Chapter Thirty-One: Merit

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At the moment the thunderous wailing began, Pan Yun seemed to sense something and opened her eyes to gaze toward the horizon. The black cat, which had recently taken a liking to perching on the beam, suddenly sprang to its feet, its glassy eyes gleaming as if emitting light as it stared intently at Pan Yun. With a sharp meow, it leapt down from the beam and lunged straight into her arms. Held tightly, it meowed excitedly in her ears. “Did you feel it? Did you feel it? The seal has been broken!”

Pan Yun hugged it close, gritting her teeth in her mind: [Be quiet, if you keep making noise, I’ll throw you out!]

Sure enough, because the black cat kept meowing, many people, while crying, turned to look at her. Doctor Zhang and Eunuch Qian were particularly displeased, and Zhu Youjue standing nearby was on the verge of anger. Pan Yun held the black cat and lifted her eyelids to meet the gazes of the crowd with an expressionless face. “The black cat is a spirit medium and protector against evil. It says the prince is here and is very pleased.”

At these words, everyone couldn’t help but glance anxiously around, watching the faint trembling of the void. Especially those who had once met the Prince of Zhou in dreams clustered together, their cries tinged with fear. The Prince of Zhou, standing aside listening to the imperial edict, remained silent.

Pan Yun frowned: “What are you afraid of? The Prince of Zhou was such a good man; even if he has returned, he wouldn’t scare us.”

Hearing this, people thought she made sense, stopped trembling, and sobbed loudly, “Prince, you were such a good man, why did you have to leave—”

The wailing rose to a deafening pitch, reaching even outside the mansion. The Prince of Zhou nodded with satisfaction and, granting Pan Yun some respect, floated up and flew toward his coffin. As he passed over the crowd’s heads, a chill breeze stirred, which everyone felt.

Seeing the nearby trees standing motionless, they began to speculate. Young Zhu Tongqie, kneeling beside them, was brushed by the wind, looked up curiously, and turned his little head. Seeing the Prince seated on the coffin, his eyes lit up as he tugged at his father’s sleeve: “Grandpa, grandpa…”

Zhu Zijin looked up, quickly pressed down Zhu Tongqie’s hand, turned to the coffin, and bowed repeatedly. “Father, have you truly come back to see us?”

Everyone’s crying grew even more heartfelt. Doctor Zhang and Eunuch Qian trembled and repeatedly bowed toward the coffin, only breathing out after leaving the mourning hall. The two exchanged a glance. Although the Prince of Zhou was a good man, they resolved to visit Kaifeng less often in the future.

Zhu Youjue’s expression was complicated as he gazed at the coffin, uncertain whether to believe it. Tao Ji quietly moved beside Pan Yun and lowered his voice to ask, “Is the Prince of Zhou still here?”

Pan Yun responded with a short “Hmm.”

Tao Ji worried, “Today is the seventh day after death; if he doesn’t leave soon, is he going to remain a ghost?”

The princess and Zhu Zijin also shared this concern. After a round of crying, they came to find the three of them, hoping they could perform a ritual to properly send off the Prince. “Ask the Prince if he still needs anything; we will burn offerings for him.”

In truth, there was no need for a ritual. The Prince was content, his soul already fading, and soon he would be able to go where he belonged on his own. But since the host family requested it, they were not opposed. After all, performing the ritual could indeed help the spirit depart more smoothly and swiftly.

Pan Yun and the Prince exchanged glances and nodded.

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However, she did not move. Coming from the 26th century, she only knew two spells to send off spirits: one was to shatter them completely, scattering their souls—unsuitable for the Prince of Zhou. The other was a simple incantation and hand gesture that could instantly guide a spirit to its path of departure. Their era valued efficiency.

This era was different.

Upon hearing the request for a ritual, Xuanmiao asked for several items: a soul-calling banner, a peachwood sword, incense and candles, a clean bottle, mountain spring water, five sacrificial animals, the Prince’s favorite foods, clothing, and so on. Xuanmiao even had to compose a funeral oration on the spot, including summons, soul pacification, and sending-off rites.

While writing, Xuanmiao explained patiently to the bewildered Pan Yun. Pan Yun frowned and asked, “Why is it so complicated when a single incantation and gesture would suffice?”

Xuanmiao looked up after finishing the oration and said, “When a person comes into this world clean, though they may not leave as clean, at least they should leave clear. Whether one’s life was filled with merit or sin must be reflected upon beneath the soul-calling banner. The ritual to pacify the soul comforts the living and guides the departed, allowing them to know in advance how to pass through the judgment hall.”

Pan Yun said, “But aren’t funeral orations all just praise?”

Xuanmiao smiled wryly, “Who says funeral orations are all praise? The skill is hiding a person’s faults within the words. Moreover, the most important thing about the ritual is to ask the soul’s heart, to make it self-reflect. If you cannot reach its heart, your power is insufficient.”

Tao Ji lamented, “Insufficient power, you can’t even get a Taoist’s certificate.”

Soon, Pan Yun witnessed the power of ritual in this world. Once the soul-calling banner was raised, the already faint figure of the Prince of Zhou became solid again. The burned clothes reappeared on him, and he was renewed from head to toe.

