"I think Grandpa would definitely support me!"
Hu Tao looked at Zhongli with absolute certainty.
After all, she had already taken the Ten Thousand Ghosts Codex out of the Sutra Pavilion. She couldn't enter again this week. Whether she wanted to or not, she had to cultivate it.
There was no way back for her. Not that she wanted one.
Zhongli, however, looked troubled.
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had always borne the responsibility of overseeing the cycle of life and death in Liyue. Every past director upheld the duty of guiding souls onward.
And now, under Hu Tao…
She was turning herself into a ghost cultivator?
Could the Parlor still be called the Parlor?
For the first time, Zhongli felt ashamed before Hu Tao's grandfather's trust.
He hadn't kept an eye on her.
But Hu Tao herself didn't care what he thought. Even if she knew, she'd probably throw it back in his face on her way out of Mount Shu.
"You, Zhongli—the mighty Geo Archon himself—practiced an Invocation Art. Why can't I, Hu Tao, cultivate the Ten Thousand Ghosts Codex?"
The other disciples who knew of the Funeral Parlor's solemn duties—Ningguang among them—also glanced at Hu Tao with mixed feelings.
Would Liyue's families still entrust their funerary rites to the Parlor in the future?
What if a family asked her to guide a soul to the afterlife, and Hu Tao instead refined it into a ghostly servant? That would be… troublesome.
But…
Hu Tao was principled. She probably wouldn't do that. …Right?
"What do you want to ask?"
Jiang Yan had enjoyed the spectacle—especially Zhongli's conflicted, guilty expression. It was a rare sight.
But he refocused and addressed Hu Tao.
"Um…"
Hu Tao scratched her cheek, her voice dropping.
"Master, if I cultivate the Ten Thousand Ghosts Codex, does that mean I can only ever walk the path of a ghost cultivator? And… the spirits I control—can they still keep their own minds?"
Jiang Yan studied her, eyes gleaming faintly.
"As for your future path, you needn't worry. Though you cultivate ghostly arts, that does not mean you are bound to this road for life."
"In fact, you do not even count as a true ghost cultivator."
"Real ghost cultivators are souls who cultivate themselves. At most, you're an unorthodox cultivator."
At that, Zhongli—who had barely begun to accept it—winced again.
Unorthodox cultivation? That's worse than ghost cultivation!
"In truth, practicing the Codex is a good thing for you."
Jiang Yan's tone carried a hint of amusement as he looked deeply at her.
"You already have a connection to the boundary between life and death in Teyvat. You understand souls more than most."
"If someone else had obtained the Codex, I would have warned them not to slaughter innocents and forge vengeful spirits. But you… I can trust."
"Long ago, the Lord of Little Fengdu used the Codex to massacre an entire small world, forging a legion of wraiths and becoming the Ten-Directions Ghost Emperor. That crime was beyond heinous."
"But you are different. You hold firm to your bottom line in matters of life and death. I need not caution you."
"Moreover, the Codex is not only for refining spirits—it can also help you guide souls more effectively. That is a meritorious act. The more you guide onward, the more it will benefit your cultivation."
"You already know this in your heart: for those who brought harm to the living, you can refine their souls as the foundation of your ghostly domain. Even the spirits of beasts can be used."
"As for whether they keep their minds—if you wish, they can retain them. If not, you can erase them in an instant."
"Under the Codex's control, they cannot disobey you."
Hearing this, Hu Tao exhaled in relief.
That was the real reason she asked: to see whether her Master rejected ghost cultivation. Since he did not, she was free.
Ordinary souls—she would guide them away.
But those steeped in sin—she would make them fight for her until the end. Dying in the struggles of cultivators would be their own fate.
Nearby, Lisa watched with interest.
Her Soul Burning Hellfire consumed spirits, while Hu Tao's Codex commanded them. In a sense, they were rivals.
But Lisa felt no annoyance—only motivation.
Competition!
