Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit
Chapter 226 - 187: This World! City God’s Test!

Chapter 226: Chapter 187: This World! City God’s Test!

Chen Jichuan passed by the Bell Tower and found an uninhabited house to stay in the city.

No hurry to cultivate.

His divine soul emerged, returning once more to the City God’s Domain.

This time, Chen Jichuan more meticulously sensed himself, comprehending the Divine Dao Talisman. Subtle, almost imperceptible auras surged from all directions, like trickling streams, converging into the talisman, eventually transforming into incense offerings. The talisman operated, the incense offerings were refined, originally colorful and mixed, turning into a pale gold, closely resembling the divine power flowing in the talisman.

"Incense offerings."

"Divine power."

"Although the Taiping Prefecture City’s City God Temple is dilapidated, there are still incense followers in the great city, mostly offering casual prayers for peace of mind."

Even if not devout enough.

Hundreds or thousands of followers each contributing a tiny portion of incense, accumulates into a river over time.

Chen Jichuan came to the courtyard of the rear hall and saw a dry pool without any water. Carvings of the people’s livelihood and harmony were on the pool walls.

"If the City God belief is prosperous, the Merit Pool in the City God Mansion will overflow with incense, turning into a pool of water. Over long periods, the Merit Pool cannot contain it, and the incense can even cover the City God Mansion and extend throughout the City God’s Domain, allowing the City God to manifest divine powers, distribute officials, allocate salaries, and sustain the operation of the City God Mansion."

"But now—"

Chen Jichuan shook his head.

The current City God Temple is dilapidated, with incense offerings dwindling. He had just ’taken office,’ and half a day’s incense was barely enough to be refined into a few wisps of divine power, not even enough to wet the bottom of the Merit Pool.

However, developing incense offerings is not complicated.

"In this world, demons and ghosts rampage, and the prefecture city is not devoid of ghosts and monsters hard to eradicate."

"When I manifest and display divine power, ridding the people of these catastrophic shadows, believers will naturally offer incense. With incense offerings, I can recruit officials, gather ghost messengers and yin soldiers to operate the City God Mansion."

"When divine power is abundant, and incense is thriving, then the soldiers will also be strong. By that time, whether for self-defense or collecting cultivation resources, everything will be easy."

Chen Jichuan deeply understood the Divine Dao Talisman, gaining a clearer understanding of the City God’s responsibilities and power.

...

A night quickly passed.

Starting the next day, Chen Jichuan practiced cultivation while collecting information through the City God’s Domain’s divine skills to understand the world’s foundations.

Ten consecutive days.

Chen Jichuan fabricated an identity and settled in Taiping Prefecture City.

Secretly, he listened and observed more, gaining a general understanding of this world.

This is a world dominated by spirits and monsters, with Daoist Skills contending in rivalry, akin to a world of strange tales.

The current dynasty, called ’Sui,’ has been established for over three hundred years, lacking the pioneering spirit and ambition of its founding. Corruption runs rampant, soldiers are lazy, and the people suffer tremendously.

When a nation is about to perish, monsters are sure to appear.

But there are also those who suppress demons and uphold the Way, like the Red Head Master Chen Jichuan met ten days ago, who belongs to the Red Head Masters lineage of the Lushan Daoist Teachings in this world.

This lineage venerates Lady Linsui and other three goddesses as ancestors, also known as the ’Three-Lady Sect,’ or ’Lady Sect,’ specializing in exorcism and monster combat, disaster dispelling, and fortune bringing.

Lushan Daoist Teachings are quite renowned in this world.

Besides Red Head Masters, there are also Black Head Masters, recognized by their black headscarves as a mark of their sect, specializing in funerals, exorcism, and soul salvation, known as the ’Master Sect.’

Additionally, another branch focuses on small-scale practices, venerating the high monk Master Pu’an of the Linji Sect of Buddhism, also known as the ’Pu’an Sect.’

The Lushan Daoist Teachings have a profound foundation, with masters spread across all states and prefectures in Da Sui.

Besides Lushan Daoist Teachings,

there are also the Mei Mountain and Mao Mountain Sects, together with Lushan, collectively referred to as the ’Three Mountains Dharma Lineage,’ considered orthodox in the present age.

