Chapter 115: The Great God in the Small Temple

The Hidden Immortal

A year earlier, no one knew who had first suggested it.

There were so many sect experts in the martial world, yet not a single one could truly be called number one.

Why not imitate the Taihe Sect and set up an arena, inviting martial artists from all over the world to come?

Whoever could stand until the very end would be the greatest beneath heaven and honored as the Martial Alliance Leader.

For a time, the major sects responded enthusiastically, and experts from every road rushed over.

Everyone had their eyes fixed on the top experts of the great sects. Among them, several Innate Grandmasters were especially popular contenders.

Who could have known that a martial artist with the title Soul-Chasing Saber would appear, holding a longsword in his hand.

And beat every expert so badly they lost all sense of direction.

It was like an immortal descending from beyond the skies, transcendent and otherworldly.

No one could understand why a man called Soul-Chasing Saber used a sword.

They only knew that sword was incredibly powerful.

Its name was Heaven-Reliant.

Liao Xingbang spoke with great excitement, spittle flying everywhere.

He had practiced martial arts under Liao Licheng since childhood. Though his grandmother had forbidden him from joining the army, she allowed him to wander the martial world.

The martial world was dangerous, but at least it was much safer than the battlefield.

Unfortunately, Liao Xingbang was not suited for martial arts. His talent was not even as good as Liao Licheng’s.

Now nearly thirty, he had made no name for himself, and his cultivation was only sixth rank.

Barring surprises, reaching fourth rank in this lifetime would already be a blessing.

But he was very interested in the affairs of the martial world. He knew every expert and hero as if counting his own family treasures.

Martial Alliance Leader Xie Ji was his idol.

Chu Xun found it rather amusing.

He had casually rewarded Xie Ji with a sword and asked him to deliver the Fourteenth Prince to the magistrate’s office.

Unexpectedly, Xie Ji had truly made something of himself.

However, Chu Xun knew very well that the metal-essence longswords he forged had limited uses.

The fact that Xie Ji could rely on that sword to defeat countless experts and ascend to the seat of Martial Alliance Leader meant his own ability accounted for most of it.

“Uncle Chen, Grandfather said the weapons you forge are very impressive too. Can you make me a saber?” Liao Xingbang asked.

As for the divine weapons, Liao Shouyi and Zhang Jingheng had both kept their mouths shut and strictly forbidden those around them from discussing it.

They knew a certain someone disliked being disturbed.

If people learned that such divine weapons were forged by Chu Xun, it would not take long before Pinecone Village was so packed with martial artists that no one would have room to stand.

Chu Xun asked curiously, “Why a saber?”

“Because the Martial Alliance Leader is called Soul-Chasing Saber. Of course I have to use a saber too,” Liao Xingbang said matter-of-factly.

“But what he actually uses is a sword.”

“But he’s called Soul-Chasing Saber.”

Chu Xun fell silent.

This child really was not martial arts material.

Martial arts required not only strong bones and talent, but even more importantly, comprehension.

With good bones, reaching fourth rank was easy.

But to advance to second rank, first rank, or even Innate Grandmaster, without sufficient comprehension, it was absolutely impossible.

What was comprehension?

It was simply the ability to infer many things from one thing and understand all paths from a single principle.

Clearly, Liao Xingbang did not know how to adapt.

“I can’t forge you a saber right now. Wait until one day when you find a very good material,” Chu Xun said.

To put it plainly, this was a tactful refusal.

But how could someone who did not understand flexibility hear the hidden meaning?

Liao Xingbang said excitedly, “Then I’ll go look for one right now!”

“Your family may not have any good materials.”

“Then I’ll search the martial world!”

Chu Xun fell silent again.

Forget it. Let him do as he liked.

By autumn that year, a rumor suddenly spread among the people living along both banks of the Songliu River.

No one knew where it had come from, but a flood dragon had appeared in the river and even subdued the two snake immortals and turtle immortal under the Songliu Water God.

Whenever it swam through the water, layers of waves would surge up.

Even the stone bridge built by Duke Ming years ago would be submerged.

The courtyard of the Songliu Water God Temple had also been flooded several times.

Some said this evil flood dragon would certainly bring disaster in the future.

For a time, incense offerings at the Songliu Water God Temple flourished.

The common people all prayed for the Water God to show his might, subdue the evil flood dragon, and stop it from stirring up more chaos.

Late at night, by the Songliu River.

Chu Xun stood there, holding a wisp of water essence in his hand.

After being tempered by karmic fire for so many years, he could now refine one wisp every two days, five times faster than at the beginning.

However, the effect of the karmic fire seemed to have reached its limit. It could not improve him endlessly as he had imagined.

