Reclaiming the Youdu Edict
There seemed to be some doubt in her red eyes, an inability to be certain.
Yinglong Banner is indeed renowned, but it is ancient and still retains a barbaric character. In the current situation, any move against it would harm both sides.
The Great Yu Dragon Stele is rather detestable; it has become much more cunning. Although it lacks earth-shattering offensive capabilities, it is incredibly steady and subtly influential.
After connecting with the nation's Fortune through a secret method, this stone tablet doesn't require much consumption to demonstrate the weight of the nation's fate itself. It's perfect for blocking the gate in the unseen world.
After all, Fortune is a thing that is constantly changing.
If it is a thriving nation, as long as it takes from it in moderation, when the power of its fortune and magical treasures is revealed, it will not only not damage its foundation, but will also promote change.
The Yinglong Banner is a weapon of mass destruction, an ominous and dangerous weapon, and naturally belongs to the category that must be used in moderation.
The Great Yu Dragon Stele is a prime example of a steady and measured approach.
The Divine Lord Wangliang was furious that these two treasures had ruined his plans, but knowing that the situation was already set in stone, he couldn't help but focus more on the Youdu Edict.
"Is it really the Youdu Edict?"
The red eyes held a turbulent energy, as if trying to capture Chu Tianshu's image in all its depths and unleash a spell from within them.
However, the grand plan of the Divine Lord Wangliang failed, and the divine power that could be deployed to the shallow areas was only limited.
Moreover, upon trying, he discovered that the other party's response had become extremely slow and uncertain.
They've already returned to reality!
The images in his red eyes began to shift, playing out Chu Tianshu's actions in the main hall that day.
That happened several days ago.
After sleeping for several hours, Chu Tianshu woke up from the pile of books, drank only a cup of tea, and immediately decided to return to reality.
"The environment here isn't very friendly to me right now. It feels like I can't even retract the horns growing on my head here."
Chu Tianshu took a sip of what was in his bowl and said, "I think I should go back to reality to rest... Wait, this isn't tea?!"
Feng Jianhua also held up a bowl and said, "This is soup. When they went to do their work, Wei Qidong left a medicinal dish for us. I personally followed her recipe and kept an eye on the cooking time."
Chu Tianshu asked curiously, "There are medicinal herbs in here? It's as clear as tea; I thought it was tea with some pepper added."
He carried his teacup, sipping it as he strolled, until he emerged from the main hall.
He left the Spirit Realm that very day.
The Divine Lord Wangliang then played Chu Tianshu's image backwards, replaying everything he had done in the Long Continent Kingdom, and pondered it repeatedly.
"This person does indeed possess the aura of the Youdu Edict, but which Youdu Edict is it?"
"It wasn't that piece primarily for exchange; if it were, I should have sensed it much earlier."
The Divine Lord Wangliang recalled some unpleasant memories.
Back then, those bastards who wanted to create the Youdu Edict Order surrounded and intercepted him, trying to study his innate authority.
This drove him to the point where he desperately wanted to return to the origins of the gods, including the Ghost Mother, and fight those bastards to the bitter end.
It's hateful that, despite his anger, few of the gods possess his spirit.
After all, those bastards can't be completely erased, but if the "Gods' Origin Tracing" is activated, they may never be born again.
In the end, the Youdu Edict was finally obtained.
Each Youdu Edict, to a greater or lesser extent, draws upon the divine authority of a high-ranking Ghost God.
The Divine Lord Wangliang thought to himself that the piece on Chu Tianshu's body was definitely not the one related to his divine authority.
"Back then, since they never returned, we all assumed that the Youdu Edict have been destroyed as well."
The Divine Lord Wangliang's thoughts stirred slightly, and the darkness among the mountains calmed down from its previous violent fluctuations, like a deep curtain, piling down.
"Since Chu Tianshu still has this piece, then the piece related to me probably still exists as well?"
"If I could find that piece and fully comprehend all the profound principles within it, based on my own understanding, what worries would I have about not being able to add another layer of skill?"
Her red eyes gradually faded into darkness as she fell into deep thought.
After a long while, a wisp of dark light emerged from the darkness and drifted away.
In the South Sea, there is Yu Mountain, a mountain range that winds and encircles the islands, like a loving mother nurturing her many children.
This is the residence of the Ghost Mother Clan.
But there were green mountains and clear waters, white houses and black towers, a bright and beautiful scene, and distant folk songs could be heard.
It didn't feel like the deepest part of the Spirit Realm at all; it felt like stepping into a fairyland, a paradise on earth.
Upon closer inspection, however, one could see that what was hanging under the eaves were strings of human heads, their faces deathly pale, with hemp ropes piercing through their scalps and emerging from under their necks.
The beautiful songs were coming from their mouths.
The black tower, seemingly made of ice and jade, had rows and rows of coffins on each floor.
Inside the white room, the paper figure had just woken up and was applying rouge to itself.
The paper figure had two patches of rouge on its face, which were never applied evenly. Its slender fingers pushed open the window to let in the light, and it could see the scenery of the river in the distance.
