Chapter 467

Chapter 467: King of Earth Store

"Whoosh…"

The paper figure transformed into a mighty eagle, flying straight toward the Great Snow Mountain.

From this high vantage point, Mu Lin saw countless demons and monsters migrating across the North Wilderness.

They were fleeing human settlements.

Though leaving human territories meant entering barren wastelands or icy frozen earth, these creatures kept moving.

The blazing sunlight days earlier had filled them with primal fear.

Harsh cold they could endure, but the purging light that dissolved all impurities left them helpless.

Along the journey, Mu Lin also witnessed humans—soldiers in camps, common travelers, even high-ranking nobles—building his statues and kneeling in worship.

While Mu Lin had been resting these past days, Yan Yunyu, Si Ye, and Ji Ling Sha worked tirelessly.

They sent trained priests and ritualists spreading his influence everywhere.

The ordinary civilians cooperated eagerly.

After witnessing the miracle—the warming light and the shrieks of vanishing evil spirits—faith came naturally.

Yan Yunyu’s priests declared openly: Mu Lin, both King of Hell and Lord of Mount Tai, had driven monsters and evil spirits from human lands. He restored peace and dignity to mankind.

Faced with such crisis-averting heroism, common folk readily worshipped Mu Lin.

The powerful clans and generals, sensing the great sun’s lingering threat, mostly chose to show respect.

Some cooperated wisely; others tried exploiting perceived weaknesses.

Mu Lin didn’t need to act personally.

Yan Yunyu, Si Ye, and Ji Ling Sha wielded their authority—commanding vengeful evil spirits, Yin soldiers, and ghost officials—to teach dissenters the cost of defiance.

They then claimed moral superiority, mirroring the clans’ own tactics.

Mu Lin wasn’t bound by gentlemanly conduct when eliminating enemies. These noble ladies understood such games perfectly.

"The monsters’ retreat is my husband’s doing. While he exhausts himself protecting us, you lost territories and displaced countless people. Now you hinder his preparations… Could you be demon spies?"

"Lies!"

None dared admit to such accusations—the North Wilderness executed suspected spies without trial.

"But the threat has passed…"

"Spy talk! The main horde remains undefeated—evil ghosts watch our borders like starving wolves. Yet you relax instead of fighting? Your guilt is plain."

Truth didn’t matter. Even innocent officials found themselves accused by "witnesses" among captured monsters.

Of course, Yan Yunyu and the others understood Mu Lin’s intentions and did not want to stir up conflict within the human race, so they didn’t go too far. After making examples of some clans that hadn’t tried hard enough or had real monster connections, the rest in North Wilderness understood.

Mu Lin wasn’t some holy saint – he wanted to save North Wilderness but expected proper payment. The Power of Belief he sought became clear.

Noticing this, the straightforward northern folk readily agreed to his demands. Meanwhile, petty schemers realized Mu Lin wasn’t bound by gentlemanly rules and might eliminate them through other means… making them surrender even faster.

They remembered the great sun hanging over North Wilderness, lighting up every corner.

As an ally, this version of Mu Lin brought comfort. But facing him as an enemy? That brought cold dread.

Even monsters and evil spirits avoided direct clashes with him. Those schemers lost all will to oppose him.

After the great battle, as Yan Yunyu’s group spread teachings and worked hard, statues of Mu Lin rose across the northern lands. These countless believers became Mu Lin’s advantage against evil spirits.

"With millions praying daily, my power grows stronger each sunrise. How can you match my growth?"

Surveying his domain where every corner of North Wilderness worshipped him, feeling the surging tide of Power of Belief, Mu Lin’s smile widened.

"Keep waiting. By the time you’re ready to strike, I might already be a Heavenly Master."

…

Believers’ devotion kept boosting Mu Lin’s divine power. He also kept practicing other cultivation methods.

The paper figure turned eagle reached Great Snow Mountain after days of flight, meeting the local abbot.

Notably, this Buddhist territory now hosted Mu Lin’s faith too. Normally this would cause friction. But major sects followed proper protocols – seeing Mu Lin’s influence, the abbot didn’t block his teachings but granted him a Buddhist divinity title.

Elsewhere he was King of Hell or Lord of Mount Tai. Here in Buddhist lands, he became Great Radiance King Buddha. This compromise let him spread faith without conflict.

Mu Lin accepted but changed the title to King of Earth Store Buddha – fitting better with underworld themes.

Though in past lives Earth Store was a Bodhisattva, not Buddha, Mu Lin adapted things from his previous life to suit this world instead of rigidly copying.

…

Since not enemies, the abbot welcomed Mu Lin warmly. After hosting him, the monk gave cautious advice:

"Lord King of Earth Store, please reconsider practicing Heavenly Techniques of Darkness."

"Problems with it?" Mu Lin raised an eyebrow.

The abbot nodded gravely: "Our holy monk developed this secret technique after observing the cosmic starry sky here. Born with mind communication powers, after millennia of Hard Practice he could hear all living things… even the great sun’s roar and storms’ whispers."

"Heavenly Techniques of Darkness came from decades spent gazing at stars from these peaks. In the void, he sensed… something dark. Light couldn’t touch it. It devoured everything, pulled everything – the world’s most terrifying…"

As the abbot spoke solemnly, Mu Lin’s face grew increasingly strange.

‘Dark cosmic entity swallowing light? Isn’t that a black hole? Did that monk sense one through mind powers? Is this "Heavenly Technique" actually black hole cultivation?’