I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Mount Qi Wu.

Mountain God Temple.

The main hall enshrined a statue of a Taoist hermit riding a bull, surrounded by curling blue smoke and the peak of incense offerings.

This place was different from the Qingyun Mountain Temple; there were no formations or prohibitions to block access, allowing common people to enter directly to worship.

Zhou Yi had taken over the nest of the deity with a bird's head and dragon's body and changed the worship of the people under his command. The rules of offering incense and sacrifices were continued from the past; these traditions, passed down for hundreds of years, had become a cultural custom, advantageous to gaining recognition from the faithful.

On this day.

A fleeing light landed in the back courtyard, revealing its form to be Zhou Yi. He sent a message calling for the temple keeper Wu Qiong.

"In the years I have been in closed-door cultivation, has there been any important matter?"

"Reporting to the Mountain God, we have only received a few invitations, requesting the Mountain God to attend banquets and debate the Dao."

Wu Qiong had grown older, but being nourished by spiritual energy, he still had a youthful appearance and an air of immortal grace. He presented the invitations with bent body and handed them to Zhou Yi.

Since taking the position of temple keeper at the Mountain God Temple, the Wu family had become the foremost family within the Mount Qi Wu area. His son had taken several wives in the hopes of producing offspring with a Spirit Root.

After the issue with the incense tax, Wu Qiong deeply realized that only by cultivating could he ensure the family lineage.

Zhou Yi casually inspected the invitations, mostly from nearby sects and Loose Cultivators. There was also one from a prince of the Jing Kingdom; evidently, they were quite interested in the newly promoted deity of Mount Qi Wu.

First, they wanted to entertain him, not necessarily to win him over but to probe Zhou Yi's origins and footing.

"Discard such invitations in the future. I am focused on cultivating in seclusion and have no interest in pleasure. In the past ten years, has Mount Qi Wu's population increased?"

"It has increased slightly, but not by much."

Wu Qiong hesitated for a moment before speaking, "As an insignificant mortal, I am entrusted by the Mountain God to serve as temple keeper. However, I am involved in matters concerning cultivators and immortals. I am inadequate for the task. Please, Mountain God, punish me!"

A sharp light flashed in Zhou Yi's eyes as he said coldly, "Has someone been breaking the rules?"

Mount Qi Wu spread over nine thousand li, and Zhou Yi could not oversee everything in real-time, so he needed to appoint Mountain Gods and River Lords as deputies.

The Loose Cultivators and Spirits and Monsters that he had recruited before were mostly leftovers from the previous Mountain God, with experience in managing people. Since Zhou Yi was in charge alone, he followed the old rules and let them take office.

He had set a few rules, stating that as long as they strictly adhered to them, they would have the right to mine Spiritual Objects.

All Wish Power Beads belonged to the deity of Mount Qi Wu; after all, the cake had been divided, and Zhou Yi had to deliver as promised. Your next journey awaits at empire

"I've heard them say that the value of incense wish power is increasing by the day, and one Wish Power Bead can be exchanged for many rare and precious Spiritual Objects," Wu Qiong explained.

"To gather more incense wish power, they've used quite a few tricks. They say that since you wouldn't know anyway, as long as the numbers turned in are accurate, they could swallow anything extra privately."

"Hmph! No one dares to take advantage of me in this world," Zhou Yi scoffed.

Anticipating such issues, Zhou Yi inquired, "Since you know about this, haven't they offered you any deals?"

"They did, and it's all here."

Wu Qiong took out ten grey-green Wish Power Beads, saying, "They say that with these beads for cultivation, even without a Spirit Root, one can draw spiritual energy into the body and embark on the path of cultivation."

Zhou Yi waved his hand and the beads flew towards him. They were third-grade incense wish power beads. He guessed they were similar to the ones from the land deity Linyang, who had secretly caused disasters to deceive the people into offering sacrifices. He slipped them into his sleeve and asked.

"Weren't you tempted?"

"Of course, I was tempted. Who doesn't wish to cultivate and seek the Dao?" Wu Qiong bowed and said. "However, my late father taught me that gain and loss are fated and shouldn't be forced. The Mountain God saved my life and is the pillar of my family. Why would I forsake the essential?"

"Correct. You weren't blinded by the prospect of gain."

Zhou Yi voiced his approval, remarking, "I know about this matter now, and someone will deal with it."

The path of cultivation for Loose Cultivators and Spirits and Monsters was difficult. Zhou Yi had intended to give them a clear path, yet none had steadfast Dao hearts and dared to deceive and covet Wish Power Beads. Such acts were only permissible for Zhou Yi himself!

"Compared to this, the people from Heaven's Gate seem much more reliable."

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and sent a message to Bai Suixin and Danxia Zi, due to special circumstances, to distribute the Wish Power Beads one year later.

A Nascent Soul Daoist might spend ten or eight years in closed-door cultivation; a delay of one year was but the blink of an eye. Soon, Bai Suixin sent a message inquiring if he needed help, but Zhou Yi replied that he could handle it himself.

Danxia Zi did not respond, perhaps he was in closed-door cultivation.

One month later.

At Yu Mountain under Mount Qi Wu's jurisdiction, the Luo family of cultivators moved in.

The family numbered over two thousand. It seemed like a full-scale relocation, making nearby cultivators speculate that they had provoked a formidable enemy.

With four Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Luo family was not distinguished in Yu Mountain.

Half a month later, the Luo family presented evidence of crimes by the Yu Mountain deity and ascended Mount Qi Wu to present their case.

Soon.

Yu Mountain had a new Mountain God—the Luo family patriarch.

Even if some cultivators were discontent, looking at the Demon King's head hanging in the temple curbed any rebellious thoughts.

One might have thought the matter settled, but it was only the beginning. In the following six months, out of the sixteen domains under Mount Qi Wu, fourteen saw new appointments.

The local cultivators understood then that these mysterious cultivator families surely belonged to the lineage of the Mount Qi Wu deity!

All Spiritual Objects and Wish Power Beads obtained by slaying corrupt deities were turned over to the Mountain God Temple.

Zhou Yi had appointed Loose Cultivators, Spirits and Monsters as Mountain Gods and River Lords, and after that, he rarely meddled in affairs, effectively giving them full authority. Whether considered fishing or testing, in the end, only two remained steadfast in their Dao hearts.

Mountain God Temple.

Zhou Yi sent a message to Bai Suixin, inviting him to a banquet on Mount Qi Wu.

This fellow's position within the Severing Heaven Sect was unclear; he might have been wandering about. Just half an hour later, a fleeing light landed at the temple gates.

Knowing his way around, Bai Suixin entered the back courtyard with a look of joy and asked.

"Junior Brother, have the Wish Power Beads been distributed?"