Chapter 612: God of Blessings and Virtue, Great Emperor of Fengdu!

Five Direction Ghost Emperors, City Gods and Land Spirits!

Swept up by the great momentum of changes in the netherworld, Houtu openly extended a hand from reincarnation, penetrating yin and yang.

After Honghuang's rules changed, from then on the netherworld's underworld gained who knows how many eyes and ears among heaven, earth, mountains and rivers, silently recording the changes of the times, registering the merits and demerits of all beings.

A nascent form of a huge force collapsed here with a boom, making all the gods tremble.

Furthermore, they will continue to feel terrified.

Because Houtu's steps have not stopped.

It is rare to hold great power, and what he holds is still the supreme authority of Nüwa Mother's creation and reincarnation combined; Fengxi has a belly full of ideas he wants to realize.

He has wanted to act recklessly for a long time!

Although he cannot say it openly, out of respect for Nüwa Mother.

But behind the scenes, Fengxi also muttered a lot—Nüwa's held authority, compared to what she actually does, is really wasteful.

If it were him, he could do even more!

Although it would be tiring… Fengxi privately thinks that here, Nüwa's petty nature is at work, instinctively slacking off, loafing, and nurturing health by idling.

Obviously.

Nüwa lacks a boss who can discipline her, a strict father.

Originally there was such a Langmie.

Too bad.

Sometime ago, Xihuang's dignity disappeared, and he lost his restraint over Nüwa.

Thus, no one could press Nüwa to work calmly in the office.

"What a pity……"

Fengxi's heart turned with thoughts of great disrespect.

However, at this moment the matter is of great importance; soon he will suppress that thought, letting Houtu freely exert within the laws of reincarnation, continuing to perfect 'her' blueprint.

Five Direction Ghost Emperors, City Gods and Land Spirits……this is not the end.

Because these are all 'officials'; below we still need 'clerks' to be considered preliminarily complete.

Even the poorest lands have official status, heavenly favor, and a cosmic position……this can be considered as 'staffing'.

Since we have staffing and formal employees……we must have temporary workers!

That way, even if mistakes occur in some matters, there is room for mediation and resolution.

After all, no one can guarantee that the netherjudiciary system will never make mistakes, nor that its staff will never err.

Especially before, Houtu even issued a military order!

Three thousand years!

Three thousand years will surely bear fruit!

Special times, special handling.

The netherjudiciary system must leave room for variables to exist, able to handle various difficult and miscellaneous affairs with ease……temporary workers are a very good thing.

Of course.

Think, you can think that way.

Say…… you can't say it like that.

Houtu ultimately represents the benevolent aspect of the human Dao, still has a certain moral bottom line, and still cares about face.

In the end, one must use euphemistic language and attach various titles that sound good at first hearing.

Judges will not be few.

Marshals are never too many.

Wrap it up a bit, and it becomes ghost upon ghost.

"Mm……"

Houtu suddenly seemed lost in thought.

"Actually, I can still do this……"

"The Heavenly Court is causing trouble, putting my presided-over reincarnation divine sect at risk of reputational bankruptcy."

"Some veteran officials of many years have merit points but are embarrassed by having no good womb to reincarnate into."

"This won't do……if reputation is gone, people's hearts will scatter; how can we still lead troops?"

Houtu admits that the Heavenly Court's move is indeed harsh, striking straight at a soft spot.

But now, it seems there is room for maneuver.

"But now that the netherjudiciary system is established, isn't this a great opportunity to bluff our way through?"

"A large portion of people……what do they seek by wanting a good rebirth? Isn't it just good afterlife welfare, wanting to win at the starting line?"

"To act tough, you have to rely on pretending."

"Happiness depends on comparison."

"In the end, what is sought is just to be a cut above others."

"In my netherjudiciary… hoping to be a cut above humans is hopeless, but being a cut above ghosts is not difficult."

"The netherjudiciary has just been formed; all affairs await revival!"

"Compared to after reincarnation and rebirth, where past lives are completely forgotten and one knows not when they might be recalled……my netherjudiciary of the underworld can now take office……don't treat minor clerks as non‑officials!"

"Being able to look down on ordinary minor ghosts, attaining the rank of high ghost……one can also have a promotion path, upon regularization receive heavenly investiture, enjoy heavenly favor, step onto the most orthodox path of ghost‑god cultivation, and obtain a transformation of the essence of life!"

"And I……"

"Then I have freeloaded on their labor……they handle netherworld affairs, adjust ghostly sentiments, sort out reincarnation, which actually can be seen as helping me cultivate the path of yin virtue!"

"Great perfection of yin virtue—this is no dream!"

Even to the point of……

"Houtu"'s eyes sparkled, she thought of a wonderful idea, but this is not something to be told to outsiders.

One stone, many birds—I'm really clever!

