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

The old hag carefully observed her surroundings as she walked.

Xingsha City was brightly lit and bustling with life. The people lived in peace and contentment, and the shops and restaurants were still crowded at night, presenting a picture of a peaceful and prosperous world.

She hadn't seen such a scene in decades.

As a demon, she was originally indifferent to the mundane world, but seeing this peaceful scene, her trust in the underworld grew even stronger.

Perhaps only the legendary gods can pull humanity back from the brink of destruction in this supernatural resurgence of the apocalypse.

The group walked very quickly and soon arrived at the gate of the City God's Mansion.

The bull demon guarding the border of the underworld let out a long yawn and leaned against the black stone threshold out of boredom, his heavy breaths kicking up dust.

Every night is the peak time for the soul-snatching procession. They are so familiar with the mourning sticks of the Black and White Impermanence and the iron chains of the Shackled General that they are more numbed to the point that they are too lazy to even lift their eyelids.

But today, the moment his nose caught that chilling aura, the hair on the back of his head stood up with a "whoosh," and even his drowsiness was forcibly dispelled.

"Ghost, hag?"

The bull demon was so shocked that his tongue was tied in knots. He hurriedly rubbed his huge, copper-bell-sized bull eyes, wishing he could pop his eyeballs out and check again.

"This is truly a demon!"

He gasped, his previously languid body instantly springing up. His large frame nimbly shrank behind the threshold, only daring to peek out with half a bull's horn, barely daring to breathe.

The Bull Demon is a true demon king of Beijiang Province, and his combat power ranks among the top in the demon world. However, he only feels a deep-seated fear of the word "Ghost Granny".

When the old fox weasel spirit listed the beings in the underworld and the demon realm that he shouldn't mess with, the first one he mentioned was the witch, and he specifically told him: "If you see this person, run as far away as possible, and don't worry about whether she's coming for you or not."

Two months ago, out of curiosity, he went around to the outskirts of the witch's lair to look around. Before he even got close, he heard a heart-wrenching cry coming from inside. The resentment and obsession in the cry almost shattered his demon soul. He scrambled back to his lair as fast as he could.

I thought that by escaping to the territory of Nanling Province, I could escape this evil god for the rest of my life, but I never expected that he would actually come right up to the gates of the underworld!

"Could it be that he's been apprehended by the spirit messengers?"

The bull demon muttered to himself, but the more he looked, the more something seemed off. The old hag was dressed in gray cloth, thin but with a fierce aura, and her whole body was clean.

There wasn't even the slightest hint of restraint, let alone the shackles or fetters that bind the soul.

"They can't possibly be here just for a casual visit to the City God's Temple, can they?"

The bull demon became more and more confused. Looking at the Black and White Impermanence and the Shackled General beside him, he saw that they all had tense faces and their hands were on their weapons, clearly looking as if they were facing a great enemy.

Besides, for a blood-stained demon to visit the Judge's Palace is more absurd than an old ox learning to fly.

The old hag didn't even glance at the bull demon hiding behind the threshold, pretending to be a quail. She looked at the soul messengers in front of her and said in a calm but undeniable tone, "Why are there only a few of you? Where's that horse-faced demon? Is he hiding?"

The Black and White Impermanence exchanged a glance, and General Shackles frowned as well. They looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.

He could only keep quiet and lead the witch deeper into the underworld.

The moment the witch stepped into the Netherworld, her aura instantly froze. The malevolent energy that had been lingering around her was suppressed by an invisible force, and even her senses became several times more acute.

The old woman gazed at the enormous city shrouded in thick darkness before her, a hint of shock flashing in her turbid eyes. Even though she was used to the perilous lands of the demon realm, she was still taken aback by the grandeur of the City God's Palace.

"Is this the City God's Mansion?"

She murmured softly, her tone revealing a hint of amazement.

As expected, this is the abode of the gods, far surpassing any mortal place. The majesty and solemnity here are something this evil spirit has never witnessed before.

The city walls, as black as iron, rose from the ground and stretched for hundreds of miles without end. The runes engraved on the walls faintly shimmered with golden light, deterring the evil spirits around them.

The moat beneath the city rippled with inky black light. Its surface was calm and still, but beneath it lurked a ferocious aura that devoured souls and spirits. Even the occasional ripples in the water were tinged with a faint spiritual energy.

Especially the city gate standing in the middle of the city wall, which is over a hundred feet high, has a plaque with three large characters written in cinnabar on it. The strokes are strong and vigorous, like iron hooks and silver strokes, exuding a dignified and righteous aura.

"The City God's Palace!"

The three words struck the old woman's heart like a heavy hammer, causing her to tremble violently.

At that moment, she suddenly had a feeling that once she stepped through the city gate, even if she wanted to turn against them and fight to the death, she would have no chance of winning.

In other words, from the moment she crossed that threshold, her life and death were no longer in her own hands.

The old woman's expression shifted several times, from hesitation to determination, but she didn't move her feet. What she feared was not that her soul would be scattered, but that she would lose even the last chance to find her son.

The Black and White Impermanence and the Shackled General instantly became alert, their soul energy surging, and the chains clanged as they clattered together, ready to attack at any moment.

"The judge is already waiting in the hall, why are you so late?"

Bai Wuchang spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of coldness. The group didn't need to exchange glances; they already understood each other perfectly: if this old hag dared to make the slightest move, they would capture her on the spot.

