From a carp to a dragon god

Menzhou Chamber of Commerce, Garden Pavilion.

Li Zhen was shocked by the words of the Fragrant Rat. He couldn't imagine how the Rat Immortals cultivated ginseng spiritual roots and kept them in a state where they could break through to the first grade at any time.

A piece of fatty meat that was about to be eaten was covered in iron nails, making him afraid to put it in his mouth for fear of getting a mouthful of blood.

"Cousin, what do you think we should do?" Li Zhen looked reluctant, feeling like the duck in his mouth was about to fly away.

Yu Shuyang held the Dongyuan Xuantian Flag in his hand and chuckled a few times. He said to the Fragrant Rat, "A first-grade spiritual root is also called the elixir of immortality. This thing is extremely precious in the Central Plains."

In order to refine this medicine, the East Sea specially raised insect demons in the hope of obtaining the longevity-enhancing Spring and Autumn Insect, which would be used as a medicinal ingredient to refine the longevity elixir.

If this news were to be spread, I imagine that the major families in the interior of Kyushu, and even the emperor of Zhongzhou, would be interested.

When that time comes, the ginseng spiritual root will be taken away, and perhaps the entire lineage of the treasure rat will have to be kept in captivity so that you can cultivate new spiritual roots again.

I don't know if this is the result you, my precious rat, wanted!

Yu Shuyang was not coerced at all. Li Zhen was eyeing the Hundred Treasures Mountain in Baoshu's hands, but he didn't care at all. Since it came to overturning the table, he was willing to do it.

The Fragrant Rat had already used all its business acumen to complain, but it still couldn't scare Yu Shuyang. His face changed drastically in an instant, turning ashen.

Li Zhen also realized what was going on and immediately chimed in, "If the East Sea Dragon Palace finds out about this, it shouldn't be difficult to resolve!"

The fragrant rat trembled with fear. He had just exposed the treasure rat's greatest trump card, and danger was imminent. He was filled with remorse.

"Aren't you human?! Aren't you afraid of being punished for doing this? Heaven's justice is clear, how can it allow you to seize by force?"

The fragrant rat was at its wit's end. Apart from uttering a few harsh words, it was too weak to struggle any longer, and it burst into tears again in frustration.

This time, there was no scheming or performance; it was all deep love, grief over the injustice done to the Rat Clan, and also a profound sense of grievance.

Yu Shuyang took out the Lingzhi Ruyi and activated a gust of wind and sand to collect all the rotten meat in the pavilion into the array diagram, which was then combined with the Yellow Sand Dao to refine it, thus enriching his little technique.

Once the vengeful spirits within the rotting flesh are dispersed, they transform back into incense poison, which, along with the yellow sand, becomes a kind of poisonous sand capable of arousing the seven emotions.

"Rat Immortal, I advise you to listen to my advice. Li Zhen went to great lengths to save you. You should think about yourself first!"

Yu Shuyang's purpose in coming here this time was not to force the fragrant rats to submit and cooperate, but simply to reveal his intentions first. The real opportunity would come when the Baiyi people swept through Menzhou.

Unexpectedly, he learned the secret from the Scent-Eating Rat, which caught him off guard. A fight to the death would not benefit either the Rat or Li Zhen.

Moreover, Yu Shuyang didn't want to do anything that would harm others without benefiting himself. Fortunately, the fragrant rat was frightened, which gave him a glimpse of a "variable".

Li Zhen just used the Yin Debt Money from Broken Money Mountain to save the Fragrant Rat. This money has compound interest, and the Fragrant Rat can't repay it at all.

If Li Zhen were truly ruthless, he could completely turn the fragrant rats into "debt-ridden ghosts," leaving them at the mercy of others.

The Fragrant Rat was, after all, a demon immortal who had already refined his life into one. How could he not sense the power of the Yin Debt? It didn't take long for him to understand. He was a cultivator of the Way of Commerce, so how could he not understand his own situation?