Thinking about it, that made sense. The impurities in the body had limits.

At least, that was the case during the Foundation Establishment stage.

Perhaps after advancing to the Golden Core stage, there might be further improvement.

Chu Xun held the water essence and scolded with a laugh, “You beast, are you still not coming out? Are you waiting for me to go into the water and feed you myself?”

Under the moonlight, an enormous python head several zhang wide slowly rose from the river.

After being fed water essence for so many years, the green-white python’s body had already reached an astonishing fifty zhang.

Its body alone was two or three zhang thick.

With such a massive size, it already looked somewhat bloated in a tributary like the Songliu River.

If it truly reached one hundred zhang in length, even a slight movement might squeeze most of the river water out.

No wonder ancient texts generally had little praise for pythons transforming into flood dragons.

Shallow waters could not produce true dragons, because even one flood dragon could create a considerable natural disaster.

The green-white python did not lower its head to rub against him as usual.

Instead, it simply stretched its head out without even flicking its tongue.

It pitifully exposed only its head, looking extremely wronged.

It really had not done anything bad. It only occasionally chased fish and prawns for fun, the way it had played since childhood.

Moreover, after flooding the stone bridge and Water God Temple a few times, it had deliberately avoided that stretch of river.

It was only that sometimes, when it got carried away while playing, the waves it raised were too large, causing the downstream currents to become rapid.

When fishermen could not catch fish and the mud-legged commoners who came to worship the Water God grew resentful, complaints naturally arose.

Chu Xun flicked the water essence in his hand over.

The green-white python habitually opened its mouth and swallowed it.

This single movement alone stirred the river water endlessly.

Through the water, Chu Xun could see that it had pressed its body down against the riverbed and did not even dare swing its tail around.

He found it both amusing and a little heartbreaking.

Though it was a snake, it had loved clinging to him since it was small. Aside from being unable to speak, it was no different from a child of his own family.

“You have to get used to this. If you truly want to transform into a flood dragon in the future, you must not casually cause floods.”

Chu Xun’s tone was gentle, with no intention of scolding.

The old turtle crawled out of the river. Its shell had grown to almost five chi.

The soil it carried on its back had become even thicker, and together with its dark green shell, it looked rather ancient and weathered.

However, after years of tempering, its four claws had become quite sharp.

As they scraped along the riverbank soil, they left several deep marks.

The old toad was still crouching on the old turtle’s shell, relaxed and content.

Only when it reached Chu Xun’s side did it croak twice.

The old toad’s size was likewise astonishing, almost as large as a millstone.

Its body was covered in bumps, swollen and bulging. Occasionally, a few of them would twitch on their own, as though something were hidden inside.

The old turtle shook its head and rubbed against Chu Xun’s leg.

Chu Xun could not help laughing. He had no choice but to summon a Heavenly One Divine Water Bead, divide it into several dozen portions, and toss them onto the old turtle and old toad.

“That’s all for this year. Don’t be greedy.”

Both turtle and toad shook their heads, as if responding to his words.

Chu Xun paid them no further attention and reached out to stroke the green-white python’s lowered head.

A single scale was already the size of a palm, hard as iron and cold enough to chill the bone.

“I’ve fed you so much water essence. Can you still not control water?” Chu Xun asked.

The green-white python flicked its tongue, and a strand of water rose from the river.

But it rose less than a meter before scattering.

Aside from accelerating the green-white python’s growth, the water essence was meant to let it obtain the ability to control water in advance.

Only that way could it better survive the tribulation of transforming into a flood dragon.

For now, its progress was not particularly fast. In fact, it was even slower than expected.

But water essence, like collecting metal qi, could not be taken greedily.

The more the green-white python ate, the faster it grew.

But if its water-control ability could not keep up, or if Chu Xun had not prepared enough to help it pass the lightning tribulation and wind tribulation by then, the losses would outweigh the gains.

Gently stroking the green-white python’s scales, Chu Xun said softly, “There’s no need to hurry. Take your time. And don’t develop resentment just because the common people criticize you. They are only mortals. In a few short decades, they return to dust and earth. What they care about is what lies before their eyes. What you need to look at is the long term.”

The green-white python looked at him as if it half understood. Chu Xun did not expect this giant fellow to comprehend immediately.

Gradual influence and steady progress would be enough.

A few days later, Chu Xun gathered metal essence qi in the courtyard and infused it into an iron billet.

Then he casually tossed the iron billet out.

Clang.

With that sound, the iron billet seemed to grow wings and landed accurately by the wall.

[Metal Movement Art: 58,392 out of 100,000. Limited control over the metal of heaven and earth within one thousand zhang.]

