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

Zhou Yuan stood at the border between Jingning and Pingyang.

The official road beneath our feet felt like a severed artery.

On one side is Jingning, which is slowly recovering, though weak, it is already showing signs of life.

On one side is Pingyang, lifeless and seemingly swallowed up by black mist.

The boundary marker stood there all alone.

The two characters "Pingyang" above have been eroded by wind and sand, leaving them mottled and worn.

They looked like two eyes shedding tears of blood.

"arrive."

Zhou Yuan reined in his body.

The panda behind them pawed at its hooves anxiously.

This iron-eating beast, which was usually fearless, actually let out a low whimper.

"What's wrong, big guy?"

Ma Ling'er patted Gun Gun's head.

"Why are you backing down before even entering the city?"

Gun Gun ignored her and just kept shrinking back.

Animals' intuition is often thousands of times more acute than that of humans.

Zhou Yuan's expression was solemn.

He slowly squatted down.

A hand gently touched the cold ground.

"This seat is named after the local land of Xiangting."

"Inquire about the earth's veins to predict good or bad fortune."

hum!

A faint, earthy-yellow halo spread out along his palm.

But the moment they touched the Pingyang territory.

The halo was like a flame falling into an ice cave.

With a hissing sound.

It went out instantly.

Zhou Yuan's body jolted violently.

His face turned deathly pale instantly.

"How is it?"

Ma Ling'er dropped her playful smile and asked nervously.

Zhou Yuan slowly stood up.

He shook his hands, as if they were covered in something dirty.

"He's dead."

He uttered two words.

"Who died?"

Ma Ling'er was taken aback.

"The ley lines are dead."

Zhou Yuan's voice was as cold as ice shards.

"Although the earth veins in Jingning are suppressed, they are still flowing and still have vitality."

"But the geological features of Pingyang..."

"It's like a stagnant pool."

"No."

Zhou Yuan shook his head, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.

"It's a pool of churned-up dead flesh."

"Chaos, filth, stench."

"The concentration of evil energy here is at least ten times that of Jingning!"

Ma Ling'er gasped.

"ten times?"

"Can the people here still survive?"

Zhou Yuan looked at the outline of the county town that was hidden in the darkness in the distance.

"Perhaps in the eyes of some people."

"They are no longer considered 'human'."

"Walk."

"Let's go in and take a look."

This time, Zhou Yuan didn't make a big fuss.

He took out two concealment talismans from his pocket.

A photo was taken of myself.

A sticker was pasted on Ma Ling'er's forehead.

"The panda is too big and makes it an easy target."

"Let it wait in the woods outside the city."

"Let's sneak in."

Although Ma Ling'er is usually carefree, she also knows what's important.

She calmed Gun Gun down and followed closely behind Zhou Yuan.

Like two ghosts, the two men slipped across the city wall under the cover of night.

The streets of Pingyang County are wide and clean.

It is even more prosperous than Jingning County.

But this prosperity has an eerie quality to it.

It was just past the hour of Xu (7-9 PM).

Logically, this should be the time when the night market is bustling and people are enjoying the cool air.

But on this street.

No one is empty.

A deathly silence.

Every household kept their doors and windows tightly shut.

There wasn't a single light to be seen.

The whole city was like a giant tomb.

Only the cold wind howled through the halls and alleys, making a sound like the wailing of ghosts.

"It's too quiet."

Ma Ling'er lowered her voice, her palms sweating profusely.

"Even if it's haunted, it shouldn't be this quiet."

"There wasn't even a dog barking."

Zhou Yuan stopped in front of a house.

Peek through the crack in the door.

The courtyard was pitch black.

But he could sense it.

There are people inside.

And there's more than one.

The whole family is huddled at the foot of the bed.

They were huddled together.

My whole body is shaking.

Even the baby still in swaddling clothes had its mouth tightly covered by its mother.

They dared not make the slightest sound.

That kind of fear.

It wasn't just a momentary fright.

It was a despair etched into one's very bones over the years.

"They are afraid."

Zhou Yuan said softly.

"Afraid of whom?"

Ma Ling'er asked.

"I'm afraid of the night wind, I'm afraid of the shadow outside the door."

