Chapter 74 Suspected Remnants of the Tibetan King's Force

Inside the main hall, Jiang Gang, seated high behind the judgment table, had just finished judging a batch of ghosts. He rubbed his temples and was flipping through the scroll listing the next batch of ghosts awaiting trial. Hearing a ghost soldier report that Cha Yin had arrived, he widened his eyes in surprise: "Cha Yin? Why is she here all of a sudden? Quickly, invite her in!" The Gates of Hell weren't far from the Qin Guang Hall, but the guardians of each side held heavy responsibilities. Normally, unless there were urgent matters, everyone was focused on their duties, and no one had the leisure to visit each other. Moreover, everyone in the underworld was currently incredibly busy, practically needing to be in two places at once; they simply didn't have the time or energy for that.

Taking advantage of the moment when the ghost soldiers brought in the next batch of ghosts awaiting trial, Jiang quickly let Chayin in.

Seeing Chayin rush in, still carrying the chill of the outside air, Jiang put down the scroll and said with a smile, "Chayin, what brings you here today? Please, have a seat! I just brewed a pot of calming tea..."

"I won't sit down, I'm bringing you an important ghost." Chayin cut straight to the point, her expression grave. "His Majesty is back."

"His Majesty is back?" Jiang was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Oh, it's good that you're back. And then?" Her reaction was somewhat indifferent, as if this were just an ordinary matter. After all, His Majesty occasionally leaves the Underworld to inspect the various realms, so isn't it normal for him to return? It's not like they can stop working seriously just because His Majesty isn't back.

"The ghost I just brought over was personally brought back from the mortal realm by His Majesty. He specifically requested that it be sent to you so that you can personally interrogate it and thoroughly investigate all its sins!" Chayin emphasized.

Jiang then took it seriously and asked suspiciously, "His Majesty brought it back personally? What a joke!"

"I had the ghost soldiers take them to the judge in your palace for safekeeping." Chayin spoke quickly, blinking. "Also, His Majesty has decreed that you, Si Huai'an, and Xue from the Reincarnation Palace must immediately depart for Luofeng Palace to pay homage! It seems to be something extremely important! Hurry up!"

Qin Guang Palace is closest to the Gate of Hell, so the relationship between the Palace Master of Qin Guang Palace and the Eastern Ghost King who guards the Gate of Hell is naturally much better than that of other ghosts.

"His Majesty summons me?" Upon hearing that Rong Jiang had summoned him, Jiang hurriedly prepared to give a brief explanation before heading to Youdu.

However, the next second, Chayin specifically reminded me, "His Majesty just asked me if there had been any unusual activity at the Gates of Hell recently. I checked the records carefully, and three days ago, a group of ghosts from Changshao passed through the gates. Their soul fire seemed to be a little weaker than usual." She took a step forward, her sleeves carrying a faint fragrance of peach blossoms. "If there is anything wrong with the ghosts that have come recently, I'm afraid you, as the master of the First Palace, will bear the responsibility."

"What?" Jiang exclaimed in surprise, his fingertips tapping crisply on the table. He immediately realized the seriousness of the matter—Changshao had once been the territory of King Zangmi, who had deep ties to Buddhism. If these ghosts were truly problematic, it would likely involve more than just simple dereliction of duty. "I understand, thank you." He solemnly bowed to Chayin, a hint of gravity flashing in his eyes.

Chayin waved her hand, "Alright, hurry up and go to Youdu! Don't be the one who's late! I'm going back to Guimenguan first, we need to strengthen the patrols today." Before she finished speaking, her figure had already turned into a stream of light and disappeared outside the hall.

Jiang dared not delay and immediately summoned the ghost soldiers on duty in the hall. He quickly ordered the four ghost officials in the hall to jointly investigate the remaining ghosts of the day, and to postpone any doubtful cases until tomorrow. After giving the orders, he transformed into a streak of dark light and shot straight into the sky, rushing towards Youdu, the capital of the underworld, in the very center of the underworld.

Qin Guang Palace is located on the edge of the Underworld, far from Youdu, which is located in the very center. Jiang traveled swiftly, passing through layers of underworld mist, with the winding River of Oblivion flowing beneath his feet. Occasionally, a ferryboat could be seen punting across the river, carrying newly deceased souls. He had no interest in appreciating this daily scene of the Underworld; his mind was preoccupied with Cha Yin's words and His Majesty's sudden summons.

