Chapter 273: You Could Just Become an Immortal?

Under this Pure Radiance.

Dong Yong's feet silently left the ground, his lithe form hovering up, about three feet above the earth, floating in the air!

He still kept that calm expression, his gaze peacefully overlooking the stunned crowd below.

A gentle breeze brushed by, his robes fluttered, Pure Radiance swirled around him, making him appear like an exiled immortal among mortals, transcendent and unworldly.

This silent yet immensely shocking scene surpassed a thousand words.

The Scholar, who moments ago had spoken confidently and questioned his identity, now seemed as if his throat were clamped; all the words of doubt lodged there, not a single character could be uttered.

He opened his mouth wide, his eyes bulging, his face filled with extreme shock and disbelief, his body involuntarily trembling slightly, and finally could only whisper:

"You speak not, strange powers and chaotic spirits, you speak not, strange powers and chaotic spirits..........."

At that moment—

Dede…… Dede……

A rapid, crisp horse‑hoof sound rang from afar to near, beating the crowd's hearts like war drums, instantly drawing everyone's attention!

The crowd instinctively looked toward the direction of the sound.

A soldier clad in bright armor, imposing and majestic, rode a divine, extraordinary steed whose hooves emitted fleeting clouds of smoke—a Dragon Horse—charging forward at a speed like wind and lightning!

Dust billowed behind him, his momentum astounding!

In the blink of an eye, the Knight was before the crowd!

He abruptly pulled the reins; the Dragon Horse reared, letting out a long, resonant whinny, then steadied and halted.

The soldier dismounted cleanly, flipping his body with smooth, efficient movements.

His gaze flashed like lightning, sweeping over the floating Dong Yong, his face showing no surprise, but instead solemnity and respect.

Under countless gazes, he solemnly retrieved from his waist a silk‑lined scroll—its format unmistakably an Imperial Edict!

The soldier steadily unfolded the scroll with both hands, facing the crowd, gathering his inner Qi, his voice resonant like a great bronze bell, clearly reciting the edict's contents:

"I have heard: Only virtue moves Heaven; utmost filial piety moves the gods."

"Dong Yong, of Jingyun, of pure character, filial, fraternal, loyal and trustworthy, rooted in ultimate nature; though circumstances are rough, his resolve remains noble, never falling from the clouds; in recent years, he silently protected his hometown, quietly dispelled calamities, bestowed blessings upon the fields, sheltered the common folk; between darkness and light, his merit is truly great!"

"Now, in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's sentiment, I hereby decree you to be the Jingyun County City God Marquis!"

"May you, Yong, guard this land, oversee yin and yang, inspect good and evil, protect the nation and its people, so that rain and sun may be timely, the realm may be peaceful, and you may cherish this great honor! Respectfully!"

When the edict finished being read, the seal stamped on the scroll with the Imperial Jade Seal glowed.

In the next instant, under the crowd's horrified gaze, the phantom of the seal detached from the edict, turning into a solid beam of Golden Light, as if alive, soaring straight toward the floating Dong Yong!

The Golden Light fell into Dong Yong's outstretched palm; the radiance dimmed, ultimately forming a small, exquisite yet awe‑inspiring Jingyun City God Seal!

Divine miracles followed, the Imperial Edict of Bestowal!

At this point, all doubts and hesitations had completely vanished, ground to dust!

"City God Elder!"

"Presenting the City God!"

"Immortal Lord, bless us!"

The dense crowd, including the now‑speechless Scholar, without any hesitation, knelt en masse before the Dong Yong suspended in Pure Radiance, holding the seal, bowing continuously.

Just as Dong Yong was about to speak, urging them to rise,

A voice sounded at his ear:

"Brother Dong, you must receive this incense offering!"

The moment the voice entered his ear, Dong Yong's expression flickered faintly.

The scene before him rippled like water; he seemed to transcend space, seeing Yu Lin standing in the great hall of an unnamed temple, standing before a statue whose likeness was identical to his own.

Yu Lin's mouth curled into a smile as he raised his hand and lightly pointed at the statue.

Crack…

A crisp cracking sound rang in Dong Yong's heart.

The statue, which had borne ten years of incense offerings, instantly sprouted cracks across its surface, then shattered with a thunderous burst!

Yet, within the broken statue, no shards flew out; instead, a vast, warm, pure incense wish surged forth like a golden tide!

It was the power condensed from ten years of countless believers' most devout prayers and earnest hopes!

This golden torrent of wish surged upward as if finding its home, piercing the temple's dome, crossing the void at a speed invisible to the naked eye, rushing toward Dongjia Village, toward Dong Yong!

In the next instant, the overwhelming golden wish enveloped him, like a hundred rivers merging into the sea, flowing unimpeded into Dong Yong's spirit.

"Uh…"

Dong Yong could not help but let out a low sigh, feeling a warm, powerful force fill his limbs and bones, permeating every corner of his soul.

The newly acquired City God Seal within him buzzed, merging seamlessly with the incense wish, becoming more solid and majestic!

From now on—

Imperial Authority Bestowal, laying the foundation of the Divine Seat!

The people's wishes forge the source of divine power!

Jingyun County City God, the Divine Seat finally attained!

Feeling the divine power coursing within and the heavy responsibilities on his shoulders, Dong Yong's mind involuntarily recalled the cold rainy night ten years ago, when Yu Lin said to him:

"Since Heaven and mortals are separated…"

"Then, you could simply become an immortal, couldn't you?"

From that moment, the ten‑year scheme quietly set in motion.

Today everything has come to fruition.

Dong Yong steadied his mind, turned toward Yu Lin's phantom, and solemnly, deeply bowed:

"Dong Yong, I bow in gratitude to Brother Yu for his favor! In this life and the next, I shall never dare forget!"

The illusory Yu Lin, seeing this, however, gave a grin, waved his hand, his tone laced with familiar teasing:

"Don't rush to thank me yet."

He pointed to the seal in Dong Yong's hand that symbolized authority and responsibility,

"Once you become this City God Lord, enjoying the incense of the divine seat, from now on you won't have those carefree, leisurely days anymore, huh?"

"The prayers of the people from all directions, the trifles of both yin and yang realms… that clamor formed from the myriad thoughts gathering together is really noisy…"

His words not yet finished, his form began to fade slowly, like ink blending into clear water, gradually dissipating within Dong Yong's perception, leaving only the last few clear admonitions echoing in his ears:

"All right… matters here are settled, go on."

"Go do what you ought to do, go seek your Seventh Princess."

Yu Lin's figure completely vanished.

Dong Yong stood where he was, gripping the City God Seal, divine light converging inward around his body.

Upon hearing Yu Lin's final words, his eyes instantly burst with an incomparable brightness, an irrepressible surge of excitement and anticipation flowing through his whole body like a warm current.

For the Seventh Fairy Maiden residing high in the Heavenly Court, this parting might be no more than ten days.

But for him, Dong Yong, this was ten years, over three thousand days and nights of bone-deep longing and painful waiting!

Now, the divine seat has been attained, the barrier between heaven and man is no longer to be feared.

He finally… can see her again!