"A few ghost messengers, that's all. I'll have the ghost messengers you mentioned transferred to Guangjiu Residence later."
King Yama readily agreed, not noticing anything suspicious.
There were tens of thousands of underworld ghost messengers. As one of the Ten Yama Kings, it was relatively easy for King Yama to dispatch a few ghost messengers to Guangjiu Residence.
Moreover, Shi Jian's cultivation was in the late stage of Golden Cultivation. If there were no accidents, he would go to the Six Offices of Merit and Virtue. The other nine Yama Kings would not dare to refuse.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your subordinate is deeply grateful!"
"Judge Lei Fa, there's no need for thanks. It's just a small matter."
"Since that's the case, your subordinate will not disturb you further, Your Majesty."
With that, Shi Jian cupped his hands in thanks towards King Yama before the Ghost Judge and vanished from King Yama's sight, returning to Guangjiu Residence.
At the same time, Taoist Master Qianhe also contacted Uncle Jiu and the others, informing them of the entire situation.
Upon hearing that they were to enlighten over a hundred million souls, Uncle Jiu and the others did not hesitate and immediately agreed.
If enlightening souls could truly earn merit from the Heavenly Dao, they were willing to enlighten hundreds of billions of souls, let alone just over a hundred million.
After a few days, Uncle Jiu, Sikong Yu, and others were transferred to Guangjiu Residence as ghost messengers.
"Senior Brother, it's been a long time. I thought you would serve in the Heavenly Court after overcoming the celestial tribulation. I didn't expect you to come to the underworld. Fate plays tricks on people."
"Indeed, we are still waiting for you to fulfill that promise you made."
Seeing Shi Jian before them, Sikong Yu, Uncle Jiu, and the others began to reminisce. It had been over twenty years since they last met.
"By the way, Junior Brother Lin, after I passed the lightning tribulation, did you happen to go to Maoshan and see my three disciples?"
Having been in the underworld for over a decade, Shi Jian was a little worried about the safety of Awei and Li Xuyan.
He knew very well that among the three, Awei had the lowest talent and was far inferior to Mao Xiaofang and Li Xuyan. His cultivation had already reached the early stage of Earth Master, which was his limit.
"Senior Brother, I haven't been to Maoshan, and I've only seen Awei once!"
"When my lifespan ended, he seemed to have taken over the Haunted School and developed some strange things that were quite effective against zombies and ferocious ghosts."
"I didn't misjudge this boy. He's actually managed to make a name for himself. I thought he would be wandering the streets without my protection."
Hearing Uncle Jiu's words, Shi Jian's worried heart finally settled.
He was now in the late stage of Golden Immortal cultivation and was considered a mid-level official in the underworld. When Awei's lifespan eventually ran out, he could get Awei a position as a ghost messenger.
As for Mao Xiaofang and Zhong Bang, it was highly likely that they would pass the tribulation and ascend to become immortals, serving in the Heavenly Court. They wouldn't be as unlucky as Shi Jian, being inexplicably relegated to the underworld by an old man.
"Senior Brother, the three disciples you took on are truly talented."
Sikong Yu was now completely convinced of Shi Jian's capabilities and no longer dared to speak boastfully.
"We can chat about the past after we've finished enlightening the souls. Prepare yourselves and begin the enlightenment."
Shi Jian conjured several meditation cushions, sat cross-legged on them, and levitated in mid-air.
The ghost messengers in Guangjiu Residence, seeing this, wielded their mourning staffs to gather the hundreds of millions of souls around Uncle Jiu and the others.
"I am a person of the Daoist sect. Today, along with my junior brothers, I will enlighten you all here."
"Listen carefully. When the time is ripe, you may be exempted from punishment and strive for an early reincarnation."
Upon hearing that they could leave Guangjiu Residence early for reincarnation, the souls immediately became agitated.
"Silence! Whether you can grasp this opportunity depends on your comprehension."
As soon as the words fell, Shi Jian and the others slowly closed their eyes and began enlightening the souls with the Dao De Jing.
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.
Namelessness is the origin of heaven and earth; namedness is the mother of all things.
Thus, always without desire, one can see the subtle; always with desire, one can see the manifestations."
Every word and phrase spoken by Shi Jian and Uncle Jiu transformed into golden symbols, drifting within Guangjiu Residence.
The hundreds of millions of souls closed their eyes tightly and sat cross-legged on the ground, listening to the profound teachings of the Dao De Jing.
In addition to the Dao De Jing, there were also scriptures like the Taiqing Three Profound True Scripture. The entire enlightenment process lasted for three days, during which the resentment and malevolence of the souls were somewhat dispelled.
"The resentment and malevolence have not been completely dispelled. It seems that three days are not enough to enlighten these souls."
On their meditation cushions, Shi Jian and the others observed that the souls had not yet fully resolved their resentment and malevolence, so they stopped.
The period of punishment every three days in Guangjiu Residence had arrived. Even though he was the Judge of Lei Fa and in charge of Guangjiu Residence, he could not change the date of punishment set by Emperor Dongyue.
"The three-day period has arrived. You should quickly go to the ghost messengers to receive your punishment and repay the sins you committed in this life."
As soon as these words were spoken, the souls that were previously sitting cross-legged in Guangjiu Residence all stood up to accept the punishment of having their tongues pulled out.
The ghost messengers standing nearby showed surprised expressions when they saw the souls coming forward so willingly.
In the past, souls would go to great lengths to avoid the punishment of having their tongues pulled out, wandering all over the underworld to shake off the ghost messengers behind them.
Seeing the souls willingly presenting themselves now, they found it somewhat difficult to adapt.
"Senior Brother, it seems the effect of enlightening the souls is quite good. We should be able to complete the task in a few days."
"Indeed, the effect is somewhat beyond expectations. Whether we can soar to success all depends on these souls."
Seeing that the progress was very smooth, Shi Jian's face was filled with a smile.
Enlightening souls was like picking up merit. If the forces of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva were to enter the eighteen layers of hell to convert souls and use the merit from the Heavenly Dao to advance their cultivation, then the Bei Yin Feng Du Emperor and Emperor Dongyue would not be their match.
"Let us quickly enlighten the souls in Guangjiu Residence, and then go to the other eighteen layers of hell to enlighten souls."
At this moment, a bold idea flashed through Shi Jian's mind!
He wanted to use his identity as an underworld official to go to the other seventeen layers of the underworld to enlighten souls, striving to obtain more merit to break through his realm.
Since Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's palace could not enter the eighteen layers of hell, there would be no one to compete with them for the task of enlightening souls.
Uncle Jiu nodded beside him and said, "Let us adjust our state first, and continue enlightening souls after the punishment of having our tongues pulled out."
Within Guangjiu Residence, Shi Jian and the others patiently waited for the punishment of having their tongues pulled out to conclude.
The next day, after the ghost messengers had punished the hundreds of millions of souls, they brought the souls to Uncle Jiu and the others.
The souls successively sat cross-legged on the ground, looking at Shi Jian and the others floating in mid-air.
"We can begin!"
At Shi Jian's command, Uncle Jiu and the others sat cross-legged on their meditation cushions and busily began enlightening the souls, striving to complete the task in the shortest possible time.
This way, they could go to the other seventeen layers of hell to continue "grazing," and perhaps even break through two major realms at once, allowing them to swagger through the underworld.