Chapter 521

The people below ultimately did not reach a conclusion; matters like destroying mountains and smashing temples, one would think, could not be decided in a day or two.

The temperature difference between day and night here is extreme; as soon as dusk approaches, the temperature drops sharply, and the cold wind scrapes people like a knife; the commoners below also left by boat one after another, returning to the villages and towns on the shore.

At this moment, the setting sun transformed into a huge red pill hanging in the sky, half the horizon dyed red; the waves below grew larger, slapping the shore and making noise. Beside the temple on the small island, the towering ancient tree was blown by the wind, rustling, and on the shore not far away, the water flow had carved a natural tree shape into the earth, the main trunk and branches clearly visible—a true wonder of heaven and earth.

The temple on the island was empty.

Lin Jue slowly descended with the cloud.

The temple was empty and actually locked, but only the outermost courtyard gate was locked; the man and the fox did not even need to pass through walls or gaps, simply riding the cloud to land in the courtyard.

Touching the ground with his toes, he looked around.

What a temple of the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun!

Entering the gate, there was still a ceremonial gate, with two guardian divine generals standing on the left and right, all one zhang tall, with tiger backs and bear waists; one held a long-handled broadsword, eyes wide with anger, as if he would strike at you the next moment; the other held two short halberds, held high, also as if about to strike down.

In the courtyard were rockeries and flowing water, a fish pond with koi, and a large vat in the middle; the turtle at the bottom was still alive, with a few scattered copper coins inside.

Looking into the main hall of the temple in the middle, sitting in the center was the statue of the previous Heavenly Lord and Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling holding a black dragon; further to the sides were the divine generals and divine officials under the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's command. The setting sun cast some golden-red light obliquely onto the temple walls, adding a touch of divine radiance. As for other deities, no matter how high their status, in this temple of Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling, they were made into small statues and placed on the sides or in side halls.

Although it was a desolate and remote place in the northwest, the temple was built quite meticulously, perhaps because this place was the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's hometown.

Lin Jue looked around a few times and stepped into the main hall.

Taking three sticks of grass incense from his sleeve, he shook them slightly, and three red stars appeared in the slightly dim temple, emitting blue smoke, which were then inserted into the incense burner on the altar.

"I wonder if the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun is present?

"I wonder if the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun is present?

"Husheng Husheng Zhenjun, are you..."

Before the third call was finished, a clear breeze poured into the divine hall from above, disturbing the blue smoke and blowing up dust.

The statue in front changed rapidly.

That's right—

Although it had only been a few short years, this might be one of the few remaining temples of Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling in the world; even if he were lazy and neglected his duties, he could not fail to hear this one and only

voice.

Also, within a few breaths, the outline of the statue in front became soft, the colors on its body became vivid, its eyes gained spirit, and its features became lifelike, as if a statue had transformed into a deity—a Husheng Husheng Zhenjun and Martial God, half-exposing armor and half-wearing a robe, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, and a face full of rugged whiskers.

Even the black dragon in the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's hand seemed to come alive, twisting in his hand, slowly turning its head to stare at the visitor in the temple.

"Who is the visitor?"

The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's eyes widened, exerting immense pressure; his mouth opened, sounding like rolling thunder, echoing in the temple.

"I am surnamed Lin, named Jue, a Daoist from the mountains, specifically seeking the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's temple to pay a visit."

Seeing the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun high on the altar, looking down at him, he was naturally born tall and strong, and having borrowed the momentum of the altar, looking down from such a height naturally made people fearful, especially since he also had a black dragon in his hand; the black dragon's eyes, bright as lightbulbs, also stared straight at the visitor, its breath blowing a wild wind in the temple:

"Which immortal are you?"

"Currently cultivating on Mount Feng."

"Hmph!" The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun snorted coldly, truly like a thunderclap, "Human immortals, as long as they do not hold office in the Nine Heavens, all hide away from the world. For the sake of freedom and ease, they never associate with the deities of the Nine Heavens, let alone easily get involved in the disputes of the Nine Heavens! As an immortal, you should know that the Purple Emperor is overbearing. Daring to come and visit me at this time, you must have an ulterior motive!"

This Husheng Husheng Zhenjun did not seem as "barbaric, rude, and short-tempered" as Daoist Jiang had said; at the very least, his mind was quite sharp.

"I come bearing gifts, and indeed I have a request."

Lin Jue bowed to the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun on the altar and looked back. The fox walked forward, opened its mouth to spit out an exquisite wooden box, then retreated, looking up to meet the black dragon's gaze.

Specifically tilting its head to aim at the black dragon's whiskers.

Yet unexpectedly, the "barbaric, rude, and short-tempered" side of Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling immediately manifested—

"Wait!" The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun on the altar suddenly paused, took a deep breath, and a sound of inhalation echoed in the temple, asking in a deep voice, "You said what is your name?"

"I am surnamed Lin, named Jue."

"Lin Fangjue?"

"Exactly!"

"Hiss..."

The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun took another breath, causing a wild wind to howl and rage in the temple; the blue smoke was torn apart, the ash was rolled up, and the wind-cloaks behind each statue and the talisman papers and ribbons hanging in the temple all shook violently.

And after he inhaled, he puffed out his chest, eyes wide with anger, staring at Lin Jue, his eyes full of rage and a bit of disbelief.

"Are you here to make a joke of me?"

"Naturally not!"

"Not? You killed my colleague, destroyed the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun under the Heavenly Emperor, causing the Heavenly Emperor to weaken, and now you dare to come to my temple in my hometown to show off your power?"

The black dragon in his hand also slithered forward, reaching toward the man and the fox below, with only its tail remaining in the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's hand.

The fox also widened its eyes and leaned closer to it.

