The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 129 Taking its place

Name: Chu Xun

Lifespan: 103/500 (+450)

Cultivation Level: Golden Core Stage (Can be hidden)

[Cleric Rank 27839/30000: Unconferred Loose God, Gains Supernatural Powers: Dream of the Yellow Millet, Concealment, Observing Qi and Knowing the Future (Pseudo-God can use supernatural powers 28 times per year), Remaining Hidden Time per Year: 4378 (After Conferment, Gains Godly Supernatural Powers, Can Transfer Soul to Another's Death)]

[Final Mission Reward: Eternal Immortality]

[Current Stage 3: Collect all five elements, reward: Cultivation level increased to Purple Mansion stage, rejuvenation, lifespan increased by 600 years]

Progress: 1/5

Water Official: In charge of winter storage, feng shui, and commanding the spirit of the Ji River.

[Note: The five righteous individuals vie for the Mandate of Heaven, and can be granted titles and ranks. Those who align with the Mandate of Heaven can obtain Taoist arts.]

The Five Elements Taoist Method:

Within a 10,000-foot radius, the wondrous Daoist arts can be practiced, perfectly formed naturally. Current Five Elements foundation: 0/5:

The five elements return to one, the Great Dao is formless, and the Dao follows the natural way.

He transforms heaven and earth and all things, establishes the pillars of heaven and earth, and governs the laws of heaven and earth.

Lifespan is self-evident; the Golden Core stage has been extended to five hundred years of lifespan, with an additional four hundred and fifty years of lifespan.

Even if Chu Xun does nothing, he can live for a thousand years.

With such a lifespan, there is no need to worry about reaching the end of one's life in the near future.

The changes in the priesthood are not significant, except that the number of times one can use supernatural powers after seizing power is increased to twenty-eight times a year.

The time for the priesthood to remain hidden was reduced by another hour.

Chu Xun's eyes flickered slightly: "Revealing one's divine authority for two hours each year is actually a good thing now."

The incense god is stubborn; he only recognizes the incense offerings, not the person.

When his divine authority was revealed, he was a heretical and wild god.

Before being exposed, he was already cultivating immortality and attaining enlightenment.

Two hours is enough time to do things more easily than before.

In addition, the casting range of the Five Elements Daoist Techniques was indeed increased tenfold, reaching a distance of ten thousand zhang, or sixty li.

What Chu Xun cared about most was the third mission.

As expected, it was no longer related to the people and things of Pinecone Village, but turned into a struggle for the Five Virtues.

That is, the five different positions: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

By a stroke of luck, the water had been obtained ahead of schedule, so progress was made immediately upon arrival.

Those who contend for the Five Mandates of Heaven may be granted titles and ranks under their command.

Those who conform to the will of Heaven may obtain Taoist arts.

Upon seeing these two lines, a series of figures flashed before Chu Xun's eyes.

The Four Duty Officers, the Six Jia Divine Generals, the Six Ding Jade Maidens, the Ten Kings of Hell, and the Twenty-Eight Constellations —

Some figures were clear, while others were blurry.

This means that these divine positions also have different levels. At most, the current Jishui Shuizheng position can only be granted the title of Liuding Liujia Shenjiang.

Chu Xun immediately understood: obtaining the Five Ranks would allow him to bestow these divine titles upon others.

If the other party accepts the divine mandate, Chu Xun can obtain the corresponding Taoist arts.

Chu Xun was pleasantly surprised, as this meant that he now also had the ability to "appoint titles".

Moreover, they are not limited to one country, but are granted titles and ranks based on divine mandate.

"Under the Heavenly Code, can a new Heavenly Mandate be established?"

Such behavior is tantamount to a state within a state, and is no different from rebellion.

Chu Xun looked up at the sky, wondering what the heavens would think if they knew about this.

To be precise, even if Tian Gang knew, there was nothing he could do.

What is ordained by fate cannot be stopped by anyone.

Unless the immortals and gods behind the Heavenly Net are willing to risk being engulfed in karmic fire and dying.

It should be noted that even if a deity is killed by other means, they can be resurrected through incense offerings.

Only the fire of karma targets the soul, burning away the merits of past lives.

If you lose your merits, how can you be reborn?

Even for an outlier like Chu Xun, after being burned by karmic fire, he had to constantly accumulate incense points to offset it.

Otherwise, if the spirit of the Pine and Willow Water God is truly burned away, then one's own soul will suffer the consequences.

He can accumulate merit everywhere and actively seek incense points, a capability that other incense gods do not possess.

With this shift in power, Chu Xun hardly needed to fear any intervention from other immortals or gods.

"Those old, immortal beings would rather steal human merit than die, so how could they be willing to sacrifice themselves?"

Chu Xun then looked at Zhang Jingheng, a man of perfect merit who still did not hold a divine position.

Granting him a title would be most appropriate.

