"What do you mean by that, mortal?" the Judge demanded, pointing at Chen Xiao.
Before Chen Xiao could reply, a ghost messenger beside him whispered, "Judge, this mortal seems to be calling you brainless!"
"You talk too much!" The Judge slapped the ghost messenger. "Do you think I can't tell he's mocking me? Grrr! This is infuriating! I will throw this mortal into the eighteenth level of hell to suffer eternal damnation!"
As the Judge was about to make a move, Meng Po suddenly stepped in front of Chen Xiao. "Judge, wait!"
"Mama Meng, what are you doing? Have you taken a liking to this pretty boy?" The Judge looked at Meng Po in confusion.
Chen Xiao: "..."
Meng Po spat. "Bah! Has your head been kicked by Horse Face? Why are you talking such nonsense?"
"Then why are you stopping me, Mama Meng?" the Judge asked, still confused.
"Judge, do you know why this young man forced his way through the Ghost Gate?" Meng Po asked.
"Of course, I don't know! Do you know, Mama Meng?" the Judge asked dismissively.
"I do," Meng Po replied with a mysterious smile, pointing at the ground. "This young man is going to the bottom of the Forgetfulness River to search for treasure!"
"What?" The Judge was stunned, then burst into laughter. "Mama Meng, don't joke with me. Who can search for treasure at the bottom of the Forgetfulness River? Isn't that the same as seeking death?"
Not only the Judge, but all the ghost messengers behind him also erupted in laughter.
"All of you, shut up and stop laughing!" Meng Po shouted. The crowd immediately fell silent.
Chen Xiao was slightly surprised, not expecting Meng Po to have such high status.
Then, Meng Po began poking the Judge's forehead and scolding him. "Are you brainless? Are you brainless? Are you, are you..." With each word, she poked him. The Judge retreated repeatedly, looking as if he was about to cry.
"Mama Meng, please stop poking. I admit I don't have much brainpower to begin with. If you keep poking, what little I have left will be gone!"
Meng Po finally stopped and said irritably, "You don't need to use your limited brain to think that this young man is different from us. He's a mortal!"
"He's fine even when immersed in the Forgetfulness River. Unlike you, who are almost cooked by the heat. Without me, you can't even walk across this bridge!"
Hearing this, the Judge suddenly realized. "That's right! Why didn't I think of that? He's a mortal, he's not afraid of the heat of the Forgetfulness River..." He suddenly changed his tone. "No, Mama Meng, even if he's not afraid of the heat, he can't deal with the monsters at the bottom of the river! In the end, he'll still die!"
"Why are you bothering with so much? If he's killed by the monsters, you can report back to your superiors... Have you ever considered what might happen if he succeeds?"
Meng Po's reminder seemed to transform the Judge. He became serious.
"This is a matter of great importance. I need to report this to King Yama!" Saying this, he held his Judge's Brush and wrote on the ground with great skill.
"I am in the Hall of Yama!"
Then, with a flash of light, the Judge disappeared from his spot.
Chen Xiao was slightly surprised. What kind of treasure was that? Did it manifest words into reality?
A moment later, a thick cloud suddenly appeared in the blood-red sky, rapidly expanding towards them. The cloud soon covered the sky... Well, in this underworld, there was no sun. The cloud had already covered a portion of the sky above Chen Xiao. The cloud was thick, as if it was about to fall, accompanied by strong winds and thunder, creating a sense of immense pressure.
When the wind and thunder stopped, Meng Po and all the ghost messengers knelt down, chanting, "Welcome, Lord Yama!"
A rift opened in the cloud, revealing a majestic figure. It was only half a figure because only the upper body was visible, while the lower body remained hidden in the cloud. This was the legendary King Yama, who controlled life and death. Of course, legends were mixed with truth, but it was undeniable that King Yama's strength was far beyond anything Chen Xiao had ever seen.
Chen Xiao could feel King Yama's divine sense pervading the entire space. Compared to it, his own divine sense was like a mere speck of dust. Ghost cultivators primarily cultivated spiritual power, so King Yama's divine sense being so formidable was understandable. Chen Xiao felt immense pressure, which made him ponder how much chance he would have if he were to fight this being with his life. His conclusion was that it was best not to resort to such measures.
The half-visible King Yama in mid-air was already three to four meters tall. His face was as dark as charcoal, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding immense authority. He wore a black python robe, signifying his status as the ruler of this realm.
"Who are you?" King Yama's voice, like a muffled thunderclap, boomed from mid-air, directly exploding in Chen Xiao's ears.
Chen Xiao gritted his teeth and replied, neither subservient nor arrogant, "I am Chen Xiao."
"I heard you intend to descend into the Forgetfulness River?" King Yama asked again.
"That's right!" Chen Xiao admitted directly. "I have come to the underworld specifically to retrieve a treasure hidden at the bottom of the Forgetfulness River."
"You mean the relic, don't you?" King Yama said.
Chen Xiao's brow furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected this being to know about the relic.
"Mortal surnamed Chen, I am willing to make a deal with you," King Yama said. "I will not stop you from searching for the relic at the bottom of the Forgetfulness River, but you must promise me that once you find the relic, you will kill the monster in the Forgetfulness River. Otherwise, I will hold you responsible for the lives of my deceased ghost messengers!"
Chen Xiao's brow furrowed slightly. "What kind of deal is this? The contributions and rewards are completely unequal! Since you want to use me to get rid of the monster, you should show some sincerity!"
"Oh?" King Yama hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What do you mean by sincerity?"
Chen Xiao thought for a moment. He had actually spoken casually, as he felt he was at too much of a disadvantage according to King Yama's terms. Hearing King Yama's question, he suddenly thought of a treasure.
"Where is the Judge? His Judge's Brush is quite good, and I like it very much. If I help you get rid of the monster in the Forgetfulness River, he must give me that brush!" Chen Xiao stated his condition.
After speaking, Chen Xiao felt a flash of light before his eyes, and then the Judge emerged from the light.
"Are you crazy, kid? You're making a deal with Lord Yama, and you're using my treasure as a bargaining chip?"
Chen Xiao shrugged. "Because I like it."
"You..." The Judge gritted his teeth, pointing at Chen Xiao, wishing he could devour him.
"Very well, I agree!" King Yama's voice echoed from the sky.