Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 250 - 247 Brother Nie, you don’t want your sister...

Chapter 250: Chapter 247 Brother Nie, you don’t want your sister...

Just moments earlier.

Below the Yunhe Bridge that spans across the Turbid River, connecting Yunhe County and Ninghai State.

Crack!

Accompanied by a crisp sound, one out of the forty-four bridge piers, built from layers of "Corpse Skeleton Reefs," suddenly crumbled by a third.

Broken stones and dried bones tumbled down, as dozens of skeletons were swept away to the sea by the murky currents all at once, released from the bondage of Yunhe Bridge.

The ghosts trapped within the bones finally found liberation, kneeling and ceaselessly kowtowing at the feet of the three Yin Officials—Zeng Wentai, Li Wenzhong, and Zhang Mingda.

"Today another wrongful case has been resolved, revealing the truth to the world.

At this rate, we should be able to completely collapse both the ’Dragon-Breaking Gate’ and the ’Heart-Piercing Formation’ by the end of the year.

We could also take this opportunity to complete the Foundation Establishment of the Black Law Judge Method, successfully receive the ’Receiving Talisman’ to achieve enlightenment, and be promoted to the Red Seal Realm."

The reason these three judges were dispatched together this time was due to the several dozen beheading miscarriage of justice cases that all bore common characteristics.

The victims were all merchants from out of town.

Their families and fellow townsfolk traveled thousands of miles to file complaints with the Government Office, but even after spending a good deal of silver, the cases remained unsolved due to a complete lack of leads.

However, the constables of the Mortal World couldn’t solve these cases, but that was no difficulty for Yin Officials under Wang Yuan’s command.

The Black Law Judges, using the Spiritual Response Method and communicating with crowds of ghosts, easily obtained a message from the planchette: "Snow hangs by the sideburns, Clouds arise at the skyline, Wooden planks drift in water, Doors installed upon walls."

These corresponded to the four characters: Old, Dragon, Boat, and Household.

With these four characters, they quickly pinpointed a local Cao Gang organization in "Old Dragon Bay" upstream, hooked the souls for interrogation, and revealed the truth to the world overnight.

Besides their legitimate transport operations, these boat households also dabbled in the unscrupulous business.

Pretending to ferry clients across the river, they particularly targeted lone merchants who had made some silver, assaulting almost anyone who showed a glimpse of wealth.

First, they would deceive them onto the boats with words, sometimes using knockout drugs or burning stupefying incense to put the merchants to sleep.

After pillaging their property, they would kill them and dispose of the bodies into the Turbid River.

In just a few short years, they had murdered well over a hundred people, and those with the heaviest grievances were blocked by Yunhe Bridge, becoming the living piles—"Corpse Skeleton Reefs."

"Let’s go, we have a heavy responsibility and must not betray the trust of our superior!"

"Indeed, if we do not resolve wrongful cases every moment, I feel utterly uncomfortable."

The three were about to continue heading off to work overtime on cases.

But suddenly, a cold laugh came from the darkness behind them:

"Ha, daring to destroy the Yunhe Bridge erected by the Emperor’s own imperial command, today none of you shall leave!"

Turning their heads to look back, the three judges – whose appearances had grown increasingly ugly from the deepened practice of their Daoist skills – saw a figure emerge holding a sword.

He had a weary expression yet a burly figure like that of a bear, and he shouted at them fiercely:

"I am the City God of Dengzhou Prefecture City, conferred by the Emperor!

I intended to inspect my jurisdiction before assuming office and did not expect to bump into you ugly ghosts!

By imperial edict, those who dare to destroy the Yunhe Bridge shall be executed without trial!"

"Ugly ghost?!"

The three could not help but feel annoyed in their hearts, inwardly saying, "We look vicious because of our practicing, how can it compare to your natural nobility?"

If you practiced the "Black Law Judge Method," with your natural appearance, wouldn’t you reach the pinnacle as soon as you started?

Just as they were preparing to join forces and teach this presumptuous person who dared to usurp the position of their master, the City God, a lesson.

They suddenly saw a "Merit Golden Wheel" light up behind Nie Renxiong’s head, shining brightly for several meters.

