“Whoosh——!!!”
The gale-force wind solidified into something almost tangible, slamming straight into his face!
Lu Chen stumbled, nearly thrown off the “cliff” by this overwhelming pressure!
“As expected of one of the Eight Great Ministries!”
His heart pounded violently, waves of shock crashing through his mind.
The mere pressure emanating from the Dharma manifestation—just its natural presence—already far surpassed that of his elder brother, the God of Wealth, by an enormous margin.
And this… was after being heavily suppressed by the Heavenly Dao.
If the true form were to descend, it would be utterly unimaginable!
The sky would probably shatter, the earth split apart—the stars and moon would lose all their light!
Right now, as he looked up at the Star Lord, he truly felt like a tiny mayfly gazing up at the vast blue sky!
Insignificant. Utterly negligible!
Lu Chen lost himself for only a moment before steadying his mind. He clasped his fists in a respectful bow and spoke with reverence: “Disciple Lu Chen pays respects to the Plague Sovereign Heavenly Emperor!”
The Emperor remained silent. Only the surrounding sea of venom churned in dark, restless currents.
Time was tight and the task was heavy, so Lu Chen didn’t waste a single word. He cut straight to the chase and laid out his analysis right in front of the Plague Sovereign: “Star Lord, the reason the [Plague Ministry] has fallen to this state—on the surface, it looks like it’s because the flow of incense offerings was cut off. But if you trace it back to the root, it’s nothing more than this: mortals ‘only know that You bring disaster, but don’t know that You can stop it.’ You, a rightful god of the Eight Ministries who governs plagues, have been so vilified that no one dares to offer You incense. That is the crux of the problem!”
“Splash——”
The turbulent, dark-green sea of venom, which had been churning violently, suddenly fell deathly still, as if soothed by an invisible hand.
Lu Chen’s expression remained unchanged as he continued: “Therefore, your disciple has come up with three strategies that might break this deadlock!”
“Oh?” The Plague Sovereign Emperor let out a soft sound of surprise, as if piqued by curiosity.
Lu Chen raised one finger: “First—to remove the stigma, we must reshape the majestic image of the [Plague Ministry].
Mortals fear plagues, and they fear plagues getting out of control even more.
As a righteous god of the Heavenly Court, it’s not convenient for You to directly intervene in the mortal world.
So why not use mortal hands to make them understand that You are the ‘governor’ of plagues, not merely the ‘inflictor’?
This is the first step to breaking the stigma!
Second—precise incense offerings!
Don’t be greedy. Focus on stability!
As a righteous god of the Heavenly Court, You have Your own specialty.
You don’t have to cling to universal worship from all the people. Just focus on three groups.
Group one: the common folk in plague-prone areas. They are in desperate need of plague relief. If they knew that You can not only send plagues but also eliminate them, they would surely offer incense with sincere hearts.
Group two: infiltrate hospitals and pharmacies, and present Yourself in a new, benevolent image.
Group three: local governments. They fear plagues because they harm people’s livelihoods. They can take the lead in promoting You, breaking the stigma, and driving the people’s incense offerings.”
“Armchair strategizing!”
The Plague Sovereign Emperor let out a cold snort.
“Do you really think that you’re the only one who could come up with such shallow ideas? A thick layer of ice cannot be formed in a single day. Everything you’ve mentioned—I have already tried it in the long, long years of my existence. If it had worked, why would I have ended up in this state today?
You are… far too presumptuous!”
Lu Chen smiled faintly, still maintaining his respectful demeanor: “Star Lord, please wait. Your disciple hasn’t finished speaking.”
“Your time is running out. Speak quickly.”
The enormous incense stick that spanned the heavens and the earth was visibly burning down, shrinking before their very eyes.
Lu Chen cursed inwardly: This incense is so thick and so long, yet it’s burning faster than a twelve-cylinder engine!
It had only been moments, and already a third of the half-stick was gone.
He looked up and spoke clearly, neither humble nor overbearing: “Others might not be able to do this, but I—I can definitely make it happen! Your disciple increased the incense offerings of the Underworld by a thousandfold, ten thousandfold! I never did it through coercion or hard-selling. I did it by making mortals understand the value of ‘the Underworld governs reincarnation!’
Star Lord, You govern plagues across the Three Realms. You should understand.
Fear does not necessarily mean no offerings.
