From a carp to a dragon god

Wuyang Mountain, North Freight Yard.

Yu Shuyang came with Li Zhen. He originally didn't want to come, but he couldn't resist Li Zhen's persistent pleas.

Ever since Li Zhen received the warning, he sought out Liu Jinu to investigate the background of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce. He was shocked by what he learned.

The Menzhou Chamber of Commerce was supported by the Zhongzhou Dynasty. Among its members, thirty-six demon immortals all originated from the Rat Clan and controlled the major trade in Menzhou.

For example, the maritime trade in the East China Sea is the exclusive business of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Besides maritime trade, the core of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce is various spiritual plants and herbs. Half of the herbs in the Kyushu inland area are produced in Menzhou.

Most of the spiritual herbs circulating in the East Sea market come from the ships of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce, which is why Li Zhen was so interested.

Yu Shuyang had no choice but to agree after being pestered by Li Zhen.

These days, he has been secretly learning from others in the Dragon-Raising Cave Heaven, partly because of the Daoist soldier formation, and partly to avoid the invasion of calamity energy so as not to be caught up in the killing calamity.

According to his wishes, once the treasure ship lands, he will board it and not come out again, directly following the treasure ship back to the East China Sea. He should also prepare for his tribulation.

"Cousin, what do you think I should do to persuade the fragrant rat? It might not be willing, right?" Li Zhen asked.

Yu Shuyang chuckled and continued to drive the cloud chariot forward, saying indifferently, "The Menzhou Chamber of Commerce consists of thirty-six companies, which are basically thirty-six rat immortals."

Even if you manage to capture the fragrant rat, you still won't be able to access the rich resources of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Meeting with the Fragrant Rat is merely to have him deliver a message: when the Liu family of Bird Mountain sweeps through Menzhou, that will be the time for you to take over the Chamber of Commerce's foundation.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhen nodded, realizing that he had acted too hastily. Recently, he had been using the power of incense and prayers to refine the Heavenly Talisman Golden Mace, thereby gathering fortune to protect his body and prevent being blinded by calamity.

However, the Heavenly Talisman Golden Mace is not a treasure for suppressing fortune, so it doesn't seem to have much effect, and my mind is still a bit confused.

Yu Shuyang didn't say anything more. Ever since Li Zhen joined the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, there had been a fundamental difference between them, and their positions in the Middle Earth World were different.

The Eastern Yi Emperor was the emperor of the Yi people, and he could not tolerate being confined to an island. Therefore, his stance leaned towards the demon race, and only by joining forces with the dragon race could he possibly defeat the human dynasty.

Although Yu Shuyang was constantly being courted by the demon race and had no choice but to transform into a dragon and advance his position, this was only a symbolic gesture of support; his actual stance remained neutral.

The Dao Alliance has never expressed its opinion on the ownership of the Central Plains world, regardless of whether the human race or the demon race wins.

After all, the Taiqing Dao Palace does not need to fill the Middle Thousand Worlds, nor does it need to expand its population. In contrast, the Dao Alliance focuses more on spreading the Dao and cultivation.

Having visited once before with the treasure ship, Yu Shuyang arrived at Wuyang Mountain with ease and landed at the entrance of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

As the clouds dissipated, Yu Shuyang and Li Zhen emerged, followed by the Chamber of Commerce's guards.

The newcomers were a group of golden-haired, white-nosed rats. These rat demons were all dressed in golden helmets and armor, and each held a mace in their left and right hands.

The mace is covered with iron spikes. It is called a "mace" because its shape resembles a flower bud. It is a unique weapon of Menzhou and Huzhou.

"May I ask if you two are merchants from the East China Sea?"

The team leader, a rat, offered a polite greeting.

Since the plague broke out in Fengtian City, the North Goods Market has lost all business. Merchants from other states dare not come, and there are no unfamiliar faces in the market.

Moreover, when the treasure ship came last time, Li Zhen was involved in an accounting project, which made him memorable to the rat general.

