Chapter Ten: The Department of Underworld Rites

Taoist Hou eyed him warily. “I won’t teach you, no matter how much you offer. One cannot casually pass on the skills that feed them.”

Zhou Bai shook his head and said nothing, thinking to himself that time was on his side; sooner or later, he’d find a way to learn a few techniques from this old Taoist.

Perhaps afraid of offending a patron, Hou’s tone softened. “Besides, Taoist arts aren’t something that can simply be taught. One must first seek permission from the ancestral master, and that’s not even mentioning how rare true talent for cultivation is—one in a hundred, perhaps.”

“What about me?” Zhou Bai grinned. “Do you see any spiritual brilliance shooting from my head?”

Hou coughed, startled by Zhou Bai’s shamelessness. “I doubt it. Those born with the Way have an innate spiritual aura, easily distinguished from ordinary folk.”

Zhou Bai sized him up. “Then how come I can’t see any aura on you?”

“Fasting phase, fasting phase! My aura is merely restrained right now,” Hou replied quickly, eager to change the subject. “Even if you can’t learn Taoist arts, I can always teach you something else later.”

Zhou Bai realized that the old Taoist always brought up the fasting phase; clearly, there were secrets he was hiding. Zhou Bai probed further.

“You keep mentioning the fasting phase. What stages are there in cultivation, anyway? Are there things like Qi refining, foundation building, golden core, or nascent soul?”

“What nonsense! The stages of Daoist cultivation are refinement of essence into Qi, refinement of Qi into spirit, refinement of spirit into emptiness, and merging emptiness with the Dao. Fasting is part of the practice, an essential step in entering the Way.”

Hou didn’t elaborate; he knew that saying too much could give himself away. His own arts truly had dubious origins.

While they talked, the two approached the northern gate of Hangdu. The official road was unusually quiet, far less crowded than usual.

With little to do, the two guards at the gate yawned repeatedly.

“Halt! Where are you coming from?” One guard stopped them, while the other recognized Zhou Bai and said in surprise, “Your injuries healed so quickly?”

Zhou Bai replied politely, “Thank you for your concern. I’ve recovered—it was just a rush of blood, nothing serious.”

The speaker was Ding Cun, the guard. He breathed a sigh of relief; Zhou Bai’s swift recovery suggested his illness had nothing to do with ghosts.

The guard spoke briskly, “So you’re a local, then. Go ahead, but let me warn you: from today, Hangdu is under curfew. No one is allowed out after sunset.”

“Thank you, officers.”

After the greeting, Zhou Bai led Hou away. Fortunately, Hou’s tattered clothes barely resembled a Taoist robe—if asked for proof of ordination, he’d have nothing to show.

Hou was a wandering Taoist; his claim of acquaintance with Master Qingfeng was surely a lie.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Hou sidled up and asked, “What’s happened in Hangdu? Why is the control so strict?”

Zhou Bai didn’t answer directly, instead saying, “Master Hou, if it were an evil spirit, could you handle it alone?”

Hou paused, scrutinizing Zhou Bai. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“Let me take you somewhere. You’ll know when we arrive.”

Seeing that daylight remained, Zhou Bai felt a mischievous urge and headed toward Willow Bank.

Hou’s face was full of suspicion. As they drew closer, sweat began to bead on his brow.

“I’m not going any farther—I suddenly feel uneasy. Just tell me, what’s going on?”

Zhou Bai chuckled. “Master Hou, you haven’t even gasped for breath after walking for hours. Your stamina is impressive.”

From Qingfeng Temple to Hangdu, even the youthful Zhou Bai had rested several times, while Hou showed no sign of fatigue.

“That’s Taoist arts—a breath of primordial Qi…” Hou began to ramble, but Zhou Bai pulled him along, forcing him to continue.

Hou sighed, “All right, I’ll talk, but you must do the same—no holding back.”

“Agreed. I know Hangdu’s situation well; others might not even know what’s happened.”

Hou resigned himself. “My stamina is mainly due to Five Animal Play, a family tradition. If you want to learn, I can teach you someday.”

“Is there a manual? I could learn it myself.”

“There’s no manual. The Five Animal Play is just a few movements, passed down orally—nothing miraculous.”

“Then, in the next few days, draw me a manual. I’ll pay ten taels of silver.” Zhou Bai pressed the advantage. Since the Five Animal Play could be mastered, surely the system would recognize it.

“Fine, let’s hear it—what’s really happened here?”

Hou nodded, reluctantly agreeing. Though he’d earn some money, he felt uneasy.

Zhou Bai recounted the situation at Willow Bank in detail. The more Hou heard, the more terrified he became; his mouth hung open the whole time.

“Damn, we’re in deep trouble now.” Hou cursed but quickly regained composure. “At dawn, I’ll drive the ghost from your doorstep, then I’m leaving immediately.”

“There are guards at the city gate now—Hangdu is likely closed off. You can get in, but not out.”

Zhou Bai thought, You’re my expensive bodyguard; you can’t just leave whenever you please.

“Fine, I understand now. You look genteel, but you’re full of trickery.” Hou was helpless; paid for his services, he had no choice.

“No need to be afraid. Although the evil spirit in the Clear River is formidable, when disaster strikes, those with power have to step forward. With such a big incident, the Department of Nether Rituals will surely respond.”

“The Department of Nether Rituals?” Zhou Bai led him toward the inn.

“It’s a government agency established to exorcise demons and ghosts. Their influence spans the nine provinces—Hangdu certainly has one. They’re probably already reacting to this.”

Hearing Hou’s explanation, Zhou Bai recalled the woman in black by the river, feeling she was no ordinary person. Could she be connected to the Department of Nether Rituals?

“Tomorrow, after we deal with the little ghost, let’s buy materials for an array. Regardless of what the Department does, we must ensure the evil spirit doesn’t threaten our lives.”

“Agreed, no problem.” Zhou Bai was immediately intrigued by the array.

Hou spread his hands. “Money. Without money, we can’t buy materials.”

“I don’t have much left. I’ll pay your thirty taels now, and you can cover the rest for now—we’ll split it evenly.”

“That’s the only way. Sigh, once you’re caught up in this, it’s impossible to escape unscathed without paying a price.”

The two arrived at Zhou Bai’s inn. The butcher, for safety, no longer stayed there, so they had to make do elsewhere for the night.