Apart from the Three Mountains Dharma Lineage, there are also ’Yin Mountain Sect,’ ’Liuren Sect,’ ’Shamanism,’ ’Medicine King Sect,’ ’Red Lotus Sect,’ and many other teachings.

These teachings each have their specialties, with a myriad of strange and unique spells and divine skills.

Attack, self-defense, resistance, spell battles, hunting, debt collection, Gu Technique, exorcism, soul sealing, soul gathering, soul summoning, soul salvation, disaster relief, blessing, exorcism, healing, evil fighting, harmony, soul adjustment, soul driving, soul locking, evil control, talisman practices, ghost summoning, destiny and harmony, healing evil ailments, curse breaking...

An endless array, all-encompassing.

Far more comprehensive and enigmatic compared to the Da Liang World’s Daoist Skill heritage.

Even the Daoist Skills Chen Jichuan learned from the Da Liang World can trace their origins here.

"Like the ’Taiyin Refining Body Technique,’ originating from the ’High Above Moon Palace Taiyin Primordial Lord Filial Immortal King Jinhua Yellow Book,’ emphasizes moral philosophy, much like this world’s ’Pure Brightness Loyalty and Filial Piety’ teachings."

"For instance, the ’Five Ghosts Yin Soldiers Skill,’ nurturing Five Ghosts Yin Soldiers, its methods heavily yin, using command flags to direct soldiers, including blending, soul adjustment, soul driving, soul locking, etc., all require soldiers to accomplish. The ’Yin Mountain Sect’ in this world is the progenitor of Five Ghosts techniques."

"As for ’Ancestor Chen’s 48 Techniques,’ these include various techniques like ’Nine Bulls Technique,’ ’Cooking Rice and Meat Spell,’ mostly originating from the ’Craftsmen’s Teachings.’ In an era of low productivity, craftsmen without skills could be sabotaged during work or not get paid after completion. Thus, craftsmen started to learn skills, firstly for self-defense, secondly for payment. As a result, this ’Craftsmen’s Skill’ contains many practical techniques, like ’Slippery Oil Mountain,’ ’Iron Encircled City,’ etc. But after generations of refinement and research, these ’Craftsmen’s Skills’ fundamentally remain relatively elementary techniques."

Chen Jichuan organized his learning, compared it to the various techniques of this world, and realized how shallow they were.

Except for the ’Taiyin Refining Body Technique’ and enhanced skills like Circular Light Skill and Paper Cutting into Soldiers, others were relatively inferior.

"In this world, it might be worthwhile to develop a system to thoroughly research Daoist Skills."

"To update and upgrade the techniques from various minor sects."

Chen Jichuan planned in his heart.

The first goal in the new world became clear.

Moreover,

there are also experts in martial arts in Taiping Prefecture City, mostly external skills. There are also those practicing inner strength, but fewer in number and mostly with average cultivation.

Chen Jichuan could understand this.

In this world where spirits rampage and creatures abound, those practicing external skills, with robust qi-blood and abundant yang energy, are more effective in restraining and defending against spirits than those practicing inner strength.

In such an environment,

most people able to practice martial arts naturally choose external skills, which are easier for survival and restraining spirits initially.

"In combating monsters and technique skills, this world’s martial arts also have their merits."

That became Chen Jichuan’s second goal.

Beyond Daoist Skills and martial arts,

exploring the Divine Dao, understanding incense, etc., were also within Chen Jichuan’s plans.

Of course.

Alchemy and artifact refining are also crucial and must be consistently attended to without slackening.

...

Clarifying thoughts.

Understanding Taiping Prefecture City,

Chen Jichuan had a solid foundation, and his subsequent actions grew larger.

Days passed again.

This day, deep into the night.

In a residence in the northern city, Lu Guannian lay on the bed, weak and dispirited.

He was originally a licentiate, but due to lack of money to bribe Ministry of Personnel officials, he remained an alternate, unable to assume office, even in his fifties.

