Chapter Twenty: The Earth Deity!

The celestial colored boat streaked across the sea for several months, finally reaching the borders of the Southern Continent. Upon arriving at a beach, Yang Nan and his companions found it inconvenient to continue utilizing their supernatural powers, lest they startle the common folk. Chiyang and the others retreated into the celestial boat to cultivate, leaving only his two servants, Yang Da and Yang Er, and the two maidens, Lian and Die, to accompany him. The rest of his retinue remained within the Jiangshan Ring to focus on their Daoist practice.

The Southern Continent was a place where cultural refinement converged. Emperor Yuanwen had once established twelve academies here, drawing scholars from all over the world to pursue their studies. The most renowned among these was the Huyang Academy on Mount Qingming. In the twelve prefectures of the Southern Continent, Confucianism and Daoism flourished; men and women, young and old alike, took pride in their literary talent. From the fields to the city gates, everyone could compose poetry and prose. Amidst the high towers and vast farmlands, the land basked in the glory of a golden age.

Yang Nan changed into a white robe and strolled toward a village outside of Wenquan Prefecture. An elderly farmer in the field, seeing his refined and elegant appearance, leaned on his hoe and asked, "Where do you come from, traveler, and where are you headed?"

Seeing the pastoral scenery, Yang Nan smiled and replied, "I come from where I came, and I go to where I go."

The farmer chuckled. "The sages say: 'When successful, one should benefit the world; when in obscurity, one should cultivate one's own virtue.' The world is in chaos today. You are so young, yet why do you drift about the four seas instead of applying your learning to help the world?"

Yang Nan felt a surge of respect, realizing that even an ordinary farmer possessed the Confucian virtue of benevolence toward the world. "Your words are well-taken, elder. May I ask how much further it is from here to Mount Qingming in Wenquan Prefecture?"

The farmer wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded with a smile. "Are you here to seek knowledge? Mount Qingming is still a thousand miles from Wenquan Prefecture. You should hire a carriage. The Huyang Academy is the orthodox heart of the world’s learning, and the venerable Duke Yang is a pillar of three dynasties and one of the three sages of Confucianism! It is the perfect place for you to pursue your studies."

Seeing the farmer’s genuine praise for the academy, Yang Nan felt pleased. He bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance. This Southern Continent is so peaceful; it is truly a land of happiness."

The farmer shook his head. "The current is turbulent, even if the surface of the water seems calm. How can the Southern Continent be called a pure land?" Realizing he had spoken too freely, he added with a smile, "Go and see for yourself in Wenquan City, and you will understand."

Yang Nan bid the man farewell. As he walked, he noticed that the pedestrians were neatly dressed and spirited, showing none of the signs of the chaotic times that the shipowner, Master Wang, had described. He grew increasingly intrigued. Upon reaching the outskirts of a village, he saw many villagers carrying pigs, sheep, and other offerings, marching with music and drums toward a shrine.

Yang Nan frowned. "Yang Da, how is it that there is a shrine in this village? What kind of being dares to accept the incense of the common people?"

Yang Da replied, "I do not know, Master. A few years ago, there were no such shrines. The Southern Continent only had academies. Who would have thought that in just a few years, so many shrines would appear?"

Yang Nan sneered, "I wish to see what this 'deity' looks like, to dare act so presumptuously in the Southern Continent!" The Southern Continent was the ancestral home of the Yang family. If there were monsters causing trouble, Yang Nan would not show them mercy. Descending from the mountains, he had decided to slay any demons or monsters he encountered.

Yang Nan led his four companions to follow the villagers toward the small yet imposing shrine. At the entrance, he saw a plaque hanging high, inscribed with the words: "Temple of the Righteous Earth Deity of Sanhu Village."

Yang Nan was stunned. According to his knowledge, there was no such thing as an "Earth Deity" among the righteous gods of heaven and earth. There were mountain gods, water gods, and netherworld gods, but the land itself had always been governed by mortal courts. How could there be an "Earth Deity"?

Yang Da and the others were equally confused. Yang Nan immediately walked into the shrine. The villagers, old and young, were crowded inside, all kowtowing to the clay statue at the front. The shrine appeared newly built; the sides were adorned with statues of wolf and rat demons acting as guards, while the "Righteous Deity" in the center was a gaunt, yellow-robed man sitting upright, clutching a book, mimicking the appearance of a god.

Yang Nan’s spiritual gaze swept over the statue, revealing a wisp of a monster's consciousness attached to it, surrounded by faint demonic energy. He glared at the statue and shouted, "What kind of monster are you, daring to accept the incense of mortals?"

