Chapter 424

Chapter 424: Is the Power of Incense Toxic? But What Does It Have to Do with Me, Mu Lin?

"The end was near. I would stand watch from this moment until death."

"I would remain loyal to my duty, bound by Life and Death here."

"I was the blade in the shadows, the guardian of the Underworld."

"I was the Flames of Revenge against the cold, the light at daybreak, the horn rousing the slumbering, the unyielding shield guarding the Underworld."

"I pledged my life and honor to the Underworld—this night and every night hence…"

In the square before the Yama Hall, Yan Yunyu gathered the outcasts corrupted by forbidden power, compelling them to swear loyalty to the Underworld—and to her.

As the vows ended, chains rattled. Countless iron links materialized, coiling around the outcasts’ bodies to seal the forbidden power inside them.

Yan Yunyu did not depart afterward. Standing like a divine goddess, she issued a warning.

"Remember your oaths. The Gods of the Underworld watch you. Betrayal will bring punishment in this life and the next."

"But if you devote your life and honor to the Underworld, I will shield you in the mortal realm. The great Yama will shelter your souls, granting them peace—or even rebirth."

“We will keep our vows.”

The forbidden power’s torment had twisted the outcasts into wretched beings, neither human nor ghost. To them, Yan Yunyu—who freed them from agony—was a savior. Her warnings were law.

Ten days passed.

Mu Lin’s influence now stretched far beyond Tian Shi City.

In the outer slums, Ji Ling Sha offered food to refugees, spreading tales of the Underworld’s mercy.

In the inner city, Si Ye and Chu Lingluo used dream magic to show villains the horrors of hell, proclaiming the Underworld’s might.

Yan Yunyu wielded the Infinite Chains to rally outcasts, forging the Underworld’s mortal army.

With the Agricultural and Martial Corps’ leaders turning a blind eye, Mu Lin claimed the faith of nearly every commoner in Tian Shi City. His deeds also reached the Corps’ mid-ranking officers.

In the feudal era, the masses were easily swayed—but not the elites. Most officers were cultivators, skeptical of Mu Lin. Zhang Hetian’s choice of an "outsider" as heir had stirred discontent. Only Zhang’s towering reputation silenced dissent.

The officers watched Mu Lin closely, judging his worth. A newcomer’s authority was fragile. Yet Mu Lin shattered their expectations.

On Tian Shi City’s ramparts, several Agricultural and Martial Corps generals observed crowds chanting Mu Lin’s name. One sighed.

"Lord Mu Lin has rooted himself firmly. Lord Shui Yuanbai stands no chance now."

This statement was met with agreement from the others.

"There’s no denying it. Lord Mu Lin had done incredibly well. Shortly after arriving in Tian Shi City, he solved the parasite crisis. Then he secured vast amounts of food, easing our shortages. Combined with using dreams to spread his influence, and given his talents, even without Hetian’s endorsement, he’d still be the strongest candidate for military leader."

"You’re forgetting something. The forbidden power’s corruption is no joke. We’ve avoided it so far, but fighting monsters and evil spirits means we’ll get tainted eventually. Before, contamination meant death – now we’ve got a lifeline."

After this, even the generals favored Mu Lin.

Though Shui Yuanbai was their trusted commander, Mu Lin held the power to save their lives.

"Hauling food across thousands of miles, solving both parasites and forbidden corruption, plus his raw talent… No wonder Lord Shui Yuanbai lost."

"More like Lord Hetian saw his potential from the start. He’s the one who invited Young Master Mu Lin here."

Mu Lin’s achievements convinced the Agricultural and Martial Corps’ leadership, giving them hope for survival.

Yet while they rejoiced, Mu Lin scowled at his new problem.

"No wonder they say immortals surpass gods… This Power of Incense is poison."

"Not poison – impurities."

Human Power of Belief could forge deities through collective faith.

But few mentioned the catch.

Human minds shift like sand. No one worships endlessly.

Despite his high rank and the True Spirit Domain Chart letting him collect faith, Mu Lin grimaced. Less than 1% contained actual devotion to the Underworld’s teachings.

Most were human wants:

"Great God, thanks for the meal…"

"Please, let me taste meat again…"

"Heal my sickness, oh deity…"

"Slay the beasts that killed my family…"

"I’ll trade everything to crush those parasites…"

"Underworld God, I’m fed – now send me a wife…"

"…"

"I’m the God of the Underworld – rewarding good, punishing evil, ruling Life and Death across heavens! Not your chef or matchmaker! Want a wife? Go find one!"

This torrent of desires threatened to overwhelm him. Absorbing this raw would drive him mad.

Fortunately, deities had defenses.

Divine Fire.

Human Power of Belief required purification through sacred flames before use.

Mu Lin’s Heart Lamp of Will blazed – perfect for burning away the dross.

What delighted Mu Lin even more was that his Heart Lamp of Will had reached an extraordinary level, making the extraction of impurities remarkably swift.

"Boom!"

Flames roared as endless distracting thoughts burned away. Mu Lin then grimly realized nearly ninety-nine percent of that massive clump of Power of Belief had vanished in the blaze.

"No wonder gods crave devout believers, fanatics, or saints. Casual followers’ Power of Belief isn’t just meager—it’s also riddled with impurities."

Had it merely been a reduction in quantity, Mu Lin would’ve tolerated the loss. What troubled him was the impossibility of fully purging those lingering impurities.

Even devout believers worshipped Mu Lin primarily because he’d improved their lives. Such gratitude inevitably carried worldly attachments.

Take Xiao Yu, a girl Mu Lin observed. Ji Ling Sha ensuring regular meals had made her an ardent fanatic who prayed to Mu Lin daily. Yet her prayers still bubbled with thoughts like "Eggs taste amazing," "I hate green peppers," and "Fish bones annoy me."

Though simpler than most, her Power of Belief remained tainted by these mundane cravings—the very foundation of her devotion, impossible to erase.

Mu Lin sighed. He ruled the Underworld, not some culinary paradise.

*Child, focus less on snacks and more on studying Underworld doctrines!*

Now he grasped why fanatics abandoned spouses, wealth, even lives for their gods—they’d made deities their entire existence. Some sacrificed their own offspring.

Yet such zealots ranked only second among followers. Saints stood supreme.

Saints embodied their deity’s teachings, perfectly aligning with divine principles. Less fiery than fanatics, occasionally questioning, they offered the purest Power of Belief—easily absorbed, sometimes even enriching the god’s own path.

Most deities rewarded saints richly, elevating them to apostles or even lesser gods after death. Mu Lin’s domain, however, barely housed any.

"Problematic…"

Since impurities couldn’t be fully removed, absorbing this Power of Belief would inevitably taint Yama. Brief exposure mattered little—divine flames had reduced contaminants to traces.

But one person’s influence meant nothing. Multiply it by thousands, millions, billions… Stretch that exposure across decades, centuries, millennia… No god could withstand such relentless erosion.

"Short-term, I’ll remain unchanged. But over eons, Yama’s consciousness and form would morph into humanity’s collective vision of him—not my true self."

"The wider my fame spreads, the faster this transformation occurs."

A being’s will meant nothing against civilization’s relentless tide. Thus, mightier gods grew increasingly detached from their original selves.

Even matching a True Lord’s power meant nothing if you lost yourself—a fate far inferior to the self-preserving path of immortals.

With this resolve, Mu Lin directed Yama to absorb the tainted power.

*Let the incense poison flow into Yama. What’s that to me, Mu Lin?*

"Yama is my vessel—but I transcend him."