The divine general materialized, bowing to Ji Xiang. This deity had no origin; though it bore the form of General Zuo Shou, it was no longer the same entity within. Naturally, it also lacked self-awareness, merely a puppet god.
"To bestow form and spirit does not equate to truly creating a deity. This entity lacks a soul as its core. Ordinary souls, without merit, cannot withstand the incense offerings of the populace. Those souls that can ascend to godhood in temples generally come from two origins."
"The first is a soul with profound resentment and unwillingness in life, manifesting and causing trouble even after death. Temples are established to suppress and appease them, providing them a place to reside. The second is when a predecessor perishes, and descendants mourn them, proactively establishing temples to summon their souls."
Ji Xiang murmured to himself. Although he had merely shaped the divine form, a god had indeed appeared. Such a soul-stirring feat had rendered Liu Zimin speechless.
"Senior, this... this is... what is this now?"
Liu Zimin stammered, fear of the unknown spreading within him like a deeply rooted ancient tree.
Ji Xiang turned sideways and uttered a single word.
"God."
His word was like a decree from heaven. To mortal ears, it sounded like the clang of a great bell, but to cultivators like Liu Zimin, it was like the rumble of thunder, deafening his ears and plunging him into a vast ocean of incense. Heaven and earth turned dim. This bizarre illusion lasted only for a moment.
Yet, an immense pressure made him gasp for air.
"Cultivators will not be mentally shaken by my words."
"However, because you did not help the mortals before, you violated the assessment of the demonic tribulation."
"Because I declared you unqualified, the demon that was assisting your assessment has re-attracted your tribulation and attached itself to you until your next demonic tribulation arrives."
Liu Zimin's face turned pale as he touched his body.
The demon of trial possessing him?
This was utterly preposterous!
The demonic tribulation was an examination, and the ten trial demons were the examiners. If he passed the exam, would the examiners still cling to him, relentlessly pursuing him and declaring the previous test invalid?
A surge of anger welled up in his heart.
Even knowing how absurd it was for a single word to repel the demonic tribulation, the senior before him possessed unfathomable power, at least a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal or higher. Though he harbored doubts, he chose to believe at this moment. However, since he believed, he felt it necessary to lodge a small protest.
"Senior, this is not in accordance with the rules!"
Ji Xiang lowered his head. "Why is it not in accordance with the rules?"
Liu Zimin argued, "I am not as powerful as those cultivators of unknown origin. Among them are individuals at the Earth Immortal level. I am merely a cultivator at the Seventh Realm, with the Three Flowers Gathering at the Apex."
"I am still young."
Ji Xiang nodded. "Fear of death is a natural human sentiment."
"Your failure to rescue them then was precisely because you feared exposing your existence by saving them, and thus being captured yourself."
"Cultivators have always cherished themselves."
"If mortals die, it indeed has little bearing on you. Self-preservation is the primary tenet of cultivation."
"However, this matter arose because of you, and therefore, it must be concluded by you. If they had uttered inappropriate remarks and been captured by those cultivators, then it would naturally have nothing to do with you. But you asked the question; it was your question that led to this outcome, so how can you say it has nothing to do with you?"
Bi Gan asked the vegetable farmer, but the vegetables had no will to live; could people live without a will to live?
The outcome was self-evident.
At times, inappropriate answers could lead to dire consequences. If Bi Gan had asked a stone, then the vegetable farmer would not have been involved.
"Therefore, the second tenet of cultivation is to understand cause and effect."
"The wrong choices made now, and the good or bad consequences reaped, will reflect upon your future cultivation, or perhaps your descendants."
"The so-called courageous heart is precisely of this nature."
A true warrior dares to face a bleak life; in plain terms, it means taking responsibility for one's actions.
The Confucian sages of the pre-Qin era also said that the benevolent are invincible, and the brave are fearless.
Liu Zimin felt ashamed and bowed to the ground. Ji Xiang looked into the distance. Outside this hidden hall, uninvited guests had already arrived.
Liu Zimin suddenly pleaded, "I implore Senior for assistance. In my West Mountain Daoist Academy, all the high-ranking Daoist masters, elders, and disciples are affected by this wishful thinking, currently disoriented and serving as the lackeys of Prince Lu!"
"Since Senior has a way to help me escape the influence, you should also have a way..."
Ji Xiang looked at him. "It is not difficult to say it is not difficult, and not easy to say it is easy."
