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

"Guards! Take this mad monk to the disciplinary hall, cripple his cultivation, and then throw him into an official government office in the mortal realm!"

Zhong Jiu was too lazy to waste words with him and waved his hand in acknowledgment.

The soldiers grabbed Naran and dragged him out, while the old monk's mournful cries echoed throughout the City God's mansion: "You cannot hand me over to the authorities! I am a high-ranking monk from Lingxiao Temple!"

At this moment, he was filled with remorse. Not only was he caught for trespassing into the Underworld, but he also had the audacity to provoke others. Now, not only has he lost his cultivation, but his reputation is also going to be completely ruined.

He used to refuse three or four invitations from officials, but now he's being sent there like a dead dog. Those officials he used to look down on will probably laugh at him now!

Inside the Inspectorate, Lei Yifang sat in the main seat, picked up a black wooden warrant engraved with the character "判" (judgment), and coldly said, "Execute!"

As the order was issued, General Shackles stepped forward with a sinister grin, and soon, screams like pigs being slaughtered echoed from inside the hall.

Naran collapsed to the ground like a rag doll, having lost all his cultivation.

Lei Yifang showed no mercy. This monk harbored ill intentions. If he wasn't severely punished, people would still think the City God's Mansion was a pushover!

"Drag him out and send him to the special operations team!"

Meanwhile, the Special Operations Unit building was brightly lit.

Chung Ying-mei rubbed her throbbing temples. The coffee in front of her had long since gone cold. She had wanted to establish a communication channel with the underworld, but the "underworld god" had never appeared again after appearing in the world.

Outside the city, a ghostly aura filled the air, and the three groups of people sent out to scout the road conditions all disappeared without a trace.

"I observed the celestial phenomena last night. The fog obscured the stars, and the yin energy was like a large black net, enveloping Guiling City."

Master Changdeng frowned deeply. "I suspect those ghosts are planning to target Guiling City, which has a population of 500,000."

Zhong Yingmei's heart sank to the bottom. Guiling City was like a small boat in a stormy sea, which could be capsized by any wave.

"Look at how fast these ghosts are spreading. From causing sporadic trouble at the beginning, to later causing large-scale casualties, now even towns and villages have become haunted. If the people hadn't been evacuated to the city in advance, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Master Changdeng sighed, "Since the last expansion, it's time to reach the third-tier cities. But our Special Operations Department is severely understaffed. Less than half of the cultivators are willing to obey orders; the rest are hiding like cowards. How can we fight this battle?"

The two exchanged a glance, their expressions filled with helplessness.

Finally, Zhong Yingmei said quietly, "We can only hope for the City God... but we haven't even seen the face of the underworld god, so we have no confidence at all."

"We can't wait any longer!"

Chung Ying-mei slammed her hand on the table. "Tomorrow we'll go find the old temple keeper and ask him to act as a go-between. We absolutely must see the spirit of the underworld!"

Master Changdeng nodded: "We've shown goodwill so many times, the spirits of the underworld must know. With the old temple keeper's help, it's highly likely to succeed!"

Just then, a gust of cold wind suddenly blew into the office, causing documents to fly everywhere and the lights to dim.

"You audacious monster! How dare you cause trouble here?"

Master Changdeng roared angrily, grabbed a handful of talismans, and rushed to the window.

Everyone in the office grabbed their weapons. This was blatant provocation—a demon daring to break into the special operations team!

"Please do not panic, everyone. We are the soul messengers of the City God's Office, here to pay our respects to the official in charge."

A somber yet respectful voice came from behind.

Soul difference?

Master Changdeng was taken aback. He peered over and saw two black-clad spirit messengers holding iron chains, dragging a bald man who was on the verge of death. It was not an evil spirit!

"The City God's Mansion has come knocking on our door!"

Master Changdeng was overjoyed. He had just been worrying about how to connect the wires, and now this solution had come to his doorstep!

Suppressing her excitement, Zhong Yingmei led her entourage quickly downstairs.

"Two officers, has the City God given you any instructions for your visit so late at night?"

The Taoist priest bowed respectfully with his hands clasped in greeting.

"We dare not accept the title of 'official'; my brother and I are just ordinary soul guards."

The messenger was very polite, as Elder Reber had specifically instructed him to give the officials face. "I've come to deliver someone to you all."

They shoved the bald man on the ground in front of Zhong Yingmei.

"This is?"

Zhong Yingmei frowned slightly.