In his early years, Lu Guannian was frustrated with the situation, but over decades, he became resigned, working as a private tutor in Taiping Prefecture City. Known for his integrity and unwavering righteousness, he held a respected reputation in the city.

Ordinary people who saw him would respectfully call him ’Mr. Lu.’

Recently, Lu Guannian fell ill, his head dizzy and muddled. His thoughts drifted as he lay down, when suddenly he saw a government officer, holding an invitation, leading a white-fronted horse towards him, saying, "Our Lord invites you for an examination."

"Lord?"

In the entire Taiping Prefecture, the only one who could be called ’Lord’ was the Prefect, Song Xi. Lu Guannian was puzzled: "Why would the Prefect invite an old licentiate like me for an exam?"

He asked at once.

But the officer merely urged him without answering.

"Might as well go have a look."

Lu Guannian thought to himself, so he dressed up, mounted the horse, and followed despite his illness.

The path they took was unfamiliar, rough and winding, making his already heavy body more dazed.

Unknowingly.

Without knowing when,

they arrived in front of a government office.

The place was bustling with government officers and officials, each leaving and entering with expressions of joy.

It seemed unlike a city government office.

But Lu Guannian, muddled, couldn’t differentiate, and followed inside.

Upon entering, he noticed the office was splendid and luxurious, entirely unlike the government offices he knew.

Looking up,

he saw a high-ranking official sitting at the front of the large hall, with officials stationed on either side, exuding an air of prestige.

Under the eaves outside the hall were a dozen tables and seats, with seven or eight scholars and licentiates already seated there.

Lu Guannian, having spent decades in the city, was familiar with these people.

They were all well-known scholars in the prefecture city, most holding degrees, and even those who didn’t, were lauded for their knowledge and character.

Seeing everyone sitting upright, gravely composed, Lu Guannian dared not speak, merely nodding to acknowledge them.

Then he found a table to sit down at.

Soon, as the tables filled, exam papers were indeed distributed.

Lu Guannian saw there were eight words on it: "One person, two people, intentional, unintentional."

Lu Guannian pondered briefly, then started writing swiftly.

As time was up, government officers came to collect the papers but instructed them to wait outside instead of leaving.

After a while.

Another official emerged, scanned the group of more than a dozen people, and asked loudly, "Who is ’Lu Guannian’?"

"I am Lu,"

Lu Guannian stepped forward and replied.

"Please follow me."

The official led Lu Guannian into the hall.

As soon as he entered, Lu Guannian first saw the large pillars in the hall, with plaques emitting golden light, inscribed with phrases like ’Act wickedly and burning incense is futile, upright in heart, no need to bow before me,’ ’Good and evil always have their rewards, right and wrong are clear in the end,’ ’Good deeds bring a clear conscience, evil before my door chills the courage’ and so forth.

Upon seeing them, one would feel their spirit uplifted with righteousness.

Evil hearts and wicked people would be terrified on the spot.

Lu Guannian dared not look more but slightly raised his head to look forward. There he saw the high-ranking official, with an aura of divine light, like a deity administering the mortal realm, holding a test paper, reading aloud, "Among all virtues, filial piety comes first, judge by the heart not actions, no filial child in poor families when judged by actions; of all evils, lechery is the first, judge by actions not the heart, no perfect person in the world when judged by the heart."

"These words are well-written."

The person in the lead praised, and Lu Guannian hurriedly responded modestly.

At that moment, he heard the official asking, "What is your view on human good and evil rewards and punishments?"

"Rewards and punishments for good and evil?"

Lu Guannian pondered briefly, then replied, "Deliberately doing good, though good, is not rewarded; unintentionally doing evil, though evil, is not punished."

"Hmm."

"You may go now."

The official offered no opinion, placing the paper aside, waving him away.

Subsequently.

Several more individuals were summoned in for an audience and questioning.

After a series of entries and exits.

Lu Guannian and the others were finally led out.

Upon exiting the government office, Lu Guannian was moved to look back, seeing the office’s plaque with the inscription—

’City God Mansion.’

"City God?"

"City God Lord?"

Lu Guannian suddenly understood, emotionally stirred, feeling a flash of clarity, shocked awake, opening his eyes to find he was at home.

...