However, the Six Jia Gods are just ordinary guardian deities.

It would be a waste to bestow such a title upon Zhang Jingheng.

In Chu Xun's view, the most suitable person for Zhang Jingheng was the Ten Kings of Hell to replace the City God.

However, the position of the Ji River official is not high enough to warrant the conferment of this level of divine office.

After a moment's hesitation, Chu Xun decided to stick to his previous plan.

As for the Six Jia Divine Generals, they already have a more suitable candidate in mind.

Songguo Village.

As the heavy rain subsided, Huang Qi stood in the courtyard, looking at the stove that had been extinguished.

Although I know that all good things must come to an end, and we will part ways sooner or later.

But I never expected it to come so suddenly.

Huang Ji struggled to wield the halberd; the weapon, weighing hundreds of pounds, was not something someone his age should be using.

But he was not discouraged and continued to practice diligently.

Just because it's not usable now doesn't mean it won't be usable in the future.

One day, he will wield this weapon with one hand and cleave the heavens in two!

In the vegetable garden, the field mice drooped their heads, their chubby bottoms sitting on the ground, looking quite dejected.

No one sneaks around picking radish tops anymore, saving us the trouble of watching them day and night.

But deep down, I felt terrible.

I can't see that girl with big, dark eyes, nor can I hear her clear "yo" sound.

Even though it's only been a short time, I already miss it terribly.

Huang Qi walked past them and picked up the wet wooden planks and carving knives from the ground.

After shaking off the rainwater, proceed with the seal carving again.

Even though some people have passed away, there are still things they should do.

Just then, a sound suddenly came to my ears.

"Huang Qi, I now wish to bestow upon you the title of Jiazi Divine General. Are you willing to join my ranks and receive this divine mandate?"

Huang Qi was stunned for a moment, looked up and looked around, but didn't see anyone.

Only familiar voices echoed in my ears.

Holding the unfinished memorial tablet in one hand and the gleaming carving knife in the other, he murmured, "Am I—worthy?"

Despite accomplishing earth-shattering feats in his life, he was scorned by countless people.

Only a handful of people in the entire world knew of his merits.

Even I myself cannot fully agree with it.

Even if there are merits, there are also faults.

I once forgot my original aspirations and developed greed.

Tens of thousands of people lost their lives as a result, and countless families were torn apart.

The voice rang in my ears again: "Right and wrong, merit and demerit, will be judged by posterity. Under the mandate of heaven, the truth will be revealed."

Only by being granted titles can one have the opportunity to see how future generations will judge these matters.

Otherwise, one can only be reincarnated after death. Even if the City God of Zhangnan County helps one be reincarnated into a human, one will forget one's past life.

Huang Qi remained silent for a moment, then stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "I am willing to accept the mandate of heaven and become the Jiazi Divine General."

A golden light appeared out of nowhere and landed between his eyebrows.

This is a divine decree of appointment and pardon, but Huang Qiyang's lifespan has not yet ended. He has received the divine mandate, but he cannot enter into a divine position.

"Live this part of your life well, and when you die peacefully, you will return to your destiny."

"Huang Qizun's decree."

Dragging his heavy halberd and covered in sweat, Huang Ji looked over in confusion.

Seeing Huang Qi's respectful demeanor, yet his apparent conversation with thin air, she couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, who are you talking to?"

As the sounds around him faded away, Huang Qi turned around, a smile spreading across his face, his eyes filled with even more affection.

"Ji'er, you must practice martial arts diligently and study military strategy so that you can accomplish great things in the future."

Huang Ji certainly wanted to accomplish something great, but he was even more puzzled as to why his grandfather had suddenly brought this up.

Huang Qi did not answer the question, but continued to carve on the wooden board with his carving knife.

What is destined by Heaven does not preclude the resolution of human regrets.

the other side.

Having completed his first bestowal of titles, Chu Xun glanced at the message again.

[Bestowed Title: Jiazi Divine General Huang Qi Liujia Divine General Protective Technique 1/6]

As expected, after the conferment of the title, information about the corresponding Taoist arts followed.

However, since the Six Jia Divine Generals have not yet gathered, they cannot use their Taoist magic.

However, the bestowal of divine mandate does not seem to be limited by the scope of Taoist magic; it can be used directly even when separated by hundreds of miles.

Chu Xun took a deep breath: "No rush, take your time."

I still have over 800 years to live, and I can accomplish everything I want to do.

With the power bestowed by Heaven, they had even greater confidence to demolish that dilapidated building!

Chu Xun looked at Zhang Jingheng and said, "Let's go."

"Where to now?" Zhang Jingheng asked.

Chu Xun smiled faintly and said, "We'll go wherever the City God is."

Pick the softest persimmons first, kill all the county and prefecture-level city gods in Jing Kingdom, seize their power, and then go and cause trouble for the capital city god.

