Ten Days Later: The Neighboring Village Was Absorbed, and the Personal Quest Was Completed

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

Every household in Li Family Village went to the Land God Temple to burn a stick of incense each morning and evening.

Even young children were brought by their parents to offer incense to the Lord of the Land.

Everyone was especially enthusiastic.

After all, ten days ago, Lord Zhangyue had manifested, conferred the title of Temple Keeper on Li Youming, and bestowed blessings on the village chief and the others.

And during these ten days,

Lord Zhangyue had bestowed blessings on two more people!

After looking into it, everyone realized

that those two were also especially devout to Lord Zhangyue and were kind to others in their daily lives.

This gave everyone a sudden understanding.

To receive Lord Zhangyue's blessing, they had to be kind to others and especially devout!

Li Youming had already told them as much.

But hearing it from someone else and realizing it for themselves weren't the same thing, were they?

With this realization,

the whole atmosphere in Li Family Village changed dramatically.

The villagers began treating others kindly, greeting everyone with a beaming smile.

And without Temple Keeper Li Youming having to force them, everyone eagerly went to offer incense each morning and evening.

Who wouldn't want to receive Lord Zhangyue's blessing and become a powerful Martial Artist?

At that moment—

In Chen Family Village, separated from Li Family Village by just one river, Li Youming sat with an imposing air.

Beside him sat the village chief, Li Deyang.

Behind them stood Li Xiuwu, Li Deming, and six other first-tier mid-level Martial Artists.

Li Youming had assigned two more first-tier mid-level Martial Artists to guard the Land God Temple.

He would never allow anyone to make trouble at the Land God Temple.

"You really are Li Youming?"

Chen Family Village chief Chen Mazi stared at Li Youming in disbelief.

He and Li Youming were the same age, and they had often fought as children.

He had even seen Li Youming once just two months earlier.

Back then, Li Youming had been hunched over, his face covered in wrinkles and most of his hair white.

But now?

He looked vigorous and robust, his skin rosy and radiant, his hair shining black. He looked as if he had returned to his youth!

Could the stories coming from Li Family Village really be true?

Had the Land God of Li Family Village truly manifested?

Had the Lord of the Land conferred the title of Temple Keeper on Li Youming, turning his white hair black again?

Impossible!

There was no such thing as gods in this world!

He figured Li Youming had probably eaten some rare treasure from heaven and earth.

"Chen Mazi, I won't beat around the bush."

"I came here in person to tell you that from now on, Chen Family Village is joining Li Family Village!"

"The Divine Statue in the Land God Temple in Chen Family Village will be removed. From now on, you'll worship Lord Zhangyue."

Li Youming spoke coolly.

He had been Temple Keeper for ten days now, and an air of authority was gradually emerging around him.

"What did you say?"

Chen Mazi was stunned, doubting whether he had heard correctly.

Absorbed?

Li Family Village wanted to absorb Chen Family Village?

The other Chen Family Village clansmen erupted in an uproar, their anger flaring. If not for a few elders holding them back, they might have rushed forward and started a fight on the spot.

"Don't understand?"

"Deyang, make it clear to him."

Li Youming spoke coolly, his expression unchanged.

Li Deyang stood up.

His face impassive, he slowly walked toward Chen Mazi.

"Uncle Chen, by rights, you're my elder, and I shouldn't lay a hand on you."

"But the Temple Keeper represents Lord Zhangyue as he walks among mortals. The Temple Keeper's orders are Lord Zhangyue's orders."

"Forgive me."

His voice was calm.

"Li Deyang?"

"You're going to fight me?"

Chen Family Village chief Chen Mazi laughed in fury. He grabbed a wooden stick from beside him and shouted,

"You think I'm too old to beat you?"

"Come on—!"

"Let this old man teach you a lesson!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he swung the stick at Li Deyang!

As Chen Family Village chief, he was also a first-tier mid-level Martial Artist whose blood and qi had undergone Metamorphosis twice.

Though he was old, he had more experience!

Thud!

Li Deyang's expression stayed calm. He simply raised a hand and caught the stick.

