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

Chapter 494 Crisis of Gods and Demons, Souls Annihilated!
"Soul God and Demon?"

Yang Xuan was slightly taken aback. How could he possibly forget the Soul God and Demon?

Just now, he categorized the Chaos Gods and Demons as enemies.

This is not something baseless or an act of unfounded worry, but rather a reasonable conjecture with some basis.

According to the original timeline, after the primordial world evolved into the Three Realms, it began to move towards the Dharma-ending Age.

However, under Yang Xuan's planning, the primordial world successfully evolved into the Three Realms, and no signs of the end of the Dharma era appeared.

This was due to Zhen Yuanzi's cooperation with Houtu in activating the Earth Book to protect the primordial earth veins, and Yang Xuan's establishment of mountain gods and land gods to further protect the primordial earth veins and ensure their safety.

The fact that the chaotic gods and demons did not cause trouble is also an important reason.

Yang Xuan still remembers that when Houtu activated the Book of Earth, Yang Xuan established mountain gods and land gods to protect the primordial earth veins and ensure that the earth veins would not be destroyed in the process of primordial evolution.

But at that moment, tiny black cracks suddenly appeared in the western, the four seas, and the immortal volcano, places that had been damaged before.

Beneath the enormous chasm that traverses the entire prehistoric land, these cracks appear quite inconspicuous.
Even if someone saw them, they would think that these cracks were caused by those huge fissures and wouldn't find anything unusual about them.

That's not actually the case; these tiny cracks are all spatial fissures that run through these areas.

If these cracks are allowed to spread, these areas will shatter like a mirror.
Wherever the spatial rift passes, everything will be cut apart, even the ley lines. The end result is that the ley lines in these places will be severely damaged.

If Nuwa hadn't remained uninvolved in the Great War of the Saints, constantly observing the primordial world and guarding against lurking enemies,
The timely detection of these cracks prevented them from spreading, thus averting a tragedy.

Although the primordial world ultimately evolved into the Three Realms without leaving any hidden dangers, this event still left a deep impression on Yang Xuan, further solidifying his belief in his heart—

Behind this event, there must be the work of the Chaos Gods and Demons. Of the three thousand gods and demons who died under Pangu's axe, many of them, like the Soul Gods and Demons, have surely been resurrected.

Upon hearing Houtu mention the gods and demons of the soul, Yang Xuan couldn't help but reveal a hint of anticipation.

Even the weakest of the three thousand gods and demons back then were still half-step Grand Luo Golden Immortals, and any one of them would be no weaker than Yang Xuan.

Among these three thousand gods and demons, the best of the best are genuine Grand Luo Golden Immortals of Primordial Chaos, whose strength is by no means weaker than that of the current Primordial Saints.

Even though these chaotic gods and demons have only recently revived, they are not beings that Yang Xuan cannot or should not deal with.

As the saying goes, it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Compared to enemies hidden in the shadows, it's obviously easier to deal with them when they surface.

If Houtu truly discovers the traces of the Soul Gods and Demons, she might be able to follow the clues and find more Chaos Gods and Demons, thus resolving a potential threat.

Houtu looked at the expectant look on Yang Xuan's face and understood what he was thinking, but it was clear that he was going to be disappointed.

Houtu shook her head and said softly:
"I know what you're thinking. If we could follow the clues and discover other chaotic gods and demons lurking in the primordial world, that would be ideal."

Unfortunately, I can't do that yet...

Yang Xuan was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, but upon further reflection, he felt that this outcome was reasonable.

If the Chaos Gods and Demons were so easily discovered, they wouldn't have chosen to remain silent when the Three Realms evolved in the primordial era, and an unprecedented war would have broken out.

Since they chose to remain silent, they couldn't have been exposed so easily. They must have some kind of counter-surveillance method to avoid the sage's gaze.

What Houtu said next confirmed this.

"Among these chaotic gods and demons that have been revived, there should be one who is proficient in the Dao of Cause and Effect or the Dao of Destiny. They have severed all causal ties with the soul gods and demons."
Even if I activate the Six Paths of Reincarnation to search for cause and effect, I cannot find any trace of other chaotic gods and demons on the soul god and demon.

The only certainty is that during the primordial era when the Three Realms were evolving, chaotic gods and demons appeared in the West.

The west?

Yang Xuan frowned slightly, revealing a thoughtful expression.

"If I remember correctly, at the end of the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West, Buddhism will face a crisis. Could this crisis be related to the Chaos Gods and Demons?"

"If the crisis facing Buddhism truly originates from the chaotic gods and demons, then wouldn't that mean..."

Yang Xuan's mind raced, combining the myths, legends, and unofficial histories from his previous life with his experiences in this one, and some bold ideas emerged.

If things are really as he thinks, then the infiltration of the Chaos Gods and Demons into the Primordial World may have started earlier than he imagined, and the number of resurrected Chaos Gods and Demons may also be greater than he imagined.

