Chapter 1914: City God Temple

## The Human World

Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Not only Daoist Jixin and Mingyue, but many old acquaintances came to mind.

He realized how far he had come.

Even if it wasn't to comprehend the Sword Manual or for Xiao Wu, it would be good to come down and experience the world.

Qin Sang thought to himself.

"Elder Sun has passed away. Even if he cannot ascend to the divine path, I should still go and pay my respects. If Daoist Priest doesn't mind, perhaps we could visit the Sun Manor first?" Seeing Qin Sang's silence, Gao Ruoxu couldn't gauge his thoughts and asked tentatively.

"Let's go together!" Qin Sang nodded.

They immediately changed direction, entered a narrow alley, and at its end, turned a corner to arrive at the Sun Manor.

The Sun Manor was a large estate, adjacent to the Jisheng Pharmacy.

The Sun family was prosperous and numerous. Elder Sun was ninety-two this year, and it was extremely rare in contemporary times for six generations to live under one roof.

The gates of the Sun Manor were wide open, with many people coming and going: members of the Sun family, Elder Sun's disciples, neighbors who had come to help, and patients Elder Sun had saved, who were now visiting to pay their respects.

Elder Sun's time was short, so the Sun family had already invited the head steward for auspicious and inauspicious events in Beikuo County to prepare in advance.

As Qin Sang and the others arrived, a young man rushed out from the Sun Manor's backyard, found the steward, and whispered, "Uncle Wu, great-grandfather is about to pass away..."

The steward nodded and immediately ordered people to invite the funeral band and opera troupe to begin the orderly arrangements.

Before they even entered the Sun Manor's backyard, waves of weeping could be heard.

It was considered a funeral for an elder who had lived a long life, so the crying wasn't filled with too much sorrow. It soon subsided, and the younger generation began busying themselves with funeral preparations.

Qin Sang and his companions entered the funeral hall and saw several elders gathered around the bed, still sobbing. Two were Elder Sun's sons, and the rest were his disciples.

Elder Sun lay on the bed, his expression peaceful as if in a dream, but he had stopped breathing.

The funeral hall seemed to gain a chilling aura due to Elder Sun's passing.

Two netherworld envoys stood before the bed. Seeing Qin Sang and Gao Ruoxu enter, they hastily bowed.

At that moment, Elder Sun slowly sat up on the bed—more precisely, his soul sat up.

His spirit had not yet dissipated. Elder Sun saw his crying descendants and himself dressed in burial clothes. A blank expression on his face, his lips twitched, and he instinctively reached out to wipe away the tears from his youngest son's face.

"Elder Sun, your lifespan has ended. Do not cling to the mortal world," the two netherworld envoys reminded him.

Elder Sun was startled. He then noticed many strangers in his home. Thinking of various legends, he asked with a trace of fear, "Are you two netherworld envoys? And this is... the City God!"

He then saw Gao Ruoxu and was astonished to realize that Gao Ruoxu looked exactly like the City God statue in the City God Temple. He hastily tried to get up to bow, but he suddenly floated up, flustered and unsure what to do.

"I..."

"Elder Sun, please calm yourself," Gao Ruoxu stepped forward, raised a finger, and a wisp of smoke entered Elder Sun's body, faintly emitting a sandalwood scent.

Elder Sun's soul immediately solidified considerably.

"During your lifetime, you accumulated good deeds and virtues, moving the heavens to prevent your soul from dissipating. We have specifically come to guide you..." Gao Ruoxu explained the reasons in detail.

Elder Sun felt as if he was listening to a divine scripture. Learning that he wouldn't simply return to dust but had a chance to become a legendary immortal, even at ninety years old and having seen through worldly affairs, he couldn't help but feel excited.

"Elder Sun, please come with us," the two netherworld envoys reminded him again.

"They..." Elder Sun looked at his hall full of descendants, feeling somewhat reluctant to leave.

