138: "Divine Kingdom" and "Clergy"

"My name is Mo Ran. By the time you read this, I may already be dead..."

Mo Ran sat leaning against an old locust tree, using a brush to write this line on a piece of faintly glowing animal hide.

The animal hide had a special texture, warm and smooth to the touch, and the ink was absorbed as soon as it landed. He wrote slowly, every stroke carrying an unspeakable weight.

After finishing the last character, he gently blew the ink dry, carefully folded the animal hide neatly, and placed it into a dark-colored wooden box.

The box lid closed with a faint "click."

He slowly rose, patted the dust from his robes, and his gaze fell upon the solitary tombstone beside the tree.

Engraved on the stone tablet were the words: Tomb of Master Chen Huai. The inscription below read: Unfilial Disciple Mo Ran.

Mo Ran gazed at the tombstone, took a deep breath, and respectfully performed the three bows.

After the ritual, he solemnly placed the wooden box in front of the tablet. He formed a hand seal with his right hand and gently waved it, causing the wooden box to silently vanish into the air.

Having completed all this, he took one last look at the tombstone, then turned and walked toward the cluster of buildings ahead, shrouded in Immortal Qi.

The complex of buildings stood tall above a sea of clouds, its white jade foundation meeting the flowing Auspicious Clouds.

The central palace was covered with glazed golden tiles, and jade-carved Spiritual Birds perched on the flying eaves.

Massive stone pillars carved with coiling Dragons supported the hall, and Runes on the columns occasionally emitted a soft golden light.

Surrounding the palace were towering pavilions that pierced the clouds. Their outer walls were interwoven with energy pathways and Spiritual Wood, radiating a faint blue glow.

The pavilions were connected by floating covered bridges, forming a complex aerial network.

The sight on the Sky Curtain was even more fantastical.

Seven-colored auroras danced slowly like gauze curtains, and the sun and moon hung simultaneously in the sky, their golden and silver radiance harmoniously intertwined.

Countless stars swiftly streaked across the sky, dragging bright trails behind them.

The ground was crystal clear, and Spiritual Power flowed silently beneath it like spring water. The white jade Sundial on the plaza operated autonomously, projecting time markings onto the clouds and mist.

A breeze swept past, and the wind chimes under the eaves rang on their own, their clear, melodious sound adding a touch of Life Qi to this tranquil Immortal Realm.

Every time Mo Ran set foot here, he still felt shocked. He crossed the plaza and walked along the floating covered bridge, finally reaching his destination after several twists and turns.

This building had a unique style, dominated by deep purple and ink black, with stark contours. The entrance was carved with twisted symbols and chain patterns, clearly related to Curses.

A person was standing in front of the building. When Mo Ran approached, that person turned their head; they looked exactly like Mo Ran.

"Do you wish to learn the Art of Curse?" the person asked with a smile. The voice was identical to Mo Ran's, yet devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Mo Ran was momentarily dazed, then quickly roused himself. He did not answer, but walked straight to a stone stool nearby and sat down. Seeing his lack of response, the person resumed a static posture, watching forward with a standard smile.

Mo Ran sat on the stone stool, occasionally glancing at the "himself" and surveying the surroundings. This period had been the most unimaginable time of his life.

Just one day ago, he experienced the biggest turning point of his life. To repay a favor he owed, his Master Chen Huai gambled his life to Curse and kill the Lord Tianzun.

Every time he thought of it, Mo Ran was filled with endless regret. He regretted dragging his Master to his death, and he regretted committing the monstrous sin of cursing and killing the Celestial Venerable.

But undeniably, this incident also granted him an enormous Opportunity and a chance to make amends.

The Celestial Venerable told him that a sinner who repents is the most precious thing.

Regardless of their intentions, the actions of him and his Master constituted a grave sin. But as long as they recognized their mistake and corrected it, there was still room for redemption.

The Celestial Venerable was moved by Mo Ran's Filial Piety and sincere Devotion, allowing him to bury his Master in the outer perimeter of this Divine Kingdom, so that the soul could gain eternal peace.

At the same time, Mo Ran would also receive a Divine Post, securing him a place within the Divine Kingdom.

Of course, a sinner is ultimately a sinner, and not all Karma can be resolved by a momentary Epiphany.

The Celestial Venerable warned him that he needed to repay several times the Karma incurred by his sinful acts.

He must perform good deeds and accumulate virtue, propagate the Celestial Venerable's Virtues, and practice the Celestial Venerable's Moral Principles.

If one lifetime is not enough, then two; if two are not enough, then three, until his Karma is fully repaid before he can formally Ascend to the Divine Kingdom and obtain the Divine Post.

What Mo Ran was most grateful for was that the Celestial Venerable allowed him to "preliminarily" possess a Divine Post Body, enabling him to accumulate Karma ahead of time.

