"Master, what do we do now? They've locked us all up!"
Inside the cell, Zhang Anle called out. Zachary Justice sat cross-legged, Master Zachary Wu was just as confused about what their master intended, and Elder Peach looked even more suspicious.
Just moments ago, they'd been dragged into the main hall, with crowds watching from outside. After a perfunctory trial, the four of them were sentenced to execution in seven days for murder and robbery. The air was thick with dread, and hope seemed to vanish from their hearts.
"This is utterly absurd, Master! How could something like this happen in the human world?"
Master Zachary Wu immediately shouted. Meanwhile, the issue with Zhou Heipi selling bad grain to the officials seemed resolved—likely handled with money and connections. The world outside kept spinning, indifferent to their suffering.
At that moment, a violent bout of coughing echoed from the neighboring cell.
"Master, let me help you. It's alright."
Li Niunian was locked up in the adjacent cell, and his disciple kept patting his back.
Zachary Justice, with your cultivation, dealing with these officials should be a piece of cake. Because they're government men, they're naturally protected by the Court's evil aura. Ordinary spells can't harm them. For a mediocre Taoist like me, there's nothing I can do against them, haha, so...
Elder Peach suddenly understood.
"So that's why you summoned ghosts to sabotage Zhou Heipi's grain business—to break their family's fortune and luck, then used ghosts to kill Zhou Heipi's son. Judging by your condition, you don't have much time left. After all, using ghosts to kill comes with a price—the backlash is proportional, and since your spellwork is weak, you can't withstand the ghost's counterattack. The darkness you summoned now threatens to consume you."
Fellow Daoist, you're absolutely right. That's exactly what I did. I struck when the Zhou family's fortune was at its lowest and succeeded in breaking it. Zachary Justice, I don't have much time left. Can my little disciple travel with you for a while? When you find him a safe place to settle, let him go. He's not gifted, but I can't bear to see him suffer. Zachary Justice, I'm begging you.
As Lenny Lee spoke, he tried to kneel, but Zachary Justice stood up. With a thud, Lenny Lee's young disciple knelt down first.
Zachary Justice, my master always told me how powerful and righteous you are. Please save him—he was just confused for a moment. Save him, even if it costs my life. My master...
Zachary Justice smiled and squatted by the cell bars, extending both hands. Two streams of white energy lifted the two men, and he sighed.
Your constitution is too weak. Even if I use my spells to save you, your body can't handle it—the result would be the same. The only way is for you to resist the ghost's erosion yourself for three days and nights. Only then can I save you. You must endure the torment and face the shadows alone.
Elder Peach's eyes widened, glancing at his own body. He immediately understood what Zachary Justice meant.
Long ago, Master Peter Pine had said that a Taoist cultivator must maintain the balance of yin and yang. If you don't lay a solid foundation at the start and rush into learning spells, it only brings harm. Not only does long-term use of spells damage your body, but it also affects future cultivation.
Thinking back, his own constitution was so strong he could withstand Zachary Justice's spells. It wasn't until after he turned twenty that his master began teaching him spellwork; for over a decade before that, he only practiced the balance of yin and yang.
Looking at Zachary Justice's two disciples, they knew some spellwork, but those spells required balanced yin and yang to perform. Spells needing conversion between excess yin or yang, neither disciple could use.
So my survival wasn't a coincidence. Zachary Justice, thank you.
Elder Peach spoke, then stood and bowed. Zachary Justice smiled and shook his head.
Lenny Lee, the only way is to keep your mind clear. The physical erosion is painful, but if you grit your teeth, you can get through it. The real danger is the erosion of your consciousness—if the ghost takes over...
Lenny Lee looked at his sobbing young disciple and nodded.
At that moment, Zachary Justice stood up.
Sigh, Lenny Lee, can you tell us? What grudge do you have against Zhou Heipi that you'd risk your life with such a spell? Though it's my first time here, I've heard of Zhou Heipi's misdeeds back in the county.
Elder Peach immediately looked over, realizing that unless there was a deep grudge, no one would use such a spell. Lenny Lee knew his skills were lacking and would suffer backlash, yet he used it anyway. Now, with Zhou Heipi's only son dead, the Zhou family line is ended. Zhou Heipi is over fifty, and having more children is impossible. The Zhou family had only one son.
