The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 125 To Take Its Place

Upon hearing the word "death," Wenpan froze completely.

The judge's pen can draw words to imprison, but it is completely different from words becoming law.

If I say you have to die, then you have to die.

Just then, a large seal arrived in an instant.

A dark red light descended from the great seal and shone upon the judge.

A deep voice came: "Wenpan is indeed under the command of my underworld. Although Zhang Xiang has achieved great merit, he is still within the Heavenly Court. Why is this so?"

The Great Seal is the embodiment of the City God's authority and represents the pinnacle of the underworld deities in the Jing Kingdom.

The black and red light enveloped him, weakening the power of his words to make them lawful, which is why Wenpan was not killed immediately.

Zhang Jingheng flew up and grabbed at the City God's seal.

"If you dare not show yourself, what right do you have to ramble on before me? Hand it over!"

The City God's seal trembled violently, and the golden light of merit emanating from Zhang Jingheng shone brightly, directly suppressing the black and red light.

What does it matter if he holds the highest position of power among the gods and immortals of the underworld? The Prime Minister is a minister of the highest rank, and the millions of people of Jing Kingdom are grateful for his contributions.

A veteran of five reigns, and the current Grand Tutor.

Even the emperor had to think twice before he spoke.

No matter how powerful the City God is, he only receives offerings from the capital city.

Moreover, now that his merits have been fulfilled and his golden body has been completed, he is not much different from the City God.

Everyone thought that Zhang Xiang was a civil official and not good at fighting.

Few remember that he once held the position of commander at Hulao Pass, fighting against the rebel army.

While the emperor personally led the campaign to conquer the northern deserts, it was he who orchestrated the strategy from the capital.

He was not a military general, but he was better than one.

He held the City God's seal in his hand, and waves of yin energy surged forth, as if he intended to seize his authority on the spot.

No matter how the dark red and black light shone upon it, the golden body of merit remained unmoved.

"Even if you could ascend to heaven instantly, you would still be a member of the Heavenly Order. To forcibly seize power and defy the will of Heaven—aren't you afraid of the Heavenly Rules?"

A somber sound, like muffled thunder, rolled across the sky above Kyoto.

Having arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, Xiao Shuying looked up at the sky.

The hidden imperial aura allowed her to vaguely sense that something existed there.

But he was not a true emperor; he was a mortal and could not see the existence of immortals and gods.

Zhang Shaoheng and others stopped her.

Upon learning that it was Chu Xun who had ordered that no one be allowed to enter the Prime Minister's residence, Xiao Shuying did not insist.

He stared at the sky above the Prime Minister's residence, his brows furrowed.

"Who exactly is the senior fighting? Could it be that some evil spirit has infiltrated the capital?"

Despite the intimidating words of the City God, Zhang Jingheng remained undaunted.

"I have always been devoted to the country and its people, and my conscience is clear. You have caused chaos in the capital; how dare you speak of the laws of Heaven!"

"you!"

Seeing that he had the City God's seal in his hand, nearly half of it was covered by golden light of merit.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, making Zhang Jingheng tremble.

Under the Heavenly Order, the authority of the Incense God is not something anyone can seize.

Zhang Jingheng has no divine authority, and his usurpation of power is an act against Heaven, which will naturally bring divine punishment upon him.

The seal shuddered violently, shrinking several times its original size, and slipped away from his grasp.

In the blink of an eye, they vanished without a trace.

Only a muffled voice came through: "You, Zhang Jingheng, you've got quite the reputation of Prime Minister Zhang!"

Without the protection of the City God's seal, the judge screamed in agony as a large amount of black smoke burst from his body.

In an instant, it vanished into thin air.

After recovering from the lightning strike, Zhang Jingheng saw the City God's seal fly away and immediately shouted, "It is impolite not to retaliate!"

The golden light of merit followed the direction the seal flew, heading straight into the City God Temple in the capital.

The worshippers who came to make offerings felt the entire hall shaking violently and fled in panic.

Inside the hall, deafening roars echoed continuously as various statues of deities crashed to the ground, sending shivers down the spines of the worshippers.

"What happened?"

"It doesn't look like an earth dragon turning over!"

Chu Xun hadn't expected Zhang Jingheng to be so fierce.

They even chased after the City God, as if they wanted to uproot them completely.

The entire City God Temple seemed about to collapse from the shock; anyone who dared to show themselves at this moment would be instantly crushed by the golden light of merit.

