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

Ma Changwei and Yin Suzhen started arguing on the spot.

But Yin Suzhen was honest and clumsy with words, so how could she be a match for the eloquent Ma Changwei?

She was so angry after just a few words that she couldn't speak, and could only tremble all over, tears streaming down her face.

Zhong Jiu sat in the main seat, coldly watching all this, and couldn't help but sneer in his heart: This Ma Changwei is quite clever. He knows that resisting is useless, so he's resorting to the "confess and get a lighter punishment" tactic.

He deliberately confessed to murder, but twisted his motive into "being forced into it," trying to package a heinous crime as a "family dispute tragedy." He really played his cards right.

"Ma Changwei, you say you and Yin Suzhen are truly in love?"

Zhong Jiu spoke calmly, interrupting the argument between the two, his tone composed yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Your Majesty, yes! We are truly in love!"

Ma Changwei nodded quickly, even forcing a heartbroken expression, almost fooling himself.

"Since you truly love each other, what is Yin Suzhen's birthday?"

Zhong Jiu's eyes were like knives, staring straight at him.

"this……"

Ma Changwei was momentarily speechless. He had only been lusting after Yin Suzhen's body and hadn't taken her seriously at all. How could he possibly remember such details?

Her eyes darted around quickly, and she retorted, "I don't like all that romantic stuff, and I never give birthday gifts, so I didn't ask..."

"What are her parents' names? Which village are they from?"

Chung Kau gave him no chance to catch his breath and continued to press for answers.

Ma Changwei fell silent again, stammering and unable to speak, cold sweat dripping down his forehead like beads from a broken string.

Next, Zhong Jiu threw out seven or eight questions in a row—Yin Suzhen's likes and dislikes, dietary restrictions, her favorite catchphrases, her most important things, and even how her parents got their eye diseases... all of them were details about Yin Suzhen's daily life.

Ma Changwei was sweating profusely from the questions, his face turning pale and then red, unable to answer a single one. The feigned grief he had been putting on had long since crumbled, leaving him as flustered as an ant on a hot pan.

"You said you hired someone to commit murder. Who is the killer? Where do they live? When was the money paid? How much was paid?"

Zhong Jiu abruptly changed the subject, her gaze suddenly sharpening as she stared coldly at him. "You should remember all of this, shouldn't you?"

"Yes... she's my maid, her name is Ma Mao!"

Ma Changwei trembled with fright, his soul almost leaving his body. He stammered, "The money... the money was paid in advance, five thousand yuan..."

"Oh?"

Zhong Jiu's eyes flashed like lightning, two sharp beams of light shooting straight into Ma Changwei's eyes, as if they could see through all his lies. "Should I send someone to bring Ma Mao's soul here right now for a confrontation? Let's see if what you're saying is true?"

"don't want!"

Ma Changwei screamed in terror, nearly collapsing to the ground in shock.

He can make up lies, but Ma Mao might not!

The two had never conspired to tell the same story. As soon as Chung Kau asked them a question, they immediately gave themselves away!

How dare he let Ma Mao confront him?

Zhong Jiu waved his hand dismissively: "Men, summon Ma Mao's soul! Send ghost soldiers to search the Ma family compound for evidence of their crimes!"

"I'll confess! I'll confess everything!"

Ma Changwei panicked completely, his soul nearly leaving his body. Tears streaming down his face, he begged for mercy, "I was lusting after her, forcing her, harming her! I killed her because I was afraid she'd report me! I ordered Ma Mao to do it, and I bribed the fellow villager! City God, spare my life! I'll apologize to Yin Suzhen! I'll take care of her parents in their old age!"

"It's too late to beg for mercy now!"

Zhong Jiu's eyes were sharp as knives. "You insulted people, harmed people, and silenced them. Your methods were vicious and you showed no remorse. Your crimes are unforgivable!"

Then, turning to Yin Suzhen, his tone softened slightly, "I will clear your name!"

Zhong Jiu abruptly stood up and roared, "What a scoundrel! Even on the verge of death, he still dares to argue! Guards, drag him to the Inspectorate and give him all seventy-two kinds of torture!"

Ma Changwei shuddered, terrified out of his wits, and scrambled to his feet, kowtowing and begging, "City God, spare my life! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

He tried to embellish his own reputation, saying, "Have you forgotten? My Ma family are the most devoted believers of the City God! When the temple was built, my family donated more money and contributed more effort than anyone else! Please, for the sake of our fervent faith, show leniency!"

But Zhong Jiu didn't even lift his eyelids. Faith is for self-discipline, not a shield for doing evil!

Is this little bit of incense offering enough to offset the injustice done to a human life?

The Xuanjia soldiers at the gate immediately stepped forward, grabbed Ma Changwei like a dead dog, and dragged him toward the disciplinary hall.

Seventy-two kinds of torture were used in turn, and the screams in the disciplinary hall were heart-wrenching.

When the punishment ended, Ma Changwei was no longer human. He lay limp on the ground like a lump of mud, too weak to even groan.

