“Please be fair, Immortal!” The voice of the captain ghost sounded from the side. “Harming the common folk and their livestock—those were the deeds of General Feng. It was General Chang who gave the orders to kill. These actions have nothing to do with the other soldiers!”

“General, there's no need to panic,” Song You quickly reassured him. “I am merely a Daoist, not a deity who eradicates ghosts. You and your comrades sacrificed yourselves for the nation. As long as you remain well-behaved and do not harm the people, how could I trouble you?

“Besides, even if there were any missteps, such matters should fall under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Palace and the Thunder Gods.”

“Thunder Gods...”

The ghosts exchanged uneasy glances with one another.

“Immortal...”

“What else troubles you, General?”

“You are a person of great power and a kind-hearted soul. We...”

“There’s no need for all this formality,” Song You said with a touch of exasperation. “Cut to the chase.”

“We did not gather here intentionally to form a ghost city,” the captain ghost explained. “After death, we became ghosts, wandering aimlessly and with nowhere to go, alone and adrift. That’s why we eventually came together here. It was General Feng who went out to harm livestock, and it was only because of this that the local authorities sent people to investigate.

“Those who came to exorcise us were vile, not only attempting to exterminate us but also insulting us incessantly. General Chang could not bear it and led a group to confront them. But we are all soldiers who defended our homeland. We would never harm innocent people.”

“I understand.”

“It was manageable when there were few of us. But now that we have gathered here, as our numbers have grown, it seems we are neither tolerated by the heavenly deities above nor accepted by the local authorities below,” the captain ghost continued helplessly. “Because of this, we no longer know where we should go. Thus, we humbly ask you to show us the way.”

“I see...” Song You nodded, his expression thoughtful.

The captain ghost's expression lit up with hope upon hearing this. He exchanged glances with the nearby ghosts before promptly addressing Song You, “This way, Immortal!”

“My surname is Song, given name You. You may call me Daoist Master or simply 'Sir,'” Song You replied.

“My name is Lu Bao,” the ghost introduced himself. “I was once a Zhaowu Vice Captain[1] under General Lu Wen of Zhaoye City. I died in battle there thirteen years ago. Before my death, I was promoted to the upper rank and once led the elite cavalry unit under General Lu,” Lu Bao said. “Although I didn’t die here in Yuan’an City, I have been here for thirteen years since my death. If you wish to look around, I would be happy to guide you.”

"Then, thank you."

Song You followed him forward, accompanied by the calico cat and the jujube-red horse.

Zhaowu Vice Captain was an unattached military official title, ranked lower sixth grade. Being promoted to the upper rank before death elevated his title to Zhaowu Captain, which was upper sixth grade. ℞аꞐȫBÈS

It was the highest unattached rank below that of a general.

However, in those days, when the northern frontier army launched their massive invasions southward, the north suffered heavy casualties. With the war in full swing, many military officers held high unattached ranks but served in lower positions.

Whether this was a good thing depended on how you looked at it. On one hand, it resulted in many high-ranking officers in the northern army. On the other hand, these ranks were earned with their lives, and many of these officers died before they could even enjoy the privileges that came with their unattached positions.

This Captain Lu must be the highest-ranked officer in the city, aside from General Feng and General Chang.

As Song You walked, he mulled over the situation, saying, “You are all soldiers who defended your homeland. It’s only right that you find a place to belong. Gathering here is not necessarily an issue as long as you remain orderly and do not harm the common folk.”

"Immortal, you may not know," Captain Lu replied with a troubled expression, "but just two days ago, a Divine Thunder descended—it struck the southern city wall."

“Currently, the one overseeing the Thunder Division is Duke of Thunder Zhou. Duke of Thunder Zhou is a just and upright deity who holds no particular prejudice against non-malicious demons or ghosts. Even for those who have erred, he does not simply chop their heads off without discretion.

“You are all heroic souls, so I believe that thunderbolt the other day was primarily meant as a warning. Now that General Feng and General Chang have left, I’d say you no longer need to fear punishment from the Thunder Division.”

Song You paused briefly before continuing, “However, lingering in the mortal realm after death is, by its nature, against the order of heaven. When ghosts gather in one place, even if they cause no disturbances, the leakage of yin qi and ghostly qi inevitably affects the vitality of the surrounding land. From this perspective, it is indeed difficult for you all to remain here for long.”

