Starting with the Earth God, the path to immortality is deduced!

The border conflict in Qinghe County has not yet ended.

But Zhou Yuan did not plunge headlong into that bottomless pit.

Because at the moment of the charge.

He keenly sensed that something was amiss.

Qinghe County is the eye of the storm.

However, in Jingning County, which is adjacent to it, the local resources are also being lost rapidly.

They're like two blood vessels.

At the same time, it pierced the body of a giant and sucked his blood.

If we don't cut off the henchmen next to us.

Trying to save Qinghe is like adding more water to stop a boil.

then.

One hour later.

Jingning County, at the city gate.

Two figures blended into the city with the sparse crowd.

It has long lost its former awe-inspiring power.

Zhou Yuan changed into a drab gray long gown.

He carried that pretentious book box on his back.

He looked like a down-on-his-luck traveling scholar.

Ma Ling'er changed into a coarse linen outfit.

He had some soot from the bottom of a pot smeared on his face.

The eye-catching iron-eating beast rolled around.

She wrapped it in a tattered cloth.

It was disguised as a backpack and carried on his chest.

Only her small nostrils, with their dark circles, were visible, allowing her to breathe.

"This place..."

Ma Ling'er lowered her voice.

They didn't even dare to breathe heavily.

"How come it's even more eerie than a cemetery?"

She whispered something in Zhou Yuan's ear.

Zhou Yuan didn't speak.

He simply lowered the brim of his hat slightly.

His gaze swept over the surroundings discreetly.

Jingning County.

It used to be a prosperous county.

Merchants flocked there, and the streets were bustling with activity.

But now.

Most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed.

The remaining few.

It was also deserted.

The shopkeeper was dozing off, his head resting on the counter.

His face was sallow, as if he hadn't had a good night's sleep for several days.

Pedestrians on the road.

They were in a great hurry.

Everyone had their heads down.

Shrinking his neck.

It was as if it were broad daylight.

Something was staring at the back of their heads.

There were no hawkers shouting.

There was no commotion.

Even the cries of children could not be heard.

The entire county.

It was as quiet as a giant coffin.

"The people here."

"His three souls and seven spirits are all gone."

Zhou Yuan's voice was cold.

In his eyes.

These are the people walking around.

The yang fire above their heads was teetering on the verge of collapse.

Like a candle flame in the wind.

It could go out at any time.

"That's because he was scared."

"It was also drawn."

The two were unaware of each other's presence.

We arrived at the City God Temple in the center of the city.

Ma Ling'er looked up.

He suddenly took a breath of cold air.

"hiss--"

"This is so shabby!"

The City God Temple in front of me.

Where is even a trace of the temple's majesty?

The vermilion gate's paint is peeling off.

The decaying gray wood inside was exposed.

Two stone lions at the entrance.

One of them was headless.

The other one was splattered with black dog blood.

It had long since dried up and turned black.

It emitted a nauseating, fishy stench.

Even more terrifying.

The temple gates were tightly closed.

The cracks in the door were stuffed with withered grass.

The three large characters "City God Temple" are above the gate.

Shaky.

It was covered with gray-black spider webs.

"Is this the main temple of the county?"

"What if my old man sees this?"

"They'd be so angry they'd jump out of their coffins."

Ma Ling'er was indignant.

In the north.

The Ma family worships deities.

The most important thing is the elaborate display of incense offerings.

This scene of desolation.

This is a direct slap in the face to Shintoism.

Zhou Yuan, however, did not notice the superficial dilapidation.

He slowly closed his eyes.

His right hand was hidden in his sleeve.

I secretly made a seal for the Earth God.

"Buzz".

My fingertips felt slightly warm.

A fluctuation that only the Earth Deities could perceive.

They dispersed quietly.

next second.

Zhou Yuan's brows furrowed tightly.

He "saw" it.

Above this dilapidated temple.

There was no divine light shining down.

Instead.

It is a net.

A huge, black net.

It is woven from countless filthy runes.

It's like an iron cage.

It was firmly pinned to the head of the City God Temple.

And deep inside that cage.

There was a faint golden light.

It is charging left and right.

Every impact.

