Offerings of incense had their own rules. If a believer burned incense for the same god or Buddha three times in a single day, it would ultimately count as only one offering.
Over the years, Zhuang Yan's incense offerings in Guangci Prefecture had flourished, accumulating a total of six hundred and forty thousand offerings.
He immediately activated Incense Steals Heaven. The vast amount of incense offerings vanished like a receding tide.
Heavenly Dao Power then surged forth without end, and Zhuang Yan clearly sensed the power within him rising—
100 points... 500 points... 1,000 points...
When the final trace of incense offerings was exhausted, his Heavenly Dao Power settled at 6,800.
Subtracting the original 400 points, six hundred and forty thousand offerings of incense had yielded 6,400 points of Heavenly Dao Power.
A hundred offerings for one point? Zhuang Yan lightly tapped the desk with his fingertips. Compared to Heavenly Dao Power, obtaining incense offerings seemed far easier.
He still needed to draw in more followers. His gaze darkened slightly. But Western Ox Continent was sacred ground for Buddhism, and even Tianci Temple, his primary source of incense offerings, belonged to the Buddhist sect. Expanding his faith under such circumstances would be far from easy.
Fortunately, Incense Steals Heaven had already been mastered, so he could take things slowly. Looking at his abundant Heavenly Dao Power, a sharp edge appeared between Zhuang Yan's brows. Even if the Buddhas of the Three Times came in person, he would make them taste what it was like to have their heads cracked open!
After straightening his clothes, he pushed open the door. Two youths with colorful tiger heads immediately rushed over and bowed. "Lord Prefect, you're out of seclusion!"
"You actually didn't sleep in today?" Zhuang Yan raised a brow.
Hu Lailai rubbed his stomach. "We were too hungry to sleep."
Zhuang Yan swept his divine sense over the two and laughed. "You've reached Qi Refining to Godhood, yet you still can't transform human faces?"
"Human faces are so ugly!" Hu Ququ proudly shook his head. "Our tiger forms are so imposing. The beasts in the mountains go weak in the knees the moment they see us!"
"Exactly!" Hu Lailai chimed in. "Someone like Auntie Chi Ling, with her delicate skin and tender flesh, has no imposing presence at all." At the mention of transformation, the brothers immediately began chattering away. Their mother always forced the whole family to take human form; only when they sneaked out did they dare reveal their true forms.
"But hands and feet are indeed more convenient," Hu Lailai added, scratching his ear.
Hu Ququ was about to nod when his tiger ears suddenly pricked up. "Right, Lord Prefect! Auntie Fire Spirit caught a strange evil creature at the foot of the mountain the day before yesterday. It's in the Mountain God Hall now. She told us to report to you the instant you left seclusion."
Zhuang Yan's gaze sharpened, and he transformed into a streak of light that shot toward the Mountain God Hall.
Inside the Fire Spirit True Immortal Hall, Zhuang Yan stepped into the Mountain God Hall and asked directly, "Where is the evil creature?"
Hearing him, Fire Spirit True Immortal abruptly opened her eyes, rose to her feet, and hurried forward to bow. "Lord Prefect, you have left seclusion?"
Zhuang Yan nodded slightly and asked again, "Where is the evil creature?"
Fire Spirit True Immortal swiftly walked behind the curtain at the rear of the hall, dispelled the immobilizing light spell on Lian'er, and brought her before Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Yan swept his gaze over her and activated Cave Heaven True Sight. He then said in surprise, "Hmm? You're carrying an abnormal fetus? And it was nourished by borrowing the blessings of mortals."
"Not only that, she imprisoned the Kitchen God of Guangci Prefecture City," Fire Spirit True Immortal added.
"Imprisoning an orthodox god. Your audacity knows no bounds." Zhuang Yan's gaze fell on Lian'er, whose body was covered in burns and cracks. "Treat her injuries first."
"Yes." Fire Spirit True Immortal raised a hand, withdrew the remaining Profound Yang True Fire from Lian'er's body, then sent a strand of immortal power into her.
As the immortal power flowed through her, Lian'er's injuries rapidly healed, and her aura gradually steadied.
But the recovered Lian'er immediately retorted, "What abnormal fetus? This is a Buddhist child, with the True Buddha Bloodline!"
Zhuang Yan laughed when he heard that. "If this really is a Buddhist child, I'll swallow Spirit Platform Mountain."
Lian'er glared at him and abruptly rose, stepping toward Zhuang Yan. "Who are you? How dare you insult the Buddhist child!"
Smack!