Zhou Yuan turned around and looked at the end of the street.

There.

A magnificent temple stands there.

With its flying eaves and bracket sets, it is magnificent in scale.

That is the City God Temple in Pingyang County.

"Let's go to the temple."

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes.

"The governance of a county depends first and foremost on the City God."

"As long as the City God is still alive, the sky will not fall down."

The two moved with lightning speed.

In a short while, we arrived at the temple.

however.

The sight before them plunged their hearts into despair.

The temple, which should have been bustling with worshippers.

It was already in a state of complete ruin.

The vermilion gate lay collapsed to one side.

It was covered with thick spider webs.

The yard was overgrown with weeds, some as tall as a person.

That was originally the main hall where the golden statue of the City God was enshrined.

But at this moment it seemed particularly eerie.

Zhou Yuan stepped into the main hall.

On the altar.

That clay statue of the City God.

The head is gone.

Only a broken body remained, sitting there all alone.

The broken neck.

It was even drenched in black dog blood, leaving it unrecognizable.

It emitted a nauseating, fishy stench.

"this……"

Ma Ling'er covered her mouth and nose, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"This is a true god!"

"Who dares to be so bold as to destroy the idol?!"

Zhou Yuan remained silent.

He walked to the altar.

There was no incense burner or offerings on it.

There was only a pile of bones.

Look at the shape.

It looks like a mouse, or... a baby.

Damn it.

Zhou Yuan squeezed out two words through gritted teeth.

He suddenly unleashed his Earth God Seal.

"Where is the City God of Pingyang?!"

"I, Toyotsu Shugen, have come to pay my respects!"

boom!

The divine seal emitted a dazzling yellow light.

They were trying to connect with the divine network here.

According to the rules of the gods.

Even if the City God's golden statue is destroyed.

As long as the soul remains intact and the divine seal remains unbroken.

When a colleague calls, there will surely be a response.

however.

The yellow light circled several times inside the hall.

At last.

It vanished without a sound.

no respond.

There was not a single response.

It was like a pebble thrown into a bottomless abyss.

There wasn't even a response.

"They've lost contact."

Zhou Yuan withdrew his divine seal, his face extremely grim.

"It's not just about losing contact."

"The network of divine intervention in Pingyang County has been completely severed."

"The City God here..."

"They've probably already been murdered."

Ma Ling'er plopped down on the threshold, feeling somewhat dejected.

"Even the City God is dead."

"Is this place still salvageable?"

"Furthermore, what exactly does this Wukong Sect want to do?"

"What good would it do them to turn a county into a dead zone?"

Zhou Yuan remained silent.

He was thinking.

If it's simply for the sake of incense offerings.

The Wukong sect could easily perform miracles and fool the people, just like they did in Jingning.

That kind of steady, long-term approach is the right way.

But this is Pingyang County.

This is clearly a case of draining the pond to catch all the fish.

It could even be described as... killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

This approach.

There is only one explanation.

They were in a hurry.

Or.

They are preparing an amazing plan.

It requires a massive amount of living souls and resentment!

"It's not just about the Void Religion."

Zhou Yuan suddenly spoke.

"Look at the cut on the broken neck of this statue."

Ma Ling'er leaned over to take a look.

"What's wrong?"

"The cut is smooth and made in one go."

Zhou Yuan squinted.

"This was not caused by a spell."

"It was chopped off with a sharp weapon."

"It can sever a golden statue that is worshipped with incense with a single stroke."

"The strength of the person who wielded the knife is unfathomable."

Just then.

Suddenly, a faint sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.

It's very light.

It looks like some kind of small animal.

"Who?!"

Ma Ling'er reacted extremely quickly, instantly snapping several talismans into place between her fingertips.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

In the grass.

A ragged old man rolled out.

He was holding half a moldy steamed bun in his hand.

He was so dirty that he was unrecognizable.

He turned out to be a beggar.

They probably used this dilapidated temple as a place to live.

Zhou Yuan stopped Ma Ling'er and stepped forward.

"Don't be afraid, old man."

"We were just passing by, we're not bad people."

The old beggar raised his head.

His cloudy eyes were filled with terror.

"Just passing by?"

"These days, who would dare to pass through Pingyang?"

