I subdue demons and monsters, and cultivate immortality in hell to become a saint.

The monk who had been executed felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around and, upon seeing the person's face, exclaimed in disbelief, "It's you?"

Even after more than seven hundred years, he still recognized Zhong Jiu. His wariness lessened slightly, but he still looked the other person up and down, his brows furrowed: "Are you really Zhong Jiu?"

The person before me looked exactly like Zhong Jiu in my memory, but his temperament was completely different. He was gentle and refined, with humble eyes and an aura that made people feel close to him. He was no longer the sharp and arrogant Zhong Jiu of yesteryear.

"it's me."

Zhong Jiu spoke softly and slowly recited: "Heaven creates all things to nourish man, yet people still complain that Heaven is unkind..." This was the poem written by the monk who was executed years ago, known only to the two of them.

The monk who had been executed immediately felt relieved, patted his wine gourd, and said heartily, "Let's go drink!"

When old friends reunite after a long separation, catching up is naturally inevitable. Chung Gau smiled and followed closely behind.

The monk Fuzhu held an extremely high position among the Asuras. Even if he wanted a palace, no one would dare to refuse him. Yet, he was extremely simple. A wooden house and a stone table were enough for him. He was not picky about the environment or the food. He was content as long as there was wine and meat.

The two sat facing each other. He personally poured wine and ordered Ashura's servants to bring over roast goose, roast chicken, roast lamb leg, and other meat dishes.

The Asura servant who delivered the food was filled with astonishment. The Judge had never had a guest before, let alone someone who could enter the Blood Sea so silently that the clan's strict defenses were practically non-existent. How did he get in?

Watching the attendant leave, full of doubt, a look of solemnity flashed in the eyes of the monk Fuzhu. He raised his cup and drank the wine in it: "For over seven hundred years, there has been no trace of you in this world. I thought you had long since passed away, and I sighed for a long time because of this. I never expected that not only are you still alive, but your cultivation is so high that I can't even see through it."

The wine in the glass was drunk in one gulp, a mixture of joy at reuniting with an old friend and an undeniable sense of doubt.

He was now at the peak of True Immortal, yet he was completely unaware of Zhong Jiu's approach; the opponent's strength was far beyond his imagination.

The Asura Clan was completely unaware when Zhong Jiu entered the Blood Sea. Their supposedly formidable defenses were nothing but a joke in his presence.

Seven hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye. Fu Zhu once thought that Zhong Jiu's cultivation was not even a finger's width away from his, but now he has soared to the sky and left him far behind!

Fu Zhu gripped his wine glass, his mind filled with questions. "We're both cultivators, so why are you able to cheat all the way, making everyone else's teeth itch?"

Zhong Jiu calmly raised his glass, drank it all in one gulp, and said in a calm tone that was full of confidence: "Everyone has their own destiny. Seven hundred years have passed, so naturally, they cannot be wasted."

"You're not bad either, monk. You're now a true immortal and have secured your position as a judge of the Asura clan."

Fu Zhu shook his head, took a swig of wine, wiped his mouth, and said bluntly, "You don't know, the reason I was able to break through to the True Immortal Realm is entirely due to my position as a judge of the Asura clan!"

Zhong Jiu's eyes flickered slightly, and he already had a guess in his heart, but he pretended to be puzzled and listened quietly.

Fu Zhu took another big gulp of wine, his tone growing increasingly somber: "Three hundred and fifty years ago, I ventured into the Blood Sea, intending to have a fierce battle with the Asura clan and have some fun."

"But who would have thought that the once infamous Asura race had already fallen into utter depravity!"

"The noise and chaos of the outside world have caused them to lose their pure warrior spirit. They are filled with distracting thoughts and boundless desires. Chaos has already appeared on the sea of ​​blood."

Fu Zhu slowly recounted his past: when the world was in chaos and demons and monsters roamed freely, he hated evil as if it were his enemy, and would kill them with his sword, taking charge of the injustices of the world.

But in this chaotic world, with its turbulent waves and the loss of morals, the world was utterly corrupt, and he alone could not stop this collapsing situation.

The more he killed, the more numerous and chaotic the situation became. The killing not only failed to solve the problem, but also made him increasingly exhausted.

That was the first time Fu Zhu doubted his own path: he abhorred evil but was powerless to eradicate it; he wanted to bring evildoers to justice but was outnumbered and outmatched.

Just when he was exhausted and experiencing helplessness for the first time, Yuan Zun, Shi Zun, and Lao Zun appeared with great power and single-handedly quelled the chaos and restored peace to the world.

Fu Zhu watched helplessly as the chaos ended and a golden age arrived, but he felt no joy, only endless confusion. Was the path he had chosen the right one?

When injustice is rampant in the world, his so-called "specializing in injustice" is nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

This confusion became his inner demon, haunting him for a long time.

"At that moment, the monk did not know where his path lay, and could only wander the world, roaming the ends of the earth."

A flash of reminiscence crossed Fu Zhu's eyes, his tone filled with wistful regret for the past.

Until he stepped into the sea of ​​blood and witnessed the chaos of the Asura race, it was as if he had returned to the chaotic world of yesteryear. But this time, he did not draw his sword again.