Over the years, through uninterrupted daily tempering, Chu Xun’s metal-element spell art had nearly reached perfection.

With a thought, he could freely control metal within one thousand zhang.

Of course, this freedom had certain limits.

For example, the iron billet he had just thrown could fly however he wished within one thousand zhang.

But if it were meteorite iron, it would not be so easy.

The farther the distance, the slower the speed.

After all, the iron billet contained only a single wisp of metal essence qi, while the meteorite iron contained over a thousand.

If he truly took that thing and threw it at the county City God, the other party would not even be able to catch it before being directly shaken to death by the metal essence qi.

The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

There were already over a thousand identical billets by the wall.

If he had not used spell arts to solidify the ground, it would have collapsed long ago.

These were naturally meant to be forged into weapons. However, he already had many longswords on hand, over six thousand of them.

To store those longswords, Chu Xun had no choice but to empty one of the side rooms and use it solely for storage.

Taking a deep breath, he moved with a thought, and the piled iron billets by the wall rose about a meter into the air.

Then they circled once around the courtyard before flying back and landing where they had been.

Chu Xun’s gaze shifted slightly.

“Nine hundred and eight pieces. Short-distance control is still relatively easy and has not exceeded my limit.

But if the distance is too far, it still feels somewhat beyond my strength.”

He glanced at the progress of the Metal Movement Art. Once it reached completion, there should be further improvement.

With a thought, the furnace door beside him opened automatically. Flames surged, and the meteorite iron inside had already been burned bright red.

The flames in the furnace wrapped around the meteorite iron like living things, barely spreading outward at all.

[Fire Movement: Great degree of control over the fire of heaven and earth within one thousand zhang.]

Thanks to the benefits he had obtained from killing the underworld deities of three counties, among the three Foundation Establishment stage Five Elements spell arts, Fire Movement had reached completion first.

Next was Metal Movement, and last was Wood Movement.

Now, the furnace barely needed any charcoal added. Relying solely on spell arts was enough to maintain the burning process of the meteorite iron.

It was faster and more convenient as well.

This flame, enhanced by spiritual energy, was different from ordinary fire.

As long as Chu Xun’s spiritual energy did not stop, the flame would not go out.

Aside from the meteorite iron, the furnace also contained the old bat’s two wind bones.

Both had been burned down to about the size of a thumb. Their surfaces looked extremely smooth, and strands of spiritual fire drilled in and out of the holes.

Under the refining of the perfected Fire Movement spell art, the old bat’s wind bones had been further strengthened.

Chu Xun had tested them before. The wind-fire blown out by the current wind bones could even scatter metal essence qi.

Metal essence countered wind, but fire countered metal.

Based on this principle, the two should originally have been at the same grade. However, because the wind bones also carried wind power and a trace of monster essence power, the might of these two monster magic artifacts had grown far stronger than when he had killed the three county City Gods.

[Wood Spirit Art: 23,846 out of 30,000. Greatly affects plant growth speed and slightly increases quality.]

Ordinarily, the village fields could easily be made abundant using only water-element methods.

Wood-element spell arts were comparatively less useful. Their coverage was small, and their efficiency was low.

Even though Chu Xun had tried to use them more during his spare time, compared to Fire Movement, which had been aided by incense gods, and Metal Movement, which was mainly trained through daily tempering, it was still much slower.

But all things had priorities.

Chu Xun would not ignore what he currently needed to do most merely to maintain some superficial balance among the Five Elements spell arts.

The meteorite iron, tempered dozens of times, had shrunk by about twenty percent compared to its original size.

But its weight had not decreased at all, and its color had become even deeper.

It was hard to imagine how powerful such a piece of divine iron would be once it was truly forged into a sword.

The meteorite iron floated out from the furnace. Although he could control the hammer with spell arts, Chu Xun still preferred to do it by hand.

He had not forgotten Cheng Shan’s teachings.

Use the big hammer for shaping, and the small hammer for leveling.

Whether a weapon was good or bad had a great deal to do with the blacksmith’s own attitude.

When striking down ten times, carefully feeling the landing point of every blow versus being lazy and taking shortcuts could lead to vastly different results.

Thus, Chu Xun began tempering the billet by hand as usual.

Bang.

Bang.

Each sound was like muffled thunder, making Chu Xun feel as if a hazy flash of inspiration flickered in his mind, yet he could not truly grasp it.

The City God Temple of Mingxiu Prefecture.

The golden body of the City God trembled.

“A great general of the current dynasty is about to reach the end of his lifespan!”

“Civil Judge, Martial Judge, where are you?”

The Civil Judge and Martial Judge manifested and cupped their hands.

“Present.”

“A meritorious military general like this is not someone a county City God can govern. Go personally and bring him back.”

