Incense Steals Heaven

The offerings of incense and fire have their own rules. If a believer offers incense to the same god or buddha three times in one day, it will ultimately only count as one offering.

In recent years, Zhuang Yan's incense and fire offerings in Guangci Prefecture have been flourishing, accumulating a total of 640,000 offerings.

He immediately activated the Incense Steals Heaven technique, and a massive amount of incense and fire vanished in an instant like a tide.

The Heavenly Dao Power surged in continuously, and Zhuang Yan clearly felt the Heavenly Dao Power within him climbing—

100 points... 500 points... 1000 points...

When the last wisp of incense and fire was depleted, the Heavenly Dao Power settled at 6800.

After deducting the original 400 points, this meant that 640,000 offerings had yielded 6,400 points of Heavenly Dao Power.

Only one point of Heavenly Dao Power for every hundred offerings? Zhuang Yan tapped his fingertips on the table. Compared to Heavenly Dao Power, acquiring incense and fire seemed much easier.

He still needed to gather more believers. His gaze deepened. However, the Western Ox Continent is a pure land of the Buddhist Sect, and even his main source of incense and fire, Tianci Temple, belongs to the Buddhist Sect. Expanding his faith in such circumstances is by no means easy.

Fortunately, Incense Steals Heaven has been mastered, so he can proceed slowly. Looking at the abundant Heavenly Dao Power, a sharp edge emerged in Zhuang Yan's eyes: even if the three Buddhas of the present, past, and future were to come in person, he would make them taste the pain of being cracked open!

He tidied his robes and pushed open the door. Two youths with colorful tiger heads immediately pounced forward to bow. "Prefect, you're out of seclusion!"

"You're not sleeping in today?" Zhuang Yan raised an eyebrow.

Hu Lailai rubbed his stomach. "I was too hungry to sleep."

Scanning the two with his divine sense, Zhuang Yan chuckled. "You're at the Qi Refining to Godhood stage, yet you still can't manifest human faces?"

"Human faces are so ugly!" Hu Ququ proudly shook his head. "Our tiger forms are so majestic; wild beasts in the mountains tremble when they see us!"

"Exactly!" Hu Lailai chimed in. "Someone like Aunt Chi Ling, with her delicate skin, has no presence at all." Speaking of transforming, the two brothers became garrulous—their mother always forced the whole family to transform into human form, and they only dared to reveal their true forms when they snuck out.

"But hands and feet are indeed convenient," Hu Lailai added, scratching his ear.

Hu Ququ was about to nod when his tiger ears suddenly perked up. "Right, Prefect! Aunt Fire Spirit caught a strange Malevolent Spirit at the foot of the mountain the other day. She's at the Mountain God Hall now and instructed us to report to you immediately upon your emergence from seclusion."

Zhuang Yan's eyes sharpened, and he transformed into a stream of light, heading towards the Mountain God Hall.

Fire Spirit True Immortal

Entering the hall, Zhuang Yan went straight to the point. "Where is that fiend?"

Upon hearing him, the Fire Spirit True Immortal's eyes snapped open. He quickly stepped forward and bowed. "Prefect, you're out of seclusion?"

Zhuang Yan nodded slightly and asked again, "Where is the fiend?"

The Fire Spirit True Immortal quickly walked towards the curtain behind the hall, dispelled Lian'er's fixed light spell, and brought her before Zhuang Yan.

Zhuang Yan swept his gaze over her and cast "Cave Heaven True Sight." He was immediately surprised. "Hmm? She's carrying an unusual fetus? And it's being nurtured by the blessings of mortals."

"Not only that, but she has also imprisoned the Kitchen God of Guangci Prefecture City," the Fire Spirit True Immortal added.

"Imprisoning a true god, how audacious," Zhuang Yan said coldly, his gaze falling on Lian'er, who was covered in burns and had cracked skin. "Heal her injuries first."

"As you command," the Fire Spirit True Immortal replied. He raised his hand, retracted the residual Profound Yang True Fire from Lian'er's body, and infused her with a stream of immortal power.

As the immortal power flowed, Lian'er's injuries healed rapidly, and her breathing stabilized.

However, the recovered Lian'er immediately retorted, "What unusual fetus? This is a Buddha's child, the bloodline of a True Buddha!"

Zhuang Yan chuckled upon hearing this. "If this is truly a Buddha's child, then I will swallow Spirit Mountain."

Lian'er glared angrily and suddenly stood up, approaching Zhuang Yan. "Who are you? How dare you insult the Buddha's child!"

