Her hand trembled, and all the rich earth force and yin essence in the room completely scattered.

Jian Chou looked up and immediately saw the panicked Little Head Ghost, asking in surprise: “Something happened?”

Little Head Ghost had rushed back as if running for his life, and was now breathing heavily.

When he entered, he hadn’t forgotten to close the door.

There weren’t many people in the village right now, and probably no one would come to look at their broken house, but Little Head Ghost was still very cautious.

Only after entering the house did he hurriedly catch his breath: “Grand Judge Cui wants to find you and kill you!”

Kill her?!

In that instant, Jian Chou looked up in shock, somewhat unable to believe what she had heard.

That was a suddenly bright gaze shooting out from originally gentle eyes, like blade light pouring from a scabbard, extremely cold and sharp.

Little Head Ghost watched this and was so frightened he shivered with cold.

He had originally thought Jian Chou was gentle and kind, but had never seen such bright eyes from her. For a moment, he thought she might draw her sword the next instant.

Fortunately, such a gaze was only fleeting.

Jian Chou had no self-awareness of this, only furrowing her brow as she rose from the ground, patted her palms, and after a moment’s consideration asked: “What’s the reason?”

In just this brief moment of silence, Little Head Ghost had already calmed down somewhat.

He recalled the events and tried to explain them concisely and clearly, from the Ghost Axe’s master to Cui Jue’s plans, missing nothing.

After listening, Jian Chou finally frowned deeply.

It really was as Little Head Ghost had said when he entered: big trouble indeed.

The Ghost Axe had once slain ten thousand ghosts in the Extreme Territory. It was normal for ghost cultivators in the Extreme Territory with some knowledge to recognize the Ghost Axe.

Under these circumstances, a Ghost Axe had suddenly broken through realm barriers into the Extreme Territory, still in a master-recognized state without being released, and Lord Qin Guang had determined through some means that the Ghost Axe’s master wasn’t far from the axe…

If Jian Chou were one of those eight throne-holders at the top of the Extreme Territory, she would probably break out in a cold sweat too.

Looking for her because of the Ghost Axe was probably only one reason – the real concern was the hidden danger behind it.

Who knew which fellow had brought the Ghost Axe in?

What if it was another Yin-Yang Realm War?

Now the only thing Jian Chou was grateful for was the “suppression” caused by the different rules of the Extreme Territory, which sealed her spiritual power and spiritual consciousness.

Cui Jue had said that once she could contact the Ghost Axe, he could follow the spiritual consciousness trail to find her.

It seemed retrieving the Ghost Axe would be extremely difficult.

Grand Judge Cui Jue possessed Golden Body cultivation, equivalent to the Soul Separation stage of the Nineteen Continents.

In the Extreme Territory, he had transitioned from soul and spirit cultivation to cultivation with a physical body. In the Nineteen Continents, this was exactly the transition from body cultivation to heart cultivation, possibly experiencing Heart Questioning tribulations.

Such powerful cultivation was a full two major realms higher than Jian Chou’s Golden Core stage.

The Jian Chou of the past was no match for him, let alone the current her in such straits – how could she contend with him?

If she were truly discovered, not only would she, a disciple of Yashan, be doomed, but dragging down Big Head Ghost and Little Head Ghost would also be certain.

She couldn’t help but tap her temple with her finger, wanting to make herself more rational and calm.

Seeing this, Little Head Ghost was also worried.

Although they hadn’t spent much time together, recently both brothers’ cultivation growth had depended on Jian Chou, and even the pills were given by her.

Now, whether for their own interests or to repay kindness, Little Head Ghost couldn’t stay out of it.

He watched Jian Chou for a long while before carefully asking: “What do we do now?”

This “we” was used quite cleverly, and Jian Chou couldn’t help but smile.

However, the severity of the situation was still obvious.

“If I remember correctly, you said that although the Reception Office is far from here, Ghost Gate Pass isn’t very far. If Cui Jue goes to investigate at Ghost Gate Pass, and we don’t have good hiding methods, we’ll probably be in trouble soon.”

Little Head Ghost looked worried and nodded: “Either leave here, or hide my living person identity.”

“Correct. I’ve already cultivated the Extreme Territory’s methods now. Ordinary people seeing me probably wouldn’t be suspicious, but if those people from the Eight Directions Yama Palaces saw me, I’d be exposed immediately. It can be said that going out alone, I’d have difficulty at every step. So only one path remains – disguising my identity.”

Jian Chou’s analysis was rational.

However, the most crucial link was here, and also the most difficult.

How exactly could she disguise her identity?

Simply dying would be easy – directly becoming a ghost soul.

But Jian Chou couldn’t do that.

She still had to return to the Nineteen Continents, return to Yashan. Heaven knew what would happen after becoming a ghost soul.

