Faith Power of the Human Heart

Inside Tongde Tower, Lady Xie reluctantly closed the book in her hands.

It's time to set off.

There was still a distance to travel from Tian'an County to Ci Prefecture City. She hated the bumpy journey, but she also understood that in life, there are many things that one cannot refuse to do, even if one is unwilling to do them.

"Madam, we can't leave now."

The maid walked into the room from outside with a displeased look on her face and glanced at the book in the lady's hand.

"You're still watching ' The Dragon Maiden's Tale,' all that lovey-dovey stuff, what's the point?"

What happened?

"The city gates have all been sealed off by the Imperial Demon Hunters, who say there are demons causing trouble."

As a member of the demons in a broad sense, the little maid was very unhappy.

Zhu Yan was a strange creature that roamed the Primordial Wilderness in Primordial Era times. Legend has it that it was a calamity-bringing beast, and wherever it went, war and disaster would follow.

Although the maid had been taken in and raised by the Chen Commandery Xie Clan since childhood, she was still a ferocious beast at heart, and only Lady Xie in front of her could control her.

Later, when she married into the Langya Wang Clan, the Xie family of the Chen Commandery Xie Clan simply gave this little Zhu Yan as part of her dowry.

Besides giving Lady Xie some confidence, the ultimate reason was that she knew no one but Lady Xie could control this strange creature, and keeping it at home would only bring more trouble.

"The Imperial Demon Hunters?"

Lady Xie keenly perceived the problem.

"Hmm, a bunch of Seventh Grade officials."

Most of the top-tier operators in the Imperial Demon Hunters are around the Seventh Grade.

It seems Shi Chibao has arrived.

Lady Xie made a deduction in her mind.

The two leading figures of the Ci Prefecture Imperial Demon Hunters, Shi Chibao and Su Che, had already met that old acquaintance before, and he seemed to have adopted the demeanor of a wandering knight.

This is normal, though. Su Che has only been with the Imperial Demon Hunters Imperial Demon Hunters for a short time and hasn't figured out their usual tactics yet.

Only Shi Chibao could command the Imperial Demon Hunters to run around like this.

But what is his intention in making such Motion and Stillness at this time?

"Madam, why don't you just show us the Langya Wang Clan's name and we'll leave directly?"

"I'm rather intrigued; I want to see what they're up to." Lady Xie reopened the book, "The Dragon Maiden's Tale." "Let them seal it if they want."

At the city gate of Tian'an County, Magistrate Pei Huai glared angrily at Zhu Yi was dressed in official robes.

"What does this mean? Why are all the gates blocked?"

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just the intention of the Ci Prefecture Judicial Investigation Office."

Zhu Yi was nominally a spy for the Imperial Demon Hunters in Tian'an County, but in reality, his spy career was very successful, and almost everyone in Tian'an County knew that he was a member of the Imperial Demon Hunters.

Pei Huai took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Old Zhu, now is not the time for jokes. With the city gates closed, where will the people in the county get their food, clothing, and other necessities?"

"We have to get through these difficult times together; there's nothing we can do about it."

Let's get through these difficult times together.

Pei Huai smiled when he heard those four words.

"The disaster victims outside are all waiting for the grain in the government granaries to eat their porridge. Old Zhu, if this incites a popular uprising, it will be a terrible thing. Please talk to your superiors and ask them to be lenient."

Zhu Yi didn't speak, he just smiled.

Inside the silk shop, Su Che and Shi Chibao were doing some calculations together.

"The food in the soup kitchens outside should last for two days, not counting the ongoing arrival of more disaster victims, which we'll account for as one day."

Su Che scribbled and drew on the paper.

"As the saying goes, 'If you're alive for a day, you need to eat; if you're alive for three days, you need to wear clothes.' Ultimately, it all comes down to survival, so sealing off the city is actually a poor strategy. Sealing off the city only causes trouble for the local government; what impact will it have on that City God?"

Su Che looked at Shi Chibao.

"Locking down the city is a terrible idea no matter how you look at it."

Su Che believed that going too far was counterproductive. This time, the target was the Tian'an County City God, not the people of Tian'an County or the disaster victims outside the city.

If it really sparks a popular uprising, it will be a major upheaval.

At this critical juncture, when the "Three Suns Calamity" is approaching, we cannot afford any further complications.

"Brother, you don't know this," Shi Chibao said, "I'm actually only sealing it off for six hours. After six hours, I'll open one city gate for people to come and go. As for the soup kitchens outside, as long as there's food, nothing will go wrong."

Su Che nodded; Shi Chibao was right. For the disaster victims who were arriving from all over Ci Prefecture, Tian'an County was not their final destination, but merely a transit point.

They were going to Jiankang and Jiangzhou.

A bowl of hot porridge can soothe the internal organs, but we still have to keep going.

"It was bestowed by the Chief Justice..." Su Che thought for a moment, "But it's actually the will of the people."

"That's right, we need to create panic in Tian'an County."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che: "God is based on faith. When people's hearts are in turmoil, the incense offerings in the human world will also be in turmoil."

God is based on faith.

Su Che pondered the meaning behind Shi Chibao's words.

The foundation of Divine Path practice lies in the offerings of incense and prayers from the human world; more specifically, it lies in the Faith Power of people's hearts. It can be said that the spiritual cultivation of deities is interconnected with that of their believers.

Therefore, at the end of a dynasty, when people's hearts are in turmoil, it is also the time when all kinds of gods are most likely to run into trouble. The old gods lose the support of their faith, and the new gods find an opportunity to rise up.

The chaotic thoughts and ideas of people's hearts become the stage for the gods to contend for power.

The core of the belief of the Tian'an County City God lies among the people of Tian'an County.

At this very moment, Shi Chibao deliberately created chaos and unrest among the people, using this opportunity to probe the true nature of the Tian'an County City God.

"This is the first move."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che.

"Then comes the second move."

The Chief of the Ci Prefecture Judicial Bureau pulled a list from his sleeve.

Su Che took it and looked at the name on it.

"These people are..."

"They are all his core followers."

The names on this list include the temple keeper of the City God Temple, several local gentry who had donated money to repair the City God Temple, and some incense burners who frequently organized people to worship at the City God Temple.

Some of these people genuinely believed in the Tian'an County City God, while others were merely engaging in transactions with each other.

However, these people have formed a vast network, and they are all important nodes in this network.

"I've already had my men ask them to leave."

Shi Chibao demonstrated the ruthless methods of a veteran Imperial Demon Hunters, proving he was a man forged through countless trials.

"Once these people leave, he won't be able to appease them even if he wants to."

"Then comes the third step."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che and said, "When the time comes, I'll trouble you to join me in making him confess his crimes and be executed."

"I don't think he'll just sit here and wait to die."

Su Che looked at Shi Chibao.

"If it's just a city lockdown, it might take him another half an hour to figure out who he needs to deal with. But if we get rid of his temple priests and core followers, he will definitely react."

"So we still need to use speed to overcome slowness."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che and said, "Brother, please go to the City God Temple first and meet this City God who has fallen into demonic possession."