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Chapter 821: The Might of Deification

Chapter 821: The Might of Deification

Grandeur!

Vastness!

In a trance, Fang Xi seemed to see a divine position.

It was precisely the divine office of "Qingtong Jun"!

Its full name was—"Donghua Zifu Shaoyang Mugong Qingtong Jun"!

Its purple-green aura soared into the heavens, clearly indicating the rank of a Heavenly Sovereign!

Among the divine ranks, above the nine ranks, there were also supreme ranks!

Heavenly Emperor's Son, Heavenly Count, Heavenly Marquis, Heavenly Duke. . . comparable to Return to Void cultivators in the Earthly Immortal World.

As for Heavenly Kings and Heavenly Venerables, they were Mahayana cultivators!

And the Heavenly Emperor? No one dared to speculate on that realm. . .

One could say that by accepting this divine position, Fang Xi could instantly become a grand elder of the Heavenly Court.

Mere mortal emperors of the lower realms would have to bow before him!

"It truly is just right. . ."

Fang Xi mumbled, his divine power resonating, and he immediately sensed that this "Qingtong Jun" divine position contained many formidable divine abilities.

The strongest among them was called—"Profound Void Transforming Netherworld Plough Head Seven Stars Altar"!

It was a spell specifically targeting luck and karma. One only needed to set up the altar, place a curse object to suppress it, and the enemy's luck would plummet, leading them to court death!

The more Fang Xi examined it, the more he felt it perfectly complemented his luck Gu and the "Profound Nether Misfortune-Dispelling and Foulness-Clearing Divine Light".

"To think that within the Qingtong Jun's divine office, there would be such a divine luck art. . . This divine art is at least a seventh-tier grand divine ability."

"Paired with this altar, it's enough to elevate the power of a sixth-tier luck Gu to seventh-tier or even higher. Void Amalgamation cultivators would find it exceedingly difficult to resist."

"This True Body is determined to forge the 'Nine Bends Yellow River Three Flowers Immortal Array' to break through the limitations of array masters in the Earthly Immortal World and aim for the level of a ninth-tier Immortal Array Master."

"The Three Flowers Immortal Array signifies the Three Flowers on the Crown—fortune, prosperity, and longevity. . . The Supreme Pole Star Life-Ending Divine Light has already been gathered, and the Profound Nether Misfortune-Dispelling and Foulness-Clearing Divine Light was comprehended from an Immortal Abode Rare Treasure, possessing immense potential. . . Now, the last missing piece for the luck Gu has also been filled."

This "Profound Void Transforming Netherworld Plough Head Seven Stars Altar," if slightly modified, would become a grand array!

With three arrays combined into one, an Immortal Array would be complete!

With Fang Xi's current seventh-tier array master attainment, he might still find it difficult to achieve this step, but at the peak of the eighth tier, he might be able to set up a true Immortal family array and enter the realm of a ninth-tier Immortal Array Master!

This was a goal he had long set for himself.

Just one step forward, and it would be within his grasp.

"It's just a pity, it's still too coincidental."

Fang Xi's divine light burst forth, and a wave of green divine power appeared, casting the "Treasure of Qingtong Jun," which carried the divine office, far away.

"There is no love without reason in this world, nor is there hate without cause."

"If I accept this Qingtong Jun divine office, who knows what price I'll have to pay in the future. . ."

He gazed at the re-sealed divine seal, couldn't help but sigh, his eyes dark.

Now that he was already entangled, whether he wanted it or not, he had to accept this seal, but choosing the right timing was equally important.

...

More than ten days later.

Zhuzhou, Zhennan Pass, a parade ground.

Gan Yu had changed into military attire, clad in a rhinoceros leather armor, and sighed.

In this world, with the existence of the Shinto and his own cultivation, reaching Zhuzhou within a month was nothing.

But upon arrival, he discovered that this place was simply a mess.

Inside the military camp.

Looking at the scattered soldiers slowly gathering, he couldn't help but widen his eyes: "These are my soldiers?"

