I conquer the immortal with my strength.

Chapter 604 Promotion
"A horse won't get fat without night grass. It seems I'll have to make a trip myself to wipe out a few demonic dens and evil lairs to temporarily relieve this urgent crisis."

In the rear hall, Xia Daoming looked at the nearly empty immortal stone storage box and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

He couldn't help but recall the past events in the Xuanhuan Realm—after his rise to power, apart from the scarcity of true fire and true water, he never lacked the spiritual stones needed for cultivating Qi. However, he never expected that he would fall into such a predicament as soon as he entered the Earthly Immortal Realm. While making progress in his cultivation, he also had to worry about his "empty pockets".

"I wonder where Xiao Jin and Zi Ying are now. If they were still by my side, with their talent and supernatural abilities, why would I, the Grand Elder, need to personally intervene to ask for some cultivation capital..."

Thinking of this, he shook his head, suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, raised his hand and waved, and the palace door slowly opened, summoning Qingliu, who was on duty outside the palace today.

"This humble servant greets Master Xia. May I ask what your orders are?" Qingliu entered, knelt on one knee, and looked respectful.

She was originally just a mere mountain patrolman, a Nascent Soul cultivator at the third tribulation stage. But since that day when she luckily carried Xia Daoming back halfway, only half a year has passed, and her cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, faintly touching the threshold of the fifth tribulation. Now, facing Xia Daoming, she felt even more awe.

Xia Daoming stood with his hands behind his back, his tone indifferent: "Do you know which notorious evil cultivators and demonic dens are around Yujianzhi?"

Qingliu bent down, thought carefully for a moment, and then whispered her report:
"The surrounding area is rife with evil caves and demon lairs, and there are three places with a notorious reputation."

First, there is the Fang Cave of Black Fang Mountain. The demon leader is named Fang Ni, who craves flesh and blood, and especially loves to eat human hearts. It is said that he often kidnaps people from nearby villages, causing a bloodbath.

Secondly, there is the Blood Soul Cult of Xuan Sha Valley. Evil cultivators reside here, and its leader, Blood Soul Child, is skilled in soul-capturing and spirit-refining, turning the souls of cultivators and mortals into blood banners that suppress the valley's nightly wailing for miles around. Anyone passing through its valley experiences the mournful cries of a hundred souls, a sound that terrifies anyone who hears it.

Thirdly, there is the Iron Bone Ridge Corpse Refining Sect. Its sect leader, "White Bone Granny," cultivates the art of corpse refining, raising countless corpse demons that can often wipe out an entire mountain village in a single night. The sect's disciples roam freely, accumulating countless evil deeds.

At this point, Qingliu secretly glanced at Xia Daoming, wondering why Master Xia had suddenly brought up this matter today.

Do you perhaps intend to send the local magistrate to continue conquering these evil forces?

However, those places are not under the jurisdiction of Yujian, and sending troops there would be considered overstepping one's authority.

After hearing this, Xia Daoming put his hands behind his back and pondered, wondering which family to target first!

Just then, he sensed something, and a golden light appeared deep in his eyes. He turned his head to look outside the hall.

At this moment, a river patrolman hurriedly entered the temple and knelt before the statue of the deity: "Reporting to Your Excellency, an envoy from the City God Pavilion of the prefecture has arrived!"

Soon, Xingyi personally went out to greet him. The newcomer was a City God Pavilion official dressed in black and gold robes, his aura profound and powerful—clearly a First-Order True Immortal cultivator. The official held a decree and read it aloud:

"By order of the City God, the Yujian local deity outside Biyuan County has recently been suppressing bandits and eliminating evil, protecting temples and bringing peace to the people. The incense offerings have been increasing day by day, and his virtues have been evident. Therefore, the Yujian local deity is hereby promoted to Yujian Situ, who will govern five nearby deities. From now on, all the incense offerings and deities in this area will be under the jurisdiction of the Yujian Situ!"

Having said that, the official in charge of issuing the edict took half a step forward, and the edict in his hand transformed into a golden tablet, which spun down and landed on the incense table in the Jade Stream Temple. The golden tablet opened on its own, and a dazzling seal appeared, transforming into the "Seal of the Jade Stream Earth God," which slowly merged into the body of the Earth God statue.

In an instant, the temple shone with golden light. In the golden light, Xingyi, dressed in a robe of rosy clouds and holding a jade seal, emerged from the temple gate and bowed to the four directions. From then on, Xingyi was no longer an ordinary land deity, but a local official in charge of six sacred lands and the five land deities.