Having advanced to the Golden Core stage, Chu Xun's biggest desire now is to kill the City God, seize his power, and find out the true whereabouts of Tang Shijun.

After we finish this task, we'll figure out how to obtain the other four.

Zhang Jingheng naturally wanted to do this as well.

From the sixth year of Yongxiang to the seventh year of Yongxiang, a period of one and a half years.

Several strange things happened in the State of Jing.

One rumor is that a hermit appeared in Songguo Village and lived in seclusion for a hundred years.

He had a very good relationship with the Duke of Wei and the Duke of Hu, and once gifted them divine weapons to help the State of Jing fight against foreign enemies.

Many people went to see what was new and exciting, and indeed found that Songguo Village was filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

Crops that should have just sprouted were harvested in abundance overnight.

Unfortunately, the immortal has already left, and it's unknown whether he will ever return.

Those who once had dealings with the great philanthropist of Chu now have something to boast about and have become the envy of everyone.

Even ordinary tenant farmers have people coming to ask Chu Xianren every day what he looks like and what kind of supernatural powers he has.

Whether they knew it or not, these people boasted that Chu Xun could move mountains and overturn seas with the flick of his wrist.

With each blink of an eye, day and night alternate.

Even Emperor Yongxiang felt quite regretful upon hearing of this.

If I had known that person was an immortal, I should have paid him a visit; perhaps I could have obtained the secret to immortality.

The second strange event was that many people saw a dragon emerge from the Songliu River on a rainy night.

The riverbank is teeming with fish and shrimp, so many that you can't pick them all up.

Even the location of the river channel has changed.

It is said that the dragon felt uncomfortable while swimming and twisted its body, causing the collision.

Some even confidently asserted that this dragon was the water god of Songliu.

As a result, the incense at the Songliu Water God Temple became even more abundant.

The number of people who come to make offerings every day is countless, and the incense smoke rises three hundred miles into the sky, burning day and night.

The third strange event was that the statues of gods in many city god temples in Jing Kingdom suddenly cracked overnight for some unknown reason.

The temple was in complete disarray, with fragments of statues scattered everywhere.

This applies to both county-level and prefecture-level City God Temples.

The temple keeper had prepared in advance, but unknowingly fell asleep.

When I woke up again, the statues in the temple had been smashed to pieces.

The three extraordinary events became a topic of conversation known to everyone in the Jing Kingdom.

The streets and alleys are filled with the talk of the town.

By the end of the seventh year of Yongxiang.

Jingguo Kyoto City.

The weather this year is exceptionally cold, with heavy snowfall.

The once bustling city of Kyoto now appears much quieter.

After a year of hard work, ordinary people and merchants are all huddled together at home warming themselves by fire pits.

Those who don't have this option can only wear as many cotton-padded clothes as possible to keep warm.

On the street, an old man and a young boy walked through the snow.

The little girl with pigtails ran to the most famous sugar figurine shop.

Looking at the sugar water windmill on the counter, it makes a clear "yo" sound.

An old man with white hair and a pale yellow gourd hanging from his waist walked over, took out a few copper coins, and bought it.

The waiter, who had a slight limp in his right leg, took down the sugar water windmill and handed it to him.

Seeing that the other person was dressed in thin clothes, he kindly reminded him, "Sir, it's so cold, you're only wearing this much. You must be careful not to catch a cold."

The little maid who took the sugar water windmill immediately exclaimed, "Master, aren't you cold?"

He paused, then added, "I'm not afraid of the cold either!"

She stared at the waiter expectantly, as if waiting for something.

The waiter seemed a little confused, but the old man smiled and reminded him, "She's waiting for you to praise her."

The waiter suddenly realized, and without being coy, cheerfully replied, "That's really impressive."

The little girl then smiled happily, jumping up and down and shouting, "You're amazing too!"

He held the sugar water windmill in his left hand for a while, and then in his right hand, having a great time.

Watching the old man and the young boy leave, the man couldn't help but recall how his grandfather would take him out to play when he was a child, and it was just like this.

It's not exactly a good thing, but it makes me incredibly happy whenever I'm with the old man.

Just then, a voice came from inside the house: "Liu Er, come and add some more charcoal."

"Hey, coming," the waiter replied, turning and walking inside.

After walking a few steps, I suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Before he could figure it out, a surprised voice came from ahead: "Liu Er, it seems like you're not lame anymore?"

The man then seemed to realize what was happening and quickly walked around a few times, and sure enough, he was no longer lame.

The shopkeeper, sitting in front of the iron pot making sugar figurines, asked with a look of astonishment, "How did you heal yourself?"

The waiter was about to say he didn't know when he suddenly remembered the old man and the young man he had just met.

Could it be them?

The waiter hurriedly ran out of the shop, but on the snow-covered streets, though a few people could be seen, there was no sign of them.

Looking down again, all that could be seen in the snow in front of the shop were two lines of footprints that I had made.