Mortals also fear the Dragon Kings, yet they kneel and pray for rain during droughts;
They also hold the Mountain Gods in awe, yet they offer sincere sacrifices when entering the mountains.
As long as they know that ‘offering to You brings safety,’ fear will naturally transform into reverence.
And reverence—that is the most stable foundation for incense offerings!”
“Still empty talk!”
“It is not empty talk!” Lu Chen refuted firmly. “Star Lord may not know this, but the husband of this Madam Zheng is a former prefect of Jiang Province, a man of great renown and high standing. Even though he’s now retired, he still holds immense prestige in this province. If Star Lord would be merciful and spare Madam Zheng’s life, your disciple will earnestly implore Elder Zheng to take action—to work hard to clear Your name and help You break the stigma.
Once Jiang Province succeeds, the rest of the country will surely follow suit. It will spread like a wildfire, becoming an unstoppable trend. At that point, Star Lord, would You still worry that the title of ‘Plague God’ can’t be shaken off?
Furthermore, your disciple has lofty ambitions. In the future, I will definitely establish my own temple.
Since other temples dare not worship You—
I will worship You!!
From the day my Lu family temple is established, I promise—it will be the time when the immortals of the [Plague Ministry] take their seats!
In addition, I have a heart to enter the Dao through plagues!
I’ve heard that Star Lord is skilled in crafting Plague Pellets that can cure all plagues under heaven!
If other pharmacies and clinics find the Plague Pellets inauspicious—
As long as Star Lord is willing to lend Your full support—
I am willing to shoulder all this merit myself!
When the word spreads, it will be just like the Underworld.
Then, why worry that pilgrims won’t come?
After all, who among the mortal flesh-and-blood can avoid sickness?
And since sickness is governed by Star Lord—
With such a unique advantage, why not make the most of it?
Moreover, among the Eight Ministries of the Heavenly Court, the ones that govern plagues and diseases are the [Plague Ministry] and the [Smallpox Ministry].
Star Lord can let the [Smallpox Ministry] take the lead and draw all the fire.
While we, the [Plague Ministry], sit back and reap the benefits from the rear.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
After all, the [Smallpox Ministry] and the [Plague Ministry] come from the same lineage.
They spread the diseases!
We cure the people!
If we do this, I dare say that within a single generation—
Our [Plague Ministry] will surely turn the tide completely!
And claim endless incense offerings from the mortal world!”
Lu Chen’s words were forceful and resolute, each one striking like a heavy blow.
At this moment, the waves on the sea of venom crashed against each other, growing even more violent and turbulent.
Unlike before, those two colossal surges of waves slammed into each other, tearing and colliding—as if reflecting the turbulent turmoil within the Plague Sovereign Emperor’s heart.
Seeing this, Lu Chen’s confidence surged.
Before summoning the god, he had played both roles in his study, repeatedly rehearsing the scenario!
He had practically run through every feasible strategy several times over.
Only then had he arrived at this clear, step-by-step plan.
Establishing a clinic was also a brilliant move he’d discovered by accident after multiple rounds of deliberation.
In essence, the [Plague Ministry] both sends plagues and dispels disasters.
This was a textbook example of “carrot and stick,” “entrapment law enforcement”!
With such a uniquely advantageous position, Lu Chen had keenly sensed the enormous opportunity hidden within.
After all… who would ever complain about having too much money?
The underworld currency business was doing well, but he couldn’t put all his eggs in one basket.
What if something changed in the Underworld one day? He wouldn’t even have a backup plan.
Might as well seize this opportunity hidden within the risk!
After all, a [New Noble] still needed assets worth a billion.
If he wanted to go even further in the future, the resources required would only grow.
If this [Plague Clinic] could succeed, it would definitely be a significant asset in the future!
Implementation wouldn’t be too difficult—the key was recruiting talent!
Lu Chen took a quiet, deep breath, giving the Plague Sovereign Emperor no time to dwell on his thoughts. He pressed his advantage: “Star Lord, I have a question: among the countless mortal races in this world, does the [Plague Ministry] only target humans?”
“Absurd! In the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man—whether mortal, immortal, god, or ghost, living or dead, even a stubborn rock—my [Plague Ministry] can infect it with Stone Plague!”
“Excellent, Star Lord! It turns out our [Plague Ministry] is a treasure trove!”
“A treasure trove?” The Plague Sovereign Emperor was visibly stunned.