The statue of the God of Good and Evil trembled, and Tang Shijun's figure materialized, shouting, "How dare you be rude!"

"teacher!"

Zhang Jingheng was both surprised and delighted. Just as he was about to step forward, Tang Shijun shouted, "As a subject of the Jing Kingdom, how can you be so disrespectful to the righteous god of the Jing Kingdom!"

Zhang Jingheng was taken aback, and his gaze gradually darkened.

Chu Xun was able to discern from the details that this Tang Shijun was not the same Tang Shijun as the other Tang Shijun.

Although Zhang Jingheng was unaware that the ancient immortals and gods had stolen human merits, based on his understanding of his teacher, the real Tang Shijun would not speak in such a way.

In life, I was a subject of the Jing state; in death, I will be a ghost of the Jing state.

Even if the City God is appointed by the emperor, he is not a true official.

Tang Shijun could be polite to the emperor, but he would not reprimand his disciples for the sake of the underworld gods.

Only the teacher and student knew the true bond between them.

That was a weighty responsibility entrusted with one's life to save the world.

No matter how vast the underworld is, can it be greater than this merit?

Furthermore, how could the teacher be completely unaware of Chu Xun's identity?

He rose from a humble farmer's son to become the prime minister, second only to the emperor.

Besides Tang Shijun's promotion, Zhang Jingheng's own abilities are also remarkable.

Observe carefully and listen attentively.

Without this ability, how could one gain a foothold in officialdom?

These details aroused great doubt in his mind.

The radiance of the golden body of merit did not recede but rather advanced.

Respect for teachers and the way of the Way is a traditional principle that Zhang Jingheng agrees with, but Tang Shijun and Chu Xun both taught him that if he encounters injustice or unfairness...

Even if God himself were standing right in front of you, you cannot back down.

"My teacher would not say such a thing at this time."

As Zhang Jingheng spoke in a deep voice, golden light approached Tang Shijun, revealing the true spirit of his incense offerings.

The manifestation of the body of merit was indeed Tang Shijun.

"How dare you!" Tang Shijun shouted sternly.

Zhang Jingheng frowned. Although he could see clearly that it was indeed a body of merit, he still felt that something was wrong.

At that moment, a colorful auspicious cloud drifted in from the sky.

The auspicious light shone on Zhang Jing, making the golden light even more dazzling.

Two blurry figures could be vaguely seen behind the clouds, and an ethereal voice reached their ears.

"Zhang Jingheng, your merits in the mortal world have been perfected. We have come to guide you to become an immortal."

A person who has achieved perfect merit is not qualified to be conferred an official title by the small Jing Kingdom.

Without the suppression of the City God's Seal, Chu Xun regained his mobility and immediately shouted, "Don't ascend!"

Standing under the auspicious light, Zhang Jingheng took a deep look at Tang Shijun, then ignored the City God Temple and looked towards Chu Xun.

His gaze was gentle, tinged with a hint of reminiscence, as he asked, "Are you the person I want to see?"

Chu Xun did not deny it again and nodded, saying, "Yes."

Zhang Jingheng said, "Then it's not surprising that you can wield your sword to slay evil spirits. I always thought you were a reclusive martial arts master, but I underestimated you."

Looking up at the auspicious, seven-colored clouds, Zhang Jingheng lowered his head again and asked, "Why don't you want me to ascend?"

Chu Xun found it hard to explain. Unless one attains enlightenment through cultivation, such ascension would only benefit others.

The greater one's merits, the more likely those ancient immortals and gods, who are old but not dead and whose bodies are not stiff, will use him as a stepping stone.

Such a perfect body, a rare sight indeed, would not be missed by the ancient immortals and gods.

Once he ascends to immortality, that will be the day Zhang Jingheng's earthly merits are stolen.

Zhang Jingheng's golden statue of merit was powerful enough to suppress the City God of the capital in the Jing Kingdom.

Looking at the entire dilapidated building, the City God was merely at the very bottom.

No matter how skilled Zhang Jingheng is, how could he possibly be a match for those immortals and gods living in high-rise buildings?

Seeing Chu Xun hesitate, Zhang Jingheng said, "You've never been wrong since we were little. Since you won't let me ascend, then I won't go."

After saying that, he waved his hand to disperse the guiding light on his body.

