Chapter 434: Chapter 303: Fengdu City’s Crown Prince?
“You’re mistaken, this is not a decree from the Great Emperor, but a gift from a friend of mine in the mortal world…”
Xu Yang’s words were cut off as he realized something himself.
Wait!
A decree from the Great Emperor?
Who could be called the Great Emperor in the Underworld Palace?
Ghost Emperors of the five directions?
Emperor Dongyue or Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu?
Considering that his token was given to him by the master of the Xi Xia Ghost Market, and this place… was Fengdu City, the territory of Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu!
An incredible thought began to grow in his mind.
Xu Yang hurriedly shook his head, suppressing the crazy notion.
Impossible!
This is impossible!
What kind of existence is Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu?
He is a great power within the Underworld Palace, known as the “Underworld Emperor,” who rules the netherworld and governs all evils. He is one of the most supreme divine spirits in the Underworld Palace!
Why would such a being go to the mortal world?
Even if…
Even if he goes to the mortal world only in one of his avatars, why would he actively seek him out and promise him benefits, give him the Ghost Market, and grant him the decree?
“Could it be…”
“Are all those rumors heard in the Xi Xia Ghost Market true?”
“I…”
“Xu Yang?”
“The illegitimate son of Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu?”
Xu Yang’s throat tightened.
He suddenly felt that this idea was even more terrifying!
All of this happened quickly. From the time Xu Yang was discovered to be a “living person” up until now, it took only a dozen breaths. In order to avoid causing even more commotion, Xu Yang quickly put away the jade talisman and said, “What are you talking about… What Great Emperor’s decree? You’ve made a mistake!”
With a flick of his hand.
The token given by Lord Cui appeared in his hand.
Xu Yang held the token and said, “This token was given to me by my older brother Lord Cui, who is merely the chief judge of the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws. When did he become the Great Emperor?”
His tone changed, and Xu Yang said fiercely, “Damn it, do you underworld soldiers have a problem with my older brother?”
“Huh?”
The elderly underworld soldier looked up again and couldn’t help but be stunned.
He rubbed his eyes, saw indeed it was Lord Cui’s decree, and muttered, “Impossible, absolutely impossible… Even though my eyesight is dim, I would never make such a mistake!”
Dim eyesight but still not mistaken?
Xu Yang said coldly, “What, does my older brother Lord Cui’s decree not work in Fengdu City? Won’t you lead the way?”
The elderly underworld soldier was somewhat baffled.
He was sure that he had not mistaken.
But now, how could this “man” suddenly show Judge Cui’s decree?
With a dazed expression, he got up and led Xu Yang and Liu Shishi into Fengdu City.
This was Xu Yang’s second time in Fengdu City.
However, last time he “accidentally entered” and was scared, plus not long after entering Fengdu City, he was taken away by underworld soldiers, so he had no chance to appreciate the “scenery” of Fengdu City.
It was different today.
Upon entering the city, Xu Yang strolled leisurely, curiously observing his surroundings.
It was similar to a Ghost Market.
The Underworld never had daylight or darkness; it was always shrouded in dimness like the brief moment between sunset and nightfall in the mortal realm.
Fengdu City was huge.
On the wide streets, ghostly figures moved about, and underworld soldiers patrolled. The thin mist and the illusions that Xu Yang had seen last time had disappeared.
The shops on both sides of the street had brightly lit windows.
The elderly underworld soldier leading the way said, “Sir, now it’s daytime, and when it’s nighttime, our Fengdu City will have a curfew. The lights in these shops and rooms will all be turned off.”
Lights on during the day, and off at night.
Such a thing probably could only be found in the Underworld Palace.
Xu Yang looked at the patrolling underworld soldiers on the street and noticed an interesting issue.
Most of these soldiers were wielding “cold weapons,” and only one in a small team was equipped with a “hot weapon.”
They passed two streets.
Soon.
A huge building appeared before Xu Yang’s eyes.
There were underworld soldiers stationed outside the building.
There was a long line of ghostly souls waiting outside.
This was the “Underworld’s Bureau of Laws,” one of the four major institutions of the Underworld. In addition, there were the Department of Evil Punishment, Department of Rewarding Good, and Inspection Bureau.
These four major institutions, each with many judges.
Among them, Lord Cui presided over the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws, as the chief judge.
Zhong Kui presides over the Department of Evil Punishment, as the chief judge.
Wei Zheng is the chief judge of the Department of Rewarding Good, and Lu Zhidao is the chief judge of the Inspection Bureau.
Among the four institutions, the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws was considered the most important.
So, among the many judges of the Underworld Palace, Lord Cui’s status was the highest!
“Sir.”
The elderly underworld soldier led Xu Yang and Liu Shishi to the entrance of the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws and respectfully said, “We’ve arrived at the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws. I am a city guard and it’s not appropriate for me to enter… I can only bring you here, sir.”
The elderly underworld soldier retreated respectfully.
He did not know Xu Yang’s identity.
But, as a “living person” from the mortal world who can have the Great Emperor’s decree and Lord Cui’s decree, his background is enough to explain the issue.
When the elderly underworld soldier left, Xu Yang was about to call another soldier to pass on the message when he heard familiar laughter coming from the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws.
Following that, Lord Cui, dressed in his red judge’s robe, came out of the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws, laughing and saying from afar, “Xu Yang, my brother, when you came to the Underworld, why didn’t you tell me in advance?”
“Brother Cui.”
Xu Yang greeted with a smile and said, “Brother Cui, you are busy with official duties. How could I disturb you?”
In his heart.
But there was some doubt.
Lord Cui…
Is he giving me so much face?