"This monk harbored wicked intentions and broke into the City God's Mansion at night. His Taoist cultivation was destroyed by the Chief Clerk, and he has been sent here to be dealt with by the Yang Official."

The soul messenger explained, "The laws of the underworld have been applied; how to determine guilt in the human realm is entirely up to you."

Master Changdeng kicked Naran on the ground with disdain and cursed, "Which ignorant bald monk dares to trespass and cause trouble in the Netherworld?"

Master Changdeng grabbed the bald man from the ground, intending to unleash a torrent of abuse, but upon seeing the face clearly, the words caught in his throat, his eyes widening like saucers, "You...you are Zen Master Naran?!"

He was completely dumbfounded. He had thought the young man was arrogant and ignorant, but he never expected him to be a highly respected monk from Lingxiao Temple who was ranked among the top in the cultivation world!

This is the same person the authorities tried so hard to persuade before, but now he's being dragged here like a dead dog.

"What great Zen master? He's just a bald thief who broke into a mansion and got caught."

The Soul Messenger sneered, "Lord Gongcao, have shown mercy and spared his life. Otherwise, you would have thrown him into the oil fryer long ago."

"But what about Naran, who repeatedly refused Team Leader Zhong's invitations?"

Chung Ying-mei quickly stepped forward and repeatedly confirmed.

The disheveled, bald man before me, barely breathing, was completely different from the legendary, venerable monk.

"No mistake! I saw him years ago. He was so arrogant back then, but now he's not even as good as a stray dog."

The Taoist priest marveled at the sight of the long lantern.

The special operations team erupted in anger, a chorus of mocking remarks: "This is the high monk? Caught red-handed trespassing on someone else's territory? How beneath him!"

"He used to pretend to be virtuous and abstinent, but it turns out he was just doing petty thievery!"

"The authorities begged him to help, but he acted arrogantly. Now he's fallen, and it's a great relief!"

These words pierced Naran's heart like knives. He had intended to feign death to get away with it, but his blood surged, and he coughed up blood and actually fainted.

"This bald thief is yours to handle."

The soul messenger clapped his hands and turned to leave.

"etc!"

Zhong Yingmei quickly called out to them, her eyes shining like stars, "Could you two please take us to see the City God? We have important matters to discuss!"

The soul messengers exchanged a glance: "The City God is out, but the Yin-Yang Official is on duty."

"An audience with the Chief Clerk would be fine too!"

Zhong Yingmei was afraid they would change their minds, so she quickly agreed. Now, she wanted to treat even an ordinary soul messenger well, let alone a merit officer. Making contact was more important than anything else.

"Lord Gongcao has already given instructions that if officials request an audience, we may enter the residence for a discussion."

The messenger said this and turned to lead the way.

Master Changdeng followed behind, and couldn't help but sigh, "He truly is a deity; he even foresaw our thoughts."

Following the spirit messenger forward, the mortal city god temple gradually disappeared, and a huge palace complex shrouded in the aura of the underworld appeared before them.

The dark city walls towered into the clouds, and the armored soldiers stood like sculptures, exuding a fierce aura yet maintaining strict discipline.

"This is the real City God's Palace!"

Zhong Yingmei and Daoist Changdeng were deeply moved, especially by the synchronized movements of the Xuanjia Army soldiers, who seemed to be cut from the same mold. Daoist Changdeng couldn't help but exclaim, "This elite force is not much different from the legendary heavenly soldiers and generals!"

"Why are all the main halls in front closed?" Zhong Yingmei asked curiously.

"The officials in the hall have all gone out with the City God, so now only the Yin-Yang Division and the Inspectorate are operating."

As soon as the Soul Messenger finished speaking, the door of the Inspectorate opened with a creak, and an old man dressed in a brocade official robe walked out with his hands behind his back.

"Greetings, Lord Gongcao!"

Master Changdeng hurriedly bowed, but a glance out of the corner of his eye caused him to suddenly freeze.

How come this face looks exactly like the hero statue in the center of Guiling City?

"You...you are Elder Reber?!"

Chung Ying-mei screamed, her voice trembling with excitement, "I graduated from the school you founded, and I even swore an oath before your statue!"

Lei Yifang stroked his beard and nodded with a smile: "It is indeed this old man."

Master Changdeng was completely stunned.

Reiber! A hero of the Yanhuang Kingdom, a legend in textbooks!

He actually became the Underworld Official?

When this news gets out, the entire cultivation world will be shaken!