If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1093: Mirror of Evil

"Besides you, are there any other sand demons who have become Asuras?" Xiaoyu asked.

Shamu shook his head and said, "Many of them still haven't reincarnated, but their merits and talents are not as good as mine, so they haven't become 'Asura Ghosts' and are just ordinary Yin soldiers and ghost generals."

They are currently stationed on the border of the underworld, helping to suppress wild and fierce ghosts.

If the King of Hell summons them, I will lead them to fight the great enemy.

Xiao Yu sighed, "Becoming a registered ghost soldier in the underworld is a proper way to start out."

Shamu said, "I didn't understand what 'origin' meant before, but now I've discovered that becoming a 'ghost god' does indeed have many advantages."

Not only am I stronger, but people are listening to me when I speak, and many dead souls are even giving me gifts!
I distributed them all to the Sand Barbarian Yin Soldiers.

Xiaoyu glanced at Ximen Bao beside her and wanted to say: You already know how to use your power for personal gain and accept bribes, so why don't you have any shrewdness and brazenly talk about "accepting gifts" in front of your boss?
However, Ximen Bao showed no unusual expression, which did not seem like he was feigning calm.

Is it possible that it's common knowledge that ghosts and gods in the underworld accept gifts?
"Sha Yu, I heard that you have now become the Grand Tutor of a great nation in China? You have made great achievements, becoming the Grand Tutor of a great nation."

But you are really foolish. The Qin Dynasty has lost its Mandate of Heaven and is on the verge of collapse, yet you still went to Xianyang to become the Grand Tutor.

If you really want to experience being a 'Grand Tutor,' you might as well go back to the dunes sooner.

"It's been so many years since I've been back to the dunes. I wonder what they've become." Shamu said, feeling a mix of melancholy and longing.

"You've broadened your horizons. You now know about the great nation of China and the impending doom of the Qin Dynasty."

Seeing that his hair was tied in a bun on the right and he was wearing the uniform of the Qin army's imperial guards, Xiaoyu was both surprised and took his words for granted.

It is indeed strange that a former barbarian from the desert would say such a thing.

Before joining the Sand Dunes, Shamu was a complete "wild sand barbarian," eating raw meat and drinking blood, eating the corpses of his own kind, and even speaking incoherently, just like a wild beast.

But he had been a ghost or god in the underworld for ten years. Even without anyone specifically teaching him, he must have become civilized from being a savage through daily exposure to the world.

"But your knowledge is still insufficient; you cannot reach my level of thought. Just watch patiently as I calmly and unhurriedly awe the land."

As for the sand dunes, you don't need to worry, as Western Shu is developing the northern wilderness.

"China wasn't built in a day, and the Northern Wilderness couldn't possibly become prosperous in just a few years," Xiaoyu said.

Shamu sighed, “You are too greedy. You have already gained a lot of benefits, stolen the Queen Mother’s peaches, and tortured many immortals. If you don’t withdraw soon, you will surely suffer a great disaster in the future.”

"Who told you that?" Xiaoyu asked.

“That’s what everyone says,” Shamu said.

Xiao Yu said proudly, "Ghosts and gods are base and cannot plan for the future. You must understand that there is only one Grand Tutor of the Great Qin Dynasty in the entire Three Realms, and that is me. I am the only one in the Three Realms."

I am the most special one!
Others are either incompetent, not smart enough, or unworthy of their positions.

"I am the most powerful person in the world, which is why the Qin royal family begged me to go to Xianyang to serve as Grand Tutor."

Ximen Bao couldn't listen anymore.

If you meet a fellow townsman, exchange a few pleasantries, and boast a bit, I can tolerate it because you're the Grand Tutor of Qin.

But you've been bragging to the heavens, and you keep belittling the gods and spirits of the underworld, saying you're too greedy and that the Qin Dynasty is doomed. Those who talk about destiny are all us "high-level gods and spirits"!

Are they all petty and incapable of long-term planning?
"Grand Tutor Yu, King Qin Guang is waiting for you!" he reminded him.

Xiaoyu glanced at Shamu with reluctance and said, "I have important business to attend to today. Another day when I have some free time, I will open the Great Qin Altar and offer sacrifices to you and the Shaman Yin Soldiers. Please enjoy the unique 'national sacrifice' of the Divine Continent."

"Let you all experience something new."

Yang Li, the Taoist boy standing to the side, was starting to lose his composure.