“As commanded!”

The Civil Judge and Martial Judge immediately took the Black and White Impermanence, along with several ghost officials, and headed toward Pinecone Village.

At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

Liao Xingbang pushed open the courtyard gate and dropped to his knees before Chu Xun with tears in his eyes.

“Uncle Chen, my grandfather suddenly can’t hold on anymore! He told me to call you over!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Chu Xun put down the hammer and waved his hand, sending the meteorite iron back into the furnace.

Then he pulled Liao Xingbang up.

“Let’s go!”

Qiaohua had passed away the year before, and Emperor Changning had even sent people specially to pay respects.

This ill-fated woman had seemed to possess glory and splendor beyond compare.

But in truth, only those close to her knew how bitter her life had been.

The only thing worth rejoicing over was that Liao Shouyi had fought outside for so many years and held such high authority, yet had never taken a concubine.

So when Qiaohua passed, she had not carried too many regrets.

Liao Shouyi held the title of duke and was also the God of War in the army.

When the villagers learned that his body was failing, they all hurried over to visit.

By the time Chu Xun arrived, the Liao family courtyard was already packed with people.

Liao Xingbang led Chu Xun and desperately pushed forward.

“Move! All of you, move!”

He no longer cared about anything else. He only wanted his grandfather to quickly see the person he wished to see.

Chu Xun entered the room.

Liao Licheng, his ten-year-old grandson Liao Wenjie, his daughter-in-law, and the others were all standing by the bed.

Seeing him arrive, Liao Licheng hurried forward.

“I don’t know what happened to Father. He was fine this morning, then suddenly he couldn’t hold on anymore. He insisted I call you here.”

Chu Xun understood.

Liao Shouyi’s natural lifespan should have ended long ago. It was only because Chu Xun had changed his fate against heaven twice in succession that he had lived until now.

The only thing that puzzled him was why he had not seen the underworld deities of Zhangnan County arrive.

A weak voice came from the bed.

“Has he come…”

Liao Licheng hurriedly replied, “He’s here, he’s here!”

Chu Xun walked over, took out a slice of old ginseng, and stuffed it into Liao Shouyi’s mouth without explanation.

Seeing his complexion improve slightly, he turned to Liao Licheng and said, “All of you go out first.”

How could Liao Licheng be willing to leave? His old father was on the verge of death. What if he had last words to entrust?

In the end, it was Liao Shouyi who spoke.

“You all go out first. I’ll say a few words to him.”

Only then did Liao Licheng and the others reluctantly leave the room.

They simply could not understand what words could not be heard by his own son and grandson.

After the door closed, relying on the slight vitality provided by the old ginseng, Liao Shouyi’s spirit improved somewhat compared to before.

But this was only temporary and could not last long.

Chu Xun sat beside the bed and asked, “Is there anything you need me to do for you?”

Liao Shouyi did not answer the question. Instead, he stared at him for a while before asking, “Should I have died long ago?”

Chu Xun frowned.

“Why do you say that?”

Liao Shouyi said, “That year, after I led troops into the southwest and drove off the refugee army, I rested for a while in the county office. Two of my thousand-man commanders conspired with Ma Huaian to chop off my head.

I had clearly been drugged by sleeping smoke, yet I woke up at the critical moment. And those two stood completely still, letting me cut off their heads.

Then there was the defense of Liaoyuan City. I led two thousand exhausted soldiers and planned to charge out of the city for a final desperate battle.

At the moment of crisis, divine weapons descended from the heavens. Only then did we defend Liaoyuan City.

Again and again, how could I not understand? I should have died more than ten years ago.

Brother Xun.”

Liao Shouyi called out again.

Unlike the time when he had returned home and removed his armor, his tone this time was much firmer.

Chu Xun remained silent.

In truth, he knew that once some things were done, they would naturally arouse suspicion.

But these were close people by his side. How could he simply watch them die?

After sighing slowly, he said, “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

Liao Shouyi’s eyes lit up.

“You really are Brother Xun! I knew I couldn’t have mistaken you!”

Chu Xun froze for a moment.

On Liao Shouyi’s wrinkled face appeared a smug look.

“Warfare is the way of deception. In war, deception is never too much. Understand?”

Chu Xun did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“You little brat.”

Clearly, he looked much younger than Liao Shouyi, one a middle-aged man and the other an old man on the verge of death.

Yet neither of them found anything wrong with the words “little brat.”

Liao Shouyi chuckled.

He had indeed been more suspicious than certain.

He had not expected that a casual bluff would actually draw out the truth.

Of course, Chu Xun had never intended to keep hiding it from him. Just as he had done with Qi Ermao, he would have revealed the truth before Liao Shouyi’s death.

