Record Changes

Hearing this, Zheng Que nodded slightly.

The ability to sense ghosts, the ability to see a ghost's specific information, and a method to seal ghosts... these three abilities were extremely useful.

However, the ability to slay living beings and ghosts, causing their souls and Yin Energy to fall into the Underworld, was redundant with the function of his Life and Death Book.

Qing Li was now his Ghost Servant; even without this ability, the living beings and ghosts she killed would still be recorded by the Life and Death Book.

The only use for this ability, perhaps, was that even if he were to dissolve the master-servant relationship with Qing Li, she would still be able to have names recorded into his Life and Death Book...

Thinking of this, Zheng Que immediately asked, "Do you have any other new methods?"

Besides receiving the Imperial Conferment, Qing Li had just absorbed the Yin Energy of seven ghosts. He wondered what kind of methods she had inherited.

However, upon hearing this question, the cheerful expression Qing Li had just worn vanished instantly. After a long moment, she replied in a flat, indifferent tone, "None."

None?

Zheng Que was stunned. Seven ghosts in total—even if each ghost only had one method, that would be seven methods!

Had Qing Li not inherited a single one of those seven methods?

Last time, Qing Li failed to inherit the Water Ghost's method, likely because the Water Ghost's cultivation was far inferior to hers. But this time, there was more than one ghost at the fourth level of Tongue-Pulling Hell!

After thinking carefully for a moment, Zheng Que quickly formed a hypothesis...

When Qing Li killed ghosts on her own, the Life and Death Book would still record the ghosts' names and Yin Energy, but the Yin Energy recorded might not be complete—it might only be a portion of it.

Only when he was present could the Life and Death Book record the ghosts' names and all of their Yin Energy.

Only then would Qing Li have a chance to inherit those ghosts' methods!

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Qing Li say coldly, "Human brat, if there's nothing else, this lady is heading out."

Zheng Que snapped back to reality. He couldn't afford to waste the time his Ghost Servant spent working for him. Thinking of this, he nodded immediately, "Alright."

The next moment, the door opened, and Qing Li drifted out.

The room was suddenly left with only Zheng Que. He didn't hesitate and immediately began to cultivate.

As his cultivation technique circulated over and over, the spiritual energy wrapped in Yin Energy was slowly drawn into his Qi Sea.

Unknowingly, Zheng Que opened his eyes and entered the Underworld space once again.

He glanced at the Life and Death Book before him; it still recorded forty-nine names.

Zheng Que was about to look away when he suddenly noticed that the entry regarding Qing Li had completely changed...

"Species: Resentful Soul."

Species: Female Hanging Ghost.

True Name: Qing Li.

Native Place: Changfu Town, Taiping County, Tu Prefecture, Great Li Dynasty.

Yin Lifespan: 22 years, 5 months, and 4 days.

Yin Office: Yin Messenger (Deployable).

Term of Office: Half a cycle of sixty years.

Zheng Que was slightly surprised. The information previously recorded for Qing Li under "Category" had been "Human," but it had now changed to "Resentful Soul." The "Species" had changed to "Female Hanging Ghost." While the name and native place remained the same, the label "Name" had changed to "True Name," "Yang Lifespan" had become "Yin Lifespan," and an "Yin Office" and "Term of Office" had been added.

After reading Qing Li's current information twice, Zheng Que quickly understood. What had been recorded in the Life and Death Book previously was always information from when Qing Li was alive. Even though she had turned into a Resentful Soul after death, the Life and Death Book did not acknowledge her status in the Underworld until she had received the Imperial Conferment.

Using an example from his past life, it was as if Qing Li had previously been an undocumented person using an expired identity, a target for arrest by Underworld bailiffs. Now that she had received the Imperial Conferment, she finally had a formal status within the Underworld.

Thinking of this, Zheng Que's gaze shifted to the words "Deployable" behind "Yin Messenger."

After pondering for a moment, he tentatively spoke, "Qing Li?"

Not long after the name Qing Li was spoken, a thick black mist suddenly surged from the empty floor of the hall. Then, a familiar figure emerged from the mist.

The figure was slender and graceful, dressed in white with black hair tied neatly behind her head. Hanging from her waist was a small token engraved with the ancient character "Service Token," with a wisp of green silk tassel dangling beneath it. It was indeed Qing Li.

Unlike the previous times she had entered this place, Qing Li was clear-headed this time. She looked around with extreme vigilance. Upon realizing she had arrived in the Underworld again, she quickly and nimbly knelt, kowtowing while respectfully saying, "This commoner... this subordinate pays respects to my Lord!"

Zheng Que felt a surge of joy. This "Deployable" meant he could summon an Yin Messenger!

Now, he could directly call out Qing Li's name to summon her into the Underworld without needing to repeatedly use the Ghost Controlling Technique!

This was far more convenient and much safer for him!

As his thoughts raced, Zheng Que composed himself and said solemnly, "You were once a Lonely Ghost and Wild Spirit. Now that you have received the Imperial Conferment and become an Underworld bailiff, this is a stroke of good fortune."

"From this day forward, you must refrain from arrogance and impatience, strictly follow orders, and serve the Underworld with diligence. In the future, there will be rewards."

"If you flatter to my face but mock behind my back, or feign compliance while acting in opposition, I shall see through it all and will never show mercy!"

His voice reverberated through the Wide Hall, sounding like crashing waters mixed with rolling thunder, pressing down upon Qing Li's mind inch by inch.

Qing Li hurriedly kowtowed and said, "This subordinate will certainly do my utmost and would never dare to disobey!"

Clack, clack, clack...

In the empty hall, the sound of the Female Hanging Ghost kowtowing was exceptionally loud.

At the head of the hall, Zheng Que nodded slightly, then immediately began to apply pressure, saying in a deep voice, "The calamity for that human cultivator is approaching soon."

"This tribulation is extremely difficult for her."

"If that human cultivator fails to pass this tribulation, it will be considered a dereliction of duty on your part. At that time, your crimes will be punished collectively: your Yin position will be stripped, your Imperial Conferment revoked, and you shall be cast into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, never to be reincarnated for eternity!"

"I have said all that needs to be said. Withdraw!"

As the voice fell, Qing Li, who was still kowtowing on the ground, had not yet recovered her senses when thick mist manifested out of thin air, instantly swallowing her whole.

Qing Li's figure quickly vanished into the dense fog, and then the mist dissipated without a trace, leaving the hall empty and desolate once more.

Zheng Que remained alone in the Wide Hall.

Watching this scene, he nodded. This "deployment" of the Yin Messenger was truly useful.

From now on, no matter where Qing Li went, he could summon her into the Underworld at any time, and he could order her to leave whenever he pleased.

Lost in thought, Zheng Que leaned back against the headrest of his armchair, quietly gazing at the Life and Death Book before him.

He did not wait long before a new name appeared on the Life and Death Book...

Time passed slowly, and the black aura between Zheng Que's brows gradually thinned.

When all the black aura had been absorbed by the Life and Death Book, he returned to his room in reality.

The window paper was translucent with a dim, pale light, and the faint sounds of pots and pans drifted in from next door. Dawn had broken, the rafters were empty, and Qing Li had not yet returned.

Zheng Que did not continue his cultivation, but instead sat in the room, waiting quietly...