Chapter 101: The Judge Who Fights Looks Like a Person, But Is Actually a Ghost. ...
"If you saw that green-clad young master again, would you recognize him?" Shen Jiuxu suddenly asked. The old water ghost, who had been so nonchalant, became interested upon hearing this and began to talk incessantly to Shen Jiuxu and the group of little ghosts.
"Of course, I can't forget this person just by looking at him. The memory is too deep. What's wrong, young master? Do you know this person too?"
Those who enter the Nine Netherworld will have their appearances restored to their original form. Shen Jiuxu was in a dilemma at this moment, wondering if that person was Jiang Yu. He dared not take out Jiang Yu's portrait, for fear of hearing the word "yes" from the old water ghost.
"Perhaps we know each other. Please take me to the Nine Nether Palace. I have some matters I would like to ask the Judge for help with."
Shen Jiuxu sat at the bow of the boat, his clothes still dripping water from the wet hem, but he didn't seem to care at all, his face calm, as if he didn't realize how much impact his words had had on these kids.
"Hey, old man, he said he's going to see the Judge! Is the Judge someone anyone can just see whenever they want?" A younger male ghost darted around at Shen Jiuxu, then suddenly plunged into the water, probably trying to shake the water out of the head of the person who could utter such an arrogant idea, to see if there was really a problem.
“Young man, do you think you can just see the Judge whenever you want? He is the Judge, the highest and most powerful official in our Nine Netherworld. His cultivation is profound, far more powerful than ours. You may be able to defeat us, but you are definitely no match for the Judge.”
Even the experienced old water ghost found it unbelievable. Although he had just witnessed the man's profound cultivation, he was still shocked by such arrogant words. His long, swollen, white tongue came out of his mouth, nimbly tied into a knot in the air, and waved back and forth in front of Shen Jiuxu.
"Lead the way."
Shen Jiuxu didn't want to explain further to them. The ghosts, seeing this, wanted to see just how arrogant this person really was, so they simply grabbed him and left.
The old water ghost and the scapegoat each took an oar and rowed with heavy breaths. Behind them, several other ghosts followed in a long procession, pushing the stern. It didn't seem like they were taking people to the Nine Nether Palace, but rather like they were gathering forces to attack the palace gates and seize a high position.
Xian Chen flew into the air with great pride, circled a few times, and after a while, it would be his time to show off his supernatural powers again.
"Young master, the Nine Netherworld Palace is just ahead." The old water ghost rowed hard for a while, panting heavily, until they reached the end of the stream, where a solemn and majestic building appeared before them.
A row of blood-red bells hung beneath the black bricks and tiles. Upon closer inspection, there were eighteen in total. They jingled and chimed, creating an eerie sense of joy in this dark area.
"Who dares to step into the Nine Netherworlds?"
The echoing sound came from inside the hall, making people's ears uncomfortable. Many little ghosts covered their ears, and some with lower cultivation even bled from their seven orifices.
The old water ghost glanced at Shen Jiuxu and saw that he was still sitting steadily on the bed, completely unaffected. His suspicions were confirmed. He hid behind the stone tablet with the words "Life and death are predestined, humans and ghosts are on different paths" inscribed on it and peeked out. He whispered, "Young master, I, this old man, will not go in with you. The judge is very powerful. Be careful, or he may kill you."
Xian Chen wanted to interject with something, but then stopped. Only the silvery-white sword light shone, like a playboy flirting and swaggering through the city.
“Shen Wuke Shen Jiuxu has a favor to ask, so I have come to the Nine Netherworld to ask the Judge for a small help.”
"Oh, do you know that you are a living person? No living creature is allowed to enter the Nine Netherworld. Anything that happens in there is something you can't predict."
He didn't see the judge, but his voice came from inside, carrying an extremely powerful pressure that the little devils couldn't withstand. Even the old water ghost took several steps back.
“There’s no need for you to worry, Your Honor. Since Jiu Xu has the courage to come here, he must have made thorough preparations,” Shen Jiu Xu said calmly. “Please do me a favor, Your Honor.”
"What if I don't allow it? You little tree spirit, how dare you come to the Nine Netherworld and make demands of me? If you don't want to live, I can grant your request."
"Get out of here right now."
As the judge finished speaking, Ox-Head and Horse-Face emerged from the palace gates, their figures bizarre, swords pointed at Shen Jiuxu, and a cold wind blew through his already soaked clothes. "Didn't you hear what the judge said? If he tells you to leave, then leave now. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. When we come to drive you away, we won't know whether the one who comes in will be a human or a ghost who leaves."
"Why are you so angry, Your Honor? I just need your help with a small matter, to find someone. It's a piece of cake, why make such a scene?" Shen Jiuxu raised his hand slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
His deep, dark eyes made Ox-Head and Horse-Face feel uneasy, like a knife suddenly slashing down from above during a storm, extremely sharp.
"Brother, are we really going to do it?"
