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

Chapter 397 Yin Qi Rises, Yin Messenger Descends!
Inside the Xiqi military camp.

Just as Zhao Gongming's soul left his body, Lu Ya, Randeng, and others gathered outside the altar.

As Jiang Ziya bowed for the last time, the yellow talisman pasted on the witch's bone straw figure burst into flames with a 'whoosh,' turning to ashes and disappearing without a trace.

As a result of this final bow, Jiang Ziya grew several white hairs. After two hundred and ten years of worship, Jiang Ziya now had a full head of white hair, looking like he was in his twilight years.

Clearly, the person performing the worship not only needs to expend their luck, but also their own life force, affecting their cultivation level.

However, Lu Ya and the others did not have their minds on Jiang Ziya. They knew that any supernatural power came at a price.

The Seven Arrows of Nailhead, a great supernatural power, enabled Jiang Ziya, a Taiyi Golden Immortal, to kill Zhao Gongming, a late-stage Daluo Golden Immortal of the Jie Sect. How could it have done so without paying a price?

If you don't have enough magic power, you can make up for it with luck and vitality. That makes perfect sense!

Just a moment later, Lu Ya's brows furrowed slightly.

"Something seems off..."

Lu Ya manipulated the hand seals, carefully deducing the meaning, but the more he deduced, the deeper his brows furrowed, and he muttered to himself.

"This shouldn't be happening, this shouldn't be happening, Zhao Gongming shouldn't still have a sliver of hope..."

Seeing this, the people around also realized something was wrong, and they began to deduce the cause with their fingers, and then their brows furrowed slightly.

"How could this be? Why does Zhao Gongming still have a glimmer of hope?"

According to their deduction, the only weakness of the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Great Divine Power is that it takes a little too long. If the opponent discovers this method during the worship of the straw figure and disrupts the worship ceremony, then all the previous efforts will be in vain.

However, the most distinctive feature of this method is that it is sufficiently concealed, and the closer the two are, the more concealed it becomes.

Furthermore, the presence of the witch bone straw doll further enhances the concealment and amplifies the power of the spell, making it even less likely for the target to discover it.

Moreover, as long as one prays continuously for seventy years, this method will begin to take effect. At that time, even if one discovers that they have been affected, it will be difficult to break the method.

Now that the altar is intact and the scarecrow is unharmed, and Jiang Ziya has paid a considerable price, Zhao Gongming should have been annihilated, his soul scattered, and his spirit listed on the list.

The problem is that, according to their deduction, after 210 years of worship, Zhao Gongming was only severely injured, his soul left his body and could not return to his physical body, and he could not even regain his senses.

To be honest, for Zhao Gongming, a late-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal with profound cultivation, supernatural powers, and mysterious formations, to suppress a group of Chan Sect immortals and inflict such heavy damage on the Jie Sect immortals is already a remarkable achievement.

However, according to their expectations, Zhao Gongming should have been utterly destroyed at this point, but things took an unexpected turn.

"Could it be because of the merits Zhao Gongming possessed?"

Lu Ya Daoist examined the altar and the straw figure made some guesses.

He was certain that there was nothing wrong with the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Great Divine Power he had used; there were no flaws in either the arrangement of the altar or the drawing of the yellow talisman.

Throughout the years that Jiang Ziya performed the rituals, the three crucial elements—the straw figure, the talisman, and the altar—never encountered any problems.

If we rule out these three possibilities, then the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Great Divine Power is not the problem. If such an unexpected change occurs, then only two possibilities remain.

First, the price paid was not high enough, but this can be ruled out based on Jiang Ziya's situation.

Through years of observation, Lu Ya Dao Ren discovered that Jiang Ziya possessed the fortune of the Investiture of the Gods, and this fortune was virtually invincible during the Investiture of the Gods calamity.

The fact that Jiang Ziya personally offered sacrifices was absolutely costly.

Therefore, there is only one possibility left: the problem lies with Zhao Gongming.

Since ascending to heaven, Zhao Gongming has followed Yang Xuan and accumulated a lot of merit. Now, with all his merits, a golden wheel of merit, neither too big nor too small, floats behind his head, which is truly dazzling.

Although accumulating merit cannot completely ward off evil, it can at least eliminate and drive away evil.

While both are the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Great Divine Power, when used on Zhao Gongming, their power is somewhat reduced due to his accumulated merit.

After much thought, Lu Ya concluded that it was very likely because of his accumulated merits that Zhao Gongming was given a chance to live and did not perish.

"Ugh!"

"A miscalculation, a complete miscalculation..."

Lu Ya sighed helplessly. He hadn't expected that merit would have such a significant impact on the Seven Arrows of Nailhead Great Divine Power.

He even suspected that if he hadn't been cautious enough and hadn't used the witch bone straw man from the beginning, this method might not have worked.

At the same time, having witnessed the benefits of merit, he became even more eager to find the Fusang Tree, enhance the authority of the Sun Star, and become the Lord of the Sun Star.

