Chapter Seventy-Six: Specters (Third Night)

"Eight hundred miles of Yellow Springs Road, where all beings in the mortal world revolve through reincarnation—may your journey be safe!"
Xu Cheng shouted loudly behind them.

As the Yellow Springs gradually closed, stirring a trace of the profound truth of reincarnation, the three wandering souls stepped into the cycle anew.

Chrysanthemum transformed into a stream of light, the power of his soul spreading throughout the entire town. With the six Nascent Soul-level experts eliminated, the remaining minor cultivators of the Great Xia Dynasty were now as powerless as items in a bag, easily dealt with.

A long time passed before he returned, several people trailing behind him, still not fully conscious. Thus, Xu Cheng had offered them as a sacrifice to the Yellow Springs, gaining the golden light of merit in return. He checked himself; combined with the merit he had seized from slaying the six Nascent Soul experts, a significant portion remained, unabsorbed into his cultivation. The golden light was gentle in effect, making it a prime candidate as a hidden ace for future emergencies.

He then raised the Yellow Springs Token, checking if any townsfolk had been unintentionally harmed in the now-ruined Guiyu Pavilion. Should any harbor resentment, turning into restless spirits or monsters, that would bode ill.

The Yellow Springs Token, emitting a gentle golden glow, stood out in the darkness like a beacon, compelling ghosts and even monsters to flock toward it, drawn like moths to a flame.

"See if any ghosts or monsters appear!"
Xu Cheng patrolled the area, reminding Yan Mengdie and the others to stay vigilant.

As time passed, no ghosts emerged; instead, three figures appeared—monsters, all of them.

"People of the Underworld! No wonder—here I thought something good had come our way!"
One of them spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Big Brother, their cultivation seems stronger than ours!"
Another quickly analyzed.

"Then let's get out of here!"
The third said, turning to flee.

But Xu Cheng would not let such an opportunity slip by. Chains materialized out of thin air, binding the three monsters tightly.

"Enforcer, let’s talk this out! Please, have mercy!"
Xu Cheng had expected a desperate counterattack, but one of them immediately began pleading for his life.

Knowing when to yield is a virtue; feeling a twinge of compassion, Xu Cheng refrained from infusing the chains with his own power of reincarnation.

"Why do you linger in the mortal realm?"
He asked, intent on understanding their reasons.

"Enforcer, we were once honest folk. Those Great Xia officials left us no way to live, drove us to death, so we had no choice but to retaliate in our own way!"
The one in the middle spoke through gritted teeth, hatred for the Xia Dynasty clear in his every word.

Before Xu Cheng could respond, Chrysanthemum opened the Book of Life and Death, and read aloud as golden words appeared: "Fengyang Wen, Fengyang Gu, Fengyang Cheng—once upright farmers, persecuted by the local tyrant Li Mingcheng, forced into desperation by his endless malice. In a fit of rage, they killed Li Mingcheng and were arrested; in prison, through one man's influence, all three transformed into monsters. They slaughtered the prison guards and escaped—five hundred merit points each, twenty sin points."

Ordinarily, killing would incur significant sin, yet their tally was remarkably low, and their merit unusually high. Was it that the Great Xia’s deeds had truly incited the wrath of heaven, causing even the Yellow Springs to alter its rewards and punishments?

By the measure of justice, these men were fit to become enforcers themselves. Xu Cheng probed their souls with his spiritual power, then said: "Are you three willing to become enforcers? You would shed the flaws of your monstrous bodies, no longer needing to kill for blood. Or, with my methods, I could fully resurrect you, returning you to ordinary human life, free to walk under the sun."

"To be ordinary again? Enforcer, please, anything but that! We do not wish to be mortal; we would rather be enforcers!"

One shook his head vigorously, adamantly refusing Xu Cheng’s offer.

Though Xu Cheng possessed a miraculous coffin capable of resurrecting monsters, he had no suitable candidates for it, leaving it as nothing more than a repository for ghostly techniques.

With their merit scores, becoming enforcers was more than sufficient.

Now, whether they would follow him or remain stationed here was another question.

Wasting no time, he released their bindings. The Yellow Springs Token in his hand conjured three Enforcer Tokens, which flew to their hands. Black light radiated from the tokens, transforming their bodies.

From then on, they no longer needed to kill; they became enforcers of the dead.

Receiving their tokens, they were overjoyed, now able to roam the netherworld, governing life and death—a rather satisfactory outcome.

"Will the three of you join us, or will you remain here?"
Chrysanthemum asked.

"Allow us a moment to discuss!"
Fengyang Wen replied, and the three conferred briefly.

"Sir, it would be most comfortable for us to remain here."
The decision was well considered; to follow Xu Cheng would entail many inconveniences. Moreover, Fengyang Wen, after studying the Enforcer Token, realized Xu Cheng and his companions were now his superiors, making it all the more awkward. Their strength topped out at the Golden Core stage; in the Nascent Soul battles, they would be of little help.

After some thought, Cen Ningyue spoke: "Deputy Enforcer, let me stay here with them."

"I'll stay too!"
Niu Dazhuang chimed in.

After several battles, Cen Ningyue realized she was of little use, and that focusing on cultivation and her actual duties would serve her better.

"You two..."
Xu Cheng's lips moved as if to speak, but he fell silent. Cen Ningyue and Niu Dazhuang had followed him until now; he hadn't expected them to choose this moment to part ways.

But upon reflection, it made sense. They had been unable to contribute, likely feeling like burdens, and would be better off devoting themselves to cultivation.

"Very well. Cultivate diligently, but do not neglect your duties."

With that, Xu Cheng took out a large supply of pills—Nether Essence Pills, Dao-forging Pills, and Spirit-restoring Pills—enough for the five of them to reach the Nascent Soul stage.

He entrusted the pills to Cen Ningyue, who responded, "Thank you, Deputy Enforcer!"

"By the way, what did the person who turned you two into monsters look like?"
Xu Cheng recalled the detail that in prison, a mysterious figure had transformed the trio.

"We don’t know who he was. He appeared out of nowhere in the cell, wearing a black robe and a hat that obscured his face. He gave each of us a sword, and then we died. When we woke up, we were monsters."
Fengyang Cheng quickly replied.

"So you have no idea who that mysterious figure was?"
Xu Cheng frowned.

"Exactly. If we did, we’d certainly report it, sir."
Fengyang Cheng met Xu Cheng's gaze without faltering.

It seemed genuine; Xu Cheng could only let the matter go.

"Very well. Earlier today, I noticed that someone being buried in town was about to turn into a monster. Come with me to investigate."

Earlier, Xu Cheng hadn’t wanted to disturb the funeral procession, but now was the perfect time.