Chapter 27: Finally Learned Some Basic Common Sense

Gu Zhao finally spotted the crucial detail and realized what had felt off earlier.

The three Golden Wind Cult ghostly beings that attacked today were about equal in strength to the black-clad ghost he had encountered that day while pursuing the white fox, and each of them also seemed to have a magical artifact at their side.

Yet the Golden Wind Cult Divine Maiden he had killed when he first transmigrated was the weakest, felled by a single palm thunder strike.

But!

The black-clad ghost had no magical artifact; although these three ghostly beings held artifacts, aside from the four metal bracelets, the wooden cane and red silk ribbon were all shattered by his Lei Ting.

Compared to the fragility of these artifacts, the wooden carving he had taken from that Golden Wind Cult Divine Maiden remained intact, and through his soul perception, he could sense that the energy contained within that wooden carving was far more potent than those three artifacts.

Had he never seen the treasures and artifacts of this world, it would have been one thing, but now that he had seen them today, and recalling the events of that day, Gu Zhao instinctively felt something was amiss.

Now that the white fox had explained, the matter became perfectly clear.

He had unintentionally killed a Golden Wind Cult Divine Maiden passing through the village, seized that wooden carving—which was their incense deity statue—sent it to Blue Star, and then simply ignored it.

The black-clad ghost investigating the matter discovered the white fox at the Golden Wind Cult base in Xiuyue County; under a misunderstanding, he pursued and killed the fox, only to be killed by Gu Zhao himself, so in the eyes of the Golden Wind Cult, this merely confirmed that the white fox had stolen the deity statue and slain the black-clad ghost.

Thinking of this, Gu Zhao's gaze toward the white fox carried a hint of embarrassment.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Bai Ke misinterpreted Gu Zhao's gaze, baring her teeth, "I am no thief; I did not steal their incense deity statue. That object has been mixed with the Golden Wind Cult Leader's Spell Arts; if I dared use it, would I not become his puppet?"

Gu Zhao instinctively nodded, then pointed at the white fox, "You yourself said you went there to mooch incense."

"That was scattered, ownerless incense!" Bai Ke's tail bristled in anger, "Just a tiny bit!"

"Alright, then what about the incense deity statue?" Gu Zhao asked tentatively.

The look in the white fox's eyes as she gazed at Gu Zhao was as if she were looking at a fool.

This time Gu Zhao understood the white fox's gaze and formed the Heavenly Thunder Seal with his left hand once more.

"The Golden Wind Cult Leader was originally an evil ghost; later, he gained an opportunity, spread his teachings around several counties near Changping Prefecture, built altars, erected deity statues, collected the incense and thoughts of believers, then absorbed the incense power from the statues to nourish his soul and increase his divinity," Bai Ke explained.

Gu Zhao nodded slightly, keeping his expression unreadable.

He could understand every word and roughly grasp the meaning, yet he still felt somewhat confused.

"They spread their teachings in Changping Prefecture and absorb the incense of believers; by rights, they should protect the region's safety, yet they seem like a cult!" Gu Zhao thought of the content of those ghostly beings' words and their actual actions, treating people as nothing, "Does the imperial court not care?"

"The imperial court? The imperial court is merely the nominal overlord; the nation-protecting Xuanweishen Sect is nearly driven out south of Wanling River, and the Spirit Law Court that patrols the world rarely sends anyone; now, it would be good if three of the eight prefectures in Jiangzhou still obey the imperial court's orders," Bai Ke said, curling her lip.

Gu Zhao nodded as if he half-understood, asking no further questions, afraid of revealing his ignorance.

Yet from the white fox's words, several conclusions could be drawn.

First, that so-called Xuanweishen Sect and Spirit Law Court must be forces of the imperial court.

Second, the world today is likely not peaceful, with fierce open and covert struggles between local powers and imperial forces.

Third, Xiuyue County belongs to Changping Prefecture, Changping Prefecture is one of the eight prefectures of Jiangzhou, located south of Wanling River, where imperial forces are at a disadvantage.

Fourth...

Gu Zhao asked, "Since the Golden Wind Cult needs believers to contribute incense, why do they still act so recklessly, treating human lives as grass?"

"The Golden Wind Cult Leader calls himself the Golden Wind Divine King, but he is merely an evil god, relying on deceiving believers to obtain incense," Bai Ke said disdainfully, "The ghosts and gods under his command are naturally no better."

Gu Zhao understood; it was the universal template of a cult, much the same in any world: an outward face of compassion saving the suffering, while inside, who knows how depraved and corrupt it truly was.

Of course, whether the Xuanweishen Sect or the Spirit Law Court, neither had anything to do with Gu Zhao now; what concerned him was whether the Golden Wind Cult would still find this mountain village.

"When the Golden Wind Cult Guardian discovered me, he shouted out my identity and seized a wisp of my aura," Bai Ke shrank her neck, "However, these three Guardians have already come with my aura; they can no longer find me."

"That black-clad ghost, and these three ghostly beings, are all Golden Wind Cult Guardians?" Gu Zhao asked.

Bai Ke nodded repeatedly, "The Golden Wind Cult has one Great Leader, two Great Divine Consorts, and eight Guardians."

Gu Zhao teased the white fox, "You know quite a lot."

"Because all these people were made into deity statues and placed on the Golden Wind Cult altars for people to worship," Bai Ke said matter-of-factly.

Gu Zhao was speechless, "Worship the living... ah no, they are already dead... ah still wrong, they are already dead, so why haven't they gone to the Underworld?"

Bai Ke looked at Gu Zhao, "What is the Underworld?"

Then Gu Zhao fell silent; although this world looked very much like ancient Tian Xia, there were actually many differences, such as the fact that this world clearly had no Daoist Priests, and now it seemed it had no Underworld either.

"When humans die they become ghosts; do they all wander the mortal realm?" Gu Zhao asked.

Bai Ke looked at Gu Zhao again with eyes full of strangeness; this time, before Gu Zhao could form the Heavenly Thunder Seal, she immediately replied, "Ordinary people simply have their souls vanish upon death; even spellcasters and we spirits are no exception. Only those with extremely deep obsessions or grudges, or those blessed by divine power, can become ghosts.

Originally, aside from scattered wild ghosts, only those blessed by the Xuanweishen Sect could become ghosts, then accept believers' incense to cultivate divinity, consolidate their souls, not only allowing them to appear during the day, but also making their strength unaffected by the sun.

Later, as imperial power weakened, ghosts and monsters rose everywhere, each establishing altars and spreading teachings, absorbing faith and incense to become gods and wield divine power, so ghosts and gods in the world increased greatly."

"So, gods are just ghosts?" Gu Zhao asked; this was quite similar to the legends in his own world; even the Investiture of the Gods required people to be beaten to death before becoming gods.

"Not necessarily; some spirits also cultivate the path of divinity, but only as an aid to soul cultivation. Most rely primarily on their own demonic power; only those spirits with weak physical forms mainly cultivate the path of divinity," Bai Ke explained.

"For example, I do not cultivate the path of divinity; at most, I absorb a little scattered incense to nourish my soul," Bai Ke flicked her tail, "Originally, I had no intention of seeking someone to form a contract for cultivation, but I unexpectedly met the embroiderer."

This time, without waiting for Gu Zhao to ask further, Bai Ke explained on her own, "A contract can only be formed between a human and a spirit, or a human and a ghost; if their souls are especially compatible, they can cultivate together, benefiting both, and the more compatible their souls, the faster their cultivation speed."