Strengthen Yin Soldiers, Bestow 'Yin Soldier Artifact'

Deep in the night.

Li Yue cast his gaze toward Liao Xiu'er, the Ghost Messenger kneeling outside the Land God Temple, and spoke indifferently:

"What is it?"

Liao Xiu'er replied respectfully:

"Exalted God, two people have been discovered in the village who are scouts from the Wei Clan of Cangmu Town. Do you wish for them to be apprehended?"

She had been a Candidate Ghost Messenger for two months now and never acted without authorization.

Furthermore, she was diligent and conscientious regarding any soul-reaping tasks within the scope of a Ghost Messenger's authority.

"No need to concern yourself with them."

Li Yue said calmly.

Scouts?

They had no impact on him.

At most, it would only leave the so-called Wei Clan of Cangmu Town half-doubting.

After all—

To the human race of this world, the existence of a truly real deity was simply too unbelievable.

Come to think of it—

I wonder where the Blue Star Deity closest to me is located...

Li Yue murmured in his heart.

He had originally assumed there would be other Blue Star Deities nearby.

As it turned out—

Over three months had passed, yet there wasn't the slightest rumor of any other deity manifesting their divinity.

This made it quite clear.

Even the Blue Star Deity closest to him was likely a considerable distance away.

His gaze fell upon Liao Xiu'er, who was prostrate outside the Land God Temple.

After more than two months of observation, Liao Xiu'er had proven her capability, and most importantly, she understood boundaries.

It was time for her to advance.

"Liao Xiu'er."

"Effective immediately, this God confers upon you the status of an official Ghost Messenger."

"I further bestow upon you the Yin Soldier Artifact, the 'Soul-Binding Chain', and promote you to 'Grade C Ghost Messenger' to command the other Ghost Messengers."

He gently raised his hand, and ten strands of Divine Power surged from his body, transforming into a 'Strengthened Yin Soldier Divine Talisman' that flew through the air and descended upon Liao Xiu'er.

Instantly—

Liao Xiu'er's ghost energy surged violently, her form becoming visibly more solid, and a flush of color even appeared on her face.

The Ghost Messenger Uniform she wore grew deeper in color, faintly manifesting a sense of majesty originating from the Underworld.

Following that—

A Soul-Binding Chain, pitch-black as ink and deeply terrifying, flew out and landed in Liao Xiu'er's hands.

Grasping the Soul-Binding Chain, her ghost energy merged with the artifact—

In the blink of an eye, she refined the Soul-Binding Chain, and powerful ghost energy surged from it, causing Liao Xiu'er's aura to skyrocket once more!

In just a few moments.

Liao Xiu'er had gone from a Candidate Ghost Messenger equivalent to a mid-first-tier entity.

She skipped the Grade D Ghost Messenger rank entirely, becoming a Grade C Ghost Messenger with the strength of a high-second-tier entity!

"Many thanks for the Exalted God's grace!"

Liao Xiu'er said, trembling with excitement.

Feeling the powerful strength surging through her body, she shook slightly.

This was a level of power she had never dared to imagine before!

At this moment—

The other four Candidate Ghost Messengers in the "Underworld Dharma Domain" emerged from the ground, kneeling and looking at Liao Xiu'er with faces full of envy.

"Li Youtang."

"Effective immediately, this God confers upon you the status of an official Ghost Messenger, with the rank of 'Grade D'."

"Assist Liao Xiu'er in commanding the Ghost Messengers."

Li Yue looked toward Li Youtang and said indifferently.

This was the eldest elder from the original Li Family Village, and one of the five original Grade B Believers.

He had tripped and died over half a month ago.

His ghost was brought back by Liao Xiu'er, and after being ordained by Him, he became a Candidate Ghost Messenger.

Hoo--

Another ten strands of Divine Power flew out, condensing into a 'Strengthened Yin Soldier Divine Talisman' before him before flying out of the Divine Domain and merging into Li Youtang.

Ghostly energy surged around Li Youtang, and he promoted directly from a first-rank middle-tier to a second-rank lower-tier, becoming a 'Grade D Ghost Messenger'!

"Many thanks for the Deity's grace!"

Li Youtang said with utmost piety.

Liao Chengping, standing to the side, appeared somewhat dejected, yet he was still very happy knowing his sister had become a Grade C Ghost Messenger.

As for the other two Candidate Ghost Messengers, they felt no sense of loss whatsoever.

