ebookslot Chapter 4 Ghost King Realm? You call this a ferryman?
Chapter 4 Ghost King Realm? You call this a ferryman?
Chu Jiang's words were not loud, but they were like a cold wind from the depths of hell, making Judge Wei's soul tremble.
He turned around stiffly, the forced smile on his face looking more like a grimace.
"Lord Chu... you jest. I'm here to inspect official business and see if you're adapting to your new position."
"Oh? On official business?" Chu Jiang, holding a teacup, strolled over slowly, the wisps of tea swirling around him.
"How come I remember Judge Wei bringing his enforcement team to punish me?"
Wei Tong, who had been terrified, saw his uncle being questioned and, relying on his past arrogance, shouted back in a show of bravado but was actually quite cowardly.
"Chu Jiang! Don't be so smug! My uncle is the head of the Reincarnation Department, your superior! How dare you defy him?!"
"Noisy."
Chu Jiang didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, he just gave a cold snort.
boom!
An invisible, terrifying pressure, centered on Chu Jiang, instantly swept across the entire ferry crossing!
It was no longer the oppressive force of a demon general, but a magnificent momentum like mountains collapsing and rivers overflowing.
The oppressive aura of the Ghost King Realm!
"Thump!"
Wei Tong's knees buckled first, his soul was forced to kneel on the ground, his kneecaps hitting the ground with a crisp cracking sound.
He tried to struggle, but found himself being held down by an invisible mountain, unable to even move a finger.
Judge Wei's situation was even worse. Although his cultivation was higher than Wei Tong's, he was only at the peak of the Ghost General realm.
Faced with this power, he felt as if his soul would be torn apart at any moment. His legs bent uncontrollably, and with a "crack," he knelt down as well.
The two Ox-Headed and Horse-Face law enforcement officers behind him were so shocked that they staggered back seven or eight steps, their soul-hooking ropes and chains clattering to the ground. They stared at Chu Jiang with horrified expressions, as if they had seen the Ghost Emperor himself.
At the ferry crossing, the long line of departed souls fell silent instantly, all prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling.
"This...this is the Ghost King!" an old ghost with some knowledge exclaimed in shock, his voice trembling.
"Heavens! The ferryman at the Sanzu Ferry is the Demon King?!"
Meng Po stood to the side, her face blurred, but the turmoil in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Three days!
From a novice ghost with ten years of cultivation to a steady early-stage Ghost King!
What kind of monster is this kid?
"Now, Judge Wei, can we have a proper chat?" Chu Jiang looked down at the two kneeling before him, his tone calm, yet every word pierced the heart.
Judge Wei was trembling all over. He tried to look up, but the oppressive aura held him back, and he could only see Chu Jiang's black boots.
He finally realized what kind of iron plate he had kicked.
No, this is not an iron plate, it is the Yama Palace forged from ten thousand years of black iron from the underworld!
"Lord Chu... Lord Chu... spare me! I was blind to your greatness! I was blinded by greed!" Judge Wei was no longer arrogant as before, and his voice was filled with sobs.
"Spare me?" Chu Jiang chuckled and placed the teacup on the stone table.
"When you brought your men to arrest me, did you ever consider sparing my life? When you banished me here, intending for me to be torn apart by evil spirits, did you feel even a shred of pity?"
"I..." Judge Wei was speechless.
"Uncle! What are you afraid of him for!" Wei Tong roared recklessly, "If he dares to touch you, he's defying the laws of the underworld! It's a serious crime! Meng Po is watching right here!"
"Underworld laws?" Chu Jiang thought to himself as if he had heard the funniest joke.
He walked leisurely to Judge Wei, squatted down, and looked him in the eye.
"Judge Wei, I was the top performer in both the examinations and am quite familiar with the 'Laws of the Underworld.' I would like to ask you about Article 7 of Volume 3, 'On Authority,' which states, 'Any underworld official who harasses his colleagues without cause, abuses his authority, or fabricates charges, shall, depending on the severity of the offense, have his cultivation reduced to a minimum, or be cast into the eighteenth level of hell and never be reinstated.' Do you still remember this article?"
Judge Wei's soul trembled violently.
