Chapter 210
Chapter 210
It was no small matter for the Nine Abyss Soul Prisoner to force her way into the Underworld Administration.
The envoys of the Underworld Administration could not handle her, nor did the Ten Yama Lords dare to. In the end, they could only await judgment from the Lord of the Netherworld.
Thus, before long, Xia Ximo and Lantern Spirit Wuyou were bound and escorted by the ghosts into the Ghost King’s Palace.
Inside the hall, the Earth Lord wore black robes, his long hair hanging loose as he sat languidly before a seven-stringed zither.
Though his posture appeared indolent, the Ghost King mask symbolizing supreme authority over the yin realm radiated unfathomable power.
He suddenly plucked a string, and a single note reverberated without end.
His cold, stern voice accompanied it. “You two are remarkably bold!”
Bound from head to toe, Lantern Spirit Wuyou immediately collapsed to the floor in terror.
In truth, Wuyou already regretted coming.
Who could have imagined the woman beside Wuyou would choose such a provocative way to meet the Earth Lord?
Xia Ximo, by contrast, remained perfectly calm. She stood straight and even replied with complete composure, “This is hardly the Earth Lord’s first day knowing me.”
The Earth Lord snorted. “Your work in the mortal realm is unfinished, yet you dare trespass in the Underworld Administration. Are you not afraid of being cast back into the Nine Abysses?”
Not a trace of hesitation crossed Xia Ximo’s face. “I have already done it. I gave no thought to the consequences.”
She looked at the Earth Lord again, her tone certain. “Besides, the Earth Lord will not do that.”
The Earth Lord’s hand paused on the strings, as though surprised.
He asked, “What makes you think so?”
She answered at once, “You need me to do something for you. Not merely ferry souls, and not because of the Fu Tower Ghost…
“It is something far more troublesome hidden behind all these appearances.”
The Earth Lord suddenly laughed and withdrew his hand from the zither. He seemed to regard her with interest.
“Speak. Why have you come to my Underworld Administration?”
Xia Ximo answered directly, “I have two questions for you.”
“Let me hear them.”
“First, is the so-called Ghost God hiding in the mortal realm connected to me?”
The Earth Lord did not answer immediately. Instead, he smiled again.
Only then did he tell her, “It is indeed.”
Xia Ximo’s eyes narrowed abruptly. “Is it my enemy?”
The Earth Lord countered, “Does that count as your second question? If not, I cannot tell you.”
Xia Ximo had essentially received her answer. “It does not. My second question concerns Ren Fengjue.”
“Ren Yao once said Ren Fengjue was born missing one of his ethereal souls and that it was connected to me. Is that true?”
The Earth Lord nodded slightly and told her without reservation, “What he said was correct.
“Otherwise, this king would never have attached your soul to the Xia Family’s young lady.”
Hearing the implication in his words, Xia Ximo asked, “So I am destined to be entangled with him?”
The Earth Lord replied, “That is your third question.”
“…”
“But there is no harm in telling you. You are not only entangled with each other, and this is not the first lifetime in which it has happened.”
“…”
A complicated emotion flickered across Xia Ximo’s cool features.
The Earth Lord watched her closely as though enjoying a good show, then deliberately asked, “Mogu, have you developed feelings for the Ren Family’s Young Marquis?”
“…”
Even Wuyou, collapsed on the floor, could not resist listening intently.
The Earth Lord was probably the only one who would dare ask such a question.
Yet Xia Ximo acted as though she had not heard and changed the subject. “I need your help with one more matter.”
The Earth Lord was not surprised. “Anything can be discussed, as long as you are not asking for soul power.”
Xia Ximo glanced at him. “Help me find a fragment of a soul.”
“Oh…” The Earth Lord understood immediately. “Zhong Dingyan’s soul?”
“Correct.”
“That is easily done…”
The Earth Lord was about to agree when his tone abruptly changed. “But you trespassed in the Underworld Administration. I should punish you first. Why should I help you instead?”
Xia Ximo remained expressionless. “If you intend to punish me, I naturally have nothing to say.”
“But you should understand the current situation in the mortal realm better than I do.
“That so-called Ghost God has remained hidden there for a long time, secretly committing many acts that disrupt the order of both the yin and yang realms. It must be an even greater headache for you.
“I am helping you resolve a major problem. Must you quibble over such a small matter in return?”
Her argument sounded utterly matter-of-fact, yet the Earth Lord gave a hearty laugh. “Mogu, you have changed a great deal…”
Xia Ximo lowered her eyes and paused.
“Very well. Consider this another gift from me.”
The Earth Lord said, “There is another barrier between the yin and yang realms known as Wangsha Sea. It was originally a land of death.
“Not long ago, however, this king detected an unusual disturbance within the sea. If my conjecture is correct, the extracted Living Souls should be there.”
Xia Ximo asked, “If you detected a disturbance, why have you done nothing?”
The Earth Lord gave a derisive laugh. “That place does not belong to the yin realm, and those Living Souls have not reached the end of their allotted lives. Tell me, how is this king supposed to intervene?”
Xia Ximo wasted no more words. “In that case, tell me how to get there.”
“Simple. I can open the barrier and send you inside right now.”
With that, he raised his right hand, spread his palm, and swept it lightly through the air.
A dark doorway appeared in the void.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xia Ximo walked straight through it.
Only Lantern Spirit Wuyou and the Lord of the Netherworld remained in the hall. The silence around them was terrifying.
After a stunned moment, Wuyou finally remembered the predicament they were in.
At that exact moment, the Earth Lord rose and slowly walked toward Wuyou.
“Earth Lord…”
Wuyou nearly scattered in terror.
The Earth Lord glanced at Wuyou and asked, “You knew that no one may force their way into the Underworld Administration. Why did you not stop her?”
Wuyou was baffled.
Wuyou thought, I would have needed the ability to stop her first!
With a miserable expression, Wuyou said, “Earth Lord, Wuyou… does not possess that kind of ability.”
The Earth Lord snorted softly, then abruptly raised his left hand and reached toward Wuyou.
Wuyou shrieked, believing the end had come. To Wuyou’s surprise, a physical form slowly began to materialize in the next instant.
And that form was a graceful, strikingly handsome young man of exceptional bearing.
What… did this mean?
The Earth Lord withdrew his hand and instructed calmly, “I grant you a ‘body’ capable of manifesting in the mortal realm. Follow Mogu well.”
Then he returned to the seven-stringed zither, extracted one of its strings with soul power, and handed it to Wuyou.
“Keep this zither string safe. It has many uses. When necessary, it can even restrain Mogu and seal her soul power.”
Hearing how formidable the string was, Wuyou froze in alarm.
Wuyou naturally understood the Earth Lord’s meaning and did not dare defy him.
“Wuyou will remember the Earth Lord’s instructions. Next time… Wuyou will certainly watch the Soul Ferryman carefully!”
The Earth Lord crooked a finger. “Come closer. I have one more matter to instruct you on.”
Wuyou obediently leaned over at once.
After hearing the Earth Lord’s whispered instructions, however, Wuyou looked troubled. “Earth Lord, would it not be improper to do that?”
“Hmm?”
The Ghost King mask immediately seemed to glare at Wuyou.
“…Wuyou obeys.”