The Lord of Death listened to the end, then nodded. "A bit confusing, but I think I understand what you are trying to ask. Think of the Underworld as a company. Mortal souls are very easy to manage, and they are handled by the Underworld automation system."

"But the souls of higher cultivators are stronger. Even worse, some cultivation techniques strengthen the soul more than the cultivation realm itself. This causes trouble for my employees because cultivators tend to behave unpredictably. The strongest few even require me to intervene personally. That is why the penalty costs are different," the Lord of Death explained.

Wei Chen could not help but imagine a scene of overworked Underworld immigration officers standing at inspection lines filled with mortal souls, while cultivators with a bit of strength caused commotion and fought with the security staff.

In the worst cases, those strong enough to subdue the staff would force management level officials, or even higher authorities, to step in and handle the situation themselves.

If even fifty percent of that imagined scene reflected what actually happened in the Underworld, Wei Chen could easily understand why the Lord of Death was so pissed.

It was like an idiot heir from a chaebol screaming before a flight because his kimchi was not in the right shape when served, causing a ruckus that delayed the flight.

That kind of scenario would make the airport or the airline lose millions.

After hearing the answer, Wei Chen asked an important question. "Your Honor, how many assessments do I need to pass in order to clear my probation?"

"Just three. If you get a positive score in two out of three, you will pass. Do not worry, you have already secured one positive score. Just one more and your eight year limit will be removed," said the Lord of Death.

"When will the next assessment be, Your Honor?" Wei Chen asked.

The Lord of Death thought for a moment before finally giving an answer.

"Hmmm… next year? Maybe two years from now. It depends on my usual workload. Believe it or not, I am still dealing with the list of casualties your senior caused. God damn it. What is wrong with all this unification? Billions die, and so what? His empire only lasted one thousand years, but my workload from that time has not ended even after a thousand years."

"Worse, that bastard even destroyed a large number of souls and caused the balance of the Wheel of Samsara to be completely f*cked up."

"And he even dared to ask for a reward afterward.

Can you believe it?" The Lord of Death slipped into a rant midway through his answer.

After a few minutes of nonstop ranting, the Lord of Death finally regained his composure.

"Ahem… my apologies," he said, clearing his throat. Wei Chen smiled wryly. Just how much irritation had this man been repressing, and just how f*cked up was his senior? More importantly, where was his senior now?

No matter. Wei Chen decided he did not want to know. Yes… ignorance was bliss.

"If you have nothing else, I will see you again soon," the Lord of Death said as he waved his hand and ended the call.

After the Lord of Death hung up the call, Wei Chen decided to check the redemption store. He let out a long sigh. The cultivation resources that could actually increase his cultivation were extremely expensive. That was why he had not been keen on buying them before, but since his boss had specifically said so, he had no choice but to spend the coins.

The Underworld redemption shop interface opened. The default first page that Wei Chen had set to display today's discounted items showed several new items. Among the items on the interface, two of them immediately caught his attention.

Name: Yellow Spring Essence Pill (x4 available)

Price: 2,500,000 UGC (75 percent discount)

Description: Grants massive Underworld qi to the cultivator.

Warning: Only for those who can absorb Underworld qi.

Name: Nether Yang Ascension Pill (x1 available)

Price: 12,500,000 UGC (75 percent discount)

Description: Immediately increases the cultivator's realm by one major realm. Can only be used once and is only effective for those below the Great Ascension Realm.

Warning: Only for those who can absorb Underworld qi.

Seeing the two items and remembering that his boss had told him to use Underworld Gold Coins to cultivate, Wei Chen could not help but pray.

"Praise the Lord for this sh*t… err, I mean this opportunity," Wei Chen said sincerely. In his mind, he imagined the Lord of Death's bony face dressed in Jesus' robes.

Wei Chen quickly bought the items. Now, only about 2.3 million Underworld Gold Coins remained.

Seeing the two items in his inventory, Wei Chen felt a bit of regret, mixed with a sense of accomplishment for buying them at such a huge discount.

It was the same feeling he had during a Steam summer sale. He lost himself for a brief moment, but when he regained his rationality, he was left with only about fifty bucks in his bank account.

That was the moment he saw the truth of life….. A person's rationality is inversely proportional to the amount of money left in their bank account.

After losing himself in self-pity for a short while, Wei Chen regained his senses. He checked the time on his U-Phone and saw that it was already 2 AM. Then he looked at the Yellow Spring Essence Pills in his hand. He did not know how long it would take to finish absorbing the pill, and he might end up being late for the broadcast.

Also, he knew that when he cultivated, there would be eye-catching visual effects that would easily attract people who loved to stick their noses into other people's business.

Then he remembered the Myriad Realms Epiphany Pagoda he had bought. That place had a time dilation effect. One year inside was equal to one day outside. The visual effects created during cultivation would not leak outside either. Even though the inside did not have as much spiritual qi as the outside world, it allowed him to conceal the visual effects while cultivating.

"Hm… I'm very smart," Wei Chen uttered with a bit of narcissism.

With this in mind, he took out the Myriad Realms Epiphany Pagoda and placed it on the ground. The tiny pagoda was only about the size of a 1/16 Gunpla, making it very easy to conceal.

He quickly activated the pagoda, and his body vanished inside it.

Boom!

The pagoda suddenly erupted, and its size rapidly increased to more than thirty kilometers tall. Its 108 floors pierced the sky like a tower connecting heaven and earth.

Yun Feng, who was cultivating nearby, was startled and quickly retreated. However, the sight before him stunned him completely.

The dark pagoda that pierced the clouds stood before his eyes, resembling a pillar that connected heaven and earth.

"What… what is that thing?" Yun Feng uttered in awe as he stared at the towering structure.

His master quickly emerged from the ring and stood beside him. He scrutinized the pagoda carefully, trying to discern what it truly was.

"This is… a divine treasure! Yun Feng, you are in luck. This pagoda is at least a divine treasure. Whether you can claim it depends on your ability," his master said.

Yun Feng was about to reply, but then he noticed that the pagoda stood exactly where Wei Chen's tent had been.

"Wait! Where is Brother Wei?" Yun Feng exclaimed in alarm as he rushed toward the pagoda. However, the base of the structure completely covered the area where Wei Chen's tent once stood.

On the ground, Yun Feng noticed some white, tattered cloth. It was the same fabric used for the tent.

"Could it be… this pagoda is Brother Wei's treasure?" Yun Feng muttered as he realized the truth.

"If that is the case, then you have no choice but to forget it. You cannot fight him. He could kill you with one finger. It would be better for you to watch over this pagoda and wait for him to come out. That way, you would be doing him a favor," his master said calculatingly.

"No, Master." Yun Feng shook his head. "Even if I could fight him, I would not steal this treasure. It is his, and it should belong to him," Yun Feng said firmly.

…

Inside the pagoda, Wei Chen was transported into a cottage atop a scenic mountain, where a vast sea of forest stretched below. The cottage was built next to a bamboo forest and had a small pond in front of it.

The atmosphere of the place gave Wei Chen a cozy feeling.

He walked into the cottage and checked the interior. Inside, he found a simple bed, a table, and a chair, along with a stone kitchen commonly seen in ancient Chinese countryside houses.

"Pretty cozy, huh? This place," Wei Chen uttered as he walked around the cottage.

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