’Hmm? What’s going on?’
Wang Xiao’s eyes flashed. He imdiately circulated his True Qi to calm the strange stirrings of the Incense inside him.
This Incense had been inside his Dantian ever since he received his Layman’s Certificate.
For three years, there had been no sign of anything unusual.
Why would it suddenly fluctuate so violently at this mont?
Moreover, the instant the Incense stirred, Wang Xiao clearly felt a kind of craving emanate from his body.
It was a craving like staring down a peerless delicacy, a desperate urge to devour it in a single gulp!
Fortunately, Wang Xiao’s self-control was strong, and he wasn’t affected.
He silently suppressed the craving.
’What’s happening? This strange reaction from my body was triggered by the City God. And the mont the Incense stirred, I actually felt an urge to devour the City God. This must be the instinct of this Ghost Infant body.’
Wang Xiao’s thoughts raced.
This was the first ti he’d ever t a City God, so there was no way he would have co up with the idea of devouring one on his own.
It could only be caused by the Ghost Infant body.
’So, Ning Xiaodie really did leave a gift for with this City God. But... how am I supposed to get it? Don’t tell I actually have to devour the City God?!’
Wang Xiao knew that the City God was a Yin Spirit and possessed no physical body.
If he devoured the City God, it might even greatly enhance his Spirit.
After all, this Ghost Infant body was extrely special; devouring the flesh and blood of demons could strengthen his physical form.
Devouring a Divine Soul to enhance his Spirit seed plausible.
However, Wang Xiao didn’t dare do it just yet.
First, the City God was wreathed in the Power of Incense and Candlelight, and within that Incense was a sliver of thought from a Tier Seven Life.
Devouring the City God would be equivalent to refining the Incense, and there was no telling what problems that might cause.
Second, the City God was under the jurisdiction of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty. Devouring a City God ant being prepared for a fight to the death with the Great Hao Divine Dynasty.
As Wang Xiao mulled this over, he followed the State City God, Qin Jingrong, into the main hall.
At the sa ti, he silently activated his Talent, Analyze All Things.
[Analyzing]
[Analysis successful]
[Qin Jingrong, Yangzhou City God of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty. Has passed three Celestial Tribulations. In life, he was the Governor of Yangzhou, an incorruptible man who brought fortune to his region. After his death, the common people erected a statue in his honor, allowing him to enjoy Incense. He was later enfeoffed by the Great Hao Divine Dynasty, becoming a County City God.]
[In the fifty years since, he was promoted to Yangzhou City God for repeated ritorious service. During this ti, he was gradually influenced by Incense and lost his humanity, using living beings as kindling to extend his own life and the lives of the rich and powerful.]
[...]
Wang Xiao’s eyes narrowed as he read the lines of text about Qin Jingrong’s life flashing before him.
Lost his humanity, used living beings as kindling, extended his life?!
’These City Gods, and those rich and powerful nobles... they’re completely conscienceless.’
The information flashing before Wang Xiao’s eyes was horrifying.
These City Gods would regularly sacrifice their most devout followers.
Then, they would turn them into "human incense" to extend their lifespans.
The so-called human incense was made by drilling a hole in a person’s skull, adding various spirit grasses and spirit dicines, and then slow-cooking them with Incense for eighty-one days!
Throughout this process, they had to ensure the "human incense" didn’t die, so that the dicinal effects could reach their peak.
Once the human incense was complete, the City Gods would absorb its aroma, which replenished their Divine Souls and made them even stronger—far more effective than ordinary Incense.
The rich and powerful nobles could consu the human incense to absorb its essence, strengthening their bodies and extending their lives.
Even an ordinary person with no talent for cultivation could extend their life by two or three hundred years by periodically consuming human incense.
Therefore, human incense was all the rage among the rich and powerful in the Divine Capital White Jade City.
Almost every single one of them had consud it!
The Great Hao Divine Dynasty had been founded for tens of thousands of years, and the practice of making human incense had never faded. In fact, the thods had only grown more refined.
The number of common people used to create human incense was likely in the tens of millions, at the very least.