"You two, you set a trap for me, just waiting for me to fall into it!"
"I'm not one to be afraid of death. Today, I'll pay with my life. Hundred Herbs Mountain belongs to the Treasure Rat Clan; don't even think about it!"

The fragrant rat sternly rebuked them, picked up its sacred tobacco pipe, and prepared to commit suicide on the spot to defend the rights of its clan.

Yu Shuyang shook the Dongyuan Xuantian Flag, and the Qian Gang Dharma Rhyme flew out, like a bubble, enveloping the fragrant rat inside, thus preventing the pipe stem from smashing its brains out.

"Rat Fairy, I never imagined that your resolute character would be so bad, it's our fault!"
The Chamber of Commerce matters are not urgent. Li Zhen will discuss them with you again when the Baiyi people sweep through Menzhou!
We're not here to steal or take things by force. To be honest, no matter how good the elixir is, it still has to be refined into a pill in the end.

"The greatest alchemist in the East China Sea is on Simen Island in the desolate sea. Think it over carefully. We both come with the utmost sincerity," Yu Shuyang urged earnestly.

The Scent-Eating Rat's face was full of suspicion and distrust. At this moment, he was already a frightened bird, especially since his slip of the tongue had exposed the Chamber of Commerce's trump card.

Yu Shuyang quickly gave Li Zhen a wink, and fortunately Li Zhen wasn't stupid either, so she also offered some words of advice.

"Rat Immortal, I spoke without thinking just now."

As you know, the five cities of Yazhou all have their own industries, so there's no need for us to compete with your chamber of commerce. We can cooperate.

When the Baiyi people sweep through Menzhou, the Chamber of Commerce will inevitably face retaliation. Just think about it, do you think the Baiyi people care about Baicaoshan?
"I might not have explained myself clearly earlier. I came here today mainly to discuss something with you, so that if that day ever comes, you can come to me for assistance."

Li Zhen had also come to his senses by now and knew that the timing was wrong, so he dared not threaten the fragrant rat anymore.

After listening, the fragrant rat blinked its eyes back and forth, pondered quietly for a long time, and finally had no choice but to sigh helplessly.

Ever since the ancestor of the Treasure Rat lineage was murdered, the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce has been in a very awkward position, both in terms of its relationship with the Central Plains royal family and the five great marquis cities.

Preserving the Treasure Rat Cave Heaven from its collapse had already consumed most of the thirty-six Rat Immortals' energy, not to mention cultivating the ginseng spiritual root.

At this moment, the scent-eating rat was distracted and had lost the will to investigate. In fact, it didn't need to investigate anymore.

Ever since Yu Shuyang made it clear that the Heavenly Soldiers of the Overlord's Mansion would not enter the gate state, the Fragrant Rat no longer harbored any illusions!

"Thank you both. Enough with the small talk. There are some things that are beyond my control. Let's discuss this later!"

The Fragrant Rat had no time to deal with it anymore; all he wanted now was to hurry back to the Treasure Rat Cave and discuss things with his brothers.

Yu Shuyang slightly opened his divine pupils, sensing the tribulation energy on the Fragrant Rat, confirming his guess. The Fragrant Rat was in a worse state than the Black Fox with its bushy tail; the tribulation energy had already invaded its life soul.

"Rat Immortal, there's another thing I'd like to ask you. Do you know anything about the Scent Fragrance Cult?" Yu Shuyang asked with a smile.

The plague was about to end, but the "Demon Doctor" still couldn't find the Incense Cultists, and the matter fell into Yu Shuyang's hands again.

The Tai Sui Dragon God Temple has already been built. If the Wenxiang believers continue to play tricks about the divine era, they will inevitably be retaliated against by the Tai Sui Dragon God. Yu Shuyang doesn't even need to lift a finger.

With the establishment of the two Tai Sui Dragon God Temples, the deities and their respective positions each sent down a spiritual response, which the believers who follow the incense could not possibly fail to sense.

