pool were as black as ink just like the outside, emitting a bone-chilling coldness.I don't know what exactly is down there. Even standing outside the perimeter, it's better to be prepared. In case so...Qin Sang sighed inwardly, not only for Ji Xin Dao Ren and Ming Yue, but also many old friends rose in his mind.

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Wow, I've come so far already.

Even if it's not for comprehending the Sword Sutra and the Lesser Five, coming down for a walk is still a good idea.

Qin Sang thought to herself.

Mr. Sun has passed away, even if he can't enter the divine way, Gao should still go to send him off. Daochang, if you don't mind, why don't we go to the Sun Residence first

Seeing Qin Sang silent, Gao Ruoxu was unsure of his thoughts and tentatively said,

"Let's go together!"

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Qin Sang nodded.

The crowd immediately changed direction, entering the alleyway. When they reached the end and turned a corner, they arrived at Sun's mansion.

Sun's residence was right next to the Jisheng Pharmacy, a large courtyard.

The Sun family is thriving, with Mr. Sun now ninety-two years old and six generations living together under one roof. This is a rare sight in modern times.

The grand gate of the Sun residence stood open, with many people coming and going. There were members of the Sun family, disciples of Mr. Sun, as well as neighbors who came to lend a hand, and even patients whom Mr. Sun had saved, who came to visit.

Mr. Sun is running out of time, and the Sun family has already hired the county official in charge of funerals and celebrations from Beikuang County to make early preparations.

When Qin Sang and the others arrived, a young man rushed out of the back garden of the Sun residence and found the steward, whispering, "Uncle Wu, Grandpa is about to breathe his last..."

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The manager nodded, immediately ordering someone to invite the workers and actors onstage. He began to arrange everything in an orderly manner.

Even before entering the Sun family's inner courtyard, cries could be heard.

It could be considered both a joy and sorrow, the cries lacked much sadness, fading quickly. The young ones started bustling about, preparing for the funeral.

Qin Sang and they walked into the mourning hall, seeing several elderly people gathered around the bed, still sobbing. Two of them were Mr. Sun's sons, and the rest were his disciples.

Mr. Sun lay in bed, his expression calm as if in a dream, but he was gone.

The spirit hall seemed to have become even more eerie after Mr. Sun's passing.

Two shadowy figures stood by the bedside, and when Qin Sang and Gao Ruoxu entered, they quickly bowed respectfully.

At that moment, the elderly Mr. Sun on the bed slowly sat up, or rather, his soul rose from the bed.

His soul was not yet gone. Seeing his weeping descendants and himself in a burial shroud, Old Mister Sun looked bewildered, his lips moved slightly, and he unconsciously reached out to wipe the tears from his youngest son's face.

"Mr. Sun, your lifespan has come to an end, do not linger in the mortal world," two underworld messengers reminded aloud.

Mr. Sun was startled and only then noticed that there were many strangers in his house. Thinking of various legends, he asked with a hint of fear: "Are you two Yin messengers And this one is... the City God!"

Suddenly, I saw Gao Ruoxu again. To my astonishment, he looked exactly like the City God statue at the City God Temple! Startled, I hurriedly stood up to pay respects, but I was suddenly lifted off the ground, helpless and confused.

"I..."

"Please calm yourself, Mr. Sun," Gao Ruoxu stepped forward, raised his finger and pointed, a wisp of smoke entered Mr. Sun's body, faintly emitting the scent of sandalwood.

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Mr. Sun's soul suddenly became more solid.

"Sir, in his lifetime he did good deeds and accumulated virtue, moved heaven, and did not allow his soul to dissipate. We are here to escort him..."

Gao Ru Xu explained the reason in detail.

Mr. Sun, as if listening to heavenly scriptures, learned that he was not merely destined to return to dust but had the potential to become a mythical immortal. Even at ninety years old, having seen through worldly affairs, he couldn't help but be moved with excitement.

"Mr. Sun, please come with us," the two Yinchai reminded him again.

“They...”

Mr. Sun looked at the crowd of his descendants, feeling a little reluctant.

