“Strange, how can there be nothing?”
Lu Chen searched carefully, not once but twice.
He didn’t just check the main hall and side halls. He even went through the densely packed list of names in the rear courtyard, reading each one.
But the result was the same: he couldn’t find Ma Gu or Yanshou Siming.
“Could it be that Zhao Family Temple doesn’t have spirit tablets for these two deities?”
Lu Chen’s heart skipped a beat. This was bad news. Theoretically, the possibility couldn’t be ruled out.
Refusing to believe it, he searched again, meticulously and thoroughly.
The result… well, damn it all, they really weren’t there!
“This is a disaster!”
Earlier, Lu Chen had thought the Zhao Family Temple was large enough and had plenty of deities.
But looking now, with all the various gods and immortals combined, only about eighty or ninety were enshrined here.
That’s not even a quarter of the Heavenly Court’s divine roster.
“And it has to fail me at this crucial moment?”
Lu Chen was genuinely exasperated.
How could he make an offering without a spirit tablet?
And without making an offering, how could he accept the mission?
If even a civil temple like Zhao Family Temple lacked those two immortals,
Then the chances of finding them at martial temples like the Qian or Sun family temples were even lower.
The Wang Family Temple, also a civil temple, might possibly have them.
But how could Lu Chen convince the Sun family to trust him, to go through all the trouble of accompanying him to the Wang Family Temple to make an offering?
And what if the Wang Family Temple didn’t have those two immortals either? Then it would all be for nothing!
Lu Chen knew deep down that only by resolving the issue right here at Zhao Family Temple did he stand any chance of taking on this task!
“What do I do? What do I do?”
Lu Chen was so anxious he was scratching his head and tugging at his ears.
The opportunity was right in front of him, yet he’d been blindsided by this sudden, unforeseen obstacle.
His mood was utterly dejected. His gaze wandered aimlessly over the deity registry map.
Just then!
Two lines of text abruptly leaped into his field of vision—
Above were four prominent characters: “The Netherworld.”
Below was a smaller line of text: “Hall of Yama.”
Seeing these two lines, Lu Chen’s brow furrowed sharply. Words almost instinctively popped into his mind.
“King Yama… the Book of Life and Death… the Great Sage Who Balances the Books… those monkey subjects on Flower-Fruit Mountain…”
Each word seemed to trigger a chain reaction, naturally leading to the next.
Until the phrase “those monkey subjects on Flower-Fruit Mountain” surfaced—
Boom!
It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind.
“That’s right! How could I have forgotten Him? The ancient deity who governs life and death!”
—King Yama.
Also called Yan Wang, or Lord Yama!
One of the Ten Kings of Hell in the Underworld.
He holds authority over the Book of Life and Death, rewarding good and punishing evil, judging the fates of both the living and the dead, and maintaining order in the Netherworld.
At the same time, He serves as the crucial nexus connecting the realms of the living and the dead.
On one hand, He summons souls and determines the hour of one’s death.
There’s a common folk saying: “If King Yama decrees your death at the third watch, who dares keep you alive until the fifth?” This illustrates the absolute authority of His life-and-death judgments.
On the other hand, King Yama also possesses the power to restore souls to the living and bestow additional years of life.
This is recorded in various ancient mythological texts.
With a single stroke of King Yama’s pen in the Book of Life and Death,
A departed soul can return to the mortal world and live again.
In Journey to the West, Sun Wukong wreaks havoc in the Underworld and tears up the Book of Life and Death,
Thereby allowing that generation of monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain to escape the cycle of reincarnation and live as long as heaven itself.
If we’re talking purely about extending life, which deity could possibly be more formidable than King Yama?
Even the Longevity Star himself would probably have to step aside.
After all, whether it’s the Longevity Star, Ma Gu, or even Yanshou Siming,
Their abilities are mostly about providing timely help or adding a little extra to one’s lifespan—just padding the health bar a bit.
Those who receive their blessings ultimately cannot escape sickness, old age, and death. They will, in the end, turn to dust.
King Yama, on the other hand, is different.
If He truly wants someone to live, He genuinely has the power to make them live on and on.
The prerequisite, of course, is that He is willing to do so.
Furthermore, King Yama represents an absolutely supreme “cold stove” deity!
And not just Him. The entire divine system of the Netherworld is almost exclusively composed of such supremely neglected “cold stoves.”
Emperor Fengdu is no exception.
After all, what decent person goes around casually praying to King Yama?
Aren’t they afraid of inviting bad luck?
People speak of Him with dread, avoiding any mention, let alone making offerings.
In the entire Underworld, only the highest-ranking leader, Empress Houtu, receives somewhat decent offerings.