However, these are all his one-sided guesses. To determine whether these guesses are true, more secrets, including those involving the sage, are needed.

Yang Xuan looked at Houtu, his lips moving as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end he swallowed the words he was about to say.

If he were to ask, Houtu would most likely give him an answer, but even if he knew this now, it wouldn't be of much help to him.

With his current cultivation level, he is not yet able to participate in this matter.

His immediate priority is to continue improving his cultivation, attain sainthood as soon as possible, and incidentally... to integrate Buddhism, which could also help avoid the future crisis to some extent.

If the future crisis of Buddhism truly comes from the chaotic gods and demons, it can be considered as taking some kind of countermeasure in advance, and perhaps it can also help to discover some traces of the other party.

Yang Xuan didn't think much of it. This matter seemed important, but it wasn't urgent. Even if it happened earlier, it would have to wait until the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West arrived.

The Investiture of the Gods calamity has only been a few eons ago, so the Journey to the West calamity cannot descend so soon.

Even if the two Western Saints went to Zixiao Palace to complain, it would still take several more cycles before the Great Tribulation of Journey to the West could arrive. There's no need to rush; we can take it one step at a time.

Furthermore, Houtu's words made Yang Xuan realize another crisis.

If among these resurrected chaotic gods and demons, there are gods and demons skilled in cause and effect or destiny, or even if they are gods and demons of cause and effect and gods and demons of destiny that have been resurrected.

Therefore, it would be virtually impossible for Yang Xuan to push the Great Dao of Destiny to its limit. The same applies to the Great Dao of Cause and Effect.

Although Yang Xuan does not intend to use the great principles of fate and cause and effect to prove his Dao, the deeper his understanding of these elements that constitute the Dao of Business, the higher the status and authority of the Dao of Business will be when he establishes it in the future.

Ideally, business ethics should possess some authority over fundamental principles such as destiny and cause and effect, encompassing them within its framework.

To achieve this, one needs a sufficient understanding of the great principles of destiny, cause and effect, and ideally, complete mastery of them. Secondly, one must be ahead of everyone else.

Otherwise, when Yang Xuan attains enlightenment, someone will use their own understanding of the great principles of destiny, cause and effect, to suppress these principles and prevent Yang Xuan from establishing the way of commerce.

If the opponent is someone like the God of Destiny or the God of Cause and Effect, it would be very difficult for Yang Xuan to achieve his ideal state.

The reason is simple: the God of Destiny and the God of Cause and Effect are among the best of the three thousand gods and demons, genuine Grand Luo Golden Immortals, and even the strongest among them. Since they are Grand Luo Golden Immortals, it means they have completely mastered a Great Dao and become masters of that Dao. As long as they are alive, Yang Xuan cannot possibly master the Great Daos of Destiny, Cause and Effect, etc.

However, this is not so absolute.

Strictly speaking, the three thousand gods and demons of the past were all born in the chaos, and they were born with a great Dao. They achieved Hunyuan in the chaos and had no connection with the primordial world.

Even if they are the masters of a path, they are not the masters of the primordial world. Logically speaking, Yang Xuan should still have a chance.

But do they really have no connection with the prehistoric world?
Yang Xuan's eyes flickered. There was no point in dwelling on this matter, so he put it aside for the time being and raised another question.

"Your Majesty, have you captured that Soul Demon?"

"Hmm." Houtu nodded, but instead of taking out the Soul Demon God, she manifested the Six Paths of Reincarnation Disc, pointed to a ball of black energy in the center, and said with a smile:

"This is the soul of the Soul God and Demon. You're right, the origin of the Soul God and Demon can indeed be used to perfect the Six Paths of Reincarnation."
Having only refined a portion of the essence of the souls and demons, the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk has already received a slight upgrade.
Thanks to these enhancements, even though a portion of the reincarnation authority was dispersed to various worlds, the power of the Six Paths of Reincarnation remained unchanged, without the slightest damage.

If one were to refine the very essence of the soul-demon, one could easily suppress the two Western Saints upon facing them again.

Houtu's lips curled into a smile, and her face showed a hint of anticipation.

Yang Xuan: ...

Your Majesty, do you have to make it sound so easy? Those two were saints, after all. How can you say it as if you were suppressing two cats and dogs?
Yang Xuan was speechless. Saints were the most powerful beings in the prehistoric world. Even in the time when Pangu existed, they were still important figures.

However, in Houtu's mouth, they became beings that could be suppressed with a flick of the wrist. Even among the saints, the two Western saints were relatively weak, but they were still saints, weren't they?
However, Yang Xuan did not think that Houtu was exaggerating. When she learned that the two Western Saints had stolen the power of reincarnation, Houtu gave them a good beating.

The souls, gods, and demons within the Six Paths of Reincarnation also serve as strong evidence.

Yang Xuan didn't know the exact strength of the Soul God and Demon, but based on the special nature of the Great Dao of the Soul, and considering that it was just a wisp of a remnant soul back then, it already possessed strength far exceeding that of an ordinary Great Luo Immortal.

