“Brother, you must be joking with me, right? You? The King of the Underworld? With worshippers among the living?”
No wonder Li Qi found it so hard to believe.
That Lord God of Wealth was one thing—after all, he’s the God of Wealth, so it made sense that his incense offerings would bounce back.
But the Underworld’s reputation among mortals? It sits at the same table as the Plague Ministry and the Smallpox Ministry. Ordinary people want nothing to do with them.
They were all broke together, and that was that. No one got to laugh at anyone else.
And now you’re telling me you’ve taken off, with thousands of worshippers?
How could Li Qi possibly buy that?
The King of Hell chuckled, stroking his beard. “Don’t be so surprised, my dear brother. This elder brother of yours just happened to stumble upon a lucky break. Besides, what are a few thousand? Mark my words—within a few months, I’ll have tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions or tens of millions of followers!”
Li Qi shook his head harder with every word. “Brother… you’re sounding crazier and crazier. If you really had millions of followers, then aside from those few high immortals with booming incense offerings, you’d be the most illustrious one in all the heavens. Please, don’t tease me like this.”
“You just won’t believe me, will you?” The King of Hell grew more excited as he spoke, his face lighting up as he rattled on. “Guess how many mortal days it took me to get those thousands of worshippers.”
“Don’t tell me… ten years?”
“…”
“Twenty years, then?”
“What are you thinking! If it took me twenty years to get a few thousand followers, would I even have the nerve to bring it up? It took me… barely two days!”
“Absolutely impossible!”
“If I speak even half a word of falsehood, may I be struck down by heavenly thunder!”
Li Qi shot to his feet, his face drained of color. “Truly only two days?”
“Naturally! And the number grows by thousands every single day. At this rate, breaking ten thousand in another two days will be a piece of cake.”
The old King of Hell sat there with his legs crossed, beaming with pride—practically wearing the word “smug” right across his face.
Li Qi’s mind raced. “Brother, could it be that your situation is the same as Lord God of Wealth’s—all thanks to that sworn son of yours?”
The old King of Hell let out an awkward chuckle, thinking to himself: Should I spill the beans that they’re actually the same person?
Nah, that probably wouldn’t be appropriate.
Not to mention that the other party was a full-fledged God of the Treasury, while he himself was just a King of Hell—a full divine rank lower.
And if Lord God of Wealth ever found out that Lu Chen called him “godfather,” wouldn’t he come knocking on his door looking for a fight?
Sure, the God of Wealth wasn’t in charge of warfare, but when gods throw down, there are no rules—they really go for the jugular!
So instead, He just nodded and left that part out. “Indeed, that sworn son of mine has some real talent.”
Li Qi could barely contain his shock. “No wonder you came here even though you knew it was a lost cause. So that’s it. Is taking on sworn brothers and sons really that effective?”
He was clearly getting ideas.
The old King of Hell sighed, though. “But sadly, this elder brother of yours doesn’t have the power to really help my boy out. I’ve dropped the ball this time.”
Li Qi’s eyes flickered with a thought. “Brother, how about we reconsider our arrangement?”
The King of Hell furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”
Li Qi thumped his chest. “This whole ‘Heaven’s Killing Intent’ business—I can’t do much about it. But if your adopted son is willing to make offerings to me, I’ll teach him everything I know from now on! I’m not asking for millions or tens of millions of worshippers—just a hundred thousand followers, and I’ll be more than satisfied!”
“Well…”
The King of Hell was momentarily at a loss for words.
Screw you!
You won’t help, but you want to poach my guy?
I shouldn’t have tried to act so cool earlier.
“So, brother? Can you introduce me?”
Faced with Li Qi’s eager gaze, the old King of Hell found himself in a real bind.
So this is what it feels like to be the one asking for a favor…
It really doesn’t feel good…
Just as the old King of Hell was trying to figure out how to dodge the request—
“Yama! Since you’ve arrived at my domain, why have you not come to pay your respects!”
A divine voice, like a great bell striking, suddenly exploded within the palace, shaking their very souls!
