But then, Lu Chen changed his tune: “However, I’ve already pushed back all those conditions. I’ve signed a separate agreement with your old rival—Yu Feng, the City Lord. From now on, if even one person among the three thousand cult members commits an offense, I’ll be held jointly responsible. That means I’ve essentially vouched for all three thousand of you…”
“Cult Leader!!”
Hearing this, the two of them turned pale. They couldn’t believe it, nor could they fathom how their young cult leader could possess such audacious boldness.
Lu Chen raised a hand to stop them: “So from this day forward, we’re all in the same boat—grasshoppers tied to the same string, as they say. If one prospers, we all prosper; if one falls, we all fall. But I trust that with the two of your capabilities, you should be able to assist me in managing these three thousand people well.”
Zeng Rou immediately spoke in a grave tone: “Please rest assured, Cult Leader. Your subordinate will give it her all and will never let you down!”
Wang Zhidong chimed in as well: “That’s right. Elder Zeng has always managed the cult’s affairs and holds great prestige. With her assistance, things will certainly be twice as effective with half the effort. And of course, your subordinate will also do his utmost to share the Cult Leader’s burdens!”
Lu Chen nodded slightly. “Although the Raksha Cult will cease to exist from now on, its true mission has only just begun!”
At this point, Wang Zhidong timidly interjected: “Speaking of which, there’s one thing your subordinate would like to ask the Cult Leader.”
“Go ahead.”
“Will we still be able to worship the Ancient Gu Ancestor from now on? After all, our divine abilities all come from the Ancestor’s favor.”
Zeng Rou’s gaze sharpened as she perked up her ears.
It didn’t matter if the Raksha Cult ceased to exist—but if they could no longer worship the Ancestor, wouldn’t that mean their strength would be stuck at its current level for the rest of their lives?
Unless they switched to worshipping some other deity.
But switching deities was no easy task. Not only would they have to start from scratch, but there was also a good chance their identities would be rejected by the new deity, leading to direct backlash.
Lu Chen smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve already thought this through for you. From now on, you don’t need to worship the Ancient Gu Ancestor anymore.”
The two felt their hearts tighten, and worry instantly crept onto their faces.
But the very next moment, Lu Chen’s words struck like a thunderclap, earth-shattering: “From this day forth, all of you shall instead worship one of the Eight Department Righteous Gods of the Heavenly Court—the Lord of the Plague Department, the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor!!”
“The Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor?!”
Wang Zhidong almost thought he’d misheard.
Worship the sovereign of an entire department—a constellation lord-level deity?
That was simply… wishful thinking!
Take the “Heavenly Lord of Thunderclap and Primordial Resonance” for example—countless people across the realm worshipped him.
But how many actually received his blessings and grew powerful?
Compared to the total number, they were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
After all, for deities, blessings were limited.
The more people they were divided among, the more diluted they became—that was a given.
On top of that, with more worshippers to choose from, the deities’ standards for spiritual practitioners grew higher.
They looked at aptitude, physical potential, sincerity, and so on.
Although the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor was an extremely obscure deity, he wasn’t someone just any ordinary mortal could worship at will.
After all, he was the “Plague Ancestor,” on the same level as the “Thunder Ancestor.”
Of course he had his own requirements.
Not to mention that no major temples had a shrine for the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor.
Worshipping him was actually harder than worshipping a malevolent god.
Seeing their troubled expressions, Lu Chen let out a light laugh. “Don’t be nervous. Let me finish.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and smiled with a hint of mystery. “You two have been worshipping the Ancient Gu Ancestor for so long—have you never noticed that the Raksha Cult’s divine abilities bear quite a resemblance to those of the Plague Department?”
Zeng Rou’s beautiful eyes suddenly contracted. “What the Cult Leader means is…”
“Might as well tell you—the Ancient Gu Ancestor you’ve been worshipping is, in reality, nothing more than a low-ranking soldier under the Plague Department’s Western Plague Envoy.”
“What!!!”
The two were struck as if by five bolts of lightning, frozen in place, their minds completely blank.
“This also explains why, when you went to treat Madam Zheng earlier, everyone else was at a loss while only you could slow the progression of her illness.” Lu Chen turned to Zeng Rou. “That’s because Madam Zheng had been afflicted by ‘Heaven’s Killing Intent’—which is precisely the handiwork of the Plague Department.”
“So that’s it!”
Zeng Rou suddenly understood, furrowing her brows as she murmured: “I did find it strange at the time. Old Master Zheng kept saying Madam Zheng’s condition was incurable, but while I couldn’t eradicate it, I never found it as extreme as he claimed. So that was the reason—I just happened to stumble onto the right solution!?”
“Exactly. You catch on fast.”
Lu Chen felt that this woman would indeed make a fine assistant in the future.
He leaned back, shifting to a more relaxed posture. “And do you know what my position is in the Plague Department?”
Zeng Rou’s mind raced, and an incredible thought surfaced. Her voice trembled slightly: “Could it be that the Cult Leader… holds a divine post in the Plague Department?”
Lu Chen grinned. “If I’m being honest, even your Ancient Gu Ancestor would have to address me as ‘Superior Lord’ if he saw me. I am the Plague Department’s Dharma Protector Deity, personally appointed by the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor as the Plague-Spreading Young Lord—equal in rank to the Five Directional Plague Envoys.”
