People in Conferred Gods: Rising from humble beginnings, I am the God of Wealth

Chapter 365 It can increase one's authority through underground channels, and dare to challenge even a sage!
The underworld, the Ghost Palace of Fengdu.

Seeing that Guiche and Kunpeng had not hesitated or even asked any questions, Zhen Yuanzi expressed his willingness to let the demon race cooperate with the underworld's plans. He said that if Yang Xuan needed anything, the demon race would definitely do its best to help.

In contrast, Zhen Yuanzi was still hesitating, and the contrast was so stark that it immediately put immense pressure on him.

After much deliberation, Zhen Yuanzi gritted his teeth and made a decision.

"To be valued by you, fellow Daoist, is truly an honor for the Earth Immortal Sect. I have no reason to refuse. In the future, if you have any needs, the Earth Immortal Sect will certainly lend a helping hand!"

From Zhen Yuanzi's perspective, this was undoubtedly a risky move, since Yang Xuan had not revealed his plans.

The only information he knows now is that there is a vacancy for a god in the underworld, and the Earth Immortal Sect needs to send someone to help. After completing this task, the reincarnation system can be made more orderly, and merit may be bestowed upon him.

However, he knew nothing about which divine positions were vacant, which members of the Earth Immortal Sect needed to help, or what kind of relationship the Earth Immortal Sect and the Underworld would maintain in the future.

If this continues, the Earth Immortal Sect, a first-rate force in the primordial world, may become an appendage of the Underworld, and its years of hard work may become a cornerstone on the Underworld's path to growth.

In the past, Zhen Yuanzi would never have taken this risk, but this matter concerns merit and whether he can, like Styx, sever his own corpse and become a Quasi-Saint of the Three Corpses.

At Zhen Yuanzi's level, the thing he cares about most is to further his cultivation and attain sainthood.

If it helps, it's worth trying no matter the cost!
Although Yang Xuan said that if this matter were accomplished, there was only a possibility of merit being bestowed, and there was no guarantee that merit would definitely be obtained.

However, given Yang Xuan's track record, his statement is likely to be more than 50% accurate.

Moreover, Zhen Yuanzi is a quasi-saint, a powerful figure who has no grudge against Yang Xuan. It is impossible for Yang Xuan to say such things to deceive him.

Since there's about a 50% chance of success, it's worth the gamble for Zhen Yuanzi.

If successful, one will gain merit and be one step closer to severing one's ego.

Even if we lose, there is still a chance to recover.

If Yang Xuan goes too far, we can simply break up. He founded the Earth Immortal Sect, and with just one order from him, at least 70% of its members will obey his command and return to the sect.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario, and given Yang Xuan's strategic acumen, it's unlikely that such a thing would happen.

All things considered, the potential benefits outweigh the risks, making it worth a try.

Seeing Zhen Yuanzi nod in agreement, Yang Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but he breathed a sigh of relief.

Even without the help of the Earth Immortal Sect, Yang Xuan was still confident in establishing mountain gods and earth gods during the Investiture of the Gods calamity.

However, even if the underworld could accomplish this on its own, it would not be comparable to what it is now.

With the help of the Earth Immortal Sect, the establishment of mountain gods and land gods can not only be done more secretly, but also more mountain gods and land gods can be established at once, allowing the underworld to gain greater benefits.

Even if the establishment of mountain gods and land gods is done this time, it will not be enough to bring all the mountains and rivers of the prehistoric world under the management of the underworld, or to give the underworld the power to control the mountains and rivers.

However, in these places where mountain god temples and earth god temples have already been built, they will all be under the management of the underworld before the temples are overthrown. The authority of the underworld will be elevated, and those who accomplished this will also receive corresponding merit.

The more mountain god temples and earth god temples are established, the more mountains and lands will be under the management of the earth god, the greater the elevation that the earth god's authority can achieve, and the more merits that can be bestowed.

Can the result of setting up one mountain god temple be the same as setting up ten thousand mountain god temples?

Without a doubt, with the help of the Earth Immortal Sect and the assistance of the demon race, once this matter is accomplished, the authority of the Earthly Dao will be greatly enhanced, and Yang Xuan, Zhen Yuanzi, and others will gain a massive amount of merit!
Not quite, Yang Xuan didn't directly mention the establishment of mountain gods and earth gods. He tapped his knee lightly with his fingers, a meaningful smile on his face.

"To be honest, the matter I am planning concerns the future of the Underworld. If it succeeds, it will elevate the Underworld to new heights."

"But if we fail, the Underworld will suffer a huge blow. If this matter gets out, I'm afraid Her Majesty will blame us..."

Yang Xuan stopped there, and as for whether Houtu would blame him, that was just nonsense.

Since the time was not yet ripe to establish mountain gods and land gods, and many things were not yet prepared, Yang Xuan did not tell Houtu about this matter, and Houtu is still unaware of it.