"Of course, the Judge is watching from inside. Do you want to die? He's just a little monster. He got here purely by luck. We've been working underground for hundreds of years. Do you think we're afraid of him? Don't you have any dignity left?"
Minotaur turned around, his steel fork standing on the ground, intimidating a group of demons from afar. When the sharp fork pierced into flesh, it could pull out a large chunk of flesh. He looked at Horse-Face beside him and said, "I'll go first. It's not our turn to attack together yet."
Xian Chen became excited when she saw what he was holding, and almost broke free from Shen Jiuxu's grasp. But the man was like a fisherman in a jar, sitting there unhurriedly, showing no sign of wanting to fight.
The steel fork suddenly thrust forward. The bull was incredibly strong, and since the Nine Netherworld was a place he was familiar with, he had no worries and charged forward recklessly. However, he did not expect that his arm would be suddenly pinned down.
Shen Jiuxu held him down, while Xian Chen was held in his other hand and placed horizontally in front of his chest. Niu Tou snorted and charged forward heavily. The next second, he felt a pain in his chest.
Xian Chen's sword flashed cleanly, and Niu Tou's body swayed. He couldn't help but take several steps back. After exchanging a glance with Ma Mian, the contempt in his heart disappeared. The two of them rushed forward together, and sparks flew from the steel fork and sword as they grazed each other.
Blood flowed from the edge of the sword. The old water ghost watched from a distance. He really didn't expect this person to be so powerful. Even the majestic Ox-Head and Horse-Face had become his defeated opponents, their heads drooping, staring at Shen Jiuxu in disbelief.
"How dare you! It's one thing for you to trespass into the Netherworld, but you even dare to injure my subordinate."
A man with a ferocious expression and brightly colored clothes appeared outside the palace gate. His eyebrows were raised, he held a pen and paper in his hand, and he glared angrily at Shen Jiuxu.
"As I said, I only want the judge to help me find a ghost. I didn't mean to fight. If this matter displeases you, I will come back to apologize after my matter is settled."
Shen Jiuxu remained calm, while Xian Chen, in his hands, grew somewhat displeased. Clearly, it could defeat all the evil things here with just one sword, yet Shen Jiuxu still had to apologize to them. Apologize for what? What was there to apologize for!
According to Xian Chen's principles of doing things, he must go on a killing spree.
"Don't even think about it. If everyone disrupted the rules like you, wouldn't the Nine Netherworlds be a place where anyone could come and go as they pleased? Where would you put my dignity then?"
The bells in front of the Nine Nether Palace rang out again at this moment, and drops of blood-red liquid dripped from the cracks below, hitting the soft soil and blooming into bewitching and beautiful spider lilies.
Shen Jiuxu's gaze fell on that, momentarily lost in thought, it was unclear what he was thinking. Seeing Shen Jiuxu's apparent disregard for his words, the judge grew even angrier, and with a wave of his hand, a net descended, imprisoning Shen Jiuxu within.
Shen Jiuxu suddenly smiled at him, a very faint smile, like an unintentional, casual smile. Before the judge could react, he saw Shen Jiuxu raise his arm, his sword rise and fall, and the figure was in front of him.
"Looking for it?"
The voice rang in his ears, very close, and carried the warmth unique to living beings. The judge sensed the killing intent. Shen Jiuxu had wasted a lot of time with them and was already getting impatient. "If you don't come looking for me, Judge, don't blame my swords for being ruthless."
"It's just a small matter, why make such a fuss?" The judge saw a bloody mark appearing below his neck. This man really wasn't just spouting nonsense; he meant what he said.
"Just investigate, I'll help you investigate. There's no ghost that I can't find in my Nine Netherworld. Don't worry, I can find the ghost in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, no, half an incense stick's time."
“Your Excellency’s word is law. Wouldn’t it have been better if we had just said this earlier? Why did we have to resort to violence? Jiuxu is a polite person and doesn’t like to fight. I apologize for my rudeness earlier. I hope Your Excellency will forgive me.”
Shen Jiuxu released his hand and smiled at him. The judge felt a chill in his heart, thinking that he was more like a ghost than himself, gloomy and lifeless. He looked like a gentle and refined man, but in reality, all the rules were just for show.
His heart is dark. He looks like a person, but he's actually a ghost.
“Of course. Since Young Master Shen has said so, I will certainly forgive and forget... Let’s just consider each other friends. Who is Young Master Shen looking for? I will find the Book of Ghosts right away.”
The judge smiled and said, as if the conflict between the two of them was just a dream.
“Wu Er of Qingyun Ladder, his portrait is here. I wonder if the judge remembers him.”
The judge raised his head, and Ox-Head and Horse-Face immediately handed over the portrait in Shen Jiuxu's hand. "My lord, please take a look."
"This...this..."
Large beads of sweat appeared on the judge's forehead. He wiped them with his sleeve. "This...this is not because I am unwilling to help Young Master Shen, but this person is not here with us. He was taken away a couple of days ago."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com