Chapter 5

Holding the jade tablet, the ghost seemed to sense something and looked over, smiling slightly at Su Xing.

"Still standing there? Do you want Lord Tablet Holder to wait for you?" the little demon Yasha scolded, his mouth full of sharp teeth exhaling a foul stench.

Su Xing's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly ran to the Tablet Holder Ghost, bowing respectfully.

"Ha ha, no need to be nervous. In the underworld, we don't bow like that," the Tablet Holder Ghost said gently, a smile appearing on his pale, paper-like face.

Su Xing looked at the refined and courteous Tablet Holder Ghost, his fair face turning bright red, his cheeks burning hot, and his mouth stammering, "I, I..."

"In the underworld, ghosts from different eras have different customs and attire. Just be yourself. As for greeting elders or superiors, sincerity is what matters. They can see through your heart," the Tablet Holder Ghost explained gently.

Su Xing listened attentively to the Tablet Holder Ghost's teachings. Looking at the tall, slender, and refined Tablet Holder Ghost, his admiration for him grew.

"So, there are also gentle and respectable ghosts in the underworld. Not all are fierce and terrifying little demon Yashas," Su Xing glanced at the whip-wielding little demon Yasha, muttering to himself.

The Tablet Holder Ghost seemed to see through Su Xing's thoughts but did not point it out. He continued, "I was an official in the Song Dynasty. After death, I still wear the court attire of the Song Dynasty as a minister of the Ten Courts of Hell. Officials from the Qing Dynasty did not have the habit of holding jade tablets, nor were they punished for it. The King of Hell is very lenient and allows us to retain the old customs of the human world."

As he spoke, the Tablet Holder Ghost flicked his jade belt. He wore a crimson silk robe, with a white floral silk inner garment, a large sash, and a leather belt tied around his crimson silk knee-length skirt. He had a square-collared robe, a brocade sash, and white jade pendants. He wore white silk stockings and black leather shoes. The official's robe, red as blood, was adorned with patterns of mountains and rivers. Upon closer inspection, these were not the mountains and rivers of the human world, but the Sanzu River and the Iron Encircling Mountain!

His attachment to the human world and his loyalty to the Song Emperor were now transferred to the King of Hell.

The Tablet Holder Ghost, dressed in neat court attire and holding a jade tablet, looked pale and frail, unlike the little demon Yasha with his green skin, green eyes, white fangs, and bone whip, and a bloody animal skin wrapped around his waist.

"I see that your soul is golden, and you have accumulated a great deal of merit at such a young age. You remain calm and composed in the underworld, and you do not panic in the face of danger. Your virtue and ability are rare in the human world," the Tablet Holder Ghost praised.

Su Xing blushed and lowered his head, embarrassed to look at him, hoping the beautiful misunderstanding would continue.

"What do you think? Would you like to work in the underworld? I can recommend you to Lord White Wuchang in the future," the Tablet Holder Ghost asked gently, a friendly smile on his pale, frail face.

"Be an official!?" Su Xing looked up in surprise, staring at the Tablet Holder Ghost.

"Yes!" The Tablet Holder Ghost nodded, satisfied with Su Xing's reaction. "Come, the underworld needs capable people like you."

"Um..." Su Xing hesitated. The Tablet Holder Ghost's offer was indeed tempting, and Su Xing was tempted, but he feared that if the secret of his yellow soul was revealed, his life would be worse than death. It would be better to reincarnate quickly.

The Tablet Holder Ghost, seeing Su Xing's hesitation, nodded and continued, "You don't have to decide right away. Think about it. There are great benefits in the underworld. Think it over and let me know."

"Okay." Su Xing nodded, secretly relieved, fearing that the Tablet Holder Ghost would insist on keeping him as an official to build his own faction.

"I see why the Tablet Holder Ghost is so nice. He has another purpose. Unfortunately, although his offer is tempting, the bureaucracy is dark, and serving the king is like serving a tiger, let alone the legendary King of Hell. It's better to reincarnate honestly," Su Xing thought as he returned to the line, his head lowered in contemplation.

The Yellow Spring Road stretched endlessly, a wide path leading to the horizon, with amber-colored Yellow Spring water on both sides, breathtakingly beautiful.

The line of souls split like a dragon on the wide path, each heading to their respective realms: the human world, the heavenly realm, the human realm, and the animal realm, each on their own path.

The sky above the Yellow Spring was beautiful, the gloom from the Ghost Gate spreading here, reflecting the beautiful amber color of the Yellow Spring. Occasionally, earth dragons without horns or claws would roar past, eating dust and drinking from the Yellow Spring.

Su Xing followed the line blindly, neither tired nor aware of time.

After a long time, the ghosts walked like zombies, mechanically moving their feet forward, their eyes dull and lifeless, their hair disheveled like ghosts.

The fierce and terrifying evil ghosts were completely subdued, dragging thick black iron chains on the ground, their necks and claws shackled, constantly burned by the yang energy of peach wood.

The little demon Yasha, tired from whipping, occasionally lashed out at the evil ghosts, but generally ignored the ordinary souls.

At first, Su Xing's eyes were bright, every step a scene, admiring the earth dragons and the Yellow Spring. Over time, he found it monotonous and boring, his bright eyes gradually drying up.