Lenny Lee sighed, his face sorrowful as he lowered his head. After a long while, he finally spoke.
Lenny Lee didn't start out as a Taoist. He was rescued by a passing Taoist on the road, who took pity on him and saw his desire to learn. The Taoist took him in and taught him a few things, but before he could finish, the old master passed away. Without a foundation, Lenny Lee became a half-baked practitioner.
Lenny Lee used to be a scholar, hoping to earn a title and become an official to benefit the people. Though he never achieved high office, he became the county registrar in his twenties, actively requesting a transfer back to his hometown. The county magistrate he worked with admired him greatly.
Lenny Lee returned because a woman he'd been betrothed to since childhood was waiting for him here.
The two planned to marry, but the young Zhou Heipi took a liking to Lenny Lee's fiancée. He approached Lenny Lee, hoping he'd break off the engagement himself. Knowing the Zhou family's cruelty, Lenny Lee refused on the spot.
But the good times didn't last. Suddenly, his fiancée's family broke off the engagement and decided to give Lenny Lee's beloved to Zhou Heipi as a concubine.
Lenny Lee, furious, stormed to the Zhou house and made a scene. Since he was the county registrar, an official, the Zhou family didn't dare retaliate.
His beloved tearfully explained that her family had failed in business and owed a large debt. The Zhou family paid off the debt, but only if she married Zhou Heipi as a concubine. Her parents, desperate, agreed.
Lenny Lee, desperate, went to his future father-in-law, claiming he could repay the debt and urging them to return the money. After some thought, the father-in-law agreed, knowing the Zhou family's cruelty.
But as a mere county registrar, Lenny Lee had no money. Helpless, he planned to embezzle some funds from the county office, intending to pay it back over time.
Lenny Lee told the county magistrate everything, and the magistrate tacitly approved. So Lenny Lee went through with it.
But the next morning, Lenny Lee was accused of corruption, suspended, and sentenced to three years of hard labor.
Disheartened, Lenny Lee didn't know what to do. His beloved visited, saying she'd try to escape on her wedding day. They agreed to meet three years later at a certain place.
Because of his beloved's words, Lenny Lee endured those three years. But when he arrived at their meeting place, she was nowhere to be found.
Lenny Lee rushed back to his hometown, only to learn from his parents that his beloved had been dead for two years.
He then learned that the woman he loved had been beaten to death by Zhou Heipi. She tried to escape many times to keep their promise, but after being publicly humiliated by Zhou Heipi, she was brutally beaten to death.
Feeling as though his world had collapsed, Lenny Lee, in despair, attempted suicide. An old Taoist saved him and, to resolve his grief, used spells to summon the ghost of his beloved. But they were separated by life and death, never to meet again.
"At that time, I really wanted to follow her, but her last words were for me to live well—she'd wait for me by the Bridge of Passing."
Lenny Lee lowered his head, while Elder Peach glared, gritting his teeth.
"So you chose this way to take revenge on him?"
Zachary Justice asked, and when Lenny Lee looked up, his face was already streaked with tears.
Zachary Justice, did I do wrong?
"You weren't wrong. But in seeking revenge, you ended up destroying yourself too. For someone destined for hell and a thousand cuts after death, now you're going to die with him. If you think it's worth it, that's all that matters."
At this moment, Zachary Justice stood up and glanced at Elder Peach and his two disciples.
You three, take good care of Lenny Lee. I need to go find something to help him survive the backlash.
Zachary Justice quickly pulled out a talisman, fashioned a straw doll from dry grass, dipped it in clear water, and wrote a spell on the talisman. Instantly, the talisman glowed gold. He stuck the spell onto the straw doll and placed it at his feet.
With this substitute spell, they won't notice I'm gone. I'll return within a week. Lenny Lee is in your hands—don't do anything, or you'll interfere with his recovery.
After repeating his instructions, Zachary Justice walked to the cell door, pulled out a talisman, and sent it flying. Soon, two dazed officials arrived and opened the door. After Zachary Justice left, it took a while for the officials to come to their senses.
Do you know what Zachary Justice went to find?
Master Zachary Wu shook his head.
I do know about the balance of yin and yang. I suspect Master went to find something to help Lenny Lee maintain that balance.
Zhang Anle snorted.
"Great, now we're in trouble."