"The influence of wishful thinking is immense. The wishes of the populace are comparable to an immortal of the Ascension Realm. In Ying Tian Prefecture, there are not just tens of thousands of people; the sheer volume of wishful thinking, the immense life force of Ying Tian Prefecture, with its three hundred thousand households, and five people per household, amounts to a million people."
"The demonic tribulation draws you from your normal state into the realm of trial, thus isolating you from the world and naturally eliminating the influence."
"But how can one force those who do not wish to enter the demonic tribulation to do so? Moreover, have all the people in your Daoist Academy entered the demonic tribulation?"
Liu Zimin immediately became anxious. "This... indeed not. Only a minority have entered the tribulation."
Ji Xiang: "Precisely."
"The one who tied the bell must untie it. The source of this wishful thinking lies with Prince Lu. However, the wishes of the populace require the existence of the populace, so you need not worry that Prince Lu will harm your lives. Especially cultivators; one cultivator is equivalent to ten commoners. Your wishes are very important."
"For now, you all need to retreat."
"Some juniors have arrived here, seemingly seeking to spar with me."
The auras of demons began to approach.
In Ji Xiang's eyes, the troublemakers before him were undoubtedly pure demonic juniors. Even if they were not of the same system as the Demon Kings, in the early stages of their cultivation, they were all fellow travelers.
There were many instances of demons converting to goodness and transforming into Bodhisattvas and deities.
Ultimately, the demonic energy and fiendish aura were not important; what mattered were their actions.
"Let's resolve this quickly."
Ji Xiang was in a hurry.
Having learned from the lessons of Gu Su Ghost City, and knowing that many problems had arisen within Ying Tian Prefecture, even sensing the countless demons lurking nearby, all these strange phenomena indicated to Ji Xiang that the Ascension Assembly was fraught with great deception. Prince Lu's actions were far from benevolent. Even if he wasn't raising an army to rebel, he was likely hosting a grand banquet for cultivators, recruiting forces, and using demons as threats.
Or perhaps, he truly possessed some method to achieve the so-called "Ascension" through this assembly?
That would be interesting!
Ji Xiang was eager to see which Demon King would descend from the heavens to test him if Prince Lu, or his subordinates, truly ascended.
However, no matter which Demon King was summoned.
Ji Xiang would ensure this examination became two to five times more painful and terrifying!
It would be difficult to command all the Demon King-level divine generals to descend. The Divine Commandment Art could only be used once or twice on powerful Divine Kings above the Ten Thousand Gods宗, and the duration of their command would be very brief, but it would suffice.
At least, it could summon one more Demon King.
The Five Days Eight Emperors Great Demon Kings, random summoning!
The show was about to begin!
Simultaneously, to ensure other citizens were not attacked by unforeseen circumstances, it was only natural to prepare more civilian gods as enforcers, acting as his guardian divine generals. The *Central Jade Book* was indeed a good item. Although Yuan Huang was not a good person, his techniques were indeed very practical. After all, he was one of the twelve Jade Purity cultivators whose names were recorded in the Azure Sky of the Netherworld. His strength might not be unparalleled in history, but it could at least be considered within the realm of dominating the world.
"Black-robed Daoist, you are quite arrogant... daring to call us your juniors?"
The hidden hall was discovered, and twenty demons appeared in the crowded chamber. The one at the forefront was dressed like a valiant swordsman from the martial world, standing ten feet tall, like a bronze wall and iron bastion, with a black and blue headscarf tied around his head.
"Plum Blossom Mountain Iron Headscarf, leading twenty demons under my command, come to seek guidance! Let's see how you, a senior who has lived for less than a decade, will discipline us juniors who have lived for two to three hundred years?"
"But before that, shouldn't you introduce yourself?"
"We've seen you! It's because we've seen you that we've come looking for you! Your aura, your silhouette, suddenly appeared in our minds two days ago, giving us immense pressure and fear."
"You must be our enemy. Our bloodline is howling, telling us we must kill you, or the consequences will be endless!"
Indeed, that was the case.
Little demons of the mortal realm.
How could they not fear the Demon Kings of the heavens?
Ji Xiang generously admitted, "Naturally. You must kill me, or you will all perish."
"And it was you. I've sensed powerful demonic energy from the direction of Plum Blossom Mountain for a while now."
"I didn't expect you to be so bold. That's the tomb of Emperor Wu, isn't it? It's close to the imperial tomb of our founding emperor."