Yin Suzhen caught a glimpse of this scene from afar outside the palace. The grievances and hatred that had been building up for many days finally burst forth, and she burst into tears on the spot. However, it was not out of sadness, but out of extreme relief.

Zhong Jiu glanced at Yin Suzhen, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and fell into deep thought.

Ma Changwei's case is an isolated incident, but it hits the nail on the head: the judicial authority of the City God's Mansion has not yet been truly established!

Many people harbor ulterior motives: as long as one's faith in the City God is strong enough, one can enjoy special privileges! Just like Ma Changwei, who used donations as a shield even when he was about to die.

"For Guiling to achieve true order, simply protecting the people's peaceful and prosperous lives is not enough; the rule of law must be established!"

Zhong Jiu's eyes narrowed, and he immediately ordered, "Pass down the order! Tomorrow, Ma Changwei will be publicly tried in front of the City God Temple, and executed in public!"

He wanted to use Ma Changwei as an example to scare others.

Even if you believe in the underworld, you can't do whatever you want!

Believers in the underworld are not a privileged group; fairness and the rule of law are the bottom line!

Of course, Chung Kau did not ignore the laws of the mortal world. During this period, the authorities gradually regained control over Guiling, and various departments accelerated their operations.

Only by practicing both Yin and Yang can we safeguard this hard-won peace.

Through this experience, he gained a clearer understanding of "how to be a good City God," which means not only protecting the people but also upholding justice and enforcing the law.

The public trial was held as scheduled the following day.

Zhong Jiu did not attend in person, leaving the case to the head of the Yin-Yang Division. This was the first time the underworld had conducted a case in a high-profile manner, setting the rules in front of everyone so that there would be no need for major actions in the future.

The area in front of the City God Temple was packed with people as the crimes of the Ma family were read out one by one, from forcing Yin Suzhen into sexual intercourse to hiring a murderer and destroying evidence, each and every one of which was outrageous.

Yin Suzhen's plight brought tears to everyone's eyes. When her blind parents arrived, they cried their hearts out and broke down, repeatedly crying out, "My daughter!" which ignited the anger of the crowd.

"Kill him! Avenge the girl!"

"Killing them is the only way to appease public anger!"

"None of the Ma family's accomplices will escape!"

Public resentment surged like a tidal wave, the outcry nearly lifting rooftops off.

The head of the Yin-Yang Division, with a solemn expression, loudly proclaimed the verdict: "Ma Changwei, your evil deeds are blatant. Your entire lifespan is hereby cut off. You are immediately imprisoned in the City God's Palace's death row, to suffer the eternal torment of having your heart burned by raging fire!"

"Ma Mao, hired to commit murder, is guilty of an unforgivable crime. His lifespan and fortune are to be stripped, and he is to be handed over to the authorities in the mortal realm for severe punishment!"

"Ma Kun, for harboring a wicked son, shall be treated as an accomplice, his fortune, prosperity, and longevity shall be reduced, and he shall be handed over to the mortal realm for trial!"

"The remaining accomplices of the Ma family will have their fortunes reduced according to the severity of their crimes; those with serious offenses will be handed over to the authorities!"

"Wang Erzhu, you betrayed your promise and pushed your fellow villager into a pit of fire. May you have five years of your lifespan cut off and your fortune halved!"

This verdict is lawful and just, demonstrating the authority of the law!

The people were overjoyed, and everyone was immediately alerted that even with the protection of the City God, evildoers would eventually pay a heavy price!

The next day, the people of Guiling were still basking in the joy of "evil getting its just desserts," and the streets and alleys were filled with discussions about the public trial.

Just then, a figure with an unusual style strolled into the city; it was none other than the monk Fuzhu.

He had a gleaming dagger at his waist, a shiny gourd of wine in his left hand, and half a fat, juicy pig leg in his right. He walked along, stuffing meat into his mouth while drinking, his drunken appearance exuding a menacing aura that kept strangers at bay.

They looked like ruthless bandits, and passersby instinctively dodged to the sides.

Fu Zhu was already used to this treatment and didn't care at all, still enjoying his wine and meat with relish.

His seemingly hazy, drunken eyes were actually scanning his surroundings like a scanner, growing brighter with each glance: "Goodness, this place is truly a paradise on earth!"

In the chaos of war, Fu Zhu fled to at least eighty or a hundred places.

In some places, people live in fear and dare not open their doors during the day; in other places, morality has declined and evil deeds are everywhere; and in still other places, fierce and ruthless people roam freely, causing immense suffering to the people.

This peaceful scene in Guiling was something he had never seen before.

The people on the street all looked relaxed, a sense of peace that emanated from their very bones, as if they had returned to the good old days before the supernatural resurgence.

Couples stroll hand in hand, elderly men and women leisurely walk and chat, students skip and hop along with their schoolbags, and street vendors shout their wares, creating a cacophony of calls.

The rich aroma of cooking filled the air, making Fu Zhu feel comfortable as soon as he entered the city. It was a long-lost sense of peace and security, free from anxiety.