Chapter 240 – The Nation's Great Affairs: Sacrifices and Warfare!

Since the Sky Burial Domain was summoned down by Mu Lin, its erosion and pollution had never ceased, and the scope of the Dharma Domain had been continuously expanding. As a result, the anomalous and forbidden power in this place grew increasingly dense.

At the same time, Mu Lin’s main body had never left this place.

In fact, if anyone could break into the very center of the Sky Burial Domain, they would discover three identical anomalous humans bowing in worship before three paper figures beneath a great tree shrouded in white paper and hung with countless corpses.

—Mu Lin’s paper substitutes were using the Paper Figure Curse Technique to remotely curse Tie Xun, the Pleasure Maiden Shu Rong, and the Black Mountain Cultists.

“This place is dangerous, but for me, it is also the safest. If Tie Xun, Shu Rong, and that taciturn Black Mountain Cultist don’t want to be cursed to death, they have no choice but to actively break into the Sky Burial Domain and destroy my substitute paper figures.”

“However, by doing so, they will inevitably have to engage in a fierce battle with the anomalous evils here.”

Pitting the Evil God’s followers against the anomalous forbidden power—this was Mu Lin’s plan.

And with Nailing Seven Po in place, Mu Lin was not afraid they wouldn’t come.

As for how Mu Lin entered such a dangerous Sky Burial Domain and managed to stay there until now, the answer was quite simple.

“Ever since I began cultivating the Mindscape – Sky Burial City, I have been channeling Sky Burial Power every day, refining it with the flames nurtured by the Vow-Power Heart Lamp.”

“Although this practice has always left my mindscape with hidden dangers and risks, it has also made me very familiar with Sky Burial Power and granted me strong resistance to it.”

Previously, Mu Lin’s substitute paper figures were polluted because he actively channeled Sky Burial Power down to the mortal realm.

But now, Mu Lin was not actively provoking the Sky Burial Domain. In fact, he had even covered the surface of his substitute paper figures with a layer of anomalous Sky Burial Power.

This Sky Burial forbidden power was genuine and shared the same origin as the power of Sky Burial City.

Under such circumstances, most of the anomalies in Sky Burial City would not actively attack Mu Lin.

Of course, Mu Lin also noticed with a slight chill that the situation of his substitute paper figures was not entirely safe.

First, this anomalous Sky Burial Domain was polluting and eroding everything. Even though Mu Lin had developed resistance to this power and his substitute paper figures were coated with a layer of anomalous forbidden power, they could not completely avoid this erosion and pollution.

“At most, within a day and a night, my substitute paper figures will be completely eroded. And this is only because the paper used for my substitute paper figures is Year-End Marquis Paper.”

The constant erosion and pollution were the first layer of danger in the Sky Burial Domain.

The second layer was the anomalous evils that roamed everywhere within the Dharma Domain, omnipresent and ever-wandering.

Although Mu Lin’s paper substitutes were disguised with Sky Burial Power of the same origin, this only prevented other anomalies from attacking Mu Lin like sharks drawn to the scent of blood.

But the dangers posed by those anomalies still remained.

For instance, within the Sky Burial Domain, ghost money drifted endlessly through the sky, and mournful cries echoed ceaselessly throughout the world.

Countless human figures and eerie paper figures wandered through the small town in the distance.

All of this posed a threat to Mu Lin’s substitute paper figures.

With the slightest misstep, Mu Lin’s substitute paper figures could be destroyed.

Faced with such peril, Mu Lin felt… indifferent.

“After all, they’re just Substitute Paper Figures. Destroying them is fine—I can replenish them anytime, as long as they aren’t wiped out too quickly.”

Overall, the Sky Burial Domain was fraught with dangers and anomalies at every turn. However, thanks to the Substitute Paper Figures and the shared Sky Burial Power, Mu Lin faced relatively little peril.

Yet, after personally experiencing the Sky Burial Domain, Mu Lin narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, piecing together some insights.

“The shared Sky Burial Power allows us Paper Artisans to easily disguise ourselves. Daily confrontations and erosion have given us strong resistance to this power… Under such circumstances, I can’t be the only one attempting to master the forbidden power of the Sky Burial.”

Mu Lin had been secretly siphoning the forbidden power of Sky Burial City, aiming to transform it into Fengdu City.

But now, Mu Lin faintly sensed that he wasn’t alone in harboring such ambitions.

In fact, he even speculated:

“Sky Burial City might very well be a foothold or converter established by the ancestors of the Paper Artisan Lineage in the Land of Sky Burial.”

