Chapter 1 The Temple

The hall was unusually quiet.

Zhu Changluo faced the incense with half his face, and looked at Ji Xiang with the other half.

But he didn't expect Ji Xiang to show any abnormality, only to reply directly:

"I can."

This answer seemed to surprise Zhu Changluo greatly.

Ji Xiang then continued:

"I just don't know which kind of resurrection His Highness the Crown Prince is asking about?"

"In my Daoist school, there is the art of Hui Hai Qi Si (Returning the Corpse to Life), the art of Taiyin Lian Xing (Lunar Body Refining), the art of Shen Xing Zhang Jie (Spirit Transformation Staff Dissolution), the art of Chi Yang Fan Sheng (Holding Yang to Return to Life), and the art of Sanyang Wuhui (Three Yangs Fivefold Convergence). Different resurrection methods correspond to different circumstances of death."

Listening to Ji Xiang speak, a hint of doubt and strangeness appeared in Zhu Changluo's eyes. He paused for a moment and asked with great curiosity:

"You... can you casually bring the dead back to life?"

The eunuch beside him approached Zhu Changluo and whispered:

"The dead are guided by the gods of the underworld. This Daoist priest is probably just spouting nonsense. Your Highness shouldn't believe him."

"Your Highness is here to pray for the well-being of Consort Gong. You shouldn't delay."

The Crown Prince was not favored by the Wanli Emperor. He had lived in fear for the past fifteen years, daring not to have the slightest problem in his life. If he became obsessed with alchemy and the art of resurrection at this time, he would inevitably be questioned. The consequences of being questioned at this time need not be said. The Wanli Emperor was just looking for a reason to kick him, the Crown Prince, aside.

Moreover, under the control of the Wanli Emperor, Zhu Changluo did not even have palace maids to serve him. The eunuchs around him were either the Emperor's eyes and ears, or his own close attendants, mostly small eunuchs who were insignificant.

"Just asking casually, don't be anxious."

However, Zhu Changluo seemed to be interested, ignoring the earnestness in the eunuch's eyes, and instead looked at Ji Xiang, nodding his head:

"Speaking of which, you said there are five kinds of resurrection techniques. Outside the capital, there is a Dongyue Temple, where all the lords of the underworld are under the command of my Great Ming Dynasty. When people die, they don't return to the underworld for guidance... How dare you cultivators snatch the dead from the hands of the underworld?"

His tone was strange, with a hint of threat besides curiosity.

Ji Xiang was now completely sure that the fire killing curse that emerged from the incense last night must be inextricably linked to the Crown Prince in front of him. He guessed that he was the "master," without a doubt.

This early morning visit to perform sacrifices and pray for the well-being of his mother, Consort Wang Gong, was an excuse to see if he was dead or not.

While Ji Xiang thought, he dealt with Zhu Changluo:

"Does Your Highness know what credentials are required for the underworld to summon souls?"

Zhu Changluo's eyes flickered, but he still shook his head and smiled again:

"I only started studying two years ago, and I read intermittently... not very well..."

Zhu Changluo's voice changed slightly at this point, and the gloomy look between his brows deepened.

The reason why he studied intermittently was due to the obstruction of the Wanli Emperor and Consort Zheng.

Zhu Changluo's face turned ugly.

Ji Xiang did not beat around the bush, and raised three fingers:

"In the underworld, there are three ledgers, which the world calls the Books of Life and Death, named the Yellow Ledger, the Mount Tai Ledger, and the He Nei Ledger."

"The Yellow Ledger governs life, the Mount Tai Ledger governs death, and the He Nei Ledger governs fate. If a person is destined to die, only when the names on all three ledgers are blacked out can the underworld take them. Then, that person is truly beyond salvation."

"If only half of the name on the Yellow Ledger is blacked out, even if the names on the other two ledgers are all black, then that person still has a chance of survival, still has a chance for change."

Zhu Changluo asked strangely, "So there's such a saying? I've seen the underworld capture ghosts before, locking them up and taking them away, but I've never seen these three Books of Life and Death."

"Moreover, according to you, since the names on the latter two ledgers are blacked out, but they can't affect the name on the Yellow Ledger, then what's the use of these latter two ledgers?"

Ji Xiang said, "The reason for dividing them into three ledgers is because when people are alive, their lives are truly in their own choices. Whether they die peacefully in their sleep, or die violently, it is all determined by the actions of the living."

"The Mount Tai Ledger only records the lifespan you should live in this life, which is the part determined by heaven; the He Nei Ledger records the fate given to you by heaven, which is your innate destiny, and that is also fixed."

"Only the Yellow Ledger can be changed by one's own choices."

"Therefore, some people die violently, but their lifespan is not exhausted; some people succeed in cultivating the Dao, becoming earth immortals residing in the world, and their lifespan increases, and their fate will also increase at this time."

"What the Books of Life and Death see is limited. The cultivators of the underworld cannot predict the changes in the Yellow Ledger. Therefore, the many resurrection techniques of my Daoist school do not conflict with the path of the underworld. If the name on the Yellow Ledger has not been blacked out, how can it be called death?"

Zhu Changluo showed a look of sudden understanding, and stared at Ji Xiang again:

"The underworld captures people, so it also relies on this Yellow Ledger, and the changes on the Yellow Ledger depend on the choices of the people themselves."

"Then it's better to let people judge."

"After all, as long as those officials say you are guilty, you are guilty. If they want you to die, you must die, leaving you no choice. Why do you need this Yellow Ledger?"

The words were strange, but also true. However, the Crown Prince said these words with a smile on his face, which made Ji Xiang sigh in his heart. In the eyes of those in power, the common people in feudal society were indeed not considered people.

Zhu Changluo nodded, "Daoist Priest must be a person of great cultivation."

Ji Xiang shook his head, "Poor Dao is young and cannot be called a cultivator. This year, I am only at the age of hair-tying."

Zhu Changluo's eyes flickered, and he pondered for a while, looking at the three incense sticks and then staring at the ground.

At this time, Ji Xiang could feel that the yellow qi on Zhu Changluo's body was faintly restless.

The incense was restless, but his own aura was stable, with no abnormalities.

This precisely illustrated that the wisp of incense on his body did not belong to him.

Ji Xiang also glanced at Zhu Changluo a few times. In his inner vision, the blank divine tablet did not react, indicating that the other party was indeed a person, not some god or monster, and had not received any conferred position.

Ji Xiang was still pondering. He had no grievances or enmity with him and didn't know him at all. The Crown Prince first sent someone to kill him, and seeing that he was alive and well, he kept asking about all kinds of life and death matters. Was it really his fate to "die" in some kind of "plan" of his?

Really, don't underestimate the janitor!

At that moment, an impatient expression appeared on Zhu Changluo's face, but this emotion was not directed at Ji Xiang, but at the wisp of incense yellow qi he carried. At this time, he slightly tilted his head, and the wisp of incense yellow qi coiled on his shoulder immediately calmed down.

Then, he turned his head:

"Daoist Priest, is there really reincarnation after death?"

Of course, Ji Xiang could hear what the prince meant, and also saw Zhu Changluo squinting his eyes and putting one hand behind his back. This entire young man actually exuded an indescribable sense of oppression.

But these tricks were useless to Ji Xiang, and Ji Xiang tried to end the topic, after all, Zhu Changluo kept asking about the changes in life and death, there must be a reason.

So, meeting Zhu Changluo's gaze, he opened his mouth to respond:

"Your Highness... If you don't know life, how can you know death?"