You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chapter 113 City God Temple, Strange Immortal (1)

brush!
The "eerie wind" swirled in the air before speeding towards the depths of the Helan Mountains.

In that eerie wind, tiny, rice-grain-sized "ghostly thoughts" were crystal clear, just like crystal!
When one's spiritual cultivation reaches this level, one can achieve "gathering and scattering at will," and can also materialize it, condensing one's spiritual power into individual ghostly thoughts.

As long as one thought remains, one can live forever.

It can even achieve "possession and rebirth".

Taoist cultivation of the Yin spirit is similar to ghost cultivation.

Concentration, astral projection, nocturnal travel, daytime travel, object manipulation, physical manifestation, possession...

However, the ultimate goal of cultivation is usually to "merge with the Dao and ascend to immortality," and very few people would choose the path of "ghost immortal." Zhang Jiyu was the contemporary Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, destined to "take up his post" in the Heavenly Court in the future. Unexpectedly, he actually cultivated into a ghost immortal.

Longhu Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion...

Could it be that they also have the intention to expand into the underworld?
Jiang He then looked at Chen Yang and asked, "Inspector Chen, what do you think of this fog over Helan Mountain?"

Chen Yang thought for a moment and said, "If the fog cannot be resolved and its spread cannot be contained, I'm afraid the world will undergo a great change!"

"Yes, the world is about to change!"

Jiang He sighed and said, "I actually foresaw this day long ago after I took charge of establishing the National Special Affairs Administration. With the revival of spiritual energy and the increasing number of demons and monsters... it was bound to come out sooner or later."

"So, starting at the end of 2012, we developed a series of plans to concentrate the population as much as possible, so that it would be easier to protect the people in the event of a future disaster."

Chen Yang was aware of this.

For example, the people in the southern mountainous areas of Western Xia lived very scattered. Sometimes, visiting a neighbor's house might require crossing a mountain.

Starting in 2012, the country formulated the "12th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Migration".

Wucheng City alone planned for more than 3 households and set up 46 immigrant villages, resettling a total of about 11 people. Including other cities, districts and counties of Xixia Prefecture and subsequent immigration policies, the total number of immigrants resettled in the prefecture exceeded 50.

Those who did not migrate were also given "well-off villages" near various towns and villages, which centralized the population.

This is just a prefecture in Western Xia.

Other regions have implemented large-scale "ecological migration" programs since 2012, and many places are still carrying out population relocations this year.

This was a massive project that lasted 13 years, and there was no other way around it.

The Great Xia Dynasty had a vast territory and a large population.

Especially in some remote mountainous areas, where transportation is inconvenient and people live scattered, if they are not brought together, they may not even have the opportunity to be rescued if a disaster breaks out in the future.

After a conversation.

Since the full-scale spiritual revival in 2012, the government has secretly made many plans.

They have even decided to fully promote martial arts and Taoist practices.

Jiang He smiled and said, "This proposal was put on the agenda eight years ago... It's just a pity that it couldn't be carried out as planned due to the obstruction of some forces, but it will be soon. At most, there will be news to be announced within three months."

Chen Yang asked in surprise, "This is a good thing, why is someone stopping it?"

Jiang He sneered, "Just a bunch of stubborn old fogies. Do they really think it's still their glorious era?"

This short sentence startled Chen Yang.

Stubborn old-fashioned?
What do you mean?
Could it be that some "old relics" have survived?

Upon closer examination, it's not entirely impossible!
Based on what Chen Yang has learned so far, the era of the Absolute Heavenly Connection is too early, dating back to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors era. However, the Absolute Heavenly Connection's sealing of heaven and earth has never severed the yin and yang, nor separated the cycle of life and death.

The true severance of the Yin-Yang path occurred more than 1200 years ago.

It seems that a great upheaval occurred in the underworld at that time, which led to the severing of the path between Yin and Yang. For example, the Black Mountain Demon took advantage of the opportunity to escape to the human world back then.

