"Feng Ruoxing said, 'You should know the Six Doors' attitude towards Jianghu people, right?'

I nodded, 'Enforcing the national law, regardless of grievances.'

The Six Doors' attitude towards Jianghu people is unique. In the imperial court's view, the Jianghu needs hatred. They can't allow it to be unstable, but they can't let it be too stable either.

The Six Doors never interferes in Jianghu killings. In their view, it doesn't matter how many Jianghu people die in their conflicts. Every troublemaker who dies is one less problem for them to deal with.

However, when Jianghu people try to rebel or harm the common people, the Six Doors will spare no effort in pursuing and executing them.

Therefore, the Jianghu also considers the Six Doors as one of their own.

Feng Ruoxing said, 'You're talking about their attitude towards martial artists. Their attitude towards术士 (shùshì, Daoist sorcerers) has changed several times!'

'A long time ago, after the Six Doors captured shushi, they rarely executed them. Most were exiled to the Black Yang River.'

'You also know what ancient constables did to those who were exiled. That road was always called the Road to the Underworld. Many shushi died on the way before they even reached the Black Yang River.'

'The people who actually reached the place of exile were not only few in number, but also the most powerful figures in the art of術 (shù, Daoist magic).'

'The Black Yang River became the greatest forbidden zone in the art of shù!'

'This exile continued for nearly two hundred years before it was forcibly abolished by the Six Doors. From then on, shushi captured by the Six Doors were only executed; there was no more talk of exile.'

'Because of this, some famous shushi masters joined forces to find the Six Doors, wanting an explanation. But not only did they not get an explanation, their heads were hung outside the Six Doors as a warning.'

'From then on, the Black Yang River became a legend.'

'No one knows how to get to the Black Yang River, and no one knows the final fate of the shushi who were exiled there.'

'As time passed, no one mentioned the Black Yang River anymore.'

I said in a deep voice, 'In two hundred years, the number of shushi exiled to the Black Yang River should be countless. Did no one know how to get to the Black Yang River?'

Feng Ruoxing said, 'Legend has it that no one knows.'

'It is said that Six Doors constables only received the map to the Black Yang River the day before their departure.'

'When they returned, their memories had been erased. No one knew how to get to the Black Yang River.'

'It is said that the Six Doors did this to prevent anyone from intercepting the prisoners on the way.'

'And...'

Feng Ruoxing paused before saying, 'Moreover, I heard that even if a Six Doors constable wanted to travel back and forth on that road, their chances of survival were slim. Because so many people had died on the road, it had become a Soul-Severing Road.'

I could understand Feng Ruoxing's words.

In ancient times, escorts transporting exiled prisoners could be a hard job, or a good one.

In ancient times, exile often meant traveling thousands of miles.

If the exiled person was an official or a wealthy family member, they would definitely hire carriages and horses for the constables, provide them with ample travel expenses, and offer them bribes. Along the way, former students and officials who had benefited from the exiled official would host banquets and take care of them. After a trip like that, the constables would not only have good food and drink, but also earn a considerable sum of money.

If the exiled person was poor, or if an entire family was being exiled, then they would have to walk those thousands of miles step by step. The constables would have to pay for their own food and drink along the way, and if they spent too much money, their superiors might not be happy. This would be a hard job.

However, the constables were not without ways to deal with such hard jobs. When they reached remote and dangerous places, they would push the prisoners down the mountains, throw them into the rivers, or simply kill them with a knife, report it to the nearest county office, and then return to complete their mission.

There were many prisoners who died during exile due to acclimatization, accidental falls, or drowning. Moreover, the constables had the right to kill prisoners on the spot if they tried to escape along the way.

In addition, everyone in the profession knew these rules. As long as the constables didn't get rid of the bodies and could prove that they hadn't released the prisoners privately, the local officials wouldn't bother to ask too many questions and would simply sign a warrant to write off a life.

The roads most often used for exiling prisoners were the most haunted.

Feng Ruoxing meant that although the Six Doors only had constables and no regular yamen runners, they would do the same when escorting prisoners.

The vengeful souls of shushi, if transformed into fierce ghosts, would be much more terrifying than ordinary ghosts.

If those ghosts had been occupying the road to Xianyang River, then whether one was going in or out of Xianyang River, the chances of survival would be slim. What else could that road be but a Soul-Severing Road?

I thought for a long time before saying, 'Do you think that Soul-Severing Road really exists?'

I sat up straight and said, 'Think about it. If there were so many ghosts and vengeful spirits entrenched on that road, wouldn't there be rumors about those ghosts in the art of shù?'

'Why have I never heard of such legends?'

'Also, if there really is a Xianyang River, who is guarding it? What were those prisoners sent there to do?'

The final destination for exiled prisoners was usually a prison camp or a similar place. The prisoners were not just kept there; they were usually forced to do hard labor or become slaves.

If Xianyang River exists, there must be an army guarding the prisoners!

Why have I never heard of such records?"