Ghost Soul Prefecture's terrain was unique among the eighty-one prefectures of the Netherworld.
Seen from high above, the entire prefecture territory stretched along the coastline of the Sea of Ruins in a long, narrow arc.
It extended billions of li from north to south, yet measured only a few hundred million li from east to west. At its narrowest point, barely more than a hundred million li separated the coastline from the Prefecture Territory's border.
Like a slender ribbon pressed against the edge of the Nether Sea, it was wedged between the endless Nether Sea on one side and the inland wasteland on the other.
Ten cities stood in succession along this coastline, each commanding a stretch of coastal waters.
Ruling these ten cities were the ten renowned great families of Ghost Soul Prefecture.
But Ghost Soul Prefecture had only one true overlord: the Adonis Family, based in Adonis City.
Its patriarch, Kailuosa Adonis, was the Prefect of Ghost Soul Prefecture, and his word was absolute in this land.
Howa City, near the northern end of Ghost Soul Prefecture, was the Howa Family's domain.
The Howa Family ranked near the top of the ten great families. Its patriarch, Edmund Howa, was a genuine peak Seven-Star Demon who cultivated the death law, his strength only a step away from the prefecture lord level.
He had managed Howa City for countless tens of thousands of years, making it impregnable.
Under the Howa Family's protection were a number of second- and third-rate lesser families.
The Reese Family was one of these dependent families. It was not the most prominent, but it was certainly not at the bottom either.
The Reese Family's estate occupied a sizable area in the southeastern corner of Howa City. With several Highgods of Five-Star Demon strength overseeing the family,