Not only because of Chu De's words, but also because of the suspicious points he saw in Tang Shijun.

Having served as an official for so many years, he trusted his intuition.

If there is doubt, there must be a problem.

The two figures behind the auspicious clouds trembled, and a sinister voice rang out: "How dare you! Why did you scatter the guiding light? Do you no longer wish to become an immortal?!"

After saying this, the auspicious light shone down again from the auspicious clouds.

Zhang Jingheng was enveloped in auspicious light, and involuntarily began to ascend towards the sky.

Without a second thought, Chu Xun directed the last of his golden essence towards the target, but it couldn't even touch the auspicious light before shattering into pieces in mid-air.

Zhang Jingheng's expression darkened, and his golden body of merit trembled continuously, trying to break free.

However, the guiding light was not an attack, but rather a restraint from the Heavenly Order.

Even if you don't want to ascend, you will be forcibly guided.

Countless miles away, the old Taoist priest carrying the wooden cabinet on his back paused, grinned, and said, "Even a minor official in the mortal world knows that it is wrong to forcibly seize women. You two lowly Heavenly Officials also want to forcibly seize the perfection of merit."

A voice came from Chu Xun's ear: "Kid, can I borrow your hand for a moment?"

Chu Xun had a sudden inspiration and raised his hand to wave towards the sky.

Silently, the five elements converged, transforming into a gigantic hand that blotted out the sky.

This giant hand is made up of mountain peaks, with each finger representing a mountain.

The mountain is covered with ancient trees, and the stream flows through it, yet it has a metallic sheen.

Even more intense flames burned in the mountains.

So vast, so majestic.

A single slap could cover up the sun.

At this moment, Chu Xun clearly felt the flow of the five elements in the world.

Like a vast, surging ocean, wave after wave.

Layer upon layer, stretching endlessly.

Everything in the world is included within it.

Neither the auspicious clouds nor the two celestial officials who guided them were erased from existence in an instant.

The power of the five elements dissipated instantly, and the sky returned to tranquility.

The entire city of Kyoto fell silent.

The power of this palm strike was countless times stronger than that of the Golden Body of Merit.

The Kyoto City God Temple was so quiet it was like a haunted house.

The voice rang in Chu Xun's ears again: "How well have you mastered this palm strike?"

Chu Xun smiled wryly: "I haven't learned even a fraction of it."

His cultivation and magic both come from external forces.

On the bright side, you can learn it without even needing to study it.

To put it bluntly, it's impossible to improve through comprehension in a short period of time.

"Fool."

"Wait, something's not right. You've already grasped the fundamentals of Taoism?"

How strange.

"interesting."

After a few more disjointed sentences, Chu Xun knew that the person was no longer there.

He wasn't worried about the old Taoist priest seeing through his secrets; if he could, he would have figured it out long ago at Chen Guizhou's house.

As for being called a fool by the old Taoist priest, Chu Xun didn't care much.

What he needs is time. Given enough time, he will eventually become as powerful as the old Taoist priest, or even surpass him.

The world has no shortage of geniuses.

But probably none of them will be able to walk alongside him to the end.

It is unclear whether the Heavenly Official who was guiding the celestial beings was either sent back or killed outright.

Zhang Jingheng possesses a golden body of merit, meaning he can exist for a very long time even without reincarnation.

But in the end, even a golden statue is a kind of soul, and it still has to follow the path of incense offerings and deities.

If Zhang Jingheng becomes the new deity of incense offerings, it will either be officially appointed by the imperial court or be considered a heretical or unorthodox deity.

The former is unlikely, as Jingguo can only bestow titles upon one type of righteous god unless Zhang Jing is willing to join the underworld.

As for the latter—

If Chu Xun can seize power in the underworld of Jing Kingdom, it wouldn't be impossible for Zhang Jing to take over the underworld and replace the position of the City God.

Otherwise, it would be too ridiculous for a person who has achieved perfect merit to become a wild god.

As for reincarnation, with this merit protecting you, you will surely live well for the next ten lifetimes.

Of the three roads, the other two are quite good, except for the first one.

Zhang Jingheng looked at the City God Temple in Kyoto, hesitating to speak.

Chu Xun came over and said, "Don't ask any questions. Let's go back to Songguo Village first."

Zhang Jingheng noticed something amiss from his expression and eyes, and said nothing more.

After nodding, he glanced at his sons and grandsons outside the Prime Minister's residence, their faces filled with anxiety.