If one can find the Fusang tree, plant it on the Sun Star, and enhance the Sun Star's authority, one may gain considerable merit.

He believed that once he obtained the position of Lord of the Sun Star, he would be able to use it to sever his good corpse and become a quasi-saint.

"Yes, it's possible. With my status, it's possible. I am the last Golden Crow in the world, skilled in the true fire of the sun. If the sun star doesn't recognize me as its master, who else can it recognize?"

"As long as I help the Chan Sect complete the Investiture of the Gods and thus benefit Heaven and Earth, I can definitely make the Fusang Tree appear on its own initiative and become the Lord of the Sun Star!"

Lu Ya Dao Ren's gaze was resolute. No matter what, he was determined to become the Lord of the Sun Star, to sever his good corpse, and to achieve quasi-sainthood.

But immediately, his brows furrowed again.

To help the Chan Sect complete the Investiture of the Gods and comply with the Mandate of Heaven, they must deal with the troublesome Zhao Gongming.

Otherwise, Zhao Gongming alone could hold off three or five Da Luo disciples of the Chan Sect. The Chan Sect follows an elite route, so its numbers are not an advantage.

If Zhao Gongming alone can hold off three or five more, we will be at a disadvantage in both quality and quantity. How can we fight like this?
After much deliberation, Lu Ya Daoist turned his gaze to the Great Shang Dynasty, looking at the truce sign floating above the military camp. A cold glint seemed to flash in his eyes as he said in a deep voice:

"Although the Seven Arrows of Nailhead technique encountered some unexpected problems, Zhao Gongming was not completely destroyed, but he was severely injured and had no chance to fight back. This is the best time for us to make our move!"

"But the Shang Dynasty has raised the white flag of truce. Is it inappropriate for us to make a move at this time?" Jiang Ziya frowned slightly, not entirely agreeing with the matter.

When he passed away, Xiqi raised a white flag of truce, and Shang did not launch a sneak attack. If they had launched a sneak attack at that time, wouldn't they have given others cause for gossip?
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

Lu Ya Daoist let out a low groan.

"If we can restore Zhao Gongming's soul to his body, he should be able to recover in no time. If we do not seize this opportunity, it will be difficult to get him on the list again in the future."

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he said in a deep voice:

"Everyone, please think twice before you act. We are currently in the midst of the Investiture of the Gods, and this matter concerns your lives!"

Upon hearing this, the monks all looked conflicted, as they were naturally aware of the things that Lu Ya Daoist was talking about.

However, the Chan Sect has always valued its reputation, and they are unwilling to do anything that would give rise to gossip.

But once this opportunity is missed, it will be much more difficult to ambush Zhao Gongming again; defeating him head-on will be much harder...

difficult!
Even if powerful Chan Sect Grand Luo cultivators like Guang Chengzi and Yun Zhongzi could defeat them, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, or even result in their death and the annihilation of their cultivation, at an extremely high cost!
After much deliberation, Daoist Ran Deng nodded.

“Fellow Daoist is right. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If we miss this opportunity, and try to get Zhao Gongming on the list again, there will surely be casualties among our fellow disciples!”

As he spoke, Daoist Ran Deng revealed a meaningful smile: "Moreover, they did not put up a truce sign, and we were unaware that Zhao Gongming was in poor condition. Therefore, our actions cannot be considered a sneak attack or taking advantage of someone's misfortune."

Hearing this, Nezha was dumbfounded.

Good heavens, so this is what a reputable sect and a highly accomplished master looks like? Your cultivation has probably gone so far as to make you shameless.

Such a huge white flag of truce was not displayed, and Zhao Gongming was almost worshipped to death by you. How can you call that ignorance?

With your character, how could you possibly be the vice leader of the Chan Sect?
With your attitude, how dare you say that Western religions have no shame?
At most, Western religions are just a bit shameless, always trying to freeload and forming connections with everyone. Your self-deceiving behavior is what you call shameless!
To Nezha's surprise, all the immortals of the Chan Sect around him nodded in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Lu Ya Daoist revealed a satisfied smile:

"The karma that Xuanmen owes originated from Jiejiao. Sending the Jiejiao immortals to the list is in accordance with the will of Heaven. What we are doing is a righteous act!"

As for the truce sign floating above the Shang army camp, Lu Ya Dao Ren simply activated a wisp of true solar fire and burned it to ashes.

With no more worries, the immortals of the Chan Sect all used their escape lights to fly towards the Great Shang Dynasty.

Nezha:......

With your kind of behavior, even if I hadn't met His Majesty the Emperor, I wouldn't want to stay in this Chan Sect any longer.

As Nezha watched the departing figures of the Chan Sect immortals, he truly did not want to contribute to the Chan Sect any longer. However, he also knew that if he wanted to settle the karmic debt between master and disciple with Taiyi Zhenren, he had to perform well during the Investiture of the Gods.

