Yama's expression darkened the instant the young woman crashed into the wagon.
She had landed directly on top of him, then started ordering people around as though he did not even exist.
Does she think I'm air?
Since when could people casually climb on top of the Lord of Hell and bark commands?
He looked at her coldly.
"Young lady, would you kindly get off me now?"
The girl suddenly froze.
Only then did she realize she had landed on someone.
She immediately stood up, glanced at Yama, and gave a cold snort.
"Hmph."
Without another word, she stepped out of the wagon and walked toward the group restraining her brother with a rope.
Meanwhile, Yama had already opened the Judgment Book.
The moment she landed on him, the book had automatically recorded her details.
Name: Ying YueTitle: Princess of the Green Heaven KingdomAge: 15 years, 1 monthCultivation Rank: 8th Stage – Nascent RealmWarrior Rank: 2nd Stage – Sword NascentFate: Will become one of the top five experts on the continent
Yama's eyes narrowed slightly.
A princess?
He closed the book and looked up.
Ye Ming and Yu Yan were both staring at him strangely.
He had gone still for a few moments while reading, so naturally they thought something was wrong.
Ye Ming, in particular, was uneasy.
He had clearly heard Yama address the girl as "young lady," even though she looked older than him. On top of that, Ye Ming could sense her cultivation rank, and someone so young yet so powerful could only come from a terrifying background.
He had been worried she might take offense.
Fortunately, she had simply snorted and walked away.
Yu Yan, meanwhile, looked at Yama with concern.
Yama ignored both of them.
His attention was already elsewhere.
Why was the Princess of the Green Heaven Kingdom this far from her kingdom?
He turned to look at Ying Yue again.
She was dragging a rope with one hand, pulling someone toward her carriage.
Yama's eyes sharpened.
The person tied to the rope was a young man.
His body was covered in blood, and his arms were stained with fresh wounds. He looked as though he had just come out of a brutal fight.
The men surrounding him were also injured.
At first glance, they looked like ordinary escorts, but Yama now knew they were Ying Yue's guards.
Why is she treating her own brother like this?
As Yama was observing the scene, the Judgment Book suddenly began vibrating violently.
His face stiffened.
Oh no.
Don't tell me you're going to send me flying again.
The last time the book reacted like this, he had been blasted across a tomb and knocked unconscious.
But fortunately, nothing happened.
Yama opened it quickly.
His eyes widened.
A red-glowing page had appeared, and on it was the image of a golden whip.
Yama recognized it instantly.
How could he not?
That was his personal whip.
Its purpose was simple.
To chase.
To punish.
To kill.
And to train demons.
Demons were common in Hell. They had been created by the Hell Hall to carry out Yama's orders, especially in the Netherworld, where they specialized in tormenting sinful souls and hunting down traitors and semi-demons.
Semi-demons were humans possessed by evil spirits. Once possessed, they lost all control over themselves. Their bodies became vessels for slaughter, and their consciousness was reduced to a near-vegetative state.
But what enraged Yama most was not the page itself.
It was the red glow.
If the Judgment Book glowed red, it did not indicate a semi-demon.
It meant something worse.
A true demon of Hell had escaped and was now possessing a human body.
If the Hell Hall ever learned that one of their own creations had escaped into the mortal world, the punishment would be immediate.
Death.
No reincarnation.
No mercy.
And that punishment was personally carried out by Yama.
His gaze shifted toward Ying Yue's brother.
So it's him.
Then an idea formed in Yama's mind.
He raised his voice.
"Young lady over there, if I can cure your brother, what will you give me?"
Ying Yue turned sharply.
For a moment, she thought she had misheard him.
This skinny boy, who had no trace of cultivation, had just asked her that?
Ye Ming almost choked.
What is this brat doing?
Does he have a death wish?
"Brat!" Ying Yue snapped. "Do you even understand the situation here?"
Yama answered calmly, "I understand it perfectly."
Then, seeing the way she was looking at him, he added coldly,
"And don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to impress you. I've seen celestial beauties far more beautiful than you."
"You...!"
Ying Yue nearly lost control on the spot.
As the princess of the Green Heaven Kingdom, she was used to people trying to please her wherever she went.
This was the first time someone had dismissed her so casually.
Ye Ming, on the other hand, felt a headache coming on.
The Ye Clan already had enough enemies.
The last thing he needed was Ye Ji provoking some noble genius from a powerful kingdom.
You brat... you were locked in that broken shed for years. Since when have you seen celestial beauties?
Of course, he had no way of knowing that the one sitting there was not Ye Ji at all.
It was Yama.
A being who had fought wars against Heaven itself.
A princess from a mortal kingdom could never shake him.
Ying Yue forced herself to calm down.
Then she looked at Yama coldly.
"What makes you think you can cure him?"