Now, it was merely a little earlier.

“Becoming your own grandson…” Liao Shouyi clicked his tongue twice, then asked, “Since you can regain youth, Aunt Anxiu…”

A slice of old ginseng had made him no longer look like someone about to die.

Chu Xun sighed.

“Only I can.”

Liao Shouyi fell silent for several seconds, and a trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes.

This was rejuvenation, a sign of longevity. Since ancient times, countless emperors, generals, and ministers had sought this path, yet very few had succeeded.

Liao Shouyi was old. But if he could regain youth, who would not desire it?

Chu Xun’s answer extinguished his hope.

Even his closest wife could not do it, let alone him.

“Forget it, forget it. I’ve already lived so many extra years. I’ve gotten my fill.”

Liao Shouyi then asked, “So are you an immortal now?”

Chu Xun thought for a moment before answering, “Probably not. At most, I can be considered someone cultivating immortality.”

He had never interacted with other immortal cultivators and did not know what immortals in this world were truly like.

The old man selling fake medicine might also cultivate immortality.

But judging from the fact that he enjoyed mixing with the mortal world and selling fake medicine, he might not be willing to reveal his identity.

Moreover, after their last meeting, Chu Xun had never seen him again.

It seemed he appeared in the same place only once every few decades. Once that time passed, he could no longer be found.

“That’s good too.” Liao Shouyi waved his hand. “When you become an immortal and attain the Dao, don’t forget to burn paper before my grave and tell me.”

Speaking of burning paper, Chu Xun suddenly remembered the paper Liao Shouyi had once wanted him to burn.

He asked curiously, “What was it that you asked me to burn back then?”

Liao Shouyi smiled.

“That night, I had a dream. I wanted to tell Mother about it, but I was embarrassed, so I wrote it on paper. Later, I thought I should find a chance to tell her myself, so I didn’t trouble you with it.”

When Liao Shouyi returned home for the first time and learned that his mother had passed away, he was heartbroken.

He knelt before her grave for an entire night, wanting to fulfill some of the filial duty he had failed to show.

In his daze, he saw his mother lifting the lid of a pot in the firewood room. Steaming meat buns appeared, making him drool greedily.

He quickly shouted for Mother and ran over.

Unexpectedly, the doorway of the firewood room was too low, and he bumped his head until it swelled.

“Mother laughed and scolded me for being too stupid.

When I opened my eyes, I realized I’d hit my head on the gravestone.”

As Liao Shouyi spoke, he reached up to touch his forehead.

The wrinkles of old age folded together because of his silly smile.

He had once been a child too, one who liked following his mother to dry fish and thresh rice.

When it was hot, he shouted, “Mother, I want water.”

When it was cold, he shouted, “Mother, I want to warm myself by the fire.”

“Fortunately, I accomplished a little in this life and didn’t shame my parents. Otherwise, how would I have the face to come back?”

As he spoke, his complexion gradually turned pale.

At the same time, Chu Xun sensed an unusual aura.

He turned his head toward the east.

From that direction came an aura similar to the underworld deities, but stronger, rapidly approaching.

Chu Xun frowned. Having seized the authority of the county City God, he could distinguish the aura of the underworld deities here.

The ones coming now did not belong to Zhangnan County.

Chu Xun immediately understood why the underworld officials of Zhangnan County had not come when Liao Shouyi was about to die.

If he had guessed correctly, a higher-ranking underworld office had come to handle the matter.

When Liao Shouyi’s lifespan had first reached its end, the Civil Judge of Zhangnan County had come.

But at that time, he had merely been a military officer. Though he had experienced several wars, he could not be considered a major figure.

Now, things were different.

He was the Duke of Wei, the God of War of Jing Kingdom’s army.

It was no longer suitable for the county City God to handle him.

More accurately speaking, someone who had defended the country and possessed a certain amount of merit should be assigned by a higher-ranking City God.

Chu Xun took out another ginseng slice and stuffed it into Liao Shouyi’s mouth, saying in a low voice, “You cannot die yet!”

Once the second ginseng slice entered his mouth, Liao Shouyi recovered a little more vitality, though he was no longer as spirited as before.

Still somewhat weak, he asked, “Then when should I die?”

“Why are you in such a hurry to die?” Chu Xun scolded.

Figures moved outside, and voices of inquiry came through.

Chu Xun had no time to waste words and said directly, “Gather your guards. We’re going to the City God Temple!”

Though Liao Shouyi did not understand what he wanted to do, he had spent most of his life on horseback and the battlefield. He was not the hesitant type.

Chu Xun immediately carried him out on his back.

Liao Licheng and the others were startled.

