From the North

Shortly after Ox-Head Horse-Face left, the two stopped in a deserted mountain hollow.

Next, the Ox-Head waved its steel fork, and then a large amount of Yin Qi surged out from the fork, enveloping the entire valley.

Then the Ox-Head lowered his voice, his tone filled with barely concealed fear:

"Judge Ding personally instructed that this was someone the Temple Master and the Bodhisattva specifically requested to be registered. Since the matter wasn't resolved, you and I must return..."

Horse-Face sneered:

"Go back? Go back to be a scapegoat?"

Seeing the Ox-Head's terrified expression, he continued:

"The moment Su Yao's name is inscribed, the Wu Earth Calamity will likely descend instantly... After all, the Daoist of Qixia Daozheng the Heavenly Immortal Master of Fate of the Investiture of the Gods. If it weren't for the Heavenly Venerable Yunzhong's obstruction, he would probably have directly ascended to the Subsidiary Rank Junior Immortal, why would he need to be Heavenly Immortal?"

Upon hearing this, the Ox-Head was stunned, his large, copper-bell-shaped eyes filled with disbelief:

"Then you and I..."

"You and I were right there at the time. Who do you think immobilized us, rendering us unable to move?" Horse-Face's voice grew increasingly sinister. "To accomplish this without us noticing, can you or I bear the consequences?"

The Ox-Head finally lowered its head, and after a long while, it let out a sigh:

"So tell me, what should we do?"

After a long silence, Horse-Face gritted his teeth and said:

"Now that the reincarnation of the True Lord is still in the grotto-heaven, all the important figures are watching that place. Why don't we go there and make our way there? Once things are settled, we can go back and report that we were detained by a certain lord and had no choice in the matter." He paused, a strange light suddenly flashing in his eyes. "We can take this opportunity to enjoy ourselves in the mortal world for a few days. If we're lucky, we can even go to Golden Ao Mountain and taste a few Night Mulberry. Even if we get swallowed by the Diting when we get back, it won't be a wasted trip."

Upon hearing Ox-Head, Niu Tou's heart skipped a beat.

But Horse-Face lowered his voice and said something that sent chills down his spine:

"Actually, we can still give it a try."

"Try what?"

Horse-Face raised his hand and held the Yin Register up in front of him, then straightened his clothes, pulled Ox-Head along, and bowed respectfully, his voice resounding through the void:

"Your Supreme True Person, True Lord, Immortal Truth, Dao Lord, and Heavenly Venerable, we two humble beings are truly honored to serve you."

After he finished speaking, the valley fell into a deathly silence.

Ox-Head opened his mouth, about to advise him to stop daydreaming, but was interrupted by a detached voice.

The sound came from nowhere, as if a string had been casually plucked, and the lingering resonance, like metal striking stone, still trembled slightly in the air.

There was only one word. "Okay!"

The two were overjoyed upon hearing this.

Horse-Face immediately straightened up, took a brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote stroke by stroke on the Yin Register:

Su Yao, a native of Qixia Mountain in Hepu County, Nanyue Prefecture.

But when the ink falls on the pages, it initially lacks any spirit, like water splashed on oil, and it just won't blend in.

Just as Ox-Head was about to ask a question, Horse-Face grabbed him and held him down.

The next moment, an unknown force descended silently, causing both of their bodies to tremble involuntarily.

The ink marks that were originally floating on the paper quickly seeped in, each stroke embedding itself deep into the Yin Register, standing alongside those names that had existed for countless millennia, forming a seamless whole, as if they had always been there.

The voice rang out again, still as indifferent as ever:

"It can provide shelter for a hundred years. After a hundred years, retrieve two cups of yellow mud from the bottom of the Yellow Springs River and return here."

As soon as he finished speaking, two small cups appeared out of thin air in front of the two of them.

The Yellow Springs Mud can only be touched by sinking to the deepest part of the Yellow Springs, and it consumes real cultivation.