Chu Xun said in a low voice, "If you have something to say to them, I will use my supernatural powers to help you send it to them in your dreams in the future."

Zhang Jingheng hummed in agreement, and Chu Xun didn't waste any more time.

With a swift movement, he burrowed underground and silently left the Prime Minister's residence.

Xiao Shuying seemed to sense something and turned to look towards the outside of the city, but could only see the bustling crowds on the streets.

After a long time, there was still no movement from the Prime Minister's residence.

The steward sent someone in to check, and a moment later, they came out to report that only the old prime minister's corpse was found.

The relative who was in charge of arranging the funeral has disappeared.

Zhang Shaoheng and the others were stunned. The person had disappeared. Who should they listen to in the aftermath?

However, this is not a big deal. With the old prime minister gone, the royal family will naturally take notice.

Only Xiao Shuying sighed in her heart.

The senior colleague was like a dragon, appearing and disappearing without a trace, leaving so gracefully without even saying goodbye.

Even more doubtful was the question in his mind: who exactly was the one who was fighting with the senior in the Prime Minister's mansion?

Although she didn't know the answer, Xiao Shuying believed that no matter what the other person's identity or background was, they were definitely not a good person!

Because the senior was a good person who wielded his sword to slay evil spirits!

After Chu Xun and Zhang Jingheng left, no one, including the City God, the heads of various departments, the judges, or the Impermanent Ones, dared to utter a sound.

The incense god has always only shown extreme hatred for evil and wild gods, but treats cultivators with great courtesy.

If Chu Xun hadn't insisted on protecting Zhang Jing's golden statue of merit today, the judge wouldn't have taken any action against him.

The slap just now was delivered by Chu Xun's hand.

With the City God's abilities, he couldn't discern the truth behind it, so he dared not obstruct it any further.

To put it bluntly, these incense-burning gods are nothing but bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong.

Outside Kyoto, Chu Xun found Wei Youyou, who had been waiting for him for a long time.

Upon seeing Zhang Jingheng, Wei Youyou exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! A person who shines!"

Chu Xun chuckled and patted her head: "Let's go home!"

To prevent any unforeseen complications, they sped back to Zhangnan County.

It's unclear whether the city gods knew about what was happening in the capital, or whether they knew they were no match for them, because none of them stepped forward to stop them.

Upon entering Zhangnan County, Zhang Jingheng first went to pay respects to his parents.

With his current merits, even a simple act of worship would bring good fortune to Zhang Sanchun and his wife, who have been reincarnated for many years, and they might even be reincarnated as humans in their next life.

They then visited Liao Shouyi's ancestral hall, and Zhang Jingheng asked, "Could he be reincarnated?"

"I have been reincarnated for many years," Chu Xun said.

Zhang Jingdian nodded, it wasn't too bad.

Chu Xun accompanied him all the way back to Songguo Village.

Everyone he knew in the village had passed away.

I don't know many of the younger generation these days.

Upon entering the courtyard, the crows reacted the fastest, flying down from the eaves and surrounding Zhang Jingheng.

They are not afraid of the golden statue of merit; on the contrary, they are quite friendly towards it.

Weasels, rabbits, and field mice gathered around.

She seemed both eager to get closer and somewhat hesitant.

Wei Youyou took the opportunity to run to the vegetable garden and picked a few radish leaves.

By the time the field mice found her, she was almost full.

With a broad smile, Zhang Jingheng mingled with the crows for a while, then surveyed the courtyard and said, "This place hasn't changed much."

"Something has changed, but not too much," Chu Xun said.

The extinguished fire was rekindled.

The temperature of the extraterrestrial meteorite inside the furnace continued to rise.

When Zhang Jingheng saw the divine iron in the furnace, the look of reminiscence in his eyes deepened.

This is a token of love from my parents, carrying the emotions of our family for decades.

After being hammered and refined dozens or even hundreds of times, it is now quite different from its original appearance.

"Things have changed, and people are no longer the same," Zhang Jingheng sighed.

He then looked at Chu Xun and asked again, "What exactly happened in the capital? Why do I feel something's off about you, teacher?"

Chu Xun hesitated for a moment, but still chose to tell the truth.

Zhang Jingheng listened in silence for a long time.

The investiture of deities was seen by everyone as a matter of course.

With the protection of gods and immortals, there will be no chaos caused by ghosts and spirits in the human world.

