Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 964 - 820: The Majesty of Becoming a God

Chapter 964: Chapter 820: The Majesty of Becoming a God

Grand!

Vast!

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

It was the godhood position of ’Lord Qingtong’!

Its full name was—’Eastern Illuminated Purple Mansion Shao Yang Wood Deity, Lord Qingtong’!

Its purple-green aura soared to the sky, clearly of a heavenly monarch’s rank!

In the hierarchy of the god path, above the ninth rank, there was a supreme rank!

Heavenly Emperor, Heavenly Count, Heavenly Marquis, Heavenly Duke... ranks higher than Earth Immortals of Returning to Emptiness.

And the rank of a heavenly monarch was equivalent to an Integration cultivator!

Heavenly Kings and Heavenly Venerated Ones were Mahayana Monks!

As for the Heavenly Emperor? No one dared to speculate his realm...

It could be said that by accepting this divine position, Fang Xi could instantly become a big shot in the Heavenly Court.

Even the most exalted rulers of the Lower Realm would have to pay their respects when they saw him!

"Indeed, it is just perfect..."

Fang Xi murmured to himself, the divine power resonating and instantly sensing many powerful Divine Skills within the ’Lord Qingtong’ godhood position.

The mightiest among them was named—’Void Transmute Darkish Plough’s Head, Seven Star Dais’!

It was a spell specifically targeting fortune and causality; by simply setting up the altar and suppressing it with something ominous, one could make the enemy’s fortune plummet and lead them to a path of self-destruction!

The more Fang Xi looked at it, the more he felt it matched well with the Fortune Worm and the ’Disaster Dispelling Calamity Resolving Fortune Dark Light’.

"Unexpectedly, within the godhood of Lord Qingtong, there exists such a fortune divine skill... This divine skill is at least of the seventh-rank great Divine Power."

"With this altar, the power of the Fortune Worm, even at sixth-rank, could be enhanced to the seventh-rank or even higher, which no Integration cultivator could resist."

"I have resolved to create the ’Jiuqu Yellow River Three Flowers Immortal Array’, to break through the shackles of Earth Immortal Array Masters and reach the level of Ninth Order Immortal Array Masters."

"The Three Flowers Immortal Array symbolizes the three flowers atop the head, representing fortune, prosperity, and longevity... The Supreme Northern Dipper Life-controlling Divine Light has already been gathered, the Mysterious Dark Removes Calamity and Darkness Divine Light is comprehended from within the Immortal Mansion, with immense potential... Now, the last shortcoming of the Fortune Worm has also been filled."

This ’Void Transmute Darkish Plough’s Head, Seven Star Dais’ requires just a slight evolution to become a Great Array!

Three Arrays Combined as One, and the Immortal Array is formed!

As a seventh-order Array Master, Fang Xi might find it difficult to achieve this step for now, but at the peak of the eighth order, perhaps he could arrange a true Immortal family array with it and ascend into the realm of a Ninth Order Immortal Array Master!

This had been his target set long ago.

Only one step forward, and it would be within easy reach.

"It’s a pity, though, it’s just too coincidental."

Divine light burst forth all around Fang Xi, and a wave of green divine power appeared, tossing the ’Lord Qingtong’s Treasure’ that carried the godhood far away.

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

"By accepting this godhood of Lord Qingtong, who knows what price will have to be paid in the future..."

He looked at the Divine Seal that was resealed and couldn’t help but sigh, his gaze deep and dark.

Having entered the game, he had to accept the seal whether he wanted to or not, but choosing the right moment was equally important.

...

More than ten days later.

In Zhu State, at Zhennan Gate, a training ground.

Gan Yu had changed into military attire, wearing a suit of rhinoceros leather armor, he sighed.

In a world where the god path exists and having cultivation, it was nothing for him to rush to Zhu State within a month.

But he only realized after arrival that this place was a complete mess.

Inside the military camp.