“Your lifespan has come to an end, and your worldly ties are severed. If you have any unfinished business, Master, you can return on the seventh day after your passing. As a ghost or god hereafter, though you may be able to look after your descendants, it is best not to interfere with the mortal world, nor use divine power for personal gain or injustice…”

Gao Ru Xu patiently explained to Mr. Sun.

These words were also heard by Qin Sang.

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While the Immortals have entered the mortal realm, the Gods haven't fully done so.

Contrary to what one might imagine, these City Gods and Underworld officials, while engaged in Shinto rituals and consuming incense offerings from the populace, strive to remain inconspicuous and avoid interfering with worldly affairs.

For example, in the case of a locust plague, if there were no locust spirits, the normal locust swarms would be considered to be manifestations of Heaven's will.

I will not interfere in disputes or wars between mortals, nor in the affairs of this world.

Of course, this is not absolute. If locusts cause a complete failure of grain production in Beikou County and the people flee in droves, then they will surely be unable to remain indifferent.

It is said that the reason for this is because being involved in the mortal world too much will attract calamity.

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The City God Temple welcomes mortals to become gods, but it also tries its best to choose those who die of natural causes as its targets.

While facing cultivators, there are no such concerns. The City God of a county's primary responsibility is to protect one side and bind the cultivators and monsters within its borders, eliminating evil and protecting the common people from harm.

The Punishment Department of the City God's Temple doesn't punish ordinary humans who are evil, but rather mischievous demons and spirits.

Cause and effect Or Karma

Qin Sang pondered to himself, there were obviously many things in the world that he had yet to encounter.

"Father, everyone says you are a living bodhisattva. Your ledger in the King of Hell's book must be full of merit. Rest assured and go peacefully. You've worked hard your whole life, it's time to enjoy blessings down below..."

Mr. Sun's youngest son tucked in his father's collar, muttering to himself nonstop.

Mr. Sun was even more reluctant to part ways.

Qin Sang looked at Xiao Wu. He brought Xiao Wu to Sun Mansion, just to test if Xiao Wu, seeing the separation and death in the mortal world, would be touched by it.

Xiao Wu leaned against Qin Sang, just quietly watching the Sun family, seemingly unable to understand why they were so sad.

Leaving Sun's manor, Mr. Sun lingered, unwilling to depart, turning back repeatedly as the voices of his family faded into the distance.

Back in the bustling marketplace, Gao Ruoxu, disguised as a shadowy figure, took Mr. Sun to the City God Temple. He then transformed his appearance and led Qin Sang into the largest restaurant in town, ordering a table of wine and dishes.

"It's a small county town, with only simple tea and plain food. Please don't mind it, Daoist Priest."

Gao Ru Xu raised his cup in a toast, and then picked up his chopsticks to take some food.

Compared to the fish soup on board, this was a whole new flavor. Qin Sang diligently served dishes to Xiao Wu and Zhu Que, quite busy indeed.

As they ate and chatted, Qin Sang voiced her question.

Gao Ruoxu couldn't say what "fate" was, where it originated, and the city god who summoned him had warned him the same way back then.

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"As for this matter, Daoist Priest could consult the City God of the capital city. If you receive an answer, please let Gao know. Gao is also very curious."

"The City God..."

Qin Sang thought to himself, probably even the city god wouldn't be able to explain it.

City God of the capital refers to the City God of a country's capital city. According to the division of prefectures, counties, and districts in the mortal world, there are also City Gods of prefectures, counties, and districts, and so on.

The ghosts and gods of different countries are not affiliated with each other, much like various schools or sects.

That's why Qin Sang thought so.

...because when he was going to Yun Dushan, he passed through the capitals of several countries. The highest city god didn't exceed the Yuan Ying late stage.

On the other hand, the Xiandao Sect has a cultivator at the Refining Void stage overseeing it.

Moreover, Qin Sang also noticed that the Shinto here did not have independent realms divided.

The Shinto that emerged from the Dao Court continued to use the Dao Court's positions of power.