But who could have imagined that such great merit in the mortal world would be stolen by these so-called righteous gods?

"So the teacher isn't the real one, but an ancient immortal god impersonating him? Where is he now? Why didn't you tell me he's in Kyoto?"

Chu Xun looked at him and said, "Do you think we're the only ones throughout history who know this?"

Zhang Jingheng shook his head, then immediately understood.

Surely, someone must have discovered this over countless years of history.

But why didn't it spread, and why didn't anyone change it?

The only answer is that everyone who knew about this failed.

Failure means being wiped out.

Like the struggle for supremacy during the change of dynasties, it doesn't matter what you did in the process, whether it was compassion or tyranny.

Because the person who ultimately sits in that position will write history according to their own wishes.

History is always written by the victors, without exception.

The victor does not record things that are detrimental to him.

Although Zhang Jingheng's golden body of merit could suppress the City God, he could not seize power under the constraints of the Heavenly Order.

Even if they survive the divine punishment, there will inevitably be even more powerful immortals and gods who will appear.

If you beat the younger one, the older one will come after you.

At that point, forget about finding Tang Shijun's true form; even self-preservation will be a problem.

Most importantly, the old Taoist priest's intervention did not help Chu Xun seize power; instead, he killed two Heavenly Officials who were supposed to guide him to heaven.

What does this illustrate?

Even such a powerful figure did not completely break the rules, which is enough to show that even at the level of the old Taoist priest, there was still something to be wary of.

After considering all the details, Chu Xun decided to return to Songguo Village to discuss the matter further.

Zhang Jingheng understood this, and his golden body trembled.

"How dare they do this! They keep talking about heavenly rules, is this what heavenly rules are?!"

Chu Xun said, "The rules of heaven are also set according to individual will. Whoever has the bigger fist sets the rules, it's the same everywhere."

Zhang Jingheng looked over and asked in a deep voice, "What do you think we should do next?"

Chu Xun recounted the three paths he had previously considered for Zhang Jingheng, with the first one, unsurprisingly, being abandoned.

Knowing the sordid affairs of the incense and deity sects, how could Zhang Jingheng be willing to repeat Tang Shijun's mistakes?

Reincarnation is indeed a good thing, but he is still unwilling to accept it.

Knowing that the teacher had perished, yet remaining indifferent?

He can't.

Chu Xun said, "If you can replace the City God and take control of the underworld, we might be able to find Tang Shijun's true form."

"It's just that the timeframe is uncertain. Perhaps I can act according to the plan once my cultivation level advances. Or perhaps I'll lack the strength and have to wait a while longer."

Zhang Jingheng replied without hesitation, "Even if it takes a thousand years, ten thousand years, I will not regret it!"

Chu Xun seized power, but he could not replace the immortals and gods on his own unless the imperial court bestowed an official title upon him.

For him, whether or not he could obtain the position of a true god was not important.

They already possess the status and supernatural powers; it's just that the titles don't sound very good.

If Zhang Jingheng were to replace the City God and exercise the powers of the underworld, many things would be much easier.

"It's just a pity about your golden body of merit. If the incense and deity system didn't have so many troubles, you should have ascended to heaven and become a proper immortal," Chu Xun said.

Zhang Jingheng shook his head and said, "Before becoming the prime minister, I was just a vendor selling roasted nuts at temple fairs."

"Does my uncle think that just because I was able to rise from county magistrate to prime minister, I can't rise from city god to an even higher position now?"

Chu Xun was taken aback, then laughed.

"That's true."

Eat your food one bite at a time, and walk your path one step at a time.

Take your time, there's no rush.

Afterwards, Zhang Jingheng's funeral was held in Kyoto.

Although the Zhang family has already petitioned, hoping to follow Zhang Jing's wishes and simplify the process.

However, Emperor Yongxiang still gave it a very high standard, almost equivalent to a national mourning.

Two months later, the Ministry of War ordered the Northern Army to withdraw.

On the surface, it meant that the emperor wanted to reward the three armies.

Let the soldiers who have fought on the battlefield in recent years receive the rewards they deserve.

But anyone with a discerning eye knows that once this withdrawal is made, there's a high probability that no more troops will be deployed.

Xiao Shuying felt helpless and disappointed, so she simply left the palace with her maid Qin Shuang and went back into the martial arts world.

