Zombie Life Begins in Hongxi Village

Shi Jian's soul was detached from the blood mist and floated in mid-air, his face still bearing the ecstasy and bewilderment of his previous life.

He was already dead, but his consciousness hadn't yet recovered from the shock of death.

The main hall was deathly silent.

The Taoist priests' eyelids twitched violently, and some of them subconsciously took half a step back. Several young disciples leaning against the wall turned pale and their lips trembled.

A living person was smashed into a bloody mist right before their eyes, and then the blood mist was completely absorbed—

This scene doesn't look like a proper investiture of gods at all; it looks more like evil demons and heretics eating people.

If it weren't for the genuine Hades mark between Lin Yi's eyebrows still radiating solemn divine light, they probably would have run away long ago.

Killing and drinking blood is a demonic act for anyone.

But when applied to Hades, it becomes a ritual of salvation, a blessing, and a sacred ceremony that grants new life.

Just like Zhong Kui eating ghosts, while others eating ghosts are demons, Zhong Kui eating ghosts is acting on behalf of Heaven.

This world is full of double standards, and the confidence to apply these double standards comes from power and status.

Amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, a beam of blue light shot out from the Hades mark between Lin Yi's brows and landed on Shi Jian's soul.

Shi Jian's soul began a dramatic transformation under the blue light.

His originally translucent soul quickly solidified, and divine radiance spread outward from within, reshaping and refining his soul.

With a judge's pen hanging at his waist and a thick book of punishments in his left hand, a divine seal of a judge appeared between his brows.

He was surrounded by the unique aura of a judge, and lightning flashed between his eyes.

After completing his transformation, Shi Jian knelt on one knee and respectfully bowed to Lin Yi: "Shi Jian, the Judge of Punishment, greets His Majesty the King of the Underworld!"

His voice was more steady and powerful than when he was alive, and every word carried the unique majesty of a judge.

"Judge Shi, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise." Lin Yi waved his hand.

With Shi Jian's example in mind, the others looked at Lin Yi with even more fervor, wishing they were the ones who had just been beaten to death.

Uncle Nine stood beside the offering table, watching Shi Jian transform from a living person into blood mist, and then from blood mist into a judge. His emotions were turbulent and difficult to calm.

Judge, that was a position his master Wang Yunpeng never reached in his entire life.

Compared to becoming a god, those little grudges in my heart are nothing.

Moreover, now that he's become a judge, as his junior sister's family, he can certainly offer her some support, right?

After all, Hades has more than one woman.

"Lin Fengjiao." Lin Yi's voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

"Throughout your life you have upheld righteousness and warded off evil, protecting all living beings in the region and accumulating countless merits."

Although she possessed a woman's compassion and repeatedly violated the laws of the underworld, her heart was pitiable and her feelings were forgivable.

"I wish to appoint you, in the name of the King of the Underworld, as the Inspector of Justice. Are you willing?"

"Your subordinate is willing!" Uncle Nine knelt down decisively without the slightest hesitation.

As usual, Lin Yi slapped Uncle Nine into a bloody mist, then opened his mouth and inhaled all of his blood.

Whether it's Shi Jian or Uncle Jiu, their blood can not only enhance Lin Yi's strength, but more importantly, he can also absorb their memories and skills for his own use.

Shi Jian's Lightning Thunder Fist and Wooden Pole Technique, Uncle Nine's Talisman Array, and other skills that can be described as an encyclopedia of Maoshan magic were all very helpful to Lin Yi.

The same skill used by them is vastly different in power from the skill used by him, the Zombie Ancestor Underworld King!

Before becoming Hades, some spells might not be usable or might mutate, but after becoming a god, this restriction no longer applies.

……

A moment later, Uncle Nine's soul transformation was complete.

A blue judge's seal appeared between his brows, and he held an investigation book in his left hand, surrounded by a righteous and peaceful divine aura.

He knelt on one knee and bowed to Lin Yi: "Judge Lin Fengjiao greets His Majesty the King of the Underworld."

