Chapter 5: Immeasurable Salvation of All Beings

A gentle breeze brushed across her face, incomparably soft.

Ah, the sky was a deep, limpid blue.

When the wind blew, the grass swayed gently, flowers could be seen dancing, and the clouds were so white and so soft.

The beautiful young girl ran along the path, returned home, pushed open the door, and saw her grandmother, whose hair had turned white and whose face was lined with wrinkles, cooking. The fragrance of the food was so nostalgic. Her grandmother smiled as she walked over, reached out, and gently stroked her head. “Our Little Meng likes Grandma’s cooking that much?”

“What made you suddenly come to see Grandma?”

The beautiful young girl froze, then noticed how bright the sun outside was.

The sun?

Hm? Hm??!!!

The sun!!!

Her vision blurred.

“Ahhhhhhh! This old woman’s eyes! This old woman’s eyes!”

By the time Black Impermanence arrived, he saw Meng Po clutching her eyes as she rolled about on the ground. Upon the Jade Wall of Yin Virtue, the number representing merit was soaring madly. A brilliant, immaculate radiance shot into the heavens, seeming as though it would never end, illuminating this entire netherworld. Even the Yin Qi that had originally filled the place had become suffused with a resplendent golden glow, gathering around the young Daoist.

Black Impermanence withdrew his gaze and looked toward Meng Po. “How are you?”

Meng Po murmured, “This old woman… seemed to have returned to the past.”

“This old woman saw my grandmother, whose soul had long since scattered…”

“Grandmother… Grandmother came to see me.”

The expression on Black Impermanence’s wooden face turned blank with confusion. White Impermanence hurried over, helped Meng Po to her feet with his left hand, while with his right he picked up that bowl of Meng Po Soup and poured it straight into her mouth. Meng Po’s expression changed at once. The soup tasted absolutely awful, and she nearly spat it out, but White Impermanence smiled, raised his hand, and gave her a push, forcing her to swallow the entire bowl.

Thus, the injuries to her Primordial Spirit caused by directly gazing upon that dazzling merit were instantly restored.

The price was the temporary loss of a portion of her memories.

Meng Po Soup was never created solely to make one forget memories, but rather to repair the suffering endured by the Primordial Spirit over the course of a lifetime.

“Hm? Why are you two Marshals here?”

“What is this light?”

“Ahhhhh! This old woman’s eyes! My eyes!!!”

The smile on White Impermanence’s face stiffened. He snatched the bowl of Meng Po Soup and force-fed Meng Po another bowl.

Meng Po held a rather unique position among the Yin gods of the netherworld.

Judging solely by her foundation, she was already close to the level of a True Lord, or rather—

It was simply because Yin gods could not achieve the Five Qi Converging to the Origin that she was not one. Since she had existed for such an immensely long time, the sheer depth of her accumulated foundation was, in truth, no less than that of a True Lord, only her realm fell short.

However, she was not skilled in combat, nor in conquest.

She excelled only in alchemy, yet her alchemical methods differed from those of the Taishang lineage.

She sought only medicinal efficacy.

As for appearance, fragrance, and taste, she paid them no heed.

White Impermanence released his hand, and Meng Po collapsed to the ground, muttering that it tasted awful.

White Impermanence sighed. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen someone injured by the light of Yin Virtue.”

Black Impermanence looked at the majestic radiance emanating from the jade scroll behind the young Daoist Master, then turned to Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord and asked expressionlessly, “You said it was just a little more. How much is ‘a little’?”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord covered his eyes with a piece of black glazed crystal, a specialty of the underworld, and replied,

“Approximately… perhaps… maybe… all the living beings in one province. ”

Black Impermanence asked expressionlessly, “Living beings? Or humans?”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord answered with great precision,

“Living beings. Every bird and beast under the jurisdiction of the Ten Great Yin Marshals, both the human race and the demon race, are included.”

“In addition, every soul within the Central Plains that has yet to depart.”

“It is the living, and the spirits.”

Black Impermanence fell silent before asking expressionlessly, “And the quality? Who was it?”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord glanced at the Soul-Hooking Chain clenched in Black Impermanence’s right hand and replied,

“The monk who voluntarily entered the tribulation of reincarnation earlier.”

Black Impermanence said: “Medicine Master Glazed Light Tathāgata?”

“It was him.”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord said, “That’s why I said I was curious and wanted you two to invite him over for some tea!”

To ferry the dead and save the living was Yin Virtue.

The Heavenly Court had an institution known as the [Shangqing Heavenly Medical Academy].

The work carried out by those under its command was to deliver the countless lonely and wandering souls, redeem their spirits, and bring salvation to those solitary ghosts.

After cleansing the resentment from those wronged souls and restoring the injuries to their Primordial Spirits, they would send them into the underworld.

