Lord of Black Mountain

After leaving the City God Temple and wandering around a bit, the day was almost over.

Just as Wu Ming was thinking of finding an inn to rest and trying his luck in the southern district tomorrow, a woman walked up to him, grabbing his arm with surprise. "Little brother Wuming, your sister has been looking all over for you!"

"So it's Sister Shan Lan..."

Wu Ming forced a smile and pulled away. This was on the main street, truly scandalous, and he felt a bit wary.

Seeming to sense Wu Ming's caution, Shan Lan chuckled dismissively. "Little brother, you've done something big, revealing the bounty so early. It made us work much harder to finally complete the mission..."

"You guys?"

Wu Ming asked, feigning confusion.

"It's your Sister Shan Lan and the swordsman Ling Guhong, and that scholar... Damn Tu Yanghao, I hope I never see him in the Main God Hall again!!!"

Shan Lan gritted her teeth when mentioning Tu Yanghao, clearly having suffered a loss. "We've gone independent now. Why don't you come with us, little brother?"

"I'm used to being alone!"

Wu Ming's heart stirred. He knew that such impromptu groups lacked any synergy or trust, and disbanding midway was very common.

"However... I should still visit and share some mission intel!"

Shan Lan was overjoyed and led Wu Ming to an inn.

In a courtyard rented out behind the inn, Wu Ming saw Ling Guhong practicing his sword and a scholar contemplating with a scroll.

"Hehe... Look who I brought!"

Shan Lan glanced at the two with a playful smile, a hint of pride in her voice.

"It's you!" The scholar stood up, his eyes wide with surprise. Wu Ming's performance had clearly left a deep impression on him. He quickly bowed. "Greetings, brother. I am Lin Qizhi!"

"Ling Guhong!" The cold-faced swordsman spoke only a few words.

"I am Wuming. Greetings to you both!"

After Wu Ming bowed, the four sat down around a stone table.

"Why did you split from Tu Yanghao?"

Wu Ming got straight to the point.

"Don't mention that scoundrel to me again..." Shan Lan's anger had not subsided. "We were trying to break out as a group, attracting too much attention. Although we weren't afraid of Fierce Ghosts, we ended up attracting a Ghost General! That Tu Yanghao, being a coward, left us as bait and ran off by himself!"

"Such a hypocrite, with a forked tongue. He has caused lives to be lost repeatedly. I am ashamed to be associated with him!"

The scholar Lin Qizhi also chimed in, his brow furrowed with anger.

"...Fortunately, both Young Master Ling and I have our own skills, along with Scholar Lin's Spiritual Power, we managed to break through the encirclement... However, we also got separated from others, and got delayed in Black Water Town for a bit before arriving at the county town..."

Shan Lan smoothed her hair, speaking casually, but Wu Ming knew that the delay she mentioned was definitely not as simple as she made it sound.

However, they weren't a team yet, so it was natural for things to be this way.

"At this point... we all have a rift with that Tu Yanghao. He's narrow-minded and will surely strike first. We need to make plans early! Little brother Wuming... you..."

Shan Lan hesitated.

Wu Ming smiled. "I'm used to my freedom. But on the matter of dealing with Tu Yanghao, we can join forces. Also, we have a lot of information to exchange regarding the Main God Hall and this mission..."

He himself was a Main God Apostle, and many of the Main God Hall's rules had changed.

He didn't say much more, instead listening as Shan Lan summarized the Main God Hall's exchange rules and some precautions.

Her experience was clearly good. Not only Lin Qizhi, but even Ling Guhong listened silently, clearly paying attention.

"Finally... it's about this Main God Hall!"

Shan Lan's face showed a bitter smile as she spoke her last words. "To be able to build such an unbelievable blessed land and then throw us into it, it must be the work of an unfathomable mighty being. According to the information released by the Blood Oath Alliance, this mighty being is likely the ancient Lord of the Underworld who controls the Six Paths of Reincarnation! After all... our current situation is very similar to being thrown into reincarnation..."

"Is there a way to leave?"

Lin Qizhi beside him suddenly asked.

"No!"

Ling Guhong's voice was as cold as ice. "Unless you die... you can never leave the Main God Hall!"

Wu Ming rolled his eyes.

He did know of one method: becoming the master of the Main God Hall, thus transcending reincarnation. However, this was his big secret, and he naturally couldn't reveal it.

So he said, "I've only experienced one dungeon mission and don't know much about the Main God Hall. But regarding this mission, I do have some information..."

Returning the favor, he shared his speculations about the land god and the City God.

"Impossible!"

Shan Lan's face turned ashen upon hearing this, and she exclaimed in shock. "A county City God is at least a seventh-rank deity, holding an official position and bearing a crimson edict! His divine might is like the sea. If such an existence cannot accomplish this, how can we interfere? No... it shouldn't have been involved in the first place, after all, it's just a 'Hong' level mission!"

