Chapter 437

Chapter 437: Empty Streets as Crowds Vie for Holy Salt

"Gazing at the Heavens – this art of observing the world also serves as my key to controlling it!"

With Gazing at the Heavens and the willing heart fire, Mu Lin’s ambition surged. He felt he could scrutinize every aspect of the world, detect its hidden connections and traces of the path, then forge them into Root Words to enforce absolute dominion.

Yet this grand ambition proved fleeting.

Mu Lin realized his investigation into Holy Salt’s secrets had cost too many Substitute Paper Figures and drained immense magical energy. While the paper substitutes could be easily replaced, restoring his depleted magic posed greater difficulty.

The real problem emerged during prolonged use of Gazing at the Heavens. To sustain this power, he’d kept draining the earth veins’ energy – an act both wasteful and destructive. Continued exploitation could wither the spiritual veins across a thousand-mile territory, transforming fertile lands into magic-barren wastelands.

Such devastation wouldn’t just cripple the Agricultural and Martial Corps’ survival – it would make Mu Lin the very world-destroying scourge he despised. Worse still, the heavenly path would mark him as a parasite long before total destruction, unleashing calamities upon him. The ultimate punishment might even manifest as Thunder Tribulation.

"I can’t keep plundering the earth veins…"

After consideration, Mu Lin found three alternatives for observing forbidden power without spiritual vein support:

1. Strengthen the eye of Gazing at the Heavens to reduce energy demands.

2. Channel the Methods of the Divine Path by using Power of Belief as fuel.

3. Absorb and process external energies from beyond.

Mu Lin chose all three approaches.

"Children pick options. Adults claim them all."

…

Mu Lin implemented his plan immediately. A hundred Substitute Paper Figures began daily Hard Practice to enhance the heavenly gaze. Meanwhile, he combined divine path methods with external energy absorption.

"The North Wilderness people suffer under monsters and evil spirits. With families slaughtered and death looming daily, they desperately need a demon-slaying hero."

"If I fulfill this role and spread word of it, victims and bereaved cultivators will fervently worship my Yama system. Better still, I already hold the sacred item commoners crave most."

Through the True Spirit Domain Chart, Mu Lin projected his consciousness to Yan Yunyu.

"Progress with the Black Sha Legion?"

The sudden mental voice startled her before recognition dawned. "Most terms are settled. Only resource details remain disputed."

"Hasten negotiations. Tell them I’ll yield resources if they permit – better yet, assist – my belief system’s spread."

Yan Yunyu dipped her head. "Understood. This humble one will expedite matters."

…

With Mu Lin’s command, the next day, Yan Yunyu made some compromises and quickly reached an agreement with Mo Feng of the Black Sha Legion.

Yet the ease of the process made Mo Feng suspicious.

“Lady Yan, why…?”

Noticing his doubt, Yan Yunyu smiled gently. “This was Brother Mu Lin’s order. He cares deeply for the people’s welfare and understands your struggles. That’s why he chose to claim fewer resources.”

“…Young Master Mu is most generous.”

After praising, Mo Feng hesitated before asking, “When shall we depart?”

“Immediately.”

As she spoke, Yan Yunyu produced a paper figure and blew lightly on it.

With a swift “whoosh!”, Mu Lin materialized within Black Mountain Ridge.

He surveyed the imposing fortress, felt the Black Sha Legion’s formidable presence, and detected a crushing willpower blanketing the entire ridge and surrounding lands like a collapsing sky.

The overwhelming force made Mu Lin feel insignificant, like an ant gazing up at a mountain.

His expression tightened.

‘A Celestial Master truly is fearsome in their domain—replacing heaven’s will with their own. I’m no match for this yet.’

But he soon relaxed. Human Celestial Masters rarely attacked their own kind, preferring to protect them. Respectful caution sufficed.

Turning to Mo Feng, Mu Lin said, “Let’s go.”

He began walking toward the city gates, but Mo Feng held him back. “Please wait, Young Master Mu. The problem we’re tackling is complex. Our deputy commander assigned me a troop for this mission—I’ll summon them now.”

While Mo Feng hurried to gather the Black Sha Legion, his aide Feng Guang escorted Mu Lin to a tavern to rest.

Watching Mo Feng leave, Mu Lin chuckled. “Mobilizing soldiers? Doesn’t the Black Sha Legion trust me?”

Feng Guang hastily replied, “On the contrary, we trust you enough to deploy troops. This ensures the problem is solved permanently.”

Their conversation was interrupted by commotion at the tavern entrance. Guards barked, “Halt!”

But the intruders pushed through anyway.

Feng Guang’s face darkened. Such disorder in Black Sha City reflected poorly on the legion’s discipline. He rose and snapped toward the doorway, “Explain this…”

However, before he could finish scolding, his voice abruptly cut off.

A crowd of wild-eyed people tainted with evil spirits rushed into the tavern.

Aide Feng Guang wore a grim expression as he observed them.

His tension was justified—every intruder bore corruption from the forbidden power.