Shaking her head to drive this unreliable idea from her mind, Jian Chou turned to ask Little Head Ghost: “Powerful cultivators from the Nineteen Continents can easily hide their cultivation from others’ detection, and even have magical artifacts to hide their whereabouts. I wonder if the Extreme Territory has such things?”

“This…”

Little Head Ghost frowned in thought.

“I’m a poor ghost and don’t usually buy things. However, the nearest trading market is the Mountain-Sea Market in the outer layer of the underworld’s City of Wrongful Deaths. Maybe I can help you go look. Also, there’s an old fellow in the City of Wrongful Deaths called ‘Immortal Wuzhong.'”

“Hm?”

Jian Chou immediately became interested.

She had a premonition that perhaps what she needed was coming.

“What about this person?”

“He has a shop that can handle anything, but the prerequisite is that you can afford his price. Many people say his cultivation is no less than several Yama Kings in the Eight Directions City, so no one provokes him…”

Little Head Ghost recalled, his voice carrying a strange fear.

“He’s a real celebrity in the City of Wrongful Deaths. Once a Yama King wanted to deal with a certain Grand Judge, but unexpectedly he escaped to the City of Wrongful Deaths and actually asked Immortal Wuzhong for help. The Yama King was ultimately powerless and returned empty-handed, waiting until several years later when that Grand Judge thought he was safe and left the City of Wrongful Deaths himself – only then was he killed.”

Since that incident, everyone treated this mysterious “Immortal Wuzhong” like a deity.

Just like the last character “Immortal” in his title, he carried a color that made people yearn for him.

After Little Head Ghost explained this, Jian Chou understood.

This type of person was somewhat similar to Zhilin Sou, except Zhilin Sou’s abilities might not be as great as this “Immortal Wuzhong.”

Presumably the Extreme Territory, like the Nineteen Continents, had quite a few people with similar needs?

After thinking briefly, Jian Chou suddenly asked again: “I remember you just said Judge Chu gave you a new assignment?”

“That’s right.”

Little Head Ghost was slightly stunned, not understanding Jian Chou’s meaning.

“The assignment of receiving new ghosts from the City of Wrongful Deaths was given to us, basically assisting Old Zhang, registering new ghosts and sending them to the City of Wrongful Deaths. This and… wait, you!”

Before finishing his words, Little Head Ghost was completely stunned, almost frightened enough to bite off his own tongue!

He stared at Jian Chou in terror, as if staring at a monster.

“Could, could it be you want me to, to…”

Great, he was stuttering magnificently.

Jian Chou actually hadn’t made up her mind, since this wasn’t something she could handle alone.

But Little Head Ghost was quite clever – with just one question, he had vaguely guessed her intention.

“You guessed right. I indeed want you to help forge a new ghost registration for the City of Wrongful Deaths, and we’ll sneak directly into the City of Wrongful Deaths.”

Since he had already guessed, Jian Chou stopped hesitating.

Before Little Head Ghost could respond, she continued: “You once told me about the Eight Directions City, which has eight Yama Kings. The entire underworld is under their rule, but only the City of Wrongful Deaths remains entangled. This is a place where geniuses are born and almost the source of the Extreme Territory’s most excellent ghost cultivators. No Yama King is willing to give up this piece of fat meat, but simultaneously, no Yama King has the power to rule here.”

“Right…”

His voice was weak, as if he might faint the next moment.

Little Head Ghost’s heart felt completely cold upon hearing this.

Jian Chou had explained it so clearly – she definitely wasn’t just thinking casually. She truly intended to carry out this crazy plan.

“Every Yama King’s influence is excluded by others, and the City of Wrongful Deaths itself forms its own system. That ‘Immortal Wuzhong’ you mentioned should be part of this.”

Jian Chou walked to the table and slowly folded up the page she had put down earlier, pressing it neat and tidy.

“As long as we can infiltrate the City of Wrongful Deaths, we can advance by seeking Immortal Wuzhong’s help, or retreat by maneuvering among various factions. We won’t necessarily lose.”

The City of Wrongful Deaths in the Extreme Territory – wasn’t that like Mingri Xinghai in the Nineteen Continents?

The difference was that anyone could enter Mingri Xinghai, while the City of Wrongful Deaths was only for those ghost souls who had “died against heaven’s will.”

“So the final problems all fall on me?”

Little Head Ghost also came over and sat down like a tottering old man, supporting himself on the table corner and covering his chest.

“Great Lord Jian Chou, do you really have the heart to make me forge new ghost registrations? I’ll die if discovered! Old Zhang is such a clever bastard – what if he finds out?”

“New ghost reception is handled by you and Big Head, registration is also done by you and Big Head, and sending new ghosts to the City of Wrongful Deaths is also done by you and Big Head. That Old Zhang you mentioned, no matter how capable, only looks at the lists you submit and doesn’t contact those below. How could he know you’re falsifying?”

