Dense crimson flames surged upward, their tiny tongues of fire weaving together, condensing into blood-red beads that spread across the sky.
I sensed a strange power—one I had never felt before.
The flames grew vast and complex, blooming like a flower. Gradually, they converged above Lord Shenyan’s head, drawing inward toward him. In a daze, I glimpsed a crimson lotus. The flames clung to Lord Shenyan’s body, the red mark on his chest blazing like a lotus in full bloom, while the rest of his skin was shrouded in red clouds, his pale blue skin resembling drifting mist.
Victor Wei released me and slowly drifted toward Lord Shenyan.
“So this is the Crimson Lotus Hellfire? It blooms and fades in an instant—you won’t last long, will you?”
Victor Wei asked, and Lord Shenyan nodded.
“I still have unfinished business, and now you stand in my way...”
As Lord Shenyan spoke, he bowed slightly, raising both hands. His ten fingers moved naturally, and I saw the red clouds on his body begin to swirl.
“Do all you can, and leave the rest to fate.”
Victor Wei bowed slowly. The long awl in his hand vanished, replaced by a white jade tablet over a foot long, inscribed with a red character for "Judgment."
“The Heavenly Judgment Ruler—finally, you’re showing your true power!”
Lord Shenyan smiled and, in a blur, transformed into a mass of flames. His silhouette flickered as Victor Wei calmly began to swing the white jade tablet.
“Water Judgment...”
With a gurgling sound, I stared in shock as two towering waves surged in an instant, sweeping across the surroundings. But the water’s color was off—a faint, ominous red.
With a crash, torrents of water nearly filled the space around us. I floated high above, watching Lord Shenyan in the water. The strange, crimson flames on his body still burned, but he was immobilized, and Victor Wei had vanished.
Lord Shenyan kept watching from within the water. Suddenly, he moved, the water gurgling around him. His actions were sluggish—the current’s resistance was strong.
A crimson lotus-shaped flame appeared in Lord Shenyan’s hand, unleashing a fierce red light. Victor Wei reappeared in the water, holding the white jade tablet. Sizzling sounds filled the air as his body began to burn, yet the flames didn’t evaporate the water. Instead, the fire spread like red ink, swirling around Victor Wei.
“If we speak of sin, who is without fault, who is truly innocent? Hellfire feeds on sin—indeed, it’s formidable. But your strength has waned. Drink...”
I watched, stunned, as Victor Wei swung the white jade tablet, striking Lord Shenyan several times with sharp cracks. Blood spurted from Lord Shenyan’s mouth. Victor Wei gripped both ends of the jade tablet, as if measuring something.
“The sin measures over three feet—past guilt, present guilt, and wicked guilt...”
With a crash, Lord Shenyan slid backward, pummeled by powerful currents. Roaring waves erupted across the surface.
“Judgment—sin...”
A bright glow appeared as a crimson character for "Sin" burned onto Lord Shenyan’s forehead. He clutched his head in agony while Victor Wei continued to swing the jade tablet. The water obeyed his command, transforming into swirling pillars that pressed down on Lord Shenyan.
The water pillars twisted into swirling currents, trapping Lord Shenyan and slowly winding him up.
“It’s Ghost Aura.”
I watched in silence. Such torrents of Ghost Aura—I could never manage it, not even with all my Deathbane Aura.
Victor Wei walked step by step through the air, as if ascending a platform.
“Wind Judgment, Fire Judgment, Thunder Judgment...”
Crimson lightning struck down, chaining Lord Shenyan’s neck like shackles. Red winds bound his four arms and legs, leaving him caught atop the swirling water, unable to move.
A raging inferno burned behind Lord Shenyan, threatening to consume him at any moment. I could only watch in silence; his eyes told me not to intervene.
Red light burst from Victor Wei’s eyes; his whole body glowed crimson. He gripped the jade tablet above Lord Shenyan’s head.
“Impressive. Each of the Four Hell Judges of the Underworld has their own extraordinary methods.”
With a gurgling sound, the image of Quentin Kue appeared on Lord Shenyan’s skin once more.
“Victor Wei, can’t you do me this one favor?”
“Nathan Chung, why won’t you return? I won’t pry, but in your position, you owe it to the dead to do your duty. Whatever your reasons, explain them to the Fifth Tribunal Yama yourself. I’m only exercising the authority given to me—arresting the two evil spirits who entered the Underworld.”