"Your lifespan has ended, and your earthly ties are concluded. If you have any unfulfilled wishes, you may return to visit on the seventh day after your passing. In the future, as a divine spirit, though you can look after your descendants, it is best not to interfere with the mortal world, and certainly not to use divine power for personal gain or to pervert justice..." Gao Ruoxu patiently explained to Elder Sun.

Qin Sang also heard these details.

While the Immortal Path was about transcendence, the Divine Path was not entirely about engagement with the mortal world.

Contrary to expectations, these City Gods and netherworld envoys, though cultivating on the Divine Path and receiving the incense offerings of the populace, had to largely avoid manifesting before people or interfering with worldly affairs.

For instance, during that locust plague, if there were no locust spirits involved, normal locust swarms would be considered a natural phenomenon ordained by the Heavenly Dao.

They would not interfere with the grievances and affections among mortals, nor with wars in the secular world.

Of course, this wasn't absolute. If a locust plague caused a complete crop failure in Beikuo County, forcing people to flee, it was likely they would also be unable to stand idly by.

The reason, it was said, was that too much involvement in the mortal world would invite calamities.

When the City God Temple guided mortals to become gods, they also tried to choose those who died of old age as their targets.

However, they had no such reservations when dealing with cultivators. A county City God's primary duty was to protect their region, restrain cultivators and demons within their jurisdiction, and eliminate evildoers to prevent them from harming the common people.

The Department of Punishing Evil in the City God Temple didn't punish wicked mortals, but rather unruly demons and evil spirits.

Karma? Or karmic force? Qin Sang pondered silently. Clearly, there were many things in the world he had yet to encounter.

"Father, everyone says you're a living Bodhisattva. The King of Hell's ledger of merits must be full. Please go peacefully; you've worked hard your whole life, and now it's time to enjoy your blessings in the afterlife..." Elder Sun's youngest son tucked his collar, muttering continuously.

Elder Sun felt even more reluctant to leave.

Qin Sang looked at Xiao Wu. He had brought Xiao Wu to the Sun Manor precisely to see if Xiao Wu would be moved by witnessing the separation of life and death in the mortal world.

Xiao Wu leaned close to Qin Sang, quietly watching the Sun family members, seemingly unable to comprehend why they were grieving.

Leaving the Sun Manor, Elder Sun remained reluctant, constantly looking back as the voices of his family grew more distant.

Returning to the bustling marketplace, Gao Ruoxu ordered the netherworld envoys to take Elder Sun to the City God Temple. He then changed his appearance, manifested his physical form, and led Qin Sang into the city's largest restaurant, ordering a table of food and wine.

"This small county town offers only simple fare. Please do not mind it, Daoist Priest." Gao Ruoxu raised his cup in offering, then picked up his chopsticks to serve himself.

It was a different taste compared to the fish soup on the boat. Qin Sang busily served dishes to Xiao Wu and Vermillion Bird.

The two ate and chatted. Qin Sang voiced his questions. Gao Ruoxu couldn't clearly explain what the so-called 'calamity' was or its origin. The City God who guided him had given him the same warning back then.

"For this question, Daoist Priest can inquire with the Metropolitan City God. If you find an answer, I hope you will inform me; I am also very curious."

"The Metropolitan City God..." Qin Sang mused. It was likely even the Metropolitan City God couldn't fully explain it.

The Metropolitan City God referred to the City God of a national capital. Following the mortal divisions of provinces, prefectures, and counties, there were also provincial City Gods, prefectural City Gods, and county City Gods, ranked accordingly.

The divine spirits of different countries were not subordinate to each other, much like independent sects.

Qin Sang thought this because when he traveled to Yundu Mountain, he passed through the capitals of several countries, and the highest-ranking Metropolitan City God was only at the late Nascent Soul stage. In contrast, the immortal sects, like Yundutian, had Void Refinement cultivators presiding over them.

