Zhang Huayang, clutching his chest where the sword light had pierced through, calmly said, "Sword cultivator, the advent of the Greedy Wolf Star must be aided by someone. I think you're not bad; stay and become Zhang Fang's subordinate, shall you?"

Ye Yang didn't even bother to lift his eyelids. "Are you still dreaming?"

Zhang Huayang laughed heartily. "The Greedy Wolf Star is born, the art world is thrown into chaos. Don't you want to occupy a place in the art world?"

"The art world is about to collapse. Those with the Greedy Wolf Star fate will surely stand out amidst the chaos and become invincible."

"If you don't submit to the Greedy Wolf Star, you will surely die. Why not listen to my advice and stay to assist Zhang Fang? When my Zhang family dominates the art world, you will surely be above tens of thousands of people."

Ye Yang said in a deep voice, "Are you finished?"

"Finished, finished!" Zhang Huayang said, "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak. Now, I'm leaving. We'll meet again in the netherworld."

As Zhang Huayang spoke, ripples of light emanated from his body, and his once clear figure began to blur.

Nie Xiaochun exclaimed, "He's trying to escape!"

"He can't escape!" Ye Yang's voice was even and unhurried.

Zhang Huayang pointed to the sword light on his chest with a cold smile. "Are you talking about this? This kind of thing can only斩人魂 (zhǎn rén hún, slay the soul). I am a 地魂 (dì hún, earth soul), protected by the Underworld. As long as I enter the Underworld, your soul sword, no matter how powerful, can't do anything to me."

As Zhang Huayang spoke, the figure of a red-robed ghost official clearly appeared behind him. The official grabbed Ye Yang's sword light with one hand and supported Zhang Huayang's arm with the other, helping him up.

Zhang Huayang laughed. "See that? The Underworld's welcoming envoy has arrived. You can't kill an earth soul. If you obediently listen to me, my promise to you still stands."

The red-robed ghost official said in a low voice, "Shut your mouth and come with me!"

Although Zhang Huayang obediently closed his mouth, the smugness in his eyes was even more pronounced.

Nie Xiaochun got up to stop the red-robed ghost official, but Ye Yang raised his hand to stop her. The red-robed ghost official said indifferently, "You're quite sensible!"

Ye Yang, however, bit his index finger the instant the two disappeared and used his blood to point towards his brow. "Yellow Springs also slays! Kill—"

As Ye Yang's roar faded, the wails of ghosts instantly pierced through the realms of Yin and Yang, suddenly erupting beside Ye Yang and Nie Xiaochun's ears.

Nie Xiaochun said in shock, "Your soul sword can slay ghosts even across Yin and Yang?"

"Just lock onto the target!" Although Ye Yang was expressionless, his right hand, hanging by his side, was trembling slightly.

Every top術士 (shù shì, Daoist mage) has their ultimate secret technique, but activating a secret technique often comes at a corresponding price. Nie Xiaochun didn't know what price Ye Yang had paid, only that he was now unable to fight anyone.

Just as Nie Xiaochun was about to go over to support Ye Yang, the red-robed ghost official who had come to take him away reappeared in the tomb. "How dare you? You actually dared to kill an earth soul! Come back to the Underworld with me to be punished."

Just as Ye Yang was about to speak, Nie Xiaochun's clothes transformed into a fiery red yamen uniform, causing the red-robed ghost official to be slightly stunned.

Red-robed ghost officials are also divided into different ranks, and the symbol of their status is the shade of red on their robes. Dark red is the lowest, blood red is in the middle, and bright red, which looks like a dazzling flame, is the highest.

A red-robed ghost official wearing bright red clothes can directly address the Ten Yama Kings and the Four Judges. In other words, a bright red ghost official is a confidant of the Underworld's higher-ups.

The red-robed ghost official who had come to scold Ye Yang was only wearing a dark red outfit, which was two levels lower than Nie Xiaochun's bright red.

Nie Xiaochun said in a deep voice, "I will personally explain the matter of killing the earth soul to Impermanence Divine Lord. This is none of your business. You can leave."

After a moment of hesitation, the red-robed ghost official said, "The iron laws of the Underworld cannot be glossed over just because you're wearing a bright red uniform. Even if he doesn't return to the Underworld with me, he must be punished."

Nie Xiaochun took out a token from her body. "I want to see today if you have the guts to punish him."

"Impermanence Token!" The red-robed ghost official took two steps back in fright.

The Impermanence Token is equivalent to the Black and White Impermanence personally arriving. Unless the red-robed ghost official can produce the tokens of the other Eight Yama Kings, he is qualified to stand on equal footing with Nie Xiaochun. Otherwise, not only can he not punish Ye Yang, but he also has to salute the token.

Nie Xiaochun stared at him and said, "Where is your token?"

The red-robed ghost official finally retreated two steps and knelt on the ground respectfully. "This subordinate respectfully greets the Divine Lord."

Nie Xiaochun said in a deep voice, "Whose subordinate are you?"

"This subordinate belongs to the Yin Division's Criminal Justice Department." What the red-robed ghost official meant was that he was just a small character without a direct ghost or god.

Seeing that she couldn't get anything out of him, Nie Xiaochun said coldly, "Kneel here until your superior comes to pick you up."

As Nie Xiaochun turned around to support Ye Yang, Ye Yang suddenly let out a muffled groan, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, and the hair on his temples had turned quite a bit white.

In the instant Nie Xiaochun turned back, the red-robed ghost official smiled and said, "According to the law, someone who borrows life force and presumptuously slays an earth soul shall have thirty years of lifespan deducted. The Underworld's iron laws come first, and the duties of the red-robed ghost official come after. This subordinate dares not be partial, and begs for your leniency!"

Thirty years of lifespan was enough to make Ye Yang die on the spot.