e banquet lasted a full hour before it finally came to an end.
Sun Yourong specially arranged for a bodyguard to act as Lu Chen’s designated driver and take him back to Cloud Peak Villa.
Watching the car lights fade into the distance, Sun Dechang, Old Wu, and Sun Yourong stood shoulder to shoulder.
Old Wu took a deep breath and said with emotion, “Once young friend Lu rises to the ranks of the rising elites, the north of the city is bound to see some changes.”
Sun Dechang, however, was full of confidence. “Don’t worry. With Xiao Chen’s abilities, the Zhao family may not be able to suppress him. If they really dare to act recklessly, my Sun family… will never stand by and do nothing.”
Old Wu looked at the grandfather and granddaughter pair, stroked his beard, and smiled. “A pity my Wu family doesn’t have a daughter of suitable age. Otherwise, I’d definitely compete with your Sun family for him.”
“Grandpa Wu~” Sun Yourong was so embarrassed that even her neck turned red.
“Hahaha.” Sun Dechang laughed proudly, then shifted the topic. “Old Wu, what about you? You’re such a sly one—I’m afraid you won’t let this opportunity slip either, will you?”
Old Wu chuckled softly. “If the Zhao family really goes too far… then my Wu family is willing to help out too!”
Sun Dechang gave Old Wu a hearty pat and pointed at him with a laugh. “You old thing! No wonder your attunement with Lord Wenchang is so high! In half a day’s time, you’ve gained a Kitchen God and gotten yourself connected to this soon-to-be rising elite. When it comes to playing mind games, I, Sun Dechang, still have to hand it to you!”
Old Wu’s expression didn’t change at first, then he burst into loud laughter.
“Then let’s just wait and see how the Zhao family and the Lu family clash. It’ll also be a good test of what means this soon-to-be rising family head actually has up his sleeve!”
“Deal!”
In their conversation, these two figures who commanded respect throughout Jiangdu had already begun looking forward to the waves about to rise in the north of the city.
Hearing this, Sun Yourong’s eyes showed worry.
The gap between a rising elite and a great family—though not quite like an egg striking a rock—was still like a fierce dog fighting a starving wolf.
Wanting to stand on equal footing with the Zhao family in the north of the city—how easy was that?
After all, the Zhao family had already suppressed every rising elite in the north of the city.
No matter how strong Lu Chen was, he couldn’t possibly ask a deity to intervene in mortal affairs.
The struggles of mortals must ultimately be resolved by mortals themselves.
Forty minutes later, Cloud Peak Villa.
Lu Chen first took a refreshing bath, then immediately began transcribing the nine volumes of the Minor Three Classics and the Complete Book of Kitchen Worship.
The latter was an essential scripture for the [Inviting the Sage] ritual.
Daoist fasting and ritual ceremonies were extremely rigorous, and the rituals themselves were often quite similar.
Different deities required different scriptures to be recited.
For example, this time, the goal was to re-infuse spiritual essence into the [Smoke and Fire Register], so the Complete Book of Kitchen Worship was needed.
Additionally, a ritual tool capable of clarifying all things was required.
So a Bagua treasure mirror was also needed.
Of course, this mirror also had to be made by Lu Chen himself.
“Sigh, a rogue cultivator has no status.” Lu Chen sighed softly. “Looks like I’ll need to prepare a full set of ritual tools in the future. To do good work, one must first sharpen one’s tools! Otherwise, when something comes up at the last minute, I’ll be scrambling.”
Lu Chen pushed aside his thoughts and focused on “transcribing.”
Tonight was clearly going to be another sleepless night…
The key point was that these scriptures couldn’t be photocopied. Unlike hell money or heavenly gold, the paper itself was just a carrier.
The related talismans and incantations were the real essence.
The reason scriptures contained merit was because the scriptures themselves had been passed down for thousands of years, enlightening countless people—hence their boundless merit.
Although Lu Chen wasn’t sure why, after transmigrating, these scriptures still had such an effect.
But in any case, even in his previous life, all scriptures used in Daoist rituals had to be hand-copied.
