Countless ghosts were attracted by the Great Dao Rules and were involuntarily drawn into the Tongue-pulling Hell.

Lu Li felt the boundless divine power surge towards him, his mana soared, and he bowed to the Little Yama in gratitude.

The Little Yama opened up the second layer of hell, which also had different Great Dao Rules, and said, "Qin Chuan, you will be the Judge of the Scissors Hell, overseeing this prison."

She pointed with her small hand, and the Scissors Hell flew out and landed behind Qin Chuan's head.

The Little Yama created the third and fourth hells, and in half a day, she had recreated the Eighteen Layers of Hell, appointing eighteen judges and granting them authority.

Despite her immense divine power, after recreating the hells, she still felt exceptionally exhausted. She braced herself and said, "The Thirteen Families have stolen divine artifacts, occupied the underworld, proclaimed themselves kings, altered yin and yang, disrupted life and death, and violated the laws of the underworld. Today, we should punish them. Zhong Kui, Tie Chi, Wang Fu, Jia Yuan, Zhu Shun, lead the ghost army in cooperation with Chen Zhenwang and follow Yang Bi's commands, ensuring obedience and avoiding independent actions."

Zhong Kui and the others stepped forward, bowed, and agreed.

The Little Yama gestured for them to set off.

Thousands of Yin Messengers each flew up, entering one layer after another of hell, leaving behind only the eighteen judges who headed towards the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

The Little Yama then went to the Houde Guangda Palace to seek an audience with Lady Houtu, expressing gratitude, "Thank you, Lady, for your assistance, without which I could not have forged the Eighteen Layers of Hell."

Lady Houtu smiled and said, "A mere trifle, no need for thanks, fellow Daoist."

Her gaze fell on Sha Qiutong, and with a smile, she said, "Little fellow Daoist, as you are about to embark on your expedition, I shall also gift you a magical treasure."

She raised her arm, gently pinched a ribbon formed from Incense Fire Qi, and refined it into a four-cornered banner, the pole about a zhang tall, the banner shimmering with divine light, its purpose unknown.

Lady Houtu conducted a sacrificial refinement using the Great Dao Rules and handed it to Sha Qiutong.

Sha Qiutong took the banner and tentatively asked, "Lady, is this the Ten Thousand Soul Banner?"

Lady Houtu laughed and said, "The treasures I refine in this palace are not such sinister artifacts. This treasure is the Human Emperor Banner, most righteous in nature."

Sha Qiutong asked, "What is the function of this treasure?"

Lady Houtu replied, "Shake it vigorously, and it can collect all ghosts. Those without physical bodies will be absorbed into the banner."

Sha Qiutong smiled and said, "Isn't this just like the Ten Thousand Soul Banner?"

Lady Houtu said seriously, "When the Ten Thousand Soul Banner is shaken, black smoke billows; when the Human Emperor Banner is shaken, golden light radiates in thousands of paths. Which is righteous or sinister is clear at a glance."

Sha Qiutong muttered inwardly, "But aside from the light, there's no difference."

Lady Houtu also refined a silver needle and handed it to Azhuo, saying, "This treasure is called the Demon Refining Needle, best at breaking the golden body of ghost gods. A single needle, even with ten thousand years of divine power, cannot withstand it."

Sha Qiutong and Azhuo expressed their thanks.

Lady Houtu said, "Go now, battle well, and do not bring disgrace to the name of our Houde Palace."

The two bid farewell and left Houde Guangda Palace, returning to the mortal world.

Sha Qiutong said, "Azhuo, this Demon Refining Needle, I'm afraid its true name is the Soul Loss Needle."

Azhuo shook his head, "White Bone Soul Loss Needle? That magical treasure, when activated, is engulfed in ghostly aura and blowing chilly winds, while my Demon Refining Needle is radiant."

Sha Qiutong laughed, "But the functions are the same, aren't they?"

The two arrived at the Imperial Capital, seeing that the enthronement ceremony had not yet begun, likely awaiting the hour.

Sha Qiutong found a beautiful maiden and put the Human Emperor Banner in her hands, saying, "Ding Xiang, let's quickly go join Old Chen!"

The maiden was dressed in a hundred-pleated skirt embroidered with phoenixes, with a white wide-sleeved water-field top, her face beaming with a bright smile, and she quickly said, "Master, I met a sister, with the same surname as me, Ding."