Boom!!!
At that moment, Zeng and Wang’s already tumultuous emotions surged to the point of near collapse.
They had always believed Lu Chen was merely the Ancient Gu Ancestor’s mortal incarnation.
Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that Lu Chen’s true identity was actually higher than the Ancestor’s.
No wonder he possessed such terrifyingly powerful magical treasures!
They must have been personally bestowed by the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor!
—A holy ancestor descended to the mortal realm…
So this “ancestor” really meant ancestor—as in the big boss of all ancestors!!!
“Please forgive us, Cult Leader! Your subordinates were blind and failed to recognize Your Excellency!!!”
The two instinctively prostrated themselves, foreheads pressed to the ground, their bodies trembling slightly with reverence.
“No harm done. Those who didn’t know are not to blame.” Lu Chen waved dismissively. “From now on, you no longer need to worship the Ancient Gu Ancestor. Worshipping the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor is where the true origin lies. As long as you serve diligently, not to mention cultivation level, magical treasures, or divine abilities—even securing an official position in the Plague Department isn’t out of the question. And when that day comes, even the Ancient Gu Ancestor might have to address you as ‘Lord’ when you meet.”
“Never! Never!”
Yet despite their protests, Lu Chen’s words pierced through to the deepest desires of their hearts like a blazing light, causing their Dao-hearts to throb uncontrollably.
After all, who wouldn’t want to hold a divine post in the Heavenly Court!?
The realm was filled with countless powerful beings, but how many had actually obtained a divine post?
Even landing a position as a mere low-ranking soldier was an unparalleled honor!
And the Cult Leader before them, still young, was already a Dharma Protector Deity of the Plague Department.
It was simply “jaw-dropping”—incredible!
“Cult Leader, please tell us what we need to do—just give the order!”
Zeng Rou suppressed her surging emotions and immediately realized that the “mission” the Cult Leader spoke of must be something extraordinary.
Lu Chen’s expression turned serious, and he gave a slight salute toward the empty air. “I’ve already discussed everything with the Constellation Lord. In the future, if the Plague Department wants to gain more incense offerings in the mortal world, the old methods won’t work anymore. So I’ve proposed that the Plague Department reinvent itself—opening clinics in the mortal realm to do good deeds and accumulate merit. The Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor has bestowed upon me a volume of the Plague Elixir Heavenly Scripture, which can cure any ailment in the mortal world!
At the same time, I will also grant you the divine ability to control plagues. Wherever plagues break out, you can eliminate them yourselves and build a good reputation for the Plague Department.”
Wang Zhidong asked in confusion: “Cult Leader, if the Plague Department is determined to eradicate plagues, then where would plagues even come from?”
Lu Chen chuckled. “Among the Eight Departments of the Heavenly Court, besides the Plague Department, there’s also the Pox Department. They too can bring down calamities and spread plagues. When they inflict disasters, doesn’t that give us the opportunity to cure them?”
Wang Zhidong suddenly saw the light and praised sincerely: “The Cult Leader’s foresight is truly miraculous! Your subordinate is in awe! This plan is brilliant!”
Lu Chen continued: “Besides opening clinics, you also need to actively promote the benefits of the Plague Department’s divine abilities—especially in dealing with malevolent entities and purifying secret realms—where there’s great potential as well.
If you’re interested, you can search online for the recorded footage from a while back, where I used the Plague Department’s divine abilities to break through hundreds of malevolent lairs within seven days.
Then you’ll understand for yourselves how to wield the power of plague to best meet the needs of the people.”
“Yes! Your subordinates understand!”
“Additionally, there’s one more matter I need you two to handle.”
“Please instruct us, Cult Leader.”
Lu Chen flipped his wrist, and a Hell Note appeared between his fingers.
“Hell Note?” Zeng Rou immediately recognized it.
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow. “You know what it is?”
“Reporting to the Cult Leader—while we were waiting for you earlier, Saint Ancestor Madam showed us a Hell Note and explained it. She said this item can be used to offer sacrifices to ancestors and convert into currency in the Netherworld’s underworld. What… what kind of divine ability is this? We’ve never heard of or seen anything like it!”
Zeng Rou felt like her entire worldview had been overturned.
In Xiangnan, she had never even heard of such a thing.
“So my mom told you.” Lu Chen nodded. “That saves me the trouble of explaining. That’s right—this item does have the ability to communicate between the living and the dead, converting into wealth in the underworld. If you have ancestors at home, feel free to try it out later. I’ll give you some.”
“Thank you, Cult Leader! But… can an ordinary item from the mortal world really reach the underworld and be used as currency there?”
Wang Zhidong felt his heartbeat quicken again. Everything he’d seen and heard today was far beyond his comprehension.
Lu Chen smiled calmly. “Alright, since I’ve already said this much, there’s no point in holding back. Let me also reveal another identity of mine. Besides being the Dharma Protector Deity of the Plague Department, I also hold a divine post in the Netherworld’s underworld, having been bestowed the title of ‘Mighty and Righteous Virtue General’ by the Ten Kings of Hell. Minting these Hell Notes is one of the manifestations of that divine post!”
“What!!!!”
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhidong and Zeng Rou felt their hearts stop beating in that very instant.
