The beginning of the dream was still so familiar.
A dim space, darkness all around.
I stood alone within it, gazing around in confusion.
Faintly, I heard someone calling me.
"Xiao Qin..."
The voice was a little hoarse, but upon hearing it, my heart jolted.
My senses instantly returned.
Looking around in surprise, I understood what was happening.
I was dreaming. This environment, this voice.
It was my Master, about to send me a dream.
"Master, Master!"
I shouted into the surroundings, with excitement.
I hadn't seen Master for a long time, so I was thrilled.
Soon, I saw a figure appear directly in front of me.
The figure was approaching me, becoming clearer and clearer.
Gradually, a small old man, dressed in ancient official robes and wearing a saber at his waist, emerged from the darkness.
It was none other than Master.
"Master!"
Seeing Master, I was filled with emotion.
With a *thump*, I knelt before him.
Master, seeing me, smiled and stepped forward:
"Alright, get up!"
Master still had that benevolent gaze, his eyes full of concern for me.
"Master, how have you been down there recently?"
I asked.
Master nodded:
"Good, I'm doing well.
On the other hand, I've heard everything you've told me.
Indeed, you are naturally suited for this path.
You haven't disappointed me, and you've proven yourself.
It's just a pity that I was short-lived and couldn't see you shine at the Grand Assembly!
But I am very comforted; you are now capable of handling things on your own."
Master's words made me very happy.
At least, I hadn't let Master down.
After saying this, Master soon spoke again:
"I am using the Hui Guang Mirror today to send you this dream, also to see you!
We, master and disciple, have five minutes to catch up.
At the same time, Master also has something to tell you..."
Five minutes, very short.
But for Master and me, it was a precious moment of connection.
I nodded repeatedly:
"Master, what is it?"
Master looked at me and then said:
"A few days ago, I heard from Lord Cui.
A major event is about to happen between the righteous and evil factions in the mortal realm.
And hearing what you relayed to me the other day.
I deduce that the war between righteousness and evil in the mortal realm is likely imminent.
I am sending you this dream today to remind you.
Cultivate diligently; the war between righteousness and evil is also a war of merit.
Merit may seem ethereal, but I only realized its importance after my death.
The more merit you accumulate, the more fortune you will receive.
It is crucial for both your next life and this one..."
Master spoke earnestly, intending to catch up, but it turned into a lecture.
I was also curious about the "Lord Cui" Master mentioned and asked for clarification.
As it turned out, my question led to a bit of surprise.
It was actually Cui Yu, the Judge of Life and Death.
He is quite renowned in the underworld.
For he is the chief judge who manages the Book of Life and Death.
The information he provided naturally warranted serious attention and remembrance.
However, compared to the state of affairs between the righteous and evil in the martial world, there was no significant discrepancy.
This is because the Dao Alliance has decided to fully confront the various demonic forces.
To sweep across the land and purify the domain.
I nodded:
"Master, rest assured, I will do my utmost in this regard. Even if I gain no merit, I will still light my own lamp!"
Master said nothing, only giving an "Mm."
Then I said to Master again:
"Master, I'm a bit puzzled. Since you said Lord Cui had predicted the impending war between righteousness and evil in the mortal realm, why doesn't the underworld intervene directly?
No matter how powerful the Netherworld Cult or the Longevity Society are, they cannot contend with the underworld, right?
After all, the underworld has so many capable individuals and ghost soldiers; a mere deployment of some could sweep through the mortal realm..."
Upon hearing this, Master smiled slightly, even shaking his head:
"Xiao Qin! You haven't come to the underworld, so you don't know the actual situation.
The Three Realms, since they are called Three Realms, each realm has its own rules and karma.
The Celestial Realm's High Gods, the Myriad Spirits of the Human Realm, and the Netherworld's Underworld.
Each realm has its own order, and each realm carries its own karma.
Interference isn't as simple as just intervening.
The limitations are also immense.
The underworld has countless ghost soldiers, but very few can cross realms.
The karma and rules behind this, even I cannot fully explain.
Even the Black and White Impermanence, Ox-Head and Horse-Face, and other soul-summoning marshals and imperial guards who are responsible for traversing the mortal realm and are bound by heavenly laws and karmic destiny, their own strength and the duration of their stay are also subject to restrictions..."
Master slowly explained all of this to me.
This was something I hadn't known before.
At this moment, I couldn't help but be a little surprised.
So, underworld officials couldn't just come up whenever they pleased.
Nor could they freely roam the human world; there were rules and karmic restrictions involved.
In this regard, it still rings true to the old saying: one must do their own work.
Matters of the mortal realm must be handled by mortal realm Daoists themselves.
Thinking of this, I didn't ask any further questions.
And the time for the dream was likely nearing its end.
Master's form began to become somewhat ethereal. Looking at himself, he said to me:
"Xiao Qin, take care! Master must leave. If anything happens in the mortal realm, remember to light incense and send me a message. If I hear any news down here, I can also give you some pointers..."