Jian Chou chuckled softly.

Any emperor on high was always deceived; any powerful person in the court never understood the people’s hardships.

Since Little Head Ghost could bribe Judge Chu to become a ghost official, how much better could the ghost officials below be?

What she said was quite reasonable.

Although Little Head Ghost knew Zhang Tang wasn’t really an incompetent person, he indeed didn’t handle these matters directly!

Jian Chou’s plan was crazy, but calculating carefully, the possibility of success really wasn’t low.

Especially…

Now the three of them were actually grasshoppers on the same rope – who could remain unaffected? Helping Jian Chou might offer a glimmer of hope, but if they didn’t help, there really would be only a dead end.

Using desperate measures for desperate times!

Little Head Ghost carefully sorted through the pros and cons, and finally gritted his teeth and steeled his heart.

“Fine. I can do this, but there’s still one problem to solve: from here to the City of Wrongful Deaths is at least sixty or seventy li. How can we guarantee we won’t be discovered on the road?”

“Didn’t you say that others seeing me would mostly think I’m a Golden Body realm ghost cultivator? Only those with high cultivation or those who know the inside story would suspect me.”

Several points of wisdom flickered in Jian Chou’s eyes, appearing calm and composed.

“The news comes from Lord Qin Guang’s Palace – others don’t necessarily know. With limited numbers, our chances of being discovered are also reduced. At this time, we just need to choose to travel at night…”

“Right!”

Little Head Ghost’s head finally turned the corner, but in a blink, looking at Jian Chou’s expression, he looked even more like he was staring at a freak.

To be able to think through so many complications in such a short time, sort out so many benefit relationships, and find the best solution they could currently find – this had a somewhat “wisdom bordering on supernatural” flavor.

Little Head Ghost couldn’t help but shake his head, throwing away these unreliable thoughts.

He summarized for himself: “So we must disguise you as a new ghost from the City of Wrongful Deaths and send you into the city before Cui Jue discovers us, then find Immortal Wuzhong. If Immortal Wuzhong can solve things, great. If not, we’ll have to fight hard.”

Jian Chou nodded: “Correct.”

“When do we start?”

Time was urgent – he couldn’t wait long.

Little Head Ghost looked at her, waiting for her answer.

Jian Chou turned to look at the outside sky, still a yellowish expanse, but it wasn’t even close to noon yet.

Little Head Ghost had made a special trip back to tip her off…

She thought for a moment: “The earlier the better. Any later and we might run right into Cui Jue’s blade. Why don’t you go back now and act as circumstances permit?”

“Hey, great minds think alike – that’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Little Head Ghost clapped his hands, couldn’t help licking his lips.

His palms were actually trembling, and his whole body had a shivering feeling. Whether during his time as a hoodlum in the human world’s isolated islands or during these decades of struggling in the underworld, he had never experienced this feeling.

An excitement of going to do something big, something very, very big.

This wasn’t just simply forging registrations – this was opposing the entire underworld!

Do it!

Just thinking about it was thrilling!

Little Head Ghost inexplicably burned with excitement, clenched his fists, and said to Jian Chou: “I didn’t tell anyone when I left earlier. Not much time has passed now, so it’s perfect to go back without arousing suspicion. If suitable, I’ll forge the registration list today and write only your name. When you hadn’t cultivated yet, you were called Jian Chou, right?”

“Yes.”

But…

Jian Chou frowned slightly: “For forging registration, I still have to use my real name?”

“Yes.” Little Head Ghost explained, “When receiving new ghosts into the City of Wrongful Deaths, no one verifies them, but there’s a ‘Self-Reflecting Mirror.’ If the name on the City of Wrongful Deaths ghost registry doesn’t match the soul, that person can’t enter the City of Wrongful Deaths.”

I see.

Although Jian Chou felt using her real name was somewhat strange, there were so many people in the world with the same name – there was no reason she’d be so unlucky as to meet someone who knew her. Even if someone did, they’d just think she was dead.

So after thinking it over, Jian Chou still nodded: “Then I’ll wait here for good news.”

“Just watch!”

Little Head Ghost grinned.

When he hadn’t decided to act, he was timid and cowardly like an egg; once he decided to act, he was more excited than anyone, quite eager to try.

Who hadn’t yearned to do something outrageous?

It was just that there hadn’t been opportunities.

Jian Chou watched Little Head Ghost bid her farewell, push open the door, and disappear in the distance.

She still held the freshly folded paper in her hand.

Originally she had been testing whether she could directly form a soul orb, even a small one would work, but hadn’t had time to complete this experiment before being interrupted by Little Head Ghost.

Now Little Head Ghost had returned to the Reception Office to carry out their insane plan.

From this moment until dark when they could travel, there were at least four hours.