Zhuang Yan raised his hand and slapped her. Lian'er's body spun through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.
"Ah!" she screamed. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and the left side of her face swelled up like a pig's head.
"Did I permit you to stand?" Zhuang Yan looked down at her. "Speak. Where did the fetus in your womb come from?"
Lian'er snorted coldly. "The Buddha bestowed it upon me in a dream. He joined with me in mortal union, and I bore the Buddhist child."
"I am Mother Buddha. Treat me like this, and you will surely suffer Divine Punishment!" Her face twisted viciously.
Zhuang Yan said calmly, "Where did you find this Buddha?"
"My family has worshiped the Buddha's golden body for generations," Lian'er answered.
"Oh? I don't believe you unless you let me see it." Zhuang Yan raised a brow.
Lian'er sneered. "The golden body has already been destroyed. Don't even think of learning anything!"
Zhuang Yan shook his head. "If you loved him so deeply, why would you destroy his golden body? Besides, how could someone like you destroy a Buddha's golden body?"
"Hand over the golden body and the Kitchen God, and I can count it as making amends for your crimes." His tone turned cold.
Lian'er shut her eyes and turned her head away, her expression resolute.
Zhuang Yan said no more and told Fire Spirit True Immortal, "Call Vanguard Hu and Vanguard Snake here."
Fire Spirit True Immortal accepted the order and left.
Zhuang Yan grabbed Lian'er and carried her outside. She struggled and screamed, "Let go of me! What are you doing?"
Without a word, Zhuang Yan carried her out of the divine residence and casually tossed her into the peach grove.
Before long, two earthshaking roars rang out from behind the divine residence, and the sky and clouds changed color.
Amid the whirling sand and wind, a white-browed tiger with hanging eyes and a Red-Scaled Giant Python emerged from the peach grove. With their blood-filled maws wide open, they slowly closed in on Lian'er.
Lian'er's face turned ashen, and her entire body trembled. The giant python flicked its scarlet tongue, exposing its gleaming fangs as savage light flashed in its blood-red vertical pupils.
Zhuang Yan stepped forward and pointed at her. "Vanguard Hu, Vanguard Snake, this woman claims to carry a Buddhist child. If it is truly a Buddhist child, it must contain divinity. Eating it could grant immortality. Split her evenly between yourselves."
Before his words had even finished, the two beasts opened their huge jaws and pounced.
Lian'er shrieked, and a wet patch immediately spread beneath her.
But the tiger and python suddenly closed their mouths. Vanguard Hu said, "She'd taste better roasted."
Vanguard Snake agreed, "It would be even better with fruit wine and spices."
Fire Spirit True Immortal waved a hand in response. Trees from all around flew together into a pile, and with a light tap of her fingertip, raging flames sprang up.
Just as Vanguard Hu was about to skewer Lian'er on a wooden stick, she broke down and cried out, "The golden body is beneath the Kitchen God shrine in the governor's residence! The Kitchen God is trapped there too! Don't hurt my child!"
Vanguard Hu immediately loosened his claws. Zhuang Yan took out a clay jar and sealed her inside, then handed it to Fire Spirit True Immortal. "Place it on the divine altar."
After Fire Spirit True Immortal left, Zhuang Yan said to the two demons, "Return to human form and come with me to the governor's residence."
The three rode clouds to Guangci Prefecture City and followed the incense offerings into the kitchen. Smoke curled from the shrine on the western wall—it was the Kitchen God's place.
With a sweep of Zhuang Yan's sleeve, a golden body flew out from beneath the shrine. He then formed a hand seal, and a flash of divine light revealed an old man dressed as a Ninth-Rank Immortal Official.
"Ow—" The old man rubbed his waist and steadied himself before hurriedly bowing. "This lowly official is the Kitchen God of Guangci Prefecture. Greetings, Lord Prefect."
Zhuang Yan smiled and asked, "Kitchen God, you have suffered. How long were you trapped by that demoness?"
The Kitchen God said dejectedly, "More than a month already. Fortunately, Lord Prefect rescued me."
Vanguard Hu laughed from behind him. "A dignified Kitchen God, unable to deal with a mere demoness?"
The Kitchen God immediately pointed at the golden body in Zhuang Yan's hand. "If that Buddha Statue hadn't suppressed my divine power, why would I fear her?"
"Then why didn't you run?" Chi Ling cut in. "Wouldn't you have been safe if you hid on Spirit Platform Mountain?"
The Kitchen God glanced at her. "If I could have run, I would've done so long ago. The problem was that I couldn't escape."
