Chapter 424 – Incense Offerings Are Poisonous? What's That Got to Do with Me?

“The end is nigh. From this day forth, I shall keep watch, until my dying breath.”

“I shall remain loyal to my duty, living and dying for this cause.”

“I am the sharp blade in the darkness, the guardian within the Netherworld Palace.”

“I am the flame that wards off the cold, the light at the break of dawn, the horn that awakens the slumbering, the steadfast shield that protects the Netherworld Palace.”

“I dedicate my life and honor to the Netherworld Palace, tonight and every night…”

In the square before Yama’s Hall, Yan Yunyu gathered those who had strayed and been tainted by the Forbidden Power, making them swear allegiance to the Netherworld Palace—and to herself.

As the oath concluded, a clattering sound echoed, and thousands of chains materialized out of thin air, coiling around the bodies of those before her. They sealed and imprisoned the Forbidden Power within them.

After completing this task, Yan Yunyu did not depart. Like a noble goddess, she issued them a warning.

“Remember your oath. The gods of the Netherworld are watching you. Should you dare to break it, not only in this life but even after death, your souls will face punishment.”

“However, if you dedicate your lives and honor to the Netherworld Palace, I shall ensure your safety in this life, and the great King Yama will protect your souls, allowing them to rest in peace after death—or even be reborn.”

“Yes, we will abide by our oath.”

The torment of the Forbidden Power had left these stray individuals in unbearable agony, neither human nor ghost. In such a state, Yan Yunyu, who had saved them and delivered them from suffering, seemed like a true goddess. Her warning was naturally heeded by these people, who felt as if they had been granted a new lease on life.

…

Time passed slowly, and soon, ten days had gone by.

During these ten days, Mu Lin’s faith had spread far and wide.

In the refugee district of the outer city, Ji Lingsha used food as a reward, leading nearly everyone to believe in him. What she spread was the benevolence of the Netherworld.

In the inner city, Si Ye and Chu Lingluo used the power of dreams to make people understand the punishments of Hell for evildoers. What she spread was the authority of the Netherworld Palace.

As for Yan Yunyu, she relied on the binding power of the Avici Chains to locate the stray individuals, forming an army for the Netherworld in the Yang World.

With all three working simultaneously—and most importantly, with the tacit approval of the Agricultural Militia’s leadership—Mu Lin had gathered the faith of nearly all the commoners in Tianshi City.

At the same time, Mu Lin’s actions had also spread his reputation among the middle-ranking officers of the Agricultural Militia in Tianshi City.

In feudal times, the common people were often ignorant, but the middle and upper ranks were different—especially in this world, where they were almost all Cultivators. It was difficult for them to place their faith in Mu Lin.

Moreover, there was some dissatisfaction among the middle and upper ranks of the Agricultural Militia regarding Zhang Hetian’s choice of Mu Lin, an “outsider,” as his successor.

People always tend to trust those close to them.

It was only because Zhang Hetian’s prestige was so high that they dared not oppose him openly.

But these individuals were watching Mu Lin, observing his actions to see if he was worthy.

A leader appointed from above often struggles to win the respect of those below.

How to make subordinates obey is an age-old problem.

And Mu Lin’s answer far exceeded the expectations of the Agricultural Militia’s middle and upper ranks.

On one of Tianshi City’s walls, several generals of the Agricultural Militia watched as the people outside the city praised Mu Lin’s name. One of them shook his head with a sigh.

“Lord Mu Lin has firmly established his footing; Lord Shui Yuanbai no longer has a chance.”

This statement was met with agreement from the others.

“There’s no helping it. Lord Mu Lin has performed exceptionally well. Upon arriving in Tianshi City, he immediately resolved the Parasitic Worm crisis. Afterward, he even procured large quantities of grain, alleviating our resource shortages. Combined with using dreams to spread his name and authority, these actions, paired with his innate talent, make him the most formidable contender for the position of Army Commander, even without Commander Hetian’s favor.”

“You’ve forgotten one thing—the threat of Forbidden Power is immense. Although we haven’t been tainted by this sinister force yet, it’s only a matter of time before we encounter it while battling those Demons and Monsters. In the past, once tainted, we could only await death. But now, there is hope for survival.”

After these words, even these generals began to lean toward Mu Lin.

There was no other way. While Shui Yuanbai was indeed their familiar superior, with whom they had close ties, Mu Lin could save their lives.

“Transporting grain from thousands of miles away, effortlessly resolving the crises of Parasitic Worms and Forbidden Power, coupled with outstanding talent and a promising future… Lord Shui Yuanbai’s defeat is hardly unjust.”

“Rather, it should be said that Commander Hetian’s judgment is sharp… Young Army Commander Mu Lin was personally invited by him.”

Mu Lin’s extraordinary performance won over the middle and upper ranks of the Agricultural Militia, making them feel they had glimpsed a lasting hope for survival.

However, while they rejoiced, Mu Lin was frowning deeply.

He had encountered a tremendous problem.

“No wonder everyone says that although Deities and Immortals are often mentioned together, Immortals ultimately surpass Deities by a level… this Incense Offering power is toxic.”

“No, it shouldn’t be called toxic; it’s more like impurities.”

Human faith possesses power; gathering the masses can enable one to Ascend to Godhood.