Even if he were stupid, he would know that he had met someone extraordinary today.

Healed his leg silently and without anyone noticing.

Such methods are beyond the comprehension of immortals descended to earth!

Although no one could be seen, the waiter still knelt down and kowtowed sincerely.

"Liu Er thanks the immortal for his help! In my next life, I will repay this kindness even if I have to be a cow or a horse!"

Beside Chu Xun, who had long since departed, Zhang Jingheng laughed and said, "This kid is quite sincere, but if he really works like a slave for you, wouldn't he be getting a huge advantage?"

Chu Xun smiled but didn't reply.

Wei Youyou looked up and showed off to Zhang Jingheng, "Isn't it pretty?"

Zhang Jingheng nodded: "It looks good."

Wei Youyou is innocent and charming, and very likable. Zhang Jingheng naturally wouldn't hesitate to praise her.

Not long after, Chu Xun arrived at the City God Temple in Kyoto.

The heavy snow covered the golden roof of the temple, and the entrance and the top of the walls were all white.

The temple gates were open, and worshippers could still occasionally come and go.

Standing at the entrance, you can see the statue of the City God sitting in the main seat, holding a jade tablet.

On either side are the civil judges, the military judges, and the Black and White Impermanence.

The Department of Good and Evil, the Department of Yin and Yang, the Department of Investigation, and so on, are all listed.

As Chu Xun stepped into the temple, the entire temple trembled when he placed one foot inside.

Before the City God himself appeared, the Civil Judge, the Military Judge, the Day Patrol God, and the Night Patrol God had already revealed themselves.

Chu Xun's deliberate exposure of his divine authority caused the eyes of these underworld deities to turn bloodshot.

Then the heads of the Department of Good and Evil, the Department of Yin and Yang, and the Department of Investigation also appeared.

They stared at Chu Xun and shouted angrily, "You evil sorcerer and wild god, how dare you come here to die!"

Chu Xun chuckled upon hearing this, saying, "Even at this point, they haven't changed at all. They're really stubborn."

Over the course of more than a year, Chu Xun traveled all over the Jing Kingdom, killing all the city gods.

Judging from the seized City God seal, none of them were innocent.

All the underworld deities who can be granted a high rank and receive incense offerings have the name of an ancient deity stamped beneath their names.

Throughout history, due to the changing times, the clergy has become unsuitable.

Perhaps due to the passage of time, the ancient gods and immortals who have been forgotten are as numerous as the stars.

But how rare it is to attain a body of merit!

If we want all the ancient immortals and gods who have lost their incense offerings to be reborn in a new form, what we have now is far from enough.

Moreover, even those who perform good deeds now may be forgotten after several decades or even a hundred years.

When the incense offerings gradually fade away, they will have to find a new body to accumulating merit.

This back-and-forth is nauseating.

Chu Xun stretched out his right hand, holding the long sword covered in golden light in his palm.

Once you advance to the Golden Core stage, all your abilities become ten times more powerful. Except for the City God, all the other underworld deities here are no match for you.

With a single thought, everyone in the temple, whether worshippers or temple caretakers, felt their heads become fuzzy and they fell into a dreamlike state.

The rain and snow outside intensified, obscuring visibility and making it impossible to distinguish east from west.

Chu Xun's gaze fell on a figure that had emerged from the Department of Good and Evil.

Tang Shijun!

Zhang Jingheng also saw it, his gaze darkened slightly, and he said in a low voice, "He is not a teacher."

Chu Xun's gaze remained calm: "I know."

He had known about this for a long time.

It was because of this incident that we were determined to demolish the dilapidated building.

The path to immortality is long; one must do something to remind oneself that one is still alive.

Otherwise, if you don't care about anything and don't ask anything, what's the difference between you and a walking corpse?

The golden statue of the City God trembled, revealing a figure three zhang tall.

In one hand he held the Jade Tablet of Merit, and in the other the Seal of the City God.

His face was imposing, and his voice was like thunder.

"It was you who caused this evil worship and cult!"

But the City God did not act immediately; instead, he commanded, "The Rewards and Benevolence Officer!"

Tang Shijun cupped his hands and said, "Yes."

"The person who performed this meritorious deed was your teacher in your previous life. I, the City God, do not wish for the two of you to face each other in life and death. Order him to leave immediately!" "Yes, sir!"

Tang Shijun turned to Zhang Jingheng and rebuked him, "Zhang Jingheng, how can you, as the Prime Minister of Jing Kingdom, be so rebellious!"

Numerous reprimands, each one stern.

Zhang Jingheng's gaze grew increasingly somber as he listened, until he could no longer bear to listen.

The golden light shone brightly, forcing back the underworld deities in front of it, and charged directly towards the City God.

Its righteous and righteous aura shone like the blazing sun, so bright that even the gods and immortals of the underworld could not open their eyes.

There were also righteous and awe-inspiring shouts, as vast as a long river.

