Become My Temple Keeper and Walk the Mortal Realm in My Stead

"Li Youming seems like a good choice."

"He's young and clever, studied at a private school for three years, and spent twelve years out adventuring. He's highly respected in Li Family Village."

"When he was young, he mastered the Stone-Splitting Palm. His qi and blood underwent Metamorphosis twice, making him a Body Refining Realm Martial Artist."

"He also has a decent temperament and has never done anything wicked."

Li Yue nodded and decided that Li Youming would be his Temple Keeper.

Of the five Grade B Believers, Li Youming was the only one who had ventured beyond the village. He had seen quite a bit of the world.

He looked toward the outside of the Land God Temple.

It was already past the hour of the Ox.

His promotion to a Divine Seat had clearly taken quite a while.

Li Family Village looked peaceful and quiet. Now that night had fallen, it was utterly still.

Simple earthen houses stood scattered among the deep mountains, each household with fields cultivated before its home.

The New Year had just passed, and patches of snow and ice still lingered in some of the fields.

Li Yue stepped out of the Land God statue.

When he had been a Wild God, the "Divine Domain" inside the statue had been like a cage, and he could not leave.

But after being promoted to an Orthodox Land God of Subordinate Ninth Rank, he could now leave the "Divine Domain" inside his statue.

"It feels good to have my feet on solid ground..."

He sighed.

He looked at the dark mountains surrounding the village, then set off in one direction.

But after walking only about a li, he stopped.

A small hill lay ahead, with mountain ranges rising and falling behind it.

This was the boundary of Li Family Village.

A sense of dread gripped him. He knew that if he went any farther, he would grow extremely weak.

"Once a Deity leaves their 'Jurisdiction,' they become weak."

"All Divine Techniques require 'ten times the divine power' to cast."

"And their Divine Rank temporarily falls by one level."

Li Yue murmured to himself, gazing deeply at the undulating mountains ahead.

Unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not leave his "Jurisdiction."

Falling one level in Divine Rank and needing "ten times the divine power" to cast Divine Techniques was too dangerous.

Then—

He took a few steps and returned to his "Divine Domain" inside the Land God Temple.

There was no need to test the other directions around the village.

As the Orthodox Land God, he knew exactly how large his "Jurisdiction" was.

He had only wanted to feel what it was like to stand at the edge of his "Jurisdiction."

His gaze shifted to Li Youming's home.

At that moment,

Li Youming had already fallen fast asleep.

Li Yue extended his right hand and pointed gently at Li Youming.

Divine power gathered at his fingertip as he cast the Divine Technique "Dream Projection Art."

Li Youming stood dazed in front of the Land God Temple.

He had no idea why he was dreaming about the temple.

Could it be because of the Grand Sacrifice earlier that day, and because Lord Zhangyue had enjoyed that precious sprig of Body Strengthening Grass?

To be honest,

he still had his doubts.

Though he was devout in his faith in Lord Zhangyue,

he had seen enough of the world to know what lay beyond the village.

He worshiped Lord Zhangyue because he yearned for the day a Deity would descend, drive away evil spirits and demons, and let the people live in peace!

But did Deities really exist?

He didn't know.

"Li Youming—"

Suddenly,

a voice rang out, lofty and filled with boundless authority.

Li Youming looked around.

"Who's calling me?"

Only then did he realize—

why was this dream so vivid?

And yet, he knew he was dreaming.

It was a very strange feeling.

"Li Youming—"

The lofty voice, brimming with boundless authority, rang out again.

It seemed to come from the heavens!

Li Youming startled and looked up at the sky above the Land God Temple.

A gigantic, impassive face appeared there, its eyes full of majesty as it gazed down at him from on high.

It looked exactly like Lord Zhangyue, the figure worshiped in the Land God Temple!

"Lord Zhangyue!"

Li Youming was stunned. He hurriedly fell to his knees.