’Most of these City Gods were people who dedicated their lives to serving the common folk and made great contributions. But after death, they were corrupted by Incense, gradually lost their humanity, and were reduced to nothing more than lapdogs for the Great Hao Divine Dynasty, making human incense...’
’This Incense... it really is poison!’
A dense killing intent rose uncontrollably in Wang Xiao’s heart.
In the previous world, when those Demon Cultivators had treated humans as "Vegetable People" for consumption, he hadn’t been this furious.
He knew that the minds of those Demon Cultivators had been influenced by the lifeforms of the Blood River Race.
However, in this world, those rich and powerful nobles were living, breathing humans!
Just to extend their own lives by a few hundred years, they had slaughtered so many innocent people.
Not even ten thousand deaths could atone for their cris!
’The Divine Emperor of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty must know about this, yet he chooses to turn a blind eye. It’s even possible that the technique for making human incense is what he uses to maintain the Divine Dynasty’s system. He deserves to die!’
’The City Gods deserve to die, the nobles deserve to die, and that Divine Emperor deserves to die, too!’
Wang Xiao let out a breath, tore his gaze away from Qin Jingrong, and glanced around the hall.
At this mont, the hall was already packed with people—forty to fifty of them, at least.
Wang Xiao noticed that besides Linlang Academy, Bodhi Temple, the Puppet Sect, and the Celestial Talisman Sect, a few other Sects had also been invited to the evening banquet.
In addition, many of the County City Gods from across Yangzhou had also arrived.
So of them could only stand outside the hall.
It seed Qin Jingrong was determined to eradicate the East Sea Dragon King this ti.
After exchanging pleasantries with the representatives from the various Sects, Qin Jingrong finally spoke:
"Thank you, fellow Daoists, for coming from far and wide to attend this banquet at my City God’s Mansion. I am deeply honored. Please, be seated. We can eat and chat."
The mbers of the various Sects chose their seats according to their Cultivation and sat down.
Wang Xiao and Qian Yi’an sat at a table near the door.
There were about ten people at their table, all at the Entering the Hall Realm.
Qin Jingrong clapped his hands and said coolly, "Serve the dishes."
The next mont, little ghosts began to file in, carrying dishes that stead with Incense Smoke.
"Wow, these dishes were all cooked with Incense and use Netherworld Grass and Other Shore Flowers from the Underworld as a base. Even Divine Souls can consu them. They’re of great help to our Cultivation. the State City God is truly generous," a man dressed as a scholar remarked.
Qian Yi’an chuckled. "Brother Pei, you’re truly well-inford to know even this."
The scholar-like man replied humbly, "I just happen to enjoy reading a few obscure books."
Wang Xiao looked at the dishes on the table, and his thoughts returned to the human incense. He naturally had no intention of picking up his chopsticks.
Just then, Qin Jingrong, who was seated at the main table, spoke:
"I have invited you all here today, and I imagine you have a general idea of the reason. That East Sea Dragon King has been stirring up trouble, making life unbearable for the common people. As the State City God, I am duty-bound to step forward and eliminate this demonic scourge. However, I fear I cannot accomplish this task on my own. Therefore, I have specially invited all you fellow daoists to join in vanquishing the Dragon King together."
"After we slay the Dragon King, I, Qin, will certainly report your contributions to the Court and request comndations for you all."
Qian Yunshan spoke up, "Easing the Court’s worries is the duty of our various Sects. We would not dare to refuse."
"Haha, Fellow Daoist Qian is indeed straightforward. What do the rest of you think?"
Qin Jingrong looked toward the other Tribulation Crossing Zhenrens and Lifebound Cultivators present.
Naturally, the others didn’t dare disrespect the Court.
Besides, with five or six Tribulation Crossing Zhenrens going to kill a Dragon King who had just passed his tribulation, there should be no danger.
They could even take the opportunity to plunder the treasures of the Dragon Palace.
So, no one refused!
Qin Jingrong smiled and said, "Excellent! You are all decisive people. I’ll raise a cup to you all, to wish us a swift and decisive victory!"
Soone asked, "Qin City God, when will we set out for the East Sea Dragon Palace?"
"There’s no ti to lose. We will set out tomorrow at 7:00 AM," Qin Jingrong declared.
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