Hu Tao was only in the mid Refining Essence stage, while she herself was nearing late Refining Essence. She had confidence she wouldn't lose.
And for spiritual resources, the Nine Nether Secret Realm and the Xuanyin Minor World were overflowing with souls—every one of them guilty beyond redemption.
One, a world of demonic cultivators. The other, a den of savage beasts. No innocents there.
All she had to do was kill them—if she could.
"Used properly, the Codex will actually be a boon to Teyvat," Jiang Yan added, seeing Hu Tao's excitement.
"During Liyue's ancient Archon War, countless demon gods fell…"
At that, Zhongli's eyes lit up.
"Master, you mean—the Demon God remnants?"
Jiang Yan nodded.
"When Xiao was burdened with heavy karmic debt, it was from cleansing such remnants."
Xiao stepped forward, bowing.
"Thank you for your concern, Master. That is correct. But now that I've embarked on the path of cultivation, I no longer fear karmic debt."
"Precisely because you've embarked on cultivation, you can no longer return often to purge them."
Jiang Yan's words silenced him. It was true—he hadn't returned to Liyue in a long time. Not out of neglect, but lack of time.
Sect affairs, the founding ceremony, disciples to oversee… Xiao carried great responsibility as chief disciple of the Hall of Discipline.
He had planned to return after the ceremony. With his strength now, even if a Demon God revived, he could crush it again.
But Jiang Yan's tone hinted he wouldn't need to go personally anymore.
Sure enough, Jiang Yan continued:
"The so-called Demon God remnants are nothing more than fragments of their souls. Xiao's karmic debt came from the taint of such remnants."
Lisa and Hu Tao's eyes lit up. They had already grasped the key point.
"Master, you mean…" Lisa asked eagerly.
Jiang Yan nodded.
"Your Hellfire, Lisa, and Hu Tao's Codex—both are soul-arts."
"Fragments are still souls."
"For you two, purging Demon God remnants is child's play. Not only will you avoid karmic debt—you will grow stronger."
"Hu Tao can refine the fragments into her ghost generals and ghost domain. Lisa can burn them to fuel her flames and cultivation."
"To you, Demon God remnants are a natural resource."
"You may travel Teyvat together, cleansing them. That way, the remnants are removed and your strength grows—a win-win."
"Especially you, Hu Tao…"
Jiang Yan's eyes flicked toward Zhongli, his voice carrying layered meaning.
"Your Codex is a soul-art. As I said, arts themselves are not good or evil—it is the heart that wields them."
"If guided by righteousness, the Codex is the supreme manual for solving any problem of the soul."
"Karmic debt, Demon Scales, even spiritual erosion—all are within its scope."
Zhongli straightened, spirit lifted.
Erosion!
This was exactly the solution he had been praying for.
If Hu Tao could use the Codex to cleanse Azhdaha's madness, then not only would Mount Shu gain a formidable ally at the late Spirit Transformation stage, but Liyue itself would gain another guardian cultivator.
It was too great an opportunity to pass.
At last, Zhongli found himself supporting Hu Tao's path. Even her grandfather would surely understand.
"The Codex's origin may not rival the Heavenly Mandate: God-Sealing Art, but it is still a formidable technique," Jiang Yan said.
"You must explore it well. And for questions of souls, you can consult Lisa. She has cultivated Hellfire for long, a true genius of the soul-path."
Lisa lifted her chin proudly at the praise.
Indeed—she was a professional when it came to recycling souls.
And now, with Hu Tao as her counterpart, she was genuinely looking forward to exchanging insights. After all, soon they would be sent together to cleanse remnants in Teyvat. Best to work out arrangements now, rather than fight over them later.
Hu Tao, thinking the same, met Lisa's eyes. Both girls smiled knowingly.
"Now then…"
Having settled Hu Tao's matter, Jiang Yan turned toward the somewhat nervous Yelan and Tartaglia.
With a small laugh, he asked:
"And the two of you—have nothing to say to me?"
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554