"Even a centipede, though dead, does not fall down. You are nothing but demons and monsters; how dare you coexist with me!"

"Today we will execute you according to the law, to set the record straight!"

With that single word, all the underworld deities who heard those words had their strength reduced by more than 30%.

They called themselves immortals and gods, but Zhang Jingheng regarded them as demons and monsters.

The power of words to become law is irresistible.

Only the City God, protected by his seal, remained unaffected.

But the golden statue of merit is so fierce that when it comes down on you, it feels as heavy as a million pounds.

The City God felt an overwhelming sense of oppression and immediately swung his jade tablet to strike.

At the same time, Chu Xun had already drawn his sword.

The sharp golden sword energy directly slashed at the bull-headed and horse-faced demons charging towards him.

They weren't even gods or immortals; they were still at the level of ghost messengers, just slightly more powerful.

If it were during the Foundation Establishment stage, Chu Xun might have had to put in a little more effort.

Now that he has advanced to the Golden Core stage, he can wield the Golden Essence Sword with even greater ease.

With a single sword strike, Ox-Head and Horse-Face had no chance to resist at all.

"How dare you!"

"presumptuous!"

A series of loud shouts rang out as the Day Patrol God and Night Patrol God flew out of the main hall, joined forces with the heads of various departments and the Shackled General, and attacked Chu Xun.

Come.

Only the civil and military judges remained in the hall to assist the City God in fighting against Zhang Jingheng.

The oppressive atmosphere filled the sky, turning the City God Temple into a hellish place.

"Yo!"

Wei Youyou quickly grabbed the sugar water windmill and jumped aside; she really disliked the gloomy atmosphere.

Chu Xun pulled out the old bat's bone, and a piercing whistling sound came from it.

Six consecutive bursts of wind and fire were unleashed, enveloping the shackled general who was at the forefront.

This shackled general had a human form, but a blue face and fangs, and wore a red and blue robe.

Holding shackles, he specializes in subduing fierce and powerful ghosts.

For example, if Liao Shouyi had died in the capital city and refused to be received by the underworld, he would have been escorted there by the General of Shackles.

The shackles on his hands were engraved with underworld magic spells, which had a great restraining effect on the soul.

Logically speaking, the incense god would also be restrained by it.

Unfortunately, although Chu Xun revealed his divine position, he was actually a cultivator.

Even if General Shackles threw out his magic weapon, it was aimed at the spirit of the Pine and Willow Water God, what did it have to do with the great philanthropist Chu?

The six winds and fires, with the winds fanning the flames, made the fire burn fiercely.

Although not as fiery as karmic fire, it still caused the blue-faced, fanged General Shackled to emit black smoke from his entire body.

Before he could even break free of the ring of fire, a Heavenly Divine Water Bead smashed into his forehead.

His whole body trembled like a sieve, and black smoke kept billowing out. In an instant, he was corroded and riddled with holes.

Shedding his old bat-like demeanor, Chu Xun leaped forward and forced back numerous underworld deities with a single sword strike.

Then he reached out and grabbed at Tang Shijun, the power of the five elements in his palm transforming into an invisible cage, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth mutually generating and restraining each other, binding him within.

Seeing the other leaders attack again, Chu Xun sneered and exhaled a breath.

This breath was extremely powerful, forcing the head of the Inspectorate to retreat repeatedly, with black smoke billowing out.

He immediately brandished his scepter, intending to obstruct the process.

Although the black smoke around him had lessened, a sense of foreboding arose in his heart.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that flames had spontaneously combusted on his body.

"Inferno!"

The head of the Inspectorate cried out in surprise and hurriedly took out the impeachment document from his bosom.

The document records the merits and demerits of the gods and immortals in the underworld, and is also used to store their merits from their previous lives, which is similar to the merit jade tablet.

The merits recorded in the documents rapidly diminish, gradually extinguishing the flames of karma.

The head of the Inspectorate was heartbroken. His merits were not many, and this burning had destroyed most of them.

"Watch out!" came a shout from the side.

Before the head of the Inspectorate could react, a white sword aura descended from the sky and cleaved him in two.

The official in charge of the underworld's investigations collapsed, his two halves stiffening, and quickly dissipated into billowing smoke.

Not only him, but also the other officials, including the day-roaming gods and the night-roaming gods, were all like this.

No one could have imagined that a wicked and unruly deity who dared to trespass into the Kyoto City God Temple would be afflicted with karmic fire.

The key point is that this wild god was not only unharmed, but was also able to attack them with karmic fire.

In addition, there was that unusually powerful golden magic weapon, and the weakening of his strength due to Zhang Jingheng's verbal attacks.

The group of underworld deities were almost predictably defeated.

The head of the Yin-Yang Division, dressed in a red robe, had his eyes wide open in anger.

Holding a golden whip, he had just extinguished the karmic fire with his merits when he turned around and saw that his other colleagues had already been brutally murdered.