“Yes, we are merchants from the East China Sea, and we came here specifically at your invitation.” Li Zhen said casually, handing the invitation to the Rat General.

The Rat General was naturally unaware that the Fragrant Rat had invited Li Zhen, but he knew the proper etiquette. He accepted the invitation with both hands and, with his soldiers acting as guards, escorted Li Zhen into the Chamber of Commerce's hall.

At this moment, the Scent-Eating Rat was already waiting in the hall. His fat body had been magically compressed, making him look less bloated.

"Master Yu, Captain Li, you two have finally arrived! I've prepared a feast in the flower hall," said the Fragrant Rat, looking delighted.

Yu Shuyang waved his hand and said, "There's no rush to start the banquet. I came here with Li Zhen this time, mainly to discuss things with the Rat Immortal."

Why not find a quiet, secluded spot and enjoy a few cups of tea?

The banquets in Menzhou are full of wild game and mountain delicacies. These days, Yu Shuyang has eaten a lot at Huanlong Cave and has lost his appetite.

Moreover, they came to coerce the Fragrant Rat into cooperating with Li Zhen to acquire the resources of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce, so it was inappropriate to discuss these matters at the banquet.

The fragrant rat twitched its eyebrows and darted around, finally losing its usual arrogant demeanor, and raised its hand to instruct the butler beside it to make arrangements.

The Chamber of Commerce of Wuyang Mountain is built like a guild hall. Normally, it would host merchants from other states, so there are many flowers planted in the backyard of the Chamber of Commerce.

Led by the Scent-Eating Rat, the three demons traveled slowly. Along the way, the Scent-Eating Rat opened its mouth several times but could not utter a word, indicating that something was wrong.

The thirty-six rat immortals of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce all come from the lineage of treasure rats, and each branch has a unique skill in finding and appraising treasures.

The unique skill of the Scent-Eating Rat lies in "smelling fragrance." It can sense the origin of treasures from their scents, which is similar to Yu Shuyang's ability to observe the atmosphere and sense the spirits of things. Both are methods of communicating with the spirits of objects.

Of course, the art of observing the wind and qi, when practiced to the end, no longer limits itself to wind perception, but rather to the so-called seeing and hearing of heaven and earth.

The scent-eating rat smelled incense on Li Zhen and a cold scent on Yu Shuyang. Both scents carried a dangerous undertone, which frightened the rat.

A pavilion had been built in the backyard garden. At this time, a teapot and teacups were already set on the stone table, and spring water was boiling on a small red clay stove, waiting for the three demons to enjoy tea and discuss matters.

Yu Shuyang took out a cake of Dragon and Phoenix Tea and said to Li Zhen and the Fragrant Rat, "You two can make yourselves at home. I'll order some tea for you."

Yu Shuyang learned the art of tea preparation from the Wan family, the candle spirits, so his technique was naturally inferior. However, he understood the art of alchemy and used methods of harmonizing the elements when preparing tea.

Neither the Fragrant Rat nor Li Zhen were interested in watching the tea ceremony. After they took their seats as host and guest, the two demons exchanged glances, and Li Zhen was the first to speak.

"Rat Immortal, these days have passed, I suppose you've already found out some of the news?" Li Zhen asked confidently, taking the initiative.

When asked, the Fragrant Rat frowned. To be honest, he had indeed inquired about Li Zhen and Yu Shuyang. This was a matter of concern not only to him, but also to the other thirty-five Rat Immortals of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Relying on their sea ships, the merchant guild sent rat demons over. The sea rat clan of the East Sea had a close relationship with the treasure rats of Menzhou, so they could easily find out some information.

Li Zhen was born into the Azure Wave Insect Clan, and the origins of his parents were easy to find out. As for his later apprenticeship in the Myriad Immortals Alliance, his master being Master Zuo, and even his leadership of Nest Island, all of this was thoroughly investigated.

For this reason, when the Fragrant Rat sent his visiting card, he only invited Yu Shuyang, because he really didn't dare to provoke Li Zhen.

