The Ten Halls of Yama Are Decided! Daoist Duobao's Great Dao of Confiscation!
Ransom!
These two words came out of Lin Shen's young, tender mouth.
Crisp.
Loud and clear.
It was like two giant axes that World Creation, slamming down on the Dao Heart of all the great powers.
The entire Netherworld Sea of Blood, even the churning karma, was brought to a standstill by these two earth-shattering words.
Everyone's expression froze.
It was a complex expression, a mixture of utter shock, disbelief, and absurdity.
What did they hear?
The Ten Halls of Yama, the highest-ranking official.
Specifically responsible for... confiscating property?
What a refreshing and unpretentious job description!
The muscles at the corners of Yuanshi Tianzun's eyes twitched violently, his face, which had been frozen for ten thousand years.
The authority of judgment, the majesty of the divine way, the beauty of order that he had just conceived in his mind... collapsed in an instant.
When it came to the youngest apprentice, everything was simplified to... taking down the rich?
What's the point of explaining this Heaven-Explaining Great Dao?
The Tongtian Jiaozhu was taken aback for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter, laughing so hard that he bent over backwards and his hair bun came undone.
"Hahaha! Good! Well said!"
He slapped his thigh, pointed at his eldest disciple Duobao, his face full of satisfaction and pride that "I am not alone in my path."
"As expected of my disciple! You've mastered the art of treasure hunting to the core! Even your junior brother noticed it!"
The Daoist Duobao, who was singled out, remained squatting on the ground, studying the scales.
He slowly raised his head.
That face, which was usually marked by greed, was now filled with blankness.
Ransacking?
I'm being put in charge of confiscating property by the highest-ranking official in the local government?
A single thought, like Chaos Divine Thunder, exploded in his mind!
Yes!
Those who Sins and were cast into hell, weren't they all powerful figures and wealthy men in their lifetimes?
They went inside.
But haven't their magical treasures, cave dwellings, spiritual roots, and mineral veins all become ownerless?
Rather than letting these things gather dust or letting others take advantage of them, it's better to...
Let him be, Duobao!
In the name of the underworld government, a unified, reasonable, and legal... collection and safekeeping will be carried out!
This is hardly a case of ransacking a house.
This is clearly a cleansing of the world from its filth!
It provides resources for the cycle of reincarnation!
It is an outstanding contribution to the sustainable development of the Primordial World!
This is such a righteous and virtuous path, so full of immeasurable merit, and so incredibly lucrative!
Having grasped this point, the eyes of Daoist Duobao, which had always shone brightly from years of treasure hunting, suddenly burst forth with a blazing light like the sun!
He felt that the "treasure-hunting bottleneck" that had plagued him for countless eons had finally been broken through at this moment!
His path has been elevated!
From a simple "treasure hunter" to a "resource redistribution" mastermind... Tiandao Asset Liquidator!
"Disciple... receives the decree!"
Daoist Duobao was so excited that he trembled all over. He respectfully prostrated himself in the direction of Lin Shen.
This bow was not to the junior disciple.
He worships the one who showed him the ultimate path... the Great Dao Incarnate!
Lin Shen's appointment was the final word, ending all the debate.
Now that the core task of "confiscation" has been assigned to someone, the remaining positions will naturally fall into place.
Hongjun Daozu smiled and shook his head.
He had figured it out: any solemn event, once it involved Lin Shen, would eventually veer off in an incredibly joyful and absurd direction.
He cleared his throat and began the final official appointments based on Lin Shen's "nominations".
"Qiankun, you are in charge of the Great Dao of Food, skilled in cooking and Hungry Ghost Path. The realm of hungry ghosts is entrusted to you. Establish the 'Feast Priest,' and all sacrifices and offerings from the mortal world will be transformed by your department to feed the hungry ghosts and quench their hunger and thirst."
"Excellent!" The Qiankun Food Sage patted his belly excitedly, feeling that he would never have to sneak into other people's kitchens to steal things again. This was a meal ordered by imperial decree!