The depletion of spiritual energy in the human world and the stagnation of the Great Dao, which ushered in the "Dharma-ending Age," occurred more than 600 years ago, a fact confirmed by Ali.

At that time, some kind of change occurred in the human world. Overnight, spiritual energy was depleted and the Great Dao fell silent, causing many masters to suffer backlash and countless deaths and injuries. Even evil spirits, demons and monsters, and some ghost messengers and gods trapped in the human world could not escape.

But some people are lucky, like Ali...

She was a wisp of a dormant soul that only awoke after the spiritual energy of the human world was restored.

So it's quite reasonable that some of the experts were lucky enough to survive to this day.

As the two were talking, a wisp of cold wind blew out from the depths of Helan Mountain, and tiny, rice-grain-sized ghostly thoughts fell down, transforming back into Zhang Jiyu's appearance.

His body was formed from his soul and thoughts, yet it appeared incredibly real.

Even Chen Yang couldn't see the clue without looking closely.

"Master Zhang!"

Jiang He quickly asked, while Zhang Jiyu, with a grave expression, said in a deep voice, "The turbid mist... has appeared after all!"

Jiang He was also greatly surprised: "Is it really a turbid tide and fog? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Zhang Jiyu nodded and said, "My Longhu Mountain Taoist scriptures contain records about the turbid tide and mist, so I would never be wrong."

"........."

Judging from Zhang Jiyu and Jiang He's expressions, Chen Yang realized that this so-called "turbid tide and mist" was definitely not simple, but he had never heard of this term before, so he immediately asked about it.

Zhang Jiyu said, "According to the records in our Longhu Mountain Taoist texts, the first appearance of the Turbid Tide Mist can be traced back to the early Ming Dynasty... A special celestial phenomenon occurred that year, with a meteor falling to earth and causing enormous disasters in various places." "Since then, the Turbid Tide Mist has begun to spread among the people. This Turbid Tide Mist affects the minds of living beings, causing them to mutate... Even martial artists and Taoist cultivators who live in the Turbid Tide for a long time will be affected by it!"

"What's most terrifying is... the turbid tide will pollute the spiritual energy and even the Great Dao!"

“Under the shroud of the turbid tide, even the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the power of the Great Dao will be polluted.”

"Back then, the imperial court and various Taoist sects, aristocratic families, and even martial arts sects set up large formations in various places to resist the turbid tide, but in the end, it was just a drop in the ocean. The widespread spread of the turbid tide mist caused the plants and animals in the turbid tide to undergo special mutations."

"Even evil spirits and malevolent ghosts were affected, turning into ruthless and vengeful spirits."

Chen Yang was startled...

If things continue like this, wouldn't it be a sign of the end of the world?
Jiang He clearly knew less about the "turbid tide and mist" than Zhang Jiyu, and immediately asked, "What exactly causes the turbid tide and mist?"

Zhang Jiyu said, "Folk legends say that the turbid tide and mist are divine punishment, a calamity sent down by the Heavenly Court to punish the people for their killing and evil deeds... In fact, this is not the case."

"According to the records in the Daoist books, this turbid tide and mist... is a special kind of alien immortal path. Some senior Daoist masters speculate that the strange phenomenon of heaven and earth in the past was caused by an alien immortal who broke into the earth. After its death, its alien path spread, which formed the turbid tide."

"An extraordinary immortal?"

Chen Yang, puzzled, asked, "What is an extraordinary immortal?"

Zhang Jiyu: "The explanation of 'extraordinary immortals' in Taoist texts is that they are immortals who do not belong to the Three Realms... I don't know exactly what they are."

Chen Yang couldn't help but recall the reason for the "severing of the connection between heaven and earth" mentioned by Lord Cui, which was to resist powerful enemies from outside the Three Realms... Could it be that these so-called "extraordinary immortals" are those powerful enemies from outside the realms?
Jiang He's expression grew increasingly grave as he inquired, "Master Zhang, is there any way to resist this turbid tide and mist?"