"He's possessed. Even the top five experts on the continent couldn't do anything. What can you possibly do with no cultivation at all?"
Yama met her gaze without flinching.
"I have my own methods."
Then he asked plainly,
"Do you want him cured or not?"
Ye Ming could not hold back any longer.
"Ye Ji, what the young miss says is true. Possession is not a simple matter. Even a small mistake could kill him."
"I know," Yama replied.
"But the experts have already failed. What makes you think I will fail as well?"
Ye Ming fell silent.
He hated to admit it, but Yama's logic was sound.
There was no better option left.
Still, inwardly, he was panicking.
You little idiot, don't you understand? You'll be killed by the demon before you even touch him.
Ying Yue stared at Yama.
He was too calm.
Too confident.
It made no sense.
But she was desperate.
"Fine," she said at last. "If you're so confident, then do it."
Yama's expression did not change.
"Nothing in this world is free."
Ying Yue's patience snapped again.
"What do you want?"
Yama answered as if he were asking for a cup of tea.
"You."
"I want you to become my follower."
Silence.
Then one of the guards exploded.
"Insolent brat! Do you even know who the young miss is?"
Ye Ming nearly collapsed.
Young Master... you are not even fit to carry her shoes and you want her as a follower?
But Yama did not care.
"I don't care who she is," he said coldly. "Even if she were the heavens' favored daughter, I still wouldn't care. Those are my conditions."
Ying Yue's eyes flashed with fury.
But after several moments, she forced herself to nod.
"Fine. I accept."
Then her tone turned icy.
"But if you fail, you are not leaving here alive."
Yama rose to his feet.
"Don't regret your words once I succeed."
He walked toward the possessed youth.
The young man's face twisted as the demon within him sneered.
"You look weak enough to die from a breeze. If I weren't tied up, I'd kill you in an instant."
It laughed madly.
"Even the top five experts of this world couldn't drive me out. What can a little lamb like you do?"
Yama kept walking.
Then he said quietly,
"Oh? So you don't recognize me?"
With a thought, he summoned the Judgment Book.
He made it visible only to the demon.
The demon's face changed instantly.
Its body trembled.
Its eyes widened in sheer horror.
How could it not know that book?
How could it not know the being standing in front of it now?
The Judgment Book was the ultimate symbol of fear in Hell.
Ying Yue and the guards were confused.
They could not see the book.
All they saw was their young master suddenly going silent and starting to shake.
Ying Yue's heart sank.
A terrible premonition rose in her chest.
Don't tell me... he can actually do it?
If he cured her brother, then by her own words, she would have to become his follower.
Ye Ming was equally stunned.
He had no idea what was happening, only that the demon had suddenly become terrified of Ye Ji.
The demon itself was in disbelief.
Why is the Lord of Hell here?
Did he come down personally... for me?
Its thoughts turned chaotic.
It tried to steady itself, but the fear remained.
"You... you think I'm scared of you?" it stammered.
Yama's lips curled slightly.
"Oh? Then maybe you'll recognize this."
He opened the Judgment Book and reached toward the glowing red page.
Slowly, he pulled out the handle of a golden whip.
Electricity crackled along its length as it emerged from the page.
The demon nearly collapsed.
If it had any doubts before, they were gone now.
That whip was more terrifying to demons than the Judgment Book itself.
Especially when it was in the hand of the one person they feared most.
The Lord of Hell.
"L-Lord... forgive me."
The demon dropped to its knees instantly.
Its entire body shook in terror.
It knew there was no escape now.
None.
Everyone else was stunned speechless.
To them, the demon that had resisted the strongest experts on the continent was now kneeling before a seemingly powerless boy and begging for mercy.
They could not understand what they were seeing.
Even without seeing the whip, their minds were shaken.
"Get out of his body," Yama ordered.
The demon trembled and lowered its head.
"Yes... Lord."
It obeyed immediately.
A black-red figure tore itself out of the youth's body and knelt before Yama.
Yu Yan screamed and ran behind Ye Ming.
"AHH! Monster!"
Ying Yue and the guards stared in horror.
The demon had black wings full of holes, a long red tail, broken horns, and a body covered in red flesh streaked with darkness.
Its appearance alone was enough to terrify them.
Yama raised the golden whip.
Then he struck.
CRACK!
The whip came down on the demon's head.
Electricity erupted.
The demon did not even resist.
It was reduced to ashes in an instant.
Gone.
To Ying Yue and the others, who still could not see the whip, it looked as if Yama had simply waved his hand and erased the demon from existence.
One thought flashed through all their minds at once.
Expert.
Ye Ming was completely numb.
How can Young Master Ye Ji be this strong?
Wasn't he crippled by the Chen Clan?
Has he been hiding all this time?
Yama ignored their shock and turned toward Ying Yue.
"So," he said calmly, "you'll keep your promise, won't you?"