"Minghe, your Asura Path is warlike and belligerent, perfectly suited to the needs of reincarnation. The position of Lord of the Asura Path shall be yours. Furthermore, establish the 'Battle Division,' where the heroic souls who die in battle may enter your division to have their Battle Intent worn away before entering reincarnation."
"Disciple obeys!" Ancestor Minghe. Wasn't this the "game operation license" issued to him by the official authorities?
"Zhurong, Gonggong... you Eleven Ancestral Witches, with your powerful bodies and awe-inspiring murderous aura, are perfectly suited to suppress the wicked and unruly in hell. The eighteen levels of Hell Path will be guarded by you in turn, with 'punishment gods' appointed to carry out the executions of all those who commit the greatest Sins."
Upon hearing this, Zhurong and the other Ancestral Witch rubbed their hands together, their faces showing cruel yet excited smiles.
Finally, there's a place where we can fight legitimately!
"Jieyin and Zhunti, you two are adept at discerning cause and effect and skilled in calculation. Therefore, establish the 'Office for Calculating Merit and Karma,' which will be in charge of the Book of Life and Death and the Judge's Brush, to calculate the merits and demerits of all beings."
"We... will obey the decree!" Jieyin and Zhunti so moved that tears streamed down their faces. They felt that their dream of the West's great prosperity had been 99% realized.
"Ancestral Dragon, Yuanfeng, and Primordial Kirin, your three clans were once the overlords of heaven and earth, and you should also contribute to the cycle of reincarnation. The River of Forgetfulness, the Bridge of Helplessness of Three-Life Stone Three Lives—these three vital points of the underworld will be guarded by your three clans respectively."
The three ancient overlords exchanged a glance and simultaneously accepted the order.
Although it is a difficult task, it is also the best way to accumulate merit and wash away past karma.
One by one, the positions were assigned.
The concept of the "Ten Halls of Yama of Yuanshi Tianzun was completely distorted by Lin Shen's words "confiscate property," and eventually evolved into a hodgepodge of various gods and demons, full of factionalism and departmental characteristics.
Surprisingly, each position was a perfect match for the incumbent's abilities and personality, creating a wonderful balance.
Finally, Hongjun's gaze fell upon the most important of the "Ten Halls of Yama".
That position was handpicked by Lin Shen to be specifically responsible for "confiscating property."
He looked at Duobao, then at the Tongtian Jiaozhu beside him who looked proud, pondered for a moment, and finally spoke.
"Duobao, you shall become the master of the first hall of the underworld, and assume the position of 'King Qin Guang'."
"However, confiscating property is against the natural order and will damage one's reputation."
Hongjun stroked his beard and came up with a more respectable way of referring to the position.
"Your office should be named the 'Asset Liquidation and Resource Reuse Department'!"
"For all the most heinous and wicked individuals, the blessed lands, magical treasures, and elixirs they occupied during their lifetime shall be seized, inventoried, and recovered by your department, and added to the treasury of the underworld to maintain the operation of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, or to reward meritorious souls."
"This is Great Merit; I hope you will take good care of yourself."
"Disciple... disciple Duobao Dao Ancestor for granting my request!"
Daoist Duobao was thrilled to hear this, feeling that his "Great Way of Confiscating Family Property" had suddenly become lofty and noble, filled with the sacred glory of serving the people.
Thus, the official positions in the underworld were finalized.
The newly formed framework of the underworld slowly took shape above the Netherworld Sea of Blood.
Lin Shen, however, had long since lost interest in these tedious appointments.
He was holding the "Primordial World Sandbox" of the Yuanshi Tianzun, squatting to the side, enthusiastically adding his own designs to the newly built "Underworld Model".
"We're going to build the biggest treasure vault here, for Brother Duobao to store his treasures!"
"There, we need to dig a huge pool so that Brother Qiankun can stew meat in it!"
"And this place too! We need to build a rest room for Uncle Zhurong and the others, with chilled Sour Plum Drink inside, otherwise they'll get heatstroke from the heat when they light the fire!"
Hongjun and the Three Pure Ones looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with helplessness and doting affection.
They know.
The underworld of the future will probably be anything but serious.