Chapter 57: Absorbing the Three Souls and Seven Spirits

Li Yanchu glanced at the Jiang Tong and said, “I was simply curious about the soul-reaping process, so I watched from the side. You're too kind, Honored Deity.”

Jiang Tong replied calmly, “These are the newly deceased souls of Wei City. I’m merely guiding them to the Underworld to be reborn.”

Li Yanchu asked, “Might I trouble you to explain a bit about the Underworld? I find the subject quite fascinating.”

Jiang Tong’s expression turned hesitant. “Your soul is firm and well-nourished, your cultivation impressive... and yet you know nothing of the Underworld?”

Li Yanchu nodded. “I hope you won’t laugh, Honored Deity. I’m just a lone cultivator passing through Wei City during my astral projection. I truly haven’t heard anything about the Underworld.”

Jiang Tong gave him a long, meaningful look. “The Underworld is governed by strict order. Yin and Yang are separate by nature. I must ask your forgiveness, for I am not at liberty to speak much on the matter.”

With that, he offered another respectful bow. Then, with his procession of wandering souls behind him, Jiang Tong gradually disappeared into the distance.

Still, Li Yanchu did not try to stop him. He simply stepped aside and allowed the spectral procession to pass. Slowly, they faded, becoming translucent until they vanished completely. Seeing this, Li Yanchu remained standing where he was, deep in thought.

Night in Wei City was silent and still, cloaked in complete darkness. Only a few scattered places were still lit. Most of them were places that remained active until dawn, like entertainment districts, taverns, gambling dens. Or the luxurious estates of the city’s wealthy elite.

Suddenly, a burst of noise and chatter reached Li Yanchu’s ears, along with the sound of dice rolling. His heart stirred, and he followed the sound, drifting through walls and buildings until he floated into a gambling den.

Above the entrance were three large words,

Baotong Gambling Den

. Inside, several dozen gamblers were crowded around the tables, engaged in high-stakes betting. The air was thick with tension and excitement. Shouts filled the room, and people were betting with bloodshot eyes, completely absorbed in the game.

“Place your final bets!” the dice dealer called out.

The gamblers threw down their coins, their burning eyes locked onto the dice cup, shouting excitedly for “Big!” or “Small!”[1]

At this moment, Li Yanchu’s ears twitched. With a slight movement of his ear, he could tell that the dice cup had been rigged. Of course, that was typical. Gambling dens like these didn’t run on luck alone, and tricks and traps were practically part of the business model.

Li Yanchu didn’t care about the shady dealings of the den. He was here for something else, to investigate the blood money.

When his gaze fell upon the gambling tables, his eyes widened in surprise. It was just as he suspected! There were over a dozen copper coins on the table, all faintly stained with blood!

Yet the gamblers remained oblivious, shouting and cheering as they tossed their money down. Ordinary people, with their mortal eyes, could not perceive the sinister taint of these bloodstained coins.

Li Yanchu had encountered blood money before, but what happened next shocked him to the core. As the gamblers swung wildly between joy and despair, and their emotions heightened, wisps of grayish-white qi began to seep from their bodies. Their three souls and seven spirits[2] were being drawn out in thin strands and absorbed by those bloodstained coins. The most vital elements in a person were their essence, qi, and spirit. Once their three souls and seven spirits were fully drained, that person... would die.

But the situation with these gamblers was even more alarming. As those wisps of gray-white soul qi left their bodies, Li Yanchu could visibly see them weaken. Yet as ordinary people, especially ones who gambled all night, none of them noticed anything unusual. They simply chalked it up to the exhaustion of pulling an all-nighter.

While gambling, the human mind was in a highly stimulated, focused state, which made them oblivious to these subtle but deadly changes.

“Is it that blood money only absorbs the essence, qi and spirit of gamblers? Or does it drain anyone who holds it?”

A thoughtful glint appeared in Li Yanchu’s eyes. If it was the latter, then this was far more terrifying than some ordinary ghost or malevolent spirit. This... would be on a whole different level.

Li Yanchu visited several more gambling dens in a row, and found the same pattern: in nearly every one, there were bloodstained copper coins. And in each case, the moment a gambler experienced intense elation or despair, those coins would begin drawing out their essence, qi and spirit.

Taking a deep breath, Li Yanchu then began entering private homes to investigate. He visited several ordinary households, but only found a single piece of blood money, and that one didn’t appear to be actively draining the resident’s essence, qi and spirit.

“Where exactly did these blood money come from? Were they circulated into Wei City through some special channel, or are they just ordinary copper coins that suddenly became blood money?

