Traveler of the River of Time and Space-Chapter 214 - 10: I’m Not Dealing with This Anymore

"You're not my match," Su Ziyu said earnestly.

The bone woman was a Ghost Emissary of the Netherworld. Su Ziyu didn't want to cause too much of a conflict with the Netherworld, so he simply coated his blade with Spiritual Lightning without intending to kill her. However, he didn't expect this bone woman to be quite determined. Seeing Su Ziyu trying to enter the Imperial City, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand up again to attack.

"Bone woman, back down," a deep male voice suddenly rang out.

Clang.

Su Ziyu easily parried the attack with his sword and looked up to see the Judge of the Netherworld not far away.

"Master Judge," the bone woman sheathed her sword and stepped back.

"You want to see Lord Yama? Follow me!" The Judge said, expressionless, and turned to enter the hall.

Su Ziyu sheathed his sword and followed.

Just as he stepped into the hall, his expression froze because sitting atop wasn't Lord Yama, but rather a young girl around seven or eight years old. The Judge stood behind her, holding an ancient book, and shouted at Su Ziyu: "Who exactly are you? Why isn't your name on the Book of Life and Death?"

Book of Life and Death?

Does Fusang's Netherworld also have a Book of Life and Death?

Su Ziyu focused on the ancient book in the Judge's hand, sensing a slight anomaly in the data streaming in his mind.

—"Book of Life and Death (Fake) [Legendary Artifact]!"

So it was just a counterfeit.

Su Ziyu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and then looked up, saying, "I'm just a traveler passing through."

The Judge naturally didn't believe him. He stepped forward as ghostly flames rose around him and interrogated, "Why did you come here? What is your purpose?"

Su Ziyu's brow furrowed upon hearing this, sensing something was amiss. He looked at the Judge and said, "I only came here by chance."

"As for the purpose, does helping you solve your current problem count as a purpose?"

The Judge clearly didn't believe him because ink-like marks resembling chains already floated around Su Ziyu, seemingly intending to bind him.

"You were the ones who wanted me to be this Soul Guide!"

Su Ziyu's expression showed a hint of anger as he placed his hand on the sword hilt, saying, "Turning hostile so quickly?"

Lord Yama should truly be missing.

The little girl sitting in the hall was definitely not Lord Yama. But Su Ziyu didn't expect the Judge before him would try to apprehend him before he could even ask a question.

Such an incredible display of authority!

"You just assumed your position, and the seal of Rashomon was destroyed in secret," the Judge said expressionlessly, "Your suspicion is the greatest!"

"Put down your weapon."

"We will naturally let you go once we uncover the truth."

What does the destruction of Rashomon's seal have to do with me?

Su Ziyu was almost amused by anger, saying sternly, "Wasn't it you who asked me to guard the Vermilion Bird Dao? If the seal of Rashomon was destroyed, shouldn't your suspicion be the greatest?"

"Are you trying to frame me as a scapegoat?"

"By the way."

"You were the one who suddenly asked me to be the Soul Guide yesterday, right? Could it be you already knew what would happen today?"

If I hadn't agreed yesterday?

Wouldn't he have turned hostile then?

The girl might just be a puppet, and the one who invited him to serve the Netherworld yesterday was likely this Judge before him. Su Ziyu was initially puzzled about why he encountered such a situation right after assuming his position, but now it seemed he was being framed.

I came here to help save the world, not to take the blame.

Su Ziyu initially wanted to investigate what issues were occurring in the Netherworld and see if he could lend them a hand, but before he could ask, a black stain had already dropped from the sky.

"Princess Tsukihime," the Judge turned his head to the little girl beside him, saying, "This person's identity is unknown; we must not trust his nonsense."

"Today, the Black and White Ghost Emissaries found out that he colluded with demons from Danbo Mountain!"

"This person's words can't be trusted!"

Danbo Mountain?

I've only been to Danbo Mountain once, and you claim I colluded with demons?

Su Ziyu frowned, feeling he was truly being set up. He had been in this world for just three days. On the first night, he encountered Aoandon, the second night he went to Danbo Mountain, then returned to take up the position of Soul Guide at the Netherworld, and on the third day, such events transpired, leading to him being framed.

Who is scheming against me?

Aoandon?

Or this Netherworld Judge before me?

Or perhaps I've been caught up in some underworld conflict?

Where has Lord Yama gone? What is the identity of the girl named Tsukihime? Why is the Judge trying to frame me?

As Su Ziyu grew increasingly confused, the Judge shouted, "Come! Seize him!"

The Black and White Ghost Emissaries appeared.

A large number of Ghost Messengers patrolled behind them, and Su Ziyu had just helped them yesterday. Yet today, these individuals presented a cold demeanor with a frog demon not yet transformed held captive behind them, the very one from the Cyan Bamboo Forest Inn.

Chains drawn with ink marks began to extend toward him.

—"Flashing!"

Su Ziyu's figure suddenly appeared outside the hall. He glanced at the Ghost Messengers surrounding him from all sides, raised his hand, and struck the hall with a lightning bolt.

—"Thunder Strike!"

Rumble! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

An astonishing lightning bolt descended from the sky.

After delivering the strike, Su Ziyu didn't look back. Without glancing at the situation behind him, he took to the air, swiftly heading outside the Imperial City. Having experienced many worlds, this was the first time he encountered such a situation. In the past, he only needed to help those he could and focus on dealing with monsters. But unexpectedly, in this world, he was instead framed for these actions.

It's evident someone is using him as a scapegoat; everything that happened tonight is no coincidence.

Su Ziyu was somewhat angry, even considering abandoning the main mission and letting the people fend for themselves.

It's merely a chaos of yin and yang.

Even though this world is already a place where humans, ghosts, and demons coexist, his goodwill has led to such troubles, so perhaps it's best to let them sort it out themselves.

With a change of thought.

Su Ziyu made up his mind. Completing the main mission would undoubtedly require leveraging the power of the Netherworld, but given the current situation, the Netherworld is deeply troubled with Lord Yama missing and the Judge trying to frame him. Under these circumstances, intervening poses tremendous risks—better to abandon the main mission altogether and deal with demons and spirits to earn Source Power Value instead.

All along, Su Ziyu had carried a savior-like mentality, but this time he felt a lack of desire to intervene.

He wasn't planning to be a savior.

Previously, he was willing to help because the people he encountered were respectful, whether it was Pasha, York, the Winter Witch, Van Helsing, or the female warlocks. There were no hidden schemes, and he aided them when he could.

But upon arriving in this world, Aoandon led him to Danbo Mountain just to use his hand against Jiutun Tongzi. In his kindhearted attempt to help the Netherworld with their ghost problems, he was framed shortly after.

Such distressful matters truly made Su Ziyu feel tired.

The wind howled.

Su Ziyu's figure flew beneath the night sky, and in a blink, he rushed out of the Imperial City's realm. Turning his head, he saw the hall had been struck to ruins by his lightning.

The figure of the Judge stood in the rubble, a barrier painted like an ink painting protecting the others.

Shit!

Su Ziyu turned and raised his middle finger at them and flew towards the outskirts of the Ghost Capital.

Go ahead and do what you wish!

This matter isn't my concern.

For the first time, Su Ziyu entertained the notion of abandoning his mission, feeling instantly relieved.

This is your world, not mine.

I wanted to help because I possess the Space-Time Monitor System, which exists to cleanse polluted worlds, but my mission isn't this—I am merely a lost being seeking to return home.

.........