"Hold on!"

In front of the Ghost Gate, two massive Ghost Gods appeared, standing majestically in the void.

"For what reason have you come, Daoist?" Shen Tu held a golden battle halberd, exuding a martial presence, looking at the visitor with a dignified face.

"This is the sacred ground of the Netherworld, not to be trespassed. Please state your purpose, Daoist, so we may report it!" Yu Lei grasped a long whip in one hand and patted the head of a golden-eyed white tiger with the other.

Houtu saw the golden-eyed white tiger crouched before the Ghost Gate, a hint of astonishment in her eyes.

Who is this unfortunate Da Luo?

To be captured to guard the door in the Netherworld!

"Please inform the Netherworld Emperor that the Storybook Immortal has come to visit!" Houtu pondered and decided to leverage her connections in the Immortal Dao to see if she could retrieve the souls of Emperor Jiang and the others.

"Daoist, please wait."

Shen Tu turned and entered the Netherworld.

A moment later, Shen Tu returned with the Yin Law Judge and a team of Receiving Ghost Envoys.

"This Immortal, His Majesty invites you!" The Yin Law Judge had silver hair and silver eyes, clad in plain garments, with a handsome appearance, holding a tooth tablet, standing in silver boots, riding the clouds and mist, surrounded by auspicious light.

Houtu stepped forward, scrutinizing the judge closely, a gleam of joy suddenly flashing in her spiritual eyes: "Qingqing?"

"Immortal, you've mistaken me for someone else. I am the Yin Law Judge of the Netherworld." Nu Qing's face was stern and serious, not a hint of carelessness.

"Is the Yin Law Judge Qingqing?" Houtu's eyes smiled.

"Cui Yu."

Nu Qing casually made up a name.

"Alright, Daoist Cui, lead the way." Encountering a familiar face, or rather, a familiar ghost, in the Underworld, Houtu's heart finally relaxed.

"Please!" Nu Qing pretended not to know Houtu, maintaining a businesslike attitude.

The Receiving Ghost Envoys lifted the Divine Banner Cover, escorting the two Goddesses into the Netherworld.

After a short while, they saw layers of colorful clouds, faintly revealing thousands of red mists.

A magnificent ghost city appeared before Houtu's eyes.

"Fengdu Ghost City?"

Houtu entered the Ghost City, walked onto Ghost Street, and went straight to the front of Fengdu Hall.

There she saw towers soaring to touch the azure skies, corridors lined up connecting treasure courts, beast cauldrons with fragrant clouds enveloping regal robes, crimson lantern flames glowing against palace fans. On the left, an ox head fiercely wavered; on the right, a horse's face dauntlessly emerged. Carrying spirits and summoning souls, draping white silk.

Nu Qing led Houtu past a myriad of Ghost Gods, arriving at the center of the hall.

"Your Majesty, the Storybook Immortal has been brought." Nu Qing delivered the message and returned to her place.

The ten Yamas lined up on both sides, all curiously watching Houtu.

Houtu was cautious, her eyes facing forward.

She looked at the imposing figure on the throne, cupped her hands, and said: "Greetings, Daoist of Fengdu!"

"Daoist Wu Pan, what brings you to the Netherworld?" Xuanqing asked.

Houtu spoke frankly: "I have come to the Netherworld to seek certain souls, to return them to life."

"Oh? Which souls? And why should they return to life?"

Xuanqing stated: "Daoist must understand, we do not make mistakes with souls in our Netherworld."

Houtu quickly replied: "It is not the responsibility of the Netherworld. Some members of the Witch God Organization inadvertently got lost, somehow wandering into the Netherworld. I earnestly request Daoist's indulgence to allow them to return to life."

"Lost?" Xuanqing looked at Houtu with a smile.

Houtu nodded: "Lost!"

Even the most experienced anglers get lost sometimes.

Is it not normal for these Da Luo Supremes to get lost?

"Daoist, please tell which Daoists have lost their way to our Netherworld." Xuanqing asked again.

Houtu said: "Firstly, Emperor Jiang, secondly, Xi Zi, thirdly, Qiang Liang, fourthly, Shebi Corpse."

Upon hearing this, Xuanqing gently nodded and looked at Nu Qing.

"Are these four Daoists on record?"

"They are on record!"

Houtu felt a surge of joy.

"But—" Nu Qing changed the tone.

Houtu asked, "But what?"

Nu Qing opened the ghost law and said: "These Daoists are heavily burdened with cause and effect, not insignificant in karma. According to the law, they must drink Mengpo Soup, shall not reincarnate, and be sent to the Stone Mill Hell, Mirror of Sin Hell, Sword Mountain Hell, and Fire Sea Hell for punishment respectively."

"Shall not reincarnate?"

Houtu seized the keyword and breathed a long sigh of relief: "Not entering the reincarnation is good, not entering the reincarnation is good."

If they were cast into reincarnation, retrieving them would be difficult.

Let alone cultivating back to the current realm.

"Since they have not entered reincarnation, I wonder if Daoist of Fengdu could show some leniency?" Houtu asked again.

Xuanqing neither affirmed nor denied, only saying: "The Netherworld has its order."

"All beings entering our Netherworld must have their merits and demerits evaluated, punished according to the law, without error."

"Of course, I acknowledge the penalty!" Houtu waved and took out over a dozen Spiritual Treasures, each an Innate object.

"These are fines on behalf of the four Daoists. I wonder if they can be used to offset the punishment?" Houtu took out so many Spiritual Treasures without changing her expression, without feeling any heartache.

After all, these were the remaining objects of the twelve Witch Gods, not from her own treasury.

But the Ghost Gods and Ghost Immortals did not know this and only assumed Houtu was extraordinarily generous.

Who can withstand such a test of character in the Netherworld?

Xuanqing still shook his head: "To be honest, Daoist, we have no precedent in the Netherworld for offsetting punishment with fines."

"Now there is!"

Houtu smiled, "As they say, the first step is always the hardest. Now that I've opened the door, offsetting punishment with fines won't be difficult!"

Xuanqing was silent.

Seeing no direct refusal from him, Houtu felt hopeful and continued: "I have great respect for the Netherworld and do not wish to disrupt its order."

"As for the misdeeds of the four Daoists, let the judgment proceed as the law dictates."

"I only hope that for the sake of our Witch Gods' upright attitude, you will reconsider the sentencing."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.