But there is another saying that many previously left unspoken:

Human thoughts are ever-changing. No one can maintain unwavering worship and reverence for a Deity indefinitely.

Take Mu Lin now, for example. With his lofty status and possession of the True Spirit Karma Diagram, he could indeed receive the faith of the masses.

Yet, after collecting this faith, Mu Lin was dismayed to find that genuine worship of the Deity and acceptance of the Netherworld Palace’s teachings accounted for less than one percent of it.

The majority consisted of various human Desires and longings.

“Great Deity, thank you for letting me eat my fill…”

“I beg you, Great Deity, I want to eat meat. This old man hasn’t had meat in so long…”

“I hope the Great Deity can cure my illness…”

“Great Deity, I beg you to kill those bastards and avenge my parents…”

“I am willing to sacrifice everything, as long as those worms can be killed…”

“Lord Nether Deity, now that I’m full, can you send me a wife…”

“…”

“I am the Netherworld Palace Deity who rewards good and punishes evil, controlling life and death across all realms—I am King Yama, not the God of Food, nor the Matchmaker! If you want a wife, go find one yourself. Why ask me?!”

Countless Desires and endless longings—these chaotic elements left Mu Lin utterly helpless.

He was even more aware that if he dared to absorb these things, he would go mad on the very same day.

Fortunately, Deities also had methods to deal with such endless impurities.

Divine Flame!

Human faith must be refined through the burning of Divine Flame before it can be absorbed.

As for Mu Lin, his Vow-Power Heart Lamp could precisely serve as divine fire to refine these impurities.

What delighted Mu Lin even more was that his Vow-Power Heart Lamp had already broken through to the consummate level, making the extraction of these impurities exceptionally swift.

“Boom!”

As the flames blazed, endless impurities were incinerated, and then Mu Lin helplessly discovered that such a large mass of faith power had been reduced by ninety-nine percent.

“No wonder Deities all desire devout believers, fanatics, or Apostles—the faith power provided by casual believers is not only meager but also contains countless impurities.”

If the matter had ended there, with merely a reduction in faith power, Mu Lin would have felt distressed but not furrowed his brow.

What troubled him was that the impurities within the faith power could not be completely eradicated.

After all, even devout believers worshipped Mu Lin because he had brought them a better life.

This gratitude and faith inevitably carried other elements.

For instance, Mu Lin noticed a young girl named Xiaoyu. Because Ji Lingsha had ensured she was well-fed, she was extremely devout toward Mu Lin, even reaching the level of a fanatic, praying to him daily.

However, her prayers and beliefs were inevitably tainted by thoughts such as “Eggs are so delicious,” “I don’t want to eat green peppers,” “There are too many fish bones,” and so on.

She was already simple enough, but her faith power still contained other elements, and these were the core of her gratitude toward Mu Lin, impossible to remove.

Yet, as the saying goes, Mu Lin was a Deity of the Netherworld Palace, not a Deity of food.

‘Girl, stop thinking about food all day and study the teachings of the Netherworld and the Netherworld Palace more!’

It was only then that Mu Lin understood why fanatics could forgo marriage, children, wealth, enjoyment, and even their lives for a Deity.

They had made the Deity the sole focus of their lives.

Some would even sacrifice their own children to the Deity.

Yet, among believers, they ranked only second.

The first were the Apostles.

So-called Apostles were believers who practiced the Deity’s way, walked the Deity’s path, and perfectly aligned with the Deity’s teachings.

They might not be as fervent as fanatics and might even question the Deity, but the faith power they provided was the purest and most easily absorbed by the Deity.

Moreover, some Apostles with exceptional character and outstanding abilities could even supplement the Deity’s path.

Most Deities would not mistreat such Apostles. Becoming an Apostle after death was the basic outcome, and some Apostles with significant contributions might even become subordinate Deities.

Yet, such Apostles were nearly nonexistent under Mu Lin’s command.

“Troublesome…”

Since the impurities within the faith power could not be completely cleansed, if Mu Lin’s King Yama absorbed this faith power, he would inevitably be influenced.

Temporary influence was inconsequential, as the impurities had already been refined by divine fire and were extremely minimal.

However, the influence of one person meant little, but what about ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or even hundreds of millions of people?

And when this influence stretched over ten years, a hundred years, or even thousands of years… such continuous influence was difficult for anyone, or any Deity, to withstand.

“So, after absorbing the power of faith, I won’t change in the short term. But over thousands of years, the consciousness and image of King Yama will gradually transform into the deity worshipped by humanity, shaped by the continuous influence of billions of people over centuries, rather than remaining as my own will.”

“And the farther and faster my reputation spreads, the quicker King Yama’s consciousness will change.”

It must be said that an individual’s will is insignificant when washed over by the vast tides of civilization and history.

Thus, the more powerful a deity becomes, the weaker their personal will tends to be.

In such circumstances, even if a Celestial Deity is as powerful as a True Lord, if I am no longer myself, such a Cultivation Path is naturally inferior to the path of immortality, which allows one to retain their true self.

Thinking this, Mu Lin commanded King Yama to absorb the power of faith.

Incense Offerings are indeed toxic, but it is King Yama who absorbs the power of faith—what does that have to do with me, Mu Lin!

“King Yama is my Avatar, but I am more than just King Yama.”

(End of Chapter)