"Rise."

The others in the main hall looked at the two judges standing side by side in front of Hades' throne, and their envy was practically overflowing from their eyes.

Wang Yunpeng stood in the corner, watching his two apprentices become judges, one punishing evil and the other investigating, both with higher ranks than him, their master.

While he was gratified, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness that he himself didn't even realize.

He spent decades in the underworld, rising from a ghost messenger to a prefect, each step fraught with peril. Yet today, his two disciples have achieved instant success, surpassing most of his life's efforts.

This is the King of the Underworld—

For other Hades to appoint high-ranking officials like judges, they must first examine their merits, then assess their character, and undergo numerous trials. Finally, they must report to Ksitigarbha for final review.

People like Shih Kin and Lin Feng-chiao, whose records are tainted, should not even be on the candidate list.

But now, they have not only become judges, but they have also been promoted in one step, without even having to go through an internship.

It can only be said that fate, luck, and feng shui are the three factors. They have this fate, which is better than any rule.

Lin Yi was that destiny—an anomaly who could directly bestow titles upon ghosts and gods without going through Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, a loophole in the rules of the underworld, or rather, a privilege.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over the remaining Taoist priests in the main hall, finally landing on Master Si Mu.

"Four Eyes, are you willing...?"

"I'm willing, I'm willing." Before Lin Yi could finish speaking, Si Mu slid to her knees and knelt before him. "Come on, Your Majesty the King of the Underworld. Hit me!"

After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and turned back to call out to his apprentice Jiale, who was standing in the corner:

"Jiale, from now on, that courtyard is yours. But you have to exchange the box of gold in my room for joss paper to burn for me, not a penny less! If you dare to embezzle it, you're dead!"

Jiale grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth: "Master, don't worry, I'll cook a few more beauties to serve you later."

It's impossible for him to be sad. For a Maoshan Taoist, death is just another beginning, especially since Simu is going to become a deity.

From now on, Jia Le will have someone to rely on!

Si Mu nodded in satisfaction, turned back to look at Lin Yi, and put on a death-defying expression again.

Lin Yi chuckled at his comical antics and said, "You're good at bookkeeping and have a good relationship with Lin Fengjiao, so you can be her clerk from now on."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Four eyes were overjoyed and prostrated themselves on the ground.

After finishing the prayer, he felt it wasn't enough, so he rolled on the ground again and prostrated himself once more.

Although he failed to become a judge, the registrar was still a fifth-rank divine position, which was more than half a rank higher than his master Wang Yunpeng, and he was already extremely satisfied.

Lin Yi waved his hand: "Alright, stop fooling around, get up." He slapped the four eyes into a bloody mist, and as usual, he absorbed blood to become a god.

The remaining four Taoist priests—Wang Lin, Zhao Ying, Peng Yunfei, and Li Guoliang—were all elites trained by Shi Jian, who was acting as a disciple of Master Shi. They were invited by Uncle Jiu to help capture the ghost.

They watched Lin Yi expectantly, and Lin Yi did not disappoint them, killing them one by one with imperial decrees.

These four individuals were all assigned to the position of Judge of Punishment under Shi Jian, filling in the positions of Registrar, Prefect, Master of Fate, and Master of Fortune, thus completing the framework of the Judge of Punishment system.

With Si Mu having previously served as the chief clerk under Uncle Jiu, both judges now have a basic framework in place. Once they return and recruit their own troops, the judge system of the Underworld Palace can begin to operate.

"Alright, you can go back and recruit your own people."

I will soon be setting off for Hong Kong Island, which is our main base.

"After you have gathered your men, come back to me for the imperial decree." Lin Yi waved his hand.

Shi Jian, along with his newly appointed subordinates, bowed to Lin Yi and then transformed into several beams of divine light, disappearing into the main hall.

Uncle Nine packed up all the magical artifacts and talismans stored in the mortuary, then left with Four Eyes. He was going to find Qianhe and a few other familiar fellow disciples...