But compared to life, what is a hundred years of cultivation? The two readily agreed.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, sir! We will serve you with our lives!"

The voice, however, seemed completely uninterested in the oath and vow, simply adding:

"No need for that. Just remember what Judge Ding will eat every day for the next hundred years."

The Ox-Head Horse-Face figures looked at each other, speechless for a long time.

Only after confirming that the sound had stopped did Horse-Face straighten up and say with a wry smile:

"In the end, it's because we're rootless and powerless that we've been assigned such a task." He put away the Yin Register and looked towards the direction of Golden Ao Mountain. "Why not enjoy a few days of leisure in the mortal world, and return after Su Yao's Purple Mansion Dharma Banquet? Completing the task too quickly will only arouse suspicion."

Ox-Head was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"But will the adults really believe that people like you and me can accomplish this?"

Horse-Face paused, first shaking his head, then sighing, and finally forcing out a smile that was more like a grimace:

"Then, do you and I even have a choice?"

After a moment's thought, the Ox-Head said:

"Being a dog for adults is definitely better than being a ghost."

After he finished speaking, two sighs fell one after the other in the mountain valley.

Immediately, the two figures turned into gray light and quietly disappeared into the night.

Su Yao stood in the Great Void, watching until the two gray lights completely disappeared from the horizon before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

He stood silently with his hands behind his back, but his heart was churning with emotion.

The Netherworld is without a master, and various factions vie for power. Whenever Purple Mansion Yin Register is born, those who do not wish to be recorded in the Book of the Dead will inevitably be extorted. Although Qixia Temple is not afraid, it absolutely does not want to get entangled in that murky place. Therefore, it will never get involved in matters that can be resolved by spending money.

Then he tilted his head slightly and looked into the deeper part of the Great Void.

The messengers of the underworld have arrived, and naturally the angels will follow.

Are they from the Lingxiao Hall, the Hall of Complete Illumination, the Thunder Bureau, or the Dipper Department?

Ideally, it should be the Hall of Complete Illumination and the Thunder Bureau.

He truly didn't want to get involved in the mess at the Lingxiao Hall.

As for the Dipper Department —although they were originally separated from the Jade Pure One Sect, sometimes traitors are more chilling than enemies.

As for the Thunder Bureau, although a deity was killed by the Jade Pure One Purity Sect members before being Investiture of the Gods on the Investiture of the Gods, countless years have passed, and the old grudges have long been put aside. Now, the Thunder Bureau and the Hall of Complete Illumination have joined forces to fight against the Dipper Department.

Countless air currents surged and crashed through the Great Void, causing Su Yao's robes to flutter wildly.

He stood there at the boundary between the real and the unreal, waiting for the next group of uninvited guests.

A moment later, the sound of gongs and drums filled the distance, and countless Silver Light surged from the horizon.

As the silvery light faded, Su Yao saw a large troop of people approaching. The leader rode a heavenly horse, his silver armor gleaming, followed by more than a hundred armored soldiers in formation.

At the center of the procession was a magnificent golden carriage, drawn by five dragons of white, blue, black, red, and yellow. Each dragon possessed an aura that surpassed the Foundation Establishment, yet fell short of the Purple Mansion stage. They were minor deities affiliated with the Investiture of the Gods of the Gods, and in the Immortal Dao, they were known as the Holding the Profound.

Su Yao gazed at the magnificent convoy from afar, a slight smile playing on his lips.

What a grand display!

Five Holding the Profound five heads, and over a hundred silver-armored guards—were they trying to intimidate him, Su?

His smile remained, but his eyes had lost all warmth.

The next moment, a Sword Intent quietly emanated from his body.

There was no earth-shattering sword light, no ear-piercing sword cry, only a very faint, almost imperceptible, clear aura, spreading slowly in all directions like ripples.

The Crimson Dawn Unstained Night-Illuminating Clear Light Sword's intent!