Xia Daoming, in the back hall, used his divine eye to see everything that happened in the earth god temple, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

He originally intended to personally and secretly eliminate several demon caves and evil lairs to temporarily relieve the immediate crisis. Now that Xingyi has been promoted to a local official, he can openly use the conquest and suppression of demon caves to temper himself and his troops, establish his prestige, enhance the prestige of the local temple, accumulate incense offerings, and obtain the position of a Void Immortal as soon as possible. He can also collect immortal stones for his own use, thus saving him the trouble of taking action himself.
-
Biyuan County City, City God Pavilion.

The City God Pavilion soared into the clouds, its vermilion gates imposing. Inside the main hall, flickering candlelight illuminated two rows of cold bronze statues. A gentle breeze occasionally blew, adding to the somber atmosphere of the hall.

A scholar-like cultivator stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke with a hint of worry in his eyes:

"Lord Pavilion Master, Xingyi is merely a cultivator who ascended from the lower realm, with no real foundation. Although she has contributed to quelling the rebellion, she is currently only a Ninth Tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator and has not yet attained the status of a Void Immortal. Is it too much to appoint her as a regional administrator, governing six different regions, at this time?"

The pavilion master, dressed in a black robe, leaned against the desk, stroking his beard with his fingers, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. He smiled slowly and said in a calm voice:
"Nine Tribulations to Godhood is certainly not enough. But do you know that a few days ago, Xingyi killed Cang Shunyi's adopted son, Jiaoting? Cang Shunyi personally came to his door, but was forced back by a mysterious Second-Rank True Immortal in one move?"

Upon hearing this, the scholar's expression changed drastically, and his voice lowered slightly: "Cang Shunyi is a True Immortal of the Second Assembly, and has already transformed into a dragon, possessing extraordinary supernatural powers. The person who could force him to retreat in one move... Pavilion Master, is this perhaps an attempt to curry favor with that True Immortal under the guise of bestowing rewards?"

A meaningful glint flashed in the Pavilion Master's eyes, and he slowly nodded: "Xingyi comes from the lower realm. That True Immortal called her his disciple, so she is most likely also from the lower realm. Such a person must have no foundation or background in the Earthly Immortal Realm, yet she possesses such strength. If we can win her over, why not?"

His tone grew increasingly somber: "That's one point. Secondly, you are well aware of the weakness of the Heavenly Court in Biyuan County. While various forces outwardly respect the Heavenly Court, they secretly serve the major powers of the prefecture. Whenever they send people to collect taxes, it's like giving alms to beggars. Six hundred years ago, when the Bone Wolf Demon King of Yin Bone Mountain stormed the City God Pavilion, which of those who usually spoke so highly of the Heavenly Court's supremacy didn't stand idly by and laugh as we fought our bloody battle!"

At this point, his voice turned chilling, causing the temperature inside the palace to drop sharply.

Soon, the Pavilion Master breathed a sigh of relief again, stroked his beard, and smiled: "Since those forces are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant towards us, why not let this True Immortal from the lower realm stir up some trouble?"

The scholar hesitated for a moment and said, "But he is only a Second-Level True Immortal after all, and I'm afraid he can't cause much trouble!"

The Pavilion Master waved his hand and said, "Ordinary Second-Level True Immortals naturally can't cause any trouble. But it's hard to say about Second-Level True Immortals from the lower realm. Such a person would definitely be an outstanding figure among Second-Level True Immortals born and raised in the Earth Immortal Realm."

"What you say is absolutely right, sir. It is extremely difficult to pass the Tribulation of Transformation in the lower realm. Those cultivators who can pass through several tribulations and then ascend to the Immortal Realm through the Ascension Pool are absolutely exceptionally talented in the Earthly Immortal Realm. Those who can pass through several tribulations with their physical bodies and ascend to the Immortal Realm are even more like dragons and phoenixes among men."

That person was a true immortal, yet he didn't serve in the Heavenly Court; it's highly likely he ascended to heaven through physical tribulation. No wonder he could force Cang Shunyi to retreat with a single move. However, even at the Second Assembly Realm, no matter how powerful, he's probably still somewhat lacking.” The scholar cautiously added at the end.

Upon hearing this, the Pavilion Master laughed and said dismissively, "It's nothing more than a move made casually. If it gains momentum, that's for the best; if it fails, it has nothing to do with my City God Pavilion."

The scholar nodded repeatedly in praise: "Your insight is brilliant, truly brilliant!"

　That concludes today's update.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)