Thunder roared in the sky.
It was as if the heavens were making an announcement.
The villagers of Li Family Village were startled and quickly looked up at the sky, only to find that it wasn't going to rain—it was just a dry clap of thunder.
"Could it be that Lord Zhang Yue truly accepted the offering?"
Li Youming, hunched with age, murmured.
He was the most respected elder in the village and one of the two Body Refinement Realm martial artists there.
Though he was old and no longer capable of fighting much, if he got angry, it wouldn't be a problem for him to beat two or three grown men to death.
After all—
In his youth, he had mastered the 'Stone Splitting Palm,' undergoing two rounds of vital energy transformation, making his palm strength immense.
Just a few years ago, he could still shatter head-sized rocks with a single strike.
The most valuable items in the village had always been kept by him, especially the Body Strengthening Grass, which he had guarded for seven years without issue.
It was placed on Lord Zhang Yue's altar twice a year during the Grand Ritual.
So why was it missing this time?
"Lord Zhang Yue definitely accepted it."
A trembling old man beside him spoke, his gaze toward the Land Deity statue filled with reverence.
"I think so too."
"Our village's Land Deity is very efficacious. A few years ago, Pihou's wife couldn't conceive. After he prayed to Lord Zhang Yue, she gave birth to a chubby boy within the year."
Another elder added.
After thoroughly searching the surroundings and still finding nothing, Village Chief Li Deyang finally said, somewhat helplessly:
"Uncle Youming, it must be that Lord Zhang Yue accepted the offering."
Although he was the village chief and the other Body Refinement Realm martial artist in Li Family Village, Li Deyang didn't truly believe in the Land Deity.
After all—
If gods really existed, would the world still be overrun with demons and evil beings?
He only supported the ritual for the villagers' peace of mind, which helped with village management.
In fact, a suspicion crossed his mind—
Had Uncle Youming hidden the Body Strengthening Grass?
But as the village chief, he wouldn't make baseless accusations, as that would harm village unity.
"Lord Zhang Yue has manifested divine power!"
"He accepted the offering. Please, Lord, protect the young men of our village from demons and evil beings!"
Li Youming knelt down again, devoutly kowtowing to the statue of the Land Deity.
Several elders followed, bowing in devotion.
Watching Uncle Youming's devout expression, even Li Deyang found himself hesitating.
Could Lord Zhang Yue have really manifested divine power and accepted the offering?
No—
Impossible.
How could gods exist in this world?
Only martial arts were the true means of survival and advancement!
---
[Personal Information]
[Name]: Li Yue
[Divine Name]: Lord Zhang Yue
[Divine Position]: Land Deity of Li Family Village
[God Realm]: Ninth Rank (Low)
[Advancement Requirement]: 1,000 Divine Power to reach High Grade Ninth Rank
[Divine Power]: 262 units
[Incense]: 2,005 units
[Divine Arts]:
Dream Transmission Technique (1 Divine Power)
Golden Blade Art (1 Divine Power)
Edict of Yin Soldiers (1 Divine Power)
Edict of Temple Keeper (10 Divine Power)
Disease Dispelling Technique (5 Divine Power)
Flight Technique (10 Divine Power)
Netherworld Soldier Artifact (10 Divine Power)
Earth Evasion Technique (10 Divine Power)
Reinforce Ghost Soldier (10 Divine Power)
Cloud Mist Technique (10 Divine Power)
Sky Thunder Technique (10 Divine Power)
---
"I feel so much stronger..."
"Using the Golden Blade Art with the same one unit of Divine Power—it's much stronger than before I had an official godhood."
Li Yue looked at the personal panel in front of him, a smile playing on his lips.
Not only that—
He looked at his now solid, no longer translucent body.
He wore the 'Land Authority Robe', had the 'Land Authority Crown' on his head, held the 'Land Authority Seal' in his left hand, and the 'land register' in his right.
His appearance was significantly more refined.
"Looks like I've got a proper position now."
"Indeed—"
"No matter the world, the endgame is always the same."
His smile deepened.
With a wave of his hand—
2,000 units of incense power flew from a corner of the Divine Domain into the Land Authority Seal.
Immediately—
Two units of purified Divine Power, refined by the Land Authority Seal, flowed into Li Yue's body.
His Divine Power increased to 264 units.
"Having a position makes a difference."
"This Land Authority Seal is really handy."
"Without it, refining 2,000 units of incense into Divine Power would take two hours."
"But now, it's instant."
He nodded in satisfaction.
Then—
He opened the "Personal Task" interface.
He was curious to see what kind of tasks the mastermind behind this mass godhood transmigration would assign.
---
[Personal Task — One]
Task Description: As a god, even with meager Divine Power, you must have a Temple Keeper to spread your faith.
Task Objective: Have a believer voluntarily come forward to become a Temple Keeper.
Task Reward: Two First-Order Blessing God Talismans, two units of Divine Power
---
"Have a believer voluntarily come forward to become a Temple Keeper?"
Li Yue raised his brows.
Upon seeing the task, he immediately thought of one of his Divine Arts—Dream Transmission Technique.
Clearly—
This task required its use.
Though he was now a Land Deity, he understood the principle: a god must never appear directly before their believers.
Once a god reveals themselves, losing their mystery and majesty, how could believers continue to hold faith?
As a god—
He must remain lofty, mysterious, and awe-inspiring.
Only then would mortals revere and believe in him all the more.
"And this reward..."
Li Yue's eyes lit up slightly.
He didn't care much about the two Divine Power units.
After all, he now had 264 units.
But—
He needed the Blessing God Talismans.
These talismans weren't for him, but for his believers.
They allowed an ordinary mortal to directly advance to a First-Order Body Refinement Realm martial artist.
The importance of believers went without saying.
And in a world filled with demons and dangers, empowering believers would help them survive and defend themselves.
More importantly—
Stronger believers could offer higher-grade offerings.
"Temple Keeper..."
"Who should I choose?"
Li Yue's gaze fell on the land register in his hand.
It recorded all the information about the villagers of Li Family Village in detail—
Every good and bad deed.
It even had a hint of the legendary Book of Life and Death function.
With a simple stroke, he could erase a name from the register.
Once erased—
That person would instantly die.
And as the Land Deity, he would suffer no punishment and expend no Divine Power.
This was his divine authority.
"Let's pick from the five Class B believers..."
Li Yue remained calm as he reviewed their life stories one by one.
---