I Face King Yama in Direct Confrontation!

"Mom! That looks like ghost fire!"

Sun Xingwen vaguely saw two clusters of eerie green light inside the thatched hut and, terrified, immediately hid behind his sister, Sun Yourong.

"Useless brat, where would ghost fire come from!"

Sun Qingcang snapped angrily at his disappointing son.

"Let's go."

The group arrived before the thatched hut.

Lu Chen pushed open the door. In the silent surroundings, it immediately let out a chilling creak.

A cloud of dust rushed into their faces, making them cough.

"Damn, how long has no one been here?"

Lu Chen waved the air before him.

Looking around, he saw that the room contained only an old square table, upon which sat several memorial tablets of varying sizes.

There was not even the most basic shrine, much less any divine statues.

It was so crude it made one suffocate.

Lu Chen stepped forward for a closer look.

The largest tablet at the center bore the three words: [King Yama].

A smaller tablet stood to the left, inscribed: [Underworld Office Judge].

Another small tablet stood to the right, inscribed: [Black and White Impermanence].

"Patriarch Sun, does your Sun Clan Temple also worship the Netherworld like this?"

Lu Chen pointed at the tablets.

"No statues or anything?"

Sun Qingcang's smile turned slightly awkward. He nodded. "All God Temples are arranged this way, though our Sun Clan Temple is not as desolate as their Zhao Clan Temple. At the very least, our little house is sturdier, and we regularly offer a stick of incense."

Lu Chen got the picture.

Though it was a little better, it was still much the same.

"Ah, for a mighty Netherworld to have fallen into such a state... there was really no one else like it."

Lu Chen muttered inwardly, then gestured for Sun Qingcang to proceed.

"Patriarch Sun, since there's no problem, then let's... sign the contract."

Sun Qingcang nodded and waved a hand. A contract immediately appeared in his grasp.

Without a contract, why would anyone work for you?

What if you went back on your word afterward?

"As for the remuneration, Sun will not haggle with young friend Lu. We'll follow Master Tan's contract. If young friend truly succeeds in requesting an extension of life, Sun will offer thirty million with both hands!"

That little money was not worth mentioning compared to the Sun family elder's life.

Hearing that, Lu Chen's blood surged with excitement.

Thirty million! If this job succeeded, he would leap across several social tiers at once.

When great families made a move, they were truly lavish!

"Fine, we'll do as Patriarch Sun says."

"Wait!" Sun Xingwen suddenly spoke up. "If you succeed, there's no problem giving you the money. But if you fail, what then?"

Lu Chen smiled. "Young Master Sun, I said I only came to try. If you insist on making me put up some stakes as a price, then I won't take this job. Besides, I don't believe you made the same demand when you invited Master Tan."

"Why are you butting in? Get to the side."

Sun Qingcang rebuked him, then took the lead in signing his name on the contract.

Lu Chen promptly signed his own name as well.

As the saying went, under a heavy reward, brave men were sure to emerge!

At that moment, Lu Chen was itching to give it a try.

Suddenly, without any warning, the sound of copper coins falling rang beside his ear.

"This is?!..."

Lu Chen's pupils contracted. He glanced down at the Fortune-Bringing Gold Ingot around his neck. "The passive effect triggered!?"

That meant this contract would succeed one hundred percent!

Holy shit, that worked too?!

It seemed this Fortune-Bringing Gold Ingot even had something of a conceptual nature to it~

Lu Chen was already considering how he would spend those thirty million.

"President Sun, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Zhao Zhihong, who had gone to fetch the incense, finally arrived late.

Sun Qingcang accepted the incense and swept it with his divine sense. Only after confirming there was no issue did he nod. "Thank you for your trouble, Supervisor Zhao. Young friend Lu, here. The rest is up to you."

Lu Chen accepted the incense and nodded. "Patriarch Sun, rest assured. This junior will certainly give it his all. For now, please wait outside."

Once Sun Qingcang's group had withdrawn outside.

Lu Chen lit a stick of incense and began silently reciting the Deity-Invocation Spell.

Yet what he recited was not the Incense-Blessing Divine Mantra he had used to invoke Lord God of Wealth before.

It was the [Yama Heart Mantra], specifically meant to invoke Yama.

Within Daoist teachings, there were hundreds of spells used to summon deities.

There were not only universal celestial deity-invocation spells like the Incense-Blessing Divine Mantra.

Every deity also had a corresponding invocation spell.

The principle was much like phone numbers.

One god, one number!

"The Ten Halls' Yama Kings offer divine radiance, judges and ghost soldiers stand in ranks on either side.

"If villains violate my laws, the sins of the Eighteen Hells shall be hard to bear.

"Ruling all good and evil of yin and yang, rewarding good and punishing evil without mercy.

"This disciple implores with all his heart, may Lord Yama descend.

"Divine soldiers and blazing fire, act in accordance with the law!"

As he silently recited the [Yama Heart Mantra], the Incense Fire in Lu Chen's hand suddenly burned brighter and fiercer.

In the world unseen by the others, a stream of vital essence shot skyward. After twisting and darting through the air, it transformed into a sharp sword that plunged straight into the earth and vanished!

The Netherworld, Hall of Yama.

A chill wind seeped up from underground, and one by one, ghostly green soul-guiding lamps flickered between brightness and darkness.

At the end of the black road, the mottled vermilion gates of the Underworld Office slowly opened.

Within the great hall, where chill winds gusted in waves.

