The Hell Is Not Empty, and I Vow Not to Become a Buddha...

Xiruan looked at King Chujiang, who was clinging to her leg with snot and tears streaming down his face. Disgust was written all over her little face.

"Who are you? Let go of me! You're so gross! You got snot all over my leg!"

She kicked her leg hard, trying to shake off the leg ornament.

King Chujiang clung on for dear life and refused to let go. He had finally figured things out.

This Little Devil King in front of him didn't play by the rules, so there was no point trying to reason with her.

And he couldn't use force, either. Her fists were ten thousand times harder than his.

Now he felt his only way out was to cling to her leg!

If I make my surrender look humble enough, and admit defeat fast enough, surely you'll feel too embarrassed to keep beating me up?

"Great-grandma! I'm the boss of this Second Hall, King Chujiang!"

He sounded as pitiful as possible.

"You... You're here to collect our unpaid wages, right? I'll pay! I'll pay you right away!"

"I'll give you everything valuable in my Second Hall!"

"I only ask that you spare my life, seeing how cooperative I'm being!"

Then he turned and bellowed at the Judge and ghost guards behind him, who were already too stunned to move.

"What the hell are you standing around for?!"

"Quick! Go open the treasury! Bring out every single treasure in there for Great-grandma!"

"Don't leave behind even one soul jade! If anyone dares to hide anything, I'll skin them alive!"

The Judge and ghost guards had already been so frightened by the golden-armored soldiers outside the hall that their legs were trembling.

How could they dare hesitate now? They scrambled toward the treasury in the rear hall, afraid that if they were too slow, a single swing of the Milk Bottle would smash them into pulp.

"Oh? You're a lot more perceptive than the first boss."

Xiruan nodded with satisfaction.

"Fine. Since you're being so sincere, I won't tear down your company."

King Chujiang burst into tears of joy.

"Thank you, Great-grandma! Thank you for showing mercy! You truly have the heart of a bodhisattva, full of compassion and kindness!"

But inside, his heart was bleeding.

The treasures accumulated in the Second Hall over countless yuanhui were all his private stash, painstakingly saved and scraped together from every possible source.

Today, this Little Ancestor was probably going to carry it all off in one go.

Better to lose your wealth than your life!

It was still much better than being tied up and forced to lead the way like his big brother.

Soon, a group of ghost guards came running out of the rear hall, carrying one large chest after another.

They lined the chests up neatly in the middle of the hall and opened them.

They glittered with jewels and radiated colorful light. All kinds of rare treasures imbued with yin energy were piled up like a mountain.

Any one of these things could make the Da Luo Golden Immortals of the mortal realm fight tooth and nail over it.

"Mm, not bad, not bad. Looks like you gave me more than the first boss did."

Xiruan looked at the glittering treasures and waved her little hand.

Behind her, Immortal Wuyun and the others immediately understood and carried off every last chest.

"Great-grandma, do you... do you find everything satisfactory?"

King Chujiang was so heartbroken he could barely breathe, but he forced a flattering smile and asked cautiously.

"Mm, good enough." Xiruan nodded. "Where's the next boss?"

King Chujiang: "..."

You... You want to keep going?

You won't be satisfied until you've emptied the fortunes of all ten of us, will you?

You came to collect unpaid wages, didn't you?

Why do you look so much like you're here to rob us?!

He groaned inwardly and pointed tremblingly in the direction of the next hall.

"The... Third Hall is King Songdi's territory..."

"Great! Come on, everyone! Let's go!"

Xiruan left the Second Hall with the others in a grand procession, thoroughly satisfied.

King Chujiang collapsed onto the floor of the now-empty hall, on the verge of tears.

At the Third Hall, King Songdi opened the gates of his own accord the moment he saw Xiruan's army. He knelt to welcome them and offered up all his possessions with both hands.

At the Fourth Hall, King Wuguan followed his example, even preparing tea and refreshments in advance to welcome them. He humbled himself to the utmost.

At the Fifth Hall, King Yama...

Wherever Xiruan's wage-collecting army went, every King of Hell shamelessly surrendered on the spot and opened their storehouses to offer up their treasures.

They were all afraid that if they acted too slowly, they would end up like the First Hall.

Xiruan's little treasure stash quickly filled up.

Her red bib was like a bottomless pit. No matter how many treasures she stuffed inside, it never filled up.

Zixiao Palace.

Master Tongtian clutched his heart again.

They actually robbed the Underworld...?

And went from one hall to the next, robbing them one by one?

He was no longer worried that Old Ancestor Hongjun might slap him to death.

Now he was worried that his lawless daughter might not get enough of a thrill and decide to rob Empress Houtu's Reincarnation Hall, too.

Then things would really get out of hand!

Xiruan had no idea what her father was worried about. She was having the time of her life collecting rent all along the way.

Cuiyun Palace, a complex of palaces built from boundless Buddha Light and immense vow-power.

"You wicked creature! I vow not to become a Buddha until this grudge is avenged!"

Ksitigarbha snapped his eyes open, his gaze filled with boundless, venomous killing intent.

He absolutely couldn't let this go!

He had to get even!

He would make that ignorant little wretch pay in blood!

As he racked his brains, thinking of how to get revenge, the Buddhist child guarding the palace came rushing in, flustered.

"Bodhisattva! This is terrible! Something terrible has happened!"

"What has you so panicked? Have you no sense of decorum?" Ksitigarbha frowned and rebuked him.

"That... that Little Devil King, she... she robbed all Ten Yama Kings!"

The Buddhist child stammered out what had happened outside.

"What?!"

Disbelief filled Ksitigarbha's face.

That little wretch hadn't even left the Underworld. She was going from door to door, robbing the place?!

What did she think the Ten Yama Kings were?

"Outrageous! This is utterly lawless!"

Ksitigarbha trembled with rage.

It seemed he had no choice but to use his final resort.

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as brilliant Buddha Light burst from his body once more.

His solemn, murderous voice pierced through layer upon layer of space and resounded in the ears of every living being in the entire Underworld.

"Amitabha."

"The hell is not empty, and I vow not to become a Buddha!"

"Since this mortal world is home to a supreme demon like you, who twists right and wrong and shows no respect for the Buddha..."

"Then today, I, this humble monk, will make the Eighteen Levels of Hell descend upon the world with my supreme vow!"

"I will suppress you, demon, for all eternity! The flames of Avici Hell will cleanse you of your sins!"

As his voice fell, the sky above the entire Underworld turned red, and every ghost felt a pang of terror.

The earth cracked open, splitting into one bottomless chasm after another. Terrifying wails and roars rose from within.

Black purgatories radiating boundless sin and unimaginable torment slowly rose from beneath the ground!

Blade Mountain, Sea of Fire, Cauldron of Boiling Oil, Stone Mill...

The eighteen purgatories, each representing the most extreme torments in the world, merged under the pull of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's supreme vow, transforming into Avici Hell!

This was Ksitigarbha's ultimate trump card!

And his most powerful divine ability!

He would merge with hell and wield the power of its very source!

In this state, his strength would come infinitely close to that of a Saint!