“Then are we destined to drift aimlessly, or to follow those monks, Daoists, and ghost officials to the ghost city in the underworld?”

“Hmm?”

Song You was puzzled. “Since you know there’s a ghost city in the underworld to the south, why are you unwilling to go there?”

“Um...”

“Is it something you're uncomfortable talking about?”

“You are an immortal master—we dare not conceal the truth,” the captain ghost said after some hesitation.

He added, “Some are indeed willing to go to the ghost city in the underworld, and those who are willing have already gone. Additionally, many newly formed ghosts from the north have also been taken there, often without much understanding of what’s happening. There are rumors that the ghost city was established by the State Preceptor.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“Those who remain here are the ones unwilling to go,” Captain Lu explained. “In the army, we soldiers share a bond—a brotherhood forged in life and death. Many of us have died together, and some old ghosts who went to the underworld later became ghost officials based on their abilities and cultivation. Some, however, did not.

“Some old comrades we once fought alongside have become ghost officials and returned here while traveling north to capture ghosts. When they passed through and stopped by, they advised us: don’t go. Especially if you’ve ever done anything you regret. But when we asked why, they refused to explain.”

“I see.” Song You nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Looking at the ghosts gathered behind him, he saw a range of figures—young boys barely grown and old soldiers with gray hair, all of whom had died defending their homeland. They had been ghosts for many years, living in constant unease. Now, a layer of uncertainty seemed to weigh even heavier on their already restless spirits.

In this vast world, where could wandering souls find a place to belong?

Song You understood that many malevolent and vengeful ghosts were bad people even in life, and thus, after death, they naturally would not become virtuous ghosts. Some became twisted due to the cruel manner of their death or were flawed upon becoming ghosts.

However, he also knew that many such ghosts were neither exceptionally wicked in life nor victims of tragic deaths. They became ghosts by chance and started out as decent ghosts, only to slowly transform into malevolent ones over time.

Like the one in Yanhui Peaks.

“

Ah

...” All he could do was sigh.

By this time, Captain Lu had led him to a large courtyard with imposing gates. In the darkness, it was hard to see clearly, but it seemed to be situated in the center of Yuan’an City. According to Captain Lu, it was originally the residence and command center for the general stationed to guard Yuan’an City, where daily affairs were managed, and meetings were held.

Captain Lu invited him to enter and offered him the main seat of honor. Song You naturally declined and instead sat alongside the captain at a lower seat.

“Since the State Preceptor has issued a decree allowing this place to serve as your refuge, if you can promise not to harm the people, avoid wandering out at night to frighten anyone, and strictly discipline yourselves, I could lend you a hand. I could employ some methods to isolate the yin qi and ghostly qi here, ensuring they won’t affect the mortal realm. That way, the Thunder Division would likely no longer trouble you.”

Song You looked around at the group of ghosts before continuing, “However, I’ve only just met you all. While I respect the heroic sacrifices you made for the nation and sympathize with your plight, I must ask: how can you guarantee that after I leave, you’ll uphold these promises and discipline yourselves?”

“Sir, you are absolutely right. If you were to help us and we then abused your assistance to wreak havoc, wouldn’t that add karmic debt to your name?” Captain Lu replied without hesitation. “I swear by the heavens to strictly restrain myself and my comrades in this city. If you still have doubts, you could seal off this Turtle City. If we cannot leave, there would naturally be no way for us to harm or frighten the living.”

“Wouldn’t that be like imprisoning you all?” Song You asked with a smile.

“We are already ghosts, with little need to venture outside. Being sealed here wouldn’t matter much,” Captain Lu replied earnestly.

“Can I take you at your word, General?”

“I hold a fair amount of respect here, though my rank is lower than that of General Feng and General Chang. Now that they’ve left, my words carry some weight,” Captain Lu said, bowing slightly. “More importantly, this is the shared wish of all my comrades in this city.”

As he spoke, the other ghosts quickly voiced their agreement, one after another.

Tang An stepped forward and added, “Aside from General Feng and General Chang, Captain Lu holds the highest rank here. He is upright and fair, and most of the ghosts are more than willing to follow his lead.”