—You can hold a private banquet to worship your fellow villagers, and no one will say anything. But you hold a state sacrifice for a group of barbarians, who have done nothing for the country and are even considered rebels.

Do you really think you've become the "Grand Tutor of Ancient Times" who stands above all civil and military officials?
Even Grand Tutor Gu wouldn't dare to act so recklessly!
"Okay, we'll be there when you call us."

Shamu readily agreed and was looking forward to it, believing that there would be no problem for him and others to enjoy the Qin Dynasty's sacrificial ceremony.

Xiao Yu patted his arm and followed Ximen Bao up the steps into the First Hall of Yama.

As soon as she entered the gate, Xiaoyu immediately sensed a sudden and intense change in space and time.

Time was flowing very quickly. A day in the outside world of Pangu was a year in this world.

Completely opposite to the heavens.

The Yama Palace is a self-contained space, and the space is extremely vast.

Before entering, you can see the Yama Palace built on a high platform. After climbing ninety-nine steps, you arrive at the entrance of the main hall with its green tiles and white walls. The main hall is several sizes smaller than the Zhangtai Palace in Xianyang.

Once inside, Xiaoyu felt as if she had entered a "plaza world".

The black stone slabs are flat and smooth, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The space was vast but crammed with people, and the countless dead souls were densely packed together.

They formed long lines of seventy or eighty people, rushing toward the place where the light shone brightly.

"Grand Tutor Yu, please come this way!"

Ximen Bao led her around the queue and directly into the innermost room of the Yama Palace.

The overall layout of the First Hall of Yama is somewhat similar to the government affairs office in Xiaoyu's previous life.

Dozens of service windows were lined up in a long row, with civil servants (judges of the underworld) sitting behind the windows and a long line of dead souls in front.

Among the departed souls, some cried out, some cursed, some were bewildered, and some were filled with sorrow. The sounds were chaotic, yet the procession was orderly and the scene was well-organized, because it was guarded by spirits.

Each judge in the underworld keeps a Book of Life and Death on hand. They use the contents of the Book of Life and Death to judge the merits and sins of the deceased's life.

If the deceased has no objection, the process proceeds to the next stage, leading to the next Yama's Palace.

If the deceased's spirit loudly protests its innocence, and its status is relatively noble, it will be taken by the ghost messengers to the inner room to meet King Yama, Qin Guangwang, in the First Hall.

When Ximen Bao led Xiaoyu into the "Hall of the King of Hell," King Qin Guang was sternly rebuking a "nobleman" who kept crying out for justice.

Upon seeing Xiaoyu enter, the "noble person" exclaimed, "Fairy Yu, Grand Tutor Yu, you've finally arrived! Save this old servant!"

Xiaoyu looked closely and felt that the face looked familiar, but she didn't recognize it at first glance.

"Put your head on my neck so I can get a good look at you," she said.

Uh, the other party is a headless ghost, cut in two at the neck, and blood is still oozing from the severed neck!
However, he did not lose his head; a disheveled human head was held tightly in his arms.

"It won't connect, this isn't my head," the headless ghost cried out.

Xiaoyu asked curiously, "If it's not your head, why are you holding it in your arms?"

"I had no head, so I was groping around aimlessly, and I don't know whose head I touched. I was still confused when suddenly a beam of benevolent and holy light shone down on me, and I found myself in the Yama's Palace," the headless ghost said.

"Which ghost messenger did this? How could they be so unreliable? Not only did they not help you find your head, but they also let you pick up someone else's head."

Xiao Yu asked with a puzzled expression, her eyes fixed on King Qin Guang behind the dragon table.

Her first impression of King Qin Guang was that he resembled Huang Feihu from the underworld of Mount Tai.

They all possess a commanding and supreme aura, as if they govern everything and are above all living beings.

Within their own divine realm, authority and power are indeed real and undeniable, and are the most powerful.

However, judging from the speed and progress of the deduction of the method of forceful killing, Yama's divine power is two levels below Huang Feihu's.

King Qin Guang was secretly annoyed by the scrutinizing look in her eyes as she questioned him.

Before Yu Fengxian even entered the room, he had already intended to teach her a small lesson.

Because Yu Fengxian has a criminal record in the underworld.

She had repeatedly beaten the City God and arbitrarily deposed and installed the new City God (in Western Shu), which had long been a source of resentment in the underworld.

She just hadn't found an opportunity before, and the ordinary ghost messengers couldn't do anything to her.