Slap—

Zhuang Yan raised his hand and struck. Lian'er's body flew through the air, somersaulted, and slammed heavily onto the ground.

"Ah!" she cried out, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her left cheek swollen like a pig's head.

"I gave you permission to get up?" Zhuang Yan looked down at her. "Speak, where did the fetus in your womb come from?"

Lian'er snorted coldly. "It was bestowed upon me by the Buddha in a dream. He shared intimacy with me, and we are to give birth to a Buddha's child."

"I am the Mother Buddha! You will all face divine retribution for treating me like this!" she said, her face contorted.

Zhuang Yan asked calmly, "Where did you find this Buddha?"

"My family has worshipped a golden Buddha statue for generations," Lian'er replied.

"Oh? I don't believe you, unless I can see it." Zhuang Yan raised an eyebrow.

Lian'er sneered. "The golden statue is destroyed. You'll never find out!"

Zhuang Yan shook his head. "If you loved him so deeply, how could you destroy his golden statue? Besides, how could you possibly destroy a Buddha's golden statue?"

"Hand over the golden statue and the Kitchen God, and it can be considered a meritorious deed for your crimes," his tone turned cold.

Lian'er closed her eyes and turned her head, her expression resolute.

Zhuang Yan said no more and instructed the Fire Spirit True Immortal, "Summon Vanguard Hu and General Snake."

The Fire Spirit True Immortal acknowledged the order and left.

Zhuang Yan grabbed Lian'er and walked out. Lian'er struggled and screamed, "Let me go! What are you going to do?"

Zhuang Yan said nothing, carrying her out of the divine mansion and casually tossing her into the peach grove.

Not long after, two earth-shattering roars echoed from behind the divine mansion, instantly changing the wind and clouds.

Amidst the swirling sand and wind, a fierce tiger with glaring eyes and a white forehead, and a giant python with red scales emerged from the peach grove, slowly approaching Lian'er with their bloody mouths agape.

Lian'er's face was ashen, her body trembling. The giant python flicked its scarlet tongue, revealing its fangs, its blood-red vertical pupils glinting with ferocity.

Zhuang Yan stepped forward and pointed at her, saying, "Vanguard Hu, Vanguard Snake, this woman claims to be carrying a Buddha's child. Since it is a Buddha's child, it must contain divinity. Eating it can grant eternal life. You two can each have half."

Before his words fell, the two beasts opened their gaping maws and lunged.

Lian'er let out a piercing scream, and her lower body immediately became wet.

The tiger and snake, however, suddenly retracted their mouths. Vanguard Hu said, "It'll be more delicious roasted."

Vanguard Snake agreed, "Marinating it with fruit wine and spices would be even better."

Fire Spirit True Immortal responded by waving her hand, and mountain wood from all directions flew into a pile, igniting into a fierce blaze with a tap of her fingertip.

Just as Vanguard Hu was about to skewer Lian'er on a stick, she wailed in utter terror, "The golden body is under the Kitchen God's shrine in the Prefect's manor! The Kitchen God is also trapped there! Don't harm my child!"

Vanguard Hu immediately released his claws. Zhuang Yan took out an earthen jar, sealed her within it, and handed it to Fire Spirit True Immortal, saying, "Offer it on the divine altar."

After Fire Spirit True Immortal left, Zhuang Yan said to the two demons, "Return to your human forms and follow me to the Prefect's manor."

The three of them rode the clouds to Guangci Prefecture City and followed the incense and fire to sneak into the kitchen. A wisp of smoke curled from the shrine on the west wall; it was indeed the Kitchen God's position.

Zhuang Yan waved his sleeve, and a golden body flew out from the bottom of the shrine. He then cast a spell, and with a flash of divine light, an old man dressed as a Ninth-Rank Immortal Official fell to the ground.

"Ouch—" The old man rubbed his waist as he stood up steadily and hastily bowed, "Your subordinate, the Kitchen God of Guangci Prefecture, pays respects to the Prefect."

Zhuang Yan asked with a smile, "Kitchen God, you have suffered. How long were you trapped by that demoness?"

The Kitchen God said dejectedly, "It's been over a month. Fortunately, the Prefect has come to my rescue."

Vanguard Hu laughed from behind, "The dignified Kitchen God, actually unable to deal with a mere little demoness?"

Upon hearing this, the Kitchen God immediately pointed at the golden body in Zhuang Yan's hand, "If this Buddha statue wasn't suppressing my divine power, how could I have feared her?"

"Then why didn't you escape?" Chi Ling interjected, "Wouldn't hiding on Spirit Platform Mountain be safe?"