"Houtu" was spirited and full of vigor: "On one hand, in the shortest time we can gather the workers needed to support the operation of the Netherworld Office."

"On the other hand, it indirectly defused the crisis of impending reputational bankruptcy and neutralized the Heavenly Court's sinister scheme."

"Furthermore, I've freeloaded countless laborers, letting them continue to work for me, follow my path, and support my journey farther!"

"The Way of the Five Virtues perhaps offers hope of reaching the summit via this."

"Even if my current core ambition for the peak is no longer centered on the Five Virtues… having this extra card is still good."

The Way of the Five Virtues consists of sagely virtue, merit, blessing virtue, morality, and yin merit!

They complement each other, and when complete, in theory they can summon a divine dragon… no, they can ascend to the summit of Pangu.

This is a path that can unite with Nüwa's Way of Creation and Reincarnation—a route to judge superiority!

Of course, this has demands on timing.

Nowadays it's a chaotic age; this is hardly the time for such a governing Way to shine.

After all, taking a step of the same distance, others do it with ease, while Fengxi can exhaust himself to the point of vomiting blood.

However.

In a daze, Fengxi suddenly looked back and realized—he had already gone seventy‑eighty percent!

Indeed, many kind people helped, fearing he would fall behind.

For example, the Great Sage Fuxi, for example, Lady Nüwa, for example, Lady Houtu…

The Way of Merit, Fengxi inherited from the Great Sage Fuxi… taking it over is already the peak, fundamentally requiring no effort.

Sagely virtue?

Fengxi sincerely thanks Lady Nüwa for making him Human Emperor; he also thanks the Ancestor Witch Houtu for letting him act as Houtu temporarily.

Humans and the Wu Clan were originally one people; now he has become the leader of both, which can be called a kind of fulfillment!

Even aside from humans, there are the Dragon Clan, Demon Race, Ghost Clan, and so on… but these are no problem.

As long as we trounce the Demon Race, crush the Dragon Clan, and remove most obstacles… these align with the humans' path to ascend as protagonists of heaven and earth, naturally drawing many powerful helpers who can provide free labor!

As for ghosts, this special product… Fengxi also has plans in mind.

In this era, having maxed out achievements, combined with the gift of the August Emperor Heavenly Emperor…

Sagely virtue's ascent to the utmost peak is not a dream but reality.

Merit is innately possessed; sagely virtue is imminent.

Only yin merit, blessing virtue, and morality remain.

Is it difficult?

Fengxi once thought it difficult, but having truly reached this point, he no longer feels so.

—As the embodiment of benevolent thought in the human Way, the integrity he upholds in his heart is morality!

When he wields this authority, aided by the gift of the Eastern August Emperor—the law that binds the moral baseline, shatters the Wu‑slaying Sword, reforms the human Way, the Way of Morality cultivates itself without practice!

Moreover, with the recent changes in the Underworld, the Netherworld Office established, driving the souls of all beings, the path walked is Fengxi's Way of Yin Merit…

As long as the three‑year military order is fulfilled successfully, this Way of Yin Merit will be engraved into the deepest part of the human Way, becoming an iron law!

Yin merit's fulfillment is already beckoning!

Thus, the Five Virtues are four‑fold complete, lacking only blessing virtue.

However, this poses some difficulty.

Relying solely on the cloud cultivation once polished by the ancient Red Cloud God, the accumulated blessing merit… falls far short compared to other 'peers'.

However, it's no problem.

Looking back, Fengxi just skims a bit of the Netherworld Office's dividends… chasing that one sheep of yin merit, adding another sheep of blessing virtue—what's the big deal?

For example, give the earth god, this lowest‑level formal employee, a bit more burden.

—From now on.

—You earth lords, also call me the 'Prosperity Virtue Proper God'!

Merge the cloud cultivation platform, handle finances; additionally, manage the Netherworld Office's affairs, regulate yin and yang, entrust dreams with blessings; finally, the Way of Houtu, governing mountains and rivers, abundant harvests, all things thriving…

As for blessing virtue, don't define it too rigidly; be inclusive… here do a bit of the Wealth God's work, there do a bit of the Blessing God's affairs—for the great undertaking of a sage sovereign, you earth lords should become the most widespread faith under heaven!

Little by little accumulates, and blessing virtue can also rise to prominence!

"Five‑Virtue Sage Sovereign… Five‑Virtue Sage Sovereign!"

Fengxi sighed deeply from within; he has finally arrived at this step.

All along the way, looking back, every brick on the road is inscribed with 'cheat', 'kind person'… and so on and so forth.

"Lady Nüwa… truly a great good person."

Fengxi silently sent Lady Nüwa a 'good‑person card'.

Sincerely.

Without Nüwa, there would be no present him.

Thus, Fengxi's conviction is further strengthened…

He must rescue his own 'daughter'—the girl!