As Xuanmiao traced the celestial patterns with her steps and chanted spells, Pan Yun felt a wondrous aura. She momentarily lost herself, and when she came to, the Prince was bathed in a golden light.

Pan Yun held her breath, sensing the golden light’s pull on her, or rather, on the spiritual realm within her dantian palace.

What was this?

[This is the golden light of merit!] The black cat, unusually quiet, spoke softly within her mind. [The seal’s opening must be related to this. Pan Yun, absorb it!]

Pan Yun did not move, only watching the Prince bathed in his golden light of merit with burning eyes.

The old and the young exchanged a gaze across the void. The Prince smiled faintly and gradually faded away. At the last wisp of his soul’s disappearance, a stream of golden light flew from him toward Pan Yun.

This was a voluntary gift from the Prince to Pan Yun. Though he did not know its use, since the black cat coveted it, it must be valuable. His seven days had been joyful, and even in death, he fulfilled his wishes. He was content.

As a lone spirit, he had nothing else to give this child, so he offered a bit of what she and the black cat coveted.

The Prince of Zhou gradually vanished. To everyone at the mansion, Xuanmiao had just been walking in front of the mourning hall, chanting spells, when the clouds in the sky slowly parted. The hidden sunlight poured down, brightening the entire sky.

The white clouds, glowing under the sunlight, moved as if alive, swirling above the mansion, as if breathing.

When Xuanmiao stopped and finished the ritual with a hand seal, a ray of sunlight shone directly on Pan Yun’s face, drawing all eyes.

Though it was just a beam of light, Zhu Zijin felt it was his father’s last will as he left. He not only gave Xuanmiao a silver plate for the ritual but also handed one to Pan Yun.

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Pan Yun accepted it with a flush of shame, her movements quick and smooth.

In just two months, she had received three silver plates—far too embarrassing.

She took the money back to her room and, once the door was closed, set down the tray and sat cross-legged on the bed.

The black cat paced anxiously nearby, pleading, “Let me go in. Once I stabilize the broken seal, I’ll come out right away. I promise I won’t cause trouble.”

Pan Yun quietly watched it with open eyes.

Knowing her suspicious nature, the cat raised its paws as if to open its heart for her to see. “Really, we’ve worked together so long, and I’m used to being in a cat’s body. I definitely won’t lie to you. I just want to go in and stabilize the broken seal. Otherwise, with it constantly shaking, you’d feel uneasy too, right?”

Pan Yun gently stroked its little head and softly said, “Of course I believe you. Don’t you forget, we have a contract. Also, I’m not afraid you’ll rebel. At worst, I’ll seal you again.”

The cat stiffened. Yes, they had a contract, and Pan Yun dared take this risk, but it didn’t dare. Now it was no longer doubting itself but doubting Pan Yun—this woman was fierce and solitary; could she be setting a trap to seal the cat inside?

Pan Yun withdrew her hand, calmed her breath, and focused her mind. [Come in.]

The black cat bit its lip and took the plunge.

A spirit light shot from the cat’s body with a swoosh, entering Pan Yun’s forehead.

Returning to her spiritual form, the realm spirit sighed in relief before plunging into the broken seal area to inspect.

Pan Yun’s divine consciousness was also within her dantian palace, searching for the cause of the seal’s opening.

At this moment, the most striking thing in her dantian palace besides the spiritual realm was a floating golden cloud.

Pan Yun recognized at once it was the gift from the Prince of Zhou. She had felt comfortable then, and now as her divine consciousness touched the golden cloud, not only did her soul strengthen, but her entire body felt extremely comfortable.

The realm spirit floated out of the spiritual realm, coveting the cloud but dared not move recklessly within Pan Yun’s dantian palace.

“That is merit, your own share of merit that has opened the seal,” the realm spirit said. “Did you notice that the life fates of the dying at the Zhou Prince’s mansion have all changed? Zhu Tongqie, the six wives of the Prince, and his servants—all have been granted lives beyond death. Even Zhu Zijin’s fate has changed. Heaven is rewarding your merit.”

Pan Yun said, “So merit is the key to opening the seal. All the state’s efforts on me in my previous life were wasted, including my eight years of spiritual energy.”

The realm spirit pretended not to hear the latter half and continued, “Merit is indeed more useful than spiritual energy. I was sealed this once and have no experience breaking seals. If I had known earlier...”

In a past life, it could have awakened. It believed Pan Yun’s nation would be happy to place it with good people to absorb merit together.

Pan Yun pondered, “What did you find in the seal you broke?”

The realm spirit glanced and replied, “Seven of the thirteen Daoist True Qi formulas and the introductory manual for talisman study.”

Pan Yun’s spirits lifted. What was most lacking in the 26th century?

Complete cultivation methods and talismans. Many talismans in later times were based on current research, but detailed techniques like brushwork and internal energy use were nearly lost, relying on present-day study and development.

Ancient methods, whenever a complete transmission was found, shocked the nation.

Now she suddenly had an entire manual?

And cultivation methods as well.