Iron Headscarf let out a grinding laugh:
"Haha... the place of the Ming Dynasty's founding emperor is indeed not to be approached. He died too recently, and his imperial might and killing intent are still immense."
"But the tomb of Emperor Wu is precisely where we were conceived. Although we were born after the Song Dynasty, we still carry some lingering kingly aura. Therefore, we are not ordinary demons, you... understand?"
Iron Headscarf looked at the Shen father and daughter and warned, "This black-robed one will die here, and you had best not move."
"You are the Academic Supervisor of the Southern Imperial Academy, aren't you? Don't you want to see your students?"
Shen Yu was startled. "You... what do you mean by that?"
Iron Headscarf: "Naturally, it means exactly what it says! Your students are currently on the pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River, having a grand time, and will soon be summoned by the Prince."
"And you, father and daughter, are also people the Prince has long valued. Have you forgotten? The Prince once visited the Southern Imperial Academy and had a pleasant conversation with you."
Shen Yu then remembered.
He had now also escaped the influence of wishful thinking, which is why he recalled this incident from a year ago.
Prince Lu had indeed visited the Southern Imperial Academy at that time, looking around and selecting many students.
At the time, he hadn't found anything amiss; instead, he felt greatly honored.
As for his daughter, she had been staying with his elder brother and was not present here. She had only recently been brought over. Therefore, according to the words of the North Pole True Person beside him, it was the so-called righteous energy that was playing its part.
"This will be resolved soon. Stay put."
Iron Headscarf was very confident. In his eyes, Ji Xiang was merely an Earth Immortal at the Golden Core stage, much weaker than him in terms of power.
Someone who hadn't even reached the Nascent Soul stage, did he have the right to be so arrogant in front of him?
Ji Xiang's expression was blank, and he remained silent, too lazy to respond.
One's origin and background only represent one's potential and ceiling. Unfortunately, you are about to die before reaching your ceiling.
In that case, does it matter if you were born from the residual aura of a monarch!
Thus, Ji Xiang slightly opened his mouth.
"Wudang, Ji Xiang."
As his words fell, a white light shot out from his mouth, like a thunderous stream of light, suddenly appearing!
The radiance shifted, and the heads and bodies of the demons were instantly separated. Iron Headscarf reacted with extreme speed, his Nascent Soul attempting to escape, but Ji Xiang extended his five fingers and pressed them into the void!
The Great Dao began.
Shattering the void!
Heaven and earth suddenly cleared, and the twenty demons turned to dust, vanishing without a trace!
Shen father and daughter and Liu Zimin were still in a daze. By the time they reacted, there was nothing before their eyes!
Where had those demons gone?!
Ji Xiang looked at them and invited them:
"Let's go."
"We'll go to the next temple."
Liu Zimin shouted, "That was a Great Demon of the Nascent Soul stage, and it died just like that...!"
Ji Xiang: "Ah, Nascent Soul."
"The demons whose names I can remember generally start at the Nascent Soul stage."
"But their strength."
"Is simply not worthy of mention."
In the world, apart from those from famous mountains and great sects, there would not be so many at the Yellow Court Realm and Innate Realm.
Therefore, the Nascent Soul stage was the peak that ordinary cultivators and demons could reach.
"Oh... and also, this fellow was not a Nascent Soul. After all, he was a demon cultivated before an emperor's tomb, transformed from an ancient scholar's iron headscarf. As for the other small demons and fiends, I apologize, I don't know their origins."
"They died too quickly."
Ji Xiang glanced at Liu Zimin, who was startled.
"This fellow..."
"Is an Innate Realm demon."
Within the Inner Scenery Divine Tablet, information about the Chapter of Subduing Demons appeared.
[Chapter of Subduing Demons (Second Level).]
[Number of demons killed at or above the Yellow Court Realm: One.]
.......
After Ji Xiang left, Prince Lie Jie arrived at this location.
The temple was empty, with only the "Zuo Shou Divine General" seated on the divine platform. Upon seeing him arrive, it bowed slightly.
"Did you see the black-robed Daoist?"
"I did."
The puppet divine general controlled by Ji Xiang informed Prince Lie Jie about the incident of the demons disturbing the temple.
Prince Lie Jie was startled. "You didn't make a move against him, did you?"
Zuo Shou Divine General: "No, I did not. I respectfully sent him on his way."
"That Daoist's destination is approximately..."