Yinshan Record

Chapter 552 Who Lays the Net, Little Did They Know? (Part 1)
Su Che coldly observed the ghost judge below, never expecting the City God to pull such a stunt.

Collecting moonlight requires magical power to refine it; once the magical power is removed, the moonlight will escape and dissipate along with the laws of heaven and earth.

As the saying goes, one should take from those who have more than enough to make up for those who have less than enough; this is the natural order and the right way.

The sheer amount of moonlight displayed here clearly indicates that the City God had done his homework long ago. While they were collecting moonlight in the air, the City God might have been doing the same thing at the same time. Perhaps it was the City God himself who personally intervened, resulting in this scale.

They prepared well in advance, just waiting to launch their attack.

It's true that you can't hit a smiling face.

We came here to confront her, expecting her to be some virtuous and chaste woman, but she just lay down and let us do whatever we wanted, playing around even more than we did.

"Judge Cui, you're too kind. I thought some kind of demon was causing trouble, but it turns out it was just a mistake on your part. We're all on the same side, so there's no need to hurt our feelings. Please leave this ball of moonlight here, Judge Cui."

Now that his tricks had been exposed, Su Che changed his attitude.

Now that he has returned from the Yellow Heaven, he is no longer a simple rich young master who can use many ruthless methods. As a follower of the Yellow Heaven Path in the mortal world, he still represents the orthodox Xuanmen sect.

Since it's the authentic version, some of the spoiled brat tactics can no longer be used openly.

It's best not to go to extremes with some things.

This is precisely the "morality" among the Nine Laws of Heaven and Man; the means adopted will differ depending on the circumstances.

If a person who is about to starve to death steals a loaf of bread, can that be considered stealing?

Already possessing vast wealth, yet still relentlessly exploiting and driving people to the brink of extinction—that's true thievery. The saying "As long as sages exist, great thieves will never cease" perfectly illustrates this point. Great thieves often disguise themselves as saints, making it seem as if the sun wouldn't rise without them. It's truly laughable.

This is precisely because of the changing times and the different behaviors resulting from different social positions.

The laws of morality reside in the human mind and intellect, and they must be carefully examined.

The black-faced judge bowed again.

"I have heard that the True Man travels the world by imperial decree, but I have never paid him a visit, which is a sin."

The ghost judge, who was known in the human world for his stern and unsmiling demeanor, laughed.

"Judge Cui, please don't be so polite. Please lead the way so I can meet the City God and express my gratitude for your help."

Su Che changed the subject, instead riding the wind forward.

"This...Reporting to the Master, my master is currently in seclusion, I'm afraid..."

The dark-faced judge gave an awkward smile: "Don't be afraid of making a fool of yourself, Master Su. We are not qualified to entertain a master."

"It's alright, then let me pay my respects to the City God."

Su Che smiled and said, "The City God is the supreme ruler of all the City Gods in the world, and is the most revered god among mortals. As a member of the sect, I have no choice but to thank the City God on behalf of all the people of the world."

Whether in the Southern or Northern Dynasties, or even in Su Che's previous life, the location of the capital city of Huang was extremely special. The so-called City God was originally a ghost official similar to the officials who governed the mortal world.

The plaques on City God Temples also differ from those of ordinary temples. If it is a Taoist temple, it often has inscriptions such as "Transcending worldly desires" or "Eternal Spring in the Grotto Heaven," signifying profound cultivation. If it is a Buddhist temple, it has inscriptions such as "Transcending the Three Realms" or "Ultimate Liberation," signifying detachment.

The City God Temple, on the other hand, embodies the spirit of "selflessness" and "righteousness." If it weren't for the clay and wooden sculptures sitting in the main hall, it would be exactly the same as a government office.

If the prime minister and the general are the heads of all officials in the mortal world, then the chief of all the city gods in the underworld is the capital city god. Therefore, the selection of the capital city god and the official treatment bestowed upon him are generally extremely special. For example, in Su Che's previous life, when the Ming Taizu (Emperor Hongwu) wielded his sword to restore the country and sweep away the bloodshed, he designated the city god of Nanjing Yingtian Prefecture as the capital city god of the entire realm, officially bestowing upon him an imperial title and sending officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to pay homage annually.

This is also a sign that the official underworld system is different from the Buddhist Ksitigarbha Yama, the Taoist Longevity Emperor, and the Lord of Mount Tai.

The current City God is even more powerful, after all, he is one of the few immortal beings in the Great Liang Dynasty, and he also holds the important position of leading the City Gods of all places in the world.

Of course, there is a similar capital city in the Northern Dynasty today, Huang, which is the same city that, together with the emperor of the Northern Dynasty, restrains the powerful Grand Tutor Yuwen and maintains the fragile balance of the Northern Dynasty.

It seems this round was indeed aimed at us.

Cui Guipan was even more certain that the situation created by this young Su was aimed at his own family. Du Chenghuang had already made arrangements, and he said firmly.

"Actually... sigh, I'm ashamed to say, my master is not at home right now. He has been invited by the Dragon Lord to travel in the East Sea. To avoid being noticed, he says he is in seclusion."

He carefully chose his words and bowed again, saying, "If I wait for your return, I will definitely seek out the master to visit you. Please forgive me."

"Just such a bad coincidence?"

"Who says otherwise?" the ghost judge said through gritted teeth. "My master has long admired the True Man, and I feel sorry for both of you..."

"Then it seems a bit inappropriate for me to go to the mansion to pay my respects and wait for the City God to return?"

"Please don't come," Cui Guipan hurriedly said with a smile.

"There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that it hindered the master's skills, how can we possibly make amends?"

"Actually, it's not that I absolutely have to see the City God, but there's a small matter I'd like to trouble you with."

Su Che looked at Cui Guipan and said, "I have heard that there is a treasure in the Huangfu Palace in the capital called the Mirror of Illumination, which can see all the past events in Jiankang City. I wonder if I can borrow it?"

"This item does exist, but it is a treasure that my master used to protect himself after attaining enlightenment. He took it all the way to the East Sea and it is not in the manor."

"That's unfortunate. I've also heard that the Emperor of the capital has a copy of the Tongming Book, which records all the major and minor events that have occurred in Jiankang City. I wonder if I could borrow it to take a look?"

How do you know everything?

Judge Cui sighed and said, "There is such a thing, but a few days ago thieves broke into the mansion and stole several scrolls. I really don't know which scroll the Master wants."

He wasn't lying; a few days ago, someone from the City God's Kingdom did come and steal some things, including some of the Tongming Book.

The Su and Cui families exchanged glances, both sensing that something was amiss.

Judge Cui, being suspicious, began to wonder if the thief was sent by Su Che, and now was the perfect opportunity to interrogate him.

It was all orchestrated by the Third Young Master Su. When words failed, he resorted to force, clearly targeting their own family.

Su Che, however, sensed something was amiss.

According to Judge Cui, it's hard for Su Che not to suspect that the other party is deliberately making excuses for him. But why take it to this extent?

After all, anything that is recorded in writing can be faked. Even if Du Chenghuang was the mastermind behind the events of that year, he could have just made a few fake Tongminglu books to appease him.
Surely this City God couldn't possibly be without a few literate people under his command?

Su Che immediately sensed something was amiss.

Could it be that someone is setting a trap, waiting for me to walk right into it?
(End of this chapter)