He saw about a hundred lazy, disparate soldiers, tall, short, fat, and thin, gathered together, bowing in salute: "Greetings, Captain!"

'Relying on them to subdue Heishi County, wouldn't that be courting death? '

Seeing this, Gan Yu immediately rolled his eyes dramatically.

He could smell the scent of cynical veterans on these soldiers.

"What is your background?"

With this thought, Gan Yu quickly asked.

"Reporting, Captain! Your subordinate, Zhang Sanshun, is a squad leader, originally a squad leader from the Galloping Cavalry Camp!"

A squad leader of about forty, with a weather-beaten face, leaning on a long spear, stepped forward and said.

"Galloping Cavalry Camp. . ."

Gan Yu's heart tightened. He knew this was the main force of the Dao Court's field army, once renowned and a camp established during the founding of the nation: "Zhang Sanshun, why are you here?"

A look of helplessness appeared on Zhang Sanshun's face: "Reporting, Captain! Eight years ago, in the Battle of Dingwang Mountain, the Galloping Cavalry Camp was completely annihilated. . . Your subordinate was lucky to escape with his life and was rounded up as a defeated soldier, re-organized. . ."

"Other comrades, mostly the same. . ."

"Three months ago, our camp's captain led troops to try and subdue Xiaoxi Village, but was encountered by that fierce Mei Changkong, who cut him down with a single sword stroke."

The more Gan Yu listened, the more his expression fell.

He could never have imagined that Mei Changkong had such a formidable reputation here, known as the "Death Sword Immortal"!

'Back in the county, I heard he ambushed the county magistrate. . . County Magistrate Cao ultimately didn't escape. How did I run into him again? '

Gan Yu secretly sighed at the marvel of fate. The two had never met before, separated by half the Dao Court's territory, yet they met again in Zhuzhou.

He had no idea that in Panlong Lake, there was also an acquaintance, the "Muddy Waters Great Sage"!

Upon further detailed questioning, Gan Yu's heart sank as if into a bottomless abyss.

"The imperial court has been repeatedly defeated in Zhuzhou. For these routed soldiers, the worst among them have had their commanding officers killed seven or eight times. . ."

"Those who are still alive are all masters of self-preservation, completely devoid of courage. . . No matter how they are trained, they can't be trained anymore."

Compared to these cynical veterans, he would much rather recruit "respectable young men from good families" who had homes and livelihoods; those were excellent sources of soldiers.

But military orders were like mountains, military law was strict. Recruiting soldiers privately? Did he want to know how the character for 'death' was written?

"Now, I can only quickly write a public document, then bribe my superiors to first gain time for training, then recruit and replace soldiers. Perhaps then we can fight. . ."

The Dao Court had no saying of 'scholars are noble, warriors are lowly'; it emphasized being able to fight on horseback and pacify the people dismounted. Transfers between civil and military positions were common.

Ever since Gan Yu passed the imperial examination and became a Jucai, he had read several military treatises. While he couldn't claim to be articulate and insightful now, he did have some ideas.

Just then, a messenger galloped up, holding an arrow token in his hand: "The Governor-General has ordered your unit to engage in battle in three days! No disobedience!"

Gan Yu's face instantly darkened, but he still cupped his hands: "Your subordinate receives the order!"

In his heart, he was even more certain that someone was trying to harm him!

...

Of Zhuzhou's seven prefectures and twenty-eight counties, twenty-seven counties had already been lost.

Now, only an imperial court Governor-General remained, leading a large army, guarding "Zhennan Pass."

Three days later.

Gan Yu rode a nag out of Zhennan Pass, feeling a chill seep into his bones.

In this situation, how was it any different from courting death?

"Zhang Sanshun!"

He thought for a moment, then called a squad leader to his side: "How do the rebels govern the people?"

There was nothing he could do now but look for an opportunity to snatch a few minor military merits, then immediately retreat to Zhennan Pass, and also pray not to run into the Death Sword Immortal, or his life would be forfeit.

Compared to the mortal world, as a commanding officer in the Shinto world, his authority had actually increased considerably.