He stared at Zhou Yuan for a long time, making sure that the boy did not have that suffocating black aura.

He then shakily got up.

"Young man, let's go."

"Before midnight."

"Let's go quickly."

Why?

Ma Ling'er couldn't help but ask.

"Do those things appear at midnight?"

The old beggar shuddered.

"It's not just those things."

"When midnight arrives, the 'True Man' will begin his sermon."

"Lecture?"

Zhou Yuan astutely grasped this word.

"What law are you talking about?"

The old beggar gave a bitter smile and pointed to the empty hall.

"Explain the Dharma of 'Rebirth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss'."

"Every night of the full moon."

"The able-bodied young men in the city would be taken away by the government officials."

"They say that if you go to listen to a true master preach, you will receive great fortune."

"But those who went..."

"And he never came back."

The old beggar's voice grew softer and softer, tinged with a sob.

"My poor son was taken away three months ago."

"I want to go find him."

"The result is..."

As the old beggar spoke, it was as if he had recalled some extremely terrifying scene.

His whole body began to convulse violently.

His eyes rolled back and he foamed at the mouth.

"What did you see?"

Zhou Yuan placed one hand on the old beggar's back.

A gentle divine power was channeled into him to help calm his mind.

The old beggar was panting heavily, his eyes glazed over.

"Blood……"

"It's all blood..."

"That real person... he's not human..."

"He sat atop a mountain of human heads..."

"He's eating people!"

"What about the government?"

Ma Ling'er got anxious.

"So many people have died, doesn't the county magistrate care?"

The old beggar gave a bitter laugh.

"The county magistrate?"

"The magistrate of Pingyang County now."

"He's that master's top disciple!"

"The entire government office has long since become a den of demons!"

Upon hearing this...

Zhou Yuan and Ma Ling'er exchanged a glance.

They both saw shock in each other's eyes.

Collusion between officials and criminals?

No.

This is a case of a cuckoo taking over another's nest!

The Wukong Sect has completely seized control of the political and religious power in Pingyang County.

They turned this land into their private breeding farm!

"What a grand gesture."

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with killing intent.

"No wonder the skirmishes in Jingning County were just minor skirmishes."

"So the real powerhouses were all preparing their big moves here."

He released the old beggar and took out some dry food from his pocket and put it down.

"Old man, we can't stay here anymore."

"If you believe me."

"Then head east to Jingning."

"There is a good city god there who can protect you."

Done.

Zhou Yuan did not linger.

He led Ma Ling'er out of the dilapidated temple.

Standing on a desolate street.

The night wind grew increasingly biting.

"Zhou Yuan, what should we do?"

Ma Ling'er bit her lip, gripping the bamboo flute tightly in her hand.

"If what that old man said is true."

"The current garrison strength of Pingyang County is probably more terrifying than we thought."

"Just the two of us..."

"And that so-called True Man, who can eat people to cultivate, his mastery of evil arts must be quite high."

Zhou Yuan did not answer immediately.

He took the City God's Seal out of his pocket.

That was a token given to him by Zhang Zhengming, the City God of Jingning.

"Lord Zhang."

"Can you hear me?"

The divine seal flickered a few times.

A weak and anxious voice came from Zhang Zhengming.

"Young friend? You've arrived in Pingyang?"

"Retreat now!"

"That's a Jedi!"

"I just attempted to use my divine power to explore the borders of Pingyang."

"As soon as the divine sense approached, it was devoured by an extremely powerful evil force!"

"That is..."

"That's the aura of someone about to break through to the Thunder Tribulation Realm!"

Tribulation Realm!

These three words were uttered.

Ma Ling'er's face turned pale instantly.

In this vast world, spiritual practice is not easy.

After the Yin spirit comes the tribulation of lightning.

Once one survives the tribulation of lightning, one becomes a deity on earth.

This Wukong Zhenren has actually reached this stage?

"Is he trying to use the resentment of all the living beings in this city to forcefully undergo his tribulation?"

Zhou Yuan instantly understood the other party's intention.

"He's insane!"

Zhang Zhengming's voice was trembling.

"Those who use evil methods to overcome tribulations will surely be punished by Heaven!"