Anyone who dared to photocopy scriptures would be waiting for the Enforcement Hall’s bombarding “loving judgment”!
As time ticked by, second by second.
He transcribed all the way until midnight.
After continuously copying six scriptures, Lu Chen felt dizzy and muddle-headed, nearly about to pass out.
“General!”
At that moment, a female voice suddenly rang out, startling Lu Chen instantly awake, his hair standing on end!
“Who?!”
“General, it’s me!”
A crack was torn open in the space within the room, and a graceful figure floated down. The moment she appeared, she knelt before Lu Chen.
“You’re… that Hu Sanniang from City God Street?” Lu Chen immediately recognized the newcomer—no, the ghost.
“This humble one is indeed she.” Hu Sanniang raised her head, revealing a bewitching smile, then turned serious. “By order of the City God, I’ve come specially to invite you, General. The City God captured the mastermind behind the scenes at midnight tonight!”
“What?!”
Lu Chen’s pupils contracted sharply. “Caught? Where?”
“At City God Street right now!”
“A ghost?”
“No, a fifth-rank spiritual practitioner, currently imprisoned by the City God within City God Street. Would the General prefer to come see for yourself, and let the City God explain the details?”
Lu Chen’s mind raced—capturing the culprit this quickly? And a fifth-rank spiritual practitioner at that?
“Alright, wait a moment!”
Lu Chen didn’t rush. With a flash of the King of Hell’s Token on the back of his hand, the four great underworld deputies appeared in response to his summon.
“General!”
Hu Sanniang was slightly taken aback at the sight, then understood and said with a smile, “Shall we set off now?”
“Hold on!” Lu Chen raised his hand to stop her, then looked at Xie Qingyi and Fan Rusong. “Are the Seventh and Eighth Lords available right now?”
The two women exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.
“Then please ask the Seventh and Eighth Lords to come up here.”
“At your command, General!”
Xie and Fan wasted no words, transforming into green smoke and returning to the underworld.
Hu Sanniang: “…”
Lu Chen grinned. “Forgive me. I like lively occasions—the more people, the merrier.”
“N-no problem at all.”
Hu Sanniang responded with an awkward smile.
Lu Chen waited quietly.
The reason he didn’t summon Zhong Kui to appear for now was that he didn’t want to bother him.
After all, a True Lord wasn’t like an underworld deputy—he was certainly busy.
For now, he was only going to City God Street. Having the Seventh and Eighth Lords as escorts was enough. If something went wrong, he could summon more then.
A moment later, four streams of green smoke reappeared in the room.
“General!”
Xie Bi’an and Fan Wujiu cupped their hands in salute.
Lu Chen returned the gesture with clasped fists. “I’ll have to trouble the Seventh and Eighth Lords to accompany me to City God Street. This junior is immensely grateful.”
“The General is too kind. It is our honor!”
Xie Bi’an and Fan Wujiu were happy to oblige—this lord was generous, and he certainly wouldn’t let them work for nothing.
“Good, then let’s go.”
Lu Chen stood steady under the protection of the six great underworld deputies.
Hu Sanniang was caught between laughter and tears. With a flick of her sleeve, she summoned a ritual tool that hovered above Lu Chen’s head, immediately forming a protective barrier around him.
“This is the City God Brush. It will protect the General from being eroded by the yin energy of City God Street.”
Having said that, she summoned another seal-platform treasure and once again tore open space.
“The City God Seal!” Lu Chen recognized the object at a glance.
Previously, the Prefectural City God had also had such a treasure floating around him.
Except compared to the Prefectural City God’s, Li Chenghuang’s was clearly of a much lower grade.
“General, please!”
Lu Chen nodded and stepped into the crack, the six great underworld deputies following close behind.
In the blink of an eye, everyone descended upon City God Street once more.
But this time, their landing point wasn’t at the city gate—they arrived directly at the City God Hall.
“General!!”
Li Chenghuang immediately came forward with a smile, cupping his hands in salute.
“City God, what’s this?”