“Very well.”

After some time conversing, Song You had discerned that Captain Lu was a decent person. He also trusted the words of his fellow Yizhou countryman, Tang An.

“I will trust Captain Lu and lend you all a hand.”

Song You glanced around the room. Though it appeared to have beams, a roof, and furniture, it was all merely an illusion conjured by the ghosts. Not a single piece of real wood was present. He withdrew his gaze and said, “Tomorrow during the day, I’ll cast a spell to seal off the yin qi and ghostly qi of this place. However, there’s no need to seal off Yuan’an City entirely—I trust General Lu.”

Turning his attention to Captain Lu, Song You emphasized, “I only ask that you, General, take special care to restrain the other ghosts. Avoid unnecessary outings, and especially avoid wandering into places where the living gather, so as not to frighten them.”

“I will not betray your trust and assistance, sir!” Captain Lu immediately clasped his hands in a bow. “If any of us cause harm in the future, then let heaven’s thunder strike me down!”

“You exaggerate, General,” Song You replied with a faint smile. “If General Feng and General Chang return, please persuade them as well. The living and the dead belong in separate realms, and ghosts in the mortal realm must never harm the living.”

“That goes without saying!”

“However, this can only address the symptoms, not the root cause.”

“Huh?”

“Even if I place the seal, it won’t last forever. If you wish to endure within this world and refuse to go to the ghost city in the underworld, you must do good deeds,” Song You explained.

He added, “As soldiers who defended the nation, you already have an advantage. If you can earn the people’s approval and the court’s recognition through virtuous actions and merit, you could become netherworld deities worshipped by incense offerings. That would allow you to exist in this world for eternity.”

“...”

The ghosts were taken aback.

Their only goal had been to avoid being struck down by Divine Thunder, but they never imagined that, according to Song You, they could one day ascend to divinity.

How could they not be astonished?

“How could we dare to dream of such a thing...”

“Haha, don’t underestimate yourselves, nor overestimate the status of netherworld deities or Earth Gods,” Song You said with a laugh. “Take the City God Temple in Changjing, for example. The martial officers serving under the City God were merely dutiful officials in the capital or virtuous warriors among the common folk during their lifetimes. Your ranks and achievements are no less than theirs, so why belittle yourselves?”

The ghosts exchanged glances before cupping their hands in unison and saying, “Please guide us, sir!”

“I’ve heard that the northern regions are in chaos lately, with frequent disturbances caused by demons and ghosts, most of them minor ones,” Song You began.

He added, “Though you haven’t been ghosts for long, you possess significant abilities. If you can maintain peace in this area, ensuring that the local people are no longer plagued by these small demons and ghosts, it would be a great deed. Should you also earn the respect and worship of the people and receive official recognition from the government, wouldn’t that be yet another great accomplishment?”

The ghosts were momentarily stunned, as if their understanding of the world had been overturned.

This was their first time as ghosts, and having had no prior contact with divine beings or Daoist teachings, they hadn’t realized such possibilities existed.

Upon reflection, it all made sense.

Weren’t City Gods once ordinary humans? Wasn’t Duke of Thunder Zhou originally just a constable? And weren’t the underworld’s officials also ghosts themselves?

When the ghosts looked at Song You again, their expressions had completely changed.

Initially, they had only sought to explain themselves to this “immortal” to save themselves. Gaining his assistance had already been an unexpected delight, a joy they could hardly contain. But to think they might also have the chance to ascend and become gods—this was beyond anything they had dared to imagine.

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

If they could truly become gods, worshipped and revered by the living, wouldn’t that be far better than lingering as fearful ghosts, forever anxious and on edge?

What ghost could resist such a temptation?

In an instant, all the ghosts’ gazes grew fervent.

“Thank you, Immortal!”

“We will surely follow your guidance!”

“We will remember your great kindness, Immortal!”

“How can we ever repay you?”

Whether or not the man before them was truly an immortal, at this moment, they addressed him as “immortal” with utmost sincerity.

1. Zhaowu Vice Captain was a title for unattached military officials. It was first established during the Tang Dynasty and was classified as a lower sixth-grade position. The upper rank was known as Zhaowu Captain, also sixth grade. The title was abolished in the Yuan Dynasty. ☜