They had been 'Grade B Believers' while alive, and now that they had died and been ordained as Ghost Messengers by Lord Zhangyue, how could they be anything but satisfied?

If the Deity bestowed grace, it was their honor.

If the Deity did not bestow grace, it simply meant they had not done well enough.

"What did you say?"

"That Four Seas Village is protected by a true Deity?"

In the main hall of the Wei Clan in Cangmu Town.

The Wei Clan Head looked at the middle-aged man below, his face full of astonishment.

He suspected that the man might have been frightened out of his wits by the Demonic Creatures in the Land of Demons.

To think he would say something so absurd.

In this world, where could there be any Deities!

There were only Demonic Creatures and Evil Specters!

Even if there were a Deity, it must surely be a Demonic Creature in disguise, merely to better devour humans.

Was there not a River Lord in the Shunling River outside their Cangmu Town?

Did he not have a Spirit Medium select three people every month to be sent into the river for the River Lord to feed upon?

"How does that Deity usually eat people?"

He asked.

"Eat people?"

A look of shock appeared on the middle-aged man's face, and he hurriedly shook his head:

"Clan Head! That is a true Deity; it does not eat people!"

"Wei, there are no Deities in this world."

"They are all Demonic Creatures in disguise, and they all eat people."

The Wei Clan Head shook his head and said.

Hearing this.

A look of hesitation immediately appeared on Wei Wei's face.

Disguised by Demonic Creatures?

He began to waver.

After all--

He had only stayed in Four Seas Village for half a month; perhaps that Lord Zhangyue of Four Seas Village simply hadn't reached his feeding time yet?

But how could a Demonic Creature bestow Spirit Fields?

And allow so many villagers in Four Seas Village to become Martial Artists?

Or could it be--

That they weren't true Spirit Fields, but an illusion cast by a Demonic Creature?

And bestowing the path of the Martial Artist was merely to better fatten them for consumption?

Thinking of this, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips and did not mention the Spirit Fields.

"Since you have returned, do not go back."

"That so-called Four Seas Village killed seven Demonic Creatures in the Land of Demons, and I heard news that the great Demonic Creature of the Land of Demons has been alarmed."

"Perhaps that great Demonic Creature will descend the mountain, devour the Demonic Creature in Four Seas Village that is masquerading as a Deity, and then carry off the entire village as blood-food."

"The great Demonic Creature of the Land of Demons is among the top-ranked great Demonic Creatures in our Cangmu Town's territory; it is terrifyingly powerful."

The Wei Clan Head said with awe.

"That great Demonic Creature?"

Wei Wei's expression shifted, the color draining from his face as terror welled up in his eyes.

That was a Great Demonic Creature who had single-handedly forged the Land of Demons!

Legend had it that he was a Mountain Lord, no weaker than the River Lord who ruled over their Cangmu Town, and the two had been bitter rivals for decades.

"I will go and bring my brother back."

Wei Wei stated immediately.

He had returned to town to report the news, but his brother was still in Four Seas Village.

Anxiety began to gnaw at his heart.

What if the Great Demonic Creature from the Land of Demons had already reached Four Seas Village? Wouldn't his brother be at risk of being swallowed in a single gulp?

Regardless of whether the Deity in Four Seas Village was a demonic disguise, how strong could a god confined to a single village really be?

Meanwhile, the Great Demonic Creature of the Land of Demons possessed a fearsome reputation and monstrous power!

The Wei Clan Patriarch nodded and sighed.

"Go quickly and return soon."

His expression was etched with exhaustion.

After all, as the patriarch of the Wei Clan, the largest family in Cangmu Town, the pressure upon him was immense.

Every year, the River Lord demanded two Martial Artists as tribute.

The Spirit Medium had set the rules.

One of those Martial Artists had to be provided by his Wei Clan.

If the Wei Clan could not provide one, they would have to face the wrath of the River Lord.

He dared not endure the River Lord's fury.

Therefore—

He had no choice but to push his clansmen to bear children and strive to cultivate Martial Artists, only to send them off to be devoured by the River Lord!

This was the fate of his Wei Clan.

His Wei Clan could only survive by clinging to life in such a manner.

"But at the very least—"

"My Wei Clan only needs to sacrifice one person to the River Lord each year..."

"Our Wei Clan can still continue to pass down our legacy..."

The Wei Clan Patriarch murmured to himself.

In this world.

To simply stay alive and ensure the family line continues is already the most desperate luxury that countless people crave...