Confer Temple Keeper, Divine Manifestation Shocks Villagers

Very quickly.

Li Youming arrived at the Land God Temple with his two sons.

The Land God Temple was built on the north side of the village, atop a small earthen slope.

To the left of the Land God Temple stood an ancient willow tree, its many years evident in the abundance of willow branches drooping down.

"Desheng, Deming, hurry up and set up the shed."

Li Youming waved his hand, issuing commands.

With his sons present, why would he, an old man, need to do such things himself?

"Father, are you really going to become the Temple Keeper of the Land God Temple?"

Li Desheng asked with a bitter face.

He was quite robust, a head taller than Li Youming, and looked sturdy and powerful.

However, his aptitude for the Martial Path was poor; at twenty-eight years old, he had practiced the Stone-Splitting Palm for over a decade, yet he still hadn't managed to transform his blood and qi even once to enter the Body Refining Realm and become a true Martial Artist.

"Could there be any falsehood in that?"

"Lord Zhangyue visited me in a dream; from now on, your father is the representative of Lord Zhangyue in the mortal world!"

Li Youming cast a sidelong glance at his eldest son, his hunched back straightening significantly.

Brothers Li Desheng and Li Deming exchanged a look.

They could both see the helplessness in each other's eyes.

As for Lord Zhangyue visiting in a dream, they didn't believe it for a second.

They figured it was most likely their old man just having a dream of his own.

However, both brothers held their father in high regard and dared not contradict him.

Whatever their father said, they would simply do.

Without further ado, the two brothers began setting up the shed; gathering some wood to build it was not difficult for them.

At this moment.

Some of the village elders heard the news and immediately rushed over.

"Youming, did Lord Zhangyue really visit you in a dream?"

Li Youtang leaned on his cane, trembling as he widened his eyes.

He was five or six years older than Li Youming and was the oldest person in the entire Li Family Village.

"Youming, is it true or false?"

"Did Lord Zhangyue really make you the Temple Keeper?"

"Deyang told us you are even going to walk the mortal world on behalf of Lord Zhangyue?"

"Could it be that the Body Strengthening Grass from yesterday was truly consumed by Lord Zhangyue?"

"Youping, the Body Strengthening Grass must have been consumed by Lord Zhangyue, you still don't believe it?"

Seven or eight elders stood before the Land God Temple, speaking over one another, several of them appearing quite agitated.

Li Youming straightened his hunched back with effort and boasted to these old brothers:

"Everyone knows what kind of person I, Li Youming, am."

"Last night, Lord Zhangyue truly visited me in a dream and commanded me to walk the mortal world in His stead."

"From now on, don't call me Youming anymore; you must address me as Temple Keeper!"

Further away.

Village Chief Li Deyang wore a strange expression.

He watched Li Youming's expression carefully, feeling that it didn't look like an act.

However, a visitation from Lord Zhangyue was absolutely impossible.

It was likely that Uncle Youming had simply dreamed of Lord Zhangyue himself.

His view was the same as that of the Li Desheng brothers.

After all—

He did not believe that gods truly existed.

The Martial Path was the only truth!

He even wondered—

Could it be that Uncle Youming had stolen the Body Strengthening Grass and was now directing and acting out this scene?

It would be to make everyone believe that the Body Strengthening Grass had been consumed by Lord Zhangyue.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the brothers Li Desheng and Li Deming.

Both brothers had poor aptitude for the Martial Path.

It is hard to guarantee that Uncle Youming didn't steal the Body Strengthening Grass just so one of his two brothers could complete their blood-qi transformation and ascend to become a Martial Artist.

"Alright, my old brothers."

"It is almost the Hour of the Dragon; I must kowtow to Lord Zhangyue and officially become the Temple Keeper."

"Everyone, quiet down."

After chatting with his old companions for a moment, Li Youming checked the sky, his expression turning solemn as he spoke in a deep voice.

He held the greatest prestige in the village, so when they saw his serious expression, the other elders dared not speak further.

