The blood-yellow River of Oblivion flowed silently, spanning across the Underworld Earth. In the river, countless lonely, sorrowful souls unable to undergo Reincarnation struggled and wailed. They stretched out their skeletal arms, attempting to grasp something, but could only float and sink in vain, stirring the murky river water into an even more heart-pounding state. That wailing did not echo across the heavens, but rather burrowed directly into the depths of the Soul like maggots on a bone, eroding the resolve of every living being passing through this place.
The only structure spanning this river of despair was an ancient and mottled stone bridge—the Bridge of Helplessness.
At the bridge head, an old woman, stooped and with her face shrouded in the shadow of a gray Cloak, guarded a massive soup cauldron constantly emitting steaming vapor. She was Meng Po, who had been here since time immemorial, offering every passing Departed Soul a bowl of Meng Po’s soup that could erase all memories of their past lives.
The line of Departed Souls today snaked like a long serpent, stretching from the bridge head all the way into the mist at the edge of sight. Within the line, the soul of an old man, dressed in the official robes of a first-rank crane from the previous dynasty, had a deathly pale face and stared in terror at the scene beyond his imagination. In life, he was the Prime Minister of the mortal dynasty, holding immense power, and considered himself widely knowledgeable, but now, that overwhelming power and learning seemed utterly pale and ridiculous before this solemn Ghost Domain.
“This… this is the Underworld? The place of Reincarnation?” His voice was dry, trembling with disbelief. The pure Yin Qi permeating the surroundings was bone-chilling, causing his newly departed Soul a tearing pain. Ahead, some Departed Souls cried out because they refused to forget their beloved ones in life, only to be expressionlessly dragged away by Ghost Officers with chains and thrown into the blood-yellow River of Oblivion; other Departed Souls, listless and dull, accepted the bowl, drank it down in one gulp, and then their eyes instantly became vacant as they numbly walked toward the other end of the bridge, where mist swirled, leading to an unknown destination.
“New souls, halt.” Meng Po’s voice sounded, hoarse and flat, without any emotional fluctuation, as dead silent as the River of Oblivion water. She handed over a bowl of soup so clear one could see the bottom, yet it seemed to contain all the flavors of the world. “Drink this soup, and all past memories will vanish; attachments of love and hate will all turn to dust. Only then can you cross the bridge and enter the Well of Reincarnation to be reborn.”
The old man tremblingly reached out his hand; the bowl seemed light, yet at this moment, it weighed as much as a thousand mountains. His life had been full of ups and downs in the official world, filled with schemes, ambitions, and lingering glory and grievances—would all of it vanish in this bowl of clear soup? He hesitated, his fingertips brushing against the cool surface of the bowl.
Just then, a sudden change occurred!
“Dong! Dong! Dong!” Heavy, uniform footsteps, as if giant hammers were striking the earth, came from the rear of the line. This sound carried a killing aura unique to metal, instantly overpowering the wails of the River of Oblivion and the sobs of the Departed Souls. A chilling Yin Baleful Qi, far more piercing and aggressive than the natural Yin Qi of this place, swept toward them. The Departed Souls waiting in line were like straw scattered by a fierce wind, stumbling and shivering. Some weaker souls even let out piercing shrieks, their forms becoming unstable, on the verge of scattering!
The old man turned back in horror. He saw a troop of about twenty soldiers advancing with unstoppable strides. They were clad in Profound Black heavy armor, engraved with ferocious reliefs of demon heads. Their faces beneath the helmets were indistinct, with only two points of scarlet light flickering in their eye sockets. They held not the ordinary chains of Ghost Officers, but Ghost-head sabers exuding a strong scent of blood and long halberds wrapped in black lightning. In the center of the troop, four of the tallest soldiers were escorting a Prison Cart forged entirely from Netherworld Cold Iron. Black energy swirled around the cart, Runes flickered, and within it, a figure was imprisoned.
Even though heavily sealed, that figure still radiated a suffocating, fierce aura. He had fiery red hair, scarlet eyes, and a body of knotted muscles covered in bizarre Totems and scars. At this moment, he was grinning, revealing bone-white teeth, sweeping his defiant gaze over the surroundings as if he were not a prisoner, but inspecting his own territory.