“Star Lord, another question: does our [Plague Ministry] have a fixed annual quota for sending plagues—just like the Four Dragon Kings have fixed rainfall quotas?”
“This… what if there is?”
“Even better! Star Lord’s main concern is that if everyone worships You as a god of medicine, the plague quota might be hard to fulfill.
There’s no need to worry. In the future, Star Lord can send Plague Envoys to pay more attention to wicked and evil people in the mortal world. Sending more plagues to such people would actually be a meritorious deed.
If the quota still isn’t met, your disciple has another method to break the deadlock!”
Time was almost up, so Lu Chen didn’t hold back any longer. He played his final trump card: “For example, if your disciple needs to subdue demons and sweep away ghosts today, I would beg Star Lord to grant me a Plague Divine Ability. Then, when those demons and monsters see me, wouldn’t I be just like a Plague God to them?
All I’d need to do is unleash the Plague Divine Ability, and the demons would fall in droves!
It would be twice the result with half the effort!
After all, if you look across the Eight Ministries of the Heavenly Court, when it comes to wide-ranging destructive power—if our [Plague Ministry] claims second place, who would dare claim first?
At that point, how could plagues still be considered inauspicious?
Those martial artists and spiritual practitioners would flock to worship our [Plague Ministry]!
Then, they would gain their merits, Star Lord would gain Your virtue, and the people would enjoy peace.
What do You think of this three-birds-with-one-stone strategy, Star Lord?”
“WHOOSH——!!!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the waves on the sea of venom collided with even greater ferocity, their roar shaking the heavens!
The Plague Sovereign Emperor was clearly shaken. After a long silence, He finally spoke, his tone laced with three parts surprise: “You little brat… you truly are… full of clever tricks! How did you even come up with something like this?”
Lu Chen grinned: “Your disciple simply observed the unique characteristics of the [Plague Ministry] and adapted accordingly. In this world, we mustn’t be bound by appearances. Everything has two sides—fortune and misfortune depend on each other; advantages and disadvantages coexist.
Just like we have an old saying in the mortal world: There’s no such thing as garbage in this world—only resources that have been placed in the wrong place.
Plagues are the same. It all depends on how people use them.
Used poorly, it’s an inauspicious evil aura. Used well, it’s a sharp weapon! It’s a blessing!
Perhaps one day, our [Plague Ministry] won’t even be called the [Plague Ministry] anymore. Maybe we’ll change it to [Blessing Ministry]—who knows!”
“Hahaha!”
Between heaven and earth, divine laughter rang out, shaking the four directions.
“What a clever-tongued brat! No wonder even that little Underworld immortal, King Yan, fell for your schemes.”
Lu Chen scratched his head: “Star Lord, your disciple isn’t just all talk—I’ve made real accomplishments too, haven’t I?
Anyway, all of the above boils down to just three things.
One: Remove the stigma from the [Plague Ministry].
Two: Build temples and gild statues for all the immortals of the [Plague Ministry], perform good deeds, and gather incense offerings!
Three: Transform plagues into wonders, turn plagues into tools, and forge a brand-new path to the heavens!”
Seeing that the incense stick was about to burn all the way to the “end,” Lu Chen didn’t delay. He immediately made his final “closing pitch”: “May I ask, Star Lord—can your disciple’s three heaven-defying methods change the fate of the [Plague Ministry]?”
This speech was like a great bell or a massive drum—deafening and resounding.
It shocked the entire sea of venom into a momentary stillness, the waves calming down!
Yet, after a moment of silence, what came back was still an ambiguous, faint chuckle.
“Don’t get too cocky, young one. You may have a silver tongue, but… you’re still lacking one thing.”
“One more thing?” Lu Chen cursed internally: I’ve practically laid out the whole plan on the ground, and this Plague Sovereign Emperor still isn’t satisfied?
“Since you’re so full of confidence, would you be willing to devote yourself to the Dao and make a pledge?”
“A pledge?”
“Correct. Are you willing to become a walking disciple of the [Plague Ministry] and help us break free from this thousand-year deadlock of severed incense offerings? Rest assured, I will not treat you unfairly. Whatever the Underworld can give you, I can give you a hundred times over. If anyone ever causes you trouble in the future—within the Three Realms, my [Plague Ministry] is no pushover either!”
