Without any further hesitation, Lu Chen clasped his hands and bowed. “Elder Brother, your wisdom is impeccable! I was thinking the same thing myself. Besides, it pains me to see you dwelling in such a run-down and neglected place. Right now, I don’t have the means to establish a new temple for you. But once I’ve built up my strength and resources, I swear I will construct a resplendent golden hall in your honor, upholding the true name of the God of Wealth.”
The God of Wealth’s voice trembled. “You would build a temple for me? Worthy brother, do you truly mean that?”
Lu Chen’s words were firm and resolute. “I truly mean it!”
A long silence followed from the God of Wealth.
Just as Lu Chen was about to ask if something was wrong, the deity’s voice suddenly surged with emotion. “Excellent! Wonderful! My worthy brother, I knew I had not misjudged you! For years, my incense offerings have dwindled. I was nearly ready to give up and let fate take its course. I never imagined the Heavenly Dao would take pity on me and allow me to meet someone as loyal and righteous as you. My dear brother, words cannot fully express my gratitude. You have reignited my hope and confidence, and I, in turn, will dedicate all my power to ensure your path to wealth flows smoothly and that you are never trapped by financial worries!”
Hearing this, Lu Chen was just as moved, his voice shaking with emotion. “Elder Brother, rest assured! I will never forget this oath!”
The God of Wealth cried out, “Worthy brother!!”
Lu Chen answered in kind, “Elder Brother!!”
The God of Wealth: “Worthy brother!!”
Lu Chen: “Elder Brother!!”
If anyone had been watching this pair of seasoned performers in their “mutual rush of sentiment,” they would surely have given them a slow clap and a thumbs-up for dramatic flair.
After the moment of heartfelt intensity passed, the God of Wealth gradually calmed down. “Worthy brother, let us proceed according to the plan! However, I must caution you: if you wish to reach the rank of Third-Grade Spiritualist as quickly as possible, your best course of action is still to serve a Martial Deity. Here’s what you should do: go and choose one, then inform me of your choice. If it happens to be a deity I am acquainted with, I can put in a good word for you and give you a leg up!”
Whoa!
Having connections in high places really does make everything easier!
This is incredible!
Lu Chen quickly responded, “Elder Brother, your kindness knows no bounds! I will remember this well!”
The God of Wealth chuckled. “Why stand on ceremony with me? Time is getting on. Let’s end our conversation here for today. I will await your news!”
Lu Chen bowed deeply. “I respectfully bid you farewell, Elder Brother!”
The golden light within the statue faded away and vanished.
“Whew…”
Lu Chen let out a long, deep breath.
Today’s haul was like winning the jackpot while eating spicy peppers—he was on fire and couldn’t lose!
Not only had he confirmed the effectiveness of the offerings, but he had also become sworn brothers with the God of Wealth and received both a divine artifact and a magical ability.
Most importantly, from this day forward, he officially had an ally up in Heaven!
“It seems that with the right skill and offerings, even immortals are hard-pressed to resist.”
Lu Chen knew that Chai Rong had been a benevolent and upright emperor in his mortal life, a ruler who loved his people like his own children.
If even such a heroic sovereign couldn’t resist the allure of incense offerings and virtuous merit, then what hope did other minor, unorthodox gods have?
Lu Chen felt as if a grand, broad highway had just unfurled before him.
Since the Heavenly Court had used divine power and magic to pry open the door to the mortal world, he could just as easily use offerings and virtuous merit to swing open the gates of Heaven!
“Before long, the title of ‘Best-Connected Man in the Three Realms’ will belong to me, and me alone!”
After indulging in a brief fantasy of his glorious future, Lu Chen swiftly tidied up the mess on the ground. He carefully collected the remaining paper ash into a cloth pouch and placed it back inside his bag, ensuring no traces were left behind.
Now that he thought about it, moving the God of Wealth to his home truly was a necessity.
Performing rituals was bound to be a conspicuous affair. A public temple, with its crowds and prying eyes, was far from ideal for such private matters. Doing it at home would be much more convenient.
“First, I need to find out the price for relocating a divine presence. It’s probably not cheap. But with this new artifact and ability, earning money shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Bringing him home is only a matter of time.”
Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, Lu Chen strode quickly toward the main hall of the temple.
On the way, he decided to test his Treasure-Seeing Eye.
A number appeared above every person’s head, representing their net wealth.
The results…
Negative twenty thousand.
Negative one hundred thousand.
Negative one million.
Two thousand.
Negative three hundred thousand.
Good grief!
Everyone here was drowning in debt!
The only person with a positive balance had a measly two thousand in savings.
“Is this supposed to be a world of deities for everyone, or a world of universal debt?”
Lu Chen muttered a sarcastic remark to himself and immediately deactivated the ability, having no desire to see more.
No wonder everyone was so fervently praying to the God of Wealth. They were all hoping for a windfall to claw their way out of the red.
A fundamental question surfaced in Lu Chen’s mind: Where on earth had all the money gone?
Just then, Lu Chen noticed something odd.
The passersby around him all wore expressions of sheer astonishment when they looked at him. One or two people would have been normal, but everyone had the same reaction.