When Gao Ruoxu discussed realms, he bizarrely used terms like "cultivating Qi" and "building a foundation," which belong to the realm of Xian Dao. It seemed out of place.

The decline of Shintoism is evident to all!

It's unknown whether Shintoism hasn't flourished in the vast world yet, lacking a systematic structure, or if this place is too remote with information being cut off.

"Excuse me, esteemed guests. Your dishes are ready. Please enjoy your meal!"

The young waiter placed a bowl of lotus seed soup on the table, shouted once, and exited the private room.

As the door to the room was closed, the waiter cast a glance at the desk and thought it strange.

Several dishes, the side of the Taoist priest and the little girl had been eaten with obvious gaps, but the old man's side had hardly been touched.

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“Perhaps the old man has indigestion...”

The second boy shook his head, not taking it to heart.

At the table, the two continued to chat idly. Qin Sang kept asking questions about Shinto knowledge, such as "Yin Shou" mentioned by Gao Ruoxu before.

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At first, Qin Sang thought that entering the Shinto realm could increase his lifespan.

In this way, a cultivator who has done many good deeds throughout their life will, when they realize that the path to immortality is hopeless, switch to cultivating the divine way. Isn't this equivalent to living another life

In fact, "yin shou" is just one saying in Shintoism, because the city god spirits are mostly those who become gods after death.

Shinto practice does not add to one's lifespan. Mr. Sun lived ninety-two years, and after his soul became a god, he still counted the ninety-two years he had lived before.

>

...But there is one unique advantage that Shintoism has over Xian Dao. At the very beginning of your practice, if you accept offerings and consume incense at a City God Temple, your cultivation speed will be extremely fast.

More than half of the Yin Spies under Gao Ruoxu's command had the strength comparable to that of a cultivator at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. The lowest among them were equivalent to cultivators at the twelfth or thirteenth level of Qi Refining, and none of them were mediocre.

Therefore, even if one is taken to become a god after their lifespan ends, it does not delay their cultivation.

Besides, according to Gao Ruoxu's saying, for divine cultivators who have attained a high realm, their lifespan is indeed slightly longer than that of immortals.

>

It is true that some cultivators of the immortal Dao turn to the divine Dao, but it is not easy to achieve great success.

The higher the realm, the more difficult the practice of Shinto becomes.

Gao Ruoxu was a cultivator at the early stage of Jindan realm. According to him, in Fuchun Prefecture, where Beikuo County was located, there were only two City Gods within the entire prefecture who had reached the Jindan realm, and they were both stationed in the north to prevent monsters from the mountains from wreaking havoc.

“Master Daoist, you have come down the mountain to travel. Do you have a goal”

Gao Ru Xu put down her wine cup and suddenly asked.

Qin Sang shook his head, “As a wandering Taoist, I wish to experience the world and gain some insights. I have no particular destination in mind, so I wander aimlessly. Rest assured, Daoist Gao, I will not stay in Beikuai County, nor will I harm the people.”

"As the Daoist Priest was able to grant a title to the Willow Spirit, it shows that he is indeed a man of great righteousness. To be able to reside in Beikuo County for a time is a blessing for the people. Gao [Last Name] would certainly not mind."

Gao Ru Xu, speaking thusly, raised her right hand. Smoke gathered in her palm, coalescing into a golden token that floated towards Qin Sang.

Qin Sang reached out to take it and saw that the token had the two characters "Bei Kuo" engraved on it, radiating a special kind of fluctuation. "What is this"

"This is a decree from the City God. Dao Chang, after staying in this country and traveling around, you will encounter many inconveniences. If you hold this decree, you can travel smoothly and avoid being checked too often. Even if you go to other countries, it will be much more convenient," Gao Ruoxu said.

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"The poor monk is in need of this item, thank you kindly for your generosity."

Qin Sang didn't hesitate and took it.

Even the city god would be unable to sense his aura if he wished to conceal it.

However, since one wants to understand the ways of the world, there will inevitably be times when one needs to take action. With this token, one can save a lot of unnecessary words.