After speaking, she looked around nervously.

Although this was a quiet courtyard provided by the inn, the City God governed the county town, and this was within his jurisdiction. She dared not say more.

"I'm not saying this god is incapable, just that it has reservations!"

Wu Ming said. "Since there are still seven days left, why don't we split up to gather information tomorrow and meet here in the evening?"

"Naturally!"

The other three looked less than pleased. It was clear that the involvement of a deity of this rank had brought them significant pressure.

"Sir! After the target had lunch at the Li Family Restaurant at noon, he went to the City God Temple in the afternoon and rested at the Old Ji Inn at night..."

At this time, inside the county office, a signing room was still brightly lit.

Wu Hong sat behind the oil lamp, his silhouette flickering with the light, appearing somewhat sinister.

"Hmm... I understand. Go inform Old Ji. He's an elder; he naturally knows what to do... You will continue to monitor them tomorrow. Don't let them disappear for even a moment, understand?"

Wu Hong's voice was steady and carried an inherent authority.

"As you command!"

The two bailiffs retreated obediently, closing the door silently.

"City God Temple?!"

Wu Hong stared at the dim lamplight, his eyes growing deep: "I didn't expect... this brat would find a lead as soon as he arrived!"

Although he had met several strange individuals and recluses today, he had to admit that Wu Ming had left the deepest impression on him.

"It's just... so what if he found something?"

A cold smile touched Wu Hong's lips: "Even a seventh-rank deity dares not personally manage this matter. What can you, a mere scholar, do even if you have some skill? In the end, won't you just be doing the work for others? You might even get implicated and perish, body and soul?"

"What's strange is that all these people today came from Black Mountain..."

Wu Hong blew out the oil lamp and slowly walked out. In the darkness, a faint sigh could be heard: "Lord of Black Mountain..."

The next day.

Wu Ming deliberately went to the south of the city, wandering aimlessly. A whole day had passed fruitlessly.

"Something's wrong... That temple keeper yesterday was clearly possessed, trying to lure me here. Why has nothing happened all day?"

He frowned and, without realizing it, came to the side of a waterway.

Several dilapidated thatched huts were haphazardly built along the riverbank. They were crude and rough, their poverty even rare in the southern district.

On the river, there were also a few scattered sampans, clearly where these people got their food and provisions.

"A Yun? A Yun, what's wrong? Wake up quickly!"

Suddenly, a sharp, mournful cry of a woman echoed.

Wu Ming's heart stirred, and he went to investigate.

A crowd had already gathered. In the center, a poor fisherwoman was clutching a girl who looked only seven or eight years old, weeping incessantly.

"What happened?"

"It's Madam Xu... Alas... This family is so unlucky... When sixth son was around, their family was quite well-off. Now that he's gone, even his daughter has fallen ill..."

"Speaking of which... Xu Liulang wasn't an ordinary person. I heard he could communicate with the water god; he caught several times more fish each night than ordinary fishermen!"

"How come I heard he had a connection with the local earth god?"

"Alas... It's a pity that a few months ago, he went to Black Water Town and disappeared without a trace, meeting his end. He left these two behind, lonely and helpless. Now, even his daughter is like this. Alas, this is fate..."

The rest didn't matter, but the words 'Black Water Town' and 'earth god' struck Wu Ming's mind like thunder.

"So that's what it is..."

Wu Ming pushed through the crowd and stepped forward: "I happen to know a little about medicine! Esteemed aunt, why don't you let me take a look..."

"Wuwu... Doctor? Doctor? Please save A Yun..."

The fisherwoman now clung to Wu Ming's sleeve as if he were her last hope, refusing to let go.

"Hmm?"

Wu Ming bent down, flipped open the little girl's eyelids, and took her pulse. Seeing her faint breath, dark complexion, and ashen face, his heart stirred: "This isn't an illness; she's possessed!"

At the same time, he became even more certain that the City God had guided him here to find this family.

He muttered inwardly: Why all these detours? Are they playing riddles?

However, he also understood that even though Spiritual Power was manifesting and gods and ghosts could be seen, some deities still had to abide by certain rules.

Engaging in such wordplay and giving ambiguous answers was meant to lessen karmic entanglement.

Otherwise, if too many connections were made, they would end up dragging themselves down. To say their Spiritual Power was no match for karma would be the ultimate misfortune.

Compared to the Yin Gods, Wu Ming, being a person of the Yang world, had fewer scruples.

He immediately said: "I can save this girl. Where does your family live, big sister?"

"Over there!"

The fisherwoman was almost weeping with joy. She followed Wu Ming to a dilapidated thatched hut. Scattered among the walls were items like straw raincoats, and a strong smell of fish assaulted Wu Ming's senses, causing him to frown.

He placed the little girl on the mat and saw that a layer of dark green energy shrouded her face. Her brows were tightly furrowed, as if enduring immense pain. Her body was cold, clearly at the brink of death.