They will all be deeply pierced by the barbs of the black market.

It brought out strands of golden divine power.

Then follow those black threads.

Flowing to all directions of the county town.

"It's not that nobody believes it."

"I can't believe it."

Zhou Yuan opened his eyes.

A hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

"Someone has sealed off this City God Temple."

"The god inside."

"They're raising them like pigs."

Ma Ling'er felt a chill run down her spine.

"Who dares to be so bold?"

"The Wukong Sect?"

Zhou Yuan nodded.

He turned and walked toward a tea stall next to him.

"Don't rush into action."

"This formation is not simple."

"Acting recklessly will only alert the enemy."

The two sat down at the tea stall.

I ordered a pot of broken tea.

The tea is cloudy.

It tasted earthy and fishy when I drank it.

But the tea stall owner was a chatterbox.

I saw a new face.

Sighing as she wiped the table:

"You two are from out of town, aren't you?"

Listen to the old man's advice.

"Drink this bowl of tea."

"Let's go quickly."

"Don't spend the night in Jingning County."

Ma Ling'er's eyes darted around.

She immediately put on an innocent and carefree expression.

"uncle."

"We've come to visit relatives."

"It's almost dark."

"Where can we go?"

"What's wrong with this county?"

"Why does everyone look like they've lost their souls?"

The boss looked around.

Seeing that no one else was paying attention.

Only then did he come closer.

He lowered his voice and said:

"Visiting relatives?"

"Ugh."

"If only I could walk."

"Everyone in the city has already fled."

"You don't know."

"This is Jingning County."

"It's haunted!"

Ma Ling'er covered her mouth, feigning fear.

"Haunted?"

"Isn't the City God protecting us?"

Upon hearing the words "City God".

The boss's face turned deathly pale instantly.

It was as if they had heard some taboo.

I was so scared that I dropped the rag in my hand.

"Shhh!!"

"Little Auntie!"

"I dare not mention those two words!"

"People will die!"

The boss was trembling all over.

He pointed in the direction of the east of the city.

There.

It is a continuous stretch of tall courtyards.

Behind the red gates, wine and meat rot.

Even in these chaotic times.

The place was still brightly lit.

"Jingning County as it is today."

"That worship is no longer allowed."

"The gentlemen of the city."

"And the county magistrate."

"Now everyone worships 'Wu Kong Lao Mu' (the Goddess of Emptiness)."

"They said they only believed their mother."

"Only then can one remain safe in chaotic times."

"As for the original one..."

The boss pointed to the dilapidated temple.

His eyes were complicated.

There is both fear and anxiety.

There was also a trace of sadness hidden deep in my heart.

"They say they've abandoned us."

"He has become an evil god."

"Who would dare to go and offer sacrifices?"

"He'll be dead the next day!"

Zhou Yuan's hand holding the teacup.

He paused slightly.

A ripple spread across the tea.

"Good tactic."

"To kill someone is to destroy their spirit."

"It's not just about extracting divine power."

"It will also destroy the foundation."

"Stop burning incense."

"This is to please that City God."

"Utterly hopeless."

Zhou Yuan sneered inwardly.

His gaze drifted toward the affluent neighborhood.

Under his discerning eye of "daytime travel".

The sky above that courtyard.

Black mist swirled around.

But within that black mist...

Yet it was mixed with a strange purplish-red hue.

That's human greed.

A color mixed with evil magic.

"Ling'er".

"Looks like we've come to the right place."

"This is a cancer in Jingning County."

"It's even more hidden than Qinghe County."

"Those wealthy households and officials."

"It's rotten to the core."

"They voluntarily became the dogs of the Wukong Cult."

Ma Ling'er took a bite of dry food.

Chewing it vigorously.

It's like chewing on the enemy's bones.

"Those bastards."

"They usually act like tyrants and bullies."

"The critical moment."

"They actually sold out their ancestors!"

into the night.

The wind picked up.

The wind made the broken windows rattle loudly.

Zhou Yuan and Ma Ling'er did not look for an inn.

Instead, they quietly crept up to the back wall of the City God Temple.

This is an abandoned mortuary.

The yin energy is extremely strong.

This perfectly concealed their presence.

Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged on an empty coffin.

He pulled out a book of strange tales from his pocket.

Although one cannot directly use great supernatural powers.

But use a little magic.

It's still fine.

"Connecting to the secluded place".

Zhou Yuan silently recited in his heart.

He drew a symbol in the air with his finger.

"Earth God Zhou Yuan".

"Borrowing the path of Yin and Yang."

"This place is a place of spirits."

"Come see me immediately!"

The talisman burns.

It turned into a wisp of green smoke.

Drill into the ground.

After a while.

The ground churned.

A cold wind suddenly rose from the ground.

Followed by.

A tiny old man, only half the height of a person.

It emerged from the soil.

The old man was dressed as a yamen runner.

But the clothes were tattered and torn.

The official hat on his head was also askew.

He was holding a mourning stick in his hand.

He looked utterly disheveled.

Upon seeing Zhou Yuan.

The old man was taken aback at first.

Immediately, they sensed the pure divine power of the Earth God emanating from Zhou Yuan.

With a "thump".

He knelt down on the ground.

howling.

"God!"

"God, save me!"

"This old man is the daytime patrolman of this City God Temple."

If you don't come soon...

"The sky over Jingning County."

"It really collapsed!"

Zhou Yuan reached out and offered a helping hand.

"Stand up and speak."

"What's the situation inside now?"

That day, the patrol envoy wiped away tears.

He said, his voice trembling:

"That's terrible."

"That's terrible."

Three months ago.

"That sorcerer has arrived."

"With those beasts in black."

"A 'god-locking array' was set up outside the temple."

"Our master was able to resist at first."

"But later."

"That evil Taoist priest actually used the lives of all the people in the city as a threat."

"It forced the master to not dare to use the killing magic."

"We can only passively take the beating."

"Now."

"The master is trapped inside the Dharma body and cannot get out."

"Divine power is being lost every day."

"Those demons."

"They've used the master as a furnace for alchemy!"

Ma Ling'er was furious.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

"Who is that sorcerer?"

"How dare you be so arrogant?"

The Japanese patrolman shrank his neck.

His eyes were filled with fear.

"I don't know his name."

All I know is that those men in black call him "Blood-Dried Immortal".

"That guy."

"Very impressive."

"He has a bunch of red-haired zombies under his command."

"Even the civil and military judges under our master."

"It was all because of him..."

Speaking of which...

The daytime patrol envoy couldn't continue speaking.

Obviously, the outcome was extremely tragic.

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath.

His expression was grave.

"A real person."

"As expected, he is a heretical cultivator at the True Person Realm."

In the world of spiritual practice.

It can be called a "real person".

It's at least the peak of the Manifestation Realm.

It even has one foot in the Yin God realm.

This is far superior to the previous Lin Xuan.

It's more than one level stronger.

and.

Just listen to this name.

"Blood depletion".

They're taking an extremely insidious approach.

"Not only that."

Zhou Yuan looked at the temple shrouded in black netting.

"This is not the scheme of the Void Sect."

"It's not just divine power."

"They are still distorting the clergy."

"Look at that black mist."

"It's slowly eroding the golden light."

"Once this black energy completely takes over the City God's statue..."

"This is the City God of Jingning."

"It will turn into a 'demon god' who only knows how to kill!"

"At that time."

"The entire Jingning County."

"They will all become his hunting grounds."

Ma Ling'er shivered.

"Demon God..."

"That's too ruthless."

"Zhou Yuan".

"What do we do?"

"Should we just charge in and take him out?"

"still……"

Zhou Yuan shook his head.

"Don't force it."

"That Blood-Dried Immortal dares to sit here."

"They must have left themselves a backup plan."

"and."

"The City God is in his hands."

"Those are the hostages."

"We'll attack head-on."

"He'll do anything if he's cornered."

"Directly detonate the City God's throne."

"The entire city's inhabitants."

"They will all be buried with him."

Zhou Yuan stood up.

He patted the dust off his clothes.

My gaze pierced through the darkness of the night.

He stared intently at the tightly closed vermilion gate.

"We must outsmart them."

"We need to split our forces into two groups."

He looked at the Japanese envoy.