"Captain Li, please speak frankly. Our two families have a long-standing relationship. Most of the herbs on Golden Deer Island are supplied by the Chamber of Commerce." The Fragrant Rat looked like he was about to cry. At this moment, he was as if he were being roasted over a fire, and he no longer had his previous arrogant demeanor.

Li Zhen twirled the golden mace in his hand and asked with a smile, "Rat Immortal, since you've already found out everything, I won't beat around the bush with you."

The chaos in Menzhou has already become apparent, and now it's just waiting for an opportunity. In any case, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce has no room for maneuver.

I'd like to ask, what are your plans for the future? Will you take your families and flee back to Zhongzhou? Or will you stay in Menzhou?

For so many years, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce has cooperated with Shihou City to suppress the Baiyi people in every way. They will not let you off the hook.

As Li Zhen spoke, the scent-eating rat's expression grew increasingly grim, its mind racing as it tried to guess Li Zhen's true intentions.

"Rat Immortal, you thirty-six rats must have put a lot of effort into running the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce. Isn't it a great pity to just give it up like this?"

Li Zhen asked the final question without flinching, instantly crushing the smelly rat. The fat rat seemed to be enraged, jumping up and down and pointing at Li Zhen.

"You...you...! You have the ambition of a wolf!"

The Scent-Eating Rat frequently ingests fragrances, mixing them with the power of incense offerings, accumulating countless incense poisons within its body. At this moment, under the influence of its emotions, its demonic form seems to have lost control.

The fragrant rat swelled up, its bound fat bouncing out and forming several fist-sized lumps, which scurried around like a rat.

Li Zhen was shocked by this change and hurriedly activated the Heavenly Talisman Golden Mace to help the Incense-Eating Rat suppress the Incense Poison in its body.

The incense poison combined with the fragrance is like a vengeful ghost, usually hidden within a body of fat, but now it erupts like a flood bursting its banks, impossible to stop.

Yu Shuyang hurriedly said, "Blocking it won't work. If you suppress it for a while, the fragrant rats will explode and die."

Li Zhen only saw the riot caused by the incense poison and was unaware of the existence of the evil spirit. At this moment, Yu Shuyang gave him a hint, and he instantly grasped the key point.

He was busy revealing the Yin Treasury God of Wealth, who could release Yin debts, reduce Yin virtues, and also had some restraint over evil spirits.

Moreover, the evil spirits on the fragrant rats are also transformed from incense poison, and are the manifestation of the resentment and evil emotions of believers.

The God of Wealth of the Underworld, dressed as a military general, wearing a golden helmet and golden armor, and holding a pure gold mace, was whipping the fragrant rat.

When the golden mace struck the fragrant rat, a mark was left on it, which was the debt money borrowed from the Broken Money Mountain in the Underworld.

Then, beams of mysterious light shot into the fat, instantly turning the white, delicate fat black. Li Zhen then took out the Yin Dragon Scissors and began to work on the blackened flesh of the Fragrant Rat.

As the golden mace was drawn and the Yin dragon's scissors twisted, clumps of dark, foul-smelling flesh were thrown onto the ground of the pavilion. The Scent-Eating Rat could be considered to have benefited from misfortune, as its body of incense poison and vengeful ghosts were all removed.

Of course, it wasn't without a price. In order to resolve the vengeful ghost, Li Zhen lent the Fragrant Rat ten million in karmic debt money.

The incense-eating rat took out some wound ointment and applied it to the wounds all over its body, instantly stopping the pain. Just now, the incense poison had erupted, and its body had lost control, so it didn't feel any pain when it was whipped or cut.

"Thank you, Captain Li!"

The fragrant rat lowered its eyes and glanced at the rotten meat on the ground. There were as many as thirty or forty pieces. It felt as if all the fat on its body had been cut off, and it felt much lighter all over.

At this moment, the fragrant rat didn't know what to say. He already knew Li Zhen's intentions, and having just been saved, he couldn't say anything unpleasant.

