The instant the Ten Hall Yama finished speaking, all four, Yunxi, Ran Xi, Xun Kun, and Han Lian, fixed their gazes on the great figure. None of them spoke.
After waiting a while with no questions from them, the Ten Hall Yama shook his folding fan and said, "Why do you not ask how this hall intends to help you?"
Light gleamed in Yunxi's apricot eyes as she answered politely, "Nothing falls from the sky for free. We are considering what we can offer as payment for Lord Yama's assistance."
The hand holding the fan paused. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Ha. It is refreshing to speak with the clever."
Since the matter was out in the open, Ran Xi spoke plainly, "We are all ears. Please tell us the details."
Lounging back more comfortably, the Ten Hall Yama tapped the fan against his shoulder. "The barrier of the Eighteen Hells was damaged. A number of ferocious spirits escaped. Though my elder brother repaired the barrier, a batch of the most vicious had already slipped away and have not been recaptured. We suspect they took the chance to leave the Ghost Realm."
He paused, then went on, "Though the fault lies with the underworld, those escaped spirits must still be seized. So I wish to ask for your aid."
"Amitabha. If that is your command, we will not shirk it," Yun Chen Fózǐ said. "But how does Lord Yama judge that those spirits will appear in the Weiyu Realm?"
Every cultivator knew the saying of three thousand worlds was no idle phrase. How could the Ten Hall Yama pinpoint the Weiyu Realm so precisely?
A knowing smile touched the Yama's face. These youngsters were not easily fobbed off, and sharp besides. "That is the benefit of being an old ghost in the underworld. One learns many secrets."
Sensing they might wrest a crucial truth from him, Yunxi lowered her eyes to hide the curiosity there. When she looked up again, she was all serious attention.
The Ten Hall Yama intoned with deliberate mystery, "The three thousand worlds are always in flux, and the birth and end of worlds follow certain laws. But worlds destroyed by war break those laws and are exceptions.
As far as I know, eons ago a war between righteous and evil shook the God Realm. The evil god was defeated, yet a god's body cannot be destroyed. So the God Realm disassembled his divine body and sealed the pieces across different small worlds."
All four faces changed. Han Lian could not help cutting in, "Lord Yama, are you saying the Weiyu Realm seals a portion of that evil god's divine body?" He spread his hands."That answer you will have to seek yourselves once you return."
Ran Xi rubbed her brow. "A Divine Transformation evil cultivator who self-destructed in the Polar Extreme Wind Zone said I could not stop the evil god's return. Perhaps this is what he meant."
Silence fell. Questions that had troubled them now found reasonable answers. This was why the evil cultivators had never let go of the Weiyu Realm.
To welcome the evil god back, they would first reclaim the scattered parts of his divine body from the various worlds. That was only the first step. The second was retrieving the evil god's spirit. Only then could he truly return.
Xun Kun stroked his fingers and said in a low voice, "Those escaped spirits are sacrifices the evil cultivators mean to offer the evil god. So some of them will certainly appear in the Weiyu Realm."
The Ten Hall Yama only smiled without confirming, yet neither did he deny it. With a sweep of his sleeve, four mirrors appeared before them.
"These Soul-Collecting Mirrors are on loan. Imprint them with your spirit and you can use them to forcibly take souls. The underworld keeps records of the spirits that fled. If one enters your vicinity, the mirror will react. Put them to good use.
One more reminder. When a small world faces an abnormal destruction, the Heavenly Dao will act to save itself. Whenever a war between righteous and evil breaks out, the Heavenly Dao will contrive to let those who can resolve the crisis be born into that world."
His meaningful gaze swept the four again. The intent was clear.
Yunxi drew a slow breath. Thinking of what awaited them upon return made her temples throb. For a heartbeat, fleeing upward sounded tempting.
The thought passed at once. There was no path of retreat. She raised her hand and took a Soul-Collecting Mirror. The others, though silent, each accepted one as well.
"Amitabha. We will take this task," Yun Chen Fózǐ said. "How will Lord Yama help us suppress our cultivation and spirit power?"
The Ten Hall Yama's eyes narrowed with a smile. "That is simple."
He traced sigils in the air with soul power. Four strange runes coalesced. A flick of the fan sent them into the four bodies. In the next moment, each felt their spirit power draw in, holding at the Out-of-Body level. The rune within them pulsed, exerting a steady pressure.
Clearly pleased with his handiwork, the Ten Hall Yama explained, "These runes have a time limit. For a hundred years, so long as you do not break them yourselves, they will suppress your spirit power temporarily. Your combat will not be affected. You will still be able to use spirit at the Out-of-Body level."
The four tested it and found no immediate issue. They cupped their hands in thanks.
"As for suppressing your cultivation," he continued, "that rune you must draw yourselves. I cultivate soul power, not qi, so I cannot do that part for you."
He sketched another, far more intricate rune in midair and pushed it toward them.
They studied it for a while, committed it to memory, and withdrew their gazes.
Just then, Judge Cui jogged back in and bowed. "Lord, my men report they discovered an extremely hidden passage that can evade patrols and leave the Ghost Realm."
The Ten Hall Yama snapped his fan shut. "Tsk. I will go see. These rats are adept at tunneling."
He rose. After a single step, he turned his head to the four."Wait here for this hall."
With that, he swept Judge Cui along and vanished from the hall.
When he was gone, Han Lian let out a long breath and patted her chest."Ran Xi, Yun Chen, Xun Kun, tell me, are we fortunate or unfortunate? I feel stifled."
"I feel a bit suffocated too," Yunxi said softly.
Yun Chen pressed his palms together."Amitabha. To eradicate evil and uphold the Dao is our duty as cultivators. At least we have the strength to survive now, even a chance to turn the tide. Then let us fight with all we have. At worst, we battle from the Weiyu Realm all the way to the Weiling Realm."
Han Lian clicked her tongue twice and gave him a thumbs-up."Never thought you had such a belligerent side."
"Amitabha. Even the Buddha has wrathful Vajras."