Ox-Head and Horse-Face stood on opposite sides. Ox-Head's eyes glowed crimson like lanterns, chains wrapped around his horns; Horse-Face's fangs jutted outward, and his mourning staff shone with a grim, icy gleam.

Listening to the wails and howls of ghosts outside, scarlet light gleamed in the eyes of both famed underworld officers.

"Glug, glug, glug."

At that moment, atop the royal dais, the mountain-sized King Yama lay slanted across his throne with his general's belly protruding. Holding a wine gourd as large as two or three Ox-Heads and Horse-Faces, he kept pouring liquor down his throat.

"Your Majesty, the many matters of today have all been judged. Please review them."

Several judges carried an enormous, weighty document four men wide and one man tall as they respectfully reported.

Hearing this, King Yama raised a hand and pointed. The huge document flew into his grasp, shrinking to a "normal" size.

King Yama drank as his gaze swept across the document.

Before long, he signed it, signaling his review.

"Withdraw!"

With that, he flung the document away.

Boom!

Having lost its support, the document crashed heavily into the hall. The chill wind it kicked up nearly sent several judges flying.

This made King Yama burst into hearty laughter.

But just then, a streak of golden light flew into the hall.

King Yama's gaze sharpened. He abruptly reached out, seized the golden light, and swallowed it in one gulp.

"This is... Incense Fire from the mortal world?!"

Lord Yama was stunned for only an instant before suddenly opening his mouth and roaring with laughter.

"Excellent! Those wicked cultivators in the mortal realm are truly insatiably greedy. They actually dared set their sights on me? Did they truly think the Netherworld, one of the Three Realms, was some den of evil spirits? They are simply outrageously bold!"

"Your Majesty, please allow your subordinates to capture him!"

Ox-Head and Horse-Face volunteered at once.

"No!" King Yama waved a hand. "For this wretch to send Incense Fire directly before me, he seems to have some ability. Let me have a look personally. It has been a long time since I last went up to the mortal realm. The taste of this Incense Fire is indeed quite good!"

The moment his words fell, Lord Yama had already vanished from his throne.

Inside the Underworld thatched hut at Zhao Clan Temple.

Seeing Lu Chen stand utterly still.

As motionless as a log, without the slightest response.

"Sis, do you think this kid is reliable? Why do I feel like he's completely unreliable?"

"Shut up!"

Sun Yourong glared at him, and Sun Xingwen immediately shrank his neck.

Watching from the side, Zhao Zhihong could not help raising the corners of his mouth.

"This kid really thinks he's somebody. He merely worshipped some obscure deity and accidentally raised his Divine Service Rating, yet he actually takes luck for strength?

"And he wants to request a lifespan from King Yama? What a colossal joke.

"I'd like to see how you clean up this mess later!"

"Whoosh~"

Just then, a chill wind rose inside the thatched hut.

Aside from Sun Qingcang, everyone else suddenly shuddered.

"What's going on? Where did this chill wind come from!"

The group looked around from side to side.

Sun Yourong felt as though something above her head had suddenly grown much darker.

She subconsciously looked up.

She did not know until she looked, but the moment she did, she was startled out of her wits.

"Father, look!!"

Everyone followed the direction of her finger.

They were all utterly stunned by the scene before them.

Above the thatched hut, black clouds pressed down like a city under siege.

Crimson flames even churned within those black clouds.

"Holy shit, what is that thing?!"

Sun Xingwen was so frightened he nearly wet himself.

Zhao Zhihong's mouth also hung open, unable to believe it.

Such a phenomenon!

Could it be...

Sun Qingcang could not conceal his overwhelming delight as his gaze locked onto Lu Chen inside once more.

To his astonishment, he discovered that a dense black aura was swirling around Lu Chen, gradually enveloping him within it.

"Not good!"

Sun Qingcang instinctively tried to rush into the hut.

Yet an invisible force sent him flying straight back. He staggered several steps before barely managing to steady himself.

Then Lu Chen's voice suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Patriarch Sun, don't panic. I'm fine. Wait for my news!"

Inside the hut, Lu Chen called out behind him, then calmly looked at the enormous ghostly figure that had appeared above King Yama's memorial tablet.

As chill winds howled around him, a voice like a whetstone scraping came from every direction.

"Boy, you have quite the nerve. You dared summon me. Aren't you afraid I'll hook away your soul, boil you in a cauldron of oil, and subject you to axe-blade punishment upon the mountain of knives?"

Lu Chen laughed it off and clasped his hands in salute. "Lord Yama above, this disciple greets you. This disciple is still young and likely cannot go to the Underworld just yet. As for whether I fear Your Majesty? What is there to fear? Your Majesty is an Orthodox God of the Three Realms. Why should this disciple fear you?"

King Yama's ghostly form shifted. After a moment of silence, he suddenly laughed. "You really are a cunning boy, but you have some courage. Unlike the other mortals, who tremble in fear upon seeing me and do not dare utter a word. Speak. Why have you summoned me?"

The instant his words fell, the surrounding chill winds grew fiercer, as if countless yin souls were crying out their grievances.

Lu Chen's smile instead grew even broader as he got straight to the point. "In reply to Your Majesty, this disciple invited Your Majesty to descend today because I have a considerable portion of Merit I wish to offer you!"

"Merit? And you wish to offer it to me?"

Suspicion suddenly filled King Yama's voice.

Clearly, he had not expected such an answer...