Yu Shuyang came to Menzhou for two purposes: one was to support a local force, and the other was to deal with the divine cultivators of the Tai Sui Dragon God of the Divine Era.

Now, he has bet on the Liu family of Bird Mountain, giving away all the food and weapons they brought for the dead, and has also built a temple on Bird Mountain.

The task of supporting one faction has been completed; only the Scent-Fragrance Cultists remain to be dealt with.

The fragrant rat's eyes darted around as it recalled the questions Yu Shuyang had asked it when it was in the Fragrant Wood Blessed Land, and it vaguely gleaned some clues from those questions.

"Master, as I told you before, the Fragrance Cult is a disciple of the Marquis City and should still be hiding in Fengtian City. As for their exact location, it's hard to say. However, I know there's a Flower Alley in Fengtian City, where many prostitutes are trafficked from Lingzhou."

Those who follow the Scent of Incense are mostly lecherous and lustful; presumably, inquiring around in the Flower Lane might yield some clues.

The fragrant rat smiled as it spoke to Yu Shuyang, observing the changes in Yu Shuyang's expression as it spoke.

Yu Shuyang nodded, tugged at Li Zhen, and then said goodbye to the Fragrant Rat and left. The two of them remained silent until they left the gate of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Yu Shuyang released the cloud chariot, carrying Li Zhen as they soared away. Once the cloud chariot was airborne, he said, "The Fragrant Rat has already incurred a karmic debt, so don't push it too hard!"

He has been thoroughly corrupted by the calamity's aura, and his mind has been affected by the killing calamity, so there's no need to pay him too much attention.

"If we can acquire the resources of the Menzhou Chamber of Commerce, that would be a good thing. Even if we don't, there's no real loss, so there's no need to dwell on it."

Yu Shuyang had no choice but to try to persuade Li Zhen. The Menzhou Chamber of Commerce was caught up in a bloodbath, and if Li Zhen developed any obsessions, he would probably be dragged into it as well.

Li Zhen listened attentively to the instructions from the cloud chariot. In recent days, as he learned more about the killing calamity, he was almost scared out of his wits. He also understood why his master, Master Zuo, dared not take a single step out of the Ten Thousand Crows Palace.

“Cousin, when the treasure ship arrives, I’ll go back to the East China Sea with you. As for the matters here in Menzhou, why don’t we ask the Grand Temple Master of the God of Goods to come? I think he’s not afraid of being killed.”

With a bitter face, Li Zhen expressed his thoughts from the past few days.

Last time, he thought of building a temple like Yu Shuyang and sending a group of apprentices over, but Yu Shuyang rejected the idea. Later, he changed his mind and thought of becoming the temple keeper of the God of Goods.

"Alright, if you can persuade the head temple keeper, that'll be a skill of yours!" Yu Shuyang joked with a smile.

The fact that the God of Goods Temple Priest has been staying on Thunder Island must mean he has something to gain, just like the Desolate Sea Market, which is a compromise between the Eastern Barbarian Emperor, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, and the Western Barbarian Kingdom.

Yu Shuyang chatted with Li Zhen for a few minutes, then looked down from the cloud chariot and saw that several towns had been restored to human habitation, and some Baiyi people were also going out to travel.

With the relief of the dead offering food, no more people in the Baiyi villages starved to death. In recent days, as Cao Xiaoshan continued to guide the souls of the dead, the preaching of the Tai Sui Dragon God was also going very well.

As the cloud chariot flew through the air, Yu Shuyang opened his divine eyes and could clearly feel the power of the believers' vows, which was a sense of identification with the gods.

At the same time, it was also due to the two temples at Niaolu Mountain and Fengtian City that the spirit of the Tai Sui Dragon God was in harmony with the incense offerings and vows, thus protecting the surrounding believers.

The plague's devastation subsided so quickly not only because of the healing physician, Wood, but also because of the temple's miraculous response.

"I heard from Liu Jinu that Doctor Wu went to Huzhou, saying that the plague had also broken out there."

Yu Shuyang sighed helplessly.

