I subdue demons and monsters, and cultivate immortality in hell to become a saint.

Guiling City is Chung Kau's home base, the place where he devoted countless efforts.

Now that we're leaving, it's truly time to say goodbye to the people here properly.

After all, the faith of these people is also an important force that has supported him to get to where he is today.

"Listen up, fellow villagers!"

Reber's aged body suddenly straightened, and with a flick of his sleeve, his voice, like a booming bell, resounded throughout Guiling City: "Since taking office, our City God has devoted himself to quelling demons, establishing laws to ensure the well-being of the people, and managing agriculture to promote bountiful harvests, transforming Guiling City from a hellish place into a peaceful and prosperous one!"

"Such an astonishing feat deserves a rich reward from the underworld!"

"By order of the Underworld, Lord Zhong Jiu is hereby promoted to a fifth-rank judge and is to immediately proceed to the provincial capital of Xingsha to assume his post!"

What?!

The people, who had been bowing and kneeling with piety on their faces, suddenly looked up, their respect shattering into panic.

"The City God is leaving?!"

"No way! What will we do now that the City God is gone? What if those evil spirits come back?"

"Why should our good City God be transferred away? Is Xingsha City so great? Does the provincial capital make us superior?"

"Please, City God, stay! We can't live without you!"

In just a few seconds, the once solemn square erupted into chaos, with voices of opposition, petitions, and cries mingling together and echoing through the sky.

The people's mentality completely collapsed!

Since Chung Kau took charge of Guiling City, they finally escaped the anxiety following the resurgence of supernatural phenomena and returned to a peaceful life. But after only a few days of enjoying this peace, their guardian deity is about to be transferred.

The tragic memories of being chased by ghosts and losing their families flooded back instantly, and everyone was afraid that this hard-won happiness would shatter into nothingness.

Many emotional elderly people collapsed to the ground in tears, staring intently in the direction of the City God's Mansion, fearing that Zhong Jiu would disappear in the blink of an eye.

This scene surprised not only Zhong Jiu, but also Lei Bo, who had proposed the official announcement. He was stunned and his hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in mid-air.

"It is truly rare for an official to win the hearts of the people to this extent during his term of office."

The gods of the City God Temple sighed inwardly, their faces filled with pride and a sense of honor.

They participated in the entire process of Chung Kau's governance of Guiling City and witnessed firsthand how the people went from fear to peace. This support they have now is the greatest recognition of Chung Kau, and even the gods are moved by it.

But despite being moved, Zhong Jiu could never refuse the promotion to a fifth-rank judge, which was a transfer order from the underworld and a path to advancement.

He slowly ascended into the air, his entire body enveloped in golden divine light, and his gentle yet firm voice drowned out the noise below: "Fellow villagers, please calm down."

The voice possessed divine power, and the cries of the people instantly subsided as they all looked up at the figure in the sky.

"My promotion to judge is an order from the underworld, a mandate from Heaven. How could I possibly disobey?"

Zhong Jiu's gaze swept over the anxious faces, his tone warm, "But I will remember your kindness. Rest assured, although I am leaving office, the Guiling City God's Office will not be abolished, and your peaceful lives will not change!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhong Jiu held the City God's seal and slowly presented it to Elder Lei: "The next City God of Guiling will be Elder Lei—Lei Yifang!"

"You're all familiar with this name, aren't you?"

Zhong Jiu smiled and said, "Old Master Lei is a native of Guiling. His family has been supported by the people for generations. He is fair and impartial in handling affairs. I am at ease with him in charge, and you should be at ease too."

"Furthermore, after assuming my post in Xingsha, I will be in charge of all underworld affairs in the entire Nanling Province. From now on, if there are any grievances in Guiling City that the City God's Office cannot resolve, please come to me in Xingsha. I will certainly handle them impartially and without bias!"

His words, spoken calmly and deliberately, carried immense weight.

The people's restless hearts gradually calmed down. They could indeed trust the reputation of Mr. Lei, and in addition, Zhong Jiu's promise to take charge of the entire province was equivalent to leaving them with an "ultimate backer".

Throughout history, the common people have never been willing to obstruct the promotion of good officials.

The higher a good official rises, the more people he can protect. This is a great joy, and it should not be delayed by personal desires.

Once they understood this, the people's panic completely dissipated, leaving only pure reluctance.

"May the City God have a bright future ahead!"

"May the City God have all his wishes fulfilled in Changsha, and may he soon eradicate all the evil spirits in the province!"

"Take care, City God!"

Each blessing transformed into a visible golden power of goodwill, surging towards Chung Kau like a tide.

"Um?"

Chung Kau raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. This was a manifestation of public opinion!

Public opinion refers to the approval of the people and is the ultimate standard for judging the quality of officials.

Whether they are human officials or underworld deities, as long as they can bring benefits to the people and gain the support of the masses, they may trigger the manifestation of public opinion.

The manifested objects vary, but the most common is the Umbrella of Ten Thousand People, which, after being refined, can ward off disasters and calamities and is a supreme magical artifact.

However, the wishes of the people of Guiling did not materialize into the shape of an umbrella.

Golden willpower swirled and condensed in the air, and a moment later, four magnificent white horses stood tall, neighing and treading on the air.

This is... a manifestation of public opinion!