"Also surnamed Ding? Who is she?" Sha Qiutong asked curiously.

"Her name is Dingding, she's Madame Hua Li's disciple, and an Independent."

Sha Qiutong was surprised, "Madame Hua Li is here too? Those old guys like Dragon Traveling Wanderer and Lady Shao sure have a wide network, I wonder how many Independents they invited?"

At this, she saw hundreds of Independents, including famous masters aside from Madame Hua Li, like Tianyang Child, the blue-clad Musician, Dao Qianqiu, and even several Mahayana Realm elders who never showed up before had all come to Xinxiang Imperial City for this occasion.

The cultivation and strength of these Independents were extraordinary, and neither Chen Yindou nor Du Yiran's reputation could have summoned them. Only veteran experts like Dragon Traveling Wanderer could rally them with a call.

"Old Chen isn't here."

Sha Qiutong found this strange and voiced to Yang Bi, "Where is he?"

Yang Bi replied, "The Supreme Emperor alone can face a million troops, he is on another mission."

Sha Qiutong inquired, "What kind of mission?"

Yang Bi said, after a moment's hesitation, "The Three Great Holy Lands of the Taoists and the Three Great Holy Lands of the Buddhists, he learned from all of them. Like the Thirteen Families, these Six Great Holy Lands are ancient, so I asked the Supreme Emperor to handle it."

Sha Qiutong thought to herself, "This task could truly have only been entrusted to Old Chen."

At Taihua Qingyang Palace, Qiongyang Ancestor said with a laugh to Chen Yindou, "If Chang Ying messes with you, he can meet the ancestors of generations. I'll subdue him and have him assist you."

"Thank you, Qiongyang," Chen Yindou was about to speak when Qiongyang Ancestor interjected with a smile, "You'll surely succeed."

Qiongyang Ancestor added with a teasing smile, "Chen Yin, back then when you wanted to elope with me, why didn't you take me with you?"

Chen Yindou didn't answer, instead, he waved his hand, floating away.

Qiongyang Ancestor felt a sense of loss but then invigorated her spirit to meet with Daoist Chang Ying again.

Yang Bi was scolding Yu Lingzi when Chang Ying Sect Leader quickly interjected upon seeing Qiongyang, "This boy returned to the mountain to steal the True Martial Evil Extermination Sword, wanting to ally with Chen Zhenwang to conquer the world, and I caught him in the act! Qiongyang Ancestor, this child—"

Qiongyang kicked Chang Ying playfully, prompting a confused look, and said sternly, "Chen Zhenwang is a benefactor of our Qing Yang Palace and the ancestor Qing Yang's dear friend. I will handle this!"

Chang Ying hesitated as Qiongyang surged out, True Martial Evil Extermination Sword in hand, dragging Yu Lingzi along, exclaiming, "If you won't do it, I will! I'll even awaken Ancestor Tianzhen Dao, and he will aid as well!"

Reluctantly, Chang Ying agreed, "If anyone can summon the ancestors' spirits to aid us, it's you, Sect Leader."

Qiongyang Ancestor, angry at first, then joyful, smiled, "Only you, Sect Leader, can wake up the virtuous Ancestor Spirits. Alright, ask for their help."

With a sigh, Chang Ying reluctantly burnt incense, offered sacrifices, and awakened the spirits of the ancestors in the void of the Grotto Heaven.

At the Bodhi Dojo, Venerable Hui Yin was deep in the state of Bodhi Heart, entirely forgetful of herself, her thoughts seemingly crystallized in time, the prayer beads in her hand still, not moving an inch.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and sighed, "I have long forgotten my past life, Brother Chen, do you still blame me?"

Chen Yindou, sitting across from her, locked eyes with her, stirring her sleeping feelings.

Chen Yindou said, "Sister, do you still blame me for that time?"

With her eyes gently closed, Huayin Nun slowly said, "I need to transcend my emotional barrier and cannot blame you. Senior Brother, now that you have returned to secular life, why come back again?"

Chen Yindou sighed deeply, "If back then you hadn't pursued this Buddhist path, our child would be about this age."

Hui Yin sighed softly, "I've already embraced the void of the four great elements in Buddhism for you, Senior Brother, and won't enter the secular world for you, nor break my vows for the Thirteen Families."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Who is the woman who has kept you here?"

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