A few months later, Liao Xingbang returned dejectedly.

He said the martial arts alliance leader was indeed powerful, and he had originally wanted to challenge him with the Dragon Slaying Saber, but he couldn't even beat his disciple.

The famous sword, Flying Stream, quickly rose to fame, becoming another rare divine weapon after the Heaven-Slaying Sword and the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

Not long after, Xiao Shuying came to Songguo Village.

Liao Xingbang was very surprised to see her.

When she learned that the Flying Stream Sword in Xiao Shuying's hand had been "refined" with Chu Xun's help, her eyes widened even more.

"How can Uncle Chen be biased towards outsiders! Is it because you're good-looking!?"

The maid Qin Shuang rebuked, "Don't talk nonsense! My young lady and her senior are not as filthy as you think!"

Liao Xingbang had no idea that the two were a princess and a maid. He muttered a few words and then said no more.

Chu Xun was not surprised by Xiao Shuying's arrival.

Xiao Shuying, however, was full of praise for the poultry and livestock in the courtyard. She was indeed an extraordinary person, as even the things she raised were unique.

After arriving, she decided not to leave and chose to stay for a while.

Chu Xun also wanted to find the dragon bone through her, so naturally he wouldn't refuse.

Within a few months, Fenggu City, Linyuan City, and Luzhou City were all captured by Chu Xun.

Only Mingxiu Prefecture remained, isolated and surrounded by three cities and ten counties.

The City God of Mingxiu Prefecture was greatly puzzled by this. The City Gods of the three cities had all received his instructions not to confront evil spirits or wild gods head-on.

Why were they destroyed one after another, without even a chance to escape?

It wasn't until Chu Xun brought Zhang Jingheng to Mingxiu Prefecture that the prefectural city god, seeing the radiant golden statue of merit, finally understood.

It's not that our side is too weak, but that the enemy is too strong.

How do you defeat a ghost who is capable of rivaling the City God and has achieved perfect merit?

What can we use to fight?

Even if he wanted to summon the golden statue of the City God, he couldn't.

Even a city god weakened by half would get beaten up if he came.

In the second year of Yongxiang, all the underworld deities of Mingxiu Prefecture were wiped out.

The power of the entire prefecture fell entirely into Chu Xun's hands.

This time, a corner of the City God's seal in the hands of the City God turned gray.

A month later.

In the mountains and forests near the border of the Wu Kingdom.

This place was originally controlled by barbarians, but a great fire nearly wiped them out.

The sudden death of the emperor of Wu has led many to believe it is related to this event.

It's too insidious; it shortens one's lifespan.

Now the mountains and forests have been completely incorporated into the territory of the Jing Kingdom, and several fortresses have been built there.

In the mountains and forests, there are several places that even barbarians are unwilling to easily set foot in.

The area is either teeming with wild beasts or filled with miasma and swamps.

The most terrifying place is a place called Dragon Pool.

This place is shrouded in miasma year-round. Legend has it that in ancient times, a python failed to transform into a dragon and was struck down by lightning, landing here.

Even a first-rank martial artist would find it difficult to survive if they went in.

A master of innate cultivation might be able to save one's life, but who would be willing to do that?

The dragon's bones are useless to humans; even if you risk your life to get them, they'll only serve as decorations.

Xiao Shuying was able to retrieve a dragon bone from here mostly thanks to the help of a man named Huang Shigong.

Neither miasma nor yin energy posed much of a threat to Chu Xun and Zhang Jingheng.

At this moment, Chu Xun, Xiao Shuying, and Qin Shuang walked side by side, with Zhang Jingheng behind them.

Wei Youyou did not come along. She was born with a fear of pythons, let alone a dragon.

Xiao Shuying led the way, and before long, she and Qin Shuang were both shivering from the cold.

Last time I came, I had the protection of the yellow paper talisman given to me by Huang Shigong, but not this time.

Seeing this, Chu Xun gently blew a breath, dispersing the yin energy around them.

Using the power of fire essence, he protected the two of them.

Feeling much warmer, Xiao Shuying turned her head and said, "Thank you, senior."

Soon after, the group saw the "Dragon Pool" ahead.

The so-called Dragon Pool is actually formed from extremely concentrated yin energy.

The surrounding area was teeming with vengeful spirits, numbering in the tens of thousands, far more than Chu Xun had seen in the ruined temple.

