Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 932 - 788: The City God

Chapter 932: Chapter 788: The City God

Pu!

Mei Changkong stopped by the edge of a stream, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood.

Forcibly suppressing his injuries earlier and killing the pursuers had made his internal injuries even more severe.

Now, as he looked out at the Endless Mountain forest, a hint of despair spread across his face.

Unlike in ancient times, when one could kill an official and rebel, taking refuge in the deep mountains and forests,

Under the rule of the Taoist Court, there were mountain gods on mountains, water gods in waters, and one might even find the Well Dragon King lurking in a well!

No matter where one fled to the ends of the earth, once the Taoist Court decided to act, they could certainly catch and bring one to justice!

"Previously I only killed an inspector, but now I’ve attacked the county chief... The commotion is getting bigger and bigger."

Mei Changkong understood the workings of the officialdom very well. If it were a trifling matter, they would not bother to trouble the neighboring county with official paperwork.

Therefore, if refugees committed minor crimes, they generally had nothing to worry about once they fled to a neighboring county.

The deities of the neighboring county would not bother to toil for another county’s officials, unless there was an order from the prefecture government!

Having previously killed an inspector, he had already been wanted throughout the state.

Now, having attacked the county chief in broad daylight, the urgency had escalated once more, and the pursuit intensified. Even many deities might have been notified by now.

Soon it would be a case of no escape to the heavens above and no entrance to the earth below.

"My death is not a pity, but it’s a shame I couldn’t kill that Cao villain!"

Mei Changkong’s face was extremely pale as he took out a square stone seal from his bosom.

This stone seal was four-square, its surface a dull grey color, marked with numerous cracks.

He held the seal, sat down cross-legged, and suddenly drew fine threads of spiritual intuition from the void, slowly recovering his magic power and his physical injuries.

This stone seal was a treasured item from his sect, personally handed down by his master back then.

With this treasure, a cultivator could slightly bypass the Taoist Law and draw some Heavenly Earth Spiritual Qi.

Otherwise, no matter how talented he was, he could not have cultivated his magic to such an extent.

Just as he entered meditation to cultivate, the stone seal atop suddenly flashed with light and sang out with a clear warning.

Mei Changkong immediately stood up and gripped the long sword in his hand.

"I’ve been found!"

"This man is indeed not simple... Let’s trap him first," said the white-robed Sun Travel God as he formed hand seals, and strands of mist began to emerge in the woods.

He had a precise grasp of the situation and knew that he and the Night Travel God didn’t necessarily have to capture this criminal.

If he aimed not to make merits but to avoid faults, merely delaying the enemy for a while would suffice.

If they could keep him trapped until reinforcements arrived, it would be a great achievement!

"Wouldn’t that be boring? Let me fight him with magic..."

The black-faced Night Travel God snorted coldly and took out a bow and arrow from his body.

The bow and arrow were colorful and looked as if they were made of paper, only the size of a palm, seeming like a child’s toy.

The Night Travel God chanted a few spells, and the bow and arrow flashed with light, instantly enlarging and held in his hands, he drew the bow fully.

Shiu!

As the bow string vibrated, an arrow shot towards Mei Changkong like a meteor.

Dang!

Within the mist, with his vision obscured, Mei Changkong, taken by surprise, had no time to block with his sword.

But on his body, a layer of faint blue light appeared, like a shield, protecting him within.

"As expected, there’s a problem. This person’s magic power and cultivation is already comparable to a low-grade true god..."

"Ordinary Prime Taoists, even if they cultivate by themselves for their whole life, cannot reach this level!" the Sun Travel God said.

"If it were normal times, the two of us, mere minor deities, might not be able to stop him... Fortunately, he is injured now..."

The Night Travel God was overjoyed, "Capturing this merit, we brothers might be able to seek promotion... At the very least, we should become low-grade, and only then can we be considered true fortune deities."

"Dream on if you think you can capture me!"

Mei Changkong’s expression turned fierce as he took out a talisman from his bosom.

This talisman was simple in design, and its edges were slightly damaged, bearing traces of age.

He bit the tip of his tongue, spraying a stream of essence blood onto the talisman.

Boom!

In the void, there was a flash of thunder.

The Night Travel God screamed, almost struck by the lightning, turned to ashes.

Crack!

The white electric arcs jumped, dissipating the mist and revealing the original mountain forest.

Mei Changkong had no intention of entangling with these day and night gods and was about to leave.

Ta ta!

Ta ta!

Just at that moment, the sound of galloping horses rose!

In these woods, galloping on horseback was simply impossible; regular horses would merely injure their legs and throw their riders to death or maim them.

But now, divine light ascended, revealing the figure of a person clad in full armor.

Riding a tall horse, the figure traversed the rugged mountain terrain as if on flat ground, gaining speed increasingly fast.

As the hoofbeats drew ever closer, the oppressive feeling like that of mountains toppling grew more palpable.

"Great, it’s the Martial Judge!"

The Sun Travel God was elated, seeing that the heavily armored cavalry-looking Martial Judge was speeding up. Amidst the roaring winds, he caught up to Mei Changkong and thrust his long spear!

Thud!

Mei Changkong twisted his body, miraculously dodging the spear attack that carried the ferocity of wind and thunder.

Just at that moment, a streak of black light flashed across the tip of the spear, transforming into thousands of flying needles.

Mei Changkong blocked with his long sword, but the pale blue shield around him shattered instantly. Then, his sword broke, and he fell to the ground, his chest exhibiting specks of red plum blossoms.

"Criminal Mei Changkong, you have killed officials and rebelled. Under the broad daylight, you attempted assassination on Mr. Cao... Your crimes warrant death!"

