Chapter 46: The General’s Command

"Master, hurry up and take out the General's Token from the Five Paths General!" As soon as the Five Paths General vanished around the corner, Music couldn’t wait to pester Wu Ming.

“I don’t think I can just take it out—the Five Paths General threw the token straight into my mind!” Wu Ming shrugged helplessly.

“Seriously? My grandfather told me you once spent a week training at our Yi Qi Dao Sect headquarters, and time moves faster there—a week is like seven years of real practice. After seven years, you still don’t know about the Sea of Consciousness? I’m really curious, what did our mighty Wu Ming, grandmaster of the sect, actually learn in those seven years?” Music tried to stifle her laughter behind her hand.

“Well, let me think…” Wu Ming began counting on his fingers. “I learned basic combat, how to strengthen my body, and I mastered a Dao technique called ‘Fiery Pool Banner Talisman.’ It’s pretty impressive—even my teacher praised me back then!”

“You’re something else—seven years and you learned a single spell!” Director Dragon gave him a thumbs-up.

“Amitabha, Benefactor Wu Ming, you just need to think about a particular artifact, and it will appear from your Sea of Consciousness,” Monk Luokong explained.

“Is that so? Let me try—General’s Token, come out!” Instantly, a greenish bronze token appeared in Wu Ming’s hand, cold as ice, so much so that he almost dropped it. Though the grooves were filled with verdigris, the raised patterns gleamed from frequent handling, giving it a rich, well-worn patina. Clearly, the Five Paths General treasured this token. As for why he had handed it to Wu Ming, that was something to ponder. Wu Ming suspected the general recognized him, especially given the look he’d given before leaving.

“What a powerful yin aura!” Music took the token gingerly but immediately tossed it into the air, her fingers switching back and forth as if playing hot potato.

“It can’t be that bad!” Director Dragon grabbed the token from Music’s hands, but his right hand instantly frosted over, and he howled, teeth chattering, “Wu Ming, take it! This thing’s going to freeze me to death!”

Wu Ming took back the token and examined it closely. While it was cold to the touch, it was no more than the chill of ordinary metal—certainly not enough to frost over one’s hand.

“Stop overthinking it. Only those recognized by the Five Paths General can hold this token. The fact that it didn’t cost you your lives is already good fortune,” Ling Mei’s voice came from behind.

“The Five Paths General oversees the cycle of life and death, fame, and fortune. He also has the authority to inspect and supervise the fairness of the Judges’ verdicts, and he directs the ‘Five Paths of Reincarnation’ for souls—namely, the Path of Heaven, the Path of Humanity, the Path of Hell, the Path of Hungry Ghosts, and the Path of Beasts. What’s more, the general descends to the mortal world to judge good and evil, and based on his inspection, he can decide someone’s lifespan and send them into reincarnation at any time on behalf of King Yama. This token contains at least the power of the Five Paths. The fact that you weren’t forcefully sent into a new life just for touching it is already luck on your side!”

“Why is this thing so dangerous?” Director Dragon seemed genuinely frightened.

“Sister Ling Mei, I’m sorry!” Music pouted, tugging at Ling Mei’s hand.

“Xiaomei, are you alright?” Seeing Xiaomei sitting quietly in the corner, Wu Ming hurried over to check on her.

“I—I’m fine. This is just a dream; once we’re back to reality, everything will be normal again.” Xiaomei seemed startled that Wu Ming had come over, and her words tumbled out with an uncharacteristic stutter.

“What matters is, how do we collect spiritual power here? And how do we get out of this world?” Wu Ming looked around at the strange world, exasperated—it was as real as any rural village.

“Don’t look at me, I have no idea. You’ll have to ask Ling Mei, your senior master. I’m just waiting to get out and eat—I’m starving!” Director Dragon crouched down and began drawing circles in the dirt, as if cursing someone.

“I don’t know either! How could I know everything? At first, I thought that if we defeated the owner of this dream, the dream would vanish and the spiritual power would come to us naturally. But as you saw, the cross-eyed guy’s soul was locked away in the underworld, yet the dream still hasn’t disappeared, and there’s no sign of spiritual power…” Ling Mei let out a long, helpless sigh.

“Wait, it seems Fatty didn’t enter the dream world. Do you think he might find a way to get us out? And this sun is just unbearably bright!” Wu Ming looked up at the perpetually blazing sky, his nose itching until he sneezed—twice more in quick succession.

“Damn it, how am I supposed to get them out? This guy’s barely breathing—if he dies and someone finds out, I’ll be accused of murder!” Fatty pressed his phone screen under Cross-Eyes’ nostrils, but not a trace of condensation appeared. Clearly, the man’s breathing was dangerously weak.

“Forget Fatty, he’s even more useless than you! I know you two well—you’ve worked under me for years doing design and layout. Counting on him is a lost cause,” Director Dragon shot him a middle finger.

“Then what do you suggest?” Wu Ming saw no other options. After all, this dream realm wasn’t like a balloon with a clear boundary to break through.

“How about you take out the General’s Token and summon a horde of ghost soldiers to open the road between worlds and lead us through the underworld?” Director Dragon began picking his nose, which made Wu Ming turn away in disgust.

“Are you an idiot? The spirit world and mortal world were severed long ago. Even with a special summoning, there are time limits. What, you want to stay in the underworld forever, keeping company with skeletons and the dead?” Ling Mei somehow produced a slim lady’s cigarette and lit it.

“Wait, I just remembered! Why did I forget about this? Getting out isn’t the problem—we can just leave the way we came!” Wu Ming reached into his chest and pulled out the Mountain and Sea Mirror.

Everyone’s eyes lit up with surprise and delight. Strangely, no one had thought of using the mirror to travel between worlds—it was such a simple solution, yet everyone had overlooked it.

“Well, let’s go! Forget the spiritual power for now—let’s just get out!” Xiaomei was eager to leave, not wanting to endure the pain of her injuries any longer.

Wu Ming held up the Mountain and Sea Mirror and called out, “Mountain and Sea Mirror, take us out!” A flash of white light, intertwined with darkness, twisted and spun, and in an instant, they all returned to the human world.

Wu Ming had barely regained his footing when a gun was pressed to his forehead. Instinctively, he raised his hands in surrender.