Looking at these thirty-four spirits, I couldn't help but sigh.
They had been dead for too long.
Even with a lifespan remaining, without a续命灯 (Xù Mìng Dēng - life-extending lamp), my current cultivation level wouldn't allow them to return to the living realm for rebirth.
Unless I risked my own life, I might have been able to reanimate one of their bodies and allow them to return.
But the cost would be too great, and it would also require their bodies to have no fatal injuries.
For me, this was impossible.
I helped them out of professional duty.
It didn't mean I would risk my life to save them…
However, for those who had died within a day, I could still try.
To see if I could help them return to life.
The success rate wouldn't be one hundred percent, only about fifty to sixty percent.
Of course, if their bodies had suffered fatal injuries, or had been cremated, even dying just a minute ago would be futile.
Seeing this, I spoke again:
"Esteemed villagers, there's something I must make clear to you all.
For those who have been dead for more than a day, you are truly gone, and you cannot return.
As the saying goes: the dead cannot be revived. I hope you can be understanding.
However, I can take you all back to see your families."
As soon as these words were spoken, all thirty-four present turned ashen.
Then they began to wail.
"Zewa, I'm your second aunt, you must save me!"
"My child just started university, I can't die! Daoist Master, please save me!"
"Yes, yes, Daoist Master, I have eighty-six thousand in savings, I'll give it all to you, help me return to life!"
"..."
The thirty-plus spirits babbled, wanting my help.
But this was not something I could do just because I wanted to.
I could only shake my head helplessly.
As for my second aunt, I had the same attitude.
But the other seven spirits who had died today became excited.
Five of them were from the environmental protection department, and they were overjoyed.
"Great, we can still live!"
"Yes, yes, Daoist Master, thank you so much. You are our great benefactor."
"..."
But I raised my hand to stop them:
"Don't celebrate too soon. It's still uncertain how your physical bodies are. If there are fatal injuries, it's not guaranteed you can return."
"Ah! Then, then what should we do?"
"Daoist Master, then please hurry and take us to where our bodies are! We don't want to die so soon."
"..."
At this moment, I took out a Qian Kun Dai (Qián Kūn Dài - Universe Bag) from my treasure pouch.
It was very small, only the size of my palm:
"All of you come inside, then I will send you back one by one according to your status.
Those who can return, I will send them back.
Those who cannot, you will give me your birth dates later.
So I can send you down below, and also clear your path, write a plea talisman, so you'll have fewer troubles after you go..."
I explained in detail.
Although these spirits had emotions, they couldn't cause trouble in front of me.
In essence, I was helping them out of kindness.
If anyone offended me, it was their own problem, I wouldn't care!
In a short while, I had placed all forty-two spirits into the Qian Kun Dai.
First, I went to the place where the five from the environmental protection department had died.
They said they had drowned in a small creek in the town around six in the evening.
It was when one of their female colleagues slipped and was dragged into the water. The other four colleagues went to pull her, and as a result, all five of them drowned in the creek, all in a neat row.
It had been more than four hours since they drowned.
The problem wasn't too big.
As long as their birth charts were strong and they still had lifespan, with my current cultivation, it was very possible to help them return to their souls.
I didn't waste any time, driving my three-wheeled vehicle.
In about ten minutes, I arrived at the creek where they had drowned.
It was a stream by the river.
Now, under the moonlight, I could still see their five bodies lying in the creek from afar.
The stream was very shallow, at most only up to a person's neck.
Yet, five people had all died here.
Encountering malevolent spirits, it couldn't be blamed on them.
Seeing their bodies, I quickly jumped into the stream and dragged all five bodies ashore.
Each body's stomach was bulging high.
Clearly, they had drunk a lot of water.
There were bruises on their ankles, marks of being pulled by ghosts.
Looking at the five bodies, I didn't release their souls immediately.
Instead, I quickly drew five talismans and stuck them on their chests.
I lit incense and candles.
Then I began to form seals and cast spells:
"Heaven's spirit, Earth's spirit.
Heaven's lifespan not yet reached, guide the soul back to its origin, return to life and be reborn.
Zhang Youcai, Luo Yi, Ma Tao..."
I began to recite the names of the five people.
And released the Qian Kun Dai.
The souls of these five environmental protection department officials flew out one after another.
Seeing their bodies, which were pale from being soaked in water, they looked worried.
I recited for four to five minutes, then finally guided the incense towards several souls:
"Return to life immediately!"
With that, I raised one hand:
"Swiftly as the law commands,敕 (Chì - an exclamation used in Daoist rituals)!"
The "Soul Guiding Talismans" stuck on their chests.
"Buzz buzz buzz" they released their power.
A suction force appeared.
The five souls drifted towards their respective bodies, and four of them directly merged into their bodies.
As they integrated with their bodies.
Only one man, who was physically weaker, couldn't lie back into his body no matter how he tried.
"Brother, brother, why can't I go back?"
"Daoist Master, Daoist Master, help me..."
He was very panicked.
Seeing this, I felt a sense of foreboding.
I formed seals with both hands and guided again:
"敕!"
Instantly, I felt my body's vital energy being greatly consumed, constantly being injected into the man's physical body.
Because they had been dead for too long, more than three hours.
Their bodies were still submerged in water, and my vital energy was needed to activate their bodies.
But I found that no matter how I performed the incantations and seals.
His body didn't react, and his soul couldn't get into it.
The people beside him had even begun to breathe slightly, while he was still struggling to lie back into his body, and even showed signs of rejection.
Seeing this, I withdrew my hand seals and sighed, saying:
"Stop trying, your body is too weak. It might also be that your lifespan has ended, and you cannot return to life."