Looking at the sparse group of soldiers that came over, he couldn’t help but boggle: "Are these my men?"

He saw just over a hundred casually dressed, variously shaped soldiers gather together, offering their salute, "Greetings to the School Captain!"

’To rely on these to take Black Stone County, wouldn’t that be a death sentence?’

Gan Yu immediately rolled his eyes at the sight.

He could smell the scent of career soldiers on these troops.

"What are your origins?"

With that thought, Gan Yu quickly asked.

"Reporting to the School Captain, I’m Zhang San Shun, a squad leader, and originally a regular soldier of the Leopard Rider Corps!"

A forty-something-year-old squad leader with a weathered face and carrying a long spear stepped out to speak.

"The Leopard Rider Corps..."

Gan Yu’s heart grew cold, recognizing this as a primary force of the Taoist Court’s field army, once known for its prominent reputation and existing since the founding of the nation: "Zhang San Shun, why are you here?"

Zhang San Shun’s face showed a hint of helplessness: "Reporting to the School Captain, in the battle of Dingwang Mountain eight years ago, the Leopard Rider Corps was entirely annihilated... I was lucky to survive, rounded up as a defeated soldier, reassembled..."

"The other comrades are more or less the same..."

"Three months ago, our camp’s captain attempted to take Small Creek Village and encountered the fierce Mei Changkong, who was struck down with a single blow."

The more Gan Yu listened, the more dejected he became.

No matter what, he could not have imagined that Mei Changkong would still have such a notorious reputation here, being referred to as a ’Dead Sword Immortal’!

’Back then in the county, I heard he attacked the County Chief... Eventually, Mr. Cao didn’t escape his fate, how did he come across him again?’

Gan Yu silently marveled at the mysterious workings of fate, completely unaware of how, despite being strangers separated by half the land, he had encountered Mei Changkong again in Zhu State.

He didn’t realize that there was another acquaintance, the ’Muddy Water Saint’ in Panlong Lake!

Upon further questioning, Gan Yu’s heart felt like it was plunging into an abyss.

"The court has suffered defeat after defeat in Zhu State; the most miserable of these conscripted soldiers have had their commanding officers killed seven or eight times over..."

"Recently, those who have survived are all well-versed in the art of preserving their lives, utterly lacking in vigor... No matter how much they are trained, it can’t be brought out of them."

Compared to these soldiers, he was more inclined to recruit ’good family sons’ with families and careers, as they were ideal sources of troops.

But military orders were as immovable as mountains, and military law was extremely strict, privately recruiting soldiers was akin to testing how the word ’death’ was spelled, wasn’t it?

"Now, the only option is to quickly draft the official documents and bribe the superiors, first to secure some time for troop training, then to recruit and vet soldiers to possibly stand a chance in battle..."

The Taoist Court had no notion of civil over military inferiority; what mattered was being able to fight on horseback and maintain civil order on foot. Transfers between civil and military positions were common.

Since passing the imperial examinations, Gan Yu had read several military treatises. Though not an expert, he now had some understanding.

Just then, a messenger soldier came galloping, holding a token arrow in hand: "The commander has ordered that your unit must go into battle in three days—disobedience is not an option!"

Gan Yu’s face instantly darkened, yet he still clasped his hands in respect: "This subordinate accepts the command!"

His heart was even more certain that someone was out to get him!

...

Zhu State, with its seven prefectures and twenty-eight counties, had already lost twenty-seven counties.

Now, only one imperial commander remained, leading a large army holding Zhennan Gate.

Three days later.

Gan Yu rode a worn-out horse out of Zhennan Gate, feeling a bone-chilling cold.

In such a situation, how was this different from sending oneself to death?

"Zhang San Shun!"

After some thought, he called over a captain to his side: "How do the rebels govern the people?"

With no other option, they could only look for opportunities to achieve minor military merits, then immediately retreat back to Zhennan Gate, praying not to run into the Dead Sword Immortal, or else his life would not be guaranteed.