The old King of Hell and Li Qi trembled violently and quickly prostrated themselves on the ground.
“Lord Star Lord, your humble servants are awestruck!”
“Come~”
That divine voice rolled like thunder, its pressure overwhelming.
In an instant, thousands of plague beasts within the Nine Dragons Palace let out a unified cry, their divine might sweeping outward, drawing the attention of passing immortals and gods.
“What’s going on with the Plague Ministry today?”
“No idea. Let’s go, let’s go…”
Seeing the Nine Dragons Palace, the immortals scattered like mortals avoiding the plague, hurrying away without a backward glance.
…
Within the Nine Dragons Palace, above all the other halls.
Where the Poison Dragons and Black Tigers coiled, where the green plague energy was thickest—that was the Plague Emperor’s main hall.
A beam of divine light swept past.
“We pay our respects to the Plague Emperor, Lord Star Lord!”
The King of Hell knelt reverently before the hall, not daring to lift his head.
There, upon the cloud terrace, sat the Plague Emperor’s hundred-zhang divine form, majestic and still, wreathed in divine light like Mount Tai pressing down—breathtaking and suffocating.
Among the Eight Ministry Orthodox Gods, He alone had been granted by the Heavenly Emperor the right to wear a ceremonial crown and imperial robes—an honor of the highest degree.
“Rise.”
“Thank you, Lord Star Lord!”
The King of Hell scrambled to his feet, trembling, careful not to overstep in the slightest.
He knew full well that the Plague Emperor ranked in the top five among the Eight Ministry Orthodox Gods—even surpassing the Water Virtue Star Lord in power.
He was an ancient cultivator who had attained the Dao, with unfathomable abilities.
“May I ask why the Lord Star Lord has summoned your humble servant?”
From the cloud terrace, the Plague Emperor let out a soft laugh: “From the moment you set foot in my Nine Dragons Palace, every word and action of yours has been under my watch. It’s not that I summoned you—rather, you came here because you have a favor to ask.”
The King of Hell was startled, though not entirely surprised.
Once inside this palace, what could possibly escape the Plague Emperor’s divine perception?
But what struck him as odd was that He hadn’t summoned him earlier or later—only after he’d mentioned incense offerings and worshippers.
Could it be…?
The old King of Hell’s thoughts raced—how could he not understand now? He immediately bowed deeply. “Lord Star Lord sees clearly! Since that’s the case, your humble servant will speak frankly. My adopted son is determined to save Lady Zheng, and I truly have no choice but to beg you, Lord Star Lord, to show compassion for his sincere heart!”
From the cloud terrace, the divine voice echoed like rolling thunder: “Lady Zheng was indeed chosen by me. Though she has done good deeds all her life, her karmic trials run deep. After this life, she will enjoy ten lifetimes of glory and wealth. However…”
He paused, and the King of Hell held his breath.
“If you truly wish to save her, I am not without the means to grant him a chance.”
“Lord Star Lord is merciful!” The King of Hell knelt once more. “I beg you to enlighten me!”
“No rush.” The Plague Emperor’s divine eyes opened slightly. “You used such a little scheme just to catch my attention. Why not tell me in full about your connection with that boy, and let me hear it.”
Huh?!
A flicker of confusion passed through the old King of Hell’s innocent eyes.
A scheme?
I wasn’t scheming at all…
I was just showing off a moment ago…
But since the Plague Emperor said so…
Well, fine—scheme it is~
Not daring to hold anything back, the King of Hell gave a concise account of how he’d come to know Lu Chen.
Of course, he had the good sense not to mention anything about the Lord God of Wealth.
Luckily, the Plague Emperor had no interest in rummaging through his soul and didn’t grow suspicious.
“I see…”
From the cloud terrace, the Plague Emperor chuckled lightly: “It seems this boy does have some resourcefulness, knowing how to adapt to circumstances and turn situations to his advantage.”
The Poison Dragon plague beast coiled around the hall’s pillar looked up in surprise, as if taken aback by the Star Lord’s sudden change in mood.
