I Can Traverse Multiple Worlds-Chapter 97 - 96: Underworld Authority, Number 1 in the Dao Realm

Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Underworld Authority, Number 1 in the Dao Realm

While the City Gods of the various states are part of the Underworld’s system, in practice, they are governed by the Great Hao Divine Dynasty.

This is because the Great Hao Divine Dynasty itself is deeply intertwined with the Underworld.

According to historical records, the Underworld loses control every 12,960 years.

When that happens, ghosts walk in broad daylight, and Celestial Demons reawaken to devour all living things!

Only by achieving the Dao Realm can one contend with the Celestial Demons.

This event is known in history as the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth.

To this day, this world has already endured nine Great Calamities of Heaven and Earth.

Each Great Calamity brings countless deaths and injuries, and even those in the Dao Realm risk perishing.

However, it also presents a heaven-sent opportunity.

The authority of the Underworld!

Every time the Great Calamity occurs and the Underworld loses control, its authority is left vacant.

Anyone who can control the Underworld’s authority can become the new Lord of the Mansion.

Rumor has it that the power of the Lord of the Mansion far exceeds the Dao Realm.

One can even live for another 12,960 years after becoming the Lord of the Mansion.

After all, even a Dao Realm Cultivator can live for a maximum of only 9,999 years.

It is an unalterable constant!

Of course, to obtain the authority of the Underworld and become the Lord of the Mansion, one must first seal the Celestial Demon.

After the great masters of the Dao Realm joined forces to seal the Celestial Demon during the last Great Calamity, the first Divine Emperor of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty seized the Underworld’s authority and became the Lord of the Mansion.

Afterward, this first Divine Emperor bestowed a portion of that authority upon the Great Hao Divine Dynasty—namely, the power to appoint City Gods.

Only by receiving an appointment from the Great Hao Divine Dynasty can a City God obtain Incense and prevent their Divine Soul from dissipating.

Otherwise, they are merely wandering spirits, and may even devolve into Fierce Ghosts.

Accordingly, the City Gods of the various states and counties also have tasks assigned to them by the Great Hao Divine Dynasty.

First, they must submit a certain amount of Incense to the Court each year. The amount of Incense submitted is determined by the approximate population of each state and county.

Second, they must assist the Great Hao Divine Dynasty’s Haotian Guard in managing various matters, including those concerning Cultivators.

For example, if a Cultivator commits a crime, the City God must report it, and the Haotian Guard will then be dispatched to handle the situation.

Alternatively, if demon fiends and monsters are running rampant in a certain area, the City God is also required to deal with them.

If they cannot handle it, they must report it to the Haotian Guard!

The Great Hao Divine Dynasty’s Haotian Guard is stationed throughout the land, specializing in handling all matters within the Cultivation Realm.

Every Haotian Guard has a strength of at least the Lifebound Realm.

The strongest Commanders have even reached the Dao Realm!

For the Yangzhou City God to suddenly invite Dragon Tiger Mountain to a banquet, he must have a specific purpose in mind.

Wang Xiao naturally needed to find out what it was about so he could make his own arrangements.

Shou Chengzi spoke up. "The invitation doesn’t say. However, based on past experience, an invitation to a night banquet from the State City God means it’s no small matter. It’s either related to the allocation of Incense in Yangzhou or about suppressing a demonic or ghostly disaster. I suspect that we at Dragon Tiger Mountain aren’t the only ones invited. The other four sects of Yangzhou have likely received invitations as well."

"The other four sects?" Wang Xiao’s eyes flickered.

He knew that the other four sects Shou Chengzi mentioned were Linlang Academy, Bodhi Temple, the Puppet Sect, and the Celestial Talisman Sect.

These four great sects had a status in Yangzhou comparable to Dragon Tiger Mountain, and all had Saint Realm experts within their ranks.

Linlang Academy and Bodhi Temple, in particular, were spread throughout the land.

Their grounds in Yangzhou were merely branch sects.

Their main headquarters were in White Jade City, the capital of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty in the Divine Land.

The headmaster of Linlang Academy and the Abbot of Bodhi Temple were both Dao Realm experts.

Shou Chengzi said, "No matter what it is, since the City God has sent an invitation, we at Dragon Tiger Mountain have no choice but to go."

In the world today, the strongest power was undoubtedly the Great Hao Divine Dynasty.

The Great Hao Divine Dynasty appointed City Gods, gathering the Incense of all people under heaven. In this flourishing age, countless powerful figures had been born.

There were as many as eight Dao Realm experts alone!

The current Divine Emperor of the Great Hao Divine Dynasty, Zhao Yin, was especially dominant, hailed as the undisputed number one in the Dao Realm.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he was set to inherit the previous Divine Emperor’s position during the next Great Calamity and become the new Lord of the Mansion of the Underworld.

Faced with such a colossal power, Dragon Tiger Mountain naturally dared not disobey a summons.

Of course, "to answer the summons but not the decree" was a long-established consensus among the various sects.

