The next morning, after confirming the location of the mountain and the absence of any spies, a group of people quietly dispersed among the pilgrims.
Ji Yuan’s plan was simple: first, ascertain the location of the mountain spirits’ and monsters’ lair, then mobilize all his forces to swiftly exterminate them.
This would cripple the River God’s strength and serve as a deterrent, making him hesitant to act rashly. If the enemy were to consider leaving their territory, they would have to carefully weigh whether the forces they commanded could ensure their own safety. This would also buy him enough time to meticulously strategize how to eliminate this malevolent deity that had plagued the region.
Relying solely on his own faction was clearly insufficient; he needed to find a way to rally others to his cause. Otherwise, even if he was confident in suppressing the River God of Linfu River, the act of assassinating a deity officially sanctioned by the court was akin to rebellion. Even if successful, they would undoubtedly face punishment from the court, let alone the fact that the River God had been allowed to run rampant for so many years, implying he had powerful patrons.
Therefore, Ji Yuan was not only facing a deity who could exert peak second-realm power within his own domain, but also his years of established influence and the backing of his superiors.
Meanwhile, his true form, a thousand miles away, emerged from seclusion. After handing over recently refined pills to Xia Dong for disposal, he immediately set off for Leize Peak. While the power of Mingxin Xuan was more easily wielded, its influence in Feiyun Commandery was limited, making certain matters difficult to accomplish. However, Jiuxuan Sect was different; it was a hegemonic sect in the commandery, with a vast influence that could even affect the entire Lingyang Prefecture.
Upon arriving at Leize Peak, Ji Yuan was led by a disciple directly to Lin Yubai’s residence, one of the most spiritually rich areas of the peak.
“It’s a rare occasion to have a distinguished guest visit!” Lin Yubai’s eyes brightened, and he then offered a teasing remark. He seemed surprised to see Ji Yuan pay him a visit before entering the Creation Spring.
Ji Yuan dispensed with pleasantries. Upon entering Lin Yubai’s courtyard and taking a seat, he plainly stated his purpose. After hearing about a county a thousand miles away suffering under the tyranny of a local deity, with countless people dying unjustly over three hundred years, Lin Yubai slammed his palm heavily on the table, a fiery rage burning in his eyes.
“I’ll go there now and smash that evil god’s golden body!” He stood up abruptly, lightning flickering around him.
Ji Yuan had no doubt that Lin Yubai would follow through on his word and wasn’t just making empty threats. However, he spoke to pacify him, not wishing for Lin Yubai to act rashly. His intention in coming to Leize Peak was not to mobilize the forces of Jiuxuan Sect. Such an action would indeed be convenient, with Lin Yubai alone able to easily destroy the evil god’s golden body, but some matters were not so easily resolved.
If he were allowed to do so, it would likely bring considerable trouble to Jiuxuan Sect. After all, anyone capable of influencing the imperial court's enfeoffment and protecting an evil god’s persecution of the populace must hold a high position within Feiyun Commandery. Although that entity might not possess great cultivation, they were still a person of the court, and if they wished, they could easily fabricate a series of baseless charges. No matter how powerful Jiuxuan Sect was, it could not contend with the might of the imperial court at present.
“Then what do you suggest we do?” Lin Yubai’s eyes widened, as if he would turn hostile if Ji Yuan couldn’t provide a satisfactory solution.
Hearing this, Ji Yuan gave a cold smile and outlined the plan he had long conceived.
“Excellent! We’ll do just that!” After about a quarter of an hour, Lin Yubai exclaimed with joy, clearly agreeing to the proposal. He immediately rose and left to find the elders stationed on the peak, beginning to arrange the subsequent matters.
Ji Yuan then proceeded to Yunxia Peak. With the token he held, he quickly knocked on Jiang Yunzhou's residence door. As dusk settled, the two emerged from the gates of Jiuxuan Sect and transformed into brilliant streaks of light, vanishing into the distant sky.
Several days later, Ji Yuan and Jiang Yunzhou arrived in Linfu County and took up residence in a random inn. In the early afternoon of the same day, the two of them went out together, wandering aimlessly through the county, eventually heading to the City God Temple.
Linfu County, being a third-tier county town, naturally had a City God and other deities enshrined. Its scale was no less than that of Qianyu City, but its incense offerings were significantly weaker. It seemed that most of the local populace only knew of the River God Temple of Linfu River, with very few visiting the City God Pavilion to offer incense.
Upon arrival, Ji Yuan noticed that the incense offerings here were not even as strong as those at his own Water God Temple. In the vast City God Pavilion, fewer than twenty citizens were praying.
“It is said that the incense offerings here were once prosperous, but under the machinations of that River God, fewer and fewer people began to believe in the City God,” Ji Yuan transmitted via divine sense, conveying the information he had gathered. According to the intelligence obtained by Mo Yiyan, a hundred years ago, when the River God ascended to the late stage of the second realm, strange occurrences began to plague the city, with many malevolent spirits lurking in the shadows. However, no matter how the people prayed, the City God remained inactive, seemingly indifferent to the evil spirits in the city. It was only when someone, out of desperation, went to the River God Temple to seek divine protection that Linfu County stabilized, and no more malevolent spirits appeared.
“This method of competing for incense offerings is too blatant,” Jiang Yunzhou responded via divine sense. With his profound knowledge of the divine path, he could immediately discern the underlying scheme. However, he found it puzzling why the City God of this place remained so passive. No matter how high the River God’s cultivation, he could not shake the City God's status. Although one was a water deity and the other a mountain deity, the City God held a special position, possessing the authority to govern all mountain and water deities within his jurisdiction, and could strip away their divine blessings with a single word.
However, upon entering the City God Pavilion and reaching the main shrine, he finally understood the reason, and even Ji Yuan, standing beside him, couldn't help but gasp. The divine statues, which appeared normal to mortals, were, in their perception, enveloped in thick black mist, their divine light obscured. In the vast main hall, there was not a trace of incense offering or wish power. The few devout believers who offered a wisp of incense and wish power saw it disappear into thin air within a few breaths.
“The golden bodies of the City God and the various spirit officials are not here!” Jiang Yunzhou transmitted with a solemn expression after sensing with his divine sense. As a deity of a region, they could leave their temples within a distance determined by their divine powers, but they could never do so for extended periods, and generally, they would not act this way. However, the obscured divine light of the City God Pavilion deities clearly indicated that no corresponding deity had been residing there for a long time.