“From what I’ve observed, these blood money only drain people’s essence, qi and spirit when they’re overwhelmed by extreme emotion. But... who knows if this might escalate in the future?”

This one astral projection journey had left Li Yanchu with more questions than answers. Rather than continue, he chose to return to the Daoist temple. Even with the Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman protecting his soul, he felt an unease tonight, and it was better not to push his limits.

Soon, his primordial spirit returned to his body. A wave of warmth flooded him as he reentered his physical form, and when he opened his eyes, they still shone with brilliant spirit light. If it weren’t for the Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman, Li Yanchu would have definitely felt drained and exhausted after practicing astral projection.

But now? He felt full of life, like a dragon brimming with energy.

A joyful light flickered in Li Yanchu’s eyes. Enhancing that Spirit Officer Talisman had truly been a wise decision. No wonder it had cost a full thousand merit points; this was no ordinary charm, but a true talisman treasure. And it kept bringing him one surprise after another.

Just like that, the night passed peacefully.

***

The next morning...

Despite everything that had happened the day before, Li Yanchu was broad-minded by nature and had slept soundly. Now, he woke feeling clear-headed and refreshed.

He and Bai Hongtu found a small breakfast stall. In one hand, he held a fried dough stick, in the other, a cup of soy milk.

“Good morning, Daoist Master Yanchu. It’s been a while!” The tofu vendor beauty greeted him with a shy blush.

Compared to the rough-and-tumble common folk, Li Yanchu’s calm, refined bearing was truly one of a kind. This was especially evident now, with Bai Hongtu beside him, who was also handsome, tall, and noble in demeanor.

The tofu vendor beauty clearly had a soft spot for gentle, good-looking young men.

Just then, Li Yanchu greeted her with a warm smile. He was quite well-known in this Xing Entertainment Bureau[3].

Pulling over a long wooden bench, he sat as the tofu vendor beauty, who looked around twenty-five or twenty-six, quickly and skillfully brought over the classic trio: tofu pudding, chive blossoms, and spicy chili paste.

A man nearby chuckled and said, “Cui’er, your tofu really is the best.”

“

Pah!”

The tofu vendor beauty, with her hands on her hips and chin raised, snapped, “If you haven’t had enough, go find your own wife!”

“Hahaha!” A wave of hearty laughter echoed through the morning streets.

Who would’ve thought that someone like Li Yanchu, a man known for slaying ghosts and murderers, would be out here on the street, joking and bantering with market folks?

He had a delightful breakfast, and he hummed a cheerful tune as he and Bai Hongtu strolled back to the Daoist temple. Earlier, Li Yanchu had discreetly checked the tofu stall, and there were no bloodstained copper coins there. After thinking it over for a moment, he decided to tell Bai Hongtu about what he’d witnessed the night before.

“What!?” Bai Hongtu exclaimed. “You’re saying that blood money can actually drain people’s essence, qi, and spirit?!”

As for how Li Yanchu came by this information, he didn’t mention that it had been through astral projection. That kind of thing was far too extraordinary to casually reveal.

After all, an average cultivator at the Qi Cultivation stage couldn’t possibly roam the world in spirit at will.

Li Yanchu simply nodded and said, “From what I’ve observed, the coins only drain people when gamblers experience extreme joy or despair, and it’s just a wisp of gray-white qi each time. But it noticeably weakens their essence, qi and spirit.”

Still, Bai Hongtu didn’t press him about the details. As a friend, he understood the value of privacy. Since Li Yanchu hadn’t volunteered the full explanation, Bai Hongtu knew better than to pry.

1. "Big or Small" is a traditional Chinese dice game where players bet on whether the total of three rolled dice will be "Big" (11–17) or "Small" (4–10). Before the reveal, gamblers place their bets by tossing coins or chips onto the table, often shouting their choice to add to the excitement. The dealer shakes the dice cup and lifts it dramatically to reveal the outcome. Fast-paced and loud, the game is popular at fairs, street stalls, and informal gambling dens, combining luck, tension, and lively crowd interaction. ☜

2.

三魂七魄

(three souls and seven spirits) is a deeply symbolic Daoist framework dividing a person’s psyche into

three spiritual souls

(linked to life essence, wisdom, emotion) and

seven earthly spirits

(linked to bodily functions and protection). This structure forms the basis for various energetic, longevity, and ritual practices aiming to balance soul and spirit, maintain health, and transcend mortality. ☜

3. 教坊 (Jiaofang) was an imperial music and entertainment institution, responsible for training and managing court musicians, dancers, and entertainers. It was part of the government structure and often associated with refined court culture but sometimes had connections to more secular or even licentious entertainment. ☜