Now that she's come to the underworld on her own initiative and even wrote a petition asking to be a "soft target," shouldn't we take the opportunity to give her a good squeeze?

But when she arrived at the Yama King's Palace and saw him in person, she stood there brazenly staring at him.

There was no greeting, no bowing or grand ceremony.

How arrogant!

Could she be trying to fool the ghosts with a petition? Some even think that the Qin Dynasty today is just like it was during the Spring and Autumn Period decades ago, where any random "angel" can terrify the gods and spirits?

Seeing the atmosphere become somewhat tense, Ximen Bao explained in a low voice: "It wasn't the ghost messengers who went to capture them. They were just buried in the mass grave when the Third Holy Mother of Mount Hua forcibly exorcised them with the light of the Lotus Lantern."

In one fell swoop, thousands upon thousands of dead souls were delivered from the dead.

The dead were all in a daze, and countless bodies were missing, with no arms or legs found.

The Third Holy Mother only cared about performing the rituals for the deceased, and didn't concern herself with the aftermath.

The headless ghost cried out, "Grand Tutor Yu, though I am headless, I have a name and a surname!"

"This humble servant is Zhao He, the Grand Eunuch of Linguang Palace. We've met several times; this servant has even poured tea for you!"

"Zhao He." Xiao Yu actually had a vague impression of him.

"Alas, you are already dead, how can I help you? At most, after I finish dealing with the Empress Dowager's affairs, I will help you find your head."

"Where is the Empress Dowager? Empress Dowager, save this old servant! Take this old servant to your blessed land, and this old servant will continue to serve you."

The headless ghost looked around, and its cries came from its abdomen and heart.

King Qin Guang shouted, "This is the Hall of Yama, the dead must not make a sound!"

Then he turned to Xiaoyu and said coldly, "Yu Fengxian, since you have come to the Yama King's Palace and seen me, why don't you pay your respects? Instead, you are talking to yourself, which is extremely rude."

Xiao Yu said, "When you see this Grand Tutor, doesn't the King sit high on the dragon throne?"
Not only did you not leave your seat to greet them, but you also didn't stop working.

The inner hall, which served as a place for receiving guests, was not cleared of any idle people or other personnel.

I thought the rules of the Underworld were about fair trials, impartiality, and disregard for formalities.

"What a sharp-tongued, arrogant barbarian!" King Qin Guang roared.

Xiao Yu frowned and said, "Your Majesty, I am indeed a barbarian from the Sand, but the one who has come to see you is the 'Grand Tutor of Qin'!"

"So what if he's the Grand Tutor of Qin? The Empress Dowager of Qin is still howling in the City of the Wrongfully Dead!"
Humans and gods are different, and yin and yang are separated. Even the emperors and generals of the human world, no matter how rich and powerful they are, are still mortals whose names are on the blacklist.

Those listed in the black register are neither gods of heaven nor immortals of celestial realms; all their achievements and fame will ultimately turn to dust, and after death they will be bound by the laws of the underworld.

Even the emperor cannot disobey.

"You, a mere Grand Tutor from a mortal kingdom, dare to flaunt your authority in the underworld?!" King Qin Guang said in a deep voice.

Xiao Yu sneered, "Today in the Netherworld, whatever Yama says goes."

"What, are you planning to find a chance to take revenge on me?" King Qin Guang sneered repeatedly. "Our Yama Palace is not a divine palace rooted in the mountains and rivers of the human world."

"Could you possibly instigate an earthquake to make my throne shake a bit?"

Xiaoyu smiled faintly, "It's not necessarily impossible."

"Very well, I'll wait for you, wait for you to come and court death!"

King Qin Guang's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his majestic royal face turned sinister and terrifying.

Ximen Bao stepped forward and stood between Grand Tutor Yu and King Qin Guang, saying, "Your Majesty King Qin Guang, Grand Tutor Yu, one of you is in charge of the laws of the underworld, and the other is in charge of regulating the yin and yang of the human world."

Why let quarrels lead to conflict between humans and gods, and the opposition of yin and yang, thus disrupting the great order of heaven and earth?
It would be better to try Empress Dowager Zhao's case sooner, close it quickly, and let everyone be at peace.

King Qin Guang gave him a deep look, his face expressionless, and asked, "Where is the Queen Dowager of Zhao, the Queen Mother of Great Qin?"

Xiao Yu said, "His Majesty is currently judging a case. Let's settle this case first and send Chief Eunuch Zhao He away. I'm not in a hurry, and neither is the Empress Dowager."