“Four hours can accomplish many things…”

Her gaze flickered slightly, and Jian Chou finally gritted her teeth and sat cross-legged again.

Her entire consciousness sank down as she re-entered cultivation state.

On the other side, Little Head Ghost’s return journey was quick.

His discussion with Jian Chou hadn’t taken much time overall. When he returned, others just thought he had been gone a bit longer than usual, not thinking of anything else.

But Big Head Ghost, sitting alone at the long table, was counting on his fingers, seeming extremely bored.

He turned his head and immediately caught sight of the approaching figure, put down his fingers, and called out: “Little Head?”

“Just got back, just got back.”

Little Head Ghost looked quite composed. Looking to the side, Zhang Tang wasn’t at his position, as if he hadn’t returned yet – that was perfect.

Big Head Ghost pointed to a register on the table: “This is the City of Wrongful Deaths new ghost registry that the ghost officer just delivered. They said we’re responsible for it.”

“So fast?”

It was like a pillow arriving when drowsy – Little Head Ghost was just worrying about finding an opportunity.

He quickly collected the register that was lying flat, acting as if nothing had happened while observing his surroundings.

By noon, Zhang Tang still hadn’t returned, so Little Head Ghost took this opportunity to pull Big Head Ghost aside and quietly tell him about his and Jian Chou’s plan.

Big Head Ghost was naturally frightened by these two, but having already boarded the pirate ship, he had no choice but to object. After calming down for a while, he appeared normal.

After communicating about the sequence of events, the two made a special trip to Ghost Gate Pass. When they returned, Little Head Ghost added a few strokes to the City of Wrongful Deaths new ghost list, writing down two crooked characters:

Jian Chou.

According to regulations, new ghosts’ birth and death dates should be checked against the Book of Life and Death and recorded in the ghost registry, but for Little Head Ghost, this naturally wasn’t necessary.

He directly wrote down Jian Chou’s “birth and death dates” as she had told him.

Although Zhang Tang managed the City of Wrongful Deaths, he didn’t have the Book of Life and Death. Even if he wanted to check, it would be troublesome and basically impossible.

During this period, both of them had gotten along well with Zhang Tang. Zhang Tang probably couldn’t imagine in his wildest dreams that these two would deceive him, especially in such a seemingly foolproof area.

You had to know, the City of Wrongful Deaths had been peaceful for a long time.

No one had ever deliberately tried to enter the City of Wrongful Deaths because there were no particular benefits, especially for new ghosts.

So generally speaking, no one would suspect anything.

All of this increased Little Head Ghost’s confidence.

He carried the City of Wrongful Deaths new ghost list back to the Reception Office from Ghost Gate Pass.

Standing far outside the hall, Little Head Ghost could already see Zhang Tang.

He didn’t know what he had been discussing with Judge Chu and Grand Judge Cui for so long, only returning now.

He held a register in his hands, examining it carefully.

The dark black robe draped over him, combined with his stern brow and eyes, gave off quite a bit of that harsh, cruel official atmosphere.

His slender fingers had once been stained with countless people’s blood, but now were clean as they pressed against the pages, moving slowly.

Tsk.

Just watching had such presence.

Official bearing!

Little Head Ghost was used to sighing like this every time he saw Zhang Tang.

He couldn’t learn this manner anyway.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Little Head Ghost stepped inside.

Along the way, quite a few people rolled their eyes at him – obviously, some people already knew about the City of Wrongful Deaths assignment.

Little Head Ghost didn’t care, snorted, deliberately put on a smug appearance, and swaggered over.

At this time, Zhang Tang was still reading.

Little Head Ghost went over to look and saw it was a list of old ghosts already registered in the City of Wrongful Deaths.

People who “died against heaven’s will” generally hadn’t lived out their heaven-allotted lifespans, so they had to spend this time in the City of Wrongful Deaths before deciding whether to reincarnate.

Some people became ghost cultivators directly, while others chose to reincarnate.

The register Zhang Tang was reading was for calculating how much longer the ghost souls in the City of Wrongful Deaths had before they could reincarnate.

For Little Head Ghost, as long as Zhang Tang wasn’t reading the Book of Life and Death, anything was fine.

He smiled and approached, acting as if he was happy to see Zhang Tang, his voice much the same as usual: “Hey, Old Zhang, you’re finally back. I’ve had good luck today – I get to manage ghosts from the City of Wrongful Deaths too! Look, I just made a trip to Ghost Gate Pass and there happens to be a new ghost to send to the City of Wrongful Deaths—”

Zhang Tang looked up, his whole demeanor bland and indifferent.

A register was handed to him by Little Head Ghost.

These past few days, Little Head Ghost’s cultivation had been continuously improving, and even his work had become much more active. He was no longer an illiterate person either – this was a good thing.

Thinking this, Zhang Tang wasn’t very concerned and casually opened the register.