On the rippling, emerald-green river, the boatman was haggling with the boy leading the donkey at the ferry.
The boatman poked the child's feet with his bamboo pole, preventing him from boarding the boat.
The donkey got angry, stood up, opened its big mouth with its bared teeth, and swallowed the child whole.
"You knew perfectly well that this child was bait I set up, not a real living creature, yet you still wanted to charge me double for the boat fare. You're utterly heartless."
The boatman chuckled, lifted his straw hat, revealing a face with sunken eyes, pursed lips, and only two or three teeth left.
The donkey saw his smiling face and knew something was wrong. It reached out to dig into its own belly, but it was too late.
A ball of emerald green fire burst forth from his navel, instantly shattering into pieces.
Only the donkey's head flew up and was caught by the boatman.
"You learned to draw talismans and created that little boy, waiting for someone of your clan to succumb to their cravings and eat him. Then he will be harmed by the talisman and at your mercy."
"But little did I know, the old fox was still the most cunning, and I had already tampered with that child."
The boatman was delighted. He twisted the donkey's head like a pretzel several times, squeezed out the green juice, and drank it heartily.
The donkey brayed repeatedly, begging for mercy.
The boatman looked at the donkey's head, which was now like an empty shell, and felt very sorry for it.
"In the past, I would have boiled you into a gelatinous soup, which would have been perfect for eating you clean and delicious, leaving you sticky and fragrant. But these days, with the High Priest's rules, I have no choice but to leave you with a remnant soul."
Donkey Head was horrified upon hearing this.
He had heard of the High Priest's rules since birth, but this old ghost had existed before the High Priest established them; he was indeed quite old.
The Ghost Mother Clan comprises multiple tribes, whose members look vastly different. Of course, even those who look alike are utterly ruthless when it comes to harming each other.
Born as ghosts, they have an instinct to devour smaller ghosts; mutual cannibalism is their nature.
Even among humans, ordinary humans are only about as delicious as Lineage of the Ghost Mother Clan.
Other spirits and monsters, in terms of taste and flavor, are even less desirable.
Since the birth of the High Priest, he has taught them many secret spells. Although he encourages conflict, he does not allow them to kill each other.
Only then did rules come into being among the mountains and islands.
A wisp of black smoke drifted from the sea, undetectable to any ghost, until it disappeared into the hollowed-out belly of a mountain.
The mountains are resplendent with gold and jade, with exquisite carvings, gold and silver decorations, and lush greenery everywhere.
Many tall-hatted ghost servants, their faces stiff and pale, their long robes trailing on the ground, drifted between the various palaces, serving the great ghost.
Inside the deepest part of a magnificent temple, hundreds of wide and tall stone steps have been carved out.
The stone steps were covered with incense burners of all sizes, numbering in the thousands at a glance, with wisps of smoke rising slowly.
Before the first set of stone steps was a flat ground paved with jade, with gold and bronze lamp stands and hundreds of candles.
A woman with her hair piled high and an air of elegance stood beside the lamp stand, using a slender silver spoon to adjust the wick.
Her neck was as graceful as a swan's, and she wore several layers of elaborate black robes. Her upper body was still shapely, but her figure below the waist was completely hidden under the hem of the skirt.
As she took a step, the hem of her skirt trailed several feet off the ground.
But those hands were a deep blue-green, almost black, and the fingernails were like pieces of black jade.
A low chuckle came from the black mist in the air.
"You are the current High Priest of Yu Mountain?"
The high priest seemed unsurprised. "Has the God come to question us?"
The Divine Lord Wangliang said, "If I were to punish you and demand your life, so what?"
"The Yu Mountain Clan has its own apologies to offer, and is willing to explain the advantages and disadvantages to the Divine Lord and form an alliance."
The high priest turned around and bowed slightly to the black mist in the air.
"But if the God-King wishes to pay with his life, I'm afraid the Ghost Mother will not allow it within the territory of Yu Mountain."
The Divine Lord Wangliang chuckled lightly, "Very well, I know the Ghost Mother hasn't fully regained her wisdom. I underestimated her; she's actually raised a high priest like you."
The high priest, hearing the ease and composure in his tone, couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration and bowed again.
This momentous event has been utterly ruined, and even the High Priest himself must stay here to meditate by lamplight.
However, the Ghost Mother Clan had only been planning this for a short time.
But for the Divine Lord Wangliang, that was a grand plan that had been accumulating for a hundred years. Even though it was destroyed in one day, he was still able to calm his mind and maintain his composure.
This is hardly like Ghost God.
As expected of a god who reflects the mortal world and is the most humane of all.
The Divine Lord Wangliang said, "There's no need for an apology. I see you don't seem to mind having another backer. From now on, you can serve as my High Priest. What do you say?"
The high priest's eyes flickered, and he asked, "What important matter brings you here, Divine Lord?"
"Hahaha, it's just a small matter."
The Divine Lord Wangliang smiled broadly.
"The Ghost Mother is not yet ready for negotiation, but with you here, you should be able to find a way to utilize her recycling abilities."
"This time, I only need you Yu Mountain, to join forces with me to retrieve an old item."
(End of this chapter)