“Chu Chen, what are you doing? Put my father down!”

“Do everything he says. Do not stop him,” Liao Shouyi said.

Then he looked toward more than twenty men with graying hair, dressed in plain clothes, yet still carrying traces of fierce sharpness in their eyes.

“You all follow me.”

Those twenty-some men were his guards.

Aside from a few who truly could not bear to leave their families, wives, children, and elderly behind in their hometowns, the rest had received military farmland from the county office and settled in Pinecone Village.

Now that they heard Liao Shouyi’s order, they said nothing and immediately followed.

Liao Licheng and the others panicked and wanted to follow, but Chu Xun sternly forbade them.

“No one is allowed to leave this place!”

His seniority in Pinecone Village was not the highest, but his prestige was the greatest.

He was someone Chancellor Zhang Jingheng had wanted to recommend as Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince, only for him to refuse outright.

Who dared say “no” to him?

In addition, Liao Shouyi had also spoken in agreement. Even his biological son, Liao Licheng, could only stand where he was and watch helplessly as Chu Xun carried Liao Shouyi away.

“Father, what is Uncle Chen trying to do?” Liao Xingbang asked in confusion.

How could Liao Licheng answer? He was both angry and anxious, completely at a loss.

After returning to the courtyard, Chu Xun instructed the guards behind him, “There are swords in the side room. Carry as many as you can. Quickly!”

These men, the youngest of whom were already in their forties or fifties, rushed into the courtyard without a word and opened the side room door.

Then they all froze.

Inside, thousands of longswords were arranged neatly.

Every single one gave off a feeling of matchless sharpness. Before even entering the room, they could already feel a sensation like needle tips stabbing toward them.

When defending Liaoyuan City, they had not been ignorant of good things.

The Wu Kingdom, famous for weapons, had left many weapons on the battlefield. After collecting them, they found that they were indeed at least fifty percent better than Jing Kingdom’s own weapons.

But the most powerful of all were naturally the divine weapons delivered by the crow.

Dozens of divine weapons had created Liao Shouyi’s undefeated legend.

But now, they were seeing thousands of them!

The men exchanged glances and saw the shock on one another’s faces.

Chu Xun’s stern voice entered their ears.

“What are you dawdling for?”

The men jolted awake as if from a dream. They hurried into the room, each carrying a stack of longswords.

They were long used to life-and-death battles. Even if blades cut into their flesh, they would not blink.

But now, just holding these swords made their entire bodies ache with stabbing pain.

Fortunately, their wills were tough. Gritting their teeth, they moved forward.

Only when they looked at Chu Xun, their eyes were filled with shock and intense curiosity.

Just what kind of person was he?

The men did not know where they were going. They only knew to follow and run.

But as they ran, they began to sense something was wrong.

The grass and trees on both sides seemed to be retreating far too quickly.

After a brief comparison, they were shocked to discover that with each step, they were covering over a hundred meters.

And it was not only themselves. Everyone else was the same.

How could they not understand what was happening?

When they looked at Chu Xun again, their eyes were filled with reverence and awe.

This was the legendary shrinking the earth into inches. This was an immortal technique!

Hope could not help surging in their hearts.

With this person here, perhaps the Duke of Wei could live a while longer.

Along the road, the occasional commoners they encountered, whether walking or working in the fields, saw this team rush past like a gust of wind and vanish in the blink of an eye. They were so shocked that they rubbed their eyes.

They seriously suspected they were seeing things.

How could anyone run that fast?

It was practically like flying.

From Pinecone Village to Zhangnan County Town was several dozen li.

It did not take long before they arrived.

Only when they approached the county town did Chu Xun slow down, though he was still several times faster than ordinary people.

Arriving at the City God Temple in such a rush, he immediately ordered, “Make everyone leave. Guard every entrance and exit. No one is allowed inside!”

The guards responded and went to drive all the worshippers out.

Some people complained, but upon seeing the stacks of longswords in the guards’ arms and their fierce eyes, they no longer dared say anything.

Even the constables who came to ask what was happening were driven away without any courtesy by the guards.

They did not care what status anyone had.

Could any official be greater than the Duke of Wei?

Moreover, inside was an immortal-like figure rarely found between heaven and earth.

Chu Xun entered the City God Temple and immediately shouted, “City God, come out!”

Liao Shouyi lay on his back. Hearing this, he could not help opening his eyes.

The golden statue trembled, and the underworld deities of Zhangnan County quickly appeared.

The aura Chu Xun sensed had already entered Zhangnan County territory.

It had originally been heading toward Pinecone Village, but now it had turned back toward this place.

“What orders does the Exalted Immortal have?” the City God asked respectfully, bowing.