Knowing he was no match for her, he caught sight of a little girl standing timidly in a corner of the City God Temple, holding a sugar water windmill in her hand.

He immediately pounced on it.

If they can't beat the older ones, they'll hold the younger ones hostage and use them as leverage!

This little girl looks like an easy target!

The head of the Yin-Yang Division swung his golden whip down at Wei Youyou's head.

The little girl cried out in fright, "Oh!"

The head of the Yin-Yang Bureau had a cold expression; those who came with the evil spirits and wild gods were no good.

Even killing them on the spot wouldn't be excessive!

Just as the golden whip in his hand was about to strike the little girl on the head, her body swayed and then transformed into the appearance of an adult woman.

She was dressed in simple cloth, her hair was half-up, and she had a beautiful appearance.

The previous panic was gone from his face, and he pushed his hands forward smoothly.

It appears slow, but it is actually swift.

Halfway down, his hands turned into deer hooves.

The head of the Yin-Yang Division watched helplessly as the deer hooves pierced his chest as easily as a knife cutting through tofu.

A flash of inspiration tore his body apart, even more easily than when Chu Xun killed him.

The head of the Yin-Yang Bureau only had time to utter a startled cry: "You, what kind of demon are you—"

Before I could even finish asking the question, it was torn to shreds by a flash of inspiration.

Even Chu Xun looked over in surprise, wondering why Wei Youyou's spiritual light was so effective against the gods and immortals of the underworld.

Retracting her hooves, Wei Youyou transformed back into her little girl form.

Looking at the sugar water windmill that had fallen to the ground and shattered into pieces.

The little girl looked very unhappy; she hated these underworld gods and immortals.

Without much time for reflection, Chu Xun quickly killed the remaining Yin Gods and glanced at Tang Shijun, whose face was almost ferocious as he frantically charged into the Five Elements Prison.

Then, carrying his sword, he stormed into the main hall and swiftly beheaded both the civil and military judges.

Left all alone, the City God, the highest deity in the underworld, was already weakened and roared in fury, "You have acted against Heaven, and you will surely be punished by Heaven, your bodies engulfed in karmic fire!"

Chu Xun blew a breath over the fire, and the City God was immediately thrown into a panic, trying to extinguish the fire with his merits.

"Karmic fire? I'm not afraid of that."

Under the suppression of the Golden Body of Merit and the restraint of the Golden Essence Magic Weapon, the City God was no match for the overwhelming force.

A moment later, Chu Xun cleaved half of his body in two with a single sword strike.

After Zhang Jingheng suppressed him with the golden light of merit, Chu Xun reached out and grabbed the City God's seal.

This seal is far larger and more imposing than those of the county and prefectural city gods.

It was originally grayish-brown, but after Chu Xun got his hands on it, it gradually returned to its gloomy, dark red color.

The City God's seal remained completely restored to its original color until the City God's body stiffened, and then he stopped abruptly.

Chu Xun's consciousness probed into the seal and saw the name inside.

The City God's original name was Jiang Wenda, and he was the last Minister of Revenue of the previous dynasty.

Despite the chaos of war, he still devoted himself to the country and tirelessly advocated for the people.

Unfortunately, the previous dynasty was too corrupt, and he alone could not save it.

He eventually died from exhaustion, and the people spontaneously came to mourn him.

According to historical records, the streets were blocked for hundreds of miles, and the people wept blood.

When the city god was conferred the title, Emperor Taizu conferred the title of Capital City God in order to commemorate his loyalty and great benevolence to the country and the people.

Under Jiang Wenda's name is the title of "Linqie" (廪窃).

This is the god of ancient grain storage cellars, whose duty is to protect the grain stored by our ancestors and prevent it from becoming moldy and rotten.

As granaries replaced cellars, the cellar god's divine role was taken over by the granary god, and the incense offerings were completely cut off.

Chu Xun didn't say much. After withdrawing from the City God's seal, he looked at the City God again.

At this moment, the City God had already put aside his previous hostility and bowed to Chu Xun, saying, "City God Jiang Wenda pays his respects to the Immortal."

Even Tang Shijun, who had been struggling outside, has now quieted down.

Chu Xun released the Five Elements Cage and let Tang Shijun come over.

Then he asked Jiang Wenda, "Where is Tang Shijun's true form?"

Jiang Wenda looked puzzled and said, "This is Tang Shijun? What's the difference between these words and those of an immortal?"

Chu Xun understood that these ancient immortals and gods had had their memories erased, so he asked again, "If someone with merit comes here, what will be done with them?"

Jiang Wenda said, "Please petition the Heavenly Court to grant me reincarnation or a position in the Underworld."

Chu Xun frowned: "Those who have accumulated merit serve in the underworld, but they are governed by the Heavenly Court, not the Underworld itself?"

