Within the grand hall, the silence was so profound one could hear a pin drop.
Hundreds of gazes—some astonished, some curious, some mocking, some worried—all converged upon the crimson figure who had just taken a step forward. For a Judge to speak up so rashly on such a sensitive topic, in front of the Five Ghost Emperors and the Ten Yama Kings, required immense courage. Or perhaps, how much ignorance of the current situation?
On the high platform, King Qinguang’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he said in a deep voice, "Judge Lu, what are your insights?" There was a trace of subtle warning in his tone.
The gaze of the Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli also fell upon Judge Lu. That look was almost tangible, carrying scrutiny and a hint of amusement, as if observing an interesting toy. "Oh? Is this the Judge Lu who has risen to prominence in recent years? Speak freely; This King is also eager to hear the high opinion of a talented figure from the younger generation."
His words sounded magnanimous, but the invisible pressure descended upon Judge Lu like a mountain.
Judge Lu straightened his back, ignoring the oppressive might that could crush an ordinary Ghost Marshal. His gaze was clear and firm as he spoke loudly, "Your subject does not oppose purging the Sea of Blood Rebels, nor do I disagree with the need to cut expenditures and increase revenue. What I doubt is the timing, the method, and more importantly... the profound consequences this action might bring, and the potential crises that have been overlooked!"
His words were clear and logically structured, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
"First, the doubt regarding timing." Judge Lu swept his gaze across the assembly. "In recent years, the Underworld has not been peaceful. The Solitary Delusion Peak Nether Evil Cave erupted without cause; crucial evidence in the Black Mountain Ghost General Case mysteriously vanished, witnesses were silenced, and the General himself was ambushed during escort! This series of incidents indicates an undercurrent stirring both inside and outside Fengdu, with unknown intentions! At a time when internal troubles are not yet settled, is it appropriate to rashly mobilize heavy troops to open an external hunting ground? What if this move is a diversion, or designed to create an opportunity for certain forces to take advantage of the weakness?"
He directly brought up the recent string of suspicious cases. Although he did not directly name the Northern Ghost Emperor, the implication was quite clear. A low murmur immediately rose within the hall. Many neutral officials, unaware of the full details, showed expressions of deep thought.
The smile on the face of the Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli faded slightly, and his eyes turned cold.
"Second, the confusion regarding the method." Judge Lu continued, "The environment of the Sea of Blood is unique, with dense Baleful Qi and ferocious Nether Beasts. A large-scale invasion and the establishment of permanent strongholds would consume immense resources! Is it fair that the Proposal Document suggests the Northern Border Army should take the lead, with resource allocation also leaning towards them? Underworld resources are the foundation for maintaining Reincarnation; how can they become the private assets of any single faction seeking to grow stronger? If this continues, power will become unbalanced—how can the Underworld Order be maintained?"
This statement directly exposed the selfish motives behind the Proposal Document, causing the complexions of several officials supporting the Northern Ghost Emperor to darken.
"Third, the concern over consequences, which is what Your subject worries about most!" Judge Lu's voice suddenly rose, carrying a heavy tone of warning. "Recently, due to official duties, Your subject consulted Ancient Texts and discovered that the depths of the Sea of Blood might be connected to certain ancient beings, sealed long ago by the Great Emperor! If we rashly venture deep, engaging in extensive mining and hunting, could we disturb those Existences, or even... disrupt the Great Emperor's Seal laid down back then, inviting catastrophic disaster?!"
He did not directly mention the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern, instead using the vaguer yet more intimidating terms "ancient Existence" and "Great Emperor's Seal." Upon hearing this, even several Yama Kings on the high platform who had been meditating with closed eyes suddenly snapped them open, their gazes towards Judge Lu filled with shock and suspicion!
The Great Emperor's Seal! This was the highest level of taboo topic in the Underworld!
"Nonsense!" King Chujiang slammed the armrest violently and roared, "Lu Zhiyuan! How dare you spread alarmist talk here! The matter of the Great Emperor's Seal is not something a mere Judge like you can speculate upon?!"
The Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli also snorted coldly, "Judge Lu, your imagination is perhaps too rich. The Sea of Blood has existed for ten thousand years; if there were a Great Emperor's Seal, how could we not know? Are you questioning This King with these words, or are you questioning the wisdom of all previous generations?"
