Inside the basin, devastation lay everywhere, yet it bore a strange kind of "cleanliness." The Rule Tumor's enormous, twisted form had already vanished, leaving only traces of pure Netherworld Breath slowly returning to heaven and earth, nourishing this land that had been ravaged for so long. The collapsed altar ruins silently spoke of the brutal battle before, while the Energy Turbulence in the air gradually subsided. Only an inescapably heavy exhaustion and the silence of surviving a calamity shrouded Su Yan and the others.
They sat or lay where they were, nearly too exhausted even to speak. Relying solely on instinct, they slowly circulated their cultivation arts, absorbing the thin spiritual energy of the Netherworld, saturated with yin and deathly aura, in an attempt to regain even a little strength to move. Xingxuan lay beside Su Yan, too tired to even twitch its tail. Only the faint rise and fall of its shell proved it was still breathing, while its once-brilliant Star Map Veins had now dimmed completely.
Yet this dead silence did not last long.
From afar came the synchronized, heavy, rhythmic sound of marching footsteps, as though thousands upon thousands of troops were advancing in formation. Yet they carried a chill and grimness that no army of the living world possessed. Accompanying those footsteps was the crisp, distant chime of bells, as though they could cleanse the soul and stir the cycle of reincarnation. The sound drew nearer, entering everyone's ears with unmistakable order and authority.
Su Yan forced himself to raise his head and looked toward the source of the sound. At the edge of the basin, where the spatial barrier had once been twisted and blurry, a massive gateway emitting a faint blue-green glow had somehow opened. From within, ranks of expressionless underworld soldiers emerged in perfect formation, clad in standard dark armor and wielding Dark Iron Halberds that gleamed with cold light. Their auras were condensed and murderous, and every one of them was clearly above level 35. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, and in complete silence they swiftly and efficiently surrounded the entire basin, displaying astonishing military discipline.
At the front of the underworld soldiers were several Ghost Officials riding Netherworld Warhorses wreathed in soul flames. They wore the robes of civil officials, yet their auras were unfathomable. Their leader was a middle-aged scholar with an ancient, solemn face and an innate air of authority. He wore a Black Gauze Hat and a crimson Judge's Robe embroidered with savage Xiezhi patterns. In his hands, he held a golden book and a brush radiating the aura of reincarnation. He did not deliberately release any pressure, yet simply floating there, he seemed to become the center of heaven and earth itself. Even the Netherworld's naturally dim yellow light appeared brighter and more orderly around him.
[Cui Jue (Chief Judge of the Underworld)] (???) Level: ???
The probing skill returned a string of terrifying question marks. His strength clearly far exceeded anything Su Yan and the others could comprehend.
The Underworld's officials had finally arrived! And the one who had come was none other than the renowned Chief Judge—Cui Jue!
Cui Jue's gaze was as sharp as lightning as he slowly swept across the basin, passing over the pure Netherworld Breath left behind after the Rule Tumor's disappearance and the collapsed altar before finally settling on Su Yan's battered group sprawled on the ground. His eyes paused for a moment on the Compass in Su Yan's hand, which had not yet been fully put away and still flowed with starlight and ghostly radiance. A faint trace of surprise flickered across his otherwise impassive face.
"The Living?" Cui Jue spoke calmly, yet his voice carried an authority that pierced straight into the soul, as though he were stating a law of heaven and earth. "You trespassed into the Netherworld, disrupted yin and yang, and caused the rules of this place to tremble. Do you know your crime?"
His words were not a question but a flat statement, yet Su Yan and the others felt invisible pressure descend upon them. Even the surrounding underworld soldiers turned their eyes toward them at once, their icy killing intent almost tangible.
Mo Hen's face turned pale. He tried to explain, only to find that he could barely make a sound under that pressure. Bai Zhi pressed her palms together and silently recited a Buddhist Chant, using Buddhist teachings to steady her mind. Wisps of cloud and mist rippled around Yun Ji as she seemed to resist the pressure. Xingxuan let out a threatening growl. Though weak, it stubbornly stood in front of Su Yan.
