All spirits must report to the King of Spirits, yet Ying'er is a first-rank beauty from the Heavenly Realm and thus cannot enter the Spirit World. The King of Spirits wishes to draw out Ying'er's blood, hoping eventually to leave only her spirit within her body, while draining away her blood. Ying'er now deeply regrets having listened to the advice of a serving maid sent by the Heavenly Emperor and gone to the back gate of Xingle Palace—unaware that this back gate of Xingle Palace is not the Peach Garden, but rather a passage leading directly to the Underworld. Between the Heavenly and Spirit Realms, there lies only the Meng River. It is quite strange that, out of curiosity, she had seen the scenery on the other side of the river—spring flowers flourishing, lush trees shading the ground—so she crossed over on the single wooden bridge. Halfway across the bridge, however, she regretted her decision, for the bridge was trembling and nearly collapsed, and she had nearly fallen into the deep ravine below. A great crane swooped down to save her, and in self-defense, Ying'er activated one of her precious treasures—the Jilingshun. "Soon, a golden shield materialized before Ying'er. 'Crack! Crack! Crack!' Three impacts, and the Celestial Eagle and the Giant Spirit collided. Ah! Ying'er cried out in pain as the Giant Spirit was thrown high into the air by the Eagle's force, and she flew toward the Meng He Deep Gorge. Landing in the grassy thicket, Ying'er was wounded. At that moment, she suddenly saw the Buffalo-headed and Pig-headed Ghosts appearing before her, laughing wildly. These were the touring ghosts, who, upon spotting the beautiful young woman—so unexpectedly injured—were instantly delighted. 'Why not please the Ghost King?' they thought. So, the two ghosts seized and carried Ying'er into the Underworld. The scene shifted to the Underworld. The Ghost King, gazing at the celestial beauty Ying'er, tightly bound, felt a surge of desire. Yet, he could not directly violate her—ghosts and deities were never to be at odds. To satisfy his animal passion, he resorted to cruel measures to torment Ying'er. 'Buffalo Ghost! Pig Ghost!' Get this beautiful lady's bones snapped, then drain every drop of blood from her! Remember—well done, and you'll be richly rewarded!" The Ghost King gazed at Ying'er, his eyes glowing with desire. As two ghosts approached, tearing at her clothes, Ying'er struggled fiercely, even kicking them hard with her crystal heels—striking their abdomens and genitals, causing them to cry out in pain, tears streaming down their faces. The Ghost King was furious. How dare they dare to touch his own servants? Clearly, she needed to be made to feel the full weight of his authority. He ordered the still-pained Niu-Ghost and Zhu-Ghost to lift Ying'er and carry her toward a large cauldron. This was a massive pot used to cook and kill people—the oil inside surged and bubbled, revealing white, bone-white skeletons floating within. "Hah! Hah! Hah!" The Ghost King laughed with pride, his teeth gleaming fiercely. To Ying'er, it felt as though the end of the world had arrived. Just as the Niu Gui and Zhu Gui were about to throw Ying'er into the oil pot, the pot suddenly gave a loud crack, as if struck by something—shaking and nearly toppling over. Hot oil splashed out, landing precisely on the faces and bodies of the two spirits. "Ah! Oh!" the two spirits cried out, startled by the heat, and immediately released their grip, securing Ying'er's safety. But the Ghost King had already grown impatient and stepped in himself, pressing Ying'er with force and roaring, "If you agree to become my favorite consort, I will spare your life; otherwise, you will meet a fate worse than that of ordinary ghosts—dying in a most miserable way. Should you yield, I will allow you to live as half-immortal, half-ghost!" "Ha! Ghost King! Never! You're dreaming!" Ying'er's words infuriated the Ghost King, who drew his face taut as if a train had stretched it. He then roared like a lion, "Well! Well!" "If you won't agree, then I'll pull out your sinews, peel off your skin, drink your blood, and devour your flesh!" With that, she opened her mouth wide like a blood-filled basin, extended a crimson tongue over two meters long, and raised her two sharp, clawed hands—her appearance was terrifying. Ying'er, injured and bound, could do nothing but endure; though her body was restrained, she would never yield. Even if she died, her pure form would not be stained by the spirits. In her heart, she cried out: "Husband! I must go! I can't stay with you for life. In my heart, I will always love you!" With those words, she closed her eyes, ready to cut her own throat. At this moment, the Ghost King had already resorted to his most cruel tactics. When the tip of his sharp claw was just three centimeters from Ying'er's chest, a sudden cry of agony escaped him. "Ah! Ah!" His claw was struck by a stone the size of an egg, and immediately began to bleed profusely. Rising immediately, a handsome and graceful young man appeared before the Ghost King, radiating regal presence with a firm, confident gaze that conveyed an unshakable dignity. "Husband!" Ying'er was filled with excitement. Gao Liang, seeing his wife Ying'er bound by ropes, grew furious and roared at the Ghost King, "Anyone who dares to touch my wife shall die!" He then advanced step by step, determined. The Ghost King, skeptical about the man's true capabilities, bellowed to the spirits of the Underworld, "You all—get moving! Everyone must bring your strongest skills to bear. As long as you knock him down, you'll be richly rewarded!" The numerous minor spirits swiftly surged forth, each grabbing their weapons, forming an iron wall that surrounded Gao Liang. Ying'er grew concerned for Gao Liang's safety. After all, she knew that even the most powerful deities in the immortal realm could sometimes fall short in the Underworld, where the heavy阴 (yin) atmosphere was particularly challenging to the abilities of celestial beings. Indeed, a surge of阴气 rose in the Underworld. Amidst this chill, Gao Liang began to feel dizzy; the local land spirit could no longer resist, and would have fallen to the ground if not for Gao Liang holding him firmly. The Ghost King laughed heartily, "In the realm of the Dead, I hold supreme authority—no matter what challenge arises, I have never failed to accomplish it. Though you are a deity from the Heaven Realm, in my domain, you are under my direct jurisdiction! This very阴气 is composed of the souls of countless deceased beings from the Ghost Realm. Each soul carries a unique power drawn from the Underworld. When these countless souls' energies gather together, they form an unstoppable force known as the Spirit of the Underworld. Even the most powerful immortals find themselves overwhelmed! Hah! Hah! You're finished!" As the Ghost King laughed, Gao Liang's dizziness intensified and his steps grew increasingly unsteady. Meanwhile, the land spirit grew completely paralyzed, collapsing to the ground, utterly unconscious, no matter how hard Gao Liang pulled at him. Good heavens! I never expected the阴气 of the spirit realm to be so powerful—clearly, I've underestimated the abilities of the King of Spirits. Now, at this very moment, the King, driven by his own desires, has been relentlessly pressing against Ying'er. Ying'er wishes to cut her own throat to die, yet the King of the Underworld, as a sovereign of the profound and ethereal, will not allow it. No matter what—you will die, but your life shall remain in my hands. Once you arrive in the spirit realm, your life belongs entirely to me.