"Tell me in detail."
Li Yue said calmly.
Although his voice was even, it sounded full of authority to the two ghosts, Liao Xiu'er and Liao Chengping.
"Venerable God, my brother and I lost our parents when we were young and grew up depending on each other."
"But because I was beautiful, Liao Xiong, the eldest son of the wealthy Liao Daqiang, wanted to take me as his concubine."
"I refused."
"One evening, I came here to draw water and happened to run into Liao Xiong. He tried to force himself on me."
"I resisted with all my might, and in his humiliation and rage, he pushed me down the well!"
"When my brother came looking for me, Liao Xiong, who was hiding nearby, pushed him down the well too!"
"My brother and I both died in that well, so the village chief sealed it up. As for Liao Xiong—"
At this, Liao Xiu'er's eyes filled with hatred.
"He got a talisman from somewhere. Even after my brother and I became ghosts, we still couldn't get near him!"
"And now he's gone to town and opened a tavern there. He couldn't be living a more comfortable life!"
"This lowly woman can only hate that even as a ghost, I can't avenge myself!"
"Please, Venerable God, give my brother and me justice!"
She bowed deeply, again and again.
Liao Chengping remained silent beside her, simply bowing repeatedly along with her.
Li Yue extended his right hand.
At once, the Land God Register appeared in his palm.
As his gaze fell upon it, the Land God Register opened by itself to Liao Xiong's page.
It recorded Liao Xiong's life and deeds, including one incident that matched Liao Xiu'er's account exactly.
As the Orthodox Land God of Four Seas Village,
he had to reward good as well as punish evil.
Three feet above your head, the gods are watching.
That was no empty saying!
Every deed of every villager under his Jurisdiction, from the day they were born, was recorded in painstaking detail in the Land God Register.
Not a single good deed or evil act went unrecorded.
"I will see that justice is done for you."
"I am still short of Yin Soldiers and Ghost Messengers under my command. Are you two willing to enter my service as Yin Soldiers and Ghost Messengers?"
He looked down at Liao Xiu'er and Liao Chengping and asked.
The second part of God War was the Subordinate God War.
And Yin Soldiers were also a force in the Subordinate God War.
What's more—
There were plenty of tasks that his Yin Soldiers and Ghost Messengers needed to handle for him.
He couldn't possibly go and do every little thing himself, like collecting souls, could he?
"If Venerable God is willing to give my brother and me justice, we will do whatever you command!"
Liao Xiu'er answered without hesitation.
Liao Chengping immediately nodded along.
"Very good."
A look of satisfaction appeared on Li Yue's face.
Two streams of divine power appeared in his hand, their brilliance vast and their Divine Might terrifying.
Slowly, they formed two gray-white divine talismans before him.
Each gray-white talisman bore complex, inscrutable runes and exuded the solemn authority of the Divine Path.
These were Yin Soldier Divine Talismans.
Once fused into a ghost's body, they could enfeoff the ghost as a Yin Soldier!
Yin Soldiers were divided into two categories.
The first served exclusively in battle.
The second specialized in capturing souls and served as Ghost Messengers.
In the system of the Mortal Realm's dynasties—
one was equivalent to a soldier, the other to a constable.
But in the Underworld, all Ghost Messengers were converted from Yin Soldiers!
So enfeoffing a Ghost Messenger also required a Yin Soldier Divine Talisman.
Only the minute details of the runes on the talisman were different.
He could freely control these differences while forming the Yin Soldier Divine Talismans.
"I—"
"I, the Orthodox Land God of Four Seas Village, hereby enfeoff Liao Xiu'er as a Ghost Messenger of Four Seas Village."
"I enfeoff Liao Chengping as a Ghost Messenger of Four Seas Village."
His solemn voice rang in the siblings' ears. The next moment, the two talismans became dazzling streams of light and merged into their bodies.
In an instant—
Their previously wavering ghostly forms solidified.
A pair of gloomy black robes also appeared on them, each with a large character for "Messenger" on the front and back.
The character faintly radiated the power of the Divine Path, setting their auras worlds apart from those of ordinary ghosts.
Even a spectral chain appeared around each of their waists.
These were soul-binding chains. Though they were currently formed only of ghostly energy, the power of the Divine Path imbued in the character "Messenger" still gave them the ability to capture souls.
"Thank you, Venerable God, for your grace!"
Liao Xiu'er and Liao Chengping were overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed.
They could both feel it—
They had suddenly become so much stronger!
Before, they could only bully ordinary people and wouldn't dare go near any Martial Artist.
But now—
They felt that they could face even a Martial Artist with vigorous qi and blood without the slightest fear!
"Go."
"Bring back Liao Xiong's soul."
Li Yue ordered them.
Newly enfeoffed Yin Soldiers could only be considered reserve Yin Soldiers or Ghost Messengers.
Their strength was about equal to that of a mid-tier first-rank Martial Artist.
Only after he used ten streams of divine power to cast the Divine Technique Strengthen Yin Soldiers could they advance to full-fledged Grade D Ghost Messengers.
A Grade D Ghost Messenger's strength was just a little below that of Temple Keeper Li Youming, comparable to a low-tier second-rank Martial Artist.
And if he cast the Divine Technique Yin Soldier Artifact as well, equipping the Yin Soldiers with an artifact, they could advance to Grade C Yin Soldiers, their strength surging.
As a Subordinate Ninth Rank Orthodox God, the strongest Yin Soldiers under his command could only reach Grade C.
But Grade C Yin Soldiers were already powerful.
Their strength was no weaker than that of a high-tier second-rank Martial Artist.
That was more than enough for him.
"Yes!"
Liao Xiu'er and Liao Chengping were brimming with excitement. After bowing respectfully, they hurried off toward town.
The character "Messenger" on their robes faintly shimmered with divine power, making them swift as the wind, far faster than galloping horses.
Li Yue took a step and returned to his Divine Domain.
Cangmu Town.
The town was silent in the dead of night, with only the wind howling.
Reeking of wine, Liao Xiong staggered out of the only brothel in town.
He smacked his lips, his face clearly showing his lingering delight.
"That young lady..."
"No wonder she came from the county seat... She sure is beautiful..."
"She's almost as pretty as that slut Liao Xiu'er..."
"I'll have to go again tomorrow. Hmm... and the day after, and the day after that!"
His drunken eyes were hazy, and he let out a lecherous chuckle, still wanting more.
But it was only the beginning of March, when the spring chill still lingered. He shivered and hurried his steps.
A palm-sized yellow talisman hung from his neck.
Just then,
he spotted a slender girl with long hair cascading over her shoulders, standing by the corner of a wall ahead.
The girl had her back to him and wore a white dress. Shivering in the cold wind, she looked so delicate and pitiful that anyone would feel for her.
Liao Xiong's eyes lit up at once.
He hurried over and slurred,
"Miss, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of going home?"
"Want me to walk you home? Wouldn't want you running into some bad guys along the way."
He thought he'd put it rather well and felt a little pleased with himself.
"You want to walk me home..."
"Back to that well..."
The girl slowly turned around. Her bloodless, pale face wore an eerie smile as she stared straight at him.
"W-what well...?"
Liao Xiong saw the girl's face clearly.
His own face turned deathly pale, his pupils contracting to pinpricks, terror filling his eyes.
Liao Xiu'er?
Wasn't she dead?
Why was she here?
Could it be—
A ghost?!
Before you continue