The Celestial Venerable promised that if Mo Ran accumulated enough Karma, he could request that his Master's tomb be moved to the inner layer of the Divine Kingdom, allowing his Master to rest in a better environment.

The Curse-related building before him, and the "Divine Post Incarnation" that looked exactly like him, were all part of his "Divine Post Body," serving as the starting point for him to accumulate Karma and practice the Moral Principles in the future.

Mo Ran was generally satisfied with this Incarnation.

It seemed to contain knowledge and power related to Curses, although he couldn't fully control it yet.

It just gave off a strange feeling; it didn't resemble an Immortal Family Clone, but rather a Puppet with preset programming.

"Perhaps it's because I haven't formally taken over the Divine Post, and my Karma Cultivation is insufficient, causing the Incarnation to be imperfect."

Mo Ran comforted himself with this thought, as he had never seen a True God or Immortal besides the Lord Tianzun, so he dared not make any rash judgments.

The blow of losing his Master was still immense, but the Celestial Venerable's generosity and benevolence were like a bright lamp in the darkness, reigniting his confidence in the future.

He even harbored the hope that when his Karma achieved Perfection, he might be reunited with his Master in this Divine Kingdom. This thought became his greatest motivation.

He looked again at the static "himself," his gaze gradually firming. No matter what lay ahead, for his Master and for repaying his Sinful Karma, he had to persevere.

Meanwhile, at the Jiangzhou Prefecture Yamen.

Zhou Yan finally finished dealing with the troubles at hand and let out a long sigh of relief.

He painstakingly fabricated a story, making everyone believe that he had a slight understanding of the Dao of Curses, and had only succeeded by chance using a Counter-trick during the crisis.

After tracking them, he claimed that the Curse Practitioner had been annihilated by the Backlash, leaving only one attendant who escaped.

He sensed that the attendant's Realm was not high, so he pursued him alone, which was why he hadn't met up with Yuan Chenling, Shi Suiyan, and the others who had come to protect him.

Everyone initially had some complaints. Yuan Chenling and Shi Suiyan had rushed around for him, yet he acted on his own. Although Wang Yao and Sage Xiao didn't explicitly say so, their eyes showed disapproval.

Zhou Yan apologized sincerely and proactively offered to cook a banquet himself to celebrate their safety and thank everyone for their hard work.

The atmosphere gradually thawed during the banquet, and everyone began praising his "wit and bravery."

Of course, his Senior Brother and the friends who knew his background were not so easily placated.

Sage Xiao was satisfied after a few extra meals, but Wang Yao, Yuan Chenling, and Shi Suiyan wanted to investigate further.

To divert their attention, Zhou Yan timely revealed the clues he had obtained during the pursuit and interrogation regarding the fugitive Judge Chen, as well as the faint traces suggesting Assistant Prefect Qiao might be involved.

These two pieces of information immediately drew attention. Sage Xiao and Wang Yao continued to interrogate the controlled Qiao Wenbin, while Shi Suiyan and Yuan Chenling followed the clues to track down Judge Chen's whereabouts.

Seeing that everyone was engrossed in the new investigation and no longer scrutinizing his abnormality, Zhou Yan was completely relieved. He sneakily found an empty corner and let out an evil "jiejiejie" laugh.

Fortunately, the side hall was empty. If someone had heard him, he would likely have been seized as an Evil Cultivator.

Zhou Yan summoned the System panel, tallied his gains, and his satisfaction was evident.

First were the Spoils of War dropped by a Nascent Soul Stage Curse Practitioner. Although he was an Elite Monster template, the items dropped weren't overly rare, but since he was a Nascent Soul, they wouldn't be too bad.

Next, his Main City finally welcomed its first NPC, "Curse Mentor Mo Ran."

Even the corpse of that Nascent Soul Cultivator lay quietly in a specific area of the Main City. As long as Zhou Yan had time, he could go there anytime to farm progress for the silhouette.

This round yielded rich rewards, enhancing him in every aspect. It was a joyous occasion and a great victory.

After rejoicing for a long time, Zhou Yan finally calmed down, adjusted his expression, and returned to his usual gentle and peaceful demeanor.

It was time.

He focused his mind and clicked on the Main City icon on the System panel.

His consciousness was gently withdrawn, then instantly dropped into another space.

No, that wasn't the right way to describe it. Zhou Yan corrected himself just before the consciousness shift.

It should be—The esteemed Lord Tianzun finished handling Mundane Mortal Affairs, returned to the Holy Kingdom, and prepared to bestow guiding Divine Edicts upon the Devout Believers who had repented.

Hmm, this was more fitting for his status.

Jiejiejie.

(The Main Perspective of this chapter is Mo Ran, so most of the dialogue and observations are purely the result of Filter Enhancement and hold little reference value.)

(PS: The Time Flow Rate in the Main City is different from the Main World; the Main City's flow rate is slightly faster than the Main World's.)