Compared to the ordinary world, in the world of deities, his status as a military commander actually carried quite a bit of authority.

After all, he was an official of the eighth rank, with a Taoist record to boost, his personal combat ability surpassing the entire camp.

Zhang San Shun was rather respectful: "Reporting to the School Captain, the Black Mountain mountain god has subdued many city gods and land gods, commanding them to govern the people... The situation is much the same as it was twenty years ago."

"What? So many city gods and land gods... they have actually... joined the rebels?"

Gan Yu’s eyes widened in disbelief. Before coming to Zhu State, he could never have imagined such incredible things.

"Has the Taoist Court done nothing?"

What he really wanted to know was whether the Taoist records were ineffective?

Zhang San Shun gave a wry smile: "I heard that the Black Mountain mountain god crafted a Divine Tool called the ’God Sealing List.’ The city gods and land gods who have sworn allegiance can escape the jurisdiction of the Taoist Court once their names are on the list, and instead, they are subject to its power... Of course, there are some who do not submit; they are promptly turned to ashes... "

"This... isn’t this undermining the foundation of the Taoist Court?"

Contemplating the Taoist record within his body, Gan Yu felt a surge of ’shared enmity’.

But soon, a shiver of dread crept into his mind.

Hearing this, Zhang San Shun replied with a wry smile: "School Captain, they are already in rebellion, isn’t that exactly undermining the foundation of the Taoist Court?"

Hearing this, Gan Yu couldn’t help but smile: "I was too rash. Bring me the map! Now that the enemy is powerful, we cannot confront them head-on; we must rely on wits..."

In enemy territory now, talking too much was useless.

Since he had no intention of throwing his life away, he could only ambush some of the enemy’s supply lines or logistic teams, achieve some military merits, and then pull out...

Hearing this, Zhang San Shun visibly relaxed, exchanging a covert glance with several other captains.

If their commander insisted on reckless actions, it would be a great trouble for them as well.

After all, in terms of strength, Gan Yu was superior, and the Taoist Law weighed on them.

But if they were driven to a desperate situation, there were still ways out!

...

Mountain God Mansion.

Fang Xi had been contemplating deeply, and he stepped out from Black Mountain.

A few fishing boats floated on Panlong Lake, waves gently rippling, presenting a scene of the common folk living in peace and contentment.

Though he had rebelled, he did not bully the civilians, nor did he forcibly conscript or extort them...

Therefore, the people of Zhu State seemed to be living even better than before.

Of course, this could also be because they were adjacent to Black Mountain, and those city and land gods were eager to please Fang Xi.

He did not care about that, for with the God Sealing List, these capitulating deities were unlikely to rebel again.

Arriving at a certain place, Fang Xi stamped his foot.

A land god emerged from the ground: "Greetings, my lord..."

"What’s the latest move from the imperial court?"

Fang Xi casually inquired.

"Reporting to my lord..."

The land god immediately began recounting. Through the divine net of the God Path, Fang Xi’s control over Zhu State was unparalleled, easily obtaining various pieces of information.

When he heard that ’Faithful and Brave School Captain’ Gan Yu also brought a troop into Zhu State, Fang Xi’s expression turned strange: "Keep a close watch, go..."

He waved his hand, dismissing the old land god.

"Gods listed on the God Sealing List, with a shred of True Spirit all under my control, have considerable control power..."

"However..."

Fang Xi sighed.

While the Taoist record was complex, it had its limitations.

After Fang Xi cracked it, many of its secrets were applied to the God Sealing List.

Yet, as for the Taoist talismans, he still hadn’t made much progress.

He had subdued mountain gods bestowed with godhood by the Heavenly Court, even attempting to relieve them of the restrictions of the Taoist record. However... he found they still couldn’t freely elevate their divine rank.

It just goes to show that once innate gods kneel, they could never stand up again.