The surroundings were extremely peculiar.
It was a chaotic, formless space, resembling the vastness of Taiyi , deep and obscure like the mysterious abyss. The sun and moon lost their brilliance, the trigrams lacked vitality, yin and yang could not be distinguished, and the four extremities could not be divided. There was no sense of direction or rules in this place.
In the boundless expanse, darkness enveloped everything, with only a few lit candles illuminating a small area where things could be seen clearly; everything else remained shrouded in obscurity.
Li Qi checked his equipment.
His original clothes were gone, replaced by a simple white robe.
His long sword had disappeared as well; it seemed that solid objects couldn't be brought into this space, so even his clothing had been changed, and the sword hadn't made it through.
However, the willow branch was still there.
True to its reputation as a gift from the Great Wu Zhu, it proved reliable.
Holding the willow branch wrapped around his waist, Li Qi felt much braver.
He tightened his belt and stepped forward two paces to stand before the "ghost."
"May I ask how you wish to be addressed?" Li Qi asked.
At this moment, within the space established by the altar and the power of the ritual, the Wu practitioner could converse with spirits and deities.
To outsiders, it would appear that Li Qi was rolling his eyes, perhaps performing some kind of mystical ritual.
Wu practitioners often seemed crazy to outsiders, likely because they were now "out of body" in a sense.
"Just call me Old Li," the ghost's spirit replied surprisingly lucidly.
"My name is Li Qi. It seems we share the same surname. Maybe five hundred years ago, we were from the same family," Li Qi smiled, trying to establish rapport.
But the other party wasn't buying it and directly said, "You are a Wu practitioner from Wu Deity Mountain. Out of respect for Wu Deity Mountain, I've appeared to speak with you. What do you want? To persuade me to forgive the scoundrel who disturbed my peace by digging up my grave?"
"No, I came here mainly to help you," Li Qi bowed and then continued, "The deceased remain restless and unable to find peace, yet maintain their consciousness. This suggests your body has deficiencies, sustained only by the good water and land of this blessed place, enduring in suffering."
"As a Wu practitioner, it is my duty to seek blessings for all spirits. If I am correct, you are angry because your 'yin-yang harmony and five elements' balance was disrupted by several plows, leading you to cast a curse in retaliation."
"So, I have come to resolve your grievances. I have prepared high-quality Yin wood, needing only craftsmen to carve it into a new body for you, infused with the qi of the great forest, to fill your deficiencies. Would this alleviate your regrets and relieve your troubles?" Li Qi asked, bowing again.
As he spoke, he also pushed the qi of the great forest to his fingertips, revealing abundant life force.
Carving wood to create a body was a common method to remedy the deficiencies of the dead.
For example, the Tang Dynasty book records: "On the night of October 18th, thieves entered Fu Guo's residence, killed him, and took his head and arm. An edict was issued to carve a wooden head for burial, and he was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Tutor."
Li Fuguo was assassinated, and his head was missing, so a wooden replica was carved for his burial, and he was posthumously honored as Grand Tutor.
Another example from the Qi Book states: "In the fifth month of summer during the Jia Yin year, a severe drought occurred. A corpse of a Hanba was found in Jinyang, two feet tall with two eyes on each side of its face. Upon hearing this, the emperor ordered a wooden statue to be carved and sent away."
Additionally, the Biographies mention: "A man named Wang Qiao, whose entire family was captured, couldn't find their bodies. He carved wooden effigies to bury them and set up shrines with portraits."
However, for this method to work, it ultimately relies on using the qi from wood to replace the deceased's five virtues qi, thus requiring specific types of wood and numerous taboos during carving. Finally, a Wu practitioner must perform a ritual for it to take effect, making it impossible for ordinary people to use.
But what a coincidence!
Li Qi, though not yet ranked, was a genuine Wu practitioner from Wu Deity Mountain.
"... Even if you carve a new body for me with Yin wood, can those who destroyed my tomb simply get away with it?" the ghost said ominously.
"In that case, what else do you require?" Li Qi asked calmly.
"I want them to be buried with me! Aren't you a Wu practitioner from Wu Deity Mountain? Use their lives for a blood sacrifice for me. Then, I'll consider the matter settled and offer you gifts, protecting you with my ghostly powers," the ghost replied.
Li Qi frowned upon hearing this, then smiled confidently and said, "Esteemed deceased, it seems you don't fully understand Wu practitioners."
"I've heard that the Great Wu Zhu oversees nine sacrifices and six vessels: azure jade disk, yellow jade tube, blue jade tablet, red jade axe, white tiger, and black jade pendant."
"The nine sacrifices include naming, proliferation, roasting, temple, shaking, rubbing, severance, burning, and offering."
Li Qi spoke eloquently, then pivoted, "But I've never heard of any mention of a 'blood sacrifice'."
The atmosphere instantly chilled.
The ghost clearly paused.
After a few seconds, it responded, albeit coldly, "Your practice as a Wu practitioner is lacking, but I won't blame you. Think about it; although you may not know what a Wu sacrifice is, I know that according to Wu Dao teachings: 'Blood sacrifice is a powerful qi offering. Sacrificing lungs, liver, and heart honors the vital qi.' Isn't this referring to blood sacrifice?"
Li Qi's heart tightened, surprised by the ghost's extensive knowledge.
This statement meant that blood sacrifices draw on the vigorous life force of blood, using the lungs, liver, and heart as offerings, honoring the organs that generate vital qi.
This ghost was formidable, possibly of the eighth rank.
But Li Qi maintained his composure and replied, "However, since you have passed on, what use does life force serve you? The 'Wu' book also mentions: 'Sacrifice millet and glutinous rice, add clear water to honor yin.' Wouldn't this be more suitable for you? How about adding this to the offering?"
With this response, Li Qi countered the ghost's argument.
The ghost suggested a blood sacrifice, and Li Qi immediately countered with the idea of sacrificing millet and glutinous rice, supplemented by clear water, as a way to honor yin forces.
In short, a blood sacrifice was out of the question, but he could enhance the offer of a wooden body with an additional layer of yin-honoring sacrifices to aid in recovery.
After all, honoring the dead with yin energy was quite sincere.
"... Young Wu practitioner, you are no match for me," the ghost said bluntly. "Are you really going to oppose me for these grave robbers?"
Li Qi's expression turned serious: "Deceased, I once heard from a high-ranking fifth-rank master that Wu practitioners are mediators between humans and spirits, between human and ghost conflicts. Is your conflict truly so great that it requires blood to settle?"
As Li Qi spoke, he subtly hinted at his background, intimidating the other party.
After all, Shen Shuibei was also a fifth-rank master, right?