Yet it was not to confront it, but because it had never seen a dragon and was looking at it with full curiosity.

The Daoist below remained calm, his expression indifferent, neither humble nor arrogant, saying with reason and evidence:

"The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Baosheng, just like that Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Youling, was full of evil deeds and angered both men and gods; he deserved to be destroyed. If he hadn't died by my hand, he would have died by the hands of other upright immortals and deities. And the weakness of the previous Heavenly Lord has nothing to do with the loss of a Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Baosheng to fight for him; it is the result of years of decay and corruption. Forgive me for speaking bluntly, even if Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Baosheng were still here, the previous Heavenly Lord was destined to fail. It is truly the case that neither the Nine Heavens nor the human world needs a silent, inactive Heavenly Lord who indulges the deities."

The divine general on the altar grew angrier the more he heard.

Seeing this, Lin Jue immediately quickened his speech:

"Husheng Husheng Zhenjun, please do not be angry! I came to visit today, not to show off my power, but with sincerity and honesty, having found the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's temple, and brought gifts to pay a visit!"

Although the original version of the pill fruit was of little use to immortals and deities, it was by no means cheap or worthless. For an immortal like Lin Jue, taking good care of it and catalyzing it with immortal energy still took two or three years to

bear fruit; such a Husheng Husheng Zhenjun or deity might not even have the ability or leisure to do so.

Previously, on the day Lin Jue achieved the True Dao, Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Baosheng had also gifted him a plate of original pill fruits to build a relationship; it is conceivable that True Lords would naturally use such immortal fruits as gifts among themselves.

Now, the fruits Lin Jue had carefully tended himself were of better quality, and he had brought more, showing his sincerity.

Especially for Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling, whose temple had been demolished, whose statue had been destroyed, and who was beginning to go downhill, such immortal fruits should be even more rare and precious.

However, Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling did not even look at them, just continued to glare, accumulating anger:

"And you say you're not showing off your power!"

The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun held the black dragon in his left hand and suddenly stretched out his right hand, punching the wall of the temple beside him.

In an instant, divine light rippled out.

The divine light started from the wall hit by the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's fist, rippling along the walls toward the entire temple; wherever it rippled, the walls, altars, statues, and roof tiles, eaves, beams, and pillars disappeared. By the time the entire temple was dissolved under the divine light, the divine light rippled along the earth, and the rockeries, fish ponds, side halls, and ceremonial gates outside also disappeared.

In an instant, this heaven and earth became empty.

In the distance, the setting sun was touching the horizon, bathed in orange-red, fire-like mist; in the middle of heaven and earth, there was only the vast Xihai, waves constant; in the middle of Xihai, there was only a small island; on the island, there was no divine

temple, only a large tree and the man and the fox under the tree, the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun and the black dragon, and the guardian divine generals and divine officials standing around.

The migratory birds on the bird island were startled, screaming and flying away, flying into the orange-red pool of light in the west.

"Husheng Husheng Zhenjun, do not be angry! I have no intention of offending!"

"Still daring to quibble!" Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling said through gritted teeth, "You helped the Northern and Southern Emperors kill the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun under the Heavenly Emperor, and now you dare to come here to discuss the Heavenly Emperor? If this isn't provocation, what is?"

Husheng Husheng Zhenjun Jiling's figure suddenly grew larger.

In the process, he kept staring at Lin Jue; in an instant, he grew from one zhang tall to several dozen zhang tall, and he changed from slightly lowering his head to deeply lowering his head, gazing at the Daoist below; the black dragon in his hand also changed from a few feet long to a huge black dragon over a hundred zhang long.

The huge Husheng Husheng Zhenjun wore half-silver-white armor and half-sandy-white robe; it was no longer as bright and neat as before, but somewhat damaged, lacking a bit of the deity's holy dignity, but gaining a bit of the power of battle.

Even the scales on the black dragon were somewhat tattered.

The fox turned its head and looked at Lin Jue.

"Husheng Husheng Zhenjun, please calm down!"

"The Husheng Husheng Zhenjun is not calm! I don't care what you want; do you think that by choosing to come at this time, you can manipulate me?"

Under the evening wind of Xihai, the huge Husheng Husheng Zhenjun's robe and whiskers were blown violently; as soon as he finished speaking, he released the black dragon in his hand.

With an earth-shattering dragon roar, the black dragon suddenly rushed over, baring fangs and brandishing claws, fierce and unstoppable.

The fox did not hesitate, also transforming into a huge six-tailed white fox, almost the same size as the original Husheng Husheng Zhenjun temple on the ground.

Yet at this moment, facing the black dragon over a hundred zhang long, it was nothing more than food that could be swallowed in one bite.

The fox did not collide with it head-on, just dodged to the side.

The black dragon missed and chased after the fox.

With just one step, the dragon and the fox flew off the island; in the blink of an eye, they reached the surface of the sea, in the brilliant sunset light, amidst the terrified cries of numerous migratory birds, entangled and fighting, stirring up wind and waves; from afar, it looked like a black dragon playing with a pearl, and also like a white fox playing with a black dragon.

Lin Jue remained standing on the island, facing this Husheng Husheng Zhenjun alone, and the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun had already raised his foot and stepped down toward him.

The already scarce daylight was quickly blocked by the sole of his foot.

"Whoosh..."

Silently, the Daoist transformed into a clear breeze.

There was no need for him to dodge, for the evening wind was already noisy and wild, and the huge Husheng Husheng Zhenjun and Martial God raised his hands and feet, stirring up wild winds; he did nothing, and the wind would naturally blow him away.

"Boom!"

With one step down, the earth shook and the mountains swayed.

Even this island seemed so small under the Husheng Husheng Zhenjun.