Zhong Jiu was startled and casually tossed out a dark wooden core, which was the core he obtained from burning the thousand-year-old tree demon from that old locust tree.

Mu Xin flew into the remaining power of wishes, instantly swelled and deformed, and finally transformed into an ancient war chariot with a completely black body.

The sides of the chariot are carved with ferocious demon patterns, exuding a strong sense of underworld majesty.

"Whoosh—!"

Four celestial horses stepped forward, bit the chariot's reins, and steadily pulled the chariot up.

"A four-carriage!" Zhong Jiu's eyes flashed with surprise.

According to the Rites of Zhou, only kings and nobles could ride in chariots drawn by four horses. The fact that the people were willing to manifest this object shows that their respect for him had reached the level of kings and nobles!

He moved and slowly sat down in the chariot.

Strands of pearl curtains automatically descended, obscuring his face and leaving only a majestic silhouette.

"My lord, I am but a man of limited talent and learning, and I fear I am unfit for the great responsibility of the City God!"

Old Mr. Lei bowed from afar, his tone filled with fear.

"My mind is made up, there's no need for further words."

Zhong Jiu's voice came from behind the curtain, leaving no room for negotiation.

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his hand lightly, and four celestial horses reared up and neighed, taking the chariot into the air and flying towards Xingsha City.

Inside the City God's Mansion, seven hundred Xuanjia soldiers stood in neat formation, stepping through the air and following closely behind. The clanging of their armor was powerful and their momentum was overwhelming.

Zhong Jiu only took seven hundred Xuanjia soldiers and ten thousand Soul Soldiers with him.

The City God's Palace in Guiling City is no longer the impoverished place it once was. Its departments are well-established, and the government is efficient and harmonious. It would be a waste to leave the Xuanjia Army here to guard the gate. Moreover, he has already selected and recruited five thousand soul soldiers from his Soul-Suppressing Banner, which is more than enough to protect Guiling City.

As for the Candlelight Palace, Zhong Jiu originally wanted to move it as well, since a Candle Dragon was still being nurtured inside the statue.

But then he thought again that Guiling City was currently thriving with worshippers, which would be perfect for nurturing the growth of Zhuyin, while the situation in Xingsha City was unclear, and it would be unwise to move there rashly, so he decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

"Take care, City God!"

The chariots had long since disappeared into the horizon, but the people of Guiling still knelt and worshipped in that direction, their shouts lingering for a long time.

This incident quickly went viral online.

Netizens in Guiling collectively expressed their "emo" sentiment, and started using the hashtag #ReluctantToSayGoodbyeToTheCityGod on social media platforms.

Meanwhile, netizens in Changsha were overjoyed, and the comment section exploded with excitement:

"I declare! Today is the happiest day for the people of Changsha! The gods are finally coming!"

"Don't be sad, fellow Guiling folks. From now on, we're all subjects of the City God, one family, no need for formalities!"

"So even gods can get promoted if they do well? This is so true!"

"Kyoto netizens are online begging for divine intervention! When will it be our turn?"

As long as it's related to the underworld or the netherworld, the topic never loses its popularity.

The entire internet is buzzing with discussion, and Chung Kau's popularity has once again seen an explosive increase.

Previously, although many people knew that Guiling City was protected by deities, they always felt that "distant water cannot quench immediate thirst" and that the gods of Guiling had nothing to do with them, so they never developed faith.

Chung Kau's promotion gave everyone hope. The gods are not fixed in one place. As long as they are governed well, they will move to a bigger city!

Especially among the 20 million people of Xingsha City, even before Zhong Jiu arrived, they already regarded him as their savior, and their faith in him skyrocketed.

"The gods are finally coming to the provincial capital!"

"Heaven has eyes! Our Star Sand City is finally saved!"

Inside the Special Operations Department building of Nanling Province, cheers were deafening.

Everyone was so excited that they danced with joy, and the worry on their faces vanished. During this period, more and more strange events occurred in Xingsha City, and ghostly traces appeared frequently. They were almost at their breaking point. Zhong Jiu's arrival was like sending charcoal in snowy weather!

"What's all the noise about! You're all so unruly!"

Zhang Yunxiao rushed over, deliberately putting on a stern face to reprimand him, but he couldn't hide the smile on his lips.

"Mr. Zhang, stop pretending. You're even happier than we are!"

Some joked, "The gods are coming soon, shouldn't we start preparing?"

"Of course!"

Zhang Yunxiao's smile vanished, and he said in a deep voice, "Immediately send people to make arrangements for a grand welcome to the deity into the city! Also, thoroughly inspect the newly built City God Temple again; there can be no oversights!"

Everyone can understand inspecting the City God's Mansion, but why make such a big show of it?

The crowd was somewhat puzzled.

"What do you know?"

Zhang Yunxiao took a deep breath, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Xingsha City has a population of twenty million, ten times more complex than Guiling City. No one knows how many demons and monsters lurk in the shadows. I'm going to make a grand spectacle, letting all these monsters and demons see that the gods of the underworld have arrived! I'll use the most solemn ceremony to intimidate those scum hiding in the dark!"

"Brilliant! Old Zhang's move was brilliant!"

Everyone suddenly realized what was going on, and they all accepted the order and hurriedly went to make preparations.