That’s because she holds the exalted status of an ancient super-powerhouse, one of the great creator gods. Her identity and standing are in a completely different league compared to those Netherworld deities.
His thoughts racing, Lu Chen swiftly made his decision. “You’re the one! King Yama!”
He spun around and strode rapidly back toward the Hall of the Longevity Star.
Inside the hall, despair hung heavy like a tide.
Sun Qingcang slumped in his chair, his expression withered, as if all his strength had been drained away.
His wife, Madam Song, covered her face with her sleeve, her sobs unceasing.
Their son and daughter were equally despondent, at a complete loss.
Zhao Zhihong, seeing that this couldn’t continue and that the Hall of the Longevity Star still needed to conduct business, leaned closer to Sun Qingcang and offered quiet consolation:
“Chairman Sun, don’t lose heart. The Old Master hasn’t reached that point yet. I see there’s still a chance. If all else fails, perhaps try seeking out those two. With Chairman Sun’s connections and resources, there’s bound to be a glimmer of hope.”
Sun Qingcang’s lips moved slightly. In the end, he just nodded weakly. “Supervisor Zhao, I appreciate your concern. It’s getting late; we won’t impose on your temple any further. Yourong!”
Sun Yourong understood. She took a card from her purse and offered it to Zhao Zhihong. “Supervisor Zhao, for your trouble. A small token of our appreciation. Please accept it.”
Zhao Zhihong quickly demurred. “You’re far too kind, Miss Sun. Given the relationship between our families, this is hardly necessary.”
Sun Qingcang forced himself to stand and waved a hand. “Take it. And please send my regards to the Zhao Family Head.”
Sun Yourong directly pressed the card into Zhao Zhihong’s hand.
Zhao Zhihong had no choice but to accept it, nodding repeatedly. “I will certainly convey your message. Please rest assured, Chairman Sun!”
“Let’s go.”
Sun Qingcang waved his hand, his face ashen, as he led the way out.
Outside the hall, the pilgrims automatically parted to make a path.
Sun Qingcang gazed at the distant setting sun, the dying rays like blood, a sight that only deepened his feeling of desolation.
“Father, your son has done all he could!”
He gritted his teeth secretly, each step feeling incredibly heavy.
“Please wait!”
But just then, a clear, sharp shout suddenly rang out, like a thunderclap exploding in the air, startling everyone around!
Everyone turned to look toward the sound.
At the far end of the path opened by the crowd,
Lu Chen stood quietly in the distance, facing the Sun family members directly.
Sun Qingcang furrowed his brow, a look of confusion on his face.
Behind him, Zhao Zhihong was also stunned. This kid again? He hasn’t left yet?
Before Zhao could utter a reprimand,
Lu Chen had already strode forward confidently, his voice ringing out clear and strong: “Head of the Sun Family, if I have a way to beseech blessings and extend life for your father, would you be willing to let me try?!”
BOOM!!!
These words were like a massive boulder crashing into a deep pool, instantly sending waves surging in all directions!
A commotion erupted outside the Hall of the Longevity Star.
“Isn’t that… the lucky fellow who just received that destined affinity?”
“Yeah! How can a guy who prays to the God of Wealth suddenly know how to extend life?”
Many pilgrims recognized Lu Chen, and murmurs of discussion rose all around.
The expressions of the Sun family members changed drastically.
Sun Qingcang’s face underwent a violent shift. He asked urgently, his voice filled with disbelief: “What did you say? You can also beseech blessings and offer prayers for longevity?!”
“Utter nonsense!”
The response came not from Lu Chen, but from Zhao Zhihong nearby, his voice a harsh reprimand.
Zhao Zhihong stepped forward, pointing at Lu Chen angrily. “You brat, what kind of gibberish are you spouting here?! Have you no regard for where you stand? Is this a place for you to run wild? Get lost!”
He then turned to Sun Qingcang. “Chairman Sun, you absolutely must not believe his tall tales! This man has only ever made offerings to two deities: one is Emperor Wenchang, and the other is ‘Lord Fortune,’ a god so obscure you’ve probably never even heard of Him. What could he possibly know about methods for seeking blessings and extending life?!”
“That’s right.”
Many among the pilgrims echoed this sentiment.
Hearing this, the tiny spark of hope that had just flickered to life in Sun Qingcang was instantly extinguished.
“You little punk, you dare toy with us?!”
Behind him, Sun Xingwen, the Sun family’s second son, flew into a rage upon hearing this.
At this critical juncture, someone actually dared to mock them?
How many lives did this kid have to spare?
Had he lost his mind and developed a death wish?!