Although the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Venerable accepted disciples far and wide, there would inevitably be many scoundrels among them. Yet because he accepted disciples so broadly, there was naturally also an immense amount of merit. The Shangqing Heavenly Medical Academy and the Shangqing Heavenly Pivot Academy both bore the title of Shangqing, while among the Thirteen Divisions of Shangqing, the one in command was the Three Realms Medicine King and Heavenly Physician Great Sage, the Nine Heavens Inspector.

Because he spread benevolence far and wide and delivered countless souls, he was additionally bestowed the title Kaiyuan Universal Salvation Heavenly Venerable.

When the Three Realms Medicine King first came here back then, it caused quite a bit of a commotion.

Black Impermanence very nearly wanted to smash the Soul-Hooking Chain in his hand straight into this Yama King’s face. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Tell the truth.”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord raised two fingers.

“Twice.”

“The first time was dispersing the epidemic miasma through the rain. The second was saving the common people.”

“And the second affected far too many people. To a certain extent, he indirectly saved all living beings.”

The chain in Black Impermanence’s hand let out a sharp cry.

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord hurriedly said, “Alright, alright, I’ll tell the truth.”

“And… and because while saving the dying and healing the wounded, he severely damaged the foundation of his own Dao, giving rise to the feeling of sacrificing himself to save others.”

“It is the kind of act the Jade Wall of Yin Virtue admires the most.”

“To do good without seeking Yin Virtue in return—that is the highest good.”

Black Impermanence could not hold back any longer. He grabbed Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord by the collar, veins bulging across his forehead. “You—”

“Ah, Old Black, Old Black, calm down, calm down.”

Black Impermanence was truly enraged.

Even White Impermanence was startled.

Though they were nominally superior and subordinate, they had once suppressed the turmoil in the underworld together and were comrades-in-arms.

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord, on the other hand, possessed immense authority and divine power within the underworld because of his divine office. Yet in terms of pure divine abilities and martial prowess, he might not necessarily be a match for the Wuchang Underworld True Lord, who had roamed the Six Realms, hooking souls and seizing spirits, and was revered as the foremost of the Yin Marshals. White Impermanence was pulling back the furious Black Impermanence when, in the blink of an eye, waves of roaring cries arose. Black Impermanence released his grip and said expressionlessly,

“This place is the first checkpoint for countless souls. They possess an instinctive yearning for the light of Yin Virtue. Prepare to suppress them.”

He raised his right hand.

His cultivation had reached the utmost limit of an Earth Immortal. It was only because he was a Yin god that he could not attain the realm of a True Lord.

When it came to actual combat, however, realm did not matter all that much.

Behind him, a true Dharma Image thousands of zhang tall manifested as he prepared to make his move. Looking in the direction where the young Daoist stood, one could see soul after soul struggling toward him.

Within this first layer of the underworld were souls that had never committed great crimes or evils. They came from ordinary, unremarkable people who had committed small wrongs but also performed many small acts of kindness. Among them were immortal officials and Earth Deities, ordinary mortals, and even non-human living beings.

Their souls, however, still harbored lingering attachments.

Only after drinking Meng Po Soup, or washing away those attachments in the Yellow Springs, could they enter reincarnation.

At this moment, they all instinctively walked toward the young Daoist. It was an instinctive longing for warmth, a longing for Yin Virtue.

Those with sufficient Yin Virtue could remain behind as Yin officers; otherwise, they would simply drink Meng Po Soup.

Then, if any lingering attachments still remained, they would have to wash themselves in the Yellow Springs.

The young Daoist felt as though his Primordial Spirit were faintly expanding. He sensed an indescribably mysterious power flowing from the Scroll of Yin Virtue behind him into his Primordial Spirit, like nourishment for cultivation. The reflection of his Innate Spirit became perfectly clear, and he instinctively understood that if he were to absorb this Yin Virtue and spend a little over a hundred years refining it, it would be enough to cultivate to a level approaching that of a Human Immortal.

But that would mean directly walking the path of a Yin god.

As for cultivating both paths, with the Taishang cultivation he possessed, he was likewise unwilling to absorb such a thing.

For it was not the Great Dao.

The highest good is like water, adapting to every shape.

Yet it also remains distinctly separate.

Utterly pure.

Although he had only cultivated Innate One Qi, Qi Wuhuo’s Primordial Spirit had already approached the level of an ordinary True Person. Yet even a True Person might not necessarily be able to withstand such an immense amount of Yin Virtue. However, with a single circulation of Qi Wuhuo’s Primordial Spirit, that mass of Yin Virtue was directly rejected.

Blazing and resplendent, vast and immaculate.