After the wine and food were finished, several people walked out of the restaurant.

“Goodbye, sir!”

The shopkeeper beamed as he sent the customer out the door. Returning upstairs to tidy up, he saw that several of the most expensive meat dishes had only been half-eaten. He couldn't help but pick up his chopsticks and take a bite.

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"Bah!"

"What kind of meat is this It tastes like firewood, bland! Did the kitchen forget to add salt How can people eat this"

The waiter looked perplexed.

But they did not know that ghosts and spirits feed on Qi, and having not entered the belly, they had already tasted its essence.

>

Upon entering the City God Temple, I saw Mr. Sun facing me. He was wearing a white long robe, and his appearance was quite different from before.

Two underworld officers used the incense power accumulated in the temple to reshape Mr. Sun's soul, and he has now entered the realm of the gods.

"Greetings, City God!"

Upon seeing Gao Ruoxu, Mr. Sun immediately knelt down in respect.

“Mr. Sun’s soul is not yet settled, it's not advisable for him to duel with others. Let him work as a clerk in the Rapid News Agency for now,” Gao Ruoxu arranged for Mr. Sun and extended his hand to Qin Sang, “Daoist please.”

Qin Sang suggested visiting the City God Temple, and Gao Ruoxu readily agreed.

Under the City God's jurisdiction, it is arranged like an earthly government office, with various departments.

Like the Department of Rewards for Goodness, it records the virtuous deeds of people within its jurisdiction and selects those who can be brought into the fold.

There are also the Archive Administration, the Supervisory Office, and so on.

Most importantly, the Punishment Department's head, Gao Ruoxu, personally led Qin Sang to the Netherworld. Inside, they saw all kinds of monsters.

There were also cultivators who once slaughtered mortals. Some were stripped of their cultivation, while others, with less grievous crimes, only had their cultivation sealed and were imprisoned here.

As for this, Qin Sang's thoughts were, "Divine Dao governance is indeed more orderly than those sects in the Stormy World. At least mortals are no longer casually killed like pawns. But this place still prioritizes Immortal Dao most. I wonder what attitude Yun Du Tian holds towards Divine Dao..."

After visiting the City God Temple, Qin Sang bid farewell to Gao Ruoxu and declined his escort.

"My Lord, Daoist Qingfeng rode the wind southward," Qin Sang reported after leaving. A Yin差 rushed into the City God Temple to report.

Gao Ruoxu held an iron pen and was writing on a silver sheet of paper. Every stroke was heavy with significance.

He didn't even raise his head, just grunted, "Have you notified all the mountain gods and land deities"

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"Reporting to my lord, the message has been sent. All are ordered to assemble at noon and make haste to Dawnbreak Mountain," Yincha reported respectfully, then hesitated, "My Lord, since that Qingfeng Daoist's cultivation level even escapes your perception, why not seek his aid"

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Gao Ru Xu finished the last stroke, the silver paper transforming into a streak of silver light, disappearing into her sleeve.

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Gazing toward the south of the city, Gao Ruoxu slightly frowned. "This person's origins are unknown, and people's hearts are unpredictable. We have been preparing for a long time. It is best not to involve outsiders so as not to leak the news and alert those demons in advance."

Outside the city.

Qin Sang hadn't left too far, standing on a slope, looking at the Beikuo County town.

As night deepened, the city gates had closed, leaving only a few scattered lights within the city.

On the outskirts of the eastern city, a sudden gust of wind arose. Under the moonlight, shadowy figures appeared in an organized formation, stirring up the wind as they marched northeastward, vanishing into the forest in a blink of an eye.

Qin Sang slightly raised his head, his gaze deep and penetrating, passing through the mountains, before mounting his horse.

“We’ll go too. The mountain air is no joke, and with just the forces of Beikuo County, I fear they'll end up defeated.”

(The End) the depths of Zi Wu Absolute Land, the poisonous mist is extremely fierce. Yet this person can be so relaxed. He must either possess a treasure that repels poison or have extremely high cultivation....