"But if he really succeeds..."

"This area, spanning thousands of miles, will be plunged into carnage!"

"Young friend, my divine foundation is not yet stable, and I am truly unable to provide assistance."

"You need to come back quickly; we need to discuss this further!"

"Seek aid from the imperial court, and from the Taoist sect!"

Zhou Yuan listened to the voice urging him to quit coming from the divine seal.

But he slowly shook his head.

"It's too late."

He looked at the moon in the sky, which was gradually being obscured by dark clouds.

Tonight is the night of the full moon.

"If the old beggar wasn't lying."

"Tonight is the time for that scum to preach and devour people."

"Are we waiting for reinforcements from the imperial court?"

"By then, the people of Pingyang County will probably all become his excrement."

Zhou Yuan severed the connection with the divine seal.

He hung the divine seal back on his waist.

"Zhou Yuan..."

Ma Ling'er looked at him.

"What do you want to do?"

"You wouldn't be thinking of...?"

Zhou Yuan turned his head and looked at Ma Ling'er.

In those deep eyes.

There was no fear.

There were only two blazing flames.

"I don't like being led by the nose."

"I also don't like watching people eat people right under my nose."

"Since you're here..."

"There's no reason for us to go back empty-handed!"

He said.

He sat cross-legged on the steps by the roadside.

"Protect me."

"A quarter of an hour."

"I need to make some preparations."

Ma Ling'er looked at Zhou Yuan's resolute expression.

He sighed.

The bamboo flute in her hand twirled beautifully in the air.

"Alright."

"I'll risk my life to go crazy with you tonight."

"It's because you're good-looking."

She stood with her back to Zhou Yuan.

His eyes scanned the surrounding darkness warily.

Zhou Yuan closed his eyes.

Consciousness instantly sank into the sea of ​​consciousness.

That ancient book, "Strange Tales of Gods and Monsters," floated there quietly.

The pages of the book are turned.

That starving ghost from earlier, and the few wandering ghosts I casually picked up on the road earlier.

At this moment, they all transformed into pure Yin energy.

"Sacrifice".

Zhou Yuan silently recited in his heart.

The yin energy instantly ignited.

They transformed into streaks of golden light, penetrating the book.

"Deduction!"

Objective: [Daytime Travel] Supernatural Power.

The original day-roaming deity could only manifest during the day and was not afraid of sunlight.

But this is not enough.

In this Pingyang County, where evil spirits permeate the air.

He needs better stealth capabilities.

Greater insight.

Even more ruthless methods of killing.

Splash!

The pages were turned at an astonishing speed.

Cold sweat poured down Zhou Yuan's forehead.

He is forcibly altering the trajectory of the supernatural power.

He was teaching this orthodox Shinto magic.

Transform it into a weapon suitable for survival in this hellish arena.

[Yin and Yang in Reversal]...

[The unpredictability of ghosts and spirits]...

Lines of text flashed through my mind.

I don't know how much time passed.

Zhou Yuan suddenly opened his eyes.

That instant.

His pupils.

They've developed heterochromatic eyes, one black and one white!

His left eye was as black as ink, its depths unfathomable.

His right eye was like gold, radiating majesty.

[Mutant - Day Wanderer]!

Or rather...

【Night Tour: Asura Appearance】!

"call……"

Zhou Yuan stood up.

At this moment, his breath had completely disappeared.

Even Ma Ling'er, who was standing next to him.

If you don't look back, you won't even realize there's someone behind you.

"Goodness."

Ma Ling'er turned around and was startled.

"What kind of magic is that?"

"Why do you look like a dead person?"

Zhou Yuan's lips curled into a cold smile.

At this moment, he...

In this Pingyang County, where evil spirits permeate.

It was like a fish in water.

"In this place full of ghosts."

"It's easier to get things done if you pretend to be dead."

He looked up at the dark night sky.

I looked toward the mansion hidden deep in the darkness, where it was said to be "preaching the Dharma".

"Let's go, Ling'er."

"Go and listen to that master's 'profound Buddhist teachings'."

"By the way."

"Send him to the Western Paradise!"

Ma Ling'er took a deep breath.

Hold the bamboo flute horizontally to your lips.

"Let's go!"