Chapter 420

Chapter 420: Mu Lin: I Will Protect My Agricultural and Martial Corps!

Mu Lin had established the North Wilderness as his main base, so he brought all his accumulated resources during this relocation.

He even deployed the True Spirit Domain Chart across the northern wasteland.

This transformed his Yin Soil into something truly fearsome.

Foremost stood a black sun composed entirely of vengeful flames, radiating dense frustration and deathly aura.

This dark celestial body hung suspended, casting its gloomy illumination over the entire underworld domain.

Though unnatural in the living world, its sinister glow perfectly suited the Underworld’s atmosphere.

Mu Lin named this entity the Underworld Sun – Wu Chen.

Ranked fifth in the True Spirit Domain Chart’s hierarchy, this deity stood only below the King of Hell in power.

Its divine offices encompassed vengeance and underworld illumination.

Beneath Wu Chen’s dark radiance sprawled Fengdu City – not merely a shadow of Tian Shi City from the living realm, but the actual manifestation from the True Spirit Domain Chart’s secret realm.

The massive city covered dozens of miles, its walls and thoroughfares patrolled by black-armored Beiwai soldiers wearing ghostly masks.

Bolstered by ley line energy and Mu Lin’s growing power, thirty thousand of these spectral warriors now stood ready – an awe-inspiring force whose mere presence chilled the soul.

Their power multiplied when wielding Soul Binding Chains, making them perfect hunters of evil ghosts and spirits.

Fengdu’s buildings held more than empty spaces – each structure imprisoned malevolent spirits and demonic souls under Mu Lin’s dominion through implanted will of dominance.

These captive entities eternally served him, fueling various aspects of his power.

At the city’s heart rose the Lord of Mount Tai’s altar, foundation of Mu Lin’s Spiritual Roots.

Where once stood emptiness now loomed the mountainous bulk of the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, fused with the altar itself.

This union of fate-bound treasures amplified Mu Lin’s fundamental power.

The cauldron’s bottomless spiritual reserves granted inexhaustible energy while shielding his body, soul, and entire Yin Soil domain within the Cycle of Life and Death.

"Among spiritual weapons, this stands supreme – only True Lords’ Taoist Treasures surpass it," Mu Lin mused. "Had Earth Immortal Ji Zheng wielded it instead of that dying Ji family elder, victory would’ve escaped me."

Yet he dismissed any notion of luck in his triumph.

"The East Sea King feared giving this treasure to Ji Zheng precisely because of its power. A dying elder matters little, but a prime Earth Immortal? He’d never return such a prize."

Even the famously virtuous Liu Huangshu kept borrowed territories – Ji Zheng would be far less scrupulous.

"To protect his position, the king had two choices: keep the cauldron himself or entrust it to moribund elders. Ji Zheng would never touch it."

"The East Sea King thought his elder secure with this defense. But while it blocked my assaults, it couldn’t halt an Earth Immortal’s final breath."

The Lord of Mount Tai’s altar, combined with the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, radiated an overwhelming force capable of suppressing all.

Yet these structures weren’t the heart of Fengdu City. Behind the altar square loomed an imposing hall—the Hall of Hell.

A chilling, oppressive aura seeped from within.

Civil and military judges stood guard alongside the Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced, while the King of Hell sat enthroned above them all, wearing a twelve-crest crown.

As Mu Lin’s avatar and ruler of this underworld dominion, merely gazing at him made Earth Immortals Sheng Cang and Zhang Hemiao feel their Life and Death hung by a thread.

“His power… This King of Hell rivals Earth Immortal combat power. He could kill me,” Sheng Cang hissed.

“That black sun radiates Earth Immortal-level Ominous Energy too,” Zhang Hemiao muttered.

“But the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron terrifies me most—its suppression force could crush anything…”

Stepping into the Yin Soil, the duo felt both vulnerability and awe at Mu Lin’s might.

“You call this Transformation-level strength?”

“Top young genius? No—he stands among the strongest Earth Immortals!”