Wood was a physician and monk who had once been saved by Li Taiping's spirit. Wood did not remember this, but Yu Shuyang remembered it.

Unfortunately, although he wanted to repay the favor, Wood's knowledge and practice were all in the way of great doctors, which Yu Shuyang understood nothing about, so he couldn't help him.

Before he could come up with another solution, Wood was invited away by the Snow Mountain White Fox again. A plague outbreak also occurred in the Huzhou Quanyi region, forcing them to ask him to go and treat the infected.

As a result, neither of them had a chance to say goodbye, which inevitably made Yu Shuyang feel a little guilty.

The cloud chariot could not enter Fengtian City and landed under a city gate. Fengtian City was a large city with a total of nine city gates.

The city gate where Yu Shuyang is currently located is for merchants to enter and exit. Because horse-drawn carriages need to pass through, the road is paved with bluestone slabs.

Unlike the demon city of Yazhou, the human city here required paying taxes to enter and exit the city gates, which broadened Yu Shuyang's horizons.

It should be noted that customs cities in the Kyushu inland areas do not collect taxes, but surprisingly, the hereditary cities of Menzhou actually have a "gate tax".

Yu Shuyang and Li Zhen were not short of talisman money, so they easily took out money to send the guards away. With the guidance of the Dragon God, they quickly found "Flower Alley".

This place is far inferior to the Spring God's Hall in the Fox Kingdom; it's just a street and two alleys lined with brothels and flower shops, each with a waiter soliciting business at its entrance.

Yu Shuyang and Li Zhen were both handsome men, and their rich and arrogant attire made them the envy of the brothel's staff.

In an instant, seven or eight waiters rushed forward, each of them a top courtesan from their respective establishment.

Yu Shuyang smiled without saying a word. Only after the shop assistants fell silent did he speak, saying, "I've come to find Granny Wang and Seventh Sister!"

The seven or eight men scattered like birds and beasts. Yu Shuyang grabbed one of the closest men and said, "Hey, don't go! At least show me the way!"

The waiter was frightened by the menacing dragon bone and dared not offend Yu Shuyang, so he pointed him in a direction, then tore the clothes off Yu Shuyang's hand and ran back to the brothel.

Yu Shuyang shook his head and smiled, then said to Li Zhen, "The people of Fengtian City are less courageous than a rabbit!"

When he first went to the Spring God Club, there were even "pimps" who dared to approach him and strike up a conversation. That's how Cao Xiaoshan met him.

Yu Shuyang and Li Zhen walked one after the other into the depths of the flower alley. When they reached a corner gate, it was a single-panel door.

As the saying goes, a double leaf is a door, and a single leaf is a doorway.

There was a brass ring on the door. Yu Shuyang picked up the ring and knocked on it a few times. In no time, an old woman with gray hair pushed the door open and came out.

This old woman was a former prostitute in the red-light district. After she grew old and lost her beauty, she could only do odd jobs, such as washing clothes for the girls, just to make ends meet.

"We're here to see Granny Wang!" Yu Shuyang explained.

The old woman nodded and made way for the entrance. Inside was a set of bluestone steps that led all the way to the rooftop, where the Dragon God Temple was pieced together from several flower-shaped buildings.

Following the steps upwards, you finally reach the rooftop, where you are greeted by a small hut with a clay dragon statue on the altar.

At this moment, Granny Wang was leading several women to kneel before the statue of the deity. The dragon god was continuously absorbing the power of incense and prayers, while also washing away the impurities from the women's bodies.

Wang Po practiced the methods of the bustard, but was originally trapped by lust. Whenever she practiced to a deeper level, she felt her blood surging and could hardly control her body and mind.

Since coming to Menzhou to help spread the faith, her lustful nature has gradually faded, allowing her to slowly comprehend the true meaning of the Bird Mother.

The bustard is the wife of all birds, just as the phoenix conceives by sensing the qi. The bustard also does this to reproduce all birds and prevent their bloodline from dying out.

(End of this chapter)