During an inspection of Abyssal Hell, it was discovered with shock that everything inside had vanished—all the ghosts and even the enforcers who tormented them were gone.
Every time more enforcers were sent in to check on Abyssal Hell, none returned. Eventually, word reached the Ten Judges. The Fifth Judge dispatched his most trusted aide, Quentin Kue, to investigate.
At first, the Underworld Court thought the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns were just causing minor trouble and paid them no mind—until many underworld emissaries were slain by the Sovereigns, and even the most basic order in the mortal world was shattered.
Eventually, the Ten Judges were enraged. At first, they sent some powerful ghost enforcers to capture the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns, but it was all in vain. Later, the Ten Ghost Generals, along with many ghost soldiers, enforcers, and Quentin Kue, stormed out of the underworld to hunt them down.
Countless ghost soldiers and enforcers died trying to capture the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns. At last, the Sovereigns were brought to the Hall of the Ten Judges to stand trial and thrown into the ghost prison. The plan was to make them traverse every hell, hoping they would confess, but not a single Sovereign yielded to the Ten Judges. (Note: 'Uncle John' should be used for '殷叔' and 'John Chou' for '殷仇间' in future lines, per glossary.)
The old man from Limbo spoke with deep sorrow, sighing repeatedly. (Note: 'Ethan Zhang' should be used for '张清源' in future lines, per glossary.)
Afterward, the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns were cast into Abyssal Hell, doomed never to reincarnate or escape, condemned to endless torment by its cruel punishments.
Normally, only the vilest souls are thrown into Abyssal Hell. Even the most stubborn ghosts, once in the grasp of the Underworld Court and sent to prison, would break down, confess, and beg for mercy.
Yet things did not go as the Ten Judges expected. The mortal world entered an era of peace, the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns endured countless tortures, but not one confessed. (Note: The location 'Hall of Bloodbane' should be used for '血煞殿' in future references, per glossary.)
Unbeknownst to the Ten Judges, the number of souls cast into Abyssal Hell was dwindling by the day—a fact few underworld enforcers noticed.