His heart surged with excitement.

Lord Zhangyue had manifested!

After all these years, he had finally witnessed Lord Zhangyue manifest!

"Li Youming."

"I am the Orthodox Land God of Li Family Village. It is only right that I protect Li Family Village."

"But there is a divide between Deities and mortals; I cannot speak with you directly."

"Are you willing to become My Temple Keeper and walk the Mortal Realm in My stead?"

The majestic, impassive voice rang out, filling the entire world with its vast, rumbling echoes.

This was the might of a Deity!

"I, Li Youming, a Believer, am willing!"

Li Youming was so overwhelmed that he hurriedly kowtowed.

"At the hour of the Dragon tomorrow, kowtow to Me, and you shall become My Temple Keeper."

"Do not forget."

The majestic voice fell silent.

Then the entire dream world shattered into pieces.

Li Youming opened his eyes and abruptly sat up.

The words "Do not forget" still echoed in his mind.

"Lord Zhangyue manifested and sent me a dream?"

He murmured.

The memories of the dream were crystal clear.

It felt less like a dream and more like something he had truly experienced!

Lord Zhangyue's enormous face, which had blotted out half the sky—

Those eyes gazing down from on high—

And that voice, filled with boundless authority.

It had all felt impossibly real!

"What's wrong?"

"The rooster hasn't even crowed yet. Why are you sitting up...?"

His wife, Zhao Jiuhua, opened her bleary eyes and mumbled.

"Jiuhua, Lord Zhangyue just sent me a dream."

Li Youming's voice trembled.

Only he knew just how much excitement that trembling voice held!

"Huh?"

"Lord Zhangyue sent you a dream?"

"Go back to sleep. Maybe you'll dream that Lord City God sends you a dream next."

Zhao Jiuhua rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Fine, don't believe me."

"I'm telling you, Lord Zhangyue sent me a dream and told me to become His Temple Keeper. From now on, I'll walk the Mortal Realm in Lord Zhangyue's stead!"

By the end, Li Youming's voice was trembling even harder.

He was clearly beside himself with excitement.

After all, he would be walking the Mortal Realm in the Land God's stead.

What kind of being was Lord Zhangyue?

An Orthodox Land God!

From then on, he, Li Youming, would represent an Orthodox God as he walked the Mortal Realm. What an exalted position!

"Go to sleep."

"Stop making noise."

"If you sleep a little longer, you'll be a Land God yourself."

Zhao Jiuhua said irritably.

She didn't believe in any Land Gods.

If the Land God really existed, why had San'er gotten sick and died?

Back then, she and Li Youming had begged the Land God for help.

But had it done any good?

Her San'er had still died of illness.

"What an ignorant fool."

"I can't be bothered to explain it to you."

Li Youming snorted, then got up and put on his clothes.

He had to get everything ready in advance. As soon as dawn broke, he would go to the Land God Temple and become its Temple Keeper!

The temple was so small that he even planned to build a simple lean-to outside. It would be a place where he, the Temple Keeper, could carry out his duties.

Less than an hour later,

the sky was already growing faintly bright.

Li Youming immediately grabbed some tools, kicked his two sons awake, and headed for the Land God Temple with them.

"Uncle Youming, what are you doing?"

Seeing Li Youming carrying a pile of tools, with his two sons behind him carrying a ladder and a stool, Village Chief Li Deyang asked curiously.

"Oh, Deyang."

"I'll tell you: Lord Zhangyue sent me a dream last night and told me to become His Temple Keeper. From now on, I'll walk the Mortal Realm in Lord Zhangyue's stead!"

"You'd better not be too jealous of your Uncle Youming."

Li Youming said smugly.

"???"

Village Chief Li Deyang stared at him in astonishment.

Lord Zhangyue had sent him a dream?

He was going to walk the Mortal Realm in Lord Zhangyue's stead?

He looked at Li Youming as if he were looking at a fool.