When Shi Jian died, everyone began to shift the blame, desperate to wash their hands of his actions.
Among them, Wen Cai even collapsed to the ground, his face contorted with terror as he stared at Uncle Jiu, instinctively wanting to run.
But his legs were as soft as noodles—he simply had no strength to escape.
Uncle Jiu looked at his wayward disciple and sighed. "How did we end up here, Wen Cai? I even tried to help you before, but you chose betrayal over gratitude. It's time for you to return to the cycle of reincarnation."
"Master, I—!"
Qiu Sheng felt his heart wrench at the exchange, but seeing the resolve in Uncle Jiu's eyes, he could only turn and silently head back into the temple.
Boom!
A single crack of thunder echoed.
Wen Cai was dead in an instant.
As his soul drifted free of his body, it was quickly escorted away to the cycle of rebirth by a pair of ghostly envoys.
"Please don't worry, Master," one of the ghost messengers said respectfully. "We will make sure this soul is well-protected."
Uncle Jiu's act had been stern and merciless, but Wen Cai had still been his apprentice—face must be given, at least for this final moment.
As the ghosts departed, the Taoist leaders who had followed Shi Jian began to weep and beg for mercy, fear gripping their hearts.
No one wanted to meet such a fate.
Uncle Jiu shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. "You all don't need to be so afraid. We're all cultivators, fighting demons and evil for the sake of the world. If you wish to join the Eternal Cult, you're welcome to stay. If you wish to stick to your own path, you may leave peacefully. If you're short on resources, just let me know—I'll see to it you have what you need."
This invitation left everyone stunned.
But soon, those who survived knelt and bowed low.
"Please accept us, Master Lin!"
Uncle Jiu nodded in satisfaction and returned to the temple.
The believers who stood guard at the door greeted the newcomers, "Please, follow me. All preparations have been made for you."
Since the Eternal Cult had begun to spread through the provincial capital, there was a steady influx of new followers every day.
But Taoists who already understood cultivation and mystical techniques were rare—Shi Jian's actions, ironically, had done the church a favor.
Fox Demon World
After receiving guidance from the chat group, Tu Shan Yaya hurried to her sister. This time, she was prepared—pen and paper in hand, she'd carefully copied every helpful message and tip.
Reading through Yaya's meticulous notes, Tu Shan Honghong smiled. "Now this is what I like to see! If you put your heart into things and let others advise you, progress comes easy."
"Elder Sister, should I issue an order to gather the demons?" Yaya asked.
"Of course. But the three other major monster clans' territories need to be visited in person, so I'll take care of those. For now, Tushan will rely on you."
"Got it!"
Yaya nodded earnestly.
The Tushan Clan's power was now greater than ever. Any outsider trying to challenge them would be courting death.
At this point, the grand altar was already 90% complete—just a final section remained. The main thing now was to travel and bring together the various monster groups for the ceremony.
Tu Shan Honghong transformed into her true form, a massive nine-tailed fox, and streaked across the sky toward the southern kingdom—her first destination. The southern clan, after all, shared her values; their monsters had always strived for peaceful coexistence with humans.
Since she'd started practicing the Eternal Meditation, Tu Shan Honghong's strength had grown at an unbelievable rate.
She'd broken through the bottleneck of the Nine Tails on her first day, and now she possessed an even deeper understanding of fire magic—able to shift into living flame, flying at will, unrestrained by gravity.
It took her less than a day to arrive above the southern kingdom, her immense demonic power radiating outwards in suffocating waves.
The entire Ling Huandu clan was frozen in fear.
Below, the Demon Emperor of the southern kingdom, Huan Du Qingtian, gazed at the burning sky, his aged face pale and desperate.
"Oh no… the fox demon's power has surpassed all limits. Such strength… Could she be here as an enemy?"
Nearby residents slammed their doors and hid inside, refusing to step outside—the entire sky was ablaze with golden fire, and blood-red demonic energy stained the horizon.
A searing hot wind swept down.
From within a pillar of flames, Tu Shan Honghong assumed her human form and descended before Huandu Qingtian.
"Lord Huandu, I've come with one message: from this day forward, the Tushan Clan will abandon all old attachments and fully embrace the Eternal God. Today, we will hold a ceremony in His honor. Will you attend?"
Her tone was icy, her gaze regal and filled with undeniable divine authority.
Huandu Qingtian managed a wry smile. "Leader, there was no need to make such a spectacle just to invite me. You nearly frightened my people into thinking you'd come to conquer us."
Tu Shan Honghong pressed her lips into a thin smile.
"This is no ordinary ritual—miracles will occur. I sincerely invite you to join the Eternal Cult.
The Tushan Clan may be strong, but how many of our number have truly ascended?
Ever since I began practicing the gods' technique, our people can communicate mind-to-mind, and now 80% have achieved human form."
In this world, only monsters capable of transforming into human shape possessed true potential.
