Chapter 47: The Black Judge Must Not Be Submissive

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Huang Huotu seemed born to a life of toil. From the very first moment, he had worn the same expression, and he looked no different now—disheveled and grimy, perhaps without even having brushed his teeth. The instant he opened his mouth, a foul stench swept over them.

“Gan, you’re here. Come take a look at the situation.”

The Purifying Body Spell, which could repel the fungal parasites of the Insect World, was powerless against his bad breath. Li Xuan was forced to take a step back to escape the assault, then walked over and crouched down to examine the scene.

“Just call me Li Gan. ‘Gan’ sounds awful.”

Huang Huotu gave an acknowledging grunt, then crouched down beside him and began explaining the circumstances.

“The deceased is named Qiu Miaofang. According to the information we’ve obtained, she was the mistress of a legislator in Taipei. In the early hours of the morning, the fire department received a distress call from her. She said a fire had broken out in her room while she was sleeping. When the firefighters arrived, they found no trace of a fire—only her body lying on the floor.”

He glanced at one of his colleagues and continued, “The fire department reported the matter to the police, and the case was then assigned to our Foreign Affairs Division. That was when we discovered her condition.”

Li Xuan swept his gaze over the scene. He thought that he could not let Huang Huotu continue wandering about like a headless fly.

Two more people would die next. By then, the police would follow the clues to the True Immortal Temple, and the ensuing bloody slaughter would claim a great many lives.

He decided to move things along a little. As a judge of the Black-Law lineage, caution was proper—but taken too far, caution became timid obedience.

Seeing that he remained silent, Huang Huotu asked, “What do you think? Have you found any clues?”

What did he think? He was watching it with spoilers, naturally.

Li Xuan nodded slightly. “Based on my experience, the manner of this woman’s death bears a striking resemblance to the death of Liao Zhenfu of the Taifeng Group. It’s impossible that the two cases are unrelated. I have a preliminary theory. We can discuss it in detail after you dismiss everyone.”

The female forensic pathologist standing nearby said coldly, “You’re assisting the police with the investigation. What is there that you can’t say?”

Li Xuan had no fear of being questioned. He simply disliked her arrogant and discourteous attitude.

“I suspect she was killed through sorcery. Take her back to the operating table and cut her open for a thorough examination…”

The forensic pathologist’s chest rose and fell as she fought back her anger. She was about to say something more.

Li Xuan ignored her and stood up. “I haven’t had breakfast yet. I’m going to get something to eat. We’ll talk later.”

Although he possessed the ability to travel through countless worlds, his true purpose was to witness higher realms of transcendence and surpass himself. He sought to complete his missions and grow ever stronger. Perhaps, when he finally transcended life and death, he would be able to see his deceased parents again.

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He had no time to flirt with the female pathologist. Whether it led to resentment born from a quarrel or to affection, neither outcome was desirable.

He had arrived quickly and left just as quickly. The entire visit had lasted less than five minutes.

The female pathologist was furious. She glared at Huang Huotu and said, “I may not be a police officer, but I’m still a formally appointed member of the public service. Bringing some random university student in here can easily affect everyone’s judgment and send the investigation in the wrong direction.”

Huang Huotu had witnessed everything that had happened. For the first time, he suddenly saw his usual self from the perspective of a colleague.

Am I really that infuriating in everyday life? No. Li Gan is young and hot-blooded. He’s simply more direct. I only insist on my principles when it comes to matters of right and wrong.

Seeing that the atmosphere had turned sour, the team captain hurried over to mediate with a genial smile.

“His intentions are good. Everyone wants to do their part for the police department. Let it go, let it go.”

Huang Huotu thanked him, then silently left the scene.

“I’ll be going first. If I find anything, I’ll report it immediately.”

Outside the residential complex, Li Xuan was buying breakfast. He had just taken a bite of his sandwich and had not yet swallowed when Huang Huotu emerged from inside.

Li Xuan bought another sandwich and handed it to him.

“Eat something.”

Huang Huotu was indeed hungry. He took the sandwich and began devouring it, speaking indistinctly as he chewed.