"Here we are..."

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the line. Su Xing's ears perked up, and he looked up.

A black city, magnificent! Huge! Majestic! Like a mountain! A thick aura enveloped them!

Words could not describe it, only simple terms could suffice!

The First Court!

The highest ruler of the underworld, one of the Ten Courts of Hell, King Qin Guang, sat within, overseeing countless souls!

"Quiet! Quiet! Line up!" The little demon Yasha suddenly became energetic, his bone whip cracking, roaring at the chaotic line of souls.

"The First Court..." Su Xing tiptoed, the line of ghosts ahead of him also tiptoed. A long line of souls waited at the massive gate of the First Court, awaiting King Qin Guang's audience.

"How long will this take?" Su Xing frowned, sighing in frustration. Walking and waiting were two different things, and it could drive a ghost mad.

"Su Xing, come out!" At that moment, a little demon Yasha raised his bone whip, pointing at Su Xing, his tone gentle. "Lord Tablet Holder wants to see you."

"Yes!" Su Xing nodded quickly, stepping out of the line, muttering to himself, "What I think about comes true. Even the little demon Yasha is 'on the right path' now."

"Lord Tablet Holder." Su Xing said respectfully.

The Tablet Holder Ghost smiled gently. "No need to call me Lord Tablet Holder. Song Jingshan is my name in the human world. In the underworld, the 'shan' character was taken by the King of Hell. You can call me Song Jing now."

Su Xing's eyes flickered, realizing that Song Jing revealing his human name was a sign of sincerity.

"What do you think? Have you decided?" Song Jing asked.

"I have." Su Xing smiled, having made up his mind on the long Yellow Spring Road.

"Brother Song Jing, I don't know how I died in the human world. Was it the end of my natural life, or was I betrayed? I hope to find out from the King of Hell," Su Xing said sincerely.

"This..." Song Jing hesitated slightly. The King of Hell was busy and could not see every soul.

King Qin Guang was in charge of the life and death of the human world, overseeing the good and evil of the underworld, guiding the virtuous to a better afterlife, and sending those with equal good and evil to the Tenth Court for reincarnation, changing their gender. Those with more evil than good were sent to the second court for punishment.

Ordinary matters were handled by the four judges and countless officials and guards. Ordinary souls were quickly sent to the Tenth Court for reincarnation.

Evil ghosts were sent to the Mirror Platform for judgment, and those with heavy sins were sent to the second court for punishment.

Golden souls with good deeds were recorded and sent to better families for reincarnation, either to the heavenly realm or the human world.

Few wronged, evil, or virtuous ghosts could see the King of Hell.

Song Jing thought for a long time, looking at Su Xing's golden soul, and finally agreed, "I suspected that you were too young to be here. It seems there is indeed a problem. Come, I will take you directly to the highest ruler of the underworld—the Ten Courts of Hell!"

"Thank you, Brother Song Jing." Su Xing bowed deeply, excited.

"Ha ha, just call me Song Jing or Brother Song." Song Jing smiled, a cloud appearing under his feet, lifting Su Xing and rising slowly.

"Hey?!"

Su Xing's body swayed, his face full of surprise, looking at the cloud under his feet and then at Song Jing.

"In the future, we will be colleagues. Once you learn the cultivation methods, you can do this too." Song Jing smiled, pointing his jade tablet at the towering city gate, and the cloud beneath his feet sped up.

"Oh!"

The scene of flying on a cloud, as described in myths and legends, was right before his eyes. The ghosts on the Yellow Spring Road gradually became small, like ants, forming a long dragon-like line stretching to the horizon.

Looking down at the First Court, numerous gates opened, each with a long line of souls. Two officials sat on benches, calling out names from a register. The souls whose names were called stepped forward, and ghost soldiers led them to their destinations.

It was like a dream...

The scenery flew by rapidly as Song Jing and Su Xing, riding the cloud, arrived at the First Court's palace, a floating cluster of palaces, grand and intricate, with every corner meticulously carved, and fierce birds and beasts perched on the eaves, emitting a thousand rays of light.

"Is this... King Qin Guang's residence? The First Court?!" Su Xing pointed at the floating palace, stammering.

"Yes," Song Jing smiled. "Isn't it impressive? How can the palaces of the human world compare to the First Court? How can the emperors of the human world compare to the King of Hell, who oversees the life and death of all beings and judges all souls?"

"Even if the King of Hell decrees death at the third watch, who dares to keep a person alive until the fifth watch!"

As he spoke, a powerful aura burst from Song Jing's ghostly body, rising to the sky!

"Such a powerful imperial art!" Su Xing secretly glanced at Song Jing, marveling. He had read books on imperial arts in the human world and was deeply impressed by the rulers of the underworld—the Ten Courts of Hell.

"Let's go, I'll introduce you to our future emperor," Song Jing reined in his aura, speaking courteously, as if the previous power was just a fleeting moment.

"Okay!"

Su Xing nodded vigorously, his excitement palpable, his heart burning with anticipation. He was about to meet the legendary mythological figure, the most powerful being in the three realms, one of the Ten Courts of Hell—King Qin Guang!