Chapter 452 - Third Rank Meat Fields, Cultivating Within a Coffins - Part 1

A crumbling temple. Incense smoke curling lazily. An image of a goddess on the altar.

Li Yuan stood at the entrance, gazing at the scene, and a strange, dreamlike feeling washed over him, as though lifetimes had passed since he was last here.

He still remembered those days in the tiny mountain village, when he and Yan Yu relied on each other to survive, scraping by in hardship and quiet tenderness. But now, the world had changed; the people had changed. What was once familiar had become unrecognizable.

With a soft breath, Li Yuan activated his Mortal World Transformation, reshaping himself into the appearance of a simple mountain villager. From his robe, he fished out a few taels of silver. He always carried a bit of money for emergencies, and today, he would need it.

He walked straight into the temple.

Inside, incense was being sold by a man in a white robe and tall white hat.

Li Yuan recognized the attire instantly, the uniform of the Court of Judges.

The Court of Judges was split into two branches, Rewarding the Good and Punishing the Evil.

Those who rewarded the good wore white robes and white hats. Those who punished the evil wore black robes and black hats.

It seemed clear now that Yan Yu herself hadn’t devised this entire scheme of worshipping her. This was all orchestrated by the Court of Judges.

A new power was rising, one that had grown fat off the spoils of war, swallowing up Lotus Cult territory piece by piece. For them to be deifying Yan Yu...someone formidable had to be pulling the strings.

But was this person truly helping Yan Yu...or using her?

After all, Yan Yu was gradually transforming into a ghost. Her thoughts were detached, stripped of human complexity. She was no longer capable of the scheming and maneuvering that these people thrived on.

Li Yuan decided to probe a little. He approached the disciple selling incense and quietly slipped him a silver tael.

The young man glanced up at him and said politely, “Put your money away, good sir. We accept no offerings of silver or gold. What Yan Yu wants is for the world to have order, for the good to be rewarded and the wicked to meet their due. Sincerity of heart is the greatest tribute to her.”

Saying this, he handed Li Yuan three sticks of incense.

Li Yuan stepped before the portrait, lit the incense, placed it into the burner, and bowed gently to the image. Afterward, he turned and left the temple.

He wandered through the area, taking in the changes.

He saw the familiar sight of porridge stalls, long lines of villagers snaking through the streets, while those serving porridge all wore white.

Further on, he saw figures in black patrolling the streets, capturing bandits, thugs, and ruffians, dragging them off in chains. Judging by the direction, they were being sent to the Ghost Prison.

He also noticed something stranger still, a number of people who cast unnatural shadows— birds, rats, rabbits, and other creatures —were being escorted by white-robed disciples toward the Ghost Prison as well.

Curious, Li Yuan followed.

At the gates of the Ghost Prison, the criminals were brought before a massive bronze mirror. The mirror revealed their deeds, images flashing vividly across its surface, depicting murders, arson, extortion, forcing innocent women to their deaths...every vile act laid bare.

One by one, those found guilty of heinous crimes were hauled up into iron cages and left hanging.

Meanwhile, another group, those afflicted by curses, were blindfolded and led toward a different chamber from which came strange, guttural sounds...like a boar snorting.

Then Li Yuan heard it clearly, a boar chewing, grunting, and devouring something.

By the time the cursed ones were led back out, their distorted shadows had completely vanished.

In the Exotic Beast Park, two creatures held dominion, the python and the boar. The python’s power lay in transforming desire into beastly form. But the boar...the boar had the power of devouring.

The boar devoured the serpent’s curse, and just like that, the afflicted were freed.

Li Yuan gave a faint nod. Everything he’d seen so far told the same story. Order, slowly but steadily, was being restored.

Whatever the true intentions of this Court of Judges, at least for now, their actions were good. And more importantly...they aligned with what Yan Yu had once dreamed of.

But then—

He turned and looked out across the land.

The sight was bleak.

The earth lay scarred and battered. It was deep autumn, yet the fields were strangely empty, not a single farmer tending the soil.

