After a brief yet formal welcoming ceremony, both sides quickly moved on to serious business.
Within a garden delve on the Xianzhou Luofu.
Accompanied by several high-ranking officials of the Xianzhou, Ereshkigal arrived at the station of the Ten-Lords Commission on the Luofu.
"The Ten-Lords Commission oversees matters concerning the life and death of long-life species, criminal transgressions, mara, and related affairs. It operates independently of the Six Charioteers."
"At present, the Ten-Lords Commission of the Luofu is temporarily stationed at the Rest Pavilion in Suiyuan, with four Judges and Netherworld Messengers carrying out its duties."
The surroundings were gloomy in every direction, completely unlike the prosperity and bustle of the Starskiff Haven. A faint, bone-chilling cold lingered in the air.
In the distance, scattered ghostly flames drifted through the sky from time to time, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
In a sense, the Ten-Lords Commission was equivalent to the Xianzhou's underworld.
It was responsible for observing Xianzhou natives on the verge of falling into mara, as well as suppressing criminals within the Shackling Prison and handling heinous offenses.
"The Ten Lords have already informed us, ordering the Ten-Lords Commission of the Luofu to fully assist Divine Lady. If you have any needs or questions, please feel free to raise them."
A white-haired, gray-eyed girl dressed in a short Xianzhou uniform had long been waiting here.
Her figure was rather well-developed, her beautiful face nearly expressionless. Her slightly upturned eyes carried a faint sense of world-weariness.
"This humble one is Hanya, an Envoy of the Ten Lords, ranked last among the four Judges of Detainment, Imprisonment, Punishment, and Interrogation. Thanks to the Ten Lords' favor, I am permitted to wield the Heavenly Brush to record sins and pronounce judgments."
"Xueyi, Judge of the Detainment Division of the Ten-Lords Commission, greets Divine Lady."
Beside her, another young woman with short black hair offered her greetings as well.
Her gaze held a trace of curiosity as she studied Ereshkigal.
The Ten-Lords Commission had always been an independent institution supervising life and death, rarely interacting with the outside world.
No matter how turbulent the Xianzhou became, or what grand, earth-shaking events occurred in the wider cosmos, none of it concerned the Ten-Lords Commission.
Their duties consisted of day after day searching for and suppressing major criminals, guiding and handling Xianzhou natives who had fallen into mara, and so on.
Now, however, their superiors had ordered them to assist a foreign goddess from another world in rebuilding an Underworld upon the Xianzhou, effectively assuming the Commission's functions.
Xueyi and Hanya found it somewhat difficult to comprehend.
Of course, the Ten-Lords Commission understood why the Starsea Empire had specifically named these individuals.
After some thought, since the other party had promised to help the Xianzhou permanently resolve the problem of mara, agreeing to a few requests was acceptable.
"Mm... I remember there was one more person?"
Ereshkigal asked.
From behind Xueyi, a small foxian girl with green hair and green eyes, complete with animal ears, cautiously peeked out.
"D-Divine Lady, h-hello... My name is Huohuo. I'm a newly appointed Judge of the Ten-Lords Commission..."
"Mm..."
Huohuo carefully observed this newly arrived "Goddess of the Underworld."
With blonde twin ponytails and dressed in neat casual attire, radiating youthful vitality, she seemed completely out of place in the Underworld's environment.
"Oh? Even such a young child can work in the Underworld?"
Ereshkigal gently rubbed Huohuo's head.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"I-I am!!!"
Huohuo was somewhat socially anxious and extremely nervous.
"D-Divine Lady... w-what will we be doing from now on...?"
"Mm..."
Ereshkigal thought for a moment.
"I'd like to first take a look at the Ten-Lords Commission and understand how your system of life and death operates before making any decisions."
...
Under the guidance of the Judges, Ereshkigal toured the Ten-Lords Commission on the Luofu with great interest.
The Goddess of the Underworld was deeply intrigued by another world's life-and-death supervisory institution. She felt she could draw inspiration from it and perhaps add new elements to her own Underworld in the future.
"In ancient times, the ancestors of the Xianzhou fought alongside the Reignbow Arbiter, destroyed the Ambrosial Arbor, and established the Ten-Lords Commission to redefine life and death—so that they might once again live as humans."
