Chapter 106: A Sanctuary of Purity

Although trapped in peril, fortunately matters were progressing for the better. This boundary between the living and the dead was inhabited mostly by ghosts and malevolent spirits. With the overwhelming power of heaven and earth exerting its deterrence, it was believed no reckless ghost would dare disturb them again.

Generally speaking, ghosts are the souls left behind after a being’s death. Those who enter the underworld to reincarnate are the yin souls; those who enter but, bound by unresolved attachments, refuse reincarnation are the restless spirits; vengeful ghosts, whose grudges are so heavy that even the soul collectors cannot retrieve them, are the fierce spirits who cause chaos among the living.

Some ghosts linger due to unresolved attachments—perhaps to a person or a matter. Having remained too long in the mortal world, they lose the chance to reincarnate, ultimately rejected by both the underworld’s agents and the living realm, condemned to wander until they dissipate.

In truth, many ghosts do not harm out of their nature. These entities survive by absorbing yin energy; without this, their souls weaken and eventually vanish.

Feeding on human vitality becomes the best way for these spirits to maintain their cohesion and strength.

In fact, consuming human essence is even more effective than absorbing yin energy.

Over time, such spirits may attain an unpredictable level of power.

In earlier times, when human order was sound, the celestial court’s authority and the underworld’s governance kept malevolent beings in check. Demonic entities lingering in the mortal realm had to act cautiously; they would never dare behave as recklessly as they do now, when evil runs rampant and disasters abound.

Today, even the number of ghosts is increasing daily, another significant factor contributing to the current chaos.

The underworld is in turmoil, with endless wars and the ten kings dividing control over different regions. Powerful ghostly beings defy the ruler of the underworld, occupying ghost cities and forming independent factions within the spirit realm.

Yi An was not fully informed on the specifics—he had learned these from an old ghost earlier—but overall, the underworld’s relations were tangled and chaotic, suffused with a stench of crimes that made one’s blood boil.

Thankfully, the ten kings dared not disrupt the cycle of reincarnation—not out of kindness or concern for mortal order, but simply because they feared the consequences.

Indeed, they were afraid.

The cycle of life and death is a law set by heaven and earth, embodying the will of the heavenly way.

Though the celestial court no longer existed, the heavenly way never perished. Even though the ten kings govern the underworld, they alone dared not defy heaven.

The heavenly way is merciless—these words are not empty threats.

Should they act against it, the ten kings would invite the wrath of heaven, bringing calamities upon themselves.

As the saying goes, one cannot contend with heaven. Before the heavenly way, all living things, and even the weakest of men, are no different.

---

Sure enough, wherever life exists, conflict is never absent. In the past, the celestial court’s deterrence kept the underworld in check, preventing overt mischief. On the surface, all was peaceful and harmonious. Yet, judging from the present situation, the underworld must have been turbulent beneath that calm exterior.

Once the celestial court fell, the true nature of things was immediately revealed, and former allies became enemies.

Hatred birthed conflict, conflict escalated into war.

What is most vital in battle?

Without question, it is the troops.

However, the number of ghost soldiers was inherently limited. They could not recruit more in a short time unless they targeted the path of reincarnation itself—converting souls destined for rebirth into soldiers. But after careful consideration, they abandoned this idea.

Committing such a grievous offense against the natural order would surely draw the heavenly way’s wrath, a cost too great to bear.

No one dared take that risk.

Later, an unknown party set a precedent by conscripting wandering souls unwilling to reincarnate as ghost soldiers.

Among these, the fierce spirits were a hundredfold more effective than ordinary recruits.

Even typical vengeful spirits surpassed standard ghost soldiers.

Once conscripted, the fate of these souls was uncertain.

The true end came only when their souls perished.

To die twice—just the thought chilled one to the bone.

Yet, ordinary yin souls were unaware of the underworld’s sinister intentions. Most were conscripted without warning, with only a few lucky ones escaping to hide, wandering in hardship and misery.

Thus, this boundary between yin and yang naturally became the ideal refuge for these ghosts, almost like paradise.

Because it was so hard-won, they cherished it deeply.

It was likely their last remaining sanctuary.

---

At this thought, Yi An sighed. People often say living is hard, but to become a ghost is no easier.

“Heaven and earth themselves are but a cage.”

“To break free from this cage one day is no simple matter.”

Though Yi An’s expression seemed calm, his heart was unsettled. Yet he knew it was too soon to dwell on such matters. The future was unknowable—even fate itself was not infallible. The heavenly way had flaws; great tides could not be defied, but small currents could be changed.

With this in mind, his complex emotions eased somewhat.

“Brother Yi, this place teems with ghosts and monsters—it’s unwise to linger. In my opinion, we should leave as soon as possible.”

“To be fair, this situation is our fault. After all, this is not the human realm, and they have no reason to welcome us—just as we would not welcome them,” Yan Chixia mused thoughtfully. He was no blind bigot; he understood right from wrong and harbored no racial prejudice.

“This place is like a miniature ghost city. Since we’re here, why not take the chance to appreciate its customs before leaving?” Yi An said with interest.

“That might not be a good idea. The inhabitants here definitely don’t welcome us,” Yan Chixia said, glancing at him in surprise. Earlier, he hadn’t sounded so reluctant.

“Ha! Since we’ve come, we might as well make the most of it. What’s the harm in seeing a bit? Shrinking back isn’t like you—why the sudden change of heart?” Yi An teased with a smile, then added, “But we certainly can’t expose ourselves openly. We’ll need to prepare.”

Yan Chixia chuckled helplessly but did not argue further, as it was a minor matter. He too felt some curiosity about this ghostly domain.

“But our yang energy is difficult to conceal,” Yan Chixia hesitated.

This was a ghost city; their very presence was incongruous here.

Like demons trying to hide their true nature, hiding their yang energy was extremely challenging.