Chapter 439

Chapter 439: Mu Lin’s Empowerment Ability, Unbeatable Army

"Come back to life? What does that mean?"

Mu Lin’s words surprised Mo Feng, but he did not explain further. Instead, he said lightly, "You’ll see soon enough."

Having approached the battlefield, Mu Lin didn’t act immediately. He closed his eyes and reopened them.

"Buzz!"

When his eyes opened again, all human emotion had vanished, replaced by the detached indifference of the heavens.

His Gazing at the Heavens ability allowed him not only to perceive the essence of phenomena and compile Root Words from the traces of the path, but also to uncover hidden truths. At this moment, using this ability revealed that the fearsome warring spirits radiating murderous aura were mere reflections.

Slender threads of causality linked them, converging at a single point underground. Mu Lin’s gaze followed these threads until thick soil blocked his vision. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he activated Chongming Bird’s penetrative ability. Through layers of earth, his sight traced the black energy downward until he discovered a shattered yellow-earth altar deep below.

This broken altar caused the battlefield’s emergence. From it emanated both danger and fragments of ancient laws.

"If I keep observing with Gazing at the Heavens, I might gain more Root Words," Mu Lin thought. Yet he deactivated the ability. While detecting anomalies required minimal energy, deciphering the altar’s secrets would drain him completely.

"First secure the altar fragments. I’ll study them once I’ve gathered enough Power of Belief."

…

Knowing the battlefield’s origin simplified matters. Though the altar instinctively guarded itself with armies at the battlefield’s core, this posed little challenge. Observing Mo Feng’s seven-thousand-strong Black Sha Legion, an idea surfaced in Mu Lin’s sea of consciousness:

"Testing whether Substitute Paper Figures can coordinate with other forces to purge evil spirits might streamline my future plans."

…

Previously, Mu Lin operated alone—effective but costly. Each intervention demanded his focused attention and remote magic transfer to Substitute Paper Figures for overwhelming victories. Yet his impending grand scheme required countless avatars while conserving energy for contingencies, making cooperation with the Black Sha Legion and Agricultural and Martial Corps vital.

Turning to Mo Feng, Mu Lin stated: "I’ve identified this battlefield’s source. To eliminate it, I need your aid… This also serves as an experiment."

Mo Feng did not hesitate:

"Yes, we came precisely for this."

The Black Sha Legion under his command showed no trace of fear.

"Wind, wind, fierce wind!"

Roaring in unison, the legion members pounded their weapons against the earth, their morale blazing like wildfire.

Seeing the troops’ fervor, Mo Feng raised his arms, preparing to advance and escort Mu Lin to the battlefield’s heart.

But Mu Lin halted him.

"Hold. Let me apply some buffs… positive statuses."

"Do not resist!"

With those words, Mu Lin focused his will. The sky suddenly showered countless salt grains like snow.

The Holy Salt coiled around the Black Sha soldiers, forming shimmering salt armor on their bodies and coating their weapons.

This sacred covering steadied their resolve.

Yet Mu Lin wasn’t finished.

As he concentrated again, a scroll depicting a hellish illusion materialized behind him.

The scroll unfurled, enveloping the entire Black Sha Legion and Mo Feng within its expanse, as vast as the heavens and earth.

Mu Lin’s voice then echoed through heaven and earth:

"By the King of Hell’s decree, you are now temporary Yin soldiers and ghost officials, granted authority to seize evil ghosts!"

"Boom!"

At Mu Lin’s proclamation, the Black Sha Legion instantly became hell’s Yin soldiers and ghost officials.

These weren’t divine positions—the True Spirit Domain Chart still held only 365 legitimate deity roles.

But every City God or Hell Lord could enlist minor soldiers (ghost officials, Yin soldiers, jailers) who, though not divine, received underworld blessings.

The potency of these blessings depended on the ruler’s authority.

As Hell Lord himself, Mu Lin’s empowerment proved overwhelming.

Every Black Sha warrior now had an Other Shore Flower rooted in their consciousness, shielding their souls from foreign evils while granting illusion magic.

Soul Binding Chains—standard gear for Yin soldiers—materialized on their forms.

The flame of revenge ignited among those harboring deep hatred for monsters and evil spirits, their frustration and rage crystallizing into vengeful fire under Mu Lin’s gaze.

Mu Lin further bestowed the Slaughtering Blade’s power upon them, enabling growth through combat.

This cascade of enhancements sent tremors of excitement through the Black Sha ranks.

"Incredible…"

"The flame of revenge burns fiercer with greater hatred—exactly what I needed! I’ll purge every last monster and evil ghost!"

"The Other Shore Flower shields my soul and grants illusions… astonishing!"

