Passing through the fragile rift maintained by Judge Cui Jue's power, which led to the Sky-Peeking Clan ruins, Su Yan and the others returned to the relatively stable lands of the Netherworld with the feeling that a lifetime had passed. The civilization's glory and tragic end they had witnessed in the ruins, the overwhelming sense of power brought by the Compass's restoration reaching 85%, and that final fleeting glimpse of the boatman's phantom steeped in the deathly stillness of the Well of Guixu... All those revelations and shocks intertwined, leaving their emotions unsettled for a long time.
Judge Cui Jue had been waiting outside the rift. Seeing them return safely, his ancient, weathered face seemed to relax slightly. He did not ask about the specifics of what had happened in the ruins. His gaze merely lingered for a moment on the Compass in Su Yan's hand, whose aura had become ever deeper and more restrained, before he said, "Now that you have returned, follow this official to Fengdu City. The Ten Yama Kings have decreed that Temporary Yang Official Passes must be issued to you, allowing you to travel through the Netherworld in the future. You must also undergo an official record inquiry regarding the previous disturbance in the Netherworld and the matters concerning the End Times."
"Temporary Yang Official Pass?" Mo Hen asked curiously.
"It is a credential permitting the Living to remain temporarily in the Netherworld on official business," Cui Jue explained. "Without this pass, you will be unable to take a single step in this realm. You may be apprehended by patrolling Ghost Soldier Guards at any time. Such are the laws of the underworld."
Everyone understood. This symbolized the underworld's formal acceptance of them and its recognition of their status.
When they once again arrived beneath