Xun Kun cupped his hands. "Many thanks for the reminder, Lord Yama. Cause and effect were set long ago. I am only following the natural course."
The Ten Hall Yama arched a brow but said nothing more. Once cultivators enter the Dao, they no longer return to the cycle of reincarnation. He truly had no authority over the four before him.
Judge Cui hurried in to meet the superior. Seeing that it was the Ten Hall Yama, his steps paused, but he still went forward and bowed respectfully. "Your subordinate greets the Ten Hall Yama."
The Ten Hall Yama flicked his folding fan. "My elder brother is tied up dealing with matters of the Eighteen Hells and cannot get away for two days. He asked me to send these four back. Open a road just for them."
Judge Cui hesitated. "Would that be improper? I was notified to seal all routes leaving the Ghost Realm these two days, for fear of covert escapes."
Though he was not explicit, everyone present understood. They feared ferocious spirits might slip out of the Ghost Realm and open the way for evil cultivators lying low.
The Ten Hall Yama did not take offense and nodded. "My elder brother knows your concern. That is why he sent me personally. Do not worry. With me here, those things will not leave the Ghost Realm."
He sounded perfectly confident.
Judge Cui knew that although the Ten Hall Yama was not his direct superior, his authority matched that of the First Hall Yama, and his power was not weak. He answered respectfully, "Understood. Please grant me one day to arrange it."
The Ten Hall Yama waved his fan. "Judge Cui, at most half a day."
Judge Cui could only answer with a helpless face, "I will make the arrangements at once."
He ordered tea to be served, then hurried out.
The great hall fell into a strange quiet. The four took seats below the Ten Hall Yama and kept silent.
The Ten Hall Yama seemed intrigued by them, letting his gaze sweep over the four one by one, lingering a little longer on Yunxi.
Xun Kun cleared his throat, took out the custom robes Huo Wan had delivered, and passed each their tailored set.
Yunxi liked the crimson robe very much. After storing it in her bracelet, she slipped off the Vajra bodhi bracelet on her wrist and pushed it toward Yun Chen Fózǐ, then drew the ice lotus from her chest and returned it to Han Lian. Lastly, she gently removed the black filigree mask from her face and handed it back to Xun Kun.
Yun Chen intoned a Buddha name and reclaimed his personal Buddhist artifact. Han Lian pressed the ice lotus back between her brows. Xun Kun donned the filigree mask again, replacing the temporary one.
After a moment's thought, Xun Kun divided fifty thousand top-grade soulstones into a pouch and offered it to Yunxi.
Yunxi did not take it. She knew well what was inside, but she did not think she should accept Xun Kun's soulstones for nothing.
Xun Kun said in a low voice, "Ran Xi, keep it. You will need this when we return to the Weiyu Realm."
Yunxi waved a hand. "No need. I still have some soulstones."
Seeing that she truly would not accept it, Xun Kun spoke plainly. "Not enough. There is still a wisp of soul thunder lodged in your spirit."
Yunxi's hand, which had been pushing the pouch back, paused. She had not expected Xun Kun to notice. She remembered masking it when she left the soul-liquid pool.
Han Lian's brows shot up. "Ran Xi, since you are not fully healed, why leave in a rush?"
As soon as she spoke, she seemed to realize something and looked toward the Ten Hall Yama, who was idly fanning himself.
The Ten Hall Yama had not expected to be involved, though he recalled his elder brother had said the time given for treatment was sufficient. How was it that the one who most needed care had not fully recovered? For a heartbeat, the air turned awkward.
"Amitabha. Should we exchange for additional soulstones with Judge Cui?" Yun Chen asked with concern. Their spirits had benefited, but their pouches held few soulstones.
Yunxi waved it off. "Do not worry. I will think of something."
Xun Kun insisted she take the stones. "Consider it a loan from me. Nothing matters more than mending your spirit."
After a moment's thought, Yunxi accepted the fifty thousand top-grade soulstones. It would at least ease her companions' minds. In private, she could always trade some with Ox-Head Horse-Face.
Since Judge Cui had not yet returned, the four did not leave the Record Office, nor did they wish to chat with the Ten Hall Yama. They simply began discussing their return to the Weiyu Realm.
This time Yun Chen spoke first. "Amitabha. Once we return, we will face the evil cultivators head-on. But our cultivation has already broken through to the Out-of-Body stage. We may not be able to remain in the Weiyu Realm for long."
Han Lian raised a brow. "I never thought I would ascend to the Spirit Realm before my master."
Xun Kun shook his head. "At this moment, ascending to the Spirit Realm may not be a good thing."
Yunxi had considered this already but had not found a proper solution. Since her companions brought it up, she voiced her view. "I agree with Xun Kun. The timing is wrong. Besides, ever since the Five Region Grand Tournament incident, our sect has received no messages from the upper realm. It is as if the line has been cut.
The evil cultivators refused to let go and have kept their gaze on our Weiyu Realm. After failing five hundred years ago, they used the slow-boil approach, probing for ways to infiltrate. That alone is abnormal. And this time the problem lies with the foremost sect of the Central Region, Huaxian Gate. That shows the determination of the upper realm's evil cultivators."
Han Lian stroked the armrest. "What is in the Weiyu Realm that makes the upper realm's evil cultivators strike at us again and again, this time even dropping all pretense to send their own down to do evil?"
Xun Kun lowered his eyes. "Could it be the Long Ya that we heavily injured before? It has been sealed again into the Shanhe Scroll, and the scroll is Huaxian Gate's supreme treasure. That would explain going straight for Huaxian Gate."
They did not yet know the Shanhe Scroll had already been lost, so Yunxi felt this was plausible and nodded. "Possible. But to send so many evil cultivators just to seize Long Ya feels like using an ox-cleaver on a chicken. Could they not have stolen the Shanhe Scroll quietly without alerting the righteous sects? Why such fanfare?"
Her words sent the three into thoughtful silence. Given the evil cultivators' by-any-means style, this approach did seem unreasonable.
Han Lian rubbed her temples. "Leave aside why they made such a grand move. We should first think about suppressing our cultivation so we can remain in the Weiyu Realm. Once we understand the situation, we can ascend. If we return and are immediately forced to ascend, I have a bad feeling about what awaits us."
Xun Kun added, "If it is a short-term suppression sufficient to avoid rejection by the Weiyu Realm's Heavenly Dao, all four of us can manage. But once we fight, our suppressed cultivation will break free."
Yunxi found the matter thorny. The four of them were now at early Out-of-Body, but their spirits had reached Void Refinement. Returning would bring planar rejection.
"Perhaps this hall can help you."