“It’s… it’s the ‘Profound Fiend Ghost Guards’ under the Northern Ghost Emperor!” In the line, an Old Ghost who seemed somewhat knowledgeable, having died earlier, cried out in shock, his voice filled with extreme terror, as if he had seen something more terrifying than Soul Scattered and Spirit Destroyed. “Why are they here? And escorting a prisoner!”
The line of Departed Souls instantly became agitated, and panic spread like a plague.
At the front of the line, a young official dressed in a crimson Judge's Robe, with a handsome face and a scholarly air about his brow, yet unable to hide his exhaustion, frowned sharply. This was the official on duty today, responsible for maintaining order at the Naihe Bridge Head and auditing special Departed Souls—Judge Lu, Lu Zhiyuan. The Dark Gold Judge's Brush in his hand emitted a faint chime as he suddenly gripped it tightly.
The commander of the Profound Fiend Ghost Guards, a Ghost General with an iron-hard face and a deep scar across his left cheek, did not even glance at the long line of Departed Souls, nor at Meng Po and Judge Lu at the front. He barked out an order in an undeniable tone: “By decree of the Northern Your Majesty, we are escorting the major criminal ‘Red-Haired Ghost King’ to Avici Hell for punishment! All irrelevant souls, clear the passage immediately!”
Meng Po continued to distribute the soup slowly, without even lifting her eyelids, as if the menacing Ghost Guards before her and the surrounding panic had nothing to do with her. Her voice remained flat: “This old woman only obeys the Heaven and Earth Reincarnation Edict established by the Great Emperor of Fengdu, and the Reincarnation Edict signed by the Ten Yama Kings. This Bridge of Helplessness is a place of purity, only ferrying virtuous souls to rebirth, not convicted criminals. If you wish to go to Avici Hell, please take the Yellow Springs Black Road.”
The Ghost General—Commander Zhao—his face instantly darkened as if it could drip water. Baleful Qi surged around him, causing several nearby Departed Souls to scream and turn into wisps of smoke. “The Yellow Springs Black Road is winding and distant, spanning three thousand li of Underworld Earth! This fiend is stubborn; delaying the escort time and causing complications—can you, old hag, bear the responsibility?” His words were utterly disrespectful, filled with the arrogance and threat of a superior.
Judge Lu took a deep breath, suppressing the displeasure in his heart, and stepped forward, placing himself between Meng Po and the Ghost Guards. He cupped his hands in a salute, his posture neither servile nor overbearing: “Commander Zhao, the rules of the Underworld are as rigid as iron. The Bridge of Helplessness is indeed not the route for escorting major prisoners; this is an iron law of ten thousand years. Firstly, the criminal’s Baleful Qi would clash with the souls awaiting rebirth, damaging their Spirituality and disrupting the Root of Reincarnation; secondly, this bridge leads directly to the core area of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, and any mishap would have unimaginable consequences. We request Commander Zhao to follow the law and take the detour via the Yellow Springs Black Road.”
Commander Zhao glanced sideways at Judge Lu, a hint of contempt flashing in his scarlet eyes, and a mocking curve tugged at his lips: “I wonder who this is, it turns out to be Judge Lu. Rules? Hmph!” He snorted coldly, the sound wave spreading like a tangible force, causing the Bridge of Helplessness to tremble slightly. “The war in the Northern Territory is tight, Nether Beasts are rioting, and Rebels are rising everywhere. Suppressing these Stubborn and Unruly major criminals is the top priority! In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken! Judge Lu, you are young; why cling so rigidly to those inflexible, old regulations? A wise man submits to circumstances!”
Anger began to rise in Judge Lu’s heart, but his nature was steady, and he knew that conflict now was unwise. He forcibly suppressed his temper, but his voice became clearer and firmer: “Commander Zhao! The Underworld Order was personally established by the Great Emperor of Fengdu, maintaining the Balance between the Mortal World and the Underworld, which is the foundation of heaven and earth! A rule is a rule; how can we differentiate between ‘extraordinary’ and ‘ordinary’ based on a single event? If we set a precedent for you today, others will follow suit tomorrow. If this continues, the Order will collapse, and the laws will become meaningless. Will this Underworld still be the Underworld?”
“Order?” Commander Zhao seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world, throwing his head back and laughing loudly, his laughter filled with unrestrained arrogance, even causing the River of Oblivion water to churn, making the wronged souls within wail even more miserably. “Oh, Judge Lu, Judge Lu, you truly are too pedantic from reading! Do you know that in this Underworld now, whoever has the strongest power, whose fist is the hardest, their word *is* the Order! His Majesty of the North has swept away the disloyal, his might shakes the Nine Hells, and his achievements shake the universe! His word is the new Order! We are crossing this Bridge of Helplessness today, no matter what!”