"Rat Immortal, congratulations! You've shed all your burdens. The tea is all ready. Come and have a cup!"

Yu Shuyang brewed three cups of tea, using the secret technique of boiling white stone to refine the tea into water-gloss sand, and then used the blending and refining process to turn the water-gloss sand back into tea.

This tea has little practical use, except for filling the stomach and detoxifying.

Li Zhen handed a cup of tea to the Fragrant Rat, then picked up another cup and savored it carefully. He felt as if the tea was swimming like a fish, sliding down his throat as soon as it entered his mouth.

"Ah! It feels so good, I feel a sense of happiness!" Li Zhen exclaimed loudly.

The fragrant rat also drank the tea and was equally satisfied, feeling its mouth water, its stomach warm, and its whole body full.

"Rat Immortal, the rise of the calamity is the will of Heaven, and the rampant spread of the Baiyi people in Menzhou is also the will of Heaven. Do you think the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce has any way out?"

The Heavenly Army from the Overlord's Mansion outside the pass will not come in. They have never been afraid of the plague. Just think about it, what is the plague compared to the Heavenly Army?
To tell you the truth, the Heavenly Soldiers of the Overlord's Mansion are afraid of the calamity energy. As long as they dare to enter, they will definitely be caught up in the killing calamity.

"The Five Prefectures' troops are the foundation of humanity; it's impossible for them to take risks. None of the Nine Holy Lands are fools," Yu Shuyang said coldly.

The fragrant rat could no longer hold back and burst into tears, recounting the history of its lineage as it cried.

The Treasure Rat bloodline also originated from a first-grade demon immortal and had once transcended tribulation to ascend to immortality. Their generation's ancestor was also a bloodline that returned to its ancestral form.

Because the progenitor lived in the human royal palace, he was considered to have a royal title. However, due to the difference between humans and demons, he was eventually driven out by the Confucian holy land.

At that time, the policy of Menzhou was being formulated. In order to restrain the former royal family, Baoshu was sent to Menzhou. This was the predecessor of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

How could Shihou City allow Baoshu to grow too powerful? After all, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce could blockade the Baiyi people, and conversely, it could also blockade Shihou City.

Therefore, during the last great calamity, Shihou City sent people to lure the Demonic Sect into the pass, just as the Fragrance Sect and the Eastern Demonic Sect were locked in a bloody battle.

With the cooperation of the five great vassal cities, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce was also implicated, and the progenitor of the Treasure Rat also lost his life in the massacre.

To avoid being beheaded, the Chamber of Commerce secretly split into thirty-six families based on their supernatural powers and magic, which are now known as the Thirty-Six Rat Immortals.

This calamity broke out ahead of schedule, and many of the Rat Immortals had personally experienced the last calamity, so they were all filled with fear.

Instigating Toriyama Hakuyi to attack Fengtian was not only for self-preservation, but also to avenge the Treasure Rat Ancestor and to avoid being harmed by the lords again.

The plague outside Fengtian City was like swallowing a fly, making the rats feel disgusted!
The Fragrance Cultists are actually members of the Shihou City clan. They specifically brought in the disease-inducing demon doctors from the north and then created the "plague." Their sinister intentions are now obvious.

This time, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce did not sit idly by. They nurtured a Hundred Herbs Mountain in the ancestral cave, where a late-stage second-grade ginseng spiritual root was found.

It is extremely difficult to cultivate a precious medicinal root to the second grade, especially in the later stages of the second grade. The next step is to reach the first grade, which is the so-called elixir of immortality.

"Gentlemen, I advise you to think carefully. If anyone dares to shake the foundation of the Chamber of Commerce, the Treasure Rat lineage has the ability to perish together with them!" the Fragrant Rat said through gritted teeth.

Breaking through to the first grade of spiritual root will trigger a heavenly tribulation, which is the Treasure Rat lineage's means of self-preservation.

(End of this chapter)