“To answer you, Lord Star Lord—though the boy can be reckless at times, he certainly has his strengths. His methods hit right where it counts, and he’s practically breathed new life into the Underworld’s long-stagnant state. That’s why I can’t bear to let his sincerity go to waste, and even knowing that Heaven’s Killing Intent is difficult to overturn, I still wanted to try.”
“You are a man of loyalty yourself.” The Plague Emperor paused for a moment, then declared in a clear voice: “Very well, then go. Tell him—if he wishes to pray to a god, I will wait for him to come and ask me himself.”
“Yes!” The King of Hell acknowledged the order, but the next instant, his massive frame trembled, and he looked up in utter disbelief: “Lord Star Lord, you… you said you’ll personally meet with him…?”
“What, is that not acceptable?”
A surging divine might instantly filled the great hall, and in that moment, the entire main hall began to tremble.
The old King of Hell felt like a speck of duckweed on a raging sea, utterly insignificant.
He quickly kowtowed: “Your humble servant would never dare! I will deliver the message at once.”
“Remember—tell him to think carefully before he speaks with me.”
“Your will be done!”
No sooner had he spoken than the Poison Dragon plague beast let out a deafening roar, as if urging him to leave at once.
The King of Hell dared not linger. After bowing respectfully, he hurried down to the mortal realm.
As his figure vanished…
Upon the cloud terrace, the Plague Emperor’s divine eyes swirled with myriad shifting lights.
It seemed He was making some kind of calculation in His mind…
…
Meanwhile, two full days had passed in the mortal world.
Inside the study of One Manor, Zheng Changguo looked at Lu Chen, who stood motionless by the window, and let out a soft sigh as he approached. “Young friend Lu.”
Lu Chen turned around. “Elder Zheng.”
Zheng Changguo forced a faint smile. “Whether this works out or not, you’ve done all you can. I’m deeply grateful.”
“Elder Zheng is too kind. I don’t dare take any credit—after all… I’m doing this for my own sake too.”
“You are refreshingly honest. Still, if there’s no news today, how about I have someone escort you back?”
Lu Chen furrowed his brow slightly, about to reply, when a sudden burning sensation flared up on the back of his hand!
His pupils contracted sharply.
“It’s here!!”
Without time to explain, Lu Chen dashed toward the study.
Behind him, Zheng Changguo and Secretary Fan exchanged bewildered glances.
The next moment, Zheng Changguo’s entire body trembled violently, tears nearly spilling from his aged eyes…
It’s here?
It’s actually here?!
…
Inside the study, black mist swirled, blotting out the daylight.
A faint phantom of Yama appeared, but for a long while, there was no sound.
“Godfather! You’ve had me worried sick! What’s going on?”
After waiting two whole days, Lu Chen was about to lose his mind.
And now that they’d finally connected, there was nothing but silence?
“You brat.”
The King of Hell’s voice finally came through, but his tone was unusually grave, sending a chill through Lu Chen’s heart.
Not good!
That tone… did he fail?
But then…
“I fought for this chance on your behalf. Whether it works out or not is all up to you now.”
Holy crap!
It actually worked!?
“Listen carefully. The one you need to pray to is one of the Eight Ministry Orthodox Gods of the Heavenly Court, the one who commands all the immortals of the Plague Ministry. His divine title is—Plague Heavenly Emperor!”
As soon as the words landed…
BUZZ!!!
Lu Chen’s head spun, his ears ringing nonstop.
He could hardly believe what he’d just heard.
“Godfather, who did you say? The Plague Heavenly Emperor? The number one orthodox god of the Plague Ministry?”
“That’s right! But don’t interrupt—listen closely…”
The King of Hell carefully recounted the whole audience with the Star Lord.
“I figure, if we use incense offerings as the bait, there’s probably an eighty percent chance of success!”
“Got it. I know what to do. Thank you, Godfather!”
So it turned out that the Plague Ministry got all riled up when they heard the Underworld was booming.