"The Ten-Lords Commission does not concern itself with mundane affairs. Its enforcement targets only Xianzhou residents who commit the Ten Unpardonable Sins."
As they walked, Hanya continued explaining.
Their first destination was the bottom level of the Delve—a heavily guarded and shadowy prison.
"This is the Shackling Prison. Certain criminals guilty of unforgivable evils, yet impossible to kill, are detained here and supervised through special means."
"The former war chief of the Borisin, Hoolay, the Abundance Emanator Shuhu, and the heliobi leader Taishi Yansuihuang are all imprisoned here."
Within Xianzhou law, the Ten Unpardonable Sins represented the gravest offenses—such as stealing the secret of immortality, inducing mara, or leaking Xianzhou secrets.
These major criminals were all handled by the Ten-Lords Commission.
"Oh...?"
Ereshkigal looked around in fascination.
"Criminals who can't be killed? Interesting. Why don't you contact Grey? She loves dealing with people like that."
"What?"
Hanya and Xueyi were puzzled.
"Then, Divine Lady... how does the Starsea Empire handle major criminals?"
Huohuo asked.
"We don't have any."
Ereshkigal considered briefly.
"There's no crime in the Starsea Empire's homeland. Mm... and we don't have the problem of people being impossible to kill. Enemies are usually blasted on the spot by the Commander."
"Ah?..."
Ascending from the Shackling Prison, they arrived at the Hall of Karma.
Netherworld Messengers and Judges moved back and forth. In the side halls, numerous jade tablets engraved with names were enshrined.
"Aside from detaining major criminals, the Ten-Lords Commission's most important duty is the supervision of life and death."
"Before a Xianzhou native falls into mara, a Netherworld Messenger or Judge will escort them here in spiritual form to the Hall of Karma."
"After leaving behind a record of their life experiences, they return to silence, and their name and jade tablet are enshrined within the hall."
"Oh..."
Ereshkigal nodded thoughtfully.
For Xianzhou natives, over the long passage of time, falling into mara had become almost inevitable.
To prevent the devastation mara would cause upon the Xianzhou, preparations had to be made in advance, allowing the Ten-Lords Commission to grant them a dignified end.
She then followed Xueyi and Hanya to observe other areas of the Commission, as well as the daily duties of the Judges and Netherworld Messengers.
Only after a full half-day had passed did they return to the main hall of the Ten-Lords Commission.
"Does Divine Lady have any further questions?"
Hanya asked.
"Haaah—"
"Nope, I've seen everything I needed to. You all really work hard here."
Ereshkigal yawned and offered a few remarks.
"If I had to work at the Ten-Lords Commission, I'd go crazy within two months... Well, though before meeting my Master, I did spend quite a long time alone in the Underworld."
"The Ten-Lords Commission has given me some inspiration. I know how to build my Underworld in the future now."
"An Underworld?..."
Xueyi tilted her head slightly, her gaze turning toward Ereshkigal.
"Of course. Although the Ten-Lords Commission nominally oversees life and death, you haven't truly constructed a complete cycle of reincarnation, have you?"
Ereshkigal said.
She had noticed that although the Commission's members bore titles such as Judge and Netherworld Messenger, most had once been ordinary individuals—orphans, eccentrics, and the like.
Through various experiences, they had become something beyond ordinary.
Hanya drank Forgetfulness Wine daily, using dream-divination techniques to examine the turbulent streams of karmic fate among Xianzhou natives and predict the onset of mara.
Xueyi had been reconstructed into an indestructible puppet body, becoming a Judge specialized in combat and apprehension.
They possessed no true divinity, relying largely on technological means.
In the eyes of Ereshkigal, a genuine goddess of the underworld, it felt more like a kind of cosplay underworld.
"Come—let us build a true Underworld here together."
"Mm... this is my first time expanding business into another universe."
Ereshkigal traced a line through the air with her hand.
Shhk—
A thin white line split open in space, forming into the shape of a door.
It hovered not far above the ground, its interior nearly transparent.
"What is this?"
Xueyi and Hanya had never seen such spatial technology—far more advanced than the Xianzhou's Delves.
"The entrance to the Underworld. I will bring the Xianzhou under the scope of my Authority."
Ereshkigal brought her hands together. A surge of magical energy spread outward from her at the center.