Lu Chen was startled when he saw the other’s appearance.
The City God was actually wearing a mask that completely covered his face.
“General, allow me to explain.” Hu Sanniang took over. “The reason we were able to capture the culprit so quickly this time is entirely because the City God used a secret City God technique to travel through local time and space to find this villain’s trail. But this technique comes at a great cost—it requires using divine lifespan as a catalyst, and within a short time, one’s appearance withers. That’s why the City God wears a mask, so as not to frighten the General.”
“A secret City God technique?!”
The six great underworld deputies all gasped in unison.
Xie Bi’an bowed with clasped hands, his expression one of solemn respect. “My Lord, this price… is far too heavy!”
Li Chenghuang seemed unconcerned by the arrival of the six underworld deputies. He waved his hand and said, “Bi’an, you exaggerate. I already made a grave mistake in this corpse liberation case. Now, mending the fold after the sheep is lost—it’s already too late. As long as I can capture the true culprit and keep the city’s people safe, I am content. What matters a mere bit of lifespan?”
Then he looked at Hu Sanniang and scolded, “Don’t spread alarmist talk and disturb the General.”
Hu Sanniang cupped her hands, tears glistening in her eyes. “If the General doesn’t believe it, you may ask the City God to remove his mask and see for yourself.”
Hearing this, Lu Chen made a solemn bow. “My Lord, may I ask you to remove your mask and let me take a look?”
“This…” Li Chenghuang sighed helplessly. “Very well… I only hope it doesn’t frighten the General.”
He slowly removed his mask, revealing his true face.
—Hiss!!
The moment he saw the face beneath the mask.
Lu Chen gasped sharply.
The Li Chenghuang before him was nothing like the jade-faced, awe-inspiring figure from just half a day ago.
He looked like a dried-up corpse!
“So it really is the secret City God technique!!” The six great underworld deputies were even more stirred at the sight.
If it were a spell to alter one’s appearance.
Underworld deputies like Xie Qingyi might not be able to tell.
But Xie Bi’an and his brother would certainly be able to distinguish it at a glance.
“My Lord, your deed fills me with boundless admiration! On behalf of all the people of Jiangdu, I thank you for your grace!”
Lu Chen bowed deeply.
“The General is too kind. This is merely my duty!”
Li Chenghuang hurriedly put his mask back on and reached out to help Lu Chen up.
“If I’ve frightened the General, I hope you’ll forgive me.” Li Chenghuang cupped his hands in apology.
“Not at all!”
At this moment, Lu Chen’s impression of this Li Chenghuang had changed dramatically.
To pay such a price—his own divine lifespan—to capture the true culprit… just that sense of responsibility alone was worthy of respect.
“My Lord, shall we go see the criminal now?”
“I’ll have to trouble you to lead the way.”
“This way, please!”
Li Chenghuang led the way, and everyone arrived at a side hall.
Before they even got close, they heard waves of roaring: “Let me out! How can City God Street imprison a living person? You’re violating the heavenly rules! Let me out!”
“My Lord, this is the villain!”
Arriving before the hall, Lu Chen peeked inside. There, a man with disheveled hair and a face full of scars was bound by several chains, struggling without pause.
Seeing Lu Chen, the man became even more deranged. “Who are you?! You’re not an underworld deputy! You’re a living person too! Quick, let me out!”
“Let you out, my ass! Evil cultivator!”
Lu Chen shouted angrily, then turned and asked, “City God, what’s this person’s background?”
“Reporting to the General, this man’s surname is Qiu. He is not a native of Jiangdu. Checking his Book of Life and Death, his ancestral home is in Xiangnan. Since his mortal lifespan is not yet exhausted, his specific life details have not yet been recorded. And because he is a living person, I cannot conveniently use soul-searching techniques—such acts harm the harmony of heaven. I hope the General will understand.”
Lu Chen’s brow furrowed tightly. What? Xiangnan again?!
Why does this place produce so many evil cultivators?!
From yesterday until now, I’ve written a total of fourteen thousand words.
I’m… numb.