These vengeful spirits were dressed in rags, and most of them wore animal skins to cover their private parts.

His hair was disheveled, and his face was contorted.

Many more were charred black, and some were even engulfed in flames.

These were probably barbarians who had been enslaved by the Jing Kingdom for many years, and who had been burned to death in wildfires.

After transforming into a vengeful spirit, it was attracted by the yin energy and cultivated and grew here.

Among them, there are hundreds of malevolent spirits.

There are also dozens of malevolent spirits even more powerful than the evil spirits.

The most formidable among them was a demon whose aura rivaled that of the City God.

This monstrous creature had absorbed an unknown amount of Yin energy; it was several meters tall and its body was almost solid.

Upon noticing the arrival of Chu Xun and Zhang Jingheng, tens of thousands of vengeful spirits turned to look.

That terrifying demon lurked in a menacing gleam.

At this level, one is no longer in a daze, retaining some memories from their previous life, but becoming even more violent and cruel.

"Get out!" it roared.

A chilling wind blew in gusts, sharp as swords.

If an ordinary person gets too close, their bones will be scraped and shattered.

Zhang Jingheng didn't take it seriously, glanced around, and said, "I heard that this mountain forest was once enfeoffed with a mountain god. I don't know if no one worships him or if he dares not come, but so many vengeful spirits have grown strong here."

"Given time, it will surely become a scourge to the Jing Kingdom."

Chu Xun said, "If you want to know why, I'll summon him."

"It would be good to get to the bottom of this," Zhang Jingheng said.

Xiao Shuying asked curiously, "What does Senior wish to summon?"

Although she couldn't see Zhang Jing or any vengeful spirits, she knew that there was always an invisible, intangible, but real "person" by Chu Xun's side.

Chu Xun replied, "There are many vengeful spirits here. Why don't you summon the mountain god and ask him why he doesn't care?"

Xiao Shuying was taken aback. Although she knew that Chu Xun could slay evil spirits, could the mountain god be summoned so easily?

After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help but ask, "Senior, is there any way for me to take a look as well?"

"Aren't you afraid?" Chu Xun asked.

"I'm not afraid," Xiao Shuying said. "As the senior said, if you have a clear conscience, even ghosts and gods can't do anything to you."

Zhang Jingheng sighed from the side, "Princess Yunshu has a good temperament, it's a pity she's a woman, otherwise the Emperor would have made her the better candidate."

Chu Xun didn't respond to that. Who became emperor had little to do with him and wouldn't affect him much.

With a flick of her finger, a glimmer of light entered Xiao Shuying's eyes, briefly opening her "heavenly eye."

Xiao Shuying felt a sudden heat in her eyes, blinked a few times, and looked ahead again, only to be shocked.

Tens of thousands of hideous and vengeful spirits, their arrogance reaching the heavens.

Then, a figure radiating golden light appeared behind them, and they immediately exclaimed in surprise, "Prime Minister Zhang!?"

Zhang Jingheng cupped his hands and smiled, "Princess Yunshu."

He was no longer a subject of the Jing state, and therefore no longer needed to refer to himself as a subject.

Xiao Shuying was completely stunned. Is this the world of immortals and gods?!

At this moment, numerous vengeful spirits, led by the malevolent spirits, rushed towards this direction.

The overwhelming yin energy was stirred up, transforming into poisonous snakes, ferocious beasts, and all sorts of ghostly and divine phenomena.

Xiao Shuying suddenly felt a stinging pain in her eyes and could no longer look.

She was merely a mortal, and by overstepping the boundaries between immortals and mortals to see things she shouldn't have, she immediately suffered some harm.

Seeing this, Chu Xun was about to withdraw his spiritual light, but Xiao Shuying gritted her teeth and said, "Senior, please wait a moment. I still want to see the Mountain God!"

Chu Xun remained silent, but he felt a certain admiration for the princess.

Such strong willpower is rare.

Without further ado, he used the "Examination and Summoning Chapter" of the Dao Fa Hui Yuan to perform hand seals and chant incantations.

"Heaven and earth are the prison, and the earth's veins are the rope."

I, holding the primordial spirit, command the true gods.

Without fragrance or fire, it binds itself with qi.

Your true form must arrive at once, and come to my gate immediately!

Those who dare to resist will have their earth crack and their souls burned!

The light of the Dharma seal fell into the mountains and forests, and in an instant, the mountains and forests trembled.

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