Furthermore, Qin Sang noticed that the Divine Path here surprisingly lacked its own independent cultivation realms.

The Divine Path, derived from the Daoist Court, used the Daoist Court's ranks.

When Gao Ruoxu discussed cultivation realms, he had to borrow terms from the Immortal Path, such as Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment, which seemed incongruous.

The decline of the Divine Path was evident!

He wondered if the Divine Path had not yet greatly flourished in the vast world, failing to form a complete system, or if this place was simply too remote, with limited information access.

"Honored guests, all the dishes are here. Please enjoy your meal!" The waiter placed a bowl of lotus seed soup on the table, called out, and withdrew from the private room.

As he closed the door, the waiter glanced at the table and thought it strange.

Of the several dishes, the portions on the Daoist Priest's and the little girl's side had noticeable gaps, while the elder's side was almost untouched.

"Perhaps the old gentleman has indigestion..." The waiter shook his head, not giving it much thought.

During the meal, the two continued their casual conversation. Qin Sang kept asking questions about the Divine Path, such as the 'Nether Lifespan' Gao Ruoxu had mentioned earlier.

Initially, Qin Sang thought that joining the Divine Path would increase one's lifespan.

If so, would cultivators who performed many good deeds throughout their lives and then, upon realizing the Immortal Path was hopeless, switch to cultivating the Divine Path, essentially live an extra lifetime?

In reality, 'Nether Lifespan' was merely a term used in the Divine Path, as City Gods and other divine spirits often became gods after death.

Cultivating the Divine Path did not add extra lifespan. Elder Sun, who lived for ninety-two years, would still have those ninety-two years counted even after his soul became a god.

However, the Divine Path had a unique advantage that the Immortal Path lacked: at the beginning of cultivation, by accepting offerings and consuming incense in the City God Temple, the speed of cultivation advancement would be very rapid.

More than half of the netherworld envoys under Gao Ruoxu possessed strength comparable to early Foundation Establishment cultivators, with the weakest equivalent to the twelfth or thirteenth layer of Qi Condensation—none of them were mediocre.

Therefore, being guided to godhood after one's mortal lifespan ended did not hinder cultivation.

Furthermore, according to Gao Ruoxu, divine cultivators of comparable realms indeed had a slightly longer lifespan than immortal cultivators.

There were indeed immortal cultivators who switched to cultivating the Divine Path, but achieving significant accomplishments was not easy.

The higher the realm, the more difficult Divine Path cultivation became.

Gao Ruoxu himself had an early Golden Core cultivation base. However, according to him, within Fuchun Prefecture, where Beikuo County was located, only two county City Gods, including himself, were at the Golden Core realm. Both were stationed in the north to guard against demons descending from the deep mountains and causing trouble.

"Daoist Priest, do you have any particular destination for your current travels down the mountain?" Gao Ruoxu put down his wine cup and suddenly asked.

Qin Sang shook his head. "I wish to experience worldly affairs, hoping to gain some enlightenment through it. I wander aimlessly. Fellow Daoist Gao, rest assured, I will not stay long in Beikuo County, nor will I harm the common people."

"Since Daoist Priest was able to secure a divine title for the Willow Demon, it's clear you are a person of great righteousness. Your brief stay in Beikuo County would be a blessing for the people; how could I possibly mind?"

As Gao Ruoxu spoke, he raised his right hand. Smoke condensed in his palm, forming a golden token that floated towards Qin Sang.

Qin Sang reached out and took it, seeing the characters 'Beikuo' on the token, which emitted a unique fluctuation. "What is this?"

"This is a City God Token. As you travel through my country of Liu, you may encounter inconveniences. Holding this token will allow you to pass freely without excessive scrutiny. It will also be much more convenient even if you visit other countries," Gao Ruoxu explained.

"I indeed need this item. Many thanks for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Gao." Qin Sang accepted it without ceremony and put it away.