His main body has come out to greet me?
Lord Cui, however, had already grabbed Xu Yang’s hand and said, “Brother Xu Yang, come, let’s go in and talk… Oh, this must be your younger sister? Not bad, not bad, indeed a talented man and a beautiful woman.”
Liu Shishi performed a curtsy and said, “Hello, Brother Cui.”
Entering the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws.
Lord Cui immediately called for a servant to prepare a feast.
He himself sat down with Xu Yang in the guest room and started chatting.
“Little brother, have you received the decree and underworld soldiers I sent through Black and White Impermanence?”
“I have received them.”
“It’s good that you’ve received them… If you have any other needs, just let me know… Now that my real body has returned to Fengdu City, there’s even more I can do for you.”
“Oh, right!”
Lord Cui poured wine for Xu Yang personally and said with a smile, “Black and White Impermanence have sent back a message saying that, thanks to your introduction, they have reached a cooperation with the Spirits Management Bureau of the human world. With the support of their intelligence, catching ghosts has become quite advantageous… I have to toast you for this.”
Soon after,
Young and beautiful female ghosts came in with dishes from the Underworld.
Red-braised nether sparrow liver, steamed ghost carp, spicy lion’s head…
What surprised Xu Yang was…
This spicy lion’s head…
It was actually a real lion’s head!
And there were three of them, each more than half a meter wide.
He was hesitant to use his chopsticks for a moment, and Lord Cui said with a smile, “Brother Xu Yang, just eat without worry… We also have creatures made of flesh and blood in the Underworld, such as this nether sparrow, a kind of sparrow that lives near the Huangquan Road.”
A sparrow?
Looking at the red-braised nether sparrow liver on the table, which weighed about four or five kilograms, Xu Yang said, “Brother Cui, this is a pretty big sparrow.”
As Lord Cui had already said so.
Xu Yang could only force himself to give it a try.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it be disrespectful to Lord Cui?
He picked up a piece of red-braised nether sparrow liver with his chopsticks, courageously put it into his mouth, and the next moment, his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, “Delicious!”
“Of course.”
Lord Cui chuckled, “This nether sparrow feeds on the mandahala flowers along the Huangquan Road, and its body is as big as a calf. A mature nether sparrow is no weaker than the Daoist Sages of your human world.”
“Come…”
“Little brother, try this lion’s head. These three lions are from the Black Forest…”
“And this fine wine, it’s a celestial wine given to me back when I visited the Heavenly Court.”
After three rounds of drinks, Lord Cui said, “Brother Xu Yang, I’ve heard from the City Guard Army that you have an emperor’s decree on you?”
Here it comes!
Xu Yang thought to himself…
No wonder Lord Cui is giving me so much face today, not only personally coming out of the Underworld’s Bureau of Laws to greet me but also preparing such a lavish feast for me…
It turns out it’s because of that so-called “emperor’s decree”!
He laughed, “Me? An emperor’s decree? It’s just something given to me by the master of a ghost market in the mortal world. Those underworld soldiers must have been mistaken!”
Having said that,
Xu Yang actually wanted to figure out what that token the Fengdu Ghost Market’s master gave him was all about!
Fengdu Ghost Market’s master, Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu…
Could there be a connection?
Or could it be that the Fengdu Ghost Market’s master is the Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu himself?
He flipped his hand and took out the jade-like token, slapped it on the table.
Lord Cui just took a glance, and his body shook, his pupils contracted violently, and he carefully picked up the jade plaque and handed it to Xu Yang with both hands, saying, “Brother Xu Yang, this is indeed the emperor’s decree… You should keep this decree carefully and don’t throw it away.”
“Oh?”
Xu Yang was surprised, “Is it really the emperor’s decree? Brother Cui, can you tell which emperor this decree belongs to?”
Lord Cui pointed to the sky with his finger.
It was obvious what he meant.
It belonged to his immediate superior, Emperor Beiyin of Fengdu!
Xu Yang frowned and asked, “Brother Cui, why would that emperor give me an emperor’s decree?”
“How would I know?”
Lord Cui smiled bitterly, “The emperor has been missing for more than 600 years, and even I haven’t seen him in all these years. Even when there are important matters to entrust, he only sends a message to me.”
He looked Xu Yang up and down, and for a moment, his mind was filled with doubts!
What was the origin of this Xu Yang?
His name was not in the Book of Life and Death, which was already an unbelievable thing considering his cultivation at the time… Now, he has even received the favor of the emperor and was even granted an emperor’s decree… This…
Suddenly,
Lord Cui thought of some “rumors” he had heard in the mortal world, and his eyebrows couldn’t help but twitch a few times.
This little son of a bitch, Xu Yang, couldn’t be the emperor’s illegitimate child, could he?
Wait!
The emperor has no children, so if Xu Yang is, then he wouldn’t be illegitimate, right?
That’s called…
Fengdu Crown Prince!
Even if he’s not…
A mortal who can gain the favor of the emperor must have something extraordinary about him!
At this thought, Lord Cui’s smile grew even brighter as he clapped his hands. Outside, a young and beautiful female ghost, swaying seductively, walked in with a jade plate.
On the jade plate was a jade amulet.
Lord Cui picked up the jade amulet, handed it to Xu Yang with both hands, and smiled, “Brother Xu Yang, this jade amulet contains 108 divine skills of the Daoist Sect’s 36 Heavenly-General Skills and 72 Earth Devils Skills.”
“That’s right!”
“Brother, I’ve also prepared some sets of great divine skill combinations for you to practice… They’ll be ready tomorrow.”
…
PS: First update is here.