native spirits and wandering ghosts don’t want to be reborn, so they live outside the city to avoid being spotted by the underworld soldiers…”
“Don’t worry, your grandpa had a strong soul and belonged to the top-ranking Ghost Kings. Moreover, he had the cultivation techniques I taught him. Even in the wilderness, he is absolutely capable of protecting himself. It’s been over four years now, who knows, he might have already established his own territory and become a king!”
……
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