"Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau? This Lingguan deity—does he also come from China?"

Chen Shi's spirits rose. He looked toward the mountain. The terrain was complex and perilous; locating the fire bureau hidden within would not be easy. He said, "Brother Dao, could you guide us to that temple?"

The Feather-Robed Daoist hesitated, then politely refused. "I still need to guard Fusheng Town. If I go into the mountain with you, the town will be vulnerable to evil spirits. The townspeople will all be wiped out."

Chen Shi glanced around. He saw many evil spirits and specters lurking outside the town, hiding in the shadows, clearly eyeing Fusheng Town hungrily. He smiled and said, "How about this: I’ll leave Black Pot behind to help defend Fusheng Town. You lead me to the fire bureau, and we’ll return once we find it."

The Feather-Robed Daoist looked puzzled. "Black Pot is..."

Black Pot reached out and patted his shoulder. The Daoist turned and saw the large dog standing upright like a human; he jumped, but then his mind calmed. In these times when evil spirits ran rampant, nothing surprised him anymore. — Black Pot made him think so.

"With Senior Black Pot guarding Fusheng Town, it's a hundred times better than me." Black Pot made him feel that way.

The scholars present hurriedly said, "Daoist Yu, you can't agree to that—handing our town over to the black dog... Senior Pot will surely keep us safe."

By then people of Fusheng Town had already gathered. They nodded at the words and showed expressions of relief.

Although the Daoist felt uneasy, he couldn't pinpoint why. "The reason I know the temple is called the Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau is that six days ago when that mountain surfaced from underground, it shone with light and three golden characters appeared: Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau. Later those golden characters contracted back into the mountain and disappeared. I assume the place where the characters vanished is where you should search. As for whether you can actually find it, I cannot be completely sure."

Chen Shi smiled. "Don't worry, Daoist brother. Even if we can't find it, it's not the end of the world."

They were about to set off when Chen Shi suddenly looked up at the sky.

The Feather-Robed Daoist was surprised and also looked up. A red light bloomed in the heavens like a cluster of flowers. The red light clung to the firmament and slowly spread outward.

"What is that?" The townspeople whispered to one another in confusion.

Chen Shi's expression shifted slightly.

"Demonic transformation!"

The red light scattering across the sky was a demonic domain expanding!

Nearby, a demon seed had just started to put down roots and sprout at this moment!

"It's a demonic transformation!"

The Feather-Robed Daoist showed panicked fear and shouted, "Everyone obey orders! Gather here immediately! I'll marshal spells to send you away!"

One scholar dashed into the town yelling loudly, "Take grain and livestock!"

A female scholar grabbed his wrist. "Qian Yu, there isn't time to take grain and livestock! Demonic transformations spread too fast. If you try to gather grain and livestock, you won't be able to escape!"

Scholar Qian Yu shook her off angrily. "What will we eat without grain and livestock? There's no food outside!"

The female scholar froze, distraught. "If we bring grain and livestock, we'll never get out..."

Qian Yu's mind churned with indecision.

At that moment, another red light exploded in the distant sky. Light streamed along the heavens like a red dome slowly descending.

Chen Shi looked up with a grave expression.

A second demonic domain.

Then another faint light rose into view. Chen Shi turned and saw clusters of lights erupting from the ground around Fusheng Town. They rose to the firmament and then burst open.

He stood stunned.

The Feather-Robed Daoist was also stunned. The arguing scholars fell silent, staring at the sky.

Townspeople who had fled with their families and been shouting earlier suddenly quieted. Some couldn't find their children and called their names loudly. Husbands shouted at wives to stop packing and escape now; others supported trembling old mothers and struggled forward.

When everyone reached the town's streets, they fell silent. They tilted their heads and stared blankly into the sky.

One demonic domain after another bloomed around Fusheng Town. Many domains overlapped like circular domes falling from the sky.

The first layer of demonic domains had already formed.

The villagers stood dumbfounded, unsure what to do. A few scholars snapped back to their senses and looked at the Feather-Robed Daoist with hopeful faces.

The Daoist opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but no words came out. He was the town's Godmother, who had attained a golden body and possessed divine abilities; in the scholars' eyes he was nearly omnipotent.

A Godmother’s cultivation begins with gathering extraordinary power to condense a manifestation. As incense offerings continue, the manifestation evolves into a golden body that can appear or vanish. A Godmother with a golden body is on par with ghosts and deities and is extremely powerful, comparable to Nascent Soul Transformation realm cultivators.