The power of the "Black Law Judge Method" they held in their hands was greatly reduced.

Without even drawing his sword, the man simply raised his hand and grabbed Li Wenzhong, who was closest to him, like an eagle seizing a chick.

At this moment, the resentful ghosts and fierce ghosts who had just been released from their torment, rather than fleeing upon witnessing Nie Renxiong’s terrifying might, threw themselves at him.

They clung to his legs with all their might, shouting:

"We’ll hold back this evil god, judges, run quickly!"

Zeng Wentai and Zhang Mingda, who had narrowly escaped, didn’t dare to dawdle and, while rushing into the "Yin Road" and fleeing towards Ninghai State at high speed, quickly sought to contact their master for help.

Being called an "evil god" by a group of resentful ghosts left Nie Renxiong, who had never done wrong in his life, feeling choked up inside.

Fortunately,

even though he was carrying out so-called imperial orders, he had not abandoned his sense of justice and hadn’t indiscriminately slaughtered the ghosts.

He merely waved the "Merit Golden Wheel" behind his head and temporarily collected the surrounding ghosts into it.

Subsequently, as a "Yin God," he steered the "Taiyin Split Light Sword" and also rushed into the "Yin Road," determined to capture them all first.

After capturing the ghosts, he would naturally understand what the peculiarity was on the Yunhe Bridge.

"Where do you think you’re going!"

The gap in strength between them was just too great.

Under the pursuit of a "Yin God" who had embarked on the Ghost Path, it took no more than a moment for Zeng Wentai and Zhang Mingda to be forced to flee back to the yang world.

As soon as they landed, they were surprised to see—

a squad of towering, eight-foot-tall "Yin Soldiers," formidable like iron towers and wearing fierce ghost masks, led by a tall female general, who also stepped out of the "Yin Road" amidst a chilling ghostly wind.

However, looking around, they did not see their "Living Yama," and hurriedly said to the female general, a close retainer of their lord:

"General Nie, this person is of the top level "Red Seal Realm" of the "Yin Gods," and the "Netherworld Ghost Soldiers" we have bred are no match for him!

Besides our lord, I fear no one can subdue this fiend! We will hold him off; please, General Nie, rush to bring reinforcements!"

At this moment, a relentless beam of sword light already caught up from behind them.

A thunderous shout exploded in everyone’s ears:

"Ha, there are reinforcements? The matter of destroying the bridge is indeed not so simple.

Be honest and confess the mastermind behind the destruction of ’Yunhe Bridge,’ and you may have your sins reduced; otherwise..."

The imposing rhetoric stopped abruptly there.

In the darkness.

With a face full of fierce spirits and malevolent energy, Nie Renxiong, who was inching closer step by step to the two Yin Officials, suddenly shuddered as if struck by lightning upon clearly seeing the valiant and heroic silhouette of the female general before him.

Gazing at her long-lost brother, who was almost separated from her for all eternity, Nie Hongying’s eyebrows spread in delight as she smiled at him:

"Big brother, long time no see!"

Feeling the overwhelming familiarity of that call, Nie Renxiong’s eyes couldn’t help but warm, and hot tears tumbled endlessly within his eye sockets.

Staring at the girl across from him for a very long time, he finally managed to call out with difficulty, his lips trembling:

"Hongying——!"

Clang!

The Taiyin Split Light Sword in his hand quietly slipped to the ground.

This sword immortal, who once slew countless demons and accumulated a hundred thousand units of Yin Morality, now couldn’t even hold onto his life-bound flying sword.

The Emperor wants to protect the bridge?

The little sister wants to destroy it?

In that instant, the old Emperor had already been cast out of his mind to the Nine Heavens.

The constant wavering and indecision, the heavy burdens weighing on him, all instantly dissipated like smoke at the sight of Nie Hongying.

Perhaps the saying "Betrayal is only a matter of inadequate price" was indeed correct.

For Nie Renxiong, on the scales of "loyalty" and "betrayal", the weight of loyalty was the honorable name of fidelity, forged by the blood and lives of generations of the Nie family.