Whoa…
Does this mean… I’ve officially gotten on the Plague Sovereign Emperor’s radar?
Lu Chen’s heart shook, but after a moment’s thought, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
After all, He had been the one to invite this conversation in the first place.
There was definitely an intention to recruit talent.
Sure, the reputation of the [Plague Ministry] wasn’t exactly stellar.
You could even hear the disdain in the God of Wealth’s words.
But the Plague Sovereign Emperor was, after all, the commander of an entire ministry—a proper Rank Three official of the Heavenly Court.
In comparison, the God of Wealth was Rank Three Subordinate, and King Yan was only a middle-level official of the Underworld, barely making Rank Four.
This backing… damn, it’s solid!
No loss here!
This was absolutely not a loss!
Lu Chen didn’t hesitate any longer. He clasped his fists, bowed deeply, and dropped to one knee: “Disciple Lu Chen thanks the Master for his favor!!!”
The Plague Sovereign Emperor’s laughter rang out: “You really are a clever little devil! Unfortunately, this offering method of yours is a bit peculiar—I can’t seem to bestow any blessings upon you.”
Lu Chen quickly said: “Master, please understand—this is merely a simple method of communication. It can only convey words to the heavens, but cannot receive blessings.”
“No matter. Then I’ll wait until this trial is over before giving you your reward.”
“Trial?”
“Correct. I have only given you a chance—I have not promised to immediately lift this Heavenly Killing Intent. Right now, Madam Zheng’s life and death are not in my hands, nor in Heaven’s—they are in yours. I will soon extract the [Karmic Tribulation Force] from her body and fuse it with the miasmic energy to refine a magical treasure called the [Plague Humming Bead].
You will take this bead—subdue demons, conquer monsters, whatever you like.
As long as you can eliminate the [Karmic Tribulation Force] within it within seven days and infuse [Vitality] back into Madam Zheng’s body, the Heavenly Killing Intent will naturally be resolved.”
Lu Chen’s pupils contracted sharply.
“Remember, you only have seven days! After seven days, no matter what—you cannot escape the karmic consequences of this great vow!”
As soon as the words faded, heaven and earth suddenly fell into utter silence.
When Lu Chen opened his eyes again, he was back in his study.
The single stick of incense burning before him had just burned past its halfway point.
It was as if it had all been a dream—like a fleeting illusion.
“Crack!”
The simple divine statue on the table suddenly shattered, instantly turning to ash and scattering into nothingness.
“Damn, the Star Lord’s divine presence is truly terrifying, and His Dharma manifestation in my sea of consciousness was even more alarming! It was supposed to last for three offerings, but it burned through in just half an incense stick!”
Lu Chen sucked in a sharp breath.
Then, belatedly, he realized something was wrong.
“I went in to fool the Plague Sovereign Emperor—how did I end up getting myself wrapped into this?”
He was stunned for a moment.
Then his pupils shrank: “Wait—Madam Zheng!”
He immediately pushed open the door and rushed out.
But the moment he reached the living room—
Suddenly…
Several extremely powerful auras locked onto him like a violent storm!
Lu Chen stopped in his tracks and followed the terrifying presence with his gaze.
There, in the living room, stood a group of people.
Including Elder Zheng, there were six of them in total.
Of the five strangers, spiritual energy rippled around them like surging tides.
Fourth-rank spiritual practitioners?
No, this was… Fifth-rank!?
One of them had spiritual energy fluctuations that were even more wild and violent—like an abyss, like a vast ocean.
Could it be—a Sixth-rank spiritual practitioner!?
Lu Chen’s hair instantly stood on end, a chill running down his spine.
Holy crap! What’s going on?
How did four Fifth-ranks and one Sixth-rank suddenly pop out of nowhere?!
Under the gaze of these several pairs of eyes, Lu Chen felt as if he were being stared down by a pack of primordial beasts. He couldn’t even lift his leg to move.
At that moment, the middle-aged man with the strongest spiritual energy fluctuations pointed at him and asked in confusion: “Elder Zheng, is this the one you were talking about…”
Zheng Changguo smiled faintly and nodded: “That’s right! He’s the one—Mr. Lu, who triggered that celestial phenomenon!”
“Clap!”
The others were equally thunderstruck.
Their expressions froze as they exchanged bewildered glances.
“That phenomenon just now—was caused by this kid!?”
“But he’s clearly… only a Second-rank!?”