The statue shuddered at Yang Nan’s shout and let out a sharp cry. The sharp aura of a master was formidable; under its pressure, the demonic energy dissipated instantly, and the statue crumbled into a pile of dirt. The villagers were terrified, realizing that Yang Nan was a cultivator who had scared their "Earth Deity" out of its wits with a single shout.

Yang Nan summoned Old Crab. "Old Crab, this deity is hiding in the back mountain. Go and fetch him; I have questions to ask."

Old Crab rubbed his hands. "Understood, Master! If I cannot capture this monster, I shall forfeit my own head!" He conjured a gust of demonic wind and transformed into a black cloud, heading toward the back mountain.

The villagers knelt and kowtowed, and the village elder stepped forward, trembling. "Immortal Master, please calm your anger. This Earth Deity is not an evil monster; he is a kind one."

Yang Nan turned and smiled faintly. "Elder, do not worry. I have just arrived in the Southern Continent and am unfamiliar with the region. I must ask you: if a monster has not been granted a title by the true gods of heaven, how can it enjoy the offerings of incense?"

The elder stroked his white beard and nodded. "Immortal Master, you may not know this, but everywhere outside the Southern Continent, humans and monsters are mixed, and even the ghosts of the underworld roam freely. How can we mortals defend ourselves? Even here in the Southern Continent, monsters frequently cause trouble. This local Earth Deity is a native monster with some ability. Since he can protect the borders and bring peace to the people, we suggested building a shrine to offer him incense."

Yang Nan was stunned. Since ancient times, the hearts of the people were the heart of heaven. If the people said he could be enshrined, then he truly could! "Elder, since there is a government, why is an Earth Deity necessary? Does the government not manage these affairs?"

The elder sighed and shook his head. "Shrines have sprung up everywhere. Many cultivators have come to the mortal world demanding their own temples, to say nothing of the monsters and ghosts. The City God temples have long since become hollow shells. The government soldiers are merely mortals; how can they manage such things? If we do not build these shrines, outside monsters would harm us at will. This is done for the safety of our people."

Yang Nan nodded and bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, elder. I now know how to handle this."

Seeing the immortal master’s gentle demeanor, the villagers of Sanhu Village lost their fear and stood in the hall to watch how he would deal with their Earth Deity. Cultivators were powerful, and in their eyes, mortals were like ants; the villagers had naturally been afraid.

Yang Nan’s gaze swept over the faces of the men, women, and children. These commoners sought nothing more than peace and prosperity. Since the government could not provide it, they were willing to accept protection from a monster. He could not blame them.

Chiyang leaped out of the Jiangshan Ring. "Nan, this matter is neither large nor small. How do you intend to handle it?"

Yang Nan smiled faintly. "Do not worry, Brother. What the people seek is the true path of the world. What the people enshrine, heaven enshrines. It makes no difference whether there is a 'righteous god' or not. But the world is in such chaos, with demons and monsters running rampant, that establishing an Earth Deity is a helpless act."

Since ancient times, the heart of the people was the heart of heaven. If there was blame to be placed, it lay with this chaotic world. How were the innocent commoners at fault?

Chiyang nodded. "You have become a master. To become a Sovereign, you must fulfill a great vow. The state of the Earth Deities in this world concerns your vow. It is best to resolve it properly." Cultivating in the mortal world was merely a way to temper one’s Daoist heart and establish one’s vows. If he could fulfill them, his Daoist heart would reach perfection, and he could attain the realm of a Sovereign.

Yang Nan nodded. "Indeed. The mingling of the three realms and six paths is not a good thing. I wish for peace in the world! Let monsters return to the deep mountains, ghosts to the netherworld, immortals to the upper realms, and humans to the mortal world. This is the path of heaven, and it is the desire of my heart!" His grand vow was not small; for a cultivator, it was of the utmost importance. It had to be grand and it had to be righteous. As Yang Nan traveled, his conviction grew.

As his resolve strengthened, his soul became more solid, and his cultivation seemed to surge. Yang Nan felt a secret chill; if this vow were not fulfilled, inner demons would arise, and he would have no hope of reaching the realm of a Sovereign. It was truly terrifying!

Just then, Old Crab returned in a gust of demonic wind, dragging several monsters into the shrine. The leader was the gaunt, yellow-robed man from the statue, and the others were rat-faced, odd-looking creatures. "Master, I have brought the monster. Please decide his fate."