Moreover, judging from Tu's personality, even if this matter is leaked, he won't be too blaming.

However, upon hearing the words "Your Majesty," Zhen Yuanzi and the others immediately sat up straight, their expressions becoming increasingly serious, and they did not believe that Yang Xuan was talking nonsense.

Without much thought, he understood the unspoken meaning in Yang Xuan's words.

If this matter is leaked, Tu will blame us. This is just to make them promise that they will never leak this matter.

For practitioners, the most reliable guarantee is undoubtedly to swear an oath with a sincere heart for the Dao.

Even a quasi-saint, once he swears an oath with his Dao heart, dares not easily break it, otherwise he will suffer a backlash. At best, his Dao heart will be damaged and his primordial spirit will be severely injured; at worst, his realm will drop!
Under normal circumstances, without sufficient benefit or being forced by others, it is impossible to casually swear an oath based on one's Dao heart, even for quasi-saints.

But today's events concern the rise and fall of the underworld, and are being overseen by the Goddess Houtu, so it is clearly no ordinary situation.

Moreover, this matter is so important that the benefits behind it must be substantial, and the chance of gaining merit is estimated to be around 60-70%!
Zhen Yuanzi and the other two exchanged glances, no longer hesitating, and immediately swore an oath with their Dao hearts, indicating that they would never reveal Yang Xuan's plans.

Even the Styx Daoist standing to the side, for reasons unknown, actually swore an oath with his Dao heart. He could have simply left and avoided getting involved in this matter...

Four Quasi-Saints swore an oath of faith to a Great Luo Golden Immortal. This is absolutely the first time in history that such an event has occurred, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will likely be the last.

Such a level of face is truly unprecedented!

However, Yang Xuan remained calm and unchanged, only glancing at Daoist Styx. He simply couldn't understand what Styx was thinking.

It's impossible for Styx to swear an oath of faith just to watch the drama unfold...

Yang Xuan didn't think much of it, but he was always cautious in his actions. He didn't directly mention the establishment of the mountain god and the earth god. Instead, he called out the name of Houtu and asked Houtu to cover up the secrets of this place before revealing the matter.

After hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi and the others finally understood why Yang Xuan was so cautious, asking them to use their Daoist hearts and asking Houtu to cover up the secrets of heaven.

So, you never wanted to fill the void in the underworld or improve the order of reincarnation; you wanted to elevate the authority of the underworld!
Everyone present was a quasi-saint, and their understanding of the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man far surpassed that of ordinary beings.

They all knew, more or less, that the reason why the Earthly Dao and the Human Dao appeared later than the Heavenly Dao, and why the Heavenly Dao now dominates the prehistoric world, was somewhat related to that person in the Purple Cloud Palace.

By establishing the positions of mountain gods and land gods, Yang Xuan brought the mountains and rivers of these regions under the control of the underworld. Wasn't this an elevation of the authority of the underworld, a contest with the Heavenly Dao for power?
Even if they weren't playing chess with the Dao Ancestor, they were still scheming against the Heavenly Dao and the Heavenly Dao Saints. No matter how cautious they were about such matters, it was never too much.

Zhen Yuanzi and the others were dumbfounded. If this matter was done by Houtu, it wouldn't be anything special.

After all, Houtu's status is equivalent to Hongjun's; she is the representative of the Dao. It's perfectly reasonable for her to challenge Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor, in order to enhance the Dao's authority. If this was Yang Xuan's scheme, then it's simply too far-fetched.

It should be noted that Yang Xuan was only a Great Luo Golden Immortal, far from being a Quasi-Saint, and even further from being a Saint.

But the result was that Yang Xuan, this Great Luo Golden Immortal, actually dared to scheme against a Sage and dared to challenge the Dao Ancestor!
Zhen Yuanzi, Guiche, and Kunpeng were all shocked, and their expressions were all strange.

They suddenly understood why Styx, who had offended Houtu, would associate with Yang Xuan.

The most famous characteristic of the Styx Taoist is his stubbornness; there is nothing he is afraid of.

But in the end, Styx was just stubborn, while Yang Xuan was different. He dared to scheme against even a saint, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as audacious.

There's a reason why the two of them can get along so well.

If Yang Xuan and Daoist Minghe belonged to the same era, who knows what kind of trouble they might have caused...

At the same time, Zhen Yuanzi and the other three felt a little regretful. Even a stubborn person like Styx was unwilling to get involved in the affairs of a sage.

The establishment of mountain gods and land gods involves the power of the primordial world, a contest that should belong to the sages. They are not Yang Xuan, and even just hearing about it makes them tremble with fear.

But soon, Zhen Yuanzi, Guiche, and Kunpeng put the idea out of their minds.

