Surging Undercurrents

Dusk hung heavy.

A massive burial mound stood on the southeastern side of Chen Family Village.

As the village's lingering souls watched the corpses enter the earth, their resentment dispersed into wisps of green smoke, leaving only Old Man Chen's wronged soul behind.

Zhou Yi found a slab of bluestone and used Mana to carve it into a long stele, writing upon it with his finger as his brush.

"Grave of the three hundred and twenty-seven souls of Chen Family Village, twenty-seventh day of the fifth month, eighteenth year of Hongchang!"

His fingers were like refined steel, cutting three inches into the stone.

Old Man Chen bowed in thanks. "For such immense kindness, the Chen clan has no way to repay you. We can only pray for our benefactor in the underworld. If there is another life, we will surely serve you as oxen and horses in repayment!"

"What do you intend to do?"

Zhou Yi held the swaddled infant in his arms, his Mana shielding Chen Ya'er's entire body.

Not long after the many lingering souls had dissipated, they left behind a dense, chilling yin aura. Should children or the elderly pass through this place, they might very well suffer from a sinister evil entering their bodies.

"This old man has one final matter in which to trouble you, benefactor."

Old Man Chen said, "I ask that you lend a hand and disperse this old man's soul."

Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Why?"

Old Man Chen said, "This mere remnant soul should have dispersed in a few days. Yet who would have thought that in this frigid place, it would instead become a little more solid?"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

If Zhou Yi did not possess the Longevity Dao Fruit, then when the day came that his lifespan ran out, he would surely rack his brains for every possible way to prolong it.

Righteous methods, strange arts, evil scriptures, and the like—he would refuse none of them.

For instance, using his Spirit Soul to possess another body and extend his life; or turning into a ghost cultivator after death; or simply burying himself in a place of extreme yin, transforming into a long-lived zombie.

Influenced by the information explosion of his previous life, he believed that so long as one retained one's own thoughts, becoming one of the Demons and Spirits was no great matter.

"This old man has been corroded by this yin aura, and many desires have arisen in my heart—such as feeding on yang energy, devouring blood, and so forth."

Old Man Chen explained, "This is only the beginning, yet it has already made this old man restless and eager to stir. Given some more time, I will surely become one of the Ferocious Souls and Vengeful Ghosts, bringing disaster upon an entire region. Better to ask you, benefactor, to strangle these evil thoughts while my reason remains!"

"Brother Chen truly is an extraordinary man!"

Zhou Yi praised him. "You are a hundred, a thousand times better than those dog emperors who know death is inevitable yet still plague the world to prolong their lives."

"Haha, you overpraise me, benefactor. This old man is merely a down-and-out scholar who could not even pass the provincial examination."

Old Man Chen laughed. "If I had become emperor and enjoyed all the splendor of wealth and rank, perhaps I too would have clung to life and feared death."

"Farewell, Brother Chen!"

Zhou Yi cupped his hands. Though Old Man Chen was not an emperor, emperors had no chance to become wronged souls. Between the two of them, Old Man Chen stood somewhat closer to longevity and immortality.

All things beneath heaven lay between giving up and gaining.

Most people greedily sought gain, while few were capable of letting go. Zhou Yi was the same.

Old Man Chen said freely, "May you live ten thousand years, benefactor. This old man will repay you in the next life!"

"..."

For a moment, Zhou Yi did not know what to say. With a wave of his hand, Mana became sword-light and shattered the wronged soul into dust.

Lowering his head, he saw Chen Ya'er staring blankly at the gravestone, as if etching it into her heart.

"Brother Chen repeatedly urged me not to let you harbor thoughts of revenge. Yet your parents and clan suffered a blood-deep vendetta—how could such karma possibly be concealed or cast aside?"

Seeing the little girl's rosy lips, Zhou Yi could not help teasing her a few times.

Hehehe!

Chen Ya'er let out a clear peal of laughter, lending a thread of warmth to the new grave, the mist, and the cold wind.

Boom, boom, boom!

Hoofbeats rolled like thunder.

More than ten black-clad cavalrymen whistled past along the official road.

The riders bore bright yellow pennants on their backs. Whether officials or merchants, all hurriedly moved aside; delaying an imperial proclamation to the realm was grave disrespect.

Zhou Yi held the swaddled infant in one hand and tugged lightly on the reins with the other. The jujube-red horse beneath him obediently stepped aside.

"Emperor Hongchang actually died!"

Eager to take Chen Ya'er back to Shenjing to find a wet nurse, Zhou Yi had ridden day and night along the official road after leaving Chen Family Village. He had already encountered four batches of messenger cavalry.