Su Yan took a deep breath and forced his nearly broken body upright. He cupped his hands toward Cui Jue in the air, his voice hoarse but clear. "This junior, Su Yan, and my companions did not intentionally trespass into the Netherworld. We came to investigate the End Times Cult's scheme and stop them from using the Rule Tumor to connect to the Well of Guixu, bringing disaster upon the three realms. The Rule Tumor Your Excellency saw was formed from the ancient Netherworld Emperor You Huan after he was corrupted by the End Times. We risked our lives to purify its core will and make it Return to Silence. We also killed Nether Hall Master Ying Hai, who presided over this place. The disturbance was truly unavoidable. I ask that Your Honor judge the matter fairly."
He spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, laying out the entire sequence of events without concealment. In particular, he emphasized the key names: the "End Times Cult," the "Rule Tumor," the "Well of Guixu," and "Netherworld Emperor You Huan." He believed that with the abilities of an Underworld judge, Cui Jue would surely be able to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Sure enough, when he heard "Netherworld Emperor You Huan" and "Well of Guixu," clear emotion finally appeared on Cui Jue's ancient face. The golden book in his hand began flipping by itself in the windless air, its pages rustling as though conducting some form of verification and deduction. The Ghost Officials beside him exchanged glances, clearly shocked by the news.
After a moment, the pages stopped turning. Cui Jue looked at Su Yan and the others with less scrutiny and more complexity.
"Netherworld Emperor You Huan... that is indeed an ancient matter. His whereabouts had long been a mystery, and the Underworld searched for him for many years. I never expected him to meet such an end... tragic, truly tragic." Cui Jue's voice carried a hint of sorrow, but he quickly regained his authority. "What you have said generally matches the disturbances in heaven and earth and the karmic connections recorded in the supplementary volume of the Book of Life and Death. Purifying the Emperor's remains and eradicating an End Times stronghold are great merits. You have rendered service to the order of heaven and earth."
Then his tone shifted. "However, the Netherworld is an important place governed by its own laws. The Living remaining here is already a violation. Furthermore, you possess an unusual treasure." His gaze swept over the Compass again. "This matter has far-reaching implications. The End Times Cult and the Well of Guixu you speak of concern secrets tied to the survival of the three realms. This is no longer something a small band of wanderers like yourselves can bear alone."
Cui Jue paused, then made his decision. "In consideration of your merits toward heaven and earth, your trespass will not be pursued for now. However, you must accompany this official to Fengdu City and meet the Lord of Hell. You will report the entire matter in detail, especially everything you know regarding the End Times Cult and the Well of Guixu. The Underworld requires your 'assistance.'"
His tone allowed no refusal. It sounded like an invitation, but it was in truth an order. They were to go to Fengdu City, submit to questioning from the highest authorities of the Underworld, and "assist" them in investigating the End Times Cult's deeper schemes.
Su Yan exchanged glances with Mo Hen and the others. They were currently in terrible condition and had no ability to resist a colossal force like the Underworld. Besides, Cui Jue was right. The threat posed by the End Times Cult far surpassed the limits of their current abilities. Borrowing the Underworld's strength was undoubtedly the better choice. As the core of the Underworld, Fengdu City would surely provide the secure environment, high-grade supplies, and more comprehensive intelligence they desperately needed.
"This junior obeys," Su Yan answered respectfully. "However, our injuries have yet to heal, and we are not in good condition. I fear we may delay the journey."
"No matter." Cui Jue nodded slightly and lightly pointed the Brush of Reincarnation in his hand at Su Yan and the others.
A gentle, pure radiance containing the meaning of reincarnation, life, and death descended and enveloped the four people and one pet. Su Yan immediately felt a warm current flow into every limb and bone. The hidden injuries left by the battle, his depleted spiritual energy and Spiritual Power, all began recovering at an astonishing speed. Even the wounds on Xingxuan's shell slowly healed! They were still far from fully recovered, but at the very least, they had regained the basic ability to move and defend themselves.
"Thank you, Your Honor!" everyone said in unison, their awe for the Underworld's methods deepening.
"Let us go." Cui Jue said no more. He turned his horse and headed toward the enormous blue-green gateway. The underworld soldiers parted to form a passage, silently watching Su Yan and the others.
Su Yan put away the Compass and, together with his companions, followed the Underworld's forces through the gateway leading to Fengdu City—the heart of the Netherworld.
Behind them lay a battlefield gradually returning to peace and a harrowing adventure. Ahead lay the strictly ordered Underworld, greater struggles among powerful forces, and deeper secrets concerning the End Times and Guixu waiting for them to uncover.
A new chapter had begun.
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