Chapter 884: A New Plan
Master Jiang nodded, expressing his agreement with Yang Haoran's statement.
"So, if you want to find a Spirit in the Underworld's lowest echelons who was a Pharmacist in life, that's almost impossible. If you're looking for a Spirit who understands how to identify spiritual medicinal ingredients, such Spirits do exist, but whether you can find one depends entirely on your luck," Master Jiang said.
"Heh, luck is such an elusive thing. Who can truly say?"
Yang Haoran shook his head with a wry smile. He had originally come to Master Jiang today hoping to find a solution to his problem, but he hadn't expected to have cold water thrown on his plans right from the start.
"You're right, no one can really predict luck. However, if you have acquaintances in the Hall of Judgment, they can definitely help you," Master Jiang said.
"Oh? Please elaborate, Master Jiang," Yang Haoran said.
"Just now, when I was setting up the restrictive barrier, I decided I would tell you everything I know. Let's start with the Hall of Judgment. Behind the Last Plaza is the Underworld's Hall of Judgment. All Spirits sent to the Underworld are escorted there to face judgment. The vast majority of Spirits above the Wánglíng level are refined into Soul Pills, with only a very small number of Spirits in special circumstances being exempt."
"Ordinary Wánglíng, if they committed no evil deeds in life, are sent directly to the Reincarnation Platform to be reborn. As for what kind of family they are born into – whether it's one of great wealth and luxury, or one of abject poverty with bare walls – that depends on how many good deeds they performed in life."
"I'm telling you all this to let you know that the Hall of Judgment has detailed records of everything about every Spirit who enters the Underworld, including their past life. If you have acquaintances in the Hall of Judgment, you just need to state your requirements for a Spirit, and if such a Spirit exists in the Underworld, they can find the person who meets your criteria. This way, you can find the most suitable candidate in the shortest amount of time. Many influential merchants and powerful figures in the Underworld use this method when they need talent."
Hearing Master Jiang's words, a hint of helplessness appeared in Yang Haoran's smile.
"I can count my acquaintances in this Underworld on one hand, and if we're talking about friends, you're the only one. How could I possibly know anyone in the Hall of Judgment? Besides, ordinary Ghost Officials in the Hall of Judgment probably wouldn't dare to get involved in such matters; you'd need to find someone with official standing. And those kinds of people, I certainly don't know them."
At this point, Yang Haoran looked at Master Jiang with a puzzled expression and asked,
"You've been a Ghost Official in the Underworld for several years now. Don't you have any connections in that regard?"
Master Jiang gently shook his head, his expression quite similar to Yang Haoran's, his smile also bearing a hint of helplessness.
"Heh, you know my personality. My heart belongs only to my god. For my god, I am willing to sacrifice my life and soul. Other matters don't concern me as much."
Yang Haoran knew that Master Jiang had always been a devout believer. He had considered trying to persuade Master Jiang otherwise, but ultimately, he abandoned the thought, not wanting to lose Master Jiang as a friend.
"I've pointed out the path for you. As for how you proceed, that's up to you. If this path doesn't work, I can offer you another suggestion, which you can try then," Master Jiang continued.
Hearing this, Yang Haoran's face showed a curious expression, and he asked with a faint smile,
"What suggestion?"
Master Jiang raised his wine cup and clinked it against Yang Haoran's. After both men drained their cups, he finally replied,
"The vast majority of Spirits in the Underworld are human souls, but there are also a few demon souls. These demons live long lives, have seen much, and know a great deal. After all, their cultivation relies on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, as well as various rare treasures containing spiritual energy. Therefore, they have at least some knowledge of spiritual medicinal ingredients and understand how to distinguish their authenticity. If you can find a suitable demon soul, it should solve your current problem."
After his words fell, Master Jiang immediately added,
"Rarity makes a thing precious. Demon souls are fewer in number in the Underworld, so they are quite sought after. If you spot a target, you need to act quickly, or someone else might get there first."
Yang Haoran nodded. Master Jiang's suggestion had given him an idea for a plan. Whether it would work or not, he had to try.
With a decision made, he temporarily put the matter aside. Then, another question came to mind.
"Master Jiang, if a deceased person committed murder in life, must their soul remain in the Underworld to contribute after death? " Yang Haoran asked.
"Not necessarily. It depends on how many people were killed, and who those people were. It's not the case that simply killing someone in the mortal realm automatically means staying in the lowest echelons to contribute. It depends on the specific circumstances," Master Jiang replied, shaking his head.
"And if one insults a Ghost Official, will they be stripped of their right to reincarnation and banished to the lowest echelons of the Underworld? " Yang Haoran asked again.
"That also depends. It depends on the Ghost Official's status, their temper, and the severity of the insult. If the Ghost Official insulted is from the Hall of Judgment, and if that Ghost Official has a bad temper, then it's not just a matter of being banished to the lowest echelons of the Underworld to contribute; it's even possible for their soul to undergo Soul Transformation."
After hearing Master Jiang's explanation, Yang Haoran gained a deeper understanding of the matter. For the remainder of their time, he asked Master Jiang about several other issues.
Naturally, these questions all pertained to the Underworld, as Master Jiang, being a Ghost Official of the Underworld, certainly knew more about its affairs than Yang Haoran, a mortal Underworld Official.
Master Jiang concealed nothing that he knew in response to Yang Haoran's questions. Even for matters involving some of the Underworld's secrets that couldn't be explicitly stated, Master Jiang still informed him in a tactful manner.
The meal lasted for a full five hours. For such a long time, the two men didn't eat much; more often, they were drinking and chatting, so they completely lost track of time.
After bidding farewell to Master Jiang, Yang Haoran felt a dizzy haze in his mind. Although the Underworld's fine wine was excellent for boosting Spirit Power, it was also quite intoxicating.
While drinking heartily with Master Jiang, he naturally didn't need to keep a clear head, as that would defeat the purpose of drinking. But after parting ways with Master Jiang, he had to clear his mind, for there were many things he still needed to do.
Since the Underworld had no sun or moon, and was lit entirely by countless ghost fires, there was no concept of day or night. Consequently, the sense of time was not as strong as in the mortal realm, and the daily routines were quite chaotic.
Unlike the Spirits or Ghost Officials of the Underworld, Yang Haoran was, after all, a being of flesh and blood. Even with the support of Spirit Power, he still felt fatigue. He had been running around incessantly lately and was utterly exhausted. He yearned for rest, but the thought of the store manager issue still weighed heavily on his mind. If he didn't resolve it, he wouldn't feel at ease, and even lying in bed, he would absolutely not be able to get proper rest.
Therefore, he decided to first put this matter into action before doing anything else.
His visit to Master Jiang this time had indeed brought him many gains. Not only had he gained a deeper understanding of the Underworld, but he also had a plan in mind for how to find the store manager.
He didn't return to his shop, but instead headed back to the Underworld's talent market. He revised his recruitment advertisement, changing it from seeking one store manager and two clerks to only recruiting one store manager, and he added special requirements for the manager.
These requirements, naturally, included familiarity with medicines and the ability to distinguish the authenticity of various spiritual medicinal ingredients.
In addition, he added another clause: no racial restrictions. Whether they were human in life or a demon, as long as they possessed the relevant abilities, they were within his recruitment scope.
After completing all this, he only left his phone number and didn't stay at the talent market. He wanted to try and see if he could pull some strings and connect with a Ghost Official from the Hall of Judgment. If a Hall of Judgment Ghost Official could assist with this matter, things would become relatively simpler.
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