There was hardly anything in the world that could outweigh this heavy honor and make Nie Renxiong betray his sovereign.

But, that was because, after the last of his kin were gone, aside from his flying sword and justice in his heart, there was nothing left in the world that merited his concern.

When Nie Hongying, enveloped by a gust of Yin wind, suddenly rushed into her big brother’s arms, knocking him off balance:

Crack!

A sound like shackles breaking seemed to resonate from Nie Renxiong’s body.

With a lightened heart, the difficult choice between loyalty and justice could no longer sway his own will.

The defeated dog’s listless aura was swept away, and his spine suddenly straightened like a long sword.

It seemed as though the essence, energy, and spirit that he had once lost were all restored in the blink of an eye to this "Ghost Hero".

"Hongying is here, that’s great, truly great!"

Examining his treasured little sister from left to right, Nie Renxiong’s bear-like ugly face was smiling like a three hundred pound fat man.

Nie Hongying had a teasing smile on her face:

"Big brother, what were you just about to make us confess? Or else... what would happen?"

Amidst the ghostly expressions of Zeng Wentai and Zhang Mingda standing beside them, Nie Renxiong laughed unabashedly:

"Otherwise, I’ll help little Hongying tear down that damn ’Yunhe Bridge’!"

The old Emperor’s decree? To hell with it!

The world is big, but my little sister is the biggest!

A moment later, Nie Renxiong released Li Wenzhong along with a group of Resentful Ghosts and Fierce Ghosts from the Merit Golden Wheel, each in turn bowing apologetically.

After learning from Nie Hongying about her experiences since leaving Luoyang City, he took a deep breath:

"The Nie house has been scattered like smoke; it’s enough that our siblings have repaid our debt to our lord with our lives.

We no longer owe the Zhou family of the Great Yan, but we must repay the kindness of Old Master Wang! Sister, act as a mediator and introduce me."

Yet his sister replied with a secretive smile.

"Big brother, you and the Dharma Master are no strangers. Follow me!"

Then Nie Renxiong was pulled by Nie Hongying, traversing the Yin Road to King Jing’s residence in Ninghai State.

They met a young Realm Mage of the Yin God Realm with double Merit Golden Wheels behind his head, indicating he had accumulated at least two hundred thousand units of Yin Morality.

After looking the young man up and down, Nie Renxiong sighed in relief, confirming that he was indeed a "good person" but then hesitated to ask:

"Do we know each other? May I be so bold to inquire... who you are?"

Swish!

Wang Yuan, sitting in an official hat chair, flicked his finger, and a copper coin instantly landed in Nie Renxiong’s palm.

The latter, feeling the remnant Sword Qi within it, was suddenly overcome with a faltering expression.

With a "thud," he knelt to the ground.

"My savior above, please accept Nie’s bow!"

How could he forget that day in Luoyang City when, in his attempt to stop the demon of the No-Life Dao chasing his sister, he nearly perished?

Had it not been for this Money Sword Qi, he wouldn’t even have had the chance to be a ghost.

Without waiting for Wang Yuan to speak, he made a candid declaration:

"If you have any orders, Nie is willing to go through fire and water without hesitation!"

After all, not to mention the difficulties of repaying a life-saving debt.

His little sister had already joined this man’s ranks, so what choice did he have? It’s not like he was going to wait for someone to say:

"Brother Nie, you wouldn’t want your little sister to live a difficult life in the future, would you?"

A wise man submits to the times. Nie Renxiong was not at all obstinate.

Wang Yuan nodded slightly and simply said:

"Good! The Military Judge shall assume his position!"

He casually took out the City God Seal of Dengzhou Prefecture and embedded it into Nie Renxiong’s body, enabling him to fully take up his official position as City God.

After being appointed as a Military Judge, he could continue to wield his authority freely without needing to work, as eighty percent of what the Black Law Judges earned would go to his lord Wang.

Restoring the City God Seal to the City God was a win-win situation.

Fortune favors the supportive, and misfortune the unsupported.

In just a moment, Zhou Wenrui’s entire arrangement in Dengzhou Prefecture had been sabotaged.

And now, even the household of the old Emperor was about to be stolen.