Whoosh—
Across the Xianzhou Luofu, people suddenly felt a gust of cold wind brush past them—piercing to the bone, yet gone in an instant.
They looked up at the sun in confusion, as though nothing had happened.
At a higher dimension, several Aeons gazed down upon the Luofu.
They perceived an unfamiliar power enveloping the entire Xianzhou.
It was the Authority of the Goddess of the Underworld, bringing the mortal realm under the dominion of her Netherworld.
From this moment onward, throughout the Xianzhou, the cycle of life and death would be decided by Ereshkigal alone.
Though this power was insignificant compared to that of the Aeons, it was undeniably something that had never existed in this universe before.
Beyond the eleven existing Paths of this universe, she had established her own new rules concerning "life" and "death."
"Haaah—"
"This is probably the limit of expansion in another universe."
Ereshkigal let out a deep breath.
In the Starsea Empire's homeland, with Setsuna's support, she could extend the Underworld's dominion to nearly infinite proportions.
But this universe was filled with all kinds of different powers. Here, she was essentially an outsider god.
For now, she could only use the Xianzhou as a starting point and unfold a small portion of her domain.
Still, it was a good beginning. It was her first attempt at expanding the Underworld beyond her native world.
Once her strength increased further, the Underworld's sphere of control would expand along with it, until it covered the entire universe—bringing the cycle of life and death of all worlds under her and the Starsea Empire's governance.
"Come on. Follow me."
Shhk—
Ereshkigal led Xueyi, Hanya, and Huohuo into the Underworld.
"Eek!"
The moment they landed, Huohuo gave a startled cry.
Looking around, she found herself standing before a massive city.
Its layout bore some resemblance to Suiyuan.
At its center stood a grand hall in classical style. On both sides, side halls and auxiliary buildings were arranged like scattered stars.
The city was built with remarkable verticality. Beneath the lower levels lay a deep prison buried within the void.
"This is the new Underworld I've prepared for this universe. Mm... you can consider it a branch office of the Underworld here."
"I had the Bulins decorate it according to the Xianzhou's style. Hope you can get used to it?"
"Mm."
Xueyi and Hanya both felt an unexpected sense of familiarity.
"U-Under-Under-Under... this is a real Underworld?!"
"Th-th-there aren't any ghosts here, right?!"
Huohuo shrank behind the others, clutching her command banner, nervously glancing left and right.
She was terrified some wandering soul might suddenly leap out and latch onto her.
"Of course not. This Underworld is newly built. I haven't even started using it yet. Where would ghosts come from?"
After showing them around for a while, Ereshkigal led them into the main hall.
With a clap of her hands, several Angeloids appeared and served tea and pastries. Huohuo stared at them in amazement for quite some time.
"The Xianzhou Alliance and the Ten-Lords Commission assigned you to assist me, right?"
Ereshkigal asked.
"Yes."
Hanya nodded.
"By order of the Ten Lords, the Ten-Lords Commission of the Luofu will fully assist Divine Lady. So long as it is within our ability, we will not refuse."
"We simply do not yet know what Divine Lady requires..."
"Ahem. You're hired."
Ereshkigal said succinctly.
"From now on, you officially join the Underworld of the Starsea Empire. Perfect timing—I happen to be short on help."
"Don't worry. This counts as official Starsea Empire employment. You'll enjoy full Underworld and Imperial citizen benefits."
"Whaaaat?!"
"Huh?!"
Huohuo was completely stunned.
"Me? Working in the Starsea Empire's Underworld?..."
"Wh-why?! And... is that even allowed?!"
"If it's a matter of assisting with work, that is naturally acceptable."
Hanya inclined her head.
"However, joining the Underworld and the Starsea Empire... we likely cannot decide that on our own."
"That's simple. I'll talk to the Xianzhou and the Realm-Keeping Commission when I have time. Once we resolve the mara issue, the Ten-Lords Commission won't have much left to do anyway."
Ereshkigal waved it off.
Setsuna hoped to bring a few girls back. She also wanted some assistance in the Underworld.
It just so happened that the Judges of the Ten-Lords Commission were perfectly aligned with the business of a Goddess of the Underworld.
"Then... what exactly would we be required to do?"
Hanya asked.
"Mm... Underworld duties are fairly straightforward. We govern the cycle of life and death among mortals."
