Chapter 6: Serving the Ghost King of Mount Nan (Revised)

Yang Xuan pressed his ear against the cold wall, trying to catch any sound from inside the room. However, the thickness of the wall exceeded his expectations. He could only faintly hear some indistinct murmurs, seemingly the household master pleading for forgiveness from a deity. This surprised Yang Xuan, as orthodox worship of gods rarely involved prayers for pardon. He realized that the deity worshiped here was by no means a righteous one, which only strengthened his resolve to investigate further.

“It looks like I need to find a chance to see exactly what kind of deity the household is worshiping,” he thought to himself.

Having left the household’s residence, Yang Xuan had just returned to the theater troupe when a speeding SUV nearly knocked him over. A plump young man jumped out, comparing Yang Xuan to a photo on his phone before suddenly grabbing his collar.

“What did you do to Qiao Qiao and Jia Jia?” the young man demanded, his face flushed with anger.

Yang Xuan was momentarily puzzled but soon remembered the two female streamers from last night.

“You mean those two ladies who were live streaming last night?” he asked in return.

“They were frightened and should still be resting,” Yang Xuan explained, then volunteered to take the young man to see them.

Yu Mengjia’s home was not far from the theater, and Qiao Qiao had also hidden there after the incident last night. As soon as they entered, the plump young man rushed inside anxiously.

Seeing this, Yang Xuan was baffled. “Is this her boyfriend?” he wondered.

Inside, Yu Mengjia and Qiao Qiao were just beginning to recover from last night’s scare when the plump young man burst in, startling them all over again.

“Ah! A ghost!” Qiao Qiao shouted, quickly hiding behind Yu Mengjia. Yu Mengjia wanted to dodge as well but was preempted by Qiao Qiao’s move. With nowhere to hide, she grabbed a broom defensively.

Fortunately, Yang Xuan’s timely arrival helped the two women relax somewhat.

“Captain Yang, who is this chubby guy?” Yu Mengjia asked.

Yang Xuan scratched his head, looking helpless. “I really don’t know him; he should be related to your streaming, I guess.”

Yang Xuan’s explanation made the young man feel awkward, his face flushing with embarrassment.

“Uh, my streaming name is ‘Timid Cat,’” he said.

“Jia Jia’s live stream last night was so intense; I was worried something might happen to you, so I came over,” he added.

Hearing this, Yu Mengjia looked touched, and even Qiao Qiao, still hiding behind her, was envious.

“Jia Jia! Only your family truly cares for you, always worrying. Look at me—I was scared out of my wits too, but my family only sends cold messages online…”

After introductions, since the plump young man was already a viewer in their streaming room, he quickly bonded with the two women, leaving Yang Xuan somewhat sidelined.

“Jia Jia, don’t worry. I did my homework before coming,” Yang Xuan said confidently.

“In my opinion, last night’s events were just illusions typical of yin plays, much like street magic tricks.”

“If these kinds of yin plays happen again, you don’t need to be afraid—just hide behind me, and I can easily dispel them.”

Yang Xuan listened carefully from the side, quietly muttering to himself with a troubled feeling.

“Brother, you came to protect your streamer, that’s fine, I don’t mind. But don’t mess up the yin plays, don’t bring trouble on yourself. If you really anger some ghost or demon, then it won’t be something I can handle.”

“Cough, cough, let me interrupt. Fat bro, just protect your beautiful streamer, but if anything really happens after midnight, don’t go showing off!” Yang Xuan warned.

The plump young man bristled, glaring at Yang Xuan and gesturing.

“Showing off? That’s all fake anyway; you don’t get to warn me!” he snapped.

“You better stick to your own business,” he added.

After this verbal exchange, Yang Xuan said nothing more and walked out of the room.

Since daytime performances were usually yang plays, which were much lighter than yin plays, some of the troupe’s lesser-known members could just go on stage for a simple appearance. Taking advantage of this break, Yang Xuan rested backstage.

Lying there half-awake, a thought suddenly came to him.

“The ghost that grabbed me last night was full of sinister energy. Before dying, it seemed to say something about its elder brother…”

“King of Ghosts of Nanshan?”

Following this line of thought, Yang Xuan seemed to have a guess. He immediately activated the system.

“Activate Yin Drama Master system!”

