Yama was delighted to see the book again.
For a brief moment, it felt as if a long-lost companion had returned to him.
But that feeling quickly disappeared.
His expression slowly turned into a frown as he examined the book floating before him.
What in the world…?
This isn't my Judgment Book.
What are these extra things?
Normally, the Judgment Book only displayed a person's life story and the sins they had committed.
After reviewing this information, Yama would decide whether the soul should be sent to Heaven, returned to the mortal world, or condemned to the Netherworld.
For example, if someone had massacred tens of thousands of innocent people, their punishment was absolute.
They would be sent directly to the Upper Netherworld, where the torture was far more severe. There, they would experience the same pain and terror that their victims had felt before dying.
That was justice.
That was the purpose of Hell.
But the Judgment Book in front of him was different.
It still showed a person's life story and sins.
However, there was now an additional section.
A person's fate.
And fate was only displayed when the person had not yet died.
Yama looked down at the page.
Name: Yu YanAge: 8 years, 10 months
Additional Information:Will die in 2 months. Sent directly to the Lower Netherworld.
Yama's expression darkened instantly.
A terrifying aura briefly leaked from him.
He already knew Yu Yan would die in two months. After all, he had seen her in the Hell Hall when she was nine years old.
But what angered him was the final line.
Sent directly to the Lower Netherworld.
Even though the Lower Netherworld had less severe torture compared to the upper levels, it was still a place filled with sinners.
Every month, the condemned souls were killed and resurrected repeatedly as punishment.
It was still Hell.
Since I'm no longer in the Hell Hall…
It seems she will be sent directly to the Netherworld.
Yama narrowed his eyes.
Let me review her life again.
He pressed his finger onto Yu Yan's name.
Suddenly—
The world shifted.
Yama was pulled into an illusion.
Scenes began playing before him.
Yu Yan's birth.
Her childhood.
Her father abandoning her mother for another woman.
Her mother falling ill when Yu Yan was only four years old.
The illusion continued.
Yama watched as the young girl struggled to survive.
Her mother worked tirelessly, suffering the same kind of abuse Yu Yan endured now. Both mother and daughter were constantly bullied and mistreated by others.
The scenes were painful to watch.
Yama's expression grew colder with every moment.
Finally, he waved his hand and ended the illusion.
How can someone like her be sent to the Netherworld?
Yama clenched his fists.
I am Yama.
The Lord of Hell.
The God of Death.
I decide where souls go.
You don't need to worry, girl.
I will change this fate.
As he was deep in thought, Yu Yan's voice suddenly broke his concentration.
"Ye Ji gege… what is that book you're holding?"
Yama froze.
He slowly turned toward her.
"Yu Yan… you can see this book?"
"What color is it?"
"What does it say?"
Yu Yan tilted her head slightly.
"It's gold… but I can't see the name clearly. It's too blurry."
Yama relaxed slightly.
"I see."
He closed the book.
"This is just a personal diary of mine."
"So don't tell anyone about it, alright?"
Yu Yan nodded obediently.
"But… why is it so huge?"
She looked at the massive book with wide eyes.
"Ye Ji gege, are you writing a really long story?"
Yama chuckled slightly.
"Yu Yan… this book is the story of you and me."
Yu Yan's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Really?!"
"Can I read it?"
Yama shook his head.
"You can read it when I finish writing it."
"So be a good girl and don't ask until then."
Yu Yan smiled happily.
"Okay, Ye Ji gege!"
Yama looked at the Judgment Book again.
It seems the book has become visible to others.
I need to hide it.
Even if Yu Yan could not read the contents, the book's appearance alone could attract danger.
If someone obtained the Judgment Book, they would never be able to open it. Only the Lord of Hell had the authority to do so.
But that would not stop people from trying.
Greed was the root of countless sins.
And Yama could easily imagine himself being captured and tortured by people trying to unlock the book's secrets.
Fortunately, the Judgment Book still possessed one important ability.
No matter where it was, he could summon it instantly.
Yama closed his eyes and dismissed the book.
The more urgent matter is Yu Yan.
She would die in two months.
He needed to find out why.
She must have been framed.
That is the only explanation.
A sin that did not appear in the Judgment Book meant someone had interfered with fate itself.
Such a thing could only be done with a heaven-defying artifact.
But how could someone obtain such an artifact?
This girl may have a past even she doesn't know about.
Yama exhaled slowly.
For now, I need to understand this world.
This world was different from the mortal world he knew.
Here, everything revolved around cultivation, martial arts, and magic.
Only the strong were respected.
As Yama was thinking, Yu Yan spoke again.
"Ye Ji gege… aren't you going to pay respect to the ancestor?"
Yama blinked.
"Ah… I'll go in a moment."
From Ye Ji's memories, he knew this was something the boy did every week.
Skipping it would raise suspicion.
During his memory search, Yama had also discovered something else.
Ye Ji had been poisoned.
That was how Yama had taken over his body.
The Ye Clan's ancestor, Ye Yong, had once been an undefeated expert across the Blue Long Kingdom.
His strength had made the Ye Clan one of the four most powerful clans in the kingdom.
Yama was curious to see the tomb of such a person.
Of course, he had no interest in paying respects.
The Lord of Hell bowing to someone?
Ridiculous.
He did not even bow to gods.
But he still needed to maintain appearances.
After all, Ye Ji was the only person who visited the tomb every week.
Yama slowly walked toward the burial grounds.
His body looked weak and exhausted, as if he might collapse at any moment.
This was the result of years of abuse.
Even the servants bullied him.
As he walked, he heard them whispering nearby.
"Look. The clan's trash is going to the burial tomb again."
One servant snorted.
"Why does he even go there every week? Just sitting and praying like an idiot."
"He doesn't even have talent for cultivation."
"Does he really think the ancestor will bless him?"
Another servant laughed.
"He's probably hoping for a miracle."
"Maybe even the ancestor in Heaven is tired of seeing him every week."
"Yeah. It's disrespectful for trash like him to visit the tomb."
Yama heard every word.
But he ignored them.
After living for thousands of years and judging countless souls, such insults meant nothing to him.
They were beneath his attention.
Eventually, he arrived at the burial site.
A dusty tomb stood before him.
The stone was cracked.
The name carved on it was barely readable.
The entire place looked like it might collapse at any moment.
Yama frowned.
The Ye Clan doesn't even maintain their ancestor's tomb.
It seems Ye Ji was the only one who cared enough to visit.
He stepped forward slowly.
Let's see what exactly Ye Ji used to do here.