"Girl, wait for me…"

"Houtu" lowered her eyelids slightly: "One day I will make the culprit who caused your downfall pay the harshest price!"

"Even if I stake everything I have!"

In Fengxi's heart burns a fire, that mad, that terrifying.

……

"Houtu" is very sincere.

Since they want to freely obtain countless laborers to help "her" cultivate the Yin Virtue Great Dao, the treatment won't be lacking.

Especially, that beneficial yet cost-free thing—assigning temporary workers in the departments under officials such as Ghost Emperors, City Gods, Realm Lords, and Land Gods each a respectable-sounding name.

What a civil and military judge!

What an Ox and Horse Marshal!

What a Day-and-Night Wandering Deity!

What a Shackles Marshal!

Etc.

In every bureau and department, each worker's job title sounds far more impressive than that of a City God or Land God at first hearing.

Of course, in terms of actual divine favor, it's not the case.

Only those who have secured an official staffing position, becoming official members of the Yin Bureau, truly enjoy guaranteed harvests regardless of drought or flood—an iron rice bowl.

And the deployments and administrative organs, each under the command of these ghost emperors, city gods, realm lords, and land gods, with different functions, also differ in scale.

The Three bureaus, Seven bureaus, Eight bureaus, Twenty-four bureaus, etc., are appropriately added or removed according to their respective situations.

When the design reached this point, Houtu slowly exhaled a breath.

The local administrative structure of the netherworld and the power structure of the Yin Bureau are basically complete!

In this system, the supervision of the process from life to death is meticulous to the extreme.

——When an ordinary person dies, as the body is buried, the seven po begin drawing lots and reporting to the Yin Bureau.

——The local land god receives the signal, begins organizing the deceased's information, compiling a record of their lifetime deeds……This is handled by his subordinates' workers, striving for detail, then uniformly reported upward to the realm lord.

The realm lord verifies, relying on broader information channels, to fill in the gaps.

After all, this is a world where cultivation flourishes, with myriad methods, and there is no shortage of those who can operate behind the scenes.

Secretly manipulating mental patients to commit mass slaughter of living beings while remaining hidden behind the scenes……This method of killing with a borrowed knife gains advantage yet stays unstained—how can that be allowed?

No matter what, they must be rooted out!

If the land god can't find it, then the realm lord checks.

If the realm lord sees nothing wrong, they continue reporting upward to the city god!

Baron, marquis, duke, finally reaching the king-ranked city god!

Past the king-ranked city god are the Five Direction Ghost Emperors!

The Five Direction Ghost Emperors are the final verification.

After passing their test, a living being's lifetime merits and faults are finally settled.

Unintentional faults and intentional crimes are all clearly distinguished, a thorough and final verdict upon the coffin!

Before the Five Direction Ghost Emperors, there is hardly any mistake……Because Houtu has already planned it, the ghost emperors will select top-tier great divine abilities to serve……With their strength, even an average-level Great Luo acting as a behind-the-scenes black hand would never dream of escaping guilt.

As for even stronger black hands……

There's no need to investigate.

First, it might not be possible to uncover; second……if it were uncovered, the ghost emperors might even suffer a sudden death.

Third.

Frankly, what ordinary living being would be worth such a person's scheming, just to commit a trifling sin?

Destroying the world—isn't that appealing?

If all else fails, one could directly assault the underworld and play at being a ghost emperor for fun!

Why be so petty?

……

To bring welfare to the people of the world, Houtu has exerted utmost effort, considering every aspect.

What is sought is just two words——

Justice!

The Yin Bureau system seeks justice……merit is merit, fault is fault!

All evidence is complete.

After repeated reviews, there is no wrongful accusation, nor anyone who can escape the law!

When Houtu's Dao is inscribed in the netherworld, allowing countless souls to naturally comprehend it.

First comes a moment of silence.

Then follows a thunderous cheer!

Too many, too many souls are shouting!

A just era is about to descend—who could not be delighted?

But this is not the glorious end of Houtu.

Gazing at the boiling, excited ghost populace, Houtu's mouth curled slightly, adding fuel to the fire.

"The Yin Bureau's system is theoretically good."

"But I still feel uneasy……After all, the Heavenly Court was once good as well."

"But now the Heavenly Court has fallen!"

Houtu threw shade at the Heavenly Court, then promoted herself.

"Thus it can be seen, for the Yin Bureau, having governance alone is not enough; oversight is also needed."

"So……I wish to select, from among the countless most ordinary ghost commoners, by the fairest means, an emperor……a supreme Great Emperor above the Five Direction Ghost Emperors!"

"Every three thousand years, a term change, to oversee the Yin Bureau, solely for fairness! Solely for justice!"

"It is……"

"Fengdu Great Emperor!"

"(End of chapter)"