[System activated for you~]

With a voice, the system interface appeared before Yang Xuan’s eyes.

Last night, he had awakened the spirit of Guan Yu, the Martial Saint God of War.

Yang Xuan now had a concrete understanding of spirit possession, but he still had no idea about the power or duration of Guan Yu’s possession.

If he truly encountered the King of Ghosts of Nanshan, and summoned Guan Yu’s power but was overpowered, wouldn’t he be finished on the spot?

“System, how strong is Guan Yu’s possession on me?”

[Since the possession has not yet occurred, the system cannot evaluate.]

“Damn, that’s a rip-off!”

“Looks like I have to gamble on it?”

The more Yang Xuan thought, the more frustrated he became.

That was the power of a ghost king!

And the exact strength of the King of Ghosts of Nanshan was still unknown.

Was this gamble worth it?

[Listen, I just want to say thank you~]

Before Yang Xuan could finish his thoughts, the system in his mind started playing an upbeat thank-you song, which echoed in his head for a full three minutes before ending.

“...”

Evening came quickly.

After dinner, Yang Xuan made a firm decision backstage.

“Uncle Kun, let’s perform ‘Crossing Five Passes and Slaying Six Generals’ tonight!”

Uncle Kun looked puzzled.

“Boss, why the sudden change in the play?”

Yang Xuan suddenly slapped the table, stood up, and spoke with great energy.

“I think this place is too heavy with evil energy. I want Lord Guan to calm the scene!”

Uncle Kun nodded and went to make arrangements.

Yin plays were usually performed at midnight. Yang Xuan, drowsy, drifted into sleep, though it was restless.

He felt an icy chill throughout his body, as if a dying man grasping at a final straw. Veins bulged on the backs of his clenched fists.

“Is anyone there?”

Yang Xuan shouted, his slightly trembling voice betraying his emotions.

He was nervous!

Not for any other reason than the fact that he had only wanted a good, restful sleep to prepare for the evening’s performance of ‘Crossing Five Passes and Slaying Six Generals.’

But when he opened his eyes, the surroundings were pitch black, and he found himself floating in midair. As the light moved forward, the ground beneath his feet gradually solidified.

Before him stretched a deserted desert, sandstorms whipping so fiercely he could barely open his eyes. After adjusting, he saw a city wall rising atop a distant hill.

No matter how far he walked, the city still seemed out of reach.

It felt like a mirage, yet also like something tangible.

With no other choice, Yang Xuan shouted again, inwardly cursing the troublesome system.

“Activate Yin Drama Master system!”

[System activated for you~]

With the system’s response, Yang Xuan exhaled sharply, feeling somewhat relieved as he scanned the panel. As before, little had changed, but with the system by his side, his confidence was much greater.

Though his shout had not even echoed back, he no longer felt panic.

[Detected that the host is in the Minor Three Realms. Spend 1,000 merit points to activate scanning function?]

What? A scanning function costing 1,000 merit points?

Yang Xuan grumbled inwardly but still agreed.

Once the scan completed, Yang Xuan tensed as if facing a great enemy.

The so-called Minor Three Realms were places where those with merit points stored regrets or mistakes they had buried. Aside from the remnants of spirits and gods, the land was littered with restless souls sealed here, their hatred so dense it seemed almost tangible, suffocating Yang Xuan.

Naturally, he was extremely nervous—being possessed by evil energy was no trivial matter.

Now, feeling like a mere wraith, unsure if he still retained the power of spirit possession, it was impossible not to feel anxious.

After scanning his surroundings, Yang Xuan forced himself to keep moving forward.

“Is anyone there?”

He shouted again, louder and steadier this time. After a moment, a voice echoed from the void, as if responding.

“You have come! I have been waiting for you!”

Yang Xuan was startled. He focused his eyes but saw no one approaching. The voice seemed to float in the air, coming from all directions, wrapping around his ears, causing an involuntary shiver.

Waiting for him?

This presence seemed to know he was coming.

Seeing that Yang Xuan did not reply, the voice explained.

“Yesterday, you borrowed my divine power. Your ability to judge cases is outstanding, quite impressive. Now, you still do not know who I am?”

Bao Zheng!

The first divine power Yang Xuan had borrowed was that of Bao Zheng. But this place was a gathering of regrets and desires. Could Bao Zheng also harbor regrets?

