Chapter 152: Iron-Faced Judge Lu

"Why do you think my grandfather and Daoist Master Li chose me?" I asked. Since the peddler had brought it up, I figured he might know the answer.

However, he replied, "I am neither your grandfather nor Daoist Master Li, and I am not privy to their thoughts. What I do know, however, is that the Three Realms are undergoing a transformation, and you may very well be the key to this change. If one must ponder their reasons for choosing you, I suspect this is it."

I nodded thoughtfully. The peddler's perspective somewhat subverted what I previously knew, and I needed time to seriously digest it.

After a moment, I asked, "What do you mean by the transformation of the Three Realms?"

"I do not know for certain, but it will happen. Or rather, the Three Realms have already begun to change, and we simply do not know it yet."

The peddler's words sent a sudden jolt through my mind.

Since it concerned a transformation of the Three Realms, I immediately thought of Changbai Mountain. Only a cataclysmic shift across the Three Realms could alter Changbai Mountain; otherwise, how could an ancient dragon wither away just like that? And the Five Yin Immortal Mountain—a previously unknown, unremarkable little mountain—had suddenly transformed into a grand dragon vein, causing the fortune of the wild immortals to surge so violently that they almost breached Shanhai Pass to enter the central plains.

This was neither reasonable nor logical. This was the great change itself.

I voiced this thought, and the peddler nodded, agreeing that this was indeed a sign of the transformation. He then mentioned something concerning the Ruins of Kunlun.

Naturally, I had heard of Kunlun.

Kunlun was revered as the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Dragons, the primal source of all dragons beneath heaven. It was also said to be the ancestral vein of the immortal Dao, having produced countless mighty deities and immortals. For instance, most of the current deities in the Heavenly Realm originated from Kunlun.

However, this term "Ruins of Kunlun" was something I was hearing for the first time. Because Kunlun was a sacred and auspicious land—the very Ancestor of Ten Thousand Dragons—using the character for "ruins" to describe it clearly meant there was a story behind it.

I asked the peddler about it, and he told me that while Kunlun was indeed the ancestral dragon vein of the world, over a thousand years ago, the Heavenly Dao bestowed apotheosis upon mortals. Most of the immortal disciples of Kunlun were conferred divine titles by the Heavenly Dao, taking up their respective posts and withdrawing from the mortal world. Ever since that time, the Kunlun immortal Dao rapidly declined. Mortal Daoist sects, vying for Kunlun's spiritual fortune, launched massive invasions against the mountain. Yet, when they finally conquered Kunlun, they discovered that its destiny was completely exhausted.

The ancestral dragon vein had withered, and the opportunities and fortune there had become terribly meager. It was no longer even suitable for ordinary people to survive there, let alone Daoist practitioners who required powerful dragon veins and spiritual fortune to sustain themselves.

Consequently, the immortal Dao perished entirely, and the various Daoist sects had no choice but to withdraw from Kunlun Mountain, returning empty-handed.

From then on, Kunlun Mountain had no more disciples of the immortal Dao, nor any Daoist practitioners dwelling upon its peaks. Thus, the mountain acquired a new name: the Ruins of Kunlun. That place had now become virtually a land of death. In modern times, people who went there on expeditions even referred to it as the "Gates of Hell," implying it was no place for the living.

I knew very little of these matters. I had heard others speak of the immortal Dao before, and my grandfather was very likely a disciple of the Kunlun immortal Dao. Only later, after being conferred a deity, did he become the mountain deity of Lao-jieling. Yet these were events from hundreds or thousands of years ago; they seemed to have no connection to the sudden withering of the Changbai Mountain dragon vein of late.

At this point, however, the peddler told me that the present-day Ruins of Kunlun should perhaps no longer be called ruins, because the ancient dragon of Kunlun Mountain had resurrected.

Today's Kunlun Mountain was no longer a dead zone.

Furthermore.

The Kunlun immortal Dao had re-emerged. They were currently scouring the world for exceptional talents to recruit as immortal disciples. Various sects of the mortal Daoist world were now stirring restlessly; some factions had dispatched disciples up the mountain to secretly learn immortal Daoist arts to enhance their power, while certain minor sects had entirely converted and pledged allegiance to the Kunlun immortal Dao.

In the span of just a few days, the disciples of the Kunlun immortal Dao had already numbered in the thousands.

This was truly incredible, and I could not help asking, "Didn't the Kunlun immortal Dao already perish? How has it suddenly reappeared now?"

"Lin Yi, this is the transformation I spoke of to you," the peddler countered. "Just think, if even the Kunlun immortal Dao, which vanished for a thousand years, can rise from the ashes, won't the Three Realms under the rule of the Heavenly Dao undergo an even greater transformation?"

His words gave one much food for thought.

The journey was bumpy.

After about two hours, the peddler and I arrived at Fengdu City.

Being the largest city in the Underworld, this place was exceptionally grand. The city gates towered into the clouds, and the ramparts were densely packed with underworld soldiers and ghosts. Yin Qi and dark mists intertwined, and the number of ghosts and soldiers was simply uncountable. Beneath the city, before the colossal bronze gates, underworld soldiers and generals patrolled, inspecting those passing in and out.

My identity was unusual, and I wondered if it would be detected. The peddler, however, drew a black document from his sleeve and said, "Hold this, and nothing will go wrong."

Following him into Fengdu City, I found that the patrolling underworld soldiers merely glanced at the document and immediately stepped aside, ceasing all further inspection.

Upon entering Fengdu, our purpose was to find Judge Lu.