Before his words faded, he stopped wasting breath and fiercely waved his hand, shouting sternly: “Profound Fiend Guards, heed my command! Clear the way! Anyone who dares obstruct us will be treated as a Rebel and executed without mercy!”
“We obey the order!” The twenty Profound Fiend Ghost Guards responded in unison, their voices shaking the wilderness. They suddenly unleashed powerful auras, their black Baleful Qi merging into one, like rolling dark clouds, advancing fiercely! They charged directly into the waiting line of Departed Souls, swinging chains and striking with scabbards. Piercing screams erupted instantly, and countless Departed Souls were violently shoved aside or knocked flying. Some weaker souls even had their spirits scattered and destroyed by the impact of the Baleful Qi! The entire Naihe Bridge Head instantly descended into chaos, and Order vanished without a trace!
The Prison Cart rumbled, pushed by the Ghost Guards, charging brutally onto the Bridge of Helplessness! The bridge groaned under the unbearable weight.
Judge Lu’s hand rested on his Judge's Brush, his knuckles turning white from extreme force. The Soul Power surging within him was immense, almost bursting out of his body. The Ghost Officers behind him also showed indignation, looking to Judge Lu, awaiting his command. However, Judge Lu’s gaze swept over the terrified and innocent souls being harmed, then looked at the troop of Profound Fiend Ghost Guards whose Baleful Qi soared to the heavens and whose strength clearly surpassed their own, and finally at the Red-Haired Ghost King in the Prison Cart, whose aura remained terrifyingly formidable despite being restrained.
If they fought, this place would inevitably become an Asura field; countless Departed Souls would be annihilated, and moreover, their small contingent of Judges and Ghost Officers was no match for the opposing force. At that point, they would not only fail to uphold the law but would also cause an even greater tragedy.
Finally, the Soul Power condensed on the Judge's Brush was forcibly suppressed by him. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the cold Yin Qi, and when he opened them again, only icy anger and a deep sense of powerlessness remained in his eyes. He could only watch as Commander Zhao, with a triumphant sneer, escorted the Prison Cart, crushed across the Bridge of Helplessness, and disappeared into the dense mist on the other side.
As the Red-Haired Ghost King passed by Judge Lu, he actually turned his head to look at him. There was no resentment in his scarlet eyes, but rather a hint of mockery and a profound, ineffable… meaning.
At the chaotic bridge head, only the weeping and wailing of the Departed Souls remained, along with the line scattered and broken by the collision. Meng Po was still distributing her soup, as if nothing that had just happened had occurred, only the motion of handing over the soup seemed a little slower.
Judge Lu stood frozen in place. Commander Zhao’s arrogant words—"The word of the Northern Your Majesty is the new Order!"—reverberated repeatedly in his mind like a curse.
...
The disturbance of that day finally concluded with Judge Lu personally going to the First Hall to report to King Qinguang.
The Hall of Yama was majestic and solemn. The high dome was lost in the gloom, and only the Netherworld Ghost Fire burning on the walls on both sides cast flickering shadows, making the ferocious dragon reliefs coiled around the Hall Pillars appear even more lifelike, as if they might pounce down at any moment.
Seated high at the end of the great hall, upon the black jade throne condensed from the wails of countless wronged souls, was the Yama King of the First Hall, King Qinguang. His face was majestic, his eyebrows slanted toward his temples, he had three long whiskers beneath his chin, wore a crown with dangling beads, and was clad in a black Yama Robe embroidered with patterns of mountains, rivers, geography, and the cycle of Yin and Yang, radiating a majesty as vast as an abyss.
Judge Lu stood in the hall and recounted everything that happened at the Naihe Bridge Head, including every single arrogant remark made by Commander Zhao, clearly and accurately, without embellishment or omission of any detail.
Incense smoke curled within the hall, and silence reigned, broken only by the echo of Judge Lu’s clear voice. King Qinguang listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest of the throne, producing a dull "thud thud" sound that was exceptionally clear in the empty hall. Deep within his eyes, which had seen through all the sins of the world, a trace of extremely subtle gloom flickered.
After a long silence, as if a century had passed, King Qinguang finally spoke slowly, his voice deep and oppressive: “Zhiyuan, you did… the right thing today. Patience is paramount.”
