Imperial Edict

After Qing Li left, Zheng Que immediately began to cultivate.

As wisps of spiritual energy were drawn into his body, his cultivation base slowly improved.

Time ticked by bit by bit. Soon, Zheng Que opened his eyes to see the familiar, dilapidated Wide Hall.

He looked at the Life and Death Book in front of him.

After he had slain those four Water Ghosts yesterday, the number of names on the Life and Death Book had been forty-two.

Afterward, Qing Li had tasted the benefits and gone out overnight to slay another six ghosts.

He did not know what cultivation level those six ghosts had been, but now, there were forty-eight names recorded on the Life and Death Book.

He hoped that over the next two days, Qing Li would work hard and carry him, her master, to success...

While lost in thought, Zheng Que kept his eyes fixed on the Life and Death Book, waiting for a new name to appear.

However, unlike last night, he waited for a long time this time. It was not until the black energy surging from between his brows had become very thin that a strange name finally appeared on the Life and Death Book.

"...Cai Daniu. Place of origin: Changfu Town, Taiping County, Tu Prefecture, Great Li Dynasty. Lifespan: Twenty-three years, eight months, and sixteen days. Died by self-immolation at the third quarter of the Xu hour."

This was the forty-ninth name.

Zheng Que was suddenly a bit puzzled; Qing Li's efficiency today had dropped quite a bit...

Just as he was thinking this, the last wisp of black energy from between his brows submerged into the Life and Death Book.

Just when Zheng Que thought he would return to reality as he had before, the Life and Death Book in front of him suddenly surged with large, thick waves of ink-black Yin Energy. This Yin Energy was dense and refined, churning and spreading like a surging sea of clouds. In the blink of an eye, it rose into the air, winding across a small portion of the Wide Hall like an inverted ocean of ink.

Before Zheng Que could think too much, this ink-colored cloud of Yin Energy rapidly collapsed and transformed, forming a bizarre symbol that looked like both an insect and a fish, hovering directly above the Life and Death Book.

This symbol resembled some kind of ancient script, filled with a sense of primitive vicissitudes, yet it also looked like intertwined, winding vines, radiating wisps of the aura of laws.

Zheng Que was stunned. Before he could figure out what was happening, the ancient symbol hovering above the Life and Death Book suddenly turned into a streak of black light and darted into his brow like lightning!

The next moment, Zheng Que felt as if his head had exploded. An unbearable, searing pain washed over him, and his entire body felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, the chill penetrating his very bones.

In the moment his consciousness blurred, a strange piece of information seemed to appear in his mind...

In a daze, he did not know how much time had passed when a familiar voice reached Zheng Que's ears: "Human brat, wake up!"

Hearing this voice, Zheng Que immediately sobered up and hurriedly opened his eyes. All he saw was dimness; he had returned to reality and was lying on the floor of the inner room.

Outside the back window, everything was murky; the sky had turned completely dark. He seemed to have been unconscious on the floor for quite some time.

Qing Li was hanging from the crossbeam, swinging back and forth. The Yin Energy on her body was much thinner and still fluctuating slightly, and her form was much more translucent. It was clear she had been through a major battle.

Seeing Zheng Que wake up, Qing Li said with great dissatisfaction: "You human brat are truly useless. You can even get into trouble just by cultivating alone."

"If I hadn't returned in time, how much longer were you planning on lying there?"

"I need to rest now, you human brat. Guard me well!"

Hearing this, Zheng Que frowned, but he didn't bother arguing with Qing Li. Instead, he began to carefully recall the strange information that had just appeared in his mind...

The ancient, weathered symbol that had appeared in the Underworld space was an Imperial Edict!

It could be used to confer titles upon ghosts!

It had formed because the Life and Death Book had recorded enough names to condense it.

Imperial Edicts came in various ranks. High-ranking Imperial Edicts could confer high-level Underworld positions, while low-ranking ones could only confer low-level Underworld positions.

The rank of the Imperial Edict was tied to the Yin Energy absorbed by the Life and Death Book.

During the process of recording a sufficient number of names, the more Yin Energy the Life and Death Book absorbed, the higher the rank of the final Imperial Edict, and consequently, the higher the position it could confer.

The Imperial Edict he had just obtained contained very weak Yin Energy; for now, it could only confer the lowest rank of Yin Messenger in the Underworld.

As for what a Yin Messenger was actually useful for?

He would only know once he used this Imperial Edict.

Thinking of this, Zheng Que took a deep breath. This was a new function of the Life and Death Book: for every forty-nine names recorded, it could condense one Imperial Edict.

The Yin Energy that the Life and Death Book drained from his brow every time he cultivated was the energy it used to condense these Imperial Edicts.

He had previously assumed that the only purpose of the names in the Life and Death Book was to allow him to foresee his own death.

But now, it seemed that the Imperial Edict was the most important use for recording names!

No!

Who knew how many other secrets were hidden within this Life and Death Book?

It was still too early to draw such conclusions.

As his thoughts raced, Zheng Que looked up at Qing Li, who was hanging from the crossbeam.

She was the only Ghost Servant he had right now.

This Imperial Edict could only be given to her.

With that in mind, Zheng Que immediately used the Ghost Controlling Technique to draw Qing Li into his palm.

Following that, he immediately began to cultivate.

As he circulated the Life Planting Technique, Zheng Que entered the Underworld once more.

Everything here was the same as it had always been.

He looked at the Life and Death Book spread out before him, where forty-nine names were displayed in silence.

Zheng Que did not hesitate. He immediately cast the Ghost Controlling Technique, releasing Qing Li.

A bloody light escaped, landing in the hall and transforming into the Female Hanging Ghost with white clothes and black hair.

Just like before, after Qing Li appeared, her expression was dull and her gaze unfocused, standing there without moving.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zheng Que immediately displayed the character "Order" on his palm, aiming it directly at Qing Li.

A massive amount of Yin Energy gathered from all directions, swirling around Qing Li and pouring continuously into her body.

As her long hair whipped about, Qing Li quickly regained her consciousness. Upon realizing she had arrived in the Underworld, her face first lit up with joy, then she hurriedly knelt and kowtowed respectfully, saying, "This commoner pays her respects to you, My Lord!"

"Thank you for your grace, My Lord! You are as discerning as a torch, of high moral character, fair and upright, righteous and incorruptible, a paragon of virtue, and a beacon of justice..."

Zheng Que sat high in the seat of honor. Just like the previous two times, he did not speak, only watching Qing Li quietly.

The Yin Energy of this Female Hanging Ghost was increasing extremely rapidly this time. Before long, it reached the peak of the fourth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell.

However, at this moment, Qing Li's Yin Energy still did not stop growing; it continued to climb steadily.

Watching this scene, Zheng Que was slightly stunned. The Yin Energy Qing Li was gaining now had already surpassed the level from when he dealt with Old Lady Zhao!

Unsurprisingly, among the seven ghosts this Female Hanging Ghost had slain this time, at least two or more must have reached the cultivation of the fourth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell!

Just as he was thinking this, the Yin Energy surging around Qing Li suddenly spiked. In an instant, its intensity climbed another level, rolling like black smoke and almost completely obscuring her figure.

Fifth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell!

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