The headless ghost grew anxious and said, "This servant swears to follow the Empress Dowager to the death! Grand Tutor Yu, please take this servant away!"

He wasn't quite sure before whether Grand Tutor Yu could help him.

He had just witnessed with his own eyes that Grand Tutor Yu dared to talk back to King Yama in the Yama King's palace and even win against him.

With such power and prestige, wouldn't rescuing a mere dead ghost be a piece of cake?
"The Empress Dowager was strangled, the new emperor did not recognize her as the regent empress dowager, and the former king of Qin did not accept her either."

She's probably going to the underworld, where else do you want to go?
"Let's just obediently await His Majesty the King of Hell's judgment!" Xiaoyu sighed.

The headless ghost immediately replied, "Wherever the Empress Dowager goes, this servant will go. Even in the underworld or a blessed land, this servant will follow forever."

Xiao Yu looked at King Qin Guang and asked, "The Empress Dowager does indeed need one or two close confidants. Could we keep Chief Eunuch Zhao?"

King Qin Guang said indifferently, "The First Hall is only responsible for investigating merits and sins. As for how to settle the souls of the dead, go to the Fifth Hall and find King Yama."

"Steward Zhao, you should be interrogated first!" Xiao Yu said.

The headless ghost, clutching its head, faced King Qin Guang and continued its previous cry of injustice, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! The judges outside say that I have committed countless evil deeds throughout my life and deserve to go to the eighteenth level of hell."

This old servant does not consider himself a saint, but he has never lost his conscience. I beg Your Majesty to make a wise judgment!

King Qin Guang glanced at Xiao Yu before lowering his head to open the Book of Life and Death on the dragon table.

After looking at it for a while, he said, "The Book of Life and Death records five thousand and eighty-four of your misdeeds."

To slander others behind their backs and curry favor with one's master.

The related misdeeds and evil words, when judged as crimes, number a total of 1,500!

Those you have falsely accused and framed include, but are not limited to, palace maids, eunuchs, and guards, totaling 372 people.

They all complained about you and cursed you in the underworld after they died.

This is a grave crime.

You accepted bribes and abused your power for personal gain; there are more than two thousand related crimes.

You abuse your power to bully others and help your relatives seize other people's property and land.

You even forced several young and beautiful palace maids to become your concubines.

You are inhuman, yet you torture your own concubines with instruments of torture.

The crimes are numerous, the facts are clear, and many people know about them. Do you still dare to complain?

The headless ghost said, "King Yama, I have been wronged. Many of the facts of the case are true, but there are hidden secrets!"
For example, making palace maids into concubines.

Many of them came to us on their own. They came from poor families, with sick mothers, gambling fathers, and young brothers. They wanted to climb the social ladder and gain wealth and status from these servants.

As a servant and 'confidant of the Empress Dowager,' even if I were lustful, I wouldn't go so far as to force others!

There are so many volunteers for the slaves to choose from that the slaves can't keep up with the choices.

Another example is accepting bribes and abusing one's power for personal gain.

This is not a pleasant thing to do; it's not the behavior of a gentleman.

But a servant who takes money to do something might not necessarily be doing something bad.

King Qin Guang said calmly, "You may try to argue. Every ghost that comes before me cries out for justice."

But before the Mirror of Retribution, all your words, deeds, and thoughts during your lives can be observed, and no one can lie.

"Guards, take him to the Mirror of Retribution!"

Immediately, two tall ghost guards grabbed one of the headless ghost's arms, carried him to a side hall, and placed him in front of a huge oval bronze mirror.

Xiao Yu was somewhat curious about the Mirror of Retribution.

Ignoring the fact that the King of Hell was right next to her, she walked over and stood there watching.

“The Mirror of Karma is incredibly powerful; it can observe cause and effect and karma. We are not Yama, so we cannot see it,” Yang Li whispered.

The bronze mirror was as bright as new, even clearer and brighter than a glass mirror.

Strangely, once the headless ghost stands in front of the mirror, the mirror immediately becomes foggy and nothing can be seen.

Xiaoyu refused to believe it and activated her demonic eyes, which shimmered with a faint, eerie light.

On the hazy mirror surface, light and shadow could be faintly seen flashing rapidly.

Ximen Bao and King Qin Guang turned their heads, looking at her eyes with surprise and uncertainty.

"I never expected that the dignified Grand Tutor of the Great Qin Dynasty would actually be a demonic cultivator!"

(End of this chapter)