At this, Zheng Que nodded slightly.
The ability to sense ghosts, see their specific information, and seal them away... All three abilities were extremely useful.
As for killing living beings and ghosts, and sending their souls and yin energy into the Underworld—that overlapped with the function of his [Life and Death Book].
Qing Li was his Ghost Servant now. Even without this ability, the living beings and ghosts she killed would still be recorded in the [Life and Death Book].
The ability's only use was probably that even if he and Qing Li ended their master-servant relationship, she could still add names to his [Life and Death Book]...
Thinking of this, Zheng Que immediately asked, "Have you mastered any other new abilities?"
Besides receiving an Imperial Conferment, Qing Li had just absorbed the yin energy of seven ghosts. He wondered what abilities she had inherited.
However, at his question, the excitement vanished from Qing Li's face. After a long while, she replied indifferently, "No."
None?
Zheng Que froze. There were seven ghosts, after all. Even if each one had only a single ability, that still made seven abilities!
And Qing Li hadn't inherited a single one of them?
Last time, Qing Li hadn't inherited the Water Ghost's ability, most likely because its cultivation was far below hers. But among the ghosts this time, there had been more than one at the fourth level of [Tongue-Pulling Hell]!
After thinking it over carefully, Zheng Que quickly reached a conclusion...
When Qing Li killed ghosts on her own, the [Life and Death Book] still recorded their names and yin energy, but the yin energy it recorded might not be complete—only a portion of it.
Only when he was present could the [Life and Death Book] record a ghost's name and all of its yin energy.
Only then could Qing Li inherit their abilities!
Just as he was thinking this, Qing Li said coldly, "Human brat, if there's nothing else, your granny's heading out."
Zheng Que came back to himself. He couldn't waste the time his Ghost Servant spent working for him, so he nodded at once. "All right."
The next moment, the door opened, and Qing Li drifted out.
The room was left with Zheng Que alone. Without hesitation, he immediately began cultivating.
As the technique circulated again and again, spirit energy wrapped in yin energy slowly flowed into his Qi Sea.
Before he knew it, Zheng Que opened his eyes and found himself in the Underworld Space once more.
He glanced at the [Life and Death Book] before him. It still recorded forty-nine names.
Just as Zheng Que was about to look away, he suddenly noticed that the entry about Qing Li had changed completely...
"Kind: Resentful Soul."
"Species: Female Hanging Ghost."
"True Name: Qing Li."
"Origin: Changfu Town, Taiping County, Tu Prefecture, Great Li Dynasty."
"Yin Lifespan: Twenty-two years, five months, and four days."
"Yin Profession: Yin Messenger (may be dispatched)."
"Term of Service: Half a Jiazi."
Zheng Que was a little surprised. Qing Li's "Kind" had previously been listed as "Human Race," but now it had become "Resentful Soul," and her "Species" had changed to "Female Hanging Ghost." Her name and origin were unchanged, but "Name" had become "True Name," "Lifespan" had become "Yin Lifespan," and she now had a Yin Profession and a term of service...
After reading Qing Li's new information twice, Zheng Que quickly understood. The information recorded in the [Life and Death Book] had always been about Qing Li when she was alive. Even though she had become a "Resentful Soul" after death, until she received an Imperial Conferment, the [Life and Death Book] hadn't recognized her status in the Underworld.
To use an example from his previous life, Qing Li had been an undocumented person, using an expired identity—a target for the Underworld's officials to arrest. Now that she'd received an Imperial Conferment, she finally had an official identity in the Underworld...
Thinking of this, Zheng Que looked again at the words "may be dispatched" beside Yin Messenger.
After a moment's thought, he tentatively called out, "Qing Li?"
Not long after he spoke the name "Qing Li," a thick black mist suddenly surged up from the empty hall below. Then a familiar figure appeared within it.
She was slender and graceful, dressed in white with black hair. Her long locks were neatly tied back, and a small token engraved with the ancient character for "service" hung at her waist. A green tassel dangled beneath it. It was Qing Li.
Unlike the previous times she had entered this place, Qing Li was fully conscious this time, warily watching her surroundings. When she realized she'd come to the Underworld again, she quickly dropped to her knees. Bowing her head, she said respectfully, "This humble woman... This subordinate pays her respects, my lord!"
Zheng Que was delighted. So "may be dispatched" meant he could dispatch a Yin Messenger!
Now, he could simply speak Qing Li's name to summon her into the Underworld. He no longer needed to keep using [Ghost Controlling Technique]!
That was far more convenient for him—and far safer!
His thoughts racing, Zheng Que composed himself and then said solemnly, "You were once a Lonely Ghost and Wild Spirit. Now you have received an Imperial Conferment and become an official of the Underworld. This is a great fortune."
"From this day onward, you must guard against arrogance and impatience, obey your superiors, and serve the Underworld diligently. In time, you will surely be rewarded."
"If you flatter me to my face and mock me behind my back, or obey in appearance while defying me in secret, I will see through it all and show no mercy!"
His voice thundered back and forth through the Wide Hall, like crashing waves mingled with rolling thunder, pressing down upon Qing Li's mind inch by inch.
Qing Li hurriedly kowtowed. "This subordinate will serve with all her heart and strength. I wouldn't dare disobey!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the empty hall, the Female Hanging Ghost's kowtows rang out especially loud.
On the dais, Zheng Que nodded slightly, then immediately began to put pressure on her. In a deep voice, he said, "The calamity facing that Human Race cultivator is drawing near."
"This tribulation will be extremely difficult for him."
"If that Human Race cultivator fails to overcome this tribulation, you will be guilty of dereliction of duty. Then, all your offenses will be punished together: your Yin Profession will be stripped away, your Imperial Conferment revoked, and you will be cast into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, never to be reborn!"
"I've said all I need to say. You may leave!"
As his voice fell, Qing Li was still kneeling and kowtowing, not yet recovered from her shock, when dense mist appeared out of nowhere around her and swallowed her in an instant.
Qing Li's figure soon disappeared into the thick fog. Then the mist dissipated without a trace, and the space below the dais was empty once more.
Only Zheng Que's solitary figure remained in the Wide Hall.
Watching this, he nodded. This "dispatch" ability of the Yin Messenger was truly useful.
No matter where Qing Li went from now on, he could summon her into the Underworld whenever he wanted, and tell her to leave just as easily.
As he pondered, Zheng Que leaned back, settling against the back of the Grandmaster Chair, and quietly watched the [Life and Death Book] before him.
Before long, another new name appeared in the [Life and Death Book]...
Time passed slowly, and the black qi between Zheng Que's brows gradually thinned.
When the [Life and Death Book] had absorbed all the black qi, he returned to the room in the real world.
A dim white glow showed through the window paper. The clatter of pots and pans came faintly from next door. Day had broken, but the beam overhead was empty, and Qing Li still hadn't returned.
Zheng Que didn't continue cultivating. Instead, he sat quietly in the room and waited...
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