"Can you still contact them inside?"

The daytime patrol envoy hesitated for a moment.

"There is a secret passage."

"It was left behind by the master back then so that he could travel incognito."

"Extremely well hidden."

"It's in that dry well behind the temple."

"but……"

"The wellhead was covered by a stone used to suppress dragons."

"This old man is a ghost."

"It's impossible to push it."

Zhou Yuan's lips curled up slightly.

He revealed a confident smile.

"Stone?"

"That happens to be my major."

He turned to look at Ma Ling'er.

His eyes sharpened.

"Ling'er".

"It's up to you this time."

"I'm going to rescue them."

"Go and kill someone."

Ma Ling'er was taken aback.

"Who to kill?"

Zhou Yuan pointed to the brightly lit up affluent area in the east of the city.

"Those traitors."

"Since they worship the Old Mother Wukong."

"Then go and send them some 'big gifts'."

"Make some noise."

"The bigger the better."

"It would be best to get that Blood-Dried Immortal."

"Lure it out from inside this turtle shell!"

Ma Ling'er's eyes lit up.

He drew the peach wood sword from his back.

The sword gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

"A diversionary tactic?"

"I enjoy this job!"

"Just you wait and see!"

"tonight."

"I'll let them know."

"What does it mean to say that it's easy to invite a god but hard to send him away?"

"Get out!"

"Let's get to work!"

Ma Ling'er patted the bundle on her chest.

The panda, Gun Gun, seemed to be really eager to burp.

Peek out.

It let out a cute yet fierce roar.

"Eek!"

The two exchanged a glance.

No nonsense.

They separated instantly.

They disappeared into the vast darkness of the night.

Zhou Yuan was all alone.

We arrived at the dry well.

There was indeed a huge rock pressing down on the well opening.

It weighs at least a thousand pounds.

Several yellow talismans were pasted on it.

Twisted, blood-red runes were drawn on the talisman.

It has a faint fishy smell.

"A trivial skill."

Zhou Yuan snorted coldly.

No brute force was used to push it.

He is a local deity.

These stones on the ground.

They were his soldiers.

"Disperse."

Zhou Yuan uttered a single word softly.

Press your palms on the ground.

A divine force flowed along the earth's veins.

They surged into the boulder in an instant.

"Snap!"

The once indestructible boulder.

A sharp crack suddenly came from inside.

Followed by.

It looks like it has been weathered for thousands of years.

It instantly disintegrated into a pile of fine sand.

It slid silently into the well.

Not a sound was made.

The daytime patrol officer standing next to him almost popped his eyes out.

"This is..."

"The Earth God's supernatural powers?"

"This is too much..."

Before he could finish his reflection...

Zhou Yuan had already leaped into the air.

He jumped into that dark, deep well.

There was no water at the bottom of the well.

Instead, it was a long, narrow tunnel.

The walls were covered with moss.

It is cold and damp.

Zhou Yuan followed the tunnel.

Move forward quickly.

The further in you go.

The stronger the sense of oppression, the better.

The air was filled with a suffocating stench of blood.

at last.

The tunnel has come to an end.

It was a stone door that was slightly ajar.

Through the crack in the door.

Zhou Yuan witnessed a scene that infuriated him.

This is a secret underground room.

It is directly below the City God Hall.

In the center of the secret room.

A golden statue floats in the air.

It is the Dharma body of the City God of Jingning County.

But this statue.

At this moment, his limbs and neck were locked by five thick iron chains.

The chains were covered with vicious curses.

It is continuously drawing golden light from the statue.

And below the statue.

A Taoist priest dressed in a red robe was sitting there.

The Taoist priest had a withered face.

Sunken eye sockets.

It looks like a skeleton covered in human skin.

He was greedily absorbing the golden droplets dripping from the iron chain.

Every drop falls.

A strange blush would appear on his face.

In a corner of the secret room.

It was piled high with corpses.

There are elderly people among them.

Those with children.

Their blood has been drained.

They pooled together to form a small pool of blood.

It sustains that evil formation.

"brute!"

Zhou Yuan cursed inwardly.

His fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.

But he held back.

He is waiting.

Wait for what happens above.