No matter how hard Chen Mazi strained, his face turning red with effort, the stick didn't budge an inch.

"Don't bully my pa!"

A roar came from nearby. Chen Mazi's eldest son rushed over with a wooden stick and swung it with all his might!

Chen Family Village had two Body Refining Realm Martial Artists.

One was the village chief, Chen Mazi.

The other was his eldest son, Chen Ergou.

Chen Ergou was a big, burly man with immense strength.

Yet Li Deyang merely reached out and caught the incoming stick too. It didn't budge an inch.

"Let go."

Li Deyang chuckled.

Chen Mazi and his son suddenly felt an immense force surge through their sticks. They could no longer hold on and staggered backward.

The skin between both their thumbs and forefingers split, and blood streamed down.

"You... you..."

Chen Mazi stared at Li Deyang as if he'd seen a ghost, unable to believe it.

"A... a first-tier peak?!"

"You've actually become a first-tier peak Martial Artist!"

"How is that possible?!"

"Not long ago, you were just like my son, a first-tier mid-level Martial Artist whose blood and qi had undergone Metamorphosis twice!"

His voice trembled.

He looked at Li Youming, then at Li Deyang.

Could the rumors really be true?

Had the Land God of Li Family Village truly manifested?

"Chen Mazi."

Li Youming stood up.

"Behind me are eight more first-tier mid-level Martial Artists. Every one of them received Lord Zhangyue's blessing when he manifested."

"Villagers of Chen Family Village, most of you must have heard at least a little about how the Land God of Li Family Village manifested."

"Some of you have even visited the Land God Temple in our village to worship Lord Zhangyue."

"But you're villagers of Chen Family Village, and Lord Zhangyue is the Orthodox Land God of Li Family Village."

"If you come from another village to worship him, the benefits may not be all that great."

"Why not simply join Li Family Village? Then you'll all be under Lord Zhangyue's protection and won't have to fear Demonic Creatures or Evil Specters!"

"You, too, may receive Lord Zhangyue's blessing and become Martial Artists in a single bound!"

"Many of you should know what these eight men were like before."

"But now—"

"They're all Martial Artists blessed by a god!"

As he spoke,

Li Xiuwu, Li Deming, and the other six stepped forward and drew the woodcutting knives at their waists, their blood and qi surging—

A bloody glow immediately spread across the blades!

Slash—!

The eight brought down their knives, cleaving through the air with a piercing whistle!

"They're all first-tier mid-level Martial Artists!"

Chen Mazi and Chen Ergou cried out.

The villagers who had gathered from all over Chen Family Village erupted into a commotion.

So many Martial Artists?

And every one of them had been blessed by the Land God of Li Family Village?

Many people gazed at them with burning eyes.

In this age, when Demonic Creatures and Evil Specters ran rampant, Martial Artists were the most convincing proof!

Everyone wanted to become a Martial Artist!

Only Martial Artists could stand against Demonic Creatures!

And now—

A path lay right before them!

Chen Mazi and Chen Ergou's shock gave way to burning eagerness, too.

They wanted to grow stronger!

It took only five days.

Chen Family Village officially joined Li Family Village.

Li Family Village was also renamed Four Seas Village!

The name carried the meaning of embracing a hundred rivers, with the capacity to contain the vastness of the sea.

Li Youming had already realized that the most important role of a Temple Keeper like him was to help Lord Zhangyue find more believers.

The name "Li Family Village" wasn't suitable. It smacked of belonging to one family and one surname.

So he made the decision on the spot and changed the name.

In the "Divine Domain,"

Li Yue looked at [Personal Quest—Two], now marked complete, and smiled.

Li Youming was very capable and decisive.

He had actually gone and absorbed the neighboring village.

Seven days had passed since Chen Family Village was absorbed, and only twenty-two days had passed since Li Yue issued the Divine Oracle.

Li Youming had already completed this Divine Oracle.

"Mountain Leveling Divine Talisman..."

"I wonder what it does."

"Level mountains and fill seas?"

He looked at the Mountain Leveling Divine Talisman that had appeared out of thin air in front of him after he claimed the reward.