Facing the reprimands from the Yama Kings and the Ghost Emperor, the pressure on Judge Lu intensified, yet he refused to yield an inch. "Your subject speaks no falsehoods! At the site where the Solitary Delusion Peak Nether Evil Cave erupted, Your subject discovered remnants resembling ancient forbidden Runes! Their power signature faintly corresponds with certain fluctuations deep within the Sea of Blood! His Highness King Qinguang can attest to this; Your subject has already submitted a preliminary report! Your subject implores the Ten Halls to temporarily postpone this discussion until the internal troubles are fully investigated and the potential ancient risks triggered by opening the Sea of Blood are assessed! The immediate priority must be to purge the interior and investigate the root of the increasingly rampant destructive activities!"
He redirected the focus back to the internal investigation, pulling King Qinguang in as a backer （ even though that report was somewhat reserved ）.
The hall once again descended into fierce debate. Judge Lu's counsel was like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of ripples. The voices supporting a postponement clearly grew louder. Many previously neutral officials also began to lean towards resolving internal issues first.
King Qinguang’s expression grew solemn, and he remained silent, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
The face of the Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli turned completely grim. He had not expected a mere Judge to dare raise such sharp questions in such an important setting, nearly derailing his entire plan. He stared at Judge Lu, a flash of killing intent quickly crossing his eyes.
"Judge Lu's concern for official matters is commendable," Yongli’s voice turned icy. "However, what you speak of is mostly speculation, lacking concrete proof! Those so-called ancient Runes might just be traces left by some Nether Beasts! That so-called internal undercurrent might be a smokescreen set up by certain factions to obstruct the Underworld's development! How can we abandon the essential for the trivial?"
He turned towards King Qinguang, his tone forceful. "King Qinguang! The threat of the Sea of Blood is imminent! The Northern Border Army is ready for battle; how can we delay the opportunity due to baseless speculation? This Proposal Document concerns the future of the Underworld; what needs to be decided must be decided now!"
He intended to force a vote!
King Chujiang, who supported him, along with some Yama Kings he had courted （ such as the Ninth Hall's King Pingdeng ）, spoke up in agreement.
The situation once again began to tilt in favor of the Northern Ghost Emperor.
Judge Lu felt anxious. He knew that if a vote were called now, the Proposal Document might pass by a slim margin! He needed to produce something more compelling! But could he publicly reveal the stone tablet of the Moon-Erosion Demonic Pattern and the Gear Mark here? Without an undeniable chain of evidence, revealing them rashly might lead to him being counter-accused of framing others!
At this critical juncture—
"Report—!"
A messenger Ghost Officer rushed into the grand hall in a panic, scrambling and rolling, his voice utterly shrill:
"Reporting to all Your Majesties and Your Highnesses! No... this is bad! The Hall of Rebirth in the Reincarnation Department has been attacked by an unidentified powerful expert! Several important Soul Guiding Lamps have been destroyed, the barrier at the entrance to the Well of Reincarnation has suffered severe impact and shows signs of instability! A large number of Departed Souls awaiting Reincarnation have been disturbed, and chaos has erupted in the Order!"
"What?!"
"The Well of Reincarnation was attacked?!"
"How is that possible?!"
The entire Hall of Yama instantly exploded! Everyone was stunned by this sudden terrible news!
The Well of Reincarnation! That was the Core of the Underworld, the foundation maintaining the Balance between Yin and Yang! If something went wrong with the Well of Reincarnation, the entire Three Realms would descend into chaos!
King Qinguang suddenly stood up, killing intent soaring around him! Even King Zhuanlun, who had been meditating with closed eyes, abruptly opened his eyes, terrifying sharp light shooting out of them!
The Northern Ghost Emperor Yongli's expression also changed, a flicker of uncertain surprise crossing his eyes—this was clearly not part of his plan!
Judge Lu’s heart was churning with massive waves! Attacking the Well of Reincarnation! This was more insane than any conspiracy! The madness of the mastermind far exceeded his imagination!
"The discussion is suspended!" King Qinguang decided instantly, his voice like thunder. "All Division Masters of every department, immediately return to your posts and stabilize the situation! Ten Yama Kings, follow This King to the Reincarnation Department! Five Ghost Emperors, as this matter concerns the survival of the Underworld, we request you remain here for now to jointly devise countermeasures!"
In an instant, all arguments and all proposals seemed insignificant in the face of this earth-shattering change!
The Hall of Yama descended into utter disarray. Officials rushed out in panic.
Judge Lu stood rooted to the spot, watching the chaotic crowd, watching the enraged and bewildered giants on the high platform, his heart turning ice-cold.
He knew that a massive tear had truly opened in the sky above the Underworld. And this storm had only just begun.