It suddenly spread outward before returning to the scroll. Brilliant streams of light shot into the heavens, and in an instant, the second level of the underworld was flooded with countless rays of radiance. Sharp spiritual brilliance surged, rosy light swept across the land, and immeasurable merit filled the air. As it flowed back and forth, traces of scattered Yin Virtue naturally descended. One soul after another, still burdened by lingering attachments, shed those attachments beneath the radiant light, casting off the final suffering of their souls.

Throughout the Underworld Palace, all souls were delivered.

Within the Yellow Springs, not a single resentful soul remained.

In the instant the streams of light completely faded, the Jade Wall returned to normal.

Throughout the entire second level of the Underworld Palace, every resentful soul that had drunk Meng Po Soup had disappeared, already sent into reincarnation, while those who had not yet drunk Meng Po Soup likewise shed their lingering attachments, their minds becoming clear and pure. Among the group that had arrived together, only the Heavenly Official and Earth Deity remained. For a single instant, the Heavenly Official of the Shenxiao Palace even felt that this place had become far too quiet.

Looking into the distance, even the Yellow Springs, which had been completely filled with wandering souls, had become incomparably clear.

The Jade Wall of Yin Virtue withdrew its text, and the remaining golden streams of light gradually dispersed. The young Daoist’s robe fluttered gently as the white hair at his temples hung down.

The Heavenly Official of the Shenxiao Palace trembled slightly.

“Th-This is…”

“Immeasurable merit… universal salvation of the lonely souls…”

“It… it is…”

He saw that the young Daoist seemed to have sensed something and turned to look at him.

Those eyes were calm and gentle, and he merely smiled faintly.

The Heavenly Official lowered his head.

His heart trembled with shock and fear.

‘…Dangmo True Lord?!’

‘It really is him?!’

Meanwhile, Meng Po, who was closest, murmured, “I can feel my grandmother calling me…” Her white hair turned black, and her aged appearance transformed into that of a graceful and elegant young maiden. Her body seemed to grow lighter and lighter as she gradually became a wandering soul, slowly floating toward the Platform of Reincarnation.

Her eyes were clear and tranquil.

Little White, Old Black, Great Yama King, Second Yama King… all the way to the Tenth Yama King.

Old Baldy Kṣitigarbha.

Goodbye.

Thank you all. I will never forget the years we spent working together.

Her expression was serene and beautiful.

But White Impermanence immediately grabbed her by the head and yanked her back, smiling ominously as he said, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Trying to sneak off and reincarnate so you can play around in the mortal world?”

“In your dreams!”

“It’s already troublesome enough having to oversee life and death across the five realms of Heaven, Earth, Humans, Demons, and Water. Ever since Diting ran off, the workload has become unbearable, and now you want to run away too? If you dare run, believe it or not, I’ll sacrifice my own Yin Virtue if I have to, just to make sure you die young and come right back?”

“You think you can slip away without even drinking Meng Po Soup?”

“Only a ghost would drink that stuff!” Meng Po, now in the form of a young girl, struggled desperately.

“Aren’t you a ghost?!”

White Impermanence flew into a rage and began arguing with Meng Po.

Although they held divine offices, there were only so many high-ranking gods in the underworld. After working together for thousands upon thousands of years, their relationship was far closer than that of the Heavenly Court’s vast and complicated organization. Moreover, this was the second level of the Underworld Palace. The first level of the Underworld Palace was reserved for the strongest among them and was used to receive powerful visitors from among the Heavenly Officials, Earth Deities, and Water Officials.

The second Underworld Palace lay closest to the mortal world, the place where reincarnation took place.

It neither had to deal with the affairs of the mortal world nor bear responsibility for the Eighteen Layers of Hell like the remaining eight Yama Kings.

Among those remaining eight Yama Kings, the first seven each presided over two layers of hell, dealing with the vicious ghosts and gods of the Six Realms.

The last one alone suppressed the final four layers of hell.

He was known as the True Lord of Prison Suppression with Fivefold Transformations and Majestic Spirituality.

The second Underworld Palace was instead the most leisurely place, its atmosphere relaxed.

There were not many outsiders either, and even if there were, it did not matter. After all, they would eventually have to drink Meng Po Soup.

Qi Wuhuo, however, sensed an unusual reaction from the Northern Emperor Mirror.

Before him stood Black Impermanence and Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord.

The young Daoist cupped his hands in greeting. As his sleeves stirred, they set the lingering radiance of Yin Virtue flowing. With a gentle expression, he said,

“This poor Daoist is Qi Wuhuo of Helian Mountain in Zhongzhou. Greetings, True Lord of the Underworld.”

Yin Virtue and Settled Rest True Lord maintained a gentle yet dignified expression and replied with a calm smile, “You are too courteous, little friend.”

At the same time, he frantically transmitted his voice to Black Impermanence.

“So much Yin Virtue!”

“So much!”

“Do we even have enough treasures in our treasury?”

“Old Black?!”

“Old Black, say something, Old Black!”