Jiang Wenda said, "Of course not. The Underworld only has the right to petition, not the right to appoint, unless the emperor personally bestows the title."

Chu Xun and Zhang Jingheng exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing even more deeply.

In this sense, the person who performed meritorious deeds was impersonated, and the so-called Heavenly Order intervened directly.

If Tang Shijun still retained his true form, he certainly wouldn't remain in the underworld.

It could even be said that it has been completely erased.

To make the impersonation even more perfect, besides erasing the memories of the ancient gods and immortals, one must also make them believe that they are the real person.

The original owner also needs to be eliminated so that it won't be discovered.

Although I am reluctant to accept this result, given the current situation, it is highly likely.

The murderous intent rising in Chu Xun's eyes made Jiang Wenda tremble slightly, feeling somewhat apprehensive.

It is unknown why the immortal who holds power over the underworld of Jing Kingdom is so angry.

He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the murderous intent in his heart.

Chu Xun looked at Zhang Jingheng and said, "It seems we have no choice but to proceed according to the previous plan."

Zhang Jingheng was also furious, but he understood that there was no other good solution at the moment.

If Chu Xun's plan works, there might still be a sliver of a chance to find Tang Shijun's true identity in the future.

He immediately nodded and said, "Let's do it that way."

Night falls.

Inside the palace.

Emperor Yongxiang sat at his desk, scrutinizing the daunting memorials.

Among them were letters from the prefects of more than a dozen major cities, who claimed to be from local powerful and influential families, protesting the imperial court's policies.

They believed that even though the grain tax was changed to a silver tax, there would still be inconveniences in daily life.

They didn't have enough cash, so they had to borrow from other places.

Traveling back and forth only increases costs.

Whether it's reverting to the grain tax system or reducing their tax exemptions, it's all justified.

Several vice ministers and senior officials in the Ministry of Revenue also agreed that this statement made sense.

The Ministry of Rites even submitted a memorial stating that the national policy implemented earlier contradicted the wishes of the founding emperor and should be abolished.

Furthermore, the Minister of Revenue argued that now that there is no war, the size of the army and its pay should be reduced.

The national treasury is not particularly abundant, and money should not be wasted on things that are not needed.

Emperor Yongxiang knew perfectly well that these ministers all had their own agendas and were trying to secure benefits for their own families.

Or perhaps they accepted money from others to help submit memorials.

Although the world is now at peace and internal and external troubles have been eliminated.

But being an emperor was not an easy task.

On one hand, there was pressure from the court officials, and on the other hand, local officials kept making excuses and delays, making it difficult to implement many of the agreed-upon policies at the court level.

Some folds can make you so angry you could vomit blood, while others make some sense.

For example, when the Minister of Revenue suggested reducing the size of the army and its pay, Emperor Yongxiang thought it made some sense.

This gave the soldiers the opportunity to retire from the military and enjoy family life.

It can both save resources and increase revenue, enriching the national treasury, achieving two goals at once, so why not do it?

He picked up a vermilion pen and wrote a few lines on the Minister of Revenue's memorial: "Instruct the Ministry of Revenue to discuss the details of the reductions, and make sure to ensure that the soldiers are appeased and can return to their fields to farm smoothly."

After reviewing his own writing, Emperor Yongxiang nodded with satisfaction, feeling that he had considered things thoroughly.

He picked up the memorial from the Ministry of Rites again, thinking about how to reply.

Gradually, drowsiness crept in.

Before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep.

When Emperor Yongxiang opened his eyes, he was startled to see the deceased prime minister standing in front of him.

Zhang Jingheng said, "Your Majesty, do not be afraid. Although this old minister has passed away, he is now being rewarded by Heaven for his merits."

"Today, I request Your Majesty to issue an imperial edict to appoint this old minister as the City God of the capital, in charge of the underworld of Jing Kingdom."

Emperor Yongxiang breathed a sigh of relief; it turned out they had only come to request an imperial edict of investiture.

It was no big deal for him.

The investiture by the underworld has nothing to do with the mortal world.

What difference does it make who gets banned?

Moreover, although the old prime minister disagreed with him on the matter of sending troops to the northern desert,

But since he has dedicated his life to the Jing Kingdom, he should still be given this much face.

Emperor Yongxiang nodded and said, "Prime Minister Zhang has made great contributions and devoted himself to the Jing Kingdom during his lifetime. Even after his death, he continued to worry about and work hard for the Jing Kingdom. This investiture is only right and proper."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhang Jingheng paused, then asked, "Your Majesty looks worried. Is it because of matters of state?"

Emperor Yongxiang nodded and sighed, "As expected of Prime Minister Zhang, he saw through my worries at a glance. There are so many affairs of state, it's unbearable."

Zhang Jingheng said, "Although this old minister can no longer share Your Majesty's worries, I have a word to offer."

Emperor Yongxiang quickly said, "Prime Minister Zhang, please speak."