Finding it peculiar, Lu Chen stopped a man nearby and asked, “Excuse me, sir, why is everyone staring at me like that?”
The man swallowed hard. “Brother, you’ve received a divine blessing, haven’t you?”
It wasn’t a question; it was an exclamation of certainty.
Lu Chen frowned. “How… how can you tell?”
The man looked at him as if he were crazy. “How can I tell? You’re radiating golden light all over! Even a blind man could see it!”
Lu Chen looked down at himself. Sure enough, his entire body was shimmering with distinct golden rays. He hadn’t even noticed it until now.
“Seriously? Does every successful blessing need to be this dramatic? Yesterday it was a shower of gold dust; today I’m practically a golden statue?”
Lu Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The man pressed further, “Brother, which deity did you pray to? Give me a hint.”
A slight smile played on Lu Chen’s lips. “The God of Wealth, Chai Rong. Go ahead and offer your prayers.” With that, he turned and walked away.
“The God of Wealth, Chai Rong? When was there ever a God of Wealth by that name?” The man scratched his head, completely bewildered, assuming Lu Chen was pulling his leg.
As Lu Chen made his way through the temple, his luminous appearance drew gasps and whispers like a trail of sparks and lightning.
“Mommy, look! That man is glowing!” a little girl cried out in wonder.
Lu Chen’s eye twitched. Man? I’m clearly a ‘big brother’! And glowing? What am I, Ultraman Tiga?
“It seems I need to have a word with my Elder Brother next time. Even when bestowing blessings, he shouldn’t make such a spectacle. A low-key, unassuming person like me isn’t suited for such flashy, spotlight-stealing scenes.”
Passing by the Thunder God’s Hall, Lu Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He looked up at the majestic hall, its atmosphere solemn and its incense burners overflowing with offerings. A new thought took root in his mind.
“If I’m going to align myself with a Martial Deity… why not try the Thunder God?”
After all, the Thunder God held the esteemed position of Chief Deity commanding the entire Thunder Department. Thunder magic was the ultimate nemesis of all worldly evil spirits. He was practically the quintessential Martial Deity that every aspiring cultivator sought to serve.
If he could earn the Thunder God’s recognition, those demonic and monstrous trials would become trivial tasks, wouldn’t they? After all, was there any evil copy that couldn’t be resolved with a single bolt of heavenly lightning? And if one bolt wasn’t enough, then two would surely do the trick!
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
To be honest, his previous decision to curry favor with the neglected God of Wealth stemmed purely from his empty pockets. It was a gamble—a long shot to see if he could turn a rusty bicycle into a sleek motorcycle.
But now, Lu Chen was no longer desperate for pocket change. He could afford to try his luck with a more popular and powerful deity. There was no harm in testing the waters!
No sooner said than done.
Lu Chen changed direction and headed toward the incense counter. He could inquire about relocating the God of Wealth later, just before leaving the temple.
“Hello, I’d like twenty sticks of incense for the Thunder God, please.”
At the counter, Lu Chen placed two thousand yuan on the surface.
The female staff member at the incense counter, however, saw Lu Chen bathed in shimmering golden light and her eyes widened in shock. Her face paled. “Wait… you succeeded again?!”
Again? Lu Chen thought. This isn’t the same woman from yesterday. Why is she saying ‘again’?
Puzzled but unwilling to dwell on it, he offered a modest smile. “Just a stroke of luck, that’s all.”
“A stroke of luck? With odds like that?” she sputtered, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Look at yourself! You’re glowing so brightly you could replace a lamp! How immense must the blessing be? I strongly suggest you go measure your Divine Favor right now! This is unreal!”
Lu Chen was taken aback. Was his blessing truly that extraordinary? Even a temple staff member, who must have seen countless strange sights, was this flustered? It seemed unlikely.
He nodded with a wry smile. “Alright, I’ll go check it. Please give me the incense first.”
The woman quickly handed him the twenty sticks.
“Thank you.”
Lu Chen took the incense and walked toward the Divine Favor testing station.
He currently had no connection whatsoever with the Thunder God. His Divine Favor with that deity was zero, which meant he could only purchase the cheapest incense.
However, he was only willing to give the Thunder God these twenty chances. If all twenty attempts failed to establish a connection, he would abandon this particular pursuit.
After all, it had only taken a single stick of incense to reach the God of Wealth. Even if the Thunder God’s temple enjoyed far greater popularity, he couldn’t possibly be twenty times more effective or valuable than a peer like Chai Rong from the Wealth Department, could he?
With these thoughts running through his mind, Lu Chen arrived at the testing station. A sizable crowd had already gathered behind him, and even several temple staff members had drifted over, drawn by the commotion.
Lu Chen could only shake his head in exasperation. “Looks like I’ll need to buy a watch like Li Ruoyi’s so I can check these things privately without causing a scene every time.”
He stepped up to the window. “Hello, I’d like to test my Divine Favor, please.”
As usual, he extended his hand into the testing alcove.
“I wonder what my Divine Favor score will be this time…”
Lu Chen murmured to himself, his heart thumping with anticipation.
He was eager to find out just how much his generous Elder Brother valued their bond. Were they truly brothers in heart and spirit, or was the deity merely playing a clever game with him?
The answer would be revealed in moments!