This had led to the current state of the world: the Great Hao Divine Dynasty led the charge in maintaining the order of Heaven and Earth, while the other sects, though subordinate, maintained their own autonomy.

Wang Xiao asked, "Master, when do you plan to depart?"

Shou Chengzi said, "The Yangzhou City God Temple is quite a distance from our Dragon Tiger Mountain. We’ll have to leave shortly."

Wang Xiao nodded. "Alright, I’ll pack my things. I’ll go with you, Master."

’This trip to the City God’s night banquet is well worth it, whether it’s to meet the City God and retrieve the gift left by my predecessor’s birth mother, or to meet cultivators from other sects and gain insight into a Limit Breaking Technique.’

「A moment later.」

Wang Xiao and Shou Chengzi left the cave residence together and soon arrived at the mountain gate of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

After waiting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea,

SWOOSH!

A large shadow was suddenly cast from high in the sky.

Wang Xiao looked up to see a Flying Ship, fifty or sixty feet long, hovering in mid-air.

From atop the Flying Ship, a majestic voice called out:

"Junior Brother Shou Chengzi, Martial Nephew Chongyang, the journey is long. You might as well ride my Flying Ship."

Shou Chengzi’s eyes flickered. His figure soared into the air, bringing Wang Xiao with him as they landed inside the Flying Ship.

At this moment, two figures stood on the Flying Ship.

One of them appeared to be in his sixties or seventies. He wore a bright Daoist Robe, held a Duster, and had a majestic face framed by a pair of long, white eyebrows.

Another Daoist stood behind the Bai Mei Daoist. He looked to be in his twenties, was slightly chubby, and his small eyes darted about, revealing a hint of cleverness.

Shou Chengzi led Wang Xiao over and bowed to the Bai Mei Daoist:

"Greetings, Senior Brother Qian."

Wang Xiao also bowed. "Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Qian."

He knew that the Bai Mei Daoist before him was named Qian Yunshan, also known as Yunshan Master, and was one of Dragon Tiger Mountain’s three Tribulation Crossing Zhenren.

He was a full Great Realm higher than Shou Chengzi.

His status was naturally also higher than Shou Chengzi’s.

Second only to the Celestial Master, Zhang Lingxiao.

He held the position of Capital Speaker on Dragon Tiger Mountain, mainly responsible for lecturing on scriptures, imparting techniques, and other similar duties.

However, he was a member of the Pro-Emperor Faction and had originally wanted Wang Xiao executed!

Therefore, Wang Xiao naturally didn’t have the slightest favorable impression of him.

"Mm."

Qian Yunshan sat cross-legged on the floor. He gave a slight nod, paying no further attention to Shou Chengzi and his disciple.

As a member of the Anti-Emperor Faction, Shou Chengzi naturally wouldn’t court a rebuff, so he led Wang Xiao to sit at the other end of the ship.

SWOOSH!

The Flying Ship shot into the sky at an incredible speed, turning into a streak of light and disappearing over the horizon.

’So this is the power of a Tribulation Crossing Zhenren? It’s incredible. His Magical Power seems completely endless.’

Watching the flowing lights and shadows around him, Wang Xiao gained a rough understanding of a Tribulation Crossing Zhenren.

The tribulation crossing process is divided into three stages.

The Three-Nine Celestial Tribulation, the Six-Nine Celestial Tribulation, and the Nine-Nine Celestial Tribulation.

This Qian Yunshan had merely passed the Three-Nine Celestial Tribulation, and was already this powerful.

’That Zhang Lingxiao has already passed all three Celestial Tribulations and formed a Great Dao Golden Core in his body. His power is likely even greater than I imagined! However, Zhang Lingxiao didn’t stop me from leaving the mountain this time. It seems he also wants me to increase my strength as quickly as possible.’

Just as Wang Xiao was lost in thought,

the chubby Daoist from behind Qian Yunshan quietly walked over and said with a chuckle:

"Junior Brother Wang, so diligent? You don’t forget to cultivate even on the road."

Wang Xiao looked at the chubby Daoist and replied:

"There’s no other way. My aptitude is poor, so I can only be a little more diligent."

The chubby Daoist said:

"Junior Brother Wang is too modest. I’ve heard your name, you know. Successfully receiving your Layman’s Certificate at six years old is enough to be called a genius. It took me until I was twelve to barely succeed."

Unsure of the chubby Daoist’s intentions, Wang Xiao gave a perfunctory reply:

"It was just a fluke, nothing worth mentioning."

The chubby Daoist seemed to sense Wang Xiao’s dismissiveness but didn’t seem to mind. He lowered his voice and said:

"Junior Brother Wang, do you know what this City God’s night banquet is all about?"

Wang Xiao’s eyes flickered. "I don’t. Does Senior Brother know?"

The chubby Daoist said:

"I heard from my master that our Yangzhou Five Sects have been invited to this City God’s night banquet for the purpose of the strangulation of the Dragon King of the East Sea."