The turbid mist will pollute spiritual energy and the Great Dao, causing people to lose their minds and mutating humans, animals, plants, and even evil spirits into monsters that only know how to succumb to bloodlust. If it is allowed to spread, humanity will eventually become extinct.

"Have!"

Zhang Jiyu said, "In the past, large formations were established in various places. We need to find these formations and reactivate them in order to preserve a pure land."

"Where should we look for those grand formations?"

“Ancient cities… ancient cities with histories predating the early Ming Dynasty, or some ancient city ruins… In addition, the power of the gods can also resist the turbid tide, but the yin and yang are separated, and the gods of that time have all died or been injured. Nowadays, there are almost no gods left in the human world.”

"Can the power of the gods fight against the turbid tide?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked, "Master Zhang, is there any explanation for this?"

Zhang Jiyu said, "Gods are different from us humans. They are appointed by Heaven and Earth and represent the Way of Heaven and Earth. As long as the Way of Heaven and Earth is strong enough, it can naturally resist the pollution of the Great Dao formed by other immortal paths."

"If a deity is powerful enough, it can protect a region and ensure that a pure land is not affected by the turbid tide."

Chen Yang pondered for a moment and said, "So what Zhang Tianshi means is... if there is a mountain god in Helan Mountain, perhaps the spread of the turbid mist deep in Helan Mountain can be stopped?"

Zhang Jiyu gave a wry smile.

"That's true, but the mountain god temple in Helan Mountain is already dilapidated, and the golden statues of the gods have been destroyed. Where did the mountain god come from?"

When the "Mountain God Temple" of Helan Mountain was mentioned, Wei Rufeng stood up.

He pulled a token from his pocket and said, "I almost forgot... Master Chen, I sent people to search the ruins of that mountain god temple and finally found this."

Mountain God's Decree!

Chen Yang accepted the token and smiled, "Minister Jiang, Celestial Master Zhang... I am highly regarded by the Underworld and have been appointed by Lord Cui as the [Inspector of the Mortal World]. In addition to touring the mortal realm and monitoring the good and evil of the world, I have another privilege... to appoint and dismiss underworld officials and ghost messengers, and to bestow titles upon deities!"

"certainly……"

"My abilities are limited, so I can only bestow titles upon some minor gods, such as mountain gods, water gods, and earth gods."

"........."

Jiang He and Zhang Jiyu were taken aback at first, then overjoyed.

"If that's the case, then the hope of fighting against the murky fog is even greater!"

Jiang He said, "Inspector Chen, if there's anything we can help with, we'll do our best to cooperate."

Chen Yang smiled and said, "Minister Jiang, then I won't stand on ceremony... I've heard that our Special Administration Bureau has excavated many temple ruins over the years, so you must have collected some laws and various magical artifacts, right?"

Jiang He: "Indeed, there are some. After I go back, I will notify the branches in various places to send all these things to Wucheng."

Chen Yang added, "Besides that, we should repair as many dilapidated temples as possible in various places... For example, the mountain god temple in Helan Mountain. If I were to bestow the title of mountain god upon Helan Mountain, I couldn't very well let it live on the mountaintop, could I?"

not to mention……

Only when gods are deified and worshipped by the people can their power be made stronger.

Jiang He glanced at Wei Rufeng.

Wei Rufeng understood and immediately said, "Master Chen, don't worry, I will contact the local housing and construction department and ask them to go up the mountain to repair the temple immediately."

Anyway, Jiang He told me to make any requests I wanted...

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yang added, "We'll have to trouble Director Wei to build another City God Temple in Wucheng."

If the mountain god temple has already been built, there shouldn't be any problem building another city god temple, right?

What?
You're saying there's no City God in the human world now?
I, Chen, the Inspector General, already possess the seal of the City God. Isn't it perfectly reasonable for me to be promoted to City God in the future?
…………

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(End of this chapter)