Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?-Chapter 901 - 897: Ghost Soldiers

"Wow, Grandma’s little shoes."

Dou Dou exclaimed upon seeing the object in Shen Siyuan’s hands.

She was very familiar with them, after all, she had tried to snatch them from Tang Tang at noon.

"Huh?"

At this moment, Duoduo suddenly let out an exclamation.

Shen Siyuan, who was observing the items in his hands, turned his head and asked, "What’s wrong?"

He saw Duoduo staring at a humanoid stone pillar in front and said, "Its eyes seemed to have moved just now."

As she spoke, she quietly leaned her body closer towards Shen Siyuan’s legs, seemingly a bit frightened.

Upon hearing this, Shen Siyuan turned to look at the stone statue beside him but found nothing unusual.

They were currently at the Stone Array Valley, the same place they visited last time.

Last time, Shen Siyuan heard horse neighs, but when he arrived here, he only encountered a huge evil creature resembling a rat, with nothing else unusual.

"Where? You must be mistaken." Dou Dou doubted first.

Xiao Yue also looked at Duoduo with a puzzled expression.

"No, I definitely saw its eyes move."

Duoduo hurriedly defended herself when she saw others didn’t believe her.

She raised her head and looked at Shen Siyuan, hoping he shared her perspective and proved she wasn’t lying.

But Shen Siyuan didn’t notice her gaze, instead redirecting his attention to the item in his hand.

Then he placed the yarn little shoes emitting a faint golden glow against the stone pillar Duoduo mentioned.

Immediately, the stone pillar let out a long sigh, as if ice met the blazing sun, large chunks of stone chipped off, and the eyes became lively.

The trio was startled and hid behind Shen Siyuan, while Shen Siyuan remained unmoved, with his hand holding the shoe still reaching forward.

As the stones fell, the stone pillar that looked more stone-like than human-like began to take on a human form, stretching its limbs as if awakening from an ancient slumber.

The figure then politely clasped his hands and said, "Greetings, sir, many thanks for your assistance."

Those hiding behind Shen Siyuan were a bit baffled and couldn’t fully understand what he was saying.

But Shen Siyuan understood; he was speaking in a Ganzhou accent, meaning greetings, sir, many thanks for your help.

If Mao Sanmei were here to hear it, she’d likely speak in the same accent.

"No need for thanks, but why does the general become a stone statue standing here?" Shen Siyuan curiously asked.

He found out the figure was not merely a ghost but possessed a sealed ghost god.

The reason Shen Siyuan knew was naturally due to his role as Qiong Province Governor, overseeing a vast Netherworld territory, allowing him to discern such things.

"I dare not accept the title of general, sir, I’m merely an ordinary ghost soldier under General Qi’s command."

The soldier clad in armor and holding a spear was very humble, and even his accent disappeared, likely because he was overwhelmed with emotions after just awakening.

"General Qi?" Shen Siyuan asked curiously.

The robust middle-aged ghost soldier before him did not answer but turned his head to look at the Chaotic Stone Array behind him, showing a trace of confusion.

"These..."

"They are probably just like you." Shen Siyuan remarked.

The ghost soldier seemed puzzled because the stone array didn’t entirely reveal human forms.

Upon hearing this, the ghost soldier seemed to realize something and then bowed to Shen Siyuan, saying, "I hope the sir can lend a hand to liberate my brothers from the Wu Character Camp; General Qi will reward you greatly upon awakening."

Shen Siyuan looked down at the little shoes emitting a faint golden glow in his hand.

He shook his head helplessly and said, "I’m afraid I can’t do that; releasing your petrification was purely coincidental."

The ghost soldier then noticed the item in Shen Siyuan’s hand, revealing a surprised look.

While he pondered, he felt a sense of absurdity.

These yarn little shoes, even if they are old, are not uncommon, just the material slightly different.

Yet, such shoes could have such power? 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

It sounded incredibly surreal.

But the reality was right in front of him.

Furthermore, this small object obviously couldn’t rescue them all.

The ghost soldier felt lost and filled with confusion simultaneously.

"May I know how to address you?" Shen Siyuan asked.

"Pardon my manners; I am Ningdu Yin Yu, sir may call me Yin Erlang." Yin Yu replied respectfully.

From his words, Yin Yu seemed educated, plus asking Shen Siyuan to call him Erlang; this calling method was popular during the Song Dynasty.

For instance, the Wu Brothers from Water Margin were known as Wu Dalang and Wu Erlang.

"Then do you know how you became petrified?" Shen Siyuan continued to inquire.

Reminded by Shen Siyuan, Yin Yu seemed to remember something and turned to look at the stone wall beside him.

On the stone wall was a stone statue of Buddha, weathered and decayed over years, half of its body disappeared.

"This is Venerable Du E, a disciple of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, also the abbot of Jiuqu Temple; it was him who gathered us here..."

"Jiuqu Temple?"

Shen Siyuan had some suspicions; there was a collapsed temple on their way over, where Dou Dou obtained a Lotus Lamp.

Indeed, Yin Yu explained, "This place has a name, Nine Bends and Eighteen Returns, one of the paths new souls must traverse, where Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva established a sanctuary, frequently lecturing here to promote Buddhism; Jiuqu Temple was built by Venerable Du E, a disciple of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, residing here often, and had quite a few interactions with our general..."

From his speech, Shen Siyuan gradually pieced together some threads.

It seemed something transpired back then; as a disciple of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Venerable Du E assembled them here, then recited divine skills to bind them all here, eventually dozing off, unaware of anything further.

However, from Yin Yu’s words, General Qi likely knew something since, with his strength, being bound by Venerable Du E couldn’t render him completely powerless.

But General Qi made no moves, indicating he knew something beforehand.

Though Yin Yu was merely a ghost soldier, he deduced so much, proving that even as small soldiers in the Netherworld, they weren’t simple characters in life.

Shen Siyuan wanted to know more, one attempt was trying to release Venerable Du E’s petrification, the other was releasing General Qi’s.

Yet Venerable Du E only had half his body left, even if petrification was undone, could he survive?

As for General Qi, finding him among the vast stone array wasn’t easy, given the bizarre stone formations barely resembling humans, making it difficult to identify him.

Thus Shen Siyuan ultimately opted to attempt releasing Venerable Du E’s petrification.

But as he withdrew his hand, Yin Yu’s body became covered in frost, rapidly petrifying from feet upwards, and in the blink of an eye, turned back into a stone.