"None compare to the Slaughtering Blade! We’ll grow stronger with every kill… Hahaha, let the slaughter begin!"

Mu Lin’s empowerments set the Black Sha Legion abuzz, their fervent discussions echoing across the field.

Mo Feng and his deputy Feng Guang didn’t bother managing the situation. Both stood awestruck by the powers Mu Lin had granted them.

As commanders, Mu Lin hadn’t given them ordinary positions like Yin soldiers or ghost officials. Mo Feng received the temporary divine role of city god, while Feng Guang became a civil judge. Though temporary and only possible when vacancies existed in the True Spirit Domain Chart, these positions meant no more than three hundred sixty-five could hold divine ranks – for now.

Even temporarily, they gained the chart’s powers: strengthened by Central Earth Evil, elevated in rank, and wielding divine authority. As acting city god, Mo Feng instinctively knew he could merge with and command earth veins. He could order evil ghosts, detect sins, and summon cosmic forces to judge wrongdoers through verbal commands.

"Gasp!"

Exchanging glances, both men shivered at Mu Lin’s terrifying gifts. They couldn’t help wishing these powers were permanent – a thought Mu Lin clearly sensed.

A faint smile touched Mu Lin’s lips. This reaction was intentional. In his past life’s myths, living practitioners like Maoshan’s Uncle Jiu had served as temporary Underworld agents, becoming full officials after death. Mu Lin could do the same – loyal elite Black Sha Legion troops might permanently keep ghost official roles with underworld powers.

Such men would naturally support him. With enough followers, he could emulate the Lighthouse Nation – manipulating opinion without warfare. Currently, he needed them for specific tasks. While his Agricultural and Martial Corps obeyed unquestioningly, outsiders might cause trouble. Having Black Sha members doubling as Underworld agents would let him intervene indirectly.

‘Gathering talents is my path. This is merely the beginning.’

Though tempted, Mu Lin stayed silent – eagerness weakened bargaining power. Pretending ignorance, he pointed forward.

"Advance!"

"Wind! Wind! Great wind!"

Boom… roar!

Under Mu Lin’s command, the army sprang into motion.

Like thunderbolts, they stormed the blood-soaked battlefield, clashing fiercely with the phantom forces.

But upon engagement, the Black Sha Legion soldiers immediately sensed something strange… the fight felt too effortless.

They’d battled these battlefield phantoms before.

Though formed from frustration and illusions without physical bodies, these evil spirits still posed real threats.

Their fearless disregard for life and death had previously given the Black Sha soldiers constant headaches.

Now those problems disappeared.

Holy Salt’s protection made enemy attacks harmless, while their own blows easily destroyed foes.

The Other Shore Flower shielded their souls while creating deceptive illusions, making enemy strikes frequently miss or be ignored – reducing combat to simple target practice for the Black Sha Legion.

Soul Binding Chains and flame of revenge proved devastating against the spirits.

This sudden power surge, combined with spirit-specific abilities, enabled dimensional strike dominance over the phantoms.

Their relentless charge smashed straight through enemy formations.

"I feel so strong now!"

"Nonsense! It’s Lord Mu Lin’s blessings making us powerful…"

Breaking through enemy lines brought them near the battlefield’s heart.

Though the broken altar detected the intrusion, rallying both monster phantoms and Black Sha specters against them, Mu Lin remained motionless.

As enemies closed in, Mo Feng exercised his city god authority, booming divine commands:

"Guilty souls! Suffer blade wounds and Flames of Revenge!"

BOOM!

Swords materialized midair, impaling evil spirit phantoms as vengeful fire engulfed the "criminals".

One sentence shattered the encircling forces. Remnants fell quickly to the enhanced Black Sha troops.

Mo Feng’s subordinates actually complained about his efficiency:

"Save some for us, boss!"

"Let us have fun too…"

With multiple enhancements, the battle felt more like recreation than warfare – even Mo Feng found it surreal.

"Since when do battles fight themselves?"

Unhindered, Mu Lin easily excavated buried altar fragments from the earth, sealing them with Infinite Chains.

When he withdrew the enhancements afterward, many soldiers felt hollow emptiness.

Never knowing power made ignorance bearable, but tasting strength only to lose it tormented them.

As soldiers fated to die battling monsters and evil spirits, they’d accepted their grim destiny – until Underworld blessings showed them survival’s fleeting hope.

Now Black Sha warriors gazed at Mu Lin with worshipful respect. Some harbored secret thoughts of allegiance, though none spoke openly. They resolved to pray nightly to the Underworld King, desperate to regain those powers.

"With such protection, careful service should be safe…"

"Forgive me – I choose survival. Stronger warriors better protect the Legion anyway."