“Grandfather’s investment paid off. Mu Lin won’t just protect the Agricultural and Martial Corps—he’ll make us thrive again!”

Their excitement grew as they discovered more of Mu Lin’s forces.

A giant serpent encircled the city like a living mountain range, its Earth Immortal aura undeniable.

To the east floated a dragon ship bristling with cannons above a black lake of Ominous Energy.

Across from it lay a blood pool where a meditating woman sat beneath a spectral long knife, demonic creatures spawning endlessly around her.

The Yin Soil’s crimson Other Shore Flower sea completed this hellscape—the very flowers that eliminated parasites.

In the world of the living, parasites hid inside bodies undetected. But here, soul reflections revealed all.

Ordinary souls appeared as faint white shadows. Weak ones shrunk to glowing orbs.

Sickness manifested as gray-black smudges. Parasites showed as vile specks—blood-red, poison-green, or ash-gray—glaringly obvious without flesh to hide them.

If it were ordinary evil spirits or ghosts, the Beiwai Army would have been mobilized. With their Soul Binding Chains, capturing evil ghosts would’ve been straightforward.

But now, parasites had fused with human bodies. Unwilling to harm the hosts, Mu Lin deployed the Other Shore Flower sea.

Endowed with Life and Death Illusion capabilities and able to detect parasite-infected individuals, the Other Shore Flowers effortlessly clouded the insects’ minds.

From that point, the solution became simple. After muddling the parasites’ consciousness, Mu Lin only needed to imitate the hive-mind’s authority, ordering them to crawl out of human bodies and self-destruct—thus eradicating the threat completely.

Well… one additional note: after discovering this method, the remaining work became tedious repetition. Mu Lin lacked both patience and time for such labor.

Hence, he assigned the task to Chu Lingluo.

As ruler of the Other Shore Flower sea, Chu Lingluo now worked across the lands outside Fengdu City, purging parasites from Tian Shi City’s cultivators and ordinary persons.

Her gentle nature made her ache seeing people suffer.

While removing parasites, she also used the Flower sea’s power to touch the minds of common folk and cultivators alike.

Not for mischief—she crafted pleasant dreams instead. Those plagued by calamities and constant fear in Tian Shi City could now find temporary peace, easing their weary spirits.

“Forgive me. My strength remains insufficient… This brief dream is all I can offer for your respite.”

Hands pressed together like a spirit fairy, Chu Lingluo wove a fairy-tale dreamscape through the Flower sea’s power.

Admittedly, this whimsical realm clashed sharply with the Yin Soil’s atmosphere. Yet Mu Lin didn’t interfere, feeling oddly reassured.

“You supported me when I was weak. Now that I’ve grown stronger, I’ll shield you—keeping your kindness untarnished forever.”

…

This warm sentiment flickered briefly in Mu Lin’s heart before he shook it off, addressing practical matters.

“I can eliminate parasites, but currently, my Yin Soil only covers Tian Shi City’s vicinity. Cultivators elsewhere must come here for treatment.”

Zhang Hemiao nodded urgently. “Naturally.”

She bowed deeply, thanking him for saving Tian Shi City.

Mu Lin waved it aside. “No need. By joining your return, I became part of the Agricultural and Martial Corps. Protecting them is my duty now.”

Free charity wasn’t his style—he’d never play the saint.

Rumors in Tianwu City claimed Zhang Hetian groomed him as military leader successor. Accurate rumors.

The Old Master indeed intended this.

Mu Lin himself approved of the Agricultural and Martial Corps, especially upon learning most members hailed from commoner or cold clan backgrounds.

He’d resolved to accept the leadership role.

Thus, his aid shifted from mere assistance to a declaration: he would safeguard his Agricultural and Martial Corps!

Another motive drove his crisis intervention:

“I notice you plan to publicize this victory to boost morale. Good. But when spreading word, omit my name. Attribute everything to the King of Hell… and his subordinate Dream Master.”

“King of Hell? Dream Master?”

Both Zhang Hemiao and Sheng Cang stiffened, expressions turning grave.

“Young Master Mu… are you pursuing the Methods of the Divine Path?”