Ereshkigal tapped lightly into the void.
A surge of magical power spread outward, and their vision seemed to pierce through the Underworld, revealing the bustling crowds across the Xianzhou.
"Broadly speaking, it's similar to the Ten-Lords Commission. We guide the souls of the deceased and settle them within the Underworld."
"Based on their merits and sins in life, we determine where they go next. Mm... once the Underworld expands across many universes, reincarnation between different universes would also be possible."
"And if I happen to dislike someone, I can always reincarnate them as a stray cat, a dog, or some bird or beast. Totally doable."
"Huh???"
The Ten-Lords Commission's work had originally been limited to handling Xianzhou natives on the verge of mara. In Ereshkigal's Underworld, however, things became far more fantastical.
Deciding the reincarnation of others was an Authority that only a true goddess of the underworld could wield.
"..."
Xueyi, Hanya, and Huohuo gained a direct understanding of the difference between a being who wielded Authority—a god—and ordinary humans.
"Relax, relax. Work in the Underworld is definitely easier than at the Ten-Lords Commission."
Ereshkigal snapped her fingers.
Shhk—
The scene shifted again.
They entered the deeper regions of the Netherworld.
This was Ereshkigal's private domain—blue skies, white clouds, birdsong, and fragrant flowers.
A beautiful villa stood by the seaside, its garden meticulously maintained by Angeloids.
"Ah..."
The three of them felt slightly dazed.
It was hard to imagine such a place existing within the Underworld.
"Work is work. Life is life."
"I'll grant you access to this area of the Netherworld. When you have free time, you can come here to enjoy the breeze, eat snacks, or bask in the sun."
"If you stay in that gloomy Underworld all the time, you'll go crazy."
Ereshkigal lectured the three Judges with the air of a seasoned senior.
Then she looked at Xueyi.
"I remember you. When you worked at the Ten-Lords Commission, you slept in a coffin the whole time? That's no good."
"Divine Lady, this body of mine is not that of a living person, but merely a puppet body granted by the Ten Lords."
Xueyi shook her head.
"In life, I once fell into mara and committed grave sins... By the Ten Lords' grace, I was given the opportunity to atone through service."
"I have grown accustomed to resting within a coffin. It is of no concern."
"Oh, so you were placed into a mechanical body."
Ereshkigal examined her from head to toe.
"Relax. That's a minor issue in the Starsea Empire. If you want a flesh-and-blood body, we can make one for you."
"Whether it's my Master, the goddess Tiamat, or the Life Sciences Division, any of them can handle it. We can guarantee to resolve all your issues."
"!!!"
Those few casual sentences left Xueyi and Hanya frozen in place.
"My original body has long since turned to ashes. Even so... it is still possible?..."
Ereshkigal merely smiled.
"I am Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld. So long as your soul remains, life and death are but a single thought away from me."
"There are countless bizarre causes of death in the Starsea Empire. Aside from those in the Research Division who creatively get themselves killed, there's even a certain revival tournament champion who manages to blow herself up over a dozen times a month during experiments."
...
Under Ereshkigal's arrangements, the three Judges were seconded from the Ten-Lords Commission to serve as her assistants in the Underworld, studying knowledge from another world each day while awaiting official operations.
In a sense, the Underworld also became another forward outpost of the Starsea Empire within this universe.
During a moment of leisure, Ereshkigal opened a communication link with the homeland.
"Master, I've anchored the Underworld in this world. Mm... I feel like my power has grown a little?"
From a higher-dimensional perspective, the Underworld had already become part of this universe.
Though its scale was not yet vast, it was gradually integrating with the entire world.
"Mm, very good. That counts as a successful experiment."
Setsuna smiled and used his projection to pat Ereshkigal's head from afar.
"In the future, you may govern the laws of life and death across even more worlds. Perhaps you can further ascend here—create your own Path and rise to Aeonhood."
"If I'm the first to become an Aeon, do I get a reward?"
Ereshkigal puffed out her cheeks cutely.
"What do you want?"
Setsuna chuckled.
"I want Master to spend an entire month with me alone!"
"...Elysia said she'd only need a week. Don't push your luck."
"She wants that too?!"
"Mm. A few others are planning to compete with the Aeons for Authority as well. Why don't you compare and see who makes the first move?"