Chi Ling snorted indignantly. "If it were me, I definitely could have escaped."
The Kitchen God sneered. "Then how did you get captured by Lord Prefect back then?"
Chi Ling froze. "How did you know?" She immediately realized what had happened and glared at Vanguard Hu. "Brother Hu, was it you who told him?"
Vanguard Hu gave a dry cough and turned to Zhuang Yan. "Lord Prefect, where are we going next?"
Though Chi Ling was furious, she did not dare delay important business and could only glare at him.
Zhuang Yan smiled slightly. "Vanguard Hu, Chi Ling, remain at the governor's residence. If you find anyone or anything suspicious, seize them immediately."
"Yes!" the two answered in unison.
Zhuang Yan transformed into a streak of immortal light and departed, returning to the divine residence at Danchi Ridge. As soon as he entered the Mountain God Hall, he saw Fire Spirit True Immortal speaking with a bound monk.
Looking carefully, Zhuang Yan said in surprise, "Elder Guangde?"
Fire Spirit True Immortal rose and bowed. "Lord Prefect has returned." Though bound, Elder Guangde remained respectful. "Greetings, Lord Prefect."
Zhuang Yan raised a brow. "Fire Spirit, you tied him up? Don't tell me you still bear a grudge against him?"
Fire Spirit True Immortal shook her head. "I encountered him while pursuing the demoness. He seemed to show signs of falling to demonic corruption, so I brought him back."
Zhuang Yan nodded in realization. "I thought you wanted to settle an old score and was preparing to help you silence him."
Elder Guangde hurriedly explained, "A misunderstanding! This poor monk has not fallen to demonic corruption."
Fire Spirit True Immortal snorted coldly. "What you said earlier was clearly the speech of demonic delusion."
Elder Guangde looked baffled. "When did this poor monk say such things? Fellow Daoist Fire Spirit must have heard wrongly."
Fire Spirit True Immortal said to Zhuang Yan, "Lord Prefect, he has already lost his mind. It would be better to get rid of him early."
Elder Guangde pleaded, "If I have truly fallen to demonic corruption, I am willing to die. I beg Lord Prefect to judge clearly."
Zhuang Yan raised a hand to stop them. "No need to argue. Let me examine him."
Zhuang Yan activated Cave Heaven True Sight, his gaze sweeping over Elder Guangde's entire body. Elder Guangde suddenly felt chilled all over, as though every secret within him had been seen through.
"He has not fallen to demonic corruption." Zhuang Yan withdrew his gaze, his tone calm.
Fire Spirit True Immortal looked surprised. Though she trusted Zhuang Yan's judgment, she could not understand Elder Guangde's earlier remarks. How could a dignified Buddhist monk speak such absurdities?
Just as Fire Spirit True Immortal was silently scorning him, Zhuang Yan suddenly asked, "Where is the clay jar containing the demoness?"
Fire Spirit True Immortal pointed at the altar beneath the divine statue. "It's right there."
Zhuang Yan chuckled and raised a hand, casting a spell at the clay jar. The jar gradually turned transparent before finally vanishing into nothingness. It had only been an illusion; the real clay jar had already disappeared without a trace.
"No need to search." Zhuang Yan stopped Fire Spirit True Immortal, who was about to step forward to investigate. "The clay jar has been taken."
Fire Spirit True Immortal turned around in disbelief. "But I was guarding the hall the entire time..." Before she could finish, she dropped to one knee. "Please punish me, Lord Prefect."
"Another expert has interfered in this matter." Zhuang Yan gestured for her to rise. "Elder Guangde's earlier words were likely manipulated in secret by that person as well."
Elder Guangde was greatly startled. "Does Lord Prefect know who did it?"
Zhuang Yan raised his right hand, and a golden Buddha Statue appeared in his palm.
"The Hidden Wheel golden body!" Elder Guangde cried out.
Zhuang Yan asked, "What is the origin of this object?"
Elder Guangde said solemnly, "Back when Mahavairocana spread his teachings, many sects arose. The Hidden Wheel Sect strayed onto the wrong path and was corrupted by heavenly demons. It was later wiped out by the Twenty Heavens, and the sect vanished from existence. This golden body is the Buddha-Demon Golden Body forged by heavenly demons after the Hidden Wheel Sect fell to demonic corruption. It is said that the heavenly demon Pāpīyān sends down an incarnation every thousand years, leaving it behind in the mortal world."
Fire Spirit True Immortal came to a realization. "It seems the extermination back then was incomplete. There are still survivors."
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