Wang Yunpeng also bid farewell with some regret.

If Lin Yi hadn't remained silent, he would have been eager to fawn over her, because Lin Yi had said that the Four Judges were still missing the most important judge, the Judge of the Underworld Law Division, but unfortunately, Lin Yi didn't take a liking to him.

Although he felt somewhat disappointed, he didn't blame fate or others.

As everyone left, the entire mortuary suddenly became empty.

The incense burner on the offering table was still burning, with wisps of smoke rising, but only Lin Yi remained in the main hall—no, there was another person standing at the door.

Wencai returned at some point, standing outside the threshold with the bag of silver dollars that Uncle Jiu had given him, looking dejected.

He saw that Lin Yi was the only one in the main hall, hesitated for a moment, and then walked in.

"Wencai, why are you back again?" Lin Yi asked.

"General, no, Hades. I don't know where to go, I have nowhere to go, so I came back."

Wen Cai kept his head down, his voice barely audible, clutching the bag of silver dollars tightly.

"Where is Qiu Sheng?"

"I don't know, he left with Shi Shaojian." Wen Cai rubbed his eyes. "He kept saying bad things about Master, and he said some really nasty things. I didn't want to be with him, so I came back."

As he spoke, his eyes reddened again, and his voice carried a hint of grievance and confusion.

He's different from Qiu Sheng; he doesn't have a home. Qiu Sheng has an aunt who runs a cosmetics shop in town, but he was adopted by Uncle Jiu when he was young, and the mortuary is his home.

Now that his master doesn't want him anymore and he's lost his cultivation, he doesn't know where he can go.

Looking at him like this, Lin Yi felt a little more approval for Wen Cai.

Although this kid is stupid and has often gotten into trouble by hanging out with Qiu Sheng, at least he knows right from wrong and knows that his master has been kind to him. He won't turn his back on his master like Qiu Sheng did.

He patted Wencai on the shoulder, his voice unusually gentle:

"Your master has gone to the underworld to become a judge. Since you have nowhere to go, you can stay at the mortuary."

Protecting the mortuary is also a good deed; if you do this good deed well, it can also reduce some of your karmic burdens.

Wen Cai raised his sleeve to wipe away his tears and nodded heavily.

The blankness in his eyes seemed to have dissipated somewhat, replaced by a faint glimmer of light.

"Yes, I'll guard this mortuary from now on. In case Master ever returns to the mortal world on business, he'll have a place to stay."

He said this in a very serious tone, as if he had finally found a reason to keep going.

"Which direction did Qiusheng and the others go?" Lin Yi suddenly asked.

"Southwest." Wen Cai pointed in the direction outside the town.

Lin Yi nodded, told Wen Cai to guard the mortuary well, and then disappeared from the main hall in a flash.

He shrunk the distance to an inch and chased after them along the dirt road to the southwest.

However, a short while later, they spotted two figures with their arms around each other by a pine forest outside the town—Qiu Sheng and Shi Shaojian.

Lin Yi landed behind an old pine tree not far behind them, completely concealing her presence.

He didn't rush to show himself, wanting to hear what these two useless people, who had just been expelled from their sect, would have to talk about.

Sure enough, Qiu Sheng, who was walking on the left, spoke first, his tone filled with undisguised dissatisfaction: "Shi Shaojian, you said you have a way to get revenge on them, what exactly is that way?"

We're in the same boat, can't you just tell me now?

Shi Shaojian paused for a moment.

He turned his head sharply, took out two pomelo leaves from his pocket and stuck them to his eyelids. He looked around and then let out a long sigh of relief.

He grabbed Qiu Sheng's sleeve, lowered his voice, and spoke urgently and harshly:

"Are you stupid?! Didn't you hear that old ghost say that person is Hades? If that gets to his ears, we're all dead!"

"What are you afraid of!" Qiu Sheng shook off his hand, his face showing a hint of disdain and an inexplicable confidence.

"My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens. Even the King of the Underworld can't act recklessly!"