Such people were living explosives. When these forbidden power-fueled bombs detonated, they’d destroy themselves while spreading contamination to others and the land itself.

No one dared act rashly against these cultivators, which explained how they’d broken past the guards.

While Feng Guang agonized over handling them, the leader of the mob locked eyes with Mu Lin.

“You’re Mu Lin? The one who can suppress forbidden power’s corruption?”

Before Mu Lin could reply, Yan Yunyu rose beside him and snapped, “Mad mutts like you should address him as ‘Sir Mu Lin.’

“Did no one teach you beggars to show proper manners when pleading for help?”

“Only Sir Mu can cleanse your filth!”

The leader of the corrupted cultivators stiffened at her words.

After a beat, he bared his teeth and loomed over Mu Lin. “You’ll cure us. Refuse, and we’ll drag you and every ordinary person outside down with us when we die.”

“???”

The demand left Mu Lin momentarily speechless.

He never imagined this world also had fools trying to extort help through threats.

The absurdity made him chuckle.

Instead of answering the leader, Mu Lin scanned the others behind him.

“What about the rest of you? Same demand?”

Some mirrored their leader’s hostility, glaring fiercely.

But others shook their heads urgently. “We’re not threatening you, Sir!” one pleaded. “We beg for mercy!”

“Save us, and we’ll devote everything to you—”

“My little sister can’t serve you, but I’ll lay down my life—”

Humanity’s mix of rot and virtue didn’t surprise Mu Lin. He nodded at the latter group.

“Those seeking salvation, move to the back.”

Then he turned to the snarling leader, his smile widening.

“You want my help? Certainly. I’ll grant exactly what you deserve.”

“???”

Feng Guang gaped at Mu Lin’s apparent surrender. Yan Yunyu, however, remained calm—she knew threats couldn’t bend her Mu brother.

The truth revealed itself instantly.

As his benevolent smile lingered, Mu Lin activated his purification art. Countless salt crystals materialized midair and coated the lead cultivator’s body.

Sin Salt possessed the ability to purify sins and could even generate more salt through the power of sin itself.

The cultivators before them carried forbidden power inside their bodies—their mere existence was a sinful threat to the world.

Furthermore, these cultivators had committed numerous evil deeds, leaving them heavily tainted by sin.

When the Sin Salt touched their corrupted energy, more salt rapidly formed.

The growing mass of Sin Salt erased both the sins clinging to the forbidden cultivators and the forbidden power within them.

Relief washed over their faces.

“This! This is it! Hahaha, I’m cured!”

“So light…!”

“Alive—this is truly being alive!”

The diminishing sins and forbidden power brought them overwhelming comfort.

But soon, they discovered the Sin Salt’s power didn’t halt after suppressing their forbidden energy—it kept spreading.

“Whoosh…”

As the purification continued, their strength drained away, relief twisting into frailty.

Only then did they realize something was terribly wrong.

The lead cultivator snarled viciously at Mu Lin.

“Stop!”

“You bastard—STOP!”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll unleash this forbidden power?!”

To emphasize his threat, he erupted the forbidden energy inside him, spewing corruption across the tavern.

But the next instant, Sin Salt’s power surged in response.

Soon, the corrupted area crystallized entirely into salt.

“?!!”

The leader froze in terror.

He now understood—he held no power over Mu Lin.

What tormented him more was this: before, he hadn’t feared death.

The forbidden power’s agony had driven him to madness; death would’ve been mercy.

That was why he’d dared act so recklessly.

He’d truly been ready to perish with others.

But now, everything had changed. Mu Lin’s purification had erased his suffering, reminding him how sweet life could be.

Yet his fate was no longer his to decide.

“No—spare me…!”

Desperation clawed at him, but Mu Lin didn’t relent.

The Sin Salt’s influence spread. Behind the leader, his fellow villains’ sins and forbidden power transformed into salt—then their very bodies began crystallizing.

Soon, Pillars of Salt stood where the villains had been.

The leader died last, his eyes wide with terror and regret.

…

Afterward, Mu Lin offered Feng Guang an apologetic smile.

“Forgive me for killing in your city.”

“We should apologize for failing to protect our guests from such disturbance.”

Feng Guang hardly cared about the villains’ deaths. His attention fixated elsewhere.

Staring at the Sin Salt—no, Holy Salt—and sensing its purifying aura, disbelief and joy warred on his face.

“Lord Mu Lin… Didn’t Mo Feng claim you could only temporarily seal forbidden cultivators?”

Mu Lin’s smile deepened.

He glanced at the fearful cultivators and watching ordinary civilians before answering plainly,

“My power has grown. I can now purify forbidden energy entirely.”

“This salt serves as the medium.”

As if recalling an afterthought, he added softly, “Ah, it also harms monsters and evil spirits, even bacteria and viruses. Scatter it against supernatural attacks, or use it to cure illnesses and plagues.”

When Mu Lin fell silent, the air itself seemed to tremble.

Feng Guang, the surrounding cultivators, and every civilian breathed faster—their eyes blazing with fervent hope.