Chu Xun demanded, “The Duke of Wei is about to reach the end of his life. Why are you ignoring him?”

The City God glanced at Liao Shouyi and hurriedly explained, “In reply to the Exalted Immortal, it is not that we are ignoring him. It is that the Duke possesses tremendous merit. At minimum, this matter must be handled by a prefectural City God.

A small temple… cannot contain such a great god.”

For an ordinary general, even if he had some merit, he could serve under a county City God as a Martial Judge, Day Patrol God, Night Patrol God, or the like.

But someone of Liao Shouyi’s level had to at least become an underworld deity under a prefectural city.

If he were currently in the capital instead of Pinecone Village, the capital City God would naturally handle this matter.

“What if I insist that he reincarnate here? Is that impossible?” Chu Xun asked.

“If it is only reincarnation, then it is possible,” the City God said hesitantly. “But the seven souls, Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Yin, Devouring Thief, Non-Poison, Filth Remover, and Stinking Lung, dissipate one per day. Only after all seven have dispersed over seven days can he reincarnate.”

Chu Xun frowned.

Previously, he had only known that the underworld governed reincarnation. He had not known that the seven souls had to be dispersed first.

Seven days.

He was not confident he could keep Liao Shouyi alive that long.

“Is there a way to reincarnate faster?” Chu Xun asked.

The City God said, “There is. One must burn a Soul-Dispersing Talisman and perform the ritual of refining souls and ferrying spirits, invoking the Supreme One Deity and Tao Kang to protect life. In this way, the seven souls can be dispersed within seven double-hours.”

As he spoke, the jade tablet in the City God’s hand transformed into a thin scripture, which he presented.

Several large words were written on the cover:

Nine Nether Jade Coffer True Rite.

Chu Xun took it and looked through it. Inside were the Soul-Dispersing Talisman and the exact procedure of the ritual.

The City God added, “None of us are skilled in talisman arts, so the Exalted Immortal will have to do it personally. Furthermore, the human path opens during the tiger hour. If you miss it, you must wait one more day.”

“The prefectural City God’s people are about to arrive. Is there a way to delay them?”

The City God said, “If the Duke of Wei does not die, they naturally will not barge into this place casually.”

Chu Xun set Liao Shouyi down and said solemnly, “I need you to endure one more day. Just one day. Before then, you absolutely cannot die!”

Liao Shouyi could not see the City God, nor could he see the Nine Nether Jade Coffer True Rite in Chu Xun’s hand.

But from what he had heard just now, he could roughly guess some things.

He needed to reincarnate through the City God Temple of Zhangnan County, not somewhere else.

As for why, Chu Xun did not say, and he did not need to ask.

In any case, Chu Xun would not harm him.

Liao Shouyi slowly drew in a breath and stretched out his hand.

Chu Xun seemed to understand what he meant and immediately took out a ginseng slice from his robe.

Liao Shouyi accepted it and placed it into his mouth.

His eyes suddenly brightened considerably.

“Back at Liaoyuan City, everyone said I wouldn’t even last ten days. But even without divine weapons, I still held on for over a month!

When the refugee army attacked, I defended Fenggu City for months!

Now I only need to live one more day. Why would that be impossible?”

As he spoke, a bloody aura and baleful energy invisible to ordinary people surged up around him.

It was something condensed through a lifetime of war.

Within each mass of blood fiend energy, countless faint figures of dead souls could be seen.

At this moment, as Liao Shouyi spoke, the blood fiend energy seemed to ignite like a raging fire.

His body, originally withered like autumn leaves, was forcibly made to stand tall and straight like a pine tree by the bloody baleful aura burning around him.

The City God and other underworld deities hurriedly retreated, crying out in alarm, “Burning baleful energy to continue vitality! Using merit to suppress the soul!”

This was a mortal’s act of defying heaven and would damage his hidden virtue.

Though it was not karmic fire, in some respects it was no weaker than karmic fire.

Even underworld deities did not dare approach, afraid they would be implicated and burned as well.

But Liao Shouyi did not care at all.

Chu Xun wanted him to live one more day.

Then no matter what, he would live one more day.

If the dignified Duke of Wei could not even do this much, would he still deserve to be painted on New Year prints?

The flames burning his body were painful, yet they made Liao Shouyi even clearer-headed.

On the Civil Judge’s Book of Good and Evil, a golden light flickered.

Liao Shouyi’s lifespan, which should have been exhausted, slowly increased by a little.

A gloomy look flashed through Chu Xun’s eyes.

If the prefectural City God had not interfered, there would have been no need to make Liao Shouyi suffer this torment.

This debt would definitely be collected!

