Chapter 4: Three Tiers
So, at this moment, being received by Yama was simply the most unexpected thing she could have imagined, either in life or in death. She felt she hadn’t done anything particularly remarkable.
Yama did not answer directly. Instead, he tapped his finger lightly. “The Eighteen Levels of Hell are divided into three tiers, with six levels per tier. The lower six levels are for those who committed evil deeds in life.”
A screen materialized in the air, displaying scenes from the lower six levels. It showed that punishments varied greatly for those sentenced to these levels. The legendary tortures—being fried in oil vats or climbing mountains of knives—were all present here, repeating in endless cycles.
“These evil spirits must endure punishment in the lower six levels. Only after shedding their sins can they be reincarnated, and even then, they are restricted to the Animal Realm or the Asura Realm. Naturally, if their sins cannot be fully cleansed, they are cast into the Hungry Ghost Realm or the Hell Realm, condemned to never achieve liberation.”
As he spoke, the image on the screen changed. This scene was much more peaceful. Souls were seen registering in an orderly fashion, receiving a card that allowed them to enter the Reincarnation Department. They first crossed the Naihe Bridge, shedding tears of five flavors, then drank Meng Po’s Soup, and finally passed through a door.
“This is the middle six levels. Those here enter the Human Realm based on their actions in their previous lives. They may be reborn as either rich or poor. However, the ‘rich’ in this tier are those who become suddenly wealthy—what you humans call nouveau riche. Similarly, those reborn as the poor might become beggars with nothing. Regardless of their new status, it serves as a summary of their previous life.”
After finishing his explanation, the screen changed again. This environment was even more serene, and each person seemed to emit a different aura—some golden, some silver, and others purple, varying in intensity.
“The upper six levels determine whether you will be a noble person or a deity in your next life. Those with pale purple or silver auras can become nobles to varying degrees; some may become emperors, others high ministers. Those with golden auras can ascend directly to the Ghost Immortal Department to cultivate, with the potential to become true immortals in the future.”
Having finished his introduction, Yama waved his hand, and the images in the air vanished.
Zhu Yanyi nodded as she listened, though confusion still lingered on her face. “Telling me all this shouldn’t have anything to do with me. If I belonged to any of these three categories, you probably wouldn’t have bothered to meet with me.”
Zhu Yanyi’s intelligence was actually not low; she had scored 130 on IQ tests before her death. However, she was lazy and disliked mental exertion, which sometimes made her appear unintelligent. Yet, the actions of Yama before her now made the usually mentally lazy Zhu Yanyi clearly perceive his underlying intent.
Hearing this, Yama looked deeply at Zhu Yanyi, a trace of appreciation in his eyes. His assessment of her had shifted. He had once doubted her intelligence, but now he reconsidered. If she were truly unintelligent, she wouldn’t have seen through the hidden implications. Yet, if she were truly smart, her previous life wouldn’t have been so mundane. Yama sometimes found Zhu Yanyi hard to read. A person capable of doing good deeds could not be evil, so her life shouldn’t have ended up in such a state—marriage failed, no offspring. She was a contradictory figure, and yet here she was, standing before him. He sighed. Since matters had come to light, he had to tie up the loose ends. He only hoped such anomalies would not occur again in the future.