In the dark and gloomy underworld where no sunlight could be seen, the ghost chariot ran through the thick fog for who knows how long before finally arriving at the underworld.
On the desolate and barren land, there are nameless wandering ghosts. They float and howl in the sky and earth of the underworld. Their damaged souls cannot even be reincarnated and can only quietly dissipate and disappear in this underworld.
A ray of light flashed in the sky, like a shooting star, and an evil ghost with divine patterns on his face slid down from the sky, plagued by sins and crimes. He then fell into the surging Yellow Springs River, struggling and roaring but still unable to resist and sank to the bottom of the Yellow Springs.
This is because the god of earth who fell due to the change of power in humanity this time can be seen in this scene again and again in recent days. The god of earth intervened in the changes of humanity, exhausted his life's merits, and his incense was cut off. In one day, he fell from heaven to the bottom of the valley.
In the sky filled with gray smoke in the underworld, ghosts with divine patterns wearing official robes drove a ghost horse carriage through the sky. Dozens of ghost generals and ghost soldiers followed the carriage in front and behind, and they hurried to the Yintianzi City at the end of the sky.
Wherever it passed, the light emitted from the ghost lights on the frame illuminated the earth, causing a group of wandering ghosts to crawl on the ground, staying far away and not daring to approach.
Above the land that they passed, they could see rays of light from the incense and vows of the Yang world shining down, like the light of a tiny candle, forming large houses and fields. Those were the incense offerings from witches or ordinary powerful families.
Some are like a bright moon, forming pavilions and towers. They are the ancestral homes of the nobles where the descendants of the nobles gathered to offer incense and sacrifice. Among the light, one can see the images of the descendants of the living world worshiping and bowing devoutly.
Moreover, the power of incense penetrates from the sky like the scorching sun, and gathers like a column of light to cover the earth, forming thousands of mansions, pavilions and towers in an endless stream. It is the blessed land of incense for the princes, major immortal sects and witch families, and it looks like a fairyland at first glance.
Passing by a large city, there are many large and small cemeteries and tombs around it, which seem like a netherworld dynasty guarding the city.
"That is the palace of Emperor Longqiu! When Dahuan collapsed and fell apart, Emperor Longqiu still sat on the throne. The status of the underworld god and this emperor is indeed very different from us earth gods and river lords." Chang De spoke to Fang Xiu.
At this moment, Chang De was emitting a rich golden light, and the complex ghost and god patterns on his face represented his power and status. The golden body of the earth god cast by incense was more suitable for ghosts and gods than a flesh body.
This ancient mountain god who established the Northern Darong Royal Court, established the barbarian order and consolidated the faith of the north, became even more powerful after his death. With the power of merit and incense, there are few in the world who can surpass him.
However, the disadvantages of following the path of gods are evident from the large number of gods who have died as humanity has changed. A more serious disadvantage is that the gods rely on the power of incense to survive, but are also devoured by the power of incense.
At the beginning, the gods may still be able to maintain their consciousness. As time goes by, the gods will be changed by the power of incense and wishes. The power of incense and wishes gathered by millions of people will assimilate the original consciousness of the gods, and transform the gods into the appearance and personality in myths and legends, and into the appearance and personality required by the people.
For example, Teng Yong, the original god of the Bo River, had been the god of the river for less than two hundred years when problems began to appear. I'm afraid he had even begun to forget his past and turned into a god as moody as the Bo River.
This is what Chang De told Fang Xiu along the way. He chose to take this path, and he knew the disadvantages of this path better than anyone else.
This is also the reason why Changde has always occupied the position of the mountain god of Huanggu Mountain in human form, but has never transformed into a worshipping god, and he held on until the moment before his death.
"In that case, why do you still want to take this road?" Fang Xiu sat next to Chang De, watching the frame pass through the sky of the underworld and overlooking the earth below.
Chang De then said: "If you don't follow this path of incense and fire, your soul will disintegrate and your true spirit will enter the underworld to reincarnate. If you follow this path of incense and fire, it will take at least another two hundred years."
“I heard that as long as one’s rank reaches the level of a true god in the underworld, one will be able to integrate one’s true spirit into the Book of Life and Death, gain some authority over the Book of Life and Death, and then get rid of the drawbacks of the God of Incense. This is also an opportunity.”
The ghost and god patterns on Chang De's face looked a little scary. He turned his head and looked at Fang Xiu like a dead man: "This time I will go to Yin Tianzi City, maybe I can find out something, whether I can ascend to the position of the true god of the underworld within a hundred years."
Fang Xiu nodded: "So you have already thought about it, I was the one who said too much!"
Chang De said calmly: "I can't follow the immortal path anymore. I can only follow the path of incense and gods. Maybe one day, I can see you ascend to the immortal platform and fly into the sky."
Fang Xiu smiled and said, "The road to immortality is so difficult, how difficult it is to become a carefree immortal!"
Fang Xiu followed Changde's ghost and god carriage all the way and finally arrived at Xundu Academy, a blessed place in the underworld.
Before getting close, I saw a bright light in the sky shining on the distant land and onto a stone tablet as tall as a mountain, with the words "Xundu Academy" written on it.
Below it, there are layers of pavilions, halls, terraces, bridges, flowing water and tall trees. Lotus flowers are blooming on the lakes and ponds, and on the pavilions beside the pools, there are faint shadows of people and the sound of reading.
The howling evil spirits nearby avoided this place from afar and dared not even take a peek. This huge blessed land of incense and incense protected the disciples and students of Xundu Academy who had meritorious deeds and longevity.
Thousands of students and scholars walked in the pavilions and halls, and the sages and philosophers preached the truth in the halls of the academies. In the highest palace paved with white jade, the power emanating from the light of the merits and virtues of the sages of literature brushed across everyone's soul like the sun.
The carriage guarded by gods and ghosts landed in front of the Xundu Academy in the netherworld and stopped under a tall stone tablet. In an instant, the entire Xundu Academy fell silent.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The bell at the highest point rang, and the huge bell startled thousands of students and sages in the Xundu Academy. The souls of each of them, emitting the light of literary and moral merits and wearing student robes, looked outside the vast hall, as if they had noticed something.
The last time the bell of the Netherworld Xundu Academy rang, the tenth generation academy master arrived.
"We're here! Saint Feng!" Chang De, who was sitting on the wide frame of the carriage, changed his name and called Fang Xiu.
Fang Xiu laughed and stood up from the carriage.
"I am going to Yin Tianzi City to meet Yin Tianzi. This is my only chance as an ancient mountain god to enter the underworld. The next time will probably be when I become the true god of the underworld."
"I will return to the world of the living in a few days, don't miss it!"
After saying this, Chang De and the ghost driving the chariot behind him, together with dozens of ghost generals and ghost soldiers, turned into flames, passed through the sky, and headed towards Yin Tianzi City in the center of the underworld.
At this moment, the entire Xundu Academy in the underworld was shining brightly, and blazing white light fell from the sky.
Following the sound of the huge bell, the sages and teachers from the academy, accompanied by thousands of students, floated down from the vast city of palaces like gods and immortals, with layers of light of merit and virtue rolling up their bodies, and fell towards the city to welcome the coming of Sheng Feng.