The Auspicious Cloud touched down.
At the entrance to the Netherworld, it was not Judge Lu who came to meet them, but Ox-Head and Horse-Face.
The two underworld marshals welcomed them with a dense throng of ghost soldiers, putting on quite a show.
Such had always been the way of the Three Realms: the higher immortals held a meeting and decided the overall policy off the tops of their heads, while mid-ranking Immortal Officials read their superiors' intentions and worked out the particulars. In the end, the ones who actually did the backbreaking work were always the lowest-ranking Immortal Officials and clerks.
Did they feel wronged?
The two underworld marshals wore broad smiles, nodding and bowing. There was not a trace of grievance on their faces!
For those serving at the bottom of the Netherworld, being useful was their greatest worth. If they could not even get an errand to run, their colleagues would probably have tossed them into the River of Forgetfulness to feed the fish long ago.
Each had their duties, and each had their worth.
But that was a digression.
Chen Wei's heart burned with urgency. He had no time for pleasantries with the underworld marshals. Sun Wukong led the way, with him and the false Yang Chan close behind. They passed straight through the realm gate and made for the Ten Kings Hall.
Inside the Ten Kings Hall.
The Ten Yama Kings had been waiting for some time, their eyes lowered to their noses and their attention turned inward, ready for whatever came.
"My ten elder brothers!" Sun Wukong stepped through the hall doors and grinned. "Congratulations! Old Sun has brought you good news today. Back then, you couldn't tell the Six-Eared Macaque apart, and your colleagues throughout the Three Realms laughed at you for who