Night, Funeral Shop.
After carefully entrusting various matters of the mourning hall, Cat Immortal Hall, and Bao Sheng Temple during the day, Xu Qing tidied up his attire, preparing to explore the Yin River once more.
This time, he was ready to refine the remaining twelve bones.
Xu Qing needed the Skull Ghost Soldiers of the Ancient Yin River Dao to aid his spiritual cultivation, and he also needed a deserted place to perform the thirty-six axes of the Celestial Gang.
This journey to the Yin River was inevitable.
"How long will Xu Immortal be away?"
"As short as a year, as long as three to five years, it won't be too long. The Profound Jade Immortal Family need not worry. If there's a chance, I will surely return to the Jin Sect to inspect."
Xuan Yu did not show any unusual expression. In the eyes of demons, three to five years and three to five months were no different.
"When I'm not here, the Cat Immortal Hall will be fully managed by the Profound Jade Immortal Family. I'm sure Xuan Yu can handle it well, right?"
Xuan Yu lifted his chin slightly, exuding composure: "Of course, Xu Immortal can rest assured to go about your duties, leave the rest to Xuan Yu."
Xu Qing was greatly comforted. After years of harmonization, the Cat Immortal Family in front of him was already capable of independent responsibility. If placed in a mundane family, it would also be a virtuous partner capable of both managing the household and kitchen.
However, just as Xu Qing stepped into the Twin Coffin, a sneaky paw of a cat quietly crept in from behind.
"Xuan Yu, what are you trying to do?"
Seeing Xu Qing squinting his eyes, Xuan Yu immediately withdrew the small hand and sat in front of the coffin.
"I just wanted to see Xu Immortal off."
How could Xu Qing not guess this cat's mind? It was obvious that the other party wanted to see how he manipulated the Twin Coffin. If he really let this cat learn the method...
With this cat's curious nature, it might follow him to the Yin River the next day!
"As the master of a hall, Xuan Yu Immortal Family is busy with affairs; how can you spare time for other concerns? I see the Golden Simurgh idling about all day, let it escort Xu Immortal Family on your behalf!"
The usually silly, not-so-smart-looking Golden Simurgh was surprisingly alert this time, watching Xu Qing warily, unwilling to approach the Twin Coffin.
The innate instinct of the Spiritual Bird told Golden Simurgh that the coffin before it seemed to harbor an ominous aura. If it stepped inside, it might lose the carefree life in the Funeral Shop where meals are served, and clothes brought to hand.
When Xu Qing saw that the Golden Simurgh suddenly became enlightened and wanted to sneak away, he raised his eyebrows and said slowly: "If you come over here, I'll take you out to a restaurant; there will be plenty of fat worms for you. If you don't come over..."
"As it seems, in a few days, Master Jingxu and Daoist Yizhen will take you back to the Five Elders Temple, where you'll have to eat vegetarian food and recite scriptures every day."
Before Xu Qing finished speaking, he noticed the figure of a Golden Chicken appear inside the Twin Coffin.
Looking at the expression of the Golden Simurgh, there was no hesitation at all!
Xu Qing clicked his tongue; this chicken indeed had become a bit smarter than before, but not much.
...
Ancient Yin River Dao.
Xu Qing visited this barren land once again, but this time, in addition to traveling alone, he had a majestic rooster weighing about forty pounds by his side.
As soon as Golden Simurgh stepped out of the desolate graveyard, it eagerly looked around. But when it saw the endless forest of tombstones and the skeletons exposed to the wind and sand, Golden Simurgh was utterly distressed!
What? Where did you take me?
This eerie, birdless place—where are the restaurants to dine at!
Golden Simurgh didn't believe it. While Xu Qing was fiddling with the paperman, it scratched the ground around the desolate cemetery.
But apart from digging up some corroded bones, it couldn't find anything else, let alone insects!
Golden Simurgh felt it had been hoodwinked. This wretched place was even worse than the Five Elders Temple.
Xu Qing paid no heed to the Golden Simurgh, which was pacing back and forth in frustration.
After finishing his task and crafting a paper sedan, Xu Qing beckoned at the Golden Simurgh:
"See this sedan? I made it especially for you. From today on, you don't have to walk by yourself in the Yin River. Just stay inside the sedan and control these Straw Spirit Papermen to move around..."
After that, Xu Qing took out a few bags of grains and placed them inside the sedan.
"There's no vegetation or crops in the Yin River. If you're hungry, eat these grains. I also have some Fasting Pills here..."
Golden Simurgh stared at Xu Qing, flapping its wings in discontent.
The latter completely ignored it and said: "This Ancient Yin River Dao is fraught with danger. As long as you stay inside the sedan, no one can detect your presence."
"But if you wander around..."
Xu Qing picked up a decayed bone and said: "The consequences might be hard to predict."
Golden Simurgh had always been kept in the Five Elders Temple, and it had never ventured into such perilous territories.
It walked around Xu Qing, refusing to climb onto the paper sedan.
Seeing this, Xu Qing calmly said: "As long as you listen to me, you'll have no end of fat worms to eat in no time."
"Moreover, this feast of worms is at least ten times more sumptuous than the meal we had at a restaurant on Flower and Bird Street!"
Upon hearing this, Golden Simurgh turned and climbed onto the paper sedan, displaying an unstoppable attitude that no one could deter.
Once on the sedan, this gluttonous silly chicken even used its comb to lift the paper curtain and poked its head out, urging Xu Qing.
The meaning was clear: don't just stand there! Aren't we going to dine out? Hurry up!
Xu Qing was dumbfounded.
This chicken seemed more eager than him!
Xu Qing shook his head and simply complied with Golden Simurgh's wishes, manipulating the Straw Spirit Papermen to carry the sedan around the perimeter of the Ghost King Mausoleum.
During this time, the Ghost King Mausoleum was exceptionally quiet. There wasn't a Ghost General in sight, nor even a shadow of a ghost.
Xu Qing felt something was amiss. Although last time he had transcended most of the corpses in the tomb, some Ghost Generals were still alive in the main burial chamber.