Just then.

East of the city.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion was heard.

"boom--!!!"

Followed by.

Flames shot into the sky.

It illuminated the sky over half of Jingning County.

Ma Ling'er's arrogant and domineering voice.

You could hear it from several streets away.

"That old codger called Blood Drain!"

"Get your aunt out here!"

"Your old man, Mr. Horse, is here to tear down your doghouse!"

The red-robed Taoist priest in the secret room.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

Two beams of blood shot out from his eyes.

"court death!"

"Where did this wild girl come from?"

"How dare you ruin my plans!"

Blood-Dried Immortal, enraged, laughed instead.

He sensed a pure aura of witchcraft.

They are frantically destroying the detachments he set up in the east of the city.

That was the key moment when he collected resentment.

We absolutely cannot afford to lose!

"It seems so."

"Some like-minded people have come to challenge us."

Blood-Dried Immortal stood up.

I glanced at the locked statue of the City God.

He gave a cold laugh.

"Old man."

"You just stay here and behave yourself."

"I'll kill that arrogant brat once I've done it."

"I'll come back and slowly work my magic on you!"

Done.

His body swayed.

It transformed into a blood-red shadow.

It went straight through the soil above.

They rushed out of the secret room.

The moment he left.

Zhou Yuan behind the stone gate.

Moved.

He was like a cheetah that had been lying in wait for a long time.

They rushed into the secret room in an instant.

Without the slightest hesitation.

"Strange Tales of the Supernatural!"

"Suppress them!"

Golden pages flipped wildly through my mind.

Zhou Yuan mobilized all his divine power.

It was pressed directly onto those five iron chains.

"Cut it off!"

Zhou Yuan let out a loud shout.

The divine seal in his hand erupted with an unprecedentedly strong light.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Those rune chains were powerful enough to trap even a seventh-rank righteous god.

At this moment.

It was surprisingly fragile, like noodles.

It broke apart inch by inch!

The City God statue is locked up.

A sudden jolt.

The eyes that were originally dull.

He opened his eyes instantly.

Two beams of golden light.

Like a sharp sword.

It pierced the darkness of this underground chamber.

That was the wrath of the gods, suppressed for three months.

"Who are you……"

A majestic yet weak voice.

It echoed in Zhou Yuan's mind.

Zhou Yuan smiled slightly.

He bowed respectfully to the statue of the deity.

"Fengzhou Tugong"

"Zhou Yuan".

"I have come specifically to assist the City God."

"Clean house!"

The statue trembled slightly.

He seemed excited.

"good!"

"What a fine local deity from Fengzhou!"

"This official... owes you a favor!"

"Now."

Give me your hand.

"Although this formation has been broken..."

"But my divine power is exhausted."

"I need to borrow a bit of your local connections."

"Recast the golden statue!"

Zhou Yuan didn't say a word.

Place your hands directly on the base of the statue.

"Take it!"

"There's more if that's not enough!"

"today."

"Let's join forces."

"Give this teaching to the void."

"Let's take a lesson!"

Above ground.

The Blood-Dried Immortal is rushing towards the east of the city.

Suddenly, he froze.

He suddenly turned around and looked in the direction of the City God Temple.

His face turned deathly pale instantly.

"not good!"

"A diversionary tactic!"

"We've fallen for their trap!"

He was just about to turn back.

But above the City God Temple, we saw...

That black net that had shrouded the area for three months.

It suddenly swelled up.

It's like there's something down there.

It is expanding rapidly.

"Rip—!!!"

A deafening sound, like tearing silk.

The sound resounded throughout the entire Jingning County.

That arrogant black net.

It was touched by a giant golden hand.

It tore open a huge gash!

A dazzling golden pillar of light.

Go straight into the sky.

It instantly dispelled the gloom that filled the city.

Within that golden light.

A golden statue of a deity, ten zhang tall.

It rises slowly.

majesty.

sacred.

Inviolable.

And on the shoulders of that Dharma image.

A young man dressed in a long robe stood there.

Her clothes fluttered in the wind.

Like a god.

That voice.

The sound resounded throughout the city:

"The scum of the Void Cult."

"Your doomsday."

"arrive!"