Thank you.
Jiang Lin accepted the Intermediate Cultivation Card handed to him by Hui Lu, still feeling a bit bewildered.
So it was him who had broken it.
This was his first time advancing to the Ghost King realm, and he lacked experience.
He would have experience next time.
Actually, he also had intermediate and advanced cultivation cards. They were in the storage bag left by the previous Meng Po.
But perhaps because he was used to being poor, he always thought about using the beginner ones first and saving the good ones for later.
"My Lord, what next?"
Hui Lu smiled. "Let's talk about compensation."
Jiang Lin: !
He had almost forgotten about this.
In an instant.
Jiang Lin recalled the rumors of two seniors whose fight had overturned the Ghost Messengers' residence,
and were later dragged by King Yama to do hard labor.
"No way..."
Hui Lu surveyed the entire cultivation room. The impact on other areas was manageable, but the hole above needed some repairs.
"I estimate it will only cost one hundred thousand冥币 (mingbi) and five hundred soul stones."
!!!
The black-clothed ghost messenger beside him gasped, his eyes wide.
"It's that expensive!?"
"Selling me wouldn't even fetch that much!"
Jiang Lin also gasped. It was that much!
"Fortunately, I have it!"
Otherwise, he would have been dragged off to do hard labor!
Soul stones could be used as materials for artifact refining.
He had heard before that this cultivation room was created by some lord through artifact refining, and now it seemed highly likely.
Although he hadn't obtained many soul stones from his previous tasks, the ones in Meng Po's storage bag should be enough.
He remembered seeing a huge pile of them.
They were piled in a corner of the storage bag like trash.
As for the 冥币 (mingbi), the amount he had earned through the live stream alone was sufficient.
Even so!
Jiang Lin still felt a pang of heartache when making the payment.
A loss.
A loss.
He should have gone to the intermediate cultivation room.
Suddenly, the system's voice chimed.
"Ding~ Discount transaction detected. Would you like to use the discount card?"
Jiang Lin paused and said, "Use it."
"Usage successful!"
"My Lord, wait a moment!"
The moment Jiang Lin used the discount card,
the Hui Lu in front of him seemed to remember something and suddenly spoke:
"I've re-estimated. This cultivation room has been in use for some time.
You only need to pay eighty thousand 冥币 (mingbi) and four hundred soul stones."
"Alright."
Jiang Lin quietly put back the extra 冥币 (mingbi) and soul stones.
He secretly thought he must properly examine this discount card later.
It really could save money!
The black-clothed ghost messenger, staring at the stacks of cash and soul stones, was dumbfounded.
After they finished handling the matter of the cultivation room, he silently followed Jiang Lin out.
As Jiang Lin reached the entrance of the cultivation room, a ghost child suddenly darted from a distance, moving as fast as a cannonball.
"Jiang Wuchang, King Yama summons you to the Hall of Yama!"
This type of ghost child had a larger head than usual, wore a red bellyband, and had only a tuft of hair on its head, tied upwards.
They were very fast and were often used as messengers or couriers.
Jiang Lin: "I'm on my way."
"Hurry, don't keep King Yama waiting too long~"
Saying this, the ghost child had already darted ten meters away, its voice growing fainter.
Jiang Lin patted the black-clothed ghost messenger beside him. "Brother, excuse me, I have to go ahead. Forget about dinner."
Watching Jiang Lin disappear from sight in an instant, the black-clothed ghost messenger's eyes were vacant.
That Wuchang was a Ghost King.
The damage to the cultivation room had nothing to do with him.
Although it was good that he didn't have to compensate, why did he feel a faint sense of sadness?
The black-clothed ghost messenger sat at the entrance of the cultivation room, propping his chin, gazing at the underworld sky at a forty-five-degree angle.
It was gloomy.
Very dim.
Just like his current mood.
What about unlimited potential, Ghost King realm, big houses...
What did all that bright future have to do with him?
"Thirteen?"
A ghost messenger, who was just about to enter the cultivation room, stopped in his tracks, took two steps back, and said, "Is that really you? What are you doing here?"
The black-clothed ghost messenger, addressed as Thirteen, looked up at the other person, then withdrew his gaze. "Yes, what am I doing here?"
The other person was also a patrolling ghost messenger and, seeing him like this, couldn't help but be curious. "Didn't you say you were going to break through to the Ghost General realm in one go? Did you not succeed?"
"I succeeded."
"Amazing! You succeeded! Why the long face?"
The ghost messenger clapped Thirteen on the back. "Let's go grab a meal?"
Thirteen sighed and dejectedly said,
"Yes, why can't I be happy..."
"This, I suppose, is the sorrow of a poor ghost."
Fellow ghost messenger: ???
"There's nothing wrong with that statement, but why can't I understand it?"
"Who isn't a poor ghost?"
"Isn't this a fact that's long been known? Why are you only feeling sorrow now?"
"You're not that slow, are you!?"
Meanwhile, Jiang Lin, unaware of Thirteen's dejection, soon arrived in front of the Hall of Yama.
The Hall of Yama was also built in an ancient style.
The roof spread out like an umbrella, and the steps at the entrance were more than a hundred paces long.
Above the door was a plaque.
Six meters long and two meters wide.
From afar, one could see the three large golden characters on it.
"Hall of Yama!"
Grand and solemn.
As if imbued with a mysterious power.
Just looking at it made people feel awe and dare not have any other thoughts.
Jiang Lin also felt a bit nervous.
As if it knew he was coming, no ghost messenger obstructed him along the way.
"Greetings, King Yama!" Jiang Lin stood in the hall and cupped his fists.
The next moment, Jiang Lin felt a gaze fall upon him, as if appraising him.
"Congratulations, Ghost King realm."
Yan Luo sat at the desk at the very top, propping her chin as she looked at him.
"I'm quite curious how you managed it."
Jiang Lin's heart skipped a beat, but he then heard King Yama continue:
"But I suppose it's your own secret. As long as you don't cause trouble, I won't interfere."
"At least for now, you are trustworthy. So, you can rest assured."
Saying this, Yan Luo withdrew her gaze and casually flipped through the documents in front of her.
Although she didn't know how Jiang Lin managed it, she assumed it was due to some fortuitous encounter or destiny.
Such people were not common throughout history, but they were not non-existent.
As long as they didn't cause trouble, it was a good thing for the underworld.
If they were to compare, their own destiny as Kings of Yama was not bad.
Especially the one in the south.
He had taken all the talent and destiny.
Every time she thought of it, Yan Luo felt envious and resentful, yet helpless!
Below, Jiang Lin breathed a sigh of relief.
King Yama's words just now had made him sweat profusely.
"According to regulations, Ghost Kings are entitled to their own territory. Will you reside in the underworld or outside?" Yan Luo asked.
The person the previous Meng Po had sought, a mighty general, had demarcated a piece of land outside the underworld and established a general's mansion, living a life of indulgence.
However, he still served the underworld.
Jiang Lin pondered for a moment and made his decision. "I will stay in the underworld."
He was aiming to become a first-class ghost messenger, and his aspirations differed from that of the mighty general.
First-class ghost messengers needed to undertake missions frequently, so residing in the underworld would be more convenient.
"En. The western region just finished constructing the First Hall. You can go there."
Yan Luo continued to look at the documents in her hands, occasionally making annotations.
"I'm appointing you as the captain of the Eighteenth Squad, Bai Wuchang. Are you willing?"
She looked up and gazed at Jiang Lin below.