I laughed and said, "If they had told me beforehand that the makeup would drain my life essence, and I still took the job, then my life and death are my own problem."

"If they didn't say anything beforehand, then they were tricking me into dying. Should I still go to my death?"

Sorcerers are arguably the most trustworthy people in the martial world.

As long as the employer treats them with sincerity and tells the truth, once they accept the money, they will complete the employer's request, even if it means death. Otherwise, the sorcerer has the right to break the contract.

This is common knowledge in the martial world.

Pei Hao Hong said coldly, "You are nothing but a common thug with petty tricks."

I said coldly, "Then there's nothing more to say! Let's fight!"

Pei Hao Hong still didn't look at me, but turned to Xia Mengying. "Little girl, are you preparing to leave Shanglin, or are you preparing to fight with them?"

Xia Mengying said solemnly, "This junior cannot agree with the ways of the senior."

"This junior is willing to fight with the senior, for the sake of friendship."

Pei Hao Hong shook his head and said, "No wonder the Confucian school is declining day by day. Very well, it seems this old man misjudged you."

"Kill!" As my twin blades flared up, Butcher Wang, Ye Yang, and Lin Zhao all attacked, assailing Pei Hao Hong from all directions.

Facing the siege of four experts, Pei Hao Hong remained motionless, chanting in a loud voice, "Facing east, I gaze at the Stone Gateway Island, to view the vast sea. How the water glistens, mountains and isles stand towering high…"

As *Guan Cang Hai* (Viewing the Sea) was uttered, the aura of righteousness around Pei Hao Hong surged like a raging wave, instantly blocking all five of us.

We only took a few steps back, as if we were trapped in the vast sea. Everywhere we looked, waves surged, sea beasts roared, and countless islands rose up, gradually separating the four of us.

Pei Hao Hong stood in the middle of the sea with his hands behind his back, looking like a god from afar, unreachable and inviolable.

This was the might of the Confucian school, one person capable of matching a thousand troops.

Just as the four of us were blocked by Pei Hao Hong, Wang Xiaohuan's Witch God Lantern suddenly flickered, and the roar of an ancient god descended upon the world along with the light.

The pressure brought by the fierce god violently shook the sea!

Pei Hao Hong took out a writing brush from his body and drew a line in the air: "Rise!"

A violent tremor immediately erupted in Shanglin residential area. A blue stone archway several meters high broke through the ground and soared into the clouds.

Pei Hao Hong, with his back against the archway, raised his brush to the sky: "Where the aura of righteousness of the Confucian school lies, what is there to fear from ghosts and gods! Confucius said:…"

Just as the golden light began to emerge from the tip of Pei Hao Hong's brush, Ye Yang suddenly shouted angrily, "Shang Xingyan, get out here and clean up your disciples and descendants!"

"Shang Xingyan?" I was immediately dumbfounded.

Soon, I heard a sigh coming from the void: "This official is no longer the Shanglin Hermit of yesteryear, why do you worship me!"

As Shang Xingyan pressed down with his palm, the archway carved from bluestone turned into dust and scattered in the air under his awe-inspiring divine power.

Pei Hao Hong was immediately stunned: "Who are you? How dare you destroy the Shanglin Hermit Archway! Aren't you afraid of severe punishment from ghosts and gods?"

Shang Xingyan stepped out of the void: "This official destroyed his own archway, who can punish me?"

"You… you are…" Pei Hao Hong trembled and said, "You are not Lord Shang."

Shang Xingyan bowed deeply to me from a distance: "Son, greetings to your adoptive father!"

Shang Xingyan's attitude was very serious, but I was speechless.

He had the nerve to call me adoptive father, but I couldn't bring myself to call out, "Good son, my daddy's proud of you."

Pei Hao Hong trembled and said, "Who exactly are you? Impersonating Lord Shang is a capital crime."

Shang Xingyan sighed helplessly and took out his official seal: "Take a look for yourself!"

Pei Hao Hong looked at it once, then looked at it again, and finally spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground.

Butcher Wang walked over and tested it under his nose: "He's not dead, he just fainted from anger. I'll give him a massage, and he'll wake up soon."

Xia Mengying walked up: "Let me do it!"

Xia Mengying massaged Pei Hao Hong for a long time, but he didn't wake up. She could only look at me for help.

I knew that this guy had actually woken up a long time ago, but he just didn't want to open his eyes.

The one who tied the bell must untie it!

I pretended to look at Shang Xingyan nonchalantly and said, "Old Shang, are you really the Shanglin Hermit here?"

Shang Xingyan smiled wryly: "That's all things from two lifetimes ago."

"I was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty, and I once served as an official here."

"At that time, I had no distractions and wholeheartedly wanted to do good deeds and be a good official. Later, I was worked to death in office."

"The Underworld felt that I had been conscientious and responsible during my lifetime, so they kept me in the Underworld."

Shang Xingyan saw me frowning and couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly: "I'm talking about the Song Dynasty."

Shang Xingyan said, "According to the rules of the Underworld, one must serve as an official for three lifetimes to be able to hold a position in the Underworld."

"My luck was not good. In the next two lifetimes as an official, one was at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the other was during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty."

After listening, I couldn't help but laugh: "Then you're unlucky enough!"

"Yes!" Shang Xingyan sighed and said, "During the Ming Dynasty, I was as conscientious and diligent as in my previous life."

"I only had one thing on my mind. I was not afraid of the powerful above, and I cared about the common people below."

"Unfortunately! Before I could be promoted from a seventh-rank sesame official, I was beaten to death. My body was thrown on the street, but no one dared to collect my corpse."

"Isn't that ridiculous?"