First, become the city lord to seize a portion of the Land of Sky Burial’s power. Then, expand Sky Burial City, making it the heart of the Land of Sky Burial, gradually claiming this power until fully occupying the Land of Sky Burial and becoming the master of the forbidden zone.

If it were Mu Lin, he would undoubtedly operate this way.

Of course, in his case, Sky Burial City would become Lidu City, and the Land of Sky Burial would transform into the Netherworld Hell.

…

The title of “master of the forbidden zone” seemed distant to Mu Lin. Logically, such speculation should have no impact on him.

Yet, reality proved otherwise.

First, he realized that to control the Land of Sky Burial, his enemies wouldn’t just be the anomaly evils within it—he would also face human rivals from the same lineage.

Second, and most troubling to Mu Lin:

“The Paper Artisan Lineage has a long history, spanning at least ten thousand years. Over such an extensive period, the lineage’s predecessors were certainly not lacking in exceptional individuals.”

“Yet, despite this, I’ve never heard of anyone successfully controlling the Land of Sky Burial. Even the Paper Crafting Scripture contains no records of Sky Burial City’s expansion…”

At this thought, Mu Lin’s mood grew heavier.

He understood what this meant.

It implied that the waters of the Land of Sky Burial ran deep—exceptionally deep. The brilliant heroes and ambitious figures who sought to control it had likely all perished there.

If they met such fates, Mu Lin, in his later years, might also encounter ominous ends.

“Hah… Forget it. No use dwelling on it. The road will appear when the cart reaches the mountain.”

“Besides, I’m stronger than all of them. Just because the ancestors of the Paper Artisan Lineage failed doesn’t mean I will.”

…

Shaking his head to dispel his worries, Mu Lin withdrew his gaze from the Sky Burial Domain.

Controlling the Land of Sky Burial and dealing with its dangers were matters for the future. For now, Mu Lin had more pressing tasks at hand.

“Brother Mu, the Altar for Praying to Heaven is ready.”

Having busied herself for a while and hurried back, Yan Yunyu was slightly out of breath. At the same time, her expression carried a hint of concern.

“I’m sorry, Brother Mu. Due to scarce materials, I could only build a Village-level Altar.”

“No need to apologize. This isn’t your fault—I demanded too much too soon. Besides, for me, the Altar is merely an aid. To achieve my goal, it ultimately depends on myself.”

In matters of state, the greatest affairs lie in sacrifices and warfare.

In a world where True Lords, deities, the Heavenly Dao, and the Human Dao exist, the significance of sacrificial rites is immense, with strict standards in place.

According to the information Mu Lin knew, sacrificial rites were divided into five levels.

The first level, also the grandest, had two forms: one was the national sacrificial ceremony personally conducted by the ruler of the Great Spirit Imperial Dynasty, and the other was the Luotian Grand Sacrifice jointly organized by the Daoist sects.

Sacrifices of this scale were not directed at named deities but at the Heavenly Dao, the Human Dao, and the Earthly Dao.

The second-level ceremonies were also presided over by the ruler, but these were dedicated to named True Lords and Celestial Deities.

The third-level ceremonies were conducted by prefectures or feudal lords, with a broader scope of worship.

Wind Lords, Rain Masters, Dragon Lords, stars, the sun, and the moon… all fell within this category.

The fourth level was led by the County Magistrate of a county town as the High Priest, offering sacrifices to mountain gods, Hebo… If Mu Lin’s position as City God were recognized, the County City God would also belong to this level.

The fifth level consisted of village-level ceremonies, where offerings were made mostly to the ancestors of a village, tribal totems, local earth gods, or mountain spirits of remote wilderness.

Because Mu Lin’s request was urgent, and Lin Qi and Hua Xingyu did not bring sacrificial offerings when they came for the assessment, Yan Yunyu exhausted all her efforts to barely set up a fifth-level altar.

And she knew that Mu Lin intended to seek Humanity’s Aid.

Using a fifth-level altar to seek the favor of the first-level Human Dao.

This was not even on the level of a villager trying to contact a national leader; it was more like trying to contact an alien directly.

Feeling that she had not handled the matter well, Yan Yunyu looked somewhat worried.

Mu Lin, however, seemed quietly confident.

“I will succeed!”

Saying this, Mu Lin stepped onto the altar, closed his eyes, and began praying to the sky.

Of course, relying solely on prayer, Mu Lin had absolutely no chance of success.

Only when the ruler, along with numerous ministers and over a hundred feudal lords, prayed together could such a scale of Human Dao Fortune attract a fleeting glance from the Heavenly Dao or the Human Dao.

Compared to them, Mu Lin was far too weak.

Fortunately, he had his own advantages.

“Fixation, Refresh!”

“Hum!”

(End of Chapter)