That could only mean one thing. Chaos and war had swept through here. Nobody had tilled the land, the fields lay abandoned, and the once-rich soil was turning barren.

Li Yuan slowly shook his head.

“The Grand Union of Yin and Yang...it nourishes the ghost domains and meat fields, but everywhere else, the land withers. And this is only the beginning.”

Then, a thought struck him. “But...what if we used the Lotus Cult’s secret art that created warm snow? If we could siphon off the Yang energy from the meat fields and release it into the farmlands, the soil could revive. The Yin energy, meanwhile, could be redirected into the Ghost Prison, just like how the Lotus Cult used to nourish the Flower Shop and the Exotic Beast Park.”

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The idea came suddenly, like lightning tearing through fog, a possible path forward, a way to turn desolation back into life.

And yet, Li Yuan hesitated.

Because wasn’t this...just another form of the very Grand Union of Yin and Yang he feared?

As that thought lingered, Li Yuan suddenly felt a ripple in his heart. He looked up and at the far edge of the Ghost Prison, standing tall and silent like a deity descended from the heavens, was a woman in a flowing black gown—Yan Yu.

He strode toward her. They stood apart, a thin veil between them, gazes meeting.

Li Yuan smiled faintly and said, “I just paid my respects at your temple.”

Yan Yu tilted her head, her dark skirts swaying slightly. “What were you praying for?”

Li Yuan’s lips curled into a small grin. “What else? It’s not like I haven’t prayed to you before.”

Her brows knit slightly. “When?”

Li Yuan replied seriously, “When I prayed to Heaven and Earth, wasn’t I also praying to you?”

Yan Yu’s eyes glimmered faintly, a ripple of emotion passing through their usual coldness. For just a heartbeat, her voice carried the faintest trace of irritation, almost human,“You never say anything proper.”

Li Yuan grinned shamelessly. “That’s why I need you to keep me in line, Yan Yu.”

Her gaze softened just enough to betray a hint of amusement, but her tone returned to its usual cool detachment.

“Many of the wandering souls from the Lotus Cult have pledged allegiance to me. Some I’ve kept close. Among them are Zhong Kui and Long Gumeng. These two were key figures in the Clock Mansion on Hidden River Province’s ancient ghost street. Now, they serve in the Court of Judges.”

“Zhong Kui...Long Gumeng?” Li Yuan frowned, repeating the names under his breath. Then, his eyes widened slightly, and he let out a soft, “Huh?”

Because the name Zhong Kui was far too familiar. Wasn’t that the name of the legendary demon-slaying deity from the underworld myths of his past life? But...no. It had to be coincidence.

As for Long Gumeng, Li Yuan knew that name too. Pang Yuanhua had told him before that her roommate in the Clock Mansion was surnamed Long. She had once helped him out before. To think she had been working with the Clock Mansion’s master all along.

Li Yuan pushed the thought aside and began explaining what he had seen along the way, as well as the purpose of his coming to Gemhill County.

When he finished, Yan Yu nodded slightly. “I know the Bladeseekers matters a great deal to you. That’s why I had someone seize it ahead of time. The one overseeing the operation is Zhong Kui himself. He’s not only the master of Clock Mansion on the ancient ghost street, but also a hidden vice cult leader of the Black Lotus Cult. He’s the perfect person to handle this.”

“A vice cult leader of the Black Lotus Cult?” Li Yuan’s expression shifted, but he didn’t seem overly worried.

After all, Yan Yu’s powers could pierce through lies and reveal past deeds. No one could deceive her.

Since Yan Yu had accepted Zhong Kui and Long Gumeng into her fold, Li Yuan trusted that she had her reasons.

As he pondered, his gaze drifted and landed on a bronze mirror not far away. There were so many of them now. These copper mirrors were everywhere, scattered throughout the Ghost Prison like the towering iron cages.

Yan Yu followed his line of sight, her cold expression unreadable.

Li Yuan suddenly said with a half-smile, “Yan Yu...how about I take a look in one of those mirrors?”

“You...” Yan Yu hesitated.