He tried to put down the killing and instead used the method of education. This sounded ridiculous. The Asuras were barbaric and unreasonable. How could they persuade people with reason?

But the execution was actually accomplished!

He was born with an aura of authority, and his words were all persuasive. The Asuras were all in awe of him and willingly listened to his teachings.

If someone doesn't understand the principles, he breaks them down step by step; if someone has distracting thoughts, he patiently guides them.

Later, at the request of the Asura clan chief, he became the Blood Sea Judge, a position he held for 350 years.

Over the course of 350 years, he educated millions of Asuras. Although he failed to restore them to their pure state, he taught them about good and evil and instilled in them a sense of awe.

Although the merit of enlightening the Blood Sea was not as earth-shattering as that of the leaders of various sects, it still nourished him silently, allowing him to steadily step into the realm of true immortals.

All of this was observed by the Asura clan of the Blood Sea, which further enhanced his prestige.

"I've discovered that I'm naturally suited to be a judge. Since taking office, I've always had a voice guiding me, teaching me to distinguish right from wrong."

"These eyes of mine are a result of the merits I have accumulated. Now they can distinguish between good and evil and understand people's hearts. Not a single lie can be hidden from my wise eyes."

"Zhong Jiu, tell me, isn't this fate?"

Fu Zhu looked at him and finally voiced the doubts that had been building up for years.

Zhong Jiu raised his glass and lightly clinked it against his, his tone certain: "It's fate, but more importantly, it's your own choice."

"If you are unwilling, even if it is the will of Heaven, you will resist; but you are in your element here and are well-versed in the way of teaching, which means that your path is right here."

"You possess the talent of a judge, destined by heaven to be one, and you also have a heart that hates evil and a desire to save the world—a perfect match. Congratulations, you have finally found your path."

The two men clinked glasses and drank several cups.

With their current cultivation levels, ordinary immortal wine could no longer intoxicate them; what they were drinking was the joy and tacit understanding they hadn't experienced in a hundred years.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Fu Zhu swallowed the meat in his mouth and stared intently at Zhong Jiu: "Tell me, what exactly have you experienced in these seven hundred years? People can change, but how can your eyes and demeanor be so completely different?"

He got along extremely well with Zhong Jiu, but the longer they spent together, the stranger it seemed. The Zhong Jiu before him was completely different from the mediocre boy in his memory. Several times, he felt as if he were talking to another peerless expert.

Zhong Jiu put down his wine glass and said calmly, "My experiences are much more mundane than yours."

"I missed the great chaos in the world; I was also absent from the coexistence of the five religions."

"To be honest, I have never set foot in the mortal realm for seven hundred years. I just came out today and didn't dare to delay. I came to find you immediately."

"Not in the mortal realm?!"

Fu Zhu was shocked and instantly realized, "You went to the underworld?!"

How could he forget?

Zhong Jiu was originally chosen by the Yin God to walk the path. Back then, he was ordered by the City God to deal with Wuyin Temple, which is how the two of them met.

"That's right. I stayed in Fengdu, the underworld, for over seven hundred years. Perhaps I was lucky enough to be able to cultivate in seclusion and achieve what I have today."

Zhong Jiu smiled faintly, his words remaining ambiguous.

Fu Zhu was immediately relieved. Fengdu was a place of gods and spirits. It was only natural that Zhong Jiu had been able to cultivate there for seven hundred years and had achieved his current level of cultivation and changes.

When the underworld is mentioned, he inevitably feels regret: after he helped the City God of Guiling City quell the Ghost City of Annihilation, he longed for the underworld and waited in Guiling City for many days, hoping to join the underworld, but he never received a summons and could only leave with regret.

This regret only gradually faded away after he found his own path and became the Judge of the Blood Sea. But seeing Zhong Jiu today, this regret has resurfaced in his heart.

"Are you still a wanderer in the underworld?"

Fu Zhu asked softly, a hint of envy hidden in his tone.

"I guess so. I can get involved in most things in the underworld these days."

Chung Kau didn't explicitly say it, but rather that it was all of them, not just "participating," but in charge.

"So, what brings you to the mortal realm?"

Zhong Jiu raised his eyes, a smile playing on his lips: "I came specifically for you, monk."

"For me?"

Fu Zhu looked completely bewildered and didn't react for a moment.

"Your achievements in educating your people and quelling the chaos in the Blood Sea have long been recognized by His Majesty. Currently, among the four judges of the Underworld, there is still a vacancy for the position of Judge of the Punishment Division. By order of King Qin Guang, we have come to invite you to the Underworld to take charge of the Punishment Division!"

"Of course, if you are unwilling, His Majesty will never force you; it is entirely up to you."

Zhong Jiu slowly revealed his intentions, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable weight.

He and Fu Zhu were old friends, and knowing that Fu Zhu was doing well in the Blood Sea, he naturally wouldn't force him to do anything.

"Your Majesty? Which Your Majesty?"

Fu Zhu's heart pounded wildly, and his breathing became rapid.

"King Qin Guang".

Zhong Jiu spoke clearly, word by word.