Everyone knew it.
If the Demon League's leader had found a way to let monsters evolve en masse, the benefit was obvious.
Huandu Qingtian's breathing quickened. He stared at the ten-tailed celestial fox before him, eyes red with shock and hope. "Is this for real?"
"If you don't believe me, test it yourself. I, Tu Shan Honghong, swear on my name."
"Alright! Bring three—no, actually, bring ten of my people who can speak the human tongue."
He'd wanted to send ten as test subjects, but this technique was so valuable that he hesitated. Three would suffice.
Tu Shan Honghong simply said, "There's no need to hold back—pick ten. Otherwise, the power of this ritual won't show."
Watching from afar, Huandu Luolan felt a strange mix of awe and dread as she gazed at her golden-haired sister standing so calmly atop a burning altar.
Within an hour, under the watchful eyes of the entire clan, ten monsters underwent the ritual and became human, their strength increasing substantially.
But to Huandu Qingtian's confusion, once the transformation was done, all ten knelt trembling, faces pale with terror.
He frowned. "How are you progressing so quickly with this technique? Why do you all look so frightened?"
One of the monsters stammered, "God… The great Supreme God was watching me. It was terrifying."
Another monster swallowed hard. "The Eternal God… I am just a grain of dust in His presence."
Understanding dawned on Qingtian in a flash—the Eternal Meditation allowed monsters to sense the shadow of God. No wonder they were terrified.
Tu Shan Honghong smiled faintly. "So, will you join the cult?"
"Yes, absolutely! …Just, you must swear you'll never harm my people," Huandu Qingtian said, inwardly scheming. What if this fox demon is gathering all the monsters only to wipe them out in a single stroke?
Tu Shan Honghong read the hesitation in his eyes and shrugged.
"How about this: I'll swear an oath, too. But honestly…"
She lifted her palm.
Boom!
A ball of flame shot across the sky and slammed into a distant mountain.
The explosion sent a wave of heat and debris flying.
A mountain thousands of meters high now had a gaping hole in its side.
"Do you really think I'd need such complicated schemes? If I wanted to destroy the Southern Kingdom, it would take no effort at all."
Her smile was dazzling as she looked down on the stunned Southern demons.
With just that one display, the resistance of the southern kingdom evaporated.
Several elders whispered that perhaps they should simply join the Eternal God Cult—it was far better than pointless defiance.
Gazing at the fading golden clouds, Qingtian muttered coldly, "What do you take the Southern Kingdom for? Lapdogs? At least have some pride. Otherwise, even in the cult, you'll just be a useless nobody."
The elders exchanged glances.
If becoming 'lapdogs' meant survival and prosperity… maybe it wasn't so bad.
After Tu Shan Honghong left the southern kingdom, she set her sights on the Western Regions.
The Western Regions—Home of the Sand Fox Clan
Although Tu Shan Honghong had visited the Western Regions twice before during her years of training, it had been decades since her last journey here.
The southern victory had boosted her confidence. She'd come to deeply appreciate the benefits of divine power.
Though the divine energy within her was tiny—a mere fraction of her own demonic might—the quality was on another level, millions of times purer.
Transformed into pure flame, she soared across the sky, relishing the thrill of her newfound strength.
"With this power, I can fulfill the dream in my heart. For world peace, a little self-sacrifice is nothing," she thought.
Below, among rivers and mountains, an emerald-green spirit in a plain dress gazed skyward, frowning at the overwhelming, familiar aura streaking overhead.
"How did the Tushan Clan grow so strong? Judging by the direction she's heading, something major is about to happen in the Western Regions!"
Cui Yu Ling's body became light, and she followed Tu Shan Honghong, rushing toward the Western Regions.
But she could only keep up for a short time—her specialty was medicine, not speed or combat. Against the leader of the Demon League, she was no match.
"Damn… did the Tushan fox eat some kind of immortal pill? How is she so fast? I'm going to pass out from exhaustion…"
Cui Yu Ling flopped onto a tree branch, grumbling and catching her breath.
After a short rest, she pressed on, chasing the golden streak through the sky. The pursuit lasted several days.
When she finally reached the border of the Western Regions, she saw the sky filled with golden clouds and thick demon energy blotting out the sun—it had gone far beyond the realm of mere monsters.
If one used ancient legends to describe the scene, Tu Shan Honghong had reached her absolute peak.
No one in the world could rival the Ten-Tailed Celestial Fox.
"But I remember… the Tushan Clan always promoted love and kindness, not strength. How did things turn out like this?"
Cui Yu Ling frowned in confusion, unable to find an answer. Driven by curiosity, she decided to visit the Sand Fox Clan herself—it was the first time she'd ever encountered a monster so powerful.
When Cui Yu Ling arrived at Sand City, she froze in shock.
A ten-tailed celestial fox was staring straight down at the city, ready to unleash a miracle…