Tian Yuan, seeing Qu Hu dare to retort, became even more furious. He sternly said, "If I hadn't trespassed into Buzhou Mountain's territory to save you back then, would I have been banished by King Yama to the Netherworld Pool?"
Qu Hu also grew spirited and retorted, "That infiltration of Buzhou Mountain was planned perfectly. If you hadn't messed things up by drinking and exposed our plan prematurely, would the Yin soldiers guarding Buzhou Mountain have discovered me?"
Tian Yuan: "Even if I messed up and let slip, when I came to save you, you fled without looking back. What does that mean?"
Qu Hu: "Staying would have meant both of us being captured. Besides, I didn't ask you to save me. You sought death yourself, who can you blame?"
Tian Yuan: "You ungrateful wretch, all the trust I placed in you back then has been fed to the dogs!"
Qu Hu: "I don't have a fool like you as a brother! A useless burden!"
Tian Yuan and Qu Hu argued more fiercely, showing signs of fighting each other.
Ye You, who was watching from the side, finally understood the past relationship between these two ghost generals. His gossip-mongering heart satisfied, he tried to mediate, "Alright, alright, how many years has it been? I understand now. You both made mistakes back then, and neither of you can blame the other."
Ye You looked at Tian Yuan and said, "Qu Hu looks guilty. Otherwise, he wouldn't have acted so timid after seeing you."
After speaking, Ye You looked at Qu Hu again and said, "I think Tian Yuan has treated you like a brother for so many years. Otherwise, when he was captured, he would have betrayed you long ago to lessen his sentence. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been trapped in the Netherworld Pool for so many years!"
Tian Yuan: "..."
Qu Hu: "..."
Ye You's words carried significant weight, and Tian Yuan and Qu Hu had no choice but to listen. Moreover, what Ye You said struck a chord with their true feelings.
For a moment, Tian Yuan and Qu Hu fell silent.
The tense atmosphere between them eased slightly.
Seeing this, Ye You immediately smiled and took both their hands, making them clasp each other. He said, "We still need to go to Buzhou Mountain. Since you two have been there once before, you must be familiar with the way. We'll need to cooperate closely from now on."
"If you two quarrel on the way, I'll be very troubled. Let's shake hands and make peace now."
Tian Yuan: "..."
Qu Hu: "..."
Although the two ghosts were forced to shake hands, their eyes still held disdain for each other.
Ye You's expression instantly turned grim, and his voice rose several decibels, "Do you understand?"
Tian Yuan and Qu Hu were startled by Ye You's sudden increase in volume. They both trembled and immediately stood at attention, saying in unison, "We understand!"
Ye You's face regained its healing smile. He patted the sweat-drenched shoulders of Tian Yuan and Qu Hu, smiling, "That's more like it, good brothers, forever."
"Come, give each other a hug."
"Yes, yes..."
Tian Yuan and Qu Hu dared not disobey Ye You. They hugged nervously, forcing smiles onto their faces.
Ye Ling watched the two ghosts, whose legs were still trembling, and couldn't help but shake his head and smile. He asked Ye You, "Where did you learn these tricks, girl?"
Ye You smiled obediently and said, "I learned them from big brother..."
Ye Ling: "..."
Xu Xiaoqing, standing nearby, saw the once hostile Tian Yuan and Qu Hu embracing and looked at Ye You with admiration. She murmured, "As expected of Senior Ye You, resolving centuries of conflict in just a few words..."
Hearing Xu Xiaoqing's words, Ye You proudly said, "Of course, who do you think I am!"
"Xiao You is truly adorable..." Su Ruoxue covered her mouth and chuckled as she watched Ye You's actions. Her intense nervousness about entering the underworld had significantly eased at this moment.
Ye Ling saw all this and smiled as he ruffled Ye You's hair. "Let's go. We should pass this section and head to Buzhou Mountain."
As soon as Ye Ling spoke, Tian Yuan and Qu Hu looked relieved and quickly separated, saying in unison, "I'll lead the way!"
...
After subduing Qu Hu, the group soon arrived at the bridge designated for officials.
Compared to the Bridge of Helplessness, there were far fewer people queuing for the officials' bridge. Most of them were dignified and had extraordinary demeanors, clearly important figures who had held high positions for a long time.
Ye You glanced at the ghosts on the bridge and said to Qu Hu, "Alright, it's your turn. Lead us across the bridge."
"Yes, yes..."
Qu Hu nodded nervously, then took a deep breath before stepping onto the officials' bridge.
Ye Ling and the other four followed closely.
"Hold it."
The Yin soldier guarding the bridge stopped Qu Hu, who was walking at the forefront, and said calmly, "Please present your passage permit."
"Here." Qu Hu, feigning composure, handed over the passage permit.
The Yin soldier glanced at it, then inserted it into a facial recognition machine and said casually, "Stand next to the machine for facial recognition."
Ye You looked at the machine in front of Qu Hu and sighed, "I didn't expect the underworld to be so advanced now. I wonder what people on earth would think if they knew the netherworld was also keeping up with the times."
"Beep! Authentication successful!"
As the facial recognition machine confirmed the authentication, Qu Hu breathed a slight sigh of relief. Just as he was about to lead Ye Ling and the other four across the bridge, he was stopped by the Yin soldier again.
"Is there anything else?"
Qu Hu, still feigning composure, asked the Yin soldier.
The Yin soldier glanced at Ye Ling and the other four, then looked at Qu Hu and said, "These five little ghosts look unfamiliar. Where are they from?"
Qu Hu smiled and said, "They are new recruits under my command. I'm taking them to the hall to process some paperwork."
The Yin soldier looked suspicious and said, "New recruits are usually enlisted in the spring. It's almost winter now, where are there any new recruits?"
Questioned by the Yin soldier, Qu Hu immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He became extremely nervous and didn't know how to cover up his lie.
Leading unfamiliar ghosts across the officials' universal bridge was a grave offense against heavenly law. Furthermore, with Ye Ling, the demon, watching him from behind, Qu Hu was extremely tense, even losing the ability to think.
The Yin soldier guarding the bridge became suspicious and was about to report the situation to the administrator.
Qu Hu and Tian Yuan's eyes widened. They transmitted their voices to Ye Ling and the others, "Sir, we've been exposed! I'll hold them off later, you force your way across the bridge!"
Just as the other Yin soldiers guarding the bridge looked over, and Qu Hu and Tian Yuan prepared to act, a clear and cold voice came from the other side of the bridge, "They are all my friends. Let them pass!"
Ye Ling looked in the direction of the voice and saw a Yin soul dressed in white robes walking towards them...
Seeing the approaching figure, Ye You couldn't help but curl his lips slightly.
This was truly an "acquaintance."
The person approaching was the White Impermanence!