Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 504: The Dai Temple outside the City, the Fallen Holy Emperor_1
Thirty miles from Springhead City, in a dilapidated Dai Temple, Wang Linchi gazed at his somewhat aged statue, a wave of emotion washing over him.
Yesterday, the old Temple Master of Springhead City’s Dai Temple had passed away from illness, and Wang Linchi had come to take over, seeing it as a suitable place to stay for a while. Otherwise, he truly would have had nowhere else to go.
He buried the old Temple Master today, on the hill behind the temple. The man had been a rare Class B believer; if he had been Class C or D, Wang Linchi wouldn’t have bothered with him at all.
Afterward, he had the Saint Master give the Dai Temple a simple tidying.
Truth be told, this wasn’t the original Dai Temple. The original, located within Springhead City, had been quite grand. This one, in contrast, felt cramped and small once his statue was placed in the main hall. There were few facilities; the backyard even housed chickens and ducks, with vegetables growing nearby.
Worshippers were exceedingly scarce, fewer than ten a month, meaning incense offerings brought in very little money. However, the old Temple Master had been self-sufficient. Aside from the lack of funds, everything else had been fine.
His cause of death was also relatively peaceful: he had simply passed away from old age.
While Wang Linchi had been in seclusion and unable to manage the faith network, only Class A believers could receive their corresponding longevity rewards. Furthermore, the amount of longevity granted had been decreasing annually, and the requirements for obtaining Divine Arts and Spirit Glyphs had also become stricter. After Heng Shizong’s campaign to destroy Dai Temples, the number of eligible candidates had naturally dwindled.
Now, not to mention upper-tier Class B, the highest-ranked believers left were merely lower-tier Class B. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
After getting the Dai Temple in order, Wang Linchi planned to live there.
He wasn’t worried about the Calamity of the Last Law. He had figured it was a slow decline, one that would last at least two more dynasties. Besides, he now had a way out. He possessed several world coordinates and could leave at any time.
Over the past six hundred years, the world coordinates in his possession had changed dozens of times; many had vanished due to the sheer passage of time, likely because the corresponding worlds had been destroyed, rendering the coordinates untraceable.
Clearly, world coordinates had a time limit. If one didn’t use them promptly, there was no going once the target world was annihilated.
Of course, Wang Linchi had no intention of using such ancient coordinates. The more recently acquired a coordinate, the less likely its world had suffered an apocalypse. As for the oldest ones he held, those worlds were probably riddled with devastation. If he were to go to one, he’d be met with misfortune instantly, so he didn’t even consider it.
The Dai Temple was quickly cleaned. Wang Linchi lay on a recliner in the courtyard, squinting his eyes. This leisurely life was incredibly comfortable.
If not for the need to grow stronger, he would have gladly spent his entire life here, preferably with several wives and concubines. Unfortunately, given his inhuman appearance, marriage and children were out of the question. It was best to endure the loneliness.
He lay there until evening and was about to ask the Saint Master to prepare dinner. Though no longer human, he was still in a human guise and had to maintain appearances.
Just then, he sensed people approaching his Dai Temple.
These visitors bear ill intentions and carry the scent of Demon Gods. After the old Temple Master’s death, they probably intend to destroy my Dai Temple to eliminate any future troubles.
There weren’t many Dai Temples left, but they still posed a significant threat. No one knew if the former Dongyue Tianqi Emperor of Life and Benevolence would make a move.
What? Heng Shizong had demoted him to Lord of Mount Tai? That was just a rumor, something to be heard but not taken seriously. Such an ancient and powerful entity, even in decline, was not someone they could afford to provoke. Thus, they only dared to suppress the Dai Temples, never daring to touch the Mount Tai Ancestral Court itself.
However, Dai Temples in other places were a different matter; there, they truly dared to strike with lethal intent.
"That old bastard is finally dead! Alright men... smash—?" The brawny man leading the group thrust out his foot to kick the door, but just then, Wang Linchi opened it. The man kicked air and nearly tumbled, but thankfully, one of his quick-eyed henchmen behind him caught him.
"Where did you come from, boy? What are you doing living in this temple?" the brawny man asked, his face disgruntled after regaining his balance.
"I am the new Temple Master of the Dai Temple. Where else would I live, if not in the temple? Surely not in your house?" Wang Linchi couldn’t help but smile. The brawny man before him was clearly scared. He seemed to be all bark and no bite.