He was almost certain that the Soul Demon was no weakling, and most likely possessed the strength of a Saint.

Moreover, the fact that the Soul Demon was able to separate a wisp of its divine soul and entrust it to the Absolute Yin Dragon Pearl indicates that it has been revived for some time and has recovered some of its strength.

In the end, he still fell into Houtu's hands, was captured alive, and even his essence was refined by Houtu. It's hard to say whether he will have a chance to be resurrected in the future.

This shows just how powerful Houtu was.

Even if Yang Xuan becomes a saint in the future, Houtu will still be a powerful and influential figure.

"Thank goodness, I managed to latch onto this powerful figure!"

Yang Xuan chuckled inwardly. Given his relationship with Houtu, as long as he didn't destroy the prehistoric world or damage the interests of the underground passage, Houtu would most likely lend a helping hand no matter what trouble he encountered.

Yang Xuan remained silent for a moment, calmed his mind, and congratulated him:
"Congratulations, Your Highness, on your further advancement in cultivation!"

"Unfortunately, we were unable to find any trace of other chaotic gods and demons..."

Houtu sighed, somewhat regretful. If only she could find more Chaos Gods and Demons like the Soul God and Demon, who could complete the Earthly Path and perfect the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

Then her cultivation level will improve rapidly. Although it is impossible for her to break through to the Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal realm, it will not be a problem to go further.

Unfortunately, the other party was too well hidden, leaving no trace of cause and effect. It was impossible to discover the traces of other chaotic gods and demons through the soul gods and demons, so they could only find a way to search for them themselves.

Looking back now, Houtu realizes that Yang Xuan was really lucky. He hid that wisp of the soul of the Soul Demon so well that Houtu didn't even notice it.

As a result, Houtu's trip to Zixiao Palace caused the Soul God and Demon to become careless, allowing Yang Xuan to discover them and ultimately lead to their downfall.

Houtu still remembers the look of bewilderment and resentment on the face of the Soul Demon when she captured it.

The Soul God and Demon must have never been able to accept it, even in death, that he, a Primordial Golden Immortal, would end up losing everything because of another Golden Immortal.

"It seems that young friend Yang Xuan may have some connection with these chaotic gods and demons, and may bring me some surprises in the future."

Houtu's face showed a hint of anticipation. Compared to her aimless search, she was more looking forward to the surprise that Yang Xuan would bring her.

Speaking of surprises, Yang Xuan has brought her many surprises over the years, solving one problem after another for her.

From childhood to adulthood, she first belonged to the Witch Clan, then to the Underworld, and then to the entire Netherworld. Even her improvement in strength was due to Yang Xuan.

Yang Xuan brought her so many surprises, how could she not repay him?
Houtu reached out and grasped, and a small black banner, radiating dazzling golden light, appeared out of thin air in her hand.

This is Yang Xuan's Emperor Banner!
Houtu waved the Emperor's Banner in her hand and said with a smile:

"I had no use for the physical body of the Soul God and Demon, so I refined it into the Human Emperor Banner to enhance its foundation."

As they were talking, Houtu handed over the Human Emperor Banner.

Yang Xuan took a look and his eyes widened in surprise. He was astonished to find that the Emperor Banner had undergone such a great change in just a few eons.

The Human Emperor Banner is a special spiritual treasure. Its power depends mainly on the number and strength of the Yin spirits within it.

Yang Xuan placed it in the eighteenth level of hell because he valued the countless souls in the underworld.

Compared to personally capturing souls everywhere, it is obviously more efficient to place them in the underworld and use the special characteristics of hell to capture even the most heinous souls.

In the current context of the primordial world, there are many heinous souls, and even more souls that deserve to be sent to the eighteen levels of hell. At least one in ten would be a worthy victim.

Remember, it's at least!

It would be no problem to imprison the most heinous of the dead under the Emperor's Banner; no one would object.

Even those souls destined for the eighteen levels of hell meet the requirements for entering the Emperor's Banner.

As a result, over the years, the number of spirits within the Emperor's Banner has become countless.

More importantly, there are quite a few Golden Immortals and Taiyi Golden Immortals among them.

It's no exaggeration to say that the number of spirits within this small banner is comparable to that of some medium-sized forces.

Even without the participation of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal, any individual wielding the Human Emperor Banner could annihilate a medium-sized force!
This is without any supporting formations. If these spirits were to set up a formation like the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, their strength would increase several times over. Even if a Grand Luo Golden Immortal were to participate in the battle, the result would likely be the same.

Now that Houtu has refined the soul of the gods and demons into the Human Emperor Banner, she has made up for a shortcoming of the Human Emperor Banner, elevating its foundation to the level of a top-grade innate spiritual treasure!
But that wasn't all. Houtu's next words made Yang Xuan's eyes widen in disbelief.

(End of this chapter)