The riders carried court proclamations toward every prefecture, province, and county of the Fengyang Kingdom, posting news of the new ruler's ascension.

"Let his merits and faults over the ages be judged by those who come after!"

With Emperor Chongming's example before him, Zhou Yi bore little ill feeling toward Emperor Hongchang. For an emperor, killing meritorious officials hardly counted as a stain.

Looking throughout history, the contest between imperial power and ministerial power had occurred in every dynasty.

Recovering lost lands and unifying the realm, reducing corvée labor and lightening taxes—Emperor Hongchang would surely earn a place in the history books.

"Regrettably, he chose to let the dynasty decline rather than allow imperial power to weaken. Emperor Hongchang must have seen the northern frontier's defeat before his death. People truly cannot learn lessons from history; when the great tide bears down, every choice they make is selfish!"

Early June.

From afar, Zhou Yi caught sight of Shenjing's city walls, still towering and steadfast.

Outside the western gate.

The bustling crowd formed a line stretching two or three li.

Several hundred Imperial Guards in sturdy armor and bearing sharp weapons stood watch, carefully inspecting the carts, horses, and travelers entering and leaving the city. Any chest longer than three chi had to be thoroughly searched.

"No travel permit? Arrest him and lock him up first!"

"Has this blade been registered with the authorities? No? Arrest him!"

"A bow and arrows? The court has issued a decree temporarily banning hunting. Confiscate them..."

The Imperial Guards searched meticulously and showed no mercy. One man who claimed to be the son of a Shenjing Vice Prefect had thrown his weight around on the spot, only to receive a beating before being dragged away and fitted with a heavy cangue.

Several dozen people stood in neat rows beneath the city wall, hundred-jin cangues around their necks. Within days, they would be ruined.

The commander roared, "Colliding with the Imperial Guards is equivalent to plotting rebellion! Take this general's calling card to the Shenjing yamen and summon Vice Prefect Li for questioning!"

This conduct frightened many merchants and officials. After all, the truly lucrative trades were all clearly written into the law. Most common folk, however, wore looks of respect, feeling only that this general was a good official.

There was no other reason—only fairness!

A fat merchant stepped forward and slipped several banknotes over. "General, Wan Tong Bank has been a Shenjing establishment for two hundred years. Could you make things convenient for us?"

"Wan Tong Bank? Naturally, I know it."

The commander tucked the banknotes into his sleeve and ordered the soldiers under his command, "Search his goods first. See whether there are any prohibited items. Otherwise, why would he bribe this general?"

The merchant cried out in fright. Before he could stop them, the Imperial Guards had found several suits of armor in the cart.

"Privately manufacturing armor? Wan Tong Bank intends to rebel!"

Seeing this, the other merchants either left with their carts and horses or sent people into the city to seek patrons and backing.

After waiting in line for a long time, Zhou Yi showed the Imperial Guards his Heavenly Prison jailer's token.

The Imperial Guard commander actually recognized Zhou Yi and even joked, "I have long heard of Mister Zhou's name as the Blood Prison Old Demon. Today, I finally meet the True Person himself."

"Merely a nickname from the martial world. It cannot compare to you, General."

Zhou Yi was not surprised. In all Shenjing, there were no more than fifty first-rate experts when counted to the full.

To select only some fifty people from among three or four million was truly one in ten thousand. Moreover, Zhou Yi served at the Heavenly Prison; there was no way he could escape the notice of those with ulterior motives.

The commander asked, "I heard that you live alone, Mister. Who is this child?"

Zhou Yi explained, "She is the daughter of distant relatives. She has not yet been given a proper name, so they simply called her Ya'er. Her family could no longer afford to raise her, so they gave her to me. At the very least, she will have food to eat and will not starve."

"So that is the case. Please enter, Mister Zhou."

The commander asked no further questions and ordered the Imperial Guards to clear a path. After Zhou Yi left, he sent someone to notify his superior.

His Majesty had ascended the throne only a few days ago, yet Shenjing had suddenly been filled with rumors.

That the Second Prince's accession was illegitimate, and that the original edict had named the Sixth Prince to ascend the throne...

That of the four regents entrusted with the late emperor's command, two had died on the spot...

That the Second Prince was ruthless and cruel, personally killing Imperial Concubine Sun and the Sixth Prince before the late emperor's remains...

Rumors of this sort were painted with such vivid realism that undercurrents churned beneath Shenjing's surface, and many people began to entertain other thoughts.

The court's Imperial Guards thoroughly searching those on duty at the gates, thoroughly searching carts, horses, and travelers, was merely the beginning of a storm!