Without time to ponder whether this Bao Zheng was real, Yang Xuan’s first reaction was disbelief: Bao Zheng, the incorruptible official revered by the people, how could he have regrets left behind?

“Are you… Lord Bao?”

Yang Xuan found it hard to believe. With Bao Zheng’s merit, how could even a trace of his spirit be here? More importantly, though Yang Xuan came from a theatrical background and was not as skeptical about ghosts and gods as others, it was still hard to imagine personally encountering such a divine presence, even if invisible and intangible.

“Your name is Yang Xuan. You summoned me, so my spirit has reappeared in this realm.”

Yang Xuan stood upright with respect, his initial tension replaced by solemnity. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe wholeheartedly in this so-called Bao Zheng, but from the moment the spirit spoke, the surrounding restless evils retreated like a tide. Though still filled with resentment, they dared not approach him any closer.

Bao Zheng spoke in an official tone, perhaps influenced by his long passage from the mortal world. Over time, as fewer people worshipped gods, Bao Zheng explained that once ascending to godhood, deities rarely intervened in human affairs except for necessary natural phenomena.

His ability to manifest here was due to a pact made millennia ago among gods, waiting for a destined person to help them resolve lingering regrets and desires, allowing their spirits to peacefully dissipate.

Over the years, many with the right conditions had appeared, but more and more gods were arriving with regrets and desires. Those who handled these matters often left some issues unresolved, causing endless cycles of increase and decrease without a fixed number. Some regrets had dissipated thanks to such destined individuals, but many, like Bao Zheng himself, had waited thousands of years.

“So you mean I am this destined person. Because I summoned you, I must handle these things, eliminating the regrets and desires you left behind?”

Yang Xuan frowned, a slight smile twitching at the absurdity of it all. His expression caught the attention of a blue-robed ghost nearby, whose resentment grew stronger, thickening the surrounding mist with an overwhelming force as if trying to break through the realm’s boundaries.

“Cause and effect in the world must follow their course.”

Yang Xuan understood. The Minor Three Realms did not just contain one destined person like himself but many throughout thousands of years. Though rare, there were a number of such individuals. By inheriting some of Bao Zheng’s divine power and summoning his spirit, Yang Xuan severed certain karmic ties and enjoyed these benefits. Naturally, he was obliged to help Bao Zheng clear those regrets and desires.

“What must I do now? What regrets or desires do you need resolved?”

Bao Zheng was silent for a long while, so long that Yang Xuan thought the spirit had left, before finally speaking.

“Throughout my life, I judged countless cases, even serving as a thousand-year judge in the underworld. But as I neared ascension, I was blocked by a threshold. That’s when I realized I had wrongly judged a wrongful case while still alive. Now that I am but a spirit, a deity of the underworld, I should not interfere in the mortal realm. In principle…”

“In principle what?”

Yang Xuan didn’t catch the rest; the voice faded, leaving him confused.

Lord Bao! Can you be clearer? You keep wavering on other points, but what is your main message? How exactly can I help you?

Could it be that he wants me to reopen a wrongful case? Or find the wrongly judged ghost?

Neither is easy!

As he pondered, Yang Xuan suddenly felt a violent impact. By pure instinct, he barely dodged a charge from a dark shadow filled with intense resentment, surging toward him like a battering ram!

Perhaps due to the system or the special magnetic field of this small realm, after entering the Minor Three Realms today, Yang Xuan could see these ghostly creatures.

His fear lingered until Bao Zheng’s spirit appeared, offering some relief. When Bao Zheng suddenly vanished, his terror surged to the peak, causing his legs to tremble slightly, though his face remained impassive.

The dark shadow’s face was indistinct, but its blue robe was clear. After Yang Xuan dodged, the shadow rushed forward again with a whoosh. This time, he could not evade, and his heart sank deeply.

“Activate Yin Drama Master system!”

Outside, thunder rumbled, accompanying Yang Xuan’s shout with an ominous, terrifying atmosphere.

He sat up abruptly, hands flailing. After a long moment, he exhaled a heavy breath, dazed as if caught between dream and reality.

[System activated for you~]

With the system’s prompt, Yang Xuan stared blankly at the interface. After a moment, he snapped back to clarity, noticing that a new side quest had mysteriously appeared in the system’s task panel.