After all, he held an eighth-rank official position and a Daoist Title, making his personal combat power unparalleled in the entire camp.

Zhang Sanshun was quite deferential: "Reporting, Captain, that Mountain God of Black Cloud Mountain has subdued many City Gods and Earth Gods, ordering them to govern the people. . . The situation actually doesn't seem much different from twenty years ago."

"What? So many City Gods and Earth Gods, actually. . . turned traitor?"

Gan Yu's eyes widened. Before coming to Zhuzhou, he simply couldn't believe such an inconceivable thing could happen.

"Doesn't the Dao Court have a way?"

What he truly wanted to ask was, could it be that the Daoist Titles were ineffective?

Zhang Sanshun gave a wry smile: "I heard that the Mountain God of Black Cloud Mountain refined a divine artifact called the 'Investiture of the Gods List. ' Any City God or Earth God who submits, as long as their name is on the list, will no longer be restricted by the Dao Court but will instead be bound by him. . . Of course, those who refused were directly annihilated into dust. . ."

"This. . . isn't this digging at the very foundation of the Dao Court?"

Gazing at the Daoist Title within his body with his Divine Consciousness, Gan Yu felt a surge of "shared animosity."

But soon, a chilling realization dawned on him.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanshun replied with a bitter smile, "Oh, Captain. . . they've already rebelled, so aren't they just digging at the Dao Court's foundation?"

Hearing these words, Gan Yu couldn't help but smile: "I lost my composure. Bring me the map! Now that the enemy is powerful, we cannot face them head-on; we can only rely on strategy. . ."

Now that they were in enemy territory, saying anything more was pointless.

He certainly wasn't going to court death, so he could only ambush some enemy provisions or logistics teams, get some military merit, and then retreat. . .

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanshun breathed a sigh of relief, subtly exchanging glances with the other squad leaders.

If their commander stubbornly went his own way, they would be in serious trouble too.

After all, in terms of strength, Gan Yu surpassed them, and he had the Daoist decrees pressing down on them.

But if truly pushed to a dead end, there wasn't necessarily no way out!

...

Mountain God Manor.

After a long period of tranquility, Fang Xi yearned for activity and walked out of Black Cloud Mountain.

In Panlong Lake, several fishing boats drifted, the waves shimmering. . . The common people lived in peace and prosperity.

Although he was a rebel, he would not treat the common people harshly, nor would he forcibly conscript or extort anything. . .

Therefore, the people of Zhuzhou seemed to be living even better lives than before.

Of course, this could also be because they were close to Black Cloud Mountain, and the City Gods and Earth Gods did this to curry favor with Fang Xi.

He didn't care, as with the Investiture of the Gods List, these defectors could no longer rebel.

Arriving at a certain spot, Fang Xi stomped his foot.

An Earth God emerged from the ground: "Greetings, Liege. . ."

"What have the imperial court's recent movements been?"

Fang Xi asked casually.

"Reporting, Liege. . ."

The Earth God immediately spoke without hesitation. With the help of the Shinto network, Fang Xi's control over Zhuzhou was unparalleled; he easily obtained many pieces of information.

When he heard that "Loyal and Brave Captain" Gan Yu had also led a force into Zhuzhou, Fang Xi's expression became somewhat peculiar: "Keep a close eye on him. You may go. . ."

He waved his hand, dismissing the old Earth God.

"For gods on the Investiture of the Gods List, every shred of their true spirit is entirely in my grasp; the control is quite strong. . ."

"Alas. . ."

Fang Xi sighed.

Although Daoist Titles were complex, they were nothing more than that.

After being deciphered by Fang Xi, many of their techniques were used on the Investiture of the Gods List.

However, he still had little clue regarding Shinto talisman-decrees.

He had once subdued a Mountain God who had received a divine office from heaven and tried to lift the Daoist Title restrictions from him. Alas. . . he found that the deity still couldn't freely raise his divine rank.

One could only say that once an Innate Deity knelt, they could never stand up again.