Chu Jiang's voice continued, unhurried yet striking his heart like a heavy hammer.
"You just accused me of 'possessing a secret treasure' and 'violating the rules,' and you want to punish me."
"Now, Meng Po is here, and she herself has certified that my boat is a 'treasure of acquired merit.' You say my ferry is a 'garbage dump,' but Meng Po says the water here is 'holy water of merit.'"
Chu Jiang paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"Judge Wei, are you questioning Meng Po's judgment, or do you think you know the rules of the underworld better than Yama?"
"I didn't! I wouldn't dare!" Judge Wei was so frightened that he almost flew out of his skin and hurriedly kowtowed.
"You falsely accused me of being exiled to this godforsaken place, and even called it a blessing to give me 'experience'."
"Now this place of good fortune has been upgraded to a blessed land of merit. I'm giving this good fortune to you. Do you want it?"
This sarcastic remark, delivered in a modern, earthy style, caught Judge Wei off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless; he could only instinctively shake his head.
Meng Po, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke at this moment.
Her ancient and compassionate voice rang out, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
"Master Wei."
Judge Wei froze, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"What Brother Chu said is absolutely true." Meng Po's gaze swept over Judge Wei. "The merit energy here is incomparably pure; only those with great perseverance and merit can achieve it. As the head of the Reincarnation Department, you should be fair in rewarding and punishing, yet you fail to distinguish between merit and demerit, and instead falsely accuse a meritorious official. Do you know your crime?"
"Meng Po, please see the truth! This official... this official knows his crime! This official knows his crime!" Judge Wei completely broke down, tears streaming down his face.
Meng Po ignored his pleas for mercy and instead looked at the clear river water, her eyes revealing a hint of admiration and longing.
"This holy water of merit is of great benefit to my brewing of the Meng Po soup. It can cleanse the most stubborn obsessions deep within the soul, allowing them to forget their past lives and depart more peacefully."
She changed the subject, her voice turning cold.
"Yet you wish to restore this place to its original state, severing the source of the holy water. Judge Wei, do you intend to set back the efficiency of the entire underworld's cycle of reincarnation by a thousand years because of your own selfish desires?"
This hat is bigger and heavier than any other hat Chu Jiang has ever put on him before!
Upon hearing this, Judge Wei collapsed to the ground, his soul dimming slightly.
He knew he was finished.
It's completely over.
Chu Jiang withdrew his oppressive aura, and Judge Wei and Wei Tong finally felt as if the mountain on their bodies had been removed, but they didn't even have the strength to stand up.
"Meng Po," Chu Jiang bowed to Meng Po, "what do you think should be done to resolve this matter?"
He passed the buck to Meng Po.
This is both a sign of respect and a test.
Meng Po gave Chu Jiang a deep look, seemingly admiring his composure and shrewdness.
"I will personally report this matter to the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak, and let the Great Emperor decide."
Upon hearing the words "Emperor of the Eastern Peak," Judge Wei's eyes rolled back, and he completely fainted.
That was one of the highest rulers of the underworld. If he made such a small fuss about it there, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Meng Po then looked at the two trembling ox-headed and horse-faced demons.
"You two, take him and his nephew back to the Reincarnation Department to await their judgment."
"Yes, sir!" The two law enforcement officers, as if granted a pardon, carried the Wei family uncle and nephew, who were as limp as mud, away as if fleeing.
The storm has thus subsided.
The ferry crossing returned to calm, but the gazes of all the departed souls towards Chu Jiang had changed from envy to fervent worship and awe.
Chu Jiang exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling much more at ease.
The wicked need to be dealt with by the wicked; no, I call this self-defense.
Just then, Meng Po, carrying her signature empty bowl, walked up to Chu Jiang, her attitude even more gentle than before.
"Brother Chu, we owe you a great debt for today's events. You've not only done a great service to the Underworld, but you've also broadened my horizons."
"You flatter me, Meng Po. I was just doing my duty," Chu Jiang said modestly.
Meng Po shook her head, a hint of a smile appearing on her blurred face as she picked up the bowl in her hand.
"This old woman has a favor to ask."
She pointed to the clear river water, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"I wonder if I could... sell you a bowl of this holy water of merit?"