The Eighth Hall Yama said in a deep voice, "Once we find out who is behind this, make sure their souls are completely destroyed. Let them see the cost of daring to meddle with the Ghost Realm."
The Ninth Hall Yama replied calmly, "Brothers, do not be rash. This could be a trap set by the evil cultivators. We must not let chaos spread within the Ghost Realm."
The Tenth Hall Yama, the youngest and mildest of the ten, smiled faintly as he said, "Since Big Brother called us together, he must have discovered something. Let us follow his lead.
But I am more curious about those four human cultivators. How did they get involved in all this? And Big Brother not only spared them but even provoked Soul Thunder. It has been a long time since I last saw Soul Thunder in the Ghost Realm."
The First Hall Yama rubbed his temples. "Do you think I wanted to kill them? Their backing is formidable. The Eastern Ghost Emperor personally contacted me to ensure those four came to no harm while in the Ghost Realm. Moreover, it was their intervention that exposed the negligence of our underworld officials, leading to this chain of events.
They indirectly helped the Ghost Realm. We cannot repay them with betrayal. The one named Ran Xi cultivates a divine soul technique called the Soul Refining Art. Who could pass such a technique to a human cultivator without punishment?
As for the Soul Thunder, it came because Ran Xi reversed the operation of the barrier-breaking formation through a forbidden technique to recover her companion's soul power. She spared me significant trouble, fulfilled the Eastern Ghost Emperor's wishes, and resolved the immediate crisis. I should be grateful to her."
His blunt words silenced the others. The nine Yamas exchanged glances and tacitly agreed to drop the subject. The conversation shifted to the failure of their subordinates and the breached barrier of the Eighteen Hells.
The First Hall Yama said, "Some of the malicious spirits that escaped from the Eighteen Hells have vanished. We do not know if they are merely hiding or if they were taken by the evil cultivators."
The Second Hall Yama responded, "If they are only hiding, that is manageable. They are still in the Ghost Realm and will eventually be caught. But if the evil cultivators have them, that is troublesome."
The Third Hall Yama frowned. "Would they go to such lengths to breach the barrier of the Eighteen Hells just to snatch a few malicious spirits?"
The Fourth Hall Yama shook his head. "Do not underestimate the schemes of evil cultivators. Think of the worlds mistakenly recorded as Death Stars. With reincarnation blocked, countless souls were trapped, building immense resentment. That kind of energy is exactly what evil cultivators desire most."
The Fifth Hall Yama furrowed his brow. "They took the vengeful souls of the Death Stars, and now they've taken some spirits from the Eighteen Hells. What are they planning?"
The Sixth Hall Yama replied grimly, "Nothing good, that is certain. We cannot allow them to gain any more leverage in the Ghost Realm."
The Seventh Hall Yama said coldly, "That is simple. There are only a few paths into the Ghost Realm. We guard them closely and they will not get in."
The Eighth Hall Yama sneered, "How do you know they do not have other methods? They will use any means necessary. Blocking a few gates will not solve everything."
The Ninth Hall Yama growled, "Even so, we cannot allow them to run rampant here. If they humiliate us in our own territory, what will the Five Ghost Emperors think? Where would our dignity be?"
The Tenth Hall Yama then said, "I have received some whispers that the Evil God is about to return. Perhaps all these moves by the evil cultivators are preparations for their lord."
His words froze the hall. The First Hall Yama only raised an eyebrow. "Old Ten, what have you learned?"
The Tenth Hall Yama smiled faintly. "One of my Judges was acting suspiciously. I searched his soul and found this clue. I cannot confirm its truth.
If the Evil God returns, the Ghost Realm will be the first to suffer. Those malicious spirits will not remain quiet.
Big Brother, do the Five Ghost Emperors know of this?"
The First Hall Yama shook his head. "I am not sure. I called you all here to share your findings before I meet with the Ghost Emperor. But I suspect those four cultivators were brought here by the Eastern Ghost Emperor to aid in resolving this crisis. The Five Ghost Emperors likely know more than they let on."
The Second Hall Yama said, "Big Brother, since that is the case, give the order. Let the Ten Halls act together. We should eliminate the spies that the evil cultivators have planted in the Ghost Realm first, then trace their network step by step."
"Agreed. We cannot allow these vermin to stir up trouble here."
"Yes, we must act quickly, or they will sense danger and escape."
"The current hunt for the escaped spirits from the Eighteen Hells is the perfect cover."
The First Hall Yama nodded. "You are all correct. Allow me to share the next steps of our plan."
Meanwhile, Hua Wan's expression turned grim when she learned that Wanyuan Residence had been reduced to rubble. She personally went to see the site and found nothing but ruins, with ghost officials still investigating. Everyone nearby during the incident had been taken away for questioning.
Hua Wan bit her lip and returned to Caiyi Pavilion. When the investigators arrived, she discreetly slipped some soul stones to the lead ghost officer and cautiously asked, "Officer, are the residents of Wanyuan Residence safe?"
The ghost officer glanced at her. "Why are you asking?"
Hua Wan grimaced. "Officer, those four guests each commissioned a custom robe from me and paid a deposit, urging me to finish them quickly. They were supposed to return in three days to collect their robes.
Now I cannot find them, and I have already invested the materials. I collected their soul stones, but what should I do?"
The officer knew of Ran Xi's group and the chaos at Qianbao Pavilion, so he waved dismissively."Do not worry. They are alive. For safety, they are temporarily staying at the Judges' Division. Continue working on their robes. If they do not come in three days, you can keep the deposit and sell the robes. You will not suffer a loss."
Relieved, Hua Wan quickly nodded. "Thank you for the advice, Officer. I was worried about offending honored guests of the Judges' Division. I only rely on my craft to earn some soul stones to maintain my cultivation. If there is news in the future, I hope you will give me some guidance."
She handed over a storage pendant filled with soul stones.
The officer accepted it and said frankly, "No need to worry. As long as you run your shop honestly, no ghost would dare cause trouble here. But be cautious lately. Malicious spirits from the Eighteen Hells have escaped, and we are hunting them. Report any sightings, and you will be rewarded."
Since this news would soon spread anyway, he did not mind sharing it with Hua Wan.
Hua Wan nodded quickly. "Rest assured, Officer. If I spot anything, I will inform you immediately. Capturing a few more malicious spirits will earn you merit as well."
She knew how to play the game of favors.
"Good."
Satisfied with her attitude, the officer finished his inspection and left Caiyi Pavilion.
Knowing the four were unharmed, Hua Wan felt reassured. Their absence even gave her extra time to gather more soul stones for her ongoing deal with Xun Kun.