"Impossible! You can’t be the new Temple Master. I heard the Court hasn’t approved any new Temple Master for the Dai Temple!" one of the brawny man’s underlings, who clearly had some education, immediately scoffed.
The brawny man’s courage grew at these words. That’s right, where did a new Temple Master for the Dai Temple come from? Besides, I serve the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. What’s there to be afraid of?
"Does a Temple Master of the Dai Temple need the Court’s approval?" Wang Linchi asked. "The Dongyue Tianqi Emperor of Life and Benevolence seems unaware of this." He did, in fact, know about this policy. It was precisely why the Dai Temples were deteriorating so quickly. Their whole tactic was to prevent Dai Temples from having Temple Masters. Even if someone willingly volunteered, they would be deemed an illegal Temple Master and thrown into prison. This trend had been particularly prevalent during the period after the death of Heng Shizong and the rise of the Demon Gods.
By now, it hardly mattered. The Dai Temples were in decline; even if the Court were willing to issue official recognition, no one would want the position.
"What Dongyue Tianqi Emperor of Life and Benevolence? Some random, unknown god? Don’t you know Springhead City is the territory of the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign?" the brawny man clamored.
Wang Linchi merely smiled. "Alright, say whatever you want. I am already the Temple Master. What are you going to do about it?"
"I... I’ll smash your temple, of course!" the man said, steeling himself. He truly wanted to back down, but he had come to curry favor with the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. If he fled now, wouldn’t he be seen as useless in the God Sovereign’s eyes?
"Why smash the temple? What grudge is there between us?" Wang Linchi asked.
"None, but your temple is an eyesore!" the brawny man said, then, his eyes darting around, he changed his tune. "We don’t have to smash it. Just destroy that statue of your... whatever Lord of Mount Tai, and we’ll leave immediately."
"That can’t be done. The divine statue is my livelihood. Besides, this isn’t some Lord of Mount Tai; it’s the Dongyue Tianqi Emperor of Life and Benevolence," Wang Linchi corrected him.
By now, most people only knew of the Lord of Mount Tai, not the Holy Emperor. Their control over public opinion is remarkably effective.
The brawny man knew that divine beings were always watching, so he didn’t dare act recklessly in the presence of a Temple Master. The last time he had tried to cause trouble at a Dai Temple, he had nearly been beaten to death by the old Temple Master. Now, faced with a younger one, he was even more hesitant. In his eyes, all Temple Masters possessed Divine Arts granted by their gods. As for Spirit Glyphs, he had never even heard of them. They were unique to Wang Linchi; other Demon Gods only granted Divine Arts.
"Why don’t you understand? Serving as a Temple Master for some unknown deity, you’ll starve sooner or later! Smash the statue, and I can introduce you to the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. That’s a real god!" the man continued, trying to persuade him.
"So, are you the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign’s Temple Master then? How about you show me one of his Divine Arts?" Wang Linchi retorted teasingly. Hmph, a mere level 19 Demon God daring to call itself a God Sovereign. Never mind the Ancient Era; even during the Spirit Master Era, it would have been slaughtered. Even the Wolf God, Sky Wolf, doesn’t have such an audacious title.
"You... you just wait! When the Mysterious Tiger Temple’s Master comes personally, you’ll know what’s what!" the brawny man huffed coldly, uttered his threat, and then fled in a rather embarrassing manner with his underlings.
Of course, he wasn’t a Temple Master, nor did he possess any Divine Arts. He was just an ordinary man, hoping that by currying favor this time, he could become a Temple Master, receive Divine Arts, and thus rise above others. His aspirations were grand, but reality was cruel. He had witnessed the power of a Temple Master’s Divine Arts; one could easily slaughter all of them if they wished.
Wang Linchi, aiming to crush their spirits, shouted after them, "Safe journey then! Next time you visit, be sure to display the Mysterious Tiger Divine Arts for me!"
Hearing this, the group fled even faster.
"Utter nonsense," Wang Linchi shook his head and returned to the Dai Temple.
This world was truly bizarre. Even such weaklings dared to claim titles like God Sovereign and Great Emperor. It was the epitome of cheapness. On one hand, it was the bullshit they spread to attract faith. On the other, it was because the Court intended to suppress him, the Dongyue Tianqi Emperor of Life and Benevolence, and in doing so, had devalued these honorific titles.
