"Who's speaking?!"
Zheng Que was startled and hurriedly looked around.
Within the hazy Wide Hall, sinister winds surged, seeming to stir up waves of black mist that spread across his vision and shrouded everything in chaos.
The Female Hanging Ghost who had been standing in the distance was now kneeling on the empty ground below the Imperial Dais. Her whole body trembled violently.
"Your Honor, I've been wronged!"
"I've been wronged..."
Frightened, wooden-sounding cries kept coming from the Female Hanging Ghost's mouth.
Looking at this deeply abnormal scene, Zheng Que gradually came to his senses. The Female Hanging Ghost was crying out that she'd been wronged!
But what was going on?!
Weren't Resentful Souls supposed to have no intelligence?
Why was a Female Hanging Ghost who should have no intelligence suddenly crying out that she'd been wronged here?
Thinking this, Zheng Que tentatively asked, "What grievance do you have?"
His voice was like a muffled thunderclap, rumbling through the spacious hall, cold, dead, and utterly devoid of emotion.
As soon as he spoke, Zheng Que couldn't help but freeze. His voice had changed!
Ever since he'd entered the Dao, he'd entered this decaying Wide Hall space many times, but today was the first time he'd spoken here. So he hadn't noticed this strange difference before...
At that moment, the Female Hanging Ghost answered in great fear, "I, I, I..."
After stammering for a long while, the Female Hanging Ghost seemed to suddenly think of something and hurriedly said, "Your Honor, this common woman was captured by an evil cultivator and made into his Ghost Servant."
"The evil cultivator is ruthless and utterly devoid of humanity. I was forced to obey him; even though I wished to do good, I had no choice."
"The 124 people I hanged from trees were all killed at that evil cultivator's orders. It had nothing to do with me!"
"That evil cultivator also has a master, who possesses profound power and is every bit as wicked!"
"I beg Your Honor to give this common woman justice. I'm innocent!"
"I've never once taken a life of my own accord!"
"That master and disciple are the real villains. They should be thrown into the Eighteen Levels of Hell: Deep Frying Hell, Steaming Hell, Copper Pillar Hell, Mountain of Knives, Ice Mountain Hell, Stone Crushing Hell, Mortar and Pestle Hell, Dismemberment Hell..."
As he listened, Zheng Que's expression turned extremely strange. Could the evil cultivator she was talking about be him?
He had indeed captured her using the Ghost Controlling Technique, and he did have a powerful master...
But he'd only captured her today, in broad daylight. What the hell did those 124 lives have to do with him??
Deep Frying Hell? Steaming Hell? Copper Pillar Hell?
Hmm...
This Female Hanging Ghost had come to him to plead her case, pinned the blame on him, and even suggested that he sentence himself...
How had she gotten so clever?
Thinking this, Zheng Que immediately understood two things.
First, in this decaying Wide Hall space, not only was his voice different from the one he had in reality, but his appearance, aura, clothes, and everything else were probably completely different too!
Otherwise, no matter how stupid this Female Hanging Ghost was, she wouldn't have told him to throw himself into Deep Frying Hell...
Second, the rumors that the Underworld didn't exist in this world were probably false!
This decaying Wide Hall space was very likely the long-vanished Underworld. It was just that, judging from the tattered Life and Death Book before him, with only nine pages left, and the ruined state of this hall, the Underworld now was practically as good as nonexistent...
Besides, this Female Hanging Ghost had come to plead her case because she probably mistook him for a Judge of the Underworld...
As his thoughts raced, Zheng Que immediately got into character and roared, "How dare you!"
"You mere Lonely Ghost and Wild Spirit dare deceive this official? That only adds to your crime!"
"The cultivator you speak of is kindhearted and magnanimous, ever ready to do good and build merit. He is a man of pure gold and flawless jade."
"This official's discerning eyes never fail; I see every tiny detail. How could I let a petty wild ghost frame and slander him?"
"To twist right and wrong and muddle black with white like this is utterly heinous, a mountain of evil! You deserve to be thrown into the Eighteen Levels of Hell: Deep Frying Hell, Steaming Hell, Copper Pillar Hell, Mountain of Knives, Ice Mountain Hell, Stone Crushing Hell, Mortar and Pestle Hell, Dismemberment Hell..."
Hearing this, the Female Hanging Ghost shuddered and hurriedly kowtowed, begging for mercy with all her might. "Your Honor! I'll never dare do it again!"
"I beg Your Honor not to throw me into the Eighteen Levels of Hell. Please show mercy and give me a chance!"
"I'll repent with all my heart. I'll never harm anyone again!"
Seeing how quickly the Female Hanging Ghost confessed, Zheng Que's expression didn't change. He certainly couldn't actually do anything to her.
After all, with the Underworld in its current state, he couldn't carry out any real punishment.
Besides, he was now cultivating the Ghost Controlling Technique. If he lost this Female Hanging Ghost, he'd have to go capture another Resentful Soul...
Thinking this, Zheng Que spoke again. "This official can give you a chance to atone for your crimes."
"The cultivator who captured you is kind at heart and noble in character, a man as pure as jade and as steadfast as pine. He bears tremendous good fortune, and his future is limitless."
"However, six days from now, he will face a calamity..."
"Assist that cultivator well and help him overcome his hardship. If you make amends and reform, your punishment may be reduced!"
"But if that cultivator dies, not only will you be cast into the Eighteen Levels of Hell for all eternity—Deep Frying Hell, Steaming Hell, Copper Pillar Hell, Mountain of Knives, Ice Mountain Hell, Stone Crushing Hell, Mortar and Pestle Hell, Dismemberment Hell...you won't escape a single one!"
"Are you willing to accept?"
The Female Hanging Ghost immediately kowtowed in terror and said hastily, "This common woman will obey Your Honor's command! I thank Your Honor for your mercy!"
As he spoke, Zheng Que noticed that the yin energy flowing from between his brows had almost been absorbed by the Life and Death Book. Without hesitation, he took advantage of the Female Hanging Ghost's bowed head—she didn't dare look up—and secretly used the Ghost Controlling Technique, turning her into a streak of blood-red light and drawing her back into his palm.
The next moment, the world around him rippled like water. In the blink of an eye, the ruined Wide Hall faded, and the familiar house appeared before him.
The slanting afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window, casting long shadows across the floor. It was already afternoon.
Zheng Que looked around, and once he was sure nothing was amiss, he opened his palm.
A ball of blood-red light immediately darted out of his hand and floated before him.
In an instant, it transformed into a slender, graceful figure. She was half-transparent in the daylight, with long hair hanging loose and white robes like frost. She stood in the air, radiating a sinister chill.
Looking at the Female Hanging Ghost before him, Zheng Que immediately noticed something strange.
The yin energy on her was now far, far stronger than it had been before she entered the Underworld!
Moreover, she seemed completely unafraid of the sunlight!
At that moment, the Female Hanging Ghost looked around and realized this wasn't the Underworld. Her crimson eyes immediately locked onto Zheng Que, and she said coldly, with an air of superiority, "Six days from now, you'll face a great calamity."
"Only this great aunt can save you."
"You ignorant little Human Race brat, hurry up and prepare a hundred live people, washed clean, for your great aunt to rinse her throat!"
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