“Did you discover something upstairs just now?”

Li Xuan grunted in reply. He glanced at the breakfast vendor, then continued walking along the sidewalk.

Huang Huotu followed beside him. He realized that Li Xuan did not want outsiders hearing what he was about to say.

“Officer Huang,” Li Xuan said, “considering Liao Zhenfu, who was drowned, and Qiu Miaofang, who was ‘burned to death,’ I suddenly remembered an ancient legend called The Five Hells Ascension.”

Huang Huotu froze. He did not know much about traditional culture, but anything involving hells and ascension sounded ominous.

“Tell me about it.”

Li Xuan said:

“Long ago, there was a man named Huang Shang. He was born with double pupils. By day, he could see a thousand miles; by night, he could peer into the realm of ghosts and gods. He also possessed the ability to identify human fiends. By killing these human fiends and sending them into the Five Hells, he achieved immortality.”

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“Before I came here from the mainland, I heard an interesting story.”

“Deep in the mountains of Guangdong stands an ancient temple that is a thousand years old. Not long ago, two internet tycoons from the island, who had made their fortunes in the integrated-circuit industry, spent a huge sum to have the temple dismantled and transported here. No one knows what they intend to do with it.”

“But someone in the industry once photographed that ancient temple and made a rubbing of the inscriptions and illustrations on one of its stone tablets. They were coded texts recorded in the form of the River Chart and Luo Writing. Only someone familiar with the relevant knowledge could decipher them. As it happens, I know someone who can.”

“The stone tablet records this: the ancient temple was called the True Immortal Temple. Two Taoist priests lived there. They were fellow disciples, and they had two disciples of their own, along with a number of followers.”

“The two priests had cultivated for many years, yet had still failed to attain the Dao. When they heard of Huang Shang’s ascension, they decided to imitate him. But they did not possess double pupils and could not identify human fiends. Killing any number of evil people would be useless. So they cast hexagrams and performed divinations, and discovered that their chance to become immortals lay, a thousand years later, in five people named Fu, Miao, Jing, and Wang, along with one person who did not believe in ghosts or gods. Only by killing them and then receiving the aid of someone bearing the nature of Lesser Yang and Greater Yin in undergoing ritual release through death could they ascend to immortality.”

“And so they entered a collective death meditation, agreeing to continue their fate together a thousand years later.”

At first, it sounded like nothing more than an ordinary tale of ghosts and strange happenings. But as the story progressed, Huang Huotu felt a chill spread through his entire body, followed by a sheen of cold sweat. Intelligent as he was, he immediately grasped the key point.

His lips had gone dry as he stared at Li Xuan.

“You mean… Liao Zhenfu and Qiu Miaofang are two of the five destined people a thousand years later? Their names happen to contain the words ‘wealth’ and ‘beauty.’ But… is reincarnation really possible? Wasn’t all of that merely a world imagined by the ancients?”

The sunlight was bright, and a gentle breeze stirred the air.

Yet Huang Huotu suddenly felt the entire world grow sinister, as though invisible eyes were watching him from every direction.

Li Xuan no longer softened his words.

“That’s right. Liao Zhenfu and Qiu Miaofang were identified as two of the special human fiends. Three more must die.”

The sandwich in Huang Huotu’s hand suddenly became difficult to swallow.

“What connection do the human fiends have with the Five Hells?”

Li Xuan listed them one by one.

“The Five Hells are as follows: the Ice Hell, which punishes those who are greedy for wealth—Fu, or ‘wealth’; the Pit of Fire, which punishes those who are lustful and depraved—Miao, or ‘beauty’; the Intestine-Drawing Hell, which punishes those who betray faith and loyalty—Jing, or ‘scenery’; the Heart-Excising Hell, which punishes hypocrites—Wang, or ‘prosperity’; and the Tongue-Pulling Hell, which punishes those who do not believe in ghosts and gods. The last one can be anyone.”

He then added the identity of the person responsible for the ritual release through death.

“Lesser Yang and Greater Yin refers to fire and earth. When I connected all the information upstairs, I suddenly realized it. Officer Huang, your name is Fire-Earth…”

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