What Ghost Below Dares Accuse This Official?
Who is speaking?!
Zheng Que was instantly startled and hastily looked around.
Within the vast, ash-gray hall, a chilling wind surged violently, stirring up waves of black mist that obscured vision and blurred the surroundings.
The female hanged ghost who had originally been standing in the distance was now kneeling on the empty ground below the vermilion steps, her entire body trembling violently.
“My lord, I have been wronged!”
“Wronged…”
Halting, fearful words spilled continuously from the female hanged ghost’s mouth.
Watching this highly abnormal scene, Zheng Que gradually regained his senses. It was the female hanged ghost crying out her grievance.
But what was going on?!
Weren’t Vengeful Spirits supposed to lack intelligence?
A female hanged ghost with no intelligence, suddenly crying out her grievance?
Thinking this, Zheng Que tentatively asked, “What grievance do you have?”
His voice was like a muffled thunderclap, rumbling through the spacious hall: cold, deathly silent, devoid of any emotion.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zheng Que couldn’t help but be taken aback. His voice had changed!
Since entering the Dao he had visited this decaying hall many times, but today was the first time he had spoken here. He hadn’t noticed this anomaly before.
At this moment the female hanged ghost immediately replied in great fear, “I, I, I…”
Stammering for a long time, she seemed to suddenly think of something and hurriedly said, “Reporting to my lord, this humble woman was captured by an evil cultivator and forced into service as his ghost servant.”
“That evil cultivator is cruel and merciless, utterly inhuman. This humble woman was coerced by him; even if this humble woman wished to do good, there was nothing to be done.”
“Every one of those one hundred and twenty-four lives hanged from the tree was done on that evil cultivator’s orders. It has nothing to do with me!”
“That evil cultivator also has a master of profound magical power, and he is equally heinous!”
“Please, my lord, uphold justice for this humble woman. I am innocent!”
“This humble woman has never actively harmed a single life!”
“That master and disciple are the true villains. They should be cast into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, boiled in oil, steamed in baskets, made to embrace the bronze pillar, climb the mountain of blades, enter the ice mountain, be crushed by stones, pounded to death, executed by dismemberment…”
Listening on, Zheng Que’s expression turned very strange. Could the evil cultivator she mentioned be himself?
He had indeed captured her using the 【Ghost Taming Art】, and he did have a powerful master.
But he had only captured her during the day. What did those one hundred and twenty-four lives have to do with him??
Boiled in oil? Steamed in baskets? Made to embrace the bronze pillar?
Hmm.
This female hanged ghost was crying out her grievance to him, shifting the blame onto him, and even suggesting he punish himself.
How could she be so clever?
Thinking this, Zheng Que suddenly understood two things.
First, in this decaying hall, not only was his voice different from reality, but his appearance, aura, and clothing must also be completely different. Otherwise, no matter how foolish this female hanged ghost was, she wouldn’t tell him to boil himself in oil.
Second, the claim that the Underworld does not exist in this world must be false.
This decaying hall was very likely the long-lost Underworld. However, judging from the Book of Life and Death before him, torn until only nine pages remained, and the dilapidated state of the hall itself, the current Underworld was indeed almost as good as nonexistent.
Apart from this, the female hanged ghost seeking justice had likely mistaken him for a Judge of the Underworld.
Quickly turning this over in his mind, Zheng Que immediately stepped into character and rebuked angrily, “How dare you!”
“A mere Wandering Spirit dares to deceive this official. Your crime is now doubly severe!”
“The cultivator you spoke of is kind-hearted, magnanimous, and has long accumulated virtue and good deeds, his nature as pure as unblemished gold and jade.”
“This official’s discerning eyes see all clearly. How could I allow a petty wild ghost like you to lay false accusations and shift the blame!”
“To invert black and white, to confuse right and wrong: utterly heinous, your crimes without number! You deserve to be cast into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, boiled in oil, steamed in baskets, made to embrace copper pillars, climb mountains of blades, enter icy mountains, be crushed by stones, pounded to death, executed by dismemberment…”
Hearing this, the female hanged ghost shuddered violently and hurriedly kowtowed, desperately begging for mercy. “My lord! This humble woman dares not again!”
“I beg my lord not to cast me into the Eighteen Levels of Hell. I beg for my lord’s mercy, give this humble woman a chance!”
“This humble woman will sincerely repent and never harm anyone again!”
Seeing the female hanged ghost swiftly confess, Zheng Que’s expression remained unchanged. Of course, he couldn’t actually do anything to her.
After all, given the current state of the Underworld, he was incapable of imposing any substantial punishment.
Moreover, he had already used the 【Ghost Taming Art】 on her. Without this female hanged ghost, he would have to capture another Vengeful Spirit all over again.
Thinking this, Zheng Que spoke again. “This official will give you a chance to atone through service.”
“The cultivator who captured you is pure-hearted and noble in character, as pristine as jade and steadfast as pine. He is blessed with great fortune and a future of limitless potential.”
“However, in six days, he will face a tribulation.”
“Assist that cultivator well and help him overcome this difficulty. Mend your ways and turn over a new leaf, and your punishment may yet be reduced!”
“But if that cultivator dies, not only will you be eternally damned to the Eighteen Levels of Hell, boiled in oil, steamed in baskets, made to embrace copper pillars, climb mountains of blades, enter icy mountains, be crushed by stones, pounded to death, executed by dismemberment. Not a single punishment shall be spared!”
“Do you accept?”
The female hanged ghost immediately kowtowed in fearful reverence. “This humble woman obeys my lord’s command! This humble woman thanks my lord for your grace!”
While she spoke, Zheng Que noticed that the Yin Qi flowing from between his brows had been almost entirely absorbed by the Book of Life and Death. Without hesitation, while the female hanged ghost kowtowed with head bowed and dared not look up, he secretly invoked the 【Ghost Taming Art】, transforming her into a streak of blood-red light and drawing her back into his palm.
The next moment the surrounding scene rippled like water. In the blink of an eye the dilapidated hall faded, and the familiar room appeared before him.
Slanting sunlight from the window cast long shadows across the floor. It was already afternoon.
Zheng Que glanced around the room, confirmed nothing was amiss, then opened his palm.
A ball of blood-red light immediately escaped from his hand, hovering before him.
In an instant it transformed into a slender, graceful figure, semi-transparent under the daylight, long hair disheveled, white robes like frost, standing eerily in mid-air.
Gazing at the female hanged ghost before him, Zheng Que immediately sensed something unusual.
The Yin Qi emanating from her was now far, far stronger than before she had entered the Underworld.
Moreover, she now seemed completely unafraid of sunlight.
At this moment the female ghost glanced around and realized this was no longer the Underworld. Her crimson eyes immediately fixed on Zheng Que, and she declared coldly and arrogantly, “Six days from now, you will face a great calamity.”
“Only I can save you.”
“Impudent child of the human race, hurry and prepare a hundred washed clean living humans for your grandmother to moisten her throat!”