The peddler was thoroughly familiar with this place; without needing to ask for directions, he led me straight to the Judge's Mansion.

Outside the gates of the Judge's Mansion hung a vermilion drum of grievance. The peddler instructed, "Lin Yi, go forward and beat the drum of grievance. Naturally, some minor ghost will invite you into the magistrate's hall. A few days ago, Lu Zhi dao made a trip to the mortal world, and by now he must be in his residence organizing documents, so he will definitely try this case in person."

I nodded and asked the peddler where he was going.

The peddler replied that it was not fitting for him to show his face right now, but he would hide in the shadows and act according to circumstances when the time came.

Thereafter.

I followed the peddler's instructions and immediately struck the drum of grievance. Scarcely had I beaten it twice when two blue-faced minor ghosts poked their heads out from the crack in the door, took a look, and finally opened it, demanding, "What ghost cries out in grievance?"

"This humble one carries a grave injustice and begs an audience with Lord Judge," I replied.

"If you have an injustice, go voice it before your local underworld officials! Is the drum of grievance at the Judge's Mansion something a mere little ghost like you can beat?" the minor ghost scolded.

"This matter is of the utmost importance and beyond the jurisdiction of the local underworld; I am forced to disturb Lord Judge!" I said.

With that, one of the two ghosts told the other to watch me while it went inside to report. A moment later, that same ghost returned and said, "Follow me!"

I glanced back at the peddler hidden in the shadows, and he gave a slight nod.

Next.

I followed the minor ghost into the Judge's Mansion.

Normally, matters that even the local underworld officials could not handle must involve immensely high stakes, and Judge Lu would certainly be fully aware of them—perhaps even touching upon the Ten Yama Kings. Yet, even so, Judge Lu was holding a formal court trial rather than inquiring in private first to make a judgment. It seemed, just as the peddler had said, this Judge Lu was truly upright and unyielding.

Of course, had it not been so, the matter of the Book of Life and Death could never have been resolved.

"Ghost before the court, what is your grievance? Speak quickly!" Judge Lu sat with an iron-miseries expression behind the official desk, holding the Judge's brush as he posed the question. The minor ghosts surrounding him glared at me with fierce, terrifying expressions.

"This humble one, Lin Yi, accuses the First Yama King, King Jiang of Qinguang, of arbitrarily altering the Book of Life and Death, abusing his official position to harm mortal lives. I beg Your Honor to discern the truth!" I said.

Naming King Qinguang directly, I watched as Judge Lu's expression remained completely unchanged. He asked, "Do you have evidence?"

"I do!"

Without further ado, I pulled the Book of Life and Death from my bosom and presented it.

Upon catching sight of the Book of Life and Death, all the surrounding minor ghosts froze in astonishment. The clerk beside the judge stared so hard his eyes nearly popped out of his head; they never imagined the Book of Life and Death would end up in the hands of a mere ghost.

The judge's clerk immediately shouted, "You must know what crime it is to steal the Book of Life and Death!"

"Reporting to Your Honor, it was not stolen. This humble one merely picked it up here in the Underworld. I beg Your Honor to discern the truth!" I hurriedly answered. Of course, this was what the peddler had coached me to say. I had to claim this first; otherwise, long before I could air my grievance, this single charge alone would brand me with a heavy crime, rendering any subsequent appeal completely useless.

"The Book of Life and Death is an item of supreme importance! Is it something you can just pick up?" the clerk roared at me, clearly refusing to believe my words.

However, Judge Lu raised a hand to signal the clerk not to be agitated. He stated, "Whether the Book of Life and Death was picked up or not, we will set that aside for the moment."

"Lin Yi, you claim King Qinguang arbitrarily altered the Book of Life and Death. Is this book your evidence?" Judge Lu asked.

"Indeed, Your Honor, this is the evidence!" I replied.

"Present it," commanded the clerk.

A minor ghost shuffled over unsteadily, holding a wooden tray. I placed the Book of Life and Death upon it, and the ghost bore it aloft to present to the judge. Taking the Book of Life and Death, Judge Lu flipped through its pages for a while. Soon, he spotted the altered entries at the back, and a trace of anger flashed across his eyes.

Looking at Judge Lu, the clerk asked, "Your Honor, what is the matter?"

"What Lin Yi says is true. This Book of Life and Death has indeed been tampered with, and the names of four individuals have been added. These four people originally fell outside the jurisdiction of the Book of Life and Death. Such an act violates the underworld laws; King Qinguang deserves to be stripped of his post and investigated!" Right there in the public hall, Judge Lu stated this without the slightest hesitation.

"Your Honor, this matter is of grave importance. We surely cannot rely solely on the word of this single ghost. What if the one who tampered with the Book of Life and Death was not King Qinguang, but someone seeking to frame him?" the clerk reminded him.

"A few days ago, during the battle of the wild immortals, the mortal world was plunged into devastation. In order that those mortal souls might enter the underworld sooner and smoothly pass into reincarnation to find peace, I lent my Judge's brush to King Qinguang half a month ago. Now that the Book of Life and Death has been tampered with, King Qinguang undoubtedly bears the greatest suspicion."

Having said this, Judge Lu instructed the clerk, "Clerk Sun, go notify the Six Heavens of Luofeng. This matter requires their presence to render a final verdict. Remember, act in secret and ensure the other Yama Kings remain unaware. Zhang Zhao, take the Underworld Treasure Sword and dozens of underworld soldiers, and promptly go arrest King Qinguang to be brought before this hall for confrontation!"