Chapter Forty-Six: The Scholar of Yin and Yang

Outside, the street was densely packed with ghost soldiers, all clad in black armor, wielding either iron whips or long blades, their faces grim and murderous as they stared at our paper-crafting shop. Leading them was a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar; he appeared extraordinarily strange. Not only was his robe and scholar’s cap half black and half white, but his face was also divided between darkness and light, one side pitch black, the other pale white. In his hand, he held a folding fan, one half black, one half white, exuding an intense aura of evil.

Wang Bilin retreated into the shop, slamming the door shut behind him. His brows were tightly knit, his expression tense as though facing a great enemy.

“We’ve walked right into an ambush,” Wang Feiyang said, his brow furrowed. “That squad of ghost soldiers must have realized we weren’t dead from the very beginning—they came prepared.”

“What should we do now?” My heart was gripped with anxiety, and I asked if we should fight our way out.

“Absolutely not,” Wang Bilin replied urgently; beads of sweat the size of beans appeared on his forehead. Judging from his earlier display of skill, he was far from weak, and his decisive slaughter of those ghost soldiers suggested he was confident we could escape unharmed. Yet, his current behavior unsettled me—clearly, he could no longer control the situation.

“If it were just those ghost soldiers, I might still be able to protect you and force a way out. But with him here, leaving now would mean certain death.”

“Who is that yin-yang man?” Lu Li asked from the side.

Wang Bilin took a deep breath and explained that in this City of Wrongful Death, the city lord had two powerful lieutenants, famed as his left and right arms. One was called the Yin-Yang Scholar, the other the Ghost-Faced Marquis.

A chill ran down my spine. Could that yin-yang man outside be the Yin-Yang Scholar?

“Exactly,” Wang Bilin confirmed. “Normally, someone of the Yin-Yang Scholar’s status wouldn’t bother with such trivial matters. He’s usually a figure of legend, never seen by ordinary folk. Why has he come in person this time to apprehend you?”

“Could it be because of the seal we’re seeking?” I asked quickly. “The Daoist priest sent us to find it in this City of Wrongful Death—it’s certainly no ordinary item. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked the crime of leaving Mount Shu, stolen the Book of the Underworld, and orchestrated such a grand scheme, ultimately sending us here for the seal. That proves even the city lord is desperate to obtain it.”

“That’s possible,” Wang Bilin nodded. “With the city lord’s abilities, he must have known you were here for the seal the moment you entered the city. That’s why he sent the Yin-Yang Scholar to capture you.”

We exchanged glances, uncertain. Finally, Lu Li asked, “If we’re caught and brought to the city lord, what will happen to us?”

“We must not be captured,” Wang Bilin insisted. “If the city lord sent the Yin-Yang Scholar, it means he doesn’t know where the seal is either. His purpose in capturing you is to find out if you know its whereabouts. If he realizes you don’t, he’ll ensure you’re destroyed without a trace.”

I hurriedly said, “Grandpa Wang, I was born with the Nine Yin Absolute Pulse. Since the Daoist priest asked me to find the seal here, maybe she’s confident I can sense its location with my fate.”

“So what?” Wang Bilin retorted. “Even if you use your Nine Yin Absolute Pulse to locate the seal, do you think you can snatch it from the city lord? Have you forgotten your true purpose here?”

I paused for two seconds. He was right—our mission was to retrieve the seal and exchange it with the Daoist priest for my grandfather. If the city lord seized it, all our efforts would be in vain.

So, no matter what, we could not let those ghost soldiers outside capture us.

Suddenly, a shrill, eerie voice echoed from outside, sounding much like an ancient eunuch: “Three guests from the realm of the living, welcome to City No. 81 of the Underworld. The city lord invites you to his mansion as honored guests. Please do not disappoint his goodwill!”

Hearing this voice sent chills down my spine. I turned to Lu Li and joked, “That yin-yang man outside sounds a lot like you. Why not have a chat with him? Maybe he’ll see you as a kindred spirit and let us go.”

Lu Li gave a bitter smile, already murmuring the Sword Decision in preparation. At that moment, the Yin-Yang Scholar’s voice suddenly grew manic: “Since you don’t know what’s good for you, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

No sooner had his words ended than I heard a surge of footsteps outside—the ghost soldiers were charging. As the three of us braced to fight, Wang Bilin scowled and shoved us back.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to die? Get out through the back door!” he shouted, then called for Fu Yi.

A short, stout middle-aged male ghost hurried from the adjacent room, sweating profusely but trying to remain calm. “Boss, everyone else ran off when they saw the ghost soldiers coming.”

Wang Bilin nodded. “When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. I don’t blame them. But I knew you’d stay.”

With that, Wang Bilin gave Fu Yi a heavy pat on the shoulder. “Fu Yi, I entrust my three grandsons to you.”

Fu Yi nodded firmly. “Boss, if it weren’t for you back then, I’d have long since vanished. Don’t worry—even if I have to risk my life, I’ll get these young masters out safely.”

Wang Bilin looked relieved, then turned to open the door.

Wang Feiyang immediately grabbed his wrist, his icy face full of turmoil. “Grandpa, let’s go together.”

“Get out!” Wang Bilin barked, then fixed his gaze on me. “Wu Dao, if you want to save your grandfather, follow Fu Yi now! If you hesitate another second, you won’t make it out.”

I was stunned. Like Wang Feiyang, I wanted to drag Wang Bilin with us. But I realized then that if I hesitated any longer, the Yin-Yang Scholar would burst in and none of us would survive.

Wang Bilin’s intention was clear—he meant to confront the Yin-Yang Scholar and the ghost soldiers alone, buying us time to escape.

Without further thought, I grabbed Wang Feiyang’s shoulder and urged him to go. He turned, his face flushed, glaring at me. “Wu Dao, you and Lu Li go. My family is all dead—there’s only me left. I want to stay with my grandfather.”

“What nonsense! You still have brothers—how are you alone?” Anger flared in me, and together with Lu Li, we hauled Wang Feiyang up and followed Fu Yi.

At that moment, Wang Bilin pulled out a yellowed stitched booklet and shoved it into Wang Feiyang’s arms. “This is the 'Paper Soldiers Technique,' passed down in our family for generations. If you survive, take it back to the city and find a paper craftsman named Yan Fei at the Triangle Monument. Have him help you carry our family’s tradition forward!”

With those words, Wang Bilin resolutely turned and opened the door. The Yin-Yang Scholar, leading the ghost soldiers, was already charging toward us. Seeing Wang Bilin, the Scholar’s face twisted into a sinister grin, clearly regarding him as a dead man.

Wang Bilin said nothing. With a wave of his hand, a handful of palm-sized paper figures flew from his palm, carried by the sinister wind toward the ghost soldiers. Then Wang Bilin began to form intricate hand seals, his voice thunderous as he chanted, “Paper Soldiers, arise!”