Some mighty ghosts and gods—like the Underworld Marshal of the Thirteen Great Clans or the judge—are supported by layers of underworld ghost incense. Their power can surpass their living strength, reaching unbelievable heights.

However, Fusheng Town was small and incense offerings were limited. Though the Feather-Robed Daoist had formed a golden body, his strength matched only the Nascent Soul Transformation level and could contend with ordinary ghosts and spirits. Against true gods, let alone this demonic transformation, he wouldn't be able to protect the town or even himself.

Then a wind blew. Trees in the town that had been withered by yin energy suddenly burst into flowers. Dry grass and plants bloomed one after another.

A duck squawked as it darted through the stunned crowd. Its head slowly blossomed; a blood-dripping flower unfurled around its neck.

A woman cried in terror, reaching to touch her face and finding a thin petal peeling away. She panicked and kept pulling; layer after layer of petals peeled from her face!

"Stop pulling!" The female scholar hurriedly lunged and shouted, "If you keep peeling, you'll die!"

The townspeople grew uneasy. Some felt itching on their faces, others at the back of their heads, yet they dared not scratch. Soon the itch grew unbearable.

"I can't stand it!" a man shouted. He scratched the back of his head hard and soon the back of his skull split into delicate petals that spread apart.

He scratched more and more, then shook his head violently. His entire head became spinning petals that slowly unfolded.

Petal after petal dripped blood and glowed bright.

"Haha, finally not itchy anymore!" The man's voice—where it came from no one knew—sounded as the giant flower sat atop his neck.

The Feather-Robed Daoist sank into despair.

At that moment Chen Shi's voice came: "Black Pot, I'll leave this place to you. Suppress the demonic transformations here."

The Daoist laughed wildly. "Impossible, impossible!" He seemed to have lost his mind and wailed, "We're done for, we're all done! The demonic domains have formed; no one can escape! Even if you run out, the world outside is full of demonic transformations! All beings are ruined! Ruined! We will all die!"

Suddenly Black Pot revealed his true form, transforming into a mountain-sized beast. Its head and tail were longer than Fusheng Town; demonic flames roared across its body, exuding rolling demonic qi. It let out a muffled roar like thunder, deafening!

Inside Fusheng Town, all demonic transformations were suppressed by it. The demonic qi within people's bodies fell silent; bodies that had been changing stopped changing!

Only those whose heads were already transformed into great flowers did not revert. They would only recover after the demons were slain and the transformations eliminated.

The Daoist tilted his head and stared at the enormous black hound; was this the same dog from before?

"Woof!" Black Pot barked at Chen Shi.

Chen Shi nodded. "You're right. That demon will definitely come for you, trying to eliminate you. Shiji, come out and help as well!"

No sooner had he spoken than the Feather-Robed Daoist saw a woman with an oddly proportioned head fly out from the small shrine behind Chen Shi's head. Her form grew larger and larger, emitting an intimidating aura like a demon god.

"Shiji, I'll leave this place to you and Black Pot." Chen Shi instructed.

"By imperial decree!" Stone Ji Your Ladyship bowed.

The Daoist stared stupefied at Stone Ji Your Ladyship. The pressure this big-headed woman exerted on him felt stronger than Black Pot's!

Chen Shi called to him several times before the Daoist came to his senses. Chen Shi had already moved to the outskirts, and the Daoist hurried to catch up.

He rushed to Chen Shi's side, looked at the youth, and after a moment mustered the courage. "May I ask who you actually are?"

Before Chen Shi could answer, Scholar Zhu yawned lazily, "He's the once-famous Child Prodigy of old, today's Top Scholar, and the True King of the Western Ox New Continent—Chen Shi. Little Ten, don't forget to bring the Western King's Jade Seal."

A storm of astonishment washed over the Daoist's mind. "True King? He has the Western King's Jade Seal? But he's only a teenager..."

Chen Shi acknowledged with a word, lifted his hand and motioned gently. The Western King's Jade Seal flew out from the wooden cart.

Scholar Zhu flew into the small shrine behind Chen Shi's head and resumed his place on the miniature shrine. "Little Ten, this batch of demonic transformations is troubling. How could so many demonic domains erupt at once?"

Chen Shi nodded slightly. "I suspect the same. Such a simultaneous outbreak is not natural! It seems these demonic domains have purposely encircled this peak, as if targeting the mountain... Teacher, do you know what kind of deity Lingguan is?"

Scholar Zhu thought for a moment. "According to my old Zhu family records, the Lingguan should be a gatekeeper."

