The white-eyed female ghost's expression clearly soured upon hearing my response. Her brows furrowed as she fixed her white eyes on me.
"Daoist Master, are there truly no other options? If you let me stay, I'll do anything, absolutely anything. I don't want to go down to be punished, to be tormented..."
The female ghost spoke with a sliver of hope, desperately wishing to remain in the mortal realm and avoid the underworld.
I shook my head.
"Alas! Not only did you kill people, but malevolent energy already clings to you. Even if you hadn't, the mortal realm isn't a place for your kind to linger. If you stay too long, being apprehended by the underworld officials would only add to your crimes, leading to severe punishment. It's possible you might not even qualify to be an animal in your next life. If you descend now, I can write a plea talisman for you, and perhaps the Judge will be lenient."
I replied calmly. The reason I explained this to them was that these few ghosts still possessed their wits. Furthermore, they were ghost slaves controlled by the ghost couple. Their actions were all forced... Of course, the path was theirs to choose. If they persisted in their stubbornness, then I would have to personally escort them on their way.
The other ghosts nodded in agreement.
"Daoist Master, I will engrave your kindness in my heart."
"Thank you, Daoist Master. Your immense benevolence can only be repaid in the next life!"
"..."
The ghosts spoke one after another. During their enslavement, besides being driven to capture living souls daily, they were also frequently tormented and abused by the ghost couple. Now that they were saved, their only thought was to descend.
Only the female ghost seemed to be hesitating about something.
"Sister Ma, don't hesitate. Having the Daoist Master escort us is far better than being captured by the underworld guards! Besides, we were all forced, so the Judge will surely be lenient," the takeout ghost said to the female ghost.
The other ghosts chimed in:
"Sister Ma, we are all dead. Staying in the mortal realm is meaningless."
"Yes, Sister Ma. With the Daoist Master to guide us, our descent will be much smoother."
"..."
The female ghost tilted her head slightly, her bright white eyes looking at the takeout ghost and the others.
"But, but I'm afraid if I leave, my brother, my brother will also lose his life! I... I don't want him to die, I want him to live well."
As she spoke, this white-eyed female ghost revealed a look of sorrow. She then looked at me and continued, "Daoist Master, I beg you. I can break my own malevolent essence and remain here for a while. When my brother is better, I will descend. I promise, I absolutely will not harm anyone or absorb anyone's vital energy..."
I watched the female ghost speak urgently, her emotions appearing quite tense. This piqued my curiosity.
"You have a brother?"
The female ghost nodded.
"Yes, my brother. He's sick, he's been sick recently. My brother and I relied on each other since we were young. But I had an accident, and my brother had no one to care for him. If I go down, my brother will truly have no hope. Please, Daoist Master, have mercy and grant me some time to take care of my brother before I descend..."
The female ghost explained her reluctance to descend. It was for her gravely ill younger brother. Seeing her anxious and fearful expression, I felt a sense of familial love emanating from her, reminding me of my recently departed master.
I sighed.
"What illness does your brother have?"
The female ghost did not hesitate and told me about her brother's condition.
The female ghost said that she and her brother had lost their parents very early on. She had raised her brother herself, and to make a living, she had even fallen into prostitution. However, she had always maintained her love for her brother. Now, her brother was seventeen years old, his academic performance was excellent, and he had a bright future. He had also promised to provide the female ghost with a happy life after graduation. Unfortunately, a month ago, the female ghost was killed by the ghost couple. Upon learning of the female ghost's death from the police, her brother ran out of school. A falling object struck him on the head. He was currently in the intensive care unit and had not yet regained consciousness. His treatment required a large sum of money daily. Although the female ghost was dead, she could, through her own abilities, obtain money daily to deposit into the hospital account, thus keeping her brother alive. Her current worry was that if she were gone, her brother would follow in her footsteps and his future would be ruined. The female ghost did not want her brother to die prematurely, which was why she had requested not to go to the underworld.
After hearing this, I was still somewhat moved. After all, hearts are made of flesh. However, the female ghost was already tainted with malevolent energy, which could cause her to lose control at any moment and do something drastic. As a professional Daoist and exorcist, I could not allow her to remain in the mortal realm. Therefore, I said gently, "You are already dead, so stop worrying about worldly matters. Moreover, in your current state, I cannot allow you to continue staying in the mortal realm. But everything is determined by cause and effect. If you persist in lingering in the mortal realm and bothering your brother, it might not be good for him. Descend sooner, and I will check on your brother tomorrow. As long as his vital energy is stable, his lifespan has not ended, and his soul is still present, he will be fine. If he has lost his soul, I can also help retrieve it and help him wake up sooner. If none of these are the case, then it can only mean that your brother's lifespan has ended. No matter what you do, it will be in vain..."