Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao

The ghosts who had not yet been called by name now showed eager expressions on their faces, for they naturally knew that this was a sign of approval from heaven and earth, already embodying their divine roles.

Then, Lu Yu summoned the ghosts one by one to the sacrificial altar for the sealing ceremony, conferring official positions to a total of one hundred and eight great and minor City Gods.

Upon completing the ceremony, the deities stood in the air, no longer exuding the gloomy aura from before but instead appearing dignified and radiant, with rosy clouds shining upon the summit of Chu Yun.

"Lu Zhang, the son of heaven, has yet to come forward and establish the covenant between humans and gods," said Lu Yu with an indifferent voice.

Lu Zhang had already been waiting for some time, watching the ennoblement of his uncle with intense longing, feeling that this was how a great man ought to live. Hearing his uncle's voice, he knew it was time for him to enter the stage.

He walked forth with an imposing air, dressed in a Dragon Robe, with the Sword of State hanging from his waist. Taking firm steps, he slowly approached the altar and burned incense to worship heaven and earth.

"Huh! He does have an air about him," mused King Qinguang privately.

King Qinguang materialized from the void and solemnly declared, "Lu Zhang, the son of heaven, are you willing to make a pact with us, the deities of the Underworld, that within the territory of Great Chu, there shall be a City God for every city to balance Yin and Yang and rule over the Underworld?"

"I am willing!" Lu Zhang said firmly, already having been informed by Lu Yu of the benefits of having City Gods; naturally, he would not object.

No sooner had his words fallen than an Imperial Decree inscribed with ancient characters descended from the heavens, landing on the altar's desk.

Lu Zhang bit his fingertip, let his blood drip onto the decree, and instantly, golden light engulfed the area, accompanied by the distant sound of a dragon's roar echoing through the sky.

The golden light spilled out from the decree, looking like a great river shimmering with gold, flowing towards the gods atop the altar.

Auspicious Clouds surged in the sky, and the shining divine light of the gods made the peak of Chu Yun Mountain appear like a fairyland, astonishing the people in the vicinity into prostrating in worship.

Below the cities within Great Chu, rosy clouds twinkled, as heaven and earth sensed the creation of divine domains for these deities, connecting them to the Underworld.

This was the approval of heaven, earth, and humanity—a divine mandate sealed, and only at this moment could these deities truly be called gods.

"Now that the deities have assumed their positions, delay not in taking up your duties, establish Yin and Yang, capture ghosts and subdue demons, to uphold the laws of the Underworld and manifest the virtues of the Human Path," King Qinguang said with joy upon seeing the City Gods radiating with divine light.

After all, these were part of the Underworld's forces, so he waved his hand, directing the newly enthroned gods to take their positions promptly and ascertain the merits and demerits of the City God's way.

The gods joyfully agreed, first bowing to King Qinguang to confirm their allegiance, then thanking Lu Yu for their divine positions, and finally, offering Lu Zhang a gesture of respect.

They then rode the clouds away, with the deities marching grandly from Chu Yun Mountain, which was enveloped in Auspicious Clouds, appearing incredibly mystical at this moment.

From that point on, Chu Yun Mountain became the most legendary peak in Great Chu, where every ambitious emperor who aspired to achieve greatness sought to hold their own enthronement ceremony on the mountain, thus giving rise to the saying that Chu Yun was the foremost mountain in Great Chu.

"Now that the ennoblement ceremony has concluded, I shall retrieve the Book of Life and Death," said King Qinguang, smiling as he addressed Lu Yu who was holding onto the book.

After all, Lu Yu's relationship with that Monkey was not exactly a secret in the Three Realms, and there was fear that he might adopt the Monkey's shameless obstinacy and refuse to give up the book.

Lu Yu smiled sheepishly and said, "This has always been an item of the Underworld; it is only right for Yama to take it back."

In fact, at that very moment, Lu Yu's heart also harbored the idea of shamelessly clinging to the Earth Rank, but alas, his skin was not thick enough.

King Qinguang smiled and said, "After all, the Earth Rank is a transformation from a corner of the Book of Life and Death, and the weight of its cause and effect is not something your frail body can bear."

Seeing that Lu Yu was sensible, King Qinguang patiently explained the intricacies to him. If Lu Yu had indeed been greedy and kept the Earth Rank in his possession, he would no longer have his divine duty by now and would inevitably suffer from the karma backlash, for it is not so easy to seize an innate spiritual treasure.

"Now that the grand situation has been settled, you should return to your cave and cultivate in tranquility. Once the various City Gods have stabilized the Yin and Yang, a heavenly reward of merits is bound to descend. That is the real treasure; do not waste it."

"Thank you for the guidance, Yama!" Lu Yu thanked him sincerely, for he knew that these words were truly well-intentioned.

"There's no need for formalities. After all, the Way of the City God was proposed by you, and all of us Underworld Yin Gods have benefited from it. If you encounter difficulties in the future, you may come to the Underworld, and we will surely support you with all our might," King Qinguang said with a smile.

Lu Yu had a boundless future and was a congenial person; naturally, King Qinguang wanted to establish good karma with him.

Having said that, King Qinguang reached out, and the Earth Rank then fluttered and flew into his hand.

At this moment, a black vortex suddenly appeared behind him. With a flash, the Yama disappeared before Lu Yu's eyes.

Gazing at the vanished vortex, Lu Yu felt the heavy stone in his heart finally set down, his mission of Divine Enthronement was fully accomplished, and he only needed to wait for the merits to be bestowed.

"With this matter concluded, I should also return to my cave to cultivate quietly!" Lu Yu said to Lu Zhang.

"Uncle, do you not wish to go to Fengjing?" Lu Zhang asked anxiously. He felt a certain reluctance in his heart; after all, his uncle was his only elder left in the world, and he had benefited greatly along the way. Without Lu Yu, it would've been difficult for him to ascend to the throne. Explore more adventures at empire

"I am but an outsider to the mundane world, and how could I linger long among mortals? Moreover, my cave has only just been established and needs careful management," Lu Yu said to Lu Zhang with a smile, who wore an expression of reluctance.

"Now that the world is newly settled, you have a lot of matters to attend to. I've asked Yama, and he said you have a long life ahead. You will inevitably experience too many farewells. Remember, death is not the end but a beginning, and every parting paves the way for a better reunion."

"As the Emperor, you carry the hopes of countless people. I hope you can eschew arrogance and impetuosity and lead a glorious life."

Lu Yu's words stirred Lu Zhang's spirit as he pondered the profound expectations his uncle had for him. Under the nourishment of Lu Yu's enlightening yet demanding words, a distinctive ambition arose within him.

"Uncle, Zhanger will not disappoint your expectations. I will ensure peace throughout the land and prosperity for all its people," Lu Zhang promised to Lu Yu.

"Go forth, I believe you will become a sage monarch, and all of us in the Lu Family, along with our ancestors, will take pride in you."

Watching Lu Zhang's retreating figure, Lu Yu quietly wiped the beads of sweat from his brow.

"It's a good thing I was quick-witted. If I had really gone into Fengjing, entangled by karma, it would have been difficult to cultivate properly."

Lu Yu had no interest in venturing into that den of trouble. As the capital, the Human Path in Fengjing was thick with fortune and destiny, where the six desires of mortal life sway the heart, and even a moment's carelessness could invite calamity.

Moreover, as the only elder of the Lu Family, he would easily be entangled in karma. If he could not see his true nature clearly, it would be all too easy to fall into tribulation unknowingly.

It is easy to talk about refining one's heart through the mortal world, but only a few can truly achieve it.