“Your Highness!” Judge Lu couldn't help but step forward, his tone urgent and confused. “The subordinates of the Northern Ghost Emperor are so overbearing, openly trampling on the ten-thousand-year laws of the Underworld, treating the Cycle of Reincarnation Order as nothing! If this continues, where will the authority of the laws lie? Where will the prestige of the Ten Halls remain? I fear… I fear this will breed disloyal intentions and lead to a disaster of immense proportions!”
King Qinguang sighed, and that sigh was filled with an indescribable heaviness and fatigue, completely different from his usual image of swift authority in judging good and evil. He raised his hand slightly, stopping Judge Lu from continuing: “The Great Emperor has been in seclusion, comprehending the Great Dao of Reincarnation, for over a century. Although the administrative affairs of the Underworld are discussed collectively by us Ten Halls, yet… without a leader, various factions are bound to become restless. The Northern Ghost Emperor… his power has expanded rapidly in recent years; his forces are strong and well-equipped, and his personal cultivation is unfathomable. He already subtly holds the position of superiority over the other Nine Halls. At this time, it is not appropriate to engage in a direct conflict with him.”
He looked deeply at Judge Lu, with a cautionary tone: “A small dispute over face, endure it. Maintaining the superficial stability of the Underworld, preventing a complete rupture, is the most important thing right now. The measure of this, Zhiyuan, you need to grasp carefully.”
“But…” Judge Lu still wanted to argue; the flame burning in his heart to uphold the fairness of the law had not been extinguished.
“There is no ‘but’,” King Qinguang’s tone suddenly became severe, carrying unquestionable decisiveness. “You may go. I am aware of today’s events and have my own plans. You must properly handle your own duties. The responsibility for the River of Oblivion will temporarily be delegated to the Deputy Judge; you do not need to go there for the time being.”
Judge Lu opened his mouth, looked at King Qinguang’s undeniable gaze, and finally swallowed all his unwillingness and doubts. He bowed deeply and said in a low voice: “Yes, Your Highness. This subordinate… takes his leave.”
He exited the Hall of Yama, and the heavy hall doors slowly closed behind him, isolating the inside from the outside. Standing on the towering steps outside the hall, looking down at the boundless Ghost City of Fengdu twinkling with Ghost Fire, Judge Lu felt a bone-chilling coldness, not from the surroundings, but from within his heart.
He did not return directly to his Judge's Hall, but instead strolled to the Wangxiang Terrace, which offered a view of his homeland in the Mortal World. The Yin Wind on the terrace was biting, making his crimson Judge's Robe flap loudly.
He gazed into the distance, his sight passing over the layers of Underworld Administration palaces of various styles below, passing over the ceaselessly flowing River of Oblivion, the Three Crossings River, and other Styx Rivers, passing over countless steep and deep Yin Mountains, finally fixing on the far northern region of the Underworld. That was the territory ruled by the Northern Ghost Emperor. Under the illumination of the Nether Sun （ and the light source that simulated the cycle of day and night in the Underworld ）, it should have looked no different from other regions. But at this moment, under his spiritual eye’s gaze, the sky there was faintly gathering a towering blood-colored Baleful Qi, so dense it could not dissipate, like a dormant giant beast slowly awakening, opening its massive maw, and glaring menacingly at the entire Fengdu.
Within that Baleful Qi, it seemed as if countless Battle Souls were roaring, and shadows of weapons were clashing, forming a stark and terrifying contrast with the central Fengdu beneath his feet, which still maintained its tranquility.
“Are the old rules truly about to be broken? Where will this Nine Hells Ghost City, this eternal Cycle of Reincarnation Order, ultimately head?” Judge Lu, Lu Zhiyuan, murmured softly, a thick, ineffable worry clouding his handsome face.
He knew that the conflict on the Naihe Bridge today was by no means isolated. In recent years, the expansion of the Northern Ghost Emperor’s faction had become increasingly unrestrained—from the allocation of resources from the Nether Crystal mines, to the placement of Ghost Officers and Judges in various halls, and now to openly violating the laws, even subtly questioning the collective decisions of the Ten Yama Kings… This seemingly stable heaven and earth of the Underworld was already filled with surging undercurrents and hidden dangers.
The storm was coming, and the wind filled the tower. And the first thunderclap that would tear the heavens apart might strike at any moment.