One by one, they immediately stepped back, watching without even blinking.

Further out, many villagers who had heard the news also gathered around, watching with curiosity.

Lord Zhangyue sent a dream?

Uncle/Grand-uncle Youming is going to become a Temple Keeper?

This is a rare event indeed!

Their village's Land God Temple had never had a Temple Keeper before.

"Believer Li Youming of Li Family Village, kowtows to Lord Zhangyue!"

"Li Youming is willing to become the Temple Keeper of Lord Zhangyue, to walk the mortal world on behalf of Lord Zhangyue!"

Li Youming's face was grave as he knelt before the Land God Temple, performing three kowtows and nine prostrations while speaking in a loud voice.

His tone was solemn and reverent, carrying a sincerity that everyone present could feel.

All the surrounding villagers of Li Family Village held their breath.

The entire area in front of the Land God Temple became so quiet that a falling needle could be heard.

Inside the Divine Domain.

Li Yue watched Li Youming kneeling before the Land God Temple, his expression calm.

He extended his right hand.

Suddenly—

Ten strands of Divine Power converged, slowly forming a radiant Divine Talisman.

The Divine Talisman was covered in complex, inscrutable runes and carried a sense of majesty.

This was the Temple Keeper Divine Talisman!

A talisman specifically used to Confer Temple Keeper!

Once the talisman enters the body, one can possess a trace of a deity's might!

Whoosh—

The Land God Seal flew over, leaving its mark upon the Temple Keeper Divine Talisman, instantly turning the originally white talisman a deep purple.

"From this day forth, Li Youming shall be My Temple Keeper."

"He shall walk the mortal world on My behalf."

He spoke.

At the same time—

The Temple Keeper Divine Talisman in his hand transformed into a streak of purple radiance and flew out of the Divine Domain!

"From this day forth, Li Youming shall be My Temple Keeper."

"He shall walk the mortal world on My behalf."

A majestic and indifferent voice, as if coming from beyond the heavens, suddenly echoed above the Land God Temple.

This voice was high and aloof, looking down upon the earth.

Every villager who heard the sound felt as if they saw a deity standing above the firmament, its face blurred and indistinct, with only eyes filled with boundless majesty.

A streak of purple light flew out from the Land God statue and flashed into Li Youming's body.

In an instant—

Li Youming's gray hair turned pitch black.

His hunched spine straightened.

The deep, gully-like wrinkles on his face faded by more than half.

His once cloudy eyes became clear.

A faint scent of incense wafted from his body, as if he had grown twenty years younger in that very moment.

His entire temperament had changed so drastically that he seemed like a completely different person!

All the surrounding villagers were left dumbfounded.

They heard the voice of the deity, high above and infinitely majestic.

They saw the earth-shattering transformation that occurred to Li Youming in an instant!

"Lord... Lord Zhangyue has manifested!"

"Lord Zhangyue really did appear in Youming's dreams!"

"I just heard the voice of Lord Zhangyue; I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"You... Youming has become younger! Lord Zhangyue has manifested!"

One elder after another knelt down, kowtowing piously toward the Land God Temple, some even shedding tears of old age.

The remaining villagers knelt down one after another, their expressions filled with uncontrollable excitement.

What had they just witnessed?

They had witnessed the manifestation of Lord Zhangyue!

Their Li Family Village was truly protected by a deity!

At this moment—

All the surrounding villagers became significantly more devout.

Many villagers even secretly made up their minds to offer incense to Lord Zhangyue every morning and evening from now on.

Perhaps Lord Zhangyue would grant their families even more blessings!

"Do... do deities really exist?!"

"Has Lord Zhangyue manifested?"

Village Chief Li Deyang shuddered and hurriedly knelt on the ground as well.

His heart was in a daze.

Could it be that deities truly exist in this world?

Did their Li Family Village have the protection of a deity?

He had heard the high and infinitely majestic voice of Lord Zhangyue just moments ago with perfect clarity.

The transformation of Uncle Youming was right before his eyes.

Lord Zhangyue truly exists!