The Kitchen God glanced at her, "If I could escape, I would have long ago. It's just that I couldn't."

Chi Ling snorted indignantly, "If it were me, I definitely could have escaped."

The Kitchen God scoffed, "Then how were you captured by the Prefect back then?"

Chi Ling froze, "How did you know?" She then realized and glared at Vanguard Hu, "Brother Hu, did you say something?"

Vanguard Hu coughed twice and turned to Zhuang Yan, "Prefect, where do we go next?"

Although Chi Ling was annoyed, she didn't dare to delay important matters and could only glare at him.

Zhuang Yan smiled slightly, "Vanguard Hu, Chi Ling, you two will remain at the Prefect's manor. If you discover any suspicious individuals or items, apprehend them immediately."

"Yes, sir!" The two responded in unison.

Zhuang Yan transformed into a beam of immortal light and left, returning to his divine mansion on Danchi Ridge. As soon as he entered the Mountain God Hall, he saw Fire Spirit True Immortal conversing with a bound monk.

Zhuang Yan looked closely and exclaimed in surprise, "Elder Guangde?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal rose and saluted, "Prefect has returned." Elder Guangde, though bound, still respectfully said, "I pay respects to the Prefect."

Zhuang Yan raised an eyebrow, "Fire Spirit, did you tie him up? Do you still hold a grudge against him?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal shook her head, "I encountered him while pursuing the demoness. Seeing that he seemed to be showing signs of demonic possession, I brought him back."

Zhuang Yan realized, "I thought you were going to... I was just about to help you silence him."

Elder Guangde hastily explained, "A misunderstanding! This humble monk has not fallen into demonic possession."

Fire Spirit True Immortal snorted coldly, "Your words just now were clearly the ravings of a demon."

Elder Guangde looked bewildered, "When did this humble monk say that? Fellow Daoist Fire Spirit must have misheard."

Fire Spirit True Immortal said to Zhuang Yan, "Prefect, he is clearly delirious. It would be best to eliminate him sooner rather than later."

Elder Guangde pleaded, "If I have truly fallen into demonic possession, I am willing to die. I beg the Prefect to see the truth."

Zhuang Yan raised his hand to stop them, "There's no need to argue. Let me examine him."

Zhuang Yan activated his Cave Heaven True Sight, his gaze sweeping over Elder Guangde's entire body. Elder Guangde felt as if his whole body was exposed, as if all his secrets were being seen through.

He had not fallen into demonic possession. Zhuang Yan withdrew his gaze and said calmly.

Fire Spirit True Immortal looked astonished. Although she trusted Zhuang Yan's judgment, she found it hard to understand Elder Guangde's earlier remarks. How could a dignified eminent monk of the Buddhist Sect utter such blasphemous words?

Just as Fire Spirit True Immortal was silently despising him, Zhuang Yan suddenly asked, "Where is the earthen jar that sealed the demoness?"

Fire Spirit True Immortal pointed to the altar beneath the divine statue, "It's right there."

Zhuang Yan chuckled and raised his hand to cast a spell on the earthen jar. The jar gradually became ethereal and finally vanished into nothingness. It turned out that it was merely an illusion; the real earthen jar had long since disappeared.

"No need to look," Zhuang Yan stopped Fire Spirit True Immortal, who was about to search, "the earthen jar has already been taken."

Fire Spirit True Immortal turned around in disbelief, "But I've been guarding the hall... " Before she could finish, she knelt on one knee, "Please punish me, Prefect."

"A higher being interfered in this matter," Zhuang Yan gestured for her to rise. Elder Guangde's words were likely also orchestrated by this person.

Elder Guangde was greatly alarmed, "Does the Prefect know who did this?"

Zhuang Yan lightly raised his right hand, and a golden statue of a Buddha appeared in his palm.

"Hidden Wheel Golden Body!" Elder Guangde exclaimed.

Zhuang Yan asked, "What is the origin of this item?"

Elder Guangde said solemnly, "Back then, Mahavairocana transmitted the Dharma, giving rise to many sects. The Hidden Wheel Sect went astray and was corrupted by heavenly demons. Later, it was annihilated by the Twenty-Four Devas, and the sect ceased to exist. This golden body is the Buddha-Demon Golden Body forged by the heavenly demon after the Hidden Wheel Sect fell into demonic possession. It is said that the heavenly demon Pāpīyas descends in a human form every thousand years, leaving traces in the mortal realm."

Fire Spirit True Immortal realized, "It seems the annihilation back then was not complete, and there were still some who escaped."