Quentin Kue fell silent. Lord Shenyan chuckled.
“The battle isn’t decided yet. Victor Wei, do you really think the Crimson Lotus Hellfire is tied to my own strength?”
“What’s happening?”
I stared wide-eyed. In an instant, the water, lightning, fire, and wind trapping Lord Shenyan vanished. Victor Wei’s Ghost Aura plummeted. Lord Shenyan broke free, roaring as he kicked Victor Wei in the chest.
With a thunderous crash and a violent shockwave, Victor Wei was hurled to the ground. Lord Shenyan clutched his chest. I saw the lotus pattern there had changed—where there had been thirteen petals, now only five remained, as if withering. The other fiery red patterns began to gather toward his chest.
“So that’s how it is? I’ve learned something new.”
Victor Wei rose from the ground, drifting into the air. His clothes were nearly shredded, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away and smiled.
“It seems I underestimated you, Lord Shenyan.”
“Ah, bring out something even stronger.”
Lord Shenyan straightened and, with a whoosh, flew at Victor Wei. In an instant, the seductive flames on his body gathered into the shape of a crimson lotus. Victor Wei hurled the jade tablet high and drew a large brush from behind, sweeping it before him. Several flowing characters appeared, but I didn’t recognize them—they belonged to the Underworld’s script.
With a series of metallic clangs, a red halo appeared in front of Victor Wei. Red light shot out like thousands of needles toward Lord Shenyan, who easily deflected them with his palm. Not a single needle struck him.
Suddenly, small explosions erupted around us, one after another. Lord Shenyan grabbed Victor Wei’s brush with one hand and thrust his other palm toward Victor Wei’s chest.
“Judgment Boundary...”
A mournful wail echoed, like thousands of people sobbing at once, deafening in its intensity. The jade tablet in the sky scattered brilliant white rays, which formed threads—twisting and intertwining as if weaving a pattern.
“This strike will end it—Hellfire, Great Crimson Lotus...”
Seductive flames surged with Lord Shenyan’s roar. In a flash, a giant crimson lotus engulfed Victor Wei—and Lord Shenyan was swept up inside as well.
“What are you trying to do?”
Victor Wei roared. Lord Shenyan’s hand remained pressed to Victor Wei’s chest, holding him fast—Victor Wei couldn’t break free.
“He wants to die with Victor Wei.”
My heart lurched. Deathbane Aura surged from me as I flew toward Lord Shenyan and Victor Wei. At that moment, a streak of red light shot toward us from the distance.
“Ethan Zhang, don’t go any closer.”
A stern voice rang out—familiar somehow. The red light split in two as it passed me. In that instant, I glimpsed Lucas Dao and another figure: Judge Cui.
With a thunderous boom, the swelling crimson lotus flames burst outward, swallowing everything in seductive red light. My skin began to burn; with another crash, flames erupted across my body.
“Draw a prison, draw a mountain, draw water—mountain and water world...”
A piercing cry rang out. Suddenly, the surging crimson light contracted, and I glimpsed sharp peaks and rushing streams.
Everything vanished before my eyes. Lucas Dao quickly rolled up a scroll, one hand grabbing Lord Shenyan’s left hand. Judge Cui pressed Victor Wei’s brush, which was aimed at Lord Shenyan’s throat. On Lord Shenyan’s neck, half of the character for 'death' had already been written, but now it was slowly fading away.
“Why bother, Victor Wei, Lord Shenyan?”
Lucas Dao gazed at them helplessly. Judge Cui smiled faintly.
“Brother Wei, it’s been a while. We spent some time getting through the Mist Flowers and set up a boundary—nothing that happens here will reach the Underworld.”
As Judge Cui spoke, Victor Wei slowly withdrew his hand, and with a casual wave, the large brush vanished.
“What are you two playing at? He’s a major criminal in the Underworld—are you...”
Judge Cui shook his head.
“I still haven’t figured out what happened in Necropolis.”
Judge Cui’s expression changed as he spoke. Victor Wei stared at him, stunned. Suddenly, Victor Wei’s brush jabbed at Lord Shenyan again.
“Brother Wei...”
Lucas Dao quickly grabbed the brush.
“If he’s involved in what happened at Necropolis, I can’t let him go.”