Without wasting more time, Chu Xun opened the Nine Nether Jade Coffer True Rite.

The Civil Judge handed over his judge’s brush and Book of Good and Evil.

These were underworld magic artifacts, but they were also quite suitable for drawing spiritual talismans.

Chu Xun took them and, following the annotations in the Nine Nether Jade Coffer True Rite, tried to draw the Soul-Dispersing Talisman.

The Soul-Dispersing Talisman was not complicated.

Yet while it looked easy, doing it was very difficult.

Spiritual energy flowed into the cold judge’s brush, and the brush tip fell onto a blank page of the Book of Good and Evil.

The very first stroke lost its precision.

The talisman line began crooked, and the spiritual energy that had just condensed on the page scattered immediately. The faint mark on the page vanished in an instant.

The Civil Judge said, “A spiritual talisman is the manifestation of the Dao rhythms of heaven and earth. The more anxious the Exalted Immortal is, the harder it becomes to grasp.”

Those words made sense.

Chu Xun looked up.

“Thank you.”

The Civil Judge cupped his hands and respectfully withdrew to the side, no longer disturbing him.

Chu Xun inhaled and steadied his mind, no longer thinking about anything else.

Only after his thoughts had completely calmed did he gather spiritual energy and continue trying with the judge’s brush.

This time, the direction was fairly proper, but the force of the brush was slightly too heavy. The spiritual energy instantly collapsed, shattering into specks of light and drifting away.

Failing twice in a row instead made Chu Xun calm down further.

“I can’t rush. Take it slowly.”

Outside the City God Temple, the guards held the entrances and exits, allowing no one to approach.

They did not know that more than a dozen black figures from afar had already silently landed.

The Civil Judge and Martial Judge who had come from Mingxiu Prefecture merely glanced at the guards and did not pay them much attention.

The metal essence qi was hidden within the sword bodies. When not activated, even though there was an extremely sharp feeling, to these underworld deities, they seemed ordinary.

They had traveled all the way toward Pinecone Village, only to sense that the Duke of Wei’s aura had moved with incredible speed to Zhangnan County Town.

After arriving here, they immediately detected the blazing blood fiend aura burning inside.

“Burning baleful energy to continue vitality, using merit to suppress the soul.”

The Civil Judge’s gaze carried a trace of confusion.

“With such blood fiend protection, whether reincarnating or entering our underworld office to receive incense offerings, it would be greatly beneficial. Why would he do such a heaven-defying thing?”

The Martial Judge also frowned.

“Perhaps someone taught him this method to prolong his life.”

The Civil Judge was astonished.

“This method can at most let him live a few more hours, yet he loses the protection that would benefit him for thousands upon thousands of years. How foolish!”

The Martial Judge shook his head. He also did not know why the other party insisted on forcibly extending his life.

But it was not important. No matter how he extended it, it would only be that bit of time.

At this moment, the blood fiend energy was burning. If underworld deities like them went in and were touched by even the slightest spark, the loss would not be worth it.

“We can simply wait one more day. What the City God wants is the body of merit. Even without the blood fiend energy, it does not matter,” the Martial Judge said.

Just like Tang Shijun. He had not been a soldier and had no blood fiend energy protecting him, yet he had still been valued by the underworld office.

And so, more than ten underworld deities from Mingxiu Prefecture simply waited outside the temple.

Thanks to the incense and underworld aura inside the City God Temple, Chu Xun’s talisman practice happened to be concealed.

Time passed, moment by moment, from day to night.

The guards held longswords in their hands and stood at the entrances, exhausted beyond measure.

But they still gritted their teeth and persisted.

During war, there were times when they could not close their eyes for days and nights, could not eat a single meal, and still had to fight for their lives.

What hardship had they not endured?

What suffering had they not experienced?

Could this little matter before them count for anything?

They simply did not understand why that immortal-like figure had made them carry swords, yet never used them.

The next morning.

Dew soaked the men’s bodies. After standing for an entire day and night, they were already trembling all over, their legs weak.

Their lips and faces had little color left.

Only their extremely strong willpower still held firm.

The Civil Judge, Martial Judge, and other underworld deities seemed to sense something and opened their eyes one after another.

They felt that the blood fiend energy inside was nearly burned out.

The time was almost here.

At that moment, a voice entered their ears.

It was one of the guards holding a sword. He stared ahead with a trace of confusion and murmured to himself.

“It seems…”

“Is fog rising?”

A moment ago, the sun had still been shining brightly.

Yet at some unknown time, strands of mist had begun drifting in from every direction.

Within one thousand zhang, the area was gradually enveloped by fog.

Everything grew dim to the eye, and the cold seeped into the bones.

(End of Chapter)