If he wished to conceal his aura, even a Metropolitan City God wouldn't be able to detect him.

However, since he intended to experience worldly affairs, there would inevitably be times when he needed to act. Having this token would save him a lot of trouble explaining himself.

After finishing their meal, the group exited the restaurant.

"Farewell, honored guests!" The waiter, beaming, saw them out. Returning upstairs to clear the table, he noticed that several of the most expensive meat dishes were still half-full. He couldn't resist picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite.

"Pah!" After chewing it twice, the waiter spat it out.

"What kind of meat is this? It's like firewood, completely tasteless! Did the kitchen forget to add salt? How did those people eat it?"

The waiter looked bewildered. He didn't realize that divine spirits consumed vital essence; they absorbed the essence without needing to ingest it.

Upon entering the City God Temple, they were met by Elder Sun, now wearing a white long gown, his appearance greatly changed from before.

The two netherworld envoys had used the accumulated incense power in the temple to reshape Elder Sun's divine soul; he had already stepped onto the Divine Path.

"Greetings, City God!" Seeing Gao Ruoxu, Elder Sun immediately knelt and bowed.

"Elder Sun's divine soul is not yet stable, so it's not suitable for him to engage in combat. For now, he can serve as a scribe in the Swift Reporting Department," Gao Ruoxu arranged for Elder Sun, then gestured to Qin Sang, "Daoist Priest, please."

Qin Sang expressed a wish to tour the City God Temple, and Gao Ruoxu readily agreed.

Under the City God's authority, various departments were established, much like a mortal government office.

For instance, the Department of Rewarding Goodness recorded the good deeds of the county's populace and selected those eligible for divine ascension.

There were also departments like the Archives Department, the Oversight Department, and so on.

Most importantly, the Department of Punishing Evil. Gao Ruoxu personally led Qin Sang to the netherworld prison, where they saw various demons.

There were also cultivators who had once massacred mortals. Some had their cultivation crippled, while others, whose misdeeds were not severe, only had their cultivation sealed and were detained there.

Qin Sang's thoughts on this were: "The Divine Path's governance is indeed more orderly than that of the sects in the Storm Realm. At least mortals are no longer mere sacrificial dogs to be casually slaughtered. However, the Immortal Path is still the most prosperous here. I wonder what Yundutian's true attitude towards the Divine Path is..."

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

"My lord, Daoist Priest Qingfeng has departed south on the wind," a netherworld envoy hastily reported after Qin Sang left.

Gao Ruoxu, holding an iron brush, was writing something on a silver piece of paper, each stroke incredibly heavy.

Without lifting his head, he hummed in acknowledgment. "Have all the mountain gods and earth spirits been notified?"

"Reporting, my lord, all have been notified and ordered to gather at Chenxi Mountain by the third quarter past noon," the netherworld envoy reported respectfully, then hesitated. "My lord, since even you cannot fully discern Daoist Priest Qingfeng's cultivation, why not ask for his assistance?"

Gao Ruoxu finished his last stroke, and the silver paper transformed into a silver ray of light, disappearing into his sleeve.

Gazing towards the south of the city, Gao Ruoxu frowned slightly. "This person's origins are unknown, and one cannot easily fathom their intentions. We have been preparing for a long time; it's best not to let outsiders get involved, lest the news leaks and those demons become aware in advance."

Outside the city.

Qin Sang hadn't gone far. He stood on a hillside, looking at Beikuo County.

As night deepened, the city gates were closed, and only scattered lights remained within the city.

In the desolate eastern suburbs of the city, a chilling wind suddenly arose. Under the moonlight, shadowy figures moved in strict formation, sweeping northeastward with the ghostly wind, disappearing into the mountains and forests in a blink of an eye.

Qin Sang slightly raised his head, his gaze profound, piercing through the mountains. He then mounted his horse.

"We should go too. That aura in the mountains—the forces of Beikuo County alone might stumble."