After a pause, Lu Chen had a question: “Godfather, does the Plague Ministry only deal in plagues? Logically, as righteous gods of the Heavenly Court, they should be protecting the people, shouldn’t they…”
“Who told you the Plague Ministry only sends plagues? In ancient times, the Plague Ministry governed natural disasters and diseases—they could send calamities, but they could also remove them. But as the ages passed, mortals only remembered the calamities they sent, forgetting their power to dispel them. Over time, the incense offerings dried up, and the immortals of the Plague Ministry had no choice but to walk the path of punishing sins on Heaven’s behalf. Everything in this world is just a matter of following the tide of the times and survival of the fittest. Mortals are like that… and so are gods.”
Lu Chen nodded solemnly. “I understand!”
“Remember—you must plan this thoroughly. You only get one chance!”
“Thank you, Godfather!”
As the black mist dissipated, Lu Chen walked slowly to the window, his heart surging with emotion.
He hadn’t expected to be going head-to-head with the chief orthodox god of an entire ministry so soon!
Even if it was the fearsome Plague Ministry…
This Plague Heavenly Emperor stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of the Thunder Lord, the Mother of the Dipper, the Fire Virtue Star Lord, the Water Virtue Star Lord, and the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming!
“Send calamities and remove calamities, punishing sins on Heaven’s behalf?” Lu Chen’s gaze sharpened. “Looks like it’s time to bring my talents… to the Plague Ministry!”
Half a day later, the sun set over Qianjiang City, its streets and alleys coming alive with evening lights.
Inside the study, fully recovered and fully prepared, Lu Chen stood before the “statue” of the Plague Emperor, took a deep breath, lit an incense stick, and placed it into the burner, chanting softly under his breath.
BOOM!!!
A sudden clap of thunder exploded outside the window!
Then came faint, horrified cries from beyond the door.
Lu Chen stayed focused, continuing his invocation without distraction.
And in that moment, over Qianjiang City…
The sky changed color. Heaven and earth turned upside down!
A vast blanket of cyan thunderclouds stretched for miles, shrouding the entire city in gloom.
Within those clouds, ancient beasts seemed to roar—and what had been a dusk bathed in golden light just moments before now felt like a living hell on earth!
Pedestrians in the streets were terrified out of their wits, many collapsing to the ground.
“What is this? What is this?!”
“Who’s worshipping something so terrifying?”
“An evil god? No way—this is Qianjiang City. Who would dare worship an evil god in broad daylight? Are they insane?”
“Run!”
The entire city teetered on the brink of chaos.
Then, several beams of golden light shot into the sky, as every top spiritual practitioner in Qianjiang City mobilized at once.
“What on earth is happening?!” The city lord of Qianjiang was pale with shock.
Just which deity was being worshipped to cause such a display of power?
“City Lord—judging by the scale of this invocation, it’s likely… a Star Lord’s presence!”
“Impossible! What has Qianjiang City ever done to deserve a Star Lord’s descent?!”
As the crowd buzzed with speculation, a crack suddenly split open in the cyan thunderclouds, and a bolt of lightning ten thousand zhang long came crashing down!
“That direction—it’s One Manor?!”
…
Inside the study.
One moment, Lu Chen was quietly awaiting the arrival of the Plague Emperor’s divine presence—and the next, the scene before his eyes had completely transformed!
To his amazement, he found himself standing on a cliff, facing an endless sea of poison. Furious waves churned, monstrous dragons thrashed, and countless beasts cried out in unison!
“This is…”
Before he could react, a colossal divine figure rose slowly from the far end of the poison sea—towering, radiant, illuminating all the heavens!
A soul-sea manifestation?!
Lu Chen immediately recalled the vision when Lord God of Wealth had appeared by the Great Dragon Pool!
BOOM!!!
A blast of divine wind hit his face, and a single stick of incense manifested in the space between heaven and earth.
Then, an infinite divine voice resounded throughout the cosmos:
“You have the time it takes half a stick of incense to burn…”
The divine voice sharpened to a razor’s edge:
—”Convince me.“