"Ok?"

Nezha sighed helplessly. Just as he was about to catch up with the immortals of the Chan Sect and dawdle, he noticed that there was still one person who had not left.

This person wields a three-pointed, double-edged sword, has a vertical pupil between his eyebrows, and is Yang Jian, a third-generation disciple of the Chan Sect who is born with divine qualities.

At this moment, however, his brows furrowed slightly, and his expression was displeased.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?"

Nezha took a step forward and came to Yang Jian's side, looking him over curiously.

"……nothing."

Yang Jian's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he shook his head and said nothing. He then mounted his escape light and followed the Chan Sect immortals ahead, flying towards the Shang army camp.

However, his flight speed appeared to be slower than usual, and he maintained a certain distance from the Chan Sect immortals in front of him.

"This guy seems a bit different..."

Nezha's eyes flickered, and without saying much, he flew away as well.

The distance between the Shang Dynasty and the Xiqi military camp was not far; for a Great Luo Golden Immortal, it was a matter of moments.

Before the soldiers of the Shang Dynasty could even notice that the truce sign floating in the sky had been burned by the sun, the immortals of the Chan Sect had already arrived outside the military camp.

When Shen Gongbao, Shi Ji, and the others sensed the aura of the Chan Sect immortals, they discovered that the truce sign floating above the military camp had been destroyed, and their expressions changed slightly.

"You guys are really shameless!"

Shen Gongbao was furious. "You were already trying to undermine Senior Brother Gongming while you were raising the truce sign, but now you've destroyed the Great Shang's truce sign and launched a surprise attack while Senior Brother Gongming was injured. Is this what the Chan Sect is all about?"

"Nephew, don't talk nonsense."

The Taoist Ran Deng laughed heartily, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.

"We are unaware of Fellow Daoist Gongming's injury. As for the truce sign, it has nothing to do with our Chan Sect and was not our doing."

How can Lu Ya's actions be attributed to the Chan Sect?

The Taoist Ran Deng shrugged, looking completely innocent.

"We came here because we saw the truce sign suddenly disappear and thought you wanted to fight again. How can that be considered a sneak attack?"

"If this truce sign was not taken down by you, then it means it is the will of Heaven, and we will have another battle today."

"Fellow Daoists, please!"

Finally, Daoist Ran Deng flipped his right hand, and the Measuring Ruler appeared in his hand. His entire body was surging with magical power, and he was ready to make his move.

Guang Chengzi, Lu Ya, and the others behind him also took out their handy magical treasures.

Take advantage of his weakness and kill him; today we will send these Jie Sect immortals to the list!
Whoosh—!
But at that moment, a cold wind suddenly swept around, and wisps of pitch-black, deathly energy rose from beneath the earth.

In the blink of an eye, a black mist had formed, enveloping the entire battlefield, including the Xiqi and Shang army camps.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
Followed by.

Then, a series of dense yet disordered metallic clanging sounds came from within the black mist.
Looking through the black mist, one could see countless underworld officials dressed in black ghost robes, with soul-reaping clubs at their waists and iron chains in their hands, coming from all directions and walking across this battlefield as if they didn't see anything.

The clanging of metal came from these iron chains.

Among these underworld messengers, a small number carried a small, gleaming golden banner.

These underworld messengers simply waved their small banners, and the wandering spirits around them seemed to become puppets, following behind them as they moved forward.

Of course, there are also some powerful evil spirits who can break free from Koban's control and rebel.

At this point, the underworld officials wielding iron chains would draw their soul-destroying clubs from their waists, beat the evil spirits into submission, and then bind them with iron chains.

If the victim still refuses to submit after being beaten, the underworld officials holding small golden banners will wave their banners and trap the victim inside, leaving them to their fate.

Upon seeing this, the evil spirits that had been planning to cause trouble immediately became obedient and allowed the underworld officials to tie them up.

"The underworld? What are they going to do?"

As he watched this scene, Daoist Ran Deng frowned slightly. When the battle of the Ten Deadly Formations ended, he noticed that there were too many Yin spirits around.

In a battle of that magnitude, even acquired spiritual treasures would be destroyed, leaving few corpses behind. Yet so many souls survived, which is clearly not right.

At the time, he didn't think much of it. In any case, no matter how many of these evil spirits there were, it wouldn't affect the Investiture of the Gods.

Seeing this scene now, he had a vague feeling that this was all part of the underworld's plan, and if nothing unexpected happened, the underworld's plan this time would probably cause quite a stir.

"Forget about these underworld officials, let's send them on their way first!"

Without giving it much thought, the Taoist Ran Deng immediately prepared to wield the Measuring Ruler and charge into the Shang army camp.

Boom-!
But just then, a heavy footstep came from within the black mist, and in an instant, a huge figure arrived at the Shang army camp.

"Zhao Gongming, your lifespan has come to an end. Come with me!"

(End of this chapter)