"The will of the people is the only way to rule. Your Majesty must not lose the hearts of the people because of the advice of others."

Emperor Yongxiang was immediately displeased: "I have been working tirelessly day and night, without rest. The people of the world should be grateful to me. How could I have lost their hearts?"

Before Zhang Jingheng could say anything more, Emperor Yongxiang flicked his sleeve and said, "I will have the Ministry of Rites handle the investiture tomorrow. I am a little tired."

The meaning of these words is self-evident.

Zhang Jingheng sighed, knowing he couldn't persuade him otherwise.

Although His Majesty the Emperor was kind-hearted, he was too soft-hearted.

Now, there is no one in the court who dares to step forward to speak up for the people and withstand the pressure from powerful families and nobles. All previous efforts will be wasted sooner or later.

A gust of wind blew by, and Yongxiang Huang woke up groggily.

Looking around, he saw that he was still in the Imperial Study and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Thinking back to what I just saw in my dream, it felt incredibly real.

Emperor Yongxiang considered the matter for a while, then summoned the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and ordered him to invite the Minister of Rites to the capital overnight to discuss the matter of bestowing the title of City God.

As for Zhang Jingheng's suggestions, Emperor Yongxiang completely disregarded them.

The most important matters of state concern the emperor.

The saying goes, "Those who are not in a position should not concern themselves with its affairs." How could a subject possibly see the emperor's hardships, let alone have the emperor's vision?

What you see is only a short-term view, but I want to see far ahead and take a holistic view!

The next day.

The emperor issued an order for the Ministry of Rites to handle the matter.

Zhang Jingheng was conferred the title of Duke of Protector of the Nation, replacing Jiang Wenda, the former Minister of Revenue, as the City God of the capital, in charge of the underworld of Jing Kingdom.

Jiang Wenda was then reappointed as the chief judge, a position above the civil judge and below the city god.

If the City God is absent, he shall act in his place.

The statue of Zhang Jingheng was carved overnight and completed in just one day and one night.

They were carried into the City God Temple and placed in the main position.

The original City God, Jiang Wenda, was not replaced; his statue was simply placed a head shorter.

The common people are most familiar with Zhang Jingheng and are even more grateful for his contributions to the people of the world.

In a short time, not only the City God Temple in Kyoto, but also the City God Temples in prefectures and counties, saw people spontaneously coming to burn incense and offer prayers.

Inside the City God Temple in Kyoto, Chief Judge Jiang Wenda stood to Zhang Jingheng's left, showing no sign of dissatisfaction whatsoever.

For these incense-offering deities, as long as they remain in the temple, they can enjoy the incense offerings.

As for who is superior and who is inferior, it's not up to them to decide.

Moreover, Chu Xun controls the power of the underworld, so he has no reason to rebel.

Looking at Zhang Jingheng, whose golden light shone even brighter, Chu Xun nodded slightly.

The first step of the plan has been completed.

Zhang Jingheng replaced the City God of Jingguo and took control of the underworld.

According to Chu Xun's original plan, with Zhang Jingheng around, those who would bring merit to the Jing Kingdom would no longer be petitioned by the Heavenly Court.

Those who should be reincarnated should be reincarnated, so as not to benefit those old things.

However, after advancing to the Golden Core stage, he could bestow titles upon himself by destiny, which slightly altered Chu Xun's plans.

The original gods and immortals of the underworld were all imposters from ancient times.

Simply replacing one of them with Zhang Jingheng in their divine office will not completely change the current situation.

Since he could also bestow divine titles, he might as well create a system of authority similar to that of the underworld and completely overshadow it.

For example, the Ten Kings of Hell would be a good choice.

It can both replace the City God of the Underworld and prevent those who have performed meritorious deeds from being wasted.

However, Chu Xun's current rank is not high enough to be granted the title of Yama.

The second step of the plan will have to wait a little longer.

Arriving before the brand-new statue of the City God, Zhang Jingheng stepped forward, becoming one with the statue and receiving incense offerings from the people.

Chu Xun looked up at the towering statue and said, "You will remain here for now. When you are appointed Yama, you will be able to sweep away all corruption!"

There is no Yama in this world; the underworld is entirely run by the City God.

Although Zhang Jingheng didn't know what Yama was, since Chu Xun said it was possible, he believed it would definitely work.

The worshippers who came to make offerings nearby looked at Chu Xun with curiosity and confusion.

I have no idea what this person is talking about; they're rambling on and on.

Someone else tugged at Chu Xun's clothes from behind, urging, "Aren't you going to offer incense? If you're not going to, don't block the way, get out of the way!"

But the next second, an empty space appeared in front of him.

The person who was tugging at his clothes paused for a moment, then rubbed his eyes, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

He quickly took the incense and knelt before the statue of the deity: "Lord City God, save me! Could it be that I encountered some demon or monster in broad daylight!"