As the saying goes, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. This matter involves sages and concerns the power of the primordial world, so one can imagine how abundant the opportunities it contains are.

If this matter is accomplished, how little merit can be gained?

Only Styx still felt some regret. The establishment of the mountain god and the land god had nothing to do with him. No matter how much merit he accumulated, it would not fall on his head.

"Hmm...not a bad deal after all!"

Styx comforted himself with a word of self-consolation, and his gaze toward Yang Xuan held a newfound respect.

He is truly a role model for us all!
Meanwhile, at the place of earthly reincarnation, Houtu was deeply moved after hearing about the establishment of the mountain god and the earth god.

To be honest, even she, a true saint, had never thought of this.

Her goal had always been to complete the development of the Netherworld and make the cycle of life and death in the primordial world more orderly. She never thought that she would fight for control of the mountains and the earth and enhance the influence of the underground passage.

It is estimated that even the Heavenly Saints had not thought of this matter, and even the Dao Ancestor was not.

All I can say is that Yang Xuan is incredibly bold and far-sighted, daring to even plot something like this.

However, if this matter is accomplished, it will bring unimaginable benefits to the underworld and the underground world, saving countless eons of time for the evolution of the underground world.

"I always had good taste!"

Houtu smiled smugly. If she hadn't responded to Yang Xuan's declarations and supernatural powers several times in a row, causing Yang Xuan to come to the Netherworld, there would be no Netherworld today, and the Underworld would not have its current authority.

Even the living conditions of the Wu tribe are difficult to change.

It is no exaggeration to say that, for the Netherworld and the Underworld, the changes brought about by Yang Xuan alone are comparable to those of Houtu, the Sage of the Underworld.

"The matter of severing the evil corpse is not a problem. After the great calamity, he will definitely be able to sever the evil corpse. With the five virtues on his body, the good corpse should not be a big problem either. It's just the ego-clinging corpse..."

Houtu looked thoughtful. To sever the self-possessing corpse, one must understand one's true self.

Styx and Zhen Yuanzi, these quasi-saints with two corpses, spent countless eons before they finally realized their true selves.

Even if Yang Xuan has amazing comprehension, it will still take a lot of time to achieve this and sever the self-grasping corpse. If he is not careful and takes a detour, he may have to spend hundreds of yuan more of his time.

"Perhaps we can do it this way..."

The phantom of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disc appeared in Houtu's hand, and some thoughts began to form in her mind.

But she didn't think much about it. Yang Xuan still had a long way to go before he could sever the corpse of Zhiwo. The most urgent thing now was to establish the mountain god and the land god.

Houtu was a sage of the earth, and her understanding of the earth and the primordial world far surpassed that of Yang Xuan.

She understood better than Yang Xuan what impact this would have on the underground world and how strong the reaction of the Heavenly Dao would be if it were accomplished.

This matter is of great importance, and she cannot continue to watch it unfold.

Then, Houtu's figure gradually became blurry as she arrived at the Ghost Palace of Fengdu, where she sat down next to Yang Xuan to discuss the matter.

Zhen Yuanzi and the others were dumbfounded again. Originally, they had only thought that this might be a scheme devised by Yang Xuan.

However, judging from the current situation, it is indeed true that Yang Xuan's plan was correct. The problem is that Yang Xuan seems to have, perhaps, or probably did not tell Houtu about this matter; it was his own decision...

That's incredibly audacious!

What's even more absurd is that Houtu didn't seem to mind at all. She acted as if it were perfectly natural, and after accepting Yang Xuan's greeting, she participated in the discussion about establishing mountain gods and land gods.

Even Styx, a stubborn fellow, was somewhat reserved in front of the sage, let alone Zhen Yuanzi and the others.

The end result was that Yang Xuan spoke calmly, Hou Tu occasionally raised questions and suggestions, and Zhen Yuanzi and the others listened attentively without interrupting.

Once everything was finalized and all the details were arranged, Zhen Yuanzi and the other two nodded in agreement without hesitation, claiming that they would definitely carry out the matter as required and guaranteeing that the matter would never be leaked.

As for how to guarantee it, that's their own business. Yang Xuan didn't ask any further questions, and Houtu didn't make them make any oaths. The presence of Houtu, a saint, was the best guarantee!

After the matter was settled, Zhen Yuanzi and the other two took their leave. They didn't have much time left, so they had to hurry.

Houtu, seeing that the matter was settled, also planned to return to the place of reincarnation in the underworld.

But at that moment, Yang Xuan uttered a somewhat familiar phrase.

"Your Majesty, wait!"

P.S.: A couple of days ago, the toothache was a continuous, persistent pain. Today, the continuous pain has lessened a bit, but every now and then there's a burst of intense pain, the kind that makes you jump up in pain. It's so uncomfortable...

(End of this chapter)