Xun Kun had already begun drawing the suppression rune in midair. While gathering demonic power, he said, "Things have come to this. We can only accept Lord Yama's kindness. Though this trip to the Ghost Realm felt stifling, we did gain something. Our soul power grew, and we found the source of why the Weiyu Realm is targeted by evil cultivators. The sect Ancestors may not even know this. When we return, we can clear things up for them."
Yunxi imitated the method and practiced the rune to suppress cultivation, but she held a different view. "I think the newly established sects may not know, but the old ones might. Huaxian Gate certainly knows the inside story. Otherwise, why would the evil artifact Long Ya and so many vicious souls be sealed inside their sect-treasure, the Shanhe Scroll?"
Han Lian agreed and echoed her, "Tsk, Huaxian Gate knew and kept quiet. No wonder they suffered a calamity like this. If they had spoken honestly, it might not have come to this."
"Amitabha. These were decisions made by the elders. Ordinary disciples had no say, yet they are the ones dragged into the disaster," Yun Chen Fózǐ said.
"Who else can they blame?" Han Lian replied.
They fell silent again and focused on getting used to the new runes.
An hour later, the Ten Hall Yama and Judge Cui still had not returned. The four did not want to sit idle. They each took out a robe, erased the embedded arrays, and began attempting to inscribe the cultivation-suppression rune.
At first their success rate was low, but their divine sense was strong. After half an hour, the suppression runes fused successfully into the robes.
Yunxi stripped the arrays from her usual white robe with cyan patterns, then layered one suppression rune over another with spiritual power, striving to prolong her stay in the Weiyu Realm.
Han Lian, Yun Chen Fózǐ, and Xun Kun also succeeded one after another, each gaining a robe that suppressed cultivation.
After a look over their work, Yunxi suddenly suggested, "Why not combine our strength and carve four different-force runes into a single robe? The effect might be better."
Han Lian paused to think. "You and I both have ice spiritual roots and both cultivate spiritual power."
"You are forgetting Bai Feng. You are his master. You can borrow his demon power," Yunxi reminded her.
Xun Kun nodded appreciatively. "Good idea. If the rune written by one force is damaged, the other three will keep working. That is better than a single-force suppression rune."
They were all action-oriented. They set up an isolation array, brought Bai Feng out of the space, and began the trial.
Yun Chen Fózǐ's Buddhist power was gentle. Xun Kun's demonic power was a bit explosive. Bai Feng's demon power was stubborn. Once Yunxi added a rune with thunder spiritual power, the other two forces immediately fell into line.
Yunxi was satisfied. If they would not behave, then suppress them by force. They had no time to waste.
Han Lian stared at Bai Feng for a while, then carved a suppression collar from spirit jade and fastened it around his neck.
Bai Feng pawed at it uncomfortably and complained, "Master, what are you doing? Why suppress my cultivation?"
Han Lian stroked his head and explained, "You cannot stay in the Misty Snow Domain forever. You must travel with me in the cultivation world. Your cultivation is equal to mine. We are both sixth rank. If we go back, you will ascend at once. Do you want to fly up alone?"
Bai Feng tilted his head. "If I ascend, I go to the beast region. That should be fine, right?"
Han Lian's face darkened. She thumped his head with her fist. "I spared you from becoming an evil cultivator's puppet. Now I need you to fight by your master's side, and you want to run off to ascend? Do you think I cannot beat you anymore?"
Bear and woman scuffled at once, dispelling much of the earlier gloom. In the end, Bai Feng was subdued by force, mainly because Yunxi dangled him a bright future.
"Bai Feng, think it through. In the Misty Snow Domain you were only fifth rank. After recognizing Han Lian as master, you broke through to sixth rank in the shortest time. Which beast cultivator can match that pace? Have you never wondered why?"
Bai Feng scratched his ear. Ran Xi's argument made sense. Beast lived long but cultivated slowly, especially beyond the fifth rank. Without a bloodline inheritance, many stopped there.
Yet he had broken through to sixth rank so quickly. Han Lian's contribution was obvious.
Yunxi pressed the advantage. "Bai Feng, merit is hard-earned. You have already tasted its benefits. Do not disappoint us."
Bai Feng was finally persuaded. He agreed to wield his strength for his master first, then ascend to the Spirit Realm afterward.
The four changed into their new suppression robes, drew in their auras, dropped the isolation array, and quietly awaited the Ten Hall Yama's return.
Han Lian asked offhandedly, "The Ten Hall Yama suppressed our cultivation, answered our questions, and even gave us Soul-Collecting Mirrors. What is he after?"
"To make up for the underworld's mistake and retrieve every escaped ferocious spirit," Yunxi said. That was all she could think of.
"Amitabha. That is for the best," Yun Chen Fózǐ said.
As his words fell, the Ten Hall Yama appeared in the hall. Seeing the four quick movers had already suppressed their cultivation, he smiled. "Perfect timing. The underworld just found a hidden path out of the Ghost Realm. No need to open a separate passage. We will send you back at once. Come."
With a flick of his folding fan, a black hole yawned open in the middle of the hall.
The Ten Hall Yama stepped in first. Yunxi and the others exchanged a glance and filed in. As the last of them crossed the threshold, the black hole sealed shut.
Judge Cui stared as it closed, only managing to blurt out, "Wait."
Black and White Impermanence, who had followed behind him, looked speechless. One of them asked the judge, hand still stretched forward, "Will this be a problem?"
"Depends on their luck. My guess is the other end is an evil cultivators' nest."
Black Impermanence sounded uncertain. "With Lord Yama guiding them, it should be fine, right?"
"Should be... probably."
Inside the passage, Yunxi and her companions sped through a pitch-black corridor, tight behind the Ten Hall Yama. Time itself seemed to flow and warp. They felt as if they were threading the river of time.
At last, a point of light appeared ahead. The Ten Hall Yama waved his fan. "This hall will send you only this far. Good luck."
As his words fell, the four felt as light as Fleeting Cloud and shot toward the lone exit.
They closed their eyes for an instant and burst out of the passage. As they steadied themselves, the sect tokens at their waists began to vibrate madly.
"Ha ha ha! There is a road to heaven and you would not take it, yet you barge into hell with no gate. Since you are here, leave your bodies behind."
The rampant jeer reached their ears. In the next breath, thick evil miasma surged in from all sides and swallowed the four.