The old hag looked up at the city gate, then suddenly turned and asked, "May I ask, Soul Officer, does Your Excellency the Judge possess a Book of Life and Death?"

"That's natural."

Although Bai Wuchang was puzzled as to why she suddenly asked this question, he still answered truthfully, "The judge is in charge of the City God's Palace of Xingsha City and has jurisdiction over life and death throughout the entire Nanling Province. Everyone who is born or dies in Nanling Province is recorded in the Book of Life and Death, without a single mistake."

"In that case, I'll make the trip."

The old woman remained silent for a moment, as if she had made her final decision. All hesitation in her eyes faded away, leaving only determination.

She gazed at the majestic city gate and sighed softly in her heart: If she could find Xiaoxiao through the Book of Life and Death, it would be worth it even if her soul were to be scattered; if she couldn't find her, being trapped here to end her ghostly life would save her from the agony of searching for her son.

Neither the Black and White Impermanence nor the General in Shackles could fathom her thoughts. After a long silence, she actually turned around and walked slowly but resolutely toward the city gate.

Upon entering the city gate, messengers and officials hurried to and fro on both sides of the street, each carrying documents and tokens, clearly busy with official duties...

What alarmed her even more was that the moment she stepped into the city gate, her power was suppressed by an invisible pressure. The evil power that was originally able to overturn rivers and seas was now less than 30% of what it used to be. She might not even be able to defeat the Impermanence next to her, let alone the unfathomable Judge.

"Your Honor has been waiting for a long time. Please follow me."

A soul messenger dressed in a blue official robe strode forward, bowed slightly to the witch, and spoke respectfully yet distantly.

Black and White Impermanence and General Shackles nodded slightly. Now that the person had been delivered, they didn't need to linger any longer. After gesturing to the soul messengers, they turned to attend to their official duties, as the soul-collecting mission in the underworld at night could not be delayed.

Before, without the control of the underworld, people in the mortal realm would either become wandering ghosts or evil spirits that wreaked havoc on the world after they died. Now that the underworld has been restored to control, it is naturally extremely busy.

The old woman composed herself and followed the soul messenger step by step into the Judge's Hall deep inside. The bluestone slabs under her feet were icy cold, and each step felt like stepping on her own heart.

As soon as you step into the Judge's Hall, a dignified and righteous aura hits you. The candlelight inside flickers, illuminating the main seat in front of you.

An official dressed in scarlet robes sat upright on the throne. He had a handsome face and sharp eyes like an eagle. He held a wolf-hair brush in his hand, the tip of which was suspended in mid-air. He was surrounded by a faint golden light. He was Zhong Jiu, the judge of the City God's Palace of Xingsha City.

In the first seat to Zhong Jiu's left, there sat a middle-aged man in a blue long gown, with a dignified and solemn face, meticulous in every detail. It was Wen Tianyang, who had come here today specifically to observe official business.

The old hag dared not be negligent and immediately knelt down, her voice somewhat hoarse but filled with respect: "Greetings, Your Honor, Judge."

Zhong Jiu put down his brush and looked at the old woman, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This evil spirit carries an astonishing amount of sins and is filled with overwhelming resentment, yet it dares to swagger into the City God's Palace. Could it be that it thinks its Judge's Hall is easy to enter and is deliberately coming to provoke him?

Thinking of this, Zhong Jiu's eyes turned cold, and his tone, though calm, carried immense power: "You bear an unbearable blood debt, having harmed countless lives. Do you even realize the extent of your sins?"

Upon hearing this, the old woman gritted her teeth, looked up to meet Zhong Jiu's gaze, and said firmly, "I know! I remember every life, and I have never dared to forget it."

"Since you know that, why did you still dare to come knocking on my door?"

Zhong Jiu raised an eyebrow, and the oppressive aura emanating from him suddenly surged: "Do you really think that the Soul-Slaying Blade in my hand isn't sharp enough to slay you, you evil spirit?"

The old hag gently shook her head, a determined light surging in her eyes. Her voice was somewhat hoarse but exceptionally resolute: "I have an obsession in my heart, and I will not have peace until it is resolved. If you can help me get rid of this obsession, even if it means my soul is scattered, I will do it willingly and without hesitation!"

Zhong Jiu gave her a deep look, his eyes sharp as knives, as if trying to pierce her soul and see through her thoughts: "What makes you think I would help you? You are a wicked ghost who has committed many evil deeds, and I am a judge who holds the power of life and death. We are inherently incompatible."

He paused, his tone growing even colder: "Even if I were to execute you to atone for your sins, what then?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the righteous energy in the hall surged instantly, pressing down on the old woman like a mountain, making her bones creak and her forehead press against the ground, unable to even lift her head.

She suddenly gave a bitter smile, her voice carrying a hint of relief: "If it could really be like that, it would save me from suffering for nearly a hundred years, and that would be a kind of relief."

At this moment, the Ghost Mother's instructions had long been forgotten. The things about killing her on the spot if the underworld disappointed her, and the agreement with the Black Mountain Ghost Kingdom to cooperate from the inside and outside, all became meaningless the moment she stepped into the City God's Mansion.

The righteous energy of the underworld suppressed the malevolence surrounding her and awakened the last glimmer of humanity in her heart.

At this moment, she didn't want anything but to find her son and fulfill her long-cherished wish.

If they cannot find it, their soul will be scattered, which is actually the best fate.