Yang Nan’s spiritual gaze swept over him, seeing that this minor monster of the "Master" rank was actually a yellow weasel. The demonic energy atop its head was white, clearly indicating it was not a wicked creature. He softened his tone and looked at the "Earth Deity" with a smile. "I was rude, and I have specially invited the venerable deity here to ask a few questions. I hope you will forgive me."

Seeing the immense power radiating from Yang Nan, the yellow-robed man dared not act insolently. He bowed and pleaded, "I beg the Immortal Master to spare my life. I have committed no evil deeds; I hope the Master will investigate."

Yang Nan raised a hand and smiled. "Do not be afraid. I never execute monsters that have not done evil; I only wish to ask a few questions."

Seeing Yang Nan’s gentle expression, the yellow-robed man’s fear subsided. He grew bold enough to reply, "Whatever the Immortal Master wishes to know, I will answer truthfully."

Yang Nan nodded and began to inquire about the state of the shrines in the Southern Continent. The yellow-robed man was well-informed; there was little that happened in the surrounding ten villages that he did not know. He explained everything in detail.

In the Southern Continent, every village now had a temple, and every city had a main temple, all dedicated to various deities. These "deities" were either monsters or the founders of large cultivation sects. Where there was a temple, it meant the territory had a master. If other monsters wanted to take over, they had to either defeat the local monster or find unclaimed land. There were countless cultivators and even more monsters, leading to brutal, bloody turf wars. Because the Southern Continent was a place of high culture and Confucianism, the monsters were somewhat restrained, but in other continents, there was incessant slaughter every night.

The mountain gods of the world were like ghosts, and the netherworld was half-dead; the remaining ghost servants and soldiers could not manage the countless demons and monsters. As more monsters entered the mortal world, the world grew increasingly chaotic.

The yellow-robed man himself was a minor monster who had cultivated in the area. He had always lived in peace, but after he drove away several monsters that had come to cause trouble in the village, the villagers built him a temple, hoping he would protect them.

However, these small village temples were required to obey the orders of the main temple in the city. They were also forced to make the villagers install spirit tablets of the deities in their homes and offer incense every day. The Earth Deity was required to supervise every household; if any family failed to offer incense, they would be cursed with disaster!

Hearing the yellow-robed man’s timid explanation, Yang Nan thought to himself: *This is clearly suspicious. Why does the master of the city temple insist that villagers worship spirit tablets? Is he collecting spiritual energy? However, this Earth Deity can protect the peace; if he cannot fully eradicate the monsters, this is a necessary measure. This temple should be supported, not destroyed!*

"Do you know why the cultivator of the main temple requires villagers to offer incense?" Yang Nan asked, looking at the humble Earth Deity with a gentle expression.

The yellow-robed man shook his head. "The immortal of the main temple never says. If we do not work hard, he will simply kill us with a sword and replace us with another."

"Old Crab!" Yang Nan nodded, his mind made up. He suddenly summoned the Golden-Crowned Roc, the Octopus General, and two thousand demon soldiers from the Jiangshan Ring. He said solemnly, "Split into dozens of groups and bring all the Earth Deities of Wenquan Prefecture to the main temple in the city. I am going to the main temple to meet this 'Earth Deity' myself!"

Such a strange matter, occurring in his own hometown—if Yang Nan did not get to the bottom of it, how could he talk about supporting a wise ruler and bringing peace to the world?

Old Crab and the others were delighted to be given the task of capturing monsters. The Octopus General, in particular, was eager to capture some truly evil monsters to appease the gloomy, judgmental gaze of the Shrimp Commander. They accepted the orders with joy, each taking several hundred soldiers and swarming out toward the various villages and towns.

Yang Nan turned to the yellow-robed man and smiled. "Since I am going to Wenquan City, I invite you to accompany me. Are you willing?"

Knowing the Immortal Master’s vast power, the yellow-robed man dared not refuse. He nodded repeatedly. Yang Nan said to the village elders, "Please rest assured. I am gathering the Earth Deities in Wenquan Prefecture, and I will certainly not harm them. If they are evil monsters, they will be executed; if they are kind, they will continue to protect your borders. You have no need to worry."

Seeing the Immortal Master’s arrangements, the elders were relieved. They kowtowed in unison. "Thank you, Immortal Master!"

Yang Nan smiled faintly. "No need for formalities. We shall be off."

Yang Nan summoned the celestial colored boat, brought the yellow-robed man and the other minor monsters aboard, and sped off toward Wenquan City.