When he arrived at Luofeng Palace, he saw Xue and Sige already waiting at the steps. The white jade steps in front of Luofeng Palace emitted a soft light, reflecting the different expressions on the faces of the three important officials of the underworld.

As soon as Jiang landed, he hurriedly straightened his clothes. After the three exchanged greetings, they waited together below the steps for an audience. The Netherworld Guards stood before the hall, halberds in hand, their eyes wary beneath their armor, exuding a chilling aura.

"Jiang, you're a bit slow!" Xue raised an eyebrow. "It's been a while since the message was sent." Although Qin Guang Palace is the furthest away, Jiang shouldn't be this slow.

“She came directly to Qin Guang Hall to tell me!” Jiang spread his hands, revealing a helpless smile. “Is that any faster than sending a message? Besides, I still have to arrange affairs within the hall.”

"I see." Xue smiled knowingly. "Chayin has been visiting you quite often lately."

Jiang coughed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "Old Si, Old Xue, do you two know why His Majesty summoned us?" He lowered his voice, "From what Chayin said, it seems it's not good news. She said His Majesty asked about the strange occurrences at the Gates of Hell, especially the ghosts from Changshao."

Xue rolled his eyes dismissively. "Get lost, I'm not surnamed Xue!" But then he said seriously, "I don't know either." Si Ge shook his head. On the way here, he had been thinking about what had happened. It wasn't a grand court assembly, so why summon the three of them at the same time? "Jiang, do you remember those female ghosts in Linzi a few days ago? That day, His Majesty summoned me in the mortal realm. The Demon Lord has descended to the mortal realm, and I'm worried that the Demon Lord might be making some moves there."

"The Demon Lord?" Jiang asked in surprise. "What are they going to do? If I remember correctly, didn't the new Demon Lord of the Demon Realm just secure his position? The Demon Realm has barely settled down, and they're already making moves against the human world? Doesn't the Demon Realm rarely set foot in the human world?"

Xue was also completely bewildered. "That's right! Since the new Demon Lord ascended to the throne, the Demon Realm has been in seclusion. How could it suddenly venture into the human world?"

Just as Si Ge was about to speak, the heavy black iron gate slowly opened, and a woman dressed in a lotus-colored official robe gracefully stepped out. Her hair was styled in a high bun, her hair ornaments swaying slightly, and her face was as cold and aloof as the moon. She was none other than Man Hua, Rong Jiang's close attendant. She extended her fair hand, making a "please" gesture: "My lords, His Majesty summons you."

The three underworld officials immediately straightened their clothes and followed Manhua into the main hall. The hall was brightly lit by candles, but it did not feel hot; instead, it had a cool feel to it. Rong Jiang sat upright on a high platform in the hall, her white brocade moon-shaped dress trailing on the ground like moonlight. Her face was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger, and her fingertips lightly tapped the armrest, producing a rhythmic sound.

"Your Majesty, I have met you." The four voices mingled together, echoing in the empty hall.

"Get up, all of you," Rong Jiang said gently.

Si Ge, Man Hua, and the others stood up as instructed. Man Hua quietly walked to stand beside the throne, her skirts remaining perfectly still.

Si Ge, Jiang, and Xue stood at the lower end, their expressions respectful, awaiting His Majesty's instructions.

Rong Jiang smiled faintly, her gaze sweeping over the three high-ranking officials. "I will only be in the Underworld for a few moments. I'm sure you three are wondering why I have suddenly summoned you."

Si Ge bowed his head and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty summoned us, so naturally there must be important matters to discuss. I dare to guess that it may be related to the mortal realm." Nothing major had happened within the underworld; only the mortal realm remained.

Rong Jiang nodded slightly, took out a scroll emitting a faint glow from her sleeve, and tossed it gently. The scroll floated in mid-air and unfurled on its own: "A ghost in the mortal realm obtained a fragment of the Book of Life and Death, using the lifespan recorded within to kill people and then steal parts of their souls." Her tone was calm, yet it caused the three high-ranking officials in the prince's court to change color simultaneously. "Have all the Books of Life and Death and the Judge's Pen that the various factions previously possessed been destroyed?"

