A master of comedy!

Chapter 197 The Four Judges
"There were twelve Flame Children in total. They were all killed without leaving any survivors because these guys were very cunning and could use fire escape techniques, so they were afraid they would escape."

Zhou Sheng said calmly, "However, I obtained a few of the fire dates they had. Brother Bao, you are knowledgeable and experienced, do you recognize this?"

He opened his tightly clenched palm, revealing four crystal-clear dates that looked like rubies.

Bao Ying tentatively touched it with his hand, and his fingertips were suddenly burned, as if it were not a date, but a red-hot branding iron.

"It is as clear as jade, shaped like a date, roasted like hot coals, and has a hint of... volcanic lava-like smell."

His eyes flashed, and he said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be a treasure from the Volcanic Hell, called the Yin Fire Date."

Volcanic Hell?

Zhou Sheng's heart stirred, and he remembered that this Volcanic Hell was the sixteenth of the eighteen levels of hell, mainly punishing the souls of those who profited at the expense of the public, engaged in bribery and corruption, theft and robbery, as well as those who committed arson and other evil deeds, and monks and Taoists who broke their vows.

Those subjected to torture would be driven into a volcano to endure the eternal torment of being burned alive.

"The eighteen levels of hell are all gloomy and terrifying places, but they also grow many rare treasures, and the Yin Fire Jujube is one of them."

Bao Ying continued, “The Jade Calendar Treasure Book records that deep within the magma of the volcanic hell, there grows a forest of fire corals. By pulling up its roots, one can obtain a Yin Fire Date.”

"Those who use these Yin Fire Dates as magical treasures are usually the fire soldiers who guard the Volcano Hell, also known as the Yinghuo Boys."

"These Fire Spirits are formed from the essence of fire, and they are born with the power of two perfect stages. If they swallow the Fire Dates, they can even reach the level of three perfect stages in a short period of time!"

At this point, Bao Ying paused and looked at Zhou Sheng with a strange expression.

He realized that he had underestimated his opponent's strength.

The twelve Yinghuo Boys, each wielding a treasure like the Fire Date, could definitely rival a cultivator at the fourth level if they joined forces.

However, Zhou Sheng only took a dozen or so breaths from entering to leaving.

Moreover, four of the Fire Star Boys died before they could even swallow the Fire Dates.

How fast must his knife be?
Most importantly, as a practitioner of Yin Opera, Bao Ying did not hear a single opera tune from beginning to end.

This means that Zhou Sheng didn't actually use his full strength...

Bao Ying's men naturally understood this as well. Their gazes toward Zhou Sheng were immediately filled with respect, and they were also secretly glad that their elder brother had stopped them in time last night. Otherwise, if a fight had really broken out, they would have died even faster than these Yinghuo Boys.

Zhou Sheng was unaware of the change in everyone's gazes. Instead, he stared at the fire date in his hand with a gloomy look and said, "Are you from the Night Wanderer's faction, capable of commanding the fire soldiers guarding hell?"

Bao Ying shook his head and said, "As far as I know, the Night Wanderer has no right to command the ghost guards who watch over Hell. Among the underworld gods, besides Yama, the King of Hell, the Great Emperor of the Eastern Peak, and many other supreme gods, only the Four Judges have this power."

"Of these four judges, Judge Zhong has been missing for many years, Judge Cui has been in seclusion for many years, and only Judge Wei of the Rewards and Judge Lu of the Investigation Department are still relatively active."

Zhou Sheng sneered and said, "Then it could only be that Judge Lu sent them."

Because the judge in charge of rewarding good deeds was named Wei Zheng.

This refers to Wei Zheng, a famous minister of the Tang Dynasty known for his courage in offering advice and for leaving behind a beautiful story of a courtier and ruler with Li Shimin.

"He is still the same as before, enjoying killing to silence witnesses."

Zhou Sheng's voice carried a hint of sarcasm. He had long harbored murderous intent towards that Judge Lu, but he had forcibly restrained himself because of his lack of strength.

Even if Judge Lu wasn't the mastermind behind this case, he must be a deeply involved figure. I heard that he's still in the underworld, preparing a stage for himself from which there is no return.

Upon thinking of this, Zhou Sheng couldn't help but feel a strong killing intent. It was truly impossible to sleep peacefully until this scoundrel was eliminated.

“Boss Long’s guess is probably correct, because the Night Wanderer is under the jurisdiction of Judge Lu’s Investigation Division, and Judge Lu is his superior.” Bao Ying said calmly, “In any case, their reaction of sending people to silence us just proves that we are looking in the right direction.”

"Next, I will send Xiao Ning to a safer place. As for that Night Wanderer, I'll leave that to Boss Long."

Zhou Sheng looked at Xiao Ning, patted her head, and saw the little girl looking at him like a frightened little animal, tightly clutching the hem of his clothes.

"Don't worry, just follow this... uncle. He'll protect you. As for those who harmed you..."

"They will be punished soon."

……

Bao Ying and the others found their companion's remains and tattered clothes in the ruins. After a simple burial and a memorial service, they helped the orphanage clean up the place before hurriedly leaving with Xiao Ning.

Zhou Sheng worked alongside them, moving away the collapsed rubble and beams, and secretly left some silver behind.

Finally, he watched Bao Ying and the others disappear into the distance, his gaze somewhat complicated.

The Great Xuan Dynasty is already showing signs of decline. Corruption is rampant in the court, and officials are colluding with each other. Even in a remote county like Qinggu County, such evil deeds of oppressing the people are happening.

But ironically, within the Xuanqiong Division, there are people like Bao Ying, and his subordinates who bravely sacrificed their lives to save Xiao Ning.

Such spirit and energy were almost completely out of step with the corrupt and decadent Great Xuan Dynasty.

I wonder if this is the case for the entire Xuanqiong Division, or if Bao Ying and his group are just an exception?
Zhou Sheng shook his head and prepared to leave, but he didn't see that in the distance, a crow with dark red pupils was quietly watching everything from the treetops.

Its eyes were indifferent as it flapped its wings and flew into the night sky, moving as fast as an arrow, far more swift than ordinary crows.

But just then, a loud eagle cry suddenly came from afar.

A golden eagle suddenly flew out from the gray cloud vortex, spreading its wings, which were nine feet long, and its golden feathers shimmered in the moonlight.

Its eyes were sharp, and its speed was as fast as lightning. Its iron-hook-like claws caught the crow in an instant, and its sharp beak instantly gouged out the crow's eyes, swallowing the eyeballs whole.

The crow exuded demonic energy and struggled desperately, but it eventually died from exhaustion under the ravages of the golden eagle, a predator that dominates the skies, and was swallowed whole by the golden eagle.

When the crow revealed its demonic aura, Zhou Sheng had already noticed the anomaly. Just as he was frowning, he heard that familiar voice from the golden eagle's beak.

"Boss, boss, Master is calling you home for dinner!"

The voice also carried a hint of grievance.

"Sister Feng prepared a big feast, but you just won't go back, Boss. Sister Feng said that if you don't go back, none of us can touch our chopsticks."

"Hongxian was so hungry that she ate a crow to satisfy her craving, hehe... You mustn't tell Sister Feng, or she'll make me brush my teeth..."

Zhou Sheng looked at the golden eagle that had landed on his shoulder with a strange expression: "So, you were just hungry, that's why you ate this crow."

"Yes!"

As she spoke, Hongxian spat out a few bones, saying, "I saw it fly pretty fast, so its meat must be firm and delicious!"

"And after I turned into a golden eagle, I wanted to eat any crow I saw..."

……

(End of this chapter)