"A door god?"

Chen Shi was surprised. Judging by the demonic domains' directions, the dozens of demons were likely targeting the Lingguan, trying to assimilate or even annihilate him before he could awaken! To go to such lengths against a mere gate god—who would they be preparing to attack?

"Could it be to deal with me?" Scholar Zhu murmured.

Chen Shi followed the Feather-Robed Daoist up the mountain and gradually came to higher ground. From his vantage he overlooked the surroundings: boundless land, lakes, marshes, and mountains, each interspersed with huge flowers.

Those demonic flowers were enormous, covering acres, but they had not bloomed; they remained in bud form. The buds seemed to breathe, swelling and shrinking.

Suddenly one bud spun open and a tall figure flew out, with long filaments trailing like elongated stamens attached to its back. The towering form floated motionless in the air.

"This is the demon seed causing the demonic transformations! There are dozens of similar demon seeds!" Chen Shi composed himself and hastened to catch up with the Feather-Robed Daoist.

They soon reached a cliff. Chen Shi looked back. The towering figure that had emerged from the great flower had vanished, leaving only a withered blossom.

Chen Shi was slightly stunned. "The demon seeds are moving! We must hurry!"

The Feather-Robed Daoist quickened his pace and said, "It should be nearby!"

Chen Shi picked up a handful of yellowed leaves and blew once. The leaves transformed into orioles that fluttered in all directions, searching for the Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau. They scoured surrounding forests but found nothing.

He summoned his Primordial Spirit, which hovered above and peered down, but still found no sign of palaces or temples.

In the distance, many demonic flowers had already withered; their demon seeds had flown off.

Chen Shi's heart tightened. He swept his sleeve. The dead leaves spun up and he exhaled true energy in a gust. The leaves turned into orioles that flew even more meticulously in search.

"Found it!"

Chen Shi noticed an oriole that had turned back into a leaf ignite and fly up. He leapt and struck down; thunderlight exploded beneath his feet as he landed beside the smoldering ash. He lifted a finger and lightly touched it; a burning sensation shot through him.

Chen Shi's eyes brightened. He pushed his palm forward and shouted, "Reveal!"

"Hum—"

Layer upon layer of talismanic barriers materialized, glittering golden. These talismans were not on paper; someone had written them directly in the air with a golden brush mixed with cinnabar, forming seals! Beyond this barrier lay an ancient temple.

Chen Shi examined the seals. They belonged to the Fire and Thunder talisman lineages, depicting deities of the fire and thunder paths with divine script written alongside. Some seals were not among the Luo Heaven Sacrificial Rite or the Grand Cosmic Sacrificial Rite left by his grandfather and Creation Little Five!

"There must be an even higher-level sacrificial rite above the Luo Heaven and Grand Cosmic Rites!" Chen Shi thought.

He memorized the seals and promptly set about breaking the seals. As a master of talismans, he quickly cracked the seals and stepped before the Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau.

At the same time, outside Fusheng Town, Black Pot sensed powerful demonic qi racing toward this place and grew tense, letting out an uneasy howl.

Stone Ji Your Ladyship also perceived the many formidable auras and grimly thought, This time I must show some backbone and not embarrass myself before the envoy... Huh—these demons don't seem to be aimed at Fusheng Town.

Black Pot braced himself and suddenly raised his head in puzzlement. The dozens of demon seeds were heading for that mountain peak!

"Their target is the envoy!" Stone Ji Your Ladyship cried out.

Chen Shi stood before the Temple of the Jade Pivot King Lingguan of the Fire Bureau. The courtyard was deep. In its center stood a shimmering golden treasure pagoda, twelve stories tall, sixteen to seventeen zhang high, with no doors or windows. Up close it did not look like a pagoda but rather a solid magical treasure.

"It should be a golden whip—only it's far too large," Chen Shi muttered as he gazed at the golden whip.

The fire bureau's main hall came into view. Row after row of miniature shrines lined both sides, stretching deep into the hall. The total number of shrines on either side reached five hundred!

"Five hundred deity seats..." Chen Shi suddenly froze. "Who is the Lingguan guarding? Whose gate needs five hundred Lingguan?"

He noticed that although the central shrines held no statues, couplets hung on either side.

To the left: Lingguan heavenly general, incarnation of the Dao Sovereign.

To the right: Jade Emperor's commander-in-chief, Single-Qi Divine Lord.

Chen Shi murmured, "So it's guarding the Jade Emperor..."