Earth Granny smiled kindly.
"Silly child, of course people go to the Underworld when they die. Those with merit can be reborn into a good life, perhaps into a wealthy family or even as princes, nobles, generals, and ministers. Those burdened with heavy karma must descend into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, but you don't need to understand any of that yet."
"As for Yin Virtue, it's actually much like merit. The difference is that you don't only accumulate it by doing good deeds yourself. Good deeds performed by your ancestors also accumulate Yin Virtue for their descendants, letting them sail smoothly with the wind at their backs."
At this point, Earth Granny looked Qian Renxue over carefully.
"You possess very profound Yin Virtue. There must have been someone extraordinary among your ancestors."
Qian Renxue thought of the Angel God.
"Earth Granny, you're absolutely right. There really was someone remarkable among my ancestors, and my family is also a major power where we come from."
"That is the effect of Yin Virtue. It shelters later generations."
Qian Renxue frowned slightly at this. "But I haven't felt anything obvious, aside from having decent circumstances."
Earth Granny pointed at Qian Renxue again.
"That's where you're getting caught up in appearances. Quite a few outsiders have arrived, and some even appeared right inside monsters' lairs. Yet you arrived in front of my temple. How do you know that wasn't the protection of Yin Virtue?"
Whoosh~
Qian Renxue's mind instantly cleared, as though she had broken through a layer of mist.
"So that's how it is? My arriving here safely was already thanks to the protection of Yin Virtue?"
Qian Renxue found that very reasonable. Once she understood, her eyes immediately lit up.
"Then, Earth Granny, can I become a god too?"
"It will indeed be easier for you than for others."
Qian Renxue immediately bowed. "Please teach me how to become a god through merit, Earth Granny."
"Congratulations, eldest brother! If the young master can become a god in the Primordial World, our Spirit Hall could endure for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations!"
The consecrated elders all offered Qian Daoliu their congratulations.
Even Bibi Dong's expression held a trace of something inscrutable.
"Don't speak too soon. You all heard it just now. Becoming a god requires merit. I'm afraid it won't be that simple."
Qian Daoliu was in high spirits, but he was also very worried.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"To think the young master Spirit Hall has kept hidden would be this lucky. Is she already going to become a god? How can we allow that?"
Ning Fengzhi grew anxious.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, send people to contact the Clear Sky Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan immediately. Our Upper Three Sects must breathe as one and stand together if we're to secure a firmer footing in the future."
Sword Douluo hesitated. "Fengzhi, I don't oppose your decision, but shouldn't we bring Rongrong back first?"
"Rongrong?"
Ning Fengzhi considered it. He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to temper Ning Rongrong's disposition, but now it seemed that would no longer work.
"Then sorry for the trouble, Uncle Jian, but please bring Rongrong back. Whether she participates in the Soul Master Tournament no longer matters."
"Spirit Hall might not even hold this tournament anymore."
"All right, I'll go bring Rongrong back now. Old Bones, you go notify the other two sects."
Once the two had left, Ning Fengzhi focused intently on the livestream again.
"I wonder if there will be a chance to catch a glimpse of the Underworld."
The Primordial World.
Earth Granny was indeed offering Qian Renxue guidance.
"How about serving as a temple keeper here with me first?"
"A temple keeper?"
"That's right. Your usual duties will be cleaning the Earth God's temple and running errands for me. When appropriate, I'll have you do some work for the Underworld Bureaucracy so the higher-ups can get to know your face. If you do well, you'll have a chance to become a yin deity after your hundred years are up."
"Though you might not hold any official rank, you would still be a legitimate deity, not someone those makeshift gods and wild gods could compare to."
Qian Renxue hesitated at this.
"What? Could it be that you look down on a mere little Earth God?"
"No, no, I don't look down on Earth Gods."
Qian Renxue waved her hands repeatedly.
"I just don't understand what you mean, Granny. Must I wait until I die to become a god?"
"Of course not."
Earth Granny explained, "If you can render meritorious service, you can be invested as a god while still alive. But that is very difficult and very dangerous."
"Every person invested as a god while alive has been a heaven-gifted talent. Though you show traces of cultivation, it's far too crude. At the very least, you must first switch to an orthodox cultivation method."
Qian Renxue hesitated no longer.
"Thank you for thinking well enough of me to give me this opportunity, Granny. I am willing to serve as your temple keeper. I only ask that you offer me plenty of guidance in the days to come."
"Good, then it's settled."
Earth Granny smiled. "You have no divine office yet, so staying in my Vihara too long would be bad for you. Go outside for now. Someone has come looking for you, too."
"Tonight, I will teach you an orthodox cultivation method."
"Go on."
Qian Renxue wanted to thank her, but found herself unable to speak, as though she were in a dream.
When she woke, she found herself still standing before the Earth God's temple. The statue was still the same statue, as though she had stood here without ever leaving.
But she knew all of it had truly happened.
"I bow in thanks, Granny. Tonight, I will respectfully await your arrival."
Qian Renxue bowed to the statue. Just as she straightened, footsteps sounded behind her.
"Where did you come from, little girl?"
An old man with snow-white hair and beard walked over slowly, looking Qian Renxue up and down.
"Hello, sir. My name is Qian Renxue, and I'm an outsider. The Earth God just agreed to let me serve as the temple keeper here."
"Oh?"
The old man's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to kneel before the statue.
"The Earth God has manifested! Please rest assured, Earth God. I'll call people over right away to help build a house for the temple keeper."
Then the old man stood. "My surname is Liu. It's a common surname in this village. Just call me Grandpa Liu."
"Since the Earth God has made you the temple keeper, do your work well. I'll go into the village and call people over to help build you a house first."
Having said that, Grandpa Liu hurried back to the village without waiting for Qian Renxue to speak. He soon returned with a large group of sturdy farmers.
"Get moving. It's getting late. We must at least put up somewhere for Temple Keeper Qian to stay today."
Grandpa Liu directed everyone's work, and Qian Renxue couldn't get a single word in.
The Douluo Continent.
The two worlds were now merging, and the flow of time kept shifting.
Evening had already arrived in the Primordial World, while less than two hours had passed on the Douluo Continent. Moreover, this flow of time would continue to change in the future.
In less than two hours, Qian Renxue had actually found a local god of the Primordial World to take her in. The sight provoked far too many people.
"Spirit Hall again! Why does Spirit Hall get to scoop up every good thing?"
The rats of the Clear Sky Sect all had bloodshot eyes and panted like oxen.
Far away at Shrek, Tang Hao and Tang San were even angrier.
"She's nothing but a temple keeper. Becoming a god isn't that easy."
Tang San spoke through gritted teeth.
Yu Xiaogang, who had been writing furiously, put down his pen and picked up the theory on becoming a god in the Primordial World that he had just compiled, nodding in agreement.
"Little San is right. Leaving aside how difficult merit is to obtain, Spirit Hall has always been selfish and self-serving. Presumably, this young master they've kept hidden is the same."
"As I see it, forget becoming a god through merit. She'll be lucky if she doesn't end up in that hell after she dies."
Ning Rongrong finally couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up. "Hey, what gives you the right to say that? I haven't seen her do anything bad."
Before you continue