The Martial Judge, mounted on his horse, seemed all the more imposing with each sentence he uttered, as if he bore the mandate of heaven, capable of deciding life and death itself.

Even the Sun Travel God, upon witnessing this scene, couldn’t help but feel profound respect.

Though both were carrying out their official duties, the difference between a fully recognized deity and these lesser divine officials was so stark!

In the divine path, each promotion signified a tremendous gap in strength, not the slightest bit of falsehood there!

Thud!

Mei Changkong spat out another mouthful of Essence Blood and struggled to his feet half-kneeling, his spine still ramrod straight—even his bones could be heard crackling.

"Cao the traitor’s not dead... I... won’t accept it... You vermin, all colluding... must..."

He murmured with blood spilling from his mouth and nose, his voice fading to an inaudible level.

"Hmph."

The Martial Judge hardly cared, being notoriously hot-tempered. Besides, what temple didn’t house aggrieved spirits?

If he had to delve deep into each case, he might as well not be a divine official.

He raised his spear to deliver the final blow to Mei Changkong, but suddenly the scene before him blurred.

Before Mei Changkong, out of nowhere, appeared a figure.

Dressed in a black robe, with an exceedingly handsome face and a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth, it was Fang Xi!

Only now, he appeared in his true form, and not as the middle-aged schoolteacher from Bai Gan Village.

"Wild Taoist... Do you intend to help a criminal wanted by the Taoist Court?"

The Martial Judge snorted coldly, "By law... Those who harbor criminals are complicit in their crimes and must be executed!"

In the midst of his snort, he spurred his horse forward, and thrust his long spear.

In the next moment, a giant hand made of black Qi materialized in the void, firmly gripping the long spear as if it were cast from bronze iron, utterly immovable.

Following that, Fang Xi flicked his finger.

A streak of black light flashed by, the Martial Judge, bathed in a flash of Golden Light, appeared more than ten yards away, while the warhorse underneath him was crushed into a pulp.

"How dare you! I act on behalf of the City God to apprehend a criminal. Who are you to obstruct my official duty; do you not fear the Taoist Court’s divine judgment?"

The Martial Judge pulled out a token from his chest and roared, "Here lies the City God’s decree. Should anyone disobey, let the Taoist Law execute them!"

In Fang Xi’s eyes, a glint of light revealed a red net.

This net enveloped the entire Qingxi County, a fusion of divine laws and the collective will of the populace, melded together with Taoist Law.

At that moment, with the Martial Judge’s shout, even if Fang Xi’s Magic Power surpassed his opponent’s, if he had the Taoist Court’s talisman within his body, he couldn’t contend with this net.

After all, that would be rebellion!

If a Cultivator relies on the Taoist Record to advance their Magic Power, how could they possibly resist this system?

"If you can’t beat them, act like you have the authority to... Too bad you can’t seal me."

Fang Xi couldn’t help but laugh wryly.

Unfortunately for them, he was not bound by the laws of the Taoist Court, thus he was completely unrestricted.

"Hmm, just who exactly are you?"

The Martial Judge had encountered so-called Cultivators before, but even the Prime Taoists he met would not dare obstruct him in executing his duties.

He was stunned to be so thwarted this time and suddenly, his eyes bulged like copper bells as a thought struck him, "You... You’re an Individual Cultivator! Even as an Individual Cultivator, aren’t you afraid of the Taoist Court laying the blame and sending troops to crusade against you?"

Individual Cultivators, not restricted by Taoist Records, face tremendous difficulties in progressing their Magic Power, much like Mei Changkong.

Hearing this, Mei Changkong looked up in disbelief.

He knew all too well the hardship of an Individual Cultivator and could hardly believe anyone could develop such supernatural Magic Power under the Tianluo Dinet of the Taoist Court!

At that moment, Mei Changkong heard the young Taoist’s cold laugh, "Haha... What’s the Taoist Court to me?"

"Good, good... I’ve come upon a true rebel!"

The Martial Judge’s rage boiled over, and alongside him, the Sun Travel God shared his fury, grinding their teeth.

Encountering someone who utterly disregarded the Taoist Court was akin to undermining their very foundation, posing a lethal threat to both their pride and interests, which sparked their rage, "You dare?!"

The Martial Judge immediately raised the City God’s decree high, "Martial Judge Tie Ci of the Reward and Punishment Department humbly requests the City God to take action and capture this rebel!"

A crimson radiance flickered on the token, and an overwhelming God’s Prestige descended.

"It’s over..."

Mei Changkong faintly saw the majestic figure of an official, his face filled with despair.

A County Chief at least a seventh rank Immortal, with boundless might—no Cultivator or demonic beings could stand against them!

Fang Xi looked at this person shrouded in crimson radiance, murmuring to himself,

’Judging by the aura, this is only at the level of Foundation Establishment, but it wields the authority of a Core Formation domain!’

’Not only that, is this an Externalization? Foundation Establishment level capable of cultivating an Externalization? Or perhaps some kind of divine skill effect?’

He laughed heartily, black Demon Qi surging around him, setting aside his playful demeanor and getting a little serious.

A massive Demon hand descended from the heavens, and with one squeeze... the seventh rank County Chief enveloped in crimson radiance screamed miserably and Turned to Ashes.

This abrupt turn of events stupefied both the Martial Judge and the Sun Travel God.

Fang Xi, not one to be polite with them, flicked out three specks of black Demon Fire, turning the Martial Judge and the Sun Travel God into three torches. Reaching into the flames, he grabbed a few items, then harnessed the Escape Light, wrapping Mei Changkong within it and disappearing without a trace...