"A fragment of the Book of Life and Death?" Jiang was extremely shocked and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, at that time we had already sealed off the exits of the Underworld and found no remnants of any faction escaping from it. All known fragments of the Book of Life and Death have been destroyed."

Si Ge nodded in agreement and chimed in, “Although the Gates of Hell were never closed, Cha Yin was stationed at Taozhi Mountain at the time. Wen Zhao, Zhang Yang, and Song Jun were also on high alert. Only then did we destroy the Books of Life and Death held by various forces, leaving no copies in the Underworld. Moreover—” He paused and continued, “The moment the Yin-Yang Scroll of Life and Death appeared, the old Underworld’s Book of Life and Death had already lost its power and was just a piece of waste paper.”

Rong Jiang's gaze deepened: "Though it's just waste paper, the Netherworld power attached to it remains. If someone with malicious intent were to exploit it, it could still cause great disaster." She lightly tapped her fingertip, and the scroll in the air displayed a scene—a blurry figure using a tattered book to perform a ritual, absorbing living souls. "Chang Shao, which faction did you belong to before?"

“Changshao?” Sige immediately pondered, remembering the distribution of various forces very clearly. “Changshao was previously under the jurisdiction of King Zangmi.” At this point, he suddenly realized something, and his expression changed slightly.

“King Zangmi?” Rong Jiang dusted off her wide sleeves, a mysterious smile appearing on her elegant and beautiful face. “The Buddhist sect, ah, what a coincidence.” Her fingertips unconsciously caressed the underworld flower pattern carved on the armrest, her tone gentle yet sending a chill down the spines of the three ghosts in the prince’s presence.

Changji was a monk in his previous life. How did the ghost messengers under King Zangmi, who fled to the human world, end up with the Book of Life and Death in the hands of a ghost? And a Buddhist ghost at that!

“Jiang.” Rong Jiang’s lips parted slightly.

Jiang bowed and said, "Your subject is here."

"You haven't seen the ghost that Chayin sent you yet, have you?" Rong Jiang continued, "Investigate his connection with the Cangmi King's faction thoroughly, and find out how many sins he committed using the incomplete Book of Life and Death! If necessary, use the Soul Searching Technique to get to the bottom of this."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Jiang's expression was solemn. Only then did he realize that the ghost Chayin had delivered to the Qin Guang Palace had actually obtained a fragment of the Book of Life and Death. If he had already obtained the fragment before the Yin-Yang Life and Death Scroll was created, how many things could he have used to deceive the underworld? Thinking of this, Jiang couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

"Also, Jiang and Xue, you two carefully investigate all the ghosts who have been reincarnated in the past six months. If they are from Changshao, you must examine their souls and take them to the Soul Cleansing Pool to solidify their souls." Rong Jiang looked at the two Palace Masters, Jiang and Xue, with eyes like lightning. "If there are any incomplete souls, report them immediately without fail."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the two palace masters replied in unison, their voices echoing throughout the hall.

Rong Jiang continued, "Huai'an, order all the ghost messengers to conduct a thorough investigation to see if any of the Book of Life and Death or the magical artifacts of the old underworld have been left in the mortal realm. The underworld itself must also be thoroughly investigated to see if any forces remain. If any harbor ill intentions, execute them!" The last word was spoken lightly, yet it carried a chilling killing intent.

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Si Ge bowed and accepted the order, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Huai'an commands the underworld's ghost messengers, Jiang commands the First Hall, and Xue commands the Tenth Hall. They are all of paramount importance and are ministers I trust implicitly." Rong Jiang's gaze swept over Si Ge, Jiang, and Xue, finally settling on the direction outside the hall, as if it could pierce through the layers of palace walls and see the entire underworld. "You mustn't disappoint me!"

The three ghosts trembled, their knees slamming into the ground. They said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, we will not fail Your Majesty's expectations."

"You have followed me for a long time, and I naturally believe in your abilities." Rong Jiang smiled faintly, adding a touch of gentleness to her beautiful face, which was as smooth as a pearl.